Cleft

I have been doing research on cleft lip and cleft palate, and honestly I am overwhelmed. I studied speech-language pathology as an undergraduate for a year before changing majors to special education, so the vocabulary used in discussing cleft lip and palate surgeries and therapy is familiar to me. I knew there would be many surgeries, but I am reading about people having between four and eighteen (that's 18!) surgeries... yikes! And the recovery time after each surgery, while it does vary, requires a liquid diet then soft diet and "no-no's" until the child is beyond the point that they can hurt themselves. "No-no's" are removable arm braces that keep the child from being able to bend at the elbow. They keep the child's hands out of their mouth until they heal enough that they can't undo whatever was fixed during surgery. Recovery instructions vary greatly depending on the doctor, so we'll see what our recovery instructions will be when we get there. None of it sounds like much fun for the boys. Or for us. We'll need lots of prayers, that's for sure!

I have no idea how we would do this if I was working outside our home.

Another thing that's for sure is that God is on this journey with us, leading us to these boys. We feel His love every day, and He prepares us for each obstacle we come across. He brought us here, and He will be with us for the whole ride. He has prepared our family for dealing with cleft issues by my education, our choice to have me stay home, an amazing pediatrician with a heart for orphans, and Jason's unbelievable patience and strength.

Psalm 18:32  It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.