Updates...

Jason's ankle is healing. Doc says he can walk a little on it, so he promptly kicked his BFFs to the curb and ran around the house all day long  is hobbling around a bit here and there without his crutches.

first Father's Day as a Daddy of three
(note: this was the day before he ditched his BFFs)

The munchkins are sleeping a little better at night. David still has a heckuva time falling asleep, but I am not getting up more than one time a night now. Woo hoo! And just in time for Jason to be able to walk in there if they need something... how convenient... nice timing, Jas ;-)

We had such a blast all afternoon at home on Father's Day playing in the water

Josh is loving baseball ~ he has gotten so much better just since practices started a month ago. Last night he played catcher and LOVED it. He didn't really know what to do exactly, but he was having fun anyway. I think the coolest part is wearing all the protective gear. He is also going to baseball camp at the high school, and is really enjoying it. I think improving his skills has helped his confidence which has helped him have more fun playing ~ which is a good thing because my family will travel across the country just to see a baseball game (hint hint, hellooooo family...).

Josh playing catcher

D's fistula doesn't appear to be getting any bigger, and we don't see any new ones either ~ praise God! And he started back with his private speech therapist today. His speech has regressed, and I am so relieved to hear that it is totally normal to regress after surgery. We suspected that is normal, but it is reassuring to hear it from his most wonderfulandamazing speech therapist. D lately has been all glottal stops and vowels, which is so frustrating. No problem, she says, he just needs to learn how to use his new mouth to make the sounds he used to make. Whew! this mama says. David is also now learning to say the /s/ and /sh/ sounds. It is super-exciting to add new sounds to his speech homework!

my happy face - and the only picture of me that I can find for the last 6 months...
bad hair day and everything...
(hint, hint husbandwhocanwalknow)

I took all 3 boys and a friend to the pool the other day. We had a blast! We saw some people that I knew from random places (Josh's preschool, basketball) and it was fun! Finally we can start our summer :-D

(No pictures of the pool this time, sorry)

Bonus: I didn't lose anyone and no one drowned! Yay me!

OK, so that was so God watching out for my boys and our unsuspecting little friend. I must give credit where credit is due...

I don't care who is batting, I am busy here!

Great hit, Josh!!! It's a single!

Like I said, FINALLY, we can start our summer.

(((hugs))),
chris



Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.                   ~ Psalm 143:8

Happy Friday

****cue the angels singing*****

I got a 6-1/2 hour block of sleep last night.

Man, I feel like a new woman.

***more angels singing***

I also exercised twice this week.
I'll hit the weights tomorrow. Which will be like my icing on my cake, dahlinks.

And,
Doc yesterday released Sammy from all restrictions.
He also put David on a soft food diet. This means he can finger-feed himself!!! Yahoo!!!
We still feed him with spoons&forks but wouldn't ya know that most soft foods qualify as finger foods in our house right now ;)
      Go ahead, D, eat your oatmeal with your hands! It's fun!
Doc also mentioned there is a 15-20% failure rate for palate repairs that are as wide as David's was, so the little fistula we're seeing isn't unexpected and (if it doesn't get bigger) isn't a big deal. We can obturate it later if it affects his speech.
This means we are in coast-mode with the munchkins.

So NO MORE SURGERIES IN OUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE!!! YAHOOOOOOO!!!

(insert jump and click heels together here)

So I guess when I was betting that we would need more surgery for the fistula, I would have lost money on that bet! I'm OK with that!

We actually get to start our summer now. Woot! Woot!

(((hugs))),

chris

P.S. The PVC pipe water toy is the best ~ the kids can take it apart and make all sorts of configurations with it.

Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
                 ~ Matthew 22:37

Thank you, Sista!

My sister came to town last weekend. The boys loved seeing their Aunt Shel! But not as much as me.

Aaaaaahhhhhh.

A pedicure.

Another able-bodied adult in the house.

I haven't slept well yet, but I do feel human again.

Thank you! I love you, Sista!

Doesn't Aunt Shel's hair look oh so beautiful! Sammy fixed it for her.

We played at the park

Push me higher!

I LOVE THE SQUAT!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

You catching' flies, Boy?

The boys are so sad after Aunt Shel flew home...

Just give us a minute here...

(((hugs))),

chris

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
            ~ Galations 5:13

And We Have A......

Winner!!!

Nope.

Baby?

Nuh-uh.

What then?

Fistula.

A what-ula?

Yup, you heard me. Here's the definition:  

fistula  fis·tu·la (fĭs'chə-lə) 
n. pl. fis·tu·las  or fis·tu·lae  (-lē') 
 An abnormal passage from a hollow organ

to the body surface,or from one organ to another.

Oh. It's a hole.

Yep.

*sniff*sniff*sob*

This sucks.

Poor D.

But didn't doc say it looked good on Thursday?

Yep. No problems three days ago.*sniff* We just see one small hole right now for sure. And the other seams look different too. We'll see the doc again this Thursday and then we will know more about what needs to be done, and if he needs more surgery or not.  I know where I am placing my bets.

I am off to *slobbercry* in my coffee before anyone else wakes up.

(((hugs))),

chris

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.
          Matthew 6:31-33 

How Are We Doing?

I knew you were thinking it!

David ~ is doing better. His pain was hard to control after we got home last Saturday. His pain meds were wearing off 1 to 1-1/2 hours before his next dose was due, so Sunday morning we switched him back to the meds from his surgery last fall. That helped a bit, and we called the doc Monday morning to see what we could do about it. After Mama-Bear-ing with the receptionist who tried to pass me off to the voice mail, I spoke to the P.A. and we got it all figured out. So Tuesday, pain under control and D feeling much better, I let him go potty by himself. A couple minutes later he came in crying and pointing at his mouth. I thought, oh man he fell down or something.

Turns out he decided to scratch under his bandage AND put his fingers in his mouth.

Oh, crap.

As far as we can see, his palate is still holding.

David is now wearing his no-no's whenever he is out of our sight. And even sometimes when he is in our sight too. He's not happy about it, but he doesn't have to be. He has been up once or twice a night for potty or pain meds.

Emotionally, David is understandably kind of a mess. We will just love him through it.

Samuel ~ is back to his silly little self during the day. I think his lip is pretty secure and won't split open if he gets bumped, but we still have to be careful so the muscles and insides don't get damaged from any bumps. He hasn't slept through the night since before his surgery. When he wakes up he is inconsolable and rejects us for a while, then eventually lets us pick him up and comfort him. He has also been an emotional mess, and is especially having a hard time when any one of us (Jason, me, Josh, or David) aren't around. If our family is all together and it is daytime, all is right with the world.

Josh ~ has been an amazing helper especially since his dad has been gimpified, and is (usually) very careful around his brothers. Josh hasn't complained about us asking him to do more chores like fetching things for his daddy and feeding the dog and cleaning up more. Not once. He and his brothers have been playing so well together since summer started. I know Josh is happier having his brothers around, and has developed some pretty amazing parts of his personality. I am so proud of him.

Jason ~ no surgery for the broken ankle -- YAHOO!!! (insert jump and click heels together here) Jason is still on crutches and will be for at least another two weeks. Hopefully he can bear a little weight on his leg after that. He can do so much for himself, and I am impressed by his independence every day. Sometimes a little annoyed ("Hey Jas I am standing right here why don't you let me get that for you???), but nevertheless I am impressed. He's not the kind of guy who can sit around for very long, and this has been hard for him.

Me ~ I am tired. The little ones are so emotionally needy right now. I haven't slept through the night in over three weeks. Josh has been getting the shaft because his able-bodied parent is exhausted. Jason is limited physically, so many many (most?) household tasks are all on me right now. I am not trying to have a little pity party here. I know God is using this experience to stretch me. I think, by God's grace and with His strength, I am handling things well. I just want to love on all my guys right now.

Our family has been loved on by so many during this season. Our adoption support group, a neighbor, and a sister-in-law have brought us meals. I am humbled ~ the toughest time of day is late afternoon and not having to cook has been such a blessing. We have had offers from so many friends and family if we need anything, they are there. Hey guys, we still consider you on standby ;-D  We did take up our neighbors on the "anything you need" offer once to babysit the munchkins. The kids had a blast! My mom got a cleaning service for us ~ I sure do love that! And all the prayers. Oh, I tell ya, God hears you. Thank you for all the prayers.

So all you friends and family, you are the scaffolding that has been holding our family together. Thank you thank you thank you. We love you.

(((hugs))),

chris

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.      Hebrews 4:16

PTL We are Home!

David took a turn for the better late this morning.

Woo hoo!

After the doc saw us, David started drinking and eating. And immediately felt much much better.

Like, immediately immediately.

Check this out:

Once he ate something and started taking "bed rides" up and down and tilted the bed in all sorts of funky angles, I figured he wasn't feeling nauseous anymore. So the nurse unhooked his IV line and we went for a walk. We found this tricycle and David rode it all over the hospital. See how he still has his IV line in his arm. That didn't stop him though.

We were discharged around 115pm today, and arrived him around 430pm today. We spent almost an hour and a half at the pharmacy in Aurora waiting for D's meds. If you aren't familiar, Aurora is the opposite way from where we live. Long story and I am out of words today.

Peace, out,
off to bed now...
(((hugs))),
chris


“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness.    Luke 11:34

What A Night!

Wowzers. It was a rough night last night.

D was so hungry that he tried to drink apple juice. Then threw it up.
Then fell asleep.
Then woke up to dry heave.
Then fell asleep.
Then woke up and wanted a few sips of water.
Then fell asleep.
Then woke up and barfed it up.
Then fell asleep.
Then woke up to dry heave.

See a pattern starting to emerge?

That was our night.

He even had the anti-nausea medicine a couple times and still barfed.

At least he started peeing a little. Around 9pm.
Not that I was worried or anything.
Because in my totally medical opinion it must be normal for a 4 year old to not pee at all from 730am until 9pm all the while being pumped full of IV fluids...
Anyhoo, he peed.

Then after he started peeing, he developed a low fever. And stopped sweating.

I know God has this little boy in His hands. I keep praying that he little D will feel better.

Not sure we are going home today. Not sure my judgment is clear after pulling an all-nighter, either, so we will just see how things go.

Wowzers.

(((hugs))),
Chris

P.S. Thank you, God, for coffee.

Four Hours Later...

David is done! YAHOOOOoOoOO!!!

When we were in recovery, he woke up briefly a few times. One of the times he woke up and was moving his tongue around in his mouth and made this horrible terrible face! I asked him if his mouth felt weird. He nodded and looked at me like, "What is this sh@&!?@ and what have you done to me?"

Then he got more morphine and went back to sleep.

Another time he woke up and was moving his tongue in his mouth again. He got a defeated look on his face like, "oh, yeah, this again." I told him that his mouth is flat on top inside just like Mama's is now. He looked at me like I was absolutely nuts and how in the world is this a good thing.

Then he got more morphine and went back to sleep.

Doc was able to close David's palate all the way. He said it is pulled really tight, and he is hoping it stays closed. (picture the doc crossing his fingers here) Doc also did another lip revision. He said he is "stoked" about how well it came out.

It is a mega-good thing when your Type A perfectionist artistic-like youcanbetsurgerywilltakelongerthanexpectedjusttogetitright plastic surgeon is "stoked" about how well something went. :-D

We are in a room now, and D is sleeping. He was able to drink a few sips of apple juice. I think he is hungry for pizza. Not yet, my little munchkin. At least two weeks of liquid/puréed food for you.

God is good, my friends. God is so good.

(((hugs))),
Chris


Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

David's surgery day

Here We Go Again!

Little D is in surgery.

As Winnie the Pooh once said, "It's like déjà vu all over again!"

The lady who checked us in recognized us.
Several of the nurses recognized us.
We have the same anesthesiologist.
Same surgeon, of course.
We know our way around the day surgery area which is helpful when you are flying around like an airplane because your surgery is later than expected :-D


They started an hour late, so our scheduled 3 hours is now from 830am to 1130am.

I am not holding my breath that doc will be done in that amount of time. No prob, doc, take your time!

I will keep you posted.

Pray this isn't as painful for David as we are expecting...

(((hugs))),
Chris



I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people. Psalm 52:9