Friday, October 21, 2011

Run Over

by a bus.
Errrrrrr
a moving van more accurately.

This my friends,
this is an update a looonnnnnggg time coming.
So
so
incredibly sorry that it has taken me this long.

We came home last Friday,
a week ago today I am just now realizing.

I walked into a base house that we now live in
but that I had never been in before
with stuff that I hadn't seen in 4 months.

New child.
New house.
New recovering child with a new house that needs to be set up.
Oh my.

So how about an update via bullet points?
Giddy up
Here we go.

  • He's doing GREAT. 
  • The first 24 hours home I had one foot out the door with my purse on my shoulder about to take him to the local ER. He didn't look good, he didn't seem to feel good, he could barely move around. I kept packing up and then rethinking it. He would look a bit better, then worse. Then better, then worse. It was indecision at it's finest.
  • I held off and sure enough around day 2 he started to perk up.
  • He's doing GREAT. 
  • He had a hard time sleeping the first four nights. He told our translators over the phone that he needed the nurses and doctors. Oh bless him. That was heartbreaking. The other nights I think the enormity of his new life was catching up with him. Last night he slept all night.....hence the blog post today. :) 
  • Physically he looks incredible. So, so much stronger than I have ever seen him. 
  • He slept all night.
  • He slept all night.
  • He slept all night.
  • He is the sweetest little boy, with the cutest little voice. He has no trace of an accent when he speaks English. It's the weirdest thing I have ever seen. Perfectly formed English words coming out of that mouth. 
  • Jacob's Mandarin abilities have come back in full force. There is now English, Chinese, and Chinglish(Joey) all around our dinner table.
  • His transition home has been nothing short of remarkable. Sans the no sleep it has been amazing. He literally walks around all day smiling from ear to ear. He knows this is love, he knows this is life, he knows he feels better. It has been an incredible thing to witness. He.Is.FREE.
  • I feel like I am living in an episode of hoarders in the upstairs hallway. I've gotten 3 out of the four bedrooms set up, downstairs almost complete and a storage shed under the house that I haven't summoned the courage to open yet. I think the minute I see all the boxes that still await me I may just curl up into a ball and rock back and forth. 
  • He's smart, inquisitive and is very used to having a staff of nannies follow behind him and clean up his mess. We are....ahem.....working on that last part. 
  • In 3 days he will have been in America for one month. The 20 days in the hospital feels like a bit of a time vaccum so I would swear he's only been here a week.
  • I can't spell vaccum. 
  • Vacuum. 
  • Oh look. 
  • I did it. 
  • Thank you spell check.
  • The other boys are completely smitten with him. If you are considering adoption but worried about what it will "do" to your other kids, letmetellya. It will change them. It will change them forever. For the better.  It is by far the best thing we have ever done. We sit across from a table each evening listening to two teenage boys talk to three Chinese boys who 9 months ago were all orphans. Who they now get to love on and play with and talk to. It is remarkable. It has made an eternal difference in their lives and in their perception of this world. HIS world.Hands down adoption has been the best parenting decision we have made.
  • Joshua goes back for his first post op check up on Thursday. But in my own largely uneducated medical opinion, it's all systems go. He's doing amazingly well. 
  • He begs to go to school each day. 
  • We are working on that.
  • His new pulmonary valve sits directly on top of his heart. It beats out of his chest. No really. It beats out of his chest. You can visibly see it and feel it. And the only thing separating that valve with the outside world is his skin. And since he is so malnourished there is no fat, no muscle, no nothin protecting him from certain death should he sustain some impact or injury to his chest.
  • This scares the life out of me. 
  • I am heading to a sporting goods store today to see if I can find an under armor football shirt or something that will at least give him a bit more protection. 
  • My dilemma is this: Keep him in a bubble safe at home by himself, or let him live his life. Let him be. Let him go and do and play just like everyone else. I can't treat him like an orphan his whole life, I can't treat him like a sick child, I can't treat him like he is different. He just wants to be him. He wants to run around with his brothers and for the first time in his almost 8 years on this earth he is able to. This is my predicament.
  • We.
  • Are.
  • In.
  • Love. 
  • I am still amazed at all that has transpired in the last month. He is our miracle. He is our gift. 
  • He.Is.Our.Son. 
  • He slept all night. 

More updates coming soon, I promise.
I will never
ever
ever
ever
be able to adequately express to all of you what your support has meant to me.

You have carried us for the past year.
Truly.
Your encouragement, your financial help in raising the ransoms of 3 kids who now call me mom, Team Joshua, the dinners, the care packages at the hospital, the unending emails and text messages, the unpacking of this house, I'm tellin ya
we stand amazed.

You have poured out such love and blessing on us and never will I be able to tell you just how much that has meant to us and what a difference you have made.
Joshua and his story is such an example of love. poured. out. Of the body of Christ working together.
Thank you for loving us
thank you for loving him
thank you for making a difference.

We are ever
ever
grateful.





34 comments:

  1. I absolutely love this post but especially about your boys and the benefit of adoption. Of course thrilled about Joshua but even deeper than that.

    Don't keep him in a bubble. When our son was born I swore if I did nothing else I would not allow him to become a "chronic" kid it is such a disservice and as a nurse you could see those kids coming from a mile away. I am not completely sure I have succeeded, it is hard, you worry but you know what they are amazing and resilient. Like our son who will rule the world with a good stepstool so will Joshua with his under armor shirts!

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  2. So happy!!!!! I think any time I am feeling yucky, I'll come read this post...truly, it is so encouraging. Our God is A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

    Mer :)

    P.S. Shrimp chips are our families favorite snack, ever. A little stinky...but so yummy! :)

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  3. So glad you are finally in a good place, where you are able to relax. The smile on his little face is just PRICELESS!!!! :)

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  4. I'm so glad things are going well!! Continuing to cover your family in prayer. Looking forward to future updates! :-)

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  5. I'm so glad things are going good. I've been wondering and stalking waiting to here how things were.

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  6. Thanks for the update...been hitting "refresh" way too many times each day. Your post made me cry, so blessed to share this moment/miracle with you.

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  7. I am thrilled to hear how well things are going! He looks amazing. God is great!

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  8. LOVE the update. So happy for your family John and Sonia! Can't wait to meet JJ next weekend! WAHOO!

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  9. Thank you for the update... we worry.. many of us who have never even met you... we worry. SO happy to read every one of those bullet points and to know that things are going well. So very well! He is BEAUTIFUL!!! :)

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  10. Love the update!! Thank You.... It's about time.... like you have been busy or something ;) At least you are back to enjoying the pee on the floor.... remember how much you missed it :)

    I have to tell you he doesn't even look like the same boy.... his color is awesome and he is HAPPY!!!!

    You are an inspiration!!

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  11. Amazing! I was worried a bit too, but went back to the old adage...no news is good news.
    God bless you all

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  12. So excited to see your post and that all is well. I agree with what Laurie said. Have not even met you all but have been so worried and praying daily! Love your update/bullet points! God bless and continued prayers!

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  13. HAPPY DANCIN'!!!!! Yippeeee!!! Praise God! :) Just a little celebration on this end. :) Hugs! :)

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  14. SO HAPPY HE IS DOING WELL. I AM OVERJOYED.

    You are great, and Joshua is the luckiest boy in the world to have you as his Mamma.

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  15. He. Looks. Sooooooooooo. Good!!!! wow - what a difference! continuing to pray for you all and your journey together as a family!!! Yay!

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  16. Oh my goodness. I think I'm going to cry. I was trying not to let fear take over my mind but I was so scared. Thank you for the update. Thank you Jesus for this precious child. Thank you for taking him in.

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  17. So thrilled for all of you! Feel like I know you through your blog! Wish I lived close by so I could come over and help you with your unpacking. May God continue to bless each of you.
    Grandma to several!

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  18. Thank you for posting...finally. :)
    I don't think I've ever posted a comment, but I've read your blog faithfully for a long time. I'm sooo happy to hear that things are going so well...and Joshua's lookin' GREAT!

    ~ PattiLynn

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  19. Feel your pain about the protection mode or let them be a kid. Tessa has an aortic aneurysm. The ped. cardiologist has told us it would be disasterous if she were hit hard in the chest. We have chosen to let her be a kid...but limit "balistic" sports/activities.

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  20. Wow, wow, wow!
    So thankful to God!
    Take a deep breathe dear friend!

    Truly God will say to you "Well done my good and faithful servant!"

    Give yourself some time and the same goes for your new son and all of your family!

    Praying for him, for you, for all of you!

    HUGS, HUGS and more hugs!
    Jean

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  21. So glad to see an update! I'm always checking you're blog to see if you had one up lol. So happy to read that Joshua is doing so well!!! <333 Hope everything continues to go good for you <3
    God Bless
    -Kirstie Bikakis

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  22. I am SO happy for you and your whole family! Such great news to hear!

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  23. You surfaced! Praise God!! And praise Him for Joshua!!! He looks AMAZING. I cannot believe the difference, not only in his coloring, but in his belonging. You can actually see it! Oh, my goodness:) I can't wait to hear all about the heart valve thing. Trying to figure our where the rib cage is??? That anatomical structuring is going to blow my mind, I'm sure. Just so exited...can't stand it...more pics, please, when you can breathe. Loves... Blessings... gentle hugs....and a huge one to you...
    Donna O.

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  24. hey there....sounds great!!!
    amazing he is up and about after open heart surgery.

    any chance we can get a good color before and after?
    i want to really see the changes in him. i bet it is amazing.

    you know,,,,since you have nothing else to do with 7 boys around...LOL

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  25. Hello, friend...I'm so happy to read that you are home now with your seven sons!! I have been thinking and praying for you.

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  26. What an incredible story you are living ... thank you for sharing it with us! Our God Rocks!

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  27. I tell ya girl...every single one of your posts makes me so emotional!! God is so good...so amazingly perfect...so beautifully good!!!!!! Praying for your little man continually!!

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  28. Praising God With you!!!1
    We are bringing home our 7 year old son this summer. We are so excited. Thank you for the encouraging words. We know God will be with him and us through this journey as He has been with your family.So happy for your family! All Glory to GOD!!!

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  29. Hoping the next update is a good one:)

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  30. praying for you all tonight,
    keep trusting Him.
    enjoy!

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  31. Missing your updates! I pray that all is going well!

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  32. So happy to hear that things are going well!!!

    I wished I lived closer, I would come on over and help you with all those boxes.

    (we have moved a ton as well, i kinda know the ropes)

    (((hugs)))

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