One of our church college students recently asked me how Eric and I are doing/feeling about Eli's club foot and bracing situation. This is a great question, and I was touched by this students care and concern for us.
I know there will be days when putting on braces gets old, especially since he will wear braces of some sort until he is around four years old. It's not fun seeing my son wearing a contraption that makes him look ready for the x-games snowboarding event. It is hard to tighten Eli's braces as tight as the orthopedist instructed. It's a real pain trying to find accommodating clothing, especially high socks! I can't hold Eli the way I used to. However, we are grateful to have Eli to care for and know that wearing braces is what our son needs.
When you have a child, you love him so much that you are willing to do whatever is necessary to take care of him. Even if it is not always fun, you do what you have to do because it is what is best for the child. We know that wearing braces is the step Eli needs, so we are willing to "embrace" it. Eli's foot being in braces might not be comfortable to him or us, but it is necessary and helpful for his well being. Why would we even fool with medical bills that will meet our deductible at the start of the year or take Eli to frequent doctor visits or make the choice of putting our son's feet in braces everyday? Because we love him with all that we are and know that bracing is what's best for him.
Eli's club foot and bracing trek has been a good picture and reminder of what God does for us. God sees something in us that needs fixed. Whether it feels good to us or not, He still makes the needed corrections to form us into the way He wants us to be. Why? Because He loves us with all that He is and knows what's best for us.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Club Foot Update
The club foot journey continues ...
After only three casts (each worn for one week), we received the news on January 23rd that we were praying for - graduation from club foot treatment part 1!!!!!! Thank you so much to those of you who had joined us in praying for this report! God is so good, is faithful, is in control, has a perfect plan, and is the best doctor and healer EVER! Even a club foot brings God glory and honor. Now on to club foot treatment part 2 - braces!
After only three casts (each worn for one week), we received the news on January 23rd that we were praying for - graduation from club foot treatment part 1!!!!!! Thank you so much to those of you who had joined us in praying for this report! God is so good, is faithful, is in control, has a perfect plan, and is the best doctor and healer EVER! Even a club foot brings God glory and honor. Now on to club foot treatment part 2 - braces!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
1st Adoption Post-Placement Meeting
Thank you so much to those of you who prayed for our first adoption post-placement meeting! Our case worker was at our house for about an hour. She was able to see us interacting with our new son and listen to our answers to her questions. We shared about Eli's personality, health, size, Christmas, and mile markers. We also shared about our experiences in the parenthood transition and what that looks like for us. As usual, our time with our case worker was encouraging. When she was leaving, I said that it was so nice to finally have a meeting with her with our son present!!!! All the other times we've met were meetings in preparation. Now we can have meetings of placement!!!! God is SO good as He always has and forever will be! Having Eli makes all the pre-adoption steps more than worth it!! We will have another post-placement visit in February. A court date will hopefully follow soon after that. Can't wait for our adoption finalization!!!!
Monday, January 21, 2013
More Steps in the Process
Piles of paperwork. Meetings. Fundraising. Waiting. Placement. One would think that once the child is united with his forever family that that would be enough. Not the case ...
Tomorrow (January 22nd) we have our first if several post-placement home visits with our case worker. Then we will have to go to court to have our adoption legalized. This will all take a few more months to complete our adoption finalization process.
Keep us in your prayers as we meet with our case worker at 10 tomorrow morning!
Tomorrow (January 22nd) we have our first if several post-placement home visits with our case worker. Then we will have to go to court to have our adoption legalized. This will all take a few more months to complete our adoption finalization process.
Keep us in your prayers as we meet with our case worker at 10 tomorrow morning!
Our Turn at a Baby Shower
It finally sunk in tonight what just happened today (Sunday, January 20th). For YEARS I have AVOIDED baby showers or went wearing a happy face mask to ones for those really close to me. Today we were blessed with our own shower for our own baby! Tears came to my eyes as I posted a thank you message on Facebook because it made the reality of us having a son sink in all the more. In the car on the way to the shower, I was telling our exchange student daughter how I couldn't believe that today's shower was really for us! Today's shower was more than a baby shower. It was a visual depiction of God's blessings of our LONG-awaited child.
Those who have faced or are facing infertility will be able to relate to this ... Going to a baby shower is like reopening a bad wound. Once you finally start to think you are coping with your loss (and it is a loss that needs to be grieved), you have infertility reality shoved in your face again. Baby showers and new life is exciting and should be celebrated, but it is hard to celebrate when you've been told you can't have or might not be able to have what your friend or family member is celebrating. Most often baby showers are coupled with birth stories or others sharing their family-building stories. This can be very uncomfortable for those facing infertility. I even read a book once that encouraged infertile couples to avoid baby showers. Back in our seminary days, I remember a dear friend of mine being my "date" to baby showers because she was facing the same things I was. We were a support to each other and still are to this day. For those of you who thought I was too distant when your little one came, now you know why. I really was excited ... but I was also hurting. For those of you walking in our shoes or even just starting to try them on for size, I understand! I can also say that staying focused on the truth that God is in control, knows best, wants the best, and has a perfect plan gave me the strength and comfort I needed! Facing struggles of your own of any form? Trusting in God through it all makes all the difference! Life might not be what you pictured, but a time will come when you will see that life is better than you could have ever pictured.
One can imagine how overwhelming it was today to finally be able to celebrate my own baby story at my own shower! Tears come to my eyes right now as I think about the fact that I am really and finally a mommy ... and of a baby! I have longed for this day so much and for so long! I can't even express what today's shower meant to me (and Eric and Eli). It was also a blessing to think about how many people have FAITHFULLY prayed for our adoption and were finally able to see in person the answer to their prayers.
The baby showering didn't just start today ... it started the week Eli came into our home. Several of my co-workers surprised me with some gifts the Thursday before we picked up Eli. Family and family friends gave gifts the day of our placement. People have stopped by to visit us and gave us gifts when they came. Eric is still coming home from church with gifts!
The showering of baby gifts has truly been a reminder of God's provisions. All Eric and I pretty much had for Eli when we received our placement call was a baby room. By the time we picked up Eli a few short days later, we had the basic essentials needed ... several packs of diapers, a few outfits, some washcloths, some baby soap and lotion, some wipes, some pacifiers, a medical kit, and a few other essentials. Our case worker always told us that going to a placement was as simple as a quick target run, but God provided what we needed at just the right times! Many adoptive families are in the same situation as we were ... not knowing the time, child, gender, age, etc. of the future child(den), so there's not much planning that can be done. Thankfully we serve a God who is and who is bigger than adoption needs and baby supplies!!!
Today ... Humbling. Overwhelming. A blessing. A gift. Exciting! We are still in the shock phase from our adoption, but are incredibly grateful that it is finally our turn to be called mommy and daddy and to have our turn at a baby shower! God's plan is always bigger and better than our own ... even times of discouragement and disappointment can turn out later to be the biggest times of encouragement and excitement!
Thank you to those who made today so very special!!!! We are so blessed and so grateful! Now I can face baby showers!
Those who have faced or are facing infertility will be able to relate to this ... Going to a baby shower is like reopening a bad wound. Once you finally start to think you are coping with your loss (and it is a loss that needs to be grieved), you have infertility reality shoved in your face again. Baby showers and new life is exciting and should be celebrated, but it is hard to celebrate when you've been told you can't have or might not be able to have what your friend or family member is celebrating. Most often baby showers are coupled with birth stories or others sharing their family-building stories. This can be very uncomfortable for those facing infertility. I even read a book once that encouraged infertile couples to avoid baby showers. Back in our seminary days, I remember a dear friend of mine being my "date" to baby showers because she was facing the same things I was. We were a support to each other and still are to this day. For those of you who thought I was too distant when your little one came, now you know why. I really was excited ... but I was also hurting. For those of you walking in our shoes or even just starting to try them on for size, I understand! I can also say that staying focused on the truth that God is in control, knows best, wants the best, and has a perfect plan gave me the strength and comfort I needed! Facing struggles of your own of any form? Trusting in God through it all makes all the difference! Life might not be what you pictured, but a time will come when you will see that life is better than you could have ever pictured.
One can imagine how overwhelming it was today to finally be able to celebrate my own baby story at my own shower! Tears come to my eyes right now as I think about the fact that I am really and finally a mommy ... and of a baby! I have longed for this day so much and for so long! I can't even express what today's shower meant to me (and Eric and Eli). It was also a blessing to think about how many people have FAITHFULLY prayed for our adoption and were finally able to see in person the answer to their prayers.
The baby showering didn't just start today ... it started the week Eli came into our home. Several of my co-workers surprised me with some gifts the Thursday before we picked up Eli. Family and family friends gave gifts the day of our placement. People have stopped by to visit us and gave us gifts when they came. Eric is still coming home from church with gifts!
The showering of baby gifts has truly been a reminder of God's provisions. All Eric and I pretty much had for Eli when we received our placement call was a baby room. By the time we picked up Eli a few short days later, we had the basic essentials needed ... several packs of diapers, a few outfits, some washcloths, some baby soap and lotion, some wipes, some pacifiers, a medical kit, and a few other essentials. Our case worker always told us that going to a placement was as simple as a quick target run, but God provided what we needed at just the right times! Many adoptive families are in the same situation as we were ... not knowing the time, child, gender, age, etc. of the future child(den), so there's not much planning that can be done. Thankfully we serve a God who is and who is bigger than adoption needs and baby supplies!!!
Today ... Humbling. Overwhelming. A blessing. A gift. Exciting! We are still in the shock phase from our adoption, but are incredibly grateful that it is finally our turn to be called mommy and daddy and to have our turn at a baby shower! God's plan is always bigger and better than our own ... even times of discouragement and disappointment can turn out later to be the biggest times of encouragement and excitement!
Thank you to those who made today so very special!!!! We are so blessed and so grateful! Now I can face baby showers!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Club Foot
When we first learned of Eli, we were informed that he had a foot condition that would require medical attention. We took Eli to the orthopedic doctor at the start of the new year. The doctor immediately notified us of a mis-diagnosis and that Eli has a club foot. This is correctable, and that process began at our first doctor visit. The pictures below document our club foot journey so far. We are posting this now because we are asking for your prayers. Nine out of ten club foot cases require surgery after the series of casts. Our doctor told us last week that Eli might not need surgery if his foot stretches well by next Wednesday. Please join us in praying that God will do a work on Eli's foot this week and that in turn God will be exalted and magnified.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Bringing Eli Home
On December 22, 2012, our son Eli
was united with his forever family!
You may click each picture if you would like to view the larger version. To view the details of Eli's story, read the information found under the "Bringing Home Our Son" tab at the top of the page or click the link.
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