Thirteen

Thirteen years ago, Kevin and I were tucking our 22 month old Kiah into bed, awaiting the arrival of our second child.
I awoke on the 26th at around midnight, and felt absolutely sick....it felt as if the baby flipped around inside of me.
We lived on hour away from Edmonton at that time, and that was where I was supposed to deliver, but God in all of his mercy gave me the sense to know, I just would not make it.
Kevin and I called the neighbour over, and took over to the town over, the opposite direction of the city.  On the fifteen minute drive, I was in full labour.
We arrived at the small town hospital, and soon after my water broke.  The Doctor arrived and asked me when my last ultrasound was.  "twenty weeks" I said, "why?"
I can only feel one foot he said..... the baby may not survive delivery. As you can imagine Kevin and I were disraught, and I was about to deliver perhaps a dead baby......it was the scariest moment of our lives. 
All nurses arrived that could be called...no other Doctor was available...this baby was coming...and I had to push...not fully dialeted, and praying the baby's shoulders would not get lodged in the birth canal, and that she would not suffocate.
No smiling nurses, no smiling doctor...no one saying it was going to be okay....just them saying we take the life of the mother over the baby.
And so it began...God's miracle and gift to us....A Doctor from South Africa, in a town of one thousand people.  Who had delivered a footling breech before...in his native South Africa.  He twisted her and pulled her out bit by bit.  And I pushed, and held...God was in complete control...and than at 1 am on June 27 1999, a crying baby girl...healthy...pink and very chubby!!!
Praise be to God for my miracle!!!!

Happy 13th Birthday, to our girl who came out ready to run.  We love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are Done Speech Therapy

After Anneke's three year stint in speech therapy. we are so pleased to say that she is in the typical range for speech.  Anneke will continue at the Uof A until the end of July in her twice a week speech therapy.  Or as she likes to say, speech ferapy.

3 months home

3 months have passed, it is hard to believe...in some ways it feels like we have known Noah so much longer than that...  we have loved him before we knew who he was...and we have fallen so deeply in love with our beautiful son.   What a beautiful gift he is to our family!!

Klingon

Noah is doing well in the recovery part of his surgery.   He is now off of pain killers, and eating well(mushy baby food) On the other hand.......sleep....oh how I miss sleep.  Noah's sleep consists of sporadic wakings, and crying..sometimes for 45 minutes.  The splints on  his arms are uncomfortable..but we really sense that he is having some major issues with the hospital stay, that it reminded him of the orphanage, and he was worried he would be back living there.  Though I know that seems a complex thought for a twenty month old.  The look on his face when we left the hospital was of relief and joy...phew..I get to leave this place.

Noah has become extremely clingy...he is my little klingon.  Most of the time with me....and for a much needed break for mom..sometimes daddy.

Besides that, with two weeks of school left, the rest of household is very busy...but we are all looking forward to our summer holidays. 

cover boy!!

http://henankids.blogspot.ca/

click on the link, it may take a few times(either refresh, or close and open back up the link) but our one and only Noah, is at the top in the middle.

Henan kids is a great organization, that is how Noah had his warm, fuzzy sweater in china

Stints and Splints

On Thursday May 31 Noah and I packed up and started our stint Stollery Childrens Hospital.

 Kevin dropped us off at 550am and by 630 Noah was in preadmin, suited up and ready to go...

 We were brought into the back of pediatric surgery, where I suited up, Noah did not care for my new hat...I really did not think much of it either, I wanted a hat like the surgeons,but, I had no choice, and was stuck with my semi sheer shower cap.  Noah and I went back to the surgical suite...where they quickly got him to sleep.

 After four hours..I saw my little peanut again...he was still very groggy and out of it.  They brought Noah up early to me, so he would not realize I was not there.

 Little did I know this was the beginning of living on morphine time...Noah was in so much pain..it was really hard to see my guy hurting so much. 

 Noah did not sleep much for the first two days after surgery.  In the pic below,the blue splint is what he is currently wearing on both arms, to keep his hands and other objects out of his mouth.

 Noah was visited by Gus, the biggest English bull dog I have ever seen.  We are having a moment of happiness...the morphine has just kicked in.

On Saturday morning we headed home.  This past week has been full of pain and exhaustion for Noah.  I was told by another mom(thanks Joyann) that the first 2 to 4 weeks of recovery are pretty rough.  Today, Noah seems to be either having a really good day, or on the up and up..hence why I have the time to type right now.

Thanks everyone for your prayers and support.