Sam is out of Surgery!!!

thanks so much for all of your prayers...here is what Sam's dad wrote about his surgery today!! The surgeon is really happy with how the repair went. He was able to do everything he wanted to and put in a very large conduit, which means many years before another operation. The stent that had dislodged had actually done a lot of damage to his tricuspid valve, but the surgeon was able to completely repair the damage. He was surprised with how healthy Sam was considering all the damage. He was also able to remove the other stent, so hopefully no more caths for that. God was watching over us on this one! Sam is expected to go home in 3-5 days. Thanks for all your prayers, and keep them coming!

Emergency Heart Surgery-PRAYERS PLEASE

This is Sam, on of my very good friends, five year old guy. Sam had open heart surgery on the day he was born. He also had a stent replaced in August. However, after some concern with his oxygen levels an echo was done. It appears his stent has slipped into his tricuspid valve. Sam will be wheeled into the operating room tonight or tomorrow!! I am asking all of my fellow bloggers, and adoptive mommies to pray for this sweet boy. thanks so much..it means so much to have this young guy covered in prayer!!! Phillipians 4:6-Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. update on Sam- Surgery is 0700 tomorrow. They are getting the stent out and replacing his pulmonary valve. Because he is older, then can put in a large valve. He won't need another surgery for many years.

that blankety, blank, blanken line!!!

When I was in high school, my favourite type of test was long answer.  Sure, a laxy daisy student such as I was could pull off an answer, even without studying.  If, I generally knew the answer, I could try and fit it in the paragraph.
My second favourite type of test was multiple choice, I knew the answer was in there, if not by process of elimination, a guess, you still have  a 25% chance at getting it right.
Now, the fill in the blank, those, you knew or you did not know...NO WAY AROUND IT!!!



Filling out paperwork for our children is a part of life.  They are those fill in the blank questions, the ones we know inside and out.  Weight, height, colour of eyes, colour of hair, birthdate, and
birthplace. 

Kevin and I have been filling out more paperwork for Noah, and when it comes to the answers we can fill in some of them.   But, the sad reality is some of the lines are guesses and Noah's  birthplace is unknown to us.   I wish that it was not a one line answer.  I could say so much more.  Multiple choice would allow me to explain a little,  A) probably near where he was abandoned   B) Probably in a small village or farm  C)I wish I knew   D)  I will never know.   Long answer could give them a bit of background, they could hear his story. Dear Canadian Government,  My son is adopted.  He was born with a special need that his parents probably did not know what their son had.  His mom probably held him that one night, and grieved.  Knowing the next morning the only way her son would have any hope of getting help would be to abandon him.    So, we know where he was abandoned, but, not born.  Oh, by the way, he is an amazing little boy and we are crazy head over heels for him.
But, only fill in the blank exists on these forms, and our answer is UNKNOWN.  It makes me sad, for Noah.  Does one unkown answer change the outcome of his life.  NO, but, knowing the answer to where you are born is important.  Will it be ackward for Noah?  Perhaps, but, I pray for, hope for, his story can touch others.  I pray he knows of the unconditional love of his family, that he was not only chosen by us, but, more importantly by his Heavenly Father!!! who knew him before time began.

Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.




   

moved to action

Please take a few minutes to read this very well written post by Sylvia.  Sylvia and her husband adopted Elora from China in March 2012.

http://eloraatlast.blogspot.ca/

after 314 nights

It took 314 nights, but, Noah is no longer sleeping with mommy and daddy. He is now sleeping in a room with his big brother

Because you can only sled so much!!!

Adoption "wrecked" me

We have officially been home ten months with our dear little Noah. I knew things would change when we brought Noah home, every family changes with a new addition. However, I did not know the extent that adopting would change me as a human being. I did not know that adoption would wreck me. "wrecked-ruined, devastated, undone. my live forever changed, and there is no returning to how life used to be. My paradims have shifted. My worldview has been infected with a contagion that has spread to every facet of my life. I cannot go back to who I was"1 before this adoption journey. Kevin and I did not save Noah, only God can do the saving. I do know however, that as great as an orphanage can be(or not be) a child is never given the attention, love, nutrition and care needed to thrive. Families are where children thrive, and our sweet Noah is such an example of that. Not because we are perfect family, no, but because we are a quirky, make tons of mistakes, full of love kind of family. So, if God can take me, if God can take Kevin and God can take our family to change the outcome of a life, than do we just stop at that...go...good enough we have done our job.....NO God has plans for us...and how I wish I knew exactly what they were... the orphans...to see the faces...to know we can do more....it hurts. I am so glad I am wrecked...that my thoughts have been changed, my views shifted. To have compassion is to suffer with. To hurt with orphans is a place to start. A place for change, and place for action....Love is an action. James 1:27Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
1 from the book wrecked by Jeff Goins

wordless wednesday(support at the dentist)

Suprising things I learned from the flu!!!

(besides the fact, I should buy 4litres ice cream pails and not 2 Litre boxes)I seemed to have been struck twice with the flu this week(or food poisoning and the flu, I do not know)   Laying in bed completely quarantined from my family was fine at first.  The first day I slept, and slept.  But, by the end of the second day...I was craving...well, human touch.  Being a mother of five kids, a wife, a friend, I am in constant "touch" with other human beings.  A child sitting on my lap, a kiss goodnight, a hug from a friend, etc.  In my memory, I do not think I have been two whole days with little human contact or touch.
By last night, I was almost in tears, I just wanted to hold and kiss my family(but, held back, as I did not want to give them the flu)

my point.....we all know....WE NEED HUMAN TOUCH!!!!  I know Noah had limited touch his first year and a half, and it hurts, it hurts to know that this little human being was not touched nearly as much as he should have been.  One adult caring for five or more babies and toddlers, it is just not possible to fill a childs needs.
So, next time I see a person whom I somewhat know(do not worry mom, I am not going to strart hugging complete strangers) who seems to need a little human touch, I am going to step out of my comfort zone and try and give more than just a simple hello, but some human touch...maybe, it is something they needed more than one can ever know!!

Found: Baby boy on Zhengzhou station China.

Here is a video of a baby boy found in the Zhengzou Station in China.  It is heartbreaking and leaves a sick pit in the bottom of my stomach.  I assume that this boy abandoned at 9 months perhaps has health issues.  Poor little baby, he is in shock...