Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Hope for Cavanaugh

During a coffee meeting today a friend brought me a newspaper article.  If you have been following our blog then you know that our sweet baby Cav will most likely be a double amputee.  HE is our story of hope, of taking the proverbial leap of faith.  All we have are pictures of his severely deformed legs, but we also have pictures of his perserverance and determination.  Our baby boy walks on his knees but also can stand up while holding on.  This is amazing since we believe he is missing the tibias (weight bearing bone ) in both of his legs.

The world of an amputee is foreign to our family.  But this story of Nikolai Louritt brings me hope.


I hope to contact this amazing young mans mother.  But even if we never speak the legacy of her daughter and her son will flourish in ours.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Starlight Foundation Fun

It took me a long time, and finally encouragement from our friends to join the Starlight Foundation in our area.  It is a fabulous foundation but for children with life threatening illnesses or disabilities.  The problem I had - little man wasn't disabled.  By joining the foundation, I had to actually admit that my little guy was different, that his disability affected his life.  Once again I spiraled down the steps of loss and the Welcome to Holland poem once again rescued me.  That was almost 2 years ago, and I jsut laugh at myself now.  BUT it is a huge step that I believe all parents of challenged kids must go through.

One of our areas biggest sponsors are the Air Force Academy and their cadets.  THey offer man power to run events, donate space, but more importantly they make the kids feel special.  Despite the level of disability, these young 20 year olds make each child feel capable and special!

Today, the Lacrosse team offered an opportunity for the kids to come and watch a scrimmage, and then they took the kids and played with them one on one or two cadets per child.  It was incredible.  Little man brought his special lacrosse stick we had made small enough for him.  He of course won over the cadets and had them rolling with his antics and celebration dances.  

In addition, our big kids also got to participate.  It has taken me time to realize that they should be celebrated also.  Our life is very different since we had little man.  You can't fly across the country for Dr visits without all the kids being affected.  I in no way think it has had a negative impact on my kid, but it is nice to be able to do something "totally awesome" that they wouldn't be able to do if little man didn't have his issues.  So, they had a fabulous time also, with cadets giving them one on one time and giving them hints and tips.





Go little man, go!


Morgan was a scoring fiend on the Academy's head coach!



Awesome opportunity and we feel so thankful!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Football Game

I know this blog is about our adoption, but since we are jsut sitting here WAITING!  and little man was so sick for most of the previous part of this week, I jsut had to finish up the football posts with this picture.


See that big boy (in the green gloves!) Waiting and ready to tackle the ball runner in front of him.  Not only did he play, he did awesome!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

When a little one prays!

Nothing

And I mean nothing

warms a momma's heart

more than this


Little man praying on his own for "his kids".  He prayed that they were safe, and that God would be in their heart and know we love them so much.  I couldn't say it better myself!

When we first got FeiFei & Cav's information he would call them his China kids.  Lately, it has changed to his kids.  As I right this I am almost wondering if it should actually be His kids.

Regardless, it's a special little Godwink that all will be well and that our children are not going to be ruined by our decision to adopt!


That and I really need to clean my kitchen LOL!!


God's perfect timing - house



About 2 years ago, our little man finally received the diagnosis that would change our lives.  We had known 5 hours before he was born that he would have dwarfism.  It took another 3 years to figure out which of the 350+ types he actually had.  The diagnosis explained his pain he had, had since 18 months old.  In addition, we began to realize that our house was not going to work for him once he moved onto using a scooter etc.  Besides he didn't have a bedroom with a door or a closet (converted study)

SO, in my typical fashion, I began to search for a new house, our dream house, with gusto.  I probably reviewed hundreds of homes between online and in person over the next year.  Nothing was great.

Then last May (2010) I took a new road by my sons school.  I saw a house that was for sale by owner.  As I went up the street to turn around I saw the most spectacular home, with a white picket fence.  I distinctly remember thinking "God, I would love to live in a house like that!"  Of course I laughed when I saw the price on the flyer!!

The next month I drove up there again just to see if anything else was up for sale.  I noticed that the beautiful home was under contract.  I thought LUCKY!!  We left the next week, for three weeks on the East Coast to see little man's Dr's at AI Dupont as well as spend some time in New York.

We got back the beginning of July, and I once again went to that neighborhood looking for anything for sale.  My favorite house no longer had the under contract sign but they also didn't have any flyers.  I immediately called our realtor friend and got an appointment to see the house along with some others.

The kids came with me and they of course made comments about each house.  Until we walked into the beautiful house.  Little Man stood in the doorway and said, MOM .  .  . smell that, it's like home ?!?!  THey ran from room to room and were basically moved in before we had toured the whole place.  Of course we had to convince daddy.  The price had been dropped dramatically but was still expensive.  We finally figured out our bottom dollar and sent in the contract.  The owner never countered, nothing, he agreed on the spot.

THe house is not the ranch style we had anticipated but has a main level office and walk out basement which would need minor additions to make wheelchair accessible.  The halls are wide, it is on 5 acres and still easy access to daddies work.  The kids now all go to school together (K-12).  The front yard is completely fenced (like an entire acre) with half being gorgeous green grass and a huge playset.

Although God blessed us immensely with this house, we also were in a good position.  We have lived by Dave Ramsey's teachings for years.  Our current home was paid off about 2 years ago, so we had the luxury (with some creative financing!) to be able to buy the beautiful house before selling our current home.  And let me tell you this was a HUGE stumbling block for my husband.  The house was paid off, and we were going to die in it according to him.  I however, didn't believe we should keep a house that made little man's life any harder than necessary.

We have now lived in the beautiful home for a year.  We absolutely love everything about it, ok minus the mice, coyotes and snakes that come with living in the country!  We finally did sell the old house on April 1st LOL!  It was a hard having two homes at once, but I can't even imagine two house payments as I know some have had to do.  Mid winter of last year, it finally dawned on me that perhaps God's perfect timing had nothing to do with us but just perhaps it had to do with the buyers.  Sure enough, the buyers had lost all of heir equity in the house they had sold in another state and we had jsut lowered the price.  We sold the house for less than we had initially thought we would but walked away happy.

In God's perfect timing not mine.



Saturday, September 17, 2011

Care Package disaster!

I have been ignoring this blog, not because I have nothing to say, but because I was so heartbroken.

Our sweet Felicity turned 4 on September 4th, and when the day closed in I lost it.  You see our sweet baby girl will

NEVER
 know
her birthday
for real.

Through out this process I thought no big deal, so what it's jsut a day.  But you know what .  .  .  it's not.

It's unfair
and my heart just breaks.

THis baby girl was found on December 4th and she looked to be about 3 months old.

Really,
and how many dwarf babies had they previously seen?

So December 4th minus 3 months = her birthdate.  That simple.

But really
Four birthdays
   Without her family
    did she ever get a cake
     a doll
     a dress
EVER?

Oh wait  .  .  . that's right we sent her all of those things for her birthday!  We received fabulous pictures of the items that we bought


And we waited to hear from the 3rd party agency for an update, pictures, anything from her birthday party.

I finally hounded the 3rd party and finally found out that Felicity's agency  doesn't allow any information to be sent through a 3rd party!

I was HOT! - could I not have been told that before we bought everything!

THen I mourned.  13 yes THIRTEEN months since our last set of pictures of our sweet girl.  My heart aches to know how she looks now.

THat she is healthy and no signs of hydrocephalus, that she smiles, anything!

So friends, please pray that we receive something soon!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

The power of art.

We were/ are a military family.  We love this country.  But THIS -


Made me hit my knees when I saw it in Liberty Park, NY years ago.



Look again, do you see the bent steel, and the carnage?


Do you see the beauty of this incredible country I feel so blessed to be a part of - a country where my children can become ANYTHING they want to become despite their obvious disabilities!



Friday, September 9, 2011

Friend's Fundraiser

This sweet family is in process of adopting their 4th child in 3 years.  AS you can imagine this process is nothing but expensive.  We are blessed with our two, I don't have a heart for fundraising and I think God knew it would put us over the edge.

I don't put fundraisers on our blog very often but this family struck me today as one we wanted to not only donate to but also ask for others to donate to.  THye have a heart for orphans AND they are stuck in the LONG line for LOA's.  Yes that paper we jsut received for 2 kiddos - we waited about 50+ days .  .  .  Well, they have been waiting 100 YES a freakin HUNDRED days for this letter.  In limbo, constantly checking emails, waiting, stressing and waiting.

If we can atleast help lift the burden of the wait by relieving the orphanage donation fee then that would be awesome.


Oh but I think I forgot to mention that it is a VER BRadley bag fundraiser!  So you also have a chance of winning a fabulous bag set!


Wednesday, September 7, 2011

What a fabulous surprise~~


Ok I love the word art photography and just wanted so bad to do this but didn't expect our . . . What . . . That's right our LOA to come today!!  This my friends in the non adoption community means that 

This little angel


and this darling young man



Are officially PART OF OUR FAMILY!!

Best explained by our little man " It means if someone clicks on their picture then a sign comes up that they have a family.  No one else can get them EVER!"

I didn't realize what an amazing step this is until today.  From here on out it's just bureaucratic stuff so they both will be US citizens once they hit US soil.

Did I mention the amount of paperwork that goes with the bureaucratic stuff LOL!!


Tuesday, September 6, 2011

In awe of my son!

If you have been reading this blog then you'll remember my post here.

Well, I was mistaken in the fact that they were cutting kids at all.  Instead every Tues morning they post a list of the 25 kids that will play the following Weds game.  I originally thought perfect, all 50 boys will get playtime, as well as keeping their confidence and learning the love the game.

You guessed it - this sweet guy


DID NOT MAKE IT!  Not last week and NOT this week!

I was so upset for him.  I know for a fact that some of the other mom's have emailed the coaches and now their kids are playing.  SOOO. . . you guessed it, this mom was all ready to email the coaches.  Let them know how distructive I thought these games of rejection were to a child's psychie blah, blah, blah.

THEN this amazing young man -


taught this old momma a few lessons.

He said "Mom, I don't want a position cuz I complained, I want a position that I earned!"

"I'll ask the coaches at our next practice to see what I need to work on."

When I reminded him of a "friend" from preschool who would harass him tomorrow for not playing and that he didn't need to go to the game.  

He looked in me in the eye and said, "Mom, I am going to cheer on my school, I can handle him, he is all talk."

Alright then, my heart went from breaking for him, to so absolutely impressed with 12 year old.

And for his true friends - they were all really surprised that he didn't make the team last week and even more so this week.

Pretty amazing group of kids and I am so absolutely thrilled I get to stand to the side and watch these amazing boys become men!