Dear China Mommy...

Even though it has been 6 years, I can imagine that this October day does not pass easily.  My heart is heavy for all that was lost on that day, knowing that it was for our son's own benefit that you chose to do what no mother should ever have to even consider.  It is such a broken world.  It grieves me that you will probably never know where he is or how he is doing.  But if I could tell you, here are some things I would want you to know.  

He is still adorable.  Really...I think the picture says it all.  I can say that because I am not responsible in the least.  :-) He must have some awesome DNA!  

He loves to sing!  Although I am not thinking that he will ever get paid to do so, he definitely makes a joyful noise!  

He is kind!  He is always willing to share what he has, even if it means he is giving up something he likes in order to give it to you.  

He is also stubborn!  Although sometimes a negative trait at this age, I am thinking that may serve him well in the future.  I pray that God will give me wisdom in helping mold him in this area! 

He is well-liked!  EVERY.SINGLE.DAY there are neighborhood boys knocking on our door wanting him to come and play.  He plays well with everyone.  Although he will be quick to let you know that if you are only 2 then he cannot be your friend.  He is 6 after all?

               

He is quite an eater!!  I still haven't found a food he does not eat.  He even eats bread now...which was not a favorite early on.

He is very athletic!  He is one of those kids who is good at it without even trying.  Football is his favorite, followed closely by baseball.  And tennis is also a favorite...which cracks me up since he has never even held a racquet!  

           

He is smart!  Not only is he doing well with his new spoken language, but he is learning to read and write.  He is *almost* caught up with his peers in most areas.  

He is healthy!  His medical needs are being met and he is living life to the fullest thanks to modern medicine.  By God's grace, he will grow properly and be able to function in life when he grows up without living in fear of an adrenal crisis.  

He is loved desperately by me.  Although I did not have the joy of carrying him in my belly as you did, my love for him is fierce and steadfast.  I am humbled that I have somehow been chosen to be his forever mommy.  

And mostly, he is learning about a heavenly Father who loves him more than you or I could ever fathom.  And He loves you, too.  

Even though I am the one who has the privilege of tucking him in at night now, I never forget to tell him that you love him very much.  Because even though there are a thousand unknowns in his little life story, that is one thing I am sure of!  Only a mother's love could walk the road that you chose.  


Thank you, China Mommy...for choosing life.  Twice.  

A Whole Lotta Catching Up!

As of the 27th, Mycah has been home for exactly 18 months.  EIGHTEEN MONTHS!  How in the world?!  We have enjoyed many special times, trips and tantrums  sweet moments over the last year and a half.  I am just not always that great at blogging about them since these 4 kiddos keep me driving all over God's green earth pretty busy most days.  So my family update in a nutshell...

Zachary just turned 15.  (Which I still find strange since I just turned 25 this year myself?)  He is quite social these days, has his first girlfriend, and is still pulling all A's at school.  

  

Her Favorite Hairdresser!

Alyssa is still training 

a thousand many hours a week for gymnastics.  She had her first meet of the season today and totally ROCKED three out of four events.  Darn vault!  Homeschooling has been great for her this last year.  She even *gasp* reads without being told these days...and not just on Instagram!  Although fashion and design are still much preferred over academics, she does very well with her studies.

What happens when your selfies show up on mom's photo stream!

 

Nathyn is doing well schooling here at home.  He is a whiz at math.  Mostly I think this is because he is ever working on computing the latest stats for his favorite baseball and football players...but, hey...whatever works!  

Meeting Jedd Gyorko (Jedd thought he had the
wrong hat on that day!)

Hoping to get the nod from the Braves

 

SUCCESS!!  Vavaro AND Teheran autographs!

And the neighborhood ROCKSTAR (aka Mycah...who never lacks for friends in this neighborhood!) continues to make us laugh every day.  When he wants to go to a friend's house he will ask, "Can I go ding-dong Wivva (River)?"  And last week, out of the blue, he said, "Ma...when I in China, I no wear underwear!"  Not sure why he wanted to share that?  Perhaps it's because if given the choice, he may do the same here at home?  Modesty is very obviously a learned thing...we are still working on that one.  He is a big 6 year old now!  He has gained 14 lbs and grown 6 inches since he joined our family.  It is amazing what a little extra food and proper medical care can do for a little body!  His speech is coming along.  We are still working on several tricky sounds and blends.  

 Always smiling!

Our time at our current assignment is drawing to a close.  We will graduate in December and we will be moving yet again.  However, Uncle Sam doesn't seem to be able to make up his mind where that will be.  It was supposed to be San Antonio, but those orders have been pulled as of last week.  So now we are back in every military family's favorite part of an impending move...the WAITING-to-find-out-where part! And although I DEFINITELY have a preference as to which assignment I would love to get, I continue to pray that we would end up exactly where God wants us for the next 4 years.  

 

Waiting for My Family

Although our sweet son Mycah's condition is very rare, last week I came across these two sweet young ladies who have also been diagnosed with CAH.  This is SO manageable here in the U.S.  I am happy to talk with anyone who would like more information on parenting a child who has adrenal insufficiency.  Both of these girls have a $4000 grant available for qualified families that choose to use WACAP (our amazing agency).  They are currently on the shared list, however, and so their file can be pulled by any adoption agency with a China program. 

Louise

When Louise came into care at 5 years old, she was very shy and quiet.  

When anyone would talk to her, she would lower her head and rarely speak back.  At 6 she was placed with a foster family.  She enjoyed this very much and is very close to her foster brother who is wheel-chair bound.  After almost 4 years with her foster family, she is a more confident child.  

She enjoys school and will answer questions out loud in class.  Louise loves to help!  She will often help her teachers with classroom jobs.  Helping her fellow classmates and her foster brother puts a smile on her face!  Her shyness has all but disappeared, and her caretakers say she has an “inner heart as bright as the sunshine!”

Jenni  

Jenni has been in her orphanage since she was very young.  

She is said to be an “extrovert”, but is initially shy with strangers.  She attends school at the orphanage and is a hard worker.  Concepts taught by her teachers are easily grasped.   At age 7, she knew 10 Tang poems, several children’s songs, could write simple Chinese words, and knew simple addition and subtraction.  Drawing, however, is what she loves!  She likes to draw people and share her works with others.  Her teachers and caretakers all like her and praise her as a good helper.  Her caretakers say she although she has “deep emotion” for her orphanage, she “hopes to have a real home in which her parents love her.”  

Both of these sweet girls have been diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.  Their adrenal glands lack an enzyme needed to make certain hormones.  This is treated with daily oral medication (typically 3-4 times a day) for life.  

There are some wonderful resources available for families affected by this condition. A file review by a pediatric endocrinologist is suggested as well.

• National Adrenal Diseases Foundation: www.nadf.us
• The MAGIC Foundation: www.magicfoundation.org
• The CARES Foundation: www.caresfoundation.org

And just so you know, my CAHer is full of life and love and it doesn't slow him down one bit!  Love our boy! 

One Year Later

Perhaps it is just me, and the fact I just had my really BIG birthday?  But the older I get, the faster time seems to go.  Especially in regards to my children and how they have grown.  Where does the time go?  Lord, help me to treasure each seemingly mundane moment that I have with them.  They seem to be slipping away one day at a time!

Although our first year with Mycah has been no different, I can still so distinctly remember our trip to China!  I can liken it to meeting my other 3 kids for the first time…although the setting much different!  The smallest details still come to mind about March 18, 2013:

packing his little backpack of goodies and worrying about forgetting paperwork,

what I wore, how hot the room was, how LOUD the room was, 

how incredibly nervous my stomach felt,

seeing him behind the curtain before they brought him out,

seeing them coldly pull him along by the hand as they dragged him out of the waiting room and brought him to me,

how they prompted him to call me "mama" and then just gave me his hand and walked away,

how his feet seemed glued to the floor as he was unsure of this new weird-looking lady that he was to now call "mama",

how I finally picked up his tiny little 30 lb body and he smelled SO bad,

how I showed him his back pack and his eyes lit up (but no smile!) at the site of a Mickey Mouse toy and a dum-dum sucker,

taking pictures with our other WACAP families and their beautiful new children,

finally leaving and heading to the store with a child that looked like he was in absolute shock and took no comfort in being in his mama's arms.

And oh the relief that flooded over me at that moment.  It was done.  He was here.  And although I knew the days ahead would be full of many unknowns, one thing was sure…he was no longer an orphan, but a much sought after son.

In my memory, our days in China were the trip of a lifetime.   But now he tells me he was scared and sad.  Which was pretty obvious during our trip!  But a few days later we were heading home to start life as a family of 6.

Once we met Darrell and the kids at the airport, and walked to the van, I was already seeing the first real smiles from my sweet boy.  I think he was relieved to know he wouldn't be stuck with two weird looking ladies anymore (no offense Sonia!), but there were actually KIDS involved in this deal now!

Mycah has grown in every way imaginable this year.  He has gained 10 lbs and grown 7 inches.  He understands everything that is said to him, including most abstract things, and has quite a vast speaking vocabulary that is now only sprinkled with a few Chinese words on occasion.  He can cross monkey bars, ride a bike, tie his own shoes, sing about Jesus, say and write his ABC's, work an iPad and computer as well as my 9 year old, and he now finds comfort in the arms of this mama.  And daddy…but he is still mostly a mama's boy.

The time has flown, but it has been precious.  I am so thankful that God picked us to be his parents.  Although we have had our share of challenging days, I cannot lose sight of the fact that this little boy who had so little has blessed our hearts so much!

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him."  Psalm 127:3

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