Abby in May

It's been a busy month for Abby.  Home-bound school has come to a close for her.  The summer will conclude her school based services in our home.  Next fall she will attend school again. (more on that later)

We've been to her orthotist at least 3 times to have her AFO's adjusted.  The long seizure she sustained in February has left it's mark, and now her muscle tone is much tighter in her legs and right arm/hand.  This has caused her heals to develop sores as her muscle tone forces her feet into a "ballerina" pointed position.  I think we've finally found a comfortable fit.

This month we've also decided her reflux symptoms have officially returned.  I think we were in denial. She had been doing so well until her medications ran out (in Feb) and we couldn't refill without a visit to Birmingham.  We gave it some time to see if she could tolerate being off her meds.  The finger biting, moaning and crying and sleeplessness were all resurfacing again.  Last week we saw her GI doc again who put her back on Nexium twice a day.  I can already see an improvement!

Two trips to B'ham in a week for doctor appointments, the second for her yearly neurosurgery visit yesterday.  Thankfully it went very smoothly and she is clear for another year!

Up next is an OT eval for her hand.  It seems to like staying in a fist and curled toward her arm more than we like.  She could possibly end up with yet another piece of equipment... hand splint.

Those precious hands.  As I was holding her on her exercise ball today she held my hand, as she has done so many times.  It struck me how much those hands have changed.  The first time she held my finger tip that was all she could hold... her hands were so tiny.

Aunt Christy's pinky finger

tiny hand at 23 wks gestation

Chalk Art

While enjoying a cool morning outside recently the boys dug out their chalk.

Josiah showed me his finished 'Earth' drawing... connecting 'America' and 'China' was the word "Airplane".  He explained that we were going to take this airplane to fly to China to get his new brother.  It was pretty sweet that he came up with this all on his own!

Levi enjoyed marking over all of Josiah's art...

Little boy

"My Do it!"

This precious boy has brought so much laughter and joy to our hearts lately.  Almost 3 years old and so independent.

He is the ultimate sound effects producer at our house!  As we live life throughout the day there is always a back round 'war' with guns firing, wounded people yelling for help and mini car crashes happening.  He is so full of energy and runs full throttle at all times (except when he sleeps)!

Most of his sentences start with "my".  My climb this, my do that, my hurt this... My eat!  It cracks us up.  (We don't correct him)

Lately we are thankful for those small moments of laughter and joy.

Adoption timeline...

Today marks 1 year since we began our adoption journey. So much has happened even over these past several months it's hard to capture all that's taken place since we sent in our application.

We've learned what seems like a lot, but will surely find out how little we really understand about adoption when we bring our new little one home.

We've filled out A lot of forms, and shared some very personal information with people we hardly know.

We've held several fund raisers and are in the midst of another.

Prayer. Waiting. Trusting. Waiting. More prayer. More waiting. More trusting.

Seems to be the trend on this road!

For now we journey on in our waiting-praying pattern. Learning to trust in the One who brings families together.

Happy 6th Birthday Josiah!

Dear Josiah,

You look older today all of a sudden now that you are 6! We have some good memories of this past year. Going to the beach, the cabin and spending time with family. You have learned so much this year too! You are reading and counting to 100. We are so proud of you! Abby and Levi love you too and are blessed to have you for a big brother.

Happy Birthday sweetie!

Love,
Dad and Mom

Memories of Papa...

A HUGE Praise!

"Praise the Lord.  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise?"

Psalm 106:1-2

The past several weeks have been stressful on many, many levels.  The loss of our sweet loved one, Abby's seizure crisis, traveling, adoption process discouragements (explain later) and a new one that slapped us in the face last weekend.

When Abby was about 2 years old she was excepted into a Medicaid waiver program due to the extent of her special needs.  We have been INCREDIBLY grateful for the services provided to our family through this program.  Without Medicaid, we could easily be in financial trouble over the past 6 years!  For those who care for and love children with special needs know how many doctors appointments, medications, procedures, specialists, supplies, treatments and medical equipment are required on a regular basis.

To give an idea, you know those BCBS (or whatever health insurance you have) claims notices you get in the mail after a doctor's appointment, telling you what they charged and how much you owe?  We get about 3 such letters in the mail Daily!  No joke.

For an ER visit and ICU stay, you can imagine how many folks want to be paid!  You get billed for the room, the staff, the docs, the meds, the oxygen, the IV equipment, the fluids and pillow case... you get the point.  Add on top of that a convenient ride in the ambulance to said ER, you don't even want to know what it all adds up to.

Anyway, we received a letter in the mail Saturday informing us that Abby's medicaid would be Terminated as of March 1st!  After hyperventilating a few moments we figured out it was probably because the annual paper work required from us was late in getting to their office for her redetermination.  Seeing as how we haven't been home much over this past month it was my oversight.

We talked with the Medicaid people and tried to plead our case... no sympathy there.

I contacted our social workers to let them know what had happened and to see if they could help!  It looked like all of Abby's services including respite care, diapers and Medicaid health insurance would all come to a screeching halt today.  We decided to dig deep into our pockets to prepare for the medication, doctor appt, monthly feeding supplies and therapy co-pays.

Until today.  I got a call from one of her medication supply companies saying that if Medicaid doesn't cover their part we will have a $600 co-pay!  Monthly.  All morning I felt panicked.  I knew only the Lord could deliver us out of this mess!

Many, many prayers and frantic phone calls later I talked to a wonderful Medicaid social worker at Children's who patiently listened to my story and looked us up on her computer.  She double checked the socials and told me that someone took action yesterday and reinstated Abigail's Medicaid coverage!!!

Praise the Lord!  I don't remember the last time I have actually wept for JOY!  (well, aside from babies being born)


He is faithful and His love truly does endure forever.  He didn't have to deliver us from our mistake but He knows Abby's needs and He cares for us.

I am in awe.