Christmas 2014

This season was filled with joy and wonder as our little ladies soaked up their second Christmas as Fertigs. 

Emma is thoroughly engaged when she listens to stories these days and almost daily this month she would ask me to tell the Christmas story.  I tried to be enthusiastic each time.  It is a beautiful wonder that God became man. 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day (in our matching aprons that Nana made!) 

We are so incredibly blessed! Merry Christmas!!!! 

Happy Birthday, Bella!

Two years ago, we gathered with dear friends to celebrate the life of our foster daughter (on this blog, we called her Bella). We played games and ate cake, but also had a special moment to pray and to surrender her life to the Lord, to His purposes and plans for her.  

Bella, you are in our hearts forever and rarely far from our thoughts.  We are so thankful for the godly family Jesus chose for you. We love seeing pictures of your beautiful face and sweet smile! Happy Birthday, little one! We love you. 

Good news!

The curvature in Emma's spine hasn't changed from a year and a half ago.  We need to continue to monitor her growth process.  But for now, no treatment is necessary.  

We are breathing a sigh of relief and this family can rest and recoup for a while.  Praise the Lord!!! 

Pray for Emma today

It's 5 am and we're on the road again.  Just one week ago we left Florida to drive back to Ohio.  We've basically just started to feel settled at home.  This time it's not the whole family traveling, it's just Emma and I.  This time were riding, not driving.  This time we're not leaving for two months, we're just making a long trip in one day.

We're headed to the Shriners hospital in Chicago.  I know, another hospital visit when we've just been through so much with Elsie.  Today Emma has an appointment to see an orthopedic specialist.  It's our initial appointment so, I don't know much about this hospital yet.  I've just been told, "they take care of everything." Including transportation and money for lunch in the hospital cafeteria.  

You'd never know it from looking at her and watching her run and jump around, but our little lady has spina bifida, congenital abnormalities in her spine and spinal cord.  Last year we tackled the issue of her spinal cord...neurosurgery.  Today we begin to understand more of the issues with the bone structure of her spine...orthopedics.  She briefly saw an orthopedic surgeon while in the hospital last year.  He explained that the curvature of her spine needs to be monitored.  If it's too severe, her rib cage won't have enough capacity for the growth of her lungs.  Growth at her age is a slow and steady rate, so it hasn't been an ugent issue.  But it's also time to find out more.  

Again, please pray.  Pray that whatever the doctors have to tell us today, we would walk in faith and trust that God is good and providing for us.  Pray that her spine is growing straight enough and no major surgery is necessary.  Pray that even though this is another hospital and another big appointment, that we'd still be able to rest and enjoy this day.  And pray for Mark as he's home with Elsie all day! 

OT, PT and Speech

Part of Elsie's recovery has been to go to therapies.  Thankfully we got her right in to a wonderful facility that's really close to my parent's home.  So, twice a week she has occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy all in a row.  Each one lasts a half hour and she's done really well with the guidance these ladies provide.

OT: we talk a lot about Elsie's sensory needs...activities that help our active little lady to calm and focus.  And we play in a way to try to keep her attention.  

PT: Elsie's physical therapist has seen the most progress.  When we began she was still really weak from surgery.  So, one of her goals was to walk unassisted 50 feet.  The first day she accomplished that one!  She's also working on squatting, going down a step, and keeping her heels down when she walks.  

Speech: just as before surgery, Elsie still doesn't talk.  She babbles and she uses some sign language to communicate, but no spoken words, yet.  At her follow-up appointment both the brain surgeon and her epilepsy doctor told me, "I don't see any reason why she shouldn't development language."  Now that her brain is clear from the "fuzz" of that electrical activity, we should see some developmental strides.  But I've also been told it could take five to six months from the time of surgery to see any big changes.  So for now, her speech therapist is working on giving Elsie a new form of communication, using pictures to make a choice.  We're trying to teach her that pictures represent objects that she will be given.  So we've made little laminated pictures of food, toys and other things.  We're hoping this will be a good system for both of us.  

All of these therapies will continue when we settle back home.  And Elsie will return to preschool which will also include many of these types of activities.  With all of this input we're hopeful our little lady will grow and develop and learn new things at a steady uphill pace!  Can't wait to see her continued progress.  

Grand-love

Our children have amazing grandparents.  Seriously, all four of them love the four of us like crazy and will do anything for us.  Right now I'd like to brag on my parents a little bit. 

They have been and continue to be amazing examples of sacrifice and love during this trying time.  When I told Mom surgery would likely be in Orlando, she said, "Well, I can be there, whatever you need."  And she was there, supporting me, taking care of Emma, even sleeping on that hard hospital bed so I could have a good night's sleep at the Ronald McDonald house.  

Since coming back to their house we've really just made ourselves at home here.  I pick up as much as possible, but there are toys all over all the time, and they don't complain.  They say things like, "what will we do when you little munchkins have to go home? It'll be so quiet around here!"  

They've provided so much (housing, meals, babysitting, even free speech therapy! Not to mention emotional support) and give with such joy.  There are no words for that kind of generosity, no thanks that can be given.  Even if we could somehow repay them, it would be an insult to try.  Their gift is an expression of their love and devotion to us.  That's the nature of sacrificial, unconditional love.  It's freely given, undeserved, unable to be repaid.  

Mom and Dad, thank you for the incredible gift of this fall with you.  We hope we will love our children and our future grandchildren like this.  We all love you so much!

Recovery FL style

Elsie is doing really well and going to therapy appointments regularly.  (I'll tell you more about that soon, but let's just say, she's already passed one of her PT goals.) I thought you might like to see what recovery looks like while we're spending this fall in the warmth of southern Florida.

A morning out with Grandpa...on the one day of the week he didn't golf! 

Emma and I enjoyed a hot afternoon at a "fall festival."  (We've been recovering from 20 days in the hospital too.) 

And tonight, Mary Poppins movie night on the patio.

We're so thankful to be at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  They're taking great care of us...all three of us!