{Meeting Little Brother}

Life is about to get very crazy around here with Jayden's long expected transition into our home and all the training we will be required to complete. It's actually quite overwhelming but we will do anything to bring him home. His care is not difficult at all bit since he currently lives in a medical facility we are required to train on everything -- from how to change a diaper and put him in a car seat all the way up to his trach vent stuff, which is really the only thing we actually need to learn.

It's gonna be difficult -- a swallow our pride and go along with the flow and be as flexible as possible type thing. He is so worth it. Looks like either Adam and I both or just myself and Angela will be making the drive to Philadelphia everyday to be with him.  The medical facility is a very difficult place to just hang out. It's so awkward, but again He is totally worth it. Like I posted on Twitter earlier this week -- Everyday that passes is one day closer to all being home together as a family.We will make this work.

  

Yesterday we brought the girls to meet their little brother for the first time. Madison was nervous at first but quickly fell in love. It probably helped that Jayden reached out for her and attempted to climb up her!  Madison quickly become her social self with all the kids there and even told me in regards to an older severely physically limited kid, "He's my best friend, he just doesn't know it yet." Love that girl.

Angela was equally thrilled with Jayden. Angela loves interaction.  Many times when little kids Angela's age come up to her a parent often quickly shoo's them away, as if they were a bother -- this couldn't be more disappointing to Angela -- she loves to be social. Jayden had no problem with this and was trying to climb up into her chair to share her seat and play iPad together. So much fun. We left feeling a little overwhelmed about how long this process could be but also full of excitement that we someday, sooner than later, will indeed bring this beautiful boy home to call our own.

 

I've also meaning to update on Angela's progress since going on TPN -- she's off!  Her belly is finally waking up and she has been TPN free for about a week.  We even had trialled some eating by mouth and although her gag is a bit exaggerated she is doing great. On Monday we clamped off her drainage from her belly and she is doing fairly well with that. She is having distention but seems to be working through it ok. Our next goal is to try to introduce her J feeds back up into her belly. I'm confident that she will do just fine since she tolerated her purees in her belly -- but again we are trying to take it semi slow as not to disturb the harmony her belly seems to have found.

 

Thanks for loving our family. We will need some serious prayer as we start transition this week. Please pray for physical strength for Adam and I and peace for the girls as we will be away in the afternoons -- which we could never thank my parents enough for supporting us and helping with their care. Pray for understanding within the medical home and quick scheduling of meetings to determine when we can begin our medical training. And of course pray that we have a supernatural zipper placed on our lips (mostly mine) which will allow us to go with the flow even when it might be difficult.