Tuesday, July 2, 2013

They Threw It Away

All their children are grown.  27 years of child-rearing should guarantee them the right to kick-back and have fun.  Vacations.  Cruises.  Clubs.  Parties.  They earned it. 
 
They threw it away.
 
They walked away from a life of fun and leisure for the sake of two little girls.  They gave up their right to play in order to invest in two precious babes who were desperate for a family.
 
Yulia

 
and Vika.
 
 
Do you recognize Vika??  She's our Victoria. 
 
 
 
Yes, She Is Beautiful!!
 
We met her yesterday.
 
I had a hard time holding back the tears.
 
We met her Mom and Dad and her new sister, Vika.
 
 
They were at Shriners.

It was one of the longest days we'd had in a long time.  We left at 4:00 am and got home at 10:15 pm.  Over 18 hours of driving and sitting in the waiting room.  We saw Aaron's two doctors for a total of about 15 minutes.  The X-rays took another 15 minutes.  All the rest of the time we were sitting or driving or waiting.
 
But I do not regret our time there. 
 
We spent good quality time with THREE Reece's Rainbow babes....
 
Yes, that number is right.... we saw Ben Enberg too... He's been home almost 4 years.  He is a sweetheart.  We've seen him before but it has been several years.  The Enbergs adopted SIX babes from across the ocean. 
 
 
We got to sit and talk and share with two different RR families and we were so blessed.
 
 
Both families sacrificing so much for so many.
 
Both families throwing away their chance to kick back and enjoy the good life.
 
Choosing instead to invest their lives into children so desperate for care. 
 
We were so humbled in their presence. 
 
It was time well-spent!
 
 
Aaron did so well yesterday.
 
 
So did Pooh!
 
 
Since he's a bear full of fluff he didn't mind being tossed around the room in a game of 'Catch the Pooh'.
 


 
Pooh spent a LOT of time in flight!!
 
Yes, It was a LONG Day!!


 

Aaron's arm is still trying to heal... after a bone graft and 4 weeks in a cast you would think that his little bones would be knit together but frustratingly enough - that is not the case.   We are going to get another X-Ray locally in three weeks to see its progress.  
 
Aaron's right knee has just about fully straightened and looks wonderful.  His left knee is still not fully straight but it is progressing.  We are going to go ahead and schedule surgery in three months to get the plates removed from his knees.  We will do a - before surgery appointment - to confirm that everything is good to go.  We are praying that all will be well.  This Mama cannot wait for those plates to be removed.  His range of motion in his left knee is still limited but it is moving some (20 degrees for all those therapists out there). Not until he gets the plates out are we going to see real improvement in his range. Until then our littlest is going to continue to walk like Frankenstein!!
 
Rob and I are both in recovery today from our trip.  We are thankful for another safe trip up and back.  We are also so very thankful for a group of doctors who care about our little guy.    We are most definitely grateful that we get three months off!!  If we can just keep our littlest from falling....
 
Thanking God for His goodness.  Thanking Him for His provision.  And most importantly, thanking him for the privilege of again seeing the fruit of our labor.
 
 
P.S. - Aaron's doctor is pretty certain he can get Victoria walking.  It will not be easy and will be a long process but she is not going to spend the rest of her life confined to a wheelchair.   Praising God.  Praising God!
 

10 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for the pictures of Vika and Yulia! It is so wonderful to get some little info on the children who were on RR for so long! /Milena

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  2. I concur with Milena; how wonderful to see pictures of Vika and Yulia and to know that they're part of a great family now. Such good news.

    Oh, dear, I wish Aaron's arm were healing faster! Did the doctors offer any suggestions about ways to speed it up? Extra calcium and vitamin D, perhaps?? Or maybe just patience...So glad to hear about his knees, though - I hope the upcoming surgery goes easily and successfully, and that recovery will happen in record time.

    I'll be close to your part of the world soon - wish we could connect! I'd love to meet you and your family, especially Aaron...

    Susan in Ky
    Cousin to 2 from EE

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    1. Susan - We are most definitely upping his calcium intake... other than that.... there isn't much that can be done. Would love to meet you if you are in our area!! covenantb@yahoo.com

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  3. What a great update on Victoria! I had no idea she had blossomed so much!
    I am sorry I haven't looked through the other Aaron arm posts but are they also using a bone growth stimulator? The vit. D, calcium and ultrasound machine twice daily made a huge difference in O's leg after surgery.

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    1. Not at this point have they discussed doing that.

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  4. I can't be more thankful that we are so close to Shriner's. We just saw Dr Z too the other day. I always keep watch for kids I should know when we are there.

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  5. Oh my words!!!!! I am so excited for Victoria! I would have never recognized her! How long has she been home? She is just beautiful!

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  6. Wow! Thank you so much for sharing these pictures and this update. I am another who has wondered how "Victoria" has done in her new life!

    What a valuable gift for Aaron to make connections with kids who come from similar circumstances, as complicated as it all must be for him. Does he express what he feels when he sees kids at different transitional points that came from a similar background? (I am not sure how to word that question, but does he feel glad that they are "rescued", does it bring up any sad feelings about kids he may think about who are left behind, etc.? Does he have an awareness of how their stories are similar to his? Or maybe, like many adopted or SN kids, is it so 'normal' to him that he doesn't even think of it as signficant?)

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    1. Honestly - Aaron takes it in stride. He just sees them as normal. They came from the Ukraine. He came from there. End of story. He has never ever shared ANYTHING about his life before we came. His memories start with us. I know he remembers but right now - he doesn't have the words to express those memories.

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