Monday, August 31, 2009

This little guy doesn't know it yet...

...but he's going home today!!! Yahoooo!!!!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

My beautiful son...

In the recovery room, right after surgery. All I can say when I look at this photo is how thankful I am that we were moved to consider AWAA's special needs program, because I get to be the mother of this precious, priceless, beautiful little angel. I got to scoop him up from that bed, and am watching him as he heals a little more each day. He calls ME "ma- ma". He has his little arm on my leg right now as we are sitting on a blanket on the floor and watching "The Best of Elmo" for the umpteenth time of our stay at Vandy. (Note to self: need more videos!). So thankful for my beautiful son. That is MY boy laying there. Thank you seems so inadequate, God, but thank you. Thank you.

We got wheels today!

Owen's IV was disconnected so they gave us a red wagon and we were outa there! Fed the fish in the garden and soaked up some sunshine, saw the awesome model train downstairs, and will probably do it all again when Daddy comes. Still, there's no place like home. Maybe tomorrow...

Owen's hospital stay...the "nickel version" so far...

Our little guy made it through his surgery just fine! We were amazed at how fast it was over! There was no need to do a hypospadias repair, just close the opening a little. Whew! And the palate repair went very well, and has progressed as it should. His IV should come out tonight. The ear tubes went in without incident, as well. Everything went better than we could have hoped, thank God. The first night was rough, as Dr. Kelly told us to expect, but the last 2 nights he has slept well and we may get to go home as early as tomorrow. I am so relieved to have this behind us. I need to close because Owen's trying to help. :) I found out how to post some photos from my phone (like the one below) so they'll show up as separate posts, but worth it. Thank you for all the prayers...we are so blessed.

Just BEFORE we found out his IV had to be redone...

Monday, August 24, 2009

One Sunday Evening...






One Sunday evening, I stood in the cul-de-sac, watching Jeff mow the lawn, Owen practice his newly-acquired skills of going in both forward and reverse on his little race car, Sophie flew by on her bike followed by Emma who will soon lose the training wheels, my comments were obliterated by the sounds of at least two mowers and a weed-whacker, an unseasonably cool breeze was blowing, and I realized not for the first time recently just how blessed I am. It pays to look around on a Sunday evening.

So...an update on Owen. We went to see Dr. Meneely this morning, and he said Owen's lungs sounded "perfect"! That's a major turn-around from 6 days ago! So surgery is on for this Thursday and we are very thankful that we can keep this schedule. Lots of prayers, Augmentin, and entertainment from Emma while Owen, Jeff, and I did the nebulizer routine. :) I will do my best to keep the blog updated with his progress.







Friday, August 21, 2009

He Moves Mountains!

I have been going about my business today with little Georgia Mei on my mind, praying that she will come through her surgery for God's glory...a testament to His greatness and the fulfillment of all Shannon and Doug have gone through to bring this darling little girl home. I just read the latest post on her blog: "Every Prayer Answered!!!" so I wanted to provide that link here so you can see the whole story: http://pandalily.com/miller. Keeping them in my prayers as they have a long road ahead still, but the surgeon said it should be "straight forward" from here. Last night as I held Owen on my lap and we were flipping through iTunes with Jeff and Emma, I felt so heavy-hearted knowing what might lie ahead for Shannon and Doug and how I could walk where they were possibly headed, how they could be so strong, (only God, of course) and wishing I lived closer so our kids could be friends. I just happened to look in my iPhoto pictures (most of our first China trip pictures are not on this computer but disks...) but look what I found in the photos that I have on this computer...moments before they were placed in our arms--the Millers' daughter Ravenna and our Emma. So, sending our love to you guys--you are braver than anyone I know and we are so happy that Georgia will soon be dancing with Parker and Ravenna.

"I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13.




Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Time for some healing


So here's our little guy. We have miraculously gotten three surgeons lined up for his surgery next Thursday, August 27th. Already we are so thankful to our plastic surgeon who is working on our behalf to get it all coordinated...we have heard wonderful things about Dr. Kelly at Vanderbilt, and we feel so blessed that he is taking Owen's case. Our little guy has three procedures, all lined up for that day, the idea being to get it all done with only one anesthesia necessary, and hey, when you're down, you're down, get it over with.

1) Repair cleft palate--Owen's is "pretty wide, but we do it all the time", in Dr. Kelly's words. God bless this man!

2) Circumcision (I'm really sorry, sweet boy) plus possible mild hypospadias repair. Won't know the extent until they "get in there". Dr. Brock will do this; met with him last month...he was very nice and felt it wasn't anything major, but did need to be done now.

3) Tubes inserted in Owen's ears--meeting with Dr. Wooten for the first time this Thursday. Our pediatrician feels this is going to be essential to keep Owen's ears clear; he's been fighting infections off and on since we got home, and we were told to expect this with a cleft palate baby even before accepting his referral.

SO, here's the situation. Owen has had a cold for several weeks...just finished a round of antibiotics...he's developed a very wheezy chest condition (too soon to call it asthma, but could be) and we've been to the doctor 3 times in the last week. Today he's got a new antibiotic, something new for the nebulizer which we purchased last week (Mr. Obama, I like my health insurance and WANT TO KEEP IT), and if he doesn't get well, he won't be able to have his surgery next week. We would appreciate your prayers for our sweet boy...he needs to have this done...the surgeries (with the exception of #3) are not really urgent in terms of having to reschedule, but I have taken off the first 9 weeks of school and this is the time we need to do this. In "the bigger picture" this is just such a small blip on the radar screen of life, and God knows all of these details...it's all under control, just not MY control. I sure do hope we can do this as planned, or work it all out somehow!

Now to something much more urgent. Friends and family, I urge you to go to my Blog List on the sidebar and click on the link to Georgia Mei. This sweet baby girl does not have the luxury of time and a mama with silly little things like wanting to just stick to her schedule. She needs to be covered in prayer for upcoming heart surgery this Friday. On August 14th, Georgia Mei became a US citizen when her mom, Shannon Miller and Georgia's two grandmas landed in America after bringing her home from China (those few words encompass an amazing story). Shannon and her husband Doug's story will amaze and inspire you. The way we know the Millers is through traveling with them in the same America World travel group to China in 2005 to bring home our beautiful daughters from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, China. We literally received our girls back to back, juggling cameras as we tried to capture each others' "gotcha" moments. We have been in touch over the last four years, much more so since we both began pursuing our special needs adoptions early this year. Please lift them up in prayer this week as they are exhausted beyond belief, and have a different kind of exhaustion coming up as Georgia goes through open heart surgery. She's a beautiful little girl brought home to an amazing, loving family, and you will be blessed just looking at her sweet face and reading this inspiring story.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Doink!

I'm putting this on here because I have to GET RID of it but it is too funny not to record for posterity (supposing posterity might even know what this is, as fast as technology is moving). I click open my Firefox expecting to open to Google, as usual, and my homepage is pbskids.org. You know, "da da da da-DOINK-p-b-s-KIDS!" I just got doinked even though I tried really fast to navigate to my blog before it happened. That's it, just a DOINK! I vowed it was the LAST time. So here it is, my desktop:

One more...


I love this photo. Emma looking out the window...and yes, that's the top of Shadow's head right beside her. He is the shadow of all of our lives. The constant witness to life inside the walls of the Trubey home. I will bet all the money in my bank (a safe bet given we just went to China, bought a van, and I'm taking off the next 9 weeks to be home with Owen) that he's behind the chair I'm sitting in right now, semi-passed out...but would roll over if I hinted at a tummy rub. Let's see...yep, he's there. I love her sweet profile in this photo, and the shape of his head. They're both looking out the window that looks out to the little bridge and the road going by the side of the house...where Shadow can see the schoolbus bring Sophie home, and then the rest of us following shortly after on a normal school day. Where he keeps us safe by barking at the Weed Man and Garbage Men, and kids who skateboard and hang out by the bridge. He has a purpose in life, not the least of which is hanging out with lovely Emma. :) She just may have a snack, after all.

Laaa-la-la-la-life goes on...

Got this chair for Sophie's room. She doesn't like it. The queen of comfort finds it's not comfortable enough--something about the neck area not being just right (yeah, yeah, yeah...), so it's in my scrapbook room (aw, shucks!) She DOES like to plop in it and talk to me there in the scrapbook room. Emma likes it too. She is growing up almost painfully fast...so lovely, so mature for just five. Wow.


Our little race car driver. Who cares if he can only go in reverse so far? This is his first time outside, because he's just a little wobbly still on it. He was pushing with his feet...and had the saddest face because Mama was getting farther away with each push. :(


Gentlemen, start your engines!


The melting of my heart...Owen can't use a spoon yet to feed himself, but he hangs on to my hand when I feed him. Sighhh...no rush on the spoon thing so far, not on my part. :) Looks like he may be a lefty; grabs all his finger food with his left hand.


Sophie warming up Owen at the Cherry Grove pool...he loves the water!


Our lovely Sophie, now in 7th grade...so happy to be back in school.

Daddy...my hero. How I love when you walk in the door!

Aww, you love me, you really love me.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Those Tiny Hands




When all I had to look at were two pictures of Owen, sometimes I would be amazed at his tiny little hands, especially in the picture where he was sitting up. I remember doing this with Emma's referral picture, too. Memorizing every detail. Recently I'd had a rotten day and was just feeling overwhelmed before bed. Couldn't settle down peacefully. So I went and looked at Owen sleeping. He had managed to do what I could not. And those hands...so perfect and beautiful. And still so tiny, compared to the rest of him, even. I've commented that he has his daddy's hands, because Jeff's hands are small...really about the same size as mine. Talented, artistic hands--hands that can type a mile a minute, play multiple instruments sensitively, and are carefully coordinated with his eyes--will Owen's be the same way? And so I started taking pictures. And I found peace and joy.