We are so sorry for the lack of updates! We appreciate you checking in on our family and for lifting us up in prayer. Next week we will celebrate Hannah being in our family for three months! It seems that she has been with us for much longer than that. She is doing very well!
We have been very busy and spend quite a bit of time at doctor appointments. We covet your prayers as we seek God's will for Hannah's medical care. Since our last post, Hannah has had extensive imaging to determine her treatment plan. The doctors in Peoria believe that she requires a major craniofacial surgery. We have sent her records to Boston and Seattle for additional opinions. We have heard back from Boston and are still waiting for Seattle's recommendations. We trust that God will make it very clear with where her surgery should be done.
Hannah is making great progress in her short time with us. She is very attached and calls us by name (Ma Ma, Ba Ba, Ge Ge and Jie Jie). She seems to be understanding most of what we say. She is able to follow simple commands. She has learned to identify many body parts. She is just starting to say English words on her own without being prompted. She loves Minnie, watching "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," swimming, swinging, playing in the toy kitchen and being held. She is pretty mellow and very lovable. She is very affectionate. She is a sweetie and we couldn't be more blessed to be her parents.
Some updates on the rest of the family:
-Baseball and T-ball are over. Now we are ready for hockey!
-Nathan is at hockey camp this week and is loving every minute! He is looking forward to the start of the season.
-School starts in 2 weeks! Summer is almost over. :(
-Claire is excited to start kindergarten. She is also trying to lose both of her front teeth before school starts. She has lost four teeth already. She is growing so quickly!
-Micah has had some medical appointments this summer, too. We are pleased with the information that we have received regarding his care. He is also looking forward to starting kindergarten. We are praying that he continues to grow in his trust and understanding.
-For a year we have been working with the school district to get Micah services. We praise God that we had a very productive meeting with the district this week. Although we still have some concerns, we are hopeful that we are moving in the right direction. Please pray that Micah's school transition goes well and that he gets the support needed to succeed.
-China is never far from our minds. We are excited to hear that Hannah's foster brother and another Shangrao sweetie are coming home to their forever families very soon! Please be praying for their final paperwork, travel mercies, in-country processes, attachment and transition. Please pray the children's hearts are prepared to join their new family. We are looking forward to the reunion with Hannah's foster brother.
-We mailed Hannah a letter from China. We wrote it the morning that we were waiting to meet her. It arrived this week! It took over two months, but better late than never. It will be treasured!
We thank you for your prayers. In addition to the prayer requests above, we ask that you continue to pray for our transition. Although Hannah is doing well, we are still working on parenting four kids. Our house is busy and full of drama, personalities, tantrums, and much more! It has been hard. We are always a work in progress. We are praying that we glorify God in all ways, obey Him and follow Him. We are thankful that God has all the details.
Playing at the museum
Monkeying around at the zoo
4th of July Parade
Looking for the perfect rain puddle
Teaching Hannah to jump in the puddle...
...she is still working on it!
All smiles :)
