This Blessing Called Adoption

I don't have a lot of time to post, and things have been really, really challenging here. Chelsea and Kate had a tough time of it the first two weeks, and know it's Luke's turn to feel way outside his comfort zone. Of course Chelsea is certainly outside her comfort zone, and both of these kids are strong willed, so you can only imagine the friction they have had with each other. Right now they are tolerating each other, which is a step in the right direction.

That said, I want to focus on the good rather than the bad and the ugly, because the good far outweighs the challenges that originated the adage that "adoption is not for the faint of heart." Chelsea had a 4.5 hour doctor appointment yesterday. She had all her vaccinations, x rays, an ultrasound and blood work. The good news is she turned to me for comfort during this appointment. Those of you who know about attachment challenges know that this is a VERY important step in the bonding process. She didn't cling to the Chinese doctor or the nurses she has never met as they were helping her position properly for the x rays. She clung to ME as she was scared and hurting. We have even been known to rock and sing "Rock a Bye Baby" together! This may seem a strange thing to do with a girl who is almost 10, but it is very important in the bonding process, and BOTH of us enjoy these moments together. Hooray!!!

I just got off the phone with the pediatrician's office. We learned several things already about Chelsea's medical condition--some we were aware of and some we were not. Her scoliosis curve is at 54%. I'm not sure what her treatment will be yet, but the doctors said the curve is significant. The good news is we have been accepted as patients at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, one of the best in the world for treating scoliosis and limb differences. The appointment is March 26th, and Chelsea is EXCITED about the prospect of being able to walk on her own one day.

Chelsea is also learning English at warp speed. In fact, she can handle addition ad subtraction of 4 digit numbers. I think she is reading Chinese on a late first/early second grade level. She does not recognize many English letters. We are working on that so she can learn to read over the next few months and be ready for school in August. That gives us 6 months, but I have no doubt she can do it. She is VERY smart. :-)

I'll give more updates later as time permits. Darrell and I will try our best to be joyful and content with our circumstances as God leads us down this path of new experiences and faithfulness.