Thanks readers, for keeping up and for praying for our son Abe as he has joined our family and recently gone through a big surgery. 

During recovery there were some days where little things would cause Melissa and I to hope and some days where little things would cause us to worry.  The extra care Abe required during the month, things like needing to be hand fed since his arms were in splints (to keep fingers out of his mouth), his fitfull sleep, as well as the back and forth of hope and worry made for a long and exhausting month.  We prayed everyday for perfect healing for Abe and for endurance for our family.  At the end of the month I came down with pneumonia, a not so nice way to cap off the tiring month.

Here’s an update on the surgery!  The doctor had told us to give 4 weeks for complete recovery and that date has just passed.  At three weeks the doctor looked at Abe and said his palate looked better than he expected.  This was great to hear.  A week later, the last of the scabs and bandaging stuff has fallen out, and Abe’s palate looks good.  Not perfect: there is clearly a small hole still there.  It is much smaller than the opening he was living with, and the doctor tells us not to be surprised or disappointed. It may close up as he grows, and if not, then it can be “plugged” when Abe has his next surgery at age six.  (That surgery  will focus on repairing muscles in his lip.) 

So we’re okay.  The surgery result and Abe’s healing is not as perfect as we had hoped and prayed for.  Ever not get what you prayed for? It’s happened to me before too.  God is faithful- I’ll always pray big, hope big, and believe big.  He comes through in ways I ask sometimes, and in ways I don’t expect sometimes, but he always comes through.  I’ve recently read some testimony by John Eldridge where he talks about trying to see and appreciate what God is giving him instead of having his vision blurred by disappointment with what God isn’t giving.  We were sad that God didn’t give Abe the perfect healing we had prayed for, but I am praying to see what God is doing, and trusting that it will be good.

It seems though that we are out of the high water and regaining footing.  Abe’s arm splints are gone and he can feed himself again (hallelujah!), and he gets to go back to his preschool for 3 half day sessions each week (he loves his class and they are good to him- so good for him to have friends his age!).  The behavior and attachment progress we lost after the surgery can be regained.  And we can be our family of five that God has brought together for His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Abe’s big need now is to learn to speak- the surgery corrected some back-of-mouth muscle placement and by correcting the largest holes it should be much more possible for Abe to learn to speak.  The remaining hole will probably cause his speech to be nasaly and less clear, but it shouldn't prevent speech.  After nearly 4 years of growing in an orphanage into the understanding that he could not talk he may have to learn that he now can learn how to speak! We have enrolled him in the Hoover school system and through them he will have access to speech therapy, which should start in a week or two (to prepare him for kindergarten).  His inability to communicate is one of the biggest barriers between him and the rest of the family now, especially in connecting and being able to play with his brother and sister.  So please pray for quick progress in learning to talk.

Thanks for holding our family in your prayers.  The Lord has sustained us and does still.  We have a solid marriage and three wonderful kids, great extended family, a great church family, and more friends than I would ever ask for.  We are humbled and grateful for this great wealth.  May God be as great in your life as he is in ours.