Library Books in Chinese? Yes, please!

Can I just brag again how awesome Annika's school is? I want to express how amazing the school librarian, Mrs. Toal is! She ordered books in Chinese for the school's library so that Annika would have some books to check out and read. 

 

Today, she cheerfully sat in my lap as we looked through this book together and she read some of the pages to me. She's even having me practice my Mandarin by repeating her when she reads. (I have no idea what I am saying sometimes, but I love that she's "teaching" me her native language.)  Later, as I made dinner, she proudly counted to 100 in English. This girl is learning so much and having fun doing it! She's also recognizing her alphabet letters and saying them aloud. 

I am so grateful for all the people the Lord has placed in Annika's life. She is truly flourishing and I am in awe of her beauty inside and out. Her tantrums are fewer these days and she's genuinely happy. I am truly blessed to be her momma!

We are currently waiting to hear back from our ENT sometime this week after he talks to Dr. Lewin in California regarding Annika's ears and canals. We have an estimated timeline of Annika's first round of surgeries happening around the end to middle of of April to remove the cholosteatomas in her ear canals.

stop and smell the roses

Can I just be real? 

Life has been fast-paced, nonstop and quite "full" the last few months. It's been hard, it's been fun, it's been worth it.... but this momma is just depleted. A floor of muddy foot prints, laundry piled and a house desperately needing a top to bottom clean...has turned me into a blubbering hot mess today. I texted Jay earlier and said I'm crying and the kids are looking at me like I've lost my mind. 

The truth is I don't know why I was crying except to think those muddy clothes and floors were just one more thing to get done now. And that made me feel even more rotten for thinking that. I should be thankful for the muddy trails in my house because that means I have children who fill our home with life and adventure. 

My sweet husband came home with flowers in hand and "I love you" on his lips and wrapped me in his arms before taking the kids out back to get them to help him fill in the mud hole they had created..... 

Our 11th anniversary is Sunday. If we're lucky, we'll get a date in this weekend, but even if we don't.... I think I'll sit awhile, count my blessings and smell the roses.....

#adoptionisharddrainingbutohsoworthit

#justbeingreal

#soldieron

 

Annika can hear soft voices now!

https://youtu.be/pXEBZ1t3Hg4

After she got her BAHAs fitted, we went to celebrate with ice cream! 

This video REALLY shows how well she hears now. Beforehand, if we are in the car and I would talk at a soft level, she wouldn't hear me. I'd have to turn towards her and talk louder. Not anymore! 

(Ignore my ugly cry at the end! I couldn't help it!) 

My heart is so overflowing at this HUGE day in my baby girl's life. And when I think of how the Lord has provided, and when I think that for the first time in her 8 years that Annika can hear clearly..... I can't help but cry tears of gratitude and thankfulness. 

 God is good. He is good indeed.

Annika gets her BAHAs!

Dear Annika,

Today was another life-changing moment for you when your audiologist fitted you with your BAHAs. We could see how nervous and apprehensive you were, because you aren't used to positive change yet, but you handled it so well in spite of your inward fears. We know when you would answer with a "no", that is your go-to response when you're nervous or you don't understand what we are saying. The great thing was you were hearing our voices at a soft level when you responded! That was incredible!!! I wish we would have caught on camera the smile you were trying to hide when you could hear your sister being silly and you were trying NOT to be amused. She was doing such a great job of helping you relax.  We could tell you were amused with her there, though you tried to keep your smiles and giggles at bay. :-) I wish we could have caught on camera when you whipped your head towards me when I wasn't looking at you and I whispered, "Annika" not once, but two separate times.  I wish we could have caught on camera in the hallway when we were talking to the first audiologist who did your first hearing test and you could hear her asking if you wanted a sticker or my saying "Do you want to go get ice cream?" in a soft normal voice. And how quickly you responded happily both times. I know you didn't understand why mommy cried tears at that moment and hugged your audiologist. It was a momentous afternoon and I was crying tears of joy that you, my precious daughter, have been blessed with hearing clearly for the first time. I was crying tears of joy and gratitude that our Heavenly Father who loves you so much more than I do, had provided once again, for your every need. These BAHAs are 100% paid for.... not because of daddy or I.... but because your Heavenly Father loves you. 

I hope one day that you look back at this video, my sweet Annika, and you remember that though you were apprehensive, how incredible it was to hear like that for the first time. 

We love you, sweet girl.  We know you're nervous about school tomorrow and what people will think. I know you're worried people will make fun of you, but I promise, once you walk through that door, nothing but GREAT friends and amazing moments await you! You will soon see, my precious daughter. The scariest part is always the first step. And you, my dear, are so brave. 

I love you,

Mommy

https://youtu.be/VXA-D6rVII8

What does adoption cost? Faith

 

$33, 115.73 is what it took to bring Annika home. And God provided every single penny. Through so many people who supported us...for every person who contributed in so many ways.... your time, garage sales, pumpkins, shirts, donations, monetary gifts, flipping burgers, silent auction, a bunk bed, clothes, dressers, grants, friends, family, complete strangers..so many ways.... thank you. God showed up in BIG way to bring one VERY special and VERY loved little girl home to us. I am in awe when I look at this number and think... GOD did this! NOTHING is impossible for Him! I am overwhelmed with awe and gratitude. My heart overflows...

Where He guides, He provides. And holy cow, He provided the $33k it took for us to get our our little girl and bring her home. 

God. Is. Good.

Ears this year!

We have been going through several doctor appointments and phone consultations in the past week.  Ironically, you go to a new doctor and it leads to more appointments. Ha! (A little humor there.... it's okay to laugh.)

I'll try to keep it from being a mile-long post, so here goes!
After doing our homework and getting doctors' opinions and even 2nd opinions, we will be having surgery in the near future (hopefully this month) to remove the cholosteatomas in both of Annika's ears. She will also need ear canal reconstruction in both canals, and we don't know yet if that will all be done at the same time or separate surgeries.  Once her ear canals heal (approx. 6 months), we will be flying to California around Aug/Sept to have Annika's first ear done.  <3  About 3 months later, we will fly back to California for the 2nd ear surgery.  By the end of 2017, our Annika should have two brand new pairs of ears healing hopefully quite nicely on her head. (PRAISE THE LORD!!!) We are thankful that the doctors agree that this is medically necessary (and not just aesthetics) for Annika.  Insurance-wise, that will help!

Dr. Sheryl Lewin is a well-known plastic surgeon in the ear community and one of the best doctors out there in the Microtia world.  Her life work is dedicated to creating beautiful ears for patients like Annika.  We want nothing but the best when it comes to Annika's ears, so that's why we chose her.  She is located in California and we are looking forward to meeting her face to face this summer when we travel to California for the Earicles conference!  Dr. Lewin and Dr. Paul Bauer (our ENT specialist here) will be talking and communicating closely in regards to the surgeries he performs here on Annika as he prepares the way for Dr. Lewin to be able to make Annika two brand new ears.

Currently, we are waiting to hear back from Dr. Bauer, who we just gave the go ahead to move forward with planning her surgery for the cholosteatomas to be removed and ear canal reconstructions.  Dr. Bauer is an excellent doctor and well -renowned around here.  He has been INCREDIBLE with our family so far and Jay and I have been very impressed with his knowledge and genuine personality.

We took Annika today to another craniofacial doctor here in Fort Worth.  We got a 2nd opinion on Annika's ears, and he is sending us to meet with a geneticist and also put in an order to have a renal sonogram done on Annika. He said that a lot of times, children born with microtia often have problems in their renal system, so he just wants to rule that out.  She also has some minor things about her physical appearance that a geneticist could tell us more since we have no biological parent information. (See how going to one doctor appt leads to more medical appts!? ;)

Next week, Annika gets fitted for her hearing devices AND has a 2-month followup with our eye specialist, Dr. Hunt.  He will be looking to see if the esotropia in both eyes has improved since wearing glasses and discuss possible eye muscle surgery.  I took this picture today (isn't she beautiful? :) and you can see her eyes are still turning inward.

So, needless to say, we are in the midst of a TON of doctor appointments and life is just a weeeeee bit cray-cray around here, but if you ask Annika how life is....  She'll probably give you a thumbs up and a smile. :)  And I couldn't agree more.

God is good.