No News is Good News?

I hope this is true, but somehow I'm not convinced it applies in this case! I have heard a little bit of an update - just that one more thing (I'm not sure what it is) is being worked on this week (in an attempt to finalize the paperwork needed to have the mayor sign our adoption), and if it doesn't work after this week, new avenues may be explored. I guess I could get a call any minute saying that all has been worked out, and Scott can travel to finalize our adoption, but somehow I'm starting to think that we're in this for the long haul. Maybe that's the best way to think, anyway, and then I will be pleasantly surprised if this is finished sooner rather than later. It has been rough the last couple weeks. I think mainly because most of the time up to this point, we have had some time frame we were shooting for. Now, we really don't have any idea when Scott will travel. I booked him some tickets to go with his dad to Florida for a weekend next month, so I guess we're trying to move on with our lives in some ways. Maybe Murphy's Law will kick in, and that's the weekend he'll be allowed to go to Uzbekistan! I wouldn't mind having to change the tickets at all! I think it's hard also because Myli's birthday is coming up very soon, and I always had that in mind as the latest possible time of her arrival. I never really believed the earlier time frames I was given, deep down I really felt it would take longer, but I never had any doubt that she would be here in time for us to celebrate her 7th birthday - what a joyous celebration that would have been! I always picture her and Woogie in coordinating Easter dresses and hats, and now I'm fairly certain that won't happen this year either. Hopefully, next year it will be different...

Like I said, it's been hard to balance the way our adoption has taken over our lives and the limbo we have been in for the last 4 months with continuing on with our lives. Today had some "back to reality" moments. I took Meatball for his 3 year well visit to the pediatrician, and was again reminded that we have a "big boy!" He weighed 41 lbs. (the exact same as Woogie - 3 1/2 years older!), and was 41" in height! The doctor volunteered that he thinks Meatball will be a whopping 6'2"-6'4" when he gets done growing! No wonder that kid is eating us out of house and home! Hard to imagine that not to long from now, he will tower over all of us!

We also had some good news about his ears. He had a second surgery in Oct. where they placed one tube because the other eardrum had a hole in it where a previous tube had fallen out. The hole was acting as a tube, so the doctor didn't feel the need to place a new tube in that ear. A couple months ago, he had some drainage and when I took him to the ear doctor, he said that the hole was gone! I was concerned that now he didn't have a way for one of his fluid prone ears to drain. I was also a bit concerned that he didn't seem to be hearing quite as well as he did after the surgery. But today the pediatrician saw the hole and it was confirmed by a test in audiology. He also had a hearing test that showed just some mild conductive hearing loss (due to the tube and hole in his eardrums), but no permanent damage! Praise God! This has always been of particular concern to us, because both Scott and Scott's mother have permanent and rather extensive hearing loss due to the same type of problems that Meatball has had. They still as adults have continued to have major ear surgeries and struggle to maximize their hearing with hearing aids. It is such a relief to know that Meatball will probably not go through these same problems with his ears! It's days like today hearing the good news about my child's health (and his phenomenal growth!) and watching him charm all of the doctors and nurses with his humor and personality that remind me once again how incredibly blessed we are!

Here are some pictures from the last couple weeks. Does this look like a comfortable way to nap?!




This cracked me up! One night , Meatball got up after he had been in bed for an hour or so, picked up Lovebug, lay down on the couch, and they both immediately zonked out! I carried them back to bed that way, and when I checked on him a little while later, she was still in his arms asleep! This cat is really something!Another one of Lovebug's fashion looks! My mom saw this picture and asked me who I thought Legoboy looked like in this picture. I replied that, of course, he looks like Myli! And she said that's what she was thinking! It's the first time she's agreed that there is a significant resemblance. How she hasn't seen it before, I don't know! I can't wait until I can compare them in person...