12/12/12 - Owen's Been Home For One Year!

Tomorrow will be one year since Owen joined our family.  Last year at this time Melissa and I were in Kunming, China wondering if we were ready for number four.  Here are a few pictures from Gotcha Day 12/12/11.

Owen was so scared and unsure of what was happening.  He had no expressions in his beautiful little face.  The room was full of people and noise when they handed Owen to Melissa.  Within a few minutes he had to have felt the love we were puring on him.  Melissa held him so tightly and lovingly like only a mother can do.  That may have been the first time Owen ever felt that type of love (or it may have been that she immediately started giving him Cheerios).

I remember taking Owen back to the hotel room and getting to know him.  Owen had about three layers of clothes on and as we un-packed him we started to understand how frail he really was.  Owen only weighed about 16-17 pounds and he was almost 2 years old.  That night we gave him a bath (and he loved it) and we saw the scars on that little body.  We could only imagine what he has endured until now. 

We had a blast in China and Owen soon started trusting Melissa (and slowly started to think I might be ok someday) but he never really showed a lot of emotion.  The little bit of personality he had seemed to be good but it would take a long time before he started to blossom.

Within a few days with Owen we knew there was a medical issue but had no idea what lay ahead.  I was amazed with Melissa and her confidence that Owen would be fine and we would deal with whatever was to come.

Well after multiple surgeries and weeks in the hospital we think Owen has emerged a "new man'!  Since his surgery in August (and then having the feeding tube removed about 8 weeks later) he has exploded into laughter and such a great personality.  He laughs a lot and is so easy going.  Plus he is still so beautiful!

Owen, we love you and thank God everyday for bringing you into our lives.  You have blessed us in so many ways.

PS - you are the hardest person to get a good photo of.

Finally, A New Post!

It has been way too long since we last posted.  It seems like we have been so busy that we have let some things slip.  So we will back up to October.....

We traveled to Neewollah (Halloween spelled backwards) the last weekend in October.  Neewollah is the largest annual celebration in Kansas and the kids love to go.  Grandpa Norman and Michelle live in my home town of Independence, Kansas.  The kids always have a blast but they are worn out by the time we get home.

The carnival rides and parade are a huge hit with the kids.  The parade is popular because they fill their sacks with candy.  Independence also has a great park/zoo and we always spend a few hours there as well.

Soon it was Halloween and the kids loaded up with more candy.

In November Iris turned 5 years old!  It is hard to believe.  She has been with us for half of her short life and I can not imagine when she was not part of our family.  Iris is such an amazing little girl.  She is fearless and a friend to everyone.  Looking back it is so obvious that God knew that she belonged in our family.  We worried and wondered and now it seems so silly.

Iris decided she wanted cheesecake instead of a birthday cake, so that is what she got.  We celebrated her birthday on Thanksgiving this year which allowed all of our families to be there to wish her a happy birthday.

Thanksgiving ended and now we turn towards Christmas.  Melissa and I have always finished all of our Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving because we hated the crowds.  But last year, some friends invited us to go out Thanksgiving night (Black Friday).  We loved it and had a lot of fun.  So this year we did it again.  The kids all go to Grandma's and we go shopping!  Half the fun is the people watching.  The key is to go with a good attitude and know that it will be a long night.

Our schedule is really busy for the next few months.  Ansley has ballet two days each week.  Elliot has Cub Scouts and basketball.  Iris is playing basketball and she has practice one night each week with games on Saturday.  In addition, Melissa showed me like 5 birthday party invites for the kids in the month of December. 

Iris is so excited to be playing basketball.  She loves shooting in the driveway and has mastered the underhand shot (this is the only way she could get it up there).  She is actually very good at it and is also very good at dribbling for her age.  She has had two practices and the coach is making her try  to shoot normal.  At her second practice she made her first shot overhand.  I think she may be a player!

Iris At Tryouts - Shooting Underhand

This year I am coaching Elliot's team and we are having a lot of fun with that.  One of his best friends, Collier, is on his team and Collier's dad is helping me coach. 

As for Owen, he had a little set back this past week.  He started coughing and did not stop for four days!  It was horrible!  Owen loves to eat and he did not eat anything for the four days.  He lost 5 pounds.  Doctor wanted to admit him and Melissa would not have it.  She convinced the doctor that we could handle the breathing treatments (she is a respiratory therapist) and we would put him on the feeding tube to stop the weight loss.  They gave him some antibiotics and he started doing better within 24 hours.  He is eating again and seems to be getting back to normal.  We have been praying for no more admitting him or feeding tubes......