Three Months

I can hardly believe the boys have been home for three months already,but on the other hand, it seems like they have been around forever! Gborlee, our big little boy at 4 1/2 years old, is learning to venture out! Since getting his adorable glasses, he now can see his world and he loves it! He scoots on his bum and can practically "run"! It's funny how so many of his village behaviors have dissipated now, and how quickly he has embraced the American ways of life. He is a great eater, although he has only gained 3 pounds in the three months he has been home. But he also advanced from a total couch potato to a moving machine, so he is burning more calories every day than he can take in! So at the doctor this week, he was 26.2 pounds and given the direct permission to eat all the fattening things he can! Wow, I have wanted to do that my whole life! So, bring on the whole milk, the butter, the cheese and heavy cream! We plan to fatten this boy up! What a great boy he is - very tender and loving, learning more each day. He says "cooo" and uh-oh. He is beginning to mimic sounds,and he plays independantly now. Bella thinks we brought him home specifically for her, and although there is only 9 mo. Between them, he is her little baby and she takes this big sister roll seriously. He loves everyone, loves hugs and kisses, and is tolerating his big boy walker from the therapist. He clapped at every fire cracker that lit up the sky on the fourth, and he has even learned shopping in a cart isn't so bad after all! Isaiah celebrated his second birthday here, with a lovely impromptu party where many of our family and friends came for cake. He got so many nice gifts, but mostly, he was surrounded by love and happiness for the evening. In his short time here, he has been treated for a parasite, gotten rid of ringworm, given ringworm to numerous other family members, been given a pharmacy of needful medications to take on a daily basis, and been through blood work galore, EEG tests and an overnight video EEG. He has been diagnosed as cerebral palsy, microcephalic, epileptic and malnourished. He has had a g-peg surgically implanted for feeding 5 times a day, and had a circumcision at the same time. He has been put on meds to settle his stomach, and meds to calm his tense muscles. He has meds to decrease his many daily seizures, and we have been taught how to administer meds in case he should have a grand mal seizure. We have had many doctor visits in town, along with therapy from three different places, including the children's hospital four hours away from home. He takes meds to make him poop, and meds to stop his projectile vomiting. He will have a sleep study this Thursday, to see how much the breathing issues are affecting his quality of rest. He has had a positive tuberculosis test this week, and two clear x-rays of his chest. The future is unsure for Isaiah, except for this: he is ours forever, he is getting all the help he needs, and always will, and his smile each day is worth a million bucks! I am thankful he is not in a country that can not handle his very special needs, and that he continues to smile regardless of what goes on around him! I hate rude people who comment about the boys disabilities, but for the most part we have been encouraged by kind, wonderful people who are excited about this journey we are on. Having the boys baptized this past week was a highlight to our getting the boys home, and we are going to do our very best to raise them to know what miracles they are and help them grow in the knowledge of a savior who will be their constant friend. It's been a short three months, yet the journey of a lifetime. I am ever grateful that God has given us these beautiful lives and thankful for these boys who have already blessed us all!!!