Hearts of Adoption: Preparing our hearts for what's ahead.

Can we ever truly be prepared for the unknown? I have made freezer meals, packed snacks for the hospital, made child care plans, wash all the clothes, stocked up on groceries, talk in an attempt to prepare the children. But are we prepared to head to into the largest medical battle our family will fight? Emotionally I feel like a mess, disorganized, confused, second guessing our decisions, and very fearful of the possible outcome. People ask how long will the recovery be. Really, I don't know. The surgical team doesn't really know. We don't know. First, we need a successful surgery. Then we will focus on recovery. So how do you prepare for an indefinite hospital stay, an unintended surgical outcome, the potential the loss of a child?

Ryan and I were blessed to have a great friend offer us a date this weekend. Yes, a real date (We joke that our dates are the time during our children's medical procedures). Kind of pathetic! Dinner at the UW hospital gets old :( Anyway this weekend we went to see the movie "THE WAR ROOM". Oddly enough our answer was in the movie. Prayer is where we will prepare our hearts for this battle that lies ahead. And the rest will be left in God's mighty hand! We pray- God does the Hard work! Our God goes before us and knows the outcome of this surgery, recovery and HE WILL WALK BESIDE US THROUGH IT ALL. Our peace will lay in his hands-whatever the outcome.

Last night I began reading 1 John and how we are to love one another. Adoption began because our Father in Heaven loved us to send his son to redeem me. What an awesome thought! Then our family responded to the Lord calling us to three children who needed love-a family. We adopted them. We Love because he first loved us. And what a blessing to have this child as my son......

Surgery is set for Tuesday, Sept 15. Our 15th wedding anniversary will be Sept 16. We hope to celebrate our youngest son's successful open heart bi ventricle repair. If all goes as planned, he will have a fully functioning restored heart! It will truly be a miraculous gift.

A little fun from the last month........

Feng Yu, (Joseph depending on the day) turned 4 years old. We celebrated at the park and pool.

The little kids all conquered their fears this summer by learning to jump off the diving board. Quite an accomplishment for those who just learned to swim!

Okay Justin....Show off!!!

How many children can you fit onto the slide? Just for fun can you pick out the ones that are not Oehlhofs? The Douty cousins are sprinkled in place 2 and 4.

These two are like 2 peas in a pod. Huahua gets home from school and asks where Feng Yu is. Not like I miss you Mommy! Where's Feng Yu?

There's always a doctor available in our house. Good thing with our extensive medical needs.

Then there is the poor bird who flew into the window. Huahua thought at first it may have been sleeping. But after a good examination, we decided it was DOA.

After everyone held and thoroughly examined it.....it was properly buried! (by the kids)

WHAT??? You don't do this at home too?

JUST RUB IT FROM SIDE TO SIDE.... NO PROBLEM IF IT DRIPS ON THE HEAD.

THEN LATER RINSE OFF OVER HERE! VERY RELAXING MUD BATH...............

Feng Yu wants to be like his GeGe, Justin.

James is trying to keep his hand out of the water (You know he had surgery on it a few weeks ago!) Does this fall into the discharge category of self regulation?

Not sure why I got this job..... I was not the one who gave the okay to enter the mud puddle????

<<<OUR FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL PICTURES>>>>

Some were excited, some were scared, some were numb to the newness, some faithfully walked beside those that were scared, holding hands as their solid post. It was a week of big transitions in our household. Two children whose lives a few years ago looked very different entered a school building for the first time to a structured day full of guided activities, lots of children and loving teachers. I am so grateful for our New Glarus teachers and their willingness to embrace our children in the place they are and love them. I am so proud of my bio kids and their willingness to love theirs brothers and sister through the unknowns with courage and bravery. They have learned to love with no boundaries and many days with unselfishness at a very young age. So proud of them all!