Surgery Survival

Evan had tubes put in his ears this morning. The procedure went well and Evan is getting along great. We had to be at the surgery center this morning at 6:30am. His surgery was scheduled for 7:30am and we were headed home by 8:30am. Luckily this was such a quick procedure; he was only given anesthesia that he breathed. No IV which was great.

Our plan this morning was to get up early and get ready, then get Evan up just before time to go and head out the door. Well, Evan didn’t cooperate with that plan. I got up around 4:30 to get ready and low and behold he was up too. It was hard to keep his mind off eating until we left at 6am. That also meant that Kevin and I had to join him in the fact we didn’t get any breakfast either since we couldn’t eat in front of him. Of course, he fell back to sleep on the way to the surgery center. We can only hope this doesn’t mean a really new early rising time. 6am every morning is early enough as it is.

Thanks for your prayers that the surgery would go well and he would have a quick recovery.

A Wonderful Christmas!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We had a wonderful time celebrating with family on Christmas Day. Evan was excited to see his new treasures that Santa brought. We didn’t get a lot of pictures. We mostly took video. Evan opened his presents here at home and then said “more”. I think it was the excitement of tearing the wrapping paper. He did really well as we made our rounds on Christmas Day to visit with family. He helped hand out the presents to everyone and patiently waited for his turn. Everyone really helped to make our first Christmas as a family so special.


Evan and Granna (My Mom)

Evan and Papaw. This picture was made at our house. If you notice my tree, Evan had busy little hands and all the ornaments had to be moved to the upper half of the tree.


Evan and Mommaw

Evan had a ball being chaffeured by Cousin Yancy in the new Barbie Jeep.

Evan with his cousins Yancy and Adele.

Our Most Special Christmas Gift

As we enter into Christmas Eve, I think about the most precious gift any of us have ever received and that is the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is because of the precious gift given to us by God that we know unconditional love. It is wonderful to know we have a savior who believes in forgiveness and to have the promise of an everlasting life in Heaven with our Lord and Savior.

Now that I am a parent it is hard to imagine both the joy and heartache that God felt at the birth of his son. To know the great works he would bring about during his time on earth but to also know what he would be giving up as his son suffered for us. I feel blessed for our gift of Evan this Christmas Season. He is truly our most blessed Christmas present. We have prayed for a child for so long and while we didn’t always know the reasons for many of the things we dealt with over the years, God had a plan and what a wonderful plan Evan has been.

As you celebrate Christmas this year with family and friends, please take time to reflect on our most precious gift, Jesus Christ our Savior and the blessings you have received from him.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!!

Infamous Visit with Santa

I have tried twice to get pictures of Evan with Santa. The first time was in November and as you can see from the pictures posted, it didn’t go over to well. He wasn’t too happy about seeing Santa and I ended up in the picture with him.
Our second visit was about the same. He did finally walk up to Santa very slowly, grab his candy cane and run back to me.

First visit with Santa


Second visit with Santa

Six Month Anniversary

It is hard to believe, but tomorrow, December 10th, it will have been 6 months since Evan was placed with us. I can remember what a long day it was in completing all the paperwork and it was 6pm before we even arrived to pick him up and return to Moscow. He did cry when we began to dress him but he never cried in the car seat and was awake during the 3+ hour drive back to Moscow. Of course, I know he was shell-shocked and scared. It is amazing how well he has adapted to life with us and for us to life with him.

It has been amazing to watch his progress. His language is starting to explode as he picks up new words. Sometimes Kevin and I look at each other and say “Did he say what I think he said?” Of course, Evan will never repeat it again when you ask. He loves his trucks, books and of course Elmo. He is getting taller and his face doesn’t look like a baby’s anymore. He is growing up so quickly.

This picture was made this past Sunday


The night Evan was placed with us for good!

Pending Surgery

We found out on Friday, that Evan will be having surgery to have tubes put in his ears. He has been having trouble with his ears for several months and we saw an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor on Friday. He felt it would be best for his overall health. So it is scheduled for Monday, December 29th. Please keep that date in your prayers. It is always scary to think about going under anesthesia, but when it is your child and he is so small, it is even scarier. The Doctor assures me that by the end of the day he will be fine and won’t remember anything.

We hadn’t really thought about it until someone at the daycare mentioned how much her son’s coordination improved after he had tubes placed in his ears. We hope this means Evan’s coordination improves. We really hadn’t made the connection; we just figured he was a bit of a klutz. My Mom has often said that he was the only person she knew that could fall standing in one spot. So hopefully, it is the ears and he isn’t a natural klutz like his Mama.

Our First Thanksgiving

It is hard to believe that last Thanksgiving we were still waiting for our agency to be reaccredited and wondering if things would ever work out. Kevin was also on crutches and in a boot from where he had broken his right heel. What a different Thanksgiving this year. Evan is home with us and we finally have the child we had dreamed, wished and prayed for. He has been such a blessing and we are so thankful for him during this season of Thanksgiving and everyday.

I have attached a couple of pictures from the last week or so.

First Round of Antibiotics

Evan ended up going to the Doctor on Tuesday after the audiologist said he had some fluid on his ears. He had the start of an ear infection. Luckily, it was caught early. He wasn’t running a fever although he had a runny nose/cough for about two weeks. I did learn that if he coughs more than 10 days, I need to call the Doctor. At least he doesn’t mind taking the medicine. I tell him it is time for his medicine and he comes running and sits down in the kitchen floor.

He also had a fall at daycare on Friday. His nose is bruised and swollen. Poor little guy. Trying to recover from an ear infection/runny nose and now his nose his swollen and he is having even more trouble breathing. I guess boy that he is, he is just destined to always sport some type of bruise.

Evan is just Our Son

This is a subject that has been on my mind lately. I know that a zillion people know that we adopted Evan from Russia. Friends, family and people who come across our blog. However, to us Evan is just our son. Not our son from Russia. I think back to this summer when Evan and I met some of my friends at a local coffee house. One of my friends had an acquaintance come in and she introduced us. When she introduced me to her friend, she said this is Christy and her son Evan. It meant so much that she didn’t say and her adopted son or her son from Russia.

So if you see us out and about and even though you may know Evan’s adopted, please introduce us as Kevin and Christy and their son Evan. He just happened to join our family in a different way.

First Halloween

Evan had his first Halloween. We didn't dress him up or take him trick-or-treating this year. We did have him in a Halloween shirt and he enjoyed seeing the children come by the house.

A Very Special Day

Sunday, October 26, 2008 was an extra special day. Evan was dedicated at church today. We dedicated him to our Lord and Savior and to his service. We pray that we will do a good job as parents and raise him to serve the Lord. It is because of our Lord we have such a special son. Our family and friends prayed continuously for us during our adoption process and though we didn’t always understand why the wait, the Lord knew. I can’t imagine not having had the opportunity to be Evan’s mother. He is so special and has brought wonderful changes to our lives.

The day was also special as my best friend, Dennie Faye and her husband Curtis sang in honor of Evan’s dedication. They sang Stephen Curtis Chapman’s song “When Love Takes You In” which is about adoption. Love for this special little boy has definitely taken us in. It was also wonderful having family and friends at church with us on this special day.

I have attached a few pictures from today. I will share that his outfit is not what I had originally intended for him to wear. It was Plan B. Plan A was a solid white one-piece Christening outfit. Well, let me tell you, he was having nothing to do with that outfit this morning and we couldn’t even get it on him. So we moved to Plan B which I think worked out better. His Plan B outfit fits his personality more.





Family and Friends celebrating this special day with us.

Evan hanging out in the church nursery (He didn't make it through the whole service)

Evan at the Pumpkin Patch

We took Evan to the Pumpkin Patch this afternoon. Evan had a great time checking out the pumpkins and we bought him one to go on the front porch.

Pictures

Evan having fun at home with his wagon

Showing off his new haircut

As always, climbing, climbing, climbing

Evan and his cousin Yancy

Hanging out with cousins Yancy and Adele--as you can see, it is nearly impossible to get three children to pose for a picture

Hanging out with Mom and Dad

Riding his trike--one of the many toys that Granna has purchased

Future Golfer


Checking out Uncle Larry's Harley

Update on Evan

Evan had a great check-up on his 20-month birthday (September 22nd). He weighed 23 lbs and 15 oz and was 31 ¾ inches tall. He is slowly but surely growing. Of course, the poor little fellow had to endure three shots that day. He is definitely a little trooper. The Doctor asked me at his check-up if he could point to body parts when asked and I said no but we had been working on it. Well, low and behold, that night while giving him a bath, I asked where his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hair and belly button were and he pointed right to them. We were so excited and heaped on the praise.

He has also been spoiled as he was not able to go to daycare last week. He had a cold and was running a low-grade fever. Luckily, Granna (my Mom) was able to watch him. He was definitely catered to last week. He also managed to pass it on too me. I took him to the Doctor on Friday but was told it was just a cold. He seems to have turned the corner and went back to daycare today.

We also had our first Post Placement report today with our Social Worker. It was nice to have some things validated and know that we are doing a pretty good job. Russia requires Post Placement reports at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years of placement. I don’t mind this. I am excited for the Russian officials to know how well he is doing and to see pictures of how much is growing and changing. We still feel very fortunate to have been chosen as his parents.

Lunch out with Friends

Today we met Sherri and Natalie for lunch at Evan’s favorite place. Can you guess? If you guessed Chick-fil-a, you got it right. It was great to catch up with Sherri and see her daughter Natalie. You may remember me asking you for prayers for Sherri when she traveled to bring Natalie home in April. She was one of the brave ones that stuck out the 10 day wait in Russia. It was great to compare notes and realize we have been very blessed in how well our children have adapted and adjusted to their new families.

Evan and Natalie


Evan is waiting for Natalie to come down the slide

Maintaining

It has definitely been a few weeks since I posted. I have survived my first two weeks back at work and Evan is surviving daycare. It does break my heart that he cries every morning. But I am assured that he stops in a few minutes and generally has a great day. We have our new morning routine down. Sometimes he wakes up on his own and other times he needs a little nudging (of course, he still ends up sleeping with us every night). Luckily he generally wakes up in a good mood. Since he is so used to eating when he gets up, I generally give him a yogurt drink and a few cheerios. We leave the house by 7:20 to head to daycare and then I am off to work. I will be starting a new project at work next week so definitely say a prayer for me on TWTH’s as those days are going to be pretty stressful.

Since Evan loves the water so much, Granna (my Mom) has started taking him to the YWCA and has signed him up for lessons to help him get used to the water. He will be able to take swimming lessons once he turns 3. She said he had a grand time the other day. He splashed, laid on his back, pushed off the side of the pool and jumped in. Mom said the staff was very impressed with his love of the water. I hope he does well and doesn’t develop a fear of the water. Someone said he might be the next Michael Phelps. Maybe so! Wouldn’t swimming be cheaper than golf?

9 weeks and 19 months

As of tonight, we will have been home for 9 weeks with Evan. If we were in a school grading period, I am hoping Kevin and I would be graded as a work in progress. We are far from perfect and have so much to learn. I think parenthood is the hardest job I have encountered. I know that I need to work on my patience and take the time to just enjoy playing with Evan. He requires so much energy and a lot of the time I am just exhausted. I know that it is going to be even harder once I return to work.

Evan also turned 19 months old yesterday. He is constantly changing and learning new things. When I think back to when we first met Evan in March, he was a solemn little boy that we were only able to get a few smiles out of. Since coming home in June it is amazing the changes. His face has matured, he smiles, grins, plays peek-a-boo and loves to wave to people. Once he gets used to someone, he has such an engaging personality. Of course, the hugs and having his arms wrapped around your neck mean the most. He is a special little boy and we are so blessed to have been chosen to be his parents.

Transitions

It is hard to believe that I only have one more week at home with Evan before I return to work. That dreaded day is Tuesday, September 2nd. We began transitioning Evan into daycare the week of August 11th. It is a small church operated 5 star daycare near my house. His teachers seem really nice. I never realized how heartbreaking it could be to leave my little guy each day. He is not the only one that cries. Although, the teachers assure me that he stops crying within a few minutes and has a good day. The longest he has stayed has been today which was 6 ½ hours. Next week I plan to add an hour each day until he is there the length of time that I will be at work. So in reality, I don’t have a full week left with him at home. I have been using the time he has been at daycare to straighten out closets, catch up on laundry and attempt to see my kitchen countertop. Of course, it only takes a few minutes and the countertop is covered again.

He hasn’t added a lot of words to his vocabulary (bye, hey, da-da, and woo-woo(dog)) but he understands what we ask him to do and is slowly developing a routine. He loves to clap his hands when we tell him good job. He has also learned to climb the stairs. So we have to watch him closely. We do let him climb the stairs anytime we are going upstairs. He also loves to flush our commodes and shut doors. I am also sure it will not be long before he is opening and locking doors. I have made sure we know where our key is to unlock the bedroom/bathroom doors in our house. He is a determined little boy. Of course, the transitioning still does not include sleeping in his crib all night. We do have some nights where he manages 3-4 hours.

We hope to have his picture made one day if he can ever be bruise free. He currently has two left feet and it seems he has a permanent bruise in the middle of his forehead. His legs always seem to sport a bruise and his knees are currently scabbed from a fall on the driveway.

So please keep us in your prayers as we enter into the transition of daycare, returning to work and developing a new schedule.

Evan's new ride

Evan loves the waterhose. Luckily he isn't quite strong enough to make it spray. Otherwise, Kevin and I would be in trouble.

He loves to throw our mulch on the sidewalk for Kevin to clean up

More Pictures

I have the outfit, now I just need the clubs Daddy!


The results of not taking a nap

Helping Daddy get ready


Still Loves Playing in the Dirt