Almost home

Two weeks ago we received the most wonderful news. We have been OK'd by the Guatemalan government and it looks like Marcos will be home in November! It feels not a day too soon. I've met a lot of doomsayers lately who have had personal experiences with unsuccessful adoptions. I am usually so shocked at the rudeness of their sharing these stories with me, that I am at a loss for words. I wish I could look them right in the eye and agree that bringing home an 11 month old child will be hard. It will be hard on Marcos, Max and me. However, I am confident in my ability to love this baby through the difficulty. I am confident that I can maintain the routines that will help him and the other kids feel secure. At age 36 and after eleven years of motherhood, I feel equipped for the challenge. I feel like Heavenly Father has prepared me. Tony and my marriage has never been stronger and we know that Marcos is meant for our family. We are not going into this with ideations of bliss. We just know it is part of the plan for our family. Next time someone gives me another failed adoption story, I'll just refer them to my blog and walk away.

Last weekend we witnessed a miracle firsthand. Tony had taken the boys to the high school football game Friday night. Our team was ahead and one of the kids from church had made three touchdowns! The quarterback, another LDS kid, suddenly fell face first onto the ground. The EMT's responded quickly and Tony was called onto the field. Tony and a couple of other medical people focused on keeping him breathing and his heart pumping. After about ten minutes Tony was horrified to discover that his eyes were fully dilated (blown) and fixed. This was a sign of severe neurological damage. Tony and the quarterback's Dad immediately gave him a blessing, in front of coaches and EMT personell. Tony asked the coach to gather his team and start praying. The other team joined in, and then all the people in the stands joined in prayer. They landed the helicopter right on the field and flew the student to Spokane where he had a four hour brain surgery to remove a clot from a "torn" area of the brain. I hadn't seen Tony that shaken in ten years. The outlook was very bleak and all signs pointed to either death or severe brain damage. When the surgeon called Tony the next day she was a little skeptical about his report. Apparently, both eyes had resumed normal function by the time the kid had arrived at the ER. Within 3 days of the surgery the boy had been ex-tubated, was communicating clearly and eating sausage and eggs. By day 5, they had him up on his feet and were planning discharge by the weekend. As Tony and I have reflected on the situation we have never felt so grateful for the power of the priesthood and that Tony, besides having the skills of a doctor, is a worthy priesthood holder. I hope our children always remember this dramatic miracle in their life. I hope Tony and I always remember it and that it's remembrance continually increases our faith.

Wilson, Cooper and Eliza are all playing soccer this fall. As always, the kindergarten team is highly entertaining and we spend a lot of time yelling, "other way, you are going the wrong way!" I'm glad it is only four weeks long. The kids also started piano lessons today. It feels like a lot, but it isn't too bad if I don't have to drive anyone anywhere.

I've had the opportunity to teach seminary this week. It has required me to be more efficient, but I love it. We are studying the Old Testament and I'm horrified at what I've either forgotten, or never knew about the Bible.

The best advice people have given me has been to always have clothes laid out for the next day, bags packed for school and breakfast table set. Those three things are truly survival techniques. I haven't felt overwhelmed lately, but I am usually surprised at bedtime what got packed into a single day. On Tuesday I will be 36. I love birthdays. I love that for 36 years years I have thought life couldn't get any better. This year I know it will be getting better because my baby is coming home!