Casted Sedation

I wrote this last week, but I'm finally posting it!

I should be working, but I have to take a few minutes to catch up. If you’re reading this, and you are at all a part of our friends, family, or community thank you for all your prayers and support during Sidney’s surgery. She’s dozing on the couch next to me. It was her first day back to school, and she’s worn out. It’s a good worn out, because she was more than ready to go back. She was still a bit loopy on pain medication Friday, so we decided to wait another day. It’s better than she’s tired after school and happy than home bored and frustrated by her current situation.

She’s figuring out how to do things with her left hand, however we had a frustrating first few days home. Her cast is almost up to her armpit, so I can’t blame her. I can only remind her that if we get this done now, she will be healed in time for summer with the pool and a sandbox I’m going to twist Tom’s arm into making.

So this is what I have been meaning to share, but Sidney’s hand and surgery took priority in my posts. Throughout the wait during the adoption process, Tom (and I guess myself, but I didn’t do anything but paperwork) had a small heating and cooling business on the side which operated outside of our home town. We didn’t want to compete with his boss. Over the last five to six years, it supplemented the costs of adoption, however the last year mom has slowly built up work. Enough that dad no longer has to be out of the house working extended hours on top of his regular job.

We made the conscious choice not to go into business on our own full time, so we have time to paint the cupboards in my sad old kitchen, paint the walls a different color, and make a sandbox. Okay, I’m off to pick up Eli after school who always has his own agenda the moment the door swings open. Either that or he will rattle off a fact he read in the Guin*ss B**k of W*rld R*cords or something completely unrelated to saying hello. 

Capers of a Cast

I’m sitting next to  Sidney with a bright pink cast. Tuesday was surgery and we were home the same day. With all the craziness in our house leading up to the procedure, I didn’t have time to post. This was the right hand, where the surgeon worked to release contracted scar tissue, causing a bone in the middle of her finger to bend. A three hour procedure released the contracted scar tissue with skin grafts off her hip and a pin placed in the finger to straighten the middle bone in the finger. 

Really? A cast again? My brave girl being released.

 Things couldn’t have gone more smoothly which is always a blessing. I have to brag. Sidney was a trooper and allowed the doctors to do whatever was needed without any resistance. We requested she have something immediately when we arrived, because we don’t want her to remember going back to surgery. One of our anesthesiologists recommended this during her first surgery in January 2010 for the same hand (the first with another surgery in May 2010 on the left hand). She goes back without a fight, and this is our goal. Our surgeon said this could be the last procedure on her hand, however it is possible she might need one more revision before she’s fully grown.

Sometimes a dill pickle can make things a little better. 

For now, I’d like to say my girl is upbeat about the cast, but her whole world is painting, drawing, using play dough and generally being creative This is nothing I’ve encouraged, it’s Sidney. My tiny artist is not pleased with the obstruction on the hand. 

Thank you Zoey! Since we can't be together in school,
this really cheered me up!

I’m pleas ed it will come off in three weeks. This is less time than the last time. I assume this is because the grafts are not the length of her finger but the areas between the two fingers. After that she will be in a splint for three weeks.

Easter Rewind

With the birthday madness on the same day as Easter, I didn't have a chance to post a couple of fun pictures. Sidney is a social butterfly and seems to command the attention of everyone around here. Demure and quiet are not words in my vocabulary. She is outgoing, loves being around other kids, and most of all she has so much fun with her friend Zoey in preschool. We regularly hear stories of their adventures in class. Zoey also goes to our church which is extra fun. Our pastor did an Easter egg hunt after our service last Sunday, so I had the chance to snap these pictures. 

Notice the dress. We bought it in Beijing on the adoption trip. Sidney's hasn't outgrown it! She grows up but never out, so it's really cool that we've had use of it for so long. We originally bought it for her baptism when three weeks after coming home. It has butterflies, and this is symbolic for so many reasons. Okay before I start blathering on about the phenomenal things that are happening in school, I'll stop writing. Mommy's brain is too tired to write about it tonight!

The Craziness of LIfe

I wish I could sum last week up easily, but I don’t think I stopped in any one place long enough to think about what was going on. The week started with saying goodbye to the kids for a night in Rochester, MN where Tom’s dad had surgery for cancer. We are VERY relieved that his surgery was successful. On the shuttle driving to the hospital we received a phone call from Tom’s aunt that his grandma had passed away.

To avoid confusion, I’ll let you know Tom’s parents were divorced when he was around six or seven, so both his parents remarried shortly after. His mom passed away seven years ago, however her husband (now remarried, are you confused yet?) maintained contact with his grandma even while she had dementia in the nursing home. Knowing her condition, it wasn’t a huge shock, and we are mostly relieved for her not having to stay in her previous mental state.

That being said, we left Rochester after two nights. His dad was in the ICU for a period of time. It wasn’t anything life threatening, but it’s never fun to hear someone is stuck in intensive care. We also had Eli’s first communion in church on Maundy Thursday. Eli said as we walked into the entrance of the church, “Tonight I become a man.” Not quite buddy.

Waiting for the egg hunt with Eli's early morning bedhead.

On Good Friday, we had the funeral for Tom’s grandma. This was only after Tom went to the visitation Thursday night before Eli’s first communion. Thereafter things settled into a normal pace for about 12 hours until Saturday morning when we prepared for Sidney’s birthday which took place on Easter.

Why couldn't the Easter bunny bring me a
Miss Piggy matchbox car?

Today I have been informed there were not enough people at her party. I told Sidney I assume receiving and Easter basket and opening presents wasn’t really fun, so maybe I should take them back. Let’s just say I received a contradictory expression in return. March 30^th was also four years since we received Sidney’s referral. I couldn’t ever have imagined God would put a girl such equal parts sweet and sassy into my life.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl!