Update on Zane

After much discussion with the surgeon and cleft team this morning, we’re confirmed for outpatient (HOORAY!!!!) surgery tomorrow. When the culture comes back from the abscess in a few days, we will see…God knows! Trusting in His perfect healing and protection! We appreciate your prayers tomorrow around 10:45 - noon. We should be home by 3 p.m.

Preschool

Elle officially began preschool today at home with me. It wasn't too much different from things we have done to learn and explore, but I am using a literature based curriculum that will provide a daily and creative routine for us.

Elle enjoyed getting dressed for school, finishing breakfast to be ready for school, discovering her new books and setting up her supplies -- all for the 'first day of school'. Zane tagged along and got schooled himself...those second borns, always bumming off the firsts. ;)

Unfortunately, Zane may be missing out on some fun for a few days. The symptoms that sent us to the hospital in April for surgery due to post-op complications, presented again over the weekend...we are stunned. We are heading to Children’s in the morning and expect Zane to be in surgery by afternoon. We are also expecting to be inpatient for days. Please pray for Zane’s safety, healing, our insight, strength and for the right doctors to be in place along the way.

Celebrating Zane

(Sorry in advance for the very poor layout, technical difficulties!)

One year ago we were so disappointed to just miss Zane's first birthday by five days, but trusted in God's perfect timing because He has provided our perfect match twice over - how blessed we are!



So this year, it was an honor to celebrate his second (and first) birthday at home, together with family.

The day started with a fun play date with cousin Titus, and friends, Maelynn and Lily (and their Mamas too), followed by a Mexican feast and a birthday present. Zane had no problem getting the concept of present-opening as proven later that evening as well.

With Uncle Kevin, Aunt Alicia and Titus, we enjoyed an Italian dinner, chocolate cake and ice cream.

Zane took everything in stride, accepted the attention and presents with ease and has asked for cake and ice cream after every meal since September 1.

Zane has had an eventful and challenging year.... The first moment we laid eyes on him, he was all smiles, dimples full-on, just like his Dada. He had an instant connection with me and a fondness for Dada and Elle. Zane's deep bonding with Dada happened while we were inpatient due to post-op complications following his lip and palate repair last December. He pushed through the tough surgery, infections and recovery, determined to gain strength, weight (our boy can eat!) and the next milestone. Milestones like crawling, cutting teeth, walking, climbing and wrestling his sister to the floor! And speaking of teeth, he has had a rough couple of months (he can be a bit of a bear at times) cutting in nearly ALL his teeth. He's just now finishing up with his bottom incisors.

Zane is passionate, strong-willed, opinionated, bright, clever, mischievous, inventive, expressive, inquisitive, physically coordinated, friendly, hot-tempered and very loyal. He loves books, food, playing outside, taking baths, going to the pool and sleeping with Mama. He has nearly 75-100 communication words through sign and sound and knows quite a few letter sounds. He has funny faces, gives out fist bumps/knuckles and can melt your heart with his kisses and hugs. Our favorite thing about Zane is everything AND his tender heart that always chooses what is right in the end.

This precious two-year-old is our joy - we celebrate his life and God's provision in bringing him to us. With the pleasure of family here over Labor Day weekend, we remembered journeying to China a year ago and celebrated his 'Gotcha' with humbled and grateful hearts.

Elle and Zane so enjoy their cousins and we are grateful to have family that come together to worship, play, and pray. With five adopted cousins/grandchildren, three miracle labors, and multiple countries represented, we are always looking to Him with anticipation for His best to continue to unfold - He never disappoints! :)

After the pleasure of family, we took some long naps. Zane cuddled right beside me for over two hours and mostly I just looked at his sweet, sleeping face and prayed God's protection over him. Later we went out for a Gotcha Day celebratory dinner and then back home for the remaining birthday ice cream that was still lingering in the freezer.



The first week of September is going to be a favorite - celebrating Zane and God's perfection in our lives. We claim victory in all that He has accomplished and trust that He also has tomorrow in the palm of His hand.

Happy birthday, Zane-O-Boy; you are perfect and we adore you so! Love, Dada, Mama and Elle-Belle

To Seattle & Back

We were in Seattle last week - YEAH! We left on Saturday to visit my parents and see them in their new home. Just one of the perks was taking in the beautiful Seattle landscape, much from their front porch! We also enjoyed a visit from my sister and her three children who drove over from the Portland area.



We were blessed to hear Dad preach Sunday morning, attended a local festival, played at parks, took walks, ran through sprinklers and ate great food. One afternoon we ate on the water at Ivar's Seafood (Seattle's best seafood and chowder). Then we drove our cars on the ferry and rode across the Sound to an island, ate ice cream and took the ferry back. :) And unlike our last visit, the sky was clear and Mount Rainier looked majestic - from my parent's house!




Another morning we strolled Pike's Place Market (the oldest continually operating farmers market in the United States) and took in the sights, food and sounds of street musicians that very much captivated Elle and Zane. There was a man who played a harmonica while thumping a homemade bass made from a string and wash tub, another guy played a guitar while balancing another guitar on top of his head and then there was the man on the corner playing a full size piano...I guess he rolled it there??



The best part was being together, lounging around in our pajamas, watching the kiddos play and enjoy Grandma's crafts and face painting.... It was bittersweet in the end, sad to say goodbye but oh so excited to get home and meet our new nephew, Titus.





And that's just what we did, from the airport to Kevin and Alicia's front door where Titus greeted us, sweet face, hair and all! :) He's the cutest little dude with the biggest head of jet-black hair, sporting dimples and a cleft chin - get out of here!




While the husbands took dinner to Grandma and visited Grandpa recovering at the hospital, we Mamas, with our blessings, enjoyed our first play date over pizza...Titus slept during the meal, but enjoyed some floor time play with cousin Zane after dinner. It's surreal to see our nephew finally home...all the months of praying and now the joy of watching this family revel in His perfect provision - He is good!



I spent the following day at meetings for upcoming fellowships and events we are involved in this Fall and this week I've been doing some more reading and a bit of prep to begin homeschooling Elle for preschool. There's much to look forward to but I wish the days would slow down as we kissed our Zane for the last time as a one-year-old. Tomorrow the Zane-O-Boy is two and it just doesn't seem possible!

Oh Happy Day

Our new nephew, Titus, is finally home in his Mama and Dada's arms, forever! We have been watching the clock all day long, noting when Kevin and Alicia landed in Taiwan, marking the time they probably arrived at the home, wondering if they got to peek in on Titus while he was sleeping, speculating that Alicia probably still hadn't slept, hoping she got to hold and feed him sometime during the night and eating a celebratory dinner about the time we imagined Gotcha was unfolding - it's been an exhausting day! LOL! ;)

About an hour ago, we received the first picture of the very happy family - can you see the joy?! God is good - what a blessing to welcome Titus into our family - God's gifts are the very best! Now we wait, not so patiently, for more pictures, news and their arrival home!

All this excitement makes life around here seem really boring, but we've been having fun too with Grandpa and Grandma Wolfe. Here are some, not as exciting as Titus, pictures of life around here, coming soon....

Our privilege and joy to send them off at the airport...Alicia was glowing!

Fun & Firsts

We had G&G W here with us this past week and now we are trying to adjust to normal life, without all the one-on-one playtime with Grandpa and the pampering from Grandma. Elle enjoyed climbing on Grandpa (ALL DAY LONG), playing games and making his hearing aid squeal (OUCH!). Zane had milk-chats with Grandma, allowing some morning me-time. :) We also enjoyed time at the pool, playing with water toys in the backyard (IT'S HOT HERE!), shopping, eating out, getting professional pictures, and ice cream (IT'S REALLY HOT HERE!).

Along with the fun, we've had some firsts. The Granny Smith apple tree we planted four years ago bore its first fruits (YEA!), Zane said 'ball' and Elle had her first hot dog at a water festival. It was free and we were R.E.A.L.L.Y hungry. I'm obviously not a fan of the nitrate and msg laden mechanically separated 'meat', nonetheless, Elle said it was good and it didn't stunt her performances on the 10 and 15 foot water slides!

Zane has been on more first time expeditions...dining chair shoved over to counter to play with dirty dishes in the sink, and step stool used to climb on top of toilet seat to reach top of tank - WOWZERS!

Finally, but not a first unfortunately, Elle sprained her ankle this afternoon jumping out of the SUV. Sigh...I can't begin to count the many times I've told her to STOP jumping off ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! I'm all for fun in proper shoe wear in appropriate play places, but somehow I know that airborne off a wall or five steps up or from a SUV or back of a couch in dress shoes increases your chances for a sprained ankle or worse...she says she'll never jump out of the car again, 'sorry mama'. Poor baby, all wrapped up in ice, watching videos and eating snacks (healthy ones). :)

Ring Around The Rosies

Playing with Grandpa

Silly with Grandma

Our first apple - the little one

Sprained ankle - poor baby!

Grandma love

Puzzle time & trying to fill Grandpa's shoes

Water Slide Fun