Better each day

There are certain things that take me right back to Utah and my time there with Victor.  Like frozen yogurt (you, too, Katrina?).  Another adoptive family posted a blog about a family trip to Bridal Veil Falls and the Provo Canyon Parkway.  I looked at the pictures and I was right back there.  Songs have been especially powerful.

This morning I heard Worn by Tenth Avenue North and my mind was immediately transported, the tears immediately flowed.  This song was on the radio almost everyday as I drove back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.  Many days I was worn and oh how I prayed for redemption to win. "But I'm too weak," was all too familiar as was "I know that you can give me rest."  And then the very next song answered the question written all throughout Worn - Hillsong's Cornerstone. When we sing that in church I'm a mess.  My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

Yes, redemption does win.  A song does rise from the ashes of a broken life.  All that's dead inside can be reborn. Christ alone is the cornerstone.  I am weak but have been made strong in the Savior's love and know that through the storm He is Lord of all.

The storm that is Victor's diagnosis has fluctuated between raging winds and calm breezes.  Through it all, I know that He is Lord.

Some of you have seen Mariana's video of Victor underneath his activity mat, vigorously kicking his feet as he "watches" the Christmas lights the vision therapist suggested we put there.  The Good Doctor and Mariana have been very excited by that video, believing that Victor's excitement is due to seeing the lights.  I have not been convinced, nor has his therapist.  Because I have seen him get just as excited when simply playing on his back, lights turned off.  I haven't said much, not wanting to be the pessimist when they so desperately wanted to believe he was seeing.  And when the therapist would come, she agreed that he wasn't showing any response to lights on or lights off.

But last night was different.  After spending all afternoon and evening sitting in waiting rooms with Isaac who is now sporting a lovely wrist brace over his broken wrist, the result of overzealous teammates at soccer practice, he and I were quietly watching Victor under the lights of his activity mat. We both noticed that when the lights cycled off, he got very still and peaceful.  When they came back on, we saw that his eyes were as big as could be and Victor started to kick his little feet again.  We looked at each other; thinking the same thing - Victor is seeing the lights.  His therapist was here this morning and we tried a repeat performance.  And Victor had the same peaceful reaction when the lights went off.

When Heidi Baker prayed over Victor, she said something like, "His eyes are going to get better each day." I don't know if God is going to heal Victor's eyes.  I don't know if he is going to see more than light or dark.  But I'm going to continue to ask.  I'm going to ask in faith, that Victor's eyes will get better each day.  I have to ask.  I'm worn from asking but I will keep asking.  I'm worn from the discouragement of a child with special needs but I'm trusting in the Cornerstone that is holding each of us up in the trials of life.

Great news!

We have a finalization date!  November 4 it is.

Remember way back when we asked you to pray for favor with the judge so we wouldn't have to return to Utah for finalization?  Well, you prayed, God answered.  In some ways this makes our adoption finalization anti-climactic.  The judge and lawyer will be there.  We'll be here.  No family picture in the courtroom.

We can't fill the courtroom like we did last time.

We can't have a group prayer over Victor in the courtroom (we will forever be thankful to the judge who believes it's a free country and this falls under a free speech issues, thereby allowing this for HopeAnne's adoption).

We won't release butterflies like we did last time; wrong time of year.

And we won't have a big open house to celebrate because we can't have all of those germs through our doors.

Even more so than HopeAnne's adoption, we have been surrounded by such a large community of people from all over.  We want to have you celebrate with us.  This is a big deal.  Finalization means that Victor is officially a King with all of the rights and privileges of being an heir.  Nothing can change that.  He will be forever ours.  His birth certificate will be legally changed, listing us as parents.  In the eyes of the law, he will finally be what he has been to us all along, our son.

So what to do?  What to do?  This has been our question.

We've decided to have a virtual celebration.  Since we can't invite you all to our home to share with each other what Victor has meant to us all, we'd like to hear from you in writing.  Please write to us, letting us know what Victor's story has meant to you.  How has it changed you?  What have been your thoughts in these past 6 months?  What has God been speaking to you?  What has been your prayer for Victor?  What are your prayers for his future?  Please take some time to write your thoughts down and send them to us.  Either leave a message here (although we know many people are unable to post here, sorry, I'm the most technologically unsavvy person and don't know why your posts don't show up), on Facebook, send an email to kingzoo@comcast.net, or send us a real letter.  We will save these for Victor and I may anonymously post some of them on this blog.  I have a feeling words are going to mean much more to him than pictures.

Oh, and please pray that there are no complications surrounding this date and finalization.

Little Man at 6 months

The Little Man had his 6 month check up and he is now 13 pounds 2 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long.  While behind developmentally, he's moving right along in his growth.

We're working on holding his head up better.  This one will take some work because of his low upper body muscle tone and because he's missing the whole motivator behind babies lifting their heads - sight.  We're also working on sitting up and rolling over.

One area he is not lacking in - love.  Another one - stimulation.

We  have received some beautiful notes from his birthmother who is concerned about him and his diagnosis.  We have assured her that we are here for him, whatever it takes.  Whatever it takes.

Love you, Mr. Victor!

There's nothing better than a sleeping baby!

Another October birthday (kind of)

Look at me!  I'm 6 months old!

Laughter

We have laughter!

New photos

I've been told that I haven't posted any photos of Victor recently.  So here he is.  Some people collect shoes, some collect jewelry, others collect T-shirts (a-hem Andrew).  My Little Man collects fun onesies.

He also likes his Snuggin Go and feeder chair from his physical therapist.

Cookies or hot chocolate?

It's October 1st which also means that it's Sock Day.  Just a little tidbit we all should know.  Actually, I'm quite thrilled to know this because I'm all about socks.  Not the wear-different-colored-socks fad, never got into that one.  Just the always-need-socks-so-my-feet-aren't-cold-cause-if-my-feet-are-cold-I'm-freezing socks.  Quite plain socks are best.  And now you know a little known fact about me.  It's really not so little known, it's pretty well known.  It's nothing new, either.  For my wedding, my aunt found me a congratulatory card with the words, "The joy of sox" written across the top.  It's true.  There is obviously a card designer out there somewhere who knows how necessary socks are to a girl's wardrobe.  At least there was one other one in the early 90s.  I don't know what happened to him/her after the production of that card line.

But back to October 1st.  This also means the month of perpetual birthdays for my immediate and extended family.  I was told not to marry someone with an October birthday.  With a November birthday, the Good Doctor almost didn't pass inspection but managed to just squeak by.  But then I produced 2 more October birthdays and adopted one.  Oops.

The 1st of October means that I have now been home from Utah for a little more than 2 months and things are finally settling down.  I say that in very general terms as things never really settle down for the King clan and I still have 4 piles of while-I-was-gone paperwork to complete (Yes, if you've been following closely you know that it used to be 3 piles.  That would be correct but the piles have been multiplying even as I complete things that need to be done).  And now that I've been home for a good while, it's time to start chipping away at that adoption debt again.

Our adopttogether account has slowly been inching up but since we don't like this hanging over our heads, it's time to get working again.

During the month of October we will be promoting sales of our cookies and hot chocolate packs.  This would be a great time to send a care package to a college student.  Let us do the work for you.  Just send us the name and address and we'll do the rest.  You can include a personal note if you'd like.

1 Dozen Pregnant Cookies (an Oreo stuffed inside a chocolate chip cookie) - minimum donation of $20
Add $10 if you want us to mail them
1  Dozen Hot Chocolate Packs (made by Eden) - minimum donation of $20
Add $7 if you want us to mail them

Email your orders to kingzoo@comcast.net