A year ago

A year ago today, we took a bus to chicago after our flight was cancelled from Mitchell to Ohare. The long journey to our third child. Today marks the year that we left home to get our son Hudson. The memories flood as if it is yesterday. I remember watching the picture of the airplane flying its northern route over Canada on the screen in the airplane. I was so excited. I took hundreds of pictures in the airport and the airplane. The meeting him on the playroom at New Day. Our beautiful accommodations. The staff were great... Such a mission to help special needs orphaned children. You could see the love of Christ being showed to the Children. I would like to someday go back with our son to China/New Day.

A year later, I got up early this morning to go to the hospital to "see sick people" as Emma says. I drove to the hospital at dawn. It is the same forlorn road that I drive every week. The trip to the hospital. I used to deliver babies.... Those were happy trips sometimes...

It took me three hours at the hospital. I missed one of the kids appointments.

People are at the other end of life...transition from home to the nursing home or to their eternal home. After I left the hospital, I know that familiar ring of the cell phone as I know the news I will get is the transition... Part of my day ends whenever I get that call.

I laid on the bed for awhile and played with the kids. I didn't get much sleep again with call. Hudson and I went to a party store. We looked at every aisles. He loves a party book that he carries around with him. I took him to the party store to look around at different party supplies. I named everything that he pointed at. He tried to snitch candy which he promptly put back. We found ideas for Grandma and Grandpa's 50th wedding, valentines day, his birthday and gotcha day party. We went home.

He has changed so much in the last year. From being in the orphanage and trying to run away from us to holding my hand as we walked and talked about parties....He loves bears, cars, candy, balloons, toys. He says "I cook. I cook" as he drags a chair twice his size into the kitchen when I am cooking. Yesterday he helped me whipped cream for strawberries. He was so proud to help me hold the mixer and put salt into the whipping cream.

For lunch he had noodles and mandarin oranges. He tried to beg koolaid, but request denied. He went to bed for a nap. When he got up, he sat on my lap until he woke up fully for supper. He ate noodles for supper and again tried to beg koolaid.

Tonight, we watched Aristocats, he sings the "I wanna Be a cat" song, then he imitates the waddling ducks with his sisters. He took his bath drained the water out himself. Sat on potty a couple of times. He turned his light off and on a few times and then went to bed. He had to give mom a few kisses and a big hug before bed. That doesn't always happen, but it is nice when it does.