Now Two Weeks Home

Well, the past two weeks seem like an eternity in some aspects, and in other ways it feels like the blink of an eye. There is so much I could write about- that it is actually hard to start. You will have to forgive me because I will most probably ramble;) The twins are down for the night, Ansley is watching TV, and the big kids are down in the basement playing Nerf guns with Don. I can hear the laughter two floors up as I sit here in my bed and it is like sweet music to my soul.

I guess we will start with the doctor's visits. We went back to the pediatric nephrologist last Friday. He had to have an ultrasound and they ordered genetic testing to be done so that they could truly confirm the Alport's diagnosis. We also had to do a 24-hour urine sample for the doc and between that and his bloodwork we DID confirm that he had a definite kidney condition--one that needed meds--there was no doubt about that. They also found his cholesterol level to be extremely high. 501 to be exact. So on top of the fact that this little guy has to limit the sodium--we also have to get his cholesterol level down this month or he will be put on cholesterol meds. It is kind of funny that I spent this entire fall learning new gourmet recipes to cook for the family and NONE of them are low in sodium or cholesterol;) What the Jenkins family is finding out is that if one of us has to change our diet---we all change our diet! But on the bright side--Don and I could stand to cut back on those things ourselves and we might lose some of the weight we packed on this fall from the gourmet meals...lol. Unfortunately for Yun Wei---who LOVES a hard-boiled egg--he has had to give them up. We did buy egg whites and scramble them for him as a treat every so often. But basically we eat baked chicken, some veggies, and cholesterol free noodles pretty much every night. At least until I can research some more and find some good recipes that are both low in sodium and cholesterol. (If you know of any---shoot me an email;) We have been blessed with several meals from our Sunday school class and I think everyone was thankful on those nights to have a change-up in the menu!

His teeth have been a pretty big concern to both Don and I since China. He has so much visible decay and even began to complain a little about his mouth. We took him to the pediatric dentist this past Wednesday and he immediately referred us to an oral surgeon. We will go to the oral surgeon next Tuesday. He basically has four teeth that are in such poor condition they need to be pulled. Seven others that need fillings. And a growth under the gum that needs to be biopsied by the oral surgeon. NOT FUN!!!! Yun Wei was EXTREMELY good at the dentist--I was very proud of him. He is a tough little guy who has literally spent hours upon hours in doctor's offices since we have been home. He did cry a little one of those days. He had six shots in the arm, though and I think that is enough to make anyone cry. He decided to let me hold him for a little while after that!

He has had a couple of outbursts since we have been home and I have learned to just pray that God will give our family what it needs for THAT DAY! I cannot think past the day I am on. That is a new concept for me, but it is one that is keeping me coming to the Lord daily-sometimes moment by moment for guidance, discernment, wisdom, joy.... I have been more blessed by God's Word in these two weeks and feel his Spirit so immensely right now. He is changing Yun Wei, changing me, changing Chloe and Donovan and Don. Molding us all for his purpose-to be the salt for each other and for Yun Wei. It is funny because during the months we were getting our adoption paperwork underway and preparing for travel, God would speak to me occasionally about Yun Wei. It would be in the form of a scripture and I would date beside it and jot a quick note about what I felt God was revealing to me. It would not happen all the time--sometimes it would be months before I would feel like God was giving me another scripture in regard to Yun Wei. But they were like precious promises to me and I cherished them. So when we got to China and everything seemed so difficult and we were dealing with so much anger coming from him, I kept going back to the scriptures that God had laid on my heart about Yun Wei. Several things jumped out at me as I looked through all of them. The first was that God promised to bring Yun Wei into our family. Which was a huge miracle from God because, frankly the money was not there. (Sometime I will write a blog entry on just the way God provided for the financial aspects of this adoption---maybe it will encourage one of you who might be feeling a heart for adoption but simply think the money is overwhelming) The second thing that stuck out to me in all of those scriptures was a promise of Yun Wei's salvation. The last thing that REALLY stuck out was what he DID NOT promise in all of the scriptures I had cherished over the months. God NEVER promised me this would be easy! NEVER! I double and triple-checked those scriptures just to be sure I had not missed it;)

So once I accepted that this process was going to take some serious humbling before the Lord and a willingness to change my parenting and my typical day at home--my state of mind got better. Because we can get through the hard stuff when we lean on God. We started homeschooling this week---WE MADE IT THROUGH THE WHOLE WEEK, YAY! And it was actually pretty smooth. I made a picture schedule for Yun Wei. That way when he gets up--he knows what his day will look like. And that has seemed to make a world of difference. It has required me to be much more organized and structured than my personality would have it---but it is so worth it! He had become really obsessed with the Wii--I think it was because he could zone out and not think about all the change. Also you don't have to know English to play the Wii; But obviously we can't play that all day. So we have limited it to about an hour and a half. Still a lot by my standards, but I compromised a little. He starts his day with the Wii (3o min.). When the timer goes off--it is time for breakfast. It cracks me up because he knows we bow our heads and say words with our eyes closed (I don't know if he is realizes it is praying because I doubt he has ever seen a person pray), but he will tattle on Donovan for opening his eyes during it...lol. Which of course means he is not closing his eyes---I wonder what he thinks we are doing. I cannot wait to share the Gospel with him.
So after breakfast we do some workbook and picture word flashcard drills for about 45-minutes, then we do computer time, then legos, then puzzle races, then PBS educational TV time (aka--school time with the other kids;), lunch, and then we cycle back through. If it is warm enough I make the big kids go out and play and I will sit with the little ones on the back deck and read my Bible. I LOVE THOSE TIMES!!!

I would say he has about 20 words that he can speak at this point and I would say he understands maybe 30. We still get out the google translate a lot to explain things to him if we can't get it explained with gestures;)

So as far as prayers---just keep praying that God would continue to work on softening Yun Wei's heart. He is playing so much better with the kids and his anger is becoming more controlled. He carries a bit of a grudge and it is hard for him to let go of his anger, but we have seen much progress and we know that is through prayer---consistent, daily, totally dependent on God-- prayer. I still struggle with riding the emotional rollercoaster with him. When he is happy--I feel so happy, but when he is mad--it really affects me. So pray that God would help be not ride those emotional waves with him. I do look back on these two weeks with joy and peace. I could not do that without God. I ask that you continue to lift Yun Wei up in your prayers as well as all of us!

Thank you so much for your sweet prayers!!