The Best Day EVER!

Nine years ago, the cutest baby in China was born.  He needed emergency surgery and was placed in the hands of a skilled, gentle physician who prayed over him to not only survive but to have a full life.

Nine years later, he is celebrating his life in a new country surrounded by friends and family that love him more than he'll ever know.

This boy... he amazes me with his determination and his sense of humor and wit are certainly entertaining.  Every day is a good day and every person in the room is a friend.  He will go out of his way to say hello to someone that he knows and if he ever hears a specific prayer request, he will pray at bedtime for that person.   He yells wildly when his dad rips his heart out and then squeals with uncontrollable laughter as dad pretends to eat it and then sticks it back in his chest (boys).   He pays attention and takes note of everything. (I knew what his teacher wore every day and what vehicle everyone at the school drove)  He loves pandas, the color green, cars, police, math, China, America, and kitties.  He is so gullible and so impatient.  He can't get enough cuddles and he demands that mom and dad hug each other every night in his room or he can't go to sleep.  He has rocked our world and we can't wait to see what the next nine years hold for such a special boy.

We have been planning his birthday party since Andrew's birthday in September.  It was a loooong time coming and a highly anticipated event.  He changed his mind at least ten times but firmly decided that a Lego police birthday was probably the best birthday that any boy could have. He crawled out of bed at 0700 and we told him "happy birthday" and sang to him.  He ate his favorite, "pam cakes", for breakfast and we sang again.  His sister gave him the FBI vest that she made for him so he could wear it all day and we sang yet again.  It was only 9 am and it was already the best.day.ever.

We prayed several times in the afternoon that it would not rain during his party at the park and a storm rolled through an hour before and left us with a beautiful, cool evening so we could have the best.party.ever.

The man of the hour has arrived!

He quickly put on his FBI "hat" and started chasing the kids and handing out tickets.

Several cops and robbers showed up for the party.

I told her she was too cute to be wanted but she assured me that she was a criminal.

And then there is that one friend, the one that puts his needs above hers all the time. 

This cake deserved two thumbs up!

"happy birthday to Jay, happy birthday to you!"

"are these presents all mine?"

There were so many special cards from special friends.  He will keep them forever.

"how did Mema know I liked M&Ms?"

Jay picked who he wanted to invite to his party and on the top of the list was his friend, Pastor Paul.  After Pastor Paul called and said he would be attending, I told Jay and he said "I know, I knew he would come."  He received a special poem and a pirate treasure from his dear friend.

I think his cheeks hurt from smiling by the time we left the park.  

It was everything he dreamed it would be.  A day to celebrate Jay and his nine years of life.  A day to count blessings... from the doctor that prayed over him to the family that prays with him.  A day to laugh, love, and eat cake!

We love you, buddy.  Thank you for being you.

Let's do it again next year!

Happy Birthday, baby girl

Dear Lucy,

Happy birthday, baby girl.  Today we will celebrate for the third year without you...our hearts will be heavy and our eyes will fill with tears when we least expect it.  Birthdays and holidays are so hard.

We will sit around the table and look at the four candles on your cake and pray for your heart, health, safety, but most importantly your future.  We will boldly ask God for a miracle because we don't know how to give up.

When you were carried through the director's door three years ago, you not only filled our arms but you took up permanent residence in our hearts.

We surrendered your life to God and trusted that our traveling around the world to love you was not in vain.  We have seen Him work in mighty ways in your life over the last three years.  When your video and pictures were published several months ago we laughed, cried, and praised God for breathing life in to your baby house.  The sedated, limp child we met was no more.  Your eyes sparkled.  You worked so hard to put one foot in front of the other and I believe you are probably walking by now.  You knew how to reach for a toy and play with it appropriately.  Simple things that most parents take for granted but we knew this was BIG!  God showed the director and nannies that your life mattered and from your video, we can see that you have blossomed under the improved care.

Many changes are ahead for you this next month as you will leave behind the only home you have ever known.  We believe the institution you will be transferred to will take care of your needs and we will continue to whisper prayers of protection.  We will specifically pray that you will be in a room with your friend Adalyn and the transition will be easier because of that.

Who could ever imagine going from three to four candles could bring so much change in a child's life?  Next year, we plan on celebrating your birthday with you.  We trust that God has a plan for your future and we refuse to give up.  Yes, we are stubborn.  We will continue to hope that your future will include a mama and daddy, brothers and a sister.

We love you, sweetheart.  When you sleep at night, I hope your dreams are filled with memories from our days together.  I hope you feel us rocking you to sleep, kissing you over and over, and our gaze as we marveled at your absolutely perfect, angelic face.  When we held you close, our hearts would beat together proving that blood does not make a family.  You were instantly our baby girl.

 I love you,... I will continue to pray for you,.... I will never give up.

Love, Mom

Four Months or Forever?

Four months ago today, I met this awesome boy for the first time.  

Time has flown by, yet it feels like he's been here forever.   

I just can't sit and type out long beautiful blog posts, my brain refuses to go there.  So I will give you pictures and a glimpse of what "firsts" he has experienced in America.  

First Camping Trip

The jury is still out on this experience.  He just knew the coyotes would

drag mom off in the middle of the night.  There were bugs and it was hot.

I think he had fun because we were having fun but if he was to ever choose

a favorite activity, this would definitely not make the list.  We'll get there.

Papa's goal in life is to make an outdoors boy out of his newest grandson.

Playing in the mud

Why??????  Why would any crazy mom make a mud puddle and then

sit her precious child in the middle of it?  Pure torture, that's why.  I wish 

my phone wouldn't have died or I would have great video of the most

unhappy child on earth.  He finally smiled when I gave him the hose and he

could start spraying the mud off of his tractors and cars.  Because WHY 

would a crazy mom put his toys in the mud???   The only highlight was 

spraying Jessie and Andrew with the hose.  Just an FYI:  The Ayi's in China

would NEVER put a kid in a mud puddle.  Kids in China would never willingly

get in a mud puddle. We still, to this day, don't know why Americans do 

this to their children?  

Playing in the water

Much better.  The grass is clean, the water is clean, Jay is clean.  

Water is good.

First time meeting the grandparents from the other side of the state

He had so much fun and was sad to see them go home.  

Grandma brought gifts and Papa is a teaser like Dad.  At this point

he just couldn't understand why they couldn't come and visit 

every weekend.

First car show

Of course it was hot, but he loves Papa and he loves cars.  He's

already planning on going to several car shows next summer.

First jeep ride to the mailbox

The jeep has given him freedom outside that he just didn't have with

his wheel chair.  He was so happy to get up to the mail box and see

that the pumpkin fairy and left several pumpkins on the ground.

First Halloween

The dressing up part was fun but he didn't understand why anyone

would go around collecting candy.  He won't eat any candy besides

bubble gum.  I begged him to try chocolate and he told me it tasted

like dirt.  Poor kid, he just doesn't understand the importance of chocolate

in his mother's life.  

First road trip!

He finally took the long trip to Grandma's and Papa's.  He now 

understands why we don't see them every weekend.  The trip out was

OK but the trip home was loooong and booooring.   

He loved meeting and playing hockey with the cousins.  

He thought Uncle Thomas and Aunt Rachel were pretty special too.  

First time eating spaghetti 

He wasn't quite sure why anyone would put tomato sauce on perfectly

good noodles but he ate it anyways...with chop sticks.

First Christmas tradition as a Smith

Operation Christmas Child shopping!!  After a million questions

he finally understood who we were shopping for, why we were 

doing it, and the meaning behind it.  To say that Christmas is his

favorite time of the year is an understatement.  He is counting down

the days and we are already playing Christmas music.  His favorite

song has changed from "Jingle Bells" to "Mary Did You Know".

He just can't listen to it enough.  He could care less about Santa, who

he knows of from China, and wants to know all about the Christmas

Story.  I have a feeling this year will be one of the best celebrations

we have ever had!  We're ALL excited for Christmas and can't wait

to haul out the decorations and start our advent countdown.

His new wheel chair should be here in December and he's ready

to start school in January.  The time at home has been great for

bonding.  He had been in school for four years in China.  He knew how

to be a student...we wanted to make sure he knew what it meant to

be a son.  He loves to be loved and he loves to give love.  Our

lives have been blessed beyond measure by this sweet boy. 

To those who are curious how caring for a child with Spina bifida

has effected our lives, it really hasn't.  The biggest issue is hauling

around a heavy wheel chair.  (Did I mention his new chair is coming

next month?  Yay!!)  We have spent more time in various clinics than

we ever have in our entire lives but nothing that hasn't been 

manageable.  I have the flexibility to make those trips without

really interfering with life at home.  He has been a trooper with 

the million x-rays, scans, and blood draws.  He's tough... I love how

he thanks the nurses and lab techs, it is so sweet.  He's getting

stronger with therapy that is provided once a week at school.  We

work on exercises here at home the rest of the time and he has nightly

wrestling sessions with dad (which they both love and can't get

enough of).  Street hockey has increased his core strength and it

doesn't seem like work when you love what you are doing.

And for those who have asked me about adopting an older child, I

can only answer from our experience.  We would do it again in a heartbeat.

This boy is amazing.