A Moment For Praise And Looking Back and Where We've Been....

Today Emi and Simon were officially released from speech therapy. A year ago they didn't even say "no" and today I can't get them to stop talking. Every week the therapists came in and worked their magic. I was sad to say goodbye, I have enjoyed their company and I know that they came to love my kids and want the best for them.

This makes me think about how far we've come in the past 30 months with these beautiful kids. We started here, last one evening in November, with a social worker dropping off these tiny week old twins that had basically been released from neonatal rehab. It had a familiar feel, we've had 5 pound twins before.

But there was a difference. We knew that these two had drug exposure, and that there was a chance, although slight, that they would be taken back from us and returned to the family. We wouldn't decide on names for a long time. Oh, and we decided we may need to tell our parents. :)

Three months later I thought something was wrong with Simon's neck/head. The pediatrician I had been sent to (I was learning foster care Medicaid as fast as I could.) brushed it off, told me to wait and adjust his head. To this day I regret listening. 3 months later he was diagnosed with plagiocephaly and torticollis and we were sent for a helmet fitting to correct this flat headed child.




See his tilt?



And helmet in place....

At 6 months, we went to court and officially were able to keep our sweet babies.

Two more Ryanns to the mix. And we did some interviews, it was kind of neat that there was a way to celebrate our family and hopefully bring awareness to the foster-to-adopt program. The older kids loved the pictures, getting on tv, being on the cover of a local adoption magazine. (Olivia-- "we're famous!" LOL....)

We started physical therapy for the torticollis (that Emi was later also diagnosed with, to a lesser degree) and at 18 months, Simon's head had improved signifcantly and we were finished with the helmet. Then we had to think about the fact that no one was talking. At. All.

But here we are now. 2 1/2 years old, they talk nonstop. Especially in church. Never a whisper. Their head and necks have improved a great deal and we hope to be winding down with physical therapy as well. I am amazed at how far they've come. And every day I am thankful that we have been given these wonderful kids.