Christmas Blessing

Merry Christmas!!

Right now there is a lull in the Christmas excitement, as JJ works on his new Christmas Lego creation, Dave is doing some dishes, and our host friends are out for a bit at their church service.  I'm sitting next to the beautiful new addition to our family and reflecting on what an adventure the last two weeks have been! 

Emma June - born Dec. 20th in Budapest

In the last two weeks, I had to learn to let go of control, something that is probably hard for many Americans to do.  Culturally we are brought up to think that the world is within our control, and we set the course for how things will happen.  Something amazing happens when you travel to other countries and cultures and especially live in those cultures; you realize that you are now a part of a whole new system of doing things that have existed long before you ever did, and you learn to operate (or at least try) within those new constructs, new rules, new boundaries.  And this is not always an easy process, especially for me who likes to be in control of my environment. 

So, we had two surgeries planned in a country we do not live in and scheduled only about a week apart from each other.  And we've been stretched in ways we could not have imagined.  And with it all came many tears and frustrations but also gratitude and joy. 

There were so many things we wanted to change, but couldn't.  Watching my son get blood drawn in what seemed like a very old fashion way and watching him experiencing pain because of it was not easy to go through.  We asked if it could be done another way, but the system is already in place.  Hearing my daughter scream all the way from my hospital room and then walking in to see the same technique being used on her was equally as hard for me.  All I could say was "Are you almost done?"  Then I scooped her up in my arms and brought her back to where I could be in control of her.  

We had these surgeries in a hospital that didn't believe in over-medicating.  So not being given very much pain medication after JJ's surgery, and instead being told that he needed to eat and drink right away was so hard for him, and there was little we could do about it but encourage him to fight through the pain and promise to be there with him while he did.  But then he fought through the pain, and now today he is almost his regular ninja self again!

Laying in bed, fighting to move through immense pain and asking for harder pain medication and being told that I needed to fight through the pain was terrifying for me.  I felt helpless and beyond frustrated.  But then I moved and fought through it and the other day I walked up 94 stairs! 

As hard as it was, we made it through the pain and suffering and learned a bit more about coping when things cannot be within your control.

Here are some pictures of a healthy JJ and our precious Emma's arrival, the gift, the blessing and precious reward that came through the pain and suffering.