Reflections

 

As I reflect on the year of 2014, I can think of so many of God’s blessings.  Joyah Mi Ni was promised to us on January 14^th and last Christmas we celebrated with her in mind but not yet home.  This year, she has been home 10 months and celebrated Christmas as a McNutt.  It didn’t take long for her to figure out that presents and Christmas lights were pretty fun.  She calls all lights, even police car lights “pretty” now. 

Looking back on last January we were excited to announce Joyah’s future arrival and anxious to receive travel approval which eventually happened in March.  We had so much to try to prepare for but God provided the expenses and needs as they came up.  Wow, so much has changed in one year!

Since arriving home, Joyah has gone from a crawler (only on a bed) to a walking, bouncy 2 year old little girl.  Her hair has grown; she wears “pretty” bows and adores the glasses that she now wears.  She is able to drink independent from a straw, eat with a fork/spoon and say “Love you”.   All of this seems so simple, but for Joyah it’s not simple as the doctors were unsure if any of this would ever happen.  She has overcome a lot and test results would say, she shouldn’t be able to do the things she can do. 

Joyah recently moved into the “2 year old” classroom at the daycare she attends twice per week and has been a little jabber box about it.  The stimulation of older peers seems to be great for her and has encouraged her will to try to talk and properly annunciate words a little more.  It also forces her to use the “bad” left eye more when we are patching her “good” right eye for the morning hours. 

In December we revisited the Ophthalmologists’ for a check up on Joyah’s vision.  Her left eye that previously could see basically nothing when the right eye was patched, is now seeing out of the left corner.  Her left eye will point toward her nose but she is able to see objects on her left side.  She is avoiding walls and obstacles much more and can even poke food with her fork when she wants to while patched.  We are so thankful that the Lord is allowing her eye to improve. 

Joyah also began to receive therapy services from CCVI (Children’s Center for Visually Impaired) in December.  These therapists are able to provide physical, occupational and speech therapy services with her visual impairment in mind.  She has already received many educational materials and visual aids that will help her improve in all areas of development. 

The biggest challenge that we as parents face is Joyah’s lack of will to try hard to succeed.  It is hard work to constantly push a 2 year old to work on therapeutic activities that require her effort when she would rather not do anything at all.  She was babied so much prior to her adoption that she would rather be held all day and never walk or climb a stair.  Simple tasks can be a big challenge for her, such as using her right hand to pick up a puzzle piece but for a child who has lack of control in that hand and has a strong will against trying to get better at things, you can begin to understand the parent/child battles that occur. 

Even in the midst of the challenges that God has given to us, it’s hard not to reflect on the blessings that occurred as well.  God is always ready to help us with our challenges and I know that through it all he will be there for us and will make us stronger.  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  2 Cor. 12:9