From East to West

We have been busy getting things together to finish the homestudy. Our homestudy for Shane was out of date so we had to renew it, but China has agreed to accept Shane's dossier in order to help move along the process. The other day we went to our family doctor for medical reports, and he was completely dumbfounded that we were doing this. In his defense, he was very supportive, and congratulated us a number of times. After he had asked us a few questions, he said "Wait until you have some in college!" When we told him we already had two in college, his mouth dropped open, and he just stared at us and then shook his head and walked out of the room!
Speaking of kids in college, both Mick and Sarah are coming home next weekend, as they both have to get fingerprinted in PA. It's a part of the process, and anyone over 18 in the home needs to be fingerprinted, so I get the added benefit of having them home for the weekend. And since next Tuesday is the second anniversary of my 25th birthday (you do the math!) it's extra special for me.
Last night Matt and I got out for a much-needed bite to eat on our own! It was great to go to one of our favorite little places, not fancy, just a little beef n' ale place with great sandwiches. We spent a lot of time talking about Shane, and how he is doing. When Matt and I met Shane in October 09, he was flung over the back of his foster mother, suspended in air.When she put him on the floor, he fell to the ground.I honestly thought he had CP and no one told us. We were shocked and devastated. H could barely walk and did not respond to anything that was said to him in Chinese.

Shane was in shock for more than six months at home, and so were we. He had to learn how to do everything, as if he was an infant. We had to change our expectations, and as a family we had to regroup. We did not get sleep for months, literally, and still sometimes at 2 am or so he is known to break out into song...not fun at our age!

But, to witness the transformation he has made has been a gift from God. Where he could not even climb steps (we literally had to walk behind him and work his legs, and support his back) he now not only climbs the steps, does not hold on, and alternates feet, once he reaches the top of the stairs and finds the baby gate locked, he climbs onto the railing, lifts up one foot and pops the top of the baby gate to open it up! He is so funny. Nothing gets in his way! His blindness does not affect him in many ways.Of course, it severely affects his learning, but we often forget that he is blind when we see what he does. And his capacity to love is amazing. He finds me wherever I am in the house, and if I am sitting at the computer, he comes right up to me and snuggles on my lap. He and Matt have a wonderful relationship, and oh, how he loves to play with Matt! His laugh is worth every minute of sleepless night (well, not EVERY minute)...

Here are some pictures of Shane ....