Growing Like Crazy

Of course, time has flown by since June of 2010 and continues to keep moving full steam ahead! The first few months of Anellah’s time in our house was a flurry of activity getting her to doctors appointments at least weekly for one specialty or another, getting Regional Center services evaluated and established, meeting with social workers and attorneys, etc.  Every time we thought things would calm down a bit, there would be three more referrals to take care of.  In July I wrote, “I feel like we’re moving one step forward and two steps back. Every time we make progress on something two more things are added. God- I can’t do this on my own! Please help Daniel and I with YOUR strength. I don’t want to ‘just make it’ I want to give Anellah a REAL childhood.”

God answered that plea, despite all the appointments and not as much time spent with Anellah just playing as we all would have liked, she flourished!!! When we brought her home from the hospital she was developmentally delayed in all areas, by the time we had some formal assessments take place in our home a few months later she had developed multiple-months worth compared to the assessments done while in the hospital. It was amazing to see how God used the simple offer of a stable home to literally change her life. We often think and have conversations with her providers that if she had remained in the hospital longer her delays would have been much more permanent.

 

During this time our goal was for Anellah to reunify with her Mother.  It seemed likely so we were hopeful that she’d be able to someday fully care for Anellah. I want to be clear that there was never any abuse in Anellah’s history but rather her Mother was young and lacked a strong support system. Daniel and I felt like we could barely handle all of Anellah’s medical needs and raising her together. We did not fault her Mother at all for not being able to handle it as a single parent! Her Mother is very respectful and fun, she took visits seriously, and was working hard toward reunification. We were praying for her and trying to support her as best we could.