Sunday,
March 4, 2012
Bayley has been home for 6 months now. In some ways it is
hard to believe that it has only been six months and in
some ways it feels like we just returned from China.
Bayley seamlessly joined out family. She was eager to meet
her siblings and was eager to fit in to the family groove.
Initially, little sister, Bella had a rough transition as
she learned to share with another little person. It was so
cute to watch them as 3-year-old Bella would have a melt
downs Bayley would pat her back and say, “Oh, Mei Mei.
It’s okay”. It was endearing to see her try to comfort her
younger sister (who also happens to be an entire head
taller than Bayley). While Bayley was busy learning about
a family and enjoying her new home, there was just one
thing that we all felt was still missing.
One day, after being home for just one week, I was getting
ready to pick up our oldest daughter, Breanna. Bayley
refers to her as “Da Jie Jie” (meaning biggest big
sister). I said to Bayley, “Come on. Let’s go pick up Da
Jie Jie.” Bayley smiled eagerly and then her face became
somber. She said to me in her best broken English, “Mama,
Da Jie Jie one” (and she pointed to Breanna’s picture).
Then she said, “Mama, Da Jie Jie –two – YuAi. I love YuAi.”
She was telling me that she loves her new big sister…but
her heart still longed for her other big sister, YuAi –
the sweet girl that we said goodbye to at the orphanage.
Oh how my heart ached. Bayley was so accepting of our
family – her new family. And yet she was burdened for her
big sister at the orphanage. Well, Bayley was not the only
one carrying that burden. Our daughters, Breanna and
Brooklyn had begun to lobby to Bryan and me on behalf of
YuAi while we were still in China. Honestly, we were
feeling a pull to her from the moment we met YuAi. After
being home for only 7 days, we had located her file,
established that she was still available for adoption, and
began to earnestly pray – seeking God’s will for her life
and ours. After only being home for one month, we had
submitted a letter of intent and had preapproval to adopt
sweet YuAi. She comes home this month (follow
here).
The remaining past five months has been consumed by
adoption paperwork and medical appointments. Along the
way, we realized that Bayley’s medical needs were a little
more complex than her original paperwork had indicated. We
were aware of the bilateral fibular deficiency and the
hemangioma. We sought out medical consult to confirm our
suspicions. And sure enough, Bayley was also diagnosed
with submucous cleft of the hard and soft palate as well
as a few other palate issues. Bayley is a very smart,
tenacious, detailed, caring, petite little girl. While she
is small in stature (she weighs all of 24 pounds at age 4
˝); she is very big in personality and endurance. Bayley
has been working diligently in speech and has begun to see
the cleft palate team. In November, the orthopedic surgeon
began serial casting treatment on Bayley’s right leg. She
spent 8 weeks in casts prior to her major surgery in
January. She had a left, below the knee amputation and a
right ankle/foot complete reconstruction/revision. Once it
is all said done, she will have spent 4 of the past 6
months in casts. And let me tell you, this little girl has
rarely complained about the casts. She has taken the lead
of her other siblings with limb differences and has
learned to make the best of it. Later in March, Bayley
will be fit for a prosthetic and hopefully will be up and
walking in April.
Bayley is thriving in her new home and she (like the rest
of our family) is ecstatic that YuAi will soon be joining
our family soon. She is excited and yet I do see the
complexity of emotion she is already experiencing. We are
so blessed to have front row seats to this little girl’s
life. She is blossoming and she is nothing short of a
miracle.
Bayley is funny; yet serious. She is tender; yet bold. She
is quiet; yet outspoken. She is simple; yet complex. She
embraces her family; yet remembers her roots. She is
healing; yet she still has brokenness. She has learned so
much; yet she has taught us so much more. |
Bayley at Christmas
December 2011
The Team
Bayley - Blossoming Today |
