Not knowing is hard and waiting is getting old. These last two days were very hard and there have been a few tears shed that's for sure. But I will continue trusting God and having faith that the right son will find me!
In the mean time I've decided to drown my tears in iced tea and Subway. haha Silas and I went out and picked up some subs for supper. I got my usual tuna with bacon and he got the chicken breast one. I loaded them both up with veggies because it was time for Silas to eat raw veggies!!
When I got him 583 days ago (wow!!) I was told not to feed him solids because he can't chew. I threw that advice out the window and since then we've been on a journey towards Silas being able to eat every day regular foods. He's now enjoying almost every type of food (not even pureed anymore!) with the exception of raw fruits and veggies and baked goods that are sweet. Oh and he has trouble with some meat if it has to be chewed a lot.
Well tonight he ate cucumbers, tomatoes, green pepper and lettuce!! I do believe we're not too far from him being able to sit down and eat a nice salad. It has been so encouraging to see him make progress in this area. The sound of him crunching down on the green pepper was music to my ears tonight.
Yesterday's highlight was going to the pool in the evening. We hadn't been there in ages because the hot tub wasn't open and Silas really needs the hot tub to warm up in. Yesterday the pool announced that the hot tub was working again so off to the pool we went! Silas had a blast and was so well behaved.
He learned to jump off the various benches in the pool into my arms! Jumping is one of his therapy goals. And by the end he was actually pushing off when he jumped and not just leaning towards my arms. I also came up with a little game that he liked, to teach him "Wait". I stood him on the bench in the hot tub and took a couple steps back. I held up one finger and said "Wait.....wait....wait.....GO!" And when I said go he could jump. He caught on really fast and it was so much fun.
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| A very happy boy after his swim |
The other reason he was so well behaved is because he really loves the pool! I took a video of his reaction when I took the pool bag down. I have to keep it on a hook on the back of my door or he is constantly bringing it to me and putting it in my lap. lol
So the last two days have been full of joy mixed in with the disappointment of not hearing any news. Whenever Silas meets a milestone I think of all of you who donated and prayed. Without you Silas would be a very different boy. I think I can paint a fairly accurate picture of what his life would be like today had he not been given a family.
When I got him at almost three years of age he was not sitting independently, not walking, not drinking, eating only purees (no lumps even), stimming constantly, he had scars and scabs from self harming and he was very underweight.
I recently learned that the remaining children from his orphanage, which was a temporary set up, were either moved to foster care or to another orphanage in a different town. This particular orphanage is becoming well known for having crib babies that weigh 10 lbs at 5 yrs old or older. They are not doing a great job obviously!
Silas would have been transferred to that orphanage and he would have been a crib baby because there's no way he would have been walking yet if he was still in an institutional setting. In three years they couldn't even convince him that sitting up was a good idea. That's the sort of thing you need a family for.
He never would have gotten the surgery to put tubes in his ears that has improved his development so much these last few months. So he likely would have still been clawing at his fluid filled ears and wearing socks on his hands. He would have continued to be dehydrated because dehydrated kids use less diapers.
He would have likely still been only eating purees. He would be inches shorter and pounds lighter than he is now.
He certainly wouldn't be starting Kindergarten next fall!
He wouldn't know that he can have an opinion on things and make choices.
I don't say all this to bash Bulgarians. (They are a wonderful bunch of people but there are a few who need to be educated on what to expect a child with special needs to be able to do.)
I say this so that you can know that if you donated to help get Silas home you can feel a sense of satisfaction that your dollars made a difference, a HUGE, possibly life saving difference, in one little boy's life. A life with a family is a million times better! And you made that possible whether you gave $2 or $2000, you played a role, so pat yourself on the back, you world changer, you. We love you!
