LADYBUGS FROM HEAVEN

Today was the big day.  The big consult.  The one I have been dreading for years.  I just simply thought it will be forever before it gets here.  Forever is now!  Our children grow and with Cleft growth means more adventure.  Everything I read in the Bible reading for today and in my Bible study book spoke about the Peace the Lord gives us in times of turmoil.  It was just repeated to me over and over to have no fear for the Lord is with you.  With the LORD you will find peace, etc.  I prayed all day for me to feel Peace and be at ease when our surgeon came in.

We walked in and signed in.  I saw a lady with the cutest Chinese bundle of boy I had ever seen.  He was smiling with his little Clefty smile.  Very cutie patootie.  And over at the video games was his 5 year old Clefty sis.  Sweet welcome in the door.  Their mom told me they were both Henan babies.  Little man, Matthew, has been home one week.  Big sis came home 4 years ago. Biggest sis was at school and she was their only Bio daughter.  Maybe our story will turn out like this one.  Who knows what the future holds.

Anyway, it was wonderful to talk to them. They wanted to see Flo's appliance because their 5 year old would be heading in that direction of this adventure sooner than any of us would like to think about.  Little man was being prepared for his first cleft palate surgery and dad had a few questions about that. It was very nice and they were a sweet family.  As we waited for our turn to be called up to the desk, I was not sitting and thinking about all that we would have to hear today, I was sharing my own experience with those following behind me on this same adventure that we are traveling.  Some days it is easier to share the road with fellow travelers than it is to walk it alone. God knew I needed this little side track and throwing in that sweet little Clefty boy was a little bonus. Thanks God.

Flo and I sat down after they called our new Henan friends back.  We were called up to sign paperwork and within ten minutes were in the mirage of health professionals and many, many questions from every direction. A typical day at any Craniofacial Clinic across America.

We were taken down to a room by the triage nurse and another nurse said, "don't go in there it is not clean."  So our nurse took us out and then she took us back in and then she took us out and then the other nurse came down the hall and said," no, this one is not clean take them two doors down."  She said, "Oh, I did not understand what you meant.  Sorry".  Not her fault because in the middle of us traveling maybe 6 feet about 7 people passed us and went in between us in the hall. Typical day at the Craniofacial Clinic.  Anyway, we entered the room and I just continued to ask God to bring us some peace.  When we walked in the door Flo was checking out the books propped up in the window and she saw a ladybug.  She said, "Look Momma, I want to take him home."  I smiled and I thanked God for him being there.  She finally got up on the big table with a book and right next to her was another ladybug.  She started looking around and we saw another one.  There was one for each of the adopted China babies in the building right then.  I knew we were good.  The nurse came back and brought in some paperwork and of course asked more questions.  Flo brought me one of her new ladybug friends and I placed him on my pants leg.  He stayed right there until we were about to leave.  The nurse looked at Flo and I and said, "I don't know why they love this room. They always seem to come in here."  I knew why they were there today.

The particular cleft surgery that Flo has to have this time is more complicated and very different from any other surgeries we have had in the past.  It involves a bone donor site. In the past she has had a cartilage donor site, but this is our first experience with actual bone.  I have read countless articles about this particular surgery over the past few weeks, month, and I have read several articles written by our surgeon on the subject as well.  I knew that I was prepared to ask questions, but I was not sure he was going to give me the answers I wanted to here.  My ladybug friend let me know that it was going to be alright. GOD was with us!

We saw our orthodontist whom we visited in his office last week.  He reassured us we were ready for surgery and that he would let Dr. B know in the hallway. "GREENLIGHT!"  We had several other assistants stop by as usual and then the nurse let us know that Dr. B should be in momentarily.  He came in with one of his assistants and said well, "Michael says we're ready to go?."  I looked at him and said, "Yeah!  Greenlight!"

"But, I do have some questions."  And he says, "Shoot, ask me whatever you got?"

He gave me his undivided attention for 25 minutes.

Let me back up here.  I received a phone call Wednesday afternoon from the Craniofacial Clinic in panic mode.  They informed me that they made my appointment for 2:30pm (2 months ago), and Dr. B had to be somewhere else at that time and was there anyway they could move my appointment to noon.  Uh no because I work until noon on Fridays.  I jumped right in and said 12:30 or 12:45pm was the best I could do. She said that would be fine.

FASTFORWARD
Because all of the preschool teachers love me and allowed me to move their classes up 10 minutes, we got to the clinic around 12:15 and 40 minutes later Dr. B came in and just hung out with us and listened to my questions and answered everyone I had. He never checked his watch, he never rushed, he and the assistant just took a time out with us.
This is what God is all about! This is what prayer is about!  This is why God is all powerful and can drop Ladybugs from Heaven anywhere, anytime.

I will not get into details about the Cleft surgery here.  I will save that for our Cleft adventure page.  I will tell you that we feel good about this.  It will not be easy and it will not be pain free, but the hands of the man I spoke with today will be amazing and God will be there to help him make every move. I bet a ladybug or two might show up as well. Thank you for all of the prayers lifted up to us today!  We are really and truly blessed in so many ways!