update #6

Judah is doing well! I think his post-op pain has paled greatly in
comparison to his not getting to suck his thumb! Which has made for
some long, long nights! Thankfully, he's pretty content during the day!
And I still cannot get over how different he looks! I know he'll be
swollen for a while, but I just didn't realize that his lip surgery
would affect the shape of his entire face. And his face still has no
expression...not sure when he'll be able to smile again. It will
probably take a few months before his muscles heal completely...at
that point we'll have a better idea of what he really looks like.

Day 5 Post-Op

Day 1 Post-Op

Day of Surgery

update #5

We're home!
Poor Judah is so swollen! It's hard to imagine that he'll ever look normal, but I'm trusting that he will.
On another note, our surgeon warned me that because the cleft in his palate is so wide, surgery may be somewhat unpredictable. Oh dear...but can't worry about that now...

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update #4

Good morning! We had a great night! J slept with me on the couch--
yes! He actually slept! He's eating well and playful! The Drs
already came by to discharge him, but we'll still be here til about
10am.

Deepest gratitude to all our prayer warriors who've been covering us!
Praising El Rachum...our great God of compassion!

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update #3

We've got our baby! And we're in our room! Poor little man is out of
it! And his heart rate is really elevated, which has me concerned.
Please continue to pray for his recovery! The goal for tonight is to
get him awake and eating. Vince has gone home to check on M. If
all goes well, we'll be discharged first thing in the morning.

update #2

Surgery is over! Both J's surgeon and ENT came to give us a report.
The surgeon seems pleased with the lip repair, but I'm expecting J to
look like he got pounded in the face with a baseball bat. He also
said Judah did great before surgery...no tears!! Proud of him!
The ENT said J's ears were a mess -- which may explain his
restlessness at night.
J will be in recovery for about 1-2hrs, then we'll be assigned our
room. Can't wait to see him! Praying he doesn't totally freak out
once he wakes!!

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update #1

Judah finally went back for surgery about 10:40am. He was such a
trooper this morning, despite missing his oatmeal and bananas! He
played and giggled, and even napped for a little bit. Then a Chinese
guy (quite fitting) from the OR came to get him. It was a bit weird
handing him over to some stranger in a hallway! The mommy-in-me
wanted to demand that I go with him and monitor the entire process!
Mommies know better than surgeons...right?!
Dr. Grant's staff just called the waiting room to let us know he is
beginning Judah's procedure, and the anesthesia is successful. We're
expecting the lip repair to last a few hours (did I mention he's
getting ear tubes as well?). I'll update after surgery is complete.
We feel so honored to be Judah's mommy and daddy, and to care for all
his needs! Is the Lord calling you to minister to the fatherless?
You will never regret being Christ's hands and feet to the least of
these!

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surgery-1 eve

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3

Judah will have his first surgery tomorrow - the plastic surgeon will repair his lip.  The surgery will last a few hours, and I will stay the night with Judah at the hospital.  However, I'm not as anxious about his surgery as I suppose that I should be.  One reason is because I am anxious about his palate surgery, which will be more invasive and require longer recovery.  A second reason that my heart is at peace is simply because of a knowledge of God's sovereignty.  When I think about how God protected and delivered our children long before we became their parents...well...I am reminded that God is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.