update

So I had shared with you that we were not only DTC last Tuesday {Halleluyer!}, but also that we received a small update. Yay for updates! I mean, honestly, they are so helpful in keeping one's sanity, right?

Updates, coupled with countless prayers and the grace of God, keep all of us who are waiting sane.

I've spoken before {here for Joel and here and here for Seth} that usually I have a major downslide in the days following an update. They seem to lift your spirits to the heavens the moment you receive them and then the next day, serve to sock you in the jaw.

But this one didn't. I guess maybe it's because we had heard from M a few weeks ago {here if you missed it.}We had been told how well the little prince was doing and that he is so very loved. And while that makes me want to hop on the next flight to China myself, I was able to just be happy and content with new pictures and good prognosis.

WACAP had asked twice for an update prior to this one and it never came. And they had recently heard from someone over there stating that one would not be coming. So we were pretty shocked that it did. It was brief, and a tiny bit vague. It didn't include pictures that we hoped it would. :( But we just received new ones from M. And it didn't include new medical reports. Which we believe exist. :( Still, it's news from China and it's about our little prince. So it is to be celebrated! :)

The questions we sent are below along with the answers we received.

The following information was obtained from the orphanage by SSIT and emailed to WACAP on 3/27/12, received and translated by...., Director of China Development, on 3/27/12.

1. Are there any medical updates or test results for his heart? Does he show any signs of distress from his heart? Are his fingers/lips blue?

Regarding his heart disease, no change is noticed. His fingers and lips do not turn blue and he joins other normal children in activities.

 2. Does his hernia cause him distress? Does it increase or decrease in size depending on his activity? Does he seem to be in pain from it?

His hernia changes a little bit when he has activities but it does not affect his daily life. He does not have pain. 

3. Is he crawling and/or walking? Is he active?

He is very active. He can crawl, stand with support on his back, and walk while being held on one hand. 

4. What is his size/weight?

Current measurements: height 76 cm, weight 9.94 kg, head circumference 45cm, chest circumference 45.5 cm.

5. What is his disposition/personality?

He is an out-going child who enjoys playing with others and being talked to.

 6. How is he comforted?

7. Is he particularly bonded to his caregivers?

He is a nice child who is close to his caregiver.

 8. Does he eat well?

He has a good appetite and he eats slightly more than same-age children.

 9. Is he somewhat on target with peers his age?

10. Does he like to play with others or is he more quiet and keeps to himself?

So you can see that they answered several of our questions. Which is great. And while we are hopeful that the Lord has done a miracle in the little prince's heart and that he may have, even now, been healed of his defects...to read that he is not turning blue, is the best gift we could be given in this update. The very first line of the last update we received from China, was for Seth, and it said that his lips and fingers were blue. Nothing prepares you to read something like that. Except for Jesus, nothing and no one can calm your spirit when you read those words.

But reading not blue...and seeing recent pictures of only pink lips and nail beds...that is the stuff, y'all. That is the stuff. I told Yu Ping the other day that I thought our little prince was looking pink and plump.

Pink and plump.

How sweet it is.

We did have a good laugh at the "He has a good appetite and he eats slightly more than same-age children." line. That one served to give us a chuckle. And 76 cm tall? Does that seem huge to anyone else but me? That's like up to my thigh! Goodness! But when I checked the growth charts, he seems to be in the 60's {ish} percentile for height and is low, only the 9th percentile, for weight. So our chunky monkey little prince, may not be so chunky after all! His cheeks say otherwise though!

So I guess he's just fine. :) I can't wait to see for myself! But in the meantime, we will take updates like this and fall down in praise to God for how well our sweet boy is doing.

Cared for in a foster home by believers in Jesus.

Pink and plump.

And completely loved by so many.

Life is good, y'all. And our God is great.