Charles Gabriel Andreev ( those are his 2 middle names) is home with his mommy and daddy, finally! Rachel, Shonna and Charlie got home late Thurs. night, after a very long day of travel. We met Charlie Sat. morning, and then went back after naps in the afternoon and brought my mom with too. He is just a little sweetie! He LOVES his momma! Brennan has been really good with him right from the start--I'm so amazed! I've been praying for a long time that God would prepare his heart for his new brother, and to give him a compassionate heart like his mother has. When we were over Sat., Charlie was playing with a ball; he would grab it and drop it on the floor, over and over. Eventually Brennan started picking it up and giving it back to Charlie each time. What a helpful little brother!! Today Rachel got them both ready and brought them to church! Lots of people wanted to meet him.
Someone asked me if this is the same boy that is on the picture on my blog ("Joshua"), and the answer is yes. Joshua is the name given to him by the ministry (Reece's Rainbow) that helps these kids get adopted. They can't use the child's real name, so they give them each a different name. Rachel considered keeping the name Joshua, but she and her husband finally decided on Charlie.
Charlie has a long road ahead of him. He sees a cardiologist on Monday, and they'll go from there. He also needs to see an ENT, an opthamologist, and a nutritionist. He'll need heart surgery, and after that physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and whatever else to get him moving and growing!! He is so tiny. He's 3.5 years old, but only as long as Brennan (and B is short for 18 months). And he's 10 pounds lighter than Brennan!
Shonna left after lunch today to go back to school in KC. It was hard for her to leave because she will miss her nephews so much. I assured her the next 4 weeks will go by fast, then she'll be done with school, and be able to come home for awhile. I loved having all 3 of my girls (and 2 grandsons!) in church today. My mom went with us too, so that was really nice!
Speaking of my girls, someone at church commented on what nice daughters we have and what a lovely family we are. I've gotten that comment before, and every time I say it's all God. My family is truly a miracle. I don't think people fully believe me when I say that, but I really mean it. Rich and I have always loved our girls, but there were times when our family nearly broke apart, and just some really bad times. Through it all, I just kept praying for my family and my girls, and asked God to protect them from the mess we were in. God has been faithful and answered my prayers for a great marriage, and children that believe in Him and follow His ways. We certainly went through the fire to get here, but that's what makes it such a miracle! God's Word says believers will go through trials, but He will be with us through it all, and great will our reward be. "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12 Well, I could write a lot about trials, and post a lot of Bible verses, because I've had my shares of problems. For some more good verses, click on the "Bible Verses" tab at the top.
Oh--I wanted to mention that I had my MRI and mammogram on Thursday. I haven't heard anything, other than the radiologist looked at my mammo before I left and didn't see anything that needed extra attention at that time. If there was something on the MRI, I probably would have been called already to come in for more pictures, so no news should be good news. The MRI was for the breast cancer. I had a CT in Feb. for the colon cancer and that was clear, so I should be able to say I'm NED (No Evidence of Disease) soon!
I hope and pray that all my readers have a blessed Easter, and rejoice in the salvation we can now have through Christ's death and resurrection!
Love,
Tina
Wonderful news all the way around!
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