Levi Douglas Bradley: June 2008

Our Adoption Story

Levi was born on April 21, 2007 in Chinautla, Guatemala, a small town known for pottery. He weighed 6.7 pounds and was 19.7 inches long. He was in private foster care in Guatemala City where he lived for 10 1/2 months with his foster mom, her son and daughter and Isaac, his foster brother. Throughout our difficult adoption journey, Isaac's mom, Nancy and I became very good friends. God placed our boys together and had the perfect plan in place long before we ever realized it. When I was undecided on an adoption agency, I joined an online forum where Nancy provided me with information about her agency and recommended them to us. We decided to sign with the same agency and I emailed Nancy back to let her know. Over a few months we emailed back and forth to learn we were both from TN and lived only 30 minutes apart... we thought wow, it's a small world. Little did we know a few months later we'd both get referrals, earlier than we expected, of 2 beautiful Guatemalan angels. When they turned 2 months old our agency called and decided it was time to tell us that they were in the same foster home together and had been since they were 1 day old. We were amazed they were together. Even more so, God amazed us once again when we learned shortly after that they were born on the same day and were from the same town... no longer a coincidence that was for sure. We were being told by the foster mom how attached they were and acted like brothers. But, Nancy and I got the chance in January '08 to go to visit them and see it for ourselves. It was an amazing time of bonding with our boys that we will never forget. After that trip it seemed when one of us would reach a roadblock in the crazy process of international adoption the other would be delayed with something else. We stayed right together until the very day we picked them both up. We had our US Embassy appts the same day and we flew home through Atlanta on the same flight on March 11, 2008 when they both entered the US as citizens! It was an awesome time for us in the Atlanta Airport when we rec'd the congrats they were official! We've made friends for life with Nancy, Eric, and with Isaac's extended families. We look forward to many years of watching them both grow up so close together. Over the past year, as we went through battle after battle to bring our boys home, Nancy and I both would never think of one without the other in our endless prayers to keep them safe, happy and healthy until they could be home with their forever families. We're finally parents and it's what we've both waited for, for so many years.. our families are finally complete!!!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Play date yesterday with Guatemala group

Hey, I know I haven't posted in awhile but, I have been so busy and Steve finally got to come home Friday after being in the hospital since April 5th. Levi is so excited that daddy is back home and he is just all over him and dropped me once again.I'm now just the diaper changer, feeder, bather and bottle maker once again. No really, I don't mind daddy needs some extra bonding time again with him and is loving every minute of it.
Yesterday, Levi and I joined Nancy, Isaac and Eric attending a local group Nancy was somewhat involved with before Isaac came home for other couples who have Guatemalan/adopted children. They get together several times a year just to stay in touch and have play dates for the kids. I think it's real important as they all grow up to know where they came from and that there are many other kids also from Guatemala who live near them. I plan to stay in touch with this group and try and take Levi to all their events. The gathering yesterday was at Warriors Path State Park in Kingsport. They have a new playground that was awesome and the kids loved it. They had a good turnout but, it was so hot! Those poor dark skinned, black headed kids were all sweatin' like crazy! Levi had a good time though and as far as I know that was his first time on a swing and he loved it.
Once it cooled off some outside I let him get in his new baby pool he got from his daddy and I for his birthday. He had the best time playing and splashing the water. Later in the evening Levi, daddy and I took a long nap together. It was nice!! Levi was so excited that we were all 3 there laying in the bed for a nap. He'd roll back and forth kissing daddy then kissing me. The past 2 nights have been so peaceful for him that he has slept through his morning bottles and barely moved through the night. He used to be so restless every night but, it is like he knows everything is back to normal (well we're working on normal but, better) like before Steve got sick. Nice to be home and try and get straightened out with Levi's routine again. Blessings- Levi's mommy

Monday, June 16, 2008

Steve's 1st Father's Day

Well, Sunday went pretty well for Steve's 1st Father's Day. I had everything planned out of what Levi and I were going to do for the day. First, we went to the hospital early enough for us to watch the church service with him. His sister, Becky had our web cam there and we tried to watch it live via web cam but, the hospital Internet is a little slower than the church high speed Internet (at least that was what I figured it was) and it was a little choppy at times. After we watched the service, I had cooked a roast that Steve had been asking me to make so we ate... well. I had a truck load of stuff to carry into the hospital. We gave him his gifts and Levi played and played there getting into everything! He went from pushing all the buttons on Steve's bed to playing with his remote... like I said into everything. We finally left to come home and Steve got to nap and we came home to take one too. Levi slept for 2 hrs and of course I did too... it was nice. All in all we had a pretty good day spending time with daddy and then just resting and I spent some extra time home with Levi, which has been hard to do lately with Steve being in the hospital. We just can't wait for him to get back home to us and things get back to normal. - Levi's mommy

Sunday, June 8, 2008

My bonding time cut short!

Well, today is it! My bonding time has been cut short and it's unfortunately time for me to return to work and it's all too soon. I feel like I haven't had any time to bond with Levi at times and then at others I feel like we've done well to bond as much as we have. I feel like he's always been with us and he's just a perfect fit for our family. I am returning to work tomorrow and although I am away from him everyday to see and take care of Steve while he's still in the hospital I could still come home back and forth whenever I wanted and now I am back to work on a set schedule again and back to reality. I hope he will not forget me and not want anything to do with me after he's with my mom for 13 hours a day for the next 2 before I am off for a few. The ONLY good thing about working 12 hr shifts is that I only have a 3 day work week and not a Monday through Friday schedule. Going back to Monday through Friday would kill me. Hoping today we can fit in some one on one with him and we can do something together just me and him. I have decided on at least one day off a week I would like to do something special with him and not just sit around the house. Hopefully his daddy will be home with us soon and we can get back on a normal schedule and bond again as a family. Until then... we press on and make this schedule work for at least a few more weeks. Steve has now been in the hospital for 2 months and counting. We miss him being home with us and can't wait until he's back! Pray that I can make it a 12 hour shift tomorrow and get in a few good hours with Levi before I start all over on Tuesday. I'll be worn out my first few days back as I have not been used to being on my feet for 12 since I was doing home health before. I know it'll be nice being back once I am there but, leaving Levi will never get easier I don't think. I could easily be content being a stay at home mom! I love nursing but, I love being Levi's mom even more. Blessings...Levi's mommy

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Levi's 1st haircut!

Today my baby got his first haircut and he was such a big boy! He did so well! I was so proud of him that he sat still and even on the little booster and had it cut and she used the clippers and he didn't cry not one tear! After the haircut, which is so cute, Levi and I had some time together eating Chinese where he had a blast squealing and playing enjoying it as much as I did. Steve was so sweet to want us to spend that time together today knowing I have to go back to work next week and have less than a week home with him. After the haircut, Chinese food and a nap on the way we went to see daddy in the hospital where he played well with Steve again today. He's missed him so much! Then I got a workout taking him into Walmart when he was wired up. He had birthday money left to spend so we cruised the toy department. Lately he has been very attached to a baby Glow worm that we have named "Glowie". She has become the second most important "woman" in his life to me right now and he has to have her to go to sleep every night. Well, guess what he saw in the toy department...her sisters haha! He had melt down thinking they were HER! It was cute but tragic for him that we weren't taking all of them home. Bless it! Well, he crashed in the car after blowing kisses to strangers all through the checkout. All in all we had one of the best days we have had together since he has been with us. I hope to have another mommy and Levi day again soon if not before I return to work on one of my days off soon. I want to take him to the park and see how he likes a baby swing. Maybe we will go with Nancy and Isaac soon to the park for a play date. Until there is more to post.. Blessings

Monday, June 2, 2008

Catching up

Hey all- I have been so busy with Steve being in the hospital coming up on 2 months this week and Levi crawling now and into everything that I am constantly chasing him to keep him out of things. I have just been running back and forth between Levi and Steve to manage everything. I go back to work, unfortunately, a week from today and will have even more to do then. I am transferring back to the hospital and will actually be working on the floor where Steve is right now in the hospital. I am ready to get back to work but not ready by any means to leave Levi for that long everyday. I do have to leave him everyday with my mom and dad or other family to watch him while I visit Steve but, it'll be even worse for the 12 hr shift three days a week. It'll be different knowing I am going to be away from him for that many hours of the day. I am sure I am not going through anything any other working parent hasn't been through, just stinks. I will miss him so much while I am working I know. I will also miss my patient I had in home health but, my circumstances right now do not allow for any extra travel time to get to work (I was driving quite a ways in home health from my house to my patients' house) plus Steve just wanted me to be closer to home and close to him while he's so sick and in the hospital. Long story short, it will all work out. The Lord is doing awesome work in Steve's life and with his healing arm and leg. He has come so far but, is so ready to come home to Levi and I. He misses us as bad as we miss him being there. Until I have more to post... we're all blessed and making it one day at a time. Blessings- Levi's mommy