Recap of 2008

Well, since I have not kept this blog up and not posted since Levi was off the bottle in July... here goes. Since July, he learned to walk on his own in late August after months of holding on and not wanting to try it on his own. He's got a mouth full of teeth which he still uses to bite but, nowhere near like when he came home. He "forgets" sometimes when he's excited playing and will bite a quick chunk out of you and knows immediately it was a bad choice. Steve stayed sick most of the summer and was in and out of the hospital with the E-Coli continuing to come back and he had the skin grafts that were done in the early summer that were doing great on his arm and leg. Went went for our followup home study visit in mid August in Pigeon Forge which was supposed to be a short first family trip together. Our first night there, Steve fell and busted his knee open at the Apple Barn Restaurant on their uneven sidewalk and had to be taken to UT Trauma Center. Prior to that he was doing so well and off the walker and just enjoying being away from home with his son. The fall was a major set back and things were downhill from there with him. He ended up in the hospital in Oct again and this time never made it back home to us. We miss him more than words could ever say and our lives have been literally turned upside down without him. As for me, Steve was all I knew and I am lost without him. Levi had a hard time initially and things have settled for him now. Although people told me he would never remember him after a few weeks of being without him thankfully, that wasn't true. He was still hollering for him after/during his bath until about a month ago. He still talks to "dad" on his play phone pretending and says his name when he sees his pictures. I am now carrying Steve's cell phone and he even knows it was his when you ask him who it belongs to. I know he will never remember specific memories of him over time and when he is older he will say he never got to know him but, it does my heart good every time I hear him say "dad" to know he still has some memories if only temporary. I promised Steve I would raise Levi just as we had discussed we would and I am so thankful that we had these in depth conversations to know what he would have wanted for his son and what his long term goals were for him so that I can carry that through. Levi was dedicated at our church the week of Christmas and it was a special day for him. His 1st Christmas, although depressing without Steve here with us to share it, was a good one for him and he got tons of new clothes and toys from everybody. Coming up for us in 2009... I am starting to think about Levi's 2nd birthday and what/when that'll be. We are still attending the Guatemalan group that have lots of nice outings planned (mainly in the summer). We have "gotcha day" which is in March for Levi. That is what people who have adopted call the day we got them in our arms as our own and everything was official. You make it your adopted child's special day and do something that is fun and all about them for the day. When he's old enough we were going to let him pick what we did for the day. For now, I hope to take him somewhere fun and maybe get away since it'll be another hard "1st" for me without Steve. We're going to the Sesame Street Live show in a few weeks with Isaac so I know that'll be a big hit with him too. Isaac and Nancy spent the night last night and the boys had a blast chasing each other and playing together as usual. I will try to keep my posts more up to date in case there is anyone out there who actually still reads our blog. Have a blessed New Year and keep us in your prayers.- Tracy and Levi