Scheduling

Many days I spend a lot of time on the phone. 

Scheduling appointments. 

Calling people back. 

Straightening out bills. 

Etc. 

I feel like I've kind of gotten down what to say, who to ask to speak with, what questions to ask and to not leave a message for them to return my call at a convenient time, because who are we kidding? The reason I called at this time is because it is convenient for me!

Well, Hannah had her cochlear implant phone interview last week. We were told that someone would call to schedule an ENT appointment, 2 therapy evals and an appointment with a social worker. 

Not wanting to lose anytime I decided to call up there the following day to go ahead and make them. 

"The referrals are not in the system". 

So the following day I called again. 

Same answer. 

I was put in touch with the social worker who was on the call and she told me the name of the lady who should call me and she wasn't sure why it was taking so long. 

Well, a few days later we all realized this lady had been out of the office for 2 weeks and had just returned. She's the only one who can make the therapy appointments and now she has a backlog of appointments to schedule, but Hannah is on the list. 

For some reason all this waiting, not being able to move forward or do anything really got to me. I mean, does no one understand our situation? We're kind of on a clock and if scheduling initial eval appointments takes this long will she even be able to have the surgery before the end of the year? 

All this was going through my mind at 3am. Lovely. 

Well, after going a little crazy I finally calmed down and resided in the fact that these appointments would not take place before baby #3 comes. We would have to wait. 

This calmed me and frustrated me all at the same time. 

Even if no one else knew our timeline, God did and He could have gotten us good appointments or at least in with one of the doctors before the baby comes. 

But He didn't. 

And that's when I realized (again) that all this is out of my hands. Sometimes I feel like "if only I had ______". 

Called sooner. 

Pushed a little harder. 

Asked more questions. 

Even if I have a perfectly articulated plan or speech things will fall into place in the right time. 

After getting a call from Cincinnati yesterday afternoon and scheduling appointments for late July/early August I felt relieved.--To have something on the books and to not have to worry about rushing up to Cincinnati during my last weeks of pregnancy. 

I'd say God knew that all along. He wants me to focus on this new little one to come right now and having those appointments at that time will allow us to push pause a little bit on our crazy schedule and adjust to our new family. 

I love that he cares more about my needs and my heart then the schedule I think I should keep. 

So, here I am at 6am on a Saturday morning with things still running through my head, but also overflowing with thankfulness that I have a Father who arranges every step and will help me articulate my words when I call about another bill on Tuesday. 

And so I don't forget to document life while also learning so much about being a mom of a child with extra issues here are a few pics from this week. 

Eli's last day of school for 2016. Next year he'll be a big 4 yo preschooler. Sniff, sniff. 

Mrs Kara. Eli has been in her class the last 2 years!

Hannah & I sharing a soft pretzel on one of our last alone dates before the baby comes. 

So thankful for my little family & this crazy life. 

Typical, Not Typical

Life moves at a steady pace when you have 2 little ones and are expecting another, a little too steady in my opinion. 

Our days and weeks are full. We have at least 1-2 therapy appointments (in home) a week and then at least one doctors appointment, maybe more. 

One thing that has been happening (not intentional planning on my part) is Monday's are usually free, which is nice. It gives the kids and me a day to come down off the weekend and just play at home, which I think we all need. 

There are times when I think we look so typical and other times I know we don't. 

Yesterday was one of those days. Hannah had her first booth hearing test. The one she's awake for, has to let us know if she hears sounds, knows where they are coming from, etc. 

I went in to this appointment not expecting much. I didn't think Hannah would perform and we would probably leave with little data. Well, it was rough, because what 19 mo old wants to sit and just turn their head for a sound? But she did come out with some data. 

Her hearing has declined. 

We are not sure exactly how much, but from what the test showed, a survey I took about Hannah and the fact that she isn't readily adding new words to her vocabulary all point to that conclusion. 

Not typical. 

So her doctor wants to move with a cochlear implant evaluation in the next month. This means meeting with an ENT, a speech therapist, a social worker and someone else to all evaluate Hannah and see if she is a candidate. I'm sure it will also mean scans of some type because they need those to make sure everything is good internally for surgery. 

I'm trying not to get overwhelmed. 

And pray that this baby (who is due in 8 weeks) is flexible. 😉

We knew that this would happen all of a sudden and yes it's not great timing for our family, but I'm trying to take it in stride. Who needs "nesting time"

for a 3rd child anyway??

The more Hannah grows and progresses I see the perfection (if you want to call it that) in Eli. 

The fact that his feet move correctly.

His hips are straight. 

He has good balance. 

He did things, like walking, on time (even though I thought he was behind). 

He can hear me when I whisper. 

He calls to me from another room. 

And it points out how atypical Hannah is. 

Keith reminded me last night that this is why we are doing so much for Hannah, so she can have the best shot at a mainstreamed, normal life. His and my prayer is that if we put extra effort in now it will benefit her later. 

Hopefully. 

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10