Our newest addition, who I have settled on calling Bella, loves to play outside. I think after being cooped up in the hospital for five days, she was going a bit stir crazy. Every moment she is asking to go out.
I think she spends a lot of time outside when she is at home, and so it makes her feel a little less homesick to be out there. Her sickness also makes her get cold much easier than most, so I think the heat is a welcome reprieve from the air conditioning for her.
So we’ve spent a lot of time at the park the last two days – which doesn’t have Sylvia complaining either!
It seems like typically with kids we have had, with the honeymoon period comes a fake happiness, covering up what they are really feeling. That hasn’t been true this time. Bella is very sad and expresses her feelings pretty openly, which I can only think is good for her.
I wish so badly that she could stay here. We’ve always said that we would never ask a child to leave unless it wasn’t safe for them to be here, either for them or for other children in the home. And really that’s the case here. I am not capable of caring for her long term in the ways she needs while still providing everything that the other children in our home need. I am hopeful that one of her relatives are able to take care of her where she will be comfortable and things would be familiar.
We went out yesterday and got a bunch of pretty new clothes for her and some flip flops, which are by far her favorite purchase. She was excited to pick out a couple of new dresses.
Bed time is the hardest time for her, and for now we have a toddler bed set up in our room so that she can be close to us. Food will be a challenge. The only things she asks for are Pepsi, Pop Tarts, and Frosted Flakes – and really mostly refuses any other food. We got some Frosted Flakes, and I am trying to get some nutrition in her in other ways. Feeding a suppressed immune system sugar will only hurt her little body, so we have to figure out other ways to get her the things her body needs.
Please pray for her.
Will definitely be praying for her and for you. Hope you guys make it tonight and that we can meet Bella. Also, I hope this encourages you in your resolve to feed her healthy food and doesn't add to your stress at all but we learned when D was going through cancer that cancer cells feed on sugar. In fact, some alternative treatments have suggested that some types of cancer could be controlled through diet along. No sugar=no growth. Take it for what it's worth and let us know what we can do to help.
ReplyDeleteShe sounds like a sweet little girl with a broken past. What a blessing that your family can be there, serving her, no matter how long it is. Praying for sweet Bella, that she will flourish and thrive as she experiences the love of your family and ultimately the love of our Savior!
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking. I'll pray for sure!
ReplyDeleteThere's a cookbook that might help; its about sneaking healthy things into recipes to get more nutrition into little bodies: The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine. One that's very similar is Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.