God had a plan

Throughout my adult life and more specifically, this past year, I find myself seeing God's hand on my life. I notice His provision, His protection and His love. That's not to say He wasn't apart of that when I was younger....I just didn't sit and reflect on it. God was already working, marking the path to my future, starting when I was just 7 years old (well, long before that really).

At 7 years old I met a girl, who later became "my sister". At the time, I didn't really know she was "different"; I didn't quite understand that she used her hands to talk because she couldn't hear. We were just two little girls doing what girls do best, Have fun. Before I knew it, we were no longer playing tether-ball at school, and having lunch together, but we were having sleep overs and play dates.

Jumping ahead...As I was applying for college and still not quite sure what I wanted to do with my life, I knew one thing was for sure. God gave me a gift to sign (ASL), and I loved working with children. Soooo, I decided to go into Deaf Education. Instead of play dates and sleep overs, my friend and I became roomates (I guess it is a form of a sleep over) :) Without my first introduction to the language and culture at 7 years old, who knows what career I would have led.

fast forward... While going to college I attended a church that had a pretty big Deaf population. On occasion I would sit with my Deaf friends. There....I met my husband. He was a fluent signer as well, interpreting the church service every Sunday.

Moving ahead 3 years... We got married and had three kids. I don't have to get into the whole preemie story, but its important to remind you that one of the risks of having a premature baby is deafness. We giggled when the doctors told us that. To us-- that wasn't a huge risk.

YESTERDAY, we took the boys to the audiologist at Loma Linda Hospital. This was their 3rd visit/audiological exam. We knew that they were showing signs of hearing loss; The tests themselves were showing a mild/moderate loss, and their language is very delayed (that of a 4 month old). Yesterday it was confirmed that Xander indeed needs hearing aids. It was shocking to find out, though, that his loss is more on a scale of moderate/severe (about 60 db across the board. 20db is normal). Braxton's test is next week, but pretty sure it's similar.
Caden, also had a hearing test yesterday. I went in thinking that his loss would have been the kind of loss that is easily fixed with tubes (conductive loss). Well that's what the ENT suggested originally. When in fact, after the exam, he has a true moderate sensorineural hearing loss (nerve/genetic). The doctor was adamant about getting him hearing aids ASAP. He does not need tubes after all. Tubes would do nothing for him. He was VERY impressed with his ability to complete the test and with his language skills. They did an exam that the do on 3 to 3.5 year olds. Being the first child, we were able to sign more to him and read a whole lot more. This has tremendously helped his development in speech and language.

Today.... I am SOOO thankful that God placed my friend Kelly in my life 25 years ago! I was driving home from the store yesterday and I had tears in my eyes as I was reflecting on how God has been preparing us to be parents of three (NOT ONE), but three hard of hearing children. There was a moment (literally just a moment) of sadness. Then I began to smile...God has been in this since day 1. As we start the next journey of getting hear aids and working through educational decisions, etc. I am confident that God will also be present--leading the WAY.

So this Blog entry is to Thank GOD...and to THANK Kelly Baldwin for being such a faithful friend. Both, opening up so many doors of opportunity for me (and my family).