NYC BLOG PHOTOS (59 photos), by Mia Spracklen

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New York Update!

We are back from NYC and we had a fabulous time! So good, in fact, I wish we could go back and do it all over again. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I so appreciate that fact. I want to tell you every single detail of our trip because in doing so I'll be able to relive it. Of course, you might not be interested in every single detail from our trip so maybe I'll leave a few out. We arrived Thursday, August 6 at about 12:30 but couldn't check into our hotel room until 3:00 so after changing Rowan's diaper on the bathroom floor in the lobby (Yes you read that right. Don't worry, I put down tons of very thick napkins.) we headed out to walk around the city. We had a great time exploring and the weather was perfect, warm but no humidity. We ate dinner at ESPN Zone and Rowan learned to drink milk out of a straw. When we got back to the hotel we expected there to be some sort of information packet from Babytalk but there was nothing. By seven we were pretty worried so Adrian went down to the lobby to ask the staff. (This hotel has hosted the families for this event in years past.) Oops! They forgot to give us our welcome packet. Finally, some information! Rowan's photo shoot was scheduled for 11:30 Friday. He was the fifth baby scheduled and the last one before the staff took a lunch break. The papers we got listed the names of the other seven finalists and we couldn't help but pore over the names and try to figure out what they were like. For example, we figured there were at least four girls but with three names we could only speculate. Some were obviously white. Some were not. Some had two parents. Some just had a mom. Anyway, we were relieved to have a plan for the morrow. We decided we would get up, walk to the studio so we would know where it was, have breakfast in our room and put Rowan down for a nap before his 11:30 showing. We executed our plan flawlessly. The hard part was getting Rowan down for a nap in a very small hotel room where he could sense our presence. Adrian came up with a brilliant plan. We turned the radio on and the lights off. While Adrian put Rowan in the portable crib I opened and shut the door as if we were leaving. Then as quick as a flash Adrian and I dove into this tiny space between the bed and the wall where we half-lay, half-sat until we heard no more crying. It was uncomfortable but it worked! In that time of crouching in the dark on Friday morning I decided it was a great time to pray. I wanted the photo shoot to go really well and I was super nervous. My stomach was doing flipflops and I couldn't eat anything so I just pored out my heart to God asking for his favor, asking that he go with us, asking for prayer cover, thanking him for this awesome opportunity. I was so emotional that Adrian noticed. It was more than nerves at this point though. Rowan is such an answer to prayer, such a blessing to us. How do you say thank you for a miracle? What do you say? Seven months previous we were in New York City at JFK airport with a very tiny, very sick baby. The weather was horrible and I was frightened our flight would be delayed and we'd be spending the night searching for a hospital to take Rowan to. His breathing was so shallow, so scary. To be able to come back under such different circumstances could only be orchestrated by God. Why he chose us, I don't know. What his plans are for this, I don't know. All I could say was thank you for this miracle child and for this opportunity to show him off. I was able to pull myself together before the shoot in order to get myself and Rowan ready. We have some very funny pictures of me trying desperately to do his hair. It was a short walk to the studio and then 13 floors up in the elevator. Before the doors opened on the 13th floor we held hands as a family and said a quick prayer. The shoot went really well and it was so much fun. Rowan was fabulous. He smiled right on cue and didn't move. They loved him! I would give him a ten out of ten for how well the shoot went. He wore two different outfits, one with a hat! LOL. They even took pictures of me and him together. How fun! Good thing I put makeup on! Hahaha! The cherry on the cake was that we got to talk about adoption. Orchestrated by God? Absolutely! Later that day we got to meet the other finalists and I have to say they were all pretty cute especially the boys. The three finalists will be announced on Good Morning America on September 1. I can't believe I have to wait that long! I must say I desperately want him to win and I have been praying for that specifically. I also must say that I am struggling with that emotion because I want God's will to be done and I know that Rowan winning might not be his plan. I'm also struggling because I know this is just a fleeting moment in time and it seems to me there are other more pressing matters. However, I also recognize that this could be a wonderful opportunity to showcase adoption to the whole country. If Rowan was chosen as the finalist he would be on GMA. What a great outlet to speak passionately about such an important topic. Obviously, I've got it all figured out in my mind. LOL! I am asking that you would join me in praying about this.
Saturday we left our hotel just before nine and got back just before five. We spent the day walking to Central Park, going to the Natural History Museum, checking out St. Patrick's Cathedral and the American Girl Store (we didn't buy anything). Even though it was two miles away we decided to go to an Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. It was worth it. On the way back we had to stop at Kmart to buy a new pack of diapers. Need I say more?
Sunday we walked to a nearby playground to let Rowan play. We met a very nice couple who lived nearby with two children, one 13 months old. The mom was from England and the dad an African-American. We talked hair-care-products and preschool before saying goodbye. Rowan suddenly developed a belly ache and screamed the whole walk back to the hotel (about 20 minutes). Other than that incidence we had a wonderful, magical time. I know it was prayer cover that allowed everything to go so well so I must say thank you, thank you, thank you. Our girls also had a great time with my parents so a huge thank you to them as well.
Now I'm counting down the days till September 1. In my mind of course Rowan is the cutest, but we have no idea what the photographs look like. We'll just have to wait and see. My plan is to schedule something fun for September 1, that way if he is a finalist we can celebrate, and if he's not at least we'll be doing something special. Keep praying and watch GMA September 1!

A Cover Contest Finalist!

Well God sure knows how to surprise a girl! Purely on a whim, or what I thought at the time was a whim, I entered Rowan's picture in a photo contest for BABYTALK Magazine. Of course, I knew he probably wouldn't be chosen but it was only going to cost me $.9 for the print and $.42 for a stamp so why not take a chance. I did think they never do choose the really cute ones and I'm sure there are some parents out there right now thinking that very thought. But holy cow wouldn't you know about a month ago someone from BABYTALK called me to say Rowan was being considered as a finalist for the contest! I think I would have fallen over except that I was up to my elbows in frosting. I was throwing a birthday party for Luca at a local park and it was seriously threatening rain so I was super stressed and my kitchen was a mess. When I got this call from Victoria from New York I was so shocked I think I just said something like "oh, o.k. thanks." I hung up the phone and got back to my frosting which, of course, I had to make from scratch. Why go the easy route, right? Anyway, Adrian and I had to both fill out some background check forms and submit them to ABC since Good Morning America is a sponsor. It's their policy I guess. After nearly three weeks of stress and prayer on my part, they called to congratulate me Friday. Rowan is a finalist! He is one of eight babies chosen from a field of 50,000! Wow! Rowan will have a photo shoot in New York in August! A photo shoot in New York City! Adrian and I have had a good laugh over this one. I mean, who really expects their kid to be chosen, no matter how cute they are? Certainly not us. This is something that happens to other people, not us. I guess now it's our turn. So we are extremely proud of our extremely cute kid. Of course, since he is adopted we can take no credit for his good looks. I give God all the glory for this. I know he orchestrated this from the moment I walked into Children's Place and saw the ad for the contest to the moment I snapped the photo. I am not a good photographer yet I got a good picture. That wasn't me. It was God. I don't know what his plans are for this. Maybe this is as far as it goes or this could be a wonderful opportunity for adoption and for Ethiopia. The top prize is a gift card to Children's Place but the real prize would be having an adopted child, an Ethiopian on the cover of a national magazine! I heard on the radio today that you should be specific when praying. If you are general you'll get general answers. I'm being specific in my prayers about this opportunity. I'm praying Rowan is comfortable during the photo shoot and smiles a lot and has fun. That he's not sick or tired or hungry or has puffy eyes as he sometimes does. I'm praying he doesn't bump his head or scratch his face before the shoot. I"m praying he is chosen as one of the final three. ( The general public gets to vote for their favorite once it's narrowed down to three.) For the millions of children out there who don't have a home I am praying that Rowan can stand up for them and give them a face and maybe an opportunity for something most of us take for granted, a family. Please pray with me and pray specifically and please pass this prayer request on to everyone you know. Give them my blog address. Tell them to read this. The photo shoot is on August 7. I don't have any other details now but will update as I learn more. Pray for Rowan. Pray for Ethiopia. Pray for orphans.

A Little on the SHORT Side

Rowan is doing tremendously well. He has come so far in such a short time. Six months ago at six months of age he couldn't hold his head up, sit up by himself, or drink without dribbling. Today, at a year old he is belly crawling, starting to cruise along the couch, and he eats anything we put in front of him. He's also gained 11 pounds and grown four inches! Unfortunately, he's still short. I'll be honest. I'm a little worried. When you think about it, four inches in six months really isn't that big a deal. I've known adopted kids who grew two inches in two weeks! Rowan is obviously taking his time. Babies are supposed to grow ten inches their first year so Rowan has some catching up to do. We're going to give it another year before we really worry. I can't help but pray about it though. Before we got our referrel, one of my prayers was that he would be tall. I grew up in a short family and I didn't and don't want him to go through the hardships I saw some of them go through especially my sister. I just know life will be a little harder for him if he is short. It's not fair and it shouldn't matter but it does and it will. I am trying very hard to remember that God is in charge, that he has great plans for Rowan, and that this is something I need to trust him for completely. I must not pray my will into Rowan's life but rather God's. I'm still going to pray that he'll grow. How could I not?
Even though Rowan is doing so much better, he is still not reaching all his milestones when he should so we have an appointment with a neurologist next week. Amazingly, the neurologist is actually in Erie so we don't have to go to Pittsburgh. Yeah! We don't expect there to be anything wrong but we do need to be proactive. Hopefully next week I'll have nothing to report.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROWAN!

Tomorrow, June 30, is Rowan's first birthday! We aren't going to do much. Since it's Luca's birthday July 2 we are having the four girls from next door over for lunch so we'll celebrate both their birthday's together. Adrian is out of town and that really puts a damper on the whole thing. I got him a Thomas the Tank Engine musical caboose, a shape sorter, and a toy piano. I think the girls will be more excited than Rowan. I'll put a candle in a banana (his favorite food) and take a picture.
I feel very blessed to have this little miracle in my life. He truly is a miracle. As I think of where he came from and how he came to us I can't help but think of all the other possibilities. He could have so easily died. The various scenarios keep running through my mind. What if his mom abandoned him and no one found him? What if the Kebele took him to a different orphanage, one who wouldn't have cared for him like Hope did? He was malnourished when we got him and I know Hope did the best they could. What if his mom kept him? That is the scariest scenario to me. Knowing his physical limitations and the health problems he's had, if he was still in Ethiopia he would probably be the equivalent of a sixth-month-old not a 12-month-old. Even now, Rowan's physical therapist says he is like an eight-month-old. He's had to overcome RSV, tracheamalacia (still working on that one), and low tone (definitely still working on that one.) Of course, I have to remember that he also has had or will have to overcome being abandoned, leaving the only home and people he knew, losing his culture and his language, never knowing his history and coming to a cold land where he will certainly be judged by his skin color sometime (probably many times) in his life. He doesn't know it yet, but he's black and we all here are white. Of course, I also have to remember that he has also gained a family: three crazy sisters who absolutely adore him, a father who I've never seen so proud (o.k. maybe three other times) and me, a mom who pours out her heart to God everyday for this child who I would lay down my life for. People who haven't adopted always say how blessed the adopted child is to have a family. They mean well, but those of us who have adopted know the real truth. It's the other way around. We are the ones who are blessed!
I love Rowan so much and I thank God for him. On this, the eve of his first birthday, I must also thank God for his mother. (I actually thank God for her all the time. How could I not? Look what she gave me.) How I wish I could meet her, tell her thank you, show her her beautiful son, ask her why. I pray she is still alive, that she knows God, and that God will heap tons of blessings upon her. I also pray that maybe, just maybe some day we might find her. So as you think about Rowan over the next few days please remember his mother too and all she did for him and how her great sacrifice gave so much to us.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROWAN MICHAEL KIDUS SPRACKLEN!

Scope Update

Rowan had his scope on Monday at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. We left Sunday to take the girls to my parent's in Akron, Ohio. We were told we would probably have to stay overnight at the hospital so we had to pack for several contingencies. We left my mom's at 4 a.m. Monday morning in order to get to Pittsburgh by 6:30. Sure, that was fun. What a great hospital though. The staff was absolutely wonderful. Not only professional, but caring and friendly too. We felt really well taken care of. I was able to go into the O.R. with Rowan for the beginning of his surgery. Before the docs anestitized him, Dr. Kitsko scoped his voice box. He wanted to see it while Rowan was crying, not asleep. It was normal, by the way. It was so cool to see. Most parents who opt to go into the O.R. only go until their child is put under but since part of Rowan's procedure started before anesthesia I got to see more. The docs were worried that I wouldn't be able to handle it, seeing him cry. Silly, silly. I wasn't worried about Rowan. I knew he'd be fine. I just wanted to see as much of his surgery as possible. I would have stayed for the whole thing if they'd let me. I should go back to school to be an O.R. nurse, but when would I have time to do that? The surgery lasted about an hour and a half. After about an hour I started to get pretty nervous because I thought it was only supposed to last about 45 minutes but all was well. Dr. Kitsko came and confirmed what we had been told to suspect: tracheamalacia. Rowan's trachea is underdeveloped, floppy, and about 60% of the size it should be. It's pretty rare, of course, and there is no way of knowing what caused it. The good news is that it should self-correct by 36 months, possibly earlier. The doc also put him on anti-reflux drugs. I guess I should get that prescription filled. After doing some research online my only concern is that tracheamalacia may also indicate other problems like reflux, developmental delays, and heart defects. He's definitely got developmental delays but that could be explained by being in an institution for five months. Doctor Kitsko seems to think he has reflux but that is easily fixed, isn't it? Heart defect? Two short words that make my blood run cold. I wouldn't normally worry except that he sweats so much when he sleeps and eats I finally googled it and it also said it could be a sign of a heart defect. Wow! It's probably nothing and I don't plan on worrying but I sure will be praying and yeah, Trini, I'll call his pediatrician to see what she thinks. He continues to be an absolute joy and worth everything we did to get him here. God's timing is so perfect. Right now in Ethiopia there are so many delays and they have put a stop to all adoptions of baby's who were abandoned in Addis Ababa, which was Rowan. Even though parent's have gotten referrels of children they may not get their children home for a very long time. How thankful I am to be able to hold him so close to me every day, every day. There is also a serious formual shortage in Ethiopia now. Babies are not getting the nutrition they need. Children are dying for lack of food (not just orphans, I mean). Why should any child cry because they have an ache in their tummy? Why should any mom cry in anguish because she has to watch her child go hungry day after day? Can you imagine having to make the decision to give up your child so that they might eat and therefore live? I have so much to be thankful for, more than I recognize. I'm sure you do too. Thank God today for all you have and pray for these children and parents who have so little. If you are interested check out Tom Davis' blog. He just returned from Ethiopia and has a lot to say about the state of orphans there. You'll have to google it since my neighbor always sends it to me I'm not sure of the exact address.

Update

Our trip to Pittsburgh was successful on Tuesday despite lots of bands of snow squalls on the way down and back. The Modified Barium Swallow Test showed that Rowan has no problems swallowing at all and everything is going down the right tube. Nothing is being aspirated into his lungs. That's good news. Of course, we still don't know what is wrong. We've just eliminated one more possibility. The scope I talked about earlier will now be scheduled though I don't know when.
Rowan continues to be a joy and everyone who sees him says he's grown, and I think he has too. He's starting to get another chin, dimples in his elbows and a little chunk on his thighs but for the amount he eats he should have three chins and dimples everywhere. Of course, he did poop five times yesterday. Oh well.