Update on Simeon

 So many of you have prayed (and are still praying) for Simeon

I am so appreciative for those prayers

I wanted to give a sort of update

We've visited with a dentist, his surgeon and

are meeting with his surgeon and another surgeon to look at his 

mouth,

 (we call it his "front piece" lovingly, but it is called

 his Prolabium and Premaxilla, 

it contains his front teeth buds, including his adult teeth buds)

His top lip (the one the surgeon made for him with his first surgery)

has grown attached to his "front piece"

That top lip is supposed to push that piece down inside his mouth, 

into place and then the next surgery would be the palate surgery, 

usually around 12 or 13 months.

His sides of his mouth, his gums have grown closer together (from sucking, which is natural)

so there is actually not enough room in his mouth for this to go down

The dentist looked at his mouth to see if anything could be done,

nothing can from his standpoint, there are no teeth yet and they really can't do anything with that 

til his adult teeth start coming in, around age 7

They would first need to surgically move his sides of his gums (mouth)

out more, to make room for the next surgery of pulling that front piece down and into place, 

with some kind of mouth piece (attached surgically)

SO

in my quick version of this:

He will look like this, with added teeth sticking out

(like the children in pictures you see in other countries)

til he's 7!!!

His Premaxilla is unusually large compared to most babies with a bilateral cleft.

(hat made by Amy)

 Now, you must know that we love him, exactly and perfectly the way he is.

The way God made him.

Every time I see him and hold him and kiss him,

I am reminded of God's Creation,

How when he was being Created, there is just one thing that was not attached, and 

brought together (his cleft lip and mouth)

God made him this way on purpose,

God does not make mistakes, He does not forget things.

I know I love my children, but to go through the things we have for Simeon,

I am amazed at how much love we have for him (and all our kiddos)

and that if I have that much love for my children, 

how much Love then, does God have for us?

Much, much more!!!

What a gift he is to all of us.

Tom and I have decided to get a second opinion, in the Twin Cities,

at the Children's Hospital down there

Hoping maybe that they have seen something similar and 

will know what could be done if anything.

In my mind, I thought he would look "normal" (to the world)

by a year old.

I knew he would need several surgeries by age 18

but

now know it will be many, many more and til he's actually 25!!

All this can cause a person to question

to wonder "Why?"

To wish different

To feel it is the worst news.

But

We have faith

We TRUST

We love and accept him, always, no matter what he looks like, 

We only see a beautiful little boy, with bright eyes and a killer smile
that melts my heart every time I see it!!

So

we know

it's not the worst news.

I think God sees us that way too

Through all our flaws, 

(we have many)

He only sees our soul

and it's potential

It's beauty.

Thank you God for this beautiful, perfect little boy!!

(Simeon will also be having surgery on his Ureters/Kidneys on December 18th)