Great News!

Playing trains, which really involves a lot of trying to get Shelby to drive them on the track instead of throwing them around.

Becoming Buddies!

I threw the pictures on first since I know that's what you all really want to see.  We had our first post placement visit this week (yes, it's been six weeks already), and these are the two pictures I turned in to be sent to the Philippines.  Hunter and Shelby's relationship has seen some big improvements over the last two weeks.  He still tries to parent her too much (yes, Amy, I hear you chuckling and thinking "Just like his mother did"), but they have started to play and laugh like siblings quite a bit more.  As a matter of fact, when our social worker asked him how being a big brother was, he quickly spouted his typical "Bad" but then he quickly added "actually sometimes good now too".  That pleased his mother's heart because I knew it had been a rough transition for him. 

The really great news comes from another set of meetings we've had this week.  Shelby had her First Steps evaluation this week.  First Steps is a state program to help children who are developmentally behind.  They come to your house, do a free evaluation and interview, and based on the childs needs and your family income, therapists come to your home weekly and you pay on a sliding scale.  We knew before we even brought her home that we would be contacting them and that she should qualify for at least occupational therapy, maybe even more.  Yesterday,  we had our follow-up meeting.  We found out that Shelby is behind in most areas (which did not surprise us) which means she qualifies for a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, and developmental therapist to each come for an hour every week.  Besides overwhelming my weekly schedule, I was already seeing big dollar signs in my head as she told us this.  Then she went on to say, our income qualified us to have these services provided at no charge!  Oh yay, to be living on one not-so-large income!!  I really questioned her though only to find out that they have to go by my husband's base pay because production bonuses are economy driven and could be a nice amount or could be nothing.  So his last four paystubs put us in the paying $0 category.  So starting as soon as our doctor signs all the paperwork, we will be having a speech therapist and occupational therapist come weekly.  We are having the developmental therapist come 1-2 times a month.  I figured this was enough to start.  Actually this much may overwhelm her a little but since she was getting therapy 1-2 times a week already in the Phillippines, I think it will be alright.  I'm excited to see what kinds of things they do with her and ways we can be working with her too.  The evaluators even told us a couple of things that we are now beginning to try with her.  I just feel like the more help we can get her early on, the more she can blossom and develop into the person God wants her to be.