Johnson Family/Adoption Update

 

Hey guys! It’s been a while since Matt and I have updated you on our family and adoption process. We’re so sorry for the delay! Life has been full of surprises, joy, trials, and a whole lot of busyness. We’re happy to report that our family of 4 is thriving and enjoying this sweet season of life with littles!

In April of last year, we welcomed our (surprise!) sweet baby boy, Samuel Reece. He was healthy, strong, and a champion nurser right from the start. At about 2-3 weeks old we started to notice some signs of food allergies/sensitivities. Then at the 9-12 week mark we started to have greater concerns regarding his feeding. He had begun to require a lot of coaxing to eat, and we tried everything to keep him growing and healthy. We met with lactation consultants, speech therapists, and pediatricians. No one could determine what was causing his resistance to eat. At the beginning of August things got scary. Sam completely stopped eating, dropped to beneath the 1st percentile, and was showing signs of dehydration. He was admitted to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in GR and they put in an NG tube. He had the NG tube through November when it was replaced with a G Tube. We still do not have a diagnosis or suspected cause. We have met with GI, allergy, and cardiology at Helen DeVos, and had countless appointments with his pediatrician, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and feeding therapists. He has had several hospitalizations and continues to be 100% reliant on his G Tube for nutrition. Thankfully, he is growing well on the tube and is meeting all his developmental milestones except for a slight delay in speech. Sam is incredibly resilient. He is such a happy, fun guy - overflowing with energy and sweetness. Big sister Livy is head over heels for him.

Livy started 3 school this year and has had to navigate so much with her transition to having a new baby in the family, witnessing his medical challenges, and starting school all in the same year. She has weathered it all with grace and empathy. She is an absolute joy, and we could not be prouder of her.

In February 2022, I started a family photography business.  It has been an incredible blessing. I’ve been able to work with families, use my creativity, manage a business, and create beautiful images. It is a true joy that allows me to utilize my gifts and bless other families.   

Matt continues to excel in his work as a Mechanical Engineer at Koops. He has balanced the busyness of work with the demands of our family, and that is no small feat!

Our adoption is currently on hold as we continue to learn more about Sam’s medical needs and determine what his long-term care looks like.  Our agency, Lifeline, has granted us a 2 year hold where we will retain our spot in the process without having to redo any steps or lose any money that we have invested in the process. We are holding off on additional fund raising until we can further discern what role adoption will take in our family. We still have hearts for adoption. We still feel called to love a child in need and welcome him or her into our family. We just don’t want to take on more needs than we can adequately support. And so, we’re waiting. We’re praying. We’re asking for your prayers. We will keep you updated as our journey progresses. In the meantime, we are holding all previously raised adoption funds separate from our own finances. If God does lead us away from adoption, we plan to donate all funds raised to support another family’s adoption through Lifeline’s Eastern Europe program.

Thank you for your support and prayers. We treasure you and your kindness to our family, and we are thankful to journey with all of you!

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