Filling In The Gap

From a few conversations I have had with some friends that are keeping up with Tessa's blog, I've realized that there is a bit of a gap on how we went from the meeting with the staff from The Children's Center to going home. I had every intention Wednesday evening, after we were home, of summarizing our meeting with the center and how we came to decide that the best place for us at this time was h-o-m-e! Unfortunately, Tessa had a difficult evening once we were home and I never got around to my post....so I will try and do that now.

The members of the staff from the center that visited us were amazing. Things had been so crazy and had been happening so quickly right there at the end of our stay at the hospital that Darin and I never had a chance to even google The Children's Center to find out exactly what they were all about. All we had heard was that it was an AMAZING place!

In the first few minutes of their visit they clarified the two 'sides' to the center.

-One side is a long-term care side - a home for the children with disabilities who reach their greatest potential with a long-term committment of love and care.

-The other side is their rehab side. They basically explained that the rehab side was designed for 'hiccups' in the road. Many children who suffer from disabilties continue to thrive in their current environment but might benefit from specific rehabilitation at different times throughout their lives. They typically only admit children 12 months and older on the rehab side. Once the child is admitted, a full evaluation is done and a goal is set. The observation, establishment of the goal and achievement of the goal, is a process that takes place over a 2 to 6 week period of time. The child's parent is present during this time and care and rehabilition are given 24/7.

It was very clear, very quickly to Darin and I that they needed to know that our goal was to bring Tessa home and establish our lives as a family. Tessa needs love right now, and Darin and I are the only people in this world that can love her exactly as she needs to be loved. There are no current, obvious obstacles/"hiccups" that need to be evaluated...just love that is needed and love that is here to be given.

Of course there are appointments to be kept and knowledge to be gained, but dad-gummit, there is FUN to be had and LOVE to be shared!!! And we have said it from the beginning: Parker Gage will be monumental in his sweet baby sister's rehabilitation and therapy, and separating the two of them is out of the question! We are the "BynumFour" ~ God has created each of us exactly how we are with exactly what we need, to help our Little Miss Tessa Rayne be EXACTLY who He has created her to be. This is our family, our life, our journey!

Wednesday afternoon following our meeting, we were confident in our decision to come home. We are now familiar with the AMAZING place we had heard such great things about: with resources and information to help us learn and grow. And just because Tessa is not being admitted to the center at this time, does not mean that there may not be a time in her life that it becomes the necessary next step; but praise God it is just 16 miles from our home..."It Has God Written All Over It" :)