A Long Overdue Update!!

Life around The Hatley Home has been cra-za-zy lately ; with me going back to work and the kids gearing up to start school. It has been so busy that just the other night I realized that I hadn't checked in on any of the blogs I follow in a few days.... or, blogged myself in a few days. So, I logged in and tried to read up on all that has happened in bloggy world, and found that I had missed a lot!!! Then when I checked in on my on blog I saw that I hadn't posted in a month!?! WHAT???? Where did all the time go????? Where did summer go???

This. makes. me. very. sad.

Because.

I.

 Summer !!!!!!

But, much to my dismay, summer has to end, and we have to get ourselves back into a routine. Only this time, our routine is getting another kid into the mix!! Sweet Tulah is continuing to just do incredibly well. She has melded into our family perfectly and has absolutely no problem loving us like crazy, or letting us know when she isn't getting exactly what she wants!! I believe she is very comfortable in her new family!!! 

At the beginning of August, Tulah got her first set of casts in order to finish correcting her bilateral club feet. She gets a new set each Monday. She does SO well with this! I have been told that while in China she HATED this, and would cry (or most likely knowing her... scream) to the top of her little lungs during much of the casting process. Well, much to my surprise, this time around, she lays completely still, holds my hand, and lets the Dr. do whatever she needs to do, without saying (or screaming) a word!! In fact, the staff at the office has told us more than once that she is the best club foot patient EVER!! WOW!! She has come so far in just over 3 months!! What a difference a family makes:))

She gets to pick her color each week too! So far, her favorites are pink and purple! I'm happy with this too since most of her outfits match those colors:)

Tulah's first set of casts!!!

Tulah's 2nd set of casts!!

At this time, she is currently in her 5th set of casts (Purple)! This should be her last set before her surgery. On September 12th, she will have a tenotomy to release some of the tendons in her foot that are very short and very tight, making it impossible for her to move her foot up or down. She also had this procedure in China, but due to the thickness and stiffness of her tendons, she is requiring another one.  At this same time, they will also remove her precious little "extra" thumb. She will wear casts again after her surgery, probably for about 6 weeks. Following that, we will be going through some pretty intense physical therapy and she will be in a brace. The goal is to her her up and walking as soon as we can. After she is up and walking, we will proceed to correct her hips sometime this winter. 

Please remember to pray for our girl on September 12th!! I will update after the surgery as well!!!