This is a blog I started a few months ago but haven't ever finished and posted it. But it's been something I've thought about every day. It's a short story of Miss Copper, one of the sweet babies that I get to babysit! Short background on this sweet family I sit for...Megan and Jerod have two of the sweetest kiddos ever, Copper and Stone and I am sooo blessed to get to be apart of their lives and watch those adorable babies grow and learn every day!
Copper has hip dysplasia. I started keeping Copper and her sweet big brother Stone in June. And I was told a list of 'helpful' things to do for Cop to help her hip realign. For the next few months I did all that I knew to do to help in this progress while she was in my care. But on her visit to her doctor on September 1st, 2011 at just a month shy of her 1st birthday, Megan and Jerod were told that although there was some improvement (good news!) there still wasn't enough..so they placed Copper in a brace. A brace she was to wear for 3months and then, a recheck at the doctors. This sweet little girl, who had just a week or so before, took to crawling..was now restricted. She had absolutely LOVED her new found mobility. Such a happy baby! (She's such an independent little girl!) And now, she couldn't even sit up by herself. For the first few days, I cried right along with Megan and sweet Copper. She was so unhappy those first few days and it was awful seeing her like that. Naptime and bedtime were especially no fun. She now had to try to sleep comfortably in a huge hard THING that wouldn't allow her to bend her legs or even move for that matter (bc she was still having a hard time getting around in it) I remember a text msg that Megan sent me that said "last night I wanted to hurl that thing out the window! But I know its for her best, I just have to remember that!" I know that is exactly how I felt for Copper too, I just saw it during the day, I couldn't imagine that sweet baby being stuck in it ALL day, and night! She hated that thing! She would get mad and just fuss and whine and you just wanted to (like Megan said) sling that thing somewhere far far away! haha But we talked a lot about how similar Copper's brace was like a lot of our own 'life' situations. We knew it was best for Copper to wear that brace (knowing it would improve her hip alignment and, prayerfully, correct it all together so no further measures needed to be taken). We knew that although we hated seeing her in it and hated seeing her so well, miserable the first few wks...that it was ultimately for her good. We didn't like it and we hurt for her. But we KNEW it was for the best. Copper didn't know that though. And that, I think was the hard part. But as time went on Copper blew our minds with the things she would come to be able to do in that thing! haha She learned to crawl again and learned a cool new 'scoot' too! :) She even got to where she was able to stand up in it for a minute w/out holding onto anything! Just sitting in the floor working her way up on her own two feet, then flopping down and clapping. haha [probably thinking, now if you'll just get this off of me, I'll be running around w/Stone! haha]Over the next 3 months the brace wasn't so much of a hindrance anymore but more of an annoyance. She was active and over the fussyness of having to wear it bc she had got used to it and learned to deal with it, but we still wanted it off of her so she could get back to doing normal one year old stuff (w/out that big hard blue thing in the way:) But it has been a constant reminder, for me, of just how much I complain and whine about my own 'braces' in my life. Things that I hate! Things that I'm going through. Things that I'm faced with. Things that I feel leave me 'restricted'. Things that I don't understand. Things that definitely make me cry and fuss! But then I think of my Heavenly Father looking at me saying "I know, I'm sorry...but I'm here. I will help you in any way possible, whenever you need it. And I love you. And I promise..this is for your best. Just wait and see." So I ask you...what is your brace??? God is there telling you the exact same thing.
I can't begin to tell you just how much this sweet family has been a blessing in my life. There are so many other reasons I could list and tell you about. But it amazes me that God chose a sweet one year old and a misalignment of a hip bone, to change my outlook on this awful season of my life. No, I'm not glad Copper had to be put in a brace. BUT, I am thankful that God used that. And that I got to be apart of it! To see Him work! And again, couldn't express how thankful I am for my Hobbs family!! :)
By the way, Copper's recheck was on December 1st. Last Thursday. And guess who is brace free????!!!! :) Her hip still isn't 'corrected' completely, but they're hoping it will finish correcting itself...especially once she starts walking!! (YAY!!) She'll have a follow up visit in a few months to make sure its still progressing. But for now, NO MORE BRACE!!!!
