August 2009, Binghamton, New York, 5:08 p.m., D.S.T.~

Becky Covington here.  Thought I would update you on our lives since my last entry of July 6, 2009.  Here goes:

Haad, our eight-year-old son whom we adopted from Iraq, continues to improve.  His fears are slowly coming to an end, thanks to familial support, therapy, and lots of love.  He is learning that there are many good people in this world; not everyone is "evil" or bad. 

Haad is learning more English; therefore, we feel he is about ready to study for his citizenship test, so he can become a permanent resident of the United States of America.  He is incredibly bright, always wanting to learn new things.

Haad is getting around better on his artificial legs and his crutches; we feel that soon he will abandon the crutches altogether and walk under his own power.  He has very good balance.  He mainly uses crutches for when he walks on uneven surfaces or on grass; he has fallen a few times, but hasn't hurt himself, thank goodness.

Heather and Ryan, our two oldest kids, are bored:  they are ready for school to start back up.  School starts back up the day after Labor Day; they have a week or two left to go.  They are having fun, though, swimming, playing or hanging out with friends, or spending their allowance every weekend at the mall (they only get it if they behave and do their chores).

Our youngest child, Dakotah Jamison, two, continues to have problems with his allergies/asthma.  He's had to go to the E.R. three times since my last journal entry; doctors are still trying to figure out what gives him the most trouble.  He is on his oxygen a great deal of the time.  He's so miserable; our heart breaks at the suffering he has to endure. 

Thank God Dakotah hasn't been admitted to the hospital; it still doesn't offer us any comfort when he has so much trouble with his breathing!  It seems like we spend more time at the E.R. than at home, especially during the past several weeks!

As for us, Becky and Derrick, the parents, we roll with the punches, whatever life throws our way, like with Dakotah's illness or with Haad's ongoing physical/occupational therapies or doctor's appointments.  Or getting the kids' school supplies in order, so they have everything by the time school starts.

The weather here is partly cloudy; we've had some storms here (last week, we even had the threat of tornadoes); it's been an ongoing thing all summer.  Frankly, we're getting sick of the storms; we're more than ready for cool, refreshing breezes, drier air, and especially pleasant temperatures with highs in the lower eighties or perhaps even the low to middle seventies!  Anything to beat this heat/humidity that's taken hold lately!

Well, I hate to run; Dakotah's gotten himself tangled in his oxygen tubing again, and Haad just fell down and hit his head on the corner of the stereo; he's howling like a banshee.  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Becky Covington saying so long!  God bless!

~Love, your friend in New York, Becky.  :)