Happy New Year to everyone! Things have been a bit unsettling weather wise in these parts. We swirl from a 65-70 degree day to 40-45 degree day and then back again. It all adds up to big winds. Thursday we had a “Dorothy” moment when the wind literally blew our front door off! (For those under 50 I am referring to the Wizard of OZ.)

This is prime time for striper fishing but my best friend, Bill, (who owns the boat) had a heart attack just before we were ready to launch last Saturday. Thank God he is recovering well. I look forward to next year.

Well, Noah is poised for his new therapy regime, however, because of Lisa’s current teaching obligations we can’t start until February. Nevertheless, we still enjoy increasing progress in his recovery.

During Lisa’s “flight attendant” years her frequent routes to England often brought with them delightful British treats called “McVites Digestive Biscuits.” Over the holidays Lisa bought some online and gave a piece of one to Noah to see if he liked them. Well, that was like asking a bear if he likes honey. Noah “went to town” devouring those London delectables.

As mentioned before it will be a few weeks before I will be able to give you more “clinical” updates stemming from Noah’s new therapists. I suppose some homeboy anecdotes will suffice for now.

Unbeknownst to us Noah’s best friend decided to give him a “Pooping Reindeer” for Christmas. That’s right… pooping. It plays a Christmas jingle and then “passes” round candy balls of varying colors. Little did his nutty sisters know as they bought him a “stocking stuffer” called “Pooping Moose.” Basically the same scenario except this dude poops miniature milk duds. Funny how great minds think alike. BTW… Noah loves it when they act constipated. You just have to see and hear it to appreciate the moment.

Picture Noah laying on his back in his bed. One of the oft occurring exercises Lisa has been doing with Noah is to take his foot and bend his leg at the knee. In times past, Noah wasn’t able to keep his foot stationary (on his own) so as to keep his leg bent at the knee. It would slip back down to the resting position. The other day Lisa said, “Noah, hold your leg for five seconds in that position.” She proceeded to count out loud. “One … two… etc.” With his eyes locked on Lisa’s, Noah held form until she hit five and then released his leg back to the resting position. Yahooo was the order of the day!

It reminds me a lot of a principle He taught us. “Ask and it shall be given to you… seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be open to you.” The Addesa’s are “asking,” “seeking” and believing for amazing things for 2009 for Noah’s recovery. Will you join with us? Until next time our love and thanksgiving go out to you our extended family… david

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Last Updated: January 9, 2009
Next update will be posted January 16, 2009 by 6:00pm

Pastor David had a previous committment this week that would not allow time for this weeks update. He will touch base with you next week. Thank you for praying for Noah.

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Last Updated: January 16, 2009
Next update will be posted January 23, 2009 by 6:00pm

Because our IT person is on vacation this week, no update was created. It will be posted next week. Love... david

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Last Updated: January 23, 2009
Next update will be posted January 30, 2009 by 6:00pm

February is upon us once again and for us it means gradual return to more moderate weather. We had a few days pushing the temps close to 70 degrees and then a front came barreling through and dropped us back to the low fifties. We do tend to have roller coaster winters in these maritime parts of Virginia.

Thus far we have an unanticipated delay in securing the exact rehab facility for Noah’s advancement. The insurance carrier determines that and we are hopeful it will be soon. For me… it really helps me paint a more accurate account of Noah’s progress for all who follow his journey. In the meantime, we simply have to try and capture subtleties that indicate progress and trust they give you helpful perspective.

Once again, I asked Hannah to take a picture for me that may seem a bit odd. It’s one of Noah’s Christmas presents. It is a 3D picture that has moving aqua life within it and a soundtrack of ocean tidal movements accenting the effects. It hangs on the wall next to his bed. I sometimes goof around with Noah and tell him I’m going to sneak it out of his room and into mine. Needless to say…I love it. Since he cannot talk (yet) it’s hard to tell whether he does as much as I… but he does seem to be intrigued by it.

“Why”… you might ask is that relevant to this update? Glad you asked. Here are Lisa’s actual words from her heart expressing what this experience has meant to her.

“David asks, almost weekly, for any profound changes happening to/with Noah, to put on the website. The word profound has always been a bit intimidating to me.  Every week, I hope to be able to tell you all that Noah is walking (and I believe I will, one week), but some weeks, such as this one, the word profound takes on its true meaning.  Profound, as I looked up its definition, means deeply felt, strongly impressed.  Noah has been home for almost 1½ years now, wow, and although his improvements are not dramatic, there are always improvements. Sometimes they are very profound, in the truest sense.  I have spent almost the last 2 years talking to my son, without having him talk back to me.  I know some mothers are thinking, wow, wouldn’t that be great?  Noah makes sounds, but I long to hear him “speak”. This, too, will come! 

I have taught Noah to look at people to acknowledge them when they speak to him or they say hello or good-bye, to be polite by engaging his wonderful smile.  Noah will now bend and straighten his arms, legs, hands and feet when I ask, but not necessarily move on his own. When I ask him to look at someone, or something, most times he will. 

The profound moment this week came with Noah’s “fish picture”.  Noah had been given a mirrored, moving, lit, sound-producing, ocean-aquarium picture from a friend for Christmas.  Wow, what a mouthful! It is the coolest thing!  It has moving fish, makes ocean sounds and is lit like an aquarium.  It had been on the window-sill, waiting for me to hang it on the wall, when the two pictures hanging next to Noah’s bed fell off the wall together, the other night...ok, I guess I’ll hang his picture-aquarium now!  We kept the aquarium on until Noah fell asleep that night, it is pretty and the sound is soothing.  The next morning, Noah woke up, and I began my morning “conversation” with him, I talk, he listens.  I looked at the newly hung picture, and then looked down at him and mentioned how much I loved his fish, and he immediately turned his head, and looked at his fish picture on the wall!  It made me jump inside, for I cannot remember a time when Noah acknowledged something or moved, without being asked...he looked at the picture, on his own, in the middle of my “conversation”!  I didn’t have to say, “Look at your fish.”  It was like he looked and said, “Yeah, I like them too, Mom.”  Profound.”

Well there you have it… best if I leave it at that. Thanks for praying Noah through to these moments.

P.S. Please pray for favor for us as we apply for funding for a van and ramp equipment to take him back and forth for his weekly rehab. God is good. Love… david

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Last Updated: January 30, 2009
Next update will be posted February 6, 2009 by 6:00pm