Saturday, June 27, 2009

What's up at Malone Nine central?  

We just finished a week of VBS. It was a wild and crazy week and several weeks before getting ready for it. We'll have a musical in tomorrow's services presented by about 300 of the 2nd-6th graders that participated during the week. We had about 700 of that age this week (and another 300 preschool-1st graders). It was a blessed week, but lots of work!


We kept the three little guys home during the week (they are still recovering from their surgeries. Blake and Hannah volunteered (Blake helped in the musical room with me and Hannah did 4 year old recreation). Bethany & Seth participated and loved every minute of it! Mary usually volunteers, but with the little guys recovering, it wasn't possible this year.

The surgeries:
On June 15, we checked Matthew in for surgery. He had his tear ducts repaired, had tubes put in his ears and had the Molluscum Contagium scraped from his eyes, face and arms. We were home before lunch and he did really well. He didn't seem to have any reaction at all (except his eyes ran like crazy.

Then on June 16, we checked Eli in for his surgery. He had his ear tubes removed and his tonsils out. He was required to stay in the hospital due to the problems he has had recently and because of his problems when he had his adenoids removed a couple of years ago. We thought it would be a matter of him leaving the next morning. Well, the little bugger wouldn't drink (which was what they were afraid of) so they couldn't take him off his IV. I stayed the night the first night with him and we had a very sweet time together. He was feeling great (come on, on pain meds, who wouldn't?) and except that he was in danger of dehydration, he seemed great. So we played and watched Miss Patty Cake and he let me hold him a lot. It was a special time. On the 17th (my birthday), the doc said unless he starts drinking a lot very soon, he can't go home. I was running on almost no sleep for the past 5 days and just couldn't stay again so Mary came up and spent the night the second night. Thankfully, he went home on Thursday. Amazingly, they took out his IV to get ready for me to pick them up and then he picked up his cup and started drinking. We had been trying to get them to lower the fluid level on IV so he would get thirsty, but they don't do that. Well, he drank a whole cup on the way home and had another when we got home and he drank well (for the most part) from then on.

On June 17, we checked Micah in to have ear tubes put in and his tonsils and adenoids out. He was a good patient. He did cry a lot when he came out of anesthetic, but once they got the pain meds flowing, he was good to go. He and Mary came up to Eli's room and kept me company for a little while before they went home. Friday afternoon, he suddenly became lethargic and I checked his temp and it was 102.5. So that freaked us out a little bit and we called the doc and he said that most likely he was dehydrated. He was having trouble drinking. So we nursed him through the night and by morning, his fever was down to just at 100 and we worked really hard to keep him drinking and he's great now.

All three boys have weathered this small storm and are doing great! Thanks for your prayers!

We've had a VERY BUSY summer so far (hence the lack of posting). Blake and Hannah have been to Super Summer (a Christian leadership camp), Hannah's been to camp, we've had VBS, surgeries, Blake leaves for Belize on a mission trip on Thursday, then home a week, then off to Senior High Camp, then band camp starts again and school starts August 13. What has happened to the summer???

Our OKC zoo puts on what they call Dream Night each year. We've never gone, but decided this was the year! It's a night for families with special needs. We had a wonderful time and the staff of the zoo was so gracious. Chic-fil-a also came and provided food for all. The whole thing was free! It was a great time.

Here's three videos of what's been going on.

The first one is a montage of the kids...


This is Matthew...the little boy who we were told couldn't learn and was deeply delayed (yeah...I would be too if I was left in a bed my whole life...). He has learned how Parker the singing donkey works and can get to the songs he likes by himself. Mind you, we did NOT teach him to do this. He figured it out. He has figured out lots of things on his own and he is SO SMART! Enjoy...


Here's the final installment. Pictures from May and June 2009...


Thanks for finding our lives interesting! Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Monday, June 22, 2009

One of the greatest days in history...  

18 years ago, we were a couple of hours away from saying "I Do."  It was one of the greatest days in history.  Second only to the day Jesus saved me.  


Mary and I have been through lots of things over the last 18 years.  If we had known on that day everything that our journey would entail (thus far) our brains would have exploded!  :-)
But there is not a single thing I would change and I would and do say "I do," all over again.

Mary has been the richest treasure in my life.  I can't possible explain what she means to me and my existence.  She is loving.  Unconditionally, loving.  When I was over 400 pounds, she loved me for who I was.  At under 200 pounds, she loves me.  It's the same love.  Amazing.  Incredible blessing.  When we had less than no money, she was there at my side, taking it one day at a time, trusting Jesus, sometimes for our food even.

As we surrendered our reproductive lives to the Lord, she trusted God for our family that was to be.  Then when we could no longer have children through conception and birth, she trusted God for the children God would bring into our lives.  As we stand at this moment in our lives, she believes God for the future of our family (whether it continues to grow or stays as it is).

She's the most amazing mommy ever.  Rarely taking even a moment for herself.  Always sacrificing her desires and wants for our family.

She's a most amazing lover, friend, life-partner, companion.

To the bride of my youth:  Here's to another year of this fabulous journey.  I love you.  More than words could ever express.  I'd do it all over again...as long as you were with me.

Friday, June 5, 2009

World Next Door » Romaniv Boys Orphanage  

We found this blog post on someone's blog who had visited the institution where Micah was. It opened the floodgates of memories and the tragic conditions Micah was in. Please take the time to read this post by clicking the link below. Praise God that Micah is saved. Praise God.

World Next Door » Romaniv Boys Orphanage

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Tuesday, June 2, 2009

We're doing great...  

We're all doing great here at Malone Nine central. Blake and Hannah are off at Super Summer so it's just the youngest five and the parents this week.

The boys continue to do SO well! We have several surgeries coming up. Matthew is having some procedures done on June 15. Then Eli will have his tonsils out on June 16 (we'll spend one night in the hospital) and then Micah is having his tonsils/adnoids out and ear tubes put in on June 17 (my birthday - no planned hospital stay).

So next week will be our last normal week for a while. (whatever normal is!)

We had a great night last night at the Oklahoma Redhawks game. Jim & Debbie Stelter invited our whole family (all nine of us) to attend the game with them. We had a wonderful night together. Also with us were David & Martha Adamson and Reed Stelter. Reed is 29 and has Down syndrome. We all had a swell time even though the Redhawks lost.