Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Last year...  

This time last year we had justgotten our dossier submitted and we
were waiting to hear a travel date. We were so excited to meet our
boys or the first time. We could hardly wait to hold them in our arms
and tell them how much we loved them.

Here we are a year later. The guys have been home for 8 months (which
is totally impossible to believe) and it seems like they have always
been ours. We are so grateful that they are our sons and can't
imagine our lives without them.

It is such a blessing to have them.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Monday, November 23, 2009

So WHO'S our new BEST FRIEND?  


On Friday, the school called and asked me to come get Bethany because she wasn't feeling well. So we got her home and she went right to bed...went to sleep...for the afternoon and night. She had fever, stomach issues, a bad headache, sore throat, ached all over. Sounds like the flu, right? But no. It can't be. They all stood in line and got the flu vaccine a few weeks ago.

Roll the clock forward to Saturday morning and Blake woke up with a high fever, and many of the same symptoms as Bethany. Bad enough, right? Saturday afternoon, Eli suddenly became very ill and his fever shot up real high and he started screaming and crying (not like Eli unless you take away a cookie or turn off Barney or Miss Patty Cake). He screamed and cried for TWO HOURS. NON STOP!

I got home about 8:00 Saturday night and we decided that if they had the H1N1 virus that they needed medication now, not Monday (we called the hospital and that's what they said). So Mary loaded up the 3 sick kids and took them to the hospital emergency room. The doc there said they don't do the H1N1 test anymore because they are so often incorrect. I suspect its a money thing too since the test costs so much and I also suspect that they have seen so many cases that by now they can spot them. At any rate, they were concerned especially for Eli (which we were too) because he had a rattle in his chest (considering his history, this is not good). He's like me, I'm afraid, and gets pneumonia at the drop of a hat (once you've had it, it's easier and easier to get it). I figure that's what will do me in one of these days, but I digress. :-)

They got their Tamiflu and got home at midnight. Needless to say, Mary stayed home with them yesterday. Yesterday evening, Hannah suddenly became ill with a high fever and all the other symptoms. Do you see a pattern?

This morning, Seth woke up with stomach problems so we fully expect him to fall sometime today. I can't imagine how the 2 former ukrainians are going to keep from getting this too, but our philosophy is that if they are all going to get it, better to get it over with in one swoop instead of dragging it out over weeks.

We are to leave tomorrow for a Thanksgiving trip back home, but we'll see.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Ps... check out the Eli Project blog. http://blog.eliproject.org We had a great weekend.

There's no going back...  


I saw what I saw and I can't forget it 
I heard what I heard and I can't go back 
I know what I know and I can't deny it 

Something on the road, cut me to the soul 

Your pain has changed me 
your dream inspires 
your face a memory 
your hope a fire 
your courage asks me what I'm afraid of 
(what I am made of) 
and what I know of love 

we've done what we've done and we can't erase it 
we are what we are and it's more than enough 
we have what we have but it's no substitution 

Something on the road, touched my very soul 

I say what I say with no hesitation 
I have what I have and I'm giving it up 
I do what I do with deep conviction 

Something on the road, changed my world 

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Yes...we're alive... just barely... :-)  

It's been a LONG time since I've blogged, tweeted, facebooked...  our lives have been SO crazy that I have not taken the time to do it.  Also...we have been dealing with so many health issues, and we've had so little information to share that was certain that it's been easier just to walk the road alone as a family.  We sometimes wonder if people get tired of hearing the latest medical issues!


Since I last blogged...

Matthew has had his 11 root canals and 16 crowns (was to be 14 but turned into 16).  Of course, right now, it's 15 because one fell off and will be put back on in January (we found it!)  He did great with this and never missed a beat.  He seems happier now (not that he was unhappy before).  Probably his teeth were in constant pain before so he should feel great!  We also got him in to an ENT because of the constant sinus infection and horrible smell that constantly emanates from him.  The doctor thought for sure that something was stuck up there in his nose, but when he scoped him, it turned out that he had a tumor in his sinus cavity.  So an MRI was ordered and he had that on November 8.  He went to the ENT today for us to find out what the MIR showed.  Well...it showed nothing. No tumor, no blockage...  So we are thanking God.  We have the picture of the tumor that is now non-existent.  So...no surgery needed.  No nothing.  The doc did suggest we test him for allergies (since he still has a runny nose and is not sick).  So we'll do that soon.

Eli...
Suffered a stomach flu week before last that kept him out of school for the whole week.  That was no fun.  BUT...none of the rest of us got it and that is a miracle!  He is becoming a bit more verbal these days.  He does say EAT now.  It was cute at first...now that's what he says anytime he gets near the kitchen or his high chair.  The cute factor is gone.  :-)  He's still thriving and we hope he will get into a growth cycle.  It's hard to believe he's a five-year-old since he is the size of a 3 year old at most.  

Micah...
continues to improve in his behavior.  He's had a few slip ups in the last couple of weeks but all in all he has done so well.  Last week, he spit in his teacher's face because she wanted him to do something that he didn't want to do.  Needless to say, he was in trouble when he got home.  Since that day he's been a little ANGEL!  He was obviously testing the boundaries to see if they were still there.  Guess what, buddy... THEY ARE!

Blake...
Has completed marching band and is glad it's over but really enjoyed it this year.  He made "A" band as a rotating member (for some reason only 2 in his section are permanent members...the other 4 will rotate in and out).  He's glad to be included, but of course wishes he was one of the permanent members.  He continues to play the piano (not taking lessons this fall, but doing very well on his own).  He is really growing in his relationship with God for which we are very grateful and very happy about.

Hannah...
is growing up into a very beautiful young woman, inside and out.  She is daily striving to have a stronger relationship with the Lord and really strives to please Him.  She is such a huge help with the little boys and just jumps in to help without being asked.

Bethany & Seth...
are both doing well in their lives.  They are in love with the newest Malones and enjoy being around them and playing with them and teaching them things.  Some good...some questionable.  :-)  They are both excelling in school and are both active in things at church.  They both play in the children's handbell ensemble, both sing in children's choir...


Mary is doing well.  Tired a lot, but that's the new normal so I guess we are getting used to it.  She's the best mom around and the most beautiful wife on the planet.  

As I write this, I'm laying in bed with pneumonia but hope to be better quickly.  I started a high powered antibiotic today...


Logo-Web-Header.jpg

ELI PROJECT...
continues to move forward.  We've been doing a lot of local ground work before we go "online" in a big way.  We have several new people on board to help and have 2 major opportunities this weekend to fundraise for our christmas project and get off the ground by getting our name out.  January 1, we will begin actively searching for families to host children this summer and of course for families to give forever families to children in need.  Also...we have a trip planned for this spring to do some "service projects" at a few of the orphanages we are working with.  We are taking slightly different path to launch the ministry that we originally planned, but we are following God and taking it a step at a time.  Thanks for your continued prayers and support.  We currently have a donor who is MATCHING GIFTS up to $5,000 so NOW is the time give if you can.  Contact me about how you can donate.

We thank you for your interest in our lives and your consistent prayers for us!

Blessed be the Name of the LORD!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Fall Is Almost Over!  









I cannot believe fall is just about gone. Our days have been more than full with school, 2 science fair projects(Yuck, but out of 7 kids I guess I should be grateful it was only 2!), marching band(and all the contests), multiple Dr.'s appointments, oral surgery and an MRI for Mr. Matthew(more on the MRI later.) Not to mention all of our church activties! The good news is no one has been sick except Eli, who missed 4 days of school with a stomach virus. Thankfully no one else has gotten it!


I managed to get a few pics of the kids a few days ago, while we still had leaves on the tree.As you can see it is really hard to get that many kids to look at the camera. I am convinced that Matthew, Micah and Eli were conspiring against me and the camera! :)
I gave up on the hope that I might get one picture with all of the kids looking at me at the same time. But I was determined to still get what I could. Maybe we should have a prayer service before trying group pictures next time. ;)

Blessed be the name of the Lord.