Day 17 HBOT- Many thoughts....

This morning I got up early and went walking, got my 2 miles in at our hospital's cardiac walk.  For years I walked 3-5 miles a day.  Then after we got home from our adoption, life was more complicated, then the accident....and my bestest walking buddy went back to work:(  So now I walk alone, although tomorrow Steve is going with me...hopefully.  One good thing is I had all my work done by noon:)

Today being 9/11 brings back so many memories....I'm sure you can remember where you were on that day...

Jon and I lived in NYC for a few years in the 90's so we have a special love for NYC.  What a sad day....  My memory was I remember I was doing client interviews at the detention center in Bartow and one of the officers told me a small plane had flown into the Twin towers. Having lived in NY for years, I have a special love for it. As I got in my car I called Jon who had not left for work yet. He turned on the tv....as the second plane flew into the other building... I got back to my office and told everyone, we turned on the tv in the "lunch room" We only had it on for a few minutes when the first tower fell. I remember praying for the people I knew were dying as we helplessly watched...then the other tower went down....the pentagon...Flight 92 in Penn.....what a sad day. Even though I had just become a supervisor, I told my boss I was "out of there!" all I could think of my Steve who was in kindergarten! I went and got him out of school and took him home, planted him down with a Scooby Doo DVd and watched tv coverage for hours.  We went to church that night and prayed....

So 12 years later, the war on terrorism  still goes on.  America is now possibility at the beginning of another war, this time with Syria.  If you wonder where I stand, so do I!  A part of me says go blow them up, another part of me says it will do no good....   I do wish we had a strong president and not such a weak one for this moment in time.  Since WWII it seems that America has not wanted to go in and WIN a war.  I regret the loss of any human life but I am very thankful that we bombed and fought across Europe to win against Hitler and I am not ashamed to say I am thankful that we dropped the atomic bombs on Japan and ended the war on that front also.  Since then it seems we do not want to fight HARD like that.  In Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan... we've gone in gently and not taken care of business, they've been "restrained wars" ....  I'm sure we'd do the same in Syria, since the John Kerry said it would be "an unbelievable small attack"...that is unbelievable that it was said....  sometimes it is better to just "take care of business" and then be done with it. 

So that's my foreign policy...aren't you glad I'm not Prez!
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Now the whole "rehoming" "adoption disruption"

Whew, what a can of worms!  In the adoption world, you hear little things here and there.  I was once approached by someone who wanted us to go to another country and adopt a child for them.  They had too many children to be approved for this particular country...  I said "NO"   I would never do something like that.  Now that is not even the same as rehoming or disruption but the lady suggested we  do it like that.  Too weird for me! 


Now I admit sometimes adoption is hard.  When we adopted Shad we expected a child like Sam.  Shad was said to be blind and mentally delayed...he was NOT!  He was blind in one eye and a 2 year old genius.  He was very strong willed.  He did seem glad to be with me and seemed to bond pretty good but he was so different than the child we were expecting.  He was a totally normal 2 yr old.   There were days when I wondered if we'd made a mistake adopting him in the first few months.  We loved him and enjoyed him, but he was a handful.  He would have temper tantrums where he'd throw himself on the floor, any floor and bang his head and yell.   If you know me.....I don't do temper tantrums.....  Steve and Sam were easy going kids, I'd never even seen a real temper tantrum like that....  Let's just say within 3 months those temper tantrums were gone.  It took a lot of work, a lot of consistency and love.  It was not easy but we worked through it.  I can understand how someone can feel like they can't handle a child.  I certainty had some thoughts along those lines myself!!!  BUT a child is not a dog you can return to the animal shelter because they pee'd on you couch!  

So disruption of an adoption means at some point before or after the adoption takes place, the family backs out.  Sometimes it takes place early on, some parents meet the child (international) and realize they can not adopt the child for various reasons.  In China you have 24 hours with the child before everything is finalized.  In Ukraine, you have to make a decision when you first meet the child about whether you want to go to court for the child.  I think I've heard of families backing out even after court, one family even after the child was out of the orphanage and with them:(   With an American adoption, usually through foster care, you have a longer window of time to back out legally.

I've heard about families who disrupted their adoption right after coming home.   I've not known anyone personally, and I don't think it happens much but you do hear things hear and there in the adoption community. 

This is another thing I'm conflicted about.....I think alot of it is foolishness!   Perhaps the family got caught up in the idea of "save the orphan" and I also think society is such a throw away society, that just like people get divorced for silly reasons and lack of commitment, people are also not committed to their children.  That makes me mad!

On the other hand, if a family doesn't bond to their adopted child, maybe the child is better off in another home! 

So I guess I'm not opposed to adoption disruptions but they should be governed and done LEGALLY with background checks etc.... 

The "rehoming" smacks of things happening under the table in my opinion.   That is dangerous to children!!! 

I do not know of anyone personally that has been involved with anything like this.  I do know it can be done legally, and have a social worker, lawyer and the court involved.  If something like this needs to happen, that should be how it is done.  There should be laws in place to protect children from any harm. 

So for the record, we understood with Shad that he was learning/adjusting to living in a family.  We talked with our social worker and our agency and got some great tips.  We worked through the worst of things within three months.  We adore Shad and he loves us.  We laugh about those days now and he thinks it is funny!

With Sarah and Selah, it was a dream, so easy, they just fit in like they should have been with us always.  I do think the 6 weeks we spent in Ukraine visiting them almost every day made thing easier for them and us.  We had over a month to get to know each other.  That was hard, it was inconvenient but I think it was really much better for the whole bonding time than China was.   With China I walked in, was handed Shad and was out the door in an hour with a new child....YIKES!   With the girls, we earned their trust.  When we left with them, even tho we got on a train and did an all night ride...it was easy, no crying, no screaming.  They knew us and we knew them.  They at least liked us and we LOVED them!  I could just cry thinking of the sweetness of that day....  Just wish I could go back to that day...

With Selah and Sarah, we were prepared and really didn't have any issues once we were home.  When we first met Selah, some of her odd behaviors worried us but she worked out of them, so quickly.  They were just institutional behaviors.  But once she began trusting us, we saw a change even before she left the institution. 


But what if a family has problems?  First I'd say contact your social worker and agency!  Try and get some pointers, take the child to your pediatrician and see if you can get referrals to counseling.  Do EVERYTHING you can not to hurt the child emotionally.  That child has been through so much.  Don't add more rejection to their lives!!!  And PRAY that God will help you.  Do everything legally if you do have to disrupt but do everything in your power NOT to do that!!!   I don't like that anything like this ever happens...it is very sad!  I have not seen the reports on NBC but I have seen them on the internet.  Some in the adoption world feel like NBC is just trying to make a sensational story...I feel like if it is happening and there is proof, then put it out there for others to know and hopefully it will protect some child! 

So those are my deep thoughts for today....sorry!  I got up too early this morning and have been rolling all day. 

Please keep praying for our sweet Selah, who is as much mine as any biological child could ever be.... I hope she always knows how loved and cherished she is!  All five of my kids are the absolutely BEST thing that ever happened to me!  I feel that so deeply in my heart.  They've blessed and enriched my life, so I've cried some tears and walked through some valleys with them and for them but that just makes them that much dearer and sweeter to my heart. 

Day 16 HBOT Killing Wasps

Only 4 more days to go....  Selah has been quiet today.  She had another busy day with HBOT then home for Physical Therapy and then back to HBOT.  She did great with everything, nothing new to report.  I love that we have therapies in place like we do to keep her stimulated and hopefully help her in different ways. 

Steve is finished with all his schoolwork and is waiting for the last few books of his senior year...so....I kept him busy today LOL.  A guy from our church really did the lawns beautifully on Monday so Steve is doing all the little things that he never has time for.  My swing area got new mulch and my garden is getting mulched too.  It's not cool YET but there is the tiniest hint in the air (which for Florida it means that it's less than 90 degrees after the sun sets LOL)  We are going to move all the playground stuff up in front of our house tomorrow.  In the summer we keep it more in the back where it is really shady but we are cleaning and moving it to its' winter area.  So glad we'll be home this year!  Also I'm getting ready to do a winter garden.  That is one reason Steve is working on the garden for me.    To have this small feel of "fall" in the air is exciting for us Floridians:)  We do have lovely winters, I love having the kids outside more, less bugs, perfect temps.....  Florida is fantastic in the winter!  I think Florida is great in the summer too but it is hot and humid here....really hot and humid! 

 

This is a huge wasp's nest between our shed and fellowship hall.  When our friend was weed whacking yesterday, he got stung.  He told me it was big but when we went back to spray it, we both freaked out!   It had hundreds of wasps on it. I didn't measure it but it is probably much larger than a dinner plate and thick.  After the wasps are all gone and we can get up in there, I'll get it out.   Jon used a big can of spray to kill them and still there are some more that he has to kill tonight.  I'm not one to like to kill things but wasps are mean and I'm allergic to them!   We saw some wasps out today so I'm hoping we get them all tonight.  I bought TWO big cans for tonight!!!!!

 

 

So a quiet hard working day today....got lots of work done, need to do lots more:)  It never ends......

 

Please pray for a young couple who reached out to Jon and me when Selah was in the hospital in NY.  Their young baby girl was in the PICU also.  They were just wonderful and attentive parents.  Early this morning their daughter Stella passed away.  They are believers and were prepared as they knew she had an incurable genetic condition...but who can ever really be prepared for a loss like that of your only child..   Please keep them in prayer...my heart aches for them.  That little girl was their world and I can not imagine how they will feel in the days and months to come....

 

 

Please keep Selah in your prayers also....

 

If you have seen any of the news reports about "rehoming" or "adoption disruption"  I will probably address it on here tomorrow.  Personally I'm glad there is a spot light on it, I don't think it is a huge problem in the adoption world...but even if it is a small problem, it needs to be addressed and something put in place to prevent it!   The most important thing is children need protection! 

Day 15 HBOT and great pictrues!!!

Ok before you get to the pictures.....a little disclaimer.....  Selah has always had a little neck control, some days better than others.  When we were still in NY she could hold her head up at times up to 15 seconds.  Then when we transferred to the "rehab" ( and I use that term loosely)  she seemed to lose all of the neck control she had. 

Today we really wanted to see what she could do.  We took off the back of the stander where her head rests...and she had a little head control.  Her Occupational Therapist was here and she said that Selah was more alert and aware than she had ever seen her in the 8 months that we have been home!  Selah held her head up completely a couple of times, for a few seconds each time.  She seemed to have a bit more control in putting in down (it didn't just drop down fast) and she didn't put it all the way down. 

I am careful not to exaggerate things with her, it would be easy to make things look better than they are and claim some type of healing from God or help from the therapy that isn't proven yet.   So with that said, I am still happy with what we saw from La La today.  She was a bit mad and she shows it in a picture, that is good too:)

 

yes she is ticked off in this picture!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

This is the one, she had already held her head up some and I was hoping to catch it, the therapist moved her hand and Selah kept her head up!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

she put it down but still had some control over it.   Her head went down slower than usual, no big drop! 

 

she looks so cute and is working hard!!!!!!!!

 

So Selah had Physical therapy then HBOT, then Occupational therapy and then HBOT.... she has been one busy little girl today!  (Sam and Sarah also got PT and OT)    Selah's PT felt like Selah had better tone than usual.   Meaning not too tight and not too loose....she felt good. 

 

If you are wondering about her outfit....she has to wear scrubs to HBOT and they wash them in their soap, they are very particular.  So all they had clean yesterday was Spider man scrubs.  But if you notice her hair ribbons match! 

 

I want to thank some friends, the Blacks who picked up Selah's meds that we have to get from Brandon for me so I didn't have to drive an hour there and an hour back to get them!  Today has been crazy!  That was such a BIG help for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I know looking at these pictures, it is hard to understand that Selah is considered still in a persistent  vegetative  status...  but she is and if you were around her all the time, you'd understand.   But we still pray that God will bring her out of the PVS and heal her brain completely. 

 

One thing we need to see if for her to swallow and manage all of her secretions.  She does swallow and she does handle most of them, say 80% but we want to see that go to 100%! 

 

We are seeing some "good" movement and we want to see more!  I love when she moves just one hand/arm.  When she moves them together, that is not good, that is like basic brain stem activities.  But she does move them independently and I love that!

 

Last night we didn't have a nurse and Selah decided to be all awake at midnight!   She kept lifting her head off the pillow even though I told her it was night night time:)  She was moving all around in bed, her shoulders and even her feet some.  I was glad to see it, but was afraid she didn't feel good.  It seems like she was just moving ....:)  that is also good.  Tonight we have a nurse, she can move all she wants LOL.  When I'm by myself, I worry if I'm not watching her.....

 

So we continue on this adventure...please pray for Selah, pray that God will  heal her!!!

 

 

PS.  if you've wondered about my neck/shoulder/back pain....I've been meaning to tell you.....  I started using a travel pillow, those ones shaped like a U and it seems to help by holding my neck in place while I sleep.  I've had much less pain in the last month, still have to watch it but it might have just been the way I slept on it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 14 HBOT

This morning at HBOT I had a great discussion with another parent.  I like talking to people who are interesting and can discuss various points without being a pain LOL.   Anyhow we were discussing different aspects of Christianity.  His background is similar to mine, in some ways.  We discussed healing and our thoughts on it.....just had an interesting talk.  Then we somehow started talking about God's peace....that true deep peace....the peace that holds you when your world falls apart....it was really uplifting to talk to another traveler on a road similar to our road who knew about THAT peace, the kind that truly passes all understanding......

That conversation just reminded me of what a treasure we have in the wonderful peace....nothing can take it away from us.  When life is hard, when you get bad news, when you wonder if your child will live and what kind of life that child will have, when you are in a hospital, ....there is still a peace that circumstances can not take away from you if you know the Giver of peace.....

While I would never ever chose to go through many things I've gone through....especially the last year of my life, what a amazing thing to realize that the peace of God that you've talked about, and sang about is REAL!!!  You can't manufacture it, you can't pull on emotions, you can't fake it....but if you have that peace, there is nothing, nothing that can truly touch you. 

It's is so real, it transcends the circumstances of life.....

Oh I cried, shook and even threw up...but in the core of my being was a peace that I could tangibly feel.  It's hard to understand but if you would have asked me the night before if I could have handled what was to come, I would have said NO!   But God and his wonderful peace was there for me in the worst hours of my life.  I am so grateful to God for the peace He gives....

There is nothing in this world, no sin, no riches, no gains, that can ever replace that incredible peace of God.  If you don't have it, repent and ask God to give you that peace and He is faithful to do that.....
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Keep praying for Selah as we start her last week of HBOT.  We are hoping to see some big results.  She has been quiet since Thursday but the hope is the new brain cells are growing.......with all the oxygen she gets.

Day 13 HBOT "Training up a Child"

Happy Saturday!  Selah is still have a quieter time than I want her to have but that is usually how things go, a step forward and then a stop.  I have hope this is just a resting period for her.  One BIG thing I noticed today is she is not so stiff when I carry her.  Generally our day nurse or Steve carries Selah for me but with Jon and the boys gone today, I had to carry her.  usually she feels like a piece of wood, not today!!!  She felt soft and sank into me, it was precious!!!   Our weekend nurse said the same thing, that Selah "felt different".  I know that sounds funny but hey, we are happy with every little change!  Please keep praying for Selah!!!!

Jon is taking the boys to Night of Joy at Disney.  It's a Christian concert with several groups playing.  This is the first time Shad has gone to Night of Joy and he is so excited.  It runs late, so I'm hoping he can stay up for it!  But I'm sure the excitement will keep him up.  He loves Disney. 

Today I was just thinking of things.... (yes I'm about to get meddling)  The bible talks about "raising your child up in the way they should go so when they are older they won't depart from it."  Jon and I took that command very serious, since the day we became parents.  I'm not saying we are perfect, not at all but I am saying we have tried our best to raise the kids right and to live right in front of them.  You can take your kids to church,  send them to a private school, take them to Christian concerts  but if you don't walk the Christian walk daily in front of your kids, then you are not raising your child right. 

I was raised very strict in a Pentecostal family.  Jon was raised a lot less strict as far as spiritual things went.  I saw a lot of craziness, Jon's family was very Ozzie & Harriet type (which I love!)  He was allowed to go to movies, dances, whatever where I was not allowed to do any of that.  It was all "worldly"   So in raising our kids, we've allowed them a lot more freedom than I ever had while still not as loose as Jon was raised.  If we tell them "no" to something, we give them a real reason.  We never want to be legalistic but we also want to honor God in our lives. 

Stephen is such a rock, he doesn't even want to do things that we feel are questionable.  Maybe because he has some freedom and we talk about stuff, he isn't even interested in doing some things.  He has always been such an adult.

When I was a teen, we all wanted to know "how far could we go and still be a Christian"  That was the topic of many discussions....   What I learned over the years is it's not how far you can go and still be a Christian, it's "how close can you get to God"  

There are things that don't tempt me, or call to me...  I don't want it in my life.  I don't want to be dirtied with it.  And more than anything I want to be a good example to my kids. 

I've seen plenty of Christians and even ministers who didn't live it out day to day.  I have friends who have scars from their upbringing.....  

One thing Jon and I have always said "what you see in public is what you'd see in private"  We have nothing to hide....  The way we act together in front of folks is exactly how we act together when no one is around....  I've seen way too many minsters' family where it all was just one big act...I hate that!  That is so not us, we are really honest and open. 

Parents, have standards, hold those standards up during hard times and in every day life.  Don' waver....  Believe the bible, every word of it and teach it to your kids.  Live it out in front of them. 

My kids have seen me get angry, but they've also seen me apologize.  I'm not saying you have to be perfect, but you have to walk it out.

Don't bring filth into your home!  We have cable but we have about 20 channels completely blocked on all our TVs.  Then we also have anything over PG blocked on the other channels.  We've lived like this for years.  I don't even know the code anymore to unblock them LOL cause there is NOTHING for me to watch that my kids couldn't watch!   If something is on that I don't want my kids to watch, I'm not going to watch it either! 

I'll tell you the funniest story.  When we were at the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester last year, one night my husband went to go get Steve & Shad for something.  As he walked in to the basement TV room, he saw that MTV was on and the lights were off.  There was someone sitting on the couch with his back to my husband.  Jon said loudly "we do NOT watch MTV"  the person ignored him for a moment then as Jon said "we do not watch MTV" a second time, as the person fumbled to change the channel.  Jon flipped on the light, ready to give a lecture....and it was NOT his son sitting there LOL  Unfortunately it was a teenage father of a newborn......  Jon did laugh and apologized, he explained he thought the boys were in the basement.   The funny thing is the guy was scrambling to turn the channel LOL   (BTW I think RMH deleted some channels too)   That was a huge joke to us, even know we laugh about it.  Steve was somewhat offended and said he wouldn't have had MTV on anyhow! 

We don't buy DVD's that have any sexual content, or nudity or filthy language....it's just not something we crave to see.  And don't tell me that "that's just life"  funny thing, I've never sat and watched a couple have sex in real life, why should I watch a tv version of it????  Think about it....


We don't buy any filthy cd's.  The worst we have is some Johnny Cash, some 70's music....we aren't going to have our kids' minds filled up with ungodly things. 

Our boys have video games and we keep an eye on those too.  I don't like ANY video games, but we all reach a compromise on them.  That is the ONE thing I wish had never come into our home.  Not that my kids have anything bad....it just sucks their minds right out of their skulls!

Am I telling you this to tell you how holy we are?  No I am sharing with you our convictions based on the word of God.  You have one chance to raise your kids....raise them in the fear and admonition  of the Lord ~ I promise you will not regret it. 

With Steve turning 18 years old next month, I've done some looking back...I don't have too many regrets, but I do wish video games had never come to our house.  I wish I'd spent more time praying with and for him, I wish I would have encouraged him to read the Bible more....those are my only regrets.  I find it very hard to pray out loud even in front of my kids but when he was little I used to read Psalms 1 to him all the time.... 

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
² But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
⁴ The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
⁶ For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

I prayed this over him that he be a godly man....we didn't want him to be in the counsel of the ungodly or stand around with the sinners or sit with the scornful..... Can you see the progression of sin...First you are walking with the ungodly, then you are standing around hanging out with them then you sit down with them.....  

Some people would say that in keeping our kids in private school or homeschooling them we were "protecting them from the world"  You are right, we have and will continue to do so.  If you ever plant a tree, you don't just plant it and leave it, you usually put up a stand around it or you put poles beside and tie it to the poles to give it some strength in the winds and storms....   That is how we see our job as a parent, to protect our children till they are old and strong enough to stand on their own spiritually.  

My kids have seen PLENTY Of the real world...we are pretty open with them.   They've seen the outcome of sin in people's lives.  They've seen men in prison (yes we have taken our kids into the prison) they have seen broken people in our church or people we have gone to their homes.  They have seen broken families....  They've visited nursing homes, they've been in orphanages, been to funerals and to visit the sick in the hospital, they've done outreaches in the inner city, they've seen people ravaged by drugs and alcohol. .....  They've dealt with all of our LIFE that we've walked out in front of them.  I'm pretty sure they have a good idea of what real LIFE is.....  Real life isn't singing some stupid rap song with a million cuss words in it. 

Don't be afraid to tell kids what sin is and warn them to stay away from it.  Some folks say "well I'll just let them decide things on their own"  WHAT?  You are going to let kids decide their spiritual fate on their own?  That is crazy talk!  That's like saying I'll just let them eat cake every day and I'll let them decide when they want something else.... or I'll let them decide IF they want to go to school.......Of course you wouldn't' do something so stupid.  If you believe the bible, you need to be sharing it with your kids.  If you see something on the news, don't just shake your head and say the world is just going to hell in a hand basket....explain to your children WHY that is mentioned in the Word of God and how we should respond as Christians.

Don't worry about being your kids' best friend...be their parent....

And let me tell you all with older teens and young adult kids, don't wink at sin and accept it in your child's life.  If your child is involved with someone, why in the world would you let them move back into your house with their live in boy/girlfriend..... I see people do that and I just shake my head.....  Love your kid, no matter what, but don't make it easy for your child to be involved in sinful activities.

I say all the time, that I know we can not control what our kids do when they are older BUT we can control how hard we make it for them to do wrong things.   My kids might end up in a mess BUT they will have to go through me to do it!  I would stand in their way and oppose it all the way....so would Jon.  I'd love them every second, but I would never just shrug my shoulders and accept something.   I see too much acceptance in the church world today, no one wants to offend anyone.... the bible teaches us to encourage each other to do good works and to avoid sin.   

I've often thought what I'd do if one of the boys got into drugs or alcohol, we've told them from when they first heard of such things that if we ever even suspected it, we'd have them in a program so quick they wouldn't know what hit them.  Having worked with individuals with those issues for so many years (both Jon and I ) we have our eyes wide open. 

I'm not one of those parents who thinks that their sweet children could never do wrong....I think everyone has the potential to do wrong, I believe in original sin....LOL  Shoot I know myself and what I'm capable of so why would I think differently about anyone else???  I have been quite amazed at myself at various times so ......

Tonight I feel like I should share this.  Maybe it will help one family......



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Duck Dynasty's newest member Uncle Sam!

 

 

 

Day 12 HBOT

Today has been a NORMAL one, no calls from the Governor or the Speaker of the House, no hordes of reporters wanting to talk to us...LOL  just me and the boys at the grocery store!   Life back to "normal" at our house.  I can truly say I slept GREAT last night:)  It was a blessing not to have this insurance fight hanging over our heads.  I am so grateful to everyone who was involved in this fight for us....but I'm most thankful to God for this victory. 


I  really hope you can view the videos, my friend put them on YouTube so if you want to go to my last blog to open them, I think you can. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME3CcBfa-BU&feature=youtu.be


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjjMM3h6pF8&feature=youtu.be



Today Selah worked her mouth like she has been doing but didn't lift her head as many times.  In fact she napped a lot, yesterday was a BIG day for all of us and I think she was tired.  She is doing great, no issues at all. 

Friday is like a weekend for us, since Jon is off on Fridays.  He did all his visitation for the church last Monday so today was a chill out day for us:)  He took Selah and our nurse to therapy and back and I had the fun of grocery shopping. 

Another friend of mine shared a dream she had where Selah woke up....  I love that everyone dreams about her waking up and being healed:)  There were times when it hurt when I dreamed that happened because it seemed so impossible....but I have more hope again....



Thought these pictures would be funny.   This first one is today's Tampa Bay Times....Jon and Selah are on the top right hand side (sorry the picture didn't turn)  and Putin is the big picture.  We were cracking up when Jon noticed that he and Selah were on the same page as Putin:) 

 

 

 

 

This is the spider that lives in my honeysuckle bush.  she/he is huge and had spun a web, probably 18 ft tall, from the bush up to the phone line.  Unreal.  I love stuff like this, we watched him as long as we could last night but the mosquitoes were getting us, so we wished the spider good luck and went inside!

 

 

 

Then when I went inside, Sarah had crawled up on the couch and was asleep:)  She always likes to fall asleep in the living room with everyone in there so most nights she crashes on the floor.  But I guess she figured out the couch felt better than the floor! 

 

Sarah has always been the happiest and easiest child in the world.  I have never been able to go and put her to bed until she was asleep.  Not that she wouldn't' go, she rarely cries, but I think of all the nights she was alone....tied to a bed.... and want her to be with us as long as possible.  She is quite happy to be with us also. 

 

I love my sweet Sarah Joy....

 

 

 

Please keep praying for Selah!!!   I feel like things are happening inside her little mind.  Please pray this HBOT will work for her.....  Thank you for all the kind and happy comments!!!!!!  

 

New Selah Videos... on Youtube!

Hopefully you can all see these!

The first one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME3CcBfa-BU&feature=youtu.be


And the second one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjjMM3h6pF8&feature=youtu.be