Cabin life

 

Starting this with pictures from yesterday after church....

 

yes we were all wearing black/white/gray

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a nice drive up to our cabin. 

Isn't it beautiful?

 

 

 

 

the wrap around porch is the BEST!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our room bed not too comfy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Fanning  Springs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The springs run out to the Suwanee River where we kayaked all afternoon.  Already having trouble getting my arms muscles to do what I tell them to do LOL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are just photos from early this morning.  I'm at a McDonalds about 10 miles from our cabin as my friend runs to the store so I didn't have time to download more

 

Steve is kayaking with his friends on the Suwannee River tonight....UGH!  Scary for mom but they wear life vests and are having such a good time.

 

 

I never had had a chance to use the kayaks till today.  LOVE using it, so much easier than a canoe.  My arms are about to fall off but I loved it!  That is what I want for Christmas or Mother's Day, my own kayak!  Wasn't sure if I'd tackle the Suwanee River but I did and loved it.  Our friends also had a sailboat, we've had so much fun!

 

We're staying at a State campground, the cabins are wonderful.  Our close friends are here and we are running back and to each other's cabins, eating and lots of exercising and exploring all over the park and the woods!  This is the BEST kind of camping!!!!  

 

 

 

More pictures to come, things are great.  Checking on Selah she is doing fine. 

Flags

Lately I've been reading quite a few books about WWII and the history of the world from the late 1800's- through the 1980's.  Ok I'm totally a geek.  I love to read mysteries for relaxing but I do not want my mind to go to mush!  Some books have been more tedious than others but it's eye opening.

I finally read about the battle ground that we visited in Ukraine.  We traveled by van through some rough roads and up a small mountain to get to the battle ground that stretched as far as the eye could see.  I appreciated it then, but really did not know the historical value as I do now.  I also caught some footage of that battle on the Military channel a few nights ago.  That was exciting to me.

 

I'm going to write something that may cause folks throw a shoe at their computer but.....

 

When I wrote about adoption the other day and how I was for all kinds of adoptions but against anything that reeked of requiring adoptive kids and parents to be of the same ethnic/race background just to "preserve" culture, I mentioned how I don't think of myself as an American FIRST!  I got some agreeing responses on that statement.

 

I LOVE America and appreciate the freedoms we have been given.  I'm thankful that we as a nation have escaped so much cruelty that most of the world has had to endure.  We've been safe in our homes, we've never had to leave because of foreign armies taking over, we've been blessed.  I tear up when I hear "God Bless America" or "America the Beautiful"  But I am not primarily an American citizen. 

 

One thing that drives me batty is to have an American flag inside of a church.  I don't' mind it so much when a church has many flags displayed of many countries.  Then it's like a reminder that all nations should hear of God and all nations will stand before God one day.  But when JUST an American flag is promoted in a church.  That makes me so uncomfortable. 

 

WHY?  Because Christianity is NOT just an American religion.  Jesus didn't die for the "red, white and blue" 

 

Many people don't understand but everything in a church should point to Christ not to a country.  Think about it for a minute, what if you were in another country , say a communistic country and you went into an underground church.  Do you think they would have their countries flag promoted? 

 

In churches, even the placement of the furniture points to God and to what that church believes.  Take the pulpit, in a Protestant church the altar is between the pews and the pulpit symbolizing that the people can approach God on their own.  In a Catholic church the altar is behind the pulpit symbolizing that the people must go through the priest to get to God. 

 

So my point is, things in a church should focus on God and God alone.

 

When we stand before God, we won't be holding an American flag, a Russian flag, a Chinese flag, an Ukraine flag or any other type of flag.  We won't be singing "America the Beautiful" Or  "God Save the Queen"   We will be singing songs of praise to the King of Kings!

 

So having an American flag in a church really bothers me.  As I've traveled overseas, I've never been in a church that had just a flag of their country displayed in their sanctuary.  I did go to an International church once that had the flag of many nations displayed to represent all the countries that were worshipping together.  But I think the idea of equating your own country with God is an uniquely American thing. 

 

And that's what bothers me, it seems to equate God and America as being hand in hand. 

 

I'm so NOT anti-American please know that.  Every time I've ever gotten back from any other country I've been THRILLED to be back in America!   America has been blessed by God and for many years we had a strong moral backbone.  We were never perfect but we were a heck of a lot closer to perfect than any other major country I know of!  We've had our shortcomings.....BUT  people still line up to try and get into America.  I've seen it at the Ukraine and Chinese embassies. 

 

BUT America is not eternal.   American is not "God's chosen nation"  So when churches proudly display an American flag inside their sanctuary, maybe they need to think about what statement they are making.....

 

Now ask me about immigration.  I'm so NOT for open borders, not in this day and age!  I believe in  a proper immigration process.  I don't believe in giving citizenship to illegals no matter where they originated from.....  My three kids had to go through the process (in fact Shad is still going through the process as I brought him home by myself and that has been a pain!) 

 

OK now that I've ticked off everyone.......

 

 

We're having a good Saturday morning, the kids are still asleep:)   We're going to pack today and get ready to hit the woods tomorrow!  Have a good weekend!

 



Good School Meeting

Sarah and Selah's school meeting went good today.  I was really hoping the spirit of cooperation I was beginning to feel with this new group was true.  After speaking with the group, I don't believe the one evaluator was speaking for everyone.  So we had a good meeting and the children start their services the week after Thanksgiving.  There are still some evaluations to be done for Selah but at least the core part will start.   I think it will be good for the children but boy will that keep me busy!  I'm still annoyed by all that has happened but I'm glad that they will be getting services! 

After everything I went and got a pedicure today!  Yeah Me!  I could have fallen asleep in the chair!  I don't get manicures anymore since I have almost knawed MY hands off over the past few months!  It's awful, I go through cycles in biting my nails.  Sometimes I stop for years at a time....before the last few months I had stopped for several years and didn't even wear fake nails.  BUT one night since we've been home, I sat up with Selah back when she was so sick all the time and before I knew it, I had slaughtered my hands!  It's such a nasty habit. But at least I can't reach my toe nails LOL!

Sam is doing great, he is taking his afternoon nap and just seems back to himself.  So thankful we decided to put him on something to help him take the edge of anxiety.  Even his body feels more relaxed when I hold him. 

Sarah is doing fine, taking her meds like a pro, still pooping like crazy....hopefully these meds will kill the bugs!

Selah had her last session of HBOT this morning.  We have not seen any new changes but are still hopeful.  Even if nothing new changes, I'm glad we tried it.  I would recommend the HBOT office here to anyone.  They are very professional. 

Well the Thanksgiving break has started for us:)  My hubby is off from now until the Sunday after Thanksgiving (except for doing the prison and church service this Sunday morning.   We will be going to a cabin in North Florida some next week.  We will leave Selah with our nurses but be back in time for Thanksgiving.  I'm so thankful we have nursing staff that I trust with my daughter.  Our funny day nurse is even feeding the animals!  We are blessed:)  Well actually the animals are blessed cause I had forgotten about them and he offered to do it!  And no I'm not worried about anyone breaking in while we are gone, our nurses are here, we have a security system and neighbors who watch over our place:)  And by neighbors who watch over our place, I mean neighbors who believe FULLY in the Second Amendment  LOL  Looking forward to spending time with our family and some good friends.   There is no internet, no tv, nothing....but there is a McDonald's about 10 miles away with internet access in case it is needed:)   I plan on taking long walks, lots of pictures and just relaxing.....there is a seafood restaurant in that area that I've wanted to eat at for years.  Looking forward to some good Southern seafood.  

I love the woods.  I can stay out all day as long as I know I can take a shower at the end of the day and have a clean bed to sleep in.  I am NOT interested in tent camping....NOPE not me!  But this cabin in a state park sounds good to me.  The area is known for Manatees so we are hopeful that we will see some.  My aunts used to tell me about going there when they were children and young adults and I have never stopped at the park even tho I've passed it many times.  There are several state parks in the area that we may check out and we are near the Suwannee River.  Really looking forward to going and I'm glad that one of my BFFs pushed me to rent a cabin like they are doing.  We are all going to have good times for sure!  The cabins are nice, they sleep six so we'll have plenty of room, 2 bedrooms.  There are only 5 cabins there and no tent camping so at night the woods will be dark and we hope to see some critters!  I can't help but smile as I think about next week, it will be EPIC!

We keep a family pass to the Florida State Parks and try to go to as many as we can.  Not too far from us is Hillsborough State Park one of the nicest ones.  It is one of my favorite places on earth and so beautiful.  We go there a lot over the year.  When I'm walking the trail, especially when it's empty of people, I feel myself relaxing. 

Hope everyone has a great start to their weekend!

A Clean House and another RANT!

Just finished cleaning my house from top to bottom.  I have to laugh, before when we didn't have any kids, and when we just had Steve, I cleaned the whole house every Saturday because it was so "dirty"  LOL...I had NO idea....NONE!   Now I'm lucky to be able to do that once a month.  But there is nothing better to me than a clean house.  for some reason it fills me with such satisfaction, nothing can match the feeling.  I definitely have the opposite disorder from Hoarding!   Once my house is cleaned, drawers organized, closets neat, toilet cleaned, I can conquer mountains!  But when my house is messy, I can't do anything!  People say they don't mind a messy or dirty house, and I can not relate!  If the house is messy or dirty I feel like my whole life is!  When it is disorganized, my whole life is disorganized.  It's weird and I'm sure there is some diagnosis for it BUT I'm glad I have this particular syndrome because there is a cure for it...a CLEAN house LOL!

Really like all the remarks I got from my last blog.  When I write my opinion, I'm never sure what the reaction will be, will I be blasted?  Will others agree?  It was so much easier when no one read my blog, I could write what I wanted and no one knew !!!   HaHa!  I tend to be a little opinionated...LOL 

Sam has been a lot more himself and he is back to taking naps in the afternoon!  I really think this pill is helping his anxiety!  I love that he is taking naps and being able to relax.  He has always enjoyed a late afternoon nap, then to get up and eat supper, take a bath and go back to bed....sounds good huh?  This is the second day he is back into that rhythm, he did it even when we were in NY.  He had just quit taking the naps just in the last few months when his anxiety level climbed.  I'm thankful for this return to a peaceful afternoon for him again! 

Selah has one last HBOT session tomorrow morning.  We have seen no change but the staff told us the first time to look for change 4-6 weeks AFTER treatment was finished.  Hopefully we will still see some change, please pray for her!


Sarah is doing good taking her medicine.  Such a good girl to take 4 meds 2x a day!  Tonight she was starting to wise up and turned from me, but I kept playing with her and she took it!  Haven't really seen a change in her pooping either.


Our nurse was kidding me with all of them taking meds, I should just line them up and pour it in!

Tomorrow morning we have a meeting for Sarah for services from the public school system....none of the kids have YET to have any services but we have had plenty of meetings.  Today I was told that I have an "adversarial " reputation with the school board.  Really?  Me?  I thought that was quite funny as I have showed them WAY more Grace than I should have regarding getting services started for my three little ones! 

We have been home since last January......I've turned in things, things have been lost., people have changed....I was told that the time they have missed will be made up, I hope so.  They are very out of compliance and I have a feeling that tomorrow's meeting might not go quickly as the Speech evaluator told me she is only recommending THREE hours a week for all THREE children together....  (Sam used to get 3 hours of speech just for himself)  Oh and by the way, JUST because Sarah spent the first 5.5 years of her life in a Russian speaking country, has little to nothing to do with her delays NOW!  She cited the fact because Sarah has such an "intelligential delay" that it really didn't matter what she heard for 5.5 years.... She was a crabby lady and kept reminding me she would not be giving the services to the children for which I am eternally grateful LOL!    So just so everyone knows there is NO way I will agree to 3 hours of instruction for them together as they have hugely differing needs!!!  In fact I usually do not take the little ones into Selah's room just in case they could be getting sick or carrying a germ.  Selah has been so well, we don't have anyone in her room that doesn't need to be there, just in case....


I just get so annoyed...  I tell this story to everyone when I'm dealing with the school system.

 First, my other kids have gone to only two private schools, one where we used to live and one here in our town and I have NEVER had to have any big meeting to deal with anything.  I got along great with both schools and participated in whatever I could and loved the folks teaching my kids.  So I don't have a reputation of being a "trouble maker".  Between Shad and Steve they have a total of 16 years of schooling (not counting the home schooling I did last year with both of them, even in that I was working with their school) so somehow I don't think it is me with the problem! 

 Secondly I was a probation officer/supervisor  for all together 13 years...I got the services my people on probation needed.  And I did it in a timely manner.  For many I tried to get them extra services , things not court ordered in order to help them out or their families.  I wasn't a saint but it was my job and I did it because it was the right thing to do!  And I was helping CRIMINALS, not little handicapped kids!   HOWEVER in my years of trying to get the services my son and now my girls need from the public school system, it has never ever been like that.  People seem to go out of their way to make things difficult.  I tell this story all the time and I'm sure some who hear it roll their eyes but I don't understand WHY the school system wouldn't be breaking down my door to help us out!  I know I would if I did their jobs!  

I had a little hope that I was dealing with all new folks ( evidently the school board moved a bunch of folks around) but I was told today that basically even this group of folks consider me adversarial in spite of me showing them some grace despite them being so far out of compliance that it is not even funny!  Really I have been so burdened down with the new respondsibiites I have that no one has seen what adversarial looks like with me!  LOL  But have no doubt, I can show them!

So the time frame thus far has been....

The "rehab" sent Selah's records and ALL she needed to the public school system in January.  They told me she was ready for everything to be put in places and services started once we got home....This is now November.... (btw the way I told the perky happy lady we were working with NOT to count on anything being in place LOL  guess I was right!)

Then after we got home and the dust settled, I called the SB and found that Sam had been withdrawn from school on August 20 (just FIVE days after the accident) and the notation was that he would be attending school in another state.....WHAT?  On August 20, 2012 the only thing we were focused on was Selah and if she would live, I certainly can swear to the fact I did not ask nor did I agree to him being withdrawn.  And we never at any point has any plans of enrolling him in another state!


So we were told he'd have to be restaffed all over again....everything....even tho he'd been "served" by the SB since he was 3 years old.   (so about 6 years)

So...as I am dealing with LIFE and a very sick little girl in a coma (this was back when Selah was in and out of the hospital weekly at times)  I make an appointment to have a psychological evaluation for Sarah and Selah.  I got a copy of Sarah's, for Selah they came in and looked at her, I've never gotten a copy, never seen anything on it.....

At that meeting in I think early May, I turn in everything to them to register all the kids again.  I gave them THREE folders of things.  I was told I needed to give a copy of Selah and Sarah's birth certificates...

Then school is out...summer is here....August comes and I wait for a call....and wait...so I call.  No one knows what to tell me.

I am told no one can find all the kids registration paperwork....so I do it AGAIN- this is the third time for Selah and second time for Sam and Sarah IF you are counting!!!!  I believe I drop it off at the school in early September....and we still wait.....  OH and the vision teacher just had to get me to contact Dr A's office AGAIN for another copy of Sam's last eye report as it was NOT in his folder!  I brought the report home with me from NY...turned it in....then had to contact them AGAIN to get a copy and now I had to get a THRID copy......  CRAZY!!!!!

Can you see why I might be annoyed?   And that is not even taking into account our history with the school board!  I had a "teacher" walk Sam around a school with a rope tied around his waist like a dog after being told NOT to do that....oh and the school has huge floor to ceiling windows in most classrooms.....  so anyone looking out could have seen this......wonder why I might not be happy?  This is the same "teacher" that brought Sam back to me with a big red mark across his face and couldn't or wouldn't tell me how Sam got the mark....we "fired" that teacher!  But he didn't get in any trouble with the SB that I know of.   Just one thing after another where I have no trust and not much hope in the public school system.   At one point they had a person over the homebound who had a history of being a failed principal of a school that got a F  6 years in a row!!  That person was a "gem" to deal with I can tell you that! 

I am thankful that our insurance covers the kids' therapy because that has been consistent and wonderful.  I comfort myself with the fact that at least they get that and we know how to work with them thanks to wonderful therapists we've had since Sam was a baby.  I've learned so many things that I can use in a day to day situation.   We had services for Sam from Lighthouse for the Blind from birth till he was 6 years old.  The last day his wonderful teacher came, I sobbed on her shoulder as she left!  She was awesome!  The service he got from Lighthouse was awesome and basically they taught me everything I know about blind kids !  We were so lucky to have the same teacher come out for Sarah from the week we got home from Ukraine until the week we left for NY.....  Sarah turned 6 years old when we were in NY so she wasn't eligible anymore:(  Lighthouse expects the school system to take over until the child is an adult and then they have adult related services for them.  They do some teen programs and camps too but not weekly therapy. 

Right now we have a wonderful PT who has a life goal of seeing Sarah walk on her own.  The PT is experienced and just perfect!   I know Sarah has had a lot of growth but I can not help but believe it was our PT who works with her tirelessly that has helped Sarah to achieve so many gross motor skills.  Just today I saw Sarah put her foot on the ladder to the highest slide.  She climbed up and did the slide with just the slightest help.  She has also recently learned how to put herself in the swing.  She walks out with her walker, gets turned around and as long as we hold the swing, she grabs the rope and hops her little butt right into it!  I need to video tape it and put it on here!!!  The first time she did it, I almost cried!  It still blows me away.  Sam can't totally get himself into the swing and he doesn't use a walker!

Anyhow forgive my rant.....I probably use my blog too much as a diary at times! 

Please pray for a family in our town who I just heard about.  They are in the process of bringing their dying 8 year old child home from the hospital.  We hope to be able to do something for the family, maybe send them Thanksgiving dinner or some gift cards....  please pray for this family, we have walked through some dark valleys but this is not something I have had to face.  I can't imagine how heartbroken they must be, I hope we can do something to lighten their load!

Thoughts on Adoption

I read an article that really disturbed me.  Have you read the book "Kisses By Kate"?  It is about a young girl who moved to Uganda and started working with  children and their families.  She ended up adopting about a dozen girls.  Kate is only about 25 years old.  I loved the book, loved her story and I think posted about it. 

http://www.redletterchristians.org/now-red-carpet-katie-davis/?utm_source=amazima&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Facebook

I read the above article today, it is an interview with Kate.  What bothered me so much was her thoughts on adoption.  It's funny as adoption has caught on more and more in the adoption community there are many "camps".  Some are for international adoption, some are for foster care adoption, some only know the American adoption of a perfect white baby....some believe they should adopt from moms who were going to abort the baby....etc and etc.....

ME?  I'm for any and every kind of adoption.....doesn't matter to me!  BUT I have to say this having been overseas and seen orphanages and mental instiutions....it made me VERY thankful for the American foster care system, flawed as it may be, it usually beats the heck out of an orphanage!  But what really beats it all is a FAMILY!

So this article seems to be advocating more for families to move to a child's country in order NOT to take the child from its' heritage IF they were going to adopt an international child.....ok I have no problem with this.  I LOVED Ukraine and would have been blessed to have moved there.  Not so much to keep Sarah and Selah's roots there, but to reach out to the country.  I have friends who do foster care for children in another country, they moved their to take care of special needs kids...

The thing I have a BIG problem with is making anything legalistic!  Let me tell you, neither China nor Ukraine cared much about my children.  All three had been mistreated,.....  Obviously my girls don't understand that they now live in another country but they do understand they have a family, they are fed, they are clean, they are content.  While Shad has a greater understanding, to him China is interesting and he'd like to go back and see it one day but it seems like he is interested in it like I am in my hometown....it doesn't define who I am today as China does not define Shad.  Is it worth it to the child to keep them somewhere that is not meeting their needs ONLY to give them a glismpe of their culture?  I don't think any of my kids saw much of their culture except for the four walls of the institutions. 

As a Christian I do not think of myself very strongly as an American....I LOVE the USA but one day my nationality will not matter in the least.  In heaven we all will stand before God, every tongue and every tribe of people and He will be our ruler and our king, not some earthly king with earthly boundaries......

In the American adoption system many whites have been denied being allowed to adopt black children that they loved and often had fostered because "they couldn't give the child the same culture"  So even tho they could give the child a family and let the child define who he was, they were denied that. 

I do not want to see a silly movement start in the adoption community like that!  I posted this article on my FB wall and my friends went nuts on it.  One who is an adoptive mom and is in the process of adopting RIGHT now said " I also want to know realistically how we could earn a living in the foreign countries our discarded children are from as we do not speak the language and my law degree is not recognized there... PLUS the medical resources here in the US are CRITICAL for so many of our sn adopted children...finally my soon to be adopted 11yo daughter has not had ONE SINGLE VISITOR (biological relative or otherwise) in her entire 11 years in an orphanage (relinquished at birth)....WHY should I keep her near a "family"/culture which found her disposable and where she would more than likely end up as a trafficked teen (since she is a lovely girl)????? Like you, I strongly disagree with Katie on this...she is making blanket statements that do not apply in other parts of the world/orphan situations..."


That is the problem, making blanket statements in the adoption world is hard.  It would have been great if my three children would have been loved and taken care of by their family BUT their families discarded them! 

Some adoptive parents have very positive feelings toward the birth families...I do NOT!  In fact I am very angry at them for the various things my kids had to endure before we found them.  In writing this, I realize that it is possible that my children's birth families may read my blog.  I have no idea but I have anger towards them for the things that happened to the children.  I realize they could have had things against them but you know what,?  It doesn't fly with me!  When Sam was born, our whole life changed but I stayed by his side and could have never given him away.  With Sarah her "mother" would not even touch her....that makes me mad!  So don't get a rosy picture in your mind that her family did the unselfish thing and put her in an orphanage so she would be taken care of.....nothing rosy there!  Shad, smiling Shad was left on the side of the road because somehow after birth his eye got damaged.  So the parents let a child get hurt (and believe me I know things happen that you can't control or didn't plan for BUT.....) and then was put  out like trash....  That would have been like abandoning Selah after the accident.....

Would I ever want to meet my kids birth families?  I would, I can't help but be curious about them.  But I would tell them how I felt about what happened.  I believe in redemption but I would want them to understand what their children endured.   Could I forgive them on the behalf of my children?  yes I'm sure I could but right now it is hard for me. 

I'm all for other nationals whether it is in the US or any other country adopting their nations children.  That's great!  But if a child is forced to live in an orphanage or mental institution.....let any family come and get that child!  Race and culture do not matter to me that much.

Education may work in the loooooooong run but right now we have an orphan crises on our hands.  Educate nations to love their children, to protect their children, to take care of special needs kids....but right now find families.....for the ones who are alone, no one to care for them..... I bet the great majority of children would much rather have a loving family than worry about their culture.  Don't get me wrong, I'm very interested in China and Ukraine.  I'm actually reading a history book about WWII and it really goes in to detail about Ukraine and China's roles in the battles and in that gives a lot of history of the countries as it pertains to the 20th century.  We buy videos about both countries to have for the kids and for us to know and understand about their countries.  I know that is not the same as being in the country but we do honor and pay special attention to the kids' countries....

In the interview Kate begins with saying International adoption is good in some situations but then she goes to say "I think education is the key here. I don’t think any well meaning, God-seeking family would ever intentionally take a child from his or her biological family if it were not necessary, but unfortunately we do not always have all the facts, especially in the case of international adoption. I would encourage people to ask lots of questions and educate themselves before pursuing adoption of any kind. Jesus is pleased when we love others well, in the compassionate and sacrificial way that He loved us. This can happen in the form of adoption, but in can also happen in many other ways, including that of keeping families together even when it is difficult. "

She is dealing with children where poverty may be the only reason keeping them from their families....that is SO NOT the situation in many many cases.  That paragraph made me mad...we did have ALL the facts that pertained to our children's situation and it was SAD!  I know many many who have adopted and they had all the facts too....basically their children were discarded by their "birth" families.  I realize there maybe people out there who are "baby trafficking" but guess what?  They don't usually have blind babies to traffic, or delayed children.  My girls reports were detailed...also what was detailed was neither of them had any visitors for all the years they lived in orphanages/mental institutions.....  NOT ONE!    There are a very few children who do have a visitor, maybe a parent, maybe a grandmother.....but not my girls.   The paperwork was very telling....it stated NO Ukrainians visited child...it specified that no one from Ukraine visited my girls ever....combined total of almost 10 years.....so no I don't think they were cared for or about.....



So I don't think Kate is a bad person, I still respect her and what she does  I believe in supporting her ministry and would encourage anyone reading to do so!  She is young and sometimes it's easy to want to imagine a perfect world....      I believe in helping to keep families together and doing what I can for children who aren't adopted.  We sponsor a little girl in Ukraine.   There will always be orphans who need families....even if half of the orphans in the world could return to their families...there would still be millions....estimates are as high as 210 MILLION orphans.....even if it got down to just one million....there would still be more orphans than families stepping up.....

I just hate to see yet another splinter in the adoption/orphan care world!  Why can't we all do all we can in the areas God has put us and still encourage others in their areas????

So let me make the record straight here, I believe in every kind of legal adoption!  thank God for the ones who adopt kids from foster care in their home countries, thank God for those who adopt perfect little white babies, thank God for those who adopt international older kids, thank God for those who adopt "normal non handicapped kids both foreign and abroad", thank God for those who adopt children who would have otherwise been aborted, thank God for those who adopt special needs kids.....thank God for programs that help families stay together....it's all GOOD!!  Don't attack or minimize or belittle/look down upon any of it!  And whatever you do, do not put stumbling blocks in front of others.  Don't start taking on "worldly" ideas that certain children are better with people just like them.....to me that is horrible! 

If a family's situation can be solved by education and help then that is great...but the parents have to WANT to be educated and be helped if they can not hold the family together for whatever reason.   In my part of the adoption world, I do not see many families who care.

And I will put a disclaimer here....the writer/interviewer could have skewed answers and not included the whole conversation.....but again my thing is to embrace each other and what the other is doing, not to put up any walls! 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok finished my rant.....still love Kate.....Go read her book, you will too!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Went and got all FOUR of Sarah's meds, one was one that is not common so it had to be hunted down, so I had to drive to another town to get it but the pharmacy was across the street from a wonderful thrift store that was having a 50% off sale.....that was fun:)  got the girls a few things (oh is that shocking ? LOL)

Well we have had a big thing happen in our family.  Steve has decided that he needs to focus more on God and himself than to get a new game system.  You may not believe it but I just left him alone about it.  The game system is paid for and on its way....and he decides this!  I almost fell out when he told me.  He is such a kidder, that I thought he was just messing around when he told me he was either going to send it back or sell it!!!   If you remember a few weeks ago I posted about my negative feelings towards video games but how we'd allowed it.  I didn't tell him about my post- he doesn't read his mom's blogs LOL.  I never said a word to him about it nor did I really pray about it.  I felt rather like it was a done deal and would just hook him into video gaming even more....then he comes back form a run and tells me this!!!  Miracles do still happen LOL!

Sam took a nap today, for the last few weeks he has been too uptight to nap and I think that contributed to his anxiety...maybe the new meds are working for him!

Selah only has one full day left of HBOT, please pray that God will touch her through it!

 

Well CRAP!

I have a friend from Australia who writes me and puts the funniest names to her emails....  I thought this would work for my blog tonight!


First Sam and Selah had their evaluations for Orientation and Mobility Services.    It is often a service that teaches kids how to use a white cane or how to get around in their environment.  The new O&M person from the school seemed really nice and interested in my kids.  She spent a lot of time getting to know each of them individually.  Then as she was finishing up their OT came to work with them.  SO they had a nice fun  and busy morning.   Selah headed off to HBOT with our nurse.

Then I get a phone call from the HEALTH Dept....that is not a good thing ever!  Sarah's poop tested positive for Giardia  http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/disease.html  She had many tests done after she got home but we had issues getting a stool test done.  She has always had Diarrhea from day one.  But she had all the blood work and nothing was out of wack.  She had an appointment with GI to rule out anything BUT it was made for the fall of 2012 and of course we had to cancel it due to the accident.  So once we got home I was slow to reschedule things with everything going on with us and Selah.  Then when I scheduled it took about 3 months to get her in.  I feel HORRIBLE!  She has NEVER thrown up, never had blood in her stool, never seemed sick!  And she DOUBLED in weight!   The lady from the health department said she didn't think that Sarah would have been as healthy as she is if she'd had it all this time but I can't think but she did have it all this time!  And I feel so bad about that!!!   She seemed to think it was a NEW thing but I doubt that.  It's not like she goes to daycare or school where I guess it is shared back and to. 

So then I called the doctor's office (who has gotten on my last nerve about Selah's meds, Selah's formula and the fact they are so hard to reach! the Health Dept was SHOCKED that our doctor didn't call and tell us this FIRST!)  So once I finally get a living person I find out she also tested positive for  H. pylori  .                                           http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/stomach/h_pylori.html
Now I'm ready to CRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

I had scheduled to take both girls to see the GI doc last fall to rule out anything BUT the accident happened.  Selah got tested for all of that while in the hospital and was negative so I thought Sarah would be too since they came from the same place.  Obviously if Sarah had been sick or not gained weight I would have pushed for testing but she has never been sick but once with a little ear infection.  She ahs never thrown up (knock on wood) and she has never acted like she was in pain.  She always liked eating ANYTHING!  She has tons of energy and plays all day, never takes a nap or seems tired.  The nurse I spoke to didn't seem to bothered by all of this but it certainly bothered me!  Sarah regularly goes to her pediatrician and she has seen various specialists, just not the GI before.   I just HATE that she could have had any pain that could have been prevented.  Not feeling like a good mommy tonight!  

So I'm thinking we may all need to be tested.  The nurse wasn't sure as it seems most of this is caused by bad water. Since we live on a well our water is tested yearly and it's always been fine.   No one has any real symptoms but....it does say that you can have all this and have no symptoms whatsoever.  That's what I am hoping for Sarah that she never hurt from it, just had the diarrhea.

Our nurse was laughing and said we'd better watch out since Sarah has gained so much weight even with this crap, she will be a BIG girl for sure if any of this has kept her weight gain down LOL 

So I'm feeling like CRAP tonight! 

In other news Sam seemed much happier today and calmer, of course he was busy all day long too.  He took his first little dose of the med last night and I woke up several times to check on him to make sure he was breathing.  Sam has lots of eye drops but has seldom taken any meds by mouth and I worried about him having a reaction to it.   Once I stepped on Steve's bed trying to get to Sam's bed, I think I scared Steve!  Anyhow I'm sure it is much too early for any benefits of the new anti anxiety drug, maybe I'm having a mommy placebo effect:) 

So all my little ones need prayer tonight.  As always pray that HBOT will help Selah.  Pray for Sam and that this new meds will help him deal with anxiety and that we learn how to help him cope with it.  And pray for my sweet baby girl Sarah that these meds will clear out her system and that she has no long term affects of having this in her system longer than necessary!  I adore my little girl so much, I can't think of her having to deal with anything extra in her life! 


Here are some Night Night pictures taken over the course of several days.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

yes they are both asleep LOL

Sam's day

I took Sam to the neuro today, before that Sarah and Selah both had PT and Selah left with our nurse for HBOT.  I picked up Shad to go with me since I wasn't sure if I'd be back in time to pick him up from school and Sarah stayed with Steve....   Just arranging my day is exhausting sometimes!

We saw the neurologist.  He is a funny older guy somewhat grumpy like you get the feeling you're wasting his time.  First he somehow got on to the subject of school and said Sam would be better off in public school than on the homebound program.  well if I had a public school that I felt could be trusted to do his eye meds right, and take care of him, I might agree it would be good for him to be out BUT since I don't and can't feel confident that he'd be taken care of then he is not going anywhere!  I'd looked into some charter schools but none of them would take a child with as many needs as Sam has.  So that annoyed me from the get go....Sam is showing signs of anxiety that this doctor told me YEARS ago to look for as Sam got older....he said it probably would happen and now that it has happened he wants to say the answer would be send him off to school.....  So we had a discussion regarding that whole situation and the eye risks ( needing to do eye drops that stay a certain temp etc....)  and I think he understood.  Then we discussed meds.  I didn't want to try anything on Sam that is strong, just something to take the edge off for him.  I'm not a propondant of medicating children, we are even working on weaning Selah from Valium-it's to the point she only has to have a dose every few days or so....  So the doctor knew I'm not some crazy pill shoving mom but Sam needs something to take the edge of his anxiety.   so he prescribe a newer drug, it's been around awhile to help with high blood pressure, but they found it helps with anxiety also.  Sam will be taking a super low dose of it and we will see if that helps him. 

Then we started on the way back, got home in time to do Sarah's vision assessment with her teacher to get ready for her meeting on Friday.  Then I "paid"  (ie you can play the Xbox for an hour if you take them out for an hour)  the boys to take the little kids out. 

I'm tired..... Really tired...  Not thrilled with one of my kids using meds to control anxiety at all but thinking this will help him to unlearn some hurtful behaviors.  I hope so. 

Selah is stable, no changes from HBOT- she has till Friday to go for this session.  Hoping there are things going on that we don't see.

Please keep Selah and Sam in your prayers.