Happy Brothers

Pictures are worth a thousand words, ENJOY!...

 

First time to go to church and an update on Michael's health

We serve a BIG God!  3 weeks and 4 days ago, Matthew and Michael lay in their cribs, hungry, cold and alone.    Yesterday they sat with our family in our Fathers house well fed, warm and surrounded by love.  Modern day miracles!  God is so incredibly good to us.  We thank Him for saving Matthew and Michael and continue to pray for those children we had to leave behind.  We pray that other Christian daddy's and mommies will choose to personally live James 1:27 and step out and be the hands and feet of Jesus! 

As many of you know, Michael has had GI issues that quickly became an emergency situation last week.  The doctors in Cincinnati and in Lubbock came up with a plan of action to help Michael and it has worked!!  He is to take medicine twice a day and stay on a liquid diet until surgery.  Michael had x-ray studies done yesterday and the results were good!  So good, that we have been given another week to stay here and continue with the medication that is helping.  We are believing for a miracle and pray Michael will not need further surgery.  God is still a God of miracles!!


If God chooses for that miracle to come through a surgeons hands, we have the best and will gladly hand Michael over to Dr. Pena in Cincinnati so he can be the hands of Jesus and work His miracle through the gift of surgery.


God has this!

Home for 3 weeks

Michael and Matthew have been home for three weeks today.  They are doing AWESOME!  We love them so much and I believe they love us as well.  Both boys have gained 2 lbs already and have literally come to life!  They are looking at us more, holding their arms up to us to be held and then crying when we put them down.  They stop crying when we pick them back up.  These are all good signs of bonding!  Praise God!!  This was one of our prayer requests that has been answered!  They are both starting to babble a lot more and both know their names and turn to look at us when we call them.  Michael is starting to say "mamama" for Momma, "dadada" for Daddy and "ba" for bath.  It is incredible what love will do!  


Here are a couple of pictures from this week just for fun...

Michael continues to have intestinal issues.  Our local doctors have recommended that we travel to Cincinnati Children's Hospital to have colorectal surgery by Dr. Alberto Pena.  Dr. Pena is literally the worlds best pediatric colorectal surgeon in the world and we are blessed to have him on our team!


Before we travel, Michael will have another round of x-ray studies this coming Monday and we'll see just how well the current medication has been working.  Holly and I will then travel with Michael to Ohio for treatment in the next week or so depending on what we find out with Michael's x-ray studies.  Jeff will stay behind to care for our other children.  We still have a couple of weeks of paid vacation left and then Jeff will have to take the Family Leave Act time off if need be.....we cannot take too much of this, mind you, as it is without pay.  We are thankful we have it if we need it though.

Our current prayer requests are that Michael will do well before, during and after surgery, recover quickly with no pain or other negative lasting affects and that we will only need to be in Cincy for a couple of weeks so Jeff will not have to take unpaid leave. 

Surgery Update

Michael's surgery today was not successful on one hand since they were not able to completely fix the stricture but very successful on the other hand since we now know exactly what we need to do in order to help Michael.  


The doctor actually found two strictures and they are both far stronger, thicker and larger than we had hoped. Now that the doctors have had a good look at Michael surgically, they are saying he needs extensive colorectal reconstructive surgery to fix this.  The team we used today could not do that type of surgery since they only specialize in intestinal issues.  We will now go see a surgeon who specializes in colorectal reconstructive surgery.  Since his lower intestine is almost completely closed off, time is of the essence so Jeff and I have to make some serious decisions by Monday.


Your prayers are so comforting!  Thank you all for covering Michael in prayer today through this.  He was such a little champ and handled everything very well.  I'll let everyone know as soon as we make our decision about where we will take Michael for this next round of treatment.

Michael is having surgery tomorrow

We went to the pediatric gastrointerologist today for a check-up for Michael and the doctor found an intestinal stricture that has almost completely closed off his lower intestine and the waste that must exit is not able to completely leave his body.  Surgery is in the morning at 8:30.  The doctor cautioned us that due to the severity of the stricture, it may take two surgeries to correct.


Please pray with us that everything can be corrected in one surgery and that Michael recovers quickly and fully. 

Christmas 2010.....in Jan 2011

Today was a very special day for our family.  It was one of those days I wish we could freeze-frame and live in the moment for a little while longer. Our oldest son Wesley was able to come over and meet his two newest little brothers for the first time.  Watching them together was sweet beyond words!  Matthew and Michael really took to Wes and let him hold and play with them.  

After all the introductions, we had a gigantic Christmas dinner...thank you, Rachel, for helping me cook all morning, and then we exchanged Christmas gifts!!  Matthew and Michael jumped right in there ripping open their wrapped gifts and playing with the paper and box's.   It was neat watching them observe Christmas for the first time!  Seeing all 8 of our children together for the first time was incredible.  What a special day!

Wesley meeting Matthew

Wesley meeting Michael

Holly, Wesley and Matthew

Mommy holding Justin and Matthew

Cutie Pie Michael waiting to open gifts

Michael opening his Christmas gifts

Our three little boys opening gifts together

Opening more gifts

  

All 5 of our sons

All 8 of our children

 

 

 Family Photo, 2011

Family Photo, 2011

1.1.11 New Beginnings

Happy New Year!  

I pray this year will be a year of new beginnings, renewal, a year of discovery and a year of obedience for each and every one of us.  

I pray you will:


PRAY!


LISTEN!


Then, RUN...

Run to the purpose for which God has placed you on this Earth. Be the Hands and Feet of our Savior starting this year.  There is so much work to do. We do not have much time to carry out His work.  Even if we have 100 years...that's not much time! Don't put off His calling for one more day.  Run to Him.


Our God is a God of new beginnings, start-overs, re-do's; a God of forgiveness.  Do not let your past control your future.  Start from right where you are today and RUN to Him!  If you have not accepted Him as your loving Savior, do it now.  Ask Him into your heart today...He will come!  He is the only way; the only truth; the only life.  Jesus Christ is the only way to Eternal Life. 

If you have fallen away from Christ, RUN back to Him!  His arms are aching and waiting for you.  Make this year the year that you rebuild your relationship with Him. He's waiting...


Happy New Year everyone!  
I am excited to see where He leads us all....

Days of Firsts

Michael and Matthew have been home for 6 days.  Everything is going really well and they seem to be adjusting better than we could have ever expected!   They both continue to eat and sleep well and LOVE to play with all their siblings and mommy and daddy. 

They have had many 'Firsts' these past 6 days.  Here are some of their 'Firsts' that I captured in pictures:

First birthday celebration.  Matthew celebrating Rachel's 11th Birthday

Michael and Justin waiting to celebrate Rachel's 11th Birthday

Matthew's First Christmas...not sure where Michael's picture went.  I'll find it and post it later.

Michael's First Ride in a car during the day.  He LOVES riding in the car.  Michael is in an infant car seat because of his small size.

Matthew's first ride in a car during the day.  He LOVES riding in the car, too!  Matthew is in an infant car seat because of his small size.

First Dental visit ~ Thank you Dr. Mahaney!  Visit went very well.  A little crying but that actually helped Dr. Mahaney take a good look at their teeth since their mouths were WIDE open.

First trip to Target.  They seemed to love walking around the store and seeing all the people and sights.

Ladies passing by INSISTED they take this 'family' picture of the "Triplets" on their first outing.

Michael's First teeth brushing...ever! He did NOT like it one bit!

Matthew's First teeth brushing....ever!  He tolerated it.

First Doctor's visit ~ Thank you Dr. Gray.  The visit went great!  No tears and just a little apprehension with the exam.

WONDERFUL staff at Dr. Gray's office!  It warmed our hearts to see all the staff loving on our boys and celebrating their arrival!

Home at last

Home at last...in pictures.  Enjoy!

Awesome sign Rachel and Kayla!

Anxiously waiting

 

Greeting Jeff and Michael

 First Kiss to Michael!

 First Kiss to Matthew!

Matthew all tuckered out

Justin's first touch to Matthew

Holding Michael for the first time

First nuzzle

Holding Matthew for the first time

Holding Matthew for the first time

 First family photo!

(Minus Wes)

HOME!

 Gotcha Day pic from Tuesday, 12-21-10!

The boys are HOME!  We had a tear filled and joyous time at the airport.  What a precious moment it was to finally meet our boys, kiss and hold them!!!   A dear friend joined us and she took some fabulous pictures of our first meeting....thank you, Bethann!!!  As soon as I receive the pictures, I will post a few on the blog.


We traveled the 20 minute drive home with ease.  Matthew and Michael both did very well in their car seats.  Neither had ever sat or been buckled into car seats.  When we got home, we fed all the little boys, Justin, Michael and Matthew,  and put them to bed for some much needed rest!  Both Matthew and Michael slept all night long until 9:00am this morning.  Justin slept a little longer.

Michael sleeping his first night home!

Matthew sleeping his first night home

Both boys are eating very well.  I'm making them a mixture of Alimentum, mommy's milk, electrolytes plus I am adding oatmeal to Michael's bottle since he is used to a thicker consistency.  We are feeding them 6 oz every 3 hours during the day and so far they are eating everything we have offered!  Praising God for that!  They are both extremely malnourished and dehydrated.  Please pray for their health and that they will continue to take in fluids well.

 Mommy feeding Michael

Our three little boys seem to love each other!  They are playing very well together and even sharing toys this Christmas morning.

What a wonderful Christmas we are having today!!!  We wish you all a very Merry Christmas as well!!

Off to pick up Jeff and the kids....

In 30 minutes I will leave to pickup Jeff and all the kids!!  I have not heard from Jeff since 3:15 this morning so I'm believing and praying all is well and they will arrive in Lubbock on time!


Thank you to all who have prayed with our family during this adoption.   Your prayers were certainly heard and felt!

**URGENT** Pray for Michael

It's 3:17am our time and Jeff just called me.  He and the kids are seated on the plane to Chicago getting ready to take off.  Michael is crying.  Nonstop.  Jeff does not no what is wrong.  Jeff has given him pain reliever, Benadryl and gas medicine.   Please pray for Michael, that whatever is causing him to cry will stop and that he will be comforted by Jeff.  Pray that the plane will take off despite Michael's crying so they can get to the States.

Up, up and away......ALMOST HOME!

Jeff, Holly, Jason, Matthew and Michael are in the air flying to Frankfurt Germany right now!  They will have a three hour layover and then on to Chicago, USA!!!!


They will have a 2 1/2 hour layover in Chicago and then fly to Dallas where they will make a mad dash to another airport, catch another flight and one hour later, arrive in Lubbock!!!! 


20 hours and they will be home!

Praising God, Michael ate!

Just talked to Jeff.  He said Michael ate about 5 oz of the potato slurry that he made!  Thank you, God!  

They will leave Kiev in 10 hours and head home arriving in Lubbock at 8:35 pm Thursday, Christmas Eve!!!

Both boys are coughing rattly coughs so Jeff put them both on antibiotics.  They will be fine as they are in the best of hands; Jeff's and Gods!  

Jeff discovered that Matthew has at least one rotted tooth.  It's down to the nub and bleeding.  Michael has almost no teeth and we suspect they have already rotted and fallen out.  It's been a challenge to assess his remaining teeth, but we suspect they are rotten as well.  Incredibly sad what these precious babies have suffered.  Tooth pain would explain why Michael does not want to eat.  Jeff is giving them Ibuprofen for the tooth pain. Rest assured, we will be taking them to a pediatric dentist as soon as they are home!


Prayer request:


1. For clear sky's and airport runways free of ice an snow on each leg of the trip so they can get home
2. For Michael to continue to eat/drink
3. For rest for everyone on the plane
4. For no tooth pain for the boys
5. For healing for both boys coughs, Jason and Holly as well, they are also coughing

Prayer request for Michael

As of right now, Michael refuses to eat or drink.  It has been 23 hours since he last took a bottle.  Jeff has tried different bottles, different nipples, formula, juice, water and electrolytes.  They have tried letting Holly feed him thinking he might take food from a female better....no!   Jeff is now squirting small amounts of liquids into Michael's mouth through a little medicine dropper several times an hour.  He's still refusing it and it all runs out.


Jeff is going to the store right now and will buy some oatmeal and potatoes to make a potato slurry similar to what Michael had in the orphanage.  Please pray Michael will take this!

Michael may be 4 but he has never been offered solid food.  That is why Jeff is concentrating on feeding him from a bottle.  That is all he knows.  He has also never been offered milk products.  Offering Michael milk products, not knowing if he is allergic, could be dangerous.  Our youngest birth son is allergic to milk products and it landed him in the ER once so Jeff will reserve this option as a last resort.


Matthew on the other hand is taking his bottle like a champ!  Praise God!!!