Well I hate to admit it but Angeline has yet another name... When Aunt Nina first saw Angel's picture months ago she affectionately referred to her as "butter bean". And I hate to say it, but it stuck... So now I am in the bad habit of calling Angeline "bean" more than any other name! So if I write and I say "bean" you all know who I am talking about. Trust me when I tell you that we won't be officially changing Angelina to Bean. LOL :)
The pictures that are on this post are from a couple days before we left Ohio. I am about two-three weeks behind at this point on pictures. The next ones that I post you will get to see that Bean now has a wide range of expressions... Big smiles, sneaky one sided grins, and even huge pout frowns! Also the next pictures will show even better head control, it's amazing the strides that she has made. So you will have to check back next week to see the progress! :)
So I have had a little problem this week that took me most of the week to figure out. I have been entirely too whiny for a full grown woman and mother of 12. I have forgotten how to turn things over to God and to know that everything will happen in the best possible timing, just the way that it is supposed to happen. So the things that I have been whining about are not earth shattering, just things that are bothering me. Angeline has her "foot" doc appointment this week and I fear that we may hear that they aren't able to cast her feet and that they need to do surgery. I think that I forgot how to be strong about Angel having surgery. Her feet aren't the typical club feet, but I am still praying that they are able to cast and that we don't have to put her through another surgery when she is making such big leaps and bounds day by day. Any time in the hospital will be another set back.
Another whine that I have been having this week is that my husband has taken a 60% pay cut. Not by choice... And hopefully not for much longer, but things are getting tight! They have a new supervisor at work that has decided that my husband, being the trustworthy and hard working guy that he is, should work in the office and get the paperwork, equipment, and job situations in order for the crew. So he has been doing things like organizing tools and ordering more tools, taking tools out to the jobs, and things of the such. Well this is just great that he is knowledgeable enough to be able to do many facets of the job that he has, but the pay is 60% less to do office work then to work out in the field. So we are praying that it's not for too much longer and we know that things will start to happen in due time. But it's bothersome none the less... whine whine whine... I know.
Three of my older children have been looking for jobs and they are having a heck of a time finding jobs! So that has been yet another burden this week. Angeline's bottom is getting sore again so we are trying to keep her diaper off as much as possible. Unfortunately this time the location of the breakdown is in a very bad spot for keeping her dry and giving it time to heal. So please keep this in your prayers. She is being such a trooper about it!
ok... My last and final whine is hearing my kids whine... about being too hot, about not getting to drink pop all day, about not having enough money, about not being able to go places with their friends 24.7, about bug bites, and not able to have candy, and about not getting new things, about having to clean their rooms, stomach aches and ailments from the few that I have that tend to make a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to their health... A bug bite turns into a 2 hour conversation I kid you not... Ugh... Enough already!
So I realized something late in the week after the glory of my pity party... I needed the Livesay's! I needed the Hoppa's! I needed Lori the nurse in Haiti! I needed to read their blogs and I needed to be reminded of why I am perhaps the LUCKIEST woman in the world... And that we are the most blessed family, and that we need to spend a little more time counting our blessings and a little less time complaining about the few weenie teenie little things are are bothering us in our world at these moment. So here are the links if you need a moment of clarification like I did:
http://www.xanga.com/haitinurse4life
http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/
http://www.hoppasinhaiti.blogspot.com/
The first link is tough reading. It's the cold hard truth of life in Haiti. Please be prepared with tissues. The other two links are for the Livesay's and the Hoppa's, two families that are missionaries in Haiti. I had forgotten in all the journeys of the past two months that it was my nightly routine to check in on these links and to have a cup of tea and a time of reflection. Not anymore... I won't be forgetting to do this anytime soon. And keeping all of these wonderful, amazing people in my prayers!
After my truth moment and my reality check, and my blessing counting too of course... I was able to turn these woes over to God and to move forward spiritually. Things are already coming together... The money worries have been lifted... I will be babysitting a wonderful little girl who is 11 for the rest of the summer while her dad is at work, and that will help out with money... Robert has a 2nd job in the works already... and I was able to find formula for Angeline, 24 cans for $240. (Normally 24 cans would be $600, so we are doing really good there!)
If everyone could please say an extra little prayer for Bean this week, our appt. with the foot doc is this Wed. so I will be posting more after that. I also talked to the department of homeland security last week and found out that Angeline has until November for her Visa( medical) and that in September is when we need to file for her extension if the adoption is not through by that time. (Praying!)
I hope that this post wasn't too dragsville for anyone. :)
Ok off for some much needed family timesince we are all in one place at one time for the first time this week. Happy Birthday to Zoe! I look forward to seeing you at your tea party later this afternoon!
Love and Blessings,
Sarah and Bean :)
