SLAP!

Reality check.

I bet that someone at the US Embassy hates the job that they have this morning. Bear did not get his Visa. There was a small mistake on his passport. This really stinks and is very worrisome.

At the time when I hopped out of bed to get this phone call, I was feeling in shock and really angry at the person who refused to do the Visa. Then I thought about how it would feel to be that person, to have a very sick baby in front of you and to have to say NO because its their job to make sure that the "I's" are dotted and the "T's" are crossed and that each tiny little letter M and F is correct and in the right place. It would stink to have that job, especially this morning. What a way to end the year, having to deny an innocent baby- possibly- the chance at life. What an awesome way it would have been to end the year on that high note- but it was not possible. I am not angry at this person or at these people.

Truly, they were doing their job.

Sometimes I bet they hate their job, but it what they are supposed to do none the less. We can't blame them- even when we desperately want someone to blame. Even when we are concerned that Bear might not have much more fight in him. We pray he does though- oh we do!

It just stinks.

It is HE who sits above the circle of the earth,

And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,

Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain

And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

He who reduces rulers to nothing,

Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.

Scarcely have they been planted,

Scarcely have they been sown,

Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,

But He merely blows on them, and they wither,

And the storm carries them away like stubble.

So what do we do now?

We have to do what we have been doing.

Pray for Bear's health.

(For his strength, for his will, for his fight for life.)

Do our best.

Pray for continued health and understanding for Fedna and family.

Do our best for them.

Pray for Lori, Licia and RHFH.

(this has to have been such a hard morning for them-

it makes me weak at the knees to put myself in their shoes)

Pray for continued patience and understanding from the doctors, hospital, airlines, caregivers, coordinators and host families...

Do our best for them all.

Pray for WISDOM for all who are involved.

Do our best for them all, follow HIS plan. Trust HIM.

And pray for the people who make the passports and give the Visas.

They want to do their best for HIM too.

There is a possibility that the passport office doesn't open until late next week. Pray that it opens Monday or that they are

willing to fix the passport issue immediately. Time has been borrowed and will continue to be borrowed-

Thank you again.

Moments of Affirmation

Oh Lena- we are going to miss you!
Just now, I had an overwhelming moment of affirmation that I knew I needed to just slow down and write about. (ahhh breathe)

Today in the mail a Christmas package arrived from my God Mother and Aunt- it was mailed from Florida on December 15th- and just arrived today- (weather has been bad keep in mind)- but the gift couldn't have been more timely. It caused me to slow down what I was doing, to take the time to open it, to stop having anxiety about leaving, to stop being sad about packing up Lena's things... to stop obsessing about whether Bear and Fedna are really going to leave Haiti in less than 48 hours... to just BE.

I opened the gift and the mail and I cried.

Tears of affirming joy that I am truly on the path I am supposed to be on. The one that HE wants me on- the one that HE wants my family on.

Inside the gift was a bottle of perfume- called "PRESENTS". On the back of the perfume it says:

LIVE IN THE PRESENT

ahh breathe ahh. close eyes. see it now. pieces of the puzzle gracefully falling together.

After having that moment, and slowing down, I was able to open my mail. There was a letter from a retired Superior Court Judge- not anyone that I know personally so I immediately opened the letter first... inside was a hand written letter:

To The R. Family,

When I saw the news photo of Sophia holding little Alfrelina in her arms and read the story, I just had to write and tell you how heart-warming and inspiring it is. These poor little souls can be born with such crippling conditions, and probably many are never corrected. Alfrelina is lucky to be with such a kind family as yours, and it is such a pleasure to read of your generosity in a world so full

of tradgedy that usually fills the news.

God Bless you in your work and thank you for the happiness you are helping to bring to a poor helpless little child. Thanks also for bringing me such a lovely story.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXX

I appreciate this person so much for taking the time to write to me. And for this letter to be delivered in such a timely way, just when I needed to hear those words, just went I needed that push to keep forging ahead. I can't help but feel God's hand and presence all over the mail that came today.

And I just got an email... Bear and Fedna are on track to leave Haiti on time. Everything is falling in place... they have the passports!!

Thank you for praying. Keep up the great work. :)

We have a big huge request that needs to happen TOMORROW for these two children. Keep praying!!

PRAY!!

Please continue to pray for Baby Bear, Fedna, their families and their caregivers. As well as the hard workers who are bringing together all the paperwork on the Haiti side.
Please also PRAY specifically that the passports for both children are issued first thing tomorrow morning. They were supposed to be ready this morning and they were not- and now the passport office is closed for the day. We must have the passports first thing tomorrow morning in order for them to have a Visa appointment in time to be escorted out of Haiti this week. (All offices are closed on Thursday and Friday because of the Holiday.)
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support.

Little updates

Baby Bear is still fighting! Praise! Please keep praying. There are now two spots on his "bump" that are leaking. We need to get him out of Haiti and to Texas THIS WEEK. Please pray for the passport and Visa to happen Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Everything is closed on Th-Fri for Holiday's in Haiti this week so it needs to happen before that time.

Please keep lifting up his caregivers as well.

The entire situation needs continued prayers.

Sophie is very excited about coming to Texas with me in a couple days- yep- we are leaving in a couple days. (Lauren and Bean will also be with me.)

See you soon everyone in TX! :)

Cole and the snow.

We are so thankful that its now raining and the snow is melting! PRAISE!



If my camera was a bit better and this "sassafras" was a bit more cooperative I would have had some adorable pictures on Christmas. This is the best that was taken of Angeline-
woe is me... she is one sassy little miss.

And Miss Lena- we will miss you so. I am gearing up for some goodbyes in case we aren't back before she goes home. This is going to be hard for certain.

She is Angeline's minion- God help her Haiti Momma.

Angeline keeps talking about "Minky" going home to her other Momma.

She tells me:

"Minky has two Mommas. Her Momma in Haiti

misses her and she has to go home."

And then she says:

"But your my momma- your all mine."

And I tell her- "You are all mine too... forever and ever."

For as sassy as she can be- she sure is sweet.

Christmas Blessings

I mean so seriously- how many times can my eyes brim with tears today?

Why I am so darn emotional you ask?

Because I am SO blessed!

So blessed -that many moments of each day, especially on the eve of Christ's birth- I am just overwhelmed and overcome with emotion reflecting on my life.

First off, we have been putting out several "pleas" for donations for the Medical Advocacy Team in the past couple of weeks. With the news of Baby Bear and Fedna, two children with Spina Bifida- that is so near and dear to my heart- we had a lot of work to get done really fast. We had to raise $1000 to be able to see the paperwork get done on the Haiti side of things... which came together in record timing despite the bad economy and the tight budgets of all of during this Holiday season. It was humbling to see the way that people stepped up and passed the word around and it was awesome for me to see the love that was felt by the folks whom I adore at Real Hope for Haiti. These loving families whom I am blessed to call my friends honestly keep me going in my darkest moments. They likely have no clue how inspiring they are to me.

So to see people love them and show them "I got your back"- just made me feel awesome.

Then things were crazy with getting the paperwork together on our side, and the Haiti side and as usual- everything is flowing and working out just as it should in God's timing- and that is just awesome to witness- and awesome to be a part of. We have literally coordinated folks from Michigan, Texas, Washington and various parts of Haiti in order to get things done. There have been a lot of emails between many people over the past two weeks.

We still have a little ways to go before we are certain that Bear and Fedna are going to get to Texas- but we are so close and I feel so hopeful that things are going to come together just perfect. (With a given small bump here or there just as it always is, right?)

So then about 36 hours ago, we put the word out again- we need donations. Bear is definitely still very fragile. Not only that, but dear Lori at RHFH who is overseeing his medical care- has a very sick husband to care for and many other sick children and adults. Please do keep them in your prayers. So back to the donations- in order to get things done fast for Bear and Fedna- we put the word out just 36 hours ago that we need donations to help bring them to Texas.

And guess what?

We were half way there with the amount we need in only 24 hours.

How incredible. How humbling. How amazing. How blessed. How hopeful.

So now to the part where you think perhaps I am off my rocker.

(But maybe your too kind to tell me.)

I am going to Texas.

Sometimes there are moments in life when you just know you must do something- this is it- this is one of my moments.

I don't know when- I don't know how- or if I am bringing any of my cherubs with me. (I must admit I have awesome visions of Bean and Fedna being great friends.

I am not positive how long I will be there... and I don't know what the outcome will be. I have GRAND hope and MASSIVE prayers for how I think it should all work out. But once I saw Bear and I saw that he was born on the one year anniversary of Ella's passing... I felt I needed to spend a lot of time in prayer. I was really scared because I so desperately wanted to believe what I felt the Lord telling me to do- was NOT what I should do... and that was to go to Texas and to be there for Bear and Fedna's arrival. And to help and to support the folks in Texas who are helping... and to reflect deeply on the past year of my life I have had with Lena- and to find closure. And to place my hands within their little hands (Fedna and Bears) and to pray for them and their families- and to pray for this journey that they are on.

So in talking to some of my family and friends and letting them know my plans, I thought for certain to find a naysayer in the lot- just one perhaps... and maybe there is- but maybe they are talking behind my back and not to my face- which is fine. :) But I found incredible support for me to go. My husband would love to go too- but graciously offered to hold down the troops while I am gone and stay here and work. He even got a strawberry milkshake to share (oh the little things do mean so much) on our date last night instead of chocolate (which is his favorite)- and then spent 20 minutes helping me search the racks of the infant department for a furry "bear" hoodie for Baby Bear. (It's not that cold in Texas- but certainly colder than Haiti! And who doesn't love to buy baby clothes?)

My sister offered to help and do whatever she has to do to support me going- and the lovely woman taking Lena back to Haiti, who was once a stranger and now my friend- is happy to step up and help with Lena while I am gone- and it will be perfect for them to have more time getting to know one another better. I know that my friends will help when needed and Jeremy and Danny offered to take some shifts over here with schooling the kids. (They both work nights.)

A dear friend in Austin offered up her house (again) for as long as I need to stay. (The moving truck will be there next week Ange...lol... just kidding.) I am so feeling the love already from the Austin folks and I am so thrilled to see them all again- and to meet some newer friends too. :)

And how excited am I to see Dr. A. and her staff!!!

More awesome inspiring women-I can't get enough- seriously!

So thank you all for making my Christmas feel extra special and blessed.

To feel supported thoroughly and surrounded by all of your prayers is intensely humbling.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

May your day be filled with family, friends, love and awesome praise.

NORAD shows Santa arriving soon so I best get to bed.

Santa arrives in Seattle!

So... THANK YOU... the words just don't seem like enough.

Love,
Sarah

Grace of my heart

I can hardly believe that my Baby Grace is 12.

Slow down time- I am not ready for you to move so fast through life.

Grace invited some of her closest girlfriends over to go bowling and then have a Mamma Mia sing along... home made pizza... and sleepover.

Grace is now 12 (and I was just trying to get used to Cole being 12 which was last month)- and what this means is that they each can drink a "pop" each day. (One can of soda is the big thing in our house when you turn 12.

Cheyanne is Grace's best friend and is super special to Grace. :)

They are truly blessed to have one another.

Best friends are a wonderful thing.

Happy Birthday Sweet Grace

Lulu's Hair

I couldn't resist but to do Christmas colors this month. :)
Lulu forever remains a Diva.

Lauren's Cookies

It is just a natural normal thing that Lauren has to come up with something creative, even when there are 400 cookies to decorate- she takes her time with each and every one. :)
I thought this was too cute to not share.

And I think I should toot Lauren's horn a bit and let everyone know Lauren's artwork was published this month!

Lauren received the honor of back cover and two pages inside a comic book that was for local student artists- GO Lauren!! We are so proud of you.

Cookies!

We have been so busy over the last week doing art and baking and decorating cookies! We have been saving up our baby formula cans as well as a friend of mine did the same for us. (Thanks Amy F.)

The children used scrap booking supplies to decorate the outside of the cans and we are using them to pack full of our home made cookies, candy and treats for friends and family.

There were SO many cookies to decorate that we even had to get Lena to help... but she just kept eating them.

Angeline did an impressive job! She loved the PINK frosting and M'M's the BEST.

Here is a link to my most favorite cookie:

LEMON HIGH TEA COOKIES

Literally- they melt in your mouth and are the most lovely cookie for the "lemon" lover in your life. Enjoy!

Allow me to offend you

I try my best to not shop at Walmart after my last experience there which you can read about HERE.

Well guess what? Today I went back to Walmart to pick up some pre-Christmas, pre-snow storm stock up items... and my excuse for going back would be that I wasn't driving. Kimmie (my friend) was driving me. (I like to call her Kimmie because she just smiles and looks at me like I am so strange and perhaps it annoys her a little- which at times gives me jolly joy.)
So Kimmie was brave enough to take her mini van out on the roads, which weren't too bad- but for me- I am not one to be driving the big ol' 15 passenger anywhere if the roads aren't completely clear.

Kimmie chose Wal-mart- and I try not to argue with her often. I would have passed and chosen perhaps Target' or somewhere else that maybe isn't perhaps so unethical to shop at but- I was planning on bringing my Walmart bingo with me and I left it at home.
(Yes, I know it's offensive to some of you! I also realize that talking about Walmart in such a light might be offensive to some of you- there is no doubt the prices are GOOD.)

We got there bright and early to avoid the crowds and by the time I was done- it was getting busy. I checked out and waited by the door for Kimmie and spent some time people watching and wishing that I had remembered to bring that darn Walmart Bingo with me.
I decided that I would add a few- maybe even change out of few of the choices on here to add a few of my own:

1. Baby not wearing shoes, a coat, hat or gloves coming in the door carried by her Mom whose wearing pajama's ... when its 8 degrees outside.

2. 99 people in hooded sweatshirts (OK it is REALLY cold today and we do live in Casual town, USA- thank goodness!) I just couldn't get over the number of people with hoodies... I am going to buy a shop here and call it HOODIES. It would be a VERY popular place- and I would own a lot of them.

3. Man just looking around while his wife frantically Christmas shops (and then let's take this a bit further and say that the same man declares out loud when I look at him like- what are you doing guy?... "I am JUST LOOKING! That is what Men just DO, we just LOOK in electronics while the women shop.")

4. Someone talking loudly about re-gifting instead of buying new things (Same man from number 3, his wife was so embarrassed and I was laughing so hard- he was actually very funny.)

5. Angry bitter woman over 70 workin' the door (And wouldn't you know it that I BEEPED when I went out and then I pulled that darn DVD player out of my cart and waved it back through showing her that it didn't get de-magnetized. Then when she asked for my receipt I told her that they were giving them away for free in electronics and I didn't pay for it. She didn't look too amused at first then when I produced the receipt she said.. "Ah-ha I know what register you went to- and I am gonna make sure she gets written up!" Then I felt terrible...)

6. Mom rips open FAMILY SIZED bag of Cheeto's and gives them to preschooler to eat from because she is having a fit... (Ooopss... that was something I did.)

If you have anything to add to this list- please leave me a comment.

And now it's time for a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:

If your child is under age 10 and it's less than 15 degree's outside- they need a coat AND a hat on. I can't even tell you the number of people that came through the door with their children AND BABIES in long sleeved shirts- no coat- no hat- no nothing! Brrr!!!

Back to making home made pizza dough... delightful recipe found HERE.

The "Sweetest" Sister

Here are some cute pictures of the kids working on a gingerbread house and gingerbread men and women... and gingerbread Panda's too of course. I wanted to share a little story about something that is so cute that happened at our house this week.

Everyday at some point during the day... we pull out two Advent Calendars. The children gather to pray for Isaac and then Angeline opens one of the next days on one calendar, and typically Lulu opens the other one. Inside of each of the days in a chocolate. We use this time to remember to pray for Isaac so that we are sure not to miss one single day!

The other day Angeline asked me:
"Mommy, can I pray for Isaac."
Of course I replied, "Yes Beanie, you already prayed once today, but if you want to pray for Isaac again- go right ahead."
Tears welled in my eyes at my sweet and kind Angeline as she bowed her head and put her hands together so tightly and stuck them under her chin, she closed her eyes- and said:
"Dear God,
Let Isaac come home soon. He's my brother and I love him so much. He's my best friend.
Amen!"

At this point I am seriously fighting back some big welled up tears and breath catching sobs... I was just amazed at her gentle soul, her kindness, he compassion, her love...
And then...

She held her hand up, palm up...

and said...

"I need a chocolate now."

OK, so maybe the sweetest TOOTHED sister would be more appropriate. :)

I made these... UPDATED

I made a couple of these for surprise Christmas gifts for Grace and her closest friends... anyone know what they are?

Leave a comment and take a guess. :)

(I used to actually make jewelry and sell it for a living. I was able to make these with all sterling silver and swarovski for a great price. And I can't take the credit, this certainly was not my original idea for a charm bracelet. hint hint)

Yes Buddy, you are right... this bracelet is from the Twilight series... it's "Bella's Bracelet". The heart is for Edward and the wooden wolf is for Jacob, the red above the heart is a "drop of blood". Oh so excited the girls will be!!

I think it's true!

I think it's true that I just finished my last customer's picture for the Holiday season. Phew.

I love being able to bring in some extra money especially around the holiday's but I do admit that it can stress me out from time to time.

Particularly when we are sick! So I am very thankful to be FINISHED!

I have bronchitis and Angeline has her 3rd UTI. (This is from the CIC- Clean Intermittent Cathing.) And we are just trying to determine still at this point "managing" her bladder and bowel issues. I don't like talking about my daughter's most private things on my blog- but I think its really important for you all to understand the amount of "stuff" that Bean has to go through on a daily basis. (Just like most children with Spina Bifida.) Most people with her type of SB have a Nuerogenic Bladder, that means she can't feel to go potty, so she needs a little help being sure that her bladder is emptied all the way and this happens four times a day. :( On top of the UTI, she also has a cold... so does Lena and David... and several more of the children are showing the early signs that this cold is coming on.

So what are the kids doing right now you ask?

Angeline has a large bowl of dry rice that she is playing with some kitchen things in it making some "cookies" or "soup". :) Everyone else is split between outside sledding in the white out weather we are having, or inside taking a break drinking a cup of cocoa. It's day's like this where I am so thankful that we home school and can maintain a very flexible schedule.

I think we are home bound for a few days because of the snow- and maybe the cookies for Christmas will actually start to get baked. I have a lot of willing helpers thank goodness! My husband is already on his way home from work because of the weather... and I heard from my sister just a bit ago who said a semi had jack knifed just down the highway a bit from here and half was hanging over the bridge! Eeek!!

Praying that everyone can make it home safely in this weather to their loved ones.

OK... my hubby just called he is stuck on the other side of the semi unable to get home... (perhaps I should have been calling him to warn him instead of blogging about it!)

Tomorrow is our Anniversary... I won't be sad at all if he has the day off. :)

More soon... time to check on the frozen kids outside.

Stay warm!

Sarah

Isaac Update

Oh Happy Day!!

Isaac's file is in MOI!

What does this mean you ask?
There are several steps that take place inside MOI. When Isaac's file comes out of MOI then the passport should be almost done (I think)- he receives his passport and he has his Visa Medical exam and then a Visa appointment at the US Embassy- then he gets to come home!!

(We already did our birth parent interview.)


How long does this all take?

It can vary anywhere from 6 weeks (speedy miraculous timing) to... well... I dare to say how long these steps have taken some people... over a year in rare cases. (Praying that's not ours!!)

We have had enough hang ups, hold ups, and slow downs- please keep on praying Isaac home- your prayers are working wonders!


Love,
All of us- patiently waiting for Isaac

Mouchy

Mad + Grouchy= Mouchy

This is one of my children's favorite words and especially Angeline's- when she is having a bad day- she tells everyone:

"I'm Just Mouchy!"

I am still sick- another day without a workout- yet another day with a long to do list not getting done...and I can't think of any other way to describe how I feel better than mouchy.

Hopefully tomorrow I will feel better- and much more accomplished- and I can make up a new word (grandtastic or joyppy for example) to reflect how I am feeling.

Momma doesn't like to be sick!

Friday

Here is one of my favorite pictures of Lulu. I am not sure if I mentioned this or not- but Lulu has become an outstanding reader. She has been going to the reading tutor, who is also our neighbor and friend. She is now graduated not only from first- but from second grade reading as well. We are so proud of you Lulu!

IT has truly been an amazing week of highs and lows.

Where do I start with the updates?

Isaac: No news. Keep praying.

Baby Bear: His father was found and the paperwork is in process for him to get a MV and come to the US for life saving surgery. The greatest blessing is that he is coming to Texas to the wonderful Dr. A. and the awesome hospital who had donated care for Christella and Helande. Not only are they going to help Baby Bear but they are also helping Fedna, who also has spina bifida and is almost three years old. Please continue to pray for everyone involved, the children, and thier families. Bear's health is hanging on and he is still fever free. You can visit the Medical Advocacy Team blog for more information. We are looking for some help in Texas if you are interested in helping out in anyway. And we are raising funds for Real Hope for Haiti to help cover the costs of obtaining the MV's for both children is about $1000 USD.

Angeline: The appointments went well. The highlight was visiting with the OT/PT and hearing how impressed they are with her development and all the progress she has made with her gross and fine motor skills. The low was hearing that her Syrinx is still there, still very large (the same as it was), and having to talk it out with the NS about what we are going to do. For right now we are going to keep watch on things and go back to the hospital in three months for more evaluations with OT/PT and our fantastic Neurodevelopmental team to make sure that Bean isn't having any loss of "grip" in her hands, or loss of movement of her legs etc. It won't take something really obvious in order for them to do surgery, even just a "small" problem or any sign of scoliosis will mean surgery for Angeline. We just have to keep a careful watch, keep praying and hope that maybe its just the way she is going to be. They can't really explain why she has this large syrinx and why its not really affecting her that they can see... in six months she will have another MRI and we will reassess things and might decide to go for the surgery at that time. Dr. B said that it would definitely be a brain/chiari decompression and that there is only 50% chance that it will actually help to resolve the syrinx- so as you can understand- doing the surgery now just seems senseless when she is doing so well.

The other children... my sister stayed here with David, Cole, Sophie, Dominick and Lulu. The report was that they were the MOST well behaved and that they were SO kind and nice to one another- they finished a FULL WEEKS worth of school work in two days (which means we are having an extended Christmas break) and they helped keep the house clean and were a JOY to be with. I was so grateful to them for being so wonderful of course and to Nina for being a good aunt and babysitter. (And to Kendra and Tom for watching over my home from their home.) lol

Lauren and Grace came with me to help out with Bean and Lena (thank you girls), and my husband was blessed with Thursday off work so he got to come to the hospital and be with us while Bean was getting her MRI.

It was much more settling to have him with me- he is my rock... and I guess that makes me the roll. lol

Lena: Lena has been sick with a cough and runny nose. She hasn't been sick but once since she has been here so today instead of taking her on the long drive to the plastic surgeon Dr. H. we went to see Dr. T., the family doc. Lena just has a cold and needs extra fluids and TLC and she should be fine.

Speaking of SICK- we are all sick. There is a tummy bug going around and a cough thing that caused me to miss BC this morning. My husband has really stepped it up today with taking Lena to the doctor, doing some grocery shopping, running other errands, mailing packages, and now he is getting ready to take everyone to a gingerbread house making event in town. Phew. That makes me tired thinking about all that, I am very grateful that my cupboards are full and we are ready for the winter storm that is coming our way.

It's supposed to be a busy weekend with two Christmas parties tomorrow, indoor soccer, and lots of laps to swim. (If the weather cooperates.) :)

TMI Tuesday

Here is Angeline finding her shoes with her "treats" from St. Nick. Angeline has some appointments tomorrow and Thursday so some of us will be out of town the next two days. I am most looking forward to getting to see my friend Bekki and her host baby Saintana, read more about her medical journey here.
I am not looking forward to Angeline's MRI on Thursday, its sedated of course and she had a terrible time with her last experience with coming out of anesthesia- so I am praying that she won't have that happen again. (She just basically was hysterical for a really long time and it was scary.)
So tomorrow the appointments are for OT and then PT, where they will do a developmental screening for Angeline and also check on her motor skills progress with her walker. Then she meets with the NeuroDevelopmental lady who is following her closely to watch she isn't showing negative signs of her syrinx. (Fluid on her spine.)
Thursday as I said before- is her MRI and then we meet with the Neurosurgeon to discuss the results. I am praying for a miracle and that her syrinx has resolved and of course that it hasn't gotten worse and that she doesn't need one of three very major surgeries:
1. Decompression for her Chiari Malformation
2. Shunt in her spine
3. Spinal cord de-tethering
(And all that information was for you medical folks out there who like to keep up on Bean's medical progress.)
Pray NO MORE SURGERY for Bean! :)

Here is a picture of Lena wearing a build a bear jacket- she is still pretty little- this picture made me laugh.

Here is sweet little Bear with his dressing on him. His little feet in the picture remind me so much of one of the first pictures I ever saw of Angeline. (They have the same club feet.)
Please continue to pray for him. They are looking for his parents today and we are hoping that they can be found ASAP. The folks in Haiti are doing a great job keeping him well fed and stable.

We are still praying home this handsome little guy. And specifically praying his file is going to be in MOI by the end of this week. :)

Here are some adorable pictures of Minky Lena from the past few days. St.Nick brought her a chocolate marshmallow Santa and I have never seen her so excited. I also thought the picture Lauren and Grace took of the girls in the bath was too funny not to share. What exactly was Bean thinking? (Going in for the booty slap!)
Lena's new thing lately is to torture Angeline. She knows exactly how to snatch things out of her hands and make her scream- then Lena does it more and more. She is quite an ornery- but adorable little thing. She can often be found ramming her walker into the baby gate or people's feet. :)

Here is Lei and her new haircut. The gross story of the week was mid way through Leishan's vege sub we heard a "clank" and her newly acquired lip piercing fell out onto her plate. So the rest of dinner was spent with Grace trying to screw it back into her face. This was a gift from a "friend of her's. Moral of the story could be one of the following:
1. Friends don't pay for friends to get their face pierced
2. What exactly were you thinking Leishan?
3. Nana will offer $50 for you to take it out for good.
4. Next time go for the nose or eyebrow.

I will try to update if we have any big news while I am out of town.
Blessings all...
Sarah

P.S. KB loaned some resistance bands to me so I won't miss a beat on the boot camp training! :)

Little Bear Sunday Update

Today Baby Bear was fever free!
Praise!

His "bump" on his back is looking better.

He is having some blood in his stool so please pray this is just a passing thing that can be treated with meds.

Please continue to pray for his caregivers and pray for continued wisdom as they are doing the best that they can. They are incredibly giving, selfless, loving people who are busy beyond what you and I know "busy" to be. Pray for them.

Please also pray for Bear's parents!!
Pray for communication with them and wisdom for them and good health for his Momma who is really just days from his birth day.

Please also pray for Bear's loving doctor here in the US who is counseling the situation from afar, and for the hospital as they work through the "hoops" and "logistics" to try to bring things together.

We have hope!!

Keep fighting Little Bear!

SunDay ReView

Here are some more pictures of my children from the SB party yesterday. :)
All of the children recieved a present of a new game this year at the party. What a blessing and it has been really fun playing lots of new games today.

My sweet hubby and children spent a lot of time today cleaning up the garage to make a little play area for Bean's slide and "outdoor" kitchen. (So when its not too cold we have an extra play area because we like to stay busy at our house to put it nicely.) They also started to hang some lights outside.

Lauren and I took Angeline to preschool swim time and then I swam laps and then Lauren and I spent some time sitting in the hot tub. The lady who was originally sharing my lap lane didn't know how to swim so it was making me nervous the whole time. (I admit it that I once was a lifeguard in a past life.) She told me that it was ok to share a lane with her but that she was going to need to stay near the wall because she could only go a couple feet and then she would sink. She had on a lot of clothing over her swim suit and the whole thing was bizarre.
After she got done in my lane, someone else joined me instead who was wearing a shower cap and each time I passed her or she passed me- she would say hello and smile. It was an interesting time. :)

While I was swimming I did my favorite thing, prayed. Its peaceful for me to swim and it really brings me a great deal of focus. I feel grounded and centered and level and calm. It was nice to have sometime with just Lolo and Bean. When we arrived home, the house was clean, the laundry was mostly finished, the garage organized, some lights hung outside, and my children were dressed and ready to head out to the Pioneer Christmas that was down the road.

Lolo and I stayed home with Lena and Bean and we all took a little nap and I worked on book 2 of the TWILIGHT series. (Yes I am a loser- I don't care these books are SO romantic- seriously. If you haven't read them, please do!!)

It was really the perfect Sunday and I was thankful to have some time to clear my head and just BE. I admit that I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with Lena leaving us in a couple weeks. I just wish that I knew more about her family and siblings and maybe what their needs might be so we can bless her family. I want them to be in the best position as possible for her to come back into their family and I don't have any peace at all about that! I just don't know much of anything- other than the way she arrived and the condition that was she in. :(

I am going to try spending less time worrying and more time praying. Remind me of this later ok?