Every child is special!

Over the next month we have several thousand more dollars due to our agency.  We have launched a new t-shirt fundraiser to help with these expenses.  This one is perfect for everyone who loves children!  It is available in a wide variety of styles and sizes, including long sleeved and children's sizes.  Click the link for more details:  Every child is special!

 

Finally healthy!

Back last fall Malachi started complaining incessantly of not feeling well.  He had recurring strep throat.  He was MISERABLE with stomach pain daily, and the horrible pain was coupled with frequent diarrhea.  He also complained of chest pain and shortness of breath daily, which was especially concerning given his heart defects.  He was even complaining of his arms and legs hurting.  He just ALWAYS felt HORRIBLE!  He was also losing weight, concerning for any kid but especially one as tiny as him.

Our biggest concern was his chest pain, but his cardiologist said Malachi had no NEW cardiac issues, nothing that should be causing all the new problems he was experiencing.  He referred us to the pulmonologist.

The pulmonologist didn't really have any great answers, but she did want to put him on a host of new medications, including steroids.  I was VERY hesitant about so many new drugs, especially for a kid with heart defects, when there really didn't seem to be an answer to his problems.

The next step was a gastroenterologist.  That proved to be a frustrating experience!  In the end they said his problems were all caused by food allergies.  We cut nearly EVERYTHING from his diet - they said he was allergic to wheat, rice, corn, milk, eggs, peanuts, tomatoes, and more.  He not only couldn't eat these products, he couldn't eat anything with even a trace of these products such as the small amount of cornstarch in seasoning mixes and many other foods.  Gluten-free products were no help because they usually contain rice flour in place of wheat flour.  There was next to nothing he could eat, which made him even more miserable, and the changes in his diet did nothing to alleviate his problems.

Once I got a copy of the blood work for myself I believed there was no way food allergies could be causing problems as severe as what Malachi was experiencing.  Most of his results were in the class 1 allergy category, with some of the values being just barely high enough to even be interpreted (e.g. 0.37, 0.38 - see the chart below to see how minimal these would be considered).  Of the 2 test results that fell into class 2, they both were on the very low end of that category.  It made no sense that allergies as minimal as these would cause so many problems, and that a change in diet hadn't helped him further justified that thought.

So the next step was to an allergy/immunology doctor.  Here we received confirmation that Malachi's food allergies definitely should not be the source of all his problems.  His food allergies were so minimal they didn't even show up with skin testing.

At this point we were at a bit of a loss as to what would be causing so many problems - stomach pain, diarrhea, weight loss, chest pain, shortness of breath, recurring strep throat, arm pain, leg pain, overall feelings of discomfort, lethargy, etc.  What could we do?

It was about this time we pulled Malachi and his siblings out of school and began to homeschool them once again.  I truly believe this was a tremendous help.  Our kids went from being sick all the time to never being sick.  They also started getting lots more sleep.  The ones who do better sleeping later could do so, and Micaelyn (who is always an early riser) could take a much needed nap during the day.

We also started working hard to ensure a healthy diet for us all with a particular interest in Malachi.  We limit packaged food products, and when we do use them (e.g. dried pasta, tomato sauce) we try to get ones that are truly all-natural.  We're trying to cut chemicals out of our diet.  Even something as seemingly healthy as whole-wheat bread usually has a long list of chemicals in it.  We've discovered some nearby Amish markets where we can get freshly made bread, peanut butter, and a host of other products without any added chemicals.  We've also switched to locally made fresh cheese, we search for apples without wax coatings, and we are very careful about where we go on the rare occasions we eat out.  We've found the very best way to start the day is with a smoothie, and thankfully after years of making them I finally found a supplement for them I feel makes them both healthier and tastier!    The smoothies also work great as afternoon snacks or evening treats so they provide a way to give the kids a snack without resorting to something unhealthy.  Our diet was never bad (e.g. we have never had sodas and always limited junk foods), but I think the added nutrition from the frequent smoothies has helped a lot.

Over the past several months Malachi has gradually started feeling better to the point now where he rarely complains.  He hasn't had anymore strep throat, nor has he had any other illness.  He hasn't complained of chest pain or shortness of breath, and he says his arms and legs no longer bother him.  Most significantly (since it was his greatest and most frequent complaint before), he rarely complains of stomach pain anymore, and when he does it's more discomfort than real pain.  He no longer has diarrhea and has been steadily picking up weight again.

We will probably never know what was causing all of Malachi's problems.  I do not believe it to have been a psychological issue with school because he really loved school.  However, I do think taking him out of school was a big help since he no longer had to deal with the constant exposure to germs and frequent illnesses, and he could get as much sleep as necessary.  I also believe the smoothies I give him has helped a lot.   The supplement I use is super healthy on its own (it's designed to be a meal replacement shake), so combined with the other ingredients I use the smoothie becomes a super nutrient rich food source.  Regardless, we are just grateful for Malachi's better health!

How to save a life...

The picture to the side is a clip from a Chinese newspaper "finding ad" showing the face of a recently abandoned little girl estimated to be 3 years old. Why are we passionate about caring for orphans? Because they are not just pictures. They are CHILDREN, REAL CHILDREN. No child deserves to be abandoned, no child deserves to be left behind, no child deserves to live in the conditions in which many orphans live, and no child deserves a life without love. We live in a society in which many fight for the care of animals but few fight for the care of orphans. Yes, animals are important, but they will NEVER compare to the worth of a child!!! Those of us who have opened our eyes to the plight of these children cannot turn away. We will never stop fighting for them. We will adopt those whom others have overlooked. We will advocate for the ones still waiting. We will encourage and support other adoptive families. We will donate time and money to help children find families and to help families get their children home. And we will pray for others to join our fight, because it is not about us - it is about the children, the abandoned, unwanted, uncared for, unloved, forgotten children. It is a fight we ALL should be fighting. Yes, Christians love to point out the many verses from the Bible that make it so clear of our responsibility to care for these children, but it's not just "a Christian thing." Caring for orphans is the right thing no matter what your religious beliefs. So when you see our posts about orphans don't just skim over them because it's not your thing. Ask yourself what you can do to help. It doesn't take a lot. You don't have to adopt to make a difference, but whether it be advocating for waiting children or the families adopting these children, helping with a fundraiser (and just sharing the link is helping by bringing more attention), donating time and/or money, or praying, YOUR HELP IS IMPORTANT - you really can make a difference! The little girl in the picture - she is our Grace, our almost 10 year old daughter still waiting for us to bring her home. She has been waiting YEARS for a family. There were many who advocated for her. They led her to us. They helped to save a life.
 

Keurig Coffee Maker Fundraiser

A friend of ours is hosting a Keurig Coffee Maker Fundraiser to help us get Grace and Jacob home and help another family (also our friends!) get their precious new daughter home.  Please go check it out and be a part of this fun event!  https://www.facebook.com/events/411608235677768/

Homeschool Field Trip - Davy Crockett State Park

Several weeks ago we took the kids on a field trip to the Davy Crockett State Park.  We must have chosen the coldest day of spring to go.  Soon we will go back and spend more time there.  At least the kids got to see it, so now when they are reading about Davy Crockett they can picture exactly what his home was like.

Standing on the porch of Davy Crockett's home

The stone reads, "On this spot Davy Crockett was born."  Turns out he was born next to a river in Tennessee, not up on a mountaintop like the song says!

A new name!

We have finally decided on a name for our new daughter ("Yvonne" is the name she has been known by for many years on all the waiting child lists and groups, but it is not the name she goes by in China).  We knew we wanted a name that relates in some way to our Christian faith.  We had a few ideas, and when we received a couple of new videos of our daughter it became clear which one was just perfect - Grace!  The videos showed us that she is a very graceful girl who loves to dance.  We think the name fits her just perfectly!

I will post the first new video of Grace when our FSP on Reece's Rainbow (http://reecesrainbow.org/88887/sponsormurray-2) reaches $1500, and I will post the second when it reaches $2000.  For now I will give you this - a link to a post from 2011 advocating for a family for this precious girl (she's been waiting YEARS for a family!).  Even back then they called her "a graceful girl."  There is a brief video of her dancing.  She was cute back then, but I can't wait to show the new videos because she has truly become a great dancer!  http://holtinternational.org/blog/2011/11/a-graceful-girl-from-china/

Beckwith Weidemann Syndrome

I know many people stumble upon my blog while searching for information on Beckwith Weidemann Syndrome.  Because it's a more rare syndrome it can be harder to find information about it, particularly from a personal experience point-of-view.  Here are my 2 girls with BWS.  They are both beautiful, but they are even more amazing on the inside!  They have endured more than most kids medically, but they are just as happy and loving as can be!  And they both love dressing up as princesses!  (And just in case you're wondering, they are NOT biologically related!  Micaelyn was adopted from China, and Elianna was adopted from here in the United States.)

Eye patching

Elianna has had to wear eye patches for quite some time now.  She's really grown annoyed by them and resists wearing them, but on this gorgeous spring day she was full of smiles!

A great gift for Father's Day!!!

We have launched a new t-shirt fundraiser.  This is a shirt that's perfect for any parent.  It would make a great Father's Day present!  It comes in many different styles and colors, including short sleeves, long sleeves, v-necks, women's, and even a hoodie!  http://teespring.com/the-joy-of-a-family

Another chance!

We have relaunched our "Ohana Means Family" t-shirt fundraiser!  Those who have already purchased one have LOVED the shirt.  Join in the fun and get yours today!  https://www.bonfirefunds.com/ohana-means-family

Time is running out!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."  That's the quote by Gandhi on the back of this great shirt designed to raise money for our adoption.  Time is running out to purchase one of these awesome shirts!  Spread a great message while helping 2 precious kids get home to their family!  Only a few days left to make your purchase!
Go to https://www.bonfirefunds.com/ohana-means-family to buy one, and feel free to share the link to others!

Grateful for Grandpa

For the last 2 adoptions Ernie has traveled by himself so as to save money.  When we took the leap of faith to adopt 2 children with this adoption we began to wonder about him traveling by himself, especially since our new son has significant special needs such that he can't walk and has limited use of his arms and as an older child with Down syndrome our new daughter could have issues that would need lots of attention as well.  If I traveled we would have to take Elianna and Hannah with us due to attachment issues, then we would need to take Caleb with us just to have a kid big enough to help with all the little ones.  It would be a great experience, lots of fun, and Caleb REALLY loved the idea, but it would also mean A LOT of extra money.

Fortunately, Ernie's dad has happily agreed to travel with him.  They are both looking forward to it.  The experience of traveling to a foreign country is always exciting, even more so when it is to adopt a new child, but I think mostly they are looking forward to having time together.  I'm sure they will have a great time bonding with the kids and with each other.  I can only imagine the talk that will go on between them about life, their time in the military, politics, kids, family, etc.!

I can't say enough how much I appreciate my father-in-law's support of our adoptions and of our family as a whole.  Many people think just because THEY would never do what we are doing therefore we shouldn't do it either.  Some people are just distant, others are plain cold and even hateful to us.  We've learned to block negative people out of our lives, but that doesn't stop the feelings that come from their negativity (though hopefully it at least prevents some of it from reaching our children).

If you happen to be in San Antonio please stop by his restaurant, Asia Kitchen, to say hello and enjoy some incredible Thai food (there's plenty of great Chinese dishes also!).  And just in case you are wondering, the food isn't just authentic, it's indescribably delicious!  (His wife, the head chef, is from Thailand.  My father-in-law lived in Thailand while serving in the military.)

Here is the link where you will find directions to the restaurant along with a menu of the many dishes they serve.  http://www.asia-kitchen.com/index.html

A recent photo of our daughter Christina and her cousin with Grandpa

Ernie and his dad with the kids at our home a couple of years ago

Our newest blessing

When we include our new son in our family our children are as follows:

2 little girls (both 3 years old)

2 little boys (both 4 years old)

1 big girl (8 years old)

2 big boys (9 and 10 years old)

1 grown boy (18 years old)

1 grown girl (21 years old)

The 2 grown kids are busy with their own lives now and rarely interact with the younger ones.  That leaves 2 little girls the same age, 2 little boys the same age, 2 big boys just one year apart in age, and 1 big girl.  

The 2 little girls, Elianna and Hannah, are like twins, not just in age but also in their bonding.  The 2 little boys, Jonah and Jacob, are the same age also (since Jacob is still in China they haven't yet gotten to bond).  All 4 of them together are within 1 year of age from oldest to youngest (and though Jonah is the oldest he is the youngest developmentally).  Elianna, Hannah, and Jonah are already best friends who love playing together, and since Jacob and Hannah already share an attachment from China Jacob will surely fit right in with them once we get him home.  

That leaves Caleb, Malachi, and Micaelyn.  Caleb and Malachi are both boys just 1 year apart in age. They enjoy spending time together.  They are always wanting to hang out with each other.  Then there is Micaelyn, the only one who doesn't have a same gender sibling close in age.  She really wants a sister her own age.  We all agree we have room in our hearts and in our home for another girl.  

We started another adoption because we couldn't leave Hannah's foster brother behind any longer.  Since we had already made the commitment to start the whole adoption process over again it seemed now was the time to bring home a new daughter also, a sister for our children.  

There are so many children waiting for a family.  How do you choose just one?  It took only one look at "Yvonne's" profile on Reece's Rainbow for us to feel she was the one.  The children all readily agreed and began praying for us to bring her home.  Then just last week, on the day we went to see my granddad one last time before he died, we received our PA from China for our new daughter.

Introducing the newest member of our family, "Yvonne."  (We haven't yet decided on a new name so we are using the name that was used to advocate for her during the years she spent waiting for a family.)

Yvonne waited literally years for a family.  She is 9 years old (will be 10 this summer) and has Down syndrome.  We are all so excited and can't wait to meet her!

We are currently running a t-shirt fundraiser to help get our 2 newest children home.  The shirts are beautiful and a wonderful way to not only help us but also to spread a great message.
Here is the link to our fundraiser: https://www.bonfirefunds.com/ohana-means-family

Ohana means family...

...  Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. (from Disney's Lilo & Stitch)

While we were in the process of adopting Hannah we regularly received pictures of her (this was a first for us!) due to her being in a great group home for special needs babies.  There were plenty of other small children there, but it was very clear to us she and another little boy shared an extra special attachment to one another.  We often wondered about him, wondered who would adopt him.  His special needs were a bit more challenging.  Would anybody ever step up to adopt him?

Long after we brought Hannah home her foster brother continued to wait for a family.  Hannah still remembered him, still loved him.  How could we leave this child waiting indefinitely for a family when he and our daughter were so attached?  Our kids had started asking to adopt him too while we were still waiting to bring Hannah home, and truth be told he had our hearts from the moment we first saw his picture.

No, we couldn't leave him behind any longer.  He is Hannah's foster brother.  He is family.  Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.    

Introducing our new son, Jacob, waiting eagerly in China for his family to bring him home!

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  -John 14:18

Happy World Down Syndrome Day!

Today is World Down Syndrome Day!  It's a great day to celebrate the blessing of those who are gifted with "that little something extra," and it's also a great day to give an update on Jonah and say thank you to all those who helped to bring him home.

When we first got Jonah he was in pretty bad shape.  He had such horrible infections it took many rounds of strong antibiotics to get him well.  His nose bled constantly, and his face looked terrible.  We discovered he had hypothyroidism which he had not been treated for in the orphanage.  He had trouble eating and drinking without choking.  He was very delayed developmentally, even for a child with Down syndrome.  He had somehow managed to survive without medical care, with minimal nourishment, and with minimal nurturing, but he had definitely suffered for it.

In the time that Jonah has been home he has become like a new kid.  First off, he is healthy!  He has had a few minor colds, but he has never gotten anywhere near like he was when he first came to us.  He also gets medication daily for his hypothyroidism, and he not only gets treated for his known needs he is getting appropriately screened for all the other things he is at risk for.

Secondly, Jonah has grown so much!  He has put on a lot of weight and has grown in height as well.  Plus he has not only learned to eat and drink without choking, he never wants to stop!  He will quickly eat all the food on his plate, and when he has finished it he hands his plate to Mommy knowing I will give him more.  He has also mastered the art of sneaking into the kitchen and getting apples, bananas, or bread from the counter, cheese sticks rom the refrigerator, cereal from the cabinets, and anything else left within his reach.  Jonah LOVES to eat!!!

Thirdly, his development has taken off wonderfully!  He could barely walk when we first got him, and now he walks everywhere!  He tries so hard to keep up with all his siblings.  While he used to be content to sit and look at one toy for an indefinite period of time, he now eagerly moves from one toy to the next.  He is also learning how to play with toys.  He no longer just looks at or holds a toy in his hand, he interacts with it.  He pushes cars along the floor.  He throws balls.  He puts things inside and pulls them out as appropriate.  He pretends to eat toy food and drink from play cups.  He even tries to put diapers on baby dolls!!!

Unfortunately, Jonah isn't really progressing very much in speech.  He does occasionally say "hi," and he seems to be saying "thank you" when somebody gives him food at the table (not that it sounds like thank you, just that he seems consistent in making a certain sound when given something).  He seems to be making an effort to say "I love you" in response to us saying it, but it comes out with only vowel sounds, something like, "I-wooooo."  He hasn't shown any willingness to use signs for communication either other than handing his plate over at the dinner table for more food.  I have tried so hard to get him to learn the sign for "drink," but he has yet to use it appropriately (I have gotten him once to imitate it, but he's yet to use it to indicate his desire for a drink).  He does, however, try to imitate his younger sisters (Elianna and Hannah, both 3) singing.  He will "sing" along whenever they are singing, and he has even started dancing to music, a welcome sight since he showed no response to music when we first adopted him.

Overall, Jonah's development since bringing him home has been simply amazing.  However, the most wonderful progress developmentally has not been physically but emotionally.  Jonah has gone from being a little boy who just existed to a little boy who is truly loved and who knows he is loved.  I think the greatest example of this is the change in his reaction to pain.  The first time we took him to the doctor he showed no reaction to being held down and given his shots.  The nurses were in total shock.  However, the second time he not only screamed in pain he looked to me for comfort.  When we first adopted him he went to everybody and anybody for attention.  He still readily goes to other people, but he definitely shows a preference for his family, especially mommy!  He even "kisses" me in his own little funny manner (it's not a true kiss like people think of but it's obviously his intent).  He greatly enjoys his siblings also and shows a strong attachment for them.  He is a truly happy little boy, full of laughter.  He does have his occasional meltdowns, but they are always short and easily overcome.

We often think about Jonah's life before his adoption, how horrible it was for such a precious young child to be stuck in a stark crib in a drab room all day, day after day after day...  He has Down syndrome, but it does not define him.  Jonah is a special soul, a true blessing.  There will be many things in life he doesn't understand, but he clearly understands love.  He may never speak, but he communicates love without hesitation.  He may face obstacles in life, but he deserves the chance to have every opportunity to learn and to experience the world around him.  We are so very grateful to all who helped to give Jonah the chance to live, to be healthy, to learn new things, to explore the world around him, and most importantly to love and to be loved.  If you donated money to help get Jonah home I hope you understand your donation was not a gift for us, it was for this precious little boy.

 

Jonah's life in the orphanage.  That's him in the yellow shirt and red pants (he looks heavier than he really was because it gets very cold in the building due to lack of heat so the children are put in many layers).  He spent his entire day, every day, surrounded by metal bars.  The floor of the crib was hard.  There was nothing of comfort for him, no special stuffed animal or blanket.  He had no toys.  He had no one to love him.  He was an orphan.

This picture was taken by a family that traveled to adopt their son before we got Jonah.  The pictures they sent showed us a sick little boy.  His nose was cruddy and bloody (once home his doctor said the inside of his nose looked like "hamburger meat" it was so bad).  He cheeks were flushed with fever.  One ear looked red (from the outside, I can only imagine how bad the inside of both ears looked!).  His lips were chapped.  He obviously wasn't being cared for.  It took us MONTHS of many strong antibiotics to get his infections cleared up.  

My husband took this picture the day the adoptive families in his travel group received the medical files for the children.  Once all the files had been passed out he asked why Jonah didn't receive a file.  He was told because Jonah has Down syndrome he was "not worthy" of medical care so there was no file on him.

Jonah's first bath (with Daddy in China). 

Falling asleep in the arms of love for the first time (with Daddy in China).

Daddy plays with Jonah while still in China.  Getting attention, getting played with, getting loved - all new experience!

Jonah at his first doctor's appointment just a couple of days after his arrival home.  His mommy, daddy, and 5 of his siblings were in the room with him.  The other kids were talking, laughing, and playing, yet he walked to the corner and stood there.  He literally stood in the corner for 20 minutes until the doctor walked in.  The next time we went to that doctor he was so playful he was difficult to control.  Jonah is like the butterfly that opened up from it's cocoon.  He has been completely transformed from the child he once was.  He is no longer an orphan, unwanted and abandoned.  He is our beloved son.  

Thank you so much to all who helped to get this precious boy out of an orphanage and into the arms of his family!  There are no words to accurately describe the difference love makes in the life of a child!  Your gift has truly helped to save a life!!!