For Family

Tonight we played a "game" around the dinner table for Valentine's Day. We called it "Why do you love?" We named a person in our extended family and took turns naming something we love about that person. The catch was, if you repeated someone ELSE'S idea, you were out. After each time around the table, we went to a new relative, but still you could not repeat a single idea. It was a wonderful way to remember those we love, all who live far away. We had so much fun talking about grandparents, we couldn't get to others. Tomorrow! :-)_

Mimi..."I love...how she makes root beer floats, crochets us warm blankets, likes museums, gives us candy when she has to leave, makes me hats, loves our children at all times."

Grandpa..."I love...how he likes the Colts, likes to play competitive games, taught me how to plan vacations, tells me stories, reads me books, plays ding a ling on my kids' ears."

Birdie..."I love...how she gives me chipies, always has things just for me to paint in her studio, shows an interest in what I care about, gives me tips on diving, knows just how to take care of me when I'm sick, taught me how to bake."

Opa..."I love...that he lets me drive the boat, takes me fishing, loves Jesus hugely, plays with me in the pool, plays awesome guitar, likes popsicles as much as kids."

Please keep praying

We had M in the hospital yesterday for her every three week transfusion. Her numbers are STILL high, despite her seven day chelation treatment. The doctors are baffled. In the words of the nurse practitioner, "We don't have a single family that works as diligently as you guys do at this who are experiencing anything like this." Hmm...

Her hematologist is FANTASTIC. He loves Miss M. Could be because he has TWO adopted daughters from China himself. :-) He ALWAYS takes time out of his schedule to come up to our floor to see her personally. He is not happy with the numbers, but is still hopeful that they will come down by spring. If not, then we will do a full body MRI that scans to see exactly where the iron is collecting internally to make sure her organs are protected. The next course of action would be determined based on that information.

For now, we chelate and up our prayers. Please join us in asking God to intervene!

Somebody's Getting Hitched!

G's sweet teacher is getting married. She's begun her wedding preparations and G was curious about them. Today on the way home from school he asked, "Mom, after the wedding, do people really go to the moon to eat honey?"

How SWEET is THAT?!

Making Progress

Lots of people ask how M is doing. Although she's been with us for almost a year and a half, they realize that the journey of leaving one life for another is a long process with many bends in the road.

For M, there are definitely behaviors and preferences due to her first few years of life in China. One thing that's really hard for M is sleeping with contentment.

The girl can sleep. Praise the Lord! She can sleep almost anywhere. BUT, she does not sleep peacefully. She sleeps fitfully and often fusses in her sleep. Often she wakes up in the middle of the night sobbing. She can't verbalize what's bothering her, what she's dreaming or feeling, but she does want us to hold her and comfort her and that's a very good sign of eventual healing.

For now, we take a night at a time.

But today....I took her for an afternoon errand. She still has rest time at home, but napping is hit or miss during the quiet time. The drive was long today, about a half an hour and she sang the Barney song THE WHOLE WAY until the last 1/2 mile where she sang,

I LOVE YOU, YOU LOVE ME WE'RE A HAPPY

and stopped short as her head fell over fast asleep. :-)

She woke up awhile later, perked her head up and completed the phrase

FAMILY WITH A GREAT BIG HUG

and fell right back asleep again.

I silently laughed myself silly!