Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Nap Time or NOT

I  made the announcement that it was nap time from the kitchen.  I like to give the little ones a few minutes to prepare.

I entered the living room to find this:


Do they really think this will change my mind about nap time????   Do they think just because they snuggle up to each other and put on the most INSANE BEAUTIFUL SMILES that I will cave???  Do they forget that I have been a Mom now for 18 years now????  Do they really think that seeing them like this will make me forget the PEACE I will have while they nap?????   Do they think the million things I can get done while they sleep can just wait until tomorrow????   Really Gav & Bug????  I think you could try a little harder then this!!!!!  Silly kids!!!!

Guess we are having McDonalds for dinner tonight!!!!!!!

Naughty Kids!!!!!!

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas to YOU
Love, 
Us



Best Christmas Ever for this 
Proud Mama

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Two Years Ago


Two years ago I sat in the office of a social workers office in Simferopol, Ukraine. The social worker told Dave and I that she could not support our adoption of the little girl we had yet to meet. The social worker refused to allow us to take this little girl out of one institution just to put her in another one. She was referring to daycare since Dave and I both worked out of the home. I felt like I had just been ran over by the same train I had just got off of 15 minutes prior to this meeting. It was a 16 hour dreadful train ride. And this lady is making me think I am going to be getting right back on that train headed back home with out our little girl!! I remember the feeling of complete desperation like it was yesterday. It was the worst!!! The worst ever!!!

Our facilitator assured us while leaving the social work office that she would figure something out. I was not convinced!! It was surreal!!! How could this be happening??? What could we do in this foreign country???

We then pulled up to a very large old building. We were told
"This is the baby house"

We still get to meet her??? What??? What if we meet her and are not permitted to bring her home??? How is that fair to her????  Oh my was I a MESS!! Nothing made sense!!!

We entered the orphanage. I was not prepared!!!! We were brought in to a large office. We met with the director and the doctor.  They did a lot of talking but I will be honest, I didn't listen to one thing. Not one!!! I couldn't even believe we were in the same building as the little girl we came to rescue. I kept wondering how people do this. It all felt so uncomfortable and so wrong.  I couldn't help but think I had made a very very large mistake leaving our family and coming here!!!  What was I thinking??????????

The orphanage attorney after what seemed like a decade said she would now bring us to meet Maria. OH MY!!!!! My insides were in an uproar. I could hear my heart beat and I was sure it was going to explode in my chest. I was also sure my legs were going to give out each step down the long cold hallway.    I was praying like crazy for God To make some sense of all this!!  Pretty much begging Him to HELP me understand why we ever thought this was a good idea!!!

We entered a set of doors and we were told to wait in a little entry way.   We waited maybe 5 minutes but again it felt like forever!!

A door opened and a caregiver entered the entry way holding a child.  A child with a red striped shirt over a pink turtle neck and little red pants.  This caregiver was holding MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER!!! With out even thinking, I went and took the most precious little child I had ever seen right from that caregiver. I held her and instantly realized why I was in Ukraine. I felt a love that I could never accurately explain. I was not here to rescue this child. I came here for her to rescue me!! Oh and has she ever!!!  Each of my Prayers were answered and then some!!!!


It hit me so HARD!!!  WHOA!!!!  This is MY DAUGHTER!!!!














Two years later and I still can't believe GOD chose us!!!! What in the world did we ever do to receive this incredible gift!!! This most beautiful treasure is our DAUGHTER!!!! And you know what the most amazing gift is??? Belle loves us too!!!

Oh yes, WE ARE BLESSED!!!!!!!

THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!

For our Daughter

ISABELLE MARIA

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Bellie Bug Did Fabulous!!!


Thank you so much for the Prayers for Bug!!!! She did great today for her surgery!!!! I can not even explain how proud I am and how crazy in love with her I am!!! God is Always Good!!!!








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday, December 17, 2012

Bug & Bean

The Bug & The Bean




 I don't know if you can see the bruising on Bean's face but she was so upset during her scope at the ear, nose & throat appointment today that she actually broke blood vessels all around her face.  The girl is a FIGHTER I tell you!!!

These girls are something!!! 
 Bean ( Lyla ) LOVES Belle so much.  
She always wants to be as close as possible to her.  
Bug (Belle) would veto the adoption bill on sweet Lyla if she could.  

How can Bug resist sweet Bean??? 
I am sure very soon Bug will come around and realize how AWESOME her sister is!!!

Here is a Bug & Bean Update

Bug is having surgery tomorrow at Children's Hospital of Buffalo.  She will have her adenoids removed and ear tubes inserted.  Would you please pray that she is comfortable for these procedures!!!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Bean had a Pediatric ENT evaluation today and she had an appointment with her cardiologist.  She will need her adenoids & tonsils removed and she too will need ear tubes.  She will have a sleep study done and some reflux testing.  Dr. Brodsky (ENT) scoped her today in the office and found a bit of a mess with her voice box.  I guess it is pretty swollen and her adenoids & tonsils are huge.  SO the good news is that this could very well be contributing to Lyla's poor breathing.  This is a good thing really!!!!  So the two Doctors will talk and decide when we are doing what!!  Dr. Leonard (Card.) is so happy with how she is doing on her new medicine.  He is also absolutely alright with the fact that Bean will not keep her oxygen on during the day.  He said if she is getting the o2 at night and nap time that is GREAT!!!  THANK GOD!!!!  So he will increase her Viagara dosage and we will see him again in 4 weeks.  

I have to share this.  When Dr. Leonard went to exam Lyla he said " Come Here Turkey" and then he said while listening to her heart " You sure are a Pretty Girl"!!!  That was the BEST part of my Day!!!!!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Diapers - Diapers - Diapers!!!!!!

Dry Bums For Christmas!!!!!

YOU CAN HELP!!!!!!!!!

The Basile Family is in country right NOW adopting their THIRD BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS!!!!!!

Sarah has set up a paypal account to accept donations for diapers for some very needy little bums!!!



Please go HERE!!!!!!  and Donate $15 for a pack of diapers!!!  
WE DID!!!!!

If a family can't be found for these beautiful precious treasures, the least we can do is ensure they are 
DRY for Christmas!!!!  


THANK YOU

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Happy "Metcha Day" Gav

Oh My!!!  
I can't believe we only met Gav last year!!

Here is the post for proof:  Gavin's Metcha Day

Really?????  
How can that be true?????  
I am pretty certain he has been here always!!!!!  
Our crazy guy sure has made the last year a very Fun Ride!!!!  




















We have been so Blessed to see that very beautiful smile for 365.242 days!!!!!  
Thank You Gavin!!! 
 We Love you SO MUCH Buddy!!!!!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Round 3

Today is Round 3!!!  Round 3 of my fight trying to get Lyla to wear her O2 nasal cannula!!  I hate to admit this is one very exhausting fight that I am losing!!!!!

I should start from the beginning.

Friday we were introduced to our new friend, Oxygen.

 Lyla seemed interested at first.

It didn't take long for her to realize that somehow this would all involve her.  She was not thrilled.


Sara tried to help ease Lyla in to wearing her nasal cannula.


Still trying.  A nice pat on the back should do it!!!


Sweet Belle even tried.


Okay, maybe Belle was a tad aggressive.


The above picture clearly shows how Lyla feels about her oxygen.  Poor Love!!!


AH HA - Then Day Two when Lyla fell asleep right next to the big ole O2 machine we had some success!!!


Last night Lyla was becoming a little more comfortable with the tubing.


My Sweet Beautiful Girl!!!! Huge success with the oxygen going right in her mouth!!  YAY!!!!  Not quite the way the cannula is intended to be used but we will TAKE IT!!!!


Sadly I have to admit this is really what is going on majority of the time.  See the tubing right next to her???  Well that is definitely where she prefers to have it!!  Lyla is suppose to wear the O2 ALL THE TIME!!!  OH MY!!!!

Here is the biggest issue.  When Lyla cries she sometimes can get so upset that she turns blue.  Now, when I say blue, I really mean BLUE!!!!  Like not breathing at all BLUE!!!  I had never experienced "blue" until Lyla - that is a fact!!!   Dr. Leonard told us every time she turns blue she is doing more damage so we try desperately not to let her get real upset.  So when I tried putting the nasal cannula on her the first time I held her down.  She got so upset she turned BLUE.  UGH!!!!!

Our new plan is just to introduce the whole thing slowly.  The fact that she will now put it in her mouth is so AWESOME!!!

A Mom of a little one once on oxygen told  me about tender grip adhesive.


I think this will be a huge help.  I will call the oxygen supply company to see if they carry these tomorrow.

Then, the great Molly Conley recommended Blow By Bear:


 This will be great at night!!!  Molly also suggested having the other kids wear the nasal canula !!  FABULOUS IDEA!!!!  Oh I can't wait for Molly to adopt!!!  Obviously she is going to be one heck of an amazing Mommy!!!!

Another great piece of advice from my Aunt Ann was "tiny steps"!!  She couldn't be more right!!

I am so grateful that I have so many wonderful friends willing to help with advice!!!

If you have any advice for me regarding this battle with O2, PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT!!!!  I will take all the advice I can get!!!!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!