Still Alive & Kickin'

It's been a while since I've posted. Things are busy here, but great! I can't believe it has been 8 weeks since the boys joined our family. Levi has been feeling better and better everyday. I think for the first time in his almost 4yrs he actually feels well!! We are finding that there is a little stinker behind that sweet little toothless smile. Ha!!! Tomorrow we are making the 4 hr drive to Cook Children's to see a cardiologist. Hoping to find out if we are or are not going to have to have heart surgery. He is still getting meds twice a day through his picc line and his labs have been good:) He is also getting meds for urinary issues as well:( Hopefully that will resolve. He absolutely loves to "Go". If any one heads to the door, grabs keys or puts a jacket on; He's running to put on his hat, jacket, and shoes. lol Charlie is doing great! He loves school & he is like a little sponge. He is having an echo on Wed. & we are trying to get him in to see what is going on with his vision & hearing on his right side. Oh, and apparently he had a hernia repair surgery that they didn't tell us about. Ooops!! Our entire family is so Blessed!! Everyone is adjusting well & most days it feels like our two newbies have been with us forever!

Skip The Steak!!!!

Wondering Where You can Help during the CHRISTmas Season???? Here's a GREAT suggestions. Make a donation towards Jayson's Adoption! This little guy needs a family and I can't think of anything better than helping this little one find his forever family. The #1 reason why families choose not to adopt is $$$MONEY$$$. Let's FILL his Adoption Grant Fund so that his "Forever Family" can bring him home!!! Right now Jayson has $36 in his Grant Fund. That would almost be enough for a couple to have a steak dinner. Skip the steak dinner & PLEASE help us grow his adoption fund by donating any amount. CLICK on the CHIP IN button to DONATE and give Jayson the Best CHRISTmas Present ever!!!!! How can you resist those chubby cheeks!!!!

Depraved Indifference

No Words can express how this makes me feel. I hope it touches you & stirs up the same emotions for the sake of His children.........

One Surgery Down....Yay!!!

Levi's surgery went well yesterday. He no longer has tonsils, adenoids, or any teeth; but he gained a pair of ear tubes...Yay! We are still in the hospital. He is still struggling to keep his oxgen saturation up so he remains on oxygen & he has not been able to empty his bladder on his own since surgery. His pain is under control & he is resting well. Please continue to pray specifically for his breathing, that he would drink better & that his bladder would start working on it's own. We are grateful for all the words of encouragement and prayers. Will keep you all updated:)

Our Community- Right Here, Right Now!!!

After working as a nurse and seeing CPS place children in foster homes far away from their own community, and hearing David Platt (Radical) share his story of how his faith family willingly opened their hearts & their homes so that every child in "The System" in their county would have a family. I see the same HUGE need RIGHT HERE.....Wow!!! 260 children found families just like that because of families willingness to do what God asked them to do!!! Amazing!!! The following are the statistics for "OUR COMMUNITY" as of Aug. 31st 2010.........

5,800: Texas children in foster care system who are eligible for adoption
77: Children in foster care system from Midland County
154: Children in foster care system from Ector County(Odessa)
84: Children from Ector County sent to foster homes in another region
44: Children from the region living in an emergency shelter

These children are NOT statistics, they are God's Children.....

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act" ~Proverbs 24:12

**This Article is from the front page of the Nov 29th issue of the Midland Telegram Reporter**

Stephanie Green’s family just became a little bigger. The single mother of three spent the summer becoming a certified foster parent and a few weeks ago welcomed 10- and 6-year-old siblings. The schoolteacher already is raising a 15-, 11- and 10-year-old of her own. “We’re trusting God on this journey, and we’re excited to see where he takes us,” Green said. “I just feel sure they’re going to bless our lives more than we bless theirs.” Like other parents in the area, Green said she became interested in fostering after she realized how much need there was in Texas, particularly in the Permian Basin. Of the 631 foster children in the region as of Aug. 30, 385 — or more than 61 percent — were placed in homes outside of Region 9, according to the most recent data available from the Department of Family and Protective Services. Region 9 includes about 23 West Texas counties such as Midland, Ector, Gaines, Upton, Howard and Tom Green counties. In Midland-Odessa, 54.5 percent of children taken from the custody of their parents as of Aug. 30 were sent to homes or group placements in another region, according to DFPS. “We have one of the highest rates of kids being sent elsewhere. We just flat out don’t have enough families,” said John Petree, whose wife HollyAnn runs the adoption agency Addy’s Hope. Together the couple have four children and are caring for three foster children. To try and combat the issue, Addy’s Hope is holding a “Hope for Christmas: Holiday Tour of Homes” fundraiser on Saturday. Proceeds from the event will go toward paying the fees associated with becoming a foster parent, HollyAnn Petree said. “We have too many churches in Midland-Odessa to have kids living in orphanages,” HollyAnn Petree said. “I don’t think people know there’s a need and that it’s as drastic as it is.” The 15-year-old girl they welcomed this week and hope to adopt in the coming months, for example, has been in 11 placements in several different cities during the last three years. Green’s oldest foster child is in fourth grade and already has been in 20 schools, both because her parents moved around and because her foster placements have been so widespread. “They’re usually behind academically,” Green said. “They don’t know how to communicate their feelings very well; they have trust issues because of what they’ve been through.” When they’re sent to homes outside the region, children are forced to adjust to completely new surroundings, typically have less visitation with their biological parents and may see any siblings placed elsewhere less frequently, HollyAnn Petree said. If they’re closer to their original home, children have a better chance of getting through the process much smoother, whether it be through adoption or reunification with their mothers or fathers. “There’s a huge, huge need. You see little people not only being taken out of home, but being taken out of the area,” said Kellie Goss, who is a foster parent to two infants along with her husband Shannan. “We just need more families to stand in the gap.” Goss said one of their foster children is able to have regular visitations with his mom mostly because they were able to keep him in Midland.
Statewide, Child Protective Services is working to improve the rate at which children are able to remain near their home. The agency will release its outline for redesigning the placement system at the close of the year. Even with a new system, the Petrees said there just aren’t enough families in Midland-Odessa. They’re hoping Addy’s Hope will help improve those numbers by covering some of the “hidden costs” associated with becoming foster parents. It’s those costs, they say, that can delay the process of parents being able to accept kids. To go through the training courses, background checks and other necessary steps typically cost about $500, HollyAnn Petree said. If a home needs a significant improvement to meet state standards, or even just additional smoke detectors and fences, that cost can go up. Still, the parents involved stress that while foster families are needed, it’s a commitment individuals should understand and carefully consider before entering into. -Kathleen Thurber MRT

“On our absolute worst day of dealing with problems and things like that, it is a thousand times worth it when you tuck those little people into bed each night,” Kellie Goss said.

Hope for Christmas: Holiday Tour of Homes:
6 to 9 p.m. Saturday Dec. 4th

2005 Stanolind Ave.; The Lofts on Main, 1407 Storey Ave.; 3802 Wedgwood Court
Tickets available at each home or at Chick-fil-A, Edible Arrangements and Miss Cayce’s Christmas Store

http://addyshope.com/

“Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” ~James 1:22

“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit the orphan and widows in their distress.” ~James 1:27

Pictures:)

Charlie

SUPER Charlie!

Wheels On The Bus - Yay!!!

This West Texas Wind is WAY too COLD!!!

I LOVE My Brother:)

His Favorite thing to do!!!

Levi

Coloring Together

Levi & Baylie

I Love This Playground!

Wahoo!!!

Swingin' - My Favorite!

Time Flies....

It has been 6 weeks since the boys arrived in Texas!!!! Seems like they have been here longer... They are both adjusting well & learning more everyday. Charlie now says, MA! and then signs what he wants. He is doing well at school, but very stubborn when he doesn't want to participate anymore. Ha! Sound familiar to anyone??? LOL Levi is acting like he feels much better. His antibiotics were recently changed because his WBC was WAY too low. It has come back up, but is still a little low along with his platelets & blood being low as well. He tires easily, but is totally like a different kids that really feels good!!!! He is still scheduled for surgery Dec. 1st & I will keep everyone updated. please keep him in your prayers. AND..... I promise pictures as soon as my laptop is working again & I can find my pictures. Computer Virus' Stink! Check back soon to hear about how God has BLESSED our family in so many ways over the past weeks!!! It's a crazy life & we are lovin every minute of it!!!!

Remember these sweet faces??

They ALL 3 have Families.... PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!! Tears of Joy!

I Love these little ones:)

Leesia gives the BEST hugs!!!!

Seriously CUTE!!!

Happy Boy:)

What an Incredible answer to prayer. These little ones lives will be forever changed and their Forever Families lives will be Blessed to the MAX!!!!

Still Here!!!!

Ok, It's been a little busy around here lately & then my computer got hacked & had multiple viruses on it:( But thanks to my husband I am Back & my internet is secure. So hopefully no more computer issues!

So much has gone on in the past couple of weeks. First of all I can't believe the boys have been Home 5 weeks already!!! They are both adjusting so well & are learning new things every day. Charlie L-O-V-E's to go to school. Every day we pull up to the car rider line & he signs PLAY and claps his hands and say YAY!!! Puts his backpack on his back, picks up his lunch box and waves bye to Levi & blows him a kiss. Then Levi cries:( Poor little guy. I make 4 stops to drop off kids and he cries everytime someone gets out of the van. lol We are still desperately trying to find something to help Charlie stop putting his entire hand in his mouth & sliming everything & everyone. Suggestions are welcome:) Levi is still getting meds every 6hrs through his picc line. His labs have looked good, but he has had fever for 4 days. They have not been able to find the source, but think it may be viral after he broke out in rash yesterday. He has had a more extensive Echo done on his heart and the infection looks the same, plus he had a small amount of fluid around his heart. But the Good News is the cardiologist thinks he may NOT need heart surgery!!!! It actually looks like there is a super thin membrane across the VSD. So he will continue to monitor him until after his oral surgery and then decide if he will need any intervention. Currently, he is scheduled to have surgery on Dec. 1st. The ENT will remove his tonsils, adenoids, and put tubes in his ears.(this is being done now to help the sleep apnea & get ride of infection) Then the Dentist will follow him to surgically remove his remaining rotten teeth. It will not be fun:( Please pray for these docs and especially for the anethesiologist that will be attending the surgery. He will spend at least one night in the hospital and then hopefully heal quickly and feel like a new man! What a good little patient he has become. He know's the routine now; holds his arm out, lets them do whatever they need to do. I am so proud of him!

Charlie Asleep at door. He might miss something!

Patiently waiting for Sis's B-day cake. Kinda....

I Feel Good!!!

Talking to Aunt Molly

Such a GOOD Little Patient!

"I'm Going HOME today, Yay!!!!"

Update..

Levi is happy & smiling and spunkier than we have seen him since he got home!!! We are staying in hospital until tomorrow to continue the 3 strong antibiotics. Tomorrow we should go home by noon as long as his labs continue to look good. Yay! Home health will come by twice a day to give him antibiotics through his picc line for 4 weeks. They are trying to find out if I can give them myself so we don't have to use home health. Then the plan is to quickly have surgery done to remove everything from his mouth & take his tonsils and adenoids out at the same time. Once this is healed they want to do surgery on his heart asap so that the pulmonary hypertension does not get worse. Please pray for protection from infection as the Pedi is concerned about RSV season. We need this little guy to stay infection free!!! One of the most challenging things for us will be avoiding places where he will be at risk for infection. We like to go, go. go & so this will be tough. We are so grateful that the doctors caught the infection early and that it did not have time to spread to his kidneys & brain. Praise God for his timing!!!

God Knew

Only God knew that it was time for Levi to have a family. Only God knew that in a matter of months infection would be living in every part of his little body. And only God knew that it was NOT time for Levi to go home to be with Him. When we started this journey on January 25th, God made it clear that Charlie was to be part of our family. We had fallen in love with him. We had yard sales, fundraisers, sold Charlie bracelets, sent out letters, and asked for people to donate their Change for Charlie. Little did we know that everytime we were approved to bring two children home that God was lining things up for Levi to be rescued. 5 months later that little toothless grin was seriously invading our dreams. And after much prayer we realized that God had led us to him as well. We were to be his forever family. Boy, are we forever grateful for God's urging, for God's peace, and for him removing any doubt that we might be "CRAZY"..LOL

UPDATE on Levi:

Here is where we stand & what the next few months might look like, so that you can all be covering him in prayer...

• Our intitial admit to the hospital was because he was not responding to oral antibiotics after almost 3 weeks. With ear infections and tonsils infected. The Pedi needed to get to the bottom of it to see what the infection was and treat him with IV antibiotics. Also we needed to see what his heart looked like since we knew he had a VSD.
• These are the tests that have been done so far: EKG, ECHO on the heart, an EEG to check for seizures, 4 sticks for an IV, chest xrays, skull xrays. And yesterday we had a picc line put in.
• the Echo showed possible Endocarditis which is rarely seen here in children. They believe that because his teeth are rotten and his mouth is full of abcesses, that the infection from his mouth gradually has spread throughout his body & is now in his heart:(
• He has a VSD, ASD and small mitral valve leak with the beginnings of pulmonary hypertension(that's for all my nurse friends)
• He is on 3 strong Antibiotics and is starting to feel much better!
• The picc line will stay in and he will get daily antibiotics for 4-6 weeks at home.
• Then we will go to Dallas Children's once there is no sign of infection to see a Pediatric Oral surgeon for his teeth(what's left of them), followed by removal of EVERYTHING in his mouth:(
• Once his mouth is healed and no signs of infection. He will have cardiac cath done to see if he is a candidate for heart surgery. If he is (We Pray he is) he will have surgery to close the VSD & ASD.
• We are still waiting to hear from Neurologist to find out if he needs seizure meds.
• And at some point we will have a CT/MRI to check for Craniosynostosis, which will require surgery if he has that as well:(
• These are the 3 major issues that need to be covered with prayer and taken care of First
• Then down the road he will have tonsils & adenoids out, tubes in ears, hernia repair.

OK. I will STOP there!!! Oye! As I read the list of things to be addressed I have such a peace. God has protected this little man. He left us with no expectations of what medical issues Levi might face. Nothing has been a shock, nothing has overwhelmed us. We just have a PEACE that God knew we could rescue him from a place where he would not have survived much longer. And we are SO thankful that God chose our family and all the friends that have loved on him and our family to be apart of this sweet boys LIFE. We are Blessed that God chose us to be his Mommy & Daddy. Let the journey continue...

We LOVE all you guys. We are so thankful for your prayers and support, and thank you for following us on this Mighty Adventure....

Update on Charlie:

• Charlie is excited about starting school on Monday!!! Someone has blessed us by paying tuition for him to attend an amazing school here called Bynum School, for children with Special Needs. We are overwhelmed by the generosity and we are Excited to see him thrive even more.
• He is Sleeping well, Adjusting to our busy life, and of course EATING well!!!
• Today he even washed his hair and his Winnie-the-Pooh in the Toilet.
• And in case your wondering? Charlie has NOT been to Dr. yet. Ha! So Let's start praying that he gets a clean bill of health!

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ~John 14:27

Before it's too Late...

Is there a little face you've looked at over & over again? A face that is imprinted in your brain, that you think about often & just wish that SOMEbody would adopt that sweet face. Does your heart ache for that little boy or girl? Have you been seeking God and praying specifically for that child only to see that he/she STILL has no family? Well. maybe just maybe that is because that child is waiting for YOU!!!!! After 2 weeks of two little guys being in our home, I am seeing over and over again how God planned everything out perfectly for these two boys to be part of OUR family. And as I learn more about them and see how much potential they have, my heart aches for those little ones that are left behind:( After learning more about Levi's health & realizing that he would have likely gone to be with Jesus way to early. My heart is broken for those sweet faces that will never have a family, never be held, never be hugged or kissed, and never hear the words, "I LOVE YOU" If your excuse is... we don't have room, come check out our house. If your excuse is... we can barely afford the ones we have, get rid of a car pmt. If your excuse is... ours are almost grown, perfect you'll have something to fill your free time. If your excuse is...what will people think, who cares (God cares). If your excuse is... it is SO expensive to adopt, we raised $32,000 in 8 months (What God orders, God pays for). Here's a few faces of sweet orphans that need a Family. Orphans that are not just a picture, but real little human beings that I have seen with my own eyes, that I have hugged, held, and waved at. Maybe one of these belongs to you. Talk to God, listen to your heart, make a difference for that ONE child before it's too late!

ARE YOU MY FAMILY???

ONE WEEK Down, A Lifetime to Go...

It's already been over a week since the boys arrived at their new home!!! Wow! They have done amazingly well. And we Praise GOd for how well they are adjusting. We have continued to go about our normal life... Here are a few NEW things the boys have seen/done...

• Walmart, Sam's, Toys R Us
• Soccer games (4hr trip)
• Dr. appt.
• Dentist appt.
• Choir concert
• Bible Study, Church
• Mommy & Me class at gymnastics
• LOTS of riding in the car

And things we have learned about the boys...

• They both follow Mama around and get stepped on often
• They love their brothers & sisters
• They both LOVE the trampoline
• They both LOVE to go barefoot
• Charlie copies everything you do & has 8 signs he uses already
• Levi looks at you like you are a weirdo, but will sign More...lol
• Levi LOVES books
• Charlie doesn't play with toys
• Neither boys are anywhere close to being potty trained:(
• Levi sucks his thumb
• Charlie sucks his fingers/thumb & rocks himself to sleep:(
• Charlie loves any song that has movements to it
• Levi loves to push the baby stroller
• They both EAT like they are never gonna get another meal
• They both choke easily
• If anyone goes in the kitchen, they think it's time to eat(even if they just ate)
• Levi likes to be naked:)
• They both LOVE to take a bath & you get one too!
• Levi likes to put lotion on
• Charlie does NOT like lotion or putting diaper and clothes on
• Charlie is Superman Strong!
• Levi likes you to tickle his arms to go to sleep
• Charlie loves water!
• And Charlie likes to take a bath in the toilet water:(
• They are both starting to like men more
• Charlie has sucessfully learned to give a hug & kiss:)

Looking forward to all the things they will learn this week!!! Working on pictures(in my spare time..lol) hope to post them soon....Love to all

FREEDOM DAY!!!!!!!!

The Long Awaited Post! LOL Just a few pictures from our "FREEDOM DAY" Otherwise know as "Gotcha Day" The boys were excited & knew exactly what was going on:) We left the orphanage about 11:30 and raced to get their medical exams done. Thank goodness for Bread & Banana's! They did great and we left there to head to our 2:00 Embassy appt. Which after ridiculous traffic we finally arrived there at 2:45 only to find out that the boys original birth certificates & the court decree were missing. Uuuugh! After a tad bit of stress containing two hungry & tired boys for almost 3 hrs we left the Embassy at 5:30 with Visa's in hand!! Whew!! By the way I loved the people at the Embassy. They Rocked!! Ha! So finally we arrived at the apartment. And as you can see below they don't mess around with eating & they loved their bath! A HUGE Thank You to every person that prayed us home:) The trip was uneventful and we hand angels with us on every leg of our flight. Thanks to our California friends for your muscles, your help, and your encouragement. Thanks to every flight attendent that helped us and thank you to all 3 airlines for being ontime & even EARLY!! Otherwise we would have never made it home!! God truly has blessed us beyond anything we could have ever imagined. It feels good to be HOME!!!!

"TWO LESS"

**VIDEO COMING SOON**

&

COMING HOME Pictures

For My Children, My Husband & My Family...

This journey to bring two little orphans, two little sweet strangers into our home has not been easy. We spent a lot of prayer & time and hard work into raising money to adopt them. And God managed to RAISE it ALL. Mom & Dad spent a lot of time away from you (missing you terribly), and wishing we could be there with you; & Yet knowing that God was leading our path and that He would sustain us. You have sacrificed not having me at your first day of school, your soccer games, your football games, your gymnastics meets, and even the hospital when you were sick. You have sacrificed not having me to help you with your homework, to hold you in my arms, to tuck you in at night, and to pray with you. All of this you have SACRIFICED for your brothers, just as Christ sacrificed for us. Because of your willingness to love these boys, they will NOT be put away in an institution where they would be left in bed for hours on end, with little to no interaction, where they would have lived out their short little lives unloved. Instead they will be welcomed in to a family where they will receive something they have never had before... LOVE! All of you are mighty little women & men of God and I am so proud of each one of you for your sweet spirits, your loving hearts, and your warm souls. Our lives will never be the same, and I am thankful that God chose OUR family to LOVE two of his beloved children. Today there are two less orphans in the world!!!!! I Love Every one of YOU... ~Mom

Passport Paradise!!!

Today's UPDATE: We were able to have our 1st visa appt. this morning to get all the neccessary documents, pictures, etc. into the U.S. Embassy. That was a relief! Then we waited, & waited & waited for a call from our facilitator with the news of whether the boys passports would be ready or not. It was not looking to promising:( But after much PRAYER, from SO MANY faithful prayer warriors, at 5:30pm we walked away with Passports in our hands!!!!! Praise God!!! And thank you Serge:)

Thank You to every person that has prayed us through this journey. We are grateful and humbled. We pray that in some way you have felt you were part of this adventure...because YOU were!!!!! Love & Blessings to ALL of you:)

Continued Prayer For:

• Medical Exam's in the morning
• Visa appt. at 2:00pm
• Our flight home on Saturday
  

We arrive Saturday Night October 9th

In Midland, Tx @ 9:35pm

UPDATE...Prayers Needed BIG Time!!!!!!

So, I realize I have not posted in a few days. It has been interesting here to say the least! Our facilitator's are trying desperately to get the boys passports tomorrow afternoon(Thurs). Which means if that happens we will pick up boys on Friday morning, go straight to medicals & then to get visa's. This will allow us to fly out on Saturday!!!!! The problem with this is that getting the passports tomorrow is not looking to promising:( This is where I insert ALL OF YOU!!!!! We need every person to be praying their hearts out like crazy that the passports will be ready TOMORROW afternoon & that the person that has to sign & stamp them is there and will sign immediately. If that happens then everything else will follow & we will be outta here Saturday!! If we do not get the passports TOMORROW then we have a problem. The U.S. Embassy is closed on Monday for Columbus day, which means we could not pick up visa's until Tuesday, and we would not be able to fly out until Wednesday!!! Total Bummer:( We are believing that God can make this happen and ask that you would join us in praying specifically for the boys passports arrival tomorrow afternoon.

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. ~Philippians 4:13

Meeting Molly:)

The weekend has been full of activities. We have enjoyed time with other adopting families just starting the process, and other families holding their precious little ones:) Charlie & Levi have met their Aunt Molly (Momo) and I have seriously enjoyed having her here!!! We went to an english speaking church this morning and the congregation prayed over 5 families (including me) that are all here adopting. It was a sweet time of prayer and I was thankful for their love & encouragement. By the way, between those 5 families ~ 12 children will no longer be Orphans!! How cool is that!!!! Charlie really likes Molly. It didn't take him long to figure out that if Mom won't sing and dance and act like a crazy nut, then this lady over here will:) LOL Levi on the other hand, is a little slow to warm up to her. He lets her kiss his hand & finally sat next to her to play for a few minutes. But if she tries to pick him up he starts to cry and wants me. Too sweet!!

Tomorrow we will pick the boys up to take them to get scanned for their passports:) Yay! I am interested to see how they react to riding in a car for the first time! Fun Times!! Please continue to pray that everything goes smoothly tomorrow so that the passports will be ready on Wednesday. Still trusting in God's timing, knowing that He is working everything out just on HIS TIME:)

"This is as Close as this lady's getting to me"

A NEW playmate:)

"I Love my Momo"

Birth Certificates...Yeah Baby!!

A LOT has happened since my last post. I won't bore you with all the details, BUT Praise God we finally have NEW Birth Certificates!!!! What an ordeal...So, now that we have the birth certificates we can move forward. Yay! Monday we will be picking up the boys to take them to get pictures done for passports & then they will go back to the orphanage until Wednesday. That means WEDNESDAY should be "Gotcha Day" Then we will have their medicals done & apply for visa's. Their Visa's should be ready on Thursday & then we are outta here on Friday!!!

The best part of the day yesterday... My sister-in-law Molly arrived!!! Woot! Woot! It has been so nice having someone you love with you after 3 weeks of being away from family & I am so thankful that she could come to help bring her nephews HOME:) Please pray that the paperwork process goes smoothly, and PLEASE start praying for our journey home. Ha!!! It should be an interesting trip home...

And...Yes, It does say Charlie Josiah & Levi Preston:)