Rainy Day #2

It's actually the third rainy day in the row, but Sunday was the first of them, so it doesn't count.

Thank you for so many great suggestions for ways to spend our day today! You guys are great mom's. For those who suggested cooking or baking...hahahahaha.

Not going to happen at my house.

Seriously.

I do that once a year at Christmas when I am forced by tradition to endure making sugar cookies and frosting them with all the kids.

"Nuff said.

Before I could even make a suggestion today, Jillian said,

"Mom, I really want to sew again today. I want to make xxxxx and see if we can sell them to raise money for orphans."

Now...they have only been sewing for one day. They are fast learners but still.... I almost started to give the 'that's-nice-honey-but-you-need-to-practice-sewing-longer-before-you-try-to-sell-your-work speech, but then I stopped. I just didn't have the heart to squelch her idea.

So after lunch, she babysat while I ran to Walm*rt for some fabric and thread.

I'm not going to tell you yet what they are making. However, I WILL tell you that they worked really hard all afternoon and before we knew it, it was 5:30 and there was no supper ready.

Quickly, I whipped up a gourmet meal--'cause I'm so good at that.

Yeah.

We had frozen pizza. But I baked it first.

Give me some credit.

As soon as we are done with this special project, I will let you know because the girls specifically asked if I would put it on the blog to see if people would want to buy what they are making. We have a recipient chosen....

It's baby Joy at Morning Star Foundation. She is a sweet newcomer to their home for orphans with special needs and she has a severe heart condition. Whether the money we raise helps her get surgery or just helps pay for some of her daily care, it will do SOMETHING to help this little one. Jeff's employer triple matches any charitable donation to a 501(c)3, so the girls' work will be given times three.

As of two days ago, baby Joy was taken to the hospital with a high fever and we haven't gotten another update on her. Please pray for this little one and stay tuned for the big reveal of the girls' project!

SaraGrace had her own part in the project and was so happy to be included with the big girls.

Sneak peek...what are they making?

Hard to tell....

Truth be told, Molly's job was rather difficult and she got pretty discouraged. I tried to get a photo of her discontent but when she saw the camera, she flashed me a happy smile.

Jillian stayed very focused all afternoon and would have worked many more hours if it hadn't been dinner time.

I will let you know soon what they are working on!

Kate's Pre-Op Visit

"Dr. Kate" listens to her panda's heart.

Kate was an amazing trouper today! We were worried that she would freak out the minute she got to the hospital, but she only wimpered a bit and got tears in her eyes. I think that made my heart ache worse than if she had gone into screaming meltdown mode.

"Please tell me I am having a bad dream and I'm not REALLY at the hospital again!"

We were there from 10AM until 3PM, so it was a long day for her. They are so thorough--I am very impressed. She had an EKG, echocardiogram, chest x-ray, health exam (three different times!), and blood work. Thankfully, the blood work was last on the agenda.

"This EKG is a piece of cake, especially with my panda beside me!"

Two different cardiologists talked to me, explaining things about the surgery. Both of them had been at the conference on Monday where her case was discussed, so they were fully aware of the details of her heart condition and surgery. Again...impressive to have doctors who hadn't just read a chart before they walked into the room and who FULLY understood her.

We had good news and not-so-good news, but most of it was good.
The Good:
-Her heart cath showed that she was a good case for a full repair
-People come from all over the world to have her heart surgeon operate on their children
-The procedures he is doing on Kate are his specialty
-She might not have to spend 3 weeks in the hospital--it might be more like 10 days if everything goes perfect
-Our hotel bill will be $40 per night--not $70
-8 out of 10 children come through this surgery very well

The Not-So-Good News
-One of the cardiologists very frankly told me that this surgery 'is a huge deal.'
-One in ten children die from complications of this surgery (This is the biggest on the not-do-good news for me. Despite the fact that 8 out 10 children come through the surgery well, my mama's heart fell to my toes when he said this. I know 10% is a low risk, but....)

They have given us a link to a video of what to expect her to look like after her surgery, which was very helpful. She will have three chest tubes draining fluid from her lungs and (I think) the area around her heart. She will be on a respirator for probably two days, so will have a tube down her throat, helping her breathe. One cardiologist told us that he wasn't sure if her chest would be closed up or if it would need to remain open for a few days. He assured us that there would be something covering it so that we wouldn't be looking down into her open chest cavity.

As long as we can keep her healthy until Monday, we are good to go for surgery. We are able to have our laptops with us in the waiting room, so I will be able to post to the blog every time they come out and tell us how the surgery is going.

***Note: I know most of you read this blog when it comes to you via email subscription. The subscription service only sends email to you once every 24 hours. If you want to read the updates as they are happening, you will need to go to the blog and read it there. If you wait for the email, it will probably not come to you until Tuesday morning. The blog address is: www.jacobsjourneyhome.blogspot.com . You can click on it from this post here, or scroll to the bottom of the email posts and click on the blue 'Treasures from Afar."***


All tuckered out on the ride home. She was playing with her sticker and fell asleep with it on her mouth.

Baby Corrie

When we were in Beijing a few weeks ago, we had the privilege of spending the day with our friends, Bill and Lynsay. They are in China with the hopes of starting an orphanage for children with special needs. Currently, they are in an apartment with their two daughters and are fostering their first Chinese baby...little Corrie.

Corrie has multiple special needs, some of which aren't even diagnosed. Her most urgent problem is that she does not eat well. She has been on and off a feeding tube, but Bill and Lynsay are trying valiantly to get her to drink from a bottle. Throughout the day that we spent with them, I watched Lynsay painstakingly feeding Corrie drop by drop. It is a long arduous process to get even one ounce into her. Corrie is almost a year old but looks like a newborn. She has been with Bill and Lynsay for a little over three months and has gained weight, but it's been a struggle. She has been in and out of the hospital for various reasons and has just returned to them after a bout of pneumonia.

It was my privilege to hold little Corrie and squeeze her tiny hand.

Please consider visiting their website 'Hearts for the Fatherless' and click on the Morning Star project. They are currently in desperate need of a vehicle--especially when Corrie needs to get to the hospital.

Please help LWB help more orphans in China!

Kate--before the heart surgery that saved her life.

Love Without Boundaries has a chance to win $35,000 to help even more orphaned children in China, and we need your help! Casting your vote for LWB is an easy way to change the lives of children in need. There is no donation involved, just a few minutes of your time to go and vote. If not for LWB, SaraGrace and Kate would most likely have died in China. There are many other little ones needing the help that LWB offers. Please vote...and forward to your friends and family. Thank you!!

Simply visit http://www.cookiemag.com/magazine/sweeps/smart_cookie_finalists09/entry/long/
Click on the circle next to the video about LWB. It is the first one, next to Amy Eldridge’s photo.

Fill out the rest of the information needed and click submit. You do not need to fill out the “about you” section if you do not wish, and you can opt out of receiving any information in the future from Cookie Magazine by checking “no” on the boxes asking which information you desire.

Each person over the age of 18 is allowed one vote. This contest is open to people in the US only, unfortunately. If you live in another country, you are not able to vote. Voting takes place from January 6th to February 10th.

Double Gotcha Day!

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We have the girls and they are precious!! Zoey was waiting for us when we got the Civil Affairs office. She wants nothing to do with me. ha The nanny kept pushing her toward me and saying, "Mama, Mama." Zoey said, "Bu yao," which means, "Don't want." I cracked up laughing. I kept trying to tell them that it was okay and that I didn't expect her to come running into my arms. Everytime I made a move toward her, she would back up. I tried candy, but that didn't work. I just kept my distance and tried to talk to her. She was unimpressed.

A bit later, Jin Yang (Kate) came into the room looking scared and dazed. She didn't reject me, but she just stood there motionless. Her eyes would move around the room, taking everything in, but the rest of her body didn't move. She looked so terrified. It broke my heart. The nannies then pushed her toward Zoey and we told them Zoey was her MeiMei (little sister). Zoey looked at her and said, 'Bu yao.' haha After awhile, I gently picked Kate up and she allowed it. I held her for the rest of the time that we were at Civil Affairs. She cracked a few smiles here and there - especially when her MeiMei was goofing around with Baba (Daddy).



Meanwhile, Zoey had decided to make friends with Daddy. She lets him do everything for her, but if I try, she says, 'bu yao.' She has the cutest little voice. We haven't heard a peep out of Kate yet. When we stood up to leave Civil Affairs, my jeans were soaking wet where Kate had been sitting. The poor little thing was soaked through all of her layers of clothes (shirt, sweater, over-alls, pants,and jacket). Zoey had split pants on, so we saw her little butt cheeks hanging out. The big news is that she is potty trained!


Mommy's bit wet spot where Kate peed
This afternoon we went to the supermarket to get a few things and we put the girls in the shopping cart. They giggled and thought it was great fun to ride around. As I put items in the cart, they examined them and handed things back and forth. It's cute to watch them get to know each other.

Being goofy with Daddy

We REALLY need to find two cheap strollers because they both weigh too much for us to be carrying them everywhere. Zoey is a baby moose, so it's a good thing she likes Jeff best! There is no way I could carry her all over. Kate is petite, so it's easier for me to carry her, but my muscles are still protesting.

They both have colds and coughs, so if you could please pray they get well, we would be grateful! We would also like prayers to stay healthy! Zoey seems to have a spunky personality and does everything with gusto (especially eating!). Kate seems very quiet (so far) and more meticulous about everything. Both of them are sweet and precious. We are doubly blessed!