Monday Praise and Prayer!

Well, Friday praise and prayer was postponed, as we ended up taking Sara to the ER, and I forgot to write it!

Praise:

• Marcy has had solid bowel movements for a full week now! I didn't realize how normal changing a diaper full of diarrhea, and changing her clothes after every feed had become. I started noticing that sometimes there was just pee, and it was taking me by surprise! I am so thankful that she is doing so much better. The formula has been very expensive, but praise God we have enough donations for a full month! I don't know how long she will be on this particular formula, but I am thankful for God's provision. 

Marcy at 7 months old, weighing 7 lbs, 8 oz. She had only been with us a couple of days.

Marcy in the same outfit, same doll stroller.

She is 1 1/2 years old, weighs 15 lbs, 6 oz and has been with us for almost a year!

• We were blessed to have a team from another local ministry stop by to visit us. They brought us formula, vitamins, medicines and a suitcase full of clothes for the girls! It was a fast visit, but a good time of showing off my girls! 
• We have a professional photographer, and videographer coming!!!! I am SO excited about this opportunity. Two people are coming to spend a couple of days with us, at the beginning of April. Since I just take pictures quickly with my phone, I am excited to see what they will come up with for me! I get so excited every time I think about it! I'll show some off as soon as I can. :)

Prayer:

• Sara. As I mentioned earlier in this post, we took her to the ER on Friday morning. She has sleep apnea, caused by her small head, and we are on a list to have her adenoids and tonsils removed to fix this problem. All of a sudden on Friday she was much worse. While sleeping, she was gasping for air, and needed to be in a very specific position to keep her airway open. When she finally woke up, she was still having some gasping and couldn't seem to keep her airway open. Praise God, by the time we got to the hospital where our pediatrician was, 20 minutes away, she was breathing normally. For some reason, her muscles have become weak, and her tongue has been blocking her airway. Or her adenoids have suddenly become swollen. We're unsure which it is. This means she stays within arms reach of one of us at all times, as I am scared of what can happen. Her surgeon is out of the country, so I'm not sure when we will be able to do the surgery. Please pray that she breathes easily and well while sleeping. Please pray for us as we watch her. 

• Please pray that Marcy's intestines will heal while on this new formula. 
• Please pray for increased speech for Shirley. Her newest word is "que?" when I say her name. It is the cutest thing! I think she will have so much to say, once she can get those words out!
• Please pray for me. For patience and wisdom and good rest when possible. 

Thanks all! Have a good week.

Thank you!

Thanks to my mom and two good friends (Taraleigh and Susan!), I have 3 1/2 tins of formula for Marcy for this week. Thank you!!!

I misjudged the amount of formula in the tin, and one tin is only lasting me two days, instead of the three days I thought it would! I have enough to get me to Monday, when we re-evaluate. Yay!

"Thanks for helping feed me, so I don't have to try and eat these keys!"

New edit:

I didn't actually confirm the amount donated, I just assumed. And we all know what happens when we "assume". My friend sent enough for TEN tins of Marcy's formula! Praise God!!!!! :D

Celebrate!!!

Yay for solid poo!!!!

For the first time in over a month and a half, Marcy had a solid poo! She has had diarrhea, and a lot of it was pure liquid, since the end of January. We tried many different formulas, medicines and came up with many negative test results. I was (and still am, as we still don't know why) getting very worried. Being a nurse can be difficult at times, because I often think of the worst that can happen, and get stuck on that. At this point we don't have a diagnosis, but at least we have found a formula that works for her for now.

This formula, though effective, is very costly. We are looking at $70 every three days. I am hoping this isn't long term, and we re-evaluate with her gastroenterologist on Monday. But until then, I'd like to ask your help with the cost of the formula. If you can sponsor a can of formula ($70), or even part, please donate through Canada CTEN or USA CTEN. Please then e-mail me at tesorosdedios@gmail.com to let me know you have donated towards her formula. Thank you!

I think about how God brought Marcy to me. I was praying out loud over Marcy on Saturday, and she was just playing, not paying attention to me. When I said "Thank you God, for bringing Marcy to me" she all of a sudden looked up at me and gave me the biggest grin! She knows it is a good thing too. :)

I am convinced Marcy would have died had she gone home, or even stayed in the small rural hospital she was in before she cam to me. God has a purpose for her life, and has done true miracles in her life. I LOVE that I get to be a witness to this. 

Friday Praise and Prayer.

I am going to try to get a regular Friday Praise and Prayer post out again.

Today's praise:

• Sara is feeling better. She had pneumonia a week and a half ago, but with antibiotics and good care, she is doing much better. 

• Luz is also doing better. She has had a chronic cough since she arrived in mid November, and we had tried several different treatments. Praise God this last one worked! Whereas she used to regularly cough until she choked (even to the point of waking her up at night), she hardly coughs at all now!

• Shirley is making great strides in her developmental milestones. She is starting to mimic more words and sounds, she can stand up and walk by herself, and is even working on feeding herself and using the bathroom!

• Lupita is doing better at school in the last week. She had been having some behavioural issues at school, but with a different approach, she has really improved and done so well at behaving!

• Marcela started a new medication for her (very) high blood pressure, and she is like a new baby! I suspect she has had high blood pressure all her life, or at least the whole time she has been with us, and that has been giving her chronic headaches. Once we got the BP down, she has been much more active, smiley, happy and with such a fun little personality! I love to see it, though feel sad for all those months that she was in pain. :(

Prayer:

• Marcela. She has had bowel issues for over a month and a half, mostly constant diarrhea. Since November, she has had at least 5 major infections that needed to be treated with antibiotics. Her little body has very little resistance to anything, and is almost like a patient on chemo. She didn't get a fever when she had pneumonia. Or when she had pus running down the back of her throat. Or when she had a urinary tract infection. She has very few signs telling us she is sick, so I have to be very attentive to any change.  

The point of all that, is she needs prayer first of all to boost her immune system and get her body to the point where she can fight infection. The doctors and I need wisdom to see when there is a problem, and to know how to deal with it. I also think the antibiotics have done damage to her intestines, and that is part of the reason we are having such issues. If the diarrhea doesn't stop this weekend, she will end up getting biopsies done next week to see what is going on. Please pray it stops. She is tired from not getting enough nutrients (it isn't absorbed, she just has diarrhea immediately after she eats. Sometimes while she is still eating), though we give her enough milk. She still remains such a happy baby through all of this. It has been a rough week for her with blood draws (that is a story in itself!), diarrhea and vomiting, etc. She is still the cutest thing you will ever see. 

Have a great weekend! And thanks for keeping our girls in your prayers.

Highlights.

Since I haven't written in a while, I'll just give a few of the highlights of the last couple of months. This is a very long post, and I'm tired so I didn't proofread it. Just to give you a heads up! :)

On Dec 2nd, we welcomed Guadelupe.

There just happened to be a Burger King near the courthouse. And it just so happened to be lunchtime. And it just so happened that I love Burger King. So we went! 

Lupita (as we call her) has Crouzon syndrome. Short story is, the bones in her skull fused too soon, and won't expand with the growing of her brain. As she has never been operated on, this had the potential to cause serious brain damage. Praise God, the only damage it has done is cause one of her eyes to not see. She is of normal intelligence. 

She loves to run errands with me, and I love to have a fast food buddy! ;)

She is SUCH a joy to have around the house! I am so glad God brought her to us. She is fun, sweet, affectionate, helpful, and the list goes on. She is also broken from her past. So she often wakes in the night in a panic and crying. She speaks to me of things that little girls shouldn't have seen. And through all of that, she remains a sweet child. Don't get me wrong. She is also a five year old, and she has some behaviour issues. But doesn't every five year old? I don't know if this is most kids, but the majority of my girls have the art of manipulation down pat! ;)

While we were in Guatemala City that week, for specialist appointments for some of the girls (like Yasmin pictured below), we received a call for a new little girl. Since I was picking her up near where we were, we just picked her up on the way home. 

On December 5th, Shirley came to live with us. 

The ride home was a little crowded. 

Yasmin's face cracks me up! I don't think she likes being a pillow. 

Shirley is three years old, and suffered a bad brain bleed. She came to us as a sweet child who will greet anyone in her presence. She is beautiful and sweet, and tries to use that to her advantage.

She didn't want to drink her water. I think that lip is so cute!But don't tell her that. 

This picture was taken on one of her first days with us. She couldn't sit independently very well, she was very scared of everything, and would panic when we went to touch her. Judging by the scars on her head, she went through a lot at the hospital with her surgeries and recovery.

Now that I was up to six girls, I had visions of a pretty family picture that I could send out to everyone at Christmastime. 

I'm not even exaggerating, this is the second best picture of our little photo shoot. Guess we'll keep working on that. 

 We decorated for Christmas, and Lupita loved it!

After Jackie had her turn hanging ornaments, this is how she positioned herself. That girl cracks me up!

All done! (Yasmin was drooling, it isn't pee in her pants! ;) )

Marcy looking at the tree the next day. I get to look at that face every day, and for that I am so thankful. 

Marcy and I had to go to the City, and we stopped in at our friends house. They also run a home for kids with special needs, called Hope for Home. We finally met a baby that makes Marcy look big! Though in reality, Marcy only had about 4 months, and one pound on sweet Olimpia. 

Getting to know Shirley.

We had a staff Christmas party, and was able to get this shot of all the girls, with all the people who work so hard to make their life the best possible!

Thanks to some special donors, each girl was able to get a new, fancy Christmas dress. The girls love them!

All the girls, including the nannies, got pyjamas for Christmas Eve. You can see in the background how tired Jackie was after the Christmas Eve church service.

Luz, who has chewed off chunks of wood from her bunk bed and eaten them, was quite happy with her teething rings for a Christmas present. 

Marcy learned to actually crawl, and was able to get into things. :)

Her face cracks me up!

 Luz is double fisting the teething rings.

 Jackie and Yasmin were so funny with their presents!

Yasmin kept throwing everything within her reach. Then she started eating the paper.

Lupita got this glider for Christmas, and she loved it! She even sat on it while watching t.v. The only time she got off it was when she went to the bathroom, and even then, she took it in the bathroom with her! :)

Then we had Happy Birthday Jesus cake for dinner.

Beautiful Yasmin.

I tried to sneak a picture of the event, but the picture didn't take. The church we attend is pastored by the Peters, from Kamloops, and they run Impact Ministries. I have know them since I was 10 years old. They have been so supportive of our girls. Every week they send a van to pick us all up, as we can't all go to church together in our current vehicle. 

On the first Sunday of the year they surprised me by donating the first offering of the year to our children's home. I was so touched! What a blessing for us!

The next few pictures are the girls first tasting of s'mores. Needless to say, they were a big hit!

 Shirley got so crazy, she grabbed a big hunk of chocolate and shoved it in her mouth. Since she had already had 2 whole s'mores, I actually pulled that chocolate right back out! I'm not one to waste things, so I ate in on my own s'more. :)

 Marcy went crazy for it! She just tasted the marshmallow, but loved it!

In November, the judge had ordered that Jackie and Yasmin go home with their parents. At the beginning of January, they picked them up. I miss the girls, but I think it is the best for everyone. Please be praying for the girls and their family.

Shirley has been working hard with the physical therapist, and yesterday she started walking on her own! I am so proud of her! She is still somewhat fearful, but she has made such great strides in the last 2 months.

 Lupita (above) and Luz (below) on their first day of school!

I even attended my first parent meeting. What a milestone for me! ;)

 Marcy has also been working very hard in her physical therapy, and can now stand by herself while leaning up against something!

On January 21, little Sara Ester came to live with us! She is one year, eight months old, and has microcephaly. Basically, her brain stopped growing. She is so cute and sweet! Now I have 2 babies! I thought I would only be getting older kids. And I really like older kids. But the fact that He gave me 2 babies makes me happy. 

 Look how pretty!

My two babies! Marcy is 1 year, 4 months and weighed 14 lbs, 15 ounces in this picture (she has since been very sick, and lost some). Sara is 1 year 8 months, and weighs the same!

These two are becoming good buds! (Please excuse the huge booger)

Marcy hasn't quite learned how to be gentle with non-mobile babies. I think Sara was trying to tell me, "get her off of me!" Don't worry, I did. :)

I think that finally brings you all up to date! There are always more pictures on our Facebook site, so feel free to have a look if you didn't get enough here. ;)

Thanks for stopping by!