Thanksgiving and Family Fun...

Pictures don't quite capture the beauty of the view in Grandmom and Pop Pop's backyard

G and Mercy - their first Thanksgiving together :)

Thumbs up from Odesco... he definitely enjoyed the meal! This is his lunchtime turkey and fixings -not to be confused with our mid afternoon meal with the other side of the family!

Sweet sisters in a sweet moment together

5 'sabu heads' as Mercy and Odesco would call them, This picture makes me smile!!
M and 4 of his 5 brothers...do you see any resemblance?!? (this pose was not my idea, really!!)

.... one of my favorite part of any gathering at my in laws is seeing how much M and his brothers just love being together. They could talk for hours and hours if we wives didn't nudge them on to our next destination. I didn't catch a picture of the B older boy cousins over on the other side of the driveway doing the same thing gathered around one of my nephew's trucks...they are definitely following their fathers' example!!

What's Thanksgiving without a little football??

The cousins! Destination #2 with my side of the family ...we actually rent the hall of a local church and use their kitchen and multi purpose room to contain all of us! Our kids love being together...so much so that we left the gathering with 2 more cousins in tow for an impromptu overnite' :)!!

~Sweet cousins~

Meal #2... a few hours did lapse so this was more like an early dinner(really!!) Mercy was watching my brother carve the turkey from steps that overlook a little window into the church kitchen. Her eyes got really big when she saw turkey on the bone and she boldly asked to reserve a piece!!

A picture paints a thousand words... Odesco got his bone too!!

Sorry Uncle John, couldn't resist!!Some of us laughed about going upstairs and taking naps on the padded pews of the sanctuary...but we didn't as you can see above!

Friday morning breakfast ...a full table with the addition of 2 cousins :)!!

We had a wonderful first Thanksgiving with our 2 newest additions. They met some family members on both sides for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed feasting and being with their cousins. It was a gorgeous day...many trees are still quite full of vivid leaves so the ride was breathtaking at times. I love asking the littles why God makes the leaves change color...in unison they reply, " For His own glory!" It certainly does make me stand in awe of Him when I marvel at the wonders and intricacies of His creation.I told Mercy and Odesco that once again, it seems as if the Lord orchestrated this just for them. Months ago, we tried to explain to them the changing seasons and they just couldn't get it. Now they are so enjoying the beautiful display of color all around us although I did notice thatby Saturday the trees were beginning to look a bit 'snaked' as L says ( aka: naked/bare!).
Our dear friend BAA spent Thursday and Friday with us and we always enjoy her company...she has become an 'honorary' member of both families so it is a blessing when she joins our holiday festivities. Yesterday (Friday) we headed back to Mimi and Pop-Pop's to spend the day with my brother and his family who were in from upstate NY. It was refreshing to just be together and do nothing planned. Pop-Pop took the littles on two 'expeditions'-walks around the neighborhood and the kids were so excited to show us their discoveries ( a few sticks, bottles, cans , and the bonus: a real softball!) The decibel level in the house decreased significantly during these walks!!

Saturday night M had each of the kids say one thing they were thankful for. Each of our bio kiddos said in one way or another that they were grateful Mercy and Odesco are home. Even those who struggle the most relationally with our new blessings said this and it did my mommy heart good to know that they love and appreciate their new siblings :) L also added that he is thankful God took his spots away- so are we!! Odesco said he is glad God brought him here and Mercy added that she is thankful for her new 'B' family. So, even if they were just parroting one another, it is good to hear them all acknowledge God's goodness to us in bringing Mercy and Odesco to be a part of our family.

Sunday afternoon I took Mercy to the Lakeshore Learning Store to spend her birthday money from Grandmom and Pop-Pop B. C came along too and we exchanged many smirks across the aisles as she entertained us with her usual level of boundless energy and enthusiasm. Everything she saw, she liked...even if it was something she can never use like decorations for a classroom bulletin board :) Finally, I narrowed down the choices to 3 and she was still lamenting over the difficulty deciding. It must all be so overwhelming to her and Odesco as going to a store to shop was just never a part of their growing up experience. After making her final decision, she still had a small amount of money left over. She spied a bin of cool looking pencils and decided all on her own to buy one for herself, G , L and, Odesco. I encouraged her to put them away for Christmas. So, we got home and she secretly gave me the pencils to stash away. After about 15 minutes, she couldn't stand it and wanted to bless her siblings right now. So down to the basement I went to my gift hiding spot...she was so excited to share in this way....and it was great to see her be a cheerful giver.

This week has been busy with our final play rehearsals, home school, and no week is complete without at least one visit to a doctor or dentist:) Monday, Mercy was complaining of increased mouth pain and she was having some bleeding from her 'silver tooth' so off to the dentist we went only to learn it was a problem with her bite plate resting on her upper gum. We came home long enough for a call to the orthodontist and thankfully they they were able to quickly see us. They adjusted the appliance and increased the spring load on the front tooth. Already her tooth has moved significantly which is good news but she was not a happy camper due to the discomfort this causes. She has been taking Motrin/Tylenol since then but this morning she has not mentioned it...yet! I'm sure I'll have some fun pictures from the play...the kids are all doing so well and the little ones especially are very excited.
Thanks for checking in...
Love, MamaB
PS kids say the silliest things:
* As we were driving to dress rehearsal on Tuesday night L excitedly announced, " I see Paris!!!" He was referring to a rather large pointy looking decoration- a Christmas tree on the lawn of an apartment complex. And truthfully, it did sort of resemble the Eiffel Tower. We have not yet studied Paris in great detail this so I was quite curious where he learned such facts. His reply, "Ratatouille"
Ahh, what a relief to know that while he was vegging on the couch watching the movie that Mimi generously purchased for him after his surgery, he was actually being educated :)
* Today we stopped to get gas and the attendant said," Thank you, Miss." G then asked indignantly," Doesn't he know you are a Mrs.? Does he think you're just babysitting all of us kids or something?" So I explained that Ms. or Miss is the proper title for a lady and then L chimed in ,"What is it illegal for him to call you Mrs.???" Guess you had to be there, but to hear these kiddos banter back and forth, can be quite entertaining!!
* Today during school I was doing an activity with L where I read him a poem and he needed to narrate it back to me. The poem was about a pasture and a cow who was licking her calf. I asked him why he thought the mommy cow would lick her baby. He thought for a second and said, "That's how the calf takes a shower"...then he thought some more and then seriously asked," But Mommy, who gives the mommy cow a shower?" Hmmm good question, L , good question!!

Busy Days...

Wow, the days are flying by and I forgot to post the pictures from Mercy's birthday. L seems to be back to himself...at night he is sleeping so quietly that I have to climb up onto the top bunk just to make sure he is nestled safely in there. He has a bunch of pillows propped around the edges so I can't seem him and now I can't hear him :) I feel like a new mom checking on my newborn child just to make sure he is still breathing! His 'spots' are almost all faded but the doctor wants us to come in for two more urine/blood pressure checks just to be sure the HSP has completely resolved. We are very busy with school, field trips, and rehearsals for the kids musical which is on Thursday, the 29th. This year everyone but P will be in it...should be quite a memory, I'm sure.
On Saturday we went back to the ethnic hair salon I took Mercy to last winter. I have been having a difficult time doing her hair and I was told by my friend, Hope that she just might need another deep conditioning treatment to get us over the hump. Evidently the change of seasons can affect the moisture level in ethnic hair which then affects its manageability. Since I am still so new at all of this I decided it was time for some professional help. So off G, Mercy and I went to the salon. Being the only white faces in this bustling salon for 3 hours was quite the experience...the busyness of it all was unbelievable. They move so many people in and out of there it really is amazing to watch....and it is definitely a cultural experience. The girl who blew dry and braided Mercy's hair after the conditioning treatment told me Mercy has a 'fine grade' of hair and that I need to come in there every 2 weeks so they can condition it and braid it to help it grow. I thanked her for her advice but didn't let on that we will not be making an appearance there any time soon...I was so relieved to have her hair done though and it will last at least 2-3 weeks---woo-hoo that gives me an extra 3 to 5 hours in my schedule...I'm sure I'll find something to do!!
Last evening I was able to meet with several other ladies from church to surprise MamaK for her 40th birthday. It was wonderful being with all these godly women with the added bonus of blessing our special friend. A mutual friend reminded the 2 of us that it was at this very same diner (same table I think!) over 2 years ago on my 40th birthday that we discussed a magazine article we had read about the orphans of Liberia. Both of our families had literally just embarked on the information stage of adoption and here we sat over 2 years later , our children home and our lives forever changed through the miracle of adoption. Around that table last evening were also 2 other friends who also to be adoptive mommies. Between the 4 of us we have 9 adopted children.... this morning our friend Kim had penned us these words regarding adoption and I was so affected by them. Our children have been so warmly embraced by our church and biological families. What rich fertile soil for their roots to grow deep and strong....

Girls, Ever have a moment when you can't talk or you'll cry? Well, I had that last night and wanted to share it with you. As we were talking about Jenkins traumatic experience with his ultrasound, I looked across from where I was sitting and there were you four adoptive mothers lined up in a row. I began thinking about NINE lives changed forever because four mothers chose to open their hearts and homes to ones that had only broken hearts and no homes. And, I began to think even more....these little ones received so much more when they became your children. And just like our God who gives us more than we could ask or imagine, He does so for our children. Not only did they receive the love and care of a mother, but they have fathers also. (Not something every child could say) Doesn't stop there...they have mothers and fathers who LOVE each other...in fact, they would say that their parents are best friends. Doesn't stop there...they have grandparents who love them.....aunts, uncles, cousins!!! Doesn't stop there....they have a church family where each one is knitted into the hearts of so many.... I just love the word "adoption", as a Christian, it is so rich in meaning.... I can sit here and think through each child: E with such confidence, A with such compassion, and J singing her little heart out! Mercy (the drama queen) has self-control enough to be in a play...amazing. Odesco, twice the size of his brother, but they are inseparable. Felicia who eagerly crawls onto my lap...only to turn around and get off--she has places to go! Jenkins who thinks that since he's arrived the party can start (love that!!) S the ever watchful brother over M who needs watching!!! Each one possesses their own personality, each one loved, nurtured, even educated by their mothers! Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing these children not only into your families, but into our church family as well. We are a richer church because of them. Thank you. Love, Kim

How blessed I am to have such supportive friends who truly have a love for our children!!
Our hearts are especially full as we consider that at this time last year we were riding the emotional roller coaster of awaiting the childrens' homecoming.It was on and off again for several weeks until they were finally here. I know Mercy and Odesco are looking forward to seeing their cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles but I think they will most enjoy...THE FOOD!!!!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!!
With a grateful heart,
MamaB

Our homeschool buddies on a field trip to the Constitution Center. Odesco and Mercy did not accompany us on this trip. Instead, Odesco had a wonderful playdate with Jenkins and Mercy was able to spend the day with her sweet friend, Hannah. A great way to spend a few hours on her first birthday in America.

L saw this man in colonial garb and asked if he could have his picture taken with him. The man willingly obliged although he looks a bit stern!

We were blessed to have Grandmom and Pop-Pop B and Mimi and Pop-Pop join us in celebrating Mercy's 6th birthday...her first birthday here in America .

C has such a tender heart for his little brothers and often he climbs into bed with them once they are already sound asleep. It's also self serving in a way as he has a hard time waking up early in the morning and knows if he is in with the little guys, there's almost no chance of sleeping in.He also knows on these cooler nights that his little brothers will warm up a nice snuggly spot for him! He tries to split up his time between the 2 beds. The other morning when he and L stuck their heads over the bunkbed rails, I had to run to get my camera. They both had that sleepy puppy look and I just couldn't resist.

These 2 just crack me up...a study in contrasts! There is something so yummy about 4 and 5 year-old little boys!! Here they are modeling their new thermals! Just this morning they both had 'dream stories' to share. Odesco took me to the top of the stairs and told me that in his dream he closed his eyes , jumped, and landed at the bottom of the stairs (a full flight!) and it was fun. I reminded him that it was a dream and not to try it! L told me he prayed to Jesus before he fell asleep that he would have a dream about Starwars and skateboards and it happened :)!! Too funny...I told you they were yummy!

While I was doing school with G, these 2 raided the dress-up bin and decided to 'get married' but they reassured me that they understood , "Brothers and sisters can't really get married!". Later in the evening the 4 littles staged a wedding with G as the bride. Since our days are filled with opportunities for conflict resolution it is a joy to see them having such fun together!!

Our handsome little man

What to do to make the best of a rainy, dreary day? The 4 littles decided an indoor picnic was just the thing needed. While I prepared lunch they were busy scurrying around finding the centerpiece and all the fixings :)

Last Friday we went on a field trip to the Aquarium for G and C's zoology class. We decided to take the whole gang...here Mercy is petting a shark. She showed no fear and actually needed reminders to keep her feet on the floor to avoid falling in the tank with these critters!

Hanging with the penguins... L was a little too enthusiastic petting the sharks and his entire sleeve was dripping wet. We borrowed a sweatshirt that was nearly as big as him!!

Kodak moment...Odesco and L

Show Time.... These guys had us all in stitches as they 'performed' for us. The funniest part was listening to L 'coach' the rest of the gang. Later on Odesco took down the African drum and the dancing began...pretty hysterical-especially when I played the drum and Odesco showed us his African moves...this boy can dance!!

Another memorable trip to the hair salon!

Always the actress.... Mercy remembered the older woman who had fallen asleep in the dryer next to her during her last visit so she couldn't wait to relive that silly moment!

Mercy after they conditioned and blew out her hair...next they braided it

The finished 'do' and of course all the others (minus P) couldn't resist the urge to squeeze their way into the picture!!

Happy 40th MamaK...oops did I just give away your age???

The gang at mama K's birthday surprise...how rich we are with friends :) A few of us lingered around chatting and were shocked to see it was past 11:30pm...our hubbies were shocked as well!!

"Your will never takes us where Your grace will not keep us"...

On Saturday afternoon, these were some of the calming words of truth I was literally speaking out loud to myself. I was alone in my empty van after dropping my kiddos off at Mrs. D's so that we could take our little man L back to the emergency room of the hospital he had his surgery at. I was feeling anxious, and asking God to help me honor Him in this newest 'opportunity' to flex my trust muscles. I was also asking God to protect my heart from drifting into the slough of unbelief. Certainly He who knit this little boy together in my womb knows best how to care for him.
Friday evening (during the festivities of Mercy's family birthday party...pictures forthcoming!) L brought to our attention tiny red dots(called petechiae) all over his extremities. He also showed me an area on his elbow that looked like a large 'raspberry' spot where a bandaid had been. I was a bit concerned and was able to get into see the doctor with him Saturday morning. Our wonderful pediatrician who is usually very laid back and a non- alarmist made it clear that we were to go to CHOP ER some time today. He told me he was very concerned that L had some sort of a platelet disorder. Needless to say, hearing this from a man who never orders tests unless they are absolutely necessary raised some major concerns for M and me. I quietly packed a bag anticipating a possible admission due to our pediatrician's obvious worries. We got the other kiddos situated at friends' homes while L obliviously played on the computer ( a treat!). By the time he realized his siblings had left, I was home again and we were ready to leave for the hospital. Our little guy was not at all happy about this news and in fact was quite angry. He even locked me out of the car! Once we reached the hospital parking garage, he clung to the front seat so that Daddy did not have an easy time extricating him from his carseat! The trauma surrounding his surgery is still quite fresh( 10 days is not enough time to forget!) and he was not a happy camper(an understatement).
Once inside, I was amazed at how quickly we were seen. When we checked in at the front desk, our information was already in the computer because our pediatrician had called ahead. I overheard the nurse using the word 'urgent' when she referred to L. They gave us a beeper that vibrated and then flashed the number of the exam room we were to go to next. They took L's vitals and information there and then we went back to the waiting area to wait for our beeper to vibrate again signaling our move to the treatment area. By this time Mimi and Pop-Pop had arrived and were a welcome diversion and source of support as we were all quite worried about what we might soon learn. Shortly after this we were called back to our room where L was examined by multiple doctors and nurses. They asked lots of questions and needed to take blood to run some tests to rule out some of the biggest concerns: leukemia and meningitis.
A numbing ointment was put on L's arm and then covered with a dressing...they did not actually take the blood for another hour or so and the anticipation of the procedure seemed to be the worst part for L. During the wait, we finally sent for Mimi and Pop-Pop who were still in the waiting room and asked them if they could grab L some food from the McD's that is in the hospital. Our little guy was actually hungry and requesting food so, we were only happy to oblige. Only problem is, the nurse and attending doctor needed to get the approval of the head doctor before the okay was given for him to eat (just in case other tests needed to be run). Finally after quite some time passed, all were in agreement that L could eat...he was a bit miffed by this point and decided he didn't want food now but we saw him sneaking some fries when he thought we weren't looking. I was actually quite comforted by his ornery spirit...just like normal :)
The bloodwork was somewhat traumatic for L as 2 nurses had him restrained on the bed. I was in his face talking to him, attempting to get his attention away from the arm they were working on, and Daddy was facing the nurses as they did the procedure.They actually kept the catheter taped in his arm just in case it would later be needed and they removed it only moments before discharge a few hours later. I don't think it was too painful -just very scary for our little man. We needed to keep assuring him that he was not going to be away from us at any time . He was remembering when they took him away from us for the surgery and needed much reassurance that this time was different. (I don't blame him!!) The results from the labwork came back very quickly. We were all so relieved and overjoyed to learn that all of L's bloodwork came back completely normal!! So, now they had thankfully ruled out the major life threatening illnesses and they all seemed to think he has a condition called HSP (Henoch-Schonlein Purpura-for all you medical people). Initially I had wrongly assumed this was a life long chronic disease and in light of the other possibilities, I was just fine with that. Another doctor came in and explained it still further...this actually is a condition that will eventually( over the course of a few weeks) run its course and completely resolve with most likely no intervention whatsoever. Wow, talk about the gamut of emotions!! I think we were all bracing ourselves for the worst and now we had been given the best possible scenario!!! Basically there is no known cause for this although it is believed to be triggered by bacterial or viral infections. It causes inflammation in the blood vessels (causing the pink dots all over his extremities) and can have a few complications such as inflammation of the kidneys and intestines. We are praying he will not have any of these --I think he has had enough excitement for a while- we all have! So far, his kidneys seem to be fine but we will need to follow up with our pediatrician this week for urine tests and blood pressure checks.
We were released by 9pm and all the little kiddos were in bed by 10 pm :) Mama K had the 3 littles for the latter part of the day (Mrs. Di had them earlier) and she even fixed up Mercy's hair which was in the process of being undone. What a gift this was to me as I was imagining the rush Sunday morning to get her hair done before church. Thank you, K!!! Mrs Di provided a hearty soup meal for Sunday... how blessed we are to be surrounded by such loving friends and family who seem to know our needs before we do!

Sunday in church all of the songs as usual were so rich in doctrine, pointing our hearts to the cross and God's great gift of salvation. My heart was in a very reflective posture as I was overwhelmed by the mercy of God on behalf of our son.... and yet I was challenged in my thinking.Yes, God was overwhelmingly gracious to us in this specific situation but the truth is, regardless of my circumstances, His grace remains overwhelming. His goodness, wisdom, love, faithfulness , kindness, and grace are unchangeable because these qualities embody who He is. He is unchanging-the same yesterday, today and forever. Even if we were sitting in a hospital room with our precious little boy dealing with the news of a grim diagnosis, these truths would still remain. God is good all the time, all the time He is good. I am not belittling the stark difficulties of dealing with illness in children and my heart aches afresh for parents currently in these circumstances... Often I don't understand His workings but I can trust Him no matter what~ because of who He is. I am so incredibly grateful that we were not given this test to walk through-I can only imagine the temptations my heart would face in the midst of such a trial. I am so aware of my own weakness and the tendency of my heart to drift ... I can only trust that he would hem me in and make these truths resound abundantly in my very core.
This song brings my heart such comfort...

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood
From Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure
Save from wrath and make me pure

Nothing in my hands I bring
Simply to the cross I cling
Naked, come to Thee for dress
Helpless, look to Thee for grace
To thy fountain, Lord, I fly
Wash me Savior or I die

It is so true...I am helpless and have nothing to offer. All I can do is cling to Him...

Yesterday afternoon I took the 2 little boys with me on a 'Walmart run' Once again, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the 'normalcy ' of it all. My heart was full as I listened to to these 2 bantering behind me in their carseats...I even enjoyed their "Energizer Bunny" activity level as I attempted to shop...it's amazing what an experience like this can do to perspective!! Lord, thank you that my little boys are well enough to ask to be taken in and out of the shopping cart every other aisle... thank you that they are well enough to be feisty with each other....thank you that they are healthy enough to come out to a crowded store...as you can see, my heart is full of gratitude for His sparing us this trial!!

With a grateful heart,
MamaB
Of course, I had my camera stashed in the bag...pictures of this emotion filled day will remind us yet again of His unfailing faithfulness.

Nope I'm not gonna eat, and I'm not gonna let you see me smile!!

Daddy was determined to 'get his money's worth' out of these luxury accommodations.L graciously shared his space...and it only took about an hour for us to finally figure out how to raise up the head of the bed! We kept teasing L reminding him to pull his 'skirt' down. He thought the walk down the hall to the potty was a bit breezy!

Silly Boy wearing Pop Pop's specs.
Thankfully, I threw this book into my bag as I was getting things together before we left. I had purchased this before L's surgery 'just in case' he needed some extra fun during his recovery. Since he was doing fine, I planned to give it to him for Christmas...so glad I remembered this was in the bottom of my closet. It helped pass the time and was a great diversion.

Thumbs up from Mimi- we're homeward bound!!!...Here is our little trouper enjoying a chocolate shake in the hospital right after discharge. Pop-pop was great entertainment for our little man ....thanks for being there, Mimi and Pop-Pop :)

Mercy's big day ...

Well, it is now Thursday and I am happy to report that Mercy's new bite plate has not been lost or broken yet and for the most part, she is keeping it in her mouth. We are still working on etiquette during meal time. Since she must wear it ALL the time except when brushing, eating can be a bit tricky and occasionally she needs to remove it and put it back in place...she is learning that this is not to be done at the table but she needs to go into another room to reposition...not too appetizing especially when it is covered with food !! You should have heard the chorus of ,"Ewwww...." last night at dinner. When we first left the orthodontist office, she was lamenting that "I don't thound like mythelf!" I reminded her that she would adapt quickly and I promised to put my retainers in once we got home. I forgot about that promise, but she soon reminded me -I kept them in until the big boys asked me to remove them during read-aloud time though-guess my speech was a bit more distracting than I realized.

L had a rough night on Monday...he and I eventually ended up on the reclining chair in the family room as he was coughing, crying, and very uncomfortable.I didn't get much sleep but he did finally! On Tuesday night, Odesco decided he was feeling a bit left out(just kidding!) and was hacking much of the night.I tried sitting him up with pillow, giving him cough medicine but the poor little guy was coughing to the point of gagging himself so off he and I went at 3am to the downstairs recliner. It was so dark as we went downstairs all I could see were the whites of his eyes and his shiny, shiny pearly whites when he smiled at me. We had some nice snuggle time and he finally settled down. By God's grace, I was able to get an appointment to take him from Homeschooler's Day Out to the doctors.Thankfully, he does not have pneumonia ( he had this in March and his symptoms are very similar) but there is a chance he may have asthma so they did give us an inhaler. We used it before bed and again at 12am and the coughing stopped . So, guess we'll just have to keep an eye on this...he seems fine during the day. Last night L did pretty well...only woke up crying twice and fell back to sleep without having to come downstairs for more medication. So, I got 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep and feel like a new woman today!! Another blessing was that yesterday, L had a special day with Mimi who heroically served us by leaving her house quite early to get here by 8am...she took L out for lunch and he ate pizza!! yeah, progress!! They had a great day of 1:1 together and Mimi even prepared dinner. Thanks, Mimi for serving us yet again :)
Some funny household happenings:
** The other night, I was in the van with a few of the kids and Odesco told us that his Liberian Ma was 'whike'(the way he pronounces white) like me..Of course we questioned his memory but he insisted,"I'm telling the truth!!" He also told us about seeing snakes in his village. Don't quite know what to make of this information but I'm glad he is sharing :)
*** I made hot oatmeal for breakfast ...I added cinammon and brown sugar for most of the kids but Mercy ate hers with red pepper and cinammon...she even had 2 bowls of it.
*** The other day the lunch time conversation was what each of the little ones want to be when they grow up. Mercy announced she wants to be a doctor some days of the week, a homeschool mom other days and a 'cooker' also because she 'loves food'! -(no surprise there!)
Need to run, L is asking for a sandwich of cheese, mustard and ketchup...music to my ears :)!!
These past few days my prayer has been: "Lord please be my strength because I feel so very weak and weary"...truly, when I am weak He is strong...may His power be perfected in my weakness!
Grateful for His sustaining grace,
Mama B.


Monday-A great start to the day--L wanted to eat :) -his request?...ice cream for BREAKFAST!!! We'll deal with bad eating habits later...right now, we are just thrilled to get some food into this little guy :)

Mercy walked into the office, signed her name on the clipboard and loudly asked, "Are you ready for me??"

Dr. Spinelli and his assistant with a smiley Mercy. They work so well with her and don't seem to mind her rather loud enthusiasm. Once again, she made herself right at home...kicked off her sneakers ,climbed into the chair and opened her mouth wide before Dr. S was even in position!!

Odesco came along with us since he was having 'issues' at home and needed some Mommy time. ... He was not shy at all and had his little face right in there for the first 'fitting' of Mercy's new bite plate.He surprised me by impulsively hitting the switch and sending Mercy's chair up...yikes-never a dull moment with these 2 around :)!!

~Mercy with Miss Cherie...she is holding the cool molds of her chompers :)

On the road to recovery...

Thankfully our little guy seems to be making progress daily although his mood and pain levels fluctuate widely. He typically has been waking up around 3 am in need of more medicine. Since he usually sleeps on the top bunk, he has been in our bed but we hope to transition him soon once we are sure he won't fall out of bed trying to get to us in the middle of the night!
The first night home he woke up at 4am in significant pain...we were supposed to wake him up at 3am to give him more medicine but we slept through it. I brought L downstairs to get the next dose and he made a beeline for the front door insisting that he was going to get his tonsils back!! He is a character!! That seems to be his standard line when the pain increases-usually nearing the time for more medication...
The other night, his snoring was especially loud since he now has more swelling but the doctor assured us this should completely resolve once he has healed. It was hysterical to hear the noises coming out of this little boy...you'd expect to see an old man sleeping in the bed next to us and there was our little man in blissful oblivion as we attempted to catch some zzz'z in the midst of his 'sleeping noises' ( Odesco's description of L's problematic snoring). L's voice seems to be up an octave and this also is expected to resolve in several weeks.
Yesterday after watching a video of an adorable 6 year old girl beautifully sing,"Somewhere over the Rainbow" L announced," I'm so glad I'm not a woman! For 2 reasons...#1 I don't want to have a baby and #2 I don't want to sound like that girl!" Who needs entertainment with kids around...they certainly do say the silliest things!
Thanks for checking in...we'd appreciate your continued prayers regarding L's recovery-that he would have no bleeding and that he would actually start to consume some significant calories to at least get him back to where he was before the surgery. Tomorrow Miss Mercy receives her orthodontic appliance and she is already expressing complaints and anxiety regarding this. We are trying to prepare her heart to make good choices tomorrow!! Pray that I would avail myself of every drop of God's grace to mother not only L and Mercy but the rest of the clan with kindness and patience.... my
'meek and quiet spirit' muscles are certainly getting a workout these days :)
Grateful for his unending supply of grace and everything I need for life and godliness!!
MamaB

A late night with Daddy 2 evenings before the surgery...watching the World Series and eating cookies...good thing he got a few extra calories then since he is not eating too much right now!

Prayer time for the little man...what wonderful friends we have ... the Y family came over the night before surgery to pray for L...they also brought a special gift-A Lego Star Wars kit...L was so excited to build this with his big friends. The Y's also brought a meal and some soup which was devoured on surgery day...it was wonderful not to have to cook for a few days and to be able to focus our energy on the needs of a very needy little guy in addition to the other 5 kiddos! Mimi and Pop-Pop came the morning of surgery to take care of Mercy and Odesco. Mimi brought a cooler of frozen meals also--what a gift! The 3 oldest kids went to Homeschooler's Day Out as usual and friends picked them up and dropped them back off-door to door service.
THANKS EVERYONE for lightening our load and being a tangible means of grace to our family- we are so grateful for you!!!!

Staying Busy in the waiting room before surgery with a new special book~

Before Surgery...
A boy, his Dad and the remote control...a good diversion~for the moment!!

After surgery...

Peaceful again in mommy's arms :)...Our little man was in sad shape when we first got to him as he was coming out of the anesthesia...the 3 nurses who were attending to him- (trying to keep him from climbing out of the bed )- commented on what a strong little guy he is!

"Let's get outta here!!!!"
We weren't allowed to carry L out to the car so we rode in style :)

Both boys took a 2 hour nap soon after our arrival home.
Surgery is hard on the siblings too!

"I see you!!!"- a lighthearted moment :)

The medicine is obviously working here...L is completing the craft he missed at Homeschooler's Day Out on Wednesday. G is playing "Activity Director" since she was actually present in the class...sometimes she takes this 'job' just a bit too seriously :)

L is enjoying staying up to take his last dose of medicine. Here he is with big brother P and his buddy J who slept over--he was a good sport and didn't seem to mind a snoring L in the bed next to him...I did move L upstairs after I was able to get the final dose of the night in him.

On Saturday, L perked up just long enough to head outside for some fall fun with our neighbor friends. This crew was out in our cul-de-sac for over an hour pushing all the leaves into one huge pile. It kept them busy and cleaned things up a bit-not a bad combination :)

The best part of fall is jumping in the leaf pile!! Mercy and Odesco are especially enjoying their first American fall...they have never seen leaves fall like this nor have they seen leaves change color. I love hearing them comment on the beautiful colors...God's creation surely is worth marveling over :)

~The momentary Mohawk~
For some reason L had it in his head that he wanted a mohawk for his surgery...Daddy worked late every night and didn't get the chance to trim him up until Saturday night bath time...so, we let him enjoy it for a minute before Daddy evened it all into a tight buzz cut!