Medical Update

we have been home a little over a week and everything is settling in so great I just can't believe it! We had our initial Pediatrician appointments and for the most part everything is looking good! None of the kids are even on the chart fro height or weight which we kinda already thought but to see that they were not even on the screen they were just little arrows that pointed off the screen kinda put things in perspective. So far Jasper and Bridget's blood tests have all come back good so we have no worries there! Silas got most of his blood results back and so far he is good but we are waiting for just a few more tests!

Jasper needs to see the ortho specialist because his legs bow out at the knees and his ankles turn out. He also needs to see the eye doctor and the dentist but he has a good strong heart!!!

Silas needs to see the ortho specialist, dentist, feeding therapist and the eye doctor, he also have a strong heart!

My sweat Bri went today to see the cardiologist, she had a previous surgery when she was young where they did a temporary fix but she needs to have a surgery that will fix her heart for good! The Doctor said she is looking good be he wants her to get stronger before we do anything. This little girl just amazes me everyday she laughs a little more and gets a little stronger! We will go back and see the heart Doc in February! She will also need to see the eye doc, feeding therapist, and dentist!

We got to go out for a walk and we got to play in the leaves the kids really love being outside but Jasper HATED the leaves but LOVED the wagon! Bri and Si Loved the leaves!

We had our first visit to church and the kids loved it, Bri LOVES all the attention!!!

Here are some pics from the last week, ENJOY!!!

 

HOME!!!

We made it, PRAISE GOD!!!!

It was a LONG trip but the kids did a really good job! Silas had a bit of a melt down but I would too having to wake up at 3am and travel nonstop for 13+ hours with very little sleep and very little food. He didn't like any of the food I packed which just made him more mad so needless to say we were VERY happy to be home!
My brother picked us up and I was so very happy to see him! We got home and settled in and the kids went to sleep!
This weekend was good we had a few visitors everyday and the kids enjoyed meeting everyone!

What a good first week home, we got a sleep schedule down and a I have system set up for feeding time. Jasper and Bridget went to the doctor and it went very well. They are not even on the chart for height or weight but in the week they have been in our care they have gained 2lbs!!! There are miner concerns that we will get to but initially Bridget will NEED to see a cardiologist because she had a previous surgery and the doctor heard a heart murmur also her blood-ox levels were low. We have an appointment for Next week Tuesday. Jasper's legs bow out and he will not bear weight on his little feet so will need to see the ortho specialist! Their initial blood work came back and they are looking good there which was a huge relief! Silas has his doctor appointment today so I will have an update later!

We went on a walk the other day and I let the kids down and play in the leaves, at first they were really confused but when I threw some leaves up they LOVED it. They loved the wagon and I think just being outside. Silas LOVES being out side and he hates when people leave our house I think because he wants to go with them! He is a very busy guy and I love to watch him explore. I don't think he really understands that this is his house and he has some freedoms. We have wood floors but I have one big area rug at first he would not leave the rug and if I moved him he would get mad and go back on the rug. After watching Cole crawl everywhere and climb up on the couch Silas decided to follow, I have a little curious George! The other day he crawled slowly over to the couch, looked around and then climbed up on the couch all by himself!!! I did not slept a lot that day and I totally teared up! This little guy is going to amaze me!!!

Rorie LOVES her new little older siblings. She loves to help and she loves to hug and kiss them! She is finally using their correct names but it took a bit she would call them all Jasper but she pronounced it Paper... LOL!!! The other day I was giving Bridget a bottle and I had to get up (we are still working through some feeding behaviors) so I asked Rorie to come over and give Bridget her bottle, Rorie's eyes light up!!!

Cole is indifferent, as long as he gets some Mamma time he is fine with them being here!!!

Rome wasn't built in a Day... or even 72hrs!

We have had the kids in our care for about 72 hours and as I said in my last post they are changing before our eyes! We have defiantly seen behaviors that have come from spending almost 7 years in an institution. The biggest and post prevalent is feeding behaviors. There are many reasons why they act out at feeding time. We were told a few different stories of how feeding time goes, I am not sure which way my children were fed but you can tell that when they see food they now what it is and they want it. They will eat eat eat and when you think they are full they will still scream for fear of not knowing when food will come again? From having it shoveled in and not given time for them to actually swallow it so more of it ends up I the caregivers hand then in their tummy? From having to share one bowl with 2 or more other children? Take your pick, all I know is that now it is my job to show these kids that food will come every day 3meals and at least 2 snacks of their very own! Sounds easy right.... Luckily I have been down this road with Rorie and I expected it even so I have to remind myself that they are ok, they are full and that if I give in they will not learn and I will be having to feed them every 10 mins to stop a crying monster I have created.

Attention.... I have to remember that these kids got very little attention for the last almost 7 years so they have to get use to all my kisses and hugs and cuddles. (crazy to think that a little kid has to get used to something that seems it should come so naturally for typical kids) Silas has gotten a taste of attention and now he craves it, prolly for the same reasons as food, it will take time for him to see that beside Me and Fred there are so many people that want to give him attention.

Other things I have to remember... There is a language barrier, I am not sure what they are capable of because I don't know what kind of effort was put behind them (likely very very little if any) things a 7year old should know they do not know those are all things that we will learn together.

This is scary for them, it's all new. The last time they were prolly in a car was when they were transferred from the baby house to the institution. We have taken them from the only home they have ever known, took them on 2 very long car rides, a horribly HOT train ride and we have been cruzing around the BIG city the last few days. They are with people that on all accounts are new to them and DO NOT speak the language they are use to hearing that can be a scary thing.

Taking all this into account really helps me to be patient and understanding. I think the hardest thing for me to handle, that just breaks my heart into a million little pieces (even more than how under nourished they are, Bridget is nothing but a skeleton and Jasper isn't much better. Silas has a little meat on his bones but not much) Today Silas fell off the couch and bumped his head, not bad but enough to make him cry. Now when a little one falls what do they want from an adult, usually any adult will do but Mommies are the best at? Anyone.... anyone???? A cuddle, someone to pick them up and kiss them and tell them they are going to be ok right??? Not Silas that made him more upset, I wanted to hug him and sing to him and that scared him right into a complete melt down. Oh it just broke me to have to back up and give him space while we was processing. Finally after about 10mins of a pretty sad tantrum I grabbed his leg (he was laying on the linoleum floor on his tummy) and I pulled him really fast to me then pushed him away, pulled him to me then pushed him away! The dried the tears real fast. I am going to gain this boys trust if it kills me and he will know I am his Momma and hugging is what I do!!!!! He will learn if there is nothing else to depend on he can ALWAY depend on me and Jesus!!!!!

My point is to try and help give encouragement for new adoptive Mom's out there it might be a long hard road but in my experience it is worth it Rorie and Cole are my proof and the reason we are back here doing this again!!!

We leave to head back home Tomorrow morning, our driver will be here at 3:30am to take us to the airport. Our plan leave Kiev headed to Frankfort at 6am and we have a 2.5hr layover (just enough time to feed breakfast) Then we head to Chicago where we should land around 2pm. Praise God my big brother will be there to meet us and we will get home just in time to greet the kids after school. Oh how my arms ache to hold them!!!!!

Keep us in prayer that our travel goes according to God's plan!!! Thank you and my next post will be from my home in America!!!!!!!  

Can it BE?????

You may think I am crazy but I swear in the 48hrs these children have been in my care I have seen a change. The BIGGEST change is in Bridget for sure. She is WAY more alert and not so sleepy all the time. She is more vocal and I feel like she is stronger! Yesterday for the first time we saw her pick up a toy rattle. She actually picked it up and held it above her head (she was laying) and then shook it a little!!! Fred and I just froze, we couldn't believe it and we didn't want to look away so I of course did not get a picture... Bummer! Then today I was playing with a piano that she likes (She likes toys that light up and sing) when in the past I took her hand and helped her to press the button to show her what she is capable of she usually uses her chin or her tongue but today.... today she used her little tiny hand to make her toy go all by herself!!!! She is STRONGER for sure!!!

Silas is a true BOY. He LOVES to wrestle with his Daddy but sometimes goes a little too far. He doesn't know his strength yet. He just wants to go go go! He is not a fan of toys most times he tosses them, remind you of another little Karol boy anyone??? He will be up and running with Rorie before I know it so I am going to enjoy this time while I can. Oh and He LOVES to be outside. Today was the first time he actually did look interested in a little touch tablet toy but then he threw it!!! WE will get there. John and Silas were playing a rolling back and forth game this afternoon so I think he will love balls! I just can't wait to get to know him better everyday!... One more thing he HATES to go to sleep but once he is asleep he talks like Cole and he sleeps in very funny positions!!!

Jasper, he is so quite and lost in his own little world but when it is feeding time he sure wakes up and flies over to you! I think that will be my best window into his world! He let's me cuddle him and he LOVES kisses. He DOES NOT like wheat baby cereal. Him and Bridget are best pals, they keep an eye on each other which is so cute! He loves rattles, well he loves one rattle more than the others and will throw all of them until he found the one he loves!!! We are hearing a lot of sounds coming from him and we are slowing getting to know him. I always tell him he is going to be my diamond, I am going to take him home and polish him til he shines!!!!! (His name means my treasure or jewel)

In 48hrs we have seen highs and lows and I just can't wait to get them home! They are going to be so different in a few months you won't believe me that they are the same kids and I hope the orphanage feels the same way too! We do plan on keeping in touch and giving A LOT of updates!!!

So what happened today? This morning we had to go to the train station to pick up some paperwork and then find a copy machine to make three copies of each document before our embassy appointment at 9am. We just sat in the car while our driver ran around like crazy, we prayed so hard that God would get every thing done in time! Copies were done in the nick of time and we got to the embassy waited about 3mins and our number was called! Fred handled the paperwork while John and I handled the kids! We were done in about an hour at the embassy and we were done!!! We took the kids to the apartment and I sent John and Fred out to do some shopping and sight seeing!!! They had fun and so did I!!!

Tomorrow?... Tomorrow our driver will go pick up the kids passports (another answer to prayer) then pick up the kids medical documents and then then come pick us up for our second and last embassy appointment! After that we are cleared to leave this country!!! Fred is in the process of making travel plans home so stay tuned!!!!!

You can plan and plan....

But even if you think of "everything" you will miss something!!! I had this trip to Kiev all planned. Traveling with 3 kids isn't easy so I tried to pack light and have a plan. Nothing went to plan. I ended up have 3 extra bags that I did NOT plan on. Thank God the missionaries came with us to the train station. When we handed the conductor our tickets she wouldn't let us on right away, she was demanding court documents, birth certificates, and visas for the kids. Again good thing the missionaries came with us!!! We got on the train and settled in but it was the HOTTEST train car I have ever been on and there was no relief. I got the kids down to sleep which was not an easy task but little Jasper had no interest in sleeping so that meant Mamma didn't get any sleep. It was hard for all of us. We got to Kiev at 5:40am with no place to go our apartment wasn't going to be available until noon, the doctor office wasn't open until 8:30am. So we spent the morning sitting around waiting, waiting, waiting!!!! I fed breakfast as best as I could in the van and changed diapers then we sat!!! We had to print off some documents and then we were told we needed the original birth certificates to go to the doctor but we didn't have them Masha did and she was not in Kiev. I had copies and we decided we were going to try and go head with the doctor visits. Also the night before we were told they only do TB tests in Mon, Wed, and Fri so we were going to have to return Wed to have the tests done and then head back on Friday to have them read... Grrr!!! This day about had me in tears. We went in and the doctor agreed to see us despite not having the original documents!!! Praise God!!! It went pretty quick actually we were only in the Dr office about an hour and a half. So we were done by 10am with only 2 hrs to kill before we could get into our apartment. The driver that was with us spoke English and helped us in the Dr office. When we were all done he turned to me and said something has happened to the TB test, they will NOT be required for your children. I looked at him and  grilled him... why? you mean not at all? We don not have to come back? are you sure? He said Ukraine is out or there is a problem with the TB test so they are being waived! PRAISE GOD... I can't tell you how worried this test was making me and now at least in this country I do not have to deal with it, I rather our doctors do it!!!

So tomorrow will be another early morning we will head out at 7:30am to pick up our paperwork from the train station then head to the embassy to do paper work, I think this is the part that scares me the most... why? I do not know but I am very nervous maybe it's my fear of government building!!! Anyway, so we have the embassy tomorrow, then again on Thursday and we get the kids passports Thursday and that's it. We are looking at tickets either Friday or Saturday, there is a chance that we could even get a flight out Thursday night??? I guess that stuff is up in the air still but we are coming home!!!

LET'S GO Krivoy Rog!!!!

We had another great treat last night, we got to go to a professional European basketball ball game. It was REALLY fun and REALLY loud!!! We went to dinner at New York Pizza, then to the game and to finish the night off we went to McDonalds for ice cream. I think I posted that we met 2 American men that played on the Krivoy Rog team which was really cool but then when we went to McDonalds for desert the other team was there (South Dnep) and we got to met an American guy on that team! I can say I have met and talked to 3 professional basketball players!!! Moral of the story if you want to met a famous American you gotta go to McDonalds in Ukraine!!! LOL!!!

Here are some pics:

 

Leann has been such a blessing!!!

 

The White and Red team is Krivoy Rog and the Green and Yellow team is South Dnep

 

This was the opposing team's cheering section, the fans were almost more fun to watch than the game. It reminded me a lot of a college game. VERY LOUD!!!

 

Their national anthem

 

Number 4 is one of the guys we met!

 

This is 4 and 20 we met both these guys at McDonalds and they invited us to their game!

 

I think John enjoyed the game what do you think????

 

This was half time anyone that wanted to could go out on the court and shoot around! This guy in the white shirt LOVES basketball, he had a blast and was a lot of fun to watch through out the game!!!

 

I twisted my ankle for this shot but it was worth it!!!

 

After the game we went for desert and we met number 9, VERY nice guy he shook our hands and talked to us for a bit!

 

Again this guy was Awesome and his story is amazing!!! See here in Ukraine if you are born with any kind of "difference" more than likely you are given up. This man was born with a mild deformity, not anything that affected his mind but because of his difference he grew up in an institution. He never was allowed to learn to read or write or go to school. He was locked away until God's grace saved him. One of the pastors from Leann's church worked very hard to help prove he was able to live on his own and blend into society. He went through A LOT of testing and questioning and about 3 years ago he was freed!!!!! Now he can freely go and enjoy a basketball game, Praise God!!!

 

Krivoy Rog won 77 to 73, it was a nail biter, VERY GOOD game!!!