I get it!

I finally realized that most of Stas' actions and motions are because of his difficulty hearing. I will have to get pictures of all of his different motions. He puts his ear on everything and "does the worm" with his hand. This morning I was blow-drying my hair and he cocked his head back and forth, grabbed the cord, put it to his ear while his hand does a funny motion on the cord, moved up bit by bit until he got to the blow dryer. Once he reached the blow dryer and realized that is where the sound is coming from he hits his ears and is clearly excited. We know he hears a little, but it is a lot of work.

Next Wednesday is the big day for him. He will get PE tubes and I am so excited. Unfortunately if I wanted the PE tubes done quickly I would have to wait on the ABR hearing test to check if he is capable of hearing. All of the audiologists were unavailable. Hopefully we will see a remarkable difference and not bother with the ABR. It needs to be done under sedation. It is the same test they do routinely on newborns. I don't have a problem doing it at a later date if need be....will see.

Did I mention that Stas is so darn cute.

Everyday I think about getting another little one. I can't tell you how many times a day...... It's not that I feel we NEED more kids, I just long to have these little bugs! They are precious. Would anyone else consider getting all of them so I don't put it on my shoulders. I LOVE Down syndrome!!!

Please pray for Stas. His tubes are going to be done on Wednesday, September 8th.

Please pray for Anastasia who we met, is deaf and is absolutely precious. Her family who is coming for her was told that she is being transferred. Please pray that she stays put at the baby house until they come. Their dossier is so close to going!!!! Hang on their Anastasia!!! I love her. Oh, she longs for a mommy and daddy...brothers and sisters...a family. She is not alone.

Thanks.

I love this mom's-eye view!

A day in Colorado.

We are having a great time here in Colorado. But, I must say, I feel sort of guilty at times. Yes, this is great family time, no doubt. But, I do think about how the money could be used to help an orphan. None the less, we feel blessed to be in this part of the country, enjoying God's country in the mountains. A new experience for all of us, except Dan.

While I was here today with the two little boys (Dan took the other 6 whitewater rafting) I was addressing envelopes for a concert we will have at our home in mid September. We will have Glen Phillips (from Toad the Wet Sprocket) perform at our home to raise money for Healing Haiti. Last year we had Dan Wilson come to raise money for the Minnesota Down Syndrome Association. We raised $8,000. This year we are needing to raise $27,000! Yikes!

Dan and I separately went to Haiti in March. I went with Feed My Starving Children, and he went with Jeff and Alyn from Healing Haiti. Healing Haiti brings water trucks to the slums of Port au Prince, they help orphans and are building Grace village which will house and school many orphans.

Ironically, while I have been with the two little ones all day and eager to have more bigger people around here, the phone rang and Bobby asked if I would mind if they went to a free Toad the Wet Sprocket concert in Vail, CO on their way home. If they picked me up it would make them over an hour late. Darn! And how could I say "no" to that? I'm throwing a mini pity party here. So, I decided to blog!

Thank you God for the beauty of the mountains. Here was the view as I was addressing the invitations.I don't suspect anyone will join my pity party, huh?

Here are some pictures of more of our trip:

The gondola in Breckenridge on Sunday:

I went horseback riding with the 6 kids yesterday.

Dinner! Our invitation supplies in the background looking messy.

I think I will take the two little guys for a walk.

Evenings in Colorado!

We are enjoying ourselves, can you tell?

Ricky's in the Rockies.

That title just sounded good...we are all in the Rockies with Ricky.

If it looks like a mic....it is a mic!!!! Ricky loves to perform. He is finally able to utilize some of those Signing Time "Great Outdoors" signs here: like mountain, stream, and trail.

Cute...isn't he?

I don't want to know what Ricky is telling Stas! Again, this has a certain look of the kiss of Judas.

Ricky really is doing much better with Stas. He is still a bit rough with him, mostly (I think) not knowing his own strength, but as far as the jealousy EVERY time I do something to/for Stas, he is doing considerably better. Praise God.

The gang...in the Rockies. It took 16 hours to get here....but we did it in 1 day...yeah!

Kisses from Daddy at the top of the Mountain....at the Continental Divide. I carried Stas up the mountain this evening when we went to get a good high look at the sunset. I couldn't breath. It's amazing how winded you get in this altitude. I can't say I am in the best shape to start with. But it was so cute because while I was struggling to catch my breath throughout the climb, Stas' little puckered lips would be coming at me and I would be "forced" to kiss him. Those lips are irresistible. Even when you're sucking wind.

Figured out why Stas threw up last night out of the blue...and why I'm so extra tire.....ALTITUDE! Now I understand what the t-shirts mean here: "Got Oxygen?"

New Blog!

Hey everyone! I've finally decided that my new blog, "Blessed to Be Brothers," is good enough to introduce to you guys. Ideas and advice are still very appreciated!

Here's the link: http://blessedtobebrothers.blogspot.com/

Oh, and by the way....

Become a "Follower" and/or invite your friends to view my profile over and over ;)

-Lizzy

Care to offer any optical opinions--please?

Okay. Stas needs glasses. Fun! Not really. You see Ricky was 9 months when he started wearing them and wasn't coordinated enough to know how to take them off, thus, he got used to them. Stas will not keep them on, but we must try, right?

So, I know the pictures aren't clear (because I had to take them so quick before he ripped them off!!!) but please offer me your opinion on which glasses color and shape you like the best.

Thanks.

I wish this was a better picture of these blue ones in this shape. I like them.

My kids voted this green pair. The bummer is that they won't match his outfits as nice! Ricky and Stas share everything and all of their clothing is blue. (The difficulties that vanity brings!)

Bright blue. Not the same as Ricky's.

Bright, light blue.

Keep in mind that Ricky has this pair.......

Feel free to sign up as a follower....Jodi has more than me....not that it is a competition -)

Reece's Rainbow: Our Ministry Video

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Oh PLEEEEAAAASSSSE!!!

Anne Marie.....this is her alias name. She is a beauty. We spent some time with her and I could tell you about her.

Will you please look in this sweet little face and consider adopting this little love. I would go get her right now if I could. I can give you information about her and would be happy to talk to you about the region in which we saw her---where Stas was. I can even offer you a great place to stay, where we stayed, at a Church. It is a region that you CAN do more quickly than the others. She has a heart murmur so will need her heart checked when she gets home.

I woke up thinking about her today---again. (Oh, and little Alexander!) I know God has put her on my heart for a reason. I just love her. She turns 5 years old in a short time. It is not known when she will be sent away to the "mental institution"---FOREVER. In this orphanage they are generally sent away by their 6th birthday, but some certainly don't make it quite that long.

Every time I do a simple thing with Stas and see his delight (just getting him out of the carseat and seeing him reach for me with that sheepish, excited grin) my eyes just fill-up with tears because, twofold---I know that if he were there he wouldn't have these simple delights of reaching to his mama's arms, and then my mind flashes to seeing the other children in their cribs and I want to put them in that car seat and see them smile just like him. And they would!

Please, please pray. Please pass this website on to others to consider. My heart just hurts for these little princes and princesses of our loving God. They are such gifts!!!

Life around here.

Way cute on the swing! (He's in Ricky's swing----uhoh!)

Way cool! (He's in Ricky's car---uhoh!!)

Loves the sand, tastes great! (Technically the beach is public---so not Ricky's sand!)

Lizzy and Stas

Ricky tearing up the dance floor---you should see this kid dance.

Lovely Esther with Maggie and Jenny--Esther (our roommate for 6 wonderful months!) is now married and will room with her new husband, our good friend Jake.

Stas loves the piano. We find him up there playing. He gets up by himself....pretty good.

That doesn't look quite right?!?! Does it? Oh, it's cute.

I think he likes the piano because he can hear it. Smart.

Good eats...and naughty boy!

Stas never learned to chew because he had a porridge consistency of food shoveled into his mouth. I think the food was nutritious, I think he just never had to learn how to chew as a result of his feeding method. So therapy is in full swing! In a few short weeks (3 visits?) we have made some significant progress. He is chewing on his chew tubes now...that is good to build up his jaw strength.

I basically take what we are eating, chop it up in the mini food processor, and add applesauce or summer squash soup. Before he just ate it. If a piece was too big he would choke, gag and even throw it up. I can tell he is making progress because he has learned to separate the chunks that he doesn't like and spit them out. Pretty good, eh? Well, I am older and wiser and I have figured out how to keep it in. I even put little mac and cheese noodles in his mouth and he was moving them to the back of his mouth and I saw a little chewing....yay!

You could understand if Stas hated me couldn't you?!
This is what I feed him:

Beef fajita, cheesy mexican rice, cheddar cheese, sour cream and applesauce

Macaroni and cheese, chopped greenbeans, and summer squash soup

Chicken, green beens and applesauce.

Chicken, rice, carrots, and applesauce mush


You would never guess this one........philly cheese steak with fried mushrooms and onions, pureed, with water added for proper consistency.....Mmmmmmmm!

Now, as for the naughty boy part....

Ricky is not always keen on this Stas fellow yet. I'm sure it will come, but it is definitely a challenge and you must know both of their whereabouts at ALL times.

Started off looking innocent, right?! It always seems to start this way. Stas has a look of fear when he sees Ricky coming for some reason!

Look at poor Stas' face.

Ricky's way of saying, "All's well that ends well, right?"
Pray for Ricky....
Maybe it is better to pray for Stas!

I'm sure that was a kiss, not a bite, I think....