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I have an update on Baby T, and if you missed it, an update from court about Z. www.blessingsforthegoodlife.blogspot.com

Hornet

Have you ever seen a hornet up close? I had not...don't think I would have even recognized one. On the 4th, we were all outside, I was holding Zach, and Clay said, "take him inside now..I see a hornet". I was like Really? I have never seen one of those. Well, he killed it with the tennis racket, and brought it in for me to see. That thing is huge, and the stinger on him? OUCH that would hurt!

He is doing really well!

Talan came home from the hospital last Friday. I was so nervous about him coming home. In fact, the nurse told me that if I wanted to wait until Monday, to tell the doctor, and I probably could. I seriously thought about it. I just felt very overwhelmed about it. See, every nurse in the hospital had asked me if I had ever taken care of special needs before, how I felt about it, did I know I was getting a special needs baby....all of that. It got me nervous. Well, I just decided that Friday would be best b/c then Clay would be home all weekend and take care of the other 4 while I concentrated on Talan.

He has done really well. I am so proud of him. He was so fussy in the hospital, I was really dreading dealing with that, again. We all agree his dispositon is actually better than before. If you have his passy, he is good to go. That is the only time he gets fussy, you just pop it back in, and he is happy again. He is smiling a lot, and talking a bunch...it is so cute! He also sleeps good at night. I usually just have to get up once and put his passy back in and reposition him, and he is good to go. Zachariah, on the other hand, has been a little stinker. He wakes up, and won't go back to sleep! I know that boy knows how to sleep. I do have to get up a few times in the night and mess with that feeding pump, which really aggravates me...b/c I am so tired trying to get that thing going again. I am trying something new tonight. See, you have to restart it every 4 hours b/c the formula shouldn't be out any longer than that. Tonight, I put it in a little backpack for the pump, and put ice packs around it, and filled it up. I hope that is o.k....and I hope it works.

The feeding tube isn't as scary as I thought. The kids have enjoyed learning about it to. I won't let them do it without me supervising, but even Rachel did a great job today helping me feed him. Noah loves to help me load the pump at night. He knows how to do it, and seems proud, trying to take over when I am getting it ready at night. I don't complain, bedtime is busy enough.

Talan has a long road, with multiple issues, but I am just so happy to see him looking so good, and so happy. He gave us such a scare. His caseworker today commented that he has come a long way since he was in the hospital with his belly swollen so bad, and then in ICU. He is one tough little fella.....but I also know he is the answer to many prayers!!

Noah's 8th Birthday

**disclaimer...there are many typos in this note, but I am going on very little sleep, people, so please forgive me, I don't have the brain power to fix them**

Wow, I think this is the longest I have ever gone without blogging. I just don't have any spare time these days....I am living on negative time...needing a few more hours each day. But we are making it just fine, and I get to all the important stuff,and everything else can just wait for another day....or another month, which ever it may be. I hope to catch up on my blog soon...but it may not happen for awhile. We have been doing a lot of fun things that I want to share.

The 27th was my first-born's 8th birthday!! Wow, I guess I say that about everyone getting older...but I wish it would slow down! 8 just seems old to me. We celebrated Noah's b-day a week early, b/c baby was still in the hospital, and we didn't know what things would be like when he got out, and we wanted to make sure Noah had his day. Of course, then everything the whole past week was "I get to do ___ b/c it is my birthday..." so he got more than enough celebrating in.

Here they are at Razorback pizza...our favorite pizza place to eat.

Noah wanted to make his own cake. In fact, he got mad at me when I tried to take over baking it. He knows how to read the instructions, and also understands all the measurements, everything about making a cake, so he didn't want my help at all....he is proud of himself when he can do it on his own. When it was time to ice it, Clay went in to supervise him, but he did it that all on his own, and his cake turned out cute!

Had to use his fingers too, of course

His Star Wars lego people were a surprise to me...I thought they were a cute addition. He even added on later falling down the cake...b/c he had been shot down.

He loved his bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit from McD's for his birthday breakfast.

Noah's poor tired eyes. He had just crawled out of bed. He has decided, this week, he wants to move into the "boy's" room...meaning he has 2 babies for roommates. How that could be more fun than his sisters that sleep all night, I don't understand. He is getting to experience the no sleep week with me. (at least he has a choice in the matter...haha)

His card arrived in the mail from his Grammy. He had gotten a lot of other ones too, I just happened to have my camera out when this one came. Excuse the no shirt...they just got in from swimming Look at Rachel...she was worried that all the candles were going to melt his lego men....and I hadn't even thought about that, but luckily, no one was harmed.

Then, he got a big surprise. He had invited over our neighbor to swim, and as they were out there, some friends pulled up just to drop something off...he had no idea they were coming. They decided to stay, and walked around back, and he just squealed...."what are you doing here?" He was so excited, and saying, now I am having a pool party!!!

So, counting baby T not in the photo, we had 10 kids here, and were also surprised by some pizza...it turned out a fun and great day!

Then, after 9 pm, he decided he was straving, so he fixed himself some Ramen noodles.

Good news

Amber is spending the night with us tonight, and I am anticipating Talan coming home from the hospital tomorrow, so me, and 5 kids trecked to the mall today to try to get him some new clothes. See, my sweet 5 1/2 month baby has outgrown all his clothes while in the hospital, and I knew I wouldn't have a chance to go shop once he got home. Anyway, I was in gymboree...(very excited about my 20% off coupon to go along with some really cute stuff already marked down a lot) and my phone rang. I didn't even think about answering it, b/c I needed to keep control of those 5 kids...you know. So, by the time I got in the car, it was 20 mins later, and I checked my voicemail, and it was Zachariah's case worker, telling me that she had some news for me. I immediately called her back, and got her voicemail, and realized she was probably gone for the day! You know I was freaking out with anticipation. I listened back to the message, and realize she told me to call her cell. I still didn't get her, and I had to wait 30 whole minutes for her to call me back! LOL Have I told you that I love her? She has so come through for Zachariah, and over time, I have realized she is probably one of the best caseworkers I know.

Anyway, the judge made her ruling. She has scheduled a termination hearing for October, where she plans on terminating parental rights. She declaired his dad would not be a suitable parent, short-term, or long-term to care for Zachariah. She stated that she felt dad should have "moved heaven and earth" to do all that the court had ordered him to do to be able to get Zachariah. YAY!! He does still have a chance to get an attorney, and has a chance to appeal the judges decision at the termination hearing....so it ain't over yet. We still have 3 more months to pray...or as one friend said, "we will pray until we get the paper, that says he's a Draper!" I love it! I am feeling very hopeful though, and it has been so great going through they day really thinking about him always being mine. Oh, that just feels great.

This week has been a good one for us...great news about Zachariah, getting to have Amber over for a fun time, Talan doing well. It is like a parallel of the week I had when Talan was admitted to ICU, and I was anticipating Zachariah's court in 2 days. That week, was the lowest of lows, I have ever been in my life. I begged, and pleaded with God, I prayed so hard that week, and I see so clearly now, why I had to go through that time then. I did trust in God to pull us through, and he has amazed me what he has done for these precious boys. I couldn't say it any better than what wise friend said to me "praise our father who listens! who answers! who hears our cries, and advocates for these precious little ones when we can't! who is faithful, and powerful! and who we CAN trust." (I hope she doesn't care that I quoted her!)

Hello lonesome blog

I had planned to keep doing schoolwork all during the summer, but time just got away from me with our baby being in the hospital, and other things going on. We have hit the library reading programs heavy, and I have been happy with the amount of books they have read this summer. I have reorganized and rearranged our schoolroom, today I began filling out intent form, order a new spelling curriculum, paid our Home Ed dues, and applied for the kids to attend Enrichment Academy, (a homeschool, school that meets once a week). We have purchased all those fun cheap school supplies from Walmart, and began doing a little bit of school work today. The kids have just been getting too restless, and were excited to work today in their new clean school room. I have a lot of lapbooks we did last year that I need to put together and take photos of soon.

A few more from the hospital

Here are a few more pictures I took of the kids at the hospital. I am glad to have these, just to remember our time we have spent up there. I am very proud of our kids. They have made friends with Talan's various roommates, talking to them, playing with them, worrying about them. It touches my heart to see their love pouring for all the kids up there. They have learned a lot about medical things too. They have also been very polite, and usually quiet while we are there too, and very worried about our baby. They pray for him at every prayer.

Looks like we may be nearing the end in the hospital. They told me today that he will probably come home on Thursday, so I have been trying to cook up some meals, and get my house in order before he gets home.

Daycare can wear a fella out!

He has only been going a couple of days a week, but daycare will really wear him out! This was only about 30 mins after I picked him up. I believe I have a pi of Hunter crashed in his walker one day after I picked him up!

We have still not gotten any word from the judge on Zachariah. She has 30 days to file, so we are hoping for sure to hear something by the end of next week. He has actually had an older sibling come into foster care this past week, and we don't know if or how this will affect the case. She does have the same judge and attorney....and the case worker is advocating that we proceed as before...and not let this affect his case. It makes me even more anxious to know the decision!

Talan at 5 months

It is so good for Talan to be back out of ICU. Of course, b/c that means he is much better, but also b/c now the kids can go with me to see him. It makes things so much easier. We had the nicest nurse today. She put a movie on for the kids, and even got them a snack!

Talan is doing a lot better. I can't remember what all I have talked about on this blog, but he was admitted originally b/c he had stopped eating. They have ran all kinds of tests on him, and even now that his infection is clear, he still won't suck on a bottle. They are thinking it is neurological...his brain just isn't telling him how to eat. I hate that...but he has been doing so well with his feedings through the tube in his nose...everyone agrees that the best step for him now is to surgically place a stomach feeding tube...that they call a button. They have told me it is very simple...actually easier than feeding him the traditional way, and that I can just give him his medicine through that button too. Which is good...b/c I was stressing before when we put his medicine in the bottle, and he wouldn't finish it. He will be coming home on more medicine than he left with....and some of that will be longterm medicine. He has been diagnosed with sickle cell anemia. I am not sure what all that will mean for him. Bless his heart...he has a lot against him in this life.

I have been very excited at how well he has responded to me in the hospital. I have worried so much about not being there with him all the time, but every day when I am there holding him, he always responds well. I have gotten a lot of good feedback from the nurses too...and that has been encouraging. They can tell a difference in how he responds to us...and that is great. He fusses everytime a nurse tries to hold him, but he is always calm...and usually pretty alert for me.

He turned 5 months old while in the hospital. I have also been very encouraged to see his alertness has he has gotten better. He is back to cooing, and is smiling quite a bit, something he didn't do before. It is so cute! He is also discovering his hands, and moving them around a lot...much more than before. And, he has gained 2 1/2 pounds....so that puts this 5 month old baby at 18 1/2 pounds!! That is only 1 1/2 less than Zachariah!

With him getting the button placed in his belly on Tuesday, he may get to be home by the end of next week. I am ready for him to come home, but am also pretty nervous about all his new health concerns. More medicines, a feeding tube, and he will probably be sent home with me doing breathing treatments on him. I have watched the respiratory therapist, and what they are doing right now, is about a 30 min process every 6 hours. I am praying that the Lord will give me the strength and ability to care for him. I have had many nurses, and other people ask me if I have ever cared for special needs children before, or if I was open to doing that. That sounds very scary to me, but I love him, and plan on doing the very best I can. It does make me worried though, just b/c I have a 1 yr old in the house that I have to keep track of while I am caring for him.

This is he machine I may be bringing home with me...it looks like a big vaccum with a face mask, that blows air in, and then sucks it back out to make him cough.

Those pretty eyes and lips....I just love them.

He was talking up a storm to me here!

Snuggle time

pics a Children's

Today we went to see baby T, and he had to have a breathing treatment, so we ran down to the lobby at Children's. This is the first time my little camera hasn't been dead in a month, so we took a few pictures. There is a big mural on the wall that has pictures painted on it to represent Arkansas Cities. Rachel and Noah are pointing to where we live now...

And here they are all pointing to their birthplace!
**check out www.blessingsforthegoodlife.com for updates on our babies

Not enough time for pictures, no time to blog....no time for anything

That title pretty sums up my life these days. So busy. I have given up on any sort of organization to my house. I am strictly sticking to cooking meals, regulating everyone's laundry day, (and finding myself slowly getting more and more of everyone else's mixed back in with mine), quick sweeps for trash that baby Z can get in his mouth, and the quick mad dashes in the case that someone may be coming over for a bit.

Since I haven't been blogging, we have celebrated a 1 yr old's birthday. This week has marked a month that baby T has been in the hospital. We are still awaiting the judges decision on Z's fate. I go from dying to know, not even wanting to think about it. I gave up trying to continue to homeschool through the summer. I plan on starting us back the 2nd week in August. I have been trying hard to still give the kids a fun summer, and the last 2 weeks have been jammed packed with fun. Lots of libary programs...we are signed up at 2, and they are both offering all kinds of fun stuff. Painting, Mosaics, Magicians, Cooking, Zoo Friends...it has been fun. The kids have been checking out books and reading like crazy. Noah is only checking out history biography books, and can tell you all kinds of crazy random facts about our presidents. Leah will get huge stacks of books, and then spend the next 2 days reading all of them. Last I checked, we were nearing 200 chapters in our online reading log for one of our libraries for her. That girl loves to read. Rachel and I have been continuing on with her Hooked On Phonics reading, and has made it halfway through that. She is doing great...I am finding she is almost as easy to teach as Leah. It makes me glad I had 2 girls!

We had a blast at a homeschool fieldtrip downtown last week, and a fun day swimming at the Parker's. You can check a photo of that out here....http://www.thejoyfulchaos.com/the-two-crews/. I have been to see baby T at the hospital almost everyday. This has been a very draining, and also uplifting experience....but I am so ready for him to get back home. It looks like he will still be in for a couple of more weeks. We have seen a couple of dollar movies, and check out the new Heifer Program educational center downtown.

Lot's more....and I think I have slept some in there...that is questionable though, as Z has decided it is a fun thing to wake up at 5 am for no reason, and going back to sleep about the time everyone is getting up. This is after waiting up for Clay to get home, and going to bed around 1 am. Last night was my first step in trying to correct that. I hope tonight goes better. He had his shots today, maybe he will be tired.

I also have heard daily...someone say, "you have your hand's full" or "I don't know how you do it". I mean daily. Especially since I am going up to the hospital. Everyone asks me questions, b/c they are curious b/c I am a foster mom. I don't even know how to answer that. I usually stumble over my words....you would think I would have a whitty comeback by now. I know I am crazy, and super busy all the time, but I can't imagine things any other way. In fact, I kept another foster girl this week just for a night, but wanted to have her longer...she was such a sweetheart. Yes, I do have my hands full....and things do get wild and crazy, but I love them all so much, and my heart feels so full. How do I do it? I just love them, and take care of them. I guess that is just what I need to say. I have several friends with a lot of kids, and to me, it seems normal, so I am always surprised by other people's reactions....and then when I try to look at my life through their eyes, I know I look like a lunatic to them! haha

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I've got a hospital update at www.blessingsforthegoodlife.com

Some improvements...finally!

Sorry I haven't updated in a bit on Talan. I have just been so busy! Trying to make up for lost time in the fun department with the kids, and squeezing in visits at the hospital and house cleaning when I can!

Talan came out of ICU on Thursday. The kids were so excited, as soon as I told them, they were ready to go see him. He was in ICU for 2 weeks, and they weren't able to go see him the whole time. He has been sick with C-diff Colitis....that is an infection from bad bacteria that is left in his stomach after the good bacteria is killed from being on a lot of antibiotics. They feel like this is result from what all he was on when he was in the hospital for a month before we got him. This is what made him so sick....and made him get so critical. Truly, there were a couple of days there where I was afraid he wasn't going to make it. He was bad. This baby has had so much prayer...it is amazing. I have been so touched by all the people that are telling me they are praying for this precious boy. His infection is cleared up, so now they are starting back feeds with a tube down his nose. They will start trying to feed him by a bottle. So far, all that they have tried with his sucking as been unsuccessful. They are still talking about a possible stomach feeding tube. They are going to run a few more tests before the conclude his not eating is neurological....but that is a big possibility.

These pictures were taken with my phone, so they aren't the best. This one of Noah and him is priceless! We didn't even know he was smiling at him until I looked at the photo. So far, all of Talan's smiles have been very rare...and very quick too...so quick if you blink, you miss it.

The kids just want to touch him, and stand by his side...they have missed him a lot!
This photo was taken Sunday night. He had come off the ventilator, and this was the first time I got to hold him in 2 weeks. The nurse was so sweet...she offered to take a photo for me so I could go home and show the kids. She was has been one of my favorite nurses.