I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice Cream!

Nadia and I woke up bright and early this morning and made our way to the hospital for her surgery.

"That's quite a bright flash for 6:15 in the morning Mommy!"

Nadia seemingly has no memory of her visit here last July for her first ear tube surgery and enjoyed playing in the lobby.

Remember this little girl who at the time had only been home with us less than a month?

I gave her the beeper to keep her occupied then so I decided to do the same today.

I'm thinking that perhaps she's starting to remember this place and why she's here...the smart little cookie!



Even with that faint flashback she's still hamming it up in the pre-op room and having a great time...  happily oblivious to what lies ahead.

Think I'll lay back and chill for awhile.

I told her it was time to pray and this was her response. :)

~An Angel in our midst~

Time to practice with the mask again.

9 months ago

Even as she's beeing wheeled back to surgery she's still having her own little party.  What a nut!!!

The surgery went very well and our time in recovery was relatively short. 

She's doing her 'Calgon Take Me Away' pose...don't blame her one bit!

  The nice thing about this recovery is that she really wanted her mommy to comfort her and not the nurse.  9 months ago I was just another 'slightly' familiar face to her. It did my mommy heart good to have this moment even though I knew my baby was in pain.

We had a wonderful nurse in recovery and she just loved Nadia.  She told me that before and after surgery the nurses were fighting over who would get to hold Nadia.  She finally told the others to "give me that baby--she's mine!".  I was able to share our adoption story with her and how God led us to Nadia.  I love when God gives us moments like that don't you?

Go ahead...tell us how you really feel.



We arrived home at around 11:30 and all Nadia wanted to do was sleep so we let her.  Michael has such a tender heart for Nadia and was the first one to want to hold and comfort her.

Here is a major answer to prayer already! She ate an entire scoop of ice cream.  It took a little coaxing at first but eventually she let me feed her the entire portion.  To say I'm thrilled is an understatement.

This pretty much shows how I'm feeling right now too!!! 

Praise God!!!

She's also been willing to drink a little bit and take her pain meds so far.

And  yes, she's even feeling up to being goofy and trying to eat the cute stuffed bunny they gave her at the hospital.

I cannot tell you how thankful I am that she's doing so well so far.  We appreciate your continued prayers on her behalf as I know this could easily be a 'honeymoon' period.  I'll take whatever I can get and we'll be taking one day at a time.  God promises to give us our needed portion of grace for each day so I want to have faith to live that way.

Nadia's Post

I've been so embarrassed at how infrequently my mommy has been posting lately so I decided to do a post of my own.

My brother Michael turned 11 on April 16th and had a really fun bowling party and got some really cool presents and donuts.  I'm not sure but I think I got the short end of the deal with the donuts. There are 4 of us kids, 12 donuts, but I sure didn't get my fair share of 3!!!

Anyway, then we went up to PA for Easter and my sister Josi decided to become an official member of the Polar Bear Club.  Nonna's pool was only 55 degrees but Josi insisted on going in.

I'm not sure what the Polar Bear Club's official requirements are but she did go in up to her waist and she stayed in for almost a minute...does that count?

Of course it was my oldest brother Allen who started it all.  All he needed was a good dare and he was in...and went all the way under.  It took him a good hour to thaw out, though.  I think they're both nuts although I did try to make a run for the pool at one point.  As usual, one of those tall people grabbed me before I could take the plunge.

OK, so I think Mom is telling me that my computer time is almost up so I'm pretending not to listen because I have a few more pictures I want to post.

Like this one.  I love my Nonna and this is one of my favorite pictures of the two of us together. She's so sweet to me and I love giving her hugs and making her laugh.

Can we talk? 

 What's up with the whole Easter photo shoot thing?  I mean, first they plop me down in the middle of the grass, where they fuss at me when I try to eat it, and then they want me to open my eyes in that really bright sun. Do they seriously think I can look happy under those conditions?

 They also don't want me taking out that bow that's been itching my head all morning during church. 

Then they hand me this delicious looking yellow thing and expect me not to eat it! How much more can I take???

Phooey.  I've got to figure out a way to get this over with...and quickly!

How about this pose?  I think I saw this on a photography website.  This should get them to stop taking photos don't you think?

I think this was one of mommy's favorites because she stopped taking pictures shortly after this one...whew!

That's pretty much all for now except for a quick prayer request.  I'm having another set of tubes put in on Thursday because apparently I'm not hearing as well as I should be again. (Little do they know that I'm milking this 'selective hearing' thing for all it's worth).  If that's not enough, the ENT doctor told my mom I had huge tonsils which evidentally isn't a good thing.  He's going to take those out on Thursday as well. 

 I've heard that my sister, Josi, didn't do so well with her tonsillectomy recovery and that my mom inadvertently taught Josi some new words that aren't ones she was allowed to repeat.  I find that hard to believe because my mommy is always so patient and kind, but I guess anyone can be pushed over the edge when their child spits out her pain medicine and doesn't eat or drink for 10 whole days.

(My mommy put that last sentence in but I let her because she's the one who has to show me how to actually publish this post--is that called blackmail or something?)

Because He Lives...

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!

Words: Bill & Gloria Gaither

I've been humming this song throughout the day today. My heart sings this song in celebration of what my Saviour did for me when He died on the cross to set me free from facing the penalty for my sins...death and separation from Him. Because He rose from the dead and lives, I have the privilege to accept his free gift of salvation and know that once I made him the Lord of my Life, that I too will one day conquer death and live in eternity with Him.

My heart also sings this song today in hopes of adding much needed balm on a fresh wound. You see, this is the first Easter without my earthly father. My father died suddenly on March 23rd at age 77.

I've been composing a tribute to honor the amazing legacy he left behind for all of us who were blessed enough to spend time with him and know him, but the newness of travelling down this path of grief has kept me from being able to write something worthy of the life he lived. I know God will give me the words when it's time.

But for now, I have the joy and assurance that because my father also accepted Jesus to be Lord and Saviour of his life, that he is celebrating Easter in a way that we can only imagine.

What about you? Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when your time on earth is over that you'll be stepping into eternity holding firmly to the hand of God? Can you say with confidence, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death , is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55) as you contemplate the end of your life?

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:56,57)

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

I pray tonight, as the end of another Easter Celebration winds down, that you have the assurance written about in the hymn at the beginning of this post.

It is only because He lives that I can face the many tomorrows of missing my Dad terribly.

It is only because He lives that all fear of 'life without my Dad in it' is gone.

It is only because He lives that life is worth the living...even a life that has taken a painful u-turn.

It is only because the One who holds my future loved me enough to die on the cross for me, that I can celebrate, even with a tear-stained face, that my father has 'crossed the river' and has seen the 'lights of glory'.

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!!

Nadia Doing The Wheels On The Bus