Julia is Better

Thanks for praying for Julia. She is finally feeling better. A day after we started antibiotics she started improving and each day she gets more back to normal. Her sleeping is still a bit off and she still isn't eating like she did, but she is on her way back to feeling 100%. Each day she is a little less fussy. Praise the Lord!

Julia Update - 6 Months

Julia is six months! Besides her recent illness, she is doing great! This past month has been her best one yet. Our little miracle preemie just amazes us. She is now thirteen pounds twelve ounces. She has quadrupled her size since birth. That's astounding growth in six months. Her growth rate has slowed a bit which I think is ok. Otherwise, we would have a massive one year old!

I think her reflux is decreasing. She is allowing us to put her down! Wow! I can do dishes and cook when she is awake! What a concept! She has transformed from a fussy baby to one who is smiling and happy most of the time. She is still sleeping wonderfully at night. From about 8:00pm to 5:00am. Then she wakes for a feed and goes right back to sleep until 7:00am or 8:00am. Then during the day, she is very predictable and easy to soothe. She wakes up, takes a bottle, plays for a while and then sleeps after two hours or so. Her naps aren't very long, forty minutes or so, but she takes four to five of them.

Some of the things she has learned this past month... sitting while propped up, using her hands to grasp toys, playing on her stomach, talking (aka screeching) and she even rolled over once. I feel like our lives are getting more balanced, in order, routine and predictable... which is a good thing with a baby! We still are figuring her adjusted age to be four months. So although, technically she is six months which is when solid food is often introduced, we are going to wait another couple months. We want her to be able to sit well and be past her reflux before giving her that challenge.

Bugs

During certain times of the year, we are hit with a bug invasion. It has something to do with the temperature and the slowing of the rainy season. It is horrendous. This is what we have going on...

1. Mosquitoes - they are everywhere. Hey Amy... mosquito bites are another thing that makes me irrationally angry!!!! I get so annoyed and frustrated by them... irrationally so!

2. Ants - big ones, little ones, medium size ones... they are everywhere! A few days ago they were all over the shower curtain.

3. Cockroaches - BIG ones. I never see the little ones. These I can't stand most of all. Tonight one sauntered out in the living room while we were there like he owned the place. He didn't even wait until it was dark to come out. He was promptly obliterated. Another one made an appearance in my closet. I was reaching for a pair of pants when I saw one scoot between clothes piles. Gross!!! How am I supposed to reach in there for something ever again?

4. Nairobi Flies - small ant-looking bugs that leave an awful burn if you smash one on yourself. It's hard not to smack a bug off you when you see it, but with these you don't want to do that. Toothpaste is a quick and easy antidote to their poison. However, if you don't know you have smashed one on you (like while you were sleeping), you'll end up with a huge, painful burn that takes weeks or months to go away.

5. Mango Flies - I saved the worst for last. These tiny bugs burrow into your skin and lay eggs. When the eggs hatch, you end up with a worm under the skin. A pimple/boil type thing develops and you have to squeeze the worm out. Horrible!!!!

Anyone up for a visit right now? Karibu!

Doctor Visit

We had a really nice time with the team of doctors that came in May. Two of them we had met before, but hadn't seen since Eli was seven weeks old. It was nice to show them how big Eli is now and to introduce them to Julia. Their visit was successful. They had several meetings with doctors and facilities in the area and also got to go on a little safari as well. They are hopeful it will work out to return to do surgeries here. We pray it works out for their organization to do so.

Julia - Approved!

Great news... Julia's US citizenship was approved and we are now in possession of her passport and documents. It took two and a half months to get it, but it's done! Thank you for praying! Praise the Lord!

Eli Update/ Julia Prayer Request

Thank you for your prayers. Eli is getting much better. He has a small lingering cough and is still a little cranky at times, but he is much improved. Unfortunately, now Julia has it. So far, it's just a high fever, trouble eating and sleeping and a lot of fussiness. We are hoping she can avoid the respiratory problems that many of the others kids are getting. We would be so grateful for your prayers for her.

6-23-15 Update - This is day 4 of high fevers for Julia. Tomorrow we'll have to start antibiotics if the fever is still present.
6-24-15 Update - She continues to be really sick. The high fever is still present and she is barely eating so we have started antibiotics.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Fathers Day to all you dads, brothers, uncles and anyone else who is like a dad to someone. It isn't a requirement to have a child to be appreciated today. Thanks for all you do for your loved ones. Keep up the good work!

To this handsome man...



Thank you for being an awesome father and husband. We love you. You are simply the best.

G-Lo

There is a sweet girl in our neighborhood, named Glory. Her nickname is G-lo, pronounced Gee (hard G) low. We have known her for two and a half years; since we first moved here. She came to our attention because she was often taking care of her little brother Joshua. She was four at the time and he was six months. We would see her daily carrying him on her back while their mom worked as well as carrying large bundles of firewood on her head.



Her life is so hard. Her family is very poor. Her mom has a vegetable stand and also works as a house help (maid). A few nights ago, she was walking home in the dark, carrying a massive bucket of tomatoes on her head. She stumbled on a rock, dropping the bucket and smashing many of the tomatoes. An act for which she was beaten. Despite all this, she is cheerful and friendly. She is happy to greet us each time we see her. We give her treats whenever we can. Yesterday, she asked George for milk and juice because Joshua was sick, which, of course, we were happy to give her.

When George went to Kenya for the medical camp, one of our friends we had worked with at a prior medical camp, gave George a bunch of dresses her friend made to give away. We were so excited to give a couple to G-lo this week. She looked so cute in them and was excited to receive them.



The dresses are adorable and are made from pillowcases. We can't wait to give out the rest!

API Medical Camp Follow-up

I never posted a blog about the medical camp George went to in Kenya in April. As usual, it was awesome. More than 1700 people were seen. I can write up a summary, but it's better for you to see it in pictures. Below is a link to a video from the past medical camp. Thanks API team! We love you and the work you do! Praise God!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT6CJ3XLSbw

The Things They Say Part 2

Eli has been a hoot lately...

During bedtime prayers...
Eli: "thank you for mama, thank you for papa, thank you for baby Julia, thank you for Flynn, thank you for my bed, thank you for Mickey's castle, thank you for beef.... (pause)... Mama, I prayed for beef!" He thought it was so funny that beef came out of his mouth. I did too. We both cracked up. His prayers are really funny. He is obsessed with the story of Moses and sometimes wants to pray for Pharaoh and baby Moses.


Eli: "Mama, you married Papa."
Me: "Yes."
Eli: "I want to marry you too."
Me: "You can't marry me, I am already married to papa."
Eli: "I just want to marry Elsa." (character from Frozen)

Eli was watching something on the computer. When he didn't do something I asked, I told him to turn off the show on the TV. He said "it's not a TV Mama." (When did Eli become a sarcastic teenager?!)

Eli: "Mama.. are you a lady?"
Me: "Yes, I am a lady."
Eli: "Don't be a lady ever again."

George and I were having a serious discussion and were getting ready to pray. We hadn't noticed Eli laying nearby and when he looked worried, I said "don't worry eli. You know that everything is ok right?" He sadly shook his head. I asked him "why not" and he pointed to a shelf that had a gaping hole where our TV used to sit. (It had caught on fire a few days prior). I am glad his biggest worry was the broken TV! It was nice to laugh in that serious moment.

Eli loves Mary Poppins. We often sing songs from the soundtrack. One day we were singing the "Perfect Nanny" song and I laughed when I heard him sing "we won't hide your spectacles so you can't see, put toots in your bed and pepper in your tea." The line actually says "put toads in your bed." I cracked up thinking about his two year old mind thinking the kids were tooting in the nanny's bed!

Eli: (Holding up his finger with a band aid that was wrinkled in one spot) "Mama....My band aid is crunkled!" I love that he said "crunkled" instead of "wrinkled", I didn't bother correcting him. That's one that can stay incorrect.

Speaking of "Actually," Eli loves to use it. It always makes me laugh when he throws it in a sentence.

After going #2 in the potty:
Me: "Good job Eli!"
Eli: "It's a sausage one!"

Prayers for Eli

Please pray for Eli. He has been quite sick since Saturday. For about two weeks, he has been complaining of stomach pain. We kept an eye on him to see if it would go away. We are hesitant to give him antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. When it lasted, we started antibiotics thinking he may have amoebas or parasites. The next day, he got a high fever and began vomiting. That lasted for three days. In addition, he had a runny nose. A few illnesses are going around and many kids are sick in our area. We think he got hit with a couple at once - a cold and stomach bug. Today, he was able to eat a tiny bit of food and keep it down. His appetite is non-existent and it's a battle to get him to eat or drink. It has been hard to see him like this. He got very dehydrated, was very lethargic, limp, glassy, dull eyes, dried lips and dark rings under his eyes. Although he started coughing today, we think the worst is behind us,. He had a little more energy today and hopefully will feel better tomorrow.