I know, I know.... That header picture really doesn't go with the background... One thing at a time, please. :D
I just wanted to do a quick note on our baby girl. I am not sure if I gave any details last time. My life at the moment is a blur and I am having trouble remembering what i did three minutes ago, let alone a week or so ago. ;) Our little girl was born May 1st in San Diego. Her birthmom named her Analia, which we thought was beautiful so we decided to include it in her name (we get to rename her). Jeremy's Mom's middle name is Elizabeth and my Mom's middle name (as well as my middle name) is Marie so we have beautiful Elisabeth Marie Analia Walton. Elisabeth (KJV spelling) in the bible was a wonderful, godly, woman and the mother of, according to Jesus, the greatest man ever born of a woman; John the Baptist. We pray she has the same godly character as her namesakes. She has been a joy to us and a beautiful blessing, although we still have some hurdles before she will be legally ours. Please pray for us as we continue in this process.
On July 28th we went in to have a hearing test done on her because there is some question as to how much she can hear due to her responses (or lack thereof) to audio stimuli. She was supposed to sleep through this test and we had to keep her up late the night before and not allow her to nap the day of the test. The slight problem with this was that her test was not until 2pm. Anyone who has had a baby knows it isn't really possible to keep a two and a half month old awake for that long. We did our best (thank you so much Mom!) but little Lissa decided she had had enough about halfway through the test and woke up knocking all the electrodes off her head. The test is similar to an EKG and processes electrical impulses sent from the brain to the ears during the hearing process. We rescheduled the test for this morning at 9 hoping to have her sleep better in the morning.
Jeremy and I kept her up last night until after midnight and then Jeremy got her up at 5:30 am this morning and kept her up till I left at 8:15 for our appointment. She slept better this time, waking up once but going back to sleep after a bottle. After 3 hours of collecting data they were finally done. Lissa has moderate hearing loss in both ears. We are getting a referral to see a pediatric ENT to make sure there are no medical issues and then, once cleared, Lissa will be fitted for hearing aids. :) We will be going to Texas for the month of September to visit family, so we are hoping that the referral and appointment for the ENT will process quickly allowing us to get the hearing aids at least fitted before we leave. The sooner she is able to hear correctly the better chances she has of developing normally where language is concerned. Please continue to pray for her and for us as we journey through this together.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
What a month! (or two)
A lot has happened since I was last able to post. We were, indeed able to bring that precious little girl home with us on June 18th, although we still have a long road before she will be officially ours. Your prayers will be much appreciated. We are adjusting well to having 4, although it helps that the boys love her and act like she's always been here. It also helps that she is a very easy baby. :) She has already started to sleep through the night most nights! Woohoo! I don't like broken sleep ;)
So here is a break down of everything (or at least everything I can remember anyway) that has happened in the past month and a half. We picked up Elisabeth (Lissa) Marie Analia Walton in San Diego on Thursday June 18th and were blessed to stop by our good friends the Orpilla's house on the way home and share our joy with them. The very next day we drove up to Northern California for my family reunion and My Mom, Dad, and a whole bunch of my family got to meet Lissa and for the rest of my family, Jeremy and the boys, too! This is the first time anyone in the Strong family had met My family :) We had fun and celebrated the life of my Grandparents, both of whom have passed away recently.
We got home and started adjusting to having a baby in the house. The boys have been a great help, as you can see in some of the pictures. Joshua will come up to me at varying times during the day and say "that's my baby sister. I love her very much" So sweet! We have been super busy with school starting (I am homeschooling and really enjoying it! I love having James read to me!) We officially start our school year on the 17th of August, although I might start earlier to allow for down days. Jeremy has been taking guitar courses online and doing well, but it has been harder then his last course when he did not have to divide his time between the class and us due to the fact that we were all in Texas :)
The boys and I all got sick at the beginning of July, so that was fun. Praise God Jeremy and Lissa have stayed healthy. We gave Jonathan his first hair cut a week before he turned 2 (it had gotten quite long) and he looks so cute :) His 2nd birthday was the 13th of July and we had fun celebrating it with him at home. Daddy even shared some of his precious cookies and cream ice cream with the boys that night! We took all the kids to the doctor and they are all doing well and growing like weeds... all but Jonathan who at least has grown enough for the doctor to be satisfied... he's still wearing 6-9 month pants! He weighs 23 lbs at 2 years old! Lissa might have hearing problems so we are going to go get her hearing tested tomorrow. We have to sleep deprive her... so fun.
Grandma Walton arrived on July 20th and we have loved having her. She will be staying for another week or so before heading back to Texas. James turned 5 years old on the 23rd. I had fun making Superman James a birthday cake. You can see the picture below. He enjoyed a special picnic on the porch for lunch and make your own pizza's for dinner. Daddy also found a gigantic beetle that day and James had fun carting him around for a while. We finally convinced him that "Jimmy" (as James called him) had to go back home to his Mommy and Daddy outside. Daddy took all of us to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate his 5th birthday and my 30th, which is today :) Daddy broke two glasses while playing with the kids ;) Sometimes he's the biggest kid of them all!
Today is my birthday and I have had fun. Jeremy got to come home at lunch today and did not have to go back in :) Mom made a yummy dinner for me and they all sang Happy Birthday to me. Saturday at the restaurant Jeremy gave me his birthday present. It is the cutest shirt which I will have to get a picture of and post it for you all to see. He spent hours customizing it for me. It says "the Walton Family 2009" on the top and has cartoon depictions of each of our children underneath. It is too cute. He did a very good job on it. Yesterday we went to a friends house after church and BBQued. They got a cake for me, so I have had a three day long birthday to celebrate my turning 30 :)
We learned recently that my Dad's cancer is still growing and spreading, so please continue to pray for him. We are hoping to make a trip to Texas in September to see him.
I think that about brings us up to date. Hopefully I will get into the swing of things and be able to post more frequently soon! We love you all and appreciate your prayers! Please keep in touch!
First family picture the day we picked up Elisabeth
With Grandma and Grandpa at the Strong family reunion
Big Brother James feeding baby Lissa
Making a swing set with Daddy
Jonathan's first hair cut
Don't I look good :)
playing on the floor with sister
We can help too!
Hi!
All four!
We love to read!
Our school work came in!
Silly boys!
Jonathan is 2!
Daddy shared his cookies and cream ice cream for my dessert! (SHOCK!)
Pretty Elisabeth Marie Analia Walton
I love the sling!
The boys having fun
They are definitely boys!
Grandma is here!
What a cool bug!
Happy 5th birthday, Superman James!
Big Beautiful smile!
So here is a break down of everything (or at least everything I can remember anyway) that has happened in the past month and a half. We picked up Elisabeth (Lissa) Marie Analia Walton in San Diego on Thursday June 18th and were blessed to stop by our good friends the Orpilla's house on the way home and share our joy with them. The very next day we drove up to Northern California for my family reunion and My Mom, Dad, and a whole bunch of my family got to meet Lissa and for the rest of my family, Jeremy and the boys, too! This is the first time anyone in the Strong family had met My family :) We had fun and celebrated the life of my Grandparents, both of whom have passed away recently.
We got home and started adjusting to having a baby in the house. The boys have been a great help, as you can see in some of the pictures. Joshua will come up to me at varying times during the day and say "that's my baby sister. I love her very much" So sweet! We have been super busy with school starting (I am homeschooling and really enjoying it! I love having James read to me!) We officially start our school year on the 17th of August, although I might start earlier to allow for down days. Jeremy has been taking guitar courses online and doing well, but it has been harder then his last course when he did not have to divide his time between the class and us due to the fact that we were all in Texas :)
The boys and I all got sick at the beginning of July, so that was fun. Praise God Jeremy and Lissa have stayed healthy. We gave Jonathan his first hair cut a week before he turned 2 (it had gotten quite long) and he looks so cute :) His 2nd birthday was the 13th of July and we had fun celebrating it with him at home. Daddy even shared some of his precious cookies and cream ice cream with the boys that night! We took all the kids to the doctor and they are all doing well and growing like weeds... all but Jonathan who at least has grown enough for the doctor to be satisfied... he's still wearing 6-9 month pants! He weighs 23 lbs at 2 years old! Lissa might have hearing problems so we are going to go get her hearing tested tomorrow. We have to sleep deprive her... so fun.
Grandma Walton arrived on July 20th and we have loved having her. She will be staying for another week or so before heading back to Texas. James turned 5 years old on the 23rd. I had fun making Superman James a birthday cake. You can see the picture below. He enjoyed a special picnic on the porch for lunch and make your own pizza's for dinner. Daddy also found a gigantic beetle that day and James had fun carting him around for a while. We finally convinced him that "Jimmy" (as James called him) had to go back home to his Mommy and Daddy outside. Daddy took all of us to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate his 5th birthday and my 30th, which is today :) Daddy broke two glasses while playing with the kids ;) Sometimes he's the biggest kid of them all!
Today is my birthday and I have had fun. Jeremy got to come home at lunch today and did not have to go back in :) Mom made a yummy dinner for me and they all sang Happy Birthday to me. Saturday at the restaurant Jeremy gave me his birthday present. It is the cutest shirt which I will have to get a picture of and post it for you all to see. He spent hours customizing it for me. It says "the Walton Family 2009" on the top and has cartoon depictions of each of our children underneath. It is too cute. He did a very good job on it. Yesterday we went to a friends house after church and BBQued. They got a cake for me, so I have had a three day long birthday to celebrate my turning 30 :)
We learned recently that my Dad's cancer is still growing and spreading, so please continue to pray for him. We are hoping to make a trip to Texas in September to see him.
I think that about brings us up to date. Hopefully I will get into the swing of things and be able to post more frequently soon! We love you all and appreciate your prayers! Please keep in touch!
First family picture the day we picked up Elisabeth
With Grandma and Grandpa at the Strong family reunion
Big Brother James feeding baby Lissa
Making a swing set with Daddy
Jonathan's first hair cut
Don't I look good :)
playing on the floor with sister
We can help too!
Hi!
All four!
We love to read!
Our school work came in!
Silly boys!
Jonathan is 2!
Daddy shared his cookies and cream ice cream for my dessert! (SHOCK!)
Pretty Elisabeth Marie Analia Walton
I love the sling!
The boys having fun
They are definitely boys!
Grandma is here!
What a cool bug!
Happy 5th birthday, Superman James!
Big Beautiful smile!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Lord willing, we have just one more week before we'll all be back home! We are still waiting on more information, but it looks like we may, indeed, be able to adopt that precious little girl. Please pray for God's will to be done in that. We also received some other news this past week concerning my Grandpa. He had a biopsy come back positive: He has prostate cancer. We don't know anything more and his appointment with the doctor to find out more information
and discuss treatment isn't until the 17th of June. My family has really been through a lot this past year, but we know that God is in control and He still loves us and watches out for us. He has blessed Dad with NO side effects from the chemo, Praise God! We will continue to pray for him and for my Grandpa, that God would heal their bodies of cancer, and for my Mom, that God would heal her of the Lupis and ITP. This has been a good lesson in continuing in faith, hope, and love, and we have seen God's hand through it and will continue to see his hand, regardless of the outcome. Please continue to pray for my family through this.
and discuss treatment isn't until the 17th of June. My family has really been through a lot this past year, but we know that God is in control and He still loves us and watches out for us. He has blessed Dad with NO side effects from the chemo, Praise God! We will continue to pray for him and for my Grandpa, that God would heal their bodies of cancer, and for my Mom, that God would heal her of the Lupis and ITP. This has been a good lesson in continuing in faith, hope, and love, and we have seen God's hand through it and will continue to see his hand, regardless of the outcome. Please continue to pray for my family through this.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Joshua's 3rd Birthday
Today is Joshua's third birthday. Grandma, Aunt Donna, and Aunt Kim took him and his brothers and cousins out to Chuck E Cheese's for his birthday. Jeremy is still in California and I am here in Palestine, so neither of us are able to be there with him, but Grandma assured us she'd take lots of pictures :) I will post them when I receive them.
This past month has been an interesting one. My Dad is doing better and will be returning to work this weekend, Praise the Lord! His radiation has been effective and has shrunk the tumors in his brain by a third. The radiation will continue to work for about three months, but we know that his life is in God's hands. He starts chemotherapy this Tuesday (June 2nd) and will have treatments administered one day every three weeks for 6 cycles (one cycle being one administration). Lord willing this will help to reduce the cancer and, Lord willing, stop it's growth for quite some time, although the doctors are only hoping to increase his quality of life for the average of 12-14 months that someone with my Dad's stage of cancer typically lasts. He is still in God's hands, though, and we know that God can work miracles if it is His will. Oh! I also got the privilege of shaving my Dad's and Grandpa's heads! Dad was losing all of his hair from the radiation so Grandpa said he would get his head shaved in honor of my Dad and I got to shave both of them! Grandpa let the boys help! :)
The boys have been having fun going back and forth between Houston, where Jeremy's parent's live, and here in Palestine where my parent's live. I have some pictures of the boys playing with Grandpa that I will post for you here. Thank you all for your prayers and support of our family through this!
James holding new baby cousin Kaitlyn (Jeremy's sister Kim's daughter)
Joshua wearing Papaw's glasses (Jeremy's Dad)
My Daddy with all his hair before radiation
James and his drawing of Superman!
Jonathan with Grandpa's hat and Pops' ( my Grandpa) cane
The boys having fun rolling down the grassy hill :)
Shaving Dad's head
Joshua helping shave Pops' head
Beautiful Bald men :)
James and Grandpa
Jonathan loving on Abby
sitting by the garden plot with Grandpa
Jonathan on Grandpa's knee
Thursday, May 7, 2009
waiting patiently
Sometimes it is not easy to wait. I feel torn in three pieces right now, but must wait for God's timing to move. I am currently staying with my Parents who live with my grandparents. Dad is doing ok, but very tired. We found out through his new doctor that his cancer is more spread than we realized and the spots are larger than we realized. It is inoperable. The boys are with Jeremy's parents and Jeremy is still in California and I miss them all. And I must wait. please continue to pray for us.
Monday, April 13, 2009
crazy hair and sprinklers
Daddy gave the boys baths one day and they came out looking like this. We let them play in the sprinkler outside the next day before washing out all the goop in their hair.
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