Howdy!!!
Wow...the news we have to share! We apologize for not posting earlier for our friends and family that check regularly, our life has been turned upside down.
On the health note...we were both finally officially diagnosed with intestinal parasites after many tests, we are on drugs and should be cleared in the next 2 days. What a relief, that is a crazy little kink in the road...we live in the U.S.!Tyler is mortified, so never mention the fact to him that you read this! My heart/lung appointment is the 13th, so prayers are appreciated. Fertility doc...uhh...once you read on the fertility doc might drop out of the picture of our life...
Adoption news....Last week we were informed that all the international adoption laws for Ethiopia are in the process of being recreated. We will no longer be able to go and get our son, but will have to travel twice, aka more $$$$. Then we will leave our son in an orphanage for several months while the US courts finalize, and then return to pick him up. Several things break my heart about the situation....the increased strain on our pocketbook, we have already made major sacrifices to afford out little man from Ethiopia, and more of our savings is a bit scary. Next, as a mother I am going to melt from the inside handing our son over to an orphanage official in a 3rd world country, with the promise that I will return MONTHS later. My heart breaks imagining that moment in our life. The reason is there have been many children put in terrible positions where a little girl was adopted my a man and abused, others who went through the court and then "changed their mind" and left them on the side of the road or at the orphanage and flew home, other with medical conditions parents had not seen for themselves. I understand for the safety of our little goober that precautions must be made, but we hoped to be grandfathered in, which is not going to happen. We were already int he plan of when and how to start adoption #2 from Ethiopia. However with all the changes, finances, time, and new laws we might never be in the position again. Therefore, we know God called us to adopt 2 children from Ethiopia, so why not both at once. Then we will ensure a partner in the adoption process and sibling. We wanted the children to have each other and both be from Ethiopia for multiple reasons: culture, skin color, adoption hardship, etc. Our case manager was very supportive based on the position the US and Ethiopian government has put us in. We changed all our dossier documents that needed to be changed this week and sent them to Lisa to notarize, authenticate and send over to Ethiopia. We are still waiting to hear from the director of the program and the attorney in Ethiopia whether or not they are going to allow changes. However, we are all under the impression that given the tight position we have been put in, that they might give a little flexibility with changes. So our new paperwork is for 2 males in excellent health 5 months or younger. We requested twins primarily, or unrelated secondly. We are hoping the changes are accepted and do not offend the board, as well as hope that our time waiting for a referral does not increase. WE know God is in control and are so excited. After we signed all the document changes we couldn't sleep the other night we were so thrilled.
Therefore the fertility front has changed dramatically...in Vegas I forgot to take the fertility meds and took hem at wrong times..oopps, so we canceled the IUI this week. We are thrilled with the decision the Lord made about our sons and are leaning toward discontinuing any fertility services at all. The Lord has built our family with out sons from Ethiopia and we feel more at peace and excited than we could ever feel or have felt expecting a natural child. So if there is any other fertility news we will let you know, but as of now, our sons are the only children we desire and have a passion for. If God blesses us we would got nuts, but our more than at peace with our men!
Praying for our little men.....
Background
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
March 22nd, 2010
Howdy!
We are officially more than 1 month into the "wait", and expecting about 2 more month of prayer and anxiety before we get the big referral. What a great feeling to be so many months into the process knowing in only a few months we will know what our son/sons looks like. Today we received a letter that a grant we diligently applied for was rejected. At first it seemed to be a blow, but then we were praying at dinner of how the grant funding went to a deserving Christian family who must be struggling more than we are. Knowing another family who loves Christ will be able to bring home their son or daughter makes it all worth our loss. The connection we feel to other Christians called to adopt is unreal and we are thrilled that another family was blessed with assistance.
If you are wondering, no we are not pregnant. We left for Vegas thinking the possibility was great, then the typical early nonsense didn't happen, days went by and we were 3 days late....silly as it is we were over the top excited. Then, on the way home from Vegas signs were revealed that we were indeed not pregnant. As hard as that feeling used to seem, we are numb to it now. We know God has our ma-mush planned for us and we are thrilled at the challenge we face. We have already been in the talks of discontinuing fertility to save up for adopted Johnson #2. Ma-mush needs a sibling, blood or not, and we are praying for discernment and direction on baby #2. The other day we saw a little blurb on TV about children waiting to be adopted and I was grading papers and look over at my silent husband with his eyes overflowing with tears. Our heart is in adoption and every ounce of our being yearns and desires what God has called us to do.
Looking forward to our little ma-mush referral...any day now....
We are officially more than 1 month into the "wait", and expecting about 2 more month of prayer and anxiety before we get the big referral. What a great feeling to be so many months into the process knowing in only a few months we will know what our son/sons looks like. Today we received a letter that a grant we diligently applied for was rejected. At first it seemed to be a blow, but then we were praying at dinner of how the grant funding went to a deserving Christian family who must be struggling more than we are. Knowing another family who loves Christ will be able to bring home their son or daughter makes it all worth our loss. The connection we feel to other Christians called to adopt is unreal and we are thrilled that another family was blessed with assistance.
If you are wondering, no we are not pregnant. We left for Vegas thinking the possibility was great, then the typical early nonsense didn't happen, days went by and we were 3 days late....silly as it is we were over the top excited. Then, on the way home from Vegas signs were revealed that we were indeed not pregnant. As hard as that feeling used to seem, we are numb to it now. We know God has our ma-mush planned for us and we are thrilled at the challenge we face. We have already been in the talks of discontinuing fertility to save up for adopted Johnson #2. Ma-mush needs a sibling, blood or not, and we are praying for discernment and direction on baby #2. The other day we saw a little blurb on TV about children waiting to be adopted and I was grading papers and look over at my silent husband with his eyes overflowing with tears. Our heart is in adoption and every ounce of our being yearns and desires what God has called us to do.
Looking forward to our little ma-mush referral...any day now....
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
March 10th, 2010
Howdy!
We went to the doc yesterday and I am stumbling to even explain why. He did and US and blood and said that it would be too early to know if I was pregnant, but too early to start a new cycle of procedures. We were kind of dumbfounded....why was I there? We are still awaiting the hormone blood test levels to see what is going on next. We were all ready for our schedule of decisions of what we planned to do next and so forth, but wrong timing...we weren't even asked, nor did we need to make a decision because it is too early. A little sigh f relief only to debate and decide for the next appointment. We are now to the point that if we become PG that most likely means Ty traveling to Africa alone. I would be an extreme high risk pregnancy, an not able to travel to 3rd world locations at any stage of the appointment. Therefore, as much as we would love to be blessed with a pregnancy, it would throw a new twist in things for our family. WE both agree that if that was to happen Memaw might be traveling in my place. Take a second to imagine Ty alone in Ethiopia with a tiny baby, and traveling on multiple plane trips across the world alone. That would be a big ordeal for Superman!
Waiting for the next appointment and blood results....praying that the timing was odd because we are pregnant after all. A true miracle that would be, since it was our first month without medical treatment, other than heavenly treatment.
At the mens breakfast this month at church Tyler connected with another father who has internationally adopted 5 children. We look forward to building a relationship with them!
We went to the doc yesterday and I am stumbling to even explain why. He did and US and blood and said that it would be too early to know if I was pregnant, but too early to start a new cycle of procedures. We were kind of dumbfounded....why was I there? We are still awaiting the hormone blood test levels to see what is going on next. We were all ready for our schedule of decisions of what we planned to do next and so forth, but wrong timing...we weren't even asked, nor did we need to make a decision because it is too early. A little sigh f relief only to debate and decide for the next appointment. We are now to the point that if we become PG that most likely means Ty traveling to Africa alone. I would be an extreme high risk pregnancy, an not able to travel to 3rd world locations at any stage of the appointment. Therefore, as much as we would love to be blessed with a pregnancy, it would throw a new twist in things for our family. WE both agree that if that was to happen Memaw might be traveling in my place. Take a second to imagine Ty alone in Ethiopia with a tiny baby, and traveling on multiple plane trips across the world alone. That would be a big ordeal for Superman!
Waiting for the next appointment and blood results....praying that the timing was odd because we are pregnant after all. A true miracle that would be, since it was our first month without medical treatment, other than heavenly treatment.
At the mens breakfast this month at church Tyler connected with another father who has internationally adopted 5 children. We look forward to building a relationship with them!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
March 6th, 2010
Howdy!
We apologize for not posting in a while. We left to go on our ski trip right after the last doc appointments and for once actually refused to take a computer on a trip. Thankfully we were unattached to the digital world for a little bit, which made the Little trip a true escape.
We started the doc day off at our family doc for a follow up from all my blood work and x-rays, 3rd set of each at this time..uhhh! The doc is very concerned with the blood work coming back higher or the same each time for parasites..gross! He is concerned that they have not been able to detect what exactly is going on and prescribed some terribly nasty tests that I refuse to repeat and are still deciding whether or not I am willing to do. I think I can live with something for now, and not have to go through the nasty exams! We talked to our doc about checking over our referral for medical issues before accepting our son/sons which the insurance said could not happen because they are not enrol ed yet...however he agrees to look over it, just under an appointment name for one of us! Yeah...what a God send, we were thinking we might accept with out a doc look over! Then onto the hospital. We check into our room, get the gown, the wrist band, etc....and then the nurse comes in and says that Dr. G is stuck in surgery and we need to wait an hour and a half. What? I am naked on an exam table with a sister lying in to Phoenix in a few hours and dinner reservations 2 hours away....yikes! However, we waited and waited. Then Dr. G arrived and did the catheter, then filled the balloon in my uterus, everything looked fine....other than the unbearable pain...Then came the dye test and they filled my insides with the dye and took what seemed like a million pictures. He would say "picture" when he wanted to nurse to take one, so I hear "picture, turn picture, turn.." Then all of a sudden the bed starts to tilt toward my feet, and I grab the top of the table to stop myself from sliding. Dr. G says "woah this is like a circus ride" and the nurse starts apologizing like crazy. Come to find out the pic button and the auto recline are side by side. At the time it was terrifying, but looking back is hilarious. The dye and x-rays revealed there is no tubal blockage or issue at all...WHOOP! Just what we had been praying for! We are so thankful the procedure is over, the pain after aftermath was too much for me to handle. Prayer did wonders! Then we wheeled to the car and drove to PHX to get my sister, off to Flagstaff to meet the guys for an amazing time of skiing, laughing, bonding, eating, and enjoying each other(Tyler and Ashley are 2 peas in a pod..I am like the mom of 2 wild willies). If we didn't already love Tom and Ryan enough..we fell more in love with those 2 adorable guys. Something about all of us flying down a mountain side, and spending ever waking second together brings together family and friends!
Now we have our big decision day this Tuesday...IVF, IUI, surgery, nothing......the choices are endless and we are just praying for God's will and discernment..
On a cute note...my precious kids at school are so excited and want to see the nursery and help pick out names...and one mom even called and wants to give me all of her baby stuff. How cute! Her son is 9 months and she said the stuff they have that was barely used is mountainous..at the time of the phone call she had 4 bags worth! Wow how exiting! Ma-mush isn't even home and has an entire wardrobe from Mom and Dad and family, but now has a flood more from friends and kiddos! Amazing!
Love yall!
We apologize for not posting in a while. We left to go on our ski trip right after the last doc appointments and for once actually refused to take a computer on a trip. Thankfully we were unattached to the digital world for a little bit, which made the Little trip a true escape.
We started the doc day off at our family doc for a follow up from all my blood work and x-rays, 3rd set of each at this time..uhhh! The doc is very concerned with the blood work coming back higher or the same each time for parasites..gross! He is concerned that they have not been able to detect what exactly is going on and prescribed some terribly nasty tests that I refuse to repeat and are still deciding whether or not I am willing to do. I think I can live with something for now, and not have to go through the nasty exams! We talked to our doc about checking over our referral for medical issues before accepting our son/sons which the insurance said could not happen because they are not enrol ed yet...however he agrees to look over it, just under an appointment name for one of us! Yeah...what a God send, we were thinking we might accept with out a doc look over! Then onto the hospital. We check into our room, get the gown, the wrist band, etc....and then the nurse comes in and says that Dr. G is stuck in surgery and we need to wait an hour and a half. What? I am naked on an exam table with a sister lying in to Phoenix in a few hours and dinner reservations 2 hours away....yikes! However, we waited and waited. Then Dr. G arrived and did the catheter, then filled the balloon in my uterus, everything looked fine....other than the unbearable pain...Then came the dye test and they filled my insides with the dye and took what seemed like a million pictures. He would say "picture" when he wanted to nurse to take one, so I hear "picture, turn picture, turn.." Then all of a sudden the bed starts to tilt toward my feet, and I grab the top of the table to stop myself from sliding. Dr. G says "woah this is like a circus ride" and the nurse starts apologizing like crazy. Come to find out the pic button and the auto recline are side by side. At the time it was terrifying, but looking back is hilarious. The dye and x-rays revealed there is no tubal blockage or issue at all...WHOOP! Just what we had been praying for! We are so thankful the procedure is over, the pain after aftermath was too much for me to handle. Prayer did wonders! Then we wheeled to the car and drove to PHX to get my sister, off to Flagstaff to meet the guys for an amazing time of skiing, laughing, bonding, eating, and enjoying each other(Tyler and Ashley are 2 peas in a pod..I am like the mom of 2 wild willies). If we didn't already love Tom and Ryan enough..we fell more in love with those 2 adorable guys. Something about all of us flying down a mountain side, and spending ever waking second together brings together family and friends!
Now we have our big decision day this Tuesday...IVF, IUI, surgery, nothing......the choices are endless and we are just praying for God's will and discernment..
On a cute note...my precious kids at school are so excited and want to see the nursery and help pick out names...and one mom even called and wants to give me all of her baby stuff. How cute! Her son is 9 months and she said the stuff they have that was barely used is mountainous..at the time of the phone call she had 4 bags worth! Wow how exiting! Ma-mush isn't even home and has an entire wardrobe from Mom and Dad and family, but now has a flood more from friends and kiddos! Amazing!
Love yall!
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