Happy Birthday Mr. E!!!!!!

This is Eli's first birthday that the theme song really was "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Dear Eliiiiiii, happy birthday to you!!!! and many more.....now your 4!


The past 3 were more like "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to, cry if I want to, you would cry too if it happened to you. da da da da da."


So Happy 4th Birthday Eli! We love you so much and are so blessed to have you to hold everyday. You are starting to do some cool things like rolling back and forth, making sounds that sound a lot like mama, and you are really engaging when people talk to you. But mostly I thank God for the biggest thing He has done in your life and that is making you happy.

What's Eli Up To?

Eli is getting so active these days.

Eli is in a power wheelchair with a head array. When he moves his head from side to side he can make the wheelchair go in circles. He loves this and it is a great way for him to get more head control.

Eli in his Lycra swing. This swing is great for movement, sensory work and encouraging verbal responses.
We often stop bouncing him and try to get him to say "more".

Scooter time is fun for Eli, sometimes frustrating, but he can move his legs and make himself move. He is getting a better crawling pattern.

We went to a fall party @ our therapists house and Eli got painted.
Now he really is our little E-lion.

Diaper Update

Bummis is the Brand we chose to go with mainly because of the price and the fact that they sale a cloth diaper and cover that can fit a child up to 45 pounds.

We do not use any pins, I would be dangerous with pins and babies at the same time.

I began a wish list that I may try to fullfill watching for sales or coupon deals. First up I want to try an all-in-one sometime. I didn't start with them because I didn't want to spend the money on a diaper that the boys would outgrow too quickly.

I also ordered the disposable liners. These little guys are similar to a baby wipe. In the likely event the child poops then you take the soiled liner and flush it, leaving only the wet diaper to be washed.

Next on my wish list is a cloth swim diaper. This would be wonderful to use for our hot tub therapy. If you have ever tried finding swim diapers between Sept. and June you know how nice it would be to have a washable one.

Last on my list is a Snappi. I don't really need it but is looks kind of fun. Maybe it will be one of Eli's stocking stuffers.


So far we have done the cloth at home and night time with Eli. Two nights so far and no leaks. I love waking up in the morning and not having to put Eli in the bath first thing.

Gavin hates the cloth diapers and he has chosen to wear his underwear instead. This is a great benefit I didn't expect. Now he has a great incentive to try to remember to go in the potty.

It is a learning process for me. Cloth diapering is a whole world of its own. I have just dabbled a little but it is kind of fun.

trying something new

No, I did not go all organic.

Yes, I do care about the environment, but it doesn't really cross my mind that often.

No, I am not a tree hugger.

Yes, I do want to be chemical free if possible, but I don't think about that much either.

I really do not know why I made such a rash decision other that my friend Amanda made it sound soooo easy.

I have thought about it before but thought probably "NOT".
But they make them so cute and really quite easy.


I did it! I bought Cloth diapers. They are in the washer now being prepped to absorb the gallons Eli will test it with. We will see if they work. We will see if it really is that simple. We will see how long I last.

Sighning off- Nature Girl :)

Lolo Hot Springs

Last Saturday the family woke up with great anticipation and began the half day process of packing for our little vacation. Packing is usually the part I hate, and when we are finally ready I usually am so frustrated I do not want to go on vacation any more. But.... this time was so different. Everyone helped pack and get ready to go. Kaly and Ayla ran back and forth and grabbed diapers, towels, clothes and anything I asked of them. Jeromy worked hard at getting the van ready and we all left in a very pleasant mood.

Gavin asked every 5 minutes where we were going and talked most of the way. We arrived in Lolo around 4pm and spent the evening playing in the water. I can't say that the pools were all I dreamed them to be but, we all had a wonderful time. It was so fun to have something to do that was really perfect for everyone. All of the kids love being in the water and it was perfect for Eli and Gavin's bodies to have so much time in warm mineral water.

Our first fun person encounter was "the goat lady" She was fun and she told me about 10 times that she made soap from goats milk and sold it in all the local hot springs. She asked a lot of questions about Eli and she asked if he had grandparents. I said yes and she said no I mean someone like me. Someone that could send him a card and money. Very nice of her but, I thought to myself, not a chance am I giving you my address. She eventually departed and we continued a quiet evening in the water.





We had a great little cabin and Gavin kept saying "this is our home now". We loved having the camping experience without the camping experience. I love a soft warm bed even when camping. lol

Then Sunday we hiked up the mountain a little ways. Gavin in the backpack and Eli strapped to my front. It didn't work as well as it did for the 4 mile hike a couple of weeks ago, but we still had fun. Jeromy with Gavin on his back ran around the rocks with the girls. We managed to get a good bit of fun in before it started to rain again. Out in the great outdoors we also managed to find us a great lunch at the lodge. The food was great and we had the place almost to ourselves. This is always nice because we enjoy eating out, but with two boys with very noticeable disabilities sometimes it feels like we are the evening entertainment. This time not so much. We were able to make Eli a little quiet bed near our table and I enjoyed a meal hands free.

We hit the water again for the evening and this time we really did become the center of attention. We visited with a couple of ladies that both are nurses and we were able to share a little of our stories with them. Then another lady came and sat a couple of feet from me and stared at Eli forever. I didn't know what to do. Usually people say something. She just stared. Finally a few words were spoken then she stared. Then I tried to break the silence and she barely responded and just stared. Then after I started to just look away from her she finally moved on, only to find Jeromy. She did actually talk to him and told him about a therapy that she uses. It is one our therapist uses on both of the boys and he thanked her and she moved on. We did have a wonderful relaxing time and we thoroughly enjoyed the water. I was told in had Lithium in it. Maybe that is why everyone was so pleasant to be around.


We enjoyed another evening meal and this time I held Eli for more of it and much to our surprise he kept reaching up and putting his hand in my salad. It really was fun to watch him. Every time I moved his hand away he would manage to get it back up there. I finally moved my plate out of his reach. This is a first of what I pray will be many things I will have to move out of his reach. I pray someday I can say Eli quit getting into things, but for now I am just so glad he is beginning to move outside of himself without someone else tugging him along.



We had to do the traditional stop at the Missoula Cracker Barrel for lunch. We shopped in the gift/candy store and the kids spent their money on a little treat. It was a wonderful time and Jeromy even surprised me and bought me a beautiful wall hanging. I love it so much. The verse fits perfectly with what God has been teaching me this summer. "Be Still and Know that I am God."

This was a simple vacation and I think my favorite of all of our family vacations. We really had time together, we really relaxed and we really had fun. When we got home we felt refreshed and I am excited to put summer to bed and wake up fall and the school year ahead.

If Your Happy and You Know It, Then Your Face will Surely Show It!

When Eli laughs it makes me laugh.
When we talk to Eli it makes him smile.
Life really isn't about what we can do, it is more about who we are.
Eli is a very sweet and pleasant boy that loves people.
It really doesn't matter that he can't really talk, or walk or even hold up his head. Those are things that make life more acceptable, but would Eli be happier if he could walk?

I heard a story of a family with a little girl similar to Eli. The family tried everything to help her get better, but the dad said something very profound. He said we are doing all these treatments for us, it is not for her, she is happy.

I want Eli to get better, but I have to think why?

I want him to get better because it would be easier if he could hold up his own head. It would be so fun to see him walk. I would love to hear him say mommy, but ya know what.

He is Happy and I Know it, Because His Face Surely Shows It.

On the Mend?

Well, we have about 25 hours to go before if is officially Eli's birthday. Yesterday, after 31/2 days of fevers, coughing and other yucky things, I took him to our wonderful pediatrician. She checked him over very thoroughly and said he had an ear infection, but his lungs sounded clear. He seems to have some upper respiratory problems. She started him on 2 IM doses of antibiotics and sent him home with the 10 day supply of "oral" meds. I am not usually thrilled about antibiotics, but he was so sick I just "knew" pneumonia was next. Today was still a very long day. He is still coughing a lot and still has a mild fever. This evening he is finally sleeping and I have been able to get him to keep stuff in his tummy. However he started a bad case of diarrhea and he is now on probiotics to counteract the antibiotics. I gave him a nebulizer treatment this morning and he smiled when he felt the cool air on his face. He even reached out with both hands and grabs the mouthpiece and pulled it closer to his face. He looked so adorable, but no pictures because Jeromy had the camera with him in Portland. Oh well, I guess it is a great opportunity to use your imagination.

So here I am late at night giving Eli his meds. I draw up the syringes and proceed to push them through his feeding tube only to realize they were coming out on the chair. PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME YOU HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE . I do have an explaination. He was finally sound asleep cuddled up on the big chair covered with a blanket. I had him set up on his continuous feed earlier, but I forgot I unplugged it during his last choking episode. I didn't want to disturb him by messing with his tube so I slid the medication Y from the blanket and began pushing the meds. it was then I realized his tube was not hooked to him. Yah, my nursing instructors would give me a big "F". Oh well after two years of tube feeding that is my first one of that particular oops. So, I drew up the meds I had dumped, but 2 of them look very similar and have similar doses. After checking the dose and taste-testing I opted to dump the look a like and start over. I didn't want to risk any more oopses. I have overdosed him on Cyproheptadine before and I will not make that mistake again, I hope. I know I never stand to get a real nursing job ever again after this confession but oh well. I love my kids and "my job" and I don't want another job anyway.

Yah and Jeromy is home from Portland. Yeah for a safe trip, I am glad he is home.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A BIG THREE YEAR OLD!!!

" I'm almost 3"

chillin in the swing


"Guardianship hearing, Eli is ours!"

trying to kiss daddy

around Eli's 2nd birthday

just before Eli's 1st Birthday

I truly hope it is a happy birthday for Eli. He has not truly had a happy birthday yet. Birthday #1 was just over a month from his injury and he was so overly stimulated he could not hardly handle being out of his room. Birthday # 2 he ended up really sick with a cold. We actually woke him up to sing to him and give him a present. He was in no condition either time to enjoy any part of his special day.

I had big hopes for this year. Eli has had so many good weeks, laughing and smiling and cooing. But this week after many weeks of great progress and nothing but smiles from Eli, he has once again fallen into a bit of a slump. Back to seizures, retching, holding his breath and turning blue. He has ended up with a terrible cold and had a 100-103 fever for 2 days. I am praying he will recover quickly and be ready for a little birthday fun. If he is feeling well he might even get a taste of his own birthday frosting.

We love you sooo much Eli and we pray God will bless you with peace and joy. You have brought such an amazingly unexplainable joy to our lives and we hope you have a truly Happy Birthday.

Love Dad, Mom, Kaly, Ayla and Gavin

Two years ago today Eli awoke as a normal healthy ten and a half month old little boy. He was already learning to walk along furniture and like most 10 month olds, he loved to feed himself and make a big mess. A short time later he was rushed to the hospital. He had been without oxygen for way too long. I believe he spent a little time in heaven that day, only to return to a place very much opposite of heaven. Eli's brain injury affected him to the brain stem. He was on a ventilator and the doctors were not sure he would make it through the night.

The night before I couldn't sleep. I felt very drawn to the idea of adopting again. Jeromy and I had talked about it before but he hadn't been ready yet. So, feeling a real desire to not drive him crazy, I went to bed without bugging him again. I felt like God kept telling me, if He wanted us to adopt he could make it happen without my help. As I couldn't sleep, I sat up and opened my Bible. I was searching for a verse to magically appear that said something like thou shalt adopt. Not finding this, I felt a little frustrated and began reading. Nothing seemed to be touching my heart then I saw some verses talking about fasting. I had just heard a great sermon on fasting and knew I could not make that commitment lightly. I committed to the Lord to fast until the next evening when I would eat dinner with my family. I asked the Lord to help me to wake up the next morning and help Jeromy get off to work (something I am not very good at doing). The next morning, I awoke early, made Jeromy coffee and helped him with his lunch. After he left I remembered my committment to the Lord. I then realized he had answered my prayer. As the afternoon went on I began to really struggle with keeping my commitment to the Lord. At about 4:4o I almost snitched a bit of brownie. Like God wouldn't see a little tiny bite. Then a song came on the radio about standing strong and I put the brownine down. Just minutes later the phone rang. It was the social worker that helped us complete Gavin's adoption. After a bit of small talk I said, so do you have a kiddo for us. She said " I might". She briefly told me what she knew about Eli and that the doctors didn't know if he would make it through the night. I immediately started crying. I told her I had been praying all day about taking another child. Soon after hanging up the phone Jeromy came home. I was standing there crying and trying to tell him of the days events. In the sweetest voice I have heard, he said, "lets pray." We stood together as a family and prayed for Eli and for wisdom from God.

We met Eli a week later and fell in love immediately. I know God gave us such a clear leading to take Eli, because if we didn't have that to remember, I think the days ahead would have been unbearable. If we had not been 100 % together in this decision or if we did not know this was God's leading we would have not made it. There has only been one time I have really questioned if we should take Eli and that time I was looking for a specific verse, which I couldn't find but as I searched, this verse almost popped off the page... "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach." Deuteronomy 30:11

I know this verse is about loving the Lord not specifically adopting, but it spoke to my heart that day and encouraged me that we were doing what God had called us to do. It is because I love the Lord that I can love Eli so much and it is because of the Lord that caring for Eli hasn't been too difficult for us.

-- Stacy

Hyperbarics: Round 2 - Here We Go!

Jeromy is in progress of round two of Hyperbarics (oxygen therapy) with Eli. He will be doing 1 dive 4 days a week and, this time, Medicaid is paying for it. Praise God!! Please pray specifically that this will be a breakthrough for Eli to have better head control. Our first round was 40 sessions in 20 days which turned out closer to 25 days. I (Stacy) took Eli to Spokane, a one hour drive, and started the first session of the day at 7:30am. After the first dive we wasted about 2 1/2 hours eating and hanging out in the van. Eli, at the time, was so fragile that going into stores usually caused very unpleasant things to happen (ie. holding his breath, turning blue, wretching, and then screaming as loudly as any child you have ever heard). We then went back for dive # 2 of the day and arrived back home around 2:00pm. I know God gave me, and our whole family, the strength to endure this span of time. He also provided the encouragement and financial resources. Hyperbarics at the time was not covered by Medicaid, it was $5,600.00. Thanks be to God's provision we had most of the money in savings. It was there to start building our new house, but we felt God was leading us to use it for this purpose, for Eli. The state however ( Eli was still in Foster Care at the time) did not want us using all of our own money and asked us to find support from other people. I still have not figured out why, maybe because I needed a lesson in humility. We asked at church for anyone that wanted to join us to give and they did. We recieved almost half of the money from our church family. Thank you to all that gave. Did it help Eli? Well it is hard to separate out what helps and how much, but I can tell you that he has changed. He is getting better. He is a happy boy. Wretching is a very far and few between event. We can now take him just about anywhere without fear of being overstimulated to the point of disaster, and in general he is very happy. He coos and smiles and laughs and makes us smile everyday. Oh and the money, God has blessed us abundantly. He continues to provide materials and money for our house and it is looking beautiful. Jehovah Jireh!

Blessings,

Stacy