A Research Study Opportunity for Those with Spina Bifida Living in Arizona

The University of Arizona is doing a research study on children (under 6 preferred) living with spina bifida.  We participated and it's a great opportunity to help the world see how amazing our kiddos are!  You will be given $50 for participating in the study.  Here is the information....

My Little Joy, Full of Joy

 "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

- Psalm 118:24

 

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful..."

- Proverbs 15:13a

 

 

Madi's little heart overflows with joy.  I love watching her every little move, and you very rarely see her without a smile.  She is always singing, smiling, laughing, hugging, and is so very sweet.  She doesn't let a little thing like spina bifida get her down!  Here's a recent video from Jumpstreet, a local indoor trampoline play place.  That girl lights up the room!

 

 

(We hold her and jump, but her favorite thing to do is go down the trampoline at the top, so she does it about 100 times each visit :))

 



 



A Christmas Chair for Madi

Madi picked out all her own decorations and loves her new look.  I'd still like to put lights on the wheels, but need to buy battery-operated Christmas lights.  Without further-ado...

 

 

(Little covers David's mom, "Grams" made for Madi.  They are padded so when her legs rest against the bar, it doesn't put pressure on her legs :))

 

 

Oh what a day!!!

Today did not go how I envisioned it would!  I'm beat! 

A few nights ago, Conner woke up saying "ow" and saying his knee hurt.  I brushed it off as growing pains, as he seemed better in the morning.  That evening, he was limping and wanting to be held, and last night he was up alllllll night long upset about his hip hurting (right hip).  I gave him Tylenol and it didn't even seem to take the edge off for him.  This morning I called the pediatrician and brought him down.  Conner's hip hurt so bad he wouldn't walk and I had to just carry him around all day.  He said his hip is definitely off, but wasn't sure why. Because it was only one hip, he didn't think it was growing pains. We did a blood draw to test some of his numbers and see if it could be viral and he also sent us down for an x-ray to make sure nothing was off there.  Nothing happened to Conner's hip (as in he didn't fall down on it or anything like that), so it would make more sense to me if it was viral.  He's been more sensitive and off the last few days as well. 

His x-ray came back fine, so he thinks he either sprained or pulled something, or he thinks it still could be something viral.  Once we get the blood test results back, we should know more.  For now, we're icing it and I'm going to give him some motrin before bed.  I'm praying it just starts resolving itself quickly!!

After I got Conner home we ate and I left him with David so I could take Madi down to Phoenix Children's Hospital for a neuropsych evaluation.  We are participating in a Spina Bifida research study and this is part of what they needed from us.  The study took about 2 1/2 hours.  Madi thought it was fun, because they "played games" the whole time, but I was bored out of my mind!  I should have prepared better and brought something to do.  I talked to the guy who is organizing the study the whole time, though, so at least I had someone to talk to.  They paid Madi $50 for her time, so I am debating if I want to let her do something fun, like a movie and dinner, with it, or if I should be practical and put it in her medical fund ;). 

So that's our fun today!  We are just now sitting down to dinner (it's 7:00) and then I think we are all off to bed :).  Please keep my little dude in your prayers!

Just a friendly reminder as you shop for your holiday gifts

If you plan on shopping at Amazon, please use our link.  You can bookmark it and go through it every time.  We get up to 6% back on everything you purchase, and it costs you absolutely nothing extra.  We use the money to buy items for Madi that insurance doesn't cover.  Some of the things we've bought over the years include cloth diapers and trainers, modified toilet seats, walking sticks, a Rifton Mobile Stander, and more!  We even used some of the money to help modify Madi's preschool to make it more accessible for her.  We helped pay for some concrete work and toys for her at the school so that the playground would be more accessibe and fun for her (it was the schools idea (part of the reason we LOVE that school.  They do everything they can to accomodate her!) and we wanted to help, since they were, literally, doing it just for her).  It makes a HUGE difference for her!   Our link is...

http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=missmadi-20

 

Please feel free to "share" her link as well :).  We REALLY appreciate it!

Santa Photos and a Non-Update from India Again

The kiddos and I went to Elevate Coffee on Friday with our friends for free pictures with Santa.  It was so fun!  They LOVED meeting santa and Madi insisted on sitting on his lap twice ;).  She told him she'd like a green puppy with green spots.  Conner told Santa he wants any toy, but that he really likes Starwars Legos.  Here are a few photos from our day:

 

 

I wish I had some news about India to share.  Unfortunately, I just heard back that the paperwork STILL has not made it from the courts to the orphanage.  It's already been a month and a half, and they still don't have it.  That means they STILL haven't applied for her passport.  My heart is so heavy about all of this.  I was, quite literally, expecting her to be home by now.  We rushed and rushed to get the girl's room ready (it's still not, but it's close), to get her clothes washed and hung up, and to get all the Christmas gifts for the kids (in case I was gone or just getting home around Christmas), and still no word!  I know that God's timing is perfect and that this delay is happening for a reason.  I know that I will look back one day, and this will all make sense.  I know that we will have her home soon, and that this will soon be a distant memory.  Even knowing all of this, though, waiting is HARD!  I wish I could run to India, sweep her up, and bring her home.  I seriously have thought about it many times ;).  So, while we wait, please be praying for her, our hearts, our adoption, travel, and our family once we bring her home.  Thank you!

Our Latest Amazon Purchase for Madi

We are working on getting Madi and Ramya's room and bathroom up and running.  I'll be posting lots of pictures soon!  To help get the girl's bathroom ready, we modified the toilet for them.  We got a new seat and handles off of Amazon and they work great!

 

Thank you for purchasing from Amazon using Madi's link, we really appreciate it!! 

 

Not sure how to purchase through Amazon using Madi's link?  You can follow and bookmark this link.  Any time you follow that link (from our blog or your favorites) and make a purchase, we get a percentage back!  Madi's link is http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=missmadi-20 .

THANK YOU!