A New Smile :)

Myranda looks so grown up after getting her braces off yesterday. She has had them for 3 years and 3 months so she is very happy to get them off! She is growing up fast...she will be 14 in April, where does the time go! Love your new smile, it's beautiful Myranda!!!

Valentine Photos

Decorating The Tree

Ben is enjoying all the decorated trees in our house. He has left them alone, not the typical two year old. He enjoyed Shayle and Jacob's Christmas parties at school yesterday and loves to sing "Jingle Bells". He especially loves to yell "Hey". He also can imitate Santa's "Ho, Ho, Ho" very well as he rubs his belly and laughs. I wonder what he will think when he gets to open his presents and then to see what Santa brings.

He has continued to heal after surgery but with a hole in his palate, so he will have to have more surgery. :( He goes back to the surgeon on January 18th, so we will know more then.

Hopefully I will get back on my blog before Christmas but if I don't get a chance, I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and truly remember the greatest gift of all, JESUS!!!

Payton's Birthday

Payton celebrated her 12th birthday on November 18th. Wow, I am really behind in updating my blog! She had a great time shopping, getting nails done and eating out. She's really growing into a beautiful young lady who has the most tender heart. I am so proud of who she's becoming. She wants so much to help us support orphans and foster kids and she can't wait to go on her first mission trip to visit an orphanage and love on those precious kids. She really wants to go to the Phillipines next June with Darrel, Arron and maybe me. (depending on how Ben is doing) I can see God developing her into a child after His own heart. Their are many times I see the face of God through Payton, I am truly blessed to have such a sweet and caring daughter! WE LOVE YOU PAY PAY!!!

Please Pray

Please pray for Ben as he continues to recover from surgery. He had a rough few days not being able to eat as he is used to doing. This boy loves to eat so it has made it a hard recovery. He also has developed a fistula (hole) in his palate. This is not uncommon and sometimes will heal on its own, only time will tell. He may have to go back into surgery a few months from now if it does not heal on its own. We are praying it will close back up with the scar tissue and heal correctly without any further surgeries. Between Ben and Shayle, they together have had 5 surgeries in about a year and a half. We are hoping for a break from surgeries and just be able to have some time to continue bonding as a family of eight and stay away from hospitals.

Surgery Update

Ben's surgery lasted 2 hours and by the time we got to recovery he was drinking apple juice. Shayle did not drink until the next day. I was surprised to see him drinking so soon but he does like his juice and milk. He did not require any oxygen once we were back with him and he was alert, very much the opposite of how Shayle does after surgery with her heart. He continued watching Mickey on his DVD player until we left recovery.

Once into his room, he drank more juice and ate jello. He has done exceptionally well. He did begin having more pain this afternoon as all of the medications have worn off. He had a dose of motrin and has finally fallen asleep a few minutes ago. He stayed awake all day until now. He also has kept everything down. This has been an answered prayer as it hurts so much for them to have to get sick after all the surgery in their mouth. Shayle got sick 3 times after her first palate surgery which was hard on her.

Please continue to pray for his recovery and that he will stop picking at the stitches on his lip, as this will increase his scar by not leaving it alone. Thanks so much for your prayers!

Ben's Surgery Today

Ben is in surgery as I type this to repair his palate and a lip revision. He went back easily watching a Mickey Mouse DVD, looked back only for a second but did not cry, PTL! Please keep him in your prayers as it will be a long few days for recovery. He loves to eat so I know this will be hard for him.

Shayle did have a good cardiologist report. She has had no change since last year in her heart. She will see her cardiologist again in a year. She will need a valve replacement at some point in her life. We will continue to pray she will not need one until she is much older. The longer we can wait the better off so that she doesn't outgrow the valve. The best time would of course be after she's through her teenage years and becomes an adult. If God puts her on your mind, please pray with us for God to be her sustainer for many years to come. He has brought her through so much and I trust He will continue.

I have been so busy with 6 kids that I rarely have time to get on my blog but I plan to try to keep up with it. I will post on how Ben is doing later today. Thanks for all the prayers for these two precious kids.

Shayle's Gotcha Day Two Years Ago Today

I can't believe Shayle has been ours for two years! She is doing so well and is enjoying 1st grade. She has a great teacher who adores her and the feelings are mutual. She has such a sweet spirit and she brings a smile to everyone she meets. She is still quiet and petite. Her speech is improving since her second surgery last April. She loves being a big sister to Ben, of course she thought he would be smaller and not so rough. We usually have to pull him off of her, he is a strong little two year old. She only weighs 9lbs more than him. They have lot's of fun together. Happy 2nd Gotcha Day Shayle Bear. WE LOVE YOU!!!

Cardiologist Appointment

We will take Shayle for her annual cardiologist visit tomorrow. Please pray with us that she will have a good report. She has not been gaining weight for a few months now and has been pretty tired each afternoon. She may be still adjusting to being in school all day. This is what we are hoping.

In two days, she will have been ours for two years! Wow, time has gone by so quickly since she came home. I will do a post on her with updates on Wednesday.

Ben and the rest of the kids are doing great. We are busy as ever but at least there's never a dull moment in our household! I will do a catch up post on the rest of the family soon.

Cross Country

Myranda, Ben and I went to watch Arron in his first meet for this year at UT Tyler. Ben was excited to see so many boys running at the same time. Arron did very well, I was proud of his time. He works very hard in CC. He runs every morning before school at 6:20 am, that alone takes dedication. He wakes up at 5:45 each morning to get to the school in time and he really isn't a morning person. During the meet they run 3.1 miles. The Sulphur Springs Cross Country Team has won district the last several years. We have had a great group of kids on the team, both boys and girls. I will be doing most of the travelling to these meets while Darrel is home coaching Shayle and Jacob's soccer games on Saturdays. However, Arron's next meet is on Friday 10/1 and Darrel has taken off to go see him. I'm glad he will get to go watch him. He only has this year and next year before he will graduate and move off to college :(

Soccer Time

1st Day of School 2010

I am so late posting this. The kids have all had a great start to the school year. Shayle is in BIG school with her brother, Jacob. He walks her in each morning to her class....so sweet! She loves to have mom come eat with her at lunch. It has been an adjustment for her going all day, she is tired when she gets in the car each afternoon. She still goes to private speech twice a week after school. She as well as Myranda, Payton and Jacob are all playing soccer. Soccer pictures coming soon in another post. Arron is running cross country each weekend out of town. Ben and I go and one of the girls goes to watch, depending on soccer schedules. Darrel is coaching Jacob and Shayle's team so he does not get to go with me. He will get to watch 2 meets that will be held during the week.

As you can see, I have been very busy and hardly have time to turn my computer on. However, I plan to get caught up this week on Ben's website. I have posted some new pictures on there today but still have more to come. Keep checking back. Ben had day surgery last week and is finally recovering well. He will have his palate surgery/lip revision on December 1st. I will update more on that as it gets closer. Until next time.....