Just Photos!

My last blog was a bit large, so it wouldn't allow pics!!

Enjoying the fall!

Love this season and it's bringing about good things!
Aside from the (stupid!) kidney stone, Fred is doing great. Looks like he will return to work in a little over two weeks, as far as his orthopedist is concerned. He saw the urologist this week also and he wants a repeat kidney x-ray next week to see if the stone has moved. (Give me a break! Great way to waste a week!) If miraculously the stone is still in the kidney, he will then talk about laser treatment.
Sophia got her first pair of glasses today and she LOVES them! She is such a doll. She was talking to me in the reception room while we waited today about how she can't wait to teach her baby sister to be just like her. : ) (God help us if she talks as much!!)
Referrals came in on Monday and they have matched families with babies who were logged in up to August 9th of last year. Again, we are August 24th!! (Picture me pulling my hair out!!)
Hopefully, next month will be for us!! We have sent in our check and request for an appointment to have our FBI fingerprints redone and I have to contact our social worker and let her know that we have to update our Home Study. Once that's done, I have to send a copy along with another check (!) to Immigration to update that paperwork also. All of this, because everything will probably expire about one month before we complete our journey to China. I also got motivated and spent Sunday working on the nursery again. Got everything hung on the walls, curtains finished and painted two big wooden peg shelves. Have to distress them and get them hung. I even broke out the power tools. (we won't talk about how I repaired my "mistake" holes in the wall!!) Anyway, I am pleased with how it's looking, just have to find a nice area rug and hang her chinese lantern.
I'll be in Vegas by myself this coming week for a Hygiene course at LVI~http://www.lvilive.com. Although, i'll be in class all day, i'm looking forward to relaxing in the evening. I have a 600 sq. foot room with a nice jacuzzi tub, two good books to bring along and there's a wine store in the hotel/casino! After the past two months, I think it will be nice to relax a bit while knowing that Fred has recovered nicely and Sophia is just a happy kid!!
Great big "Thank You" to all of our family, friends and neighbors that have been such a tremendous help and my lifesavers during this time! You're the best!

Things are looking up!!

Hi all!
Things are getting much better around here. Fred is getting around without even a cane now and has been able to get outside and do some things in the yard. Our neighbors came last weekend and got the pool closed for us, so that was a big weight lifted.
We went and saw the thoracic surgeon yesterday. He removed the stitches from the chest tubes and said that Wed's chest films look great. His lung is completely clear!
He has to see his orthopedist this coming Wed. and we'll see what he has to say about all of the breaks and fractures healing. When he clears him, he'll be able to go back to work.
As far as the kidney stone goes, that's another story!! We spent the entire day in the hospital last Friday and he had lithotripsy done. The urologist wasn't sure if it was successful or not and it seems it wasn't! This weeks films show that the stone is still in the kidney and nothing has passed. Our GP doesn't think that he will ever be able to pass it either. It causes constant discomfort and has brought on two episodes of extreme pain, vomiting and fever. The urologist said that if/when that happens again, he will have to be admitted. Um, "Hello"!! We know that, but we can't do that forever!!
He has an apt. coming up to follow up with him, so we'll see what's next in his plan! Once that's conquered, he'll be as good as new!
The next batch of referrals are expected next week and so help me God, they better at least finish matching through last July!! I want to at least be next! I need to see my baby girl!!
Sophia is really enjoying school. She saw the eyedoctor yesterday and will be wearing glasses in the classroom for the blackboard and has some eye exercises to do each day to strengthen the eye muscles. Her eye sight is only slightly off, but she's having trouble focusing. This photo of her was taken this week!
Love to all!

AHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Ever feel like you can't possibly withstand one more "thing"? I'm right there!
Fred is back in the hospital, but at least he's closer to home this time, in St. Luke's. He had a sudden onset of pain on Labor Day evening and two percoset did not touch it. He turned gray and got violently ill. Our best friends, Denise and Rich, who work for Mobile Life and live right at the end of our street came rushing down and started an I.V., called for an ambulance, etc.. It was a whirlwind and a very long night (and morning)in the E.R.. Many thanks to my mom who came and got Sophia during the frenzy and Denise who stayed with me at the hospital when our kids had their first day of school that next morning! After a couple of CT scans, x-rays and (a lot of pain med!) they determined that he has a kidney stone and his right lung was completely "whited out" with fluid.
They put a chest tube in two days ago and there wasn't much output, so yesterday they brought him into the O.R. and with the CT scan they put an additional chest tube in and the drainage has been huge! (Ick!!)
He has to stay in the hospital until the lung completely drains and there is no more sign of infection.
We still have a lot of transitioning happening at work with all of our new training, the adoption process is crawling and there's lots to do around here with the fall coming.
Sophia is having a great time in school so far, Thank the Lord!!
My mom is applying for her passport at this time, incase Fred is not back on his feet when it comes time to travel to China. Anyone else want to come along?!!
Love to all and I'll update again soon. Thanks for all of your continued prayers and our beautiful dish gardens from Aunt Kathy & the greatest bunch of internet friends ever!
(The frog is our newest pond friend!!)