Has it Really Been a Year?

It's hard to believe it was a year ago that we returned from Peru with Cecilia. We spent spring break in Kentucky and thought you'd like to see some pictures from our trip. As I was looking through pictures I couldn't help but realize how much she's grown since last year.

The girls enjoyed an Easter egg hunt at the cabin. Isabel won with 13 eggs. Cecilia found 12. Needless to say, Isa let Lia find the easiest ones!

After the tour of the cave Lia and Isa stopped for a picture with the park ranger. Isa became a Junior Park Ranger while at Mammoth Cave.

We hiked out to a beautiful little spot in Mammoth Cave National Park. The girls had fun wading in the water of this little stream.

Thanks for your prayers for our family. We really appreciate them.

Merry Christmas from Cecilia!

I thought you'd want to know how my surgery went. I have a new smile! If you look really close you can tell that I have a different profile. I think my new look is fabulous, don't you?

Overall, I can chew more efficiently because my teeth line up better, but I will still need braces in the future. (My older sister is jealous, because she thinks braces are really cool!)

On the other hand, before I went in for surgery the doctor had warned us that she might not be able to close the palate completely in one operation. My most recent appointment confirmed that the hole is much smaller, but still not closed completely. A little disappointing, but we are taking everything one day at a time. We have another appointment set for December 22nd. they will remove the 4 inch pin that has been in my nose to hold my bones together. I'm not looking forward to it, but it will be great to have that pin out because it's really annoying.

Anyway, my parents wanted me to tell you about a hat sale we are having to help take care of the costs. I'm kind of expensive to have around. (I keep telling them, "Just wait till I'm 16!")




So if you're interested in a genuine alpaca wool Peruvian hat brought all the way from my homeland, just let me know. They are $12 each. I'll hook you up. We'll ship them nation wide! We've got them in lots of sizes, styles and colors. You see how cute I look in one?

We have some gloves and a few scarves as well, but my parents got really carried away with the hats! Email my mom at isabeljanet4@gmail.com if you're interested. You can also pay through paypal using the same Email address.

The sticker...

Here's an early picture just after we were able to see Lia. I'm sorry I don't have a better picture for you at this point. I just keep hearing Lia's 16 year old voice in my head... "Dad! I can't believe you put that picture of me on the internet for the entire world to see! I looked terrible!" So I'll leave it at this one.

On the other hand...

Here is a picture of what the surgeon found in her nose! (Not the dime... that's just for perspective.) It's a sticker that looks like it came off a new pair of shoes! As you can see, it was the size of a stamp. She had to have put it in her mouth and it went up instead of down. We won't be having that problem again. (I'm hearing that 16 year old again, so I better stop.)

She is already drinking juice, which means we should be home by tomorrow afternoon. She is talking and copying facial expressions. She is on a steady diet of Tylenol, Motrin, and Nickelodeon. It's amazing how TV can make kids glaze over!

Thanks for your prayers. Words can't express how greatful we are...

Wow... It's really strange to look at her and see a new face! Even more importantly, the gaping hole that connected her nose and mouth is no more! We realize that this is not the end... it's only a beginning, but a really important beginning, and Lia's life will be infinitely better.

If you have followed this blog at all, I think you will discover an ongoing theme... Lia is a survivor. She opened her eyes after the surgery, looked at Luciana and in the weakest little voice said, "I'm fine."

I'm going to eat... I give more details and let you know what the doctor located in her nose later... Now you know you'll have to check again.

A New Profile

It's hard to believe that Cecilia's face will look different in a couple of hours. We are sitting here in the waiting room while the surgeon is rearanging the inside of Lia's mouth and nose. We were told today that they may not need to remove a piece of her rib in order to close the palate. We are praying that this is the case.

What you don't know from this picture is that Lia was just throwing a fit that could have been measured on the Richter scale with a seismograph when they came in and gave her, what they were calling, "joy juice." It worked like a charm! (Could I get some of that to go?)

We'll keep you updated as we find out more.

Cecilia is Home...

From the time we left this morning to the time we returned tonight was only 12 hours. Exactly 12 hours, and yet it was so much more. Let me try to explain...

Before I begin, I have to confess I am extremely tired. This turned out to be a lot more than removing a few teeth and inserting a couple of ear tubes. So if I don't make complete sense, or if I tend to ramble, bear with me...

Cecilia is two years old. We have said over and over through the past couple of weeks, that she is acting like a normal two year old (which is a good thing.) The antibiotics have been working and she has been so much more enjoyable to be around recently.

You see, Lia has been living with constant ear and sinus infections. These infections have been controlling her behaviors. I mean, just think about it. Have you ever gotten water in your ear and been unable to get it out? On more than one occasion, I'll admit, I have been caught jumping up and down on one foot, head tilted to the side at the public pool, with no regard for who might be standing by watching. It is a miserable feeling. Now multiply it by both ears, and sinuses, throw in some pain and the inability to make yourself understood. I think that is how my daughter has been feeling for most of her short life.

So recently, due to the antibiotics, Lia has been a normal two year old. She is becoming more loveable all the time.

So at 3:07 pm when we saw Lia after her surgery a pit in my stomach hit like a brick of despair. “She looks like the little girl I met on that first day in Huaraz, Peru.” I couldn't put my finger on it, but the tears welled up from deep within. It wasn't until later that Luciana said her thoughts, response, and reactions were exactly the same. Lia looked lethargic and her face swollen. All we can figure is the swollen face in the orphanage must have come from the rampant infection that we have not been able to eradicate, but at least keep under control.

So when we brought her back to the house this evening and turned off the car, I said “Lia, you're home.” I guess I said it as much to myself as I did to her. Today's twelve hour trip took me all the way back to that orphanage in Peru. Back to that strange little girl that scared me the first time I set eyes on her. Back to my own fears of incompetence.

We are home...more home than ever before. Thanks be to God.

For those who want the details...

We found out today that Cecilia will probably need hearing aids. The tests showed mild to moderate nerve damage in both of her ears.

Lia's next surgery will be on November 10th. At that time they will close the palate and reconstruct her upper jaw. The surgery we faced today was simple compared to what we will confront in seven weeks.

Thanks for your prayers.

mbp

For All The Angry Blog Followers:(

I know, I know… we have been totally delinquent bloggers. Life comes before computer in our home and just keeping our heads above water has been enough of a challenge these days. But I do apologize.

Tomorrow we take Cecilia for her first surgery. It’s hard to believe after six months we have finally arrived at this day. The surgery is minor compared to what she will be facing about a month from now, but I still thought we should inform you. She will have three teeth extracted and ear tubes inserted. The teeth will be removed so that they are able to close the palate without any obstructions next month. The tubes in her ears will help to take care of the constant infections and improve her hearing. No more excuses for not coming when called, or handing over a dangerous pair of scissors (Except of course, that she is two years old!)

We will post more after the surgery tomorrow, but I just want to leave you with a few recent pictures. Actually, I was told by my wife that people don’t want a post without pictures.)Look Who's in the driver's seat. Not a big surprise if you know her personality!

It's About Time...

I know...

We have been delinquent. The everyday takes over and the last thing I think about is spending time on the computer in the midst of diapers and discipline.

I'm out of practice...

But I thought this news was big enough to inform anyone who is still waiting...

We spent the day at Children's Memorial Hospital yesterday. We left the house at 7:45 in the am and returned about the same time in the pm. If the number of doctors who met with us had been individual appointments our co-pay alone would have been $120! (That's $20 a visit... you do the math.) One of my favorite moments of the day was when a handful of medical professionals walked in and started talking with us, one of them, in his white coat, asked Lia to open to say "ahhh", stuck a flashlight in her mouth and walked out. I turned to Luciana and said, "And who was that?" We both shrugged our shoulders. He was never seen again.

Our hope and prayer was that we would have a plan by the end of the day. That prayer was answered.

The next three steps are insurance, tooth extraction and ear tubes, and then the closing of the palate.

First, we wait to hear from our insurance about what will be covered under medical (hopefully all of it), what will be covered under dental, and what will come from our own pockets (hopefully a $20 co-pay.)

Second, will be the tooth extraction and ear tubes which should take place in the middle of September. There are a couple of teeth that are in the way, making the closing of the palate more difficult.

Third, the surgeon will remove part of the bone in the roof of her mouth, take part of a rib to create a more natural curve for the upper gum line, and close the palate. She said that after this surgery, Lia will have a very different profile. The little face that we have become so accustomed to will be no more.

I wish you could have been there to watch their minds at work. It was absolutely amazing. The surgeon would come in, take a look in her mouth, tell us what she thought and go to talk to the team. Then the dentist would come in, look at her teeth and say that something else seemed to make more sense, and he would bring the surgeon back. She would take another look, they'd both step out and pull in the surgeon in charge of the tooth extraction. Meanwhile they each had at least one medical student trailing behind getting the schooling of a lifetime!

Finally, at about 5:00, the surgeon came back to explain what had been going over our heads for most of the day. She also told us that she will be using a tool to spread her gum line so her teeth will grow where they are supposed to. She said this would take six months with spacers. She will do it in 60 minutes during the surgery!

Our daughter is in capable hands, to put it mildly.

Please pray for her. Although this must all be done, and done as quickly as possible, we can't help but think of the violent act of ripping out bone and replacing it with other bone from her rib. Her life will be infinitely better for it, but you can't explain that to a two and a half year old. Pray for the comfort of the Father.

Thank you.

Lia Cried

Lia cried the other day. If you've been to our house you are probably thinking, "That's nothing new..."

If you were her older sister you'd be thinking, "I wish she would stop crying..."

Before I go any further, let me remind you that she is a 2 1/2 years old. They tend to cry.

But this was different. I took Lia into her Sunday school class as I do every week. She knows right where it is and which door to walk through. She is always two steps ahead of me. And just like every other week, I waved and said goodby before I headed out the door. Then it happened. She cried. She ran towards me, raised her hands in the air and she cried.

Once again, jumped by my own emotions that I didn't quite understand, I said, "Oh honey, that's so good!" The other parents, who had been trying to sneak out without their toddlers noticing looked at me questioningly.

I put her down and sat with her. We played with the toys for a few minutes and I got up to leave. Again I said,"goodbye." Again, she cried. At this point the other parents who were hoping to catch at least part of the sermon, were wondering if my technique was really that bad.

But it's a little different with an adopted child. I get a pit in my stomach every time someone comments how amazing it is that she put her arms out to everyone. The big smiles and funny faces she displays for perfect strangers actually concern us.

The bonding process that happens so naturally with your own infant is a lot of work with a two year old stranger who comes to live with you; a lot of work, and so infinitely essential to her emotional and spiritual well-being.

So those tears were a sign of deep healing in her soul.

I missed most of the sermon, but I didn't mind. I can always download it some other time.

Continue to pray for Lia as she bonds with her family. Pray for us as we learn how to facilitate that bonding.

20.6 Pounds...Dripping Wet!

Three days short of a month since our last post! It's been quite a ride. Lia has made huge progress, yet there is such a long way to go. Are we overwhelmed? Absolutely. Even as I sit here I have to get up and have a conflict management sessions with the two girls. (Those of you who have more than one child are thinking, "Welcome to my world.")

On the other hand, we have been told that adopting is addictive. Even in the two months we have had Lia we realize this is true. When we watch a child make the gains that Lia has in eight weeks, we can't help but wish we could do the same for all the children we met at the orphanage. She has gained almost five pounds. may not sound like much, but it's a quarter of her total body weight! She has learned so many new words, which have significantly decreased her frustration level...

Instead of throwing something to the floor she says, "help."

Instead of putting her plate full of food on top of her head (Which is what we were told she did in the orphanage) she says, "finished."

Instead of slapping us in the face she says, "no."

She is even spontaneously saying "thank you" when we hand her something she has been asking for.

However, I have to admit, we were not the ones to teach her to say "Amen" at the end of prayers. In fact, to our shame it is sometimes Cecilia who reminds us that we haven't prayed before a meal by folding her hands and blurting out, "Amen."

Today when I went to pick her up at the nursery I was told she is a delight to have in class.

Please continue to pray for us. As I mentioned before, we couldn't ask for better health care. I notice a sparkle in the surgeons eye when she considers the best plan of action for Cecilia's treatment. This is not just a job for her...it's a passion.

Pray that we will be wise as we make major medical decisions. Lia struggles daily with eating and as her parents it's really hard to watch.

Thank you.

I Got Jumped Again...

Before I left for Peru I commented that sometimes my emotions jump me. I would find myself choking back tears that I didn't even know existed. Well, it's happening again...

I decided to write about it so that at least I am sitting in front of a computer instead of a group of friends at church, or a colleague at school. (Not to mention, many of you have been waiting patiently for an update.)

People said Cecilia would receive exceptional care in the U.S. I was told there would be a team of doctors collaborating on my daughter's case. I knew that living close to one of the best children's hospitals in the world would be of great benefit.

But I had no idea...

We met with a surgeon at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. When she walked in she had already been informed of our daughter's story. She was kind, and immediately referred to Lia as "my little girlfriend." After examining Lia's mouth she sat with us and began to explain exactly what our options were. She said that we needed to meet with the ENT (Ears, Nose and Throat specialist) as soon as possible. She also recommended that we set up an appointment with her in the downtown office where her team meets together once a month. (This is where I start to choke a little.) She said she works with a team of five doctors; A dentist, an orthodontist, an ENT, a speech specialist and herself. They would all be there for one reason; my daughter's well-being.

And then I think about how much a 15 minute consultation with any one of those people would cost.

And then I think of Cecilia traveling eight hours on a bus to Lima, where she would wait all day for an appointment in a substandard clinic for three dollars.

And then I realize that there's a really good reason for my emotions to jump me.

I know I don't live in a perfect country. I realize that this nation has made some horrific choices along the way (and continues to do so.) However, I can't help but feel God's blessing as I watch some of the brightest physicians, with the best training, and the greatest resources surround my daughter and do all they can to provide her with the greatest care.

In fact, just this afternoon we received a call from the surgeon's office telling us that Lia has an appointment next week to have an impression taken of her palate for a prosthesis. She said "unfortunately" we would have to go to the office in Chicago instead of the closer branch in Westchester. And again, I think, "Unfortunate would be traveling eight hours for minimal health care."

The road ahead is long and at times daunting. Luciana and I are just beginning to understand what it means to have a child with special needs. But unfortunate we are not...

No... we are truly blessed. Praise be to God.

By the way, there are more new pictures below...

mbp

Reprimanded

Ok... I've been reprimanded by both my wife and sister-in-law for only two pictures, so here are a few more:)

A first attempt at story time, which is a new concept for Lia.

Lia sitting on a cajon peruano (a Peruvian percussion box. My new toy:))

A trip to The Fun Factory while visiting the the grandparents over spring break

Spring blinked at us on Sunday. Lia met all her outside toys...

and her first little friend, Amy.

Home for Mom's Birthday!

You are not going to believe this...

I would like to say we have done exactly what we were told to do after bringing home our newly adopted daughter, but we didn't.

They say to hibernate for a long time with your family, keep visits to a minimum and resist the temptation to take your new child on any trips or excursions.

But how could we have missed my mother's 70th birthday extravaganza? After all, my father and I have been talking about it for seven months.

So five days after returning home (to West Chicago) Luciana, Isabel, and Cecilia got on a plane and flew to Philadelphia International Airport. I hopped in the car and drove the 13 hours home (to Media, PA.) (Now you are wondering why I drove. At 69 years old, my mother has taken up bike riding, so I bought a Calypso Cruiser for her present. It wouldn't fit in the overhead compartment.)

Luciana has said Lia is starting to think she was adopted by a band of gypsies. I think she may be right.

mbp

A New Face in the Old Place

Well, We've been home for 48 hours and I know some of you are itching for some news.

Our trip home was uneventful. Lia blessed us with four hours of sleep during the five hour flight from Lima to Miami. She continued to behave well during the three hour flight to Chicago, as well. And Isa... well, behaved as expected. (Her Juicy Fruit gum was the highlight of the trip for her.)

Five weeks is longer than I realized. It is actually enough time to grow accustomed to many things. So I thought I would just share a few of our "goodbyes" and our "hello agains."

We had no idea when we bought this stroller for 98 soles how important it would become. It saved our backs and our time. It was not only transportation it doubled as "the bad chair." (Not very politically correct.) Err... uhh... I mean the "time out to contemplate how you could have handled that situation a little bit more appropriately chair" Unfortunately, it was too small for the adults in the relationship, who probably could have benefitted from it on more than one occasion.

Isabel made friends with these two young women at the market. She will miss them greatly. They even "babysat" while I walked the market finding goodies and buying things for Lia's benefit sale (Yeah, you heard right. Stay tuned for details...)

What can I say,... I know there are people out there who love the winter; skiing, ice hockey, walking outside in flipflops and shorts through a foot of snow to get the mail, etc.. That's not who we are though. Playing in the fountains in Lima in mid-March is more our style.

We spent more time with our lawyer, Juan Carlos than any other person in Peru. He helped us with anything and everything and never complained or even acted as if something was to much of a hassle. He has become a good friend, and has been invited to our home in Chicago. We hope he will take us up on this offer. (Of course, he will have to brave the U.S. embassy on his own behalf for his visa. Good luck, my friend.)

Oh... and El Enano, where you can get a pitcher of fresh juice of any kind, including things that have no English tanslation for a couple of bucks. I seiously almost had a breakdown when I got on the plane and asked what kinds of juices they had and the response was (you guessed it) orange and apple.

Our dinner at world famous Gaston Acurio's restaurant, Panchita for less than you pay for a meal at TGI Fridays.

On the other hand, we were so happy to come home to a clean house, a warm meal, and fresh flowers, and a monster pile of mail. (Ok, not so happy about the mail...) All reminders of the deep friendship that God has given to us. I snuck in and out of church on Sunday morning, and felt the hand of a close friend on my shoulder, which brought tears to my eyes.

Back to school. Isa sang and talked all the way to school about how much she missed her teacher and friends. She couldn't wait to take her treats to all of her classmates. Everyone walked out of school with a new keychain attached to their backpacks.

So Close, Yet Soooo Far

I have no pictures because it´s eight forty five and I´m tired. I am using a keyboard in a local internet shop that I can´t find the "at" symbol on, or the colon. (Hence I spelled out eight forty five.)

Thanks for your prayers as we travel tomorrow. We just realize we have NOTHING to entertain Cecilia with. Nothing keeps her attention that long. Pray she sleeps... a lot.

The good news is that we arrive at six thirty. The bad new is that we leave our apartment at four o´clock in the morning.

Many of you we will see soon. For those whom we won´t, we will still be blogging (just not as frequently.)

What a journey, and we thank God that you have walked it with us.

God bless.

Mark

Lia's First Video Post!

Don't blink. You might miss it. It's only 30 seconds. CLICK HERE to see a short video of Cecilia.


Why this picture? Well, our lawyer snapped it while we were being told we could not take any pictures in front of the embassy. Obviously the picture caught us all off guard!

All is well. Our Visa has been approved. Our lawyer told us that people walk out of the U.S. embassy and their relatives greet them with shouts of joy, hugs and tears. It's not easy to get a visa to the United States.

Here are Isa and our lawyer, (and good friend) Juan Carlos celebrating Lia's new visa.

I am reminded once again how good God has been to us. The woman who interviewed us even said they would expedite the visa when we told them we wished to leave on Saturday. I will return tomorrow, one last time, to the embassy to pick up Cecilia's passport and visa.

Tomorrow we move to the apartment with no internet, so we will do our best to post once or twice before we return home.

We will be returning to Chicago on Saturday night. Thanks to everyone who has made this trip possible, and to everyone who has made this trip with us. Words cannot express...

God bless.

Life is Funny...

When we thought we wouldn't have our interview with the American embassy until Monday we couldn't wait to get home. Today we were told the interview will be tomorrow. We could try to change our tickets for Thursday (The day we asked you to pray for.) Yet, we feel like there is not enough time to wrap up all we want to do here before we leave! It seems like our flight on Saturday, set before we came, will be the perfect day for us to head home after all.


Isa and I went to the market to pick up a few last things. Did I say last? I might have to stop by again later this week...



I've been wanting to rent a bike since we got here. biketoursoflima.com was the place where my dream was realized. After three trips to their shop I finally was given a beat up old cruiser. No complaints; riding along the cliffs and looking down at the ocean makes it all worth it!

Have you ever asked for a ride from the airport? Nobody likes asking, and even fewer people ever volunteer. We set up a ride from the airport before we left. Now we have people, not just offering, but requesting to pick us up from the airport. We know we are not that popular. Cecilia is the star of the show this week! We are truly thankful for every last offer.

Looking Back

At this point it seems that we will be keeping our return tickets. We are scheduled to arrive in Chicago this Saturday night. We were hoping to have been done by the 17th, but it's clear that will not be enough time. The good news is an answer to a prayer we never prayed (shame on us). A couple from the American church in Lima, friends of Mark's parents and missionaries with Scripture Union, have offered us their empty apartment to stay the last two days - two streets up from ours! It's really small but it will be so much better than a hotel room and just the perfect moving distance! I love these "coincidences that were ordained from the beginning of the world". It strengthens my faith to think that while we were just browsing the possibility of adoption in our Chicago home, feeling so in control of our decisions, there was an apartment in Lima ready for us 3 years down the road when we would need it.

I heard someone say that the reason we struggle with the thought of submission is because we think no one will look after our interests as well as we do. Then we do not know the love of God. It's looking out for my interests while I'm looking inward, doubting how much he cares and when is he going to answer me.

The apartment provision was great; I'm really thankful.

But that's not what I'm talking about.

In these 3 years we have lost 2 sisters we applied for, CERTAIN that God was calling us to them, and watched them go to Italy even though we had the family profile the Peruvian psychologist had recommended for them.

We applied for a little boy we thought was a perfect fit for our family right after Mark had asked the Lord if he would show us a child by the end of the summer. It was August. We were overjoyed. He went to Italy too.

While we were still aching from the losses, the Lord sent us a unique opportunity to love a separated, pregnant young woman and facilitate the adoption of her baby. What started as salt in the wound, was actually a healing balm.

The following summer The Lord blessed us with a phone call from our agency, out of the blue: "Are you interested in a Hispanic baby that will be born in a month? You have 24 hours to think." It's got to be a sign from God! We composed our domestic file until 2 AM. A week after she gave birth, she decided to keep the baby.

In the fall I had a very early miscarriage.

The month we decided to pull the plug on Peru and prepare to go to Brazil for a year or so, the day I had to call Mark at work to come home early because I was on the couch with a bad back crisis, the night after our water heater blew, flooding the basement and clearing our account, we got Lia.

What was God's love doing during all this? It was present in that woman's desperate life so that she would carry Lia to term. So she could be mine.

Lia was the only child I didn't specifically ask the Lord for. What I had prayed was "If our family is meant to be a one child family, your Name be blessed." Of course, this was only after many other prayers and thoughts I am not so proud of. I don't think I got her because I "let go". She is a gift. But I think I experienced His love more fully because I "let go".

And I can recognize it better when it comes in the form of an apartment. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

These pictures are from our trip to the mall today. Oh, to have that view from Stratford!

Homeless...

Luciana and I have both done enough "culture hopping" to know what's going on here...

It's called culture shock. We are ready to come home.

Yesterday we were "homeless" for 7 hours. They scheduled to shut off the electricity from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm to do maintenance in our part of the city. We have a key to the front door, and no key to the back door. The only way to get to the front door is an elevator. We left to go to the park through the back door, being careful not to latch it behind us. Assuming (This is where the culture clash comes in) that the doorman, janitor, or somebody had a key to the stairwell, we pulled this door tight behind us. It wasn't until after we got down the 6 flights of stairs that we found out that a key for that door does not exist.

I worked on the door for an hour or more with some "tools" to no avail.

Lia ended up sleeping in the stairwell until the electricity came back on.

We decided to relax while watching a movie; no Redbox here. I took a taxi to a street market where I could buy movies for less than a rental in The States. I trusted what I read on the back (Languages: English, Spanish, French). Las Adventuras de Sammy was just that... In Spanish. Well, at least I know that ABBA doesn't sing in Spanish. I brought the CD home for Luciana (She's a closet fan... or at least she was until this post.) I have no idea who sings on this CD, but Dancing Queen is actually La Reina del Baile! We had a good laugh, anyway.

We woke up this morning to realize when the electricity came back on the refrigerator did not. The light in the fridge was working and the motor was blowing air... it just wasn't cold. Since it's Sunday, I guess we'll have to wait till tomorrow to get this taken care of.

As I have been sitting here writing I heard loud squaking outside of our window.

SO... Maybe it's not all bad here.

mbp