What a Week!!!

NOTE: Joanna is home with her baby and they really need your prayers as they have found something wrong. They have seen a cyst on her lungs and are waiting to see what is going on. Please be praying for Myla and for Joanna and her family as we wait to see what the doctors determine what needs to be done. Joanna I am praying for a miracle here!!!!!!! I know that God can do a miracle without anything but sometimes he uses doctors too!!! Please be praying for them this week and every week till we all know what is going on!!!!

Easter Sunday: We had such plans, but Mommy uses me as her alarm clock and well first thing I do is change the wake up time. Yep, I did that. Instead of getting up like normal at 730am I get up at 830 am only 15 minutes before Daddy gets home from work and church starts at 930. Needless to say we didn't make it to church. Second, I decided to take an extra long nap, today.
See, I usually sleep 1130-130 but today I slept from 1130 to 230. We did get one thing done we planned and went to lunch at Golden Corral in St Charles. Then home to get the things from my Easter Basket. I loved my bunny but Mommy is only letting me have a little at a time. Mommy and Daddy also found out that I dont like storms!!!

The rest of our week is pretty good and we decide to go home for a few days. We want to show Clay our house in GA and let our friends meet him. Well, this week Mommy and Daddy heard me say some more words. I can kinda say "Thank you" now. I said "Upsy Daisy" once and am now saying "no" and shaking my head alot. My favorite word so far though is "Peze" everytime I want something. I love to throw things down and watch Mommy and Daddy get it, too!!! There have only been a few times to hear the word no in response to that mostly when I want something I shouldnt have. Oh yeah, Clay has basically stopped biting now except when starts to put something in mouth doesnt go there and I have to go getting it. I think my finger will be nothing but bone by the time he gets past putting everything in his mouth. Clay, doesnt like it there and clamps down until I can get him to let go.

Our plans to go home was cancelled. Clay got really sick Friday night and Saturday morning got a fever. It stayed around 101.8 except when Tylenol was working until this afternoon when it was completely gone. We will probably call the doctor in the morning just to check in and see if she thinks he needs to be seen. OK, Y'all, my son does have an off button BUT I DO NOT like the off button. It is only when he is sick and does nothing but lay in our arms or asleep. I would rather have my little munchkin being the energizer bunny all day long except for naps and bed time.

Jennie is still waiting on Pink. Angela is in Guatemala, there embassy appt is in the morning and home on Wed. Annette should have her Birth Certificate soon. Mary is in Family Court and the BM(Birth Mother) has her Social Worker interview on Tuesday. Please be praying that all is well and give the BM strength and comfort cause it is really hard on her and for Mary and her husband cause even knowing it is ok there is always a little concern. Annie, Cory and Sonia have been in PGN since like February 18th or so and is hoping to be out soon!!!!! Teresa is still waiting on her little boy from Vietnam. Please be praying that all these little ones can come home soon. Please also continue praying for Kim. They are hoping to be back in PGN this week but as that goes they hope for it each week.

Thank you so much to all our friends that has helped us out with some pretty amazing gifts for our baby. Thank you, Laurie and Paula, for making it possible for us to get Clay the Vtech VSmile Baby and Bailey Bear that goes with it. Thank you, Kim, for the dresser. Clay likes to play with Bailey and the vsmile baby game board without the tv right now but when a little older he is going to love watching the animals and people come alive with each shape and button he pushes!!!!! Clay likes the dresser alot, too. He loves opening and closing the drawers, but I like it the best as it is a really great place for all of Clay's sleepers and clothes. Thank you all!!!!!!!!!!! There is one thing I have learned throughout the journey to bringing our son home and eveyone out there still going thru this will learn it too and that is we learn who our real friends are. They are the ones that pray us through the hard times and help with support however they can. They are the ones that give us a shoulder to lean on and put themselves after us so that we have a shoulder to cry on when needed. Then they are the ones that celebrate the hardest with us when the good news and good times come. Hang in there!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a REALLY awesome ending to the journey that just begins a lifetime journey!!!!!!! It is well worth the wait and it will happen!!!!!!! I am praying that all these babies and more come home soon. I have met alot of people on this journey. and I am so glad I have. They have been the ones that can understand when noone else can and the ones we turn to most!!! Thank you, Lord, for all my friends the ones going thru and have gone thru the same journey as us and the ones that have learned alot by watching our journey and for my friends who havent gone thru it but have been there thru it all!!!!!!!! God Bless You!!!!!!!!!!!

More Pictures!!!

Daddy and I playing making noises

Daddy making noises and me watching

I give Daddy a big hug!!! I love doing that!!

Mommy's clean sweater snuck from the clean clothes hamper turns me into a really good purple monster!! Oh yeah did I mention I got caught sneaking the shirt and had to get Daddy to hide me!!!

Me being really still for a second. What Mommy doesn't realize is I am just trying to decide which direction to go (the kitchen or the TV).

Easter Pictures

My Easter Basket

Me checking my basket out

I got some more Vsmile Cartridges

Watching my Praise Baby DVD and what else?

I am standing without holding onto anything!!
and checking out the back cover.

We went to the Park!!!!

Today was a really gorgeous spring day after alot of rain and we went to the park. Clay loves the outdoors and to go bye bye. As you can see he really enjoyed the swing. We had fun pushing him and watching him laugh and smile and watch us. Matt also took him on the slide of which he wasn't quite sure of. The thing is, though, he and Matt were only going to slide the one time and when we let Clay walk back to the car, holding our hands of course cause not doing it by himself yet, he turned us around and went right back to the slide so Matt took him down once more before we headed back home. Tonight is a work night for Matt so couldnt stay out long but we plan on going back in a few days when Matt has time off. We are also talking of maybe a trip to the zoo. He is waking once a night and that isnt bad at all. I am in the process of reading a book called "Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth, M.D. and Matt and I are seriously considering once I finish to put it to use and implement it to get Clay to sleeping through the night. We will still have to see because we will both have to be on board for it and Matt isnt so sure. Well, that is all for right now. Please be praying for Teresa also as she is waiting on word to go pick up her son from Vietnam.

Easter Bunny Picture

We are adjusting!!

Matt started back to work the Wednesday after we arrived home and the first week was something else. This second week has gotten better. We began the week with night time being really tough. We didn't sleep and while Matt was at work I didnt sleep. So when he got home he would watch Clay and feed him while I slept for about one to two hours before he got me up and went to bed. This continued until about Thursday night when for the first time Clay slept. He got up the last time about 12:30am then slept till about 6:30. It felt so good. Then on Friday, Clay took an afternoon nap and it has continued.


Clay loves the walker we bought him, but it has added times when he will start to whine cause he will drop something and not be able to get it so I started something else which Matt jumped right on board with me about. We began telling Clay to say please if he wanted something other than to whine and cry for it and then when we gave it to him we said thank you. Well, when Matt got home would you believe Matt picks the toy up says "Say Please" and Clay says"Peze" and it was just the cutest thing so now when he drops something or throws it on occasion and needs help he will say "Peze" and we pick it up even when he does it over and over to let him know he can trust us to do what he asks. We still say Thank you to teach him to say it when we give it to him but he hasnt got that far yet. I was surprised with "Peze" so it will happen in time. Can't really believe he started saying please so quickly but we are thrilled and so is he.

Yes, things are getting better but we still have some adjusting and learning to do. When Clay doesnt get what he wants he will bite you and I was not expecting this so soon, but we are dealing with it. There isnt much we can do but say No and put him down for a minute and not allow back up for that time or Say no that hurts and give him something safe to bite like a toy, right now, but in time he will learn.


We went to the Mall, yesterday to get pictures of Clay with the Easter Bunny. He was fine with that while in line waiting and the bunny was playing peek-a-boo with him and waving at him but once we went to get his picture with him he was having nothing to do with that bunny so Matt and Clay both got their picture with the Easter Bunny. He didnt smile, but he didnt cry either so I am also posting that picture along with others.


Please be praying Mary that they will be getting out of Family Court and into PGN soon, Sonia will get re-entered into PGN and that Cory and Annie and Alex will get out of PGN soon. These are out of order of entry but in order my brain is working in, right now. We have a couple of praises, though. Joanna, Cheryl and Kristi are home with their babies and Kristi and her whole family including Elli are sick so please be praying for them and for all for the adjustments going on in transition right now. Jennie is now Orange and waiting for her Pink Slip. Angela is Pink and her appt. is on March 31st and Annette who has been in PGN with 3 KO's got out!!!! Praise God the kids are coming home. Please continue praying for Kim that they will find out they are in PGN and will be getting out soon so they can bring their son home. Thank you for continuing to pray for us all.

Our First Week Home!!

It has been a really tough week. We all came home with colds. On top of that Clay was getting up alot and I mean alot the first part of the week till I figured out if I could get to him while not completely awake and give him his bottle (he lost it in the bed) he was fine and would stay asleep. But 10xs a night at first was extremely hard. We were sick, no sleep and then our little one would wake up in great spirits and play hard all day. He has no off button. He don't even have a slow down button he remains on fast forward all day long. The weather changed drastically on Sunday it was in the 70s. Monday cold and snowing. Tuesday we had 11 inches of snow. Wednesday, we had the Doctors appt and it was ok. We really like our doctor and she had a good grasp of all that was needed and where we needed to be. We had three shots to get and bloodwork was tried but not able so scheduled to go to lab the next day. Well, needless to say Clay had a hard time with the shots and Matt and I both were almost crying our eyes out when he had to get stuck. We stayed calm, though. As soon as it was all over everything was fine. Well, we were supposed to do the lab work at the lab after the eye doctor thursday but poor fellow the eye drops made him so upset and stuff we decided to wait till Monday. He needed a break. We found out at the eye doctor that Clay has strabismus with a combination of two types of esotropia and was really bad far sighted. So we have to have surgery on his eyes so that he will be able to have some form of depth perception ( he has none now) and to correct the crossing as it is bad enough he will not outgrow it. He will always be in glasses for far sightedness and we are going to get new glasses this week. His need to be refit, but also because the ear piece is about non existant on one side now due to constantly removing them. Hopefully these will stay on better. We shall see. Friday was our first Post Placement visit and it went really well. I am glad it did. I was really nervous about it and have been about everything, but it went great and now I feel better about everything.



Matt went back to work Wednesday and was there every night. He had to call out Friday night though cause got a fever and was just to sick to go in. He had no voice and boy was it a hard night. Matt sick with a fever, me sick and not able to stop coughing and Clay maybe getting over his not sure. We have just had a tough week. Matt was back at work Saturday night and is glad to get the next few days off to rest and hopefully get over this cold so we can all start sleeping and maybe be more than zombies during the day. We havent taken many pictures in fact just a few due to being sick, tired and trying to all learn to adjust. Here are the few I have.


Me playing with my toys (well some of them)

Smiling at Daddy after eating spaghetti for dinner

"Ok I have had enough pictures, now get me outta here"

First Birthday Celebration Pics!!!!

This is a picture of David and Clay. David made Clay some REALLY good drawings for his birthday just from him and I have them put up for Clay. For now why he is to young to understand I am going to scan them and print on cardstock, mat and hang as pictures on his wall. The originals will go in his album so he will always have them. David, thank you for giving of yourself. I put this picture here cause I love it and the way you have waited with us so patiently for Clay to come home. You are a VERY Special young man.

This Katy with Clay. She and David actually just met Clay here on the day we celebrated his First birthday cause of homework the night before and were really excited. They have waited patiently so long. Katy helped out so much and so wanted to hold him. So here is her time. Katy you are such a sweet young lady and I am so glad you love Clay so much. Katy has asked alot over the last year to hold our little man and finally she got her chance.

Jacob is standing on my right. He was spending the night with his Paw Paw the night we got off the plane and met Clay when he woke up the next morning. In fact he didnt have to go to pre-school that day as his Aunt Beverly let him stay with her. He was really hyper about being with him when David and Katy couldnt and had to be in school. In fact, Jacob wanted so badly to have something for Clay that he picked something of his out for Clay and gave it to him. It was a really big teddy bear and Clay really likes it. He was so EXCITED over giving him something just from him!!!!!!

Here is Emma and Clay as you can tell they both dislike staying still. Emma is walking and is always on the go. Clay tries to be but being a little younger hasnt exactly started walking yet. I like this picture of them together and is one of only a couple I have. Deborah took alot of pictures and has promised me a CD of them. She hasnt done so yet and that is where a lot of my pictures will come from. Emma is 16 months and Clay just turned one on Valentines Day.

Daniel had a fit over Clay and Clay just took up with him from the start. Most of my pictures of the two of them will come from everyone else. In fact Clay took up with everyone and had a ball around everyone. I am just talking his cousins here as they are the ones that just kept him going all the time. I will post pics with some of the adults on another post. Here Clay is trying to pull the bib I put on him off. It was a 1st birthday bib I got to match the decorations.

All the following Pictures are of Clay's Birthday before getting into the cakes and then afterwards:

Here I am all finished with my little cake!!! See I am wearing more of it than I ate, but boy did I have fun putting it on!!!!

We are home!!!!!

I thought about posting more than one post but decided to do one. I will have to post pictures later as we are exhausted. Clay is sleeping ok just his routine since got here in the States is messed up. Tuesday night, it was REALLY cold getting off the plane in Atlanta and didnt like the thick coat or hat and looked like I was crazy putting something like that on him until we stepped outside and he was trying to sink further in it. At the point we put his coat on him a gentleman came and helped us with our baggage. I told him we had no cash and only quetzales and that we couldnt accept the help. Well, he was being nice and we felt bad leaving him with nothing after helping us out ALOT!!!!!!! We asked him if there was a currency exchange somewhere in the airport and he said yes so Matt gave him 25 quetzales as a tip and depending on what the days exchange rate it was about 3 dollars but is all we could give him as we needed the rest for Clay's life book.

Just for anyone curious, it didnt take us long at all to go thru immigration with Clay. 5-10 minutes maybe. That was really good!!

We got to my parents house late and Clay really took to my Dad. Took him awhile to take to mom but that is ok. He loved the attention and ate it up. Emma didnt know what to think at first but they were really sweet together. Emma is 4 months older than Clay and a doll. She is quiet and reserved but a sweetie and friendly once getst to know you. She is very independent also. Clay is outgoing and friendly and loves attention. Let me tell you, though, he got sleepy or frustrated or anything he knew where to go. If he couldnt see Matt or I and we didnt come running right that second he would let it know that we were the only ones he wanted.

Thursday we had a big birthday celebration for him and he loved it!!!!!!!!!!! He knew it was all about him, too. I will post some pics and stuff later. I made the bear cakes but didnt really have enough time to decorate them properly in just a day so when realized going to take longer Mom decorated Clay's mini cake and Becky finished the big one. Matt and I just spent time with Clay. You should have seen him with the cake. He was sticking his finger in the icing playing with it until someone showed him he could eat it then he tried some and then someone broke off some when he wouldnt and after that he just made a really big mess. I am not even sure he ate any just played in it. That is ok, though. He loved the toys. We got things he needed for sure, also but as long as he was thrilled and happy that is all that mattered.

By the time I had checked the flight we were listed for the flights were full back to St Louis and the one that wasnt we were just too exhausted to catch so came home today. Got home paid rent and spent time together. I had to get some things as Clay is teething and has a cold. He is sleeping now and since it is something he needs I really hope the sleep helps. I havent got pictures today just memories. That is all that matters though. I will start taking more pictures once I can get past being so tired. He is soooooo active and sooooo awake. HOPING to sleep tonight!! Ok y'all I have to get to bed now but as soon as I can get the pics I need I will post and will also try to add another video or at least a link soon!!!!!!!