Strawberry Grass-Take 2

When Noah was about 2 years old, I took a picture of him in one of our fields that was full of something he named "Strawberry Grass". I don't know the name of it, but it's actually a weed that grows and I'm sure is the bain of a farmer's existence. But, for a few weeks in April, every year, we love to watch it. Many cars stop and take photos of this beautiful weed. So, my mom requested I take a picture of Laurel in it this year to match the picture she has of Noah on her wall. My kids are totally used to me putting them in all sorts of funny situations to get that "great shot" so they were game. 

In exciting news, Laurel is getting a Cochlear Implant! The last few times we've had her hearing tested, it has shown that her hearing is decreasing slightly in her Right ear which is her better ear of the two. This trend concerns us and the Doctors a bit for her down the road. She is progressing nicely in her language development but has shown that she has some difficulty with articulation of some sounds. Our prayer and the Doctors hope is that with the implant, it will take her Left ear (which is severely- profoundly deaf ) and hopefully make it at least as good or better than her right ear. If it works then she would be able to hear those illusive sounds like "f" and "s" that are making articulation so tough for her right now. 

Our Prayer Requests: Laurel does not have a typical type of hearing loss. She has Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) which basically means they don't know why she hears the way she does but things that she hears can become garbled. Sometimes it seems she is "on" and other times not so much. Think of it as a frayed lamp cord. It works most of the time but if things are moved just so, the lamp cuts off. That's kind of like ANSD. So, our prayer request is that the Cochlear Implant will be successful. Kids with ANSD can do really well with them or they don't work at all. That's kind of scary knowing that we have to take the residual hearing (which isn't much) in her left ear away in order to put the implant in...... and it might not work. However, ALL of the Dr.'s and professionals who see her say she does not present like a typical ANSD kid. She makes remarkable progress and doesn't have the "garbled" sound a typical ANSD kid sometimes have. They ALL think she'll do fantastic. We know there is one who knows all so we ask your prayers for her June 21st. surgery!  Laurel's story have allowed us to share with so many people about the plight of orphans and God's UNCONDITIONAL love. We pray He continues to let her little light shine!

UPWARD

                                                       GEARING UP FOR PRACTICE

                             BEST FRIENDS....AND SOMETIMES WORSE ENEMIES :)

                                                     PRAYER TIME BEFORE GAME

I'm officially a soccer mom. Yep, I said it. I guess that's the first step in the road to recovery. Just kidding to all the soccer mom's out there....sort of. Noah wanted to play soccer this year so we signed him up for Upward soccer. It' a Christian organization that has a short Bible study at each practice,a Bible verse for each week and a testimony at each game. They were short a person on the team so the Coach asked if Laurel wanted to be on it. Much to my surprise Miss Priss said she wanted to play. "Play" loosely translated.... mostly stand around and pick her fingernails but she's out there nevertheless!! I'm very proud of them. It's teaching them teamwork and how to listen to the Coach. The Coach is a great guy who's very positive and gets that at this early age it's about having fun. Shew! What a relief. I'd hate to have to deck the guy for screaming at my 4 yr. old! :)

Looking for an Angel?

Adoption has been on my mind a lot lately. There are days that I read about and see pictures of children that literally make my heart hurt. I don't have answers. I don't know why the Christian church as a whole can't band together and help this crisis out. Don't be fooled.... it IS a crisis. Children in these overseas orphanages are being abused, starved and neglected. However, we as Americans are murdering millions of innocent unborn. It's enough to make you lose heart! But, God tells us that he will make things right one day. One day, every knee shall be and every mouth confess that HE IS LORD. Come quickly Lord Jesus!!!

Below are a few children that have stolen my heart. The first is Wendy. She was in Laurel's orphanage and we saw her several times. She will need a special family who will love her and see past her "disabilities". She needs someone who will see her for the treasure she is. She is very quickly aging out of the baby house.(if she hasn't already). She will be moved to the institution where she will be bedridden for life! Don't let that happen to Wendy!

WENDY (6)

Girl, Born June 25, 2006

Wendy is a beautiful girl with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes.    She was born quite premature  (not sure which gestational week, but it is listed as "4th stage").  She has CP and is completely blind, with congenital cataracts in both eyes, optic sub-atrophy, and microcephaly.

Despite all of these odds stacked against her, she is an orphanage favorite and is well loved.  She will really blossom in a loving family, and learning to use her other senses will open up the world around her.    Wendy is already 4 1/2 now, and is facing the institution soon.  She needs a family right away!  

$100.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

  You can visit www.reecesrainbow.org (other angels 0-5) for more information

Tamara

Girl, Born September 21, 2007

FACING IMMINENT TRANSFER, NEEDS A FAMILY NOW!

Tamara is a sweet, intelligent little girl who needs a forever family.  She was born with Crouzon Syndrome.  She is very physically able and is a favorite in the orphanage.  She is described as an affectionate and helpful girl.   She is facing transfer to the institution soon 

From her medical records:  Multiple congenital abnormality of brain. Q04.8, Secondary cardiopathy. I51.8, Exotropia. H50.1, Syndactylia. Q70.9, hemangioma of regions of head. D18.0, Iron deficiency anemia unspecified. D50.9, Congenital absence of toes. Q72.3

From a therapy team that visisted with her in 2012:   Tamara is an absolute doll!   Our TEAM has gotten to meet and work with  Tamara the past several years and have loved every minute with her.   Tamara is able to walk independently and talks in complete sentences.  She told our group (in Russian) that she was a princess!  We couldn’t agree more!   Tamara ‘s caregivers asked us to help her with a few of her sounds in Russian, which leads us to believe her language and communication skills are very good since they were concerned with the production of just a few sounds.   Tamara was able to hold toys with her hands, and complete a wooden animal puzzle with our therapists.  She loved sitting in the floor playing and was a very good imitator of just about anything!  Tamara is quickly approaching the age that will mean her time in the orphanage is coming to an end and will be facing a transfer to an institution.  We are praying that  Tamara  never makes that move to an institution and will be set in a family that loves her.  Join us in praying for Tamara.

From an adoptive family who visited with her in September 2011:  “We saw her there our first day at the orphanage and we just LOVED her!!  We would have taken her in a heartbeat!  Tamara walks just as well as our 3yo and was sooooo sweet and kept coming up to us and smiling and wanted to touch Zeph (Wallace).  She kept wandering towards us and her caretakers had to tell her to leave us alone!  Heartbreaking, so glad she is cleared and ready for her family.  Do not want to see her sent to an institution!”

LOTS MORE photos available.  Married couples only.   Large families and older parents welcome, travel required.   Tamara can be adopted with several other children in this same orphanage, if a family is approved.

$3190.00 is available towards the cost of my adoption!

 I just LOVE this little girl!! Are YOU her rescuer??

BEACH FUN

2 Weeks ago we too a day trip to the beach. I love living where we live because within just a few hours of driving you can be either at the beach or the moutains, depending on your direction. It was chilly but the kids didn't seem to mind. we also took them to the Aquarium and Ft. Fisher the Civil War Battlefield. It rained some but rain never bothered us. We just cleared out the back of the car and had our picnic in it. The kids thought it was so cool.

The Taxi

With a BA from Wheaton College in Literature, an M.Ed. in Speech Pathology and Audiology and a Ph.D. in Special Education, Jenny Johnson has been writing nonfiction for many years in her role as a university professor. She has coauthored book chapters, journal articles, and conference proceedings related to her professional field. Jenny prefers writing fiction and has pursued that objective seriously for the last few years. Her poetry and short stories have won local awards. The Taxi is her first novel. She is currently at work on two inspirational romance novels, Copper’s Run and By the Light of Your Face, and a children’s book with her daughter, The Misadventures of Eulajalylah Picklethwight. “My goals as a writer are simple,” Jenny says. “I want to write quality Christian romantic fiction that is worth reading, tells a good story, promotes values consistent with my beliefs as a Christ follower, and leaves readers feeling positive about their investment of time and money.” Jenny wants to provide similar clean and elevating entertainment today that Grace Livingston Hill did in the first half of the twentieth century. “If my novels can provoke thought about authentic Christianity through the actions of my characters, so much the better,” Jenny says. She and her family live in North Carolina.
To email the author: jennywjohnson@gmail.com http://jennywjohnson.blogspot.com/

Just in case you've forgotten. Run right out and download (on kindle) or order (on Amazon or Oaktara.com) my Mama's first book "The Taxi". Don't let it throw you that she's using her maiden name.... just a pen name. Go to http://www.oaktara.com/ to see her book spotlighted.