We visited Cleveland Clinic (in Cleveland, Ohio) this past week. It's number 6 in the U.S. for neurosurgery. We met with the chief of neurosurgery there, who gave me about the same information that I received at Mayo Clinic. His techniques are different, (etc), so we are going to speak with our local neurosurgeon on Wednesday, and present him with both doctors plans of attack and see if he has any adivce on which Clinic to go with. We are also scheduling another MRI, to see what is happening with the edema. I am desperately hoping it is gone, and that this was just an infection of some sort. The doctor in Cleveland said that there is a small chance that that could be true, so I am fixated on that right now, as it is a much lovelier option than the glioma (brain tumor). lol

• While in Cleveland we took the girls to Lake Erie and collected some beautiful sea glass on the shore that we are going to use to make a small frame. The girls are being so awesome about all of this. They sat in the lobby for 3 hours by themselves during some of my consultations just playing and chatting it up with the staff.
  

• One of the top comments/questions I am asked is regarding my hair, and what will happen to it due to the craniotomy. Well, the good news is that they just make a very small incision across the top of my head and flip the skull bone back to do the surgery. There will be barely any hair loss. (yay!)

• Please add my precious mother-in-law, Linda, to your prayers as well. Last week, we learned that she has breast cancer. I will be updating how she is doing on here as well. At this point, they are just holding tight, as their appoinments don't start until next week, Thursday. I will post her updates here as well.
  

• Thanks once again for all of the prayers and support. The prayers sustain me in a very tangible way. Throughout my life, as trials have come and go, I have always felt God walking by my side as I tackled the problem at hand. But, this time, there is not much I can do of my own strength to change these events, and I do feel God carrying us through it.

• "The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philipians 4:7

• Love and hugs to you all from all of us!
  
  

I discovered this song while living in Brazil, and loved it, but it has become even more precious over the past few weeks: "Healer", sung by Kari Jobe



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvIEJ_PmqJ8&feature=fvw



Well, I really should be cleaning up this much "loved" little yellow house, but I thought it's probably a better use of time to give a little update to my dearly loved friends and family. Honestly, I am doing amazingly well. I spoke with a friend today who told me that, when speaking with her sister, she reminded her that her problems weren't so bad considering that she has a friend who has a brain tumor and needs "brain surgery." Hmm...are my problems really all that bad? I don't know. I still feel ridiculously spoiled and loved by God, family, and friends. Life is good, and God has been faithful, and He will continue to be faithful no matter what the outcome of all of this is. I have seen God answer the prayers of a very sad little girl, in a broken home, who prayed so earnestly for a good husband for herself and a good daddy for the children she would have when she grew up. Well, here I am, married to the most amazing man. Andrew has always simply been the best, and yet through this "trial" as we call it, I have seen an even more beautiful, precious side of Andrew than I have ever seen. He's the trusest of the true--I am blessed.



God opens and closes doors, and He has never closed a door that when looking back, we wish He would have left open. Looking on our past, I know our future is safe in His hands. The months ahead may be challenging, but it could be so much worse. I don't have it the worst. I don't have an inoperable brain tumor. There may be side effects from the surgery, but the fact is I am super lucky compared to so many. I dare not complain when we have been so blessed with so much. We've had so many blessings in just the past 3 weeks and, so many good doctors, who have bent over backwards, and have signed papers that say that they are not comfortable with doing my surgery, which allows me to jump out of our insurance network and go to the very best doctors available in the States--and thanks to those doctors who have put their professional reputations on the line and signed those papers our insurance covers the surgery costs. God is so good. Blessed I am. Love, and Brazilian style hugs to you all.



The Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. Isaiah 30:18



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Jv1Hf2oCw&feature=related

We are on our way to Mayo Clinic. We dropped the girls off with Grandma & Grandpa at their "farm," so they should have a blast and are removed from the boring doctors visits and any of the stress that comes with it. Grandma is going to be keeping them going with their homeschooling and they are very excited to show her what they do! :)

We are thankful to have gotten into Mayo so quickly. :) We have appointments over the next few days with neurosurgeons and neurologists. It'll be nice to have a little bit more info to help us decide what to do next.

Thanks again for all of the prayers, e-mails, packages, visits, food, juice, etc...We love you all, and are every so grateful for YOU.

Hey friends and family,

I just want you to know that I have been recieving your e-mails, and am ever so grateful for the love and the support. I cannot respond to everyone at this time, but will do so as time allows. I just want you to know that I appreciate your well wishes, and offers of help. I'm sure we will be taking you up on some of it, as our pets and kids would rather hang out with all of you than at the doctor's office! lol

God bless you all and big hugs to everyone! :)

Hello friends and family!!!

I have been away from this old computer for a long time, and will be away for awhile as we continue reaclimating and simply enjoying our life in the States. In a month or so, I will try to squeeze in the time to post updates and what not. We are all doing wonderfully...busy with the joys of kittens and bunnies, and all things that go along with girlhood and family life in America.

We said "goodbye" to my Grandma Bette recently, as she passed away on the 17th of August. She will be greatly missed. We are all just so grateful that we were home and I was able to see her one more time here on this earth.

God bless you all, and we'll have to chat soon!!!

Happy 8th Birthday Sweet Makaela!!! The birthday morning, looking out the window watching for Daddy to arrive for lunch.

Happy Birthday!!!

Laura stopped by before the party to drop off a gift--beautiful scarves that her mother crocheted that can be used as a belt also.

Our birthday princess

Daddy being silly as usual

Makaela received LOTS of books so she can keep using her Portuguese! :)

Giving each other "pedicures" with the sparkle lotion Makaela received

Makaela had a wonderful 8th birthday! Everything was princess pink, including her. The fun continues for Makaela as she is anticipating celebrating her 8th birthday again when we arrive in the States. Since we are so close to our return date, the grandmas didn't send the presents on to Brazil, but on to our little yellow house back home in Illinois. We are planning a birthday bash back home where friends and Grandma's can participate. It's been two years since the girls have shared their birthdays with their grandparents, and they are anxious to start up the tradition again!!! :)

Last night was very sad for me, as I am such a selfish mommy wishing time would slow down--maybe even come to a full stop--a pause button would be nice. I cried for a long time after my little Makaela went to sleep, all pink and basking in the glow of new presents to play with in the morning. I honestly can't believe how fast the baby years and the toddler years slipped through my fingers. Now we are in the school girl years which are the sweetest yet, but how fast they too are escaping me. I want to capture every moment and bury it deep in my heart to treasure forever. I hate every memory that has eluded me. I don't want to forget anything. Every year the joy deepens and the fun increases as the girls come more into themselves, but at the same time I have a piercing longing for things to stay as they are, and a reluctance to let go of who they once were--my babies.

The girls are really loving softball now!!!

Salto do Yucuma on Saturday afternoon

Our crazy friends--too close the edge for me!!!

Throwing a stone from Brazil to Argentina

Andrew and Makaela enjoying the view

Friday nights with a Max Lucado video and their favorite "stuffed" animals

Friday afternoon at the Tres do Maio fair

This rickety old thing was a little too rickety for our tastes

This was the girls' first ride that took them anywhere off the ground. They appreciate that I'm loosening the apron strings a little bit!!! lol

Five weeks until we leave for home!!! Last night Makaela was talking about going home, and she said, "it feels like forever (until we leave), when I think about how it's like heaven there (the U.S)."

All of us, except for Makaela, are nervous about going home. We are so pumped and ready to resume all of the little details of life that we miss, and yet are a little uneasy about going through the transition from one culture to the next again. There are weird little things that start to seem normal, and some habbits that you're not sure if it's universal, Brazilian, or American--whether it's how you drink water out of a water bottle, to stopping at stop signs--to how you greet your friends, so many things are different. We are also afraid of forgetting all that has happened here, of forgetting all we have learned. We are planning on continuing Portuguese lessons weekly, and a good friend of mine from here will be moving to Moline, with her family in September. It will be so awesome to have her in town. She has two kids the same age as my girls, so it will be nice for all of us to stay in touch with our Portuguese and the culture the girls have assimilated into.

We aren't planning anymore trips in South America. Our last trip to Argentina left a bad taste in our mouths. :) Everything is harder to facilatate here. Makaela is right when she says the U.S. feels like heaven. It does in comparison. Brazil is gorgeous--the areas that God made that is. Illinois doesn't really compare to it's tropical beauty, but the infrastructure back home, is a paradise in and of itself. Our trip to Buenos Aires, left us stranded between angry tobacco farmers blockading the road, and a ferry that had already closed for the day. The police and milatary were useless, and were wholly at the mercy of the farmers. So, we sat for 3 hours on the road while a lot of the folks around us decided to get drunk and party--what else is there to do, right? So, when the farmers were pleased with themselves, and felt that they had sufficiently disrupted transit, they moved the blockade, and let 100 angry cars, half of them drunk pass by---oh, my word--that was pretty freaky to be driving down a one lane unlit highway in the dark with everyone trying to pass everyone else!!! And, the story continues...but, it's too long...but the moral of the story is we will enjoy the ease of traveling in the U.S.!!! :)