Less than 24 hours now!

Ok, mommy's getting more nervous by the hour here! Why? Have no idea!!! I've let alot of the adoptive community know about Matthew and his surgery and am just asking for prayer that everything goes according to plan and with minimal pain and that our boy CAN HEAR!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYTHING!!!!

I do not know if I will be online to tell you guys anything or keep you informed as Children's Hospital has some sort of "jammer" or something that won't allow our laptop wireless to get connected to the Internet, but we'll try and let you know something AS SOON AS WE CAN! Honest!

I will have my calculus book with me reading and doing alot of problems during the wait and during recovery, so I'll be just fine. As long as I know Matthew is ok, I'm ok.

Please say a prayer for him. He's one tough cookie at 3 years old and has already been through at least 4 surgeries now. That's more than I've had in my life! (2)

Momma Kooky

This is THEE week!

This is Matthew's surgery week. Everything is a GO. We've had a slight change in doctor's who will take out Matthew's decayed tooth, but everything is alright. Dr. Obeid forgot one small detail..........HE WOULD BE ON THE WEST COAST on February 1st. Um, yeah. He's one busy dude! Trust me. Anyway, a doctor at Children's will remove it. Again, the ear tubes will take about 15 minutes to do. (providing nothing is wrong) They will clean both of his ears real well, slit his ear drums, put in the tubes and be done. Then? I think the tooth is removed next. (Have to ask the Surgical nurse who calls us) That seems to be like a simple open the mouth, and tug real hard, pack the spot and end of story UNLESS...........the tooth totally falls apart. Then? Who knows. I'm guessing they will cut it out. LUCKILY, the plastic surgeon/reconstructive surgeon will be there to do his part which is to fix Matthew's flattened nose and "Elvis" lip. *Matthew cannot close his lip like the rest of us can.*

OH yeah, the nose and lip part of it? It will take about an hour and a half to do. So Matthew will be "under" for about 2 hours. Maybe 2 1/2. He did well before, in September. Let's hope it's just as good this time too!

Alot to be done. In a short amount of time, yet, I'm hoping we can go home that evening. I hope so. I really don't want Matthew to be hurting, but at the same time, staying the night, or two, at Children's is NOISEY!

Matthew has already been set up for a post-op hearing test to be done February 8th. I can't wait. HE'S GONNA HEAR! I JUST KNOW IT! HE HAS TO! They have warned us about "sensatory overload" for him when he wakes up from surgery. Since he's never heard alot of sounds the right way before, HE WILL when he wakes up from surgery. He may have to have cotton in his ears or those plug things for awhile because he just won't know what to do about everything he hears.

Think about it, his whole world is about to change AGAIN to hear. Instead of hearing things like he is underwater, he will actually hear!!! No Charlie Brown wamp, wa, wah, sounds...........I can't wait.

Please join with us in prayer for Matthew. Please.........that everything will go according to plan and the tooth comes out just fine.

We will be leaving MIGHTY early Friday morning. Aunt K will have Becca Boo, so no problems there. As soon as we hear something from surgery, we'll try and post as soon as we can!!!! :o)

Momma Kooky

Our beautiful kiddos!!!!

Well, alright. So many have been emailing and "getting on us" about not having more pictures of the kids. You do know we are busy, right?! And school is back in session once again. EXCEPT this time, Daddy AND Mommy are both going to school. (Mommy online, CALCULUS! *ugh*) Daddy is physically going to a college nearby our house. He has school on Tuesday/Thursday and then another class on Wednesday. I don't know about daddy, but I can tell you that mommy is stressing just a tad.

Anyway, enough about us. DO YOU SEE OUR BEAUTIFUL KIDS!?!?!?! Aren't they cuter than anything you've seen?! I love this picture. Rebecca is so beyond her years. In a way it's a good thing, but in another? It's not, because she doesn't allow herself to be a KID! Hey, it has nothing to do with Mom and Dad! This is all her! Honest. She is mother hen to Matthew. Matthew loves to rebel against her too! I think he knows it agitates her so much!!!! hehehhee....*s*

Rebecca is doing well in daycare. She's EXCELLING BIGTIME at Awana's. (at our church) She is THEE ONLY 4 year old who knows every scripture (and I mean, EVERY) since she has started with them about 2 1/2 months ago. That's alot. She has about 8 patches to show for it on her little vest too. She loves Awana's. The teacher has given her extra things to do because she was doing everything and getting bored. Imagine that...................Oh, Rebecca also wants to join the church youth choir. She'll be the youngest one, but I tell ya, SHE'S READY!

Matthew is doing well. We took him in for his last speech evaluation (to know where to place him within the program) last Friday as well as had his PRE-OP testing done for Children's Hospital in two weeks. His speech eval was again, something I wish I didn't have to see. He didn't do so well. The Cognitive and Intellectual part of it, he is a WHIP at that. The therapist said she didn't know of a 3 year old who could put together a puzzle (that was a cow with multiple parts, that Matthew had never seen before) in 30 seconds, like MATTHEW DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She timed him! I was sitting right there. He did it, just like that. I'm not even sure Rebecca could do something like that and she's 4! Where Matthew excels in one area, he is really "not-so-good" in another. EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE! He failed, he failed OH MY GOSH did he fail. It got to the point that the sw/therapist was asking ME, his mom, "What did he say?" "Did he say this?" "Does he know this word?"

*******My first thought was, OH HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!!*********

I had to answer for Matthew. (audibly understandable) There were about 50 words given to him to repeat and he only got about 5 explicitly audibly correct. The rest were either missing vowels, or syllables, or just not even coherent. BUT, this is a good thing. They know where to start with him. They know were he needs extra help! And he'll get this help! I'm so glad. I know once Matthew gets the ear tubes in his ears and gets speech, people will understand him just as much as you understand me writing all of this!! *so happy*

Remember, February 1st. Before the chickens are passing gas, we'll be on our way to Children's Hospital in Washington, DC for Matthew's surgery. They are saying we will be there at least a day..........maybe two. I just don't know. We'll play it by ear.

Say a prayer, please...as a mother, I pray for so many folks and their requests, I would surely appreciate it if you would remember us. Thank you.

Momma Kooky

OH HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (o happy day)

I love that song! *thinking of Sister Act* When Jesus washed.......(when Jesus washed) When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)...........He washed my sins away....


Anyway.........I like that movie. So, once I started that song I had to keep going with it.


GREAT NEWS!!!!!! We now have 3, count them, 3 surgeons onboard for Matthew's February 1st surgery! PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!! We have to do some extra pre-op stuff at Washington Hospital Center on January 22nd, but that's ok. Dr. Obeid said yes to the surgery and he wants to see how bad this tooth is in Matthew's mouth, if he's lost more of the tooth and whether or not it will need to be cut out of his mouth or "yanked". YES! I'm so happy! My boy is getting what he needs done and the Lord has swung open the doors to do it! YES!

On a side note, we do have to go for another hearing test for Matthew. The full spectrum one with the fiber optic stuff and what not. (for the speech team) They want to get a before the surgery and then after the surgery so they can tell if Matthew can truly hear better with the tubes in his ears. I hope he can hear EVERYTHING! (and then some) Because right now, he isn't hearing much. Well, it was explained to me like being under water and hearing someone call you (which you honestly can't hear too well) or on TV's Charlie Brown specials.....hearing the wham wha wha wa stuff. Either way, it's not good.

Matthew has started showing signs of developmental delay anger because he isn't being heard/understood very well. He gets frustrated. I AM GETTING FRUSTRATED because I can understand my boy, why can't everyone else?!?!?!?! You just have to take the time to listen to him, that's all. But.......anyway, he's acting out at daycare by throwing off his shoes and tossing them across the room, or hitting. Matthew is NOT, by any means, a bad kid. NO WAY! He's so docile! He's my sensitive little man. So we have asked the daycare to fully discipline him by taking things away from him to let him know this is NOT appropriate behavior. (they wanted to know if this was too strong.........HA! Um, NO! I don't want to have my kid being a bully by hitting. DUH!)

Anyway......We are working with Matthew to let him know that this is NOT a good thing to do. Also, we are trying to introduce "avenues" for him when he gets frustrated with no one listening to him or understanding him. That part is harder, but we have told the speech crew about this already. They are aware of it and will help him also. *thank you Lord*

Other than that.........next week starts all the "work" for Matthew. We have another full speech evaluation on the 18th to see where to start Matthew for speech. Also on the 18th, we have a pre-op appointment to make sure he is good to go for surgery. Then on the 22nd, Washington Hospital Center.

By then? We'll get the call from the pre-op nurse for when we need Matthew at Children's and everything will go from there. I know he will be at least one day at Childrens Hospital. (got confirmation from the insurance company on that)

Pray with us. Please........it's alot for our little man, but it'll be ok. Hey, what can go wrong with God in control?! Puhleez.............. *smiling* (O Happy Day...)

Momma Kooky

A little bit of this, a little bit of that............

Well, Matthew's evaluation through the public school system was well? Out of 4 sections, Matthew didn't pass 3 1/2. (But, he excelled at intellect and cognitive thinking!!! He also excelled at physical achievements. He's not suppose to be able to jump on one leg, he can. He's not suppose to jump over bricks/2x4's in a straight line, HE CAN!) This is a GOOD thing though. He will get the help that he needs! He is being evaluated with more indepth precision (to see where to start him at) on January 18th. He also gets his pre-op tests done on January 18th. OH yeah........he needs another round of hearing tests done too. Not sure of the date for that just yet. Waiting to hear from the audiologist.

So far, keeping our fingers crossed, the surgery is still on for February 1st. I'm still trying to see if the surgeon from Washington Hospital Center can take Matthew's tooth out on the 1st. Haven't heard back from them just yet. (been calling today, but no answer)

Matthew is doing much better with the Asthma. MUCH better. He just gets one nebulizer treatment once a day, in the evening, for that.


Ok, mommy's turn! I had so much fun on Sunday morning! I was up there on the stage singing with the Praise Team! OH Lord it was so much fun. I had a blast! I knew the songs. I just did what felt great! Sing! Seeing the congregations faces was cool too! Lots of folks loved the faster songs! I did notice that. Something else I noticed were people who knew me pointing at me and saying, WHAT? (ie, the Pastor's Wife!) hehehehehe.....*s* I didn't tell her. She was shocked and amazed!

I know some folks have already asked me to get something together for Easter. I'm trying to figure out now, what I'd like. I have so many good songs. When I know, or if you have a favorite tell me!, I'll let you know.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Just wanted to say Happy New Year and may it be blessed beyond your imagination! I'm personally hoping that the Lord blows the socks off of ALL of our friends. (Just something I've been praying for as of lately! Just hoping, that's all.)

Matthew is doing much better with his Asthma. The breathing treatments are working, we have him on a "controller" med that is helping him to not have an all in all out asthma attack again. He's been doing GREAT! Let's pray he stays sick free for quite a while. He sees Dr. Silpa again this Friday for a follow up.

We did see the oral maxillofacial surgeon on Monday. He hooked us up with the head of Oral Surgery at the Washington Hospital Center who also helps with oral surgery at Children's Hospital. Matthew's tooth has gotten worse since taking him to the dentist. It's actually breaking apart now. The oral surgeon said this had nothing to do with us and brushing his teeth. This started way back, he said. Like YEARS. Matthew's only 3! It's amazing. It truly is. Just to know that because of poor dental care since birth, this has happened. But, we do what we can now......

So, our two options are to have Dr. Obeid do it when Matthew goes under February 1st, or Dr. Ismali will pull it before February 1st. (It's that bad.) I hope to get in contact with Dr. Obeid tomorrow about this. The holidays have really messed alot of things up.......including doctor's appointments and such.

Other than that, Rebecca is the one who is sick at the moment. Not sure what it is, but she's got one heck of a cough!! Tried some new OTC stuff on her today which has helped tremendously! *thank you Lord*

Oh yeah, speech evaluation results are tomorrow. We should know more about what help we can get for Matthew from the county. Pray for this one! Please.....we know Matthew needs help from speech personnel. When the speech therapists have to ask us what our son is saying, um, YEAH............he needs some help! Dontcha think?

Enough........number one son needs a nightime kiss goodnight! ;o) *love that* And his WA AI NI said to him.

Momma Kooky