Sincere Apologies!

To everyone who has emailed, called, posted on their own blogs about us, etc. etc., I apologize for not posting in such a long time. One good reason though. Our laptop's motherboard has died! I'm using a friend's computer to do this posting.

Update on the kids:

First day of school has gone very well. Rebecca loves school and is having fun. She's actually a little bored with school. Don't worry, we've already spoken with her teacher about this and it was mentioned that possibly Rebecca might change classes with an "accelerated" kindergarten class. We'll see. She's smart. I tell ya. Both in deed and in education. She's already reading, already writing, doing reading comprehension with story timelines and doing spelling words. Most of these things are at a First Grade level. Again, we'll see if she gets moved up. I have reservations about it.

Matthew? He likes school. At least he did. We are having problems with the other kids understanding Matthew, which I thought might be a problem, but didn't really "fret" about it. Well, in talking with his new speech therapist, it's now a problem. He is starting up speech immediately on Tuesdays and Fridays. The teachers understand him plain as day. It's the other kids who have problems. We are working on that.

Mom and Dad are working away. Surviving, no courses for anyone at the moment. Taking a break and gearing up for a Norwegian visit coming soon. It's Roy's mom. We are totally excited about her coming to the USA. This will be her second visit in about 5 years? Yeah, about 5 years. She will stay with us from before the Thanksgiving holiday to after New Year's! Rebecca is ready to see her again. Matthew? Well, he's a little intimidated by her only because he hasn't seen her yet. He doesn't know what to expect. He'll love her. She'll love him. This will be the best Christmas EVER!

Pray for me, Momma Kooky. My job. Just stressful. Pray for provision, promotion and protection! Please.......Same for Roy too.

Well, since we are on someone else's machine, i don't want to take up too much time. Pictures will come......they will. Just be patient. We are trying to get our pc downstairs in working order for the internet. Bye for now..........((hugs))

Call me crazy, but.............

There is a bunch of lumber sitting in our yard and colored stuff (lumber) as well. It's our DECKING stuff! Yes.........after years, and years of watching others sit on their decks and drink champagne and eating caviar.........oh wait, sorry, dreaming there for a moment...........drinking their coffee and listening to the birds sing, well.......our deck is about to be built off the back of our house. It will be a modest deck. 12 x 20. It's going to be made with TREX (composite decking), so don't ever say we didn't go GREEN! :o)


Now, when will it be done? Not sure. Soon though. We have all of our building permits, county permits, HOA permits........and any other permits you need. *apparently you need quite a few where we live* I can't wait. My Italian kitchen will have it's theme and I will most likely carry that theme to the deck as well. I've been looking for some deck furniture, but nothing has hit my fancy enough to get yet. Close, but nah. Not yet.


That's our project so far. After that, Kooky heads off to Denver, CO and Dallas, TX for some business! ;o) And after that, it's a week of VACATIONING in the quiet sunshine and getting ready for Rebecca's first day of school! Do you know that we need, Hannah Montana shirts, shoes, socks, pants, pencils, paper, folders, glue sticks..............and I'm suppose to find all this with the Hannah Montana logo on them? PUH - LEEZE! She's in for a rude awakening! Ha! We'll see. Oh, I forgot the most important thing........THE BACKPACK and LUNCHBOX! Oh let's not even go there. We'll see what we end up with. Right now, I can't even think about that yet. First, the deck and we'll go from there.

And how's YOUR neck of the woods? Hmmmmm????? Care to share?


Momma Kooky (who has one week before flying to Denver, CO)

Just a quick update.....

WHAT A LONG, LONG, LONG day at Children's Hospital..................


Just wanted to update you on Matthew. His teeth will stay in place for now. Yesterday, at Children's Hospital, he showed no signs of pain for his teeth or the one in particular that we think was giving him pain (the one growing in his palate). We had 3 people from dental and one person from orthodontics look at Matthew and they all said to "leave it alone" unless it is a constant pain/threat to Matthew. So we were ok with that.



To answer the question, would it leave a hole in the palate? They said yes, but that tissue would probably build back in there and close off the space. *best guesstimate*

Other questions answered? His nose. It's getting lopsided because of the graft that was put in so his nose wouldn't be so flat........well, it will be need to be fixed, but not at the present time. His lip is PERFECT, as the surgeon said......took lots of pictures of that....one of his mouth (hanging upside down from Daddy, mind you) and yes, there seems to be another pinhole of a hole in his palate again. We are just monitoring it. It will be fixed also.

We are looking at 3 to 4 years for his HARD palate reconstruction surgery! It's already in the early planning stages per our plastic surgeon. He was talking about it yesterday.



One big downer yesterday............Matthew failed his hearing test again for his left ear. (cleft affected ear) He didn't do so well on the hearing test, again. They think his tube has moved, or is moving out of his eardrum. We have to make an apointment with his ENT to see what's going on. Passed with flying colors with his right ear though. (Again, the right ear is compensating for what the left ear doesn't hear. Not necessarily a good thing, mind you.)

So............we'll make the appt.'s and see what to do from there........

Momma Kooky

Here's the scoop.............

Yes, Matthew has one of those weirdo teeth that decided to come in WRONG and it came down in his palate. *not good* Yes, it may need to come out. *that's what our regular dentist said* NO we are NOT letting them take it out because if they do, it leaves a HOLE in Matthew's palate again and we are NOT going through palate surgery again for that!!!! *may have to, may not* Here's where the GOOD stuff comes in.....

God's great isn't He?! Matthew already had an appointment to see the Craniofacial team at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC the end of June. Well, we just moved it up and I took a chance and asked for June 2nd.......figuring that would be filled up..........THEY FIT US IN because Matthew is having pain from this tooth! Thank you Lord! So, we ride up there this coming Tuesday, Xrays and all and see what they want to do.

You have to remember that during the Craniofacial team appointment, we see about 7 doctors in all. 2 of which are the folks that did his palate/lip reconstruction work, and the dental/orthrodontic folks. So we'll be in GOOD hands! Matthew is definitely ok with this.

I wish I could put his xray online. It's kinda wicked to see. He has all his teeth in the gumline and then this one bright white tooth laying overtop of the rest of the teeth. That's the one that is inside his palate part of his mouth. (roof of his mouth) He doesn't like it. He says it hurts him, although we've seen him eat a piece of ice! Go figure........most of the time, like 85% of the time, he WILL NOT eat anything hard/chew hard things. (ie, meats) He'd rather go hungry or just eat the softer stuff.

So, look for another post next week on what we are told from Children's! Should be interesting. Please pray for NO MORE SURGERIES unless absolutely, positively, no doubtingly needed. ;o)

Momma Kooky

Matthew.........Matthew..............and more Matthew

Well, over the weekend I think we found out why Matthew doesn't want to eat anything hard or crunchy. He has a very loose tooth. Yes, he's only 4 years old, but one of his teeth which has come in north to south instead of teeth like everyone else, west to east...........is MIGHTY loose. I have no idea why but today we will find out. We are going to the dentist. He doesn't mind going. He likes our dentist. She's cool. Plus, you get to pick a toy from the treasure chest! So yeah, he's a happy camper!!!

As I was talking with the dentist yesterday trying to tell her what the problem was, she told me that cleft children sometimes have teeth which come in wrong, like Matthew's and they come down outside of the gumline, which is what this tooth has done. It is because of the cleft palate/lip. Even though it was fixed, doesn't matter, the "damage" to the gumline and gums was already done. It could be that, or it could be something totally different. But it was reassuring to know that she had experience with cleft children.

So, today at 3pm, we head to the dentist. Just momma kooky and Matthew. Just pray there is no pain involved. Matthew's already been through painful procedures and I WILL NOT HAVE HIM BE IN PAIN! Actually, someone asked me the other day at church how many surgeries has Matthew had already. We aren't totally sure (especially about in China) but we think at least 4 or 5 surgeries already. And he's only 4! And yes, he will have to endure more in the future, but that's when he's like 7 or 8ish. (for the hard palate to be placed)

Wish us luck and say a prayer! ;o)

You ever had one of those WOW moments that haunts you a bit?

Well, I guess I did. I had someone recently tell me how neat it was to watch me and Roy interact with one another (and this person knows about how we met via the Internet, some 11 plus years ago). She just said watching Roy and I was like seeing my parents marriage. Honestly? I just said thanks and kept doing what I was doing and didn't think twice about it. But I've been thinking about it more and more.

So, I dedicate this post to my husband/our marriage/our family. I tell you, starting out is like taking a step into the deep blue water of the ocean! You don't know how deep it is, or if it will consume you, or drown you.........I would say our marriage is pretty deep. We have our ups and downs. I think if you didn't have those, someone is giving into the other spouse most of the time and they aren't very happy about it. I can't tell you how many people told me I was a fool for marrying Crazy Daddy! (Roy) Everyone just knew he was an ax murderer. (As he says, he's never murdered one ax in his lifetime! HA!) I don't regret one thing that I did to marry the man of my dreams.

What's even nicer is that we have NO interference from his family, or from mine! No mother or mother-in-law's who can't stand me or Roy. No nagging or "you should do things this way or that way". NOPE, and you know what? I'm a strong enough woman to put my foot down to tell my mom (or Roy's mom) to say this is MY marriage, NOT yours. Please don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong! My mother was NEVER like that. Nor my father. (both are deceased) Roy's mom? She isn't like that either! She'll be staying with us this fall for a couple of months! I can't wait! She's from Norway! Can't wait.

Alot of my friends have overbearing, overpowering mothers or fathers who really give them grief about their marriages. WHY!?!??! To me, I believe the Bible. A man shall leave his mother and a woman leave her family to become one! Why don't people understand that verse?! They'd be alot happier in my mind. Anyway......having someone else see my marriage and see how I interact with my husband, well, it's neat. I guess. I don't "act" for them, that's for sure! Ha, Roy knows me better than that. I say what I think! Sometimes it gets me in trouble, but sometimes, it makes others think! Sometimes it's needed.

I can say this. NOTHING, but NOTHING will ever come between my husband and my family and myself. I'll die first! NO ONE, NOTHING, NO circumstance, NOTHING! Absolutely nothing. You can bank on that one.

You know? My parents anniversary is around now. Forgot what day, actually. I had good role models. Excellent role models. They'd be proud of me. I know that in my heart, my parents are proud of me and my family.

Wow moments have a tendency to make you really think! Dang! Yes, 11 years of marriage let's you reflect too. I WOULDN'T TRADE ANYTHING! The ups, the downs, the adoptions, the traveling, the homes, the continents, no........The Lord has blessed Roy and I and we thank Him enormously for his graciousness and loving ability to trust us with His most precious jewels.

I thank God for my family, for friends and family who know how to keep their distance and breathe life into my family and myself. Folks like that are very hard to come by! I am thankful for becoming a mother and for being taught each and every day that I'm only here for a short time.........my true life/home is not on Earth, but in Heaven! THANK YOU FATHER THAT MY CHILDREN KNOW YOU ALREADY and that Becca Boo knows you in an intimate way! Thank you for her salvation! Thank you that her life will be with you! I continue to pray for Matthew's life. May his name be in the book of Life soon, Lord! Just like Becca's!

Ok, the tears are starting...........emotions are from you Lord. When it comes to my family, well, yeah, they flow.

May today be a good day in the Lord for you and your family! Live to the fullest, whether you want to or not! ;o)

Momma Kooky

Matthew's feeling better BUT?????????? And Rebecca's BIG DAY!

Well? Matthew is feeling better from the Asthma attack. Still on his nebulizer, but doing better. To add to that, he now has something called FIFTH's disease which is apparently ALL OVER our county! I know where he got it from too! *church* Fifth's disease is a nuisance more than anything. He can't give it to anyone, but he looks funny when it spurs. Let me explain......Matthew had someone in his Awana class that had Fifth's disease and the mother told everyone that it was ok, her son couldn't pass it on to anyone. HA! *mumbling under breath* Fifth's disease makes your body turn red, especially your cheeks, ears and neck. Matthew, being Chinese, doesn't have the trunk/body puzzling look. Thank goodness. But, it takes apparently about 5 weeks to get rid of. It's a "strep" type of thing. Called his pediatrician and she said, "It must run it's course". *nice*

And Rebecca's BIG DAY? SCHOOL REGISTRATION! Ya! WOO HOO! HALLELUJAH! PRAISE GOD! Let the angels sing! I mean, yes, it's a day to register children to attend Kindergarten. This Thursday. We have found ALL documents and we are READY! We are also ready to hopefully, Lord willing, to send Matthew to pre-k at the same Elementary school, where he will have continuous care of his SPEECH problems! Pray for that one! I have to admit, I hope Rebecca's new teacher can keep her at bay! Rebecca is a very structured child. NEEDS structure. DESPERATELY! Always has. She gets bored rather quickly if she's not kept busy.

Rebecca is very smart though. I've already had some people ask me if she was in First grade. Or were we going to skip Kindergarten altogether and go to First grade. Um, NO! What she lacks, is more on a Kindergarten level, but yet, education wise, she's a tad beyond Kindergarten. So we'll see. We'll see what the educators think and where she places in some testing and so forth.

MOM CAN'T WAIT! Actually, neither can dad! hehehe....*s*

Oh yeah, the squirrels in our attic, we think, are totally gone now and the hole in the soffet is fixed, so YEAH! No more little feet running to and fro in the attic! We get an estimate on our deck for the house soon! Momma is VERY happy about that. Also, mom is feeling better from a small bout of Bronchitis. *thank God for meds*

Other than that? Everybody's good. Pictures of the new kitchen table are coming along with our new refrigerator! (It's one like we had in Norway. Freezer is on the bottom.)

Happy Early Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there!

Momma Kooky

Just a quickie to tell you..............

Matthew has had another Asthma attack. It was just a matter of time, I'm sure. The pollen is EVERYWHERE! On the cars, IN the cars, in the air.............last night he had his first one in a while. Totally couldn't breathe, but with medicine and the nebulizer treatments, he's ok today. Still "wheezy"............but he can breathe.

Keep him in your prayers. I'm personally praying for RAIN! Just enough to wash out most of the tree pollen for a bit to help all people with allergies. Will let you know more later.


Momma Kooky

YOU HAVE TO CHECK THIS LADY OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!

She is totally awesome!!!!! Please go and listen to her!!! You won't be disappointed!!!

Susan Boyle sings "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables on "Brittains got talent"

Birthday Wish Answered...............

I have thee MOST coolest hubby in the world! I have NEW kitchen flooring!!! THANK YOU LORD!!!!!!!!!! It's sitting in the middle of the kitchen and the living room (because it's sooooo long) but it's here.........have to move ALOT of stuff to get it down, but it'll be done!!! *happy, happy*

BIRTHDAY alert............BIRTHDAY alert

Yes, it's MOMMA KOOKY'S birthday, April 5th. I have only asked for ONE thing for my birthday. Whether I get it? I don't know. I really need/want a kitchen floor! Since Roy took up our laminate flooring (those interlocking pieces), our floor is just, well.........horrible! I can clean it until the cows come home, then fly again, then come home again............doesn't matter. It still looks dirty. It still is ripped. It still is dingy, old, beat up, worn out.....ok, I don't need to say anything more. End of story. So, I'm hoping/praying for a new kitchen floor. Honestly. *pray with me, the more, the merrier*

Oh yeah, turning the big 30 plus ten. Ah, the thought of being wise. I've got the gray hair (although I dye it every chance I can get), I do have wisdom that toddler's love to hear (and sometimes not).............but the real question is this, AM I A CRAZY fool for thinking/acting like 40 is the real 20? OH PUHLEEZE people! Get a life! 40 is 40. No way around it. So I wish everyone would stop telling me, it's no big deal, it's just like turning 30, your over acting on this, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda.............People? You need to understand ONE HUGE thing.............

Most of my family has died at a pretty young age. (immediate family) 50ish is about the median age we are talking about. So yeah, I think of things like this. Does it scare me? Yes, a little. Do I worry about dying? NO. I KNOW where I'm going. Do I want to get there before anyone else? Not really. I want to see my kids enjoy life. I have alot of spunk in me. I don't have any time for nonsense. But, it's still in the back of my mind. If you can understand that, you'd understand some 'gitters' in that thought process.

________________________________________________________

On a better note, Rebecca has been on GREEN for two days now! *and mom asks, what's gotten into her?* hehehehe....*s* She's been good. I have to say, we are giving her better avenues to take when people make her angry, or mad, or upset. It's mostly the BOYS that get on her nerves. (there are mostly boys at the daycare. One girl? I think.) I think this will help her out alot. Most of the time when we would ask her what is wrong, or why she got on yellow or red...........she'd say well so and so hit me and I got them back. (retaliation) So and so wouldn't play with me, so I told them not to play with so and so either. (revenge) Ah, the toddler age! Do I want to be there again? HECK NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, mom and dad have given her options on how to treat different situations. So far, it's working with the end result being GO GET THE DAYCARE TEACHER. Praise God, it's WORKING!

So, it's my birthday, you coming to my party?! LOL
Is my husband throwing me a party? ROFLMHBO! *wink*

Momma Kooky

Becca, Becca, Becca............

Everyone we've ever met says the same thing about Becca Boo. She is going to be leader. "You've got one mega leader on your hands!" Geez........I'm beginning to think that folks just might be right.

Do you know how many times she's been in "trouble" for telling others what to do, for telling others how to do it, for talking back to folks who tell her to stop that/or for telling HER how to do something???? Um, let's see, how many granules of sand are at the beach?!?!?! I do see potential in her. I honestly do. BUT....her personality is one that can be very abrasive at times (especially to those who don't have a clue of what she is trying to show them/tell them something), or super compassionate or super "thinker mode".

Trying to tame or reel in this side of my daughter can be quite challenging. She knows right from wrong. Doesn't always do it, mind you, but knows it. Has a HUGE understanding of what God (and her parents) expect of her, as a 5 year old little girl. But........trying to reign in the strong side of her is proving to be a feat, I'm telling you. If you have no clue about strong willed children, YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE!

For days now.......which now seems like weeks on end, Becca has been coming home with either Yellow or a Red color from daycare. (They use the green = great kid all day, or the yellow = had a mishap or two, and red = JUST ONE COMPLETELY BAD DAY! Try again tomorrow.) Becca's mostly had yellows, but the red color has shown it's evil head twice now.

Talk about nasty. Look at Matthew? Happy, go lucky, even keeled, nothing bothers him, and the opposite? Becca! Oy, yoy, oy! And this is at age 5. I cannot imagine what age 11 - 20 will bring! Lord help us! Please.......

She wants to cook, she wants to wash dishes, she wants to clear the table, she wants to clean her room, she wants to clean Matthew's room (to show him how its REALLY done), she wants to vaccuum, she wants to clean their bathroom (kids bathroom, um, NOT! not yet anyway), she wants to practice her handwriting, she wants to read, she wants to be one up on everyone else her age, she wants to meet her new school teacher, she wants to school shop already, she wants to OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!! This is what she has told me in the last month! Now do you get why I'm just flabbergasted at most of this.........I'm NOT like this. Daddy isn't like this. WHERE IS SHE GETTING THIS FROM!?!?!?!?!

I have a headache already.

Momma Kooky.........getting more grey hair by the second.

Matthew's doing better..........

Just have some folks asking about Matthew and he's been doing ok. He's down to just one treatment a day now. (Pulmicort) He's better. Today he looks like someone's hit him in the eye (left eye). It's allergies. It was somewhat warm and then turned cold quick!! He's been rubbing his eyes. So there's where that comes from.

Everyone's doing well. Just working, going to school, cooking, cleaning, the norm, you know. I have been wishing for a vacation lately. Gosh does it sound good.

Nothing much to really write about. No one is having a birthday, no anniversaries, no nothing. Boring, I know. I almost want to keep it that way.

One good thing is that we get to register Rebecca for school soon. OH BOY!

Other than that? Be good, thank God for everyday you draw a breath and keep truckin! ;o)

Momma Kooky

Pray for our Matthew...........

Matthew has had a pretty good sized Asthma Attack. It started Saturday evening while we were at the FIREPROOF movie at our church. He was running around having fun, then we settled them down to sleep a bit while mommy and daddy enjoyed the movie. (It was awesome, by the way!!!) Anyway, he was breathing so weird. We get home, he already had a treatment. (Xopenex through the nebulizer) Sunday morning it was right back to the nebulizer. Then Sunday night............all I have to say is, Asthma is NOT something you just "wait around" for it to disappear. Matthew struggled to breathe. We put in a call to our pediatrician and they called us back.

We did as they told us and Matthew seemed ok for the moment to go to sleep. We checked on him constantly and he was fine. Then Monday......again, the nebulizer came out........it's getting a workout this weekend. We ended up taking him to the doctor where they took him in immediately because he was struggling to breathe again. His oxygen level was between 92 and 95. They were NOT happy with that. We immediately went into a room and were seen by the doctor. She said Matthew wasn't breathing as you and I would. He was "shallow breathing" meaning, if you just took 1 to 2 second breaths, you'd be breathing as Matthew was. It's not something they like to see in kids! They gave Matthew a treatment (another nebulizer treatment) except this time they upped his dosage. WOW..........you talk about night and day!!! He's now breathing better. Not great mind you, but his oxygen level was back up to 95 to 97. We have to keep up his treatments for awhile.

Needless to say, his attack was brought on by allergies. She's almost positive. She's seen most of her asthmatic patients who are allergic to trees/grasses already. *shouldn't be surprising being we've had some really warm days*

If you read this, and think of Matthew, just pray that this too will pass and that his air passage will open up normally again to allow him to take deep breaths again. Thanks!

Momma Kooky