The Sam's Experiment

Let me start off by making it clear that we ARE NOT wealthy people.  Ok.  Everybody got that?  Good . . . now let's move on.

Since we ARE NOT wealthy people, our family has learned to live on a monthly budget.  This means that at the 1st of every month, Craig and I sit down together and we discuss how much money will come in, and how much money we expect to spend in the different categories we've got lined up.  This works well for us.  Not that everything always works out to the penny, because there's plenty of times money doesn't come in as expected.  And there's plenty of times that things happen that can't be planned for, like car repairs, doctor visits, etc.  But for the most part, we plan pretty well the coming in's and going out's.  Its really helped us in keeping track of our money and being able to save for various things that we want to do, see, and experience.

Another thing its helped us to do is stay out of debt.  Craig and I have been married for seven years, and through careful planning and a little bit of frugality, we've managed to stay debt-free, with the exception of our monthly house payment.  So let me draw your attention back to the first statement.  I don't work outside of our home, so we live off of one income.  We certainly don't live lavishly.  My van is seven years old, and Craig's car is twelve years old, but they're paid for.  Our house is pretty big, but it certainly isn't fancy.  You won't find a single recessed light bulb, Jacuzzi tub, or swimming pool.  For us, its more important to have experiences as a family as opposed to stuff.  Not that stuff is bad, but we just like to have fun more.  The next point is a little bit of a 'grrr' between me and Craig, but I have to say that he's definitely in the right, because he LOVES to save money.  I love to SPEND money.  I'm not a big shopper, but again, I love vacations, roller coasters, and airplanes.  Those things all involve spending more than $20 at a time.  But, we save money and that's important . . . so says Craig.  Yes.  Roller coasters are not importa . . . oh yes they are.  Sometimes.

Anyway, since we became the family that has four children now (see that other post from a couple of weeks ago) we're learning to become even MORE frugal.  I love hand-me-downs, garage sales, thrift stores, and SAM'S CLUB.  So, here's my point . . .

Eating out and daily grocery store trips are no fun anymore . . . not at all.  Eating out sometimes seemed easier because of schedules that kept us here and there, and if I didn't plan a menu ahead of time, that required me figuring meals out on the fly and heading to Publix EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  I know every single aisle in that store, and I can tell you where an exact item is located on the aisle.  I don't like knowing that information.  If I know it that well, Publix should then hire me to work the phones from home giving out customer service information, so I'd rather be ignorant. 

I had an idea of getting a Sam's card and shopping there monthly for all of the food, personal care, and home cleaning supplies we'd use in a month.  The main goal was to buy all of our meat, lunch food, snacks, and drinks.  So, me and my mom headed down there the first Saturday that came in August.  I didn't have a list, simply because I wasn't sure what all I would find that we'd actually eat.  I wish I had taken a picture of my buggy . . . or buggIES.  I mean, do you know that Sam's buggies are GINORMOUS?  I filled up almost TWO ENTIRE BUGGIES.  It was absolutely awesome.  I bought it all . . . chicken, pork tenderloins, ground round, sandwich meat, cheese, frozen pizzas, chips, brownies, milk, vegetables, frozen BBQ . . . I can't even tell you all the stuff I bought.  What I CAN tell you, though, is that same day, I shooooore did go out and buy myself a deep freezer for the garage.  Filled that joker up.  That day, I spent $525 on food we'd eat for the entire month and for the other stuff we use frequently.  Now, Craig or I will go to Publix once or twice a week for fresh produce, bread, and the 'fillers' that we use for our meals.  But.  In one month, we've managed to save almost $300 from our food budget alone.  If we continue on this track, we'll have saved $3600 by the end of the year.  That's just on food cost alone! 

Please don't take all of this the wrong way.  I'm not writing this out of arrogance.  I've been in the circles of people that were trying to figure out cheaper and easier ways to feed our families, wash our clothes, and still save money in the process.  Many times, I've initiated those conversations just trying desperately to get ideas from other mamas.  But, oh my goodness,  I think I've figured it out!  Its by buying a SAM'S MEMBERSHIP!  $300 saved in a month is an awful lot for us.  I mean, do you realize that's a Six Flags trip?!

I do.  I realize it.  And I might just plan a little vacation for us.  And the Cowart girls, and maybe even Ellen.  But that's a whole 'nuther blog post . . .

Love,

Paige

Cardiology and IAC Check-Up

We've had a week of doctor's appointments.

We started off Monday at the cardiologist to have a re-check since we ditched three of her heart meds.  She's doing really well.  So well, in fact, that our kiddo is MEDICINE FREE!  Dr. Colvin didn't see the need to continue the Lasix that she was still taking, so he said we were done . . . for now.  When he did the ultrasound, we could see that there's still some backflow coming back in once the blood is pumped out, but he didn't think that it was enough to worry about for the time being.  He also checked her liver to make sure that there was no swelling there, and we got the all-clear on that, too.  We'll go back once more in six weeks to re-check, but he expects everything will be fine. 

Today we went back to the International Adoption Clinic for a follow-up.  Things have gotten kind of frustrating the last few days with Maya's eating and drinking, or the lack thereof, really.  We've been trying to get her used to a spoon since we left clinic the first time.  For the first week, things were really good and we believed that we were making some headway.  But, things got frustrating and she really began spitting more out than she took in.  We were never really trying to make a 'meal' out of the practice runs, just trying to get her desensitized to objects in her mouth.  The good thing is that her gag reflex finally went away.  When we first brought her home, and when we were still in Bulgaria, if anything even touched her tongue other than her bottle, she'd instantly gag.  She's not doing that anymore, but she's also STOPPED taking her liquids.  We were having to give her liquids through a syringe, but the last three days, she got to where she would get really upset, and she'd just hold it in her mouth.  Most of it would eventually come out.  Frustration doesn't do justice to what we were feeling.  We knew she needed to drink, especially before the appointment today.  We were going to try and get her blood drawn since we weren't able to do it last time, but it was a no-go again.  This is still due to her lack of fluids and a large part is also due to her low muscle tone.  Your veins are held in place by your muscles, and when there's no muscle to hold them, they kinda just flop all over the place.  That makes trying to get a stick very difficult.  We're gonna try that again in three months, hoping that between now and then these issues will be resolved somewhat.

Back to the liquids and feeding issues . . .  Dr. Chambers has told us just to stop trying to do the synringe method.  Since we're all getting frustrated with each other, she said it just wasn't worth it.  She's peeing well, so she's not dangerously dehydrated.  We had a session with the occupational therapist today (who also happens to be a feeding specialist) and she worked with her a lot on the spoon.  She also suggested that we try and just see what would happen if we just put straight formula in her bottle.  Do you know she took that stuff like a champ out of that bottle?  She ended up spitting up a good bit, but she got it in!  The plan now is to take the cereal out (since we really only used that to make the bottle thicker . . . there's really no nutritional benefit there) and just put formula and baby food in.  I tried that with her once we got home, and she did GREAT.  She did spit up some, but, by golly, she took it, and that was the goal.  I also tried working with her on her spoon feeding.  It wasn't anywhere near perfect, but we got through it and I think she kept a good bit in.  The problem is in swallowing.  With a bottle, she can't help but swallow.  It all comes from that little natural reflex we have as babies.  But with a spoon, its a different process, different feeling, and a different method that's completely foreign to her.  She doesn't even really know what in the world is going in her mouth, because all she's known is the feeling of that bottle nipple.  So, any progress is good progress, and today we've made an teeny-weeny amount of progress.

Maya also had an audiology appointment today.  Normal hearing tests would show that sound is acknowledged between 0-25 decibels, but most of her results came in a 40-50 decibels.  That may seem a little worrisome, but the audiologist thought that those results came in like that because that's where a child at her developmental age (6-9 months) would score.  The computer-based test that evaluated her cochlea looked fine, and they relied heavily on that, too. 

We'll keep seeing the feeding specialist in Birmingham until we get this resolved.  Its inconvenient, its costly, its frequent, but we vowed to do whatever it took to take care of her.  We want the best for her, and as far as this issue goes, this is best. 

We have a meeting with Early Intervention next Thursday, so we'll see where that takes us with her other therapy needs. 

Keep praying for us.  We all need understanding, patience, and GRACE to get through this 'stuff'.  Its not all fun and games, but we knew it wouldn't be.  Everything else is great, so we can be thankful that we only have to really focus on one big problem for now.

Love y'all!


Paige

We Have FOUR Kids Now

Four.

Four kids.

Craig and I walk around absent-mindedly sometimes just repeating this statement.

WE HAVE FOUR KIDS.

We're learning that constant noise, constant questions, and constant runs up and down the stairs
are very normal these days.

One day last week, we started laughing hysterically with what all was going on at the same time.  We had just finished dinner.  I had a load of laundry in the washing machine.  Our washing machine isn't balanced right or something, so lots of times, it sounds and feels like the entire house we live in is being shook right off of its foundation.  And at this particular moment, it started its spin cycle and we all started movin' and shakin'.  At the same particular moment, Maya was in her bouncy seat, moving her head 'round and 'round making her 'uuuuhhhhh ahhhhhh' noises, getting louder as her head moved around to the front and softer as it moved to the back.  Daisee had gotten pretty furious about the TV not being on her favorite show, so she was just standing there, screaming.  Gavin was sitting with his elbows propped up on the table, BEGGING me to let him get up, because he just couldn't eat ANY. MORE.  And Ryan was just . . . well, he was just there, taking it all in. Please, people.  Imagine this, will you? Craig and I just looked at each other.  I mean, what do you do?  You just laugh.  Then you say . . . 'We have four kids'.

We're really beginning to learn what the new normal is like.  Sometimes its hectic . . . oh, good grief, its always hectic.  ALWAYS.  Ryan is going back and forth to football practice, sometimes twice a day.  He doesn't drive, so I'm usually the one going up and down the road.  I'm SO THANKFUL that TCHS is just a little ways down the road.  He loves being the team manager.  The first few days he was interacting with the team members a lot, working with the kickers and the passers some.  Lately, though, he's been filming the practices.  Its been hot and I've been waiting on him to start complaining about the heat, but he really hasn't.  He's made some new friends, and he's reconnected with old friends from his elementary school, so its been really good for him.  He's about to promote again with Civil Air Patrol.  He's almost halfway to completing the program, so from here on its gonna be a lot of hard work for him.  His progress and promotions will slow down some because of that, but the dedication and hard work he's done with them will be successful and worth it in the end, I'm sure.  Especially if he continues to desire a position with the Navy or the Air Force.  As the days progress, I'm believing more and more that this is where he's headed.  Although he's only fourteen, he's solid in what he desires to do with his life, and at this point, I think he's gonna stick with it.

Gavin got braces a couple of weeks ago . . .

 

He was pretty excited about getting them.  Now I think he's pretty excited about getting them taken off.  Poor kid needs lots of work done on his teeth, and this is just the initial stage of getting started.  I hear the cash register bell dingin' away already. 

 

We're getting ready to start school again.  We won't start for another couple of weeks, 'cause there's a lot going on right now (see above description).  We're gonna wait until Daisee starts back to preschool so there's only one other little kid here to take care of while we're taking care of schoolwork during the day.  Sometime amidst the chaos, I found time to have already done a month's worth of lesson plans.  I didn't do that many at a time even before we had an extra kid.  I consider that quite an accomplishment, so YAY ME.  I've never been much for artsy-type stuff before now, but we're doing lots of creative stuff this year.  I went last night and got most of the things we need for our first month . . .

 

When you see the Plaster of Paris box, you know things are about to get good.  That's not everything, but you get the idea of where I'm goin'.

Daisee is continuing to act like a 30-year-old.  I don't know where she gets all of her 'stuff', but she's a priss.  I was making her bed the other day and she wanted to know why.  I told her that some people were coming to look at our house, and she told me how 'interesting' she thought that was.  She loves to paint.  Everything.  She loves to paint everything.  Not just paper.  See? . . .

Don't miss the fact that my kitchen table is its own work of art.  She's only halfway through here, so by the time she was done, it was hard to tell the table from the paper.  She's excited to go back to school.  Almost every year she's gone she's had to be PEELED off of me the first few days, but I don't think that'll be a problem this year.  Craig and I have decided that from now on, including kindergarten, she's either gonna be the teacher's pet, or the teacher's nightmare.  You've really got to appreciate the kind of personality she has to love her to death.  But I do.  She cracks me up . . . a lot.

And Maya.

Maya is doing really, really great.  We're working on some initial home therapy exercises, and, weeeellll . . . it doesn't go so great most of the time.  I think she still thinks a spoon is a creation of Satan, and tummy time isn't usually pleasant.  We only spoon-feed and make her play on her tummy a few minutes a day, but I think we're all glad when that part's over.  However, she's becoming a lot more responsive to being held and loved on.  I even got a big smile from her this morning as she was laying on my lap . . .

 

She'll have her follow-up appointments with Dr. Chambers and Dr. Colvin next week to make sure that progress is definitely being made.  She'll also see an audiologist to check her hearing.  After that, I think we'll be done with medical stuff for a while.

 

We've shown our house once.  Things are slow with that right now, but we're pretty confident that it'll sell.  Maybe not this month or next, but somebody will look at it with the same eyes we did once and fall in love with it.  We're hoping to move into a new construction somewhere, so we're keeping up with what's available around here.

 

So things are good.  We're constantly trying to figure out ways to slow down, but we've about decided that's just really not possible right now.  Craig and I talked just last night about the pace of everything, but I guess when it comes down to it, as long as everybody's generally happy and active in the things they're involved in, that's probably the point at where we're supposed to be.  I can't wait for fall.  Its hard to get out of the house right now when the air is as thick as butter.  When that first cool front comes through, though, we'll hit the parks and learn to love the outdoors again.  At least that'll feel like slowing down, if we can all get outside and just run a little bit, you know? 

 

We have four kids and we're crazy busy, but we're thankful and enjoying our lives with them.  They make us laugh, make us love, and make us want to bang our heads against a wall sometimes, but there's not a single thing we would change. 

 

It's a crazy, wonderful, beautiful life.

 

Love,

 

 

Paige

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Adoption Clinic Appointment

Today was a big day. 

Maya had her first comprehensive doctor's visit today, and we couldn't be more pleased with how everything seems to be doing with her.

 The only concern we have at this point is that she's a little dehydrated.  Nothing serious, but there were problems drawing blood today.  Problems to the point of . . . like, they didn't get any.  Her veins were just too small and they attributed this to her lack of fluid intake.  Maya has never liked to drink any kind of thin liquid.  She takes a bottle like its her last (the kind that's got all of her solid food mushed up in it), but juice, water, pedialyte . . . all of that is a big no-no to her.  Its concerned me all along, because it just seems to make sense that the 'meal' bottles she takes just isn't enough to give her the hydration she needs.  I've started just taking a syringe and using that to put juice in her mouth, forcing her to swallow it.  I do that a time or two after every bottle, but she doesn't like it at all.  We'll go back to the clinic in a few weeks for a re-check, so we've got to make sure that we've gotten plenty of fluids in her before that visit so they can get the blood drawn.  Those tests are some of the most important ones we need to have done, so that's gonna be key for our next visit. 

The next big step is beginning her therapies.  This stuff is all still very much up in the air.  The doctors there really want her in RISE, but RISE really wants us in Early Intervention (and I know I didn't update you on all of that, its just been hard to explain).  Things haven't exactly gone the way we wanted them to.  As is life, ya know?  What's meant to be will be in the end, and we'll do everything we can according to what's best for Maya.  Dr. Chambers just thinks we've GOT to get SOMETHING going, especially speech and occupational therapy, because she's just so far behind.  She can't communicate at all, and occupational therapy is important in helping her learn to eat solid food, and in learning to use her hands.

We had a chance to ask all of our specific questions, and Dr. Chambers was phenomenal at taking her time to answer each one thoroughly.  One of the few doctor's appointments I've ever been to where the doctor didn't seem rushed. One thing that is different for Maya, because of her Down's diagnosis, is her process with attachment/bonding.  This was SUPERBOLOUS (yes, that's a word . . . as of now) for me, because I'm ready to see my NBC people.  Look for me Wednesday night, 'cause me and my biddies will ALL be there!  She's just going to react differently than other adopted children.  If you think about many people with Down's, they're just all very 'people' people, so it just makes sense that, regardless, she's gonna probably just kinda 'take' to everybody.  She DEFINITELY needs to know that we're mama, daddy, brother, sister, and know what family is.  And we're not about to start leaving her behind without one of us for several weeks, but at least we can kinda come out now and revisit life as we know it.  VERY.  HAPPY.  NEWS.

The whole attachment thing is going very well now.  I definitely think she's developing/developed those bonds with me, and the rest of the family is falling right into place.  This is kinda the order things are supposed to go in, so I'm very pleased with her progress.  She likes to be held and played with for a longer amount of time now, so that was a big thing I was waiting on. 

So, we're moving right along in the right direction.  Things will fall into place as they need to in relation to therapies, so we're doing what we need to do and letting God handle the rest.  He's in control of it all, anyway. 

Thanks for the continued prayers for everything.  I know I've said it lots of times, but we just really appreciate everything . . . the donations, the gifts, the dinners, the babysitting . . . just everything.  If you've participated in any way, we couldn't have done it without you, and I sincerely mean that. 

Ok.  I'm out.  Have a lovely, air-conditioned afternoon :).

Love,

Paige

Yay, Maya!

This brought tears to my eyes today.

It was the first time I knew she understood me.

We've worked on this since the day we picked her up from the orphanage.  To most, its not a ginormous deal, but to me, its a breakthrough. 

Its a simple command . . ."Clap your hands, Maya!"

Any other time I've said this to her, a blank stare is all that's returned.

But today . . .

http://youtu.be/jMGKW4LSUs8

She understands me.  I know she does, and it makes me so, so happy.  I hope and pray that her understanding of love and family is increasing, too, and that it brings her a feeling of safety and comfort.

 

What a happy day :).

 

Love,

 

Paige