I AM THANKFUL FOR...

It's not too late to start this Thankful List. Most Bloggers do something similar to this in November for the Season of Thanksgiving. I've seen quite a few, but I ran across this question here and it made me think!

"What if you woke up today and all you had in your life was what you thanked God for yesterday? What would your life look like?"

Gee, I don't remember telling God that I was Thankful for anything yesterday. That makes me feel sad. And, embarrassed. I'm being all "real" here.

I'll start by saying, "I am sorry, Lord." For not taking the time to be Thankful. And, I have much to be Grateful for. 

{hmmm, I would have nothing today, if that question above really happened.}

Today and every day for the remainder of Nov., I will post something I am truly Thanking Jesus for. And, I may even do it past the end of the month!

*DAY 8: I AM THANKFUL, I AM GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE THE FREEDOM TO PRAY TO THE GOD OF MY CHOOSING, WITHOUT WORRY OF PROSECUTION.

I feel like I want to go back through this past week, back to Nov. 1 2013. To say some of the things that I am so, so Thankful for.

*NOV. 7: I, Thank my Lord, for being able to get outside in the cool Fall weather. It was beautiful here in Minnesota yesterday!

*NOV. 6: I am so, so Thankful, for the great reports my Mom got at her follow-up appointments with her Cardiologists. {Mom had major open heart surgery on Oct. 2 2013.}

*NOV. 5: I, am Thankful, that my parents had a safe trip to Shreveport for medical appointments.

*NOV. 4: I ,am Thankful, that my Mom finally went to the ER. She has been having difficulty breathing. She was treated with antibiotics for bronchitis.

*NOV. 3: I, am Thankful, for my home and that I have the things I need to live a comfortable life.

*NOV. 2: I am Thankful for the love and companionship I get from my cats, Fauna and Flora.

*NOV. 1: I, am Thankful for Life!

Please, feel free to join me, either by doing your own list of things you are Thankful for. If you would like to share by leaving a comment, please do.

Love to All!

URGENT: THE CRY OF A YOUNG MAN'S HEART!

I borrowed this post from my sweet Friend & Jesus-Sister, Adeye. She has posted about this precious young man who is desperate for ONE thing. A Family. Please, read and share. 

URGENT: THE CRY OF A YOUNG MAN'S HEART! 

Every night, once the little ones are snuggled in their beds, I sit around the table with my big kids and give them my full attention.  No distractions.  Just me and them.  We talk about their days, what they learned, new friends made, and all kinds of things on their hearts.  I cherish those moments.
Last night we somehow got onto the topic of our special needs children and the struggles that they face with their health and other things.  As we spoke, tears flowed as God brought to mind a young man who had been on my heart all day.  I had read his story just yesterday morning and just ached for him the entire day.
In the quietness of the late evening I was able to share my heart with my children--about how our kids with special needs do certainly face uncertain futures and tough times.
But...
...they are here with us!
They are loved.
And treasured.
And fully accepted just the way they are!
They have a family that is their biggest cheerleaders when they learn new things.
Like intentionally bringing us their sippy cups when they want a drink.
Or learning how to feed themselves.
Oh, how we rejoice!
As we spoke about our own little darlings last night, we read a letter written by young "Noah" and even my children got emotional.
To be thirteen and turning fourteen in just three months...knowing that no one is coming for you...
Oh my goodness.  This teenager has seen so many of his friends leave the orphanage with families.
And still he waits.  Knowing all too well that one of these days it is going to be too late.
I just CANNOT imagine!
My Kellan, who is also thirteen, pondered the sadness of it all and said,  "Mom, I can't imagine that being me!"
My friends, I just have to try and help this young man!  He lives in a country where he must be adopted before he turns fourteen this December.  That's in only three months! 
Impossible?  No!  Difficult?  Yes, it will be.
But how worth it this child is!
ALL HE WANTS IS A FAMILY.
The facilitators in his country were recently brought to tears when he gave them a letter he wrote--a plea for the one desire of his heart.  To love and be loved.

 I Want to Have a Home
Whenever I see the kids in the school have their own mom and dad, I hope I can have a home. There are dad, mom, brothers and sisters. What a happy life it is! After school, I saw a lot of parents waiting for their children at the school gate. The children can tell their mom and dad that they made new friends and learned a lot of knowledge in school, and teachers also awarded a little red flower. Although I won small red flowers, learned knowledge, made friends, whom can I tell? So I really want to have a home. Every time, someone got 100 points in exam and back home to tell their mom and dad. They are so happy. But I, although also got 100 points, but not so happy. I want to have a home. So I have mom and dad picked me up after school. I can tell mom and dad that I got 100 points. Who can give me a home? I want to have a home. If I have a home, I will care for the family, love the family, and love all the people in the family.

Seriously!  Breaks my heart! All he wants is the one thing that so many of us take for granted on a daily basis.  

The gift of family!I am unable to share his picture publicly, but there are photos and the sweetest videos of him on my friend Annie's advocacy site.  You will need to join (it's easy!) to view them.It would be best to find a family who is already in the process of adopting from his country...but it is still not impossible to find any family who is willing to do whatever it takes and go to the ends of the earth to make this boy's dream of belonging come true.  His file can even be transferred to another agency if needed.  Right now Lifeline has his referral.  You can read about Noah HERE.Anyone wanting more information, please contact Annie at Lifeline.  Serious inquiries only, please. 

annie.hamlin@lifelinechild.org.

 Would you please share this young man's plea for a family?  Can we give him the best Christmas present ever this year?FAMILY! 

Child who underwent heart transplant dies at age 6

Teresa Bartlinski, a 6-year-old Princess, who underwent heart transplant surgery on June 17, died July 1 at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Her body rejected her new heart, and she was unable to survive the attempted installation of an artificial heart known as a “Berlin” device on July 1.

Ann Bartlinski, Teresa’s mother, wrote in her family blog:

http://ourplacecalledhome.blogspot.com/

With Jesus "At 3:23 pm on July 1st, Teresa has ridden her princess bike into Heaven to meet Jesus. She had her ears pierced shortly before her last breath. While we were not there when she took her first breath, God blessed us to be there when she took her last."

Teresa, born in China on Christmas Day 2006, suffered from Congenital Heart Disease. She was adopted in 2010 by the Bartlinski family, which has adopted four other Chinese children with special needs. Her story had inspired a worldwide following as thousands of people prayed for her healing.

Doctors had hoped that if Teresa survive the installation of the mechanical device, another heart could be found for her.

Please keep praying for Teresa's family. She has a younger Sister, Gemma who is her Best Friend. It's going to be a difficult time for the children and adults in the family.

 

Thanks, Friends.

UPDATES ON TERESA'S HEART TRANSPLANT

These are updates on Teresa's last few days. Little Miss is fighting HARD! There have been some emergencies, but Teresa is doing well considering all that her tiny body has gone through. Tomorrow she will have another major surgery to repair her left atrium. Please, pray for this next surgery to be successful. I am Believing that this will be a step forward in this journey.

SAT. JUNE 22 (A.M. UPDATE)

Look who opened her eyes all the way today! I wish I could say she was happy but she was not. She does not like anything in her mouth. She becomes very scared and puckers up her little lip and cries silent tears. It breaks my heart.

The great news is she was stable today and had NO emergencies! Praying for kidney function to improve! Tomorrow she will rest and prepare for surgery on Monday to repair the left atrium.

FRI. JUNE 21 DAY #5 (P.M. EMERGENCY UPDATE) VIA ANN

The ECMO cannula cracked as Teresa was being repositioned in her bed. Thanks to the very fast reaction of her wonderful nurse, a crowd of Doctors, nurses and ECMO specialist descended upon her room within seconds.

Several Doctors applied pressure to the site, ordered more blood , called surgeons and called back to the hospital an ECMO expert.
Ed and I stood by helpless watching as Teresa was hemorrhaging. Two chaplains were called in to pray with us.

The Doctors were unsure on how to repair the cannula, because this had NEVER happened before. It was finally decided upon to change out the entire stop cock (the piece that had cracked). She was taken off ECMO as they repaired the broken piece and we all held our breath . Like Teresa ALWAYS does she bossed her heart and stayed strong.

I can not imagine having to go through this alone with out Ed here. Right now work, house payments and bills don't even matter. Comforting little Miss T is all that matters. Her strength and determination to live is giving us strength. She is a amazing!
The great news this morning is her creatinine levels have stopped rising ( kidney function). This is what we needed for her kidneys to start working again. Praying hard for her kidneys to heal .

The stop cock (the portion that cracked ) will be sent back to the manufacture for investigation to figure out how and why it cracked. It should not have broken just by repositioning her head.

FRI. JUNE 21 DAY #5 A.M. UPDATE VIA ANN

This morning she is stable and resting. Her blood work and gasses look good. We are praying that her creatinine (kidney function) will plateau today and start trending down. She is very swollen , so praying that she will start eliminating more fluid. Her liver is very hard and enlarged. Praying this will reside.

We play all of Teresa's favorite Disney princess songs for her to hear. Even though she is sedated , when she awakens we know she can hear them. She signed that she wanted a drink. Poor baby is so thirsty and she hates all the tubes in her mouth.

THUR. JUNE 20 DAY #4

Teresa is taking baby steps. She is still teaching me so much on this journey. Right now it is patience and giving complete trust and control to God.

Teresa is stable at the moment. We will let her heart rest a few more days and then she will have another major surgery on Monday. We are praying for no major complications while on ECMO and for her kidneys to start functioning better.

She is fighting so hard. She is now opening her eyes a little and squeezing our hand and answering questions with a squeeze. We can tell that magical princess personality is still there( this was a concern after suffering through CPR for thirty minutes).

Dr. Fuller feels confident she will be able to somehow repair the left atrium pulmonary veins. She will know more when she actually visualizes her heart.

For me I wanted the echo to show full , perfect heart function today and be taken off ECMO. This didn't happen.

Her eyes , nose and mouth are still bleeding from the blood thinners that are needed for the ECMO machine to not clot.
It is very difficult to watch Teresa cry silent tears.
We feel so helpless.
She is trying so hard to be the boss.

Thank You for praying for Teresa and her family. I want to give you the link to the "Pray for Teresa B" Facebook page. You can also read more about Teresa and her family on their blog, Our Place Called Home. There is all kinds of sweetness over there!