Tonsils Out

The time has finally come when Lexi has had her tonsils out. They were horrible and really needed to be taken out. Yesterday the first thing the kids asked when we came home was "Did you bring her tonsils home for us to see?"....LOL!!! Well, we did. They all marveled about how big and yucky they were...haha. Guess they get some extra credit points in science this week!!! She is doing so very well. Although, she had lots of nausea yesterday, her surgery was a success. Last night she slept with me and poor Dad had to take the couch;-). Around 4:00am she woke up whining and in pain. So I gave her more anti-emetic with pain medication. We woke around 9:30 this morning and she is now playing gameboy...I mean...gamegirl.


Also, she will receive her beautiful new shoes on May 11TH. How exciting that she will actually be able to walk without limping and her back can straighten out. Now we have to make a very serious decision regarding her surgery. They gave us two options at Shriners. One was to kill the growth plate in the longer leg and allow the other leg to catch up or go through multiple surgeries to lengthen the short leg. We will have medical counseling in September when we take her to the doctors in Albuquerque. BTW....she still would rather speak Russian over English...LOL!!!


The other children in our precious family are doing very well and working hard to complete this school year. We are planning and continuing to save as much as we can to go on a family vacation. We leave in about three weeks from now and so the count down begins!!! Duane will have the opportunity to visit with his mom for a few days. Which is excellent as she is really beginning to feel her age.


Christian and Karissa are thrilled as tomorrow they will take their first communion!!! I will most definitely post pics of them. There is suppose to be a professional photographer there and so we should also have some nice pictures of them. I think they are both very ready to continue their religious lives in a deep and meaningful way. I am amazed at how much they have changed and matured over this year of school.

Also, the other children have shown great strides in their academics. John can now do various puzzles he could not do at this time last year. He is also beginning to color with more than scribble and Mary has done so well in kindergarten. Little Annie has started reading and Katie is going to enter at her grade appropriate level in the Fall.


I suppose that's about it for my update and we hope for many blessings in your life as well!!!

Shriner's Appointment

Finally, we went to our Shriner's Outreach Clinic in Hobbs, New Mexico. John-John and Alexis were seen by their wonderful doctors. I just love these people. What a blessing they are for so many children and their families. Apparently, standing in a soft crib mattress for twenty seven months is not good for a growing child's feet and legs....LOL!!! John-John has to have braces to try and keep his ankles from turning out so much as he grows. He will be fitted for them next Tuesday back in Hobbs.

Alexis has a much more complex situation with her leg length difference. The doctor said we have two options for surgery. Either we can do multiple surgeries to lengthen the shorter leg or we can do a procedure where they kill the growth plate in the longer leg. This means that this leg would stop growing and it can not be reversed. The shorter leg would continue to grow until it reached the length of the longer leg. Then they would kill the growth plate in the other leg.

I will need to make a trip in September to Albuquerque to the outreach clinic there for counseling on which procedure we will likely have the most success with. In the meantime, she will be fitted with a shoe lift to equalize her stance and steady her gait. The orthopedic doctor comes from Albuquerque to Hobbs and so he will not only see John-John but, will see Alexis as well for this shoe lift. In September we will schedule Alexis' surgery which will take place in Los Angeles, California.

Everyone else is doing well in the family. The kids have had a mild cold with sniffles and coughing. Otherwise, they have been very healthy. They are working hard to finish up their books for a nice long summer break. I just appreciate being with them every day. Really, I had no idea how much I missed when I was not home schooling them. All the strides they make give me such personal pride and satisfaction. Oh yes....Katie had an eye exam this morning and has to have a stronger prism in her lenses. Doc says no surgery now, however, as she gets older if her strabismus worsens we may want to consider an operative repair. Guess that wraps up things for now. I will post again soon. Many blessings!!!

Spring is in the air;-)

Our Blessing "The Bus"!!!! Used, but in great condition;-).
We can all go places in one car...AMEN!!!

Front view of our newest blessing;-).

Here is a picture of Alexis before her dental repairs.

After Bonding and teeth whitening!!! No more cavities;-)

Yes...Spring is in the air. The children are all working very hard to finish their books and other school work. They are looking forward to a summer filled with free time and lots of play with Mama outside. It has been a while since my last post so I will get everyone up to speed. Today and yesterday the children are doing homework to make sure their lessons are at week 24 on Monday. We have already met our Mass obligations. So, they have all day today for home work projects. We had Mass last night since it was the first Saturday of the month. We go on Sunday morning on the other weekends in the month.

Alexis is still not speaking English. I probably spoil her more than I did Katie Aunna since I mainly speak basic communicable Russian with her. With Katie Aunna I did not speak much Russian. But, now I know a lot more this time around. It seems every time I return to Russia I get more and more communicative. Also, I must give credit to the Rosetta Stone home school program, as I have improved with this class. I think one of the coolest things, beside teaching my children, is how much I have learned by being teacher!!!

I guess you have noticed what a wonderful difference in Alexis' teeth. I am delighted to say she has had her cavities repaired and new front teeth. Also, we did enamel bonding to her front four permanent teeth. She is very proud of those new teeth and smiles like a movie star. Further, on March 20Th we will go to Hobbs to the Shriner Clinic and make plans to repair her leg length difference. We have been told by the IA doctor that we are looking at multiple surgeries. I plan on giving her the summer off and then in Fall we will do our first surgery....waaaaa. But, all for the best;-) in the long run!!!

The children, Duane, and I are very excited!!! We are planning to take a family vacation. Duane's business offers an incentive trip every other year. The last time we went in 2008 it was to Switzerland. Quite a wonderful trip. However, this time we have opted to cash out and take the children to meet their only living grandparent. Duane's mother is getting up there in years and her health status has changed. Although, she still lives in the same house she had raised all of her babies in, she is now in her 80's and her health is not getting better as time goes by.

So, we are planning to take "the bus" to Kansas to visit his mother and introduce her to her two newest grandchildren, Katie Aunna and Alexis. She has never met them and she is just so excited. However, she has forbid us to have any more children...LOL!!! She doesn't realize we are well satisfied with this portion of our life. It use to cost $1million to raise a child...I think if they updated that in today's poor economy it's at least 1.5million...urg!!!! Anyway...back to some more of the good news;-).

Then, in June our niece on Duane's side, is planning a big Catholic wedding!!! OH HOW WONDERFUL!!! So, as soon as we return from our family vacation, we will have this occasion to attend. All of his family from several different states will be there. Naturally, we are very excited to have this time with certain family we have not seen in many years. The name Mary is a family name that started with Duane's family. It will be exciting to get all the family of "Marys" together for a picture. There is; Mary (deceased), Little Mary, Littlest Mary, Tiny Mary, and our Tiniest Mary in the family. Isn't that funny?!?!?! Five generations of Mary with the last four generations living.

Another blessing from God....Praise our wonderful and generous God for His great mercy and love for us all. He has seen fit to answer our prayers for a second vehicle. We found a very nice 10 passenger van for such a good price. It is definitely a huge blessing from God. Fortunately, we had enough money on our stock to cash out and buy it outright...another blessing. I have included a picture of our family bus above. We call it "The Bus"...haha.

Well I guess that just about catches us up to date. Of course, we will make posts after Alexis' Shriner appointment, during our family vacation, and at the upcoming wedding. We hope to go to Branson after visiting Duane's mother. Making this time one big road trip. It will be Katie Aunna and Lexi's first family vacation. Hopefully, we will be able to go on this vacation at the end of May. However, I will update in April after we take Alexis to her Shriner appointment. Many blessings!!!!

What's Happening Around Here

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I am so sorry it has taken me since Christmas to post!!!! I had a hard drive crash on my computer and just got it back last week. It was not much fun to be without it. But, I'm back. Now...the good news...Alexis is doing great!!! She is not learning English as quickly as Katie Aunna did. However, I know a lot more Russian than when we adopted Katie. Alexis and I have basic communication in Russian, and what I can't say or she can't say, we find ways to figure it out with each other. She is such a happy child and a very good girl. When she looks into my eyes it is so deeply!!! I am not sure if a child could possibly love their mother more than this child. I think adoration is more descriptive. I feel the same about her....she is adorable.

Several exciting things have happened. When we adopted the twins from Ukraine we did not christen them Roman Catholic. Duane said he felt our family was not complete and maybe we should wait and see if we adopted again soon. Time went by and we kept adopting each year. When Alexis came home we knew the time had come to baptise all of our children. It was a thrilling Sunday and so touching that they were all baptised together!!! It took me two hours to get the girls dressed and fix their hair;-). Aren't they all beautiful...boys and girls?!?!?!?!

Last week Mary had an appointment with the opthamologist. I had noticed a very slight inward turn of her left eye when she got tired. So, I was lucky enough to get in quickly with the pediatric opthamologist. He is from Albuquerque and only comes here once a month. Diagnosis....Mary now wears glasses. She is so cute in them and she is doing amazing with taking care of them. I thought for sure she would break them on day one. Nope...she is doing great...knock on wood...haha!!!! Today Mary said "Mommy, my glasses are tired"....LOL!!! I took them off for a little while and she came to ask for them later.

Also, let's talk about the weather while we're at it;-). We have had an amazing snow fall!!! Not only, is the moisture welcome, it was so beautiful. The children and I went out to the frontyard to build "Jack Frost"....as they named him. It was so funny, I told them he looked so good that they should expect him at their bedroom window that night. At bedtime, the girls (except Mary) made sure their bedroom curtains were closed tight. When I tucked Mary Beth into bed she said "Mommy leave my curtains open cause I'm not scared to see him at my window"....LOL....that's our little Mary Beth;-).

Finally, we are praying for God to continue to help us recover from the adoption expense we have endured. Many who know us personally were aware of the sad news about our grant. The organization reneged on a promised large grant. This left us scrambling at Christmas time to find funds to bring Alexis home and put a few things under the tree for the kids. Mainly they received new clothes...which they loved. These are the sweetest little kids!!!

Everyone agreed that we should have a very small Christmas and we would expect Alexis to be the big gift from our great God. Let me say that God has been so good to our family by providing ways to obtain the funds needed to bring our daughter home. I want to give a huge thanks to those who have helped us during this recovery period. You know who you are and God knows how big your hearts are. I pray for blessings in abundance in your life. Words can not possibly describe how grateful we are to those of you who have helped us financially, emotionally, and spiritually. You are special for having a hand in doing God's Will. Many blessings and much love!!!

Welcome To Alexis Victoria Gartner

Alexis Victoria Gartner

"Cupcake"

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! I want to introduce our new daughter Alexis Victoria Gartner. What a sweet child she is and fits so perfectly into our family!!! I feel a great relief that the process is finally behind us and now we need to settle into life with a new family member. Her adoption has been a long process and very exhausting. But, well worth it;-). She is darling!!!

I must say that this has been an extremely event filled month. Among the final process of adopting, we lost our darling Gracie Belle. This took an emotional toll on all of us. My sister was very concerned over the family's grief and loss. Her son breeds little Boston Terriers and so they gave us a puppy. Oh yes...a baby dog during all of this...LOL!!! She is so adorable!!! Although, Gracie can not be replaced, Cupcake gives us great pleasure and has assumed her place within the family.

Hopefully, I will now be able to make more posts now that we have settled down in our family. I wish everyone a Happy New Year filled with all your dreams come true!!! Many blessings...Trisha and Family

Our Gracie Belle

I am sad to post that our little pet has passed away. She had problems with collapsing trachea and died in my arms last week. I am just so sad and heart broken. God gave humans dogs to love and to be loved by them unconditionally. Gracie has been such a blessing to us!!! She did her job well of loving us unconditionally and we deeply love her in return. I try to comfort myself by the vision that someday she will be anxiously waiting for me in Heaven where she will eagerly lead me to Jesus' arms of love and comfort. Our little friend will be greatly missed by us all.

Turkey Day;-)

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving Day!!! We have much to thank our great God and King for every day of the year. Many blessings;-).