Happy Birthday, B!

Somebody turned FOUR this week...




...and couldn't be more pleased!

The rest of the crew doesn't mind another birthday, either!

And this special guy had not one but TWO days of birthday fun...

...and cake!

On B's birthday I was reading September staff reports and one of the tias mentioned that he's the smartest one in her group of toddlers. Wow, I thought. Seriously?! This is the child waiting three years to be assigned a family not put off by his medical and development reports.

Then that very evening before hitting the streets, I was hanging out with some kids supposed to be winding down for bed, and 4 1/2 year old B says "Tia, what color is your hair?" I told him to tell me. He thought about it and said "Hmm...PINK!" Brand-new-four-year-old B immediately corrected him "No...YELLOW!!"

Way to go, B! You've come so far and we pray that God has an adoptive family specially picked for YOU.

all my children

Yesterday we took the plunge and attempted to get a good group picture of all 42 of our children!

And you think YOUR family photos are challenging....

it takes a whole team to get ours!

Other than dear Twin Girl E screaming her head off (surprising to no one who knows her apart from the adorable pictures)....

...and realizing right after the kids dispersed that little girl A (CDA II) was around back playing, oops....

it was possibly our most painless large group photo yet!

Thanks in large part to Rick Alseth's entertaining shanigans. Should've gotten a picture of that!

Aren't they cute?

Don't miss new baby F in S's arms.

Can't believe they are all "mine"!!!

Gotta love the dark circles...yes, I'm exhausted.

Afterwards we all celebrated B's 2nd birthday!!

His differing abilities...or what do they say these days?...cause him to be at the bottom of the stack to be assigned adoptive parents, but we still hold out hope that he WILL one day have the joy of being someone's beloved son!

Till then...


Happy 2nd Birthday, Benito!!

We're so glad you're ours!

Baby V turns 1!

Baby V's birthday was actually a couple of weeks back, but due to the scarlet fever scare (which to our relief only affected two children), her birthday party was postponed until we could carry on with peace of mind

This baby

arrived on a special day last year

~introducing her at the staff family party/Casa de Amor III inauguration celebration~

She is also a very special baby

with a very special story

who will continue to need lots of therapy and special care

We are so glad that God brought her into our lives a year ago, and to be able to celebrate her life today with the family and friends who love her!

Happy Birthday, V!!!

Lovin' that chocolate cake!!



(at 7 months)

We pray that every good and perfect plan that our Heavenly Father has for our Baby V will be fulfilled in His time and His way.

the little girl we hoped to help

So, Little Girl V left us yesterday. I wanted to personally hand her off, but she was supposed to be picked up at 3pm and at 4 I had to leave to run about 8 errands downtown before closing time (luckily at 6 or 6:30 here). Later I found out she didn't leave CDA II until 7:30. But the mother and friends were very happy, which is good news.

I had hoped that in her first days with us, we would be able to see as a staff team that we could help her, despite severe cerebral palsy, blindness, and no professional intervention in her 6 years. As my physical therapist and then psychologist evaluated her, as I heard from the staff the details of her daily (and nightly) care, and as I observed her, tried to move her and hold her, it became obvious we were in over our heads.

It’s not that we couldn’t improve her quality of life, feed her a quality diet, and have her in the midst of a happy home and children. I have babies with CP in the other two homes and we’ve confronted a host of illnesses and delays in 4+ years with these children and we’ve always given our all to see improvements and advancements. But at this moment there are 39 others besides V. Each with their own needs, half with an appointment with a specialist (or two) in upcoming days or months. She’s not the only one I could give my attention to. There are so many others that need a piece of me—and that of the physical therapist, staff, volunteers, etc. If she was one of few, we could commit to the long road in days ahead to see the tiny bit of improvement we are told is possible. But as one of 40, I wasn't seeing how our staff could handle it.

You know how we Christians try to get away with dumb moves by using Christian-ese? Some people throw around “GOD told ME” as some sort of “just-TRY-to-debate-with-me-or-God” sort of weapon. Or “I have faith that God can heal!” [implying that I don't]

A handful of times in this work I’ve had difficult conversations with people who either say outright or imply that their faith is greater than mine for a child, and I need to accept the child in faith that God will work a miracle. It’s hard to explain, but as the director of this work, as the one who must justify each child entering with the government, our supporters, my team of paid staff and international volunteers, I can only deal with the issues that exist today, at this very moment, and not what could be with after prayer and faith and fasting. We do do that for our children and we have seen incredible changes and we do believe in miracles! But we cannot place a time limit on God to work.

I'm not comfortable telling Casa de Amor's physical therapist and psychologist that, after their careful, professional evaluation and observation, that I don’t believe their reports because, well, God will work a miracle. Who am I to say what God will do? But I’ve had people tell me, including in this situation. People who are not there caring for her as a one month old baby (who weighs much more), smelling her body (which reeks constantly, just telling the truth here, and I’m told it's because she doesn’t process toxins correctly), carefully placing the spoon in her mouth at every feeding and scraping it off the roof so that she will suck and swallow, changing her diapers (usually runny), witnessing daily seizures.

You need thick skin for work with children.

So now after 12 days at Casa de Amor II, she is going to a family that Compassion found near where her mother lives. That decision was made by several of us coordinating together after we presented the facts of child V right now, today. We would love to continue to help externally, such as with a special formula that we’ve tried this week that’s easier to digest. It’s worked wonders on her poorly functioning digestive system. But the mother has shown many signs of looking for an “out” to abandon her, and that’s not the best for anyone involved. She needs to maintain responsibility for her child—all three of her children.

It's a relief now to hear that everyone seems happy with this new plan for little girl V!

God has heard our prayers, and is perhaps working a miracle for her. =)

Casa de Amor III: Thanks!

A big thanks to CDA III for their hard work the past few weeks!

The month of March at their house...

2 year old with unexplainable fever, in lots of pain, already health compromised so that was scary (multiple trips to doctor, multiple exams)

a few days later, a 2 year old and 1 year old break out in chicken pox (begin treatment)

a few days later, their son breaks out in nasty rash

next day, their daughter has some kind of virus

same day, the "father" to the dozen kids in their home twists his knee and is limping

other family members down with various illnesses...

a few days later, the 8 month old baby appears to have chicken pox (the doctors and I are still stumped if she actually had it or just mosquito bites, or both)

6 year old is pushed off slide as we are leaving church, diagnosed as a minor break after multiple trips to doctors, currently trying to get swelling down so he can be casted

couple days later...4 year old with tooth abcess

next day...another 4 year old with apparent urinary tract infection (but results don't warrant medication...what could it be?)

Wow, I didn't realize it was so much till I started to write it all out, and this is just what I know of/can remember. Really leaves us looking forward to tomorrow...!!

But seriously, will someone commit to holding CDA III up in prayer? They are accomplishing amazing things in these kids lives as they grow and develop and do things professionals wouldn't have thought possible, and the enemy is not happy about it!

On top of all going on there, today we carried on with our formally planned all-day Baby Home Staff meeting, and they were the gracious hosts as always.

It was a wonderful place to meet, "away" from the constant activity and noise of the Baby Home, although I told several people to come out there to meet with me instead, and received/made multiple phone calls....but I think the rest were able to relax and focus on the topics at hand.

_______________________

A BIG thanks also to Joe and Denise Holman for coming out...in my parent's former Bolivian car =)...to encourage and pray for the staff as we began our day! Several times afterwards the caregivers were marveling over what Denise shared, particularly the numbers: teaches 7 grades at once, responsible for 1080 meals/month, 8 1/2 years of life pregnant, has changed 44,000 diapers, etc.

________________________

Another prayer request: after initial evaluations by CDA staff, it looks like Child V (our Monday arrival) is at the level of a one month old baby. Since she's already 6 and we now know she has had many, many seizures, and was born very prematurely at home with no medical attention (and she didn't cry for at least an hour after birth), there seems to be very little hope for her recovery (medically speaking). She can literally only lie on her back, usually in a fetal position, making a few grunting/groaning sounds. Her situation is still in limbo as we have not officially accepted her yet, partially because her mother is making some hard decisions right now.

Thanks!

_______________________

I'm very excited about tomorrow. I'm busy dawn till dusk with all sorts of things, but the day starts off with a new baby arriving!! Details when I have a chance......

Monday Arrival

Yeah. This was um....unexpected. Much more so when this little girl is 6 but the size of a toddler. Is blind (appears like she's looking at me in the picture, but she's not really). Uses diapers, bottles, doesn't walk, talk... Could it be cerebral palsy again?
That would probably be more scary but, as we talked about at Bible study tonight, the unknown is so much scarier. We "know" a bit more about CP these days, thanks to our Baby B and Baby V, although baby/child V (which to call her?) might be more severe.

Currently V is at CDA II with the big kids. I couldn't think what else to do tonight at 7pm, without having the social worker or administrator to consult with (although Katrina hung with me helping after her doctor run--thanks!), and Bible study starting and I had several things to take to ladies there from my family, things to ask them, etc.

Katrina and I made her a bottle, changed her diaper, and took her straight to Bible study where she slept pretty peacefully (with open eyes!) in their spare bedroom as we met.

Ironically, our current Bible Study "Walking By Faith" is by Jennifer Rothschild, herself blind.

My next plan......pray for an appropriate foster family! For her and for several others who need one ASAP. The green light from the government to work in this way (foster families) opens up a whole new world for us! I am so excited about it. It's becoming desperate too. Tomorrow or soon the newborn comes in from the countryside, and now it's long term. So much need!

On another note...

Two months now since I've held baby Gabriela... I was overwhelmed with urgent tasks all day but made sure to give her twin Gabriel hugs a couple of times...the only baby to get any today since I was busy with this disaster in my room, the aftermath of my family's departure:

All the "leftovers" from my family's almost-23 months in Bolivia and the stuff I had there. I barely had a path to get to my bed by last night. Getting everything out of their place was NUTS. Stuff was growing out of the drawers and cabinets, I swear. We filled up three cars full AFTER we took Dad to the airport and thought we were practically done.

Several of our current volunteers took turns helping us over the weekend. Katrina, Sarah, Dan, thanks for your cheerful, servant spirits!! Made the work so much lighter...literally!

Now I'd be so happy to never lug a dirty heavy box the rest of the my life, but that's not going to happen, I'm just 26 and a missionary. ;-)

It was great actually, to be so crazily busy so as to keep my mind off Gabriela, and my first day without family here.

Simply between 5:30pm and 6:30pm today....

Met with the social worker and administrator to catch them up on my trip downtown (met with a lawyer, a paperwork lady, got a call about taking in the newborn tomorrow or soon)

Something like 4 calls from a CDA I and III medical outing with 3 babies/kids. Luis DOES have a small fracture from his fall at church yesterday, bummer! The 3rd doctor finally spotted it in the xrays. At least we know what's up now. His elbow is too swollen to even cast him now; he'll have to return tomorrow after some intense ice-packing.

Get call from one of Dad's friends to ask if he made it back; I take the opportunity to talk to him about the room we hope to add on to the Baby Home

Plan out some of the many details for Wednesday's Baby Home staff annual planning meeting

Try to think of another option for a "special speaker" to do a devotional for us Wednesday morning since the first option had to travel

Call a couple volunteers to plan tomorrow

Take an English call from someone with a strong accent who wants to visit Baby Home tomorrow; offers to bring something we need. How thoughtful! I suggest formula and diapers.

And the rest of the week will be equally wild! Never a dull moment, for sure.

two more cuties

A couple of days ago when I found Baby A in this favorite Ralph Lauren outfit we have...

Baby A, 2 months

I couldn't resist, along with the staff from 2007, remembering Baby B in the same...

Baby B, 3 1/2 months

So of course I had to take this picture of Baby A:

And then he smiled!

First really big Baby A grin caught on camera (quite the feat with mine, thanks to the delay):

Then I got them side-by-side, because it was just so amazing to remember [now huge] Baby B in the same (newborn) outfit just a year ago!

Two of my boys...

As a sort of PS, yesterday afternoon we had an uplifting visit from a lady (lives in Canada but has relatives and friends in Bolivia) and her niece (lives in Santa Cruz, Bolivia). She has followed our website/blog for at least the past year and LOVES babies!! so we had a fun time playing with some of mine and chatting.

She has worked with special needs children and spoke positively of Baby B and his development thus far. That was so great to hear!!

Tina (with Twin E) and Jen (with Stick-Tight E)

(So now you know. If you're ever in our neck of the woods, you're welcome to stop in for some baby hugs!)

Baby Victoria & Psalm 18

I am so appreciative to two-time Hogar de Amor volunteer Elizabeth Lynch for taking the time to send this to me. As I replied to her:

"How fitting for this time! Or really for us who “live” this “work”. All the injustice can threaten to overwhelm us at any point. We can only survive—and thrive—by clinging to these very truths. Thank you for your poignant reminder. I really appreciate it. You put into words many of my feelings and thoughts, but more richly due to your background."

With her permission, I am posting the email in it's entirety (bold additions mine). If it blesses you half as much as me...!


From: elizabeth lynch
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 8:43 PM
To: Jennifer Thompson
Subject: Victoria

Hi Jen,

I was just reading your post on your blog about Victoria. Obviously I already knew the story, having been there while the tests and things were going on, but there was one paragraph in your post that jumped out at me - the one where you said you left the doctor's room fuming, but not knowing how to explain it because you weren't judging the mother (or whoever did this). It's just that it made me think of something I wrote which was a sort of meditation around Psalm 18. It was written in the context of my PhD study, but looking through it, I think Psalm 18 has a lot to say about Victoria's situation.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

I just love how God responds to distress and injustice in this psalm:

The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.
The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

Sometimes I get really angry about some of the kids' situations - but sort of in the same way that you said, without really directing that towards particular people, because we don't know how difficult their situations were at the time. But here's God saying, hey I'm angry too - that's part of the way he cares. And God fumes and burns with anger at the injustice that has happened. Victoria was hurt, and shouldn't have been, and it matters. And why shouldn't we be angry? God’s anger produced smoke and fire, and it made the earth and the mountains quake! But after this angry outburst at the causes of injustice, God seems to turn to the Victorias of the world with a very different look on his face:

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

So, again, God says, yes I care. But here he says it to the Victorias, very gently. In God, there doesn't seem to be a conflict between showing fury at the causes of a situation, and then a very gentle love towards the people hurt by that injustice. And I think that's your job too, as God's hands to Victoria and the others. Actually, I think it's everyone's job in whatever context they're in, but I think you're doing that job pretty well from what I can see! God is fuming against all the injustices that created Victoria's situation, and he also rescued Victoria and loves and delights in her. So can we fume, and also love and delight in Victoria? (I can't think of much else to when in a room with Victoria, as delight does seem the most obvious reaction!)

Sorry this was a bit long-winded. I'm an academic....!

Elizabeth.x


Even while jet-lagging this week, Elizabeth is already looking into how her church in Scotland can receive donations on our behalf. That will be an amazing way to broaden our support base with new friends from the UK. Thanks for everything, Elizabeth! And the kids miss you, too.

Baby V....news

At Hogar de Amor I, II, and III, every day brings triumph and tragedy, large or small.

For better or for worse, we've joined the roller coaster ride that is the life of these kids.

What follows is the long-but-short-version health saga of one of our cherished babies. (For the very beginning: "Praise the Lord for ornery chickens". )

We've prayed so hard since V's bittersweet arrival, the same evening as a staff party, that she would have no lasting effects from her rough beginnings. Arriving at 2 days of age and weighing 5 ½ pounds, she was the youngest and has stayed the youngest (translation: much-loved princess of the house!). I knew that absolutely anything conquerable would be because V has the privilege of living in Hogar de Amor III, our family model home. She receives our absolute best as far as stimulation, love, attention, outings, activities, and staff-to-child ratio. (Side note: I would love to have multiple "small" homes like this but lack of dedicated families/couples for the job holds us into the “shift model” for the other homes.)

When V was three months, she was being evaluated by our psychologist and physical therapist. They came to the office and whispered to me that V had no response whatsoever to visual or auditory stimuli. For a few minutes I brushed their concerns away. I was remembering how with my baby B, many specialists became alarmed, and how I got the conclusion from two doctors when he was about 4 months old that he was blind and probably deaf. Within a couple of months, the blind diagnosis was proven completely wrong as he finally began to respond to and recognize us. From that devastating (wrong) news, and due to other “diagnoses” I became more hardened to believing the test results (which are often inconclusive with young babies).

Finally I agreed to see what they were seeing. Sure enough, she didn’t even blink at a flashlight, respond to loud claps—nothing. We even used other babies around her age as models to compare responses. The others were startled, blinked, sought out our faces, etc. But to our alarm, V remained distant and unaffected.

I made an appointment with our pediatric ophthalmologist. In upcoming weeks she also had appointments with our pediatric neurologist, as well as two different orthopedic specialists for her curved legs/tightness/odd neck position. Multiple tests, x-rays, and sonograms were ordered.

The eye exam went fine. Maybe the stimuli was not reaching her brain as it should, or she was just delayed.

The orthopedic doctor, the best in town, speculated that the blow to her head at birth was causing her left side rigidness, wandering left eye, cocked neck, and poor range of motion. He ordered daily hydro-therapy and said that with excellent care and stimulation, she would most likely be fine by 1 year.

Within a matter of weeks after turning 3 months, V had completely turned the corner and was much more responsive. We were so relieved! The Alseth family and staff at Hogar III began concentrating much more on her development, responses, and therapy.

Again I let my mind rest. There was much going on, always more babies arriving with new issues, and I stopped observing her as closely.

Then came Thanksgiving Day and enjoying the feast that my family and the Alseths had prepared to share with our families and the 7 Bolivian kids at HDA III. I couldn’t help noticing how curled up V’s hands/arms were, and her tightly clinched fists. Time had flown—she had just turned 5 months old. That position didn’t seem right at all. Maybe for a newborn, but not for her. She’s a very cute, petite baby, but still….it concerned me. I talked to our physical therapist about it and she said the exercises already being done would help, but I still didn’t ask her to check her out.

A couple weeks later while talking to the Alseth family, we decided her continual digestive issues warranted yet another consultation. Something was going off in my head: digestive issues, the intestines are muscles, she appears to have spastic muscles, cranial trauma at birth……all was fitting together, and I didn’t like the thought of the results. A Bolivian baby at our church who was with us a couple of months had recently been diagnosed with a mild case of cerebral palsy, and of course I live with B (CP) and have walked through each medical and developmental concern with him since he was an infant.

I decided to see a different pediatrician this time, one who is highly recommended and that all of our “foreigner” friends use. I went a few days before Christmas, when she would turn 6 months old, a developmental milestone. The doctor was extremely thorough in reading through her entire (very thick) file, asking me lots of questions (I called the Alseths for the answers I didn’t have), and examining her. After 50 minutes of intense concentration on V, the doctor put down his pen and leaned back in his chair. He suspects cerebral palsy, mild to moderate. Cause? Near suffocation at some point while thrown out in the plastic bag.

I left fuming for the 1000th time at whoever threw her out in that way. It’s hard to explain…I don’t judge the mother or whoever was behind it all. Circumstances can be extreme and excruciating and people are forced to make decisions they would never make otherwise, decisions they had never dreamed of making. But what remains is that that person(s) does not know what consequences this beautiful baby lives with, perhaps all her life, due to that choice, or series of decisions that ended poorly for this baby. Of course she survived and is now in a wonderful, loving home, and Lord willing will have a forever family one day, so her story will end much better than many. Our heart is broken again and again for these kids.

We weren't telling many people at first because we were waiting to do a CAT scan. The results came out normal, but with possibly overly-large ventricles that we hope become more proportionate as she grows. As I researched more what they should look like, it's obvious on her scan that the right side ventricles are bigger, which would explain her weaker left side??

A few days ago, the court called and needed updated psychological, social, and medical reports on V as they process her paperwork (“no existing family”). I asked the same pediatrician to write up her medical report, and he mainly spoke of her having the signs of cerebral palsy, but a mild case at this point. It has a tone of urgency to it, stating that she needs many resources to have the opportunity for a normal life, so hopefully her case will not just be tossed into some dark corner of the court and forgotten.

I couldn’t help but be saddened at how that narrows down her possibilities of a family. Without even a picture or video to go on (Bolivian law), potential adoptive families do not even have the benefit of falling in love with that CUTENESS (curly hair, huge brown eyes, chubby cheeks!) before being hit with the diagnosis.

We trust that our Heavenly Father has the perfect family chosen for V, and indeed all of our special needs babies! He has provided in the past and we know He will in the future. We cannot wait to see how He works in V’s life, to improve her quality of life through the hands of those who love her, and to set her in a family (Psalm 68:6).

Thank you for lifting our 36 babies and young children up to our Father!

My Little Dancer

A couple nights ago I brought Baby B, 15 months old now, up to the office to be with me and for extra stimulation. He was fine and happily entertained himself for about an hour, but then, when I turned on Brooke Fraser, LOUD, he went nuts!! Before I had tried to get his attention by calling his name and talking to him loudly, but he didn't pay any special attention to me. But he came alive with the music! I've heard the caregivers say that but hadn't seen it myself since his hearing aids. Finally, my first proof that they are helping!!

(That's our medical assistant Katrina at the filing cabinet, putting away various lab results in kid files.)

And then the last thing that happened before I left the office yesterday for church rehearsal:

Childcare superviser Tia (aunt) Adelaida sulks into the office. "Tia Jenny? I have some really bad news. Some really really bad news."

I notice she's nearly shaking and obviously nervous about continuing. This is my best tia here, so I can't imagine what's gone so wrong.

"Well......uh......it's really NOT good news." (I have the point by now.)

"One of B's hearing aids is... Broken."

I dropped the pen I was writing with, picked my jaw off the floor, and tried to not scream. Those are worth around $1000 each, although of course ours cost us much less from Starkey Foundation, that's even more pressure to me (how could we request a replacement?). I begged my eyes to see that it was just the mold and not the expensive part. IT'S JUST THE MOLD!! YEAH!!

But then I have to break the news to the audiologist at Audiocien, who made those for us for free.

"Buenas tardes, Don Miguel? Um......this is Jennifer from Hogar de Amor. Do you remember me? Of course you remember me. Well, uh, we have a little problem here."

(Why is it odd he doesn't seem surprised?)

"Well, uh, it's that......... ourbabyBsomehowgothishearingaidoutandanother(teething)babyBITitandnowthemoldisin,well,twopieces."

He didn't yell at me. Just said we'd have to take a look at it the next day since it was already late. SHEW.

Ironically this happens on the same day I probably spent a good hour total on organizing B's care better, particularly in regard to the usage and safety of both hearing aids. (Lately there have been problems losing them although there's a central place to put them, him ripping them out, the tape we use hurting his skin, sores in his ears maybe from putting them in wrong, the volume getting changed accidentally, tias forgetting to put them back in after his naps, etc., etc. At least I'm completely in charge of checking the batteries and changing them out every couple of weeks.)

So the administrator said "It really doesn't work to use hearing aids with a baby, does it". Nooo, it should work!! At least I don't think it should be so complicated. It's just our situation. Sigh. The challenges are more compounded raising so many at once, with 8 different "mothers" + volunteers and me.

And teething babies who think a soft plastic mold is nice for chewing practice.

As now I'm sure you are all very concerned about what craziness will happen next in the hearing aid saga, please join us in praying for God to work in providing B with a permanent loving family! He is a beautiful, sweet baby who loves attention and joking around. He has a slight to moderate case of cerebral palsy, severe hearing loss in one ear, moderate hearing loss in the other (the degree depends on who you talk to), and--what seems to be the main issue behind his delays--brain damage/mental retardation. Our current volunteer didn't seem to believe me when I described how he was as a baby, so cranky and hard to please and decidedly ANTI-social. He has turned around so much from that stage.

We KNOW that there is a family who will love and embrace him from one of the countries Bolivia works with (mainly European). I can't say much more here in public, but we have high hopes that he will be matched to someone soon, although he could still easily be with us another year. And I will miss him terribly when he goes.

THE Hearing Aid!!

Our Baby B finally has hearing aids, yeah!!! Starkey Foundation has been wonderful at assisting and advising me, and have now provided two at low cost. So far we're using one, with the second to be added after we've adjusted and gotten used to using the first.

Yesterday, taking advantage of having NO medical appointments for babies (!!!), I researched several issues instead. Lately I've been blog hopping late at night (or even in the day, I admit), and not just because I LOVE reading how other people live and admiring their creativity and seeing the pictures of their beautiful, highly functional families...although I do a lot...but I also figured that soon or later visiting one of these amazing mother-of-many-children blogs, that someone would have special needs kids. Today I discovered this one, Octamom! (Yep, 8 kids, including a hearing impaired daughter and twins, and she homeschools.)

I related to her story of her daughter being fitted with the hearing aids, walking out, and no further help...until the hero of the story, the mother of course, tracked down a group who would answer their questions. Here in Bolivia, the lady at the hearing aid clinic/store/whatever it is just put it in his ear and said to come back in two weeks and I was like uh.......that CAN'T be all there is to this. When do we take it out? Then how do we put it back in? How do we know if the volume is too high? Can't that volume knob be moved wayyy too easily? (Answer: it can! By the time we got home, several errands later, it was twice as high as she had set it. Oops!)

And the main problem: the highly valuable end practically flaps in the wind it's so loose on him. With a spastic little body and (currently) 16 brothers and sisters, this is NOT gonna work. So now I'm researching how to better secure it. The tias and I are also curious as to what the little switch is, or does. I'm already planning to go back early next week, and hopefully the main guy will be there and can answer our rapidly growing list of questions. Also it seems to me that B isn't responding any better so I think the volume will need to be increased, or is that due to the brain damage, or that he can't control where he looks very well? Talk about a wad of issues at once!! This is going to be interesting. Now to find a blogger with a baby with cerebral palsy...