The Latest...

I haven't been posting like I should - I guess I just don't know what to say. I could never have imagined that things would be the way they are right now. It has been a tough couple of months for all of us. Terry is doing really well. I know he has went through so much pain over the last few weeks. Just to get you up to speed on where we are right now -

Terry had his second surgery last Tuesday. Since they found a small amount of cancer cells in one of his lymph nodes, they have determined that it is Stage 3 cancer and they removed all of his lymph nodes on the right side. The doctor feels this will help prevent the cancer from moving any further. They have also decided to administer chemotherapy. The first round will be pretty intense, he will receive treatments 5 days a week for 1 month. After that, he will be able to give himself the injections at home for up to 1 year. We are hearing a variety of symptoms that he may experience with the chemo. It just depends on the person.

I know you all are praying - I can feel it. When I start to get really down, I feel this arm of encouragement wrap around me - and I press on. I have finally moved out of the place of asking why - and instead am looking to the future. I know that some day, we will look back on all of this and see how much we have grown and changed through this experience.

God is good - all the time.

Till later....

A good report

We just received a call from Terry's doctor. They completed the surgery on Tuesday and the pathology report shows that the cancer has not spread to any other lymph node. This is the best news possible!!!

Thank you again for all your prayers and support!!!

Till later...

Taking a deep breath...

I feel like I have been holding my breath a lot lately. Waiting for the latest reports from Terry's doctors. Ya know, it all just seems like a bad dream sometimes. This was suppose to be one of the most joyous times of our lives. We have just brought our precious little girl home from China. The kids are all doing great. Life was pretty good. But then, waiting around the corner when we least expected it was a lot of heartache. I was blindsided to say the least.

The doctors completed Terry's second surgery yesterday. This one was much more involved. They removed all of the lymph nodes under his arm. Since the cancer was found in the lymph nodes in the biopsy, the doctor felt this was the best idea. They have also decided to start chemo (Inferion treatments). This was a big shock to both of us. It made everything seem much more real.

It all started with just a small spot on his arm. You know the kind - it looks a little different, but you just keep putting off going to the doctor. I keep wondering the "what if??" "What if he had went 1 year ago, or even 6 months ago?" But I can't live in the what could have been and focus on moving forward.

Sorry for all the rambling, I think I just needed to get some of this out.

Thanks again for your prayers.

Till later...

My Red Thread

Some of you may know that we own a children's clothing company. It started as a fundraiser when we were adopting Tessa. I have always loved children's clothes and sewing. Combining the two just seemed like a great fit. The business has grown over the past five years and we have now launched our first official web site and blog. You can check out our web site at www.myredthreadonline.com or the blog at www.myredthreadonline.blogspot.com . We have a "grand opening special giveaway on our blog, so stop by and check it out.

Till later....

I guess I spoke too soon...

Just a few days ago, I was celebrating that Terry's test results had went very well. As the posting title suggests, I spoke too soon. After the pathology report, the doctors found some cancerous cells in Terry's lymph nodes. What started out as just a little brown spot on his arm, has turned into a nightmare. They have scheduled him for surgery again next week. This time, they will remove all of the lymph nodes under his right arm. Please keep all of us in your prayers.

Till later....

I'm Back!!!!

I am not going to promise that I will blog everyday, or even once a week - but I will try harder. Let me catch you up on things -

Tia - is doing great!!! She is our little monkey. She climbs on everything!!! She is a lot of fun and we love her dearly. She seems to have adapted very well. Her two favorite men are her daddy and her papa. I think mommy comes in a close third.

Tessa is adjusting to having a little sister. While she loves Tia like crazy, she is a little jealous at times.

Trenton - Trent is playing soccer again with his Upward team. He loves to play and has really improved over the past year.

Tanner - is counting the days until school is out. I think he is ready for 6th grade next year. I am not sure if I am ready. It is hard to believe I will have a high schooler, a middle schooler and two kindergartners. It looks like it is going to be a very busy year.

Taylor - is doing wonderfully. She is such a blessing. I hope I tell her enough how proud I am of the young woman she has become.

And as for Terry and I. We are still rejoicing in the news from his doctor. That was a very tough time, but I know God has changed us through all of it.

Over the summer we have a few short vacations planned. We will travel to Holiday World in June for a vacation with our dear friends, the Lanig's. This is an annual trip that the entire family looks forward to.

I will try to update more often. I will promise some exciting news coming soon regarding our business, My Red Thread - so stay tuned.

Till later....

PRAISE GOD!!!

Terry had his surgery this morning to remove some of the lymph nodes from his arm. The doctor said that they were slightly enlarged, but he does not feel that the cancer has spread. PRAISE GOD!!!! They will know for sure by next week. If this is the case, his chances of ever getting this form of cancer again is less than 5%. Those are pretty good odds.

Thank you all so much for your prayers!!!! We really felt your love and support today.


Till later....

Needing Your Prayers

Sorry for the delay in writing, but things have been far from calm lately. We can sure use your prayers over the next few days. Terry will be going in for surgery tomorrow morning. The doctors have decided to remove some of his lymph nodes to see if the cancer has progressed. Our prayer is that the lymph nodes are completely clear.

We really appreciate all the support we have received over the last few weeks.

Till later...

A Medical Update

I know many of you have been praying for Terry over the past couple of weeks. As I wrote in a previous post, Terry was diagnosed with melanoma a few weeks ago. The doctor removed a very large section of tissue from his arm, in order to make sure they "got it all". We received a follow up call from the doctor today. The cancer was much deeper than they had originally thought. Actually, it was three times larger. We are now weighing our options for additional treatments and tests.

I have to be honest with you - I am not sure how I feel right now. I am very sad. Our lives have changed so much over the past few weeks. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Till later....

Help Bring Another Miracle Home

I would like to post some information about an event for one of my friends here in Missouri. Staci and her family are eagerly waiting to bring home their daughter Ellianna from China. They are hosting a fund raising dinner/auction this weekend in Missouri. If you can attend or help in any way, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance....

Sunday, March 28th, 2010

4pm - 8pm

Full Chinese Buffet Dinner

50/50 Raffle • Silent Auction
Entertainment provided by the Chinese Language School

(Adults $30.00 / Children 12 & under $15.00)
** No walk-in seating available, RSVP Mandatory by March 20th **
at
Whitmoor Country Club
1100 Whitmoor Dr.
St. Charles, MO 63304

I am still here....

I know, I am terrible at blogging. I will gladly take the award for the "Worst Blogger". I really did not clearly estimate how adding one child to our home would change things. WOW - it has been really busy.



Instead of trying to catch you up on the last three months, I will just move on from here. Things at our home our busy, but good. Last week, we were on vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was a little cool, but still restful. The kids did great on the 18 hour drive out there. Yes, you heard me right - 18 hours!!!! Thank God for iPods and VSmile games. We actually had hours of near quiet time. Tia was amazing in the car. For a little one who has NEVER spent that much time in a car seat, she was a real trooper.



We visited the ocean and the Wright Brothers museum. For my husband who is a pilot and all around aviation guy, this was a dream come true. Even I have to admit, it was pretty cool.



On a side note, I would ask for your prayers. I had debated about sharing this information. I guess there is a part of me that thinks if I say it - it all becomes more real. Before we got ready to leave for vacation, we were considering another adoption. I know - crazy - right?!?!?! But we knew that God has laid a very special little boy on our hearts. Terry went to the doctor for his adoption physical and asked the doctor to check a spot on his arm. The doctor was concerned about it, so he did a biopsy. The spot is malignant. The doctor said it is a stage 1 melanoma. They did the surgery today and removed a section of about 3 1/2 " long and 1/2" deep. I know - probably wayyyy too much information. I think we were both amazed at how much they had to remove to get all of the affected tissue. The doctor feels really good about his prognosis. Even though the procedure is over, we could really use your prayers. It has been a tough week.

Till later...

Remember Me???

Thanksgiving/ Early Christmas with my mom and dad

Taylor and Tanner's birthday celebration with their cousins

Tessa and Tia at Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family

Yeah, I know - it has been weeks since my last post. Things have been a little busy around our home lately. I remember when I thought that one more child would not dramatically impact the flow of our home - "Yeah Right!!!" What was I thinking?!?!?! I am sleep deprived, constantly trying to baby proof everything in our home - and loving every minute with this little girl. She is amazing!!! And most of all, I love the way she has melded into our family. Sometimes I forget what life was like before she came home. It is like she was always with us.

If you have a few minutes, keep reading and I will catch you up on our lives. Like I said, Tia is amazing. After our return home from China, I had the opportunity to spend 5 weeks at home with her. This is a new benefit offered by my company and I am very thankful for it. We had a chance to get to know one another and it was wonderful. I have never been a stay at home mom. My appreciation goes out to all of you. It is a tough job. I got to be there when the kids got off the bus and was able to hear all about their day. It was a very special time for all of us.

God once again amazed us with how His timing was perfect all along. Terry's company introduced new shifts. He works in aviation, so their hours tend to be a little unorthodox. But this time they worked out well for us. Terry is now working 3 - 12 hour shift each week. He works Friday, Saturday and Sunday - and then can be home with the kids the remainder of the week. No more daycare!!! This was a huge blessing for us. We really did not want to put Tia in daycare yet and the cost was way out of our budget. I have been using some of my vacation to be with the kids on Fridays, and then we are working on a plan for the future. It has worked out so perfectly!!! The new shift started right after I got home from China. Once again, God's timing was perfect!

We celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with my parents and Terry family. I was so happy when we walked in the door at my mom's house and Tia immediately recognized her. They will always have a special bond. We also celebrated Taylor and Tanner's birthdays while we were at home. It is hard for me to believe that Tay is 16 and Tanner is 11. They are wonderful young people and I am blessed to be their mom.

Trenton and Tessa are now at home with daddy during the week and we are homeschooling their pre-kindergarten curriculum. Once again, not something that we had planned, but it has been great. I love to watch them learn and they get so excited about school.

Many of you have asked how Tess and Tia are doing together. I will post some pictures that might give you a good idea, but I will also say they are doing great. Tess loves her sister and Tia idolizes Tessa. Tess and I were sitting on the couch one evening and I asked her if she was glad I brought her sister home. She said "yes", so I probed a little more. I then asked her why she liked her sister, to this she said "because she loves me all the time". I think that is a pretty good reason.

Okay, one funny story to tell you about - Trenton was trying to help Tia with something the other day and Tessa stepped in and said, "Just let me do it, I am Chinese and I know how to do it". Never a dull moment with Tessa.....

Enjoy the photos and I promise to TRY to blog more.

Merry Belated Christmas and Happy New Year

A Little Holiday Cheer

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Coming Up For Air

It has been two weeks since we returned home and life is finally starting to resemble some sort of normalcy. Tia and I have our nights and weekends figured out, which is a huge improvement.

The kids are doing great with Tia. Everyone fights over who gets to sit by her in the car and who she likes best. Tessa is so proud of her baby sister.

We have a lot of changes going on in our home. I (Diane) am at home on adoption leave. This is a wonderful benefit offered by my company. We did not have this when I adopted Tessa, so I really appreciate the advancement they are making to our benefits. Terry has opted to change his working hours to Friday - Sunday, 12 hour days. This will mean that the little ones are at home with him during the week, and then staying with a friend of ours on Fridays. Although we will miss him on the weekends, it will be great to have our children at home, instead of daycare. The preschool Trenton and Tessa attended is the best - all of our children have "graduated" from FBCA. But the opportunity to have the kids at home and save a ton of money on tuition was a good move for us. I started homeschooling the kids this morning. Wow - I have a lot of respect for homeschooling moms!!! My hat is off to all of you!

We will be traveling home to Illinois for the holiday this week. It will be the first opportunity for most of our family to meet Miss Tia. It should be a great time!!

As far as Tia goes, she is doing great. She has gained 1 1/2 lbs since we got home. She is happy and seems very well adjusted. She has a great appetite and has even discovered Mc Donald's. She has started taking a few steps on her own. I think she will be walking within the next few weeks.

I promise to blog more regularly from now on. Till later...

There's No Place Like Home, There's No Place Like Home...

Boy did Dorothy have that one right. I am so glad to be home. When we stepped off the plane in St Louis on Saturday night, I felt such a relief. By the time we made it to baggage claim, where my family and friends were waiting, I was sobbing. It felt so good to hug my husband and kids. I think Tessa grew 3 inches while I was gone. She seems so grown up. Trenton was glad to see mommy, but also very concerned about what I brought back for him. Tanner just wanted to hug Tia. She was a little shy at first, but then she began to warm up to them. Taylor is as always, the most amazing big sister. She is wonderful with Tia.

There were so many dear friends at the airport. Thank you to everyone who has supported and prayed for us during this journey - we could not have done it without you.

Since we have been home, things have been a little tiring. I am suffering from some serious jet lag. It is 4:34 am here in St Louis and Tia and I are eating pancakes. I would love to blame it on the baby, but I was awake long before her today. We will try to get some naps later today.

Today, we are visiting our pediatrician. She wanted to see Tia first thing when we got home. I will share more details about the visit tomorrow.

Glad to be home.....

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00 DAYS UNTIL TIA COMES HOME!

Today is the day. JoAnn, Diane and Tia should arrive in St. Louis around 9:00 tonight! We are planning on leaving the house around 7:30 so if anyone wants to drive along with us, that's when we're leaving.

Diane's dad is here now and we spent the whole morning working on my van. We had to change the oil pan gasket, oil and filter, air filter and the serpentine belt. Doesn't sound like much but it took us about 4 hours. It seems to be drip free. Let's hope it holds.

Now......gotta clean this house. 4 kids and no mom makes for a dirty house!

Until later,
Terry...

Ok, it's Saturday morning in China, I haven't heard from Diane since yesterday...but they're flying out today!! Their flight leaves anytime now (it's 9:00pm Friday here) and they have a full day of airline food and connecting flights. I haven't had any pictures to post but when they get home I'm sure we'll put several on this blog.

Until later, Terry...

It's Friday morning in China and this is their last full day before traveling home. They leave around noon on their Saturday and they land in St. Louis around 9:00pm Saturday night.

It wont be long!

Just a little news today. It's Thursday morning in China so they have today and tomorrow and then they pack up to come home. Tia has her US Consulate visit today and I think that is her last official appointment while in China. After that, they're just waiting to come home.

I'll post more pictures when I get them.

Terry...

Diane and JoAnn went to the zoo today and sent us this panda picture. They are having a great time but can't wait to come home. They leave this Saturday around noon (that's about midnight Friday night --St. Louis time). They will be arriving at St. Louis Lambert International Airport at 9:05 Saturday night and their flight number is American Airlines 1795. If anybody wants to meet us (and them) at the airport, we will be gathering at the exit of the C concourse which is past baggage pick up and all the way to the right (on the lower level).

Until later.......Terry