Emergency Room For Elijah

Elijah has had a chronic cough since we adopted him, which had been over a month now. He saw the ped on tuesday, who wasn't too concerned and said he lungs were clear. He was so bad wednesday, though, he vomited everything he ate from coughing so hard. So thursday we went Back ot the peditrician where he heard crackels in both lower lung fields and sent us to the ER. Luckily we live by Children's hospital of philadelphia which is the best kids' hospital in the country. We had a good vsit there, and luckily a chest rad was clear. they gave him an albuterol inhaler to help with signs and thought it was RSV virus, and thank God they sent us home. But now poor Emilia had a 101.6 fever last night and was feeling pretty miserable. Poor kids!!! we need to go back to Africa, we were all healthier there ha ha.

The rest of Elijah's medical tests came back and there is a problem with LEAD. I wonder if other rwanda families kid's had lead problems? His level was "9" which is apparently not at lead poisioning level, but high-end of what's considered not-too-bad. I think it's because of all the cribs painted with lead paint at the orphanage. that's my theory. He was also slightly anemic. All other blood work, including re-test HIV, hep B, malaria, syphilis, thyroid, and wbc count was all normal. We are waiting on a HEP c test and stool results.

SO to any adoptive parents, MAKE SURE THEY TEST FOR LEAD!

We are praying to get two sick kids back on track. January isn't the healthiest month to do so but we'll do what we can!

HOME AT LAST

Well, thank God we are home. Bill left us alone in kenya on Saturday Dec 26th, and we FINALLY got our visa to go home on Tuesday Dec 29, srriving home late wednesday night Dec 30. We waited 2 full weeks for our son's IR3 immigration visa in Nairobi. While I am still (quite) aggravated by the whole process and the incompetance and indifference of the US embassy in Nairobi, THANK GOD we did not get the visa Christmas eve. If we had, we would have left that night and traveled to amsterdam, where we would have boarded a plane from Amsterdam to detroit Christmas day. That was the plane with the bomb on it. God's hand was on the paperwork that day- although we were praying for it Christmas eve, God knew better. As it was, I was alone in kenya for 3 days but he gave me friends and helpers every step. A friend Rachel, a Jehovah's witness, from toronto, who gracioulsly helped me with my luggage not only in Nairobi, but also Amsterdam, then a nice man from Kenya / new jersery who lifeted my heavy suitcase for me and pulled it down afterwards, then carreid it to immigration for me. Finally, a nice immigration woman in Detriot (the only one I think i met in 4 weeks total)- who initially started in about how sick my child was, was he cleared by the CDC, etc- I was an emoitional mess by this time and was quite rude to her and the immigration man. She responded with pure kindness, putting me at the front of yet another long line, in which case I melted into incoherent tears and babbleing, apoligizing to her and thanking her for helping me. I think she forgave my rudeness when she realized what a wreck I was at this point. Then things went from bad to worse, at the detroit airport I waited 1 and 1/2 HOURS in a visa line only 5 people long, so I missed my philly flight. After waiting in another horrid line, i rescheduled the flgiht, then yet another security line (i think #6 at this point?) where another horrid rude TSA person barked at me to lift my suitcase, take off the BABY's shoes, etc. I started her down with an icy glare. It was not very Christian of me but I was a mother wolf at this point. These TSA people need major courtesy training. It's an abomination how they treat mothers with babies, old people, young people, everybody. Wasting our time all the while, it's clearly not enough and never will be enough to stop the real bad guys, and in the mean time everyone else suffers. Enough TSA rant.

Finally, I cleared immigration,scheduled a new flight, passed customs, security and the crowd was gone. All alone, we went up a gigantic pure white escalator with muzak playing in the background. I laughed to myself as I thought this looks like a scene in the movies with an escalator to Heaven. Far from Heaven, it was merely Detroit. LOL.
Elijah and I found a pretty fountain to sit by, and I made a much needed call to Bill. I was so happy to hear his voice. While i was talking to Bill, ignoring the baby, he proceeded to projectile vomit all over himself and a 3 foot radius around him. I saw people looking on in horror across the fountiain and wondered why- then I saw the vomit pile, and they saw an irresponsible mom chatting on her cell while a baby pukes. If only they knew our whole story.

We mercifully slept on the Philly flight, as the turbulance was apparently quite bad and had freaked out the gal next to me. I would have been a mess. happy I was so exhausted i didn't notice. The girls next to me heard what you never want to hear on a crowded plane when I sat down- I said, "Hi. I really sorry, but my baby is projectile vomiting all over everything. I brought you a waterproof mat to wear on your lap. I wanted to give you full disclosure up front. We've been traveleing for 30 hours at this point and I assure you this flight will not be as bad for you as the last 30 hours have been for me." That is exaclty what I said. Both the girls laughed (nervously) and thank God one was a mom of a 14 motnh old ad the other had been a nanny. Luckily Elijah didn't puke but slept like mommy.

We were greeted at the airport to a tearful reuinion with Bill's family, then suprised to see my dad and Deb and step sister becca and her friend Trent at our house. I have never been so happy to come home after a long trip. I heard it said it's a mother's duty to Endure. Well, I sure did. But Elijah is so sweet, doing great at home and even gettign sightly less pet-phobic. Emilia is having some sharing issues but doing ok.

Today both kids have a fever and Elijah has mouth blisters but he has a pediatrician appt. tomorrow. Also I need to bring about 6 poop containters along. yippee.

Over all, I am so incredibly proud of our family's calling to adopt our son. It's a crowing acheivement in our life and I am humbled God called us to do so. To God Be the Glory for this adoption. He called us, He Sent Elijah, and He brought us home. In His Timing.

Still stuck in Nairobi

Bill left yesterday because we are just gone tooo long from our daughter - with a heavy heart we missed Christmas with her and our families but did spend it together here in nairobi wuth Elijah. It was a bittersweet Christmas. Christmas eve was special though, with people from Several nations sharing Christmas traditions. The Danish did a traditional " conga line" the mAasai treated us to a traditional song and dance ,, and the Australians ended with fireworks. It was a memorable night bur we would have liked to spend our first Christmas as a full family.
So status for Now

Trapped in Nairobi

Well no good news on our visa. We heard from our awesome friend Leta at the state PA adoption clearance center that we apparently passed the Adam walsh screen! We took the letter to the consular today who said that is not tha Adam WALsh screen we need. It's something from the stAte dept. It's an entirely helpless process. We are trying to keep our spirits up but I looks like we will be spending Christmas here alone with Elijah, but we do have a christmas invite to go to a friends village, or spend here at the hotel with friends. So I will have surrogate family. If I could complain to someone here I would, but it's all nameless faceless databases. I DO NOT RECCOMEND NAIROBI FOR ADOPTIONS. I think addis abba must be better than here. They do so many adoptions and everyone who went there is home already. RWanda adoptive families will have to figure out how to get a Ethiopian point of entry visa or visa in advance then go to addis. Nairobi consular crowded, long lines, impersonal, unsympathetic, and to top it all off took my son's toy lobster everytimex we went through security. ReAlly? A toy lobster! ?
I cannot leave Kenya. We are trapped. On the bright side we upgraded our tent today and now have a shower and toilet in our tent. We're movin' on up at the Wildebeest lodge...

photos from Kigali and Nairobi

THE FIRST PICTURE IS KIDS STANDING ON THE BROKEN WATER TANK AT THE ROCAS SCHOOL FOR ORPHANS (and also non-orphans- about 50% each) IT IS $1,800 USD for A NEW TANK -- THEY NEED 2 as they have no access to water. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO HELP I WILL GIVE YOU THE DIRECTORS EMAIL. THE SECOND PICTURE -- THIS IS THE DORBAND AND US AT THE GIRAFFE CENTER GETTING A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH THESE MAJESTIC CREATURES!! WE ALL GOT "KISSED" TOO!

Stuck in Nairobi

(PHOTO IS OF US AT ROCAS AID SCHOOL IN KIGALI SUBURBS -- A school we have been helping sponsor)
Well, granted there are much worse places to be stuck than in the heart of Africa, but with Christmas fast approaching and our daughter being 8,000 miles away at home, we are getting anxious to go home. We were told on friday -after 2 days of unreturned phone calls, emails, and even an in-person refusal to be admitted to the visa office, that we can check in "tuesday for an update". Our flight leave monday night. So we plan to camp out in the visa office at 7am monday and just pray for a small miracle.
For now, we have no idea what the hold up is or what the ETA of the visa may be.
But on a lighter note, we met up with the dorbands today and their Rwandan sons Levi and Judah and did a game drive in Nairobi national park, where we say lionesses stalking zebras, monkeys who took a banana from us, and beautiful giraffes tower over the savanah. It was a great day! Then bill and I went to the on -site animal orphange, where we "tipped" the guide in order to be allowed in with 2 adult female cheetahs- who let us pet them and they purred! That was five of the best minuites we've ever spent! Amazing!
Please join us in praying for a monday visa ! love from Nairobi.

In Nairobi kenya

Hi everyone! We are in Kenya now since Monday to process our visa. We had to sit at a health clinic for 9 hours at oim agency which was awful but Elijah was a trooper! The next day ( tuesady) we went to drop off our visa papers which took a mere 3 hours. Lol. Hopefully we get visa tomorrow or Monday- but it better be Monday cause that's when we leave!!
Elijah is coming out ochoa shell day by Day and doing well bur his cough and diarrhea are persisting despite antibitocs. I think I got him to say juice today! And he says oh! For uh- oh when he drips something. He also smiled at me this morning for the first time when he woke up. From a tourist standpoint, Nairobi is awesome. We went to a baby elephant orphanage today where they rear abandonded baby elephants. The young ones are only as big as a big dog!!! Sooo cute. A family of wart hogs ran out and rolled in the elephants mud during the bottle feeding session. It was sheldrick animal orphanage. Really fun. We also went to a croc farm and could touch a 15 footer thruogh the wire fencing. I also held a baby croc.
The trip highlight today was driving in nairobi national park, and seeing a dew vans stopped. We drove up to the vans and saw what they were looking at-- SIMBA! Swahili for -- lion king fans know thus- lion! A male lion within 10 feet of our car. I muttered an explicit because my window was down - we quickly roller up the window and sat in awe of the King of Beasts for about 10 mins. We also saw the elusive Cheetah in the thicket!!! An amazing morning. The only problem was Elijah got car sick from the bumpy roads and projectile vomited lal
over me several times. Luckily we had e tea clothes. U know it's a good day when u don't mind letting baby vomit air dry on you. Gods creation Is breathtaking and it's been a pleasure to see it up close and personal!! We find out to
orrow if we get his visa. Please pray for us!!
With love from nairobi-- jen bill Elijah