These (poor quality phone) pictures sum up why it has taken me a week to do a post.   (Beautiful pictures of me, huh?)  (I am looking HOT!!)

     Yes, it's in my hair. 

     Yes, she is pitching a fit.  She hates to throw up!

     Poor little Emme has really been struggling.  She has been up a lot at night.  She has been spitting up lots of formula, coughing, gagging, strangling, etc...  She seems miserable... at night.  During the day, she is as happy as a little clam.  (How do we know clams are happy?)  (Who came up with these sayings anyway?)

     After being up most of Monday night, wearing the contents of Emme's belly at 9 pm, 1:30am, and again at 7am, I wildly began waving the white flag.  I surrendered and called the doctor.  I had been playing doctor and it just wasn't workin' for me... or Emme.

     Before you think this is another case of neglect from the mother of the year, let me set the record straight.

     After my $5,000 appointment at International Adoption Clinic in the area, I decided going to the doctor was going to be a luxury.  Don't get me wrong, I'd pay any amount of money to see a doc if my children needed it.  I was just having a very difficult time going to the pediatrician, so the pediatrician could send me to a gastro doc sothe gastro doc would order every test under the sun all so they could tell me she had reflux and prescribe her some Zantac.  I am a glass half-full kind of person, can you tell?

     I spent all day Monday praying for things.  One being the fate of this country... which I'd rather not talk about.  One of the other things was that God would give me wisdom to know what to do with this little girl.

     So, Tuesday morning, we took up an offer from a doctor in the area who has been helping with our ministry.  He contacted a doctor friend of his and the friend said he would see Emme without charging us.  I really wasn't looking for a hand out.  I was  looking to skip the pediatrician and go straight to the gastro guy.  I thought that our doctor friend was going to get us into a specialist without having to wait the normal month or two.  But, the doctor friend goes on missions trips and really has a heart for adoption.  So, who was I to argue with a God's provision?  So I went.

     The doctor, who I will now refer to as Dr. H, took one look at her and said, "I am afraid this little girl is going to cost you some money.  I think she is going to need a gastro doctor, an upper GI, and probably a scope."

     For about 5 seconds, I wanted to rip his head off his neck.

     See, why I try to play doctor?  I think he was scared to death of seeing this 14 month old who  looks like a 3 month old.

     We began talking about Emme.  Her behavior and her diet.  I also told him that the $5000 doctor told me to give her formula only for the next 3 months.  He is very familiar with Dr. $5000, had nice things to say about her, said she was a great doctor, yada,  yada, yada but then concluded by saying,  "I totally disagree with her on the feeding."

     Dr. H went on to say that there is a window of time to teach a child how to eat.  That window is from 9 months to 13 months.  Of course, Emme is a month past the window.  He said a belly, especially hers, can only hold so much liquid.  In other words, maybe the formula only, was causing her problems.

     So, he came up with a plan.  The plan is that for the next 2 weeks to feed her first and give her lots less formula after the feeding.  Dr. H went on to say that since she may not eat much, we were going to pack every bit full of calories.

     For example, she likes oatmeal, so I am to make it with heavy cream and sugar.  Make eggs with olive oil and heavy cream.  Whatever healthy fat I can add to something, I need to add.  I make smoothies all the time so today, when I made mine, I left some in the blender and I added cream and avocado.  She ate it like a champ.

     So, how's it working?  

     My first attempt at the food was after the late afternoon doctor appointment yesterday.  But, last night before bed, we didn't have any coughing or gagging or spitting up.  She did get up to eat twice in the middle of the night, but she went right back to sleep.  

     Today, we have had very minimal coughing and none of the other issues.  She has eaten really well all day!

     I feel really good about the plan.  If makes perfect sense to me.

     He told me to come back in two weeks and roll her in in a wheelbarrow.  :-)

     Hopefully, my posting hiatus is over.  Hopefully soon,  I will begin sleeping through the night, having sweet dreams about who is running this country.... not. 

 I'll settle for sleeping through the night:-)

P.S.  I am done with the negative comments about the newly elected President of this country.  I am not a bit happy about the outcome.  However, I do not trust in horses or chariots or the leader of this country, I trust in the Lord, my God.  Furthermore, I will be obedient to God's word and I will pray for him and our country... often.

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

I Timothy 2:1-4

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Romans 13:1
 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.