Baby Anthony Update

Baby Anthony continues to do well...he has passed the critical 4 day period and now his chances of survival are at 60%....he still has a long fight ahead of him so keep those prayers coming. Things can change in an instant.

Last night, another baby born the day before Anthony, at 25 weeks, died. He had been doing so well and then all of a sudden, he couldn't do it anymore. So Henry and Ana were pretty shook up. I think it was a glimpse of reality and just how fragile their own son's life is.

So...although we PRAISE GOD that Anthony is doing well, we need to keep lifting him up in prayer.

Thank you!

Sunday Hike

We found a new place to hike and explore today....I don't think we'll ever run out of places to do this up here! This is just a little pond across the street from our favorite beach.

Syd trying to look at the geese with her binoculars...

We started walking through this bog...it was so cool because the entire ground beneath your feet would move as you took a step. We found these very cool pitcher plants everywhere. We didn't want to disturb any of the bog plant life, so we turned around and walked around the bog instead!

Kayleigh was sound asleep by the end!

What do you do with 2 kids when mommy has orchestra rehearsal and daddy has an important black tie dinner? Oh...and grandparents live over 500 miles away?

Normal people would get a babysitter...no problem!

Well, we aren't normal! (You all knew that!) But last night we took our first step towards normality....and the girls had their first babysitter (who was not an adult). We had our 13 year old neighbor girl come over and they had a blast (from what they tell me). She came over the day before to meet them, and all day yesterday Sydney wanted to know when "that girl" was coming again.

I know this isn't a big deal for most of you, but for us it was a first and we ALL survived! Now maybe it will happen more often.

Otherwise, news from here is that Syd is a little sick, Kevin's back is hurting again and I'm super busy with my first orchestra concert tonight. I do expect a thousand things to go wrong this week as next Friday I am headed off to Mackinac Island for a weekend away from my family! This is another first....Since Sydney was born I've only had one night away from her (other than when I was in the hospital having Kayleigh...for some reason that doesn't count in my mind!)

Anyway, here are a couple pictures of us playing yesterday....

Anthony Mario Pacheco

Henry just sent me this picture...what a precious little baby boy!

Little baby Anthony Mario Pacheco is doing well....

He's on day 2 of life and his oxygen levels are right where they want them. If the levels stay where they are, they will take him off the ventilator tonight and put him on the CPAP. (I'm not sure what all that means, but I know it's the next step!)

Ana is doing well and will be released from the hospital tonight.

Thank you for your prayers...keep them coming because although he's doing well so far, things can change so quickly.

Flashback Friday

What do you think?
Is this Sydney or Kayleigh?
You can vote on the side.....

I just got off the phone with Henry and Ana.... Henry quick sent this picture to me from his phone of their new baby boy. They have not decided on a name, but are thinking either Andrew or Anthony. He weighed in at 1 pound, 8 ounces and is 12 inches long.

Both Henry and Ana seem to be doing well. Henry was especially funny when describing how stressful the birth was. He just went on and on about how awful it was, how much Ana was screaming in pain, etc. I told him I was so glad he made it through.... It's just terrible what men have to go through, isn't it?!?!

Anyway, the next 48-72 hours are critical for little baby Andrew or Anthony, so please keep the Pacheco family in your prayers.

Thanks.

Baby Update

My mom and Keith ended up NOT driving up last night, but are on their way up now. There really is no news to report yet...but thanks for checking! (and praying) It's so cool to me, that people will gather together and pray for people you've never met. What a privilege to be part of God's family!

I will post information as I get it...



Now...here's the back story on how I know Henry. (at least my recollection of it!)

He grew up in Chicago and I grew up in central Illinois. The Mennonite church had a program called "Fresh Air" where they took inner-city kids out of the city for a couple weeks every summer and placed them in rural communities. Henry was one of these kids and he was placed with another family from our church who lived on a farm. Aaron (my brother) and Henry met walking beans one summer. They became friends and started looking forward to seeing each other at church. This family Henry was staying with did not have children his age. My family camped a lot so we must have invited Henry to join us on a camping trip. This relationship continued several summers and then we started having Henry come to our house every summer.

When I was a senior in high school, Henry was a freshman in college and really wanted to attend Illinois Central College. This is a community college near us and my parents offerred that he live at our house. And so Henry moved in for a couple years. He really did become part of the family.

Henry and Ana got married and had Natalee (11) within a couple years. Then a couple years later had Christian (7). My mom was thrilled to be a "grandma" to them!!! Especially since I waited so long to have my kids!

Both Henry and Ana are officers with the Chicago Police Department...very cool! We love hearing their exciting stories and asking them questions!

So that's the story...not all that exciting, but there it is.

Baby Update

My phone just rang and my heart skipped a beat....

I knew it was my mom calling about baby Pacheco. He was born about 25 minutes ago....Henry said it all happened fast and naturally (no C-section). He had absolutely no information other than Ana was fine and the baby cried shortly after being born. A team of doctors and nurses were swarming him and checking him out.

My mom and Keith were getting ready to drive up to Chicago to be there with Henry and Ana...and to help with their other 2 children.

Hopefully I will have more to report in the morning.

Thank you for your prayers.

Update

The only update I can give you on Baby Pacheco is that they are still fighting to keep the baby inside Ana....she had a rough day. The sonogram showed that the baby is right there, ready to come out. She was having contractions again and they took her to labor and delivery, but were able to stop the contractions with medication.

Please, please keep praying.

Every hour they can keep the baby in is good! The baby is receiving medication to help develop the lungs. The baby is 24 weeks, 2 days.

Alpaca Farm

Today we got to go to an Alpaca Farm....it was so cool. First of all, it was a perfect day - sunny and in the 70s. I imagined they would let us look at the animals from behind the fence, but we got to go in and see them up close for about an hour.


Carol, (the tour guide and Alpaca raiser), told the kids several rules before going in the pasture... the first was that they should put their hands behind their back like they were "holding their tails". So here they are "holding their tails"....

Even Kayleigh followed the instructions...

Don't know this little boy, but this was so cute!

Sydney was very brave and walked all around the pasture by herself...can you see her back there behind the Alpacas?

Good thing there was a dirt pile for the kids to play in...otherwise it would have been a TOTAL waste of time!

Every day the leaves get more and more beautiful!

Did you know that Alpacas are NOT Llamas? In fact, they aren't even related...but they do come from the same country. There were about 88 alpacas on this farm!

PLEASE PRAY

Please
Please
Pray
for baby boy Pacheco....

Henry and Ana Pacheco are dear friends of our family (I've known Henry for years and years). Ana is 24 weeks pregnant (today) and is in the hospital. The baby will have to be delivered sooner rather than later due to an infection.

Please lift them up in your prayers.

The Next Survivor

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and
3 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play
two sports
and either take music
or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must
take care of his 3 kids;
keep his assigned house clean,
correct all homework,
and complete science projects, cook , do laundry,
and pay a list of 'pretend' bills
with not enough money.

In addition, each man
will have to budget in money
for groceries each week.

Each man
must remember the birthdays
of all their friends and relatives,
and send cards out
on time--no emailing.

Each man must also
take each child to a doctor's appointment,
a dentist appointment
and a haircut appointment.

He must make
one unscheduled and inconvenient
visit per child
to the Urgent Care.

He must also
make cookies or cupcakes
for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for
decorating his own assigned house,
planting flowers outside
and keeping it presentable
at all times.

The men will only
have access to television
when the kids are asleep
and all chores are done.

The men must
shave their legs,
wear makeup daily,
adorn himself with jewelry,
wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes,
keep fingernails polished
and eyebrows groomed.

During one of the six weeks,
the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches,
and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or
slow down from other duties.

They mus t attend
weekly school meetings,
church, and find time
at least once to spend the afternoon
at the park or a similar setting.

They will need to
read a book to the kids
each night and in the morning,
feed them, dress them,
brush their teeth and
comb their hair by 7:00 am.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information:
each child's birthday,
height, weight,
shoe size, clothes size
and doctor's name.
Also the child's weight at birth,
length, time of birth,
and length of labor,
each child's favorite color,
middle name,
favorite snack,
favorite song,
favorite drink,
favorite toy,
biggest fear and
what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island
based on performance
The last man wins only if...
he still has enough energy
to be intimate with his spouse
at a moment's notice.

If the last man does win,
he can play the game over and over
and over again for the next 18-25 years
eventually earning the right
To be called Mother!

Children's Museum

Today we had the opportunity to go to the children's museum here in town...for free!!! We were invited by another mom we met at church, to join the local MOM's club group. We had lots of fun and met some really nice moms and kids!

Here is Sydney in the bird's nest....

Kayleigh looking at the resident turtles...

MY post office...

In the music room...they had the inside of a grand piano standing up
on end so the kids could play it like a harp...pretty cool

Shopping in the grocery store...

Flying the airplane (to outerspace)

Playing around in the human body....

Sydney doing Kayleigh's hair in the salon...

Too bad we didn't have any fun!

LIFESONG - Sunday Lyrics

One of my favorite songs is "Lifesong" by Casting Crowns. Here are some of the lyrics...

Lord, I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To by your hands and feet

So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to you

I've written quite a bit about Compassion International on this blog. As we were driving to church this morning, I was once again thinking about the love I have for the children we sponsor and this song came to mind.

Some people might not understand why I (we) sponsor so many kids or why I am compelled to talk about it. But for me, it's an act of worship....it's part of my lifesong....Bulu, Cristine, Portia, Dominic, Nowanda, Mekdes, Josseling, Hondy, Sangeetha, Ayon, Alcides, Sunil....they are lyrics in my lifesong.

When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind"....and the second is like it : "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39)

That's what Compassion provides for me...a way to love my neighbor.

The lyrics to our "lifesongs" are written by our actions, our thoughts, our intentions, our desires.

When I write about Compassion on this blog, I am following Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Hiking

Beautiful fall day...
lots of trails to hike...
no need to say more!