Bringing Ellie Home

Oops! Forgot one...

2011-12-27T00:34:00.000-08:00

Here are two pictures of the kids on Christmas morning just before opening the gifts...

Merry Christmas, 2011!

2011-12-25T04:15:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve we had 8 refugee friends over for a Mexican dinner, fellowship, prayer, carol singing, Christmas games, and other family traditions. There were two Iranians, two Afghans, 3 Pakistanis, and 1 Sudanese. We had a great time and you'll enjoy hearing that one of our Afghani guests exclaimed with enthusiasm at the dinner table, "This is the first time in my life I have shared a meal in the home of high-class people!" We told him, "This is the first time in our life we have been called 'high-class' people!"

This morning we opened our family gifts, and tonight the Helping Hands team will be coming over to celebrate together.

Ellie's First School Christmas Program (Kindergarten)

2011-12-21T11:05:00.000-08:00

December 21, 2011

Today Ellie had her first character acting role as one of the "two" kings that visited the Christ child. She didn't care for the crown they placed on her head. She never cried but neither did she smile or laugh. She mostly looked "concerned".

The most impressive part to me was when Ellie's teacher opened the program quoting I Corinthians 13:4-7 (and got overcome with emotion while reading it).

The pics did not turn out great but here they are...

Mary and Joseph

Mary and Joseph (AND baby Jesus)

Ellie the "Wise Man/King"

Casual on the throne

A visit from Agios Vasillis (St. Bill)

Ellie with her teacher Mrs. Maria Loukou (whom we LOVE)

Some day I might even post some video clips from the program...maybe over Christmas vacation.

TWO MILESTONES--Oct. 14, 2011

2011-10-14T01:33:00.000-07:00

TWO MILESTONES--October 14, 2011

Technical problems have kept me from making new posts about TWO important milestones:

1) Ellie has started school (AND is riding the school bus to and from school), and LOVES it! Her first week was interrupted with another seizure that knocked her out for four days, but she is recovered now and going strong. It took some time for the school to get a bus for the kids, so we took her for a while and just let her get used to being there and getting used to the schedule and the teacher. The school (Greek public school for kids with special needs) is on the property of ELAPAP (a Greek charity for kids with special needs--
www.elepap.gr/). The school provides the education and the bus for free. ELAPAP provides a kind of morning snack and various therapies which we are still getting sorted out. They are also looking for a new wheelchair for Ellie, which she has outgrown.

First day of school!

                                      School days can be tiring (especially when
                                      schoolgirls keep waking up in the middle of
                                      the night!)

Ellie catches the bus at 7:20 am and gets back home between 2 and 2:15 each day. We are very grateful for a caring and competent kindergarten teacher for her--Mrs. Loukou.

2) The second milestone is that when Ellie went to the dentist last night for another filling, she also had her FIRST TOOTH PULLED (bottom, front)! The new one is already coming in.

Our little girl is growing up!

Conference in Switzerland!

2011-08-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

This was a "milestone" week for us and for Ellie because it was the first time we ever left her alone with a non-family member or someone she did not know really well. Steffie and the others who looked after her for several hours each day of the conference in Switzerland said she did really well, and seemed to really enjoy herself.

We are grateful for this for many reasons, but most importantly because it gives us more hope that she will cope well starting in kindergarten next month.

She is also an EXCELLENT traveler, and even slept well ALMOST every night of the conference. The last night she woke up at 3 AM and, except for one hour in the car on the way to the airport, she didn't sleep again until 1 AM the next night!

Switzerland was heavenly (the picture of the mountains and the moon, and the one of Vicki at the bottom of the page were both taken from the balcony of our room), and the only bad thing that happened on the trip is that the Swiss Air people broke Ellie's wheelchair.

If you are interested to see more pics of where we stayed (facilities and village) you can go to:

http://www.gaestehaus.ch/ENGLISH/Pictures

Family Vacation Summer 2011

2011-08-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

We had the joy of vacationing together with the Sirinides family when Kendra and Steve visited from Scotland. We went to a wonderful villa in a small village about 4 hours away. It was near the beach, had a nice swimming pool, the weather was perfect, the food prepared mostly by Donna, Themis, and Steve was excellent, we played games, Ellie got her toenails painted for the first time (by Becky), and we generally really enjoyed each other's company.

Ellie Update...May 31, 2011

2011-05-31T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is what happens in the day when you REFUSE to sleep through the night!

We are grateful that the Lord recently provided for us to get a new seat for Ellie. She had outgrown her previous one, and it had been a while since she was able to sit in something that especially helped with her posture and special seating needs.

A few weeks ago, Ellie had another seizure (lasting about 20 minutes). It had only been 3 months since her last one. Previously, they had normally been spaced out about 5-7 months between each one, so we decided with her doctors to start her on daily anti-seizure medication. So far, so good. She has even slept through the night for about ONE WHOLE WEEK!!!! (Not sure if it is related or not to the medication). We are thrilled, but not getting our hopes up too high for regular good sleeping habits.

Ellie attended the graduation ceremony of her brother Cody on Saturday night and seemed especially proud of his completion of the one-year Greek program at the Greek Bible College.

In the last several weeks, we have seen the following improvements in Ellie: she seems to be reaching out more with her arms and hands for hugs, she kissed me several times at the beach during a baptism a few weeks ago (until now she would only kiss Vicki), she works hard to turn the light switch on and off, she is quicker on some days at choosing the video she wants to watch (by touching/grabbing/swatting it), and her physical therapist believes the Theratog she has been wearing is helping with stabilization, centering, and movement issues.

We have turned in what we believe is the very last of the papers from the U.S. government that can be produced to prove that we legally adopted Ellie and she legally belongs to us. Unfortunately, they are not what the Greek government is asking for (because the Greek government requires something different than the U.S. government does in such situations). So we are waiting to see what the Lord will do. Ultimately, He is the one in control.

If her papers are approved, and she finally (after 4 years) will receive a resident permit, we plan to send her to kindergarten in September at a Greek public school for special needs kids (which meets in the facilities of ELEPAP, a Greek non-profit that helps special needs kids). ELEPAP will probably provide Ellie's therapy needs as well while she goes to school there.
More info about ELEPAP at: http://www.eurocharity.gr/en/member/331

If her papers are not approved...? Only God knows.

Ellie's Birthday PARTY!

2011-04-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

We CELEBRATED Ellie's party on Monday even though her actual birthday was on Sunday. The Sanners, the Camis, and the Sirinides joined our family for an EXCELLENT meal of Vicki's grilled burgers and potato salad. We played a game of China Trivia (I'll see if I can post it somewhere on this site), opened gifts and had excellent cake for dessert.

I think we may be getting some better photos later.

Ellie turns 5 today!

2011-04-10T02:01:00.000-07:00

Ellie's FIFTH birthday is today (though we will celebrate with friends tomorrow)! We can't believe that we have had Ellie for almost 4 years now! Mother's Day 2007, when we first welcomed her to our family, does not seem that long ago. I will post birthday pics after tomorrow.

Many thanks to Kevin and Beth Jordan-Krull for the new Theratog for Ellie! Therapy she wears!

In and out of the "tunnel" at the Cami house

Another seizure today...

2011-02-06T01:35:00.000-08:00

Ellie had a bad night and another seizure this morning. She is sleeping it off.

When she's not sleeping or exercising, she's laughing...

Gait Trainer and Thumb

2011-01-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

In the last couple of weeks two important things have happened:

1) Ellie's gait trainer was adjusted for her to use! I don't know how clearly you can see the photo, but her hands need to be strapped onto the bars, and she is wearing ankle-foot orthotics under her trousers. We have to stand near and work with her at this point, but it won't be long before she will be scooting all over the place by herself.

2) For the first time ever, she has started sucking her thumb! It used to be that she couldn't even get her hand to her face, so this represents progress, though she needs to learn to stop poking herself in the eye with her index finger. :)

Tomorrow, she has an appointment with a doctor who specializes in metabolic issues, and Wednesday she has an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon (because it appears that she is developing scoliosis).

New Year's Day 2011

2011-01-01T01:49:00.000-08:00

Ellie is making some monumental efforts at crawling. I hope to post video soon.

Lorie Delk is sending some games and exercises from the U.S. to help her with pre-verbal development!

Ellie's gait trainer arrived from the States the other day, thanks to the generous efforts of Kevin and Beth Jordan-Kroll but needs a few adjustments before she can use it. I will post photos of her in it as soon as I can. Meanwhile, here are a few pics between Christmas and New Year's Eve...

First Christmas ever without Kendra. :(

New clacker toy--my favorite!

TOY STORY 3!!!!!!

Grateful for Met Needs

2010-12-25T23:54:00.000-08:00

We are so very grateful for the various people and ways thatGod is using to help meet Ellie’s needs in these days. He used a late tax refund from “UncleSam” to help pay for her new AFO’s(Ankle-Foot Orthotics). He used aGreek couple with a disabled son who had outgrown his stander to provide this need for Ellie. He used a couple in the States (Beth & Kevin Jordan-Kroll, who Scott only brieflymet one time last June) to raise money for the purchase of a used gait trainer which is on its way to Greece right now (this samecouple is currently try to raise funds for the purchase of a TheraTog for Ellie. We also got word this week that thesame woman who gave us Ellie’s current wheelchair(Melinda O'Neill) is offering us another one in a few months (which will be even more suitablefor her) when her grandson (Rylan) gets a new one!

Ten Reasons to Give Thanks for Your Child With Special Needs

2010-11-27T11:49:00.000-08:00

Today Ellie woke up very happy (after a very good night's sleep). After her morning milk, she was non-stop happily "chattering", with LOTS OF GIDDY (slightly unclear) "I LOVE YOU" 's for about 15 minutes straight!

Ten Reasons to Give Thanks for Your Child With Special Needs

By Terri Mauro, About.com Guide

As if you need a reason! Parents of children with special needs know more than most that every child is a gift worthy of thanks, every one, the ones who thrive and the ones who strive, whether they become our legacy or we become theirs. But on those days when there doesn't seem much to be thankful for, or others are suggesting that your child must be just a burden, or well-meaning charities suggest giving thanks for healthy kids, check this list for a smile and a little inspiration.

1. You never have to worry about worrying over nothing.

Let other parents obsess over the frivolous and the shallow. Your child will make sure you always have something worthy to worry about.

2. Developmental delays = more years of hugs, kisses, and little-kid sweetness.

My 13-year-old still wants to sit in my lap, give me hugs, and tell me he loves me. What mom of a sullen teen doesn't secretly wish for the same?

3. Maybe someday, Ty Pennington will come build you a house.

Hey, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition loves families of children with special needs. Your little one may be your ticket to a lavish living space. (But NOT in Greece). :(

4. Any little milestone is a cause to throw a party.

Your child works hard for every step, sit-up and syllable, giving you lots to be excited about.

5. Every day is a learning experience.

Some days it's a pop quiz, some days it's a crash course, but life with your child is always an education, for sure.

6. You have the privilege of putting several doctors' children through college.

After paying for all those appointments, you may feel like a one-family scholarship foundation. Put your child's name on some letterhead and take pride.

7. You meet a better class of parent in waiting rooms and support groups.

Your child frees you from having to hang out with those snotty parents on the playground, and gives you entry into an exclusive club of people who are sensitive, sarcastic, and sure of their priorities.

8. You have an iron-clad escape excuse for any occasion.

You'd love to stay at that boring party, crowded event, endless church service, but, you know, your child just can't tolerate it. (And if sometimes it's you who can't tolerate it -- who's to know?)

9. Coming up with new strategies every day keeps your brain sharp.

They say doing crossword puzzles helps ward off Alzheimer's. Figuring out your child's schedules and treatments and lessons and rights and restrictions must easily provide twice the protection.

10. Your blessings will always be fully counted.

Other parents may take the gifts that their children bring for granted. Not you. Not ever.

First Fillings!

2010-11-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

This week we took Ellie to a dentist we were referred to as someone who has experience with special needs kids. Her first visit was just a cursory examination which determined she had two cavities that needed filling, and all her teeth needed cleaning. (Ellie has a dental condition resulting from bad nutrition IN HER BIOLOGICAL MOTHER'S WOMB. It was also very difficult to brush her teeth the first couple years we had her. It is a little easier now). An appointment was made for a few days later to do the fillings.

On that day, she was all happy and smiles at the beginning. then a bit nervous when they wrapped her in a "straight-jacket" of sorts. Then a tad more nervous when they started poking around and swabbing her mouth. But when the drilling started, and they hit roots much sooner than expected, and it ended up being a bigger and longer (and more expensive) job than they expected, she went "crazy". As it turned out, they only time for one filling, so now she needs to go back for another (and the cleaning).

Also, she went to the pediatrician last Monday and had two shots, didn't cry, and smiled and laughed a lot (for the first time). On the same day, she got her new AFO's (ankle-foot-orthotics), went to speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, and did GREAT for all those things.

She has also been sleeping well most of this week! Overall, she's doing much better!

Sippy Cup Victory!!!!

2010-11-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

Ellie worked a lot this summer on trying to get her sippy cup to her mouth. Sometimes she would work up a good sweat for 30-45 minutes, trying and trying, but without success.

A few days ago she did it within 10 minutes of trying...TWICE! We had lots of clapping and praising to celebrate!! I got part of it on video and will hopefully post it here in the near future.

Here are a few more photos from recent months...

New Doctor, New Seizure, New Resident Permit?

2010-10-22T22:46:00.000-07:00

Our appointment with Ellie's new neurologist Dr. Skouteli was very encouraging. Ellie seemed to like her as well. She told us that Baclofen IS available in Greece (just under its marketing name, and in tablet form, but it is the same medication), so she is going to help us get Ellie back on that. She also told us about a couple of good educational opportunities for Ellie that combine a variety of therapies (i.e., swimming therapy, horse therapy, physical and occupational and speech therapy, etc.) with schooling. She is on the board of directors of one of the schools. Though the school is full for this year, we are going to get Ellie on the waiting list for next year. Additionally, Dr. Skouteli gave us some Melatonin to help Ellie sleep at night. It is a hormone, naturally produced by our bodies, non-addictive, and able to be used with other medications. ELLIE IS SLEEPING MUCH BETTER NOW!!!!!

Unfortunately, about 10 days after the doctor visit Ellie had another seizure. This one lasted more than 30 minutes so it was the longest one yet, and we spent the day and night in the hospital. Initially, the doctor wanted to start her on regular anti-seizure medication, but after reading the results of the EEG, and talking to us and our pediatrician we all decided to wait a bit on that. The 3 days in which she has had seizure episodes up until now have each been 5 months apart, so we will not start her YET on maintenance medication. We got home from the hospital yesterday and she is still not quite back to her normal happy self yet. After her previous seizures, it took her a few days to recover normalcy.

We have encountered many logistical and bureaucratic hurdles over the years to get Ellie a resident permit here. It looks like we are close now to that happening. I will spare you all the long long long long long long long long long long lists of details and stories. Please pray that we can get it soon. In addition to preventing fines for her not having one, it may open some doors for financial assistance related to her CP.

That's enough for now. Here are a few OLDER pics of Ellie...

September/October 2010

2010-10-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

We've been back in Athens exactly one month today! For Ellie, it has been a difficult readjustment. It took her about 3 weeks to get over jet lag and then she got sick (still is). Today was supposed to be her first physical and occupational therapy since returning to Greece, but now we will be canceling.

Additionally, we had to wean her off the baclofen because it is not available in oral form here as in the States, and this has made her very stiff again. The slight gains we thought were resulting from the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy were actually, we see now, the results of the baclofen she was taking.

We have an appointment scheduled with a new neurologist on Oct. 11th. Perhaps she will have something new to suggest. Meanwhile, we pray, we wait on the Lord, and we do the best we can with what the Lord gives us.

September 23rd-27th, we went a couple hours away on a Team Retreat where (in spite of little sleep) we had a great time with our team, planning, praying, worshipping, playing, eating, etc. together. Here are a few pics of Ellie from that weekend (by-the-way, while a couple of the pics look like she is not enjoying the time of "catch" with daddy, she really did!)...

Miscellaneous Summer 2010

2010-07-31T18:41:00.000-07:00

We met so many wonderful people during the time of Ellie's treatments. At the top of the list were Melinda and Rylan O'Neill. Melinda is Rylan's grandmother and caregiver, and she generously provided for Ellie a new (slightly used) wheelchair and a new bath chair!

Rylan and Ellie

We went to a water park in Gulf Shores one day while in Alabama. Ellie loved it!

In the backyard pool at Gram and Grandad's in Mobile, Alabama

Ellie and Sophee at the Powells' house

Summer 2010

2010-07-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

Ellie and the rest of the family enjoyed a great 5 weeks together at my parents' house in Mobile, AL. We are now based in Eugene, Oregon for the next 6 weeks. This week we are the missionaries of the week for the Elmira Church of Christ Vacation Bible School. We will speak at some churches and spend time with some friends and supporters in OR, spend some time with family and refugee friends in WA, visit a supporting church in CA, and go on a camping trip at Lake Lomolo in southern OR.

Ellie is doing fine and adjusting well to life here. In the last 2 or 3 weeks she is taking the initiative to TRY crawling. She bunches her butt up in the air and tenses her arms but hasn't been successful yet. However, it is progress that she WANTS to and is TRYING. We work on crawling pattern as part of our daily exercise routines so we are sure she will get it sooner or later.

My dad bought a small pool to put in their backyard while we were there. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to use it much but the few times we did, Ellie really loved it. The last 2 or 3 times, she floated and moved around the pool (on her back with a life-vest on) all by herself for up to 30 minutes, unassisted. That's progress!

We have been trying to get her scheduled for some neurological testing while in OR, but so far have run into a bunch of hurdles.

Disappointment, Gratitude, Joy, and Hope

2010-05-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

Ellie's HBOT treatments ended last week with only 3 more to go when Ellie had a seizure while in the chamber. It lasted for 14 minutes and we spent the afternoon in the hospital running tests, after which they released her.

For all who want to know how effective the treatments have been, to be honest we are DISAPPOINTED (but not discouraged). We knew at the beginning that it helps some and not others. We were never given any false guarantees or false hopes but we knew we had to try. We have met several people who have received great benefit from it and we sincerely rejoice with them. Dr. Harch was honest, compassionate, sensitive, wise, and truly cared about Ellie and me. He said he can recall only two others in all the years of doing this that were as resistant to the therapy as Ellie. He also said that residual effects CAN happen up to two months after the treatments.

In spite of our disappointment, we are also VERY GRATEFUL. We are grateful for all the loving and caring and generous friends who helped make this attempt possible. Prayers, financial sacrifices, encouragement, transportation, etc,. etc., were POURED OUT over us like water to a thirsty man. We are grateful that God has graciously sustained our family during this time of separation, providing for us in times of temptation, providing financially, providing emotionally, etc. And we continue to be grateful for Ellie herself and the precious gift from God she is to our family (and all who know her). We are grateful to our other children for their extra maturity, responsibility, and sensitivity during these months. I am so grateful to my parents, and especially my mother, who took us in on the weekends and let me get some sleep.

We are also experiencing much JOY, primarily in the assurance that God remains on His throne, in control of our lives and the affairs of the universe (and beyond). But we are also rejoicing in the new experiences of God's person and provision, in the new friendships He has given us in these months, in the things we have learned about ourselves (not always pleasant things but never-the-less necessary things), and in the fact that this chapter is closing and another is opening (beginning with the reunification of the family on June 7th as Vicki and the boys join us at my parents' house in Mobile, AL to begin a summer furlough).

And finally, nothing can take away the HOPE we have in a God and Savior who assure us that the struggles of the present can be redeemed in ways that bring benefit to us and glory to Him both now and in the future.

Ellie on the swing at City Park

I LOVE YOU

2010-05-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

The other night after her bath, she was being very "verbal". A couple years ago (after her bath, when she seems the most "verbal") she said what sounded like (to both me and Vicki), "I love you." Ever since then we have been trying to get her to repeat it. A few times in the last couple years she has spoken some garbled verbiage, sometimes sounding similar to "iwuvyu".

However, a couple nights ago, she said (AS CLEARLY AS YOU OR I WOULD SAY IT), "I love you"!!!! She only said it very clearly one time, but she followed it up (amidst my laughter and crying) with a few less clear "I love you's".

Then Friday, while we were in the HBOT chamber together, she was very clearly intentionally TRYING (unsuccessfully) to form her hand/fingers into the hand sign for "I love you" (which we constantly show to her while repeating this phrase many times a day to her). Then I would take her hand and make it into this sign and she would smile real big and get happy about it.

StoryLand

2010-05-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

StoryLand is a small park for little kids within a BEAUTIFUL larger park (City Park, 1300 acres large, one mile from the Ronald McDonald House where we've been staying--http://www.neworleanscitypark.com/). Though we have been several times to the larger park, I took Ellie to StoryLand this week. She was really tired and mostly not interested, except for the slide (we went down 3 times) and the "misting post" (where you press a button and it mists water out on you)--she didn't want to leave that at all.

Hair and Ballons

2010-05-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

I like Ellie's hair more "natural". Nobody else seems to, though (especially women). Ellie seems like to like it well enough.

Her purple T-shirt says, "I am CUTE; my mom is CUTE; my dad is LUCKY"

Ellie has really fallen in love with helium balloons. She loves looking at them but more importantly she enjoys holding on to the string, pulling on them, and working her fingers around the string. It is a good eye-hand coordination exercise for her. Oh yeah, sometimes she likes to hold the string with her mouth, too.

Any differences?

2010-04-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

Our favorite volunteer cook (and her husband) at the RMH. Ellie has taken a real shine to her (see #6 below).

Naturally, people keep asking if the HyperBaric Oxygen Therapy is making any difference at all. Whether incidental, or directly a result of the HBOT or the Therasuit therapy (or both), here are some differences/changes I have noted in Ellie...

1. Extends right arm more

2. Opens both hands more

3. Puts hands together more often

4. Works hard at trying to put her sippy cup to her mouth (hasn't been successful YET)

5. When she saw a dog a couple weeks ago, she reached out for it and was happy to see it (usually ignores dogs)

6. Two times in a row, at dinner, she reached over to touch/stroke the arm of the volunteer who cooked the meal, and made good eye contact with her; additionally, Ellie wanted to be fed by HER instead of me

7. During her last day of Therasuit therapy she did actually take a few steps on her own (with the gait trainer)

8. Grips things better and more often

9. A couple of times she has “sung” with me in the car (not real words or in tune, but some sort of real effort)

10. She works at licking/smacking her lips when she gets a crumb or some kind of food on her upper or lower lips

11. She has splayed her fingers on her high chair tray a couple of times

12. For the last 3 nights she has slept all night long on her side! (For 4 years she has only slept on her back).

This and that...

2010-04-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

Grandad and Ellie doing "floor time"

Got to love my hair!

Leg immobilizers to strengthen the hamstrings while sleeping

New dress from Aunt Bonnie

UCP BBQ

2010-03-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, March 13th, we went to the fairgrounds where the 9th Annual United Cerebral Palsy was hosting a big BBQ event. It was a huge affair with thousands of people attending and many people cooking/serving BBQ. Ellie's Alabama physical therapist Cheryl and her husband Harry served us the best meal at the cook-off.

Gram and Grandad at the BBQ

Daddy and Ellie
on the slide

Harry Thames (cook)

Cheryl Thames (Physical Therapist)

Miscellaneous

2010-03-09T20:34:00.000-08:00

Mama loves Ellie!!

Ellie loves Chinese food!!

Ninja Ellie! (Thanks, Lyndon)

Bedhead!

One more week...

2010-03-07T17:06:00.000-08:00

...until we head back to New Orleans to start the HyperBaric Oxygen Therapy again.

People keep asking if the therapy has affected me in any way. Vicki says I look different, but really I haven't been able to detect any changes at all.

(Scott, after the first 40 treatments)

Therasuit Therapy for Ellie

2010-02-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

During this one month break from the HyperBaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), Ellie is undergoing THERASUIT Therapy here in Mobile. We believe the Lord provided this opportunity because both Ellie's physical therapist in Athens and her HBOT doctor highly recommended that she get this kind of therapy while here, if possible. We had exactly the amount of money needed in our savings account, and the center had an opening during this 3-week slot (2 hours a day, 5 days a week). You can read more about this therapy and the center where it is offered at:

http://www.pptmobile.com/Therasuit.htm

Ellie and I will return to New Orleans on March 14th for the second round of HBOT. Meanwhile, we are enjoying our time with my parents and with Vicki (who will return to Athens on March 5th). Additionally, I am getting a few speaking opportunities, which I always enjoy.

...and one more thing...

2010-02-14T17:57:00.000-08:00

For all the people (INCLUDING ME) who were wondering at the beginning of this adventure what I would be doing with all my free time, I have to say, "What were we thinking? What free time?!"

By-the-way, the various photos on this blog in recent weeks of Ellie sleeping do not indicate she sleeps much. On the contrary, I am trying to capture the FEW times when she actually is NOT awake.

A few thoughts...

2010-02-13T10:51:00.000-08:00

Ellie and I have been privileged to meet some really great people during our time in New Orleans. These are people we have grown to love, respect, admire, and draw encouragement from.

We are so grateful for the people God has put in our life through the years who have loved and encouraged us. Some have written in recent months to share with us their thoughts and perspectives, their opinions and conclusions, their observations and adulations...all of which are greatly appreciated, and most of which we feel very undeserving of.

We are just parents. Like any functional parents we want to do what we believe is best for our children--all of our children. Like most human parents, in spite of our unconditional love for our kids, there are also times of frustration, impatience, confusion, anger, irritation, exhaustion, and mistakes.

Ellie is not a "virtual stranger", but rather a full and real and complete daughter--as much a member of the family as any other of our "biological" children. Every functional parent tries to do what is best for each of their kids and that is all we are doing. We couldn't do it, though, without the help of God and the wonderful, generous, loving, caring, encouraging people He has placed in our lives. We are grateful to Him and to you for walking with us on this journey.

After 1 Month...

2010-02-13T10:13:00.000-08:00

After 1 month of HBOT treatments for Ellie, there HAVE been minimal signs of improvement. Her hands are open more often and not as tight when they are closed. She tends to have better use of her right arm than before when she clearly favored the left one. Perhaps her eye contact and powers of observation are a bit better. The doctor also believes her right leg has better movement and that her tone is generally better.

We thank God for providing for this first round of treatments, and we trust that He will provide for us to continue a second and third round after a mandatory one-month break. During this break, we will stay with my parents in Mobile, AL and pursue physical therapy, social security and medicaid benefits, help from some non-profits in getting assistive devices for Ellie, getting her visa situation (for Greece) worked out, and speaking at different churches about the ministry.

A physical therapist in New Orleans has loaned us a "stander" for Ellie to use while we are here, and we are very grateful for that.

Vicki has "stolen" some frequent flier miles from one of our kids and will be visiting me and Ellie for a couple of weeks!! Needless-to-say, we are both really looking forward to that!

HBOT Chamber and the Ronald McDonald House

2010-01-30T21:52:00.000-08:00

Our first two weeks in New Orleans have not been without theirchallenges (primarily in terms of difficulty sleeping--for Ellie, andtherefore me as well; and extremely limited internet connection), butthey have been two good weeks. On Thursday, I solved the internetconnection problem so I should be more available via skype and email.

Ihave found new heroes in my life in the people I have met at the RonaldMcDonald House--especially, but not exclusively, in the single moms Ihave been privileged and honored to meet. They are mostly women (andin some cases men) in extremely difficult circumstances, livingcourageously and committed to loving their children in the bestpossible way that they can. The staff is also great, especially the Residential Manager Lyndon!

Though we have not seenany changes in Ellie since the HBOT therapy began, 2 weeks is reallytoo early and we hope to see something by the end of the month. Wehave met others at the clinic who have given testimony to the ways thatit has changed their otherwise hopeless situations. This encourages us to continue hoping in, and trusting, the Lord to use this time for bringing some measure of healing to Ellie's body. You can read more about the clinic and this kind of therapy at:
www.hbot.com

Also, for those who don't know, the Lord solved our transportation dilemma by using Paul and Tammy Shorrosh to provide us with a Lexus for the time we are here! Other generous friends have also contributed to the gas fund!

New Orleans

2010-01-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

Ellie and I are now in New Orleans for her HBOT treatments (www.hbot.com), staying at the Ronald McDonald House (http://www.rmhneworleans.com/) on weekdays, and staying with my parents in Mobile, AL on weekends.

Ellie started her treatments on Monday and is doing well. I will try to post photos and more info within the next couple weeks. Right now I have extremely limited internet access.

Also, Ellie got a nice customized (used) wheelchair donated to us by National Mobility and Seating. I really like it and so does she.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

Confirmation of Dates

2009-12-06T10:41:00.000-08:00

Ellie and her boyfriend Matt

First of all, if you want to see a video of Ellie being tickled by her cousin Chelsea (who we were recently privileged to have stay with us for 3 months), go to:

http://gallery.me.com/mccrackenscott/100024

If that doesn't work for you, try:

http://vimeo.com/8015900

And here is one of Ellie during and after a bath:

http://gallery.me.com/mccrackenscott#100026

Or if that one doesn't work for you, try:

http://vimeo.com/8018081

This week we made final DATE confirmations for Ellie starting the HBOT, and us staying at the Ronald McDonald House in New Orleans, beginning in January 2010. The only major thing left is to work out our transportation while there.

Thank you!

2009-11-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for helping my daddy and me go to America so that I can get some special therapy treatments. I like my physical and occupational therapists here in Greece, but daddy says maybe the other ones can help even more. I hope so. We get to leave on the big airplane on January 8, 2010!

We are not 100% sure that it will help me but we won’t know until we try, so thank you for helping us try something that might help me learn to talk and walk and sit and hold things and feed myself. Wow! I am getting tired just thinking about the possibilities!

If you want to read more about the clinic and the therapy we plan to experience, you can find information at: www.hbot.com

I am very grateful for your help. Mommy and daddy are very grateful too. I heard them crying and thanking God for such loving and caring and generous friends. They told me that I am blessed to be in a family that God has given so many good friends to. I believe they are right!

I hope some day you can see me, or see a video of me, doing the things we hope God will help me to do. Until then, thanks for your help with the therapy and for your prayers on our behalf.

Love and Thanks,

Ellie MingYun McCracken

Update on Ellie's Medical Fund...

2009-11-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Praying Friends,

WOW! Thanks for praying! Here is what has happened since we sent out the Q & A last weekend...

1. A Greek couple we know contacted us and said, "We would like to offer a "matching challenge" of up to $5,000 Euros (about $7,300 USD)." In other words, for every dollar/Euro given by someone else, they will give a dollar/Euro, up to 5,000 Euros (about $7,300 USD).

I honestly don't know how this couple is able to do this, but this is what they have offered, and we want to humbly and gratefully communicate it to you. So if you would like to be a part of this effort for Ellie's therapy opportunity, now your contribution can work TWICE as much! For every dollar you give, our Greek friends will give another dollar!

Also, another couple from China and a couple from the States wrote to say they were planning to help in some way. Additionally, an American friend who lives in Afghanistan wrote to say he is donating some stock to I.T. on our behalf.

It has truly been an international outpouring of love: people from Pakistan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Italy, Greece, America, Denmark, Finland, Dutch people living in France, an American living in Afghanistan, and China.

If you already sent something before receiving this, THANK YOU! Your investment will count double as well. I had originally forgotten to include food and local transportation costs in the initial estimate so I am sure God knew that before I realized it. :)

Also, my original email said that we will need a MINIMUM of $10,000 US dollars for the FIRST round of 40 treatments of HBOT, accommodations, and plane tickets. ANYTHING COMING IN BEYOND this will go toward the second round of treatments if we go that route.

SERIOUSLY, we are STUNNED and OVERWHELMED by the quick, loving, caring, prayerful generosity that has gone above and beyond the usual amazing demonstrations of your partnership with us. We thank God and we thank you (for letting God use you).

2. Although nobody's U.S. insurance will yet pay for HBOT, one positive result of our recent update was that a confusion about our insurance coverage for Ellie was cleared up (thanks, Dianne), and it will pay for some of the OTHER "normal" medical/therapy issues related to Ellie's CP.

HBOT for Ellie?

2009-10-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Praying Friends,

We seem to be facing some "question marks" in some important areas of our life right now. Thanks for praying for us to know God's mind and heart regarding these matters.

Others have been asking the questions below and we thought you might be interested in an update as well. One of the subjects concerns Ellie's therapy...

Q: How is Ellie doing?
A: As most of you know, Ellie was officially diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP) in November 2007. After almost 2 years of physical and occupational therapy we have seen definite, but very slight, improvement. She is a mostly happy girl that brings us much joy (you can see/read more about that on this blog). She does not speak, does not sit up by herself (except in her special chair that keeps her from sliding out), cannot hold her bottle or feed herself, cannot stand or walk. (Ellie turned 3 in April 2009). Although we love and respect her therapists here, and they love and care for Ellie, we are being encouraged to pursue more (short-term) "progressive" therapy possibilities in the States to supplement her therapy opportunities here.

Q: What kind of "progressive" therapy possibilities in the States?
A. We have been doing quite a bit of research and interaction with some clinics in the U.S. regarding HyperBaric Oxygen Therapy. We are currently interacting with a clinic in Louisiana about the possibility of Ellie receiving HBOT there in the first months of 2010. You can read more about that clinic and HBOT at: www.hbot.com

Q: Will this HBOT cure Ellie?
A: There is no current cure for Cerebral Palsy. If God does not choose to miraculously heal her (which we pray for), then therapies to improve current limitations are the best we can do. Some children do not respond well to HBOT. Others respond almost "miraculously" well. There is no guarantee how Ellie will respond; as her parents, we only want to TRY to do the best we can for her. We think this may be something that could work well for her.

Q: What will this kind of thing cost?
A: Insurance pays for HBOT for many medical conditions, but currently NOT for treatment of Cerebral Palsy. The first round of 40 treatments of HBOT (after which it should be known if she is responsive or not), accommodations, and plane tickets will cost a MINIMUM of $10,000 US dollars.

Q: How do you expect to pay for this?
A: We don't know. We believe that where God guides, God provides. If He is not leading this way, He will not provide and we will not go. If He does, we will. (Scott and Ellie would go--it will last from 3 to 6 months). So far, a missionary couple and two immigrants in Greece approached us with contributions toward such a fund. We currently have a total of $1,150 EUROS or $1,690 USD toward this.

We can (and will) use any excess (over and above our monthly amount) in our International Teams account toward the therapy bill.

Some have asked how they can help financially. Here are the options for giving:

1. Send it to International Teams. Make the check out to International Teams, and enclose a note that it is for Scott and Vicki McCracken's MINISTRY account. You WILL receive a tax-deductible receipt for this, and we will request whatever EXCESS is in our account (for us it will become a taxable "special needs" amount) before coming to the States. Send to:

International Teams
411 W. River Rd.
Elgin, IL 60123-1570

2. Send it to International Teams. Make out the check to International Teams, enclosing a note that it is for Scott and Vicki McCracken's PERSONAL use. You will NOT receive a tax-deductible receipt for this, and I.T. will include the amount with our monthly salary deposit.

3. Send a check directly to us and we will deposit it in our bank account and use it when we need it. Obviously, you will NOT receive a tax-deductible receipt for this way either. Our address is:

Scott and Vicki McCracken
Panagiotou 3
Papagou 15669
Athens, GREECE

Any of these options works for us. Seems like option #1 is really the best for all concerned, but it is the EXACT SAME to us no matter which option you choose.

Thanks so much for this generous and caring demonstration of God's love for Ellie (and us) that goes about and beyond your already generous and faithful investments each month.

Very very grateful,

Scott and Vicki

Find out more about online giving at:
https://wwws.iteams.org/iteams/

Ellie on YouTube...

2009-10-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

Click the link below:

You can see a new video clip of Ellie laughing at some puppets on TV

OR if you cannot access it there, try this link...

http://vimeo.com/6871218

Erratic Sleep Patterns

2009-09-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

It is impossible to forecast how Ellie will sleep each night. She follows no discernable pattern. I tracked for 2 months everything she ate (and when), how much she slept at night and during the day, how much (and when) she exercised and went in for therapy, the phases of the moon, when she had a bath, etc., etc., but there did not emerge any kind of pattern. Sometimes she sleeps well, and sometimes not. Sometimes she sleeps long at night and takes long naps. Sometimes short nights and short naps. Sometimes short nights and no naps. Sometimes short nights and long naps. Etc., etc., etc. Sometimes she does not sleep well at night, and then falls asleep in her chair (or in my arms) during the morning...

Ellie's Exercises

2009-09-23T03:48:00.000-07:00

These are SOME of Ellie's exercises we do at home. It generally takes an hour to go through all the repetitions and timing of each one.

Although there are some exercises she consistently does not like, her mood when exercising generally depends on her mood before exercising. Today, she was not in a great mood (before or during). Some days, however, she is full of smiles and laughter while exercising. At least she is way ahead of me on that count. :)

Rome

2009-09-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

Ellie wins "Tourist of the Year" award! She did great (as long as we kept moving) during the hours and hours and hours and hours of walking we did in Rome last week. Tim and Rachel (and Joy) showed us a fabulous time. Even Vicki being laid up in bed with a bad back for two days was not able to steal the wonder of experiencing this amazing city! And as content as Ellie was to be pushed in the stroller that the Uthmanns loaned us, she always expressed great delight when we returned to the hotel.

Ellie, Matthew, and Daddy

2009-09-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

Matthew Cami is the 6-month-old son of our dear friends and co-workers Kate and Ilir. Many prayed for a very long time for Matthew's arrival on our planet, so we are thrilled he is here and happy that he and Ellie seem to be getting along so well...

Miscellaneous from Last 3 months

2009-07-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

Kendra's Wedding

Kendra's Wedding

Happy with Gram and Grandad!

Happy with Grandma and Grandpa!

Grandparents Together!

I'm THREE! (April 10, 2009)

Fun with with family!

Birthdays can make me tired!

It looks like she's happy to "flip us a bird"

"Susie Sunshine"

Ellie the Snake Killer

Wedding Day--June 13, 2009

2009-06-20T02:52:00.000-07:00

Uncle Mark loves Ellie!

Our oldest daughter Kendra was married on June 13, 2009. Our youngest daughter Ellie was the flower girl. Although Ellie had a mostly good day, she wasn't terribly cooperative for the photos. We are still waiting for the professional pics, but here a few amateur shots until we get some better ones.

Mommy gives the flower girl a pep talk

Aunt Dana and Gram love Ellie too!

Flower Girl(s)

Ellie Update Feb. 2009

2009-02-21T22:50:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delayed update!

* The results of Ellie's blood tests in Nov. (which we learned in late January)showed no problems to worry about

* Her head size seems to be within the range of "normal" on the Asian charts

* We are currently taking her to a Christian reflexologist who has helped several of our friends, and is teaching us how to do the therapy ourselves at home

* Between physical therapy, occupational therapy, and reflexology therapy we are currently taking her to 6 therapy sessions a week (outside the home)

* Everyone comments these days on how much she is growing

* Her sleep habits are goofy again. Some of these pictures show her falling asleep while eating or watching videos.

* We also continue to do therapy in the home, scheduled and spontaneous. The last photo here shows her in part of her exerise routine on the gym ball, resting her head on the dog who loves to be nearby at exercise time. I hope in the near future to post photos/video of parts of her exercise routine.

Christmas Sunshine!

2008-12-22T09:07:00.000-08:00

I know that 3 of these photos are almost the same, but I just could not choose the best one so I added them all!

Movement and Light

2008-12-01T01:51:00.001-08:00

Last month our dear friend Cyndi Karnoscak visited us and took some pics of Ellie. In some ways they captured the "essence of Ellie"--especially in the areas of her constant movement and the light she radiates with her smile.

November 2008

2008-11-09T07:11:00.001-08:00

Took Ellie to the hospital for some tests on Wednesday to see if it can be determined why her head is not growing as it should be. We are still waiting for the results, but thought I would post a few new pics until then.

Portaits

2008-10-27T04:34:00.001-07:00

When each of our our children reached the age of 2 or 3, Scott's dad (Bill McCracken) did a charcoal portrait of each of them. Last month, we were all pleased that Ellie joined the ranks!

Progress Update October 2008

2008-10-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

Cuddling and Kissing with Mommy

LAZY LUNCH (she fell asleep while eating)

ELECTRIFYING EXERCISES

In the last week, Ellie has been to the neurologist, the ophthamologist, the pediatrician, twice to the physical therapist and twice to the occupational therapist. In addition to the twice daily therapy sessions at home, time in her "standing frame", and the spontaneous activity between holding her and playing with her, she has had a full week.

The good news is that although her improvement has been very limited and very incremental, it does represent progression (not stagnation or digression).

Here are a few examples...

1. The neurologist was very pleased with her improvement in head control, muscle tone, and interaction with the doctor (she didn't freak out and cry like the previous visits).

2. The eye doctor had said back in February that she would need glasses and we should come back in the fall when Ellie would hopefully have better head control. However, she informed us this time that Ellie's stigmatisms had improved quite a bit and we can defer the idea of glasses for at least another year.

Ellie also did really well at the eye doctor (not freaking out and crying like the last visit). She didn't even cry after they put in the eye drops to dilate her pupils.

3. The physical therapists say we still have a long road to travel but they are pleased with the small (but important and foundational) improvements they are noticing.

4. The pediatrician says she is developing mostly well but she is a little concerned about her head not growing much. She will consult more with the neurologist about that. Unfortunately, Ellie still gets upset when we go there (likely due to the shots she gets each time). :) But we have a GREAT pediatrician (Dr. Arlene Chung--a Korean American, married to a Greek) with whom we are well pleased!

Thank you so much for your continued interest and prayers on her behalf!

"BEAUTY"

2008-09-07T23:14:00.000-07:00

Smiling Beauty in the hotel room with William where we had our family vacation.

Sleeping Beauty (she was taken from her bed to get ready to go to physical therapy...she never woke up on her own even after getting her hair washed and her diaper/clothes changed, and it took me and the therapist 10 minutes of trying hard to wake her before she finally awoke).

Bathing Beauty at our vacation hotel

More Pics!

2008-08-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

FAQ's

2008-08-12T05:40:00.000-07:00

Reading time for the "kids"

Exercise by the "sleep-learning" method

Q: Has Ellie been specifically diagnosed?
A: As mentioned earlier in this blog, she was officially diagnosed by her neurologist last November with Cerebral Palsy.

Q: What is the doctor's prognosis for Ellie?
A: There remains no definitive prognosis other than the strong recommendation that we continue to pursue physical therapy, with the hope that improvement will result

Q: How is it going with physical therapy?
A: Though Ellie cried hard the first few months, she is much more used to her sessions now. Her occupational therapist (play therapy for fine motor skills) is Miss Eftihia and Ellie has two sessions a week with her. She has two physical therapists (Mr. Dimitris and Mr. Nikos) and she sees each of them once per week. They are all positive about her very slow progress, but it is progress. They are hopeful for the future without making any specific promises or guarantees.

I would also like to mention that we are very pleased with the therapists. They are very skilled, patient, caring, and knowledgeable.

Q: How old is Ellie?
A: 28 months as of August 10th (her birth date is April 10, 2006)

Q: What can Ellie do by herself?
A: She can lie on the floor (or in her bed), she can smile in a way that lights up the house, she can laugh in a way that can lift the deepest depression, she can radiate cuteness like crazy, she can sleep, and she make dirty diapers. She can also eat just about anything these days if given to her in small pieces. She has improving (though not complete) head control. She can open her hands more often than she used to, and hold on to some things. She will usually lower her head when you tell her to (usually, this is necessary when holding a cup of water for her). RARELY, she has turned over by herself.

Q: What can Ellie do with assistance?
A: She can drink water from a cup if you hold it patiently and carefully for her. With a lot of coaching from others and quite a bit of effort on her part she can knock over a pile of blocks set in front of her. Sometimes when coached she will turn the page of a "board book". She will show you her tongue when you ask her to. She can sit in a special chair if she is strapped in well.

Q: Has she spoken in words yet?
A: Nothing intelligible, though she is becoming more "verbal" with baby talk and cooing.

Q: How has she bonded with the family?
A: Excellently! She also does OK with others if she has had time to get to know them. She still does not do well at all with strangers or people she has not spent that much time with.

Summer Pics

2008-08-12T05:19:00.000-07:00

Sisters

Aunt Donna and Aunt Maria

Ellie and 8-month-old Athens RefMin Teamie Sofia Sanner

Summer Videos 2008

2008-08-12T03:43:00.000-07:00

First Time At The Beach!

Standing Queen!

Bubbly About Bubbles!

More Bubbles...

...and even more bubbles

Fun with Mommy!

Kyle, Mommy, Kendra, Sleep, and Water

2008-06-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

Cute feet, exercising with daddy, and a jeepney ride in Manila!

2008-06-22T05:48:00.001-07:00

New video of Ellie

2008-06-14T21:32:00.000-07:00

Here are a few new video clips of Ellie. Also note in the column on the left side of this page a new link to a video of us reading poems we wrote to honor Ellie's first year with us (Gotcha Day--1st year anniversary).

2 New Video Clips!

2008-04-12T02:26:00.001-07:00

2 new video clips have been added. They are both of her watching the "fairy godmother song" in Shrek 2. Enjoy!

Ellie's 2nd Birthday!!

2008-04-11T23:54:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 10th, Ellie turned 2 years old!!!! We celebrated with a small party that our dear friends Ilir and Kate attended. Vicki made a wonderful dinner of beefteki, rice, broccoli casserole, garlic-cheese bread, salad (Kate made the salad), and chocolate truffle cheesecake with butterscotch topping (YUMMMMMMY). Ellie had oatmeal and baby food (meat & veggies).

Ellie continues to bring us all much joy and love!! She is God's gracious gift to us! She continues to make slow, incremental, and certain physical progress. Beginning next month, she will add another session each week for occupational therapy (which will make 2 sessions a week for occupational therapy and 2 sessions a week for physical therapy OUTSIDE the home). We do exercises at home about 90-120 minutes of scheduled focused time each day, and then other spontaneous time while holding her or playing with her.

3 Brief Comments...

2008-03-17T03:48:00.000-07:00

3 noteworthy updates about Ellie in the last week or so...

1. Her sleeping habits have become really goofed! She'll be dead tired and start falling asleep in your arms or while eating, but as soon as you put her in her bed, she jerks awake and seems quite alert (sometimes happy, sometimes not). She can lie there for hours--cooing, baby talking, laughing, crying, screaming--NOT sleeping. If you leave her alone, she gets more tired working herself into a lather. If you pick her up and try to rock her to sleep or out her pacifier back in her mouth, she might start to fall asleep but as soon as you put her in bed (even after she falls into a deep snoring sleep) she wakes up. This is all daytime sleeping.

Nights are varied. Some are good and some are not.

2. The other day while we were playing/exercising with Ellie on the floor, our dog Popcorn came over and laid beside her (as she frequently does); but for the first time ever, Ellie reached her arm out to the dog and began moving her hand back and forth over Popcorn's body!

3. While in the supermarket this week, we put her in the little "seat" of the shopping cart. Previously, she would never sit still enough or balanced enough to keep her in there more than a few seconds. This time we put her little hands on the things in front of her, held them down with our hands over hers, and she stayed seated and balanced the WHOLE TIME! This may seem a small thing to some, but it really is an encouraging sign of progress!

Ellie's First Emergency Room Trip Was A Gas!

2008-03-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

At various times on Saturday Ellie was trying to have a bowel movement, with no success. We put her to bed about 9:30 PM. At 11 PM she began screaming and crying very loudly. She had filled her diapers with a very large and solid deposit, and she had vomited all over her bed and herself. After bathing her, changing the sheets, and rocking her to sleep, we put her back to bed. At about 1:15 AM, she began crying again (mostly in her sleep) but she seemed to be in much pain, especially if you touched her in the stomach area. We had never seen her like this (nor any of our other kids--except for William when he was 8 and had appendicitis), so we were a bit concerned!

After almost an hour of this, we called our pediatrician who finally suggested it would be best to take her to the hospital to make sure nothing serious was wrong.

As we got ready to go to the hospital she began to quiet down. When we put her in the car she woke up and seemed wide awake and quite content all the way there. When we arrived and waited for the doctor, she passed a bit of gas and seemed quite happy. As the doctor began to touch her in examination, she cried quite hard (which is quite normal during doctor visits). Vicki started making her laugh so the doctor could examine her, the doctor gave her a small enema, she immediately deposited a large load, and we were able to leave.

We got home around 4 AM and Ellie got back to sleep around 45 minutes later.

All things considered, we are very grateful that it was nothing more serious, and she has been just fine the last couple of days.

This Month...

2008-02-28T04:05:00.000-08:00

February has been an encouraging month in a number of ways, including:

* One of the exercises Ellie needs to do at home requires a 4,000 Euro piece of equipment!! The physical therapy center we take Ellie to loaned us one, without charge!!

* Both physical therapists who work with Ellie each week are encouraged by her progress in the last 3 months (she even sat by herself for about 10 or 15 seconds this week)!

* Ellie started occupational therapy this month (once a week)

* We saw the neurologist again Wednesday (the first time since November) and she immediately noticed improvement in Ellie's condition. Although she is officially diagnosing her condition as Cerebral Palsy, she emphasized that because it didn't show up on the M.R.I., it is probably a mild case and with good regular physical therapy there is hope (though not a guarantee) of significant improvement.

* We saw the ophthalmologist on Friday and she said that although she will need glasses in about 6 months, her refractive error has become more balanced in both eyes. This is good because she was starting to develop a lazy eye when we first had her, but this condition has improved and will be unlikely now. She would have given Ellie glasses right away but she wants to wait until she develops more head control. Glasses will help her eyes develop much more normally.

Ellie's First Christmas!

2007-12-26T03:00:00.000-08:00

ELLIE'S FIRST CHRISTMAS WITH US!!!!!! We waited for so long, and every year would wishfully say, "Maybe next year will be the year she will be with us." Now she is! And what a gift!

She has been going to physical therapy twice a week now for about 5 weeks. We are very pleased with the 2 physical therapists who are working with her. They seem very knowledgable, very patient, very encouraging, and very caring. They won't predict the future but they are optimistic (as are we).

Ellie doesn't like them quite as much as we do. For the first few weeks she cried hard the whole time, every time. The last few times she has cried much less, and the last time she went about 40 minutes before she starting whining and fussing!

We haven't seen any major changes, but we do see minor ones like she is chewing slightly better, her hands open and close more frequently, and on some days she can turn (with enthusiatic coaching) from her stomach to her back by herself.

She is also becoming more content with others holding her (as long as we are nearby), and even happy with some of them!

She continues to be adored by her brothers and sister, and remains well attached to them.

MRI and Neurologist

2007-11-17T23:42:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago, an MRI was done of Ellie's brain. A few days ago, we took those results to the neurologist to interpret for us. Her conclusion was that she was enouraged to NOT see any major brain damage that would indicate permanent problems. She was quick to point out, however, that long-term neurological damage is still possible without showing up on an MRI. However, there is still HOPE for improvement with physical therapy, good nutrition, and love.

She will have her first appointment with a Greek physical therapist this coming Thursday.

At our recent Team Retreat she began to show signs that she was more comfortable with others on our team holding her for extended lengths of time. This was an encouragement to all of us.

The interesting thing is that she SMILES AND LAUGHS FREQUENTLY but whenever we take out the camera, she stops! That's why she looks so serious in all the photos (she had been smiling immediately prior to the pictures being taken). However, whenever we take out the VIDEO camera she STARTS smiling even if she wasn't beforehand.

There are no words to adequately describe the growing and deepening love we all feel for Ellie, and the gratitude in our hearts for this precious gift from God. Thanks to all for your continued prayers.

Almost 6 months!

2007-11-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

In 10 days (on November 13th) it will be 6 months since we first held Ellie in our arms!!!! We are all still smitten, and it looks likely that we will be for many decades to come!!!

We were able to get her passport and certificate of citizenship shortly before returning to Athens (thanks, Stephanie!) and she has been twice to the pediatrician, once to the neurologist, and once to get an MRI, and in a few days we will start with a Greek physical therapist here.

There have not been any major changes but there have been minor ones. We will write more when we know more. Thanks for your continued prayers.

More pics--Summer 2007

2007-08-08T18:04:00.000-07:00

Top 4 Adoption Myths...

2007-07-04T21:36:00.001-07:00

“ADOPTION COSTS TOO MUCH.”

Reality: Depending on the circumstances, the cost of adoption ranges from $0 – $30,000 and assistance is available.

“ISN'T THERE A GREAT CHANCE THAT A CHILD'S BIRTH PARENTS WILL GET A CHILD BACK AFTER THE ADOPTION?”

Reality: In modern U.S. adoption, laws have been established that nearly eliminate this possibility.

“ADOPTED CHILDREN PROBABLY HAVE MANY EMOTIONAL ISSUES I WON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE”

Reality: It’s true that some children who have had traumatic experiences may have an increased chance of having emotional and behavioral issues. But the truth is that any child, adopted or biological, may present these types of challenges. And the truth is that there are a lot of resources available to help in such situations.

“I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LOVE AN ADOPTED CHILD AS I WOULD A BIOLOGICAL CHILD.”

Reality: While many people fear this very thing before adopting, according to research, 95 percent of adoptive parents say they experience a strong attachment to their child.

Excerpt from Hope for Orphans @ www.familylife.com/hopefororphans

5 Week Update

2007-06-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that Ellie has been with us for 5 weeks! The time has flown and yet it seems as if she has always been a part of our family. She has brought so much love, energy, and joy to our family! She is adored by her siblings as well as her parents, and the grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles have taken a shine to her as well.

She had her first doctor visit this weeek. The pediatrician recommended a physical therapist and opthomologist that we have appointments with next week. Our insurance company will not cover any physical therapy concerning developmental issues, nor will they cover any expenses (the first year) for pre-existing conditions.

Mostly she sleeps through the night, although sometimes very restlessly with lots of noisy sounds (she is sleeping in our room with us).

She is gaining weight, getting new teeth, bonding and attaching well, smiling and laughing more and more, getting better control with her hands, and making us all fall madly in love with her! What a precious, priceless, wonderful, awesome gift from God!

Many thanks to the many friends who have prayed, given, encouraged, waited, and been a part welcoming Ellie into our family. We are so grateful to God for you!

When Love Takes You In Music Video

2007-05-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last full day in China...

2007-05-22T05:25:00.000-07:00

Above are some pics of the area in Guangzhou where we have been staying.

Our adoption facilitator turned in all of our documentation to the U.S. Consulate today. After some confusion and mis-information that caused some anxiety for a while, everything turned out fine. Tomorrow afternoon, Vicki will go in with a group of others to "swear the oath" of U.S. citizenship on Ellie's behalf (I will be on my way back to Greece at that time). Afterward, Vicki, Kendra, and Ellie will fly to Vic's folks in Eugene, OR and then join the boys and me in Mobile, AL (at my folks' house) on June 4th.

Thanks to all who have been praying for us. This trip has been a God-given adventure on many different levels. This summer I hope to add more pics and a little video (and maybe music) to this blog.

Happy Anniversary!!!

2007-05-21T00:00:00.001-07:00

Today is our 19th wedding anniversary, and it will always rank among the most meaningful and memorable. Here is how we celebrated today...

Vicki took Ellie to get her final medical exam today (and she was PERFECT for all 4 doctors she needed to see), and Scott went to the U.S. Consulate to pay for Ellie's visa and get something notarized. Tomorrow, our adoption facilitator will turn in everything for us and, Lord willing, we will pick up her visa on Wednesday.

It rained almost all day today, but that did not stop Vicki and Kendra from doing some shopping. (smile) Almost everything is pretty cheap here, which makes shopping even more fun! (Of course, when we are operating on a very tight budget, the fun is still limited).

Tonight we ordered in, and afterwards Vicki and I went out and bought each other an anniversary gift and went to Starbucks for Frappucinos!

Sunday in China...

2007-05-20T23:47:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that we LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Ellie?!?!?!?!? Well...we do!!

Today Scott went over paperwork with the adoption facilitator and discovered that something notarized at the U.S. Embassy in Athens would have to be re-done here on Monday.

Scott went to church this morning and worshipped in a Chinese Protestant church as the only bald and hairy caucasion among about 200 Chinese brothers and sisters. Although everything was in the Chinese language (without translation), he was glad he went and worshipped in a new context.

Ellie was awake all day long, refusing to nap but full of smiles and laughs all day long until about 8:30 PM when she "crossed the line" and suddenly began to cry loudly and strongly for a while.

It has been raining (either lightly or heavily) in Guangzhou since we arrived, and it is very humid as well.

There are MANY American families here (and a few other nationalities) adopting Chinese children.

Jack and Candy--May 19th

2007-05-19T20:20:00.000-07:00

Reading back over past posts on this blog, I realize that I have failed to communicate how much we are OVER THE MOON, ECSTATICALLY, HOPELESSLY, UTTERLY AND ETERNALLY IN LOVE with Ellie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God made her for us, and we believe that God made us for her!!!

The second best thing that has happened while in China is that we got to spend the day with our dear Chinese brother and sister Jack and Candy!! (THE FIRST PHOTO IS OF THEM WITH KENDRA WHEN SHE WAS A BABY IN AUSTRIA)

They brought really nice gifts for our children and they had an oil painting commisioned for us of an area in Austria where we had lived before! They also bought lunch for us at a Thai restaurant, and we spent the day catching up, reliving old memories from the days in Austria where they came to know the Lord as refugees, and sharing about how the Lord is working in our lives. It was SO ENCOURAGING to spend time with them and to hear how the Lord is using them for the advancement of His kingdom in China. Please pray for them, as China is not an easy place to live for the Lord and they need some kindred spirits to share their lives with.

On to Guangzhou...

2007-05-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, our paperwork was completed in Shanxi and Ellie received her Chinese passport, thanks to our great guide and helper Christina.

This morning we flew to Guangzhou. After checking into our hotel and sorting through some confusion about our room, we went to a local restaurant that caters to Americans (called "Lucy's") and had a great American hamburger (Kendra had a chicken wrap). It was pouring down rain so we stayed for a while and finally decided to run for it since our hotel was only a few blocks away. We spent the rest of the day in our hotel room watching TV, playing with Ellie, talking with our local guide Helen, and giving Ellie her first bath (first with us) in the bathroom sink. She did great!

Ellie is bonding really well with us and we are very pleased. She is a real gift from God.

Tomorrow we will spend the day with our dear brother and sister Jack and Candy who we know from our days in Austria. We are really looking forward to that!

Miscellaneous China Pictures

2007-05-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

Interesting Restaurant

2007-05-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

This is where we ate last night...lots of good food and great atmosphere and excellent service (at least three different people were assigned to our table and every time we took a sip of our jasmine tea, it was re-filled; every time we used the wet washcloths they replaced them; every time we took a drink of our beverage they refilled them; etc.)...5 of us for under $30.

"OFFICIAL" from the Chinese side!

2007-05-16T06:50:00.000-07:00

After over an hour of signing and giving our thumbprints on a boatload of documents, Ellie is "officially" ours (from the point of view of the Chinese government).

Also, I (Scott) forgot to mention on "Gotcha Day" that I had none of the emotional expression that I had expected. I neither cried, nor really felt like crying. It all just seemed so natural and matter-of-fact. When the three of us stood around her bed and prayed for her the first night, I started to feel a little emotional, but there were two times yesterday I really got choked up. The first was when she fell asleep in my arms for the first time, and the second was when we were waiting for our plane and I bent down to whisper in her ear, "Ellie, you are so loved."

What a precious gift from God she is--well worth the wait! Lots of smiles and laughs today! She slept through the whole thing at the government office today and she sat so still and patient for our 2 hour dinner at a really FABULOUS restaurant (which I will post some pics of on another day).

Chinese is EASY...

2007-05-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

This one is: H-A-A-G-E-N-D-A-Z-S
(HAAGENDAZS)

This one says

M-C-D-O-N-A-L-D-S
Yes: McDonald's

This one is S-T-A-R-B-U-C-K-S
That's right: STARBUCKS

There are other Chinese words we have learned like: KFC, Pizza Hut, and DQ (Dairy Queen).
Chinese is really much easier than we expected.

On to Shanxi...

2007-05-15T08:42:00.000-07:00

(Intro note: I did add a few pics to previous blogs if you want to go back and check; I will also add video and more photos when I return to Greece; also, on most computers if you click on a photo on this blog you will be able to see it bigger)

Today we slept in late, checked out at noon, ate a very spicy lunch with our guide and killed a couple hours by walking around and having Frappucinos at Starbucks. Then we met our new guide at the airport and flew to Shanxi (Ellie's province--see map in previous blog). Ellie did well in spite of being out of the hotel most of the day and not able to nap (she did sleep all night last night), except for the last few minutes of landing in Shanxi when she cried quite hard for about 10 minutes and then stopped.

Now we are at a nice hotel and about to go to sleep about midnight. Good-night.

The Day After--A Little More Detail

2007-05-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

Here are a few words from Vicki about the day after "Gotcha Day"...

Today was a great day!!  Ellie is adjusting well to us and today
was non-stop smiles from morning to night!  She is a different girl
from yesterday.  Yesterday certainly wasn't bad, but now that I
see more of her personality, I can say she was definitely suffering
yesterday.  Yesterday many times, she would stick the bottom lip out,
and start crying in this pathetic bird cry with big fat tears rolling
down her cheeks.  She was also very stiff and "closed".  She slept well
last night and woke up cooing and smiling.

She was cracking Kendra and me up tonight--we were laughing so hard
we were crying!  We decided that if she was going to be a girl in our
family, she needed to learn to like musicals!   All day she had smiled
at us, but only at us--nothing random.  Well, she sat in my lap and looked
around during West Side Story, not watching much.  But when the
"Officer Crupky" song came on (a funny song), she stared at the TV the
whole time, smiling big at all the right spots!  It was so funny!!

She is tiny, but not scrawny like I expected.  She's definitely gained
weight in the past month or so and we're doing our best to pack it on!
She reminds me of a 5 month old in every way.  She doesn't talk yet and
doesn't even reach for things much.  I wonder if she ever even had a toy
or anything to reach for during her early months?  She was doing better
at that even by the end of today.  We had her on her tummy too and she
was doing pretty good keeping her head up.  She feels stronger than I
expected.  We'll see!  The Dr. 's will tell us how to help her.
Basically, it just seems like I have a 5 month old on my hands and I
always liked that age!  =)  She's a little doll and VERY HAPPY!!!  She
has captured our hearts and I know she will your's too.

The Day After

2007-05-14T04:17:00.000-07:00

Today, Monday May 14th was a great day! Lots of smiles from Ellie (for Vicki)! Vicki has captured her heart and only needs to walk away for two seconds and come back to receive joyful expressions from Ellie.

Ellie went to bed at 9 PM last night and woke up at 1:30 and 4:30, stayed awake until 8 AM and then slept until 12 noon, and took a one hour nap from 6-7 PM.

Vicki spent her second whole day in the hotel room bonding (and bonding well) with the baby while Kendra and Scott went to visit the Great Wall of China. The high steep steps totally exhausted both of them, and they were only able to manage 1,192 of the them before heading back down. They also visited a jade factory, a great Chinese restaurant, a Tea factory, a souvenir shop, and passed by a couple of Olympic stadiums.

Tomorrow evening we fly to Ellie's province. It will be her first flight so please pray for her ears especially. We don't know what our internet situation will be there but we will make new posts as soon as we can.

Thanks again for your prayers on our behalf!

Gotcha Day! Mother's Day!

2007-05-13T02:08:00.000-07:00

At 8:30 AM this morning, May 13th--Vicki's best ever Mother's Day present arrived in the form of Ellie MingYun McCracken! We were called down to the lobby where Vicki and I were handed the tiny little package while Kendra took digital video shots with her camera. Then I started shooting with our VHS. We all (baby, baby's nanny, translator, and the 3 of us) then went back up to our room to get to know Ellie better.

As of this posting, it is 5:15 PM and it has been a relatively good day so far. Vicki stayed with the baby and the Chinese nanny (who speaks no English) in the hotel room while Kendra and I went with the guide to the Forbidden City and then lunch. Vicki has spent all day with the baby who has alternated between smiling and crying and sleeping and eating--pretty much what babies do!

Although she is 13 months old, she seems about 6 months old but has gained a kilo (2.2 pounds) in the last month and seems to be eating well, and is very beautiful. She seems to be adjusting to Vicki the best so far, but one person at a time and we will all eventually win her over. :)

We are having many internet problems so I hope this post makes it, and I will try again to load some photos, but no promises. Also, even though I can get to the editing portion of this blog (in Chinese) I cannot actually view it or the comments left on it (yet), but keep them coming as we hope to see them soon. As far as I can tell, the photos are posting, but sideways, which I cannot seem to do anything about yet. Sorry.

Thanks again for your prayers on our behalf.

(Later in the evening)...Kendra and I went out for a WONDERFUL Chinese meal with our guide and Ellie's nanny. Vicki stayed at the hotel for more bonding time with Ellie.

Tomorrow, we will visit the Great Wall of China, and Tuesday we will visit Ellie's province where the adoption will happen from the Chinese side.

China--First Impressions!

2007-05-12T06:27:00.002-07:00

We had a long and uneventful flight from Athens to Qatar to Beijing, arriving in Beijing around 4 PM on the 11th. We all had a good night's sleep, and today toured the Temple of Heaven (which was beautiful and impressive--we will post photos later because we are having internet troubles at the hotel with the MACINTOSH that we brought!!). Right now I am paying big bucks for internet service at another location.

We learned last night after arriving that our itinerary had changed and that Ellie will be brought to our hotel TOMORROW MORNING!!!!!! This will be the best Mother's Day present ever!
Then, on Tuesday, we will fly to her province for the adoption ceremony (from the Chinese side). On the 18th we will fly to Guangzhou for her medical exams and the adoption from the U.S. side. We will fly out of Guangzhou on the 23rd.

On the 19th we will see our beloved Chinese friends, our dear brother and sister Jack and Candy! What an added blessing to an already marvelous adventure in China!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS of CHINA:

* Lots and lots and lots and lots of people...EVERYWHERE! (17 million in Beijing)

* The people are beautiful and friendly

* Very little English is spoken

* KFC and McDonalds are all over the place (though we are NOT eating at them--yet)

* Eating with chopsticks is more difficult than we thought, but the food is good!

* Many malls and shopping centers

* Chinese people can be very loud and persuasive! Chinese people on an interpersonal basis have always impressed me as quiet and humble, but just walk anywhere near a store and the salespeople are like carnival barkers (worse)! Amazing!

* Chinese drivers are very aggressive and traffic is horrible!

THANKS FOR PRAYING WITH AND FOR US ON THIS ADVENTURE!

They Made It! (And nursery photos)

2007-05-12T04:28:00.000-07:00

Scott, Vicki and Kendra have arrived safely in China, but are having phone and Internet problems at their hotel. They will post something as soon as they can!

Here are a few photos of the work Vicki did on Ellie's nursery.

Travel Dates #1

2007-05-01T01:30:00.000-07:00

Last Family Photo BEFORE Ellie

God has miraculously provided for our China and U.S. travel plans, and wehave just received our itinerary!

We will travel to China on May 10th, and leave on May 23rd/24th.

A THOUSAND THANKS TO THOSE WHO ALLOWED GOD TO USE THEM IN HELPING MAKE THIS POSSIBLE!

Quick Change!--Day 7 at new orphanage

2007-04-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

At 7 days in the new orphanage she seems to be looking and feeling much better!

Quick Change!--Day 3 at new orphanage

2007-04-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

These were taken on her third day at the center. You can see that her face is clearing and she is filling out a bit!

(One of the worker's words were that she is "putting on more face.”)

Quick Change!--Day 1 at new orphanage

2007-04-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

DAY 1 Photos

Ellie was recently moved from her province in Shangxi to an orphanage in Changchun for better nutritional care and medical tests. She will be moved back to Shangxi before the adoption, but these are photos that were taken on Ellie’s first day, third day, and 7th day at the center in Changchun. One of the workers reported that her skin was very dry and that her fists were tightly clenched on the first day.

China MAP

2007-04-16T05:29:00.000-07:00

(Click to enlarge the map)

Ellie is from the Shanxi (or Shangxi) province. She was moved for a couple of weeks to an orphanage in Changchun for medical and nutrition care, and then back to Shanxi just before the adoption.

We will fly into Beijing (northeast), and then to Shanxi for the Chinese part of the adoption. Then to the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou (southeast) for the American part of the adoption.