UPDATE

UPDATE ON JULIE'S MOM:

After a long day of waiting, Julie's mom is finally out of surgery. Her surgery did not start on time and she was waiting for hours (I think close to 4 hours).

The Doctor came out after surgery and said no visible cancer outside of the uterus but can't say for sure until pathology reports come back on Monday. Please pray that Julie's mom is able to have a restful night after having surgery.

Thanks for your prayer!

Tracie :-) (for Julie)

My Mom's Surgery Day...Tomorrow

Well this morning my mom had her pre-op for surgery. Good news...she might not have to even stay overnight if they end up being able to do the surgery laproscopically. Thats wonderful news. She is just trying to get thru today and on to tomorrow. Her surgery is at 12:30 or 1pm. Have to be at the hospital at 10:30 am. Please pray for the following for her. That the CANCER DID NOT SPREAD. That would be the BEST news! AND, that she would be peaceful and not anxious. Please pray for my dad and sister. This is very hard on them as well. (as u can imagine) soooooooo I am leaving a picture of my mom and dad for u to see. Who would have ever thought this would be my 100th post...about my mom having cancer. Whew...what a last few weeks.

Random Pictures

Aunt Kell, Marcus and Markel :)

First time with Cherrios and Yogart Melts (NOTICE Ollie in the background!!)

More Aunt Kell time...

Daddy's pictures of Maya with flowers

Ancelet Photography

Tracie started a new amazing website for her photography. SOOO many people asked me where I got Maya's pictures done...well Tracie did them and she is an amazing photographer! Visit her blog here...http://www.anceletphotography.blogspot.com/

DOCTOR UPDATE

So, today my mom had her doctor appt. The great news is that she will do the hysterectomy thru a laparoscope so she doesn't have that major surgery. He said b/c she is so little he can do it this way... Thats a 2 week recovery vs a 6-8 week recovery so that's AMAZING news. That is something I know was weighing on my mom. Thank God for that. The next is that my mom LOVED the doctor. He looks like Mel Gibson she said :)...Next he said that MOST people are cured from this type of cancer (Uterine or Endometrial) so WE ARE CHOOSING TO BELIEVE my mom will be cured! Still PRAYING that there is no spreading! Once she has the hysterectomy we will have to wait for the call to see if there was spreading. Depending on what the doctor finds will depend on what the next step is...radiation, chemo etc...PRAYING FOR NON OF THE ABOVE but trusting as well.

On a side not my mom just looks so gorgeous and peaceful. It is unbelievable. Thank you for everyone's prayers, calls, emails etc.....we feel so loved.

Today, my best friend Kelly and her mom Dori, Kell's boys and Maya went to the park to wait for the call. They have been so unbelievably supportive to my mom and I. I just cannot imagine going through this without Kelly. What a ROCK she has been.

Last but not least...TROY and AMBER were accepted by AGCI and are starting their dossier sooooooooo soon! CONGRATULATIONS to my new friends!

Pictures RIGHT after we got home...

So I was just emailing with Liz who is leaving to pick up her little girl (ALONE I MUST ADD) on Saturday...and was going through some pics of when Maya just came home...she looks soooooooo different! Here are some pics...

First doctor appointment...she weighed 12 pounds!

Look at her hair! So little...She looks like SUCH a baby. I remember worrying that Maya would be so old when we finally go get her and each day we weren't with her she was gaining 5 pounds...we were wrong!

AND look at her now! Those gums! LOVE IT!

My Mom Update:

This is a pic from my baby shower at the store. My mom said the cutest toast! Look how happy she is!

Waiting until Thursday for our doctor appt. It is at 11am. I don't think we will find out anymore details on her situation but my mom thinks the doctor will read more pathology reports. We will find out a surgery date. Please keep praying for her! She is doing much better and eating. BUT getting scared as Thursday gets closer. Thank you so much.

ALSO keep Abby Riggs in your prayers...xoxo Michelle!

Our JOY during times of Sadness....MAYA!

I just think this captures Maya's TOTAL personality. (thanks to Tracie for taking this pic and other AMAZING pics of Maya, check out her photo blog) I can't explain what this look is...its the look right before she bursts out laughing and KNOWS exactly why I am laughing too. Did that make any sense? Especially NOT because she is only 9 months old but there is something in her that "gets" what I am saying and this is the look...

JOY...the little girl is a COMPLETE JOY to my family. Especially now. At first when I heard about the cancer I looked at Maya and was so exhausted, like how am I going to be a good mommy in this. We just brought our baby home from Ethiopia, a time of joy and excitement in the family and NOW THIS...poor me etc....

WELL, let me tell you, if there is anything that brings a smile to my mom and dad's face (and mine and Josh but we are always smiling at this little cooko bird) ITS MAYA ANNABELLE HANA...what a BLESSING SHE IS!

So UPDATE ON MY MOM:

We got an appointment with one of the best doctor's in the country for Thursday afternoon. This is where we will find out when she is scheduled for the hysterectomy...we might find out some more info on the pathology report but I am not sure.

Today, she is eating better and less anxious! SOOOOOOOOOOOO WONDERFUL! She is feeling all of your prayers! Thank you so much, Troy and Christin for praying like you are and caring so much about someone you have never met. Thank you to all my blog friends and AGCI friends/family...thank you to everyone for showering us with your love. I will keep you updated...

Love always

Jul, Josh and Maya

P.S-Ollie is doing a little better! :) ha ha!

No WORDS

So, today was a tough day...very tough BUT there is something/someone that got us through and made us remember how loved we all are. Troy (and Amber)...I have no words. We are forever touched by his kindness and faithfulness and willingness to pray for my family...My mother literally had no words (which is rare) after she read of his absolute unmovable faith. Thank you Troy for THIS POST. What a RELIEF to KNOW that you will be praying and feel that GOD WILL HEAL MY MOMMY!

LONG Overdue...

Well, tonite I find myself writing words I never conceived of. Before I write them I have to go back and talk about something I don't EVER blog about but talk about often and at the same time not enough...I am a messianic believer. I am Jewish and believe Yeshua (Jesus) is our messiah...Its a hard thing to talk about because as a Jewish family, lets just say we are A HUGE minority...to be a Messianic Jew. That is a WHOLE story for another day, how my faith came to be what it is.

Today, at 10pm on Sat night on July 19th, one day before my beloved mother's 56th birthday I find myself praying for her to be healed of uterine cancer. This is something I never thought would ever happen to my family but somewhere in the very back of our minds (my mom and I) we thought something is bound to happen to one of us and how are we ever (yes ever, we are both very dramatic)...ever going to deal with it. How do "they" deal with it. How did Tracie deal with loosing both of her parents and have this strong faith, how did my friend loose her mother? How did Kelly so faithfully deal with her husbands broken hip and father almost loosing his foot within the same month...How would i ever deal with it if something happen to my dad, Josh etc....I am starting to see that I would not have to deal with it alone. I am a believer in God and He will be with me. I am not alone in this.

So...my mom was diagnosed with uterine cancer two days ago. The words rocked me to the core of my being. ALL I can do NOW is pray to God that HE will give us the strength to go on and FIGHT this, trust HIM and feel peace that can only come from HIM.

We are CHOOSING to trust, believe and rest even though we don't "feel" it at all times. The biggest prayer is that the cancer did not spread out of her uterus and that it is contained and she will have a hysterectomy, radiation and be done. I have to tell you that my mother is struggling more then I have ever seen but she is growing more then I have ever seen at the same time. So am I. We are in this battle as a family and the family I have goes way beyond my immediate family. I have never been showered with more prayer and love in my entire life and I can tell you my mom is truly humbled from all of your emails, and calls. Please know how eternally grateful we are for all of your prayers. So without further adooo...(How do i spell that) Here is my mom, Margot, my best friend, grandmother to my daughter and one of the strongest women I know...

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Daddy & Maya & AGCI Picnic!

These are my favorite pictures of Josh and Maya! I absolutely LOVE them!

Today was the AGCI picnic...It was great. Met so many wonderful people! Especially Julie Salwasser who was my case manager for our adoption. It was amazing to finally meet her...she had a HUGE part in uniting us with our Maya! It was So great to spend the day with her.

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Love this pic of Tracie, Julie and I. Everyone had a great time...Check out Tracie's blog to see the day!

9 MONTHS OLD TOMORROW

Our Maya is going to be 9 months old tomorrow. I just can't believe it...So here are 9 things we LOVE about Maya.

1. She is standing with help and when she falls she looks at us to check and see if she should cry or laugh. If I go "aaaa boom" she laughs!

2. She plays up and down with my dad and twist and shout and twists!

3. She says momma! (although it was less this weekend) She had been saying Da Da...(Not sure if she is just saying it...learning likes the way it sounds etc...

4. If I say "NIP" to Maya she hysterically laughs...

5. She LOVES beyond words Gramma. When she hears her voice on my voice mail she gets so excited...when she hears her voice she is besides herself...Maya reaches for Gramma all the time.

6. Her CRAWL...Her crawl is so funny! She wants to walk (VERY BADLY) so her crawl isn't fully developed. She crawls and moves one leg like a frog...very cute.

7. She loves ZEE and Moose A. Moose on Noggin! She laughs and waves her hands when she hears them on TV.

8. My parents are so beyond in love with Maya. They come over for their "Maya fix" at least once a day (we live 2 minutes away in the same neighborhood) and when I am gone all day or with friends my dad says I took Maya away today...:)

9. She is the BIGGEST Blessing beyond WORDS to Josh and I. I cannot put into words how grateful I am to Maya's birthmother for doing the hardest thing possible and wanting a better life for her daughter. I was rocking Maya to bed tonight and was holding her in the way "we do", our special cuddle and I couldn't believe she is MY daughter! What a wonderful little girl...I am madly in love with her and so is JOSH! :)

P.S Ollie is still rapidly gaining weight! He is now fully going to the bathroom in the house. Its a nightmare...I feel so bad for my little man Oliver. He is so upset!

This is my favorite picture Tracie has taken of Maya! WHO by the way is in a major teething stuper...crying, frustrated, upset teething...still no sign of teeth but they are coming! (they better come soon...)

One of MY FAVORITE Pictures from ETHIOPIA

So these are all the kids that went home in our travel group with Almaz in front of the Union Hotel right before we left Ethiopia. I cannot tell you how much I love this picture...what a beautiful picture huh! Those of you who are involved with AGCI will know truly how beautiful this picture is...

P.S...Julie Salwasser is coming to the TN picnic. I thought it was VERY unfair that Tracie got to actually hang out with Julie in ETHIOPIA but now I get my chance! Who gets to hang out with Julie Salwasser in the first place and to make it better she hung out with her in Ethiopia while picking up Able...Ummmm Hmmm thats Tracie.