The Blog

The Blog was originally started for our family and friends to follow our journey to China for Teresa. After coming home we decided to keep the blog as a way for everyone to keep updated on Teresa's health instead of switching to a Caring Bridge Site. I have tried to keep the blog as a way of looking at life through Teresa's eyes ( how she sees it ) . At times our life with all of our children has gotten mingled into the blog ( some more than others ). So as a way to keep everyone updated , I will share a little of what is going on with all of the kids.

Eddy and Laura just recently celebrated their one year Anniversary . They both have wonderful jobs and are very happy . They added two kittens to their lives who are very playful .
Paul and Meghan recently became engaged . They have set their wedding date for two years. Paul will finish medical school in two years and Meghan will finish PT school as well . They are loving life in the South (hopefully not too much , because I really want them to come back home when they graduate ).
Alex is back living at home and working . He will return to a local college in the fall and resume his pre- med studies . In the mean time he is working full time and volunteering at a local hospital in the orthopedic dept. The girls are so happy to have him home (me too !). He is such a big help .
Grace is really having fun playing lacrosse this year . She made the A team in her age group and is so happy . She LOVES lacrosse . Her second favorite thing is horse back riding . When she grows up she has always said she wanted to be a Veterinarian and have a whole barn full of horses. She has been riding since she was 3 years old .The one thing she does not like is having her photo taken ( as I am sure you can see from some of the photos). She has a very sweet personality but the teenage attitude sometimes gets the best of her .
Mary is enjoying Girl Scouts and Ballet this year . She has such a free personality that she goes with the flow of life ,nothing bothers her . She will have surgery on her cleft pallate this summer with a bone graft from her hip. Her nose will also be corrected . Surprisingly to me , she is looking forward to this surgery . She really wants to have a nose that looks normal she said . I think she is beautiful just the way she is .
Lucy is enjoying Girl Scouts and Ballet too. Lucy just recently made her First Holy Communion and is so proud . She loves school and is the social butterfly, friends with everyone . Lucy recently had surgery on her bladder and we will find out in a few weeks if it was a success . If not she will have a more invasive surgery to repair it . As she grows her health is becoming better with less problems from her lungs.
Emilia is doing so well after having the External Fixator removed form her leg . Her legs are now the same length. She is so happy to run and play like the other girls . She has even figured out a way to ride a bike ( her legs do not bend ). She has the most amazing personality ,she loves to help others . She has never complained about her legs or the pain . She has come so far from when we first a adopted her , she could not walk . Now she doesn't let anything stop her .
Gemma is our little Buddha Belly . She loves to eat !She also loves going to school . She has made so much progress with her speech this year . It is still difficult to understand her when she speaks in sentences but the funny thing is she uses pantomime to communicate . We have taught her a few signs but she prefers to make up her own . She is a go with the flow kinda girl , laid back and easy going . Her health has been a challenge this past year (she has Beta Thallasemia Major ) but we are confident her Doctors will have everything under control soon .
Teresa is a little princess with a very sassy personality .She loves to be in charge. She loves life and has so much fun experiencing everything . She has the most amazing personality that will leave you in awe. Having Teresa has definitely been a huge challenge on all levels but I cannot imagine our life without her . She has filled a place in my heart that I did not know I was missing . She has taught me so much that I did not know I needed to learn . She has shown me how to love unselfishly.

Ed and I have been married for almost 28 years, I married my best friend . If you had asked me then if I would have this many children , I probably would have laughed and said No way ! But I am so glad that God new exactly what I needed and was in control the whole time .