GOTCHA!!!

Today, we celebrate THREE YEARS with Audrey An Xiaoli!!!  Last year I asked people to vote where they thought we'd be this Gotcha Day since we'd been in a different country for the first two.  Well, USA was the vote, and USA was the winner!

Abigail started off her mei mei's special day with a pancake breakfast...complete with crepe paper decorations, too!  I love how they both always make special days special for each other without even being asked or reminded.  Blessings!!!

Special sisters...mei mei and jie jie together!!!!  We've had a great day together.  We were just missing daddy.  I took the girls to a movie, ate at Chick-Fil-A (AA's request)....then I took her to a orthrodontic consult (was't that SO nice of me to do to her on her special day...LOL!?!?!).  We're going to have another celebration when daddy comes home and east chinese food per Audrey An's request!  We can't have too many parties.

Love those dimples, love that smile, LOVE this girl!  July 12, 2009 will forever be a special, special, special day for us.  You've come SO far, baby.  At times, I cannot believe it's already been three years since you came into our family, but in other ways I can't believe it's ONLY been three years.  Mama, Baba, and jie jie can't even imagine life without you in it.  You're a perfect fit, and it seems you've been with us since birth!  You are quite amazing.  You are joy.  You are resilient.  You are smart.  You are beautiful.  You are energizer bunny.  You are Miss Smiley Face!

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" 

Okay, I just put her to bed and part of her prayer was, "Dear God, thank you for my fun Gotcha Day, and thank you for my special family."...ahhhhh, MELT MY HEART!!!

Medical updates:
My grandmother who we visited last week in Texas sounded like a different human being when I spoke with her this afternoon....amazing!  She sounded so much stronger AND her new physical therapist got her up and walking yesterday.  Yes, this is GREAT accomplishment....it's been five weeks since she's been able to walk!  What an answer to prayer.  One of my specific prayers for her is that her heart would be encouraged and she'd feel hope.  THAT is exactly what I heard in her voice today...so thankful!!!

GREAT NEWS!  I received word on Tuesday that my CPK is down to 269!!!!!!  YES...2.6.9!!!  TWO HUNDRED SIXTY NINE!!! We are so excited it continues to come down! (remember, just five months ago it was in the 8300 range....uggh!).  Also, remember that this number and how I'm feeling hasn't always correlated exactly, but this time I think they go hand in hand.  I told a friend last night if I were a betting gal when my doctor tested my CPK a couple of weeks ago that it would probably be lower.  I AM feeling better.  I AM getting stronger.  I AM so thankful!!!! I've decreased my steroid this week as well, and so far I'm doing fine. This particular dosage has always been been "sticking point" and have always tanked a bit so I'm praying that my body will adjust quickly and handle the change of the steroid dosage so I CAN GET OFF THIS STUFF!!!!!!  Sleep continues to be an issue, but I'm going to try a new Rx as soon as David comes home from his trip.  I don't like changing up meds when he's gone.  SO.....you better hurry home, baby!  SLEEP =  Feeling much better!! SLEEP= I can function!!! SLEEP=Happy momma!!!

One more quick thing.  I've had a few people ask me if we know what the infection is, and if we know how I got this illness.  Well. we don't know how I got sick, and we don't exactly the source of it all.  We do know that it's most likely been "brewing" in my body for quite some time.  We do know that I have infection (and this has been somewhat controversial with a couple of doctors, but let's just say..."The proof is in the pudding!"- my white blood cell count, neutrophyls, mycoplasma and many more things are high which indicate infection).  Basically, there are two schools of thought: 1. Doctors who believe that auto-immune disorders and rheumatical diseases are infection based (here are two websites that have been instrumental in educating us: Rheumatic.org and The Roadback Foundation) AND  2. Doctors who don't believe that.  David and I are in "camp 1" based on our own research, how I've responded to antibiotics, etc.  I do NOT discount any of the doctors treatments in the last 1  1/2 years because each of them have had a vital role in getting me where I am today!  David and I do feel that this newest doctor has gotten me further along in the shortest amount of time, too.  We do think there are many factors that have played into my improvement- changes in environment, diet, medication, but most of all answers to our prayers from a very Mighty, Powerful, Loving and Gracious Physician.  We give God ALL the credit.  He has placed us on a path of healing- a strange one at that I must say, but we know and see how He's orchestrated our steps.  If you or someone you know struggles with a "auto-immune" disease or arthritis, it's worth your time to browse the two above websites in my opinion.  I hope that clears up some questions...David's much better at explaining it than I!  I've got a long way to go, but I've COME a long way, baby!!!!

note to self:  don't give AA ice cream, cookies and sprite in the same day....again!!!  I'll let you read between the lines ;-)