Life Goes On

How can a person feel busy all of the time yet never get much done? Is that typical motherhood?

Our summer was full of doctor's appointments for Rocio trying to get her ready for the cochlear implant surgery. She's had audiologist visits, speech therapy, genetecists, MRI - which showed and underdeveloped pituitary and missing posterior pituitary, leading us to a battery of tests with an endocrinologist. They still don't know why she's deaf, but we know now why she drinks and pees constantly. Because she is missing the post. pit. she is not producing a hormone that helps her retain water in her body (diabetes insipidus), hence peeing a LOT, becoming dehydrated and wanting to drink A LOT. They have started her on hormone therapy to help. She will eventually probably need growth hormone and several other hormones throughout her life. We were hoping to have her surgery in October or November, but our insurance isn't on board yet, so it will probably be closer to November.

Maria will turn three this month. Although she seems like she's turning 6. She is such a little mother. Whenever Ariana does something that Maria views as wrong, she will tell Ari, "Never, never, never" or "Malo, malo, malo" which both have become Ariana's favorite phrases (although she pronounces it "neber, neber"). I've used those phrases ONCE with Maria when she plugged in the clothes iron and started ironing the carpet. I didn't notice until I started smelling smoke. But apparently the phrases stuck with her. I'm glad I didn't say anything stronger.

I went to Ethiopia last month for two weeks and it ended up being really hard on Maria. I guess she felt like she had to take on my role to play referee between Ariana and Chio. She started yelling, hitting, whining, peeing the bed. We are still trying to work through the fall out it created. I was going to try to go back soon (I am helping reorganize a clinic there), but I've decided the price is too high to pay right now. I think my kids are still a little too insecure and too young to understand.

Ariana's vocabulary has exploded recently. She'll pretty much repeat anything Maria says and she calles Chio - Glio, Maria - Mari, Hot - Cali, Nose - Nari, Dora - Dori. Almost everythings seems to end in an "i". She asks for the potty all the time but just plays once she gets there, but I guess it is a start.

They are all a joy. My house is always a disaster. That's life now I guess.

P.S. Morrell Family Updates: Cherish and Kelly will be leaving in two weeks for Ethiopia to pick up their SEVEN new children, along with my Dad and Jana to get their THREE adopted pre-teens. Amy and Travis got remarried on Saturday. Heidi and Mark will be moving to Ethiopia soon. Lots of big changes!!

Cherish meeting her kids for the first time in Ethiopia last month.

My Dad with 5 of the 10 new Morrell additions