It's Santi's 10th Birthday!

It's a special day, because it's Santi's birthday! He is now 10 years old!

If you want to leave a birthday blessing, just leave a comment...

Ice Cream and Peanut Butter

We are still waiting to hear from the hospital about a date for surgery. About a month and a half ago, we took Santi in to see the surgeon that will perform the surgery and he strongly suggested that Santi gain at least ten pounds before the operation. Ten pounds would help cushion the sensitive vertebrae and hardware in Santi’s back and bring about a better outcome for healing. We decided to place Santi on a concentrated diet majoring on high calorie intake. Anita and Cilicia did some research online and discovered calorie counters and many recipes for high calorie foods that Santi could eat to help him gain weight. Santi has always been challenged to put weight on; together with his high metabolism, he’s had issues with reflux and spinal pain that have all contributed to a light appetite and lower weight.

Now, after success with the recipes which include lots of ice cream shakes, sour cream, and extra butter on his toast, he has gained 3 pounds since we started at the beginning of January! We are so thrilled! Santi knows he has to be diligent with his eating. The girls set a timer to let us all know it’s time for his snack. He eats 3 regular meals throughout the day, but also 3 extra large snacks in between. His favorite is peanut butter spoons!

We continue to watch him for signs of pain as he doesn’t ever tell us when he’s hurting. Usually after a long, strenuous day of activity, we know to give him a Motrin tablet to relieve the pain and discomfort in his back. It helps him to rest easy. Long walks or long play times are getting harder for him.

• Please continue to pray for Santi as he deals with increased curvature and consequently more pain.
• Pray for the doctors and nurses that will perform the surgery that their hands will move with surety and gentleness.
• Pray that his spinal cord will be protected during the surgery and even afterwards preventing any nerve damage, which is a great concern.

Thank you again and God bless each of you as we hear of your love and faith in Jesus; for continuing to bring us refreshment through your prayer and loving concern for us.

The Lindsey Family

We had a surprise and wonderful visit from long-time friends, The Lindsey Family! Skip and Tammy have ten children and bought a bus here in Florida. Yes, a bus! They need it for travel as they go from place to place singing…..We met the Lindseys years ago in New York…thank you Stoltzfus family for introducing us to this great family.

What a joyous 2 days we had with them……singing, relaxing, eating, and sharing Jesus. Little Timothy could NOT BELIEVE how much sugar we put into our lemonade!!! I’ve never seen a more shocked four-year old.

Here’s a picture of Santi with Skip having dessert….Yes, it’s Oreo cookies and milk. We have Skip to thank for showing us the proper and civilized way to eat Oreos. (We were absolute barbarians before we met Skip.)

Here are the detailed steps:

Ten Successful Steps on How to Properly Eat an Oreo

1. First, you must have a package of fresh, crispy Oreo cookies. Now they make them with a nifty easy-peel opening in the top of the package. This is so that you can concentrate more on the eating and not the opening….
2. Next, you must have a fork. This is what makes this technique, not only civilized, but absolutely dignified.
3. The milk must be cold. (Who likes lukewarm milk, especially when getting ready to dip Oreos?)
4. You must have the correct “depth of dunkability”. Too shallow and you will end up with a sad mixture of crunchy and soft cookie. Disappointing. Too deep and you will have a lot of leftover black-spotted milk you won’t feel like drinking. This is troublesome to mothers and fathers who know the value of milk these days….don’t want it too deep.
5. Now that you are ready with the supplies, carefully pierce the white soft inner portion of the Oreo with the fork. You must be careful NOT to separate the cookies. This technique may take lots of practice….perhaps someone in your family won’t mind eating the “practice” pieces?
6. Carefully dunk the forked cookie down into the cold milk and WAIT…….
7. WAIT……until all the bubbles go away. This step takes patience. You may be tempted to bring the cookie up too early...not soft enough. You may also wait too long and…..lose the whole thing into the bottom of the cup…..Mother will really frown then……
8. WAIT……(Skip says this is the most important thing…)
9. Place the just-right, perfectly-combined-sensation-of-crunchy-and-soft Oreo into your mouth.
10. Resist eating the entire package, please!

Mac and Beth Lynch

On Saturday, January 26^th, we all had a very special visit from dear friends, Mac and Beth Lynch! Mac and Beth live and minister at the Wilds Camp in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, but were in Florida for an engagement here in Tampa. We were so excited that they could both come and squeeze in at our 12 foot table. We enjoyed serving “mojo” chicken….Beth had never heard of it!! Must be a Latin thing….and for dessert….a cake we now call “The Lynch Cake”. For the complicated recipe of our delicious Lynch Cake see below:

1 Very Deep Chocolately Chocolate Cake Mix

1 tub of Equally Chocolately Chocolate Frosting

Chopped Macadamia Nuts

Follow baking directions on the box and bake in 2 round cake pans. Cool cakes, then lightly frost between layers. Frost entire cake, then press chopped nuts on top and sides. That’s it! The combination of sweet and salty is just right…….just like Mac and Beth.

Santi just loves Mac and Beth…but especially Beth….sorry, Mac. Can you see how sweet they are together? Thank you for your new CD….”Journey”….how beautiful………..

A Letter In The Mail...

Yesterday Santi received a sweet letter in the mail from one of his friends in Georgia. This gift was designated for Santi's weight gain! Watch out, McDonald's...here we come!!

Right now we have Santi on a 3,000 calorie diet. He's been such a trooper downing all those smoothies and shakes. We're watching for the scale to tip!

"Use this to gain some weight. I'm praying for you."

Thank You Jacob Shelton! -Santi

Are You Ready?

This is a short clip taken from an interview with IVLeague Media of Florida. We appreciate all that IVLmedia stands for and for allowing us to post this.

The Waiting Room

This morning, Santiago, Santi, and I sat in the waiting room of the Shands Spine Clinic. Too rushed to have had breakfast, but armed with two granola bars, we sat to hear Santi's name called. How often had we been here before? Too many times to count....Santi knows the "toy" corner by heart and didn't care to play today. Huge athletic men stride by....saying hello requires me to bend my neck all the way back. Those big guys (athletes from the University of Florida) always have a smile for Santi and pat his head as we leave the elevator.

Time to update our records for the new year...yes, all the information is still the same. "The doctor will call you soon." I brought my knitting and Santiago brought his Bible and study books. Santi sits and waits.

Finally....time for x-rays. The kind technician remembers us and says he's missed Santi....."What's up, my man?" The man who once built a brace for Santi strolls by and waves....what's up?

Weight and height check....taller and heavier! What a victory.....48 pounds!

We are led to another waiting room and arrange ourselves again. Santiago reads aloud to me while I knit. Finally, Dr. Woo comes in and he has good news. The bulge we were concerned about is nothing serious....just the body's defense against chafing from the hardware bending out of alignment on Santi's spine. The bulge is a pocket of fluid and is harmless. Whew! Sigh of relief from all. Traction may go on as before, which will now happen in February. Oh my! We thought it would be January.

On to yet another waiting room to update more records. The poor girl at her computer has not had breakfast. I leave a granola bar on her desk and she runs after us to thank us! We can love with granola bars......while we wait.

We are in the Lord's waiting room. We wait and He works. We stay busy and productive while God fulfills His plan. This waiting is preparing us for greater things and so we learn to embrace the waiting and rejoice in it. God doesn't have problems....He has plans.

"But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."
(Romans 8:25)

Prayer Requests:

• Santi needs to gain at least 10 pounds in the next three months. Ten extra pounds of fat would facilitate a better surgery outcome. We would like to avoid the placement of a feeding tube.
• Santi's spinal cord is stretched over curves that may cause a decrease in blood flow through the cord. Since his growth is slow just now, the blood flow is adequate to the stretching, but we need to watch Santi for any decrease in energy, activity or strength. Santi remains active and energetic which is a good indication of the strength of the spinal cord.
• Pray that our surgery date for traction would be set immediately.

Thank you so much for your continued prayer as we wait......
~Ana~