We arrived in FL

We had a smooth ride to Quito - there was a wreck on the way up - which is unusual. Check in went smooth - then, yet again, I was singled out to be taken down to the outside of the plane outside to have my checked luggage searched with police. It is normally good policy to tell them that you don't speak much Spanish, so I told them I only spoke very little as I was escorted down. There were 5 male police officers who quite enjoyed talking about me to each other for about 5 minutes. They then picked up some alino seasoning bottles Sara (Craig's mom) bought and packed in my bags and said "what is this". I answered in Spanish what is was for - and they all about died knowing that I had understood everything they had been saying - so, in normal Ecuadorian style, they then proceded to ask my age, when I was returning, was I married, etc. Everyone was really lighthearted which quickly ended the search. I was then run upstairs and everyone else was waiting on the plane. The flight was smooth, only about 4 or 5 runs to the potty, no sleeping though. Bob and Sara were so sweet to drive all the way to Gainesville. We arrived around 8:30 (I think). We had no water, but Brooke and I went out back and got buckets of pond water (full of tadpoles) to flush the toilets :)

We will head to the airport around 4pm today to fly to Memphis. We were able to get a couple of hours sleep today. Everyone is happy and doing well. We have already enjoyed Burger King for breakfast, Popeye's chicken (Valerie Grace really wanted a fried chicken leg at 3am :), and Burger King again for lunch.

Thank you for all of your prayers. We are quickly adjusting to the high speed of life here and the smooth roads.

Love,
Celeste



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Flying to the US today

We will be packing in the van in about 2 more hours and driving up to Quito. We chose to leave a little later because last time the altitude was not good for me and I didn't want Valerie feeling bad either.



We will fly out tonight to Miami and land around midnight. We are hoping the roads to Quito are clear. Elections were yesterday in Ecuador, so hopefully no one is upset enough to block any roads.



We will then drive to Gainesville and arrive most likely sometime tomorrow before lunch. We will get in a quick nap and then drive to the Gainesville airport so we can fly to Memphis connecting through Charlotte (where my parents live :)

We will land in Memphis after 9pm on Tuesday and go straight to patient check in. We will sleep there and then Wednesday meet with the neurosurgeon and radiation oncologist. Thursday, Valerie will have an eye exam, then an MRI. Friday we will be heading to the Memphis zoo with a lady I met on the brain tumor yahoo group (thanks Jalena). We hope to then meet up with Craig's grandmother Hinton that afternoon. We then fly back on Saturday morning. We will meet up with family in the Charlotte during our 2 hour layover. We will land in Gainesville around 4pm on Saturday and then get some rest :)

We are doing well. Okay, time to get some time in with Craig, Courtney, and Natalie Joy before we go.

Love,
Celeste

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6


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Thank you for your prayers

Wow - I really feel the prayers of many! I have been experiencing a weird sense of excitement - sort of this expectant excitement that comes with being in fellowship with the Lord. Isn't it amazing how the Lord can turn a difficult situation into something that we can rejoice about?! I love that!

Valerie Grace continues to have many talks about Jesus and heaven and wanting to go "NOW" and how she is "ready". Craig's dad was able to hear some of her talks and able to experience the great peace that she has and excitement about getting to be with Jesus.



Love,

Celeste


But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.
Psalm 5:11


Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:1-5


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Photos from September

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Update on our health

Thank you to everyone who has emailed us and been praying for us! Here is an update for those who have asked.

When Valerie woke up today, she threw up several times. Then Brooke woke up with no voice. We dropped off samples at the hospital for Natalie (who has had weight loss) and decided to come home for lunch and head back to the hospital after lunch due to the large amount of people waiting to be seen. We fixed lunch at home and then Valerie and I took a bike ride over to the little store that is near our old house. We loaded up on lemon flavored potato chips and mayonnaise flavored potato chips for the trip to Florida (for some reason, those flavors haven't seemed to have caught on in the US - they are delicious).

Jaime and Craig went out to Sacha Runa to measure for windows on the church while I drove Brooke to the hospital to be seen. Craig said the nice new road to Sacha Runa washed out and there is now a big hole where the tubes broke.

Brooke was seen rather quickly. Right before she went back, the doctor that was going to see me, came and gave me my lab slips since he anticipated a long wait for me. Brooke has swollen tonsils and a swollen lymph node. We were given antibiotics.
I went to pay for my blood work, but didn't have enough money, so I went home and dropped off Brooke and picked up some money and Natalie for our blood work. We went back and paid for all of our blood work. I sat to have my blood drawn first and suddenly felt a lot better as I anticipated having my blood drawn - funny how that works. While I had my blood work done, the doctor came and weighed Natalie Joy and she had gained a tiny bit of weight. Then Craig and I drug Natalie in for her blood work - I think she was feeling about 10lbs heavier. We held her down, then as soon as they got ready to put the needle in, she calmed down and didn't flinch at all. She was perfect while they got blood for a long list of tests. Craig took Natalie home and I waited a couple of more hours. While waiting, I enjoyed getting to meet some new people and practice my terrible Spanish. As I sat there, I looked out the front windows at the mountains. The clouds just draped across them and I just sat there, falling in love with Ecuador all over again. I felt such an amazing peace - I believe thanks to the many prayers being said for us. It was a really nice time just to sit there alone at the end of the hospital day.
Natalie's doctor came out and gave me her results - everything normal - just waiting for the thyroid test that needs to go to Quito. So most likely, we just haven't been feeding our daughter. We have been much better about making sure that we all eat, and in the process have realized just how little we do eat, especially with no groups here to keep us on an eating schedule.

I went in to see the doctor and thankfully, the symptoms I have been having do not seem to point to anything specific and my blood work was also normal.

I called Craig and he picked me up with everyone else in the car and we headed to Natalie's favorite restaurant where she tore up yet another tilapia - head, fins and all. I was also told that a man came by with a marmoset while I was gone, so we have yet another fun pet.

Valerie Grace ended the day with throwing up all of the meat that she ate for dinner and quickly fell asleep.

Tomorrow, we have been invited out to Sacha Runa for a traditional meal (fish wrapped in banana leaves cooked over and open fire).

Anyway, it was a really good day. Perhaps my favorite part was driving home at night and seeing all of the beautiful people and remembering why we came. We are truly blessed!

Love,
Celeste

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:4-8

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Back from Quito

We made it back down from Quito and I managed to not get violently ill until we arrived home. I don't know if I got what my dad had, or if it was from the altitude...but 24 hours later and I am starting to feel better (but in no way hungry).

We bought tickets today to fly to Florida (Valerie, Brooke, and myself) at the end of this month. We will then fly to St Jude from Gainesville (they were able to approve us to come for a consult). St Jude was able to get us in for an MRI much earlier than Shands. We want a chance to hear what they have to say and also, have time left to discuss what they tell us with Valerie's neuro-oncologist in FL before we fly back to Ecuador.

On a weird note - our car wouldn't start last time we parked it behind the hospital here in town. Well, today I drove over there again and again it wouldn't start. I called Craig who rode my bike over to where we were. We thought maybe it was the radio tower interfering with the alarm system. The Barton's pulled the car out of the driveway and out of the hospital compound.....and......it started right away! Craig drove home and Valerie and I rode the bike home (wow - am I out of shape!)

Craig's parents have enjoyed there time here so far, and we have enjoyed them.

A HUGE thank you to the children at the Family Church who wrote such sweet notes to our girls and colored such beautiful pictures. Craig's parents brought them all down. We are so touched that you thought of us and that you pray for our family. We hope we can visit while we are in FL.
Thank you for your prayers for our family.


Love,
Celeste

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What a difference 24 hours makes. I was really feeling confused in that I thought that I saw every door opening for us to go to St Jude, yet, it seemed very rushed and a little uneasy. We know that the Lord can reopen that door if that is in His plan.

Now that I have had time to get past the shock I felt when suddenly things flipped the other way around, I feel such a peace. More peace than I have felt while praying about going and seeing thing 'work out'. We prayed for the Lord to open and close doors where needed if we were not seeing things clearly. Sadly, I yet again got set in the plan as I saw it, and unlike Craig, had a difficult time seeing that things were not happening the way I thought they would. I obviously still have major issues with making my own plans, or thinking that I have things figured out :)

Valerie is doing very well, and I cannot even begin to fully explain the peace I have about not uprooting everyone for 2+ months - so that says to me, not right now. Who knows - maybe she will get re-accepted in a few months or maybe not at all.

Brooke, Valerie and I are most likely going back to FL when Craig's parents' visit is over on the 29th. We will then ride up to Gainesville with them from Miami. Valerie has an MRI scheduled and we are hoping for some fun relaxing time. Craig will stay here with Natalie and Courtney and prepare for the team that is coming. We expect to fly back on the same flight as the team that is coming, stay overnight in Quito and then come back to Shell with the team. But anything can happen :) If everything works out for us to fly back up for 2 weeks, I hope to get dental visits and well child check ups in.

Tomorrow, Brooke and I will most likely be riding up to Quito with my parents (who will fly out tomorrow evening). Brooke and I will stay overnight in Quito and then pick up Craig's parents Friday morning and drive to Shell.

Love,

Celeste

We had my dad take another photo of our whole family. Well, with 6 girls it was hard to get everyone looking and smiling at the same time. We moved Brooke down and we gave Courtney and Natalie Joy faces from other shots. What fun! Next, Maria wants a picture of her riding a tiger :)

Original -----------

Photoshopped version --

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Valerie Grace

So here is what has been happening with St Jude. We were contacted by them around the end of August saying that we could come in for a consult. They emailed saying that October 1st would work well because their neurosurgeon would be available to talk with us as well.

Then, the ministry of Habitat for Hope called and had someone wanting to pay to fly our whole family up there, so we could be together during Valerie’s treatment. They would also provide housing right across from the hospital for all of us. It seemed like a huge opened door. A little girl from FL, just had radiation on a tumor that looks identical to Valerie’s at St Jude and has had the tumor shrink 20% in just months. Habitat for Hope also had a missionary family that lived in Ecuador 15 years willing to come down and help with our ministry here while we were gone. It seemed like all of the little details were working out. Craig felt that we should definitely go seeing how everything was just falling into place.

Last night we were emailed and told that they would not accept Valerie into their program because we live internationally. They are only allowed 10 patients that live overseas, and since Valerie's tumor could be treated at other places, she is not considered high risk. So, it looks like going to St Jude is no longer an option.

We are looking into just Valerie and I flying back to Miami, then driving up to Gainesville to have an MRI done. We are hoping that they can get her in the 2nd of October (this would give us time to meet with her neuro-oncologist before we meet up with the team that is coming to Ecuador in Miami and then flying down with them).

Valerie still has BCBS insurance until the end of the year, so it leaves our options open until then.

In other news - Valerie's "bad" eye swelled shut last night. It turns out it was most likely just a stye. It has improved a lot throughout the day today. She didn't even notice as she has stopped using that eye.

My parents will be leaving on Thursday and Brooke and I will be staying overnight in Quito to pick up Craig's parents on Friday. Craig and I went to church together over the weekend and even on a date tonight. It is rare that we go out to eat alone, which is fine, because we don't like being away from the girls much.

Those are the facts :)

Love,

Celeste

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Yesterday, Valerie and my dad stayed at our home while the rest of us went to Banos for the day. When we got home, we all shared a cuy (guinnea pig). I ate a leg, Valerie ate more than anyone else. It tasted almost like chicken...but Valerie called it "yummy fish". Here is a picture of her eating it (she prefered it to the left over pizza we brought home).

My dad told me about something really cute that Valerie did. He was helping her play a computer game. She wanted my dad to type in her name. He typed in V A L A R I E. She said "does my name have two A's?" She also found a tomato seed inside her hamburger. Her vision remains very good - which is a huge praise.

My dad is very sick now - major stomach issues. He has been sleeping at our old rental house all day. We would appreciate prayers that he feels better so he can enjoy the rest of his trip. He will miss out on going to the weekly produce market tomorrow (one of his favorite things).

Love,
Celeste

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My parents arrived safely in Shell Tuesday afternoon with Craig and Courtney. To the right you can see the mall that they ate in while staying in Quito. Ahhhh! I can almost smell the KFC. They also enjoyed a night with a bathtub! Craig saw it as God's plan for sure and really enjoyed staying overnight in Quito. They were also able to give a man coming down to teach English a ride to Shell.

We have enjoyed some fun time together and more to come. My parents brought lots of yummy American food treats from the US. My mom said that she had to tell the lost baggage people what was in the bags. She said "bacon, clam chowder soup, cheese crackers, american cheese".....they said "BACON??"

Gwen from the last group that came to visit mailed us many boxes of pre-cooked bacon. It is wonderful and we have enjoyed many BLT sandwiches. Thank you! When I shared this with my mom - she bought a couple of boxes for us also. The cheese was a little mushy from being in Miami an extra day - but if firmed up nicely in the refrigerator :)

We still haven't heard back anything definite with Valerie Grace. I am slowwwwly learning to be patient and wait on the Lord's timing with things.



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Craig and Courtney took the 5am public bus up to Quito Monday morning. My parents arrived 30 minutes early in Quito safely, but without any of their bags. They decided to stay in Quito Monday night (all 4 of them) and wait and see if their bags would come. When I called, they were at the mall in Quito. It can be really overwhelming (but fun) to experience a mall after life in Shell - I imagine they enjoyed eating some really American food (they have KFC, Pizza Hut, Applebees - lots of American chains up there).
After much time on the phone, they located their bags (still with USAirways in Miami). The LAN airlines baggage department was very helpful in tracking them down and getting them on the flight today. They then started the long drive to Shell around lunch time today and should arrive this evening sometime. Right now, Brooke and Valerie are playing in the river (with Maria) and Natalie and I have been enjoying some peanut M&Ms (shhhh. :)

The girls and I have had a really wonderful few days. We have lots of joy and peace. I really cannot even begin to explain the joy we have felt...that joy that makes you really wonder at how wonderful heaven much be to beat the incredible feeling of experiencing the Lord here on this earth - lots of music, lots of prayer and praise, lots of dancing. Joy, excitement, love - life is good, very good.

We still haven't heard anything definite from St Jude. Regardless of what happens, it has been a very nice wake up call to once again enjoy each day to the fullest. God has been so very good to us and we are truly rejoicing today!

Thank you for your prayers. I am still not convinced that the Lord isn't going to fully heal our Valerie Grace. We would appreciate prayers for her vision to remain stable or improve and for her tumor to shrink along with prayers for guidance as to the next step (if there is one). We aren't worried about it - just enjoying today and dancing.

We would appreciate prayers for our friends the Cloutier's. Janet Cloutier went to be with the Lord suddenly. The Cloutier's have sacrificially poured out Christ's love on the people of Haiti over the years. Please pray for her children, for husband Raymond. www.theartwebreathe.net/love.

Love,
Celeste




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Valerie Grace

We were contacted by St Jude last week and told that they accepted Valerie into their program for radiation and were suggesting a debulking surgery first. We first felt that maybe the door was opening again on further treatment, but cost would be an issue. We then heard from another mom, that St Jude would pay for Valerie and I to fly there. It is looking now like that might not be the case - they consider our residency to be in FL - so that is where they would fly us from. We are still waiting to hear back if they will make an exception.

We have prayed a lot about it, and initially, we felt that maybe the side effects from radiation would be less than the side effects from tumor growth (her tumor has grown 20% in the last year and a half). Tumor growth could cause blindness, vomitting, headaches, loss of appetite, and numberous endocrine problems. Side effects from radiation could be endocrine problems, lowered IQ, and possible stroke.

We have our friends here praying. Valerie went to Sacha Runa with Maria yesterday to visit Maria's mom (who LOVES Valerie). Her mom cried almost the whole time from what we were told. She then said that she never new that American's had problems - she thought that money was a way out of ones problems and that she has learned so much from Valerie Grace. She has learned that we as children of the Lord all have problems on this earth - but that with God we overcome them.

There are some here who think that doctors can provide a cure and that we should focus on the good possibilities and go for treatment.

Craig, Brooke, Valerie and I are all feeling that maybe not now. Craig and I are feeling this way because without finacial help with the plane tickets (St Jude said they think they cannot fly us from Ecuador) and housing for our family (St Jude will only house up to 4 people) - that it might be a closed door - for now at least. Please pray with us that we hear clearly from the Lord about what is the BEST path for Valerie Grace - the one that would give God the most glory. And please pray that doors would open and close to confirm what we are hearing.

We have emailed many questions to St Jude, and Valerie's wonderful oncologist in FL - but so far, we haven't heard anything back.

Another mom who is a missionary in Shell came by yesterday. She told us that when her son went to St Jude, the doors opened and all of the finacial stuff was dropped in their lap so to speak. She said that there wasn't even a question as to if they should go or not.

Pray that we are surrounded by overwhelming peace and that we not let any fears or logical assumptions get in the way of us hearing clearly.

We know that no matter what - we can't lose, because the promise the Lord gave us is that Valerie will be okay. Valerie is doing fantastic - she is at Maria's now (she normally asks to go to Maria's after lunch.....for a second lunch :) As she was walking out the door, she stopped and ran back and hugged by legs, kissed them, and said "I love you mommy". How can I not cry at that?

Love,
Celeste

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Corinthians 12:9

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