Kahlia at Grandma and Grandpa Brown's house at Christmas time trying on her new "dress up" dress - SO cute! :-)

All four kids showing their scarves (except Kahlia) that great grandma Roberts made for them last year.

The kids getting ready to open up gifts on Christmas day - such a happy time for the kids! :-)

Such a long time since I've posted - life goes on, and we continue to move forward! Kahlia is coming along in SO many ways - but in the area of speech - still, no progress. It's so sad to have her be 3 1/2 and literally not have the tools to tell us what she really wants to say. She gets frustrated as she tries to tell us what she wants, but nothing comes out that makes any sense at all. We are trying to get back into the loop at OHSU with a different surgeon - we need some answers and I want them now!! I am hoping that we can have her next surgery before she's 5 so we can begin her crucial development of speech.

In the area of physical therapy, she has almost achieved all of her yearly goals set for her, and socially - she is SO friendly and fun to everyone. Potty training? Not so well. I tried for almost 2 weeks to keep her almost exclusively in little panties, but unless I reminded her and took her to the bathroom, she had SO many accidents, and more puddles and wet clothes then I choose to think about - yuck!! It was exhausting, so as of today, I'm taking a little break for a while unless she asks to go or unless I randomly have her go to the bathroom -she's back in pull ups until I want to try again. Sigh... I wonder if she's just not quite ready to be able to hold it with out just going... other then that - everything is going SO SO well on the Kahlia front! She moved into her sister Makenna's room and absolutely loves it - so does Makenna! They have bunk beds, but because they are both double beds, Makenna would prefer to sleep on the bottom with Kahlia - so cute! :-) Makenna is such a little mother - she does SO good with her - she plays with her, reads to her, loves her. So fun to see the bond between them continue to grow.

In November, our family went on a 4 day cruise and spent 6 days at Disney World. We decided to leave Kahlia with grandma and grandpa Brown, which was tough, but made our vacation a little more relaxing. She had a good time with g & g - we are SO grateful for them!!

After vacation - after homeschooling all 3 kids in the fall, Makenna decided to go back to school in December - but the boys decided to stay homeschooled. It's actually gone really well! Pretty much exhausting and a lot of work, but so worth it! I've made HUGE steps with David in the areas of reading and math - I'm thankful for the opportunity that I've had to be able to work with the boys. Some days are definitely better then others, but over all, it's been a great experience. On the down side, it gives me less chance to work with Kahlia on an individual basis - she kind of gets lost in the shuffle sometimes, but she's definitely not forgotten as I take her to ESD preschool twice a week and speech therapy twice a week. Next year the boys plan to go back to school which will free me up to focus on Kahlia - which she really needs! :-)

This weekend is the 10&under State Championships in Eugene, where both Makenna and David will be swimming. So excited to see how they do!! Next weekend we head up to Corvallis for the 11-14 State Championships where Brendon will be swimming - looking forward to the next couple of weekends! :-)

The desire of our hearts is to be exactly where God wants us to be. Where ever that may lead us, what ever he wants us to do, we're there!! Whether it is comfortable or not, this is our ultimate desire. Our lives over the past 12 years have taken us over mountain tops, under tunnels, over bumpy trails, and perfectly straight wide open spaces. It's a journey we're on, and we're just trying to hold on tight!! :-) As we begin to wrap up the year of 2011, we look ahead to 2012. It is shaping up to be a very interesting year. Scott feels a very clear calling to run for State Senate District 5. Having run for State Representative District 9 in 2010, and lost, we have a better idea what to expect and how we can change things up this time around. As it turns out, after Scott filed to run for office, his previous opponent and current co speaker of the House, has decided to jump ship and square off against Scott once again and also run for State Senate. So, we are gearing up for Roberts vs. Roblan - take 2!!
We are excited to see where this journey leads us - win or lose, we know we are doing what God wants us to do - and there's no better place to be!! :-) It's going to be a long year, a lot of evenings and days when daddy isn't home, and mommy's working over time, and kids are...well... being kids! :-) Prayers for our family - especially in the summer and fall would be greatly appreciated! :-)

A Great picture of David and Brendon at my sister Julie's wedding this summer! Beautiful wedding, and a chance to get some photos of our family getting all dressed up! :-)

My sister Julie on her wedding day with her 2 neices, Aspen and our Makenna! :-)

The four sisters this summer - Jenny (due in just over a month with her first child!), myself, Christina, and Julie.

Brendon with his baseball Allstar team's trophy after a great tournament this summer. He had SO much fun!! :-)


It's been 5 months since I last posted here. Life tends to get in the way, but it doesn't mean that it's been boring around the Roberts household!!! :-) Soon after our appt. at Seattle Children's - Kahlia and Scott met with a very good cleft palate specialist up in Portland to get a second opinion about what to do next about Kahlia's failed cleft palate surgery. Again, we did not get the news we wanted to hear. He said that yes, her surgeon did not do the correct surgery, and because of a lot of different reasons, she cannot have a second repair done until she is 5 years old. We still have another 2 years before she can be completely repaired, and she literally has no speech. We don't know if it is entirely because of the small hole still left in her palate, or if there are other factors contributing to it as well (minor hearing loss, developmental delays, low muscle tone, etc.). In any case, it is very discouraging to see Kahlia developing so well in so many areas, and yet unable to communicate to us with her words. She continues to learn and develop her sign language, though none of us are fluent. What we learn, we teach her, and she often remembers the signs better then I do! :-) It is actually quite amazing how much a personality comes out even with out talking! She is quite the character. She is fun, mischieveous, entertaining, loud, happy, absolutely full of, but what a joy to have her around!! :-) In all other areas of her development she is improving by leaps and bounds. As of her ENT appointment today, she is now 24.6 pounds. Still quite small, but she's definitely growing taller! Now wearing a size 2T makes me very happy. :-)

As of this summer, she has gone potty on the big toilet probably a total of 5 or 6 times. That tells me she knows the "how", now we have to work on the "want". That's ok, definitely not pushing it at this point!

Kahlia has hearing aids that she seldom wears, but we try to bring them to her ESD preschool twice a week, and to her private speech therapy appts. twice a week as well. She keeps us busy with those 4 things each week, plus her physical therapist comes to our house twice a month and a hearing impaired specialist comes here twice a month as well. I wish I could sign her up for a gymnastics class or something, but w/ all these places and people to see, she doesn't give me a lot of extra time!

We made a family decision this summer to homeschool the 3 older kids this fall. It was "inspired" by the fact that we would be taking a 2 week vacation this fall, and if we homeschooled, they wouldn't have to take homework on the trip. The kids were all about that! I told them that they could go back to school second term, or stay homeschooled if they wanted. As of now, I think all 3 kids plan to stay home for the rest of the year. It's a tough job - but very rewarding. Yes, I get frustrated, and my patience gets a little thin sometimes, but over all, I have really enjoyed having the kids home this year. Brendon and Makenna are almost completely independent in their school work. I have to occassionally help with math here and there, I correct their writing, and I quiz them on their AWANA verses and the occasional vocab words, but other then that, they are on their own! Brendon reads for 2 hours every day as part of his school day, and at night he reads more - only then he can read what ever he wants! Makenna reads for an hour and 40 minutes during the school day, and does her very best not to read an extra word, minute, or second after that! :-) We are working on the "joy" of reading, but we're not there yet! That's ok, I'm sure it will come, she is only 8! David is not so independent. We are hammering out hard the phonics and being able to read independently. We are not there yet, but we're working hard at that - so by the end of the school year, he CAN read independently. It's going a little slower then the other kids, but I know one of these days everything is just going to "click", and all will be good. He's doing well in math, and is doing a GREAT job memorizing lots of AWANA verses. Though it does make it not so relaxing during the day, I absolutely LOVE not packing lunches in the morning, and having NO homework in the evening - so much more relaxing after an evening of sports, boy scouts, AWANA, what ever the night might bring! But, they all say they want to go back to school next year - we'll see how it goes. God has given me at least this one year to hold my children close to my heart and hands, and I want to take full advantage of this time. We only have a few short years with our kids before they are grown and gone, and I want my kids to be exactly where God wants them to be - whether that be in school or at home. I plan to be more diligent with my posts from now on. I've gotten out of the habit, and would like to stay updated on our lives and home. :-)

Well, today was the big day for Kahlia. Scott drove her to Seattle yesterday, and they had their appointment early this morning with an Infectious Disease Physician at Seattle Children's Hospital. We got news that I was hoping to not get - there is nothing they are going to do for her at this time. She said that as long as she is not vomiting, having major diahrrea, or a bloated stomach, then she will just live with Giardia - forever. We have a doctor's "release" saying she can swim in a pool - unless she is experiencing diahrrea. She said that the medication needed to kill the parasite is potentially toxic to her system, and unless it is absolutely necessary, they would rather not try to treat it. She measured her growth, and though she is still very small for her age, she has grown at a steady pace where she is not worried about the parasite keeping her from being able to thrive. So, Scott turned around today, and drove all the way home! Kahlia didn't appreciate the drive to Seattle and back in 36 hours, but when Scott told her they were going home, she signed all of us in the family - she knew she was coming home to see us! :-) So fun to see her flourish and thrive!!!

Happy Kindergarten graduation David - I love you!!! :-)

David w/ Mom and Dad! :-)

David showing us his "funny" face!

Kahlia's physical therapist - "Mr. Scott" - she's a very happy girl when he comes over to work with her!!!

Today was a bitter sweet day. It began by David's last day of Kindergarten and an all morning class picnic and play time at his friend Jacob's house. Fun times, but my baby boy is growing up!

In the afternoon, Kahlia's physical therapist - "Mr. Scott" - came out to work with Kahlia for the very last time. He is moving back to the East coast, and we will miss him lots. Kahlia loved "Mr. Scott", and would run to the door every time I told her he was coming. She doesn't realize that he won't be coming back, but I'm sad for her anyway.

Tonight, we celebrated David's kindergarten graduation. It was an adorable program complete with cuteness all around. I love seeing all those cute kids dressed up in their cap and gowns!! :-) By time Kahlia graduates from Kindergarten, Brendon will be celebrating his 8th graduation - pretty crazy!!!

Kahlia put on Brendon's hat and gave me the biggest smile inside our tent trailer - SO CUTE!

Kahlia loves to slide all by herself! :-)
Kahlia and Makenna at the water park in Redding, CA over Memorial Day Weekend!

The kids outside one of the museums enjoying some of the things from "back then" as our kids say!

It's official, after her 6th and "last try" treatment to rid Kahlia of her giardia, we learned last Thursday that - YES - she still has giardia. Scott leaves a week from tomorrow to drive her up to Seattle for her appointment at Seattle Children's Hospital on Friday, June 10. I am really hoping and praying that they will have the expertise needed to rid her of this parasite...

Kahlia is now walking quite well, and almost running...never stopping....never, ever stopping...it is quite amazing the amount of energy that her little 2 year old body can muster up - it amazes me daily to watch her. I marvel at how far she has come. She has quite the spunky personality. It has been so fun to literally watch her blossom before our eyes. She has come from a stoic, quiet, immobile little girl to a vibrant, energetic, and not so quiet little girl. She pushes me away so she can slide down slides by herself. She is never afraid to try something new. There are still so many physical barriers she still needs to cross, but she sure doesn't let the fact that she can't do them keep her from trying! Stairs is a perfect example. She does not have the strength, nor the coordination to actually walk up stairs with out losing her balance and falling. But that sure doesn't stop her from attempting EVERY set of stairs we come across. She tries and tries - determined that little girl is!! Having that kind of spunk and determination will help her so far as she continues with the challenges that lay ahead for her. I am SO excited to see and watch her grow.

This past weekend - our family went to Redding, CA to enjoy a long weekend. Kahlia "camped" for the first time. I say "camped" because it was a very last minute decision to drive down there, so we didn't have time to research camping spots. We ended up staying at an RV park that didn't even have a fire pit! At first we were disappointed, then realized, it could have been God's way of sparing us the stress of having our wobbly walking Kahlia near a fire!!! It was a great weekend of fun as we enjoyed going to museums, toured the Shasta Dam, swam, and enjoyed a water park on a nice sunny day. Great memories with the family - I feel very blessed. :-)

It's hard to believe it's been one year since we held our little Kahlia for the first time in Pune, India. We have had quite a year - completely exhausting, but I wouldn't trade one single day - Kahlia has been such a blessing to me and our family - I am thankful that God has brought her into our lives forever. She has made such huge changes this first year - it's hard to imagine what she will be doing in another year - hopefully talking!!! :-)
This last weekend, Mother's Day weekend, my parents watched Kahlia while I took Makenna to a Mother/daughter retreat at Tilikum Retreat Center. It was the first time we had left her by herself - with out even her siblings. My parents said she did great - she has a special bond with her grandpa Brown!!
A week in a half ago, we thought Kahlia may have broken her right ankle - she wouldn't put pressure on it, and wouldn't even try to walk. After having it xrayed and nothing came up, we just waited and after a week in a half, she seems to be back walking normally - I guess she just had a little sprain! I would not have enjoyed the idea of a cast on her foot/leg for 6-8 weeks - yuck! As for her walking, she is doing fabulous. She is getting better at walking on uneven surfaces, inclines, grass, etc. She still is very cautious and walks a little like a wet noodle, but she is a very determined little girl, and does not give up easily. She keeps trying and trying until she gets it - now if she would just try that with her speech!! :-)
We have scheduled for Scott to take Kahlia to Seattle Childrens Hospital next month. She will be seeing a doctor in the infectious disease clinic. I want to get this giardia taken care of once and for all! Though slowly, she is still growing. She is now wearing 18 month clothes, and size 3 shoes. She's finally outgrowing the clothes that she wore when we first brought her home last May. It has been fun to finally have her wear new clothes this spring!!! We are hoping to schedule soon for her to have a consult with the doctor that Scott wants to have do Kahlia's next cleft palate surgery. We do not plan on using the same surgeon we used last time. I really want to get the surgery done soon so we can start some intense speech therapy! She still attempts very little speech. She won't even try. She says momma - and a few other vowel matching words - like "o" for hot, and "i" for hi, and "ni ni" for night night, but that's about it. Her signing vocabulary continues to grow, which is great - except when she goes places where people do not know any sign!!
Baseball season has begun, and between David and Brendon's 2 games a week each plus all 3 still on the swim team, it is making a very, very busy spring for us! Kahlia is a little trooper being dragged around all over town, but someday, it will be her turn! :-)
As I reflect on how God has watched over us this past year, I am truly amazed at his faithfulness to each member of our family. He has taught us all so many lessons - lessons of patience, selflessness, and His never ending love. Kahlia has touched so many lives this past year - she has given everyone around her indescribable joy. Her endless and beautiful smiles, adorable laughs, and fun personality has been such a blessing to all of us. Yes, she can be absolutely full of it sometimes, she still brings such energy and life to everyone around her - I feel so blessed to call her my daughter!!
Though this blog focuses on Kahlia, I have 3 other amazing children that I love VERY VERY much!! They along with Kahlia bring me more joy then a mother should be allowed to have. Each child brings something different and special to the family. Spending this past weekend with just Makenna at Tilikum really meant a lot to me. She helps out the most with Kahlia, sacrifices a lot, she deserved a very special one on one with me this weeke end!!
Pictures to be posted soon - I left me camera at my parents, and I won't get it back until Tuesday night!