Ahhh, Sweet Clarity!

OK, So here is the whole scoop about Andrew. He was having health problems in the MTC, it was making it impossible to get anything accomplished. The MTC doesn't have a "full-time" medical staff that can come in and run tests and do exams and so forth. So... He has been "released" on medical leave. The minimum time period (when they don't know exactly what the illness is) is 6 months. Andrew will see his regular Dr. here at home, have all the tests and stuff done that he may need (which is easier to do at home with your own Dr and insurance), then he can return to full-time Missionary Service in February. Whether or not he serves in the Dominican Republic depends on what the problem is (we really have no idea yet). If he needs to take medication of any kind, on a long term basis, then he may have to be reassigned to a mission here in the states. (They said it depends on what kind of medication and how readily available it is in another country). If not, then he will continue on to the Dominican Republic Mission. The Stake President was kept informed all last week about Andrew being in the "sick bay" numerous times and being taken to the ER once. The MTC did not notify me of this. The call that I got on Friday, telling me that I had to come and get him, was quite a shock, I thought that he was being "kicked out" or something (I know, I'm dramatic). All that was said before that was that Andrew was feeling "homesick" (this was the first few days that he was there). One of the District Presidents said that they were going to let him call home a couple of times a week until he left for the DR on the 3rd. Well, when I got this call on Friday, I thought that they were sending him home because he was too "homesick" to leave us. Well... needless to say, I was a little ticked. I wanted to just tell Andrew to "snap out of it!" or "get over it". I didn't realize that he wasn't so much "homesick" as ACTUALLY sick.(Oops) The bottom line is, we don't know what exactly is going on with his health. I DO now know that he wasn't "kicked out". :0) I am still trying to figure out how this whole Mission thing works. So, as far as his "Missionary status", he is still a Missionary. He is on "Temporary medical leave", kind of like the military. As soon as he sees the Dr, gets whatever treatment is needed and feels better, then he will start serving as a "local service missionary" until February. After that, all it takes is a call from the Stake president saying that he's ready, he is set apart again as a full-time missionary then he goes right back into the MTC. He doesn't have to start the whole submission process over again, which is what I originally thought. The only paperwork that would need to be done is if they decide that it would be better if he stayed in the country. Then they send his info up to the Mission office and they change where he serves. I feel so much better now that things have been made more clear, I thought that he was having a "worthiness issue" (sorry Andrew :0) or he had beat the snot out of his companion or something :0). I know, again with the drama. I guess there was another Missionary sent home, on medical leave, that went in the same day as Andrew. Of course, he slid down a big, long banister and broke his leg... Ouch. Maybe Andrew felt "left out" because was the only person in the whole house without some type of medical condition - ha ha. Andrew is in good spirits and is maintaining a positive attitude about this whole thing (although, at first he was upset too). He is anxious to "get on with it" so that he can get back "out there". What a trooper. The positive side to this is that he will be home when Josh is sealed to us, when Cody Joe is ordained a Deacon and for Christmas. Oh yeah, and he may have sensed telepathically that I was planning to take Cody Joe and Zach to Disneyland in October for a couple of days and wanted to go to :0) hee hee.

Andrew's "Farewell"

Elder Larsen The Provo Temple

"Ta-Da!"---MTC Cody and Julie

~The Larsen Men~

Andrew with Grandma and Grandpa Larsen

Andrew with the Eldredge's

The boys!

Andrew, Grandpa (Julie's Dad) and Mom

Andrew with mom and dad

The Larsen Fam!

The Larsen Fam with Grandpa

Everybody!

Andrew spoke in Sacrament meeting on Sunday, the 9th. He gave a very nice talk and it sounds like he is well on his way to "Missionary greatness" :0). I sang a solo "Lord, I Would Follow Thee", with Andrew accompanying me on the piano (I'm going to miss our little "jam sessions"). Andrew makes up the most amazing piano arrangements just looking at the hymn book, he just makes it up as he goes along. (for those of you that were there on Sunday, all he had in front of him was the page from the hymn book printed from the church website, cool huh? (I have to brag a little, I feel very lucky to be his mom). Andrew is so talented and has a great capacity for loving unconditionally and is very accepting of everyone. He has a strong testimony of the Savior and the incredible sacrifice that He made for us and I know that he is anxious to share it. I think that he will love serving the Lord and teaching the gospel to the people in the Dominican Republic.

Fiesta de despedida para Elder Larsen!

Cody Joe, Zachy and Andrew

Becca, Zach and Lillie

Zach, Jordan, Kalynne, Robyn and Andrew

Joy, Danielle, Kenzie and Maddie

Claire, Andrew and Zoe

Laura, Claire, Denise, Andrew, Lane, Merideth and Abby

Andrew and Grandpa (Julie's Dad)

Cristi (my sister in law) and Papa

We had Andrew's "farewell" party on Saturday night, it was so much fun. There was lots of great food and fabulous friends and family to visit with. We are so grateful for all of the love and support that has been shown for our family. Thank you to everybody that came to wish Andrew well, we feel lucky to have great family and so many wonderful friends that are just like family! Most of my friends have been so "tried and true" and I can't even begin to express how grateful I am for that. Our family life can be a little "sticky" at times (to say the least :0). I want to say a great big THANK YOU for my fabulous friends that are so understanding and always there for me in good times and in bad, (you know who you are :0). I am SO grateful for all of the "pep talks", advice, hugs, shoulders to cry on, ears that listen without judgement, and for just "being there" for me. (Even though most of you have moved!...rude :0). I live a life that can be somewhat isolated at times and those of you that go out of your way to come and spend time with us particularly during our families special events are absolutely invaluable to me. Lots of love to you!!

Miss Bean... The continuing story

People keep asking me what "happened to Krista" :0). I think that it's funny to have neighbors say "Didn't you used to have 3 girls?" I forget that our life is somewhat "different"and occasional clarification may be required.

After months of neuro-psychological and IQ testing, Brain MRI's, EEG's, Genetic evaluations, Autism screenings, Psychiatrist and medication evaluations, Developmental testing, Post-adoption service meetings/evaluations, etc. here's the "scoop"...

Nothing has changed as far as Krista's bonding and development. Krista's disorders are life long and cannot be "fixed", it is just the way her brain developed in utero. Here is the current list of diagnosis':

*Fetal Alcohol Related Neuro/Psychological Disorder (say that 3 times fast :0) - This can't be fixed or improved in any way, we try to control the behaviors that she exhibits with a very strict/structured schedule and meds. There are probably times that people think that we are too strict with her, it appears that way because she cannot be reasoned with... AT ALL, in her brain it's "all or nothing", things are black or white, no gray areas. The only way to stop adverse behavior is to immediately address it (either vocally or removing her from the situation). The voice tone used has to be strong and clear the first time or her brain WILL NOT register the message, with most kids this is what we lovingly refer too as "selective hearing" :0) With Krista, it is not "selective".

*Pervasive Developmental Disorder - This is an Autism Spectrum Disorder. PDD encompasses emotional development and bonding as well as academic performance. Krista has not been able to learn ABC's, counting past 3, colors, writing, coloring in the lines or drawing. She is at apprx. 2 1/2 - 3 year old level in most areas, including emotional maturity. It has been interesting to watch Hailey bypass Krista in all areas of development; Krista still throws tantrums, wets her pants and has no sense of right or wrong or consequences.

*Neuro/Transmitter Disorder - This basically means that the 2 halves of her brain do not communicate with each other...ever. There's no "moral compass", no weighing pros and cons of an action, no sense of fear or danger (she is not, and never has been, afraid of the dark, "monsters", climbing high, wandering out of familiar places, strangers etc.)

Krista hears "a voice" that talks to her, she can hear and see this person (she says it's a boy). Of course, we can't see him but she has "conversations" using two distinctly different voices. Not the "normal" (I hate that word) child imaginary friend or play conversations. There is the possibility of Schizophrenia or Bipolar disorder, but she is too young to make that determination right now.

Krista's current treatment includes, medication to "encourage" the 2 sides of her brain to talk to each other and to regulate emotional outbursts, raging, aggressiveness and "impulsivity". We are seeing amazing results with her meds, I didn't even know that there was "stuff" out there to make a brain "work better".

Krista goes to a Treatment Home every Friday and stays until Sunday, she receives more intensive therapeutic intervention than we are qualified to give. Since there's no doubt that Krista will live in a Treatment Home on a permanent basis in the next couple of years, this has been very good for her (and us). We have had to "let go" of Krista to a certain degree, since we will never be more to her than our "title" of mom and dad, brother and sister. These words have no emotional connection, they are just "titles". It has been a difficult road for us, but I firmly believe that the reason that we were supposed to adopt Krista is because my personality is such that I can "let go and detach" without completely cutting someone out of the picture. We are learning to love Krista in a "different" way than we are used too, it's been weird. The positive side of this is that Krista "doesn't care" (for lack of a better phrase). I think that if we saw any of this hurting her emotionally then we wouldn't be able to make some of the decisions necessary for her. Krista is a "happy-go-lucky, go with the flow" little girl. Her brain isn't even registering a change in address every weekend. She asks if she is "going today" (she doesn't have a sense of days or time), if I say yes, she simply says "ok". The first few weekends were harder on me than her, I almost picked her up a day early a couple of times. When I called to check on her, I was "assured" (and I think it was hard for the provider to tell me this at first) that Krista hasn't asked about us, where we are, when we are coming back, etc. Things simply "are what they are" for Krista. That fact has helped heal my heart on many occasions, even though it's hard that she doesn't miss us or even notice that we are gone.

So, to make a long story short (I know... too late). Yes, we do still have 3 daughters :0), Krista attends a full-time, private pre-school year round so she doesn't lose ground academically and she goes to a Treatment Home every weekend. We like to think of this situation as "boarding school", as if we are the loving, caring, rich aristocrats that send their children away to Switzerland for an education... hee hee hee :0) That's us!

"I Love to See the Temple..."

"I'll go inside someday..."

"Once upon a time, there was a plaid overnight case..."

Andrew went to the Temple for the first time on Wednesday July 15th. My best friend Judy and Dave Ogles (our bishop) went too. (We are very sorry if anyone wanted to come with us, it didn't occur to us to invite anyone :0). I am SO thankful to my neighbor (Kathryn) for tending both Hailey and Joshua for a very long time so that I could go too. Either Cody or I stay home with the kids normally whenever we have some place to go. We scheduled Andrew's Temple time so that Cody Joe, Zach, Tia and Krista would all be at summer day camp, to cut down on babysitting "issues". It was a great day, it was very special for us to go to the Temple with our first child. Such a milestone in life, Andrew loved it (although, he had to come home and take a nap, probably due to "spiritual overload" :0).

Hailey Boop!