Matt22 wrote:

Noel, this is a GREAT story! You said it right; we learn so much from others in our lives. What a testament this thread is!

Thanks, Matt.

There's a thousand things my wife and I haven't done since adopting our children; live the high-life, travel to exotic lands, own classic cars, continue the career that would have paid for them. But I would never have seen my son transform a girl's life when he was kind to her instead of mean like everyone else, or watched my daughter, who was scheduled to be sent to a clinical research mental-hospital if we didn't adopt her, become the happy inspiration she is. Both my children constantly show me what's possible, not what has to be.

I'm incredibly proud of both my children. I wouldn't trade them for all the riches in the world, because I did actually trade all the riches in the world for them. And I would unhesitatingly do it all again if I were ever given the chance.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Noel wrote:

Matt22 wrote:

Noel, this is a GREAT story! You said it right; we learn so much from others in our lives. What a testament this thread is!

Thanks, Matt.

There's a thousand things my wife and I haven't done since adopting our children; live the high-life, travel to exotic lands, own classic cars, continue the career that would have paid for them. But I would never have seen my son transform a girl's life when he was kind to her instead of mean like everyone else, or watched my daughter, who was scheduled to be sent to a clinical research mental-hospital if we didn't adopt her, become the happy inspiration she is. Both my children constantly show me what's possible, not what has to be.

I'm incredibly proud of both my children. I wouldn't trade them for all the riches in the world, because I did actually trade all the riches in the world for them. And I would unhesitatingly do it all again if I were ever given the chance.

Noel, you have greater riches than you could ever imagine. Not many can see what you see and instead put more emphasis on material items. What they fail to see is that material items can't return love. Children are a true gift of a lifetime.

Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
https://www.facebook.com/skippyandtheskipjacks
Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html

My daughter, Corradina, turns 16 today. This is what she looked like the very first day we met her Moscow, Russia, in February, 2001, when she was a little more than three years old.

She's in the loving arms of my wife, Barbara, and in a way, has never been out of them.

Here they are last weekend, after Cory won a Bronze Medal at the 2013 Pennsylvania Special Olympics Soccer Championships at Villanova University. As you can see, they're still together,

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Nov 06, 2013 13:49:15

The wonderful story of our stray dog, Daisy, is coming to a premature end. As anyone who's read this thread from the beginning knows, a lost and forlorn female English Pointer found us a too-short while ago. She became a source of immediate and unwavering acceptance to my daughter, Corradina. And Daisy won all our hearts as she became an essential part of daily life. With medical care, love and a lot of food she quickly bounced back and even got a little overweight.

But Daisy recently stopped eating, became very lethargic and started to look gaunt and drawn. Tests yesterday and today reveal she is experiencing a severe relapse of symptoms from Lyme disease. But they also reveal she just developed aggressive lymphoma. It came out of nowhere and has spread throughout her system. For the sake of our daughter, we will try to keep Daisy alive and comfortable until the end of school, and perhaps even through summer. But the relapse of Lyme has greatly weakened her, and the prognosis for chemotherapy to lengthen her life that long is poor.

I'm sharing this with everyone because we will be diverting resources to the effort to give our daughter as much time with her beloved dog as possible. I don't know what all that entails at this time. But it means at the least I can't make any new commitments that I'd like to, and I may not be able to keep all that I've already made.

This is Daisy and Corradina, together as they always are, at the end of a long day.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Mar 03, 2014 12:22:10

I just read the whole thing Noel. You have a beautiful family and a wonderful spirit. Congrats on all the milestones and my condolences for the heartaches. Keep it up! The best is yet to come. Four of my children are adopted and two of them are special needs. Very tiring at times, but so worth it!

Either you surf, or you fight.

My heart goes out to you and your family.
As you know, we lost Ace, our beloved coonhound/lab mix to aggressive lymphoma this january. If there's anything we can do let us know.

http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic

Thanks, Dario, Mike, Matt, Jeff & Greg! Your supporting and kind words mean a lot more than I can say. Mike, I'd like to know more of your story sometime, if you'd be willing to share it. Jeff, I immediately thought of Ace as soon as I looked at the preliminary blood work yesterday.

I honestly dread telling my daughter about Daisy. I have to soon enough, but just not today. She'll be home from school in a few minutes, so I have to go for a while.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Mar 03, 2014 13:50:56

Know this story all to well. Very sad. My heart goes out to you guys. Take care Noel.

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

Don't know what to say, Noel. Best wishes.

Daisy's complete diagnose if far worse than just a relapse of Lyme disease plus Lymphoma. There's no chance she can make it to the end of this month. Her survival is day-by-day. For now, she eats small amounts of shredded chicken and cooked white rice, and is comfortable enough not to be whimpering.

A few of Daisy's favorite things are long car rides, bacon-cheeseburgers and ice cream cones. So on Saturday, if we can, we're all taking Daisy for a long car ride to get a bacon-cheeseburger and an ice cream cone.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Mar 06, 2014 15:53:49