THE MISSION:

As many of you know one of my greatest desires is to follow Gods call to the orphans of China. I am happy to announce God has opened doors for me to join a medical team going to Beijing, China.

I will be one of twenty people going on this life changing mission.I am a part of a medical team that is being sent to foster homes to train caregivers from several orphanages around Beijing. Teaching through workshops, presentations and medical demonstrations, the training will cover proper physical therapy techniques and treatments. Team members will also deliver physical therapy equipment to improve care giver's ability to meet the special needs of these children and ensure proper recovery.

WHY:

A child born with special needs in China often faces a bleak future. These children are often abandoned by their parents. Our mission is to provide life-saving surgeries and a loving home to orphans with special needs. At this facility special needs orphans from around China arrive for surgery and medical care, as well as emotional and spiritual restoration. .

HOW:

How do I eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do I raise support? One dollar at a time. Fundraising has a rotten reputation of being a necessary evil when the truth is that it is a very vital part of missions ministry. There are great multitudes of people that want to reach out to the lost but are not able to go. So those of us that are called must be the hands and feet. God already knows who will

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.

Mother Teresa

THE MISSION:

As many of you know one of my greatest desires is to follow Gods call to the orphans of China. I am happy to announce God has opened doors for me to join a medical team going to Beijing, China.

I will be one of twenty people going on this life changing mission. Embrace Missions is sending our group of medical professionals to New Day Foster Care Home to train caregivers from several orphanages around Beijing. Teaching through workshops, presentations and medical demonstrations, the training will cover proper physical therapy techniques and treatments. Team members will also deliver physical therapy equipment to improve care giver's ability to meet the special needs of these children and ensure proper recovery at New Day's Healing Home. The Embrace Missions team will also visit several children living in both New Day Foster Care Homes and Grace Minority Orphanage.

WHY:

A child born with special needs in China often faces a bleak future. These children are often abandoned by their parents. The mission of the New Day Foster Care Home is to provide life-saving surgeries and a loving home to orphans with special needs. At a twenty-one bed facility outside Beijing, special needs orphans from around China arrive for surgery and medical care, as well as emotional and spiritual restoration. .

HOW:

How do I eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do I raise support? One dollar at a time. Fundraising has a rotten reputation of being a necessary evil when the truth is that it is a very vital part of missions ministry. There are great multitudes of people that want to reach out to the lost but are not able to go. So those of us that are called must be the hands and feet. God already knows who will

provide the funds. He has called them to their place just as He has called me. I understand not everyone can provide monetary assistance. Prayers and encouragement are also needed. If you have felt the tug on your heart and would like to give there is a list that is provided on the next page.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and consider donating. If you have any questions please feel free to write or call me.

Thisishisday360@yahoo.com

(352)-551-9576

Many Thanks and Blessings,

Melissa Carroll

List of needs:

Total cash donations needed- $2700.00
This will cover-
Airfare from Seattle to Beijing and back
Housing
Food
Medical equipment
Cancellation insurance
Overseas medical insurance
1 round trip ticket from Orlando, Fl to Seattle, WA and back (donated sky miles/ticket)
Child care for my children

All donation and encouragement can be sent to:

Melissa Carroll

19635 Spring Oak Dr.

Eustis, Fl 32736



A Journey Worth Traveling

I’m tired of hearing wining, being used as a house keeper. I’m worn out from being a referee in fights. I’m exhausted from try to put dinner on the table at the right time and keeping the house clean. I’m upset that no most of the time means do it one more time. I’m confused why God picked me to have three wild bandits. But with all that said I love to heart their little voice say that they love me. I am learning to be a better house keeper. I am a stronger women because I roll with the punches of life with three crazy men. I am happy to know I can make more then mac-n-cheese for dinner. I am figuring our how to be more consistent. I’m so blessed that God thought I’m was and am worthy of raising three little miracles that he choose just for me.

What if...

What if...

No one cared that you had been born?
No one saw your first smile or encouraged your first steps?
You never felt a mother's love or a father's embrace?
You longed for a family that never came and hoped for a home that lived only in your dreams?
Orphaned children all over the world are waiting...hoping...praying that they will become dear to someone. That somewhere there will be one special family that finds delight and great joy in welcoming them into their home! Each one waits expectantly, with a hopeful heart for a family to come, each tiny soul daring to silently rehearse secret dreams for the future... Is there room in your heart for a waiting child?

The Cost of True Greatness

The cost of true greatness is humble, selfless, sacrificial service.It is the person that is willing to serve in the hard place, the uncomfortable place, the lonely place, the demanding place, the place where he is not apprciated and may even be persecuted.Knowing that times is short and eternity is long, he is willing to spend and be spent.He is willing to work for excellence without becoming proud, to withstand criticism without becoming bitter, to be misjudged without becoming defensive, and to withstand suffering without succuming to self pitty.

To watch someone pass...

To watch someone pass is such a sad event.  There seems to be two emotions I have with this event.  There is ethier a sence of peace or chaos.  I have found when the patient  knows where they are going after death they seam to have the most peace.  When you step into their room there is a sence of calmness.  Compared to the choaotic feeling when a patient isn't sicure what is going to happen to themselves after they pass.  When you step foot in to a room with this type of patient there is choas, confusion and a sence of being franticness to stay alive. I feel my own soul scream.  I feel the urgencey to save this person. Unfortunitly as I let the Lord lead I know that I can't save everyone and people have their free will.This is one of my biggest difficalties in my proffesion.

When LOVE takes you in

I know you’ve heard the stories

But they all sound too good to be true

You’ve heard about a place called home

But there doesn’t seem to be one for you

So one more night you cry yourself to sleep

And drift off to a distant dream

Where love takes you in and everything changes

A miracle starts with the beat of a heart  

When love takes you home and says you belong here  

The loneliness ends and a new life begins  

When love takes you in 

And somewhere while you’re sleeping  

Someone else is dreaming too  

Counting down the days until  

They hold you close and say I love you  

And like the rain that falls into the sea  

In a moment what has been is lost in what will be 

When love takes you in everything changes

A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

And this love will never let you go

There is nothing that could ever

cause this love to lose its hold

When love takes you in everything changes

 A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

 When love takes you home and says you belong here

 The loneliness ends and a new life begins

When love takes you in it takes you in for good

When love takes you in

 

 

 

It takes love more then meds.

I have successfully completed my third night shift at my new job at Waterman Hospital. It was been exiting, tiring, inspiring and disheartening.
The exiting part is I know God had made a place for me at this time and this place. It was tiring because I had to rearrange my sleep schedule to accommodate the night shift and each shift was 12 hours.
I was inspired to see the human spirit fight back after it was been so beaten done with sickness.
But most of all I was disheartened. I was disheartened by the fact that our medical system has so drastically failed the weakest members of our society. I knew that our medical system has lost sight of what is truly important. But nothing could prepare for what I have seen in the hospital. I am well aware that we have come so wonderfully far with medical treatments, medications and such. But with that advance in science we have missed such an important part of healthcare…the humanistic part. You might argue with me and say we have the number one health care system in the world. Which I might partially agree with. But the most important side of what use to make our system great was the people who served. Nurses and techs. were the people who CARED for our ill and dieing. They would assist or take over all the basic needs. They were also there to assist the doctor when he needed assistance and be there eyes and ears when they weren’t there.
Now nurses have had to passed their job to the techs. and now theiy have to be what I consider a fill in doctor, drug pusher and chart writer. To me this is sad because most nurse have gone into there field not for the money but for the passion of taking “care “ of people in their neediest times. I think our medical system has become so hungry for money and so blind of the truth we are loosing our way. We are all human, we have needs, wants and desires, we also need to be taught what it means to be truly healthy. Because when we don’t get thoughts basic need meet our body and soul die.

Let me tell you a short version of what happened to me two shift ago.
It was 2 am when the orders came in that a women in her late 70’s was going to be transferred to our unit from the emergency room. Her tentative diagnosis was chest pain (angina), anxiety, and failure to thrive. It also added that she needed a physiological evaluation because of her anxiety, OCD and possible schizophrenia. When I was given the orders from the nurse all he could do is sigh and say “great another crazy, lets get the meds. ready.” When she arrived in our unit I went to her room to perform my duties. ( vitals, a questioner, made her failure with her room, policies ext. ) When I began to leave she yelled out “please don’t leave me.” So I turned around and went back into her room. When I went in the room I stood next to her bed and I looked into her eye and smiled. I asked her if she was scared. She answered back “yes“, I then asked her, “why “.
She told me a short story about what she was afraid of. Knowing now what was making her afraid I was able to meet her needs better and show her compasion. After being with her for about 15 min, it was time for me to make my rounds again so I told her I would be back soon to check on her. When I was away my soul was screaming to go back to her and sit with her. So after my rounds I went in and sat with her. When sitting with her I saw that the charge nurse had left a bible on her lap by the patients request. So, I held her hand and stared into her eye as I felt the Lord leading me. I said, ******, I want you to know no matter what is happening and what will happen God is always there for you. She nodded and agreed and stated to cry. She finally was able to get a few words out…” child you are so beautiful.” As I thanked her I took my hand and touch her face and said, “the Lord wants you to know that in troubled time you need to call to him and he will rescue you.” She continued to cry when the nurse barged in to talk to her about her meds. She immediately become anxious and scared again. She looked at me with eyes of desperation. As the nurse started to talk he noticed that we having a moment and he could use that to get what he need done. So he asked me to help him push ***** to take these sleeping pills and anxiety meds. So with the order I proceeded to gently persuade her to take the meds. (which I thought was silly and wrong ) So she ends up taking the meds.. After taking the meds .she told me she needed to go to the restroom. So I suggested a bed pan since she was dizzy from the meds. She tried but was to embarrassed and to uncomfortable. I then notified the nurse and he told me then we needed to put in a catheter. I told him that I thought that I could get her up safely to use the restroom. With the ultimatum of 15 min or he was going to get a catheter, I rushed to her room. I worked with her as lovingly as possible to get her to the restroom. and as a team she made it there and back. When I got her in her bed ahe thanked me and apologized for being so disgusting. At that moment I realized not only was I a blessing for her but she was to me as well. She made me realize that in our old age we as techs. and nurses more then ever have to try to preserve the dignity they had in their former years. So after settling down I followed the leading of the Lord to pray with her and put into her chart that a pastor need to see her. The story continued on like this till 7am. When I said good bye to her and gave my report to the next shift. Sadly she got another round of straight faced nurses and techs. But my prayer is that she would be treated well .

My whole point of telling this story is to show how decayed our society has become. In most circumstances an old women would have been immediately drugged so the staff wouldn’t have to deal with her, “ to shut her up” then they would have left her alone. But instead by the grace of GOD I was able to be his hands and feet to care for this elderly women and speak the truth of His word into her life. I knew that she had a physiological issue but I also knew our God is bigger then any disease and I know that a little time of sincere caring from another person could make a huge difference.
The hospital needs to prioritize the budget and hire more caring people for all the patients that are alone and in difficult situations.

Passion vrs. Sleep

Sorry I have been away so long, so much has happened in such a small amount of time. To start off with 2 months ago I was urged by a friend of my father to challenge the CNA state exam so I could get a job at the hospital. So I hesitantly listened. I gave up every reservation about how stupid I was and how I never could imagine I could be successful and serve others at the same time. So I took the challenge with my best girl friend and we both past with flying colors. I do have to say a few nights before the test I had worked my self into such a frenzy that I literally made myself sick.
After I passed the exam I started to apply for jobs everywhere. But there was one job I really wanted. The instant I clarified that in my mind I remember vividly. I was taking the boys to see where Mommy went to school. In our travels we had to pass the Florida Waterman Hospital. When we approached the hospital I outstretched my right arm and told the boy to pray right now that Mommy would have favor to get a job there because that is where I wanted to be. As I said that Tyler told me “don’t worry Mommy you already have a job there“. Little did I know the Lord heard my desire and the faith of my son. I did receive a job offer one week later. I interview with two woman. The first ladies name was Sue. When I walked into her office she was very inquisitive about my profession as a Doula. She said she was very interested because she really had no idea what that was until a month ago when her son and daughter in law used a Doula for the birth of her 1st grand baby. So with that said she was very please with my work. (thank you Lord for that!) The next interviewer was a women named Sherry. Sherry is the RN manager for my department. I felt as though the interview went pretty well except my horrible mistake with the questions she asked me about vital signs. (I did correct my answer though.) Two days later I got a call from Sherry saying she was so impressed she spoke to the head of labor and delivery and Sherry suggested she make a job in OB. After much prayer I came to peace that I should be with Sherry in the position I interviewed for. And low and behold I did stay at that position. It is amazing to me that I was offered a postion at the hospital that my son Tyler declared as the hospital that I was going to work at for a job that in all relality I was not qualified for. ( except by the Lords favor) The position that I was hired for was for night shift, flex floater on 2 and 3 south overflow unit.
With all the joy reality started to kick in with a long week of orientation. My poor boys where shocked to say the least that mommy wasn’t there for most of the week. The boys ended up going to extended care at there school and my mother picked the kids up and watched them till I got out around 4:30 pm. During that time Austin started peeing and popping in his pants, and having screaming fits. My poor baby was missing me terribly. So after the orientation drama Ryan and I made special time with the boys. I even let the little boys stay home on Monday to just spend time with me.
Well with all that history caught up with I am now facing my biggest giant yet. WORK
I start tomorrow night. I have to be there at Wednesday 6:45 pm.
I am frighten and intimidated. I have 3 nights in a row and one day that I won’t be able to sleep but maybe 1hr. 30 min striate.

My schedule will look like this:
Tue. 18th of May 2010
Stay up till 4 am so my body starts to get adjusted
Total Sleep time: 3 hours

Wed. 19th of May 2010
Wake up at 7 am get kids ready for school
Finish dropping kids off at school at 8:30 am
8:45 -10:45am Sleep
11:15-11:30 feed kids
11:40- 1:30 take nap with boys
1:40 Pick up Tyler
2:00-4:00 Spend with boys
4:10-5:30 Fix dinner and eat with family
5:30 -6:00 get ready for work
6:15 leave for work
6:45 Shift begins
Total sleeping time: 3.5 hrs.

Thru. 20th of May 2010
7:15 shift ends
7:30 get ready for bed (shower breakfast)
8:00-2:00 sleep
2:30 pick up little boys
2:50 Pick up Tyler
3:00 take it easy with boys
4:30-5:30 fix dinner/eat with family
6:15 leave for work
6:45 shift begins
Total sleep time: 6 hrs.

Fri. 21st of May 2010
7:15 shift ends
7:30 Ryan drops off kids at hospital, take kids to school
8:20 get home wash up eat breakfast
8:30-9:15 sleep
9:30watch program at school
10:30 take kids home, eat lunch
11:00-2:30 nap
3:00 pick Tyler up
3:20- 5:00 rest/ play with kids
6:00 drop kids off at Shellie’s house
6:15 go to work
6:45 Shift begins
Total sleep time: 4 hrs.

Sat. 22nd of may 2010
7:15 shift ends
7:30 pick up kids
8:00 fix breakfast
8:45 Ryan comes home
9:00-3:00 go to sleep
3:00-11:00 (enjoy) family time
Total sleep time: 6 hrs.

Ok I’m really afraid how my body is going to act with this crazy schedule. This is not a normal schedule. The week after that I work M, W, SUN. What do I do? How do I survive? Please pray for me!!

Our lives wouldn't be complet ...

Tonight 8 years ago on mothers day at 6:12 pm our baby boy Tyler Paul Carroll came into this world.  Tyler you have made mommy and daddy's life complet.  WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Some Where Out There

So many years ago God woke me up with a name. All I heard was Elizabeth Grace. When I woke I knew that I needed to know the meaning for what God was whispering to me in my dreams. So I immediately got out of bed and turned on my computer to look it up. As I looked up the name that was whispered to me by God I gasped. Elizabeth is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "God's promise; God is my oath". And Grace is of Latin origin, and its meaning is "favor; blessing". A virtue name referring to God's grace. After gasping with unbelief I felt the instruction by the Holy Spirit to write it on my wall under a picture of a little girls picture I have had since the first moment of God instruction to adopt at age 14.

So after all these years I still pray and talk to my daughter like she is already in existence. You might ask why so here is the reason. If God gave me a passion at such a young age and visions of what she looks like and even a name to call her. There must be a little girl that doesn’t have a mommy or daddy and needs a family to love her. God knew us and matched us up with the family we have before the beginning of time so he has a plan for Elizabeth Grace. So till then baby girl Mommy has faith that we will be together one day.

This song is dedicated to the daughter God promised me so many years ago.

Elizabeth Grace,
Mommy loves you and I pray that you are safe and that you feel Mommy's love where ever you are.

Somewhere Out There
written by James Horner, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil

Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight
Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there
And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky
Somewhere out there if love can see us through
Then we'll be together somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true
And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky
Somewhere out there if love can see us through
Then we'll be together somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true

Expectations from the Past

When a woman goes into labor, she brings her past with her: the sorties she has heard about birth, any experiences of her own or other's childbirth, and her own early chilhood events. She also brings her hopes and fears with her: about pain, about her ability to give birth, as well as about the health and saftey of herself and her baby. 

Pregnant women have varied expectations of pain, based on what they have heard or experiences.  One thirty-eight-year-old mother, expecting her first baby, said that her own mother described childbirth as one of the hardest experances of her life. Another first-time mother-to-be became fightened watching a television special on birth in which eeryone was screaming and was finally silenced with medication and high-tech interventions.  A third mother rememebered that her 1st birth, she was given pitocin to speed up her labor and found that she could never get on top of the contractions. She remembered begging for the epidural and for this current birth was planning to have one as soon as she started labor.  However, when she began experancing this labor with a doula, she had a very different outcome than she imagined. " I became so focused and in tune with the doulas vioce  hardly noticed the pain.  We were walking; she always had her hand on me. During every contraction , she showed me how to lean into my husband. He held me as he braced himself against the wall. I could let my whole body relax. She guided me to breathe through the contractions. She counted backward 20-to-1, slowly, three times, encouraging me to just breath through  it.  By then, I could feel the contraction ease. I could value the power of my body and my baby working together. This was so different from the first birth. We continued this way in a kind of rhythm through each contraction. I depened on her every word. She added an image of an ocean wave rolling through the contractions. I was amazed at how powerful I felt and yet safe and relaxed. I wasn't afraid and I noticed no pain."

Though a duola cannot solve issues in the mother's past or erase the messages th ewoman gas heard, with  the future stll known, she can begin her work being fully present with the woman to clam her fears, to validate her strength. to reassure her that she won't be alone, and to work with her on measures to alleviate pain.

The Birth of Austin Carroll

The Birth of Austin Carroll

8 pounds 9 ounces

21 3/4 inches

at

1:21 am
Unassisted home birth

07/19/2006

This journey stared our like so many. Couple finds out they are pregnant they find a doctor/midwife they feel comfortable with and they continue their journey. Our journey was like this until I was 17 weeks pregnant. I was admitted for pre term labor due to getting the rodo viruses. Between 17 and 29 weeks I had different strands of that viruses 4 times. Each of these times I was admitted to the hospital. By the time 30 weeks came around my midwife told me that I was to high risk and I would have to find care else were. Unfortunately none of the ob/gyn's were excepting new patients. My only alternative was to go to the health department. That is where I found my saving grace. My midwife was knowledgeable lovingand best of all she trained under the world renowned midwife Ina May. At my last appointment she told me that she would see me tonight (but she winked at me) She knew we weren't going to show up at the hospital because of our convictions of natural labor and delivery. Ryan and I had prayed about having an  home delivery since I was opted out of care. We felt a peace that passed all understanding. This was going to be our last child (by birth) and we wanted it to be intimate and special.  Ryan knew how to deliver a baby from his experience being a fire fighter, I also was well knowlageable in the birth process...being a duola and studying the process so I could become a midwife myself. We also had a dear friend that we trusted to come up after the delivery to help us and answer any questions we had.  (winkwink,lol)

I started feeling contraction (mild) around 4 or 5 in the evening. I called the appropriate people to let them know things were starting to roll along. I fell asleep for about one hour when I was woken up to the waves getting stronger. As I let my body do what it needed to do, Ryan drew a bath, lit candles and put beautiful classical music on. I sat in the bath for over 2 hours riding the waves (contractions). As I moved into transition labor I began to doubt my strength. Ryan was amazing he talked me through it and we prayed for this baby to have a gentle entrance into the world. After a bottle of wine and a few laughs I felt the pressure that I have felt before. So I got out of the bath because we were not trained in water birth. As I sat in bed laboring my parents showed up. They were the nervous energy I was dreading from the start but the comfort I was longing for. My Dad kept on say "Melissa lets leave now, get in the car and go to the hospital." Ryan told him unless he wanted to have a baby in the driveway or in the car we were staying right here." Ryan then told my Mom to turn the video camera on. As I pushed I had so much power in my body I know this was the right choice. As my Dad said the same thing over and over again, I took a deep breath after one of my last wave and said in a calm voice " We have trusted the Lord for a great outcome and He will not fail us. He has brought us to this place and he will deliver us...literally." With that said I push Austin into this world into Ryan’s hands. (1:21 am)

As my Dad panicked, my Mom cried and Ryan did a ounce over at what he just did, I was calm and at peace holding my crying baby. Just then the door opened and my friend and her daughter came in. She helped my Dad to calm down and my Mom to cut the cord and she did the newborn exam. I told her before she weighed him he must be the smallest baby we have had because he was by far the quickest and easiest to deliver...seconds later she told methat I was wrong he was 8 pounds 9 ounces!! Wow we were all shocked!
Wrapping the birth up my friend cleaned up and monitored Austin and I, Ryan got ready for bed and my parents left. As everyone feel asleep I stayed up thanking God for his hand being on this process and admiring the handsome gift He had rewarded me with.

As I look back on that experience I would have not changed anything. Ryan and I had faith the size of a mustered seed and we moved mountains! There is no other experience in life that compares to this!!

Riding the waves at 10 pm

Ryan and I trying to slow labor down by sharing a bottle of wine.

Austin came out screaming!

Suctioning

At peace and in love!

MyMom cutting the cord.

Proud Daddy

Trying to get the cord blood.

Newborn Assestment

We did it!!

Now Tyler and Travis will see their new brother...

Proud grandparents

Up and about after 1 hour and 30 mins. What a great feeling!!

Finally time to sleep! 5am

7 am 6 hours old

On a side not the video camera was really never turned on so was only have the memories that are in our minds.

Though we might not agree...

Though we might not agree politicly I hope you see that our country is not heading in the right direction.  We have lost our way. Lets not forget that we are all in this together.  And most important our actions should show what we believe. Our father is the King and we are all his children. Stand up for what is right.
As a wise person once said "be a whistel blower!"

The Birth of Travis Carroll

Travis Carroll

7 pound 6 onces

2nd birth

1st at Family Birth Center of Naples

At 11:00 pm I felt the 1st twing of labor so to see if it was the real thing I

went in the spa to relax and then went to bed.

I was woke up with contractions at 1:00 am

1:30 Mercedes arrived and took me toThe Family Birth Center of Naples

I'll never forget when she ran a red light in an empty intersection and turning to me and saying I love doing that!

(11 pm on D-Day)

 Family Birth Center Of Naples

1:50 am

Tyler was now awake waiting for his Oma and Pa.  While he waited he pretened to fix Mr. Pooh and he also was testing the water to see if it was to cold or to warm for Mommy.

5 cm

6 cm (I'm guessing)

7 cm and still smiling in between contractions

Almost ready...8cm

9 cm..all I could say is " I have lost my mind....I have lost my mind..oh please help"

So Ryan Prayed with me so I would have strangth.

1 hour later... 7 pounds 6 ounces 20 inches

Peace

Proud Daddy

I did it!!!

                                                                        45 mins. old

Going home 6 hours later