Update on Ukraine and Family

 I'm sorry I have not posted more but I'm happy to report that most of the orphans and disabled adults from Druz have been evacuated either out of the country or to a much safer area of Ukraine.  Our church has also been able to help our friends and their church which is near the fighting.  

Our local paper did an article on what we are trying to do...

HELP UKRAINE   you can read the article.

It's such a hard situation for Ukraine.  Please pray for peace!

Our family is doing good!  Steve & Nichole had an amazing missions trip to Puerto Rico.  They were encouraged by their experience and want to do more for missions.   Shad is home for a few weeks while he does on the job training then he will go back and finish the last part of his classroom training at the law enforcement academy.  We are loving having him home!  Oh did I even mention he is looking for another vehicle?  His truck caught on fire as he was driving....total loss!  His second totaled vehicle in 3 months.... neither his fault but at this point I won't ride with him LOL

Selah has been doing good.  Our goal is to visit her 3-4x a week.  It's not also doable because of the distance and time but we are pretty close to our goal.  This past week she had some type of episode and they called the ambulance.  Everything was ok and she got to spend the whole day with me in the ER.  While there she did have 3 of her little episodes.  They aren't seizures but they look like a seizure.  Her neurologist thinks it's signs of her brain stem deteriorating  There is nothing that can be done for it.  Other than that she is doing good.  

Sam is on a more even keel lately.  Whatever was going on with him for the past few moths has calmed down.    We along with his doctors are being to think it's almost a seasonal depression that also is related to vertigo.  He now goes to the complex care clinic at Arnold Palmer and we are very pleased with it.  He has seen some specialists and has a slew more to see in May.  Hopefully we will have a game plan soon.  He did have some bloodwork and xrays done just to rule out a few things but nothing popped up.

Sarah is doing good.  We are still quite paranoid about her.  We all write down all her food and meds.  I'm learning how to make some old familiar dishes with no milk products or  use some plant based non lactose products.  Tomorrow she has her new patient appointment at the AP complex care clinic.  We are really glad to get her in!  Right now they aren't taking new patients but thankfully took her.  She originally had an appointment while she was in the hospital recovering from surgery.  Luckily they rescheduled.  

This weekend we were all together and I never take it for granted anymore.  All those years of everyone being home with us I treasure so much.  I was so blessed-those days seemed to last forever and I could never imagine my boys all grown up.  It all happened so fast!  But I am so thankful for the memories and the new different kind of memories of meeting up going out to eat and shopping.  Meeting over at Selah's group home all together to do some things and see her.  I love my peeps!

Here in Florida the windows and doors are opened and we are loving the weather!  Since some of my kids have "flown the coop" I got some baby chicks.  OH.MY.LORD. what a pain!  And they all 4 hate me!  I can tame any animal but not these stupid feral chicks!  My other chickens love me. Hopefully they will learn to love me but I'm doubting it.  I've even starting to give them treats but it does no good. 

They are 3 weeks old today and already starting to look ugly!  Nothing like a teen chick lol  These pictures are when I first got them.

Barred Rocks

Speckled Sussex

I got them at Tractor Supply because I wanted them sexed.  No Roos for me!

Currently we have 11 outside cats (I took a mama and her kittens all are spayed now!

7 chickens and 1 sweet dog who loves them all

19 animals!  WOW! I'm willing to share!  I have all the cats spayed/neutered and have their shots!  All are sweet and probably litter boxed trained (mama and her kittens are) Just contact me if you'd like a nice cat or two!

Ukraine Update

 These past days have kept my focus on Ukraine and the people we love that are still there.  Without going into detail yet there are many things going on.  Please pray that God will protect the innocents!  We are helping where we can and hoping to do more.  

If you would like to give- here are three places you can give and I can assure it will be used for the purpose that is stated.

First our church

Grace Church

7060 Berry Road

Zephyrhills FL 33540

send a check and put Ukraine at the "for" line.  We have several situations going on where we can directly give to certain individuals in order to buy supplies food medicine and hopefully get some folks out of the country!

Another long time ministry that has been in Ukraine for almost 2 decades Life2Orphans  Yall know I've mentioned them many times.  They have worked all over the country of Ukraine for all these years and are still helping.  LIFE2ORPHAN Facebook  is there current fund raiser.  Please give

Then there is this family.....wow! I'm surprised they have not been on the news....  This mama was running into Ukraine when every American I knew was running out!  She managed to get 2 of the boys out.  There is a glitch for the last boy- he is legally their child yet his paperwork was not correct (Ukraine's fault) and he is still there.  And that crazy Mama, she's getting ready to leave to go back and get him.  I don't think she is going into Ukraine but to a bordering country.  Pray for them and give to them.  I'm sure the fees are going to be high.  What their account is showing is all the money that has come in during the past year or so.  Most if not all of that money has been used so they will need more to get this little fellow.  I have to say this woman has earned my respect!

Miss.hildebrant@gmail.com

this is her and her new 15 YEAR old son who just spent several weeks in the hospital.  Yes you  read that right this child is 15 years old.  Please give and help this family to have the finances to get the remaining boy.

My heart is heavy for friends and loved ones.  In all my years I've never ever felt such darkness.  There is everything going on in the world and I have some heavy situations in "my world"  All I can say is But God.... 

There are several situations I'm involved in and we are just praying that God will make a way.  I'll share more when I can but God knows and He alone can work things out.  

Just a quick note for anyone who is in doubt about what is happening in Ukraine.  The GOOD guys are the Ukrainians.  There is no question.  If you read or hear things differently do not believe it.  It is not made up.  My mind is blown by some of the stupid things I'm hearing...

Quick lesson - Ukraine is its own separate country with its own identity.  The country's roots go back over a thousand years but it has always had to deal with Russia/Poland.  The most recent history was Ukraine was recognized as a sovereign country in 1917 but in 1922 (100 years ago) Ukraine became one of the founding members or the Soviet Union after fighting.  Of course Russia held control over Ukraine and managed to kill about 5 million Ukrainians by starving them to death.  That is called the Holodomor.  During WWII Ukraine was occupied by both Germany and Russia.  Many Ukrainians fought against both.  In the words of a Ukrainian friend "it was a very complicated situation"   

In 1991 when the USSR was dissolved Ukraine became a sovereign nation.  They have had some things to overcome but year by year the country was becoming more Westernized with the idea of freedom!   The Ukrainians fought against corruption and managed to overthrow corrupt presidents including the one in 2014.  At the same time Russia overtook Crimea and some of the Doneskt region   Now the Russians want to take over all of Ukraine.  But this is only the first step.  Putin wants the old USSR back and on this the 100 year anniversary of its beginning he is fighting to start it again  

In 1994 Ukraine gave up their nuclear weapons and signed a memorandum for security Assurances which basically said they give up their weapons but we would protect them....  What the Budapest Memorandum means for the U.S. on Ukraine - The Washington Post  it is a bit murky but I do not think the world is living up to this.  

When we were in Ukraine everyone talked politics to some degree.  They all wanted a free democratic country where they could live in peace.  It is so sad to see what is happening while the world lights up buildings in blue and yellow.....

Please pray and give to the organizations I mentioned or to others you know about personally.  But be careful to where your money goes.