Adoption

Often it is hard to "come up" with a blog post almost daily, but today I've been thinking about adoption, one of my favorite subjects. 

People adopt for various motives.  In the adoption world I've seen it all and it's not always been good.  I see people who adopt and it seems almost like a Lay's potato chip commercial "You can't eat just one"  or you "can't adopt just one"  I've read attitudes of adoptive moms that were really strange.  they didn't seem like mommas to the kids, more like they were nicer caretakers.  (a friend came up with that term and it fits!)   I've read of moms who were so stressed by adoption and unhappy.  Some adopt because they can't have biological children.  Some adopt because it is now the new cool Christian thing to do. 

There are some amazing families out there  the Rosenow family just blows me away
http://kmrosenow.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/when-is-enough/  not because they have so many kids but that those kids have such love from their parents.  I love their heart, I've "known" them for over 8 years, they had Shad on their website The Shepherd's Crook  http://www.theshepherdscrook.org/ and I see their REAL heart for God and for following Him and it encourages me.

We have some friends who we went to church with years ago who have adopted aging out teens....we used to have time to visit them more and I LOVED the spirit in their home.  16 different kids from different countries, orphanages and backgrounds and there was a sweet peace in their home. 


For us,  we adopted Shad because we overwhelming felt God was leading us to do so.  The girls it was the same way, we were NOT looking to adopt or even thinking about it at all until we saw their faces....then it was all over:)

For us, we do feel like we rescued them   That is a huge feeling for us but we didn't adopt to get that feeling if you follow me.  Some adoption blogs will sternly say "do not adopt to rescue a child"  well....  I don't quite agree with that statement. 

To me I feel like they were our children, just somehow NOT with us and we had to go rescue or get them to bring them home.  I can truly say they are no different than my biological kids.  They are as much of a Clanton as anyone else is in our family.   They are not a job to me or a "ministry"  they are my kids.  I'm their mom....that's the bottom line. 

Just like God "adopted" us into His family, He rescued us....  To me adoption is such a picture of God's redemption.  How can you not feel you are rescuing a child when you walk out of those orphanage doors?  NOW that is a rush:)  

So when I sit with my daughter Sarah on my lap (which is where she wants to be all the time) and watch tv and see footage of the fighting in Ukraine (that I strongly support)  I can't help but feel like we rescued Sarah and Selah from all of that.  Not just from the institution, which was beyond bleak but from the instability of the country at this time.  I'm so thankful they are here, a world away from all of that.  The orphans already have a very hard time in Ukraine, it will probably get harder for them during this time .  I'm glad my girls don't have to go through that and I pray for the children left behind.  The vulnerable always suffer the most! 

I worry about the orphans in Ukraine as I try and get news daily from there.  Adoptions are still going on but who knows for how much longer? Each family has to go to the SDA/DAP in Kiev to get their referrals and it is right near where the main government buildings are located. The staff in the SDA/DAP aren't the easiest to work with anyhow so it's not like they are going to be pushing to stay open unless they are made to do so. And now with the unrest spreading, it will be harder and harder to get court dates. 
I support the protests but I'm afraid that whoever comes out on top, it will delay or maybe even stop international adoptions there altogether.   I fear the days of adoption in Ukraine maybe winding down....I REALLY REALLY hope I am totally wrong but that is my fear. 

So I ask you to pray for God's will to be done in Ukraine and that the people will one day be free of  the past and that in that freedom, there will come a compassion for the "least of these".........


***  I am still raising money for the girl we sponsor in Ukraine.  And for a boy from China.  Despite me saying little about it as we are trying to get links put up for them, we are still getting contributions!  thanks!  I'm pretty sure each have close to $1000 now!   Hopefully she will be put up soon on Grace haven's site and the young man we are still trying to help get his paperwork correct and to an agency.  Several folks are helping with that!  Please pray we can get both of them up on a site and raise their ransom and that a family will come for them. 

=======================================================================

I had a doctor's appointment today and another scan.  The doctor was "different" at first I didn't like her, but after talking for awhile I think she was good.  She did her own scan and almost severed my windpipe LOL   She certainly made sure she saw everything in there!   She told me my thyroid was "interesting and misshappened"   She said it will be very hard to do a biopsy but she thinks I should have one done (very hard probably means very painful)   She feels like it is probably not cancer and may not have grown, because it is really hard to scan it.  But she still feels it has some possibility  of it being cancer but is not overly concerned.   So I can't get the biopsy until March...  I'm more relieved than before even tho I'm still in limbo world here. 

Thursday I have an upper GI and a bladder scan for two different issues....I am very nervous about both of them!  Prayers are appreciated!  I can not believe I am doing both the same day!!!


=========================================================================

After all of that....  I have a funny story to tell!

Sam and Sarah have "co-existed" now for almost 2 years....the "co-existing" is starting to go out the window.  We have much sibling rivalry.  It is adorable to us.  It started when the therapist and teachers started coming in.  Sam would get upset when Sarah would have someone working with her IF he didn't have someone working with him.  But the fighting has escalated from there!

Then they would both climb up in the big chair with me or Jon at night and that was so cute to be stuck holding each of them and making sure no one got pinched or kicked.

Then last night, Sarah only likes a hand held vibrating toy.  We have many toys but that is the one she likes.  Well Sam was sitting in Jon's lap and Sarah was on the floor with her toy.  Sam hopped down, grabbed the toy and hopped up.  She turned around and crawled to Jon crying and hitting his leg for attention.  Jon got the toy back and gave it to her and she calmed right down.  This happened about 4 times and while we don't want her upset....  It shows she knew to go to Daddy to get him to "fix it" for her!!!!   That is HUGE!  We love it!  It's a real development step for her.

Earlier Jon had asked Sarah "Sarah want to come sit with daddy on the big blue couch" and before she could crawl over, Sam came running from his rom to sit down with daddy.  It is really cute to see the two of them try and get our attention!  

I call them my twins, they look so much alike and they are now about the same size since Sarah has more than caught up.  She is a big girl for a child with Peter's anomaly despite her years of malnourishment she is not that tiny.  She still wears mainly a size 5 although I'm not buying anything less than a size 6 for her.  She's 7 yrs old now.  Sam will be10 in a couple of weeks and he is just now wearing a size 5 and it is usually a bit too big on him. 

Selah is back to her normal self, some days she is just a little "off" and it is worrisome to me!  I love days when she is doing things like we are used to.   She did wonderful in PT this morning and was as "loose as a goose"  I like when she doesn't tighten up. 

Thanks for all your prayers for our family.  We really appreciate them

Pictures "A walk in the woods"

 First I'll start with some more kitten pictures that were on my camera.  Aren't they adorable ??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre beard shaving LOL

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday we took the family to one of Jon's walking places.

 

 

 

This is the REAL Florida!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jon walking ahead...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hanging moss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

it was dark by the time we got back to the parking area. 

 

We love to go walking out in the woods.  We have so many hiking trails near our house.  It's very peaceful. 

 

 

Today I was apart of our worship team singing some of the older "revival time" hymns that I grew up singing.  Some of the old songs have such meaning to me.  We sang  a melody of "The Unclouded Day"  "Won't it be wonderful there"  "In the Sweet by & by" and "Just over in the the Gloryland" 

Sometimes I have to type out the words for our media system and the words just blow me away at times.  It's easy at times to sing them and NOT to listen or think about what we are singing.  But when I take the time to look up and type them, or go in and change them about, it really can speak to me.  Sometimes in singing the older songs, we don't' sing all the verses but sometimes when I'm typing them out, I beg our music pastor to sing more of the verses LOL  They are just so good!

  Here are the words to the song

 

 

In the Sweet By & By

 

There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar;
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.

Refrain

In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore;
In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

 

 

We shall sing on that beautiful shore
The melodious songs of the blessed;
And our spirits shall sorrow no more,
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.

Refrain

 

To our bountiful Father above,
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days

 

The last verse just grabbed me!  The song has a slight Celtic feeling to it when it's done right. 

here's a youtube link for one of my favorite preacher Tommy Bates  This is how our Sunday nights were when I was growing up.  I love Tommy Bates and his singing and preaching reminds me of my childhood. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69c6DbsUOZk 


Hope you enjoy it on this Sunday night. 

Time

Whew!  When I write a blog that makes me feel vulnerable , I am almost afraid to open my email and see the responses.   I was blessed by the responses I got from my last blog, thanks!  I'm glad I'm not the only non perfect Christian out there!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Life is a journey.

When I was a child we lived near the train tracks and I can remember listening to the train whistle late at night, wondering where it was going,  I'd look at cars and think the same thing.  I wanted to GO I wasn't happy in the "moment".  Now I've had plenty of "go" and can be happy in the moment!  Now I hear a train's whistle and I'm just glad I'm not on it or stuck waiting for it to pass!!

Have there been times in your life you wish you could just stop life and never let things change? Like in the movie "Groundhog Day" where every day is the same.   I do have those times.  We sang a song in my High School chorus group "If the hands of time, were hands that I could hold, I'd keep them safe and in my hands they'd not turn cold"  The song went on to recount the moments that should be held..... "the summer from the top of a swing" etc.....   I can't remember it all now cause it gets messed up in my mind with "Time in a bottle" but when I was young, I didn't want the hands of time to be held, I wanted time to pass swiftly so I could grow up!

NOW I'd love to grab and hold onto those "hands of time"  

Time goes so swift.  Every week flies by at break neck speed!  The months go by and the years.....
If I could go back to any time, I'd go back to the summer of 2012 and live that summer again before the accident.  Of course if I could go back, I'd make sure nothing ever happened bad!

Actually I WISH I could go back to my college days and enjoy them again too:)   I loved college and the friendships I made.  However I'd love to have my 48 year old wisdom back then LOL That would be real fun.  Actually that might be really weird! 

Well Time only marches forward and we go with it. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This morning I wasted time, I slept till 10:30 am.  Don't know when I've done that and it was great!
Selah is a bit "off", not too much but her heart rate is up some, for no real reason that we can find.  We are hoping there is nothing going on with her. 

We are all debating what we should do today, everything is done for church tomorrow.  A part of me just wants to go take a nap but I don't want to sleep away my time!  I get on to people for taking naps I usually feel it is a waste of time and it will mess up nightly sleep patterns and then we will have to hear about your insomnia!  LOL

Hope you have a good weekend.  Please pray for Ukraine,  and Selah this weekend.  Thank you!

Free Falling Friday

You know I blog about what I think about, well some of what I think about at least.  Some days my mind is very fixed on certain goals and other days I'm just free falling....today is a free falling day...:)And I promise that Florida is a NON marijuana state LOL ( I tend to ramble)

When I opened my FB today one of my dearest friends from my college days had sent me a friend request, I could have cried!  We had lost touch and gone separate ways so it was great to hear from him and to know he is serving God.  Catching up, he asked about some mutual friends, one had passed away, some were divorced, some were doing ok.   I started thinking of LIFE and how it flows on through the years.  Looking back there were so many different people in my life that have had different outcomes than what maybe they thought they would have when they were younger.  Actually very few have gone on a straight path to "success".  I know we haven't gone on a straight path to whatever we are at either LOL.  Very few people go on a straight path in their lives.  The older I get the more I realize even the people who seem to have it so all together, really aren't any different than me or anyone else.

Sometimes in writing this blog, I have been afraid that I come across too "put together" or as a "perfect little Christian wifey"   Please know I am so not!  I yell at my kids, well the two bigger boys, with the little ones, I have an amazing level of patience.  I fuss at my husband, I've been known to shoot birds too (and I don't mean with my 22 either LOL)  Seldom a day goes by that I don't say something I shouldn't....probably only an hour goes by without me saying something I shouldn't LOL  I'm being honest here.   I get annoyed that the fridge is a mess, that there are dirty dishes in the sink, that the garden needs weeding.  I get tired of doing laundry, tired of answering the phone to yet another missionary or needy person who wants some slice of me.  Some mornings I don't want to get up to face my life, I hate (although I am thankful for) having a nurse in my home 24 hours a day, I hate (although I'm thankful for ) all the different teachers and therapists that come into my home .  Sometimes I don't want to be bothered by anyone and pretty much hate the whole world.  I said HATE 3x for anyone that is counting. 

I'm not perfect by any means and I recognize that fact.  I have fears & failures that are quite embarrassing to me. 

BUT I keep pressing on to that mark, the high calling in Jesus.....  I'm not going to turn back, there is nothing to go to.  When I think of myself spiritually I think of a tomboy in dirty overalls, no shoes on, hair up like Pippi  Longstockings, mud all over me.... that's what I see.  I certainly don't see a beautiful bride of Christ in a snow white dress.  But I press on, past my doubts, my failures, I hold fast to that which I know....that there is a God.  A God that sent His son....a God who redeemed and redeems my life daily.  A God that has walked through the fires of my life with me. 

I admit to loving theology- theology simply means "man's study of God"  In some ways theology is a kind of philosophy.  I enjoy debates & learning.  There is so much of God I don't understand.  There are certain things in the bible that are non debatable to me the basic Christian tenets of faith like the creation & fall of man. etc    But there are other things......like Calvinism vs Armeniansm  (Calvinists basically believes that God is in complete control and Armenianlists believe in man's free will to chose.

I like to think I'm balanced, somewhere in the middle and the Bible seems to show God has a balance too.   For ever scripture on predestination there is, there seems to be a corresponding verse on man's free will.  It's funny to me!  There are definably things that there is no debate in my mind at all like holiness and sin.

When you study the bible, you are told to take the WHOLE counsel of God from Genesis to Revelation  and not to base anything on just one scripture. Sometimes I think God could have made things easier if He'd just spelled them all out for us, but He did do that in the Old Testament.    In the OT, there were plenty of laws to follow outwardly but the New Testament makes it harder as you are required to follow with your heart.   I'd been a good Old Testament Christian!  I could have had my list, marked it all off and been fine!  It's this new Testament where my heart has to be right in my actions that make it hard!!!!  

Getting that heart right is the hardest thing to do!  I've known many people who lived a lie, they looked good but they really weren't inside.  Those "card houses" always fell apart and then the person was exposed.  I don't want to be like that....I want to make it in, victoriously!   I don't want my marriage, or my family to fall apart and be seen as nothing.....  I don't want to "play" around with God or with Life.  I want to be real and honest.

But I don't want anyone to think they have to be a certain way or perfect for God to love or use them.

One of the funniest yet holiest things that has ever happened to me is when the woman came up to me at the mall and gave me a world from God.  ONLY I would get a word from God in a mall.  Most people "get words" from some swanky evangelist at a church service with the music playing softly in the background....well not me...I'm in the food court of a mall with rock music blaring and I get the most important word from God that I have ever gotten before   "do NOT Fear"   It still blows me away that God would prepare me before such an ordeal..... 

*******if you don't know the story and are new to my blog********

About a month after we'd adopted the girls, I was at a Tampa Mall with a good friend (who is not really the most spiritual friend I have, I don't mean that disparaging but it wasn't like we were there having a bible study ok!) and all the kids. A lady comes up to me in the bathroom as I am getting ready to change Selah & Sam.   She said that God told her to share something with me.  As you can imagine I get people coming up to me all the time living in the bible belt....lots of folks want to bother me and pray for the kids and most of the time it is very inappropriate.  THIS time it was different, something was different about this woman.  She prayed for Sam and then for Selah, she spent a lot of time praying for Selah.  I was really thinking, Selah has the least issues of all three I wonder why this lady is praying so hard for her.  She then came and met the rest of the kids and perhaps she prayed for Sarah, I'm not 100% sure. She then told me three things...
Something big is ahead for your family
Many will see
Do NOT be afraid
That was the gist of it.  I did say to her, that we wanted to adopt again, maybe that was what God was saying...and I remember she shook her head no and said she didn't think it had anything to do with adoption. WHEN the accident happened, I remember this word.....I held onto it so tightly.  I don't know why IF God knew (which of course He did) that He didn't prevent it BUT regardless I have held onto the Do no be afraid   I've repeated that over and over again to myself and it's been a comfort.  I'm afraid being the skeptic that I am, I didn't listen as hard as I should have, we talked for awhile.  Maybe God spoke more things into my life than what I can remember .....I don't know but I know I didn't give that encounter the attention it would get NOW if I could go back!

Now in the day to day walking out of my life, I feel like the brown grass and leaves outside my window.  I'm dry.  It's been hard. BUT I'm going to keep holding on.  That was the last word I heard and I will trust if God wants to give me anything else He will but for now, I'm not to be afraid!  It's been hard at times not to have FEAR rise up in my heart.  I so understand why God told me not to be afraid.  I'm a fearful person in some ways.  There are some crazy things I might do rather fearlessly but I fear the unknown and sometimes the known things of life.  I feel like I've had too much experience and I know what CAN happen, so therefore I fear and worry at times.  That word has helped me face things that most of you haven't had to face without completely going to pieces. 

So I don't know where you are in life but know there is no one who is perfect, no one who is put together but there is a God who can right your life, a God who is the Prince of Peace and a God who forgives!  He can change you from this time forward.  I know God is perfecting me, although I have a long way to go LOL! 


=======================================================================

Today Jon went to visit his dad and stopped by his best friend's house to see his mom too.  Mrs Buckner has started painting.  she gave us this first picture a few years ago and it is perfect in our living room  Sorry this isn't the best picture of the picture but we have enjoyed it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today she gave Jon this one for me.  I had admired it before.  It really looks like it looks behind my house.  I love this!!!  Yes I know I should get both of them framed and that is my new goal. 

 

 

 

Sam & Sarah had their speech therapist start today.  In spite of the wait, it seems to have been worth it.  Both kids took to the teacher quite well.  We really all worked together and she is starting Sam on a communication system that he seems to understand the rudimentary session today.  The session today focused on him handing me a card with a raised picture on it whenever he wanted a piece of popcorn.   He did enjoy it and seemed to have gotten it:)   Sarah worked well with the teacher also and didn't have some of the clingy behaviors she's had some, with all the new teachers. 

 

Well I'll finish my ramblings for tonight!   My last few weeks of blogs have been short, guess I had to make up for them!

 

 

Trusting

Today I got the results back from the first urology test.  No cancer cells were found:)   I still have two more tests to go in that area and the one is awful!   Thanks for your continued prayers.  Next week, I have 3 appointments! So gynecology testing is done and everything is fine, cyst is gone and now this test is good!  I'm hooping everything else will be ok too.

I've had lots of thought swirling around in my head for a blog (besides the boring fact filled blogs that I've been writing)  Having all these tests (and the need to have them done) is rather sobering.  I have faced some fears.  Most of the time, I push it down cuz "Aint' Nobody got time for that!"  I try to think there is a time to worry BUT at least wait until I have something REAL to worry about before I worry LOL!   God has really helped me to NOT focus on the tests and the "what-if's"  It's been very unlike me NOT to be totally freaking out, although that could change at any moment!  LOL  But again, I've seen that GOD is our very present Help in times of trouble. 

I don't like unknowns, I like a nice tidy well ordered life.  I've never had it BUT I like it!  My dream is to have a nice tidy well ordered life...... 

There's a joke that ministers say "I love the ministry, it's the people that make it hard"  LOL well I love LIFE but life tends to be hard!  You can never be safe enough or have the right plans for every situation.   I HATE being out of control.....so you can imagine how much I've had to learn about leaning into God and trusting Him. 

Everyone has the ONE thing (or perhaps more than one) they have to find Victory over....mine has been learning to trust God.   I like to be in control!   I'm good at planning, I can plan my life AND your life and I'd probably do good with it.  Sometimes I can just look at things, and know how things could work for a person.  I'm one of those people who help others connect, I've always been like that.  But it is hard for me to take my life and the lives of my family and lay them down at the feet of Jesus....  It's hard for me to say "not my will but Thine be done"  That is so very hard for me. 

You see I had to order my life, I had to plan it and be in control from early on so I don't trust other people's decisions, intentions or their skill at making decisions for me.  That is good in one way but not when it transitions over to God!   In reality, having that skill has protected me and my family from a lot of heartache and trouble.  Believe me there are very few people I trust, very few.  not that I necessarily am hostile to anyone, I just won't allow anyone close until I really know I can.  My husband always kids me about my friendships, he swears a person isn't considered a friend until I've known them 20 years or so.  But even with my deepest, long term, close, seen me at my worst, friends, I still hold back some.  I hold back some with my husband,  sometimes I hate that I'm like that but it's a self preservation skill I learned a long time ago. 

So even with the God of this universe, I hold back.  I'll think something like "well God took care of us last time BUT will He do it again next time?"    It's silly of me I know!  I think things like that all the time.  Now I know God will take care of us everytime, I know it in my mind, but sometimes it's not so clear in my emotions.  "Well God walked with us through THAT but will HE through THIS?"

Tell me you don't think the same sometime.....  Maybe by the time I'm 90 years old, I will have licked this battle and be full of faith everytime. 

I love that old song "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus"   it is sweet...nothing is sweeter but it's not always easy to do!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update on Ukraine.....

Please pray!

http://wideawakefamily.com/2014/01/23/so-we-stand/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog
a good blog a friend posted today

http://cardinaldolan.org/index.php/supporting-the-euro-maiden-movement-in-ukraine/ 
this is a FB page to like and follow that will tell you what is going on in Ukraine.  It's the official group for the movement

My heart is just sad to see the pictures on tv of this conflict but I pray for Ukraine that God will use this to bring them a freedom they've never had.  Ukraine is a wonderful country, they've had such a hard history.   It's time for them to have freedom.  I pray that the sacrifice the protesters are making will be seen.

I've heard the American embassy was surrounded today by pro-governmental protesters .   They are accusing the US of funding the pro freedom protestors.  Please pray that adopting families will be able to get out as you have to go to the embassy to have your child's paperwork done to come into the US! 

So much going on......

Pray for Ukraine!

My poor Canadian friends....I'm getting your comments and feeling guilty!  I wouldn't know what to do in below zero weather.  This below freezing (for a few hours) is bad enough LOL  But it's cold for Florida.  I MADE myself go walking today and it was in the 50's and I was freezing.  What a wimp I am!

We lived in NYC in the 90's and must have had really mild winters.  There was one huge snow storm BUT we were on vacation in Florida so we missed it except for the pictures they took.   The last year we lived up there, we had moved over to New Jersey to live in the 'burbs and we got 26 inches of snow on April 1st!  That was wild and our one big snow storm:)  I actually was about 28 before I saw snow, other than one little flurry in 1977 (that we ALL still talk about LOL!  I know where I was when it happened and I ran outside in flip flops LOL)   So cold weather and snow are a novelty to us, kind of like hurricanes are to Canadians. 

Tonight I cooked pork chops, yellow rice, mac& cheese, homemade cornbread.....for supper.  Yep a carb feast!  Well we have grapes for dessert! My house is smelling good, while we are waiting on Jon to get home.  We really do try to eat together nightly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My heart is troubled for Ukraine as I see news reports of the government's crackdown.  We are getting conflicting reports of how many have been killed.  First I heard 3, now I'm hearing 2,  wondering if they mean 2 more have been killed?   As I've said before, I love Ukraine like it was my homeland.  I can not explain why I love it so much.  We were there long enough for the reality of the lives of the regular Ukraine people to be seen by us.  It is a harsh way of life.  But I loved it.  We honestly entertained thoughts of moving there and working as missionaries and in the orphanages.   I've been to other countries, I've never felt the pull like I feel even still from Ukraine. 

Right now I've got several friends in Ukraine still working on adoptions.  I pray that  the unrest does not affect adoptions, but how can it not evidently? 

Ukraine's history is so sad, I pray that God will allow more freedom in their country and that there will be more religious freedom and hunger for God.  Ukraine is a rather hopeless place in some ways.  Many families say they feel a spiritual heaviness in Ukraine, we did not but we were surrounded by some amazing God fearing people.  Within hours of landing in Ukraine, we found a church from our denomination  to attend in Kiev and went to the Sunday service.  Once we were in Torez, we found a Pentecostal church that we attended and fellowshipped with the believers.  We had a wonderful facilator who was very interested in spiritual things.  We saw a lot of sad things, but on the other hand we saw many wonderful things. 

When I think of the conflict, I think of how it could affect our dear friends and the orphans.  It could mean some very hard times for all of them!

Please pray for Ukraine! 

Mom's medical update

Ok I'm back from my break:)

Yesterday I had another doctor's appointment.  I have like 4 unrelated issues and I'm getting them resolved so I don't have worry in the back of my mind anymore!  So yesterday was the urologist....I have bladder spasms or something painful.  I've decided to have all the testing done, I can deal with the infrequent pain as long as I know there is nothing serious going on.    I could cry cause I've had the scope test before...asleep .... like I will this time and had so much pain afterwards....  UGH!  But I feel like I have lots of people depending on me and I need to make sure there is nothing serious causing the problem.  It's scheduled for February. 

The funny thing is he looked at my med's list.  I only take one pill infrequently for panic attacks.  He told me the pill has been used to deal with the kind of spasms I have!  I take it so rarely, that I've not seen a change but he asked me to take it for a week solid and see if the pains go away.  It was also used as an allergy pill too .....SO it MUST be a wonder drug!  It can take away panic attacks, dry up your nose and make your bladder quit having spasms   LOL   the only down side is it makes me sleepy and feel "woolen headed" LOL   I hate that feeling!  But it seems after I eat, I feel better.... so I'll be happy and fat taking this pill!

Everyone is doing good Selah has had no issues except she continues to need to be suctioned more often.  I think it is tied to her having her Toby meds going. 

We are supposed to have "winter" for a week, there is a cold front coming in.  I went to the library and got myself a ton of books....I'm ready LOL!  I'm jealous of all the snow most of the US is getting.  I've only been in a real snowstorm ONCE and it was fun.  We just stayed in and everything was so cozy!  Steve was a one year old and such a cutey!   How did he grow up so quick?

Hope you all stay warm & safe!