Adoptions closed in Crimea .....pray for Ukraine

Busy few days around here.....

first I want to remind everyone to vote....
http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/

we are at 2128 votes and the answer today is MORE THAN 600 dealers that is....  our local paper just emailed me and they are going to do a story to help us:)  YEAH!  Thank you all for your help too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Shad had fallen asleep all wrapped up.  Sam was asleep too)

I wanted to share those cute pictures.  Sam is now out of the car seat at 10 years old.  A few months ago, I had taken him out of it but then put him back in it LOL.  He is really too big for it so he sat like a big boy yesterday and it looks like the seat belts fit him correctly. 

I also took Sarah out of the car seat yesterday after these pictures were taken.  We had stopped at a store and when we got back in the van, part of her chest strap had come out from the back.  This is the 3rd time that has happened with this car seat so I decided to let her sit in the  regular seat.  She is the same size as Sam so the seat belt seem to fit her fine also.  She is 7.5 years old.  In the state of Florida the law is a child must be in a car seat until they are 5 years old. I actually called the Sheriff's office to make sure I was reading it right.   I had even kept Steve and Shad in car seats until they were about 6 years old themselves.   It's unnerving to me to take them out of car seats but since Sarah's  chest strap kept coming off, that bothered me more. 

Last night I got to go out with some great friends.  Two of my closest girl friends that I've made over the past few years AND my college roommate, who is moving to Florida soon.  We all had so much fun together and seemed like they all had been friends for a long time.  Friendships as so precious, and so vital to our lives.  After I left them last night, I just felt happy and loved:)    (and thankful that my husband put the kids to bed for me!)

Yesterday I also took the kittens to "get fixed"  UGH!  I hated to do it but it is a necessity.     They also got all their shots.  Last night they were mad at each other and growling.  It was cute.  The low cost vet place I go to Planned Pethood (they are awesome)  gave me meds to give them daily to help with the pain.  This morning they already seemed better and weren't so mad at each other.

Selah is doing better daily.  she has been off all her blood pressure meds for a week and her BP is perfect.  However her heart rate is a bit higher than normal but the doctor said it is normal and we need to quit watching the machine LOL!  It had gone up to the 130's when she has used the bathroom but the doctor also said if we had a probe on our finger tip, it would show our heart rate up when we pooped too!  I like her numbers to be perfect and always under 80 but he said that is not normal, that the heart needs to go up and down.  Selah has not had any 'storms" due to being off the meds.  Her new drug is in, the one to take to see if she will respond to more stimulation.  We will probably wait out the weekend and give it to her on Monday.  I don't want to see her heart rate up too high over the weekend.  All the nurses agree that she seems more alert off the BP meds.  For that I'm glad, I just get so nervous because I like STABLE and change is hard for me with her.  But I don't want anything to suppress her mind at all.  I'm so very thankful that she can be taken off both of the drugs (actually 3 doses-one drug was given in 2 different ways)  Selah is amazing to me, to think of how far she has come, gives me nothing but hope.  I know she has so far to go, but she has ONLY progressed in the past year.  So many kids like Selah regress, we have much to be thankful for that we have not had to deal with so many issues other have had to deal with. 

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

That was all our family news....but this is what is on my heart....

I read a report today from Ukraine Medical Outreach
https://www.facebook.com/UkraineMedicalOutreach

This morning the Coalition for Children at Risk met in our flat. Roman Korniyko, Ukrainian President of the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans was the guess speaker. As he spoke, it became clear, there is a humanitarian crisis beginning to unfold. In Crimea there are 22 orphanages with 3600 children. An eyewitness report from Roman's personal friend indicates Russian soldiers are being barr...acked in orphanages, as well as using these areas to store weapons and food. These developments raise two concerns, first using these children as human shields and second, the possibility of abuse, both physical and sexual. When Roman has spoken with officials, they acknowledge there is no plan to protect children in orphanages if military activity escalates. There are no plans for refugee camps. For children in Crimea, some say this is now Russia's problem. In Ukraine, the reality is there are no funds to do these things. The government has sharply decreased funding to the orphanages and encouraged the directors to find sponsors, close schools and kindergartens and decrease salaries. On the brighter side Roman was scheduled to meet with acting Ukrainian President Turchinov to discuss suggestions on how to care for Ukraines 118,000 orphans. We pray for God's mercy and help in bringing an end to this crisis affecting the peace of Ukraine and indeed the world.

 

 

I am sick in heart....God help those children.  The case that many of you have followed and given to of The Burman family, that is where their children are from Crimea....SO if Shelly hadn't been able to get those little boys out, they'd be stuck there now.  What a miracle to have left there just days before this...now all adoption is closed down in Crimea. 

 

There is more at http://childrendeservefamilies.com/news-adoptions-halted-crimea/#comment-938

I commented on there since my family was mentioned in a negative light about adoption.  I rarely read comments on anything but happened to and saw the comment so I thought I would share and set the record straight.  . 

 

All the news coming out of Ukraine just makes me so thankful that Sarah and Selah are safe and at home with us.  I want to thank my friends and family who gave to help us adopt them.  And I want to thank folks that we don't know personally who gave too!   I just want to hug them and squeeze them, knowing they are safe, at home, with full bellies....

 

But for the ones left behind, all we can do is pray....But God is a merciful God, He will hear our prayers.   I pray for the believers in Ukraine, there will be dark days ahead. 

 

BTW, I do not think Putin is going to stop with Crimea, I don't think he is going to stop with Ukraine.  He wants the old Russian Empire back, that is his desire.   Just like Hitler, Putin wants world dominance.  He needs to be stopped. but in my opinion, our president is not a strong man who has the backbone to deal with a man like Putin.  I worry over the plight of the world.  I know God is in ultimate control but I foresee much suffering coming from all of this.   

My heart is heavy this morning......

 

 

Happy Garden and over 1.5 million hits:)

 

 

My garden was happy happy happy with all the rain we got yesterday. 

 

Above you can see potatoes on the bottom left, collards on the bottom right

 

then more potatoes on the top left

onions and squash on the middle right

the top right is peppers and squash

 

 

 

here is lettuce and some herbs, also in the top left side, is some watermelon coming up from seeds

 

 

 

 

 

Collards anyone???  This whole box of collards was less than $4 and I will have 20x what we need.  This is a good veggie for me to share.  Collards is a southern food.  I LOVE the smell of it cooking, I'm not too much into eating them but Jon tells me I cook them just right LOL

 

 

 

Almost 3 inches of rain from yesterday.  WOOOHOO!  Love the rain, nothing can grow a garden better than a full day of rain!

And more collards....I'll be sharing this summer!



I love my garden, it is just so much fun to work it and watch it grow.  I know it sounds nerdy but being out in the garden sooths my soul.  Plus we get good exercise and good food out of it.  People ask me if I save money by having a garden.  I really don't think I do for the most part (except for the collards) but I do all my gardening organically so I know exactly what is in it.  Plus there is nothing like going out and pulling some carrots, onions and potatoes to make your own stew.  Or cutting your lettuce, tomato and pulling up an onion to make a salad!  It's so much fun!

I put the wood mulch in between the square foot gardens to keep the grass out from between them so walking is easier AND to keep grass away from the SFG, so there is less weeding.

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


Don't know if you noticed, but my blog has now over 1.5 million hits!  CRAZY:)  Thanks to all of you for coming back and checking on us!  I really appreciate it!

NOW if those 1.5 million hits could translate into 1.5 million VOTES......


http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/

the answer today is WAV = wheelchair accessible vehicle

You can vote daily, please post and share.  I'd love to be over 2000 votes by tomorrow!    We'd only need about 200 people to vote and get the extra vote to make it!   She has 1,684 right now....Please vote and get the extra vote tonight.  I sign in thru the FB symbol as that is the easiest for me.  It takes just 1 minute to do the whole thing.  Thank you so much!!!!


Speaking of Selah, her BP is still perfect without the BP meds but her heart rate is still a little high off and on.  During the day today it's been the best it's been since we took her off the meds last Thursday.   We are so thrilled the doctor felt she no longer needed the extra medicine.  Her body is just adjusting to doing the job of regulating her heart rate on her own.  The med was originally given to help her control her BP and heart rate. Evidently it is easier for her brain to handle the BP, she is working on the heart rate but all in all doing fine.  We are proud of our strong Selah! 

Every doctor tells me how it is not usual for kids "like Selah" to go OFF of meds....most kids keep having meds added on for various reasons.  We are so very thankful that Selah keeps being taken off of meds and doing good.  Thank God!  It's a great thing to see her body/mind began to work a little better and not need a med that she has been on since the accident.  Now she is just on a med to prevent reflux, 2 meds for spacity of her limbs, and the inhaled antibodic every other month.  She does have prescriptions for meds IF she needs them like Valium and Clondine.  She is also still on the fish oil study and is given olive oil also daily.  It's pretty amazing!   Please keep praying for Selah.  She should be starting the new pill this week to see if it will "wake her up"  It had to be ordered.

Thanks for all you guys do for us, the kind thoughts and prayers, the sweet emails and comments.  All the voting and sharing:)  Thanks for visiting back daily.....

Rainy Monday......

Ah......a nice rainy day, my garden is growing. Usually on Mondays I really try and get a lot of stuff done but Sarah wanted mommy to hold her and mommy loves to hold her:)  Then went over piano lessons with Shad and taught it to Steve since he is starting classes tomorrow too.  Then I had to play for awhile LOL, it's been awhile since I've played, managed to butcher a few hymns.  I did get about 5 loads of laundry done and supper is cooking (chicken parm, shells, garlic bread and salad)  And I managed to get a few appointments scheduled.  I have a date for the biopsy on my thyroid, that is something to look forward to isn't it? 

So I've checked on our contest, we are at 1,369 votes.  Please vote today... the extra vote  answer is 20 hours is how many hours a week a caregiver gives care....20
http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/
thank you all for your votes and sharing it. PLEASE keep sharing as we'd love to win a van for Selah

Speaking of Selah, she has just been a little different the last few days, her oxygen levels have been a little low (but not bad) and her heart rate a little high.  We really think it is because she is coming off all the BP meds (her BP has been perfect-but the meds were also given to help her heart rate)  I always feel a little unsettled if everything is not perfect with Selah but we think she is ok. 

So we are not surprised at the vote in Ukraine.  But we are concerned that Crimea is not where Putin will stop....  please keep praying for Ukraine. 

Life is so uncertain.....

My Crazy Day

Do you ever have "one of those days"?   Well I just had one today!

Yesterday was a perfect day, we took Sarah with us to our sister in law's dad's memorial service, she was perfect in a new dress, behaved perfect.....we looked like we had it all going on in the parenting department....Fast forward 24 hours.........

This morning started out fine, I got the little ones bathed and dressed for church, blow dried Sarah's hair, got a bow in it.  She had on a new black & white sundress with colorful flowers on it.  Sam had on his little black & white suit.  Ironed the older boys' clothes, they both looked good.  The nurse had Selah bathed and dressed nice.  We make it to church early.  I helped Steve do a new song for our worship service on the computer so it would go up on the screen. I'm meeting and greeting everyone....

It went straight downhill from that point on.  As the worship began, one of the guys came to tell me he thought Sarah might need a diaper change.....I went to pick her up from her spot  in the altar area and checked....well my son and one of my best friends said I said a word that should not be uttered in a church, by a pastor's wife.  At that point the music minister loudly began playing the piano.....there was POOP all over the floor....the NEW carpet.....  I did not even know what to do!  Another friend came and helped me walk Sarah out so we wouldn't' get poop anywhere else, while my other friend cleaned the carpet.  I had to clean Sarah from just about head to toe and throw everything into the washer.  We go back in church, and as I walked in, Selah started spitting up mucus, so I put Sarah down, and ran and got paper towels to clean Selah up. 

Things settle down for a few minutes, then Sarah pooped again and I took her to change her and just went home with her.  The nurse came over to, since Selah was bringing up all this mucus (which is good) 

Then after church we go out to eat.  Sarah got so excited that she fell out of her chair, just spun right out of it.  Sam was beyond grumpy....go to put Sarah in the car, she'd pooped again.....had to change her clothes....in the parking lot. 

We drive up to our house and there are TWO police cars there and our nurse outside....I fell out of the door of the van thinking something had happened to Selah....  Thank God they were there because the church's alarm was going off.  Someone (my oldest son) had left the church door unlocked but the alarm system on.  Someone had come up to the church and opened the door and left when the alarm went off.  Nothing was taken but it was a good scare!

I go back to the house, Selah had to go on oxygen, because for some strange reason her oxygen levels are dropping.  She is not sick, we think she may have a mucus plug.  I should say we don't' think she is sick.    Not sure if I shared but the new neurologist took her off of two meds that worked on her blood pressure.  she had needed it right after the accident but her BP is always low now and which means her body can regulate her own BP and she doesn't need extra help.  Right now her BP is perfect, but her heart rate is a little high but still fine.  We think it will all level out after awhile.  Right now we are all just watching her to make sure things are ok.

So this has been one crazy day.....all I want to do is to go to sleep! What a day.

Hope you got a good laugh, we laughed too.  I really don't believe I said what I was accused of saying BUT I can't be positive.....LOL



Ok we are over 1000 but please go and vote!
The answer today is :  OEM = original equipment manufacturer!
You can get TWO votes if you vote now!!!!!
thank you so much1!!!!!

Don't forget to VOTE!!!!!

We are at 904!  I'd love to open up the computer tomorrow morning and see us over the 1000 mark!

You can get TWO votes again today.......  The answer is TRUE  (but I've forgot the question LOL) 

PLEASE go and vote for LaLa!

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/


Actually we did say if we win the van, we are going to put across the back window "La La's Van"  LOL   Sweet girl will have her own van.  We also do not plan on using it much unless she is in it.  We'd keep our other two vans (Jon's is 14 years old but a good work van and mine is much newer and our one for all the kids)  Selah's would be one, that we'd want to keep the mileage low on because we'd need it for years to come.  Most handicapped accessible used vans that we have looked at have been around $30,000 even with over 100,000 miles on them.  (for the record, we've never bought a NEW car that cost that much!!!!!!)  so this would be something we'd plan on using for years and years to take Selah to appointments, to the park, to therapy......  What a difference it would make in her life!!!!

I'll tell you last Wednesday when we took her to the neurologist....  Our nurse carried her out to the van and strapped her in the middle passenger seat, it reclines so we put pillows around her.  she is just too big for the carseat anymore.  Then he took the wheelchair and put it in the back.  We drove there, took out the wheelchair )it's a deep area behind the rear seat so you have to pull the darn thing out and it is heavy)

Then we had to put her in the chair, IN THE RAIN.  You can't just throw her in, she has to be buckled in and the medical office, didn't have an overhang. 

Then after the LONG appointment, we had to take her out of the chair, position her in the car and put the wheelchair back in the back...... drive home.....and just take her out of the car and carry her to her room....come back for the wheelchair later.....

It would be so nice to just put her in the chair at her bedside , wheel her out....wheel her into the van and go.....I can't even imagine how much easier it would make her life  (and ours !)

Thank you for your votes and your help!  We would NOT be at 904 with YOU!!!!!!

Relationships

Well my possibly possessed blog page is at it again.  For several days, I had no problems loading anything....now we are back to being crazy!   What I see is only two pictures, then I save and publish the blog and I can see all the ones I've uploaded, but in different sizes.....UGH!!!

These are pictures of my husband's family/MY family after the memorial service of my sister in law's dad (she is married to one of Jon's brothers)  We also have one of our close friends & her son in the pictures too.  They are family to us also.

The service was perfect for Mr Addison, I'm sure he would have liked it.  He was 86 and in decent health.  He sat down to watch tv last week, and passed away in his chair.  He lived a full long and interesting life.  So it wasn't a tragic funeral BUT it is never easy to say goodbye to someone you love dearly as my SIL and her kids loved him. 

A funeral always reminds us of eternity, and of what is REALLY important in this life.  You know what is important?  Our relationships with each other.  Nothing else matters at all.  As you see our picture is missing a few kids of ours, my friend Jackie's husband and their daughter....  add all of them and that is a huge part of my life. I want to hold close & dear to me these ones who matter the most. 

We  also look back at funerals.  At Mr Addison's we heard of his years of playing professional baseball and his childhood in Philly.  The slideshow had pictures of his parents, brother and early pictures of Val and his brothers too....  Pictures are very meaningful to me.  Sometimes I will stare at a picture and remind the moments that went on before it and the ones after it.....

It made me think back again to the ones in my life, the ones who have lived LIFE with me....it's all about relationships......     so hold your people close, don't let things come between you.  It's not always easy to be close to people, but be there for each other.  Cause it all comes down to relationships. 

At the end of our lives, jobs, money, homes, cars, even ministry won't matter, it will be the relationships that you treasure the MOST!

 

 

High School

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/


I'm afraid I'm going to sound like a broken record before long BUT......PLEASE GO VOTE!  We're at 657 and getting behind.  I've not looked on the site at others because I don't want to feel like I'm trying to beat someone else specifically  but one of my friends did, just to see if we were ahead.  We're about in the middle....I really need your help to win this for Selah.  Handicapped Accessible vans are very expensive, much more than we could afford, we've looked into it already.   We also looked at the possibibly of converting our newer van into one but the cost is still high and we'd lose one or two seats and that wouldn't work since there is so many of us and when Selah travels, she must have the nurse with her.  Our other van is 14 years old LOL and we don't' trust it out of town!  So please go and vote daily.  Some days you have the possibility of voting 2x.  Today the answer to the question is CONVERSION! 

Please share our link with your friends on FB and email lists....if you belong to a civic organization please share it with them too.  We'd really appreciate it!

AND THANKS FOR THE  657 votes we have thus far!!!!!!


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


Steve and I spent the day together at his friend's house.  He is FINISHED with ALL his high school work!!!!!!!!  Today he finished his computer science class, he was able to get some help from his friend who is an expert on all things computer!  I had a GREAT day talking with his mom. who has been a friend for a long time but I'm just now getting to know her better.  This large family lives on some of the most beautiful farm property in the state of Florida.  Florida actually has some ridges and the one in our area is so pretty, I love Florida, but this area doesn't look like Florida with small rolling hills.  I have to really watch my "envy" when I'm at their home!  LOL  It's one of the prettiest places around.  They have started a small farm and it was neat to see a new baby calf.  For some crazy reason I also tried to pet a bull LOL, when his mouth came towards my hand, I reconsidered !!!!  It was a nice peaceful day.  Jon took care of the little ones, and did his sermon today.  I think I owe him!

Our church is taking up an offering for Ukraine on Sunday and the boys were working on doing a dvd off ALL of our videos and pictures of Ukraine.  I watched all of them, some for the first time in over a year.  To watch Selah walk, make her funny little noises....I just broke down and sobbed in front of all the family.   So glad I have those little memories but my God, I miss her so much.  I wanted to reach through the screen and take her hand.  Please still pray that we'll get that miracle for her.  I'd be glad to give up a handicapped accessible van and anything else we could ever be given, for her to come back to us......


Hope everyone has a great weekend.  don't forget to vote daily for Selah but more importantly, pray for her daily!!!!!!  Thank you all!!!!!!