Summer 2018 Part 2 NY and Canada

This was our 11th year of going up to NY for Sam's annual eye check up.  In 2007 Sam had corneal implants or the Boston Kpro put in his eyes in placed of his rejected corneas.  He was born with Peter's Anomaly an eye condition that affects primarily the corneas.  He had received corneal transplants when he was an infant in 2004 but they failed and his corneas had clouded up again.  Our original doctors in Miami felt it was not a good idea to do further transplants and hesitantly told us of Dr James Aquevella who perfected the artificial cornea.  We are so glad we chose the Kpro for Sam.  It has worked wonderfully in his good eye.  He had some issues in his left eye but we were expecting that it might not work.

So once again we  drove up and I have to admit I was dreading the trip this year.  Usually I don't feel like that till we are on the way home but this year I started with it.  Some of the dread I think comes from going to Rochester NY where we had to deal with the memories of Selah's accident.  It's hard to even look at the Erie Canal for me.  But I fight those feelings.  So off we headed....









Our first stop was Rochester to visit Dr A.  Sam had a wonderful report and cooperated in all his testing so he did not need to stay and go into surgery for an exam under anesthesia.  His cornea looked great.  His pressures were perfect.  We got to give all the staff a hug and thank our beloved Dr A again!

Then we had an extra two days to spend in Niagara Falls!  We stayed on the Canadian side for the first time.

Yes it was cold for us Florida people!

This never gets old!

Funny bird

Outside our hotel

We did something new and went to Ft George north of the Falls.  It was an absolutely beautiful day.

Steve an his camera

My happy girl

After we NF we went about 5 hours north to Sturgeon Bay a national camp ground.  For years we had talked about doing this and thought we should do it this year since we still have Steve with us for the summer.  The hardest part of the trip was the traffic around Toronto.  It made NYC look like a parking lot.  I've been all over the world in some crazy places and I've never seen such aggressive traffic.  During the ride I wanted to cry it was so bad but I didn't want to be a wuss or distract Steve who was driving.  We had no idea how bad the traffic was going to be.  Since then we learned that the Toronto area is considered North America's worst traffic spot!  I can attest to that!!!!



We were glad to get to our quiet campground!








Our cabin.  I hate to admit it but it was not very comfortable.  We have done cabin camping in Florida and were a bit spoiled.

Shad and his camera

We also went further north to Gundry Lake park  it was breath taking.

 Yes we got matching shirts!

Sam loving on daddy for giving his snacks

We also went to Killbear Provincial Park

It was interesting but a bit difficult for me with the little kids.  The bugs were horrible and remember I am a Florida girl and I know bugs LOL  We felt like we could not hardly have the little kids out.  We literally parked right next to the door and then rushed the kids out.  We drove them around to all the parks but didn't really take them out of the van.  One day there a good breeze and we were able to be out more.  I didn't even walk much because i was getting eaten up.  Those bugs sneered at our bug spray!  It didn't faze them a bit.  

With cabin camping I cooked and cleaned and did it over again the next day.  It was not much of a vacation for me.   But everyone else had a good time.  My husband doesn't seem to attract bugs as bad as I do so he took really long walks.  .  Of course the boys didn't mind much.  They did some fun things including kayaking on the bay during a tornado warning!  (we did not know about the warning!!!!)  Steve called me from the bay and said that water was coming over his kayak and he was about a mile out.....  Good Lord I was worried.  Thankfully they made it back and then we learned of the weather advisory!  It got much worse and we lost power for hours!   Steve had downloaded the classic movie The Shining on his computer so we watched that while the storm howled LOL!!!!!!

One night we were so cold we turned down our window unit and immediately mosquitoes began flooding our cabin!   We had kept the unit on because we needed some fresh air and the windows didn't have screens in them.  So we were up for an hour killing mosquitoes.  Poor Sarah got bit up so badly and she scratched the dickens out of herself.   She still has slight scars from them.

Despite it all both Sam and Sarah seemed quite happy except for the bugs.  They liked the smallness of the cabin and like riding in the van places.  They both did so good.  They are easy going when it comes to traveling.   

I'm really glad despite the difficulties and challenges that we went up into Canada.  It was interesting and some spots were so beautiful.  Next year we are planning for Jon to fly up with Sam for a quick doctor visit and then the fam is going to the beach for a week!!!!!!!!  THAT is my kind of vacation!  I have to admit we don't do many relaxing vacations.  We really want our kids to see the world.  It changes a person to get out of their environment and go new places   Growing up I had little opportunity to do anything or go anywhere so vacations have always been important to me.  We have always tried to do interesting things with the kids.

Next Blog will feature Shad and all his travels this summer.  He has been a busy young man!!

Summer 2018 Part 1 Haiti

I'm back!  As always I say I'm going to do  better about blogging.....we will see!  The summer is almost over but what a summer it's been for our family!

As you may remember, Steve was scheduled to go on a mission trip to Haiti. Some of his team came and stayed a couple of nights with us then set off from our house headed for Haiti.  I watched them go with a little lump in my throat....I had NO IDEA what was to come LOL
The first night they all met at Southeastern University and spent the night.  Then they left around 2 am for Orlando International Airport.  Around 4:00 am I get a call from Steve.  He is at the TSA checkpoint and is not being allowed to board the plane!  At first I thought he was kidding around but I realized from his voice he was serious.  It seemed that his passport had gone through the washing machine a few years ago and was fraying even more so he was stopped.  He had used his passport twice since it got washed but this time it seemed it was not going to happen.  The staff did say he could go to Miami and try and get a one day passport.  I encouraged him to do it so he got a ride back to Lakeland  and I met him there with all the paperwork he would need later that morning.  We got him a new passport picture and then I took him back to the Orlando Airport to catch an evening flight to Miami.  The ride home for me was"an adventure" I hate driving the interstate and driving in the rain at dusk...yep we had all the above plus major road construction! 

He had quite the adventure in Miami.  He "ubered" for the first time to get to his hotel.  Thankfully  through a friend, we found one on the same block as the passport office.  It was a luxury hotel so he felt like a king for the night.  He had to be in line by 6 am the next morning at the passport office.  I was so worried that we missed a paper or something.  It's very hard to prove you need a one day passport. When he got to the passport office there were a couple of people ahead of him in line and when the office opened at 8 am all those folks got turned away for various reasons.  Steve was sick on his stomach.  He was given 30 seconds (literally) to state his case.  He had just been talking to someone in line about us having gone to Cuba, so he tells the person he needs his passport to go to Cuba!!!!  He corrected himself and they all laughed because they could tell how nervous he was!!!   Anyhow it all went well and he picked up his passport that afternoon.  (It reminded me of Ukraine-we had to get a one day passport for the girls)  He got another great night in the hotel then left for Haiti early the next morning. 

BTW a one day passport just means it's issued in just one day. 

There was a disturbance out in the Gulf so the airplane trip was very bumpy going over and coming back.  Evidently the Haitians on board prayed- out loud- loudly.  He wasn't sure what was going on.  But he makes it to Haiti safe and sound.  But you know that is not the end of the story...Oh no not for a Clanton! 

A couple of days later I get a 5am call from him.  He said he was very sick.   At first I wasn't too worried about it but he got worse as the day went on.  The ministry where he was volunteering had a hospital so he ended up getting admitted to it!  Thankfully after a few bags of IV fluids he was fine.  they think he just got dehydrated.  He loved the whole trip and is already planning on going back next spring to shoot a full video for them. 





Ok I LOVE this picture of him!


the children coming in for school

Steve's team and some of the kids

Looking towards the Dominica Republic

Steve also worked some on a video while he was there and shot some roll that was used in a a fund raiser for the orphanage.  I can't seem to save and share it but I'll try and post it.  

Most of the time he volunteered in the area with the special needs kids.  

This experience has helped him clarify some things.  He hopes to use his videography skills for missions.  He has been thinking along these lines for awhile but this has has shown him what he could actually do.

His goal for now is to graduate from college in December.  He has been accepted into the Master's program to purse the degree of Human Services.  He is hoping he will get a GA (graduate's assistant ) position to help pay for his degree.  Please pray that the right door will be opened for him.  

Mother's Day 2018

Hello from the Clanton family!

I am still fighting with this new MAC....I absolutely hate it with my whole heart.  It's such a pain in so many ways.  Tonight, with help, I figured out how to put pictures on my blog.  Not at all easy if you are wondering...way too many steps for me.

We've been busy as usual around here!

All four of the younger ones just went to a new dentist who specializes in kids with special needs.  It took me years to get in with this dentist and I am thrilled.  We were in a practice that would not even see Selah and really resented me making them see Sam and Sarah.  I got a little crazy with a dentist once LOL . If you ever read that I"m in jail- please take it seriously-it'll probably be true!!!!

Sam Sarah and Selah had perfect teeth!  No cavities or much build up.  This dentist just blessed us so much by actually telling us "thank you" for giving them such good care.  I was almost in tears.  As a parent of special needs kids, there are so many things you do that no one really sees or thinks about.  Brushing teeth is one of those things.  It's a pain, neither Sam or Sarah can spit so it's alot of work to really clean their teeth.  The nurses work on Selah's mouth care continuously because having a trach, she keeps her mouth slightly open all the time which is awful for her teeth  and gums!   But to have a doctor pat you on the back like he did, made it all worth while.  He told us some horror stories of special needs kids he had seen over the years and that makes him appreciate the ones who do what has to be done daily to avoid issues.  Jon and I along with her nurse felt very encouraged by the kind words of that man.

Having to do all of their personal care is taxing now as they are getting older and bigger.  It's challenging to be out with them and have to change a diaper.  We have to brush their teeth, give them baths, change diapers, dress them, feed them....   when I get physically tired, I always push through because I think "what if our roles were reversed?",   I'd want good care by a cheerful person.   With our nurses and our respite care worker - they are the same- they care about the kids and want to do the best for them.  

Sam and Sarah have started horse therapy.  Their teacher is a Physical Therapist which is wonderful.  Sarah is going twice a week and Sam goes once a week.  We are concentrating on Sarah in the hopes that it will help her to walk.  

Let me see if I can explain why hippo therapy is so important for a child with gross motor skill delays....    Sarah can "walk" .  I can hold her hands and she will move her feet but they tend to cross and turn.  She can also hold a walker and do the same.   Some time ago I felt that that kind of therapy - trying to teach her to walk- was really just reinforcing terrible walking habits that did not lead her to really walking.  Oh I went along with therapy because I didn't really know what else to do.  I hoped it would help but she never really progressed past a certain point.  I had thought of hippo therapy but did not have any contacts or way to get it paid for because our insurance would not cover it.  Then the little ones became eligible for the Gardiner Scholarship (a Florida based scholarship for homeschooled kids with handicaps)   It covers their therapy.  

Now to try and explain why this type of therapy is different....  basically a horse's movement mimics the way humans walk.  So by Sarah sitting on a horse as it walk, that horse is moving Sarah in the exact way she is supposed to move to walk correctly.  It's causing her to react neurologically and physically in a way that using a walker absolutely never ever would.   Especially since she is blind, she can "feel" it even though she can not see it.  

Sarah is very unique.  She has absolutely no cerebral palsy or brain damage.  Sam has both yet he can walk.  Sarah just has a low IQ and is blind.  That's it...no chromosomal  abnormalities either unlike Sam.  Most professionals are stunned that Sarah can not walk but all attributed it to her first five years of being in an orphanage.  We don't know how she was treated in the baby house but she was in an adult mental institution when we got to her and was kept tied to a bed by three little leather straps.....  Nothing was being done to help her learn and she missed many important milestone times of brain development.  

Sam on the other hand has CP, brain damage and chromosomal abnormalities and yet he can walk.  But he had therapy from the beginning and a family working hard with him.    We are hoping that Sarah will catch up.  She loves physical activity.  She absolutely loves being on the horse, she smiles almost the whole time.  

This will also be good for Sam in many ways.  Although he walks, this will give him more confidence plus it's supervised PE (physical education) . It will address his poor posture and tone.  Also he will learn how to follow directions and so many other things.  

Ive recently heard of a new therapy place in our area for OT and Speech.  We are also on the wait list for ABA therapy (Applied Behavior Therapy).  I'm always looking for things to enrich their lives.

That smile!

She looks like a little horsewoman!

They love the movement but not the horse.  Neither of them really care about touching the horse except for the signal "to go" .  My kids are anti animal LOL  Both of them despise the new rescue kitten.  The kitten loves everyone and wants to go to Sarah all the time.  Sarah flinches and pulls away.  The kitten is so tiny we have to really watch it around the kids, we are afraid one of them will accidentally hurt it.  We try and keep it in Shad's room but that kitten has a set of lungs on it!  It cries and cries.  

Sleepy Sarah

This is how my big girl sleeps on my lap :)

Last week was SIX years home for the girls!

This picture was taken at Tampa International Airport on 5/9/12

Sarah was wearing a size 12 months and weighed 19 pounds at 5.5 years old

This picture was taken in our living room on 5/9/18

Sarah is wearing a size 12 girls and weighs 70 pounds!  

6 years made a big difference!!

(Yes she got a hair cut today!!!)

Mother's Day 2018

I feel so blessed!

I love this bunch

My Life.... I love them!

Next week Steve leaves for Haiti!  Please pray for him and his team.  Thank you all for your gifts to him!  We were shocked this past Sunday by a large gift given to both of the boys for their mission trips from a reader in Orlando!  THANK YOU!  They were amazed & encouraged.  

Steve is also taking a ton of supplies for the orphanage with him . We have to work on his luggage tomorrow and see how we will fit it all in.  I'm lucky I have a friend who is a Crazy coupon lady!  she gets me great deals for my various projects.  This time we focused on vitamins, toothpaste, band aids and bar soap.  It is a great feeling for me to get things together for the children.  

As a mom-it makes me extremely nervous for him to fly to another country without us!  But I know this experience will be defining for him and also for Shad when he goes to Miami for a week and El Salvador for a week this summer.    But it's hard for Mama!

Sam enjoying his lunch!

We've had alot of concerns about Sam this whole year.  It started in January when he got a light case of the flu.  Since he had had his flu shot- he didn't get really sick but with in a few days his bowels shut down.  That ended up in two trips to the hospital and a stay plus several trips to the doctor.  He also had a very serious issue with his immune system.   Despite our best efforts, he has continued to have some issues.   

He also struggles a few times a year with extreme bouts of sadness.  During those times he will bit his hands and arms.  He went through a terrible time of it back in April.  It follows a predictable pattern-there is no rhyme or reason why it happens or what causes him to come out of it.  

A few weeks ago he began coming out of it and we were relieved.  Then he went into such a lethargic stage that I was convinced that he was dying.  He had absolutely no other symptoms- and i called our pediatrician several times to let him know what was going on.  It was so scary.  He was still eating and drinking but almost like a robot.  Nothing made him happy or even sad!  He'd just sit beside one of us without interacting.  

I tell you what on Mother's Day I woke up with him in my bed, I was afraid for him to be alone, and I could have cried.  I took a shower and had to hold in my tears because i was so concerned about him.  But there was NO symptoms we could point to....  his bloodwork was perfect, just a few weeks ago cardiology had cleared him and said they no longer needed to follow him, he had just had a multi organ ultrasound study and everything was perfect.... The only thing was he still was not 100% normal in his bowel movements but it wasn't terrible just not normal since he got sick in January.  Our pediatrician had put him back on a stool softener and a vegetable based laxative but there were occasions I had to give him enemas.  Sam eats a very healthy diet and loves vegetables- any type of bean is his friend so he's never had this issue before!  

Anyhow we all got ready for church.  I asked for Sam to be mentioned in prayer.  My husband prayed for Sam with the other requests of our parishioners.  But as the prayer ended a friend of mine spoke up and said that she felt we should have special prayer for Sam.  The church came around Sam and prayed for him.  And with God as my witness, Sam began to act more like himself from that point on....    We went out to eat and he was interacting with us.  It's Tuesday night and he is in bed but these last few days have been wonderful.  He's back 90% to the old Sam!  We are all paying alot of attention to him and he has his big brother home so I know that helps but I truly believe God heard the prayers for him and gave me a Mother's Day present by helping Sam to reconnect more with us, his toys and to find joy again.  Please keep him in your prayers!  

Parenting our little ones has its challenges that just break our hearts at times.  Before my little ones, I knew that "this world was not my home- I'm only passing by" but now the Hope of Heaven has so much more meaning to me as we face challenges along with our children.    I am honored that God has given them to us by birth and adoption to be with them through their lives and to see that they are cared for and loved.  

I wish I could be some positive idiot that never worried about the future but it is scary to me.  I pray alot.  We have things set up as best we could and I'm thankful that we were able to have some things in place for them.  But there is only so much we can do now for the future for them.  There is just alot of having to trust God for their futures....and for our older boys' futures too.  Don't you wish you could protect your kids from everything and make all the important decisions for them?  It doesn't quite work out that way....

Well I will try and continue to learn this $#@%&!! MAC!  I dread dealing with it!  

Kitty Rescue

So I'm still mad at my laptop & still trying to figure out how to use a Mac.  It's very annoying!   Did I tell you WHY I had to get a new laptop???   A certain young man downloaded a virus while playing a video game during school time..... Yep.....I'm still mad.  There was no way to save it and not worth the money to try.  But the Mac is set up so securely that it is impossible to do that now for that young man!  And his older brother's Mac is set up with this one and his older brother can see everything that is done on this Mac!  I still love that young man but I was not happy with him.


Yesterday we had a big day at church.  Following the service we had a surprise birthday party for a lady in our church.  Our oldest son and some of his friends came which made me happy since they are starting finals this week in college.  When we finally got home, Shad heard a cat screaming.  He found a tiny kitten who had gotten it's foot caught in a fence.  The kitten didn't look old enough to be climbing a fence but he was hanging upside down with one of his legs caught in between two pieces of wood.  I held up his body so he wouldn't be under so much strain.  It was easy to tell this was a wild kitten!  I was pretty sure it was going to tear up my arm.  Shad ran and got my phone and we called the Fire Deptarment.  They came and had to use a crowbar to get the kitten free.  Of course then we were stuck with a kitten!  We did ask some neighbors who have some cats and they thought it might be their cat's kitten but were happy for us to take it!  The kitten does not know how to eat so we are having to feed it every few hours with a syringe.  Shad has been a good kitten daddy.

It amazes me how we find cats to rescue.  Even when we were in Ukraine we found kittens at a bus stop that we saved and found homes for them!  We are back up to 9 cats.....  I find homes for some then I find more....  I am NOT a Cat hoarder- I'm perfectly happy to share the love.  If anyone is looking for a little brown/black kitten - you can come and get it!

I'm trying to post the kitten's picture but having technical difficulties !

I Love A Rainy Night

Sitting on the back porch as a storm rolls in is a balm to my soul.  Right now it's pouring and our crazy Lab puppy is gleefully running around the yard trying to catch the rain in his mouth.  Everything is green and fresh.  The wind is blowing and the rain is falling on the metal roof.  Dusk is falling.   It really doesn't get any better than this.....

You know what one of my greatest worries is?  That in heaven there will be no rain and no night!  I can not imagine an eternity without rain or night time.  I love both, and if I'm lucky enough to get a rainy night the just fills my cup up:).   All those old songs about heaven talk about unclouded days and no nights and no storm clouds... maybe the would make some folks happy but not me!  Of course I love cloudless blue skies too - I'm actually pretty easy to please about the weather but my favorite time is when it rains.  And I love the night...the night out in the country is very quiet, usually the frogs and crickets are going to town making their noise but that's ok with me.

I do love to see the night sky on a clear night.  I remember as a teen going from my home town to an even smaller town about 25 miles away, where my best friend's dad owned the movie theater.  I'd help out at the concession stand with my friend.  Sometimes on the ride home, on dark country roads, her crazy brother would turn off the car's headlights.  We'd stick our heads out of the windows and stare up at the stars.  Life was so good.  I miss that  (and for the record I'd absolutely kill one of my boys if they did that!!!!   Somehow we are all still alive and well in our 50's and 60's -how the heck can the be? LOL. We all got together recently and I thought about all the foolishness that we all participated in throughout our earlier years LOL. I was only involved in a little bit for the record!  Sadly!  If I had life to do over I'd probably be more involved!)


I'm seriously considering booking a trip for me and my husband to a campground in the middle of the Everglades.  It's supposed to be one of the best places to see stars in all of the Southeast.   Of course I'm sure the mosquitoes would be big enough to carry us away!  I hate putting on spray- every single brand I've tried has made me nauseous.  I've tried everything including natural junk-obviously I have some kind of allergy.   Anyhow even if it's rainy, I figure we'd enjoy being so far out in the woods.

So night is falling, the crazy Lab is still running in the rain.  We've had for over a month-I guess she is actually going to be a keeper although after she destroyed our front porch screen door and all my plants I had found a home for her!  But at the last minute I decided to keep her.   The screen door was fixed and all my plants were too for the most part.  She absolutely loves to run in our yard.  Evidently the person who had her lived in an apartment-I can not imagine her in an apartment.  She is a big goofy happy dog.  But she has so much energy it's crazy.  She is really doing good at being trained.  Most of the time she obeys me.  She tries so hard to become friends with the cats, it's hysterical to watch.  They do not like her, although three of them are learning to tolerate her.  She is an outdoor dog, she has her own doghouse under our carport right by Selah's window.  We have a fenced in yard including security cameras so she is safe.  I'm not a "big dog in the house person" especially as my little ones can't see nor do they understand boundaries.  It would not be safe.  Actually all three of the little kids do not like animals at all.  I've tried them so many times but they just do not care for them.  It's crazy that our kids don't like animals as they've been exposed to them so much.  Anyhow I would not risk their safety or the dog's safety-I can't alway have my eyes on everyone every second.  Shad usually takes her jogging every day and once Steve is home from college he will too.  That'll help her tame some energy.  She's a good dog with a sweet personality.

So I got a new computer, a MAC and I'm just trying to learn it.  My son assures me I'll evidently love it...not so sure about that.  My old computer had traveled all over the world with me.  It was more than 6 years old.  I got it for $200 on a special sale before we went to Ukraine so I guess I got my money out of it and then some!

Well I'm going to go and enjoy the rest of this nice rainy night.  Hope the weather is nice where you are at tonight!

Mission TripS

This summer is going to be a busy one for our family!  Our two oldest boys are going on mission trips!  I may need a prescription for Valium or at least be praying A LOT!

Steve is going to Haiti with Southeastern University in May.  They will be doing orphan ministry in several orphanages.  One of the orphanages is for very special needs kids.   He is looking forward to this trip because he knows what a little extra attention can do for children.  He is hoping to take his video camera (a real professional one) and do some promos for the ministries he will be assisting.  He hopes to be able to show the supporters of the ministry the needs of the kids and what their giving does to help them..  So he will be using his skills as a videographer & the skills he has learned with his little sisters.  The rest of the summer he is hoping to work full time.  Steve will be graduating in December- a semester early!!!

In July Shad will be going to El Salvador on a missions trip.  He will be working with career missionaries from our denomination.   He will be assisting in door to door and street ministry.  This is something he does on a regular basis at home.  Since January we have been going door to door in our neighborhood and giving out packets and inviting people to church.  Shad is very bold and never gives up (even when I want to lol)  Our neighborhood is rural so we have made it to about 400 homes thus far.  That's probably equal to 20 miles worth of walking!!!   Recently we drove through a more suburban area of our small town and Shad said with great awe in his voice "it would be so easy to do door to door here- there are no fences and the houses are so close" LOL   He also will be going to Miami Fl for a week outreach to the homeless and will be doing street ministry.  It's cool to me because when I was in college I spent one spring break week in Miami doing street outreach!  I think he will even be staying at the same church we stayed at!     Shad also will be going to youth camp for a week.  He is going to be a world traveler this summer!

Often I've wondered how effective mission trips are - but I know from my own experiences that it is a time for the person who is going to learn more and often (and my case and my husband's and many others) leads to a career path of missions and helping others.  Plus you never know how effective and life changing it can be for the ones ministered to.  It's eye opening for young people and time and time again I've known of people who committed to a life time of service after going on a trip.   As hard as it would be for me not to be physically close to my children in the years to come, I'd be honored if God called one of my boys into ministry/missions work.


So if you'd like to help our boys raise their funds We all would really appreciate it!
Steve has already raised all but $600 for his trip.  Shad needs about $1300 for El Salvador and $245 for his Miami trip.   If you are interested in giving please send a check to
Grace Church
7060 Berry Road
Zephyrhills Florida 33540
 Mark on it clearly that it is for their trip and you can specify which boy if you'd like to.


But above all please pray for our boys.  It is not an easy thing for me to send my kids off believe me!!!  Please pray for their protection as well as the teams they will work with. 

Thank you all!!!

The People of Perry Documentary

This is the video that my son and his small production company did last summer in my hometown.  Steve was teh producer and worked the cameras also.  I am so very proud of him!!!  Please watch and share!!!