Sad News again......

Again I have sad news.....little Yuri passed away.  It seems he had an infection and went in to septic shock.  A volunteer tried to save him after he'd been ignored for 5 days....and then he died in the volunteer's arms.  Poor baby.....https://www.facebook.com/SavingBabyYuri   please say a prayer for his family who were coming for him.  My fear was that Sarah would die before we got to her, she seemed so weak, I can imagine how they must feel.

You know often I am asked "WHY international adoption when there are so many kids that need homes in the US?"  This is why.....in so many countries, there is just not the resources  or the care for special needs children.   The American foster care system is not perfect, but when something goes wrong, the people involved are punished and investigated.  Not so in so many other parts of the world. 

For us personally, we NEVER thought about really doing an adoption.  After Sam was born, we were MORE than overwhelmed.  BUT God allowed us to see Shad's picture and we knew he was our son.  Then we were done, three boys, didn't think again about adoption....THEN God allowed us to see Sarah's picture....we were in love with her......then God allowed us to see Selah's picture.....and she was our child too....   I can't explain it but these three were our children.....just like they were our biological, somehow the stork just put them in the wrong country......  so it's not like we set out to do this.....God showed us and opened the door for us and we CHOSE to walk through that open door instead of looking away!

I believe Sarah would not be alive today if we had not adopted her, she was weak, and had lost her will to live.  She was like a shadow of a tiny little bird.  It was beautiful how she opened up to us, even while in the mental institution.  Now she is so happy and such a tough girl. 

Thank you if you gave towards Yuri's adoption.  I don't know his parents plans but maybe after they have time to grieve, they may find room in their heart for another child.   I will let you know when I hear something.  You can follow their story on their FB page.

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Our friend who did the photo shot for us won a photography contest with this picture. 

 

this is what she wrote about it

Kandi Fields Bailey To me this picture sums up the whole story. Sarah couldn't even hold her head up when they got there. Her head was shaved bald, confined to a crib all day. Many people would see her as irreparable, undesirable, too much work. The Clantons saw her true worth and have loved her unconditionally and thoroughly since they first laid eyes on her. Before that even! This picture captures the contented smile of a little girl who has known what being forgotten feels like. She is leaning into her mommy, who loves her, holds her, cares deeply for her. Truly, truly a new chance at life. What a gift!

 

 

Her words made me cry:)  Sarah is such a gift to us, I love how she is hugging me tight in this picture and smiling as she always does (except when she knows someone is taking a picture LOL). 

 

 

 

Shad and Princess fell asleep on my bedroom floor after school one day.  I thought this was so cute.  Shad falls asleep like an old man.  He is so busy, that when he stops, he stops! 

 

 

 

And this was dinner tonight!

Taco lasagna, yellow rice and Mexican corn

strawberry angel food cake for dessert.

I have a happy family tonight!

 

 

 

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

todays' answer is .....FALSE!

 

So thankful for a few friends who post this almost daily!

Jerry, Lori, Paula & Betty

they remind ME!

 

we are at 11,555!  Can't believe so many people took the time to vote for us!  WOW!

 

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Yesterday I got the last bit of paperwork in for the Habitat for Humanity Home.  We should know if we are chosen by Tuesday!  You know that is ALL we are talking about in our home:)  The kids are dreaming, the nurses are dreaming....LOL  I am dreaming of my own bathroom......lots of dreaming going on:)  

 

Update on Selah, her high heart rates are gone.  In fact she is back down in the low heart rates now that she has that new medicine for spascity.   She has an MRI scheduled for this month at St Joe's, we are not giving her the seizure meds until we have some proof she is having seizures.  The doctor thought she was but the EEG really didn't show any real proof of them.  IF there has been any negative changes in her brain, then we will give her the meds but we are not anticipating that at all.  We also have not given her the new med that could "wake her up more" based on the changes she'd had and the high heart rates she'd had, again we are waiting for the MRI to decide what to do. 

 

She is on Mirelax now and really going to the bathroom on her own:)  That seems to help a lot too.  We are all so happy about her poop:)  Believe me that is quite the conversation of some of our nurses!!! LOL  They are all very happy with things!

 

 

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Please keep little Yuri's family in your prayers.  Thankfully we know where he is now and he is not in pain, in fact he may understand things a lot better than any of us do now.......

 

 

Habitat for Humanity

So we have some big news:)   I got a call yesterday from Habitat for Humanity.   At some point last year I had applied to them.  At the same time we had applied to another first homeowner's program and got turned down.  We got turned down because we have no credit.  Since I quit work, over a decade ago, we paid off all our debts and credit cards etc.....  we knew we would have to live debt free with a much smaller income.  So, we thought that was a GREAT thing....it is NOT in the world of credit!  So I assumed  that Habitat for Humanity would turn us down also....evidently they did not:)

So I had to bring in some more documentation today and meet with a sweet caseworker.  We discussed the size and logistics of our family.  Normally we would be looking at a 4 bedroom/2 bath home but since Selah needs a handicapped accessible bathroom-which would mean a shower, and Sam has to have a bathroom with a tub not a shower (he can't get water in his eye with the artificial cornea)  we are looking at a different floor plan.  The master bedroom has a small bathroom with a shower also so we have to have one with a bathtub for him.  Maybe a 5 bedroom/3 bath or even a 6bedroom/3 baths.  We certainly have the people to qualify for it! 

I got to meet the guys who work on the building plans and also the administrator for our county.  Everyone was so kind and took the time to talk with me. 

So now I have a couple of more documents to get in tomorrow morning and then everything goes to someone who looks at our income & outgo to see if we qualify.  they also do a background screen- no problem there!   Then the board meets next week and makes a decision!  So we should know something next week!  Please pray that we find favor!

There is a property specifically mentioned for us IF we qualify.  I went and saw it today....couldn't resist.  It is PERFECT for us!   The front yard is beautiful with big trees and so shady perfect for the play yard.  The backyard is sunny and perfect for my garden!  The whole property is ringed with older trees including some pine trees my favorite trees in the world:)  There is an old unfinished house on the site that will be torn down.  There is also a detached garage that they will remodel, it would be perfect for all our storage.  We have so much medical stuff that we have to have, but we don't always use.  It is down a dirt road....and then down another dirt road....  It's across the street from a little swamp LOL!   You know we live in the swamp!  I LOVE THE COUNTRY!  I was out there with one of my best friends and then with the family and neither time did another vehicle go down the road!  LOVE that! 

So the way it works is we (our family) puts in 200 hours of sweat equality and then we ask our friends/church/co-workers to also put in 200 hours of sweet equality.  That work is equal to our down payment.  Then we pay a monthly mortgage, for 30 years until it is paid off. 

We are excited and think this might just be God's provision for our family.  I'm trying really hard to keep my excitement in check until we know if we qualify.   More than anything I'd love for Selah to have her own room and adjoining bathroom.  I want her to be as comfortable as possible.  And you can believe our nurses are just thrilled!!!!!  They are as excited as we are:)    They love their Selah and want everything perfect for her. 

What an exciting day for us! 

The van contest is almost over, we are over 11,000
http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/
the answer today is TRUE!  Thanks for all the votes, we feel LOVED!!!!!!!!

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I have some very sad news to share with you all.....

 

Shelly and Brian Burman's sweet baby Benjamin died Sunday morning.  He was a two year old bundle of happiness.  I never saw a picture of him that he didn't have a big smile on his chubby face.  He has many special needs.  The picture above is him just a couple of weeks ago.  He couldn't sit unassisted and he was a tiny little guy for 2 years old but what an adorable chub!  He had an inoperable heart defect as well as other special needs.  The whole family had/has a wicked tummy bug and that might have aggravated the other issues.  He died in his sleep.  The family had adopted him domestically and he'd been with them since leaving the hospital at birth.  Please keep this family in prayer as they walk through this time.  I can imagine their pain, but I have not had to lose a child that I had loved for 2 years.....

Two Years ago....GOTCHA DAY!

Two years ago.....




This picture is so dear to me.....  Jon with Sarah and me holding Selah coming out of the mental institution.  We were the 4th family in the over 40 year history of the institution to adopt a child and the FIRST to adopt two.....

 

Walking towards the van.

 

 

 

 

 

In the van, leaving to go back and get the boys at the apartment. 

 

 

 

Jon holding Selah on the way to the train station in Donetsk

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah and me

she is 5 years old in this picture, so tiny

 

 

 

 

 

 

the director of the institution, Alexandra.   He drove us in his car all the way to the train station in Donetsk.  We have a love for him. 

 

 

 

Oh if I could only go back two years......   what a happy day for us!  I really do try and not focus on the past so much now but my heart just cries out for Selah looking at these pictures.  We had so many plans for our girls, the future was so bright......I just wish the accident had never happened.  We adore these two little girls.  They are so precious to us.  When Sarah makes new gains, ALWAYS I think "what would Selah be doing now if the accident hadn't happened?" 

 

She still is taken care of in a way that a child in a mental institution could only dream of, a personal caregiver 24 hours a day to attend to her every need and I'm so thankful we can give her such care, the best equipment, everything for her comfort.  But I know she would have advanced some if the accident had not happened and that hurts our hearts.   we do have a diagnosis on what her underlying condition is (the thing that caused her to be in the MI) and knowing what it is, we do know she would have never advanced much beyond where she was at prior to the accident.  But we could have seen some advancement. 

 

But one thing I do know is she or Sarah will never want for anything, they'll never be hungry again, they'll never have bug bites on them... or untreated sores, they'll never be left alone....and they will always have a family!

 

One thing that always comforts Selah is being home in her room and in her home.  I'm so glad we can give her that comfort!

 

AND it has been now over ONE year since she has been in the hospital!  That is so great for a child like Selah!  I believe having a full time nursing is what helps her to stay so healthy!  Now our goal is to go TWO years with no hospitalizations!!!!!!

 

Anyhow we are so blessed to have had these past two years with our girls!!  They have blessed our lives and we love them so much.   I love being a mom to two little girls, I really like buying them clothes:)  After 3 boys. it is so fun to buy pretty things for them!

 

 

 

Justin Fennell

This morning my friend Justin Fennell, a Christian speaker/comedian spoke at our church.  I have known Justin since we were students at Southeastern together.  From the first time I heard him-doing skits for Freshman week 30 years ago (gasp!) - I've enjoyed hearing him speak.  He always has used humor to point others towards Christ and living for Him.  But this Sunday was different, he preached a sermon, still filled with humor but it was really something.  Everyone was listening and involved in it.  As we say in the south, "that boy can preach!"  He talked about not leaving your dreams that God has given behind.  He shared the story of the children of Israel, when they sent the 12 spies into the Promised Land.  10 spies returned to say how big the inhabitations of the land were and how the spies were like "grasshoppers in their sight"  His points were  "don't over estimate the enemy"  "don't underestimate God" and " don't be stuck in the past"  

http://www.justcleanfun.com/   this is his website, I'd encourage you to schedule him for your church, youth camp. conference, business meeting.  His humor is clean and his preaching is great!

The Southern Fried Preacher by Justin Fennell - YouTube

Southern Comedy | Justin Fennell utube - YouTube

Comedy Comes Clean with Justin Fennell - Comedy Videos

Justin Fennell - Vertical Hair - Comedy Videos - GodTube

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Remember you can give to baby Yuri and his family to help him get home QUICK to get the medical care he needs!!!

https://www.facebook.com/SavingBabyYuri 

 

https://www.crowdrise.com/SavingBabyYuri/fundraiser/christiezink

 

 

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I keep forgetting to thank my friend from Winter Haven who sent us the dolls, I put up the nice ones but gave Sam the boy doll and he LOVES it!  Somehow he has managed to undress him every time I turn around.   It's so funny to see him dragging it around with him.  He's never really cared for dolls before,  I'll take a picture and post it.   The one dolly in the green dress looked like Selah to me:)  Thank you my friend and thanks for the sweet card also1

 

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Only a few days left on the van contest

(thank God!)

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

answer: Standard hand-held control, on-lift controls and remote controls assist with automatic lift operations.

 

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There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!
None else could heal all our soul’s diseases,
No, not one! No, not one!

 

Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!

 

No friend like Him is so high and holy,
No, not one! No, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly,
No, not one! No, not one!

 

There’s not an hour that He is not near us,
No, not one! No, not one!
No night so dark but His love can cheer us,
No, not one! No, not one!

 

Did ever saint find this Friend forsake him?
No, not one! No, not one!
Or sinner find that He would not take him?
No, not one! No, not one!

 

Was ever a gift like the Savior given?
No, not one! No, not one!
Will He refuse us a home in Heaven?
No, not one! No, not one!

Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!

 

 

We sang this OLD hymn today and the tears just streamed down my face.  What a comfort to have a Savior who is near to us.  All I could think as we sang this verse

 

There’s not an hour that He is not near us,
No, not one! No, not one!
No night so dark but His love can cheer us,
No, not one! No, not one!

was the moment I ran towards the accident site, somehow knowing my family was involved.    He was there with me, in a way I've never known before.  He didn't leave me, He didn't abandon me, He was still there.  What a blessing to serve a Savior like Jesus! 

I love the chorus too

Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!

 

I'm so glad He knows all about MY struggle, He knows all about your struggles too.  I believe He will guide till my day is done.  Thankful for that friend tonight!!!!

Rainy Night Fun

 

https://www.facebook.com/SavingBabyYuri 

 

https://www.crowdrise.com/SavingBabyYuri/fundraiser/christiezink

 

There are the links to baby Yuri

let's help his parents get him home!!!!!!

 

 

 

Some pictures of my garden at night

 

 

 

 

the Sunflowers are really growing

 

 

 

I have several solar lights throughout the garden.  I love looking at them at night.

 

 

So last night, the internet was out, the tv was working sporadically (with all the storms)

Shad played Circus Boy!

 

 

 

 

I can NEVER imagine doing this!

 

Or this!

 

 

How does he do this??

 

 

I can NOT believe anyone can move like this!

 

 

 

I told him to practice every day so he can stay this flexible.  I've never been that flexible !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sam and Steve sat and read......

 

Jon went and got us doughnuts last night.....YUM!  2 doughnuts were my supper along with a big glass of OJ:)   Pretty unhealthy for me!  Don't worry I made meatloaf (with ground chicken), mashed potatoes, mac& cheese and baked beans for the family.  I just wanted something sweet!  It rarely happens but when it does, I just go with it!  LOL

Hope you all have a great and safe weekend!  Don't quite know what we are doing today since it is raining and thundering.  My husband wants to go for a walk in the woods but....not sure about that!

SUNDAY we are having Justin Fennel, a Christian comedian/story teller at our church!  So if you are in the area come and visit us
Grace Church
7060 Berry Road
Zephyrhills, Fl
33540

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/
PUSH/ROCK is the answer....I got it wrong!

Meet Yuri

Well our grand total for Sonya's surgery was $1002, my good friends from New Zealand (NOT Australia -they used to live in Australia but moved home) tried to mail a check but it got returned and had been opened and tampered with so they'll give online.  I was waiting to close this out for that.  So our grand total giving through the church/blog was $1002!  Then I know of at least $200 that went directly to their site also:)  Thank you all for being a part of this.  You can still give on line at   http://www.gofundme.com/78kap0   and if anything else comes in through mail, I will make sure they get it:)   I was able to send it after several false starts!  Me and paypal have issues......  It came to 704 Euros:)   Thanks friends for being part of this!!!!  I just looked and they are close to their halfway mark!!!!!!!!  Pray that they will reach it and if you want to you can still give on line!!!!!!  Please feel free to:)  I'd love to see them hit the halfway mark soon!

For the month of May we will be fundraising for little Yuri  This is his FB page.  Saving Baby Yuri,  A Journey of Hope    https://www.facebook.com/SavingBabyYuri  You can go like it and keep up with things on there. 
His story is here....  https://www.crowdrise.com/SavingBabyYuri/fundraiser/christiezink
Again you can give directly  or it can be sent through the church.  I give the church as an option as I have a few people who do give monthly to whatever situation I'm raising money for.  So I know I'll always have something to send directly and some folks rather write checks than send on line.  This family is RUSHING to get this little guy home,  Yuri has Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic connective tissue disorder that causes skin to blister and slough off at the slightest touch, leaving painful wounds that must be covered and cared for to avoid infection and further damage to the skin.
I've read about this and it is a hard disease, many children die young from this.  Please pray that this sweet family can reach him in time and that he will have every opportunity to get better.  Their case is being fast tracked because of his great need! 


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We are experiencing quite the rain event.  Since this morning, my rain gauge says we've gotten 2 inches and we still have 24 hours to go of rain.   I LOVE rain- I hate that this system has caused so much havoc throughout the US but now it's just a lot of rain.  Sometimes I worry that there won't be rain in heaven, I love rainy days, love the smell of rain, love misty showers to heavy thunderstorms.  Florida has a lot of rain and where we live seems to get even more than the rest of the state and that is fine with me.  Every so often we get this nice misty rain, reminds me of the mist that comes off Niagara Falls.  I just love it, we had it the other day and to watch it, just refreshes my soul!

The boys are off to see the Amazing Spiderman 2!  It was filmed in Rochester NY while we were there in 2012.  They were so excited about going because they like Spiderman AND because it was filmed in Rochester!  Shad came in to tell me goodbye twice, the second time I told him to take my debit card and he told me "Mom I already got it the FIRST time I came in"  that little sneak:)  Got to love them!  Since Steve has started driving more, Shad sure has gotten a real social life going on:)


http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/fighting-resumes-in-slovyansk-ukrainian-pilot-killed-live-updates-345925.html  Our hearts are often on the situation in Ukraine.  Two years ago we were in all those places you hear of on the news...  Donetsk and the Donetsk region is where the girls were from and where we spent so many weeks.  Donetsk is the city Sarah was born and abandoned in....Selah was from the next town over....places we've been.  Even government buildings we went into, now are controlled by Russian forces.  (I believe Russian forces not just pro Russian Ukrainians)  It surreal to us to watch the news and recognize places....  We just pray for the people of Ukraine, the many dear friends we met there, believers.....we pray for the orphans, it is so hard to think of all that must be happening now.  Things were not easy there before war.....can't imagine how things are now!  Please pray for peace and freedom for the people of Ukraine!

Monday will be two years since the girls' "gotcha day" the day we took them out of the orphanage/mental institution  If we were there now, I doubt it would be happening!  Not only do you have the whole court and adoption proceedings but the day before you get the child out, you have to run around and get all the paperwork done for their new  We also had to pick up their passports etc...  Basically you go from office to office, town to town dealing with everything.  It would be impossible to do at this juncture in that area. 

The funny thing is we were told then that civil war was coming to Ukraine.   There is a big difference from Kiev to Donetsk....major differences that we could tell.  One BIG thing was the statues of Lenin, in Kiev, there was one....even in the small town of Torez, where the mental institution was, there were many statues of Lenin....from the town square to out in the woods....literally.....and since we were there on May Day, we saw many flower tributes to him places at his statues.   We love Ukraine, there was such a feeling of being "home" for us there, I can't explain it......

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/
answer today is STEERING CONTROLS
just a few more days left for voting!!!!!

Hope you all have a great weekend! 

Weeki Wachie kayaking

We had a blast today kayaking down the Weeki Wachie with some friends.  It's a clear spring that is long and runs into the Gulf of Mexico. The part we kayaked was 5.5 miles long and after about mile 3, I was pretty sure I was going to die on the river.....LOL  Already my arms can hardly go over chest area....can't wait to see how stiff I am in the morning!  When we got to the end, there is a place to pull in and the guys from the kayak place will help you (even if you didn't rent from them)  I had to ask them to PULL me out of the kayak, there was no way my body would cooperate at that point.  What can you do but laugh???  I'm just thankful I made it all the way!

We saw Manatees!   A big one went right beside and a bit under my kayak, and a mother and baby went over to the side.  I loved seeing them.  We also saw some big turtles, all kinds of birds, some fish.  It was beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can NOT believe I'm posting this picture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love living in Florida, I love the woods and animals.  I'm so glad to be able to be out in nature.  I have a new underwater camera.  This was the first time I've really used it.  The current was moving so fast, it was hard to get some pictures.  

 

We all have kayaks, or will have, I just ordered me one for my Mother's Day present.  It's a lot of fun, this is the longest I've kayaked ever and although it was hard, it was fun. 

 

 

We are also going to go to Weeki Wachie, the tourist attraction with the mermaids.  We keep season passes for the Florida State Parks and our goal is to go to all of them at least once. 

Thanks for all the kind words expressed in messages and comments to me regarding Sam's diagnosis.  We're going to start him on the medicine tomorrow. (didn't want to today with a friend staying with them for me)   Then I'm going to really research Autism in kids like Sam with other special needs.  Maybe this will help us find a key for him to be more expressive.