Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Camping

so we are out in the middle of nowhere....no phones, no internet, no stores.... LOL
Sunday we traveled up and then did go to the BIG town of Perry (my hometown) for supplies. 


Steve drove all the way.....




Actual potato chip....shaped like a pumpkin bought in Fanning's Springs...eaten on Us Hwy 98 north

 
Our cabin on the right, with the van & trailer packed with kayaks

 
 
This is what it looks like for the kids to have no tv, no electronics of any type, no computer or even a working phone.....this is real GAMING!
 
 
On a trip to Perry
My church I grew up in
Church of OD...
think they need to find a G soon!

 
Eating out at Deals Famous Seafood Restaurant  in Perry!
Where some of the best people  on earth eat:)

 
 
 

 
We are having a good time.  Last night we sat on the porch for hours singing, trying to remember verses of old songs and hymns.  good thing there were only frogs around to listen:)  There is a big wrap around porch with a swing and some rocking chairs.  Sam & Sarah loves it out there so we are spending a lot of time there! 
 
I have tons more pictures but didn't bring the camera to upload it now that we are in civilization again.   We have a few more days here before we go home. 
 
I had a chance to visit some special friends today, some ladies who are now up in years who were very supportive of me as I was growing up.  It was good to see them, I got teary eyed with each of them. 
 
Later tonight I get to visit with one of my close friends that I don't get to see very often. 
 
It's always good to go home:)
 
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Please pray for Ukraine, there is much going on not reported by the news organizations.  I've heard of an Assembly of God pastor who was killed last week by the Pro Russian forces.  We have some friends who have been threatened with execution.  Please pray for their safety!

 

 

Friday, June 20, 2014

STREP & Vacation plans

EEEEKKKKKKK!  

Sam has strep!  Jon has a really bad sinus infection....me?  I'm leaving home!!!!!

Jon has been sick since last weekend but wouldn't got to the doctor.  Sam started acting sick yesterday afternoon but no fever or anything too bad.  But this morning he was hacking and fussy.

I took both of them to Urgent Care.



 
Jon singing (croaking) to Sam to keep him quiet


This is the FIRST time ever we have taken Sam somewhere that didn't know him or that wasn't an ER.  When he was younger and would get sick, he'd get so very sick and there were so many issues going on.  This time I thought it would be so much easier to take him at the same time Jon went.  I was prepared to take him to our ped if I needed to but that's about 45 minutes away.  I was so proud that Sam is so much more normal medically that he could go to a regular clinic!!!  WOOHOO!  He has come a long way.


This is the same doctor who saw Shad last weekend (and who gave him a shot)  She also gave Sam a shot!  I LOVE doctors who give kids antibodic shots!   Nowadays doctors don't want to give shots, they all want to give the "pink medicine" that is weak and kids spit out of their mouths!  A shot takes care of things, easier for everyone and I think it ensures that the infection is killed. 

When I was kid, I went to a doctor who had an office at his house.  He would also make house calls.  Dr. Baker would give you a shot in the butt every time you were sick!  I hated it!!!   Dr Baker would also tell you all about everyone else in town.....No HIPPA laws back then LOL!

So many younger doctors don't want to give the shots anymore.  In my opinion, the shots are GREAT!  You hear all about drug resistant infections nowadays, it's probably because the kids don't take the full 10 days of antibodics and the illness never leaves their bodies.  A shot knocks it right out!

Today she gave the super shot, the one that last for 10 days.  We left the office and went to eat, by the time we'd finished eating, Sam was almost back to normal.  I was so thankful!  That shot is strong but it's good.

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We also had a short meeting with one of the builders of our new home.  A friend of mine has had a little training and a lot of fun, working on house plans.  She worked up several for us, just for fun.  I submitted all of them to Habitat for Humanity....and they actually are going to use one of them:)
There are a few changes to make here and there but basically the floor plan will stay the same:)  It's hard for me to look at the floor plans without getting too excited, LOL 

There are many things I like about the plans, the one of the best parts is that we will have a front porch and a back patio.  As you can tell by our pictures, we love to be outside.  Both areas will be screened so it will be easier to be outside with NO bugs!  Florida has many bugs, pretty much all year round, so it will be wonderful not to have to worry about getting bit up.  We have to watch the little ones closely as they don't know how to deal with bugs biting them.   I can't wait to be able to sit outside with no worries.  Both porches will be big enough for the kids to play on.  It's going to be great!

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We are leaving for the River this weekend after church and I'm proud to say I am packed!  (No I'm not worried about anyone breaking in...we have an alarm system, a big dog, 3 great neighbors who LOVE to shot guns  and people staying here with Selah & the nurses -of which some carry......  we are good and protected)    Anyhow I feel almost back to normal.  I am normally one of those people who pack days ahead of time.  Since the accident, I've had such a hard time doing things in the same way I used to do.  It's like I could not concentrate.   This is the first time, I've felt like I could organize things correctly.  It feels good to feel a bit more normal, than I have in a long time.

So we are going with some dear friends who we have vacationed together with before, to stay at the Suwannee River.  We are bringing my niece also.  We've rented cabins that are just gorgeous.  Two bedroom, full kitchen, living room and wrap around porch with swings.  It's similar to the one we stay in last November but this one is up off the ground, so high that it has an elevator.  The area we are going to floods often so it has to be high up to keep from being flooded.  It's located on a clear spring that goes into the Suwannee. 

We (Jon, Steve, Shad and I) have kayaks.  Our friends do too PLUS a motor boat.  We love to be out on the river.  There are enough of us, that we take turns with the little ones.  We don't take them out.    The guys had gotten kayaks last year.  I knew I didn't like canoes but until I tried the kayaks, I had no idea of the difference.  Kayaks are so much easier than canoes and don't tip over that easy.  However we all will be wearing life vests since we will be on a deep river.  Plus in Florida anyone under 16 years old has to have on one if they are on a boat of any kind. 

We'll be near my hometown, so I'm hoping to be able to get with some of my friends.  Growing up in a small town, a Southern small town, is so much more of a treasure than I knew at the time.  It doesn't' take much for me to feel nostalgic for home.  Just driving through town, it brings back so many memories to me.  Now with the boys older, I want to show them some places that mean something to me.  I hope I can drag them away from the river long enough to get them over there!

We love being out in nature, there is just something that fills my heart when I'm out in the woods, or on the river.  It calls to me and refreshes me.  We lived in NYC & at the time, I loved the city.  But now, I can't hardly stand to be in Tampa, I feel stressed until I hit the outskirts and take one of the country roads to our house, then I feel like I can exhale. 

Recently we had two guys stop by who are regular "woods walkers".  They are older and like to park at our church and go into the woods from here.  They had some aerial pictures of our area that showed just how much forest (hundreds of acres - almost all of it protected land) surround us.  It's wonderful to be able to live out in the country like this.   Where we are moving is the same, a few houses, and then the woods. 

Jon and I go walking in the woods and we go out so far, that there is no noise but the sound of birds or wind in the trees.  Sometimes when we have been walking for miles, I'm thrilled when I can hear an automobile sound, I know I'm going to be done soon LOL!   But when you are out so far that there is no other noises, it is refreshing.  If I were braver, I'd go by myself and walk out there every day instead of where I walk, but I'm just not that brave.  Jon has seen a Florida panther and regularly sees bobcats and coyotes.  Of course, snakes too, all kinds of creatures.  But those creatures don't worry me as much as some 2 legged creatures.  


Glad I got the guys to the doctor, they should be fine by then.  And we are hopeful that no one else will get sick!


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the above picture was taken yesterday as my van's hitch was being worked on.  U Haul gave me a truck to use while they tried to fix some issues so we can use our trailer to haul our kayaks in this weekend.  It was fun driving the truck!

Hope you all have a great weekend!


Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Project TLC and the Kunkle Family

http://project-tlc.blogspot.com/2014/06/ts-for-orphans.html


Project TLC works with children in Ukraine and assists adopting families in that area.



The Kunkle Family
 
 
 
The Kunkle family is heading to Ukraine very, very soon for their adoption appointment. Originally, Dale and Buffey committed to adopt a pretty little girl with dark hair and eyes. The girl was mysteriously transferred to a different region and adopted by another family soon after. In the midst of their heartbreak, they decided to put their full faith in God to choose a child for them and will be traveling to accept a blind referral. Since they no longer have a face or photos to share, fundraising has been difficult. With only two weeks left to raise the remaining funds, this family URGENTLY needs our prayers and financial gifts!!
You can go on the site above and buy some really neat tshirts!  The proceeds go to this family and a few more that they've shared about on there!
 
To order, please fill out our online form. If you have any difficulty, please email us at ProjectTLC@cox.net.

Wanna win a $50 iTunes gift card?

Please, we ask you to share about these families and their URGENT need on your blog, on Facebook, on Twitter and wherever else you have a voice.

1. Share this post on FB provide the link to your post in the comment section below on their page

2. Blog about and link to this fundraiser...provide your blog post link in the comments section below.

For each FB share and blog link confirmed below we will enter your name in the drawing to take place on June 30. Thank you, friends!

Papa Johns Pizza!

 
 
Hey if you live in our area
our Fine Arts Percussion group is doing a fund raiser today
 
If you order from any of these participating Papa John's Pizza Stores listed below
AND give the code
Grace2014 (***case sensitive***)
 
20% will be donated to their trip to Fine Arts in Ohio this summer
 
These five boys learned how to play in just FIVE months!
Then they went to win FIRST place in our state competition!!!!!!
 
Much thanks to their coach Rodney Probasco!!!
The boys worked very hard also!
So if you love pizza and live in our area, please support these guys!
 
(Fine Arts is competition for Teens sponsored by the Assembly of God) 
 
 

 
 

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Surgery.....

Yesterday Selah had an appointment with orthopedics.  We've thought  she  had something going on with her left leg/hip.  So we found out Selah will have to have surgery on her hip:( She never stood much and had only started walking 4 months before we got her (she was 7 yrs old)   Her cartilage & femur did not develop correctly and now with the tendons being tight due to spasticity, it's pulling her leg bone out of the hip socket. Poor baby. The doctor feels she is not in constant pain, probably only when we've seen her make faces during therapy. It will get worse without surgery.   We are planning on the surgery the first available which is early July. 
 
Before the accident, Selah walked a little but would make grumpy noises when she had to go more than a few feet.  She much rather be carried or in a stroller.  Evidently all the years of not weight bearing on her legs prior to immediately before we adopted her damaged her hip sockets. 
 
I feel really sad that she is going to have to have anything else done to her.  We are so careful with her, making sure she gets plenty of PT and time in her stander to guard against additional problems but the doctor felt this would have happened anyhow.  Please keep her in your prayers! 
 
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LITTLE FLOWER PROJECT! 
 
I'm so excited about getting involved with this great project to help medically needy Chinese orphans.  I asked for their mailing address if you'd like to send a check directly to their work...
 
 
Little Flower Projects 
P.O. Box 1235 
Kearney, NE 68848
 
 

Monday, June 16, 2014

Little Flower Project!

I've been reading about the Little Flowers Project on facebook for some time now and have been so impressed with the work they do with orphaned special needs children in China. 

On this  web page  (    http://www.littleflowerprojects.org/aboutus.html  )  the ministry is described like this....
"

 
The work of Little Flower Projects was begun by Brent and Serena Johnson in 1995 when they became aware of the great need for specialized care programs for the abandoned children living in China.  In 1998 they began the process of setting up as a registered non-profit in the USA and received 501(c)(3) status in 2000.  Brent and Serena have always donated their time, energy, expertise and resources to the organization and accept no salary or financial compensation for their work.  
Brent and Serena met in China as exchange students in the central province of Shanxi in 1990.  After they were married in the USA, they returned to China and started helping babies, one at a time.  They began with no thoughts of doing this work on a large scale, systematic basis but by 1998 they realized how effective these specialized services  were and had secured funding to open a small 12 bed home for disabled orphans.  From 2004 to 2009 they worked with China Care Foundation to help set up and run a unique set of programs serving disabled orphans in China.  In 2009 they again threw their time and energy into  expanding the work of Little Flower.  In 2011 Brent was invited to join the board of directors of the Beijing Chunmiao Foundation, a registered Beijing-based charity.  In 2012 the Little Flower orphan care projects were fully lodged with Chunmiao but continue to be managed by Brent and Serena and operated by the fantastic Little Flower staff.  "

What is interesting to me is they worked with China Care Foundation.....CCF is one of the foundations that gave us a grant to adopt Shad!!!!   It's a small world!

 Here is their FB page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Flower-Projects/230680524654

Here is their blog
http://chunmiaolittleflower.org/blog/

AND here is their GoFundMe page
http://www.gofundme.com/aahhy4

As you can see on the GoFundMe page, I gave a donation from the blog/church.  That represents the money raised for little Yuri last month.  If you remember he died before his family could get to him to adopt him. 

I plan on raising money for Little Flower project until this goal of $180,000 is met.  One of their staff, who realizes how hard it can be to reach their monthly budget set this up.  Her goal is to raise the amount needed for one month this way.  I'm sure they are funded in different ways BUT this is a way we can all be a part of giving to this very worthwhile ministry!!!!

So you will be hearing a lot from me about this.......

You can give directly or you can give through our church (for the non computer givers)
Grace Church
7060 Berry Road
Zephyrhills Fl 33540
Attn: Orphan/Adoption fund

If you give directly, will you let me know just so I can keep a tally on how much we give????  Thanks!

I'm so excited about promoting this ministry.

To be honest, it is easy to become jaded with various adoption/orphan ministries.  I LOVE to give and I believe in giving open handed.  But I've seen so much fighting between ministries and organizations.....I am rather sick of it all.  There are ethical questions that are very hard for me personally.....

I LOVE that with giving to Little Flower's project the money goes to the care of the orphan....to give that child the best chance in life whether the child is adopted through various agencies or even if the child is never adopted.....

So now sharing this with you all, you have a chance to help a child.....

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Hope you all had a great weekend!

We had a good church service even tho my husband has almost lost his voice:)  LOL  I told him he sounded like the old time Pentcostals who shouted so much that they lost their voices and sounded hoarse.  Jon had a little something for a couple of days, felt really rotten on Saturday but I think he is on the mend now! 

We went out for a leisurely lunch with two other couples, it was just a nice Father's Day
BTW, we gave Jon a canvas picture of the family and two mounted ones, one with my and Jon and one with him and Sam.  He didn't have any newer pictures of the family in his office so he is happy now!

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So I started this week out with a big breakfast for the kids, did I ever tell you how much they love to eat?  Between the four of them, they ate a dozen eggs this morning!  And yes Sarah loves eggs blended with sausage in her Magic Bullet....LOL! 

I love Mondays ( I know I'm a weirdo) so I've started the week out right, already got my blog done for the day.....

We are taking Selah to the orthopedic for an exam and xrays this afternoon.  She seems to have some issues with her hips and we are concerned that her hip joint goes in and out.  Please pray that we find out for sure what is going on with her.  We can not stand to see her in any pain but are so thankful she can express it when she is in pain! 

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Father's Day


The rains continue here in Florida.  Just today we've had three sudden huge downpours, then it clears up....it's similar to when a hurricane is coming and the rain bands start.  I love rain & thunderstorms but our internet connection has been spotty to say the least!

My thoughts today are on Father's Day.

I grew up without a father.  I have ONE memory of my father.  I was about 3 years old and my great aunt (who I was living with) took me over to my mother's house.  She was sick or something and my aunt was taking her and the kids some food.  My father walked in, I didn't know him well enough to even respond to him but my older sister ran towards him.  He pushed her away and yelled something at my mother and left.  Looking back, I assume he was drunk.  Nice memory huh?

When I was in college, I got a silly idea to write him, so I did and enclosed some pictures.  Never heard from him.

One day after Steve was born, I got a phone call from a woman, she identified herself as my half sister and laughed.  It was odd, she told me she was calling to say "our" father died.  She wanted to know if I wanted to be included in his estate.  Of course, I was in shock but quickly answered NO, there was nothing he had that I wanted or needed! 

The only father figures I had was first my great aunt's husband, Poppy, Matthew Phillips.  They were in their late 60's when they took me to raise.  He already had lung cancer and died when I was only three years old.  I can remember him letting me sit on his lap and drive the car in the big field.  I also remember waving to him from the parking lot of the hospital.  He was in his room looking down.   That was just days before he died.

Then a couple of years later, my great aunt's brother moved in with us.  Uncle Mack Hines was wonderful to me.  I loved the years he lived with us.  He was a smoker but was afraid to ever light up inside!  He drove a brown Ford truck that he let me climb all over and play on.  Never do I remember him saying a harsh word to me.  When I was 12, he also died of lung cancer.  Just broke my heart.

So when I married Jon, I appreciated that he had a strong father.  His dad was a great influence on his life and how he views the world.

Jon is a wonderful dad.  From the day Steve was born, Jon embraced his role as a dad.  He was totally involved.   Then when Sam came along, he continued to embrace being a dad.  Maybe because of Sam's  difficulties, he embraced his role of a father, now with a special needs son even more so.   No one but God knows the things we went through with Sam from birth to about 5 years of age.  The times we almost lost him, the weeks and months spent in hospitals, the crazy trips to Miami to try and save his sight and then to New York.......   And during all this craziness, Jon embraced becoming a dad to a little boy from China.  You guys only see how things have worked out.  But when we adopted Shad we EXPECTED a completely blind child, with severe mental retardation.  We didn't know Shad's only issue was blindness in one eye.  BUT Jon embraced becoming his daddy, even when we thought things might be more challenging. 

Then we've had all the years of the five of us being together.....till I saw a little blind girl's sweet face....  Within days I knew I wanted us to adopt her but really didn't know WHAT my husband would say.  So I met him outside one afternoon when he came home from the prison and told him I thought we should adopt her.  He told me he'd already prayed about it with some of the inmates at the chapel and he was ready to do it too!  He embraced Sarah in his heart just like I did!

Then when we had the chance to adopt Selah and was given her info right before we left to go to Ukraine....  it was ME with doubts....he had no doubts, he said 'let's do it"  He embraced Selah even quicker than I did!  And his acceptance of her, helped me to accept her too.

Getting to meet the girls together, in a stinky orphanage room, we both had tears running down our faces.....what a moment.....

Then that summer, we became a family of seven, every moment is so precious to me.  The pictures are bittersweet.....we were so happy, no doubts that we'd done the right thing.....

Our first family trip to NY together....smooth....

Then the accident happened..... life stopped.....dreams changed.....

I was actually afraid my husband might hurt himself the first few days following the accident.  He was devastated and I knew it not so much by what was said, as by what was not said.....  Then I thought he would leave the ministry, he was broken hearted by the accident.   Again it was not so much what he said.......    It was an awful time....

But he was still Selah's daddy, he sat by her side, learned everything that needed to be done for her.  He actually learned how to do all the things like changing the trach and gtube long before I could bring myself to do it.  He was with her every day at the hospital.  He embraced being her dad.  It was not the plan we had for her at all and the accident will always forever darken our lives....  BUT I love that Jon put all his energy into helping her instead of feeling sorry for himself of letting guilt over ride his life. 

So now as we live out our lives, I'm so thankful for the man I married and how he has loved our children and put them first above career, calling or anything else.   There are many things I respect about him but how he has been as a dad, is just remarkable.   I may have not had an example of a good dad in my life but my children certainly have had that example. 

Hope you all have a great weekend......