Friday, August 27, 2010

My son...

My son is a sweet, funny and determined little boy! He is six years old and has Cerebral Palsy. That diagnosis does not define who he is though! The desire for him to have a family is strong as he has asked many times for a family. We have seen him both times we picked up Kristina and Jovan. He played, ran across the playground, rode the ride on toys. He is funny and so sweet. His face shines so bright! And has a sweet laugh. He is someone that I would be honored and blessed to call my son!

We are trying very hard to raise money to bring him home quickly. He has waited a long time for a mommy and daddy. I hope one day that he will understand about God's timing and how perfect it really is.

For us it is to save every little bit of money we can...even our children have offered their piggy banks to go get our newest family member. They know he has to go on an airplane before he comes home. The toy department now has become a place where we do not go, as this mommy has explained the difference between wanting and needing. (A lesson we all are learning!) Don't get upset, my kids have PLENTY of toys! They lack for nothing! :) Even school clothes are done for the
boys..not a penny spent. Kristina needs shirts...nothing big. Everything else is done. I am pretty excited about that!

We have a couple of fundraisers going on. My friend sells Arbonne. It is an awesome cosmetic and makeup company. Natural ingredients and just wonderful. I use MANY of the products. Skin care line is so great, I could tell a difference in ONE day!! The make up just feels like your normal skin but in color! :) She is donating between 40-50% of HER profits to us. The products last a long time..it really averages out to be about the same as what you would pay at lets say Target or Walmart. Check out the website.. www.arbonne.com If you are interested leave a comment with your contact info and I will get you in touch with my friend.

There is a company that sells the cutest little cards that can be used for any occasion. I have used several...just slip a card anywhere. In your child's lunch box, in a briefcase, on a keyboard. I personally have used them to stick one in my husband's shoe and also his shaving kit. He was so surprised, and it really made his day. Kristina has a couple as well. I had one that Jovan gave my husband. I have a few that the kids can use...this one was for a dad. Jovan can't read, but he knows the word dad. He came in to the living room and handed my hubby the card. Brought me to tears, and hubby was taken aback and loved it! The great thing about these cards is that you can give it anonymously to anyone! There is even cards with Bible verses on them. Check out

Won't you please take a look and remember they are awesome products, so not only do you get something...you also help bring a little boy home to his family! We have a button on the side that you can donate directly and get a receipt for you donation. As little as two dollars would be great. Two dollars is a one way taxi ride... Every little bit adds up. My children are excited to bring home their brother. They know we are all working hard to bring him home.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Life..


The above picture is four generations of women/girls in my family. Some in the picture have a good life and some not so good. We are a combination of Ukrainian, Serbian, German. I have a mixture of all of them. Now I am going to tell you a story about a little girl.

This little girl was born in 1919. In a small town in Ukraine a couple hours away from the capital. She had parents, siblings, and a grandmother she lived with and she was loved very much. They were somewhat poor and her mother often just drank the broth after boiling perogies. Her mother made sure that her children never went hungry. They all worked hard. Her grandmother was a mean woman and sometimes tied this little girl to a table leg. This little girl grew up and was happy and then...

The time came when WWII started the girl's brother joined the war. The family continued to work hard in the fields and doing farming work. Well one day this girl and her sister were in the fields working and soldiers from another country came and took the girl away and left her sister. Her sister had a chance to hide...

I will not write about the time she spent during WWII...just imagine. She had seen many many things during that time including concentration camps. After the war was over she made it to a safe country and a place to work a little bit before she decided where she would go from there. Well she met a man and they decided to come to America. They were married and had a little girl. When they traveled, the daughter of the little girl was four years old.

After they finally moved to America, she got a job the same week they came. She did not speak English but she worked hard with her husband and they bought a house in a neighborhood with other people from her country.

Time went on with this family..not so good..the husband of this now woman was very abusive and I will leave it at that. Life was very hard for this woman and her daughter. It continued for a long time. The woman kept working hard and living her not so good life.

Many years passed and this woman's daughter grew up and married. She ended up with four children. Her daughter raised these children to love and respect their grandmother. Now this woman's grandchildren loved her! They watched her work hard and also see the hard life she had to live with.

The woman finally was able to have a better life when her husband passed away. He suffered very much because of lung cancer and a brain tumor. But before he died the best part is that he accepted and trusted Jesus before he died! So the woman was happy and grew older by herself. She was able to retire and spend time with her grand kids. Her grandson moved in with her for quite some time to be there for her. Time went on and the grandson got married and moved away. The rest of the grand kids helped her out as well.

One winter a granddaughter and her husband started spending part of their week living with her and taking care of her. It was very hard on the granddaughter and her husband to go back and forth. Then it was decided that the grandmother would move in with her granddaughter and husband. Big change, and it was a difficult change for the grandmother.

Fast forward almost seven years and the granddaughter is still taking care of her grandmother. The woman daughter works full time and is gone during the day. So the granddaughter takes care of her.

The granddaughter was blessed with children. A daughter that the great grandmother just adored! So on the life went. The woman got older and older and her body and heart gave her trouble..and just seemed to fade away a little.

Now this woman is very old...ninety one and a half. She has pain everyday and has a hard time walking and also a hard time talking as it is getting harder for her brain to translate from Ukrainian to English. She is now losing her short term memory.. It is very sad to see.

During this time of fading and even continuing to the present this woman has wanted to go to heaven. She cries and begs God to take her to heaven, and doesn't understand why he doesn't. Now it is an everyday occurrence with many tears and sobbing. And suffering with her health.
It is a hard life for this woman...she loves the Lord and still praises him, but oh she is so ready to go to heaven!

Now, if you haven't figures it out yet...I am writing about my grandmother. A strong woman who I admire and love very much! So much so that my husband now says I act just like her! I take that as a compliment! :) It is very hard on me to see my grandmother in this state. When she shes Kristina she lights up like a light bulb! Kristina is her princess, and Kristina returns her love which is so wonderful to see.

I pray for God's timing for my grandmother..it will be VERY hard to have her go to heaven. My children and I have talked about it many times. Kristina has been to a funeral..so she somewhat gets it. Sorrow and joy on the very day that my grandmother gets to sit at the feet of Jesus. For some reason today it is hard to see her sad. Maybe because it is gloomy outside? Sometimes it is hard to understand God's timing..for many things. A birth, a death, and even an adoption! :)

I hope my grandmother lives a little while longer so that she can know our newest son coming home. Not to just see him, but to know him. Sounds selfish I know...but that is something I have wanted my whole life...my grandmother to know my children! God has granted that! Thank you God!!

Those are my thoughts today...now I must go back to my fall cleaning/getting ready for school to start/and preparing for an addition to the family! :) Busy Busy


OK...

I have tried to post two other times..wonder if this is going to work? I will try to repost the others later.

We are just enjoying life here...this mama is spending time with her kids as the will be in school all day EVERY day. (insert lots of tears!!!!) Someone asked me what I would be doing. Well I will try to speed up fundraising... People have been donating... that's another post in itself! And painting!! I am tired of white walls!! I have had the paint since before Jovan came home, hope it is okay! And I can decorate for fall and sort through my Christmas. I have gifts for the kids already..this mommy used to shop for things all the time..when they were price reduced. Haven't done that as we are not spending money for anything to save money. :)

Maybe I will be able to go to a woman's Bible study? That would be awesome!! I would LOVE that!! Or, just find one I can do by myself.

Planning and writing notes for when we travel as we have two kids at home. We already have everything ready for #2 son coming home. Even his coming to America outfit! :) Now don't forget..all of these are technically hand me ups as I thought these things would fit Jovan. So then they get to be hand me downs! So much use for some clothes that have yet to see a body. :)

Just realized that I am rambling..so goes our life! :) Gotta go, many things to do and kids to love!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Rocks...

My daughter rocks! She is the best daughter in the whole wide world!!! Kind, thoughtful, sweet, funny, beautiful, and HELPFUL!!

Today she has cleaned the bathroom (except the toilet), unloaded the dishwasher, and now is hand washing pots and pans!! So helpful...she has done ALL of this without me asking her to. And she did it all before working on her craft project! Do you all know she is only seven years old?

Now I know she may refuse to do all of this in a few years...but mommy runs a tight ship. We all work together to run the house..we do our share.

God gave me quite a gift when he blessed me with her!

(Right now my son is vacuuming the living room) :)

Thank you God!!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

NO WAY!!!...

How can it be so long since I last posted? Where has all the time gone? Oh my! Okay, there is NO way that I am going to catch you all up on the going ons...you know that right? :) I can't even remember.. Trying... Kids finished summer school, played in pool, had a neighbor girl come over and play, went on a road trip with grandma and grandpa. Mommy does school work with them...they love it! Kristina is reading words... Yay!!

I have been praying, re-arranging, decorating, and now is ready to sell things to add to our funds for our adoption. I am so excited. Working with our missions at church to bring awareness to orphans, and will be doing a dinner/lunch to raise funds. Then hopefully this month we will sell everything that we want to, and then some! :) So maybe raising many $$$ for our son!

Learning and trusting God for everything...boy that is HUGE!!! Tears have come with a vengeance! But God knows me...and as others have said...emotional! :) God is good to me, always blessing me when I need it!

Just last week I got sick with some bug that is going around. My sister had it...it landed me in the Emergency Room via ambulance. UGH!!! After about five hours in the hospital..many iv's, drugs, and a CT scan..I went home. My mom came over about 11:30pm to be with the kids...and Dan was with me. I am so thankful for my family!! The kids never even knew...good thing as they watched me many times throw up! ICK!! But what is a mommy to do, trying to care for her kids while she was sick? I made it almost all day by myself..pretty proud of that! :)

Trying to think...oh, we get to visit with my best friend next week!!! She is coming from out of state! Can't wait!! :) She and I have been friends for twenty-five years this year!! :) Met the first day of college!! I went with her and another new friend to (guess where? my favorite store!) Target! She and I did NOT hit it off at all...now look, twenty-five years later and I love her to death!!! :)

I will try to keep up...and of course with adoption news as I get it...maybe I will post a new picture of our son to be...hum, guess you have to stay tuned! :)