Call Me Crazy, but...

I miss Ukraine. Yeah, I know, it's nuts. It's not like I want to repeat those nine weeks of emotional torture over there, but in my little fantasy, I'd visit for a few days. Minus the flight, of course.

What do I miss about Ukraine?

I miss:
Sasha. I really miss Sasha.
Anya and Den.
Victor.
A lot of the kids at Uglegorsk.
Ben and Angela.
A particular brand of yogurt. Don't ask me the brand--it was Ukrainian.
Walking everywhere.
Really good borscht.
Cherry varenike with sour cream.
Dill jokes.
All of the beautiful treasures in Kiev and Lviv.

Most importantly, though, I miss the forced reliance on God. There isn't much else to hang on to over there.  My faith really grew during those nine weeks in Ukraine, and I already feel like I'm losing a little ground.  Our lives in America are so comfortable, it's easy to encase ourselves in a bubble, tune everything else out, and take our luxuries and comforts for granted.   In Ukraine, food is a luxury. Clean water is a luxury. Basic safety is a luxury. Comforts are few. Life is hard.  And yes, I miss it. 

Summer Hosting 2013

Exciting news!  This has been in the works for a long time, but it’s now official enough that we can share publicly.  We are planning to host Sasha, Isaac and Elijah’s biological brother, for a month this summer. 

What does it mean to host an orphan, you ask?  Ukrainian Resource Center (URC), the organization that helped facilitate our adoption of Isaac and Elijah, also has a hosting program.  The hosting program provides orphans with an opportunity to see America and to experience love and life in a real family, even if for a short time.  Hosting a child is often a life-changing event, not only for the child, but for everyone involved.

URC facilitates hostings from multiple orphanages in Ukraine, including Uglegorsk, Elijah and Isaac’s former residence.  Having gotten to know many of these kids during our time in Ukraine last year, I am very excited that they have this opportunity to see what the world is like outside their small, isolated building.  There are also a few teens from Sasha’s orphanage who are eligible for hosting.  Curt and I have a special interest in getting these children from Sasha's orphanage hosted; I can explain in more detail offline.  

If you feel God's call to act in favor of these children, I urge you to consider opening your heart and home to an orphan this summer.  You can visit the URC website for more information, and I will be happy to answer any questions I can.  

http://ukrainianresourcecenter.org/summer-hosting-2013/

It is not essential to register with the website; email me and I can give you a username/password.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We are busy getting ready for Valentine's Day around here.  The construction paper, scissors, and heart stickers are flying all over the place.  What a wonderful holiday for kids like Elijah and Isaac.

Things continue to go well.  We are finally getting caught up on doctor and dentist visits, school is still fun, both boys are making progress in swim lessons, and the weather has been pretty nice so we've been able to play outside.

Just another February day in Oklahoma

Practicing guitar with Papa

Making homework more fun