Animal Crackers for Two

With everything happening I did not know what day it was. Whether it was Saturday or Sunday.  Sitting calculating funds and mark off the day till Wednesday. The day we find out about our children's passports. Our Gotcha Day was rushed.  What was suppose to start with paperwork on a Monday went to Wednesday which caused us delays getting home. The system here is totally a mess. They deliver passports only one day a week to Donetsk.  Then they will be forwarded to Kiev.  Even expedited they are delayed.  A country of unexpected issues or problems.  Children lay dying when families are available.  Funds stand in the way even when a family saves for 5 years still they are short.  Without the love and support of others. Being short of funds not just my biggest worries.  Children at home needing their mom.  A young boy who had been through so much anger and abuse.  Eleven years to work on.  Erasing the nightmares of prior medica...

As we prepared to leave this Friday only to find out children's passports not ready.  This means extra funds we have to spend.  And having to stay longer means extra time off for Gary to care for kids. Grayson has many emotional scars from his pass.  Alot of anxiety and anger built up inside him.  Quickly his mood changes.   He has issues slamming and breaking things.  One reasons why I do not post as I wish. Through out his body major scars if abuse.  Many times he jerks and flinches when touched.  He is presently on meds to help control his anger and emotions. Bringing him outside he tends to run off but thank God he turns back around.  A very rough last 2 weeks with him.  Presently we had to repair two glass panels on a door.  He picks up glass and them hides it for protection.  He fears hospital and the day he had his exam it was a major melt down.  Dealing with his anger has not been easy.  Once home we ...

2 weeks waiting  She's a very happy girl.

Reality... I just found the time to write about our Gotcha Day.  The morning was filled with many tears and hugs from orphanage caregivers.  The Dr who cared for our two children I wished we could have adopted and brought home.  A tiny petite lady whom I dearly grew to love.  She taught both children love and kindness.  Daily she provided their meds, medical care etc.  Instructed Grayson how to take his meds and become a young man. Once out of the orphanage the walk to our van not once did they turn back. Slowly waving to the Dr we drove away.  The trip started about 8:30 am and we drove to passport office.  A 4 hour drive over bump roads.  Then we filed documents and headed to Kiev.  Then another 12 hours. Stopping a few times for restroom, meds and food. We finally arrived in Kiev.  It was rainy, apartment we had arranged we could not find.  Plan 2 head to another apartment till Saturday then move once more.  So fa...

After arriving in Kiev we went right to bed.  Between moving quickly from one plane to another then a 30 minute ride to our hotel. With the time difference we had to rest once arriving.  Being up over 26 hours we were exhausted. Prior to leaving the US I had to visit my doctor.  Not any good news to share.  Only some complications had arrised.  Staying with Jake a week at the hospital and him checking out the day prior I had to have another check up myself.  Unfortunately my cancer has spread.  Problems now with blood pressure, thyroid disease and diabetes. Being placed on news meds prior to travel is not working out to well. It was awful arriving in Kiev sitting in a wheel chair.  Niko met us and drove us to get Greyson's birth records.  It was a 4 hour drive there n back   We waited 3 hours to have it printed. Greyson's birth Certificate So much left to do. Tomorrow we head to Mauripol.

We are now in our children's city close to the sea.  A 8 hour express train ride and another 5 hours by car.  Today the kids decided to swim between the many hours of chasing paperwork. Me I slept and soak in a little sun. Patrick and Christian

Being blessed as a mother both by birth and adoption this has been the most rewarding time of my life. I've experienced infertility, miscarriages, still borns the death of a toddler this has been the hardest part if being a momma. I knew when I was very young I was going be a momma of many children.  Daily I dreamed of my children and caring for them.  If only it were like my dream of being a mother this easy.  Nothing good goes without struggling and plenty of prayers. This pass two years our lives were planning to adopt a young boy named Clyde.  I admired his photo daily.  Even dreamed about this child and our family shared his picture.  Behind this photo a child I never met but also grew to love.   Like many other families adopting we think about the children we visioned in our families. I learned his photo with a tear in his eye open our hearts up.  As time went on into our adoption months turned into over a year.  We waited fo...

This is not how I planned our last days before we leave to get the kids

Even when sick Jake is always happy. Leaving him last night was hard.  It took me three times of bye kisses before I lefted.  Trying to finish up things at home Gary stayed with Jake. Last night it was hard sleeping without him at home.  I kept waking thinking I heard him calling my name.  One if Jake's favorite words momma and dada. When I arrived at the hospital Jake was heading for his scope.  Once in recovery only to find out. He will be there another couple of nights.  Tonight we found out his GI Dr stated once again he is not be absorting calories and Jake is basically starving inside.  Jake has been on a feeding pump for years and enzymes have been changed repeatedly.   Some days Jake refuses to eat so he survives iff jis feeding tube feeds. I love my son ❤.  These pass 6 years it has been filled with giggles and smiles.  But also meds, therapy, chest compressions and endless Dr visits   I hate Cystic Fibrosis....

Leaving in a matter of days. I've haven't posted because I 've been ill.  My son Jake today admitted into LSU Oshcer's Hospital. This afternoon after running from my own Dr carrying Jake to be scoped. Praying that his is not cancer also. Jake has been battling Chronns disease and C.F..  He has been dealing with blockages and stomach pain.  Weight gain is slowly increasing. But he started throwing up again.  Praying his upper and lower tract is being freed from these painful uclers.   Tomorrow this scope will give us some answers.  My health also not as I wished.  So much to worry about. We are down to just days.   And praying Jake is out before I leave to travel.  He will be with his Daddy and loving siblings as we traveled.  Older siblings taking shifts to help Dad keep the boat/crew at home okay. Normally I focus on fundrausing but this week it was impossible.  Very soon it will be going on two years of paperwork, t...

The time is Getting closer.  Our matching grant us getting closer. Only $327 is needed to help us with the funds we need incountry. Once our FSP on Reeces Rainbow is reached we will receive and additional $900.00. :0) Praying that I wake on Mother's Day and we are there. So many fees this trip and the biggest expense is return airline tickets.....Please our family needs this boost in funds....

Presently we have a 900 mstching grant. Each dollar will be doubled once we reach $8304 in our FSP on Reece's Rainbow. You can also donate on the link attached to directly to our PAYPAL Account. Please help us bring these two children home.

At the moment we have a 900 dollar matching grant and need about 500 quickly to double the funds. Once this grant is met it will cover USCIS fees if $720 and $1000 for passports. ($1720)  AA grant 1800 leaving us 80 towards food. We have left remaining return airline tickets $3000, hotel fees 17 days $850, visa's $650 for both children and medicals $470 ($4970) I almist forgot food for 17 days and $850 ($5820) Doesn't sound like much but this adds up quickly

Today we started packing our luggage. Sage- now named Damien Greyson we started with his luggage first.  My grandson Christian helped chose and pack his clothing.  Adding in a couple of Lego sets. Barbara- Sophia the girls chose her clothing.  And added in some girly toys.  Hard to believe in just three weeks both kids will walk out their orphanage gates.

In just 3 weeks we will be traveling to start the process if bringing our children home.  It has taken nearly two years and many turns and twists. Two children will be traveling half way across the world.  And from no brothers or sisters to a large family to love them.  No longer will they go to bed in an orphanage but their own bed, new pillows and bedding.  A place they can close their eyes and wake not worrying about food, being cold or alone. A family who cherish and love them always. ❤

We were blessed with a $900 dollar Grant and I need your help. Every dollar donated we will receive a dollar. Today we received $150 and now need $750 as soon as possible. Once done this will give us in all $1800 to cover Passports, medicals on kids and Visas. God help us moved mountains through out our adoption and he will guide everyone in helping bring these two children home. So count down has begin... Every donation I will send you an Adoption Car Decal. Please I am begging for these funds to meet this grant...

Here's Poppy. ❤ Our family adopted Penelope February 2015 from a little city called Kharkiv.   She's our little princess and chatter box.  Penelope was given the nickname Poppy after a flower I loved as a child.  Growing up in England the Poppy filled the fields and hills. A field of beauty... And this beauty reminds me of the soul of my precious child.

Easter Day was beautiful and the children had a wonderful time hunting and decorating eggs. With my dad in the hospital we have been running back and forward up into the late night and wee mornings.  This week as Gary went to carry Poppy to bed he tripped and lost balance.  He tried to move Poppy forward to keep from dropping her.  Unfortunately her left leg moved behind Gary's back.  Gary's shoulder and arm hitting the ground.  Poppy not once cried as she hit her leg on the floor.  Gary's arm and shoulder swollen and bruised.  We checked Poppy out, no bruises, bleeding, nothing.  The following day her leg puffed up.  A quick trip to her Dr then to the ER to xray her leg and pelvis.  Her leg snapped into.  We spent the weekend in the hospital.  Had her leg set and finally home.    This pass weekend we had planned to fundraise locally the funds we needed to travel on.  Gary's shoulder-rotar cup shatter...

Tomorrow it has been 6 years since my daughter Gennie's passing.   My heart dreads this day. A day I wish I could erase.  I hate cystic fibrosis.  A disease which I knew little about besides meds, therapy and medical appointments.  Quickly I found out this disease can take a child from giggles to her grave. My baby girl was only 3 years old  Just a baby waiting to grow.  She held her first tomato just the day before.  That week before hunted Easter eggs and her basket still full of candy. Her bunny laid still on her bed. As if the wind wisp her out of arms like a balloon drifting to heaven.  Helpless us how I felt as I handed her to paramedics.  Watching helplessly.  I ask god many nights clear the moments of this day. Six years later I still hear her giggles and her bunny now sits on a shelf. I've been ask why I allowed myself to love a child that was dying.  Never once did I actually think she would die and c.f. was thi...