Happy New Year!!!

A little photo session fun, some were extremely happy at times, some were funny, some were not so happy and some were joyous at all times!

Our Blessings

As we sat in our first Sunday service of 2019 and began to think of all the blessings and gifts the Lord has given us in this past year, each one of our children flashed before me with the gifts the Lord has given to each of them.  Even though these past couple of years may have been the most difficult time in raising our children, we see fruits of the spirit in each of them for which we are so proud of, thankful for and grateful to our Lord Jesus for entrusting us with such treasures. We thought you’d all love a little update on each of them.  We hope you enjoy reading  about each of them as much as we have enjoyed writing this.

Vika, 17, our oldest, 3rd year student at the medical college, studying to be a dental assistant.  She is responsible beyond her years and is still studying most nights when we all go to bed.  She is a part of our worship team at church.  Vika wants to be a missionary and has a desire to attend a YWAM DTS when she’s done with school.

Diana, 17, two weeks younger than Vika.  Diana is in the 10th grade and wants to be a landscape designer.  She is very precise and accurate in her words and work. She is our princess, tall, skinny, beautiful and carries herself with grace and beauty.

Bogdan, just a couple weeks shy of 16, and is in the 9th grade.  As you can see from the picture, he is our serious, young man.  He has a tough exterior, strong in every way but yet a gentle and loving heart.  I don’t know many 15 year olds that would happily help a disabled young person by feeding them, carrying them, helping them to the restroom and making them feel a part of every party! He has plans to go into auto electrical work by attending a trade school after he graduates 9th grade this year.

Bogdanchyk, 15, is in the 9th grade as well.  He is growing into a helpful, loving  young man.  He loves Francesca with all his heart and would play with her all day if we let him!  He also plans to go to a trade school, maybe becoming a chef, after he graduates 9th grade. 

Alona will be 15 in just a little over a month. She is also in the 9th grade. Alona is not always an open book, but just over Christmas break she showed us a kind of flow chart graph of her life. Where she glued pictures and wrote about specific events she remembers from her childhood, good and bad. She is the first of any of our children to do this. She has embraced us as mom and dad and we are proud of her willingness to serve at all times.

Snizhana, just turned 14 right before the new year. I don’t think we have a picture of her where she isn’t smiling! She is in the 8th grade and attends art school. She has a gift of making all new kids coming to church feel at home.

Isabella, 13, is the same class as Snizhana. A little healthy competition to keep each of them on their toes is good in school. They don’t let each other fall. Bella is going through, we’d say, probably one of her toughest times as a teenager, needing mom and dad, but yet wanting to stand tall on her own, finding her place within ministry and what God has called her to. She has whole heartily embraced her brothers and sisters and the ministry God has called her parents to for which she sometimes, unfortunately, experiences hurt from. But has a gift of forgiveness and repentance and loves everyone she meets unconditionally.

Yulya just turned 13 at the end of last year.  We call her our modern, in fashion girl!  She is in the 7th grade, our youngest of the teenagers in the house.  She loves to read and has probably read more books in short life than we have!! We are so excited to see what God has for in her future.  Yulya is beautiful, period.  Inside and out.

Francesca, Franya, our little energetic, full of life and joy 5 year old!  The joy and love that is in this 5 year old is beyond her years.  We are always amazed at the words and sentences that come out of this little human being.  She has the gift of joy, no doubt.  She brings it into every room she walks in to.  She has the cutest way of mixing her English and Ukrainian and we wish we could bottle her up and keep her this age forever.  It truly is an honor that the Lord gave her to us.

We pray this new year is full of many blessings from the Lord, may He comfort you, bring you joy, provide for you, give you peace and shower you with His presence each day. We love each of you and are so thankful for your continued support and most of all prayers.