Snowy Spring Break

Moab was just as we thought it would be full of adventure and unpredictable weather.

The vote is to break tradition and go somewhere else next year.

Natasha was a trooper. She even tried riding at the BMX type park.

I'll post the pictures of us trying to leave on Wednesday during a ridiculous snow storm only to find the trailer in a ditch and us back home a few hours later. We successfully left the next morning. Ab Bradley and Benj kept asking Natasha if she was having fun yet. They then explained that this is what Spring Break vacations are like each year. ( It is kind of true! )

Ready for spring

My prayer is that Spring will bring some fresh ideas , attitudes , motivations and general outlook on life. (It is snowing really hard right now so it is hard to use the Spring metaphor.)

Winter was a good time to hunker down , cozy up and bond but now we are all ready to run around, stub our toes and get a bee sting and a sunburn.

I'm aching to take a family picture, but we are so pasty! I'm trying to have the self control to wait.

Many blessings to all of you for praying for our family. What an amazing feeling to be lifted up in prayer!

I'll try to find some pictures of us to put on here.... I can't find any of the boys.

Pictures

Here she is...

Natasha

Natasha is quite a girl...If we are honeymooning let it not stop.

Her English is really taking off. She is easy to be around and has a good sense of humor as long as we don't push it too far. I joke with her and Benjamin that they are twins. I'm not sure how she feels about this joke but I have always said Benjamin needed a twin. The only real similarity is their height.

I love to talk to her about her life before coming here and her life now. She doesn't tell me too many secrets, but sometimes I get a tid bit or two.

She misses Ukraine and her sister and brother. She talks to them on the phone on Sundays and is sometimes sad afterwards. We aren't sure how to help her stay connected and still try to embrace life here.

We all love her so much and excited to share more family time and traditions together.

We plan to torture her by making her go to Moab and ride bikes for a week...when it will probably snow...Again.

" You need to post! "

Natasha said we need to post. She really knows her way around the computer so I need to remember she will read all we write :-).

So many changes have happened.

Pasha really wasn't getting what he needed from us. The stress level had to change and we just didn't know how to bond with him. We prayed on our face many times for God to change our hearts and help us be what he needed and help him fit in better. God instead sent us Pasha's new and forever family. We don't fully get it but we absolutely know this is what is best for him and us.

I know that is way too quick of a version of that but God is still writting that story....

Michele's Mom

Hi All,

I just received a call from Michele that her Mom passed away shortly after 5:30 PM Pacific time. Please continue to pray for Michele, her sister Lisa, brother-in-law Jim and step-dad Berl and extended family and friends. I know they are hurting and could use great comfort and strength from God right now.

Thanks,

Bruce

Update & Prayer Request

Hi All,

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has offered support and prayers over the last couple of weeks. It has been a tough couple of weeks, but we seem to be settling in and turning a corner on understanding how to integrate Natasha and Pasha into our home and care for and love them. Please continue to pray that N and P feel welcomed and loved.

On a side note, we received a call this morning from Michele's sister. Michele's Mom had a choking accident last night while attending a dinner. They were not able to revive her fully and she was admitted to the hospital and is on life support. Needless to say Michele is quite devistated at this unexpected event, especially on top of the adoption/integration process we're working through.

I was able to get her a flight today and she is in Santa Barbara right now and will be meeting with her sister and step-dad to determine next steps. Please pray that she has strength and comfort during this difficult time. Pray that her faith would be strong and that she would be a mighty witness for Christ. To our knowledge, her Mom is not a believer, nor are her sister or step-dad. So, while this is devistating to us, it must be utterly hopeless to them. Please pray that they would be comforted and strengthened as well.

Thanks again,

Bruce