December was such a busy month that I just never got the chance to post. We enjoyed 2 wonderful weeks off of school but life was still busy. After Christmas I spent much of the week on the computer doing annual adoption reports (progress reports on each kid sent to the Consulate General of Ukraine in NY) and homeschool quarterly reports on each of the 5 kids. We returned to school on Tuesday, sort of, since I had to take Jordan to get his cast off in the morning. The day before I spent quite a bit of time correcting about 3 weeks worth of Sierra's school work, something I just never get to during the school week! It's a good thing she's self motivated, maybe too much so. Sometimes I find my self telling her to stop doing school work because she's so far ahead and I'm so far behind.
I bumped into my dear friend, Jay, in the grocery store yesterday. We hadn't seen each other in probably over a year. It was so good to see each other that we spent a good half of an hour getting caught up. Mostly I needed to be updated on her family. It turns out that Jay peruses this blog and reported that I hadn't posted lately. So, Jay, here it is!
It is a Flach family tradition to spend Christmas Eve with Wayne's parents and all his siblings and their kids. We enjoy appetizers and family fellowship, then Rita reads the Christmas story from the Bible. Wayne's dad shares a message from his heart. This year he challenged each of us, especially the grandchildren (the 5th generation), to walk with God. He illustrated the family tree starting with his grandparents, Karl & Anna, who arrived in NYC from Germany. They ran a bakery and Anna attended a German service at Ridgewood Pentecostal Chruch in Brooklyn. She got saved, then later Karl did too. Charles (Wayne's grandfather) got saved there as well (as did many of his siblings), and that was the beginning of the Godly heritage in our family.
Flach Family Tree
Notice that our branch has the most nuts!
Actually I find it interesting that Karl & Anna had 8 kids, and so do we!
We even have an Anna from E. Europe.
Christmas Morning
Doesn't it look like Slava's saying, "Where's my pants?"
Christmas day was very precious to me. Missy slept over to be with us in the morning. My parents came, Wayne & Kerri, Tom & Linda, and Shannon (Kerri's family), and Jean & Earl Smith (Missy's Godparents) all joined us for dinner. I felt so incredibly blessed to have all of my children with me the whole day.
Slava's House
What a difference a year makes! Slava has come so far. This year he was really into Christmas and could answer questions about the Christmas story because we read it to him so much. We asked him what he wanted for Christmas and he said, "A house." So, he got a house. He was so excited when Daddy carried the big box in, he actually was jumping up and down. Then he "helped" Daddy build the house! With the holidays now over, we're back to the busyness of life. Jordan has his next surgery on Tuesday, 12/10. Please keep him in prayer. It's just a "routine" rod lengthening with just 1 overnight in the hospital, but we always want God's presence throughout it.
Jordan wins the prize for the biggest scar!
Jordan asked me to take a picture of his scar so he could see it. Well, here it is. As crooked as it looks, it is much straighter then it was prior to the rod surgery. And he's much taller since he's finally growing. Today marks the 5th year anniversary of the day we brought Andrii, Anna, & Jordan home from Ukraine! We are blessed beyond measure to have the God given privilege to raise these kids for Him. Thank you, Lord!
The LORD has been very faithful to us in 2011. We saw answered prayer in Slava, God's protection over our children, a house for my parents, good health, and countless other blessings. We're looking forward to walking with God through 2012!
Happy New Year & Abundant Blessings to you,
Sandra
