War, babies and other lame excuses

Hello, friends!

Perhaps you've been wondering what could have possibly happened, to cause us to cease our regular blogging. Well, here I go...

It seems that this baby we are eagerly awaiting has somehow distracted the talented Annie from her regular blogging duties. (Which is why you are presently reading the words of Mike). This pregnancy has been much different from the first and has taken a lot more energy from Annie. That's not to say that she isn't healthy and in good spirits; it's just that this one is different...and a bigger baby....and a boy.

As a result, Annie has cut back her work schedule a bit, but still continues with her Russian lessons and keeps on being an amazingly patient, wise and loving mom to an ever-more-demanding little princess named Solomiya. Annie has an amazing doctor whose care she has been in for the duration of her pregnancy and yes - we are planning on having the birth right here in our local hospital in Uzhhorod. This fact seems to be far more of a wonder to our Ukrainian friends than any of our friends or family in the US. From some of the stories our well-intentioned friends told Annie, you'd think she'd be giving birth in a dark, flooded basement and attended to by saw-wielding trolls. In fact, the maternity hospital here is quite nice and Annie's doctor - the amazingly kind Dr. Ivan Ivanovych Treshchak - very graciously gave her a full tour of all the appropriate areas of the hospital, introducing her to staff along the way. He also walked her step-by-step through the process, showing her the delivery and recovery rooms. We are blessed to have our baby boy born here! We just wish he would come a little sooner than the due date of 15 May! :-)

You no doubt know about the tense situation here in Ukraine, which began last fall with the revolution and deposal of the corrupt former president and his regime and continues today with Russian-sponsored terrorist/separatist activities in the east of our country. Thank God, Zakarpattya and the rest of western Ukraine are far away from the current conflict and life here carries on peacefully and much as before. One major exception is a new and vigorous sense of patriotism which was VERY absent just six months ago. It will be a long painful process for all of the corruption to be rooted out, but people here are taking ownership of their country and actively holding the new authorities accountable to the population. "People's councils", which are elected watchdog committees of citizens from all walks of life are monitoring and giving direct feedback to the formally-elected members of the city and regional administrations. Despite the heart-breaking and frustrating events far off in Donetsk, Luhansk and Odesa, Ukraine as a nation is stronger than ever. We are privileged to be living and serving here today and that our children will have the opportunity to grow up in the wonderful country, in an environment which promises a level of freedom and dignity unseen in the twenty-three years of Ukraine's independence.

So...end of excuses! Be on the lookout for a blog introducing our latest family member. Let's pray that he comes sooner, rather than later :-) Meanwhile, Solomiya eagerly awaits "my boy" (as she calls him).