The Beginning

It's almost Christmas and we're coming to you with the third and fourth themes of Advent: Love and Joy. In this episode, Jed and I shared what we have learned about living lives of love and joy here in Ukraine. We don't claim to have all the answers and are definitely in progress, but maybe a few of our thoughts will encourage you today.  Merry Christmas, Friends! We are thankful to have you along on the journey. BeLOVE[d]Connect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

Christmas is just around the corner, but there's more to the Christmas season than shopping lists, Christmas movie marathons, and curating the best holiday playlist (although I'm definitely in favor of all those things!).   Advent, the four weeks before Christmas, is a wonderful time to prepare our hearts as we anticipate the celebration of Jesus' birth and wait expectantly for Him to come again. We really love Advent around the Homestead and wanted to share a few thoughts with you about the first two themes of Advent: hope and peace.  So, sit on down, relax with your cup o' nog, and enjoy! Connect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

Happy Thanksgiving! (in the USA) ☺️Once we realized that our 9 year anniversary of living in Ukraine, Thanksgiving, and Ukraine's National Day of Dignity and Freedom were all happening within about 10 days of each other we decided it was a good moment to pause and reflect. Plus, the podcast was getting a quite dusty and needed a little attention. (I blame Russia)In this episode Jed and I shared things we are thankful for in each of the 9 years we have lived in Ukraine.  So much amazingness has happened and in light of today's very difficult reality it was really good for us to pause and consider all we have to be thankful for. So, grab some eggnog, pull up a cozy chair and give it a listen. PS: We officially give you permission to listen to Christmas music now. You're welcome. 🎄Netflix Documentary: Winter on Fire Vlad's Adoption Advocacy VideoConnect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

On March 5, 2022, after much discussion and prayer, we decided it was time to get our kids, our boys, and our team to safety. The final destination was Germany and the journey there was one we will never forget.  From a room filled wall to wall with mattresses to a 26-hour wait with no toilet, in this episode, I share the ups and downs of our road to safety.  The fact that I can laugh about it now is quite miraculous because it was a DOOZY. Please don't forget Ukraine. 🇺🇦Our Wartime Youtube PlaylistConnect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

We're baaaaaaack! Our last episode was published on February 24th, the day Russia began its brutal war here in Ukraine. We published that episode, and then promptly fell off the podcast map.  Our whole lives changed on that day and we'll never be the same.  But at long last, we have picked up our heads and decided to revive the ol' podcast. ❤️In this episode, I (Kim) shared our community's experiences during the first couple weeks of war and how we responded as the fight came closer and closer to our Homestead.  It was a bit emotional for me to return to those days, but I think it's important to share our experiences with you. This war in Ukraine is far from over and it is our responsibility, those of us who love Ukraine, to remind the world of what is happening here. Please don't forget Ukraine. 🇺🇦Our Wartime Youtube PlaylistConnect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

Well, Folks, things are gettin’ crazy around here. Russia has attacked Ukraine and we are at war. How is this happening? We actually recorded this episode last week while things were a bit quieter, but I think today’s events make it even more relevant. In this episode, my daughter, Addy, and I discussed the joys we find in our work and life here in Ukraine. From creating community, to dance parties, to wardrobe malfunctions, our life here is rarely boring. 😆 I hope our chat brings you some laughs and encourages you to find joy wherever you may be. Joy-filled moments with our communityOriginal music and sound design by Matt BittnerConnect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

So, what exactly do we even do here in Ukraine?  Wide Awake International has a lot of moving parts and I don't blame you if you have a bit of a hard time keeping them all straight 😆.  In this episode, I introduce our boys and our team, explain the full picture of what we are doing here in Ukraine, and describe the different focuses of our work here. It's an info-heavy episode...you've been warned!PS: My brother, the super talented  Matt Bittner, is our new sound designer for the podcast! The music is his and it's perfect.  Read about when we adopted VladWhen we brought Boris homeBringing home Ruslan and AntonBringing home SashaWide Awake Int. Org ChartConnect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

You've read the news, you've heard all the rumblings about Ukraine and Russia, and we figured it was time to pipe in from our end. What is even going on around here????  In this episode I'm joined by Jed, my husband and co-founder of Wide Awake International. He's way smarter about all things politics, so rather than bumbling through things I decided to have him talk about it. We talk about some of the history leading up to the current threat of Russian aggression, how it feels to live here in Ukraine in this moment, and how we are planning and prepping for all kinds of different scenarios. I hope this episode gives you a little perspective and eases the minds of our mothers. 😂 Enjoy!The Kyiv Independent article: "Ukrainian Voices are Missing from the Drama Over Ukraine's Future"Euromaidan Press (another source of Ukrainian news)Netflix Documentary: Winter on FireConnect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

In the first episode, I shared how our eyes were opened to the plight of orphans with disabilities in Ukraine.  We just had no idea that world even existed! In this episode, I tell the story of how we responded to that newfound knowledge.  I might have gotten a little choked up at one point...I promise not to do that every time! 😆Our First Trip to Romaniv Connect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.

Every story has a beginning, and today I'm sharing ours!  In this episode, I tell the story of how our ordinary family, living our ordinary life in Oregon started down the path that would eventually move us across the world to Ukraine.  Mostly this is our story of just saying YES to the next thing God asks of us.  Enjoy!Connect with us: Newsletter |Blog | Youtube | Instagram | Facebook | Website The vision of Wide Awake Int. is to bring hope, love, and dignity to people with disabilities in Ukraine. We are living that out by bringing our friends out of institutions and into family life.