Wednesday, September 28, 2011

13 Days and Counting, plus a promotion!

I am very excited!  I got a promotion at work!  I've now been working at the restaurant for about a year and I really love the place.  I love the boss, I love my co-workers, and I love our customers!  Oh, and have I mentioned I love food and I love the food at the restaurant!!  Well I guess all those loves brought about a change that I didn't ask for nor would've thought I wanted, but I do - I got a promotion to "Manager".  Now I still have a ton of stuff to learn, but that I'm getting the opportunity is very exciting.  I am also getting a new schedule with this new title.  I am also very excited about my new schedule!  I'm still going to have the flexibility I need for our family, but I'm going to work more days and less nights - which means time home with my family!!  This is such a blessing!  I am so happy :)

I got all the trim painted in the back bedroom this week on my time off.  The only thing lacking is finishing the closet and painting the bedroom door.  Unfortunately the rain held up the door painting or we'd now be finished.  The toddler half of the room is done.  The infant side is still a wreck since all the stuff from the closet is stacked over there.  It will be finished one way or another next week!  Only 13 days until our social worker comes back to approve us!

I've spent the morning reading articles and blogs on adoption.  A friend led me to This Little Light of Mine and from there I jumped to other pages of people adopting from Haiti.  I spent time reading and praying for these families today - families separated by oceans that desperately want to bring their children home.  May God bless them with peace and perseverance.  I also read some articles on foster parenting and fost/adoption.  One particularly about a lady who had 2 infant placements for short periods and how she still loves and misses those children, how her heart hurt to give them up, but knew it was as it should be and how her son came to her as the third child.  I pray for the strength to give any and all children in our home what they need at the time they're here. I pray for our child that we don't know yet that God will bring them to us so that we may be the family He intends. As the time draws near, I pray - wisdom, peace, and longevity.  The ability to nurture and to teach. To be the support and steadfastness needed.  I pray that none of us will ever be the same for the better. I pray for our boys because there will be many changes for them too, but I also pray that they will learn things about life and love that they would have never known otherwise.  I pray that God guide us every step of the way. I pray.

13 days and counting.  Maybe we'll have a new family member here for Halloween! I love playing dress-up!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Time is a flying!

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks and I've actually really missed it.  I have some pictures that still need to be downloaded, but as for now this will just have to be a written update.

We have just under 3 weeks before our final home visit.  The room is coming along very well.  I still need to get the last coat of paint on the trim, but otherwise there's carpet, bedding on order and some wall decor and a new toy bin!  I am still very nervous and very excited about the coming changes.  They are changes that will affect our family and changes that will affect me in ways I only know will be profound.  I am praying for wisdom, strength, guidance, and peace.  God will take care of us as we take care of his children.

In the last couple of weeks I've started yoga class.  I had tried Zumba a couple of times and that's way fun and high energy.  I wasn't sure if I'd like yoga; it's the exact opposite.  Turns out that I really do though.  The quiet tempo and non-competition are actually very enjoyable.  It makes me slow down and breathe.  Sometimes I need that force to make me slow down.  I am about to add some weight training to my exercise regime.  It's so important to me to eat right, exercise, and really take care of myself so that I can have the best quality of life for as long as possible.  I also get a great sense of accomplishment out of it.

The boys just started karate.  We've talked for years about enrolling them but with my schedule and their parents schedules it's been impossible.  We finally stumbled upon a program where we could enroll them. Better late than never!  They are both doing very well thus far and I am very proud of them.  I took a few snapshots of the class the other day, I'll have to upload those later.  I understand they'll be doing basketball this fall and M is planning to take guitar lessons too!  Gonna be some busy kids!  I'm so glad to see them starting to show some interests in extracurricular activities - particularly sports and music!




I also took some time out to bake some pumpkin goodies the other day.  Muffins and pumpkin walnut bread. Both were pretty and tasty.  I think this "cool" nip we've had in the air has really put me in the mood for fall and all those savory flavors :)


Last but not least I changed my hair - again!  The blonde was fun for summer, but now I'm back to the long dark hair, actually very near what was once my natural color!  It's got alot of layering in it and I really like it.  I was also glad to be rid of all the damaged parts.  I feel more confident already!