Thursday, July 31, 2008

Changing Seasons

A new season is about to arrive... and I'm not just talking about fall! The 2008-2009 school season is approaching at a high rate of speed. Our school district begins the new year on August 12th... and not only will Carly be a Junior, Michael will begin Kindergarten! How crazy is that?!

I have to admit that I am a little nervous about Michael beginning Kindergarten. While he has progressed tremendously in the nearly 2 years that he has been with us (if you didn't know we adopted Michael from China in 2006) but there is still so much that is "in the works".

My worries....

communication - while I understand him pretty well, not everyone does - and will his silence when questioned be misconstrued, or be taken for what it is - still processing the questions

eating - in kindergarten you are required to take your tray to the table - his strength, not great, but most importantly he still struggles to eat some foods when they aren't cut up due to his clefting - in kindergarten they get no choice of food, they all receive the same thing... and I don't want to send his lunch because I know that if I do he will WANT what everyone else has!

nervous tics - Michael has a habit of running his tongue over his upper teeth, especially when he reads or is nervous. We have been working hard to break this habit, but it still sneaks through. Will the other kids make fun of this? Probably.....

socialization- While Michael spent his first four years in an orphanage with 30 kids in a room, he has no problem being around other kids. The problem - since he doesn't speak well, and he "looks different" a lot of kids just ignore him. In a lot of instances it is as if he is invisible! He can try to join in a game or activity and most of the time kids just ignore his efforts.

So... the "mama bear" in me is anxious... and wondering what in the world we were thinking when we opted to send him to school instead of homeschooling. But I know that he loved pre-school... he loved being around all of the kids ... and I know that I can't "keep him home forever". He will turn 6 in September and it is time to let him begin his journey.

And will he be okay... yes. I know that without a doubt because we will be covering his days with prayer, and he will be held firmly in the hands of the Father.... even though Mom will be elsewhere.

So today we will go and do some "school shopping".... and a new season will begin. If you have some time, pray for our little guy as he begins this new phase in his life. And pray for Mom... letting go is pretty hard... even when it is for the best!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Receiving a blessing....

Yesterday, after a sermon was that particularly rough (cried like a baby!!!) I spent a wonderful day of napping and swimming, I had just came back into the house to change when the phone rang. It was my friend, Angie, and her first question was, "Are you going to Women of Faith?" My answer, "No." She immediately said, "Why aren't you going?"

The answer was simple... the tickets for WoF were ordered months ago, and at the time that sign up was required, I just wasn't sure I would be able to attend due to other obligations. We were also in the process of raising money for Mickey's mission trip, and I wasn't sure how much we would have to pay for that... and I believed that his trip was a top priority. So... while I wanted to attend this event held in Indianapolis, I just couldn't make the commitment at that time.

Ang then proceeded to tell me that with the event happening this weekend, there were two tickets available and they were FREE. It seems that a couple of individuals who had been scheduled to attend were now unable to do so. They had already paid for their tickets and hotel and they just wanted to "bless" someone at GCC with attending! I was absolutely blown away. You see, my "prior commitment" no longer existed, and many of my dear friends were going to WoF and I had longed to attend, but knew that it was just too late to do so.

After checking with Mickey and Carly to arrange childcare for Michael, I was good to go. I called Ang back and let her know that I was available. I then found I was to ride up with Rebecca, Erica, Angie, Michelle and Crystal... how cool is that? AND... we would be leaving around noon so we could stop by the outlets... another bonus!!!!

Now... I have to say "thanks" to my benefactor... thank you... thank you... thank you!!!! I am so looking forward to this weekend... and it isn't just spending time with a group of women that I am so very fond of... it is about getting myself "re-charged". Having attended a WoF convention in St. Louis, I have to tell you that there is nothing more powerful than standing in a stadium with thousands of women who are worshiping and praising the Lord. You can literally feel the Spirit in the place and when you come away, you are so pumped up... and we ALL need that occasionally. And the speakers are just amazing... so again, while I don't know who you are.... THANK YOU FOR THIS BLESSING!!!! You have put a smile in my heart and I know that you have placed a smile on the face of God!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

I'm Back......

Wow... I finally got my internet up and running yesterday morning... It actually went down the end of June and that means I was nearly an entire month without any internet! Crazy!!!!

Okay, I wasn't entirely without... I did manage it check it a couple of times at my daughter's home, and then I did check it a couple of times at VBS when I wasn't busy... but still... no emails on a daily basis... no blogs... no research on important topics!!!! And you know... while I was feeling very "left out of the loop", I was also reminded that life will go on without all of the "frills"!

At our bible study on Tuesday my husband, Mickey, commented that we were "spoiled"... oh... not the kind of spoiled that says " see that new car... I'm gonna go buy it " ( some may fit there.... hmmmm) but the kind of spoiled that says "gotta have air comditioning" or "gotta drive through McDonald's... I gotta have that Big Mac" or maybe even "Wow... I had a shower this morning, but I'd just really like to have another one this evening since it felt so good!"

Having recently returned from a Mission Trip to the DR he has taken on a whole new outlook on life, and I must admit (somewhat begrudingly, as I LIKE my AC!) that he is right about our "spoiled" lives. There are so many people who have so little (and they aren't ALL in the DR!) and while there are those doing without who feel that they are "owed" more, there are many who are just plain thankful for what they have. They are the ones who are living their lives day to day, praising God for what they have instead of grumbling about what they lack.

The Israelites were huge grumblers when they left Egypt with Moses. They were free... finally... and all they could do was complain... no food (God sent Manna and quail - 40 years worth! ), no water.... (God gave them water from a stone) and I am sure that the list went on and on... can't you just imagine? I'm too hot... I'm too cold... in Egypt I had a REAL house... in Egypt we had little but at least we had (fill in the blank)... And all the while God was STILL providing them with all they needed... and yet they complained....

Sound familiar? Kind of sad isn't it that human's haven't changed much in all these years? And you know what... God just wanted a relationship with them... he just wanted them to say "thanks" and to praise him for all that he gave... and they failed over and over and over again. Just like we do.

I am sure that most of us thank God for the BIG stuff, but what about the small stuff? Your home? Your car? Still thinking too big? How about your food? Your water? How about the very air that you breath? Or the fact that you are able to just get up in the morning?

Guess it is time to begin living our lives for God instead of the world and stop grumbling about all that we don't have and start giving praises for all that we have been blessed with... ALL things... (even my fully restored internet) are gifts from God.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Out of touch

Okay... don't anyone get their hopes up... I STILL DON'T HAVE INTERNET!!! Today, Rachel and Robert were kind enough to let me check my email and do a quick blog catch up!

For the past three weeks we have been without Internet... one week of which we spent on vacation, but I gotta tell you... I sure do feel out of touch.

Last night at church everyone was asking if I had seen Joe's blog... Nope. They asked if I had seen Rebecca's blog... NOPE! But I have managed to get a lot of knitting done... not to mention laundry AND learning my stuff for VBS. Which, BTW... VBS is going great... 116 kids on the first night AND 64 adults there to help... how awesome is that!!!

So, don't look for me to answer any email or have a new post until next week... as they have told me it will be Friday before they get around to fixing my Internet problems!

I MISS YOU ALL!!!!!