Blessed with Full hands: August 2014

7 Quick Takes

Thanks, Jen for hosting!

1. Not guaranteed tomorrow ...

This past week, my husband's cousin's husband died suddenly. It was shocking news and so sad. That day, I was reminded that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. I know we all know that, but it is different when you are reminded of that. With Sarah's death last month and Tim's death this week, it set a resolve in me to make all of us going to China together work. We do everything as a family. And why shouldn't we all be there together for this very special event for our family? Since we are not guaranteed tomorrow, I want to make today and each moment count. I want to make memories.

Aug

7 Quick Takes - pictures of my girl, the run, and other Friday thoughts

1. Yesterday morning, I opened my email and saw an email from Helen, a woman who works for our agency in China. She had sent pictures of our sweet Felicity Grace! It just made my day! Our paperwork is going slower than expected at this point and that, combined with other things, has made this week difficult. These pictures came at the perfect time to give me some more endurance to get through the next two months before we bring her home.

2. Murphy's Law

It is in full effect here right now.

Aug

My new toy

I have wanted a camera, a good, DSLR camera for years, but just could not justify the cost. Before digital camers came on the scene, I used very good 35 mm SLR camera. My dad had purchased a Pentax Ashai camera while in Japan on furlough from Vietnam. He purchased everything; about 5 lenses, filters, tripod, etc. When I was a teenager, I had found the camera collecting dust in a closet. I learned all about aperture, shutter speed, and lighting and took that camera everywhere.

Aug

Do Something! Register for the Run for the Little Flowers!

Matthew West, writer and performer of the song "Do Something" is encouraging us all to have a Do Something Summer. Since his song "Do Something" has been the inspiration for this year's Run for the Little Flowers and the refrain is featured on the back of the shirt.

So, if you have not, please register now, for the Run for the Little Flowers and Do Something for orphans in China.

Aug

Monday Daybook

Outside my window...

It is a cool, over cast August day. It seems like the fleeting days of summer are already gone and we are in the Fall already.

I am thinking...

About our adoption, our girl, the start of the homeschooling tutorial and all the projects that need to get done around our home before we travel to China. I cannot seem to turn my brain "off" lately and just relax. And in the quiet moments all I can think about about is how I want to go to China and get our little girl.

Aug

Living in the Moment

(Written last week while on vacation.)

From The Screwtape Letters: Screwtape explains: Our business is to get them away from the eternal, and from the Present. With this in view, we sometimes tempt a human (say a widow or a scholar) to live in the Past. But this is of limited value, for they have some real knowledge of the past and it has a determinate nature and, to that extent, resembles eternity. It is far better to make them live in the Future . . .

Aug

Getting ready for another year of homeschooling and some changes

I had the best of intentions of writing a post about wrapping up last year, our homeschooling plans for the summer and the big changes that are coming this next year. Yet, today is the first day that I have been able to sit down and take some time to click out some words on the laptop and share about how homeschooling has been going and what lies ahead of us.

To give a brief synopsis of last year is simple; it was a tough year. Probably one of our toughest yet.

Aug

Adoption Update

Since getting matched with Felicity Grace, I know I have been silent about details on the adoption. There has been not much to report. Once we received PA from China, we began the long wait for LOA. LOA, or Letter of Acceptance is the official document from China that our paperwork has been reviewed, the match has been reviewed and is official. Once LOA is received, the process moves quickly and you travel to hold your child forever in your arms, 8-10 weeks from that point.