Photo Challenge Day 26

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you

This was my birthday this year.  Josh works  a lot in order for us to have enough funds for the adoption.   For my birthday we spent the day together hanging out in Cincinnati.  We had several things planned and really they all turned out to be kinda lame but the spending the day together, spending time together, enjoying being together was an awesome birthday present.  I am a lucky girl.  As a special bonus, today's verse in inscribed in Hebrew on Josh's engagement ring.


Song of Solomon 2:16 My lover is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies

Photo Challenge Day 25

Day 25 - A picture of your day

 So here are 2 pictures and neither are from today but they are from my favorite days.  On the left are 2 of my sisters and one of my brothers, on the bottom is Josh, another brother, and one of my sister-in-laws.  We are playing cards and hanging out.  This is my definition of a good day.  Being with those I love, having fun, and just relaxing.   I had some difficulties figuring out what to post for a picture of my day.  I could have posted pictures of me teaching, I love to spend my days helping minds grow.  I could have posted pictures of me with the nieces and nephews because I love my days filled with them, laughing and playing.  One day my days will be filled with my own children... I can't wait until that day!

Psalm 68:19  Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms

Photo Challenge Day 24

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change


This is where for the past 2 years I've had the opportunity to work as an assistant.  There have been a lot of great things about my job, namely the kids, but I am so ready to move forward.  If I could just change my position here and be a teacher that would be great but if not then I will be changing locations come fall.  I wish this job thing wasn't so difficult.  I wish that I knew why God was making me wait.  I'll get these epiphanies, maybe I'm here for this student, maybe I'm here to learn patience, surely I'm here so that I can understand endurance, and then when nothing changes I'm uncertain whether I've learned what I'm supposed to have learned.  As much as I understand about how God talks to people in the present day, I am certain that He called me to be a teacher.  I didn't rush into teaching.  In high school my mom was like, "You are going to be a teacher" and though I respected what teachers do I was like "Nope, not me, bigger and better plans".  And then during a summer break working with kids (when have I not worked with kids), it was like duh Rachael you are supposed to be a teacher you are supposed to be helpful.  Then the local college has the certification program with the ESL part that I felt called to, and I get in and do so great throughout the program.  And yet here I sit 2.5 years after earning that certification, 5 years after leaving Hanover, and I still don't have a full time job.  My husband still has to work 80 hours a week so we can afford adoption because my salary is so little.  I just really don't get it sometimes.  If I feel called to teach, why am I not teaching?  When will I understand?  Sorry if I'm whiny tonight, just felt the need to pour out my heart.  I am looking forward to actually being a teacher and moving pass this period of my life.  Although I'm finding it difficult I will continue to depend on God for my strength everyday.  Life changes each moment but God never changes.  God is good, all the time.


John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I[Jesus has] have overcome the world.

Photo Challenge Day 23

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book

 

I'm getting better at reading this daily.  I read through chronologically last year.  This year was supposed to be on themes but it's more like 7 different starting places in the Bible.  So each day of the week I read from a different book but each week I read the next chapter or book after the previous week (not sure if I explained that well but hopefully you understand).  I love reading anything.  One thing I really enjoy about this year's reading plan is I get a couple of Psalms a week which has been really uplifting to me.  Even the ones when David is upset and crying out to God really speak to me.  That said I love reading.  I read everything.  I love kids books, novels, anthologies, biographies, nonfiction (which I didn't used to like).  I'm not big into poetry.  I majored in English at Hanover and so to fit classes into the schedule I wanted I took one or two poetry classes and I loathed them.  I can appreciate some good poems but usually I find poets to be way to self interested.  Anyway, I am currently reading Anastasia Romanov's diaries, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and 

some adoption/parenting books.  I even enjoy reading books about teaching methodologies.  Books are just great!

Deuteronomy 30:10 The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. 

Photo Challenge Day 22

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at

So my mom is a quilter.  She's completely talented and awesome.  I am a member of her quilt club.  I am completely untalented and unawesome.  My little sister Katie is also in quilt club.  She is becoming quite talented and quite awesome.  She made this quilt for one of her bazillion nieces and nephews.  I wish I were more patient with the learning process because I just get frustrated and give up.  I should have spent last weekend sewing on something/anything but I was still completely annoyed at the last quilting weekend (like six months ago) I went on and so it just didn't happen.  I wish I was getting better at this though because the results are so fabulous!


Exodus 35:25 All the women who were skilled in sewing and spinning prepared blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen cloth

Photo Challenge Day 21

Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget


I really believe that everything in life happens to make you who you are today and that if something hadn't then I wouldn't be where I was today. So I find this question impossible.  I don't wish to forget any part of what makes me me.  


Psalm 33:11 But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.

Photo Challenge Day 20

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel


The pictures of Ethiopia are beautiful.  Just doing a google search provided me with tons great photos but I chose this one because I love the tree.  I can't wait to go to Ethiopia and meet my beautiful children.  It'll be such an experience and definitely the next planned stamp on my passport.


That said my passport does has some pretty awesome stamps.  My parents did an awesome job showing me much of the good ol' U.S. of A. and then paid for me to go to Spain during high school on a school trip.  That trip included a layover in Milan, Italy.  My dream was then to go back to Italy and especially Venice.  Josh brought those dreams to reality in 2009.  We went back to Spain and then did Germany and Italy.  I definitely want to go back to Spain one day.  This was one of my favorite places in Madrid, El Mercado de San Miguel.  I tried oysters there for the first time :) On my next trip to Spain I want to return to Madrid but also go to the Costa del Sol and the northern part of the country would be cool too.  Part of the trip that was awesome was seeing my foreign exchange "brother" in Germany.  I have "family" in Norway, Germany, Ecuador, South Korea, and soon to be Mexico and Brazil.  I would love to be able to visit them all one day.


Psalm 139:3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.You know everything I do.