Time to get with it

So, July has been very productive.  We began the month by seeing friends from Germany.  We had visited their home on our European vacation (2009) and Michi (who was one of Mom & Dad's foreign exchange students) was able to spend several days with his parents with us.  We went camping (yay for tents) and boating and I actually got to see my husband for a change so that was good.  Then came  the start of another week of summer school, actually getting into my classroom, and VBS every night (which meant I had to go pick up 3 nieces each day).  Then last week I had summer school in the morning, went and worked in my classroom each afternoon and a meeting it seemed every evening.  Add in the heat wave and it was also a very long week (we have no ac in the main part of the house :( but do in the bedroom).  This week I have had summer school in the morning and yesterday I went to United Arts & Education to return some stuff I didn't need and got a few things I do need.  Today I was working on lesson plans.  July seems to have been way too full.  This week my second summer school session will end and I will begin my summer break; which ends in a week and a day!  During this time Josh has been working mostly 12 hour days which is making getting this remaining paperwork done very difficult.  We did get our I600A form back from immigration that we are approved!  Woohoo! Unfortunately they listed the wrong date for our fingerprints expiring so hopefully the letter I sent last week will fix that.  So.... things are busy which is good it doesn't give me time to brood about other things.

One thing that has been brooding in my mind.  I need to make sure I'm ready to educate people so that my children aren't hurt.  Last week I was at a jewelry party at my sister's house and the saleslady overheard me talking about how immigration approved us and asked if I was applying for a job.  I explained that no I am adopting from Africa and she was all well that's good they need it.  She then said that they also need to quit having so many kids.  UGH!  Afterwards I was like oh I should have said this or that but in the moment I was just shocked and didn't say anything which I regret.  Good thing I have time to make sure I won't be so caught off guard.

1 Corinthians 2:13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

Happy birthday to my husband.

Today is my husband's birthday!  I am so excited for him, because I love birthdays.  Unfortunately as luck would have it my husband is a terrific gift giver and I'm slightly terrible at it.  I hope even with bad gifts he knows how much I love him.

We mailed off our stuff to USCIS at the beginning of June and then did our fingerprinting last Friday.  The government is going to keep doing their part of that now that our fingerprints are done and we are scurrying around making sure we have all of our notarized papers found and notarized.  Baby steps toward our babies.

Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 

Winning

So I have this friend that keeps winning lots of things on blogs.  I never win anything but maybe it's because I never sign up for things, so here goes:  I’m posting this to enter a contest offered by Brad’s Deals at I Am Bossy! I want to win the iPad 2! Enter to win here!


You could win too!


Proverbs 12:8 A sensible person wins admiration,but a warped mind is despised.

Answered prayers

So yesterday I kind of poured out my heart about my despair over my job situation.  I had graduated from Hanover in May 2006 and then returned to college to get my teaching certification.  I got done with that in December 2008, in January 2009 I worked as a long-term maternity leave substitute for Spanish 1 & 2 in high school.  This lasted until April and then I just subbed the rest of the year.  The next fall I was subbing for awhile but decided to try the foot-in-the-door method and took a teaching assistant position at my old job.  After 2 years it was time to leave and I faced a lot of uncertainty as I entered the summer with no plans for the fall nor any phone calls or interviews.  I had had an awesome interview for a Christian school last winter but hadn't had any positive interaction with them since then.

 Then last week I get an email from them asking if I was still interested and listing several positions but they were all secondary so I didn't give it a thought.  Monday I started one of my summer jobs and in the course of checking emails had one from the Christian school asking why I hadn't responded.  I said you have no elementary positions.  They said we have 3rd grade, can you come on Wednesday for a 2nd interview.  I say sure.  Tuesday I dress really casually because I will have to dress up a bunch on Wednesday and when I send my students home I open my email to find a frantic email asking if I can come immediately.  I say I'm not prepared, they say it's okay just come.  So in my tank top, capri's and tennis shoes, I went for a job interview.  I stayed for about 2 hours.  Again it was great just flowing conversation etc.

So today I got the call.  I got the job!  I am so thankful to a Loving Father who hears my prayers.  I am truly coming to the realization that I wouldn't have wanted this job 2 years ago because the pay is not quite up to par.  But these last 2 years have shown me that we can survive on this amount of money and that I really need a good workplace where I have my own classroom.  I can see that these years have been preparing me for this job.  Thank you Lord for your time and your blessing.

Psalm 20:5  May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Progress

Adoption Progress:
So our homestudy is complete. We did our online Hague training plus adopting from Africa training.  We did adoption training with Gateway Woods.  And today I mailed our I-600A to the US Department of Homeland Security.  Once they process this, we will get finger-printed and then for the most part our dossier will be done so we are getting closer to being on a wait list!

Life Progress:
I quit my job at the end of the school year.  When I took the job I thought it would lead places and it hasn't.  So I have a teaching job this month and a different one next month.  As of today I don't know what August will bring.  There was a second interview this week and maybe I will finally see God's plan in regards to my employment.  If not I will know God has other plans for me.  If you would pray about my job situation, I would certainly appreciate it.

Psalm 54:2 Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea. 

Photo Challenge Day 31 Last Day!

Day 31 - A picture of yourself


This is me and one of my nieces last week at the zoo!  Maybe next year's trip will include her new cousins!  Thanks for following along!


Job 33:4For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life

Photo Challenge Day 30

Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

This is my best non-family friend.  She moved back to our hometown (she was born there and lived there prior to school age but moved away for several years) in third grade.  We were in Girl Scouts together and became best friends.  I love her to death but she keeps moving further and further from me!  College was 3 hours away, post-college job was 6 hours away, then she lived like 8 hours then 10 (or those might be reversed) and now she's moving to south Florida!  Even though she is far away we make time to chat weekly and I know I'm in her thoughts as she's in mine.  This photo was from her wedding a couple years ago and at the beginning of this year her world changed when she had her first child.  I can't wait to swap "mom" stories!

Proverbs 27:9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense