Our attempt at a Halloween craft...

So I saw this picture on one of my favorite magazines and thought, "I can do this!" Got the shirts, dye, rubberbands...ready to go. The second picture shows how ours turned out. Not so much orange...maybe a melon color? :) We like the shirts...they really look cool, but won't be looking like jack-o-lanterns. We had fun anyway!!

Fave Five Friday #3

It has been a great week!! The challenge is which 5 things to put on my list!

1. Amberly came and helped me organize my pantry, which has led to other organization projects in the house. YEA!

2. Lance & I had one of those "reconnect" talks on Sunday night. You know, the week goes by without much time alone and you find you have a lot to talk about. Sunday night was one of those heart to heart nights with my hubby!

3. Communion on Monday night was amazing....really kept me thinking. We discussed the Beatitudes and how they fit into our lives today.

4. My "babies" at work are all doing amazing things this week. It has been a very rewarding work week!!

5. Outing with my family on Thursday night. We got free ice cream at Cold Stone, took the tandem to a bike shop and then bought Jordan clothes for the cooler seasons we are moving into. It was so much fun! We haven't done a family outing in awhile!!

I know the list is complete, but I must say I am also looking forward to the women's retreat later today and into tomorrow. Going to learn about being a Sensate Woman and getting some much needed relaxation and connection with God.

Another organizing project...DONE!

A friend of mine came this morning and helped me organize my pantry. Thank you, Amberly!! A job I could have done myself, but much faster and more fun with a friend. She had some good ideas I had not thought about!

The pictures on the left are the "before" shots and those on the right are "after"! MUCH BETTER! I am feeling less cluttered already!! Again, many thanks to Amberly!

Fave Five Friday...

1. Basket of goodies from one of my adult patients. Came with fall towels (see picture), vanilla (apparently the best you can buy), raspberry preserves and this pumpkin spice candle. Yummy!

2. TWO days at home with my daughter. Got to do some hard core homeschooling, some house cleaning and catch up on some paperwork. Not to mention staying in my PJ's until mid morning after drinking a nice cup of coffee. :)

3. Went to Juliana's 22nd birthday party. Got to meet Paulo's brother and sister in law. It was a blast!

4. Organized the loft area and computer desk...so much better!

5. The weather has been gorgeous! Had the AC off until today. I am very ready for fall!!

The "to do" list...

I am feeling very disorganized these days, so I have started trying to organize things. I officially have only 13 messages in my e-mail inbox. Feels great to not have all of those e-mails looking at me! I straightened up the computer desk and Jordan & I are getting ready to clean the 2nd floor of the house. A friend of mine has offerred to help with some organizational projects...and I might just take her up on that...ie: craft stuff, my pantry... :)

I even took some time to do a Portuguese lesson today. Learning colors right now! Very productive Tuesday, I must say!

Abraço & beijo (Brazilian hug & kiss)

Fave Five Friday

Okay...so it is Saturday, but I'm going to do my "Fave Five" anyway. I stole this idea from a friend of mine and thought it was good to end the week on a positive note. SO...my five favorite parts of the week:

1. Paulo, Juliana and Carolina came for an unexpected visit on Monday. Carolina is so funny...she is a cute baby!

2. Coffee and cool weather on Tuesday evening. AHHH!!

3. Jordan's sweet words as she comforted a friend on Thursday. "Love 'em like Jesus"

4. Picture to the right of the little guy I ended my work week with. He has a great smile! "My kids" had a good week: 2 of them took their first steps, one is done with First Steps and the other ones just melt my heart...like Athan!

5. Ended our week with an evening with Paulo, Juliana and Carolina. We had dinner and PEACH COBBLER! Yummy! I'm not sure how Juliana manages to win almost every game we play...hmmm.

So there you go. My first Fave Five Friday. I feel like it was a good week, especially if I can find these five good things without thinking about it! :)

Ahhh...

The windows are open, I hear my windchimes blowing and the house is otherwise quiet. Lance is in class, Jordan is in the yard playing with friends. I am here sipping my coffee...AHHH!

This is some much needed solace after a very frustrating day. Both jobs are making me nuts right now. The home health agency tried to trick me into seeing a patient 40 minutes away. First Steps is mandating trainings and that gives me child care issues! Thanks to Nicole, Jordan will be well taken care of during my FULL DAY training on Thursday. I think I have next week taken care of with Lance's help on Tuesday afternoon. (We are fortunate that he doesn't have class on Tuesday afternoons this semester.) Anyway...sorry to vent...we all need a forum for releasing frustration now and then!!!

So now...on a quiet, cool evening...AHHH!!

Meeting with the adoption agency

We travelled 3 hours (one way) to attend an informational meeting with our placing agency today. I feel it was worth our time, Lance is not so sure.

What we learned today:
1. We are one of 44 couples waiting for babies in our agency (it was 45 couples until a baby was born last night)

2. We do not have to wait until the adoption is finalized to take the baby out of the country so we do not have to put the adoption on hold for 6 months prior to our mission trip next year. **I am very excited about this!!**

3. 70% of the babies that come to this agency are the result of the birth mom calling from the hospital after the baby is born. That means we more than likely will have no notice that we have been picked by a birth mom. We will get a call something like this, "You have been picked by a birth mom, baby is here, come meet your baby." For someone that is a planner like me, this is a little stressful, but I can live with it! :)

4. Birth dad legal stuff is not that scary. He has 30 days to come forward, but then has to be proven through testing AND show that he cared for his child & birthmom before that time. (Unlikely that birth dad would ever find out and he is usually not a threat in most situations. Of course, our history shows otherwise.) We'll just see what happens when we are picked.

5. Social worker we met had two failed adoptions and then the last one was fine. She said it was worth the grief of the first two to have her daughter.


SO....now we wait for a call. Anytime the phone rings with an unfamiliar number, my heart races. I KNOW our baby is out there...God needs to just put us together!!!

The beginnng of a new semester...

We went to opening convocation chapel today at the seminary. The profs were all donned in their academic robes. It is a neat way to start the semester!

In some wierd way it is nice to have the semester started. Back to what is our "new normal" here in seminary. Lance is settled back into class, Jordan is home schooling and I am again back to working my three days a week with Tues and Thurs at home. There is a sense of comfort now in the returning schedule of spouse/family activities and being able to see all of our friends again. Summers here are very quiet in town and on campus.

Gustav downgraded!!

Looks like it hit landfall as more like a category 2....praise GOD!!! The immediate concern doesn't look as big as with Katrina. Maybe we'll wait and put together flood buckets for clean-up. These involve 10 gallon buckets with bleach, gloves, masks....

What a testimony for Jordan to see her prayers answered. She (actually all three of us) have prayed that this storm would lose strength. Gives us a renewed sense of faith!!