Pancakes and eggs

 Yesterday morning, Juan David and I enjoyed a nice breakfast together at Applebee's while the middle school Colorado team served us as a way to raise money for their upcoming mission trip.

 

According to the youth pastor's assistant, the morning turned out quite successful. The place was packed for the last hour, and the students worked really hard.

 

As a bonus, we went to church last night to hear our pastor announce that we had a guest speaker for the evening--the pastor from Front Range Christan Church in Castle Rock, Colorado (the church where the kids will be serving in July). How cool is that? I am really excited for David to be part of this team. I love how his heart keeps growing with a passion for missions.  Who knows what God has in store for his life.

Seasons of change

Plans, plans, plans. Who doesn't make plans for the summer? Especially a teacher!

Our plans included sending the boys to camp, taking Juan David to Colombia to see his brother, sending David on a mission trip to Colorado with the middle-schoolers from church, traveling to Pennsylvania to let Juan David meet the rest of my family, finishing up our last bit of post-adoption paperwork for Juan David, teaching a Bible study, camping, and just living up our summer together. We told Juan David that this will be his last summer to just "enjoy" before getting a part-time job to start learning some adult responsibilities (he'll be 18 in November). I looked forward to the summer to just enjoy him and his presence in our family.

Timing didn't work out for our Pennsylvania travels, though, and neither did our plans to return to Colombia to see Julian. Then we started talking and dreaming about going to the beach somewhere. David has never even seen the ocean once in his life yet, so a beach trip seemed appropriate.



Good thing all we did was dream, though, because we can no longer plan out much of anything for our summer. Now we are living through a season of change with unexpected unemployment, so very few of those plans will actually make it to fruition. 

 

      

                Middle School - Castle Rock, Colorado - July 2015

The boys are still going to camp, David is still going on the mission trip, and I am still teaching a Bible study. Plus we meet with the judge this week to get that last piece of post-adoption paperwork signed. As far as our family vacation goes, we are counting on God to show us His plans when it's time. We are at peace. God provided income for the last three weeks, and He has provided enough for several more. If it's taught me anything, it's that I need to just live one day at a time.

I now spend my morning drive each day listening to Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young. Every day she reminds me that God is in control. He pursues me every second of every day, constantly wanting to reveal Himself in a new way. When I worry or fret or over-plan, I miss what God might want to show me or how He might want to express His love for me in the moment. When I spend my energy just trusting Him and seeking Him, I find  things to be grateful for in every situation or circumstance.

 

He always takes care of us. Good care of us. I am expectantly waiting to see all the ways He will choose to do so until Mike finds new employment.  It's scary, of course, but every once in a while, a season of change is good for everyone. By June, we'll be seeing a new principal at our school, a new pastor at our campus at church, a new chapter in Julian's life (as he attempts to settle into a completely new area to continue his studies), and hopefully a new job for Mike.

I could fret and let anxiety overtake me, but I choose to embrace yet another season of change and look forward to what is yet to come.

 

Power of prayer

Forgot to share this two posts back about our trip to Starbucks. See those two ladies behind David? They came up to us before we left and asked if there was anything they could pray about for us. We actually have a pretty pressing need right now, so we shared it with them. Right then and there they prayed with us. Not only did it really speak to Mike and I considering the timing, but Juan David made it clearer than clear that he'd never seen or experienced anything like that before. Another reminder that he isn't just part of our story, but we are part of his.

Mother's Day 2015

 It is such an awesome privilege to love and be loved by these two boys and have them call me Mom.

 

I made everybody's favorite for dinner tonight, chicken enchiladas. But this time Juan David watched very intently until he knew what to do, and then he took over! He's ready to make his own enchiladas now someday, all by himself. :)

Showered with love

In all twelve years that I've been teaching here in Texas,  I don't know if I have ever had a class shower me with so much love during Teacher Appreciation week as I did this year. Actually, both classes showered me with love, affection, presents, and appreciation all week.  Here are a few pics to prove it. :)

Our coworkers said our classroom made it look like we robbed a floral shop with all the flowers we both received. 

 This is what I took home with me . . .

 and displayed on my kitchen table.

 This is what I left in my classroom. :)

 

The next day I took home a huge box of perfumes, lotions, and candles. The day after that, chocolates. And the following day, more chocolates, more candles, classroom goodies, and jewelry. Plus I still continued to get more flowers every single day all week. Then Saturday I got to celebrate the week at Starbucks with my three favorite guys in the world, compliments of a gift card from a student.

 

I love summertime, and I love spending time with my boys, but I am sad to think I only have a few more weeks left with my precious four and five year olds.  I love them dearly, and they sure did make me feel loved this week. The flowers alone made my year.

Defensive MVP

Gotta brag on my son. I went to his end of year soccer banquet for high school tonight. I was one proud mom when his coach announced the three awards for the JV team, and he won one of them!  I am so happy for him!

 

 

 

 

Another one of those moments when I think, "What if . . . ?"

 

 "What if we decided it wasn't worth trying all over again the second time to adopt him?"

Here is a picture from yesterday's game from his recreational soccer team, FC Garland. All of the boys in the picture are on the same high school team, but yesterday they had to play as opponents in the recreational league. Made for an interesting game, especially when the yellow guys won. :)

Embracing today with gratitude

For some reason, I have a hard time embracing today. I am always looking toward tomorrow (or next month), and I find myself missing out on the joy of right now. My daily gratitude journal helps me immensely in this area because it helps me count my blessings before doing anything else rather than letting the anxiety of all I don't have (or all I still need to do) take over my attitude for the day.

(Yes, I write about that much every single day, first thing in the morning.)

 



Without getting into details at the moment, let's just say our family is dealing with more change and loss again. I have my moments of panic, but for the most part, I feel a very surprising peace about it all. Maybe because people are praying? Maybe because I'm focusing on Scripture and saturating my mind with it? Maybe because I've watched God carry us through so much that I know He'll carry us through this, as well? Maybe because God starts me out each day by reminding me of everything I have to be thankful for?

Maybe for all the reasons above, and probably more.

Today I am choosing gratitude, despite the temptation to focus on what's gone.

Today I am thankful for sunshine, for my front and back porch, and for a restful day. I am thankful for my boys' soccer teams and soccer games, keeping them healthy, motivated, determined, and disciplined. I am thankful for the beautiful weather yesterday that we had while we watched their games yesterday, and I am thankful that they both won.

I am thankful for my family, for the relationship my sons have built as brothers over the last two years. I am thankful they enjoy spending time with each other.

I am thankful for my husband and his commitment to me. I am thankful for the marriage program at church that is helping us be better communicators with each other and better spouses to each other.

I am thankful for my church, my pastors, my Lifegroup, my ReEngage group, my Bible study groups, the student ministry, and the growth that I see in my sons as they faithfully attend and participate in all of the activities and events offered.

I am thankful for my sweet Pre-kinder students and all that they teach me every day. I am thankful to be in a classroom where I can have fun and move around all day. I am thankful for a job that lets me walk away fulfilled at the end of the day, ready to come back the next. I am thankful for my principal's faith in me to teach the babies of the school, to start them out on the right foot.

I am thankful for friends who are always there, to love you through the hard times and celebrate with you in the good times.

I am thankful for my writer's group--for their friendships, their honest critique and feedback, their encouragement, and the opportunities they open up for me.

I am thankful for all our stuff because nearly every item we own came with a story of blessing.

I am thankful for a personal God who knows me fully and loves me deeply. I am thankful to see how God loves me in my own love languages, through quality time and with words of affirmation. He made me a morning person specifically to spend the early morning hours with Him, and He speaks words of affirmation to me through His Word every morning before I start my day. No wonder I am never in a good mood if I get up too late and miss that time. (Watch today's sermon online to understand where I got all that from. Excellent message. www.lakepointe.org )

Gratitude. It does a body good.