bible in 90 days

I KNEW there was something else I wanted to blog about earlier, but I couldn't remember when I actually sat down to write.

I've recently started reading this blog, and she's been talking about a bible reading plan that reads through the entire bible in 90 days--Jan 1-March 31. I signed up on this site to do it. I'm not getting their bible, but I'll just use mine, use their reading plan (under "listen while you read"), and listen to the weekly lessons online ("hear weekly lessons").

It's a huge task. I know I can't do it on my own. Anyone want to join me?

lots of updates

I wrote earlier that I had gotten a part-time job. Well, they never did call me in to work, and then I received a letter that there had been budget cuts with the client and I may or may not call in. But I am welcome to get put on the list for the next job coming in the spring. Ugh. Thankfully, I did get a surprise editing job that brought in a nice chunk of money and made me realize how much I missed that. I updated my editing Web site and hope this next week to work on some editing tests in hopes of getting more work. I just love going to a coffee shop in the evening and working.

We tried out Stolen Moments Menu Planning this month, and we ended up scrapping our meal plans partway through the month because we didn't like a lot of the recipes and we were looking to go over budget for groceries. The good thing is that we did find some fun recipes and we've been eating out less. And we discovered the freedom in planning all three meals each day instead of just dinners. I've been doing it on my own and it's going well. It's nice to not have to think when it's time to cook--I just look at my list and see what the plan is. I plan and shop once a week.

We finished the 2nd quarter of homeschooling yesterday. We're all pretty excited for a break, though I'm curious to see Aidan's response by the time we get ready to come back. Today I tried out a Bible curriculum I'm thinking about for next year with Aidan, and he LOVED it. It's a combo of Bible and art, which he loves. He was able to process and discuss the passage well and kept saying how fun it was. And he had fun using colored pencils. :) I also asked him a lot of questions about how homeschooling is going and what we could do better or differently, and that was really helpful. We'll be making a few changes in the spring. Overall, we are all loving it.

Perhaps the biggest news is that we are hoping to get our house on the market by Feb 1 to try and take advantage of the current homeowner's tax credit (we would need a contract on another house by the end of April). We would need to sell our house first, so we'll see how it goes. We are praying for God to orchestrate all the details, because they just boggle our minds. First up, next week we are going to start removing carpet in the hallway and living room. Pete is off work all next week, so we're taking advantage of that. And he has a short list of little things to repair as well. It should be loud and dusty around here until we get that done.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

taekwondo and hair

Today Aidan earned his orange striped belt in taekwondo!! You can see pictures posted in the flickr album. He performed his kibon, broke a board, sparred, and then got his belt. It was super fun to watch him, although Iona got bored after a while.

This morning I "did" Iona's hair for the first time! Pictures are up on flickr. I didn't think it was long enough, but the ladies I talked with at Aldi last week assured me it was. So today I gave her a bath, put product in her hair, and then started with coils. So cute!! She loved getting to eat gummies while I was doing it. Her hair is still pretty short in the back and it's not staying in the best right there, but the rest is really fun. I don't know why I waited so long!!

Before I did the coils, I watched the videos on Shuruba to see what I was doing, and I was encouraged that the age of one of the "models" was close to Iona, with the same length of hair. After I did her hair, I ordered my first beads and snaps and beader and rubber bands. :) I'm looking forward to trying flat twists and some of the other styles with the beads and snaps.

I also wanted to point out the flickr photos of my new nephew, Gavin! I am leaving soon to take the train up to my sister's house for a couple of days to help her sleep with a newborn in the house. Her hubbie RJ just went back to work, so I'm going to come and help with cooking and cleaning and cuddling with little Gavin while she rests. I'm excited to get a "break" from here, but I know I'll be busy there too.

working

We've been trying to pay off debt for a while now, and we decided a few weeks ago that I really needed to get a part-time job to help things go a bit faster. We want to move next summer and we want to adopt again, so now every time we want to spend money, we (try to) ask ourselves if it's worth more than a new house or an adoption. We'll see if that helps us curb the excess.

I got a temporary job last week scoring standardized tests. I will be scoring the composition portion at the high school level. It'll last a couple of months, and I have my resume out at a few other places for when that is done. If they like me, I could be called back for future projects. I think it will be fun. I'll be working three evenings during the week and then Saturday afternoons.

I read about Stolen Moments Menu Planning on Money Saving Mom's site. Since I didn't win her giveaway for a free year of this service, we signed up tonight for one month with MSM's discount (good through the end of the month). I already coupon, menu plan, and shop sales, but I'm excited to see how this might help us. I've been feeling in a rut for a while with breakfasts and lunches, so I signed up for her Complete Plan for this first month. Since I will have less time home while I am working, we thought it was the perfect time to try this out. I'll let you know how it goes!

I also recently bought Owlhaven's Family Feasts for $75 a Week. She includes some Ethiopian and Korean recipes, two of my favorite cuisines. And I LOVE almost all the recipe ideas in the book. I'm excited to try many of them out. Owlhaven is a fellow adoptive mom!

Aidan turns 6!!

My miracle baby turned 6 this past Saturday. Pete put our Flickr photos on my blog, so just go to the album for Aidan's 6th birthday party and you can see the fun.

We celebrated with grandpa and a few friends at Chuck E Cheese. We didn't do their birthday package, but we just ordered some food, brought our own cake, and just played. Aidan wanted his icing ninja turtle green, and we gave his mini turtles a bath before we used them as cake toppers. His friends Kiri and Atticus came with their families and played with us there. Aidan got some LEGO sets, a bunch of games, some books, some turtle figures, and a fun Wolverine-like claw that makes noise--he calls it his Shredder claw. Grandpa came to the house after the party and stayed most of the afternoon, helping Aidan play with his toys and just hanging out.

For dinner he asked for hot dogs and mac and cheese, and then we watched Monster's vs. Aliens together.

It was a nice, relaxing birthday (except when I was literally CHASING Iona through Chuck E Cheese), and I didn't even have to clean!!

Halloween 2009

the voiceless

So last week I found out I have the flu. We think H1N1, but I was never tested. I've been sick for almost a week now, with no sign of being near done yet. Fever has been gone since Wednesday, thankfully, but yesterday I woke up with no voice.

I never realized how much I like to talk!

So Pete challenged me today with the question: so what is God teaching you through this?

I feel like I have so much swimming in my mind since that question. This is my attempt to record and make sense:

• the orphan--so many have no voice!! 143 million!!

• Orphan Sunday is next weekend. I've been praying for orphans, for people to adopt, for parents who are sick or make difficult decisions, for finances to come through for friends who are adopting.
• Some friends are going on a trip with Children's Hopechest to Ethiopia. Read more about their trip here. Consider a donation! Did you know that $15 will feed one Ethiopian child for a month?
• What is God calling us to do? We know that adopting Iona has been one of the greatest joys God has given us. She is such a fighter. In Ethiopia, 1 in 5 kiddos die before age 5. In calling us to adopt her, God gave her LIFE!! And God opened our eyes to a bigger picture of His love.
• I've been in a women's bible study at church on the book of Proverbs. God has been challenging me with these passages:

Prov 15:1--A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Prov 15:4--The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

Prov 29:11--Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.

I've really been thinking about and trying to watch the way I speak to my kids. Not yelling. Choosing words that give life and don't crush them. Encouraging them lots. Loosing my voice has made me sit back and think through that more, thinking about what I would say if I could, whispering words to them that make a difference.

• I've also been pondering God's voice in Scripture. God's powerful voice to create. What God's voice sounded like to his people. The people who raised their voices to God. How God speaks into the lives of his people. So much to think about.
• It's been really hard for me to not kiss my kiddos on the lips (for fear of spreading my illness), read them stories, etc.
• I'm slightly stressed that we're behind in homeschooling, but we're really only a few days to a week behind in certain subjects. I can't start up again until I can speak.
• I've been praying my voice is back by Tuesday, when Pete leaves on a business trip for the rest of the week. Please pray!!
• I've wrestled with how many times I've wanted to say random things to Pete and I can't. How much do I speak words that are meaningless? Are my words lifting him up or tearing him down?

Please pray that I can continue to make sense of all this and what God wants to teach me. And please pray I LEARN it this time!!