We're still here!

I haven't posted in awhile because my blog background is messed up and I can't figure out how to fix it (and haven't had the patience to mess with it!). Also, after foster baby going home, life has been pretty calm and uneventful around here. I should be thankful for that, but I've decided I kind of like the action! The action makes for much more interesting blog stories.

The past couple of weeks we've tried to make up for having to stay inside more when foster baby was here. We've hit the farmer's market, pool and the fountains at Crown Center. Samuel loves all things water and outdoors. Here he is with his buddy, Bryce.


We celebrated my Dad's birthday and I thought I'd share Samuel's Youtube tribute. There was absolutely no parental coaching here :).


The next few weeks are full! It's all good stuff... church family retreat at the lake, Samuel's THIRD birthday, a girls night in celebration of a dear friend's 40th birthday and a couple of weddings! I'm also starting back to teaching "full time" at the community college. I'll teach three sections and do some office hours- not a bad schedule! I was trying to explain to Jimmy how I walk on that campus or into the classroom and part of me just feels so alive. I love it.

We also find out in four weeks if we're having a girl or boy and are looking forward to that. I'm finally feeling better... praise God! I'm still waiting for the reality of being pregnant to hit. There are a lot of thoughts/emotions stirring that are hard to articulate. Overall, I feel grateful and so unworthy of this little surprise.

One more thing I'm excited about... we've been working with some others at our church to start an adoption/foster care/ child sponsorship ministry and we are finally going to launch this fall! I'm so excited to see things come together. I can see God stirring hearts of people in our community and it is awesome! My prayer is that everyone would ask of the Lord "Is this something you are calling me to? If so, how do I get involved!?" The need is GREAT and so is the blessing that comes along with getting involved. It is so easy to tell God "here's what I can handle" in regards to a family, instead of asking Him "What do you have for our family?" I know... I've said since college I'd have 2.5 kids and be done having them by the age of 30. So I'm 31, pregnant, and pretty sure God isn't finished growing our family! A friend passed along this video about adopting... this one is specific to children out of foster care which is close to my heart! Betcha can't get through it without crying! Even Jimmy couldn't do it :)!