More good news!!!

I know it's been a while since I posted last but I have been so busy with work, I haven't even had the energy or time to write. We have been short staffed at the pre-school so I've been working morning and afternoon shifts. A double shift in a pre-school/daycare is not the same as a double shift in say, retail work where you actually work two 8 hour shifts. A double shift at our school means about 9 hours of work since the morning shift works 7:30-2:30 and the afternoon is 2:15-5:30. When you work all day you get a break for lunch. But let me tell you, those nine hours are long, hard hours, especially when you are in a two or three year old classroom as I am often placed. Especially when there are 12-15 students in each class.

I am very thankful for the money however. Working so many extra hours has really helped us out this month. Financial Aid does not arrive until the end of the month when school starts. And even then it may not because I was selected for verification this year. Joy upon joy. Whatever they can throw at me, they will. Right now my aid status says "you are in the verification process, check back in one to two weeks." That's an automated message and usually it's less time than they say. That's what I'm praying for anyway because school begins on the 25th! Sigh...I'm always down to the wire with these kinds of things.

Ok, I did title this post as "good news" and there really is some extraordinary news! My sister Paula and her husband Mark have decided to adopt a baby girl! It is so very exciting!!!! They were inspired by my cousin Angela and what was born inside of them was a desire for a little girl of their own. They have put in their application, been accepted, signed their contract and have finished their autobiographies for the case workers. Today they were attending a workshop for adopting families. They are so extremely happy, as are the rest of us! They have decided to name their baby Emma Mei. Emma is a family name on our mother's side of the family and Mae is our grandmother's middle name. They decided on the Chinese spelling so that she will have a tie to her biological nationality and because the name means "beautiful" in Chinese. They have decided to call her "Mei-Mei" since everyone tends to have nicknames in our family (I've been Moongold or a derivative of the name since I was 4 years old) and because Mei-Mei means "little sister." Isn't that just too sweet for words?! Please pray for them as this is a long process, as well as continuous prayers for my sweet cousin Angela. Finally a niece that Aunt Manda can play Barbies with!!!! Not that my nephews haven't been tons of fun. I was just thinking yesterday about when Zachary was learning about lightning and he called it "Ewectristery." He wasn't probably more than two years old. Smart boy. Those are precious moments that survive in memory of the heart alone.

Paula and Mark have a blog to follow their progress, which I have posted under "Blogs I Read" in case you would like to check it out.

In another arena but I guess related in a way, lately, I've been feeling renewed life. For about five years there have been so many tumultuous life changing events that the seas of life have often been tormentingly choppy. Our family has been through a great deal of heartache and suffered blows that no one knew how to deal with. No one person was effected the same way which means that no one has healed the same way or to the same extent. People have surprised me both positively and negatively which has caused me to lose faith in the things that I thought I knew.

But now, at least for today, I feel differently. Today is the kind of day where love and compassion replace anger and hurt. I'm thinking I should take a step that I've been afraid to take for fear of rejection, embarrassment, more hurt, more anger. However, today I realize that the blessing is in the release of my anger and pain, and in it's place, love. God reveals blessings in ways I will never understand. Today I feel the blessing is in the giving, not in what I'm getting.

I know this doesn't make a lot of sense but I need to put it somewhere. :)

A wonderful cause...

Ok, so people who know me well know that I love children. If you know me well, you also know I always wanted to have children of my own, but also always felt I wanted to adopt some children as well. Have two and adopt two was my plan. And because I love little Asian children so much, I wanted "Chinese babies." Well, I am not having any children any time soon because we are not ready but I wanted to devote some time towards my cousin who is ready and wanting to adopt a little girl from China. My cousin Angela, her husband Chip, and their son Miles are trying to raise money to adopt a little girl.

I think this is so wonderful that every time I think of it, I get excited. I think adoption is an amazing thing in this life. There are millions of children who need homes. These children, through no fault of their own may never feel the loving embrace of a parent. Is there anything more Biblical than adoption? Are we not adopted by God? There is only one begotten Son, thus we as God's children are all adopted through election. As I am not a missionary by any worldly standards, I find it hard to use that word but I feel adoption is a true missionary act. To bring someone into your home and into your family is an act of true Christianity. Thus is boggles my mind to hear that there are people who do not support adoption. We are all entitled to our opinions. However, on this blog, I support adoption. If it weren't for adoption, I may not be here because in case you didn't know, my mommy was adopted. :)

The irony of the process of adoption is that while there are millions of children without homes, it costs a fortune to bring one of them into your family. I understand that people must ensure that the children are going to good homes, but "good home" does not always mean "wealthy home." Angela and Chip have set up a website for people to visit in order to hear their story and to donate if they wish. I know it is hard for them to ask people for money, as it is for all of us. But this is truly a wonderful cause, an amazing mission to bring some little girl into their home. Angela and Chip are such sweet people and are very patient and understanding parents. Their little Miles is one of the sweetest little boys I've ever seen. They are excellent candidates for adoption.

I have put a link to their website on the right side of my page. Feel free to visit it, as well as tell your friends about it. Also, Angela is a spectacular photographer and there is a way for you to help through her photography business called "Angela's Portraits."

Please check out their site and send it on to your friends. All you need is love! dadadadadum....

sickness and stress

Well, I have been sick for a whole week now. I have no voice at all. My sweet Granny called me just now and I was trying to talk to her but we kept getting mixed up because she couldn't hear what I was saying. I went to the doctor last Monday and have been on antibiotics for a week and have only gotten worse. Most likely, I got so sick because I did not have time to step back and rest. Between school, commuting, gas prices, work, sickness, and daily life, I have breached my stress limit. Isn't it sad that the high gas prices are a stress unto themselves? When you commute and make peanuts at a job which should pay more, filling the gas tank becomes nightmarish.

I have already missed two days of one class but I may be missing tomorrow because I think I need to go back to the doctor. I have to keep telling myself that I can only do what I can do. But I hate letting people down and I've done so well in school lately, I would really hate for a dumb cold to ruin everything. Not to mention that I feel bad about missing work. I missed last Monday because I had gone to the doctor and he said to stay home, then I missed Tuesday because I had to do an observation for school. I went Wed, Thur, and Fri, but Friday they sent me home because I couldn't talk. So I would really, really hate to miss anymore. Not to mention that my friend Summer is getting married next Saturday and I am missing work on Friday for that because I am her matron of honor. And I am just thankful that Steven and I do not have children yet because there would be absolutely no way I would be able to handle everything. Of course, I wouldn't be a full-time student, commuting two hours a day, and working if I had children.

I am just really ready for the summer to be over. I never, ever thought I would say that. Summer has always been so great because of church meetings and no school, going to the beach, going to the pool, visiting family, etc. Of course, as an adult those things change but this summer is just abnormally burdensome. We can't go to church meetings or the beach because of money and gas prices, and there is lots and lots of school since I had to go full time.

Ok, so that all sounds depressing but the truth is, I will be overjoyed when I don't have to commute every single day in my very hot, unairconditioned car. Not to mention how much better it will be on our budget. :)

I promise my next post will not be so downtrodden. Unless of course, something catastrophic happens like all my hair falls out. adieu!

Last FAFSA!

I just filled out my very last FAFSA! I didn't even think about how it was my last time until I was done. How exciting is that?! It's a small step to graduation, but a step none-the-less. Only 14 months to go!

Last night I talked to my friend Luke. I hadn't talked to him since spring break. I love him so much. We were very close in highschool but really became close just after. Talking to him is so great but it also makes me realize how different our lives have become. He is in Ohio (about to graduate! yay Luke!) and will be moving to New York to begin his career as an actor. I am in Texas (still) and in school (still). Don't get me wrong, I love my life. It's just interesting to reflect on how people's paths cross and separate during a lifetime. He'll always be a friend I can call and someone I'll keep in contact with my whole life, I hope. I feel a tinge of sadness when I think of how far apart we are these days.

I do love my life, I want to make that clear. But every year about this time when the outside temperature is reaching eleventy-million degrees, I think of how I don't know if I can live in Texas my whole life. At this point, my family is here and that is the main reason I would not want to move. Of course, school for both Steven and me is here, and that's another big reason we live in Texas. But gosh darnit! It is so hot!!!! It also doesn't help that I keep watching "Under the Tuscan Sun" and dreaming of living in Bramasole on the the Italian countryside. Of course, as an ardent patriot, I could only live permenantly in the United States. Perhaps when I am a quadrillionaire, I will have a house in Tuscany.

I actually am content to live where we are for a few years. Our plan is to stay until Steven graduates. We are both very excited because he will start at Blinn going part-time in the fall. He's waited a long time to go to school. It was very strange but fulfilling having to enter on the FAFSA that both members of our household will be going at least half-time to school next year. It makes me feel that we are on our way!

Done!

School is over! Woohoo!!!

No real news other than that. Tomorrow is my last day with the family I work for and I start my new job Monday at the daycare. This is hopefully the very last time I ever work at a daycare. I love children but I've been taking care of kids for over ten years! I really can't believe I'm old enough to actually stay that.

So three months with the kiddos at the dayschool and then no more "working" until I graduate. - That is: no more jobs until I graduate since next year I absolutely won't be able to. Methods, some remaining classes, and student teaching are definitely work enough!

My youngest cousin turned two years old! Where are all the babies? We need more babies!!!! (don't look at me though) :D

Winding down

I love that the semester is coming to an end. Of course, it is bitter sweet because I won't have my favorite class anymore. But the professor has asked that I stay in touch. She's been so helpful to me in my writing and supportive in general. Teachers like her are few and far between.

I am absolutely overjoyed that I never, ever have to see that English professor again. I am done with the class and know to avoid him. After all, I only have one more year of school left!!!! 14 months and I am done!!!!!

For now I have two more finals on Wednesday which kinda stinks. They are back to back and that only gives me a few minutes to refresh after the first one. The first one isn't going to be that bad. It's like any other test we have had in the class. My second one will be brutal beyond a shadow of a doubt. As everything has a silver lining - the good thing is, when it is over, I'm done. :) for two weeks.......

Yup, summer school begins. But I am almost positive it won't be too bad. Summer I is two education classes so not a lot of reading, just mainly hands on activities. Summer II is an online class and a history class. Online classes are almost always better. I do know the down side to this particular class is that the professor requires something every day. It's technical writing, not entirely exciting, but still....I think it will be fine. And it is only 4 weeks long - almost anything can be endured for 4 weeks. almost....

Well, that's all I have time for now. I have a study group I need to attend in a few minutes. This means poor Steven is left fixing dinner tonight. I prepared the meatloaf, ready to go in the oven and left detailed instructions on how to make the rice and green beans. I think he should be fine!!! He's a smart guy.

one more day.....

Well, there is only one more class day after today. How excited am I? I would be more excited if I didn't have 2 essays (both 6 pages) and a project (very major) to do before finals begin next week. But hopefully after Wednesday I will only have to worry about finals and no more papers before summer school starts. And actually, I won't have any papers in the first summer session because I am taking two education classes that are mainly tests and small projects. At least that's what I'm hoping.

I got some exciting news last week. I am not bragging but, I got a writing award! It's called excellence in writing. There will be a ceremony tomorrow and my work will be displayed with other student winners and faculty. I've never won an award for writing and haven't won anything in college at all. Except of course, my education but that doesn't count because I pay for that. :)

I'm trying to figure out what church meetings Steven and I can go to this summer. We didn't attend any last summer. Finances didn't permit and our family was going through a great deal of things. The issue is now, I'm just not as aware of them now as I used to be.

I would like to ask for some prayers for my Granny. She is suffering from shingles. I don't know much about this except that it's the chicken pox virus in adults and it's incredibly painful. She's so sweet and carries a great deal of burden already. Please pray for her speedy recovery.

Well, it's off to class for now....but for the second to last time. woohoo!!! I've made it to the end of the semester....almost!