Sunday, August 21, 2011

New Adventures

I feel completely disconnected to the blog world these past two weeks!  I just returned home from an overwhelming work trip to NYC and I'm extremely happy to be home with my family.  Bobby has never had the kiddos overnight before...more less for 6 nights!  The trip was great: an exceptional writing conference, great food, shopping, and my first Broadway experience--Wicked.  NYC is definitely a whole different world than the openness and slower paced life we live in North Dakota. I found myself missing ND...the August evenings listening to the crickets chirping, the fields that are almost ready for harvest, and the sunsets or clouds you can see for miles. 

Travelling home was more than exhausting and frustrating (late take-off which led to missing our connecting flight, an unexpected night in Minneapolis, and then issues with the plane in MPLS)!  But I was fortunate to make it home just a couple hours before Eli's 5th Birthday Party (and fortunate to have such a great husband and mom who cleaned, cooked, and prepared for it!).  Here are a few snapshots of his baseball party:







We start inservice tomorrow and the first day of school is Thursday already!!  After the conference I am finally feeling excited to go back to work...of course I'm still a little saddened to be leaving my children, but know God had this planned for me!

Growing up, through college, and my first few years teaching math has always been the easiest subject for me.  It came naturally and was something I never had to plan/study for.  As a new teacher I found myself spending a lot of time anxiously planning my reading and writing instruction and had to work hard to teach these two subjects.  Oddly enough I spent so much time researching, planning, and educating myself in literacy instruction that I grew a huge love for literacy and teaching children how to read and write.  In the last two classrooms I had I  savored every moment of teaching literacy and developing new tools and ideas for my students! 

Now, here I am returning to education as an Instructional Literacy Coach (which is working with the teachers to develop the best reading and writing instruction for their students)...and the best part is I will be working PART TIME while my mom and sister-in-law are at my house 2.5 days a week with our children!  No more overly priced health insurance bills and a little extra income to go straight into our adoption fundLooking back, I can completely see how God has been planting the seeds and growing the roots to lead me to this job and this opportunity for some financial relief for our family

I'm thankful for all the opportunities God has placed in my life and I look forward to seeing how this new school year unfolds, how much Eli grows as a five year old, and what other experiences we will have this year!  We have our notarized home study in hand and will be sending our I-600 in TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!  Last step in the paperwork process and our dossier will be sent for our baby girl in Ethiopia! 



James 1:17     
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
        


Love from our family to yours!

2 comments:

  1. Isn't it the BEST feeling to be able to send in your I-600A?? We just got our letter in the mail today saying that they got all of our paperwork!! I was so scared there was going to be something wrong or I forgot something, but nope! Just said they got it all and they're processing it. WAHOO!!!!

    Sounds like a fun time in NYC! I've never been there...one day! :)

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  2. Hello! We are another ND adoptive family! We have had our 3.75 yr old son home from ET almost 16 mo. Happy to find you and pray for your journey. Blessings! Alicia
    www.findingjoshua.blogspot.com

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