This & That...

We got our 800 approval this week! One step closer. That whole approval process got held up for some strange reason. It has put us about 2 weeks behind schedule unfortunately. I asked Mallory if it was at all possible to hope for TA by Thanksgiving. She said it's possible. If that's the case then we would travel 2-3 weeks later, be gone for about 2 & 1/2 weeks, and get home just in time for Christmas. Really all we care about is that this adoption is finalized before 2013. The tax credit will change and we REALLY need the tax credit that is offered for 2012... which means around $26,000 for us.

Today I wrapped up a 6 week study on 2 Timothy with my Precept D4Y students. It was so great. I always learn so much when I teach the kids. I wish I hadn't forgotten to take pictures of them today. They are all so precious; such great passion for learning about the Lord. Today we talked about our job as Believers... To rebuke, reprove, admonish, & exhort with great patience and love. We decided to exhort each other individually today. What a powerful morning it was. You just have no idea what that means to people.

Below is a picture of me & my sweet Precept leader/mentor/friend/spiritual momma; Jeannie. And not only does she have the amazing gift of teaching, she also has the amazing gift of exhortation. She has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. I thank God for this precious lady. Everyone needs a Jeannie. Do you have one? If not, ask God to give you one. He will.

I love Jeannie because she oozes God's Word and she radiates wisdom and true beauty.  I just love to sit at her feet and soak it up. She's also nowhere near perfect. She understands how to give and receive grace. When I grow up, I want to be JUST LIKE HER.

Jeannie brings out the best in people. My kids love her because she asks them about their lives and she calls them "honey" and she brings them little gifts and homemade brownies:) And she exhorts them. They shine around her.

This is our new-improved school room. We had been working downstairs in the dining room because we didn't have a table upstairs in the loft, but I got my old one back from a friend who no longer needed it:) Yay God! It's so nice to be up there, out of the way, and organized. I do miss being across the hallway from Matt & Alex though.

I finally hung up this wall collage today. Isn't it cute? I bought it about a year ago and it's been collecting dust on the floor of the loft since then. Now it'll probably take me another year to take out the pictures of total strangers and replace them with pix of my family:) The friendly little guy below? That's Harlie, our beloved Guinea Pig!

Funny Story: Aidan and Alex were fighting up in their rooms the other night when they were suppose to be sleeping. So after we waited a few seconds to see if it would die down, Matt yelled up the stairs, "Hey boys! Come down here and bring your socks and tennis shoes!" So they came down (mind you, it was 9:00 PM) wondering what the heck daddy was up to. He ran them down the West Orange Trail for 3 & 1/2 miles! He said that both boys needed to stop a time or two, but they ran almost the entire way! And the best part? When they all got home, they thanked him:) They were so proud. Alex is a great runner. He's been running like his daddy for years, but this was a first for A-Dog. The next morning, I took him and Ansley with me on my morning walk. I had to take a picture fo the two of them. They were so sweet; sharing the headphones:)
 

Aidan didn't find the debate as entertaining as we did... Could you believe those men? I worried they were gonna start throwing fists at one point. Anything beats the last debate between Biden & Ryan. Anyone else feel like slapping that smirk right off Biden's face? How rude! He has lost votes because of that.




 

Hope you have a blessed day!

~Rebecca