*Prayer Request* Our homestudy has been moved up to November 8Th. This is the same day I have a huge exam in the morning. I also have a big project due on the 11Th. The caseworker will be here at 11 a.m. I hope to be out of my exam by noon. She is going to interview Greg first and then us together when I get home. Lindsey has to work that Saturday (highly unusual) but if she is not home in time, the caseworker will reschedule with her. I was hoping they would just move the homestudy to the 22ND or 29Th, but they want to take care of it now.
No pressure! This gal will be watching NO TV, dragging her husband away from the TV, and staying very busy for the next two weeks!
**Blessing**Just as I was wondering how we were going to pay for extra stuff for the house to get ready for the homestudy, I got a check in the mail from my Aunt. It was perfect timing and couldn't be needed more right now. Thank you Lord for the faithful who allow themselves to be used by you! What an incredible, humbling and encouraging experience. Thank you Auntie!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Homestudy Scheduled
November 15Th.
No big deal, I only have a mid-term, one major project and my content exit exam before then :)
Holy Smokes....
Our caseworker seems nice (as far as I can tell through e-mail). I just hope we can get the house ready before then!
I think we are bending toward getting the kids now. Again, the argument is: why would getting kids during my Residency (when I am still under the help and supervision of a mentor teacher) be any more difficult than my first year of teaching (on my own and from what I hear, very stressful)?
Or, if we're going for a "stress-free" time to adopt, we could just wait until AFTER my first year of teaching... no big deal, just another year and a half of waiting, right?
I don't think so! Keep in mind that it wouldn't just be us waiting, but our kids sitting in foster care, waiting for us.
Greg is getting older (he says so himself) and will be 40 before we know it. We are both ready and want kids. Having and raising them is stressful no matter when, so why not do it now?
However accepting any placements will not happen until Greg has a full-time job.
Did anyone watch 20/20 last night? There was a very disturbing story about a family who was in the process of adopting a little boy from foster care when he died of salt poisoning. The Mom was convicted of capital murder and given a life sentence. You can read more here. There is also a link on the website to the 20/20 special. Please pray for this Texas family, especially for the Dad who is home with their remaining five children.
No big deal, I only have a mid-term, one major project and my content exit exam before then :)
Holy Smokes....
Our caseworker seems nice (as far as I can tell through e-mail). I just hope we can get the house ready before then!
I think we are bending toward getting the kids now. Again, the argument is: why would getting kids during my Residency (when I am still under the help and supervision of a mentor teacher) be any more difficult than my first year of teaching (on my own and from what I hear, very stressful)?
Or, if we're going for a "stress-free" time to adopt, we could just wait until AFTER my first year of teaching... no big deal, just another year and a half of waiting, right?
I don't think so! Keep in mind that it wouldn't just be us waiting, but our kids sitting in foster care, waiting for us.
Greg is getting older (he says so himself) and will be 40 before we know it. We are both ready and want kids. Having and raising them is stressful no matter when, so why not do it now?
However accepting any placements will not happen until Greg has a full-time job.
Did anyone watch 20/20 last night? There was a very disturbing story about a family who was in the process of adopting a little boy from foster care when he died of salt poisoning. The Mom was convicted of capital murder and given a life sentence. You can read more here. There is also a link on the website to the 20/20 special. Please pray for this Texas family, especially for the Dad who is home with their remaining five children.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
It's Home Study Time!
When we turned in our paperwork we were told the agency recruiter would not be back from her cruise. So we assumed our file would not be finalized until she came back.
Wrong!
I got a call from a nice lady named Becky who informed me of a few things we were missing from our file and our car insurance form had expired. I e-mailed everything to her, and she wrote back that our status was now "home study ready". So we could get a call at any time.
I really thought we wouldn't have to worry about a home study until late November or December. Don't ask me why....
Now I'm freaking out because we have a ton of things to do before our house is ready to be inspected. We need to child proof the place, replace a door, finish our molding in the living room, take down the ceiling fan in the kids' room and put up a new light fixture, get bedding, put locks on tons of doors and a few million other things that I can't think of right now.
Oh yeah, and I have tests and other school work to worry about as well :)
Greg is still looking for a job. The pool business is almost officially dead so he is ramping up for a serious job hunt. Please pray for him in this area. It would be really great if he found something before the home study.
But God is good, and He provides. And when it's all said and done, we are ready to be "Mom and Dad"!
Wrong!
I got a call from a nice lady named Becky who informed me of a few things we were missing from our file and our car insurance form had expired. I e-mailed everything to her, and she wrote back that our status was now "home study ready". So we could get a call at any time.
I really thought we wouldn't have to worry about a home study until late November or December. Don't ask me why....
Now I'm freaking out because we have a ton of things to do before our house is ready to be inspected. We need to child proof the place, replace a door, finish our molding in the living room, take down the ceiling fan in the kids' room and put up a new light fixture, get bedding, put locks on tons of doors and a few million other things that I can't think of right now.
Oh yeah, and I have tests and other school work to worry about as well :)
Greg is still looking for a job. The pool business is almost officially dead so he is ramping up for a serious job hunt. Please pray for him in this area. It would be really great if he found something before the home study.
But God is good, and He provides. And when it's all said and done, we are ready to be "Mom and Dad"!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Paperwork Completed and Turned In
Whew! We dropped our paperwork off at the agency today. Of course the recruiter is on a cruise until the 24Th so it will just sit on her desk until she gets back. That's okay though.
So maybe we'll have a home study in November and total approval in December or January. We are still debating on whether to accept placements while I am doing my student teaching. Honestly though, I can't imagine my residency will be any more difficult than my first year of teaching, so why put it off?
Now we need to prepare for the home study. We have a lot to get done on the house.
I was substitute teaching in a local elementary school when I came in contact with a 2nd grader there who is a foster child. He was very sweet to all of the special ed kids I was taking care of. However within 10 minutes the principal "set him off" and he threw a trash can at the principal. I have a feeling our life is going to be very interesting once we have a placement!
So maybe we'll have a home study in November and total approval in December or January. We are still debating on whether to accept placements while I am doing my student teaching. Honestly though, I can't imagine my residency will be any more difficult than my first year of teaching, so why put it off?
Now we need to prepare for the home study. We have a lot to get done on the house.
I was substitute teaching in a local elementary school when I came in contact with a 2nd grader there who is a foster child. He was very sweet to all of the special ed kids I was taking care of. However within 10 minutes the principal "set him off" and he threw a trash can at the principal. I have a feeling our life is going to be very interesting once we have a placement!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Paperwork, Blessings and Life
I haven't posted in a long time..... Life is VERY busy right now.
Student teaching is a BLAST. I am also sub-ing when I don't have a ton of homework, which has been interesting. Tomorrow and Tuesday I will work as a sub for my mentor teacher. Woohoo!
(Prayer Request) Since I quit my job August 15th things have gotten interesting. Two weeks ago, my A/C went out. Our mechanic is fabulous and loaned me his truck. We are expecting a call this coming week about the cost....
(Blessing).... I mentioned Greg quit his job on the same day I did. His Dad runs a pool business and Greg has been working with "Papaw". Between this and working part-time as a valet, we have not touched our savings (except $120 I needed to pay to take a stinking test!).
(Prayer Request) The pool business, while it has been so good to us, is starting to die off for the season. Greg is beginning a job search in earnest.
(Blessing) So our fridge went out. Not the freezer, just the fridge part. Lindsey's friend does fridge repair and suggested we defrost the whole thing. And it worked! Yeah, baby! We mentioned the fridge issue at church and a couple called, saying their daughter had a really nice fridge she was selling for $200. We decided not to buy it since ours was working again, and just hope for the best. They called us back the next day and said their daughter felt led to GIVE US THE FRIDGE. We are working out a time to pick it up. It is a side-by-side that has a water and ice cube dispenser in front. Funny story: I am really thrilled about the water/cube feature because as a child I always thought only really "rich people" had fridges like that. Ha, ha.
(Blessing) My sub paperwork for the school district I teach for came in ONE day before my mentor had to put in for a sub for Monday and Tuesday. I literally got an e-mail Friday afternoon, just in the nick of time. This was really nice since I'd been waiting for that e-mail for about a month. Now I will get paid for two days, when I would have to be there anyway for free.
God is really, REALLY good. He always provides.
Now for more news:
WE ARE FINISHED WITH OUR PAPERWORK!
We just need to print out our applications and take everything to the agency. I am planning on doing that this week.
We are going to talk to our agency about going ahead with the home study but not accepting placements until the first of next year. We don't even see each other.... I'm not sure how we would take care of a child. This is disappointing to us, but we have to think about what is best for the kids we would bring into our home. It's not about US, right? :)
I'm just ready to meet my kids. And I know they need me too....
Student teaching is a BLAST. I am also sub-ing when I don't have a ton of homework, which has been interesting. Tomorrow and Tuesday I will work as a sub for my mentor teacher. Woohoo!
(Prayer Request) Since I quit my job August 15th things have gotten interesting. Two weeks ago, my A/C went out. Our mechanic is fabulous and loaned me his truck. We are expecting a call this coming week about the cost....
(Blessing).... I mentioned Greg quit his job on the same day I did. His Dad runs a pool business and Greg has been working with "Papaw". Between this and working part-time as a valet, we have not touched our savings (except $120 I needed to pay to take a stinking test!).
(Prayer Request) The pool business, while it has been so good to us, is starting to die off for the season. Greg is beginning a job search in earnest.
(Blessing) So our fridge went out. Not the freezer, just the fridge part. Lindsey's friend does fridge repair and suggested we defrost the whole thing. And it worked! Yeah, baby! We mentioned the fridge issue at church and a couple called, saying their daughter had a really nice fridge she was selling for $200. We decided not to buy it since ours was working again, and just hope for the best. They called us back the next day and said their daughter felt led to GIVE US THE FRIDGE. We are working out a time to pick it up. It is a side-by-side that has a water and ice cube dispenser in front. Funny story: I am really thrilled about the water/cube feature because as a child I always thought only really "rich people" had fridges like that. Ha, ha.
(Blessing) My sub paperwork for the school district I teach for came in ONE day before my mentor had to put in for a sub for Monday and Tuesday. I literally got an e-mail Friday afternoon, just in the nick of time. This was really nice since I'd been waiting for that e-mail for about a month. Now I will get paid for two days, when I would have to be there anyway for free.
God is really, REALLY good. He always provides.
Now for more news:
WE ARE FINISHED WITH OUR PAPERWORK!
We just need to print out our applications and take everything to the agency. I am planning on doing that this week.
We are going to talk to our agency about going ahead with the home study but not accepting placements until the first of next year. We don't even see each other.... I'm not sure how we would take care of a child. This is disappointing to us, but we have to think about what is best for the kids we would bring into our home. It's not about US, right? :)
I'm just ready to meet my kids. And I know they need me too....
Monday, August 18, 2008
No Fun Being the Newbie
I had my first day of student teaching today. Not that I did any teaching or even observed any teaching, I went to my first "staff development meeting". It wasn't as boring as it sounds. My mentor teacher is friendly and invited me to lunch with some more seasoned teachers.
I consider myself to be pretty friendly.... but it was so hard today. I think part of the reason was a splitting headache (people with bad allergies should NOT spray paint dressers - especially when the end result looks bad anyway! :). I also think I felt a little awkward.... I'm used to walking into the same job for 7 years... and the job before that another 7 years. I am a creature of habit. I surround myself with people I know and who know me. But this will change... and become more comfortable. Tomorrow I'm heading back to the school to help decorate and organize the classroom. I'm praying that I will worry less about fitting in and just absorb this experience like a sponge and become the best student teacher I can.
My mentor teacher is having a desk put into her class for me and I will have a room key and a faculty parking sticker. I know that may sound silly to some, what's the big deal, right? But I have been going to school a LONG time (I may have already mentioned that :) to be a teacher. So it feels like I am finally getting a teensy-weensy slice of the pie (And I LOVE pie!).
The principal of my school made several references to his church and faith. I would work there just to work with him. He seems very genuine and all of the teachers like him.
I'm still cleaning out the kids' room.... how did we accumulate this much junk in only 3 years?! Our bedroom is getting pretty crowded. I'm hoping this weekend we can get Greg's application finished, print off photos of the house and take it to the agency. Please continue to pray for us as we seek God's will in our schedules. On a brighter note I have a friend who is giving us a crib, stroller, car seat and base. And probably more stuff. We want to have anything we might need on hand for a newborn to 12 year old, but it is impossible to buy everything. God is blessing us through friends with many items that we won't have to buy ourselves.
I consider myself to be pretty friendly.... but it was so hard today. I think part of the reason was a splitting headache (people with bad allergies should NOT spray paint dressers - especially when the end result looks bad anyway! :). I also think I felt a little awkward.... I'm used to walking into the same job for 7 years... and the job before that another 7 years. I am a creature of habit. I surround myself with people I know and who know me. But this will change... and become more comfortable. Tomorrow I'm heading back to the school to help decorate and organize the classroom. I'm praying that I will worry less about fitting in and just absorb this experience like a sponge and become the best student teacher I can.
My mentor teacher is having a desk put into her class for me and I will have a room key and a faculty parking sticker. I know that may sound silly to some, what's the big deal, right? But I have been going to school a LONG time (I may have already mentioned that :) to be a teacher. So it feels like I am finally getting a teensy-weensy slice of the pie (And I LOVE pie!).
The principal of my school made several references to his church and faith. I would work there just to work with him. He seems very genuine and all of the teachers like him.
I'm still cleaning out the kids' room.... how did we accumulate this much junk in only 3 years?! Our bedroom is getting pretty crowded. I'm hoping this weekend we can get Greg's application finished, print off photos of the house and take it to the agency. Please continue to pray for us as we seek God's will in our schedules. On a brighter note I have a friend who is giving us a crib, stroller, car seat and base. And probably more stuff. We want to have anything we might need on hand for a newborn to 12 year old, but it is impossible to buy everything. God is blessing us through friends with many items that we won't have to buy ourselves.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Three Years Ago Today
On August 6, 2005 at 3PM I walked down the aisle and married the man of my dreams.
It really does seem like yesterday.
I woke my parents and sister up at 6 AM. I couldn't sleep and thought we should all go to breakfast. Although no one was really happy with me at the time I think we can all look back on that last "family" meal (minus Greg) together with fondness.
Looking back, one thing that is clear to me now is how naive I was about marriage. That girl in the white dress was not only thinner (ha!) but very idealistic. I have been surprised at how difficult marriage is - but so worth the work!
I can also see looking back how God prepared Greg and I for marriage and for each other. It was worth the wait and in God's perfect time.
Happy Anniversary to my mate, my Macho Man, my friend, and my forever love. I wouldn't trade these three years for anything.
Love,
Brandi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
