Playing Catch-Up On My Thoughts

1. We are all much better now, thank you. So very thankful for health!

2. I started a Bible Study with a couple of girls here (Americans) who have already been doing Bible Studies together for a while...they asked me to join. We are doing Hosea...such a hard book for me to swallow, but really good.

3. I've been having a hard time lately with my life. ;) Sounds so dramatic, but you know, just more dying to self and dying to the dreams that if it were up to me, would be a part of my life. It's not up to me, though, and the Person it is up to, knows way better than me, I know this. But, it's just still hard to follow through with that knowledge in my heart and actions and attitudes. But, on we go...

4. The bottom line with the whole vaccinations thing for us basically came down to this: it's choosing between two evils. That's the way we see it. There is no ideal answer given the circumstances. For us, the least evil seems to be using the horrible things that happened in the past (the abortions that were performed that gave us these vaccines) to now combat the horrible in the present (disease). Not only does it offer some protection for us personally, but also for the people we come into contact with. Unfortunately, entire tribes have been wiped out before due to an infected foreigner visiting their area. I don't want my kids being paralyzed by polio, something that is preventable. And I don't want to infect others either. Unfortunately there are decisions we have to make that involve no ideal answers. This is one of those instances. If you live in the United States and don't vaccinate, you are safer...for now. But, the more people don't vaccinate, the more prevalent these 'old-timey' diseases will become again. Like I said, no ideal answers...each person has to pray about it and decide for themselves...not just based on their own wishes with their own bodies though...they must also think about the people/the 'innocent bystanders' that they may come into contact with.

5. Joel and I had a very, very nice free day yesterday. Since I was romancing our toilet for my actual birthday weekend, this was the postponed celebration. Our wonderful sitter came over yesterday morning and me and Joel went and spent the day in Goiania. We ate at Outback with a friend (Marcelo) and a couple of his friends...fun. Then we went to the mall next door (Flamboyant) and read in the bookstore as we sipped on an iced coffee (LOVE that). Then we went to see Wolverine (very good) and headed home. 10 full hours of adult-only activity and conversation. We did miss our kids and headed home even earlier than needed because of this (we really like our kids apparently), but we had a very FULL and FUN day. Thanks, Babe!

6. Slumdog Millionaire doesn't get to our movie rental store until next month. The book, though, was available (in English...they have one rack of English) yesterday at the bookstore. So, I picked it up and started reading it. I have to say that I usually DESPISE reading fiction, but very, very, very occasionally I will pick one up. I can count the number of fiction books I've read on one hand. But, I'm excited about reading this and then being able to see the movie right after.

7. The kids are all doing excellent! Nothing new since the last update. They are so very fun.

8. I am busy today working on the kids' baby books...yes, all four of them. Ha ha ha. Thankfully, I opened up Grady's and a lot of his was filled in. I didn't remember that I had even done anything to it. ;) But, yeah...much more work to do with them all. But, I was reading about LifeBooks (really cool...a definite must) last night and thought how sad it would be for me to do a LifeBook for our adopted children one day, but own poor biological children didn't even have their "LifeBooks" done. ;) So, here we go...

9. Speaking of adoption, I've been looking into it more lately...as in what Americans have to do to adopt, both foreign and domestic (but more specifically internationally). I came across a great 'how-to' that I thought I'd share (so there you go...just click on the link there), just in case you are looking into it. But, I wanted to ask you all too. If you've had any experience with adoption or if you have any helpful information at all, I would love to get your feedback...just the story of your experience...how you went about the process, agencies you used, what you wish you'd known before, etc. Feel free to comment (or email me if you are more comfortable with that) no matter where you are in the process as well.

10. And there has to be a 10, just to round it all out. Hmmm...
Oh, yes...I'm pregnant!

Kidding. I'm just so used to saying that every year...I'm still trying to get used to this 'new phase' I'm in.

How about some pictures for #10? O.K., here you go...

The picture at the top of this post was taken on Mother's Day. Here are few more from that day.
We were at a Mother's Day breakfast at our church.




Everyone piling up on my bed to wish me a Happy Birthday! P.S. Notice the kids' artwork all over our walls. They got really tired of our blank walls in our room apparently. ;) Love it...no amount of money could buy the caliber of this artwork!
Grady showing me his card.
So proud.
Oh dear.
Such silliness!! ;)
The shirt and necklace the kids picked out for me. You can see Cass on her way up to me. I thought she just wanted to play with my necklace, but no...
She had to get some snuggling. Awww.
The kids with the cards they picked out for me. So cute!