Tonight we began our every other Thursday night with a sitter school year "routine." I began this a couple years ago as a way to take a few nights to myself and a few nights to take kids out by themselves one at a time for some quality time together. Our wonderful, Christian, local college attending, sitter is back from the summer and tonight we began with mom's night out. Next week Braeden and Olivia have their back to school parent nights so they will have individual "dates" then. I had originally planned to go out with a friend to dinner and a movie but she ended up unable to go, so I went solo. Got a little shopping in and then went to a movie. Halfway through I was texted that our sitter was having NO control over Braeden. I left (which was really ok since I was not thrilled with the movie) and got home shortly after. I could tell she was frazzled and felt for her! :( Braeden came and apologized without prompting. Part of the problem was that not only was he being obstinate, but Liam was following suit in a big way. They got a stern talking to, Braeden was genuinely sorry, Liam cried because I said I was going to "tell Papa and Grammy" :), and they went to bed in separate areas of the house. Braeden will be doing some jobs around the house this weekend to "pay" mom back for the movie she missed. :)

On BETTER and BRIGHTER news... Yesterday I received notice that I am officially approved for the Hong Kong program! Our second app was officially approved! They also sent the forms and instructions to begin paperwork for filing our I800a, basically asking the government to allow us to adopt a foreign-born child. I won't be able to file yet, as my home study needs to be finished and approved by our state, but then I can send it in! Once that's approved I can begin to inquire on any children on the waiting child list! (Currently there aren't any that I feel God is directing us towards, so I am not in a rush and know it will all happen in HIS time, not mine!) Of course, the approval letter was also the letter asking for that next big chunk of our fee. :) I'll be sending it in this weekend and although I "have" it, technically I'll be taking out $700 from our (VERY small) college fund for the kids, so will be needing to replace that asap. $700 isn't bad though and I know God can fill that up soon! :)

Also, school... amazingly the SECOND I left the room to "test" one with Dibels, the other six somehow decided they could do EVERY little thing they know I don't "allow" even though our social worker and my assistant were there with them. They both told me they just couldn't believe how blatant it was! BUT, we also saw real progress with a lot of the kids today. God heard those prayers!!! One student who I don't think knew how to even use paper, who couldn't write his own first name under three inches tall and all over the paper, today sat down with me for Math and wrote his name at the top corner of his paper in around a half inch tall space with no problem whatsoever. Sounds like nothing, but for him a HUGE gain! And another one who is so incredibly stubborn she won't answer me AT ALL if she doesn't feel like it, not even to say "I don't know" to something so I have no idea what she knows or is learning at times, and will only usually look at my face instead of the sight word I'm trying to get her to work at sounding out, kept her face on the sight word cards and not me and at least tried each word no matter what, an INCREDIBLE step for her! And, my one student who is quite large, who is my fifth grader and has done "gross motor" (exercise DVDs :) ) with me for two years and is ALWAYS complaining and being lazy and not "doing" it, worked his tush off for me today (seriously it's like 15-20 min of little kids Tae Bo!) and did it without complaining! I was SO PROUD of them! Even with all the annoying card changes! :) LOL Thanks for the prayers!

Remember: Our small auction ends next Saturday, the 18th, so be sure to bid for one of the three tshirt/book sets! Set one and two have Large shirts and set three has an XLarge. All three have the same book along with the shirt...