Prayers have really been helping at school lately. Even though we have FAR to go, I've seen improvements in my students. More than anything, in them just being a little more independent and confident than they were a few weeks ago. Like I said, far to go, but improvements none the less. :)

Braeden went to see his doctor Monday and I discussed some of the rough patches we've had. He thinks it's just him "coming off" the meds and added a third dosage during the afternoon. So instead on one half pill in the morning and one half pill at lunch, he now is also getting a half pill after school. This has been a crazy week and he had a sitter last night so that I could go to dinner and our school's open house with Olivia. He did well, his first day of the new dose, but I had also rented a favorite red*box movie for the boys which kept him entertained the whole time I was gone, so still unsure which played a bigger role. :) Tonight we go to church and I'm nervous since we've been out the past two nights. That's a lot for him, but praying he does well.

Last Wednesday we began our church's Wednesday night activities and I'm LOVING the study/small group I've become involved in!!! It's called D*I*V*A*S of the Divine and is just what I've been needing so far. A great way to get connected more to people in my church (it's a HUGE church and I'm actually very shy and introverted until I get to know people, maybe why blogging is easy for me???) :) We have quite a diverse group as well, from a Freshman at our Christian college, to older more seasoned women. Some single, some married, some parents, some childless, and I love it! Each week you get a different accountability partner whom you are to call for ten minutes (at least) and answer three questions to each other. My partner this week and I had our first call Monday night. I had met this woman at the meeting to just talk about the two studies being offered this semester and we got along well. The call was simply God. We had SO MUCH in common it was extremely "cool." No other word fits! :) While she is quite a bit older than me, we are both teachers, both "alone" without a husband, both moms, both with similar upbringings and such similar answers to why we began this study, what we fear in our lives, what we want to do and become. It was great to have that connection the first week. It was just what I needed to help feel connected to this group and God is great at knowing what we need isn't He!? :) Tonight is our second "meeting" and I am looking forward to it tremendously.

My big check was sent off to my adoption agency and I am awaiting the completion of my homestudy still.

Olivia is doing GREAT in school, though it's still been a transition getting back into the routine of homework and balance. She learned a lesson last week about not putting things off (hopefully) and it's those times that are so hard for me as both mom and a teacher to not get on her constantly, but I want her to learn to do it because she wants to do it and get it done and not have the consequences at school. Her teacher is a good friend of mine which is both good and bad. :)

Yesterday Olivia said that her arms were shaking for a period of time. If you don't remember, her seizures began when her legs would fall asleep as if they were paralyzed and eventually led to a full blown shaking seizure. They have always been at night (she actually only had two full seizures prior to starting her meds) but I did notify her teacher to alert me if things like this happen just so I can make note and pass it on to her doctors, in case. We go see the neurologist for both her and Liam on Oct 7 so I will wait and discuss it then.

Since beginning my Bible study last week I've also been trying a few other things to find some "special" kid time now that school is going full swing again. I love being with them so much in the summer and miss time with them while I'm working and they're in school, so I'm doing a few things this year to help that time of "getting to know" my kids as we go through our crazy year. First and foremost we are taking time each morning to pray together as a family. Maybe some of you are saying to yourselves, "You mean you never did this before?" And to that I say, yes we have, but it's not all the time and it's sporadic. Each morning when we are getting ready to head out the door our "magical" time to shoot for is 7:30. That is the time when my cell phone alarm goes off for Braeden to take his medicine. We were then leaving and really were 5-10 minutes early for where we needed to be. So we are now using those 5-10 minutes and praying. It's been SUCH a great way to focus our day instead of just rushing and out the door we go. I start the prayer and then one child prays as well, giving them the floor for the day so to speak. I love showing them through my example some of what we can bring to God either in prayer or petition and I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing what they are going to pray about each day.

Another thing we're going to try is family movie nights on Friday nights. (Course since I have no date life!) Just kidding! Each Friday we have been getting pizza or something take out and renting a Red*box to share together after dinner. Two weeks ago was Cam*p Rock Two which aired on Friday so we used that as our movie, and this coming Friday a semi-local drive-in movie theater is showing The Wizard of Oz, so I think we're going to do that as long as the weather holds.

Finally, we're going to be bringing back having a sitter come twice a month for a few hours. One of these times will be for me to go out with a friend and the other will be to take one of the kids for a one on one time. Since Braeden and Olivia's schools had their open houses this week, B on Mon and O on Tues, I used those as "date nights" so Liam will get one next week it looks like. I'm hoping that these things, though small by themselves, will add up to some good memories for the kids as we navigate this year of work/school/and the preparation for our adoption.

Speaking of adoption, we're still working on fundraising for our next big fee chunk that will be due in a while. We have some great necklaces left for sale at the top under the header, and new items will be added soon. You can get a creative and fun, even seasonal if you'd like, blog makeover through the link on the left. Some awesome coffee for sale that nets us $5 for each bag sold in another link on the left. And, be sure to check out our auction of three GREAT tshirts and the book Red Letters!!! Auction ends SATURDAY!

Set One in our auction