If You Have a Moment...

please pray for my class.  There are going through some tough things this week.  One parent lost his job.  Once student had her home broken into and is really fearful right now.  Often during prayer time, they share that there is a lot of fighting at home.  Sometimes the kids have the weight of what is going on at home on their shoulders.  It is a heavy burden.  Pray that I can show them how to hand it over to Jesus.

A Few Pictures From Disney!

 My favorite!

Seriously??

Here's a tree over by Mitike's school.  It is a vibrant red.  With the unseasonably, cool weather the leaves are already changing.  Fall has suddenly appeared.  It suddenly we have been back in the States for over a year.  It's amazing how quickly time passes.  Don't waste a minute of it!

Our lovely, older neighbor died two nights ago.  He was a high school teacher and watched out for his neighbors.  He didn't have any family close by and my best memory was Ana and I taking over a piece of birthday cake for his 80th birthday.  Use today to bring a little joy into someone else's life.  The smallest effort can make the biggest difference.

The Best Birthday EVER....

 Seriously, it will be hard to top this one.  We started a week early with the Eilers at the Farm.

 We had a great time with yummy food and fun with the horses.  Ana shares Hannah with Grandma :)

She had fun trotting around and we had wonderful weather.

The cousins joined in the fun too!  

Currently Ana is in Disney World with the other Grandma for a week.  I'm sure I'll have a lot of pictures to post of that!  

THANK YOU for all the cards and birthday wishes.  Ana felt very loved!

Sorry!

We have had an unusually busy week this week.

I met with the social worker at Mitike's school.  They cannot work with her due to some insurance requirements.  That was very disappointing.  (I can't imagine taking her to two more appointments a week.) The same night I went to Ana's back to school night.  I was impressed at the thoroughness of The Oaks and how excellently everything was done.  It makes me happy.

We've had significant issues with China and Mitike this week.  (Even Ana has thrown some major fits. She has really picked up on some of their negative behaviors.)  We're getting worn down.  I would compare us to a stub of a pencil!

It seems like God keeps giving me positive events/relationships to counteract what is going on at home.  Please pray that we keep seeking God in every situation despite the circumstances.

God's Placement...

We've had many question our reasoning in putting Mitike in a public school.  Some have been willing to listen to our answer-- others are just sure we are wrong--dead wrong.  

I believe though that she was placed in this school and in this classroom for a purpose.  Did you know that her teacher has a foster child with RAD and she is the first educator that has ever understood what we are going through?  I've tried not to be hurt as others tell me I'm not loving enough or "if you just try this..."  Mitike's teacher right from the beginning has been e-mailing what is going on at school and even offering to watch her so that we can have a break.  Did you also know that God placed her in a school where counselors, therapists, and psychologists work in the school?  This provides them opportunities to see the students in settings that most counselors never see.  All this documentation backs up what we have been saying all along.  It is a great help to us.  

Many Chinese proverbs hold a lot of wisdom.  Here's one of my favorites.

I'm so glad that God has placed me at Shepherd and allowed me to work with AMAZING people, but I'm touched that He also puts in our lives--NOT BY CHANCE--exactly who we need at just the right time.  Sometimes they are found in places we wouldn't normally look.  There are have been so many important people in our lives over the years in Singapore, China, and now the U.S.  Thanks be to God that He doesn't leave us high and dry.  People that we have met and loved will always be connected to us through His love.  

The Oaks

Tonight I took Ana to her back to school night at The Oaks Academy.  I felt at home right away.  I love the expectation of excellence with Christ at the core.  I know God has placed me at Shepherd for a reason, but I sometimes feel I'm a fish out of water.  BUT God doesn't call us to be comfortable.  He tells us to work hard WHEREVER He places us.

The meeting for Mitike went well.  This program provides us with options that wouldn't be available otherwise.  We are praying through some other options outside of this program as well.  God has already closed some doors.  We are grateful for His guidance.  Keep praying!  

PS I'm doing a devotional this Thursday on how your prayers and God's AMAZING FAITHFULNESS have sustained us!  THANK YOU!