A Blur of a Month!

March Madness is right! :) We have been in and out of our groove this month. San Diego, Norman, Branson...what a fun month! April's going to be full too. BR's turning 35, Uncle Zac comes back from Afghanistan, VBS clinics around AR, Beatle's school testing, consigning clothes, Momo and family in from KY, catching caterpillars, Easter...whew! Wild and wooly; I wouldn't have it any other way. Not to mention, two of our fitness instructors were injured on a ski trip and I may have to cover more classes.

As far as stories go about the girls, I don't know where to start! I'll just have to start in the present or I'll feel overwhelmed trying to backlog everything. However, speaking of the past, Beatle's party was SO much fun. I love her little friends. When I was praying with them and tucking them into bed, it was then I realized how awesome her friends are. She's got such sweet people around her from families who are instructing their children according to the same Biblical values we hold. Blessings! Of course, you want your children to reach out to children who are different and who need the changing power of Jesus but for their core group, we couldn't ask for better!

We're kayakers now. Yes, you read correctly. Brent found some being clearanced out and researched them on amazon and they got amazing reviews. The catch is they are inflatable which is kind of weird but it works for us because a) they were affordable b) we don't have to store a 14' kayak in the off season c) we don't have to invest in a rack to load it onto and d) if we did a rack, we'd have to pick which vehicle would be our "kayaking" vehicle. It really works for us. We have had so much fun! Can't wait for more camping/kayaking adventures since the season is just starting!

At Beatle's school, they tack parent/teacher conferences on the back end of Spring Break so Beatle was out today. She starts back for her last 9 weeks tomorrow! She, like all other students and teachers, is itching for summer! We're working on a big party for her class on the evening of the last day of school, reminiscent of the Mashed Potato Fight but on a 1st grade level. We're going to call it "School's Out! Slime Out!" It should be a great time where kids can get as messy as they want. However, speaking of those P/T conferences, gotta go get ready for ours!

A Quick Overview and Beatle's 7!

Two weeks abroad. I love it! We went to San Diego for Brent's annual Children's Pastor's Conference for a week and then I lingered in OK to help my sister pack her house up so she could move to Fort Hood to wait for her lovely husband to come back from Afghanistan. I had a fabulous time with Brent in CA. We got a Fiat, met Rick Warren, met Phil Vischer, met Jamie Grace, saw a beach so beautiful that I misted a little (La Jolla) and froze our little tushies off--it was much chillier than it's ever been when we've been there and of course I didn't pack appropriate clothes because it's California, baby! I missed the girls more this year than last but I tried to be brave; it was only a week. The girls were so happy to see us and had a fabulous time with grandparents and aunts. When I came back to OK, I did work but it was nice to sleep in, have coffee already made in the AM, do dishes just because I'm feeling nice, and eat out with parents picking up the tab. Sadly, I was reluctant to come home to AR. Not to see Brent and Beatle; I wanted THEM but I was apprehensive to return to our grueling schedule. I asked that Brent give me a soft opening. He kindly obliged and we played in Little Rock all day on Saturday--celebrating Beatle's birthday. He brought me coffee in bed yesterday as he was leaving for early service. He's good to me!

No more Ja-Ja. We had to force our hand and be more cold than I'm was comfortable with. We left for San Diego and took all of her things to DHS and told them that our friends would keep her the week we were gone but after that she needs to go somewhere else. It was tormenting for me to do that; I really had to lean on Brent's resolve. I hated it but with them, you give them an inch and they take a mile. The supervisor still lied to our friends and said that they didn't know she needed to be somewhere else at the end of the week even though the last time we interacted with her she said, "I know, I know. She needs to leave their house by Friday." Long story short: they hustled (like they should have done 6 weeks ago) and placed her with her aunt. Hooray! I believe in my heart of hearts that was the best decision for baby Ja-Ja.

My load is so much incredibly lighter without a foster child in our house. We're going to keep it this way for awhile. Not only is a baby gone but so are all of the stupid last minute phone calls, all of the WIC appointments, the supervised visits, the home visits, the static that swirled around our family, etc. I loved it because I was tangibly helping someone in need who couldn't help themselves. I loved it because I was trying to show Jesus to a whole group of people. And I loved it because it "took me to the well" instead of being walled up in our church staying busy with "righteous" activities. So, I must find something else that stretches me and takes me to people who need Jesus. I'm sure I will; not compromising the gift of the short time my children need me too.

Life this weekend was so nice. Even though we've had breaks fostering in the last year, it's nice to grow up. Birdie's potty trained now and we can go wherever the wind takes us without a diaper bag or bottles. We went to Little Rock to see the Lorax for Beatle's 7th Birthday, then on to Chuck E. Cheese to play some games, ending at P.F. Chang's where Beatle said she "had never felt so special". :) Today's the actual day. We got her some Toms and she felt like a rock star. We had cupcakes for breakfast. Friday, we are doing a sleepover with three friends.

Lately, Birdie's been ending her prayers with "Tada!" Cute. Better get to some other things...I'll try to post some pictures from this weekend later.