Happy MLK Day!! It has been so nice to have an extra long, 3 day weekend. We've enjoyed the break and change in pace.

Our family is doing well. Everyone is healthy right now. The kiddos are doing fairly well with their school work and are growing and learning new things every day. For the most part, we are on target and where we should be in our curriculums right now but our days seem to have gotten a little crazier in the past several months. In the past I read a book called "Managers of Their Homes" by Teri Maxwell and it was a very good guide and book of suggestions for organizing your homeschool and family time so that you can have peace in the home. I don't follow her scheduling to the 30 minute increments like suggested (that's a little TOO regimented for me), but I do try to use many of her ideas to help organize my days at home with my children so that we can accomplish our school work, chores, quiet times and play time without the craziness. When I try to stick to my planned "schedule"-- our days do work out so much better and we accomplish so much more. But....recently, I've been struggling to maintain a schedule, as I've been very easily distracted by unimportant "things" (ie....dirty dishes, the laundry pile, phone calls, facebook, email (waiting for the referal and checking my inbox way too often!! and etc.etc.) So-- recognizing that we have some room for improvement in our home and homeschool day- I am going to re-read this book and seek that the Lord help me to focus on those tasks that I need to make priorities and let the other "things" fall to the side so that our home can be more peaceful, more productive, and a place of refuge-- not craziness!!


Regarding our adoption.....we are continuing to pray for the Lord's perfect timing and plan for our family. Praying for patience and peace, also. No referrals have been given since December 26 (to my knowledge) so we are hopeful and praying that the families in front of us on the waiting list get some good news (referals!!) soon so that there is some movement on the waiting list and we will be one step closer!! We're also praying for those families with court dates in the next few weeks--- if these processes go smoothly and the adoptions pass through the ET courts first try, well, logically there will be more time ( and energy!) for the BFAS employees in ET to focus on getting those new referrals out!! So, while I am really praying hard for OUR adoption process,I am also praying for the other families that have also been called to care for orphans and are waiting on this journey, also!

Hope your day is blessed and restful--
Amy