Ever changing parenting

My daughter Nora is in second grade and it scares me . I have to work really hard to not operate Based off of fear . I'm in this new season of life where it's no longer my influence alone along with the people I choose to surround her with but lots of outside sources at school. Which is where she spends 35 hours a week away from me. I know her core group of friends but from time to time a new name will pop up in conversation that I have never heard of before.

" Sally ( not the name ) says she doesn't want to be my friend anymore mom and that's really mean and hurts my feelings ."

What I want to say " OH NO SHE DIDN'T ...what's her last name? ..wait who's Sally ? Are you even friends with Sally ? .. Who cares don't talk to that girl she sounds awful ."

What I really said " I'm so sorry Nora that must hurt your heart huh? I bet Sally hasn't been shown what it is to be a true friend like you have . Let's pray for her that she can learn to be a good friend and let's just continue to be kind to her and if she continues to be mean let's keep our distance "

This Sally kept her whole tough girl routine with Nora ,the whole lets be friends and then turns around the next day to tell her were no longer friends . Nora's asked to get her desk moved and she did that all on her own and has chosen to keep her distance .




Girls can be so mean and I know Nora has probably hurt a friends feelings a time or two ,but I'm working really hard to raise a sweet, compassionate girl that will treat people differently. And these Sally's are really cramping my style !







Nora has the opportunity to go to a public charter school close to our home. The school is smaller and she has been on the waiting list there for some time now and now she has moved to the number one spot and were just waiting on a phone call because we are for sure getting her out of this public school she is in now because I'm terrified of what she's going to be exposed to in the upcoming years! And I have heard terrible I mean terrible stories of things that go on in the middle school . I have prayed for this option but somehow there has been this shift in my heart . Maybe this charter isn't where Nora should go , she has a core group of great friends at her school now and I know the families of these girls and they all attend our church( bonus ). And remember that whole thing I just said before about not operating out of fear ..this is me totally doing that .. Crap! Now I'm conflicted ..we could get to the new school and have just as many scary monsters to face as we do now ..maybe that's a part of our kids growing up . It's no longer us worried about them falling off the couch or choking on a grape. It's Sally in class or john who says bad words ( shut up, worst 2nd grade word out there ) and has to get a pink slip everyday.






I have no clue what were going to do so I asked Nora and she said :

" I wanna go to a new school and make new friends "

- well Nora there are lots of kids at your school now that you could potentially become friends with that you don't know yet , and your in second grade your going to make so many new friends in the coming years girly ..you don't need to go to a new school to make new friends !

OK so now I'm trying to talk her out of going to a new school? What is happening?

So I have been praying on it - what God has revealed to me is that I just want Nora to have a solid group of Christian girl friends that she can grow with ! And to read books while wearing turtle necks all day and never talk to boys ! But seriously girl friends are super flipping important and crucial in our life as we grow up and even when we get older. So I'm starting a Friday night Bible study here at my house for Nora and her girl friends .pray for me . I'm praying that this can be something awesome and solid in their lives that will help them grow in Christ and in their friendships.

And really we haven't even been accepted into this school yet so I'll make that decision when I get the call.

Paper work is done with our home study !!

Physicals are done . We are all healthy ! Nora had to get a tb test done . It was the worst , I mean it was really the pits! Lots of screaming lots of kicking a couple of get away from me's! An extra nurse was called in and I was uncontrollably sweating. Tb test is done ..Thank you Jesus ! And after Nora had the nerve to say it didn't hurt .uhhhh. I still sweat thinking about it.

Now we have to complete ten hours of online course training on international adoption .
We have raised a little over 2,000 dollars so far !!! This just about covers the cost of the home study! We are so moved by everyone and there generosity to see a need and make the decision to be so generous to meet it . Y'all are seriously life changers !

We have decided to choose a different adoption agency then originally intended . They are just as reputable and accredited as the one we originally intended on working with . But they are just a better fit for our circumstance and aiding us in moving forward. We still have a long journey ahead and we are so grateful for all the prayers and support we get from everyone.

The link to our fundraising page is Here

Comfy

-Comfy -
one of my favorite words! Sends warm cozy thoughts running through my head.
 I picture my home. More specifically my room where an oversized bed with a large down comforter lays. Pajamas are on and there's nothing to do , and somehow there's a chai tea latte in my hand. My face is washed from all my makeup and I have a large mound of hair on top of my head (we call these fun buns ).
    Ahhhhhh COMFY!
I like being comfy , I mean who doesn't ? (Other then insane ladies who wear high heels or men that wear super duper tight jeans )
Comfort is something I seek out in life and look forward to in my days. I like to be comfortable in our finances, comfortable in the foods I eat , the school that I send my children too , the doctors we see for check ups. I like to be comfortable in my relationships , in my neighborhood ,in the route I am driving and in most all decisions that I make in life !
I just want to feel comfortable . Is that so wrong ? Insert guilt here .

God didn't say " my daughter here is a life full of gifts , now get comfortable " but the World sure does . And this world is so loud!

  In our decision to adopt we have given God our desires for a cushy comfy life for a life filled with unknowns.
 "I love adoption" that's an easy thing to say .
 But feeling so heartbroken for orphans that we are going to do something about it was not an easy decision .Ross and I had many conversations about money and finances before making this decision. And what it came down to was ..what does God say about all this?

James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Ok that's pretty clear.
  I often go to a place where I imagine myself standing before Christ and he is talking with me about the life he has given me and all he has blessed me with.
Gosh, I am so darn grateful for what I have but I also know he's going to ask me what I did with the gifts he has given me and I know that I have the ability to make that conversation one where my father is proud.


Ross had Friday off  from work last week so we were able to get some stuff done . Fingerprints and background checks are completed ! All of our paperwork is filled out for our home study and we are waiting for our physicals next week! Then we send it all in and wait to hear from  the agency .

The heat here in California has brought us indoors the past few weeks, we've been standing In front of fans and laying on the cold wood floors. But this evening the air is cooler and we have ventured back outdoors.

                                                     Nora tilling up the land!

Rush is happy the slide is not burning his skin!


If you would like to donate to our adoption Click here