Here are our Christmas decorations! The neighbors in our little apartment complex started decorating right after Thanksgiving & Rachel and I felt excited to decorate together for the first time. We had so much fun and stayed up way to late (a really bad idea I came to find out by the end of the week), putting up lights and sprinkling fake snow around the house. It was great!
My mom always used to sing this song to us, it went, "Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat, time to put a penny in the old man's hat. If you haven't got a penny, a half penny will do, if you haven't got a half penny God bless you." I am not really sure what it means or why I am sharing it with you except that I have been really excited about all things Christmas. I have some more time off coming up around Christmas which is lovely because I have spent the last 3 Christmases working extra while others go on vacation, and in the process feeling rather perturbed with the whole season because I am so burnt out. Ahhh to enjoy the season and actually have to time prepare. I can't wait! Rachel adds a fun dynamic too. She gives me an excuse to enjoy all the things I did as a kid all over again!
It has been hard for me to blog. After a few days without blogging I feel overwhelmed about how to start again, how to summarize my life. Last week was pretty difficult in some ways. Rachel took the testing up a notch. I can't tell you what I did last week because every evening turned into a major battle field over the simplest tasks. This weekend was much better but I have felt tired and on edge from the preceding week. The good news is that in the midst of some pretty gnarly behaviors I felt so calm and collected. I know it was from God. Even when the social workers seemed shocked and emotionally charged about Rachel's behavior, I felt so much peace and assurance. Only God can be doing that work in me. Due to Rachel's past I really see this behavior as a necessary part of the process. This anger and testing is something I have expected and must persevere through with consistency, love, mercy, and peace. Thankfully Rachel's behavior isn't nasty 24-7. She is showing lots of really growing precious moments in between all this. It is such an encouragement and shows me that her heart is not hard. I pray every time she acts out that God would keep her soft and so far He has!
I have been blessed by spending a little quality time with my friends this week. I went to my friend Linda's birthday party without Rachel on Friday night. It was so fun to stay up late talking about adult things, and without an agenda. I was also able to see my friend Ryan (affectionately know as "Re-Ry" and now christened "Ryzzle") from college/Slovakia. He was here visiting Matt and Alina before they move. Last night he, Matt, Alina, and Karis came over. Rachel and I had so much fun with them as usual. As you can see, Rachel took some great pictures of Matt and Karis.
In summery life's been busy and difficult but I feel God's direction and presence which makes all the difference!
Now I am off to try to get some sleep so I don't repeat last week's mistake.
It has been hard for me to blog. After a few days without blogging I feel overwhelmed about how to start again, how to summarize my life. Last week was pretty difficult in some ways. Rachel took the testing up a notch. I can't tell you what I did last week because every evening turned into a major battle field over the simplest tasks. This weekend was much better but I have felt tired and on edge from the preceding week. The good news is that in the midst of some pretty gnarly behaviors I felt so calm and collected. I know it was from God. Even when the social workers seemed shocked and emotionally charged about Rachel's behavior, I felt so much peace and assurance. Only God can be doing that work in me. Due to Rachel's past I really see this behavior as a necessary part of the process. This anger and testing is something I have expected and must persevere through with consistency, love, mercy, and peace. Thankfully Rachel's behavior isn't nasty 24-7. She is showing lots of really growing precious moments in between all this. It is such an encouragement and shows me that her heart is not hard. I pray every time she acts out that God would keep her soft and so far He has!
I have been blessed by spending a little quality time with my friends this week. I went to my friend Linda's birthday party without Rachel on Friday night. It was so fun to stay up late talking about adult things, and without an agenda. I was also able to see my friend Ryan (affectionately know as "Re-Ry" and now christened "Ryzzle") from college/Slovakia. He was here visiting Matt and Alina before they move. Last night he, Matt, Alina, and Karis came over. Rachel and I had so much fun with them as usual. As you can see, Rachel took some great pictures of Matt and Karis.
In summery life's been busy and difficult but I feel God's direction and presence which makes all the difference!
Now I am off to try to get some sleep so I don't repeat last week's mistake.
1 comment:
Brooke, I love you so much. Can't wait to see you soon. We'll be praying for you. Keep your chin up!
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