Random thoughts

School.
The end of the semester has come.  It is hard to believe it is here already.  The other day I told a student of mine that I must be getting old as time seems to be passing faster and faster.  My classes have gone well this semester.  As usual, I will miss the students that I've had the last sixteen weeks to get to know.  While I may see them again passing in the halls, there is a very small chance they will be in my class again.  But it has been good!

Fostering.
Baby J is still with us.  He is now 7 months old and just last week started crawling.  In just a few hours he went from moving just his hands and thus sliding on to his belly to actually crawling with opposite arm with opposite knee.  It's amazing how quickly he figured it out!  As for time frame, it looks like he will be with us until at least the beginning of February.  After that, who knows.  I know that he has family who would enjoy parenting him, so that is good.  Bittersweet.  He has just started experimenting with food other than formula... and most of the time he doesn't like it.  If you give him a stick of softened food, he will happily suck on it, but as soon as piece comes off in his mouth, he gives the most hilarious look and immediately tries to spit it out.  With pureed foods, he enjoys blowing on the spoon as you put it into his mouth, thus spraying food all over.  Occasionally he'll actually keep some in and swallow it, but it's a long, slow process.  Something I don't enjoy much.  Maybe we should stick with the little babes and older toddlers :)

Adopting.
We are also looking at maybe, possibly, hopefully, but not trying to get hopes up, adopting a family of boys from our area!  We're just in the beginning stages and I'm not even sure what the next steps are for us or how long they will take.  But we've expressed interest [and then told everyone around us!].  If nothing else, perhaps God has just placed them on our hearts so that I can pray for them most evenings while putting J to bed.  I'll keep you updated as we find out more info.

Pregnancy.
One of my friends is hoping to get pregnant soon.  Like really excited about it!  So of course, we've talked about it at great length and about all the things that drive us crazy every month as we wonder and wish that it might be the month.  Well... cue the crazies... apparently I've been talking to her too much this month because now every twinge or cramp makes me wonder. You would think after 54ish cycles and 4 years of trying that I would realize that pregnancy symptoms are the exact same as PMS except that your period doesn't actually show in the end.  But no... instead I have been over analyzing everything, three times over.  But don't expect to hear a definitive answer on here.  If it happens, we'll keep it under wrap for a while.  If it doesn't, I probably will just move on like every other month that I don't mention on here.  In my prayer to go along with praying for the boys and J I usually also include, and protect this baby if I am pregnant and protect my heart if I'm not. 

Finances.
I am very thankful for my hubby's new job.  He is finally working in his field of study and his paycheck is reflecting the higher status.  It is especially good as the loan places have also started asking for payments.  On my income alone [as we've done for several years now] we would be in a difficult place, but with both of ours, God has provided just enough.  I am so thankful!  And not only that, but he is able to pick up extra hours at work as well.  So that is letting us put more towards the principle amounts, thus hopefully paying them off sooner.  And since we have both felt the burden of the loans as one reason we can't pursue other forms of adoption or fertility treatments, the faster we can pay them off the better!


Well, I should probably sign off and get to grading... sadly, assignments don't grade themselves... although it would be interesting to watch them if they did :)