Blessings!!!

Our family has been SO blessed in the past week/month and I just feel like shouting from the rooftops. Seriously. I feel like things were going so bad there for awhile for us, one after another. Arnold and I were stressed to the max. We would go to bed at night wondering how we would ever figure it all out. But then this past week it was like bam, bam, bam... one after another after another! God is so good! And I hope this post doesn't come across as bragging, I just wanted to share my praise reports with my friends and readers! And remind everyone that even if times seem tough, if you trust in the Lord, he will find a way. He has a plan for everything that is going on, and will work things together for good!

How abundant are the good things
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in you.

Psalms 31:19      

And here are some of those things that have been AWESOME!!!

~I got not one, but two (sort of 3) new jobs! I happened to see a posting about them needing extra help at our church for childcare staff, and the hours were really flexible, so now I am doing childcare for moms' groups, lifegroups, and whatever is needed. I work when I am able, make good money, and get to work with some of my favorite friends! They also asked me if I wanted to be the Team Leader over the baby classes at our church, on Sunday mornings. The girl who had done it forever left because she got a new job. So now I am doing that too! And while all this was going on I decided to apply to Target for the holiday season, like I did last  year. And since I worked last year they did a re-hire and I got that job too! So I will be working Nov, Dec, and first of Jan at Target.. which will be nice for the extra cash.

~So back to being freaked out about things.. our dryer heating element went out. We have been having to airfluff our clothes (which takes an entire day to dry them) or beg Arnold's parents to dry our stuff for us. So we are always backed up. Then Arnold's car decided to start shaking and acting weird, and we had to get it worked on. It's also around that time that we need to put heating oil in our tank. Well Arnold ended up getting some unexpected extra money from work, and my financial aid from college came back (the extra) and now we have money to fix all the things, pay things back, and the heating oil is ordered! Relief!!!!

~Brooke has just about finished up her ADHD testing. That in itself is a blessing. But we knew going into it that if our insurance didn't pay for it, it would be around $500 out of pocket. But we knew we had to have this done.. we have gotten desperate. Well we got the call this week that insurance covered it all!!!! So all we have paid are our copays to visit the counseling center. Oh goodness what great news that was! For awhile I seriously thought they wouldn't cover it since some consider it "unnecessary."

~I have been having some major stomach issues off and on for the past year or so. The dr can't figure it out and my bloodwork comes back normal. It has gotten worse lately though, and has been difficult to handle. A friend on facebook suggested it might be a gluten or food allergy, and it might be beneficial to get some allergy testing done. So I made an appt with a local allergy dr and I thought there would surely be a long wait to get in. But I got an appt Tuesday! They said to be there for around 2 hrs and they will do the skin prick test on my back and test me for everything under the sun! So hopefully it is a food or something making me sick, and not a digestive issue. Other thing that crossed my mind was chron's or something similar. I am just ready to get some answers, get treated, and feel better!

~I talked to a social worker at the adoption agency this week and I should be getting a letter and pictures of Joseph really soon!!!! It has been a LONG time since I've gotten anything recent. He is turning 10 on Nov. 1st and I just cannot believe it. I can't get over how much he looks like me. It is strange to look into his eyes and know he used to be a part of me. I am so excited to see the pictures and how much he has grown and changed! And I think I will write a letter and send some recent pics of us, too, since we haven't done that in awhile.

~School is going fantastic so far. I really like my teachers, have made some friends in my classes, and I am making good grades. As of right now I have 3 A's and a B. I enjoy all my classes and the challenges. I don't even mind doing the homework (TOO much!) When I get good grades on something the kids get excited for me and tell me "way to go!" and it makes me feel so good :) Mom ended up getting me a brand new printer since I have had to print a lot of things this semester. 

~Speaking of school, we had a BIG english paper due last week that was basically a mid-term and counts for a big part of our grade. I was freaking out over it for the longest time. Then I turned it in and freaked out more because she took several days to grade them! But the grades were just posted today and I made an 88! Which is a high B, two points away from an A! Hey, I will take it! Especially after I have been out of school 9 years and it was so difficult for me to write such a formal paper again. Come to think of it, the teacher might have been lenient on me... she knows I am a mom and "older" college student.. so who knows ;)

I hope everyone else is having a wonderful a week as we are!