Friday, February 27, 2009

Updates

Hi all,
 
Below there's a whole buncha bloggy goodness. Sorry for the radio silence. We've just had little time lately.
 
Here's some updates: Junebuggy is nearly walking, and is "talking" a little. She'll say something that sounds an awful lot like "thank you" when you give her something or she gives you something. She's eating real, soft foods now -- cheese, mac & cheese, oatmeal, rice, hot dogs (OK, that's not real food). She's a complete flippin' pig. She'll eat as much as Elliebean does sometimes. She's back into a fussy-at-night stage. Not fun. She also seems to know that vigorously nodding her head (and her shoulders and torso) means "yes." And she can point at pictures of cats in books. At 10 months. I think that's pretty good. Still off the charts for height and weight.
 
Ellie's doing great with her tumbling & dance class and pre-school. She's precocious as ever -- she can read some small words, sound out and spell some too -- she spelled "candy" and "Sandy" pretty much by herself. (Seriously.) She's not that tall anymore -- just about average for her age. But still off the charts for cute. Mostly good, although tantrums creep into the repertoire sometimes. She loves Bible stories and our (almost-)daily family worship. She sings "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wrench like me..." Adorable.
 
The adults (the kids' staff) are doing OK too. I've joined the choir at church and am enjoying it. I've also apparently needed to do penance, because I've become the treasurer too. Tina's sort of going nuts with the kids at home all day and nap & sleeping times not being really regular (theirs or hers), but it's all good in the end. I think I'm becoming allergic to barley. Really. Doesn't that stink? No Grape-Nuts anymore, I fear.
 
Our biggest change (other than no Snickies -- ) is that we're doing adoption application stuff for our next two little bosses. We're using Holt International and aiming for 2 boys, 1-4 years old, from Ethiopia. (OK, not really "aiming," as in weaponry.) It seems to be a 12-18 month process. So by the end of 2010 we could be even nuts-er than we are. How do all these 5- and 6- and 14-kid families do it? I dunno. But that's our plan, as plans go. Why Ethiopia and not Korea anymore? Well, Korea seems to get all the applicants it can handle and we're not really travel- and cash-restricted like we were before. And Ethiopia has lots of boys, which we want, and a relatively short process, which we want, and no artificial restrictions. Since we really don't much care where the kids come from, practical considerations are big in our decision-making. Plus I like the idea of cooking lots of spicy stews and eating them with bread instead of forks. I love bread.
 
We're weathering the economic turbulence OK -- XU doesn't seem to need to cut faculty, and I'm actually pretty profitable for the U -- I bring in lots of revenue, and my classes are full and demand for accountants is strong. So I don't see any serious likelihood of job loss, which is nice.
In all, we're dependent every day on the grace of God. He provides beyond our needs, and upholds us daily. To Him be glory forever and ever.

--

Sola Scriptura - Sola Fide - Sola Gratia - Solus Christus - Soli Deo Gloria

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You said: "We're weathering the economic turbulence OK -- XU doesn't seem to need to cut faculty, and I'm actually pretty profitable for the U -- I bring in lots of revenue, and my classes are full and demand for accountants is strong. So I don't see any serious likelihood of job loss, which is nice.

You forgot to say "Knock on Wood"

Dad

Anonymous said...

Well, I am excited to hear of two new nephews possibly joining us soon. And you know that Sophie is also thrilled at the thought of any new cousins. (You know, since her latest cousin, Willow, is growing up.)