3:30am

I've been up since 3:30am. The dog woke me up because he wanted to go out. He's asleep now and I'm still up. Got a chill I couldn't shake and then got to thinking about somethings. Funny how that happens huh?

Anyways here are just a few things on my mind...

1. Dave Ramsey Financial Peace program -- We couldn't afford to attend any of the seminars we heard about last year but I did check out the books from the library for free and we've been plugging away at that. So far 3 debts eliminated (2 credit cards and 1 small student loan) Woohoo! Moving on to the next several things.

2. Thinking about gardening and stuff. Wondering if it's more cost efficient to grow some of our own stuff and how to get started. hmm...checked out some books from the library on it so we have the basics down we just have to decide if we are going to do it or not.

3. Foster Care training and preparation. loads of paperwork. It's a slow but steady process of events and paper work that have to be done. We've completed the orientation, the initial profile packet (37pages!), gave them our info for references, completed 2 classes of training (6hrs) and still have 8 more classes (24hours) and more paperwork. This coming week we have our first of two home studies and also go and do a fingerprinting session/background check. Whew! lots to do there. Also we are re-arranging the house so the kids go back downstairs to their old rooms and we try and make the upstairs room ready for a kid(s). Not that we will get placed right away but it could be as early as late May or early June that we could get a placement. We aren't taking any chances and are trying to do our best to prepare for that.

4. Simplify. Yeah I know it sounds weird to say that when we've got the above stuff going on, but really it's more about eliminating unnecessary distractions. I've deleted my myspace page (I never used it) will be eliminating probably one of my other blogs, and am considering getting rid of my twitter. Maybe being too connected isn't a great thing. I understand the value in it, but maybe if we can't access people in 800 ways then the connections we do make with people will be more meaningful.

5. Simplify more. Last year (ha that sounds so long ago but it was just in Nov/December) that I took all my Cd's and sold them. Yep. I have only a handful of Cd's left. The rest I downloaded to my Ipod and said the heck with the Cd's. I didn't need them and they were just in the way. Gone. I also got rid of a ton of books that I had sitting around waiting for the day for me to read them. The sad reality was that I wasn't probably ever going to read them since most of them I had forever and hadn't gotten to. What I did is just write a list of books though down to checkout from the library and read them as I get to them. I don't know why we have to feel like we have to own everything we enjoy but I'm glad that we are getting away from that. Dvds have also been majorly purged down. Sold lots of stuff that we liked but didn't enjoy anymore. No point collecting stuff. Even the kids have gotten on board with this and told me which toys/books they no longer want to play with or need. Very cool to see your kids getting that you don't need stuff to be happy.

6. Be different. Ok so I'm going to assume that most of you know that Todd and I gave up our microwave last fall, that we became vegetarian, and that we got rid of our cable. I know we are majorly weird. Those few changes have made a big difference though. We eat better (even though I've been sick off and on for 2 months and put on a few lbs the stuff that goes into my body is still better than it was before) and we are more intentional about things. Which is awesome! We've also changed our schedules around so we go to Church twice a week. We're getting plugged into our community and it feels good. I have a feeling even more changes are coming. Maybe we will get rid of the TV all together?! I dunno, but I can feel more change is coming and we have to be open to it. I think we really are ok with the idea that people think we are weird. We are different. We don't ask that people do what we are doing or make changes like us but we do ask you be positive and support us as we figure things out.

7. Church. Wow! We are loving our church. http://www.bridgelexington.com/ We haven't had a place where we have felt called to be in a really long time and it's great to feel that again. Like I said before we made some schedule changes and we go to Church on Sunday's as a family and then also do Small Groups on Wed. night. Every time we leave the door there are a million reasons not to go and/or struggles but we don't give up and every time we go we are really blessed. I know our church isn't for everyone but if you don't have a place to go on Sunday's and you really want to try something new or you know that you do I encourage you to come with us and check it out. 

8. Kids. I love my kids. Sam is becoming such a great little guy. I heard him encouraging Sophia the other night when she kept screaming "I can't" over something she was trying to do. It was awesome to see him being so kind, offering to help, and being so reassuring. Granted his sister hit him and wasn't having any of it, but still he has such a sweet heart and it makes me so happy. Sophia is sassy. Yes sassy, she told me the other day 'to get out of my face because I've got Jesus'. lol. She cracks me up and is trying to hold her own. Gotta love the sassy and the strength that comes with this age.

9. Rufus (AKA the dog). Trying to figure out what to do about him. We love him. He is very much a puppy still and it's very hard to give him all the attention that he craves especially with having small kids. The kids aren't very nice to the dog and so it's a constant struggle to figure out how to teach them to be nice, how to get Rufus to settle down (and not bite when he's playing), and how to give everyone the time and attention they need. Not only that even with being a short haired dog there is lots of sneezing going on around here. Sam often complains that his eyes are itchy after playing with the dog so I have to wondered if he (and I have dog allergies too).

10. Weight/health. It's been on my mind a lot lately. December was not kind to most of us in the house. Me especially I had the flu and a respiratory infection and then January I had a double ear ache, sinus infection, and pretty much a constant fever. That's all in check at the moment and I'm feeling ok (though tired but that's from getting up at 3:30am and not being able to go back to sleep). I'm up a few lbs but still have to lose about 20ish lbs to be considered healthy. I had been making good strides but then getting sick threw me down and I've not found my motivation to get back to it again. Don't get me wrong I'm eating well it's just the no exercise part that has me keeping this weight on. Anyways I need some motivation to keep it up. I also decided that I wasn't going to be a Beachbody coach anymore (I love the products) I just didn't want to be a salesman anymore and I just really don't have hours upon hours to focus on it when there are other things that are a whole lot more pressing like spending time with my kids while they are still kids. :)

So yeah that's probably not all of it but it's a chunk of stuff. Anyways I'd be curious to hear how you my readers are doing? If I've said anything that made total sense to you or if you have any questions?