HELP!!

I know that Christmas has just ended. To many, the thought of preparing for next Christmas is just about unthinkable. Because it takes me so long to do anything crafty, I know I need to start early. That's why I've already started. Started what? Well, I want to make a "Jesse Tree." Many of you (especially those raised in a more "traditional" church) may already know about Jesse Trees. For those who don't, the Jesse Tree shows the lineage of Christ as the Messiah. There are devotionals for each night and a corresponding ornament for the 25 days of December leading to Christmas. I want to make the ornaments, which is where my problem lies. I've tried Googling to find patterns, but most of them look like silly little hand drawn pictures that adults download for kiddos to color during Sunday School. I want these ornaments to look nice. I know I could use Chrismons, but even those tend to be cross stich patterns rather than a downloadable and printable picture. Read: I don't do needlepoint of any kind.

So, if you have a good resource you can send my way (or have a friend of a friend of a friend who would have some good info) I would LOVE to have some nice looking Jesse Tree ornament patterns.

As a side note...why is it that, in general, the Christian community doesn't take pride in what they do? That the world can make BEAUTIFUL ornaments, but when trying to find patterns for beautiful BIBLICAL ornaments, it is down right impossible? What kind of message does that send to the world, that we don't take the time to do things WELL? Boggles my mind...

PS--Don't let my side note distract you from the real question of finding patterns for my ornaments!! HA!

My wonderful husband

Yesterday was great. People asked how our Christmas was (the typical chit-chat you have with people who don't know specific questions to ask you) and my answer was "Mine isn't over--Jeremy hasn't gone back to work yet!"

I woke up yesterday morning at 8:30 to Hannah having fun in the bathtub. Jeremy had already fed her breakfast and was giving her a bath. He basically took care of her all day apart from making her lunch and dinner. I not only slept in but I had a morning nap and an afternoon nap. (And I didn't have to wake up when Hannah got up!) By dinner at 5:30pm I had only been awake for 6.5 hours that day. It was WONDERFUL! When I went to bed that night I wasn't so exhausted that I couldn't sleep. If only everday could be so blissful!

May I be the first to say...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Ok, I think Christmas starts on Christmas Eve. By the time we were in middle school we always opened our presents on Christmas Eve night so that we could be less rushed on Christmas Day to eat a great breakfast and head to my grandparents. And since I think I live closer to the International date line than any of my friends, I've managed to get to Christmas first :) So....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Anxious about everything

"Be anxious about nothing..." Really? Nothing? Lately I feel like I'm anxious about everything. Well, maybe not everything, but certainly most things that come along with having a baby in Korea. It takes such daily discipline to not be anxious about these things! I'm glad that there is hope that I don't HAVE to be anxious! Praise God! Here are a few things that plague my brain...

1) What if it snows and the hour and ten minute drive to the hospital takes three hours?

2) What if I go into labor on the weekend and the and ten minute drive to the hospital takes three hours?

3) What if I don't realize I'm in labor and then I give birth in the car?

4) What if I think I'm in labor and get to the hospital and I'm not? Do I stay in Seoul or do I come home? What about Hannah?

5) What if Benjamin is only two weeks old when Jeremy leaves for Alabama and I have to do the two hours of newborn screaming by myself every night?

6) What if Hannah flips out about Benjamin and Jeremy is in Alabama and I have to deal with all of it by myself?

7) What if I ge to the hospital and they are stinkers about putting me on the EFM and I'm strapped into the bed the entire time?

8) What if the roommates in my recovery room listen to shoot-em-up movies at three am (poor Meisje!)?!

(BTW--this is me at 34 weeks!)

Slow schedules

Somehow it has happened. I've successfully cleared my schedule this week and have done nothing apart from being a mom, wife, and friend for three days now. Tomorrow's agenda? Make bread (in the bread machine), make a crust for a tart, and go to the Hospitality House. That's it. I can't remember the last time my schedule was so "light." I'm THRILLED!

Third trimester fatigue (plus the lingering affects of jet lag and ministry craziness) has just about wiped me out and I have gotten into a bit of self-preservation mode. Jeremy has significant time off over the next week and a half (which should help to average out the time he HASN'T been at home the past two weeks) and I might get to nap everyday!!

This is great!!

Jeremy updates

The biggest news to be told is that Jeremy found out that he got an 18 month school assignment at Wright-Patterson in Dayton, Ohio as his next assignment. He'll get his Master's in some kind of Engineering Management degree. School starts in August and we'll be there until March 2008. WE'LL BE IN THE SAME TIME ZONE AS MY FAMILY!!! I've NEVER been able to just pick up the phone with our parents or my sister and not think about what time it is where they are. I'm thrilled. And, we'll only be a three hour drive from my sister's house. Can we say ROAD TRIPS?!?! Two families from Osan have already PSC'ed there, one of which has six kids and is a lovely source of parenting knowledge (the Volchecks) and the other loves Hannah and will be willing to babysit from the get-go (the Meadors). God is good :)

On to the not-so-fun news. Jeremy is currently suppose to be leaving on February 24th for a five week training in Alabama. Need I say that this is just one month after Benjamin is suppose to be here? Read: Rhodes babies are late babies. He could be just two weeks old when Jeremy leaves. Needless to say, I'm less than happy about this arrangement. His major is trying to get things changed and have us leave in May, but it doesn't look so good from this end of things.

So sing with me "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the Facts of Life, the Facts of Life!" (Gotta love 80s TV show theme songs!)

Let it snow!

We woke up this morning to 8" of snow on the ground. Because the "road condition" was red, no one was allowed to drive their car around on base. With me in my pregnant condition (growing by the day) and Hannah unable to walk the mile to church, we stayed at home and played in the snow. After getting all bundled up and getting outside, Hannah decided she didn't much care for the snow. Well, maybe she didn't care for the fact that she couldn't really walk in her snowsuit. At any rate it was very evident that I would not have been able to take her out and play with her in the snow had Jeremy not been at home. Just too physical for me at this point, especially with all the clothing on. So, Thank you, God! that you sent the snow on a weekend so Jeremy could go play with us!

Diapers, Pacifiers, and Other Holy Things

First let me start by saying that the title to this blog is actually the title to a really good devotional book for mothers that I got right before Hannah was born. Each of the chapters is about three pages long with actual application principles at the end. It's just what the mother of a newborn needs to get connected to God during a mid-night nursing session!

Diapers--While in the states Hannah hit a growth spurt and outgrew all clothes she had and even her cloth diapers. She wore the small size for five months and then the medium size for eleven months. It took a couple of weeks to decide whether we wanted to continue and buy the large size. But in the end we decided it was worth it and purchased them on Nov. 30th. They were shipped priority mail on Dec. 2nd. We finally got them today. Gotta love APO addresses.

Pacifiers--Jeremy has been trying for months and months to get me to wean Hannah from her paci. I've been beyond nervous to do so, but I knew that I didn't want to have two kids crying for pacis in the middle of the night. So we decided that the exhaustion of jet lag would help lul her to sleep and weaning her off the paci when we got back from the states would be about the best time we could do it. We were right. This is night #11 without a paci--she hasn't taken one with a nap, either! Mind you, this is the child who has recently as Thanksgiving week cried for over thirty minutes because someone didn't know the "nap procedure" and failed to give her the paci at nap time. PRAISE GOD. (I know, as soon as Benjamin has a paci, she'll try to take it from him and we'll have this big battle on our hands, but we are prepared...)

Other Holy Things--This morning was the first morning that Hannah has slept past 6am since we've been back from the states. Why is this is so important? When she wakes up so early, I don't have my morning alone time with the Lord to get prepared for the day she will reek havoc upon. And would you know that THIS week is when she decides that she needs to SCREAM when she doesn't get what she wants when she wants it? And she SCREAMS when she is "done" with her nap, which is not really when nap time is over, but she thinks that it is. And she SCREAMS because she wants me to be constantly holding her? Oh the things I'm in for when Benjamin arrives....

However, I must say that I have two friends who have recently had wee ones, and I'm getting so excited to hold my little 8lb bundle of squishy flesh. I'll be exhausted and mentally frazzled and my body will be going through WWIII as far as hormones, but isn't it worth it?!?! (At least a couple of times!!)

The unexplanable

Hannah is still jet lagged. It isn't horrible, but she can't seem to get back to her normal schedule of sleeping from 7pm to 7:30am. Waking up at 5am is not my idea of ok. Between her lack of sleeping, my lack of sleeping, and my mound of "welcome back to Korea--you have a lot to catch up on before you celebrate Christmas" work, I'm about at the end of my emotional and physical rope.

And then moments like this morning happen. Hannah has started cuddling. Sort of. She likes to sit facing me in the rocking chair wrapped up in a blanket in the darkness of the morning when she is suppose to be sleeping. (Have I mentioned that she has also decided to stop eating?) This morning she spent an hour and a half telling me she was hungry and me trying to tell her to go back to sleep. Finally I relented (I should have done it sooner!) and gave her graham crackers.

After eating all the graham crackers she started looking up at me and smiling. Then patting my face. Then snuggling closer to me. And finally she started coming up to my face with hers, touching our noses together and then giggling. So I did what any normal mother would do--I played with her like this and giggled for over 15 minutes, savoring in all of these wonderful moments while my little girl is still a little girl, while her skin is soft and her hands are small, while she still thinks I'm the most amazing woman on the planet.

And then I put her to bed. And she is asleep. It's a shame I actually have to wake her up this morning to go to MOPS.

Testing one, two, three

I don't know why, but I've never tried to email a blog posting to my blog. Maybe I would blog more if I did it. So, now I'm trying it to see if it works :)

We are hitting the dusty trail tomorrow. Our plane leaves at 6:00am from Charlotte, which is an hour drive from Jeremy's parent's house. So, at 2:30am we'll wake up, at 3:00am we'll leave, have the scary weigh-in-of-the-baggage time, and then sit around in the airport for about an hour (if all goes well) before we get to board the plane.

From Charlotte we go to Dallas. From Dallas to Tokyo. From Tokyo to Seoul. Our plane is suppose to touch down at 9:00pm local time on Tuesday, Dec. 5th. Then through customs and HOPEFULLY the bus that goes directly onto base will still be at the airport so that we can pay $90 to ride to Osan. But, with four suitcases, a double stroller, a car seat, a pregnant mommy and a very active (but possibly very cranky) little girl after 30 hours of traveling, we thought that taking the direct bus and paying the money would be better than trying to get on the city bus and taking TWO taxis to our apartment. Mind you, we will still need to take a taxi from the bus "stop" on base to our apartment. And then lug all of the stuff to our place. Thank you, God, for an elevator!!

The weeks have flown by. We have done fun shopping. We have done a lot of "strategic" shopping, as I like to say where we buy things we know we'll need and can't get in Korea. We've watched movies and football and been wined and dined. We've seen old friends and family and actually had a date or two!

And now, it is back to the grind of daily living, the hustle and bustle of work and home and ministry. It's good, but it's hard. I'm constantly trying to figure out ways to make it easier. Maybe one day I will. If I do, I'll let you know.

And maybe I'll be as good as Susie at my blog :)

The latest of news

I finished 34 hours of CPE!! Yeay!! No more CPE until January :)

If Jeremy is on time, he is only 1.5 hours from landing in Dallas! Only 5.5 hours from meeting me at the baggage claim!! YEAY!!!

I got to go to Hobby Lobby BY MYSELF yesterday and just walk around the HUGE store of very pretty things. There is just something about looking at beautiful things that makes my heart happy (especially when there is instrumental praise and worship music playing through the sound system!). Hip-hip-horray for being in North Carolina!!!

A bad case of the dial-ups

Yes, I'm in the states and one would think I would be a bit more consistent in blogging. I have been suffering from a bad case of the dial-ups. I love my parents and inlaws dearly, but the last time I lived with a dial-up connection was right before I moved to college in 1997. I just don't have a lot of patience with the internet without DSL. I guess I'm an internet snob. I've been called worse :)

I've been back and forth and back again between my parents house and my inlaws house. I've packed, unpacked, and packed again so many times that I KNOW I'll be ready to live out of a dresser and not a suitcase by the time I finally crash into my bed on December 5th! I have been very thankful to be in the states, though. It was good timing for many reasons. There have been a lot of "issues" at my parents house that have eased with our presence in NC. Jeremy has been working like a madman since I left, so I wouldn't have seen him even if I was in Korea anyway :) I've purchased most of my shopping list (yes, it is a list just like going to the grocery store--if I forget something, I'm out of luck until either my mother-in-lawe ships it to me or I move back in June!) I've had Arby's curly fries, Chick-fil-A, a couple of Goodwill runs (great finds on kids clothes!), Dunkin' Donuts, and Papa Johns! YEAY! Not to mention AC Moore and Hobby Lobby. And Hallmark. And Target, Babies R Us, old Navy, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Walmart, Walmart, Walmart!

Jeremy will be ending a horrific week of 16 hour days in just 10 short (or not so short...) hours from right now. I'm sure he'll have to go into the office on Saturday morning to finish up some things, but then he starts the 28 hours of traveling on Sunday morning! Yeay! Three and a half weeks without my hubby is enough for me, thank you very much :) I'm not looking forward to him getting deployed in the future. If we get our assignment of choice, he won't be "eligible" for deployment until 2009. I DEFINITELY can't complain--I've made out like a bandit so far as a Civil Engineer's wife! He's suppose to deploy every two years of his career. We haven't had one yet!

In addition to all of this fun, my mom, me and Hannah drove up to Virginia on Saturday and visited with my great grandmother (yes, Hannah has a GREAT GREAT grandmother!) and with my Mamaw and Papaw Rowland. Nothing like a trip to my old "stomping grounds" from high school to bring back memories...and make me thankful that they are just that--memories and not my current reality! Ha! Today I drove with Hannah to Greenville, SC to meet with my dear friend Becca. She and I were "baby buddies" together at Osan before she moved this past July. She drove up from Atlanta, and we spent three hours trying to get our kiddos to eat some lunch and then pushing them around Kohl's so they had something to keep them entertained while we chatted. (Thank you, Becca!)

Above all, I have realized over and over and over again just how much God has blessed me. From the grace He covered me with throughout my growing up years, to my wonderful family and inlaws to my FABULOUS husband, a cutie patootie daughter and a soon-to-be-son, to my amazing friends...I've been overwhelmed to really take a look at the life God has given me. Not to speak of the wonders of His love :) *Can you tell it's almost Christmas??*

Ok, there is a reason I'm suppose to blog a little at a time....

Hey Lucy, I'm home!

Yes, we have made it in one piece (well, two pieces, since two of us come to the states!). After an extra four hours of traveling due to one late take off and one airplane equipment maintanence issue, we arrived in Charlotte at 2:30am. Hannah's jet lag has made her a pretty low key little girl during the day, and a I-feel-the-need-to-wake-up-every-two-hours kind of girl at night (any suggestions for helping a kid recover from jet lag?). Crossing 14 times zones isn't really easy on your body. I, on the other hand, am just not sleeping. I can't sleep during the day because the sun is out. I'm just that way. I sleep well at night until Hannah wakes me up. And then I'm AWAKE. So, it's 11pm and after a 2 hour "nap" I'm up and working on my big project of my trip--finishing 34 hours of Continuing Professional Education for my CPA license. Right now, I'm almost thankful for this little bit of insanity that I've added to my five weeks in America. It gives me something to do when I can sleep, and I'm hoping that the dryness of how to record cash considerations between a manufactorer and a reseller will sooth my brain back to slumber!

Being in America is so amazing that I almost cried three time in the Dallas airport just because I could read all of the signs of the stores (and their products!) and I could understand and talk to all of the people around me! Well, except for the cleaning lady in the bathroom because she only spoke Spanish...I understand how she feels! I'm driving on REAL roads! I bought groceries without having to show my id to get into the store OR to pay for the items. It felt SO STRANGE, almost like I was doing something that I wasn't suppose to be doing. I listened to the radio and understood the songs! Yeay!

Thanks to all who lifted us up in prayer. Our trip could have been a disaster, but you prevented that for us. What friends I am blessed with!

hittin' the road

In just 13 hours I will get into the car to drive the 2.5 hours to the airport (less than 45 miles...), check into my flight with my 100 lbs of luggage, two carry on bags, a car seat, an umbrella stroller and a 14 month old. (You can't buy a partridge in a pear tree in Korea--customs laws! Just kidding!) Then it's about 2 hours to Japan, an 1.5 hour layover, a 12 hour flight to Dallas, 1.5 hours to deboard, go through customs, and take off again for a 2.5 hour flight to Charlotte. Then the good part--grandparents! One to take Hannah, one to grab the luggage while I get a latte and enjoy the 1.5 drive to my parent's house.

Me too. I'm tired just thinking about it!

In unrelated news, I found out that one of the scrapbooks I'm working on weighs SEVEN pounds. I was taking it home with me to work on, show off, and keep in the states so that I don't have to PCS with it. Jeremy will have to bring it in his suitcases! I get 100lbs for me and Hannah. He gets 100 lbs for the rest of my stuff and the approx. four outifts that he'll bring with him. Amber would be appalled, though--I only packed TWO pairs of shoes! :)

a side-splitting day

Somehow at the beginning of last week I pulled a muscle in my right side. It was puzzling how it happened, and it was uncomfortable, but it wasn't a big deal. It went away by Sunday and I was thanking God that I was better before I had to manuever through airports with Hannah, a pregnant belly, and luggage by myself. Well, this morning I sneezed (violently) and I re-pulled the muscle. We aren't talking slight discomfort. We are talking I can't get into the car, sit down on the couch, pick up my daughter, laugh, cough, or sneeze without hurting. I'm heading to the chiropractor tomorrow (because I have nothing else to do!) to see if he can do some pressure point work on my back to relax the muscles in my side. Today was just a stinky day. I knew it all day long. I was tired, Hannah doesn't feel good (so she was cranky and clingy and wanted me to carry her all day), I was in pain, and I couldn't think straight to work on the mounds of everything that needs to be done before I head to Seoul for my 28 hours of traveling on Thursday.

Thank you. I needed to whine.

Wisdom at a young age

God has been slowly weaning me off of a busy life. The decrease in work and activity from my life in Boston and my life in Montana was very noticable to me. And yet, I was still at a pace that no one should live at for any extended period of time. One of my biggest regrets during that "chapter" of my life was that I did to much, tried to do more than I did, and was guilty about both! (The even bigger regret was that I didn't start backpacking sooner...). Moving to Osan, I tried to guard myself against this busyness of life. I truly did restrain myself in activities that I did and leadership roles I assumed.

Looking at my life over the past couple of months, you would have never guessed this was the case. Everything I am committed to, all of a sudden, got crazy and demanding "for the short term" all at the same time. Plus, Hannah is getting older and demanding more of my time. I have realized a few key lessons. First, I can't commit to so much that I can "handle" everything when everything is "normal." Things don't stay normal for very long. Secondly, what I can do right now I may not be able to continue doing in the short-term future. This is ok. As Hannah continues to grow up, she'll continue to need more of my time and focus. And then there will be more kiddos. Just because I know that more are coming and more energy will be channeled toward them doesn't mean I need to drop everything right now. But it does mean that I need to actively watch my life and cut back as I need to. AND NOT FEEL GUILTY AND UNFAITHFUL WHEN I DO.

It seems like almost every mom around me is busy. "How are you today?" "Oh, busy as usual." I know that even if we as moms weren't involved in anything beyond the upcome of our families and homes, we would have our time filled with something. But, this is not what the answer these moms are giving. They are maxed out. They are collapsing into bed not wanting to close their eyes because they have to open them the next day and continue on the treadmill of life again. I have lived as one of those woman. And now that I'm taking the bold step OFF of the treadmill (I've stepped down from two ministries!), I want to encourage you to do the same. No, I'm not saying that everyone should resign from their responsbilities. But, I do encourage you to list all that you do and pray through each one to make sure that you truly SHOULD be doing all of them.

How is your relationship with the Lord? With your husband? With your kids? Are you spending quality time with all of these people? I hope the answer is a resounding "Yes!" And if not, have no fear--you aren't stuck. You can quit something. It is a Godly, Holy thing to say "no" to even the most urgent things in our lives to focus on what is truly important.

Overdue update

At MOPS on Wednesday we had to brainstorm 15 things that we wish we could do but didn't have time/make time for. How funny that blogging was one of those things. It just seems that during the day I just can't find time in between projects and Hannah and everything else to sitting down and type...and by the end of the day I'm BEAT!

Oh well...here's the latest...at my last appointment the OB practitioner said that we could potentially have placenta previa. In about 95% of cases where there is a concern for this, it turns out to be nothing. But, I can't fly home unless the next ultrasound shows that everything is ok. I'm hoping to fly home with Hannah on Oct. 27th. Our follow-up ultrasound is this Wednesday. I'm not really concerned, but it does put a lot of my planning for my trip on hold.

Last weekend was another power-stamping weekend. Last month I scrapbooked for 19 hours. Last weekend it was all about cards--baby announcements, thank you notes, etc. I haven't been able to sleep, so I actually pulled an all nighter. I then got sick, and have been completely worthless all week. I tell people that I've been on "auto-parenting" because my brain and body just can't function. Hannah hasn't shown signs of ill-effects.

So, yes, I'm going to America!!! Yeay!! I haven't seen my family in over a year (and, more importantly, they haven't seen Hannah!). And, wonder upon wonders, Jeremy will be flying to the states and meeting us in November. This will be the first time back to the "mainland" since we moved here in March 2005. He hasn't seen my sister since July 2003 and he has never met our brother-in-law. I've never had a conversation with my brother-in-law for that matter. Schedules didn't get worked out so that we could spend time together when I flew in for the wedding last year. Needless to say, I'm VERY excited!! AND, none of my family has ever seen me pregnant! My parents come to our house when I was 9 weeks pregnant with Hannah, but the only way they have seen me with a belly is through pictures. I arrive in the states in week 28 and stay until I'm in week 33. I'm thrilled to get to share this with them!

On a lighter note, when I asked Hannah where baby brother is, she lifts up the bottom of my shirt and pokes my belly. Of course, she is too young to have any idea what this means, but it is cute, nonetheless!

Transcending time

I'm sure you have had this experience many times. I know I have. But for some reason it always surprises me when it happens again, as if coming out of the blue. I found a cd with music from the "Breathing Room," which is where the leaders of Generation Church would go before we went out into the craziness of teenage living in order to minister to them on Wednesday nights. Hearing these songs coming out of my computer speakers puts me back in that place, in that time. I'm in a sweater and jeans. I'm skinny--not pregnant! I'm exhausted because it is busy season and I'm praying for energy and an ability to reach the hearts of people who live and have lived such a different life than me. My dear friend Amber is there with me. All of this I know but my eyes are closed as I breath in the music and breath out all of the stress and craziness of my day. You know what the amazing thing is? Music is powerful. The words, the rhythm, the memories, the emotions. But they can't compare to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As much as music can move us and change us, inspire us, take us to other places and times, only the Holy Spirit can reach that part of our being that we barely know exists. I'm glad He uses music to take us to that place at times...

Calling all mothers of sons

As you know, we found out last week that we are having a son--Benjamin Joel. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to raise both a son and a daughter! I'm stepping into very unfamiliar territory here--I've never been a boy. (he he he) Although being the mother of a daughter was a very scary thought for me, I know much more about girls than boys, so that has given me some comfort. (The reason it was scary for me? I have to teach her how to be a Godly woman! Most of the time I don't even know what that means!!)

So, here is my question, oh mothers of sons--what do you feel your biggest role is in raising your sons? If my biggest role in raising Hannah is to model what a Godly woman looks like so that she has an example to follow, what is my role as a mother of a son? I have some ideas, but I would love to hear from those of you who have been doing it for years!

I love having friends! :)

Encouraging yet frustrating

It has been my experience on my spiritual journey that when I am doing what God wants me to do, and when He has great things in mind, evil is always right there. And with this, I count it pure joy that I'm going through various trials right now. But can I just take a minute and tell you how frustrating it is to have to deal with gossip issues? I feel like I'm in high school! Even in working with the young adults in Montana I never had this problem. And the women involved (of course it is a woman problem!) are almost 30! If someone feels that I'm ignoring them because I haven't called them in the past couple of weeks (everyone knows how much I talk on the phone anyway!) please tell ME instead of calling my friend and starting the conversation with "I really have a problem with ______." And then, if you do have a problem, please accept my invitation to really talk about the problem rather than hiding behind the fact that it is the weekend and the only time you can spend with your husband. Grrrr.

In unrelated insanity news, I have be reading and praying and, to make a long story short, I feel like I need to be keeping up my CPE (Continuing Professional Education) for my CPA license. I have no idea what that will mean apart from now I will be finding time to take classes. It has been quite the journey. I've had very hurtful experiences in the past with Godly women telling me that if I'm too busy that "work" (ie, my job) needed to take a hike. Accounting is part of my very being. It's like telling an artist not to paint. I know, hard to imagine that someone could feel so passionately about accounting. I don't really understand my love of it either. But it's like the runner on Chariots of Fire said "when I run (read: do accounting), I feel God's pleasure." Why would I stop that? Like I said, I have no idea if God will use that outside of my home anytime in the near future. I know that He has an amazing way of using talents and abilities and education that He has given people. I want to be ready to be used by Him in WHATEVER way He sees fit. That's why I woke up at 1:40am yesterday so that I could watch a live webcast from 2-4am to get free CPE credit. (Thank you, Lord for PricewaterhouseCoopers!)

Ok, so that's been my week--how are YOU doing?? :)