step out

Life is SO random, isn't it!  

At any given time, there are so many various things happening, it's frequently hard to keep these posts focused!  Sorry.

There's at least 10 things I want to tell you, but there is just no common thread today...

1) The border is open...answer to prayer.  Dodo and Bubba are just trying to re-figure out how to get here...hopefully, in the next few days!  Sofie is no longer buying the idea that their bus is broken.

2) The girls and Matt are still sick and slowly improving...and despite being sneezed on 55 times,  I am still hanging onto health with stubbornness...another answer to prayer!

3) Tonight is the convocation for Noel's new school year at the Medical Institute of Haiti (Dr. Rodney's Nursing school).  She is incredibly excited about it and the girls are quite excited to be going, too...at least for now :)

4) Sofie's obsession with babies has never wained...this morning that included these four, all with unique name versions of the word "banana".  Nice.

5) Matt had a important quarterly meeting this morning with his doctoral advisor regarding his dissertation, and it went wonderfully.  Another answer to prayer.  Despite the fact that I continue to be incapable of mulling through his doctoral work, his advisor deemed this quarters 15,000 words as "a delight to read!"  So.  There you are.  I'm incredibly proud of Matt's perseverance and dedication...I personally would NEVER be able to do an entire doctorate 99% independent study.

Or an entire doctorate of any kind :)

6) Tomorrow is my mom's birthday.  No matter how many years go by, the desire to get her something special, to celebrate her, to make her happy, and the subconscious panic that comes over me the first week of November when I have nothing to give her...well, it just never fades.  

The ability to celebrate people and to SHOW them how we care for them is a real gift, isn't it.  Go show someone how much you care about them today.

7)  While Lily is doing so much better at school, her biggest struggle continues...a very loud, towering, passionate, boisterous, temperamental teacher.  While I've tried to explain to Lily that her teacher's dramatic ways are NOT a reflection of Lily, but just the way she is, it's hard for our incredibly timid four-year old to understand that yelling and fist pounding and loudness doesn't mean angry...especially in a culture that frequently manifests dramatically, to start with.  

Lily is so afraid of upsetting Madame Guilouse that she dreads going to class and having to do her daily solo reading in front of everyone, though she continues to LOVE going to school.  

Monday, Lily got her quarterly report card, and I realized for the first time that her teacher's last name is  Bataille.  Mrs. Guilouse Battle.

It totally cracked me up.  And as soon as Lily realized what Bataille meant, she was cracking up, too!

"Mom, that's totally what she's like!  It's like we're in BATTLE and she's yelling about the vowels and our singing like Jericho is going to fall down!"

This morning as I walked my tiny braided one out to the car, her chin was up, and she said bravely, "Today, I will see Goliath!  And I will get up, and be strong, and not be afraid, and read my reading words!  GOOD-BYE!"

I am, as always, proud of her.  It all pinches my heart, to see her growing, and dealing with life, and I'm so thankful that my first dozen thoughts of running to the school and switching teachers or letting Madame Battle know that MY Lily-flower is to be treated delicately were instead replaced by an opportunity for Lily to grow.  God knows, doesn't He.  And cares.  So thankful He is WITH her.

8)  These last few weeks have been especially full of readers like you emailing or commenting and saying, "THAT WAS FOR ME."  It blesses me so much to see how God is at work in your life, and to realize that the things He's working on me are not only for me.  Makes sharing our lives such a privilege.  Thank you!

9)  Baby Christie continues to be doing great, growing, getting lots of love.  She's wonderful and we love visiting her!  Every time I see her, I re-testify of His miraculous hand!

10)  Our four classes just continue to go so well.  This is the part in the semester where you are really starting to KNOW your new students and really digging deeply through the material...it's good.  We continue to be really touched and blessed with how diverse, mature and dedicated the current study body continues to be.  School pictures happen next week, so I'll be sharing!

All that to say...

Step into the weekend with gratefulness, EVEN if it feels like a battle, even if mourning is a part of the beauty, loving on all those He brings around you, sharing what He has shared with you freely...knowing and trusting that He, God of the Big Picture, is in control and at work!