...and other lofty goals.

What's a "stint" you ask? I had to look it up since the only "stint" I know of is the kind of stent placed in hearts to make them work better. Apparently the little guy below is called a stint. However, I don't think PandaGirl meant that she wants to be a bird when she grows up. After giggling to myself and then asking my precious girl what she meant by writing this word, I found out that she wants to be a SCIENTIST when she grows up.

Oh yeah---I already knew that. Silly me for mistaking those letters.

PG has wanted to be a scientist for a couple of years now. Wonder if that will stick? I know that around her age I wanted to be an aerobics instructor so that I could wear those white Reebok high tops with the two Velcro straps at the ankle.

That never quite came to fruition seeing as how I was a Nike girl and all....oh, and never liked to exercise.


PandaPop and PG and I have really run ourselves ragged this summer. I truly feel that today, July 15th was my FIRST DAY OFF for summer.

It felt so great.----I wrote in my journal for awhile and then did something so foreign: I snuggled around in my bed with my cozy, cool, fluffy down comforter until 10:00am. Glory.

Poor PandaPop. He still worked like crazy. No break yet. This is his busy time of the year. We leave on Sunday for children's camp for the week. Lots of work for him to prepare for an event like that. Fun, but tiring.

This "summer" has been so crazy first of all getting out of school on June 5th as opposed to the more sensible May that has always been the norm around these here parts. Then the very next week I gladly spent helping taking care of my mom after her double knee replacement surgery for a week. Once back home I tried to get our home back in the groove after working full-time all school year only to find myself busy everyday running errands here and there with PP for ministry events, which I love to do, but still had no "down time". I still hadn't decompressed after a very stressful nine months. We had to get ready for our VBS/kidzpraize event thingy last week and all the while trying to prepare for a home study visit from our adoption agency that took place yesterday.

Yesterday.

Ouch.

Not one of my favorite days, I must confess.

Ever have a proctology exam (as PP so sarcastically speaks as a comparison)? Though I've never had one, really, I'm quite sure I experienced one while in my own home doling out answers as to why I think I'm ready to adopt again.

You're kidding me, right?

It's all part of the process, I'm told. The process to parent a child in the foster system. I thought our process to adopt from China was hard. Not so. The extremely detailed profile we've had to put together along with tons of training required in choosing this route have pretty much tapped me out.

Well, until yesterday.

There's no point in whining or belaboring the point. Let's just say, that though the girl sitting on our couch (who was sweet and knowledgable as she could be----but not yet a parent) did only what her job required, I felt like Captain Jean-Luc Picard when on trial with Q and all the little people laughing and pointing all while Picard is trying to figure out where he is and what is going on around him.

Sorry for all you who have no clue what that means. PP and I love Star Trek. It was the frame of reference most familiar to me at the moment.

Just suffice it to say that the enemy, the father of lies was hurling insults at me while I tried to explain why we want to adopt through the foster system. If I remember correctly, it seems as though "they" are always begging people to adopt, yet make it incredibly laborious to do so. Scrutinizing, if you will.

It's all for the safety and well-being of the children. Yes, I agree. I just don't like the feeling deep down in my soul that reminds me I am a barren woman.

There could be much worse things.

Thank you, Lord. When I am weak, You are strong.

I was reminded today as I read a friend's blog who shares my "lot" in life:

"He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord."
Psalm 113:9

It was for the first time today that I noticed the word "children". I have read this verse many times and never noticed the plural. Though I feel happy with PandaGirl and she is the reason I am a mother and no longer "barren", this Living Truth gave me hope.

Hope of more to come.