"10" God is so good!

I have been looking at a few new blogs lately, and some of them do a "10" themed post, maybe once a week or so, just listing out 10 things they want to say about what is going on in their household. Seems like a good way to organize my thoughts, so I'm going to try it. This particular post has a theme: God is so, so good to us!



The last post I did revolved around all the things I'm currently stressing over. Just the day after I posted it, Beth Moore spoke loudly to me during my Mom's Bible study about giving things up to Him. I meant to post a new, more positive blog entry that day about it, but just got busy. Since last week, God is answering so many prayers, and just taking care of us in little ways all over the place! Here's my list:



1. Housing stuff: Jeremy met with a friend of a friend today, who works for Cashmere Valley Bank, to discuss our options. We are feeling more at peace about the whole process and that God's hand is in it.



2. We are going to sell our 2004 Nissan Sentra (know anyone who might want it?) but need to spend a little cash to get it fixed up first. Found out that we will get some insurance money towards that, so that was good news.



3. I went and observed a preschool that I'm praying about for Clara next year, and LOVED it. It's a little more expensive than one of our other main options, but Jeremy's mom has also mentioned to us that they might help us with that. Either way, I know we'll be able to make it work, and it will be a great place for her to be 2 days/week next year. Great Christian influence, too!



4. I posted an ad on Craigslist to do some childcare for up to 2 elementary aged children this summer, since I won't be able to sub, so that we can earn a little extra money. Got a response within 12 hours of posting, and it looks very promising. Need to talk to the mom possibly tonight. Even if this option doesn't work out, I feel pretty confident that something else will.



5. Going to meet with the Executive Director at the Wenatchee YMCA this Friday about starting a toddler gym parent/child class! So, so excited about this! This might turn out to be a little of a money maker, or at least pay for my membership there, but that really wasn't even my goal. I just wanted to give the twins the same experience that clara had at the Puyallup Y when she was 1-2 years old, and it's looking pretty promising that I'll be able to!



6. Babies are back to normal health, and Clara got better, too . . but she now has another double ear infection. However, my praise is for great pediatricians and modern medicine. I love Dr. Crawford! We've seen him a few more times than i'd like to in these past 2 months, but, if i have to go take the kids somewhere, I'm glad it's him. Thank you, Lord, too for antibiotics.



7. We are having the Webb's do our taxes for us this year, since with the move and job change and house and everything else it is a complicated thing! Jeremy met with Keith last week, and, as of right now anyway, it looks like we'll get a pretty good return! We were afraid we were going to owe money, due to our circumstances, so this is a HUGE praise!

8. This is a little one, but hey, every little thing counts, right? Just started ordering diapers from Amazon Mom site, using a 10$ off coupon that I have in one of the magazines I get. Got a big box of Huggies diapers, shipped to my house in 2 days, for around 17$ . . . normally those diapers would be, like 40$ and I'd have to get them at the store. When you have two babies going through lots of diapers each day, it adds up fast!

9. We have started a little chores incentive program here at the house, and it's going very well. Jeremy and I talked about how we wanted to approach teaching Clara (and, eventually, the twins) about doing some chores around the house and learning responsibility, as well as work-ethic and doing things with a cheerful heart. After much discussion, we decided that we want them to do a few chores just because they live here and we all have to chip in. So, we came up with "Team Lebow." We have those letters, in big block form, on our wall, with posters of jobs that Jeremy does, what I do, and what Clara does. She gets to color in a letter when she does a job, or maybe when she sees one of us doing a job. We don't color one in after every single chore, by any means, but probably once a day or so. After they were all colored in the first time, we went on a "family date" to get frosties from Wendy's. So simple, yet, we're just trying to get across the lesson of "work hard, play hard" . . . we all have to chip in around here, but there are rewards, such as doing fun things together as a family. Now, she is really into working for the next family date to be "going to Ashlee and Ainslee's together as a family" . . (Jodee, if you read this, I have no idea where she came up with that!) She also learned the verse, "Do all things without complaining or arguing" by singing it to a song we have on CD.

10. Finally, I got another answer to prayer regarding my clock hours. I thought I was going to need around 46 more, which would be a 40 clock hour class, plus ___________? Something else? Well, I got all my clock hour forms mailed to me from University Place District and it turns out I only need 11 more! So, I'm still deciding which route to go to get those last 11, which I need to do before June, and then I'll apply for my new certificate, which will last another 5 years.