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Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Wonderful, wonderful Christmas. Had five days at my parent's house. So nice to be with all of them even just for a short time. Nice to just do life with them again. Got insomnia on Christmas Eve again. As always. Woke up at 4, then at 5, then at 6 and at 7 I heard my parents and decided it was safe to wake everyone else up then. My family went nuts with gifts and my parents totally lost it. They bought me the big gift I asked for - a laptop. Still can't believe it. They are way too good to me. Nice to remember that all the people of the Christmas story were regular people. Two easy days at work last week - only five kids each day. Nice. This week is moving week. Long day yesterday getting everything into the new classrooms. Tomorrow will be longer. I'm missing my kids like crazy. My family came and stayed with me last weekend. So wonderful to have them here. I miss being near them so much. They came to my church. I love sharing that place with people I love. It was nice to be back there. I only missed one Sunday, but it felt like longer. I miss Life Group. Still another week before I get to see them. I love the holidays. I love being with my family. I will be glad when I'm back into my normal routine again, though. Ready for His unorthodox blessing. It "produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Been in the house for over three months now. It's decorated for Christmas and it is a home. I have another new home also. Firewheel Bible Fellowship. Loving it. Can't imagine missing a single Sunday. Meeting some of my new family. Jeremy, Jodi, Keadan, Jeff. Good people with good hearts. Getting ready for a big adventure down the road. The Lord is preparing our hearts for that. It's coming soon and I'm excited and I'm scared. I still get scared about money, about making ends meet. It's a neverending lesson in trust. I love my kids at work. They teach me every day. Relearning lessons in love and discipline. Learning to be gentle and kind. These are difficult lessons to learn. Despite the money shortage, I wouldn't give this up. Wonderful people I work with. I am humbled every day by three year olds. And they make my joy overflow. I miss my family more every day. I miss being near them. What will I do in a year when they are even farther? Do they know the extent of my overflowing love for them? Very blessed to be theirs. Very blessed indeed. I have a house. For free. And I have a playful cat. I have more best friends than a broken girl deserves. I have a car. It runs. My cabinets are overstocked with food. I know love. I sleep in a warm bed every night. I wear clothes every day. And they're cute. For the most part. I love books. And I have lots of them. I am broken. And I am overcome by grace. By His scandalous, unorthodox love. Blessed indeed.

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

I have to say, I'm very content right now. I'm at my parent's house and nothing special is happening, just life as it goes in the Hastings house. We're about to go meet my sister for dinner after she gets off work and so as we wait, my mother does her motherly thing making sure we have everything for tomorrow, going over recipes and figuring how early she needs to get up to put the turkey in; and my father watching the Mavs game and carrying on a conversation with the commentators as though they can hear him with the occasional "Yeah Dirk!" outburst; and I think of Gretchen almost to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to see Zack and how happy it will make them to be together for Thanksgiving; and I'm just happy to be alive.

Friday, November 02, 2007

It's official. I am now a partner of Firewheel Bible Fellowship!! I'm so excited! This church has been such a blessing to me already and I'm only just getting started. God has been so gracious in allowing Erin and I to find such a wonderful church so quickly. I have not felt the this type of family since Nexus and I can't wait to get more involved. We also just joined a life group and will attend our first group next week. I'm really excited about that, too.
Work is still great. One of my kids left today for a month long vacation in India to visit his grandparents, so our count is officially down to 15 three-year olds and let me tell ya, I am uber excited because one less kid can make a huge difference in the whole day. Oh, and for those of you who enjoyed the penis story, here's a face to put with it. Adorable and out of control.

God is still good, what more can I ask for?

Thursday, October 04, 2007

So, my new job... wonderful. About to finish my fourth week and it's just gotten better and better. The kids are almost out of the "testing" phase and hopefully I have showed them that I love them dearly, but they can't get away with anything when I'm around. I love working with kids cause they really do say the darndest things. Por ejemplo...
Some of the dolls we have in our home center are, for some reason, very anatomically correct. Not necessarily detailed, but there are still things there. And so, yesterday, one of my boys - three years old, tiny little kid but has the most energy you'll ever see - picks up one of the dolls and says very loudly, with a parent in the room - "Look, a penis!!"
Oh my, I wanted to laugh so badly, but I wasnt sure what the parent would think, so I just took the doll and said it was going to go away for awhile. Haha... oh kids, I just love 'em.