Quick Takes Numero Uno

I thought I'd try out the 7 Quick Takes link-up over at Conversion Diary. I have been reading everyone else's for so long, and every Friday I think it would be fun to try out. Then I go to post and realize I don't have the energy to think of 7 things to post about, so we'll see how this goes.

1. I was going to put this one last for the big finale, but I wanted to be sure you see it (in case this ends up being boring and you stop reading after number 1!) Exciting news yet again! We got another call this week about another potential adoptive situation. We are being presented to another birth mother, along with 5 other families. Baby is due in November. Please keep everyone involved in your prayers!!!! We are excited but keeping pretty calm this time around. This is the fifth time our long profile has been presented in the past two years (and we've only been chosen once), so we realize the reality that there are 5 other families who could be chosen. I think after letting myself be completely consumed and convinced that it was IT last time has made me extra cautious this time. So we'll see what happens. I think I am finally at peace because I feel like our profile is finally getting some action. This is the second time in the past 2-3 weeks that we have been presented. That's promising! Profiles are being presented Monday, I think, so we'll see if I continue to stay calm after that.

2. We spent last weekend at a family reunion with Dan's family in Effingham. It was a great time visiting with family, which involved lots of eating delicious food from some of my favorite local places, including sundaes with twinkle coat. Can't beat that. If you've never had twinkle coat, you are missing out! There was also some intense game playing of Left, Center, Right and lots of music to be played. There is quite a bit of musical talent in the family, so I always really enjoy listening to them. Here's the siblings (his mom's side) performing together Saturday night.

I stole this from Dan's cousin, Jamie's Facebook since I didn't get any pictures myself

3. I got to spend Tuesday night with my So You Think You Can Dance buddy Julie and her hilarious 15 month old daughter. This kid was walking around my living room doing the Weekend At Bernie's walk. She one day discovered that people thought it was funny and apparently continues to do it for laughs now. She has one of the biggest smiles and lights up the room. Not much actual dance watching happened because the little lady was putting on her own show, but I honestly didn't care. She gives me some of that "baby time" that I so desperately need every once in a while.

Don't let her shy little look here fool you. She's quite the entertainer!

4. From the moment my work week started I was dreading Wednesday. That is one of the days I spend in my awful room (the other is Monday, so I got a break with the day off this week!) I seriously don't think I have ever dreaded going to work so much in the past four years I worked there. So on my lovely commute (which by the way is starting to feel way too long lately) I decided to pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet, take a deep breath, and hope for the best. I decided to make the most of it and push to do the most I could attempt to accomplish in the most chaotic room I've worked in to date. Let me tell you, in case you didn't know, God is so good! I had a great day in the room that day. I'm not going to say that I love the room. I don't even think I would venture to say I like it, BUT I'm going to make the most of it. A couple of the students have a lot more skills than I had realized. One of them is even pretty good at using a communication app on his iPad, which could be really cool to work on this year. The hair pulling, swatting, and being yanked around the room was not as plentiful as last week. I even got the wanderer to sit down for a few using my firm "mom voice", as we call it at work. I can only hope that the room keeps getting better each week, but I'm not going to get too confident yet. I'd rather be prepared for the worst and be pleasantly surprised. 

5. Have I mentioned that I absolutely adore my little sweethearts at my new school? They are seriously the sweetest group of kids. There really isn't a rotten apple in the bunch. There are a few that I can tell are going to try to give me a run for my money on occasion, but overall I really can't complain. They are also really bright, can carry on a conversation with me, and remember things from our language group the previous week. I could definitely get used to this!

6. Tomorrow Dan and my brother, James, plan on starting to take down our pool. I have some monstrous weeds to pull in my "garden" that I never got around to planting anything in this summer. It's seriously a jungle out there. Then we're heading over to the Rib Fest at my parents' parish. It should be a good day :)

7. The bathroom is sooooo close to being done! Glass is being installed Tuesday, and then we can finally use it :) I can't wait!!!! 

These quick takes ended up being not so quick... Have a great weekend!