Days 179 & 180 - Halfway to One Year!

I can't believe it's already been six months since I began this journey to re-discover God and His purpose for my life.

So much has changed in these past six months. I just want to shout at the top of my lungs, "Thank you, God!!!"

I know that God is leading me. I know that God is leading my family. God is working in us all...and for this, I am truly thankful.

My eldest daughter has begun volunteering her time at a local nursing home. It's a more upscale nursing home, she says, with chandeliers in the dining room area, with comfy velvet chairs at the tables, cucumber water to drink, and excellent staff that takes care of those who are here. It's a stark contrast to our days of volunteering at a different nursing home on the opposite side of town when my older two girls were much younger. At this other nursing home, only the poorest of the poor were here, the staff was sub-par, and their care was even less than that.

So my eldest daughter goes every Wednesday after school with two of her little high school girlfriends and together they paint ladies' fingernails, play little card games with the residents, and help them exercise. She initiated this volunteering on her own, and I am so proud of her! And I am so thankful that the staff at this home has opened up their arms to my daughter and her friends and embraced their volunteerism. They are even on the residents' calendar of events for the day!

Today, my eldest daughter is job shadowing with a local Kindergarten teacher. She thinks she might want to become a teacher some day, and this was her career planning advisor's prompting for her to do this job shadowing. I am SO proud of this, too! The Lord has really blessed my eldest daughter with such a kind, sensitive, and caring spirit. She would make a very wonderful teacher one day.

My middle daughter is enjoying her youth group on Wedneday evenings at church and jumps in with both feet, her teacher says. She is a joy to have, the teacher also remarks. Her name really could've been "Joy," because she does bring joy to everyone in her life. From her whacky outfits to her silly personality to her singing around the house, my middle daughter puts a smile on my face.

My youngest daughter is busy being 2 years old. Sometimes I can't wait for her to be just a tad bit older so that the temper tantrums quit...but she is saying the cutest things at this age that I can't help but treasure all of her remarks!

My husband and I are preparing to leave for a marriage encounter class a few towns over. We'll leave Friday afternoon and attend the seminar on Friday night, as well as all day Saturday. We're staying in an historic hotel. I cannot wait for time alone with my dear husband! I hope I am not too exhausted by week's end to give him the attention he desires.