Welcome Spring!

Yes, spring is finally here!  Although it's around 80 degrees, so it feels more like summer right now.  When I think of spring, I think of dormant seeds awakening and bursting forth into life again, which is also how I am seeing my life at the moment.

Change #1: Landscape Transformation

This was our backyard when we first moved in (2014):

To put it mildly, it was a mess.

Over the years, it's undergone a remarkable transformation:

summer 2015

I tried some archery, however, I am still a novice and I lost a couple of arrows in the woods.  My lessons will resume once a backboard has been built.

summer 2016  - We had lot of cucumbers!

Raspberry bushes have been added this year!

One thing hasn't changed - the view!  This is my paradise during the summer months 😍😎

Change #2: Aunt Carol

Coming this winter I will become an aunt to a little girl from Thailand!  Currently her name is Watcharapa, but she will be called Abigail when she gets to the States. Her nickname is Yogurt and my brother and sister-in-law are officially adopting her from Thailand.  She is currently 2 years old (will turn 3 October 7th) and has been living in foster care. Please pray that everything continues to go smoothly.

Change #3: Position Change

I am no longer strictly teaching in the classroom - and loving it!  Here's my new office as of February.

I share it with the Special Education Coordinator.  I try not to tell my student too much about how you get to come here because EVERYONE wants to come hang out in my office!

Change #4: A New Ride

Back in November we decided to buy this big girl for $300 believing, in faith, that God would allow Ray to drive again.

I secretly call her Big Bertha.

It took several months, but we managed to get her insured and registered.  Currently I'm still the only driver but she's helpful for carrying large loads from Lowe's or Home Depot.  When I first started driving her I felt like I was 18 again and learning how to drive.  She's clearly a car from the 1990's.  

DMV did send a letter to Ray in January saying that he could drive, but there's a bunch of hoops he has to jump through first.  One of those hoops included getting a breathalyzer attached.  At first this bothered Ray, but not me.  Then I realized that installing this device meant several things: First it's an initial installment fee plus monthly payments.  Second, this will last at least for the next 5 years.  Third, there are limited places Ray can drive to - the grocery store is NOT one of them 😩.  That being said, there is some hope.  Last month, the appeals court heard Ray's lawyer's case for NOT having this device installed because it was never one of the original conditions placed on him when Ray lost his license.  By the end of April we should have a verdict.  If the verdict is not overturned, Ray will jump through the hoops because it will allow him to use this as a work vehicle and hopefully he can officially launch his business, but it is extremely limited freedom.

Once we have a verdict we will move forward on change #5: moving towards adoption.

This was something we had been contemplating for a while, however, with only 1 driver who spends long days at work, it really didn't seem feasible.  Just like the flowers which are just beginning to bloom, I feel like we are about to make a breakthrough of our own.