Sunday Stuff

Well, Little Miss Claira is pretty well back to her old self. As "old" as she is. She had a rough couple of times this week - but is recuperating rather well.

She's started responding with head nods and "yeah" or shaking head and "no" to questions we ask. THAT is a lot of fun. Sometimes we laugh at the absurdity of her response - but sometimes we laugh because we also KNOW we're in big trouble if she can already express her mind and desire so very clearly. She has decided that she doesn't like taking naps anymore (at least not for Mommy) and she fights off sleep. This is a new, rather distressing, thing for mommy. See my previous note on "sleep deprivation..."

Greg is in the final leg of taking his Masters Degree program in Pastoral Clinical Counseling. He has 1 required course remaining and plans to take 1 other class along the way. It will be over in December - WOOHOO!!! He has worked really hard and has pretty well stayed on track with his timeline. I'm really proud of him. Some of these courses have been incredibly intense, and even though we've had to work to arrange and rearrange our schedules, he's maintained a really good GPA and will be able to graduate in December. Whew!!! He begins a counseling internship north of Columbus at a center that specializes in Addiction Recovery. He is very excited, somewhat nervous, and looking forward to actually putting into practice everything he's learned.

Meanwhile, because I don't have enough going on in my life, I'm starting to investigate the distance learning courses offered at Liberty University. One of the benefits of my job is being able, with my supervisor's permission, to take one free course at the university each semester. I am hoping to enroll at Ashland University in Spring 2007 and go from there. I don't want to overextend myself, but I do want that intellectual challenge. The English Comp class I took a few years ago in Springfield really pushed me and I feel like I'm actually at a place where I'm ready for college. How funny is that? 36 years old, married, a mother to a 1 year old - and NOW I think I'm ready for college...

I have a variety of options to consider and haven't formally applied, but Greg is completely supportive and encouraging me to move forward with this. I love that... I appreciate that... I've already spoken with an enrollment specialist at LU and am reviewing the programs to figure out how it all works...

I am... that is, We are, praying about it, that is certain. But I also feel a fresh calling to work with women in a ministry of recovery & restoration. What that means exactly, is not clear, but then - I just have to pray and trust and MOVE when He says, "Go," don't I???