Until 14 days ago...

I bought this several years back to use when I taught Sunday School.  I held on to it praying that one day I would have children in my home to use it with...and until 14 days ago it just held a place on the book shelf.  And now we read it every night.  Miss M loves it and always wants to read me.  It melts my heart how she watches me read instead of looking at the illustrations.  (Okay...it also freaks me out a bit...but I'm getting used to it.)

After learning how to make a queso dip from a friend, I ran over to Meijer's one night in Michigan many years back to purchase my first crockpot.  Until 14 days go (okay, well - this week)  it's never cooked another thing expect that queso.  Turns out it is a useful little gadget in this Arizona heat!  We love the smell of dinner being ready when we walk in the door.

I used my iPod touch a ton during my trip to Greece, Turkey, and Egypt last summer - but it's just been hanging out by my computer mostly since then...until 14 days ago.  Now a certain little 8 year old loves to pick play lists of "God songs", play some games, and pretend it is her cell phone.

My parents purchased this for me a year or two ago after visiting and hating to have to sit at the horrible card table or uncomfortable high bar stools.  It literally has collected dust since that point unless they are in town...until 14 days ago.  Now it is the breakfast table, dinner table, homework table, goal setting table, calendar review table, board game table, and more.

Until 14 days ago (well, last May) this was something that held paper in my classroom.  Now it is Miss M's toy box, play dough holder, homework materials, and art supply case.  And it now lives in my living room and I love seeing it there every day.

These beds replaced the king size guest bed about two months ago and then sat unused and made me lonely as I walked past.  I finally started shutting the door during the waiting process.  Until 14 days ago  when I opened the door to a excited/nervous/curious little eight year old.  Now the door is always open, the bed is always unmade, and the table lamp is always on for a little girl who is a afraid of the dark.  And I couldn't be more content.

Praise Reports:

Miss M received mail today!  This book came from my dear Fulbright-Hay friend, Katie, all the way in Massachusetts!  Miss M was thrilled and we read it through twice tonight already. What a precious allegorical story demonstrating God's love for us all.  A tear-jerker.  Thank you, Katie!!!

Prayer Requests:

• Miss M is starting to show a flair for "the drama" and I don't love drama so much.  Pray that I have strength, wisdom, patience, and words to help her calm down and reevaluate.