Remember my comments about my dear independent daughters a couple of weeks ago? Yes, well, that independence, peppered with a smidge of defiance, has made my week very disappointing indeed.

Thing1 has decided not to go to college, at all...at least for this year. Cat and I are very upset and concerned. You see, that was the agreement when we "allowed" her to graduate high school early. Yes, we're concerned about her future. Will she go to college? She says she will, and that it's important to her, but right now, she feels it's more important to work and save money. We're also concerned about the other ramifications, such as not having insurance when she turns 18 because she's not a full-time student. That's scary. She's a good kid, with a good head on her shoulders, but she has made bad choices before. It's just scary... So prayers for T1 are coveted.

We got Thing2 registered at the local public high school. That's not as scary, just different. He's excited! I had to have a talk w/ him about how high school girls act when there's a new boy. I told him not to get the big-head, and more importantly, to realize who is sending these temptations his way and to make sure he's wearing his armor and is prayed up every day. I really don't worry about him being swayed, or affected negatively by the experience. He's strong in his faith and will definitely be a light in the darkness, so to speak.

So, it'll just be me and the littles around here during the day! I tell ya, it's going to be tough w/o T2! I have come to rely on that boy greatly, especially at naptime! He always keeps CLW busy while I get Yang down for his nap, because I've never had much luck getting them both to sleep at once. I guess we'll either figure that one out, or not, huh?

I've been teasing T2 about wanting to come back home after a week at PS! I mean, he'll be getting up at 6am...big change from noon! He'll have homework that he can't even start until he gets home, so his school day is gonna be 8-10 hrs long! No flexibility in his schedule at all, except that he has Health 1st semester and PE 2nd semester. Yup, I give him a week before he starts missing "those screaming kids!"

We've had quite a week, indeed. Pretty and Boo came and spent the day with us Wednesday, so Minnie could go to her teacher retreat. The kids had a good time. Pretty was practicing that "no" thing she does w/ her mommy. She was really cute, though because she kept imitating Ying. She repeated almost everything Ying said and wanted to do everything Ying did. So sweet. Ying and I had a long talk about little ones looking up to her and how that's a big responsibility. Went right over her head, I'm sure. Thursday, L-Girl and G-Man came to spend the day. Detergent had to work and Minister was out of town. L-Girl and Ying got along well. They usually do when there are no other little girls around. G-Man and Yang had fun too.

We've been easing into our Fall school schedule here at home. Starting Monday, we're back to full time. I told Ying that if she did well through the week, we could have friends over on Friday, since we're not doing the homeschool group this year. I had to drop it this year because there's just not time.

Speaking of time, I've also resigned from the children's ministry team. I think it's just better if I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I'll still be serving w/ the kids. I can't give that up, even though I probably should have. I dearly love teaching and worshiping w/ the kids and also, it would just leave them too short-handed. It's not fair to the workers that do stay, since they're already overwhelmed. I've known for a while that God's been calling me into women's ministry, specifically at the center, but also at my church. Some stuff that has happened over the last month or so has just solidified the latter part. I will be slowly  transitioning as new people come to serve in the children's ministry.

I am also ramping up my "job search". I haven't really tried too hard. I had a couple of apps in at restaurants, but I'm asking for specific hours and they aren't willing to work w/ me. They have plenty of people applying that can work anytime, or are willing to do it for a time. I just can't. So, I'm going to start making more of an effort to find somewhere that will work w/ me.

So, I guess that's all that's going on right now. Prayers for the JGs and all the stuff going on with them right now.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18