Who would have thought?

Have you seen the movie "Hellboy" that came out in 2004? Well, I had not seen it either and had no desire to until I talked to my young friend, Houston, at church (I think he's 12yrs).

One day, we were talking about movies we wanted to see and he told me he couldn't wait to see "Hellboy 2". Had I seen the first one? No, well then he started to tell me about the movie. And guess what? It sounded interesting. You mean the son of Satan grows up as a good guy who fights other demons? Hmmm.... I might need to look into that.

So for the past 3 weeks, I have been on a mission to see this movie. I have gone by and called Blockbuster, and looked to maybe even purchase it at Target and Wal-mart. No luck. EVERYONE I asked about the movie said they enjoyed it. I was on to something here.

Long story short, I finally saw the movie. Who would have thought that I would like it?!? Now it may not be for you, but I like movies that are based on comic books. I was glad that I saw it and now I want to go and see the second one at the theaters. I told Houston I would take him...

Killer Smile - Lisa Scottoline

Okay, this wasn't my favorite Lisa Scottoline book, but it kept my attention.

Bet you didn't know this historical fact:
"...at the outbreak of WWII, President Roosevelt signed into law a series of presidential orders that identified all Italian-born Americans as 'enemy aliens.' The presidential orders compelled Italian-Americans to register as enemy aliens, and some 600,000 registered. The orders also authorized their arrest by the FBI and relocation to internment camps. As a result, more than 10,000 Italian-Americans were evacuated from their homes and places of business, and sent to internment camps around the country."

There is a lot of interesting history is this book (which I love). I just thought she made the heroine a little too indestructable. I'm glad I read it, but wouldn't recommend it to my friends.

Remember when?

Do you remember when you were in school and it was your class's day to go to the library? I loved library day! I used to love to see the book posters decorating the walls encouraging children to read. I found a few from Children's Book Week on the Internet (see side pics). Some are very old, some are more recent. I wish I could have found images from the late 70's through the early 80's - one's that I remembered from elementary and middle school. I hope Sophie will enjoy the library as much as her Mama! (She already enjoys are local library, but the school library was awesome!)

Courting Trouble - Lisa Scottoline

Ummm, L-O-V-E-D it! Like so many other of Lisa's books, it grabs your attention right from the beginning. In case you haven't figured it out yet, she is my favorite author of all time!

Sidenote: I started this book on July 4 and the setting of the book was over the 4th of July weekend. 5 stars!

We are family

Well, I guess it's time to update everyone regarding where we are in the adoption process (sigh). Here it goes...

As I posted here a couple of months ago, Brian and I had finally reached the conclusion together that we were ready to adopt domestically. Brian had been ready to adopt for quite some time, but I was the one that needed to come around to the same decision. We briefly tried to focus on getting pregnant again, but after the emotional toll it took on me, we knew adoption was the avenue to pursue.

So we announced our intentions, contacted a local attorney, spoke to friends who have adopted locally, and were excited! Yeah, a decision had been made and we were moving forward.... or so we thought.

Before we looked over the packet from the adoption attorney, we knew that it was going to be expensive to adopt but didn't know it would be $19,000! However, this wasn't really an issue because God had provided the $20,000 to cover Sophie's adoption expenses and we knew He would do it again. The problem ended up being our financial situation regarding our day-to-day living expenses. But I'll get to that in a minute.

I assumed (and told people) that we were going to schedule an appointment with the adoption attorney that next week. However, when I would mention it to Brian, he was relunctant to contact the attoney. He didn't really go into detail, but said he was concerned about our financial situation and not having health insurance. I was taken back, but not surprised. When AREN'T we concerned about our financial situation? Anyway, instead of pushing the subject, I began to pray and ask God to reveal Himself and give us direction.

So, now that you are caught up, here's the decision: we're not adopting. We would love to open our hearts and home to another child, but don't have any peace about it. Below are some of the issues we have discussed:

* We have very little extra money.
We honestly don't have money to buy extra things like diapers, formula, baby stuff, etc. Yes, we go out to eat a little and occassionally go to the movies, etc., but that is determined by how much money we have left after paying bills. We have even pursued Sophie getting into the public K-4 program in our county because it is free. (By the way, she got in.)

* The economy is bad, and the price of gas, food, etc. keeps on rising.
Who would have ever thought we would have to choose between a $4.00 gallon of milk or a $4.00 gallon of gasoline? We live in a different world than we did 5 years ago, and who knows if it is going to get better.

* Brian is concerned about his job (at the cabinet shop). The housing market has definitely been affected by the poor economy, so who's to say that the cabinet shop will continue to have work? There is talk in the cabinetry community that many shops in the area will shut down next year due to lack of work. So, Brian is worried about his job. Speaking of job...

* I need to get a job next year when Sophie starts school.
I have always planned on going back to work in some capacity when Sophie starts K-5. Now, I feel even more responsibility to step up to the plate and take some of the financial pressure off of Brian and contribute to the household income. I believe by staying home with Sophie that I am doing the will of God He has laid on our hearts. It's hard not having a second income, but we were willing to make sacrifices so that I could have this time with Sophie before she starts school. But how long can this go on? If we were to adopt, we are talking about starting from ground zero, i.e., it would be another 5 years until I started back to work. Yes, I could get a job, but what good is it to spend all of the income I bring in to pay for daycare? Along those same lines...

* How many MORE jobs can Brian work?
Brian works three jobs: full-time at the cabinet shop, part-time at the church, and side jobs. If it weren't for the side jobs, we wouldn't be able to make it. Yes, God has been gracious and allowed us to set aside money for vacation, etc., but only because of the side work Brian has been able to obtain. We use money out of our savings every month and wouldn't be able to pay our bills if we didn't. Brian doesn't complain at all, but the man is exhausted! I don't know how much more he can take. Maybe one more year? Also, there is no guarantee that Brian will continue to have side work which translates into not being able to depend on that money to come in forever.

* Have I mentioned we don't have health insurance?
This is a big factor. Right now, we rarely have to go to the doctor. With Brian's hand bothering him last year, as well as Sophie's urinary tract infection and the tests that came with that diagnosis, we are still paying those doctor's bills. If we have an infant, we definitely have to go to the doctor regularly, and I'm pretty sure Spartanburg Regional won't allow us to put every visit on a payment plan.

With all of that being said...

* We ARE content.
Even though we would love to expand our family, we are content with the dynamics of our family. We have a close, special relationship with our daughter, and unlike the last time we were considering adoption, we are parents now. Circumstances are different this time around because we already have a child.

I hope I have been able to give you an idea of what has been on our minds over this past month. Why, do you ask, were we so sure that this is what God wanted us to do but now feel it isn't? I have no idea. Maybe we heard God wrong. Maybe we were being led by the desires of our hearts, and not the Lord's. Maybe God doesn't want us to lose this fire we have in our belly, so that we can continue to support other friends who are adopting. Maybe circumstances will change and we will be able to adopt again at a later time. I have no clue. The only thing I can say is that God is faithful to guide us, and I am thankful that He has brought us to the same conclusion.

Pray for us.

Nashville

Last weekend, we traveled to Nashville with Brian's parents. We had booked "The Night at the Opry" package through our hotel, and were super excited about our 3-day weekend. The good news: the Opry Mills mall was fabulous, and we got to see Riders in the Sky and Trace Adkins (remember him from The Apprentice?) at the Grand Ole Opry. The bad news: Sophie had a stomach bug all weekend. So even though Brian and his parents had to tour the Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame without us, we all managed to have a good weekend. The brunch buffet that we ate before we left town was delicious. Oh yeah, and Sophie gave her grandma the stomach bug. Bummer.

Dead Ringer - Lisa Scottoline

Loved it, loved it, loved it! You know the book is going to be good when from page 1 it grabs your attention. This book was no exception. I really like the way Lisa Scottoline writes and I have already started reading another book from her. If you like suspense, mystery, and legal thrillers, she is the author for you!

The Shack - William P. Young

Well, I have been dreading writing a review of this book, but here it goes.

I know I am outnumbered here, but I didn't like this book. At all. Several friends and Christian bookstores are really promoting this book, but I just don't get it.

First of all, I don't like the way Mr. Young writes. I'm not saying that I could have done better, but something about the way he worded the sentences bugged me. I thought it could have been more simple instead of so wordy.

Secondly, I'm not claiming to be the know all and be all of the teachings of the Bible, but several things that he talked about made me uncomfortable. For example, I know this is a fiction book, but I still couldn't get into God the Father being an African-American woman, and the Holy Spririt being an Asian woman. I also didn't care for much of the dialogue between the Trinity, and the character in the book.

Basically, I could go on and on about what I didn't like about this book, but I will spare you the details. In my opinion, I think it would be easy to read this book and walk away really confused if you are not familiar with the Bible. Whether William Young is just writing a fiction book or trying to pass off his idea of theology as truth, we'll never know. But I can tell you when I researched him on the Internet after I finished the book, I didn't like what I found.

You be the judge.

Moment of Truth - Lisa Scottoline

This was a great book! What can I say? I am a big Lisa Scottoline fan, and her books keep getting better and better. I could go on and on...