5 Things on my mind...like procrastinating homework, for instance.

So many things on my mind lately, and it's so hard to come up with only 5...but I will do my best, for the sake of posse, followers, devotees, fans, friends. Oh come on now, you guys know I love ya!

So, first things first:

1. Conjunctivitis. Doesn't that sound like some awful sickness Jr. Highers get in seventh grade grammar? "Ms. Head, I can't possibly continue with the writing exam, I have come down with Conjunctivitis". But, alas, it's pink-eye. And I have fallen victim to it's viral infection. Don't worry, you can't catch it...at least not through the computer!

The eye drops are working well but they burn like fire...making the "new-mom" in me wonder..."Is this the same thing they give children??????" Because I am just not sure the "new-mom" in me is okay with bringing home my beautiful child only to torture them with these stinging, burning, horrible drops. The "youth pastor" in me is totally okay with it, though....Go figure, right?

2. I feel as though I have stumbled upon some amazing hidden treasure. I have fallen in love. I read about different ones, create Amazon wish-lists, and constantly think about how much fun Baby Smith will have. Oh yes, I am talking about Melissa and Doug toys. I know, I know, probably every mother from here to the North Pole knows about them...but they are new to me. And this is my blog.

For the rest of you out there, who maybe HAVEN'T heard of them (me 72 hours ago) check out all the Melissa and Doug toys HERE and then find them cheaper on Amazon!

3. In all my free time I have...I recently started another adoption book...We have several required ones for our Parent Education Hours (by the way, I think ALL parents should have this kind of requirement!) but this one was an extra one that I picked up.

And. I. Love. It.

I can't say enough about how practical and "common sense" this particular book is! I mean, everything we learn has to be balanced with everything ELSE we learn, our values, our belief systems, and our own common sense, but really...In THIS world, that can be hard to do. 

I had really felt a lot of pressure and was starting to lose my own "common sense" about things...things having to do with Baby Smith's impending arrival but really just internal issues...Pressure from the adoption community, from those who have no idea what it is to adopt, pressure from the negative experiences and opinions, and from those who would share their points of view with a brick wall (Of course, I am typing all of this out for no one to see...so I fall in that category too, sometimes!)

I just appreciated the balance this book had to offer.

So, while I try not to endorse much publicly--It's not that I don't love some things, I just don't find myself an expert in the matter--I would recommend every AP to read this book, even if it's just to balance it with every other tib-bit of knowledge you are receiving

4. I was really blessed by a family who had purchased a couple of shirts from Journey of Love. Mainly, just that a family I had never met before wanted to plant seed into our adoption, but also just getting to see that "light at the end of the tunnel" in her family! She posted some Uh-mazing pictures and kind of "endorsed" our fundraiser. I was completely humbled and extremely thrilled to see her little ones in my shirts!! (And her daughter's cute little digs has my creative wheels-a-turnin'!) You can check out her blog HERE. Who knows, maybe it will give some of ya'll Christmas gift ideas!!

5.  Monday, December 13th, 2010. I start Research Capstone. My final class in Graduate School ( Can anyone else hear Pomp and Circumstance in the background?? No?) It's a 13 week course (by far the longest in our program), it's majorly intensive, research and statistically heavy, and ends with a presentation of our findings to the board (March 21, 2010). I would appreciate your prayers. I need a second...third....make that 400th wind to make it through. And your prayers, for sure! I can hardly wait for graduation (May 7, 2010) and to be able to focus all my attention on Baby Smith's arrival! 

Til Next Time,

*Ashley Lou*