Sometimes it feels so good to be tired - like you have earned your keep. We are exhausted, but glad for it. Al had a pretty regular week this week (the first in over a month - 40 hours), but we had to be up at 4:15 am every morning in order to get him to work on time. There were a couple of nights that we went to sleep at 7:30/8. I just laughed to myself - what has happened to me? The earliest I used to be able to get to sleep was midnight and up at 8 or 9 on a good day. Now I'm up at 4:30/5 and easliy back to sleep by 8/9 when I have finished all my work.

We are living in mom and dad's house in TX for those of you who missed that information. It is such a blessing to us because it allows us to get our lives financially in order (without worrying about rent) and hopefully we can start a family (yes, babies) within a couple of years. We have always desired that in the deepest parts of our hearts and we pray that Adonai will make that a reality.

I love teaching and I love kids - in fact, we were babysitting my youngest nephew and I just didn't want to stop showering love and affection on him (poor thing is gonna be so stinkin' spoiled) because I just love the idea of helping a young person become a functioning member of society. This substitute job has really taught me a lot, but I still desire to be in a permanent position where I can really get to know the kids and hopefully impact them. But whether as a teacher, mother or friend, I know the L-rd has called me to encourage and spur on young people to love and life. It is so sad to hear them talking about going to jail last night, boasting about how many times they have had office refferals, seeing 15/16-year-old girls 8/9 months pregnant in the halls, seeing kids with their tongues down each other's throats or throwing paper and punches at each other. In fact the other day, I was helping in a high school special ed. program - those kids had to get from one place to another during class - not between bells because they would get seriously hurt in the halls with the other students. All I know is that it is sad and our present and future teenages have to be warriors and heroes in their daily lives.