Teachable Moments

I learned a new way to get the girls to practice their counting. In addition to running, I am trying a new interval training program. I have to do certain exercises like jumping jacks, front kicks, squats and sit ups for 30 seconds. Then I do this cycle four times. Well, if I don't have Dan around to tell me when the 30 seconds is up then why not have the kids count to 30 with me. They thought it was such a fun game. The funniest part was watching the girls try to do sit ups with me. Ha ha! They tried one or two of them and decided that they were too hard. So they resorted to running in circles around me while they counted. This was a great way to teach them a counting lesson and show them that exercise is important. They thought my squatting technique was pretty funny, though. I got a little self conscious when they stood there laughing and pointing at me. So I decided to teach them how to say, "You go girl!" to me.

Dan and I are going through a teachable moment ourselves. We got some bad news yesterday about our taxes. We owe double what we thought we were going to owe. Yikes! I understand what the book of James means when it talks about the testing of our faith during trials. Dan handled all of this very well, but I have had a hard time with it. Our savings is going to go way way down and we basically have to start over with building it up again. I don't like losing that security, but it sure forces me to rely on God's will for our lives. Faith is given a new meaning when times are tough. I praise God for Dan's confidence and faith and want to embrace the refining process that God allows us to go through. Instead of asking, "Why me?" I need to ask, "How can I become more like you, Lord?"

We need some extra prayers for Sara. At the end of March, Dan and I are going on a marriage retreat with our church. We will be gone for two nights. Sara doesn't take a bottle. See any problems with that? Ah.....anxiety! I don't know how we are going to leave her for two nights, but I am not backing down on that. We will go to the retreat! It is so so important for us to have alone time together and focus on our marraige. Please pray that Sara learns to drink her milk some way before the end of March.