stepping out

goodness. it's been a week since i've been on here! time FLIES, doesn't it?!?

i went away for a couple days. and have spent the next few getting things back on track around here after being gone!

i got to leave. all by myself. in a car that only seats 5 :-)

on the way to where i was headed, i stopped to see DEAR friend, megan, for a couple hours. oh, it was good to catch up!!!

i headed to richmond. i was asked to be part of a brainstorming session for a website that 2 amazing women are hoping to launch in the near future for adoptive moms. to encourage them. to help them not feel alone. to tell the REAL stories of adoption and build community through it. it was wonderful to be with these women. their hearts are precious (most i didn't know before walking in the first day!) if you are interested in this AT ALL, email me. courtneycassada @ gmail dot com. if you want to contribute to the website (we want your story!!) or can help with web design (we don't know anything about that) or think it's a great idea (or not!) let me know. would you visit a website like that? would it be a place you'd like to go regularly?!?

{my head hurt SO badly after this whole thing. i mean, the next DAY it still hurt from thinking so hard for so many hours.}

one morning i went for a long run. richmond doesn't believe in sidewalks and/or paths. so it was hard to find a route. but i managed. they DO believe in hills! whew!

i got to stay with (and talk to and BE with!) my DEAR friend, ali! i don't think we've had that many hours to catch up in a LONG time. it was so wonderful. i don't think either of us could have guessed all the paths our friendship would walk together. i'm so thankful for her!

got home on saturday afternoon...and had some friends over that night. i don't think that hospitality is one of my gifts. but i'm working on it!

we have been blessed with a couple GORGEOUS days! ALL of our hearts are happier and lighter getting to be OUTSIDE in the SUN!!

monday the kids didn't have school (you know, our kids can only go to school for like 2 days at a time. they don't know how to go for a FULL week anymore! ;-) it was a teacher work day. no comment.)

so we spent the day at the social security office. the LAST step in lincoln and levi's adoption process. getting them social security cards with their new names on them. it was long. but we mentioned how thankful we are for living in the US. if we had done that in rwanda, we would have waited 3 times as long, AND walked away empty-handed...

pat and i were having a conversation about how often we go out on dates. we have differing opinions. he is trying to prove me wrong :-) so we went to a MOVIE on a monday night! (God's Not Dead - it was so so good!!) he can prove me wrong ANY day ;-)

life feels really busy right now. a bit chaotic. but i'm determined not to lose sight of what's truly important. i will not succumb to the seemingly "urgent" things that really aren't urgent. i will look my kids in the eyes when they talk to me. i will connect with pat at night, even though it feels like there are 23 other things i "should" do. what needs to get done will get done. and what doesn't, didn't need to get done.

and i'm going to enjoy it all along the way. the crazy with the good.