This week has been full of so many of my favorite things.

Favorite thing number 1:
A friend of my brother was visiting this week, which meant that I got to pretend I had a bed and breakfast.

Favorite thing number 2:
Because he was visiting, I got to make breakfast every morning. Often times, I'm the only person awake around breakfast time, so it's a little silly to make a full out breakfast just for myself.

Favorite thing number 3:
I normally babysit for two families every week, but this week they're out of town.  Therefore, I had plenty of time to read and decided to start re-reading the Harry Potter series.

Favorite thing number 4:
 When I was a kid, my dad would always take us bowling on Saturdays when he didn't have to work.  My brother recently found out that a few times a week there is $1 bowling at the local bowling alley.  We ended up going a few times this week, and had a lovely time.

Favorite thing number 5:
My dad is a big fan of golfing, which is something that my siblings and I never really got into, though my brothers go occasionally.  We all, however, thoroughly love mini golfing; ergo, after bowling, we went mini golfing.

Favorite thing number 6:
While I have some food cooking, I'm watching Meet Me in St. Louis.  Ah, Judy Garland.

Favorite thing number 7:
A friend of mine got two tickets to the Cubs game for Tuesday this week, and knowing that I've never watched a game at Wrigley, he gave them to me!  As if that wasn't wonderful enough,my big brother came with me to the game!

With all of that going on, how could it not be a good week?

I love getting up early.  I know, some say that's weird, but here's the thing, early quiet mornings are just the best!  If I wake up between 6 and 6:30, I am guaranteed to be in a good mood all day and typically I'm happy the moment I wake up.  Between 6:30 and 8, though, it takes me a while to wake up, I have to stay in my room for at least 15 minutes before I interact with other humans otherwise I will most likely be very snappy with them, and I am very disoriented for a while. 

This morning was particularly fine.  My alarm went off at 6:15, I put on one of my favorite green dresses, and I went to make coffee and eat chocolate chip waffles.  So far, pretty great, right?   By 7, I was on the road to pick up surprise coffee and doughnuts for one of my favorite families.  My friend Steve got a couple Cubs tickets for me, so I had to drive over and get them anyway, so why not stop at the Dunkin Donuts on the way?  My friends' have four wonderful kids, all of whom I have known since they were less than five days old.  I hadn't seen them in a few weeks, and I was going in serious withdrawal.  Since it was so early, I didn't think that the kids would be awake, but when I got to their house, lo and behold, three of the four of them were awake, and I got to spend the first part of my day hanging out in their living room, listening to stories, looking at drawings, and enjoying the company of my dear friends.  Is there really any better way to begin a Friday?

I know, I know, I need to get better at this whole blogging thing.

This week, I am nannying for two wonderful pre-teens.  My first day with them was full of things like playing at a park, playing board games, and watching a movie.  One of the games we played is something I saw on Pinterest.  Basically, I found a Jenga set (set? game?) at a garage sale and wrote get-to-know-you questions on the pieces.  They range all over the place, but one of the more serious questions was "What is one good thing happening in your life right now?"
Here are a few.

1.  I get to hang out with stellar kids all the time.
2.  I'm getting ever closer to being in France.  Only 34% more to raise of my monthly support!
3.  My friends and family are incredibly encouraging every day.
4.  A friend of mine gave me two free Cubs tickets that he got from work, which means I FINALLY get to go to a game at Wrigley!
5.  (the most important) God is always good.

Have a wonderful day, my friends.

Also, if anyone has a copy of One Thousand Gifts that I could borrow, I'd appreciate it!

Some people I love dearly (you know, my sister and brother-in-law) are in the adoption process.  My sister has always felt called to adopt internationally, and they are trying to adopt from the country of Ghana- from which I even have an elephant hair bracelet!  They are two of the best people I have ever known and will make some of the greatest parents ever to be seen.  For those who don't know, adoption is a very long and rather expensive process, but it is an incredible blessing as well.  Our country has what it called an Adoption Tax Credit, which has helped people adopt since 1997.  However, should Congress not act, it will expire this December, making it even more difficult to bring children into loving and caring homes through adoption.  There are kids all over the world who are in desperate need and deserve to have loving families.  We may not all be called to adoption, but we can help those who are.  This is from an e-mail my sister received last week.  Please act on it, and care for these kids who may be without families and may not know our great Father in Heaven.

Dear Supporter of Adoption,
If Congress does not act, the Adoption Tax Credit, as we now know it, will expire on December 31, 2012.
If the adoption tax credit helped you or someone you know to adopt a child or if it could help you in the future to adopt a child, PLEASE CALL YOUR U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TODAY and urge that he or she cosponsor the bipartisan bill H.R. 4373, the Making Adoption Affordable Act.
Action:
You can reach your Representative by calling the U.S. Capitol Operator at 202.225.3121 and asking for your Representative’s office. If you don’t know your Representative’s name, go to www.house.gov/representatives/find and enter your zip code in the box provided.
Message:

• I am a constituent in your district and the Adoption Tax Credit is important to me. (It matters to me because…)

• I urge the Representative to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 4373, The Making Adoption Affordable Act.

• If Congress does not act, the credit as we now know it, will expire in December 2012.

• H.R. 4373 is bipartisan and it supports all types of adoptions (domestic private, foster care, and international).

• This tax credit has made adoption a more viable option for many parents who might not otherwise have been able to afford adoption, allowing them to provide children with loving, permanent families.

• Thank you for your support of H.R. 4373.

To learn more about the adoption tax credit go to adoptiontaxcredit.org.
You can also, “like” the Save the Adoption Tax Credit mission on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/AdoptionTaxCredit.