Update on Waddells

Hello All!!! I started this blog really thinking I could keep up with it. Its a lot harder than it seems. I sometimes sit down to write and then feel like I have nothing to say. It has been a crazy 6 months. Catherine turned 3 and James and I both turned 26 in the last 6 months. Things have been going really well. James walked for graduation from Seminary with his MDiv in May and is now finishing up some summer classes. Its amazing how much a piece of paper can change so much. We are in a transition stage of not knowing what is next. We are continuing to learn and grow as we trust in his plan for us. It too is so much harder than it seems.
James started working at Starbucks this summer so we could benefit from their insurance. I didnt know how much else we would benefit from. Only 20 hours a week for insurance, a free bag of coffee every week, great employee discounts and free coffee for me everytime he comes home from work. Not to shabby. He, for now will teach Math at a Charter School part time and work at Starbucks part time. Its not ideal but its better than throwing Seminary in there too. I am also starting work this next week!! I will be working as the Childrens Pastor assistant for our Church. We go to an amazing Church and I have been involved with the Childrens Ministries for about 3 years now. I am really excited, the best part is I get to make up my own hours. I will also be running a Moms Day out Program for 2-3 year olds. I am very ready to get back into the school year.
Catherine is growing everyday! She is 3 and a half and she is wearing 5 year old clothes. She is tall and skinny like her daddy. She is learing to read and write, she loves to learn. It has to be on her timing but she loves to learn. She memorizes songs like no other. She is seeming to start grasping on to so much of what we are trying to teach her. Like, how much she is loved, not only by us but by her creator, that Jesus always protects her. And that people are more important than things, so its better to build a relationship than to have things or to fight over things. She is learning that everyone needs Jesus and not everyone hears about Jesus so we are supposed to tell people about Jesus. I just love when she prays and when she is really thinking about the things we are saying. She is old enough to express emotion and does very well at it. She is strongwilled and stubborn, but i wouldnt have it any other way. She is so uniquely created by our precious Jesus and I am so proud of my precious little girl.
As for our family......please keep us in your prayers and we are begging God for another child. Sometimes I feel like I am asking too much and sometimes I feel like when it comes so easy for others, that I am asking nothing. I continue to struggle in my battle with who He says i am and what He thinks of me. I know in my head I am his beloved and he cares so deeply and intimatly for me, but sometimes it just doesnt get all the way to my heart and I get so jealous and afraid that his plan is not the plan I had in mind. Yet through all of this, we met a lady from our Church and she runs her own Adoption Agency and has talked with us quite a bit about adopting. I love kids so much and I love being a mom more than anything, maybe Gods plan for me is to love the kids and babies that would otherwise not be loved. Maybe he wants James and I to create a safe home for so many unloved children. Now these are only considerations and thoughts right now, but we are more than willing if thats what we feel God is calling us to do.
We are also running into to the infamous "whats next" phase of life. We are longing to do missions and be in a church. So the next phase is really pushing towards those goals. We will definatly have to wait and see, but we are hopeful and excited to take this next step together.
I love being a Mom to my Catie J and I love being a wife to the most amazing Man alive. God is good, gracious and faithfu.. When I remember his blessings and his amazing gift of life, I gain new perspective every time. He is GOOD!!!