friday brain dump

There are a number of benefits of being on the design team at a missions organization. For instance, I often know about events before they are publicly advertised. It's a benefit to you too because I rarely keep good things to myself. Currently there is are two prayer summits in Fort Collins, CO and Burnsville, MN coming up this month, followed closely by Following God's Call Events to be followed by a Heart For Asia Conference, all of which I found out about because they artwork for these came across my desk.

From what I saw, all of these are going to be really interesting to attend. Though I am more quiet, I do enjoy going to these to hear the stories and pray together, but I needed to take a weekend off to do things like find my desk at home, figure out what is actually going on the weekend of March 5, and try and finish some of my long outstanding thank-yous from December. Maybe I'll even return my friend's car which I borrowed on Monday. (terrible, isn't it?)

I also get the benefit of working on a number of prayer cards for missionaries. A lot of them. Some in very creative access countries which you have to be kind of careful about what you say. I've started wondering what our printer thinks about them. Or rather if the guy running the press reads them. If he (or she) can start understanding some of our story from looking at what we send out and want to get involved. Crazier things have happened.

bye bye pump

Tobo is doing much better this morning. Just a little sore around the shot sites. I forgot to mention that he was giving the nurse a run for her money, his legs were so strong she was having a hard time holding on to him. (that's my boy!) He also passed all the little developmental road signs that mean he's turning into a little boy. next check up in 2 months.

It feels like its the end of a chapter. Not only did Tobo just do his 2 month check up, but today I packed up the breast pump. It's been nice to have it as a back up, especially in expressing enough milk to have in the freezer as a bit of a bank, but I'm not using it as much as I once did so I guess I'm really saying 'goodbye crutch.' We're going to try going without it and see how it goes. It's possible to rent these for a week at a time if necessary, and if we need to for whatever reason, we'll get it again. Goodbye security blanket. It means we're committed to working out breast feeding outside the house. I've been invited to check out the La Leche League with a friend, which I might do now to get tips and pointers. So here's to winging it!

Paul and I were challenged on Monday to get back to paying attention to our partnership development. (Which is why we set up accountability meetings with a good friend to keep us on track!) So, I'm hoping to turn this blog a bit more towards topics other than tobo in the future. I'll keep updating on him, but I also hope to tell you what I do with the rest of my time. So here's what else is going on:

The big time suck has been emergency projects for ACME. We had the annual report due as well as Global Chinese Missions and now Prayer Powerlines has snuck back on my plate when I wasn't looking. What me and the team in the office are trying to find is the balance between what time I have and what time they need. I was able to work on some of this because I worked last Saturday for a few hours. I'm putting in about 10 hours a week towards design projects, usually in the morning during Tobo's first nap. He's in the swing behind me now as I work at the dining table on my laptop. Ideally, I'd like to have more than a day or two before getting an assignment, because I have to plan for time to work with Paul, but these were delayed by the clients not the comms team, so I worked my hardest to turn them around. I find getting back into the groove a little choppy, but over all the designs weren't bad and will do for the short notice. I don't think I've done any fancy designing since November last year. I sort of went off it as the pregnancy developed. Well no more. What is difficult is while midstep of changing over leadership from the old to the new in comms, we're trying to change the way we serve the fellowship. So I'm trying to get my head around not only what the needs are, but also what the future goals are. Needless to say, we need more designers and writers. (if you know any one who wants to join in missions and raise support, let me know!)

I'm also thinking about joining a new walking club that's started at our complex. We do have a full exercise room at the complex office, but I really need the commitment to keep me active during the week. I'm also struggling with my weight. Breast feeding is not taking the pounds off anymore, and though I'm watching what I eat, I'm seem to be at a plateau. It's an annoying plateau because its 5 lbs heavier than I need to be to get out of my pregnancy pants. :/ So they are huge, but my pre-pregnancy pants are just a bit too tight to wear comfortably. Maybe when Tobo is eating more this will be easier, but in the mean time, foo. I hate the idea of joining weight watchers again. I'm just not motivated with their meals. I guess I could always do curves. (more south beach diet like) hrmm.

Paul and I are also trying to get more involved with our church. He's decide to try helping out with the high school youth. I'm debating about trying out one of the women's small group. Bethany has a women's bible study on Mondays and a womens' small group on tuesdays. I'm not totally sure what the difference is, but I assume there is a good chance that the bible study will *actually* be a bible study and not a cry fest. [<-- the reason I don't normally do girl groups. Too much sharing, not enough doing.] I am tempted to start a craft ministry, but might try something called White Cross, which meets once a month to do sewing projects (They sew, prepare hospital bandages and make crafts for Lydia Home Association in Chicago as well as fellowship and have a short devotional. ) Not quite what I do, but at least it's something to do with my hands. Also, I should get my pysanky stuff together. :D

So that's the news from here. What are you all up to now?