So many things

There are so many things I've been wanting to write about, but life lately is zooming on ahead of me and I feel like I'm spending most of my days coughing and waving it's dust away from my face. Very little is getting accomplished lately. Is life going to always be this way?

Blessings and Praises:
Celebrating Brad and Mom Bierma's birthdaysand getting to make and eat Turtle Cheesecake
A successful first New Life Church Middle School Winter Retreat (with First Presbyterian Middle School)
Bring Gidget home from Wyoming after surgery and recuperation for a torn ligament: it's very humbling to be the recipients of such generosity! Thank you John and Melinda!
A snowy hike-date for Brad and I
Our friends brought home their adopted son from Ethiopia (I'm waiting to post a picture till I know it's OK)

Cora and Peter - Peter is now acknowledging Cora's attention with smiles and gurgles. She loves to make him smile and then says "Mama, he's smiling at me!" or "He's talking to me!" It's sweet.

Petitions (Prayers we're believing God to answer):
Sleep: Our little boy, Peter, can't seem to consistently sleep well at night. He'll have a couple good nights and then a stretch of nights where he wakes up and can't fall back asleep. And, while on the topic of sleep, he is only taking a few very short naps each day and it seems to be catching up with him. I don't know how to help him sleep longer - I've tried all sorts of things; so I'm praying he'll figure it out soon and praying for patience and serenity until then since it really makes me anxious.

Rashes: Peter has had impetigo - 4 areas on his face - for almost a month now. Cream and antibiotics don't seem to be helping much. He also has some diaper-area issues that aren't healing well, despite following doctor's orders.

Thanks for checking in with us! Hope you are well, too!