What a Month!

June has been a cra-cra month you all. 

CRA to the ZY!!!

We have been go go go the majority of the month. From family visiting, weddings, get aways, garage sales, and a whole other slew of things I can't even recall because I'm over it. 

Over it I say!

I'm ready for June to be done. 

We've got a handful of days left in the month and I am dreading them the most. Particularly Friday when I will be making a trip up to KC to pick up my great grandparents' piano. Why I am I so sentimental about some things?  Seriously!  Why couldn't I have latched on to say my Pa's old marble collection or Granny's kitchen chair. Nope. The piano. My uncle has been kindly storing it for several years and now the time has come to retrieve it. (Don't even get me started on how we will be putting it back into storage because our house continues to sit on the market. Grrrr) 

Today was the icing on the cake. I pray my husband doesn't glance at the blog. 

Some good friends are headed out to get and see their babes from Ethiopia and so we were all gathering at Panera to celebrate the birthday of the daughter of one friend before they take off.  Henry had decided 6 was a great time to wake up this morning (I can't really complain here. He typically sleeps until 8. But rarely does he wake up crying and that was the case today). After some cuddle time, he was quiet enough for Chris and I to get ready. 

Henry and I headed to Target to pick up a gift and all was well (minus him chewing on the cart. Whatever).  We were towards the food section of the store when one wheel decided to stop turning. Rather than looking like a fool and carrying a 22 pound babe and an armload of items to the front of the store I decided it would be brilliant to lift the handle up and wheel the cart on the front two wheels the remainder of the way. Seriously? Not only did I look ridiculous I'm sure, but my arms are burnnnniinnngggg!!! 

I gathered myself and headed to Panera. All was well. Gifts were opened. 510 calorie breakfast sandwich was eaten (and perhaps half of a pumpkin muffin. And coffee. Don't hate).  And then nap time crept up and my son lost it. Not too bad, but my arms were burning and holding a wiggling giant child was not helping. 

So, I gave hugs to my friends. One who is going to pick up her little girl, the other who is meeting her son for the first time (get me a tissue, I can't even handle it) and started to look for my keys. Child still wiggling. Frantically looking through all the diapers (why did I take 12 diapers for a morning outing) I could not find them.  I told another friend I would probably be back in and she might be driving me to my husband's office because I wouldn't doubt if I locked my keys in the car. That's the kind of month it has been. 

Go out to the car.  Doors are unlocked. Radio is on. Keys are in the ignition. 

What the frick?! 

Praise Jesus I live in Springfield. 

Praise Jesus it is June 26th. 

And most of all praise Jesus that I get to meet/see two precious Ethiopians very soon. 

Yup, that sums it up son. 

Yet Another New Chapter

No, I'm not pregnant. 

Now that that's cleared up. I have a whole slew of posts pending. But I forget to attach pictures in a timely fashion. So, apologies to my son who is going on 10 and a half months and his 9 and 10 month posts are sitting and waiting. Apologies to my husband who I wrote a sweet post about last week for our anniversary and intended on including a photo montage. And there are a few attempts at witty posts thrown in the muck, but there's no need for apologies in that department, you all aren't missing out on much. 

But, this post doesn't really have a picture, so we are all in luck. Get excited. 

There's a new chapter beginning round these parts and I'm pretty pumped. My counseling license is up for review this weekend (throw up some prayers about that if you don't mind). So, it's time for something new, cause that's kind of what I do. 

Let's rewind. 

Adoption is a part of my life. Because it is such a big part of who I am, I crave to be involved with it. I love to listen about it, I am blessed to be surrounded by friends who are a part of it, I desire to educate people about it (those kids are cute, but adoption is hard folks), I just have a heart for adoption. It has been a long standing desire to incorporate adoption into my career path. Hence the counseling degree. 

A few months ago during a nap time which at times allow adult conversations to occur, Chris and I hashed out my career. What I have been doing for the past two years has been eye opening and much needed to change my heart in so many areas, but I knew it wasn't something long term. I still have a few clients and will continue to take a few on here and there, but I wasn't settled. So, on a whim I emailed a girl I went to college with who works for a local adoption agency. Sometimes you just gotta put yourself out there. Twenty minutes later, I had a response.  God is so good to answer prayers. 

A couple of months later, lots of paperwork, and some shadowing, I am on my way to writing home studies for an adoption agency!  I am so excited!  This will still allow me to be at home a majority of the time with baby boy, but gets my foot in the door with adoption. It is refreshing!  I'm overly excited to be a part of this process in the adoption journey. 

So, a slight career move is taking place. I admire the counseling practice I work for so much and will continue to be on staff for the boss man. I hope to continue keeping clients here and there because I really do love counseling (despite the crazy frustrations at times). But, happy dance for home studies! 

Now to hopefully get my license in hand soon. Then I can sign my name: Ashley Boschen, LPC. 

 And because I can't leave you without a picture, here's Henry boy reading my quiet book from when I was a babe. He tore a few strings off. We are learning our son is crazy string and destructive, aka all boy.