So today was one of those crazy days. The kind that every skater would have fun with. Though at the same time some days I feel like it would be cool to be a kid from the 60's, or late 70's. I think that being a hippie would be quite the adventure! Though due to the fact that my hippie clothes were dirty I decided to go with the 80's skating look to help out at the skating event in Cedar Rapids today and tomorrow. For the first time ever we're hosting the U.S. Figure Skating Semi National Figure Skating Championships. The winners go to nationals with a chance to represent the U.S (tickets cost $40 dollars each). Overall it was quite fun being assigned to help the University of Wisconsin's Figure Skating team with all of their questions, the club team from Cleveland, OH, and the team from Phoenix, Arizona. I really liked the Cleveland team's out fit color combos. I also thought that the Phoenix Team had a totally radical flower child theme going on. After helping them I had quite an interesting job most of the day. I ended up being in charge of over 2,000 female skaters, talking to them and explaining the rules before and after they entered the ice. So basically after each team entered on and off the ice I would also get to show them where the photographer was so they could get their team pictures taken. Overall it was a pretty great day. Kind of interesting having so many different girls ask so many different questions at once too. Other then that I ended up talking to my coach and letting her know that I couldn't do the Iowa Figure Skating Competition that I qualified for where you can qualify for nationals if you get the top 2 with the alternate. Personally, I'm not that good, but I'm in a pretty low level for now. Other then the whole skating thing I really thought that it was cool getting to hear from my good friend Laurin as he talked about what was happening in Russia as he's going to school in St. Petersburg. It was really encouraging to hear from him about how his wife (Nura) and him were able to be used by God with helping out a lady from his own town adopt a little boy. One thing that struck me about it was that before when the boy was going to be adopted 2 previous times the parents to be backed out. Personally, I think that that would be really disappointing and incredably hard on a kid. Being told multiple times that somebody wants you and then getting within a month of being adopted multiple times can feel incredably hopeless. I went through something like that when I was younger. Though at the same time You gotta give a kid credit for not giving up hope. Eventually this really nice Christian lady decided to adopt him and Laurin and his wife helped her learn more about her kid and bring them into the program at their church. That's one place that I'm looking into going to. I really like their ministry and another churches ministry that I know of from one of my old teachers. Around Feburary 1st give, or take a day I got a call today telling me that I would be interviewed about going there so pray for that. There is also a minstry in Voronezth that I'm interviewing at, and one in Moscow that I'm looking into. All have positives and negatives to them. So pray about that. Ultimately God will put me where he wants me in his timing. In the long run I thought a ton about that today and what Kurt Warner said in his interview. You should look it up on espn. He had some really good points about the subject, he came from my home town, and had the same job that I had. His family is super great and it's pretty amazing how he always draws everything back to God and how if it wasn't for him he wouldn't be where he is at now. Anyways I have to get going to bed, but before I do if you ever think about adopting consider everything before doing it. Finally, if you ever end up feeling like you're not getting somewhere quickly just keep on pressing on and in the end God will work out everything for the best. He will determine your steps!!!!