Merry Christmas Everyone!

Home Sweet Home

Well, it isn't much, but it's home to us. Again, the pic was taken with my phone....We have been busy getting our things out of storage, and getting settled...so, not much time for blogging. We actually don't have internet access yet.....so, I may have to wait until after Christmas to catch up on my favorite blogs!

If I'm not back before then...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

Traditions!!

Every Christmas morning growing up, my family always ate orange rolls. I don't know why, we just did. On Christmas Eve, we always went to the Chinese Buffet....sounds a little like "The Christmas Story" if you ask me! "Honey, that duck is staring at me..." The picture illustrates a tradition, that is more of a family joke...I always make the Green Bean Casserole....always....

Since my husband and I are recently remarried, we are trying to come up with some great family traditions we can have through the holidays that our children will love and always remember...

So, what are some of your family's favorite traditions?

Thanksgiving Scraps

Ok, again...NOT the best photos, someday I will actually take the time to take a good photo. Well, seeing how this week is Thanksgiving, I thought I'd write a bit about some things on my mind, and share this layout I created. When we lived in Barbourville (for three months...stick with me, I know I lead somewhat of a gypsy life) I turned one of the unused Sunday School rooms at the church into a scrapbook room for myself. Selfish, I know..BUT I didn't want to waste such a great space. I made a few layouts that I thought (somewhere in the back of my brain) that I would sell in my etsy shop (no, I'm not posting the link because it's not open right now!) once I got it re-opened.

Well, I truly do have a lot to be grateful for. Sure, life isn't exactly as we had planned it. Absolutely NOTHING has worked out since we've left Phoenix. But, my family has been provided for, we've had a roof over our heads and food to eat. On top of that, we've had some great quality time together as a family. I don't know what's in store for us, but I know who is in control...and thank goodness it ain't me!

We now have temporary jobs (I say temporary, because neither job is something we would like to be doing long term...but we are so thankful to have them!) We found a house that we will be moving into next week (No more living in a camper...can I get a Woot-Woot?!?!) And, our marriage is still great, even after this rough couple of months of transitioning and feeling at times like we were not only wandering through the desert, but stranded in it as well.

I'm so excited and so thankful.

I wanted to post the layout, because it made me think of my friend Beth. We met when I was in high school, and she was a college student. We were both working at the movie theater in our town. We hit it off right from the start, and even though I haven't seen her in over 10 years, we still remain close. I kind of attribute my love of paper crafting to her. Once, I got this strange idea to make a from of a scrapbook out of an old book (now scrappers would refer to this as an "altered book" I was way ahead of my time, and didn't even know it.) I had pictures glued in, and quotes that I liked (this was all before the whole "acid/lignin free" revolution.) Anyway, one day I took the book in to work, and when Beth saw it she said "Erin, what are you thinking? You can't do that to a book! It's destroying LITERATURE!!" But, after she looked through it, she told me she thought it was a really neat idea, which made me feel real good, and if someone else appreciated my work, then maybe it would be worthwhile to share with others. I have been making cards and scrapbooks for people ever since.

I still have that book somewhere...maybe in storage? We'll see next week, when we finally get to unpack our things!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

Inmates

Ok, so I posted this question as my facebook status a few days ago, and I got some really funny answers, so I wanted to post it here too...I did not come up with the question, just copied it from someone else...Read the question, and then leave a comment with your answer!!!




"If you and I woke up in jail together, using ONLY 4 WORDS, what would you say to me?"


Remember to be as creative as you can!

A Home!

After 4 Long months of weird transitioning...We found a house! No, we aren't able to purchase anything, but it's a cute little rental, and affordable enough that we will be able to save up for a down payment for our future purchase!

We are NO LONGER homeless!!!!

God is good...and why must I continue to test HIS timing??

:)

Hoppy Birthday!

All of my crafty supplies are still in storage, so my projects are very limited, which has left me with a desire to create something. I'm not sure if it's because I really feel the desire, or if it's just because I know it's something I'm not able to do right now...kind of like when I'm supposed to be eating low carb and the only thing I want to (shove in my face) eat... is spaghetti. Anyway, a few days before Jonathan's birthday (Oh my goodness, I just realized I didn't post pictures about that...well, I'll save that for tomorrow...) my mother in law and I decided to make birthday cards for him. We stayed up until almost 2 in the morning having a good time creating two very special cards for him. It was really fun and satisfied the creative itch I was having.

This isn't the best picture, but this is the card I made for him...with all the hard work I put into it, I know he really appreciated it, even though he didn't seem like he did, when he rapidly ripped the envelope, looked at the card for .7 seconds, threw it on the table, and reached for his next present...deep down, I know he loved it....

Motherhood

I've been doing a lot of thinking recently of the day that Jonathan was born. It was a day full of emotions for so many reasons. First of all, my pregnancy was not easy. I was constantly in and out of the hospital, I couldn't keep food down, or even water! I started to go into labor at 22 weeks and at 32 weeks, I was put on bed rest. At 34 weeks, I was admitted to the hospital, and diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. Jonathan was going to have to be induced for his health, and for mine. It was not a decision I was happy to hear. The doctor waited until I was 35 weeks to induce, and early in the morning, she started the process. After 18 hours of labor, my doctor had to perform an emergency C-section because I spiked a fever, and Jonathan's heart rate had dropped severely. Again, not a choice I was entirely happy about, however, I knew that it was necessary. When he was born, his lungs were under developed, and the doctor said he was more of 34 week size baby. His Apgar was 1 and he was sent immediately to the NICU.

I don't know why I'm writing this, or why I feel I need to. Maybe I just need to vent, I don't know. Recently, I've been hearing a lot about C-sections, and how some women need to "man up" and perform their motherly duty (implying that having C-sections is the cowards way out and anything other than a natural birth makes you less than a woman.) News flash for those women who are so high on their horses: C-sections are not the easy way out!! The pain is longer and the recovery takes so much longer, so to imply that someone who has a C-section is less of a woman or a cowardly woman is ridiculous!

In no way would I ever judge a woman for how SHE chooses to bring her own child into this world. Nor would I ever make her feel like her childbirth experience was less because it wasn't what I considered perfect. How dare those women who do so. Do you not realize how belittling my childbirth experience makes me feel?

I understand most of these comments are aimed towards women who choose to have a C-section over a natural birth even if it's not medically necessary, and if that's the case, then who cares?? Why should it matter how a woman decides to have her child. Childbirth is a very intense, emotional and physical experience, no matter which method a woman chooses. How do you know what another woman is going through? You don't! So there is no reason to judge and make others feel inadequate.

As women, and as mothers we should be encouraging to each other. We are a community of people who experience this wonderful gift of childbirth. No one can take that away from us. It is an experience that changes the course of our lives...let's support that community instead of tearing down the ones who are members within it.

I am not less of a woman, or less of a mother because I had a C-section. And for you to even suggest that shows how much less of a woman you are.

What's Wrong With ME??

There has been Reese Cup ice cream in my freezer for five days now and I have no desire to eat it.

Unraveled

Back when we lived in Phoenix, I stumbled upon a blog of a lady who unraveled sweaters for the yarn, I attempted some, but didn't stick with it and recently, when a friend of mine said she had spent her day unraveling sweaters, I thought, I must get on this bandwagon again! So, I found this helpful tutorial, by a lady who is a genius, went to Goodwill, spent $5.00 on two sweaters, and this is what came from it:

Pardon the equipment, I just used what I had! I found this sweater, the tag said 100% Wool. After looking at the pictures, I did feel a little guilty shredding this fine piece of art...but the pictures make the sweater look nicer than it was. I was saving this thing from the landfill, trust me. It was stretched in places, and had holes in others. I started off ripping the main seam, as the tutorial said to look for the "good seam" I did, and then separated the sweater into sections. Then, I started unraveling the sleeves. I wrapped the yarn around a shoe box, then tied it in four places. I repeated the same steps with each sleeve, then the front of the sweater and finally the back. Almost two hours later, I ended up with a little over 1650 feet of gorgeous wool yarn! (The last pictures shows what I was left with, I still need to soak the bundles in hot water to release some of the waviness!) Time well spent I think! Now, what to make out of them???

Anyone have a mitten crochet pattern??!!

Expectations

It's funny how life goes on without a care about your own personal expectations for it!

The journey we're on has been a strange one...I've always wanted a few months off to spend time with my family, and now, I've had it! Moving to Barbourville has been such a growing experience for my husband and I. We came to serve, and we were served. Absolutely nothing has worked out since we have been there, which amazes me, because I know I have great plans for my life. I guess that's where I'm mislead...I have great plans for my life. There is where the problem is...I have the plans.

Our mission was to serve others, live frugally, and become self reliant. We served others, and we now have more of a desire to do so. We lived frugally, it's amazing how frugal one can be when there isn't any income for FOUR MONTHS! The self reliant thing, is something we still have a big desire for, but for now, we're just living day by day.

As if we haven't had enough transitions in our life, we are now feeling a push on, I'll elaborate more on that in another post. For now, I'm going to post some projects I've been working on. Yes, the title of this blog is "Mostly Making It" when I first started it, I had big dreams of posting some of my crafting projects as well. Since most of my crafty things are still in storage, my projects are very limited...so I'll start with the small projects I've done to keep myself busy.

Thanks for your encouragement through this strange transition in life...

Ohio

Just got back from a great trip visiting family in Ohio. Jonathan insisted on purchasing and wearing this shirt and tie....unfortunately, since moving from Phoenix, he didn't have any long pants...but I think he's pulling it off.

Life

I haven't updated for awhile, because there really hasn't been much to update. My birthday came and went, pretty uneventfully, which I was happy about. We went to Laurel Lake to go fishing for the day. It was very nice and relaxing and made me want to live on a boat in the middle of the lake! The job situation has been dire....and after a short breakdown, I am ok with not working right now, and am really enjoying my time with Jonathan. I start subbing in a few weeks. Because of the job situation, we are still temporarily staying in a small apartment at the church, which at first was difficult, but we have adjusted, and are very thankful to have a place to live until everything gets settled.
The church is another matter entirely, and we didn't really know what we were getting into before we came. It is very small, and very old fashioned. We weren't prepared for how much of an extreme of either. We are again, adjusting and looking forward to continuing to help move this church into the "new millenium!"
That's pretty much it, in a nutshell. I've started scrapbooking again, which brings me a little bit of a creative outlet. It's been fun! Next week, Jason is taking me to Cincinnati to meet up with my grandma and Jonathan and I are going to spend a week up North with my family and go to our family reunion, which I haven't been to in over 12 years! My mom and her husband are also coming into Ohio from Arizona the same week, so it will be a nice visit with them as well.

Seriously, that's about it....everything is good, and there is much more to report :) I can't wait to go catch up on all of the blogs I usually read...it's been a long time....

30!

Well, I turned 30 today, and it wasn't so bad afterall........

Rushing Waters

(Cumberland Falls 7/26/09)

Ever since we got to Barbourville, I feel like I've been caught up in rushing waters. I guess I should say nothing is what was expected. The town, the people, the area is exactly what I expected, probably even better really. The job situation and the church situation have been somewhat frustrating. First off, there are still jobs open. It seems as though the jobs go to people who are local though. School starts next week, and I'm still waiting to get a phone call. I'm trying to be patient, but it's so frustrating when I see jobs getting filled, knowing that I'm qualified and not even being given a chance to interview. I have been calling and going to schools, but just seem to be getting the run around....seems like it must be time to just sit back and wait on God.

Part of the reason we felt called here too, was to help bring younger families into the church. We both have experience working in the ministry, and planning outreach events, so we were very excited to start this aspect of the ministry we feel God has for us here. Sunday, however, was a horrible blow. Jason and I sat there with 17 other people (no joke) the only people under 50 (most were in their' 70's or 80's) and that was it for Sunday morning. I cried...I literally cried. "God, you want us to bring young people into THIS?!" That's the only thing that continued to go through my head. As the congregation sat there and barely made it through singing three hymns, while the piano player was yelling the chords across the stage to the 79 year old electric guitar player....I cried and begged God to tell me why He took me across the country, away from my family...to a place where I had no job, and to what seemed a dead church...

So, I feel as though I'm drowning. At least, I was on Sunday. I'm better now and over my initial "shock" and am ready to press on to whatever is next. They definitely need young people at this church...and maybe Jason and I are just the one's to rock the boat in this rushing water...

Last

Today we are taking the last leg of our move, from the West side of Kentucky, to where we will be living on the East side of Kentucky. The trip will take about 6 hours, and we will get to yet another time zone. I have no clue when I'll have internet again, so until then....

Back in the Saddle

I am back at it, today at least. Our move so far has gone well. There was a little bit of stress and heartache as we were loading up the Uhaul and realized that there wouldn't be enough space. It is hard combining two homes and then moving it across the country! We had to make some tough calls on what to give away, or throw away, or have shipped out. Because of this bump in the road, we left a day later. We had planned to leave bright and early Thursday, July 16th, but ended up leaving the Friday instead. I was fine with this, because I was able to spend a few more minutes with my mom and brother before I left, which I didn't really get a chance to do before since we were so busy.

The road trip across the country went fine. My husband and I decided to break it up into shifts of 3 hours driving, that way, neither of us would get tired. After driving though, Jason realized he didn't want me to drive because the trailer was so shaky, sometimes he was having problems controlling it. So, we made an alternate plan that we would break it up into three days instead of cramming it into two. This put us even more behind schedule, but it was a good decision, we were able to drive shorter days, and rest more. Which made for a happy three year old, and happy parents! Jonathan did great on the road, we loaded up a MP3 player with his favorite songs, had toys, and books....he was set. Not once did he complain! The only time we had a bathroom emergency, was about 15 minutes after our "scheduled" stopping time, and we realized that neither of us had taken the poor kid to the bathroom. I assumed Jason took him, he assumed I took him...oops.

When we made it to Sikeston, Missouri, we met up with Jason's brother and his family at a restaurant we absolutely love called Lambert's. It's about an hour or so away from Paducah, where Jason's family is from, and it was a nice treat after a long trip. We finally made it to Kentucky later that night and had fun visiting Jason's dad and his family.

We are officially leaving tomorrow morning for Barbourville, Kentucky, which is where we are going to live. It is on the complete East side of the state, about 6 hours from where we are now. I'm not looking forward to getting on the road again but I'm excited to get to where we are going. I'm ready to get out of the Uhaul and unpacked!! We have had fun here visiting family and places though. The picture above is from across the river in a very small town in Illinois called "Metropolis" they claim to be the home of Superman. Since Jonathan is a huge fan of anything superhero...we knew we had to take a trip there....and he loved it! For the rest of the night, he was "flying" around.

As far as the job situation in Kentucky goes, I'm trying not to be discouraged. There are still a very few openings left (3...I think.) I know something will work out, it's just frustrating. I really want to teach at least one more year!

Well, I think that is about it. I'm sitting outside, in a lawn chair, enjoying a nice, cloudy day. Seeing how almost every day in Phoenix is sunny, I am really enjoying this cool weather! Oh...and I'm wrapped up in a blanket! I am actually quite giddy about it....

Road Trip

Well, I'm connected again (sort of) and in Kentucky (kind of)

We made it to Paducah, Kentucky (on the complete Western side of Ky) and we are visiting my husband's family for a few days, then we will make our way to the Eastern side of Ky in a few days.

The move went ok...a few bumps in the road...I'll blog about that later...

I found out most of the 6 teaching jobs have been filled...I'm disappointed, but know that things will work out..it hasn't been for my lack of trying...it's hard to nail down a job in a place across the country, that doesn't use voice mail, email, or fax machines! ha ha!

More later...

32 Hours Away

I haven't had the chance to blog, and I promise I will soon...but our big move is about 32 hours away now...

We are packing the last of the last things, and spending time with family and friends...

Our internet will be turned off soon, so I'm not sure when you will be getting an update...Just know, we're on the road!

Still no word on the teaching jobs, say a prayer, I'm starting to get nervous...

Busy Up in Here

Ok, I know I can't pull off "up in here" the same way I can't pull of things like "girlfriend" or "holla" but...you get my point....

Thank you all so much for your comments and encouragement the past few days, it's really been fun hearing back from people, and reading your blogs too!

I am so busy with our move just days away...not sure how much I will be online, but know that I appreciate your comments and feedback....I'll be checking in when I get a chance, but probably not as frequently as I have been...

So, keep in mind, our move takes place July 16th...if I'm not back here before then, you'll know why..I'm frantically and hysterically packing...keep my hubs in your thoughts and prayers that I don't accidentally kill him with my nagging and bossing around.....

Thanks everyone!


By the way...GUESS WHAT I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL TODAY?????????

......My Kentucky teaching certificate!!!!!!!

Civilization as we know it...

So, lastnight I couldn't sleep, and wanted to do some more "research" about where we are moving, I was sad when I found out these statistics. Some of my favorite places, and how far away they now will be...(in no particular order)

1. Costco: 135 miles away

2. Target: 106 miles away

3. Ross: 56 miles away

4. Staples: 62 miles away

5. JoAnn's: 106 miles away (do you hear my heart breaking?)

6. Michael's: 67 miles away

7. Olive Garden: 66 miles away

8. Chevy's: None in KY or TN (we will be about a little over an hour from Knoxville, TN)

9. Bass Pro: 121 miles away

10. REI: 121 miles away

And here is the funny one:

Starbucks? In the middle of nowhere? Yep: in the next town over, about 15-20 minutes.

One week.....

Serious Public Service Announcement

This made me concerned, I mean, I've been a teacher for five years, and I've never had my vaccine...I could be infected, and not even know.

Double Lung Transplant Fundraiser!!

A year ago, my mom's husband was given the gift of life...a set of lungs. In honor of his one year anniversary, we are inviting all of our friends and family around the world to be a part of this Virtual Spaghetti Dinner...Doesn't that sound delicious?! If you are able to donate to this fundraiser, we would greatly appreciate it, as they are still needing to raise funds for costly and continuing medical expenses. Any questions? Please send me a message, or contact Monica Zelei (information in the flyer, click on it to enlarge it.) You can also check out Marty's blog here.


Spread the word....this is the best food you can imagine...and you can even wear your best white shirt while eating it...

Thanks everyone!

Arizona History

Today we were lucky enough to experience the Arizona Natural History Museum. I had been there before on a field trip, but this time I as able to enjoy it a little bit, without having to worry about where 25 kids were. We went with Grandma and Bill, and it was a nice little museum to go to before we move away from the area. Jonathan was very excited to see "Rexy" he said. Jonathan is a little bit obsessed with the move "Night at the Museum" and one of the characters in the movie is the bones of a Tyrannasaurus Rex named "Rexy." He said this was his favorite part. Jonathan also insisted on taking a small Mag-lite (Ben Stiller's character in the movie carries a Mag-lite as part of his job, the night security man.) It was cute to see Jonathan getting his flashlight out to "check on things." The flashlight really came in handy during a particularly "scary" part of the museum, where we could walk through an old mine they had set up. At the end of our visit, we went to the gift shop, where Grandma told Jonathan he could pick a small toy...it melted my heart when Jonathan didn't pick a toy, instead, he chose a book...based on the movie "Night at the Museum." Gosh I love that kid.

Seriously

I'm not computer savvy, but I'm trying like heck to change my template...still working...

COME BACK SOON!

Yay!

After much anticipation, I found out today that my Kentucky teaching certificate application was approved! No testing or additional courses needed! It was so much easier than the Arizona Department of Education, who gave me the run-around for two years. It's a relief to know that I am now officially able to get hired...so...someone, give me a job!

Independence Day

"It's a DRY HEAT...." I sure won't miss that phrase. I didn't blog yesterday because we got home very late from fireworks. We decided to go to Schnepf Farm for fireworks this year. We had gone there before for their Pumpkin Patch, but never for Fourth of July. Online, they made it sound like a big deal ($10 for wristbands for the rides) but it wasn't. During the Pumpkin Patch, they have small carnival rides, and fun things to do, so we thought it would be similar, but it wasn't. They had two bounce houses, and two waterslides (which, the water in them looked disgusting) pony rides and a hay ride. That was it. It was so hot and humid, and the mosquitos were horrible. For some reason though, I was the only one they were attracted too... I literally had over 50 mosquito bites. Once the sun went down, it was a little better, the mosquitos still wouldn't leave me alone, but it was better. I think Jonathan's face in the one picture describes it all! We kept getting in the car and turning on the AC! We had good seats though, front row parking, and where we were parked we could see where they were setting off the fireworks, so we just put our chairs behind the car and sat there...then once they were over we were one of the first out of the parking lot...it was great! Over all, it was a good night...even though Jonathan had to have his ears covered....

And here are some more pics from the day. We went to mom's for lunch with Grandma Charlotte and Bill...

Homesteading

The picture is a little crooked....story of my life. For the past year or so, even before Jason and I were officially "back together" we started talking about the type of lifestyle we want. In our first marriage (to each other, of course) we never really had goals, or plans, we sort of just lived day to day. Now that we have a son though, we have come to the realization that there is a bigger picture, and we have to plan for it. We hear so much today about "living green," and our impact on the earth, and the disaster that has become the food industry, the horrible economy, people losing jobs...so on, so forth. At the risk of sounding like fanatics, we wanted to be smart and prepare for whatever future was in store. We struggled with wanting to protect the earth, without worshiping nature. We wanted stability without having to depend on the economy, the job situation, or any form of natural disaster. I'm not sure what this involved entirely, but we decided we want to live as self-reliant as possible. Living in the city of Phoenix, it can be done (check out these urban homesteaders) however, we have never really enjoyed living in the city, and we love seasons and green...and we just miss being back east. So, after careful consideration, we are moving back to Kentucky in just a few weeks. Eventually, we plan to have our own "homestead" but we are going to take very small steps to accomplish this goal.

Our goal is five years. Let it be known, that I cannot sew...I am a horrible cook...I don't know the first thing about gardening. But this isn't going to stop us! A few summers ago, I tried my hand at container gardening on the patio of my small apartment. It was going good, and I had a lot of growth...until the neighbors cat came and ruined all of my beautiful plants! This little attempt proved that I had somewhat of an ability to grow...so, I am convinced that I can make it happen with a little bit of trial and error. It's going to be a learning experience, no doubt, frustrating...but we are excited to make this transition.

I have been doing so much research on the topic, and here are a few websites I have found that I've enjoyed (I have about 50 bookmarked...but only decided to share a few!) I decided to include these because they either have great resources/links or great pictures!

Backwoods Magazine
Frugal Homestead
Living off the Grid
City Boy Moves to the Country
Going to the Country


I hope you stay tuned to this crazy adventure we are about to get into...

Aw, Man

Tonight Jonathan told me he didn't want me to take him to the bathroom anymore because he is not a girl, he doesn't go in the girls' bathroom...instead he needs to go into the mans' bathroom, because he is a man, just like daddy is man.

Still here

I'm still here. I've been busy. But, I haven't really gotten anything accomplished. I look through the stuff I need to be packing, and I just don't have any motivation to do it. I've been loving staying home with Jonathan though. He truly is amazing. I know every parent says this about their child, and that's fine with me...but he really makes me smile.

Grandma Charlotte and Bill are coming into town tomorrow (well, at this point, seeing how it's past midnite, I guess that would be later today...) and we are very excited to see them. I hope they are ready for the heat! Speaking of heat: people from back east keep saying "Oh, you're not going to like this humidity we have here...it's not the same as that dry heat you're used to."

People listen to this...That is the biggest line of crap I have ever heard. HEAT is HEAT...110 degrees is 110 degrees no matter how dry or humid it is. I grew up in Ohio, which had humidity and I never felt like the back of my neck was on fire, just by walking outside. I never was afraid to drive my car due to the 3rd degree burns I would get from touching the steering wheel from the car being outside...at least back east, when the sun goes down, it gets cool...out here, it's still 100 degrees right now, and it's midnite!

I am looking forward to the cold weather though, I am a cold weather person, I could deal with rain and snow all year, I love cloudy-cold weather...so, guess I'll have to invest in some sweaters...seeing how I haven't bought any for about 7 years....

Father's Day

What a great pic, huh? Jonathan sure loves his daddy, and as it turns out, Jason is a wonderful daddy. I've spent a lot of time lately thinking back to when I was pregnant with Jonathan. It was a horrible pregnancy, pretty much anything that could go wrong, did. Yesterday, I was looking through pictures of Jonathan when he was about eight months old, it seems forever ago. Life has gone through many seasons since then, but again, God has brought us to this season. There was a time, when I couldn't imagine even being nice to Jason on Father's Day, let alone spending the whole day with him, ha ha. And now, here we are married again, and it's like we've been given a whole new lease on life. I am so happy at where we are at this point, together.

We've come a long way, and we still have a long way to go...but I'm happy to be going with the person I love most...

Happy Father's Day Jason! You're a wonderful father, and I am so glad that we are in "this" together...

I'm Unemployed Today

I resigned from my job today. It was kind of unexpected, and last minute, yet something that I had been thinking about for awhile. I spoke with my principal and we cried and hugged, it was very emotional. In the words of Julie Andrews: Let's start at the very beginning:

A few months back, Jason and I started talking about the pull towards ministry. We didn't know what would be appropriate, or what we would do, but we both felt the need to help somewhere. After talking with Jason's grandfather, he mentioned his ministry in Barbourville, Kentucky. Out of his small church of 40 or so members, he serves over 3,000 hot meals a week. He drives all over Kentucky to pick up donated food, and brings it back to the church's small pantry. After talking about it, and finding more details, we found out the need there is tremendous. Many of the areas that the food pantry serves doesn't have running water, or electricity. The pantry is thriving, but could be so much better, with more resources. For instance, one day, the church has to call people in to eat ice cream, because they didn't have enough freezer space to store it! Simple needs, yet with the resources, they are not accessible. We felt what they needed, we have the experience necessary to help and serve.

We felt the call to go. (Ok, so I argued with it a bit...but it soon became very clear we needed to go!)

There are many reason ultimately why this is a better "fit" for us. After our divorce, we both struggled financially, and the results of a divorce are devasting on one's credit. We have made goals to have our loans paid off in five years. A goal we can only accomplish by moving to a place where we aren't "working to survive" and we will actually have that extra money to pay off debts. It's a good feeling to have a plan.

As far as teaching goes, there aren't very many job opportunities ever available in this area. We struggled with knowing what I would do...we prayed about starting a daycare, doing in home daycare, doing at home data entry...all things that would work, but maybe logistics of it all would take some time. Within two days of us deciding we would definitely be going, the job openings in the school district there went from "zero" to about seven available positions! It turns out that a lot of teachers retired this year after 30-35 years of service! It seems as though doors are being open for us. I have applied, and sent my resume...just praying for some results. Would you mind praying for me?

In the next few weeks, our lives will be changing drastically. We are moving to Barbourville, Kentucky on July 16th. I am both scared and excited. I'm sad about leaving my mom and brother here in Phoenix, but know it's what I'm supposed to do. Well, I should say, we know it's what we are supposed to be doing. For the first time, we have goals, and we see a way of accomplishing them. We see a way to serve others in their time of need, which is something we both have always had the desire to do.

It's all happening so fast, and there is so much to share about it all, there are so many opportunities for all aspects of our lives, and we are excited to step out in faith and see what is in store for us.

Thank you all in advance for your prayers and encouragement! Stay tuned for more updates regarding the "big move."

Love you all~

He's the Lyrical Gangstah

"Baa Baa Blacksheep annuany wool? Yeth thir Yeth thir free bags full. One for my masta, One for my dames, One for the little boy....who goes down the drain"

-What was heard as Jonathan was singing in the back seat of the car.

Rain Down Your Love on Me

It's amazing to think of where my life is headed. This time last year (and probably the year before) I was very discouraged....not much has "gone right" in my life the past few years. I've had a weird couple years of what I could call "small, awkward occasions."

Let's recap: Tried to move into a house, everything that could go wrong, did, such as: no electricity, carpet that smelled like dog butt, broken down car, rain (for once in AZ it rained when I was actually trying to move and had to have my stuff outside.) Not to mention, I got locked outside, in my underwear. I tried to put that behind me, and be more positive so I joined a gym. Whew...that was a lot of work. First, I fell down a whole flight of stairs in front of everyone at the gym....then I got up and pretended it didn't even phase me...even though it hurt a lot. On another occasion, a strange lady smacked my bare butt in the locker room, she was mistaking me for one of her friends....awkward. A few other trials later: my debit card number was stolen and used in Canada...this list could actually go on and on...but no one would really believe the majority of things that have happened.

I said that 2009 was going to be my year. 2009 had to be the year my life turned around. Needless to say, things haven't gotten a whole lot better. Weird things keep happening, but God has been teaching and stretching and preparing me for something. In February, Jason and I got remarried. After three years of being divorced God kind of knocked our heads and we saw the light. It's been nice having someone to deal with these trials with. I have always known that I could go to God, but sometimes it's nice to have some "earthly support."

God has blessed us and has provided in ways that we could never imagine. We made some decisions the first time we were married, that we are having to resolve now. Student loans, and other loans are catching up with us, and we have made goals probably for the first time we have ever been together to handle this. It's exciting and scary.

This week I was listening to some music and a song really stuck out to me, the lyrics said "Rain down your love on me, Rain down your love..." It really seemed clear that that was what God is doing to us. It's been a strange journey spiritually. My faith has been shaken, I have doubted, I have turned my back away, I have been angry...and yet, God has still been there, showing me love, no matter how much I didn't want to see it or accept it. My life hasn't been ideal, my circumstances grim, my faith limited, my love for others non-existent, my patience thin and the whole time, God has rained His love down on me.

What I think about Curriculum Planning:

I am having a very hard time staying on task today.  I'm busy thinking of all the things I need to get done.   Plus, there is a lady in my group who is driving me nuts.  I kind of want to kick her in the head.  I know this is the wrong feelings to have towards a person, but it sure would make things more interesting...

Tastes a lot like Tasty

I heard it through the grapevine that Sonic is giving away free Rootbeer Floats tonight. I think I'm going to go check it out...afterall, I did run this afternoon. Ok, so it was more like a trot-walk-shuffle...but still, it burned calories.

Today

Today I sat in a curriculum planning committee all day, I wish I could say that I had a blast, but it really is hard work. All for nothing, I'm sure, as most teachers will probably complain that the work isn't good enough, or the calendar isn't right, or whatever....teachers are some of the most impatient and unforgiving people I know. Trust me, I am one. Three more weeks, then I will officially be on Summer Break...well, I'm on Break now...but with all this committee stuff, I'm starting to feel like I have Summer Detention...it will be a nice paycheck though. Every time I start feeling sorry for myself I think in my mind "Cha-Ching...Cha-Ching..."

I was really hungry for rice today. Not sure why. I'm down 3 pounds though...not bad. I'm not doing anything drastic, just making small changes. Trying to make smarter decisions. Back to the rice...Basmati, it's so good. I also like Brown rice. I may be a little slow getting on the school bus, but today my mom told me there is Brown Basmati Rice. I never knew that. She made my day.

I think I'm going to go paint my toenails...green...

Top things I love...right now....

In no particular order:
1. Sushi
2. iPod Touch
3. Google Reader
4. Delicious
5. Beads
6. Etsy
7. My new organic cotton skirt
8. My new contacts
9. My new glasses
10. Raw Zucchini
11. This picture of Jonathan, taken a little over a year ago

Mini-Me

For Christmas, Jason got me an iPod Touch. I love it. About five months ago, I bought the Nike+ to go with it. Basically, it tracks how far you run, and the pace and all that good stuff, and syncs with your iPod and then the information syncs with the Nike website so you can track your progress. I finally got around to setting it up tonight. I am on a mission to get healthier and get back into running. I know I've said this for years, but I'm looking down the barrel of 3o people...and I truly want my 30's to be better than my 20's. On the right, you'll see my Mini...of course I'm in Ohio State colors...and you'll never guess what my Power Song (a song you can set on your iPod, so that when you are feeling a little sluggish, or need a pick me up, you can click the button and BAM your Power Song starts playing) is...it's "Hang on Sloopy" performed by "The Best Damn Band in The Land"...The Ohio State Marching Band.

I am not sure how it works completely, but I think if you click on my Mini you might be able to track my progress as well...I haven't really figured it all out yet...

Peace Out

(still trying to think of a catchy good-bye phrase, but I don't think I can pull this one off)

Diamondback Game

Last night, I got to go down on the field before the Arizona Diamondback game. I have done this for the past few years as part of a program through the Rodel Foundation called Math Achievement Club-Rodel (MacRo.)  The foundation provides extra math help for Title I schools in Arizona.  It, as usual, was fun.  This picture is kind of funny, because I'm the only dork who is looking at the camera...all the other teachers are looking at the screen. Overall, it was a nice night, Jason and I were able to have a "date night" because Jonathan went to spend the night with my mom!  Even though we missed him, and the Dbacks lost tremendously...it was so much fun!

Ram Sam Sam

My son has been singing this strange, song for the past couple of months. The other night at his program I finally got to hear how it was "supposed" to sound. Apparently, it's a pretty popular children's song, but I've never heard it before...

oldie but a goodie

Sing it....

My son, the next American Idol...

Tonight was Jonathan's first preschool program. The classes got up and sang various children's songs. A surprise to me...my son is a performer. I wish I could say that I was exaggerating, but, he truly sang louder than anyone...motioned bigger than anyone...and was all business. I was crying because I was laughing so hard. I have never been more proud in my life. After the program, other parents and grandparents came up to me and hugged me, because they thought it was so funny....I will post a video, once I figure out how to do it :)

Finally

I've been blogging on and off since 2005. I began blogging my first year teaching, and wanted to record my first year struggles and victories.  It soon became a blog about my troubled pregnancy, and the difficulties relating to that.  Then, it evolved into a dark and painful place where I posted the raw emotions dealing with a painful divorce and child custody battle.

I decided to start again, and this blog is dedicated to a new life of reconciliation, restoration...and my new life.  How I spend my days, and how I'm going to make my 30's so much better than my 20's.

My goals are to journal about life in a way that no matter what is going on, I can laugh, and maybe you will too.  I want to record the precious moments of my son, the reconciliation and renewal of the relationship between my (ex) husband and I, our journey to raise a self-reliant family, and our quest to become healthier, wiser and financially secure.  

Stay tuned...I promise to keep up with this one!