Definitely a beginning of something...and an ending

Today was a beginning. It was one of those days that your whole world shifts. After a frenzy of sending an amazing resume to 20-30 places in the last two weeks, everything from dream jobs to worst case scenario jobs, my husband heard back from one place. Granted it was the one place that made me jump when I heard the message. I called hubby and screamed at him, ______ wants you to come in for an interview. He had to pull off to the side of the road so he could concentrate on his phone call. He had his interview today. I do not think I have ever seen him so nervous about an interview. I mean, he always gets nervous, but this was crazy nervous. Then I realized, I was just as bad. I've had stomach problems for three days, trouble sleeping and crazy stress dreams. We had this interview covered in prayer and decided that whatever God wanted for us was fine, we just wanted it to be obvious. I am so grateful to my church family and my neighbors for their prayers! I am elated to tell you that they want to hire him. He was told that an offer letter will be coming in the next week or two. I still can't tell you where he will be going, but it is a once in a lifetime job. (And mom, you are not aloud to spill the beans.) It is not a job that he is taking for financial reasons however. So let those clues sit with you while you try to figure it out. Once everything is decided, I will try to share more. BUT this is an amazing blessing, and from the timing of everything, one that God had him uniquely positioned for. We are full of thanksgiving today. The next few weeks and months are going to be difficult, but He is faithful and awesome!

And as I also mentioned today brought an ending, our love/hate relationship with the Crapavan has entered the final days. It came without warning and without cause. Halfway down Stuebner Airline Rd the Crapavan had a stroke and dropped the transmission, it lost third gear and the ability to shift. It worked hard to make it home in the throes of death with very loud engine wheezing, and idling at stops at 4000 rpm. I think it took a quarter tank of gas to go 15 miles to our house. We are grateful that we were able to get it to our home and did not have to abandon it on the side of a cold and lonely road. However, I am saddened that I will finally be forced to face the seventh layer of hell again - used car shopping. Sweet hubby is going to try a last ditch effort tomorrow to see if the Crapavan is faking it. He is going to see if he can reset the computer and trick it into working again. Oddly enough, this is not unheard of. I am praying this will be the solution and I will have a repreive from the auto dealers.

So it begins...or ends...or something.

This week started out really good, but it has ended up sucking. After months of rumors, poor husband's company has finally started doing more than just asking employees to conserve office supplies and electricity. All hourly employees have been cut down to 32 hour work weeks. It is temporary (in theory), but no word on how long. This makes my chest feel heavy when I think about it. I knew God was preparing us for something because I have been able to save money so easily for a couple of months now, but all the same... We are going to try to make that extra day off really count, and I will probably make it unofficial resale day. A day where husband does home school, and I list on Ebay or Woodlands Online. I have never had a month where I made the amount that we will be losing though. We have figured out that if we just stay home, we won't spend money. So we'll see how that goes. I think the next month or two will really let me see how this will work. I suspect it will be rather uncomfortable and vaguely unpleasant, but not nearly as bad as being laid off!

Adoption Progress Report - 3 Months Waiting

We have now been on the official waiting list for our agency for just over three months. If things continue on as they have been, then we have about another nine months of waiting until we get a referral/match. It can be difficult sometimes to be patient when people with other agencies get referrals after only weeks of waiting, but I continue to be thankful that we chose a proven and ethical agency. I am also thankful that the three months of waiting that we have had so far have flown by. It is hard to be patient, but I am glad for the time for the kids to grow a little, for us to save more money, and for me to get more reading in :)

Christmas Vacay

Multiple Choice - which of these do you not want to happen to you when you travel a few hundred miles to visit family?

A. Come down with a relentless, high fever for the entire duration of the vacation that causes delirium and confines you to the couch. Oh, and it doesn't respond to Tylonel.

B. On the night of your arrival, have the entire family find out that one of the family members has a serious terminal illness.

C. On your second day there, sudden, unexpected death strikes down a distant young relative living just two doors down.

D. All of the above.

For me, the answer was D. It was a very bizarre trip, but oddly, it was still enjoyable. I apologized to them for getting sick, and they apologized to us for all the bad timing of events. It was a bit of a relief to get home, and of course, that is when the fever finally went away. God is sovereign and His will is perfect. Even when it doesn't make any sense. Hopefully, our next visit will be slightly less eventful.