For the past two years, I have been contracted by a recruiting firm to do some computer work. I have worked from my home part-time and have really enjoyed it and think I got pretty good at it. The job was such a gift from God and came at the perfect time through my friend Woody two years ago. Two weeks ago, I was told the company was shutting down and was no longer in need of my services. This was a huge bummer for me :(. BUT...at the same time, I am trusting that just as God brought me my old job, He will bring me another one at the right place and at just the right time.


My recruiter Isabelle and her buddy Anna :)


In the meantime, Isabelle has been brainstorming some job opportunities for me. Her initial idea was either the gas station or McDonald's. These opportunities had nothing to do with me or my skill set, but rather she thought these jobs would entitle her to free candy and chicken mcnuggets. I told her I would think about it. Later that week, she decided she didn't think either of those were a good fit, because she didn't think Macie could come with me to the gas station or to McDonalds. Her new idea was that I would write children's books and Macie and I would drive around town and deliver them to stores. She was very excited about this idea, so although I have been called a "dream squasher" at times, I decided now was not a good time to squash a dream. I told her I would try to be a children's author, but I didn't know how successful I would be. She seemed to find that answer acceptable. And then her final idea was that I just take over the company that I had been working for from my old boss. I told her I didn't think mommy had the experience, time or money to do that, but I appreciated her confidence in me. She hasn't had any new ideas this week. I will keep you posted.

Thankfully for me, the weather has been BEAUTIFUL, so I have not been inside twiddling my thumbs and losing my mind staring at facebook waiting for statuses to change (I wouldn't actually do that, but I am just saying). I have actually been pretty productive catching up on some journaling, taking long walks with the girls, cleaning up the yard and getting ready for year 2 of my gardening experiment (I doubled the garden's size from last year!). We shall see what God has in store next...Enjoy the day you have been given!

One of the more difficult things we have had to explain to the girls is why we live away from family. Jamie and I have never lived by family during our almost 12 year marriage. The girls love living in Minnesota, but anytime we are with family in Ohio or Iowa, they get a little sad. At young ages, they have learned the lesson that obeying God is the most important thing, no matter where that lands you. Last time we left Iowa, Tori said, "Why did God choose us out of all the families to live away?" (all our cousins, grandparents, Aunts and Uncles all live by each other). Poor thing.




So, I tell them they are doubly blessed, because we don't just have Ohio family and Iowa family, but we have Minnesota family and Pennsylvania family, too.

And our Minnesota family came through in a big way this week. The past two years my mom or Jamie's mom has been able to come to Grandparent's Day at school, but this year nobody was going to be here. Tori came home from school frantic on Tuesday that it was Grandparent's Day and it was Isabelle's first Grandparent's Day and she had to have someone to go with her. She told me she needed to call Randy and Shannah immediately to ask if one of them could come...


"Grandpa" Randy saves the day!!! :)

Living away from family is not the easiest thing, but I am so thankful and blessed for the family God has given us every place that we have lived.

I love the moon. Sometimes it just stops and mesmerizes me.