Picture Tag

Jackee tagged me with this one. It's been a while since I played along on a tag, so here it goes.

Rules:
1. Go to the Document/My Pictures site on your computer.
2. Go to your sixth file.
3. Go to your sixth picture.
4. Blog about it.
5. Tag six people.

This is my awesome sister Heather with Erin. Heather was in college then and would come hang out at my house frequently. Erin is just over two years old in this picture. Now my Miss K is wearing these same jammies! I miss ya Heather!!!

I tag anyone who wants to and hasn't already done a tag like this before. It was fun for me to take a trip down memory lane. Time goes by way too quickly.

Fancy Schmancy

Erin and I finally got all of our hairs cut. It had been a way long time and we were both ready for a change. So we went short. Erin got 4 inches cut and I had 5 inches cut! So for your viewing pleasure here are the before and after shots. Katelyn was disappointed that she wasn't able to come along. Maybe by her third birthday she'll be able to have a small trim. Don't we look so fancy?!?

Good News

A big thanks to all of you for your love, support, prayers, phone calls, referrals, good vibes, concern, service, letters, and well wishes over the past 6 weeks! We have some good news to report- Jeff has been offered and accepted a job at List Fusion and will be starting on Monday. The company is local, so all of you who wanted to get rid of us are out of luck. You will just have to deal for a while. We are very excited to have this opportunity and are happy to be staying in a ward and neighborhood that we love.

We are astounded at all of the love and support we have recieved during this time. We know that the Lord has watched out for us and we have felt and recieved many blessings. I truly see this as a miracle! Many thanks to all of you again- we would not have made it through this time without all of your help and prayers.

Hobbies

For years Jeff has been urging me to get a hobby. I am not a scrapbooker; I don't sew. Can reading children's books be a hobby? Cooking desserts? I have been telling him that his hobbies take up the money, and so if I had a hobby it would need to be low cost, or free. For Christmas he decided to gift me a hobby. It was arranged and paid for that I could take some pottery classes at the local rec center. It was supposed to be an escape from the kids once a week and time for me to do something for myself.

Well, after this job situation occured I felt guilty for still going. That money could be used for something else. But Jeff insisted that I still go- it was my Christmas present. I am so glad that I did! It has been an escape from reality and a chance to do something new. The last time I worked with clay I was in elementary school making a coil ashtray for a dad who doesn't smoke. Needless to say, my skills were a little rusty. I have been thrust into the world of pottery- with all of its wheels, terracotta, glazes, kilns, and tools. It has been fun.

This is a picture of my first success. I made a bowl and glazed it blue with clear on the bottom. We have been working with terracotta and it really is beautiful. I will be eating my cereal out of this bowl for a long time.

My next success has yet to be fired or glazed. But it is s sort of candy dish, or salsa bowl. Small, yet more balanced with thinner sides than the first success.

One of the unexpected side effects from all this terracotta is the awesome "just been playing with sunless tanner on your hands and forgot to wash it off" look that stays for days after class is over. The orange glow is killer- especially stuck in all the dry cracks around knuckles, and around the fingernails. And yes, this is after repeated washings.

Class is held in a state-of-the-art facility built in the fifties. The floor is black and white checkerboard, the sinks only run cold water, the room has no heat, old, drafty, single-paned windows line one wall, we recently got some paper towels (but still no soap), and there are always two kids indoor soccer games going on outside the very un-airtight door to the classroom. Sometimes I forget about the soccer and think they are cheering for me. Yay! I made a bowl!

This is my awesome teacher Katie. And some of my classmates at the pottery wheels making cool stuff. And here is me also. I needed proof of me being there since some people don't believe that I am actually doing this.

So I guess the question to be left for another post is- Will I keep this as a hobby? We shall see. Next week is my last class. I am hoping to make something other than a bowl. Maybe a gravy boat, or a plate. Vases are just way past my skill level at this point. Wish me luck.

Busy with Blessings

So this week has been amazingly busy, but full of blessings.

I was given the opportunity to nanny for my good friend this week. Her four kids and my three kids made for a full house (at hers), lots of diaper changes, Dora, and lunches. But I had such a good time playing with all the kids. It was different not having laundry and cleaning to do while watching the kids. It allowed me more time to just observe them, play with them, read stories, and gaze into the saltwater fish tank with amazed toddlers. I loved watching her little baby advance in her crawling skills and be constantly on the move. And her grunting- so unexpected from such a cutie!

The week was already loaded with a lot, but somehow it all managed to get done. Pack meeting went off without a hitch (thanks for all your help Beth!), laundry, Erin to school, dishes and home were cared for in my absence (THANKS Jeff!). I gained a greater appreciation for the working moms. You all are truly amazing. My compensation was exactly enough to fill in the gaps of Jeff's unemployment for all of our expenses for a month. Blessings, blessings.

Jeff was also able to do a few hours of contract work for his old employer on Friday. Just one more blessing. And he has a job lead from an old teacher from college that might work out. Blessing.

My scripture study has become more personal over the last few weeks. I feel comfort in them. I feel like I am being directed and guided through them. It always amazes me how much more there is to learn, and that I hadn't seen it the other many times I have read the same passage. Blessings!

I know that the Lord is watching out for us. And that he knows my needs before I even ask him. I am so grateful for Him. I am grateful for friends who are also looking out for us. Their concern and love have been wonderful. I am grateful to family who insist on helping in a variety of ways before I can even ask- all much appreciated. I know that this is not over yet, but I am still full of optimism and hope. I can see the tender mercies of the Lord in my life daily. In small and simple things, but I know that he cares. So thank you to all of you- and my dear friend who let me be her nanny. Your many thank yous are blessings and I so enjoyed every moment in your home. Your kids are wonderful, even after 3pm!

And if you made it through that way long journal entry then here is your reward- a cute picture of Ethan and Katelyn upside down on the ottoman a few months back. Those two are definitely from the same mold. Like two peas in a pod~ and still hanging in there!

Rejection

"What if she says no? I just don't think that I could take that kind of a rejection."- George McFly (Back to the Future)

Well, it turns out that we can take rejection. And lots of it. From many different people. Jeff was laid off from his job two weeks ago. His company couldn't pay him any more, so they let him go as well as another guy. And the six other people that still have jobs there might only have one for another few months. The company is not doing well at all.

So we are doing okay. Still have shelter, heat, food, and faith. Jeff is looking and applying for jobs all over the country like a mad man. We like to call it the "Blitz". We have a few opportunities here, and some very far away. But we have also gotten plenty of the rejections. No interviews yet, but we are waiting. Jeff's spirits are still up. We have been through this twice before in our marriage, so we kind of know how to play this game already. Definitely no getting attached to any job or locale until there is an accepted offer.

In the mean time I have been looking for a little part-time something to supplement the income (or lack thereof). Turns out the school district has already hired 50 too many substitutes, so my degree is not helping in that way. I heard of a need at our local library- for a storytime performer. That is the person that does the little story time for little kids at the library. They were looking for someone outgoing, able to sing, dance, wear costumes, and make a basic fool of themself on a daily basis. See- I can do THAT! So I applied and actually got an interview. Whoo-who! At the interview I was informed that nearly 50 people applied for the job, and only 15 were being interviewed. So congratulations on making it that far. I was asked some questions, and then had to put on my performance. This consisted of a song, a finger play, and reading part of a book. No problem. Then for the curve ball. A table full of random props. And I do mean random. A mammoth puppet, a paper mache flamingo, a viking hat.... and I had a minute to do a little improv with some of the things. What???? But I made it through, and made the interviewers smile. Interview over. Ready for the kicker? They would call the one person who got the job by 5:00 that night. Everyone else would know that they didn't get the job, because by 5:00 they will have gotten NO phone call. LAME. Is that professional? So I sat at home waiting. And waiting. And by 5:00 I figured that I had been the lucky recipient of the no phone call rejection. Nice. I am doing fine with this and I will be going to story time next week to see who the lucky phone call recipient was. And why they are so much better than me.

So what am I supposed to learn from this little experience? A greater empathy for Jeff who has to deal with this way more often than me? A boost in my faith? Maybe Jeff will get a job so soon that I didn't even need the job because I would just have to quit anyway. I think that mostly I have learned that it wasn't meant to be. For whatever reason. I just need to know that the Lord is looking out for me and my family. He is aware of my situation, and everything will work out. We will end up at the job and the location where we need to be. And He knows where that is. And since I don't I just need to have the faith in Him. He can carry the burden if I let him. I have also learned that being compelled to be humble isn't very fun, but I needed to learn humility and a greater reliance on the Lord. I can't and don't need to do it all by myself. There is help!

So, if you know of anyone looking for the best web/graphic/multimedia designer there is~ and they pay money, and benefits~ Jeff is the guy! We are willing to relocate if necessary. Just email Jeff or I and let us know. We figure the more eyes and ears that are looking and listening the better. You just never know where the one right thing will come from!

Temple Trip

Today we were able to take our family to the open house for the new Draper LDS Temple. It is situated up high on the mountain and is a very beautiful sight. None of my children can remember being inside a temple before, although Ethan was able to go to the Nauvoo Temple open house with us when he was two. It was a very special experience and one that I hope they will remember. There was such a peace and calm to be felt there. Very faith affirming and the spirit is almost tangible. Ethan is already looking forward to being twelve so he can perform baptisms in the temple. Katelyn kept asking about the "batize, hot tub." She was most fascinated with the water and Ethan really wanted to know if it was warm. Erin really liked the "wedding girls" room. It is a room where brides get ready to be married. But, I think the highlight for Erin was riding on the "big, real bus" to and from the temple. She had never been on a big bus before, other than an airport shuttle. She got a window seat on the way back which made her very happy.

While we were waiting for our big bus ride back we ran into Jeff's sister and her family. We had no idea that they were going up! It was fun to see them and it definitely helped to pass the time waiting for the bus ride back to where we were parked.