Below is a post that I wrote back in Sept. and wasn't sure what to do with and so I never published it. Needless to say, some of the information is a little bit dated, but not by too much. I decided to still publish it, because it is still how I feel, but contrary to what I said below, I have now made a decision about the predicament I mentioned I'm in with time at the computer. I have decided to keep this blog, but change the format a bit to include, as I mention below, a more comprehensive expression of our lives. Also, I have decided that the way to connect everything that I do online to keep in touch with people, is to post here and have it linked to facebook so that all the blog updates will show up as notes on there and then post all the photo album stuff to facebook as well. For those who are not facebookers (yet!) I will try to keep you individually updated with maybe larger quantity (covering more time periods) photo uploads in Bubbleshare. I'd like to eventually get rid of that site, but we'll see about that when the time comes. Anyhow, this is my new plan...
The only other thing I wanted to share with you all, since I wrote the following post in Sept. is that God has totally been doing awesome things in all the areas I mention. First off, through the amazing gift of a very close family member, we were able to pay off all of our outstanding debt that we had not been able to make payment arrangements with and had not been paying anything to, since we had no money to give them. This was nearly $10,000 worth of debt - just off our shoulders! Incredible! We were thankful beyond words. This was about a month ago, that this happened. We still have a huge amount of debt left to pay off, but it is all at least under control now. We have payments set up with all our creditors and are steadily paying on our debts. So, this alone is a huge relief.
Second, right around this same time, a job opening arose through a friend (a friend found it for Ben and Ben would also be working for another friend), that will totally meet our financial needs at quite a lot less hours and will soon pay even more than we'd been making! Also, it's a lot less stressful and tiring physically, which is a huge plus, since one of the hardest things for Ben was that when he would get home after long hours of work, he hardly had the energy and strength to do all the fun stuff he wanted to with us. God is so amazing in his provision for us! These are two huge circumstance changes that I believe are the fulfillment of us trusting and believing in what God has said he would do - he would take care of us; he would provide for all our needs.
I know this is the stuff of walking with God... and many of you know these realities in your lives. But it is so incredible when you experience them for yourself and when they aren't just a really cool story that someone tells you. It's real! God's goodness is real and available and way bigger than we can even imagine! It's for me, for us -- really for us!
So there you have it!
Sorry to make this overall post so long, but I wanted to bring you all up to date on everything that's been happening and also to give you some context on where I'm at with our techno-connection to all of you.
[Post from Sept. 9, 2008]So, a little more candid post today...
I've been thinking about this for a while and I still haven't totally come up with a decision, but I thought I'd just get this out there...
I feel like there is so much going on in our lives and I really want to share more of that with all of you that are connected to us from near and far. So, I've recently been in touch with a lot of friends from the past and far away and also been wanting to do another blog - a different sort of blog to share the more in depth parts of my/our lives. Also, I want to just be more active in getting posts up and more current and not just about the boys - even though that is pretty much my FAVORITE subject! And... I also want to maximize my time on the computer since the time I spend on it now is not just for blogging and pics, etc. and I really don't want to neglect the other really important things in my life for time on the computer.
So, I don't exactly know yet what my solution will be to all this, but my hope is to consolidate a bit and have more things on one site and also to have that be a deeper, more intimate view of our lives and world and passions, than this has been.
Please feel free to send me your thoughts on any of this. I would love some feedback...
In the meantime, here's a little of what's been up with us. Ben has been, as most of you know, working two jobs for about 6 months now. It has been a rigorous schedule, but he has been handling it with grace and determination. The hardest part of this, of course, is the loss of time together. But we are trying to maximize what we get, by trying to get all our seperate "adult house chores" done as quickly and efficiently as possible, so the remaining time can be spent just enjoying each other.
So, we have been doing all this to create a situation in which we can deal with our overwhelming debt and actually make some head way on paying it off. And we've been excited because that seems like it has been working. But just recently we found out that Ben's job is changing owners and that we may not (probably will not) have some of the side benefits (bonus, paid vacation) that we have counted on just to survive, not to mention the fact that we have no idea how the new owner will be and whether he will value keeping Ben on at the rate of pay we need. So, our conclusion is that the security and the needs that his job has just barely been meeting are now in jeopardy. This was a bit of a blow to us - BUT it has left us feeling even more that we are on the verge of a breakthrough in our whole financial/career for Ben/living situation. This is exciting, in spite of the somewhat scary circumstances.
We feel like it's time to look for something else and in this time of change and transition (that's really what it's felt like for those of you who have given birth - hugely painful, but greatly rewarding) we know that the outcome will be amazing. This extends to every aspect of our lives. We know that eventually we will leave MT, but to where we don't know... We know that we will have a different and better job situation for Ben, but to what we don't know... and we know that we will live in a better home that really meets our needs, but where we don't know... So we HOPE! And this is the conclusion - the only conclusion that matters! That all we need is coming and coming soon and we have reason to be filled with Hope and Faith and Anticipation.
And as we take steps to look for another job and to find these things for which we hope, our family is our joy! The boys are so amazing and truly bring more delight to us than we'd ever imagined. Isaac is soooo bright and attentive. He is constantly making us laugh and surprising us. Just last night he put my keys in Ben's pocket (I guess because he thought he'd need them - since Ben is always having to leave in the evenings for his second job) without Ben even knowing it. And just as we were getting ready for bed, Ben felt something in his pocket and pulled out the keys. How does he know this stuff?
Isaac is always busy - constructively, though... that's the thing I love the most. His mind is always going and everywhere I take him he's always doing, finding, building, sorting, organizing, playing with... something. But the cool thing is, he's not hyper - just very active, creative. He loves taking his snacks and filling compartments in his cars and toys with them and other random toys. I am finding food and small toys in things all the time. The other day he stuffed his PB and honey sandwich down the tube of his light saber. Hmmm... that was fun! But most of the time it's not messy like that, just constructive. He usually wraps his snack (little cookies or carrots, etc.) up in various things like dryer sheets or washcloths and stuffs them in any compartment he can find, along with other toys, of course. He still is not speaking much, except for words like, mama, daddy, gon (which means "on"), bye, mo (more), no, and a few more that I can't think of right now. But the crazy thing is his comprehension is through the roof! He knows exactly what's going on and everything we are saying. And he is able to communicate just fine with all his babble and some words and lots of pointing and showing and doing. Ben and I were talking about changing his diaper one day and he just jumped down off the bed, went in the other room and came back with a clean diaper for himself and the wipies. We hadn't even said anything to him!
Anyhow, I could go on and on. We have been a little worried about his late verbal development, but then again, every child is different and as long as we know that he is comprehending and has some verbal skills that are increasing (albeit slowly) then we don't feel it's too much cause for concern.
Jacob is doing great! He is a really big boy already - weighing in at around 17.5 lbs. at 5 1/2 months. He's just really solid and strong - built just like his daddy. He LOVES watching whatever Isaac is doing and I know he's just thinking in that little head of his "if only I could do THAT!" He was just sick with a fever this last weekend and so, of course, I was a bit of a wreck. I know it's generally nothing to be worried about, and even helps build his immune system, but for some reason I don't do real well with fevers. Funny thing, too, because Ben is the "king of fevers" - every time, and I do mean every, he gets sick he always has a fever. So if the boys are anything like him, I'm in for a lot of angst I guess! Anyhow, he pulled out of it in about two days and is on the mend. He is sitting up for the most part now, but still hasn't rolled over yet. That's probably mostly my fault since I don't give a ton of tummy time. He really doesn't like it very much and with a toddler and a dog running around on the floor all the time I don't feel like it's a very safe place to leave him for stretches of time. I'm trying to work on that though. Jacob loves to smile and laugh and we are always finding new ways to get him to laugh. He just started belly laughing at his cousin the other day when she was trying to climb into the pack and play he was in. He seems to really be a social little guy, which is cool because, even though Isaac likes to play with other kids, he could just as easily and just as happily entertain himself. So, I have a feeling Jacob is going to add the social element to their relationship as they get older and become friends.
Last thing of note is that I have decided to start a little freelance graphic design business and am in the infant stages of that. I am totally new to having my own business, but am excited at the prospect of doing something I love, at home with my babies, and getting paid for it! So, I am going slowly and hoping to work into more and more clientele. I am really hoping this will take off since it would be such an awesome way for me to supplement Ben's income and perhaps eventually become even something more someday - who knows!
So, I will end here for now...look for new changes with our family postings in the future.
Our love to all!
