Hooray for Vacations!

Well, my first two weeks of work went really well...I survived! haha!...and now it's vacation time for two weeks!! Thanks to my great boss, I was able to get it approved before starting work since my husband has block leave. We weren't sure when I'd start the job so I asked for it in my interview (if I were to get the job...) and my boss was nice enough to ask before calling to let me know they were ready for me to start. What a blessing!!!

So, we're headed to Colorado as soon as our twins get back from their mission trip. They've been working on homes near Los Angeles for a week, getting up at 5:30 a.m. and hitting the sleeping bag on the floor around 11:00 p.m, with our youth group and World Changers. Think they'll be ready to take off for a camping trip? I'm thinking probably not...yet...so we'll be nice and give them one night's sleep in their own beds! :)

We're ready to go! Hopefully they're not too worn out!

Back to Work

Last week I started my new job in our new location. After being off over seven months - because it took nearly 4 months to even land a job - it was weird to be back in the office setting again. It was a tiring week, but I enjoyed getting to know new people. In the midst of it all, I've found it to be something I know was the Lord's doing, will and plan.

If you know me at all, you know I'm a people person, and I'm probably more concerned about working with good, honest, hard-working people more than anything else. I had a busy, busy week but at the end of the week I could honestly say I am going to enjoy this job and the people I work with. That's a blessing!

I do have to say though, it was not an easy thing preparing myself to go back to work after being off so long...I even cried a little. I have an elderly neighbor I make meals for and take places, and it was tough knowing I wouldn't be able to spend as much time doing so...I also like the freedom to spend time with my husband when he's home or going to battalion functions or chaplain functions...so many things to try to work around. But, God is good and I know He will give me strength to do whatever I need to do, and help me through the emotions and struggles that come sometimes with knowing I can't be a part of all the things I was before. And, in the meantime, when there's nothing else I have to be doing but working at my paying job, I'll be praying for all the no-paying jobs I have going on. :)

I can't say I'll probably not be writing as much since I was barely writing before...but we'll see. While I'm thinking about it, please be praying for my son as he nears his year long, unaccompanied tour to Korea this fall. Next month he'll celebrate his one year wedding anniversary, and then just a few months later he'll leave and have to spend a year away from his wife. We're sure not looking forward to going that long without seeing him either...

Well, it's getting close to a new work week...and then it's two weeks vacation with my sweet husband and the twins! :) I thank the Lord my company was willing to give me that time off before I even started...without pay, of course...and what a HUGE blessing since my husband spent most of this summer in the field!

Little Gifts from God

There are moments in life where, if you're like me, you realize God gives you little gifts that brighten your life. It's like moments of sunshine among the clouds.

Every day since our move from Fort Lewis, WA, I wake up to sunshine. It's still odd to me to have every day filled with sunshine instead of wondering if we'll get it or not. That's not really what I'm talking about here though...

I'm talking about the moments when you see the sunshine breaking through the clouds, moments when life's not exactly always what you'd like it to be, but God reminds you that it's still all good, even among the hardship.

If you're in the military, you know what I'm talking about.

This is our third summer in a row to be separated for part of it. I think if I see my husband in the evening at least everything is going to be OK. Coming off a year long deployment, you take what you can get. Can I get a witness?! :) My husband has been in the field throughout the week, and a few weekends, since before summer began. I've complained about it several times...to be honest. Just about every time I complain, God shows me the beauty in what he does, serving his country, and brings a little sunshine my way to keep me smiling.

This week the "sunshine" is one of my dearest friends from WA visiting. She and I became really close friends while our husbands were deployed together. It was the hardest part of moving away from there. She arrived yesterday and will be here for a whole week! :) She's such a blessing to me, and just having her around is wonderful. She was a huge blessing during the deployment as well, and she's now going through that year long deployment again after just having a few months with her husband at home. I don't know how she's doing it and staying sane, but she's a good woman for standing by her man and I applaud her for that.

Some of my other "sunshine" moments:

• I was complaining one evening to my husband over the phone about having this big, nice garden with all this food and no one home to enjoy it (the twins stayed in Fort Worth from our visit early in June). The next morning I woke up and felt the Lord impress me to make a salad. Most everything was from the garden. See, I was meeting one of his Soldiers who was coming into town to get pizza and meet me to get a cake and cupcakes I had made for them for his assistant's birthday. It was a wonderful treat for the Soldiers, and I was blessed for making it and the sweets.
• I got to spend a day out in the field with my husband as they had a "family day" last week. It was HOT as could be, but wonderful to see him and the other Soldiers serving their country.
• I got to spend some time with my family, and allow the twins some extra time at the lake - one of their favorite places to be! (SO happy they will be home tomorrow!! ...I've sure missed them!)
• Which leads to my next one - I got to spend two weekends, one of those was this last weekend (a 4-day) alone with my husband - the love of my life and very, very best friend! We had a wonderful time relaxing and spending time together. I didn't really want to leave the twins, but they were begging to stay and it ended up being fun for them and some wonderful time alone with my husband.

Sunshine is a wonderful thing! Sometimes there's nothing better than watching it break through the clouds...