Answered Prayers!!

God is so faithful and good. Today Jonathan was offered a job at Arbor Circle in Grand Rapids!! He, of course, accepted their offer and begins Monday, September 11. It is so amazing how fast it came together. Just a few days ago Jonathan found out the lady was out on vacation until after Labor Day and so we assumed that meant we wouldn't hear anything until then. But she actually called Jonathan while on vacation to offer him the position! When he got the call we had just come from the mall where we had picked up a free home catalog with listings in the area. We had no idea when we picked it up that we would be able to use it so soon! We've been highlighting houses and looking online and hope to start house hunting next week. Thanks to all the prayer warriors who have so faithfully prayed for a job for Jonathan. I am so proud of him!

Home Sweet Home in MI

Well, we have successful moved to Michigan! And in true Michigan spirit, we've typed this blog in U of M colors (you're welcome, Jonathan). The move went smoothly last Saturday with only a couple slight hang-ups. (Like when Jonathan missed his exit and everyone else--but me--followed him; and when I got stung by a friggin' bee which hurt like crap, but anyway...) Both our families came to help us with the move and we also had Tom and Susie helping us load the van. Thanks again guys--we really appreciated it! So now we've moved into Mom and Dad A.'s place and are trying to adjust. Jonathan called back the lady from Arbor Circle last Friday only to find out she's on vacation til after Labor Day. We're at the Moline library now and he's applying for more jobs on line. Who knows how long we'll be staying here. Peyton is having a blast with Tigger, Jonathan's parent's dog. She thinks it's great to have a playmate all the time and a huge yard to play in! So, all in all, things are going fine for now. Maybe with all this down time we can get lots of visiting in with family and friends!

T-Minus 9 Days!

Well, we're back from nearly a week in Michigan. We enjoyed relaxing up north with both our families. It was a enjoyable time, although my brother had a rough "vacation". He tipped twice while kayaking down the Sturgeon River and had a horrible bike wreck in Petoskey. Thankfully, he's okay, but I know it wasn't exactly the vacation he had in mind! We were able to go to the U.P. and visit St. Ignus one day in addition to Mackinaw City. All in all, it was a great time. Now that we are back in Illinois, we've got a lot of loose ends to tie up. We are moving to Michigan next Saturday (that's the plan anyway), so we are packing, packing, packing to try and get everything ready in nine days. Jonathan heard back from the job he applied for in Indiana and they have recommended someone else, which means we can move to Michigan now with more certainty. He did finally hear back from Arbor Circle and they informed him that he is still in the running and they are checking his references. We're hoping he could start working in August because that would mean insurance would begin October 1st. Otherwise, if he doesn't start until September, we're looking at November 1st, which just seems so far away! Our closing date has been changed to September 7th now and we had our place appraised this morning. Things are definitely moving!

SOLD...almost

Well, our condo is sold--almost. They could still back out, but we have an official buyer and are starting the process. The couple is coming over tonight to see the place again and to get the contract to take back to their lawyer. Jonathan's been making tons of calls today (we're back in Illinois for a couple days) to figure out what all we need to get done. The closing date is set for September 8 right now. Of course, we may move before then if Jonathan gets a job lined up. He still hasn't heard back from Arbor Circle, but we are trusting that things will work out. It's back up to Michigan later this week to hang out with both our families, which will be so much fun. We're very much looking forward to that! Thanks again for all your prayers. Things are finally starting to piece together!

Quick Update

Jonathan's second interview was this morning at Arbor Circle. He feels it went well, so that's good. We should hear back sometime later this week. In the meantime, we are enjoying some vacation and relaxation in Michigan! :)

Good News!

We had a young couple come look at our condo Tuesday night. By Wednesday, they had made an offer! We counter-offered and are now just waiting to hear back from them. How amazing would it be to finally get our place sold?! Jonathan also got a call back from Arbor Circle today and they want him to come back for a second interview next Tuesday!! Things are finally starting to look up. My last day of work is tomorrow and Jonathan's was supposed to be next Wednesday but that may change to Monday since he has this interview now. So please continue to pray for our place to sell and for this interview coming up. We are very excited about what may happen...

The Wait Continues

Jonathan's interview at Arbor Circle was yesterday in Grand Rapids. He got home safely last night and reported that he felt it went well. Of course, they are just in the beginning stages of the interviewing process. They told him it would be a few weeks before they decided and then he may get a call to come in for another interview. Jonathan knows this isn't his dream job but he does think it will be a good way to get his foot in the door. The benefits look pretty standard and the pay is about what he expected, too. So, I guess we just sit back and wait (and pray!) for a call. We are still waiting to hear back from the guy who came to see our house last week. He still sounds interested, which is good. Only a week and a half of work left for me! Even though we will lose some security when my job ends, I am soooo excited to get out of there! It will be such a relief to be done with this job. Maybe we'll have some time to take a vacation before the summer ends--we have tons of people we need to visit!

Kick Back and Relax

After all that eating and basketball at the reception, we were pretty worn out. What better way to relax than to pop open the bubbly? (Sparkling white grape juice, that is.) Our table consisted of my siblings and crazy cousin John and, needless, to say, we may have had a little too much of that sparkly juice!

Hoosier Hysteria

Jonathan and I headed to the Hoosier state for my cousin's wedding this weekend. The reception was possibly the coolest one I've ever been to (if you are a basketball fan, which I am). The reception was held in the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Indiana where the movie "Hoosiers" was filmed. By the way, if you have never seen the movie, it is a classic. We all enjoyed eating popcorn, pizza, hotdogs, and nachoes and also playing a little b-ball on the same floor that was home to the Hickory Huskers. (By the way, the "Go Hickory" sign and the team picture are originals from the movie that are still in the gym.)

Good Times, Great Friends

This past week I've been fortunate enough to get to see two people whom I have not seen in a long while. Last week Jonathan and I met my youth pastor downtown for some good ole Giordano's pizza. Pastor Jim officiated at our wedding and we haven't seen him for a couple years. His family is now in Florida and it just so happened that he and his youth group were in Chicago on a mission trip. It was SO good to see him again. And to think...if we had moved to Michigan already, I would have missed seeing him. Funny how those things work out, huh?














I also was able to see one of my best friends, Elisa, this weekend. She has been teaching English over in China for the past year and she is in the states for a few weeks before heading back there again. Elisa has given me so much insight into this ordeal Jonathan and I are going through. She is a beautiful person and I am so happy that God brought us together as friends. She has truly been a blessing from above.

A Day at the Beach

On our way home from Michigan over the fourth of July weekend, we stopped at a beach in Michigan to climb the dunes and play in the water. It was Peyton's first time to see Lake Michigan! She was a little leery at first about the waves, but she did alright! She loved the sand and was covered in it by the time we left.

Needless to say, after five days of nonstop play and swimming, Peyton was a little tired!

Pictures from the Fourth

We thought we'd share some pictures with you from our time in northern Michigan. We are convinced we have the cutest nieces and nephews around!











Caleb is an avid fisherman!










Jacob and Micah













Emily

Peyton had a blast, too! She loved swimming in the river and even learned how to climb the ladder! (Kind of) She played and played and played with her other dog friends. She and Bullet may have had the most fun together, though.

Interview #2

Yesterday was kind of a busy day. We had one guy come look at our condo and two other people call and ask about it. The guy who came to see it really liked it and told us he'd crunch some numbers and get back to us. We're hoping to hear from him soon. And to top off all the condo calls, Jonathan also got a call for a job interview! It's at Arbor Circle counseling in Grand Rapids this coming Monday. We are both very excited about this and can't wait to see how it pans out. So please keep this interview in your prayers. Who knows what may happen.

25 Years Young

Yes, I turned the big 25 yesterday. My siblings made sure to remind me that I am now halfway to 50 and a quarter of a century. Thanks guys. My wonderful husband took me out to eat and to a movie to celebrate. When Jonathan told our waiter that it was my 25th birthday, he chuckled to himself and said, "You look 18". Now, he may have been trying to get a bigger tip, but it's not the first time I've been told I look much younger than my years. It used to bother me, because I didn't like being a working adult who was told she looked like a high schooler. But now, as I am getting older, I'm starting to realize that this looking a lot younger thing is actually a good thing! Now when I'm 40, I'll still look like I'm in my 20s. I love it!! :) Anyway, back to our evening out. We went to see Nacho Libre at the theater and, man, was it funny. I was in the mood to laugh at something stupid, which is exactly what happened. Jack Black makes that movie, and I spent half the time just cracking up at his outfit and accent. So, we would both recommend it; and the best part is, it's clean! All in all, I had an enjoyable 25th birthday. Jonathan made me a butter cake with my favorite frosting of all time--rainbow chip. Mmmm! As a side note, we do have a guy coming to look at the house tonight, so we'll see how it goes. Until next time...

Jonathan's Interview

Jonathan and I had a great break from work and spent the past five days in Michigan with his family. We were up at his parent's cottage in northern Michigan and had gorgeous weather and a great time. Peyton got to swim and play with the other three dogs and had so much fun! She is completely exhausted, though, and has slept for the past 18 hours or so! It was great to see everyone again and all our nieces and nephews (pictures will be coming soon hopefully!). On our way home, we stopped in Grand Rapids for Jonathan's job interview yesterday morning. The interview went well, but there is no open position at this time (and won't be for about a year or so). I don't understand why an agency would ask Jonathan to come in for an interview when they don't even have a position to offer him, but then again, there's a lot of things I don't understand anymore. The guy basically just told Jonathan that he liked his resume and would pass it along to some friends of his, whatever that means. I have 12 more days of work before my replacement begins, so hopefully something happens soon. Jonathan continues to apply for new jobs and I know he is getting discouraged. Thank you to everyone who is keeping us in their prayers. Words cannot express our appreciation for the love we feel from you guys.

Another Day, Another Challenge

I am realizing more and more how much I am like the Israelites. Those annoying, whiny people who roamed around the desert for 40 years, complaining 24/7. No sooner did God provide for them, they forgot and began to complain again. It seems as if as soon as I am finally able to say, "Okay God, here it is. I'm giving everything over to You and I will not worry myself with it anymore. It is in Your Hands and I will rest in that", something new comes up and I want to take everything back again. My job does not provide dental insurance, so I haven't been to the dentist since living in Marion two years ago. Recently, though, the right side of my mouth has been aching and I found a dentist in Wheaton that was offering a relatively cheap cleaning and exam special for new patients. So, yesterday, I went to get it checked out. The dentist informed me that my wisdom teeth are plowing through with nowhere to go, ergo my uncomfortable ache. He suggested I get them taken out asap. I told him that we are hoping to move to Michigan soon and get insurance there. He said that the sooner we get situated and I find a good oral surgeon, the better. I was okay with the news until later that evening when I got home and started really thinking about it. First of all, I have never had any kind of surgery before in my life and I am scared to death about this procedure. I know, I know, everyone and their mom has had their wisdom teeth out and it's not a big deal, but it is to me. Secondly, I started worrying (a favorite pastime of mine recently) that now, not only does Jonathan need to find a job soon, but a job with dental insurance that will hopefully kick in right away instead of him having to work for 3-6 months before they begin his insurance. And, of course, you can't be pregnant and get the necessary x-rays done for this procedure, so that put the icing on the cake for me. I seriously don't know how much more "faith testing" I can take. I mean, surely God knows that a human being can only take so much stress and testing before they crack, right? Thankfully I have a wonderful husband who is so strong, it amazes me. So, after I took all my worries and anxieties back from the Hand I had just given them to, I had to once again humble myself before the throne and acknowledge that there is nothing I can do about it but trust Him to provide. Gee, that sounds familiar...like maybe I've done that before...

God Orders Our Stops As Well As Our Steps

Jonathan and I were talking last night about our whole situation and how frustrating things have been. Jonathan still does not have a job after four months of intense job searching. He applied for his limited license in Michigan about a month and a half ago and found out yesterday that he was rejected for it because he applied for the wrong one. Apparently, Michigan's licenses are screwed up and very different from Illinois'. So Jonathan now has to make some calls and go through the whole process all over again, which could take another couple months. I will be finished at my job the end of July, as they have hired a new person who begins July 24. Jonathan is not sure how much longer he will be needed on the job site he is at now doing construction. So, we are realizing that in a month, we could both be unemployed and without insurance. Yikes! But, as we talked, we realized that we don't have it bad, so to speak. We have our health, our family, friends, a roof over our heads, and a puppy who adores us. As Jonathan put it, we're just "uncomfortable" right now more than anything. It still is easy for us to get discouraged, though, and as Jonathan rolled over to finally go to sleep, I began to read my devotional for the day out of "Our Daily Bread". It was as if the passage had come straight from God's Hand. The author was talking about the two great fears of sailing at sea--a terrible wind or no wind at all. He wrote, "Sometimes life demands that we weather a storm. At other times it puts us to the test of tedium. We may feel stuck. What we want most is just out of reach. But whether we find ourselves in a crisis of circumstance or in a place where the spiritual wind has been taken out of our sails, we need to trust God for guidance. The Lord, who is sovereign over changing circumstances, will eventually guide us to our desired haven (Psalm 107:30)." I immediately roused Jonathan and read this to him. We both realized that while we are not experiencing a terrible storm, we are feeling stuck. Nothing is happening and there is absolutely not a darn thing we can do about it. But God is sovereign. The text ended with this short poem: "I will not fear the howling storms of doubt, Nor shudder when I feel I'm all alone; But I will trust my Savior as I shout: 'The Lord's my helper--He is on the throne!'". Amen.

Picture Update

So we finally got our pictures developed and on a cd so we can put them on our blog! We've had some good times lately. Over Memorial weekend we went to Big Long Lake in Indiana with the Moore family and did some serious tubing. Not only was I a little sore from the tubing, I was also nearly deaf from my sister screaming the entire time. :) I also threw in a picture of the flowers Jonathan got me for our anniversary. The picture does not do them justice. They were beautiful coral roses--I couldn't believe he remembered that coral was one of the colors in our wedding! We also went biking downtown with Andrew and Tanya, which was way fun. Except for the fact that the wind that day was about 30 mph and riding into it was next to impossible. I knew it was bad when a runner passed me! We also got to celebrate Peyton's first birthday June 15th! She loved her peanut butter sandwich cake we made for her. (Laugh all you want, we know we're dorks. Who else celebrates their dog's birthday?!). We hope you enjoy our pictures...

Graduation Pics

Here are some pictures from Jonathan's graduation. Doesn't he look so wise?

Yes, We're Still Here

Well, it's been a month and half since Jonathan graduated and not much has changed. Jonathan is working construction 40+ hours a week. This job is worse than when he was in school and had papers every night. He leaves at 5:30am and by the time I get home from work, we have just enough time to eat dinner, walk Peyton, and get in a game of dome hockey before Jonathan goes back to bed at 9. Usually Jonathan ends up taking a little cat nap after dinner, too, so our time together has been limited lately. :( My job is...well, it's what it always is. People at work keep seeing me and going, "What are you still doing here? I thought you were supposed to be long gone by now. Hahaha" and I think to myself, "Please, don't remind me." Anyway, we have had some activity on our house, so that's good. We actually had three different people come look at it over the weekend and we may have another one coming tonight or tomorrow. We're trying to keep a positive attitude without getting our hopes up. So, hopefully we will have some good news to post in the near future. In the meantime, we'll try to enjoy our jobs (woohoo, that's a good one!).