So BLESSED!

I am feeling so blessed right now. The past 7 months have been so difficult. Well, actually, I am not going to lie, the past 18 months have been pretty rough.

Bryan has been going through some stuff at work (a demotion, a pay cut, etc) that did not make any sense. Many people could not understand why these things were happening to him, because there was no reason for it. It would have been easier to understand if he had done something to deserve it, or if for some reason he hadn't been doing his job. That was not the case. What it boiled down to was politics. It was frustrating, heartbreaking, and well, needless to say, VERY humbling.

We moved forward. Bryan tried his best to do what he could in his new position, with his new pay. He was so much better at handling the situation then I think I would have been. He was not bitter toward the person who caused us to be in this situation. He just pressed forward doing all he could to provide for our family. I on the other hand, had to struggle with my feelings for that particular person. At times I still do.


I went back to school during all of this mess so that I could finish up my degree and help our situation financially at some point. It was a scary leap of faith to make the decision to pack up and move south 400 miles so that I could finish my education. However, we knew it was what needed to be done. The kids and I pack our bags and left, and Bryan stayed put in his new job assignment. A little time went on and we resigned ourselves to this situation.


There was a job that Bryan applied for a few weeks ago. It was one that was probably yet another pay cut, but, it would get him out of the situation of working for a person we no longer trusted or respected. He interviewed for the job and hoped like crazy he would get it.


After three weeks of waiting for an answer, he found out he did not get the job. It was a crushing blow. Another humbling experience. Another time to question what really was important.


We spent a lot of time praying trying to figure out what we should do.


At one point we decided that Bryan would just find some type of a job, any job, that would pay him enough for us to just get by and he would go back to school. It was scary to think of living like poor starving college students while we were in our 40's, but we knew that he needed to get out of the working situation he was in.


Yesterday at 10 AM, EVERY THING changed! It is amazing the difference a day makes :) Bryan received a phone call from a man that both of us have a deep love and respect for. This person has not only come to our rescue once, but twice. There have been some changes and a new company formed with the acquisition of new stores. This person, that many years ago was Bryan's boss, was put at the head of the new company. He met with Bryan and offered him a new position. I can't go into details about it, yet, because it has not all been announced. Let's just say we are feeling VERY blessed right now.


Bryan will still have to have his office up north; however, there will be some flexibility in his schedule and even times where he will be able to work from home. Things are better than we could have imagined right now. We are feeling very blessed and excited for the future.


There are still a lot of pieces to the puzzle to put together, but we know that with prayer and faith, we will figure out a way to make all the pieces work.

Just when you think. . .

Just when you think you have it all figured out. . .you realize you don't! :)

I don't mean this in a bad way, I just think that since my life has seemed to be on a continual roller-coaster ride since about March, I have realized that life is FULL of surprises! Sometimes good, sometimes not so good. I guess that is what keeps it from getting boring.

Changes in Bryan's job have made us question all kinds of things. Once you get past the whys and how comes, you realize what is important. It is nice to know that family really is the foundation that our lives are built on. For us, family really is all that matters.

A house is just a house, money is just money, cars are just cars. . .family? Well, family is what makes a house a home. Family is worth more than money, and no matter how nice your car is, well, it doesn't mean a whole lot unless it is filled with the people you love from time to time.

I don't know where the next year is going to take us, financially or physically for that matter. What I do know, is, that as long as we have the love we share as a family. . .everything is going to be A-OK!

Shuttle Ride

I had a chance to ride the Shuttle up north on Friday. I was expecting the worst. A crowded van packed with people.

Instead, it was a great experience. There were only 5 of us on the Shuttle. So, that means that each of us got our own row to our self. The first half of the trip, I was able to get some homework done. When I finished my homework, I listened to my iPod for a bit.

The second half of the trip, the other passengers and I started to talk. They were young college kids (except for the old dude in the front seat who wanted to be left alone). One of the girls is a single mom, another boy just returned from two years in the Philippines after serving a mission for the LDS church, and the kid in the backseat is in his second year of college as a Theatre major.

It was fun to hear their different reasons for being on the shuttle and fun to get to know them a little bit.

It is kind of strange to be complete strangers with a group of people and yet still able to carry on a 3 hour conversation with them.

My husband tells me I am an extrovert. I don't see myself as one, but perhaps I am. I really did enjoy getting to know some new people. He said if he would have been on the Shuttle he guarantees that there wouldn't have been any 3 hour conversations going on with him and the other passengers. My friend Breck told me the same thing when he was cutting my hair later that day.

My husband thinks I am strange because I have strangers tell me things all the time. They just start talking to me and then before you know it they are disclosing personal information that you would think you would only tell someone who you knew well. Haha!

Maybe I am going into the wrong profession. . .perhaps I should have been a therapist ;) Then I could have conversations with strangers telling me their personal information all day long.

WAHOO!

I need to catch up on my blogging! I have been so swamped with school and life, that I haven't had a chance to blog in WAY TOO long!

I FINALLY got my letter from the college. When I opened the mailbox, I saw a large white envelope from the college in there. I stared at it for a minute. Then I pulled it out and stared at it some more. My heart was pounding. My hands started sweating. After standing frozen for a few seconds, I tried pushing down on the envelope to see if I could read through the envelope to see what the letter said. Don't ask me why. I suppose I figured if it said sorry, it would be easier to read it that way. I am not sure. Haha! Anyway, I finally opened the letter. It started out, Dear Lori. Congratulations! WAHOO! I did it! I was accepted into the Bachelor of Science program for Elementary Education!!! It has been a long road to get to this point, but I have arrived! My next destination? GRADUATION!!! A job, and then at some point, on to my Masters degree :)

Thanks to everyone who offered their support and wrote my letters of recommendation. I couldn't have done it without you!!! :)

Waiting and waiting and waiting some more.

Everyday, I DREAD the sound of the mail truck. Why? Because I am waiting for my acceptance or denial letter as to whether or not I was accepted into the Education program at the college.

I feel like my life is on hold. I am in limbo so to speak. I don't know what the near future holds. Will I be taking Education classes in the Spring??? Will I need to move on to something else??? Are the classes I am taking now going to do me any good??? (If I don't get into the program, they certainly won't!)

So, here I sit, waiting. . .

For now, my heart will continue to skip a beat every time I hear the mail truck drive by. As I slowly make my way to the mailbox, I will continue to wonder, "Will this be the day I get my answer?".

Off My Chest. . .

I ranted on my Facebook recently about a couple of pet peeves I have. I am sorry if this offends anyone, but seriously, there are a few things that BUG THE CRAP out of me and I thought I would share.

Maybe in doing so, I will make the world a better place and help a few poor lost souls out with some grammar. Heh, heh.

So, here is what started it all. Last night I am in my Education classes, yes, these would be classes for people who want to teach our children one day. Well, TWO of the students got up to do their presentations in front of the class and the first girl said, THREE times in her presentation how she wanted to be a KINDYGARDEN teacher. The next girl gets up and states that she wants to be a KINDERGARDEN teacher. Just for the record, it is:

K-I-N-D-E-R-G-A-R-T-E-N

A few others that BUG me:

Punkin---it is PUMPKIN. That is correct, pumpkin pie, NOT punkin pie!
Liberry--it is LIBRARY
Valentimes--it is VALENTINES

Whew, just had to get that off my chest! Do you have any that bug you? If so, feel free to share in my comments. I would love to know I am not alone in this :)

MaRaTHoN PICS! :)

First of all, thanks to the Borst family for inviting us to join in on their 25.2 mile marker post. It was great fun. This is the third time we have been able to do this with them. It always inspires me when I see what some of these runners look like when they hit their last mile. I SO want to do the marathon. . .I think the only reason I never have is because of a fear of failure. Maybe I will do it next year. . .

Our Linda, she was in SO much pain! She did GREAT! :)Running-Dog-Man! YES! He is famous in our little world :)
The final mile marker. Station 25.2 miles.

TOO CUTE! Wish I would have had my other lens on for this shot.

Grizzly Man. See him EVERY year.

WOWZAS!

Run-Away Bride.

AMAZING! This is Debbie and this is the 33rd time she has run THIS marathon.

Not to mention COUNTLESS others! She has run this marathon pregnant and while battling cancer. What an inspiration!

Heading toward the finish line.

PAIN!

Smile!

Before the runners arrive.

Waiting for the runners.