Family

I really just want to unload my whole story and it won't be the least bit interesting. I suppose I should actually have a journal... Oh well.
About four months ago Jody's uncle sat down and told him that the economy was going south and he didn't think he was going to be able to pay Jody's salary much longer. We took the warning seriously. Jody got a second job, we finished the basement bathroom, put the house on the market and Jody started trying to find a new job. Of course I was giving my sister hourly statuses and she mentioned it to a running friend down in Arkansas. Turned out he worked at a Civil Engineering and Surveying company and told her Jody should give him a call. Long story short, Jody decided to go interview. They offered him a job but we had to sell our house. His uncle continued the gloom and doom, so we started selling all of our furniture that we really didn't like or feel like it was worth moving. A ray of hope popped up and Jody found a job opening at the Mayo Clinic in the middle of October. We hoped and waited, hoped and waited... Nothing. The second week of November Jody started calling the company in Arkansas. The principle of the firm was on an extended vacation and they couldn't confirm the now three month old job offer and give him a start date without the okay from the big guy. So, we hoped and waited and hoped and waited. In a short period of time we decided if he got the offer, we would just drop everything and run to Arkansas so he wouldn't miss any paychecks. My parents were happy to buy an investment property for us to live in short term. He'd already been sent two no letters from the Mayo Clinic regarding other openings so it just wasn't a sure thing. We knew his paychecks were very numbered. We switched from a "for sale by owner" status to a real realtor and as expected... the ball dropped. Jody got his last paycheck a week before Thanksgiving. Still we hadn't sold our house. All this time we'd planned a trip to Arkansas over Thanksgiving that might extend into forever. Jody kept emailing Mayo Clinic and calling the Engineering company in Arkansas with nothing panning out. Two days before Thanksgiving I called my sister and told her we weren't going to make it for the big day. It was a sad day.
Today is three days after Thanksgiving. We have no idea what will happen this week if anything. Jody got the word from the compaying in Arkansas that the big guy is back from vacation but that's all. He got an email from Mayo Clinic saying they were going to decide who to call for an interview this week.
So... my prayer is that we will have an answer this week. It's been a long journey. We've stumbled alot. My kids have gotten the short end of my temper. I've had moments of weakness, and a lack of trust in God. Jody has too. Miraculously, we've never stumbled at the same time and we've picked one another up along the way. We've encouraged each other, and exhorted each other. I've learned to hold my tounge a little bit, but not enough. We've called on God for miracles, reminded Him of our faithfulness to Him and praised Him for all He has provided. One thing is for sure, we aren't holding our breaths waiting for the answer anymore. There have been many lessons... The answer isn't always instant, and it isn't always what we want to hear but it will come. We are not the one's to control our future. If we trust The One, He will provide and the journey should be as exciting and educational as the arrival. The biggest and most humbling and amazing lesson has been that our treasures are not of this earth. Our treasure is not in a couch, a table, a lamp or a futon but in God. Not all children get to experience it first hand, but my children have watched me sell half the furniture in my house and remind them, it's just stuff. We have each other and we don't need stuff to be a family.

Stress

I wish stress didn't exist. I wish we lived in utopia. Of course if we lived in utopia, we wouldn't know it or appreciate it unless we had previously known stress, so it's pointless. As a matter of fact, a survivor of the Haulocost would definitely think I live in utopia. should Utopia be capitalized? I don't know. I haven't spent much time reading about it. Forget it.
Eden is five now. She has officially started vying for the computer. She messes with the mouse pad, moves the keyboard around, randomly changes the font size on the computer and rearranges the list of internet favorites.
A few days ago she told me "When we get a new house, I'd like 600 teeter totters in the yard." I gave her a quizzical look and asked why. Her reply was "for all of my friends in my network." Jody and I got a good laugh out of that and I told him that if tv commercials can teach her how to use the word "network" in context, it can't be all bad.
Nick scoots and rolls all over the place. He turned five months a few days ago and is obsessed with paper. He will roll, scoot, strain, and twist as far as necessary to reach it. The really cute thing he does is superman. He lays on his belly and sticks his arms out in front of him while lifting his legs off of the floor and arches his back. He holds the position for a few seconds then goes completely limp and gathers his strength for another go. We call it his exercizes. He's so serious and determined. He also lifts his whole upper body off of the floor and swivels around whichever way he wants to go. Busy is all I can say about the kid.
Kait was so amazing about Eden's birthday. We told her it was Eden's day and she went to every extreme to make it such. She never pouted, tried to take Eden's toys, complained that it wasn't her birthday or anything. She bought Eden a set of play makeup for her birthday and was SO excited and proud to give it to her. I have never seen such a selfless little person. It was beautiful. If only I could say the same about Eden's attitude about her birthday.
Kaitlyn is my buddy. She asks me for so little, never does the same wrong thing twice (except hitting Eden), gives me company for everything I do and keeps up such an entertaining stream of chatter. If I hurt her feelings, I feel so bad and instantly apologize. It's so different from my relationship with Eden and I can't say why. It's like we both try in our relationship or something. With Eden, it's like I always have to do more to make her happy and with Kaitlyn, just being with me makes her happy and likewise.
Baby crying.