It's almost been a YEAR!!

Wow.. SO much has happened since I last wrote in the blog. I can finally access our pictures from the evil computer - so I have updated the "One Month at a Time" slide show for your viewing pleasure. I cry every time I edit it so I don't even preview my additions anymore. (Please let me know if I have spelling errors in it etc.)

The Lord has truly blessed us throughout the year but especially within the last two months. Paul is still without work and jobs are even more than scarce right now. We have decided it is who you know and a good dose of perfect timing in order to get a job. So we wait, but we have hope. The Lord doesn't let us down - He just times it in His time.

We have moved! Not to that 52 freeway overpass that we were considering but to a wonderful home about three blocks from my sister. Another one of the Lord's angels working His errand - a most wonderful and generous sister in our church, rented us her mother's old house. It saves us about $650.00 a month which allowed us to stay in town and keep Angie in school and Finn with her same doctors. It is the warmest, most cozy house we have ever lived in and less rent than some of our smallest apartments! A true blessing. It has a wonderful yard and a fireplace with a great mantle for my photos. Angie's room has a dutch door and she is thrilled with it! Finnie LOVES to watch and listen to the fire and we are so happy here. Our wonderful friends not only moved us in - BUT unpacked it all and put it away! My gratitude was immeasurable!

Now to add to that blessing - a few days before the move - a friend's husband offered me a part-time job. Stressed me out at first because I couldn't imagine leaving Finnley at home so I said, "no, but thank you." Tom asked me to pray about it. So I prayed that I would take the job if it was the right thing for my family and I felt very peaceful about it. I did that three times with the same result. I then figured I was praying wrong because God wouldn't want me to leave this yummy baby at home right? So I changed my prayer - this time I prayed that I would refuse the job and stay home. THEN I got a sick feeling inside and I knew it wasn't the right decision to not take the job. (But just in case, I prayed the original prayer to double check - peaceful feeling came over me again) (So I'm OCD, you all knew that!!) Paul may be out of work for awhile, who knows? God puts blessing in front of us that may not be what we are expecting but HE knows what we need - I am grateful for the opportunity to help provide for my family. We're a team after all, right?



Finn and Paul are doing great together - although the first day, Finnie looked horrible when I came home from work! This picture just doesn't do justice to what I found!! Her hair was hanging in her face and was just big hair, she had sleepy in her eyes because Paul forgot to wash her face in the bath and she was wearing a plain white onesie and plain brown pants. Are you kidding me? That kid has the CUTEST clothes ever and you dressed her in that? (In his defense - he said brown and white match) Yeah - but Finn's not going to look like a latch key kid just because her dad is in charge. I now try to bathe, dress and clip her hair up before I leave in the morning!! (Just for peace of mind) The job is very flexible and will allow me to go to any of Angie or Finn's appointments. It's about 5 minutes from our house and I love the people I am working with. The job is fun - a lot of busy work and detail stuff that I thrive on. My title is "Accounting Clerk" but I do pretty much whatever they need. A true blessing as we can now eat and pay the electric bill!!

We are getting ready for the "Great Cupcake Party" on the 28th. If you haven't gotten an invite - let me know and I will send one out. They turned out super cute and everyone is invited!! Eat as many cupcakes as you like - it's our way of saying thank you for all of your prayers, help and good thoughts for Finnie and our family over this past year. We truly could not have done it without you! We see you as angels in our lives and hope we can be that for you as well!! THANK YOU!!