Dig It!

This past Tuesday night was my second graders' performance of Dig It!, a play about Ancient Egypt and Ancient China. We had been practicing tirelessly for over a month to get ready for the big show. They did a really good job, even after missing a lot of practice due to the snow days. Jeremiah came out to support me, and I'm sure if you ask him he would go on and on about what a great time he had. Ha! 

Here are a couple pictures from the play. Don't be fooled by the number of kids on the stage, there are also two sets of risers on either side jam-packed with kids that you can't see. 125 in all. Below that you see our mummy dancers. Classic.

Greg and Elise

Yesterday, Jeremiah and I were fortunate enough to be able to visit our dear friends, Greg and Elise Boros. As most of you know, Greg is Jeremiah's best friend who is awaiting a heart transplant. Greg, Elise, and I all graduated together from Penn State. I want to encourage you to read the post Greg just wrote on their blog. I'd also encourage you to go back and read through the whole process. It's a real perspective-changer. The link to the blog is to the right of this post.

It was great to see them and to share in their reality. Jeremiah and I are thankful we are only a short two hours away and are able to make a day trip to visit, especially during such a tough time. We belly-laughed as always and we learned about the immensely detailed, completely altered lifestyle they now live. These are two amazing, amazing people. 

Floored

Jeremiah and I were feeling pretty defeated from the past two weeks. A couple Mondays ago Shaniqua died, and then that Saturday we filed our taxes and found out we owe $1,500. After stressing about the car, but planning on getting money from taxes, it felt like a kick in the face to find out how much we owe. I was especially bummed because we would love to be able to buy a house as the end of our lease approaches this summer. *Note: We still haven't officially decided to stay in Virginia, but really feel like that might be our best choice right now (which kills me to say when I think about being far away from family!).*

So although Jeremiah has kept his cool pretty well, I have been feeling almost crushed by the whole ordeal. I've been trying to remind myself of truth and that my hope has to be in God and not in my circumstances. That's a hard lesson to learn. I've also been feeling a bit guilty since we owe money for taxes based on my job. I must have screwed something up when I originally filled out my paperwork. And my job pays low as it is, so I feel like I am contributing next to nothing to our endeavors. I'm currently trying to find another job, in an effort to offset our expenses and hopefully be able to buy a home and start having kids. I'm also looking so that hopefully I am able to find something that is better suited for me, something I feel I am purposed to do.

With all that being said, I must share with you why I entitled this post 'floored.' This past Friday when I got home from work I checked the mail. In the stack was what looked like a card, with a bright yellow and orange envelope, but no return address. I was wondering what it might be for, and figured maybe it was a thank you from Ruby. Had no idea.

Well, it wasn't a thank you. It was a card that said. "When things seem unclear, God is near." It also had a hand-written message that said "God calls us to plant seed and we believe you two are good ground. You are God's best!" And it also had $500 cash in it.

I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! I immediately called Jeremiah, in total shock of the gift we had just received. We were floored. Some friends of our sent us an anonymous gift of $500 with such a fitting message. God really does provide for his children. And he also really does care for his children, too. He has reminded me through this of where my trust belongs and that He is faithful. He has reminded me through this that He loves me, and that although I'm totally confused and at times feel alone, not only is He here, but so are others. It is so crazy that these people are so faithful to God that they were willing to send such a humble gift. We cannot personally thank them, because we really don't know who it is. But if you're reading, WE CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH. This is huge in so many ways. Thank you!

R.I.P. Shaniqua

About a week ago, Jeremiah said his final goodbyes to his dearly beloved powder-blue 1998 Ford Taurus, affectionately known as Shaniqua. 

Two Mondays ago, Jeremiah was off to Dave's house to enjoy one of our many snow days. Unfortunately, he never made it to Dave's. Instead, Shaniqua decided to completely die right past an intersection on a four-way highway. Dead, and no lights to protect itself. Thankfully, a car noticed Jeremiah was stuck and decided to stop behind him and put her flashers on. Then, two more cars stopped behind that car. How decent of them? But then, a fourth car rammed into the third car, totaling both. Soon the highway was filled with EMS, fire, and four police vehicles. Shaniqua was towed to a nearby Good Year, and we were soon later informed that the damage would run us around $600 at least. Jeremiah figures the brakes are going to go soon, not to mention the air conditioning has been shot and the doors take a certain finesse to close properly. So, after a long deliberation, we decided to let her go. Although we don't have the money to buy a new car or add a monthly payment, we figured we could suffer through a one-car lifestyle for at least a little while. Luckily, Jeremiah's Aunt Patti has allowed us to borrow her car until she needs it. That's a huge help right now, since only having one car becomes highly complicated.

We had planned to just donate Shaniqua, to avoid having to pay more towing costs; however, one of the mechanics at Good Year had a brother who needs any kind of transportation he can get his hands on. God provided $400 for us from that guy, which we're so so thankful for.

Here she is, awaiting her fate in the Good Year parking lot.

Fun Shirts

The "3" shirt is for Ruby's third birthday this Saturday. I ordered it from a blog that I absolutely LOVE.

Here is another sorry attempt of mine to work a sewing machine. Needless to say, the machine definitely worked me. 

JOKE!

"Do to inclement weather, Henrico County Public Schools are closed tomorrow, February 8, 2010."

Just got the call. This state is NUTS! I was out today, driving on bare roads. This must be a joke.

Oh, and I want to make pillows, too!

Passing the Time

Jeremiah and I have never experienced such a severe case of cabin fever. It's been a silent killer for me, whereas Jeremiah is bouncing off the walls crazy. In our free time, we've mostly watched TV, ate, and played Skip-Bo. I'm pretty good at this game. Pretty good meaning I've won the slight majority of the games we've played. 

In addition to Skip-Bo domination, I have been conjuring up some ideas that will allow my sewing machine to make me rich. Well, in a dreamworld. Inspired by many things I've seen on Etsy.com, I've made a list of several items I could possibly make and then sell on my own etsy site, or by word of mouth to people I know. My ideas mostly consist of fun kids t-shirts, maybe some bags/purses, maybe some bibs. Who knows. Jeremiah ventured with me to Jo-ann Fabrics & Crafts to help get me started with some fun fabric. I also experimented with a shirt. The shirt pretty much was a train wreck, but I figure I can only get better from here.

One Day Work Week

You heard it correctly. One day work week!

Henrico and Chesterfield County Public Schools had a fourth snow day this week, after having three in a row and then a two-hour delay yesterday (I had to go in on time yesterday, but Jeremiah did not. I don't think I'm granted your sympathy though).

Today and tomorrow they are calling for a mixture of rain, snow, and sleet, which may all accumulate anywhere from 4"-10" I believe. Here's a snapshot of what we're working with as of noon today. Sticking to the sidewalks and cars (you'll notice Shaniqua to the left of the Cruiser), but not the road quite yet. It's a slushy mess for now. Jeremiah and I headed out to the library to rent a couple movies, and boy was that place packed. Same with the grocery store... again.

I got smart yesterday though and FINALLY bought a snow shovel. More money than I would have liked to spend, but it's worth not throwing my back out again trying to shovel with an ice pick. I was shocked I could actually find a shovel, but I found what I consider to be a hole in the wall home/garden/lawn place. Southern States, way to go. And way to go me for thinking of going there. I was planning on hunting for a sled, but was D-O-N-E with the crowds of people everywhere so called it quits and came home. 

These southerners are getting a rare taste of the north and I am loving it. I'd like to think the credit should go to Jeremiah and me, considering before we moved here Richmond could only dream of seeing the white stuff dust the ground.

No News is Snow News

One month exactly. That's a problem. Mom, thanks for confronting me about that tonight on the phone. Everyday when I'm on my computer I realize that it's been way too long since I've updated, but at the same time am totally demotivated because it seems like nothing very exciting is going on in our lives. From now on, I'll try to make even the mundane pleasant to read.

One thing that has indeed been exciting is blizzard round two in Richmond!! This past Saturday central Virginia got clobbered with about a foot of snow! In fact, I write to you now on the eve of our THIRD snow day. Yes, you read that correctly. As of tomorrow, we will have had three snow days in a row due Saturday's snow. Virginians are going nuts having had a huge snow last March (which we had three snow days for as well), a blizzard right before Christmas, and now this! On Friday I had to pick up some things at the grocery store and literally got the last spot in the parking lot. Who knew those massive parking lots could actually fill up. People here are crazy. Although ridiculous, I still love the fact that I once again can sleep in tomorrow morning. We're all positive will be back to work on Thursday though. The hardship of a two-day work week. Pennsylvania would scoff at such absurdity. VDOT needs to take a few tips from PennDOT, that's for sure.

An unfortunate consequence of the white stuff was that Jeremiah's concert on Saturday was canceled. Mark Willard (one of Jeremiah's best friends from Penn State) ventured down from Maryland on Friday night to spend the weekend with us. Him and Jeremiah were supposed to go see Lecrae (a Christian gospel/rap/hip-hop artist) on Saturday and spent $67 per ticket to do so. Weren't we all bummed when we got the email that due to inclement weather, Lecrae would not be performing. They were bummed for obvious reasons. I was bummed because that meant I was trapped in this small apartment with two men and only one TV. As you can tell, I've lived to tell about it, although cabin fever had set in only a few short minutes after they decided to watch the movie Star Trek. It ended up being a fun weekend, and we were very grateful for Mark's four-wheel drive to get us to church and to pick up Pizza Hut.

That's about all for now. Jeremiah and I have been counting down the hours until the season premiere of LOST. OH MY GOSH WE CANNOT WAIT! We just saw a commercial for it and my heart nearly stopped. We'll be glued to ABC for three hours of Lost obscenity in LESS THAN AN HOUR! I'm sure I'll be twice as confused and anxious once it's over, but here's to any hope we have to get any questions answered.

Here are a couple pictures of the snow from Sunday morning...