A Job Please!!!

Well, it happened. Adam was laid off from work on Wednesday. It wasn't just Adam. His boss was also let go along with four other people. Adam felt like something like this might happen. Working in the consulting business as a hydrogeologist has been very hard this last little while with the way the economy has been. He hasn't had a project to bill to in over two months. We thought that the company would try and stick it out because they do have a very big project in the works but they couldn't wait and had to let most of the office go. Now comes the big questions. Where do we go? Finding another hydrogeology job is very hard. A lot of the companies are in the same situation as the one he worked with. They either aren't hiring or they are laying off. Adam could teach. He would have to get some certifications and he would love to teach however teachers are so underpaid. I don't think our family could survive on that salary. We have been checking into it and most of the teachers make less that half of what Adam made. It makes me very angry that our teachers are so under paid and under appreciated. We just bought a home over a year ago. I really do not want to have to move again. We have moved so many times. The girls were supposed to be starting school this year. I don't want to have to try and sell a home in this market. So we are praying very hard. We know the Lord knows where we are supposed to be and what we are supposed to do. We have to be patient and obedient and the answers will come. It is very hard though. It's not just ourselves that we have to think about. So, to everyone that reads my blog, please pray for us. I know it's a tough economy out there right now. Everyone is on pins and needles when it comes to their financial security. I guess it's time to ban together and pray for eachother. I am grateful to the Lord for everything he has done for our family and continues to do. We will keep everyone posted!!

"Love thy Neighbor?"

Some of you know what has been going on with our neighbor. For those of you who don't let me fill you in. Our houses are set up a little differently. We kind of live in what you would call a pod of six houses. Three on one side and three on the other. Our driveways all face eachother. Hopefully you can imagine what I am talking about. We of course have two vehicles. I park my van in the garage and Adam up until about Sept. had been parking his jeep right in front of our garage. It let other people get in and out no problem. Well we had a lady move in across from us. Her garage faces our garage. She moved in about two weeks after we did. She is divorced no kids two dogs. She never really smiles, pretty much keeps to herself and stays in her house all the time. She is probably in her 40's I am guessing. Well in Sept. she comes knocking on our door very angry and proceeds to tell me that I need to tell our friend to moved his car out of our driveway because she can't get out. (Adam was home teaching and his companion parked in the back on our driveway). She then tells me that Adam needs to stop parking back there because she can't get out of her driveway and that we are causing problems for other people in our little pod area. So I quickly call Adam and tell him that they need to get home so that his companion can move his car. Adam comes home and his comp moves his car and that was that. I then proceed to tell Adam that she said we are causing problems for other people in our pod and that he needs to stop parking back there. So we go over tell her we are sorry, we had no clue it was causing her problems(we obviously can't read minds and had no clue she had a problem with this)and that Adam will start parking in the visitor parking up the road. She still is pretty upset and really doesn't want to talk about it, but oh well we did our part right? So Christmas comes around and my parents parked back there so they could unload some Christmas gifts for the girls. Lo and behold when they go out to leave, there is a note on their car that says "this is not a parking spot". I was so upset that she would do this especially on Christmas Day!!! My parents just blew it off and left, but I was still very upset. I decided that I would write her a card and give her a bag full of candies and just let her know that I really didn't want there to be any problems between us. We are neighbors for heaven's sake. I also went to all of our neighbors to apologize for causing any inconviences about the parking situations since she made it sound like we were causing lots of problems. Our neighbors had no clue at all what she was talking about about. They had no problems whatsoever with us parking there.

She didn't answer the door when I went over to give her the gift so I left it at her door and went on my way. Since then I have done my best to say hi to her she ignores me. When my kids go out to play in our backyard she immediately slams her windows shut. Or she will come out on the phone and then notice that my kids are playing outside and she will say in a really loud voice " I need to go inside my neighbor has their kids out playing and I can't hear". So I have grin and bore it. I have still tried to be Christ like to her no matter what but last night was the last straw!!! Adam had picked up some fans for our home in his jeep. He needed to unload them all so he parked right up against our garage to unload everything inside. Once inside I told him that I immediately wanted to move the car because I didn't want her to have a problem with it. Adam laughed it off and thought it was funny. I told him however that I was going to go move it because I didn't want to give her any more ammo for hating us like she obviously does. So I go outside to move his jeep. As I turn on the headlights and start to move the jeep to the visitors parking area I notice that there is something on the windshield. I get out and notice that it is a Christmas bag, it looks really familiar. Inside are candies and a card. Yes, dear reader you guessed it. She returned the Christmas bag and goodies two months later and on the card that I so lovingly wrote for her she wrote back "you couldn't even go two months?"

What kind of mean and vindictive person would do that? I do not get it. I was so angry, so hurt, so frustrated. I have gone over and above for this woman. I have tried to love her even though she is a bitter hateful person. I have prayed for her in my prayers to let me love her no matter what she does. Let me tell you though it is so hard. Adam went over to her house to try and talk to her about this and to tell her to stop leaving notes on our car. She immediately got very snobby and proceeded to tell him with her hand in his face " oh toodles see ya later" and wouldn't listen to a thing he had to say. So I am at a loss. I will of course continue to pray for her. That is all I can do. Obviously she is a very unhappy person. There is nothing I can do that will change her attitude, but I of course am in control of mine. After brooding over it last night and some this morning I have decided that I will still be my happy self. I will still let my children play outside and have fun. I will not secretly wish that javelina will dump over her garbage. Because they did do that last night you know. Anyway enough of my rant. I am done I guess until the next episode happens. I hope you all have very kind and loving neighbors. Sometimes I think we can take them for granted. So, lets bake some cookies or bread and drop them off to those good neighbors!!! Hope you all have a fabulous day!!!

The Battle

Alright, so most of you know that I have been losing weight for a little while now. I have been bombarded with the pleas of family and friends for a picture of me!! I hate pictures. I don't care what my weight is, but I know they are important for posterity and all that good stuff. I am down 60 pounds. It hasn't been easy and I have lots to go, but it's a good start. I feel so much better, excercising is easier, playing with my kids is easier. I feel better about myself, I can fit into clothes that I haven't worn in over 6 years. Most of all I am trying to be an example to my Young Women that I teach. Last year towards the end of the year we gave a lesson about taking care of our bodies. We talked about how our bodies were temples that our Heavenly Father put them together with such care. I know that Heavenly Father has been on my side this entire time that I have started treating my body better. I could not do this alone. Sometimes it is hard, frustrating and sometimes way too slow!!! Could someone please invent a body slimming machine that takes it all off in like one day! I still have to cook for my family and live in a world where treats and sugar are everywhere. I take it one day at a time. That is all I can do. Thank you for everyone who gives me support in this. Especially my hubby!. My girls tell me I look beautiful everyday and ask me why I excercise so much( ha ha). Here's to a healthier 2009!!!