School Mural

"Before" pictures are important, to give you an idea of the dramatic change a mural can make...

Kind of cute, not very scary.

It was an early dismissal day for elementary students, so I didn't have the traffic flow through the lobby.  Except for curious teachers coming to admire my progress and comment.  I had a grimmace smile going, trying to not mind the interruptions and be pleasant.  Sometimes I hear someone has said something to me but it doesn't register or connect with my mouth to be social back in time.  Painting changes time, changes how I listen to people.  Hard to start talking when working intensely.  I started at 1:30, left the school at 6:30 pm, after applying 2 coats of sealer.  (Read my Ender's lost years book and ate cheesecake while I waited for coats to dry.) 

Most time consuming was prepping the wall that had been destroyed by duct tape. Not a plesant thing to discover sticky residue, paint pulled from wall in spots, down to wallboard cardboard unprimed yucky.

My favorite part:  on the far left are front paw prints, BIG, bigger than my hands-silly.  THAT would be a squirrel to fear!

For this I cancelled Seminary: Family Adventure

I could have gotten a substitute, but it would have meant a different location for class, and the logistics were crazy.

It looks like we are standing in front of a dirt field...

John's work invited employees to bring family to see the reclaimed island, that had eroded down to 7 acres and is now....huge! We were packed like sardines into a boat and rode out to Poplar Island. They use the sledge dredged from the Bay and pump it on the island, making wetlands for the birds. Seriously intense eco-management project.

Another employee asked John if all his boys look just like him?

We got to hold the turtles. Like a cheeseburger. That was the instructions, hold it from the side, not with your hand in front of its mouth, but the way you would hold it if you were going to take a bite, like a ....

We had dessert first, at a "SWEET" bakery!

We had to leave before seminary would have started, drive for hours to the Eastern Shore to the boat dock to go to the island. There were hearts attatched to the public utility poles, a town fundraiser? My favorite one near the end of town said "(girl's name) tolerates (guy's name)"

Unexcused absence from school for three children. Seminary students caught up to Psalms on Monday 6 am. Educational field trip. Worth it for family good memories!

Mission Control

photo credit: (Deb Koehler, sister who picked up Elder L from airport and delivered him to MTC)

Yes, "Congratulations" are in order. Husband is full-time employed, after 19 months of stress & worry. His three part-time jobs. My babysitting/cleaning/subbing plus. Twenty pounds of my gaining and thirty of his losing. All those couple photos! All those cheap dates! All the help from friends & family, thank you!

Elder Landbeck leaves the MTC next week. I know we've been blessed through his service. I am just enough of a mystic to believe in direct corollaries. I believe in answers to prayers. The timing part was hard, but it wasn't up to me. I am not in charge of the grand plan, this test called life.

The Wednesday John got the call about employment I had left the house just after 5:00 am, drove out to the light house on the Chesapeake Bay, watched a great heron fly over my head, and prayed for help. I told God I couldn't do anymore alone, that I needed Him to keep going. I was able to get back home only 5 minutes late for seminary class, where John had sung with the students and prayed and he was winging it for me. The day went by in a blur of tears and emotional struggle. So I was pretty worn out by the afternoon when he called to tell me the good news.

Strong contrast with how miserable and down I was Wednesday and how elated and giddy John felt. I tried to rally for celebrating and was just worn out.

So, today I tell you, almost a week late, "I AM REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THIS!" It is good news. Friends from Church came bouncing up to me to give hugs and "CONGRATULATIONS!" and I had to think about what they were so happy for me about---yes, The Job! It is good news.

The End (of September)

I am tempted to just end this daily couple photo blogging. Tempted, like Satan inspired? Tempted-lazy? Tempted-depressed/saddened/enough already? Tempted-hormonal/PMS/grumpy?

The Census called. First for John. Then me. Big huge 5 hour testing today, mock interviewing, piddly wages, temporary "but could become full time."

We can't both go and take care of the kids. I actually feel really trepidatious(which spell check tells me is not a word?), not comforted, worried, stupor-fied about it. I don't think I am supposed to do this. John is going alone. I will take care of afternoon kid needs.

Still no benefits for us. No guarantees. Nobody has that, really. It can happen so suddenly, to anyone.

You are comfortable. Things are going well, and poof. A JB bomb goes off. (I love that initials can represent more than one person! 4 different ones, in this case, all loved ones with big changes happening in their lives).

I am thankful for seminary. This morning we talked about baptism. The torrential rain was dramatic. See my seminary blog for a picture of yesterday's learning aid/handout. Feeling peaceful, inspite of the stress, if that makes sense.

Somehow, it will be okay.

Stretch Yourself

One more, same clothes, same day--just in case I can't upload any more pictures this week!

Today I will be thinking about: probably work. My family. Crazy week of seminary with high school assessment tests all week and different times of classes starting changes the schedule for everyone but me. Emma far away. Praying for computer fixing help. Wishing I were painting more. Still praying for job with benefits and full-time for John. And reading "Little Dorrit" by Charles Dickens. LOVE that book, and it has so much to say about money issues!

I cheated and watched the BBC series first, but so far the book is very faithful to the story, with very few exceptions. The book makes things make more sense, bridges the film better. I feel like I already know the characters as they were so well acted in the film. Good, thick read to keep me under 40 hours of C. work for the week. I have to physically stop, take off my work badge, force myself to read so I am not spending 15 hours a day managing a huge crew.

Stretching, yes.

I could have shown you a treading water in the deep end picture of us--not quite drowning, but legs are growing weary trying to keep our heads above water (all kinds of great imagery). For others in the same financial boat: you are not alone. I will never take for granted financial security.

To the young and less experienced crowd: GET ALL THE EDUCATION YOU CAN while you are young--so much easier! Keep up your skills. Figure out how to support your family now, don't wait until you need to do it. Spend less. Save more. Pray always. Budget. Be disciplined with money. STREEEEEEeeeeettttttch out those paychecks. Be frugal. Be thrifty. Look at how you spend money on entertainment and see what you can cut out today. Figure out the difference between what you need and what you want.

What is Our Money Goal?

He is holding up his finger to give me something to focus on, aim at.

We've been writing down our financial goals, plans. I've been wrestling with whether or not to continue doing what I am doing at work, different phase, different projects, but being a crew leader again. Or not. There is a trade-off, switching bread-maker roles. (Meanwhile, John has learned how to make homemade rolls!)

Seriously. I miss being home. I miss being a homemaker full-time. These have been specific circumstances, John taking care of all meals and kids while I work 45 hour weeks. How long can we continue like this?

I am going back to school! Taking a class to update my teaching certificate.

Thrilling Thursday!

Going through my mail pile from when I was out of town I found a lovely card from quilting buddies. They banded together and put money together to pay for my meds for the month plus. Sweet friends, generous, great blessing.

(click on picture for upclose view of drops of paint, blue hands, etc)

This is what I look like after a long day painting. Sherman Williams "Spa" and can't remember the name of the dark, rich brown. It was like painting with chocolate pudding! Client allowed me to paint the ceiling--and it looks stunning! I painted the closet the same blue. Tomorrow girls' names, polka dots, faux rick-rack trim.

John's interview was 1 1/2 hours, he is one of 6 they are considering. We should hear back early next week if he had a return interview...Exciting! Prayers are answered!

I got a call from Census Department! They offered me a job, recruiting, same pay as earlier this year, plus miles. I start training/working on Monday morning! John will keep helping with babysitting and getting the kids off to school until Emma comes home and we put her to work!

And seminary was incredible this morning. We ended the discussion with singing, "I Stand All Amazed at the Love Jesus Offers Me..."

Things are going to be okay! Hallelujah!

Stupor of Thought Day

We took this picture 5 minutes before I got the call with a job offer and training starting 9 am this Sunday morning. Which would be during stake conference. I asked if I could call her back in 10 minutes. John and I talked about my concerns of how far away it is, the pricey parking problem, and how I put down on my application that Sunday morning I could not work. Conflict. I've been feeling stupified all morning (since the 2nd interview, which went great, but I felt terrible). Sad. Depressed. Tried to paint to cheer me up. Not feeling united with John, anxious. Tears. Trying to pray for clarity and help. I called the company back (still on my knees), thanked them for the offer, and turned them down, and felt instantly better. More tears, but it is okay. Horrible leap of faith here.

We got a sweet anonymous card in the mail with a movie pass and generous date money. No signature. No return address. The card says,

On the highway of life, there are bound to be some bumps in the road...
along with crater-sized potholes, backed-up construction traffic, and that one jerk who always cuts you off. (But anyway, you'll get through it.)

Thank you, our friends!

It's going to be okay.

Backdrops & Siblings!

Still no job, so another photo of us.
Some days I feel like I am stretching to think of a new place to take our photo. How much could I charge for other couples to use this as a backdrop? Divide our mortgage payment by 20 friends=$100.00! 40 friends=$50.00. What kind of fund-rasier would that be? I'll announce it here first.

Actually, I have an interview Wednesday at the Inner Harbor for a job I would love with Urban Outfitters...and finally heard a voice-mail rumoring that the Census Bureau is re-hiring all of us managers...(don't leave me time-sensitive messages, ever. If you don't get me when you call, email. I listen to my messages eventually, but not as often as I check email or blogs!)
Happy Birthday to one of my super creative sisters LUANNA today! Glad you are in my family!

My brother David (white shirt, glasses in above picture) sent me a sepia edited version of Us. See if you can tell what is different--a detail deleted that takes away a distraction, and not just the color... Thanks, David!