Family Service Project

For several months, I'd been feeling God calling me and the family to help/serve the poor and needy.  When I do my quiet time in the morning, I read a chapter from Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month.  Over and over again, I could feel God speaking to me about what he wanted us to do.  I'd mentioned it before but never really acted on it until I began feeling disobedient.  I did not like that feeling at all, so I talk to B and we decided Christmas Eve would be the best day.  I went shopping for the food on the 23rd with the kids and they were great helpers.  We bought chips and rice crispy treats, which we normally do not buy, but the kids were understanding that the 'good snacks' weren't for us to eat.  We were going to make lunches for needy/homeless/poor people that stood on the side of the road and asked for help.

I did my math right for all the pieces except the bread.  I bought enough to make 40 sandwiches but I just assumed that a serving of bread was 2 slices....yeah, it's only 1 slice.  So B ran to the store for 2 more loaves of bread.  We made 40 lunches that consisted of a ham or turkey sandwich, bottle of water, chips, and rice crispy treat.  The kids decorated the paper bags with Christmas stickers and we put them into two big boxes. 

assembling the sandwiches

enjoying a left Cheetos

We handed out the lunches that afternoon while E took a nap.  Aunt Mo and Gran stayed with E while the rest of us drove around passing out the bags.  I sat in the back with Avery and we passed the bags to the kids sitting in the middle.  B and Papaw were in the very front.  I think the most excited ones were the men that wait at Home Depot for daily jobs.  We drove up and Kinsey rolled the window down.  As soon as we slowed to a stop, they were at the window reaching inside for a lunch.  Of course the kids enjoyed the experience, but I was at peace about the whole thing.  I think waiting til Christmas Eve was the perfect time to introduce a service project to our children.  It was very easy to direct the conversation to the reason for Jesus and the service project he did for us when he died for our sins.  We talked about why Christmas isn't about getting presents and gifts, but about giving to others.  Maybe if we would've heard the song about Christmas shoes, that might have only made the afternoon better, but it was a great afternoon. 

 

Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Texas Tags

We might be a little late getting our Texas Tags, but not for lack of trying.  We tried for weeks to get our inspections done to Cherry and the Camry, but the computer was down for a while.  Once we finally got to get an inspection, it turns out our insurance was still NC insurance.  We had to call our insurance agent and get Texas automobile insurance instead of NC.  Once we got all that straightened out, we went to the Texas Taxes Office to apply for Texas Tags.  The line was long but we waited and waited.  The boys were so good and played their electronics.  E was in her stroller and was quiet for most of the time.  Everywhere we go here, please smile at her and say she's beautiful.  Of course I agree with them, but little blond girls are few and far between where we live.  When we finally got to the front and were called, the lady told us we were missing a form that we should have received when we had our cars inspected.  It's some form that out of state people need.  I don't think the car place knew we were out of state people trying to get tags, so they didn't give us the form.  We had to drive all the way back to the auto place, get this form filled out, then drive back to the tax office.  I think that trip alone took us an hour.  3 hours and $350 later we have Texas tags for both our cars.  In TX, cars are supposed to have tags on the front and back of the vehicle.  Not a problem for Cherry, but the Camry doesn't have a front plate holder.  So that will be our next order of business.  Ugh, again...so much stuff to do when you move!  

Life Changing

This journey we are on has been very smooth, peaceful and comfortable.  I love everything about our life right now.  God's blessed us with a great church home, small group, jobs, house, neighbors, family, babysitter, etc...I could go on.  Our life is about to change in a drastic way and I wish I could say I'm excited about it.  B says I should look at it as a new adventure.  I'm trying.  I'm trying hard.  I'm reading scripture passages that I find in the back of my Bible where it says "what to read when...".  I'm at peace and I accept it, but I'm sad.  I'm more than sad.  I have an achy heart. My life is here.  My mommy support group, my job, & my friends.  Tears swell up just when I think about leaving this place.  But a new adventure is waiting and Hantla's Handle Business (B's new motto).  A new adventure...

B sent out about 50 'feelers' is what he calls them for jobs.  I think he said of those 50, he sent out 25 resumes and CV's.  He's heard back from only a handful that he did not get the job.  He's had a few interviews and one was in Houston at CBS.  B had a phone interview first a several Thursdays ago, and it went well.  Then they called back and wanted to fly him to Houston so he flew out Sunday morning (April 6th) and flew home Tuesday night (April 8th).  He stayed with Anna while there and had 2 days jammed pack of meetings, meals, and interviews.  Before B left, we had a serious talk about what price we could move for.  Realistically what was he worth in salary terms.  The goal was to have an amount that would allow me to stay home since putting 3 kids into public daycare is unreasonable.  Before he left, we had reached a solid number and prayed that either the offer would be too low to consider or way above that we couldn't pass on it.

But the amount was spot on (unfortunately).  B flew home Tuesday night but we really didn't talk until Wednesday night after AWANA.  We both just cried.  Me more than him, but we both did knowing what the future holds.  Knowing that we would have to move.  God lined up everything to work out and we know God is faithful.  We know God has plans for us; plans for us to prosper.  B said CBS is great and I would love it there too.  It's hard for me to just get on board because I feel like I'm just following him down there.  In a sense, that's what I'm doing, but I knew this was a possibility when I said Yes on December 10th 8 years ago. B has always wanted to teach/work at the college level and now he has the chance.  I'm so happy for him and very proud of his accomplishments.  I guess I just thought it would be here in Wake Forest at SEBTS.  It's not and I'm trying to come to grips with it.

Will I just cry for the next 2 months?  I can't even think about leaving here without crying.  How am I going to tell people.  We haven't told small group yet.  I think on Tuesday at our next meeting.  There's just not a good time/place.  The guys are at a guys night right now in Fayetteville shooting.  Sara just had Baby Savannah this morning at 1am.  Our life is here and I'm crying now as I type.  I'm not even going to see Baby Caldwell #4 be born.  I'm not going to the beach with the O'Janpas in September.  I'm not going to watch fireworks at the Daniel house on Andrew's new deck.  I'm not going to sleep over at J/K's house anymore and stay up til 3 am watching who knows what on TV.  A new adventure...I want to stay on the old one!

I'm trying to be supportive and B is great.  He lets me cry and he comforts me.  I know he's sad too, but isn't as emotional as me about it.  I don't even know how to tell my principal without breaking down in her office.  I love my job and I love teaching.  Even the thought of packing up my classroom and saying goodbye to Michael is heart-breaking.  I might not even see his twins be born.  I wonder how many more births I'm going to miss???  God has a mighty work to complete in me.

We were at Red Lobster the other night and we tried to talk about the move.  I teared up there so we stopped.  MOVE?  And we'd have to sell our house...which means we have A LOT of work to do.  The front yard, the front porch, the kitchen cabinets, and other stuff around.  How would we find a house down there?  When would we move?  Where would we live?  Too much to think about and too over-whelming.

Enough with all the negatives (there are many more), so lets try and focus on this new adventure.  We will be around family for the first time.  Anna and Paul live in Houston 30 minutes away from CBS.  Marcus & Mandy live in College Station about an hour and a half away.  B's parents are in Oklahoma so 9 hours north I think.  My family in LA and MS is about 9-10 hours away.  We can maybe attend Saints game in the Superdome and see home games throughout the season. Texas has higher paid teachers than NC right now, so when/if I wanted to go back to work, I'll get paid more.    It doesn't really snow in Texas so I guess that might be a plus (that's a stretch and I know it).  As I type, I'm having a hard time coming up with positives to this new adventure, but I know God is faithful and will reveal his perfect plan as time moves forward.  If he's calling us to take this faith leap, then I will obey with my husband and jump....but I'll leave a trail of tears behind me.

Automobiles are Expensive!

We have 2 cars at the moment.  A 2001 Toyota Camry that I got when I graduated from college and a 2005 Honday Odyssey that we bough from the Marsh family one year ago.  We've enjoyed both cars, but mainly drive the van right now.  We have driven the Camry but it's harder to fit all 3 kids in the back with carseats.

Back in October, we took the Camry to get it's inspection done, and we needed new wipers and 2 new tires.  So $325 later, the Camry passed inspection.  Bryce took out a Firestone Credit card instead of putting it on our regular credit card, because they were running a special of no interest for 6 months.  We have gotten to a point where we started using our credit card because we had gone through all our savings (Sept-Nov 2011).  Cherry (the van) was in need of an oil change, so today, I took Cherry to the new Firestone in Wake Forest, just for an oil change.  We got there around 9am and I should have been out by 9:30.  That was a good thing because I was meeting mommy friends at the mall for a playdate.  Anyways, after finishing the oil change before paying, the guy told me that there were a few things that needed to be done, and quickly because it wasn't safe for me to be driving.  One was the brake fluid was bad, along with all 4 tires worn down, but nails in 2 of them...we needed new coolant, a transmission flush, and another 2 or 3 things...I felt overwhelmed.  I told them I'd have to talk to my husband because I didn't make those types of decisions.  So B met us up there and now $989 later, we have 4 new tires, an oil change, and brake-fluid.  That's a total of $1414 in just 3 months in car maintenance & repairs.  If we had an emergency fund or 3-6 months of salary saved, then this wouldn't be that big of a deal.  But since we've been in debt with credit cards recently, it's just frustrating.  What is God trying to teach me? 

Here's an update on B's job situation:  He wrote the chair back at DTCC, and she said that changing the class times would be impossible since students have already registered, but that she would check to see if there might be another teacher willing to switch with B.  If so, the other guy/gal would take the 2 classes and B would take their classes.  We are praying for God's will and a grateful attitude for the opportunities.  If the DTCC classes don't work, then B will stay at AJE.  If they do work, then great and to God be the glory!

A Sam's Club Family

Now that R & A eat more than just a baby serving, we need to start shopping at Sam's Club.  I've been looking at the options and then price checking to make sure it really is a better deal from Walmart and most of the time, it is.  Walmart has the Great Value brand, which we like, but our family is eating more at meal times now.  Where one box of cereal would last us more than a week, now we go through one box in just 4 days.  It's nuts...and I'm afraid when Wes is eating, I'll need even more food if they eat like their daddy.  3 boys in the house...I'll need a lot of food.

I'm trying to embrace this new phase in our lives.  Grocery shopping at Sam's Club for our weekly groceries.  Take eggs for instance-we now need 18 eggs instead of 12.  Milk is even cheaper at Sam's and we go through 2 gallons easily/week.  Not to mention food for daycare.  Each month we provide food for either breakfast, lunch, or snacks.  January is our month for breakfast so stock up on breakfast foods from Sam's.

The other stuff we've always gotten from Sam's is paper products.  We really like their paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, kleenex, and laundry detergent.  We also get Member's Mark brand diapers and formula for our babies.  I guess we should invest in some Sam's Club stock huh?  We have friends who like BJ's and still we know others who shop at Costco.  Sam's is working for our family right now and I believe we'll stay with them for the time being.