changes

So many things going on in life...I'm more excited than overwhelmed right now, but I feel the stress starting to creep up.

1) Shaun got a full-time teaching job for the fall!!!!!!!!!

- for those of you who don't know us personally, we got married in August of 2007. My husband was in school still but I decided not to waste my money on school if I didn't know what I wanted to do as a career (I now know I want to be a doula). So we got married knowing we would only have one person's school debt to pay off instead of 2, plus my husband has always been very good with money. He had saved up enough from his high school/ early college years that we could afford to get married and also had a good paying part time job. It was a little difficult, Id be lying if I didn't admit that, but well worth it. Anyways, he graduated December 2008 (4 months after our son was born). He worked 3 months (March-May) at an urban school in Cleveland at an after school program (along with his previous part-time job). When he didn't find a job that coming school year he got offered the job as the head teacher of the after school program. He did that for a year (still, along with the part-time job at Progressive Insurance). It was really tough for him. The kids were very disrespectful and he felt like he was babysitting more than teaching. So when school ended this year, honestly I was a little worried he wouldn't find anything again, or at least not something he would really enjoy.

-How he got the job for the fall:

I was at a baby shower sitting by 2 girls I've met before but did not know very well. They both teach (or taught) at a Christian school kind of in the middle of nowhere. They were saying that the only male teacher at the middle school was moving up to the high school so the school was looking for another male teacher. They got Shaun in for an interview which went pretty well. Even though Shaun (or should I say 'we') have promised to use the gifts God has bestowed on us for His glory, teaching in a Christian school just wouldn't be Shaun's passion. He would really love to use his career as a mission field. There are a lot of kids out there who have really hard home lives, or are just searching for something Greater than themselves. I'm not saying he's going to be preaching in the classroom, but actions speak louder than words and if any of the kids find out he's a Christian all he has to do is show by his actions that living for God instead of yourself is well worth it! Anyways, At the interview at the Christian school, there was a man there who is on the board (of Agape Christian) but is the principal of a public middle school, again, out in the middle of nowhere. He liked Shaun so much that he asked the Christian school if he could interview Shaun for a position open at the middle school and he called Shaun. I am so amazed how God worked all of this out! The principal called him, and Shaun didn't even apply to that school, plus - he doesn't even have a degree for the position they needed to fill (Technology teacher)! They had an interview and Shaun said he was willing to take some classes and the principal said Shaun can work along side the math teacher and social studies teacher and maybe even take over one of those if the position eventually opens up. So, they offered Shaun the job yesterday and he said YES!!! Like I said its in the middle of nowhere. I mean NOWHERE! Amish country. All they have there is a giant cheese factory.

okay, I'm going to have to finish this post later. Enjoy what's here so far!

Easter outfit

Matthew seemed to go through shoes really quickly in his first 5 months of walking (11 months - 16ish months). My in-laws bought him his first pair at Stride Rite. A really nice (kind of expensive) pair of brown ones with a little bit of black in them. They were perfect because he could wear them with anything black or brown. Well, about a month after having them we lost one of them. Most likely from him thinking they were toys he could run around with. We still haven't found it to this day (he is 20 months old now). Then I bought him a really cute pair of blue ones at Target which he only wore for maybe about 2 months before we lost one. I did find it in my car about a month ago when I was cleaning it out, but now they don't fit anymore of course. Does anyone else seem to have this problem??
I then bought him a new pair of blue ones at Target although they're not as cute as the first blue pair. He has actually had those ever since (6 months now?). However, those would not look good with his fancy Easter outfit, so my mother-in-law bought him a pair of brown shoes. Im pretty sure these are the shoes.




Anyways, I CAN NOT wait to put his Easter outfit on him. It looks something like this, but I will probably post pictures of him actually wearing it soon. The only difference with the outfit is that our tie is more of a blue color and I think the vest is more vintage looking. And the pants were the same color as the vest, but I think we are going to put navy colored pants on him because the other ones were a little big.






Those of you who have kids - are you doing Easter outfits this year?
Do you yourself as an adult still buy something special for Easter? I think I am going to wear a dress or skirt instead of pants.

'baby on board'

We are officially telling everyone that we are expecting again!
I am due on October 26 which means I am about 8 weeks along! I have known since I took the pregnancy test almost 4 weeks ago and slowly over time I just couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore. I didn't tell any of Shaun's extended family or people at church, only people at work and a couple friends. But now, if we have mutual friends, I give you permission to tell whomever you want. I will write more later, I'm just too tired to concentrate right now (surprise, surprise)!

What really matters

My sister was talking to me about how much she misses the way everyone at college was more outgoing in their worship. That really challenged me to think about why I'm not more outgoing in my worship lately. I cant remember the last time I regularly raised my hands during worship every week and just totally focused on God during that time. Lately I find myself trying to close my eyes and focus on the words but then I realize I'm thinking about something silly like what we're going to eat for lunch, or even things that have already happened like what I ate for lunch the day before. Anyways...Ive been trying more lately to read my Bible daily, but I could be better with my prayer time. I still feel like it's hard to focus on God throughout my day, but what really matters is that I'm trying, right?

Newlyweds

Thanks for sharing this Sara!! :)

1. What are your middle names? Mine is Ann and his is William.

2. How long have you been together? Our first date was in November of 2005. We liked each other before that, but both of us had just broke up with our ex boyfriend/girlfriend.

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating? 2 months

4. Who asked who out? He asked me out of course

5. How old are each of you? I'm 23 and he is 26

6. Did you go to the same school? No, I grew up in Concord (Riverside High) and he's from Mentor.

7. Are you from the same home town? Nope, see above.

8. Who is the smartest? He is, definitely.

9. Who majored in what? I dont have a degree, but aspire to be a doula soon. He has his bachelors in Middle School Education (teaching) and is going to get his Masters in Gifted Education.

10. Who is the most sensitive? Me, no question there.

11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Las Vegas almost a year ago (Matthew was 6 months old).

12. Who has the worst temper? Me. We're both very stubborn, but he can remain calm and I blow up easier

13. How many children do you want? 3 or 4.

14. Who does the cooking? Mostly me, but he cooks when he has to.

15. Who is more social? Both of us, but usually at church he's the one talking to people 1/2 hour after the service is over and Im ready to just go home.

16. Who is the neat freak? Neither of us! We have a messy apartment, although he cares more even though he wont do much about it.

17. Who is the most stubborn? mm...its pretty even. We both are able to pick our battles though.

18. Who wakes up earlier? Him, but mostly cuz he has to for his new teaching job, which is not good because Matthew tends to wake up whenever Shaun gets up.

19. Where was your first date? He would say Chipotle. But Bravo was our first official date!

20. Who has the bigger family? Immediate family is me, extended family is him. His family is huge. But, I have one more sibling than he does.

21. Do you get flowers often? on special occasions.

22. How do you spend the holidays? Oh goodness. We try to do both, but luckily our families live close to each other and everyone gets along so sometime one of our families will invite the other one over.

23. Who is more jealous? Why would we be jealous?

24. How long did it take to get serious? A few months, I guess. We decided to wait to say "I love you" but he told me he loved me before I thought he would.

25. Who eats more? Probably him, I have this thing where I dont think I should be eating as much as my husband.

26. What do you do for a living? I work in child care and he's a teacher.

27. Who does the laundry? We each do it at my in-laws house. I'm sure mostly my mother in law and Shauns great aunt who lives with them does it, but I usually try to get it started if we bring laundry over there.

28. Who's better with the computer? It depends, but usually him.

29. Who drives when you are together? Generally him; I prefer not to drive his car and he prefers not to drive my car, so it usually depends on who's car we have to take.

30. What is your song? We have two, 'God Blessed the Broken Road' by Rascall Flatts and 'The Luckiest' by Ben Folds. Those were the 2 first songs we danced to at our wedding.

quiet place

"Dear Lord, help me know You are good. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Mark 6:31, "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" (NIV)

(http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com)

Today's Devotion

Taken from http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com

"God is glorified through His people, and trying to shake off the personality with which He created us is dishonoring to Him."

Lord: "Allow us opportunities to use our talents for Your glory and the good of the people around us, both those who are part of Your body and those who do not yet know You. Let our uniqueness be a light for You in the darkness. In Jesus' Name, Amen."