Catching Up

Has it really been nine months since my last post? I'm not surprised. I was tired of it and it was becoming a chore to come up with something to blog everyday. So I took a break from it. I actually intended to never blog again but lately I've been having the itch to write again. Things also have been going on in my life and after an encouragement session from my sister in law I've decided to try to blog again.

So what has been going on with us? Well, I'm out of work again. Last time I blogged I was working at a preschool/daycare and I liked it okay but I was coming home with a migraine everyday. Plus, it was only a part-time job with minimum wage so I started looking for a permanent situation. Finally, the day after Christmas I get a call from a doctor's office for a receptionist position. I was hired, I thought, to be a receptionist but after working there a few days I quickly learned that was not the case. So after much prayer and discussing it over with my husband, I quit the doctor's office without any other job lined up. It probably wasn't the smartest move but I couldn't be in that place any longer. It was a very bad situation.

Now three months later, I'm still jobless. It's very discouraging and frustrating not being able to help out financially and I feel as if I'm letting my husband down. It's just discouraging to keep getting rejected for a job constantly because there was someone better qualified. It hasn't been so good on the ole self-esteem either. I'm working on that though and I'm looking at doing some work at home jobs. Our job situations are so bad here that we are praying about moving to another city with a bigger job market and maybe better opportunities for the both of us. My husband has a dream job in mind and its so doable but he won't be able to do it where we are now and I would love nothing better than to see him be able to do what he loves. We renewed our apartment lease for another year so we will definitely  stay where we are for another year. That just gives us more time to pray and talk about where the Lord wants us and how He can best use us.  It's scary to think of the unknown but it's also exciting and fun to see where we might be a year from now. I can't think of a better person than my husband to go through this with.

I plan on this not being such a Debbie Downer all the time. I don't want this to constantly be something where all I do is complain and gripe about everything. This blog won't be one where there will be tons of pictures either...I know that's all the rage for blogs now. I just don't take many photos. This is going to be a place where I tell you about me and my husband, our life, and how we are trying to live for Jesus the best we can. Hope you come and join us as we get lost in these moments. LOL! I couldn't resist.

When is Winter Again?

Whew! Is it hot outside or what?! It's 100 degrees outside right now. I'm not going to complain about all this heat because well, I've been sitting in my nice air conditioned apartment all day and it's quite chilly in here. I'm not going to dare turn the air up because I'm a baby and if I get remotely a little warm I whimper and whine and can't breathe. No joke. When it get a little stuffy or hot my nose and my air passage just closes right up and then I get a migraine. Is this just in my head or is this a legitimate condition I need to seek help on? :) Mayme, you're a nurse...should I be concerned? LOL! Oh let me talk to Mayme for a sec. Thank you for the belated birthday wish and I do want to play on Words With Friends so if you, or anyone for that matter, wants to play my username is janiren. I may regret sharing that. LOL!

I'm also not going to complain about the heat because it seems the whole country except for a slither of it is experiencing this heat. It's just seems unbearable. I feel so sorry for my husband and his co-workers. They work in a machine shop and it's not air conditioned. Only the office has air and so they have to work in all this heat. He says it isn't so bad because they have fans but all that does is stir up hot air. He comes home very sweaty, dirty and pretty stinky. I usually have to Febreze the house after he comes in. :)

On days like this I remember all those times in the winter when I would be freezing and begging for summer to get to here. We humans are never satisfied. So when is winter again?

Birthday in Nashville

Friday was my birthday and to celebrate we headed to Nashville to spend it with my parents. I hadn't been back home since the wedding and it was a much needed trip. I've actually seen my parents quite a bit since I got married but I hadn't been back to Nashville. I can't tell you the feelings that went through me as the Nashville skyline came into view. It's such a beautiful skyline. I never get tired of it and we sure didn't spend enough time there. It was a short quick weekend trip.

Saturday night we met up with one of my best friends and we all headed to Demo's downtown. If you've never been to Demo's and are going to visit Nashville this place is the place to go. The prices are great and their food is delicious! I've never had a bad dish there. I'm so glad I chose to go there. There are so many restaurants that Nashville has that Tuscaloosa doesn't so it was hard to figure out where to go but I'm so glad I choose that place. We had a great time. It was like I had never left. I miss that place so much!

I did get a pretty good birthday gift....I got a job! It's only part time and not the ideal job, but its a job. I'll be working at a preschool/daycare. I'm not all that thrilled about it but the job market in Tuscaloosa pretty much stinks. I've put my application and resume in everywhere and nothing has been opening up. My sister (in law) called me last Thursday and told me that the daycare her kids go to are hiring some partime people and she was able to set up an interview for me. I was able to get the job and I'm so thankful for it because we really need the money but I feel like I'm taking a step or 10 backwards. This is exactly what I did in college and I wasn't so thrilled to be going back...especially when I think I'm the oldest employee there. Everyone else is in high school or college. Ugh! I'm also working until 6 every night. I'm not thrilled about that either. Oh well, it's something for now and I will get to see my neice and nephew everyday so that's a plus. It's also only 5 minutes from home so that is a plus as well. I just need to be thankful that I was able to get hired somewhere. I know the Lord knows what he is doing with me and my husband and I just need to trust Him.

Apartment Life

After I read my blog post over a few times yesterday I made it sound like apartment living is just to terribly awful. It really isn't. Our apartment is quite nice. It's very spacious. All the rooms are extra large and we have a pretty huge walk in closet. It's just something we are not used to. I own a home in Nashville. It's a two bedroom two and a half bath with a dining room and eat in kitchen. I actually had to leave some of my furniture there when I moved to AL. Alan lived in a three bedroom house before we got the apartment. We are used to stretching out so it's been an adjustment for both of us to squeeze into this apartment.

We also live on the second floor which can be just torture for this out of shape body of mine. :) I can't go grocery shopping by myself lest I have to make two trips to the car to carry all the groceries up the stairs. I always make sure Alan is with me so he can make the two trips. LOL! At my home in Nashville my parking space butted almost completely up to my kitchen door so that has been a huge adjustment.

The plus side of apartment living is that we have no outside yard work to do! Woo Hoo!! I'm very thankful for that. We also have an awesome pool that is hardly ever used. If we didn't have that I probably wouldn't see my brother and his family near as much. Just kidding.

Speaking of the pool...my nephew, Luke, is the most fearless person I know when it comes to the water. He always wear his life jacket but he just swims all around the pool (including the deep end) by himself. Don't worry there is always an adult nearby. :) But yesterday he just cracked us up. Our pool, on the deep end, has a fountain. It has a ledge on it and the kids like to climb up on it and jump off. Jenny had brought a float with her and Luke decided he wanted to play with it. He grabbed it, climbed up on the fountain wall, and yelled, "Hey everyone! Look at me!" Once everyone did, he just jumped off the wall and landed on the float. That may not seem like a big deal but he is three years old. He jumped in 8 feet of water and the fountain ledge is probably 3 feet higher than the water. It was quite hilarious. When he landed he looked at everyone the sweetest little grin. He was so happy. He's so fearless. He'll try anything when it comes to the water. Of course, he's putting a lot of faith and trust in his life jacket that automatically brings him to the surface quickly. We had a great time.

But anyway, we actually love our apartment. It's our first place together and it is quite nice. We know we won't live here always. As soon as I can sell my house, we plan on buying one of our own that we can grow into. But until then, we will live here and cherish the life we are building together and make many memories in our cute little apartment.

Monday's Musings

Today I just wanted to post a list of things I'm currently thinking....

1. It is way too hot here. I'm very much over the 100 degree weather everyday. I'm praying this heatwave ends soon. I'm ready for cooler weather.

2. I cannot keep enough sweet tea in this house. I made a gallon pitcher of tea on Saturday evening and by this morning it was all gone. I think I only had two glasses out of it. My husband is addicted. I will be buying stock in sugar soon. :)

3. I cannot, for the love of Pete, beat my brother in Words With Friends on my phone. We've played at least 30 games and I've only beaten him once. It's not that he just beats me but he slaughters me. I'm talking by about 200 points. Those darn 2 letter words get me every time. I will be him again if its the last thing I do! :)

4. I enjoy blogging and I'm going to try and blog everyday even if it's just a paragraph or two.

5. I really wish more people commented on my blogs. LOL! I love conversations and sometimes I think I'm the only one that reads this blog. Maybe I should actually tell people that I do blog.

6. I love Mondays! My brother and his family come over to our apartment and we swim at the pool and have dinner together. It such a sweet time with them and the kids.

7. I love the closer relationships I'm developing with my brother and sister (in law). We've always been close but since I'm around them a whole lot more we have been getting closer. I'm trying to treasure this time together because I know we won't always be able to live near each other.

8. I'm not so fond of apartment living. I loathe white walls and want to paint so badly. We also just don't have the room here. Most of our things are crammed in our storage closet. We are anxiously waiting until I can sell my house in Nashville so we can buy a house and spread out.

9. I'm headed home Friday. By home I mean Nashville. We haven't' been to Nashville since our wedding and since Friday is my birthday we decided to go home for my birthday and spend it with my parents. I'm so excited. I've missed it terribly. Thursday I'm celebrating my birthday with my brother and his family so having two parties in one week ain't too shabby. :) Coldstone..here I come!

10. I love reading blogs!! I just do. I think my life is so boring that I enjoy reading about other people's lives. They inspire me to try and do certain things.

11. I love strawberries. When I was younger I remember we used to go and pick strawberries. I told my husband last night I wanted to pick strawberries but had no idea if there is a strawberry patch around.

12. On the way to Charlotte last week we had to go through Gaffney. There they have a water tower in the shape of a giant peach...crack and all. My niece got a kick out of seeing the huge bottom (she's not allowed to say butt.)

13. After being in North Carolina, I think I wouldn't mind living there. I've always thought it was a beautiful state.

14. I miss my monthly women's Bible Study. I wish my church here had one. I miss that sweet time and learning from other women.

That's it. I have no other thoughts for today. We'll see what I come up with tomorrow. :)

Catch Up

So after I posted I was back to blogging I was basically MIA for a couple of weeks. I guess I had nothing to say or really just didn't feel like blogging. I've been kind of down lately for the lack of job opportunities. I still don't have a job but I'm trusting that the Lord has the perfect one out there for me and I'm praying that I get one this week. That's my specific prayer.

This past week since I haven't been working I was able to attend the FWB National Convention that was held in Charlotte, NC. I didn't think I was going to be able to go this year because I thought I would be working. But it all worked out and at the last minute I decided to go. I'm so glad I did. I was able to see and spend time with my parents and I was able to see some old college friends that I hadn't been able to see in awhile. My husband wasn't able to go this year but we are hoping it works out where we both can attend. I'm dying to introduce him to everyone...plus, I missed him like crazy. The preaching at the conference was also excellent and I feel so refreshed and renew and have a stronger passion for the Lord and to do His will. I am a shy person by nature so it's very hard for me to just go up to people and start talking...even to people I know and have known for years. I'm so afraid that I'm going to say something stupid or just have nothing to say at all. I actually love to talk to people but it's something that is so hard for me and I have to really work at it.

The church I attend now has thing after the first congregational song called "Fellowship Time". It's where everyone walks around and says hello, gives hugs, handshakes, and just fellowships with each other for just a few minutes. I have yet to step out of the pew to join in. I have tried so many times and I just freeze. It's so hard for me to just go up to people and say even hello. I'm a dork, I know. :) I'm working on it and I need to work on it if I want to be bolder for the Lord.

This past Friday, my sister (in law) came over to my apartment and we spent the whole day laying on floats in the pool. It was a perfect day. We just relaxed and talked the whole day. Of course, I got burnt...even with sunscreen. The sun is just not my friend lately. Thankfully, the burn is going away little by little but it was worth it to spend that time with my sister (in law). I sure enjoy living near her and my brother and their kids. It's a special time.

What Is My Purpose?

I've been feeling discouraged and blue lately. It has nothing to do with my new husband. We are so enjoying being married and I couldn't ask for a better husband. I am loving being married to my best friend. My problem is that I cannot find a job here in Tuscaloosa.

Moving from Nashville to Tuscaloosa has been a huge adjustment for me. I like Tuscaloosa. It's a beautiful town and they have everything you need. The only thing is it's not a booming place in the job market. I've applied for so many positions and nothing seems to be working out for me. Really in this town if you are not in the medical field or know someone you won't have much luck no matter if you have a college degree or years of office experience. That doesn't' seem to matter.

It's been a huge disappointment to me and I get so discouraged. I get on the computer everyday and submit my resume and application and nothing seems to help me get one foot closer to finding a job. My husband is so good through it all and he comforts me and tells me that the Lord has the perfect job for me and that we'll be fine. But when you seem to get rejected everyday it sort of does something to your confidence. It makes me feel as if I have no purpose and not good enough for anything. I know that it's just the devil getting to me with all my insecurities and I have to just trust the Lord has a plan for me.

I do have a few ideas of what I could do but I'm a little nervous and scared but what do I have to lose? I already don't have a job and my husband is pretty secure in his so why not be a little adventurous and start something completely different than office work. I enjoyed my previous job but making working in an office setting is not for me anymore. Maybe the world is supposed to be my office. I'll just keep praying and searching and trying new things until the Lord shows me what I'm supposed to do.