August

August is almost over-I can hardly believe it. I think a lot about significant times of the year and/or what was happening this time last year. So I read my blog posts from last August.

Wow! August was miserable (okay, a lot of last year was miserable, but August kicked off a new level of miserable). My posts are full of anguish, longing, disappointment and general pissiness. Neither George or I had any clue what the future would hold. Things were hard on all sides!

And now, here we are. Together. Things have changed so much in a year! Sometimes I just want to block out the pain of 2009. In doing that though, I can forget how far God has brought us and I don't want to do that!

God has done great things for us! We are together, we are in a wonderful church, we are growing on many levels and we are at peace. Jobs are our only real area of need-and even that, when together is of lesser concern. So thanks God, and thanks to all of you who have supported us.

Weekend and Apartment Update

We had a great weekend! After a looong week, the Hubs and I wanted to kick off the weekend right! So we grilled on our patio and enjoyed the unusually fabulous weather! The food was super yummy (I highly recommend Sprout's marinaded Kabobs and Carne Asada) but the company was fabulous! I. Love. My. Husband. Excuse the tacky ladder...we're trying to get it back to my brother- in the meantime, we have no place to store it. :) I'm a big fan of Champagne/Sparkling Wine, but not the price. Barefoot's Chardonnay Champagne is a great option for us poor folk! Love, love, love!

Our new home is coming along nicely. We sold a piece of furniture that just didn't work anymore and it has made a world of difference! G also bought our dining room art, which has a huge impact (I'm so proud of my working man:). This didn't photograph very well, but we have built-ins and I love them. Living room.HUGE picture! It reminds us of the canopy walk in Ghana.

Friday!

WOOT WOOT! I am ready for the weekend!

Happenings...

George got his DL yesterday! I am so happy for him and glad that he has this important piece of independence. Thanks SO much Mom, for taking him to the DPS.

Yesterday...and work in general sucked! I was a grumpy ass about it as well, which didn't help anything. I need to figure out how to cope better and I need another job!! I hate feeling trapped, but I may just have to redefine my understanding of work all together. I'm trying to figure that out...

I'm diggin' the new apartment. There are still some finishing touches that need to be done, but it's nice. It feels like home.

I am SO READY for Fall! I just can't wait to put away the tank tops, get the boots out and ENJOY everything that Fall is.

I really love my husband. I wish he didn't have to work retail, but I'm so proud that he does.

Goodbye, Hello!

It was a busy week! Thus, the lack of blogging.

We are completely moved! Moving is hard work! (I can't believe I thought I could move half way around the world...we have way more stuff than I realized!) On top of that, G worked on our two big moving days, so I didn't have him! My mom helped me IMMENSELY! I don't know how to thank her for all of her help, so I'll do it publicly as well. Thank you, Mom!!!

On our last night at the old place, I mentioned to G that I would miss our apartment. In short, he won't. Once we started to talk about it, I realized how sad and hard life was in that apartment, and really, I'm ready to say goodbye. When I moved in there, I had so many hopes and dreams for what life would hold. What happened though, was heart ache after heart ache and a beautiful, way too big, lonely place. There were many sleepless nights and more tears than I would like to admit. The sorrow outweighs the joy by a LOT! Once G did come, the location kind of hindered him getting a job and being able to get out and about. And at some level, that place was a little more mine than ours.

In comes the new place. We found it together. We signed the lease together. We're in it together. George can walk or ride his bike to work, we are closer to family and we are (hopefully) starting a new, chapter of life that is punctuated by more joy that sorrow. I feel like we're finally moving into "normal" newlywed transitions. Life is becoming less and less about immigration or culture shock and becoming more and more about us. I like that.

So goodbye old place. Goodbye sadness.

Hello new home. Hello possibilities. I look forward to what the next 17 months hold.

Weekend/Week Off

WOOT WOOT! I am so excited for the weekend and my week off.

I am looking forward to spending some quality time with my husband and family and for my husband and brother and sister in-law to finally meet!

I'm also pumped for our move. We found out last second that we are getting a first floor after all (instead of third) and we are so happy about it! This time next week, we'll be painting the new place!

Tonight my family is coming over for dessert and a good time. I may or may not have made WAY too much cheesecake dip! Oh well, I guess I'll just have to take care of it.

Here are a few things that made me laugh this week:

I was pounding meat for dinner one night and G was worried about the noise and disturbing the neighbors. So he offered to hold the meat in his hand...while I pounded it...with a hammer. I declined, but it was still funny!

G is also learning some borderline bad habits from my dad. One of them being a burger stop after going to the grocery store. This is what he told me while we were grocery shopping, "You know Babe, I was talking to Dad.....HE said that he and Mom go to Whataburger every time they go to H-E-B.....I think that's a good idea." After verifying with my mom, one or both of those men is exaggerating the frequency of Whataburger. We did get burgers that night though. :)

I went to the mall today with my charges and a friend and her two year old, S. There was a very nice and stylish lady (in the play area with us) who happened to have a shirt on with sparkles across the chest. S was so mesmerized by this shirt that she walked up to the woman and grabbed her in the boobs! Be careful where your sparkles are placed.

Parallel parking.

Whaaambulance...

I'm not sure what happened last week, but I felt like it would be okay to start whining about life. Did I take a blow to the head or something? I'm not sure, but I was in a whiney mood. Things have not changed to induce said whiney, I was just tired of being a big girl about it. I've decided whining sucks though, so I don't want to do it anymore.

The fact is, work was tough last week and I'm missing my man. The factual flip-side of that is, I have a job that provides for our needs and my husband is working too. Thanks, God.

Two working people, odd hours and one car have made life interesting the past few weeks. The biggest adjustment is meals...we need to get more creative in the food department! Moving will also help. We are so pumped to be moving!! (Things will settle down when G can walk to work.) One of the things I am super excited about is cooking with my mom. We're moving pretty close to my parents (who are almost empty-nesters) and both my mom and I are getting stumped with this whole cooking for two thing. She's been cooking for 8 or more for a very long time and that's how I learned to cook. So we're going to get together and cook a bunch of things and split and freeze them. Cool, huh? It should help a lot. I'm such a nerd...but it makes me excited. :)

In other news, my brother Joe and his wife, Sara are coming to visit this weekend! Joe is in the Navy, so we don't get to see him very often (and he's been at sea for the last 7 months or so). We're excited to have them come to town-it's gonna be a crazy few days, but it should be lots of fun, too!

Also, I get next week off and who wouldn't be excited about that?

Tuesday....

What a weekend! It's taken me until today to even know how to recap...and still, I don't know how well I will do.

Babysitting on Saturday was quite the task! Words really wouldn't do it justice. I do have to say though, at one point, G and I decided that we are allergic to children. :) It was a looong, hard day. It pales in comparison however, to what our Friends M & S do everyday! Their foster daughters have been through more than we can imagine in their short lives-the result is pretty terrible behavior! We are so amazed by this couple, who have stepped out in faith and obedience to God, to be foster parents to these kids and a light to those around them. Bravo to them! And to all the foster and adoptive parents who may check this blog out...GOD! BLESS! YOU!

On Sunday, we recovered from Saturday and spent time together, knowing we'd be apart more during the week. Yesterday, today and Thursday, George's work schedule makes it where we don't see each other ALL DAY...as in 14+ hours! I don't want to whine, but I do have to admit, it's NO FUN. It's no surprise that G has a better perspective on this and it's helped me out. I felt like, we haven't worked and waited this long to be together to not be together. His thought, at least we're in the same place. He is right. This is temporary. I'm going to be a big girl about it. I will add though, that this will be much easier when we move!

And one more thing, all this driving around for a low paying job that gives "great experience" and a sense of independence...it's exactly what my mom/parents did for us when we were teens-SIX TIMES! Sheesh, Mom! (And, she's helping again!) I feel like God is double stretching me sometimes-teaching someone how to drive and taking them to work and various activities are typical responsibilities for a mom of teens...not a newlywed in her 20s. Hopefully by the time I'm doing this for my kids, I'll be super awesome and have some sort of system down. That, or have invented a drug that magically makes one know how to drive...the drug that makes me not care how someone is driving is already out there-I'm not interested. :)

First day and other tid-bits...

Yesterday, George went to work in America for the first time! (I resisted the urge to take a picture of him...but he sure did look great!) He felt like work went well and the hours flew by! He's very excited for the future and works 4 days next week. I am sooo proud of him and happy that he is working-it's really good for him. I am going to miss him though. :( Our schedules don't really work together yet, but I'm hoping it's a short term problem.

This weekend is going to be pretty busy for us as we'll be experiencing A Day In The Life Of Foster Parents! My friend S lost a a very close friend this week, so she and her husband will be going out of town for the funeral. :( We will be helping by watching their two foster kids all day-I'm excited and a little terrified! We'll see how it goes...

G did not get the other job he interviewed for, but we see God's providence in that. We're still searching for a more ideal job for him, but for now, we are more than happy with retail!

My big feat of the week is finding George's beloved MILO! Milo [me-lo] is a chocolate, grain beverage mix that is big in Ghana and other parts of the world....just not here. It's a major staple-especially for breakfast. We've tried things like Ovaltine and Nesquick, but none compare for George and it's something he reeeally misses. I searched and searched nearby and haven't been able to find it. Finally, I found it on Amazon with a subscription option, so 3 big jars will arrive every other month! G will be super surprised! Yay!

J-O-B!!!

My husband has a job!

George got a job on Friday! He'll be working for Calvin Klein near us and we are SO EXCITED! (No, this is not the career job he's dreamt of and worked hard towards for the past 7 years, but it's a step in the right direction!) I am very proud of him and we are thanking God for this small victory.

As if that weren't good enough, he has an interview with a non-profit tomorrow! Woot woot! Hoping for the best....

I'm a planner. It's just a part of who I am. I thrive on plans and structure and organization. I like to plan eeeevvvveeeerrrrrything. You would think that I would have quit planning after years of every major plan I had not working out. Nope. I'm still planning!

Some things have changed though....I'm learning to let go of the plan and prioritize things that can't be planned.

Yesterday, I had a job interview. This job was fewer hours than I currently work and more money! I was pumped! The wheels were turning and my life plans for how this job would impact us were in full swing! I prayed before I went that God would make it clear to me whether this was the right job or not. I had faith that I would know instantly if this was "it" (and I knew our future would be amazing because of it).

Apparently God thinks I'm a big girl...He did not make is abundantly clear. Instead, critical thinking and prioritizing were needed...this is a theme in my life right now.

When it came down to it, the money, (which was speaking so loudly when I applied for this job) really wasn't the biggest deal. I had a good interview, but turned the job down. I just didn't like what my life would be with that job.

So I won't be getting a new Coach purse or those amazing over-the-knee boots from Nordstrom. And yes, we will be waiting even longer before we can get a car or have a baby or buy a house...all things I had planned for in our near future. Things I thought I needed; maybe to be happy, maybe to feel secure, maybe because I'm greedy...I'm not sure why.

I'm finding out that I'm really okay with letting go of the plan. I will always be a planner and a dreamer and we still want those things, but there's no rush.

I remember in those awkward high school years, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, and it had to be great. I would say things to my mom like, "I don't want the world to pass me by!" (Oh the angst!) Now, I want to drive in the slow lane and enjoy the ride. I don't want to pass the world by.

6 months, etc.

This past weekend we celebrated George's 6 months in the US! What a blessing that he is finally here! These 6 months have been packed with so many things. I think the next 6 months will be equally full, but easier to maneuver. I'm so proud of my man-he has handled this new life and all the new things that go along with it so well!

Last night, George learned how to use a lawnmower and other yard equipment. It was so cute to watch he and my dad work on the yard. Next week, G will try out his skills solo! While my dad is out of town, George will take care of my parents' yard.

G also learned how to go get the oil changed on the car (double thanks to dad for teaching him that new skill). I'm VERY happy to be able to pass that job on to him. :)

We're just enjoying the summer....trying to keep cool and hopeful!

God winked...

Some days are harder than others....yesterday was one of those hard days. G had a particularly discouraging day which was compounded by a toothache. It's really, really hard to watch him struggle and not be able to help him. Being at home all day and not being the provider for our family goes against everything in him. I don't have any sort of solution. We just try to remember that God is indeed faithful (even when it seems like He's gone on vacation) and things will be okay...they always are.

One thing I pray for a lot is that God would send some sort of encouragement while we wait for bigger changes. Today, we got some.

Today, George's toothache feels better, he has a little more hope, and I came to work to find that I got a raise!

It's not a huge raise, but it means a lot. I never imagined I would actually make more at this job....but God made a way. In a way, He winked. And that wink has said to us, "I'm still here, I'm still listening. Keep on going."

Thanks, God.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Goodbye, World Cup....and Vuvuzelas!

Well, the World Cup is over. It's been a fast month! I loved all the pageantry, I loved peoples being united over a simple game, I love that Africa got to host. Our interest in the games declined SHARPLY after Ghana was robbed in the Uruguay game...but I'm not bitter. It was a wonderful distraction (so was HGTV, which came with ESPN:). I even got used to the vuvuzelas.

George and I met around the time of the last World Cup...who knew this is where we would be for the next one? And who knows what life will look like four years from now? I'm not so concerned about the details anymore-as long as we're together, I'll be fine.

Yesterday was a loooooooong, hard day.

I came home to a completely SPOTLESS apartment (and I do mean spotless), clean laundry hanging up in the closet, and my favorite zebra sheets on the bed.

My husband is so awesome.

Weekend Recap

This weekend was great! It was relaxing and so much fun!

I really loved seeing G play football in the pool with my brothers-it was so cute! Brothers are great.

The food we ate this weekend was WONDERFUL!! My mom cooked and cooked and cooked! Now, it's back to yogurt and fruit and healthy stuff....

Having Tucker in town was fun too. G was a very doting dog sitter! He loved "Tuckah!" and was very concerned for his well being. They got along great (according to G, it's because they are both black). It was a glimpse of George I hadn't seen yet. He is definitely going to be the type of Daddy who stands over the baby to make sure he's still breathing. :) We should have gotten a picture of the two of them. It was nice, but I'm definitely leaning more towards waiting 'til we have a house to get a dog.

Yesterday we did even more job searching and G applied for several. We're still searching and hoping and praying!

Hopeful...

I can't believe it's almost July! I am seriously looking forward to the holiday weekend and all it has in store! This is George's first American Independence Day and we are both looking forward to it. (We're also doggysitting Tuck Tuck for the weekend...should be an experience!)

Last year, was quite another story. I was just looking at pictures from last year's celebration and it seems so far away! My parents had just moved to their new house, all my Texas siblings had come to town and I was heartbroken. I was full of anxiety, weary from waiting, sad about so many things, had huge decisions on my plate, and frankly, I was mad at the world. I'm pretty sure I ended up crying in my mom's room while everyone else was partying outside.

This year will be very different. It's nice how things change.

I'm hoping our job situation will be the same way. Things don't exactly look fabulous right now, but that doesn't mean it will always be that way. I'm hopeful.

God keeps me on my toes...

Things were beginning to settle down and look like some sort of normal. Well, we just can't handle that, so George and I are making some changes to keep life interesting! I kid....kind of.

Things really were starting to settle down and we were getting very comfortable in our little life in our fabulous apartment. I should have known that couldn't last for long!

We've been talking a lot about jobs for both of us and what our future may look like. George is pretty desperate-he needs to be working! I'm not desperate yet, but as the bacon bringer, I could become desperate very quickly. In the midst of these discussions about what steps we should take for a positive future, our apartment informed us that our rent would be going up...a lot. They wouldn't tell us how much is was going up because they wanted to see what they could do about it. While we waited for three days to hear the verdict, we started to contemplate moving....and we started to look around. After much thought, prayer, research and discussion, we have made a decision: WE'RE MOVING!!

This is a great step in the right direction and we know it's the right thing. However, on the selfish side, there are a few things I'm just a little bit sad to lose. Since this is my blog, I'll share them... I L-O-V-E our apartment! It was my first place all on my own and OUR first place together- there's just something sweet about that! I love my 10' ceilings; I love the HUGE crown mouldings; I love the designer lighting and ceramic tile; I love the big living room, I love the closet space; I love, love, love the gigantic garden tub!! Those are the things I'm really going to miss! The new place is by no means a dump! It's actually a newer complex, but it is a little smaller and not quite as luxurious. We have just been very, very blessed with this apartment!

For every one thing I'm going to miss, there are two or three good things about the new place. Location was the biggest factor in moving. The new place has dozens of places within SAFE walking or biking distance where George (or I) could work- that's HUGE! The new place is right around the corner from my parents-sweet!-we love them and it's nice to know we have transportation or other help so close by. It's closer to a major highway so if we were to commute to future jobs, it will take less time and won't require expensive tolls- again, HUGE! It's in the neighborhood where we eventually want to buy a house, so it's a nice "test drive" before we own (Ha! That is, if we ever get jobs that would allow to buy a house!). I love that it's in a neighborhood, we live off of a highway right now, so if we want to take a walk, we have to drive to get to a suitable place! We were also able to sign for 17 months...that's a huge level of stability that I think we really need right now.

I'm really proud of my man that he took this decision so seriously and that he is willing to make huge adjustments to be the man he wants to be and to provide for our family. I can imagine how difficult it would be to give up the one place that is truly familiar in a new country. I'm just so blessed by him...he's very selfless- for the present and the future!

We're excited about the future and the possibilities this move opens up. We feel like God is really moving us in this direction and hoping for some other big changes to go along with the housing change! While we wait for our lease to end (August) we're searching like crazy for jobs in the new 'hood....and, when I've searched until I can search no more...I get to sketch out how we will decorate the new place. :)

GHANA!!!!!!

Yesterday's game against the US was awesome!! I've taken some flack for being a Ghana fan, but I don't care! It was awesome and I'm proud of them!

Fail.

Apparently that second phone interview was worse than I thought! I'm officially rejected. I'm hoping that just means there's an even better job for me...and hopefully soon!