Life is sooo good lately, it has been weird.  I really can't wait to see the family but, I know it has been right.  God is totally taking care of us all the way around.  He has given us everything we need, and we know he is setting it all us for us in Ohio.  This whole process has just been very peaceful.  We are sooo excited, and I am so jealous that Jayme is already there and will be looking at houses and THE house next friday... We had'nt really thought about Orrville, Ohio at all, but now it seems that that is the only option.  God has closed all the doors with housing and jobs in Wooster and Canton, right now, and opened them all up in Orrville.  BTW... I test for TSgt tomorrow... :)  good luck to me!  haha  just will never find out the results... 


50 Days until I quit my job and see my family again!  

"Free"

By : Australia Hillsongs

Would you believe me if I said
That we are the ones who can
Make the change in the world today
Would you believe me if I said
Thal all of the dreams in your heart
Can come true today
Would you believe me if I said
That life can be all that you
Want it to be today

And if I had wings I would fly
'Cause all that I need You are
And if the world caved in around me
To You I'd still hold on
'Cause You're all that I believe
And the One that created me
Jesus because of You
I'm free

Would you believe me if I said
That God can make miracles happen today yeah yeah
Would you believe me if I said
That you don't need to wait for the answers before
You step out in faith
Would you believe me if I said
That nothing is ever impossible for God

Just live your life
With God inside
You won't regret
One moment of it
And give all that you can for God
For God

Well, its been like forever it seems like, but First of all, Go McCain... I am getting excited now for November... I really tired of osama and hillary... :) but anyways! Good luck to them both, but wow!

God has been soo good. My step-dad got a job paying more than he asked 2 days before his supplemental pay and bennies ended with the last job.. God is totally working on, or showing me pieces of our future in Ohio... We are so excited! I just can't believe it! God is soo good to me.






51 Days until I see my family again!!!

Good Morningish... Well I can't help but think about Jayme and the kids, and hope they are feeling better this morning. They have been pretty sick and Jordan has been throwing up before he went to bed. I feel totally helpless out here, because that is when I get to really take care of them as they lay in bed. I really hope and pray that they feel better this morning!
Today starts a new week, This week will kind of tell me what the next few weeks is going to be like. At work that is... But I am sort of glad Sears is doing something... I don't know if you have been in a Sears in the past 5 years or not, but I could tell a huge difference from when we were in Virginia and now, and it is kind of sad, and they have fired their CEO. Not that it affects me at all, It is just sad to see.
I have to share some of the funniest videos ever again. Everybody needs a bit of a laugh sometimes...

























Ok So most of them are Price is Right, but I love me some Bob Barker!

53 Days Until I see My Family Again...

Wow, I don't know what I really am doing, but I guess I forgot yesterdays?  I don't know, but I was busy fixing other people's computers and cleaning the house.  All that jazz... 

God has been sooooo good to us.  I have been really thinking about this one job with Jarrett Logistics Systems, Inc. in Orrville, Ohio.  There is a certain job there that I believe I would really enjoy.  For some reason I haven't been able to get this job out of my head for a while now.  So I ended up applying for a few saturday morning's ago and an hour didn't pass before I got a reply from the President and Owner of the company, Michael Jarrett.  I was totally blown away.  Right away all of my feelings were confirmed.  Later that week I had the opportunity to have a phone interview with him, and the worst part was I was at work and helping someone format a letter correctly, and was dumb enough to answer my phone.  So I had to take the call, so I wasn't really all in the game, but I felt that I answered his questions well.  He said we would talk more once April gets closer, so I hadn't really thought more about the interview for a few days because things at work were getting crazy, then one day, I got the urge out of nowhere to send him a thank you letter and explain more of what I could do for him, and not what I have done.  So I dropped everything I was doing, went to Office Max, got some Resume Paper and Envelopes, and wrote the letter and printed it and an extra copy of my resume out and went straight to the post office.  

Again, that was on like Tuesday, and on Sunday I called Jayme and she said "You are not going to believe who Lauresa knows" and I immediately knew that she knew Michael Jarrett!  Again, I was totally blown away!  I was sooooo thankful that God has eyes and ears everywhere.  And it turns out he is supposed to be a very good Christian man.   So we will see what happens, but I am so not worthy of God's Goodness!  All of this is all going to be to the glory of Him!

To make things even better, the house we are looking at, and REALLY want, and think God led us to that house, is less than a mile away from the Jarrett Logistics complex.  I am just totally blown away, and not only that, We got pre-approved for just about any house we want.  Our Realtor called on Wed, and by Friday morning all of the pre-approval process was done, and we were pre-approved!  God is Good... 

54 Days until I see my family again!!!

I just realized I didn't do one for yesterday, hmm... haha... who cares, but sorry if you were really counting on it... :)  I don't really know what to say today, I have a lot really on my mind.  I did pass my test!  Thank you for all the prayers... to be honest... I needed a 54 to pass... yep... I gotta 54..  :)  Thank you Lord!  I do not deserve that! 

I have also really been thinking about our family friends who just lost their Dad tragically... He was loved and liked by everyone, seriously... he was a very good man.  He had been through a lot in his life to include 2 tours with boots on the ground in Vietnam.  God only knows the things he has been having to deal with, or state of depression he might have been in... There are so many different factors, but I can't help but to just sit and pray for his immediate family who will not be coming home to him anymore or wont drive to church with anymore,  I just don't know the strength that God gives them to go on.  I just don't know what I would do if I lost someone that close!  It would have to be God putting me into bed, and rolling me out everyday... Not to mention everybody who is going to keep asking how they are doing, and pulling the scab off...

All I know is everytime I think of them, or Lyndon, I say a real quick prayer for them to have hope, strength, and comfort.

I am down to 16 classes left until my degree is finished, and 2 of those I should be completing this weekend, and I will be refering for the tests for 2 more on Monday... I should be depending on the pre-assessments... That will put me down to 12 left by Mid February, and I would like to knock out about 3-4 more if not more by June 31.  Things are going good, I have already completed my 12 credit units needed for the entire term, so now all these extra are uh... extra... :) 

Just please keep praying for me, I know God is going to place us in the right position no matter if my degree is finished or not. 

56 Days until I see my family again! 

Well, I first gotta say, If the Clintons don't stop all this childish stuff with Obama, I'm gonna go nuts. I really could care less, I hope the rest of the world sees this and uses their vote wisely! And Bill needs to stay out of it....

But It has to be one of the harder days so far, BECAUSE I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I PASSED OR NOT!!! hahaha

but we started doing skype last night with the family, and I have had a blast! Totally brightened my day...

One cool thing of the day... My dude from Ashland Ohio that came over one of the first days we lived in Ashland. We played football together, and had a lot of classes together, Oliver.... Well I was watching the nail biter on Deal or no deal and didn't realize American Idol was on, so I turned it on to see the last person trying out... and it was after he was done singing, and I said... That's oliver... and I kept waiting for them to say his name... and sure and snot his name WAS Oliver! that was my dude!


He has gained a bit of weight, but haven't we all! but he was in there with his wife and brand new baby, and All three of the judges fell in love with his baby... Simon even said he felt like it was his baby! weird... hahaha

Haha

Gotta go get stuff done...

58 Days until I see my family again!!!

Ok, Well If you didn't notice, I kept myself busy today.  Saturday, I had to go to the store and the library, Sunday I had church and the football games, but today wasn't promising in keeping busy, so I had to fill it up myself.  I am taking a huge exam on Wednesday, so I need all the prayers I can get.  (just say a real quick one right now..) ... ... Thank you!  At least I have that one! 

So I studied, I worked on www.clovisnaz.org/index.php  I have it hidden from the regular www.clovisnaz.org.  

But I got to talk to Jayme and the kids a lot today, Jordan has a gym class that he loved.  Anytime he can run around and be a kid for an hour he is as good as gold.  

Julianne apparently wont stop say "dada" in our normal evening time playtime.  She got as used to it as I did!  Holy cow, just walking around, and I pick up here and pick up there trying to to clean up all of their mess at the same time.. but eventually I gotta do it... Its really hard to see their beds and empty rooms!  OK ENOUGH!  haha  But I just can't wait!  I have enough to keep me busy, I just gotta get their rooms clean and shut the doors, I guess... 

60 Days until I see my family again...

"I've been wandering, in this desert for so long,

I've been blazing trail, that I thought you put me on,

Now that I'm still, Now that I hear You,

I know it's Your will, for me to be near You,

and nothing matters more, nothing matters more.

There's a place, where I want to be,

There's a place, waiting just for me, next to you, next to you.

There's a place, where your voice is clear,

There's a place, where there is no fear, next to you, next to you."

I cannot find that song anywhere, so I am assuming it is written by someone at Wooster Church.  But I have heard that song on my Ipod probably 300 times, but It hit me this morning as I was still and listening, that, that is all he really wants from me.  Just to be still and listen and be next to Him.   My day was incredible after I spent that time.  I have listened to more Joyce Meyer lately and she talks about spending that time with Him just as you would you husband or wife.  I heard that about 2-3 weeks ago, and it took this song for it to sink in.  And not only that, I have heard that message about 20,000 times in my life.  but something clicked. 

I cannot wait to get our life as we will know it started, on a day I really started missing the family again, not that I didn't yesterday, I just had more reminders today, I got to talk to all of them, and got to talk to Jordan about me coming back.  He had a rough day missing me, and nothing else tears me apart more than that!  I know all of this will be for the best for all of us.  We are weird like that in a military way, but I am taking a VERY important test tomorrow, that will clear me to go ahead and start knocking classes out of the way.  Say another prayer real quick... ... haha  ok, but I can't wait to start seeing everybody when I get back!  

59 Days until I see my family again, quit my job, and don't have to work with you know who anymore!!!! 

Well, God has blessed us even more today watching them over 1300 miles to get them safely to their destination!  WooHoo!  Now we just have one more!  :)  but I am so excited for them to enjoy themselves for a little bit.  I know Jordan will have a great time causing trouble with his cousins. 

Sort of a continued blog from yesterday, I have to say just how incredible of a person that God blessed me with.  To start off, if you don't believe in God, or don't believe God works in your lives, this was our start.  I grew up in the church, Sunday Morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night.  Every week was like that until the 9ers were in the NFC championship, I was allowed to skip Sunday night church.  But Jayme had a different childhood when it came to church.  Especially when it came to Nazarene, which is the weird part about her coming to Mount Vernon Nazarene College.  She had been dating a guy who's dad was a Nazarene pastor and whose Aunt and Uncle are Les and Leslie Parrot.  If you don't know them, thats ok, I didn't either until I grew up.  but they do a lot of Marriage Conferences, and books based on Christian Values.   This guys Grand father helped build and rebuild as the President of Olivet Nazarene University back in 1939.  But to make a VERY long story just a little bit shorter, this guy's mother said that Jayme should check out Mt. Vernon.  Not knowing anything about her Christian life, and knowing that Jayme wasn't a Nazarene.   All along this time, I was NOT going to MVNC...  That was it.. I just wasn't.  My Dad was in the first class there, and my sister was currently attending there, so I wasnt going...  Nope.. No Seriously... I wasn't going... I wouldn't go to college, if I HAD to go there.   Well that summer all the Nazarene teens got together in Toronto, Canada for the Nazarene Youth Congress, and most of the Teens from the District were going to MVNC, and wanted me to go, and much to their dismay I wasn't going and frankly, my dear, I didnt care!  haha  It was terrible, but I just wasn't going.  Well to make that week shorter, I had never been closer to God and what he wanted to do with my life, and the last night there.  All the teens were together in our district and I told them I would see them at MVNC in just a few weeks.   So I had to rush to get my admissions through and all the other stuff ready and moved in... The first day there we had some orientation in the chapel, and my friend and I had gotten there a little late, so we sat in the back row in the front section no one around us at all for 5 rows or so.  We weren't there for 5 minutes and this group of girls came in and sat right next to us...  There was 2 guys sitting on the end of the row in the back, and these 4-5 girls come all the way down the row and sit right next to us.  Didn't say a word just sat down.  :/  It wasn't long before they did the corny thing and asked us what time it was... well I will give you one guess who that one corny girl was... haha  fast forward about 3 years, It was late August 2001 and I had moved to Columbus, Jayme had left MVNC and moved to Columbus and was attending Ohio State.  God had sent an AF recruiter into the back of Walmart into the Photocenter to get me into the AF.  Turns out this guys was a pastor.  I talked with Jayme about it, and went and processed for the Military.  about 12 days later the world as we know it changed on Sept. 11th.  So After that we had a lot of discussions about what to do, and by the time I was supposed to leave in January, WE decided I shouldn't go.   So my date to leave came and passed and that recruiter found me at a new job and came over there to talk to me about my decision.  Long story short we had a good long talk about life and God's will, and I was signed up to go.  I said Jayme and I were getting married early April so I couldn't go until after the 15th of April.  So he was happy with this, went on his merry way and called me back after lunch that day and said "You said you could go after the 15th right? Well how about the 16th"  Well... I said anything after the 15th... I guess that means the 16th too... So that was the deal, Jayme and I had talked about it more, and She wasn't happy at all, and it was a weird situation but it came down to me saying 'I am going, you can go or you can stay" and She knew that wasn't me talking so she got on board.  It was totally out of our hands.  

From the very first day that I met her sitting there in tha Chapel, she has never stopped caring for me, loving me, supporting me, thinking about me, taking care of me, watching over me, etc.  I could go on forever, but most days I get a realization of how she cares more about me than I do!  She is always thinking of me, trying to change herself for me (I'm sucha jerk), turning the toilet paper around, anything that will make me feel better all around.  I could never ask for anything more.  She was soo scared to leave me here alone, because she didn't think I would take care of myself, not she didn't think I could, just that I would. 

I could seriously go on forever, but I pray every day and thank God for her and the incredible things she has brought into our marriage, and family. 

61 Days until I see my family again!!!

Wow today has been weird!   I slept in until about 0630, I have gotten to do all kinds of productive things... Yes ofcourse, I have gotten sad again everytime I walk into our room, or the one of the kid's rooms.  But It also is starting to get me REALLY Excited to be in the real world!  did I mention EXCITED!  Holy Wow! I can't believe it.  Really once February is here, I am pretty much outta here.  I can't believe it!

hahaa... I am so excited for everyone to be able to meet and know my kids.  Jordan, as most of you know already, is the best kid on earth.  He has the best personality.  He is totally full of Integrity, Honesty, Caring, Loving, Excitement, Genuine, and so much more.  I recognize most of those are not in the right tense but WHO CARES! haha!  I am so proud to call him my son.  He is so incredibly perfect when it comes to his true qualities!  He loves Jesus, and his family, and that does not make me any happier! 

Julianne could possibly be the happiest baby that has ever graced this planet!  It doesn't matter what time of day, how much sleep she has had, what kinda mood she is in, if you look anywhere in her direction, she will shine back with a huge genuine smile!  She loves the attention she gets from anyone.  However, she loves her Mommy, Daddy, and Bubby.   I think God sent her to us, to remind us of Him and his love for us!  She is totally all about making you happy too, she knows that when she smiles, you are going to smile back...  She inspires me to be more of a happy person all the time, not just when I feel like it!

Jayme will get her own blog tomorrow! :D

62 Days until I see my family again...

Well, things are very different now!  I don't want to really want to expose myself too terribly, but Yeah. 

Life is way different coming home and being able to watch a show, and hear every word.  Be able to sit and read.  Wow, but I wouldn't ever feel like this is normal.  I wouldn't trade my real lifestyle for this EVER.  God has totally given me 3 incredible angels to live my life with...  I love it, and I am so excited to start our new life outside the military.  weird...

63 Days until I see my family again...

Well, this is probably one of the hardest days I have had in a while.  It is the last day to spend with my incredible family for the next 64 days.  I am so excited for them to get to Ohio and start our new life, but I hadn't really thought about how sad it would be.  I am writing about it here because I don't want to think about it anymore!!  but Jordan is excited to get there and do some fun things!  You have to say a prayer for Jayme because she is still in school and is going to need some time as well to really get her stuff done.  She is pretty awesome when it comes to school work.  I am impressed at her dedication!  she wants to really learn, and I just want to get it out of the way! haha 

Please pray for their safe travels to include my mom who they are going to pick up when she flys into OK city. 

Gotta go fill up my coffee...

64 Days until I quit my job...

Well, I am pretty much spent right now, the whole point of this is to get out the thoughts that will not stop bothering me and I will not stop dwelling on.  So really.. This is my best blog yet, for myself.  I really don't have anything on my mind other that I love this Coffee and I wonder what it and the creamer is doing to my body, since it is sooo good!  :) 

65 Days until I quit my job...

Well, again life seemed to take over.  I didn't wake up until 6:20 and had to leave the house about 6:45 so I obviously didn't have time for much this morning.  That almost never happens and I totally remember waking up, getting out of bed, walking over to the window seal and turning the alarm off.  and then the all important climbing back into bed. 

Well God has completely taken over my job hunt for me.  I have been looking into Lockheed Martin and other various places.  My Mother-in-law knows somebody who works with Lockheed Martin and they offered to put in a good word and pass my resume along.  Also, I applied for a Logistics job in Orrville about 9am my time on Saturday morning, and by 9:30am my time, I got a reply back from the president/owner of the company.  He went on to call me today to discuss more about my experience with the Air Force.  I believe thins went well, but we will see, he said he may call me back before April to schedule an in person interview. 

66 Days until I quit my job...

Yes, you are correct there was no 68 days...  I got to sleep in, and once I woke up... yup life happens!  And thats the best part.  Life happening enough to keep you away from your normal routine is really actually awesome.  It seems at the time as if it is a whirlwind taking you away without control, but for some reason yesterday it wasn't.  Maybe it was just the fact that I am realizing that they are leaving for 2 months, but I had the best day in 5 years probably.  I started my day off with changing Julianne's diaper and went on to play exercise just to make her smile (not that that was tough).  But my point is, I didn't let me routine drive me, which is normally what takesover from about 0400-1000 am.  I had no joke an incredible day.  There were points where my routine and whatever it is inside of me that says "you are wasting time, you have too much to do right now!", that poked jabs at me all day long but it wasn't anything that could take me away.

I often realize in the 11th hour how I have missed an opportunity.  I look back over friendships and work stuff and see them all the time.  I can only hope to learn from those mistakes.  I believe I put that quote in my last blog from Guy Kawasaki.  So I wont do it again.. But wow is it true. 

Anyways, I appreciate everyones thoughts and prayers through this really crazy time for our family.  Please think and pray for Jordan during this time too, not only because he will be away from his dad for a while, but because this is his second move in a year, and he is needing some security.  It took 8 months for him to start enjoying his life we have made for him in New Mexico.  He still loves England and talks about the brown house.  I believe he still believes we are going back to the brown house.  That is really all he knows in his life.  That is where he spent the first 3 years of his life, and I believe we need to get him that security so he can focus on being a kid, and not wondering when we are going to move again, or where his toys are going now.  He has met and left a lot of people he loves, and it kills me to watch him say goodbye to these people, and not really realize that he will 9 time out of 10 not see these people again.  Yesterday he had to say goodbye to Pastor Darwin, Pastor Wally, and Angela his sunday school teacher, and when I told her this was his last sunday, we both started crying like babies... but Jordan just wanted to show me his Jesus and John that they had made out of clothes pins.  He just really doesn't understand.  And I know from the past that this time next year he will still be asking where Kyle and Miss Autumn are.  He attaches himself to great people that he spends his time with, and loves them. That is really hard to me to deal with, and I hope and pray this will be the last move until all of our kids can understand we are going to be taking them out of high school to go coach football at a college 3 hours away... (name that movie)  but you get the point.

67 Days until I quit my job...

Well, Really Quick, Last Night When I Went To Bed, I Was Really Excited Because I Turned My Alarm Off, I Got In Bed About 11ish And Was Excited About Sleeping In.  (ok I can't do that Capitalizing every word thing anymore, it takes forever!)  haha Also, just a quick bit of info, which is what makes all that stuff before this make since, is I wake up at 4AM Sunday-Saturday.. so thats why I was excited. But apparently I do have that alarm clock that says "WAKE UP" about 4:45AM just to make sure Im not going to be late for work or PT.  so I am not going to complain, but that will be perfect back on the East coast... a nice 6:45AM Wake up Call courtesy of my brain.  You know, I really do appreciate it!  haha 

Last night we went to spend some time with friends of ours that we have had our whole AF Career, even though we had a break for a while, we always seem to find the best friends in the world where you can not talk to someone for 5 and a half years and it still be like we never left.  I have to thank God for giving me of all people friends like that.  I've got Ryan in WV, who if I am lucky I have seen twice since I joined the Air Force, All my friends in Wooster, Maybe 3 times, a very select few friends I had at Wooster High who even though we haven't seen each other since graduation we still want to get the kids together and have a coffee or something.  It took me a long time to realize, but Friends that God puts in your lives, are those ones that you could never get the chance to hang out again, but you still know that if you needed to talk to that person or go over to their house, they would ask you why you weren't already there.  God is Great.

 I get the pleasure of listening to Wooster Church of the Naz's Worship sessions and Messages. I try to listen to them regulary so I can really see where the church is going back home.  I guess I should explain that situation real quick.  But a Really long story short.  I always say "I AM NOT GOING BACK TO ____!  <-- Enter the next place God is going to send me."  No seriously... 

We moved to NEW MEXICO to be close enough to Houston to be able to interview for jobs there, pop down for Career Fairs, or whatever.  Houston is where we were going.  We went through about 15 towns in Houston and Dallas, but We would look for houses, then Schools, then shopping all that stuff... 1 year later God showed us the error in our ways, by providing us with HIS will and not ours.  He told us to go to Wooster Church.  <-- Did you see that?!?!  He told us to go to the church.  Not a house, not a school, not a target, not a cold stone creamery, not to Microsoft, not to Dell, not to BP.  I was outside mowing listening to Brian Houston of Hillsong.  He was talking about moving away from one of God's churches to go to the big city, where you will certain make more money, have a nicer house, drive a nicer car, have more things to do (Houston, Houston, Houston, Houston, Houston, or Columbus).  Then he said that is all fine and well, until little johnny is living on the streets hooked on drugs, or in a gang.  He talks a lot about God leading you places and you need to put your human desires away and stinkin listen when God tells you what to do.  another preface to this.  I have about 500+ different podcasts and sermons on my Ipod.  When I go to do something I pretty much select at random and know either I am going to learn about photoshop, Wooster Church Worship, or hear some powerful teaching like this.  So to make a shorter story shorter, I let go of the mower (yes it shuts off) and walked in the front door, just about as fast as I could get there, and said "Jayme, we have to go to Wooster"  I will enter in a comment for her, but neither of us had planned on that area, and quite frankly were not open to that area.  We just didn't want to go there.  We have been there!!!  haha  but if I would have asked her 20 minutes before that she probably would not have been very great about it, because of all the headache we put ourselves through, researching different areas, and talking about it, and just plain STRESSING about it.  But when I said that, she was like "ok."  I don't really remember much after that but I do remember a peace coming over me/us.  It was as if we were focused on a Church/God's plan, and everything after that will come in his time.  Imagine that... What a crazy idea!  HaHa  I have , no joke, heard that 30,000 times over the past 27 years sitting in church.  But a lot of stuff that I have heard all my life is really starting to set in and become TRUTH in my life.  I have just heard it and believed it, but didn't KNOW what it meant.  Unbelievable the things that God shows me everyday that he has obviously been trying to get me to learn for so long.  I guess I really am a learn it the hard way kid, but I try my hardest not to be.  "The Person who learns from his mistakes is a very smart person, but a person who learns from other people's mistakes is even smarter."  Rick Warren.  I want to feel sad about that, because I have wasted so many good years, and good opportunities in my life.  But I know God (as Pastor Nathan @ Wooster Church says) doesn't work in "toos".  God doesn't believe in "too late", "too old", "too much of a heathen" (sp?), you get the point.  So on the other hand, I feel blessed that much over that I am not 65 learning this.  (Not that 65 is old or anything! GEE) . 

This one will be the long edition for Saturday Morning.  No more Saturday Morning Cartoons, it CBS's Saturday Morning guy who rambles too much. 

69 days until I quit my job...

Honestly... My internet connection was not happy that I wanted to write this this morning, and right now, about 5 minutes before I HAVE to leave for PT (Physical Training) I pop on.  haha  Anyways, many of you might have gotten an e-mail about Jordan and him being MY Hero, truly, but the boy has some integrity. And for him to show it at this age is incredible that that has been instilled(sp?) in him.  Oh yeah I was tearin up when I saw him get off his tractor at 4:30pm face the music and put his hand over his heart...  He has integrity that is above all... I mean he was playing for goodness sakes!  he got off his tractor for that! He wont get off the tractor for me!  

 

But anyways, Things are good here, one week left with the family before they end their Air Force Journey and go forward into our new life.  That is beginning to be really hard for me to take, but I know it will be for the better of us and our future if I can get all I can done before its time. 

70 days until I quit my job... 

Well, What can I say... Not much.  I am having a little issue with wanting to find out about Lockheed Martin.  I keep checking my application status for all seven apps.  I know I shouldn't.  Maybe that is something I should start fasting. 

I have been listening a lot lately to Joyce Meyer.  If you want to listen to something that will totally change your life you need to subscribe to her "Enjoying Everyday Life" podcast.  Or heck, I will make you a CD.   Some of the things she brings up and talks about it totally life changing like I have never heard it before.

I will get more into that later, but today is thursday and Thursdays are like my mondays when it comes to getting ready for work.  We have a briefing with everyone in the shop first thing in the morning and it seems that I never make it on time.  That is the one thing in my career I cannot make it on time.  It might be that Thursdays are trash day, so when I am on schedule and walk out of the garage, I realize and then have to go back and get all the trash and recycling out.  :D

71 Days until I quit my job...

Hello again, 

     It was brought to my attention that the comment I made about me being not much for nothing without Jayme and Joel Osteen was a little out of line.  Well here is my reply to that. 

I feel God has worked through them to make me better by telling me over and over, just in the right times when I feel like giving up on all of it, that I can do it. I know I can do all thing through Christ who strenthgens me, its just them doing his work! :) I can look back through my life and see those people all the way through my life. I would say the first I could remember would probably be my mom, then Helen Carter, Pastor Baker, Randall (Ryans dad), Greg Gilberto, then Ryan, Helen Hall, Tom and Pastor Nathan, Matt Shetler, Lori, Yvonne, Donnell, Lyndon, Jayme, My last Chief (Chief Weyrauch), and then Joel Osteen.

I am sure there are so many people that I missed but its early! but even if these people didn't know, they were all an example for me, that motivated me.

Everyone of those people at some time were there for me right at the time I needed them most. And I owe my life to them for doing God's work and caring for me at those times.

One more thing I have to write about is something I haven't wrote about yet.  Monday started our church's 21 day fast. I decided to fast Sugar, Soda, and Fast Food.  Well let me tell you, it has been anything but easy.  Every single time I go to grab a hershey kiss, or a soda for lunch, I realize I can't.  And right when I am about to throw it all our the window, I realize just how silly, and rediculous that is.  It is all just something you put in your body that, lets face it, isn't good no matter how you look at it.  But still, everytime I get that urge, it is almost like WW3 inside me "saying who cares just eat it" and the other side saying, "Are you seriously about to give up? Do you understand what Jesus went through?"  Ofcourse, I don't do it and then spend the next 10-20 minutes thinking how silly it was to even think otherwise.  This is different than a diet, Im not doing it for that, it is just something I knew I was attached to.  There was no way I could do a total fast and still function at PT and work, so I had to pick the next best thing, and you got it.  If you don't think its hard try it for 2 days, then you will realize how quickly you are dependant on it. 

72 days until I quit my job...

Honestly, Anybody who knows me, knows I couldn't pass up this chance to throw a little Longhorn love towards the Buckeye Nation.  Well here goes,

To the Ohio State Buckeye Nation, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PLAY 60 MINUTES.  The game of NCAA Football does not have a 10 rule run.  This is not your backyard wiffle ball.  You need to play the rest of the game and hey, maybe, just maybe do some research on the team you had 8 weeks to prepare for.  Maybe realize that they are going to take your weak points that are on the game tapes from all season.  Maybe look at those weak points and switch some things around.  Wow, I would be embarrassed to show my face back on Campus after the second year in a row, you had your heineys handed to you. But hey, you scored 10 more points than the Florida game.  From the half buckeye in me, "There's always next year, to blow it in the big game".  But don't think you are going to get past USC that easy.

On to my 73 days left, I applied for a Lockheed Martin job yesterday after speaking with a Military relations recruiter.  The Lockheed Martin organization is exactly what I would be looking for to get involved with.  They are on the cutting edge of technology, they provide incredible benefits to include a "pension".  They are totally involved in providing the best of the best for their employees from life insurance, medical, matched 401K, and more.

I am excited about the opportunites ahead of us.  Again, my family has been so supportive about me getting school work done, and learning as much as I can. 

God speaks to me everyday showing me the way.  Here is just a quick example of what he showed me this morning. Just a Preface, I am not very optimistic, and if it wasn't for God, Jayme and Joel Osteen then I wouldn't be much for nothing!  :)  But here was my message first thing this morning:

This is taken from "Today's Word with Joel and Victoria Osteen" I get in my inbox every morning.

Expect Good Things

Today's Scripture

"Surely goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life…" (Psalm 23:6).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

What are you expecting today? Are you expecting to rise higher in life? Are you expecting good breaks? Are you expecting goodness to follow you everywhere you go? If you are expecting to get the short end of the stick, your own wrong thinking will keep you in mediocrity. Remember, God will meet you at the level of your expectations. Pay attention to what you are thinking about and make the choice to believe God for good things. Every day, imagine there are blessings, favor, increase, and promotion in your path. They already have your name on it! It's just a matter of time before you come across them. Start confessing everyday "Something good is going to happen to me today." Stand strong when trouble comes, knowing that your best days are ahead. Believe that God's blessings will overtake you! Expect goodness and mercy to chase you down. If you'll learn to raise your level of expectancy, God will pour out His blessings and favor on you. You'll rise to new levels and live the life of victory He has in store.

I couldn't say any better myself.  I get all kinds of signs like this, to include yesterday, When I spoke with the Military Relation Recruiter, and out of 4-5 recruiters, I just so happened to have the Retired Chief Master Sergeant from the Air Force.  He spent 8 years of his career in England, and has been to Cannon, and he has worked with the staffing department for the IT department. 

I dont think that is a coincedence.

Well, Basically, I am going to blog for the next 74 days a mental countdown of everything that goes on when you transition from the military and a perfectly good job to follow what We believe is God's plan for our lives.

Today and Yesterday, have particularly been one of the hardest days in the past few months.  Jayme and I have been looking for houses, and jobs and sometimes the hardest thing is to sit back and let God take care of it.  We want to solve everything in the human realm.  We as people think we have to have everything laid out to where nothing can go wrong...  But inevitably if God isn't in it, something will go wrong. 

So right now, I am focused on the job search.  Currently, I am looking for some sort of an IT job.  Computer Systems Administrator, Database Administrator, Web designer, Web Programmer, basically anything along those lines.  Lockheed Martin is getting my full attention right now, from what I know right now, They have everything I need and want in a career. 

I owe it to Jayme for keeping our finances on track for the past 6 years freeing us from tens of thousands of dollars in debt and putting enough of a cushion to where I can focus on getting "The Job" instead of having to go work for $12/hr and looking for a job part time.

My whole family has been very supportive, and they are actually getting ready to leave New Mexico early to head back to find a place to live, and allow me time to finish school.  Not to mention spend some much needed time with Jayme's sister and kiddies. 

I will ask you one thing, is just to think of us in prayer during this rough time!  Jayme and I have been through more than most people will ever go through in just the past 6 years, and this isnt going to be any different. 

74 days to go until I quit my job...