Just a taste of our last 48 hours.
Wednesday Morning - Tyson's boss lets him go, because his boss is just the type of person who lets go a hard-working employee
Wednesday during my lunch break - Tyson & I sign the lease for our new apartment, hoping we can find a way to make ends meet while he's unemployed. Our move in date is set for Sept 10.
Wednesday afternoon - My boss's boss informs me that my working from home for our 8 months away might not be approved if I'm not willing to work full-time. But we also decide we all have plenty of time until we have to make decisions. (Famous. Last. Words.)
Wednesday night - On my knees, sobbing, I asked God to please help the military proceed with the next steps for Tyson's class to start in November. And to please guide me in how to handle what will happen with my employment. And He said to me "Just trust me".
Thursday morning - Tyson gets a phone call asking him that if all his paperwork is approved, would he be willing to start his class SEPTEMBER 12TH instead of the November 28th date we've been talking about.
Thursday at NOON - All paperwork is approved, and it's a go. Orders will be cut, probably, on Monday.
Thursday at 12:30 - Inform my boss that we no longer have the luxury of time on our side. In return, he informs me that he's already made it clear to his boss that if they don't let me work from home, regardless of how many hours I put in, our department will be.........well a very bad word is what he used, but you get the point.
Thursday at 12:58 - I work on taking deep breaths & stop trying to figure out the why, when, where, what & how. This is exciting!!! Of course it's the military and things could change again...but YAY!!
Showing posts with label trusting Him. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trusting Him. Show all posts
Friday, August 26, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Mama's Intuition
I love me a good thunderstorm.
This past Sunday I had a rare moment of alone time - everyone was out running errands & G was napping. There was a storm brewing in the distance. The power had flickered a few times, so I decided to make sure all the TVs & computers in the house were off and I settled down in front of our big picture window to watch the storm roll in.
The lightning got closer, the thunder louder. I told myself if I saw another bolt of lighting get much closer in the field across the street that I would move from my perch at the window. The lightning didn't get any closer, but the hail started pelting the window.
I went to our back room (we all call it the no name room) to turn on the weather radio. None of the warning lights were on and it kept giving me weather for Niagara Falls. Um...I don't live near there, so it wasn't much help.
After fussing with the radio for a minute or 2, I looked up and realized the house looked like it was going through a car wash. Horizontal rain was hitting every side of the house.
This is what amazes me about being a Mom...I don't know if it was intuition, a pressure change in the atmosphere or not wanting to be alone...but I didn't wait another second in running upstairs & getting G from her crib.
She must've sensed it too, because she was wide awake and shot her arms up for me to get her out of there.
Heading down the stairs my mind was racing, deciding if we should sit in the shower in the bathroom, should we go to the basement (which gives me heebie jeebies) or should I just stand in the middle of the house, looking out the windows, ready to run to one of the locations if need be.
We hung out in the back room for a few minutes, Miss G just sitting on my lap, starring out the windows, not even trying to wiggle away from my grip. Luckily the storm started to subside before I could give where to go another thought. I was flooded with relief as I could no longer hear thunder and there was only the sound of light rain.
Like I said, I love a good thunderstorm but that was the most intense storm I've ever been in. And I've been through 2 microbursts - one of which in a RV - and 3 hurricanes.
It turns out, a tornado had touched down not a mile & a half from where we were. Lots of homes, barns & crops have been damaged but luckily there was not one single injury. (To humans, some cows received scratches & bruises.)
Tornadoes are a part of life in parts of this country, but certainly not this part. As you can imagine our little community is a buzz.
I learned 2 things from that storm: Never second guess a mama's intuition and the weather radio we have is useless.
This past Sunday I had a rare moment of alone time - everyone was out running errands & G was napping. There was a storm brewing in the distance. The power had flickered a few times, so I decided to make sure all the TVs & computers in the house were off and I settled down in front of our big picture window to watch the storm roll in.
The lightning got closer, the thunder louder. I told myself if I saw another bolt of lighting get much closer in the field across the street that I would move from my perch at the window. The lightning didn't get any closer, but the hail started pelting the window.
I went to our back room (we all call it the no name room) to turn on the weather radio. None of the warning lights were on and it kept giving me weather for Niagara Falls. Um...I don't live near there, so it wasn't much help.
After fussing with the radio for a minute or 2, I looked up and realized the house looked like it was going through a car wash. Horizontal rain was hitting every side of the house.
This is what amazes me about being a Mom...I don't know if it was intuition, a pressure change in the atmosphere or not wanting to be alone...but I didn't wait another second in running upstairs & getting G from her crib.
She must've sensed it too, because she was wide awake and shot her arms up for me to get her out of there.
Heading down the stairs my mind was racing, deciding if we should sit in the shower in the bathroom, should we go to the basement (which gives me heebie jeebies) or should I just stand in the middle of the house, looking out the windows, ready to run to one of the locations if need be.
We hung out in the back room for a few minutes, Miss G just sitting on my lap, starring out the windows, not even trying to wiggle away from my grip. Luckily the storm started to subside before I could give where to go another thought. I was flooded with relief as I could no longer hear thunder and there was only the sound of light rain.
Like I said, I love a good thunderstorm but that was the most intense storm I've ever been in. And I've been through 2 microbursts - one of which in a RV - and 3 hurricanes.
It turns out, a tornado had touched down not a mile & a half from where we were. Lots of homes, barns & crops have been damaged but luckily there was not one single injury. (To humans, some cows received scratches & bruises.)
Tornadoes are a part of life in parts of this country, but certainly not this part. As you can imagine our little community is a buzz.
I learned 2 things from that storm: Never second guess a mama's intuition and the weather radio we have is useless.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
One
I receive a daily emailed devotional from Proverbs 31 Ministries. It's often amazing how each devotional will touch what is going on with me, or clear what's clouding my head, today. I wonder how many women God speaks to through this one simple email.
Today's devotional was about how it "just takes one". One person, one word, one kind gesture to change the adversities you're going through. It rang so true to me. Just one thing can send ripple effects to so many others.
All it took was some vision loss for my grandpa, a word said to a friend, and a young Mennonite wanting his own farm to come knock on the door. At this moment it seems like we're all scrambling. My mom to find a storage unit and put her belongings in storage while she continues on her journey to find her "Grandma's" house. For Tyson & I to put the majority of our belongings in storage and rush to find an apartment to move into. My grandparents to now decide if they will own houses in NY & FL, or if they will move to FL full time.....they have more decisions than the rest of us combined. Yet the truth of this...is it is all such a good thing. From the moment I heard about the decision to sell the farm, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was Gods work. His name was written all over this.
It has only taken me venting about our moving situation to one coworker for her to inform me of the apartments she lived in, how they're remodeled and they have a lot available right now. (I hope they're as wonderful as she says, cause from what we could see in the pictures, this will be the biggest kitchen I've ever been able to call my own!)
There are some mornings when I wake up and the fire in me is not as bright & loud as it should be. Still there, still burning. But when the piles of things to pack are piling up and the boxes still sit empty, I get overwhelmed. My heart becomes heavy at the thought how much moving & resettling my daughter will go through in the next 2-3 years....it's a task to remind myself that this is all part of His plan. I can worry if I want, but it's really just wasted energy. And I need that energy to pack.
It just takes one.
It's easy to find comfort knowing we're just waiting for the next ONE to jump start our next season of life. We can enjoy today, because that's really the most important thing of all.
Today's devotional was about how it "just takes one". One person, one word, one kind gesture to change the adversities you're going through. It rang so true to me. Just one thing can send ripple effects to so many others.
All it took was some vision loss for my grandpa, a word said to a friend, and a young Mennonite wanting his own farm to come knock on the door. At this moment it seems like we're all scrambling. My mom to find a storage unit and put her belongings in storage while she continues on her journey to find her "Grandma's" house. For Tyson & I to put the majority of our belongings in storage and rush to find an apartment to move into. My grandparents to now decide if they will own houses in NY & FL, or if they will move to FL full time.....they have more decisions than the rest of us combined. Yet the truth of this...is it is all such a good thing. From the moment I heard about the decision to sell the farm, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was Gods work. His name was written all over this.
It has only taken me venting about our moving situation to one coworker for her to inform me of the apartments she lived in, how they're remodeled and they have a lot available right now. (I hope they're as wonderful as she says, cause from what we could see in the pictures, this will be the biggest kitchen I've ever been able to call my own!)
There are some mornings when I wake up and the fire in me is not as bright & loud as it should be. Still there, still burning. But when the piles of things to pack are piling up and the boxes still sit empty, I get overwhelmed. My heart becomes heavy at the thought how much moving & resettling my daughter will go through in the next 2-3 years....it's a task to remind myself that this is all part of His plan. I can worry if I want, but it's really just wasted energy. And I need that energy to pack.
It just takes one.
It's easy to find comfort knowing we're just waiting for the next ONE to jump start our next season of life. We can enjoy today, because that's really the most important thing of all.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
New Identity
I changed my name.
Well, actually, I changed the name of the blog.
And only in the banner.
But it makes me happy, so that's all that matters, right??
Acutally, I guess it has also changed in my state of mind.
Since becoming a 'mom' I have started obsessing over having a homestead for our family. I desperately want a homestead. And judging by the fact that G, completely unprovoked, carried her pail around the entire backyard "harvesting" black walnut seeds, I am guessing that she shares the same visions.
The one thing I'm learning as I grow with God is to make the most of what I have in front of me. Not to dwell on what I think I'm missing, or what I am waiting on.
Hence, the title change.
Just because simple things stand in my way, like not owning a land or even knowing where I'll be living in 3-5 months time, I should not allow myself to feel like life is on hold. Because it certainly is not.
So I'm starting a new chapter of life. Not waiting & dwelling, but DOING. There are things I can do now to make wherever we lay our heads, our homestead. With the way the next couple years could turn out, I may be really well rehearsed in these aspects of life, so when it finally comes time to LIVE on a homestead, I'll be ready to take on the chickens & the garden.
New name. New outlook. What'dya think??
Well, actually, I changed the name of the blog.
And only in the banner.
But it makes me happy, so that's all that matters, right??
Acutally, I guess it has also changed in my state of mind.
Since becoming a 'mom' I have started obsessing over having a homestead for our family. I desperately want a homestead. And judging by the fact that G, completely unprovoked, carried her pail around the entire backyard "harvesting" black walnut seeds, I am guessing that she shares the same visions.
The one thing I'm learning as I grow with God is to make the most of what I have in front of me. Not to dwell on what I think I'm missing, or what I am waiting on.
Hence, the title change.
Just because simple things stand in my way, like not owning a land or even knowing where I'll be living in 3-5 months time, I should not allow myself to feel like life is on hold. Because it certainly is not.
So I'm starting a new chapter of life. Not waiting & dwelling, but DOING. There are things I can do now to make wherever we lay our heads, our homestead. With the way the next couple years could turn out, I may be really well rehearsed in these aspects of life, so when it finally comes time to LIVE on a homestead, I'll be ready to take on the chickens & the garden.
New name. New outlook. What'dya think??
Monday, July 25, 2011
Berry Picking
They used to be all over the property, but due to landscaping changes they are now limited to behind the garage, and one bush transplanted to the actual garden.
Many summers my grandma would send my grandpa & I outside with containers to fill. It was my special time with him. Moments I will always hold dear.
This year G was able to participate and she's become quite the pro.
She can pick out berries that are ready, those us "taller" people seem to overlook. (That's a lesson that I believe children could teach adults about most things in life.)
Of course there are some job hazards to berry picking with toddlers...
This memory is extra special, not only because I'm able to share something special with my grandpa & my daughter, but because within the past few weeks an offer has been placed on the farm.
It wasn't even on the market. Health changes for my grandpa had planted the seed of selling in my grandparents' mind, and God provided with a lovely young Mennonite family. Who will return the "farm" to an actual working farm again. It's what we had all hoped would happen. This precious land will be handed over to a family who will care for it & treat it properly.
Now we're all starring at the start of new adventures & experiences. As we all scramble to find a place to live by October 1st. (And not knowing when Tyson will be starting tech school in MS is certainly throwing a wrench into any plans he & I could possibly think up.)
For now though, I will not worry, lay it at God's feet, and enjoy the wonderful berries & memories He has provided.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Introducing Senior Airman Wally
I suppose I've let the suspension hang in the air long enough.
On Friday Tyson took the oath to join the Air National Guard. Stationed right here, with the 174th Fighter Wing. He's currently joining to do weather. Of all things. My husband the weather man. I LOL everytime I say that.
Doing weather includes 8 months of school in Mississippi and 3 1/2 in Jacksonville. Luckily, G & I will be able to go with him to MS. FL, not so much. We're still working on that little hiccup. I would like to somehow go to FL with him, but that would be out of our pocket. So we still need to weigh the pros & cons, and probably will not be able to make a final decision on that until the time is upon us.
We still don't know WHEN classes will start for Tyson. Still some more red tape to go through before he can officially be given his orders. We're hoping for a Fall start.
There are so many things this means to our family. But first & foremost, I am so entirely proud of my husband. I practically light up when I get to say my husband is serving our country again.
Being a military WIFE, is so different that being a military fiance who also lives on the other side of the country.
God has started to lead us down an amazing path, and I am truly grateful for any opportunites that he may lay before us. To think of where our family was 4 months ago...everything felt like a struggle; even to just have a normal conversation between husband & wife was difficult and usually left me in tears. But the work HE has done in that short time, simply A-MAZING! (Oh how I wish I had opened that door a long time ago!)
On Friday Tyson took the oath to join the Air National Guard. Stationed right here, with the 174th Fighter Wing. He's currently joining to do weather. Of all things. My husband the weather man. I LOL everytime I say that.
Doing weather includes 8 months of school in Mississippi and 3 1/2 in Jacksonville. Luckily, G & I will be able to go with him to MS. FL, not so much. We're still working on that little hiccup. I would like to somehow go to FL with him, but that would be out of our pocket. So we still need to weigh the pros & cons, and probably will not be able to make a final decision on that until the time is upon us.
We still don't know WHEN classes will start for Tyson. Still some more red tape to go through before he can officially be given his orders. We're hoping for a Fall start.
There are so many things this means to our family. But first & foremost, I am so entirely proud of my husband. I practically light up when I get to say my husband is serving our country again.
Being a military WIFE, is so different that being a military fiance who also lives on the other side of the country.
God has started to lead us down an amazing path, and I am truly grateful for any opportunites that he may lay before us. To think of where our family was 4 months ago...everything felt like a struggle; even to just have a normal conversation between husband & wife was difficult and usually left me in tears. But the work HE has done in that short time, simply A-MAZING! (Oh how I wish I had opened that door a long time ago!)
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Spring has Sprung...well it's trying...
Even though the weather can’t seem to make up its mind…I can feel spring. Some days you can actually feel it in the air: the warmer weather, the sounds of birds returning from the south, a muddy yard, flood warnings instead of winter weather advisories…but I feel spring in a different way.
Springtime is all about change. When a cold tundra turns into beautiful lush yards & fields full of birds, bugs, flowers & grass. It’s about starting anew, with spring cleaning, opening windows to let the fresh air in & finally hanging your clothes to dry on the line, like you swear you will do every year. Last year it meant a new baby. This year it means a new toddler. I can’t wait to see her run through the yard, to swing on the swing with her, teach her how to use the slide her cousins are handing down to her.
This year our family has taken the ‘freshness’ and ‘newness’ to a different level. Tyson started a new job today. In a construction field he has missed dearly. With Monday-Friday hours and much room for advancement & pay hikes. Roofing does require some long hours, and possibly a couple out of town trips…but that’s nothing we can’t handle. And maybe I’ll even learn to make those times fun for Miss G & me.
It’s nice to finally take a big exhale and enjoy the world unfolding around us. God is so good.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
One of Life's Weird Coincidences
Today I had one of those “NO WAY!” moments.
I don’t know what made me think of it. Maybe knowing how Tyson is struggling to find work again, and how that’s been a trend with him since getting out of the Navy. How I was lucky to land the job I currently have, I started as a temp through a family member (whom I don’t even have contact with anymore) and now, 2 ½ years later, I’m an asset to this department.
Over the span of several years I worked for a portrait studio on & off. The job was always there when I needed it. It was a sanctuary for me when I was lonely & missing Tyson – there was always someone there to make me smile and work to be done to keep me busy. Then one day we received a phone call that the store would be closing 48 hours from then.
My whole world had been turned upside down when I heard this news. Between the loss of my sanctuary and Tyson being deployed I went into a semi-depression. Until that day life was promising. Tyson was being discharged in 2 months he’d move back to NY, get a job and we’d start our life together. Now we were looking at neither of us being employed & didn’t know which way to turn. The future we dreamt of felt so far away. It was today that I realized – we got that fateful store closing phone call on March 24th. Three years later on that exact same day my life would be turned upside down once again with the birth of our beautiful daughter. (At least it was turned upside down in a good way this time!!)
We still might be struggling for parts of that dream we had 3 years ago. Certainly one amazing dream was realized in that bouncing baby girl.
Who knows where we’ll be 3 years from the day Tyson lost his job. It’s all in God’s plan. I was just never one to master the art of patience.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Life Happens
Last week I had every intention of finally being on top of this blog, and
providing something deep & meaningful for you to entertain your brains with.
But…life got in the way.
Tyson stayed home from work Wednesday night, suffering from some pretty nasty
muscle spasms in his neck. So I was busy playing nurse and enjoying his, rare,
company in the evening.
Then Thursday night our world was turned upside down (or maybe just jostled a
little bit) as Tyson was let go from his job.
We both know this is a blessing in disguise, or maybe not so disguised as we're
both very aware of what doors this may have opened. We're hoping he'll now
receive unemployment and have the resources to be able to start the business
he's been talking about starting. (Fingers crossed we won't have to rely on that
unemployment for very long…)
He's nervous over the idea of his family's livelihood depending on a business
owned & run by him, but I have every faith that he can do this. Things might be
a little tight for awhile, but a happy husband and a happy home life is
absolutely worth it. His working overnights and us only seeing each other in
passing was becoming a huge stress & strain for all of us.
For now, he's home being Mr. Mom while I'm at work. I'm very thankful to have
the steady job & income (and source of insurance!). I long to be home raising
our daughter and providing for our family there, but I now understand I need to
be HERE until Tyson has his feet under him.
It's odd that I'm at peace with this, actually I'm almost excited for this new
adventure. I'm not worried about food on the table or having enough money for
bills, because I know that God will provide that for us.
So now that you're all updated….back to our regularly scheduled
programming….whatever that is.
providing something deep & meaningful for you to entertain your brains with.
But…life got in the way.
Tyson stayed home from work Wednesday night, suffering from some pretty nasty
muscle spasms in his neck. So I was busy playing nurse and enjoying his, rare,
company in the evening.
Then Thursday night our world was turned upside down (or maybe just jostled a
little bit) as Tyson was let go from his job.
We both know this is a blessing in disguise, or maybe not so disguised as we're
both very aware of what doors this may have opened. We're hoping he'll now
receive unemployment and have the resources to be able to start the business
he's been talking about starting. (Fingers crossed we won't have to rely on that
unemployment for very long…)
He's nervous over the idea of his family's livelihood depending on a business
owned & run by him, but I have every faith that he can do this. Things might be
a little tight for awhile, but a happy husband and a happy home life is
absolutely worth it. His working overnights and us only seeing each other in
passing was becoming a huge stress & strain for all of us.
For now, he's home being Mr. Mom while I'm at work. I'm very thankful to have
the steady job & income (and source of insurance!). I long to be home raising
our daughter and providing for our family there, but I now understand I need to
be HERE until Tyson has his feet under him.
It's odd that I'm at peace with this, actually I'm almost excited for this new
adventure. I'm not worried about food on the table or having enough money for
bills, because I know that God will provide that for us.
So now that you're all updated….back to our regularly scheduled
programming….whatever that is.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Resolution Time
I don’t often do resolutions. I always thought it was silly to use the new year as an excuse to start something you should have been doing. But this year…I kind of understand.
2010 was quite the year for the Wally’s. What with the new baby & all. (Followed by moving with a 2 month old, into the upstairs of my grandparent’s farm house.) Since May I’ve felt like a child, being watched by my grandparents & mother. I often have to remind myself I AM a mom now. It’s been fabulous to have their help with Tyson & I working opposite shifts, but I’m looking forward to gaining some time as OUR family of 3. Now that they’ve headed to Fl for 4 ½ months and the baby is no longer a new born requiring CONSTANT attention, I feel like I might actually accomplish something in 2011.
I am working on letting go. Trusting the direction of God & my husband, will get us to where we should be. (Which is a difficult concept for me to implement). I was raised to be independent. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and I’m not really letting go of that completely. Just relinquishing a little control is difficult for me. And it’s actually causing me some emotional turmoil. But relinquishing some control, is actually allowing me to send that desire to control & plan in other areas of life. To areas where it will serve me better in daily life.
I guess in the broad sense my new years resolution is to get organized. But I’ve been trying to do that for years. So I’m going to start off a little more specifically. (Which will hopefully mean I can succeed!!)
One resolution will hopefully evolve into another. So I’m STARTING the year off with hopes & goals of composting & creating a clean, organized way to separate recyclables. (I also would like to organize so much more, but this a good start!)
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