God is so good!!!

This weekend, Jared and I had been planning on going down to IL for a couple of days. We wanted to try to talk to my parents and to pick up my stuff down there and just spend some time away from the "norm". For various reasons from my parents, the trip was postponed/cancelled. I'll admit, we were a bit bummed. Since we had saved up gas/food money for the trip, we decided that today would be a fun, date day for us. In my words, "We're gonna party!" Of course, I was being silly.

Last night I had the hardest time going to sleep, I just wasn't tired! So, I decided to "surf" craigslist and see if I found anything interesting. Sure enough! I found an awesome looking black coffee table for $20 - emailed the link to Jared. I saw a gorgeous 5 piece kitchen table and chairs set for $20 - emailed the link to Jared telling him "um, I want this" as the subject ;-) I had no real intentions of getting either one, but they seemed like amazing deals to me, and they were our style. I decided to go out on a limb and email the person selling the kitchen table set. I sent her an email just asking if she still had the set and then went off to bed.

This morning, I woke up to an absolutely GORGEOUS day! Oh, it was so hard to get out of bed - just lying there hearing the wind rustle through the trees and feeling the gentle breeze floating through the window was so peaceful, but I had to get up for our special date day! So, I sat up in bed and decided to check my email quickly before getting ready. Among my emails was a reply from the lady with the kitchen set. She said, "You're the first that emailed back so you get first dibs. :) Would you like to take a look at it today? Please let me know asap." I get first dibs?! Oh, that's got to be a sign! Haha...I quickly replied letting her know I was very interested and that me and my fiance' would try to come by today. She replied letting me know the earlier the better for them because they had errands to run, so I let her know that I would get ready quickly and then go the 30 minutes to my fiance's house where I would do my best to convince him that we have something really important we need to do right away. :-)

On the way to Jared's house, I spent time talking to God and thanking Him for the absolutely gorgeous day He had given us and the beauty of the creation He made that we get to enjoy. The ride there was incredible!

Once I got to Jared's, I ran into his house exclaiming my excitement about the absolutely gorgeous day and then quickly told him about the table and how I have first dibs and we have to hurry! He kept telling me to calm down 'cause he wanted to show me something quickly, but I really wanted to get going, and from the look on his face - it probably was car-related. I went outside to see what he wanted to show me, still raving about the table. He looked at me and said, "It's not the one in my car is it?" I said, "What? No, you can't have it - She said I have first dibs." He smiled slyly and opened the back door of his car where I looked in and saw....
the awesome black coffee table!

I said, "Oh, no, I was talking about the kitchen table set, but I love this, too!" He then looked at me and said, "Wait, you're the first person?!" Jared then explained that he emailed the lady with the kitchen set(he wanted to have it there to surprise me with, as well), but she told him she was waiting to hear back from the first person who contacted her. If she didn't hear back from that person, Jared had second dibs. Well, we figured since I had first dibs and he had second dibs, that must mean we were supposed to get the table and chairs, or at least go check them out. So, we called the people and set up a time in the evening to meet them.

Jared had an appointment to get his timing belt replaced, so that was our next step of the day. We drove in both cars, so that we could get around while his was being worked on. We went to the mall and walked around and looked at a few things (and smelled the amazing fall candles! - poor Jared - one of the employees walked up and said, "Hello, ladies" then apologized profusely). After the mall, we went to Noodles and Co. where we both got our favorite - Wisconsin Mac 'n Cheese - we had to sit outside 'cause the place was packed! It was a bit chilly, but we still enjoyed our date. Then we went next door to Starbucks where I got a (fall drink!!) Spiced Pumpkin Latte and Jared got a bagel and cream cheese (and a marked down expensive chocolate bar). We then went and got Jared's car and headed back to his house, where we had some down time and I made Peach London Fog's for both of us (though he hates tea, he loved it!). We headed out and picked up the kitchen table set and then came back to his house to enjoy a delicious meal of steak, corn on the cob, garden green beans, and garden tomatoes.

After dinner, we drove our incredible purchases to the apartment and set them up. We then decided we are going to have to get a centerpiece for that amazing, huge coffee table. We stopped by Wal-Mart and looked at their decorations for a while and then headed back to his place.

After an amazing day, I'm back home now, in my cozy little apartment with it's amazing coffee table and super-cheap kitchen table set.

I realized that if we had gone to IL, we probably wouldn't have the tables and chairs, and would have missed out on the amazing day we had today.

God is so good!!


Here's the coffee table...




and the kitchen table and chairs...


I love them! :-)

Engagement Pics

This weekend, Jared and I decided to work on our engagement shoot - we've been wanting one for a while now and we just haven't had or taken the time to do it. Oh, did I mention that Jared is an amazing photographer? Since we're low on funds, we decided we would just do the engagement shoot ourselves. So, out we went with a camera and a tripod (much needed since Jared was in the photos). We're very happy with the way the photos we have taken so far have turned out - especially since the photographer is in the pictures instead of behind the camera. It took a bit of work for Jared - running back and forth changing settings and tripod location, but we're loving our pictures!

I decided that Jared needs a blog to advertise his skills - we're trying to get a small business started up here! Check out the blog here!

Crafty Things...

OK, so I love to read "craft" blogs - someday I hope to be able to do a bunch of crafty things - when I can afford to. One great craft blog I follow is Little Birdie Secrets
Right now they are hosting an AWESOME giveaway! Check it out here!

The Perfect Father/Friend

You may be thinking, "The PERFECT Father/Friend? I'm not sure if that is possible - she must really love her dad", or something along those lines. Believe me - I have the perfect Father and he's also the perfect Friend. He loves me and cares for me and so much more! If you don't believe me, read below for yourself...this is just one example of how much I'm loved. He's the best!

Since I switched to the new job, I just found out a couple of days ago that my paychecks are not going to fall into place at the times I really need them to. I have a bill due on the 27th and then rent and another bill are due on July 1st - wasn't really too certain how they were going to get paid, but was leaving it in God's hands for once :-)

I found out that the bill on the 27th actually has a 10-day grace period so that one may be easily taken care of - that was about all the answer to prayer I needed yesterday - I was so happy to find that out!

Found out today that there is a lady who wants to buy an item that Jared and I have been trying to sell for forever. She'll pay $1,000 and will give us $500 on Monday - My rent is $475, so that means rent will be covered! I get a paycheck from my old job at the end of this week - smaller one, but it should cover both of the other bills.

God is so good - He provides and protects and so much more. He is the perfect Father/Friend :-)

Short and Sweet

Just yesterday I posted a praise that Jared was getting later hours at work, which meant that we could see each other at least a little bit. He was to go in at 10:00 am tomorrow and work until 2:00 pm. I went in to work today and was informed there was good news for me...Jared's hours are now 2:00 pm to 10:30 pm!!! My hours are 4:30 pm to close (around 1:00 am) - more time together!!! I'm so excited :-) God is so good to us.

Also, I was able to share some of my "story" and my faith with 2 co-workers tonight...it was pretty neat! Anyway, I'm totally exhausted and need to get to bed. Just wanted to share a couple of highlights from my day.

Shift Change

Yesterday was my first day at my new job, Adventure Child Care Center, LLC. For some reason, state licensing has decided that I'm not qualified to be a teacher in a childcare center (even though I have 93 overall credits in el. ed. and have been teaching in a center for 8 months now), so it looks like I'll get to go take a college course before I can teach in this new center. God worked it out, through the kind hearts of my new bosses, that I still have hours until I can get into a classroom. I am currently working in the office - which isn't bad - and I'm happy to relieve poor Sarah of some of her many duties.

I work 2nd shift at the daycare, so I go in at 4:30 pm and leave anywhere from 12:30 am to 1:30 am. Jared started as an assistant teacher (he, too, will be taking a course so that he can teach) at the same center last week. Currently he is on 1st shift so he has been going in around 5:00 am and leaving around 2:00 pm. We knew this was coming, but we weren't too excited bout it. All summer we were to be on these schedules, meaning we would really not see each other much at all other than on weekends.

Yesterday before work I was praying that God would help us to be able to keep in touch and keep our relationship strong. That being apart like this would bring us closer together and not bring us apart. I prayed that God would maybe even work it out so that we can see each other more.

Last night at work I was informed that Jared's schedule is changing tomorrow. They want him to get used to working 2nd shift some since that's what he'll be working eventually anyway, and since they're overstaffed a bit right now in the mornings, it only makes sense to have him come in later. Jared now will go in to work at 10:00 am and leave around 7:00 pm. So, we don't have the exact same shifts, but we sure can see each other a lot more than we were going to be! Praise the Lord!

Kids Are Such a Blessing!

Tomorrow is my last day at 21 For Tots...I've been working as a teacher in the 2s and 3s room since last August - not quite a year yet, but long enough to love those kids more than I ever thought I could! Today I made a card that I was going to have my co-teacher, Cindy, read to the kids next week, but I'll probably end up reading it to them tomorrow. I want for them to know that I love each of them dearly, but it's so hard to convince a toddler that you love them when you're willing to leave them.

God has been directing me to move to a daycare in Oshkosh - this daycare is just starting up and Jared is working there as well. For numerous reasons, it seems that Adventure Child Care is where God wants me and that it will be of a better benefit to Jared and I for our future together.

It's been quite a while since I've hurt as bad as I do today and I cannot even imagine what tomorrow will bring. As I'm typing tears are rolling down my face.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about the new daycare! I want to work there and look forward to what it will bring. I just...I just love my little kids so much!

I know that God had me in the lives of these little ones for a reason and I pray that I've been able to show them His love. I pray that at least one of these precious little ones was able to learn as much from me as I have from them.

I will miss my kids and will try to always keep them in my prayers.

God's Ways are Higher Than Ours

Jared lost his job a couple months ago - a scary bit of news for us since I had just moved into an apartment, we had recently taken out a loan for a new(er) car for him, he was already making payments on a loan for school, we had insurance to pay for both cars, gas money, and whatever other needs there may be. Although we're not married yet or living together, we had/have been pooling our funds to help things progress more quickly. We thought it would be impossible for everything to get paid with only my income.

God has shown us otherwise! Since Jared has been without work (yes, he has a job now - he starts on the 9th of June), we have sold our first car, sold Jared's old laptop, sold some HID headlights, sold an ipod, and maybe a couple other things. Not only have all of the bills been paid on time and all other needs been covered, we've ended up having "extra money" for dates and such!

I got my 2nd electric bill in the mail today, and quickly ripped open the envelope to find out the news. My first bill was significantly lower than we'd imagined it would be ($61 for a month - and that includes heat), so I wasn't too incredibly concerned about this one. This bill was $31.90!!! - Basically cut in half!! God is so good! Truly, His ways are higher than ours.

The Adventures of Childcare

I have the best job in the whole wide world, in my opinion. Every day I get to go to work and play with 2 and 3 year olds! It is an absolute blast! I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity I have to work with these amazing little kids. Am I a babysitter? Absolutely not. Working in childcare is so underrated. Sure, we watch kids while their parents are working, but it's so much more than that! I get to teach, to instill good habits, to lead by example, to form great relationships, to explore, to "doctor", to nurture, to learn new things, to potty train, but most important: to love and show God's love as best I can.

Along with all of the great things we do in a day come some pretty crazy adventures - For example, yesterday, I picked up a baby, and two seconds later his puke was running down my arm. Today I led one of my boys into the bathroom during a fit of rage/sleep interruption (nap time was over), got his pants down, and then got my leg "pottied" on.

Nevertheless, working with kids is the absolute best thing I can imagine.

I am so thankful God led me into childcare work!