the swing of things.

I'm a busy girl these days. Though I still continue my full-time job, I have resumed the role of student! I'm just part-time, taking two classes each Tuesday afternoon. My Christianity and Western Culture (history/Christianity throughout history) class meets from 12:15 to 3:05 and my Contemporary Issues in Science and Christian Thought (is that not the longest name ever?) class meets from 3:40 to 6:00. 

I'm enjoying being back in the classroom, though it's kind of new and I'm not used to being still for so long during the day. Both classes are going to be a challenge but not too difficult. I'm excited to be learning, glad to be back, and happy happy that this is part of the path to FINISH! The projected plan is that I will graduate next spring (2012), which means a few summer classes and going back to full-time school in the fall. 

Carson, meanwhile, is ten times more busy than I. He is taking 20-something credits, which includes regular classes, his internship, and two directed study classes. On top of that, he's the teacher's assistant (TA) for two Moody classes and is working part-time. When does he study? I'm not so sure. Somewhere between his 4:45  gym trip, daily classes, cleaning the church, and MTS class at the church. He plans to graduate this May (2011) which I've probably already mentioned. He is one busy guy so I really shouldn't complain about my load (not that it stops me, sad to say).

It's fun to have an ID tag, syllabi, textbooks, quizzes and papers to plan for, conversations regarding class, and just the reconnection and fellowship with people I don't regularly connect with outside of Moody. 

thankful for

workout videos. because i HATE gyms. ick.

workout video buddies. because at least you aren't alone with the sweating and suffering.

my husband. because he leaves sweet notes around. and does the laundry at random.

leftovers. because i don't have to have a sandwich for lunch.

mascara. because my eyelashes have blonde tips.

showers. because of that workout. because now i smell good!

spell-check. because i don't like to proofread.

babies. because they're so darn cute.

school. because it starts in two weeks and i'm enrolled!

sleep. because i didn't get enough and i can see how much i need it.

jesus. because my life would not be the same without him.

sweats. because i can wear yoga pants to work.

water. because i don't even know how many times i filled my camelbak up yesterday. lots.

bible. because it's true and life-changing and alive. because it's god's word.

ibuprofen. because kids are loud and i got a headache.

writing in all lowercase. because i can.

God Working... and BABIES!

I have started a new job. It's not in addition to, but in place of my retail job.
Why?
Honestly, I'm a horrible salesperson. For one, selling things just was not me. I floundered. I bumbled. I tried to go in the back and do freight all afternoon because I'd much rather be in the back than selling clothes. Two, it completely stressed me out. Like every day I'd be so tired from the stress of having to make my sales goals. The managers weren't mean or anything (in fact, I loved my co-workers) but it was just so not for me. I'm pretty sure their business is better without me there anyway. I felt like I couldn't represent them well. And I'm not a fan of not doing things well, you know?

Anyway, I'm working at a daycare full-time now. Yes, I'm exhausted at the end of each day and yes, I have spit-up on my shirt and a full bottle's spill on my pants (which I laundered last night. gah!), but seriously, I like this so much better! It's a weird switch from selling to taking care of babies (I've been with infants almost all week and hope to stay there) but it was a good decision.

So obviously, you're wondering why I was even at one job for three weeks. Let me tell you, God WORKED through that! Everyone I worked with at White&Black was unsaved. And I am. So that was an interesting dynamic - not a bad one. I was able to have several really good conversations with a few co-workers (planting seeds?).

And one of those coworkers and I exchanged numbers. She dropped me off at home and knows where I live. And we're going to hang out! So pray for this opportunity to share Christ with this girl. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to have this opportunity and hope we'll get together soon!

And because a post is not much of a post without pictures, here's a poster I liked, from Etsy. I'm not a coffee-drinker (Carson is - he likes his black) but I thought it was cute.

Back Where I Didn't Want to Be

[alternately titled: "Guess What? I DON'T Know Best"]

Sometimes you pray for something... and it doesn't happen.

Sometimes you think something is God's will... and it doesn't work out.

What to do? Is God a liar? Should you quit praying?

Obviously, the answer to that is a good sound NO. But sometimes it's easy to get a little upset at the one who made the universe:

"God, I really wanted that! THIS is how I hoped that would go!" (like He didn't know)

This is something I experienced this week. You see, retail and I aren't best buddies. I don't mind it so much, but when it comes to selling something, I'm not so great. Being cheerful and kinda fake and making conversation... well, I use the excuse that I was homeschooled and therefore lack the know-how.

So I went to another interview last week (the day after I started my job). They said they'd call Friday or Monday.

We prayed that God would show where I should be. Because the hours at the other job were better, the schedule was more fitting, and the job wasn't something I was uncomfortable doing, I pretty much expected a call back. When the job I currently have didn't call me with my schedule for the week, I thought "Oh how perfect!"

I called job #2 today. Twice. No answer.

Then the phone rang.

"Lindsay? Hey! So here's your work schedule for the week"

...

Maybe God's plan isn't my ideal. Maybe He doesn't have to say "yes" every single time. Maybe, just maybe, prayer isn't about me getting what I want after all.

Maybe I'm going to be selling clothes for a little while.

News

 Carson's doing well, if you're wondering. Studying like crazy, working at Super Supplements part time and several weekly hours as a TA. He took a Psychology CLEP test a couple of weeks ago and aced it (of course!) so he's prepping for more CLEP tests. We're both cleaning the church a total of ten hours a week for our rent.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I finally have a job! It's a huge relief to be free from the hunt. I haven't actually started; my first day is Tuesday, but the job is mine. It's at White House Black Market. Retail was the last thing I wanted to do, but not too many places are hiring so I'm glad to get this! It's a smaller environment than the last retail job I worked so I think I'll like it better.
Note: Forgive the name; it's a clothing store. That's why the link is included. I'm not involving myself in criminal anything :)

And the second piece of news... I applied for a Pell Grant! Financial aid, that is. And I have been given a pretty decent sum so if things keep going the way they're going, it looks like I will join Carson in going back to school as early as January! Though I'd really thought about getting my associate's degree in Biblical Studies, I've discovered that I really do enjoy school, and since I'm only three semesters from graduating, I really want that Bachelor's degree (it's in Intercultural Ministry). I'm hoping to finish everything by next Spring, so I'll really only be a year behind my original graduation date.

Many Blessings.

We have a place to live this fall! Our church in Spokane has some apartments behind it. They're letting us rent from them. This is a blessing in so many ways. For one, we aren't in Spokane and can't go look at apartments so we've been concerned about ending up with a place to stay that's affordable and decent. We haven't had to make any new trips to Spokane for apartment-hunting (I was a little worried about completing that mission alone), and it's really good rent, right next to church, and in a great distance from downtown and school! We're excited to live there.

The job hunt continues. This in itself doesn't feel like a blessing. I would love to report that I've found a job and that it's over. But it isn't. It is a blessing in disguise, because God has been teaching me about patience and joy through this process. If you'd pray that one pops up soon though, I'd appreciate it!

About the apartment again... it's not going to be "ours" until the first of September. The other tenant is still there. Naturally, with school starting on the 23rd, that puts us in the "living-out-of-a-box" or staying in a hotel for a week category. We are so blessed to have friends who are willing to put us up for a week! The great couple who hosted us for Thanksgiving last year is allowing us to live in their basement until the apartment is ready. 

On another note...

I forgot to put the detergent in the washer yesterday. I realized this while loading the clothes in the dryer.

Regretfully, I confess that I compensated by adding several dryer sheets instead of paying another $1.75. 

tidbits

- Never in my life have I frequented Craigslist so much as I have this week. Carson always says that until you get a job, finding a job is a job. (And not my favorite job, I must add. Which encourages me to pursue one so I don't have to keep looking!)

- A discovery: Running to Frank Sinatra makes even running feel classy :)

- A note on that - I've been running... three miles or so, which is NOTHING compared to the PT Carson does but I'm still impressed with the small amount I can run!

- Carson's mom came for a visit Sunday-Monday. She's our first overnight visitor. Since you are now wondering how that worked, Carson slept on the floor... our guest couldn't very well do that, could she?

- My brother, Scott is coming this weekend. We'll be heading over to the Leavenworth area for hiking/camping/exploring. Scott desperately wants to climb a mountain. Though climbing one is doubtful, we will see mountains.

- Carson still hasn't gotten to go on a fire. The time with him has been wonderful, but he's still hoping to get that experience before going back to school. So, we're praying for that...

- We have been married for TWO months! And it doesn't seem that long... probably because weddings are such a memorable thing and we can still visualize and process through that day as if it were yesterday. Carson, apparently, thinks it's been longer: "Happy twelve - wait - two - month's anniversary!"

And What Do You Do?

This is the most common question we get. People who haven't seen us lately are always asking what we're up to, where we live, and what jobs we're doing. In the event that someone reading this is wondering the same thing:

We live in Naches, Washington. It's a very small town in Central Washington, very cute, and lots of fun.

Carson is the only one working for the summer. He works on the Naches fire crew for the US Forest Service in the Okanagon-Wenatchee Forest district. He's hoping right now to go on assignment on a really big forest fire somewhere (like Colorado, Alaska, or another place they have big fires) and when he does, he'll be gone for 14-21 days. We're not looking forward to THAT part but Carson is really hoping to get to go somewhere and fight fires. In the meantime, he's working on on-district fires when they're there, doing a lot of PT stuff (because this job involves a TON of hard work), and other such things. It's a pretty guy-friendly job, one I (Lindsay) certainly wouldn't be able to do without many tears.

Meanwhile, I'm sticking around at home. I keep myself busy with cleaning our little house, cooking, grocery shopping, and running errands. I do a lot of walking around Naches - to the library (where I'm sitting now), the post office, and other places. One reason I'm not working is because we're only here for such a short time (mid-August); another is because if Carson leaves for a little while, I won't have to stay here by myself. I'll get to go to Olympia, where my in-laws live.

When together, we play Scrabble (thank you Grandmama!), watch movies, study Romans, read through the Old Testament. We're reading through a couple of other books right now too. We've gone to visit Olympia a couple of times, and this weekend we went to Cashmere. So we're fairly busy, but in a lazy sort of way.

And that is what we do!