Because I forgot to blog it, I will start with saying that Wicked was fantastic! Who knew that Alphaba and Galinda were actually college roomates?! And the Alphaba (the wicked witch) was actually not wicked at all, just greatly misunderstood because she was green?! I would go see it again in a heartbeat! What I think we need to do is take a road trip to Chicago and see it there! Who's with me?!
Today is my last day as a slave to "the man". No more emailing with Angela, no more chatting with Laila about the stepkids (ok, yeah, we probably still will!), no more income. Yikes! I need to figure out an alternative money maker fast. But, I am excited about this leap of Faith and as I lay in the sun this week in sunny Fort Lauderdale, I will contemplate and pray for what God has in store. I think 2009 is going to be a life changing year for me, and my last day couldn't come at a better time!
I feel for my buddy Laila...or Lailer as I lovingly call her. She really got the shaft here, but she too has decided to take a leap of Faith and quit her job! Her last day is next week. So our 3 man department is down to one! And since the company thought we did nothing all day anyway, they are replacing me with someone from a different department. He will work 10 hours a week doing my job. Hmmm....I had more work that I could do in 40 hours, so he will do it in 10? I spend 10 just filing! Not my problem anymore. We feel for Kim. Poor girl will have to run the place!
So tomorrow I begin my life as a SAHM. So strange as I look back over 2008 and think about how my life has changed in the past year....a year ago I would never believe that I would be quitting my job, EVER. Marty was an embittered grouch, I was at my wit's end, the situation with Alexis seemed hopeless. Now all that has changed! I'll continue my blogging and hopefully as you follow my journey it will unfold into Alexis moving here, Angela and I busting out in ministry, Marty getting a fat raise, me finally getting inspiration for writing, and who knows what else? We'll have to wait and see....
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Ahhhh...snow, lovely snow
Marty left for work this morning at 5am and the snow was light. I walked out the house shortly after 7am, and was ankle deep in snow! No shovel in sight, since for some reason they are in the garage, I had to trudge through the snow to my car. Did I mention I don't own a pair boots? yeah. As soon as I backed out of the driveway, I immediately began to think that it was not a good idea to try to go to work. I couldn't see more than 5 feet in front of me, and it looked like the blizzard of the century! But, I soldiered on....it only took me 45 minutes to drop Sammy off and get to work. The trip usually takes 10-15.
At 3:30pm today Marty and I will head out to go get Alexis. It's good we meet 1/2 way! Still, it's a blizzard in Michigan, icing in Ohio (where we meet) and 60 degrees in Kentucky. That means, Alexis will be dressed for Kentucky weather when we get her. Last spring when she came, we had some crazy snow that week and it was in the low 30's. We made sure her mom knew to have her dress warm. When we met up, her mom and the manfriend had sweats on. Alexis had on capri's, sandals and a t-shirt. No jacket, but it was in the bottom of her bag. Her bag full of shorts and tank tops. hmmm....we let her know that this time there is a blizzard, so maybe she will come in a swimsuit expecting some ice cream!
At 3:30pm today Marty and I will head out to go get Alexis. It's good we meet 1/2 way! Still, it's a blizzard in Michigan, icing in Ohio (where we meet) and 60 degrees in Kentucky. That means, Alexis will be dressed for Kentucky weather when we get her. Last spring when she came, we had some crazy snow that week and it was in the low 30's. We made sure her mom knew to have her dress warm. When we met up, her mom and the manfriend had sweats on. Alexis had on capri's, sandals and a t-shirt. No jacket, but it was in the bottom of her bag. Her bag full of shorts and tank tops. hmmm....we let her know that this time there is a blizzard, so maybe she will come in a swimsuit expecting some ice cream!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Which is worse?
Using all your natural, and probably supernatural strength to pry a frozen car door shut, or climbing in through the one door that will open, which happens to be the back driver side door...where your toddler is already strapped in to his carseat?
Coming outside and seeing the car is cleaned off for you, but only on the driver side...OR forgetting you have automatic start?
Snow in your shoes or up your pant leg?
Walking in 3 inches of snow without proper shoes to clean off the passenger side OR using power windows to shake loose the snow....only to end up with most of it landing inside your car?
Finally getting the driver side door open only to get a seat full of snow blown in OR trying to wipe it off your seat and getting it blown into your face?
Wrapping all the Christmas presents and forgetting whose is whose, OR your dog chewing on one of the packages just after you've wrapped it?
Starting your Christmas shopping early and realizing you've bought more than you really meant to buy (because you started so early) OR thinking you're done shopping only to realize you forgot someone, like a gift for your spouse from the kids....and you already went over budget....and you have a vacation coming up....?
Coming outside and seeing the car is cleaned off for you, but only on the driver side...OR forgetting you have automatic start?
Snow in your shoes or up your pant leg?
Walking in 3 inches of snow without proper shoes to clean off the passenger side OR using power windows to shake loose the snow....only to end up with most of it landing inside your car?
Finally getting the driver side door open only to get a seat full of snow blown in OR trying to wipe it off your seat and getting it blown into your face?
Wrapping all the Christmas presents and forgetting whose is whose, OR your dog chewing on one of the packages just after you've wrapped it?
Starting your Christmas shopping early and realizing you've bought more than you really meant to buy (because you started so early) OR thinking you're done shopping only to realize you forgot someone, like a gift for your spouse from the kids....and you already went over budget....and you have a vacation coming up....?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Jesus loves me....
Well, I did it. I put in my 6 week notice a few weeks ago, following in Pat's footsteps by giving PLENTY of notice. My last day will be January 2 (technically, it's the 30th. Using vaca time on the 31st and 2nd). I'm pretty excited for what's to come in my early retirement. I don't want to refer to it as "quitting" because it just sounds so negative! It's something I have prayed for for so long, but of course I am nervous. There are a lot of changes shaking up the company so it seems like a prime time to go, but then doubt sets in and I start thinking, "Oh, my gosh! Did I act rash? Did I make a mistake? What if they were going to give me a promotion and a big fat raise?" Then of course I snicker....of course they won't be dishing out a big fat raise. A "promotion" maybe, but that would mean more work at the same pay. My reason for retiring is that I am sacrificing so much for so little! Would I work longer if I made more money? Maybe. Not that $$ is more important than my child, but Marty is now paying an additional $200 a month in child support because, well long story short....Wayne County stinks. We had no proof that Crystal was lying about her income so up went his support. I guess we just pray that God takes care of it. But, really...HE HAS! This is so God's timing, but the enemy is also going to try to take the things that God is blessing us with and try to us it to destroy us! For example: we are going on vacation. Hallelujah, I haven't been on vacation since my honeymoon 5 years ago. We've never been able to afford it. About a week or so before finding out the support was going up, we found tickets to Fort Lauderdale for WAY cheaper than normal for the holiday season. We'll be staying with his parents, which saves us from paying for a hotel. BUT- we are flying to Miami. The 'rents hate Miami airport, and it is pretty much the worse in the country. BUT, it was much cheaper than Ft. Lauderdale. Well, after calling countless places for shuttle or car, we couldn't find anything under $100. There goes the spending money. Oh, but wait...that which the enemy was trying to use to bring us down, the LORD made good! My father-in-law drove to this train station near their house and found out that it was nothing like the terrible reviews it got and was actually quite nice. It will get us to them in under 45 minutes and the cost....$8 total.
Next blessing- I love performance. Plays, musicals, dance...always wanted to go to the theatre, but tickets are so expensive and well, I gave up on that. But then Marty surprised me with tickets to Nutcracker AND Wicked! I'm so geeked. We went to Nutcracker on Sunday, which I was pleasantly surprised, except the men in tights were a bit too much right in my face- we were in the fourth row and me being so modest and immature, couldn't look as they were doing toe touches in the air right in my face. It just seemed sinful to look. Gross. Wicked is in a few weeks. SO geeked about that.
Christmas- we are giving Alexis a dang good Christmas. Not overindulging, but she'll be 10, and most years we had to borrow or scrape to get a few decent gifts. But, without any pain to our pockets and the fact that we are saving up for our trip, we were able to get her plenty of items from her wish list. She really does deserve it! Sammy- well, his gift is a trip to Gram and Gramps! lol...we did get him some, but he is little and oblivious and doesn't need much.
So of course, the enemy has swooped it and said things like, "Sarah, you'll never be able to do this without you working. Sarah you're a fool for quitting. Sarah, you have to pay for Crystal's expensive truck and lavish lifestyle, you can't afford to quit your job...." and on go the lies. I prayed for this opportunity to be home more for a long time and now I have it. And you know what? We will be able to continue to live. There are things we can cut back on, but what I realized was that Marty has paid the bills, bought the plane tickets, paid for a good chunk of the presents AND is saving for a car. All while paying close to $550 a month in support. That doesn't even make SENSE to me! God must be tossing money in our account or something. So, PRAISE GOD for the opportunities. While the enemy has tried to attack our finances, our marriage, our sanity and our family, the Lord has continued to bless us for doing the right thing! I think sometimes we get so caught up in trying to control our lives, that sometimes blessings go unrecognized. You really need to stop focusing on the negative and what you don't have and start focusing on God and what you do have! Then, you will be truly blessed!
Next blessing- I love performance. Plays, musicals, dance...always wanted to go to the theatre, but tickets are so expensive and well, I gave up on that. But then Marty surprised me with tickets to Nutcracker AND Wicked! I'm so geeked. We went to Nutcracker on Sunday, which I was pleasantly surprised, except the men in tights were a bit too much right in my face- we were in the fourth row and me being so modest and immature, couldn't look as they were doing toe touches in the air right in my face. It just seemed sinful to look. Gross. Wicked is in a few weeks. SO geeked about that.
Christmas- we are giving Alexis a dang good Christmas. Not overindulging, but she'll be 10, and most years we had to borrow or scrape to get a few decent gifts. But, without any pain to our pockets and the fact that we are saving up for our trip, we were able to get her plenty of items from her wish list. She really does deserve it! Sammy- well, his gift is a trip to Gram and Gramps! lol...we did get him some, but he is little and oblivious and doesn't need much.
So of course, the enemy has swooped it and said things like, "Sarah, you'll never be able to do this without you working. Sarah you're a fool for quitting. Sarah, you have to pay for Crystal's expensive truck and lavish lifestyle, you can't afford to quit your job...." and on go the lies. I prayed for this opportunity to be home more for a long time and now I have it. And you know what? We will be able to continue to live. There are things we can cut back on, but what I realized was that Marty has paid the bills, bought the plane tickets, paid for a good chunk of the presents AND is saving for a car. All while paying close to $550 a month in support. That doesn't even make SENSE to me! God must be tossing money in our account or something. So, PRAISE GOD for the opportunities. While the enemy has tried to attack our finances, our marriage, our sanity and our family, the Lord has continued to bless us for doing the right thing! I think sometimes we get so caught up in trying to control our lives, that sometimes blessings go unrecognized. You really need to stop focusing on the negative and what you don't have and start focusing on God and what you do have! Then, you will be truly blessed!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
M&M E-Votional Week...what week is this?!
What a great time Advent was last night! I hope you all agree, since I saw many of you there! Wasn't Francyne fantastic? If you've never been to an Eagle's Wings retreat, you MUST go next fall! I hear they have something special up their sleeve for us!
For those who weren't there, Francyne from Eagle's Wings was the guest speaker. She did a great job speaking on the topic of love, a great choice for the Christmas season! It made me think about how so many people go all year complaining about not having enough money or time, but then comes Christmas and all that changes. We start giving to those less fortunate, at least for a few weeks during all the drives for toys, can foods and coats. We say "Merry Christmas" to people on the street that any other time we'd pass by, careful to not glance in their direction. But, as Christians, shouldn't that love and generosity be in our hearts all year round? We are to be examples of Christ, not just at the season of His birth, but at all times. Like Francyne said, we need to do more than say nice words, we need to be an example through our actions!
What kind of example will you be today? What kind of example will you be at your holiday parties, family gatherings, the many shopping excursions? Will you rush through Target with your cart on a mission to hurry in and hurry out or will you let the woman with the three screaming kids cut in line so she can get out a little quicker? Will you sit at home in front of your fire, thinking of all the great presents you bought, or will you take the time to go Christmas caroling at a nursing home? (see Yzzy for that!)....Being that I'm a list maker, I made a list of goals for myself this Christmas season. What are yours?
Verses to Read: Titus 2:7; 1 Timothy 4:12, Matthew 5:14, 15
For those who weren't there, Francyne from Eagle's Wings was the guest speaker. She did a great job speaking on the topic of love, a great choice for the Christmas season! It made me think about how so many people go all year complaining about not having enough money or time, but then comes Christmas and all that changes. We start giving to those less fortunate, at least for a few weeks during all the drives for toys, can foods and coats. We say "Merry Christmas" to people on the street that any other time we'd pass by, careful to not glance in their direction. But, as Christians, shouldn't that love and generosity be in our hearts all year round? We are to be examples of Christ, not just at the season of His birth, but at all times. Like Francyne said, we need to do more than say nice words, we need to be an example through our actions!
What kind of example will you be today? What kind of example will you be at your holiday parties, family gatherings, the many shopping excursions? Will you rush through Target with your cart on a mission to hurry in and hurry out or will you let the woman with the three screaming kids cut in line so she can get out a little quicker? Will you sit at home in front of your fire, thinking of all the great presents you bought, or will you take the time to go Christmas caroling at a nursing home? (see Yzzy for that!)....Being that I'm a list maker, I made a list of goals for myself this Christmas season. What are yours?
Verses to Read: Titus 2:7; 1 Timothy 4:12, Matthew 5:14, 15
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