December already?

I've decided it was time for another update blog post. I mean, I know how much you all love these! ;-)

November came and was quickly gone again. Sometimes I can't believe it's already December! But November was still a fairly busy time for us. I was busy finishing up my high school visits and AJ was busy preparing for his all-school talent show. I spent some time up in Minnesota for a friend's baby shower and it was so good to see my high school friends. We always have a great time whenever we can get together! But you can tell we're all getting older as our gatherings now include babies! :)
The all-school talent show went great for AJ and I think he was really pleased with all the acts and how well all of his students did. And then we even had some visitors! Amber and Ariel came over and the three of us (we left AJ at home...) went to go see Breaking Dawn. We've seen the last two Twilight movies together so it's become a fun tradition for us!

And then it was already Thanksgiving! We spent the weekend up in Minnesota with my family. It was great to not only have some time with just our immediate family, but to also spend Thanksgiving day with our extended family as well. And again, you can tell we're all growing up as we now have little ones to entertain us throughout the day. :) AJ especially had fun playing Ring-Around-the-Rosie with them! We spent the rest of the weekend relaxing and enjoying our time off from work. We did do some Black Friday shopping - but not until later in the morning! And seeing some other friends while we were home as well. Overall, it was a great weekend! And plenty to be thankful for!

And now it's December! We welcomed December with a bit of snow on the first but nothing that really stuck. And then that first Saturday we had quite a bit of snow! It was one of those really beautiful snowfalls with the big fluffy flakes. Unfortunately, we were in Omaha for the day as I was at work and we had some shopping to do. Luckily though, we didn't run into too many problems on the drive home. Now however, all of snow has melted! And I must admit, I don't like it. I'm a big fan of having a white Christmas! Must be the whole growing up in Minnesota thing... :) But I need to have snow on Christmas. And from what my parents tell me, they don't have any snow back at home either! So here's hoping that we do get another snowfall that sticks - here, in Tipton and in Minnesota! Give me snow! :)

On Dec. 2nd, AJ had his Middle School Winter Concert. The fun part about that is that he had family that came over to surprise him! I knew ahead of time and it was fun to see his surprised face at the concert! His Mom, Grandma, Aunt Lisa and Amber all came for the concert. It was fun to have AJ walk around the corner and see them standing there! We are so blessed to have such amazing family that supports us so much! The concert itself was also amazing! Especially for a middle school concert, the sound was very good. The students were engaged and focused on what they were doing! AJ definitely knows what he's doing. I think his family were very impressed with the quality of concert it was as well, for being a middle school concert.

This past weekend we had some guests come and hang out with us! My friend Amanda and her baby Thor drove down for the weekend! The visit had been a long time coming and we were so happy it finally happened! We had a fun-filled weekend of playing with Thor and getting in some quality clans-people time! :) On Saturday we spent most of the day in Omaha at one of the malls. Amanda wanted to take Thor to see Santa! And the pictures she got were priceless! Definitely worth the 45 minutes we spent waiting in line! We all got some shopping done and ended the day at the Cheesecake Factory - which made my husband very happy! :) On Sunday we all just relaxed and didn't really do much of anything! Although we did give Thor a bath and taught him how to splash... haha They drove back home yesterday (Monday) and it was sad to see them go! We had a lot of fun! And we got a pretty good idea of what it's like to have a baby around 24/7! :) Not quite sure if we're ready for that yet... haha

Our string of visitors didn't stop there however! Yesterday we also welcomed my parents into town! They came down to see AJ's concert last night! It was wonderful of them to drive down and always great to see them! Plus, it was the first time my mom had seen our new apartment! After the concert we all went out for dinner and definitely had a good time! No offense to my sister and brother, but it was nice to spend some quality time with just AJ and my parents. I'm not sure we've really ever gotten the chance to do that. And it was really great. Again, we are truly blessed to have such supportive families! :) And today, before they headed back home to Minnesota, they drove into Omaha to see where I work and walk around UNO's campus! It's always fun to show off the place where I work and tell them about campus! :) I was even treated with a Jones Bros Cupcake before they left! Lucky me! And AJ... we of course bought one for him too!

So, as I mentioned, last night was AJ's High School Winter Concert - and his last concert for the year. The concert was incredible! It's been amazing to see how far the choir has progressed in just one short year! AJ has tripled his choir size and you could definitely tell the difference in the concert last night. Their sound was so good and the level of singing has definitely improved. AJ just has a way with students and knows how to get them to focus on what they're doing and to really put on a great show. The level of one of the songs they did was so impressive - it was a very difficult song - an All-State song, especially for such a young choir like AJ's but they did outstanding! Like I said, they've come a long way in just one year and it'll be exciting to see how Contest will go this spring and what will happen next year! It was a great concert!

I was thinking last night during the concert about when AJ first got offered the job at Riverside. I remember thinking that after he accepted the job, even though I somehow knew it was the right decision, I couldn't imagine leaving Northeast Iowa... I couldn't imagine living in Council Bluffs, in a place that was so foreign and far away from our family and friends. It was hard for me to picture what our life would be like here. But last night, as I watched AJ conduct the choir and watch how the kids responded to him, I can't imagine us being anywhere else right now.
Yes we're far away from our family. But this is where we're suppose to be. I know that without a doubt. This job at Riverside has been the perfect job for AJ. It's allowed him to really build up a program. It's allowed him to start making a name for himself. It's helped him to really develop his teaching skills and styles and to develop the program. We're in a community that has welcomed us with open arms and one that simply adores AJ. I love tagging behind AJ after a concert to listen to all the amazing compliments he receives from parents and members of the community. I love hearing AJ come home and tell me the nice things that the principal said to him that day after observing his class. I love reading emails that AJ gets from mentors or parents that talk about how they've never seen a skill and energy level like his from a second year teacher. I love being able to be so proud of my husband.

Not only has this place been great for AJ and his career, it's also been perfect for mine. I remember having to leave Kruger, a place where I've become comfortable and try to figure out what I was going to do over here. I remember applying for job and job, just trying to find anything. And then I was lucky enough to interview at UNO for the Admissions Counselor position. Getting in to admissions work in higher education is something I've always wanted to do since I graduated. I worked as a student in Wartburg's Admissions Office and loved it! But it can be hard to get into the field without having experience! So I have been so grateful for the opportunity I've been given here at UNO. And I believe that this job has helped me realize that I want to continue my career in higher education. Trying to figure out what I've wanted to do with my life has been a struggle of mine since college. And while I still don't know entirely what I want to do in life, I know I would like to stay within education - specifically higher education. And that's a good feeling.

I know I say this a lot, but God really does know what He's doing. It's just always amazing when you think back over the past year or two and you can see how everything has fallen into place exactly like it's suppose to. Looking back and and then looking at the present, seeing everything is how it's suppose to be, it makes going through those rough patches easier. It's helpful to know that those rough patches are sometimes necessary to make you stronger or to help get you to the place you are now.
Everything just takes time. Time and patience. And that's something that not a lot of us have. God's timeline is much different than ours but His is the one that counts. And it's always good when you can finally see that.

So, I strayed a bit and didn't just keep this an update blog but hopefully that's okay. :) And anyhow... right now I think AJ and I are both looking forward to Christmas break! One thing I love about my job is that we get the week off in between Christmas and New Year's! And since AJ also has a break, this means that we get some extended time with our families!! Which we love!! :) So next week we'll be heading to Tipton for a Zaruba Christmas and then the following week we're driving up to Minnesota for a late Reedstrom Christmas. It should be a great, fun and relaxing time! Now if it would just hurry up and get here! :)

Trusting God and Taking Leaps

Just a quick note: Writing is a way that I express myself and it helps me to sort out my thoughts. So I apologize if some of this doesn't make sense, but it's just everything that is going through my mind.


Wednesday

Well, the week has been an eventful week, to say the very least. In fact, I'm not even sure how to begin. No details of our week need to be described here, but the events that took place were ones that tested both AJ and myself. They tested our marriage. They tested our strength. They tested the support of our family and friends. They tested our patience. They tested our (or at least my) trust in God.

I don't think that I've ever prayed harder than I did earlier this week. I don't think I've ever asked God to make things okay more than I have this week. There were points that I was literally on my knees, begging God to give me answers and wanting them to be the answers I needed to hear. I don't think my relationship with God has ever been this... raw. There was just so much going through my heart, my mind, my soul that I'm not even sure I still understand it all. I think I'm still trying to process everything. I know that I've never needed God more in my life than I have this week. I've never needed the reassurance I'm seeking from Him now.

AJ and I are at a point in our life where some changes need to be made, from both our ends. We've done a lot of talking this week trying to figure those changes out - what they are and how we go about making them happen. And while some plans have been made and some steps have been taken, we've still got a long way to go. There are plans up in the air and many more steps to be taken. And I'm struggling with this. I'm struggling with the fact that things are up in the air. I'm struggling not knowing exactly what our next steps are. I'm struggling not having answers. And I'm struggling - so much - not to worry about it all.

I'm a "worrier" by nature. It runs in my family. Ask anyone. And I think it's also a symptom of being the oldest child. But whatever the case, I worry. A lot. I'm trying to look at everything and wanting to find solutions. I want to fix what's wrong. I want to know the answers I'm desperately waiting to hear. I worry about it all. And I'm also a hypocrite in this sense. AJ is also a worrier, especially if he thinks he's the one causing "problems" or whatever the case is. And so I'm constantly telling AJ not to worry. I'm telling him to just let it go. To move forward. The problem is, I don't take my own advice.

I think in my current situation, I just want to have control. I want to be able to help. I want to be able to have the answers. But I don't. I am having a hard time letting go. I know that worrying about things is not going to do me any good. I know worrying is not going to fix our problems. I know that I need to push all of that aside and trust God. I need to let go and let God. But I'm still hesitant. Maybe it's because I've put my trust in God the entire time AJ and I have been apart. And so far, it hasn't gotten us anywhere. I've trusted God that He knows what He's doing and that this is all part of His plan. But this week was a breaking point for me. And I guess I'm tired of waiting. I'm trying my hardest to keep my trust in God. And I'm putting a lot of pressure on him to wrap things up and make everything okay by the end of week. I've given him a time line in my mind. And I know that's not fair and that's not how God works. But that's where I'm at. I am trying to put it all out of my mind and move forward. I am trying not to worry. I'm trying no to think about what will happen if I don't get the answers I'm so desperately hoping for. I am trying to put my trust in God. But right now, it's taking everything I have to do that. 

Friday

Well, the end of the week has come. I'm not sure the end of the week has necessarily gotten any better, or worse for that matter. It just is. I discussed everything I wrote above with AJ some more and we talked about our options, our wants, our needs. We determined the next step in our plan. But that wasn't easy for us to do. And it wasn't an easy step. But we were hopeful and trusting God it was the right decision and that He will see us through it.

On Thursday when I returned to work, I think I felt like a zombie. I wasn't really there. I wasn't feeling. I was just trying to put myself completely in work so that I wasn't thinking about everything else. So I wasn't worrying about everything else. So I wasn't driving myself crazy. While I was out of the office, my mom sent me a devotion she had come across. She mentioned it was a good reminder "that God walks with you and has both you and AJ in the palm of His hand" during a time of uncertainty and turmoil. And it was just what I needed to hear (or read). I know that these times of uncertainty can be times of pain, but also times of growth. I have to remember that God is in the process of His plan and He knows what he's doing. The devotion was based on Psalm 98 and the text from the devotion is below: 

The most joyful woman I have ever known is someone who has suffered some true tragedies in her life: loss of loved ones, health and home. Yet, I spend just a few minutes in her presence and I come away feeling refreshed and more positive than I had been in weeks.
More than a mere positive attitude, she has a joy that runs deep, founded in her trust in and gratitude to God. I think of her when I hear the words, "O sing to the Lord a new song!" Her life is a new song of praise composed every time she shares her joy in the Lord. It is heard not with lyre or trumpet, but with the instruments of faith, assurance and hope.
For what are you grateful to God? Is there a "new song" others will hear in you? What "instruments" will you use?
We praise you, God, for your saving presence. Help us today to sing your praise in everything we do. Amen.

What a great reminder, right? Especially for two people that love to sing as much as AJ and I do. We need to remember to rejoice in the Lord! God will see us through this time.

Last night once I left work though, I started to get anxious again. I was hoping for an answer that hadn't come yet. And I was disappointed in that. And I started to think about this next step (actually, it was more of a HUGE leap!) that I needed to take and it made me start to worry about other issues. I tried to be strong and keep it inside because I didn't want to burden anyone else, especially AJ. But he broke me down and got inside of my thoughts. But it helped, he helped. He reminded me, yet again, what I already knew but needed to hear once again. It seems these days, I'm needed to be reminded of certain things a lot. But the good thing is, I have a lot of people that are there for me and that will remind me as often as I need them to. 

And then today, Friday, came. The end of the week. The day I was hoping for some answers. The day decisions were going to be put into action. The deadline I had given God. And although I still didn't have everything worked out like I had wanted, there were other things I needed to do. After a lot of talking, thinking and praying this week, AJ and I decided that the best thing for us and for our relationship was for me to be out in Council Bluffs. So, I gave Kruger my two weeks notice today. 


This was a very tough decision for us, especially since I don't have another job lined up at this time. But AJ and I both believe (as does many of our family) that this is the best thing for us at this time. We believe that this is the right decision. We believe that God is going to help us through this. I think that this is the biggest leap, biggest risk that I've ever taken. And it's hard to leave a job you really enjoy, and that you have friends at. And it's hard to leave a job that's within your field, in this economy. This isn't the way I pictured myself leaving. But I'm putting my faith in God. I'm putting my trust in Him, my hope in Him. And I'm doing the same with our marriage. We made vows to each other and we're standing by them. I'm making our marriage my number one priority right now - making my husband my number one priority. 

I'm sure that this decision will in turn bring about some new struggles for AJ and I. But I also believe that it is going to bring us a lot of comfort, a lot of support for each other. And that is what we need right now. We know that we have the support from Riverside and we appreciate that so much. And once I'm out in Council Bluffs, we're going to start getting to church every Sunday so that we can gain that family and get their support as well. We're going to start building our lives - together - out in Council Bluffs finally. And I know that God is going to be there with us, every step of the way.

Labor Day Weekend

Last week, I spent most of my time in Boone working the Farm Progress Show. Needless to say, it was a long week and when I finally left the showgrounds on Thursday night at 8pm, AJ had convinced me to come visit him in Council Bluffs. He is just too irresistible! :) And as I drove into Council Bluffs, I had such the strangest feeling. While driving on the interstate, you can see our apartment complex. In the short time we've lived at this apartment, we've made it more like a home than any other apartment. Probably because of all the extra space! And so this apartment feels like home to me - more so than any other place. But driving into Council Bluffs, I find it odd that I can call an apartment there home when I am so unfamiliar with the surrounding area. I really don't know where anything is in Council Bluffs. I can just barely manage to find my way to Oakland or Carson to the schools. It was a fairly unsettling feeling. Hopefully AJ is becoming more familiar with the area and one day (soon-ish?), I will know my way around the area. 

I love being back at that apartment though. I am having a lot of fun decorating it and making it a really nice place to live - even if AJ is the only one who gets to enjoy it! :) I was especially exciting when I was at Target last Friday to see the fall decorations! And of course I had to buy some and went straight home to put up all our fall decorations. And once we were back in Minnesota, I finally found a plant to put on top of our fireplace and decorated it with some fall accents. And then I plan to just switch out the accents for each season! 

AJ and I had a great Labor Day weekend. It really was perfect fall weather and that makes me very happy!! I obviously love fall and it is by far my favorite season! I love sweatshirt weather. I love the cool nights. I love the colorful falling leaves. I love the warmth from bonfires. I love the Friday night football games. I love the fall season smells. And of course, I love that in under two months, AJ and I will be celebrating one fabulous year together. We have been so blessed within the past year. And although we're apart now, we continue to grow stronger every day. 

AJ and I were able to enjoy a lot of time with family and friends over the weekend. We had a bridal shower for my cousin Courtney. We had our annual Reedstrom reunion out at the farm with a lot of family. And we were also able to get together with the Jones side, along with some of Matt's (Courtney's fiance) family. The greatest part about that night was that all eight of us cousins (plus AJ and Matt) were not only all in the same state, but in the same building! It had been a long time since that had happened - probably our wedding last year! We had a great time reminiscing and telling stories and getting our traditional pictures taken. :)

All in all, it was a great weekend. Although it went by way to quickly - as it normally does. And it was hard to say good-bye again. As it always is. Although I will be traveling this week, next week and the following week for work, AJ and I are hoping we'll be able to spend some time together. I'm hoping I'll be able to be out in Council Bluffs for Riverside's homecoming next week after work at the Husker Harvest farm show in Grand Island, NE. 

But we'll be sure to keep you all updated! :) 

The Perfect Surprise Date Night

Last week had been a long week at work. I was up in Minnesota for a majority of the week working at Farm Fest and it was hot. And then I had a mountain of work to come back to on Friday. All in all, it was a long and stressful week - and AJ had let me vent all my frustrations to him. 

On Friday we texted back and forth throughout the day. Late in the afternoon, I drove into Cedar Falls to pick up some postcards to be mailed out. On my way, I called AJ to chat. He asked if my day was going any better and what my plans were for the night. He mentioned something about going out to dinner and a movie and I said, if only you were here. 

When I got back to my office I had a surprise waiting on my desk! AJ had sent a beautiful bouquet of roses! I was in shock! I texted him, "You got me flowers!?!" However, as soon as I hit send, I turn to see AJ walking into my cubicle!!! He had driven all the way from Council Bluffs to come surprise me! I couldn't believe it! He said my face was priceless! I was not expecting it all but it was an amazing surprise! 

And what I didn't know was as I was driving into Cedar Falls, AJ actually passed me on the road! He said he ducked his head a little and hoped I wouldn't see him! I don't even think I recognized the Grand Am! AJ couldn't believe that I didn't see him! And I'm glad I didn't because it would have ruined the complete surprise! :)  

AJ waiting patiently for me while I finished up the work day - which didn't end until after 5pm... I think I kept looking over at him because I still couldn't believe he was there! We called and made dinner reservations at the Brown Bottle and once I was off work, we took some time to spend down on Main St, Cedar Falls. We went to this little shop called Indulgence and had some chocolate appetizers! Then we drove to the Brown Bottle and once we got there, we asked to be seated outside on the patio - it wasn't too hot or anything - seemed like a perfect night! The host was like, "Going to chance the rain, huh?" And of course that was no big deal to us - plus whenever we want it to rain, it never does. :) 

So we were seated outside and when our waitress came out, she also said to us, "Taking a chance on the rain, huh?" We just smiled and said we'd be fine. We ordered our drinks and AJ ordered some appetizers as well and we sat and just enjoyed each others company. Before our meal came out, it did start to sprinkle some, but we just moved the table under the umbrella more and we were fine. Then our meal came out and it was delicious! We had never eaten at the Brown Bottle before but we quickly realized why it was such a popular place! The food was amazing!

We were close to finishing up our meal when the waitresses came outside to round up the chairs and put down the other umbrellas. We told our waitress she could bring us our check so we could get of their way before any rain came. It had gotten a little darker, cooler and windier. It started to rain again and as soon as we were handing our check back to our waitress and they were clearing our table, it started to pour! AJ and I loved it! We rain to the car and were soaked when we got there! We couldn't think it could have been any better for two people who love the rain! We laughed about how wet we were and hoped we'd drive off before the movie. 

We took off to Waterloo next to head to the movie theater. On the way, we listened to a CD AJ had burned of choral music. When we parked the car, AJ said we had to listen to one song before we could go in. It's a song called Cloudburst by Eric Whitacre. If you have never heard this song, you must listen to it. It's an amazing song - especially if you love the rain. And listening to it inside a car while it rained outside... okay, so we might be a couple of nerds, but it was simply awesome. 

Once we got inside the movie theater, we bought our tickets for Toy Story 3 and still had some time before we could go sit. So we decided to play some games in the arcade. We had a good time. Then we went to find some seats and were the first ones in the theater so we sat in the very back row! I think there were a total of six people in the theater which was awesome. And the movie was great! Very funny and relaxing after a long week. 

All in all, it really was a perfect surprise date night! I feel so blessed to have such an amazing husband! It was sad to see him leave again the next morning, but we'll be seeing each other again this weekend. So while the weeks might be long and stressful, the weekends have at least been enjoyable and we've been able to spend that time together.

The Final Countdown

July 8th, 2010

Well... it's started... the final countdown. Or at least, one of the final countdowns. :)

Last week we got news from the apartment complex we liked in Council Bluffs that two of the three available apartments had been rented out and they had just shown the third one that morning. We quickly finished our application and faxed it over. We told them the deposit check would be in the mail the next day. We were very nervous that the apartment would be rented out before we were approved or if they needed to wait to get our check. Luckily, they said our application looked good and although they normally don't, they would hold the apartment knowing our check was in the mail! So that was great news! One thing to check off our list: find an apartment to rent.

Then one week ago, on July 1st we decided we better give our 30-day notice to our current apartment. This was a tough decision for us.

I had finally heard back about the interview (in a standard e-mail of course) that they had filled the position. And although it was nice to finally get that closure, I find myself still without a job out West. AJ was persistent about being moved by August 1st so he would have plenty of time in his classroom before school starts. So, we decided that AJ would move out to Council Bluffs and I would stay behind and keep working at Kruger. I needed to stay until I had a job or at least until AJ would have a paycheck coming in - which wouldn't be until towards the end of September. Now we debated about whether we keep our apartment in Waterloo or I look for a friend to crash with. I really did not want to be paying two rents. Luckily, one of my co-workers just bought a house and was willing to let me crash with her for a while! This was such a huge blessing! We were able to give our 30 days notice without having to worry about finding somewhere to stay once AJ moves.

And so now it begins. Our stand-still is officially over. We've started to pack things up already. Although we don't really have the room to have boxes everywhere, but it's also nice to get some of the packing out of the way. We're moving the last week in July - not quite sure on exactly when yet... We received our move-out directions from our current apartment and boy is that cleaning list long! :) We canceled our cable/internet and energy effective the end of this month. And I remember how much I hate moving. haha

I really hope that this new apartment works out and that we'll be there for more than at least a year! So pray for that! :)

Things will get interesting at the end of the month. Hopefully I'll be able to take the time off to help AJ and our families move. And apparently, they're not too excited to help us move. Something about the last time our dads and AJ's grandparents came down to help... nothing was packed... haha Although in my offense, we were only moving like 5 minutes down the road and I only needed them to move the big furniture! I was going to take care of everything else! But bless their hearts, they got everything moved for us in the one day!

Well anyone that is going to help us move this time, I PROMISE we'll have everything packed and ready to go! :) Please come help us! My dad has an 18' trailer he's bringing so that will be very helpful! My mom and brother will miss out on the fun because they'll be in Guatemala on a mission trip. Oh well, their loss. :) And I think AJ's dad is going to be helping out for sure but I don't know about his mom yet. Hopefully we'll have plenty of help! I've never moved this far away before. The only other time that was somewhat similar was going to college and I'm pretty sure we have A LOT more stuff now!

Well, that's about it for now. For the next couple of weeks we'll be busy packing and trying to find space for all our boxes. Maybe we can build a fort with them like Ross and Joey did on Friends! :) I like that idea already....

Ch-ch-ch-changing....

July 21st, 2010

Changes, they are a-comin'. Okay, so I'm not even sure if that's a real word or not, but changes are definitely starting to happen.

Last Friday was a big day for me at work. It was the day I decided I need to tell my boss about AJ's job and our upcoming move - I needed to get the vacation time off! So, catching my boss right before he left for a half day of vacation, I asked if he had a couple of minutes to talk. I told him I wanted to catch him up on the events in mine and AJ's life. I explained that AJ had been offered a teaching position and after really thinking and praying about it, he had decided to accept the offer. I told him it was in Oakland, IA and that we were moving to Council Bluffs the last week of this month.

I then explained that I don't want to leave my current job here at Kruger and that I'm excited about the upcoming possibilities and new opportunities. I told him I had already made arrangement to move in with a co-worker and that AJ would be going on to Council Bluffs without me. I told him that I wasn't sure how it was all going to work out or what the next steps were, but I made sure he knew that I am committed to this job and willing to do whatever it takes to make it work.

The first thing he said was, well I'm glad you're not leaving. Which was a relief to hear! And then he said to tell AJ congratulations. He also acknowledged that what we're doing would be hard, but he's willing to help whenever he can.

I'm grateful that the news is now out in the open. It's much easier at work now. However, I hope that it was the right time to tell him. I just pray and trust that everything will work out the way it's suppose to. And I know that AJ and I both are going to need a lot of strength and patience from God for the next couple of months.

Being separated is going to be very difficult for us. And we need to remember to fully communicate our feelings to each other so that although we might be frustrated with the current situation, we don't get frustrated with each other. I think that is our biggest fear!

And now, it's already the 21st of the month. We have about 75% of all our belongings packed up and three nights to finish the rest. On Sunday, family will be coming down to help pack up the trailer and then we'll head over to Council Bluffs. On Monday morning, we'll get our apartment key and start the long process of moving everything out of the trailer and up to our third floor apartment. At this point, I would like to mention how grateful we are for our family members who are willing to help us with this move. :) Thank you.

I also took off Tuesday and Wednesday of next week to help unpack and get things settled. But then it's back here to Waterloo for work. It will be interesting to see how the next couple of weeks, then months go. But whatever happens, it will be an adventure. And God will be there with us.