It's time for this semester's issue of MSUM Sucks!

This is the email I sent a professor today. Too much?







*** I removed this post...I don't need to focus on this anymore. I have decided to hang up the MA work at MSUM and return to a different institution at a later date. I can not continue to put myself through the headaches and frustration while getting no where.

I am finally in a good place with my job situation. I don't see myself ever returning to public education. Cut my losses and focus on what's important. ***

What a Ride!

It has been an amazing two weeks! Amazing, invigorating, stressful, exciting, busy and fun. We started by heading out to SD with my cousin and her family on June 12. We had a great time going to Mt. Rushmore, touring SD, picnicking and letting the kids play. When we got home that Sunday (fathers day!) we had to get ready for the next big adventure: mommy starting her job.

I started last week and it has been awesome. As I wrote on my Facebook page, I work at an awesome church, with awesome people, whose only mission is to love and praise God and spread the message of Grace, Mercy and Peace. I am really having a great time. Last week I put in 45 hours. This week will be closer to 50, but it's so exciting to be doing something that feels "right."

This week has been especially exciting, because it is Faith Factor week. The theme this year is Dive In, and the entire week has been about all of the meanings and messages of water as they pertain to Christianity. We have events scheduled for the kids, the youth and teaching time for the adults. Lucas has gone each night and just loves it. I am appreciating the opportunity to get to know a lot of the kids I'll be working with. And --- I get to go to Mexico on a mission trip at the end of July. Very, very, very cool!

The kids are adjusting quite well to my working. We have been good about spending all of our time when I am not working just hanging out and being outside. The weather has (finally) been good in our area, so suffice it to say - lots of time has been spent on walks, in the park and around the pool! Have a great week and weekend!

Romans 8:28

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

He answers prayers...things fall into place...faith sees us through. Nope --- not a teacher. A youth director at a local church!

A couple weeks ago, I wrote all the stats. New stats for my new call are a bit brighter than the mess that was finding a teaching position! 3 interviews, 2 job offers, 1 new role for me.

AND - This. Church. Rocks! Its awesome. Jeff and kids attended worship with me last week, we were so impressed. It's forward moving, uplifting, growing, there's vision, direction and a desire to do more. Wow! I am pumped. I start in 2 weeks.

What really is so, SO, SO cool about this is the position actually closed April 25. When Jeff and I went to Mpls. two weeks ago, I just called the pastor and asked if I could still send in my info, a few weeks late. He told me that they were just going to start going through applications, but if I could email the info to him ASAP, he'd definitely check it out.

There is no doubt in my mind that His hand, the Lord's hand is in this... it is not fate, its the direction that He is leading me.

www.atonementfargo.org

Gray Days

Loving the rain, not so much the gray. We are forecasted to have rain all week...so no going outside. It makes for long days, because the kiddos get pretty wound up inside. They are in great moods, but want to go outside. If not for the babe, we'd take the boys out, but I worry about Lis getting a cold. But again, I do like the rain. It's good to see the grass green up and a nice "green" way for my plants to get watered without borrowing from the house water.

So, looking forward to sunshiny days. We have spent so much time outside as a family. I've planted a bunch of plants, weeded, dug in and just enjoyed working in the earth. Being outside so much has also made it pretty clear that I do suffer from some S.A.D. I can not get enough sun this summer and I am really hoping we get lots of beautiful days, that stretch into late October...

High Maintenance After All

I like to think I am a low maintenance girl. However, this morning I was getting ready to head out for the day (an interview actually) when my hair products proved otherwise. One is not low maintenance if they use 7 hair products in the morning...

"Flowers for you, Mommy!"

My boys are the sweetest! Last Sunday, they were in the backyard helping Jeff. I was inside working on something -- and Lucas comes tearing in the house. "Mommy! Mommy!" in a voice that I was sure meant something terrible had happened. I asked (before I could see him) "What's wrong?"

He came around the corner "We picked flowers for you, Mommy!" They aren't really flowers - but they look like Four-Leaf-Clovers. And how did they know I could use the love and luck ;)
Sweet!

Channeling Forrest

I ran the half-marathon this weekend. What an experience. I can't believe I finished. I decided on Friday 5/16 to run. I trained a bit earlier this year (Jan-March), but when the job stuff started, I quit training. But on Friday, I decided "What the heck-I can walk most of it if I want. My goal was to finish in 4 hours, which averages out to about an 18 minute mile. I am happy to report that I finished quite a bit faster than that. Next year, my goal is to cut my time by about 1/2 hour. Then, maybe the NEXT year, I'll run the full marathon. It really was a lot of fun. Jeff volunteered for traffic control and worked at mile 26/13, so he and the boys got to see me near the end of the race. (Lis stayed at home with Grandma P.) It really was a great run. The spectators fuel the adrenaline like you wouldn't believe! I paced myself with a couple of great people along the way, and we really had fun. And, it's exciting to finish in the Dome.

A Healthy Breakfast before the big run...


At the start:



Seeing my babies at the (almost) finish. This is Alex coming to give me a big kiss!