Our lives have been so busy that we nearly forgot about Halloween this year. I believe it was Monday night when we looked at our weekly calendar and realized we had made it to the week of Halloween and so we tried to find time to carve a pumpkin, deciding on Friday night, only to realize a few hours later that my crazy work schedule wouldn't allow it: I worked 4-7pm and then 8pm-2am. Plus Friday we went to Safeway for pumpkins and they had none. Between work last night I went to Fred Meyer and they had just a handful of very destroyed pumpkins. This led us to the decision of not having any this year. I'm very sad about today being Halloween and I'm not going to be carving a pumpkin this year. We have decided that our life will be a bit different and maybe the jobs we'll have in Idaho will allow a decent amount of time to spend together so we don't forget about holidays!
Speaking of Idaho, we're planning on being there in 7 weeks from today, which means I only have 6 more weeks of work! And the way they have both been going I am so excited to be so close to being on to bigger and better things, even if I'm not quite sure what they entails.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Video
Ever since I heard this song on the radio Sunday I have had it stuck in my head. Instead of waiting another month before I hear it on the radio again, I googled it and found it on youtube, as a live performance. And now that it is on my blog, I can always know where to find it when I want to listen again!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
I'm Letting Go
On September 15th, I wrote a post entitled "A Life Changing Conversation" and the day when we had that conversation (I believe the post came a few days later) we got in the car after church and heard a song that cemented everything I had been feeling. I LOVE the feeling when music says so perfectly everything you are trying to say. If only I had one ounce of musical talent I'd like to think I would be a song writer, but that would probably also require having talent with words :)
I have been trying to remember anything about the song, since all I could remember was that it related to us giving our life over to God 100%. I have been boycotting country music to only listen to Christian music with the hopes of hearing it. Well, that day finally came and tonight heading home from my Holiday Quarterly Class at Banana, I heard just the opening music and knew it was the song I had so patiently been waiting for (ironically enough, that was the lesson I taught to my preschoolers at Sunday School this morning!)
I hope that one day I'll be able to look back at my blog and find good memories in each post. Maybe I'll even make it into a book or something, so I want to have the lyrics for the theme song from the early months of my marriage. I even hope that this song will continue to keep our relationship centered on what is truly important to us: God, each other, and those closest to us. I would love for this to be something we can look back on long after the song is off the radio and remember how excited we were to do just what Francesca Battistelli is singing about in this song.
I'm Letting Go
My heart beats, standing on the edge
But my feet have finally left the ledge
Like an acrobat
There’s no turning back
Chorus
I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go
This is a giant leap of faith
Trusting and trying to embrace
The fear of the unknown
Beyond my comfort zone
Chorus
I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreamsLosing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go
Giving in to your gravity
Knowing You are holding me
I’m not afraid
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
Feels like I’m falling and this is the life for me
I have been trying to remember anything about the song, since all I could remember was that it related to us giving our life over to God 100%. I have been boycotting country music to only listen to Christian music with the hopes of hearing it. Well, that day finally came and tonight heading home from my Holiday Quarterly Class at Banana, I heard just the opening music and knew it was the song I had so patiently been waiting for (ironically enough, that was the lesson I taught to my preschoolers at Sunday School this morning!)
I hope that one day I'll be able to look back at my blog and find good memories in each post. Maybe I'll even make it into a book or something, so I want to have the lyrics for the theme song from the early months of my marriage. I even hope that this song will continue to keep our relationship centered on what is truly important to us: God, each other, and those closest to us. I would love for this to be something we can look back on long after the song is off the radio and remember how excited we were to do just what Francesca Battistelli is singing about in this song.
I'm Letting Go
My heart beats, standing on the edge
But my feet have finally left the ledge
Like an acrobat
There’s no turning back
Chorus
I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go
This is a giant leap of faith
Trusting and trying to embrace
The fear of the unknown
Beyond my comfort zone
Chorus
I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreamsLosing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go
Giving in to your gravity
Knowing You are holding me
I’m not afraid
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
Feels like I’m falling and this is the life for me
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Baby Step 1
Yesterday, Marcel called me and told me that he got a revised financial aid letter from school. His financial aid had already paid for the entire semester, but they "found" (I don't know the right word, but found works for me!) more grant money and he was awarded an additional $1,338! Because his account is already paid in full, the school will issue it to us as a check, usable however we see fit.
At first we were not quite agreeing on how to use the huge surprise. I wanted to pay off one of my smaller school loans; Marcel wanted to use it to buy the computer he has had his eye on: a Mac. It is something he will need but since school is no longer in the immediate future, I thought it was a want and not practical since our bonus wouldn't have even bought the whole thing. Where were we going to get that extra money?? I got to work at the gym and had an epiphany: if we are moving to Idaho to get ahead of our finances and are currently reading Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover as our guide then we needed to follow the steps he sets out for us, so I realized we needed to start with Baby Step 1: Save $1,000 FAST!!
Marcel was able to pick me up from work after being at worship practice and said, "So...that money needs to be our emergency fund. We can't spend it!" Remember that I am super emotional, but I almost cried. I asked how he came to that realization. At worship practice they have a prayer time and his request was once again for finances. He explained that we are moving to Idaho for financial reasons and that set off a light bulb for him! So our plan is to tithe our 10% like we are called to do and then put away the money and forget about it until we encounter an emergency.
Just the other day I was telling Marcel how I was in the stage of knowing we have to tithe because we have seen the blessings but still always worrying how it was coming to be when I had to sit down and pay bills. I think this newest surprise was just what I needed. Previously we've seen it in a few extra dollars here and there but to receive such a huge amount at one time reassured me that everything goes according plan, not our plan, but His. We are loved by a very awesome God!
Now on to Baby Step 2: Debt Snowball!
At first we were not quite agreeing on how to use the huge surprise. I wanted to pay off one of my smaller school loans; Marcel wanted to use it to buy the computer he has had his eye on: a Mac. It is something he will need but since school is no longer in the immediate future, I thought it was a want and not practical since our bonus wouldn't have even bought the whole thing. Where were we going to get that extra money?? I got to work at the gym and had an epiphany: if we are moving to Idaho to get ahead of our finances and are currently reading Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover as our guide then we needed to follow the steps he sets out for us, so I realized we needed to start with Baby Step 1: Save $1,000 FAST!!
Marcel was able to pick me up from work after being at worship practice and said, "So...that money needs to be our emergency fund. We can't spend it!" Remember that I am super emotional, but I almost cried. I asked how he came to that realization. At worship practice they have a prayer time and his request was once again for finances. He explained that we are moving to Idaho for financial reasons and that set off a light bulb for him! So our plan is to tithe our 10% like we are called to do and then put away the money and forget about it until we encounter an emergency.
Just the other day I was telling Marcel how I was in the stage of knowing we have to tithe because we have seen the blessings but still always worrying how it was coming to be when I had to sit down and pay bills. I think this newest surprise was just what I needed. Previously we've seen it in a few extra dollars here and there but to receive such a huge amount at one time reassured me that everything goes according plan, not our plan, but His. We are loved by a very awesome God!
Now on to Baby Step 2: Debt Snowball!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
October...so far
The first weekend of this month, Marcel had a concert, actually 2! Both his symphonic and jazz bands played and his mom was able to come down. Marcel had promised Snoh that after the concert he could go on stage. He found plenty of percussion instruments to try his hand at before having to stage for some pictures. This was my favorite! 
It was a decent weekend except I worked (made sure to have the night off for the concert) and Snoh was sick all day Saturday.
It was a decent weekend except I worked (made sure to have the night off for the concert) and Snoh was sick all day Saturday.Friday, Marcel had no school so I made a big sacrifice and took the day off from both jobs :) He did end up having to spend some hours in the theater for one of his classes, but our night plans were not affected. We went to:
on Sauvie Island. We planned on going there since Marcel had never been to a corn maze, but he and his friends voted for the haunted version, which I told him does not count as being to a corn maze, since they pretty much force you through the maze--not many opportunities to get lost. Maybe next year, while we are living in Idaho, he can FINALLY experience a real maze.
on Sauvie Island. We planned on going there since Marcel had never been to a corn maze, but he and his friends voted for the haunted version, which I told him does not count as being to a corn maze, since they pretty much force you through the maze--not many opportunities to get lost. Maybe next year, while we are living in Idaho, he can FINALLY experience a real maze. A real bonus to the maze: We ran into my old friend Megan! When we were trapped in the room at the beginning learning all the rules, I leaned to Marcel and said, "It's Megan" to which he said, "No it's not", but in fact it was and we were able to go through the maze together and had a few minutes to catch up afterwards. What a great surprise!
We got to the maze before his friends did so we were able to spend some time in the market and
take some pictures on our own. This is what we ended up with:
(I would like to point out that the picture of Marcel isn't as good but it wasn't my fault--he changed the flash setting for me!)
Fall is finally upon us and while I had plenty of jackets, that did not keep my nose from being cold. Marcel was just very grateful I remembered some gloves, because I am not a very happy cold person. While we were dying in our apartment in the 90+ degree summer weather I thought I was ready for the cold, but I have since decided the only good thing about this season is the crunchy leaves I get to step on (oh, and how pretty the trees are) but the weather is stinky!
We got to the maze before his friends did so we were able to spend some time in the market and
take some pictures on our own. This is what we ended up with:
(I would like to point out that the picture of Marcel isn't as good but it wasn't my fault--he changed the flash setting for me!)
Fall is finally upon us and while I had plenty of jackets, that did not keep my nose from being cold. Marcel was just very grateful I remembered some gloves, because I am not a very happy cold person. While we were dying in our apartment in the 90+ degree summer weather I thought I was ready for the cold, but I have since decided the only good thing about this season is the crunchy leaves I get to step on (oh, and how pretty the trees are) but the weather is stinky!We are having a great month so far and are very excited for what fun could still be had in this month! We are getting ready for our big move in December and can't wait for what that will bring us!
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