A Different Kind of Construction

I needed a pack and play for my friend's kids.
So I bought one on craigslist. Imagine this.
Two men meet for the exchange at a Home Depot.
One man is my husband. The other is the brother in law of the seller.
I instructed my husband to inspect the item for damage or missing parts, so they open it up.
Two men wrestle the pack and play open.
They can't get it to open all the way.
So one man calls me. The other calls the brother, the husband of the seller.
An amusing thought:
Two men in a Home Depot parking lot wrestling with a pack and play, unsuccessful trying to open it, on their cellphones receiving assembly instructions.
I would have paid good money to see that one. Or to know what the thoughts of a passerby would be.

It's official

This week is officially the halfway point in Travis' graduate school program! We are thrilled that he has this coming week off from school so that we can party... This week is full of excitement with Matt and Becky's annual Halloween party, dinner at Clay and Hayley's and then the official Block Party for Whole Foods on Friday night....wahoo!!! Sounds like I'm only making dinner once this week :) I've been getting off easy the past couple of weeks. Shh...don't tell Travis.

According To...

Our pastor's son, Jack, is famous for his quips...but this one had me laughing hysterically last night. Hayley told us at dinner club that Jack refers to Fruit Loops as "beautiful Cheerios". So much for making healthy food appealing to children.

Dinner and a Movie

Last night, I planned our date night... it was supposed to be a surprise, but when you plan it with some of your very best friends, inevitably it gets out (thanks Matt). Matt and Becky Ross joined us for dinner at the Elephant Bar and then to see 3:10 to Yuma.
At work a few weeks ago, we had a really crazy week while my boss was away...and I was the only one there to deal with it. So my boss rewarded me with two movie tickets and some red tokens which you redeem at HR for gift certificates. So, we had dinner and saw a movie for under $40 for both couples!
We all agreed the movie was GREAT. For those of us who grew up on old westerns, it definitely fits the mold even as a modern remake. It still has a lot of the same flavor that old westerns do: good dialog, cruel posses, good horseback races, lots of guns, and a shoot-off. But what was neat about this film was that it also mirrored some of the character development found in old films: leading you to wonder more about the characters and their connections, as well as character development that stands behind the old truth that people can change. Overall, we thought it was a great (adult) film; even a good date night movie that pleased both sexes :)

A Hunting We Shall Go

It's fall. Many of our friends are hunters. One in particular. Clay Richardson will head off soon for his annual meat hunt for the year.
Travis is doing a different kind of hunting. Many of you know already that Travis is out of work right now. And I have been asked for some updates. So here's the count so far: several interviews, several possibilities,lots of networking, and a couple of rejections.

After almost two months the results are still out there. He is still waiting to hear from the Diamondbacks now that they are done with the post season. They are interested in offering him a part-time internship of sorts (undefined yet) doing finance work. But...we haven't seen anything formal. There is also a possibility with medical sales, but that won't be until they reassign terrotories (possibly first of the year). He's also made some meaniful contacts in the heathcare industry. A friend at school told him about a job at the state in finance. And a friend at school told him about a finacial analyst position at Merrill Lynch which may be interviewing next week. There are also lots of jobs he's interviewed for that would open up for a MBA graduate.

Just nothing yet.

We knew when Costco turned him down, God must have something unique in store for him.
Maybe it's JCrew.
For that, I love my husband. I respect him even more. It's a sign of true love when your husband is willing to work a job just to buy you cool stuff that you want :) Because, let's be honest: would you really want a discount at Costco??? Have you seen the fall JCrew collection???

In truth, this test is an exercise in patience. Hunting is about waiting. Waiting for the right shot, the right time, the right angle. Right now we are waiting for the real bucks. Literally.

Virginia is for ...

-eating donuts at the beach (the true, one and only, Atlantic beach)
-watching the Shank's history in musical parody
-laughing with all of Janis' "crazy ladies"
-visiting Travis' childhood stomping ground.
-seeing Steve enjoy Bob Hughes and his boys jam
-kissing Sarah Huckaby's new baby girl
-smelling boxwood in Williamsburg
-Sweet Potato Muffins at Christiana Campbell's Tavern
-sipping Illy coffee with my mom and sister
-enjoying both families around one table for dinner (yea! here comes Thanksgiving too!)

What a wonderful trip we had! You can see the pictures on the Flickr site on the side bar. I am so blessed that I have such a wonderful inheritance: from both sides of my families. It is a sweet fulfillment of the promise God gave me before I moved from Isaiah 54:2

"Enlarge the place of your tent,
and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
and strengthen your stakes.

I have so much to be grateful for: a Godly heritage, wonderful history and legacy built into local churches, fabulous family friends, and I have gotten it on both sides!

Late Night Cravings

Call me crazy, but when I got into my car tonight after an especially hard spin class at the Y, I smelled pizza. But I wasn't crazy. Travis had picked up pizza in our car. On Sunday. So I must have inherited my father's nose, because I could still smell it.
I got to thinking, I have all the stuff...and I mean, how long could it take dough to rise??? So I made some. Late night pizza and beer. What could be better?

Last night Travis came home after a long study group. He walked in and said to me, "Well, now I know that we live in a safe neighborhood." He smiled at me. Then he chuckled. Then he burst out laughing. "I know it's safe if you can leave your car running for four hours". The battery on the Hyundai died yesterday morning and before Travis left for his study group, we jumped it and left it running for a while. I was supposed to turn it off after about half an hour. Good thing we live in a safe neighborhood :)

New 'Do

Check out my new 'do...thanks Cynthia!

According To...

My sister Emily: she is Belle and I am Pocohantas. Play here to find out which Disney Princess you are :)

Whatever my God ordains is right
Though now this cup in drinking
Bitter it seems to my faint heart
I take it all unshrinking
My God is true, each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart
And pain and sorrow shall depart
---
This was a hymn my sister forwarded me from Ian's fiance. It reminds me that even in my trials, I can still trust God. It is a difficult lesson to learn right now. Today is one month that Travis has been out of a job. Yet, we are learning through this trial to trust God even deeper than we ever have before.
Fortunately, God has given me a well paying job, so we are able to maintain our expenses....it just means sacrificing all extras and really buckling down. My friend Kristina told me that it would keep me grounded. True, but I think I'm below sea-level already :) More often than not, my husband's job is to get me to fly a little above the horizon.
Steve read a great scripture at our Family Meeting last night that greatly encouraged me from 2 Corinthians 1

For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.