Update

So it's been an interesting few months for us...many people have been asking us about our job situations and I finally feel comfortable making the news public.

S has been working nearly full time at Performance  Bicycle since the spring.  He is currently in training as an Operations Manager.  Once he finishes the training process he will be full time with benefits.  He loves his job and is very good at it, both things we've been praying for him about for a long time.  He still commutes by bike and actually gets rewarded for it! The downside is that it doesn't pay enough for me to just work part time like I have been for the last two years.

That being said...I will be working in Dallas ISD as an Instructional Coach for math teachers at a campus about 10 miles from our house.  Getting a job offer this early in the summer was a huge blessing.  I will still have a teacher schedule, and while I have experience with teacher workshops and mentoring, this will be the first time I get to do it full time.  It's the kind of job I was praying to get, and I am so grateful.  I will continue to work at the Dallas Zoo occasionally and sell Silpada jewelry, because those are just too fun to pass up!

So the question most people will have is...what are we doing with the munchkin?  Fortunately we do not need full time care; between our two work schedules it'll probably be about 20 hours a week, but at this point, we're not sure what the hours would be exactly. We'd like someone to come to our home, so if you are interested or have someone you would recommend please let me know.  I know God has the perfect person already determined.

Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement during this time of uncertainty.  God is good and always provides.

Q125

We made two trips to Nebraska in the last month.  The first was for a cousin's wedding, the second was to celebrate Newman Grove's 125th anniversary of its founding, quasquicentennial .  It worked out that the weekend fell on my birthday so I was able to celebrate with family in the place I always was when I was young, with homemade pie and ice cream cake.  The first night we were there they had a BBQ dinner in the park followed by fireworks.  L hadn't been around fireworks since she was pretty little so I wasn't sure how she'd react, but she loved them!  Having her sit in my lap and enjoy the fireworks was one of my favorite times that weekend.  (Her sitting still in my lap doesn't happen very often anymore!)  The next morning my dad and hubby participated in a 22 mile bike ride (in the rain!).  They didn't plan on coordinating, but they looked good together in Husker colors!

My aunt, brother, and cousin all participated in the fun run and got medals.  My husband got first place in the bike ride so our family represented well!
After Mass we went to the pancake breakfast and I got to meet my grandparents' second grade teacher.  She was 17 when she taught them!  I can't even imagine teaching at that age. Sunday afternoon was the parade.  There was a flyover, a lot of tractors, and plenty of candy thrown at us. My grandpa won first place for his antique tractor.

(This isn't it, I just thought it was funny and so appropriate!)

My hubby had never driven a legit tractor before, so Grandpa gave him a lesson.

It was refreshing to get out of the city and spend some time in a small town with family. I remember being in Newman Grove when I was 8 for the town's centennial so I was so glad we were able to come back and create more memories.  L was an excellent traveler as usual, falling asleep in the car more than once while reading her books.  She's turning into a bookworm like her mom and grandma!