Lately

Life has been so good lately, but extremely busy! I am now watching this little girl full time, plus helping another family in the afternoon three times a week. I get paid well and feel very blessed with not one source of income, but two. 

I successfully made Kade his favorite chocolate cake again. He is a chocolate lover...big time. We can't quite get the recipe for the frosting down, but one day it will turn out as good as Ann's.  I also collected pinecones with my friend Rachel and we made some pinecone wreaths! It was a very sticky and painful process for the fingers with the wire but I finished mine and it is now waiting on a cute ribbon...

We got this cute picture of Nick on his mission in Oregon.  What a stud.  Of course he would take a picture with a "bum."  That is so him, and such an example to us of pure love for people.  He always has a positive attitude...I need to be more like that.  I cannot wait to talk to him on Christmas day!

I had an extremely humbling experience happen to me last week.  The family that I nanny for in the afternoons have me walk their dog, and prepare dinner before I go and get their little boy from daycare.  They are very easygoing people, and don't require much for dinner.  They have started requesting that I make my own recipes for them and on this particular night, I was mincing some garlic with a knife for some tortilla soup. I was in a hurry because I went on an extra long walk with the dog and had to stop at the store for some last minute ingredients. (I actually paid a Mom and her daughter to go in and get some diced green peppers for me because the store obviously wouldn't let me take the dog in and it was crucial for my soup!) Well, let's just say that their knives are A LOT nicer than mine, and chop extremely well. Maybe a little too well.  Blood starting pouring from my finger and I had a huge bandage on it for the rest of the time I was preparing the soup. When they got home, I showed them my finger because they are both doctors.  They said that stitches was not an option because of the way I cut it..but to apply major pressure and see how it turned out in the morning.  It bled all night, and even got on our sheets :( I had a hard time showering, and doing the dishes, etc. Kade had received a few "no's" from some interviews, and we were dealing with mice in our apartment. It felt like the worst timing ever and I knew that I was being tested and truly humbled.  I prayed hard that night, and asked for help to deal with our trials.

I woke up the next morning and soaked the guaze off that was stuck to the wound, and was amazed that it was done bleeding. It hasn't been easy adjusting to not using my pointer finger, but I have managed and it is healing well.  It hurts the most when my fingers are cold and I accidentally bump into something.  Kade has helped out a lot more with the dishes which has been nice--the bandaid gets so wet no matter how hard I try.

...And two days later, Kade received his first full time offer with a company that he really enjoyed interviewing with.  With patience and faith, blessings come.  He has worked so hard and I am so proud of him.  He is waiting to give an answer until he goes to another interview in Houston this week, so we will see how it goes.  He had 3 really long nights over the weekend (12, 12:15, 3 am), and I woke up alone yesterday morning.  He had worked all through the night on a group project. He got home at 1 am last night, and has another meeting tonight to finish up before he flies out tomorrow. Dedication. Hard work. Persistence. He is amazing.

Our time together is precious to us right now, but I don't think I would have it any other way.  We are growing, and forming in these young stages of marriage and I feel like it is building us a good foundation. I love him more now than ever, and it just keeps getting better.