Updates

Jonathan's job interview went really well. The guy was really impressed with Jonathan's interview and so that is good news. Now we play the waiting game. We have to wait 6-8 weeks to find out if he even gets a second interview. I have it marked in my calendar!

Other news...

I got my hair cut off today! I got about 3 1/2 inches cut off! This was brave for me...it is definitely stylish and I love it.



BEFORE

AFTER

What do you think? I love it! It's just new. I needed something new and stylish. Everyone is used to what I always do to my hair...which is nothing! So this time, I told no one, asked no one's opinion, and just made the appointment. Turned out amazing.

JOB UPDATE!

This Wednesday, Jonathan has a job interview for an engineering company in Columbus. They have offices all over, so we are not sure if the guy is hiring for Columbus or other places. He likes the idea of Columbus, Cincinnati, Lexington, or Louisville. The company is Strand Associates and they will be hiring 122 people over the next 5 years. They also want to expand to Texas, Arizona, and Tennessee. (They already have offices in Phoenix and Mobile, as well as offices in Wisconsin, Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio.)

If Jonathan were to get this job, it would really solve a lot of our stress about where we are going to be next year. The stressful part is finding a job before the school year starts, so I know if I will be in Wooster or not. If the year were to start and then he takes a job, I am in Wooster for the school year. Jonathan and I are sick of long distance. At this point, I am in Wooster. I do not plan on leaving unless it's a must! :)

My hopes and prayers:

1. Jonathan gets a job.
2. I find a job.
3. We get to go together.

Back up plan? Grad school in Akron. Not a bad idea, he would just have to work part time and go to school while continuing his job search.

So, on Wednesday, at 11:30 am, say a prayer, cross your fingers, whatever you do, in hopes he gets the job.

UPDATES TO COME :)

Thanks for the prayers.

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours

March Madness

So my brackets went from pretty good to not so good. I have Pittsburgh and Perdue in the Final 4... Guess since they are out of it...my bracket isn't as good anymore. But, the positive, I still have OSU and DUKE in it still. That side of the bracket I have done pretty well on. I am pretty sure that many picked Ohio State to get upset...let's hope they win it! I am third place in my school bracket. Maybe I will win. WOO $60 bucks.

Oh the Madness!

I filled out two brackets for the NCAA tournament. It always makes me laugh how little I know about college basketball and how little I watch it before March. I actually don't watch it much after I fill out the bracket unless forced to. Then, I am swept into it by everyone asking me what teams I chose to go to my final 4. I have some certain criteria for picking the teams in my bracket: ranking, if I have heard of the team, their mascot (if it's not scary or ugly), team colors (J hates when I call them outfits...haha), and if their name sounds cool. You may be laughing at me by now but you would be surprised at how well I so. Anything can happen in these tournaments so it really is all about the odds. Anyways, I picked Ohio State, Perdue, Pitt, and Duke to go to my final four. And since the Buckeyes are good this year they are going to win the tournament. We will see :)

I'll keep you posted at how my brackets do. Right now I am first place in one of them. We will see how long this lasts!

TAXES

UGH! Ever since I got my first job, in the summer after I turned 16, I have gotten a nice little tax return in the spring. All of the sudden, I find out my student loan payment has gone up (over $100), my car insurance is due, and I OWE the government. Talk about a little bit of a melt down. There is no way I can handle it all! It ends up the money that I owe isn't as much as I thought it would be oringinally, but still, it seems like when it rains it pours....and it is pouring on me in April 2011. I know that at some point I will have to get used to owing money and not getting it back...but a tax return is all I have ever known, so it is definitely not fun.

Job Search

So as Jonathan and I begin the next stage of our lives in May I can't help to think about where and when he will get a job. He has been applying for jobs since January and has not really had any good news. We keep hoping and praying that God has a plan for the both of us, and that he will share it with us soon! :) (I know that is not how it works though!) I pray for patience, I pray that Jonathan does not get discouraged, and I pray for me to stay calm about the open doors in my life. I am looking at it like the open doors are new any exciting.

The first amount of good news is this: he has an interview next Wednesday with an engineering company that has offices throughout the country. I am so proud how prepared he is. He is preparing a cover letter and resume (and turning it in early), getting his suit ready to go, getting a haircut this weekend, getting his portfolio together, and even preparing a thank you note to send to the recruiter's office after the interview. This could be good news for us....we are certainly hoping!

I will keep you posted on the job search. Keep your fingers crossed and say your prayers for us on Wednesday (or everyday!!) This may lead to a good thing! Let's hope.

If you happen to know a civil engineer or someone who works at a firm....LET US KNOW! It would be greatly appreciated :)

Guardian Angel

In the last couple years my family has gone through a particularly hard time. I, for one, still struggle with it. There are just some things that will never be the same again. Or at least not in our life time. Family gatherings, April 1st (April Fool's Day-perfect for Mark), Easter break, the spring, holidays, euchre, Friday night football games and Bw's after, and the list goes on.


I read the obituaries in the paper from time to time or hear of tragic things happening to other people's families, but I never think they will happen to mine. Mark was a 46 year old, husband, father, uncle, son, brother, brother-in-law, and basically all around family man. His life was taken because God decided that it was his time. The firefighters call it "answering his last alarm". He could be funny and blunt with his words, sometimes impatient, but those were the things we loved and miss. For us, left on Earth, there are so many unanswered questions. I wonder why him? Why so young? Why do this to his family? But he was in shape. He took care of himself. He was a productive citizen of society. He was hardworking. For a long while and even now I still question God's decision of taking him away. It is selfish of me to wish he was still here. I have prayed about it and tried to find the answers to my questions. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and there was a reason for this. I am still trying to figure out what that reason is. But I am keeping the faith. I still can be driving or sitting in my apartment by myself and cry about a memory I have. It is a pain in my heart I have struggled to accept.


"The young women will dance for joy, and the men --old and young--will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing." Jeremiah 31:13


Mark is my guardian angel. He watches over. I just have to have faith that my family and myself will see him again someday.


Guardian Angel


A guardian angel stands by me,
Wherever life may lead,
He's watching from way up above,
And wiping away my tears.


I feel him in the car when I drive,
He takes control of the wheel,
Even though God took him away,
When I need him, he feels alive.


From day to day I walk through life,
Continuing to ask why?
Why did God steal a loved one away,
Is it so he can be with me everyday?


The empathy I feel for the rest of my family,
And crying because they hurt,
Wants me to find the answers to our questions,
To bring peace to our hurting hearts.


Thank you for the angel,
Watching over me everyday,
It has helped me appreciate the little things,
And appreciate my blessings in every way.


I love you Mark!


Lastly, I believe Mark loved his family so much. I think his wife and three kids were his life. And I am sure that everytime he left for work he prayed to God for his family to be safe no matter what happened to him. This is for my aunt and cousins.


When I am called to duty, God, wherever flames may rage,
Give me the strength to save some life whatever be its age.
Help me embrace a little child before it is too late, or save an
older person from the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert and hear the weakest shout, and quickly and efficiently
to put the fire out. I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me,
to guard my every neighbor and protect his property.
And if according to my fate I am to lose my life this day,
Please bless with your protecting hand my family this I pray.


The Huber Heights Fire Department made a wall of honor for Mark and I saved the pictures from facebook. I loved them and of course I cried. So here are some of the pictures that were taken.

Home Improvements

I have been working on making my apartment a little more homey and not just plain, white walls. Thanks to some Christmas presents and 50% off at Kohls I was able to get some stuff to go on my walls.

The first thing I did was above my TV. I put up the shelves and a clock. Love the clock! It is so classic and dresses up my wall so much.



The other home improvement that I made was I hung up my family pictures that were taken. I found the perfect sign to center them around and that is "Life is Good"...perfect!

The last thing I did was hang up the picture that J got me in Italy. It is a picture of Florence. His mom took it and matted and framed it for my birthday! It was absolutely gorgeous. I was excited to add it to my dining room!

 

 More to do! I have a list.

Love my bathrooms: Red and black theme in one and Brown and Turquoise in the other!

I am going to continue to add to my rooms. I love the chili theme with chefs. However, my kitchen is tiny right now and I don't have much room to hang things up!