Home Tour- Part One

Some people have requested an inside look of our place...so it will be given by the one and only, ever so popular...BRUCE! (I know...this is pushing it. Apparently I have some time on my hands today and you need to just go with it-this is more fun than laundry)...

 

 

(Adam and I made these when we were engaged. "AA & AZ" are on the bottom corners...awww, two young kids just painting planes)

Our kitchen is the room in the house with not very much space unfortunately. We found out after we moved in that there are no outlets behind the kitchen counter...none! So we are going to have to do some extension cord business...I made chicken tacos the other night in the crockpot and had to put the crockpot on top of the refrigerator! I'm serious. I had to get a chair and it was fun (hmm). You better believe we enjoyed those chicken tacos.

Then the oven had a little mishap the other day....right when I was suppose to be baking brownies to take over to Adam's work "Memorial Day" party...Luckily, this fancy oven has two sides. So, I used the left side (where I now think the "displayed" temperature is questionable)...yes, I ended up burning those brownies.  I now use the right side for storage. Looks pretty huh? ;) Our landlord said someone will be over around the first...so, I'm hoping. 

I don't know when Bruce will give you the second half of the tour. We will see if he can pencil us in between sleeping and eating.

Well Said.

Here & There

Adam and I are both in Wichtia now! Ah! and I HAVE A JOB! WOO HOO! 4th grade! My school is Jefferson Elementary and it's Title One school. It will be a COMPLETE "180" from teaching in a west Omaha suburb...ha. I am veryyy excited though. I think this will challenge me in many ways. I know it will be hard. They told me it would be hard. I'm okay with that. These kids "need you, need you" if you know what I mean. A lot of them have little or no support at home and you might be the only positive adult role model they have. So just hoping to keep my head above water this upcoming school year;) 

 This last week I left home. Austin made me laugh. Adam showed me love. He loves biking to work and back. My Fire Ridge parents rock and gave me this cross plaque with some little incentives to go to Jcrew & Target. Oh Joy. They also gave me chocolate covered cherries from the best place ever. Adam and I celebrated my new job at Mike's Wine Dive, which is conveniently right down the street from us, so we just strolled on over. We biked. And Bruce loves his new yard.  Intense week. Good week.

Today

Today was a rough day for me. It shouldn't have been. It was. I interviewed last weekend for a job that I thought looked pretty positive. A 5th grade classroom at a Title 1 school. It was going to be rough, and the opposite of my west Omaha life that I was in now....but I was intrigued and motivated by these students that longed for attention in downtown Wichita. I found out today that I didn't get it. I am very frustrated. I am sad. Confused. I think it's because for my first job I was lucky enough to get it quick. One phone call. One interview. Done. Hired. Elkhorn was my "dream" district, third grade was my "dream" grade. I even graduated in December and got hired in January to start a new classroom in the middle of the year. That doesn't happen often. So now filling out application after application and going to multiple interviews only to be denied is hard on me. Hard on my self-esteem. It sucks, to be honest. I called my mom after school only to start sobbing to her. Of course my dad was working on the yard when I pulled up and the first thing out of my mouth was "I didn't get the job" followed by tears. and more tears...and then my little brother walked in. I didn't want to cry. Didn't need to cry. I just couldn't help it. I wasn't mad. Just confused. 

My mom kept reassuring me telling me that maybe God didn't want me at this school. Maybe you are suppose to be at a different school. I understand, and I agree. It just hurts to be rejected. My mom and I were talking about Job in the Bible because her Bible Study group was going over it. He lost everything. All his wealth, his family, his health. Everything...and still gave glory to God. I know that I'm not "mad" at God, but I don't think I am necessary "giving glory" to Him? Maybe He is saving me from a working environment I wouldn't enjoy, maybe He isn't? Maybe I would've love it. Either way, I know I need to trust Him....and to be honest, I don't think it's that I don't trust Him. I think I'm just sad, and feeling hopeless. I'm not trying to feel sorry for myself or invite you to a pity party. I just realized that I usually just put the positive or exciting things that have happened in our lives. Obviously, we all go through different things. This "job search" thing may not be hard for someone else, but it is for me...and so I just thought I needed to write it. Maybe more for myself.

and just as I am writing this my friend Brooke sent me this from the bible study that I couldn't attend tonight: "When it is all said and done, all that God said will be done. He put you here, for such a time as this!" If I could high-five her right now I would. Instead I thought tearing up would be more appropriate. Gesh. Of course it would.
  

23 Minutes in Hell

My mom gave me this audio book to listen to on the drive to and from Wichita this weekend. Very interesting. Super interesting. I have never even thought about some of the things that came up in this book. There was a part that talked about how we prepare for vacations/trips that I related to well...We spend so much time planning a trip before we actually go. Hotels, flights, transportation in between, restaurants, activities, etc. Hours and hours. We plan, plan, plan just so we are prepared when we arrive to our "temporary" destination. Trips, for us, are usually only a few days to a week. Not too long. Bill Wiese (the author) brought up how we prepare soooo much for a quick trip, but when it comes to our eternal lives, we don't give much thought into reading the Bible (if you believe in it), researching, or anything for that matter of fact. Christians or not, we all are going to die. And to think about spending your eternity in the depths of hell is scary. Horrifying.  He talked about yearning for a simple drop of water. one drop. that he would never get. Pain so intense it would kill the humanly body in minutes, but your body in hell doesn't die. you suffer. forever. 

Now, whether you buy into this guy's story or not, you might want read or listen to this book. My point being, it may be something to at least prompt you to think about eternal life...this life on earth is like a blink of an eye in the whole scheme of things....blink of an eye people! Where are you going after? (and sorry, not to be crazyyy serious...but it is a crazy serious question).

If anyone is going on a long drive or just wants to borrow this audio book I will mail it to ya! Just call or facebook me....:)

Two 27 year olds enjoying dinner.

Adam took me to a restaurant in Wichita this weekend called Chapada. It is very similar to Texas de Brazil...a restaurant that I haven't been to, but it's on Adam top 3. Gardner did all the design for Chapada...so it was fun to look how they incorporated different designs into everything. Well, at this place they rotate around, bring different types of meats, cut a slice or two off for you, and you devour them...they keep coming throughout the night until you are full. That Adam can eat. We were there for awhile.

We then came home and hung out with Bruce.

This week: 2 1/2 days with students,  4 days total. I'm excited to see my kiddos but will be bummed about saying "goodbye" to Fire Ridge.  Step by step everything is really happening. We are really living in Wichita. Adam has really started his new job and has already been there two weeks. This will really be my last week at Fire Ridge. I will really head back down to Kansas on Friday for good. It's okay. Everything has been working out super great. God's hand has definitely been on us through the move and the initial weeks. and I am soooo thankful. It's not so bad....in fact, I am getting quite excited about this little town! 

New to Old

Here are some snapshots of the move. Leaving a house Adam had bought new...and moving into an old little home, with a touch of character. We will get some more pics of the house soon...just haven't taken that many pics there yet!

My Birthday!

I love my birthday. I'm not going to try and downplay my feelings toward May 13. I'm one of those people that love to share it with the close friends and family....but I don't need people singing to me or any outrageous action that might be embarrassing. So, it fits that my parents' church sang to me last Sunday morning (right after I whispered to my mom during announcements, "you don't need to tell people it's my birthday"-it's a small church-people can kind of blurt out things and everyone rolls with it there). I woke up to the usual (and much appreciated) "Happy Birthday Amy" signs placed all over my house from my mom and enjoyed chocolate chip pancakes (my favorite breakfast item ever- I mean, I'm not going to turn down a dessert at 9am).

Overall, it was a great day! Adam came back and we hung out with the fam!

Bruce has a new cousin, Akita. Alex & Ash got a pup!

After all the family festivities Adam and Bruce had to get back on the road again:( Tear. I wiped that tear as soon as my mom mentioned a new vineyard, Cellar 426, east of Ashland. So, we decided to pick up my Grandma Bev and mosey on out there. We basked in the sweet sun while sampling some wine...and even learned some tidbits here and there about wines and the vines. We got home and my mom and I went on a long walk on the gravel roads (very country-ish, huh, and what would you think if I told you we were trying to get a baby goat to walk right before that...yep). We are both pretty busy, so it was soooo nice to just hang out with each other with no agenda.

At our women's bible study last night we talked about joy. And I think that is the word I would use to describe this birthday. anddddd I was full of joy. In the midst of not living with my husband for three weeks, overwhelmed with applying/interviewing for jobs, saying farewell to people, and wrapping up my most difficult year teaching, I am excited that God still puts some joy into my heart! 

and something else today that brought me joy. I got to see 40 middle school students perform the evolution of dance. middle schoolers. enough said. it was the highlight of my Wednesday, hands down. 

Our New Home

The move last weekend was successful! It was a hot and humid one. Thanks to family (and Jason Ecc) we got it done! Whewww. I was living off of Starburst and Sprite for 48 hours. Adam and I were soooo excited to actually see the house in person...crossing our fingers the whole way down! We found this place on Craigslist! I know what you are thinking...huh?! Questionable, maybe. We had no other choice and are thankful now that this all happened the way it did. My mom kept saying "Isn't God just amazing in how he works everything out...?" I'm pretty sure that was her motto for the weekend.  And I do have to agree. This "moving thing" has had me doing a million things a minute and it's really cramping my "watching Food Network after school" style...but things are working out. Adam has finished his second day now and loves it! I can tell his motivation level is at an all time high;) The kid got less sleep then I did and was still in high spirits come Sunday. That is a miracle in itself to since he sleeps an average of nine hours a night. His coworkers took us out to lunch yesterday before I headed home and it was fun to meet them. All 8;) I'm still praying that the right job will come along for myself. Ahh...trust, right? 

So, this is the KEY to our home. Yep. I kinda love it. We will update you with more pictures later...our house needs to pull it together first.  

 

Things I have learned so far:

-We have a 92 year old neighbor, Fern. And she is the cutest thing ever. 92, people.  She was out raking leaves the day we arrived. For 5 hours she was raking leaves. And got every single one of them out of her garage. Girls got it goin on.

-There is a Chinese place less than two blocks away.

-We live in a neighborhood called College Hill. It's the cutest little thing. Almost as cute as Fern. 

-Adam can bike to his work. Bonus for that lucky boy.

-Douglas Avenue to Rock Road is how I get to the Gap.  

-I made it back to the parents in 4 1/2 hours.

So...that's the update with us.....

Things that will make you laugh...

...because they made me laugh in the middle of this week of bubble wrap and emotions, sealed off with heavy duty packing tape.

 

1) This is how Adam has to turn his vents on/off. No lie. The knob "broke"...so I guess we now use pliers.  (Note that this man and I have had many "convos" (cough cough, arguments) about fixing this because whenever I get in his jeep I die of heat & "still air"...touche Adam. You "fixed" the problem. Touche.).

2) I wore three items of clothing inside out this week. Without knowing until midday. Seriously.

3) The students had to guess how many balloons were in this trophy case at school. One student wrote down his estimate and asked me if I could read it (because it was kinda shaky)...he told me he was concerned about if I could read it because he wrote it with his "fingers crossed"...cute thing. If he doesn't win the main prize, he wins the prize of being clever..."in my heart"...no loot (ipods or wii games) involved. Sorry.  

4) How the teachers at my school are planning a secret "flash mob" for the end of the school year assembly. I was continually smiling from 3:30-4:00 this afternoon as we all tried learning Michael Jackson moves.  This will be more than interesting. 

5) My brothers and I were texting and the phrase "Let's truckpool" entered the conversation (you know, like "carpool", but in a truck). And then I left the conversation.

This is so fun.

We have been packing up boxes and boxes and boxes this week. It is so fun.