I knew I should have started this post a few weeks ago so that it wasn't too overwhelming right now...but, I didn't, for fear I was getting my hopes up.  But here is the story of how I got a part-time job:  Lyndon has mentioned a few times in the last several months that perhaps I should try to find a job so that we can save more money in order to buy a house.  See...we don't have much of anything saved up for a down-payment...he hasn't had a job for very long...and we would like to be wise with purchasing our first home...so we want to save first.  It has also taken at least 6 months to realize how our budget fits with his salary and some weeks have not been full this summer so there hasn't been much left over to save.  I want to be home with our kids, but I also realized that purchasing our own home is very important to Lyndon and perhaps there was something that I could do to try to contribute to the cause.  So, one weekend in June while celebrating our anniversary in VA, we were walking on this beautiful trail, and I just felt like now is the time.  I had a peace that perhaps now it felt right to look for a job.  Can't really explain it.  Before when Lyndon would say something, I just knew it wasn't time yet.  But then...I felt a shift.  Something changed.  So, I shared that with Lyndon and he was supportive.  I would search a little here and there for a few weeks, but I knew that if I was going to leave my kids, it had to be something that I enjoyed doing, but I didn't feel like we were desperate enough to just get more money.  We talked to our neighbor at the 4th of July parade and she works at the Chamber of Commerce here in Nappanee and Lyndon asked if they are hiring.  She said actually they were, but it was full-time.  I was curious, so I looked it up anyway and after 4 weeks, got an interview.  The position was the administrative assistant to the director and I felt I was qualified to do what was required, it was a laid back office, seemingly great people to work with, but...it was full-time. I couldn't quite get over that hurtle...but I wasn't sure where the line of sacrifice and sanity crossed.  It was in Nappanee, it was going to be flexible for me to take Karis to preschool...I was about 80% sure I was going to take it.  

Then...in the process of praying about this and thinking about how this would change our family life or what should I do...I went back to a verse that i had read a month before.  Ps 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of you heart."  I remember reading that the Friday before my interview on Monday and concentrating on the "delight" part.  I only had Jeremy that day because Ruby had taken Karis overnight for her birthday.  So, I grabbed a worship cd to take along on the 45 min drive to pick up Karis that i could sing along with, and Jeremy was pleasantly quiet.  I sang and sang to God and I must say...I have never truly understand the word "delight" until then.  Maybe it has happened to me before, actually, I am sure that it has...but not for a very long time.  So many times our relationship with God is "I need this" "Do you have an answer for this?" "I'm still waiting for that..."  And I felt like I went on a date with Him.  Just enjoyed being in His presence.  I wish I could describe it better.  Because, yes, I spend time in His Word, or praying, and worshipping.  But somehow on that day...that verse came alive to me.  I tasted and saw that the Lord was good, and that I was His child.  

I returned home after Lyndon because I had been at my Mom's all day canning, and Lyndon said, "Did you see the email from Clint?"  Clint is the Newcomer's, Missions, and Finance Pastor at our church, The Vineyard.  We had just had dinner with Clint and his family a few weeks before that and shared our stories together.  The email was asking for an administrative assistant for him at the church, part-time.  I am a little embarrassed to write my reaction, but I think I probably jumped up and down.  Maybe screamed a bit.  I wrote Clint back immediately.  I guess he had only sent it about half an hour before.  I had my resume ready because I had to prepare it for the Chamber interview...from scratch...I had never made one before.  I haven't had a job in 8 years!  The best part for me on the job description was that the AA would be involved in staff meetings!  I was thrilled!  To be in meetings again!!!  Now...you must understand that the day that we had leadership team meetings in Costa Rica was the favorite day of the week for me.  I love when we can come together...with a list, of course, and check things off, communicate, and have everyone be on the same page, then go accomplish those tasks...only to meet together again in a week and make more lists!  I know...sounds a little nuts, but some of you know what I am talking about.  So, to think that I could actually be doing what I did in Costa Rica, here, so soon, and then get paid for it!  Too good to be true!  And did I mention that Clint organizes all of the outreach and overseas trips?   Two overseas trip a year and maybe more in the future?  Does anyone know that I love to travel and see people go on trips like that and broaden their worldview and change their perspective?  

I wanted to cancel my interview at the Chamber...but, I wanted to follow through and make sure.  I went and felt like it could work, but it was not in my heart.  I thought I could get excited or passionate about networking and small town stuff...but I didn't.  (obviously over time maybe, but not enough to leave my kids that much)  I heard from Donnette, from church, the following day and we set up an interview with Clint for Thursday.  I thought it went well and that we could work well together.  I liked what the job would entail and especially Clint's responsibilities in the church (as opposed to some of the other pastor's focus).  I was still excited after the interview and wondering how in the world it would feel NOT to get the job.  I kept sensing that this was the desire of my heart and it came the same day I delighted in the Lord...it had to be for me.  But then I felt this urging...I was holding it too closely.  I knew that if I was going to be devastated if I didn't get it, which was how I was feeling, that I wasn't trusting God with my future.  I have read, listened, and studied alot about surrendering rights and giving everything to God.  Not holding things too closely so that they are within our power to manage, but holding them out to God for Him to do His will.  AND trusting that in the end...not resenting or begrudging it, that He knows best.  That this wasn't the time for me to have a job or that something even BETTER was around the corner if I would just be patient.  So, I let it go.  I was at peace with it either way...truly in my heart, if there was someone better qualified, or if it just wasn't best for our family...then I wasn't supposed to have it, even though in my human mind it seemed perfect and exactly what I was hoping for, not looking for because I didn't know it existed.  

I was called back in for a second interview this past Tuesday, 11 days after my first interview.  I was laid back and felt very differently coming into this follow-up than I had for the first interview.  I talked with the head pastor and then the overseers.  I left...not really sure.  Not confident at all, actually.  It was a strange feeling.  I was honest, but wasn't sure I gave the answers they were looking for and what would best fit the rest of the staff.  Clint told me he would let me know later in the week their decision either way.  The ride home was a whirlwind of emotions for me.  I erred more on the side of not getting it and being able to stay at home with the kids and maybe this was just not the time for me to get a job after all.  

Well, a few hours later, I received a phone call from Clint.  He offered me the job!  I was excited.  Relieved.  Pressured.  This was really happening.  For almost 2 months it was just a "what-if."  Now it was happening.  But it was great.  My dream job.  Ministry with a wonderful church family that we can't get enough of.  I called a few people to share the news and Lyndon was going to be home soon so I waited to tell him in person.  He walked in and told me about his day.  He asked right away how my interview went, but I said to just wait until he tells me about his day.  After about 10 min, I said, "Well, should I go to work on the 29th, or the 6th?"  His face lit up and he had instant tears.  He gave me a big hug and told me how proud he was of me.  He was so thoughtful, and was more excited than I was, I think.  He was praying about it more than I was.  

So here I am.  On the eve of the last day of life as I know it.  I did go to the office for 2 days in Costa Rica, I guess.  But for the last 10 months and outside of those months I worked in CR, I am a stay-at-home Mom.  I take care of my kids all day.  I correct them, feed them, entertain them, we have gone on walks to the playground, to the library, to the butcher, to ATC.  I have loved the last few months here!  And it will never be like this again.  On some mornings when I would turn my alarm off and go back to sleep until Jeremy would come and snuggle with me, I remember thinking, "I am going to do this because I know, it won't be like this forever."  We will have a schedule now.  Something that we have to get up for.  There will be a new norm.  I am ok with it.  Just feeling a little nostalgic.  The day for change has come.  

The position is 25 hours a week.  So I will work Mon-Thurs, 9-3 more or less.  I love that I have Friday's off.  Karis will have preschool on Mon, Wed, Fri for 2 1/2 hours in the morning.  She starts on the 7th.  We have a great babysitter that the kids love for which I am most grateful.  Karis is asking every day to go back to her house!  She is 17, Amish, and lives a few miles south of town.  She will be here Mon and Wed and I will take them to her house on Tues and Thurs.  I love that I can still drop Karis off at her class.  Laureen will pick her up unless we find another family that can drop her off.  The church is about 25 min from here.  My goal is to be out the door by 8am.  Very doable...I may have to wake my kids for the first time in their lives, but not too much earlier.  I start on Monday.  I am a little sad today, only because I know tomorrow is my last day.  Monday starts our new life, new routine, new schedule.  But I am thankful to be doing something that I am gifted at, passionate about, and excited to spend my time doing!  Cheers!

We've moved as many times as years we are married.  It doesn't feel like a lot to me, I don't dread moving again...but it feels like a lot when our average is once a year.  I have said before, I don't regret any of the choices we have made or places we have gone.  Survivor this season is being filmed in Nicaragua.  Two of their reward challenges have been places that we have gone.  Watching these contestants ski down the Cerro Negro volcano where we have been numerous times was pretty amazing.  I cherish the time that we have had in other countries and feel blessed to have those quilt blocks.  But now it is time to make some quilt blocks here, more specifically, Indiana.

We are moving to Nappanee!  Nappanee is a cute little town south of Goshen, IN, in Amish country.  There are lots of horse and buggies and farmland to go around.  Two of my favorite things about Nappanee are John's Butcher and their library.  I used to work at ATC in Nappanee before Lyndon and I got married and our first year of marriage, and I loved stopping at John's to get meat and wonderful marinades and chicken salad.  Yummo!  Two of my good friends are also in Nappanee, and others not far away.  Family will be the farthest at 45 min and a little over an hour for grandparents.  

Lyndon is now going to work at ATC, The Aluminum Trailer Company.  ATC was my first real job and it is dear to my heart, so now that Lyndon gets to work there is really exciting for me.  My cousin, Steve, started the business about 12 years ago.  Lyndon has worked for Steve before at the Mill, but it closed down 3 months before we moved to Costa Rica.  Many of Lyndon's co-workers, including his boss, Duane, are now at ATC.  Duane offered Lyndon a job before we moved back, but Lyndon wanted to shadow for nursing first.  He has been thinking about a nursing career for a few months and wanted to see if it was something he wanted to pursue.  He spent a day in the hospital for day surgery.  He walked out thinking, "Yeah, I could do that."  But also thinking, "Not sure the actual work of a nurse is for me."  We know that Lyndon needs to be around people and nursing fulfills that part, but he would really miss working with his hands.  A few weeks later, we decided that ATC was the best fit for him.

So, hopefully we can move before Christmas.  We have started packing and Lyndon will work here in Dowagiac for another week.  We have enjoyed these first few weeks here.  Lyndon hasn't been working full-time, my mom has been home, seeing friends and family more, and now we are ready to move on and get established as a family again.  

Thank you to all those that have been on this journey with us.  We have met people along the way that have inspired us, taught us, and stretched us.   We are thankful for this next opportunity and are excited for what this next year has in store for us.

Life can change so quickly.  We are doing something completely different that what we were doing last Saturday.  We have been home for 4 days now, and everything feels different.  I feel Spanish coming out when I try to order at a restaurant, I find myself throwing the toilet paper into the trash can after helping Karis go to the bathroom, and I still put things under the seat and lock the doors of a vehicle in a driveway.  But there are other things, as well, that seem so natural: Karis and Jeremy playing with their cousins, hot water at the sink, carpet under my feet, and my family burping and passing gas, like usual. =)  Karis even told my brother tonight after he burped extra long, "That was a good one."  Oh dear. 

I wanted to be sure to include what we did our last week, and then in another post be more specific about our arrival and first week in the States.  So, we spent time with a few other Costa Rican couples our last week there.  On Tuesday evening, we went to San Jose to meet with Mony and Isaac (from our pics in Palmares the week before).  It was Mony's birthday and we wanted to have empanadas one more time and they lived right by the restaurant.  Perfect!  And another great excuse to see them.  So, we had a lovely evening with them there, finding out more about their future and sharing our hearts together.  Sure hope our paths cross again...what a wonderful couple!  Wednesday, Lyndon and Erick took care of transferring the title into Erick's name for the Sidekick. Our friends, Erick and Cristina bought our vehicle, so they needed to do some paperwork.  Thursday, we had Ari and Esteban over to our house for supper.  They brought it along and cooked for us, and it was superb!  They brought gifts for all!  Small pillows for the children and a picture framed of the 4 of us for Lyndon and I.  They are a very special couple from our church that will be getting married in February.  Ari and Esteban have always taken a special interest in our children and we have become quite close to them over the last year and a half.  We will miss being at their wedding, but hope to be able to few it somehow with the amazing technological possibilities of our day! 

On Friday, we went to San Francisco to be with Hans and Jami, our cousins who are in language study.  We went to the mall and had a great time being with them and having the children play together.  We are just ending and they are just beginning this adventure of living in a different culture and being away from everything else familiar. They are doing a great job and will touch many lives. 

Saturday we had a special dinner date with DeLynn and Gloria.  Kimi and Raul came to our house to be with our children while we went to dinner.  Karis loves Kimi and practically pushed me out the door, and Jeremy tussled with Raul all night and learned a new phrase.  We went to one of our favorite places in Costa Rica called Saga.  It did not disappoint and my favorite thing there is the dessert...pecan crusted cream cheese with kiwi ice cream...man, it is SO good.  We had a lovely evening talking with our dear friends and laughed until I cried. 

Sunday we went the park with all of the staff and had a great picnic and time together.  We enjoy each of them and so have our kids.  They become your family in a foreign country and a great family they have been. That evening we had our official "despedida" or "farewell" and were very touched by all the wonderful things that people said out loud or wrote in letters to us as well.  Just a great reminder that people are always watching and you are being an influence wherever you are, in your daily activities. 

Monday was a full day for me at the base training the new person to take over the finances, Seir, from Costa Rica.  He is more than capable to do the job and I was very thankful for his willingness and availability to do the job.  Lyndon did last minute errands and Gloria and Carmelinda took the kids out for one last time together.  They came home looking like Costa Ricans! It was so cute.  Jed and Jaime brought supper to us on Monday night very graciously and then we made a few stops for more goodbyes to those that were close by. 

Tuesday morning, Kimi, Raul, Nate, and the Hoovers took us to the airport.  On the way there, I just tried to soak in all the sites and sounds around me for the last time.  Then pretty soon it was time to walk into the airport and take that next step forward...now what? 

TBA...