Humbled Today

As many of you can probably tell, we are struggling a bit financially. Morgan has not had a steady job since the beginning of May. A couple of weeks ago we made an unscheduled stop to the Department of Social Services and applied for food stamps. However, the process is very long and can only be expedited in exceptional cases. Today we had our appointment to bring in all the paperwork for verification purposes. It was a very humbling experience for sure. I never thought in a million years that we would be unable to completely pay for groceries or anything else for that matter. It looks as though we qualify but aren't quite in dire need of assistance and so it will take another 2-3 weeks until we get any benefits. It is very hard for Morgan to have his Masters' Degree and not be able to provide for his family. It is also hard not being able to find anything other than part time work at fast food joints. He now works every other weekend at the Wingate Hotel at the front desk and it is the dreaded graveyard shift :( He also got a job working at Pizza Hut being a delivery driver.....but that was a week ago and the manager is very disorganized. It doesn't appear that he will be getting many hours there.

As for me, I haven't looked anywhere yet. There aren't many jobs around here that Morgan has NOT applied for, and if he can't get them is there any chance that I would? However, there is always my Mary Kay business. It hasn't been all that successful in the past but I am at least going to try to give parties again soon.

We are hopeful though. Morgan has been offered a job that will start in the middle of August. He will be developing and subsequently teaching two online courses for Trine University. He will make decent money doing that and can stay HERE in BV while I finish school. The hardest part is just waiting until the job begins.

All in all though, we really can't complain too much. We are still living in our own apartment and are caught up with all our bills. We do have a bit of credit card debt to take care of (which is mostly my fault because I wasn't willing to say no), thankfully though it isn't too bad in comparsion with others. We just can't wait until August when more money starts rolling in.

Pictures as promised

Lazy Days....Finally

Well school's out for me for the summer! I was going to go to the semester in the month of June but finances didn't allow me to do so. But I am so glad that I didn't go back for another semester right away. I've got a lot time to play with Lorraine and to spend time with Morgan. During the Maymester, I just was so busy and I never got to see either of them. I am glad to be less busy for sure.

Lorraine has gotten her first haircut this week. Morgan went in to get his haircut and I decided that it was time for Lorraine to get her hair cut. It is much cuter! It curls naturally so much better now. Pictures are to come soon.

Morgan is still out of a job and it is rather disappointing. He has applied at some job everyday for the last couple of weeks, and yet he hasn't gotten any job interviews. I don't know what else he can do. Though he is in good spirits and hopes that the Lord will bless us soon.

All in all life is pretty good.

Nothing New

It has been a while since I last posted (again). I have been trying to keep this up every week with a new post but sometimes I just don't have anything to say. Lately it has been very busy around these last couple of weeks. We are mostly adjusted to living in our new place, still trying to find some things though. We are working together each day to help make our house look decent. But really it is just a cluttered mess that is overwhelming. I conquered Lorraine's room and the living room today with lots of cleaning and yet I still feel like it isn't quite clean. We sure do miss the space we had in the kitchen of our last place but at least this is a place that we can better afford, because it is smaller and the utilities are included in the rent.

Both Morgan and I have been rehearsing for the summer musical, Seussical. The music is a lot of fun but very difficult. Thankfully we still have a few weeks before the show opens. We are also very thankful to our conductor's daughter that is helping out by taking care of Lorraine while we are at rehearsal. We both wouldn't have been able to be in the orchestra otherwise.

Morgan is still applying for "real" jobs but with the economy so bad, no one is hiring. He has only gotten one interview and no job offers out of the 20 or more places that he has applied to. I don't know what else he can do at this point to get a job. He also has been out of work here because the Census Bureau (which he was working for) ran out of work. He also got fired from his other job too. We still don't know why he was fired, the owner of the store won't talk to him and the manager of the store doesn't know what is going on. It really is rather frustrating. So Morgan is back at the hotel working the graveyard shift over the weekends.

As for me, I am taking two classes this semester which is only the month of May. I have class everyday for 2-3 hours at a time. Then I have about 2-4 hours of homework each night, plus rehearsals, cooking, cleaning, and taking some time to spend with Lorraine. I am mostly enjoying my classes. I am taking Spanish and Biology of Women. Spanish is easy and thankfully comes naturally to me. Biology however is a completely different story. I didn't do well on the first test and hopefully the test on Monday is a bit easier. As for my health, I am finally COMPLETELY off of those ridiculous drugs and have been fairly healthy ever since. I am suffering from allergies here in the beautiful (but allergy filled) VA, but besides that I am healthy.

Lorraine is just a very happy go lucky little girl. She is started to talk (babble) more and more each day. I think she gets frustrated with us at times because we can't understand her babbling. She loves to play with her big pink ball and loves to take baths or get into the shower with Mom. I don't think I've ever heard of a toddler that I actually liked to get into the tub. She just might be a swimmer or some other water sport junkie. We've been very blessed that she is such beautiful and happy little girl. I just pray that our next baby will be just as happy. (THIS IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT!!! You all know how comments like these get rumors started.)

Anyways, we are doing okay and life is pretty good.

Video of Lorraine

This is more for my Mom than anyone else but it is a video of Lorraine.

Fun in the Backyard

It is a beautiful day here in Virginia and I just couldn't sit inside all day and neither could Lorraine. So we grabbed the big ball and headed to our backyard. Though we didn't stay out too long(because of my apparent allergy to grass), Lorraine had a blast. She loves to play outside and it's great when it is not too hot or cold to do so. Our neighbor brought out his little dog and Lorraine was SOOO excited! It was just a lot of fun.

Moving Stinks!

Lorraine on Easter

Sitting in HER chair

Reading with Daddy

I hate MOVING. It is such a pain in the neck, literally! We moved on April 15th and we were able to move everything that day, except cleaning the house. We are somewhat enjoying our new place. We actually have bigger bedrooms and closets but we don't have any counter space for food prep or a large enough living room. We are still unpacking stuff but hopefully we will be able to find a place for it all.

I have been crazy busy but thankfully I am done with classes for the semester and all that is left for me is finals. I get a couple days off and then I get to do it all over again! I am taking 19 credits over the course of the summer. It is just getting me closer to graduation. Morgan and I sat down together to figure out how far I was with my graduation requirements, and we found that I wasn't as far as I want or thought that I was. I have three more semesters, but I WILL finish by next Spring. I have to, I really need to get my degree and fast.

Morgan is doing well and we have made the arrangements to go to Vermont in June for graduation. It is so exciting that he will finally have his masters' degree, hopefully someone will recognize his talent and hire him. We haven't heard back from any jobs yet. Oh! I hope we here something soon. Lorraine is doing well too!

Just when I thought I had it all figured out

Another week or so has gone by since my last post and I cannot believe how fast time flies. A lot happened this week. We have had Morgan's Mom in town and she has been a huge help with packing and taking care of Lorraine. We didn't even need to use a babysitter this week. Wahoo! Morgan is working hard at his new job with the census bureau, and finally has all his training done. The training bored him almost to death, and thankfully it is over. Morgan also had a good interview with the Missouri National Guard. I am praying, if it is the Lord's will, that he will get that job. I know it would help him out tremendously in the long run, even if it isn't the perfect job for him.

Lorraine is doing allright this week. Although the last couple of days she seems to be feeling a bit under the weather. I don't know exactly what is bothering her, but she just doesn't seem to be acting her normal self.

As for me, I had an easier week of classes with no huge projects or presentation, just normal everyday stuff. However, I am trying to get off the medication I was put on with the health problems during the fall last year. Knowing what I know now, I never would have gone on these drugs, I would have asked for another, even if it was more expensive. I am also enrolled for summer classes and I will be able to finish almost all of my coursework by December! I would only have two courses left to take after December, and I will probably take those over the internet. I can't wait to see how everything goes well and hopefully life won't take an unexpected turn (which knowing the Lord's sense of timing, or humor, it probably will).

Next week we are moving into a smaller two bedroom apartment from the three bedroom house we currently have been living in. I hope that all goes well with our landlords and that we will get our deposit back but we have been at odds with each other since we moved in. I seriously doubt that we will get our full deposit back. :( Oh well, that's life, and stupid (picky) landlords.

Craziness!

Our lives have been so increadibly busy that I haven't had time for a new post! But as far as everything goes life is good! Morgan has been working hard and has finally found a new (but only temporary :( ) job, working for the census bureau! Thankfully though it is a 40 hour a week job making great money! Finally, we can get ahead! He also has a job interview on April 6th, for the Missiouri National Guard as a historian. I can't wait to see if he ends up getting it because it would triple our current income. It would be amazing if the Lord blesses us so that we can go there but if not He will lead us someplace else.

Lorraine has been a busy little girl too! She is now only napping once a day but thankfully it is a three hour nap. She has also made the transition from formula to milk. She loves most foods but not veggies. She won't even touch potatoes either (I wonder if she is my daughter on that one because I could not live without potatoes). Lorraine has also mastered getting up on the chair in front of my desk to play on my computer(or make it crash). I have learned not to leave my computer on or my screen up after I am done.

As for me, I am getting off the Paxil and I am so glad to be doing so. It just made me too tired to keep up with everything. I am doing well in my classes but I can't wait for them to be over. I've been busy getting presentation together, doing papers, practicing, and all other good things. I am also taking five classes of ballet a week. I may sound like a lot but it really isn't. I take Lorraine with me to the dance studio quite often and she has fun there. I love my ballet teacher and I love the fact that she lets me bring Lorraine to any of the classes that I need to.

I have also had some great success with Mary Kay sales this week. I held two classes and had someone call and need something. It was awesome to have had some success there because I was really feeling down about it, thinking that I have put in a lot of money but I haven't gotten a lot out of it. However, I think that is going to change.

This next week will be crazy because we have to start getting ready to move. Our lease is up in the middle of April and thankfully we have another place already. We just have to pack it up and move. Just a word of advice to any students out there.....DON'T MOVE AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER!!!! I wish the timing of it would have been better but alas our current landlords hate us and won't let us live here a moment beyond our lease. Morgan also has his second to last drill for the National Guard and will be gone all weekend. But on the good side, General Conference is this weekend and we will be uplifted and edified! Hallejuah!