waaaaay overdue update!

Sorry for the delay in posting!

I'm loving my new job and school is going really well- there's only one week left of classes and then it's finals! I can't wait for the semester to be over- I am beyond excited to graduate in May! :) Andy started his new job on Tuesday- he is a security officer at the Oakwood mall in Eau Claire. We're really thankful to both have full time jobs, and that both of our jobs utilize and stretch our strengths. A lot of you have been asking what exactly my job is so....I will attempt to provide an accurate description. :)

1. I am a firefighter...not really, but some days it feels like I am continuously calming ruffled feathers from impatient, and sometimes rightfully upset customers.

2. Our company puts on seminars mainly for lawyers and accountants. Lawyers and accountants need to attend so many classes within a two-year period to renew and keep their licenses.

3. It is my responsibility to mail out certificates verifying attendance at the seminar, reporting the attendance to state boards, and to also keep our records updated.

4. I also schedule and instruct coordinators for these events.

I do some other random things, but above is a brief summary of my position requirements. I love this job and the people I work with. Unfortunately, we have been put in a very rough situation, and are attempting to clean up a very large and tangled mess. All and any prayers would be appreciated for us to meet the December 31 deadline for all of our reporting...right now, it seriously looks like it will take a miracle for that to happen.

Over the semester, I have been going through Romans 6-8 with a dear friend. We have both learned so much, and have grown a lot closer to each other and God. I am excited for her, because next semester she gets to study abroad in Greece, but I'm also sad because I will miss our weekly discussions and time together. Have fun in Greece, Steph, and know I will miss you lots!

We had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving! We were able to share the holiday with a lot of family, and were greatly blessed by this time. My aunt and uncle came to town Thanksgiving day, and treated us to a Thanksgiving buffet. It was so great to see them and be able to spend quality time with them. Later that night, Andy's dad came to stay with us for a couple of days. We deeply love Jerry and so enjoy spending time with him. On Friday, we were able to go up to my family for the afternoon/early evening. It was really great to see my siblings again and be able to semi-catch up with them over the day. It was bittersweet to see my parents and siblings for such a short time, but it was still great nonetheless. We had surprise visitors at my parents, and I was able to see my aunt and uncle from IL! We hardly ever get to see them, and it was such a treat to briefly catch up. As I said, we were extremely blessed by all of the family we were able to spend time with! :)

For Christmas, we will be able to see Andy's brother and sister-in-law for a couple of days, as well as his dad and some extended family. Q & C live in SC, so it is not often that we get to see them! We are EXTREMELY excited to be able to spend some time with them!

On Friday, our women's ministry is putting on a Christmas celebration at church. I am super excited for this, and hope a lot of women from all generation come! I'll have to let you know how it goes after the semester is over. :)

I feel bad because whenever I blog, I don't write a lot about Andy, but he is doing well, and is enjoying his new job. We are both constantly praying for God to reveal His will to us and to keep our hearts moldable. We do not know what the future holds for us, if we will stay in Eau Claire, WI or if we will move to who knows where, but our hearts are ready and willing to do God's will. For now, we are striving to serve God and bring Him glory throughout our daily lives. Please join us in praying for God to continue to guide our lives.