Oh, my ring! My precious!!

I have been without being able to wear my ring for about 1 1/2 months!!! My wedding ring! My poor ring finger would break out into these small red hideous blisters and itch like nobody's buisness. It was awful!! I put anti-itch cream after cream on and the red and itch would go away for a few days and then I would put my beautiful ring on for a day and voila!! Itchin agony!!!

I finally dragged Zach down to IA diamond to get an answer from experts...or so I thought!! The lady told us after just a few questions for us and for the craftsman in back that if I am allergic to the alloys in the white gold, then it would mean an upgrade to palodium (spelling). Inside I panicked and then my heart fell to my french-painted toenails. After asking if I was attached the original design (okay, lady, how many times have you been divorced?), then proceeded to tell us that it would be about $500 -$700 at least more to replace, I wanted to grab the Kleenex box run out to the elevator hit the basement button and bawl. Well, I did the more mature thing and just paled a little and asked what my other options were though slim they may be. There really wasn't much of an answer, so we left. Zach told me that he wanted me to see a doctor before we ended up paying half a grand.

I was so very crushed, but my dislike of going to doctors was still greater, so I called the school nurse. She gave me some good advice about checking for saudering marks and cleaning and such. I had to give it a try. I started working even harder on healing my finger whilst we took it back to IA Diamond and requested that the saudering areas be filed down more and the ring super brushed and polished and the annual rhodium dipping. All for free too! I was praying so hard for positive results. That lady at least didn't ask the terrible question about changing my ring and she seemed to know more and seem that it wasn't that big of a deal to fix.

I now sit typing these words with my most beautiful shiny ring on my left finger and I have worn it all last evening and through the night and this morning and so far it feels perfect and my finger is the normal color and texture. Yay for maintenance!!! I am so not waiting 14 months for the next cleaning!! I love my ring, honey!!! Sorry for the scare!!!

Homes, homes for sale!!!

For those who understand that entry title is to be sung to the "boy, boy for sale" song from Disney's Oliver Twist.

Well, the Lord continues to show us what to do and it is such a relief to make the next step and the both of us feel full confidence in it. After another weekend at the farm and talking more to Bill and Jeanie and other peoples, we came home and were praying even more about the decision that we have been on the fence about since February. By bed time we had made our decision and believe this is what God wants us to do or at least head. We are going to stay here for a couple more years to pay off bills and to invest in a house. Many things have been thought and thought through again and revisited. We are totally willing to move down to Creston if the Lord shows differently, but that doesn't seem to be the way to go for now.

We meet with a realtor tomorrow to get a better idea of what is out there and what to expect, though we both think that it would be best for us and for the market to wait till January to actually purchase. The realtor is a lady with good experience that is a member of our church, so we are very thankful for that. Please pray that we make wise decisions and are able to find the best little starter home for us. Pray that Zach's job continues to progress well. He still has a couple months before going to nights (we both hope that maybe it would work out to keep him on days, but we will see). Pray that I have patience with my job during the winter as it is so very slow.

We are so thankful for everything that the Lord has done for us and we are so excited to see what He has for us to do for Him!!!

Lesson of Prayer and Patience

This posting is mostly for those who really keep up with my poorly kept current blogging, but that stay faithful.

Life has been interesting once again, but for everyone when does it not. :) This last week or so though has brought Zach and I together for prayer even more so. About a little over a week ago, Bill Saylor wasn't feeling too well. He went in and was treated for a sinus infection. While in there, they scheduled an overdue cardioexam. He let us know that his vision was double and after a couple more days of that and other symptoms of concern continued. He went in again to the Creston hospital and they did a MRI. Finding nothing, they came home. To make a long story somewhat short, they have done several tests, a lot of possible ailments have been discussed and checked. We thought it might be his diabetes, but now after blood work, they have found that his white cells have these black rings around them and they won't know for sure what this could be till Monday the 15th. Please pray for Bill and Jeanie as some of the possible conclusions could be very drastic.

On another note Zach and I are really trying to figure out where God wants us as a partial result of the most recent events, but also it has been a big topic of prayer since the beginning of this year. We really can't make any decisions till we find out more about Zach's Dad and his parents are able to figure out some things. We want to be there for them and help out with their plans for the farm, but so much could take things in several directions. So we are trying to be content in each day at a time and with a willing heart ready to go where and when He leads. That is where the patience lesson has really been hitting. We are also both so very thankful for having each other in this and that we wouldn't be moving or making such big changes without each other.

I found this quote in a devotional book that I just finished up and it is very appropriate to these thoughts:

"God is not in such a hurry as we are, and is not His way to give more light on the future then we need for action in the present, or to guide us more than one step at a time. When in doubt, do nothing, but continue to wait on God. When action is needed, the light will come."

Thank you for your prayers and love!!

Fall is A'Comin'!!!

For those fellow fall lovers, yesterday was the breakthrough of the perfect, crisp, fresh fall weather. Drinking hot spiced drinks, picking pumpkins and squash, crunching colorful leaves, and then later comes the Thanksgiving dinner...ummm...ummm! The summer went by so very fast and was so very busy. I love saying goodbye to the hot sticky, busy summer and saying hello to autumn. I really wanna try to get Zach down to Winterset for some picture takin' fun! I should find another couple to go and we could have a picnic of sorts too and we would get better pics.

Also this fall holds something else special. I was a married a year ago in the fall...Novemeber 24th. It is coming up and I hope it comes quickly! Funny thing is that my brother is getting married a week after that at Thanksgiving. Deja Vu!! It will be hard to not to be reminiscing about my wedding the entire time since it is the same time same church and similar theme. They have good taste, I must say.

To celebrate the season, Maria, my faithful and friendly co-worker, and I went to Panera Bread to partake of some yummy soup and delicioso turkey artichoke spinach sammie!! So I am totally ready to put summer behind me and welcome autumn with sweatshirt-covered outspread arms!! Bring on the sweet potato souffle'!!

Many Years Ago In A Land Far Away

Okay, so my summer hasn't really been a fairytale and because of it I haven't had any time to blog. Also another good reason is that our home computer has been in the workshop for over two months (that is a tale of its own and so far it has ended happily) and work has been so insane that I don't have time to do any there. Here are some highlights briefly to catch up to the now. I can address detail requests as they come.

Sad -- Faith got flooded and we ripped out the carpet of about 16 apartments and had to find housing for all that resided
Happy -- Zach and I had a wonderful learning experience as we went with our youth group to work with the Brockas in Salt Lake City, UT for nine days. We drove out and there are many trying and fun times involved in that trip.
Sad -- Came back to work and in a few days about 20 apartments and some offices were again flooded. It has taken till just this weekend to clean it all up and recarpet and place people. They are still several apartments that are currently "condemned".
Happy -- I finally cut my hair to a kind of bob that I've been to scared to try out.
Sad -- It didn't really work and I had to wait a weekend to fix it!
Happy -- David and Aly got engaged!
Sad -- Our computer was found to have more issues and we had to wait at least 2 more weeks.
Happy -- Zach and I and the two bros and their women went out to Indiana for my Dad's 50th birthday as a surprise.
Sad -- I can't take my two birdies back with me cause Faith doesn't allow it.
Happy --I got my hairs cut to what I now absolutely love!!! (Zach says he really likes it too!)
Sad -- School is starting very soon and work is insane for several crazy reasons and I want to time skip to Labor Day weekend.
Happy -- Zach and I went to IA state fair for free the opening night after work and then again to see the Gates family play fiddle another night.
Sad -- I worked 13 hours straight yesterday under a crazy schedule and I am beat.
Happy -- I got 9 hours of overtime for this last week and will get more this next week.

So with few and much in between it has been a busy but great summer and it is going by so very fast. Two more weeks and I will be in school and fall mode. I love fall!!!!! Happy days!! I will be trying to be much better at my bits of info for whomever may actually be interested. Grab an icecream and go spend a night out under the stars!!

Take Me Away!!

So this is just a moment where I can just get some frustrations out and have a slight moment of reprive now that I just had lunch at 3 pm. Officially, as of yesterday, the GARBC conference is now meeting on Faith Campus. There are many good things about this such as exposure to the school for perspective students, a chance make a great impression on the association, a more convenient distance for some, and the school getting really, and I mean really, fancied up for once.

It is this last one that makes me want to run home and bury my face in my pillow and take a nap to wake up and find all preparations already accomplished and the school shining! The entire campus will be used. It is now more like a hotel accomodation than ever as we are now supplying room spray, Kleenex boxes, hand soap, and even little mints on the linens.

I just came back from stripping Wal-Mart of their Equate hand soap stock and four scents of their Glade room sprays. It was actually kind of fun and I felt like I was on that Shopping Game Show. No prizes taped on any boxes though. I won't tell you how long it took to check out! So after about 129 items checked out and in the car trunk, I drove back. I rolled down the windows and imagined for a few seconds that I was laying on the grass at home in the sun. Maybe later.

Now I have the stuff still in the trunk and I am about to go take all the supplies to the residence halls to be distributed. I hope they feel quite homey next week when they visit. I will be on my way to Salt Lake City, UT on Friday so I will be great!! Seriously though, if you can, you should really attend part of the conference.

Narry a Sound but for the Floods

Okay so it has been just under a month that I have blogged. There has been much to say but so very little time. We don't live in Cedar Falls or Rapids, but Faith Baptist Bible College had their own state of emergency and we are still working on the results.

I came in on Friday morning about 10 days ago to find matting all laying around drying outside and fans ablowing on all the carpet in the maintenance shop. Apparently, with the floods, the drains backed up and that included sewage for our humble office. Gross!! There was even obvious evidence to dispose of. As of now, we still haven't shampooed the maintenance carpet. I just don't think about it and I wear shoes all the time.

People had been called at about 12:30 am on Friday and were up for all hours. Larry had accidentally left his phone in the truck and since he lives about 45 min away anyway, didn't know about this. My phone had been close to temporary death and had been left in the shop to charge. So Larry and I both were unaware and both got a full night's sleep, of which I am so very thankful. Everyone spent the entire day vacuuming out water and discovering new places and mopping and vacuuming up water and ripping up carpet and padding. We were totally drenched after ripping out 6 apartments that day. Total apartments and offices that had to be decarpeted was 16! We still await the decision to whether recarpet or whether to put in tile. Comeon', who wants to snuggle on their couch in the middle of a tiled living room or wake up out of deep slumber to be shocked to awakeness by a cold tile floor. We are going to have some grumpy people if they do tile and if the people will even come back.

We have about 13 displaced peoples. Two people just found somewhere else since all we have to offer are one bedrooms. Crazy!!! We are still working on them even to this week and people are living out of totes, but honestly, how many people are everywhere in IA. We didn't have it nearly as bad as others. It just takes on another aspect of worry and responsibility when you are on the landlord side of it. I have both perspectives as I live in a leaky apartment at Faith currently. We will most likely be here for at least another year too and since Faith apartments are so much cheaper for the space and location, we most likely will also not be moving unless some major leakage urges us out. Thank the Lord that we live upstairs though!

To those who are in the majorly damaged areas and who are pretty much homeless, we are praying for you and know that the Lord will provide for His children.