life is good & it just got better...

CHECK THIS OUT!

HOORAY!

shift happens...

As a staff, we watched this video a few months ago. I've seen it now in a couple of places and I think it's worth sharing. Check it out and let me know what you think. P.S. I figured it was appropriate considering we live a world full of blogs.

who doesn't love some extra cash?

A few weeks back, a friend mentioned this website to me...Ebates. At first I didn't think much of it, but then I did some research. The website works like this - you sign up with them (use the link below) and then you can shop like you normally do online. You just go to the Ebates site first and search for your item or store there. So, I bought some books through the site, Bobby's birthday gift (the game, Ticket to Ride) some clothes at Old Navy, and a few other items. With each purchase, I earn REAL CASH back from Ebates. Each quarter they send you a check for the amount of money earned. It's a sweet deal...especially if you do any sort of shopping online. I've been doing this for the last couple of weeks and I'm already up around $20. Why wouldn't you do this?

Check it out and see what you think...Oh, and you get $5 automatically for your first purchase.

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=Kk+u/ZjnsvHMI4J1gk+fpQ==

some happy thoughts worth sharing...

• Easter was awesome...there's some exciting news coming down the line from Ben's side of the family! I am not allowed to say anything just yet. However, you're smart people. I'll leave it at that.

• I really like http://www.paperbackswap.com/ - it's such a cool concept. Since we don't have a whole lot of room around here, I can feel good about letting go of some books. I just post them to this site and then when someone wants a specific title, I get an email. From there, I send the book and earn a credit for that. Now I can shop for any book I want. It's great!


• I never properly wished Bobby a happy birthday! He turned 27 on Wednesday (we celebrated on Saturday). I explained to him that he's only a year away from catching up to me...if only it worked that way.



• Last week my mom and I made a trek down to Vancouver, WA for a conference. Well, I had classes to attend and she kept me company during the downtime. We did some shopping in Portland, ate some good food, and enjoyed some girly time. It was so much fun to have my mom all to myself. She is incredible...in every way! The Lord totally blessed me!

• The sessions I got to sit in on far surpassed my expectations. I am already looking forward to next year! It's always tough to miss work and prepare for a substitute. At the same time, I feel this trip was well worth the effort. There were so many wonderful ideas shared, I'm not exactly sure where to begin. I'm meeting with some of our adminstration tomorrow to talk through it all. Good times!

• There's some exciting news on the job front. Ben is applying for a paid summer internship with Milliman, Inc. This would hopefully lead to a position as an actuary. He has always been intrigued by this field (his cousin Luke has been employed as an actuary for the last few years). I think Ben would truly enjoy this position. He has such a math mind and this career asks that you continue to develop your skills and complete tests along the way. I'll pass. We know that this is all in God's hands. If nothing else comes of this, we can see that the Lord is opening our eyes to the endless possibilies.

I don't really want to read through this to check my spelling, grammar, etc. Forgive me!

i want God's timing...

It is often difficult to understand what it is He wants or has planned in His will. Just this last week, our lives have been tossed about. I say that and realize that it sounds far more dramatic than it really is. It could be much worse.

Ben applied to Seattle U's Master's in Teaching Program near the beginning of this year. The start date is Fall 2008. All signs pointed to the fact that this would be Ben's next adventure. He graduates from the U at the end of the summer and then he would go to Seattle U and be ready to apply for teaching jobs in Fall of 2009. However, that's not what God has planned.

Ben was denied at Seattle U. We can’t help but believe that God has something better planned. We can either hold off and delay his start time for another year – pushing us out to 2010 – or we can take this as yet another sign that the door is closing and we should be looking into other fields. The first strike came when we realized that U-dub’s program was not scheduled to start until Ben was well passed his Math Degree. The letter from Seattle U is the second strike. We’re not convinced that we should sit around and wait for strike three. So, Ben is heading into the career offices at the U to see what kind of ideas they can provide. He’s not really sure of anything at this point in time. We just figure it can’t hurt to explore some options.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention one of the reasons we were shocked by this letter from Seattle U (this only confirms that God has something better). Ben went to an open house before the applications were due. He spoke with the Dean and she explained that they try to balance their incoming students - math teachers, history teachers, English teachers, etc. Once Ben told her that he was applying with a math endorsement, she told him his odds just increased significantly. Apparently, they rarely receive math applicants. The Dean even went on to say that if she had 20 students apply with math endorsements, she would take them all.

Ben has emailed and spoken to several people at Seattle U. No one can give him any specifics as to why he was not accepted. They say that his application looks good and they would like him to apply for the classes that start next spring. It's bizarre.

All of this to say that we are seeking out God's plan. We thought we knew what the future held, and now we're not so sure. Ben and I are limited in our thinking. However, our Heavenly Father is capable of so much more! We find comfort in the fact that He knows our hearts and He will provide for us. I just wish God's time was a bit more like my own. :)

Pray for guidance and direction. Pray for peace, comfort, answers, and divine clarification.

in case you have too much $...

This is what was sent out in our Community Newletter earlier in the week...

From March 3rd, until March 14th, Maywood Middle School is raising money to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As a school, the students are competing between 1st period classrooms to win a lunch sponsored by the folks at Olive Garden. Your child can bring in cash, change, or a check to help this great cause. As a parent/family/friend, you can donate online at www.schoolandyouth.org/wa/donate. At the top of the web page you will see a drop-down menu. Just click Maywood and make a donation. You can also forward this site to any friends and family who may be interested in helping us raise funds. Last year we placed 5th in the WA/AK region. The Leadership students would love to see us top that feat!

bring back robica...

I would like to encourage you all to leave comments insisting that Rob and Danica's blog be brought back to life. Regardless of the delay between posts, those of us who live far from these two enjoy the updates. We need some sort of connection and what better way than the glorious world wide web?!?! So, join me in the art of persuasion. I'm not sure of the magic number needed, so feel free to leave more than one comment.

D, Hottica, D$, Robica, whatever your name is...BRING BACK THE BLOG! (Now, please.)

P.S. I stole these pictures from Kara's blog. I am using Ben's computer and I don't have any images stored on here. Thanks for the steal K-Ham.