Where are we going?

It's been almost 3 yrs. since my husband decided to go back to school to get his Bachelor's Degree. He has one more year and he will be done.... at least with that anyway... he's talked about getting a Master's Degree too. This summer he accepted an internship with NASA at Johns Hopkins University APL. It's exciting for me to see him getting this far because he never believed he could.... but I believed. I'm proud of my husband! This is going to be such a great opportunity for him this summer. Where will it lead us? I have no clue. I just know that we have been prayerful and the Lord has guided us throughout our life. I pray He will continue to guide our future and I will trust in Him.

By Study and by Faith

Winter semester started today. My husband is nervous because his classes are very intense and require long laborious hours of study and homework, leaving very little time for him to work to provide for our cost of living. Really, if it were not for the financial help from his parents while he is in school, I don't know where we would be? We also have food stamps which is something I absolutely have been against but I don't know what else to do?

One thing I do know is that he is supposed to be in school right now. He kicks himself for waiting so long to get his Bachelors Degree but I'm proud of him for having the courage to finish his schooling at this stage in our life! He knows he's in the right place too. He has had wonderful opportunities to work with different professors in Astronomy, Physics and now Planetary Geology. Each professor highly admires Joseph and have written excellent letters of recommendation for his internship this summer.

I don't know where we are going in the next few years. Perhaps we will stay here for another 4 until he gets his Masters? My oldest child will be turning 14 then... that's crazy for me to think about!! Most likely we will move somewhere across the United States. His dream is to work for NASA and I would love to see him achieve that dream.

There is no doubt in my mind that our Heavenly Father has guided us to where we are and is continuing to guide us where we need to be. It's very exciting. I've seen so many miracles in the 11 yrs. of our marriage. Prayer and faith have been a daily part of our journey. Monetarily, I don't like depending on anybody, I have had to humble myself and except a little financial help here and there. But I know that when all is said and done, when Joseph finally finishes school, we will then be in a position to help someone else in their journey.

I want it to be very clear that I have never cared for lots of money. I told my husband when I married him that I would be happy to live in a tiny house and live a very simple life. I don't care for manicures, matching purses and shoes, name brand clothes or name brand anything for that matter. And I think it's wonderful that my kids are content with paper, markers, books and their imagination... so spending money on toys has never been a problem either. It's wonderful! I like the simple life because it helps me treasure the simple things!

I am very excited for my husband to be successful and achieve his dream, not for money but for the sheer thrill of saying that he did it, he got his degree, he accomplished something that he didn't feel he was capable of doing.

I have no doubt that when he finishes up his schooling we will have opprotunities to make very good money. I'm sure it will be nice but at that time, I never want to lose sight of the happiness I have found in simplicity, hard work, prayer, faith, humility and trust in God...because money can't buy any of these things.

For all you math and science geeks...

Lately my husband has been overwhelmed with the difficulty of his classes at the University. This semester he is taking Astronomy, Calculus 2 and a Physics Major class.

He has worked over 6 hrs. a day on his homework just for his math class... that doesn't include all the hours of homework for his Physics and Astronomy. He's been discouraged because he bombed a couple of tests, that he studied for like crazy.

So I thought it I could lighten his load with a little humor, you know, I thought it would be funny to send him some things that would make him laugh: (you might have to click on these to read the captions better)

I don't think these two made him laugh though..... I think they made him cry.... I'm in the doghouse tonight.

Are You Ready For Miracles?

My husband and I have been praying that he will find a job to provide for our little family.

Yesterday my husband was at the University visiting the Astronomy department. During casual conversation with one of the professors, my husband mentioned that he had been laid off and was searching for work. The professor informed him that he was looking for someone to help him with Astronomy research and could pay my husband $10 an hour. Only thing is...my husband's full-time school schedule only allows him to work 20 hours a week.

This would equal out to being $200 a week... for a family of 6. That's before taxes!

We went to the temple today fasting and praying.... crazy thing is we both feel like he should take this opportunity doing research with the professor. I know, I know... if you do the numbers it doesn't add up at all!!!

As we were in the temple praying about our financial situation I kept thinking, "If he takes this research job we just won't have enough, there's not enough money for us here!" Then as my husband and I joined hands and I whispered a prayer for guidance, I envisioned myself with 5,000 people sitting at the feet of Christ (in Mark 8) and staring at the few loaves of bread and fishes saying, "Lord there's not enough here, there's just not enough, it doesn't add up!"

But the miracle is that it was enough!! Christ fed the 5,000 with just a few fishes and 5 loaves of bread...hello! 5,000 people... and that's not all... after everyone was fed there were 12 baskets of fragments left over.... there were left-overs!!! As this image came to my mind, I felt the Spirit witness to me that we will be ok and I began to cry tears of gratitude. This experience will strengthen our faith. I am so grateful. I believe in miracles, most of all I have no doubt that the Lord knows our needs and hears our heartfelt prayers.

Maybe my husband getting laid off is not a loss after all, maybe it has provided an opening for opportunity.... an opportunity to strengthen our faith, gain experience, learn wisdom and witness MIRACLES!