WARNING: this blog post may be explicit and potentially harmful for pregnant women to read
as a pregnant woman in an urban, highly populated environment, i have taken it upon myself to offer a suggestion to you inventors, patent-earners, and entrepreneurs out there. you can steal it fair and square, and i promise you it will be worth the steal. i won’t even request royalties.
here is my idea: stick-on nasal fresheners. ta da!
no, these fresheners are not for other people to smell you. they are for the sole purpose of aiding pregnant women in their march against nausea. and believe me, at times it is a fight for life.
you see, an urban mother-to-be starts every day with the daunting task of hiding a secret: the secret that everyone you come into contact with smells bad (except for jed or the occasional man on the train wearing curve – bless his soul). everything you pass by carries a distinct odor! no longer does the cigarette smoke from a chain smoker provide a welcome deviation from the typical body odor that can be sniffed, they are both equally repugnant and puke inducing.
one of my biggest fears is ralphing while i’m on the train. not only would i deeply offend every person on that train, but i believe a chain reaction would for sure ensue (think “cheaper by the dozen” levels). my solution has been to carry a plastic target bag in my purse, ready to whip out in a moment’s notice should the urge arise. fortunately, this has not happened yet, but i’ve come dangerously close. i’ve already figured out what i would say should such an event occur: “don’t worry, i’m just pregnant. i don’t have swine flu.” then everyone could breathe easy and even offer a little sympathy should they be so inclined.
back to the invention. hopefully by now you understand the necessity of such an invention. my vision is to have several different flavors on one set – kinda like stick-on earrings. maybe 28 pairs on a card, organized by smell or color. a variety pack is the only way to go in this situation due to the adhd nature of a pregnant woman’s tastes. (i can eat a bite of something because it’s what I HAVE TO HAVE at the moment, and by the time i’m done chewing it’s all i can do to swallow without gagging!) if you love the fresh smell of strawberries, put a strawberry sniffer in your nose while you cook. if you take a fancy to the smell of windex, put a windex sniffer in your nose for your commute. the possibilities are endliess!
no longer would i have to rely on a layer of vick’s vapo rub coating my nostrils in order for the dishes to get done. my gag reflex would get a break from the overtime shifts it’s been pulling, and jed would have freedom to open the fridge door whether i was in the apartment or not. can you imagine the worldwide success of nasal fresheners?!
i now hand over the baton. make it your duty to help the pregnant women of society. take the idea and run with it! it’s all yours.
ps: in case you haven't heard, jed and i are expecting a baby may 27th and we're very very happy!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
A Story by Jed
Yes. It's me. Jed. I'm finally writing an entry. For all of you Amy fans out there, I apologize if you're disappointed that this is not an entry written by her, but please read it anyway. I'll attempt not to bore you. I just couldn't help but be the writer of this entry.
Once again, God has proven Himself ever faithful at the perfect moment. We were floored by God's provision not a day late (particularly from a health insurance perspective) when He provided Amy her job back in May. Well, God did it again! Why am I surprised? I shouldn't be. But that seems to be the status quo for a sinner always in need of a Savior and in need of Holy-Spirit-given faith to believe in that Savior of mine. So here's the scoop of God's most recent out-of-nowhere provision for us.
Where do I even begin? Well, I’ll begin Tuesday, September 8. After a long, late, stressful (stressful in many ways upon which I will not elaborate in order to protect the identity of those who made it thus) day at the office, I got on the subway for my commute home. My stomach was in knots, my back was killing me, I was in atrial fib, my eyelid was twitching, and I knew something had to give, but I didn’t see a way out. I arrived home about 8:45pm, Amy was so lovingly preparing dinner at such a late hour, and I broke down in tears. Here we had spent 6.5 years of our lives in seminary, we had moved to NYC to be more involved in church ministry, and my sales job was turning out to be my life. I had very little family or church life, just work, work, work, sales, sales, sales, whatever it took to get the next student. I cried out to God that evening. I knew we needed the money I was making, but I also realized I only have one life to live, and every day that went by was another day less that I had to live (thank you, John Madden). That night, Amy gave a good old-fashioned spiritual pep talk to me (I definitely had an intense “woe is me” Jonah syndrome at the time), I tried snapping out of it, and I went to work the next day trying to trust God that He had led us to this valley and would lead us through and out of the valley at the appropriate time. I also knew that God would not give me more than I could handle. If I had this job, then that meant that God knew I could handle it for the time being.
Let’s jump two days (only two days) later to Thursday, September 10. I was mentally digging my feet into the ground for the long haul at my current job. If nothing else, I knew that God had given me this NYC sales job to help me fulfill one of our desires in moving to NYC (i.e., understanding the life [and trials therein] of a person working in the cut throat NYC corporate culture). Midday on that Thursday, I looked in our gmail account as I often do, and out of the blue, there was an email in my inbox from a permanent hire job recruiter I hadn't had contact with in 4 months. And unless you don't understand how odd this was, I hadn't sent my resume to anyone since I began my current job 2 months ago! And, until I received this email, I also hadn't heard from any companies in those 2 months either. In the email, the recruiter presented me with a potential job opportunity that was more amazing than any other job opportunity that any recruiter had ever come close to presenting to Amy or me. And let me tell you, Amy and I (especially Amy though) had been given the run around from a bunch of "helpful" recruiters. This particular job opportunity presented me with suitable pay, full-time 35 hours per week, daytime weekday hours, the best health benefits on the market (even better than Amy’s current health benefits), 16 vacation days, 4.5 personal days, and 12 sick days per year, plus holidays. I told her I’d definitely like more details, and she got me an interview with the company on Tuesday, September 15. I interviewed that morning, and had no idea what they thought about me coming out of the interview (especially because I was with my current company for under 2 months). It was then a waiting game. God caused the children of Israel to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. How long was I going to have to wander, I thought? I would go from getting my hopes up to trying to keep my hopes in check so as to not have a “hope deferred” situation on our hands. This past Friday afternoon I got a call from the recruiter. She said the company really liked me, and 30 minutes later I had the job offer. I immediately accepted, gave my 2-week notice at my current job this past Saturday, and I’ll be working here through the end of today. I’ll then begin at my new job October 5, and I'll have many, many more hours per week to devote to family and church. Wow! And for those of you out there who are curious, I will be working in Manhattan 2 blocks from Penn Station. My title will be Benefits Rep for a company called the Committee of Interns and Residents (i.e., medical doctor interns and residents).
Just another NYC situation that has grown me/us and shown us that God is going before us and has been since we moved February 14. Tears of pleading changed to tears of joy! I had the opportunity to preach at a church out on Long Island this past Sunday. I preached from the Book of Habakkuk (great study), and in that sermon, I read the following William Cowper hymn (wish I had the worship leader talent like Bob Kaughlin so we could've sung this, but oh well):
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and will break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
The words of this poem have been the happenings of our lives since we moved here on Valentine's Day 2009. God is so good to us, even when we can't always make sense of what His good Hand is working in and through us!
Once again, God has proven Himself ever faithful at the perfect moment. We were floored by God's provision not a day late (particularly from a health insurance perspective) when He provided Amy her job back in May. Well, God did it again! Why am I surprised? I shouldn't be. But that seems to be the status quo for a sinner always in need of a Savior and in need of Holy-Spirit-given faith to believe in that Savior of mine. So here's the scoop of God's most recent out-of-nowhere provision for us.
Where do I even begin? Well, I’ll begin Tuesday, September 8. After a long, late, stressful (stressful in many ways upon which I will not elaborate in order to protect the identity of those who made it thus) day at the office, I got on the subway for my commute home. My stomach was in knots, my back was killing me, I was in atrial fib, my eyelid was twitching, and I knew something had to give, but I didn’t see a way out. I arrived home about 8:45pm, Amy was so lovingly preparing dinner at such a late hour, and I broke down in tears. Here we had spent 6.5 years of our lives in seminary, we had moved to NYC to be more involved in church ministry, and my sales job was turning out to be my life. I had very little family or church life, just work, work, work, sales, sales, sales, whatever it took to get the next student. I cried out to God that evening. I knew we needed the money I was making, but I also realized I only have one life to live, and every day that went by was another day less that I had to live (thank you, John Madden). That night, Amy gave a good old-fashioned spiritual pep talk to me (I definitely had an intense “woe is me” Jonah syndrome at the time), I tried snapping out of it, and I went to work the next day trying to trust God that He had led us to this valley and would lead us through and out of the valley at the appropriate time. I also knew that God would not give me more than I could handle. If I had this job, then that meant that God knew I could handle it for the time being.
Let’s jump two days (only two days) later to Thursday, September 10. I was mentally digging my feet into the ground for the long haul at my current job. If nothing else, I knew that God had given me this NYC sales job to help me fulfill one of our desires in moving to NYC (i.e., understanding the life [and trials therein] of a person working in the cut throat NYC corporate culture). Midday on that Thursday, I looked in our gmail account as I often do, and out of the blue, there was an email in my inbox from a permanent hire job recruiter I hadn't had contact with in 4 months. And unless you don't understand how odd this was, I hadn't sent my resume to anyone since I began my current job 2 months ago! And, until I received this email, I also hadn't heard from any companies in those 2 months either. In the email, the recruiter presented me with a potential job opportunity that was more amazing than any other job opportunity that any recruiter had ever come close to presenting to Amy or me. And let me tell you, Amy and I (especially Amy though) had been given the run around from a bunch of "helpful" recruiters. This particular job opportunity presented me with suitable pay, full-time 35 hours per week, daytime weekday hours, the best health benefits on the market (even better than Amy’s current health benefits), 16 vacation days, 4.5 personal days, and 12 sick days per year, plus holidays. I told her I’d definitely like more details, and she got me an interview with the company on Tuesday, September 15. I interviewed that morning, and had no idea what they thought about me coming out of the interview (especially because I was with my current company for under 2 months). It was then a waiting game. God caused the children of Israel to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. How long was I going to have to wander, I thought? I would go from getting my hopes up to trying to keep my hopes in check so as to not have a “hope deferred” situation on our hands. This past Friday afternoon I got a call from the recruiter. She said the company really liked me, and 30 minutes later I had the job offer. I immediately accepted, gave my 2-week notice at my current job this past Saturday, and I’ll be working here through the end of today. I’ll then begin at my new job October 5, and I'll have many, many more hours per week to devote to family and church. Wow! And for those of you out there who are curious, I will be working in Manhattan 2 blocks from Penn Station. My title will be Benefits Rep for a company called the Committee of Interns and Residents (i.e., medical doctor interns and residents).
Just another NYC situation that has grown me/us and shown us that God is going before us and has been since we moved February 14. Tears of pleading changed to tears of joy! I had the opportunity to preach at a church out on Long Island this past Sunday. I preached from the Book of Habakkuk (great study), and in that sermon, I read the following William Cowper hymn (wish I had the worship leader talent like Bob Kaughlin so we could've sung this, but oh well):
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and will break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
The words of this poem have been the happenings of our lives since we moved here on Valentine's Day 2009. God is so good to us, even when we can't always make sense of what His good Hand is working in and through us!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
sidewalks of brooklyn
the sidewalks here continually intrigue me, so tonight on my grocery run (jed works late) i decided to bring along my little olympus and tell you about it. maybe you'll find the hilarity in it all as well.
first of all, let me just tell you about the dangerous unevenness of the sidewalks. many times have i gone propelling forward in what could've been a fatal trip, thanks to my tendency to watch the sky, not the ground. some would blame distracted concrete pourers, while others would blame the weather. i blame it on the preservation of just one more attribute that i love about the city: it's quirkiness.
here we have a sure-fire way to stub your toe in sandals.
next, a stroller's nightmare.
at times, walking down the street is like eating popcorn out of those huge, variety pack, christmas tins. three flavors available - the first two are nice but the third tastes like tin.
as i mentioned before, you'll end up in an underground storage unit if you're not careful. caution signs are so early 90's, man.
i almost died of fright one time walking in heels across one of these subway grates. i thought i was tip toeing but i wasn't tipping enough, and the only thought in my mind for a millisecond was "she's going down people."
once in a blue moon, you'll come across a 21st century wonder - pavement. call me crazy, but it's boring, flat, straight, and clean from lack of wear. pppshhht.
there is one thing about the sidewalks here that jed and i can't seem to figure out. see those black dots? this is a shot of a very young and pale piece of sidewalk that hasn't yet been around the block, mind you, but it's still pretty full of black dots, right? well i say it's careless tar workers. jed (with the more likely possibility) says it's decades of gum users. the black dots are ev-er-y-where. seriously. i guess it's impossible to have that many careless tar workers, but on the flip side jed has a chip on his shoulder against people who spit out their gum on the sidewalk as a gift for your shoe.
no matter the story, it's a distinct sidewalk character here.
and you know, it's so funny to me sometimes that this
can be next to this.
who plans this?
one more thing.
does anyone need a bed frame?
first of all, let me just tell you about the dangerous unevenness of the sidewalks. many times have i gone propelling forward in what could've been a fatal trip, thanks to my tendency to watch the sky, not the ground. some would blame distracted concrete pourers, while others would blame the weather. i blame it on the preservation of just one more attribute that i love about the city: it's quirkiness.
here we have a sure-fire way to stub your toe in sandals.
next, a stroller's nightmare.
at times, walking down the street is like eating popcorn out of those huge, variety pack, christmas tins. three flavors available - the first two are nice but the third tastes like tin.
as i mentioned before, you'll end up in an underground storage unit if you're not careful. caution signs are so early 90's, man.
i almost died of fright one time walking in heels across one of these subway grates. i thought i was tip toeing but i wasn't tipping enough, and the only thought in my mind for a millisecond was "she's going down people."
once in a blue moon, you'll come across a 21st century wonder - pavement. call me crazy, but it's boring, flat, straight, and clean from lack of wear. pppshhht.
there is one thing about the sidewalks here that jed and i can't seem to figure out. see those black dots? this is a shot of a very young and pale piece of sidewalk that hasn't yet been around the block, mind you, but it's still pretty full of black dots, right? well i say it's careless tar workers. jed (with the more likely possibility) says it's decades of gum users. the black dots are ev-er-y-where. seriously. i guess it's impossible to have that many careless tar workers, but on the flip side jed has a chip on his shoulder against people who spit out their gum on the sidewalk as a gift for your shoe.
no matter the story, it's a distinct sidewalk character here.
and you know, it's so funny to me sometimes that this
can be next to this.
who plans this?
but alas. at the end of the day, our sidewalks are merely foundational stories describing the people who pound them.
we just happen to think its a privilege to read those stories.
one more thing.
does anyone need a bed frame?
Friday, August 28, 2009
let the games begin
flat screen tv in possession (jed's well-earned "mancheivement"), slight hints of fall already in the air (yay for the north!), and the newest member of the eagles' family recently welcomed to the flock. as espn so nicely put it, a "new eagle has landed."
our jerseys are clean, we've been practicing the fight song, and every press conference has been analyzed. it's going to be a good season. possibly the season. only first downs will tell. what do we have to lose? nothing. what do we have to cheer for? philadelphia history, familial and brotherly love, the most riveting sport of all time.
all we can say is:
GO EAGLES!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
"normal"
normal is so relative, subjective, original, abstract, illusory, all of the above. it can change at the dawn of every day, and even throughout the day. it's one thing that i, as a somewhat letter-of-the-law person on the inside, am okay with being fluid in the area of "normalcy." i'm okay with the fact that one person's pink hair can be a completely normal thing after last month's purple shade, but for another person, only brown can satisfy them. one person can think it's okay to sleep in the day and use the night as a work day, others shun the thought of seeing the sun rise. some couples are double-income-no-kids families, and some couples are more flexible in their definition of income, living from show to show or job to job.
jed and i have recently achieved (by God's kind grace) a state of "normal" life, albeit somewhat temporary. (and when i say temporary i do speak in the term of years. i just had to say temporary for the people out there who plan in ten year segments.) it's kinda weird to be here because we've only thought about it for so long, but yes, we're here.
we both have jobs, and we live in the city we love. it's a wonderful normal for us. we're so thankful for jed's job. he's finishing two weeks tomorrow at devry college of new york as an educational advisor in the undergraduate admissions office, and monday he leaves for a week-long training session in chicago. (side note: if you want to come to the city and keep me company, you're more than welcome!!!) it's such a great job for his background, our intentions for the future, his desire to have a job that works with people, and even the field that he's intended to work in. how good God is to give him a job that is a "first choice" job and not a "settle for" job. we're amazed!
consequently, this called for celebration. (you may think we look for a good excuse to celebrate, and if you do - you're right.) we decided an afternoon in brighton beach would be the choice for this particular celebration, and wow did it end up being fun! we started out at the beach right as the sun and heat had calmed down a bit, followed it up with a delectable and fantastic russian meal at a restaurant we found on yelp called cafe glechik, enjoyed a nice time watching the moon over the ocean, and then ate skittles on the train ride home. when we celebrate, we include the commute because it's usually a good part of the trip. below are some pictures from our most recent celebrations (walk in the rain to a newly found mexican restaurant, pics of li'l russia)
Saturday, July 25, 2009
the mindset formerly known as "inflexible"
at least i hope to undergo a permanent change into the "flexible" world. i read last week that being inflexible is a sign of pride because it's a demonstration of our need to control circumstances and situations, assuming that our way is indeed the best way. the funny part is i've always said "oh, i'm flexible" or "sure, whatever you think" and "i really don't have a preference." but who are we kidding? when i said those things it was more or less in the understood parameters of a certain situation, not a wide open, literal, true-by-definition flexibility. if put in a crowd of i-don't-have-a-preference people, i can easily persuade them all to have my preference. sometimes that's good (when running for a public office or following some views of parenting), but it's been something i've been pondering as of late.
maybe it's because we were vagabonds for 93 days (or was it 97?), or maybe it's because our name tags have said "hi, my name is floater" since february of this year, or maybe it's even because i'm learning that i'm not inherently entitled to a 9-5 job ("sure, my hours are flexible. what time should i come in?"), but today is a big think-it-through day. actually, the last two weeks have been big thinker weeks. it's a good thing to re-evaluate, reminisce, plan, meditate, ponder, etc. it keeps life real; it makes you aware of why you're here; and it reminds you what you're supposed to do each day.
thinking it through has meant several things for me: the fresh wound of learning true humility over and over again, breaking every single inflexible bone in my body until i'm as flexible as gumbi, remembering that happiness and joy are dead if i look for it in my circumstances, and keeping in front of my mind the love that Jesus has for me and jed. in this way, life is amazing. one part of me hates those days where tears are fresh, i feel like a wimp, and my head is a whirling chat room. but the other part of me is addicted to those kinds of days because the reality that can come from those days, by God's grace, is a fresh and fabulous reality.
thankfully, for jed's sanity and for my sanity, they don't come regularly. but when they do, i wake up to a clearer understanding of this whole big picture and man that's awesome!
maybe it's because we were vagabonds for 93 days (or was it 97?), or maybe it's because our name tags have said "hi, my name is floater" since february of this year, or maybe it's even because i'm learning that i'm not inherently entitled to a 9-5 job ("sure, my hours are flexible. what time should i come in?"), but today is a big think-it-through day. actually, the last two weeks have been big thinker weeks. it's a good thing to re-evaluate, reminisce, plan, meditate, ponder, etc. it keeps life real; it makes you aware of why you're here; and it reminds you what you're supposed to do each day.
thinking it through has meant several things for me: the fresh wound of learning true humility over and over again, breaking every single inflexible bone in my body until i'm as flexible as gumbi, remembering that happiness and joy are dead if i look for it in my circumstances, and keeping in front of my mind the love that Jesus has for me and jed. in this way, life is amazing. one part of me hates those days where tears are fresh, i feel like a wimp, and my head is a whirling chat room. but the other part of me is addicted to those kinds of days because the reality that can come from those days, by God's grace, is a fresh and fabulous reality.
thankfully, for jed's sanity and for my sanity, they don't come regularly. but when they do, i wake up to a clearer understanding of this whole big picture and man that's awesome!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
summertime!
summertime in brooklyn is the best in the whole world! (except maybe the beach on a really warm day, but fortunately we haven't had but a handful of really warm days in the last 2 months) there's just not much wrong with this city as far as livin' life here goes. i know it's the same 'ol story, but we do just love it here. in the last month we've had three sets of visitors (jed's brother joe, jed's sister mel and her family, and my sister abi), made several trips to the donut shop, enjoyed fireworks on the manhattan skyline, jed has had surgery on his right knee, and we've only used our air conditioner for about 5 nights. quite a successful month!
our time hasn't been without struggle, however. amongst other trials, God has, in his wisdom, not yet given jed a job. we both wrestle with this problem in different ways, but it's a burden on both of our hearts. our minds vascillate between understanding that God is completely wise and sovereign and we have only to learn patience and endurance, to really growing impatient and discontent with the circumstance we're in. in his goodness, God is allowing us to still pay for our bills each month due to my blessing of a job, so we really have no immediate worry. life is best if tackled one day at a time, and we pray for grace to be able to do that!
here's a smattering of pics from the last month.
trip to the park
a house full of guests!
with my sister abi
jed folding laundry even in his post-surgery state
our favorite place in the city
our time hasn't been without struggle, however. amongst other trials, God has, in his wisdom, not yet given jed a job. we both wrestle with this problem in different ways, but it's a burden on both of our hearts. our minds vascillate between understanding that God is completely wise and sovereign and we have only to learn patience and endurance, to really growing impatient and discontent with the circumstance we're in. in his goodness, God is allowing us to still pay for our bills each month due to my blessing of a job, so we really have no immediate worry. life is best if tackled one day at a time, and we pray for grace to be able to do that!
here's a smattering of pics from the last month.
trip to the park
a house full of guests!
with my sister abi
jed folding laundry even in his post-surgery state
our favorite place in the city
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
brooklynites
it's been three weeks now that we've lived in our new home and we could not be more happy to finally be brooklynites! we're so close to a subway stop, we have a great street & neighborhood, and God has given us an apartment even a step up from our greenville apartment - we're so thankful! i continue to enjoy my job at polytechnic institute of nyu as the admissions office receptionist. though my job is entry level, the interaction with incoming students is something i enjoy very much! we've seen God's provision in a big and direct way through this job with the benefits, hours, and pay - God is good! it took two weeks of trying to get our home put together until we felt like our lives wouldn't always consist of unpacking. new york apartments are an adventure in and of themselves, with the uneven floors, aging buildings, and unprofessional contract work. i thought jed was going to have an aneurysm trying to get our bed level; but alas, after more than 10 cardboard squares and much measuring, we now have a level bed. no more high blood pressure because our feet are higher than our heads. we are storing all of our broken down boxes for jed's parents to use, so other than cramming them here and there, the apartment is 98% guest ready.
on so many levels we see God working and doing things so differently than what we would've originally thought. we were hoping jed would get a job first and then i would fill in with a part-time job, but now we see that it's actually been somewhat of a blessing that jed is still unemployed. he has established a new network of doctors here in new york, and because of poly's insanely good insurance benefits, he has been able to tap into an extremely skilled and prestigious network of doctors. after getting under the care of a chiropractor and also fulfilling the prescribed physical therapy rehab from his surgery back in january (better late than never!), he is seeing much more consistency with his back. one area where he has had significant pain for several months has been with his knee. back in august 2008, he had acl reconstruction and meniscus repair work done, but the pain on the site of the meniscus tear has continued to give him trouble, even worse after surgery than before. after meeting with an orthopedic surgeon (the chief orthopedic surgeon at Tisch Hospital - NYU Medical Center) and getting a fresh mri done, we found out that he has a radial tear in his meniscus. unfortunately this type of meniscus tear does not do well without arthroscopic surgery, so jed is scheduled to go in on june 30th. the great thing in all of this is that this surgery is MUCH less invasive (walk with a cane for the first 24-48 hours as needed and then at least 6 weeks of physical therapy) and free! our insurance is completely covering every penny of this surgery!
we've wondered many times why God would allow jed to go through many phases of interviews and remain the runner-up in several different opportunities that he would've been perfect for, but now we're seeing more and more that it's actually convenient that jed doesn't have a job right now. he is still fervently looking in between doctor's appointments, but the opportunities are still less than what we would've expected. somehow, we just have to say okay and wait to see what happens in God's plan. though our situation right now is so backwards and upside down from what our little plan had laid out for us, we find so much peace and comfort knowing that we can trust a God who is planning this perfectly. we want to continue taking it one day at a time and learn to enjoy this phase in our lives. we love being in brooklyn! though we're "in transition" still and enjoying every adventure the city offers, God continues to burden our hearts even more for the people here in new york. we just want to be a part of building his kingdom here.
as several people have requested, here are some pictures of our home. please disregard the aforementioned piles of empty boxes and corners full of junk that will not be sticking around. the invitation remains open for anyone to come visit!
office
Saturday, May 9, 2009
next stop, 267 clifton place
today is day number 85 of our adventure. the last two weeks have been good times of adjustment and learning. it's still awesome to us how God is showing us in big and little ways that he's taking care of us. on day 78, we vagabonded once again to our fourth temporary place of abode. it's in a mission house with some friends of ours in the east village. it's fun living on the 5th floor in manhattan! there's much more noise outside our windows because of the constant traffic and excitement in the city that never sleeps, and the quaintness of the east village with all of its mini-gardens and bicycles has been entertaining and enjoyable. the only negative is living on the fifth floor. i don't care if you're richard simmons or not, walking up that many stairs with a 17.5 pound watermelon is not easy. add to that a gallon of milk and you're done.
friday ended the first two weeks of work for me at polytechnic institute of nyu. the entire package of working there continues to floor me. the benefits are crazy good, i'm already somewhat familiar with the very basics of this type of job, i get to work in downtown brooklyn, and it's in an exciting educational field! i still haven't mastered how i plan on spending my commute, though. i'm still new enough that i continue to be endlessly entertained by all that goes on in the city during rush hour. and by the way, don't ever tell me new yorkers aren't friendly. i've seen many people pry a closing subway door off of a stranger so their arm/leg/head wouldn't get caught.
jed has been workin hard at getting our addresses updated everywhere, switching to a new bank up here, transferring our medical records and getting new doctors up here, and also still looking for a job. this past thursday, he was able to get in with our new primary care. we weren't sure if the doctor would refer jed to all of the different doctors that he sees for his back, etc., but he did and jed already has 3 appointments set up for next week with some of the best doctors in the nation! with our insurance, we were able to tap into the nyu doctor system, and so far we're impressed. this was a burden on our hearts, and God has smoothed the wrinkles in what could be a very bumpy situation.
next milestone is day 93. if everything can go as planned, we’ll actually move into our new home on may 17th. with the way the timing worked out with jed's parents to get the truck, pack it, and drive it up, we're moving in sunday morning and we can't wait! not only will it be a symbol of stability in our lives, but we'll finally be able to host our friends and family that come up to see us (*hint*hint* you know who you are). we're looking forward to seeing everyone then.
ninety-three days of instability has taught us a lot - the biggest lesson being how gracious God is. in our times of recklessness, he has been our comfort; in seeing our weak and unable hearts, we have seen him strong and secure; in facing the unending unknown, we have come to know him as trustworthy and loving. our continual prayer is that somehow we will be able to be effective tellers of Christ to other people who are around us and watching or experiencing this with us.
with the people who have been praying for us and keeping up with us via phone and email, the guys who are volunteering to pack our truck for us (once back in april to move it into storage and then another time on may 14th to pack our truck), the people here in new york who have been letting us sleep in their apartments and eat their food and play their rook, and also jed’s sister and her family in pennsylvania who have taken us in for weeks at a time, we have been the recipients of so much. it’s incredibly awesome to see how God uses people to be a blessing to other people! we only hope that someday we can pass on that help to other people who will need it.
friday ended the first two weeks of work for me at polytechnic institute of nyu. the entire package of working there continues to floor me. the benefits are crazy good, i'm already somewhat familiar with the very basics of this type of job, i get to work in downtown brooklyn, and it's in an exciting educational field! i still haven't mastered how i plan on spending my commute, though. i'm still new enough that i continue to be endlessly entertained by all that goes on in the city during rush hour. and by the way, don't ever tell me new yorkers aren't friendly. i've seen many people pry a closing subway door off of a stranger so their arm/leg/head wouldn't get caught.
jed has been workin hard at getting our addresses updated everywhere, switching to a new bank up here, transferring our medical records and getting new doctors up here, and also still looking for a job. this past thursday, he was able to get in with our new primary care. we weren't sure if the doctor would refer jed to all of the different doctors that he sees for his back, etc., but he did and jed already has 3 appointments set up for next week with some of the best doctors in the nation! with our insurance, we were able to tap into the nyu doctor system, and so far we're impressed. this was a burden on our hearts, and God has smoothed the wrinkles in what could be a very bumpy situation.
next milestone is day 93. if everything can go as planned, we’ll actually move into our new home on may 17th. with the way the timing worked out with jed's parents to get the truck, pack it, and drive it up, we're moving in sunday morning and we can't wait! not only will it be a symbol of stability in our lives, but we'll finally be able to host our friends and family that come up to see us (*hint*hint* you know who you are). we're looking forward to seeing everyone then.
ninety-three days of instability has taught us a lot - the biggest lesson being how gracious God is. in our times of recklessness, he has been our comfort; in seeing our weak and unable hearts, we have seen him strong and secure; in facing the unending unknown, we have come to know him as trustworthy and loving. our continual prayer is that somehow we will be able to be effective tellers of Christ to other people who are around us and watching or experiencing this with us.
with the people who have been praying for us and keeping up with us via phone and email, the guys who are volunteering to pack our truck for us (once back in april to move it into storage and then another time on may 14th to pack our truck), the people here in new york who have been letting us sleep in their apartments and eat their food and play their rook, and also jed’s sister and her family in pennsylvania who have taken us in for weeks at a time, we have been the recipients of so much. it’s incredibly awesome to see how God uses people to be a blessing to other people! we only hope that someday we can pass on that help to other people who will need it.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
almost there
it's confirmed. i'm officially one of those bloggers that binge blogs every once in a blue moon. for awhile, there wasn't anything new so i was secretly waiting 'til something bigger happened. little did i know that everything was going to happen all at once!
on wednesday, april 15th, i had an interview with an insurance company in midtown that i was less than excited about. i was still holding out for all the red tape at polytechnic to get taken care of, so i hadn't taken my recruiters off the hunt yet. one of them got me this interview so i figured i should go with it. i interviewed on wednesday at 3pm and had an offer the next day by 3pm. it was ridiculously fast and high-pressured, which was strange and uncomfortable. i told them i needed by five at least to think about it, and my recruiter said that should be fine. i called up my would-be boss at polytechnic and showed her my cards and explained the situation to her. i asked her where they were at in the process with the hiring and she said that they were very close, but there was just one more step. the provost's signature. still without a solid offer or an answer, i called back my recruiter to let her know that i would need until tuesday to think about the job offer and look into the company some more and talk it over with my husband. that whole weekend jed and i prayed that we would get a call before tuesday from poly with a job offer so i could confidently turn this other junk job down.
on monday, april 20th, my boss at poly called to let me know that my job offer was in the mail! she wanted me to start on monday, april 27th! after much celebration and many phone calls, jed and i made plans to head back to the city on wednesday to do the apartment hunt. (note: we had spent the weekend babysitting four of our nieces and nephews in pa, entertaining them with such frivolities as bonfires and ice cream and hide and go seek in a pitch black house. only one kid cried!) jed had lined up for us to see five apartments on wednesday, so we took the early bus in on wednesday morning and hit the streets with the goal in mind of making a move on the may 1st weekend.
after the first three apartments, we weren't sure if we were going to need to settle for less than best, because after all it is new york. place number 1 had two bathrooms and two bedrooms, but the bedrooms wouldn't have been able to house an ant farm. place number 2 was nicer, but the floor in the corner of the living room went up like a pinball machine. we would've had to level our couches with phone books. place number three was similar to number 2, but no pinball affect. the hardwood floors just rippled near the kitchen sink.
then there was place number 4. awhile back, jed and i had walked through clinton hill and scouted out the area for the supermarket and hang out places, and tried to get a feel for the best area to live in the clinton hill neighborhood. one street we pined over because of the beautiful stoops and cosby-like brownstones was clifton place. if we could live on clifton place, we'd be somewhat central to where we needed to be and we would be in a safe neighborhood with a nice tree-lined street. well, place number 4 was on clifton place. it's a 16-unit building from what we can tell with four floors and pretty (but extremely worn) marble stairs. jed called the guy on tuesday about seeing a place he saw on craigslist, but that apartment had already been rented. "but," said the dude, "i do have another one in the building that i can let you see. plus, i'll offer you one month of free rent if you want to see it." so of course, we added that to our list. the reason this one hadn't gone yet was because the reno wasn't even close to being finished. we walked in and the contractor was there with a worker and we literally stepped over ladders and paint cans to view the place. but goodness, it was gorgeous! and exactly what we had been praying for.
it has a wonderful garden tub that would be perfect for jed to soak his back in, a nice master bedroom, plus a great living area that could house lots of people, host a good-sized bible study, or bunk family and friends. there's also a smaller second bedroom that for now, will be more of an office for jed, but could also be a future bedroom. the bonus is that the kitchen has about 5 times the counter space and storage i ever had in greenville. (if you visited our little greenville place, you'll realize that's not much, but still!!) we are very thankful and excited. as we walked through the apartment, the contractor told us we could let him know if there were any small changes we wanted and he would see if he could accommodate. out of that, we're getting a few light switches moved, a cabinet sink instead of a pedestal sink in the bathroom, and a ceiling fan in the living room!
we put money down on it wednesday afternoon because anyone who's anyone in new york has always told us to snatch it up if we like it. thanks to the bad economy, we got a month of free rent, no broker's fee, reno accommodations, AND we will be paying about $300 less per month than the people across the hall for a way nicer place. we got the deal of a lifetime - God is so good!
after measuring and revisiting our new home, we've made a list of things that will have to stay in south carolina. one of them is our circular dining room table that we loved so much. we did find a good home for it, but we needed a cheap replacement so today seemed like a good ikea day. we took the bus down and it was a beautiful ride! the more we're here, the more we love brooklyn. it's a wonderful home. before we left for ikea, we looked online and saw a couple of tables that we wanted to check out at the store. one of them was way way way out of our price range ($349 to be exact) but it was seemingly perfect for the space we're trying to fill but also versatile for seating about 8-10 people. when we got to the store, we went through the showroom and saw the table we loved but weren't planning on buying. until we saw the price tag. as we walked up to the table, we saw a red slash through the $349 with a $99 sign right above that. immediately, we asked an ikea worker if that was right, and she confirmed it was. holy cow. apparently, ikea chooses three items every week to go on a major sale. this week, it was our table and today was the last day. wow! we had to catch a cab home with it since there was no way i was going to be able to lift a 92 lb. box up and down subway stairs plus carry it on the walk home from the stop.
so my first day at work is on monday, and we're both so incredibly thankful for a great job opportunity for me! oh, one other miracle. we had 63 days before we had to pay for our cobra insurance so we would have continuous coverage, and monday happens to be day 60. usually, there is a waiting period before benefits kick in, but when i talked to the hr guy at poly, he informed me that benefits commence the first day of employment! how awesome is our God!! jed is still on the hunt with one particular lead that we're hoping will go through, but we're learning that with higher education, it takes forever. my opportunity was a fluke to happen this "fast." but now that insurance is kicking in sooner rather than later, jed will be spending time in the next few days finding good doctors here in new york.
the last couple months have felt like a series of "frowning providences" where we knew that God was there and taking care of us, but we often questioned exactly what was going on, what our place was in the whole thing, and what exactly we were supposed to be learning. i don't know if we have any more exact answers to those questions except that we know that we're doing today what we're supposed to be doing, but we sense an overwhelming presence of God's kind hand on our shoulders these last few days and we are amazed at how the details are falling into place. by God's grace and with the help of his Spirit, we are enduring, and that endurance is causing much joy to be known in seeing more and more provisions of his love.
on wednesday, april 15th, i had an interview with an insurance company in midtown that i was less than excited about. i was still holding out for all the red tape at polytechnic to get taken care of, so i hadn't taken my recruiters off the hunt yet. one of them got me this interview so i figured i should go with it. i interviewed on wednesday at 3pm and had an offer the next day by 3pm. it was ridiculously fast and high-pressured, which was strange and uncomfortable. i told them i needed by five at least to think about it, and my recruiter said that should be fine. i called up my would-be boss at polytechnic and showed her my cards and explained the situation to her. i asked her where they were at in the process with the hiring and she said that they were very close, but there was just one more step. the provost's signature. still without a solid offer or an answer, i called back my recruiter to let her know that i would need until tuesday to think about the job offer and look into the company some more and talk it over with my husband. that whole weekend jed and i prayed that we would get a call before tuesday from poly with a job offer so i could confidently turn this other junk job down.
on monday, april 20th, my boss at poly called to let me know that my job offer was in the mail! she wanted me to start on monday, april 27th! after much celebration and many phone calls, jed and i made plans to head back to the city on wednesday to do the apartment hunt. (note: we had spent the weekend babysitting four of our nieces and nephews in pa, entertaining them with such frivolities as bonfires and ice cream and hide and go seek in a pitch black house. only one kid cried!) jed had lined up for us to see five apartments on wednesday, so we took the early bus in on wednesday morning and hit the streets with the goal in mind of making a move on the may 1st weekend.
after the first three apartments, we weren't sure if we were going to need to settle for less than best, because after all it is new york. place number 1 had two bathrooms and two bedrooms, but the bedrooms wouldn't have been able to house an ant farm. place number 2 was nicer, but the floor in the corner of the living room went up like a pinball machine. we would've had to level our couches with phone books. place number three was similar to number 2, but no pinball affect. the hardwood floors just rippled near the kitchen sink.
then there was place number 4. awhile back, jed and i had walked through clinton hill and scouted out the area for the supermarket and hang out places, and tried to get a feel for the best area to live in the clinton hill neighborhood. one street we pined over because of the beautiful stoops and cosby-like brownstones was clifton place. if we could live on clifton place, we'd be somewhat central to where we needed to be and we would be in a safe neighborhood with a nice tree-lined street. well, place number 4 was on clifton place. it's a 16-unit building from what we can tell with four floors and pretty (but extremely worn) marble stairs. jed called the guy on tuesday about seeing a place he saw on craigslist, but that apartment had already been rented. "but," said the dude, "i do have another one in the building that i can let you see. plus, i'll offer you one month of free rent if you want to see it." so of course, we added that to our list. the reason this one hadn't gone yet was because the reno wasn't even close to being finished. we walked in and the contractor was there with a worker and we literally stepped over ladders and paint cans to view the place. but goodness, it was gorgeous! and exactly what we had been praying for.
it has a wonderful garden tub that would be perfect for jed to soak his back in, a nice master bedroom, plus a great living area that could house lots of people, host a good-sized bible study, or bunk family and friends. there's also a smaller second bedroom that for now, will be more of an office for jed, but could also be a future bedroom. the bonus is that the kitchen has about 5 times the counter space and storage i ever had in greenville. (if you visited our little greenville place, you'll realize that's not much, but still!!) we are very thankful and excited. as we walked through the apartment, the contractor told us we could let him know if there were any small changes we wanted and he would see if he could accommodate. out of that, we're getting a few light switches moved, a cabinet sink instead of a pedestal sink in the bathroom, and a ceiling fan in the living room!
we put money down on it wednesday afternoon because anyone who's anyone in new york has always told us to snatch it up if we like it. thanks to the bad economy, we got a month of free rent, no broker's fee, reno accommodations, AND we will be paying about $300 less per month than the people across the hall for a way nicer place. we got the deal of a lifetime - God is so good!
after measuring and revisiting our new home, we've made a list of things that will have to stay in south carolina. one of them is our circular dining room table that we loved so much. we did find a good home for it, but we needed a cheap replacement so today seemed like a good ikea day. we took the bus down and it was a beautiful ride! the more we're here, the more we love brooklyn. it's a wonderful home. before we left for ikea, we looked online and saw a couple of tables that we wanted to check out at the store. one of them was way way way out of our price range ($349 to be exact) but it was seemingly perfect for the space we're trying to fill but also versatile for seating about 8-10 people. when we got to the store, we went through the showroom and saw the table we loved but weren't planning on buying. until we saw the price tag. as we walked up to the table, we saw a red slash through the $349 with a $99 sign right above that. immediately, we asked an ikea worker if that was right, and she confirmed it was. holy cow. apparently, ikea chooses three items every week to go on a major sale. this week, it was our table and today was the last day. wow! we had to catch a cab home with it since there was no way i was going to be able to lift a 92 lb. box up and down subway stairs plus carry it on the walk home from the stop.
so my first day at work is on monday, and we're both so incredibly thankful for a great job opportunity for me! oh, one other miracle. we had 63 days before we had to pay for our cobra insurance so we would have continuous coverage, and monday happens to be day 60. usually, there is a waiting period before benefits kick in, but when i talked to the hr guy at poly, he informed me that benefits commence the first day of employment! how awesome is our God!! jed is still on the hunt with one particular lead that we're hoping will go through, but we're learning that with higher education, it takes forever. my opportunity was a fluke to happen this "fast." but now that insurance is kicking in sooner rather than later, jed will be spending time in the next few days finding good doctors here in new york.
the last couple months have felt like a series of "frowning providences" where we knew that God was there and taking care of us, but we often questioned exactly what was going on, what our place was in the whole thing, and what exactly we were supposed to be learning. i don't know if we have any more exact answers to those questions except that we know that we're doing today what we're supposed to be doing, but we sense an overwhelming presence of God's kind hand on our shoulders these last few days and we are amazed at how the details are falling into place. by God's grace and with the help of his Spirit, we are enduring, and that endurance is causing much joy to be known in seeing more and more provisions of his love.
i realize this is incredibly long, but i couldn't leave any detail out in what God is doing to further his kingdom here and in our hearts. below are some shots of the new apartment (still under construction). we truly hope you will be able to know God better and understand his love more by reading what he is doing here in brooklyn in small and big ways.
our street, clifton place
standing in our room looking out into the living room
standing in our kitchen looking into the office (2nd bedroom)
Monday, April 6, 2009
note to self
this might be a bit of an open post because i'm taking a slightly different approach. i am too lazy to keep a beautiful, leather-bound, recycled paper-filled, handwritten journal, so this whole blogging deal sometimes serves the purpose of what a journal would be. except for the "available to the whole world" thing.
since i last wrote, not much has changed. rephrase: not much with our circumstances has changed. we are both still unemployed and of the vagabond persuasion, but we're really hoping that this week will be the week. i interviewed at polytechnic for the second round of interviews on march 31st, and it went really well. i was told i would hear by the end of the week last week, but i still haven't heard anything so i'm going to give them 'til mid-morning tomorrow and then i'll give them a courtesy call. jed is still patiently waiting to hear back from berkeley college where he interviewed and was very well received by the staff he interviewed with. we're very aware of how slow the process tends to move in the educational environment, so in one sense we feel somewhat thankful that we both got through the interview process decidedly quickly comparatively speaking. one of the people that i interviewed with at poly told me that when she was hired on, it took her three interviews that were strung out from august 'til november before she was hired in december. fortunately, the positions i've interviewed for (both at poly) are empty positions that they'd like to fill "quickly."
we missed the april 1st deadline for an apartment, but occasionally there are still nice apartments available on the 15th of the month, too. should we hear back from either of the positions we're waiting on, we'll do the apartment hunt right away and see what's available for middle of the month. if we don't find one for the middle of the month, we'll wait 'til may 1st. what's another 15 days, i ask you?!
so, after that explanation, though we're progressing bit by bit, our circumstances have not exactly changed. but let me tell you, i really think we have changed. neither of us have gotten tattoos or pink hair in honor of new york culture, but the refinement of our reactions and the continual struggle of our hearts are things that i really pray will be with us forever. the things we've talked through and are learning are heavy things that we haven't faced in our young lives yet. but it's good! after enduring a day where tears felt way too fresh, i can't believe i'm saying that it's good, but i really think it is good. these trials have been instigators to conversations we might not ever have had, struggles we might not ever have felt, and lessons we might not ever have learned. because let's face it, who in their right mind would voluntarily go homeless and unemployed in this economy? if we would've known how crazy it would've been we might've waited a little longer. but we didn't, and it's been great! i probably sound sadistic, but i'm serious. and let it be put on the record, i will never ever again take for granted my silly earthly belongings. they are gifts from God, but they're sitting in storage in south carolina 'til further notice (see above paragraph).
i really thank God for this time. i won't lie to you and say i wake up every morning saying that, but in all the clarity God is giving me at this late hour of the night, i really mean it. we're very privileged to be able to learn and even suffer because it's through these sufferings that God gives us endurance, and through that endurance we build character, which in the end, after having seen the promises of God fulfilled, we possess a Spirit-given hope that cannot be shaken. i love that promise.
since i last wrote, not much has changed. rephrase: not much with our circumstances has changed. we are both still unemployed and of the vagabond persuasion, but we're really hoping that this week will be the week. i interviewed at polytechnic for the second round of interviews on march 31st, and it went really well. i was told i would hear by the end of the week last week, but i still haven't heard anything so i'm going to give them 'til mid-morning tomorrow and then i'll give them a courtesy call. jed is still patiently waiting to hear back from berkeley college where he interviewed and was very well received by the staff he interviewed with. we're very aware of how slow the process tends to move in the educational environment, so in one sense we feel somewhat thankful that we both got through the interview process decidedly quickly comparatively speaking. one of the people that i interviewed with at poly told me that when she was hired on, it took her three interviews that were strung out from august 'til november before she was hired in december. fortunately, the positions i've interviewed for (both at poly) are empty positions that they'd like to fill "quickly."
we missed the april 1st deadline for an apartment, but occasionally there are still nice apartments available on the 15th of the month, too. should we hear back from either of the positions we're waiting on, we'll do the apartment hunt right away and see what's available for middle of the month. if we don't find one for the middle of the month, we'll wait 'til may 1st. what's another 15 days, i ask you?!
so, after that explanation, though we're progressing bit by bit, our circumstances have not exactly changed. but let me tell you, i really think we have changed. neither of us have gotten tattoos or pink hair in honor of new york culture, but the refinement of our reactions and the continual struggle of our hearts are things that i really pray will be with us forever. the things we've talked through and are learning are heavy things that we haven't faced in our young lives yet. but it's good! after enduring a day where tears felt way too fresh, i can't believe i'm saying that it's good, but i really think it is good. these trials have been instigators to conversations we might not ever have had, struggles we might not ever have felt, and lessons we might not ever have learned. because let's face it, who in their right mind would voluntarily go homeless and unemployed in this economy? if we would've known how crazy it would've been we might've waited a little longer. but we didn't, and it's been great! i probably sound sadistic, but i'm serious. and let it be put on the record, i will never ever again take for granted my silly earthly belongings. they are gifts from God, but they're sitting in storage in south carolina 'til further notice (see above paragraph).
i really thank God for this time. i won't lie to you and say i wake up every morning saying that, but in all the clarity God is giving me at this late hour of the night, i really mean it. we're very privileged to be able to learn and even suffer because it's through these sufferings that God gives us endurance, and through that endurance we build character, which in the end, after having seen the promises of God fulfilled, we possess a Spirit-given hope that cannot be shaken. i love that promise.
Friday, March 27, 2009
an open mind and a calm heart
i don't know why i titled this blog posting what i did because my mind has been purportedly closed and my heart has had its most riotous moments in the last six days. however, my true desire is to have an open mind to what God may have for us tomorrow, and calm heart that trusts him in whatever he is doing.
with our interviews last thursday, jed and i both entered the weekend with extreme hope and excitement that our transition time might soon be ending. i'm sure that it will end at some point in time; however, the last few days have not gone how we were expecting them to go. the waiting game is not for the faint of heart as i have mentioned before, and i felt more than anything my affinity for faintness this last week. as jed and i talk and pray through this, the silly solutions that my immaturity comes up with continues to amaze me. here is my list of what would solve my restlessness (excluding the obvious job and home thing):
- a pedicure
- shopping spree for our new apartment
- shopping spree for new wardrobe for new (impending) job
- a massage
- an interior decorating project
- endless pastries or cheesecake
- catered meals everyday
- a pug
and the list goes on. fortunately, my sane alter-ego kicks in way before i ever get close to any of these, and should she ever fail me the issue of not generating any income would for sure stand in the way of the ones that should cost any amount of money. i'm sure jed's list is way simpler than mine. i would guess it would look more like this: endless pastries, a job, and a new apartment in God's timing. he's focused like that. although, were it football season i would be inclined to add "a super bowl stint for the eagles," but that's another story...
i got a call back yesterday (thursday) to come back in for a second interview at polytechnic institute of nyu on tuesday of this week, and i am so thankful for continued movement with that possibility! jed has not received the offer that seemed all but promised to him at his last interview, but he did get an email from the hiring personnel that said they are still interviewing candidates and that they would get with him in due time. apparently none of these people realize that we're hangin' on a thread, hoping to get an apartment by april 1st! we had kinda set a deadline for ourselves that if jed didn't hear about an offer today, then it would more than likely be either the middle of the month or even may 1st before we could look again.
there are several questions in our minds right now with our current situation. we need wisdom and help from God in knowing what he would have us to do.
- should we store our belongings in sc or continue to pay monthly rent?
- when should we start looking for an apartment?
- how can we be the most useful as we continue to remain in transition?
- how can we glorify God the most?
we want to remain solid in our faith and confident in our God, so our most ardent prayer right now is to know God and love him and others while taking one day at a time. in the meantime, we still love the city and are thankful everyday for our friends and family who are putting up with us. God has given much richness in his word and through prayer, we just need moldable hearts to be open to that wealth.
above is a shot from jed's birthday last month. we ended up going into manhattan for an evening of shopping, turkish food (yum!!), cupcakes, and a slurpee. fun times in the city.
thanks everyone for your love and support with us while we're going through this adventure! it's a fun ride made even more exciting with each of your comments and prayers.
with our interviews last thursday, jed and i both entered the weekend with extreme hope and excitement that our transition time might soon be ending. i'm sure that it will end at some point in time; however, the last few days have not gone how we were expecting them to go. the waiting game is not for the faint of heart as i have mentioned before, and i felt more than anything my affinity for faintness this last week. as jed and i talk and pray through this, the silly solutions that my immaturity comes up with continues to amaze me. here is my list of what would solve my restlessness (excluding the obvious job and home thing):
- a pedicure
- shopping spree for our new apartment
- shopping spree for new wardrobe for new (impending) job
- a massage
- an interior decorating project
- endless pastries or cheesecake
- catered meals everyday
- a pug
and the list goes on. fortunately, my sane alter-ego kicks in way before i ever get close to any of these, and should she ever fail me the issue of not generating any income would for sure stand in the way of the ones that should cost any amount of money. i'm sure jed's list is way simpler than mine. i would guess it would look more like this: endless pastries, a job, and a new apartment in God's timing. he's focused like that. although, were it football season i would be inclined to add "a super bowl stint for the eagles," but that's another story...
i got a call back yesterday (thursday) to come back in for a second interview at polytechnic institute of nyu on tuesday of this week, and i am so thankful for continued movement with that possibility! jed has not received the offer that seemed all but promised to him at his last interview, but he did get an email from the hiring personnel that said they are still interviewing candidates and that they would get with him in due time. apparently none of these people realize that we're hangin' on a thread, hoping to get an apartment by april 1st! we had kinda set a deadline for ourselves that if jed didn't hear about an offer today, then it would more than likely be either the middle of the month or even may 1st before we could look again.
there are several questions in our minds right now with our current situation. we need wisdom and help from God in knowing what he would have us to do.
- should we store our belongings in sc or continue to pay monthly rent?
- when should we start looking for an apartment?
- how can we be the most useful as we continue to remain in transition?
- how can we glorify God the most?
we want to remain solid in our faith and confident in our God, so our most ardent prayer right now is to know God and love him and others while taking one day at a time. in the meantime, we still love the city and are thankful everyday for our friends and family who are putting up with us. God has given much richness in his word and through prayer, we just need moldable hearts to be open to that wealth.
above is a shot from jed's birthday last month. we ended up going into manhattan for an evening of shopping, turkish food (yum!!), cupcakes, and a slurpee. fun times in the city.
thanks everyone for your love and support with us while we're going through this adventure! it's a fun ride made even more exciting with each of your comments and prayers.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
date night
after a few weeks of going through the job hunt, jed and i took time tonight to have a date night and explore a bit. we'd been in the neighborhood right above williamsburg a couple times before and had liked the predominately polish area, so we decided to visit tonight for some real polish food and culture. we were definitely not disappointed!
jed's heritage is a mixture of russian and polish decent, so we were both quite intrigued with the people and places lining the streets. the restaurant we'd been recommended to was called "polonia," which after eating there we decided means "little heaven" in polish. :)
we ordered from a lady that spoke polish to everyone else in the joint (except us) since most of her constituency was polish. she was really nice.
we ordered a stuffed chicken that she claimed was one of her top sellers and we soon found out why. it was covered in a thick sauce (not sure what i would compare the taste to) and stuffed with perfectly tender yet crisp mushrooms. the entree came with two sides so we chose the red cabbage salad and sauerkraut.
the red cabbage salad was unreal. wow.
jed's heritage is a mixture of russian and polish decent, so we were both quite intrigued with the people and places lining the streets. the restaurant we'd been recommended to was called "polonia," which after eating there we decided means "little heaven" in polish. :)
we ordered from a lady that spoke polish to everyone else in the joint (except us) since most of her constituency was polish. she was really nice.
we ordered a stuffed chicken that she claimed was one of her top sellers and we soon found out why. it was covered in a thick sauce (not sure what i would compare the taste to) and stuffed with perfectly tender yet crisp mushrooms. the entree came with two sides so we chose the red cabbage salad and sauerkraut.
the red cabbage salad was unreal. wow.
one polish/russian dish that we have always loved is borscht. they didn't have the traditional red beet borscht tonight, but she did have a white ukranian borscht that we tried.
it was really tasty and had small pieces of kielbasa and some shredded veggies, as well as a somewhat surprising addition of half of a boiled egg!
the other traditional polish food that we love is pierogi, and we got a nice plate of meat pierogies, sauerkraut pierogies, and cheese and potatoes pierogies. ahhhh.... so good!
let me tell you, this was one happy guy.
hopefully, this enticing food blog will coax some of you to come see us once we get our apartment. maybe another time i'll blog about the pastry shop we visited afterwards. i just didn't want to overload your visual taste buds.
jed and i both had very good interviews this week that we are hoping will be eventual jobs for us. mine was with polytechnic institute of nyu and jed's was with berkeley college. we realize that it all continues to be in God's hands, but we are very hopeful to hear back from them early this week. thank you for continuing to pray!
Monday, March 16, 2009
no news is...no news
it's been awhile since i've updated on our brooklyn situation, so i think today is a good day for that. when i say our "brooklyn situation," i'm referring to the part of our lives where we're looking for jobs and eventually an apartment. jed and i both continue to have movement with our resumes as recruiters have been calling us and interviewing us, which is quite encouraging still. i had my first actual job interview on wednesday and i'm waiting to hear back from them on whether or not they will hire me. jed has a possible job opportunity from a connection with a friend here in new york, but it's still a newer opportunity that he hasn't had a chance to interview for yet. the opportunity that he had with sanford-brown institute (the one where he went through all four stages of the interview) is no longer a possibility. he was very close to being hired, and then they closed down the position he was interviewing for due to budget reasons, so we're believing that this is protection from God for something that may not have been best.
while both of these opportunities would be significant blessings to us immediately, we continually rest in our God who promises his best for his children right when the timing is best. we are still living with our friends, the craftons, which continues to be a huge means of grace to us. plus, we get the entertainment of a two-year-old at our fingertips! and let me tell you, the entertainment is nothing short of hilarious. another plus of being in the northeast is having two of jed's siblings nearby in eastern pennsylvania. we stayed with his sister for a little over a week before coming back to brooklyn last tuesday. we're very thankful to have such support from both friends and family!
we are so thankful to be in the city we love, and we continue to ask God for help and strength and wisdom for one day at a time. we'll try to get jobs as soon as possible so that we can then get an apartment so that then we can be set up for a continuous flow of guests. until then, thanks for praying.
while both of these opportunities would be significant blessings to us immediately, we continually rest in our God who promises his best for his children right when the timing is best. we are still living with our friends, the craftons, which continues to be a huge means of grace to us. plus, we get the entertainment of a two-year-old at our fingertips! and let me tell you, the entertainment is nothing short of hilarious. another plus of being in the northeast is having two of jed's siblings nearby in eastern pennsylvania. we stayed with his sister for a little over a week before coming back to brooklyn last tuesday. we're very thankful to have such support from both friends and family!
we are so thankful to be in the city we love, and we continue to ask God for help and strength and wisdom for one day at a time. we'll try to get jobs as soon as possible so that we can then get an apartment so that then we can be set up for a continuous flow of guests. until then, thanks for praying.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
greater things
our dear friend and fellow brooklyn addict, stephen o'bryan, has recently started a new blog to expose needs around the world, mention worthwhile information concerning current topics, and stir awareness about what God is so awesomely doing around the world through believers and unbelievers alike. check out his blog here and feel free to encourage him in this endeavor for Christ.
a lot of times we go through each day not really aware of what's around us, or worse yet taking for granted the common grace that we all receive through Christ, so we appreciate what stephen is doing and hopefully some of the zeal will rub off on us.
a lot of times we go through each day not really aware of what's around us, or worse yet taking for granted the common grace that we all receive through Christ, so we appreciate what stephen is doing and hopefully some of the zeal will rub off on us.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
it's all good
today is day number thirteen in brooklyn, and it's day number thirteen of loving the city. each day we have grown more aware of why God would bring us here, and we continue to be thankful for the change even though it's been...well, change.
i've always silently preached at the stereotypical older person who can't bear even the most minute sign of change in life, and now i am humbled to realize that i fit somewhat into that category at the ripe age of twenty-seven. after living in one place for five and a half years, we grew so very comfortable and attached to the habits we lived and the comforts of familiar people around us. at the same time, we kept telling ourselves that our suburban life was over soon and we couldn't wait to get to the city.
and now it's day thirteen, and we're finding out what change means. 'round about day three or four, change was feeling quite odd. but day thirteen has brought about the true ease of change in all its splendor and glory. nothing has been unbearable about our move; our wonderful friends and city comforts have made the transition flawless, and we thank God for them. it only takes a small amount of time for new to become old, and because of the prayers and love of people i think that time frame was made smaller.
we are still without job and home, but we're trusting that he will give them to us in the right time. it's been deliciously cold for the past 13 days, and coupled with the decaf americanos and zucchini raspberry chocolate chip muffins, the move has been made easy. we're so thankful that God has helped us over the last thirteen days and that he's given us peace, comfort, help, and strength. we've needed it all!
saturday is jed's birthday, so we'll be heading out to see family in eastern pennsylvania for the next week to job hunt from outside the city and turn the celebrating into a week-long event. even though we've been here for just under two weeks, we've already mentioned this morning how it's going to be weird not being in the city we love.
thank you everyone for your prayers and love. keep praying! jobs are right around the corner...
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
craziness is good for the soul
i was hoping to get the next post done right away with pictures and all kinds of entertainment, but our laptop hasn't arrived yet so maybe next time. life since last wednesday has been so incredibly different than what our comfort zone has defined for us for the past 5.5 years! that's a good thing, considering that we really believe this is where we are supposed to be; but for habitual human beings that continually seek the most comfort, it's an odd time for us. we're learning that comfort isn't exactly the nirvana of life. although, we have so many family members and good friends who are attempting to make life as settled as it can be right now through their prayers and tangible gifts and love for us. what an awesome manifestation of God's grace to us so specifically!
my last day at emediagroup was on wednesday, the 11th. thursday and friday were filled with packing up our home and readying all our belongings for the truck. financially and situationally, we decided it was best to keep all our things in our sc apartment until we can find work and an apartment up here. jed's dad has kindly offered to drive the truck up with our stuff, and many friends have offered to help pack the truck for us in our absence. what a blessing!
we arrived in brooklyn on valentine's day with way more luggage than many airlines allow (it took 8 bins for us to get through security) but without any extra fees. i'm sure we raised a small amount of suspicion, if not just providing a bit of jolly in some people's unhappy airport lives. we just tried to laugh as much as possible and soak in as much of the moment as we could. i'm not always one to live in the moment, and i wish i would more. i know that one day we'll look back on this time of unemployment and homelessness as a really neat time of change and grace in our lives. going through it though, it's best to take one moment at a time.
we are staying with our dear urbanite friends dailey and michelle crafton until we can find jobs and an apartment. hopefully, that will only be a couple of weeks, but if not, others have offered to house us until we need it so we might be quite experienced vagabonds before long. jed has the final phase of an interview with sanford-brown institute today at 3pm. we're praying that this will be a great fit for him and that the interview process will soon be over, but we're resting in the fact that God's timing and wisdom is perfect for our situation.
in reading over this, i realize that we may sound like the most insane people to step out on this tight rope without any tangible net under us, but let me reassure you. in the midst of craziness, we continually are looking back at all the events of the last 5.5 years of our marriage and we see each event as a direct arrow to this specific step. God has paved the way, he has given us strength for the moment, he has prepared not only us but those around us, and he has filled in where our hearts lack faith and strength and hope. the peace that he gives in each moment of doubt is strong, and the comfort he brings during this humanly crazy time is warm. we're praising him and our confidence is in his hand that will not let us go.
on a lighter side, here are just a few observations in closing.
*you're not cool unless you only shower about once every five days
*car horns, car alarms, or sirens at all hours of the day or night should not actually be alarming
*public transportation rocks!
*whatever you can find to wear is fine to wear
*long johns are a must
*city life is so rad!
thanks for all your support, prayers, and love!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
post-surgery, pre-move
much is floating through our minds these days. sadness in leaving all our greenville family and our first apartment. exhilaration for the new adventure ahead! uncertainty about what is next. security in God's protective and loving hand.
jed's surgery went well as far as the doctors accomplishing what they set out to accomplish in surgery. he ended up getting about four different procedures done on his back by the second best surgeon (out of several surgeons and doctors) at laser spine institute. we were amazed over and again at God's provision throughout the week with financial help, extremely useful education about jed's condition, comfortable accommodations, and even beautiful weather. we didn't realize this before we got there, but apparently there are only four facilities in the world that perform what was done on jed's back! we felt quite privileged to have had the opportunity to even go for this operation. God is so good! below is a post-op picture of a much-relieved wife and a significantly high husband. please continue to pray for jed's back. they won't know the total effectiveness of the surgery for about another 4-8 weeks while the nerves and discs take time to heal. it's crucial for him to rest and take it easy, but hello we're moving our lives in approximately 11 days! we just want to rest in God's great timing and continual love for us as his children. it's so remarkable!
we were able to relax a little bit in between trips to lsi and a regimen of ice, rest, sleep, walks, etc. it was a beautiful time of year to be there with clear blue skies and awesome sunsets. we made it to the sand once while we were there, and it was beautiful!
saturday afternoon was a bit monumental for us as well. after having grown out his "unemployment beard and hair" since right before thanksgiving, jed received his interview haircut and beard trim. he now looks more employable. one comment he recieved last week from his niece ellie was "uncle jed, you're very hairy" while she proceeded to brush his beard with a barbie brush. hopefully the next thing he hears is "you're hired!" thanks for praying with us.
thank you again to all of you who so lovingly pray and care for us. it's hard to swallow the amazement at how good he is to us through each of you.
jed's surgery went well as far as the doctors accomplishing what they set out to accomplish in surgery. he ended up getting about four different procedures done on his back by the second best surgeon (out of several surgeons and doctors) at laser spine institute. we were amazed over and again at God's provision throughout the week with financial help, extremely useful education about jed's condition, comfortable accommodations, and even beautiful weather. we didn't realize this before we got there, but apparently there are only four facilities in the world that perform what was done on jed's back! we felt quite privileged to have had the opportunity to even go for this operation. God is so good! below is a post-op picture of a much-relieved wife and a significantly high husband. please continue to pray for jed's back. they won't know the total effectiveness of the surgery for about another 4-8 weeks while the nerves and discs take time to heal. it's crucial for him to rest and take it easy, but hello we're moving our lives in approximately 11 days! we just want to rest in God's great timing and continual love for us as his children. it's so remarkable!
we were able to relax a little bit in between trips to lsi and a regimen of ice, rest, sleep, walks, etc. it was a beautiful time of year to be there with clear blue skies and awesome sunsets. we made it to the sand once while we were there, and it was beautiful!
saturday afternoon was a bit monumental for us as well. after having grown out his "unemployment beard and hair" since right before thanksgiving, jed received his interview haircut and beard trim. he now looks more employable. one comment he recieved last week from his niece ellie was "uncle jed, you're very hairy" while she proceeded to brush his beard with a barbie brush. hopefully the next thing he hears is "you're hired!" thanks for praying with us.
thank you again to all of you who so lovingly pray and care for us. it's hard to swallow the amazement at how good he is to us through each of you.
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