Update

First of all, thank you all for your e-mails and encouragement. I didn't realize there were so many of you keeping up with us! Secondly, Michael's interview at the seminary went well, we think. It was supposed to be only 1 hour and it ended up that the kids and I waited for 2 hours! (Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we sold our civic so we are down to one car. I do love the van though! There are lots of families here driving around in 100+ degree weather in unairconditioned 15 year old mini-vans! ) He really hit it off with the interviewer, who would be his boss. It pays more than we had budgeted for basic survival needs while living on campus. It even would allow for us to stay in our house for a month longer than we planned so that we don't have to rush-pack everything and find good renters. Also, we will be able to pay for Megan's pre-school. We enrolled her before we got into this situation and the school won't let us out of our contract. So she will be attending one of the best pre-schools around!!! We have no choice in the matter:)

Since we made the decision to rent the house out I feel like a burden has been lifted. Michael shares the feeling. We have felt like we are sort of left out of the community at the seminary, set apart because we live off campus and also because we weren't "suffering for Jesus". Well, now we can join the club :) It is sad though. I have planted gardens, my tomatoes are just starting to really come into their own. I have all the herbs I've planted and the crepe myrtle tree's transplanted from Charlotte are starting to bloom. These are the things I am sad about. Michael is so proud of the great grass he has worked hard on since we moved in. I love the space we have here. My wood floors, my beautiful bathroom, michael's office/cave are all things we will miss. We talked about it today and agreed that tomatoes, green grass, and bathroom fixtures are nothing in comparison to what God has for us. We are willing to do what we need to in order to follow God's plan for us. I really don't think I was willing to take that step 6 months ago. It was too much to think of moving into the campus housing and leaving Zeke somewhere as well. A lot has changed in my willingness to do whatever it takes. I don't think that means I have to be jumping for joy about it. Hopefully my willingness is enough.

On another note, God has provided some very good friends here. We have known each other for such a short amount of time, maybe 2 months, but we have already become so close. She and I share backgrounds, passion for organic foods, and naturalist "granola" tendensies, and our children are the same ages and get along like a dream. Her little boy is Megan's age and her little girl is Jake's age. Her husband cycles just like Michael and is also in seminary. They don't live on campus and have faced almost identical challenges as we have. God has blessed us with them!

Michael has another interview on Monday at 1pm. This time it's in the financial world. It might pay more but we are really hoping for the job on campus. If we get the seminary one then we can have lunch with Michael, he can take classes during the day (a limited amount of credit hours), he can ride his bike to work (no extra car needed!), and we will have all the benifits covered. Plus he can attend night classes because he can finish work and go straight to class across campus.

Thanks for all your love and support. Please pass the prayer request on to everyone! Thanks! ~R