The Roller Coaster that has been our lives

Oh where to begin. I didn't realize until I logged on to do this post that the last post I made was the day
 John started his Job with ALS. So much has changed.I have felt like I need to share our story for a while but didn't until David Bednars talk in General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints talk in the Saturday Afternoon session. I can testify that what he taught is true because we have lived it more than once over the last year and a half.
 For the last few months John had been working at ALS and at the same time was looking for other jobs. Three weeks ago he applied for a job at the beginning of the week, got a call that the Stake Presidency. I have to add that we knew at the time that there was going to be a change in the bishopric. For my non LDS friends the bishop is the leader of our congregation and the has two counselors. The stake president is over all the congregations in a specific area. I hope this makes sense. I apologize if it doesn't.  Anyway back to the story. John was scheduled to meet with a member of the Stake Presidency  on that Thursday. He came home that night and told me he was going to be put in as the second counselor. The following Tuesday he sent me a text message while I was at work telling me he need to talk to me. I called him and he told me he had been let go from his job at ALS. Right after he was let go he had a phone interview with a company. The next day he had an in person interview. In the meantime our health insurance was supposed to end at midnight the night he was let go. One huge blessing was that it wasn't cut off until that Thursday after he was let go. We were able to see his Sleep Apnea doctor and get some replacement parts before the insurance was cut off. He was set apart in his new position the day our insurance ended and then the very next day he was offered a job with the company he interviewed with. So he was unemployed for a total of 72 hours. We  know that Heavenly Fathers hand was in everything that happened. We know that John could not have kept the job he had and do his new position in the church at the same time. I am fortunate to work for a company that will allow me to get Health Insurance before enrollment.
We are very grateful for the many prayers that have been said on our behalf and for the support of both of our immediate families. We didn't share what was going on with but a few people.
This is part of the reason I took a break from Facebook. Theres a lot of reasons why I stepped away, too much drama and negativity and well life has been stressful. Im thankful for the few people who checked on me and wanted to make sure I was ok.
I have a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that when John and I do the things our Father In Heaven wants us to do that our lives go much better. I will never make any apologies for sharing my knowledge of this.
John starts his new job tomorrow so prayers for a successful day are welcome.

Answered prayers.

I intentionally waited a while to post this because we wanted to tell some of you in person and were waiting to tell a friend who shall remain nameless, of ours who kept promising to stop by. Two weeks ago this Thursday John was offered and accepted a job. His first day was today. He says he's feeling overwhelmed at all he has to learn but is grateful for the laid back environment he's been blessed with.
We want to public ally thank everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers on our behalf. We are now both employed, and have become stronger people because of the trials we have faced. We have learned who we really can count on. We are also grateful for our amazing families who without them we would never have made it through the last few months. Thank You. Both our jobs are truly answers to prayers. We know our Father in Heaven knows us and knows what we need and that he will give it to us in his time.
We love you all. Thanks again

Answered Prayers

About three weeks ago I felt prompted to apply for a job with one of our local hospital health systems. I  like a dummy put it off until last Wednesday. After we found out that John didn't get the job that looked good, I finally followed my promptings and applied for a couple of jobs. Thirty minutes after I applied online for the jobs I received a phone call from one of the recruiters called me and told me she wanted me to come in and interview for one or both of the positions I applied for. I set up an interview time for the next day, which was Valentines day. I got up got ready and headed for the interview. It went so well that the recruiter sent me for a second interview for the position I decided to go for. It was a panel interview with the supervisor and a couple of other people. I left both of them feeling really good. I knew I had done everything I could do to get the job.
Well today I got a call and was offered the job and I accepted it. It has the hours I wanted and benefits. It doesn't pay what John was making but it will help. I am truly humbled at the many blessings we have received over the past several months. Im grateful for my sisters. For the love, support and advice they have given. Im also grateful for all that Johns parents and my parents have done.
We still need prayers that John will soon be able to find a job and I know he will and that it will be one that will make him happy and that he can move up in.
One BIG lesson I learned was when you get a prompting from Heavenly Father to do something DO IT!

Can It Stop Already?

I can honestly say that when we made the prayerful decision 7 months ago for John to have major knee surgery that we had no idea the events that would follow. While neither of us wants to relive the past few months we are grateful for the lessons we have learned, for the many blessings we have received, and for the fact that we are stronger as both individuals and as a couple. There have been many sacrifices which we keep to ourselves. We have also learned to be more humble and be willing to ask for help from others. For this I am grateful.
The downside is we have learned who amongst our friends truly cares enough to ask us how we are doing. To ask do we need anything? And more simply to say hey we are keeping you in our prayers. To those individuals you know who you are I want to say thank you!
This past week has emotionally drained me and John both. There have been many tears shed, feelings of being a failure, of being terrified to get a job where knew things will be learned and failing at them. Theres so much more that is so very personal that I won't share publicly. If you want to  know you know how to contact me and you can ask and I might share. Lets just say I have learned a lot and some of what I have learned about people has made me sad and I again will be careful as to who I trust..
I will end with this...Im done with this trial. Can it just Stop Already?

The Laundry Room

I have been meaning to write this post for a week now but I keep getting sidetracked. We finally finished the laundry room and we LOVE it! It's been a room in progress since before John and I met and got married. I have counter space to fold laundry, a built in ironing board, a rack to hang up my brooms and mops, storage space for everything including food storage. The only thing it doesn't have is my dream washer and dryer but those will wait till they become a need instead of a want.
I hope the pictures are self explanatory. We have spent just over $100 to finish it because we had almost everything we needed. Yes we went with carpet tiles which someone already fave me crap about. I will just say this. This room is in the garage And its not heated so thus carpet :)

Changes Changes Changes.

For those of you who have been to my house you know about my lack of counter space amd my wonderful unfinished laundry room. Well since John is out of work we decided to finish the laundry room. We have been working on it off and on since we got married. However the end is if ally in sight. Another project on our list is to update our kitchen. While we aren't finishing it at this time we did finally put in the base cabinet that has been moved from the garage to the laundry room and finally into the kitchen. For now we are using a sheet of MDF that we had in the garage for a temporary counter until we can find one at habitat for humanity. Eventually we are going to refinish all the counters but that's being saved for later. I'm so excited to have the extra cabinet space. It has allowed me to put stuff away and finally have enough prep room. This has been a long time comming and I'm super excited for how it looks now and how it's going to look when it's all done. Here are the pictures of the kitchen.