Hello Kitty

My Warrior pirate and my Hello Kitty princess in her pajamas and sparkly pink slip on shoes.

We took it to the doughnut shop. Leaving it in the car was not an option.....pick you battles.

The bag goes to Wal-mart. It had to have a special red sticker on it when we went in so they would know we brought it in with us and weren't leaving the store without paying for it.

Yaya bought Maggie Beth a Hello Kitty backpack. Boy, does she think she is some kinda cool now that she has a backpack like Bubby has. So now every time we leave the house she thinks she needs to take it with her like Price does when he goes to school. In public, she gets many smiles and comments about how the bag is as big as she is, which makes her walk with a little more swagger.

The Character that is Maggie Beth

Here are some pictures that give you a peek into our Maggie Beth. She is a character for sure. She keeps us laughing and guessing what she will do next....

Never say 'never'

That would be my daughter...wearing Dora pajamas, holding a Dora doll, drinking from a Dora cup and watching Dora the Explorer. Never say never people....Never say 'never'

Best friends

I grew up an only child. I had a half brother and sister who are 9 and 10 years older than me. I vaguely remember them living with us, but even when they did, it was for a short time. I did have cousins who were like my siblings. I loved being an only child, but there were times I wondered what it would be like to have have someone close to my age who lived with me. I would see my friends fight with their siblings, but then at the same time, it was like they had a built in best friend. That is how I see Price and Maggie Beth. Though they are 4.5 years apart, they play together. Every morning through the monitor, I hear my children saying good morning to each other. What a precious way to start the day. They are always calling each other to play or asking where the other one is. They like to sit by each other at the dinner table and play in the covers of our bed. Price will pour a drink for himself and his sister. Maggie Beth will grab 2 bowls when I am dispersing snacks, knowing her brother will want one too. They roll around on the floor, Price gives horsey rides and as you can see from the pictures, they are also partners in fight crime! Maggie Beth loves wearing his clothes and putting on his shoes (which, she has a shoe fetish anyway...) Price is great about sharing treats and taking turns with special toys. A friend once told me that a sibling is a gift. Some may say it divides love among children, but true love doesn't have to be divided; it multiplies. What a blessing it has been to watch these two little people develop a relationship!

Limbo

A year ago, Jon started his own insurance business; Molder Insurance Group. With much time, effort, blood, sweat and tears, he poured himself into serving others and meeting their insurance needs. Sounds dramatic and a little cheesy, but it is true. His phone rang non-stop. He met customers on demand and worked long hours. I have no doubts the business could have been successful, but insurance had lost its luster and he hated the daily grind. Jon is the hardest worker you will find, but he hated waking up everyday to deal with the claims, the complaints, the paperwork and spending time on quotes that never got issued. We also found out that the insurance business is like a fraternity of sorts. If you were not a "legacy" so to speak in the industry, then those who are will try to keep you down. It all turns out to be a good thing though! Jon found out early on that insurance is just not for him. You have to have a certain 'personality' for it. Jon was not willing to 'tweak' applications to get a lower premium, or as one guy suggested Jon "whore himself out to get business"....uh, no thank you.

Jon had been contemplating closing the office since spring. He knew for sure it was the right decision by June. Come July, he made the decision official. He notified his partner and sent out a letter that stated August 26 as the official closing date. Just in the short amount of time (a month or so) that he has not written insurance, he is a totally different person. He is eating better, sleeping better, is happier, looser, friendlier, more relaxed and much less stressed. There are still obvious concerns regarding money and a career path, but there are a few options available.

Seeing God's hand in the last year and a half has got me excited about where things are headed. We are renting a house from our church. I am working part-time there and get to spend everyday with Maggie Beth who is just down the hall in the church nursery with a precious woman who loves Maggie Beth like she is her own granddaughter. I get to take Price to school and pick him up. Jon has NEVER gone a day unemployed, and now is no different. Our friend, Ryan owns a manufacturing company. He hired Jon for a temp job through the end of the year. We are currently waiting to hear about a job Jon has applied for at Union Pacific Railroad. He has had both a test (which he passed) and an interview. We should know more tomorrow, so more about that later.

In the meantime, we see how God is providing for our family while we wait on Him. We will trust and obey whatever he leads us to do.