life

So, I already talked to Amber, but we heard back about the job!  I know my post on my blog wasn't totally clear about what had happened - Amber, you weren't the only one who didn't understand!  Of course, it was only the family and friends we had told who were eagerly asking us what had happened, all awaiting an announcement.

We weren't given the position.  Apparently, there were 4 candidates in the running.  They reassured us that if they had not been seriously considering us, they would not have made us wait so long to hear back.  The one pastor really wanted to pick us, but in the end, they decided to go with someone who had more experience.  Lloyd told Jeremy that they have another slightly different project coming up in 6 months or so, and he is encouraging us to apply for that.  I'm not sure what that is or what it will be, but we will find out when its time.  He also mentioned that basically, if we went and were part of one of the missional communities for a year, we would at that point have the experience to be sent out to begin a plan of our own.  So we will see.  That could mean moving to the South Seattle area or to Yakima for a year and working with them.  It's an option we are thinking about, but we will have to see how it works out.  It wouldn't be for at least 6 months (when our lease is up), and it would depend on how much it seems like it would really be beneficial for us to do or not.

So, in the meantime, we are starting up the youth group at Jeremy's parent's church again.  His brother in law was doing it before, but they moved in September, so no one has been doing the youth.  It's nice that there was that break though, because we are planning on doing things very differently from the way it was before.  We have a white elephant party after Christmas, and then we will see how it goes from there.  At the very least, I am glad for something for Jeremy to keep himself busy and for us to not just be sitting around doing nothing.

Last night was the children's play at church.  Shea did so well!  The last two years, we have left part way into it, because he didn't last.  The first year, he was a drummer boy.  He went up for his part, but then we couldn't keep him in his seat without him screaming, because he wanted to be up on stage for the whole thing, so we went home.  And last year, he was a star and a sheep, but when it came time to be a sheep, he no longer wanted to be in the play and was too wiggly watching, so we went home again.

This year, we amazingly sat in the front the entire time.  He came over to sit by us a few times, but he did a really good job following instructions and didn't throw any fits when he was told not to go up.  I think he was a little sad a few times, because the other kids all had special reading parts, but not him.  He was fine though. He had two funny moments.  Near the beginning of the play, the kids were all up front, and there was a pause in the music when someone was supposed to talk.  Of course, the kids misses his cue, and instead we all hear Shea suddenly exclaim, "OH! I have to go pee-pee!!!"  Then he just stood there.  My mother in law went up and asked him, but he just stood there.  He didn't want to leave!  So Jeremy went up and grabbed him, because usually when he says that, he really has to go!  ha ha.  It was so funny. I was so glad that we heard him though, because he probably would've peed himself not wanting to get off stage.
Then at the end of the very end, he was a sheep.  He was getting very tired at this point.  We have had late, late nights and he hasn't fallen asleep during his rest time during the day.  It was an hour after his regular bed time at this point, so he was beat.  All the kids were standing and singing, and he just laid down on the stage and closed his eyes, totally exhausted.

Hailey did pretty well.  She was a little squirmy, but every time she saw her brother, she pointed to the stage with a big smile and said, "Shea-Shea!!"

Last Friday, I had my friend Sondra and her kids over.  We haven't gotten together in a few months - she just had a baby girl at the beginning of November.  Her older son and Shea fought almost the entire time. They got a long really well at Preschool on Wednesday, which is why we decided to have a playdate, but once that kid is on Shea's home turf, they are awful!  Donavon purposefully does things to make Shea angry, and Shea gets very controlling and wants him to do things a certain way with his toys.  So, it was nice to chat and catch up with Sondra, but it was exhausting working with the boys.  And it is fine.  It is a big and important part of parenting helping teach out children to work out disputes on their own and get along with others.  Playdates are challenging, in some ways, because most moms just want the kids to go play quietly together so we can chat.  Sometimes it works out that way (and it's awesome), but most times, I find that it doesn't work to expect to get a normal adult conversation.  There will be lots of interruptions and unfinished sentences and that has to be OK.

That evening, we went to a christmas party at a friends house.  It was fun, because all of they're friends (some of which we have met) are completely outside of our circle of friends.  The kids had a blast - Shea was off with the older kids playing games upstairs, and Hailey found some baby dolls, so she was in heaven.  The older girls adored her and Hailey was eating up the attention and getting to be one of the big kids with them.  We had a fantastic and relaxed dinner, chatted, and played a round of Dominion before going home around 10.

I can't believe it is only just over a week until Christmas!  I am finally feeling ready.  We finished our gifts for extended family last week, except for a few DIY gifts I am working on for some of my siblings.  We have my side of the family on Sunday afternoon/evening, and then Jeremy's family will be on Christmas and the following weekend.  I am so excited for our own family Christmas this year, though.  The kids are at SUCH a fun age for this.  Hailey is getting a play kitchen I picked up for free from my buy nothing group, and the only thing Shea has asked for (only like a hundred times) for Christmas is the slinky dog from Toy Story...I just happened to find one in like-new condition at a buy nothing group swap!  I am excited that we were able to stay away from the big stores, build connections with neighbors, and spend less this Christmas.  I finally got the kids pajamas sewn for their Christmas Eve gift, and now I am getting super antsy to start working on stuff for my store.  I am hoping to have some new things finished by next weekend.  Its been warmer out too, so our office is an ok temperature for working in.

- becca