Time to brag

I just need to brag on my husband for a little bit. He is moving up in his new company so fast he's back in training for a new position. Wasn't he just hired a couple of months ago? you ask. Yes. I'm just as amazed as you are. And yet, it doesn't surprise me. Patrick is one of the most driven people I know. He has a natural gift to make the system better, learn the necessary skills and rise to the top faster than...um...anyone. (I know I'm biased, but I don't think that's too much of an exaggeration). If you've talked to him at all recently you can tell how passionate he is about his work too. I've had people say to me, "How can anyone be so excited about something like finance?" The answer? I don't know. I personally, was not designed for that work. But My Love, he was. Now he's in the process of refining his ideas for his new business. He told me it will come to completion in one year. Yeah, I don't doubt that.

But more than incredible work promotions, Patrick is the most amazing husband I know. He knows when I'm stressed, when I'm tired, when to encourage and support me, when to ask me if I'm ok and when to leave me alone. He knows how to diffuse my anger, how to point out my wrongs gently, and how to love me the way I will feel loved. His demeanor is endearing to all, and remarkable to me. And most importantly, he knows how to be the man God designed him to be. Of course he's human and makes mistakes, we all do. But never have I met a more incredible person than the one I married that beautiful January day when the rain clouds parted and the sun shone down with it's beautiful rays beaming (that actually did happen).

To the perfect man for me, the one I could not be more proud of. I love you.

::pant:::pant:::WHEW!!

I'm really impressed by the Virtual Academic Center USC has for the MSW (Master's in Social Work). Honestly, the first thing that pulled me in was the flexibility of having an all-online forum. That, coupled with my long-standing desire to be a Trojan and USC's rank of one of the top THREE schools for Social Work. It seemed like an all around good situation. So I wrote my entrance essay, and submitted my application...and was accepted!

I ordered my books online (sorry budget), and started browsing the Virtual Classroom. It is the craziest, most innovative education platform I've ever seen! This program has "live" classroom time (webcam and phone needed), study groups online, a library system that is ridiculous (if you can't find something within the USC library system they will purchase it for you for free!), mobile apps, 24-hour student support just for the online students, online office hours, technical support, student caucuses (cauci? :) and is RELEVANT to the job market now and society now. I am totally blown away. I sat in front of my computer last night watching all of the orientation videos and I probably said 4-5 times to Patrick, "Wow. This is no NAU." Don't misunderstand-my undergrad at NAU in Music Education was perfect for me then, and was exactly what I needed in my education including the necessary experience that most undergrads don't get. BUT! USC has got it going on. I will say though, all those things come with a very large price tag. But to have the networking that USC offers, the field-experience right here where I live, and this kind of education...long term it will be worth it. Did I mention I will be finished one year from September?! Yeah, pretty amazing.

Now it's crunch time. We're closing on our new house on Friday, moving in Saturday. I start classes the following Tuesday. Phoenix Christian finals and graduation that same week, while I'm unpacking, remodeling and purchasing new kitchen appliances. Oh yeah, and we're singing at church Saturday and Sunday :o) That's how I roll. I like to cram tons of stuff into as small a space of time as possible, lol. Please pray for us in this busy but necessary time. I'm excited for the new things coming up!

Some Big News!

Well, I have some big news to share! I found out (finally! after waiting several weeks) that I was accepted into the Master's program for Social Work at USC! Patrick and I were trying to figure out how this was going to fit in to our "plan" and finally we left it up to God. I mean, He does know best after all ;) The thing we're praying for now is 100% tuition and books covered by scholarships. YES, I do believe God will provide all of that if not more! What's even cooler: I found out this morning that I will be finished one year from September if I take the 2 summer semesters. Done and done.

As I briefly reflect what I had planned for my life, and the new direction (new only to me of course not God) I'm headed, I hear a very clear answer to prayer. I was taken out of what I had planned for myself, and into a place where it was time to get more of God in my life. For this past year I've felt unsuccessful, unaccomplished, with no purpose or direction. Finally I think God got fed up with me and gave his words to my mentor Keri. She said, "I think you just need to get your priorities straight." Ouch. She was totally right though. You see, its not about me! It's not about how I feel, or what I accomplish, or how many degrees I have to my name, or even-get this!-my desire to work for God's glory! It's not about any of that. It's about God first. That's what I was missing. As huge, as awesome and powerful, as mighty as God is, he's also personal enough to desire more of me and I finally got a clue. So I've spent some real God time with my Creator and a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders! We have renters moving in the 28th, but no house of our own yet. Am I worried-nope, not even a little bit. In 3 weeks I'm taking on a full time (school) and a half (teaching) schedule. Doesn't phase me. How am I going to pay for school? God is in control!! We've put off having kids for another year as I finish my master's...ok, this probably worries some-but not me :oD Instead of worrying about all these little things, I'm focusing on one thing: Am I doing what God asks of me? Not because I'm afraid of him. Not because I'm told I have to. Not because I'm "brainwashed." But because I desire to please the very One that gives me breath to do all these things. And that my friends, is a dense person who got a clue.

As you go into this weekend, remember that Easter is not about the peeps (although I love them so!) or the bunnies. It was Jesus Christ who died to give you the choice to know God in a very personal way. It's always a choice-otherwise it wouldn't be love. I'm proud to call him my daddy, and worship Him in remembrance of the day the world was changed once for all.

Drumroll please.....

Hey guess what? We're scheduled to close on our new house on April 8! Once it's a done deal, I'll make sure to post some pics :o)

Give me a revelation, show me what to do...

Lyrics from a great song. No, I don't know the name of the song or the group that sings it. I'm terrible at stuff like that.

The grad application is sent, and house contract is signed, and I just started a new Beth Moore Bible study on Revelation. Oh yeah, you can bet things are about to get crazy up in here, up in here.

Ya'll gonna make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here.

Don't know the artist or the song title to that one either. I told you-really bad at this.

Cha cha cha chaaanges!

Many new things happening in our lives right now! Some exciting, some a little daunting, all of them a new chapter.

Patrick officially accepted his position at Charles Schwab as an Estate and Retirement Specialist. We're both thrilled about this opportunity for him to move closer to the focus he's aiming for! He's already given the recruiter some grief-as Patrick does. She's been negotiating with him for so long (and I'm sure gets a bonus for every employee she signs on). She called him to "up" the deal a little and he said, "You know, I've been thinking a lot about this...and I've decided to stay with Wells Fargo....................nah, I'm just kidding." She said, "Patrick?! You almost made me lose my lunch!" Already making friends in the company-that's what he does :o)

Now that Patrick's job will be in Phoenix, and mine are in Phoenix and Glendale, we've started looking at houses in south Scottsdale. It's the perfect location to still be "where the action is at," close to lots of freeways, the SAME distance to church and my parents house (add 4 minutes), gym close by, dog park less than a mile away, and we'll significantly cut down our commute time (mine especially). So we have a couple picked out, and one specifically that I'm a little attached to. But they're mostly short sales so we're not expecting a quick answer. If we get a house out there, our plan is to rent our house out in Mesa. Right now there are lots of renters in the market with a turn around time of only 2 weeks. Sweet deal!

I'm in the process of applying to USC's Social Work Graduate Program. They have an online medium, called their Virtual Academy, and the curriculum is every bit as rigorous as the traditional lecture classes on campus. In my experience, online classes are actually a lot harder than on-campus classes. I was a little hesitant about doing my whole degree online, but after talking with the admissions counselor found out that I could transfer to a campus easily if I needed to. So I'm going to give it a shot! I think this degree lends to a lot of flexibility in the kind of job I'll be looking for in the future. I'll be able to work in a school, be a director of a non-profit, advocate, get a certificate to be a therapist, the possibilities are wide open! (Plus I have some ideas for the near future regarding social work :o) I told Patrick that I will be walking in my black cap and gown across the Trojan stage. He said, "Of course."

Something that hasn't changed? We still don't have kids. But that's ok because our plan was to be married for 5 years or so before we even start trying, and we're doing good so far! I think we'll have to push our timeline back about 7 months so I can finish my master's and then Mr. Stork you're welcome into our home. Not that he's not welcome in our home, he's just not our preferred guest at this point in time. Man, that thing is ugly. Whoever made up the story about the stork delivering babies didn't see the real thing. Yuck! Plus we don't want to steal anyone's limelight. On Patrick's side Sheena and Jake just had baby Allison in January, Rami and Dave had baby Bo in February, and on deck we have Beth and Josh with another baby Jones and (drum roll please)........Krista and Jace with twins-coming soon to a hospital near you! Yes, it's a busy year for the Jones family. Patrick and I see this as a great opportunity to celebrate with them, hold babies, and go home to our dogs :o) Hey, you would think the same thing if your probability of getting twins was more than 50% too. Yes, that's where the 5 years comes into play. Of course with all these new things happening, I should probably knock on wood...Whatever happens, don't believe a word Patrick says. He's the boy who cried wolf. I see why he always teases people though. When he even hints around (falsely of course) that we're pregnant, he gets a big rise out of people. Oh Patrick.

I'm not really one for change, and this season in our life has been quite a struggle for me. I think God just decided to dump it all at the same time so I'd get over it. Way to be God, way to be. You'll be happy to know that I'm a little more fond of new things now than I was before. It's all about the growing process...

What do you do?

What do you do when everything in your life seems to be changing?

What do you do when everyone around you seems to be going through some crazy changes in their life too?

What do you do if you're not particularly fond of change?



What do you do when a series of events happen that prove coincidence is much too light a term to use?

What do you do when you follow where you know you need to go only to find constant opposition?

What do you do?



Believe in the One thing that you know is constant. The One thing you know will never change. Trust that that One can see farther than your eyes can see, and can plan things you never thought imaginable.

At least that's what I do.