Out With the Old, In With the New...

Just two and a half hours and it will be 2009...i must be getting old because time just seems to pass faster and faster. We were supposed to have friends over for dinner tonight, but had to cancel due to a sinus infection that I thought was going to turn into the flu. Thank goodness it didn't and the antibiotics are awesome! So instead of our original plans which we will reschedule, Daniel & I went out for an early dinner at our favorite restaurant (my mom had the beebs), I fed Ru and now I'm writing my last post of 2008 and then it's off to bed, before midnight...i know, I'm such an old lady, but I'm okay with that!

(a very low key new year's eve)













(daniel's dinner came with free sea shells...ick!)













This past year was quite an adventure, with daniel being hired on as a salaried employee for Air Coastal Charter, a move to a new home and all that entails...the passing of my grandpa, a new baby who came much earlier than expected, a new car for me, and finally daniel being downsized from salary to contract work, on Christmas eve no less. What kind of timing was that? At first we were so upset, and Daniel was worried about what we would do, but it didn't take long to realize the Lord has a plan for us, and Air Coastal is no longer a part of that plan.

If there's one thing my mom taught me at a very young age, it's that if we are faithful in our finances, ie. tithing, the Lord is faithful to us. I have given 10% of my income to the church as long as I can remember, and I have never been in want of work. This was a difficult adjustment for Daniel when we got married, after all, 10% is nothing to laugh at, but he soon realized the blessings that come when we are faithful to give to the church who in turn blesses those in need. Every time he turned around he was getting a new opportunity to earn money. At one point I think the boy had about five different jobs at one time.

Within two days of the bad news, Daniel has managed to pick up two new students, has the possible opportunity to fly contract on a plane that he needs to build time in, we were more than blessed with a generous check from both of my grandmas as Christmas gifts & finally, my expense check from work (which I dragged my feet on doing) was approved & issued in record time and will nearly cover our entire car insurance bill. Before this happened we had researched paying for health insurance on our own and were planning for me to leave my job to stay home with Ruby. There was a reason we dragged our feet on filling out the insurance forms... praise the Lord I wasn't hasty to quit! For once in my life procrastination was a blessing! :) Daniel flew contract today and learned that they will probably be moving the hanger to Temecula permanently (they used to be based at John Wayne). He was also told that they would probably be able to hire him back sooner than expected. Thanks, but no thanks...commute to Temecula, who needs that? The year Daniel spent at Air Coastal was an awesome opportunity, it allowed him to work on the side and make extra money which helped with the move &, it also allowed him to spend a lot of time with his new daughter, but, we both realize that God has something better in store for us. What, we don't know, but we're excited to find out. There are other examples of God at work in our lives, but i don't want to go on forever...the bottom line is, often times when we feel least in control, we are actually in the safest place and that's the best time to watch God at work in our lives. He is our provider, always, and why we ever doubt Him I don't know. So goodbye 2008 and hello 2009, I can't wait to see what's in store for us.

(last picture of Ru in 2008...
gotta love home made gifts!)