March 8: Window & a big work related update

This is my favorite window in our house. 

As I cook dinner for Karen and Paul I can see Paul coming home from work. 

As I put the finishing touches on a nice dinner I can see our friends arriving to eat. 

As I grab a glass of water before bed I can see the snow falling 

(Ok that was one day, it doesn't really snow here often)

I love the canvas' with photos on them - photos I've taken of places I loved and/or moved me. 

Since my view is of recycling and the underneath of stairs, I'm thankful for pictures.

It is the window into our house, the heart of our house.

And I'll admit, I like the wreath I made

Also, my husband wakes up two hours before me each morning (sucker). I usually wake up long enough to pee, take some meds, give him a kiss and go back to sleep. 

A few mornings ago I woke up feeling like a cold was coming. I expressed this to Paul and promptly fell asleep again, forgetting that had happened. 

When I woke up 2 hours later I saw this on the counter:

And now, onto other news. It looks like Paul will be leaving for a while...his workplace is doing a job in a small, remote town and the guys are heading up there for 2 months. The hope is it will be three weeks on, one week back here off. Since this would start in early April and we leave for Nashville June 3rd, this would only be for 6 weeks. It would mean double the pay of normal...and while that's always a good thing, here's why it's specially good. 

This summer we are going away for 3 months. We have saved over this past year so that we can afford to each be unemployed for 3 months, pay for the school in Nashville (only Paul's tuition since I'm Alumni, woot), pay rent in two places, afford the trip there and back AND afford all normal living expenses. At the end of the summer we were only going to have like $24 to our name but it would not put us into debt...and since we were coing back to a full time job for me, a paying homestay student, and student loans for Paul's year of teaching school we would be fine for September. 

Then Paul gets sick. Then I get sick. Then Paul gets sick for a whole week. Then I injure my back and miss a week of work. And all these sick days add up to 13 unpaid days, which adds up to $2000 short of our goal. Sick. Not to mention the fact that I'll probably need surgery most likely, and that will mean two weeks of missed work, which roughly brings the total short from our goal up to $3500. 

So we prayed. We asked God for provision and for miracles. 

The next day Paul found out about the work move - he would make enough to cover what he normally makes in two months, to reach our Nashville goal and have some extra to put on debt. Now THAT is an answer to prayer. 

Despite the fact that we will be the saddest, most pathetic pair for each of the three weeks. We do not do separation well. We like each other way to much. We are already missing each other and he doesn't go until early April. We're sappy and in love, and we will hate to be apart. But God answers prayers...and we are so very blessed.