Friday - nothing.

Saturday Morning - I had also planned to sow grass in the newly cleared side area at our house.  Where the swing set would also be placed.  My trip to get seed, lime and fertilizer took three times as long as it should have, so I didn't get started with that until around 10:30am.  I broke for a short lunch and the area (about 2000 sq ft) was seeded and fertilized by 1pm.  Now let's start putting the set together!  Rachel ran to go get one or two things needed for another project, and I spent the next 30 minutes, putting the frame together using the wrong size bolts (which fit by the way) and just got it corrected by the time she got back.  Then I remembered, "Hey, I've got put straw down on this newly sown ground.  Thankfully Josh had some extra junk bails sitting around that he donated to the project.  I got back with a load of hay around 2:30.

Back to the swing set.  We plodded through and continued piecing the set together, page by page, bolt by bolt, board by board.  Around 8pm...we started feeling a few drops of rain.  Nothing to be worried about.  We had the slide and rock climbing wall attached, and the tarp roof on, and the picnic bench assembled.  Nothing left really except for the single beam that hold the swings.  8 -8:30, the rain has picked up, but we can't quit now.  Trying my best to keep the manual from getting soaked, I had found a small dry spot in the fortress that I could lay everything.  Rachel held the beam up  on one side as I attached 2 of 4 bolts to te main fortress, unaware that I had completely put the framing that held the other end of the beam completely wrong.

8:30 - the rain had picked up.  We were SOAKED. Rachl standing in same plc holdin beam as I am attempting to fix my mistake.  Slippery hands, slippery feet (in mud, because I hadn't had a chance to put down any straw.  Cue the falling piece of lumber on Rachel's head.  Not good.  But she held strong, and continued to encourage me to get it fixed.  Finally, I got the thing to a point where she gcould go inside.  I stayed and got the other 2 main bolts reattached. 

Haven't eaten since lunch.  Fatigue setting in for all of us.  Thankful for Subway.  Watched as rain picked up and muddied the entire area.  Thankfully, none of my grass seed washed away, and Sunday afternoon was spent fertilizing and putting out straw, as well as putting in the last 4 bolts into the swing set.  Janaa even got to take a test swing.  I will post some pictures of the completed set in a few days.

A warning friends, plan your swing set construction way in advance, and nothing other than that for the day.  If you live close enough, we might even come and help you put it together, because no one should have to go through that alone.

Seeding the yard that morning. All seemed to be well.I hoped it would look like the picture.

I have learned so much from this experience.  The first thing that I have learned more than anything is that God takes care of his children.  I truly believe now the scripture in Matthew 6:31 that says, Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'.  Not only was I provided with enough severance pay to make it through my period of unemployment, but I was able to pick up extra supplementary income without any problem at all. 

I learned that I do have what it takes to step up and take the bull by the horns.  I just finished reading "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl.  It was a good knock in the seat of the pants for me that regardless of anything else, I don't live, and can't live without finding some sort of meaning in my life.  What am I here for.  Now, seriously, I mean I can go to the Westminster Catechism and answer question one concerning the purpose of man: "Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."  But how do I express that daily , and through my legacy that I leave?  I'm not convinced that this job necessisarily is the answer to that question, but the process of finding it has awakened within me a sense that I will not figure out what my meaning is by not searching for it.  When you stop searching, you die...and I was slowly dying. 

One of my biggest problems in life has always been one of self-confidence, and this interlude between one job and the next, also helped me learn to build strength in this area.  I've started reading the "4:8 Principle" (which I need to finish), and have started to slowly realize alot of who I am is determined by my own thought process.  I know that one reason that I got this job is because I went in there with confidence, thinking positively, knowing who I was and what I was capable of.  I'm good at what I do, and I'm good at what I know.  And I know it better than most people out there.  And if I can think that way about my job, then why not my entire life?  The trick is to make it consistent and not lapse.  That's where I struggle.

Finally, I want to say a big thanks to every single one of you that have sent a note, or called, or emailed, or spoken a word of encouragement to me or Rachel while we went through this.  One thing that I definitely found out is that there is no shame in sharing things like this with your friends.  I not only got several job leads from that, but just the occasional "How's everything going?" was a good motivator to keep steady and bring to remembrance that there were people out there that truly cared.

Today was a good day overall.  I had a phone interview with my best prospect so far, and got an immediate callback for a face to face interview on the 19th of this month.  Awesome!  I'm still pounding the pavement though.  The biggest thing I am facing right now is making sure that I take the right job.  I know that there are jobs out there...I not only want a good one, but I want the right one. 

The position that I interviewed for today seems like a great fit for me.  It also involves about 50% travel.  But sometimes we do what we have to do.  I'm concerned about how it would affect Janaa.  Rachel will probably be glad to have a break from me (just kidding...I know she misses me every moment I'm gone I would be home on weekends, so other than a few more hours a day, it wouldn't be alot different from the schedule I have now.

I've also applied for positions with Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem) and Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA), essentially doing something along the same lines as what I was doing at Hafele.  That would also be something easy to slide into.

I would like to say thanks to everyone so far that has wrote me with a word of encouragement, called to see how things were going, and even spread my resume to people they know...means a lot.  I didn't realize I had this network of friends and family willing to help. 

I follow up on some other leads tomorrow and Wednesday, and then we're off to Washington DC to go to the Thai embassy for some formality type stuff with J's adoption.  I just hope that the stateside adoption stuff can get finished sooner than later.

Anyway, coffee is brewing in the pot, and I found some old computer games that I want to load up and play.  Nothing like defending America against international foes with my lightsaber in multiplayer mode of Jedi Knight 2.

I'm glad I'm not in this line. Although Rachel and I have watched some American Idol this year...quite unlike us.

Looking back now, because of the experience we have had with Janaa, as well as the few short term trips I have taken, I have a newfound respect for the Missionary.  I wish I could have put more effort into edifying the ones that knew about as a child.  Of course, at that time, you had to write letters.  No email.  :(  That would have been hard. 

There are more missionaries in my life now than ever before.  I give credit to God and my wife for that.  i've always had a heart for missionaries, but Rachel helped me figure out how I could help the best.  I'm not called to go over and church plant or be in "Full-Time" Christian service (I dislike that term immensely).  I can be a friend to them though, and edify them and support them.  I'm thankful for people willing to go.  If not, I wouldn't have my Janaa.  (Thanks Rachel M.)

Janaa's desire is to go to Thailand and tell her "tummy mommy" that Jesus loves her, and that Budies are asleep and can't hear her prayers.  People chuckle when they hear her say it and have this "Oh that's so cute" attitude, but I take it seriously.  And this is not just a one time statement.  She has said it over and over and over and over.  She's going to get that chance in September.  My daughter is going on her first missions trip at the age of 4. 

I won't taint The Daddy Page, but I did at least want to help post a sweet photo.  Brent feel free to delete my photo if you want.  How could you delete a picture as cute as this? ;)