Our Crescendo...

Where do I begin?

If we could pick one week to live over and over a la Groundhogs Day, it should be this week.

So many memories and emotions packed in a few days.

My parents came into town last weekend and we skipped school Monday to swim at Lindseys.  But you already saw that.

Wednesday they came to our house bright and early that morning to see Baylie sing in her kindergarten performance and go on Darby's field trip to McDonalds.  How perfect timing that the grandparents could be here on the last week of school to see things we wished they could see if they lived closer.

And like when any grandparents are here its wonderful and awesome to have extra hands and hugs and better food than we normally eat :)

But see what I don't tell on my blog is when Jason gets an interview.  Which he had one on Tuesday.  He has had many interviews...okay maybe 5 or 6, crap I'll have to ask him.  and they have all went really well.  Raved about him, he felt perfect for it.   And then nothing has panned out.  Doors that should have been opening didn't.

Oh my goodness, can you see where this is going?  Are you freaking out yet?

Well Tuesday he had an interview at Disney Interactive.  In a department with a friend from our church (bless him, bless him bless him and bless all of you for praying!).

I fasted.  I prayed.  But I have fasted and prayed at all his interviews.  It went well.

Thursday he had a second interview.  It went well.

And Thursday nite he got the call that he got the job.  HE GOT THE JOB!  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT HE GOT THE JOB!!!  A four month contract.  Who knows what later but we know this right and great and wonderful.

Jason called me and told me when I was at the girls gymnastics in a small crowded room with Christie and my mom.  I had like no reaction.  It was weird.  Like he was telling me he was picking up redbox.   My mom and Christie were getting teary eyed but I was in shock.

I can't believe this is finally happening.  Fast forward he starts on Wednesday, which is two days.
Which is also the 9 month mark of our unemployment.

Jason needed it.  We needed it.  But really I had made peace with the life we have even though some days were harder than others but I could see him changing and it feels like the grace of God just swooped in at the end to save us.  Jason told me this morning that he had reached his end point months ago and this way longer than he thought he could do. 

When I first heard about this just not being permanent I was not feeling good about it.  I just want to know the end.  Like finished in a tidy bow clean and neat.  But that is not life.  And as I have always known but more recently had to live, the Lord sometimes only gives us enough light to see a few feet ahead of us.  And when we get to the end, He shows us a few more feet of light.  We live by Faith and faith is more than believeth, it has power.  Faith is the power to be walk even when you only see a few feet ahead of you. 

I have felt the power of prayers and fasting on our behalf by our family and friends so strong these last 9 months.  That is a gift.  This time has been a gift that I wouldn't trade for anything.  We have seen Jason home more than ever in our lives and he is more involved and connected with our lives than ever.

When he was working so far and sometimes long hours I felt like we were living separate lives sometimes, when he would drop in at times and then go back to his other life. That changed. Jason knew what homework the kids had and piano practice and making dinner....the nitty gritty.  And we figured out how to balance two cooks in the kitchen and it was great.  (that was figurative, cause there was one actual cook :) 

but wait...this is still just thursday nite.  We celebrated with Rattlers takeout. Ribs!  The kids were freaking out.  We sang for He's a Jolly Good Fellow and just had big old smiles plastered to our faces. 

FRIDAY - IVY TURNED 2!  And Jason and I on our celebration went and saw the new Superman movie at 9 a.m.!  It was awesome.  Seeing superman with my superman lookalike in the morning with free babysitting was so awesome.  And my mom and dad took Paisley and Ivy to chuck e cheese that time which was pretty great too.  So all were happy :)  and then the rest of the day my dad and Jason worked on house projects and fixed a bunch of stuff and put some new shelves in the garage.

SATURDAY- DARBY WAS BAPTIZED!!!!!  and it was so amazing and neat and Lindsey and her family came and Aunt Kathy and we were surrounded by friends and our family was on such a high from the job and the birthday and last week of school it felt like a grande finale in a movie.

SUNDAY WAS FATHERS DAY!  and I don't get to see my dad on Fathers day very much, maybe don't know the last time (college?) and we all got together again and to celebrate Jason after these long fought months to keep sanity and hope and financially afloat was just perfect.

CAN YOU BELIEVE THESE LAST FEW DAYS!  I mean really?  Really?

But then I think of our grand creator and Savior and think, this sounds just like the perfect plan.  I can He him telling me "Ok Brooke, so this is how its going to go.  Jason's job isn't heading the right direction and I've been hearing you pray.  So we are going to get him a new one.  But it won't be ready for 9 months.  But it will be worth it and I'll time it perfectly with a birthday and a baptism and Father's day and I will make sure you are taking care of the whole time and you will do great.  Keep it together and don't give up and don't make each other miserable and be happy and enjoy the extra help cause it might not happen again.  Your family will come out of this stronger and where I need you to be. "   ....or something like that.

and I'm just guessing about the rest, but it could be that Jason is on temporary for another year.  Or that this is the door to meet the people that will help him find permanent work.  Or maybe this is the experience or boost in resume or whatever that He needs to get to do the next thing Jason is supposed to get to.   So I'm pushing back my worries and concerns about health insurance and all the things I could stress about it and trusting it will all work out. 

So fittingly, its Monday morning and the first day we don't have school.  Tomorrow we are going to the temple for the last time during the day on his last day of not working. 

Thank you thank you for all you have given us.  For all the money you have sent, for all the prayers for the boost of encouragement.  For all the pep talks and shared experiences about when you went through the same thing.  Thanks for giving me hope.  Thanks for telling me to imagine the best outcome because that is what He was preparing.  We feel a kinship with you and really with all those on the path of Christ who are facing their daily struggles and the bigger roadblocks that seem to block out the future.  We love you.  I hope we never forget any of this.  And if we have to take another turn with it, I know this has been the training we need to do it.  Thanks to my closest friends and family who let me cry to them and whine the feelings that were unflattering to me.

So we are temporarily out of the club.  At least this one.  But I hope we are honorary graduates of 9 months of unemployment with five kids in an expensive state.  And congrats to our kids who took it like champs.  Bless the bishops storehouse!  We cleaved to our church and Jesus Christ.  We didn't do it perfectly and it tested us to our limits but for the time being, it is over and we didn't quit.  Knock on wood :)

Another post coming of gorgeous pictures and celebration. We missed the McCoys but know you were there with us in spirit.  All of you.