Grateful for the Gift

Dear blog I'm sorry I neglected you.  I can't believe I left that ugly picture of me on here for so long.  Please forgive me.

so much in my head feels like a maze!  So just gonna start wherever.

First, I had two experiences after Christmas (black Friday) where I was getting boogled down with what is Santa getting the kids and me not wanting to duplicate him or what does everyone REALLY want or why christmas planning is so hard with five kids and then Jason's birthday this month that I was starting to feel crazed.  And so I had a chat with God.  And he told me what not to get and what to get about one particular kid and then I felt better.

And then there was something I really have been wanting for our family (a trampoline) and I was kinda obsessed about it and Jason didn't care about it so it was all on me and my decision making powers were poopy and then same thing.  Early one morning in the dark, had a chat with God, and He told me not to get it.  And to tell Santa the same thing so there wouldn't' be any confusion.  And I felt much better.  There will be other years for trampolines.

And I had a similar debate a few weeks before about whether or not to throw my favorite/also dreaded cause its stressful Homemade Christmas party that has become a tradition.  And He told me to not do that either.  And just chill.  Cause Christmas time is busy enough.  Wow is it busy.

And then I got sucked into Darby being in a Christmas choir for our district that her teacher asked her if she wanted to be a part of and I was like, YES great, but then we got the music and it all had to be memorized but a certain date and again, I remembered.  Oh wait, we don't want to do stuff like this.  She doesn't need this.  But I had kept asking her and she kept saying she wanted to so I was trying to make it happen til found out that the only reason she wanted to was because she knew I wanted her to…oh man.  So we are not doing that choir thing.  And we are both okay about that.  Even if I look like a flake to the choir director for bailing, oh well.

I have loved the church's Christmas video called He is the Gift.



and we have listened to that Glorious song so so much we all have it almost memorized.






And then I loved the talk from Elder Christofferson from the Christmas Devotional.  He spoke about Christ having to descend below all things to be able to succor us.  And how we have to do that on some level on our earthly life too, descend below to be able to have empathy and help others.
Such wise words.

And then my sister wrote a great post on her blog about Christ which was so neat although I'm so sad she was so sick and wished I was closer…we are close but not enough to really help.

and then I have been trying to think of a good way to say it, but there just doesn't seem to be a great way to share this amazing news.  But Jason is on his second week of his permanent job.  Yes he works for the mouse and we are thrilled and still haven't figured out all the details like insurance and benefits and stuff.  I am overwhelmed with this new opportunity though, so strange to have the thing you have been praying and praying and praying for finally happen.  Literally hundreds of prayers and years now! Over two years actually!!

Maybe I'll reshare the story of how it all happened in greater detail but basically it was that all the doors were kinda closing and the sand was slipping out of the hourglass and we were starting to wonder what was going to happen to us.  But something kept me at peace, and not to panic or worry and that I knew it would work out. And then three jobs came up literally overnight.  And it happened so fast from nothing to something to an actual offer, I will never forget that moment.  I know that there is no such thing as a permanent job and life ebbs and flows and things change, but so grateful for what is right now.  And will be okay with whatever happens in the future cause we have learned we can deal with that.  And to trust and God because He always has our back. (and yours by the way in case you were wondering)

It all happened so fast but the pieces had been moving for the last two years and they finally aligned right.  Some coworkers of Jason kept telling him about this awesome VP who essentially went to bat for him for this position and really tipped the scales and they kept saying, if it wasn't for this VP.  And I thought they can think it was because of that but I know it was because of God.  And God was moving those pieces and whispering into that person ear to get over there are tell about Jason because the McCoys need this right now.

And I will never forget all the people who prayed for us and for the very few family and friends who we told this last time even though we had stopped telling people when he got interviews... We just reached a little bit one last time for some prayers and they said they said there best prayer ever!  Like my friend who said she prayed please let this McCoy trial be finished!  Or another who said no she did too!  ;) Or my sister who said she cried when she prayed for us hoping that it would all happen this last time.  And the fasting of my parents and Jason's parents and to be able to finally tell the kids that our prayers were being answered!

Last month for fast Sunday in November I had decided that hey maybe the Lord was trying to tell us that we needed to leave California, that maybe this wasn't right for us anymore.  And though we have fasted for many times over these last years, we got such a swift and sure answer that nope we are not done with this place yet.

Thanks for sharing in our good news.  Love you all.  The gospel is real and God is good.  Christ is our Savior and He is the reason for the Christmas season.  He is the Gift.