New revelation

Since I last posted my husband has come home, we have become official Californians by getting licenses and license plates, and we celebrated my birthday. I'm amazed that October is almost over already. I'm listening to Christmas music as I type, working on getting in the spirit. It will be very different without family this year but I'm hoping we'll make some great memories despite the fact.

Last time I wrote I mentioned I was praying about teaching. As I was sitting tutoring tonight, God spoke straight to my heart. I was just telling Danny last night that I wasn't comfortable here, in a good way. It makes me uncomfortable to be because it's out of my comfort zone. It makes me not want to stay here forever, but I'm ok with staying as long as God needs us here for. I truly living here; there are just things I miss about other places of the country, and especially missing people in other places of the country. So we were discussing this last night and just trying to figure out where to go from here and what it all means. We didn't get very far. And I was ok being discontented. This world is not my home.

So I'm tutoring today. God speaks that my teaching degree isn't so much about being in a classroom with students as it is about being versatile. Our life is unstable and that's ok. I have a degree that can be used in many ways. I am to use my degree to teach in whatever setting is available and necessary for the given time. I am a teacher. That's a huge part of who God has made me to be. What I need to do is learn to use this gift in whatever capacity He opens up for me. It's not just about being in a classroom, as much as I enjoy that and am comfortable there, but about being willing. The funny part is Danny has been trying to tell me this for years, since we first started dating really, but it was never something I wanted to hear. Now, being where we are and just feeling uncomfortable, I was ready to hear it. So will I teach in a classroom again? I truly don't know and I'm ok with that. I'm continually learning to be done with whatever plans I thought about and trusting that God will always guide and direct my path to where He needs me in the timing He needs that to happen. My God is amazing!

keeping up

Well I'm definitely not doing a good job of that on here but that's life right now.

I'm currently working 7 days a week. I hope I'm not repeating myself here. I work as a receptionist at Massage Envy 5 days a week. One great perk about this job is getting a free massage once a month. We have over 30 therapists so I need to get to know each of them and what they're like as a therapist so I can recommend them to clients who come in. It's a stressful job for numerous reasons but not horrible.

Beyond that I am tutoring 5 kids. 4 students are through a company that is getting grant money for helping out students because of the No Child Left Behind act. These 4 are all in elementary school. They get 34 hours before the end of April but I'm learning quickly that I don't really like working for the government; there's a lot of paperwork that has to be filled out exactly how they say. My 5th student is in 8th grade at private school and, really, he's my favorite. I think it's because there's no restrictions with him, his mom is great, and I really like him too. With all those, 7 days a week is my norm right now.

With working that much I'm learning to take things as they come. I think I used to know how to do this but kinda forgot when we were in FL and life was easy and comfortable. I'm learning to enjoy each day for what it holds and not let little things ruffle my feathers. This is not where I want to be in 5 years, let alone the end of this year, but it's where I am today and so I'm working on giving my best with each job I go to. I'm also learning about the instability of living here. No matter what industry you're in, you're really not promised anything. Even in education, I could get a job this year but next not have one because I would be at the bottom of the totem pole. This is different than anything I've experienced so far and makes me rethink life and what God's asking of me. I know Danny's industry is unstable. Even if you're good at what you do and get called back time and again, there are still going to be periods where you don't work and have to look like everyone else. You are not promised anything out here.

With all this instability I'm praying about teaching. I know it's what I'm called to do but I'm beginning to wonder if I'm supposed to be back in the classroom. I'm enjoying tutoring for the most part and feel like the relationship I have with each of my students is already much better than any of those I've had in the last 2 years teaching a classroom full. It feels like life is supposed to be different here and I'm just trying to figure out if that's true, or what that looks like, or I'm supposed to stay on the same track I was on before.

Going back to Danny, I haven't seen him in a week and a half. I'm thankful for this because he's working and making contacts. I don't love it though and I'm excited to have him home again. He could be back tonight but we're hoping he'll stay on until Oct. 3. He's a Production Assistant (PA - thanks Joffrey:) on a show where they do eliminations. That simply means that as the contestants get eliminated they also send home some of the PA's because they don't need them anymore. So far he's proven himself I guess. He's quickly learning the rules of working long hours and being away from home. When he left I just had to remind myself that this is only the beginning. I'm sure there will be times when he's away for longer periods, especially if he gets to work on a feature at some point. All new things to figure out as they come.

Overall we're doing well. We're paying bills which feels good. We're involved in church and really appreciating the relationships that are growing there. We're enjoying the area that we live in and the proximity of downtown. I'm thankful really. I'm glad we're here and thankful for the challenges we're learning through. More and more I realize how comfortable we were in the past 2.5 years. If was nice and there were times I thought we weren't comfortable, but being here makes me realize how much we had. I'm glad to be learning things again though and walking through life with a firm grasp on the one stability I know, the Father. I'm realizing more and more that without Him, none of this is possible, and He truly is the only stable thing.

checklist

random list running through my head tonight before going to sleep that i feel like keeping track of:

Rochelle is thankful for -
- roommate bonding
- new friends that make life interesting and worth being here for
- stressful and challenging jobs that provide opportunities for constant growth and attitude adjustments
- blessings
- time with Cooper, even when he does his business and I don't have a bag to clean up after him with
- old friends that mean that world to me
- family that loves and supports us from afar
- the ability to pray for family and know that they are taken care of
- the precious love of a God that cares about me. I was so stressed out at work today and went to the bathroom to just be alone for a minute. It was all I needed. I laid it on the line and He gave me the ability to breathe and regain strength. The rest of my shift went well and I ended up selling a few memberships. It felt really good and was such a good reminder to me about my focus and my attitude.
- conversations that challenge me and continually ask me to think about life from someone else's perspective
- church and is excited about getting back there on Sunday to worship with the family. so glad we found a place so quickly and one that we truly enjoy. i've definitely missed the last 2 weeks!
- the ability to sleep in just a little bit tomorrow.

Life is good. I was going to put some other things but the reality is that life moves on from where I am today. It's a constant process and I'm working on enjoying the season and being thankful that we're where we're supposed to be for right now. There's so much learning to be done in so many areas. Growth is good. It's not rarely easy but so necessary. I miss many things about the way life was in the past few years but I'm learning to be thankful for the season I'm in and enjoy the journey and each step I get to take.

suffering

This is not something we want to talk about most of the time but I feel like it's a theme in our life right now, something we're slowly learning through.

2 Timothy 2:10 I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

I found this verse this morning as I was doing some reading about suffering. This pretty much sums it up. There's soooo much more than I want to write about. So many things have changed in the last few weeks. They're for the good. There's a lot of learning going on right now. But time is not on my side. Just know that suffering is good for us. Don't run from it if it comes your way.

A job or two

Here's the details you've all been waiting for. Ha!

We'll start with last week. I went to orientation on Tuesday and Friday to be a tutor for Academic Advantage. I tutored in Florida at one point and it's a very similar program. I am self-contracted, make my own schedule, take as many kids as I feel I can, and get paid decent money. There's a lot of paperwork involved but it's cool. I met some interesting people through orientation which was nice as well. The only "problem" with this program is I only get paid once a month so the first paycheck from them won't come until mid-October. That's a long time to wait.

On Wednesday we were went to small group finally and were blessed with new friends and fresh ideas. A couple of the girls had ideas for me of jobs they knew about. Danny was also able to connect with the guys and get a new idea. He's actually going to be working on that tomorrow; getting his name into an agency that does "extra" work (being an extra on a film or tv set). The pay is decent and it's a decent way for him to actually get on set and hopefully be able to make some connections with the crew.

Thursday I had two interviews; one to tutor and one to babysit. I started tutoring this week, outside of the previous company, with a boy going into 8th grade. He's a cool kid but definitely becoming a teenager and getting a little lazy in his work. His mom is great as well though. I'm actually getting that check this Friday for 3 days of tutoring which is exciting. Money actually coming in! Once school starts, Sept. 9! I think I'll be tutoring him twice weekly and then working the schedule out with the other 4 students I have through the company. It's going to be interesting:)

Then Saturday I interviewed with my friend's boss. The company is Massage Envy and they're just about a mile and a half away which is really nice. Once the weather cools a bit I might just start walking to work. We'll see how it goes:) But she loved me and hired me on the spot. So that's the job I've been at since Monday. I'm a receptionist and so far I've answered a few phones and scheduled a few appointments. It's going to be challenging because they have a membership that they sell in order to make massage affordable to the "average Joe." So I'm going to have to work on being able to sell a product. I did this minimally at Kohl's with the Kohl's Card but this is much more intense. It's a good product and I would do it myself if we had the money. The GREAT part about this job is that I am required to get one massage a month, on the company. I need to know the "product", or therapists, and the only way to do that is by seeing them as a client myself. I'm a little excited about that part:)

Many of you probably were aware of the nanny position that I posted about last time. I really wanted to the job b/c it would have been one of the easiest jobs I had ever done before. The funny part is that when I didn't hear from them, and as each day passed, Danny and I both were given an understanding of why I wasn't supposed to have the job. So when I was finally contact 4 days later than I was told, it wasn't really a big deal. Danny and I both realized that 1) it would keep me from being involved in church b/c of the late hours and 2) it wasn't teaching. Getting involved with a family is not like any other job. You get really attached to a family. I think it's much more difficult to leave a family than to leave any other type of job. I know how difficult leaving CIL was this summer b/c they had become family. There were a lot of them though, whereas working with a family there are very few people involved which means the relationships build faster and can get deeper. So I was sad, but not as sad as I could have been.

So things are getting better. The pay is not amazing at Massage Envy but I do get commission once I start selling. September is going to be a rough month yet but I think once mid-October hits things are going to get better. Unless Danny finds work in September and then finances will get easier faster. That's the still the prayer as he daily applies for work.

There are so many other things we're learning right now that I badly need to write about and get out of my system, but this is already long enough. Stay tuned:) And thanks for ALL your prayers!

The family

Last night was a late one but worth it. I was called back for a second interview from last week's nanny interview. The mom works a lot of hours as an attorney so 9:30pm was the time she had available to meet this week. It was also one of the 3 times available between 3 girls their meeting, and maybe the only time that I would be able to meet all 3 of them. So I went with it. I figured being first has it's advantages and I wanted to make sure I met them all. I'm so glad I made the trip.

They're a wonderful family; laid-back, easy-going, active but not so busy that it's crazy, athletic, involved, communicative, incredibly mannered, and genuine. There were so many things I found in common with them like board games, video games, movie making, dogs, and sports. I felt right at home. There are 2 more interviews today and then they leave for vaca on Saturday so I'll know by then. I'm really hopeful but trusting Him. I know that if I don't get it there's another plan that I haven't quite figured out yet. But ultimately, I'm at rest and peaceful in this time of waiting.

On another note, we returned to the same church on Sunday and had an even better experience than the first time. We chatted with someone we'd met the week before, worship was better, and the teaching really hit home. They're dealing with some things as a church right now with leadership and they're all about putting it out there because that's what the Word tells us to do. It's an awesome process in that they're following the Word strictly even though it's painful. It's not something you get to see a lot of, but seeing it modeled in front of you is pretty incredible. The pastor is going through Romans right now and was in the beginning of chapter six. It was beautiful. Because of the issue at hand he also touched on the process we're supposed to use when there's conflict. A reminder that I needed in my life. Another fun part of the church is that there's a random assortment of TM alumni. It's nice having "family" around.

For the most part, this church has been great in simply the people that we're meeting. The rest of it is great but the people are wonderful and welcoming and inviting. It's exciting to be in a place where we feel at home again and actually have the opportunity to fellowship again. For now, it's home. I'm not sure what would take us from it but we're excited for where we're at right now.

Because of the pastor's series I wanted to reread Romans and catch up with him. The first couple chapters are not for the light-hearted. It's intense about sin and what you're supposed to do with it. Chapter 3 really got me yesterday, almost to the point of tears. Here is the God-man who came to earth. I got the picture of him being our hero. I feel like we have this idea of what a hero is in America but this God-man, He's our true Hero. If someone saves your life how do you repay them? By asking them to do it again and again? By continually living a lifestyle in which they have to keep rescuing you? Does that make them an even greater hero in everyone else's eyes, or even yours? Generally I think that if someone has been rescued from death, they are thankful. They generally take an inventory of their life and maybe even make some changes for the better that they didn't see before. This is the way that I think we need to thank our Hero. And the exact same concept applies to our God. As I was reading I had that fresh thought, realization even, about the fact that I don't have to die this horrible death or go to hell. The fact that my sins have been covered and I'm clean. Does it mean I'm perfect? By no means; I will never claim it. But it also means that I'm going to work on those changes instead of living in a way that I continually need saving. We're born with a sinful nature but that doesn't mean we don't have a choice. All this was so fresh as I read. Who Christ is and what He did for us. I sit in awe and humility, knowing that I don't deserve anywhere close to what He has provided.

Jobs are coming!

It's been a really fun week. Monday I went walking with Lib at the Rose Bowl. I'm a pretty big fan of this place and can't wait till she comes back and I can buy some new roller blades. It's a 3 mile circle basically and a lot of people walk it. There are some low hills (think IN:) to help push it but it's a really nice walk.

Tuesday morning we hiked 6 miles through Griffith Park. It was pretty amazing. The sky was fairly clear. It didn't seem like there was a lot of smog yet so we had a good view of the city. I've heard it looks even better right after a rain. I guess I'll have to wait till the winter or next June for that to happen. We've been here 5 weeks and haven't seen a drop of precipitation. Doesn't bother me one bit. But really... we live in the desert. I still love the coolness of the morning and evening and the low humidity.

After Griffith Danny and I headed out to Santa Monica to chill on the beach for a couple hours. It was nice to be just the two of us hanging out with no worries, just enjoying the sun. We only had to pay $1 for parking for 2 hours which is pretty good for the LA area. Parking here is crazy. We hung out at Sheri and Kristen's place without them for a while. Sad they weren't there but soooo glad they left it open for us. Thanks again ladies! And then off to LAX to pick up Joffrey.

Oh yeah, while we were at the beach I got a call from a tutoring company here who tutor specifically NCLB kids. That's No Child Left Behind students for those of you not in the education field:) They're struggling students and I got asked some questions. But the outcome is that I have 2 days of training in a couple of weeks and then I'll start tutoring 8-25 hours a week. I'm excited about this because it uses my teaching abilities but leaves my hours flexible to be able to add another job in where I can. Tutoring will happen anytime after 4pm and it's decent money. So yes, that is job number 1!

It's been a rough couple weeks, I'm not gonna lie. Trusting God when things seem to be going nowhere and I'm not getting contacted back by anybody really sucks. I've broken down a couple times and Praise God for my husband. He has been absolutely amazing. We realize things could still get worse in certain areas but we're realizing that as long as He's still at the head and He's the one still in control, it's fine. It'll work out. It may not be life as we think it should be, or hoped it would be, but it's His and that's what matters.

Libby left Wednesday and it was sad. I'm soooo glad she's coming back. She's been amazing to have around. She's so full of life and energy all the time:) It's encouraging to say the least.

Today I interviewed with AppleOne. They're an agency that does temporary work or direct-hire work. Basically they help you find work until you get something permament, unless that's not what you're looking for. I found out I type 74 words per minute and I'm in. They lady actually put my resume in for a permanent position just up the road. I would be a receptionist basically, but it's full-time work. I'm not planning on teaching this year. Nobody is hiring. I've thought about subbing but we'll have to see what works out with this agency.

And then there's tomorrow. I finally heard back from a family and have an interview tomorrow morning at 9am. Two teenage boys. I'm excited about it. I have no idea how everything's going to work out but again, it's so great to just be contacted about the potential for work. I'm hoping things work out tomorrow because the boys sound like a lot of fun, active in sports and their school and what-not.

Danny's working on his production company and getting that up and running. He and Joffrey worked on price-sheets today so they're heading in the right direction. Danny has applied to a few things but having only one car and with his back, he's felt fairly limited. We'll see what happens once we figure out what's going on with me. Like I said though, he's been amazing. Whenever I've fallen apart, he's always completely encouraging and has faith that we aren't going to end up on the streets. He pulls and pushes me through so that we can keep living again.

I need to update a newsletter, especially considering we got new phone numbers today! We're still with Verizon but we changed to California numbers.We've heard rumors that if you have an out-of-state number the locals don't like to call you as much. It throws them off apparently. So we need to let people know those. And we just need to let people know what's going on. I'm hoping people read this thing but I know most people probably don't. Pretty sure I talked about updating the newsletter a couple weeks ago; guess that hasn't happened yet. That will be my weekend project. But for now, I'm off. One more thing I need to blog about was going to church on Sunday and the birthday party we went to Sunday night because of that. It was great fun. And now I'm going to a free Madagascar showing with the same people! Good stuff:)