Four Pictures

Caleb

Ethan

Caleb chilling out before bed time

Ethan practicing floating on his back in the bath tub

Scott's First Day

Just wanted to quickly update you on Scott's first day at his new job . . . he said things went well, and he thinks he's going to like it there a lot! Thanks for all your prayers for him over the past several weeks.

He also had his second interview at the education job after he worked the day at his new job. He thought the interview went well too, so now we just wait for answers. The University said they will probably make a final decision in 2 - 3 weeks from now. So, this is good, as he will have time to get into the swing of things at the new job, and should the University job be offered as an option, he would have a better basis for making the final decision.

We are really praying for God's will to be done in the whole situation. We both feel there is a reason he has been offered the job he already has started, and think it is a good fit in many ways. So, please continue to pray that God's plan for Scott's job be revealed to us clearly over the next couple weeks.

We'll let you know when/if we hear anything more!

The Story Is Not Over

I bet you thought you would get a break from our job updates . . . I guess God had something different in mind still!!! He never ceases to amaze us. Today Scott was called from the education job to continue to the second stage of the interview process! We thought it had been a closed door, but I guess it is still just unanswered at this time. This job is comparable in salary, location, and benefits to the job he already accepted and is due to start on Monday, but it does have the benefit that we had been hoping for that would allow him to go back to school for free while working there. So, we are definitely still open to this option, should it progress further! Thankfully, since Scott will already be working up in Charlotte on his first day at his new job, he will be close to the place for this job interview. They were okay with setting up the interview for Monday evening after work hours. So . . . we will see what happens! Please pray that God's will be done. We are a little overwhelmed that now we have two opportunities before us again, but we are so, so thankful!!! We know that our first choice, because of the schooling option, would still be for Scott to get the education job. But if not, we know that God's ultimate plan will be revealed in time, and we'll be okay either way. It is such a blessing that he already has a good job that he'll be working starting Monday. I just thought I would share this updated news with all of our faithful prayer warriors who have been praying us through this time while Scott was unemployed. Please keep praying, as the story is apparently not over yet for this journey in our lives!! :-) Thank you again so much for your prayers, friendship, and love in our lives. We hope that in some small way, our journey has helped others grow in their faith and trust in the Lord, as it has for us during this time.

Ephesians 3:19-21

¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Praise Report

I am just getting a chance to report the good news . . . today (Tuesday), Scott was offered the job he went to interview at on Monday morning. We are still in shock at how quickly everything has worked out. This was the opportunity that he was just contacted about this past Friday. We are so excited that this company agreed to meet the salary requirements needed for our budget so that he will only have to work ONE job instead of two, as well as make it feasible for him to commute to Charlotte each day. Benefits start sooner than the previous job he had been offered, and he will be working a week day, day time schedule. God has definitely answered our specific prayers, and we give all the honor and praise to Him! We still never heard back from the job where he could work and continue his education, so we are taking no answer as a closed door at this time. Thank you again to all of you who have read our updates weekly, and prayed for us. We really, really appreciate it and have felt the love and support from all.

Easter 2009

We had a nice Easter, attending church in the morning, then back to our house for lunch with Scott's parents, then an Easter egg hunt in our backyard for the boys, then naps! :-)

Trying to get a family Easter picture

Mama and Papa Brisken with Ethan

Ethan hunting for eggs

Caleb showing me his truck he got in his Easter basket

Ethan showing me his Easter basket and his "stand on one leg" trick while smiling

Caleb sliding down the slide with Easter egg and truck in hand

Fun at the Park

Ethan, Caleb, and I had a chance to go to the big park (aka the one not in our backyard) two times this weekend. We went Saturday night to give Daddy a little more time at home to work on a project uninterrupted, and we went tonight since Daddy was gone working at Papa John's. Each night we went about 7 pm, so it was fairly empty and the boys loved having the park mostly to themselves! I even let them each bring a Star Wars toy on the slide, which I usually don't do when the park is crowded. I loved watching them run out their energy and wear themselves out before bedtime! Ethan and Caleb have really been playing well together lately too, which is nice that they have each other as playmates. Here are some pictures from our Saturday night park visit.

Easter Cookies

Ethan and Caleb enjoyed decorating Easter cookies with Mama Bailey tonight.
Here are some of their creations. Happy Easter weekend!

Pictures??

You may have been wondering where the pictures have been lately on my blog . . . well, as you know things have been busy, but we have managed to snap a few pictures lately.

Brothers working hard on the computer

But still having a little bit of fun

I'll take a picture for your blog, Mommy, as long as my truck is in it too!

OK, here's my smile for your picture, happy now Mommy?

I guess we'll sit close together for a picture, but my eyes will be closed (Ethan), and I won't look or smile at the camera (Caleb)

Enough pictures now, Mommy!

Yep, we're definitely done now. No more for now!

Hope

I hadn't gotten a change to update everyone again until now, but I wanted to share the good news with all of you . . . Scott was offered a position on Friday with one of the companies he interviewed at last week. We are very thankful that he has been given this option, and we don't take this answered prayer lightly. However, we are writing once again to ask for continued prayer. After finding out more of the details of this position, we found out that the starting salary is $10,000 less than he was making previously, with probably a 2 year time period to work up to his former salary. This is quite a significant difference, as even with his salary previously, it had been a struggle to meet our basic budget, and he had worked a second job even then to make ends meet. Also, benefits are not offered until after 6 months, and there is a high possibility he would have a second shift schedule (3 - midnight). So, while we are thankful that a job has been offered, it is not the solution we had been hoping for. But we know that if this is where God ultimately wants Scott to be, He will work out all of these details.

We are still asking for continued prayer that he may get a call back this week to continue in the interviewing process with the second company he interviewed with last week. I had gone into some detail previously about the possibility of working somewhere where he could finish his education, and this company he is waiting to hear back from is that place. Also, the starting salary for this position is what he was making before, and benefits are offered upfront without a long waiting period, and it would be a normal day schedule, allowing for more family time, and without the need for a second job to meet our budget. We are still hopeful that he may be given the opportunity for this job, as this really is our number one choice.

Please continue to pray that God's will be done. Even though this second job is the one we would prefer, we are not strangers to being in circumstances that might not be our first choice, and we will accept that, if it is God's will, hard as it may be. We know that even to be offered a job in this economy, after only being out of work for 1 month is such a blessing in itself, and we are giving all the praise to God! And we wholeheartedly thank each and every one of you who have lifted us up in prayer during this time. We know we wouldn't have felt the peace we have felt without everyone praying for us.

We received a special anonymous gift in the mail this week, with a sweet card, a gift card, and reminders of God's presence from scripture. We are extremely thankful to whomever sent this gift, and I wanted to share some of the scripture reminders that were shared with us in this note to close. I hope that these will encourage each of you as you start your weeks, just as they have encouraged us.

"Be still and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." - Hebrews 13:5

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble." - Psalm 46:1

"Come near to God and he will come near to you." - James 4:8

"For the Lord you God is a merciful God; He will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers." - Deuteronomy 4:31

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:20

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." - Deuteronomy 33:27

"For the sake of His great Name the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you His own." - 1 Samuel 12:22

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10

Pictures from Race

Here is the link for pictures of my friend and I during the race . . . you can see how wet the weather was!

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=46213&BIB=2214&S=230&PWD=