Hi :)!

A few new things to report on Jim and his job situation and lots of ways that God has been providing...

The city that he is currently laid off from recently decided how they are going to put the levy on the ballot for August (it has been up in the air for a while) and it looks like there's a good chance of it passing as it's a smaller tax increase for the residents then they initially were talking about it being. If it does pass, the city said that they will call back three officers, one of which will be Jim :). So, our biggest prayer right now is that the levy will pass and Jim will be back hopefully sometime in August. As hard as this all has been for him, his desire is to be back where he's been for the past eight years and to continue on there for many more years. It's hard to imagine him anywhere else at this point and we are optimistic that he will be back there soon. If God completely closes that door, then we will go from there, but we have a reserved excitement as it is looking hopeful.

(A little side note here...) I thought of something today on my way home from getting Jacob from school and I wanted to share it with you all. In the past, whenever I see a Police Officer on the road I always pray for God to protect that officer and to protect my husband Jim while he's on the road. Well since he's been laid off, every time I see a Police Officer while I'm out and about, I pray for Jim to get his job back along with the other laid off officers. Would you do the same? Every time you see a police officer, would you please pray for the levy to pass and for these guys to get their jobs back? Thanks so much! I thought this was a good way to flood Heaven with our request and an easy way to remember :)!!

(Back to life here...) The last couple weeks, Jim has been working for a large exterminating company in the area. He knows the owner and she has been giving him as much work as she has available. He has done everything from spraying roller coasters at a large amusement park to killing bed bugs in icky hotels and homes... yuck!! He doesn't mind it though and is just thankful to be working. It's just in him (and most guys :) to work hard and to provide. Jim would go crazy if he was just sitting home day after day so it has been good for him to be working and staying busy.

God has been providing for us in so many ways! The blessings have literally been pouring in and I want to shout from the mountaintops how good God is to us! As I mentioned before, our health insurance is covered in full while Jim is laid off. We have been overwhelmed once again by the way that people have given so generously to us! We have received so many gifts to lighten our load right now and we are so humbled! Last week I was having a down day and feeling discouraged and I came home to a note and unbelievable gift from friends of ours. Not only has God been providing for our every need, but He is lavishing us with blessings! And then when I wrote (and re-wrote, and re-wrote) a thank you note 20 times (because I felt like I couldn't say thank you enough for their gift), they wrote back thanking us for the perspective that we've given them through sharing our story. We are in awe of these blessings and it truly is something that we will remember for the rest of our lives. God is so good and I have never felt more taken care of in my whole life as I have over these past couple weeks. Kind of crazy how that works isn't it?! We have been most blessed by going through some of our hardest times. So thank you all for praying for us, caring about us, blessing us and loving on us through this time!

Whatever it is you are going through, I encourage you to completely trust Him. There are times like this when we see only a piece of the puzzle. We look at that piece and have no idea what it is. It looks confusing and it's hard to make sense of it. But when all the pieces are put together, we find out that it was a part of a beautiful picture. Whatever that "piece" that you're in right now, I encourage you to trust Him as He sees the beautiful picture that will be complete soon :). I love this verse below! Be confident in that today!

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers,they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

Isaiah 43:2

And a few new pics to give you all something to look at :)...

Jacob in his Spring Program :). Only 8 more days left of Kindergarten! We're so very proud of our Jacob and so very excited for summer break :)!!

Abbey playing outside today :)

Micah being silly!

Caleb getting big way too fast! Almost 7 months already!!