Home Sweet Home

Don't forget to read my prayer request in the post below, but I took these pictures and wanted to get them posted today as well :)

We came to Carlisle and moved into the apartment sight-unseen. We put our trust in Marsha, the wife of the church treasurer. She claimed herself to be a "real estate agent wannabe," and she proved herself wonderfully. We absolutely **love** our new place.

The only thing we have left to do (besides the last room you will see) is to hang up pictures . Then it will really feel like home!

With no further adieu -- Our apartment :) ENJOY!!! And come visit!!!

We actually live in a town that they announce it before you get here!!
And this wasn't even the first sign!

This is our apartment complex. There are three buildings that share our parking lot --
the two you see and another on the right hand side.

Here is a close up of apartments. As you can see, there are 8 apartments in each building.
We LOVE the privacy/shade that those trees give our windows!! (Top left)We're getting closer! Our door is 252, the only one without the cheesy wreath :)Once you open our door, this is your first view. Climb on up!
Room #1: Living Room/Dining Room
We still need to buy another couple of chairs :)Living Room/Dining Room from another angle
We also still need to pick up a tv stand!!!

Room #2: Den/Computer Room
This was supposed to be a dining room, but our desk wouldn't fit anywhere else!!!Room #3: The Kitchen

Our brand new washing machine

Her sister, the brand new dryerRoom #4: Master BedroomRoom #5: The Bathroom
--- the one thing we don't like about the apartment: thick carpet in the bathroom ICK!! ---
Room #6: The Guest Room
Yup... this is where we keep our guests...

So there you have it. That's where we live. And yes. It's always this clean ;) hehehe

Call to prayer

I have a very special set of friends. Amy and Mike mean the world to me. And they need our prayers. Mike has had some pretty serious health conditions in the past, lots of migraines, dizziness, strange stomach pains... for years the doctors have told him they can't find anything and they're not sure what is causing the pains. This past week, it went a step further. Even though he has been feeling very well lately, out of the blue, on Friday night, he went into convulsions and seisures and had to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Again, they're not sure what caused it. He is being sent to a neurologist, but it might be a YEAR before he can get in. And his licence has been taken away until the neurologist has been seen. He lives about 40 minutes from where he works, so this is going to cause some pretty serious work issues..

As if that weren't enough, Amy went back to work with the city of Ottawa on Tuesday, after taking Monday off to stay home with Mike (she didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone quite yet). She got to work only to find out that in 2 weeks she basically doesn't have a job. She's supposed to work 27-30 hours a week, but they've got her scheduled in for 24 this week, 16 next week, 3 weeks of unrequested time off, only to return to 2.5 hours a week after that!!!!! Yes, you read that right. From 27-30 hours a week to TWO AND A HALF hours a week out of the blue!!! That's hardly enough to pay for gas and the taxes they'll take out of it!

So on top of Mike not being able to drive, causing driving issues, Amy is now on a job search (as far as we can figure, 2.5 hours is just a way around firing her for no reason... she has no choice but to quit.) When I left Winchester, she took over the children's ministry position at our church there. She really feels that is where she is meant to be, but with those 15 hours a week, it will be difficult to find a job that will work around that AND her having to drive Mike to work and pick him up every day.

Needless to say, it's a confusing time for them. Pray that God would continue to give them guidance and the peace that can only come from him.

I love them to pieces and you would too if you knew them. If I or they come to mind, PLEASE pray for them. Prayer is powerful.

Thanks

A bit of catch-up

Ok - so it's been a few weeks. And a few weeks in a new place means much can change. Unfortunately, it hasn't, but I'll update you anyway :)

1- We are still LOVING Carlisle. The longer we are here, the more we mean when we say, "We actually live here. We are beginning to have favourites (Restaurant ad: Casa Mani - see below)

2- I have begun my job search. I went to a local employment agency and set up an account in their online job bank. I have sent my resume to a bunch of places through that (Dickinson College, a couple banks, a couple agencies -- mostly for administrative stuff). Also, the treasurer in our church is a very well known business man in the community. He runs and owns the largest privately owned corporation in the area, Tuckey. He has said that he will help in any way he can, by personally getting my resume into the hands of HR people that he knows and recommending me personally to them. I hope to be working in the next couple of weeks.

3- We are expecting soon. Company that is. My maid of honour, Amy, and her husband, Mike, and one of the youth from Winchester, Lyndsea, are supposed to be blessing us with their presence next weekend. I say supposed to be because Mike ended up in the hospital with seisures this past weekend. They're not sure if he should be travelling out of country... Please pray for them. Mike has had some health problems in the past, pretty serious ones, but this is new and they're not sure where it is coming from.

4- Shortly after Mike, Amy, and Lyndsea head home, Laurel, Jer's mom drops in on the scene. It will be so great to have some family to show off our little town to. There are some places we are sure she will enjoy as much as we have and look forward to making her want to move to PA someday :)

5- Speaking of moving to PA, Anthony and Elizabeth (my brother and sister in law) are still planning on moving up here next summer from Arizona. We are anxiously awaiting new plans in the works and are already looking into finding a home where they will be able to move in with us for awhile. Pray for them as they have lots to get in the right before making it possible.

6- This afternoon, I am planning on spending the afternoon at Casa Mani, our favourite local cafe. It is owned and run by a couple from our church. The atmosphere there is cozy and warm and welcoming. I'm not sure how else to describe it. The couple there is funny. They won't let us pay for anything (and when they do, they will *never* let us pay full price for anything). We try to pay for as much as we can so they will never think we are taking advantage of them, but there is little they will accept. Jeremiah said that to them once. They said "we will tell you if you are taking advantage of us." Naomi, the wife, is from Japan, and they are currently decorating to open a Japanese noodle shop next door to the current shop. Robert, the husband, told Jeremiah the last time he was in: "When the noodle shop is open, you will come here and sit at the noodle bar. And if Sarah ever feels like not cooking, you can come here for noodles. And... you don't have to pay! And you can't *not come* because you don't have to pay!" Imagine that in a very strong Asian accent -- (Naomi is Japanese. Robert is from another Asian background, but I can't for the life of me ever remember what it is). They have 5 children, Andre, Chane, Natasha, Liam, and Mani.

7- Life is good and this is enough of an update for now. I have actually already been out to Casa Mani's and just came back and realized I forgot to post this. Consider it posted.

10 months in and still learning...

I learned today that my husband has never been to a county/country fair! Growing up around these things all summer long, I guess I have taken them for granted. Every little town in Ontario has its own fair for a week or a weekend throughout the summer months. So tonight, a man from the church and his starting-college-in-the-fall age son took us to a fair a town or so over.

Jer got to experience the "excitement" of hearing kids scream on the rides while we listened to the groans and squeaks of the machinery from the safety of the solid ground. Something about putting the rides up and down in an hour makes me wonder if I really want to go and hang upside down by them!

He experienced the food and all its grandeur. I had to laugh because the guys we went with "go for the food." Ugh. I'm sure their hearts love them for it too!!!!

So now he can join in with the majority of Americans and say that he too has been to a country fair.

Have you been? Any interesting stories to share???

And I quote....

The newspaper here in Carlisle put in a really nice article announcing Carlisle Wesleyan's new pastor. It was really kind of them.

Here it is (how many errors can YOU spot??? - and yes, this is all straight from the newspaper clipping!)

CARLISLE WESLEYAN CHURCH WELCOMES PASTOR
Carlisle Wesleyan Church eagerly anticipaes the arrival of the Rev. Jeremiah Gomex. Jeremiah and his wife, Sarah, will move to Carlisl on Juy 18 and the pastor officially begins ministry in Carlisle on Sunday July 22.
Denver Tuckey, vice chariman of the board at the church said, "We have been waiting all summer for the exciting day when Pastor and Mrs. Gomex arrive in Carlisle and are pleased to welcome them to the Carlisle community."
Gomex is a graduate of Bethany Bible College, Sussex, New Brunswich, Canada. He has led numerous community outreach ministries.
Important goals set by pastor Jermiah for his new ministry include becomin genuinely acquainted with his congregation and being an active member of the Carlisle community. That enthusiasm led Tuckey to say, "We not only look foarward to Pastor Jeremiah's ministry to our church but also to the ways in which he and Sarah can be an asset in our local community.
Carlisle Wesleyan Church is at 1534 Terrace Ave.


Hehe - did you count them??? I count 13 (1 error 3 times)

Perhaps when I go looking for a job, I should start at the newspaper office.. Maybe they're looking for an editor??? Haha

(They did put in another much better article the following week. Perhaps they realized their errors..)

We're here!!

We're here! It has officially been an entire week that we have called Carlisle, PA home. And we love it. The town is awesome. A couple afternoons, we have just driven around trying to find stuff. It's neat cause there is stuff to find! Haha - we ate at Applebee's on Wednesday(just around the corner from our apartment basically). While we were there, Jer stopped eating, looked at me, and said "We live in a place with an Applebees." I laughed. We do :)

We haven't got internet at our house. Took us awhile to decide for sure we wanted it... We decided to go with a cell phone instead of a landline, so if we wanted internet at the house, it had to be cable. As great as the town is, there is only one cable provider... and therefore, it is very expensive (stupid... if I knew how, I would start another cable service for people who think it's dumb to pay $59.95 a month for internet!! But we got it. They'll be there Friday.

And we bought a washer and dryer. Good thing. We are out of clothes!!! Good timing too (stop reading this paragraph if you don't want to read about undies) -- they deliver tomorrow and there is only 1 pair of undies and one pair of boxers left in the dressers!!!

Jer is working late tonight. You can read his blog to read about his new church hours idea. I like him. He is neat.

As soon as (or shortly after) we get internet at home, I'll put up some pictures of our apartment and maybe a bit of town. Maybe you'll care, maybe you won't. But my mom will want to see them :)

Until later!

Canada Day

Yesterday was the last Sunday for Jer and I at in Monticello. It was a bittersweet kind of day. While we know full well that it is time to go by all the reassurances that God has given us, it is hard to say goodbye to people who have filled your heart over the last few months (or years, in Jer's case).

After the service, we had a lunch so everyone had a good chance to talk to us and say goodbye.

Sunday was also Canada Day. And the Sunday before July 4th. Mary made a yummy July 4th dessert. My ignorant (yet joking) Canadian question was "What is the blue stuff doing in the Canada Day dessert???" Hey! Give a girl a break! Permanent resident or not, a girls gotta be loyal!!