Grammy and Papa's visit

We had such a nice visit with Grammy and Papa L. this past Memorial Day weekend. We definitely had a more secure and peaceful feeling when they left, knowing we will most likely be living back in Fort Collins in just a month. These first pictures were taken up at a french restaurant here in Salt Lake with some beautiful gardens and vinyards. The restaurant is much to expensive for us, but the garden provided an afternoon of entertainment and good pictures.
Emma zonked out on Papa's shoulder on the way home, so we decided to take a detour to get some sonic shakes, yum! I blammed it on a pregnacy craving. She really took to Papa this visit, they had lots of fun together playing outside and jumping around on Papa's mattress on the floor. She LOVES to give kisses to those she loves, so she had plenty to plant on Grammy and Papa.

Their last day here, we went to the zoo, Emma was just facinated with all the animals. She especially loved the monkeys and the giraffs. We also took a fun little train ride with Papa when we first arrived, Emma was on cloud nine! It was a wonderful time, and it's just so fun to watch Emma developing stronger relationships with her grandparents as she gets older. On a different note, we finally got an offer from HP, and as it stands, we are pretty sure we will take it. After looking at a salary wizard online, the offer is competitive for the area and what Travis does.
They will also give us a relocation package, meaning they will pay for our moving expenses. He signs the papers tomorrow and then sends them back. We've been talking about it all evening and will be praying about it some more tonight, but we just can't see not taking it at this point, it seems like such an answer to prayer. Thank you all for your encouragement and prayer along the way. We will continue to need it as we prepare to move the first of July. We will need to find a home to rent in Fort Collins, decide whether to rent out or sell the townhome we just bought here, and get all set up with insurance and a doctor before Chloe is born. It will be a busy summer for us, that's for sure, but we're relying on the Lord to carry and direct us through it, just as He has always done. This will be a bittersweet move for us. Our three years here in Salt Lake have been some of the best years of our lives. We have grown and been challenged in ways we never would have been had we not come here. It is so evident to us that God had a plan for us here and we are very sad to be saying good-bye to this chapter in our lives. The friends we have made here have become our family and we will miss you all more than you can ever know. But as you always reminded us when we were missing our families, CO is only six hours away, and we plan to return to this place that has taken up permanent residence in our hearts often! Our home will also ALWAYS be open to you as well, so please come and see us! I'll keep you posted as this next month unfolds.
All our love,
Sarah and Travis

We have news!

Much to our surprise, we FINALLY heard from manager Shashi around noon today. He called our cell phone, which I had at home with me, and started asking me questions like, "when is your baby due?" and "are you renting or do you own a home?" He then told me he needed to talk to Travis one more time, so I called Travis at work and he was able to borrow a collegues cell phone and call Shashi back. They told him they will be offering him the job! They will send him the official offer next week, so at that time we will look at the numbers and the offer and make our decision. Our hearts are both wanting to take the job, but the money needs to be right to make up for what we would have to pay L-3 back for tuition and we need to recieve peace from the Lord that it is the right decision. I'm just so relieved to have the offer so that there is an actual decision to make, praise the Lord. I got on my knees right after hearing the news and thanked the Lord, both for giving us definite word and for providing this opportunity. If, and hopefully when, Travis accepts this offer, we will have a crazy month ahead of us as we make some big decisions about selling or renting out our townhome, and then buying or renting in Fort Collins. And this all on top of finding a new doctor and getting set up on new insurance before baby Chloe arrives. The Lord has taken us this far and we trust He will carry and guide us the rest of the way too. All I can say is, God is good! I am so humbled by this blessing and so very thankful! And thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for walking with us through this long journey of waiting and hoping and wondering. I just don't know what we'd do without your love, prayers and support! I'll give you our definite decision as soon as we recieve the offer next week. Happy Memorial Day weekend to all of you! Grammy and Papa L. will be joining us tonight for a four day visit, we can't wait!
Love, Sarah

Patience

Just when I'm feeling growth and victory in one fruit of the spirit, I'm reminded of my continued lack in another. I guess it's the Lord's way of reminding us that we never cease to need Him. Today was supposed to be the day we found out our answer about Travis's interviews, but as of 6:30pm, we only have news that our wait is going to continue into next week. We're not quite sure what to make of what the manager told Travis tonight, but we're trying not to read into it too much. He told Travis that he is still very much in the running and not to worry. He said that he will call Travis first part of next week. Just when we thought our wait was over, the waiting continues. I think patience will be a life lesson for me, waiting is just so hard! I know this wait has been grueling for many of you as well and I just want to say, thank you for your encouragement and friendship during this time, we don't know what we'd do without you. I won't make another post until we have our answer, which will hopefully be by this coming Wednesday night. We would appreciate your prayers as we continue to wait though.
Love, Sarah

Peace

I've found it! No, not some long lost expensive peice of jewelry, but something far more valuable. I've found peace again! It's funny how easily we lose it, only to find it again, right where we left it, in the arms of our Savior. It's been about a month now since we started this journey, waiting to see if these opportunities at HP in Fort Collins might be God's calling us back to CO. And as I sit on what should be the brink of finding out what the answer is, I have finally come to a place of truely accepting and embracing whatever God has for us. I've done so much praying, specifically these past two weeks, and God is answering my prayer. Of course in the beginning, I was praying hard that this would be our ticket to live closer to family, and while God still knows our desire to be back in CO sooner than later, the Holy Spirit has moved my heart to pray for something far more important, for peace, joy, and true contentment in whichever way the Lord works in our lives. Today as I was driving to Walmart to do some shopping, everything finally came together in my heart and mind. I realized that I would never want anything other than GOD'S best for me. And if that so happens to be what my heart desires at this point, great, but if not, I fully trust Him to reveal His good and perfect purposes for us here. As I've thought about the "what if's" of staying here, vs. moving to CO, I realized that I have a lot of unsurrendered fears. I have fears that my children won't have the opportunity to be as close to their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins if we stay here, fears that I won't be able to cope with two young children without the help of my mom's and sister, fears that my kids will enter a school system where they are the minority in faith, and the list goes on. But then I asked myself, where are these fears coming from? Don't I believe that God is with me where ever I am and that He will provide for ALL of my needs, and my families needs, just as He always has and as He promises in His Word? I realized that only the enemy of my soul would have me fear these things and I cannot give Him victory! So please continue to pray with me, that we will be able to fully embrace what the Lord has next for us in our lives, without fear, but rather with confidence that "if God is for us, who can be against us!" Amen. I will keep you posted once we have an answer.

Love, Sarah

Our Little Ham!

Pucker up! Yes, our little peanut LOVES to give kisses, especially to other little kids. We feel we may be in for trouble when the teen years hit if this continues. Travis is already trying to figure out what his weapon of threat and intimidation will be. And now with another little girl on the way, his pappa bear intinct has only grown. I must say my momma bear instinct is just as refined, Lord help the boy who treats my daughters anything but honorable! We had a great mother's day weekend. Emma wrote me a sweet card, complete with scribbles and a little help from Daddy writing her name. Travis's portion of the card was so wonderful, I live for cards like this! We went to church, then to Mimi's Cafe for a late breakfast, it was a very special, relaxing day.

Ahhh, this smile is the most beautiful site I see every day. It beats the most glorious sunset and tops the most exotic flower. I'm just so amazed every time I look at her what a beautiful gift my little Emma Grace is from above. She may be entering some terrible twos, but it's astounding how a parents unconditional love superceeds all that. One minute, I'm ready to scream in frustration and the next, I'm cuddling and kissing that same source of frustration. Motherhood is such rollarcoaster sometimes, but it reminds me of how the Lord must feel for us. One minute, he's so saddened and frustrated by the choices we are making, and the next, he is catching us in His vast arms of forgiveness, Grace, and comfort, moving us through to His best for us.

Just a little reflection on how much my baby has grown over the past two years. Oh how I cherish the days when I held her as such a small bundle in my arms. I'm already saying they grow up too fast and she's not even two yet! Thanks for your continued prayers for patience for us this week as we await the final word on Travis's interviews. We've recieved great peace about it since last week and feel that with the Lord's help, we are truely ready to recieve whatever the answer is, trusting in His best for us.
Sarah

Update

Okay, so Travis finally got the call tonight from the manager of the group he's hoping to join and we now have... NEUTRAL news! He told Travis that they have one more candidate to look at and then they will let him know next week. AHHH!!!! more waiting! But se la vi. At least we still have hope. I'm really going to have to be creative this next week to keep my mind busy, so will Travis. Thanks again for praying, as I've said before, I'll keep you posted.
Love, Sarah

Still Waiting...

Well, still no phone call about whether or not Travis got the job he's hoping for. I'd be lying if I said this wait isn't killing us, but what can we do. Travis really thought they would call last night, but now he's second guessing what the manager said on the phone Tuesday night. He thinks he may have said, "I'll call you in the next couple nights" instead of "I'll call you tomorrow night". He was so busy trying to say the right things, confirming that the manager recieved his transcripts over email, that he wasn't paying great attention to what the manager was saying. I get a little more doubtful with each passing day, but at this point, I'd much rather hear the news we don't want to hear than not know anything. I'm fully trusting that the Lord will carry us through and give us joy in whatever the news is. It's just this waiting, hoping, and wondering that feels so aimless. Please continue to pray for us as we wait for yet another day. I promise, I will let you all know just as soon as we have our answer. Thanks for letting me share this stressful time in our lives with you all. Sharing the burden with those who love us really seems to help.
Sarah