What has been on my mind lately

It's crazy to even be thinking about this now, but I just can't help myself. I wonder IF Chris is going to be able to find a preaching job (hopefully up north) and if so, WHERE we will be. He still has another year of school but I just can't stop thinking about it. I know it's harder to go up north. There just aren't as many opportunities. But that's where we really want to go. It has been on my mind for a couple of reasons.

First, Chris needs a new car. Well, a new used car, not a new new car. We are really iffy on getting one though. We can pay for it right now, but both of us are a little weary on what happens next year if he hasn't found a job and he no longer has support. That's not an extra payment that we would need on our minds.

Secondly because I recently sent an e-mail to a church that we have been in contact with over the last 2 years just to let them know about our new addition and to update on how Chris is doing. They have been looking for a preacher for the last 2 years but haven't been able to find someone. At the end of his reply email he said he would love to hear one of Chris's sermons. So that got me wondering if he wanted to hear just to see how much he has improved (he heard one of his sermons before he started school), of if he wanted to hear because he may possibly consider Chris for the job, even though he still has another year of school left. I figure they have already waited 2 years, what's another year. I really hate that I'm thinking about it too because I do this to myself all the time and just end up disappointed. We would love to go up to this area, and Chris has had some great discussions and phone calls with this elder. We have never physically been to this church, but he knows what they believe in.

So why can't I stop thinking about all of this??? It's driving me absolutely insane. While I thought about it here and there, I wasn't quite so bad until this last e-mail. Now, I can't stop thinking about the what if's. As hard as I try, I have a hard time being patient!

I wonder if it's also on my mind because I've been thinking more lately on starting to get ready for our 1 month stay up in Minnesota this summer (and a detour to South Dakota to visit another congregation) while Chris works with a congregation. Packing for a month for a family of five is such a daunting task. I run through different lists in my head and it just feels like we are going to have to pack up just about the whole house. Moreso on the kiddos stuff and I don't exactly have a whole big wardrobe to choose from. I mean, I'm going to have to pack things like Eli's bathtub and the girls' seat that goes on the toilet. Then comes the matter on when to get started. Most of this stuff isn't going to be able to be packed up until the day before. So do I just wait and pack everything the day before we leave??? That would be quite the task but I don't know how else to do it. And to think, I still have 2 more months to drive myself crazy over this trip!

So these two issue have been taking up some serious room in the brain. Hopefully it's just a phase and I won't be thinking about it so much.

And, more photos. Here is some playtime fun on a rainy day.