When one door closes...

So I checked the emails the other day, without expectations for something great. As I read and clicked, deleted and laughed, I had to stop, re-read and re-read again. My adviser at UC had written, which was much unexpected since I've had to postpone starting on my MA in German to meet residency requirements. So when I read "I have some very good news..." my heartrate quickened. He went on to explain their offer, someone made ME an offer!! In exchange for teaching an undergrad German course and working full-time on my MA, they will pay for my schooling and give me a stipend. My jaw dropped and the tears they were a flowin'. I called my mom to make sure I had understood it right. I had and Brett and I cannot believe this provision.

To say we have been worried about where things should go after this semester, would be a gross understatement. I mean, we have hopes and dreams, made plans and backups, but THIS was not on our radar! God knew what he was going to provide and when. Why His timing is such, I'm satisfied not to know. I'm just thankful He lets me tag along for the ride.

Breaking News in the Seybold household

Cameraless

After a Cameraless February, now begins a Camerafull March!!



Princess with princesses. Cannot believe this is my baby girl!

Neighbor, classmate and friend, Emma.

This is truly a 5 pound (2,5 kilos) tube of ground beef. Random, I know, but just more proof that EVERYTHING really is bigger in America.

Opening the package from the Pauls, it was long awaited and, apparently, Fiona's present even more so than her own.

Not impressed

Wacky Wednesday, celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday. They were supposed to be as mismatched as possible.

Roller skating!! If you haven't been in a while, you should totally go with your kids! A trip back to the 80s never hurt anyone!

They even blew up the bounce house for us.

Noelle, Ellie Bell, Seybold turns one!!

A big thanks to Taylor Caddell for the birthday garb, a tick too big, but whatever, I still rocked it.

Searching for the birthday gifts due to the wrapping paper deficit.

Figuring things out with big sis.

Our new favorite game.

Totally looking forward to that cupcake.

"I cannot believe mom is letting me get this messy."

This will be shown at your sixteenth birthday party.

Not wanting to get left behind.

That's about all a one-year-old can take.

so you may have been waiting...

It has been a while, a long while. Living without something you have grown accustom to isn't easy. It is annoying and brings the feeling of complete unsettled-ness. That is the way we feel about leaving our lives in Germany and getting started here. We had a life, it made sense and we knew how it worked. Getting settled, even in what might be "home" has been a long haul. Slowly things are falling into place and turning into a routine.
None of it, though, would have been possible without friends and family taking care of us in more ways than we can count. It is humbling to be on the recieving end of such grace and hospitality.
So here are some long awaited pictures, begging to be commented on...

Saying goodbye to the Johnsens

and the Kmietschs

and Thorsten, Nina and Titan

the Pauls

Sven

and the Roehrekasses

tons of snow follows us EVERYWHERE we go--this is Indiana

how many college students does it take to put our first new bed together?

Up in Pennsylvania with Opa

Christmas with my whole family, a tradition not repeated since 2003

and our little ski trip to celebrate a great 10 years of marriage.

How blissful is your ignorance?

So our friend, Daniel, wanted to buy our car. He took it to his mechanic friend to see how much needs to be fixed on it before he buys it. Well, we figured it would probably be a lot since we were admittedly bad at the upkeep of this car. What we weren't expecting, is to hear that it is late on passing inspection. This is a serious offense that entails a heafty fine, some points on your driving record and possibly having the car towed away. We were obviously oblivious to this fact, having read the expiration date wrong. We also found out that our tires were mixed (every car has winter and summer tires), also illegal with a large fine. Knowing all this could have been very expensive, as we would have had to pay for all the other repairs (brakes, power steering, shock absorber, new tires) that amounted to 2,500 (without labor) in order to get it through inspection. Or live without a car for the last 5 months. Just thinking about all that could have happened, and didn't, still blows our minds--we drove all the way down to Bavaria!

Then we tried to get rid of the car as quickly as possible. Called here, there and everywhere and found someone who would take it, despite all its issues. He is a very nice Muslim man. Trouble is, we sent the title on the ship with the rest of our stuff. So Brett goes with him to get a replacement title, and on the way back "God" comes up. A somewhat nervous, yet excited, Brett decided to just listen, throwing a poignant question or two in.

Car is gone, got enough money for it, and we discover the owner's manual on the desk. No big deal, but an opportunity. Look in to getting an Arabic NT through Mission for SE Europe (http://www.msoe.org/), which came in the mail the very next day. I'll send it off today, along with a prayer.

All this has got me thinking about ramifications--what if we'd have gotten caught? Will he open it? What if we had sold it to someone else? What if we had been worried about getting as much for the car as possible? We had a missionary at church say, your faith in God doesn't have to be huge, but the God of your faith is. He has a plan and he works everything out according to it (Eph 1:11).


What a relief! I will take my ignorance and live a blissful life.