Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year, everybody!!!! I, for one, am very glad to see 2008 end. This has been a very rough year for us. I'm hopeful that 2009 will be a better year.
Darren and Dane spent new year's eve with Reagan and Perry Titus, they were invited to a U of M basketball game. Even though, they are not the greatest Michigan fans (thanks to their father) I think they both had a really nice time. It was a neat opportunity for them. Thanks, Perry, for inviting them. We then met tonight at DJ's in Pittsford and ate with Perry and Cynthia and all the kids. It was nice to be with friends and laugh together. Ralph was asleep by 10:30 or so, but the kids and I watched the ball drop in Times Square. I always enjoy seeing that.
Please continue to pray for us as we make decisions about jobs, etc. It's confusing whether we made the right choice in staying in Michigan when Ralph was offered several jobs in the south and nothing seems to be working out for him here. I just want to be where God wants us.
Well, enough of that.
Have a very Happy New Year's Day!!!!!!!

Ralph's Kennel!

Ralph's kennel-smashed!!


We had really high winds Saturday and Sunday. We woke up Sunday morning with Ralph's kennels smashed in the back yard. Wow!!! Looks like a pretty big limb is down behind it as well!

Our Christmas at Home!!!

Darren's "perfect" shirt.
Bob with his toy hotdog.

Dane's new leather jacket and ipod touch!!

Darren with some of his goodies!


I really feel like Christmas wasn't so great this year, I guess, just because I have so many worries right now. It was nice having Mom and Dad here, although I wish Chris, Ron and Cass could of been here too. We also had a nice visit with Les, Marsha, Michael and Ruthann. It was great remembering old times and laughing together. I'm not sure why some of us don't get together more often. I think we get too busy with working etc and forget what is really important in life.

Christmas with Mom and Dad!!!!

Darren's new hat with tags still on. What a goof!!
Dad, Ralph and Jess- just lazing around!!!

Some of the clan!!!

Mom's new purse!!!

We went to Boof's tonight for Christmas with Mom and Dad. Jess made lasagna, Boof made chocolate and pumpkin pies. Mom brought caramel pie(my favorite). Ralph and Easton were quite hyper. Ralph's always causing a ruckus around him. I guess that's why the kids love him!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Just wanted to write and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!! I hope you all have a wonderful day!!!

Just thought I would ramble on for a little while. As most of you know, my husband has been without a job for over a year now. This has been a HUGE stressor in our lives, obviously, not only financially but emotionally as well. He has applied for a ton of jobs, went to truck driving school and still nothing has materialized. I just wanted to ask everyone who reads this, to please pray for us, that something might happen soon. I know my husband needs to have a job so he can feel better about himself. I think he is very tired of feeling like "Mr. Mom". Not only that, I would really like to be able to be more of a mom to my kids. With the shift I work, I am constantly tired or in bed. I work 12 hour shifts and have a 45 minute drive each way to work, so that does not leave much time for anything but sleep. Also, my schedule is so irregular, for six weeks I don't work the same days of the week. This makes it almost impossible for me to adjust back and forth on my days off. I just would like to maybe work part-time during the time my boys are at school and I can't do that until my husband has a job. Please, would you pray about this with me, my faith is not very strong, right now. Not only that, I have been having some issues with my heart and have to have some tests done next week. I am scared. Also, this adds to my stress as I need my job with health insurance to pay for these tests. I strongly feel, I need to be home (and when I am home, more awake) for my boys.
I'm sorry for the sob story, my husband probably won't be happy I have shared some of our problems on here, but I wanted to ask for your help in praying. Sometimes I think I can't take much more, but I know it could be a whole lot worse than this. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful that at least I do have a job and we do have some money coming in and I'm thankful for a healthy family, food to eat, a roof over my head and I could go on and on. I'm just so discouraged, so please remember us in your prayers. I want God's will in our lives. I just have a problem with trying to fix things myself and then worrying when I can't fix them.

A Very Naughty Dog!!!

The naughty pooch!!! Does he look sorry??
My shoe and tree skirt!!

I only wore these once!!!

I just bought this tree skirt!!!!

He's gettin' nuttin' for Christmas, cuz he ain't been nuttin' but bad!!!!!! We went shopping tonight and came home to this. He chewed up my new shoes and my new Christmas tree skirt!!! Ugh!! What an ornery dog!!! And to think, I almost bought him a present while I was out!!!

Thanksgiving in West Virginia!!!

Dad, Mom, Me, Mibs, and Chris with my grandma!
Jess carving the turkey!

My Grandma with Dad and his grandkids!

My boys with their Grandpa and Great-Grandma!

My entire family were able to be together for Thanksgiving this year, including Bob and my sister's dog-Happy Jack. We had a nice time. It never fails that when we all get together we laugh until our stomachs hurt. Usually over very dumb things. It sure lifts the spirits to laugh and I'm thankful for being able to laugh. We are so blessed. We had way too much to eat and a VERY warm house to stay in (love ya dad lol)

Junior Convention 2008

Dakota Mayle and Dane!!
Quiz Bowl Team getting their awards

Tannen Mayle-one tired baby!!

What an angel!!

Tyler, Justice, Chandler, Dakota, and Dane!

Dane's puppet team-getting ready to perform!

Our Pace Bowl Team-First Place Champs!

Corey Stewart, Abby Titus, Dakota Mayle, and Dane!

Third place! Tyler Mayle, Dakota Mayle, and Dane

Tyler Mayle, being silly!!!

Yesterday, was the 2008 Junior Convention in St. John's, Michigan. Dane took 2-Firsts one in wildlife photography, one in Pace Bowl, 1-second in special effects photography, 1-third place in basketball. We were all so proud of all of the students. We took alot of awards!!!!

It's a very tiring day, especially for the teachers and parents, but what an awesome feeling to see the students win medals for their hard work!! We ended our day at CiCi's pizza in Jackson, which seems to have become the tradition. I felt sorry for the employees when 30 plus people arrived all together at their restaurant.

BLBS mock election!!!!

Darren's speech

Dane as a security guard

Arriving for the election

Here they come!

Part of the motorcade

Darren and Reagen

Security

Darren's blooper!

My boys were privileged to be a part of the BLBS Mock Election of 2008. Darren was campaign manager for John McCain(Reagan Titus), and Dane was a security guard. They sure played it up big with a limo, police escort with sirens, the works. Everyone even got to vote. We had speeches from many important people including Stan Burchardt, Ken Kurtz, JJ Hodshire( campaign manager for Tim Walberg), Bruce Caswell and several others. Darren cracked everyone up with his intro of John McCain, check out the video clip, but I was very proud of him for being able to get up in front of all those people and give his speech. For more of the mock election, go to birdlakebibleschool.org.

Bob goes to school!!!!!

Dane did an oral report on English Bulldogs, so I took Bob to school for demonstration. The kids seemed to really like him. He even did his "splat" with his back feet straight out for them. This dog, what a turkey.

Well, it's been a few days since I've posted. Lots of stress at our house. As you all know, Ralph has been laid off since last November and we are starting to really get worried about him a new job. There really doesn't seem to be a whole lot out there. To make a long story short, Ralph starts truck driving school on Monday. We're still hoping to hear that the state of Michigan will pay for this training as Ralph is considered a displaced worker since Merillat is closing completely. Through the school, he filled out about 22 applications for jobs after his graduation. He has had about 10 offers of work once he passes the class. I have mixed feelings about all this. I'm worried about him being on the road and having to be gone for days at a time. I am praying that he will be able to be home frequently. Also, this is affecting my job because I work 12 hour night shifts and am almost an hour away from home, so I may have to find another job where I can be with the boys at night. I can't feel good about leaving them alone that long and being that far away. Please pray for us over the next few weeks as we make decisions about both of our jobs. I have a hard time leaving this in God's hands, I feel constantly anxious about how this will all work out. I pray and try to leave it with Him, but soon am worrying again. This last year has been sooooo difficult and I want to be where God wants us to be. ( Sarah Watters, if you're reading this, thanks so much for your post with Chonda Pierce, it really spoke to me. I needed that, too!!! Keep looking up!!!) I enjoy my work in the ER, and I dread starting a new job, but obviously my family comes first. I'd really like to be off night shift anyways.

As I type this, Bob is laying behind me snoring. It is such a peaceful sound almost like a purr, it always makes me feel safe and cozy somehow. Isn't it interesting, how such a simple thing like that, God can use to make you feel more at peace. Sometimes, I feel like I just can't take another minute of all this......the constant worry, and I know I need to just be still ( like Bob, who doesn't have a care in the world cuz he trusts we will take care of him) and let God work!!! I mean, really, does he look worried to you? lol

I'm sorry for the rambling, it helps to let it out. Please, whisper a prayer for us when you think of it and thanks!!!!!

Octoberfest, 2008

Today was octoberfest at BLBS!!! We had boat rides, baked good auction, Reconcile quartet, a bouncy castle, lots of games, a bonfire, hog roast, and a hayride!!! Lots of people and lots of food!! I think they said we raised over $900 with the auction. What a beautiful day!!!