Ketchup from the past few months...

So much has happened since last I blogged. Let's catch up. Peyton and Jordan were a flamingo and an elephant for the Jesus Loves You Party, and they were too adorable! Zack was John the Baptist's head on a platter for our church costume contest (I made the costume). Zack gave his notice at the church, and they announced to the church that we were leaving about the middle of November. Zack and I celebrated our 2-year anniversary and stayed at a hotel on the beach in Tampa. So pretty=). Zack fell playing basketball and busted his chin open, badly sprained his wrist, bruised his jaw and skinned his knees, because of which we spent a night and a pretty penny at the Emergency Room getting stitches, tetnis shot, x-rays, and a good healthy slice of humble pie.

I purposely failed the Postal Battery Exam with flying colors (long story that involves me seeing a sign which promises to pay $20/hr to postal workers, me paying $100 for a study guide which promises to refund your $$ if you fail the test, and me realizing I can't work for the postal service--I mean, come on! People who work there kill themselves and their co-workers!) But Zack and I did pass the Florida Teacher's Subject Exam after 2 straight days of studying. With lots of help from Peggy, Lenny and Omar, Zack and I packed up all our stuff and moved to Oldsmar.

There was a sad farewell party for us at the church, and we cried along with all the youth as we said our goodbye's after 4 1/2 years as the youth pastors there. The kids made us t shirts. Our last night there was our youth Christmas party, which was fun, as usual, with our crazy white elephant gift exchange.

Living with my parents again has been a bit of an adjustment--mainly because I didn't realize that I had accumulated enough stuff to fill a small country, and it was so stressful trying to fit all we have into a 15' x 10' storage unit and the room we now live in. It was kind-of crazy moving just before Christmas too. Christmas was sort-of strange this year, but spending it with the kids made it fun.

Oh, I almost forgot about Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving night, my 3 cousins, aunt, sister and I piled into Aunt Melonie's Tahoe and headed to the outlet mall in Orange Park for their sales that started at midnight. It was sheer madness. By the time we got back to Palatka, it was 3am, just enough time for me and Zack to go get in line at Walmart for their sale that started at 5am. We bought a laptop on sale, which was our big Christmas present to each other, but what we saved in money, we paid for in sleep deprivation. Zack and I ran the Gator Gallup, a 5k in Gainesville for their homecoming, which was pretty fun.

Peyton was so cute in the school Christmas play this year. She sang a solo. Zack and I are now just applying for teaching positions in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. He wants to teach 6-12 grade math, and I'm looking to teach k-6th grade. We will be attending the church a friend of Zack's pastors called "The Dwelling Place" in Lutz, starting tomorrow. Oh, and Rachel gave birth to chunky little Aiden Lawrence, and I got an up-close view of an episiotomy. The first boy in our family. He is too cute to behold. And, yes, we did shamelessly dress him in Gator attire for the last game.

In other news, Micah (Zack's brother) got engaged to his girlfriend Amy. Right now, we're just taking things one day at a time...looking for work...adjusting to not living on our own...praying our last paychecks last as long as possible. What next? I'll keep you posted.