Jessica Sprague Classes!

Yesterday I started my second online class with Jessica Sprague. I cannot tell you how much I LOVE these classes and look forward to them starting. I woke up early on a MONDAY MORNING (and I get up at 6:45 anyway!) just to check my email to find out what our first assignment was. In each lesson we create a digital scrapbooking page through Photoshop and I love my sweet new skills. Here are a few of the pages I have created. If you are at all computer saavy or scrappy, be sure to check out http://www.jessicasprague.com/ Love her.

Incredible evening.

I had just finished posting that last blog entry, and Rory came into the bedroom. I commented that I want us to move the computer desk away from the window and put it against the wall. The way it is set up, I can peer directly into the apartments that are no more than 30 yards across the driveway. Because we still have boxes all over, we decided to wait until tomorrow.

Moments later I looked up, and watched a frying pan catch fire, which turned into a stove on fire, and I realized I was witnessing the beginnings of an apartment fire. I can't explain how slowly my mind processed this. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. I had just called my mom to tell her I had put pictures of our apartment on the blog and ran and asked Rory if I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.

I called 911, called the landlord, and Rory ran down to the family. The dad had been in the shower and had a half shaven head. He had a three year old and a five year old with him and none of them had shoes or coats. We brought them to our apartment and Rory gave the dad shoes and a sweater and sweatshirt. The dad used my phone to call his wife who was at work, and then his mom and then his brother. Then the dad and Rory went down to meet the fire trucks and I kept the kids in our apartment.

I tried to distract them with string cheese and Planet Earth, but basically we watched the fire move from their kitchen to the living room and into the bedroom. We watched the blinds melt off of the windows, and could still see the television on through the fire.

The firemen arrived and we watched them work, talked about how we didn't need to be scared of their masks because those help them breathe when they are by the fire.

After 20 minutes, the whole extended family came to our apartment to get the kids and to watch the fire. The mom had come home from work and swooped up her boy. I could not fathom what she was going through. I sent them with blankets and socks and since then I have been watching the firemen work in the dark apartment across the way. I just took this picture to show the relation between my laptop and their window.

I don't know how God works, but we just moved this desk into this room this afternoon. And I just moved my laptop on it tonight. And when 911 asked for the address of where I live I couldn't think straight and said we have only lived here one week. But I know I was the only one to see this fire, and even in the minutes while waiting for the fire trucks, no one else was around to help.

So keep Tristin and Raven in your prayers- two sweet kids who just lost all their favorite things. Thank the Lord everyone is safe tonight.

We're here!

I'm not sure I have ever stuffed more into one week than we have stuffed into this last one. A move is a lot of work. And starting a new job takes a lot of energy. So I thought I'd start blogging a bit again. (Besides, Rory just kicked me off of the tv (Golden Globes!) so he could watch 24. And since I can't handle that show, I thought I'd drop by my abandoned blog. 24 is just too, too suspenseful for this nervous nelly.)

We had a slight fiasco upon arrival to Omaha. Rory called our apartment landlord and asked if we could move in a day early. The secretary said, "oh, we were going to call you. We leased that apartment to another woman on accident. The other lady showing apartments forgot there was a pencil hold on that apartment and she showed it and the lease has already been signed." They had assured us we could sign the lease upon arrival...Rory had really wanted to fax it back and forth but ended up feeling confident that nothing would go wrong. Whoopsie Daisy. It's a good thing we are Groves-on-the-go and are quite adept at this sort of thing.

We spent the night at a Comfort Inn in Omaha with the Uhaul tucked under a parking lot light, and Toonces sleeping between us. Rory stayed up until 3 am, looking for housing in the area, and as it turned out, the very first place we looked at in the morning was absolutely perfect...better than the Apartment #1, in fact.

So here are some pics of our new pad. This is mostly for our mom's, but for all who are interested, enjoy!

Our apartment is the top windows in this picture. Our bedroom has both windows in it, and the top deck connects to our living room.

The bedroom is not ready for photographs at this time. :) All the boxes had to go somewhere!

About Me:

Rory and I have been married for four years and about a year ago moved to Nebraska where I was called to work at Carol Joy Holling Camp in the programming department. I love all the creativity this job demands. I get to work with all ages of people, but mainly 70 college age staff in the summertime. It is a beautiful camp with lots of good things happening.

Three years ago I was still in school at the seminary and I worked at a senior home in Minneapolis. Strangely, seminary had taken the life out of my faith and I was feeling very weary and defeated. But God led me through a very sweet teaching period, revitalizing my belief by the honest faith stories from the kind residents in this senior home. Hearing these stories convicted my own beliefs in Jesus, and I now feel a deep call on a broader level to make sure that these faith stories are recorded, written down and communicated for their own grandkids.

Other than that, I get really excited about all things crafty, I love kids, love the outdoors and love fresh cut french fries with malt vinegar, salt and ketchup.

We Groves are Going again...

So we have been off of those polka dotted highways for a month now, and life has taken a new turn. Perhaps a post should have been put up from my visit to Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries, a bible camp and conference center right outside of Omaha. I stopped there the day before we arrived home and had an incredible visit with the executive director and after interviewing with the program director, I was offered a position as a part of their Program Team. www.nlom.org

We have prayed about this and have ended up really, really excited. The job sounds great, the people I have met so far have been fantastic and we are beginning to pack boxes for Nebraska.

I am excited about God's leading in this new venture. I did nothing to pursue this opportunity and feel that God has simply laid out the next lily pad for us to step on. Rory is completely supportive and I stand in awe that he has work that continues to enable us to move on a whim like this again. I am grateful. (The picture below is of us at the Christian Camp and Conference Association conference in Orlando where we showed Rory's software to VERY responsive camp folk. )

I'm not sure what we'll do with this blog now that we Groves' are going to stop Going. Occasional updates of trips and vacations, I suppose.

So, thanks for taking this road trip with us. We loved every minute of it, and now we cannot wait to settle into our own "home." I told Rory, "I am really excited to use our own silverware again! I love our cereal spoons." Obviously, life will be filled with simple pleasures in a new place. Merry Christmas!