the silver lining

so these past couple of weeks have been insane for many reasons.

1. we bought a $600 piece of junk truck (so that craig could use it to build/restore an old muscle car) that has had absolutely everything wrong with it...including stolen registration tags. so far, we've invested a bit over $3000 into that piece. the silver lining? that sucker will run for over 100,000 more miles, so we can either keep it and run it into the ground or sell it once we're done using it...once we finally get it back from the shop.

2. i've been fighting with corporate still about my back. i've now been out of work for 7 weeks and they don't care. my store manager and the district manager have been fighting for me (which i am so so so thankful for), but the guy at corporate couldn't care less. so, here i am at home with an incredibly painful back and no paycheck. super duper. the silver lining? i'm still trying to figure this one out...

3. we're moving to a new apt complex in fullerton, which is about 20 minutes from where we live now. the rent is hundreds of $ cheaper (phew) and we'll be so much closer to craig's family and friends. in fact, we'll be one floor above and 3 apts over from our friends courtney and woody. we are so excited for this next step in our lives, and i am looking at is as a 'fresh start' for me. i won't feel like as much of a hermit and i will hopefully be starting a new (and better) job in that area. the silver lining? pretty much everything i've already stated.

4. since we're moving i feel like i have done nothing but prepare for it for the past 2 weeks. i've moved apt complexes before, but it seems like so much more of a hassle now that craig and i are married. i have to make sure that the mail gets forwarded...pack...get this apt in tip top shape so that we can get a huge chunk of our $2000 deposit back...pack...deal with edison...pack...and on and on and on. it's such a huge hassle. the silver lining? i am feeling very helpful and worthy since i've pretty much taken on all of the moving responsibilities.

5. we puppy-sat for courtney and woody's dog bailey while they were on their honeymoon. don't get me wrong, i loved having bailey. she provided us with so much entertainment for the week that we had her...after all, she was only 7 weeks old. i've never had a dog before, so that was quite the growing experience for me. craig and i kept calling bailey a kitty, and her barks meows. the silver lining? who doesn't love a puppy?!

even though the last 2 weeks or so have been really stressful, i have been trying to find the silver linings in every situation. with all of the stress and pain every event has caused me and craig, i have to remind myself that God is in control...which has been quite hard for me to remember. it can be so easy to focus on the bad in life which will just bring you down. the silver linings may seem to be all the good that it coming out of this stressful time right now, but i know that it will get better for us. i just have to trust.

the silver lining to my life...i have a beyond-amazing and supportive husband, great friends and family, and God keeps stretching me and making me grow in ways that i couldn't have imagined.