Thankful

Over the past few months, or I guess closer to a year, Jason and I have been living by faith! In February Jason found out that his plant would be eliminating a shift as his plant in Michigan and because of his seniority he would either have to transfer to a new plant or lose his job. The initial plant options were Kentucky or Chicago. Neither seemed like a great option because we would be moving away from all of our friends and family and especially Chelsea and Matthew. We prayed about the news frequently and just hoped that some way God would provide for us to stay. Reality set in quickly for us that staying was not an option. God put Jason and I at ease about the move and we moved forward.

The next few months crawled by in a haze of unknowing. No transfer options were being posted and the deadline for the shift closure kept getting closer and closer. Finally in Mid April the first posting for transfers came along and it was the Chicago plant. At that time they informed everyone that the transfers to Kentucky would not happen as that plant was going to be temporarily closed for retooling and would not reopen until sometime in 2011. So, Jason jumped on the transfer to Chicago.

Again the waiting game. Initial rumors were that those taking the Chicago transfer would be sent to the new plant in May. Well May came and went with no news. Than it was oh for sure June, again, June came and no news. Finally Jason went out on his two week shutdown thinking that he was going to be on layoff until his transfer finally came in. That did not happen, just before he left for his shutdown he was told he was to report to work in two weeks if he did not hear from Ford about a report date. The first week was almost complete when Jason finally received a call from Ford. He was to report to his new plant on July 26th. He was to report back to AAI after shutdown. That gave little time to get moved. Jason was going to have to work up until the weekend before we needed to move. We were hoping to have his shutdown to get moved, but that was not going to happen! Needless to say we finalized packing and on July 23rd we moved us to Indiana. Jason reported to his new plant on Monday July 26th. It was a crazy weekend, but we got us down there before he started.

Since than we have been working to settle in and learn the new area. It hasn't all been easy, but we know that we are were God wants us and that is all that matters. We miss our friends and family back in Michigan and we can't wait to have Chelsea and Matthew for Christmas.

This Christmas season will be the true blessing that it is meant to be! God came to give his life for us and that is the one thing we need to remember this time of year! This past year was not what Jason and I had planned, but God has an ultimate plan for us. I thank the Lord for my salvation, my family, my friends and the life I now have here in Indiana. God will show us what he has in store for us in his time.

Thank you Lord for loving me and giving your life for me. Thank you for cleansing me of my sins and reminding me that no matter what happens here, I have an amazing life ahead of me with you in heaven!

FRUSTRATED

So as many of you already know, we will be moving sometime this year. Jason was told on Thursday of last week that anyone with 10 years of seniority or less that they need to sign up for Chicago Assembly or they won't have a job once the plant goes down to one shift. God has totally put us at peace with this change that is going to happen. We look at the coming months as an adventure that will improve all of our lives. God truly does work in mysterious ways. For years, Chelsea and Matthew's mother has not attended church with the kids. Two weekends ago Jennifer took the kids to church. Her and Frank actually liked the church and plan to attend on a regular basis now. Our concern of the kids losing church because we moved has now been eliminated. We will miss Chelsea and Matthew a lot, but they understand that it is for the best. It will make the time we have them even more sweet.

So on to the frustrated part. Ford is dragging their feet. They won't give us a timeline of when the transfers while actually occur. Last week they said that the postings would go up Mid-April, this week they have changed their minds and say that there might not be any information about Chicago until Mid-May. HELLO! We need to find housing and if they wait until Mid-May, we may only have a month to get a place to live! Unfortunately, they only have to give 2 weeks notice of where people need to report. Like I told Jason, the delay in Jacoba and I moving is not the real problem. I am currently working and I want to be able to tell them that what my last day will be. Right now I have not said anything because I don't know when my last day is and I don't want them to let me go now if we are not moving until August. I know I could collect unemployment, and I know that I am being selfish, but right now it is best if I stay working.

God sure does have a funny way of trying to get me to learn patience. I pray that someday I will.