Blessings and Hope

When we reached Seattle, we had virtually nothing left. Patrick and Michele were gracious enough to share their food with us, as well as giving us rides to some places. Michele is a wonderful cook, so we ate well while we were there. And while they thought the kids were annoying us, we actually had fun with them. Jacob is two, and at that stage where he gets into EVERYTHING. (They call him "Destructo-Boy!") But he would look up at me and say my name (repeatedly) and babble something else incoherent, and want to climb in my lap. Yeah, he'd have his screaming sessions, but it all balances out. (Easy for me to say since he's not mine, right? I pray for Michele and Patrick.) And Rachel is five (almost six) and has quite the wit for her age. At one point I had said something strange, and she replied, "I wish I had a pie to put in your face!" I thought I would fall over laughing. She gives great backrubs too!

Anyway, when we returned the truck, the rental people mentioned that it had been due back at 1 pm , so we were supposed to be charged another day, as well as being charged for the mileage we went over. For some reason they didn't charge us for it, nor did they charge us for cleaning it, because the rental place in Georgia hadn't checked the box that said we would be charged for cleaning. So we didn't have to pay anything extra.

We still needed to find work and a place to live. Most places here will not rent to you if you haven't been working for a while. And we didn't have any money for a down payment. I wrote to a pastor friend of ours, Chuck Jones in Pomona, CA, with whom I had corresponded for some time and finally met face to face at the Ministers Conference at the college. He was able to help out by sending us some money to help us get on our feet again. The family of God is so wonderful!

As we looked for housing we discovered how much things cost here. We would not be able to put down a month's rent plus security on much more than a studio, if that. It was starting to look like we would have to stay in a rooming house or something till we got settled. I was starting to get anxious, I have to admit. And so were our hosts, as their apartment complex only allowed people to stay with them two weeks. One afternoon we prayed, and within an hour Melodie had a job and our tax refund check arrived. And because of the amount that I had paid for tuition at ABC, we hadn't owed any tax this year. (It was called the Hope Credit.) Therefore we got everything back that had been deducted from my job in New York, which was over $2000! I had known how much it would be but didn't think I'd get it so soon, especially since it had to go to the college and then get forwarded to me here. Melodie didn't even know how much it would be, so she was even more surprised.

Shortly afterward, we found an apartment that we could afford, and when we filled out the paperwork (there was tons of it, more than Melodie had to do in the army or when she worked for the government!) it turned out we needed less than we thought for a security deposit, plus they were taking $25 off the first month's rent, which isn't due till June 1st because it's so late in the month.

The place is on the south side of Seattle, and you go through a lot of industrial areas to get to it. But the complex itself is surrounded by woods and there are lots of trees along the streets too. It's only one bedroom, but we can upgrade if a two bedroom is available when we have the money. The kitchen is tiny, but the other rooms are good size. It's not bad for now.

Melodie is working for a temp agency scanning documents at a bank. It's not what she wants to do for the rest of her life, but it's paying more than she has ever made at a job before. Meanwhile I have had several interviews. I haven't gotten hired yet, but I didn't even get as far as interviewing in Georgia. The bus system here is great. You can get anywhere on the busses, although it takes a while. So I'm not limited as far as location for a job. And I don't have to pay these outrageous gas prices!

Then I got some interesting news. I wrote in my previous blog that my mother had died the day before we were to leave. It turns out now that I have a sizeable inheritance coming, which surprised me, as I didn't think she had very much after all her medical expenses and other things. But a check is on its way even now. So that takes the pressure off financially, and maybe there is a job for me that I have to wait for.

I still wonder what God wants me to do, and what I want to do, and what I can do, and what I'm doing here. I try not to get anxious about it but sometimes it's hard. But God has blessed me so much already, I have to leave it in His hands. He holds the future.

P.S. - Melodie's pictures from our trip are up on her Photo Album site. Click on the link in the right hand column.