She Said What?!?

So as my beautiful baby girl continues to transition from my baby to my big girl (much to my dismay), she is filled with so many new surprises and milestones. I was however surprised at her first sentence.

On Wednesday I picked her up from daycare and her teacher was so excited to tell me that she told her little friend Maalik…”Boy go!” They were apparently happily playing together when Natalie decided to sit down and Maalik sat down after her…right on her lap. So Natalie pushed him away and exclaimed, “boy go!” I have never even heard her use these words separately not to mention together!

I just wanted to record for posterity and for the world to know that my little girl has now said her first sentence.

The Recession Hits Home

I have to say Thomas and I have been relatively blessed the past two years as we have navigated our way through this recession as newly weds and brand new parents of our little miracle baby. I guess it has finally caught up with us…

We are now experiencing the brunt of the recession waves at the moment and I really dont see any improvement in sight. We are attempting to short sale our condo before we lose it to foreclosure due to that “wonderful” first-time homebuyer program that will not allow us to rent our 1 BEDROOM/1 BATHROOM, way to small, condo and because of the lovely housing market, we can’t sell it either for what we owe.

Hit #1: My hardwork for a great credit score…GONE.

Due to Natalie’s complications from her subdural hematoma and VP shunt we have an overwhelming stack of medical bills we are trying to pay off as quickly as possible because my job is wanting to “revamp” employee benefits.

Hit #2: Natalie’s healthcare…IN TROUBLE.

The city budget is in turmoils due to the property tax decrease that was voted into law on the state level in 2008. Because of this the city is facing MAJOR, MAJOR cutbacks now…and since I am a city employee I am facing the “reworking or reduction” in my pension plan, the aforementioned healthcare “revamp,” and a “forced” pay reduction by “mandatory” furloughs (rumors are anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 weeks…or 5% to 20% of my salary). How am I supposed to pay my bills?

Hit #3: Pension and a future retirement…GONE?
Hit #4: Mandatory salary reduction…CAN’T PAY THE BILLS

Despite the sinking sand I feel that I am standing in, my soon to be ruined credit, the concerns over Natalie’s needed care, the major reduction in pay and possible lack of a future retirement…I still stand. My trust is not in the things I see, it is in the ONE I can’t see. Throughout Natalie’s initial diagnosis, the allegations of abuse, and the threat of having her taken from us without due cause…I stood. In the darkest moments of my life, when all I see is the walls closing in around me and no way out…I believe. God has never left me in those moments and he will not leave us now. He has worked miracles for Natalie and I believe that he has not brought her this far to let her fall now. She is truly a miracle and God has barely begun his work in her. I believe that God will help us maintain somehow, some way. We have a home, two cars, and jobs at the moment. That is more than some in these troubled times. The Bible says that God will always be there to meet our needs, we will never lack if we trust in him. That is all that I can do.

I stand…
I believe…

and, I walk…