Growing Pains

Please include us in your prayers. We are really struggling right now. We are struggling financially, but more importantly, we are struggling as parents. The last 2 weeks we have seen Sean's darkest side come out full bloom. He has resorted to lying, and stealing, and being mean to other kids. I know that a big part of that is him trying to push and push us to see what it will take for us to give him back. We know that will NEVER happen, no matter what he does. We love him dearly and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God created him to live and grow up in our home as surely as if he had been born here. I say we are struggling because we are at a loss for how to handle it. While we know that he is testing boundaries over and over and over and over again to see if there are any cracks or week spots, but we, as parents who love and adore him, have to discipline him. The struggle is finding out what will get through to him. We have tried so many things, and nothing seems to register for more than a moment. Please pray that God will give us wisdom to do what is right.
I also ask that you pray for our financial situation. We are struggling in that department too. After 18 months, I still can't find a full time job. I have applied to so many different places, many of them multiple times and still nothing. I have been trying to stay away from retail simply because I know that it will require me to work evening and I have wanted to keep my evening free to spend with my family. However, at this point, I don't have much of a choice anymore. I have got to work a job that is going to give me regular hours. The two jobs I have are both "substitute" jobs. One is with Douglas County School System, and the other is with IST, the company I have been with for 3 years. Up until this week, neither of them has really been calling me much. Before this week, I worked 3 days in 5 weeks. Obviously we can't live on that kind of income. So please, pray that God will open some doors really soon. As it is, we are probably going to have to go to our church and ask for help just to make it with the regular bills this month.

Flood waters

Here is our flood update. We are fine. We sit on a hill, so our house is fine. Our only issue has been no water from Monday morning until yesterday afternoon. Even though the water is back on, we have not used it. We are trying to let it run some before we use it. We were able to shower yesterday due to the graciousness of some friend. They let us come to their house and use their shower. We are so grateful!!!

Aletheia's brother's apartment flooded some. He was still very blessed. He lost very little. He has to move out of his apartment on Friday, however. The carpet is ruined and very stinky. However, he and his cat are safe.

We are pretty much stuck right now. Michael can not work because there is no way out of Douglas County. Our schools have been closed since Monday.