Another Update

Well as my little sister Julia likes to point out "You're not really "BAAAAACK" when you haven't blogged in almost two months!"... I guess she is kind of right.  One of the main reasons I haven't been blogging is because I'm lazy it is hard to tell you what is going on in our lives without stating the fact that I have been home alone all summer long... and that, my friend, is not something you put on the internet.  A couple family members and friends have brought that to my attention lately and it's true... DON'T put on facebook that you are going on vacation, you are home alone and bored, that you can't wait to get back home, etc., etc., etc..... SO!  I am actually writing this a week BEFORE you are reading this and not posting it until my dear, sweet, loving husband who I have MISSED SO MUCH this summer is back, safe and sound in our abode.  I know that a lot of you (whoever reads this, shout out to Julia) ;) are curious about our plans, "WHEN WILL YOU BE BACK TO OKLAHOMA?!?!" and so here are the raw, dirty facts...

As of a couple days ago we have been in NY for TWO YEARS!  I can hardly believe it.  T.J. is DONE taking classes for his masters project and after this summer (One more week of data collecting in the field) he will begin to write his thesis this fall and some publications while searching for a job.  One of two things will happen in the next few months....
1.)  T.J. will find "the" job he wants (we're not sure what that would be yet) :) early fall and bust his little hiney to get that thesis done sooner than later so we can move to wherever that job is (meaning he would defend his thesis and graduate this winter)...
OR
 2.) T.J. writes his thesis this fall, enjoys the hunting season, doesn't stress so much, looks for jobs and then next spring accept a teaching assistant position at Cornell so that he could continue to receive a stipend and write MORE publications about all the work he has done here and defend his thesis and graduate next spring.

Honestly I was completely against #2 at first but now I'm thinking it being mid August that moving in a mere 4-5 months from now is kind of scary!  We both are 100% willing to follow wherever the Lord will take us and we are truly just putting it in His hands!  It is really fun thinking that we get to start searching for jobs and essentially going on a whole new adventure again!

UPDATE:  Reading back through this post as I'm about to post it we have had an update here.  T.J.'s advisor told him recently that there is a VERY GOOD chance that he will have funding next spring WITHOUT having to be a teacher's assistant... this is big news.  Being a TA wasn't appealing to T.J. but now knowing he could stay at Cornell another semester, spend more time writing his thesis, writing more publications, etc. and not having to take classes or help teach a class means that we honestly will probably take this option UNLESS a job surfaces that we do not want to pass on.

To the harder part... moving back to Oklahoma would be ideal, right?  Being close to family and friends and one day starting our own is what I ALWAYS thought would happen.  However, the more we look at jobs that are relevant to what T.J. has been doing out here in NY there just really isn't anything in Oklahoma for him.  T.J. took time to go to some fish hatcheries in Oklahoma and they just aren't hiring.  If they were it would be a different story.  SO!  With that being said, we are obviously looking around Oklahoma for a position as this 26 hr. driving distance from Oklahoma is pretty brutal.  We LOVE upstate NY and the beauty that surrounds us but we definitely want to one day raise a family closer to home and a little more in the "southern area" hopefully!  We would love your prayers as this next 6 months to a year we will face MANY huge decisions.  I tend to get anxious and worry about this kind of stuff but so far I really am feeling the Lord's peace.  Why worry when it isn't in our hands to begin with??
Right now I am just so happy that this is my LAST WEEKEND driving all by my lonesome out here to the Catskills to spend the weekend with T.J.  We have had a blast on the weekends together, what isn't to enjoy in the Catskills?!  But living life without my husband during the week gets old, FAST. 

NOW I AM BACK HOME IN ITHACA WITH MY HUBBY!

Life is back to normal.  Maybe I'll try to start blogging more :) We have had some sweet visitors up in NY the past 2 months and I encourage you to come see me and T.J. anytime here!  Free place to stay and a  beautiful place to see!  It has been amazing to see all the people that have come to visit!  We feel so blessed. 

The dogs are barking outside, the cats in my lap and all seems right in the world... well besides having a "water day" from work b/c of the crazy flooding (second time). 



On another note... I have a friend from my old job in OK and her family needs some serious prayer.  Her nephew Talbey is having some serious health issues and needs as much prayer as possible!  If you are on facebook please search "Healing for Talbey" and "like" the page to read about how we can keep this family in our prayers.

Love to you all!!!!!!

Now for some fun pictures!!!

T.J. getting ready for bow season.

Beautiful upstate NY- 1/2 a mile from our house.

Mike and Debbie came to see us in the Catskills.  The first picture is on a train ride through the Catskills- the second picture is dark but I swear sometimes T.J. is Mike's twin!

T.J.'s house in the Catskills- Please note the backyard... not pictured is a beautiful big red barn that they had.  The East branch of the Delaware ran through the back that T.J. fly fished on all the time.  I guess I have not done a good job telling how much fun T.J. has had this summer.  I'll try and post more pictures later but basically T.J. lived it up this summer!  He fished every morning and worked on a stream every day with two undergrads from Cornell- he is happy to be home but I can't even imagine how much he'll miss this place.....

But I don't think he'll miss the flooding :)  Thanks Hurricane Irene!  We were stuck inside the Catskills house for 2-3 days and 1 day w/o power.  Thankfully the house was on top of the hill so besides the basement flooding everything was fine.  We played Monopoly, played the piano, stared at each other and walked around in the water if it was safe.  We had already cleaned the house the weekend before (including the fridge) and so we barely had any food... the neighbors brought us brisket that had been smoked since 5 AM and we thought he was an angel from the Lord sent down to bless us with a Divine meal... it was divineeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.  *Mouth watering...* So besides the brisket we had handfuls of chocolate cheerios, shredded mini wheats and brats for 2 days :) oh and some juice.  It was hilarious.  T.J. was dying.

Here is a sweet picture of me and my sweet kind of freshly shaven husband :) I am so happy he is back in my care!!

OH and one last fun one ;)