My New Beach Life

It's amazing how God works.

Stephen and I were sitting around Blacksburg at our parents house anxious to get out and so we got our own place. We started working part time jobs and then Stephen gets a call about an aquarium job in Virginia Beach two months after he applied for it. Well he got it. So I get to be a housewife and by housewife I mean a painter who cleans up her own mess sometimes.

Although I have spouts of loneliness, which is normal with a change of local, I am really enjoying it here. I feel like I know my way around my section of town well enough (thank you block system!) and because Stephen is usually at work I actually have been painting....a lot.

When I came home from Korea all anyone wanted to know was what do I want to do now? And the fact of the matter was/is all I want to do is art. I don't want to "work" in the normal sense, at least not full time. I realized in this move, God is allowing me at least a year to do just what I want, be a good wife (cook, clean, etc.) and be a better artist. My only qualm was that I wouldn't be able to find any work and that we'd be short on money. But my sweet Lord listens to my worries, and for some reason he decided this is a time for spoiling me. Not only do I get to be a full time artist with multiple people commissioning me (^_^) BUT he also reserved a one day a week art teacher position at an elementary school getting paid as a long-term sub!! (that means more money than a normal sub) It is the perrrfect possible work situation that I could ask for.

I mean I am so lucky, I can actually live as a starving artist without starving! I don't mean to brag, I just want to express my thankfulness.

Being married, I do think about that question of kids. Annoyingly enough any friend I haven't talked to in a while seems to start the conversation with "So are you pregnant yet?" The answer is NO. I have nothing against children and I know I want some of my own, perhaps even in the nearish future, but I also very much understand how much a child changes your life. When you are a mother you can't be selfish and say,

'Sorry I can't feed you I am in the middle of a key part of this painting.'

Or

'Oh sorry, I am going to buy oil paints today instead of baby food.'

Or

'Yeah, you can sleep in the living room, I need the second bedroom as my studio.'

So until the Lord assures me that it is time for a child, I will enjoy the selfish time he has provided me with to explore the talent he has given me and the joy it gives me. I will not be ashamed of the miniscule money that I am making or that I don't have a full-time 'job.'

I am blessed and I am thankful.