LEAVES!

One thing I always lived as a kid was playing in autumn leaves (something we had an abundance of this year being back from Guatemala). At first my plan was to just rake up enough to throw around...then it became, rake up enough to dive into...THEN, rake up enough to jump into from the railing of the DECK!!

We had some neighbors over and enjoyed the leaves until everyone was covered with little bits driven into our hair. We played until it rained on the day before Thanksgiving, which was good because it was the last opportunity before the rain and snow came in to stay!

see all the pics here

New house and New job...maybe

Its hard to manage several blogs. I never even did mention that I was laid off my job April 18th. The small firm I was with had work but couldn't collect on the accounts. On top of this, work coming in was slowing so the owner laid off his 2 employees. I was given 2 months severence so things haven't been too hard even though finding a job in this market has been much harder than I have ever experienced. I have always been able to get a job immediately. This time I have contacted and sent resumes to EVERY civil firm here in the greater Reno area with little promising response. I even spent 2 weeks doing janitorial work at the church (mostly to show the kids that if you can't find the job you want you do a job you don't want in the meantime.)

This last week or so has been used fixing up and moving into our new house. We bought a "foreclosed" house that was THRASHED! We are now mostly in (all the stuff is out of the old house and in the garage at least). Our lease for the other house still goes through June so we are hopeing that someone will rent it for June so we won't have to pay the $1550 for June.

Back to the job... just yesterday I received a signed contract to do some drafting work for the local water agency. Everyone was under the assumption that it would be about a months worth of work. Unfortunately it looks like it is more like a week of work. The good side of it is that it is a foot in the door and getting a perceived months worth of work done in a week and significantly under budget could bring me more work from them. That remains in the hands of the Lord.

The kids like the new house. It is the first house that has been OURS since 2004. The boys have a space room and the girls a pink/purple garden room. They haven't had a themed room since 2004 either. The significance is that the kids can paint the walls and there are no calls of, "Don't do that, this isn't our house." Eli, so eliquently said, "we could put holes in the walls and bust it all up if we wanted to because its our house". I let him know that the house WAS busted up and we have now FIXED it so we have no intention of busting it up again simply because we can.

So I may have a job or I may not, I will just have to do my best and see where it leads. Regardless of our circumstances God continues to provide just as he always has.

What's new...

It is high time for an update!!!

We are renting a house in Reno and have lived there since mid January. I have a job at a small engineering firm. It is a great opportunity for us. The only concern now is that the firm can keep a steady flow of work coming in during this tough market. Just this past week the weather warmed up and we have met a few neighbors with kids. One of the neighbors is a Hispanic family even! We are in negotiations to buy a house in the neighborhood (which is why we are renting this one in particular). Heather has started taking prerequisite classes for her masters program. THings are moving forward again.

We were able to close the church at the end of 2007 and some of the people continue to meet with us as we gather to minister to the poor and discarded in the community. We are not a church but just a group of people from different churches that all want to work together in ministering to the poor.

Eli turned 8 in January. He was sick on his birthday and then several of the kids were sick the next weekend where we had planned his party so it was canceled until the following weekend. Almost everyone had RSVP'd that they would not be able to come but still there was a decent turnout and we all had fun. He had a Star Wars birthday with lightsabers. Heather being a Jedi and holding training camp until I showed up as Darth Vader and they all whacked me with their lightsabers. (even cheezy plastic lightsabers can leave a hearty welt!).

We are adjusting to living in the states. Things are progressing and moving forward. We still miss Guatemala and look forward to the day where the Lord will call us back to the world's poor. But for now, for this season, we will minister to the hurting around us and, through the love of Christ, provide what most people, regardless of wealth, are poor with...hope.

Our trip to Disneyland

Earlier this month we took a family trip to Disneyland courtesy of the grandparents. Here are a few pictures.

Direction for the Haddox's...

Many have been asking us if God has given us a particular direction. Yes he has in the sense that we have a direction that we are pursuing, whether or not it will come together is not as certain.

As many of you know, I have been preaching at a church in Reno, NV that has suffered loss. The direction God is leading us is working with this church in the redefining/ re-planting of the church. How this will come together still has to be worked out as there are several serious matters that need to be taken care of before we can even start over.

The other matter is money to live on. For this my dad and I are looking to start a new engineering company called Western Nevada Engineering. I would then be able to work part time in engineering for the money and part time pastor for the ministry. The engineering business hangs mainly on a particular client that can provide our bread and butter work that we can depend on for survival. Pray for the meeting we are having with this potential client next week.

I just wanted to let everyone know that for some time God has been leading us down this path but we didn't want to tell everyone if it wasn't going to happen. With each passing day it becomes more certain but there still are many things that need to fall in place for this all to work. We DO have a direction that we are going and projects we are pursuing but unfortunately (and as usual) nothing is concrete. Pray for us as we continue to walk in faith.
Always feel free to email us with any questions you have.

Canyon Loop

Canyon Loop

Blogged with Flock

What's up? and what's next...

I know many of you are anxious to hear from us to know what the next step is for us. The best I can say is that God is continuing to prove himself faithful in guiding our path. There still are a few viable options and hopefully we will have a confirmed choice in the next week or so. Our goal has been to have a decision by the end of September. A goal I think we will meet.

Please continue praying for us during this time of uncertainty. Just as Abraham was led to the "land God would show him" so we find ourselves in a similar boat. Pray the the Lord would limit the options to one and make it clear just as He did with Jordan.

Returning to the states has been both difficult and a blessing. It has been wonderful to see family and visit with some of you. It also has been hard adjusting to U.S. wealth. In Guatemala we would be considered wealthy but here we would not. For example... we have been looking to get low fat powdered milk because you can get it cheap in Guatemala and (just like with juice) dilute the mixture with 2x the water so your milk goes twice as far because milk is expensive. In Guatemala this was normal for us. Here it sounds sad to water down your milk with half water yet we still have so much! I hope this inner struggle will always stay with us for some part.

The house in Lake Almanor has been such a blessing for us. It works for our family very well. The boys have a bedroom, the girls a little loft and we have a bedroom upstairs. There is a big deck in front that we enjoy every day. The lake is two houses down, across the street and down a path through a neighbors yard. The weather has been good (though colder than Guatemala). The kids have enjoyed the woods and bike rides. We even went fishing last Saturday (but caught nothing). They have done well with all the traveling but don't like it so much.

Heather has started homeschooling again. The kids enjoy having half the subjects taught in Spanish. I am studying with Pastor Greg at Sierra Bible in Pastoral Practicum and will be preaching the next two Sundays in a small church in south Reno called Pathway.

We will keep you all up-to-date with the process and will surely let you know when the Lord has given us a specific direction. We are pursuing a particular option but, for now our direction is to seek him while we pursue this particular path and trust him that if it is the right path, the pieces will come together, and if not, He will close the door and move us on to the next option.

Thank you for your prayers...