Rollercoaster of Career Paths...

Hello! You know you haven't blogged for a long time when my goggle chrome doesn't recognize it right away. ha! Due to my senior year, I haven't kept up with this here blog. Might be time, but probably more because after writing papers all the time, it's the last thing I want to do.Anyway, I thought I would share with you what's been going on in our career paths as of the end of the summer. It's been quite the rollercoaster!


*Let's go back a little further. During our first year of marriage, life and careers took turns and twists and we both found ourselves starting the summer of 2011 in our original summer jobs that we swore we would never return to. But God worked. David was able to bring Zach on at Agri-tech, which was a real blessing for him. I was able to help a new boss get going at faith, plus I made two very good friends! Tashika and Liz! Scratch that-3... Ceceilia (my new boss) of course!In the end, we were both thankful God put us where he did.


*SO, At the beginning of the summer I received a phone call from a friend asking if she could give David's number to someone who was in need of a Property Manager for his rental business. I of course said yes! David met with the man, and they temporarily agreed but David couldn't start til the end of the summer. SO basically we were stoked out of our minds that David would get such an amazing opportunity and that God showed us this at the beginning of the summer, so David wouldn't stress out about having a job for the fall.


*David ended his summer at the end of August, and had quit Lowes permanately that spring, and was ready to become a property manager! Then the thing that you never want...He could not get a hold of the man for 2 weeks. He finally met with him, they agreed to a 6 month plan where David would slowly take over the business and made it "official"...but didn't sign anything. Over the course of the next two weeks, we started our management company, we decided to keep the truck for work purposes -even though we had originally decided to sell the truck when we get a new car. I say two weeks, because it happened again. We couldn't get a hold of him. David fiinally did, where they met at 7AM for breakfast, contracts in hand. David came home a half an hour later. Business deal officially off. The man no longer needed him. I will never forget the feeling of my heart falling into my stomach when I heard that door open at 7:30AM. 


*We bummed out for a few minutes than we started talking about how God must be protecting us from something. We were also wary of a few small but potentially big issues with the person, so we could see how we may have dodged a bullet. But we were left answering the question, WHY?? The entire time, we felt like this experience was such a GOD thing. He orchestrated it to fall into place. We found out at a great time, as to eliminate stress on David. We made decisions we wouldn't have done otherwise. But our greatest issue was wasted time. Not only did we miss out on a months worth of pay, but it meant more days without pay while David searched for a job. We just don't understand it all. Yes, God definitely could have used this blimp in our life to perfect timing, and to help us make decisions we wouldn't have otherwise. But still...why this? Why get our hopes up to a level I never thought existed...then this??? I know there's a reason...but for now I wait and trust my God.


*Where are we now? Well David got a job at Wells Fargo as a Loan Document Specialist and just got home from his 3rd day. Insurance, pay we need and great hours. Praise the Lord! I am even more thankful for his summer job that carried us this fall while he didn't work. The week we got our new car (a week before school started), God worked it out for me to get a nanny job! It has worked out perfectly! It has been such a blessing. In other news, BIG news, I just got offered an internship position with the medical programming director at the YMCA Healthy Living Center of DSM. SO stoked. God really worked in that too. My dad is really good friends with the Head director there, who is a Christian. Come to find out he is on our board for my major, so I snagged him when it was time to do mock interviews. Thankful that my Dad was kind to the man! Here I am...an intern :) I start next semester!


*Thanks to everyone for praying for us as we journey through this part of our lives! Have you been through a time you didn't understand and asked God "WHY?"...How did you handle it? What did you discover? I would really appreciate your input!

"Money,money,money, MONey"

oh money. How I hate you. Have you ever had one of those moments---or for us, a month where you feel like all you do is dump a couple bricks of money here, a couple more there...? If you're a college student, since it's august you are probably experiencing the same thing. In addition to the financial demand of college all my technologies/necessities decided to poop out on me. 1st I had to get contacts and glasses..ya, with no insurance and being used to my parents paying for it...eye problems can be oober expensive! And I only have one eye thats bad! I can't imagine the rest of you who have to fix two eyes! The same day my phone crapped out.lovely...
{the tale of God's gift...aka..my escape :) )----continue reading beyond for my marriage question!
When we had gotten our income tax return this spring, we had decided to use part of it to buy a "new" car. Well, David hadn't had much time to look for cars, and we weren't desperate, so we just did some online looking once in a while. The 2 weeks work has slowed down so we were able to do some more looking. Not to mention the past month or so every week there has been a problem with either one of our cars. So this became a little more of a motivation-ha! Last weekend, my brother bought a car from COUNTY LINE in Grimes, Ia. This is where Faith gets their cars, and if you have any connection with Faith, he gives great discounts. Just being a Christian probably will help! He is a Christian, and goes to Maranatha, and loves being a help to people in the ministry. I would highly recommend it!! So anyway, while I was with my brother picking up his truck, I spied this silver escape...and decided I should make it mine.haha...So I brought David out, and God provided it to us for the right miles and price! Praise God!


Oh, Did I mention that my laptop is showing signs of elderlyness, and also my ipod's battery is barely alive. So, I'm just praying that they will hold out!! 


* I'm told that money can be a huge issue in a marriage. The Bible supports that theory....money is the root of all evil. David and I handle money differently. I buy in small increments here and there. A $7 scarf here, a $5 cute decor item, there.you get the picture...now david, he penny pinches, penny pinches, then BAM he dropped a few hundred on whatever. Drives me crazy. In the end, I know its a wash...but man! And in most cases a husband and wife will have different priorities with money. I know we do! So I'm just wondering how you ya'll have dealt with money in a marriage. Any pointers!?  I'm quite excited to spend eternity in a moneyless heaven :) Thanks for stoppin by!...even when money weighs you down...always keep heart!

"I Spy God in a Big Way" at Camp Fairwood.

On Friday, the 15th, my boss was telling us that the upcoming week we didn't have a lot of work to do so we would probably have to take time off...while she was telling us this I got a call from the Director of Camp Fairwood asking me if I would be able to be a counselor the same week. Um...I really don't think God can make it more clear. David said it was alright, considering he's never home anyway. So I told Pastor Brad that I was able, but I would need transportation. A couple hours later, God provided that also!! So just when I thought I would never get to camp this year, God sent me to Fairwood. I had never been there before but had heard it was incredible! So I took off a couple days before camp started. I had a blast getting to know the place and the people. They were so open to me and by the end of the week, I felt like I had been on staff all summer. There are some truly amazing and fun ladies there! I love them! Camp started monday, the age group was 5-6th graders. IT WAS HOTT. OH my. no airconditioning. But God still worked! 

                               

These are my girls :) Even though this age can be a handful and at times..annoying...I love working with them because this is the age where there eyes really are opened. They have lots of questions and things start making sense. At this age doubt of salvation has usually been in there mind, and this is often when they choose to make God theirs forever, either through rededication of life to God or assurance of salvation. That's at least the age I was when I came to that point. I got the amazing opprotunity to lead two of the girls to Christ. Specifically the one in the middle with the writing on her shirt, and the one on the far right with a red shirt :) It was amazing to watch as they dug into God's word to read truth, and then to come to the saving knowledge of Christ!! I had two girls decide to get baptized! 4 girls committed to spending 20 min for 20 days in their Bibles and through prayer. One girl was just so excited about what God is doing in her life and one night she shared a verse that she calls her "I spy God in a Big way" verse. Her family is going through a hard time financially but she shared in the Bible how God will always take care of you. It did my heart good to see her loving God and being so blown away by him, even at 12. I did have 2 very homesick girls, but both made it to the end of the week and did admit to having fun :) So that was exciting! I love how God always has a plan. For some reason, he decided to send me there. And he sent the girls he did. I spy God in a Big Way at Camp Fairwood!

According to the Dove wrapper...

...I'm suppose to make a list of my dreams.So here goes...

1.Graduate with a four year degree.
2.Save companies money by making people healthier...or just help make people healthier.
3.Decide my "niche" within my passion (see #3)
4.Be a small group leader in our Youth Group.
5.Get my massage license.
6.Have children.
7.Massage out of my home.
8.Live on an acreage in our dream home with a wrap around porch.
9.Take the whole family on a short term missions trip.
10.Help my hubby get to his longterm goal being a fulltime property management/rental business OWNER.

While we're on the subject....goals for the summer...

1.blog more.
2.blog at least once a week about what i'm learning in my devotions.
3.Help my mom with a garage sale...and get rid of alot. :)
4.Watch the entire series of friends.
6.Get to know the girlies in my life better.
7.Spend time with my little brothers doing things we haven't done before.
8.Be a better housekeeper.  (eek!)
9.Try new recipes...which is any recipe.
10. Spend time with the Lord.

Not much...huh? Well...my life is kinda boring right now. the best boring EVER! Ugh...I love it so much...minus my hubby being gone :(. You might not care but I wouldn't mind you asking me how my dreams/goals are progressing...maybe not the having children part...that question gets old. I'll have them when I want to have them! and I don't know when that will be! Have you thought about your dreams lately...it's easy to forget and lose track of them! I know along the way they change...in the meantime pick yourself up a bag of Dove...life can always use some more chocolate :) Thanks for reading and always keep HeART.

Where in the world have the Hartwigs been!?

WHEW! I NEVER thought life could get as crazy as last year when I had my wedding...turns out it can be. School ended the end of April and David graduated :) :)!! Then may started out with Faith's graduation where alyssa & melyssa (and many more friends) graduated! The next day my bro in law was commissioned into the airforce as he had graduated from ISU. Way cool! The next day...haha...I had my first road trip with the eichelberger fam as they dropped me off to spend a whole week with Alyssa as we planned and organized her WEDDING :) that following weekend! Which...my oh my...that will have to be another blog entry. It was the first wedding I had coordinated.ya...another entry for sure. The wedding was amazing despite rain and I'm soo utterly happy for my dear friends & blessed to have helped them! The next week I jumped back into work with a new boss...which was a tad diffcult. Praise the Lord, it has gotten MUCH better! I then helped my mother throw my brother's open house...oh ya! My brother graduated from highschool!The next day I took my cousin Tia shopping to celebrate her graduation which i had missed the weekend of alyssa's wedding :( We had SO much fun!That night Zach graduated!.then the the next day...you guessed it... (story of my life) we took off to burlington to attend yet another cousin Aaron's graduation. Came right back to attend my longtime friend Meredith's shower!! Then...hmm...what else did we do.Seems like there was something big.oh ya...we went to ORLANDO :) For our 1st anniversary!! Ok.rewind.My amazing inlaws gave us-as an anniv gift- points from their vaca timeshare to go anywhere...on the "last minute" list. aka the resorts that need to fill up. We originally thought it wouldn't be a good idea since we were so busy and we had spent SO much obviously.haha...but after that first rough day of work in the summer, i was bound and determined to leave this place with JUST my husband. So we booked it about a week before we left! It was fantastic...another blog entry :) It was just what i needed and i feel so rejuvenated!aww..such a good feeling. we came back and david started Agritech...his summer job.The first weekend in June, I had Leah's Personal Shower.SO fun and SO relaxing for the bride to be! The following week was filled with wedding festivities such as my very first pedicure :D...awesome btw. SO on June 11th Leah my lady became a MRS. I had such a fun weekend spending time with her and the other girls being a bridesmaid! So excited for them. So here I am....blogging and catching up on the bachelorette. bentley is such a jerk btw...and william isn't my fav either. I have some very exciting news too!...I'm NOT pregnant....BUT my husband did just get an opprotunity for his dream job!...once again.another blog entry.So basically that's what i've been up to for a month and a half. I have a bunch of shows to catch up on, a beautiful stack of every season of friends thanks to my bff and nothing to look forward too until August. SO if you're bored call me :)...I'm now available!

Life Unaccommodating

     It's 3:37 am and Davids alarm goes off. He goes back to bed. I remind him that he actually has to get up. (he's turkey hunting). He fly out of bed, gets ready, the room gets a little darker, and the door shuts.I can hear our (not so small) puppy Briggs whining.Her best friend just left her (to go hunting none the less).My stomach drops because I realize this will once again be life this summer.

Bff's. Wish she was still this small :'(

     Our life does not accommodate for time together. We have 4 entities that choose it for us: Lowes, Grandview University, DMACC, and Faith. After that we put our schedules together and pray for time. Don't get me wrong, we find it, but it's never consistent. Oh consistency, how I long for you. I dream of the day it can all fall into place and be a some kind of "normal"...but i feel like thats not going to happen fffooorreeevveerrr. Oh, and what I was talking about before, about summer...well, david is returning to his summer job (that he's had the past four years.) He works for a crop dusting company, driving trucks and mixing chemicals.He's paid by the acre sprayed, which means that a "good" day is him going to work before 6 am and getting home after 11or...for him not to come home for a day or two. uggghh. I hate it. BUT that job kept us alive this year, and because life didn't go exactly as my "perfect (kind of unrealistic) plan" was, we decided for him to do it one more year. I was totally ok with this decision, as i am currently feeling the sweet benefit of it, but lately i've been just burnt out by time (or lack there of). Now as I think about this summer, it just sucks. I can fill my time with friends (or my master plan of watching the whole series of friends and boy meets world), but in my heart i'm screaming "I just want my husband home.with me." Oh, did I happen to add that one of my very close friends will be gone all summer, along with my sissy (in law), and my BROTHER is living with us (as he will be working with david)??? YEAH.yeah. 


     So there it is. I know some would say that I have it good compared to military life, or having a husband that is required to be gone for weeks. BUT I believe that God has placed everyone in their position based on what he believes we can handle (with some room for stretching). I've wondered why I am struggling with it so much...I managed to get through so far! Why now? Could it just be a pity party? Am i just exhausted or burnt out? I know, I know I asked for this life. I got married in college. If I would have waited until late 20's, early 30's to settle down (like the rest of the world-well the secular world, ha) then we wouldn't have some of these issues...but God put me in THIS place. SOO...now what?


     I know there are people out there who have done or am doing the same thing. HOW??? What are tricks you have to strengthen in the time you do have together? OR can you think of some scripture that would shed some light on the subject??I am in desperate need of it.


Thanks for reading, and please pray...that I will always keep heart.

April Showers Bring May Weddings

Bridal showers (and baby showers!!) are bustin up all over the place.I love 'em.It's like never ending christmas, and since my love language is gifts, I still enjoy them fully :).SO i thought i'd give some tips for the bride, and the generous givers!

1. REGISTER.OK, so current brides have probably done that, but for future someday brides and post-shower brides, this is for you! 

• This should be done like 1-1.5 months before the shower at the very least. 
• TIME SAVER: Sign up yourself online beforehand so you don't have to do it before.
• If you have the time, and a patient fiance, register for EVERYTHING.even cleaning supplies and food staples.It might trigger in people's heads to give essentials like that. 
• Also, I registered for everything at every store...ya never know where people will shop!!
• Registering for stuff online= it not being in the store your guests go to=you not getting it.see?
• EDIT.EDIT.EDIT.unless you decide to make it a surprise and never check your registry...(good luck,ha), keep editing and deleting!! I was quite dedicated to mine....i only had to take back 3 items out of ALL my showers and wedding!HOlla!
• FEED YOUR FIANCE BEFORE YOU GO. guaranteeing a better experience.

2. STORES: Target: LOVE IT.best thing. Bed, bath, and beyond. Budget 3ish hours if you go straight through (and do everything), can be intense and a place for tears (so i've heard.) BUT it really is an essential place to register and you can save time through allowing an employee to register for everything in the brand you want! Walmart: in my experience, not worth it. Kohls: fun and pretty easy to register at.

3. When people ask you or your mother what you may want, be honest! If I were you, ask for essentials! Like cleaning supplies or food staples. That stuff adds up sooo much! 

• INSIGHT: after the wedding this is how much we paid for stuff. Cleaning supplies: $200-250ish (with a $100 vac). Hyvee: $250ish Target: $250ish. Bed, Bath, and Beyond: $500 (all our "sets" were there...bathroom, bedroom, plates)

4. Do your Thank you's asap. don't wait. my mistake.

5. At your shower, make sure you give your love story and a thank you, it's just straight up etiquette! 

6. Gift cards: If you have something big you need like a vac or your bedspread, dedicate it to that until you get it! That way you don't blow it.

7.GUESTS: Unless you are buying something you are pretty certain is safe, stick to the registry 100% easier. BUT, you should think outside the box, like using essential-themed gift baskets! 

SO this was my experience anyway.

THOUGHTS!?!?!?!

Bridal DeSTRESSification

MARCH.For all you ladies with late spring/early summer weddings...you are chompin at the bit to get stuff done.You can finally start putting your orders in...which you may not have decided on yet???I only know this because I may or may not have recently, as in today, gave a pep talk to a bride who was going through what I call "Wedding Syllabus Shock". Up til now, you've had ideas, ideas, ideas. Now it's time to get it D.O.N.E.and you're freakin out.Well, if you're like me...this time last year, I was planning a big wedding on a tight budget, going to school full-time, working part-time, and flipping my house/future home on a short deadline with my fiance who had a broken arm. NO? Well, we all have our own stressing stories. First and foremost you need to remember that God will never give you more than you can handle. He has given you you're situation and your future spouse, because he knows that that is the mix that works for you and you can handle.BUT...unfortunately we are humans and girls.So here are some tips that worked for me for Bridal Destressing. (I also happen to be a health promotion major so that's handy) :


*Oh...and I added some pics that was not shown on facebook...you are not alone.


1. PRAY.Tell everyone to pray for you.

2. JUST DO IT. I am a chronic brain-stormer with 0 action. Everytime you have an idea, follow it up by asking yourself when you are going to do it."Later" is not an answer. It can happen later, but literally write down on the pocket calendar in your purse what day you will do it. This will help MAJORLY.


3.Set planned times aside that are just FUN. I always am motivated best by incentives!Make goals!That way you can have things accomplished and feel good while having fun. EX: my roommate and I would have a night in, watch a movie and eat chili's chips, salsa, and ranch :).Don't have time?? Oh yes you do, because if you don't, I promise you WILL snap.So please, save everyone else from that experience.

4.TANNING & WORKING OUT! I know you are all doing one or another, but seriously.it will rock your world. Doctors orders: a 2-3 times a week: 30 min to 90 minutes of tanning and some simple work out (running,jogging, walking, jump rope, my choice: eliptical :))....Unless if you already have a work out plan, DO not exceed more than this, you will have an excuse that "you don't have time".This releases a TON of endorphins, making you happy and giving you energy to kick wedding planning butt!


5.EAT HEALTHY! At least get your fill of fresh fruit and veggies!! They are packed full of nutrients and vitamins that provide energy!


6. SLEEP PROPERLY! Just go to bed, please.No one wants a grouchy bride or fiancee.


7. TALK IT THROUGH!! 1)never stop communicating constantly with the primary person you are planning with (EX: Mom). always stay on the same page. 2) When you feel accomplished, call a friend up and let them know everything you got done!! 3) Have a few different people that you can call, that will bear with you as you go on and on about things you need to get done. Talking about it locks it in your brain, and the other person can help you think stuff through.

8. DATE: If you need one, tell you're fiance. Don't let him play the guessing game (that goes for anything!). Allow him to plan a stress free night!

9. SHOP for honeymoon clothes! It's so much more fun than shopping for the perfect color and width ribbon for the pew bows.AND you are getting something done!

*My Camp Girlfriends helped me pick out this shirt...yes this is in mexico!

10.  Just REMEMBER: In the End...

YOU WILL BE MARRIED!!!!!

OK! What have you done?!? What did you do?!? What have you heard?!?...I think I've covered all readers :)

"Take My Love Language"

  

     Have you ever read the book "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman? I really hope you have, because I have not and I need some questions answered. hahahah :) I know enough to know...that the languages are: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Have you and your significant other ever figured out your (and their) love language?? It's something I never really thought about and didn't take seriously (probably because I never took time to read the book, ha.) until lately. While we were dating throughout high school, I saw every love language as an intricate part of a dating relationship. You were suppose to have everything! Thats just how it is. I mean think about it. In a movie, "Romeo" treks across the land in a storm to get to "Juliet", ditching his important meeting with his boss (or high school championship football game-depending on what moving you're watching)...(acts of service), He than spouts of some mushy-gushy love speech holding roses (words of affirmation AND receiving gifts), then he lays a fat 'ole big kiss on her (Physical touch), then they live "Happily Ever After" (i'm gonna go with quality time for this one.haha.) THEN came engagement...still hadn't even crossed my mind that "love languages" could affect our relationship, but I was definitely learning that this whole married forever thing was going to take a lot more work than occasional super romantic moments.For the last almost 9 months we've been trying to explain to each other what works for us as an individual person.What I do when I'm angry, or hurt, or stressed. What little things he can do to ease it. 95% of the time it just didn't make sense to him (Visa-Versa by the way). We were constantly trying to solve the other persons problems or make them feel good with the way WE like it done.Then one day... literally 2 weeks ago.We were in the car with his family and his father randomly started asking what are love languages are. Of course David has to crack a joke.This is what he said (at first)..."Girls are like a 5 lane highway.They need and want every love language.But They only ever have one lane open, all the others are full.So you guess which one you should go with and Pray it's right." I wonder if that has anything to do with our frequent mood changes?!??Hahahaha!! (I thought it was hilarious...but I think he's the funniest person alive, so that could explain it.ha.)...I think us ladies have all had moments where we can attest that that is kinda true, or at least we make it seem that way.We only want to be complemented when we know we look good, not when we're in our fat pants with the messiest of messy buns atop our head.at least me anyway.BUT we all do have that one or two languages that really speaks volumes.In the car that day, it finally clicked for us. David is words of affirmation. I could jokingly complement him and he LOVES it.He gets the cheesiest grin on his face.Me?? receiving gifts. which is hilarious, because I married a ridiculously frugal man. But if WHEN he brought home a Shamrock shake for me the other night unexpectedly...i almost peed my pants of excitement.Here's where I need your thoughts...We understand how to treat the other person to cater to their language...but what about TAKING their language?? Because I enjoy receiving gifts, I LOVE LOVE LOVE giving gifts. My dream someday is to have a decent budget every months just for gifts. But, david hates when I get him gifts.That's not his love language and to him it's more honoring if I save that money.Last night, He complemented me, I rolled my eyes, and he said "take my love language".HMMM.SO what do you think?? How do you handle this in your relationship.Or if you've read the book :) what do you know of it?? Is it more honoring to accept the output of the other persons love language?? Or is it more honoring to NOT give the output??Humpf. I don't know.help!

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