The last 3 months

So, I've been told a lot lately that everyone feels out of the loop with what's going on in the lives of the Thorntons. So here goes:

Since I last updated my blog 3 months and some change ago I was living in Tennessee, working for a company that marketed tourism for the county we lived in. I LOVED IT! Tennessee was home for me. We were a part of a church that was filled with awesome people, Love, Art, Service, rich teachings, AWESOME and engaging worship, a fun filled (amish) village with amaizing people (aka a small group) and oh so much more. I also loved my job. I got to make a difference in a company that is making a difference in the local economy. I got to work with amazing people. Unfortunately, as much as Kevin loved Tennessee and our church his work wasn't such a happy place. Aside from political and philosophical differences at his work the stupid economy caught up to the gymnastic world of that part of TN. With lowering enrollment the gym for which Kevin was working had to cut his hours down to part time.

Meanwhile, a love affair was developing between Kevin, a man, and a gym. No, Kevin's not gay. But he was being pursued by an older man - for a coaching position. This courtship began while we were still living in DC (which we left because of $$$). Kevin worked with a gal from Minnesota. Her father owns a gym in the twin city area. She was impressed by Kevin's mad skills and told her dad all about him. So he tried and tried to get us to come. He finally won by buying us plane tickets to Minnesota in December. By the end of the trip Kevin gave his heart to the wintry, icy, awful state of MN and Flyaways Gold Gymnastics. It was a love affair gone right - for him.

Kevin left me and TN in January to go to MN. No - not divorce or separation - still married just living apart. I had to stay and wait for them to find a replacement for me at work and to try and find work in MN. We were apart for 6 weeks. It was HARD. I don't suggest that to any one do that, ever. EVER! So as a token of my love and affection i packed all my stuff and princess Ellie into my car and headed north to join him in the frozen tundra of MN at the end of February.

Ellie and I did NOT enjoy the ridiculousness that is MN. They have to have extension poles on their fire hydrants because the freaking snow buries them beneath its icy grip. The lakes freeze and people go ICE FISHING. 30 degrees in the winter is an unseasonably warm spell. I'm not going to lie the cold made me cuss a lot!

The economy drove us from TN and then helped me leave MN. I couldn't find a job. YES I LOOKED. I searched for three months and nada, zero, zip jobs for me. I only had one real interview in THREE MONTHS. So once again I packed my car and princess Ellie and we headed south. All the way to THE Tampa, FL.

Sounds like we're living the dream back in the sunshine state except I had to leave Kevin in MN to finish the gymnastic season. We were apart for six more weeks. Really, folks - DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME. So as of May Kevin and I had lived apart for 12 weeks and together for four. NOT GOOD.

We're staying with my parents which makes life interesting to say the least. Moving home after being gone for 10 years was interesting and adding in a husband makes it extra interesting. Oh, did I say the reason it's so interesting is because my 91 year-old grandfather who has dementia also lives with us? There's never a dull moment, that's for sure.

On the economic front I applied for a part-time bookkeeping job and turned it into a full-time job that paid more than my last. Ok, you got me - I had nothing to do with it - it was totally a God thing. I'm the administrator of a united methodist church. Again! Those UMCS suck me back in! Kevin finally came to FL in May for interviews and such. So far he's working part-time in gymnastics and will hopefully be going back into law enforcement.

Oh and did i mention that i'm reapplying for seminary? I figure the third time's a charm. Hopefully i can actually have enough faith to trust God that He'll work out the funding and the time constraints and then He and I can stop fighting over this calling thing. I only have 84 credit hours to go, have to work full-time and still want to start a family. I'm going to see how far out onto that lake I can walk before I sink because I know He'll catch me or at least pull me back up and clear the water from my lungs.

BRAVO to you if you've read this far! I'll blog more often so I don't have to write a short novel just to cover the last three months.

For those that didn't read and are skipping to the end:
**We live in Florida
**I work for a church again
**Kevin is in FL too and is a White male seeking a loving employer to spend 40 hours a week with.
**We bought a monkey (Ok so we didn't but you shouldn't have skipped to the end)