Meet Elizabeth Grace Richards!

Elizabeth Grace Richards was born on Thursday, September 12, 2013 at 8:01 AM.  She was 7 lbs 4 oz and 22 inches long.

Mom and baby are both doing GREAT!  At a newborn's 2-week checkup, the goal is for them to be back up to their birth weight.  Our little Elizabeth is a little overachiever - at her 2-week checkup, she was 7 lbs 9 oz.  Mom is back on her feet (albeit slower than usual) and is adjusting to the responsibilities of juggling a newborn, caring for the home, and working her Premier Designs business.  Dad is being extremely helpful, enjoys holding his little girl, and is continuing to work at Henderson's Custom Cabinets while searching for a job that would provide benefits and better pay.

We are absolutely enjoying getting to know our Little Bit.  She's VERY expressive (both with her hands and her facial expressions), sleeps in the most adorable positions (see above), and loves Celtic music and Acappella, as well as a random Swahili lullaby Summer learned in high school.  She also has this cute curly cowlick on the back of her head, and gets the hiccups several times a day (which she did en utero as well).  It's a little hard to believe she'll be a month old on Thursday - has it been that long already?!

We're looking forward to a visit from some of Summer's family from San Antonio in a couple of weeks, and Jon's mom, JoAnn, is coming for a visit in early November - we're excited to share our little one with so much family (not to mention Summer's dad and stepmom who came for a visit the weekend after Elizabeth was born, and great-grandma Mops, who's seen her several times, as well as others in Summer's family)!

As far as holiday plans (because everyone is wondering, we're sure):  We're not sure yet what we're doing.  We would LOVE to visit Jon's family in New York (since we haven't seen them in almost a year, and they need to meet the newest addition), but we're not sure if we'll have the funds at this point to make the trip - we'll see how things work out.

How to pray for us:  Please pray that Jon is able to find a better paying job with benefits, and quickly.  Also, please pray for our continued adjustment to a new baby, and that Elizabeth will grow "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man," and that she will come to know the great love that God has for her.  Please pray that we will be wise as parents, and for our own refinement that this treasure will bring us.

New Job!!!

There are many, many people waiting for this baby to arrive - even people in the apartment complex who we don't really know too well will periodically knock on our door and see how we're doing, if there's a baby born yet, and if there's anything they can do to help.  One such lady (Cheryl) came by this morning to check in on us.  Jon mentioned to her his job situation, and added that, if she knew of any places hiring or ran across anyone looking for workers, we would appreciate the lead.  She said she'd keep her eyes open, and we thanked her and continued on with our day.  A couple of hours later, there's a knock at our door again - Cheryl said that she had been on the phone since she left us, and she knew of a guy at a cabinet shop in North Longview in desperate need of workers.  She gave Jon the contact information, and he gave them a call.  They invited him to come and fill out an application, so he got all dressed up and went.  A little while later, Summer got a phone call from Jon - "Well, I start at 6 AM..."

So, starting tomorrow, Jon will be working at Henderson's Custom Cabinets!  Seeing as how Jon builds things in his free time (currently, he's working on a cabinet to go under our desk to support it and give us more storage space), this is a good fit for him!  We are blessed beyond measure!

Waiting for a Baby and Job Update

Well, since Monday, Jon has joined the many other people looking for work.  On Tuesday he had a job interview at a local oil field equipment re-certification shop, and we're hoping to hear back from them soon regarding a second interview.  He has also applied to a couple of local cleaning companies.

Since the end of summer camps, Summer has been working her Premier Designs business full-time.  One more show tonight, and then she goes on maternity leave until October (or maybe just the end of September, depending on when LB decides to make an appearance).

We enjoyed spending time with Tom, JoAnn, and Daniel in late July/early August, and have been working to get everything ready for the baby.  JoAnn helped Summer organize and get things set up, and since then Summer and Jon have gathered everything we need for our home water birth.  Now...now we just wait.  As we are now considered "term" (at 38 1/2 weeks), the baby could come any time!  We are also now down to once-a-week midwife visits until the birth.  Because of the baby dropping, Summer has also been going to the chiropractor every week - it's amazing how much a baby in the pelvis can throw the lower back out!

As far as notification of LB's birth - we probably won't be online much right after the baby is born, but we have a plan set for letting everyone know:

Summer's dad has a contact list for people in her family and friends of both Jon & Summer.  Jon will call his parents, who will then have the liberty of letting everyone in his family know (although there will be those who Jon will be calling himself, besides his parents).  Summer's dad will also be posting to Facebook after all of the phone calls have been made.

Several things to pray for:

• That Jon will quickly find employment.  We have enough to cover everything in September, but come October, things get a lot tighter.
• For wisdom - that Jon will learn what God has for him, and for wisdom in decision-making and finances.
• For Summer and LB as birth draws nearer.

Important Information

It occurred to us that many of you don't know our new address!  We're not going to put it on here, but it is updated on Summer's Facebook profile (the privacy settings are such that only friends of Summer can see the address).  If you are not on Facebook and would like the address, please e-mail Summer at SummerBrown1312@gmail.com and she'll send it to you!

Also, we recognize that many of you would like to give a gift for Little Bit, but won't be able to come to any baby showers (since they're all happening down in TX).  We are registered at Wal-Mart and Target, and it will be sent to our new address if that is an option you would like to use.

New Job and Other Things

First, I (Summer) should apologize for not sending out this update sooner!  After about a week of job hunting, Jon was hired by Longview Radiator, an auto shop here in town (on Hwy 80, between McCann Rd and Bill Owens Parkway).  As this is about their busiest time of year, they agreed to take him on as a mechanic's assistant.  As far as aviation, it will help his resume because it is working mechanically, which aviation companies like to see.

Jon was called into his boss's office on Friday and given specific benchmarks that he MUST reach this week in order for the boss to justify keeping him on as an employee.  We are very grateful that this employer has been open with Jon and very specific about areas of improvement.

We have also now successfully moved into our new apartment!  Summer had planned to take about a week to move in, with help all week long, but plans changed quickly when the apartment filled up with 12 people helping on Monday evening!  In one hour, we went from not having a single room in the old apartment emptied to having every single room in the old apartment emptied.  After taking a day of rest on Tuesday while the water was shut off in the entire complex (maintenance?), Summer had 4 girlfriends (plus 4 children) over on Wednesday, and the old apartment was completely cleaned in about an hour and a half.  We are blessed beyond measure to have good friends to help!

Summer is travelling (with a couple of girlfriends) to Fort Worth this week for the Premier Designs National Rally (SUPER excited!), and Jon will take the time to help a friend build a catapult prototype and spend some guy time with friends, playing games.

Little Bit is doing well - we're at week 31, which means we could have a full-term baby in as little as 6 weeks!  We're looking forward to spending time with Jon's parents and youngest brother in a couple of weeks as they come down to visit, and we are working to get the new apartment ready for LB's arrival in a few short (but long) weeks.  As of this past Friday's midwife appointment, LB is in the correct position for birth, and seems to be staying there.

Please pray for Jon's encouragement as he seeks to meet (and exceed) the benchmarks that have been laid out for him, that all doubts about whether or not he can do the work will dissipate, and that he will be successful in this endeavor.  Please also pray for Summer and LB, as Summer has been in a bit of pain the past few days from LB laying on nerves that we didn't know exist and kicking ribs that are already tender from a growing baby.  Please continue to pray for wisdom in decision making (particularly regarding finances), and that we will be able to find affordable insurance for Jon, as he is currently not covered and doesn't get benefits in his current employment.  And thank you, friends and family, for your support and encouragement these past several months.

Please Pray for Us

We found out today that Jon has lost his job at Precision Machine & Tool.  They are downsizing because of less work, and the owner didn't communicate with him very well about expectations until he said, "You're fired."

When Jon was searching for a job before getting the job at Precision, he was bringing in an income; it was just a matter of finding a better job.  Now, however, he doesn't even have that.  Summer starts working for camps full-time next week, but that alone won't be enough to pay the bills (especially with us moving in about 3 weeks).

Please pray for doors to open, and that God will continue to provide for us.  Also, please pray for wisdom for us - that we would know where to look, and that we can continue to make wise decisions needed for our growing family.  Also, please pray for encouragement for Jon (both personally and professionally, as this is a hit to him) and for peace and calm for both of us.

Also, if you have any leads in the Longview/Tyler area, we would be very grateful for any and all information you can give.  Jon has experience as a machinist and has his A&P mechanics license (as in, he's licensed to work on aircraft).

Preparing for the Baby...

Well, we're in the home stretch - Summer and "Little Bit" started their third trimester today!  We just thought we'd give an update :)

As you all (or at least, most of you) know, we are currently in a one-bedroom apartment in Longview.  We have now been offered a TWO-bedroom apartment at our same apartment complex, and rather quickly made the decision to accept the offer.  So, we will be moving to a two-bedroom apartment (where we will very likely be staying for the rest of our time in Longview, unless God has plans for us to be here for longer than 4-5 years) around the first week of July - just a couple of months before LB arrives!  We are definitely excited for the opportunity for a little extra space, and would covet any help to move, particularly since Summer won't be very helpful for moving furniture.  If you are interested in coming to help, feel free to e-mail Summer at SummerBrown1312@gmail.com and she'll add you to a list and keep you updated on dates and times - we'll know a week or two in advance when the apartment will be ready for moving in.  In the meantime, we are starting to pack for the move :)

Other than that, things are going well.  Jon LOVES his new job, and we have continued catering, though events are becoming fewer as Summer's pregnancy progresses.  Summer will begin working for summer camps at LeTourneau University in the next couple of weeks, and will continue to do so until camps end in late July/early August (thankfully, she has the first week of July off, since there are no camps - perfect timing for moving!); afterwards she will continue her Premier Designs jewelry business, but will otherwise be a stay-at-home-mom - something she is very much looking forward to!

Thank you for joining us in prayer - if you are still with us in that regard, please pray for calm in the busy-ness of packing and getting ready for a move, that all will go well with said move, and for Summer as she goes into her third trimester - that as birth approaches, all would go well, and that her hormones will calm down, as she has been prone to erratic fits of tears recently (it's been quite stressful for us both)!  Thank you!

God is SOOO good!!!

For those of you who haven't heard yet (via Facebook, that is), Jon started a new job yesterday!  Last Wednesday, he decided to start calling local machine shops and ask them if they had openings.  He googled "machine tool shops near Longview, Texas" and started going down the list.  The most common response was, "Yeah, send us your resume and we'll see."  When he called Precision Machine Tool, however, the response was extreme excitement.  Jon sent them his resume, and (after a miscommunication) was asked if he could come in for an interview that afternoon.  Since it was already fairly late in the day and Jon was currently at work, he apologized but said he couldn't.  The response:  "If you had come in today, I would've started you on Monday."  They set an interview for Monday morning, and Jon went.  Monday afternoon he received an offer, and this week (starting yesterday) he started working there part-time.  He submitted his resignation letter to LeTourneau University, and will continue to work there in the mornings for the rest of the week.  He'll work at Precision in the afternoons, then start there full-time on Monday.  He'll be working Monday-Thursday from 6 AM-4:30 PM (with 30 minute lunch breaks) and will have Friday, Saturday, and Sundays off.

With that said, we just renewed our lease at our apartments, and will be settling down here in Longview for at least a few more years.  Thank you all SO MUCH for standing with us in prayer for a better-paying job in an area of interest for Jon!  We have seen God provide for us faithfully the past few years, and we are excited to see how He will continue to provide for us.

A question that people have been asking that we thought we would address:  "What about aviation?  Isn't Jon still interested in pursuing a career in the field he studied?"  Jon is willing to commit 5 years to this company.  5 years of experience in a mechanically-inclined field (especially one that involves making and inspecting parts) opens doors in the field of aviation that would otherwise be closed.  He will also have the opportunity to achieve certifications that would further advance an aviation career.

In other news, Summer and "Little Bit" (LB) are doing well.  The next midwife appointment is Monday.  So far, every time the midwife has come, the heartbeat has been very easy to find and has been very strong.  Things are progressing well, though Summer could stand to gain more weight - she's still trying to find her balance with eating more.  She has also had some painful back experiences lately, and is working to correct things in daily living to prevent injury and pain.  LB has been moving around (Summer felt him/her for the first time early last week, and the movements have slowly become more pronounced and frequent), and is apparently a VERY active child - though knowing the parents, we're not surprised!

Summer will be working for summer camps again this summer (to supplement Jon's income) and continues to run her jewelry business, babysit locally, cater, substitute teach, and will be working for a local clerical temp agency.  As things progress with pregnancy (and, of course, after LB is born), she will probably work less (depending on how things go with back pain, especially).  After LB is born, she plans to drop to only running her jewelry business.

As said earlier, thank you for standing with us in prayer.  We ask that you continue to pray for Summer's pregnancy, and join us in thanksgiving to God for His gift of a job for Jon!

BIG Changes...

Well, in case you haven't heard the news yet, there are some MAJOR changes in the works.  In September of this year, we look forward to welcoming the newest addition to our family!  Summer is 10 (almost 11) weeks pregnant!

This, of course, accelerates the job hunt for Jon.  On Monday, he received an e-mail from a company he has communicated with at the last two job fairs hosted by LETU.  One of the leaders for the Turbines division at Covington Aircraft (located in Okmulgee, OK) e-mailed Jon, basically saying, "Your resume was uncovered when we were going through some old files - are you still interested in working for us?"  Jon (of course) said yes, and he had a successful phone interview this afternoon.  We're not sure when, but we'll be traveling to Okmulgee sometime relatively soon for an in-person interview.

As always, we covet your prayers, and now so more than ever.  With "Little Bit" on the way, we keenly feel the need for more gainful employment.  Please pray with us for the means to travel to Okmulgee for the interview, a fruitful trip, God's continuous provision for our growing family, and a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Another year, another adventure...

Well, the doomsdayers were wrong...apparently the Mayans weren't predicting the end of the world on 12/21/12.  We've made it to 2013!

Much has happened in the last few days.  But we'll get to that in a moment!

Summer successfully completed her first semester of Greek.  As long as we are in Longview, she will continue to attend Greek classes, volunteer at the Child Advocacy Center of Gregg & Harrison Counties, cater with Jon, and run her Premier Designs jewelry business.

Jon has been chugging away at his current job for LeTourneau custodial, as well as his second job catering with Summer.  He has not been idle, though!  He put in several applications with Gulfstream, an aviation company located in several places around the nation, including (but not limited to) Wisconsin, Massachusetts, California, and Georgia.

We spent Thanksgiving Day with part of Summer's immediate family in the Longview/Kilgore area, and then traveled down to Houston to visit more of her relatives the day after Thanksgiving.  After celebrating our anniversary on the 17th, we flew to NY on the 19th to visit Jon's family for Christmas and New Year's.

It has been wonderful being here in New York - we have been able to see family we haven't had time to really see in a while (and that Summer hasn't really been able to get to know), re-connect with friends, and shovel snow - lots and lots of snow!  (Apparently we brought the snow with us - when we arrived, there was NONE on the ground, but it has snowed almost every day that we have been here!)

Our original plan was to arrive on the 19th and head back to TX on the 3rd.  Seeing as how this is being written from NY...that didn't quite work out.

Last week, Jon received a phone call from Gulfstream - they wanted to interview him over the phone.  It was scheduled for yesterday (the 2nd).  After the interview, they told Jon that they would get back to him next week; after they had called other candidates and knocked some people off of their list, they would call everyone and let them know where things stood.  During the interview, Jon was informed that it was the branch in Westfield, MA that was interviewing him.  It came up in the interview that we were currently in upstate NY, and would be going back down to TX today.  Less than two hours after the interview, they called back and asked Jon if he could drive out to MA today and interview in person.  So we changed our flights and drove 10 hours round-trip today so that he could do the interview!  While he was busy doing that, Summer visited several apartment complexes in the area and gathered information, just in case.  We ended up finding an apartment complex that we are very interested in, and explained our situation to the leasing agent and manager.  All that to say, if he gets the job, we have a place to move to!  They said that they would get back to us next week.

Please pray that Jon gets this job, if it is God's will.  Also, please continue to pray for God's provision - our God is a God who is faithful (as He has proven time and time again), and we have but to ask and it will be given!  Please pray for strength and wisdom for us, that we may be careful about gathering all of the information and that we may make wise decisions with the resources available to us.  And, as always, thank you, friends and family, for standing beside us in solidarity and behind us in prayer!