Fall Fun

Pics from J'Ville. What fun!

Like Sands Through the Hourglass

I know that over the past 6 months or so the life of the Miller's has been a lot like the weather; seemingly ever changing. Well here is the latest. I am writing this from my hotel room in Jacksonville, Fl. Yes that is right, Jacksonville, Fl not Atlanta, Georgia. I am in Jacksonville for 2-4 weeks filling in at the distribution center due to an immediate need for 2 supervisors. I am hoping that this will turn into a permanent thing so please pray that I would know enough to be effective and stand out enough to get one of the open positions on a permanent basis! Both Ang and I feel that J'ville would be a better place for us and for the kids than Atlanta and maybe this is why God has not brought someone to buy our house yet. I am always amazed at just how small I am and how in control God is!

Our weekend was really good and filled with a lot of family hang out time! I am truly blessed with an amazing wife and 3 incredible kids! I got off early on Friday so I got to Columbia around 10:30 pm which was so nice because it meant that I got to sit and chat with Ang and we got to sleep in the same bed an extra night this weekend which is really good for the soul! We spent Saturday morning at the soccer fields watching the nephews play. The rest of the day was just relaxing and hanging with family and then Ang and I snuck out to pick up Caroline and go for a glass of wine and dessert at Nonnah's which is the home of the most amazing apple pie on the planet! It was very nice to relax and have some good "adult" conversation with my bride and a great friend. Sunday was another lazy day mixed with going to the Columbia Children's Theatre for a rendition of "Go, Dog. Go" and a birthday celebration for Elijah with the cousins since they could not make it to the party in Pinehurst. The play was really good and the kids enjoyed it as well as dinners with cake and ice cream at Nana's house afterwards.

It was hard to leave the wife and kids this morning but hopefully it is the direction that we have been waiting for! Please continue to pray for us as we are still apart during the week! Pray that Ang would have the strength to continue to have the kids on her own as well as homeschooling the older 2. Pray that we would have great time on the phone and good communication while we are apart. Pray that I have retained enough knowledge to do well on this "on the job interview" and impress enough to get offered a permanent place in Jacksonville. Lastly, please continue to pray for our house to sell so that we can all be back together again in the near future! Hope all of you are well and I pray that out paths cross again soon!

What a weekend!

Well I can't say that I have had a weekend that was much fuller! I drove to Columbia Friday after work and then to Pinehurst in the morning on Saturday to be with the family for the weekend and celebrate birthday number 2 for Elijah. It is really hard to believe that he is 2 already and at times I feel like I am missing a lot of his early years right now which hurts a little. We had a great train/Elmo party and Elijah could not have had more fun. We had friends for Pinehurst, friends from Charlotte, family from Pennsylvania, family from Pinehurst and of course us! We also had plenty of food as well as cake and cupcakes. I will post pictures when I get them off of the camera which is with Ang.

On Sunday we went to church which is in a brand new building (the first that they came truly call home) and it is a great building. We really feel loved at that church and enjoy being there when we are in Pinehurst. It is amazing to see the growth that has occurred there and the future looks really bright for God to use that church in a huge way in the Pinehurst area. After church Fred, Linda, Pat and myself hurried off to play golf on the historic Pinehurst #2 course. We played with caddies which truly enhanced experience! It is one of the things that is on my "list" so needless to say I was pretty giddy about the whole thing! It was a gloriously beautiful day for golf and a great 4 1/2 hours with my father-in-law and company. Dad, I can't thank you enough!

It was a full weekend and the only thing that could have made it better or even topped it would have been selling the house in Charlotte. We had another showing on Sunday but still no offers. Please continue to left us up in prayer as it continues to get harder and harder on us all to still be apart!

Calling All Prayer Warriors

Ok friends and family we are in need of some real prayer! Our family is still apart for most of the time now with me being on Atlanta and the family in Charlotte. It is getting harder and harder on all of us. Pray for Angie to have strength and patience as she is feeling like a single mom of three most of the the time now. Pray for the kids to behave and help Angie out in anyway. Pray for them to not have any effects of us being apart. Pray for me as I am alone during the week and feel like I am on an island at times. Pray for Angie and I to have sweet time on the phone during the week and for us to communicate well so we understand what each other is going through and stay tuned into each other this season of life. Pray that our house sells so that the family can once again be together! Pray for our hearts and time with each other on the weekends. Pray for protection for our family and marriage and that satan would not be able to use our time apart to cause any problems. We thank you all for your love and support for us and most of all thank you for your prayers. I hope and pray that you are all well and that God blesses you incredibly! Thanks for lifting the Millers up to our Father!

A Few Recent Pics

At Least I know I have one follower...Thanks Megan!

Well here is another update for I guess the one person who is following along!?!? The family has in Pennsylvania again for the past week and will be there for the rest of this week as well. They had a family reunion on Angie's Dad's side of the family this past Saturday and from what I heard it was a smashing success! The kids have loved being on the farm for the week. They have seen the cows, including a brand new calf, watching the green beans being harvested, picking green beans themselves and just running about in the open spaces! I wish I could have been there but I had to work. Thanks a lot Adam! They arrived in Pittsburgh today and will be there for the family reunion on Angie's Mom's side of the family this coming Sunday. I am actually going to fly up on Saturday morning and spend the weekend with them in Pittsburgh and go to the reunion. I am very excited and apparently so are the kids!

Since the family was not around this past weekend I went to visit our friends the Masters in Aiken, SC. They are the wonderful family that I stayed with during my 2 weeks of training back in April. I truly love being there because they treat me like family! I got to play golf with Chas (the son) on Saturday and it was great to just be out and having fun on the course with him. He really is a neat kid! I also had fun with the rest of the family just hanging out, going to church, doing puzzles and just being together. I must say it was a very relaxing and wonderful weekend for me and I cannot thank Ruby and Chandler enough for opening their home to me and treating me like one of the family.

Oh, work is going well and we are staying pretty busy. We continue to have about a showing a week so hopefully God is about to bring the right people! Thanks for continuing to pray for me and my family as we live this adventure called, "life".

I'm Back Baby!

Well I don't know that anyone even noticed how long it had been since I blog or if anyone even reads this thing. However, I do know that it has been way too long since my last entry and this one could be really long if I went over everything that has happened so I will try to give a brief synopsis. First of all I am enjoying the new facility that I am working at in Palmetto, GA which is mostly due to the people that I get to work with. I have been put in charge of training all new hires as well as keeping current teammates up on their training as well. I still enjoy teaching so I am excited about getting to do that some at work in the near future. I continue to commute home on the weekends to at least see Angie and the kids for a few days. That continues to be really hard on us all and we continue to pray that someone will buy our house in Charlotte so that we can all reunite and see each other on a daily basis! We really appreciate all your prayers and ask that you would continue to lift us up during this crazy time in our lives. I have been fortunate enough to get to part of both of the family beach weeks this year which was really fun and some much needed time with the kids and Angie but it really does make me long to live at the beach year round! There is something about the smell of that air that truly relaxes me. Maybe some day I will get to see if it would have that affect all year! Kylie turned 5 in July which is really crazy because it means that not only is she 5 but that Elijah will be 2 in a little over a month and Rodgers will turn 7 in November. Time truly flies and I can't believe how old all of my babies are getting. Man does it remind me that I need to be better at soaking up every little thing with all 3 as much as I can! Angie and the kids are off to PA for a few weeks for family reunions on both sides and Angie's family so I will not see them for a couple weeks. Luckily, I get to fly up to Pittsburgh for the 2nd reunion and spend the weekend with them. Other than that everything is quiet with us not that any of that sounds very quiet to me as I type it but we are thankful for God's provision and protection for our family!

First Week on the Job

Well the first week on the job has come to an end and I am very glad that it is the weekend and I am able to see my wife and kids!  It has been hard being away from Angie and the munchkins so the hugs and kisses I received as I came through the door were much needed.  I must say that it would be even harder on me if it weren't for the Masters family in Aiken, SC.  They are the family that has graciously opened their house to lodge me while I am in training in Graniteville, SC.  They are great people and I am indebted to them for loving on me while I am away from home and my family.  

I have been learning a ton of stuff at the new job but it has been a bit overwhelming since I have no experience in the field of shipping and receiving.  I am now certified to operate a forklift so if anyone has a lift and needs some stuff moved I am now your man.  I also got to put my newly gained skill to work on outbound (loading trailers) side as well as the inbound (offloading trailers) sides of the facility.  

I thanks you all for your thoughts and prayers for my family and me.  Please know that I love you all very much and covet those prayers.  Just so you know we are surviving and we are excited about what God has in store for us in the next stage of life.  

A Leap of Faith

Well the verdict is in and it looks like we are headed to Atlanta, GA barring an unforeseen u-turn.  I have been offered a job by a distribution/warehousing company at their facility in McDonough, GA which is about 25 minutes Southeast of Atlanta off I-75.  I am nervous, excited, sad, glad and a little scared all wrapped up into one!  It is very sad to leave Charlotte.  We have been here for almost 9 years; bought our first house here, had all 3 of our kids here, have great friends here, are in a great church family here, and there are so many other things that I will miss dearly about the QC!  I am anxious to see what the Lord has in store for me and my wonderful family in Georgia.  I am headed down there tomorrow to check out the facility and meet the gentlemen that I will be working with.  Then we are planning on going back down next week as a family to check the area out and see if there is a place to rent for a while down there.  The hard part is that I will most likely be down there without the family for a while.  The one comforting thing is that I know God is in control and He has the best in mind for us so I am trying to continually lean on that!  Thanks for you prayers about the job hunt and please continue to pray for us during this time of transition.  Also, please say a special prayer about us being able to sell our house in Charlotte quickly!  More updates are sure to come as we walk through the turns and twists of this journey we call life.  Love you all! 

The Job Hunt Update

Apparently I have caused a stir with my Facebook status!  I guess our friends and family just want to know the scoop; so here is the most recent update for everyone.  God has been doing what He does best by clearing up the potential job picture for us as well as where we might be.  It looks like we are down to 2 possible places.  The ATL (Atlanta for those of you that are not down with the lingo) and Windy Gap, NC.  So here is where we stand, I heard from a warehousing/transportation company that they had opportunities in Henderson, NC and Atlanta, GA.  Henderson is not a very appealing place to make a new home and after a few questions it also doesn't have much upside as far as advancement goes.  Those things pretty much eliminated Henderson!  Therefore, that left the Atlanta option as far as the warehousing/transportation company.  The only other thing that is out there right now is a Guest Services position at Windy Gap.  I am trying to find out the possibilities of getting this job and if the salary would even be enough for us.  I am hoping to find out more about Windy Gap today.  All that to say, we should know something late this week about a new job and where we will be taking the Miller show!  We are excited, sad and nervous all at the same time but we are trying to listen to what God is teaching and doing in this situation!  Thanks for your continued prayers and priceless friendships!

Long Weekend

This weekend it was just me and the kids which usually goes great but this weekend was a little different.  Angie went to Pinehurst with Kerry and Caroline to hang out and go to the spa. Unfortunately, the big kids have had some kind of 46 hr. virus that basically involves a fever up around 102 or 103.  It started with Rodgers on Thursday and his fever stayed until Sunday morning.  Then last night Kylie had a fever of 103.  So one gets it as the other gets over it which is just my luck.  To top it all off last night at dinner Rodgers just threw up out of the blue. Thankfully it was only a one time thing but it just added to the "fun" of the weekend.  I guess it could have been worse if the throw-ups had continued and other fun things accompanied it so I am thankful for that.  Nevertheless, when you can't get out of the house with 3 kids for a whole weekend it makes for a long weekend.  So I just watched basketball and played Wii with the kids a lot.  I guess it wasn't all bad since March madness is in full swing!  Anyway, I wouldn't trade time with my kids for anything so "long" weekend or not it is always good with my babies!

Some Random Pics

A Seemingly Inevitable Move!?!?

Well as much as I hate to say it and I do hate to say it, it is looking more and more like the Miller's are heading towards an inevitable move.  It is hard to believe that we have been in Charlotte for 8+ years.  We have a great church, great friends, a great house in a great neighborhood and the kids are in a great school.  All of these things make it hard to move but most of the jobs that I have had positive interviews with are not in Charlotte.  I know that you are all dying to know where and when but there is no way that you are more eager to know than Angie.  I am not sure where we will end up but some of the possibilities are Augusta, GA, Atlanta, GA, Columbia, SC and maybe even Windy Gap, NC.  Only the Lord knows where we will be and I am trying to simply trust in Him and know that it will be right where we need to be!  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

34 and Counting

Thursday was my birthday and yes I know that it is hard to believe that I am indeed 34 years old! Thanks goes out to Angie, Rodgers, Kylie, and Elijah for organizing a great cake party with balloons, party blowers, chocolate cake and of course some good friends!  God truly has blessed me with an amazing family and some pretty great friends.  Of course there was some great gifts too!  A new driver, sunglasses, and a Wii!  Let the family Wii fun begin!

Rain, Rain Go Away!

In my opinion, 4 or 5 days of rain in a row is more than enough for me!  I know that the rain replenishes the grass and plants and helps with the pollen count and everything like that but I am a shorts and t-shirt kind of guy!  Therefore, 4o degrees and rainy does not fall into my favorite clothing weather days!  Despite the constant rain we managed to have a great weekend in Columbia.  It was mostly spent hanging with the family and catching up with my mom, brothers and nephews.  Angie got some much needed girl time with Caroline and Erin on Saturday.  Mom cooked up some great veggie soup for Friday and her signature spaghetti on Saturday.  The big kids got to go to see Beauty and the Beast puppet show on Saturday while Elijah and I cruised around Cola for the afternoon.  Today it was church to see my oldest nephew William get baptized!  I must say it was a cool thing to see.  After that more family time and then back to the QC to settle back in for the week.  Needless to say everyone is pretty worn out.  On another note, I have a phone interview on Tuesday with a company called Genco.  I have interviewed with their HR department already and it went very well.  This interview is with the guy that I would be working on so your prayers are greatly appreciated!  I will update you how it goes!  God is truly at work.

Interview + G'Cock Baseball= Full Day

I believe that the title is self explanatory but I will expound for you anyway.  Tomorrow should be and long but fun day and hopefully one that might produce a potential job for me.  First things first, I have any interview in Columbia with a marketing/promotions company that does a lot of work with non-profit organizations.  I don't know a ton about the company or the job itself but I thought it was worth checking out in person!?!?  It also doesn't hurt that it is located in Columbia which is where I grew up and of course GAMECOCK COUNTRY!  After that I am going to check out the Cocks new baseball stadium in person with my boy Steven.  I can't wait to see the new digs and chill with one of the best friends a guy could ask for!  Then it is back to the QC (that's Charlotte for those of you who aren't in the loop) so I can be home for my kids to sing "Happy Birthday to me Thursday morning.  We'll all have to wait and see what God has up his sleeve. Man this journey called life is fun isn't it?!?!

The Maiden Voyage

Well, as you can see I have decided to start a blog for what is going on in my life.  I don't know how well this will go or how diligent that I will be in updating it.  As many of you know, I was laid off from Pulte Homes in late December and have been actively looking for work since.  I have no clue what is next but I am looking forward to what God has in store and know that He is ultimately in control of this situation.  I long to find a job that not only provides for my beautiful wife and 3 amazing kids but also allows me to feel that I am being used by God.  My prayer is that I would get out of the way and be still long enough to hear God's whispers and feel His proddings in order to know that I am where I am meant to be!  I thank you in advance for your prayers and truly cherish each of your friendships.  I hope you enjoy the journey with me!