{weekend recap + sewing + you'll have to read this to know the rest!}

What a great, great weekend. Zackary and I spent it at our home and definitely spent a lot of time relaxing. Friday night, his aunt called and we talked for over an hour.

Oh, Gussy ;)

Saturday, I did some housework, met a girlfriend for coffee and we chatted for over 3 hours! Yeah :) Afterwords I did some sewing. Then Zack grilled chicken for dinner and later we went to celebrate a cousin's birthday. We had brownies and ice-cream. MMmmmmmmm.

That brings me to Sunday. I didn't set the alarm clock and we woke up well into the middle of church.

:(

That was a little sad because we like where we've been going and only go like once a month. We're out of town a lot... Once we got going yesterday we went to a restaurant called Toast. Zack gave me a gift card to Toast for my birthday. They are open for breakfast and lunch; I enjoyed a chicken salad panini, Zack ordered something with potato cakes and eggs, plus toast.

I did some more sewing, Zack vacuumed my car and cleaned up the garage. I cleaned the inside of the car.

I know, I know, such an exciting life! :) Guess that is what happens when you are home for the first and only weekend of the month: there's cleaning to be done.

Yesterday evening Zack actually asked me if he could schedule in a back rub with me. Since you like to be prepared and then that way maybe you'll put a good amount of time into it, he told me. Ohhhh, so funny, so funny! I should check with him to see what day works best.

We have some good news to share: Zack is working this week with his uncle. We've been waiting and waiting for work -- and it's finally here. Although it isn't permanent by any means -- only for 2 weeks -- it is something! We made a list tonight of the top 10 cities by economic to live in and I plan on spending a lot of time applying for jobs in those cities. It is beyond my understanding where we are supposed to be. I've mentioned this before, and while I haven't shed much light on the situation before, it is a serious situation. We have until the end of August to be in a new home.

No plans on where that home is.

Not sure how we'll have any income by then.

But, not too worried about it. God has a plan and it just hasn't been revealed to us yet. I'm hoping one day soon He fills us in but until then I'm just excited to not be worried over the uncertainty.

There is a large adventure planned for us. We could stay in the same town, move to another town in Michigan, or move to another state. Any state, really. Zack has experience with graphic design and video editing; I have experience with writing, editing, and proofreading. If anyone knows of a thriving company looking for talent in the aforementioned areas, please let me know. We both graduated from Central Michigan University and can move for a promising job.

In fact, we're moving somewhere. Just not sure where yet {our lease is up the end of August}.

I've been keeping busy sewing and am hoping it will continue to provide supplemental income. If you have a friend or family member that needs a gift idea, please send them to GUSSY! If you own a small gift store and are looking for new merchandise, contact me! We can talk wholesale! :) Or, if you have a Facebook or Twitter account, feel free to mention GUSSY and my Etsy shop! I would be so appreciative of your support: www.maggiewhitley.etsy.com.

Like I've mentioned before, I need three more sales on Etsy before I can do another giveaway. I'm looking for a reason to celebrate and making it to 100 sales seems like a fun reason! I'm at 97... spread the word to your friends and then we can celebrate success GUSSY style. I've been given a few really neat ideas for a giveaway, I'm sure they'll be well received.

Since Zack is working outside the house this week, he was sure to mention to me how productive I'll be all day today with him gone. No one to sing to me, beat box to me, whistle, run into in our tiny home :) -- that sort of thing. One thing is for certain: it will be weird!

For the last five months, off and on, we've spent most of our days together at home. Losing a job -- one, two, and finally three times -- means you finally just sit back and think, God, where am I to be? How am I supposed to provide for my family? Show me Your will. So with Zack gone tomorrow it will be a new "normal" for us. We've really been praying hard for a new normal to come our way. It can be a lonely world being an unemployed citizen. Lonely, sad and feeling a little helpless. Or a lot helpless some days. Right now we have steady income. But... that is going to end soon. And unfortunately what needs to go out monthly will still need to go out. I know when I started sewing in November, then heavily sewing in February when I lost my job, I never thought I'd be where I am today. Never, ever, ever. I knew nothing about sewing!

See, look at this zipped pouch. This was one of the first things I made:




And here is a picture of something I made over the weekend:



Whoa, Gus.

Thanks for getting some color in your life ;)

Also, please stop talking to yourself. Thanks.

Looking back, I can see my growth. It is humbling and amazing, and a little embarrassing! But whatever. I've made progress, that is the point.

Gussy isn't someone to sit back and not take action, so I learned how to sew a zipper in by watching tutorials online, without a zipper foot -- booyah! ;) I learned of a local fabric store that sells the most amazing and unique buttons, and I got to work. Zack nicknamed the sewing room The Sweat Shop, listened wholeheartedly when I asked for his opinion, and spent more time than I ever dreamed of congratulating me and telling me positive things about my sewing talent.

I found someone to sew GUSSY labels for me.

I started keeping track of my expenses. I knew what was going out and what was coming in.

I made connections; met people online and have been blessed for all the GUSSY referrals they've passed out.

I guess what I'm trying to say that while I wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring I knew I had a sewing machine with a drawer of fabric and sass, and I was going to put it to work. I look for jobs by day, sew by night.

Actually, I still don't know what tomorrow will bring, but it isn't here yet so I'm not thinking to far long. Sure, there have been days when all I've done was cry. Not having a job and not being able to find a job that will pay the bills is really scary. And, I'm only 24. I have my whole life ahead of me, yet I'm experiencing this now? Seems silly.

But...

Better now than later on I suppose. Better now while our family count stops at 2 instead of 6. Right?

No: Better now because that's God's plan.

Alright, I feel a bit better :) Thank you for reading and sharing in life with me and Zack. We'll make it through, and it definitely helps that we're not alone :)




And stay tuned... I've got Sweat Shop pictures to show you! But here is a sneak peak in the meantime :)