David is a full time permanent employee again! You may recall that his company in New Jersey had him on a trial period as a remote employee. The trial period is over. He will continue working for them from home in Texas! We are so thankful for God’s Providence.

Above is a photograph a friend of ours took to express our emotions right now. We got to move back to Texas. We didn’t have to go on COBRA. David got the job. His Psoriatic Arthritis is in remission. We are so blessed! But we know that even if things get bad again, even if David goes back to having flares that leave him bedridden, God is in control.

So, please check out our friends photography at Still Light Media!

Related Posts:

• Praise God for His Providence
• Things Are Going Really Well
• The Psoriatic Arthritis

I’m sorry I haven’t been blogging much lately. Things are going really well. And when things are going really well, there isn’t much for me to blog about.

David’s Psoriatic Arthritis is still in remission. He still has pain every day, but he’s able to do quite a bit. For instance, this weekend Bro #3 graduated from high school. We celebrated Friday and Saturday with family and attended the actual graduation ceremony. Sunday morning, David was still able to attend church services!

Thanks to me having regular chiropractic care again, and another adjustment on my night guard by my TMJ Disorder specialist, my jaw is better than ever. I have had steak twice. I have been very happy with my current jaw status. I rarely had pain, and could eat almost anything I wanted. I never dreamed I’d be well enough to eat steak again.

My insterstitial cystitis has been almost non-existent since we got back to Texas. My job at the law firm is going well, and I’ve got a nice part time schedule again.

We are so thankful to be back in Texas and (relatively) healthy!

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• What I Wish I’d Known the Day My Husband Was Diagnosed With Psoriatic Arthritis
• Answers
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My friend Maegan came to New Jersey for a ten day visit.

We had a wonderful time, but the highlight of the trip was Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The farmland was so pretty and green. The people were kind and friendly. We ate at two different Amish restaurants. Both were wonderful. Shoo-fly pie is delicious!

We did lots of shopping at Kitchen Kettle Village. They have a brilliant marketing strategy. There are signs everywhere telling you the story of the buildings and the people who make the items you’re purchasing. The quilt shop? They sell stuffed animals and Christmas ornaments made from remnants of antique quilts salvaged by two sisters. The jam and jelly shop? You can see the Amish women making the jelly and relish in the open kitchen. Oh, and you can sample absolutely everything. From sweet potato butter to Danson plum jam it was delicious! And they ship all over the US.

I went to a yarn store for the first time with Maegan while she was here. It was delightful, seeing so many varieties of color and texture. Maegan purchased the yellow yarn in the picture above, and I’ve now got her hooked on knitting.

We did see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Alas, I did not get any pictures.

David didn’t feel up to going with us on most of our adventures, and of course, he was working during the day. He did however, insist on us taking Maegan to Uno, his favorite restaurant. It’s a good restaurant, but if you’re gluten free, it’s amazing! They have a nice gluten free menu that includes pizza. Once David ordered something that wasn’t on the gluten free menu and the manager came out to explain that the dish was prepared in an area of the kitchen where it would have some cross contamination. We were impressed.

We really enjoyed having Maegan here with us. Saying goodbye would have been much harder if I didn’t know I’d be seeing her again in May.

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David and I are moving back to Texas.

We were in the process of moving into a one bedroom apartment here in our apartment complex. I had a post all written up about us staying in New Jersey for another year. Here’s a quote:

The decision to stay another year was completely David’s. I have had no peace about going home or staying here. I’ve prayed and prayed, but ultimately I had to tell David to make the choice because I just don’t feel the Holy Spirit leading me one way or another. And it’s his career. David has always made excellent career choices.

We were staying here until suddenly we weren’t. David came home one Thursday night saying he thought we should go back to Texas. He went to work that Friday, and I wasn’t sure if he was giving two weeks notice, a month’s notice or what. He did, in fact, tell his employer his last day would be April 29. We will begin driving home April 30.

Our renters will be in our Dallas home until May 2012. We will be living with family for a bit while David looks for work.

I can’t say for certain, but perhaps God is leading us back home because we were willing to stay here. Whatever happens, wherever we go, we know God is in control, and he will provide for us.

Thank you for praying with us about our health and David’s employment.

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Friday Fragments is hosted by Half-Past Kissin’ Time.

*I’m turning into my husband. I’ve started playing Lord of the Rings Online. And I drank a Dr. Pepper last night.

*I’m thinking of changing my tag line from “Hand me another Diet Coke” to “The Non-Mom Mommy Blogger.” What do you think? I read mommy blogs. Mommy bloggers read me. I’m often mistaken for a mommy blogger. I’m the only non-mom blogger in the Cinnamon Burst Cheerios video.

*Yes, that’s right. The high here in South Jersey today is 67 degrees. I am wearing this lovely short sleeved tee shirt that my parents gave me for Christmas.

*David’s psoriatic arthritis is fairly stable right now. Not much to report there, which is part of the reason why I haven’t been blogging very much lately. Does anyone have any questions about psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, TMJ Disorder or caregiving? I’d love some blogging inspiration! Another reason why I haven’t blogged a lot is because I’m working away on my novel. I’ve started on my second draft!

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Congrats to Sharon R, winner of the ShopRite Gift Card!

Does your child’s school participate in the Box Tops for Education program? Well, ShopRite has an extra special offer going on now through September 30, 2011 that will give even more to your school.

Here’s how it works:

Now through September 30, 2011 visit ShopRiteShopOnceGiveTwice.com to register your ShopRite Price Plus Card. Check back each month for participating products and great savings. When you purchase any 5 participating products on or before the end of the month using your ShopRite Price Plus Card, let the giving begin. With a qualifying purchase of 5 participating products you earn 5 Bonus Box Tops to be electronically added to your school, and $0.55 will be donated to the ShopRite Partners in Caring Fund. A few of the great items for February include some of your favorite products like, Cheerios, Wheaties, Nature´s Valley Granola Bars, Fiber One Bars, and Fruit by the Foot.

I stocked up on Gluten Free Chocolate Chex for David and Cinnamon Burst Cheerios for me. I’m happy to know we’re helping our nephew’s school. ShopRiteShopOnceGiveTwice.com even has printable coupons!

I have one $25 ShopRite gift card to give away!

Mandatory Entry: leave a comment telling me which of your favorite General Mills´ products are you excited to see featured in the “Shop Once. Give Twice.” program at ShopRite.

For bonus entries you can

*Follow me on Twitter and Retweet the following: Sponsored: ShopRite ShopOnceGiveTwice sent me a GC and you can win a ShopRite Gift Card, too! #giveaway #myblogspark http://wp.me/pvZfF-UN

or

*Like A Young Wife’s Tale on Facebook.

or

*Stumble any one of my blog posts.

Leave a separate comment for each entry. Giveaway ends February 26. I’ll select a winner using random.org, and email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before I select another winner.

Disclosure: General Mills and ShopRite gave me one gift card to keep and one to giveaway as part of the MyBlogSpark program and my review of the ShopRite “Shop Once. Give Twice.” offers.

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Ten years ago today, David asked me to be his girlfriend.

I’m so glad I said yes.

I love you, David!

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Jenny B. Jones has a great sense of humor. Every chapter of her book, Save the Date, had me laughing out loud.

It tells the story of Lucy and Alex. Lucy is a klutzy blonde who runs a group home for young women who have aged out of the foster care system. She grew up poor, and disdains people like Alex Sinclair, a wealthy former professional football player who is running for congress. He proposes they fake an engagement to help him win the election. In exchange, he promises funding for her group home.

I enjoyed the story and its hilarious one-liners. It was entertaining to read about Lucy blundering her way through the political scene in South Carolina. There were some surprising twists in Save the Date, too. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Fiction or chick-lit.

That being said, I did not like the pastor’s feel good preaching in the book. Also, at one point, two Christian men were discussing “things that really matter” and family seemed to be the only thing that mattered. There was no mention of honoring God, obeying God, the great commission or the fruit of the spirit. I did appreciate the author making it clear that Alex and Lucy’s lies were wrong, no matter how good their intentions were.

Save the Date is a cute, romantic read.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Book Sneeze in exchange for writing a review.

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Please check out this video from Lisa Copen and Rest Ministries. Lisa and Rest Ministries are such a blessing to me!

Friday I went to our local community college to register. Many spring classes had already started, but they managed to register and enroll me in English Composition II. Class started this morning! It went very well. The professor discussed grammar, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I remembered from grade school. I don’t even have to purchase a text book. Yay for saving money! I’m excited to be going back to school and improving my writing.

That’s the big, exciting news in my life this week. That and the fact that our mail order pharmacy on our new health insurance is the same mail order pharmacy our old health insurance company used made this week great! I don’t even have to transfer David’s prescriptions.

How are you doing?

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Check out my guest post on home organization at New Kind of Normal!

Friday Fragments is hosted by Half Past Kissin’ Time.

*I have never experienced the loss of a child, but this post was just so beautiful, I had to share. Check out Raising Arrows Is There Anything Worse Than This?

*One night last week, David says I yelled in my sleep, “I will not let my best friend die for my best activity!” I have no idea what I was dreaming about. David said he is pleased that even in my dreams I’m making good moral choices.

*We still don’t have our health insurance cards, even though we’ve been active on David’s employer’s insurance since December 4. David has spoken with HR several times, and they keep saying that we should get them any day now. We’re in the insurance company’s system. I have had a really bad cough for about a week. No fever, but it’s hard to talk and sleep. It sure would be nice if we could use the health insurance we’re paying for.

*I just found out that David’s office is going to be closed on Monday! Hooray!

*At Christmas, the family sent us home with presents for Henry. Here’s his favorite.

*The snow here in New Jersey makes things look a lot nicer. I’m enjoying it for the moment, although it’s a lot harder walking Henry in five inches of snow. Our apartment complex cleared the street and entry-ways, but the sidewalks are still covered.

Have a great weekend!

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