House Hunting

Well, we're in Florida. We just got back to Tampa from Ft. Lauderdale. We found a BEAUTIFUL house! We submitted an offer, but it's a short sale and there are a couple other offers on the table so who knows if we'll get it. There is another house we liked so if this one doesn't go through hopefully the other one is still on the market and we can get that one. Both homes are in Miramar. It's about a 12 minute drive for Todd and it will be a 40 min. drive for me.

We did go by Todd's office and we went by my station. My station is getting ready to move into a new building in a few months and the new building is very nice! HUGE station.

We did a lot of driving and a lot of good eating while out there.

Todd's mom and dad watched Rebecca and Madison for us while we were out there. That made it like a mini honeymoon. :)

It's just a matter of weeks before we leave my beloved Springfield, Virginia. I am going to miss Virginia so much. It's a beautiful place to live. I hope one day we can go back. I have made some life long friends and I am going to miss them. It's going to be hard on the girls to not have their friends around.

I did find a nanny! Yay! She's a little young, but she seems to be on fire for the Lord and I hope it all works out.

We didn't find a church though. And that concerns me. I really want to get involved with a church as soon as we get out there. And we need a preschool for Rebecca too.

All in all, regardless of the offer outcome, this trip has been a success. We got a really good idea about the area and what we should expect.

If things start to look good with the house, we'll post some pictures. I don't want to get my hopes up. I am going to be really sad if we don't get it.

We are going to spend Christmas with Todd's parents. I'll try to get some pictures posted from that day as soon as we can.

Border Patrol Christmas Party 2008

Great party, great friends and a beautiful wife... what more can a guy ask for?!?

EOD-Pembroke Pines, Florida

I have received an EOD for work!! I will start PP3, February 1, 2009. I'm so excited! Hopefully this will give us plenty of time to find a place to live and a nanny for the girls.

Meanwhile, I need to work on my skills......

Yay!!

Back in the saddle again

Well....... I just got an email from the Minneapolis Hiring Center.. and it reads:

Congratulations. All pre-employment is now complete for your reinstatement back to the Office of Border Patrol, Miami Sector/Marathon Station. Our next step is to set an effective date. If there are any scheduling concerns you might wish to be considered before we begin working with the gaining sector to negotiate a release date please state them in your response.

Please respond to us with a date you would like for us to use in the negotiation by Friday December 5th and we will try to attain the date that works best for you and remains within the needs of the gaining sector. Pay Periods begin on Sundays and the earliest available date would be 12/21/08. Please respond to all by Friday December 5th with the date you would like for us to use. Thank you and congratulations again.

Jacquie J. SmithHR Specialist (Team Lead)Mission Critical Staffing Services (MCSS)Minneapolis Hiring Center


So there you have it folks! I'll be back in GREEN in no time! (well in another month or so)

YAY!!!!!!!

Bryant family health

Well looks like we are all either sick, getting sick, or getting over being sick. It's like a revolving door with the cold this past week. Todd is hopefully on his way to recovery. So is Madison. But Rebecca and I are getting sick. AGAIN....

I've been looking for a nanny out in the Weston area. I've had a few people that sound kind of good. Lets just pray that it all works out.

I still don't know if I passed my drug test... ? I hope I did. Otherwise I have some explaining to do. But until they pin with something, I will deny everything, admit nothing, launch counter accusations, demand proof, and remember... videos and pictures can be altered. So, they have nothing!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for. I will be sure to thank God that I have a family and that I have food on the table and I have a warm bed to sleep on. Simple things. Things we take for granted.

Thanks for reading. I plan to take some good pictures tomorrow. So keep on checking on us.

Rebecca's First School Picture!

Preschool - 4yrs old

Too funny! Check this video out!

Duke, Duke, Duke... What are we going to do with you??

Mischevious Rebecca

Rebecca, Calvin, Casey and Madison playing "Ring around the rosey"

Funny

 

Madison being happy in her car seat.

So it looks like we're moving to Florida.... yay

So by now I'm sure you have all heard we're moving to Florida... yay

It's getting a little stressful and we've only known about this for... not even 24 hours. So many things to do and plans to make and we can't do it until we get orders cut.

I guess we're getting stressed about stuff we have no control over. I just pray that God gives me strength and patience to deal with all that is involved. I pray that God helps me be a good mother to my daughters. And a good wife and friend to my husband. I pray that God relaxes me and helps me deal with all that is to come.

I still haven't heard if the Border Patrol wants me back. For all I know they don't and I'm stressing about that too.

I think we are in for a wild ride this next month or two. Keep checking in on us and we'll keep you all posted.

Fw: Tentative Job Offer: SBPA Special Operations Supervisor (SOS); GS-1896-13; Pembroke Pines, FL

Um... Let me think about this for a couple of... yeses!

---

From: NATHE, KRISTEN A
To: BRYANT, TODD C
Cc: FIGUEROA, EDUVINA
Sent: Thu Nov 13 17:56:31 2008
Subject: Tentative Job Offer: SBPA Special Operations Supervisor (SOS); GS-1896-13; Pembroke Pines, FL

This email is to extend a conditional offer of employment to you for the following position:

Job Title: SBPA Special Operations Supervisor (SOS)

Pay plan/Job Series/Grade: GS-1896-13, Step 7

Agency: Customs and Border Protection, Office of Border Patrol

Sector: Miami Sector

Station: Miami Sector Headquarters

Salary: $ (Salary includes locality pay but DOES NOT include 25% AUO)

Please reply no later than close of business on November 17, 2008, stating whether or not you accept this offer. If we do not have a response from you by that time, we will assume you are no longer interested in the position. If you decide to decline the offer, please respond to this message and include your reason(s) in your response.

Upon acceptance of this offer, an effective date will be arranged between the Losing and Gaining Sectors.

Please reply using "Reply to All". If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I can be reached at the phone number below or by email.

Thank you and congratulations!

Kristen A. Nathe

HR Specialist

Mission Critical- Staffing Services

Hello Dominick!

This is my nephew Dominick! He looks just like his daddy! And the last picture is of Todd with Dominick

Todd's back home!!

Todd made it back home this morning. My Papi Chulo is back!!! Hooray! He was out on the BEST coast for about 5 or 6 days. So now he's back. He saw my sister Lydia and her baby boy and my brother in law Jose. They all seem to be doing fine. We'll be posting some pictures Todd took out there, later.

BETH IS PREGO!!!

Just want the world to know!

God is in control

Here is a quote from Joel Rosenburg (author of Epicenter) regarding yesterdays election:

"I know many of you are very worried about the direction of our country. I certainly understand this sentiment, but as I wrote yesterday, let us not lose heart. The Lord knew who would win. He allowed it to happen. He has a plan. He has a purpose. And now He is calling us to serve Him faithfully - to do whatever He tells us to do, to go wherever He tells us to go, to say whatever He tells us to say. Now is the time to draw close to Christ, to advance His kingdom, and prepare for His return. He is, after all, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Now is certainly no time to forget, or to be discouraged."

"It is now our solemn responsibility to pray faithfully and consistently for him [Barack Obama], his wife, his family, and his advisor. We must pray for their safety, their wisdom, and their discernment. This is the right thing to do and honors the Lord. As the Apostle Paul teaches so clearly in I Timothy 2:1, "I urge that entreaties, prayers and petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity."

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Enticing?

Maw has been doing her best to talk us OUT of returning to Florida! Where are the pictures of sunny places and smiling faces??

Caves, Bears and Mountains

We had a few extra HOURS to kill so we stopped at the caverns. The girls were convinced that bears live in caves therefore there must be bears in this cave!

Shenandoah Mountains

This was a nice family trip along Skyline Drive! We almost caught the peak of the leaves changing.

She Passed!

God is good, all the time! Juanita passed the test with flying colors - The hard work and determination paid off!

Today is a BIG day!

Juanita is on the way to take her fitness exam! Please pray for God's speed and strength as she completes one of the last steps in the hiring process.

Not to be outdone - Madison gives it her best!

Both of the girls have really begun to sing with enthusiasm. They pick up new tunes very quickly. It touches our heart to hear them sing the Lord's praises!

Rebecca sings!

Rebecca has learned a few new songs in Pre-School - she loves to be the center of attention.

It starts...

The Virginia Bryants take the plunge into Internet immortality - sharing our rambling nonsense with all those bored enough to follow along. Here we go...