If it's tough for us, what must you all be going through?

Sorry, I couldn't quite bring myself to write "y'all" but I know that I'm "talking" to some Southerners here, and I'll never forget the day in high school when I called a bunch of my girlfriends "you guys" (truly a not-Southern thing!) and I got a talkin'-to! We're not GUYS, we're gals, so if you say 'y'all' then your bases are covered!

Okay, so back to the storyline here. It's VERY tough on us not knowing what's going on with Dear Husband's situation still. We have to remember daily (hourly, minute-by-minute, breath by breath!) to give it back to God because we trust that He has plans for us, and that they're better than anything we could think of. Oh, and all that worrying doesn't help, anyway! "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Matthew 6:34

DH's job is going well. He's back from Chicago, and I am LOVING having my husband in bed next to me where he belongs! Meanwhile, he's beginning to wonder if he's not a Christian living in the 21st century, but maybe a Hebrew slave living in the times of the great pharaohs.

He has been given a project in the Thornton Super K: to "fix" the broken grocery side of the store. How will this "fixing" be measured? By an increase in the bottom line. Period. How long does he have? Just six short weeks. Meanwhile, his drive to work is shorter than mine!

DH is really being challenged, though, and he does love a challenge. He is struggling with the personnel—there simply aren't enough people to do the jobs that need to be done, and some of them do require some experience. There have been a number of positions that are vacant—some for a short time, some for longer periods. The presentation in the store has suffered some, and the problem has compounded over time without proper guidance. He has a bevy of qualified department managers that could whip the store into shape, but the hiring and training process takes 6 weeks or more… too late to help him on his project, but certainly will help the store in the not-so-long run. Those changes take time, you know?

Now, he'll be the first to tell you: if your back stockroom is out of control, so is the rest of your store. Well, their back stockroom is… having a tough time. Getting it under control is fairly simple, given DH's experience with clearing out back stockrooms. It does, however, require a few bodies to move some freight around—like out on the sales floor, so customers can buy it and take it out of the store forever. Since they're short a few of those requisite bodies, he has taken the short-term approach of working all day Monday, and then deciding he needs to go back and work the graveyard shift with the night stockers. I don't know how long this will continue, but he does have a line on some kid that used to work at the King Soopers down the way from our house that's dating the oldest daughter… I hear he's pretty good, so we'll be keeping you posted (hey, it's not a promise, it's a vague… "we'll neglect something else one day so we can blog about it").

Speaking of neglect… I need to get back to work. Just know this: we don't really know what's going on yet. DH has to complete this project, and then he does a panel interview. It will then be decided what his actual title will be—Food District Manager (he was teased with allover District Manager, but that carrot was taken back the other day), or whatever; and of course, the all-important where he will be. We have heard hints that they are considering keeping him right here as a Food DM, which would thrill us to no end. We continue to pray for that, and unabashedly ask for your prayers as well towards this end. Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours, Lord.

Thanks all—and we'll keep you posted on any possible future increases to the Kelley population as we have updates. (How's THAT for a cliffhanger!)

Ciao!

I know, I know!

Yeah, okay, so it's been two weeks again. Well, we've been busy, and we're still learning to remember to make this a priority!

So, here's the quick & dirty: My Dear Husband is BACK!!! YEAH!!! He got back on Friday, the 29th, and the girls also got back from vacationing with their Mom the same day--so we had a mostly full house on Friday. Princess #1 still only stays at her Mom's, but we're trying to encourage her to give us some face-time, too.

Saturday was a great day--woke up and took one really fat dog to the groomers, and went home to work on the other one (also fat, but not as much so). I had taken them both to the vet's on Thursday night (they have to be current on rabies and kennel cough vaccinations before the groomer will work on them), and got the "your dog is FAT" diagnosis--Candy should weigh in somewhere between 70 and 75 lbs, she's sitting at 5 score and 2! Well, they're lazy, and to be fair, we are too--they don't get walked as often as they should; oh, and they were being fed more than a little bit too much, so they've been "cut back" now. Well, Brandy, our little Fox Wire Terrier, (Terrorist, if you ask me) has had cloudy eyes for a while now, and we noticed some time ago that she was now blind, but it hasn't seemed to slow her down a bit. He (the vet) ran some tests, and determined that she had glaucoma in both eyes--very unusual for dogs to get glaucoma in the first place, but there you are. He also said that the odds of her getting any of her sight back is slim, but that we could go through ridiculously expensive procedures to try and restore her vision. Bearing in mind that the words you just read are my paraphrasing of what he said, we just aren't as willing as some of our neighbors to spend thousands of dollars on a pup--dollars that might be wasted since he indicated the success of any such procedures would be questionable. I asked him what our other options were, and it looks like --PLEASE don't panic or be upset, because it really is okay--Brandy is going to lose her eyes. Not much different than she is now--she's already blind (which, I might add, happened very quickly), but the pressure associated with glaucoma apparently does cause some pain. Not that you'd know it from watching her--you can tell she's blind, because she walks right into things, but she doesn't shy away like she's in any pain. Anyway, we're topically medicating her now and waiting to hear from the vet on her bloodwork which has to be run before she can be put asleep for the surgery. Candy (the first one--the Golden Retriever) needs some dental work, but other than that, she's just a (squish your face together by putting your hands on your cheeks and exerting forward pressure towards your mouth when you say these following words) chubby puppy!

Okay, so dogs... husband... how about kids? Well, it sounds like they had a fun time in Florida--Princess #3 laments being the youngest and getting the short end of the stick. I gotta tell you, no matter who you talk to, the oldest will tell you that they had way more rules, middle children feel lost because they're not the first and they're not the baby... it's just tough being a kid sometimes. We continue to have trouble with getting Princess #2 to understand that we're on her side, still problems with the communication, but we continue to work with her. Just last night, the four of us sat and watched a ridiculously stupid movie about witches that couldn't stand the smell of little children so they (the witches) concocted a potion to turn them (the children) into mice--it was really nice to get to spend some time together, without Princess #2 barricading herself in her room. I often wonder: Mom, did I do that? Anyway, Princess #1 had the day off today, so they're enjoying their season passes at the water park today--they'll be exhausted tonight, I'm sure!

Let's see, what else? Oh, yes, we've had a major holiday since last I wrote! Our Fourth was kicked off a day early when some friends of mine from my previous hometown hosted a BBQ. Andy almost fell down the mountain (not really, but if he ever does, nobody will believe him), Princess #3 got to see a potato cannon shot off, and we ate entirely too much food. It really was great to get to catch up with Steph & Gary (& Reggie!), Andy & Jen (at least, what's left of her!), Stacy, Shannon, Kaylee & Millie & Sam, Brian, Mark & Deanna, more... Got to meet some new friends too, including Staci's "new" guy Jason. I tell you what, God is GOOD! It looks like another match made in Heaven, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for them. We got home late (we left about three hours after I was first asked, "Are we going soon?") and so slept IN on Wednesday--DH woke me up at 6 a.m. and I was having no part of that, so we passed out for a couple more hours. Got up and got some groceries (Super-Kmarts have some of the best canteloupe I've ever had on sale for a buck apiece right now!) and then went home and made some homemade ice cream. When we were at the store, Princess #3 tried to get me to buy some of that packaged powder ice-cream mix, so I told her to read the ingredients label to me. When she couldn't, I asked her if she could spell "milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla" and she said yes, and I responded with some smart-alec comment that I wasn't putting anything into my ice cream that she couldn't pronounce or spell, and she wouldn't regret it after she tasted it. Well, we also got some super-sweet bing cherries (on sale for $1.39/lb at the local SuperK location because they're overstocked), and I pitted and chopped some of those into some ice cream for my husband, sprinkled some pecans on his bowl, and he was in Heaven--even compared it with Braums, and for anyone that knows my husband, that's no small feat! Okay, so there's no ice cream left--except maybe that layered parfait that I hid from the kids in the freezer--I guess it was pretty good!

When it came time for fireworks, we had to jumpstart the truck (which won't run without a charged battery), and then it died as we tried to leave. We quickly bailed out of the truck when it died getting out of the driveway, and it was a family effort to push it back up onto the driveway. So, we split up and then promptly lost the kids (it's not like Princess #1 waited for us, or anything. I forgot how you're always in a hurry when you're 18) trying to figure out where we were going. It doesn't help that the town moved their fireworks this year, and we're always the last to find out, but the kids knew... DH and I quickly decided in the effort to find parking that we didn't want any part of the insanity, so we dropped the chairs off and let the kids "do the fireworks thing" and we went home. It's a good thing, too, because we forgot that the puppies have a hard time with fireworks going off, so we were there to put them in the garage and give them some peace. Now it's back to the grind, and speaking of which, I do need to get back to work--my boss is such a slavedriver! I've got to wrap up a couple things before I go home for the weekend--no big plans this weekend, at least, not yet. We may be making another trip to my old stompin' grounds to check on the townhome--we were supposed to close on the sale last week, but our lease-option tenant didn't qualify for a mortgage with her credit. Imagine her grown son's surprise (he lives with her, as does his sister) to find that she was behind on rent and was about to have to find a new place to live... Ah, yes, I think I've just thought of the title for a new reality show to put on HGTV: Who Wants To Be A Landlord??? Subtitled with and What's WRONG With You???

Alrighty, then! Ciao for now, and don't ya'll be strangers, 'kay?

One more week in Chicago

Hi everyone!

I just finished reading my Dear Wife's blog update from yesterday. I just returned from grabbing a little dinner at the local Red Lobster, where I found that their seafood gumbo doesn't hold a candle to that of my beautiful bride. I'm just about to call her and let her know how much I enjoyed reading about the beautiful sunset she enjoyed tonite. Psalm 19 comes to mind everytime we discuss the sunsets at home.

There are many memories of watching the heavens with my precious DW as they declare the glory of God.....and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto Day utter speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where His voice is not heard.....DW and I have spent several evenings and mornings quoting this scripture as He takes out His paintbrush and places images in front of us that shout out glory to His mighty name!!!

I had the incredible priviledge of traveling a couple of hours north of Chicago into the "Dells" of Wisconsin this past weekend to spend some time with K and S (friends of mine for the last 20 yrs). We hadn't had any face to face contact for about the last 3 yrs and really enjoyed our time together. Saturday night consisted of traveling to a local resort town where we enjoyed "junkyard" pizza at the local downtown pizzeria.

From there we went to another small tourist town (can't recall the name of the town) where there was a beautiful granite quarry at the centerpiece of the town. There was a waterfall that sprayed over about a 200 ft square area of granite that had hundreds of beautiful natural colors gleaming from underneath the water as it dashed to the pool below. The pond of about 4 acres was crystal clear was hundreds of 3 to 5 lb largemouth black bass swimming near the top begging to be caught. I then had to get back in the car before I got arrested for fishing without a license, and tresspassing on private property...... the temptation was just too great to bear!!! We then went back to their 14 acre farm, and on the way observed at least 20 white tailed deer grazing in the corn fields near their home.

Sunday service at their church was wonderful. Their pastor (Casey) preached on 2 Corinthians 5:7-19 on how we are new creatures IN CHRIST all of the old has passed away, and everything in our world is new and wonderful everday as we celebrate life in our daily walks with Christ. Their santuary backs up to the what must be deepest clearwater lake in the state of Wisconsin. "S" went to brunch with a friend while "K" and I picked up some supplies at the local "Piggly Wiggly" and grilled burgers at the farm. After a wonderful afternoon nap I found K and S giving their cocker spaniel "Scooter" her summer hair cut afterwhich K and I rode mopeds for about an hour and saw maybe one car the entire time. We also saw a wild turkey, and several HUGE sand cranes. What a great time with great friends, and what a wonderful retreat from the BIG city of Chicago.

My next four days are at the corporate headquarters here in Il. I get to return home on Friday to my beautiful bride, and don't have to return to Chicago for at least 4 weeks as I start a new project in the hometown area.

All of the girls are on vacation in Florida with their mom. If you guys are reading this I Love You and hope you are having a great time!!

Time to sign off and call the world's most beautiful blonde.

Till next time,

In Christ!

The Dad in the Family

The world is upside-down tonite

When I was in Europe a couple of years ago, I had the very special privilege of traveling with some wonderful people. I picked up a saying from one of these special people (actually, I picked up several), and I can't help but borrow Connie's peaceful "Today was a good day." It was a phrase often said at the end of the day as we sat down over an evening coffee and sweet treat--oh, how I long to go back to that little patisserie in Prague, just a couple shops up from the entrance to picturesque Charles Bridge. Well, today was a good day.

I had a bit of a rough afternoon and evening yesterday--I had been planning a jewelry party for Sunday for some time, and had been working on the house this week. We have been wanting to put the house on the market anyway, so it's high time to make this place presentable! Anyway, work has also been getting crazier--there's a lot of work to do, and no chance I'll run out of work anytime soon! My Dear Husband has been gone, and the girls left on Friday with their Mom to go to Florida; I was getting kinda lonely. As I was making calls (people aren't the best about RSVP-ing) to remind people of the jewelry party, I began to realize that there really is no good day, or night, or afternoon--or anytime in June--to have a jewelry party (it's no wonder they offer double incentives to host a party in June!). So, I had worked my tail off all week and all day Saturday, and finally my wave crashed. DH is so sensitive--he picked up pretty quickly that something was bothering me, and I got the frustration out of my system--thank you, DH! So, I slept like a baby (having worked all day long probably helped!), and Snuggle Monkey woke me up this morning. She was hungry. Brat.

I had a few things to do to finish the house--just in case someone decided to show up. So, I got up and cranked the A/C down (I always work up a "sparkle" when I'm vacuuming), cranked up some Third Day and Paul Coleman, and set to work. I called the "jewelry person" (Nicole doesn't want to be known as the jewelry "lady") to let her know that we would be having a private party (read: nobody's coming), and we decided that since I had some outside orders, we should get together to pick out my free jewelry that I had "earned" with my book sales. I made it to the store, picked up some fruit & yogurt dip, and made it back to the house just in time to bake some brownies--Nicole and I discussed having some chocolate on Friday--and the two of us had a ball! I finally found another person who can eat as many brownies as I can, and not feel bad about it! Anyway, I'm made off with a boatload of jewelry for not very much money, and she said it's the easiest party she's ever done--she didn't have to do a presentation, and we were just relaxed and enjoyed each other's company.

After Nicole left, I discovered I had little energy left to clean anymore (hey, I never said I finished the upstairs!), and thought I would take a nap. Except... I hadn't heard from my husband all day, and he told me yesterday that he was leaving his friend "K's" house after brunch. So, I thought I had better call him and find out if he was okay! We had a conversation that lasted several phone calls, as he was driving out in the boonies and his signal bottomed out time and again--he had a fantastic weekend, and I'll let him tell you about it.

So, I never got that nap--I decided that Wulfgang would probably be needing some snuggle time, because he only sits down to snuggle when a body sits down to watch some tube, and I hadn't done that all week! I picked out some movies I hadn't seen yet, and a couple of favorites that I hadn't seen in a while, and then played eenie-meenie-minie-moe--and finally decided to watch all of them. As I settled down to watch the first one, it didn't take Wulfie but a moment to come over and ask for some snuggle, but he was only here for a minute. We have a chair in the corner of the living room that has a skirt on it that hangs to the ground--it's the perfect hiding spot for a snoozing pussycat, and one of Wulfie's favorites. Well, as he sauntered off and squeezed under the chair, I teased him about leaving so soon, and he responded with his usual repeated twitching of the tail. The one that still was sticking out from under the chair! I continued to give him a hard time--he thinks he can't be seen, but his tail tells me that he can hear every word, and continues to wind down twitching as he drops off to sleep.

I am currently enjoying A Walk In The Clouds, and I again have a fuzzy little companion who would rather be on my lap than on the couch next to me. Now, I'll bet you're wondering, how does all this tie into the world being upside down? Well, every once in a while, one had a truly good day. Today was definitely one of those--completely upside down from how yesterday was. In this part of the country, God has blessed us with beautiful mountains, and we get to enjoy the most beautiful sunsets. Today was no exception, but it was a most exceptional sunset. You see, every once in a while, God does the neatest thing: He lets the sun dip down below the mountains, and shine up under the evening clouds, lighting them up and bringing an absolute, reflective glow to the entire sky--it's like a sunrise, but from the other side of the earth. The evening was mild, and the kitties were playing in the grass, and here was this incredible evening sky--brighter than it had been for the preceeding hour or so.

Pardon me for waxing poetic, but it just made me think of the world being upside down.

I'm going to go watch my movie now!!

Ciao!

Happy Father's Day!

Well, it's been a great weekend! It actually started early--I got a call on Thursday from Princess #2, asking if she and "J" (one of her best-est friends) could come and stay the night at our house. Now, we have a special rule in our house: no sleepovers on school nights. While the kids are out of school, it was still a "school night" for me, since I had to work the next day. Whoa, last year, I let Princess #2 and Princess #3 have friends stay the night on a DW school night, and I got ZERO sleep. Can't figure out why DH wasn't there... oh yeah, that other company for whom he used to work had a thing up in the mountains for store managers. That was the first time we had spent apart since we had gotten married, and it wasn't our idea of fun--especially the lack of sleep on DW's part. Now, where was I???

Oh yes, last Thursday. Well, we have an interesting time with the kids assuming that the other parents will: give rides, know that I'm going to be gone and going to work in the morning, etc. So, I allowed them to come over, and then of course, when they got here, I asked J if her Mom knew that I would be gone in the morning... I don't have to tell you the answer to that one! Anyway, I told Princess #3 that she would be home alone all day and probably until late at night because I had to go to the airport to pick her Dad up after work. She had the GREAT idea to come to work with me. I then made them promise to keep it down to a dull roar because I was getting ready for bed, they had to be in bed by midnight, and be ready to go by 7:20 so we could drop J off on our way to the office. So, we were late getting to the office--the one day that I really shouldn't be--and Princess #3 (she's so sweet!) sat in the corner of the conference room and listened to her CD player while I was on a conference call with others at the office. Then she went to my office with me (I now occupy a space on the 5th floor, and the company's offices are on the 4th, which is where the conference call was), and we set her up with the DVD player to watch some movies. We had packed a lunch that day, and so took some fresh veggies down to the Mall to people watch. She said she really wanted to see somebody with an afro--something that's not uncommon "on the mall," but Friday, I guess all the wackadoos were on vacation. It was pretty mellow--not even very crowded, and mostly business people and folks on vacation. Princess #2 has lived here almost her whole life, and can't fathom this being a vacation destination unless it's the slopes in the wintertime. Ah, to be so young and naive... she's just such a cutie! Anyway, she now understands what it means to "sit on the mall" and peoplewatch, and we gave our extra food to a guy that was collecting aluminum cans out of the trash. He was pretty unassuming and unthreatening--compared to some of those yay-hoos!

So then we had a snack on the way to the airport--our healthy lunch left us famished in the late afternoon and early evening; then we picked DH up and headed back home for our favorite Chinese restaurant. I love the place, and the people are very nice, but my number one agenda for immigration consideration (besides everyone doing it legally) is fluency in English. It's pretty bad when the server can't even say "Pepsi." That one had us guessing for a while! But, the food's good, so I guess it's a trade-off.

Saturday... Saturday... Hmm... I guess I got kinda wiped out--Oh yeah! DH took each of the younger two on dates--first, Princess #2, who got a short-term stint watching a dog for some of her Mom's neighbors. Poor little pooch (a "Labradoodle?") had to spend all day in the house, so it was good that Dad was there to ensure that Princess #2 actually walked the dog instead of just letting her out... Anyway, they then followed up by going to one of her favorite places: Starbucks. Oh yeah, she's addicted--but not to the coffee. Give her a frappaccino (sp?) even on the coldest winter day--she might even wear mittens if she knows she'll be needing to hold onto a frosty frap cup! Anyway, they had some great one-on-one time, and she sure needs it. I would ask you all to pray for us and for Princess #2--she's reached that stage in her life where she recognizes no authority whatsoever and does whatever she wants and is ... uh... less than honest with us sometimes. To say that she is a strong-willed young lady is a nomination for the understatement of the year. She really is a good kid, and we just want the best for her; she just doesn't often agree with what we think (and know--hey, we've been there before) is best for her.

After that, Dad had a lunch-date with Princess #3 at their "secret place." He has a secret place with each of the girls--a different one for each. She is always giving me hints as to what their secret place is, but I can't quite figure it out (and wouldn't let on that I knew if I did!). I think it's maybe a Mexican food place, but I'm not sure, because she told me yesterday that she had a burger for lunch... Hey, some "Mexican" places serve burgers! Who knows? All I know is that they had a great time, and she is young enough that she hasn't begun to give us the grief that her sister has--and probably won't, either. They are about as opposite from each other in personality and taste as two people living in the same culture and under the same roof can be. She really has a servants heart, and she is a great help to me. AND she likes to spend time with the parents still, unlike those teenagers!!! I suppose we'd better enjoy it while it lasts... *sigh*

Sunday dawned bright and warm: a perfect day to fulfill our plans to go to the water park. First, though, we had a breakfast of fruit salad and cinnamon rolls and the girls gave Dad his Father's Day gift: he is now a sharp-dressed man with all the fancy new shirts and ties that will complement his suits nicely. We've been hearing for some time that it's free when you bring your Dad to the water park on Father's Day--and it is--well, for him to get in, anyway. Sheesh--they let you bring in coolers with food and unopened original beverages (no Nalgene water bottles or anything you fill yourself), and I can't recommend it enough! We may have saved thirty bucks on Dad's admission, but crikey, we spent $60 on food and drinks (and let us not forget, the rest of us still had to pay admission!)--oh, and return trips to the single-use fifty-cent lockers! They're not big enough that the family can fit towels, sunscreen & the like into any less than three lockers, and of course, every time we turn around, someone now wants their flip flops (and mine are in this locker, hers are in that one), someone needs more sunscreen, we left the cash in side pocket of the bag and need to buy some water, now it's time for lunch and we need the coupons for free breadsticks... I really think it might be worth the "unlimited use" lockers that require $8.00 up front, $5.00 of which is refundable at the end of the day. Let's just say that they have a fine attraction, but they sure are proud of their stuff! We had a great time--the kids love that Dad can carry the tube up to the top of the ride, and once the two older girls and I made an interesting 6-legged "tubulous monstrous" as we carried one on our heads. We picked a great day to go to the water park, as we hit a new record of 97 degrees today. Princess #3 taught us a new trick in the wave pool--we sit in the "shallows" and wait for the water to come and drag us around. When you're in that area, the water waves (once every seven minutes) straight back, then bounces off this side while it bounces off that side--basically, you get hit from the front, then the right, then the left, and then the water drags you around as it continues to wave in and out and settle to wait for the next big wave. We were rolling all over the place and having a great time--and no cramps that way since we had just eaten. You know, I heard that was actually an old wive's tale, the "no swimming for 30 minutes" rule... Still, it makes sense, so we stayed out of the deeper water. Besides, you can get "run over" in the crest of the wave if you don't have a tube--I once got cold-cocked and nearly knocked out. And I DID have a tube! Of course, that was years ago, and I'm much wiser now. HA!

Okay, so we're all cooked (I missed a spot on my shoulder with the sunscreen--it's gonna hurt later!), washed out, and tired. Sunscreen in the eyes (can you say "ouch?") is a good way to make a person want to close them and not re-open them, so we all took naps (although I think I was the only one with the SPF 50 on the orbs). Mellow evening, getting ready to head back to work on Monday and DH's flight leaves tomorrow evening. It's been nice not having to take him back on Sunday this time, and I'll get out of work a bit early tomorrow to have him to the airport on time.

Finally, a couple people have been asking me if we know where the company is going to have us for our "permanent" assignment, and the short answer to that is "no." I will ask DH to blog and fill you in on that one (and maybe I'll pick up some details I haven't heard yet, too!). Basically, we won't know until probably mid-August at the earliest. Pray that we get to stay here!

On that note, I'm gonna go get some stuff ready to help him turn in his expense report tomorrow, make sure I've got clothes for tomorrow, all that "evening routine" stuff.

Until next time,

CIAO!!!

Science is "interpretation" of the "evidence"

One Nation, "Under God."

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children.

The teacher asked a little boy: Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God up there?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there. Possibly he just doesn't exist.

A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions.
The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes
LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No
LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school, she possibly may not even have one!

(You Go Girl!)

“FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT"
II CORINTHIANS 5:7

Yes, we're still alive!

Some of you have been wondering... We don't call, we don't write; when are we gonna blog again??? Well, I guess it kinda goes without saying that we have been a bit busy. Let's see, since Boo Boo did her stand-up fall-down comedy routine, DH has been home for Memorial Day (wow, it's dawning on me how far behind we are!) and back to Chicago, he has been back again, and Princess #1 has graduated high school, the girls have finished school for the year, and I got a hysterical mailing from Pops. Oh, and we've had a hailstorm that looked like snow, a windstorm that blew around and killed half of my garden, and SUN to BEAT THE BAND!!! It may not be summer according to the calendar (we do have the summer equinox approaching rapidly), but it sure feels like it!

Well, now it's Monday morning, and I should be working--actually, I will be soon, but since I'm working late tonight, I figure I can take a few minutes this morning to catch up a bit.

Let's see... When DH was home for Memorial Day, we had a nice time getting to see each other's faces... the girls sure were glad to see their Dad--as was I! We were able to make some plans for the following weekend, and pretty much enjoyed each other's company. Crazy week at school, what with it being the week that the girls have to turn in their books and finish assignments without them--I'm not sure what the purpose is of that last week of school; I remember the last week being a week of tests and turning in books back when I was in school. These girls had all that the week before the last week of school. Hmmm.... makes one wonder what all those tax dollars aren't doing!

DH then got in on Friday, June 1. His flight was delayed, and therefore, so was dinner... we were HUNGRY by the time we got some food in front of us! It was really nice to get to see him and spend some one-on-one time that evening; the girls had already gone to their Mom's, so it was just us Friday night. Well, us, and the cats, and the dogs, and the yellow jackets.

Princess #1's graduation was picture-perfect. The weather was much different than it had been a couple years ago when her boyfriend graduated; this time, it wasn't pouring down rain. No, this time, it was pouring down sunshine and warm and sunburn--I don't think I've ever been to a graduation ceremony where they had a concessions stand open. Well, okay, they were selling bottles of water. It gets hot in the morning sun on the football field! We all got pretty cooked, too; I'm even peeling on my arm. Yummy--save me a piece o' that for later! After that, we went to brunch with the girls and their Mom and Grandmother--and Grandmother gave her a car! What a spoiled little girl, and she knows it. So, I got to show her what to do to get her car licensed and legal on Monday morning. I'll never forget where to go to get the emissions and inspection done, and neither will she--I got two main parallel roads confused, and we got to tour parts of our town that are usually reserved for people that live in those neighborhoods! One of these days, I'll get it figured out!

Princess #3 came home with us after church on Sunday so she could spend some time with Dad, and then she accompanied me to the airport to drop him off for his flight out. We then went to the mall to do a little Father's Day shopping -- we'll never shop at Dillard's again. And I can't say more about it than that, because DH might read this... Then she and I watched Willow and she stayed at the house that night. Wow, I haven't seen that movie in years, and it's just as weird as I remember it!

Let's see, I think that just about catches us up... This last weekend was pretty uneventful. I started about 3 projects and didn't finish any of them, including gardening (well, that one was started quite some time ago), getting ready for a garage sale, and cleaning up the house; but I got to hang out with Princess #3 for a little bit. I just remembered on the way to work this morning that I have a jewelry party on Sunday the 24th, and I haven't gotten any invitations to send out from the jewelry-lady... One more thing to put on my to-do list! Oh, and the realtor is calling, wanting to know if we're ready to list our house; I have been trying to wrangle my accountant to get some stuff ready so the IRS doesn't come and carry me away... and I have a second meeting with a client set up for Tuesday evening. He and his IMMENSE family have some minerals in Texas, and we're trying to figure out who has how much, and how to get that information of record so that everyone else can tell who has the minerals. It's crazy--there have been a number of wells producing since the 1950's, and nobody knows what's going on! Ah, well, I live for the challenge, and really get a sense of accomplishment when these things get resolved.

Oh, yeah, and I got the Sales Contract out to the tenant for the townhome in my old hometown. Now THAT is a blog in and of itself...

Finally, DH is still in Chicago, and has met what he calls the "Echo" class (they started a couple weeks after his class did). I guess the group of store managers with whom he is training are all in line for basic stores; this Echo class is a group of store managers in line for the upper line of stores, so he's been hanging out with them alot. Anyway, I guess they have doubled everybody up in rooms for this week, because this week is called *something particular* (don't remember what) and I'm sure that it's an acronym or something, but I couldn't tell you what. Basically, they'll be meeting all the upper-tier management and teams and spending time with them, getting more deeply entrenched in the culture, etc. He'll be out late all week, so it's doubtful he'll be able to blog much, either. I'll be picking him up again this Friday--I CAN'T WAIT!!!

On that note, I'm gonna go get to work!

Have a great day, everybody!

Homeward bound

Chicago is nice to visit, but I'm ready to get home to my beautiful wife, and family. The first two weeks of my training have been very eye opening, very encouraging, and very successful. We have tests every week to see what we have retained, so far my scores are great.....wk #1 95%, wk#2 100%. It is a challenge to learn the systems, and accronyms of a new company. I am finding all involved are very committed to seeing the re-invention of the company to be a big success, and any and all suggestions from my past experiences are being welcomed with open arms. There is a tremendous amount of opportunity for improving the sales, and profits of our stores, and I am finding that just getting back to the basics of discount retail, and the basics of grocery 101 ie. stores that are friendly, clean, in-stock, signed well, and offering fast checkouts....just to name a few, are the elements our customers are looking for.


The better that we get at taking care of the above mentioned areas, the more chances we have to take market share from the competition. With the power brands and more, (merging with that "other" company has made our brand recognition much stronger), we have all the tools we need to recapture the dominance we once held in the marketplace. There is however a great need to see day in day out consistency in sustaining superior store conditions to increase customer confidence and build the loyalty that we need to move forward. That is where I come on the scene.

Needless to say I am very excited to be a part of the leadership team of the new Sears Holdings Company.

I am even more excited that I get to see DW and the girls tomorrow afternoon, and spend the entire weekend with them. I will be back in Chicago on Tuesday.

Until then,

In Christ,

DH

Boo Boo the comedian...

Any of you that know me--and I'm thinking that would be anyone reading this--knows that I'll talk about my cats sooner or later. They're my first kids, and such an interesting addition to my life! Wulfgang was formerly known as "Lumpy," because he slept so much that I used to ponder: "Gee, if only he would get up! He bears such a lifelike resemblance to an actual living, breathing cat, that might get up and do something..." Okay, I used to have two cats. Wulfie is now my husband's cat--he actually goes to him more than to me these days. Well, since DH is in Chicago, the Wulfman has kind of adopted Princess #2... There may be round one of WWF in our house for the cat-rights when he gets back!

Then there's Binky. (Beaujolais, aka Boo Boo, aka about a hundred other "pet" names, no pun intended, but it's there so just go with it) She came to me when she was about a week old--her eyes were only beginning to open. Needless to say, I am her Mummy, and she thinks (well, I don't try to convince her otherwise) that she is my baby. Just over a year ago, she developed a new technique for laying down. She uses this most interesting technique no matter where she is--outside on the concrete, on the floor under the window--pretty much anywhere. She's very vigorous in her getting lazy: DH has affectionately coined her technique the "stop and plop." She pretty much throws herself over or down--sometimes quite forcefully! She's quite the bully when she wants some affection too--she'll throw herself on me when I'm in bed, because for some reason, that's her favorite place to snuggle. Anywhere else, and you gotta watch out for those razors--it could be playtime with little or no warning!

Okay, so, my cat and I have a morning routine. I generally don't like to get up in the morning, and so when I have to (which is most days), I generaly like to do so slowly. I don't recommend being awakened by the house alarm going off--that kinda jolts a body out of comfort in a rather rude fashion. I also remember as a kid my dad waking me up by pouring a little water on my neck as I was sleeping--wow, did that put me in a good mood. Anyway, I'm a "snoozer." You know, the alarm goes off and so you hit the snooze button. Well, if you're like me, you're a "multiple snoozer" and I find that I actually have some great naps and extremely vivid dreams between snoozes. That is, when Snuggle Chunks isn't around. Generally, she hears that alarm go off, and before I can settle back in, she's right up next to me, asserting her wet nose on the closest hand. I generally comply with her demands for attention, because if I don't she'll verbally command the hand to come to life--not an annoying yowl, but quite the cutest little "heya, I'm here!" noise. And of course, the infamous stop and plop--it's quite an irresistable combination.

Well, this morning, our routine took a slightly different turn. I don't remember ever waking up laughing, but that's pretty much what happened. No, not at the alarm clock, and not because of a dream, but because as soon as I hit that snooze, there she was, affectionate as ever. Now, she's not as polite about her claws as her compatriot is, so I have one of those fuzzy acrylic blankets that serves as a great barrier between her kneading and my ... uh... pyjamas (don't want to snag them, you know!). She has, for as long as I can remember, loved on that blanket (but only when I'm around and loving on her) with her claws; she even takes a piece of it in her mouth and sucks on it as if she was nursing. I had heard about cats that "suck wool" (I guess someone had a sweater that some Fluffy enjoyed tasting), but had never experienced it. Anyway, it's pretty cute, and if we get it just right, she'll lay there and look at me while she snuggles. Except for this morning. She decided to try a twist on the old stop and plop after I had hit the snooze button after she jumped up to join me. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody's there, does it make a sound? Well, if there's bear poop in the road but nobody saw the bear make a deposit, does that mean a bear didn't put it there? Oh, wait... getting off subject. I tend to ramble sometimes...

Okay, so here's me, getting settled in for the a.m. snuggle--it does help me wake up. Pulling the "magic" blanket up in a protective manner, squishing it in all the right places, I prepare for a comfy snuggle. And that's when I started laughing. It's like she thought she was plopping onto the pillow and didn't have far to fall or something, but it was less like "plop" and more like (picture the aforementioned tree falling in the forest) "TIMMMMMMMMMMMMMM-BERRRRRRR!!!!" I cracked up laughing, and could only laugh harder when she gave me the dirtiest look! Poor thing (oh, yeah, she's so abused and neglected), she gave me the "I meant to do that" look for which cats are infamous, and then sauntered off. If it helps, she's over it now.

Oh, and I never hit the snooze button again this morning! We'll see if we have a similarly amusing story tomorrow... Sorry if this one bored you, I just had to get something in there about Monkey Chunk!

Catcha all later!

(I MISS MY HUSBAND!!!)

Tuesday, again!

Well, we made it through Monday, and now Tuesday's almost over... Where does the time go? I will say this, though: it seems like DH has been gone for a month already, and it's only just over a week. I can't wait for Saturday!!!

Did you catch American Idol tonight? Wow, Blake had a rough night--he had some really tough songs to sing. I wish he could have sung his first song last, and not have sung that last song (or the second one, for that matter!) at all. Jordan did well--I didn't agree with the judges though; I thought she was "pitchy," although I don't agree with the screeching that Simon accused her of. She's good, but I really do think Blake has more stage presence and confidence. I guess America will decide who they like best! Then, to add insult to injury (I have really been rooting for Blake--he's just so strong in who he is as an artist!), there was no House afterwards. I can't STAND the show, but I love the medical mysteries that they face, and I have a couple times even beat them to the next "guess" in their diagnosis process--Princess #3 thinks that I should write their scripts or something. Anyway, we'll be watching next week for the season finale. #3's a little upset because we had planned to have an American Idol Finals Party and make pizza and have friends over, but their Mom wants to have all the girls over because it's Princess #1's one night off this week. I had to ... uh... help her deal? with her frustration (she cries when she gets upset; I just get mad and snipey) and remind her that we can do a pizza party some other time with friends. If next week's House wasn't so late on a school night, we could do it then... we'll figure something out.

Work has been insane for me lately--I'm going to be getting some help soon I hope; the boss knows that we certainly need it on our team! I think my favorite part of my job is telling attorneys how to do theirs... I even had one ask me yesterday if I was an attorney. I'm thinking... no, but maybe I should be! We had a full-building evacuation today--that was interesting. I don't think I've participated in a fire drill since I was a kid. This was different than anything I've ever experienced--for those of you that don't know, I work in a downtown metropolitan area in a building that's probably 45 stories tall. After September 11, the fire departments are required to do these drills. Anyway, after Sept 11, our company has decided to evacuate far enough away from the building that if it topples, we'l be clear from the initial impact. Interesting that other floors/companies only evacuate to the front step, though... After we were cleared to go back into the building, it took us longer to get back to the office--our bank of 6 elevators services the first 18 floors, and you can imagine how long it takes to repopulate 18 floors, one box-car at a time! At least we were able to get out of the building for a while...

Okay, so now the news is on, and the headlines are interesting: Snow in the forecast (which made both girls moan and groan about no more snow, I hate snow!!!), a panty-bandit in Fort Collins (laundromats just aren't safe these days!), and then the usual bad news--including those boys that lost their legs in a car accident might have been drinking when they got hit.

Well, I have to go do the parenting thing now... someone needs this, the other one needs that. It's been an education, learning that kids think parents are 20-dollar bill dispensers!

Ciao for now, and we'll catcha later!

~DW

What an awesome weekend, and it isn't over yet!

Well, Princess #2, Princess #3, and I have been really enjoying each other's company this weekend. We went to see Shrek 3 on Friday night--we all laughed alot. Afterwards, we each tried to name our favorite parts--wow, it moved so fast that I can't even remember it! #2 thinks her favorite part is where Donkey had a baby ogre face; #3's favorite part was when Shrek had a nightmare, and my favorite part is where Donkey and Puss N Boots were thrown into the dungeon and "Puss" hissed. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll have to check it out!

Saturday morning we went garage sale-ing ("saling" looked weird, so I spelled it out--work with me on this, 'kay?). Princess #2 really didn't want to go, but before we were finished, she was pointing them out to me so we could go check out another one. We had fun, and Princess #2 got a "new" bike and Princess #3 got some movies and some beads--oh, and a "dresser." We also got a bird-bath for our front yard. Then we came home and had some lunch, tea-party style, on the front lawn under a shady tree. Beaujolais (the cat) was the fourth attendee at our impromptu gathering, and Wulfgang (the other cat) provided entertainment when he got brave and wandered off to the check out the neighbor's front lawn area--until someone came out and scared him! He came at a dead run (okay, he's kinda old; it was more a "purposeful lope") and hid behind a rose bush to peek out at the neighbors coming out to get in their car and take off for some errand.

Princess #2 had a friend who was in a dance recital/competition last night, and she said it was fun. Princess #2 had picked up a couple of silly necklaces at one of our garage sales, and gave the second one to her friend--I don't understand why they like the bright, simple beads (they kinda look "kiddie" to me), but then, I'm sure there was a time when I wasn't all about the fancy or elegant-looking stuff... Which reminds me, I'm hosting a jewelry party in June... Please let me know if you want to attend; I'm compiling names and addresses for the invitations to go out.

Church on Sunday was good--the new series is titled 2 Much 2 Do. Wow, I gotta wonder if the preacher has a hidden camera on my life--I am guilty as charged of not honoring the gift of the Sabbath that God has given to all of us. I do try to fit a little Sabbath into every day, and it was great for the kids to hear (from someone other than us parents) what the purpose of Sabbath is as well as what it isn't. Princess #2 especially wanted her Dad to hear the message, and so he's planning on listening online. You can too, at: http://www.flatironschurch.com/listen/index.html

Well, we have an indoor picnic to prepare for; I'll have to touch base again later.

Have a blessed day, friends and family!

Update from Chicago

Hi Everyone!

A very special Thank you to my beautiful wife for taking the time to keep me informed of what is going on back home. We get to talk on the phone a couple of times a day, and then getting back to the room to find her dedicating part of her day to documenting the daily events is as close to sitting around the dinner table with family as I can get.

Things are going GREAT here in Chicago. I am actually in Elgin, and my training is most days at the Sears Holdings corporate headquarters in Hoffman Estates (about 7 miles away). I just yesterday finally figured out how to get to training without having to use the toll road. It sometimes takes 30 minutes plus to go just a mile or so.

The headquarters is a beautiful first class facility. I can't wait for DW and Princess #3 to visit so I can show them around. All of the guys/gals I am training with are looking forward to meeting them as well. I am very excited about the opportunity in front of me from a career standpoint. The Company has an executive leadership team that is dead set on reinventing the culture, and the leadership team of the company branch that I work for. I have been hired as a Store Coach in training so that I could as an external manager, come in and learn the culture, and systems for 6 wks, then have a district manager project assigned by my Divisional manager for 6 weeks after which time I go in front of the executive panel for promotion to District manager. This company is very eager to use my experience from both prior places of employment to capitalize on the opportunity for growth in the division.

Well enough about work, I had better sign off and call the DW and the girls before the girls turn in for the night. I thank God daily for giving DW to me, I miss you sweetheart and love you very much!

DH

What to WEAR???

Oh my goodness, it's another crazy day in the Non-Brady household!

DH is... ahem, learning his way around Chicago--the hard way. Maybe he's having a hard time understanding the funny way those Chicagoans talk when they give him directions, yuk yuk! Maybe one of these days he'll actually get to have dinner with some of the fellows in his training class. Of course, that involves nobody getting lost on the way back from training to the hotel, and then being able to find the rendezvous point for dinner... Well, at least he's not starving--there's plenty to eat in Elgin and the greater Chicago area.

It's been interesting, being the wife of a guy that likes to shop--or at least, likes to "walk shop," which is DW-speak for the equivalent of window-shopping to compare and contrast stores and see who is doing what right and wrong. There have been times I have been worn out! It always amazes me how much I have learned from him when we "shop" together. I have learned merchandising, cleanliness standards, and more--and he's always telling me what he sees, what could be done better, etc. He's just so good at what he does, and we're thrilled that his skills will be utilized in his new position with the company. There's one monstrous advantage the company now has since he is on the payroll: after 21 years with "the other guys", he knows how to compete with that mass-marketing/merchandising monster (and then some, thanks to what he subsequently learned at the grocery store, too), and that knowledge is a weapon that he is not afraid to use!

Princess #1 and I had a really interesting conversation about Heaven tonight on the way back from Youth Group. We started out by talking about the likelihood that people can't really see what's going on here on earth once they are absent from the body and present with the Lord. I know, there are all these "ideas" out there, but then really, where is it in the Bible that we'll all be floating around on clouds, wearing wings and playing harps? Well, I believe, contrary to what the cartoons would have us believe, that people do not turn into angels when they die. Okay, so that part wasn't in our discussion; I'm just giving you some background on how my thoughts for our discussion was directed. We did talk about people not being able to see us from heaven. She commented that she would want to see what's going on with her family and friends, and (I love her so much) her dogs. I told her that we will be so caught up with what's going on in heaven, and that I want everyone at my funeral to be jealous that I got to meet Jesus face-to-face before they did. And, that I can't wait to meet certain people we read about in Biblical history, like Moses, the apostles (I especially want to meet Matthew, the original "punk rocker," at least in my mind), Adam & Eve, and Mary. She wants to meet Noah, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington (okay, not all Biblical figures, but historically-asserted to be Bible-believing, God-fearing men). Isn't she precious? We have the most interesting conversations!

So, the girls tell me that they have a concert next week. Princess #2 and Princess #3 both play the violin, and there is a big she-bang going down next Thursday. Princess #3 is bummed that her Dad won't get to see her play, but we're going to send her out there with a mini tape-recorder so he can hear, up-close and personal, how much she has improved over the year. She says that they have worked really hard all year for what they'll be playing, and I can't wait to hear the results. Now, if we can just get that violin back from the repair shop before then... Sheesh, it looks like we're going to have to rent a violin for a month (they don't do a "day" rate or pro-rate it if you bring it back early), because there's no way the repairs will be completed in time. If only we had known about the fact that the violin was essentially useless before now, we could have taken it to the shop sooner... I'll get over it; I really will. Someday. Not soon, but someday. I love these girls!!! Now, whatever will they wear??? Hmm... we may just have to go shopping this weekend for some nifty spring duds!

***** doo-doo-de-doo-doot... (intermission--sing yourself some goofy elevator music for a moment!)*******

Well, that was an interesting conversation. Princess #2 has decided that she wants no part of the aforementioned spring concert. Gee, if her BFF (Best Female Friend) isn't going, that's reason enough that she shouldn't have to go, too, right? Uh, well, I for one am not so sure about that. I'll duly note her desires, discuss it with the appropriate authority figures (namely, DAD!), and meanwhile, she'll be sorting through her suitcase (which promptly pukes all over her bedroom when she gets here from her Mom's) to see if she has anything suitable to wear. Would it be bribery to get her to go if I buy her some nifty spring duds? If so, is that necessarily a bad thing? Apparently, she and her class have not been working as hard as Princess #3...

Okay, gotta go. It's bedtime, and I expect to be hearing from my husband soon so I can tuck him into bed over the phone... It reminds me of before we were married when we used to fall asleep on the phone reading Bible verses to each other... Maybe we'll do that tonight!

Ciao for now!

New Year's Eve, 2005-2006. The man now known as DH had just surprised the gal now knowns as DW with a knock-your-socks off ring and proposal. She was the only person that didn't know what was going on! (maybe the "D" stands for duh?)

Guess what? She said yes. Oh, and she got back at him surprising her with the engagement ring by surprising him--with a surprise wedding! Now THAT'S a story to be told!

Tuesday

Like sands through the hourglass, I am counting the days until I get to see my husband again! I have been sending him text messages throughout my day--this is almost like a "business arrangement" as much as anything! Yes, there's the fun married part of it--the romance, the dates, the goofy little names we have for each other and the memories of snuggling until Beaujolais snuggles up against me and puts her bum right in DH' face! But there's also the day-to-day stuff: Princess #2's phone is broken, and I don't have authorization to activate the replacement phone that came in yesterday; the same Princess #2 was home "sick" from school yesterday (we think she's trying to convince us all that she needs to stay at her Mom's this week, but that is directly against her father's direction); Princess #3 is taking care of the dogs (hmm... except for the poop part; we'll have to work on that together!); it's raining in our neck of the woods today, so we can delay turning our sprinklers on for yet another week--and thank goodness I sprayed for weeds on Sunday so the stuff had some time to work!

I wonder what life was like B.C. (that's before DH for those of you that... never mind!). I don't function well without him!

Anyway, he tells me that Chicago is an interesting place, from what he's seen so far. He says that it's pretty green there right now, and a bit cooler than here at home. He's actually staying in Elgin, which is about 55 miles from where they have him training--which I think is the Sears Headquarters. He said it's a pretty impressive place (HQ), and he was very much looking forward to meeting some of the folks with whom he'll be spending some time in the coming weeks. He also mentioned that everything is all closed up and put to bed by 10:00 at night--which made it tough for him to find a late dinner on Sunday when he got in, due to the fact that by the time he got a rental car, found his hotel & put on some long pants (he says it's not quite shorts weather there), it was well past 10 and he could hardly find an open store! I checked this morning on tickets to Chicago, and for Princess #3 and me to head out there on June 9th and return with him on the 15th, it's gonna be about $720. OUCH, but I would love to see Chicago. Oh, and of course, I would love to see the guy that's staying there for a while!

You're probably wondering, where are those pictures I promised to post? Well, that's an interesting question. They're out there, somewhere; I just have to find some time when I'm at home to post them--maybe tonight, between coaching with homework, managing dinner, and American Idol. I can't stand that I'm hooked on a TV show now--I hate the time wasted that I can never get back! Interesting, given how much TV I watch when nobody else is around... Hmm... something psychosomatic going on there, I'm sure.

Well, I'm going to sign off for now--please everybody keep in touch! I have heard from my Uncle Rich since starting this blog... Can't wait to hear from the rest of you! ~DW

testing the email blog for DH's trip

Gotta make it easy for him to post so he can keep us all up-to-date on what's going on in Chicago!

I love you, Honey, and I miss you already!

What's up with those kids?

Well, we have so much going on in our lives, I just can't keep track of it all! Maybe blogging will help me get it down so that when I don't remember, I can at least look it up! Okay, so Princess #1 will be graduating High School in just a few weeks. We're wondering how long her commencement ceremonies will be, because she has a friend (and an "adopted" family member) also graduating that same day. The Friend's graduation starts only 1 1/2 hours after Princess #1's, so we could have a tough time seeing both girls march. It's so hard to believe that they're graduating already!

We grilled Princess #1 the other day, and she has no idea what she wants to do after high school. But then, really, does anyone? She is doing extremely well in her job, and has already had a couple of promotions, with a promise of promotion to Assistant Manager after graduation. She seems to enjoy the work, and she and I had discussed a possible future there. She certainly looks up to the various management members with whom she has worked, and they have given her some valuable advice--especially as she now finds herself managing some of her peers and good friends. You know, retail is kind of in her blood (her Dad has run retail stores for more than half of his life), so maybe she'll be a district manager for them someday! Meanwhile, she's going to be attending the local Community College and getting her basics out of the way as she examines what she wants to do with her future.

Princess #2 is about the most social person I have ever met. She knows full well that her priorities are supposed to line friends up somewhere behind God, Family & School, but somehow, that often gets conveniently forgotten. She has been talking with her friends, and they are wanting to take driver's education together--I can't even believe that she's going to be 15 this summer! She has always made friends easily--we're constantly meeting her new friends. She is definitely in the throes of teenager-hood, and I can only imagine how she'll be in the next couple of years. She has always done one thing well (sometimes a little too well!), and that's speak her mind. She isn't afraid to tell us when she disagrees with something; we know that this will also give her the strength to stand up to her peers when they are pressuring her to do something that she knows isn't right. She has recently made a decision that she is going to give her best to school--her teachers definitely know that she is capable, we know that she's capable, heck, even she knows she can do the work. Now, she's going to show the world (via grades, we pray) that she is capable of the tasks she is assigned.

Princess #3 has just wrapped up a couple of absolutely fantastic weeks. I have a habit of asking the girls at dinner, "What happened in school today?" Or, "What was your high today?" Well, this young lady has a very long list! She has been doing some testing at school--the law requires literacy testing, and they test every fall and spring. Well, her scores were below the acceptable level last fall, and so she has been working diligently this school year to improve her reading skills. She has even found a couple books that she likes--I find that she favors the ones that have shorter stories, because she can read for 15-20 minutes and then be finished with that story. The longer books sometimes get a little involved, and she gets a sense of accomplishment when she can finish a shorter story in a longer book. Anyway, she recently re-tested, and was very confident that she had done well. She also read a passage orally to her reading teacher (all the kids did), and found that she is now reading above her grade level! She also has done some comprehensive testing to determine her overall level regarding vocabulary, grammar, spelling, comprehension, etc., and her score jumped from a 26 to 77 in just this school year! Her teachers recognize the extra effort that she puts forth, and recently she was honored by them with special Award for her efforts. Oh, she's also the queen of sleepovers now, having had them with multiple friends for more than one weekend running.

Finally, and our favorite high for her, she was baptized this past Sunday. We had a fantastic time watching her prepare for this--she has such a gentle heart, but it is filled with (not-so-quiet) passion. She was baptized by her Dad and her Mom in church (I'll post some pictures soon), and she continues to pepper us with questions--and bring her friends to us with their questions! You should have heard the questions she came up with when she was reading Revelation; she was understandably frightened by some of the stuff that she read. Isn't it great to know what's going to happen before it happens! Yes, Princess #3 has had a great week--she even got to have lunch with Dad on Wednesday--he came to the school and had cafeteria food (now that's love!) with her!

We will be spending a little time together today since DH leaves tomorrow--we look forward to dinner with all the girls before we drop them off at their Mom's house for Mother's Day. He is such a great Dad, and while none of us on earth is perfect, I don't think there's any doubt in any of these girls' minds that he loves them absolutely. Okay, I think I have used enough exclamation points for one blog--I'll have to catch up later. Hope all the friends and family are doing well!

New Blog and Family Update

Hello family and friends!

As you know, we have been looking for some time for a new employer for Chris. His days with Safeway were shortened when we realized late last year that Chris' career with them was not going to be using his talents to their full potential. Chris recently accepted a position as a Store Coach (in training) for Super K Centers--the K-Marts that have added a full grocery section to their stores.

We had been discussing some options for some time, but right after the first of the year, he got serious about finding new employment. It was sparked, interestingly enough, by phone calls from potential employers that had viewed his resume that he had posted to Monster.com three years ago when Safeway picked him up. Well, after several unsolicited contacts, we decided that we needed to update his resume and begin seriously seeking some offers. You would never believe it, but while renewing his contacts at Wal-Mart, he was contacted by Winn-Dixie (a grocery chain in Florida), Home Depot (who wanted us to relocate to Gallup, NM--dead center in the middle of nowhere), and several others. He also contacted Target, Circuit City, Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, and others. Some nibbled, some grabbed the bait, and some swam off to other waters.

When he telephone interviewed with K-Mart for a Store Director ("manager") position, it became evident immediately that he was overqualified for what they needed, and the interviewer suggested that he should consider discussing a District Manager position, and so the interview was set up. Chris did a little homework before the face-to-face interview with Sears Holding Company (they own K-Mart now) executives, and he pulled no punches telling them how they could get more business into the stores, what could be done from a merchandising standpoint to improve the appearance (and sales!) of the stores, etc. The team interviewing him appeared to enjoy his feedback, and were very excited to offer him a position. One thing remained a hold-up from making the offer official: he had to pass a background check. Now, Chris' legal name is John, and since he goes by both, they had to run two very common name-checks, and it took a little while longer than we would have hoped to get the official go-ahead.

Here's the kicker: in order to accept the position (heck, before they even ran the aforementioned background check), he had to sign an acceptance of willingness to relocate. This was a really tough part for us, because the girls (and we!) have quite a life and roots put down here in Colorado. We can't bear the thought of being away from the kids for any length of time, so it was a really difficult decision to make because we knew we would have them either during school or during summers. We knew back when he started looking for jobs that it was a very real possibility, given his skillset, that we would be relocated. We had discussed it with each other and with God, and Chris also discussed it at length with his parents. I also discussed it with Mom, and we talked about what happens with the kids when you can't have them around all the time. She told me exactly what I needed to hear, even it if will be difficult to accept: whatever happens, it will be okay. Chris and I keep thanking God that He is the one in control and that He knows what the final outcome will be--heck, there's a very outside chance that we will be able to stay in Colorado! If we don't, we don't have the first clue as to where they might send us--maybe Chicago or Detroit, maybe the Carolinas... We just don't know.

Meanwhile, we broke the news to the girls last Thursday, and needless to say, there were tears and fears, questions and qualms. Either way (whether they go with us or stay here with their Mom), Kaitlyn and Lauren both will be going to a new school next year, because their Mom lives in a different school district than they are currently enrolled. You know, it wasn't just yesterday that I was 14 or 12, but I do remember some of what it was like; these girls are having a really tough time--we knew they would. We took that into consideration, and have asked them to examine the possibilities and try to figure out what they would like to do. Immediately, they both wanted to stay here and go to school locally--the social little butterflies that they are can't even begin to imagine not being here where their friends are. They both claim that it's very hard for them to make friends, which isn't true but they feel that way in light of being in a place where they don't know anybody (yet!). They're also thinking that since they definitely have to go to a new school next year, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to go with Dad & Dani--that way, when they come to visit their Mom in the summer, they can catch up with their old friends. Sheesh--summers would be horrible if they didn't know anybody! Anyway, I would ask for all your prayers as we move forward with this new part of our lives, and decisions are made that will affect our whole family.

Finally, Chris leaves SUNDAY (May 13) for Chicago to begin his training. He'll be rubbing shoulders with the company execs in Chicago, and going through some classes to indoctrinate him into the Super K mindset. He will be gone except for a couple of weekends until the end of June. We have decided that we are going to sell our house, whether we stay in Colorado or not, so we need to get it on the market. Gee, I wish we had had more time in this place--I sure love the house and the location, but I guess God has other plans for us.

Chris will be home in Colorado for Kristin's graduation (!) on June 2nd, and then back also for Father's Day. I will be trying to scoop up some work and take it with me, and hopefully join him for a week in Chicago. Lauren has said that she would like to go on that trip--sounds like we might be able to work something out, so we're praying for that.

I will write more on the kids next time--I gotta get back to work now. Lunch is almost over--and my boss (uh, that would be me) is such a slave-driver!