March 31, 2008
PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last year I told you the wonderful news that cousins of mine had adopted a deaf boy after fostering him for 3 years. Two months ago he started experience severe, constant migraines that medicines weren't helping and were stumping doctors. He has now been diagnosed with a rare, and terminal, form of leukodystrophy. It's so rare that the doctors can't even give a time frame. Please pray for healing and comfort for this little family.
**UPDATE** Tanner's Blog
March 29, 2008
Yay for Randy!
Congratulations to Randy and Alicia!!!!
Tonight was "Dancing with the Stars" and they took home trophies for "News-Journal Online Audience Choice" and for "Best Male Waltz!" Randy needs to put on those dancing shoes more often.
Pictures are coming. I need to "web-size" them and also need to lighten some up.
The Award-Winning Waltz:
They Begin:
Look at those feet! (remember, I'm still new with the whole photo editting)
The Hair at its best!
Finish!
March 24, 2008
March 20, 2008
Iowa...hmm
So here I am on my Spring Break in the too soon to be new hometown. It's been an interesting week, with both productive and wasted time. I talked to two of the high schools in the area (those not on S.B. themselves) and will have to wait and see if anything comes open. I will be trying to arrange another trip next month to maybe talk to the two other districts that have definite positions open.
I also found a great quick place to get an oil change (they vacuumed my interior carpets! and washed my windows!) and met the nice people at the Toyota dealership who showed me how to reset the maintenance warning in our "new" technical car. I also can now find at least one Starbucks, Panera Bread, Sams/Walmart, Super Target, the only Sonic and a few other important places. I really am getting a much better feel for the area as we've driven around looking at neighborhoods with house-buying potential--and ruling out some. Of course, I've been spending time with my husband and teaching him out to take care of an apartment. (I swear I told him when we bought the dish soap the whole "this is handy because it only uses one pump with sponge on sinkload..." only for me to start smelling dish soap in the next room when he began to wash dishes.) But he's been very kind cooking dinner in the closet kitchen and letting me sign on his new bank account and everything.
I've been wasting time reading the archives of a certain questionable online comic. This is why I don't let myself get hooked on these things. I've also caught up some sleeping.
I've also set up to have an appointment with the Hoyt highly recommended heart dr when I get back in June. As I do more of these little things, and keep meeting nice people (not some of the drivers...) I'm feeling like this won't be as scary a move as I thought. I even have a small inkling of hope when I checked out online the graduate programs available at UIowa not 20 minutes away! They have quite the selection in the Education department--I can even choose between my two heart-tugs--curriculum or math--maybe a little combination of both.
Needless to say, I'm becoming more surprised (and thankful to God) that this is looking to be the perfect place for us to move--city for Josh, country for me. Perfect job for Josh, and I know God has one waiting for me too. Plus I can maybe pursue the dreams of masters, maybe even doctoral studies. Pursue the dreams of buying a home.
I'm afraid of asking "What could life be like in 3-5 years here?" as I know God's will may end up being very different. But I'm also daring to dream and pray that he's giving me a vision of those dreams coming true slowly but surely.
March 07, 2008
Busy^3
So much has happened and so much is going on. I really ought to sit down and put all my thoughts into words more quickly.
February flew by quickly, started exciting and ended exciting!
We made the job offer official right at the beginning and promptly went vehicle searching. That was quite an experience. There is now a used car place I will avoid and warn people against. I don't sit well with high pressure sales techniques--I like being mostly left to think and process while I shop. After being excited about the prospects this place had, I was nervous as we pulled in and a swarm of people came towards us and motioned me to roll down the window before I even had a chance to park. They ushered us inside through the gauntlet of hands to shake and we sat down in an open spot--I felt like they had hidden cameras and microphones with psychologists squirreled away somewhere. We took two cars out for a test drive--and I discovered the difference between new and older style CRVs--new is sweet driving. Older style had the feel of very prone to skidding---it felt "too light" which does mean good gas mileage, but we need something we can trust in winter in the north. Then we drove a Rav4, which I fell in love with---the guy who was with us would not shut up on either drive. He kept rattling on about all the extras each one had. I care not a whit about moon roofs and cd players; I care about safety, reliability, and mpg. So we decided to ask more about the RAV4--they were very pushy about their financing options and wanted much more than we could afford or wanted to pay when we had a better offer somewhere else. So, we told them no and left before they could continue to push the CRV on us. I swear that people glared at us as we left. They didn't even hold the doors open for us as we left. Needless to say, we quickly left and sped our way to our new baby--the 4Runner which Josh posted pictures of. It wasn't the gas mileage we wanted, but the towing pkg means we save money in not renting a truck to move in June. Besides, it's a 4runner!!!!! The people at Longhord Ford in Mineola were great. The salesman slid us the offer purchase to take back to our bank, which did give us the financing options we preferred. They weren't pushy or overly talkative--they let the car sell itself really. Now to make the Camry hold out up there with snow tires in the winter....
So there was that. The next week was busy as my friends had their babies and we had other friends go into emergency surgeries... I was sick the next week with a mild case of something. and then this last week Josh was packing up and I was preparing stuff for classes, going to Dallas for a conference, and for UIL stuffs as the meet gets closer and we had get our writing contest done. Oh, and we had the state reading test also.
and now I'm sick again. at least it was after I got back from my awesome trip to Dallas. I was "Nspired" by the new TI technology, received tons of information and ideas; --and i picked up a tshirt, MathType 6, and Flatland the movie. Plus, i got to see Calculus the Musical!! I started my weekend with The Producers live (AWESOME) and ended with Calculus the Musical (AWESOME!) with lots of good food inbetween and fun company. plus the plush hotel bed.
This week was busy being sick again--respiratory crap for the lose--catching up, and preparing. The poor apartment is in a sad sad state--with lots to do over the next week before I drive to Iowa. Anyways, maybe one day I'll post more details and actual thought.