Whew!

At the request of a good friend who I miss dearly, I am updating my blog. Miss you Jenny!

It has been a hectic few weeks, and I am glad that September is coming to a close. In the last few weeks, I have had three recruitment fairs. One at Depauw, Rose-Hulman, and Purdue. Since Lee isn't currently working, he came with me to the Purdue fair. Lee had never been to Purdue before, and I think he really liked it.

The weekend of September 15, we got to see Taylor after one month of not seeing her. With her school, our schedules, and the distance between us, it is getting harder to see her. I hope we can at least keep it at once a month. I know she misses us as much as we miss her. While she was here, we went to Rock the Quarry, which is a totally free event sponsored by Rogers Group Quarry. We had a really great time together.

Last weekend I went to my 10-year high school reunion. I didn't get to go to my 5-year reunion, so I hadn't seen many of my classmates since the day we graduated. It was great to catch up and see everyone again. It was also nice to connect with those I do keep in contact with - Melissa, Renee, Tami, and Amy (seen above), and those new connections from MySpace. I'm glad I went. Lee also had a good time hanging with the husbands. I think he had a better time than he thought he would.

This coming weekend we are going to the ISSMA District band competition. My niece, who is in 8th grade, is a member of the high school marching band. She plays clarinet, and I couldn't be prouder of her. She is competing at the district level this weekend, so we are going to cheer her on.

Our good friends Jeff and Sara are also visiting Saturday night on their way to the Colts game on Sunday. We haven't seen them since May (see Much Needed Weekend post). It will be great to see them again.

And perhaps the best news of all is that my hubby has a new job. He will be working at IU at the Center for Survey Research. Coincidentally, he will be working in the same building I am except I am on the 10th floor and he will be on the 3rd floor. We hope to commute together to save on gas and mileage. He has to pass the standard background check, but barring any issues, he should be starting work within the first few weeks of October.

Well, that is it for now. Like I said, it has been busy for us the last few weeks. Hope all is well for all of you!

Niagara Falls & Canada

With all of the news of last week, I didn't get the chance to post a blog about our Labor Day trip. We visited Niagara Falls and Canada. It was a wonderful and much needed time away.

We left Saturday morning at 4:46 a.m. I have only gotten up that early twice for as long as I can remember. The other time was when we drove to Orlando six months ago. By mid-afternoon we were in Niagara Falls, NY taking in the sites.

The following day we went to Niagara Falls, Ontario and enjoyed the Canadian views and sites. I must say, even though there were hundreds to thousands of people surrounding us, watching the falls was one of the most peaceful and tranquil moments of my life. Nothing can explain going there and seeing them in person. It is much like the Grand Canyon, where we went on our honeymoon. Pictures and words just can't describe it.

Pictures and words also can't describe the Maid of the Mist boat ride into the heart of the falls. You will get wet, but you will also never experience anything quite like it. The roar of the water, the wind, the movement of the boat - it was all unforgettable.

Labor Day we drove home via Canada (AKA "the long way"). Lee wanted to drive back through Canada so I obliged. It was quite a beautiful trip, and we got to come back to the U.S. via Detroit. However, it was also a long trip home that day.

In all, during our trip we visited Niagara Falls State Park in NY, Niagara Falls, Ontario, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Skylon Tower, Maid of the Mist, Journey Behind the Falls, Queen Victoria Place, Lake Ontario, Buffalo, Windsor, Detroit, etc, all in 64 hours.

If you would like to see pictures, please email me, and I'll send you the link. You can also see pictures on my MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/rachel_81404.

A Death Always Changes Your Perception of Reality - Part 2

Today I discovered someone I once cared about had passed away. John Thacker and I dated through most of my college days. We met in the summer of 1999 and soon moved in together. John and I stayed together until the spring of 2001, when we realized that our relationship was not going to withstand the test of time. There were many ups and downs, and our relationship caused much grief with my family as well. It wasn't necessarily a healthy relationship, but it lasted for nearly two years nonetheless. The last time I saw him was in the fall of 2001.

In 2002, I moved to Bloomington, but John and I kept in touch - emailing every few months. The last I heard from him was at the end of July when he told me he was planning on moving to Indianapolis soon. I had wished him the best of luck.

Today, I was looking at his MySpace page. We weren't "friends" on MySpace for various reasons, but I still checked in every once in a while. The comments left by some of his "friends" had me concerned. I then checked the Evansville Courier website and searched for his name. I found his obituary. I couldn't believe it!

Here was this person that I had shared two years of my life with, and I was reading his obituary. I've had family members pass away, but I've never had a friend (or ex-friend in this case) pass away. I shared a lot of time and experiences with him and memories started flooding back - classes we attended, dinners we shared, conversations we had, trips we took, etc. I just couldn't believe it!

I called Lee, who knows everything about me and my past, and even he couldn't believe the news. He asked if I was okay, and I honestly didn't know the answer. I emailed my family and my best friends. Sharla immediately called and asked the same question. I didn't know quite how to respond.

I don't know the circumstances surrounding John's death. His obituary says that he died at his residence. He had muscular dystrophy, and I'm not sure if that was a factor or not. I have sent his mother and nephew a card, and I hope they shed some light on this terrible situation. John always told me that he felt as though he would never live long. He felt that something was going to prevent him from growing old. I always thought he was crazy but in the end he was right.

When someone that you are close to (or once close to) passes away, your perception of reality and life's problems change drastically. Lee lost his job due to cutbacks on Thursday. I've been nervous and worried about it, and I still am. But, at least he is here with me. Everything else we can work around and through.

Please enjoy the times you are with people and never take their presence for granted. They may not be there tomorrow.

In Memoriam:

John Harlan Thacker
9/3/1970 - 8/27/2007
May you rest in peace!