Christmas 2008

So my Christmas vacation has been quite busy so far. Here is a chronological look at my last week. Compare it to last year at this time - less things perhaps but still busy!

December 23 - Christmas Eve Eve with Lee's grandmother, dad, and uncle from Michigan.

December 24 - Christmas Eve at my mom and dad's house which is always full of games and surprises in order to "earn" your present.

December 25 - Christmas Day with Lee's mom and her family

December 26 - Since Taylor wasn't with us for the 24th or 25th, we had to make alternate plans with our families. Lee's mom and grandma came over to our house to celebrate with Taylor. Taylor also received our present - a girl's golf club set. Now she and Lee can golf together.

December 27 - My sister Brenda and her husband Doug came to visit Taylor on their way back to Indy.

December 28 - My parents, my other sister Michele and her family celebrated with us and Taylor. The pictures above are of Brandi and Sabrina from that day. Amazing how quickly time flies. Sabrina is in driver's ed now. Brandi is playing junior high basketball. It seems like just yesterday they were babies. Not the case anymore!! We had a great time visiting, and I'm glad we got that time with them!

Today started my actual "vacation". Lee has to work this week, so I get the house to myself to enjoy my vacation and get some things done around the house. Only 6 more days until I go back to work :-(.

Triple Thanksgivings

This year we went to 3 different Thanksgivings, much as we try to every year.

The Lee family Thanksgiving (bottom picture) was at my sister's house in Indianapolis this year - the same as two years ago. This was the first time in 3 years that we had all been together for Thanksgiving, although we had to celebrate the Saturday before. It was a great day of spending time with family, and it was great to reconnect with everyone. We had a wonderful time, and we also got to present the video of the ISSMA state finals to Sabrina. It turned out great!

On Thanksgiving day, we went to our traditional location to spend time with Lee's dad's family (middle picture). Although the celebration was much smaller this year, we had a great time and got to stay later than we had in years past. We usually only see this family once a year, so it is great to spend time with them when we can.

After leaving that celebration, we went to Lee's grandma's and spent time with her and Lee's mom (top picture). Although their Thanksgiving meal had long passed, it was nice to sit down - just the 5 of us - and talk and spend time together.

All in all, it was time to spend with family and be thankful for everything we have in life. Although we go through tough times, we have our families who understand. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

So This Is What A Champion Marching Band Looks Like??

Absolutely!!!!!! Forest Park won 1st place at the ISSMA State Marching Band Contest Class D in the brand new Lucas Oil Stadium.

It was a nerve racking day of watching great band after great band play their hearts out. When the awards were announced, we listened as 10th place...9th place.....8th place.....still not FP. 7th....6th....5th....4th.....well, we were in 3rd place last year, so that would be good again. 3rd......Oh my goodness ... we're in the top 2. Then came the announcement of the runner-up, and FP was not announced. My sisters, mom, and I jumped out of our seats. Forest Park won the championship!!!!!!!! It has been a long season filled with obstacles, but Forest Park overcame all adversity and won!!!!!!!

Lee videotaped the performance and awards. As we did last year, we will provide the family with a nice memory of November 1, 2008.

Congratulations Rangers and Congratulations Sabrina!!!!! You all did a great job!!!!!!!

October On the Go

As the title states, we have been "on the go" for most of this month. It is never a dull moment in our lives. Work has been keeping me busy in the form of a Saturday lunch and hiring a new Admissions Assistant. I am hiring someone to work during November-March for 20 hours per week. I received over 70 applications!!! This week, we are doing interviews, and we hope to hire someone by the beginning of next week.

Besides work, we have been very busy on the weekends. The first weekend in October, I went to Sabrina's District band competition. They did a great job and advanced to the Regionals. We also celebrated Mom's birthday and Mom and Dad's anniversary that same day.

The next weekend was supposed to be a great trip to Evansville to visit Sara and Jeff, who we haven't seen since March. Some scheduling issues occurred, so that visit has been postponed until November. So, instead we visited my parents and my friend Sharla.

The following weekend was the Regional band competition. Unfortunately I did not get to go. However, we went to visit Lee's mom in Louisville. She's lived down there for 3 years, and I think this is only our 3rd visit. She took us to "The World's Largest Halloween Party" at the Louisville Zoo. We got to see some of the animals, but better yet, it was a great outing for kids. The picture of Taylor was taken there.

This past weekend was Lee's birthday. While his grandma and mom took him out, I spent the day at the band's Semi-State competition. It was cold and windy - bbbrrrr!!!! After a rough performance, FP was blessed and got sent through to the State Finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on 11/1. I hope to send out good news next week with the results - knock on wood!

All in all, I had a great October, but I am glad the busyness of it is over. But, November isn't looking much better :-). We have a lot of things planned, and work will start to get very busy. Our admissions season is November - March, and I get very little time to do much else.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!

Whew (cont.)!

Around this time last year, I posted a blog entitled Whew! Here is its continuation. In the last 10 working days, I have attended 6 recruitment fairs for the Informatics graduate programs. Two of those were in one day, which made for a very long day! Although I only travel in state, it is still exhausting to do that by myself. I've been to Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Depauw University, University of Southern Indiana, Hanover College, and Purdue University. These trips have taken me all across the state, but luckily I have been able to rent a car instead of putting the miles on my little Rio. I am done travelling until November when I head to Ball State University, and although, I am glad to be done for awhile, I do enjoy the time away from my office.

It is also the time of year for marching band season. Last year my niece was in the marching band in eighth grade. This year she is a Freshman. In fact, my sister's whole family is involved this year. My sister is helping with feeding the band; my other niece is a "gopher"; my brother-in-law is with the pit crew. This coming weekend is the District band competition, and I hope they do well. In their competitions up to this point, they have placed well and won several awards.

Of course, if they make it to the state competition, they will not be playing in the RCA Dome. It's roof officially came down last week, and the building will be gone within months. My other sister who lives in Indianapolis sent us pictures. My hubby put up other pictures on his blog at http://magic.rox.com. Time-lapsed video can also be found on You Tube. What a sad day! But on to bigger and better things, I suppose.

I'll update you on the band season as it progresses. Stay tuned!

Ike Strikes Again

Hurricane Ike has been watched for some time, and it was predicted to be a strong one. Not only did Hurricane Ike strike the heart of Galveston, TX, but its rath continued up the Midwest. Surprisingly Indiana got hit very hard from Ike in both rain and wind.

Yesterday Bloomington, in particular, experienced quite high winds and was under a High Wind Warning for 4 hours. The "eye" of Ike passed between us and Terre Haute. About 2:00 p.m., the winds started to die down a bit, so I headed for a shopping trip. When I got home at 3:00 p.m., our power had just gone out. I did not realize then how bad it really was.

Around 8:00 p.m. Lee and I got anxious and went to Starbuck's to get access to some Wi-Fi. The effects of Ike were far more reaching than we could have thought. Thousands of people were without power, and it could be days before we got our power back. I grew up in rural Indiana, and I never had power issues like this before. Ike, what did you do?

Lee and I prepared. We bought ice and packed our frozen food and certain refrigerated foods into our coolers. We gathered necessary belongings for the night and headed to Lee's grandma's house. What followed was one of the longest nights......neither of us fell asleep until 4:00 a.m., and our alarm went off at 7:30 a.m. Needless to say, we didn't go to work today.

We headed back home and headed to sleep in our own beds. Thankfully, at 12:15 p.m. our power came on - over 21 hours after it went off. We're one of the lucky ones. There are still thousands of people without power, and some may not get electricity back on until Saturday - nearly 6 days after it went off. (In fact, most of our neighbors still don't have power.) That is just in Indiana. Houston and Galveston folks may not see power for weeks.

Ike, I will not miss you. But, as I try to always say, it could have always been worse.

8/14/04 - 4 Years Later!

I can't believe that it has been 4 years since Lee and I were married. Time sure does fly by, and many things have happened.

On our wedding day:

1. Lee was still working at Baxter.

2. I was still working at the MBA program office in a support staff role.

3. I had not yet started my Master's Degree.

4. We were still living in the apartment.

5. Taylor was 4 years old!

6. We were broke!

7. We hadn't really travelled much together.

8. Lee was 23, and I was 25. Yikes!

It's amazing how time, patience, and love will change things.

Lee surprised me at work on Thursday with a lovely arrangement of flowers. He took time and effort and researched his purchase. Apparently, flowers are "the" gift for the 4th anniversary, and hydrangeas are the preferred flower. I must say, he did well.

On Friday night, we celebrated our anniversary at The Cheesecake Factory in Indy. Yummo!! We had a great time, and we were full!

Thank you, Lee, for giving me a great 4 years. I hope to have a lifetime of anniversaries with you!!

It's Really Official Now

On Friday, August 1, I received my diploma in the mail. Even though my official degree was granted on May 3, 2008, I feel as though I am really official with my diploma in hand. Lee and I went out to celebrate, and I am so glad this the student part of my life is finally complete. YEAH ME!!

My Sister's Closet

Nearly two years ago, I became interested in a non-profit organization here in Bloomington. My Sister's Closet is an agency that helps low-income women with regards to business attire in order to obtain a job. Through a voucher system they provide interview attire and then business clothing once the women get a job. Also, anyone can purchase clothing at their retail store. It is a wonderful organization.

So, in the late-summer/early-fall of 2006, I became a board member as the Event Coordinator. Around that same time, Lee lost his job at Baxter. I was working full-time, working a second part-time job, and going to school part-time. It was a very stressful and low point in my life. In order to stay "sane", I gave up my position on the board.

Just recently, I graduated and found myself with a lot of free time. I have started up my hobby of counted cross stitching, and I recontacted My Sister's Closet. This past year I had been in contact with several of the board members. I created a MySpace page for the agency, and Lee had been doing work on their website. Last week, I became an officer of the organization. I am now the Secretary, and I keep the minutes of the meeting along with any written correspondence with constituents, clients, and other agencies. I couldn't be happier!

My father and mother were once very involved in my hometown community through various organizations when they were younger, and I looked to that for an example. In addition, my best friends are involved with the humane society and library respectively in their local communities. I am glad that I am finally able to give something back to my community. It is such an important part of who we are as human beings, and it is very important to me.

Taylor's a Big Sister

Yep, that is right. Taylor became a big sister one week ago. Her mom and stepdad had a bouncing baby boy, and Taylor couldn't be happier!! She loves being a big sister, and she can't say enough good things about her baby brother. It is great to see her so excited!

Surprisingly, she still wanted to come to our house this weekend. Lee and I decided that we would make Saturday a "Taylor" day. We surprised her with a day that was all about her. First we went to Build-A-Bear, and she could have anything in the store (reasonably priced) that wasn't a new stuffed animal. She chose the Beararmoire, which is a closet for all the Build-A-Bear clothes and accessories. She went straight to work on filling it up when we got home. Next, she got to choose where we would eat, and of course, she chose Wendy's. Finally, we took her to see Wall-E. Very adorable movie with a great message! All in all, I think she had a great day!

Happy Birthday America!

Well, it has been quite some time since I last posted. Lee, Taylor, Richard (Lee's dad), and I just got back from our trip to visit Lee's aunts in Oklahoma. All of us have never traveled together before, and I think we all had a great time!

Not only did we visit Lee's aunts, but we also saw the George Washington Carver National Monument, Precious Moments Inspiration Park & Chapel, and the Cherokee National Museum & Heritage Center. We were gone a total of 5 days (Wednesday - Sunday) and drove over 1500 miles.

We celebrated the 4th of July in Oklahoma ,and besides dressing alike (see above picture), we had quite a fireworks show put on for us. It was nice to celebrate America's birthday with family and new friends.

But, honestly, what event with us involved could go without some sort of drama. On Saturday, Lee was inspecting an old radio of his grandfather's in a storage trailer. He jumped out of the 6 foot tall trailer and landed on his ankle wrong, which also meant that I had to drive the trip back myself. After hobbling on it for several days, he went to the doctor this morning. The x-ray was inconclusive, but they think he "may" have broken his leg. We should know more tomorrow, but regardless, he is on crutches for the next 5 days. Like I said, drama!

But nonetheless, we made some great memories with this trip. I'm glad we got the chance to go together. Taylor and her second cousin Amber have been emailing since we got back, so I think a new friendship was even made :-).

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July!!

My Kind of Town...Chicago Is

Lee and I are back from a great trip to the Windy City. We left Wednesday, May 28 and came home Saturday, May 31. I had a seminar in town for work, so we decided to take a few extra days and have ourselves a mini-vacation. I have been to Chicago a few times in the past, but Lee had never been there before.

We stayed at the Club Quarters members-only hotel at Wacker and Michigan in the Mather Tower. IU is a member, so we got a great rate in downtown Chicago. The room was a bit small, but it really didn't matter because we weren't in it that much. They also had an interesting bottled water dispenser. Bizarre!

When we arrived on Wednesday, we settled in the hotel and then put on our walking shoes. Since we were steps from Michigan Avenue, we walked the famed Magnificent Mile. After a quick change, we also went to see Wicked the Musical. It was the most amazing musical production I have ever seen (and I have seen a lot!). For those of you who don't know, it is the story of the Witches of Oz before Dorothy's arrival. Things aren't what the movie makes it out to seem. In the musical you find out why the Wicked Witch is "wicked", why Glinda is "good", the story behind the ruby slippers, why the Cowardly Lion is a coward, why the Tin Man has no heart, and why the Scarecrow is a scarecrow. The sets were amazing, and the songs chilled you to the bones. Great performance!

On Thursday we had quite a busy day. We took a boat tour of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. We also visited Millenium Park. The Cloud Gate (AKA Bean) sculpture is very cool, and the picture above is our reflection in it. We also saw Buckingham Fountain, went to the John Hancock center observatory, and went to Navy Pier and rode the Ferris Wheel. We walked everywhere, so we were pretty tired by the end.

While we were there, we also toured the Art Institute of Chicago, and I got to see "my painting" up close again. I love Seurat! We also got to see a lot of works from Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and Picasso as well as the American Gothic painting.

Lee and I also had a very nice dinner at an Italian bistro named Bella Bacino, which was conveniently located in our hotel. It was a much needed break for both of us.

Well, our next trip is to visit the family in Oklahoma over the 4th of July. That should be an interesting trip because Richard and Taylor are going with us. Taylor is back in Indiana now, and we are going to resume our normal visitation schedule. We are thrilled!!!!!

It's Official

Yep, it's official. I have finally graduated with my master's degree. I will receive my diploma in August, but it is official nonetheless!!! Above is a picture of me getting "hooded". After four long years, it was a momentous occasion! And, my family got to celebrate it with me, which made it all the more special.

Last weekend I got a visit from Sharla. She needed time away from home, so we got to visit for the first time since Christmas. It was great! We headed to Indianapolis, ate a lot, and just had a great time.

This weekend we are going "home" to celebrate Mother's Day and my niece's 14th birthday! Yikes, when did that time pass! She is getting a surprise present from us and my parents, but in case she reads this, I don't want to say what it is. She better like it though!

It has also been 6 weeks since my mom's surgery. She is doing great and should be going back to work very soon.

Lee and I are also planning a trip to Chicago at the end of the month. I have a seminar I am attending for work, so we are going to make a mini-vacation out of it. The first time I went to Chicago was in middle school on a summer class trip. It was great! It has been 7 years since I've been there the last time, and that was when I was in college. It was a great trip because no one over the age of 22 went, and there was about 20-30 of us together. Good times!!! I have been dying to go back. Lee hasn't been there as a tourist yet, so hopefully he will like it too. I'll keep you updated!

Shake, Shake, Shake

So, it has been quite a week. Nearly one week ago (April 18) at 5:30 a.m., the earth beneath us shook. The Midwest is certainly no stranger to earthquakes, but in the same sense, we don't have them every day. This one was the second largest earthquake the area has had in 40 years - 5.2 magnitude. In fact, it was only the third one I ever remember living through.

I remember the 1987 earthquake. It was a 5.1 magnitude, and I remember thinking "What the heck was that?" My mom ran outside because she thought my sister and her friend had done "something". I was so little (8 years old) that I barely remember it, but I do remember the earth shook.

The next one we had after that was in 2002. I remember being at work when I felt it. It was a 4.6 magnitude. I worked in a place where about 20 people or so used the same printer, and if we were printing something important, we would run to the printer to get our printout. That is what it felt like, but when I looked up, there was no one standing. Very weird!

This one came in the very early morning hours. Lee had gotten up to use the bathroom, and he had just laid back down in bed. The bed started to shake pretty bad. At first I thought the kitties were fighting under the bed, which is not that unusual. But it just kept going, and no kitties were even in the room. I ran down to the garage and basement to make sure nothing else was going on. After that, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I got on the USGS website and called my mom. Yep, it was an earthquake. I turned on the TV and watched some coverage. Thankfully no major damage was reported.

About 11:15 a.m., we had a larger aftershock - a 4.5 magnitude. It rumbled the ground but wasn't nearly as volatile as the original quake. In all, there have been dozens of aftershocks, many of which cannot be felt my most people. We’ve all been lucky; although, we know a bigger one could happen at any time.

Also, this week I finished graduate school!!!!!!!! I had my very last class and turned in my very last paper. Next Friday, I will go through my Hooding Ceremony, and all of my family will get to see me graduate with my master’s degree. It seems surreal, but I’m so glad the end is here.

Hopefully this week will be a little less shaky………………

Final Days

Here I am, 19 days away from graduation. I never thought this day would come, and here I am, a little less than 3 weeks away. It has been a long four years, and I can't wait for it to be over.

Right now I am working on my final paper as a master's student. It is 15 page research paper that I can't seem to get motivated to finish. I have completed 5 pages so far, and I have been working on it for nearly 3 hours. That certainly is not my normal rate, but I typically don't have to write research papers.

On Friday, May 2, I will become an official alum of Indiana University. That night is the Educational Policy and Leadership department's hooding ceremony, where master's and doctoral students will officially get their hoods and complete their degrees. My whole family is coming in for it, and then we are having a celebration afterwards. It will be a proud and happy moment for me!

As with the end of the spring semester every year, it has been a stressful two weeks. My mom had surgery a week ago Friday, and my sisters and I took off of work for the day to sit with my dad during surgery and help my mom after. She actually did very well and was walking the halls after just 6 hours. She was released the day after and gets to take six weeks off of work. She's been doing great!

I moved offices (and buildings) this week. The School of Informatics has been renovating an old frat house next to the current School of Informatics building. Some of my colleagues and I have had temporary offices in a residence hall about 1 mile away, which has caused many problems with meetings, student accessibility, etc. With renovations nearly complete, I moved into my new office on Thursday. There is still much to be done, but I am happy to finally be settled in a permanent location.

All of these changes have caused much stress in my life and trying to complete this paper hasn't helped. I have no motivation. I can finally touch the light at the end of the tunnel I have been walking for nearly four years. It is so close, yet I still can't stroll to the end. I have to finish strong.

Thanks to all who have supported me in the last four years (and especially the last few weeks). It has been a wild ride, and I'm glad it will soon be over.

March Flew By

I can't believe how quickly March flew by. It seems like just yesterday that I was celebrating my birthday. Only 11 months to go until ...... 30!!!

Easter came early this year. We spent the Lee family Easter at our house this year. We went to eat at Cafe D'lish and came back to our house for desserts, visiting, and Easter presents. Sunday we spent the day with Lee's family at his grandma's.

Taylor got to spend Easter with us this year, as she normally does. She was dropped off at our house at 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, and my family was due at 10:30 a.m. Whew! Her official move home is still up in the air; however, all of her belongings are now moved into their "new" home in Owensburg, which is about 20 minutes away or so. But, 20 minutes away is MUCH better than 4 hours. Since her belongings are now in Indiana, we hope she is soon to follow for good.

Taylor also spent the week up here in Indiana because she was on spring break. Since we couldn't take off of work, her aunt and grandma kept her during the day, and Lee and I picked her up at night. We spent a lot of time playing the PS2 and other games. It was great to spend some quality time with her.

In other news, Lee has been smoke free now several weeks. He is doing really well, and I am so proud of him. He has been taking Chantix, and it is amazing!

Happy Spring, Everyone!

One Less Than Thirty

Just moments ago (at 7:45 p.m.) I officially turned 29 years old. Wow, I can't believe I am one year away from 30. I am reminded of when my niece was born in 1994. I was just 15 years old, and as I was holding her I said, "Man, when she is my age, I'll be 30." That time is just around the corner.

But, I must say, I have had an eventful and wonderful birthday. With all of the cards, phone calls, emails, MySpace and Facebook posts, I have really noticed how many people care about me. It has been wonderful! I even received a surprise phone call this morning from an old friend who I have not talked to in months. Thanks for the call, Brandon. It was great to hear from you.

Lee and I went out to eat at Scholar's Inn tonight. We spent our wedding night at the Scholar's Inn bed and breakfast. On our one year anniversary, we relived our experience. We hadn't been there since, and neither of us have ever eaten dinner there because it is quite expensive. We, of course, ordered the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, which seems to be our favorite wherever we go. This one was definitely the cheesiest we've ever had. Lee ordered the very pricey filet mignon, and I had the portobello mushroom ravioli. Both were delicious! It was quite yummy, and obviously something we never get to do.

Today, I also had some drama. It wouldn't be like me to go without drama on any given day, and this day was no different. I cashed a check today, and as I was putting my driver's license back in my wallet, I noticed something. My driver's license expired today!!! AAAHHH!!!! So, there I went, making an emergency trip to the BMV. I was actually in and out within 15 minutes. The BMV has really improved since this past summer when they had all of their issues. However, I still have to go back within the next 30 days. I never updated my license address when we bought the house, and I didn't have address verification on me today. So, they let me renew it anyway, and I can go back within 30 days and update the address for free.

Tomorrow night, my sister and I are going to see Evita at the IU Auditorium. I always try to see at least one show a season, and this year the show fell near my birthday. She is spending the night at our place, which she has never done. In fact, I don't think she's been at our house since August or so. It should be a fun girls night!

Thanks again to all who sent me birthday wishes. I appreciate all of you, and you helped make my day special.

Lunar Eclipse (Penny Moon)

In honor of my niece's love of astronomy and just seeing cool things in general, we took a video of the lunar eclipse. We also got to look at it through our telescope. Of course, it was much prettier in person, but you can sort of get the effect (minus the orange penny-like color). Hope you enjoy if you didn't get to see it!

6 Years Ago...............

............Lee and I moved in together - on Valentine's weekend. Looking back, we both agree we were young and stupid. We had only known each other 3 months, and I was moving to a place I had never lived - in fact, I had only visited it a handful of times. We had nothing when we started out together. I moved up to Bloomington without a job. Lee was making $9 an hour and supporting the both of us. We didn't have a bed. We ate Hamburger Helper every night because it was cheap. But, things worked out and we've made a nice life for ourselves. I would forbid my children to do the same because I wouldn't want them to have to struggle, but Lee and I grew stronger through all of the hardships.

This Valentine's Day we tried something new. We went out to eat at a Japanese restaurant - Domo Steak & Sushi. Lee had never tried Japanese before, and I had only had it one other time over a year ago. It was yummy! I had sushi and Lee had steak teriyaki. It was a nice night for the two of us.

This weekend Taylor came to visit for the first time since New Year's. It had been quite a while, and we all missed each other a lot! We spent a lot of time with family, and the weekend went by much quicker than we thought it would. If everything works out, she should be back in Indiana in a few months. We can't wait!

Lee's business is also doing very well. He landed a big transfer job with the Kelley School of Business MBA Program. Check out his blog (http://magic.rox.com) for more information. I'm so proud of him and his progress and dedication!!!!

Well, that is the latest update. Hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day!

Personal Updates

So, it has been quite a while since I wrote something substantial. I thought I would give it a try and give you some updates.

At the beginning of January, I started my final class and final semester of graduate school. It has been a long four years, and I cannot wait until May. The class I am taking is my Capstone class, and I like it a lot. I am working on planning a get-together for my graduation, but Bloomington becomes absolutely crazy on graduation weekend. I am in talks with a few restaurants, but we will see what happens.

I have been getting more involved in the HESA (higher education and student affairs) program this semester. I am a member of IUSPA Journal Review Board. Each year the IUSPA (IU Student Personnel Association) publishes a peer-reviewed journal to allow master's students, doctoral students, and alums the chance to get published. We had 14 submissions this year for about 4-6 slots. The topics have been very interesting, and it has gotten me interested in research writing, but right now I do not have plans to go ahead and get my Ph.D.

I am also working on getting my own paper published. Last semester my class partner and I wrote a paper on colleges going SAT optional in their admissions standards. We focused on the qualitative research; while another group focused on the quantitative research. Our professor is going to work with both groups to get our papers published as one in a national journal. This could be a long process, so I will keep you updated.

In December, I interviewed and was offered another position at IU in the Jacobs School of Music as the Associate Director of Admissions & Financial Aid. I ended up turning the position down because I just didn't feel as though it was a good fit for me at this time in my life.

I have been pretty busy at my current job because we are in the midst of admissions season. I started in February last year and missed most of this fun :-), but it has been pretty interesting to see how another department attacks admissions. I was very used to how the MBA program did things since I worked there for 4 1/2 years, but I am always learning new things.

Lee has also been doing some painting. He was off of work this past Monday and said he was going to do something to surprise me. I was a little concerned especially after he gave me a hint that he was doing "something" to the house. When I got home, I found out he had spent the whole day painting our hallway. I haven't been able to hang pictures/things on my walls since before we moved in June 2006. We knew when we bought our house that we were going to remove all of the wallpaper and paint, so we didn't want to put up things just to take them back down. We worked on our two red walls before Thanksgiving, but we hadn't painted anything new since then. Knowing that I missed having my pictures up, he painted the hallway, and this week, we bought the rest of the paint for the living room and foyer. I hope to have my pictures up soon.

I have also been working hard at creating an alumni website for my high school class. Right now, it looks as though it is going to be a MySpace page that I will give all of my ex-classmates access to so they can add pictures and blogs. I hope to have that completed by the end of the month. I volunteered myself to start this back in September after our reunion, but I am only now getting around to doing it. But since I actually started on it, I have made good progress.

Finally, we found out that Taylor will hopefully be moving home sooner than we thought. Apparently her stepdad has put in a request to be medically discharged from the military on his doctor's request. If everything works out, she should be back in Indiana before the summer. We don't know where they will end up for sure - Indianapolis, Bloomington, Greene County - but Lee and I both agree that anywhere in southern or central Indiana is better than Tennessee. I'll keep you updated on that too.

Well, that is the latest news from our neck of the woods. I'll try to keep you updated as things change, which they always do.

You Know You’re From Dubois County When

My sister sent me this list this week, and I had to pass it along and comment.

You Know You’re From Dubois County When

• Holland and Ireland remind you of milk and fried chicken instead of wooden clogs and leprechauns.


• You can recite at least some of the Dubois County Tire radio jingle. (Give Dubois County Tire a call... Big or small they service all...)


• If your last name of Uebelhor is pronounced You-Bell-Oar then you are probably from Huntingburg. If pronounced Ebel-Hair then you are from Ferdinand.


• Your wedding had or will have at least 6 kegs at the reception.


• You see more classmates at the Strassenfest than you do at your class reunion.


• If you have ever watched a sectional basketball game at Memorial Gym.


• Been stopped by a train in Huntingburg (Bonus points for this week)


• You don't know where the intersection of IN-64 and IN-162 is located but know exactly where the Bretzville Junction is at.


• If you have been to Los Bravos at least twice in the last month.


• If you can properly pronounce Luebbehusen, Mehringer, Goepfrich, Knies, Mathies, Thewes etc.


• The term "Kraut" isn't necessarily offensive.


• TP'ing is an annual October right of passage.

As you all know, I posted a comment about being German a few months ago, and this blog heavily relates. I was born and raised in a rural county in southern Indiana. The county seat, Jasper, has a population of 12,000. The small town I am from is St. Anthony, and the population is approximately 1,000 people. We no longer have a school; we have no stop light; we have one gas station; we have one church – Catholic.

I mentioned the church in a blog in May 2007, when it burned. Update – they are working on the church, and it did not have to be torn down. I digress.

Coming from a small town is very interesting and a very life determining fact, especially if you never leave. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. The stereotype of small town life is that of being racist and homophobic. I’m not sure how true that is nowadays, but I certainly was never that way. And with working at Indiana University and living in Bloomington, there is no tolerance for such thoughts.

The list above is quite entertaining, and I am going to go through each point for explanation. Here we go!

• Holland and Ireland remind you of milk and fried chicken instead of wooden clogs and leprechauns.
  
  - Holland and Ireland are again small towns in our county. Holland is actually where my brother-in-law grew up, and they are known for the Holland Dairy (i.e. milk). Ireland is known for The Chicken Place restaurant (i.e. fried chicken).


• You can recite at least some of the Dubois County Tire radio jingle. (Give Dubois County Tire a call... Big or small they service all...)
  
  -This radio jingle is on air all of the time. Sadly enough, I haven’t lived in Dubois County for about 10 years, and I still know the jingle.


• If your last name of Uebelhor is pronounced You-Bell-Oar then you are probably from Huntingburg. If pronounced Ebel-Hair then you are from Ferdinand.
  
  - Strange, but true. The Uebelhor’s in Huntingburg own a car dealership. The Uebelhor’s in Ferdinand own an electronics store. My sister’s brother-in-law is part of the Uebelhor’s in Ferdinand. He is godfather and I am godmother to our niece, Brandi.


• Your wedding had or will have at least 6 kegs at the reception.
  
  - This is true and not uncommon by any means. A Dubois County wedding reception is like no other on Earth. 500 of your closest friends getting drunk on your dime. Because there are no cash bars at Dubois County weddings. The bride and groom pay for all of the alcohol so that their friends can have a good time. I never understood it, and as a result, I did not get married in Dubois County. I had a small wedding reception with no alcohol. The horror!! My husband was shocked when he went to his first Dubois County wedding. He’s never quite recovered :-).


• You see more classmates at the Strassenfest than you do at your class reunion.
  
  - Again, this is not that shocking. I mentioned the Strassenfest in my German post, so check back there for more information.


• If you have ever watched a sectional basketball game at Memorial Gym.
  
  - Yes, I have. Back before class basketball, which began the year after I graduated, all of the county teams plus a few more fought out the high school basketball sectionals in one tournament and one arena – Southridge Memorial Gym. There was nothing like the Southridge sectional – the noise, the people, the rivalries. At one time, Bobby Knight and Nick Nolte visited the Southridge sectional before making the movie Blue Chips. Now that has all changed, but the memories are still there.


• Been stopped by a train in Huntingburg (Bonus points for this week)
  
  - Oh my goodness! Yes, I have been stopped by a train in Huntingburg many times. The railroad tracks go straight through town, and it is hard to avoid them. Trains go through several times a day. I worked in Huntingburg one summer between my Freshman and Sophomore years in college, and I was always stopped for those darn trains.


• You don't know where the intersection of IN-64 and IN-162 is located but know exactly where the Bretzville Junction is at.
  
  - They are actually one in the same. The Bretzville Junction is where IN-64 and IN-162 meet and is the center point between Huntingburg, Jasper, Ferdinand, and St. Anthony. There is a large parking lot called “Central” where many people meet to share rides, etc. Dubois County Central Concrete used to have a facility there, so that is where the name actually came from.


• If you have been to Los Bravos at least twice in the last month.
  
  - Los Bravos is a Mexican restaurant in Jasper. Everyone goes there. Every time I am back in Dubois County for any length of time, I usually go there too. They are fast, cheap, and have great service. I recommend them!


• If you can properly pronounce Luebbehusen, Mehringer, Goepfrich, Knies, Mathies, Thewes etc.
  
  - Here we go. Luebbehusen – Lib-a-whose-in. Mehringer – Mare-ing-er. Goepfrich – Gep-frick. Knies – K-niece. Mathes – Mod-eyes. Thewes – Tave-es. I believe I got those all right. Love the German heritage :-).


• The term "Kraut" isn't necessarily offensive.
  
  - I guess this refers to sauerkraut - a German staple. That is the only thing I can think of regarding this one.


• TP'ing is an annual October right of passage.
  
  - Yep, this still happens A LOT. And, I too, have been the doer and the victim.

Don’t get me wrong. I love where I came from. It is made me who I am today, but I also know the little idiosyncrasies of my hometown area. Now, you know some of them too.

I Need a Vacation from My Vacation

I have been off of work since Saturday, December 22, and I go back to work tomorrow, January 2. It has been a great 1 1/2 weeks off, but I sure do need a vacation from my vacation. It has been non-stop. Here's a rundown:

12/22 - Picked up Taylor in Evansville. She got to spend most of her vacation with us here in Bloomington. That night we visited my best friend, Sharla, and her husband in Jasper.

12/23 - Drove to Bedford to spend time with Lee's dad, stepmom, grandma, uncle, and aunt. His uncle and aunt live in Michigan, and we usually only see them once a year on Thanksgiving, so it was nice to see them for Christmas as well.

12/24 - Christmas Eve - As is tradition, we always celebrate Christmas Eve at my mom's house. This is only the second time that Taylor as gotten to be there.

12/25 - Christmas - Santa came to our house this year for the first time ever. Taylor has never spent Christmas Day with us, so Santa had to re-route himself. She got a 5' tall dollhouse along with some other gifts. We didn't forget to set out Oreos and milk, and Santa ate all but 1/2 of a cookie.

We spent Christmas with Lee's mom's family, which is again tradition. This was the first time Taylor has been there since she was at least 1 year old. She got to play Santa and hand out the presents. We also continued a personal tradition that we have been doing for years. We go to the local Chinese buffet for Christmas dinner. Surprisingly enough, it is pretty busy.

12/26 - Lee's dad and stepmom came over to our house to give Taylor her Christmas gifts. Then we went out to eat with Lee's mom and grandma.

12/27 - We went to Build-A-Bear so Taylor could spend her gift card she got for Christmas. Then we took her bowling.

12/28 - We drove up to Indianapolis to go to the Indiana State Museum and IMAX theater. I have wanted to go for years, and it was a great place.

12/29 - We rested for the most part of Saturday. We needed the break. Saturday night we went out to dinner with my sister and her family.

12/30 - Sunday we dropped off Taylor with her aunt who lives here in town. That was our last day with her after 8 days. It was great to get to spend that much time with her, and I think she had a lot of fun too!

12/31 - We brought in the New Year at home. After dinner at Red Lobster, we came home to watch Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

1/1 - Here is 2008! Wow, time (and my vacation) has flown by! I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, happy, and healthy new year. I'm sure we will all experience lots of changes this year, and I hope they are positive ones at that.

WELCOME TO 2008!