Fourth of July 2007

Our 4th of July was super busy this year. I took off of work most of the week because Taylor stayed with us from Tuesday to Sunday - long visit now that she has moved. We kept her very busy and showed her the best time we could. Here is a run down of our week.

Tuesday I took Sabrina and Brandi, my nieces, with me to pick up Taylor. Wednesday (4th of July) we spent the day at Lee's grandma's with his family. Wednesday night we set off some fireworks during a rainstorm reprieve, but it didn't stay dry long enough to do much. Thursday Lee's mom took Taylor on the town and spoiled her - go figure! Thursday night the weather cooperated and we got to set off the rest of our fireworks. We had a good time! Friday I took Taylor swimming for 3 1/2 hours! We both got sunburned, but she finally rode the water slide at Bryan Park Pool. Friday night we went to Bedford to see their fireworks show. It was really nice outside and a good time. Saturday, Lee's dad, Lee, Taylor, and I went to Lee's other grandma's house. Lee scanned some of her old pictures like her senior picture from the 1930s so that they are preserved. We hadn't visited her in quite awhile, so it was good to see her. Then Sunday Taylor went back home.

Let's just say I needed a vacation from my vacation, and I was somewhat happy to get back to work. We had a great holiday week, and I'm really glad Taylor got to spend some good time with us. We should see her again at the end of the month. Happy Summer!

Has it really been a year?

Yep, one year ago Lee and I signed our life away (at least 30 years of it) and became homeowners. It doesn't seem like that much time has passed. We have been through so much this year between renovations, job changes, Taylor moving, going to Disney, and so much more. Time is just flying.

I hope this post finds you all well. Remember to stop and smell the roses along the way because you never know what tomorrow brings. I've noticed that as I get older time goes by faster and faster. As a child you think summer vacation lasts forever. Christmas and birthdays never come quick enough, and you want to be a grown-up so badly. As an adult you realize how good you had it as a child - no bills, no responsibilities, no "real" worries. Time flies by quicker than you can blink.

We've now had the house for a year. We will be married three years in August (my goodness!). In the fall, I will be starting my fourth and final year in graduate school. Amazing how all of this seemed to begin yesterday.

Enjoy today and live for tomorrow!

We're Proud Parents - Again!

Lee and I have never gone to the Bloomington Fun Frolic as a couple. Taylor's mom always took her, so we never worried about going. Well, since they moved to Tennessee, they were no longer in town to take her, so we did. Boy, what an adventure!

We played the “Win A Bunny” game thinking we would never win. You have to throw a ping pong ball into a bowl floating in water. Who wins that?? Well, we did. Here is a picture of the new member of our family. His/her name is Gillham (for the street we live on). We’re calling the bunny Gil for short, and it is 7 weeks old. The kitties have been sniffing the bunny a bunch, but Gil doesn’t seem to mind them at all. He/she just hops right by. We've been keeping it in the cage for most of the day and letting it out for 1/2 hour here and there for playtime. I think it likes it's new home. If it gets to be too much to handle, we will find it a new home, but for now, we'll give it a shot!

We also learned that Taylor is quite the expert at darts. She won a little blue dog and won her Aunt Gloria a picture by popping balloons with darts. Even Aunt Gloria herself couldn't hit one. Taylor also got to take her first ride on a Ferris Wheel. She loved it!!! I couldn't believe she hadn't been on one before. We've ridden much scarier rides at Holiday World and Disney. All in all, it was a fun day at the Fun Frolic, and we now have a new member of the family.

Out of the Ashes, A Phoenix Will Rise

This morning I awoke to a phone call from my mom. It seems the church in my hometown burned. For some this may not be a big deal, but to me a large part of my childhood rests in that church.

I come from a small town in southern Indiana. St. Anthony is a town with no stoplight, no McDonald's, no school, one gas station, and a great big Catholic church, which it seems the town is built around. The church itself is well over 100 years old and was built in the mid to late 1800s. It was currently undergoing its first renovation in more than 50 years, and my guess is that something went wrong with construction and started the fire. The fire was noticed at 3:30 in the morning, and six fire departments responded. I'm sure we'll know the exact cause in a few days.

I am no longer a practicing Catholic, but a lot of my growing up surrounded the Catholic faith and holds great memories for me. I was deeply affected when the Pope died, and when I face hard issues, I still revert back to my Catholic faith.

This church itself holds a lot of memories for me and my family. My parents were married there in 1969. My sister was married there in 1992. I was baptized there, had my First Penance, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation all in the church. My nieces were baptized there as well. I attended several funerals in this church including the funeral of my great-grandmother, who died when she was 105 years old, and my grandfather's funeral. I even worked there as a small child. My sisters and I would do odd jobs around the church, and I got paid in pennies :-). As long as I could count them, I could have them. During our high school years, my sister and I were lectors in the church. My, what memories that building holds!

I know one building shouldn't be the end all and be all, but for me it holds the memories of my childhood, my family, my hometown, and my faith. I never thought this incident would affect me so much, but in part, it is like a death in the family. However, "Out of the ashes, a phoenix will rise." I believe this, and I know the citizens of St. Anthony will push on. I pray for them and my thoughts will be with them.

Last Week of May

We had a great Memorial Day weekend. Friday night we took Taylor to see Shrek the Third. The Shrek babies and the Dronkies were quite adorable. My friend Sharla came up from Jasper to help me de-wallpaper our living and dining room. It took us between 10 and 12 hours, but we finally finished. Only the foyer and kitchen to go!!!

Sunday we got a little rain with a little sunshine which allowed me to take the picture above. I haven't seen a rainbow in quite some time, and this is from right outside our front door. I love our view!!

Tuesday night was Taylor's last night with us on a full-time basis. Lee and I made her a gift. We put together a 10 minute slideshow (http://vimeo.com/204052) of many of the pictures we had of Taylor growing up. We included three songs "Wait for Me" by Bob Seger, "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack, and "Home" by Chris Daughtry. We also put together video well wishes from my family, Lee's family, and the two of us for Taylor to take with her. The whole DVD was about 20 minutes long or so, but she loved it. She called us last night on her way to Tennessee to tell us that she had already watched it three times!!!!!! The next time we'll see her will be Father's Day weekend, so we don't have to wait too long.

As we lost Taylor, we gained Gloria. Lee's sister is in between leases right now, so she has temporarily moved in for the next few weeks. Her stuff is taking up half of the garage, and she has moved in to Taylor's room while Taylor is away. She is also bringing her kitty today, which should be interesting for my three cats. I can't wait to hear the hissing and growling when I get home :-).

Anyway, I start my summer class soon, work is going well, and life will be getting back to normal. I can't believe May is already over. Whew!

Much Needed Weekend

So this weekend was a much needed weekend of fun. Lee and I visited our friends Jeff and Sara in Evansville. We haven't been to visit them in nearly a year just because of how things have worked out with all of our schedules, but I'm so glad we made it down there.

Friday night we went to Cheeseburger in Paradise and had a nice dinner after dropping off Taylor with her mom for the weekend. After a late night and a late start to Saturday, Lee realized that his wallet was no longer on him. So I proceeded to call every place we had been to since we arrived in Evansville Friday night. We kept checking our account online and no purchases had been made. Lee called his dad who has a key to our house, and bless his heart - he found Lee's wallet at home, but not until midnight and we had been worrying all day!

Saturday night we went to Fast Eddys - an Evansville bar with good eats that are cheap - and then made our way to the boat - Casino Aztar. Unfortunately, we got carded, so since Lee didn't have his wallet that idea was a bust. So instead we went to Jillian's - which we equate to Chuck-E-Cheese for adults. It has pool, games, bowling, a bar, restaurant, etc. Lee and I decided to step into this photo machine that takes your picture along with your significant other and creates an image of your future child. Above you will see the the result - isn't he a cutie?!?!? We'll keep this until we are done having kids and see just how accurate it was. Lee and Jeff also had a rough game of air hockey where injuries and potential lawsuits were a likely possibility :-). We then went back to Jeff and Sara's for a smallish party of friends, good times, and the Nintendo Wii. Competitiveness took the better of some of us, but it was good to spend time with friends.

Sunday we bought a new fountain for the outdoors which was my birthday present - 3 months late, but better late than never. We had a great cookout before we left Evansville and headed back to reality. Although it doesn't seem like much, it was nice to get away, spend time with good ole' friends, and get our minds off of life for awhile. Perhaps we should do that more often!!!!!!

This next weekend we are taking Taylor to see Shrek the Third, and my good friend Sharla is coming up to help de-wallpaper our living room/dining room/foyer area. Her birthday present to me this year was her for a weekend. Taylor's last day of school is May 30, and then she moves back to her mom again and we'll resume some sort of visitation schedule. Life is constantly changing, but at least it is a good life to have!

Taylor

Well it has been almost one year since I started this blog. I can't believe how time flies and how much life has changed in one year!

We've been very busy this past month. Lee's new job is going well. He is really enjoying it and couldn't be happier. We are getting more things done on the house. This summer we are hoping to get even more done. My job is going well. Same old, same old. I have officially finished the spring semester, and I only have 3 more classes to go to finish my degree!!!!!! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer and closer.

For the last few weeks and until the end of May, we have had Taylor full-time. Her mom and stepdad have officially moved to Clarksville, TN. Her stepdad joined the military in October, and Fort Campbell is his first duty station. Taylor is staying in Bloomington with us until the end of her school year.

It has been quite a change for us. I have adjusted my work schedule so I can take her to school in the morning. She stays with a friend after school until Lee can pick her up. We have been traveling every weekend (either to Ft. Campbell which is a four hour drive one way or we meet in the middle) to make sure she sees her mom. Our nights now consist of fixing dinner, showers, homework, play time, and bed time.

The interesting thing is that I have really fallen in love with Taylor all over again. It is much different to have her full-time than to have her every other weekend. We have been able to bond much better, and I think it will be hard on all of us when she officially moves. We are still going to try to see her every other or every third weekend, but it won't be the same as it is now. However, I am really glad we've had this time together before she moves.

7 Months

Almost 7 months to the day of Lee losing his job, he is back employed full-time on a permanent basis. Within one week he applied, interviewed, and was offered a job at Sternberg's. Sternberg's is a truck place (for lack of a better term) here in Bloomington. They were started in Jasper (my neck of the woods), and they also have an office in Evansville (my other old stomping ground).

We couldn't be happier about this change. For the last four months, Lee has been working a full-time temp job; however, his schedule has been less than desirable to say the least. His work week was from Saturday to Wednesday, and the hours were from 12:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Working during the weekends was quite the struggle, especially when we had Taylor. She didn't get to see her daddy as much as she would have liked and vice versa. Now all of that gets to change.

With his new schedule, we will also be able to get more renovations on the house completed. Our latest has been installing new attic stairs, and we have begun replacing our interior doors. He is finishing it up as I type.

Due to some scheduling conflicts, I won't be able to go on my first recruiting trip like a posted a time back. But, really, it is okay. There were lots of signs pointing to me not taking the trip, so I'm glad I cancelled it. I'm sure there will be other chances for me to travel, so no worries!

Well, Lee and I are hoping that our good news continues. Perhaps our luck has finally changed.

MySpace

Well, Lee and I have finally gotten MySpace pages. It is a good way for us to keep in contact with friends in addition to email and our blogs. Lee also started a page for his business to get more contacts and networking.

Rachel's Page - http://www.myspace.com/rachel_81404
Lee's Page - http://www.myspace.com/llawmaster
Lee's Business Page - http://www.myspace.com/lmlvideoservices

Of course, Lee also still has his blog - http://magic.rox.com

Feel free to visit them!

Disney 2007

This past month as been quite busy and exciting. For Spring Break, we took Taylor to Walt Disney World. Animal Kingdom, Epcot, MGM, and the Magic Kingdom in 3 days!! Yikes! We drove down too, so it was also a 16 hour car ride. We also stopped at Ormond Beach just north of Daytona and took in the Atlantic Ocean. It was a great trip, and I'm really excited that we went!!

We also have been doing more work on the house. This week we put in a new heat pump. The old one was original to the house (33 years old!), so it was high-time we purchased a new one. Now hopefully our energy bill will decrease - for the past few months it was out of control.

I also got news today that I will be doing my first recruiting trip in less than a month. I am headed out to California for a week in April - visiting four Cal State University campuses in hopes of recruiting more students for the School of Informatics. So, I'll keep you updated on that. Very nervous, but I think it will also be fun!

What a First Week!

So last week was my first week at my new job! Monday was crazy busy. Within an hour of my being there, I had to attend my first Administrative Council meeting (1 1/2 hours long), then I had to meet with my supervisor, set up my desk, etc. By the end of the day, my mind was exhausted. As my sister said, "You go from knowing everything to knowing nothing." And, boy, do I agree.

Then came the ice storm. I missed work both Tuesday and Wednesday, and IU actually closed the campus for half of Wednesday. As you can see from my picture, our poor pine tree suffered quite a bit of damage. Many of its front limbs fell off Tuesday due to the ice. We lost power for about 1 hour Tuesday morning and then we lost cable for another hour Tuesday afternoon. We were lucky! Our neighbors, who are on a different electric company than us, were without power all day Tuesday. It took Lee 1/2 hour to get into his truck to go to work Tuesday night. By Wednesday, the roads were really bad, but the sun cleared many of them by afternoon.

So, for Valentine's Day, we went to Olive Garden for dinner. It was very nice and wonderful. We decided to rent a movie and just stay in the rest of the night. Little did we know our power was going to go off for another 2 1/2 hours due to a tree on the power line. So, there we are sitting by candlelight on Valentine's Day. Not a bad prospect, except that we had no heat either. My husband used his noggin and set up our portable DVD player with our battery charger kit, and we got to watch a movie anyway. It was an interesting but wonderful Valentine's Day!

I went back to work on Thursday and Friday and kept busy as well. I went to an IT Career Fair and got my first taste of recruiting. I think this job is going to be challenging, interesting, and a great opportunity for me. I can't wait to experience more.

Then Saturday came more snow. It wasn't that big of a deal except that when I pulled into our driveway, I kind of missed it. I got hung up in our ditch. I went inside to get Lee to help and before we got back outside, a slew of neighbors came out to help. They got me out - I love having neighbors!!

Well, down with one week and many more to go!!

Reflection

Okay, so I hardly ever post this close together, but I have a lot of things on my mind.

Yesterday was my goodbye party at my current job, and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. My office took me out to Irish Lion, and we had a great time...until Jim stood up to say a few words. Jim has always been a big supporter of mine. He wrote one of my recommendations to get into grad school; he was at my wedding; and he is just an all-around great guy. He said some great things. Then I had to say a few words, which I didn't get through without crying (and if you know me - I never cry). Whew! Now, I just have to make it through Friday!! Tonight my grad assistants are planning on taking me out for food and drinks at Cheeseburger in Paradise. That should be a good time.

This weekend I went to visit my parents on Saturday to go through some items I still have at their house. To my suprise, I got a little treat. My great-uncle passed away last month, and my father had received some old family pictures on Saturday. It was amazing to look at some of them. I had never seen a family picture of my father's family. Wow!

You see, I never knew my grandparents on my dad's side of the family. My grandmother died from ovarian cancer just weeks after my dad graduated high school. My grandfather died six years later in 1966. My parents didn't even start dating until 1967, so we never had a chance to meet them. So, these pictures were wonderful.

In addition, for those of you who know me and my family, you know my father has a prosthetic leg. It was amputated in 1950 when he was 7 years old due to cancer. Well, some of these pictures were taken before that time when he still had his leg. To see my dad as a little boy was just wonderful! I love that stuff.

Anyway, enough for my sappiness. It has been a rough emotional week already, and it is just starting. What a good time for reflection!

Lots of changes ole' Max, Lots of changes

January has been quite a month of changes for us. We have now gotten our new dishwasher, which has been a great addition to the house. It is much quieter than any other dishwasher we've ever had.

Lee has been on a few job interviews this month, but nothing has panned out. He is still working for First Lease, although, he continues to look for new work. His business/obsession/passion is now an "official" business. Check out his new website at http://www.lmlvideoservices.com.

We have decided to take Taylor to Disney World this spring break. I haven't been to Florida before either (it just never worked out), so this will be a great vacation for all of us. She might be moving away this spring, so we will make it a vacation to remember.

I found out yesterday that my sister and brother-in-law got tickets to the Super Bowl. They have been Colts fans and season ticket holders for years, so I'm glad they get to go. Off to Miami!!

The best news of all is that I have been offered a new job. I currently work in the MBA program at IU, and beginning February 12, I will be working at the School of Informatics. My new job title is Manager of Graduate Admissions and Graduate Studies Office. With the new job comes some perks such as a significant pay raise and 6 weeks paid time off a year + holidays! Whew! I also get to finally quit my second job after 8+ months.

January has been a great month, so I hope the rest of the year follows. We'll keep in touch!!

Welcome to 2007!

I must say I have deeply enjoyed the last week and a half of my life. I enjoyed being off of both of my jobs and school. I enjoyed spending time with my husband and step-daughter, and I enjoyed no major crisis except for the dishwasher dying and yesterday's small flood in our basement. The good thing is that we knew the dishwasher was on its last leg. It is original to the house, which is now 33 years old. So, we asked for Lowe's gift cards for Christmas. We have enough for our dishwasher without having to spend our own money. New purchase next week.

Christmas went well for our home. We got to see all of our family. Taylor got many new presents and being the big girl that she is donated A LOT of her old toys to Goodwill yesterday. We're so proud of her! She is really starting to grow up and think of others before herself is a great start!

Thursday Lee and I got away for some time and went to the French Lick Casino (and Sonic!) for the day. We didn't get the chance to spend the night, but it was well needed time for ourselves anyway.

New Year's passed without much fanfare. Lee had to be at work at midnight, so I spent New Year's with my kitties. At 12:08 a.m., my best girlfriend Sharla called, and I'm glad that she did. We're meeting up on Saturday to exchange x-mas gifts and so I can also give her birthday gift to her. It hasn't been that long since I've seen her, but she always puts me at ease when life has me stressed.

Sharla and I were roommates freshman year in college and have stayed the best of friends ever since. We lived together off-campus for a year after she returned from a semester abroad in England. We were maid/matron of honors at each other's weddings. I don't keep many "close" friends, but she is the best one (next to my hubby). I can always count on her!

2006 brought quite a few challenges our way: a new house, a lost job, numerous floods in our house (most brought on by us), etc. But as Lee and I always say, "We'll make it through. We always do."

I hope 2007 brings good luck, not only to us but to all of you. Here's to a new year, a fresh slate, and well wishes!

2006 is Almost Gone

Wow! Can you believe 2006 is almost gone? I hope you all got our Christmas card and letter. I hope your 2007 is blessed and happy!

Things here are doing okay. The plumbers stopped by today to fix a leak we had under our main bathroom. Now the garage renovation can continue. I hope to start ripping off the wallpaper throughout the house next week.

Lee switched from first shift to third shift late last week. It is difficult because he works Friday-Tuesday and gets Wednesday and Thursday off. It really interferes with his time with Taylor, but he is going to start picking her up from school one day a week and spending that extra night with her. I think that will definitely help. We don't know exactly how his schedule is going to work with the holidays either. He is still looking for "normal" employment and has an interview with ACUI (Association of College Unions International) soon. He also tested for one of the 911 operator positions that are open. They will have continued testing until they hire two people officially in February.

While Lee was sleeping this weekend, Taylor and I spent some time together. We went to see the Santa Clause 3, went shopping and bought Christmas gifts for her dog, and she helped me wrap some Christmas presents for family and friends (and for Bandit the dog).

I am off of work next week (both jobs), so if possible, Lee and I are going to get away for a night that he has off and spend some much needed and much deserved relaxing time together. We put a lot of plans on hold when he lost his job, so hopefully we can pull this off.

Well, everyone keep in touch, and if I don't write again for awhile: Have a great Christmas and New Year's. Be safe, happy, and healthy. May you have a wonderful 2007!

3rd Month's a Charm

Thanksgiving for us was wonderful, and we have included some pictures to show you. Lee, Taylor, and I went to Lee's grandma's house first and then to Basswood Apartments (our old stomping ground) for Lee's dad's family's Thanksgiving.

In early afternoon, we split up. Rachel went to her family's Thanksgiving at her sister's in Indianapolis (a first). Lee and Taylor stayed in Bloomington and had quite the remainder of the day. They went back to Lee's grandma's and then showed out of town family our new house. Then Lee took Taylor back to her mom's and spent some of Thanksgiving evening with her family. It was a good holiday for all!! Lot of people to see, but not too much heavy traveling.

Lee also got a new full-time job. He now works for First Lease, which is a place that maintains fleet big rigs. He gets to clean them, maintain them, and get them ready for their next time out on the road. He loves it!! The only bad thing is that he'll be working third shift. But we will figure out how to work around that later.

He no longer works for Big Red Liquors or Sears. He only went to one training day at Sears before he was offered the First Lease job. He intended on keeping his Big Red job, but the district manager came and fired everyone in his store and essentially put the manager on probation. Apparently, the DM didn't like how things were run and took it out on the wrong people. Oh, well!! I think he is better off without them.

On another up side, I recently received a job offer from Indiana State University. I ended up turning it down, but I was lucky enough to receive a pay raise from my current job. So, I think and continue to hope that things remain looking up for us. It has been a rough three months, but I hope this is a turn for the better.

Happy Thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Remember, Christmas is less a month away - yikes!!

We're Getting There

Hiddie Ho Neighbors (as Wilson might say). We are making a little big of headway, sort of. Lee got a seasonal job at Sears today to aid in the financial flow. So, he is now working two jobs as well as me. It's definitely a positive for now!

Lee is still on the hunt for a full-time job, and I am still job hunting as well. I never went on the interview that I mentioned in the last post because the Chancellor of the university picked someone for the position without allowing the rest of the applicant pool to interview. So, unfortunately, that was some bad news. Lee has been on a few more interviews as well, but nothing solid has panned out so far. At least Big Red and Sears are lucky enough to have him!

Since we never get to see each other due to our schedules, this was a nice weekend for the two of us to just spend time together. We cooked dinner, rented The Break-up, and had a nice (and much needed) weekend alone together.

It is amazing the sacrifices people make to provide for their families. We have been through a lot of changes this year, but we know it is all for the better in the end.

Well, I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving in case I don't get to write before then. Enjoy the holiday!

Slowly Making Progress

Well, we've made a bit more progress on the job front. Lee is now working part-time back at Big Red Liquors, where he moonlighted for 9 months back before we were married. It is a start. Job hunting is really tough in Bloomington. Lots of jobs, but lots of people vying for those same jobs. He's sent out tons of applications and resumes, but no bites quite yet. He had a phone interview early last week, but it was just a pre-screening kind of thing. We both hope he hears something soon. Please keep us in your thoughts.

I am also on the job search but not because I have to. I have had several interviews over the summer, but no job offers quite yet. I have another interview on Thursday, so we will see where that takes me. Lots of changes this year for the whole family, so it is never a dull moment.

We celebrated Lee's birthday with his mom, grandma, and Taylor this weekend. He turns 26 tomorrow. Aaahhh, to be young again. Okay, I'm not that far removed, but he sure makes me think so. He always tells me that 30 is right around the corner. Isn't he sweet?!?! I still have a couple of years for that.

Anyway, I thought I would just write an update so far. I'll keep you further updated as things hopefully change.

No Change...At least not on the job front

Hello everyone....I thought I would provide you with an update. No changes on the job front with Lee. He has been working with several temp agencies, but they are waiting to hear from hiring managers before he knows for sure on some jobs. We're hoping to hear something soon. He did have a job interview two weeks ago, but it did not pan out :-(.

The major change we are going to be experiencing soon is that Taylor will be moving. Her mom's new husband has enlisted in the military, and towards the end of the school year, they will all be moving to be with him. This news has been very hard on Lee and I because we will miss her greatly, and we are concerned with how much we will get to see her, our relationship with her, this major change in her life, etc.

I will keep you updated on both fronts as time progresses. Please remember to keep us in your thoughts as we keep all of you in our thoughts.

What a Difference a Month Makes!

It has been a little over a month since my last post, and a crazy month it has been. Home ownership seems to be going much smoother now. We are getting to a point where we will be doing some cosmetic and maintenance work rather than major maintenance work and a total overhaul. Things are coming together on that front.

In late August, we celebrated Taylor's 7th birthday. We had a whole day of people coming in and out of the house, giving her presents, and eating. Her big present this year was from Mem-ma Cheryl (Lee's mom) who gave her a 20 in. bicycle. She also got many other items such as a scooter, kid's computer, SpongeBob Life game, etc. All in all, she had a great day, and we had a great day with her. Her and her daddy got to ride on the mower together and go bike riding together, which they both enjoyed.

This past weekend, Labor Day Weekend, our friends from Evansville came up to visit, and we all went to the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. It turned out to be great racing weather, and even though I had never been to a drag race before, it was entertaining. We had a great time.

Unfortunately, we've also had some bad news, thus the title of this blog. Lee lost his job September 1 at Baxter. He had been there for nearly 5 years, but for those of you who know the issues we have had with them in the past, this shouldn't surprise you. All in all, I think it was a blessing in disguise, and I think it will be for the better in time. So, he is job searching and will be starting a new chapter in his life. Oh, what a difference a month makes!

I hope to try to post more often but with school and two jobs, it makes it hard. Hopefully I will have good news for you in the next posting. Until then......