Thank you very much.
2.17.2009
10.25.2008
the ground, it turns to gold.
"there's a tree on Maple Street that turns so yellow
turns loose it's leaves, the ground, it turns to gold.."
so.. it's October. Almost November. The above song lyric is quite true at the moment all around east Tennessee. It's beautiful right now. Lots of good color. Probably more to come in the next week or two. I really love the fall, even the colder weather. It's a welcomed change...at least to me.
As you may have already heard, or read, we are having another baby!!!!! Michelle is pregnant and due June 11, 2009. Jackson's birthday is June 8, so they will be exactly 3 years apart. This is exciting news. We have already been able to hear the baby's heartbeat, just this past week actually, and have seen what little can be seen on an ultrasound. Michelle's doing okay, but is feeling worse this time around than she did w/ Jackson. We're hoping that will pass before too long..we shall see. The plan, at least at this point, is to not find out the gender this time around. Again.. we shall see. Pray that Michelle, and baby, are as healthy as possible during the pregnancy and beyond. Pray for us too... we are no doubt going to have our hands full.
In other news, we are enjoying our new home and settled in quite nicely for the most part. We've been fairly busy w/ company lately. My parents, and Michelle's, came down the weekend of my birthday. (Oct 11) Yes I am one year older. 31 if anyone is curious. Don't look a day older than 30 though. Evidently I sound younger. I've been asked on the phone a couple times recently at work how old I was.. one lady told me I sounded young and naive. THANKS. Actually considering the conversation I was having w/ her I'll take the naive as a compliment as she seems to view most people as beyond hope and not worth helping. Other than these few strange phone conversations, work is going quite well. I'm very busy in the office I'm working in right now which very often keeps me there past the scheduled hours. This is not that surprising and would be less of a hassle if it weren't for the 45 minute commute to get home at the end of the day. I know people drive farther...but I'd like to be driving less. There may be a chance of that happening for me soon. We shall wait and see what develops.
Back to the company comment from above. The weekend after the parents were all down, we had our wonderful, and quite entertaining, friends Michael and Kristin Scott w/ us. They are great. We always have fun w/ them and have much in common. We all share a love of the finer things in life; Olive Garden breadsticks, Pratt's barbecue, cheesecake, and of course playing w/ Jackson. They brought him a dump truck which hasn't stopped rolling up and down the hallway since... if you stop by you are sure to see Jackson standing in the living room, bent over the dump truck. You will then hear him say "GO FAST", followed by him running down the hall and back. If you stay long enough you'll probably see him trip and fall, or actually flip over the truck which is evidently quite fun, and then pick himself up and "go fast" once again.
This weekend (and part of the week) has brought the Archer's from South Carolina to our home. Tommy and Carolyn are our good friends we met in Myrtle Beach. Their son Gavin is 2 weeks older than Jackson. They became best friends during our time in South Carolina and Jackson still talks about his best budy Gavin. We've been really glad that they've had time to stop in and see us while they have been out and about doing some travelling. The friendship with their family is really one of the best experiences we had in this past year, that was filled w/ a decent amount of frustration and at times disappointment.
That's about all I've got for now. Hope everyone else out there is well..and also enjoying the fall.
turns loose it's leaves, the ground, it turns to gold.."
so.. it's October. Almost November. The above song lyric is quite true at the moment all around east Tennessee. It's beautiful right now. Lots of good color. Probably more to come in the next week or two. I really love the fall, even the colder weather. It's a welcomed change...at least to me.
As you may have already heard, or read, we are having another baby!!!!! Michelle is pregnant and due June 11, 2009. Jackson's birthday is June 8, so they will be exactly 3 years apart. This is exciting news. We have already been able to hear the baby's heartbeat, just this past week actually, and have seen what little can be seen on an ultrasound. Michelle's doing okay, but is feeling worse this time around than she did w/ Jackson. We're hoping that will pass before too long..we shall see. The plan, at least at this point, is to not find out the gender this time around. Again.. we shall see. Pray that Michelle, and baby, are as healthy as possible during the pregnancy and beyond. Pray for us too... we are no doubt going to have our hands full.
In other news, we are enjoying our new home and settled in quite nicely for the most part. We've been fairly busy w/ company lately. My parents, and Michelle's, came down the weekend of my birthday. (Oct 11) Yes I am one year older. 31 if anyone is curious. Don't look a day older than 30 though. Evidently I sound younger. I've been asked on the phone a couple times recently at work how old I was.. one lady told me I sounded young and naive. THANKS. Actually considering the conversation I was having w/ her I'll take the naive as a compliment as she seems to view most people as beyond hope and not worth helping. Other than these few strange phone conversations, work is going quite well. I'm very busy in the office I'm working in right now which very often keeps me there past the scheduled hours. This is not that surprising and would be less of a hassle if it weren't for the 45 minute commute to get home at the end of the day. I know people drive farther...but I'd like to be driving less. There may be a chance of that happening for me soon. We shall wait and see what develops.
Back to the company comment from above. The weekend after the parents were all down, we had our wonderful, and quite entertaining, friends Michael and Kristin Scott w/ us. They are great. We always have fun w/ them and have much in common. We all share a love of the finer things in life; Olive Garden breadsticks, Pratt's barbecue, cheesecake, and of course playing w/ Jackson. They brought him a dump truck which hasn't stopped rolling up and down the hallway since... if you stop by you are sure to see Jackson standing in the living room, bent over the dump truck. You will then hear him say "GO FAST", followed by him running down the hall and back. If you stay long enough you'll probably see him trip and fall, or actually flip over the truck which is evidently quite fun, and then pick himself up and "go fast" once again.
This weekend (and part of the week) has brought the Archer's from South Carolina to our home. Tommy and Carolyn are our good friends we met in Myrtle Beach. Their son Gavin is 2 weeks older than Jackson. They became best friends during our time in South Carolina and Jackson still talks about his best budy Gavin. We've been really glad that they've had time to stop in and see us while they have been out and about doing some travelling. The friendship with their family is really one of the best experiences we had in this past year, that was filled w/ a decent amount of frustration and at times disappointment.
That's about all I've got for now. Hope everyone else out there is well..and also enjoying the fall.
9.05.2008
so good to be home...
Okay, so it's been a little while since I've posted anything. By a little while, I mean around 3 months. Here is what the past few months have been like for me and mine.
By the middle of June, I was becoming sufficiently convinced that Ed Jones, of the Horry County Shelter Home, was right in his warnings to me about the job I had gotten into w/ DJJ. I was also becoming sufficiently convinced that if things continued as they were I may lose my mind in the process of trying to do the job the way it needed to be done. After going in early and staying late every day, and working on the weekends (including on Jackson's birthday) I was quite frazzled. Then some some more stressful scenarios, along w/ a lack of any real supervisory directions, suport, or concern. Now bear in mind that at this point Michelle and and I were resolutely decided that South Carolina was not for us and we wanted to move back to Tennessee. SO...
Friday, June 27, 2008 was my last day of employment w/ the South Carolina Dept of Juvenile Justice. The following Monday I resumed employment at the wonderful Horry County Shelter Home , and began the process of setting up interviews back in East Tennessee. Though there was some stress and uncertainty due to housing and job concerns, July and August were actually quite enjoyable from a work perspective. I got to reconnect w/ 5 boys who had been living at the Shelter Home during my previous employment there and then get to know a few new ones. I had actually been feeling pretty guilty over not keeping in contact w/ the Shelter Home during my stint w/ DJJ. It was nice to go back and be able to work there for the remainder of the summer. The Director, Ed Jones, is a very good man and was quite willing to take me back even knowing that it was again only temporary.
After a couple trips of house hunting and interviewing in Northeast Tennesseee, the second week of August brought some results. During the same trip we entered into a contract on a home and I was guaranteed a job back w/ the Tennessee Dept of Children's Services. I actually was offered jobs w/ two other agencies as well, which I declined. SO...
On Monday, August 25, our good friend Ryan Griffin drove a rental car down to Myrtle Beach, helped us pick up the moving truck, and along w/ some other good friends helped us load the truck. Tuesday morning we finished some packing up and by mid morning hit the road. We arrived in the Johnson City around 7:30 that night and moved into our new place on Wednesday. My parents came into town on that day to help us and to stay through Labor Day. They put in some late hours and some hard work while they were in town too. I then started my job this week on Tuesday, Sept 2. We met at the title company office today at 1pm for closing. SO..
The house is officially ours, and I am back at my old place of employment. It is very good to be home. Very Good. I think that perhaps we learned some good lessons, and mad some good friends in Myrtle Beach. I don't necessarily regret going either. I think it probably served a purpose and gave us a new experience in life. But.. once again it is good to be "home".
My job is not the same as te one I used to do and as of right now, I'll be working in an office that's a bit farther away an will require more driving than I'd prefer. However, I know most of the people in that office already and they seem genuinely happy to see me back. In face everyone I've run into has been very kind and caring, and seems genuinely excited that I'm back...which is nice to say the least. Lesson for others who may read this: never burn any bridges.....
At any rate. Here I sit in wonderful, beautiful, awe-inspiring East Tennessee...in my own home w/ no noisy upstairs neighbors or scary groups of people sitting in the parking lot passing alcohol and other substances back and forth (that's what it was like at Myrtle Beach). I'm looking forward to cutting grass again, and having a yard for Jackson to play in, and sitting on our porch swing (thanks mom and dad, and enjoying the fall weather and fall colors displayed beautifully on the appalachian mountains...and the list could go on.
Come visit. We've got a guest bedroom waiting for you.
By the middle of June, I was becoming sufficiently convinced that Ed Jones, of the Horry County Shelter Home, was right in his warnings to me about the job I had gotten into w/ DJJ. I was also becoming sufficiently convinced that if things continued as they were I may lose my mind in the process of trying to do the job the way it needed to be done. After going in early and staying late every day, and working on the weekends (including on Jackson's birthday) I was quite frazzled. Then some some more stressful scenarios, along w/ a lack of any real supervisory directions, suport, or concern. Now bear in mind that at this point Michelle and and I were resolutely decided that South Carolina was not for us and we wanted to move back to Tennessee. SO...
Friday, June 27, 2008 was my last day of employment w/ the South Carolina Dept of Juvenile Justice. The following Monday I resumed employment at the wonderful Horry County Shelter Home , and began the process of setting up interviews back in East Tennessee. Though there was some stress and uncertainty due to housing and job concerns, July and August were actually quite enjoyable from a work perspective. I got to reconnect w/ 5 boys who had been living at the Shelter Home during my previous employment there and then get to know a few new ones. I had actually been feeling pretty guilty over not keeping in contact w/ the Shelter Home during my stint w/ DJJ. It was nice to go back and be able to work there for the remainder of the summer. The Director, Ed Jones, is a very good man and was quite willing to take me back even knowing that it was again only temporary.
After a couple trips of house hunting and interviewing in Northeast Tennesseee, the second week of August brought some results. During the same trip we entered into a contract on a home and I was guaranteed a job back w/ the Tennessee Dept of Children's Services. I actually was offered jobs w/ two other agencies as well, which I declined. SO...
On Monday, August 25, our good friend Ryan Griffin drove a rental car down to Myrtle Beach, helped us pick up the moving truck, and along w/ some other good friends helped us load the truck. Tuesday morning we finished some packing up and by mid morning hit the road. We arrived in the Johnson City around 7:30 that night and moved into our new place on Wednesday. My parents came into town on that day to help us and to stay through Labor Day. They put in some late hours and some hard work while they were in town too. I then started my job this week on Tuesday, Sept 2. We met at the title company office today at 1pm for closing. SO..
The house is officially ours, and I am back at my old place of employment. It is very good to be home. Very Good. I think that perhaps we learned some good lessons, and mad some good friends in Myrtle Beach. I don't necessarily regret going either. I think it probably served a purpose and gave us a new experience in life. But.. once again it is good to be "home".
My job is not the same as te one I used to do and as of right now, I'll be working in an office that's a bit farther away an will require more driving than I'd prefer. However, I know most of the people in that office already and they seem genuinely happy to see me back. In face everyone I've run into has been very kind and caring, and seems genuinely excited that I'm back...which is nice to say the least. Lesson for others who may read this: never burn any bridges.....
At any rate. Here I sit in wonderful, beautiful, awe-inspiring East Tennessee...in my own home w/ no noisy upstairs neighbors or scary groups of people sitting in the parking lot passing alcohol and other substances back and forth (that's what it was like at Myrtle Beach). I'm looking forward to cutting grass again, and having a yard for Jackson to play in, and sitting on our porch swing (thanks mom and dad, and enjoying the fall weather and fall colors displayed beautifully on the appalachian mountains...and the list could go on.
Come visit. We've got a guest bedroom waiting for you.
6.08.2008
hot hot heat
Summer has just started...right? Well it’s already quite uncomfortable down here in the hot and humid south. The past few days it's been in the upper 90's and a little further inland it's been right at 100 degrees!! Wow. Not sure what else to say about that.
Life is very busy lately for us. As a new employee with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, there’s a good bit of training to get out of the way. I’ve already spent two different weeks away from home in Columbia, South Carolina which is about 3 hours from our home. This upcoming week should be my last full week away from home for training. I’m not really looking forward to going but am looking forward to being done. Not only is it time away from family, but also time away from actually doing the job I’m in training for, which means when I get back to the office I have to work extra to try and catch up. This also keeps me away from Michelle and Jackson. I’m hoping once training is done, things will get at least slightly less hectic at work.
At home, life is good. Jackson is now two years old and he's definitely been testing his limits more for a few months now. He's learned more and more how to throw a fit, or tantrum, but all things considered he still behaves really well most of the time. He recently travelled on a plane with Michelle, without any major issuse. I was impressed by that. We're pretty fortunate to have the little boy that we have. He's a great mixture of incredibly sweet and incredibly rowdy, and he's very very funny. You just have to see him in action to really understand.
Monday morning will find me in Columbia again...being trained. For right now, I need to finish packing and preparing to go for another week. That's all from me.
Life is very busy lately for us. As a new employee with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, there’s a good bit of training to get out of the way. I’ve already spent two different weeks away from home in Columbia, South Carolina which is about 3 hours from our home. This upcoming week should be my last full week away from home for training. I’m not really looking forward to going but am looking forward to being done. Not only is it time away from family, but also time away from actually doing the job I’m in training for, which means when I get back to the office I have to work extra to try and catch up. This also keeps me away from Michelle and Jackson. I’m hoping once training is done, things will get at least slightly less hectic at work.
At home, life is good. Jackson is now two years old and he's definitely been testing his limits more for a few months now. He's learned more and more how to throw a fit, or tantrum, but all things considered he still behaves really well most of the time. He recently travelled on a plane with Michelle, without any major issuse. I was impressed by that. We're pretty fortunate to have the little boy that we have. He's a great mixture of incredibly sweet and incredibly rowdy, and he's very very funny. You just have to see him in action to really understand.
Monday morning will find me in Columbia again...being trained. For right now, I need to finish packing and preparing to go for another week. That's all from me.
3.03.2008
a different world
so..i'm in training. in columbia. staying in a very very very nice hotel. the hyatt place. sharing a room w/ a 25 year old who lives a very very very different life than me. there's two other guys here from my office. one in his early 40s and married. the other's about 25 also. the younger 2 are single. very very very single. pretty much all they talk about is drinking and sex...and combining the two. one of them has singled out the girl in our training group that he's trying to flirt w/, etc.. she happens to be married, a military wife. he doesn't care. he thinks if he can get her drinking..he's got a chance...
so there you have it. that's the sort of company i'm in for the week. i'm not particularly impressed or excited about it. i'm pretty content to listen to music, read, watch tv and sleep in my down time. to these guys, i'm the weirdo. they live in a different world than me. i'm hoping the week goes quickly. it's already starting to get a little tiresome.
so here i sit in the hotel lobby, in the business center or whatever they call this little cubby hole w/ computers. it is a really nice hotel though. i can't complain about the accomodations. perhaps i'll write more later. for now i'm going to go see what's going on in my room. last i knew they were in the other guys' room drinking and watching basketball.
so there you have it. that's the sort of company i'm in for the week. i'm not particularly impressed or excited about it. i'm pretty content to listen to music, read, watch tv and sleep in my down time. to these guys, i'm the weirdo. they live in a different world than me. i'm hoping the week goes quickly. it's already starting to get a little tiresome.
so here i sit in the hotel lobby, in the business center or whatever they call this little cubby hole w/ computers. it is a really nice hotel though. i can't complain about the accomodations. perhaps i'll write more later. for now i'm going to go see what's going on in my room. last i knew they were in the other guys' room drinking and watching basketball.
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