Tangent

I am a strong supporter of organizations that strive to help children, however I just can't quite bring myself to give to a group called The Ludacris Foundation.

Progress

If I'm good at one thing, it's finding the positives in just about any (possible) situation. So, here goes...

Positive things about Omaha, Nebraska:

1. It's near my parents.
2. The schools are excellent.
3. We could live on an acreage/farmette in the country.
4. They have a great zoo.
5. It's close enough to KC that I could go back to my old stylist, Darin.
6. Omaha Steaks!

Progress

The recruiters - and their promises of fame and fortune (or at least a job) - are crawling out of the woodwork! This evening, John received a call from one of the nations largest recruiting companies. The gentleman asked John if he'd ever heard of their service. John tells them, "Yeah, you guys found my last job." The guy on the phone then asks which recruiter he worked with. John gives him her name and the guys tells John that she is his mentor! So this guy is beside-himself excited, promising John that they will be able to place him easily because he has a fantastic history with their company. John is like this recruiter's dream. Yee ha! They'll be able to make money off of him again!

Progress

John tried a new tactic today: He sent his resume to a company via the United States Postal Service. (Remember them?) He sent it all the way to... Cambridge.

Tough...

Charlie has a very annoying habit of rushing into our bathroom and hopping into the tub if you give him even the slightest opportunity. This morning, rather than tossing him out, I just turned on the water. Little trooper just hung out in the corner while I took a shower. Sure, he whined about it. He's a cat.

Progress

An interesting call came for John this afternoon. A gentleman introduced himself as a recruiter who received John's name from a client he worked with last year at this time (when John was looking for a job after the "Centex on the Shore" dismantling). This gentleman told John that he has a position he is trying desperately to fill and he thought John sounded like the perfect candidate. He then asked John what his current employment status was. This guy hunted John down not even knowing that he is currently looking for a job!

To all of you who are praying for us and our current situation:

THANK YOU!

It's working. I find more and more reason to put my trust in God every day. And I'm sure there is a reason He's considering sending us to Phoenix, Arizona.

Wrong...

John, sweetheart that he is, told me this morning that because I am not feeling well, he would rather stay home and take care of me than go watch a bunch of millionaires drive in circles with a group of old farts. (He had a ticket to go see the races in Dover with his dad and friends.) Bless his heart!

Well, it's the end of the day now. I won't go into the gory details, but I feel pretty safe in saying that our marriage is truly the epitome of the phrase, "It's the thought that counts."

Sick...

Remember Shel Silverstein's book "Where the Sidewalk Ends"? I love that book. In it's pages is a wonderfully descriptive poem called "Sick". If you haven't read it, you should. That is how I feel today. And I already know it's Saturday!

Progress

Well, today's interview was actually a recruiter. John was on the phone with him for over an hour though, and I think that's a good sign. Apparently this guy said that John is one of the most qualified people he's seen in his 20-year career. Coupled with the fact that we are willing to move, he's practically guaranteed to find John a job for what he's asking. He hung up the phone higher than a kite. It was pretty cool.

And on another positive note, our house is cleaner than it has been in a very long time. I managed to get the entire refrigerator cleaned and organized while John raced JJ around in his highchair/racecar (among other bonding activities). And today, John cleaned all of the carpets! I'm going to miss him when he goes back to work.

Stress

Once again, the search is underway. John interviewed with a company in Montgomery county yesterday, but he didn't find it particularly promising. He did get another call from a recruiter in Connecticut wanting more information though. And, he got a call this morning to schedule a phone interview at 2:00 this afternoon, although John isn't quite sure which company will be calling. I guess that's a good sign - there are so many possibilities that he can't keep track!

Heaven...

JJ and I flew back from my parents' house today. The first flight was fine, but the second I will treasure. We were on a full little Dash-8 for about an hour and a half. And from the time we left the gate until the time the door was opened, JJ was completely sacked out. All 16 pounds of his little frame were draped across my body, with his drooling head sweating on my shoulder. I could barely move, so trying to get a book out of my bag, or flipping through a magazine were really not options. So I just sat there, cramping up, and enjoying being his mom.

Tangent

John is funny, and kind, and generous. That's why I married him. But sometimes, he is not the brightest bulb in the chandalier. Maybe that's why he married me.

Cheated...

I bought John a smoker for his birthday. Of course, it came unassembled, and in our house, I am the one who puts things together. So I'm in the sweltering garage, just finishing the arduous assembly of this monstrosity, when I turn the lid around to reveal one of those obnoxious stickers listing the fabulous details of this particular smoker. Right in the middle, in larger type than the surrounding information, is the proclamation, "FREE Assembly!" Well, they were right - nobody paid me to do it.

Thought

I love everything that is life... especially the cereal.

Tangent

Theoretically, I guess it's possible, but I would like to talk with someone who has actually seen glass shatter in resonse to the resonance of a human voice.

Women...

I have been experiencing trouble deciding what action to take in an impending situation, so I posed a very personal question to a group of women I barely know today. Their answers were astounding - deep, thoughtful, honest, and touching. I was moved almost to tears in discovering that I share a bond with a bunch of people I just met simply because we're women. Women think differently. (I'm actually reading a book about that right now.) Had I posed the same question to a group of men, they would have just told me what to do. But these women helped me search for the motivations behind each of the possible actions, as well as each of the consequences. They shared their own experiences with me, thereby helping me make a decision for myself. I feel very lucky to be a woman today.

Today...

So I'm finally doing this. It's been a long time coming actually. I've just been looking for a reason to start. I was going to start when JJ turned one, or when the new year came, or on my 35th birthday. That's like me - to wait for an event or an occasion to start something. I'm pretty OCD when it comes to order and routine. But not today! I'm starting this even though there is absolutely nothing special about today. It feels kinda good.

Google

There are a lot of people in my past that, for various reasons, I have not been able to keep contact with. Each of these people has meant something to me, and I feel they deserve to have that knowledge. I am choosing to list these names here because I have found the Googling of one's own name to be a very human action. If you found your name here, it is because I would like you to know that I have been thinking of you. Please keep in mind that this list will be continually updated, as the mood strikes me, or as something I hear, see, smell, or even taste brings back a memory of my days past. If you choose to leave a comment in a more recent post, I would like that very much. - Marly

To get to my most recent post, click here.

Tom Burlington, Rachael Gentry, Tim Harris, Brett Leschinsky, Vicki Loros, Ryan Monroe, Stephanie Peck, Carrie Quackenbush, Twila Tharp