Just a quick hello...

Hope everyone is doing splendid. I had a bit of an evening tonight and that was nice. I've had some late nights getting back and that makes me cranky. The job is very overwhelming at this point. There are numerous reports, forms, and any other type of paperwork for everything. And the responsibility of it is also a bit scary. Listen as the judge talks because that what you need to do... yikes... Another thing is the whole idea of billing Medicaid for services, one of the nastier aspects of the job. It's complicated and I don't get it all yet, but I know that we have to do it in a very precise manner. I was getting overwhelmed and bogged down with it all, then decided to try to be positive about the whole thing and focus on all the great experience I will get - stuff that will be very useful to know. Tomorrow I have to be at a breakfast thing at 7:30! That's right, and I have to drive about 50 minutes to get there! So this means I have to get up in the middle of the night. Which means I need to go to bed. My boss was telling me it would be "fun" and in an assertive tone that surprised myself, I stated that "nothing is 'fun' at 7:30 in the morning, and furthermore, the the current time is 11:30 and I will not be fully awake for at least another half hour." So goodnight I guess. I'm in the process of radically changing my sleeping patterns...

When the total number of products in your hair is greater than the total number of hours slept, you're in for a rough day....

So, I guess it's about time I update this thing. Let's see, there's a lot I could say, so I need to choose carefully what I should like to bore you with. Last weekend I went on a little last hoorah before I join the ranks of the employed. It was so nice to see Red Lake friends! The pictures are from a little ferry trip we took to Middle Bass Island on Lake Erie. It was so much fun to sit in the pool and hot tub and yak. I should have taken more pictures of other friends I got to see, but I was a bit negligent. So anyway, that's that. I know this isn't impressive at all, but those of you that really know me will be proud (maybe, I think) - I met Karla in Hilliard before I left for home and had to drive in the Columbus area and can I just say that all the many lanes and exiting and merging ... oh my.. I didn't kill myself, or anyone else, but by the time I got to my little, manageable 4 lane (2 each way), my legs felt like jelly and I was quite shaky. Oh, the trauma of it all....

Moving to happier thoughts... today was my first official day at work. Yesterday I had some orientation stuff (where I decided that I should not, no could not, make a correct turn the first time, oh no. One must drive past one's road at least one time for the most character building experience.) but today was my first day at the job. Okay, a quick editing of the alphabet thing from a couple posts ago: insomnia - SEVERE and PERSISTENT / time I get up: 6:00 -- BAD combination. I don't know what the deal was but I couldn't sleep most of the night last night which was a great way to arrive the first day. On a bright note, I didn't get lost or get in any accidents (always thankful when that happens). Well, I don't have too much to say about it. First days are always horrible and then hopefully it improves from there. I feel like I'm in way over my head and have information overload and don't know how I'll ever remember all this stuff - so much paperwork it's unreal. If you decide to come visit, look for a large lump of brightly colored post - it notes and that should be me. Okay, well maybe I'll try to find something fun to do with my Friday night, although sleep is sounding kinda nice... anybody have any good job mess up stories to share? Like um... someone I know gave a slightly sloshed fellow money out of an account that wasn't his... come on, humor us!

Some weekend pics

Some amusing stories

So, I recently came across this book dealing with marriage and singleness that is unlike any I’ve ever seen. The author’s whole premise is that marriage should be the norm and that society and the church should encourage it like they used to back in the day. Now we have all these men who won’t step up and take responsibility and they are robbing women of families and it’s very very wrong (sin, in fact). And people need to stop feeding single people all these lies and instead just help them get married. Well, whether or not you agree with her radical and controversial views, I trust you will find the following little excerpts from her book entertaining. It’s quite a fun read.

"I once went on a date with a 37 year old bachelor. Curious about why he was still single at that age, I asked him, "So, what kind of ‘eunuch’ are you?" I know it’s not your typical conversation starter on a first date, but I wasn’t going to waste my time dating someone who wasn’t looking for marriage. Needless to say, he wasn’t thrilled with the question. In fact, he was angry that I dared question his status as a single person. We talked about singleness according to the Bible – that if he was legitimately single, he’s either been called to be signal for full-time kingdom work that made family life impossible, as is was with Paul and Jeremiah, or he must have a medical file somewhere that proved he was exempt from marriage because he was unable to perform his duties. If either of those 2 were true, he had no business dating me or anyone else."

"Single at the age of 34, my friend Anna desperately wanted to be married. Her boss asked if she’d be interested in dating "a very godly 45 year old" lawyer. Her response? "If this man is so godly, why isn’t he married by now?" She explained that she wasn’t about to "reward a slothful 45 year old man with someone 11 years his junior," but that she could recommend some woman who was well over 40, had lost the beauty of her youth, and would have trouble conceiving. She explained that this was the kind of candidate for this man since his inaction in finding a wife had caused this outcome for some other woman."

Well there you go, hope you enjoyed the little anecdotes. There's many more where these came from.

The new US economy…

So last night I had this dream. You know how some countries have more of a bartering system where the price given is meant to be negotiated? So the price might say $5 or the seller might tell you that’s what it’s worth, but in the end, you can get it for $1.50 and it’s a beautiful thing. Well, I dreamt that in the US, the opposite was becoming true. The price might say $2.50, but when you would go to pay, the obnoxious cashier would try to harangue more money out of you because the item was actually worth more than the posted price! The nerve. This had happened to me TWICE as I tried to buy a bag of chips (I went to bed hungry). So I decided - I need to talk to Sheldon (my oldest brother) about this! So I went and talked to Sheldon and Darla. Darla was very supportive and empathetic and understood exactly what I was talking about. Sheldon looked very contemplative and said, hummmm…. when was the last time this happened to you? (so you see, it all makes perfect sense.) Then I woke up, still hungry, but relieved that chips were still worth no more than their price tag.

... A bit of news to report

Well, after much agony and deliberation and confusion and more agony, I now have an idea of what I'm doing, at least for the immediate future. I kept going back and forth trying to decide between staying here and taking this job or going back home. Round and round I'd go - as soon as I'd start feeling good about one place, I'd get these big huge doubts, so I'd lean towards the other one until I got big huge doubts about that. This was not fun. So finally yesterday, after still feeling very little direction and talking to Sheldon and Darla, I decided that if I was offered the job in Canada, I'd go there, and if I wasn't, then I'd take the job here. So I had peace about that decision for the most part. Especially last night, I just felt like I would be very okay with either place, so it was a win-win situation. So this morning I finally got through to the lady in Canadia, and I didn't get the job there. So, I guess I'm staying here for now. After all that, I feel really good about the decision and I'll be able to come home in October when everyone is there. So, soon I'll actually be employed full time for the first time in years. I'm quite looking forward to it actually, with a bit of nervousness as well.

Onto other important things - with a possible impending move, yesterday I was going through my room and trying to get rid of some things. Well, can I just say that there is a certain level of comfort in clothes that can only be attained after they've been worn at least 10 years. So I have this massive collection of hideously old shirts that I wear to bed. But then you know that phrase "been there, done that, got the T - shirt?" SO TRUE!! So I have piles of shirts from everything I've done the last while that in 10 years, if they were faithfully worn, would probably make great sleeping shirts, but right now they serve really no purpose. But I can't get rid of them, cause you know, memories. And I can't sleep in them, cause the 10 year old ones are so much more comfortable. All this adds up to way too many shirts! I have this beloved sleeping shirt - not sure when I got it exactly, but I know I wore it on my 16th birthday. So I'm trying to pull myself away, get rid of that one, and sleep in the new, uncomfortable ones... oh the sadness of it all! I feel as though my identity is gone without that shirt, it's been with me for so long! Then there's the one that Helen gave me for my probably 15th birthday that says "don't send a man to do a woman's job - girls kick butt." Some of you might remember. It's become somewhat of a legend. Okay, maybe not, but anyway, I'm really struggling to pull myself away...

The plot thickens...

So, I think most of you know that I've been agonizing over some tough decisions I need to make in the very near future. I just have a little update for you all. I was offered a job today in Indiana about an hour from my house. It would be with a private, residential setting for young people. I could not believe that I was offered the job right on the spot, but I do know that they are pretty desperate for a worker. (and the interview went much better than my last one, which wouldn't take a whole lot) So once again, I'm fraught with indecision. Here's some more of my problems - I interviewed for a job in Canada that I won't know about until at least Monday. I thought I would try and call to see if they were also offering me a job because that would help in the decision making process. Also, my brother is in the area right now and I need to decide this weekend if I'm going to move a bunch of my stuff with him up to Canada. So I have no way of knowing if I will be offered the job up there before I decide if I'm moving or not. But I do know I have a job here if I want it. I can always look for work up there and I'm sure something will eventually come up. I keep weighing the pros and cons in my mind... I was leaning much more toward moving closer to family. My main reasons to move would be to be close to family and the higher wages there. But there are also pros to staying here - I could start work right away, I have a house and good living arrangements , and I think I would really enjoy this job. The wages aren't as good as in Canada, but I could start right away and not have the added expense of relocating. But if I'm here, I don't see family as much, can't go home for Christmas (although I could go home for the family get together in Oct.) and don't make as much money. Okay, I'm officially rambling now and repeating myself unnessarily. I need to let this place know by Tuesday if I will take the job or not. My nieces begging me to move to Ft. Francis also makes the pull to that area a bit stronger... and the 2 hours of driving every day for this job makes it slightly less appealing. (this is officially my worse written post - please bear with me and my frazzled state.) I'm ready to flip a coin. Maybe I should put a little vote think on here so you all could vote on what I should do with my life. AHHHH!!!

some neighbor kids who are over a lot to play

Does he look a bit shell shocked?

not too happy, but still really cute - oops, some people in the background.

Just hanging out

fun times

Another cutie...

I sorted through lots of my stuff at Keith and Jenni's - this head jumped in a huge box of fabric scraps as I was sorting it.

the little dudes at the beach

Same beach, same day

At the beach one afternoon

All you have to do is say BOO and you get this result every time! Amazing.

Is this not the cutest ever?

the fruit of our labour

it was very very late, or early, not sure which

And now, moving to Red Lake and the big donut making night - some of the last ones were 2 tone - odd, eh?

and again... silly house in the background again.

Here they are again

yup, I really like this one!

Hope you are having a pleasent day...

more and more pics, 24 pics (for the Dr. Suess Fans out there)

more pics....

gotta love it, eh?

It's making me say something and I don't have anything to say - I don't know how Rhonda posts pictues without comments but maybe she can tell me?

Moving out of Glacier now... one afternoon Alicia and I took some pictures of the Slaubaugh kids. We had fun and some of them turned out okay. This one has a house in the background - oops.

3 of these guys just charged right past us - it was awesome! This was on the way back from Hidden Lake. (in case you cared)

Hidden Lake again - these pictures are all posting grainy for some reason - that's annoying!

Sheldon, Alicia, Mervin, and I hiked to a lookout over Hidden Lake. It was beautiful - which is good because the hike up was, well, very up for quite awhile.

Still at Logan's

Logan's Pass - the scenery was amazing and pictures don't really do it justice

cute kid - we saw a lot of mountain goats here.

Still at Logan's Pass

Hiking at Logan's Pass

Avalanche Lake - the water was freezing but the veiw was awesome!

the same hike up to Avalanche Lake

Somewhere in Glacier when we were hiking up to Avalanche Lake

pictures...

I think I've written about all of this, so here's some pics finally. I had so many pictures of Glacier that I had to just pic a few of my favorites - so when you come visit me you can see them all.

Since I've been tagged...

And because I humbly comply with all of Rhonda's directives... here ya go finally
The Alphabet...My Way!
Accent: Sadly, I have been told by some Canadians lately that I sound..... american... sigh. It's time to come home I think.

Bible Book that I like: Well, I like most of em, but I especially like Ephesians and 1 John.

Chore I don't care for: Making salad (GAG!), cleaning the bathroom, cleaning just about anything, come to think about it, doing dishes, job interviews .... it would be shorter to answer chores I DO like

Dog or Cat: As a pet or to torture? Just kidding. Not crazy about either, but I'd be less opposed to a dog than a cat.

Essential Electronics: Computer, telephone, camera... oh wait, I don't plug that in...

Favorite Movie: Hmmm. I can watch Princess Bride over and over. Pride and Prejudice is a classic - for some action, The Fugitive, and Crimson Tide, chick flick - Return to Me. Oh, Napoleon Dynamite was also a hoot.

Gold or Silver: Silver I guess, or white gold

Handbag I Carry Most Often: Smallish brown purse from my roommate for Christmas awhile back.

Insomnia: ugh - comes and goes. If I fall asleep on the couch when I should be in bed, then have to get up and get ready for bed, I find it difficult to fall asleep again. Also I tend to wake up in the wee hours to use the facilities (oh hush) and then can't get back to sleep.

Job Title: Unemployed social worker

Kids: no offspring, but I have the most adorable nieces and nephews (except the teenagers, I don't think they want to be called adorable)

Living Arrangements: Oh, just sorta wandering around, trying to figure that out... I do have most of my stuff in a house - 3 bedrooms, one basement, pretty cute.

Most Memorable Moment: I dunno - maybe the phone call saying I was going to Madagascar this summer. There's others I'm sure, but of course they don't come to mind at moments like these.

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: Oh my, I'm sure there's lots, but I can't think of anything too wretched at the moment - I've been told repeatedly that I used to beat up on my (wussy?) big brother when I was really little, but paid dearly for that about 10 years later... I remember yelling something rather inappropriate to a passerby - something I heard from my older brothers. While I didn't really know what I was saying, I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I should maybe just be quiet - hummmm... should listen to that more often.

Overnight Hospital Stays: Well, there was the whole birthing thing, then surgery when I was 6 in Winnipeg, surgery when I was 15 in Red Lake for a cyst, an overnighter about a year ago trying to figure out if I had another cyst of appendicitis - but no surgery that time.

Phobias: Spiders, mice, snakes and things of the sort, although I think I'm growing... I don't always scream anymore when I see a spider.

Quote: What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about? (I have heard so many great, wonderful, and inspiring quotes in my life, but of course, most have escaped me at the moment)

Religion: Diehard Mennonite. Just kiddin - I'm a Christian.

Siblings: 5 brothers, 1 sister, and some in laws who have been in the family so long I can barely remember what it was like before they were around.

Time I Wake Up: Anywhere between 7-10 right now (refer to the unemployed comment)

Unusual Talent: I can shake my eyeballs - for some reason this gets harder as I get older. I can also do some fun things with my face.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Since Rhonda and Robyn both mentioned lima beans, I would feel unorignal doing that - but they really are gross (in my humble opinion), along with olives. There are others I don't like but I would eat them to be polite. Come to think of it, I would also eat the aforementioned to be polite so I suppose there aren't any I would absolutely refuse to eat, just not chose to for optimal happiness.

Worst Habit: Second guessing decisions (if I get around to making one in the first place)

X-rays: A bunch when I was 6, of which I won't go into detail - that might be it, not sure

Yummy Stuff I Cook: Cook?

Zoo Animal I Like Most: maybe elephants, giraffes, and warthogs... (I just felt like adding the warthogs, they really are quite ghastly)

Okay, I tag Jenni (like she's gonna have time to do this) and Melissa

Well, that was a nice diversion from my constant thoughts that have been directed toward figuring out what I want to do with my life. I made it to the Falls yesterday, accompanied by a 12 year old chatter box which was wonderful. Once her drugs wore off, she was great company, which I needed because I was getting really sleepy. I'm flying back to IN tomorrow and then I'll see how long I end stay there. At this point I'm strongly considering packing up (I can send a bunch of stuff with my brother the beginning of next week) and heading a bit closer to home and loosing that American accent. I keep going back and forth with this, but as I was talking to my brother last night, we were saying how it sounds like subconsciously I've already moved, so the rest of me might as well follow in order to hang out in the same general area as my mind, and to avoid developing a split personality... something like that... AHHHHH!!!!! You can pray for clarity of thought and direction for me if you think about it. Okay, that's a bit of what's going on with me these days.

guess it's been awhile

Well, I figure I should say something here lest you think I have dropped off the face of the earth, which isn't quite the case, all though Red Lake is getting pretty close... Let's see - I think I'll wait till I get home to post pictures because I know what I'm doing on my own computer. I've been enjoying Red Lake and visiting with people. On Friday night (Sat. morning) Jenni and I got up at some ungodly hour to make donuts. I'm not so much of a yeast person and this was my first time doing anything like that. And I'm much more used to staying up till 3 than getting up at 3. But it was a fun experience and we made a bit of money. We sold then at a local garage sale. What else is new and exciting? We (various family members) spent one afternoon at the beach and it was great to experience clearly Canadian water, as opposed to murky, disgusting Indiana (no offence). Water, that is. I've been storing piles of stuff at my sister's place so another little project has been to go through that and actually.... (drum roll please) get rid of some of it. I will accept congratulations now. (What can I say, I like my stuff - if you have ever given me a card or letter, I still have it! Is something wrong with that?) I've considerably reduced the amount of space I'm taking up here so I think that makes us all happy. Okay, nothing else too exciting at the moment...