Hurry up and pass me by

This year has been one of sorts... For Matt it seems that school can't go quick enough, but with two mini-semesters in the Summer, 4 weeks I'm sure felt like eternity to fit in all the school work. I'm so proud of the dedication he's shown, working from morning until midnight or so on school papers and projects. I know I may be biased, but the commitment Matt shows to getting the job done right, even while in school- well I know any school district would benefit from his partnership.

And so the school saga stretches to now include my world. This past Wednesday was the orientation for the MBA program. I'm feeling more and more comfortable, but am ready to get this journey started. Life will have to change, and I'll have to learn how to commit less, which is the part of leadership I think that isn't talked up much, but a strength to know if you have any plans for longevity in a role. We start up in two weeks, and I'm doing what I can to get prepared. I hope this weekend to do my back to school supply shopping. I don't remember the last time I was this excited to pick out a binder and dividers.

I'm stepping into school on an act of Faith, prompted by the question of "What next?" This year has been filled with levels of success and contentment. I really do love my job. I love my role with my organization, and so I find the question of what next for me professionally doesn't apply too much, because my ambitions of someday working for "the children's home" have been met a bit ahead of schedule. But I am not the person to find contentment in just having met my goals. I need to grow, I need to plan and do more with my time and tallent. I feel it's part of the expectation of living life on purpose and being responsible for the life and time I'm given. So expanding my business knowledge is what I've decided to pursue. I don't know where I'll be when Matt and I do decide to start a family, or where my career here at CAHM will take me, so until then, I'll live by the scout motto- Be prepared.

Last night Matt's great-grandfather passed away. After the last couple of weeks it seems like there has been more than regular accounts of people's passing. A fellow Chaparral and friend of mine lost her eight year old son after suffering a seizure and drowned in his bath. A contact of the children's home was a young man, about my age, who suffered an anurism while working out. He later died. A three year old in my friend's neighborhood was bitten by a rattlesnake twice and died two days ago. I'm seeing too much of death's shadow fall on friends, and it makes me anxious to think how quickly the everyday picture of life can change. Sure many people have a lot of years to live with their spouse, but everyday I'm thanking God I have another with Matt. Its intense to live life with this overshaddowing thought, but it also helps with perspective... to live through love and learning more and more to be empathetic.

Meanwhile, work is feeling more and more like I'm batter's up for a baseball game. Who knows what type of pitch you will get next, but it's all going very quickly. I'm working on some 60th anniversary events, and as life would have it, I'm not seeing that things are going according to plan. I'm at the point mentally where I found myself almost 3 years ago in Istanbul, Turkey, and I say to this bull of chaos- I'm taking you by the horns and you no longer control the situation. I feel very responsible for these events and will do all I can to provide a wonderful outcome for CAHM. Next week has my name all over it, and I will be satisfied with my progress by next weekend.

For now, the I'm in the investigation and waiting to build the sure foundation for where I'll build the progress of next week. And I'll fill my time with the occassional project like creating a children's art work exhibit for the Round Rock Area Arts Council and introducing Debbie to State Rep Diana Moldonado so we can serve homeless single mother veterans and their children, when they return from war. While its amazing to participate in each of these meaningful activities, I'm balancing a need to immediately drop everything to go up to Arkansas for Grandpa Abner's funeral, the prework for my MBA, and everything just makes me wonder how much harder is this going to get to keep family first, and get everything done not just to code or standard, but so that I am proud of my work.

Time will tell, but I tell you, I look forward to November.
November, I will have made it through Yellowstone, hopefully having had trained well and not been eaten by a bear.
November- Ascend program will have completed the day retreat, and we will be on our way as young professionals making a difference in our community.
November, I will have completed a successful dinner and music and arts festival for the community.
November, I will have completed the fall grant writing
November, I will have been in my MBA for 3 months and balance this life transition of returning to school...
November, my birthday will come, and hopefully I will have birthday money to get some new clothes or a nicely used dyson vaccum.

So time- I tell you- hurry up and pass me by- I'm looking forward to November.

Chicago it is!

Writen by Mandy-
This year is just ridiculously awesome... perhaps I am not building up vacation time, but I feel like I am finally living with all the options for travel! We planned to hike again this fall, this time in Yellowstone, but thanks to Matt's parents, we got to go on a beautiful and economic trip to Pensacola and now the opportunity to join them in Chicago! Love it! I visited Chicago when I was a Freshmen in College, and there are a couple of places I'm hoping to get back to. I'm really excited that this time I'll be inside Wrigley Field to see the Cardinals take on the Cubs.I lost my pictures from freshmen year when my computer crashed, so I look forward to documenting this trip!

Pack in the travels!

This last week was spent in Florida at Pensacola Beach with Matt's Mom, Dad, sister and her boyfriend. Unlike our first visit, this trip did not include a tropical storm, rescuing men from the sea, sharks or mandatory evacuations due to an impending hurricane. Rather the days were spent lazily moving from our 8th floor condo to the white sandy beaches to the green clear waves back to the sand... eat... back to the sand... and intermittenly bouts of beach baseball and paddle ball. Two nights were spent chasing crabs with nets. Over all an incredible vacation of rest and relaxation.

Heading out, we drove Friday as long as we could and finally pulled off the highway in Covington, LA. I think the last time Matt and I checked into a hotel by ourselves was just after our wedding, and all the funny feelings of asking for one room with one bed came back... so scandelous after 3 years of marriage...

Saturday we had breakfast and finished the drive in, having the condo mostly to ourselves until Matt's family arrived that evening.

Matt was so good to "take care of his family" by getting us both SPF 90 sunscreen. It's amazing I got any sun at all, but I do give him kuddos as I was in the minority of those who did not get burned.

Matt got to play golf twice with his dad. Matt said he didn't play as well as he'd like one day, and his dad reportedly played pretty well... funny enough they shared the same score.

Thankfully the oil spill had not affected the pristine beaches of Pensacola Beach. However, we were able to witness a lot of the marine life, which I attribute to possibly looking for cleaner waters? We often saw families of Porpoises jumping in the water and slapping their tails. We also learned what cowrays (sp?) are... as they invaded our swimming area. It was great watching them, but made for paranoid swimming.

Our drive home was Sunday... 12 hours! We stopped in Baton Rouge Downtown and ate at Lucy's. Their Brunch was pretty awesome and made us both want to nap. Matt went down for two hours while I took turns with each eye getting an extended blink... eventually my California Eggs Benedict lost it's power and we crossed into Texas, just in time for Matt to take on Houston!

Determined not to miss the final episode of LOST, I called Ashely to DVR the episode and ordered a pizza to meet us at her house (She had been watching Dusty. Thanks Ash!) Got to her place nearly 12 hours after leaving the beach, and after watching LOST we got home at 11:30, and fell in bed at midnight!

It was a great vacation- thanks to Matt's family for making it such a wonderful trip!

Now the question- Chicago or not to catch the cards play the cubs!?!

Honored

Its amazing what a week can contain... 7 days...168 hours. As I sit here in close to another Tuesday I think back about where I was one week ago. Sitting at the Round Rock Chamber Banquet, and had invited my parents to come because Matt had to be in class. I was anticipating this evening. Just a year before I set out to accomplish a goal, and throughout the year worked so hard to attain it. I came to the chamber in May of 08. At the 08 banquet I saw that one of my fellow Ambassadors won Ambassador of the year. It was then and there that I wanted to re-establish the Children's Home (Now Children At Heart Ministries) in writing in front of 500 or so people. What a way to establish my credibility with the local business community? I knew then and there that I wanted to work hard and represent the children and families we serve throughout the year and hopefully at the 09 Banquet. For several months I had won Ambassador of the Month and by the end of the year I sealed my goal. As the Banquet went on last Tuesday my heart was racing, not because I knew I finally had come full circle, but sitting beside me were my parents. The ones who introduced me to the children's home. These are the ones who taught me to care for others. Certainly I could not go up and get an award without saying anything. Maybe it wasn't my most classy move to have Charley cut the music, but it was what was right. This wasn't about me, its about their investment. Tuesday night was about them, and I'm glad I shared the moment with them.

As the night progressed I looked forward to my friend's dad's award. Big Boy Hester was going to receive the Lifetime Award, and he didn't know it. I kept sneaking glances over at their table as the night progresses, and we were only one or two recipients away from his special night. The pride on Tamara's face was so great to watch. Well the next thing I know I'm hearing that someone is getting an award and this person seems to be doing alot of the things I've been doing. By the time it hits me, I look over at Mr. B who had it figured out long before. I'm not sure of exactly what all Hollis said, but I'm sure it was nice. I just tried to compose myself and make it to the stage to receive Outstanding Member of the Year.

I can't begin to explain the honor that it is to receive some sort of award like this. Especially when you do what you love. Its already my honor to work in the role I do. So for a week I've just been feeling like I'm on a cloud.

Today brought me back. I understand that it's nice to receive awards for doing your job, but what matters really falls to the type of person you are... what kind of friend you'll be... which leads me to share about the other experience that's been going on and honors me today.

Not quite a year ago I met Connie. Connie is a representative from Callaway, and drove by our campus every day, not really knowing what we do. She got online and found our golf marathon, and wanted to connect Callaway to our mission. We had a couple of lunch dates, and Callaway was so gracious and generous. I couldn't thank them more. I remember it was about 9pm one night and I saw I was getting a call from Callway. I thought to not work at home, but my business is people, my friends, so even though we had only gone to lunch a couple of times I answered the call.

Hi Connie


Hey

What's going on, Connie?

Silence

Connie, what's up? Is everything Ok?

No.

My heart stopped.

Connie, a beautiful woman I only wish I could be as fit as, proceeds to tell me that today she got a diagnosis. Pancreatic cancer at 43. She's called me from the movie theater. Her newly wedded husband and son (untold of this news) remained in the theater, but she couln't force herself go through the motions. Only Randy, she and I had this news (other than the doctors), and as we finsihed our call my heart sank with my new friend, and I had only a small sense of the responsbility I felt in my friendship to Connie.

Today we had lunch- it was at "our spot" (Cheddars). I've grown accustomed to our frank honesty and find it refreshing. Today I made sure she had something in place to let me know when she dies. We've talked about her funeral, what will happen to her body after to get her to her final resting place. Our times together leave me with a feeling I've never experienced before. Well today as I drove away I had that feeling of when you get on a roller coaster, and realize there's no getting off it. Anywho. They've now done everything they can, nothing slows its progress. She shared that tonight was going to be the first night that hospice comes by the house. The doctor has given her 2-4 months, and the ridiculous thing is if you look at Connie, you'd NEVER know. I've seen her bald, but by the looks of things, and with the help of a wig she's quickly transported into the everyday. Part of me wanted to tell our waitress to be extra careful and attentive today, since she wouldn't know the pain Connie is in. I didn't because I didn't want to call attention to Connie, but it made me mad later when she asked for some extra salad dressing and we went 3/4 through our meal before she ever returned to check on us.

Well Connie and I have become friends. I know about her marriage, her boys... her three young men who are struggling so much with this. And Connie, everytime we get together, sure she may vent a little about how this is her last Halloween, or she won't get to see the next Golf Marathon or miss her son's wedding, but what she worries most about are how her husband and boys are reacting to this. And what I'm left wondering is... who am I to desserve her time, her attention, hearing her fears and hopes. I'm just a development officer, and God's allowing me to serve. Am I big enough for the role?

I certainly don't have the answers, but I can be her friend, and that is more of an honor than any beautiful glass trophy. Again, I am inlove with my job to allow me to be a friend to those who come in my path. While I hope that they may be able to do something for the single mothers, the children or other families, I know that these partnerships have the potential for running much deeper, and it is my honor to serve in this role.

Woooo Pig Birthday!

This past weekend we drove to Arkansas to celebrate Matt's birthday- the big TWO FIVE! Being a month apart in birthdays, I was able to work out some of my stresses about turning mid way through my twenties. I did so by calling Matt an old man, half way to 50 and made various other remarks generally reserved for someone officially climbing over a hill. I think it helped!

We got up early Saturday morning and made the 45 minute drive to Fayetteville... Hog Country! Intending to "breakfast" tailgate, we had to wolf down our cinnamon rolls and slurp down the chocolate milk, because of course, we had been running late.

We met up with Matt's Aunt Iris, Uncle Ken, Cousins Ryan, Kendra, Jeff, Alex, Amber and her husband Matt, as well as Aunt Ramona and Aunt Barbie. I can say when it comes to Matt we are in no shortage of family members.

The hogs were less than decent in their playing, but I know Matt enjoyed this birthday wish!

We ate at some restaurant famous for chicken. I intended to order chicken fried chicken, but received chicken fried steak... I'd like to ask why they even have steak so such a confusion could even occur. Needless to say, ever since, I have been desperately craving chicken wings from Pluckers (Ranch, Lemon Pepper and Mild are my favorite flavors!).

After coming back toVan Buren, we visited Matt's grandma, and other side of the family.

No birthday party or cake was had, but Jonathan, Matt's best and longest friend surprised us by driving in all the way from Colorado!

I think Matt really had a great birthday!