APOLOGIES . . . please accept??

I sure hope you can forgive me. I tell you I'm blogging again and of course, I get sidetracked. Again and again. I think I have nothing on my plate - summer camps are over, I've said no to theatre jobs - and yet, I still have tons to do.

So, quick recap:

1 - I was going to go to girls camp but Geoff had to work nights while I would be gone and my extended family were going to be up at the cabin. So therefore, I'm not going. I was sad but every time I prayed it just didn't feel right. Now I know why. I need to be here with my family. But I'm still doing a lot of the prep work. I know how hard it can be. My Mom was Stake Camp Director for years growing up. It's MONTHS of preparation and I had so much time on my hands in July, I figured I might as well put them to good use, right?

2 - I had an AMAZING experience to sing a choir. Not just any choir but the recording choir for Rob Gardner's new oratorio, "Lamb of God". I wish I had the talent this man possesses in just an ounce of him!! We had 2 quick rehearsals during the week and on Saturday we recorded all day. The music was GORGEOUS, the cathedral-like hall we recorded in was acoustically BEAUTIFUL, the people I had the pleasure of singing with were AMAZINGLY TALENTED and to put a cherry on the top - we were accompanied by the LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA! It was an all-around spiritually and musically fulfilling day!

3 - Kylee went to her quarterly orthodontist appointment last week, expecting to hear she still needed to wait for a few more teeth to grow in, and about jumped out of her chair when he said "well, looks like it's time to put those braces on"! She is beyond excited, ticked at her mom and still a bit upset at the doctor. Let me explain - she's excited because "all" of her friends have had braces and already gotten them off. She's the "last". (Don't we LOVE teen exaggeration!) She's ticked at me because they were ready to put them on this week but the only appt available would've been the day before she left for camp. You see - she's getting an expander on the top and she'll have to 'crank' it every night. I was NOT going to send my baby to camp the day after and let her be miserable without me around to love on her! So, the date was moved to Wed morning (first appt of the day at 7:40am - silly girl!) the day AFTER she gets home from camp. And lastly, she's still kinda ticked at the doc because he's not putting ALL her braces on right away. Did I mention she's not very patient, like her Mom? She will get bottom braces and the expander put in and then after the top has moved like he wants and the teeth come through - he'll put on the top braces. We're excited for her, not excited for the "drama" that's going to follow and my checkbook has STILL not recovered!! Yikes!

Well, I'm still helping get things ready for camp. Kylee leaves for camp in 2 days. Geoff is working hard at the job he really dislikes. The weather here is miserably hot and muggy since the monsoons can't get through the heat, so we just get the humidity. But on the other hand . . . we leave in 10 days for Colorado. We are still praying for our little miracle and that we'll get this job!! We NEED this change and really feel this is the best for our family!

Stay TOONed!

More TOON drama is bound to happen!!

Change . . .

About a month ago Geoff's job was on the line. We were unsure if he would have his job and had to wait for a week to know. They kept dragging it out and it was MISERABLE! As anyone would, we started looking elsewhere - just in case. I was on the phone with my best friend in Colorado and mentioned to her all our fears and she reassured me it all would work out. I trust this gal with my life and so I just kept praying and keeping the faith. 2 more days passed and she called me with news of her hubby's work looking at a new position. Geoff called him and discussed the details. Now we are just waiting . . . summer is slow for the company and so we are just waiting and hoping this comes true this fall. Although I have lived in Arizona my entire life (39 years) and it would be hard to leave - - we need a change. A change of seasons, change of scenery, change of employment, change full of new adventures.

I have family, students, friends, and memories here in Arizona. And I have to admit it scares me a bit but I'm ready for a CHANGE! I really feel that we NEED this!

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it,

move with it, and join the dance. Alan Watts

When we mentioned it to the kids there were tears. Kylee cried because she doesn't want to leave her friends and she is "making history" by being the last class of 9th graders at Poston Jr High before Mesa Public Schools put all of them at the high schools. Maddi cried because Geoff mentioned to them that he would be doing a lot of traveling with this job but that it would be worth it because I would be home more and the pay is significantly higher. We assured her with cell phones and computers, she'd be fine. She LOVES to Skype and so she was ok. The boys didn't seem to care, as long as they could play baseball.

This may or may not happen, but we still pray for change.

Stay TOONed!!