Weekend Trip and Job Update

We leave tomorrow for my parent's home in WV.. the town and house that I grew up in. We go to celebrate and honor my dad, who is retiring after 36 years in the ministry as a pastor. This is a good thing; he needs to retire! But it will be a bit emotional for me, as for after this trip, I'll no longer visit them in this house (it is the church's parsonage, back in the day when churches had those!) That is hard, as there's LOTS of great memories from that house. And I loved going "home" every Christmas, as I usually only made one trip home a year. My mom decorated the house beautifully and there always seemed something magical about Christmas in that home. Anyway, I know it's just a house, but it really was a home, for the time I grew up in it and for many years after I moved out. So, I will celebrate my dad's retirement and say good-bye to a place that offered good memories and a safe haven for many years. We will be back Sunday night.. long trip (5 hours each way) in just a few days.

On the job front news: I will be starting a new job at the Greenville Eyecare office as the receptionist on Tuesday. My friend Melissa works there and knew about the opening and put my name in. I went in today to get a feel for the job and I liked it a lot. All of the office staff and the docs were incredibly friendly and nice and everyone who had a moment to talk to me commented on how much they enjoyed working there. So, I am thankful to have a job, as we needed the extra money to pay off our never-ending student loans! Actually, as another friend put it once, "I'm counting on Jesus to come back before we have to pay off our student loans!" HA! I agree... it would be nice if he came back before we had to pay off ours, or if somehow, a rich benefactor dropped some major $$ in our laps and said, "Here, pay off your education so you can actually use your money to bless others." And of course, that would be too easy! We count it a blessing, though, to have an education (even if we have to pay it off for many years to come) as many people do not get that opportunity. So, I join the workforce next week. My wonderful, awesome, amazing, sister-in-law Gini will be taking care of Stone during the day. Did I mention how awesome she is?? I'm not sure I will like being away from him so much, but I know he's in great, capable hands, which makes it just a itty bit easier. And, he gets to play with his cousin Mercy even more (we hang all the time anyway!) So, thank you Gini (I'm more than happy to be providing you your grocery bill each week!! ha!) and thanks to those who prayed for me as I looked and interviewed. That's all for now....