TODAY:
Today started with a lovely hour of helping Teresa get ready for the Renaissance Festival. I braided her hair and helped her put on her costume. There really is something lovely about women doing these sorts of things together. At least I think so. I am so happy that she is here with us.
 |
| Preparing for the Renaissance Festival |
Aden has a friend over tonight for a sleepover. They have spent a large part of the day outside exploring the woods, setting up a turtle habitat for the freshly captured turtle, and tonight in the dark they are riding bikes in the driveway. I love that our new home makes it so much easier for Aden to enjoy the outdoors and nature.
 |
| Turtle cage-building! |
Just as the kids were returning to school I received a call from the owner of a large publishing company 25 miles from home, asking that I come in to talk about a position. I have received a verbal offer for a job that will evolve into full time by January first doing exactly what I want to be doing. I feel so blessed by the opportunity as well as the timing. I fretted on and off all summer about finding a job, and I never relax for very long into the expectation that things happen for a reason and will work out... I am so grateful for the extra time I have had to unpack, be with Aden, and then to welcome Teresa this summer.
Around that same time, I think I already mentioned that Dave received a call from a company he had applied to last spring offering him a more challenging and rewarding position for more pay than he has now. He starts on September 14th.
HOUSES: Have I posted lately how much we love our house? It is perfect for every-day, for Aden's sleepovers, for having Teresa, for Dave being outside, for me finding a quiet nook for reading, for having Sidney the chicken and for experiencing nature. It is such a calming and peaceful location, and such a happy place to be. Sometimes when Dave is home and I am away, I'll receive random texts that say, "I LOVE OUR HOUSE!!"
I had hoped that some miracle would strike and our home in Glencoe would sell quickly even though we realized that probably would not happen given the economy. Since the market is very slow right now, we decided to explore the possibility of finding a renter. We priced higher than we thought it might rent for, and in a matter of hours we had inquiries coming in. I met with a very nice couple this morning. It seems like they would be responsible renters. I am hoping that everything checks out so we can have more time and hopefully hit a better time for selling in the future. This would be a huge load off our minds!
COSTA RICA:
Having Teresa has really motivated me to get back in touch with my family in Costa Rica. When I didn't keep up with my Spanish it became hard to keep in touch, but I recently discovered Google Translator, so I can write entire letters in Spanish and have them translated for free to English. We have been emailing and I am so happy to be in touch with them again. My sister has a baby girl who is turning three - maybe this will be my only chance to be an aunt!? They encourage me to come in every message, and it is only now having Teresa that I understand that it would not be a burden. Someday it will happen that I am with them again...
 | ||
Veronica is ALL GROWN UP! I've missed so much of her life... She was ten when I lived with her. I hope Teresa remembers Aden as fondly as I remember Veronica.
|
VOLUNTEER WORK:
Years ago I met a woman from Dassel, the town where we now live, who created a revolutionary new method of providing care for people with alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Inspiring and bold, she sank her life savings into creating two home-like facilities and went about researching and developing an environment, model of care, and staffing structure that meets the unique needs of the people she passionately wants to serve. In the years since she has won awards and is recognized throughout the state for her achievements in this difficult field. I very much wanted to volunteer with her years ago, but we lived too far away to do it efficiently... Now we are now less than 5 miles away! I have signed up for Aden, Teresa and I to begin helping with the animal-assisted therapy that the staff do with the residents. They have dogs, horses, chickens, goats, alpacas, a wallaby and more animals that they use to connect with the residents. I don't know when we will get started, but I can't wait to see how it goes.
Years ago I met a woman from Dassel, the town where we now live, who created a revolutionary new method of providing care for people with alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Inspiring and bold, she sank her life savings into creating two home-like facilities and went about researching and developing an environment, model of care, and staffing structure that meets the unique needs of the people she passionately wants to serve. In the years since she has won awards and is recognized throughout the state for her achievements in this difficult field. I very much wanted to volunteer with her years ago, but we lived too far away to do it efficiently... Now we are now less than 5 miles away! I have signed up for Aden, Teresa and I to begin helping with the animal-assisted therapy that the staff do with the residents. They have dogs, horses, chickens, goats, alpacas, a wallaby and more animals that they use to connect with the residents. I don't know when we will get started, but I can't wait to see how it goes.
No comments:
Post a Comment