You're doing what?

This is what Shawn said to me as he was drilling a hole through the wall. So what if I was ripping up the carpet from the floor. Not that big a deal...right. Right. The hardwood floors are beautiful. For some reason the previous owners finished the floor around the parameter of the room and left the middle as original. They must have had one big rug.

After a call to my mother Shawn determined that I have inherited her destruction gene. Now that I have my own house I'm not as afraid to lets say..rip things apart. I also hold blame to Rebekah. :-) She's my do it yourselfer partner in crime.

The floor with carpet

Here is Evie helping pull staples out of the floor.

Here is the floor that needs to be refinished

First Day on the Job

Today, Monday, July 31st was my first day of work at UK. It went really well. They showed me my new office. I have 4 walls and a door! I'm so excited. Dr. Shinn said I could start bringing in pictures and personal stuff tomorrow. Everyone at my new job is very nice and I learned a lot about the ear today and the tests that they run. I asked to have some performed on me. You know, to see what its like.

One great thing about starting today is that Shawn, Evie and myself get covered by insurance tomorrow, Tuesday, August 1st. If I had started August 1st we wouldn't be covered until September 1st.

I started looking into taking my 18 free credits of classes at UK last night about 12am. Shawn said that I should talk to a counselor to see how to do it before I go and start applying. What does he know? ;-) I think perhaps I'll start working on my undergraduate degree. In what I haven't figured out yet.

Anybody want an Employee?

Not everyone can come to Kentucky with a job waiting for them. I've had to wait patiently and go on a few interviews. Shawn says that I am having a really hard time with being "unemployed". He doesn't really count me as being unemployed since I do get to stay home and play all day. Like he used to do. HaHaHa. Anyone that knows Evelyn knows that she is a full-time job and then some.

I applied everywhere. Well almost everywhere, except Best Buy and the movie theater. Lowes has not called me back yet and neither has the chiropractor. I even applied at the Central Kentucky Blood Center after I finished my blood donation and Shawn was giving platelets.


I have been offered a job with the University of Kentucky in the Communicative Disorders Department. This job will be Monday through Friday 8am-4pm. I am told no weekends, evenings, and I'm pretty sure holidays. I was offered $1.50 more an hour than we needed to make to live here in Kentucky. God is faithful! I was interviewed on Wednesday, July 19th and was told they would call me Friday either way. They called me back on Thursday and offered me the job. Now all I have to do is pass the drug test and background check...I'm on pins and needles about both of those. My expected start date is August 7th. This gives me lots of time to spend with Evie and Shawn. We are really enjoying our naps that we take in the afternoons.

Baker Stud returns again

Shawn is currently working at Magee's Bakery in the Antique District of Lexington. Just blocks away from the Henry Clay Estate who was a cousin of Cassious Clay (not the boxer). I was right when I originally guessed that Henry Clay was related...kinda.

Shawn is enjoying working in a scratch bakery with the finest bakery ingredients. They are enjoying Shawn's ability as a baker.

Every day Shawn comes home and Evie runs out of the house screaming....Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! She then gives him a great big hug and inhales deeply and states what he smells like for the day. "You smell like donuts!" she often states.

I do believe that Shawn is enjoying being the bread winner and maker once again.

July 6, 2006

Central air is installed....enough said

$2.95!?!

At the Celebration of the Fourth they sold hot dogs for $0.15 cents. Shawn went to get us some lunch and returned about a half an hour later with his wares. 3 hot dogs, 2 giant pieces of watermelon and 3 bottled waters for $2.95. We watched the home town crowd present the local fire department with the trophy for winning the 4th of July softball tournament and one of the local pastors present books to all of the police officers.

The Jessamine County band played many tunes and finished the day with a patriotic ensemble.

Shawn met the mayor - Harold Rainwater. Shawn told him that we just moved here from Minnesota and the mayor replied that this celebration was just for us. ;-) Shawn says...typical politician.

The following pictures are of the snow cones that we enjoyed. They were made by the local Lions Club and only cost 50 cents.

This is my kind of celebration.





We ended the day with a private fireworks display that some random guy on the end of our block was shooting off. He happened to be someone that did this for a job. So they were real fireworks. Evelyn did not see any of the fireworks that night. She was way too tired from the days events.

I would have to say that our first day in Kentucky was filled with many things that will last in our memory. A great celebration to kick off our new adventure here in Kentucky. Maybe the celebration was.... just for us.

First Day In Kentucky

Our first full day in Kentucky was the 4th of July. What a beautiful day it was. A bit toasty since we didn't have air conditioning, but fun none-the-less. We started the day by trying to empty the van. Then off to the parade. They call it the Celebration of the 4th.






The Sheriff started off the parade.












Lawn mower Brigade was a hoot.











Tractors on Parade










Can't forget man's best friend.





It was a great home town parade with a lot of home town pride. I was happy to count myself among them. Evie showed her great ability to collect ALL of the candy that was thrown at us. No one was being stingy at this parade. We just so happened to meet some of our next door neighbors that day when Shawn offered them some of Evie's loot. After the parade we walked the mile to the campground to continue the Celebration of the 4th.

The Trip to Kentucky

We started our journey at the place we should have. River Hills United Methodist Church (http://www.riverhillsumc.org/) 9am service followed by a reception and an 11am service. We were able to thank the congregation for their support and were prayed for. What an awesome thing to know that there are people praying for us and support what God has in-store for our family.

After a tearful good-bye to our family and friends at church. Shawn, Evie and I left to pick up Jazzy and Butch from Aunt Sheryl. Although the dogs were excited to go for a car ride (what dog isn't) they will certainly miss one of the most important humans in their life.

Here are a few pictures from our journey to Kentucky.

Here is the van loaded. To think we already brought a 26 foot truck to Kentucky. Luckily Shawn's parents and Aunt Phyllis will be coming in the next few weeks to bring what didn't fit. My bowling ball didn't make it in the first load. ;-(

We stayed overnight with Rebekah and Graig in Wisconsin. As you can tell from the photo, Rebekah was very welcoming. It was such a blessing to spend some time with them.

Here is Evie and Butch at one of our gas stops

Evelyn took this picture of us at a rest stop in Kentucky. I'd say she has some talent from her mother. Maybe a little more since she isn't even 3 yet!

Moving Day

It was 5:50am and I was up before the alarm. Evie was up shortly after and Shawn continued to sleep soundly on our air mattress. The light was peaking in through the blinds and the world was telling us it was a new day. A new day for our new adventure.

Today is the day we MOVE to Kentucky.

We have been staying with Shawn't parents for 4 years to the day and am thankful for their support and encouragement. God does so many things for us and we don't even realize it.

Thank you to all of our friends and family that have helped nurture, prepare and support us for this day. It is so hard to say good-bye so see-you-later is my adopted terminology. God bless you all!

Our journey today will take us to Oostburg Wisconsin and then early Monday we continue on to our new home and life in Wilmore, Kentucky. We look forward to the 4th of July celebration that is waiting for us - $0.15 hot dogs and ice cream. How is that for a welcome home party!

We won't have internet access at home, but we will try to update as soon as we can.


Here is the reading from a daily bible study The Upper Room. It is from Saturday, July 1st. For some reason the e-mail for the 2nd has not posted to our account. Strange? or not.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NRSV)
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these