Flying time

It really is true about time flying when you have fun. A week has disappeared and I didn't carve out any moments to actually write something for the blog. The family went to Chicago to celebrate Thanksgiving like always. The time there slipped by like sand through our fingers. It surprising how often clichés are used when talking about time. I think it allows for a common understanding since time perception is a very individualistic trait. Everyone experiences the passage of time within the context of their own state of mind and past experiences. When we were kids, the summer would always last forever, or at least it would for most. Now, it flies by as we fill it with the obligations of work and home.

Longevity

We were watching the news and caught a story about a lost and found diamond ring. A woman had lost her 10 year anniversary ring while out of town. A young couple found it in the street and took it home. The woman had posted a lost notices on the internet and they responded, so all ended well. In the filming of the story, the young man proposed on camera to his girlfriend.

Two things make this a wonderful story. The first being the news covering a feel good story instead of the normal atrocities and mayhem which has become the norm. The second is the young couple now has a great story to go with their engagement. In my very unscientific research, just observations of couples I know, the ones with a story surrounding the beginning of their relationship have a greater chance of surviving and celebrating the milestone anniversaries.

Just my thoughts, as always.

Family time

My, oh my, how it flies. I missed a day of writing, but I'm not sure where it went. As the days go by, I'm finding that to be the case more often. I heard someone comment that time flies as we age because all of our memories are crowding around in our head trying to be heard. The more we have, the harder it is to create new ones because the old ones fight us. They try to get us to take a trip down their lane.

Well, I think I'm going to welcome all the new ones and tell the older ones to behave and welcome their new siblings. There will be time enough later to sort out which to keep.

Scary things

As parents, we are always concerned for the safety of our children. Kelly and I were at the parent meeting for Addy's study abroad program when the presenter stated we needed to look at insurance to cover the cost of repatrioting the remains if the unfortunate happened.

WHAT?!?!?! She said WHAT?!?!?!

Kelly's face fell and I was stunned. This was definitely not something we were ready for. We figured they tell us if our kids broke the law or did drugs or something along that line, the program and state department wouldn't be able to do much. I knew that already. But to talk about bringing the remains home? No, I wasn't ready for that one.

Now that I've had some time to think about it, I think it was a very good thing. Thinking about what would happen if you did lose a child is never something that comes up in conversation. Same as what to do if you lose a spouse. I think it might be healthy, in a very weird way, to be prepared for some of the unthinkable events. Given the world we now live in, those events are now more probable than they have been in many generations.

Here's to more cheerful thoughts the next time I write.

Beware of those fortune cookies

On the first Saturday of October in 1997, I rode my motorcycle from Chicago to Tulsa with the proposed intent to continue on to San Francisco. At that time, it was not widely known Kelly and I were dating. It may have been guessed at, but we hadn't told anyone yet. It was around 3AM that I got on one knee and asked her to join me on the rest of my life journey as my wife. Without a hint of hesitation, she said yes, which anyone who has found this should have guessed.

At that point in our life, it was standard practice to go to the middle service at Christ United to watch the drama skit. We would then duck out for a bit and return to attend the last service. Afterwards, the family would all go out for lunch somewhere that could accommodate 16 or more people. This particular Sunday we went to a Chinese buffet. The food was good and everything was fine until I opened my fortune cookie. Imagine my shock when I got:

"You or a close friend will be married in a year."

I tried to keep it quiet, but Sarah must have heard my startled intake since she said I should read mine first. I tried to keep an unphased look on my face and I think I succeeded. We finally told everyone at Thanksgiving that we were getting married the following May.

Moral of the story: Beware of the littlest things, for the truth may be hidden in the most unseemly thing

Last, and hopefully not least

I'm just now finishing my sixth month with Williams on a contract-to-hire basis. I'm working the in the Midstream division and am responsible for the applications being run in the Calgary office and the terminal in Kansas. Not sure when the conversion to full time will happen. Since Kelly gets our insurance through the American Cancer Society, it's not as critical.

Not to be left behind

Kelly is now working at the American Cancer Society. She's responsible for helping patients take advantage of the offered programs, coordinating the volunteer drivers, etc. She's thoroughly enjoying the fact that when she leaves, the work stays there. I'm enjoying it too since it means we have more time together.

The Big 'E'

Not to be left out, Evan has decided that Southwestern University in Georgetown is his school of choice. The soccer coach is very optimistic of his making the team when he gets there. He's going to finish his freshman year here in Tulsa at the community college, especially since he's able to go for free.

Beginnings

Well, it's official. Our 'A' is going to Madrid for the spring. Addy just found out she's been accepted to the Hispanic Studies program at the University of Alcala, near Madrid. She leaves at the beginning of January and comes back in May.