An update

We have had extremely busy lives these last few months. It seems that we are always on the go - without much to show for it.

Charleen Teaching:

My second year at Tarkio High School is exceptional. I absolutely love my jobs. My students constantly challenge and motivate me. I appreciate their hard work and strength. It's amazing the difference a year makes in the relationships in the building. Students already know what to expect from me and they "think" they have me all figured, which makes them behave in a very different way. It's hard to explain, but if you are an educator, you understand.

This year I took on the JH Cheer sponsor position, which has kept me exceptionally busy. Football season wasn't nearly as hectic as basketball season since there weren't as many games. We have so many basketball games that we get in about one practice a week. It shows, too. The girls were doing very well, but without practices, the are beginning to struggle. I can see a direct correlation. We have such an amazing team, I am thankful for these 5 young ladies.

Curtis Programming:

Curtis LOVES his work. He is successful and really understands his projects, which makes his day more enjoyable. I'm grateful for this. He has been there since November of 2009, so it's coming up on 2 years of working with this company. I'm glad that he is happy there. He has gotten several promotions and has worked hard to earn every one. He is a great web programmer.

Missing Family:

We rarely get to see family much living here in NWMO. It's hard sometimes, because honestly, we don't really have many friends here yet. I have lived here for a year, but people are not really as open as I thought they would be. They have their friends and family and don't seem to be all that interested in getting to know anyone new. Curt is very shy, which makes people unsure sometimes. I wish everyone could see how amazing he is!

Laser Hair Removal:

I have now had 4 of the 6 treatments and have noticed significant changes in hair growth. I am feeling extremely happy and confident with the progress. I know that people still judge me when they see it, but I also know that it is not who I am. This is a new revelation for me, honestly. I struggled trying to overcompensate for this hideous part of my life, but honestly, I wish I had realized that it really doesn't matter what others think of your appearance - what matters is how you behave.

Family Planning:

Curtis and I are still unsure of what our future holds in this department. We are discussing the possibility of starting a family, but have not decided how quickly we want that to happen. We are both very happy with our life together right now. Bringing a baby into the mix will change the dynamics completely - in so many wonderful ways - we just want to make sure we are ready to move into that next chapter.

Many Upcoming Decisions:

Carol is retiring in December of 2013, which gives Curtis and I a year to decide what we are going to do about the house in Kansas City. It could become a rental property, but we aren't prepared financially for a renter to completely take us to the cleaner and even when someone seems to be a perfect fit, it might not work out. We are open to many possibilities right now, though.

Education:

I am planning to go back to school to get my masters degree. I have been toying with the idea for quite some time, but I think we are finally in a position where I could begin to take classes without too much interference.

Holidays:

We are going to spend Thanksgiving with the Spencer side of the family at the lake. We are very much looking forward to 5 days of relaxing!

We are going to spend Christmas with the McCrea side of the family. We are flying into PA Christmas Eve and leaving the 29th. We will then spend New Year's Eve with the Spencer clan. Busy holidays, but I am VERY much looking forward to seeing my niece Ava.

My Niece:

Ava has gotten so big and I can't believe how much of her life I am missing. I wish I could see her more often. This three times a year thing is for the birds; however, short of moving to PA, this is the way it has to be. I guess she is beginning to talk and get her teeth. She is crawling like a mad-woman, too! Can't wait to see her in 5.5 weeks!!!

We LOVE and MISS family and friends who we don't see as often as we'd like. We are forever grateful for you and for your love.

Water, water, everywhere, but not any drop to drink (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)

I took the girls to cheer clinic, which turned out to be a pretty spectacular day. The girls learned several new moves and we bonded over milkshakes at McDonald's. I really think this year will be a great year with them. We have much to learn and we have TONS of time to get there.

We went to the lake this past weekend at the lake with some of Curt's high school friends. It was nice to be able to spend time with them and really get to know them. The Herman's are a fun family and nice to have around. Josh and Michelle I have known for quite some time now, but until this weekend it was a pretty surface friendship. We enjoyed spending time together, we laughed and joked, but rarely had any serious moments. This weekend, Michelle and I got to have some really nice one-on-one time. It was nice to get to know her and understand some of her problems and victories. She is a wonderful woman and someone I consider a dear friend. We did all the typical lake things: fishing, boating, laughing, swimming, jetski, hiking, cards, and karaoke! FUN. LOTS of water time, that's for sure.

Curt and are planning a road trip to PA. I'm looking forward to spending a  weekend with him out enjoying the country. We have IDEAS of what we'd like to do, but we haven't set much in stone right now. I like to play it by ear. We do have locations and hotels booked, but as far as adventures, the only thing set is Cedar Point with my Pat, Krystal and Troy. It is going to be perfect, though. Curt and I have always been a "see what happens" kind of couple.

It will be wonderful for my family to get to spend some quality time with him, too. They haven't had a chance to really get to know him like I have with his family. I feel like I have always been part of his family. I belong in their family.  It seems strange to love someone as deeply as I love Curt and not have my family know him as well as I do. They do know him and love him, but we have only been able to spend 4 days together at the most, which is almost a weekend at the lake for us.

The flooding is getting pretty crazy around these parts. I am sad for all those people who have or will lose their homes and jobs because of this. I can't imagine what all this water is going to do once it hits the Mississippi River. This damage is devastating. I just don't know what these people will do. If they will ever be able to go back to their homes or if they will have to start again. I-29 North of us, beginning at our exit is closed through Nebraska City and before too long I-29 South will be closed, too. We will have to be creative when coming and going when that happens. Once closed, it could remain closed until Mid-August according to the papers. We are covered by the bluffs, which will keep us safe from flooding. I am extremely glad we did not move to Nebraska City as we had considered last year. We had found a really nice home to rent, but decided that staying in Rock Port and having Curt be able to walk to work would save us so much money. We were able to build a small savings account because of it.

Next fall I think I will be extremely busy. I will have my regular teaching schedule, but I have added cheer sponsor (which lasts August until December) and GED teaching. I just was hired on as the GED teacher. I will teach GED classes every Wednesday night for 3  hours. It will pay about $100 a month, but that money is meant to go straight into savings. In the 9 months, I will have added an additional $900 to our savings, without feeling like we lost anything. This is always good for us.

We are trying to figure out if we want to have me tested for infertility problems or if we want to wait another few months since we do still live in a one bedroom apartment. I'm not sure bringing a baby into this small apartment is a great idea. I also feel like when it's our time to have a baby, we will. The stress that "trying" to have a baby put on me was almost unbearable. I don't know how women deal with that. I admire everyone who conceives when "trying" to have a baby. I was a stressed out mess when I was trying to track all those things. There was no way my body was going to allow me to conceive that way. lol. It is likely, though, that I am unable to have children. I hope this isn't true, because I would like to have at least one baby that is both of us. If not, we can always adopt. We are not opposed to that at all. We are just hopeful to have our own.

Like I said, our life is not exciting, but we do have a lot to say. I hope this finds you well. We send out love out to all the edges of the earth.