Next steps

I've had some questions about our plans and what we'll be doing. Well, as always, plans are constantly changing and developing for us. At this point, but subject to change, it looks like we'll be moving to England pretty soon.
Tom has decided that the Royal Marines wasn't for him or the best thing for us, and is now looking for employment in London and throughout other parts of England. He is thinking he'd like to do some type of security consulting/analysis type job, but is open to checking out other things as well. He'll probably head to the UK in September and begin looking for jobs and a place for us to stay. It seems better for him to go first until things are a little more sorted for us there.

While he's doing that, I'm hoping to start by spending a week in Phoenix catching up with friends, then head off to Dominican Republic. I have the opportunity to work with some friends that we met in Guatemala and have been in D.R. for the last 3+ years. It's with a group called Kids Alive that work in countries to set up orphanages and get kids off the street, give them a solid home, get them into school, and raise them in a family setting in a group home. I may be able to go there and do some health education for the homes, kids, houseparents, and others in contact with the kids. I also might be able to get the kids up-to-date on health physicals and vaccinations if everything works out. I'm so excited about this opportunity and hope all these plans come through. I hope to spend 5-6 weeks there, and know already that time will be too short. After D.R., I'm thinking I'll fly to England and meet up with Tom again. As for nursing, I need to switch my license, but can't do that until getting there as I have to go through a 1 month transition/training first. We'll see how it all goes and I'll look at jobs once I come to the end of that training.

So that's the latest for us...all definitely subject to change without notice! It's been a lot of talking and planning and changing ideas and trying to figure things out, but it's fantastic that we're coming to some conclusions. I'm excited about what is ahead for us, and mostly that we get to do it together...no more going away for a year with the Marines! I'll keep updating as we know more, but that's the latest for now. Just hanging out and working in Oregon for the moment, I've just extended my contract with the hospital through September 2nd, so I'm here at least until then!

Park time

On our way home from the beach we stopped off in Salem to see the kids and went to the park. We attempted to fly a kite, but with very little wind, it wasn't too successful!

Emily showing off on the monkey bars...she passes for a good monkey!

Joshua showing another way to cross over the monkey bars.

Not to be outdone, Tom had to play on the bars as well.

Beach getaway

Tom and I went to the beach in Florence, Oregon last night and it was great. We stayed at a place called Driftwood Shores that was right on the beach...the photo of me is right on our patio! Tom had to swim in the ocean within the first 2o mins of being there and it was FREEZING! I was fully dressed with a jacket and was cold and he was out there in his underwear (forgot his swimming shorts and no one else was on the beach!). Nice time to talk and plan though and try and figure out what we're going to be doing with ourselves!

More roofing

Roofing continues and looks like the worst job in the world! They finished the removal yesterday and cleaned everything up today. Tomorrow new shingles go on which is very exciting. Thank goodness for grandma's house where I've been sleeping the last few days (night shift!!).

Another bird lost to the front room window, a really pretty one too. Emily thought it was cool to hold him before we tossed him! A pretty new dress for her too!

Working hard

My dad has taken on the project of re-roofing the house. They've torn off almost all the old shingles and put down new tarpaper, but what a mess!! The downstairs door can't even be opened at the moment. Dumpster is arriving today apparently.

Dad, my brother John, and grandpa all working hard on the roof.

Joshua playing with John and Dennis' old toys...lost treasures.

Emily playing with some of my old dolls...it's fun to see them all again.

Tom will be in tomorrow (Tuesday) and I am sooo excited. It's been awhile and I can't wait to go to the beach on Thursday!

Found!

He's back! He went all night long outside, then this morning my mom heard some meowing across the street. As she called his name, he kept meowing until she found him in the blackberry bushes across our driveway. My dad managed to clear the blackberry bushes out a bit and he got free and ran straight inside. Somehow he lost his collar and is limping with his back left leg, but he's back. What a relief.

We laid out food dishes last night and this morning about 4am I went and did a walk around the house. The first food dish was one of those divided ones and I filled both sides. When I found the dish, only one side (Basil's side) was eaten...I knew it had been him because he left all of Colin's side for him. The other food by the front door was also gone, so I at least knew he had been around. Colin and Basil aren't getting along very well now, lots of hissing and growling, but I'm sure they'll get over it after a few days.

Hopefully Basil's little leg is okay and we can get him a new collar. I think that's enough outside adventures for a few days! Time to adjust to staying inside again for a bit and recover from the last outing, at least for the humans around here!

Missing Cat

Missing: My cat
Name: Basil/Bazzel/anything said in a high pitch voice (kitty, kitty, kitty) Likes: Running away, his brother Colin, biting
Distinguising features: Likes to wink, annoying meow
Last seen: 6/17/06
Would like to be seen again: 6/17/06
Please call me if you find my cat. Soon.

Things are moving along and forward for us. Tom is still in England until Tuesday the 20th and I'm definitely looking forward to him getting back! We're going to Florence beach when he gets back to catch up and figure out what we're going to be when we grow up! We're slowly figuring out more and trying to piece plans together...jobs, moving to England, everything! We'll get there eventually, but it's fun thinking of all the things we might be able to do.

My job at the hospital continues to be great! The staff are really supportive and the amount of nurses they have is fantastic...really well staffed each night which I love. I get to do labor & delivery, but also postpartum and nursery, since it's a smaller unit and all in one area. I love the continuity of care that is found in a smaller hospital and they really strive to let you have the same patients night after night which I love. I've had some great mommas and love being back in the hospital. It's a little weird because people are from places that I grew up, like Boring, Gresham, etc., which I've never run into before working in Virginia. I even had a pt. the other night that went to my high school...now that never happend in VA! It really is nice though and I have strangely settled into working night shift. My parents downstairs room with no windows (the bat cave) is the best part because I can sleep so well...especially with my mom being a mouse around the house!

The cats have also graduated to becoming outdoor/indoor cats, which they are enjoying I think. It's been a slow process getting them used to going out and not being scared when they go to the neighbors for a bit. So far, they have remembered to come back, and I just hope that continues. I love letting them out to 'play' though and hope they are street wise enough now not to play on the road...my biggest worry!

That's about it for now, just anxiously awaiting Tom's return so we can catch up and start some future planning!

Moving along

Thomas is doing well in England. He's been busy sorting things out and, of course, running. Here he is with his parents' dog, Mr. Boulder. Hopefully he'll decide to come back after this visit, as I would like to see my husband again! He's having fun though and enjoying family time.

My mom and dad have been helping pack things to the storage unit, slowly but surely. We take a few trips there every day or so, and it's finally making a dent. The garage is almost empty, but boxes are still lingering around the house. I've had to sort through lots of stuff I've saved from gradeschool and high school, so it's been fun. Tonight I spent 2 hours going through a box of notes and letters from friends. Boy, am I realizing how funny girls are. To be a good 'note' I've found that it must contain a.) some reference to why she is mad and her and why we shouldn't like them, b.) a deep concern over who this 13 year old girl likes and how it is obviously crucial that she have a boyfriend, and c.) anytype of acronym...some of my favorites being LYLAS (love ya' like a sister) and the classic BFF (best friends forever).

I also met with some old friends tonight which was nice. Tink, Strawberry Shortcake, Baby Beans, and purple Pony all got together for a reunion. It is so weird to see all my old dolls again and then pack them all away...like putting friends in a box!!!

Speaking of strawberry shortcake, my mom picked strawberries from outside and made shortcake biscuits and we had the BEST shortcake! I love being home!

Transfer of boxes

Well we've been transferring boxes from one spot to another lately! The first photo is from the inside of the moving truck when it arrived. They had somehow managed to fit all of our stuff in there, including Tom's bike which got suspended with ties!

So the boxes went from the truck to my parents house and garage. We've done a lot of sorting to figure out what is best in each place, and are now in the process of moving the dear boxes once again into a storage unit. What a long, tedious process, but it's at least almost winding down.

From the storage unit, who knows where their next journey will be to...most likely to England, but time will tell. There'll be some sorting done again then, as all our appliances/electrics are mixed into boxes and will be fairly useless on the British electric system. Oh well...that's for another day!

Home sweet home for Thomas

Tom made it to England today! He left Oregon at 1:30 pm getting into London about 10:30 am (2:30 a.m. OR time). He's managed to already get himself a haircut which is exciting, and obviously the beard is still in place! He's got an exciting next couple of weeks there. His sisters Hannah and Sarah got together with him after arriving and to spend the evening with him and then it's off to play all over the country!

Road Trip in review

Tom worked very hard on this map of our whole road trip. It was a fantastic journey across the U.S. filled with lots of talks, books on tape, Belgian waffles in the morning, 20 Questions (thanks, Pamela/Sebastian/James), and seeing lots of new states (and a country).