New Office Matey!

Oh Boy! I have a new office mate! JENNY! Our new office space has been girled out! Goshen Valley now has a Welcome Center, and that old house is now comfy and cozy. I went to Ross Dress for Less and had a budget of $150. Who knew Ross would dress rooms as well as peeps. I had a blast...and Jer pushed the cart. About an hour into it, Jer found the home furnishings and plopped down in a chair. Girls, this is actually a good tactic. I just kept dumping stuff into the cart--and hardly woke him up at all.

We just had an event at the Ranch--House Parent Appreciation. Each of these crazy folks raise 6 boys. I raise 3 and it's sometimes like a zoo on fire--but it does have it's rewards. These folks are their very own parental alliance--and to see that team work is amazing. They fit each other. And they fit their boys.

I recently went to a bike race with Bill and Shelly Terhune. Kevin was racing. You have got to hear about this day...it was nutty.

So Jenny (yeah, my new matey) and I drive to Gainsville College in seperate cars. We get there just in time...I know this cuz the first thing out of Kev's mouth is, "Your Late!" I take one pic, the horn sounds and he's off. So we ask Shelly where Bill is. "Oh, he's on his way to the ER!!!"--One of the boys had an allergic bee sting. Though it wasn't a severe reaction, it's always better safe than sorry. Bike racing is crazy, I just have to say. First lap took like 30 minutes--WHAT??? And you want them to do it again??? Nightmare. I was just praying for their survival. So Kev finished his first ever bike race. Finishes...I would still be there, hugging a tree and kissing the ground.

Well, the fun has just began. Since Bill was gone, Jenny and I rescue the Terhune family. Now I know why God had us bring both vans. The bike and some folks went into Jenny's van, and the remaining folks jump in mine. We call Bill to meet us at Jenny's folks for some yummy spaghetti. Well, Bill's cell phone is dying...dying...dead. --Did I mention he had no charger?!!! We get him half the directions and wait by the side of the road, hoping he will pass. Bill the great buys a charger (smart) and reconnects with us. Finally we are on our way to Jenny's parents house. What a beautiful home with such wonderful hospitality. Speghetti and meat balls. Oh yeah! Yum! Jenny's mom has to leave early. Five minutes after she leaves she returns. She hit a brick mailbox with her 3 day old car. Bless her heart, she was so frazzled. Jenny kept chuckling--(see what I'm gonna have to live with). She was okay--jumped into a much larger vehicle and headed out again.

There is never a dull moment. I can't tell you how much I love hanging out with our guys from the Ranch. I don't know if they grasp that there are 21 folks that work at the Ranch, just for them--for bike races, and football games, and band recitals, and homework, and church. We have dedicated our lives to the Lord and the safe keeping of His boys. What a TRIP! John Blend built this place with the guidance of God and support of his wife Connie and his church, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.

I just got my hair doo'd up. Went to Hollywood FX.

It wasn't too bad. I saw Tammy. She took a lot of time with me. I called her the Emaril of Hair Doo's. She's hilareous. Worked at the French Embassy, and in New York. She loves what she does. This is huge--you do NOT want some disgruntled hair nazi. And if your hair dresser's hair is crazy looking--run. If they look 12--run. If they look bored, too excited to have someone actually sit in their chair, or angry--run. You wouldn't go to a psycho, doogie howser, tired, wired or ticked off heart surgeon. Don't trust just anyone to put razor sharp tools in your hair.

Okay so, Thanksgiving is coming up and some of my favorite people are coming to see us. These include my dad and co from Missouri, my bro from Chicago, my sis from Maine. Talk about stoked! I'm excited to show them the Ranch and a bit of Georgia.

Well, that's all. Got to get some cartoon time in with Kevan.