Updates and Questions

Things are pretty status quo around our home. Although the question is: "What is Status Quo?" At our house it's thusly described:

Samantha and Bobby are struggling to find employment at BYU-I because the chruch has recinded their "everyone gets a job" credo. So they are looking to move into Government-sponsored housing as they have no income and no prospects. They are considering changing schools and going somewhere where Samantha can change her major and get into more of a trade school where she plans to become a medical technician doing ultrasounds, etc. Bobby wants to go to Law school, so that will take some dedication and concentration on his part.

Emily had a dissapointing weekend. She was exactly one month from her six-month seizure-free mark (which allows her to drive again) and she had, what is termed, a "complex partial seizure". She never lost consciousness and was able to talk with me through the whole thing. It lasted about a minute. But that means her clock starts over again. Her medication was increased and she's on the path toward another six-month waiting period. During her seizure (which she can't remember) she said that she was seeing people in the room that weren't there before and that they were people she didn't know. Makes you wonder if she had a slight look through the vail (although it's more likely that is was a hallucination). She's still a trooper. That episode, however, simplified out decision to keep her home at the local community college to start her post-high-school career. She'll be attending North Central Texas College (NCTC). It's about 5 miles from our home.

Madeline is doing well. She took the ACT test and didn't fare as well as she would've liked. So, she's now worried she won't get into BYU-Provo. She said she'd be fine with going to BYU-I if it came to that. She'll be taking the test again later this spring and plans to do a little more preparation this time. She's got three boys fighting over her now. Two young men from our new stake (she's going with one to his prom, and she's taking the other to her sadie hawkins dance). The third is on a mission and is sending notes and little gifts every once in awhile. Oh my! She's decided that she doesn't want a steady boyfriend, so I'm happy.

Our new puppy is quite a cute little thing and is bugging the livin' bejeezers out of Sadie. She keeps jumping on her, but Sadie wants none of it. Hopefully she'll learn to cope.

Amy is doing well. She's taking photography classes at another local community college and is the "prize student" of the class. Of course, the instructor tells them that the camera that they need is a particular Canon model and it just happens to be $2,600. Nice . . . . If she can make money with it, it will make the decision easier. She's worked up a price list and she might have her first client coming up here soon. She's very good at it. I'm just not sure how we'll be able to afford the camera yet (still paying off the wedding, you know).

I'm well. Things are scary at work. People are all walking on egg shells hoping that it's not us them that get's laid off. I think I'm relatively safe, but you never know. Chruch stuff is going fine. I'm now having to get fully Scout Trained. I'm attending "Outdoor Leadership Skills" next weekend and then it's on to Wood Badge training in October. Yippee! Of course, I get stuck with the advisor for our group that doesn't think he should tell us anything. I asked him what I should bring for the overnight camping exercise and his response was "get a scout handbook." Nice . . . . Should be interesting.

For our summer plans we're going to Lake Mead with the Lloyd family in June and then we're planning to take a driving trip to Utah and Idaho for Daddy's 80th Birthday and to see Sam and Bobby - - If, however they decide to leave BYU-I and go somewhere else, that might put a kink in our plans. We'll see.

Matthew, what's up with your house situation -- any movement?

Sharene, Amy and I discussed it and we're going to try and make sure that I, at least, get up there for the weekend of Jared's wedding. So keep your fingers crossed!