Are you serious!

Site number 1 totally bombed today! My tech was due on site at 4am (our time). Since this is the beginning, I wanted to make sure I was alert and ready for him. So I woke up at 2am, got a shower, got some caffeine, got ready for work, tried to lay down with out going back to sleep until my tech got on site. It is 6:30am in the morning and here is what I realized so far today

- I got up at 2am for my tech to be denied access
- I called the wrong tech about today's site
- 2 techs showed up, so I have to pay them both
- next time I am waking up 5 min before the tech is due on site and maybe I will function better!


Have a great week!

What a week!

For the past week and a half, I have been working on an international project. We have forty sites that are completing the project over the next two weeks. It has been an exhausting effort being that they are between 6-14 hours a head of us. I have been working my normal 8:30- 5:30 and then coming home and working till at least 11 if not later. It has been wiped me out. Forty sites might not sound like a lot and it's not if it's in the US, but finding people that speak English is not as easy as it sounds. Come Friday, I was just wore out! My newer boss asked me 4 times if I was OK, I must have looked pretty awful. By the way John and Jan I am still looking for someone in Poland if you happen to know anyone ; )

Last night Scott's manager took us bowling. Although I was exhausted, it was nice to hang out with some of the guys and one of the girls that Scott works with. I enjoyed getting out and having some adult time that doesn't contain work.

Today, I decided that I am just going to take it easy and lounge around the house. I did get to see my niece today for a few minutes. She has turned into quite the happy baby.

Robin's return home has been postponed, but I am quite confident that she will be back. She is really missing everyone at CP and is having a hard time with her living situation.

So proud!

Scott and I had our second conference with Julie’s teacher last night. We learned that at the end of first grade, student should be reading 40 words per minute and Julie is currently reading 73 words per minute! I am so proud of my little girl. She is so smart and she loves to read. She reads me a book every night, and a lot of the time I will catch her reading to her dolls. Her teacher says that she loves to read in class. She was very impressed with the way that Julie has progressed this year and she has no doubt that Julie is ready for 2nd grade!

Heartbroken

Last night I found out some really bad news. Due to the economy, Village will be closing there doors. I am upset and not sure what to make of it all. I have known for awhile that it is a possibility. Today I received an email from the principal and it became a reality. I spoke with one of Julie's kindergarten teachers and she obviously is devastated. She asked that we don't give up and to keep praying. Please please keep my little girls school in your prayers.

Don't forget!

American Idol is on tonight aka Brent Keith! Don't forget to watch and vote!

Superbowl Pics

Erin playing games with the kids!

Alex, Janelle, and Josh hanging out watching the game

Jan is all smiles! I think it was because us women won!

Dave and Lisa!

Bring on the games!
The women proud of winning!

and the food!

the awful ice cream eating contest or was it mayo

and we can not forget the lesson!

My Valentine

Usually Scott and I go out and enjoy a night together for Valentine's day. This year money has been tight so we decided to hang out at the house together and make dinner. We invited Brent and Wanda down, and Jen and Jesse also came down. Scott made his mamma's casserole and it was delicious! We watched the movie "Taken" and played Shanghai. It has become a tradition that any time we are with Brent and Wanda we play Shanghai. It was a card game that they all use to play with Scott's dad. We have moved that tradition over to Jen and Jesse recently. Julie enjoyed seeing Brianna and Jeremiah too.

I really enjoyed the candle light service today. I really enjoyed Ray's insight today about electricity and God being the light. God is the light and we really need to be looking at him like that. Scott was holding Eli during the service today and he was so fascinated with the candle I was holding. He tried several times to reach for it and I moved it and spilt the wax all over my hand. If I wasn't awake at that point I was after that lol. Man those Brock's can pull off anything can't they. You go to what could have been a disaster with no electricity to such a beautiful candle light service.

Email from Brent's wife- American Idol!

Okay Friends and Family,I am calling on each of you for your support and your votes! Even if you aren’t typically an American Idol watcher/fan I am asking each of you to please begin to watch, at least for the time being! As most of you already know, my husband, Brent Keith (Smith), is now officially a part of the top 36 on this season of American Idol!! Would you please commit to voting (and praying) for Brent next Tuesday, February 17th (on your local Fox channel at 8/7 central), as he will be performing for the first time live and out of the 12 (6 guys and 6 girls) that will be performing next week only 1 girl with the most votes and 1 guy with the most votes and 1 person with the next highest number of votes (guy or girl) will move on to the top 12! YIKES! That means 9 contestants will go home next week! We really want Brent to stay in this thing! The judges will be able to bring back 3 contestants during the wild card round, but we would sure love to not have to wait for that!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, let anyone and everyone you know about this and get them to commit to voting for Brent Keith as he moves forward in this season of American Idol!!! Please pass it on to as many people as you can! BRENT KEITH COULD BE THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL (with your help)!THANK YOU!!!!

He made it!!!!

Woohoo! Brent Keith made it past the judges!!!! Finally we will be able to hear him sing!!!!

You are here, no your there, no come over this way

That's the way I feel right now, like I am being bounced around. I am not saying that is a bad thing, actually I am kind of enjoying it. It gives me more experience on each project team and the different aspects of Contingent. Today, I was asked if I could help out another team for a couple weeks. This time it is Missy's team! I am sure she will be sick of me in a week lol. We ride to work together, work together, ride home together, go to Church together, go to small group together, pretty soon I am going to be living with her..... just kidding.

Please keep Scott and our family in your prayers. I will let him tell the details, but he got some not so good news today.

What a way to start a weekend!

This morning started off pretty well that was until we sadly said goodbye to yet another person at Contingent. It was completely unexpected and no one seen him as one of the ones to be let go. He had just moved over to the sales department. The rumor is there is still more to go. I just wish this was all over. It's so sad to see everyone leaving one by one and scary not to know if you are next. Watching Victor leave today made it real.

The day did seem to get better at 5:30 today, I had a toothless little girl run up to my desk and proudly show me her missing tooth. And when I came home today, I found my "free" jewelry from my party waiting for me! I felt like a princess trying it all on! Robin also came over today. We have not seen her since the fight. It hit me hard, how much I miss her and wish things were back to normal.

I am excited to hang out with the CP girls tomorrow. Although I am on call, I will not be missing women's "day" at Panera.

Toothless Julie

She's so proud!

A good night!

Last night we met up with Jenn, Travis and Cory at Putters. I think that might be my new favorite place just because of the onion straws and I am not an onion person lol. Missy also came along. We had a great time hanging out with them.



I also got to see my niece last night. She is getting so big! (5 months) She just got her first tooth and she absolutely loves Julie. Julie had her laughing the entire time. Abby had her blanket wrapped around her because Aunt Di's hands were cold and Julie would pretend to take it and Abby would grip that blanket so tight and pull it away. It was funny. She also has the most ticklish cheeks. You barely touch her cheek and she starts rolling.

Julie the chef!

Lately Julie has been wanting to help out a lot in the kitchen- dishes, sweeping, washing the counters, moping, and her new found love is cooking/baking.

She loves to help make brownies and cakes, but we have recently been making cookies from scratch and she loves it. Today we made meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, green beans, and dinner rolls with apple sauce. She wanted to show me that she is a big girl now and can do it all on her own. She peeled the potatoes and accidentally poked her finger. It wasn't real bad, but let me tell you that did not scare her away. After daddy cleaned it up and put a band aid on her she was ready for a new challenge. My little girl is becoming so independent!

Center Pointe Rocks!

What another amazing day at Center Pointe. Church was amazing. Ray preached a great message today, the band was awesome, and everyone was singing their hearts out today!

After Church our small group met at Danotoes for some Pizza, then headed over to John and Jan's for some great discussion. We talked about how Center Pointe plays a role in the three of the seven lamp stands that Ray preached on today. We talked about Rays discussion, our lives, football, some ideas we all have, work, and tons of other stuff. I love hanging out with our small group and just really getting to know them inside and out.

Center Pointe is so awesome that they even made something as boring as a Super Bowl party enjoyable for us women. We did play pictionary as Ray blogged about, but he forgot to mention that us women kicked some butt! And then they tricked us into eating ice cream and just the thought of ice cream and mayo is disgusting! Wow everyone over did themselves with food tonight! There was so much that even our Church didn't eat it all. And I know those guys can EAT! When the game began the girls and the kids got the board games out and I even learned some new ones. I love to hang out with the crew from Center Pointe! They are awesome!!


What a great way to start the week with God, and our CP family!

A fight with Cancer from a cancer patients point of view

I recently asked that you all pray for a friend of mine that is battling cancer. She recently posted a blog and I wanted to pass it on. Please keep Bethany in your prayers. God is definitely working on her and in her.

In her words...Here is her thoughts!


Well it almost been a nine months since I found out some serious news about my health. Fighting every step along the way, I am learning that I am stronger! I learned that even in the most toughest times, that I have people backing me up! I wouldn't be honest with myself.....if I didn't say I don't get bitter at times...because I do...sometimes I feel like it is way to much to bear....but then all my friends and family come into play. They remind me what life is really about, that the reason I am going through a hard time is to help someone else....and my aunt went through a similar type to help me through my rough times. There was time a few months ago where I completely shut everyone out, because though people were concerned it drove me insane getting questioned on how I was feeling...same question different people, finally talking to my parents help me realize how to deal with my anxiety...I just wanted to live a normal life!!! Even in the first month of knowing I hid from everybody even work....almost lost my job over my sickness...but with lots of prayer I got through it!!! Now, I am surviving pretty well I think.Granted just like everybody else, I have new stresses everyday, that pile on. It is just how we handle that sets my mood right. I go for my treatments, and praying everyday that the next test results will be positive. So far I have survived a tumor, and 2 spots of cancer being healed by the grace of God. I know he has healed me through, because during that time period I didn't have any chemo. Last year alone was probably one of the hardest...I lost 2 babies in one year...and being emotionally attached is hard to deal with. But, though I still am working on dealing with that, I don't think anybody gets over a lost so much...but I am still alive...and those babies are in a better place...so I can move on with that!!! SO I AM PRAYING FOR A BETTER HEALING IN 2009!!! And if I have to go through this stage in my life to help someone else, to teach me to have patience, more loving, and kind to others....then you might think I am crazy, but I AM THANKFUL TO GO THROUGH IT TO LEARN EVERYTHING I AM LEARNING ABOUT MYSELF...So GOD chooses to let me have my cervical cancer then so be it!! I am willing to let him lead me in the right direction.....