Sorry for not posting for so long. It has been a CRAZY month!

1. Mom Thomas has had a whirlwind few months. The Lord answered all our prayers and she was able to get into a great nursing home up near all of us. It is a nice place...doesn't smell and isn't dingy. Though, she currently shares a room with a whack job - Gippy. She provides the rest of us a bit of humor but I'm sure Mom doesn't find it funny having to live with her 24/7. But so thankful she is close by and we have been able to go see her so much. I love that! She will be 95 tomorrow and she is one of the most amazing, strong people I know. I am so blessed to have, not one, but two very smart, very loving grandmothers in my life - Both in their 90s and both close by.

2. New Job! My boss left the company for another at the beginning of September. And while I don't exactly want to manage people, I took over her job. So it is like I have 2 jobs now. I am currently the lead Data Analyst on all the lab studies (we have 5 going at once right now) at CDC. And on the other side of the fence, at Northrop I am a Task Manager. Should be 50% each job, right? Well, each side doesn't really care about that and I feel like I am 80% on each job...makes 160%, you ask? That's how I feel. I love working with all the people, on both sides. So that makes it nice but it is non-stop. I am logging in from home at night, logging on earlier in the mornings. Sigh. I am fortunate to have a job so I'm not complaining but it is a lot.

Couple that with Christian's opposite shift and we are running like chickens with our heads cut off. We have to spend about 30 minutes a week using Google Calendar to sync our work lives with their activies and any childcare needed. It is getting more stressful as they get older. We would love to find a way to have one person to stay home. It is stressful having to tell work (his and mine), I can't stay late today...have a sitter at home. Or I can't take that training cause my spouse is working that day. Sigh.

3. The Curse of a House - We have had a rough summer, year, with that house in Clarkston. We feel like we are being extorted for money as Christian's name is on it. But in the end, it is just money. We can't take it with us. We are just trying hard to get it cleaned up for the market. It took all summer of Christian going down whenever he could find an off day and I was at home with the kids, but he would go down and purge. Finally, we just figured it was worth the money to pay a junk removal place to come purge it for us. We had to charge it but who cares, right??? I feel bad for Christian as I know he's been very stressed with it. We feel a bit alone in trying to clean up the house and sell it. Not to mention, the added stress to our already hectic lives.

4. Good news? CASEY! We rescued a 3 year old female boxer, Casey! She is adorable, tiny, girly, delicate, and dainty. She has been a light of sun, a bit of happy in our lives. Lord knows, we needed something!


Now, fall weather is coming and I'm so glad for Fall. It is my favorite time of year - bring on the boots, sweaters, soup, pumpkins, holidays, and festivals. Not to mention, our good friend, Marissa, is having another baby girl, Bailey Anne. We can't wait to meet her...she's due on Oct 14.