Ceiling grid…

 

Ethan had a little accident at work today. If I heard correctly, the second floor in the storeroom is made of a metal grid system. Ethan was on the ground floor and a co-worker was on the second floor, walking backwards while pulling a heavy load. He happened to step on just the spot in the grid that was not welded together properly. As he stepped, it fell down and on top of Ethan, hitting him in the upper bicep, leaving 4 distinct marks, cutting his knuckles, one almost to the bone and also cutting him under the chin. He had 4 stitches in his chin and 4 stitches on the hand/knuckle of his little finger. The Doctor said he was really lucky today because if the grid would have hit him an inch lower, it would have cut through his neck. Yikes! That would NOT have been good. He’s been really lucky 3 times now. I wonder if his luck has run out for head wounds now or if he’ll be like a cat and have 9 chances. Geez, I shouldn’t joke about this but honestly, I have to…I could have lost my youngest child today.

Thank you, Ethan’s Guardian Angel, for a job well done.

Phoenix…

 

Yeah!!!! Kira got the job at the Phoenix Zoo. I’m so excited for her. It’s 32 hrs. a week and pays better than some and not as well as some. But it’s a JOB in a ZOO!!! Yes, Yes, Yes!!!

OMG this is going to be very hard. My insides are jumping for joy and dripping tears.

This really shouldn’t be a huge deal, because she’s been gone before. Four years at college and two internships in different states. We talk on the phone all the time and I know I would be welcome staying with her when I visit. But it’s just not the same as being able to see her face to face and give her a hug.

I guess Skype will have to do for awhile.

We just aren’t certain how or when she is getting out there. David and I are driving Andy and Lauren out to Cincinnati June 4 – June 8 and then we are flying out to Arizona at the end of the month for a wedding. Somehow in the midst of this we need to get her all packed, drive out there, find an apartment and get settled. Maybe her new friend will be able to drive out there with her. That would be pretty cool, they could have some time together, and he could get her settled and see where she’s living. If they are still friends after all those wonderful emotions are shown, then hey, he’s almost done with school. Arizona is a nice place to live, there’s no law that says he has to stay in Minnesota. hmmmm!!

Phoenix…

Kira had a phone interview with a zoo in Phoenix…yippee!!! It sounds like it went pretty well, and they are hiring several people for both full and part-time positions. They wanted her to send them a video of herself, so they could see how she presented herself. I’m attaching her video…or not!

4th and Plum…

Well, it’s official…Andy and Lauren are moving to Cincinnati Ohio. They flew out there 05/05/10 to look for a place to live and found the perfect place almost immediately. It’s right downtown in the heart of things and has lots of character. There are a lot of people from J&J living there and they have monthly get-togethers so there should be some good networking going on. Andy said there are a bunch of restaurants so he shouldn’t have a problem getting a job. Fingers crossed!

We offered to drive the U-haul for them and at first Andy thought that was a crazy idea…but after they thought about it awhile, they decided that if we still wanted to do it, they wouldn’t object. The only problem is that I can’t leave until June 3rd after work, or better yet, early morning on the 4th. We could get a little sleep that way, and barring any problems, the drive should take around 12 hours or so. We’ll help them get settled then take the Amtrak home (it leaves Cincinnati at 01:30 Monday, June 7th, gets to Chicago around 10:30, leaves Chicago at 14:15 and gets to St. Paul at 11:30). The Amtrak is $282.00 for both of us, flying would be around $560.00 and renting a car to drive one way would be around $500.00…Yeow! Way to go Amtrak!!!

This is going to be very difficult for me, but I’m trying to be a ‘big girl’ and not blubber or make a scene. This is what is supposed to happen to grown kids. I’ve done my job and now he’s ready to leave the nest. But is still makes me sad that he’ll be so far away. When Kira was in South Dakota and then Oregon, I was Okay with that because I knew it was for a certain number of months and then she would be coming home. Andy is going to be gone for a year! Then, if they are still together, they will move out west for….ever, I guess. Good thing we have cell phones with texting. I can keep in touch with him (notice I say ‘I’ can keep in touch, not ‘he’ will keep in touch!) I’m not stupid!! He is soooo excited though. He just about talked Dad’s ear off when he picked them up from the airport. They’re deciding how to furnish it, what to buy, what kind of curtains. It’s pretty neat actually.

I’m really very excited for them, it almost makes me wish I were young again, just starting out on my own.