Winds of Change...

I was trying to figure out WHAT to blog about this morning, and then realized there are so many new, exciting things going on with me and my loved ones here lately that I couldn't choose which to talk about... so I'm going to make a general post and try to touch on all of them!!

* Nick's new job is one of the biggies here in our house, obviously. He finished his first week of on-site training yesterday. Tomorrow he's leaving us and flying to Nebraska for 2 weeks of training out there. This is new and exciting because Nick has never FLOWN before, so he's a tad bit nervous (and that's putting it lightly!)... he's also never had a job that required him to travel... you know, a "big boy job??" It's very strange that they're flying him out, putting him up in a hotel for 2 weeks, and giving him a rental car and money for food, etc. I don't think he quite knows WHAT to think of all this... so it's an exciting time for him/us!

* My brother-in-law's wedding is rapidly approaching, too! October 7th is the big day. My bridesmaid dress was shipped to me a few days ago... just waiting on my mom to hem it for me, and we'll be good to go! Poor Amber is a nervous wreck these days, it seems, with her wedding getting so close and so many details to "wrap up." Hey, I TOLD them to elope, back when they first got engaged... I promise, I TOLD them, lol. Noone ever listens until it's too late!

* Also, aside from the wedding, which is exciting enough, AJ is getting ready to graduate from aeronautics school, and I'm told he's busy interviewing with potential employers these days. So, when they return from their honeymoon, they'll be house-hunting and moving SOMEWHERE to begin their new life together... super exciting stuff!!

* Nick's sister is anxiously awaiting the birth of her first baby!! Baby Hailey is due ANY DAY now... and we've threatened Missy that we better be near the top of that "call list" when she goes into labor!! We recently installed a Webcam on our desktop upstairs and made sure that Missy has one, too... AJ jumped on the bandwagon with us... so, since we are all scattered ALL OVER the country (actually, the WORLD!), hopefully that will help us watch Baby Hailey grow up! Gotta love modern technology.

* Nick's dad will be coming home from CHINA soon... he's coming in at the end of this month so that he'll be here for AJ's graduation and wedding (and he's squeezing in more work in the States, too). We're all anxious to see "Papaw" again and hear more details about his new life half a World away!

* On a not-so-happy note, I've determined that school is an evil place. An evil breeding ground for germs that ALWAYS find their way to my house, somehow. Damon was home sick two days last week... and I felt so guilty keeping him home, even though I knew he didn't feel well. The school system has this way of making you feel like a terrible parent for keeping your sick child home (even though they also claim they don't want sick children at school... so I still haven't figure out WHAT they want from me, as a parent). But, last night, I felt validated for my decision when I had to take Damon to the ER. He took a nap on the couch yesterday evening and woke up SCREAMING in pain, saying his ear hurt. BINGO! I took him straight to the ER and found out that he has an upper respiratory infection AND two infected ears. No wonder he wasn't feeling well. We got him home and doped up on Amoxicillin, just in time for Avery to wake up in the middle of the night, screaming about HER ears. I told the nurses at the ER last night that I'd probably be back today with Damon's little sister... and I think they thought I was joking. *sigh*

Well, I think that just about covers it. A new job, a new baby, a wedding, a reunion with Papaw, and evil germs... Never a dull moment, huh?