Last hurrah before my new job!!!!

Lili and Nene 

It has been such a nice visit to North Carolina. Except for my son Alley Cat telling me to *&^%$%^&* off.

Going to North Carolina!

I feel like it's been decades. I'm counting the sleeps until I board a plane headed for my family in Black Mountain on March 19th until the 22nd. And it's the Equinox! Could there be a drum circle on the horizon? I sure hope so!

I also plan on heading west to visit Mikey this month. Maybe the weekend of the 27th? I can't wait to see he and Jen's new pad and the awesome life they are living. Feeling very blessed today.

Back after a long hiatus

Things have certainly changed since my last entry. We are settled back in Arizona and we are both working at jobs we love. I've been traveling around the country, mostly the midwest, as a Professional Development Consultant for a Web based educational program for kids that are having trouble meeting their credit needs in the regular classroom, and there are thousands, thanks to our fabulous education system. I miss the classroom deeply, but at least I can make a difference for these kids that are quite often ignored or disregarded.

Oh...and we have a brand, new baby in our family! Alex and Kelcey just welcomed a son, Eliseo Dane. I have booked my flight to Asheville so I can sniff the sweet aroma of a newborn grandchild, and bask in the love and comfort of my other four grandchildren and their parents. Life is good, and I am grateful. The picture above is the alter I created when Kelsey was in labor. I kept it up for two days after Seo was born.

Home at last

I had to travel 2,000 miles to received an awesome job offer just 3 miles from our home in Scottsdale! When we left AZ in the beginning of June, we had no jobs, and no idea where we'd end up settling. Arizona? North Carolina? Chicago? It's been an awesome adventure! For three weeks we lived in a groovy community just a mile from the kids, grandkids, goats, chickens, pigs and incredible neighbors. No cell phones! Limited access to internet. Lots of long walks in the forest and precious time with family. I only cooked one meal...the kids provided the rest...
Will post pictures as soon as I learn how;)

Awesome to be back home among friends. We were given a hero's welcome upon our unexpected return! Also gratifying to see my kids and their families thriving and happy. Oh, and my grandchildren? They are perfect, of course...

Settling in...

Hanging with everybody and waiting on dinner at David and Ema's house. It is raining gently outside. I'd forgotten how many shades of green exist in nature...absolutely stunning. The house we are staying in is a little on the rustic side, but enchanting...set way back in the forest, surrounded by beautiful gardens. Watched the moon rise last night through the atrium windows. No Internet access or cell phone access from there! Kinda nice. I took my first hike with the kids...boy am I outta shape! They are beautiful and growing like weeds. I babysat all afternoon for the Carmona's and we played beauty parlor. They have 100 baby chicks, 50 layers, 8 goats, 3 pigs, 4 kitties and one sleeping beagle...our Jessie. Was interviewed by phone for a job back in Scottsdale, full-time training teacher's and travelling around the country...hmmm.....

Movin' On

Counting down the hours until I take off for my next big adventure. Leaving Arizona behind after five years of incredible experiences and lots of growth. Not burning any bridges, but heading out to the beautiful Smokey Mountains in North Carolina to spend time with two grown sons, their awesome spouses, and my incredible grandchildren. Will I stay? Don't yet know...Have a chance to teach, live in a beautiful home for free, on a mountain far away from modern civilization, just a mile from my family. Jobless at the moment and temporarily unemcumbered. Randy's driving the pick up truck, I'm driving the car. Looking forward to cranking up the tunes, books on tapes, and the wind blowing in my hair... Leaving my sweet mama behind in the care of angels...very hard for me. Don't like good-byes to the loved ones I'm leaving behind for now. So I'm saying ...Until we meet again...