Can't Imagine

How do moms and dads send their daughters and sons overseas to war? How do you get thru that very emotional time? Not knowing when you will see them again.

Jon, Jen, Joe and Joci are leaving in 4 weeks (4 very short weeks) for the UK for 2 years. I know, lots of grandparents have to travel to visit their families, especially their grandchildren. We have not. We are very lucky to have our three grandchildren right here, close enough that we can see them every day if we want. No trip planning, travel arrangements. And, this is since birth...we are very spoiled.

I also know there is skyp (sp?) and e-mail and phones, etc. BUT...how do you get those tight squeezes/hugs/kisses electronically?!? it is not the same.

I am very happy for them for the opportunity of this great adventure but am very selfishly sad for me and for Ron. I thought I had my head wrapped around all of this but find myself watering up when thoughts of them go traveling thru my brain. Most people that know me know that this is not me...I try to keep those emotions in control and this is blowing me away. I can not imagine what May 13th will be like when they go thru that security gate at the airport, waving goodbye...for now.

Passports are being renewed and we are now planning a trip...traveling to the UK to see them...this is new to us unlike a lot of grandparents.

Birthdays

Boy...you want to continue to have them but sometimes they are not what you want. Mine started out a little rough but ended up fine.

You can never depend on others to make your special day special...YOU have to make it special. Sometimes that is hard to do because you don't want to disappoint others.

This year Ron gave me a very expensive present without kinowing it. Edie, my best friend from Southern Arizona...around the Benson/Wilcox area,and I went garage selling (I think that should be saling not selling). Anyway we found a lot of bargains (we used to do this almost every Saturday when she lived here) and Ron had added $5 to my dollars before we left. At this garage sale there were a lot of cute things, very young gal...and she had a cute purse (pink stripped) and Edie was picking it up. I said that was really cool and I had been looking for something that size. It had $5 on it. I said "$5...maybe $4...what do you think?" Edie said pay the $5. So I did. When we got in the car she said wow that is a Kate Spade purse...which meant nothing to me. When we got home and checked on line this purse is worth about $350-$400 dollars....WHAT....there is no way.

So, I found out that Edie is definitely a purse fanatic (or whatever you would call someone that knows all about expensive purses and there's another story about that) and Ron bought me a very expensive gift without knowing it.

That was fun...old days brought back. Ron and I ate out and the day was successful....oh, and my grandkids all wished me a Happy Birthday...what more could you ask for!!!

The UK

I will have more to write about this.

Jennifer, Jon, Joe and Joci could be moving to the UK this year...actually it could be next month. You just don't move there and start working. It is amazing how many and what hoops you have to jump thru to be able to get a work visa and be "accepted" by them.

I have gone thru the "Oh NOS" and sadness of not having them here, near us. However I am now at the point of acceptance of the great adventure this is going to be. And you betcha Ron and I are in the process of renewing our passports and probably will not be traveling anywhere but there for a while.

I know that there is Skyp (sp?) but that still is not the hugs and kisses we are used to so that will be hard but it will be interesting seeing how Joe and Joci change and how they process all those changes.

It will be great for Jennifer too. I can see her writing about the move and taking photos along the way. Her blogs will be so interesting.

It is a very nice compliment for Jon as well. He will be training his company's software (I believe) and will be traveling around Europe as well.

Like I said...there will be a lot more of this subject coming.

New Offices

I know it's not brand new...our office building...we moved last October...BUT...I have to say that our office is beautiful.

We are finally getting all those little things fixed and changed, etc. Just like when you build a new home there are little things that need to be replaced and changed.

The colors are purple, green, bluegray and white. All desk and chairs are new...in fact everything is new. Artwork is wonderful. The kitchen is a full kitchen with lots of cabinets, machines, plenty of tables and chairs and even a great big TV.

We have lots of restrooms and lots of conference rooms and the conf. rooms are very up to date technical. A brand new phone system with all new phones.

Sure there are things that maybe you wish was a bit different (just like in a new home) but overall...the building is beautiful and a big confidence from Banner Corp.

Volunteering

I LOVE CFR and what it does. Monies are spent on the retreats not administration. Our national office is not in a big modern glass building, there isn't a hord of staff coming and going, there are not big machines occupying space...and, maybe it's not as impressive with their systems and databases and titles.

BUT...CFR is organized and ran by an extremely small dedicated staff and volunteers. By being non-profit and making retreats their priority they are slowly growing so that they can eventually have those big databases and systems all the while maintaining the importance of just why they are there...retreats for Breast Cancer Survivors.

However, the National Office has been able to recruite very gifted staff and are growing with their website and the ability to make it easier for future participants to apply, current retreat staff to access important information and forms and for everyone to find out about CFR thru this resource.

For every retreat there is so much preparation from the National Office to the retreats...information, paperwork, forms,followups, equipment, everything needed. They are lean and work many hours so that the participants enjoy a wonderful experience at their respective healing/wellness/recovery retreats.

It takes a lot of work by the retreat staffs and sometimes a bit overwhelming but when you attend and see and feel what each participant experiences it is soooo worth it. You come away knowing that you will continue to do this over and over.

VACATION AT HOME

WOW...it is amazing how much you can do when you are home all day for a week. I am a list person and my list was a long one I thought. However, with Ron's help, the list is almost completed.

Junk gone from the back yard, garages cleaned and organized, rooms and closets totally cleaned, drawers rearranged, clothes sorted thru, weeds pulled, even the ceiling fans are cleaned and I still have a few days to go!!! I LOVE it.

Got to do some CFR paperwork and I have a very dear friend that I am visiting with too. Ron has been great...I know that I can drive him crazy with all the "to dos" but a lot of these he also wants done so that helps. So we have been working togeher on a lot of these projects. Of course there are more to dos from completing some of the other ones...another time!!!

Got to get that Power Ball ticket for tonight...who knows I could be home a whole lot more with that win!!!!