What a Good Day!

Today was a good day for me.

To those that have read this blog over the past year, have heard me talk about people coming in and then leaving our lives. It's always hard when a friend leaves your life, and harder still when contact is lost with them. A few weeks ago, I received a comment on this blog from Scott Eck. Scott left a message, letting me know that he had come across my blog and that they were coming out for a visit in a few weeks, and would like to see us. True to his word, he called one night and left a message to call them back. I called Scott, and we chatted for a while that night. It was really good to hear that he and his family were doing well, and we shared the events of our respective families over the years. Scott let us know when they were going to be in town for a week, and when they would be available to hang out with us.

I was able to secure today off from work, as one of the other techs needed Saturday off, so we swapped. Scott and Arlene called and decided to come down to our house for a visit, since they had a few hours to hang out with us. I was hoping that they would be able to stay with us all day, but I couldn't be greedy, as they were there to visit family. They arrived, and it was like they never left. We breezed right back into our conversations, and it was like the four years between visits to our home never happened. It also made me sad, because I love those two, and want them to be around me again. Trust me, they are some of the best people I've ever known in this life. We ended up making the hour journey to Shady Maple, and whiled away our time there having lunch. Their son, Adam, decided to make a lovely drink after lunch was pretty much done. You'll be able to see how nasty it was by the look on Scott's face when Adam actually drank the concoction. I can't begin to tell you what was in it, but it consisted of soda crackers, root beer, slurpee, ice cream, jello, among other things - and yet for some reason, he needed ice to top it off. We invited them back to our house for a round or two of cards, and possibly dinner, but their plans didn't allow it. So sad, but at least they made the effort to come see us, and I'll be forever grateful to Scott and Arlene for making me feel important enough to make time in their vacation for us. We love you guys forever, and I hope we'll always stay in touch!

Another Season

Well, it seems like the business in the Palmer house wasn't about to abate. Rachel was talked into coaching Allie's soccer team this fall season by the coordinator. Rachel had coached this past spring, but wasn't sure if she was up to doing it again in the fall. We received the roster for Allie, and there was no coach listed. We sent an email to the soccer board, only to find that there weren't enough coaches for the Pee Wee teams. It was looking like there was only going to be 4 teams, unless a few people stepped up. Rachel wanted Allie to play on a team where she had fun (although Allie seems to like soccer for the snacks she gets as much as the game), and not sitting counting the daisies. So, Rachel was talked into being the coach again this year. She was supposed to have an assistant from the local high school, but it didn't work out that way for whatever reason. We had some friends agree to watch the younger two while we were at Allie's game, so it turns out that I am kinda the assistant coach. No, I didn't make the picture, but that's okay. Did you think that was enough for Rachel and I to take on?

Heck, NO! Rachel and I were also talked into sitting as members of the Pottsgrove Soccer Board as assistant Pee Wee Coordinators. There were a number of jobs on the board that went unfilled in the spring, and we just felt that since we're going to be in the area for a little while, that it made sense to give back to the community. Rachel also said it couldn't hurt my resume, be it for a job or if I want to try graduate school. Yeah, that's Rachel for you ---already has me in graduate school. Here's a few pictures for you:

Another Path

It's amazing how our wives can sometimes frustrate we men.

I had talked for over a year about the possibility of going back to school, but it never happed due to the economics of it all. My last experience with higher education left me with zero confidance, and made it hard for me to even consider going back. I was at a point in my life, back then, where I wasn't sure what I wanted to do as a career. I was just going to college to keep my parents placated, and because that was what I was supposed to do. I had a good job, making good money, and there didn't seem to be a need for me to pursue that path. I also had really poor teachers, and I was badly prepared for what college would hold for me. All these added up to my non-chalance towards school, and since I was paying for the whole thing myself, what did it matter if I attended or not?

All these years later, here I am, still with the same company. Thank goodness, it's not in the same job I held back then, but how many people my age can say they've been with one company for almost twenty years? In any case, I have started to feel in the past year that my "glass ceiling" has been reached. Yes, ladies, the glass ceiling applies to men as well. I was pretty much told by my supervisor that I wouldn't be suited for supervisor level and above, due to my impetuous nature and my tendency to call a spade, a spade. Well, that didn't sit well with me and I ended up feeling very depressed. That also started me thinking that I needed to make a change in my life, that I needed to make that change because it sure as heck wasn't going to happen on it's own. (Listen to me talk about change, looks like the political ads are getting to me). But how? Well, we visited Ben and Sarah in July and that's where the serious talk started. Rachel applied for me, and then kicked me down to take the placement tests. So, now I'm a 35 year old college freshman. I'm taking 12 credit hours, all online, and it looks like I can do something more than fix printers. Wish me luck.

Aaron

I Need to Catch Up

Well, I figure that it's going to take me a little while to catch people up on the goings on in our life. I figure that August is as good a time as any, so we'll start with Allie's first day of school. Our local elementary school has always been good to us, as we've dealt with them before from when Zach and Daniel were living with us. The administration was always so nice about the situation, and worked with us through some issues. Well, now it was time to actually send one of our own children to their school. The principal actually remembered Rachel when she went in for the registration forms, and asked how the boys were doing. They held a kindergarten preview, where the kids rode the bus to school and met their teachers without all the "big" kids being in the halls and such. Allie was so proud of her little project, and took great joy in telling me about the rules she learned on how to behave. From the hand signals they were to use if they needed the bathroom, to the stoplight and clothes pins the teacher would use to help in keeping order among the children. Well, inevitably, time went by and it was time the weekend before school started. Rachel told Allie that they would go out together and pick Allie's first day of school outfit at Gymboree (shocker). Well, Rachel had a few outfits already in mind for Allie to choose from (double shocker). When Allie didn't even come close to picking them, Mom was a little annoyed. Well, I told Rachel that she promised Allie could pick out her own from whatever in the store she wanted as long as it was under a certain dollar amount. Well, Allie won out and got what she wanted to wear to school:

Rachel and I were very emotional over this, and I was thankful that work was understanding in letting me start late that day. Rachel waited with Allie at the bus stop, we took more pictures, and then once the bus came, I hightailed it to the school to try and get pictures of Allie getting off the bus. Silly, I know, but it's something we wanted to do for her. I was able to be in position to get a couple of pictures as Allie got off the bus. She was so excited, but also scared at the same time. I could see in her face that she was nervous. Anyhow, Congrats to Allie for making it through her first day in grand style and for continuing to do well up to this point.

Wow, too LONG

As I was talking to a friend yesterday, I couldn't help but realize that it's been well over a month since I last posted anything. Well, tonight, I am kinda pissed about something so I needed to vent. I find this is a good way for me to blow off steam, and I'm able to go forward to put the issue behind me.

EDIT: Okay, I posted what I really wanted to, and had Rachel read it. I feel better now.

Sufficieth to say, I'm tired of people taking advantage of Rachel and my good nature. Time to pull out the shears and prune the "friend tree"