Not much going on here in Iowa. Expecting snow again on Thursday, which is depressing with the 40+ degrees with had today and expecting almost 50 degrees tomorrow.

Went to a friend's wedding this past weekend and had a great time. Went up Friday night, boy was that a ride. The weather was a bit treacherous, but we made it. Came home on Sunday in the nice sunshine weather.

Another busy week this week. Ken & I are teaching a CPR class on Wednesday night, have an ambulance meeting (Disciplinary Review Team) on Thursday, and then finally Friday. After work Friday a few from my team are going out together to hang out and let our hair down for a couple of hours. From there it's off to Electric Park for the dance - - dancing always relieves stress. Saturday we need to do some housework and laundry before we are off to Gina & Steve's house for a night of cards.

I was hoping March would be a bit more quiet, but I'm suppose to start a new training class on March 12th (classes are 3 weeks long). We are hoping to hire at least 3, but that number could jump or another larger class right after this one. Job security!! Don't tell anyone, but I really enjoy what I do, even if it gets hectic!

We are all looking forward to the time for Andrea, Brad, Sammy, & Sophie's arrival in Iowa. Not that I'm counting, but it's 27 days!! Also looking forward to Jessica, Chad, Hunter, & Ian's return from vacation. The boys are staying with their aunt & uncle in Nebraska while Jess & Chad are in Colorado. Hope all are having a great time, but we miss them all!!

Not much else to add today, but love & blessings to all!

Sunrise & Remembering

I was going through some photos and found this sunrise I snapped on the way to work one morning. It reminds me how lucky I am for the following:

• To have such a great family
• To have a great church family
• To live in a country that is free
• To have great friends
• To have good health
• And to have special memories to remember those who have passed through my life

Take time each day to spend remembering the great things you have in your life.

Busy, Busy, Busy

February has been a busy month already and it is only half over. We have something scheduled for every weekend this month and March is starting to fill up also. Staying busy is making winter pass more quickly and that is a great thing!

We treated ourselves and went to see Jeff Dunham last night in Cedar Falls. What an awesome show. If he is ever near you, go see him - - so worth it and you won't be disappointed. We still go to the dances we can and find it's a great avenue of relaxation.

This past week at work has been a bit on the insane side. We had our yearly audit review and it was hectic, but we came through it with rave reviews. And now the chaos begins!! The program I work on was expanded as part of the new stimulus package. It is a specialized office of the IRS that helps people keep their health insurance. Right now we help just a few specialized groups, but now it expands and loosens some of the requirements which will allow us to help even more people. I look forward to the challenge and excitement that will follow over the next few months. But first I need to get rid of this crummy cold I have managed to catch.

Ken is staying busy with work, ambulance, and some minor home repairs. He is quite the handyman! (Dad - thanks for being there to help him and supervise his work!) We have a new kitchen faucet, bathroom faucet, and shower head. I think he is really itching to get outside (as we all are).

We are all looking forward to helping Andrea and Brad get settled back in the area. They start their house hunting next week. Boy time is going by quickly!

The weather has been fairly decent lately, but received a couple of inches a snow yesterday. The good thing is it won't last long. Spring is just around the corner and we will be able to do some work outside. We have already asked Andrea for some guidance with some landscaping.

Everyone take care and blessings for all!