Life is full of change.....

Those who expect moments of change to be comfortable and free of conflict have not learned their history. ~Joan Wallach Scott



There has always been change.  We can perceive this as good or as bad.  Welcome or unwelcome, change happens.   My 2014 has been full of change.   Lots of BIG changes and some little changes.


1.  Move from Albany, MO to Charles City, IA = BIG change.   With this change came the obvious changes of new home, new job, new friends, new schools, new teams, new teammates, and new routines.

2.  The death of our beloved Sammie.

3.  Loss of new job  (totally unexpected change...sometimes the hardest kind!)

4.  New school year!

•      This has been the freshest in my mind.  We have been preparing for this moment when my baby boy moves up to the middle school all summer.  He met this new challenge head on and was prepared!   The in a new town playing baseball and throwing discs at the local disc golf course with new friends helped him to adjust!  We all need those friends.  The Beatles knew what they were singing about!  
•       My precocious daughter has entered 1st grade.  She too is prepared.  She was able to make some new friends over the past school year, but her age limited the growth of those friendships.  She pines for her good friends and the known friends of Albany.  She had a history with them and was comfortable. Sometimes change isn't comfortable, she gets that now. There has been some tears with missing the  familiar, but she too is adjusting very well!  First grade is bound to help her with that.  How could it not?  She is such a social butterfly!

Yep, these changes have taken up time.  They have been stressful and uncomfortable at times.  I expected that, but thank goodness I can not tell the future to see what it will hold.  We have to take life as it comes. I will take it with a smile, a few good friends (those I have known a short time and those I have known a long time) and of course an ice cold beer!  

CHEERS!

"Momma....

.... is it OK if I rest my eyes? "

Our Furry Best Friend

Sammie, you were with us for 12 years.  You were our first baby.  You were amazing.   We have happy, funny stories about you.  Yet you were always there to snuggle with too!   Thanks for being our puppy girl and making our family so happy every day.  I miss you!

I'm ahead of the game........or maybe not.

We started packing early.  I thought I was so far ahead of the game.   The pile of boxes in the living room has diminished.

I was so very wrong.  A walk through the house proves that it is going to be a challenge to everything boxed and ready by 3/20.   Anyone want to help?

Final basketball game in Albany

We had a ton of fun watching the Albany boys play basketball this season.   I saw siome amazing improvement in their skill levels this year.   Great job boys!!!!!  

Today was a bit bittersweet as this was the last basketball game Tyler will pay here in Albany.   These boys will be missed.

Waiting

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a planner....unfortunately there is so many things out of my control right now!


I hate WAITING!


Fingers are crossed that all the moving stuff falls into place this week!

Preparation

We will show the MO house for the first time today.   A lot of preparation went into this!   Thanks to Melanie Fish and her posse for the impromptu clean up....it wasn't all my preparation!   I did rush to clean the Harman stove and touch up that spot in the kitchen!   Just a few more things to do and I think it will be as pretty as can be!  

Fingers crossed and extra prayers today!

Creating warmth

I am feverishly knitting on this hat for some selfish and not so selfish reasons!    The selfish reason?    I want to join the Journey knitalong that starts tomorrow!   ( my Inland is going to be so cozy) 
The unselfish reason is the recipient well need something warm on his head!

Heading North!

A lot of you have asked and it's official now...we will be moving to Charles City, IA.

Here is the official Hy-Vee announcement that came out today!

Brian Wilken, store director at Albany, has been selected as the new store director for our Charles City store. Brian has been store director at the Albany store since 2010.
Brian began his Hy-Vee career in 1989 at Cedar Rapids #4 as a part-time courtesy clerk and checker/stocker. He moved to full-time at Cedar Rapids #5 in 1995 and filled a variety of roles while at this store. Brian was an assistant shift manager (1995), shift manager (1997), wine and spirits manager (1997), 2nd assistant manager (1998), manager general merchandise (1999) and manager store operations (1999) while at the Cedar Rapids store. In 2005 he moved to Waterloo #2 as manager, perishables and also filled the role of manager, store operations (2008) while at that store. 2010 found Brian earning his first store director assignment at Albany, his current location.
Brian graduated from Regis High School in Cedar Rapids and went on to earn degrees at Kirkwood Community College (A.A. Liberal Arts) and Mt. Mercy College (B.A. Administration Management). He is also a Hy-Vee University graduate having earned his operations degree. Brian is married to Wendy and they have two children; Tyler (10) and Kendra (5). He loves to be outside and when not involved in family activities, his favorite pastimes include fishing, hunting, playing golf and following the Green Bay Packers and Iowa Hawkeye sporting events.
As Brian prepares for his transition to the Charles City store, he had the following to say about his time at Albany along with being selected for the Charles City store. “Words alone are not enough to thank the crew at the Albany store for their hard work and dedication over the last three and a half years. We will truly miss our Albany Hy-Vee family and the many lifelong friends we believe we have gained from our time in this community. Although we are sad in leaving Albany, my family and I are truly excited to meet our new Hy-Vee family in Charles City and to be able to become part of a community with such a deep Hy-Vee tradition.”
We are proud to have Brian take the reins at Charles City. He has done a great job in leading Albany for the past three years, allowing him to hone his management skills. Brian is known as a great merchandiser and for running a tight buttoned up operation. We are confident that with Brian’s leadership we will continue to see Charles City grow.
Please join me in congratulating Brian and wishing him and his family good luck as they make the
move from Albany to Charles City.
Sincerely,
Ron Taylor
RT/jw

Brian will start his job on 2/4.  Other details will be available as soon as I know those details!  HA HA!  Lots of planning will be taking place in the next few weeks.  We are excited, but with that excitement comes a little nervousness!

Today's project

Nothing like a day of knitting for yourself,  especially this beautiful and cozy yarn.