The New Job...

is great!  I'm really enjoying it!  Oh my goodness!  It's fun!  It's crazy!  It's exciting!  A little overwhelming, but a really good kind, like, "lets take on the world and win!" kind of overwhelming... I'm learning a lot!  I feel like I'm cramming 40 hours into 20 hour work weeks!  Sheesh!  It is all really, really good... what I learn at the hospital carries over to Stone Hollow and vice versa, so it is great!  And being with Trent during the week and not worrying about traveling for weeks on end, I can't tell you the weight off my shoulders (granted there has been a different kind of weight added because we are still juggling to see how we can make everything work, but we will, I have no doubt, because just last night Tory told me how happy he is because I'm finally a happy person in this household again, that made me happy and sad all at the same time!  I really didn't see how unhappy I was during the last few months, but I was... leaving, being going, coming home, and then a few weeks later doing the same thing was taking a toll... and I would rather have a toll of working really hard at a fast pace and seeing my husband, children and family and loved ones and juggling for a little while anyday!  Man, that was a really long thoughts for just one parthenthis... better close it up!).    So yes, it is good!  I'm really enjoying what I am doing, and the people I am working with and how we are working for the community and the hospital.  We are building a new hospital for Jones County!  Yes!  It will be up and running in the fall of 2009!  They have already raised over 2.1 million dollars!  And we still have aways to go to meet our goal, but the community is just outstanding!  Do you know that Jones County Medical Center is one of the few hospitals in Iowa that does not relay on tax subsides from the state or county to help meet their budget?!?!  Nope!  Running in the black is a very, very good thing... we will have a small house payment for a little while with this new hospital, but that will be okay, because we aren't building the new hospital because we are trying to bring people in, we are building the hospital because we already have the people and not enough room and space for everything and everyone!  That is a great thing!  So yes, I'm enjoying the job and all it's toughness!  

Also, I'm enjoying taking a more active role in our family business with Stone Hollow Dog Training, I really think we are moving in the right direction.  Tory has been in two newspapers, front page article in one and a entire page spread in the other, it was great!  I have him lined up for another article next week and I'm trying to get a few more publications to do some features on him and the business... so I have that and so much more that I need to do to help him with the business, but it is all very good... He is doing a stellar job with the families, owner and pets... he just has such a good way with people and dogs, it will amaze me every day... I'm so glad that he found something that he so good at and that makes him so happy... he tells me everyday, "Abby, as long as I can help someone and their pet, that makes me happy..." I got a little teary eyed the first couple times he told me, I'm a softy though!

Okay, lets see, what else?  It's been SO long since I last blogged that this one is going to be a doozy!  Sheesh!

Ashley had her first track meet on Monday, junior high track meets!  Oh man, I do not miss junior high in the least, but Ashley did a really good job!  She ran the 4x800 - the relay team got third, and Ash got her first REAL taste of an 800, not sure if she hates them, doesn't understand them, or fears them a little... I'm hoping she comes to love them, because I think she can be REALLY good... no really... she has the legs for it, the stride for it, the pace for it, she's got 800 in her blood... but I'm not going to push her, if she doesn't like track, she doesn't like it, I just think she would be really good at it... go Ash!  So she ran her first 800 and then she went on to run the 4x200 and did well in that two, their relay got 2nd in that event, but really got blown away by the first place finisher, I've never seen a junior high team beat the 2nd place team by over 100 yards!  Seriously!  It was crazy, the first team was finishing when the rest of the pack was coming over the last corner!  Holy smokes!

So while Ashley was running and I was screaming and cheering her on (as was her Grandma Donna and Grandma Ronda - Tory asked us to move away from him and Trent, we told him that he could move =) Trent was having a blast running up and down the hill at the track meet and then my friend Jenn and her son Max showed up to watch Ashley's 4x200, which was SO very nice of them, and Trent and Max were running around together... Trent is calling Max "Mash" – can't get the "x" out just yet... it was really cute.  Trent also got to see Max last night when we stopped into to see the two of them and drop off a Pampered Chef catalog... Trent just thinks Max is the coolest and wants to do anything that Max does... Max was amazing me on his knowledge of Pirates of the Caribbean, ask him any question regarding the series (both 1, 2, and 3) and he knows it!  I don't even know the answer when I'm asking the question, but he knows it!  It is freaking amazing, and I will let you all know right now, Max is 3 years old!  Crazy!  He's a smarty pants, but adorable to boot!

So we've gotten to see Jenn and Max a few times this week, that has been nice.  I've gotten to see Trent a lot more with him going to three day daycare this week, love it!  But I'm glad that Trent gets to go to daycare a few days for a few hours a week, I like the socialization he gets during that time and the structure, it's good for him...

What else... Le is still in the planning process of getting married!  She's on the verge of buying a house with her fiancee!  Congrat's on that, I'm very excited for her... when big things start happening, it really seems like they happen fast.

We found out tonight that Tory's step-sister, Amanda, is engaged!  Congratulations to Amanda!  And she definitely has a rock on her finger!  Oh my goodness!  So that wedding won't be until next fall, 2009 too.

What else... I have my first Pampered Chef Show on Saturday, I'm nervous, but I keep telling myself to have fun, enjoy, and we are all their to have a good time... we will... I'm happy that my cousin Sarah is my first one, she'll be great, she's pretty darn easy going, but I still have a lot to do to get prepared... I will also be having a Pampered Chef Open House and Mystery Host on Sunday April 27th because one of my four shows backed out at the last minute for unusual circumstances that were out of her control, so I thought it would be fun to have everyone out for an Open House, see the farm, and the house and everything, enjoy some food, place an order on something you have been eyeing, and then from all the people that purchase that day, I will pick one person's name out of the hat, and that person will receive all the host rewards from that day!  Very cool!  Who's the lucky person going to be, so marked your calendars for April 27th, and if you can't come out (I think the open house will be from 11 or 12 to 2 or 3, not quite sure yet), let me know, and you can always order if you want and then you will still be put in for the drawing... hopefully people can come out though, especially if you haven't seen what we have been up to out here on the farm...

Tory has an Open House Saturday in Monti at Amanda's dance studio, different area businesses will be there promoting who they are and what they are all about, if you have some time between 11-1 on Saturday, stop over, the porkchop producers will be giving away free samples and their all sorts of prizes and give aways... should be a good time, Tory will have to tell me all about it because I have Sarah's PC party during that time... oh well, can't do everything!  

I know there is so much more to tell, but I still have a lot to do and not enough time in the day to do it, so I better skedaddle for a little while.  I'm going to take in the Peosta garage sales tomorrow with my sister-in-law Amy, should be a good time, we are going to make tracks though!  Go, go, go!

Oh, my niece, Kayla, ran the 3000 tonight, and did great!  She got third place and I was very impressed on how she looked while she was running, she of course wanted to do better, but I thought she did a great job!  Keep working hard Kayla!  I know you can do anything you put your mind too!  Love you!

Have a great night everyone!  Cheers!