Life Altering

When is this crap gonna stop? Soon I hope. So far, nothing has been monumentally devastating, but I would like to settle into a lifestyle that has a duration of more than a few months at a time. Illness, job changes, illness, getting a new kid, marriage, losing the kid, and now, more job changes(for me this time). Last night my Board of Commissioners decided to contract out dispatch to the County.

At 9:30(ish) last night, the motion was on the floor, the votes were being cast and my future was decided by 5 individual business people, elected to a volunteer position. Shortly, the details will be finalized and I will no longer be a 911 communications officer.

I have been working 911 in this county for more than 18 years. I kinda feel odd when I think, I will, probably, never be the "calm during the storm" again.

Whereas, I am absolutely, completely and quite radically DONE with shift work, holidays, and mandatory overtime, I still find myself mourning the loss of a job that I can, not only, do in my sleep, but still find intriguing. A job that has evolved and morphed thru the years as technology has interposed itself on us. A job that has taught me infinite patience, a job that allows me the freedom to read, surf the Internet or even knit (if only I knew how), in my down time.

We (the 7 dispatchers left) were assured positions within the organization, and several divisions have reached out to me already. I'm intensely grateful to still be employed and able to continue being the purveyor of health insurance for my family. I look forward to the challenge of a new role in our newly independent district and finding a way to aid in the provision of public safety.

Now What?

Well it would seem that I started this thing, and have nothing to say. Lets see what we've got going on

Cat's basketball?...over

John's soccer?...over

Blake's soccer?...over

Christmas?...over (but you probably already knew that)

Horrendous soul sucking flu that has been making its way slowly through our family for the past 2 months?... hopefully over (everybody has survived with all appendages attached, Blake's nose however, is still trying to run away)

We've got a bit of a lull in extra curricular activities, 3rd marking period blues, the school year more than half over, but too much more to go before feeling the tug of summer break. February used to have a frantic pace with all the sporting seasons overlapping(YMCA sports overlap, high school sports don't), now it has a more anticipatory feeling, Cat's birthday kicks off the whirlwind that is spring around here, with all of our birthdays(except JJ's), holidays, the Relay and the flurry of end of school activities. February is when all the kids say "It feels so good to have nothing to do, nowhere that we have to be." Everybody kinda relaxes, there's still schoolwork, and chores, but free time is actually free for a brief, restorative, slice of time

Hmmm, guess I did have something to say after all.

Oh, Hi

You found us! Welcome to our little southern city, town, municipality, malignant sub-division, although technically we are a Census-designated place . We actually are in a former retirement community, I say former because all the kids followed their parents here (to mooch off their retirement homes in "Sunny Florida") and never left. Now they have started new generations here (like we did). Did you know all 4 kids were born at the same hospital? Come on down for a visit, we'd love to have you! If you don't mind the heat, humidity, hurricanes, alligators, love bugs and lightning. Oh yeah...that's why we come to see you!

All that aside, We're here and you're not, so we wanted to keep you up on all the happenings here, without harassing all 50 million of you with phone calls. Whatever did large families do to keep in touch before the Internet? Phone tree? Chain letter? Smoke signals?

You guys probably know all this already, but lets do a quick re-cap of where we're at, thus far...

• Officially established June 9, 2008, unofficially January 2000



• Cat's going to be 17 in March
  


• Jill and John 16 in May
  


• and Blake is 13 in April
  


• Next year all 4 kids will be in the same school for the first time since 2004
  


• Cat, John and Jill all get their drivers license's this coming summer(aren't you glad you don't live here?)
  


• JJ's finally retired
  


• I'm still slugging it out in the 911 center (for now)
  


• Rocky, Nicky and Ming are all still fuzzy and lovable...and always begging for treats

We're guiding the young ones as they morph from kids to young adults, I hope its not going to be too painful, it isn't always easy, but with this bunch of whack-o's, it bound to be fun!