Iraq Issues | Pictures
What We've Been Up To Lately...

April 1, 2004
Ok it has been awhile, I know.  But the last time I tried to access this website it wouldnt't let me on so I assumed that Tripod stopped offering these free sites and took it down.   I was wrong.  It is here and so today I will add an update. 
 
Mark is still flying for ACA, however he was moved to the Delta regional side and is flying out of Cincinatti OH.    There is a plan in place for ACA to drop all the contracts and start their own airline but the United bankruptcy is holding things up.   We have plans to go to New York in June to see a Broadway show with our friends.  This will be a first for me so I am really looking forward to that.
 
I am unemployed again having been fired from Pratt Medical.  Got into a tiff with my supervisor and she got back at me by getting me fired.   It is a long boring story, but in a nutshell I was screwed.   Not all is lost however.   They paid for me to go through a coding class to get certified, and I finished the class.  They are still going to allow me to take the national board exam since it was already paid.   I have about 3 weeks of studying before that takes place.   
 
Brittany was not happy with her highschool out here so she took the GED and passed with flying colors.   Her plans are to start college (probably in the Fall) and get a nursing degree.   
 
John is doing well in school.  He is in the 8th grade band and plays the saxaphone.   The band won the highest honors at a playoff recently - the highest in the history of the school.  The band is going to Busch Gardens on May 1.  His sister Rachel was just out here visiting for her Spring break.    We had a great time seeing her and when she comes out this summer we have a long list of things to do. 
 
Loxy our dog is as spoiled as ever.  The cats are also still with us.  Misty is 16 and Playful is almost 13.    It is raining today but not hard.  We have some gardening to do but that will have to wait.   I am going to try hard to get some pictures uploaded to this site.    That is all for now.
 
 
 
 
July 10, 2003
You can tell I update this a lot.  NOT! Oh well we're all so busy these days.  Today Mark and I have been married 10 years.   Unfortunately he is in Indiana today and there are thunderstorms that are causing problems and he won't be home today to celebrate.   That will have to wait.   Gladys, Marks mom had a stroke recently that left her blind in one eye.   He will be going to California in a couple days to see her.   My dad was diagnosed recently with colon cancer.  Doesn't seem to have spread so he is getting radiation and chemotherapy and will likely have surgery in about 6 weeks.   So far no real bad side effects, but the doctor says there will be side effects soon.    Lori has adopted a purebred beagle puppy.  Named her Maddie.  Maddie runs the house I am told.  The vet called it the "Princess" syndrome.   She is also working in a new job in Tucson.  I haven't heard any details about the job except that she loves it.   My nephew John is now living with us in Virginia.  He seems to be liking it.   He and Brittany have season passes to King's Dominion and have been there several times so far.  Bowling and movies also are part of his summer.   In August he will attend day camp for a week that teaches kids kayaking and canoeing.  He will also turn 13 in August.  Brittany goes on her European trip on the 29th of this month.  She will visit England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France in a span of 19 days.   She is getting excited about that. 
 
Our Fourth of July was pretty fun.  We lit off fireworks in the street along with our neighbors.  It is legal here.  John loved it.   Not much else to tell except we got a letter of violation from our home owner association saying the gravel we put in the backyard was "excessive landscaping" and therefore required approval.   There is nothing mentioned in our HOA book about "excessive landscaping", but we politely requested retroactive approval.   If they think we are going to pick up a couple tons of gravel to please them they got another thing coming!  Besides it looks great and many neighbors have told us they love it.    
 
May 22,2003
We finished the back and front yards finally.  The last step was seeding the front lawn which Mark did about 3 weeks ago.  The grass is about 2 inches high now.  It came in a bit thin so we reseeded with additional seed.   I don't mind saying it looks very nice.   Everytime we go outside to water or whatever it never fails, a neighbor will be walking a dog and comment on how nice the yard looks.   One guy asked me how we got the lawn so smooth.   Well raking a couple tons of rocks out of the dirt was the first step.  The ground is very rocky here. 
 
Well I worked for the college for 3 weeks and quit.  Another job offer came through that I was thrilled to get.  I now work for a large medical group with about 50 practitioners in 7 facilities.  I am in the Coding and Compliance department and my position is hospital biller.   The people are great here and I love the job. 
 
On May 4th Brittany's appendix ruptured.  She had surgery that night and stayed in the hospital for 5 days.  She is completely recoved now, but it was a rough time for her.  The IV antibiotics she was on made her extremely sick.  She missed 6 days of school for that. 
 
Mark is in a new jet now.  He flies out of Cincinatti OH. 
 
This is brief but that is all I have time for now.  More later.
 
 
 
March 11, 2003
 
The snow is melted and finally there are signs of spring!  We heard several frogs (or possibly toads) croaking away yesterday 3/10 while we worked in the yard.   Felt good to be in the sun.   We are expecting delivery of 4 pallets of rocks tomorrow that will be used to make our raised rock gardens in the backyard.   Later we will be ordering several tons of pea gravel as well.  
 
I got a job offer from Mary Washington College and will start working there tomorrow.  Only part time but that will work out good for now.
 
    


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