The Mad Hatter

Oh, my! I have no idea how I can catch you up with all that has been going on in the last week and a half! I've tried to find a chunk of time to update things here for those of you who check, but as you know, that hasn't happened. In trying to bring things down to a manageable size, I decided to go with a hat theme tonight. I feel like I've worn many different ones recently, so I'll see if I can be a little creative in the summarizing. Ready??

First, we are still job searching. Sherlock Holmes has nothing on my hubby as he's made networking an art recently.

Here is the schedule he had this week:

Monday - interview in Winston-Salem, NC
Tuesday - lunch meeting in Acworth, GA
Wednesday - sorting boxed info from work
Thurday - interview in Nashville, TN
Friday - interview in Durham, NC

Unless something totally unexpected turns up, it's looking more and more like we'll be heading to TN or NC. We'll chat about that another day....

I've had a LOT of paperwork to take care of for my Mom recently. Written notifications to everybody from a rental insurance company to a credit card company...or five. Add to that many phone calls switching coverage for something or making doctor's appointments and let's just say that my days of wondering if I was learning anything useful while babysitting high schoolers as I tried to work were answered with a resounding "Yes"!! The only thing missing was a PA system and a two way radio base station.

Adjusting to the latest "new normal" emotionally along with the added stress of finding one's husband unemployed unexpectedly has definitely increased my pondering and questioning. God's faithfulness to us through the years has averted a major crisis of faith thus far, but my need to process internally before I can breathe fully again requires yet another hat.

Until the pollen tried to kill me within the last week, I have been able to enjoy some of the Spring beauty around me. Every time I put on my photographer hat, something inside of me takes a deep breath and is stilled.

Here are a few of my recent favorites.

Finally, the hat that has most recently been dusted off for a new season is this one:

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, baseball has begun again! Seriously, how can you not smile as you listen to the following words being sung as your favorite team takes the field?

Well, beat the drum and hold the phone - the sun came out today!
We’re born again, there’s new grass on the field.
A-roundin’ third, and headed for home, it’s a brown-eyed handsome man;
Anyone can understand the way I feel.

Chorus:
Oh, put me in, coach - I’m ready to play today;
Put me in, coach - I’m ready to play today;
Look at me, I can be centerfield.

Well, I spent some time in the mudville nine, watchin’ it from the bench;
You know I took some lumps when the mighty casey struck out.
So say hey willie, tell ty cobb and joe dimaggio;
Don’t say "it ain’t so", you know the time is now.

Chorus

Yeah! I got it, I got it!

Got a beat-up glove, a homemade bat, and brand-new pair of shoes;
You know I think it’s time to give this game a ride.
Just to hit the ball and touch ’em all - a moment in the sun;
(pop) it’s gone and you can tell that one goodbye!

Chorus
Chorus
Yeah!

(Click here to listen to it being sung by John Fogarty)

The Braves opened the 2011 on the road this year against the Washington Nationals, so even though I couldn't be there in person, I still had to document it.

After winning two in DC, the Braves headed to Milwaukee and sadly lost three of the four they played against the Brewers. BUT....finally they come home to real grass, warm weather, and home cooking on Friday night (which is now actually later today). I will be there and am hoping to see a win as we face our division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies.

When I get home, Hamp will have arrived from Raleigh, returned to the airport to pick up Michael and Bekah and be back home again with our northern children in tow who are visiting for a long weekend. Add Matthew driving back from Orange Beach where he took a few days to relax and our family will be mostly reunited for a much too brief time.

I'm guessing that after tomorrow's interview in Raleigh we'll know if there are any job offers forthcoming. Should there be more than one, then we'll have a decision to make. Stay tuned as we juggle the days ahead!