Hey All

Sorry it's been so long since I have updated, but things have been insane in my life lately. With fiscal year end looming, I am trying to take advantage of the overtime for extra spending money for the trip.

This weekend was really good, actually. We didn't have to come in on Saturday, which was nice, so I was able to sleep in to 9am on Saturday and then do some shopping before my weekly visit to Lindi's McDonald's for lunch. Sarah wasn't feeling well, so I took her home and let her sleep while I got dinner started. I made slow cooked spare ribs in BBQ sauce and they turned out wonderful, aside new potatoes and cottage cheese with potato rolls and chocolate pudding for dessert. Dinner was great, and my family loved the homecooked meal.

My friend April called us Saturday night to see if Sarah could watch her son Graydon, so Sarah got an impropmtu babysitting gig, while Lindi and I went to her store after hours to upgrade her computer system. The process was going to take 4+ hours, so we decided to come home.

Sunday was rest, laundry and my brother in law's birthday party. Ray is officially old at 40! It was the first time I have seen my family since the whole newspaper thing, and it was good to get with them. My dad hugged me really tight for a long time and he even teared up a bit, and told me he loved me. I think this really hit him hard, but he's a great support, and he adores Lindi. I think it came down to being scared that I wouldn't be taken care of, and he can see that Lindi and I take good care of each other, so he doesn't have to worry. My mom was very warm to the both of us and Sarah... and we had a ceremonial hair cutting. I braided her butt-length hair and my sister got to cut it off and her neckline! My mom lost about 10 years! We are donating her hair to Locks of Love as well. My mom is so cool.

Good news, the meth house next door is ready to be enhabited, and Karen was able to refer one of her friends to live there. Now we will know 2 out of our 3 neighbors. Plus, Angel, our new neighbor, has two kids, so Sarah will be a resident babysitter and be able to suppliment her McDonald's income. Very nice.

Speaking of Sarah, we got her final grades : 3.3 GPA! 5 A's, 2B's and a C- in Algebra. This quarter was the highest quarter of the year. She tried this quarter without an algebra tutor and I think did pretty well. She will pick up her tutor at the beginning of the year to try and get that grade up, but she is really doing well in school. She's made honor roll each quarter. I am proud of her!

Work is... work, and I best get back to it. Love out to K, who was laid off from her job on Thursday. My thoughts are with you!