I've had a request or two for a Tobo update, so the good news is that there is no new news. Baby is fluttering a bit, but not really in a way that anyone else can verify, so you'll just have to take my word. Usually after meals, but only day meals. At night i think he/she is a sleep. Next ob/gyn is in about 3 weeks. Then we have the big gender-finding-out apt after Thanksgiving. (can't! wait!) But for now, not much news. My favorite new past times seem to be hitching up my maternity pants and fiddling with my maternity bra. I am every woman.
Tobo (and mom-to-be) just got back into town after a visit to the family in Florida. (this includes not only grandparents-to-be, but also grand-nana-to-be to boot) It was a good trip but too short. (as always) Found some of my baby dresses which are actually still in pretty good condition. This would be advantageous if we have a girl...or future black mail material if we have a boy. We also found this sleeper which is white with royal blue accents -- very much like a little dutch baby.
After arriving late Tuesday, Guru whisked me away to candidate course with ACME, which starts with a 4 day retreat at a very nice retreat center with wireless. We figured we'd prefer to drive last night than this morning. I will only get to see 2 days of seminars, Guru was able to be here for the whole 4 days. This is very exciting because a lot of the threads of our lives are dependent on this week's decisions. By the end of next week we will know if we are accepted as official appointees to ACME. Once we know, we will send out a more specific communication about our new status. If you'd like to be a part of that, please let me know. It also means that hoemke.com will become an active site again after a 3 year hiatus. [NOTE: that website is very much in beta right now. Do not be fooled that it is in working order. ] We can also be in touch the old fashion "phone" or "snail-mail" way as well, just let me know you are interested. A lot of the mission-oriented items will shift over there from this blog. More on that later.
Needless to say, if you pray, please keep the ACME board, the other potential candidates and of course ourselves in mind over the next 8 days.
Well, 1am is really starting to catch up with me, so I will sign off now.
Showing posts with label muddle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muddle. Show all posts
10.24.2007
10.05.2007
update project muddle and other hillarity
First the hilarity I think. Work has gotten silly. My plan had been to ease myself into the background over the next few months, slowly replacing me with someone else as the go to person at the company. I have a tendency to burn the candle at both ends if I'm not watched, and I really didn't want to be more stressed then necessary while I'm transporting another being. I've had neighbors with thin walls and I hate it when they play their rock music all night. I assume Tobo feels the same. :)
So, I got to work after traveling to the Old Country (pgh) ready to pick up a few left over tasks and generally putter around. I find that I am going to a meeting with WOT Realtors(R) AND that we don't know why we are meeting. I find out that I am now going to be their very own personal pet designer and actually be stationed in their office. "Um, what?" I don't get more money, I do get out of there as soon as we can hire someone in. I was pretty close to throwing a tantrum, but cooled down after some time to think. TL and I spinned it that I'm going in to "work out the bugs" in the system and then we will bring in a new designer. I will wear my maternity gear if necessary to explain why I will be leaving asap. The really irking point about all this is the stress of meeting 80 new people and being pulled back into a corporate setting just as I was about to leave the work force. I haven't been in a corporate office since 2001(?). I left it for a reason.
In truth, the work will not be any harder than what I'm doing now. I also doubt we will have anyone ready to step into this until late nov, early december. And don't ask me what will happen to all the other projects I would normally be working on. Tough luck I guess.
On to the muddle project:
After that meeting, I went to a second meeting with ACME and Paul to try and hammer out what our plans are for the future. It was a really good meeting.
We have been struggling with how to stay with ACME and not live out of our car. Now we opened up that struggle to the ACME leadership team, to see what their take was on all of this was. Beyond the numbers, we wanted to see if there was a need for us to stay, a way which I could help (since I would be new to the team) and how to work out the logistics and timing. With Tobo on the way, we were very emphatic that we need to have a plan in place and a few benchmarks which will be go/no go lines both for us and for ACME. We can't be dead wood, but we also can't hang out on a wing and a prayer. Well, not on a wing at least.
After a loooong talk (we got out just before six), we had a plan in place, with benchmarks, dollar amounts and action items. It still needs to be finalized and approved by the whole leadership team. The plan as it stands is we would become full time members in the next year or two. Full membership is defined as having enough prayer and financial support to meet an agreed upon monetary amount that ACME needs to support us. Our current support is minimal, so we will need to do a lot of work. (called deportation, uh I mean deputation)
In faith that the plan will be approved by the rest of the leadership team, Paul and I will be going through a number of psych, medical, and financial batteries, as well as theological questions in the next few weeks. We will be attending the candidate course which is the last 2 weeks of October. In November, we will hear back from the leadership team about whether the plan is still viable on their end. Which means we would move forward and go before the board, hopefully to become appointees.
Paul and I are willing to try it. This is our last shot to try to keep Paul in a position where he is called vocationally to be. If it doesn't work (see: go/no go lines) than Paul will be leaving ACME and finding an IT job that will cover our expenses. That probably will not be in Denver, since one of the struggles we are having right now is the cost of living out here. We're planning on staying for the birth, but after that we will be on the move as soon as Tobo is portable again. (what is that, 18?)
Obviously this is a lot to consider. As always, we would appreciate any prayers you can send up about this, for us, the leadership team, the board, and Tobo. Little does he/she know how crazy his/her parents will be.
So, I got to work after traveling to the Old Country (pgh) ready to pick up a few left over tasks and generally putter around. I find that I am going to a meeting with WOT Realtors(R) AND that we don't know why we are meeting. I find out that I am now going to be their very own personal pet designer and actually be stationed in their office. "Um, what?" I don't get more money, I do get out of there as soon as we can hire someone in. I was pretty close to throwing a tantrum, but cooled down after some time to think. TL and I spinned it that I'm going in to "work out the bugs" in the system and then we will bring in a new designer. I will wear my maternity gear if necessary to explain why I will be leaving asap. The really irking point about all this is the stress of meeting 80 new people and being pulled back into a corporate setting just as I was about to leave the work force. I haven't been in a corporate office since 2001(?). I left it for a reason.
In truth, the work will not be any harder than what I'm doing now. I also doubt we will have anyone ready to step into this until late nov, early december. And don't ask me what will happen to all the other projects I would normally be working on. Tough luck I guess.
On to the muddle project:
After that meeting, I went to a second meeting with ACME and Paul to try and hammer out what our plans are for the future. It was a really good meeting.
We have been struggling with how to stay with ACME and not live out of our car. Now we opened up that struggle to the ACME leadership team, to see what their take was on all of this was. Beyond the numbers, we wanted to see if there was a need for us to stay, a way which I could help (since I would be new to the team) and how to work out the logistics and timing. With Tobo on the way, we were very emphatic that we need to have a plan in place and a few benchmarks which will be go/no go lines both for us and for ACME. We can't be dead wood, but we also can't hang out on a wing and a prayer. Well, not on a wing at least.
After a loooong talk (we got out just before six), we had a plan in place, with benchmarks, dollar amounts and action items. It still needs to be finalized and approved by the whole leadership team. The plan as it stands is we would become full time members in the next year or two. Full membership is defined as having enough prayer and financial support to meet an agreed upon monetary amount that ACME needs to support us. Our current support is minimal, so we will need to do a lot of work. (called deportation, uh I mean deputation)
In faith that the plan will be approved by the rest of the leadership team, Paul and I will be going through a number of psych, medical, and financial batteries, as well as theological questions in the next few weeks. We will be attending the candidate course which is the last 2 weeks of October. In November, we will hear back from the leadership team about whether the plan is still viable on their end. Which means we would move forward and go before the board, hopefully to become appointees.
Paul and I are willing to try it. This is our last shot to try to keep Paul in a position where he is called vocationally to be. If it doesn't work (see: go/no go lines) than Paul will be leaving ACME and finding an IT job that will cover our expenses. That probably will not be in Denver, since one of the struggles we are having right now is the cost of living out here. We're planning on staying for the birth, but after that we will be on the move as soon as Tobo is portable again. (what is that, 18?)
Obviously this is a lot to consider. As always, we would appreciate any prayers you can send up about this, for us, the leadership team, the board, and Tobo. Little does he/she know how crazy his/her parents will be.
9.24.2007
two burning bushes and a mircophone
I woke up this morning to the sound of canadian geese, which is the official harbinger of fall/winter here. It's probably going to be nice for another month and then get cold and possibly snowy from there on out.
Time is running away from us.
We are in our current place through December. After that we go month to month (with additional fees) until we move. I guess we could always re-sign a lease, but obviously we'd rather not do that. Our moving window pre-baby is closing quickly (probably mid November is the last "not too snowy days"), but we are still in the decision process with ACME, so we'd prefer not to rush into buying a house until we've made that decision.
The other option is to rent a new place for a year (or 6 months, or 9 months) which we really could do before the november cut off date, but that means we are moving now, and probably again next summer/fall when we actually do get a house. Why move twice when you can just move once?
The problem is space. If we stay here to have the baby, then we will need to rent a storage locker for the winter/spring so we have enough space to set up a crib, changing table, additional clothing, etc. basically turn the back bedrooms into bedrooms instead of a bedroom and a large, shared office. The other down side of this place is that we have a shared laundry room in the club house, but for a month or two with the baby, I think we could get by. I'd prefer not to 'get by' for another year though. The laundry is the only reason a new place looks so desirable to me right now instead of just staying put. :) It goes without saying that renting will be more expensive for the space we need than buying.
A lot of this hangs on our decision about ACME. They have come back with a great offer, but it would be long term (10 years probably) and would likely make one or both of us full members. We'd be supported folks, so we would be expected to raise our own funds to stay members over time.
I adore make life changing decisions in the midst of another life change. :)
So, I guess that is our prayer request for the next few weeks. We now have two burning bushes, we just need to discern what they mean.
Time is running away from us.
We are in our current place through December. After that we go month to month (with additional fees) until we move. I guess we could always re-sign a lease, but obviously we'd rather not do that. Our moving window pre-baby is closing quickly (probably mid November is the last "not too snowy days"), but we are still in the decision process with ACME, so we'd prefer not to rush into buying a house until we've made that decision.
The other option is to rent a new place for a year (or 6 months, or 9 months) which we really could do before the november cut off date, but that means we are moving now, and probably again next summer/fall when we actually do get a house. Why move twice when you can just move once?
The problem is space. If we stay here to have the baby, then we will need to rent a storage locker for the winter/spring so we have enough space to set up a crib, changing table, additional clothing, etc. basically turn the back bedrooms into bedrooms instead of a bedroom and a large, shared office. The other down side of this place is that we have a shared laundry room in the club house, but for a month or two with the baby, I think we could get by. I'd prefer not to 'get by' for another year though. The laundry is the only reason a new place looks so desirable to me right now instead of just staying put. :) It goes without saying that renting will be more expensive for the space we need than buying.
A lot of this hangs on our decision about ACME. They have come back with a great offer, but it would be long term (10 years probably) and would likely make one or both of us full members. We'd be supported folks, so we would be expected to raise our own funds to stay members over time.
I adore make life changing decisions in the midst of another life change. :)
So, I guess that is our prayer request for the next few weeks. We now have two burning bushes, we just need to discern what they mean.
8.23.2007
project muddle
So, you all have been really kind not to beat me to death after the last non-update post. We really appreciate any prayers and
thoughts you have sent our way. We can really use them. Here is why: we probably can not continue to live in Den and work for ACME Intl at guru's current salary rate. Now, we are having some conversations with ACME to try and fix this, (read:wacky skeme A) so maybe this is all panicing for nothing. We won't know for a month or so how this will resolve itself. We asked you to pray blindly about this mainly because we honestly have no idea if this is God's way of politely asking us to move on or if it's some kind of test. Biblical scholars, place your bets! [FYI- if you've seen our burning bush, please email] Obviously we've shelved the house hunt for now, at least until we hear back from ACME. To be clear, ACME itself is doing well, we've just been living lean for the last few years and it's starting to show.
Please keep this to yourselves (this blog is on friends lock) until we have something more definite than "oh noz!"
In better news - the management finally fixed our leaks and are now replacing our ceiling. They put up the dry wall today and will be spraying the popcorn tomorrow. With any luck (and aim) the contractors will not spackle our books. We are also out of our rent concession cluster, ah mess up, so we are free to move with 30 days notice. The down side of this is our rent goes up to what it should have been, but that was bound to happen anyway if we signed a new lease with these folks. I am leery of signing a lease with these folks. It's good to actually have a ceiling over our head. I might even vacuum again.
I finished JS&MN and also Harry Potter finally. Teared up I think 3 times. That was an excellent wrap up book for that series. Not high literature but a good read. Now I am out of books. I demand suggestions!
thoughts you have sent our way. We can really use them. Here is why: we probably can not continue to live in Den and work for ACME Intl at guru's current salary rate. Now, we are having some conversations with ACME to try and fix this, (read:wacky skeme A) so maybe this is all panicing for nothing. We won't know for a month or so how this will resolve itself. We asked you to pray blindly about this mainly because we honestly have no idea if this is God's way of politely asking us to move on or if it's some kind of test. Biblical scholars, place your bets! [FYI- if you've seen our burning bush, please email] Obviously we've shelved the house hunt for now, at least until we hear back from ACME. To be clear, ACME itself is doing well, we've just been living lean for the last few years and it's starting to show.
Please keep this to yourselves (this blog is on friends lock) until we have something more definite than "oh noz!"
In better news - the management finally fixed our leaks and are now replacing our ceiling. They put up the dry wall today and will be spraying the popcorn tomorrow. With any luck (and aim) the contractors will not spackle our books. We are also out of our rent concession cluster, ah mess up, so we are free to move with 30 days notice. The down side of this is our rent goes up to what it should have been, but that was bound to happen anyway if we signed a new lease with these folks. I am leery of signing a lease with these folks. It's good to actually have a ceiling over our head. I might even vacuum again.
I finished JS&MN and also Harry Potter finally. Teared up I think 3 times. That was an excellent wrap up book for that series. Not high literature but a good read. Now I am out of books. I demand suggestions!
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