Wha?

Last week started like any other week, though I did know over the weekend that my grandfather was getting worse. Then several bombs got dropped on me at work (things brought to my attention that needed immediate work) and I really didn't get anything done.

Then, about 20 minutes before I went home, I got the call from my dad (who had already flown to Missouri to be with my grandpa a few days earlier) that grandpa had passed away. The week then shifted into high gear and the whole thing felt very surreal.

I had in some ways been trying to prepare myself for this eventuality, his passing, but not having seen him much in my life due to the geographical distance between us, this was hard to quantify emotionally. I was really sad, but glad that he didn't suffer long; I was disappointed I didn't get to see him again before he passed (and also that my wife never met him), but happy that he had my dad and aunt near him when he did.

The thing that complicated the week was a HUGE winter storm that was coming through the Midwest at the start of last week; as a result, I left with wife and son Tuesday morning at about 11AM and dropped them off in WV around 3PM. It was raining but quickly changing to a sleet/snow when I got to Charleston. It got messier and messier the further east I got, since I was going to my folks in KY to meet up with my mom. It took me about an hour and a half longer to get to my parent's house, and I was pretty beat by that point. I then spent two hours shoveling the driveway and chipping off the ice of my mom's car because we had to drive it that next morning to Missouri. Sleep was not great because I spent the night listening to various huge branches being cracked and torn by the ice that had accumulated (sounded like thunder!). We then left at 6AM and it took me about an hour longer than usual to get to Louisville to pick up my brother (we didn't break 40 MPH in the icy slush).

After getting stuck in snow in the McDonald's drive thru, we then trekked out to Missouri, but we didn't get there until 6PM CST (7PM EST), meaning we left from Louisville at 8AM and it took us almost 11 hours from that point, when it should have taken seven. I was driving anywhere from 35 to 45 MPH, and at some points, we were the only car on the road; I had to stop somewhere about every hour because the temps were so cold outside that it was icing up my windshield wipers and making them ineffective (meaning I couldn't see). Not that even with a clean windshield was I able to see the road. It was still snowing while we drove, so it was SNOW/ICE/More Snow. I saw many tractor trailers jack-knifed and on the side of the road, and many abandoned cars. I said MANY prayers while driving. The roads really didn't clear up until St. Louis, and I let my brother take over driving from that point.

Thursday morning brought the lunch/viewing/funeral/gravesite service, with the whole thing lasting about four hours, and then back to my stepgrandmother's house for supper. It was good to see all of the family again, though too bad it had to be under these circumstances. We all went to bed somewhat early that night, then got up on Friday and drove back to KY. When we got back to Louisville to drop my brother off, his landlord said they didn't have power. My dad and I helped my brother get the ice off his car and he followed us back to my parents' house.

I had contemplated going to WV on Friday night, but it was snowing YET AGAIN in eastern KY and WV, so I went to bed early and drove the 4 hours to WV on Sat morning. We then went to church yesterday and came home yesterday, getting home about 9:30 last night.

After doing 1800 miles in five days, I'm okay with staying put for a while. Maybe one day next week I'll be recovered. Thanks for all your prayers.

Stress Factor--Increased!

Or as my wife would say, "bummed." It turns out that I got two very disheartening pieces of news today. The sole paralegal that I spoke of in my last post gave her two weeks notice today, so in two weeks, we'll be back to status quo (not having two paralegals, but just one since we'll have trained a new one and the old one will be gone). In addition, the attorney that interviewed this week did not take the job when we offered it, and we have no more prospects lined up.

I'm really trying not to be overwhelmed with it all, but it's hard. We'll see what the weeks ahead will bring.

Stay tuned.

By the way, did I mention that my wife and I are having a baby too?

33,285

It's not the population of my hometown (I just looked and it only had about 7500 people), but the number of MILES that I drove JUST FOR THE JOB in 2007. When I added it up at work today, I couldn't believe it myself.

Whoa.

Mixed Bag at Court Yesterday

Yesterday was an interesting day--I had a court appearance in the morning and one in the afternoon, and neither went how I thought it was going to go.

I had one case yesterday morning about an hour and a half away (which meant I had to get up early to drive and be there), and when I got there, proper service on the case had not been made, so I had to continue the case and drive back with no result.

In the afternoon, I fully expected to dismiss all my cases due to a judge that (in my opinion) was requiring more than the law required as far as documentation, but when I arrived, it was a different judge completely and I got judgment on all of my cases. A blessing, indeed!

I feel mostly recovered from the Super Bowl party the other night, but in some ways I am glad football season is over so that I essentially have six or seven months off from post-season type games that I might have to stay up for (baseball playoffs come around in September and October, when a certain little one will be joining us.... :) ).

It's 5 A.M.

And all the rest of my house is sleeping soundly, while I sit eating breakfast and prepare to leave in a few minutes on a 3 and 1/2 hour journey to Southwest Virginia. It's not that I have not had anything to write about--I've got sermons to blog, other thoughts that run through my head, but maybe I've taken a sub-conscious break from blogging because I haven't felt very motivated. The days have all been a blur, and these past few months have been very tiring. A friend of mine asked whether I prefer being in the office or on the road, and I said it was an interesting question--I'd rather be in a different type of work!

My wife and I went up to West Virginia to her family reunion and it went well, though with all of her dad's brothers and sisters aging (he's 67 and the youngest of 12!), less and less are showing up due to death or illness. But it was still a good time--lots of food and visiting. Makes me wish my family could do something like that, but the logistics (everyone being flung across the United States--one as far as Oregon, the other coast) make it very impossible.

I hope to have some more thoughts when I come up for air this weekend. Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Day Downer

I had my yearly review today, one that I had not really been looking forward to. I just got back from a quite fruitless court date (the only case that I could have gotten something from, the person showed up and stated they did not owe the amount sued)--drove about 2 1/2 hours there and 2 1/2 hours back to essentially continue all my cases to a new date.

Right before lunch, I was called into my supervising attorney's office, we had a five minute discussion about things we had already talked about (things where I could improve) and then I was told that I would get a raise that from what I calculated was essentially a cost of living increase. I am grateful for a raise, though it is small and as an attorney, hard to face. I didn't really reply or have any thing to say since it wouldn't have done anything to change it--it's not like the initial negotiation process when hiring. THEY evaluate YOU and tell you how it's going to be. My "grade" was not very encouraging, but what can you do about it but move on and do better tomorrow--it punched me in the stomach today but you gotta get back up!

I'll grant that I've made mistakes (some of which were big) and that I probably didn't pick things up as fast as they wanted, but for all the traveling I do (even being reimbursed), I can't really say that I can stay here at the level of pay I've got (not to mention for financial reasons--student loans just don't disappear!). And I'm certainly not one of those self-esteem needy guys who needs to be puffed up, but I can't honestly remember one time this past year where I was called into one of the other attorney's offices for a positive reason, it was always when I was doing something wrong. So it seems if I'm not having office talks with them, it's a good thing. It's been an interesting experience so far, and I'm trying hard to keep an open mind to learning in spite of the struggle and my frustrations.

I'm glad to be working rather than not working (I did that for 10 months) and I have to find purpose in where my wife and I have been put. But it doesn't make it any easier to wonder why it seems that I've had to struggle harder than the majority of my classmates in making my way in the legal profession. God's got a plan, I know, but the weird schedule and traveling makes me weary at times (traveling 1100 miles this week alone makes me long for the weekend!).

Bad Burgers!

I went to Kroger's today to get some ground beef and it's the stuff we normally get, brought it home, my wife cooked them up and they just didn't come out right--they were a little mealy, which burgers should never be. Yuck!

Anyway, I have to travel every day this week, though one great thing was today I got to move into my own office! a space of my own with a door and everything! It doesn't have any windows, but at least it does have air conditioning (which the other area I was in did NOT have--the 95 degree days are getting more common).

My wife and I also sang again this past Sunday, and we're enjoying the singing, and not doing too bad on songs we don't know. Keeps it interesting for sure.

Back from the Long Weekend!

The great thing about taking vacation days during the week is that when you get back, it's a short week to the weekend! My wife and I did some traveling over the past week, I took a half day last Friday and took Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week off.

We went to my brother's college graduation where only 100 graduated--but this was a big class for his school, Kentucky Christian University. I'm glad that it only lasted an hour--we were sitting on those high school wooden bench-type seats. Ouch!

So we stayed at my folks house in central Kentucky until Sunday afternoon, which was nice since I got to be with my mom for Mother's Day and Sunday lunch. We then headed up to see some friends that we knew at the Beach, who now live near Cincinnati, OH. We had a great visit with them, got to see their son who is quite lively now (about a year old) and very funny--we also got to see some friends one evening in Northern Kentucky and catch up with them. My wife got to go to a Bare Escentuals boutique (they make makeup) and she was beyond thrilled and very sad to leave the great shopping in the Cincinnati area.

On the way back home, we stopped overnight in West Virginia to visit with her family. about 1300 miles in 6 days--sure glad we had that nice rental (a 2007 Camry--very nice!) to ride comfortably in!

I had two court dates this week that were not too difficult and racked up another 500 or so miles on the car (a light week for sure), but June will be F-U-N! (*sarcasm*)

More substantive posts to come later, but I thought I would give an update--my wife and I just came back from Lowes/Walmart/Kroger--I know Andrea, I should have gone earlier when you were working! :)

Wham! A Dose of Spurgeon to the Side of the Head!

On Tuesday night I headed to Northern Virginia for one of my overnight trips (I drive up to the county where I am having court the next morning since the court time is so early that I am allowed a hotel stay so I don't have to get up early and drive it). I was not feeling too great about work, thought about the mistakes I've made over the past months and I just wished in passing (like I'm sure Christians have wont to do), "Jesus, just take me to heaven away from this trouble so I can be with you, where there is no suffering or trial."

AND THEN I READ SPURGEON'S MORNING READING FOR MAY 2nd. The Scripture? John 17:15: "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one." This is what Jesus asked the Lord, that we would be in the world and while kept from Satan, this does not mean that we are to be shielded from all trial and suffering--ouch!

Spurgeon comments that while we would ask to be taken away to the heavens, "Christ does not pray like that, He leaves us in His Father's hands, until like shocks of corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into our Master's garner." Even more, he states that staying here on earth (and going through trials and suffering) is "needful" for others if not ourselves.

But you know what observation struck me the most? Spurgeon comments that "Christians often want to die when they have trouble." Ask yourself--have you ever wished to be with the Lord in the same manner when you are blessed and things are going well as when you are suffering? The most striking thing he said is: "They (meaning Christians who want to get rid of their sufferings) want to go home, not so much for the Saviour's company, as to be at rest."

WOW. In other words, unless I can be as Paul and say truly, "to live is Christ and to die is gain" and our desire to go to Christ is one based in a desire solely to be with Him then we'd better wait on God in the midst of our strife and trust that He'll take us when He's ready. After all, He's God and we're not--we should seek to glorify Him until He does.

The Joy of Traveling

So I just got back from a conference out in Scottsdale, AZ yesterday, and the conference was great. It was at the Keirland Resort (Westin Hotels)--gorgeous site, nice rooms, great food, etc. I got the chance to meet other attorneys who do what I do, exchange notes, learn new techniques, etc. (not to mention the firm paid the bill)

But the going and coming was an adventure all of its own. Before yesterday, I had thought that the three hour delay in getting out of Roanoke was the hardest part. Man, was I wrong!

To recount yesterday's events, I must make an initial disclaimer: aiports and airplanes cannot control the weather, and so it must be understood that there were contributing factors yesterday that caused my frustration that were simply out of anyone's control. Now, roll the tape:

9:45AM--I have a driver from the resort take me to the airport so that I can check in. He was a nice fellow--said he was about 50, used to live in California, sold a house for $750,000 (which he bought a little over 10 years ago for, wait for it, $123,000) and so he moved to AZ and only needs this as a part time job. Must be nice!

10:00AM--I arrive at the airport, and about 15 minutes later, I get to the e-ticket kiosk, which informs me that my flight to Denver (which will then connect to D.C. and then to home) has been delayed and this will cause me to miss all connecting flights and if I flew to Denver, I would be stuck there, because there are no other flights leaving for D.C. that day. I use the kiosk and it informs me that ALL other flights are full--that is, for any flight ANYWHERE to somehow get me home.

10:15AM--Still at the kiosk, I pick up the black phone and call customer service. I didn't catch his name, but he states that he can put me on another airline which is actually a flight run by their company but with the other company manning the flight, and it will actually get me home faster than I would have originally gotten home. I thought to myself, "This is great!" He said to simply check in at the other company's ticket counter and I should be set.

10:40AM--What I had to do next is go from Terminal 2 to Terminal 4, which was not easy--silly me, I thought I could get there by foot. I did get from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3, but then realized you had to take a bus to get to Terminal 4.

11:10AM--I reached the other company's ticket counter, and you know what they said? We have you on the flight, but you would have to pay for it--you need a ticket from the other company. Now the flight was supposed to leave at 11:40, and she flatly told me that I wouldn't make it having to go back to Terminal 2 and then back to Terminal 4. It would have been nice to know about needing the ticket coupon from Terminal 2, but oh well--thankfully, there was another flight going at 1:30 to Charlotte (which would then take me home).

11:30AM--I found out at this point that not only had the Denver flight that I was previously scheduled to take been delayed but it had been cancelled due to inclimate weather. So, I went back to the ticket counter, and was told to wait in the line called "Additional Services". In one line was a couple of East Indian men who were trying to get home (and I thought I overheard that the flight that they either missed or it got cancelled or something was not going again for another week? Yikes.) and another young man who didn't seem to get the instructions the airline person was trying to convey. It was about 15 minutes later, and I finally got my ticket.

12:15PM--I got through security and got a bite to eat. About an hour later we got in the air.

As I said before, I know there was some part of this that was out of the control of the airlines, but small mistakes can make such situations much worse, which I suppose is a good lesson in not making matters which are out of your control much worse by actions that are within your control.

But the conference was great, and that mostly overshadows the travel experience--I just might not use that airline again.