Maybe all my posts will be random from now on...

I edited my life today.  Okay, it was just my bio on a website, but it felt so odd to have an entirely different story now.  Thinking of it as a clean slate, new beginning.  Chin up.  Face toward the sun.  All that. 

This week was the most busy (and happy) week for me.  The company in which I work "like a little mine mule" as my sweetheart of a boss says, bought a program which released all driver safety scores from Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010. We were slammed with drivers wanting to know their rankings.  If you don't know it, the trucking industry is about to change radically in November and further into next year when CSA 2010 goes into full swing.  That is, if it is not postponed again.   Drivers will be ranked next to their peers, and violations will actually appear on their commercial driver's license for the first time ever.  Top violators will be at risk of losing their livelihood right away.  I know because I have watched the Keller CSA 2010 video and given the quiz to drivers. Ten. Thousand. Times.

In case you didn't know this about me, I love, love, love the truck drivers with whom I work.  Their personalities differ like winter snowflakes and every day, they'll surprise me in some new way. On any given morning, I'll get nastily chewed out and brilliantly complimented. Even though I work in the Safety and Compliance Dept., and my main job is crack the whip on violations, my co-worker and I have drivers who have been in the hot seat before and now stop by just to visit.  It's impressive.  Believe me. 

Yesterday, a driver called me to give me the what-for concerning his opinion of an new requirement.  "I'm just going to quit!  I'll bring my keys to you personally and walk away!"  Not sure what I would do with those keys as I couldn't even engage something as dauntingly huge as a cargo haulin' Volvo.  I think this young man actually wanted me to beg him to stay, but owner/operators come and go like trains at Grand Central Station. That's just how it is. 

Today he called and said in the sweetest voice ever, "Hey, Ms. True." 

"Hey, Mr. H.  Did you call to make nice after how mean you were to me yesterday?"  I laughed as I spoke. He did too, "Just called to tell you I sent the paper you asked me to."

"I knew you would, man.  You take care and drive safely. K?"

"You know I will."

Another thing I love about my job is that it changes everyday.  I teach Safety classes, look over logs, call drivers, meet with drivers, pull spread sheets, make new databases, and put together power points.  I blushed one day when I was searching google for "rear end collisions" video clips to illustrate a power point and was banned from a site for "adult content".  My, my, my. 

I also even get to write on occasion. Yup, I love report writing days.  I get to evaluate strategies for effectiveness.  My job in particular keeps me working closely with all departments, because safety touches all issues in some way.  It's such a joy to get to know these folks. 


I work with excellent people who make me laugh all day.  The dispatchers have now begun to give me a hard time for being a Yankee 'cause I'm from Kentucky. They're a bunch of good ole' Tennessee boys.

I just can't believe that I landed plumb in the middle of an unexpected field of lillies with my work and get to play there everyday. How exactly does a former special ed teacher, inner city youth minister, catehcist and stay-at-home mom find the trucking world to be so compelling?  It's a true blue mystery.

Evenings and mornings are spent with my children and their plethora of activities in scouts, church, and sports.  It's tough to squeeze in supper. 

Bliss.

Nothing in particular, really

So, I dug my fingers deep into soil this weekend recovering a flower bed from an invasive hummingbird vine.   I used to like hummingbird vine much like I used to admire morning glories.  Not so much anymore. 

I am surprised at how little I sit down to write these days. I have many thoughts I've considered worthy of writing, but I don't.  I think letters to people, and I don't send them. I've abdicated my computer time to homework projects and my children's Facebook friends. 

My life is nothing like it was last spring at this time.  And I'm ever so glad in some ways. In others, not so much. Unknown awful things were happening to me and mine and those things are no longer on the table; this makes me grateful. I have flower beds not gardens. I have far fewer chores without goats kidding and baby chicks hatching. This does not make me happy, because there is nothing like waking up to fresh new leaping life compared to mundane suburb life.  I'm putting three of my children in day camp this summer, because I'll be working.  No more summer swim team, trips to the Cove, weekday overnights with me.  I hope I treasured those times enough while I had them.  I won't get a vacation until I've worked at this particular job for an entire year.  I suppose I'll just plan to make it a good one when that time rolls around summer next. 

I've prayerfully found a new church for my self. I asked God for thoughts and signs when I found just the right one, and He did not disappoint.  This past week, I met with a pastor and children's minister to talk turkey and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.  All looks promising there thanks to the good deed of a friend who put in a good word for me.  It will bring me great joy to have that opportunity again, and it has been one of my most severe losses over the last few months.  Maybe there'll come a day I'll be able to make it my life's full time work, but it's not valued like that in Knoxville as of yet.

Here's something which made me giggle all day yesterday.  I met Helen and her daughter for prom dress shopping.  On the way into the store, I passed a display of Spanx.  It actually crossed my mind that I could just give up trying to fit in exercise and just buy lots of undergarments instead.  What an incredibly goofy thought.

My farm is still for sale, but I gladly have caretakers there, so the land and home are getting the proper love she needs.

Clifford is in good shape.  A few things left I'd like to do like get a porch swing and change the frankenstein sink in my bathroom.

Still enjoying my job though I see big change on the horizon.  What will the future hold there?

I'm sharing much heartbreak in the lives of dear friends lately.  Perhaps it's just the time of life when things start falling to pieces?  Keeps me prayerful, humble, and awake.
 

RAD and adoption

Dear friends of mine are featured in a news story today.  The Skeirik's adopted Sier from China some years ago, and the road has been difficult.  I am proud of ABC for publishing this at such a volatile time.