Potty and Professional Miracles

OK-- In a few blogs, I'll be off the potty training subject. I promise. We are so excited to announce that Cameron pretty much has the #1 thing down pat. Sure, he's already figured out that the sure-fire way to get our attention of late is to announce that he has to go potty, and sure he likes to flush about 16 times after we've dumped and said "bye-bye" to his pee-pees... but we're pretty sure he GETS it. Case in point: he went potty at Mark's office. Tonight. Without his Sesame Street padded/fitted butt ring adapter. Very cool.

#2... we're still working on that. Do you think the internet will still be around when Cameron's a teenager and we can embarras him with these blogs?

On a completely unrelated subject, does everyone know I've resigned my position with the Red Cross? I have had the distinct pleasure to get to know a fantastic gal by the name of Shannon Polk, who works for a company called World Financial Group. She helped us with the construction loan on the new house, and halfway through the process jokingly mentioned that I should go to work for her. I seem to remember my response was something along the lines of "don't tempt me." A-la Peanut Butter Sandwiches and two months later, I've resigned my position and will in fact go to work for WFG as an associate, with Shannon as my Provisional and soon to be Marketing Director. I will very much miss the pace and the rewarding work I've been doing at the American Red Cross for the past five years. I will also very much miss the team I've worked with and those I've come to consider my friends. But I've finally decided to begin working smarter, not harder, and found the company with which to do that. In addition to the tremendous earning potential, my day can be flexible and I can meet my family's needs as I persue new and exciting career opportunities at the same time.

In my short time here on this earth, I've at least learned that people come into our lives and doors open at particular moments in time for a reason. When Hurricane Katrina blew into my professional life just at the time when I was beginning my path into Associate-hood with WFG, I realized that if I continued to work full-time for the Red Cross there was always going to be an emergency or there was always going to be a disaster that would demand more of my attention than I am willing to give and that would set me back in my day-to-day activities so that I couldn't get my work done in a timely and efficient manner. That's just the nature of emergency work. Quite honestly, I'm tired. I've given the organization the best and most productive five years of my life. The organization, in return, has been good to me. So as to not leave it in its greatest time of need, I hope I can continue on until October 31 by which time my replacement should be up and running and somewhat initiated into Red Cross ways and means. But I was with the Red Cross after 9-11 and saw what a combination of donor fatigue, some damaging media coverage and a relatively low-key local director did to our contributions and revenue generation. In short, I can see the challenges that lie ahead for our local office and I just don't have the energy and the strength that will be required to battle the future fiscal storms. So I'm throwin' in the towel.

I'll explain more about WFG in later blogs (maybe some blogwatchers will pick it up and spread the good word...) so stay tuned.

More great news: we have our building permits. Finally! The sooner we get going on construction, the less of an impact Katrina will have on our schedule and costs. I can't believe how much she's impacted our little lives here in Bend... careers to construction costs to childhood friends. Amazing.