Wow, what a week. Actually we missed writing about the week before and it was almost as bad. I'll at least try to hit the high/low-lights.
First of all let's talk about the good stuff. Amy has been scrambling these past few weeks trying to get four new songs written, arranged, and recorded for a submission she and her friend Tera have put together for EFY. The EFY people haven't been taking submissions for songs for a few years now, but they got in contact with one of the people in charge of it and he said they could send some of their songs down for consideration. So Amy has been busy getting these songs finished up. They finished last Monday and got them sent off (along with some previously-recorded songs from Amy's He Loves Me Still album) on Tuesday, so we'll wait and see what happens with them.
This past week was also the annual LDS Booksellers convention where we usually attend on behalf of Envision Entertainment to try to get orders from bookstores for Amy's music. We needed to get a bunch of stuff ready for it (product lists, a poster-sized blowup of Amy's CD, and the music book for the CD), so we put in some late nights and a few trips to Kinko's getting everything ready.
Wednesday night was the real kicker. I had to work that night until about 7:30 and Amy picked me up at the school so I could drop her off at a planning meeting for her 10-year class reunion this weekend. On the way back home I stopped off at Macey's with the boys to do some shopping. After an hour or so of shopping we headed to the checkout line. After the last item was scanned I realized I didn't have my wallet in my pocket. I ran out to the car with the boys in tow but it wasn't out there either. So I had to sheepishly go back in and tell the checker that I'd have to run home to get my wallet. They said we could just store the cart in their cooler and come get it later. So I went back to the car, opened my door, threw the keys on the seat, hit the door lock button (I swear I pushed it UP!), closed my door, then went to open Jacob's door. Locked. I thought maybe it hadn't unlocked it all the way, but to my horror the driver's door was locked as well. So there I was with two tired boys (who were really doing quite well, considering), my keys in the car, no wallet, 2 miles from home, our other car sitting in our garage with a dead battery, Amy up in Hyrum, and poor Aaron saying "Oh no! How are we ever going to get our car back?!" We tried a coat hanger with no luck so I just called and left a pathetic message on the phone for Amy. The Lord definitely heard our prayers because after Amy got home and got our message she went out and the car started for her. Dad Benson met us at our house and took me back over to meet up with the locksmith we had called. We realized then that the passenger side window was open about 2 inches. I was able to snake some jumper cables down and unlocked the door just as the locksmith pulled up. I felt bad for him and paid him for his trouble of coming out. After a trip to Walmart to get a new battery for the other car (it was completely dead again after getting back home) I went to sleep at about 2 a.m.
We'll spare you the details of everything else but, in a nutshell, we've had it with my work. Due to some recent accreditation issues with my degree I can no longer teach many of the computer classes and head the department. So in order for them to justify my paycheck they want me to teach days and nights and take over all of the day-to-day computer and network issues at the school. Starting next week they've got me scheduled to teach 2 day classes and a night class. Between the conficts we've got with other things happening at night and some other issues we're definitely ready to be done with teaching at the school. So we're into a full-scale job hunt for something else here in Logan. I sent in an application to Utah State for a position there and we're looking for anything else. So we'd appreciate any prayers in our behalf. Thanks!
Well, we're heading to bed. We hope everyone else is doing well. It was sure great to see Nate, Megan, and the Christensen's here for a quick visit. Amy and the boys are going down to Lagoon with a bunch of the family tomorrow so they should have a good time. I didn't think now would be the best time to ask for some time off.
We've included some pictures from the Alpine family reunion. We had a great time.
Love you all!
Paul, Amy & the boyz
