Basketball Schedule Posted

Our basketball schedule for the upcoming season is posted online. Go to: spotswoodathletics.org and find the Boys Basketball 08-09 scroll down link. You can see our "tentative" schedule (it's probably pretty much set in stone, but we'll be official and call it tentative). I hope that many people can make it down to games this year. We'd love to have guests at our new house. And our team has the potential to be pretty good. So check out the schedule and hopefully it will work for folks to come catch a game!!
-Jimmy

BOUGHT!!!!

Well, what a week this has been...and its only Monday! Not only does school start tomorrow, but we just finished negotiating for a home we wanted, and we got it! If you want to take a look at it you can go to Massanutten Realty's web page and type in the MLS #65934 and it will come up! We are looking at a move at the end of September from the looks of it. It's all going to happen so quickly. We are looking forward to ironing out all the details and getting out of here!

On another note, tomorrow is my first day at my new job. My classroom is all set up, after several weeks of work, now all it needs are the kiddies! Everything is so new, I don't even know all the staff's names yet and we don't have a policy manuel yet. My new boss, Kenny (he is the best) describes us as a plane that is being build in mid-air as it is flying passengers. He showed us this commercial to kind of make that point. Lots of changes for us in just a very short time....now all we need is the dog! :) - Kari

SOLD!!!

Hard to believe I'm even writing this message!! But today, we signed the sale contract of our house. We will close on September 29. We looked at 5 houses today, and will look at an additional 7 on Sunday. I know that sounds like a lot. But this next decision is a big one. It will be mine and Kari's first house that we will buy together. We are excited but want to make sure that we make the absolute best decision possible with the houses currently on the market. We will keep everyone posted on the house hunting. It is a relief to know that we will be moving into a HOUSE in a NICE neighborhood. WE CAN'T WAIT!!!

Lessons in Patience

I guess that God just thinks Kari and I are very impatient people. We still have not heard anything about a Golden Retriever- it's looking more and more like we might just put that process "on hold" for a little while. We've got most of the doggie goodies but I think it's getting to the place where we might just wait. I definitely want to go with Golden Treasures, I just don't like the waiting.
Another lesson in patience- our house. We think that, again, we MIGHT have a buyer. However, no offer has been officially made. So, in trying to learn from past lessons taught, we are not getting our hopes up. Although each update from our realtor of positive news does get us excited. How could it not?
Finally- RUDY. This is the lesson that shows that if you're patient you will be rewarded. Now, Rudester is not perfect but boy, oh boy, what a different dog. He has calmed down considerably. He listens nearly 100% better outside. It was actually really great to see him this weekend and see how far he has come with the love and consistency that mom and dad have provided for him.
I guess, thinking of Rudy, I know that if we are patient, there are good things around the various corners for us. At least for the time-being we have each other, a roof over our heads, jobs, food on the table, etc. Very much to be grateful for and much to look forward to as well! It's probably good that we're learning to be more patient!!
-Jimmy

Still Waiting

Maybe we should have entitled our blog the same as the title of this entry. We're still waiting to hear from Golden Treasures. We're still waiting to sell our house (we've lowered the price considerably without much luck). Awhile ago we were waiting about my job. I guess the good Lord is just teaching us lessons in patience- they're hard ones for the likes of Kari and me to learn, though.
However, today is our Anniversary and that makes it a good day. One year surely has gone by fast-I guess it's true that time does fly when you're having fun. We will keep waiting with patience on the things we want and keep being grateful for the ones we have. School is approaching fast (we won't have to wait long to start back to work again!).
-Jimmy

Anticipation

As promised, I have included a picture of Rudy in this blog. What a sweetie- laying in bed and snuggling with Kari. He didn't quite get the camera or what that was all about. Last report says that he continues to adjust and has put together several good days. Hopefully, for mom and dad's sake, the good in him will continue coming out and he will continue adjusting to life in the Miller household (what dog couldn't adjust to that?).
Kari and I are in anticipation mode ourselves. We are in the process of adding to our family also. No, not a kid just yet. We have applied to Golden Treasures (same rescue organization that mom and dad got Rudy from). We've had our phone interview with them and it sounds promising. Promising enough that we have gotten a dog dish, leash, collar, toys, etc. We have even gotten recommendations for a good vet in the area and I'll be calling at some point in the next week or so to talk to them. So, we are in anticipation mode. We're waiting to hear what dog Golden Treasures chooses for us and then we'll wait with complete excitement to meet our dog. Exciting times. Below is a picture of the bond that I think we can have with our future dog (if it comes anything close, I'll be eternally grateful).







Me and Hoss, taken the weekend he died.







Signing off,
Jimmy

Road Trips and Rudy

Kari and I are presently in Oklahoma visiting Grandma Yoder. We got into Kansas City on Thursday morning. We went and helped Emily and Jon in their new house (painting, etc.). It was a good day- we ate some kick-butt bbq from one of the most famous bbq joints in all of Kansas. We left Friday morning and came down to Oklahoma (just Emily, Kari and me- Jon left for Minnesota to play in a wedding). We've had a good time so far- played games, visited with family, etc.
Before coming to Kansas and Oklahoma we made a stop in Eastern Ohio. We met Rudy- the newest member of our family (mom and dad's new Golden Retriever). WOW! What a different dog than Hoss. Hoss was a quiet, gentle spirit. Not "Rudester" (that's my name for him). He is ALL go, especially outside. Inside, he reminds me some of Hoss. Rudy loves to have his belly scratched and will lay on his back with all fours up to allow you the opportunity to do so. He has a habit of rolling over right on you and kind of puts his rear end up in the air and in your face, then just plops down from there (hard to explain but it makes me laugh just thinking about it). We'll post a picture or two of him once we get back to Virginia (no hook up for Kari's camera). He's his own dog and that's the way we like him. We'll take him with all of his curiosity and energy and love him that way.
So far, a very good trip. I miss the mountains of the Shenandoah Valley but the Great Plains are proving to be just fine and dandy. We will keep you posted on our travels.
-Jimmy