It's Getting Interesting

Candy: Wow. It's been a long time since I've written anything on the blog.

Well, in an effort to catch up, here's what's been going on.

We're still in Albany, Minnesota, and have been here since early July. We never imagined when we set out on this "Pause on Purpose" tour that we'd spend two months in this state. However, that's the reality of our situation.

We are happy in the present and excited about the future.

Tim had an interview for a head coaching position at a junior college in Kansas this week. They decided to offer it to someone else, and Tim had decided after the interview that he would turn it down if offered to him. It just didn't offer enough for us as a family. He is doing really well and is actually getting excited about the possibilities that lie ahead of him outside of coaching.

I took the pictures on this post just outside Highland, Kansas, while Tim was interviewing.

He has had a couple phone interviews with a national company for a position based in Cincinnati and it looks like they're going to fly him out there early next week for a final interview. The company is a great company with lots of offices around the States, and lots of opportunity for both advancement and lucrative earning power.

He has also had a phone interview with another national company for a recruiter position based in the Midwest. His potential boss is flying to Minneapolis in the next 7-10 days to interview Tim for a day, and that position is also interesting.

I have a phone interview for the Director of University Relations position at the University of Maine-Machias next Wednesday.

So things are beginning to move a little bit on the job front. It will be interesting to see what happens and where we end up.

Here are some of the things that we've been doing to keep busy this month:

• Having Monday night "The Closer" parties at my brother Jim's house
• Applying for jobs
• Spending lots of time at the St. Cloud Barnes & Noble
• Walking around the St. Cloud mall
• Spending bits of time with my Mom in Fergus Falls
• Applying for jobs (did I mention that already? :) )
• Driving around between Albany, St. Cloud, Alexandria, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Fargo
• Taking pictures
• Applying for jobs :)
• Going to movies

It's been a good month, though challenging at times as we've been hammering out some changes in our life philosophies. It's been beneficial, though, because we are both at ease, happy, and excited about whatever lies ahead.

This afternoon we're going to see the movie Invicible. It looks like a really good one with Mark Wahlberg.

Here are some things that we're hoping to do while we're here in Minnesota:

• Spend a day at the Minnesota State Fair. It's one of the best state fairs around, and is known locally as "The Great Minnesota Get-Together"
• Have an end-of-the-season "The Closer" party at Jim and Katy's on Monday
• Interview for and secure two great jobs
• Spend a day with my brother Clint and his family near Fargo
• Take Chase swimming in the Sauk River again
• Avoid the heavy thunderstorms and tornadoes that have been rolling through this part of the state lately
• Spend an afternoon with my grandpa in southern Minnesota (he's having some health problems)
• Eat some great food and sleep in as long as possible every day that we have left on this "tour"

That's about it. Our internet connection has dribbled off into nonexistence, so we're relegated to hanging out at the Panera or Barnes & Noble.

Have a great weekend.