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This Change is Good

6 Sep

My work life for the past year has been tumultuous at best … never a steady even keel like I had grown use to.  Up until about 10 days ago I had been able to take everything in stride, deal with it, and survive … but it hasn’t been easy.

However, last week things changed dramatically for the worse.  I went home after another very difficult day – shut myself off from the outside world – and had some quiet time with God and The Universe.  I needed help to somehow improve my working situation and I had absolutely no clue what to do or where to even start to make that possible.

I’ve been at my company for over 34 years now … I could quit if I really, really wanted to.  But I’d like to hang in there until 7-31-09.  On that day I will be 55 yrs old and will have been with the company for a little over 35 years.  That is a huge milestone that I would like to achieve.

As luck would have it –and after all my experiences of the past 5 years I know luck has absolutely nothing to do with it — I had scheduled my  yearly physical for last Thursday (although it’s really been two years – I’m not much for going to the doctor unless I’m on my death bed).   When I told my doctor about all the chaos … she immediately recommended a medical leave of absence, which I didn’t argue with.  I’ll be at home, away from my job, for a minimum of 2 weeks.

It is a welcome break and it will give me a chance to get some balance back into my life and just breathe.

It is proof once again that when you need something, all you have to do is ask.  A medical leave was something that had never crossed my mind.  I thought my options were to quit or once again suck it up and be tough.

My sense is that there is more to this story and I’m anxiously waiting to see how it will all unfold.  It is such a relief to have this break though and I’m going to savor every moment.  As the saying goes, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know who holds the future.”  Not sure who gets credit for that one, but I love it.

Make your day great!

Our Plans for September 20, 2008

25 Aug

Our plans to honor and remember our children are coming together in a most amazing, very special, and wonderful way.

The Speckeins, Heidens and the Wencl’s will be attending the “6th Annual Como Neighborhood Picnic” put on by the U of M and the Como Park neighborhood on Saturday, September 20th.

It will be held in Van Cleve Park, right across the street from the house where the kids lived.  There will be food, music, games and resource tables!  We will be manning a resource table handing out fire safety literature to anyone we can.  We’ve put together a flyer that I hope will get our message across.

  In addition we’ll be handing out candy — specifically lifesavers — do you get our play on words?   Lifesaver candy goes along with “lifesaving” information! 

It is the perfect way for us to remember and honor our kids.  It will be held in their old stomping grounds — they loved the U … it will be fun, we’ll be able to do some good, and we will honor and remember them … all at the same time.

On Friday, the 19th I will be doing a news story with Darcy Pohland of WCCO.  Darcy has the U of M beat and I did a story with her a couple years ago.  We will talk about the picnic, our fire safety handout, and of course the 5 yr anniversary.

I find people are scratching their heads and saying … how can you do this?  But I say, how can I not do this?  This is a golden opportunity to pass on life saving information … there’s no going back … I can’t change what happened 5 years ago … but I can do something to change the future  … and I can talk about my girl … 5 years later and I still have opportunities to talk about my girl … there’s no way to express how special that is.  Most of all, I know it is what Liz would want.  She will be cheering us on from above … that is for sure.