Life just keeps getting more hectic!

Spent the day today trying to come up with an alternate plan/location for Kirt's 50th birthday. 

We had plans to spend 3 weeks in Hawaii, but with the uncertainty about his knee and not knowing if he'll still be off or back to work by then, we thought it was best to cancel. 

I've been searching RCI for weeks trying to find a beach resort in So Calif as an alternative with no luck. Finally called the San Clemente Inn this morning and was thrilled to find out that they had bonus time his birthday week. 

The SC Inn will be perfect- it's only about 90 minutes away so Kirt's fam can come down for his party, and they have the beach and a pool right there and a restaurant on site as well. 

Found out after I made the reservations that Kirt's parents are going to be out of town for Kristin and Steve's temple sealing that weekend, so I sent out an email to all to see if everyone can come down for a beach/pool/birthday party on the big day itself, May 5,  which unfortunately lands on a Tuesday. 

I called the restaurant on site to see how much it would be to feed everyone buffet style. We can always do a potluck dinner instead if it's too expensive. Kirt really does only want his family there, and Steve and Lori and Tim and Susan if they can make it. 

My big job is going to be getting a DVD with photos of Kirt's life put together and set to music. I scanned in a ton of old photos to Kirt's FB page with that intent, and for some reason they all scanned in much smaller than the actual photos. 

I'm starting to get excited about this now rather than dreading it now that we finally have a location. Hope people can make it on the 5th! If not, perhaps I can change the reservation to the following weekend. Kirt did an AWESOME job on my 30th (and 40th) birthdays and I really want to do something special for his. Unfortunately, it's not going to be a surprise! Maybe I can work Steve and Lori and Tim and Sue into a surprise somehow if they can't make it on the 5th.

I bought him a 6 string banjo and still need to get him an electric guitar and a few other things. That boy has expensive taste! 

Kirt has so many things he needs to take care of for his job while he's off work- mandatory CE classes, Fitness for Life modules, Paramedic recert classes, and his physical are just a few of the things I can think of off the top of my head. They all must be completed within the next month or so.

I feel really discombobulated right now trying to keep track of Kirt's stuff, my stuff, the birthday and trip stuff, the reunion stuff,  and the business. I need a professional organizer, because I am the least organized girl on the planet.

Here we go!

I have a couple of friends who have blogs, and although I've kept a journal for much of my life,  it always seemed like something that was beyond my current technological capabilities. 

I'm excited to have found a template that appears to be easy to use, and look forward to trying to incorporate it into my business as well! It's way past time for me to establish a web site separate from our ebay store as well, and use all of the wonderful resources available on the internet nowadays to communicate with friends and customers.

I'm sitting next to my husband right now, he on his laptop and me on mine, listening to a great old Civil War era song called Soldier's Joy, and I'm feeling peaceful and happy. I read something that a friend of mine posted the other day that really spoke to me, and I'd like to try and remember these words when things go wrong or I get stressed out over things that really don't matter in the long run.  

"There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy"

I do have so much to be grateful for!