Pella Love: Pella Corp

I know that for some people, it might be hard to have Pella Love for Pella Corp these days.  After all, they've recently gone through a down-sizing due to the economy (especially related to housing and housing products), and some people, even some we know and love well, are suffering the consequences.  We ourselves are planning our move in part due to the happenings at Pella Corp.

 

However, it wouldn't even be possible to be writing these posts or to be living the story of who we are right now if it weren't for Pella Corp.

Our Pella Corp adventure actually began in 1998... before Adam and I started dating, but after we met.  We were in differential equations together, and then that summer he left for a co-op with Pella.  That co-op left Adam with an experience he would try to match with internships at Creative Automation, Lands End, and Newell Rubbermaid.

 

Due to the economy after 9/11, Adam and I decided that we would hang onto my stable job at Rockwell Collins and that he would move to Cedar Rapids with me and try to find something.  He did, after six long months of job hunting.  However, through our few years in Cedar Rapids, Pella was constantly brought up... over and over and over again.

 

One night I was working late and Adam called me at work.  He said he had heard that Pella Corp had job openings and what did I think.  I think the response was something akin to, "apply or never speak of Pella Corp again."

 

And so began our adventure here.

 

Six years ago this weekend we put an offer on this house.  This coming Monday is Adam's six year anniversary with Pella Corp.  Adam has enjoyed a healthy working relationship with many coworkers and has been in the door plant for some years.  I also did a stint at Pella Corp before deciding that my heart liked in avionics/aerospace. 

 

Pella Corp ultimately led us to a wonderful and beautiful town... at one point, we had envisioned raising our kids here.  Even before we considered applying at Pella Corp, we had visited the town and had said it was a place we could live.  Pella Corp led us to what has been a awesome six years of our lives, and we are so very thankful for the opportunities that Pella Corp afforded us. 

And that is why Pella Corp deserves some of my Pella Love.

 

erin

Pella Love: PRHC/PMC

I've decided to title a series of Pella-related articles this month, "Pella Love", to discuss some of the many reasons why we/I love Pella.  As you know (or might know, if you read this post), Adam took voluntary leave from his job at Pella Corp early in November, and he will be done with his work there in late January.  Our house has been for sale for two weeks now, and our plan is to move.  Where?  Not sure yet... hopefully Colorado... but we're trying hard to be trusting in God's plan for us and for Him to reveal to us what it is we are supposed to do.  So, that leads me to these Pella posts.  After all, the last six years of our lives have meant a great deal to us... so much love, learning, and growing.  I can imagine that some of these posts will be really hard to write, and may even make me wish that we weren't moving.  But, there are times when you know you are doing the right thing for your family and yourself and this is one of those times.

(So, house hexers, please take your hexes off my house.  Ha!)

These posts aren't in any particular order, and you may think I've missed something... my apologies ahead of time... every time I walk by my desk, I think of something else and write it down and hopefully I'll capture the essence of our time here for you in the next few weeks.

My first Pella Love article relates to the hospital and clinic here.  Yesterday we had Julia's 3-year checkup, and it was yet one more appointment that cemented my love for our doctor and nurse.  But, above and beyond that, the entire health care system here has been very good to us and for us... sure, no one likes paying insurance or doctor bills, but at the very least, having a positive experience makes the rest of the nastiness not so nasty.

We've had some really great doctors over the years... my first doctor here was Molly D'Costa... and I LUUUUUURVED her.  I was very sad to see her go, but was equally delighted when we became patients of Dr. C.  He has been a blessing in our lives since 2006 and I'm so very glad to have known him.  Along with him is his nurse, Joan, with whom in another life, I would be dear friends.  She is always a spark to my day when we make our trips to the clinic and I can truly say that even during rough times (hives), she has been wonderful.

And, speaking of those rough times, I have hardly met more caring doctors and nurses in my existence.  They are truly the best.  Whether it has been the clinic, the ER, or the OB, all have been friendly, caring, and dedicated. 

What's more, the hospital and clinic are only seven blocks from our house.  It's a straight shot from here to there.  How often does that happen in one's life?  Really?  I don't ever remember living this close to a hospital, ever.  (Unless we're talking about Clark St where I lived in my early years.)  Because of the proximity, I was able to drive myself there for any number of reasons (so Adam could stay home with the kids), and I even joked about driving myself to the hospital when I thought my water was leaking with Julia.  Unreal.

I wish I could list the names of all of the doctors and nurses and staff who have been such a bright point in my medical life over the last six years.  For fear of missing one, I won't!   But, our current doctor and nurse (whom I speak about frequently), my previous doctor, the surgeons I've had, the nurses in the OB, and various other lab and other staff members have truly been a blessing in my life, and I can honestly say that PRHC and PMC have been a positive experience in our lives while living in Pella.

 

Suffice to say, I will miss them.

Erin

ps. I hope that my follow-along posts have a bit more meat and detail... this is just the beginning, and I decided I needed to get it out there in the blogosphere before it was 10 pm again and I was blogging about hoping to start tomorrow.  No time like the present, eh?

Julia Update

Julia had her 3-year checkup at the doctor's today.  I'm happy to report that she's right on track developmentally, which is great news!

Julia has the following current stats:

 

Height: 36.5" (37th percentile)

Weight: 29.5 lb (~40th percentile)

 

She also had her BMI checked for the first time; she was 46th percentile, which basically means she's not malnourished or fat.  Yay!

Julia was such a BIG girl today!  We had our chiropractor appointment first, through which she was AMAZING!  Then, she was a great big sister to Raven and talked Raven through her chiropractor appointment (she loves to make people feel better!).  Then it was onto the checkup at the clinic, and she was wonderful.  She allowed her height, temp, and weight to be taken without problem.  She was crazy talkative with the nurse and was great about letting the doctor check her heart and lungs, look in her ears, mouth, and nose, and generally check her out.

 

Then came the blood draw... and Julia sat patiently through the needle poke and subsequent SQQUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZING of her finger.  Not a tear!  She had a few tears during her two shots, but again, she was such a trooper!  Miss Julia came home with SIX stickers today!  Heh!

 

And, during our appointments this morning, I came up with a sort of "theme" for December... so look for the first installment tomorrow!  I wanted to write one today, but got a bit busy, so I'm looking forward to writing to you all tomorrow!

Have a great night!

Erin

All the Rest....

..... have 31...

 

December has 31 days!  My goal is to blog/post once a day for the month.  I did this back in the spring and it was a fun experience for me... a way to get my words and pictures out there.  This last weekend I was reading posts from 2009 and thought, dang, I was more witty in 2009... look at what having a second child has done to me!

At any rate, I wish I would have posted earlier today when I was feeling... happier?  I'm feeling pretty "meh" tonight... no real reason... just a combination things from the day.  I even had something I wanted to post about earlier but it has since flown my head.

You can expect a number of Thanksgiving posts over the next few days... I'm looking forward to sharing pictures from Thanksgiving with you!

And, I'm also looking forward to whatever I might come up with for daily posts... I thought at first I'd shoot for a theme, but nothing overly exciting came to mind... so, it could be an interesting 31 days!

Normally we are very busy in December, but we celebrated a big holiday/vacation in Wisconsin with our family, so it will just be our small family for Christmas this year.  It seems like I should be busier... wrapping gifts... or decorating... or something... but the decorating has been done for a few weeks, and most of the gift wrapping is done as well... so, I suppose I will knit, help put the finishing touches on the Christmas program at church, do a little bit for Discovery Time, and otherwise try to enjoy Christmas and December this year instead of whizzing through it like normal!

I hope you all had a better Wednesday than I did... here's looking to a better tomorrow!

hugs,

erin

Photo Shoot... A SUCCESS!!!

Last Friday we had a photo shoot done by our brother-in-law, Dan, of D.L. Schiller Photography.  With his permission, I'm posting some of the favorite pictures here... they turned out fabulously!

Despite the cold, we hung in there and I am SO happy with the results!  Thank you, Dan, for beautiful pictures!  And thank you, Claire, the assistant/wife of Dan, for sacrificing a few fingers!  Love ya!

(Read about our photo shoot here.)

(As noted above, these photos were posted here with permission from D.L. Schiller Photography... please do not post elsewhere or print from this posting.  If you are interested in physical copies, either contact me or Dan.  Thanks!)

A Shout Out

I have to give a shout out to D.L. Schiller Photography today...

Many moons ago, I asked my brother-in-law, Dan, if he would be willing to take family pictures for us over Thanksgiving week while we were in Wisconsin visiting our families (which is now).  He agreed and after watching his fall pictures unfold on Facebook, I had become increasingly excited about having our family pictures taken by him.

Fast forward to this last week, and the weather was looking okay for today... highs in the 30s... not any cooler than last Thursday with Julia's 3-year-pictures... I figured we would be fine.  Never mind that Adam and I still didn't have outfits and I was waffling regarding what the girls should wear.

Then, the weather took a little turn... for the worse.  As of last night, predictions for today was in the teens with the windchill bringing the temp into the single and sometimes negative digits.

However, when I want pictures taken, I am a trooper and I bring my troops (my family) right along with me.  (Sorry, Adam, Julia, and Raven!)  We braved the weather today without coats for our pictures and had a fantastic photo shoot with Dan and his assistant and wife, Claire.  The shoot was so much fun, even up to the last few minutes when Raven melted down and decided she was Done.  We warmed up in the car in between shots where we equally had fun with the girls while Julia sang songs, Raven danced, and Julia attempted to drive the car.  (Ha, and I forgot that I cannot get myself out of the backseat... WHOOPS!)

For me, it was so much fun and amazing... the park was great (Cherokee County Park by Colby, WI), there was snow on the ground... we managed to pull some outfits together... I was really happy with how it all turned out.  Dan gave us a sneak peek on his camera and my appetite is surely whetted for the finished results.  He also took some great pictures of Adam and I in Adam's folks' backyard after we got back from the shoot (the girls were in need of a nap).

All in all, despite the cold, it was enjoyable and fun and the results that I have seen so far are wonderful and amazing!  Yay!  Great job, Dan!

erin

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is Thanksgiving today, a day that reminds us to be thankful for all that is in our lives.  I thought I would take a few moments and post about the people who I am thankful for in my life... if I have forgotten you and you think I should be thankful for you, let me know!  *snort*  Most likely I am.  *grin*

Today I am thankful for...

... my husband, Adam... he knows me, he knows how to love me, and he knows how to get my goat.  Suffice it to say, he knows me.  And yet, he keeps me.  Imagine that?  Adam is also an amazing father... when I see him with his kids... I fall in love with him all over again.  He works hard to take care of his family, but he also knows when to trust and let things be.  It takes a big man to step back and let faith take over.

 

... my children, Julia and Raven... for anyone who thinks that I'm high-strung now... you should have met me before I had kids.  They have taught me to roll with life a lot more, to be laid back more than I was before.  They have taught me to love and care in new ways I never knew imaginable.  They have taught me to think like a child again... and to think about how to approach things in new ways.  They laugh and they cry and they tug at my heart each day with their smiles and their sighs.  And thanks to my kids, I've learned how to get down at their level so that I can find where they stash toys.  Hee, hee!  (It isn't a surprise anymore when I open my kitchen cupboards and toys come tumbling out.)

... my friends... it is hard to list friends here and not feel like I've left someone out, so I will be general and say, "my friends".  You should know who you are.  These are the ladies I can go to daily to laugh, complain, cry, and generally have in my life as pseudo-sisters.  Many of them know me like my husband knows me, but they know me as a woman.  There is so much to be thankful for in that, especially since so many of them are far away from me, and yet I am able to stay connected to them.  Along with "my friends"... who most people think of as "in real life" friends, I need to plug my "online" friends as well... they have been a huge force in my life especially in raising my children.

... which leads me to say, I am thankful for... the Internet.  The Internet has it's pluses and negatives, but it is the thread that keeps us connected to our family and our friends.  I still write the occasional letter, the things like email, chat, Facebook, Skype... they have allowed me to renew friendships, maintain friendships, and grow in love with our family.

 

... my mother-in-law, Marcia... she is loving, kind, honest, and truthful... if you ask her opinion, she will give it to you, but not menacingly, and she typically always has a story to go along with it.  She is an amazing Buscha to her granddaughters (and grandson), she very obviously loves and cares for her sons and daughter, has a big place in her heart for her husband, and generally always thinks more of others around her than she thinks about herself.  She also knows how to peel a mean potato.  Heh.  Love you, Marcia!

... my parents... were it not for them, I would not be the person I am today, for better or for worse.  I have come to accept who I am in them, and that has led to a more blessed life as I inch my way through my 30s.  They are loving grandparents, always willing to travel, always willing to help, and are first to take care of their children when they are in need, even if means making life harder for themselves to do so.  They are giving people... always willing to give of themselves. 

... my sister... whenever I need a good laugh or to be told how it is, I can always turn to my sister.  It is wonderful to be a sister and to have a sister.  I am so thankful that my two daughters will be able to experience the ups and downs of sisterhood.  Melissa has been a force in my life without even knowing it, and she does (hopefully) know that there isn't much I wouldn't do for her.  I am excited to welcome a new baby into the family soon, as my sister is due in January.  She can be hard, but she is also overflowing with love, as is apparent with her children and her nieces.

... my coworkers... many people would agree that much of makes work livable is their coworkers, and I would have to agree with that.  Personally, I do enjoy my work and my job, but my coworkers significantly increase the joy that I have in work.  I am thankful to have known so many of these people for almost a decade... many for less than that... but they always take any pain out of working, and for that I am very thankful.  I actually do look forward to going to work.

That is all for now... time to start prepping for Thanksgiving (if I can be of any help!) and also do a little work today...

love you, and know, I am thankful for YOU too!

erin

Happy Birthday, Julia!

Julia is THREE YEARS OLD today!

 

Hard to believe that three years ago today, little Julia was born! 

I will blog more when I have some pictures and whatnot... we have her birthday party tonight at Buscha & Grandpa's house (and had a fun birthday party at Grammy & Papa's last night!), and she is very excited about her "Ariel Birthday". 

Happy birthday to my sweet little girl!

erin

ps.

I know that The Season isn't all about receiving gifts... I realize two of my blog posts were very "gifty" tonight... just wanted to share some fun happening! 

Our House is for Sale!

Our house is for sale... wow!

I hesitate to post the links to the MLS and realty sites here... considering how open this is... but if you are friends with me on Facebook, I've posted them there.

We are hopeful and prayerful that our house will sell quickly... wee are excited about whatever or wherever this adventure will take us, and selling the house seems to be a big part of it... so here's to hoping that someone loves it as much as we do and wants to buy it quick, quick, quick!

Yay!

erin