Looking To The Future

Okay, okay - enough reminiscing about the past! There is a whole lot of fun things going on in our near and distant future that I can't wait to talk about. This is my most favorite time of year because now we begin to feel the weather change, the leaves change color, the bugs start to die out, the garden harvest is coming to a close, and there is the ever present thought in the back of my mind that the holidays are coming!! I love the fall! It's a tangible turning of a page where life can begin again in new and exciting ways.

But here I am getting all sappy again...sorry! The first thing coming up is Halloween. Elli decided that she wants to be a butterfly this year. We looked around and found a fairy costume. We both decided that it's close enough. I'm sure we'll figure out someway to make her "buggy". But one of the best things is that I am going to visit my parents again for Halloween. Ruston will be hunting that week and so I'm taking the girls and heading to Estacada! I plan to make a point of visiting several friends and lots of family while we're there. We will leave 10/29 and come back 11/2. If you will be in the area, shoot me an email and we'll get together. Jandi, I will be calling you this time - I promise!

Next comes Thanksgiving. It's the Lougheed's year to get together, but since Aaron and Eric are so far away (and not likely to come West for one weekend) we've invited my parents to visit us in Vale. As long as the weather is nice enough to make it through the gorge, they'll be here! That makes Ruston's parents happy too - since, yes, we are still living at their place. We are still amazed at the fact that we continue to like each other after all this time. No fights at all. But whenever our house sells in Ohio, we may start looking for somewhere to live in Nyssa (closer to Ruston's practice). That could be awhile though in this economy. I'm not holding my breath. We're happy here.

Christmas is still up in the air, as most Munk family holidays go. My mom and I are crazy sometimes - we will start planning vacations and locking in dates, locations, etc. months or even a year in advance. I love it! The other side of the family is a little less tenacious. And as a result I have no idea what's going on. I think we are trying to go to Utah. But the only thing that is for sure is that we won't gather together until Dec. 26th. That way no one has to travel with presents in tow. So our little Munk Family Christmas will be here in Vale (or Nyssa) with Ruston's parents. Which I love that our kids get so much uninterrupted time with their grandparents. And this will be a very special holiday being close to them.

Another exciting part of our future is (no not a baby - Addison is only 8 months old - give me a break!) the ADA convention in Honolulu, October 2009. Yes, I understand that it is a whole year away! Didn't you read through the last paragraph? I'm obsessive about my vacations! Anyway, I've never been to Hawaii. And Ruston has been promising me a trip there ever since he convinced me to give up a full-ride scholarship to BYU-H and marry him. (I'll never let him live it down!) The dental convention is Oct. 1-4 (Thursday through Sunday). We will probably arrive earlier that week and have an early start to our vacation. So my question is...who else is planning to attend? Any friends from dental school going? If so, are you bringing your kids? (We hoped to leave E&A at home unless everyone else was taking kids) We might use our timeshare, unless people had plans to stay in a hotel so the whole Case group could be close together. Talk it over with your spouse and email us. We miss our old friends and can hardly wait a year to see everyone again.

So that's our future! Otherwise, life is going great. Ruston is doing fantastic in his business. I never could've imagined being this successful so soon after school. Business is a little slow right now with the beginning of school, but we anticipate things speeding back up closer to the end of the year. In the mean time, he's working 4 days a week at his office and has even managed to enjoy a few golf games before the weather got wet and cold. I tell you - education is the way to go. All that school and all those loans are worth it to have him home with the family so often. To our friends in school, keep it up! It will all be worth it. And to those thinking about starting or going back to school - do it! You will never have as much money AND time with your family as you could by finishing a degree. No matter what silly investment you think might make you rich over night. Hard work in school is the answer!

Okay, off the soap box Alesha! Well, I hope to hear from lots of you soon about Hawaii and maybe see some family and friends in the coming months. Enjoy this beautiful fall weather. We'll have snow before you know it!

Love, Alesha