Changes...

Well, I got a job offer in Charlotte, NC at one of their YMCAs. If everything works out, I'll be moving in a couple weeks. I will know for sure on Wednesday.

On a more somber note...I was knocked for a loop just a few minutes ago. As insignificant as it might sound, I was removed from a friend list. I have a very good friend that I have known for quite a few years (11 years on June 30), and it seems that I've done something wrong. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed that I haven't, and that they will be contacting me soon.

Kinda lost for words right now, so this is a short post.

I'm an uncle again!!! Twice in 2 days!!!

So I came back to NC to visit, and to check into the possibility of moving back from TX. I got back on Friday night/early Saturday morning (May 29/30). I get a text message early on Sunday morning (May 31) with a picture of my new niece, Rylee Ann!!! Here's a picture of me and her from later that day...









Then, on Monday (June 1), my little sister had my first nephew, Brayden Tucker!!! Here's a picture of him...and a short video (a little dark, but listen to the noise he makes when he exhales)...














So I've been spending alot of time in Raleigh, but I also had to go to Charlotte for a job interview. It's a job with a YMCA there. I enjoy working at the Y so much in Texas, that I thought I would just look into that here too. I should hear back from them by the end of the week, so we'll see. It still won't be extremely close to my family, but 1.5 to 2 hours is much better than 16.5 to 17!!!

If you are on facebook, I have alot of pictures there, too. And I will put some on MySpace too, just in case. Ok, I will update again soon.

I'm Gradumatated!!!

Well, I've been graduated for a week, and it's been 3 weeks since my last post, so I thought I would put a little something on here. Mom came out for the graduation, and Alex came out too. Alex came out more to just hang out than specifically for my graduation. I ended up with 5 "A's" and 2 "B's" for this last semester. My GPA was high enough to put me on the President's Honor Roll (kinda like the Dean's List). So, now I just have to wait for my diploma to come in the mail. Here's a picture of graduation:

So now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do. The YMCA here in Texas wants me to stay here, but all my family is back in NC. I'm actually traveling back to NC this coming week to spend some time there and see how things go. I'm thankful to the YMCA here for allowing me to do so.

I had a phone interview today with the YMCA in Charlotte, and I think it went well. They had 120 applications/resumes submitted for this particular position. They narrowed it down to 15 for phone interviews, and they will narrow it down again to about 5 or 6 for face-to-face interviews. The lady I was speaking with said that she felt very strongly that I would be called for one of those interviews.

So, depending on what they say about that job, I will have a decision to make. Stay here at the YMCA where they really want me to stay and move into a higher position in a few months, or come back to NC and work for the YMCA there (if it's offered to me). The position in NC is a part-time position, but the lady said it will become a full-time position...and also there is the opportunity to pick up extra hours working on the front desk and things like that. There's always something to do at the Y!!!

Needless to say, I've got alot to think about. We will see how everything goes.

On a funner note...Ainsley has started to walk! It's cute because she gets so excited that she loses balance alot of the time. Oh...Casey and Erin are still telling her to call me Uncle Bob, because she can only speak in single syllables. It's ok because she's super cute!

One more week!!!

This upcoming week is the last week of classes! Then exams are the following week, but I only have 2 of them. I have already completed my 3 online courses. So now I can concentrate on Accounting and Economics.
Mom is coming out for graduation, but I think it was just a ploy to see Ainsley because she's coming out for 5 days...graduation is only for 1 hour. ; )
Alex will be here too. He's coming out to hang out for about a week. Casey already bought baseball tickets for while mom and Alex are here.
I've already applied for about 6 or 7 jobs back in NC, but nothing has come through yet. But I'm gonna keep trying. I sent over 2 more yesterday, so we'll see. I'm just ready to get back to NC. The YMCA out here can't take me on full-time because of budget issues, and I'm ready to get back to life where I have a home instead of an apartment.
Ainsley has become MUCH more active, which is wonderful to see! You can't help but smile when you look at her. But I think she's going to be confused later in life. Casey and Erin have decided to start calling me Uncle Bob. I think it's because Ainsley is speaking in single syllables right now, so I'll just have to break her of that when she can say more than one syllable at a time.
I'm also contemplating going back to NC sooner than I originally planned. The reason for that is because I have submitted applications/resumes only back in NC, and I want to be available if an interview comes along. I'm sure that some companies will do a phone interview, but I'm sure they will eventually want a face-to-face interview. And if I'm not in NC, then it's gonna cost me a plane ticket each time they want one. I don't know, still trying to sort everything out. I hate to give up the job here at the YMCA because I know jobs are hard to come by, but it seems like it makes more sense to go back to NC.
Anyway...just wanted to update what's been going on, and also just talk about some things that are on my mind.

Drop day...

Well, I'm officially in the home stretch. "Drop day" was last Thursday. This was the last chance to drop a class without it showing up bad on my transcript. Of course, if I had dropped any classes, I would have had to attend one of the summer sessions, or take another semester. Since I didn't drop any, I will be done in under a month. I told myself I just wanna pass all of these classes and get out. But, truthfully, I want to more than "just pass". If I can make 4 "A"s and only 1 "B", I can keep my GPA high enough to stay part of Phi Theta Kappa. So that's what I'm concentrating on.

I found out I have to drive my car back to NC in July, if I'm still living in Texas. My inspection is due in July, and so I have to get that taken care of. It will work out ok, because then I'll have a car while I'm out there for a couple weeks. Then, I'll be heading to Wyoming with my brother-in-law and a couple others to see George Strait in concert. I'm also planning on taking a little mini-vacation for a few days while I'm in NC. I think I'm heading to the mountains because the beach will just be too busy. Plus, it's not the same with what they've done to Myrtle.

A little of everything...

Well, spring break ended a couple weeks ago now, so it's back to my regular routine...up at 5, work out for about an hour, come home and get cleaned up, go to school, go to work, come home and work on homework. The first day back to class from spring break, I had a test in Accounting. I needed a 95 or better to bring my grade back up to an "A". I got a 94.6, so I'm hoping he will round up. Of course, there are 2 more tests to be taken, so I can always bring it up further.

I was over at Casey and Erin's on Sunday, and I was on the floor playing with Ainsley. I took a minute to look at something on TV, and I felt Ainsley start climbing on me and standing up while she was holding on to me. It took me a second to realize, but I noticed she wasn't holding on to me anymore, and I didn't hear her regular "thump" when she lands on her tush. So, I turn and look at her, and she's standing up by herself balancing! I started talking to her telling her she was such a big girl standing up by herself, and Casey said that she had started doing that. I asked him for how long, and he said just for a few seconds. Well, she ended up standing there for about 20-25 seconds!

It's so amazing to watch her develop. The background on my Blackberry is the first picture of me holding her, and I remember she was so small and helpless. Now she is getting bigger by the day, and also becoming more fearless. Makes me wish the family was closer so that I could see C.J. growing, and Rylee and Brayden when they get here. I have submitted my resume to a few places back in NC for jobs when I get done with school. Maybe one of them will work out so I can head back that way.

I've started planning for graduation, so I will be picking up my cap & gown next week. Mom is going to fly out for it and spend a few days, and Dad is checking to see if he can get off work. I originally didn't care to do it, but mom said she would like to see it. So, on May 14, I will be officially graduating with my 2-year degree in Accounting. I can't wait! I'm ready to get back to the real world...get another house, maybe a new car or motorcycle, or maybe a couple horses if I can find a place with some land. We'll see what comes around!

Spring break...

Well, it's half-way through the semester, and everybody knows what that means....SPRING BREAK!!! I've got BIG plans for this week. So far, I've worked 18 hours the past 2 days, and I'm heading back in to work again this morning. I usually work in the afternoons, but since I don't have class I thought I would get work taken care of in the mornings. Plus, I told a certain little someone that I would be there when her mom came in to work out this week. I missed her yesterday though, because our staff meeting ran over. Sorry Brookie!!! 3 year olds bounce back pretty easy, so I don't think she'll be too mad at me.

About school...

Last week there was a class that I was pretty frustrated with because I wasn't able to turn in my final assignment the way it was suppose to be. I finally got it turned in, and I tried to talk to the instructor, but he was sick the end of last week. So I figured I would just wait and see if he accepts it, what grade he gives me, then dispute it if it didn't seem fair. I checked my grades yesterday morning, and it turns out that he accepted it and gave me an "A". I was pretty excited! And I looked this morning for the other class that ended last week, and I ended up with a "B" in it. I thought I was going to finish with a "C" in that course, but there were a couple homework assignments that she hadn't posted yet, so it brought my grade up.

About being an uncle...

Casey sent this really cute picture of Ainsley to me yesterday, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I saw it. She has started pulling herself up on things now, and sometimes she gets to a point where she can't move. She got caught in a semi-split, and Casey and Erin decided to take a picture of her before they helped her out. Check it out...



You can't help but smile when you see this and think about what has to be going through her mind!!!

Have I ever mentioned that I love being an uncle???