FBI and Jazz

I need to update.

Martin, as many know, went to Detroit to take the FBI PFT test. So far, every interview/test they've had him do has been pretty strait forward and not that difficult. This was the first real test for him. The physical requirements for someone to be in the FBI are very impressive. Not only do you have to be fit, you have to be incredibly fit.

For whatever reason, many of our friends up here are physical therapists and/or physical trainers. So, when they heard about Martin needing to take this test most of them wanted to see if they could do it. I think most of them thought it would be no problem. So, they all went up to the gym one night to try and take it. Martin beat all of them. But he didn't pass the PFT last Friday. It's a crazy demanding requirement. He did great on the first couple events but then was exhausted and didn't have the energy to pass the other two. From what we know, he'll be given another chance in 60 days to take it again. Just like so many other times with this process, we're just waiting for a call to hear for sure.

I know Martin is discouraged. But I'm trying to tell him that he had a long way to come from where he started. He's already lost over 20 pounds and looks so much more fit. He just needs to keep working at it. Thank you everyone for your questions and concern about this. We have been so impressed with your interest. We'll keep you updated.

On another topic. I've finished a book titled Blue Like Jazz --non religious thoughts on christian spirituality. http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/bluelikejazz.php I can't say that I loved it. I certainly didn't agree with everything in it. But I agree with a lot of it, and I'm glad I read it. It's definitely causing me to think about my faith to make sure that I'm genuine and not just trying to look spiritual. Again, God seems to keep telling me that my job is to love. He'll do the judging and saving.

Frigid

There are some things that I absolutely love about cold weather: how quiet the snow makes everything, almost forcing you to think. How trees look with snow covering them, which I think is even prettier than trees with fall colors if that's possible.

But there are definitely things I don't love about it: Bundling up every time you leave your house. Clearing your car off to drive a quarter mile down the road to the store. Never seeing the sun (I hate never seeing the sun)

The perfect solution would be to do winter for about a month. Like real, serious, snow-everywhere-winter. And then the rest of the year is summer and fall. If I'm totally honest, I think I'm a flip-flop, tank-top, sunshine and long evenings that never end kind of person. It fits my personality more.

I'm reading a couple of books right now that I'm eager to talk about but am going to wait until I'm finished. I would not be surprised if this ends up being mostly a book review blog.

Yet Another Blog Begining

So, to my surprise, my sister and her family began a blog. Well, I'm going to start this one to try to keep communication between family. Who knows, maybe my other family members will join us.

Update on Dominique and Martin: We are currently still living in Petoskey, MI. With the very real possibility that we'll move this summer. I can't believe that we'll make it through a brutal winter and then move when it gets beautiful. But those things are seldom in my control.

So of course the sensible thing to do right now is to look for a house to buy. And that's what we're doing. It's got the possibility of being a great fix 'n flip. And if we can't flip it, I don't think we'd be too disappointed in having a vacation home here. Plus, there's still the small chance we won't be moving and we'll have a great location here in P-town.

We've joined a small group at church where we are meeting some great couples our age. Funny enough, none of them have children yet so, we don't feel so weird around them. That has been a lot of fun. And we never get the questions from them that we get from those with families already growing. It's nice to have a group of Christians who are in the same place as us.