So now what?

School was out on May 11--over two weeks ago. What have we been up to since then?

First, we packed up our belongings and moved out of our house. We had some friends who had seriously looked at our home when it was on the market last summer, before we bought it, and they wanted to purchase it from us. We were delighted, since with 700 folks losing their jobs at O'Sullivan, we worried that the market may be a bit sluggish. So that was a great blessing--both to sell our house without putting it on the market, and also to turn it over to good friends.

This is how we ended up moving out of our home before we had a new job or a new house! Again, we are blessed that Doug's parents were very willing to take us in for a few weeks . . . or months . . . as needed. Doug remained working in Lamar, staying with generous friends from the ward, while the kids and I headed north to make his folks' home in Topeka our home base for the summer. At least.

Now we have big news. As of yesterday, Doug has accepted a new position at a new company! He has been actively engaged in a job search for nearly six months and has considered many interesting and varied positions throughout the land. But the one that captured his heart is at . . . Payless Shoe Source! Many of our readers know that this is in Topeka, Kansas, and therefore we will be moving right back to the place from which we exited last summer: Lawrence, Kansas. Originally, when Doug first started talking to a recruiter about the opportunity and decided it sounded quite promising, he didn't know what company had posted the job nor where they were located. He was floored when it was disclosed that it was Payless! We have had so many friends who worked there through the years! Is that not wild?

Doug is very pleased with his new position. He feels it is the best opportunity of all those that he was offered during his long search. He will be starting up the IT group for an international expansion. This is a high-profile position that will give him more exposure to international work and will be great experience.

We are all relieved, and as you might imagine the kids are just thrilled to be moving back "home." We are sorry to leave our friends in Lamar. We really liked it there and had hoped to stay much longer. We are pleased, however, that it is only a short drive to visit.

Now I must reveal that with Doug's company closing and all the accompanying uncertainty, we have been through a rough time in our family. We have been cognizant of all our blessings and grateful for tons of family support, but nevertheless, the last few months have been difficult and stressful in many ways. We have leaned on friends and family and have been bolstered by prayers offered on our behalf. Thank you to everyone.

I just need to thank two people in particular for their help in Lamar. The first is Carla S. Oh. My. Goodness. While we were packing, she watched kids day and night, made sure they were fed, got us through two hospitalizations, and even showed up to deep clean my kitchen once all the goods had been socked away in storage. All the while providing a listening and sympathetic ear. You have no idea. This saintly woman got us through the last two weeks.

Also, my friend Michelle B. took mercy on me when I was stymied by the massive job of packing our belongings (for the second time in a year). She kindly provided the impetus to get me going, wrapped up most of my dishes and glassware in newsprint, and perhaps more importantly, offered many wise words of counsel. This is more amazing if you know that her family is the one moving into our house! So she was packing up my kitchen only to turn around and unpack hers into the very same cupboards a couple of weeks later. Imagine.

That kind of sounds like the academy awards, but there is nothing so touching when you are in need as to have friends set aside their own deadlines and concerns just to take on yours. It is just hard to adequately express how grateful we are.

Now we have one big decision left to make: we must find a new house. Doug is working in Lamar for a few days more, and meanwhile I have made my way to Virginia with the younger kids (Jacob is staying at Grandma's so he can attend summer basketball and soccer activities) to visit my sister. We're all a bit shell-shocked. But after a couple of weeks of R&R, we'll get on with becoming the Lawrence Von Feldts once again.

Family on the Move

We have been a family on the move, and we have much to catch you up on.

First, school's out! With a very sudden decision by the powers that be, the requirement for snow days was waived, and the kids got out three days early! Their last day was May 11.

It was a misty morning--here are Sophia and Meredith in the park across the street:


Buddy--still in his pj's--walked to the bus stop with them.

The last wait at the Wheeler Farm bus stop . . . forever:

Lucy takes off after the bus, as usual:

Lamar Recital

Sophia and Meredith performed in the Chase Dance Academy recital last weekend, which they have been preparing for for months. We have a beautiful, big auditorium here in Lamar--Thiebaud Auditorium--which made a nice venue.

They did splendidly! We are grateful to Carla Scott and the Solums for coming to catch the performance! We are also grateful to Kelly Kellenberger, Rhonda, and Rebecca for being such great teachers all year long!

Here's Meredith, a girl in a white dress with a blue (not satin) sash:


Here's Sophia:


Both girls wore full stage makeup with false eyelashes! I must say that part of the fun was the afternoon getting we spent getting ready. We got out all my makeup from my ballroom dance days, and I enjoyed slicking back their hair, applying their lashes, and finding just the right color of lipstick.


Click here for more pics:

2007-04 Recital

Jacob's Team Wins Top Points!

Jacob recently competed in a state-wide challenge for gifted classrooms called Extempore. I got to go up to Kansas City on the school bus with him for the competition.

Teams are given requirements in advance around which to build a skit, then at the last minute must incorporate a handful of additions extemporaneously. The competition also involves brainy problem-solving challenges. Jacob's team competed against 38 other teams from across the state and earned the most points!

Here is the winning team with their teacher, Barb Nichols:

Here is Jacob in action. I believe he was a "nerd" having a bad audition because he needed to relieve himself. The second shot depicts him as an extreme character--a gangster. The last shot shows other team members acting out their parts.

Aidan Ails

The next weekend was a bit of a downer. Aidan got a case of pneumonia that landed him (and me) in the hospital for a couple of days. (He pulled out of it just fine, though).

Here's Aidan ailing:


But here he is starting to feel better, sitting up and playing with some stretchy bugs that our friend Carla gave him:


He was visited by all his Lamar friends--Carla, Sophia, Trainer, Meredith, and Haley:


Aidan kept saying, "Can I go home now?" Especially when he had to take oral meds, which as it turns out he is adamantly against. But Meredith wished she could have been a patient! She stayed for an extended snuggle and some tv-watching:


** For those interested, please note that I have added one piece of artwork to the post below!