October...Things Still Pretty Darn Good!

Hello everyone...well October has come and gone already, and the mood and mindset drifts to the upcoming holiday season. Things are still going pretty well in the ville of Knox so here's an update.

THE JIM JOURNALS
Jim's still doing well at his main gig for HGTV and seems pretty content with everything. He's still active in other pursuits and interests which keep him very busy. He did some minor audio help for The Haunted Cave here in the greater Knoxville Area, but with scheudules being what they are he wasn't able to help out in a larger capacity. He's starting to settle into his new home studio - which I call "The Boiler-Room Tikki Room", and he's patient with my ever-changing ideas about interior housepaint.

ANNA ANNOUNCEMENTS
I have finally found my path back to faith...my spirituality had never left me, but since the passing of my Mother in 1999, I found myself completely shattered, especially faith-wise. I have pretty much attempted to run far away from anything having to do with organized spiritual life, but the calling to return to my center kept gnawing at me. I have tried out a few congregations in the Knoxville area since we've moved here and on 1o/15/06, I signed the register and became a member of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church here in Knoxville (www.tvuuc.com). It's a place I have felt very comfortable with, and Jim seems to be comfortable with as well. I'm working on "building my own theology", as we say...because ever since my master's program, I have found that there is some beauty we can all take from the major religions and even-though, at heart, I'm probably a "Lutheran Unitarian Universalist", I find that my search for a deeper faith allows me to understand the common threads we all share as we look for meaning. I also may start attending St. John's Lutheran Church here in town as well, so my sundays may have a WHOLE lotta church soon! :) I am on the art gallery committee now, and am pretty active within the church so far so I'm pretty happy and feeling very connected in many ways.
I've also started dancing again, with Dance Dimensions in Knoxville - but progress is slow, and I'm just starting to get myself energized again when my heart is so often torn between wanting to get back into my social scene and wanting to keep unpacking boxes and setting up my house. Needless to say, my house wins quite a bit - I just like feeling settled.

FAMILY FILLER
Lastly, we finally sold our house in Nashville at the end of September! Yea!!!! It was a great house, but we are glad we have moved onward and forward. The coolest thing is that with some of Jim's extra work, we were to pay for our own vacation to VEGAS which we plan to take in February 2007 - it's booked and if you ask me, I'd pack my bags tomorrow! :)

Easton (our Lab-Pointer doggie), is doing well; and our two cats are "getting along better" - with Iris finally seeming to become regulated with her diabetes (who knew cats could get diabetes), and Kira getting a bit chubby from the high-protein food that Iris has to eat. Sadly, however we had to put our other beautiful doggie "Lady-Bear Harmon" to sleep...I never thought I'd grieve like that for an animal, but it was her time and we definitely didn't want her to suffer anymore. Animals so become parts of our lives and families...it is that which makes us richer.

Anyway...I'm still afraid of plaster walls (afraid of damaging them), but my Dad is coming down for Thanksgiving which makes me happy. It's good to have a slice of home for the holidays. Plus, with the Easton/Phillipsburg Football game being broadcast on ESPN2 this Thanksgiving , I'll be WAAAY happy.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, as you are often in ours...we continue our efforts to start a family hope that your good wishes will bring a good "announcement" in the near future. Much peace, love and hope to you all...talk to you next month!