Two parts good news and one part bad

Good News #1: You know how I told you last week that one of our employees, Elisee, daughter and daughters mother died in the Haiti Earthquake. The Good new is that his daughter did not die.

Bad News #1: The Mother did. Sad I know.

The little girl suffered a few bumps and bruises and may have broken her arm. Not too bad considering what they originally thought. I guess this is what is going to happen. He is going to go to Haiti next month and bring her back to the states. However It's going to take some time to do that since he has to get her a passport and a visa to live here. I am really not sure on all the details and what needs to take place hopefully everything can get expedited.

Good News #2: You know BYU offers independent Study. Right? Turns out after this semester is finished Patrick only has 4 classes left to take in order to graduate. I told you he's been close. 3 of those classes are offered as Independent Study courses. So this is what he is thinking he might do. For the Spring Semester, which goes May to the end of June, he will take 2 brick and mortar classes. His Capstone and one other class. And then once he finishes spring semester off he is going to take the last 2 classes as Independent Study.

About Financial Aid, I hope I am going to explain this coherently....If you receive Financial Aid for an independent Study course you have to finish the course within the given semester that the Financial Aid was awarded. If you just take an Independent Study class without FA you have a full year to complete the course. I'm pretty sure Patrick is going to take the classes with FA so that he HAS to do the classes and WILL graduate by the end of August. But as far as working and getting a job, looks like he might be able to start searching in July.

Here is the real kicker and why I am so stressed right now and Patrick NEEDS to graduate and find a JOB ASAP. Because I might not have a job as of September 1st. Yes I work for UVU and no UVU will not go away on September 1st. However, my department is Federally funded. Every few years we, as in Keith my boss, has to write a grant. This was our "grant writing year." The grant was due December 4th. We got it in on time but we won't know if we are funded for the next year until May. I don't know if it will be the beginning of May, the middle of May or the end of May. It's a little scary.

I don't know if this is the same for everyone or not but when I look at the future I can always see a little fussy color. If that makes sense. I know where I want to be, I know what might be happening and I might know some info on things that I am doing. Like for instance here are some things that will be happening in the near future that I will be taking part in. Grandpas 80th birthday bash is in March. Grandma would like to go to D.C. for memorial Day. Matt graduates in June. Patricks Side of the family will be having a giant reunion at the end of July. I hope to be doing Marching Band. The baby contest is on the 19th of June. And on July 4th I'll be helping mom with the parade as usual. oh, and Michelle is having a baby. The Future especially since we have been in school has never really been that unknown. We know that the next semester is going to start and I have a job. However for me August 31st is a Black Hole. I don't know what is going to happen. And the darkness, not that I am depressed, will not really lift until May. If this was not our grant writing year the future would have that little bit of fussy color because I would have a job. But that is not the case this year.

So now you all know why life has been a little stressful. Don't worry too much. We're fine and will continue to be fine. I'm sure all of you have gone though something like this. We'll know in May and am sure we will be funded.

As far as today. I have a color guard competition on Saturday and the girls are going to Rock!