Yikes! Can it really been so long since my last post? Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted anything. I’ve never been a diary keeper, so daily (or even weekly) posting hasn’t become a habit yet. I’ve got a number of articles in mind now, so I should be set for the next few months. Here’s the first one.
It’s been an eventful fall for the Iliff family, with a number of past and future happenings:
1. Graduation. On September 22—his birthday—my son, Steven, received his Master of Business Administration from Globe University. It was the culmination of a long process that began several years ago. He was unemployed, one of many caught up in the economic downturn. Unable to find a job, he decided to use his time to pursue further education. Barely a month after he started school, he got a call from an employment agency, telling him they had a job for him! So, for the last couple years, he’s been working by day and going to school by night. His graduation was a great celebration for our family!
2. Baseball. It was great fun following the Brewers this year. After a slow start, they found themselves in late July and went on an extended winning streak that eventually led to a division title. It took me back to 1982—the year of Steven’s birth—when the Brewers also had success and qualified for the playoffs. That year, I watched the playoffs with infant Steven swaddled and sleeping on my chest. Unfortunately, the outcomes were all too similar—both years, the dreaded Cardinals sending the Brewers down to defeat. But one thing was the same—I got to watch the games with my son. Now, we’re focusing on the Packers. Dare we hope for the same success this year as last?
3. Empty nest. Today, Steven and Sarah began “The Great Move-Out.” Sarah, our middle child, moved back home this summer after several years in Milwaukee, attending school and working. She made the transition back so that she could attend graduate school at UW-Madison in social work next year. She’s been living with us for the last few months as she got her work and financial situations stabilized. Steven, too had been planning to move out, but had had difficulty finding a roommate. So they found each other! Today (November 15) they picked up their apartment keys and began moving small and fragile items. Tomorrow afternoon, Steven and I will move the big stuff! He’s reserved a U-Haul truck that we’ll use to pick up their new furniture on the east side of Madison and to transport their belongings from our house to their new home. I’ve told them they need to take everything with them. If they leave it behind, it might not be there when they get back!
The first order of business after they move out will be to clean the garage. It’s been a warehouse for the last four years and needs to be cleaned and straightened up. There are a number of things we need to get rid of, like an old chest freezer and a broken-down couch. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to get two cars in there this winter!
After the garage is finished, then we finish our remodeling work in the family room (trim work, touch-up painting, and a new big-screen HD TV) and convert a bedroom into an office/TV room/activity room (old TV and new desk goes there). Down the road comes bathroom and kitchen remodeling! They’ll be the subjects of extended postings when they happen.
It’s a time of great accomplishments, but also a time of big transitions. We’re excited for our kids and also excited about this new chapter in our lives. I’ll keep you posted!
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