Please keep my husband and his local in your thoughts on Monday. He informed me this evening that there will be a strike vote on Monday. The contract offer had.... no offers, only concessions. Management is not offering any cost of living increase, but they asking for a one-third reduction in vacation time and no employer participation in medical benefits. DH is just sick with worry already. He doesn't want to have to vote for a strike, but he feels like he is caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. And what's worse, Monday is DH2's birthday. I just don't think I have it in me to get them both through the day. I am trying to put it in the Lord's hands, but I am having a hard time passing off the baton tonight. And the fact that DS1 and DDIL leave for Alaska one week from today isn't helping either.

Oh Meg of course I shall add you all to my prayer list.
Keep your chin up sweetheart, God will make sure things go right... even though it may not seem like it at the time.
Jacqui

Oh, Meg ... sorry to hear this. That is a tough place to be.

You are right, though, to be placing this in God's Hands ... the best (and only thing really) that you can do ...

My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family ...

They voted yesterday by overwhelming majority to strike if contract talks break down. Yesterday, my son learned that he has HBP. He is only 19, for crying out loud! And my beloved Red Wings lost in 3 OT. When it rains, it pours. I am getting ready to take a long vacation in bed, and I'm not coming out from under the pillow until all this is fixed!

Meg... I am so sorry I missed this thread till now. (but I was up strolling around Lake Huron) Now that you are ready to smack me (ha ha) I will tell you how sorry I am that you have so much crap (for lack of a better word) on your plate. of course i am thinking of you. I will add your name to my little prayer bowl, i light each day. here for you when needed,,,,okay??

Hugs Meg
I hope by now there is some good news I am sorry I haven't been around to give you support, my prayers are your you and your family in this time of need. May they get what they are hoping for and more and that your son can control the HBP.

Thank you all for your good wishes. Won't be around much today; have a graduation cake to bake. Nor tomorrow- we are driving from Detroit to Cadillac to see DDIL's graduation and have a farewell dinner for DS1 and DDIL before they depart for Alaska. Please keep us in your thoughts, we will be on the road ten hours all told. And please keep Gordon and Jessica in your prayers as they drive (with a dog, a cat, and 3 rats)to Washington state. They have just less than a week to meet the ferry that will carry them to the island where they will live. And that's a 36 hour boat ride.

Meg my prayers and thoughts go to you and your family.

Meg, I know this is such a hard time for you. Let your tears flow so you can wash away all that sorrow and be ready to face a new day. Thank goodness for cell phones so you can call them everyday if you want to. That has been such a blessing to me with Matt being so far away. There is nothing that would make me happier than for him to move back home(especially now with a new baby) but I know he is happy with his new life and family. We as mothers knew this day was coming but it doesn't make it any easier. Our children grow up and move on. They have to carve out thier own way and really, it's a good thing. We just have to look at the positives for them. Lots of hugs and support to you. Don't stay away too long, we will all be here when you are ready.

Thank you all for your good wishes. The day went beautifully. There were about ten of us who made it, including her maid if honor from their wedding.

We had a lovely, lively dinner beforehand, complete with a cake. My sister and brother drove up with us, and I told my brother if he were going to ride shotgun in the front seat with Steve, it was his job to make sure the cake didn't fall off the seat. LOL The cake was a 1/4 sheet decorated with all sorts of animals. I was going for a Dr. Doolittle/If I Could Talk to the Animals theme.

The graduation ceremony was very nice; very warm, but very nice. We rang cow bells (wished we'd had an air horn!) and shouted, "Alaska or bust, Jessie!" when her name was read. If that girl doesn't know how much of a treasure she is to this family by now, she never will! LOL

We were the last family to leave the reception afterwards. The staff had stripped every other table and were all huddled in a corner staring and hoping we would go so they could! I finally walked over and thanked them for their patience and explained that our graduate was immediately leaving for Alaska so we weren't in a hurry to say good-bye. Then they were like Alaska? Take all the time you need.

Not everyone went home in the car they came in, so there was luggage to be moved, and birthday gifts to be transfered from one car to another. We have a whole slew of birthday's end of May, beginning of June, we have 8 Gemini's!

It was just starting to rain, and as soon as everyone was one the road, it let loose. Did you ever see the movie The Perfect Storm? I may given to exaggeration, but not last night. The first fifty miles or so were on a little twisty, turny 2-lane country road. No street lights, no moon, and just enough fog to make the highbeams useless. So unless there was other traffic, it was very difficult to see the edge of the pavement. I stayed awake to help Steve spot for the side of the road.

By the time we so reached the expressway we were out of the storm. Steve and Doug switched places so then I sat up spoting for deer. There were about six or seven fresh kills between there and Ann Arbor; they were out in full force last night. My offical capacity in this family on road trips is as chief navigator, bombardier, and iceberg watcher!

It was almost 3:00 this morning by the time we pulled into our own driveway. And I had been up since 7:00 yesterday. In a way, that was good. I worked so hard to make the day be a perfect send-off for them that I didn't have a chance to feel sorry for myself. They still have a lo-o-o-ong drive ahead of them, but now that it has actually happened, I think I am over the hump.

Doug is struggling with his diet, changing to a more healthful regimen, but at least he is concerned and making an effort and not just ignoring it.

Our big worry now is what is going to happen to Steve's contract. Of course, that is a big enough worry in itself, I don't need any more.

Again, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I will keep you posted as to their progress across the Northern Plains States.