An Update....

Family and friends--

Well we arrived safely in Virginia on August 13th. We are happy to be here and are settling into Ernie's parent's home (Mimi and Papi's) and enjoying the spring like weather--it's in the 80s here.

After a lot of thought from both Ernie and I and his parents together we have decided that it would be best for our family if we stayed in Virginia for the next year while Ernie completes his management training with Exel. He will be commuting to Exel warehouses each week for the next 4 months and home on the weekends...so rather than moving to a new place and being alone most of the time we've happily accepted Mimi and Papi's invitation to stay in Virginia. In January the warehouse in PA will open and Ernie will move there to complete his on-site training and come home to VA on the weekends. Ernie should complete all of his training by next August (or sooner) and then we will relocate to a more permanent position/warehouse.

Enough about that and on to the fun news...Josie is happy to be starting the 2nd grade on Sept. 2nd at Laurel Ridge Elementary (just 1 block from home) where her daddy went to school. William will be attending St. Mary of Sorrow preschool three mornings a week for 3 hours and is excited about the "big sand box" they have. The kids are enjoying the pool and are starting soccer in a few weeks. Cleo is fitting in nicely with her three cousins and spends endless hours in the Florida room surrounded by nature.

I am happy to be here with family and I am really enjoying the help and support that they offer. I am helping Mimi re-organize her kitchen and closets and if you know me I am in my element. I am looking into working two nights a week at a local Pottery Barn and I am really excited about the opportunity to collect new stuff for our next house. Ha ha.

Ernie is really enjoying the management training he's receiving from Exel it's kinda like getting another MBA. The opportunities with Exel are endless and Ernie is thrilled for the challenges it offers.

On a somber note if you haven't read our blog yet...we lost our beloved Callie on August 13th a few short hours after arriving in VA. We are very sad and are struggling with her sudden loss. We are fortunate to have family to lean on during this difficult time. Callie would have loved all the things we had planned for her...walks in our beautiful tree-lined neighborhood, squirrels, birds and loads of wildlife to chase and hikes to the Shenandoah Valley. We have placed her ashes on Grandma's window sill with the late cat Tabitha and will decide where to place them later. She was 9 years young and had a great life and was always the center of our world.

We hope that this letter finds your family well and if you are in the D.C. area please call us.

New info:

10009 Whitefield Street
Fairfax, VA 22032

703-547-7196 (cell)
703-321-8193 (H)

All our best,
Ernie, Jodi, Josie and Will