Summer 2014.... many things have happened. Talia is starting to walk. Tina is searching. Bill is working. Preston is singing. Illinois is getting on my nerves...so much traffic and road construction once the winter passes. But I am blessed by God to keep the faith and wait to see His plan for us. My heart is broken over the violence in our world and nearby. Helpless, but strong in prayer. Home not going to be built in Plainfield as planned, but home is still out there. Neighbors are moving tomorrow and Preston will miss his brown skinned brother and family that cares for him so much. He is strong of mind and we will always tell him he is good and powerful, so he will persevere. Talia says daddy, go , bye bye, down, blows kisses, and chatters with meaning every day. We are surrounded by people who love us and care for our children. We are providers of faith and good will. There is a circle of strength that God gives us with unlimited boundaries. We embrace His blessings and Word, we lift our praises to Him. We are so happy to have the life we live, and no matter how difficult life becomes, we are together trying, looking for moments to embrace our love for each other.  This post is dedicated to my wife who tries to understand me and love me when I am determined to be difficult, I love you endlessly..Tina.  I always remember when I called you from the rest stop on my way home from the Preston Family reunion... You are the one.

We finally did it! First part of the mission accomplished!

Wow ...what a relief after seven long years of waiting; taking classes; waiting to get into nursing school; getting started in 2011 and graduating in 2013; persevering with a detached retina and subsequent eye surgery; going to clinical with a fractured right foot; celebrating the glorious birth of our second child Talia Marie in the summer of 2013!; and most importantly, having the support of my wonderful wife Tina!  Proudly and with a big sigh of relief,  I say, William Preston Kitchings is now RN, BSN! Praise the Lord for working so amazingly in our lives! Now, as we start the adventure of building a new home, 2014 promises to be exciting. I mentioned first part of the mission. That means as many of you know, God has plans for us and we look forward with anticipation for His reveal. We are listening Lord! Keep preparing us as we grow in our family. Oh yeah...please allow me some time to play a few rounds of golf (Tina said it's okay!).

Here it is September 2013, and the second child has been with us in the world for almost 4 months! Talia Maire was born June 3rd. Very exciting to watch her and Preston as they keep getting stronger and more developed. Preston loves being big brother and he is very helpful despite wanting to climb into her crib and curl up like a little baby! Tina is doing well, struggling with wanting to stay at home with Talia, and having to go back to work. She will travel less, so that is a good thing. Dhe is also getting her blackbelt as an auditor very soon, so that makes her even more desirable than she already is! I have a new job since June working in home health! School is in its last semester for me, so my stumble last spring has new steps as we move deeper into fall. Graduation is December. Thanks to all the people who have given me support through these crazy times! RN, BSN is the goal, and I actually feel like I am going to make it this time. Fall in Chicago is beautiful this year, and we are having a late warm up this weekend which I always love because, let's face it, this Southern Man likes warm weather! The only negative I have going right now is that I hate seeing baseball beyond the first week of October. Here it is the end of September and the playoffs have not even started. True baseball fans probably don't care, but I cannot stand seeing fans in the stands wearing cold weather clothing to a game played in the summer. That's just the old-fashioned part of me that cannot stand the greed of professional sports owners. Anyway, out of respect for my brother, go Reds! We are looking forward to 2014 as we decide whether or not we are staying here and making Chicagoland our forever home. Once I graduate and pass my boards, we will begin to decide, open our hearts to prayer, and listen to what God is telling us to do. Until next time, love your neighbor!

Relieved

Amazing is the only word that can describe how I see the world after my eye surgery. I waited for over a year to remove the side effect from my vitrectomy in 2011. Didn't hear about that? I do not think I blogged it! Anyway, I noted tonight on my way home from class, that I was seeing so clearly that I forgot what it was like to be impaired. That is a truism. We forget what it was like before the after effect. Take hearing for example. I sincerely do not remember what it is like to hear silence. I have not heard silence since 2007 except for one brief period while I was charting in the back of the nurses station in Elmhurst hospital in 2008. It was so quiet then, that I thought something was wrong! Often times when I am listening to this constant sound, I wonder if I have been hearing it all of my life. When I was little, and I slept out in the back yard, I listened to the sounds of chirping insects. Now, that sound is what I hear all of the time. But I never give up hope that one day, the silence will return, and I will appreciate all of the nuances of sound that people without hearing loss experience. But I digress.... I am so excited that there are only three more classes, one clinical, one care plan, one final,150 NCLEX questions, and one final exam remaining in Fall semester! That sounds like alot, but it really isn't considering what we started with! Over by the 14th of December, then a month to enjoy the season with Tina and Preston, decorate for Chritsmas, and take our yearly tour into downtown to Chicago to shop and enjoy the people. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at Tina's sister's house in Minnesota. I do really enjoy going there. I missed an opp to see JR, but I talked with him today and better days are ahead in the spring or summer. Preston had a great experience, swimming in the pool with us for the first time. He was so exicted and happy to be there, I felt so good inside! He is going to be a good swimmer! Tina shared many good times with her family, and we all got to catch up with each other as lives keep moving forward and changing as the seasons do. I find myself torn between not wanting to go to NC to see dad, my brother, and sister, and wanting to go to NC to see my dad, brother, and sister. With God's blessing, this will work out. Tina has entered her second trimester, and we are thrilled that things are going well. This time we are more accepting I think of the way things are rather than worrying every step of the way. Really? HA HA. I am always worried! Anyway, she is such a trooper, a truly wonderful woman with a heart of gold! I do love her so. I continue to be amazed at God's gifts to our family. We are truly blessed to be where we are, who we are, and have the people around us that care. Thank you Lord for the season that is upon us, and we continually pray for preparation to serve you better. And may you keep Talia Marie or Thomas Tyler healthy. To all who read this, Merry Christmas! May your lives be filled with promise!

Balancing

So Summer is two-thirds over here in the suburbs of Chicago, and it is entirely possible that cooler weather will descend upon us and the air will be crisp before we know it. What has been a stressful, yet fulfilling year has moved into high gear with plans of a second child moving forward. We are hopeful that Preston will have a sibling by this time next year, and that God will bless us as He has done so far in our lives. We are excited at the possibility of staying up at odd hours, waking in the middle of the night, changing diapers, consoling hurt feelings, nuturing young souls, and occasionally remembering to love each other as we prepare small lives for bigger promises. There is an excitement about moving into the 4th semester of school, knowing that when Thanksgiving arrives, the light at the end of the tunnel is truly one that shines on the future! Graduation in 2013 will be a culmination of many years spent learning to be a complete caregiver, and registered nurse. Sharing family experiences outside of our immediate one is on the agenda for this year and next, so we are excited to include travel at the end of this year, and next Summer after our new baby is born. Tina is earning her black belt as an auditor for Ingredion, and 2013 will also afford her the opportunity to chase her dreams while being a mother, a manager, and my lover. There is also the hopeful promise of a new set of golf clubs for Summer of 2013, and a chance to manage a few rounds with my buddy JR, even though he has moved back to Minnesota. My dad said I was one fo the most courageous people he knew...actually he said I have alot of guts. Lets just hope they don't develop any problems so that I can live long enough to see our children be able to drink out of a regular cup without throwing it across the room. No matter what though, it will always be a balancing act to get through this life. Never be afraid to try to make more out of yourself than you think you can be, and do not let anyone challenge your faith that God will always orchestrate what you need. Power on, full screen ahead!

God first

I heard the news today oh boy.....not from the Beatles song...but from God. It was delivered in a message from one of the elders at Ginger Creek Community Church. "God does not prosper us to increase our standard of living, but to increase our standard of giving." As a family, we will submit to God, give generously, and find the life that He has meant for us to follow. I know it is hard to believe. I know it is easy to define ourselves by the circumstances in which we live. But there is a promise from God that if we put Him first, and give from our heart, He will give us everlasting life, and prosper us beyond what we could imagine.

A Narrow View

In any organization, the people in it are the most valuable asset, and the perception of those people is determined by the leadership of that organization. One could hardly argue with that premise, but one would have to accept that the leadership of an organization is responsible for the perception of its people from inside or outside the organization. Do you follow? Its the perception that the organization is only as good as its leader. This does not apply to our country however, so do not go getting any ideas where this is going. What I came here to write about is the lack of civility in our Congress, and the media. Most people would welcome a civil debate about health care issues, immigration, and the war in Afghanistan. What we want is an explanation of how and why things will work, how much it will cost, who will pay for it, and not the talking points that force people to choose Democratic or Republican views. I might be for a public option if any one bothered to explain exactly what it is and how it will work. I might be able to consider accepting any viewpoint if it is explained in a civil way. Civility is not what we are getting, however, so the country keeps on along party lines whether they understand the issue or not. The poor media coverage, the constant bickering, name calling, and hatred of some people dominate us. Forming an informed opinion is almost impossible because catch phrases and talking points do not explain how health care reform will work. Criticizing the Bush administration or calling President Obama a socialist is not productive. Portraying our young women in sitcoms as promiscuous, and dressing them like sluts is not helping anyone either. (That's a side thought that popped up when I was wondering why people degrade others so.) Anyway, our Congressional leadership needs to stop blaming each other, and get involved in civil debate and discussion as to what they are going to do to help ALL Americans have health care whether it is affordable or not. (Affordable is just a another catch word. Lets face it: Health care is expensive!) I know its all complicated, but surely there is a way that we can understand it. The first step is to have things explained clearly and without opinion. Try a little humility, kindness, genuine concern for others, and telling us honestly how things are going to work. Oh, and just so you know, the President of the free world IS expected to mediate this bickering and not be the force behind it. God bless everyone, and I hope you all have a wonderful Fall. Play nice!