Dear Friends and Family,
Most of you are used to the monthly updates that I refer to as the "Greenleaf Post". Some of you I just added recently. If for any reason any of you prefer not to receive these monthly updates on our family - I will not take it personal - just reply and kindly request to be taken from the list. This practice stems from a tradition of writing a monthly family letter to keep my siblings and parents abreast of what each other is doing. It has now turned into my way of keeping many of our good friends that we have made as we have moved or they have moved. I also use it as sort of a Journal of sorts. I hope you don't mind.
The month of February was a month of change. For a few months I've been contemplating a career change with the primary motivation to reduce stress. BlueLine has been a wonderful ride - but it was time to make a change that offered a better return on my investment of time and resources. It is still a young company and has been dealing with a lot of growing pains and with the additional pressure of helping my Brother-in-law and his family - it just became time to make a change.
Anyway, my last day with BlueLine was the 14th of February and I immediately began a contract with a small tech company called MetaGeek (www.metageek.net). Many of you may remember that BlueLine used to have our offices in Nampa at the BSUTECenter (a small business incubator). The TECenter had contracted with BlueLine to help the small companies there with some advice and in turn we got a great deal on rent. When BlueLine moved downtown to the new office building I went back to the TECenter to work with a couple of companies that had great products, and were ready to hit the next level. I have signed contracts with 1 company and will sign the other contract tomorrow with Dental R.A.T. (www.dentalrat.com). I have a retainer with both companies, plus some equity and commissions based on the companies gross profits. It is a great Win/Win situation for them and me. I'm able to help them with real world sales and marketing expertise in the High Tech industry that they couldn't afford otherwise - but since they are "sharing" me it works for them and me. I can many times have them share expenses when I travel because the resellers I'll be setting up for one will likely be interested in the other.
I feel very blessed after a few months of soul searching and prayer to have found such a great fit and a positive situation for me and my family. I'm still an owner in BlueLine until we decide exactly how we want set up my buy out - and I really do hope for the best for BlueLine. This opportunity is just better for me and I think it will be better for BlueLine to replace me with someone that is a better fit for where they are right now in their growth.
OK - enough about me.
One of Lareen's good friends from High School recently had a terrible accident take 3 of their children. Some of you may have heard of 5 children who were driving to early morning seminary and they lost control and ended up in 20 feet of water. None of them made it. 3 of the children were the kids of Lareen's friend and 2 were the children of their Bishop. Lareen's friend Brandon Walker had already lost their 2 and a half year old little girl just a few years ago. Now, with the loss of these 3 they have gone from a family of 8 kids to 4. Brandon's wife Tamara has been hospitalized and had to be given sedatives - please include her in your prayers. Their funeral is Tuesday. It sure makes me grateful for the faith and knowledge of the better place they are. I know that they know that - but it is still a tough pill to swallow right now. It has also made me want to remember to always give all the love I can to our kids so that I won't ever have regrets.
Logan is really becoming a young woman. I am a chapperone at the youth church dances (Stake dances) and she has been going now for a couple of months and it is really surreal to see young men try to get the courage to approach her and then to see her dancing with them... too weird!!! She is great and so nice to so many. She hates to see anyone feeling left out. She has really helped befriend some girls that struggle socially and I'm proud of her for that. It is a tough balance to try to include the "socially challenged" with your other friends so you don't end up simply being pigeon-holed as another of the "socially challenged". So far, so good. Not all of Logan's friends have been able to deal with it - but it has been a good way to see who is REALLY a good friend.
Jarom finished up Basketball season last week. It was fun to see Matt Wood's son Alex at a couple of the games despite the fact that his team beat Jarom's - both times they played. Jarom really improved from last year and was a real asset. He hussles and was the one that we put on the other team's best player to shut them down. Jarom isn't the tallest player but he gets tons of rebounds because he doesn't just stand there with his arms up. It is amazing how much better your chances are to get the ball when you actually jump! He had a blast and had a real break-out game for their last game of the season with 12 points and probably 16+ rebounds (they don't track that as well).
Hannah has kept pretty steady. She still loves her American Doll's and is totally engulfed in reading and learning all she can about them. She and her good friend Claire are very funny with them. They set up school and class programs and schedules that are quite intricate. I think that they could play - all day every day if they could. I'm very glad that Hannah plays so well with Emma too - it is great that they get along so well (most of the time). Hannah is definitely our most 'clean' child and keeps her room very nice. She has her doll furniture, clothes, bedding etc. all very well organized in her room and makes sure they are tucked in every night.
Emma followed the Packer girl tradition of donating her hair to locks-of-love. It is a wonderful program where people can donate their hair (must be at least 10 inches in length in a pony-tail) to a program that makes wigs for girls in cancer treatment. Emma's little 'bob' haircut is just above the bottom of her ears and is SOOOOO cute. I love my girls to have long hair - but I also love them to share the blessing of the beautiful hair they have been given. It is also great that short hair seems to fit Emma's bubbly and energetic personality so much. I'll be posting pictures and a link in the next while so you can see.
Until next time...
Love,
--
Brian S. Packer & Family
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