November 07 Greenleaf Post

Dear friends and family,

I know that I've been lousy at sending out our updates lately - I
guess I've wanted to have some good news to send first - and so here
it is...
I accepted a job offer today with HP and we are staying here! I will
be involved in marketing in the printer group based out of Boise.

So, we thank all of you who have included us in your prayers and are
very grateful, very, very grateful to a loving Father in Heaven that
answered our prayers to allow us to get the offer today so that
Thanksgiving could have an additional meaning for our family this
year.

We have been very blessed. We are at the end of the rope and knew
that something had to happen... and it did.

To give you an update on the family - we have had a great fall thus
far. I had the blessing and opportunity to help coach Jarom's
football team again this year. He was on the Valleyview Middle School
Lightweight team and I was able to volunteer and help coach and I had
a ball. I may end up doing that again in the future. Jarom was the
Quarterback and Linebacker again - he did very well. The team was OK
- we had a very small turnout due to the fact that the middle school
just split and the other, new school had more of the kids. So we
ended up with lousy gear, a small group of boys and a 2 and 4 season
with only 2 blow-outs. We were in the game on 2 of the losses so that
feels a bit better.

We have stopped our piano lessons and started a "home school" program
where the kids have a Hymn to learn each month. They must pass it off
during a Family Home Evening with no errors and with the family
singing (so they have to keep time). Hannah can use the simplified
book but Jarom and Logan are on the real deal (they can also use
Primary songs). Anyway, they get paid if they get it right and they
pay us if they don't. If they can go a full year without missing a
month they get a big bonus. In the end it is a win/win. We are
paying less than we were (even with the bonuses) with piano lessons
and the kids are far more motivated. So far so good. They are
practicing better than ever.

Our extra family is doing really well - Bryan is dating someone and
the kids are doing well in school and we are feeling very blessed in
that regard.

Lareen's health is getting a big boost. We are finally getting her
legs taken care of thanks to Matt Wood (my cousin). He is working
with us and our insurance to do something called laser vein oblation.
Basically they are taking out the really bad internal vericose veins
that are causing the main problem and they are able to do it with a
laser vs. having it stripped out. They have done one procedure per
leg now and her right leg (the one they did first) is so much better
already. Her foot doesn't go numb anymore and her heart is having
less trouble with her blood flow. She will need one more procedure
for sure (2nd week of December) and we'll see what happens after that.
We have high hopes that this will solve her low blood pressure, low
energy, heart palpitation, leg numbness, and other issues. Supposedly
they are all connected. Anyway, I'm excited that we are finally able
to get something rolling that could really help her on this.

Love all,

The Packers