Christmas is less than 3 months away! WOW

Can't believe how fast this year has passed. I've been very, very busy with special-assignment judge work and am still enjoying it. Have had assignments in 25 counties - so far!

I skipped May and June

Well...as promised, I've been a less faithful blogger. That isn't quite the right way to express it but I'm sure you get the meaning.

May and June were busy months for me. I've been traveling all around West Virginia, hearing family-court cases by special assignment of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. To date, in 20 counties - that's more than one-third of the state. It's really been good - work that I enjoy and a lot of variety. As always has been true, I'm sorry there's so much need for Family Court, but of course that's not going to change.

There've been some changes in the future career prospects. One still looks very good; one looks less likely until more than a year from now; and another's opening date also has been delayed. However, I'm still rather hopeful about all of them and in the meantime, the judge work is more or less full time -- and I'm starting to do some family-court mediations in other cases, too.

We were at the beach the first week of June and had a terrific time with the family (all but one of my boys). I love rough surf and especially the first day was great for that. The whole week was relaxing, with good weather and solid beach time. Then I was home a week, ran my 13th Clarksburg 10k, and went to Sr. High Camp at Cowen. Camp's always different and always good!

My oldest son tore off our front porch while I was at Camp - much needed - and the new porch is basically there. Not finished yet but much of it done. It looks great! The footprint for our new garage is there too. Right now our yard is -- a little messy. That's the nature of construction. We're also tearing down our circa 1918 shed - before it falls down - and doing some major trimming on our trees and bushes.

Can't believe we're now in July. My little girl's getting married next month!

Don't know when I'll get back here - if you like, keep up with me on Twitter and Facebook.

Oops

I was just finishing a long entry - honest - when it disappeared from the screen! Don't think I hit any buttons. Too lazy to try to recreate it now - maybe later! In the meantime, catch up with me on Twitter and Facebook.

Back from Haiti

Got back last night from 10 days in Haiti - awesome trip! Spent a lot of time mixing concrete, moving rocks, etc., leveling and finishing floors in a farm house under construction. Also introduced Four-square to Haiti - put down a duct-tape court at the orphanage at Fort Liberte and when we came back, the kids there had used the tape as a pattern to paint a permanent court!

Good Friday

This Good Friday probably hasn't been as reflective as it should have been - there's a lot going on. It's not been a hectic day at all, kind of a nice mix of busy and relaxing. We're getting ready to go to Haiti early early Monday morning. I've got a lot of work to do before then - I'll put a post up when we get back. So long for now.

Waning March

I have not been a very faithful blogger lately - maybe I should say ever. Was up until about 3:40 last night with my whole family! Everyone's in to celebrate two of our kids' birthdays and the last of the crowd arrived about 1:30. So all of us are here - my wife, me, five kids, three kids-in-law (one almost), our animals plus three grand-dogs. Our newest grand-dog, Callie, is just being introduced to the family this weekend - she belongs to my daughter and is a blue heeler. And she's in heat which already has made for some...er...interesting events!

I've been very busy with my special judicial assigments around the State - they've been fun - and am still doing the kids' work at the church. However - the church has hired a full-time children's minister effective May 1. I'm thrilled. I've come to enjoy this interim job for the most part but am still glad to move on. The new guy will need my help in the transition, I'm sure, and I'll be happy to do all I can.

As for permanent career stuff - still yet to be seen! For now, the judicial assignments can occupy me full time - I really am expecting at least one of three things to open up for me this summer. Actually what I wonder is, will all of them open up at once? That's how life goes - when it rains it pours. If I've said that on here before (I notice that I repeat myself sometimes) at least I'm consistent!

Looks like March may go out like a lamb - temps are supposed to be mild although it may be rainy. Not so lucky for our friends in Fargo, North Dakota - Red River expected to crest tomorrow about 25' over flood stage. Praying for them for sure-

Fri the 13

A good day and a good week so far. Spent the day in Fairmont hearing cases, the third day this week I was at that. One day in Elkins, one in Sutton. Tonight, we had our Quarterly Judicial Summit - this one in Parkersburg. Always fun but a few friends were missing tonight.

The judge work is getting quite busy and I'm still doing the work at the church. May need to make some changes in that soon - but we'll see.

Randy Travis is on the Tonight Show - I'm watching it and I don't even like country music - I think I'm so sleepy I'm out of my mind so I'd better close and get some shuteye. Write more later.

Time "March"es on

Sorry, couldn't think of a better title for this, my first March post. I've been busy lately - working for the Supreme Court as a special-assignment judge has picked up. Still on board at the church, too. And some of those mysterious things I've been talking about for months are still pending...and are looking encouraging.

Second February Post

Quite a month so far! I've spent three full days hearing Family Court cases for other judges, and have several more scheduled this month and next. Work at the church is going fine - a lot to do there. My only little girl got engaged last week! And - also last week, the windstorm that wreaked havoc in several states uprooted our 60' spruce which slammed into our deck and knocked it off our house! The deck was over a carport and yep, our Uplander van was there. Although it didn't look that bad, the adjuster totaled it - so we're getting a new car! Our homeowners insurance adjuster came today and among other things, we're getting a whole new roof! Annette and I had been talking about work we needed to have done on the house but we weren't focused on the deck - but now, of necessity, we are. We're hoping to replace it and the carport with a garage and a lower covered back porch.

The whole family was home the weekend of Feb. 6-8 and we celebrated Colleen's 21st b'day, which was Feb. 10. That was also the day she got engaged - Cevin, her fiance, asked me for her hand in marriage the weekend before. He's a great guy, we're very happy. He will be our third great kid-in-law! They're planning an August 15 wedding -yikes, that's less than 6 months from now - but we'll pull it off. A lot of plans already in place. Fast work, eh?

Interesting things on the job front - sorry to have to continue to be so obscure but really can't be too disclosive yet - we'll see how it all plays out in due time.

First February Post

Hmmm...much to report, and not that much to report. Work at the church going fine but I'm concerned about the status of the programming I'm responsible for if there's a hiatus between my leaving this interim position and the church's finding someone else to fill the gap. Not that I think I'm indispensable in any sense! Have to be realistic and know that if the gap is not filled and the programming has to be modified, that's all in the plan.

Regarding the permanent future career-wise - much happening, and not much happening. (Yes, I'm trying for parallelism throughout this post - HA.) Actually, it's really not fair to say not much is happening. Better to say nothing to hang my hat on permanently is happening. Not complaining! For instance - had a very interesting meeting on Thursday about one part-time possibility. And, this past Monday, I received confirmation that I've been approved as a Senior Status Family Court Judge and that I've been assigned several cases to hear in other counties, to cover conflicts of interest for other judges. Had to wait for paperwork to get started officially but received that yesterday -- so I am anxious to get started on these 25 cases this coming week. I'm hoping to be able to handle them along with my responsibilities at church - should be able to. I am glad to get back into the law business for sure!

????

Well...still waiting on the Lord for wherever it is I'm going to wind up permanently. Don't mean to seem or be impatient, truly, but I'd sure like to know.

Since my last post, I decided for many reasons it would be best not to do any court appointments at this time. The two judges who had appointed me to cases were kind enough to release me. One major point - it would complicate my serving as a senior status judge, which I'm hopeful will come to fruition shortly.

Some more permanent and full-time things still pending that I'm very interested in. In the meantime, status quo. Sorry not to have a more detailed or upbeat report!

And so it begins...

I promised you'd be the first to know...

Life takes a strange twist or two, doesn't it. I was unemployed for exactly one week. (Actually, not at all - see end of this paragraph.) Today, I started a new job - but it's not one I would've expected, and it also is temporary. I'm the interim kids' ministry director at our church. The hiring was made retroactive to 1/1/09 -the very next day after my judgeship ended - because I'd been meeting and working with our children's minister and others both before the end of 2008 and between 1/1 and today, in anticipation of the possibility of being hired. God is good!

It's not such a stretch for me - I've been a volunteer in ministry for years and actually did something similar to this twice before, when I lived in Huntington. So I'm grateful for the chance to serve and of course, for the additional income it will provide my family. It definitely has a couple of nice practical features - very flexible, allowing time for me to do some other things on the side (read on...) - and also "no strings attached" meaning that if the church finds a full-time person, my assignment is over, and if I find a full-time legal position, my assignment is over. (That sounds a bit abrupt - one way or the other, I'd expect to be a part of the transition. I'm into paving the way for successors these days :)

Also today, I got my first court appointment, to represent the interests of a kid in a guardianship case. And, a call from someone I may accept as a client on a rather simple paperwork matter. I anticipate more court appointments and also assignments as mediator in Family Court. My bar membership officially changed today from "judicially inactive" to "active" and my malpractice insurance is in process.

There remain some interesting opportunities on the horizon and I intend to keep this blog updated. But for now...even though this turn was not expected, I'm very grateful.

Happy New Year

Last Wed. Dec. 31 was my last day on the bench. Beginning Dec. 27, Sat., I worked every day between then and the end of the year, finishing things up, cleaning things out, etc. But on Dec. 31, I did 8 weddings, and they were fun - all very interesting, all very different. Channel 12, WBOY-TV, covered them, and I not only made the news that evening, I made West Virginia Media's statewide newscast. Last night, I watched West Virginia Media's "week in review" which features one story of note around the state for each day of the previous week - and guess what? Yup, my weddings were the feature for Wednesday! It was a nice way to go out.

My staff took me out to lunch, which was wonderful but bittersweet, and then I headed back to the office about 3:00 to finish clean-out. My wife and youngest came about 4:15 and helped me finish - we left about 5:00 p.m. Busy since then! We had a party New Year's Eve here at home that started about 6:30 and ended just after midnight - a lot of fun and nice to have something to occupy my time and mind that evening. New Year's Day, I lazed around and watched football. Then Friday - had a nice dinner and movie date with my wife! Saturday, we had a visit from some dear friends, but also had some family matters to attend to. And leading us to today - this is the first day the Court House has been open since I left my job. Yes, I did call my staff today - they're there, waiting for my successor judges to actually start. The judges are in Charleston all week this week for training.

I'm trying to keep myself occupied, active and productive! Today, I've worked out, paid bills, made arrangements to get my bar membership reactivated, talked to my new malpractice insurance carrier, and taken care of umpteen other things. Working off a long list on a legal pad! It'll take me several days to make a dent. I haven't yet started cleaning out my boxes from the office or setting up the new office space for me we're planning for our attic.

Hopeful that we'll have more clarification of what's really going on here soon!