Where Do We Go From Here?

The great thing about church is that you go and get edified. I went today and felt the Spirit very strong. I was supposed to teach a lesson in EQ and they ended up doing a combined RS/EQ lesson. I'm actually glad they combined because the lesson was really good and mine wouldn't have been so good. Rachel now works in the Primary so I get to hang out with my Violet Violet during church. She is very sweet.

I am very close to being done with school forever! I passed my in-house test on thursday of this week. This was an instrument rating. Basically I can fly a helicopter from one airport to another without ever looking out the window. I have to know the laws that govern this kind of flight, the weather and all its details, how all of the instruments and technology work, what to do if I have a communication failure, etc. It's very interesting stuff and nice to know that there is a backup plan for all of those flights in the system if the air traffic control system got shut off. In addition this final step is allowing me to put everything I've learned during the last almost 2 years into a great big toolbox of aviation knowledge. I'm exited about what comes next and confident that it will be a great career wherever it takes me. Thanks for all the support many of you, especially Mom and Dad have been. So that brings me to the next step. Like Steve, Dave, and many more of you, I don't know where that is yet. If I don't or can't get a job here then we are going someplace else. I don't know where or how. What I do know is that the Lord will watch over us. He always has. What a blessing to know where to go for help. I'm grateful for this as well as all of my great family.

Dan, Rach, Josie, Violet and Kee

Intriguing possibilities...

Hi everyone,

We just wanted to update you on what's going on in our neck of the woods. Since being laid off in mid-January, Dave has been investigating the possibility of taking his career in a different direction. He's always wanted to do entertainment, but being the unselfish dude that he is, he didn't want to leave a "secure" job and go for his dream. Once the job was gone, we figured it was a great time to go for it and at least give it a shot.

So we decided to take the time over the past two months for him to get his portfolio up to par, and get in contact with people, etc., so that he could pursue that. Meanwhile, the Lord has blessed us like crazy with unsolicited freelance work that Dave has been able to do, as well as a few job offers. The companies who have been wanting to hire Dave have been very understanding about him exploring a different path career-wise and have said that if it doesn't work out, he can give them a call. What a gift in an economy like Detroit's where there is news almost daily of layoffs.

We're most excited about possibly working for Weta Digital, a company located in Wellington, New Zealand. Dave has a phone interview on Sunday with them (their Monday morning--17 hours ahead of us). So far it seems like a great opportunity, and Jake already acts like a hobbit so that can only help. (The Hobbit is their current movie project which Dave would be quite pleased to work on.) So we're praying to know that if they offer us a job, if it would be the right fit for our family, and all of that good stuff. If anyone else wants to pray for us, too, we would really appreciate it. I hope you all know that it goes without saying that we pray for all of you, especially those of you who are struggling with things that we're aware of.

Just imagine the vacation possibilities. . . . instead of coming to Detroit to visit (thanks to everyone who has been brave enough to do that, especially the ones who have come multiple times!), you could come hang out with us at the beach or go skiing in mountains or do battle with the Orcs on the Plains of Rohan after tramping through Fangorn Forest. We think it sounds quite grand. :) We also, however, have complete trust in our Heavenly Father and that He knows what would be best for our family. He has always guided us in the past and we are super grateful for that.

In news of more eternal import, we'll find out next Thursday if our little "Nibs" is a he or a she. Quite exciting. :)

So. . . . that's it. We'll keep you all posted.

Love,
Dave, Kar, Josh, Maddie, Jake and Nibberoo

"purdy darn good Ey!"

It is 7:10 pm and I am writing from my jobsite trailer here at Hill Air Force Base. Though still at work, I am taking a sanity break from the stresses of the day that started at 4:00 am this morning. As such I jumped onto the family email and was pleased to find the always entertaining travel log adventures of Williams family. Ironically, my day presented a fair amount of common ground with people that talk a little bit different, but have an abundance of hospitality. Allow me to elaborate...
 
Since late December my company has been  waiting for a substantial change order (work not originally planned on) to move a major fire service line so we can proceed with the construction of our building. The negotiating and planning processes have been painfully arduous. Numerous set backs have been encountered and literally hundreds of hours spent along the way. The final result of these two processes was a 60 hour shutdown of 11 mission critical buildings and a fixed deadline to restore fire water to these buildings by 7:00 pm on Sunday. So at 5:00 am this morning the clock started ticking. By 11:00 am the pipe was cut. By noon our plan was thwarted as the water line we had been told, confirmed, and planned on being a specific type of material turned out to be something different. Within an hour of finding this out, we had company vice presidents, Army Corp project managers, key personnel from the base fire department and the affected facilities all in a meeting to discuss options. So what does any of this have to do with people that "tawk" funny Ey?
 
After our power pow wow, wherein parts availability and options were pointing to Wednesday, my boss and I jumped on the internet and started searching for manufacturers of the pipe we are dealing with. We came across an outfit based in Quebec. So I dialed the number and though it was 5:00 pm in Canada, a man answered the phone. After explaining our situation, the gentle Canadian on the other end of the conversation politely asked "Do you know we are based in Canada? Would you like to speak with someone in the United States?" I chuckled and replied "We had to start somewhere." As it was 5:00 o'clock, it took him a minute to find the state side number, but he did and wished me well. After hanging up, I immediately dialed the number and a young women in Texas answered the phone. Again, I introduced myself, said where I was calling from, explained the situation and asked if she could connect me to someone that could help. She replied "yes" and transferred me. I am not sure were I ended up, but after a minute I hung up and called back. She answered again, I explained again, she transferred me to Danny White. Danny White was not in so I opted to go back to the operator. She then put me through to "Bob." He too was not in, so again I went back to this young lady. Each time I spoke to her I sensed her anxiety rising...she was running out of options. This last time I paused, then asked if there were a cell number for Danny or Bob as it was important that I speak to someone that might be able to help. She asked for a minute, put me on hold, then Cathryn got on the phone. I will spare you the balance of the play by play and suffice to say that Cathryn led to Jerry, Jerry to Billie, then Billie, Jerry, and Dennis stayed until 6:30 to put all the parts we needed on an overnight Fedex flight to SLC.
 
I have learned alot today, but one of the coolest things I relearned or was reminded of today was that there are great people throughout our country and world. None of these people needed to pick up the phone, go and find a Cathryn, or stay late to ensure parts made it to Fedex by 6:30. But they did and I believe that despite the fact that they probably made some good margins on the parts and shipping, they did it because they are just good people. Good enough that at 8:30 on a Friday night Dennis called me back with a confirmation/tracking number. Now thats "purdy darn good Ey!"
 
p.s.  Matt just left for work this morning (it's 5:30 a.m. on Saturday).  Apparently the parts are in route from Tennessee (the Fedex Hub).  As we spoke last night, Matt said yesterday was one of the best days of work he has ever had.  I guess stress and success make a good combination for him.
 
p.p.s.  Billie is a woman :) I guess that's the south.

--
Wendy W. Bentley

The Williams Wild Adventure

Well Family of ours,

The Williams have done it again. We're on another crazy adventure.  This is Zach's Spring Break from school and we decided last week we should go see something new.  So, we booked a couple cheap hotels, crossed the border, and booked it down the interstate to.... Gatlingburg, TN.  That's right.  Just a short drive past Pigeon Forge.   Now there's a destination!  Seriously!  You wouldn't believe how much family fun entertainment is packed into that nook of the Great Smokey Mountains.   Some friends of ours in London came to Gatlinburg with their family and said it was fun.  We got looking around and found that Knoxville and it's surrounding area looks like a PARTY and we'd never been to this part of the country.  It was an 11 hour drive which would have been fun enough, but as luck would have it Kaite managed (Zach writing now, as Liza is demanding to feed) to do a number all over the car seat and clothes.  Car sick?? We don't think so, maybe just a very sensitive gag reflex, but the sheer volume was incredible.  THis really nice, young guy at the gas station in Tennessee bought us some paper towels and jugs of water and brought them out to us as we were cleaning her up and said he'd been there before with his kids.  Another guy in the bathroom that couldn't have been more than 25 or so yet saw me cleaning up the aftermath, I apologized for the disaster and he said not to worry, he'd been there before with his 4 kids.  The whole event would've made great lyrics for a country song.  The people may tawk kenda fonny but ye shore caint beat da hauspitality. 

We are currently in Myrtle Beach South Carolina.  The Smokey Mountains didn't disappoint.  We would definitely go back.  Gatlinburg is a gem of a town, a  mix between cozy ski village and a family theme park with plenty to do.  We spent St. Patricks Day there and didn't have to shield Kaitlyns eyes from anything.  We kept the kids out late which left them wound up for a night all together in the hotel room.  During the hour of getting to sleep every time Liza would make even a peep Kaitlyn would whisper loudly " Liza, be happy!!!" and then Liza would become quiet upon which Kaitlyn would whisper "Tank you!!"

After arriving this evening we spent a little time at the beach to Kate's delight, and tomorrow we had promosed Kaitlyn an entire day at the beach which she talked about all the way over the Appalacian mountains.  That and the big, big slides at Mickey Donalds are definitely highlights for her. 

Zach and Mar 

Leisure time

Today Steve was released from his calling as bishop of our ward.  It has been 4 years and 2 months since he was called.  The Stake was redoing the boundaries in Colorado Springs and they kind of combined our ward with another ward while chopping off a few peices around the edges.  The bishop of the other ward hasn't been in as long as Steve, plus with the possibility of us moving soon, they thought it would be best for the other bishop to take over.   Needless to say we are thrilled.  We have gotten used to Steve serving and it really didn't feel like that big of a sacrifice most of the time, but we are looking forward to having him home more.  It will also give him more time for the job search.    I have to say, that I am so grateful that I have a husband who is willing to serve the Lord, whatever he is asked to do.  What a blessing.  I see too many people in my ward who don't have  that and it is easy to see how any sacrifice that our family made was worth having that kind of a husband and father.    I feel very blessed today in everything that I have today.  The Lord is good.    Rachel

My darling Cecelia

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry Cecelia, Of course you are turning six!  Please forgive me for getting that wrong.  I've even talked to you on the phone about how you like going to kindergarten.  I'm glad you got our card, AND I hope your Mom can find the gift I gave her for you when we were together last summer.  Grandpa and I sure love you, and we will be thinking of you and telephoning you on the 31st!  Hugs and kisses, Grandma

Re: [tHe beNtLeY buLLeTiN] Celebrate

Grandma, I turn 6 on March 31st....Thanks for the Birthday card too.  Cecelia

Celebrate

So Many Happy Dates To Celebrate This Month!
Zach and Mary celebrated 8 years of Marriage the 1st.
Samuel Bentley turned 5 on the 4th.
Mom and Dad celebrate 42 years of life together on the 22nd.
James Edwin turns 26 on the 25th.
Dan and Rachel celebrate 4 years on the 26th.
Cecelia Ruth turns 5 on the 31st.


--
Wendy W. Bentley