Reflections...

As I think back about this course as well as the other courses I have taken at Ashford, I realize just how much I have learned about the communication process. This blog, in particular, is a reflection of just how far outside my, otherwise normal, comfort zone I have gone to complete course requirements.

This assignment in particular was one that was not only terrifying but also exciting. Never before had I ever created a blog, much less tweeted on Twitter or ventured to post much information on either Facebook or MySpace.

While we, as part of the class assignments, were required to post about topics such as handling difficult employees or modern means of communication, we were also encouraged to divulge a little bit of information and insight to ourselves.

I see this particular blog as a great means of keeping in touch with fellow classmates as we continue on in our pursuits of further education or perhaps a new career. Maybe some of us will have the opportunity to meet face to face at an upcoming graduation ceremony. Or maybe we will have the opportunity to see our classmates' pictures of the commencement ceremony they have already attended.

Either way, thanks, Mr. Sexton, for getting each of us to reach outside our comfort zone and venture into a new form of communication. What a great learning tool this has been!

Colorado Happiness

To further explain my recently-posted picture, I have to give you a bit of background. Our oldest daughter got a job in Colorado for the summer. It's the first time she's ever been away from home for an extended period of time since she lives at home and goes to the local university in our hometown. She and Grace, five years her junior, are extremely close so this has been hard on her. (Pictured here from left to right are: Emily, Scott, and Grace.)

We left last Monday on our voyage to Colorado. Horribly hot weather here in Edwardsville; delightful weather awaiting us in Colorado! Emily had so much she wanted to share with us, and we had such a short time to visit. We drove up from Estes Park to Loveland on Wednesday evening, through these beautiful canyons on Highway 34. We arrived at a lake that Emily had discovered with her friends -- just in time for the sunset.

We regret that our son, who's currently stationed in Virginia with the US Navy, couldn't be there to join us, but he was there in our hearts. What a great backdrop to feature my favorite people in the world, sans one.