AN "EXTRA" DAY TO LOVE!!

YES, IT'S CORNY OL' ME, AGAIN. IT IS FEBRUARY OF A "LEAP YEAR", SO WE GET AN
EXTRA DAY TO MAKE MORE MONEY, GET MORE REST, PAY THE GOVERNMENT MORE
TAXES, GET OLDER WITHOUT GETTING OLDER (?), OR TO SHARE THE LOVE ONE
MORE DAY, SINCE IT IS "HEART MONTH" AND VALENTINE'S MONTH.

DO YOU FEEL LOVED? DO WE HAVE TO "FEEL IT" TO KNOW THAT WE ARE LOVED?
YOU ARE LOVED, YOU KNOW, BY CHARTEL, C.J. AND MYSELF. WE APPRECIATE YOU
AND ALL THAT YOU ARE, AND WE DO PRAY FOR YOU! OH, AND ONE MORE THING,
GOD LOVES YOU MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW - IN FACT, HE SENT HIS SON,
JESUS, TO PROVE THAT LOVE IN A VERY DRAMATIC AND PROVOCATIVE FASHION!!
DO YOU DARE TO LOVE HIM IN RETURN? IT MAY MEAN SOME CHANGES (FOR THE
BETTER) IN YOU LIFE!!! ARE YOU READY? IT'S A DECISION YOU'LL NEVER REGRET.

OKAY, ON WITH THE RICHEY NEWS: I WAS IN VIRGINIA MOST OF JANUARY, FIRST
IN PORTSMOUTH, THEN IN HAMPTON. GOT TO VISIT COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG,
WHICH WAS A THRILL, BRINGING HOME A BUNCH OF PICS. WILL BE IN NORTH
CAROLINA NEXT WEEK, WILMINGTON TO BE EXACT, THEN HOME 5 DAYS AND OFF
TO TAPPAHANOCK(?) VIRGINIA 'TIL THE END OF THE MONTH.

TRIED TO CONTACT FRED AND DEB THIS LAST TRIP, SINCE I WAS PRIVILEGED TO
DRIVE AND GOING THROUGH CHARLESTON TO PICK UP I-64, BUT ONLY GOT TO
TALK TO CHRIS. CAME BACK A DIFFERENT ROUTE, WHICH TOOK ME CLOSE TO
C.J. AT MESSIAH COLLEGE, SO I SIDETRACKED A BIT AND WE GOT TO SPEND A
LITTLE TIME OVER LUNCH BEFORE I HEADED ON HOME. THAT WAS A BLESSING!

HE ENJOYED HIS JANUARY "OFF", HAVING NO CLASS(ES), BUT NOW HAS TO HIT
THE BOOKS AGAIN THIS NEXT WEEK. HE PICKED UP A BUG THE LAST COUPLE OF
DAYS AND SPENT THEM MOSTLY IN BED, BEING DIZZY, VOMITING, ETC. I'LL CALL
WHEN DONE HERE AND CHECK ON HIM. DON'T LIKE TO WAKE HIM UP TOO "EARLY".

HIS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE ARE STILL UP IN THE AIR (PRAYERFULLY). HE IS
CONSIDERING COMING HOME AND WORKING IN THE PITTSBURGH AREA, USING
HIS LANGUAGES HOPEFULLY, GETTING HIS OWN CAR (HE'S BEEN DRIVING THE
LUMINA), AND PAYING OFF SOME OF HIS SCHOOL BILLS. I'LL BE HERE OFF AND
ON, AS MY TRAVELING WILL KEEP ME ON THE ROAD A FEW MORE MONTHS, BUT
WE'LL GET SOME TIME TOGETHER BETWEEN TRIPS. I MAY EVEN PICK UP THE
TENNIS RACQUET A TIME OR TWO. PRAY FOR HIM AS HE CONSIDERS WHAT HE
WANTS TO DO, AND WHAT GOD WANTS HIM TO DO. HE IS IN CONTACT WITH THE
COLLEGE'S PLACEMENT OFFICE, SEARCHING POSSIBILITIES WHERE HE CAN USE
HIS EDUCATION.

AS FOR #1 DAUGHTER - SHE'S STILL TRYING TO FIND HERSELF! (HA-HA?) SHE
LEFT HER JOB AT STARBUCKS AND BEGINS A NEW ONE MONDAY, ANSWERING
PHONES AT $350 A WEEK TEMPORARILY, WITH THE PROSPECT OF BEING HIRED
FULL-TIME AFTER A 2 OR 3 MONTH PERIOD. STILL NO PLANS FOR SCHOOL,
WHICH I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT, AS SHE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO ALMOST
ANYTHING SHE SETS HER HEART AND MIND TO DO. PRAY FOR HER, TOO, THAT
SHE'LL GET SOME DIRECTION AND BECOME AT LEAST PART OF WHAT SHE CAN
BE - AND BE HAPPY DOING IT! A FATHER'S/MOTHER'S JOB IS NEVER THROUGH,
I GUESS, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, BUT I'M HOPING TO "RETIRE" FROM IT
"SOMEDAY", WHATEVER THAT MEANS.

SPEAKING OF RETIREMENT - MY PLANS ARE FOR JUNE 30TH, 2010, JUST A FEW
DAYS BEFORE BIRTHDAY # 70! WHAT DO YOU THINK? CAN I DO IT? GOD ONLY
KNOWS. HAVE TO GET THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS UNDER CONTROL BY
THEN, SO I CAN MAYBE JUST WORK PART-TIME AT RITE-AID AND KEEP
SURVIVE WITH THAT AND SOCIAL SECURITY. (I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I?) THAT'S
SOMETHING ELSE YOU CAN PRAY FOR - YOU DO PRAY DON'T YOU? HOPE SO.

OKAY, THAT'S IT - HAVE TO SHAVE, SHOWER, GO IN EARLY TO SUBMIT MY
EXPENSES FROM THE LAST TRIP, AND WORK 2 TO 9 PLUS. WORK EARLY
TOMORROW, SO I'LL GET A CHANCE TO WATCH THE GIANTS GIVE THE "NEW
CHEATING PATRIOTS" THEIR JUST DESSERTS! GO SENATOR SPECTER! CALL
IF YOU NEED FURTHER EXPLANATION.

LOVE YOU ALL, FEEL FREE TO LEAVE COMMENTS - CHARTEL, C.J., BILL.