The thanks of giving...

Hi All,
I got this prayer forwarded to me the other day because I am named after Saint Theresa, however I thought it might be a good one to share with you all this week what with the upcoming holidays. I hope you all have time to relax with family and friends this week and remember all that we have to be thankful for, and all that we can share and pass along to those around us.

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Saint Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that
has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to
sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us..
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My oh My...

As anyone who reads this knows I am a huge baseball fan, and more importantly a huge mariners fan. So I was very sad to hear about the passing of Dave Niehaus last week. I was thinking about what to write about him but I found this article instead and it pretty much summed up everything for me, and in a way better way than I ever could.

I was sent this linkof Junior talking about his passing and thought I'd pass it along to anyone who may have missed it.

And for when you really miss the voice come baseball season, here are some of his famous calls

been awhile...

Sorry again for the lack of updates the past few months, with my new job time is not really my own much anymore. There really is not much going on for either myself or Jim, as of late. I am usually at work, thinking about work, studying for work, or sleeping to recover from work; amd Jim has been so busy with school and football that there is barely time for anything else. Not that I'm complaining I honestly love it and would not have it any other way!

Jim's football team just finished up their season Friday; hopefully he will have some availability to be social again soon. I am still with a trainer at work but hope to be testing off on my own in the next couple weeks (fingers crossed)! When that happens I hope to have more of a set schedule and can plan my life/social events accordingly.

Clearly, work has pretty much been my our lives since August but we did manage to squeeze in two Seattle weddings, a concert at the gorge, and some pumpkin carving though. A few of those pics are below:

these are the pumpkins Megs,Jamie, and I carved this year :)

these are pics of my oldest brother Sean's wedding which took place on 10.10.10 in the Dominican Republic

Happy fall to all!

PS: I mentioned a long time ago about our 3rd annual mclasnyd camping trip and promised pics. Clearly that did not happen but if you want a quick recap on it, you can read about it here or here:)

my grandma...

My grandma died today. She was 97.

My Grandma...was proudly raised in Butte, Montana. If any of you have been to or know of Butte, Montana you know that proud is NOT a term I use loosely. Butte people are strong willed, stong minded, and just plain strong. They have a mind of their own and are not afraid to express thier opinions. I know this first hand because not only is my Grandma from Butte, my Dad is as well. This is something that I think has bonded them from the time they met.

Not only that it is something I will PROUDLY claim as my heritage till the day I die...(If you dont believe me just ask Megan and Chris Snyder, as they can attest to my proud Butte heritage. I HAVE BUTTE BLOOD IN ME:) !!!

My Grandma...is the proudest woman I have ever met. She never gave an inch, always spoke her mind, and forever lived life to the fullest. She is someone I aspire to be. I have seen first hand that that her determination, will power, and power to live has been passed on to her children. My ONLY hope is that somewhere in the genetic pool I picked up some those same attributes.

My Grandma is the strongest woman...I have ever known (both literally and figuratively). Knowing her makes me realize where my mom gets her determination and competitiveness. I can only hope those attributes are genetic and not something acquired. God knows I got my father's genetic code so I can only hope some how I have acquired the indestructible schulz longevity to stand the test of time.

My Grandma is an extraordinary woman...For as long as I have known her she has been a writer. She has written everything from poems, to short stories, to journals. My most vivid memory of her is of spending the day at Whitworth college for a writing seminar. At the time i was mortified but now I am proud to have shared with her something that she loved so much.

My grandma lived many lives...one for her husband, one for her children, one for her grandchildren, and finally one for herself...if only we could all be so lucky...

ch-ch-ch-changes...

So sorry I have been M.I.A in the blog world lately things have been crazy busy for us as of late. First and foremost has been my new job...which I LOVE!!!

I have been working for county 911 for about 7 weeks now, and while it has been one of the most challenging things I have ever done, I could not be happier with my decision to pursue this career. The people I work with are A-MAZING and there is something new with every call. It keeps me on my toes and more importantly it keeps me interested. I am one week in on taking calls, and while I still have SO MUCH to learn and figure it out I think it will be something I am happy doing everyday. The first 6 weeks of training was in a classroom, where they really have the system set up for your success. This journey has not been a solo journey...I have had a study Buddy, a counselor, and a partner in crime throughout this whole thing...Tasha. I honestly don't know if I would have gotten thru the classroom and onto the floor without her. She has been phenomenal and just one of those people that you immediately click with. I am so lucky to have somebody that I get along with, can joke with and who understands how stressful this entire experience has been. Even though she is a duck fan (and an eastern eag), I really love this girl and don't know what I would do without her! (You can learn more about her on her blog)

Things are in full swing, in the McCollum household. With Jim is back in school, and coaching football full time and my new job there isn't much time for anything else. Our schedules are pretty much the exact opposite of each other now... when he is going to bed, I am getting home and trying to unwind. We are both so busy I'm not sure either of us have really noticed yet but I am sure that will come when things start to slow down a bit. We (I) have managed to squeeze in a Brad Paisley concert at the gorge and a few more promising events coming up in October but besides that work is pretty much all encompassing. I promise to blog more about our camping trip in August, and the concert last weekend but for now I just wanted to fill you in on why I haven't been around so much. I will try my best to keep you updated, but if you need to get a hold of me, my new number is 911 :)

Last day...

Today is my last day of work before I start my new job. I'm so looking forward to having some time off and getting things crossed off my to-do list. But first things first. Its that time of year again. Time for the 3rd annual McLaSnyd camping trip. We are heading out tomorrow for some fun in the sun at Preist Lake. Can.NOt.WAIT!!! Here's a few shots to help you remember our past few adventures.

HERE'S TO HAPPY CAMPING!

A new leaf...

911 what are you reporting?

Hopefully for most of you this is something you will never have to hear. For me I will be hearing it often, and I could not be happier about it! I just got a job as a 911 operator. This is something I have thought about doing numerous different times and have actually started the process a few times but never was the timing right for it to actually work out. Now it has, and I am thrilled!

This has seriously been about a 6 month process when all is said and done. I filled out my application the end of January and took the initial test back in February and from then on its been a lot of waiting, testing, and hoping. I've had three follow up tests, an interview in front of a committee, an interview with the hiring manager, a polygraph, and a psych evaluation. During the testing process they also conducted a background check; so if you were one of the lucky ones to get to fill out a 5 page questionnaire about me, thanks I appreciate it! I still have a hearing test and fingerprinting that will be taking place next week, but if and when all goes well there, I will start August 9th.

The probation period is even longer than the application process. One month classroom training, 12-16 weeks with a training officer, and then another 6-8 months probation where you can be let go at any time if they don't think you are going to work out. Just thinking about that is a little scary but I'm trying to stay positive and know that this is what I am supposed to be doing and God has me in the right place at the right time.

Honestly-this is something I have always wanted to do and I think I will be successful. I am under no illusion that it will not be highly challenging and stressful at times but I'm up for it and really looking forward to learning something new and doing something to help other people, however small a part that role is. Even though I truly believe this is going to be my dream job I am not above asking for positive thoughts, prayers, and keeping fingers and toes crossed that all goes smoothly; so if you are so obliged I would greatly appreciate any or all of the above if you get a chance! And hopefully I will never have to talk to any of you at my new job :)