Friday --- Day 10

Day 10

Follow-ups:
-----3 voice mail: 1 not-reached 3 times. 1 f/u to make sure she was finally able to view the website and blog site. 1 not-reached 3 times, but know he's busy. Had mentioned in passing the BPP. Tonight I gave him added homework ;-)--- the Business Partnership Website link.

-----2 connects: 1 with one of our very first meetings at the Mall. Learned she is a very young woman, still in high school, and is in the Running Start Program. She's at community college now, with one class. Next quarter she goes full-time. Is considering getting her own place with some friends, but not sure yet. Has her sights set on going to U.C.L.A. to go to school for cinematography, and would like to work her way up to being a director, or head of the department. She wants to travel, have fun, and make movies.. She didn't make it to the site, lost the intro card, and gave me an outdated email address. We got her email address current so I resent her e-card. Went through the interview process. At her age, she was a bit overwhelmed with the concept of owning her own business, especially with all the transition she's currently experiencing, but she liked what we talked about. She would consider taking another look once she gets settled into her new routine as full-time student. She has been a missionary in 8th and 9th grade, having gone to Mexico where she worked in the streets, handed out food, gave performances, worked in orphanages and she especially loves working with the kids. Last year, she got to go to Honduras. This young woman has the heart of a TWCCTW person. If she had the cash, she'd likely be on a missionary trip right now, which may just side-track her from her cinematography career . . . Who knows? Perhaps one day she'll actually be making videos for the S.I.F.A. kids, or for children who are in similar situations, helping to bring about positive change for them. She said she didn't shop much, but yes, her parents do shop ;-). We agreed to keep in touch. She will view blog, etc. and we'll get back in touch in a few months.

-----1 connect with a the 25-year young mom we met at our credit union. She'd just picked up her boy from daycare and was heading home. She's really incredible, and what she and her husband are doing is incredible, too. She had been to the website, but didn't see the video. She saw Ginny's face, but then before the video loaded, she was off exploring the site. She said it became a bit overwhelming not knowing what it was about, so she's determined to get back to the site to check it out. She was willing to go through the interview process, and she pulled off the road before her cell cut out a few minutes from her land. Her little guy fell asleep in his seat. She's been in the banking industry for 6 years, beginning at 19. What she loves most is talking with her members. She's been at this credit union for 4 months, and it was very difficult to leave her last bank because she'd had wonderful connections with her clients. She's been a teller, and she's anxious to move up into management. She could see herself going through retirement there. The only challenging part about it is the schedule. At times, the schedule keeps her away from her boy and her husband. She said the c.u. really gives great hours to its members, but she feels the impact on her family life. She's thought about having a home business since her boy was born, so that she could be a stay at home mom. She doesn't like sales, nor would she like approaching 5 people a day like we did. If she did have a business, she would have to begin small and with few hours because they are devoting all their extra time to building a home on their land. They live off the grid and are building green. For her, she's already giving back because of the way they are choosing to live--- they get their own water from the land, they compost everything, they aren't using plastics, etc. She would continue to be an environmentalist (I have a friend who very much wishes to support these concepts, so I thought of her while we were talking). However, if she was making enough money to live comfortably, enable them to save and plan for college (we narrowed this number to somewhere in the neighborhood of $100-$150K year goal), that her ideal would be to be a stay at home mom and working only about 30 hours a week. The largest challenge is the debt payments, and she would like to take care of this easily. We'll be checking in after Monday, once she has a chance to view the presentation. It was such a pleasure getting to know this Mom. She's incredible, and I did feel as if I'd made a wonderful friend in the process of the interview. We shared side stories through-out it, so it may have taken me a little longer than I'd anticipated. As I hung up, I realized we were on the line for 50 minutes, but it seemed so much shorter to me, as if we were just visiting. I hope it was the same for her. We've agreed that she can speak candidly about her questions, thoughts, likes or dislikes, and that even though she has a tendency to say yes when she wants to say no, she's going to be clear and up front in our conversations. I like that in a person. A willingness to be down-right straight about things.

-----1 follow-up e-card, eaten by the system--- We call this SNAFFU! Will create another in the a.m. However, I did a search on this woman and little would I have known that she is an author in our town. She was a dynamo, for sure, and a long-time resident. She's contributed to school boards and to blog posts for our town paper. I can't wait to meet her all over again, for I can tell she's a treasure trove of history and life.

Believe it or not.

Zero contacts.

WHAT?

Yep.

We went to fuel up today, and thought our favorite guy would be there. He wasn't. And the person in his place was tight-lipped as I spoke with him through the glass. The friendly smile I'm accustomed to of late was gone.

We went to the market to get a few items. Alas, everyone was very focused on their task. Even the checker was visiting with another checker the whole time we were checking out. As we placed the basket by the door, a woman was coming by. We offered it to her because, by now, it had dried off in the store (we went into the store while it was raining hard). She gladly accepted, and I realized that in that moment, we could've asked her, but my hands were full with two bags and Big Z was carrying some water (impending storm). So, we talked about our missed moment on the way to our car, foggy windows and all. We came back home just in time for the evening call, a quick few minutes of Monopoly, and then follow-ups.

Will have to *rock-it* tomorrow . . . ;-). In spite of it, and warmed by a bath ready for sleep, I feel a surge of excitement in my belly. For I know that our planting of seeds is already bearing the fruit of seed germination. How long for these seeds? How long until their sweet green shoots come pushing forth from the soil? Well, as is with all in Life ~~ In God's own timing. We let go of the outcome because we know that our outcome can only be good, as our intentions of good for others and ourselves are present as we take action.

A thought still lingers, "What would it be like (now) if we had gotten started sooner?" Hmmm. That's a place we cannot go, we cannot know. So instead of asking fully, I'll say, "I'm so glad we've started now." We are so grateful for our team, though it be small, for they came, you know, unexpected-like into our lives. They found us. They watched the presentation and had a spark ignited within them. Something spoke to them and they chose to Start; they make their One-Thing purchase and more; they are already woven into the fabric of our MPM experience, and we are grateful.

Sweet dreams . . .