Turtles!

I work for a quasi-state agency charged with making the world a better place. We do environmental things. Most of them are pretty mundane, like recycling old tires or treating wastewater.

But a small segment of what we do is really cool. A few days ago, the baby terrapins hatched!



Each of those little cuties is about the size of a quarter. We hatch them from eggs, and then turn them over to elementary school classes to raise. When they get bigger, we release them onto one of the islands we are building in the Chesapeake.

Here are some older turtles, frolicking in a container while someone cleans their aquarium.

The First Appearance of Elder Landbeck on the Web

I guess this means he got the go-ahead to start!

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

What Others Say

God's MBAs: Why Mormon Missions Produce Leaders

One of the exercises in the Preach My Gospel manual asks the reader to think of what you would want other people to know about you from your missionary service. Would they be impressed by how hard you worked or how obedient you were?

When I discussed it with Stewart, he expressed concern that he shouldn't be focusing on what OTHER people think, only on how his service pleases God. I was happy to hear his humility, but told him it is also appropriate to frame an effort in terms of how he will be able to explain and teach to others.

Anyway, I thought this was a timely article. Apparently, we impress people.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

For my Dad's birthday, he treated himself to an outing on the Chesapeake Bay, fishing for striped bass with his Grandkids. I just got to tag along.

Roxie Jane tied for the biggest fish caught. She was exhausted after reeling it in.


Suzanna was great about working, sharing, and very enthusiastic. She caught her portion!


Here is Sam with the other bug "bubba" fish.


Max kept his jacket on all day, even though it got really warm. He would wake up, come reel in his fish, and go right back to sleep below deck.


We're excited for fresh fish for dinner!

Fathers and Sons Campout

Several people asked me where Stewart was (because he always tends the fire). It was a delight to tell them he's been in the MTC for almost two weeks. One more and he's off to Montana!

Max did a great job building a big, HOT fire. He lit it just 2 or 3 minutes before this picture.



Then five minutes later it was just about too hot to tend.



Charlie Crothers (our scout master) told me in confidence earlier this week that Max had been selected to join the Order of the Arrow. Here's a short video of the tap out ceremony.



A good time was had!

Full-time Employment, Check!

*whew*

I have been checking my cell phone for the last two weeks, checking everyday when I left work to see if I had a missed call from a number not already in my directory. I interviewed at the Maryland Environmental Service, and the more time that passed, the more I was coming to believe that I hadn't gotten the job.

But there on my phone today, a missed call and a voice mail asking me to call back. And when I did, one of my favorite phone conversations ever!

"I'm calling to offer you the position of Manager of Contract Administration."

Yippee!

I start in a few weeks. We will have to figure out what to do with the other three part-time jobs I'm currently working. I feel like this is an answer to prayers. A blessing from paying tithing.

The MES does a lot of waste-water treatment and recycling stuff all over the state, but here's an article about one of their cooler projects.