NEW JOB - NEW CHAPTER

New Chapter in my life!  I couldn't be happier about finally doing something I've thought about for 30 years!  Literally!

As you know, I used to work for Bill Ford in 1985 and his daughter was even in my wedding, we were so close.  Well, once Dirk happened, I disappeared from San Antonio, to go and raise our  two kids (20 and 18).

I called up Bill to run the idea of me becoming an investigator past him and he, actually, and fortunately remembered a case where I was able to obtain crucial evidence in a high society child custody case.  That was the case that I've thought about all of those years while I was raising J.D., and Eden.  Whenever the thought, "maybe one day I could get back into the working life again around all of the corporate types again" and, then, the water would boil over and I'd tuck that thought right back inside.  Well, I'm here to tell ya......NEVER, eVER, NEVER EVER NEVER say NEVER!  EVER! :)

The bottom line and in a nutshell for all of you who really just want the facts as my life did change quite a bit in only 3 weeks :)

I made an appointment with Kelly Riddle (google him!) and after talking in his office for a bit, he hired me to work part-time concentrating my efforts on Marketing and made me V.P. of Marketing and also, I am a licensed and code numbered Private Investigator.  I am being trained by Kelly Riddle, himself and I am looking forward to this new adventure.

If you are a big company, then you need to use us.  If you're hiring a lot of people, you really need to use us.  If you have any security needs , we have clients worth billions and clients that just want to tuck their own child in their own beds and need our help.  The traveling environment has been up and down and having a "handler" travel along with you or your family, can literally make a dream happen and avoid any headaches or nightmares with communicating in a different country.  

Please, family and friends, keep praying for me, as my path has been like following the yellow brick road -when ya'll began to pray that I would clearly see my path, it absolutely has worked.   Enough for now.  

Peace

Sarah Vander Zee

                          GUNS UP RAIDERS!  EDEN IS GOING TO TEXAS TECH!

THERE she is, Miss America!  Absolutely!  Eden has decided to attend Texas Tech University and we are very excited indeed!

Eden walked in the other day, and pulled out a form that we needed to list the people we wanted  to send a graduation announcement...... there was no one on my side of the family.  GULP!!  GULP! GULP!  Choking back the tears after completing the list to a grand number of  7 people to get her announcement, I tried and tried to console us both.  How pathetic is that?   Most of you know that my mom just decided she wanted to have another family after my dad and brother died.  My kiddos haven't seen or heard from her in 15 years!  Wow!  I vow to my sweet girl, every single day, that she can count on me being there by her side until I am taken by Jesus!  I can't imagine it....

I can't imagine the day that I turn on FOX NEWS and see Eden's face!  She could be anywhere on Earth and I can still feel like I've spent some time with her..... that would be perfect!  Eden is on her way to Europe in March, for her 18th birthday.  Needless to say, she is on top of the world right now.  Cheerleading competition is officially over and all she has to do is maintain her grades then blast off to Germany, Austria and Switzerland!!  Of course, she is going with a group from her school - how much fun does that sound?!  :)  

I am going back to work.  I know.  Im afraid everyone will have the same reaction... whaaa?   But, I hope to go back to work for my former boss (30) years ago :)  Can I do it?  I meet with him on Friday, so we shall see.   It will be a totally new world for me as I haven't worked outside the house for 21 years!  Ouch!  I will let ya know what happened, when I know. :)
I appreciate all of your prayers and all of your little comments on facebook!!  Really!  They make my day and I do feel the love.  There is love coming back your way from Texas, I promise.  Please be careful and don't text and drive.  For me?! 
Peace

Sarah

Temporary Home - which may be haunted

 this is the new cow rug that Dirk and Eden got me.... I absolutely love it!

 the bathtub (above) comes on all by itself in the middle of the nite (around 3-3:30 a.m.) and that's a bit "un-nerving" to say the least!


does anyone see anything odd in this picture to the left?  it wasn't there when I looked through the view finder

and let me just say that these stairs are straight down!  one mis-step and you are toast!

Okay, so here we are in beautiful Boerne, Texas, and I believe we have indeed found our humble abode :)  yeah!  hooray!  it's updated and special just as we prayed it would be.  God is soooo Good to me! 

Last nite we  were even envited to a small group bible study in a house that is in our new nieghorhood.  It felt awfully good to get all dolled up and go somewhere. 

I've even found a resale shop that is keeping an eye open for me for size 4 dresses and the one yesterday only cost me $7 (too good for words!)  it looks great. 

One more item of importance is that I'm fairly sure Dirk and I ended the drought in Texas!  Seriously!  The day we drove in it was a torrential downpour and last two days it has just rained and rained!  So very glad to do my part! :)

Remember folks - I'm sort of lonely but all of you are on my mind and in my heart for the rest of my life.

Peace be with you all - and try not to forget me ......

Sarahbeth

Our Status on the Move to Texas

Hey everyone who is reading this must be interested so, here goes....


As most of you know, Cessna decided to transfer Dirk to Texas and give us an opportunity to hopefully sell a lot more airplanes!  They agreed to move us and so we have successfully sold our home here in St. Louis (in 7 days!) due to an angel named, Gloria!   She helped me successfully "Stage" our home and BELIEVE me when I say it's the ONLY REASON that we sold this home this quickly!  We completely removed all of the clutter, there was not a spot or speck of dust anywhere - new paint - new bathrooms - new carpet - all worth it as we were very close to our asking price in just a few days and came out ahead.  PRAISE GOD!  


We have a hard move date of August 12th (packing begins) and we physically move on the 15th of August.  


Dirk and I just returned from a trip to the Hill Country next to San Antonio, Austin and we have decided to live in Boerne, Texas!  We have many reasons for this decision and feel like God worked so amazingly to show us that answer.  Yes, I found a house, but .... No, I don't know if it will work..... so..... it's possible that we could be in furnished executive housing for 3 months until Dirk and I can decide whether or not we can beat the $94.00 a square foot cost to buy old and build new..... see the issue?  So, of course, I'm asking for opinions here people... I don't waste time and, in a nutshell, it takes a lot of consideration.


We, as a family, are entertaining people.  Love it more than life itself to have a full house and busy bees running to and fro...... I will always be that way as will Dirk.  So, it makes sense to us to buy a property that we know grandkiddos would want to visit one day.  It's all about the grandkids when you are so close to becoming "empty nesters".... hahahaha!  Believe me - it won't be but a snap of my finger and another 14 years will have gone by and I will want that house for my growing family.   But, my dad has always said "it's so much easier on everyone to live slightly within your means than it is by far to live slightly outside your means".....   truth!  I don't want us to get "debted up" and I, at the same time, want to invest very wisely in this real estate transaction because owning land in Texas where we are intending to own can be a real big value over time for our children's inheritance one day.  


The Boerne decision came through a contact we made in real estate.  Once he heard Eden's story, he was impressed enough to assure me that he lived in the same neighborhood as the Superintendant of the school district as well as worshipped with the Board members and he promised me that she would get fair representation regarding being allowed to join up with her school's competitive varsity cheer team.  Remember friends, they KILL MOM's in Texas for attempting to do what we are going to try to do for my sweet little honey bee!  She should not be penalized in this situation - if it means that she could begin to lose her eyesight again.    The doctors at Mayo told us that the longer Eden stays at her current level of activity she will continue to keep whatever was causing her to lose her  vision at bay!  We all know that to simply "replace" her current activity on her own or me trying to get her motivated to jump up and down for hours a day screaming and flipping all over kingdom come would be futile to say the least :)  so I really need to help her cause Eden deserves and  needs the loving and compassionate understanding that she gives to others on this.  Okay - off of my soapbox!


Thanks for your interest and advice - I value, more than gold - both our friendships and your loving opinions.  


We are always excited Dirk and I to be taking a little risk in our lives and grabbing a hold of opportunity as it presents itself.  We have been married now 28 years and have learned that our personal situations have ALWAYS improved when we have "stepped outside of our comfort zone".  I hope this blesses you.  I love you.  

I'm 50! Now What?

I'm 50!  Now What?.......

The time has flown by.... at times.  With all that is presently going on, it's almost too much to acknowledge that I will be 50 years old tomorrow.  No fan fair - just a quiet dinner, with Chef John and the Entre Underground gang.  Chef John has graciously offered to let JD assist him for this dinner so that JD can say he cooked my dinner :)  isn't that nice?  I thought so.  There will also be about 60 0ther people enjoying this dinner, so let's hope he can actually do it :)  I know he can - JD really has a great palate and imagination to make a fantastic chef.  Who knows? This may lead to a career for JD in the art of cuisine.  That would be a terrific birthday after all.  As for a birthday wish - it is as follows:

I wish that our house will sell within a month so that Dirk will be happy.  I wish that we can find a suitable home to buy and retire in somewhere in Texas near San Antonio.  I wish that we can reconnect with many friends we had to leave behind 30 years ago.  I can't imagine how wonderful it would/could be to reconnect with all of these couples that Dirk and I started our life together with.  Michelle and Peter, Betty and Marshall, Mike and Mignon, Tyler and Anne Greenfield, Tom and Miranda Darr, Robert and Denise Fletcher, etc..... that would be so cool - to be able to sit around our pool (I want a pool real bad :) and bring us all up to date on the last 30 years - including the raising of our children.  

What is "Security"?

"But the deeper meaning lies in the wise recognition that the usual ideas about security and success are only misleading and stale promises, which do not give us the key to true satisfaction and contentment."

  This statement was one that I found myself pondering today (Saturday, June 23rd)  don't you find this a profound statement? I finally came to this conclusion, on my own when I had to begin to sell items that held a lot of meaning.   Because we need the money to go forward in life.  Those items that I thought "held" my security (material value) I learned once sacrificed became all the more valuable to me in the closeness I felt with God.  i wouldn't trade that feeling for 10 houses!  My security lies within my love for the Lord!

My house is still not on the market for sale and I have to 1) find another home in Texas and 2) qualify for a loan for a house in Texas 3) sell this house to qualify for a loan for a house in Texas.... etc..... you get the picture.  Apparently, there are 3 real estate agents fighting for the listing and on and on goes the wheel..... it's both a blessing (the relo company) and a bit of a "situation" thus far, we'll see how it all plays out - :)  

Eden leaves for cheer camp tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m. ( cheerleaders always get up a dawn and it's always been that way) I don't know how it is that some things never change.  So far, she has been able to stay a Marquette Varsity Competition Cheerleader for as long as we are here.  They didn't immediately replace her, which is so great!  She loves it so much and I am putting it in God's hands as to how to help her acquire a spot on her school squad in Texas as that would make her very happy.  Only, they kill mothers of kids who try and get onto squads in Texas, don't they?!  :)  That may be a problem.......

J.D. is super anxious to get enrolled into college in San Antonio or Austin (hasn't decided on U.T. or UT.S.A.) and I know he'll make a ton of friends in no time at all.  Hopefully, we can get him into a situation that will allow him to experience the freedom and excitement of living on his own while still with a room mate of some kind be it dorm or apartment.

Higgins is very old and fragile.  I'm trying to get my arms around that and how to get him comfortably to Texas.  Dirk said someone here would sedate him and crate him and he would wake up in San Antonio with me cooing his name...... sounds a little too perfect to me - how bout you?  I really can't imagine him up in some "attic" of an airliner without heating and freezing and scared of the noise which is absolutely terrible in my imagination...... he is deaf though, which may be a good thing.......

just got the word that the house goes officially on the market on Sunday at our 1st open house.  So!  Boom goes the cannon and 'WE'RE OFF!'

Life After.....

Eden and Dirk at the Father/Daughter  Dance in March 2012

Life After.......

I've had mixed reviews about my appearance on Oprah's show.  Most of my friends are concerned about T.D. Jakes and some are concerned about Oprah.  Let me expound on both, if you will allow me.  I had heard many things about Bishop T.D. Jakes from Dirk,  and primarily Dirk's big objection was of whether or not Bishop Jakes denies the Trinity and that he seems to be a  bit of a health/wealth/prosperity preacher.  I had no prior knowledge of Bishop Jakes other than a passing comment from Dirk now and again, rarely! 

As people are extremely vocal when it comes to anyone who regularly steps out into the public arena, I now know how some people are feeling as it pertains to Oprah Winfrey as well.  Seems that since she was "called" into the "mission field" of America, she has got a whole bunch of enemies out there.  I can't help but wonder why no one else sees what is obviously going on.  Oprah spoke to the audience and said that "I've lost a whole lot of money" (100,000,000) and "I'll only quit when God tells me to quit".  Both statements are painful statements.  I, for one, have benefited greatly from watching the Oprah shows and others that have come into fruition due to Oprah's influence.  It is what got me up off of the sofa in the first place, to try and be like one of the ladies on the Oprah show.  I know, ya'll are going....."OMG!  She is bringing it all up again!"  only, I HAVE TO BRING IT ;UP AS I, LITERALLY FOUND MY PURPOSE ON THE OPRAH SHOW WITH T.D. JAKES CALLED....... wait for it......... wait for it......... FINDING YOUR PURPOSE!    How could I possibly not love these people, T.D. Jakes and Oprah Winfrey, for helping me to get over a bunch of junk that was holding me back from being the vibrant, energetic, funny, spirited individual woman that I was intended to be.  I feel a lot better once it was explained to me that i could view all of the negative stuff in my past (start pulling an imaginary arrow back in your imaginary bow) and if you picture all of the ;negative stuff as the BACK ENERGY used in pulling your arrow back then once all of that pressure builds up...and you clearly  define where you want to go or what direction you wish to head then .......BOUNDLESS ENERGY WILL PROPELL THAT ARROW ANY DIRECTION YOU POINT THE BOW!   It literally felt as if all of the bad was worth it in one single moment!  It may seem easy to you, but, it took me 50 years to learn it in a single little show with 2 very astute and relative teachers, Oprah Winfrey and T.D. Jakes.   It all just happened to me and how in the world can I or anyone else not acknowledge that there must have been a "director" or "creator" involved because no body but God to make all of that happen in perfect sequence and bring it to a total resolution!  I was truly touched by this experience and I hope in hearing about it you may know that God cares as much for you - just give Him the opportunity to show you His glory!