This is the first time I've ever ventured into the "blogosphere" so I hope this works. Just to keep everyone updated (thanks for the baby announcements--CONGRATULATIONS!)
Our "baby, Rachel, (23 yrs.), was just awarded a Fulbright scholarship (obviously she inherited Cox brains!) She's been living in Germany off and on for about 18 months, and her Fulbright plan is to do a study on a Germanic people group living in Romania. The tentative plan is for her to live in Romania from Sept. '08 - June '09. Beyond that, who knows?
Lisa (27) was planning to open a printmaking/art gallery in Little Rock in Jan., but right after Christmas her financial backer pulled the plug! Lisa visited a friend in NYC while she was contemplating her future. While she was there, she was told that "moving to NYC was a collective bad idea that people kept doing anyway." She was also told that jobs were available but one must live there to get a job, and that if one were going to move to NYC, one should do it while one was young and had the energy, and it would help if to have some $ to help along the way until a job appeared. Based on that sketchy advice, Lisa packed up her Little Rock possessions and her dog, Luca, and moved. Her brother Sam, on leave from his Merchant Marine job, was so kind as to drive her to NYC right after Valentine's Day. It snowed the day after they arrived (Lisa had found temporary lodging--oh, the stories I could tell you; the temperature/weather; sub-letting from Craig's list; 4th floor walk-up; subway; shopping for food; life in the "hood!)) Sam, used to life on the open sea, Hawaii specifically, stayed only as long as was absolutely necessary! He then hightailed it back to Dallas. More on him in a moment. Lisa found a job through a friend from high school, and has found an apartment with a college friend in a much safer neighborhood. At the present she is working as an artist's assistant and seemingly settling into the NYC life. There's a reason that they say "youth is wasted on the young!"
Re: Sam, he decided that in spite of the economic advantages of life at sea, family and friend relationships tipped the balance toward life shoreside. He was offered a job as manager of the soon-to-be opened Dallas branch of the Houston-based Scott-Macon heavy equipment (construction cranes) Co. He is presently living at home, working at opening the Dallas co., and planning to move into a house with his very good friends from high school in June. We are delighted to have him back in Dallas, at home, and are very grateful that he has re-connected with his good friends (whom we know and really like.)
Randy and I continue our full time jobs, waiting to see where our offspring venture next. Stay tuned....thanks for reading this ramble. Love y'all! Lou