The way I see it...

Thank You!

Have I ever told you the story about how I got this job?  I went in to renew my subscription when then-editor Andy Kopsa told me I should apply for her job because she was leaving.  I laughed and told her I had no experience.  She said she didn’t either.

When I got home I jokingly told my husband about the conversation and he was all, “What do you have to lose?  Just apply.”

Well, after a year at the paper and being let go when the new owner came along and then being back at the paper when Greg bought the paper, here we are!

I have to be honest with you all.  I was scared to death when I accepted the job at this paper.  Besides the fact I was lacking in experience, I wasn’t from here.  At that point, I didn’t know the communities that well.  I was mainly scared because, being from a small town myself, I know how protective small towns can be when ‘outsiders’ come in.  I don’t mean that in a bad way, I just mean I knew I had to earn your trust.

I felt that the best way for me to do that was this corner of the paper right here.  I knew that I had to be open and honest with you and let you get to know me and then you could decide if you thought I was alright.

Well, Mid Iowa Enterprise family, you have shown my family and me the love!  At our benefit last Friday night, it was reaffirmed to me that I am so glad that we are here in this community with people who are incredibly supportive of us and what we are going through.
I cannot believe how many people showed up.  I’m just in awe.  My husband and I tried to talk to as many people as we could, so if we missed you I’m sorry about that.  Please know that we thank you for coming!

Not only did you show up, but you asked really good questions about Blake.  Does he pee?  A little (very little).  Does he have a catheter?  Nope.  He really is going to get one adult kidney during his transplant?  He sure is.  Is Blake always so mellow?  Pretty much. I got a lot of comments about his demeanor, which I thought was super perceptive of you.

I just can’t say thank you enough for reading my column week after week.  For letting me be honest with you and share my happy times and my sad times.  I appreciate that I don’t have to be something that I’m not week after week.  Thank you for letting me be me and going on this journey with me.  I will forever be grateful to you all for that, but that’s just the way I see it.