New Beginnings

The title of this blog might suggest some sort of springtime sentiment that might invoke thoughts of birds chirping and little plants growing.  Things couldn't be further from the truth.  Those birds you hear are more likely to be buzzard-like vultures that are devouring carcasses of cute little critters that have strayed too far from shelter in this sweltering heat.  Fields of grass have turned into little more than fire starters as the dryness of the season continues to beat down on the valley with little sympathy.  The nation blisters and the inhabitants are left seeking escape from the scathing temperatures and the prevailing privation that pursues us at nearly every turn. There is no doubt that springtime left us all quite some time ago. 

And yet, in the very midst of the desolation there are sparks of hope that whisper to the world. It is to this we must cling in order to survive these wretched times.  This whisper . . . this hope . . . it comes to us as an oasis; a water hole on the horizon; a victory at the end of a treacherous race; a shelter before the storm; a burp at the end of thanksgiving dinner. 

What is this hope you ask?  It is the hope of new beginnings.  They have come to us in the middle of our despair and devastation.  They have overcome the elements.  They have sprouted in spite of their sickly surroundings.  As the earth screams in silence, these new beginnings cry out in defiance. Some of them quite literally, as you will see with the first announcement below.

Steven Clarke and his wife welcomed another wee one into the world.  Little Gregory Allen Clarke was born on Tuesday July 3rd at 4:05 PM.  He obviously did not want to miss the fireworks.  Both mom and baby are healthy and mostly happy.  I mean, how happy can you be when you get to change diapers 3-4 times every middle of the night.  Actually, I'm sure Steven is a hero husband who gets up and takes care of it every time, right Stevo?  Gregory was 7 lbs, 12 ounces on arrival.  We are very excited for the Clarkes.  There is hardly anything "cooler" than having a new baby.  Congrats to both of you.

Then there is the budding relationship between Brooke Berreth and her sweetie snookums, Nate Runyon.  This week, Brooke is finally tying the proverbial knot with her almost new hubby.  We announced the engagement way back in March, but it seems just like yesterday we were talking about it.  Time sneaks up on us and . . . POOF . . . just like that our Brookie went and grew up on us. We are announcing this now because it fits so nicely with the new beginnings theme that we are working with today. We are betting heavily on the fact that cold feet in this heat probably won't happen.

And finally there are the rising talents that are beginning there time here at CPS in UT.  Amber Avila joined the team and started today, the 9th of July.  She will be picking with Reece and James and we hope like everything that she cannot only rise above the dismal weather, but the people she works with too.  She has spent the past couple of years working at Detroit Diesel in Tooele UT.  Does that make sense to anyone?  Detroit Diesel in UT?  Anyway, she worked on machines that cut aluminum and steel parts for turbo chargers.  The Hymas's would be pleased to know that she also has work history at Panda Express.  She recently relocated to the Salt Lake area and we are excited she will be working with us.

Nathan Sauter is the other UT warehouse picker to join the team this summer.  He actaully doesn't start until July 23rd but his announcement makes sense here for the same reason Brooke's does. Nathan is coming from another warehouse position where he did many of the same things we do.  He has experience pulling orders and using the UPS Worldship software.  He has a degree in psychology from BYU and he didn't seem to mind the prospect of working with Kenyon each day.  That is a huge plus. He doesn't love fantasy baseball but we have decided that nobody is perfect.  We look forward to working with Nathan.

With all these "new beginnings" - be sure to welcome and/or congratulate each of them as you find the time.  And please remember the accomplishments of these individuals as they have overcome the great dearth that has blanketed the earth.