The girls started school yesterday, so I’m finally able to settle down and have something resembling a “normal” life.

So far, they seem to be enjoying school and are both making new friends. It’s amazing to walk out with them to the bus stop in the morning and see the crowds of kids on every corner in the development. Unfortunately, we had a bit of trauma this afternoon when Laini got off at the wrong bus stop on the trip home. We’re in a townhome development and all the corners look the same. She wasn’t paying enough attention to the turns and her bus was early so I wasn’t outside yet. A neighbor ended up bringing her home. Laini was upset, but at least she had the presence of mind to tell her address. Later, we went out to the bus stop and took note of distinguishing characteristics…exactly what it say on the street sign, the color of the curtains in the closest unit to the corner, etc. Things that she should look for to know she’s getting off at the right corner. She only takes the bus home on Wednesday and Friday so hopefully it will get easier for her and I’ll make a point of being outside to meet the bus earlier.

Work is going very well. Every day is a new challenge as we “build the airplane as we’re flying it.” Our first issue of our newsletter is at the printer and will be mailed out to our list of approximately 3500 towards the end of the month. We haven’t launched the companion website page yet, but here’s a sneak peek for anyone interested:

Feel free to [download the PDF](http://c-three.org/pdf/momentum/C3MomFall2005-final.pdf) and let me know what you think. We’re pretty proud of our first effort.

You would think that working for a cancer advocacy organization would be depressing, but if anything it’s quite the opposite. It’s invigorating and exciting. There’s so much going on, and [C3](http://www.c-three.org) is all about action and making a difference. Because of the work we’re doing, there may be one less Dad out there like mine missing the chance to see his granddaughter take her first steps or say her first words.

We just launched a blog! We contracted with a woman who is herself a colorectal cancer survivor and has been writing a [colorectal cancer blog on Blogger](http://cnews.blogspot.com) for a few years. She’s stopping her Blogger blog and will be blogging news, information, commentary, advocacy, events, etc. for us instead. [Check out her first few entries here](http://www.c-three.org/news).

It’s been a roller coaster ride. One minute I’m working with our attorney to get our 501(c)(3) application complete, the next I’m designing newsletters and configuring Movable Type on our blog, editing a strategic document, participating in a conference call, balancing the budget, or planning a fun event we’re doing in Nebraska. Such a departure from what I used to do, but not all that different because it still comes down to learning how to manage time and resources effectively.