21 May, 2005

The server room move (from 16th Ave. NW to 29th St. NE) went well. We began at about 5:00 PM on Thursdsay evening preping.; by 7:00 PM the 17th Ward group had shown up to elp us move equipment. We packed the equipment and arrived at the NE Columbia center at about 10:30, and we were completely unpacked by 11:00 PM.

The boys left, and we decided to press forward, mounting the UPS's and servers. We got everythigng that need to be up and running mounted into the racks, (and the rest put into storage) and we powered up the servers successfully at about 4:00 AM. We were satisfied with our testing and ready to go home by 4:30 AM. We were all back on the job by 9:30 AM on Friday morning (only 5 hours later), and we had the network functional and Columbia centres up and running by lunchtime. Overall the move was successfull. I'm really pleased with the skill and effort of my team. I work with committed, very smart, talented people. This was the single largest risk item I've ever worked on -- it was also quite possibly the most successfull.

Erin is feeling the effects of pregnancy more and more. She's doing quite well though. This morning she commented that about what the baby would look like. Gracie looks like me, and Matt looks like her... who will number three look like. Erin goes in for her first ultrasound on Tuesday morning.

Matt has really begun to speak in phrases -- and I'm noticing that he's becoming less and less frustrated (no surprise there -- we've always know that his frustration comes from not being able to express himself in a way that we can understand him). His phrases are really cute -- he's really cute. He's started to go to bed a little better. Erin bought a crib tent for him, so he's not getting out of bed anymore. At first the tent angered him, and we still had to lay in his room for 30 mintues to get him to fall asleep; but he's getting so that he's not so bothered by it now.

Gracie went to her kindergarten orientation this week (at Marion Carson elementary school). She had so much fun. It's really too bad she's got to be shipped all the way to Varsit. Erin and I are both a bit nervous about putting her on the bus -- she's becoming a little bit sensitive to being left alone lately.

I think it started when we went to Utah, and put her in primary with a class and teacher she didn't know. I dropped her off, and with a kiss, started to leave the room. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that she was feeling nervous. By the time I made eye contact with her, I could see plainly that she was very uneasy being left alone. I smiled and continued to walk to the door -- I could see that she way trying to be brave, but the more she could see me look at her, the more her eyes welled with tears and her lip trembled... until finally she bowed her head into hands and cried. It was so sad. I ended up sitting with her for all of singing time, then we went back to Brad and Amy's place instead of going to class. Ever since we've been back from Utah, Gracie has been very reluctant to go to class. She insists we check on her frequently during singing time, and from time to time I have to stay with her in order to keep her there.

This behaviour is very unlike her -- her nature is to be very free spirited and somewhat un-attached. She's hasn't had trouble with babysitters, or visiting in the homes of families she doesn't know. Erin and I have both been confused at this recent behaviour. When Erin took Gracieto her kindergarted orientation, she started to get a little nervous, but Erin quickly put her at ease by pointing out all the fun things to do. Erin said that despite some momentary hesitation, she did quite well.