The Van Courts: Dirty Daddy

I believe many of you know that Phillip lost the elevator Superintendent last September (the guy was from Texas and wanted to go back home after being in Salina for 5 years)... that being said... the position still has not been filled. There's an industry-wide shortage of qualified people for this position... it's the largest elevator Scoular owns and it generates a huge amount of revenue... but it's also A LOT of work. And, it seems, no one really wants to work very hard anymore. They all want the paycheck that goes along with it... but not the long, dirty, inconvenient hours. This has been a huge struggle for us. Phillip spends many days, evenings, and nights away from home... including weekends, loading trains full of grain, dumping trucks full of grain from farmers into the elevator and keeping the place, essentially, afloat. It's sort of what it was like when we very first moved to Salina. No real functioning superintendent and a crazy work schedule -- and I thought it was hard then. Now with a toddler and a newborn, it's even more difficult than I ever imagined... though, we're incredibly grateful for a very supportive family. From Stefanie (Pup), my sister, coming to stay with me on her days off from work and school, to Erin and Mavy coming to spend a long weekend with us, and an occasional break from my mother... I truly COULD NOT do it without these people. We believe that there is a greater purpose for all of this... a lesson that is meant to be understood and learned... because without that belief... it would be hard to continue this life as, basically, a single parent... and Phillip working all day, everyday, with an occasional Sunday afternoon off.

He's had 2 interviewee's that have NEARLY taken the job... but have turned it down at the last minute... something simply wasn't right for them. And you'd better believe that I'm working just as hard to try to find a replacement... or two. I need my husband back... and my baby's want their daddy back.

I want to be clear that I'm simply venting here... and that I'm certainly not ungrateful for the wonderful opportunities that Scoular has granted us. We're just all exhausted right now. I'm not sure how the women do it with a deployed husband... because I suppose I do get the occasional 5 am diaper change done by daddy just as he's headed back out the door again.

So if you would... just keep us in your prayers... keep whoever, or the whoevers , is meant to assume this position in your prayers (and that he comes to us soon!) <-- I was just informed that we have 2 guys coming for interviews this week! Here's hoping one or both might work out!

-->So if you know anyone that needs a job... and wants to move to Salina... send your resume to Phillip at pvancourt@gmail.com ! <--

Ok... sorry for that debbie downer stuff... here's the fun stuff instead! When Erin and Mavy came to visit us (Valentine's Day weekend)... they got to go visit Uncle Phil at the elevator (where he spent most of the weekend with a crane attempting to re-rail derailed train cars). The kids had a blast!

Yes... that dirty dirty man is my husband (and that has only added to my work at home... the laundry has increased dramatically with a new baby, the spit up, and a husband working a filthy job... I generally have to run his work clothes through the machine at least twice... and then I have to clean the washing machine.)

I love that in this photo, Mavy is in obvious awe of Uncle Phil's awesome diesel engine while Callie is quite unimpressed with the noise associated with the engine, crane, semi trucks, grain dryer... basically everything).

Perhaps little Mavy will be the next generation to work at Scoular? His genuine awe and interest (not to mention that he certainly didn't mind getting dirty!) throughout the entire visit was adorable! Here Uncle Phil shows Mavy an assortment of grain...

Callie still unimpressed by the loudness of the facility, while the guys are wondering if Mavy wants a job (they're a little desperate for help :)

This is the man I fell in love with, the guy, that I thought was a grain janitor, that was obviously a hard worker and very intelligent, never did I realize or understand his potential until after we said "I do"... I told him I would have stayed married to the $50k/year grain elevator janitor and maintained a full time job forever for our happily ever after... but I'm so blessed for what was in store for us!

See all of that dirt? There were tiny patches that were dry... otherwise it was nearly ALL solid MUD... needless to say we had naked babies for the drive home!

Weight training for Uncle Phil! Over the mud and to the engine!

Erin admitted after these photos that she thinks Mavy may be slightly afraid of heights... he seems a little unsure in this photo!

Mister Mavy is much more comfortable INSIDE of the engine.

I spent most of this trip in the car... Phillip's elevator is 7 minutes from our house and in that time, Willie had a major diaper blow out, so he was only in a onesie, wrapped in several blankets... and I left the house in only house shoes (it was bound to happen eventually)... but we managed to get a family photo despite all of that! (and by family photo... I am also including the train behind us... because it's the other "child" requiring all of Phillip's attention in our life right now!)