Today is a day that I have been looking forward to for quite some time. At 5 (PM), we will be taking pictures for the cover of "The Sun Still Rises". We shot a few images a couple of months ago, but were not quite pleased with the results. This time we have a great location picked out, and should get what we need. Even though everything is taking longer than planned, it is so exciting to see all of this come together.

Speaking of which, it is looking likely that I will be going back to the studio to wrap up quite a bit more of the album in the next few weeks. We are just waiting on a few answers, but we are very encouraged, and it is very likely this will happen. It will be great to be back in making progress and just in general doing work that I love.

And speaking of work... I got a message on my phone today from Starbucks that went something like this,

"Hi Jeremiah. I wanted to let you know that we have decided to not continue with the second interview... :pause: We would like to go ahead and offer you the position."

Let me tell ya, I was so freaked out there for a second. I thought that meant they had decided to not even interview me a second time and had chosen someone else! This is great news, as Hannah was hired on the spot with her first interview at a different Starbucks location. She will be starting training on Monday, and I should start soon as well.

I had better get back to preparing for the shoot, but I wanted to let you all know what is going on. Hope to have good news to report about the album cover soon!

As planned, the photo shoot took place yesterday for the album cover. We got a lot of good stuff, and I am excited to see how it all turned out. A good friend of mine, Brandon Benefield, tagged along and took a few pictures of Matt and Meghan of Aus10 Photography taking pictures of me. I believe they are self explanatory, so enjoy these pictures of, well, pictures!

Yesterday was my first day of work at Starbucks, and I think I am really going to enjoy it. My new coworkers all seem great, as well as the management. I am just beginning the training courses, so it will be a little while before I am "let loose", which I am thankful for. There definitely is quite a bit to learn.

On another note, I received a phone call this morning from my mother. Last night she called as well to let me know that my grandfather had been taken to the hospital for a serious case of pneumonia. This morning she found out that he had suffered a heart attack as well. At his age, there is no safe way to operate. He is my last remaining grandparent, and I am thankful for the time we have had, and so thankful he lived to see me married and to begin pursuing my career.

I was also very blessed to be able to see him twice this summer. So I feel at peace with what happens. Of course that does not make it easy, but I am feeling thankful in the midst of sadness. Please be praying for my family during this time, and that if/when something happens I will be able to make a trip out there. Having just begun this job, finances are especially tight, which will make leaving more difficult. But this is all in His hands. Thank you for your prayers.

I just got off the phone with my Grandfather, almost definitely for the last time. I don't know the whole situation yet, but apparently he has been in increasingly more pain. Due to what, I am not sure. So him and the family had to make a decision; whether to artificially prolong his life using a ventilator he has been on, or to let him go peacefully in the next few hours. They have chosen the latter.

I was put on speakerphone, and the phone was put beside his ear. I said,

"Grandpa, I have been thinking back to all of the wonderful memories we have had together. Specifically, I remember the first time we went fishing early in the morning, one day before kindergarden, and instead of catching anything, I fell in the lake! I am thankful for all of the memories, and for what an incredible role model you have been and are to us all, and most importantly for your spiritual leadership. I love you a lot."

"I love you too" -- were the last words I heard. If there had been more time I would have said, "See you soon". But I was thinking it, and that is the most encouraging thing. He is ready to go and to see the Lord. He has been anxiously awaiting for the last few years, and he is almost there. I am sad, but so excited for him.

Thanksgiving will be different without his joking and picking on us, and different without him saying the prayer of thanks for the meal. But we will be remembering all of the special memories, something a lot of people do not have with their grandparents, and I am thankful.

Thank you for your prayers in this time, I love you all very very much.

Last night I planned to stay up until I heard the news about my grandfather. By 7:00 AM I was wiped, and figured I would grab a bit of sleep. I got a call at 9:00 AM from my mother. Ernest Kratzer passed at 8:30 AM on September 10, 2007. It is a bittersweet occasion. His wife, my grandmother, died a year ago. He has been ready to go ever since.

I remember being a child and so fascinated by his amazing train setup. Hopefully in the next day or two I can locate a picture of this. Anyways, when I was a child, him and grandma had a mobile home. They also had a shed about half the size of the mobile home that housed their train setup. When I would visit, we would go out and see it.

Grandpa also loved fish (and fishing). According to my mother, they had a basement full of fish tanks and fish growing up!

Grandpa was not a rich man by the world's standards, but that does not say much. Well, perhaps it does, but in a different way. Ernest's treasures were where it really counted; in the next life.

When my mother was in her late high school years, my grandparents agreed to be the foster home for two children; Holly and Alan Burnett. As it turns out, they are now a part of the family, just as much as us who are direct descendant.

Ernest Kratzer lived a full life touching others. Even yesterday, I heard that he was quoted as saying, "I am keeping all of you up!" His humor stayed intact to the very end, and he went peacefully at 8:30 yesterday morning.

I have been asked to play at the funeral, and while it seemed impossible to make the trip a few days ago, it looks like it will be possible now.

Hannah and I will leave tomorrow (Tuesday) around 12 in the morning, and make the 12 hour trip to Rock Island. Please be praying for us, as we currently do not have reliable transportation. I have been asked to play at the funeral service, and will be sharing "Great Is The Lord".

Unfortunately along with everything else, we just found out that the alternator in our second vehicle, the one I drive (a 1990 Honda Civic) is bad. Turns out that Auto Zone gave us a faulty one to replace our old one.... So we will need to make the trip in our Sidekick. Please be praying for us, we need it.

And on top of everything else, it appears that I am coming down with a severe cold. I just hope that by Thursday morning I will be able/ready to sing.

Thanks for the prayers. I am sorry to turn the end of this post towards our needs, but we definitely need the prayer. I have been joking with my new co-workers at Starbucks that I should write a job called "How not to start a job".

God has blessed us beyond comprehension. Hannah and I just began new jobs, and we will be allowed to leave for a couple of days to attend this funeral. We are blessed so much.

Thanks again for the prayers. We love and appreciate every one of you.

These last few weeks have been really, really busy. For instance, yesterday I woke up at 3 AM to work from 4:30 to 10:30, came home for a few hours, and then worked 7PM to 11:50PM. Working this hard is helping give me even more motivation to get the CD done. We don't know how yet, but are doing what we need to in the meantime to get by.

I can definitely say this has been one of the most difficult months of my life, but it feels good to be at the end. We didn't know how we would get through, but then we got our jobs.

I am very excited about the show next weekend in Rock Island. It will be fun to be playing again. A few months ago when we planned it, I had hoped that Grandpa Kratzer could come, but I am thankful I got to see him twice recently. Speaking of him, both Hannah and I were able to make it to the funeral. We have been having a myriad of car problems, and the family came together to help us fly out. It was a beautiful reflection of the life of such a well respected and Godly man. I will leave you with our last pictures together: