Will I Ever Find A Job?

**UPDATE** I passed my test!!!! I am so pleased that its over and done with!!! Now the fun begins looking for employment where ever I can find it!

With the economy falling the way that it is, I'm not really surprised by how hard it is to find a job. Especially trying to find one that fits into my family schedule. Honestly, I have looked for the past year but only in schools. So now I'm thinking I have to broaden my search.

I quit working in May 2007, after much deliberation and discussion with my husband over losing my income. Before then most of my mornings were horrible, Cheyenne hated school, she cried and/or threw up most days. I had a constant pull at my heart that I needed to be with them more than just 3 hours in the evening time and every other weekend (they go to their dads on the other weekends). I was also having to take Chey to Shands quit often to try and figure out why she was growing at such a rapid rate. That will have to be a whole other post!

So I quit to become a Stay At Home Mom, or like I recently was called a Domestic Engineer, thinking I would have some sort of job by August of 2007. That didn't happen. I did however take over my mom's Avon business, which allowed me to make a little extra money and stay home. I did great in the beginning, made unit leader and all kinds of bonuses... however that quickly went down with the economy too, no one wants to buy as much as they did and with gas prices you have to deliver the products to your customers, which became more costly than anything. So I still sell, but only to close friends and family mostly.

So here I sit, over a year later, with still no job. I have had some interviews in some schools, which is where I want to be, however, they have all "hired within". I'm in the process of getting my substitute certificate and tomorrow I go for my ParaPro Test. Which I'm really nervous but excited about, because it may give me more of a chance at a school job.

I really cant go back to a full time position anywhere working 8 to 5. The schools aftercare prices are outrageous and the wages in the area are very low. I would really be working for gas and aftercare, plus the fact that I would not be with my kids again.

I have prayed hard over this for sometime and my mom has too. I even had a stranger, which turned out to be a preacher, come to my yard sale with his wife looking for items for the local women & children's shelter for gifts for Christmas. I ended up donating a box of new Avon items, dresses and kids clothes. When he turned to leave he said "I will say a special prayer for you". I said "Pray that I find a job please". He turned around grabbed my hand and prayed for me right there in the middle of my yard sale with all the people around. Which I thought was awesome and made my cry.

That was over a month ago, but I'm trying not to get discouraged. I know that God works in his own time, not mine. I told my close friend Rhonda yesterday that I still had no luck but I know I have to be patient. It took God almost 7 years to send me Larry, when I prayed everyday for him to send me a great man. He finally did, when he was ready... lets just hope it doesn't take 7 years for me to find a job...haha

Somehow we are making it without anything being past due so far. But we have had to cut a lot of extras out of our budget, since my husband's company also mandated "NO OVERTIME", which is what we were really living off of for the extras. We are having to sell my husband bass boat which he loves dearly, but we cant take it out on the lake anyway. So when and if we ever get stable again and can take on another payment, I promise to get him the best bass boat ever!!!!

For now I will keep praying that the right job comes along, that is right in every aspect for our family! Keep your fingers crossed I pass my test!!!!

What a Weekend!

I actually have so much going on in my head today. I really dont know where to start. I suppose first I will have to tell everyone about my mom.

Saturday was "supposed" to be her surprise 50th birthday party. The one I wrote about a few weeks ago. Well, let just say all last week the planning of this party was getting a little nerve racking. First, for the life of my I could not get the slideshow I prepared to burn to a disk that the DVD player would read, so I spent all week working on that, scared I would not have it done in time.

Second, Hurricane/Trop. Storm Fay hit Florida for 4 days! So that led us to Thursday night when we found out Pop (Bubba, my stepfather) was going to have to work all day and night Saturday and couldnt take mom out to "distract" her until we got ready for the party. Not to mention my brother Jeremy was not going to be there either. They both work for the power companies. Then I had a few other guest back out for other reasons... So it was looking like not much of a party. So we decided to go along with the party but would have to tell her to leave her own home for a few hours.

Then came Saturday morning when she called me to come pick up my neice Katie, because her back was hurting so bad she couldnt move and Mandi was going to take her to the hospital!!!
There goes that plan!! When we got there, she couldnt move and we were not going to be able to get her to the hospital by ourselves, so we had to call an ambulance! Before they came we told her that today was not a good day for this since she was scheduled to have a Surprise Birthday Party at 4:00! I think she was in so much pain she didnt care at that point. So we decided to cancel the big party and chose to just have dinner with just us kids & grandkids when she got home.

While Mandi & Pop had her at the hospital for hours, I got the cake, Charles & Larry cooked the chicken and Kiley went to sonny's to get the sides. Unfortantly, Jeremy was still working and couldnt make it home in time.

She made it home for the hospital at around 4:00 with a torn back muscle. So we all ate and kept her awake long enough for her to blow out the candles on her cake, open her gifts and watch the slideshow. She cried as I knew she would and I did too, just knowing how it touched her that we made it for her.

Today is her actual birthday! She is feeling better Im happy to say, she went to work, where they all made a big deal over her and wheeled her around in a wheel chair and was having a lunch for her. She said she is going home after to rest her back, but Im glad she went into work this morning to see how much her co-workers care for her. Just as I hope she could see on Saturday how much she means to all of us, that we love and admire her with everything in us!

After all She is Simply Amazing At Any Age!!!! Love you Mom!

Cutting some of the Apron Strings

I had yet another "cutting the apron stings" experience this past week. Brant my oldest started Middle School on Monday (Since Marion Cty has been closed the rest of the week, I will have to do this again next Monday). During his orientation, I walked him around to all of his classes and showed him which way to go to find his way. That school is alot bigger than the one I went to with alot more kids!

During the day I met his PE teacher who told me that Mon-Wed they will have a 6 period schedule then on Thurs & Fri they will have a block schedule...Me getting paranoid I asked if they would remind the kids of this and she told me yes and reassured me that they will help the kids until they all knew the routine. I apologized for "being a mom" and she said "Well we all have to start cutting the apron strings a little at a time each time they go on into new schools and as they go through life."

On Monday we took Cheyenne to school, she starts an hour & a half earlier than him. She was a little nervous but I wasnt so worried about her, she is in the same school and in 3rd grade so she know the ropes so to speak.

Anyway, we had a little time together, we went to Walmart and got a few things and then we were on our way to the school. He looked at me and kinda took a deep breath. I knew he was nervous because he barely ate breakfast and I was naseous all morning too, wishing I hadnt eaten breakfast. I asked him "Do you have the note card with all of your classes in your pocket?" He shook his head yes and then I said, "Are you sure you dont want me to walk you to your first class?" Without hesitation he said "Mom Im going into 6th grade you dont need to walk me."

So we drove on and as we pulled up to the drive he got out and took his stuff, turned and looked with a little bit of a nervous look and just said "Bye Mom". While Im telling him I love him and waving...

I drove away and made it out of the parking lot when the tears came. I waited all day, wondering how it went. Did he find all his classes? Did he see anyone he knew? When I picked him up he said he had a good day and really liked it. Which was a great relief but a little gut wrenching knowing he doesnt need me as much as he did...

So I cut a little of my apron strings for now waiting until the time Cheyenne goes to 6th and He goes to 9th... Thank goodness that's 3 years from now! They will always be my babies in my mind even when they are 50!!!!

Planning Moms 50th Birthday Party

In a few weeks, my mom is turning 50 and we have decided to give her a surprise party. After the shock of walking in to all the people in her home I know she will be thrilled about it. My sister and I have decided make a slideshow from pictures of her whole 50 years. Thats a lot of pictures, especially having 3 kids and 4 grandkids!
Anyway today as I was working on the slideshow and looking through all the pictures and picking out songs (oh how that brought back memories of my childhood) I realized how quickly life goes by. I can hardly believe sometimes I am 32 and that I have a 13 year old. So I can only imagine how she feels having a 32, 26 and 25 year old.
Mom still looks like she is about 35, everyone thinks we are sisters. Which in turn I dont mind because she is beautiful, so that is a major compliment to me also. Im really proud of the women she is and I hope one day I can do half the things she has for others.
I also made some phone calls tonight to some lost relatives hoping they can make the party too. Unfortantly one turned out not to be my uncle and it was the number of a complete stranger, but luckily he was understanding and didnt mind the wrong number call. So Im on the search for my mom's half brother. I hope we find him in time!
Planning surprise parties are tough! Hopefully we will be able to pull it off without her ever knowing it! We will see!!!!