In just 5 days (FIVE DAYS) Little Brother will be fifteen. And he'll get a Learner's Permit. And he'll inevitably....drive!
Not sure my heart can handle this!
(Again on revisiting the verses, huh? Suppose I should just apply those to all parts of my life from the get go!)My little brother is growing up, waaaaaaah!
I've been busy working on getting Little Brother enrolled in school. His schedule is finally finished but they gave him Freshman English again. Er, he made all A's last year.
So here I go again (on my own--thank you Whitesnake) to the New High School to get it all sorted out.
You know what? High Schools are big. And scary. I can't imagine switching HIGH SCHOOLS! I switched elementary schools in the fifth grade and it was sheer horror. And to put it in persepective I went from Ye Small Elementary School on the Mountain to Ye Small Elementary School in the Sticks. So yeah, wasn't that big of a deal I suppose.
But going from Podunk High to Suburbia High....wow! (Of course I think the reverse would be quite a "wow" too.
That school is big. And big. And BIG! And scary too. I bet there are monsters in the lockers.
Internet I've not told Little Brother, but I'm totally nervous for him!
Guess I need to revisit yesterday's bible verses and apply them in this part of my life too.
I'm positive that God has a plan for me. And I know it's a plan to prosper and not to harm (Jeremiah 29:11) but still I get a bit stressed in this interim of not having a job, because, well, I need a job! It's nice to have the time now to get a few things in place with Little Brother starting a new school and also reorganizing our home having lost an entire room to give to him (which by the way I love because it's a challenge to get rid of stuff and organizing makes me so happy I could pee my pants!).
However I'd like to have something lined up and now that in September I'll be gainfully employed. I met with a recruiter last May and have gotten pretty hard core about keeping in contact with her as of late. Now I've started checking out temp agencies. It's often cheaper for a company to do a temp to hire through and agency so I thought it might be a foot in the door to a great opportunity. I met with one this week and basically I'm overqualified for their positions! Um, yeah!
I've always said a Bachelor's Degree only gives you permission for further schooling. With it I'm over qualified for office positions, but also with only it I'm underqualified for a host of other positions. Guess this finalizes my choice to go back to school, eventually. (By the way Hubs has only one semester left, YIPPIEEEEEEEEEEEE!)
So in light of being anxious and worried today I found two verses:
Philippains 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Just what I needed. I know things are going to work out. I just have to realize that my time and God's time are totally different.
I'm babysitting some new kids this week. O, a girl is 8, and C, a boy is 5. I was getting settled in with them and talking to O about her ipod.
Me: So what kind of music do you have on your ipod?
O: All kinds of things really.
Me: Do you have Hannah Montana and High School Musical?
O: Yea I like them. I have stuff like, you know, Madonna too!
Girl after my heart I tell you!
I'm so thankful for being hooked up with some babysitting while I'm looking for a job. Can we say Praise the Lord? As much as I love being unemployed and as much as I'd love to sit at home and be crafty, a girl has to make a little money! I'm praying that at the end of this gig (three weeks of all day everyday!) God will have sent me something else.
Turns out that the place where the kids mother works is looking for a Sales and Marketing Account Manager! Yippiee! I'm very faithful that something will work out and very thankful that this babysitting did.
This family is a friend of a family I've babysat for for SEVEN years (I've known both kids their entire life, they were in my wedding, etc.). When the mother found herself in a crunch she called me and scheduled me having never met me. I arrive and it's just the dad who walks out the door while handing me a keys, pool passes, library cards, etc. and says, "y'all have fun!"
Praise the Lord I have a reputation as a babysitting rockstar!
My friend R has just announced her engagement and asked me to be a bridesmaid! I met R through my women's service organization and we're also in the same bunco group. We've only known each other for about 3 or 4 years but we were fast friends with the same no nonsense personalities and love for making lists. Wouldn't you know that we have matching Hello Kitty notepads in our purses? Now that is friendship.
I'm excited about her wedding because I love weddings and I think that being in weddings is fun. She's having hers at this swanky inn that is quaint, lovely, and has loads of charm. I'm a little unexcited about purchasing a dress with no job. See R and I both have champagne taste, only she has a champagne budget to go with it whereas mine is more beer.
Also Internet, let me pick your brains about something. How do you feel about second weddings? If a person has already done the big to do once, do they get that again? If you were invited to a person's second wedding within, say, three years, do you buy a gift? Do you wonder what happened to your gift the first time? I never plan on having a second wedding lest Hubs and I have a kickin 5th year anniversary party at our wedding site (which I'd love to do by the way) but when others have a second wedding, how do you regard that?
It's one of my favorite times of the year.
School supply time! I love, love, (LOVE!) going up and down the school supply aisle and looking at all he cool planners (oh how I big puffy heart planners), pens, notebooks, little pencil cases, etc.
So sad it makes me cry, I need not any of the above items but I still enjoy lovingly caressing the niftly items. Little Brother is a basic give me paper and pencils kinda guy, which is nice for my budget I suppose.
I still might throw in a Hello Kitty lunchbox for me him!
Apparently I'm a one woman show because I had "come to Jesus meetings" three times by noon today!
First: Little Brother. He's on the college prep path in school and in several honors classes. There is a State Scholars program that you are a member of upon completing certain courses. From the college prep path to State Scholars there is only one computer class to take. Little Brother said he wasn't taking it. Funny how he thought that now isn't it? I mean all the time he spends on crackspace he can probably pass the course with flying colors. Long story short after we "came to Jesus" he saw things my way. Love when that happens. Love it!
Second: Guidance Counselor. The poor souls at Podunk High School (the previous school) are idiots, bless their hearts! She couldn't seem to comprehend that I needed her to fax his records to New High School and I need a copy of his immunization record. Guidance Counselor insisted that I was going to have to visit Podunk High School in order to prove my guardianship and then she could fax the records. What ha-happened was I told her that I wasn't driving thirty miles past nowhere to Podunk High School, I'd fax the guardianship papers and she would fax Hubs the immunization records and New High School his scholastic records they sure as hell better be there when I arrive in the morning because as it stands the kid is only going to have art and PE classes anyway. Kthanks!
Third: Lady at the shop. I'd purchased a cute little t-shirt at a small shop a few weeks ago. It never made it out of the bag and I forgot about it. Given that I decided I really didn't need and would rather have that cash now that I'm not working anyway. The shirt was in the bag, with tags, original receipt, and I hadn't even tried it on. Lady at the shop insisted that there is a two week policy and I could have store credit. Um, the receipt didn't say anything about that, it wasn't posted anywhere and therefore I wasn't accepting that as an answer. But really, it's her policy and that's how it is. Customer's need to know the policy where they are shopping. Well peachy, don't worry about that because I won't be shopping here again now give my money back. I left with a full refund and a charming "thanks hun have a great day" on my way out.
I'm like a cobra. I get what I want or I squeeze until I do. And let me tell you dear Internet; doing so with grace, class, and charm are a bit taxing.
Luckily the guy in Sears didn't give me any lip about the return there I made for Hubs. Clearly I was out of all of the above.
KASSIE!
I put a number in a basket for each comment and pulled out number one.
Congratulations Kassie. I'll email you to get info for your prize.
Now everyone get excited because Kassie will run a pay it forward contest and you can try to win her prize.
(I know the contest ended on Monday but you know how I am lately.)
Actress Estelle Getty died today. In case you live under a rock and don't know about the greatest show ever on TV, she played Sophia on The Golden Girls.
I'm not a big TV watcher and usually can't stand reruns. However when it comes to The Golden Girls it just never gets old to me. I never tire of a lazy half hour on the sofa if I can catch them on TV.
I actually remember watching the show as a child with my grandmother when it was on primetime. In fact, I think I'll go find when the next reruns come on right now!
Last week my husband got this annual review and of course, it was glowing as he is fabulous. He also got a raise. Everyone together: Yippie!
Unfortunately the raise was not equal to my annual salary. Everyone together: boooo!
That, however, didn't keep me from quitting my job today.
I SAID THAT DIDN'T KEEP ME FROM QUITTING MY JOB TODAY!
I was so happy I peed my pants and wasn't even ashamed!
Hubs and I decided it was best for us and our now growing family and for us and for my sanity and for us. He'd grown to despise it as well. I know it seems ridiculous that I quit my job in the fragile economy where there are no jobs, but it was truly best for me and my family. It's not the long hours, I've done that, but moreso the inflexibility that I can't handle.
I was totally prepared to work out a notice but as it worked out today was my last day. Praise the Lord! The weight lifted from my shoulders was tremendous. I'm faithful God has something for me as I know it is not His will for me to be miserable.
Listen! If you boys can't get along I'm going to put you in separate corners. Money isn't everything and besides, it's what's on the inside that counts. And as of now you're both fabulous as you're vital to my livelihood. So would you knock off this little pricing war already.
Many thanks!
The Pay it Forward Contest will be extended through Monday because apparently my blog was still private. It should be fixed now!
Once upon a time I thought this job was the best thing ever. I knew it would be great, wonderful, and fabulous and prayed without seizing that God would give me this perfect and wonderful job.
And He did.
And I hate it.
Tell me now, how does one deal with that?
Dear God, Thanks for the blessing but please take it back.
Methinks that's wrong.
Be careful what you pray for as you just might get it, and you don't know what's best. I'm speaking from experience here.
I mean I am thankful for a job but the misery is more than I can bear lately. Now being gainfully employed I feel it wrong to just quit and being a two-income family is nice, especially with a teenager in the house.
However money isn't everything but my time is. After a ten hour Saturday (SATURDAY!) and a twelve hour Monday, I was asked to stay until eight o'clock this evening making another twelve hour day. I was asked three times as if my answer would change. "Um no don't think so kthanks bye!"
First of all, I'm no longer in Corporate America. And even so I have absolutely no desire to climb the corporate ladder. Pfft, who am I kidding? I have no desire to climb any ladder!
Therefore it's imerpative that I get a new job. Preferably in the next couple of weeks so that I don't have to go on this week long trip (perhaps even missing Little Brother's birthday) for work on the other side of the country as that sounds like torture to me at this very second. And this one too. And this one, and this one, and this one.....
It's not going away.
So therefore dear Internet I ask that you pray with me that I can find a new job with a normal schedule soon and very soon. I have a lead at a nearby company that they may be hiring a marketing person and haven't even made the job public. I have an inside source and have sent my resume. Please pray that something will work out. Missing out on time with my family is killing me.
And also Hubs and I have season tickets for my alma mater (Go Big Orange!). I'm nothing if not Southern and the eleventh commandment below the Mason-Dixon line is Thou shalt tailgate and sing Rocky Top at the top of thy lungs and also repeat General Neyland's Maxims loud and proud before the Pride of the Southland marches onto the field and Smokey shalt bring the crowd to they feet and also don't forget to howl at kick-off.
(Also go enter to win! Now Now Now!)
I took Mack to the vet today for the yearly shots and exam. He's healthy as a horse and nearly big as one. When we adopted him last year he was 24 lbs. Today he tipped the scale at 36.4.
I also took Little Brother to the asthma & allergy doctor. He's gained 10-15 lbs since living with us.
I'm not keeping track of a number for Hubs, but let's just say his waistbands are getting snug.
So the point of this post is everyone gripes and complains about my cooking*, but they're still eating it!
*Vegetables! Ugh I use vegetables!
I won something! Oh yes I did win something. It wasn't just ANYTHING either, but it was The Baby Name Wizard and it was from Swistle's Baby Names Pay It Forward contest. I big puffy heart Swistle and her mad love for baby names as I'm a name aficionado as well.
It started with her running a Pay It Forward contest and I'm all yeah-that's-nice-but-I-don't-exactly-have-time-for-anything-anymore-kthanks!
Then she offered up the Baby Name Wizard book and I'm all YIPPIEEEE I WANT THAT BOOK. And although I never. win. anything. I entered.
And I won!
Whoop dee doooooo!!!
I got the book on Thursday and I loved it and hugged it and called it George. And I'm currently searching the book for a better name.
I've also learned that I like names from the Antique Charm category. I've always known I liked old names and Antique Charm sounds perfect for this Southern Belle.
Unfortunately my husband doesn't like the names I like. In fact I've not found a name he does like. But you know what Internet? That doesn't really matter because I'm big on keeping baby names a secret until little baby M pops out (which will be a while since there is no bun in this oven mind you!) and since Hubs isn't exactly a great secret keeper, I don't even think I'll tell him the name. Afterall, he can name the children he has. I think that's fair, no ?
Moving on to the fun part for you Internet. In order to keep my end of the bargain of Pay It Forward, I have to (oddly enough) pay this forward!
Therefore all commenters on this here blog betweeen now and Friday July 18 at 11:59 p.m. will be entered to win my Pay It Forward contest. The winner will receive lovely items from none other than La La Lollipop. I'll pick great items that are fitting for you. For example, if you don't have a baby, I won't send you burp clothes and if you don't like to cook, you won't get an apron.
But you can sure count on having something fabulous and monogrammed!
AND as a super dee duper bonus I'm going to make my blog public during the contest so more lovely people have a chance to win. Now that certainly doesn't help you does it? Oh wait, but it does! If someone reads about my contest on your blog and they sign up and win...I'll send YOU a prize too. Therefore it gives you more chances to win. So if you sign up, and three people that know you sign up, you get four chances. I'm nothing if not all about you friends!
Here's the deal though: if you win YOU have to run a pay it forward contest when you recieve you prize from me. If you win and you dont' have a blog, I'll choose a second winner for you to send your prize to and that person will run the Pay It Forward contest.
Ok now, let's get cracking on spreading the word and entering to win!
Tuesday I spent the entire afternoon with my little boyfriend. He was in town visiting grandparents but sans sisters. Still I was over the moon to see him.
Little Brother and I picked him up at eleven-ish and headed to the Mellow Mushroom for lunch. Yum if you've not eaten there then you must. I lurve it! From there we went to the art museum and the exploratory gallery. After the rain it was on to Fort Kid, which is a super large all wood play structure, less a few slides, ropes, and tire swings. After playing there we went up in the Sunsphere. Boyfriend had never been there and he sure did have fun. He loved running around in circles and finding all the cool places from up there such as the football stadium. After seeing all of MyTown from the highest view it was time for swimsuits and playing in the downtown fountains at the park. The previous rain and overcast skies kept the crowds down but it was still plenty hot to enjoy the cool water. Plus easier to keep an eye on him. After the fountains we went to the Marble Slab for dinner.
LaLa: (Boyfriend) I'm going to call (grandmother) to let her know we're going to the Marble Slab and then I'll take you back to her house.
Boyfriend: Oh no La La! That's not a very good idea. (Grandmother) would not approve of the Marble Slab right now because I won't eat my dinner.
LaLa: You're right. We'll call her after!
And that is why I'm a good girlfriend! He shares my love for cleanliness and let's me take wet ones to his face, which is why he is a good boyfriend!
As if that's not enough for a girl last night I went on a date with my husband. We had dinner at The Chop House (where the seem to always set us in the same booth. I'm going to start requesting it because it feels like "ours" now.) and then to a few shops. One said shop being The Home Depot where I bought a couple replacement flowers for the zinnias* I killed. I was hoping to replace with the same, but they were out. Instead I got begonias for the dead planters. I've had luck with my backyard begonias and these were cute, petite, and perfect for the small planters in the front. And also cheap at 99 cents! They have to be with my track record.
*It was totally and accident and I was doing so well! I forgot to water the morning of the fourth and unfortunately the two days of intense heat took them out. I cut them back and pushed them to the back of the planter. Maybe they'll come back and I'll name them Lazarus!
Court has been rescheduled although we've not been told when just yet. It will be on a Thursday and hopefully in the semi-near future. Little Brother is feeling very unsettled and (obviously!) just wants this matter over. Please keep thinking of him and saying a little prayer for him.
I've never been so discombobulated and un-together in my entire life. I'm a control freak whose spinning out of control. Oh so slowly but hopefully surely, things are falling into place and I'll be together and with it again soon.
Background
Little brother has been living with our mother for the four years since our dad died. Long story short is that, bless her heart, she's not fit to mother and ant farm. I've prayed for his safety, well-being, and strength for four years and he's finally getting out of there. Praise the Lord! God has taught me (yet another) lesson. I tried to make this happen on my will and my time for four years. I was just driving back from a long weekend out of town and whaddaya know it just happened. There is not doubt that it was orchestrated by God. I know he's not brought His plan this far to unravel now and that He is totally taking care of us.
Court
Our court hearing is this Thursday (7.10). While I know God is in control and His plan will be carried out, please still keep us in your prayers. I know God wants the best for Little Brother but that doesn't mean I know how He plans to do it. Even if things go as smoothly as possible it's still a bumpy road. Please specifically pray for Little Brothers emotions as he's feeling so many different things. Please pray that he will get to stay with us and for a smooth transition as he moves into school here. Lastly pray against dragging this whole situation out. There is a strong possibility we'll be in and out of court until he is 18, but we are strongly praying against that. He needs to feel stability, comfort, and a bit of normalcy.
Hilton Head
Hilton Head was fabulous! We stayed in beachside condos and spent some great time on the beach and at the pool. It was a such a refreshing getaway and good for all of us. We ate at this fabulous little whole in the wall joint one night where I had some of the best seafood my little mouth as ever tasted. There is nothing quite like fresh seaside food at fresh seaside prices. Our combo meal which included crabcake, shrimp, fish, oysters, and scallops (lots of each!) was only $15 and included two sides. That mean anywhere else would have been $30 for half of it and not nearly as tasty as the seaside. We also had a large pot of boiled shrimp one day. Yummy!
I have some great pictures but of course they're not uploaded.
The New Job
Good grief getting back into the swing of working is killing me! Especially with the funky schedule I now have. In short, it blows! However I'm lucky to have a job and a pretty good job at that. I have friends who were laid off around the time I was (a few in the same field) and they currently have no prospects. I have continued to look for possibilities and options but simply put, there are none! I was hoping to drag my unemployment out through the summer but again, Praise the Lord! that I found a job when I did because our expenses have shot up with a fourteen year old. Our grocery budget has doubled, we had to buy him clothes, we're paying for a lawyer, yada yada yada. While I'd have liked to lived the life of leisure all summer and even with Little Brother here it would have been nice to be off and spend time with him but I'm very thankful that I'm gainfully employed.
The new job is pretty fun. Remember the yoga pant search? That's the job I got! I'm the Director of a premier children's fitness facility. The program offers gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, and sport skills training. I'm currently training on the program and curriculum. Next month I'll be traveling for more of the management side of the training and my facility will open this fall. I'll be the Director or the whole shebang with only a regional director over me and thus responsible for hiring, training, programming, customer service, marketing, advertising, image, teaching, etc. Wow! The hours are long and I was mislead about some of the days, but all in all I have a job so I'm just trying to deal with it for the time being. I do have to wear ugly polo shirts (polo shirts, even the cute girly cut ones, just aren't attractive on me) but I do get to wear yoga pants or athletic shorts every day. Plus I've been able to dust off my old tap shoes and flap and maxi ford away!
I recently learned that unemployment in my part of the state is up 1% from this past April. Wow! Recently several companies have downsized, restructured, and shut down all together. So again, I'm very thankful to have a job.
The Lawyer
While expensive, our lawyer is another God send. He's a friend of a friends brother. Technically I guess it could be said he's a friends brother but since the girl really annoys me and I only socialize with her in the event we're with the mutual friend we'll just say that. Anyway, he's a fabulous Christian man (nothing like the sister I don't care for) and even prayed with us when we met him. He gave us a bit of a discount on the hourly rate because he said he likes to see people do the right thing. While still expensive, it could be worse. Again, pray that this will not be a long drawn out process as our purse strings can only handle so much. We have a little savings but we'd like to see it continue too grow rather than be rapidly depleted.
Church
We joined our church. This may not be a big deal to some but I've never been a member of a church. We've jumped in head first getting involved with the youth (for obvious reasons) and it's introduced us to a lot of people. We're even youth leaders now and absolutely love the youth pastor and his wife. Hubs and I have met them for a dinner dates and we plan on getting together with them more often. It's so nice to have a couple friend nearby finally. They also have a precious new baby girl that I love to get my hands on.
We're more faithful in attendance now that Little Brother's only friends here are through church and because we want to set a good example for him. It's nice not to make excuses for sleeping in and to also have a place where we feel like we fit in and can have the church family that we've craved. While I miss the worship of our previous church (very contemporary whereas our new church is very formal) I know this is the place for us. The previous church was just far too large to get a niche (about 4,000 people compared to our new church at 400).
Rather Neat
Remember my little bridal session last fall where I played in the fountain? (Certainly you do as I made all of you show your pretty selves too and the pictures are all of this here blog to prove how lovely you were!). Well anyway, my pictures were featured on a local style show in my region. Isn't that neat? My friend was watching TV one day and saw my images. She texted me to let me know and later I received an email from my wedding photographer saying she's used my photos for the show and her interview. I'd post the link but in the interest of trying to stay a bit anonymous, I won't. Besides you've seen the pictures so you get it.
Private vs. Public
I was just about too make my blog public again as I'd changed names and location information enough to where I felt safe for a random user to find me. However in light of recent custody events I feel it much safer to continue being private. Being private is kind of a pain as I miss my old traffic and also find it a pain to visit private blogs since they don't show up in my reader. (Don't worry, I still visit you lovely ladies!)
The End
I feel as if I should have much more to say and I've composed many a blog post in my head but with no time to actually write it out. Just getting into the swing of working (and working a lot at that) and then dealing with a teenager of the evening has taken it's toll. I want to do things with and for Little Brother in the evening hours because I know he must be bored all day, well when he's not sleeping that is. I'm usually exhausted when I fall into bed and my wonderful husband and I haven't gotten to spend much time together at all. We're making a big effort, starting this week, to spend weekly dates together. We really need it and especially in the midst of all these changes and the stress that's been added to our lives. Do you know how hard it is to um, be intimate, with a fourteen year old in the house? Geesh!
Lastly please pray for us as we navigate through this that we will be good parents and won't forget about our relationship in the midst of all this busyness. We definately need to put each other first rather than last. Pray for hubs as he's in school this summer as well. We're hopeful that we'll have mellowed out by fall and he can take two classes as we've planned and if so then in December he will graduate with his MBA! Woot!
Oh, and Hubs got a laptop last week so we're a two computer family again. Yippie!
