Must get sleeeeeep... and Faith

Well if I would go to bed, I might get some sleep. Perhaps. I am trying to get back into a "normal" routine, but it is not easy. I think I might still have jet lag. Maybe.

So yesterday I made this post on Facebook that said " I need a job. I want a job. I have a strong desire to work." And 5 - i swear FIVE minutes later I got a call from a recruiter. I don't believe in coincidences. I do have faith in God and believe that if you ask for it - and really mean it - you will get it.

Unfortunately the job's hours were no do-able for me, so I had to decline. And then, I posted this more specific message -

"Let me clarify. I need a full-time job, preferably M-F 8-5 or thereabouts. Perhaps a Saturday here and there. I want a good paying FT job. I have a strong desire to work during my available hours."

And I found out that through my local library, I can take Continuing Education classes FREE! So, I signed up for 3 classes. It is all self-paced and I have 6 months to do each class. While they don't offer college credit, they do have Continuing Education Credits, which are the same as you would get through those Fred Pryor seminars. Then I found a program - also through the library - that teaches you to speak different languages. It has a whole list of different languages, but I chose Spanish. Partly to help Bobo with her Spanish class and partly to give myself another job skill. I can't tell you how many employment ads I've come across that want someone who can speak Spanish. It will definitely give me an edge - especially when we EVENTUALLY move to California. 

To help myself get back the aforementioned "normal" routine, today I made a schedule for myself. Between 7am and 4pm I have something to do each hour. Between housework, job hunting and my classes, I have full days! I figure that if I can keep myself on task for 1 hour, then I will get a lot more done. Since I got back from CA, I've been doing a lot, but in spurts, hours at a time. With a schedule, I can pace myself. As long as I don't take naps. Naps would really throw a wrench into my schedule. 

If I don't stop now, I'm going to NEED a nap tomorrow. So, good night!!! 

Where do I begin???

Well, let's see... in July we added a new canine baby to our family. His name is Franky, he's a Jack Russell Terrier Mix and OMG just as sweet as can be! He is very high energy, which is great - Dottie loves to chase/run away from him and Ellie & Harvey follow close behind.  He's SO laid back! He doesn't whine or cry at bedtime & the only time he scratches at the crate door is when he's gotta pee. He's a smart little fella too. He has rounded out our dog pack perfectly.

In Mid-August, I flew out to Escondido, CA to stay with Mom/Tutu/Sandy (Jim's Mom) for a couple of weeks. She had brain surgery & needed someone to stay with her afterwards. That couple weeks turned into a full month, due to an additional surgery. It was, (despite her earning her new nickname, Tutu Crankybutt) a great experience. I got to get to know Mom & was able to visit with the family & meet quite a few people too.  Thanks again to Linda who stayed at my house & took care of Daina & the pups! I actually drove in Escondido! For those of you that aren't familiar, Escondido is similar to driving in Champaign - Urbana, but with hills. Additional thanks go out to all the people who helped out with rides & dinners & a bit of fun for me :D

Now I'm back home, attempting to make sense of the chaos. Still unemployed, still looking for a job. Only now that summer is over, I'm looking for full-time. I'd really love to find a job that I can stay with until Daina graduates from high school. I'm learning to keep my mouth shut. In theory, anyway. It would be nice to start a job and not be "the place to heap all of the work onto" in the first six months. Yeah. I am SO ready to go back to work. SO READY!

Daina is adjusting to sixth grade fairly well. A little bit of a rough start with Math & Science, but I think we've got it now. She wants to go to the dance in a couple of weeks. I can't believe my youngest child is going to a school dance. Bizarre! I keep forgetting she's only 11 because she seems older most of the time. Sheesh!

Adrianna is living with her Dad & going to Central in Champaign. It's where I went and it is WAY different that Unity. She seems to be thriving there. I guess she can get away with being herself there LOL. Her grades aren't fabulous, but I'm not giving her any crap about it.

I really need to get to bed now. 5am comes earlier than I like...

Mid-June...already?!?

My, how time does fly. Peepa Loo and I have been having some laid-back fun so far. I think we're going to head over to the Orpheum  later today. We haven't been for several years & I'm hoping it will still be fun for her. It is too hot for garage sales, cheap fun though they might be. For the next week at least, I'd say indoor activities will rule. It is so hot right now that even the dogs don't want to be outside. ICK!

My garage is calling, but it will have to wait until the temp drops quite a few degrees. I did manage to get my craft-ish area set up, so at least I know where stuff is. I still need to move a bunch of stuff out to the storage, but my arachnophobia is keeping me from it until I get a bug bomb. Not crazy about pesticides, but I'm kinda terrified of those creatures crawling about in the barn. Gotta compromise sometimes, ya know. HAHAHA DIE SPIDERS, DIE!!!!

Gotta run now... Everyone have a fantastic weekend & Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there :D

Bronchitis SUCKS

I've been off work for the last week. Sad, considering that it's a temp job anyway. I'm finally able to carry on a short conversation without coughing. Thank God I've gotten this far - something tells me I wouldn't have a job to go back to if I had to call in one more day. And I wasn't sick for an entire month like I used to get when the girls were little. THAT was horrible. Albuterol syrup is NASTY! On the upside, I'm starting to get some feeling back in my right pinky finger & I have a headset phone to go back to work with me. The next 3 weeks should be infinitely easier... Thanks Schmoobie!!!

Finally figured out a (tentative) schedule for summer. Bobo wants to stay @ her Dad's for the summer & I don't have a sitter for Peepa, so I'm doing PT on the weekends. Everything else will stay the same except Bobo will come home 2 days a week. Of course, she may decide it isn't what she wants, in which case we'll be doing a LOT more volunteer activities. I'm hoping to instill a generous spirit through giving as a family. I want them to understand just how good they have it and that they should always reach out to those who are less fortunate.  Giving doesn't always mean a monetary donation. As kids, they can help too.  So far I'm having a little difficulty finding volunteer activities that are appropriate for 11 & 14yo's but if it means taking them out to pick up cans & donating the proceeds, we'll do it.  After all, my grandparents took all of us kids out at least once a week to pick up cans... We have tons of hand sanitizer & gloves - might as well use them up!

My dogs are TONS happier now that they can run in & outside at will. Harvey & Ellie are both losing weight and they all sleep SO good! I've discovered that Ellie loves chewing on plastic of any kind. Not so great, but I'm hoping I can get her some good chewy toys that will keep her from getting into major trouble. Right now I'm rather fearful for the vinyl siding...

I'm scheduled to get my permanent crown on Wednesday over lunch. I cant wait - I'm SO done with biting to the left. Thank God it happened when we had the funds to cover the cost & dental insurance to make that cost less. Between the root canal, post & crown (not to mention the 8 shots it took to get me numb!!!) the cost was considerable. I'm extremely happy that it will be done before my birthday. Wanna look pretty for my hubby!

I recently discovered that The Body Shop has discontinued their Satsuma perfume oil. So I've gotten out my essential oils & such. I'm pretty close to replicating it & I'm having fun in the process. Ordered some rollerball bottles online at midnight last night. They are tiny, but great for experimenting. AND the site I got them from also has essential oils, so as soon as I get the scents that I ordered (2 for $2!) and confirm the quality, I'll probably order the 8oz bottle of Sweet Orange oil. It's the base for most of the scents that I create, so for the price, it's more than worth it. Plus its something else the girls and I can do together. That and soap-making. And scented lotions. ANd lip balm. And, and and... Oh, that reminds me - lemons! Found a recipe for hairspray that is all-natural. Gentle hold, great scent and lightening! WOOT!

I'm hoping to make this a very active summer.  No "Moooooom, I'm booorrred!!!!" whining in this house! Hiking, swimming, yard work, gardening, etc. A lot of D.I.Y. projects, to be sure. Speaking of which... Where's the hammer?

OK, time to get moving! Laundry calls. and lemons, and shelf hanging, and garage organization, and.... Gotta love A.D.D.!!!

TGIF!!!

Good morning, all! It is Friday. Thank God for that! This week has been extra long. Between the snow days, messed up plans, and waiting to hear about jobs, it has been rather stressful.  I am more than ready for a nice, quiet weekend. I'm gonna miss Jimmy even more than usual since he's not gonna be home for Valentine's Day. Stupid work BS is keeping him on the road. Here's hoping that the rest of the year is much better than it has been so far!

I'm digging my new phone - my Valentine's Day gift from Jim. I hope that he can find a new phone that he really likes and that will survive for a couple of years. It seems that life on the truck is not conducive to keeping cell phones alive. They have a tendency to stop charging, which I think is just from the vibration of the truck, wearing down the contact points. But that's just my theory...

I seem to be all healed up from my appendectomy of a few weeks ago. I'm still avoiding any heavy lifting for a while, but my insides don't hurt anymore when I stretch, so that's a good thing. I've got 3 small scars, but that's FAR better than being dead. I'd call it a fairly minor hiccup in daily life.
Plus I learned several things:
1. If you have appendicitis, it doesn't matter that you have to drive through a snow storm to get back to the hospital for surgery. You just suck it up and go.
2. You don't actually have to have an I.V. for a CAT scan (for appendicitis anyway).
3. The barium you have to drink for the aforementioned CAT scan is nasty, but if you chug it, it's not horrible.
4. There are, in fact, nurses who can put an I.V. in me in just 2 sticks. God bless them!!!
5. My children aren't nearly as helpful as they were a few years ago.
6. My pain tolerance is still quite high.
7. Last but not least - if you have abdominal pain, don't wait to go to the doctor.

Peepa has her Valentine's Day party today and she is very excited. She is even wearing her Heart earrings that her friend got her for Christmas. She is moving ever-towards being girly...

Bobo has decided to join Track at the last minute. I think she'll miss the first meeting this morning. She didn't bother to tell me she needed a ride until it was too late. She apparently forgot that her ggma, whom she was planning on bumming a ride from, has pneumonia. Here's hoping that she will do well and stick to it.

I hope that if I don't get the job that I interviewed for yesterday, that I either hear from Metritech or can get on at Addus again - sometime in the next week would be great. As much as I have enjoyed this time off, I am READY to go back to work!!!

Some prayers for today:
I pray that my grandmother gets over the pneumonia quickly and thoroughly,
that I have a job & get to go to work by next week,
that Bobo does well enough in school that she can participate in Track & that she stays out of trouble,
and that Jim has a good weekend, despite the present circumstances.
AMEN!
Please feel free to join in and/or leave your own prayers in comments or email.

Have a great day, everyone!!!

Babble Characters

Welcome! For those of you who don't already know me, this should help in figuring out who is who.

The Peoples

Me: (Deb) The Wife, Mother, & Boss o' the House (unless Jim is home)

Jim: The Husband, Papa & Boss o' the House

Bobo Moo: Elder daughter, Queen of Drama Queens

Peepa Loo: Younger daughter, Chillaxer

The Canines

Harvey: Beagle, Whiner, Overall Wuss o' the House

Ellie: Jack Rat Terrier, Ms. Attitude, Queen Bitch

Dottie: Hound Mix, Biggest & second youngest of the Pack, Bully Extraordinaire

Franky (AKA Franky-Monster Fuzzybutt): The baby of the pack, Laid-back lil dude

So that's it - the Cook Family. Any questions? Email or comment. Thanks for visiting and enjoy!