Hurry Up and Wait

Hi there! Yes, I'm still around. Sorry I've been so quiet lately. What with the moving and all, things have been hectic here...

... or have they?

We've actually done a lot of waiting.

Waiting for the inspection on our house and its results.

Waiting to hash things out with our buyers over the inspection results. Will they still want our house after all? Why, yes - they do!

Waiting to find the best place for us to go. I finally gave it to Hubby the other day, letting him know my opinion that we had to come to a point when we are done looking and we will make a decision among what we've seen so far. Two options rose to the top of the list - both with varying pros and cons. At that point - 2 days ago - I was done. I no longer cared. Hubby's responsibility to just choose. Whichever. I didn't care.

He chose. S'all good. I'm happy with where we're going and, now that he's make the decision himself, I do believe he is actually happy as well. Well, whatayaknow?!

But now - We're waiting to here from our would-be landlord. Waiting to see that she still likes us, approves our application, and we can actually call this new place home.

Until today, we've been waiting to hear that our buyers' bank will indeed come through with their financing. Now we finally got that word - financing has been approve. All is good to go!

Now - we pack... ahhh, but do we? When are we actually closing? Undetermined at this point. Even so, we are only going to be moving about 1 1/2 miles from where we currently live. Moving should be a breeze! No need to be pack so carefully. Just throw things in a box, drive it down the road a piece, and put it in its new spot. Easy peasy! We don't need to stinking pack!

Ah, but the house needs a good dusting/cleaning. I really should be on that. Ya, well.... I really do want to hear from our would-be landlord to see that we are in fact all set with her. Then I'll clean... or.... you know... I'll/we'll clean as we move. No use cleaning something spotless now when we'll still be here for a few weeks. It'll just get dirty again! That's silly...

But...hmmm.... there sure are a lot of businesses that will need to know that we're moving. Sure would be good to spend some time contacting them with our new information. But until I hear from the owner of the little house we're renting, I really can't tell a company for absolute certain that that will be our new address. And even when I get that confirmation, if we don't yet have our closing date, I can't tell the post office by which date to switch or mail delivery. Hmmm...

So, yah... I am/we are waiting. Waiting for to be busy! Packing, cleaning, moving, settling... It's a-comin'! Soon...

but not quite yet.

Ode to Joy

Every Sunday at our church, congregants are invited to come up to the front of the sanctuary and share their various joys and/or sorrows and to light a candle for said occasion(s). Sweetie, like other children there, has been known to share such things as birthday joys or simply the fact that she's lost another tooth. One can also quietly go light a candle at any time during a service without sharing news with everyone, if that is more your "thing."

Neither Hubby nor I have ever, in the year that we've been attending, gone to the front of the sanctuary with news, good or bad. Neither a Joy or a Concern. Not that we haven't had some over the last several months. We're just not sharing folk, I suppose.

But this coming Sunday - hold on to your hats. We have an abundance of joys this week and we're excited to let people know. That day we will be able to announce:

• On Friday Hubby and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. And they said it wouldn't last...

• After exactly 17 months of regular unemployment, I am finally working again, part time, at a job I'm absolutely loving (thanks in large part to our Reverend, as she passed the email from her colleague on to me.)

• After exactly 2 months on the market, we just accepted an offer on our house!!!! (please think of us and pray that all goes through without incident. Also? If you've got extra boxes, extra storage space, and/or a small 2 bedroom place with a basement or garage we can start renting ideally in the middle of November, LET US KNOW!!!)

• And finally, after regularly attending this church for the last year, Hubby and I thrilled to have just "signed the book" to become official members of this church.

Oh - and knowing that Sweetie will want to be part of the action & say her piece as well, we can let her announce her joy that she just learned how to tie her own shoes!!!

Yes, we are a joyful bunch these days. Stressed to the max with new worries and busy-ness. But joyful nonetheless.

Brand New Day

This morning I woke up, dressed myself in something other than 3-day-old jeans & a sweatshirt, got my Sweetie off to school, walked back home, and leisurely drank my tea & ate my breakfast while playing around on the computer - Good Morning America on in the background.

Less than an hour later, I hopped in my car & headed to my weekly chiropractic appointment. I used to go on Wednesday mornings, but now that's got to change. Thursday mornings will probably be my new norm for that.

After my appointment I got back in my car and drove just across the street to the other businesses within this executive park. I was headed to one business in particular. To go to work at my new job.

Yep - that's right. Today was my second day on the job. Granted, it's a part time job (VERY part time, as in about 12 hours per week). But it's a job. A good job. At a very "Amy-ish" type of job and place - a yoga center/spiritual learning center. A small company. I'm my boss's only true employee (others are considered contract employees). I am this small school's new Administrative Assistant.

The school is taking off really well. Even though things are still so seemingly small, it's actually growing. My boss has owned the company for approximately 10 years and used to be able to do things on her own, employing contract workers here and there when necessary. But now a new faction of the business is starting up for which she needs to both focus more of her time and employ regular help (me!) to help her manage what she is now too busy to do on her own. Yes, things are looking up and, with a wing and a prayer, the school will grow, registration will increase, income will increase, meaning my duties will become more and more, increasing my hours and increasing my hourly pay. I am basically in on the ground floor with a great job that will challenge me and excite me. My boss is wonderful. Things look good.

This opportunity - this whole scenario - has come about as a result of our church's Reverend emailing me about her colleague's search for an Admin person. I interviewed. I did well (just as I've believed all these last several months that my interviews have gone well.) I waited. Then I got the call - the job was mine.

I admitted my weaknesses during my interview. Things she needed her new hire to do - some things I honestly had little or no experience with. But I am resourceful. I am a great Public Relations person. I know how to research. I am an incredibly fast learner. I am dedicated and excited. I do whatever it takes to get jobs done. I don't give up.

I got the job.

As I told Hubby - all this time that I've been out of work and interviewing, doing well but never well enough to get the job, never good enough to beat out the competition - I've felt like I just needed someone who believes in me enough to give me a chance. Let me show you what I can do and you will be pleasantly impressed, rather than let me flounder a bit as a I search for the best way to articulate what I have done professionally in the past. Put me into a situation. Allow me to show my skills. Look beyond my resume and my improving-but-still-nowhere-close-to-perfect interviewing skills and into my possibilities. Give me a chance.

I am employed. I've been given a chance. Someone has seen into my possibilities and has faith in me. I can do everything my new employer needs me to do - and more. Let me show you how.

I am employed. Part time, for now, but growing. I am relieved and happy. I think I'm going to like this job.

Status Update

A la Facebook:

Amy finds it interesting that Sweetie found out a teacher in her school also went to the So You Think You Can Dance show, as I did, and - of all my unique identifiers - Sweetie asked her if she sat next to a lady with curly hair. "No? Well, then you didn't sit next to my mom."

First

Happy First Day of First Grade, Sweetie! Can't wait to hear all about it. Love you!

Life's a Beach - And Then You Skin Your Knees

Scene: Playground at the beach

Sweetie played while I sat and watched while Hubby went off to geocache. Sweetie made quick friends with a couple of little girls also playing on the slides and monkey bars.

Sweetie and I decide to go to our car for a minute to get cold drinks, then head back to the playground where we saw that her new friends and their mom were on their way out.

Sweetie (talking to that mom): Aaawwwww! I wanted you to push me on the swing! Because they're too high off the ground and my mom wears braces and she can't lift me up to the seat and my dad's not here right now.

(Before the poor, sob-story-inundated woman could answer, I piped up and assured Sweetie that I could can push her on the swing and I could probably figure out how to teach her to get herself up on the seat. And anyway, Daddy should be back soon.)

(Turns out, the swing seat was way too hot to sit on anyway plus, by the time we got back there were already some new friends to play with on the rest of the playground equipment. No harm, no foul.)

(But for a moment there I almost did recruit another parent nearish to the swings to pop Sweetie on the seat. In hind sight, I'm glad I didn't have to do that - you never can be too safe with you kids.)

(P.S. - remember how Sweetie and I went back to our car to get cold drinks? Well, along our way I had to get myself over a chain link separating off the parking lot from the walkway to the playground. I got one leg over pretty easily.... and then... not so much. I couldn't get my second leg over the chain. I could barely get my first leg back over the chain so that I could try a new tactic altogether. But I did. Finally. Then just ended up crawling under the chain.)

(Sweetie... She mostly just laughed at me. A little bit of encouragement. Tried to help me a little. But mostly just laughed.)

(Going back to the playground, I sat down on the wooden part of the fencing and hauled my legs over no problem.)

(Sweetie congratulated me.)

End Scene.

Ch-ch-ch-Changes!

It's official. Our house is up for sale. Went on the market last Sunday, with the For Sale sign appearing on our lawn the next day. We've already had one prospective buyer come to look, with another 2 scheduled to come tomorrow. Our house is wonderfully clean and tidy, with a little more tidying and organizing happening everyday. Here's hoping for as quick a sale as possible!

In Sweetie news (and completely unrelated to the above) - I've noticed yet another change in her of late. She is much, much better able to adapt to things and go with the flow. Particularly when accidents happen and/or things don't go quite the way she planned when she's creating something new. I'll still hear the "oh noooooo!!!" with just as much drama as ever before, bad enough so that it certainly seems like she's working herself up into quite the fit of drama. But then... eh. Not so much. She now tends to take a breath and reconsider how she can proceed from this point to still make a really "kickin'" craft. Or - in the case of spills and the like, she will not cry anymore. She deals. No, she doesn't so much actually help in cleaning up the problem. But she quietly sits still and seems to recognize that, no, this is not the end of the world. Life goes on, even after the last of her lemonade has just landed itself on the kitchen floor. Thank goodness.

Sweetie is growing up. Hubby and I are growing up - finally, finally actually going through with a huge change for the better in our lives (I'm so tired of announcing to our friends and family that we're definitely going to do such and such... and then letting that notion slip away into oblivion). We are looking toward the future with all sorts of emotions, but mainly looking so forward to the days after we've settled into a new home when maybe, just maybe, we can take a few wee steps away from stressing quite so much over financial issues.

Sweetie's stopped crying and over-dramatizing over problems in her life. It's about time Hubby and I do the same thing by actually doing something about our less than satisfactory current situation. I'm so happy we've finally taken that step.

Hmmm.... seems my two points for this post may not be that different from each other after all.

Carefree Days of Youth

I apologize. I am a complainer. About some things. And to some people. But more or less, I really do try to keep as positive an outlook on various goings on in my life as possible.

I also want to clarify another thing about my last post. I do not want to speak for Sweetie regarding what she does or doesn't "get" about my disability. I really don't know how much she understands about me and whether or not she thinks of me as different than other moms in the world. She certainly gets that I need a fair amount of help from her. It's her job to take clean piles of laundry upstairs, saving me the trip. She knows that I'd really rather not come upstairs to check out every little cool thing she's created in her playroom. If no one else is around, I need her to hold my hand and "help" me up ramps/hills/various inclines out in the world (it's actually amazing how much help just holding her hand can be in such situations.) She knows I'd really rather not sit on the floor to play games with her - preferring the couch or kitchen table instead. She knows she has to accommodate me in all similar scenarios because of my weak legs. And she is a great help. Really. She is a good, good girl who will do what she's asked to do without complaint to make my life that much easier. I am, by and large, very impressed with her compassion and understanding when it comes to what I need from her to get through my days.

That being said - and again, I don't mean to be putting words in her mouth, only to surmise what I think may be going on in her mind - I very highly doubt that Sweetie spends much time at all thinking about my differences or difficulties. Maybe even less time (so far) worrying about how I specifically differ from her classmates' and friends' moms. It seems more to me like, whenever I do ask for her help or explain I can't climb the stairs again, my reasons why almost hit her like an "oh, yah" type of thing. And not an "oh, yeah" followed by any feeling of sadness or self pity. Just an "oh, yeah" and moving on.

Anyway, that's how I see it. So when I said what I said to Sweetie at the mall the other day, I feel I forced guilt or sadness or something upon Sweetie with the words I chose. I didn't think I was telling her anything she didn't already know, necessarily. I just was forcing her to think about how my experience differs from hers, and how she is more able than me (or Grammy, currently) to deal with even mildly physical tasks. Which I suppose is not a terrible thing to make her think about, when I think about it. So - s'alright. 

Kind of on the same note - I don't really like when other people tell Sweetie that she needs to help me do something. I'm perfectly capable of asking for help if I need it. No, I try not to complain, but I do ask for help. But, really, most things I feel I can accomplish on my own. If I can do something myself - even if it takes me a little bit longer - I will do it myself. Especially if it's just Sweetie and me. She's a kid. Let her be a kid. Let her not think about "responsible" things too much. Let her get right in the house when we get home and up to her playroom. I'll bring in the things from the car. (Of course, I'll more than likely have her help me initially with such a task, bringing in whatever bags she's able to upon exiting the car. But she doesn't need to help me on return trips. Play! Enjoy! Have fun!) 

And it's not only the "let her be a kid" factor. It's the "I really can do it on my own" factor. Like I said, I'll ask for help when I need it. Otherwise, I'm stubborn. Let me do my thing however I need - or choose - to do it on my own. I can do it. 

Sweetie is as amazing as ever. Energetic, inventive, silly, curious, compassionate... and carefree. She's so caring and helpful, not only with me, but everyone else as well.

I just wish to keep her as carefree as possible for as long as possible. That's not such a bad thing for a mother to want, now, is it?