First day on the job

Finding a job really is all about who you know. Keri Lynn and I went to go visit a friend of hers from the youth group who had been hospitalized with infected tonsils. As it turns out, her mother works at Target and offered to pull my application and get me an interview. She said, "I can't guarantee you a job, but I can sure put you in touch with the people who do the hiring." And that's exactly what she did. She also advised me to say that I was available for all hours, because as it turns out my application had been by-passed along with hundreds of others that Target gets every week, because I was not available 24/7.

I went in at 10:00 AM, waited around for a while, then had first one interview with one person and then a second interview with another person. The second interviewer is the third of nine children, so she was interested in my big family. She asked if I could wait five more minutes and I'd talk to someone, but then came back and told me that that someone had just clocked out and that she was the only one in the store currently who actually offered the jobs. So now my application sits on that magical person's desk for a call-back tomorrow. As it so happens, Target usually wants most of their seasonal workers to work later shifts, through dinner time, when I need to be home with my kids. BUT, at this very moment, they are in desperate need for day shift cashiers. If I'm accepted at Target, I think I may be offered nearly full time hours. Then, I'll have to figure out how to work out hours with Ross. Hmmmm . . . . I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Plus I don't want to be counting too many chickens . . .

After that whole Target interview process, I made my way off to get some lunch. I had planned to have lunch with a neighbor friend who is leaving in two days to Iraq for a whole year, but I had to cancel our lunch date because of the interview. She has two kids, seven and three, and then when she comes back from her stint, her husband is scheduled to leave for Iraq for a year. Talk about huge commitment and painful dedication. Please be praying for Karen as she prepares to say good-bye to her family.

At 2:00 PM, I headed off to Ross for my very first day of work in over 16 years, and my very first day of retail sales in (gulp) 23 years! A lot of memories came flooding back, and quite truthfully, all in all, it was a enjoyable experience. I mostly observed the two front leads work the register. I got an opportunity to run the register myself about a half dozen times. I also put away hundreds of hangers, hung up returned clothes, and wished for really comfy shoes. Most every customer was very sweet and understanding. It happened to be senior discount day, so the clientele appreciated a smiling face. Registers sure are amazing these days. I remember working my register back in the old days, and those registers were pretty high tech, but they had nothing on these babies today.

What fascinated me the most, working in the customer service line where returns were accepted, were that returns came every four to five customers. Clothes were going out, but they were coming in at an awfully fast rate, too. The returns piled up at enormous rates and, when things slowed down, we would hang them up and put away the hundreds of hangers.

The person training me said that I was doing well and seemed to have a knack for the business. This, of course, made me feel quite pleased, but I was glad that my shift was only four hours because my feet HURT!

I got into my car after work and enjoyed just sitting for a minute before checking my cell phone voice mail. (Keep in mind that the youngest three come home at 3:00 and that I reviewed carefully with them about how I would be at work when they got home.)

Kade at 3:05: Mom, when are you coming home? Kylie hit me. Would you please call and tell her that she can't go and play at her friend's house? Call me back as soon as you can. Thank you.

Kylie at 3:17: Mom, just to let you know -- Kade hit me, too. I'm done with my homework and going to play at Ashlynn's house. See you later! Bye!

Kathleen at 5:36: Where are you? I need you home! I want to make mash potatoes but Keri Lynn won't let me! She says I have to ask you first.

I called home while pulling out of the Ross parking lot and Kathleen answered on the first ring, "FINALLY!"

Much to my relief, the world had not caved into some big black hole where my house once stood. Everyone was progressing along just fine. Keri Lynn was making dinner, as per our schedule. Kathleen was able to get Keva from the bus without incident.

By the time I got home, I discovered that the little kids had not been careful in keeping the pantry door closed. This is essential when keeping Kody out of the trash. So there were bits of Keva's used diaper scattered throughout the leaving room, and bits of trash and garbage, too. Keva also had filled a very special diaper for me, just to help me feel loved and needed. : ) Half an hour later, Keith came home and got everyone whipped into shape in cleaning up, and now we are all ready for bed!

So goodnight, y'all. Thank you for praying for me in this process of looking for work. Please continue praying, especially for that Target job, and that it will work easily with the Ross job. I'm taking some Advil and going to bed!