The good, the bad and the ugly

It is always important, once you have dropped off a resume or even filled out an application for a job, that the phone be operational. It is also important to pay your bills on time.

On Tuesday, I got back from pounding the pavement to find NO ELECTRICITY. It had been cut off because we hadn't paid it yet. I was hoping that we would have a little longer, and I was really hoping to call the electric company with at least the plan to catch up with our bill, "Look, I've got a job! The check is in the mail!" But, three weeks later, I still didn't have a job.

I had this horrible sinking feeling when I walked into the house. The lights in the garage hadn't turned on, and the lights in the house weren't going on either. Gulp. Furthermore, prospective employers couldn't call either because our phone is connected to our Internet and the Internet cannot be accessed because there is no electricity. This was BAD. Very bad!

So, I did what I haven't done in a long time. I called my Mom and she paid the bill. Not only the electric but the impending gas, too. I had wanted her to pay the minimum, but she paid the whole thing, and that, my dear blog friends, is a lot of money. Thank you, Mom and Rich for your generosity and for letting us have lights and Internet and the refrigerator and the stove and clocks and the phone again! Electricity is a marvelous invention.

Then, today, I hit the ground running. I went to the elementary school to meet with Kylie's teacher. She suggested that Kylie go to 2nd grade math three or four times a week to catch up on her math skills. She will miss some of the fun stuff, a little bit of art and some free time, but the teacher was worried that she would just get further and further behind. I agreed. I've seen marked improvement, though, on her math skills. I don't think it will be too much longer before she catches up.

After leaving the school, I went in search of a vacuum hose at a gas station to do a quick vac of the minivan we've been borrowing. I needed to return in to the Shermans for their trip they're taking this weekend. I had the hardest time finding a vacuum hose. I went to five gas stations before I finally found one. That tells you how often I take our own car to vacuum it! When I dropped it off, Buck let me have his very own truck to drive while they are away. I was so thankful for their generosity and once again blown away by the kindness of the church family. I would have declined his offer if I didn't have to find a job so desperately, but as things stand now, I was more than grateful to take it!

The plan after that was to get home, take a quick shower, and get gussied up for another round of resume onslaught. However, as I was walking into the house, my cell phone vibrated and my home phone was ringing at the same time. Caller ID: Coweta County Schools. Oh-oh! Which kid was it this time? It was my third conversation with a school nurse this year. This time it was Kristofer.

Okay, his story deserves a post of its own, but there was too much going on today to allow for that. So I'll just summarize . . .

Kristofer was at his first block of the day. Health class. They were watching a head trauma video, and it was just getting into some brain surgery, when Kristofer fainted dead-away off of his desk onto the floor. He hit his head in two places, one near his eye on one at his temple. He was only out a few seconds, but his vision was blurry for about 15 minutes following the fainting spell. When I came to get him, his head was still bothering him.

This is our family's Year of Head Trauma.

So far, the participants have been Keri Lynn with her fractured skull and hemorrhaging and 4-day hospital stay, Kylie with a bat to the mouth, Konner with a bang on the head causing vomiting all over the Shermans' car (SHHHHH -- don't tell them!) and now Kristofer with the apropos head trauma video faint. Good grief!

The school nurse, attendance office lady, pediatric nurse and pediatrician all got a big kick out of the whole thing and each had their own stories of fainting to tell us. Kristofer had his headache for about two hours, but he took a little nap and was absolutely fine after that. I had him stay home and rest the rest of the day anyway, which -- with everything going on with school this week -- was just fine with him anyway.

Is this too long? But I'm just getting warmed up!

I got home with Kristofer, via the pharmacy for my prescriptions and the Chinese place for lunch for us. I figured that when I got home, I could call the warranty people about the two very bad leaks we have in two bathrooms, reschedule an appointment with a temp agency, check to see if anyone had called to offer me a job, and fill out some of the on-line application leads I got the day before. Um, but there was a problem.

The Internet connection was cut. Phone lines were down again! Again. Hadn't yet paid the Internet bill. Really really need a job! Fortunately, my debit card was accepted. I know for certain that we are now well over the limit, but the phone is back on, I can access the Internet, and -- most importantly -- employers can now flood my house with calls.

I did manage to at least go to that temp agency to fill out yet another application. The agency actually sought me out from an ad I had placed through our local classifieds. I think it will prove to be a good resource compared to the other temp agencies I went to. Literally next door to the temp agency was my next stop, the Department of Labor. I registered with them and will return tomorrow morning to get some help in finding a job. They announced a job fair on Tuesday night that I plan to go to, unless of course an employer throws a job at me before then.

These last few months have been a very stretching time for me and for our whole family. I hold on to the fact that God remains faithful. It is for each of us to be obedient to Him and to trust Him. Even as I worry, He continues to supply each need from the smallest to biggest.

Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness to me. I am so undeserving.