Update

Too busy and stressed to even blog.  Those who know me and know I love blogging will appreciate this.  Sometimes life just keeps us going with little time to breathe or smell the roses.  I definitely need a vacation, and maybe a different job besides!

The good news is that Chris is here from Japan after spending a week working in San Jose.  Now, two weeks of working on his business and family details here.  Praying he can get home soon!  The girls are ready to come, Jordan loves his school, basketball and friends so he is more reluctant.  This is the problem - the longer they stay, the more entrenched the kids get in their lives - and the harder it is for the girls to speak English.  Please pray that Chris's new business will be successful very soon and they can get the money (and the INS red-tape worked out) to come home soon!

Want some cheese with that whine?

It's been brutal at work. I got back after 10 days off on Tuesday and changes had occurred originating from managers and filtering to the nurses. Working for the state of Utah means I make 18% less than other states and agencies, according to the most recent market analysis. The standard line is that the pay is not great but the benefits make up for it.

Well, not so much any more.

The legislature has eliminated much of what is good about it. Morale is in the toilet, we have huge caseloads and can't get caught up. We haven't had a raise or even COLA in 4 years, our health insurance is not great (Last year I had to pay a $420 copay for an antibiotic), deductibles are up, benefits are down and they took away our flexible schedule. Now they have shuffled us and I need to drive twice a week to another location, adding 40 minutes to my day and costing more in gas. I can't go home for lunch on those two days and I know how hard it is to split time between two places. Inevitably whatever I need is at the other office... and to make matters worse, they're bringing in another nurse to be in my office those two days and I get a whole new caseload. Just when you think you're starting to settle in...

So, that's today's rant. I know, I know, I'm supposed to just be grateful I have a job. That's what the legislature is banking on anyway. And I am grateful - really! But, would it be so bad to get a little respect and appreciation? I think I would like to retire.

Last day of the decorations

First fresh tree in many years

Life has been a bit overwhelming lately and blogging has taken a rear seat.

Today I enjoyed A Christmas Carol at Hale Center Theatre.  It's a seasonal sell-out every year.  Jenn, Natalie, Ashlie, Olivia and Emma joined me.  We took a picture but I need to get it from Jenn.  Tonight we have our traditional Christmas dinner and party.

Merry Christmas!

MoTab Concert - perfect start to Christmas

Yeah, start is right - I am just getting started.  Taxes and new furnace, added to already existing debt has caused me to seriously delay Christmas shopping.   This will be the longest procrastination I've ever experienced.  I'm also feeling very broke and I don't like it very much!!!  The delays continue in other areas of my life as well.  I guess I'm supposed to learn patience here.  I just wish I would hurry up and learn it!  (OK, a little irony here...)  I find myself functioning on low batteries right now too.

Photo: DesNews (Jeffrey D. Allred)

photo: DesNews (Jeffrey D. Allred)

I loved the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert last night.  Aubrey and I went together and it was wonderful.  The dancers are especially beautiful but the orchestra, bellringers, choir, Jane Seymour (our favorite) and Nathan Gunn were also superb!  I was fortunate to get tickets from a friend.  I love that this is a free gift to the community.  If you want a peak, tune in to the national network broadcast  (locally it's on KSL-TV ch. 5 at 8:30 am MST):

In keeping with tradition, the Sunday broadcast of the choir's TV and radio program "Music and the Spoken Word," will feature the guest artists and selections from the Christmas concert. A "mini-concert" will follow the half-hour broadcast for those attending it live in the Conference Center.

Good news!

Good news in court yesterday.  The judge accepted Jon's attorney's proposal which was very generous in order to be sure the children get both parents now and yet are protected.   They will be so happy to get to spend much more time with their dad.  It was very costly on many counts but you can't put a pricetag on their happiness.

Christmas Devotional

I enjoyed the First Presidency message at the annual Christmas Devotional last night.  It was a perfect way to start the Christmas holiday and the Conference Center is always beautiful, but especially at Christmas. You can view it here (though nothing is quite like being there in person). Sorry no pics; I went alone then hurried back home since the storm was supposed to bring bad winds my way. 

11/11/11 - the ups and downs

It's a binary number date - it's also a day some feel will be lucky in Vegas and many are heading there.  Landing on a Friday is a bonus.  It's also a day to  recognize our Veterans - and I do!
 
It's also Jon's wedding.
I am waiting for a digital photo to post here but Jon's new apartment has not had internet set up yet so he can send one.  I'll post when I can and after tonight we should have lots more to show.

A couple of years ago I bought a nice space heater at the end of the season.  I bought it on clearance online and it was so great I was sorry I didn't buy more when I had the chance.  But today I really appreciate having it.  My furnace broke.  I need to try and find a repairman, hopefully today because it's too cold downstairs and I can't stay in my room all day.  It's Friday - don't want a long, cold weekend because there's so much to do.

Everyone is delighted that Jon has found happiness.  It is what I wish for everyone.  Love can definitely make the trials more bearable.  So this special Veteran's Day when we honor those who selflessly served us and this very rare date - 11/11/11 - I am happy.  Of course anyone who knows me knows I hate the cold.  I have often said I could not live any place with colder weather than we have here.  In fact, the older I get the more I relate to "snowbirds" who fly south for the winter.

Also, I was hearing on the news that snowblowers are disappearing in the Cottonwood Heights area of SLC because they're easy to grab and resell to pawn shops.  When Jon and I cleaned out the sheds and garage last month, we realized mine was missing.  I was not happy about that. A couple of years ago my wheelbarrow also disappeared.  The sheds weren't locked up and apparently that was not a good idea.  I don't know exactly when it was stolen since it wouldn't be noticed all summer.  It will be noticed this winter:)  I have Chris's snowblower here in storage but it's very large.  I liked the manageable size of mine which was given to me by a friend.  Usually I can manage with just a shovel and I have a nice neighbor who often does the whole circle sidewalk when it snows.  He's out there before I even get dressed in the morning.  Gotta love good neighbors.

No time to blog!

Real life has been taking all my time.


The good news is -----drum roll----- Jon's kids will be arriving soon!  Not in time for the extended family BBQ or the Bountiful Handcart Parade; they get in the night of the parade around 10:30 PM, but at least they get to be together after a very long and painful year!

Time to update

When Chris said today that he didn't know I was working in Bountiful now I realized I've been so busy obtaining, transitioning to, learning, and now doing the new job I haven't even blogged about it.  For the record's sake I started May 16.

So, my job is interesting, challenging and I think I'm going to like it. PLUS, it's so close to home I could walk there if I got up early enough. I start at 7:30 AM and that's already a stretch for me.  During the training I spent the first month commuting to Ogden, the next three weeks in Clearfield - leaving the house at 6:45 AM was rough for this night person!  Now I can leave at 7:25 and I can come home for lunch.  Today I took the dog for a walk after I ate a bite. I'm even close enough to run to Chris's house to show it to a potential renter and stop by the Farmer's Market on Thursdays, which closes at 7 - in the past I couldn't make it. I'll try to resist shopping at Yours, Mine, and Ours (local consignment shop that stays open late - to 7 PM on Wednesdays).

The job is working with DCFS and I'm finding it's a mix of what I did at all my previous jobs - what I did at Head Start, psych that I did at the Child, Adolescent and Family Center, baby stuff like I did in the hospital newborn nursery, a little bit of women/newborn stuff like I did with WeeCare and a bit of social work, family observation, education, epidemiology like I did at Davis County Health Dept. and very extensive charting. The challenge there is writing so it can be read and understood by non-medical people if needed in family court or by case workers. So, all the abbreviations we used as nurses and shortened sentences without subjects (i.e. "spoke with pt.). Now it's "I spoke with _____ (by name), foster mother of _______ (by name) and we discussed...."  I am so glad I took typing in junior high!  I've also used databases and other programs enough to be quite comfortable even with a very challenging one they use here.

I find every job I've had thus far, including that of mom/grandma taught me what I need for this one. I guess it's meant to be, or at least progression, and maybe the challenge will help keep my mind from deteriorating too rapidly. I was resisting learning so much new stuff but I'm sure it's good to stretch the brain a bit, even at my age.  I have to admit I could almost do the last job in my sleep.  Might as well keep busy until I'm ready to play checkers in the park, or until my ship comes in...

Leaky toilet

3 trips to Lowe's for parts.  At least this is in the "clean" tank.  I read on the internet what to do and just wasn't sure which one would fit.  Of course I picked the wrong one of the two choices.  Jenn said I should buy both and then take the wrong one back.  But I guess you get the same number of visits anyway.

I left my debit card at the Olive Garden.  We had a work lunch there and the hyper nurse was in such a hurry to get out (and back to work) she gathered all the individual payment folders, complete with my card, and gave them to the server.  They came back the same way, in a stack and I'm thinking, "I don't have any change  coming" - duh - I think I don't go out to eat often enough.  Of course that's almost 30 minutes from home where I hadn't planned to go this weekend...

Now that I'm working in Bountiful I also can go to the Farmer's Market on Thursday evenings.  How cool is that?  It's like a mini fair/boutique/eatery all together right here in town.  There was produce, homemade baked goods - some amazing cookies and strawberry-rhubarb pie.  Samples too!

Maybe tomorrow we'll head to Manti for the Pageant.  The kids had fun last year, sleeping in the park and all.  Kind of last minute to think about it but, why not?  We were hoping Jon's kids would be here for it this year...

So, that's about it for my day.  It's HOT out there now - summer's official even by the calendar.  On Sunday we had an inch of rain!  That is unheard of for the 19th of June in Utah. 

The New Job Update

I'm halfway through my second week on the new job - or should I say learning the new job? The people here in Ogden are incredibly nice but there is a lot to learn. One of the computer programs we use is a dinosaur - reminds me of DOS I used in 1995. The other database/tracking program is huge, cumbersome and not nearly as user-friendly as my custom-made WeeCare database program - though I can see that it can do a lot once I learn the ropes and glitches. Naturally, the home-grown program was easier and mydbsolutions did a fantastic job creating it and adapting it to our needs. I was spoiled with that one. Now, I'll try to keep from going crazy with the tedious stuff and hope I can find ways to make this job interesting too.  I'm anxious to get to my real office in Bountiful and that will cut down my commute to practically nothing - yay!  But, I'll be flying on my own so mixed feelings.  I must say it's uncomfortable not having a "real" home, using a temporary laptop computer in a borrowed office while I learn.  I guess it's my nesting instinct but it just doesn't feel like home yet.  I miss my old friends/coworkers too!  This is all to be expected of course.  I'm hoping the Bountiful office folks will be good to work with too.  I'm told they will be happy to finally have their own full-time nurse.  Time will tell.  And I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks - at least I hope so...

My shiner

After almost a week, the forehead is now yellow bruising (no more goose egg), mostly covered by bangs and the eye looks like a bad make-up job with purple eye shadow or maybe even a birthmark.  It looks even worse when I cry because everything else swells up!

Broadway on my mind

Maybe it's because Fred won Husband of the Year last week when he surprised Jenn with front row center seats for Wicked in Boise...  she has wanted to see that since it first opened on Broadway.  He also took her shopping for clothes for anniversary/Mother's Day.

She even got the t-shirt!

Or maybe it's because I have New York on my mind.  At any rate, Broadway music just keeps running through my head so it will probably keep popping up here.  Hope you don't mind.
I start my new job tomorrow morning.  I have to be up by the U at 7:30 AM - it might kill me!  One of the reasons I have liked my job is the flexibility of hours.  My partner took the early morning, starting at 7 and I the late hours starting at 9.  It worked well for both of us.  After Monday's training I might be on an 8:00 schedule but we'll see how it works out.  As for tomorrow I have a black eye.  I fell outside the church last night after Adam's play was over.  It was dark in the parking lot and the cast was outside greeting the audience as they exited.  I tripped on a step up from the parking lot to the sidewalk and hit my forehead - the kind you can hear crack when you hit.  I told Natalie I wonder why I wasn't able to catch my fall before hitting my head.  She said, "I guess you weren't supposed to break your wrists." Ashlie recently broke her wrist that way.  The goose egg on my head and now the black and blue eyelid is minor by comparison. 

Our little actress Ashlie

Ashlie's class did a cute rendition of The Sword in the Stone.  Her mom made her beautiful costume!

Grandma date to see the show (Emma, Ashlie, Noah, Adam, Olivia)

It's a good day!

Looks like spring is really here!  Good news about our armed forces bringing down Osama Bin Laden.  One less brutal and evil person in the world.  It's been a huge battle and I'm so grateful for our soldiers!!!

More on having kids and happiness - comments by the Eyres here.  A summation:

     "Is this to say that those without children cannot be happy? No! But it is to say that children contribute to the happiness of everyone whether they are our kids or not. And it is to say that children give us a kind of happiness (and a level of unselfish love) that is not available elsewhere.
     The happiness that children give us comes in moments! Golden, glorious moments of wonder when we see something so cute, or so beautiful or so noble or so perfect that we can scarcely contain the joy.
    And let's give children even more credit than that. They not only teach us new and higher levels of love, but new levels of patience, of self-sacrifice, of discipline and of empathy.
The simple fact is that we need them as much as they need us, and they teach us as much as we teach them.
     Do kids make us happier every day in every way? No. Do they lift our happiness and sense of well-being to a consistently higher plane and relieve us from stress and worry and strain? No. But do they give to us moments of the highest, purest joy we can find in this life?
     Yes! A thousand times yes!"  (Linda and Richard Eyre)

Another weekend...

I am grateful for the job offer.  I will be in the Fostering Healthy Children program as a case manager for the health care needs of children in foster care.  It will be a difficult clientele compared to what I have been doing in WeeCare and I loved doing the blog so I will miss that.  But I think the people I work with will be good and it looks like two days a week I will be in Bountiful.  How perfect is that?  The main office is in Ogden so two days will be there.  They tell me it's a very nice office.  Bountiful is very small.  And, I will be able to continue my four day work week.  A change of jobs is always stressful but this will be less so than starting over as a new employee at PEHP.  It means simply a transfer so my benefits go with me.  Still there is stress and that's not welcome right now.  I guess I had "settled in" where I was so that didn't require much of me.  It takes about six months to learn a new position.  They tell me a year to really be confident in it.  Anyway I'm still a state employee and that has its positives and negatives.  I just wasn't sensing much positive with PEHP.  The work environment means a lot to me.  I think this will be good and it is an answer to my prayers.

I have been very, very busy.  I've enjoyed the attention of many friends.  

My new dryer

My dryer went out a few months ago and we moved Aubrey's set in from the storage shed.  Now that she has moved I needed to replace the dryer.  I decided I was never buying another used set but new is so expensive!  This one was a return to Lowe's for repair but the technician could find nothing wrong with it.  So, I got it for half price.  I wish I could afford the matching washer but mine still works - at least I think it does - so I really can't justify it.  It's been a while since I used it.  We'll find out soon.  Meanwhile the dryer is in my living room/entryway.  I told the fam that I don't get new furniture very often so I might as well show it off for a while!

Feeling physically ill today, but emotionally well (and loved)!  It also looks like I won't have to leave state employment as I got an offer today in another program.  Details are yet to be handled but it is another case management position.  I'll miss my WeeCare blog and my clients!  At least I won't have to go back to "new hire" status or spend my nights in additional education pursuits.  I just want to leave work at work but I didn't want to start over so this is a nice alternative.

The only sure thing is change

Looks like more changes, more stress - this time relating to my job.  Can't reveal what's up yet, but it's been a year to remember for sure!  Hopefully something good is coming and I'm being prepped for it...

I received another huge compliment when a friend called me "a woman of substance."  Is it coincidental that it's also the title of one of my favorite (fiction) books?  There are a lot of things I am not but I really appreciate not being seen as shallow even if that means I'm not so popular.  When other things - academic achievement, artistic talent, position, beauty, possessions, etc. are prized, we sometimes lose sight of traits like this and don't appreciate what it means to get this kind of compliment.  I can't stand shallow.  It is important to me to be true to my values, to have a brain, an opinion and, well, substance...  maybe right up there with kind, nice, smart.  I'll take it - thanks!

Family Birthdays

With Max...

Steve is one of our January birthdays

Nat, Rob and Ashlie

Justin and Krista

Alex and Rob - father-son stuff

Rob and Avery

Father and son - Chris and Ken