Apartment/House Hunting

Today I got up a little late. Normally I wake up at 9. My job starts at 1 p.m but I get up at 9 a.m because that's the time I have to be up to spend time with my kids, get them breakfast, and if necessary shower.
So after that its usually 11 a.m and at that time I am ready to make lunch and do last minute things for work. My job is half an hour away from my home so I'd prefer to be closer.

I woke up after 10 a.m today. I'm kind of feeling grouchy but that's after being hot and sweaty all day in the car and not having a good outlook. We went apartment hunting and rental home hunting and came out with nothing positive. Everyone checks credit and we have poor credit.Plus the job is brand new so most places that check into your job would expect you to be working there awhile. So for now we're shit out of luck on finding a place other than the hot and humid studio sized room in the attic.

The 5 places we looked at that were not too nosy and allowed small animals such as Popeye would let us move in today. We didn't want them though because there is absolutely no air conditioning and they are near the ugliest ghetto houses I've ever seen. I would not mind living in a sort of ghetto area if there was A.C.

Whatever Micke and I will find a place. Maybe he will get work at the same place that I get work at and we'll be able to afford a decent home. If he gets the same job I have he'll easily make enough that our combined income will be enough for a great home in a nice neighborhood.

I'm stressed out from it so we're not going to go house hunting again for a few more months. If Micke gets this job we'll go looking again.

Playing Cars!

Ugh I got up at 9 a.m this morning. I normally sleep in late because my children are young. I decided to get up early now that I am working full time because I can play with my 3 year old and 9 month old before work if I get up on time.

I fixed Angel some pancakes and sliced up a whole banana for him. Then I gave Abel a bath and put him in his Jumparoo. Now he's tired from jumping and is lying down to have a bottle and possibly hit the hay again but I don't know.

I also played cars with Angel and am going to continue to play cars and drive around with him. Maybe before work I will give him a piggy back ride. I am trying to juggle all my roles so that I don't miss a beat. I know working full time adds a new element to my life I never experienced previously but I think if other women can I can too. I am smart enough and I am highly motivated.

Today is my second day of work at the contact center. I can't wait to experience the phones, live. I am sort of nervous about it but its not like anyone will bite my head off if I am sub par at first. I think if I go on to love this job I might change my plans that I have made in the past. I may not move down south for awhile.

Finally a J*O*B

So I have a new job. It is pretty interesting and the environment seems to be a lot of fun. I started technically yesterday because EST it is 12:23 a.m for me. Anyway "yesterday" if tyou will I worked from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. The job is very fun and all of the people so far seem to have high energy. I love to rapport we have to build with existing customers. I love that every conversation with a customer is meant to be like a conversation. I also like that when I am on my own for the first time, I get a cubicle! Hahaha I know its not totally rad but it feels like the first ADULT job I get to have.

In the past I worked as a home health aid, taking care of the elderly and disabled. That job taught me patience, love, respect and because I was self-employed, motivation.  Before that I worked for a lame-oh company but I won't disclose the name. I'd rather not be one of those people who always talks negatively of a company that for the most part is in good standing with their customers or the people they provide a service to. I'd rather be silent  about my distaste for their company than be verbal and make them look bad. They aren't a terrible company by any means. I just didn't like working with them.

The place I started at today has great benefits that the employees can enroll into and you have to practically be a complete moron to get fired. The place is high energy and feels like a family environment. It is so casual and relaxing. I know that every job comes with its hassles and heartaches but I have made a list of rules for myself to follow to make things as easy as possible. The list is at the end of this entry.

I have to read the company handbook soon, or I risk failing their test. If I fail that I can't continue being employed by them....I think.

I will have to fit my school schedule into the rest-of-my-life schedule. Between work, two boys under 4 and school I have a full plate that's going to be hard to balance at first. I bet I do well, though!

1.  Arrive 15 minutes early always.

        If an emergency arises on the highway call the supervisor to notify her of possible tardiness.

2. Never miss a day that I'm scheduled to work

    If its an emergency or something comes up give the supervisor an hour or more of notification

3. Never ever engage in gossip that is related to a co-worker, a supervisor, a team member or another person on staff.

   As a rule of thumb it's better to grant EACH and EVERY human being their  right to their own dignity. Gossip and slander unjustly strip another human being of their right to their dignity. So always NO Gossip especially not at work.

4. Attempt to be an 8-straight employee when possible. Take the 10 minute breaks in bursts not all at once.

5. Even on bad days wear a smile on your face for the customers. Poor customer service is the top reason customers leave a company!

6. Even on ROTTEN days do not speak poorly of the company. Even if I leave the job because of a rotten experience do not blast the company on whole on the internet. Future job offers can be negatively affected by  your own negative outlook on a previous employer. Leave in peace and do not start silent wars, especially not online.

7. Keep things told to you in confidence. If a co-worker says something you know you shouldn't repeat....even if its bsically a common sense thing....don't repeat it to anyone.

8. Be prepared everyday. Don't leave any work materials in the car or at home. Prepare a checklist an hour before you are due at work. Then you can say "Rhea you've got it all" and you won't have to turn back around and risk being late or being sent home because necessary equipment is not on hand.

9. Be courteous to supervisors and listen to their advice even if you don't take it all. Be an active listener. If a supervisor is rude there is always someone above them but instead of conflict on the floor or causing a scene, talk to their boss or bring it up with another supervisor. ALWAYS try to be curteous

10. Don't take customer dissatisfaction or complaints to heart!

And lastly, try your best and try to improve each day

Reminder: Never Shake a Baby

Camryn Jakeb Wilson not long before the violence that changed our lives and ended his

Yesterday we went grocery shopping and Micke was wearing his Baby Camryn Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness T-shirt. The front has "Camryn Jakeb Wilson" with his birth date and death date on it and on the back it says "Never Shake A Baby! My nephew died because he cried." Which actually, he died at the hands of a violent and angry man who let his jealousy rule him and he shook and beat his dear infant son because he was angry that his wife paid more attention to the baby than to him. He admitted that in court and in front of basically everyone. At the time of the creation of the shirt we thought it was because Camryn was crying and his father could not handle the baby properly. It was quite devastating and to this day I hate discussing it. Anyway Micke was wearing that shirt and a stock person in Wal-Mart asked him about the shirt. Micke explained the horrific story and the woman told us of her grand son who had a similar fate of dying to SBS.

It was really sad but soon we all moved past one another and went back about our business. I wish more people realized how stupid and dangerous shaking an infant or toddler can be. It is better to let a baby cry than to watch them die. I mean it. I watched my nephew die after having no activity left in his brain thanks to the horrors caused by his dad. No undo button on life, once you hurt a child like that you cannot undo their suffering or the suffering and pain of their family members. Its there written on their minds forever. And for the baby he or she will become a mere shell of their former existence.

RIP Camryn Wilson January 2008-March 2008.

Start Tomorrow

I haven't posted in here in awhile. Tomorrow afternoon I start working. I got the job I was interviewed for awhile back. I got the call to inform me that I would get the job last Friday. I was ecstatic. I called my dad and my mom. I wanted to tell Micke myself but he had been eavesdropping in on my call. I like a good surprise but Micke said he could not help it when he saw the company's name on the phone's caller I.D he picked up the phone and put it on mute and listened in.

I was so nervous because they gave me what seemed like a 3rd interview over the phone. Then they offered me the job and of course I accepted. I am excited to start. I have to convince Micke to get a good night's sleep so he can be raring to go tomorrow and won't be tempted to fall asleep while watching our boys.

I was going to  go and donate plasma today and earn a few dollars but Micke's dad loaned him 40 so I will donate plasma on Friday, my first day off. That way I can get gas money to get to work for another week.
I keep being fearful that the training is unpaid. I am sure it is paid but I let my anxieties get the best of me.

The reason we're putting it off is that Micke is exhausted because he refused to sleep at all last night. That's why he is asleep now. Also it's gloomy out and raining.

Independence Day Cookout

Today we went to Micke's cousin's house. They were having a cook out. By the time I got there I was starting to feel hungry. I had taken care of Micke and Angel by getting them scrambled eggs a few hours before the cook out but I had forgotten to feed myself. We got there and I decided to join the game of cornhole that they all wanted to play. I was terrible. More times than not I threw the sack of corn into the bushes, the plants, almost on top of the roof, once it hit Crissi in the legs etc. During our second game of cornhole I beamed Jaidyn, Crissi's almost 6 year old, in the chest with the corn filled sack.

I was tired, everyone thought I was being sore about not winning but I was actually just getting very tired. I was not bitter, just in a daze. Angel got to play in the pool and be rough with the other boys. I waited a long time it seems for Angel to be old enough to rough house and now that he is being rough and tumble I worry so much he's going to be severely injured. You'd think after my second born I'd be easy and laid back on parenting. I get crazy about everything. I think to a point I need to learn to let Angel be his own person and kind of get the scrapes and bruises and bumps he's going to get.

On the one hand; Angel is no new comer to pain and injury. He has had scrapes, burns, bruises and even stitches. He's been so rough that we thought he broke his nose once. He's been to the E.R over injuries received in the home or near it around 3 times in his life.

On the other hand; I worry about his susceptibility to head injuries. I am concerned he'll end up falling so hard on his head he'll end up with epilepsy. I am worried someone might accidentally cause him to drown or have an occasion of dry drowning.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2096982_determine-dry-drowning.html

. I am worried and I suppose my fears are irrational. I think too much freedom would land him in the arms of a stranger or dead. So I don't want to go there but I don't want to shelter the poor child either. I hope I learn a happy medium soon.

Anyway, he's pooped. He had so much fun today that he can't even move. He just fell asleep 15 minutes ago which is a decent bed time for a 3 year old. I just hope he stays asleep through the night. That will help me get some much needed quiet time.