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.