Well, I got the invitation to join this and decided that I would take the time right now to start. I don't know how often I will be able to put anything on here with working and everything, but we will see how this works. : )
For those who don't know, I started working outside the home in November due to some unfortunate circumstances with our business. I started out working at Walmart as a cashier. Then I moved to stocking at Walmart full time graveyards and I started working for my old relief society president during the day as a virtual scheduler for a sign language interpreting company. In February, I quit at Walmart after much prayer and am only working for ASL Communications. I love my job. I am good at it considering it is largely based on organizing all of the interpreters schedules. : ) Right now I work about 30 hours per week. It is hard working outside of the home. I wish that I didn't have to and hope to be able to be at home again soon. I also feel guilty because I do love my job. Sometimes, I feel like I have two lives, my work life and my home life.
David started working a job other than his business in November as well. He started out at a cement company as a cement truck driver. He has since been moved to hauling fly ash from Page, Arizona to the plants here 5 days a week. He does this overnight right now which has been an adjustment for all of us. We had some scary moments because one of his coworkers went missing and was later found murdered in his vehicle. It was about the same time that there was a company buyout. We finally found out that it had nothing to do with the company. There was relief, but a lot of sadness as well.
Right now neither one of us have callings which is so strange. I have an unofficial calling that I just started doing for our ward. Our ward is relying a lot on email to remind people of activities or of needs in the ward. So that is now my unofficial job. : ) I am emailing out reminders for the lessons each week, enrichment activities, needs or any other upcoming things that the Relief Society president asks me to send. I am also doing the monthly Relief Society newsletter/calendar. I am happy to be able to serve again. I have felt kind of useless. I know when I was working 70 hours a week, I didn't have time to do anything else, but I do have a little time now.
Jerrod is in 4th grade. It seems like the school year should almost be over, but he is on year round school so he has until August for 4th grade and then 2 weeks off and then starts 5th grade. I am just really getting used to it and 5th grade is his last year of year round school. The middle schools and high schools are all 9 months. In some ways, I will be glad that he will be done with year round, but then that means he is that much older. Jerrod has one more achievement that we are going to finish today and then he will earn his bear in cub scouts. His birthday is Tuesday, tax day and he will be 10. I can hardly believe that I am old enough to have a 10 year old. He is almost as tall as me and I can wear his shoes. It is quite strange.
We are also waiting to hear back to see if I made it to the Biggest Loser. I tried out with a family friend who David went to high school with, Mike Beardall. He is our home teacher and was in our wedding. I babysit his kids and our families have game nights together regularly. The Biggest Loser had open casting calls in Las Vegas. I went and stood in line for 6 hours. Mike and I got a call back and went and had a longer interview with one of the casting directors. I think that it went well. We made our video and sent it off in March. They are still asking for applications so I guess they haven't decided yet. I really would love to make it for so many reasons. I just keep praying that if it is what Heavenly Father wants then I will make it.
Also, we might be moving soon. I will keep everyone updated if we do. We have had a lot of trials over the last 6 months. Trials that have shaken our family to the very core. Thankfully, with a lot of prayer and priesthood blessings and the help of some other key people and programs, we are slowly coming out of it. I don't put that there for anyone to feel sorry for us or anything, just so you understand why we haven't been around or talked to anyone much. Anyway, we love all of you and think this blog is a great idea. I look forward to reading what evreyone writes on here. : ) I will get some pictures together this week to put on here.
Tonda
