Blurred Day Ends In Good News

Yesterday was, quite simply, a blur.

The Boy left for school at his normal time, but was also headed to an invitational swim meet in Cedar City before lunch.   It is an overnight event, and one the swim team looks forward too all year.  We got him off--and with enough cash to feed himself for the weekend--before I needed to take off.

I had a surprising phone call--out of the blue--earlier this week from a woman who had once upon a time purchased some of my photo note cards at a little boutique I had one entered.  She asked if I was the one who used to make the cards.  I told her yes, and that I still make them but I hadn't sold any in a boutique for a while.  She asked if she could send me a check for another set of cards.  Sure, I told her.  Well, her check arrived shortly and I delivered her cards before work yesterday.  Luckily she didn't live very far away.

Genius Golfer had asked if I would take the Durango to work yesterday, as he got a call for an interview in Murray and wanted to drive the little Honda.  So I had to get gas in the beast Durango--where the gas gauge still doesn't really work, so the milage trip odometer is a really important tool.  It was trying to rain all morning, so the big vehicle was kind of nice to drive again.

I worked a full day 9am-6pm, plus a little.  the day was crazy--as they always seem to be when I have two regular office guys gone, the billing gal is gone, and my next-cube-neighbor has to leave for physical therapy.  One of the drivers had really great seats for the Jazz game last night, so he wanted to get off early, and the other driver (we still haven't gotten a third guy hired yet!) was the one on-call that night.  His schedule of deliveries and pick ups looked to keep him out until almost 10 PM.  I hope not for his sake, but the job is like that sometimes.

Then after work I met two darling friends and we saw the high school's production of The Baker's Wife.  I'd never heard of this show before, but it was beautifully done.  A story of mistakes, repentance and forgiveness.  The lead was one of our stake's YW who has an unbelievable voice.  And Abbey did a completely fantastic job!

Then I came home, and freaked out a little thinking GG had taken the truck, but then I remembered The Boy drove to school and then took the bus to Cedar City...doh.  GG was in the basement working.  I asked him how the interview went--holding my breath a little for fear it would be a report like the others were when he has interviewed at BYU, or other places and didn't get the job.  Instead, he was offered the job on the spot essentially, and begins work Monday.

His new employer is a company called Connexion Point and their website says this about them: ConnexionPoint (cXp) is a rapidly growing leading healthcare contact center partner for Fortune 100 health insurance organizations. We are seeking bright and motivated individuals to join our all-star sales and support team as we expand throughout Utah and Texas – and we need you!

GG's new job is a programming one--not so much the customer service or call center things.  But he is working with another programmer he knew back in the Noni days.  It was Ken who actually set up the interview for him.   The company has 1200, or so, employees at the moment.  Benefits are part of his package.  No 401K yet, but they are working on it.  The company has only been around about 3 years, and they have grown 300% each year they have been in business.  the pay is about half of what he made at his last job, but is certainly better than "running out of money in February," which was the option staring me in the face.

He will have some very long hours to start, as the company works with Medicare enrollments and the open enrollment period is NOW!  The other programmer, Ken, said that last week he was working 5AM -9PM.  Maybe with a little extra help from someone who knows how to do this sort of thing, all of them will have more reasonable hours.  GG tells me he still wants to try to do the couple of contract jobs he had lined up already on the side.  Since he doesn't seem to require as much sleep as normal people, that might be possible for him.  I told him to start taking a multivitamin, just to help a little bit.

I'm not too sure bout much more with this job.  But as we learn I'll let you in on what we know.  I just am so grateful something came up.  I feel like I have been praying for something to come along that would be the "right fit" for him and for the family for 25 months now.  I'm grateful GG kept a level head and had the patience I didn't in order to find something that will really work for us.  And who knows?  Maybe this will give us the option to moving to San Antonio someday.  The Boy would be thrilled.

Needed To Hear It Again

Since the new Ensign magazine arrived at our home, I have made it a goal to read one talk a day and ponder the messages from October's General Conference one at a time.  This morning I read Elder Christofferson's "The Moral Force of Women".  (You can review it HERE.)

I remember hearing it during conference as I watched it live on TV, and wondered how many of the "Ordain Women" sisters he was speaking to.  A cynical thought, I know, but that was what I had thought at the time.

This morning, however, I read his words and heard them as if they were given to teach ME.  As I read this morning, I realized that I really want to be like Sister Daines, whom Elder Christofferson wrote about as having influenced him for good when hew as growing up.  I had a member of our stake presidency tell me that much when I served in our Stake YW presidency--that I would have a lasting influence for good on the kids we worked with during our term of service.  I hope that is true.

As my favorite TREK "sons" have been returning home from missions--another returned home last night, in fact--I hope that they still know that I love them and just how very proud I am of them, how much they inspire me and how much I admire their willingness to serve the Lord.

I thought of the time I have had to spend in my children's schools and of the kids I had an opportunity to see on a regular basis there.  I hope they could feel God's love through my service to them.  I hope they learned from what I did and the efforts we made as PTA members and leaders to build them up and give them more chances to learn.

Elder Christofferson said:

"Former Young Women general president Margaret D. Nadauld taught: “The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”¹⁰ In blurring feminine and masculine differences, we lose the distinct, complementary gifts of women and men that together produce a greater whole.

"My plea to women and girls today is to protect and cultivate the moral force that is within you. Preserve that innate virtue and the unique gifts you bring with you into the world. Your intuition is to do good and to be good, and as you follow the Holy Spirit, your moral authority and influence will grow. To the young women I say, don’t lose that moral force even before you have it in full measure. Take particular care that your language is clean, not coarse; that your dress reflects modesty, not vanity; and that your conduct manifests purity, not promiscuity. You cannot lift others to virtue on the one hand if you are entertaining vice on the other.".

I hope I will be remembered as one who tried to make the world -- or at least the little part where I get to be -- a little better than it would have been if I wasn't there.  But most of all, I hope that I have done something good, something that my Heavenly Father is pleased with and that I will be able to answer for happily at the judgement of the Lord.

Repeat in Volleyball

I know my own kids don't play high school volleyball, but it is sure fun to watch.  Last Saturday I got to go see the high school girls repeat as state champions in volleyball.  It was exciting to see.  This doesn't even look the same as the volleyball the young women (attempt to) play at church.

A bit shaky, I know, but the crowd was really into the game--and the VB girls played their hearts out.  Once the championship was sealed, the student council (the adviser, at least) lit the G to celebrate!  Good things happen in this town.  It is fun to be even a little part of that.

How Far Can You Stretch?

This is the question I have been asking myself , rather a lot lately.  I feel like I need to do what it takes at work--considering Office Manager's family situation right now. I feel like I need to put in more effort at home for The Boy because I do feel guilt about being at work when he gets home--though he has told me that he is "fine, mom".  I feel like I need to do whatever I can to support and defend Genius Golfer so he feels like he can do his work and make it successful.  I feel like The Girl needs more emotional support now that midterms are here and the novelty has worn off at school.  I feel like I need to "finish strong" with my little primary class at church because they change classes the first Sunday of the new year and we only have them for a few more weeks.  And I feel the need to up my enthusiasm about visiting teaching because 1) my partner is now in the stake RS presidency and 2) I had a very good lesson taught (by my nephew) in sacrament meeting Sunday about HT/VT being like missionary work to those who have already been baptized.

That being said, I also got word yesterday that I will likely be training next week to work in the Big Boss' scrub stores as the daytime ladies need me.  And one of those times apparently is the one day off I asked for in December to see the Festival of Trees this year.  That might require some negotiating.  But I can't blame ShopGirl#2, since her missionary son is coming home from Canada that week and she wants to be home with him and their family.

I think my attitude is flagging a bit because I'm tired and there are days (more often lately) when I just don't want to be working at all.  That kind of resentment isn't healthy, I know.  This is my new reality.  I just need to face it and be brave.

In the meantime, I'm taking my vitamins and trying to get enough sleep (is there such a thing?) and attempting to keep from medicating myself with donuts and ice cream.  And THAT may be the hardest bit of this whole deal.

Retraction, But Only Just

Last week I wrote about the perceived selfishness of one of my coworker in light of another' coworker's family tragedy.  as commonly happens, my perception was prematurely drawn.  Apparently Morning Driver thought he was already working "on-call" this week, so he didn't see the need to take it from Office Manager--because he didn't think OM had it.

That said, I apologize for jumping to conclusions about him.  But I still feel strongly that as colleagues we need to step in to help one another.  who knows when it will be our turn to suffer the tragedy, and we'd be in a place to sincerely appreciate the help of others.

This is a common exercise with me, isn't it?  Jumping to conclusions.  It is a hard habit to break, and often times if has saved me from regret and heartache.  I guess you do the best you can and apologize when needed, like to day.

This "being human" thing isn't all its cracked up to be, is it?

Video Sunday