Cookie Monster!

I just couldn't help taking some pictures and videos of Caleb eating Oreo cookies today. Sometimes the simplest things he does are just so darn cute to me. Sorry if this boring for some of you, but I love it!

Chips and Dip

A few weeks ago at church Caleb was asking for chips and dip. I thought that was a strange request then realized what he meant- communion. When we take communion at church we are given a little cracker then we have to dip it in the grape juice. Hence, chips and dip! Caleb looks so adorable when he goes up to the alter and waits patiently for his turn to dip the cracker. When he's finished he'll shout out "Yummy!"

Call me Forest Gump...

I just feel like running lately. I've been going to the gym running on the treadmill and it's been surprisingly easy for me. Not that I'm not getting a good workout and that it's not challenging, but my knee has been holding up well and my endurance has been better.

So anyway, I called Lainee, my sister-in-law, this morning and asked her if she wanted to sign up for some upcoming races at Lake Hefner. There's a 5K or 10K (I'm shooting for the 10K) in September and an 8K Thanksgiving day called the Turkey Trot! She said she's on board and my friend Tara may be too, so I'm putting it on my blog letting everyone know so we can't wimp out.

My best friend in Washington DC, Jessica, kind of inspired me. She and her husband trained for months for a marathon and I just couldn't get over how dedicated she was and how hard she worked to get ready for it. I'm not wanting to do the marathon thing, at least not yet, but I wanted her to know how amazing I think she is!

Great book

I've been reading this booked called "The Blessings of Brokenness," by Charles Stanley the past few days. Charles Stanley has always been one of my favorite pastors, since I was a teenager. It's a short book, but it's probably one of the most striking books I've read in ages. I know it's hitting hard with me because of the position I'm in now, but I feel like with every word a light bulb is going off in my brain as well as a flood of tears going down my face. So much of what I'm feeling reading it is too personal to share with everyone, but I wanted to let you know what a great book it is.

Bible verse for the day....

Today has been one of those bad days on this roller coaster I'm on. If it weren't for God's word, I don't know how I'd make it. I don't know how anyone could make it without Him.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

And boy do I love Him!

Caleb's growing up!

While Caleb was playing on the computer last night, I tried to help with something. He didn't like my interference and said, "Ah, come on mom! Geeze! Geeze mom!" It sounded so grown up! I can't wait to hear what he'll be saying when he's a teenager.

I took him to his new doctor here in Oklahoma for his 3-year checkup a few days ago. I was able to get him the same doctor as Landon and Avery which was such a nice treat! Caleb got one shot and was extremely brave and didn't even cry. He's still in the 90th+ percentile for height and 80th for weight which wasn't a surprise. The doctor started laughing when Caleb asked him if he wanted to see his "gun show" and started flexing his muscles for him. All went well, and Caleb is doing great on all levels.

The Game Plan...

After researching more into the dental hygienist program I discovered that it's not going to work. It's a hard program to get into, but more than that, it's very time consuming and won't work with my schedule now that I'm a momma.

So I've decided to go ahead with the school psychology program. They want me in the program, a ton of my bachelor's degree stuff will transfer over, there's a huge need for school psychologists, the pay is good, my schedule will be the same as Caleb's when he starts school, what's left of my GI bill should cover it, and the state of Oklahoma will reimburse my tuition once I finish my license and start working here. Seems like a pretty easy decision huh? I think my new job will be flexible as far as my work schedule goes, so I think it'll all work out. The main thing is that I won't be away from Caleb too much, and I can be working toward a good future for the two of us.

Now, all of this being said, I realize that God may have a different plan in mind and all of this could change yet again, but as of right now, this is the goal I'm going to start working for. If one of the millions of government jobs I've applied for comes through, I'll have to rethink some stuff, but after everything I've looked into, which is A LOT, I think this is the best fit.

I got a call yesterday from the school I got my job at offering me the job AGAIN. I thought that was funny. I should know more about the hours, pay, and when I start exactly next week. During the time before I start, I'll be taking some grad school test that's required, applying to the graduate school at UCO, trying to collect my transcripts from the bazillion colleges I've attended, and trying to get my academic schedule laid out. My adviser is amazing, so I'm excited to be dealing with someone I feel really knows what they're doing and can help me get it all going.

I'm moving along.... :-)

More stuff...

I took that state test today for those Oklahoma government jobs. It felt like being in high school again having my little test booklet and answer sheet, filling in all the little bubbles. I doubt that this will lead to anything, but I don't want to leave any stone unturned. I know I'm supposed to ask, seek, and knock, so that's exactly what I'm doing.

I've made an appointment to talk to an adviser at Rose State College about the dental hygienist program tomorrow morning. I'm really starting to get interested in that and think I'd be good at it. I went to this dinner party thing that my friend Tara invited me to and was able to talk to one of her friends who is a dental hygienist. She said she loves it, and that the pay being around $60,000/year to start is accurate. She has her bachelor's, but said that an associates degree pays the same, which is what I'd be going for. I guess we'll see what I find out tomorrow and go from there.

The only real concerns I have now are trying to juggle it all- work, school, and raising Caleb. That's where prayers are needed please. More than anything, I don't want Caleb to feel unraveled right now, and I don't like the idea of being away from him too much. He's already lost his daddy being around and I don't want him to barely see mommy too.

Career Input Please!

I keep going back and forth trying to figure out exactly what I need to do as far as a good career goes. School psychologist would be ok, but I'm not completely sure about that. Finding a government job would be ok too, but who knows if that will happen or how much it will pay. I've started looking into a dental hygienist program which isn't exactly quick, but I'd like to use what's left of my GI bill on something. I've been researching some and it looks like a dental hygienist makes really good money, like in the $60,000 a year range, and that would be fantastic for supporting me and Caleb. Anyway, if any of you reading this have any good insight on that career choice or any others please send an email my way or leave a comment. I've thought about nursing, but really don't think I'm cut out for that. Any insight is always appreciated!

Got a job!

I interviewed this morning for a teaching assistant position in downtown OKC for an online only high school called Advanced Academics. It's a sweet location in a really cool building! I met with the English department teachers, which were so nice, then talked to the principal who was awesome too. They kept me there for almost two hours this morning just talking and showing me everything so I figured I would probably get an offer. I got offered the job within an hour of leaving.

It's a part-time job, 20-25 hours a week, but the hours are later afternoon into the evening, so I could stay home with Caleb all day, and then my family and possibly a babysitter or two could help watch him for a few hours in the evening. I'd still be home in time for bath time and bedtime. I wouldn't have considered part-time originally, however, even with only 20 hours a week I get full benefits! We're talking medical, dental, vision, insurance, 401K, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, and even free classes at Devry University if I choose. The pay isn't too bad either. This won't be a forever job, but it'll be great for awhile until I figure out exactly what career path I need to be on. I'm still applying for the government jobs, but there's no telling if or when that may happen, or even if that's what God intends for me. There was just no question in my mind this morning that this was the right job for right now.

I'll probably be starting mid-July, so I still have a little time to enjoy just being a momma. Thanks for the continued prayers everybody. I know God hears it all and is going to work it all for me and Caleb for good.

p.s.- Just checked my email and got a response from the state of Oklahoma saying one of my job applications was approved and I need to go take a written test next week. This one could pay really well, so why not? Can't hurt to take the test right? :-)

A couple new videos

I got a couple videos tonight. One was of Caleb dancing with his robot. He's really been into dancing and singing lately. Then I got another video of him running around in these flip-flop fly swatters that say "GOTCHA!" They aren't supposed to be worn, but they actually fit his feet really well and it's hilarious to see him running around with them on hearing "GOTCHA!" all around the house.

Fillet O Fish

While grandma was watching Caleb the other morning while I had a job interview, she was asking him what he wanted for breakfast. After asking him if he wanted just about everything, she decided to get silly with him and said, "Well, do you want fish?" Instead of saying no again like she expected, he got totally excited about it. So for lunch I took him to McDonald's to get a fish sandwich and he ate the whole thing, along with the happy meal I got him just in case he didn't like the fish sandwich. Then tonight for dinner he didn't seem to want anything we had, so I said, "Do you want fish?" Sure enough, he said yes, so we called grandpa to see if he'd pick Caleb up a fish sandwich on his way home from work. He gobbled down the whole thing again tonight. I think I need to find a healthier fish for him to try.

Got another interview

I just got called for another interview for Friday. It's for a part-time TA position that could be from home, so even if the pay is lousy, it may be a good thing if I got to be home with Caleb. Wish me luck..... AGAIN...

My head is spinning.....

I went to the Easter Seals meeting this morning and met some amazing people, but I don't think I'm going to go this route right now. Tutoring autistic children would be rewarding, but I know it would take everything out of me. The pay is so-so, and I think I'd rather just find something that I can do during the day then easily leave behind when I go home. When I worked with kids before I thought about them all the time, and honestly the only kid I care about now is Caleb.

On a medical side-note, I tried this sleeping pill a couple weeks ago called Rozerem, and I swear I'm still feeling the side effects. I'll get these dizzy spells that last all day! It's gotten better, but for a week after I took the stuff I felt constantly dizzy and nauseous. It's freakin evil stuff! I also tried ambien, which is ok, unless you try to take it a little while before you actually go to bed. When I took it one time, I apparently was talking to my folks about some pretty embarrassing stuff and I can't remember any of it. When my mom told me about it the next morning I was completely freaked out. The good news is that I'm starting to sleep better, without any stupid pills. I just think I'm such a light-weight when it comes to medicine, I just do better on my own. Lesson learned!

Today's interview

Well, today's interview for that secretary position went ok, but I don't think I'll get it. It was a little intimidating because I was in front of a board of people. I think I did a good job answering the questions they had for me, but one of the questions was about timekeeping experience of which I have none, so that may kick me out of the running. They seemed to like me though, so who knows. If anything, this is really good practice.

I am going to go to a meeting tomorrow at Easter Seals for this autism program they're starting up that's going to be affiliated with UCO. I figure it can't hurt to get some more information and the people involved are all so nice. There is a daycare there, so it's possible I could work with the autistic kiddos and have Caleb right there where I'm working, so that would be fantastic. We'll see what I find out.

Just keep the prayers coming ya'll!

This just in....

So, it doesn't look like the recent offer on our house is going to go through. We're close, but not quite close enough to make the deal, and since there's no huge hurry to sell, we aren't going to negotiate much. Just keep the prayers coming for the right offer.

I've got my next government job interview Monday so please pray for that as well. I've been applying for quite a few other government jobs so hopefully one of them will pan out. I also got an offer from Easter Seals to work with autistic preschool kids, but I'm not feeling led to go down that path right now. I loved working with special needs kids, but my energy levels are pretty low and I want to spend my energy on Caleb.

I'll post how my interview Monday goes. Wish me luck!

The beginning of Caleb's singing career...

Caleb is becoming very much the performer! He was just standing there singing songs and melting my heart today so I had to run and get the camera and get it recorded. Who knows? In a few years he could be the next American Idol!

Just some pictures

Here are just some random pictures we've taken recently. Enjoy!

Avery's actual birthday day mini party

Caleb wearing Landon's school project jacket

Cousins playing video games

Jumping to Grandpa!

Little Bikers

The cousins enjoyed riding their bikes together the other day at my brother's house. Landon and Avery don't need training wheels anymore so that was exciting! Landon sustained his first big boy bike injury and stayed pretty tough during it. Caleb kept looking around and not paying attention to where he was going so I was having mini heart attacks the whole time. There were a lot of near misses for him, and one direct hit when he ran right into grandpa.

Got on offer on the house

We got an offer on the house yesterday. We've got to counter and stuff, but even if this deal doesn't work it's nice to know that it only took a little over a week to get an offer. Makes me feel good about all the work I did getting the house ready to sell. The people making this offer want to close July 3, which is so fast, so I'm guessing they really want it. There's no huge rush on our part, so if they don't offer what we want then we won't sell to them. It would be great to get it over and done with though.

Interview #1

Today's interview for the human resources assistant government job seemed to go pretty well. I had em smiling and they seemed to like me and ask a lot of questions, so we'll see. They were interviewing quite a few others so there could easily be someone more qualified. The job sounded pretty good though and the pay was good too. I'd be making almost the same doing this job at an entry level as I would if I went back to school for my master's in special ed and started teaching.

Whether I get offered the job or not, it was good practice for my next interview Monday. I need to figure out how to answer, "So tell me about yourself," a little better. If any of you reading this have some good tips, feel free to email me.

I'm still finding others to apply for and will let ya'll know how my interview Monday goes.

Gotta love boys...

Caleb and his cousin, Avery, were playing in the backyard today when Caleb suddenly realized he had to pee really bad. He got his pants down super fast and Avery barely got out of his way in time before her feet got peed on. Caleb thought this was hilarious, so he proceeded to chase Avery around the backyard trying to pee on her. I really wish I would've had the camera ready for that moment.

Interviews...

So I got called today for a couple different job interviews at Tinker Air Force Base. I've got one interview Thursday afternoon for a human resources assistant position, and one on Monday for a secretary position. The secretary job is for the DLA (Defense Logistics Agency), which I've heard would be awesome to get in with, but the human resources gig would be cool too since I'd see all new government job postings first. There is childcare on base and I think it's pretty reasonably priced, so that could work out ok for Caleb. I like the idea of being close by and being able to see him on lunch breaks.

I also met with a college adviser about the school psychology program and that could be a really good path for me too. Since my degree is already in psychology, it wouldn't take me as long to get my master's, but it would still take awhile. There are also some job possibilities my adviser told me about with a preschool that would count toward the degree, plus Caleb may be able to go for free, so that's interesting too. Oh, and Oklahoma would reimburse my tuition once I complete my certification since there's a high demand for school psych's.

My head is still spinning with all the info. The bottom line is that I want to find something really secure and decent paying, but not take me away from Caleb too much. My military time will count toward a government job so I could retire early from one of those, plus I hear that once you're in, you're in, so that sounds good too.

I'm going to be praying hard for God to make my choices clear and for the right doors to open and for the wrong ones to be very obviously wrong.

I appreciate your continued prayers and support, and will keep ya'll posted on what happens.

Well, he's got his priorities straight...

We were all sitting on the back patio watching the thunderstorms roll in the other night talking to Caleb about how Jesus made the clouds and the thunder and lightning. Then Caleb jumped in and said that Jesus lived in his heart, promptly followed by "Go Sooners!"