New Job

That's right, I finally got the job I've been after for over 10 years and now just 7 months later, I quit. I think I've lost my mind. I was venting to a friend one day about needing a new job closer to home (half joking and not seriously looking) and she told me her employer is always hiring; I figured what the heck, lets give it a shot. I had to take a pre-employment test which included a section on Excel, a program I've never so much as opened before let alone used. I failed it but must have rocked my interview because they hired me anyway! They offered me less money then what I make at the shelter so before I accepted Hubby and I sat down and figured out all of our expenses taking into account gas, tolls, food, sitter (who will have Minion 2 extra days now) and of course bills. Turns out, we are still saving more money if I take the new job. It also offers room for advancement and they have quarterly bonuses, something I'll likely never see at the shelter. I decided to take it. Hubby of course is thrilled because I will no longer be working night shift or over-nights anymore, or weekends for that matter. I've never had a job where not only so I have a set schedule but I have EVERY weekend off! Maybe I can be a functional member of my family for once.

I'm going to miss the shelter a lot though, for a lot of reasons. Saving animals lives, seeing something different everyday, police drug busts...I live for this stuff; I need to find myself a new adrenaline rush before I go stir crazy. Most of all I'm going to miss my co-workers. Scratch that, I'm going to miss my friends. I have met some amazing people working at the shelter and some life long friends, it's killing me that I won't get to see them everyday anymore. I'm not even going to be in the same state. I'm not going to get to see all the babies grow up (I started quite a baby boom when I got pregnant with Minion). Sure the place is like high school sometimes but what place isn't? So many people have had my back since I started there and genuinely supported me. Some are a bit over-protective but it's sweet and I think I'll even miss that. I'm always going to worry about my drivers even though I won't be working there anymore. They bust their butts doing what they love and it's usually a thankless job (except of course all the puppy kisses). Lives have been in danger more then once but it never stops anyone. I wish the rest of the world could see a shelter workers life through their eyes, it's hard. What am I going to do without this place?

I keep feeling like a made a mistake but I know this new job will be better for our future. We want to save to buy a house in a few years, I need a new car... These are all things that just won't be possible if I stay at the shelter. On a positive note, I get to go clothes/shoe shopping! This new place is business casual and there is not a lot in my current wardrobe that fits that category. Hubby is working on Sunday(his 1 a month) so Minion and I are going to spend the day upgrading our closets, I know he won't really enjoy it but at least we get to hang out together all day. Maybe I'll find somewhere with a play place for lunch since it's getting to cold for the playground... I know Chick-fil-A will be closed, I hope that doesn't leave only McDonald's. I can't eat there, it hurts my stomach and I'd rather Minion not eat there either.

This should definitely be interesting, I start this coming Monday so wish me luck.

The Sickness

Minion has had a runny nose for just over 2 weeks now and about a week ago had an on/off fever. The last week or so this has also been accompanied by a diapers rash (his 2nd one!) that just looks painful. Non of this has seemed to bother him and since the sitters baby hasn't been sick (they share binkies, cups and food) I have attributed it all to teething. I've been giving him Hyland's Baby Tiny Cold Tablets for a couple days and running the humidifier while he sleeps. This kid seriously hates having his nose even wipes let alone having the boogies sucked out... it's a battle. Recently it has been suggested that maybe he has allergies. That's completely plausible since I have seasonal allergies myself and they've been bothering me a little but not enough that it crossed my mind. I think I'm going to start giving him a small spoonful of local honey tonight and see if that helps too.

With that said. Hubby has been actually sick for the past few days (sore throat, running nose...) and is miserable. Now don't get me wrong when I'm sick I expect to be waited on hand and foot and I know I'm not at all pleasant to be around but it just amuses me that my 15 month old has had almost the same symptoms for 2 weeks now and has been acting like his normal happy self. Nothing at all against Hubby it just goes to show how resilient kids actually are (thank goodness because I don't think I could handle them both being whiny at the same time). So far, I'm doing pretty good and not feeling sick at all. *knocks on wood*

On a completely unrelated note, Hubby found a better paying job! I wish it would have come about 3 months ago so we wouldn't have had to move but hey, I'll take what I can get. That just means we can save more money to buy a house in a couple years. Who knows, maybe we can even replace the Kia with a newer (better) used car. I'm sure Hubby will want brand new but I really don't want to take on a car payment AND full coverage insurance so I think he's going to lose that battle.

All bad things come to an end

It's been a rough couple weeks in the Epic household. Hubby was out of a job for 2 weeks, I've been training for my new position so have been extra tired, Minion (recently known as Monster) has been teething and when Hubby did get a new job we were out of a babysitter. I'm happy to report all is well! Hubby started his new job today, thanks to Facebook a local Mama with a baby the same age as Minion is going to watch him and tooth #2 made it's debut yesterday so Minion is much less fussy. I am still adjusting to not being the permanent vampire at the shelter but I'm not complaining at all. It's nice to see the sun light every now and then. I couldn't been happier right now (OK I'm sure I could but lets not being picky).

I really was worried for a moment, Hubby was home for 2 weeks which was great for Minion but not so much for the bills. Then, when he finally found a job, we found out our sitter got a promotion of his own and wouldn't be able to watch Minion anymore. It was a scary couple of days, neither of us would even be able to call out if we didn't find someone since we are both in a new position! Luckily the universe had my back and when I posted in some of my Mommy groups on Facebook I received quite a few responses and suggestions. Many of them were for day care centers that we couldn't afford (plus would need a set schedule for which neither of us has right now), most were from Mamas I have never met but only talked to online. I thought we were going to have to go that route (we would meet and check her home out first of course!) but then someone I have met who lives very close to us offered. She seriously saved the day. We are going to her house tomorrow so Hubby can meet her and not feel like a weirdo when he drops off Minion (although that might be funny to witness since Hubby is far from a social butterfly). THANK YOU!!! I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can breath again. I think this new set up will work out very well and Minion will get some baby socialization too.

Training week #3 has started for me and I love it, I think my body forgot what physical labor was after 2 years of sitting behind a desk though and it's also pretty confused about the whole day shift thing. I really need to start working out/toning. Yesterday was craziest day, we were so busy and had the strangest calls. It was great. I am looking forward to a set schedule though, being so all over the place is messing with me and it's thrown Minion's sleep patterns off too. I'm sure Hubby being home didn't help that either, nor did the teething. Those little teeth are sharp, thank goodness he has not bit me while nursing yet *knocks on wood*.

The drivers keep asking me how long I'm going to breastfeed for, I guess the fact that I have to pump is kind of a pain. It is a little inconvenient and it's impossible to pump on a schedule but I don't care, I'm going to nurse until Minion is at least a year but maybe longer. As much as I don't want to be solo on the streets it will make pumping easier because I can just park somewhere and cover myself with a blanket and pump, now we have to go back into the building because I'm not doing it with another person in the truck...all but me and one other driver are men. No thanks and I don't think they'd appreciate it either. I know breastfeeding is less common in our country (I still don't know why) but I'm tired of being asked how long I will do it for and then seeing the look on people's face when I say "until one of us doesn't want to anymore". I try to educate them but no one wants to hear it. Oh well. You go home from work and unwind with a drink, I'll nurse my son; we'll all feel better.

New job week #1

I started my new job today, so far so good (except the other day when they told me last minute that I had to train to euthanize animals in case there is an emergency over night, it was horrible and I cried. To make it worse, I suck at it so I have 2-3 more days of training before they can certify me for it). I have been able to see Minion more often this week since the person I'm shadowing works either day shift or over night, I'll be on this schedule for another week then I follow someone else. I love seeing him more! Hopefully when I get my own schedule I will have at last a few day shifts mixed in.

I'm still trying to get my barrings but so far I really like it, I feel like I forgot everything I learned when I took these classes 7 years ago though so I'm kind of starting from scratch. I'm not sure how long I will be in training but I could not imagine doing this without a partner at all times...unfortunately it's going to happen but for now I get the comfort of having someone to have my back at all times.

It amazes me that the other drivers know the city so well, Philly is a big place and I can't see myself ever being able to navigate it without my GPS but they do it like it's nothing, some of them even know the zip code of that part of the city just based on the address...CRAZY. I guess I will get it eventually but some parts of the city all look the same and then you have the same street names in more then one area and I just find it confusing. There is also the issue that some of the streets are not even big enough to fit out vehicles down... that is one thing I am not looking forward to when they hand me the keys.

My days have been fairly boring so far, nothing crazy has happened (which is good and bad), it's hard to learn somethings without actually being in the situation but I still have plenty of training time to go. I caught a raccoon the other day but in all fairness it was sick and possibly blind, it didn't even run it just wanted to play with my control stick...not much of a challenge but at least I can say I did it. I'm looking forward to going to the wildlife rehab center at some point... it would be awesome if we had time to look around but I doubt it (making a mental note to find out if they allow visitors). I'm sitting at the job now (it's 2:20am) for my first official over night shift (I have done it before but not as a driver and I never left the building, to night we have left twice already and the shift just started at midnight) and aside from writing this post I am bored out of my mind, although one of the other staff members did just amuse me, our toilet apparently doesn't flush and Aunt Flo made an appearance (it was a nice 19 months without her), he kind of freaked out and said it hurt his feelings. HAHAHA seriously, I thought we were adults. My bad for not double checking a guess, why should I expect the toilet to actually flush the first time around... Silly me. I wish I could get on Facebook here so I could give some much needed attention to my blog page, they block everything here, at least Blogger works or I might be really lost.