Back to Work

Today I start back to work.

Last Friday, 

April Fool's Day,

I signed a contract to work at Mid Valley Mentors.

(I trust that signing a contract on April Fools Day is NOT bad luck.)

Today is my first day.

I have never officially been an Executive Assistant, but the jobs I have held in the past have given me many of the skills I will need to do this job.

It is only part time, 20 hours a week.

I think that will be a good blend of hours at work 

and hours at home with the kids.

Mid Valley Mentors recruits volunteers to mentor children and adults affected by incarceration.  
I think working here will be a good fit for me.

However, I am feeling nervous this morning.  
I will be meeting the other staff, key volunteers, and key donors 
as we set up for a big fundraising event this evening.
Meeting new people is not the easiest thing for me, 
especially in large groups.
But I usually can fake a feeling of being comfortable and at ease when I need to.  My past job experiences have helped me in that area.

So here I go again, 
Off to experience another new job.
I wonder where this one will lead me...... 

http://midvalleymentors.org/about/what-we-do/

P.S.   (Saturday recap of my first day)

It was a long day, 12+ hours setting up and working the fundraising event.  

I am stiff and sore this morning.  

Its been a while since I carried, moved, 

and climbed up & down a 12 foot ladder, let alone was on my feet for that long with little to no break.  

My body aches today, that is for sure.

But the staff I will be working with are dedicated and passionate about their work.  

And they are fun! 

Also,I got to meet and listen to Dave Dahl's story 

of Dave's Killer Bread. 

http://www.daveskillerbread.com/story.shtml

http://www.daveskillerbread.com/index.shtml

I ran into some folks from Habitat for Humanity that I had not seen in a long while.

All in all a good first day.

There is no doubt there are adventures 

and probably some misadventures ahead.

Steppin' out with DWNTWN
DWNTWNimages.me

Choir Girls Rule!

Today was a big choir day for my 3 youngest girls.

It began this morning with taking Laura (#8) to school and her telling me she had to perform in front of the school this morning.

It would end with Jacquie (#7) and Caroline (#6) both performing at District Choir competition in their respective choirs, Asteria Singers and Choir of the Titans.

Before I get too much farther into this blog I want to share a bit of my conversation with Laura as we drove to school.

Laura mentioned to me in her non-chalant way their choir would be performing in front of the school this morning. 
She explained the teacher believed that the more often a choir can perform in front of an audience, the better they become. 

I can see the logic in this thinking.

She went on to say that yesterday their early morning Jazz choir practice was held in the hallway, as was the Jazz band practice. 

When she went up to her locker after rehearsal she heard people making fun of the band and the choir. 
She paused as if waiting for me to find a way to make all the uneasy feelings go away.

I thought for...
what seemed like too long.
I was searching for what to say.

I said something like this to Laura,

"It's not easy being in junior high.

And if you decide to be in choir in high school, 

it might not be easy there either.

Kids often times have to put each other down 

in order to feel better than their selves.

They make fun of each other thinking it will make them look better.

But they are wrong.

Can you imagine if the kids you heard making fun of the band 

instead went up to them and said,

Good Job!
You sounded great!
Its awesome that you come to school an hour earlier 

than everyone else just to practice.

I think that when kids
AND ADULTS
say nice things to each other
then everyone walks away feeling better about themselves. 
I think that is how it should be.
But its not like that ...
not yet."

Then we exchanged our 'I love you's'
and she got out of the car.

On my drive home to pick up Jacquie,
(She also was going to school early for a rehearsal)

I thought about all the activities my kids have been involved in over the course of 26 years or so.

I think being in band and choir has been more difficult than being in sports.  Yet some how it teaches my kids a lot about following their dreams, and sharing their talents with others
even when it isn't the popular thing to do.

I am proud of them for sticking with choir even though it isn't easy.

I know, for the most part, they love choir.

It has been a tricky week around our house as both Jacquie and Caroline have been sick.
As District competition has approached they have been more and more concerned about how to care for their throats and voice.

I woke up this morning to every possible assortment of medication and home remedy's spread out upon the kitchen counters.

I think the girls tried about every combination of items imaginable including boiled ginger root (it didn't make the photo)
in an effort to be able to sing today.

I took videos of Jacquie and Caroline.
Unfortunately,
due to my iPhone not working well,
I messed up Jacquie's videos.

But figured it out to get a video or two of Caroline.

All in all it was a great day for my Choir Girls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZImdiH3wBQ

Steppin' out with DWNTWN

DWNTWNimages.me

Makin' Bacon

 This morning is an unusual Sunday for us.
We woke to only 2 kids in the house.
That alone makes for an unusual day.
I don't mind so much as it gave me an opportunity to work one and one with the youngest, Laura Jayne.
Laura wanted to learn to cook bacon.
We were at the grocery store yesterday and somehow the bacon ended up in the cart in spite of the fact that it wasn't on my list.

I am a very deliberate menu/grocery list maker.
I have had to be over the years.
It is too expensive to feed a family of 10
(plus stray neighbor kids)
if I am not deliberate in my list making.

I am sure most everyone has 'popped' into the store for 3 or 4 simple items.
You grab just 1 of your recycle grocery bags.
After all your list is simple, such as; milk, bread, bananas, and toilet paper.
You estimate your bill to be less that $10.
and it will fit in one bag... Hooray!
Yet when you get to the check out counter you have lots more and your bill totals $53.00.

That happens when I let Jeff or the kids go to the store with me.
That is how we ended up with bacon in our cart yesterday.

But that's okay.
It gave me some early morning quality mom/daughter time with Laura that I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Over the years some of my kids have learned to cook and bake and others have not.
I think back and realize that I could have been more deliberate in teaching them all to cook.
It seems that those that were interested in learning have
and those that weren't interested in learning to cook haven't. 

In my house cooking has always been another chore,
its another task on my 'mom to-do list'.
But as our family gets smaller,
I find it more enjoyable
and sometimes...
I even find it relaxing.

There is a vast difference between rushing to cook enough bacon for 10 hungry people,
and teaching an interested 13 year old to cook bacon for 4 people.

This morning was one of those times when it was enjoyable and relaxing.
I look forward to more 'unusual' Sunday mornings.

My only regret is that I don't have the opportunity to spend an unusual Sunday morning with my older kids who are now cooking their own bacon.

Happy Weekend!
I hope you find joy in the unusual!



Steppin' out with DWNTWN
DWNTWNimages.me