The Sounds of Silence

Well there was so much going on that I was not willing to post about at the time...but now things have changed. Life was hard for a while when my husband was deployed (for only 4 month) while down in South Texas helping with the after math of Hurricane Ike. I was not about to post that I was currently a single parent and home alone for so long. But rest assured he is home safe now. It has been such a roller coaster this last month. Readjusting to having another adult in the house has been a fun adventure. My husband also got called into the office to be told he had 6 days left at his employment because congress failed to renew his employment...great timing. Thankfully they gave him a one month extension and are now giving him a one year extension. Count your blessings! Normally his boss just filled out the correct paperwork and they renewed him every year, he is still needed and the project he is working on just got extended to 4 years...yet they failed to renew him...and others across the Nation holding the same position. Next year he could reapply for the job...for an additional year but he will have to reapply. And I'm grateful for the benefits that we provide for our veterans but it is highly likely that he could be beat out by a veteran not because they were more qualified or even closely to equally qualifying but because they get more "points" in the grading system and we are not so excited about "hoping" we might keep the job, especially during this economic crunch. We are grateful that we have a year in which to search out and hopefully find another job. We would also like to keep him within the Federal Government but that might not happen. With all the money that the current administration is putting into the public sector you would think they would also address their own employees...but no. In fact, there still are many agencies that have yet to get a new head...including FEMA. And this allows for nothing to be approved for money or policy changing or ...hiring on certain levels so...the budget it due to Congress this summer, there is already a shortage since a big portion has been handed out to the public and no one is around saying where the cuts are going to come from and if they should just add to the deficit or not. Mostly this is all done in November but with the change of hands, well we haven't worked here through a hand change before but this is taking for ever and has crippled the Agency. They also have a hiring freeze...does that make sense to anyone else? They will fill the jobs that have already been advertised for but will just not fill those positions that have not, regardless of what it is. Shouldn't we be providing MORE jobs at a time like this? And is was not too long ago that FEMA got reprimanded by congress because one of the biggest problems during the Hurricane Katrina relief effort was the lack of man power so we have been told we need to create more positions and hire more....there is just a lot I am not understanding right now....too much is not being done soon enough while other things are quickly being taken care of that are questionable. I'm just confused on the whys and whens, much like many others of you out there.

On a side note, the kiddos are growing like crazy and I am really starting to consider home schooling. I have been trying to talk myself out of it for about 1 1/2 years now but I feel like that is what the Lord wants me to do so now I'm trying to suck it up and do it. I want to least until high school, then there is too much curriculum that I don't know well enough to teach someone. But I just found a man, I grew up with his children, started an institute of learning American History and Government based on the founding Fathers....very interesting. It's getting me excited. There is also a very strong home schooling community around here where we live (for that alone I hope we don't have to move with a new job). And I'm going to go interrogate people about what curriculum they choice and why...and way. I hope to post again soon since I have much more exciting news ahead.

TT4N

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Throwing a fit right before Christmas!

Well I had a rough morning today. Usually when that happens my Son is really good about it. He'll cuddle with me in bed and watch TV for a while. If he get's hungry he will grab a box of cereal and a snack cup and have me pour it for him, he's happy to eat it dry. Or he'll get a piece of cheese or an apple, despite my less then over the top mom abilities he is a really good kid (just high energy). This morning I thought he was doing the same for breakfast...I should have realized how long it was taking but sadly I did not. This might have been for the best...my son made a pb&j sandwich by himself. He often helps me make them at lunch but I'd never seen him do all the steps. He got the step stool out, grabbed a paper towel and put 2 slices of bread on it, grabbed a butter knife and strawberry jelly, and peanut butter. Thankfully we have the squeezable jelly right now. He put the peanut butter and jelly on the bread and put them together. I was sitting (laying really) in bed and he walks in eating a sandwich. I got a bit worried and ran into the kitchen, although the knife and jars were still out, there were no huge globs of jelly or peanut butter. Yeah Kiddo for doing it yourself!

I finally got up and was eating some breakfast when we had a conversation, his imagination really came out. My husband just got home from being deployed for almost 4 months, my kids would always ask where he was and the reply was he was at work...far away. Usually he works so close that he comes home for lunch, he is currently working that close now. But he's off to work before the children are up.

My son asked..."mom where's dada? Dada at work far far away," very dramatically. "Dada is at work party, with a hat. Dada likes party hats."

Me "He's at a party, with party hats?"

Kiddos "yeah, and they have kicking and hitting, and they climb a mountain."

Me "This sounds like a great party with kicking and hitting and hiking."

Him "No hiking mom, hitting and kicking.....then they climb a mountain and the pirates go aarrgh. They find the pirate box...the pirate treasure box full of moneys and they say aargh SUPRISE!!! hahahahaha!"

Funny kid, he keeps me on my toes!