The last couple of months at our house have been pretty interesting. There have been tons of changes in our house employment-wise, so I’m going to jump right in.

My Employment Situation

First off, if you’ve been following me for very long, you know I lost my job two years ago. I was laid off from my oil industry position in February of 2016, and it’s been a roller coaster ever since. I found a full-time, low paying job in August of 2017 and went back to work. But the reality was, I didn’t like the job. And the pay was VERY low. So low as to be nearly insulting. It helped pay some bills, though, and kept us off the street. Still, I wasn’t happy there so I kept looking for something else.

In November, I applied for a job in local government, but I never really expected it to go anywhere. At that point, I’d applied for hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs. Not hearing anything had become SOP. So imagine my surprise when six weeks later, I was contacted to interview. It took a while to get through the process – an ice storm and general bureaucracy impeded the way.

I am happy to say that I started my new job on March 5th. In typical bureaucratic fashion, it’s taking a while to get up and running, but I think that my new job is better suited to me than the last one. It may not be my :”forever” job, but it’s fine for now and I’m pretty happy with it.

Chris’s Employment Situation

Chris has been working for a very large online company since July 2017, and he really likes it. At first, I have to admit, I had some concerns. You hear things about these companies, you know? Turns out, all my concerns have been unfounded. Chris LOVES his job, loves the company and feels like he has a real shot at a good future. He’s been busting his butt to prove himself, and he’s being rewarded.

Before Christmas, he applied for a promotion at the company’s newest Houston-area facility. And on his birthday, he got an email offering him the job! He is super excited, and I’m so happy for him. The new position gives him a very nice raise, but it means he will have to work nights, at least for a while. No worries, though, he’s done night shift, and I’ve been alone before. He has been off the last week preparing for the flip, and tonight he starts his new job!

This is so exciting for us both, because he is planning for his next promotion already. He has a clear path forward, and we’re both praying he finds another mentor half as good as his last one. But most of all, I have never been more proud of him. This is the first job Chris has ever had where he thought he may have an actual future. It’s so exciting!

Two down, one to go …

Travis’s Employment Situation

My son is the sweetest young man I know, but he’s lacked focus since he graduated from high school, nearly five years ago. He’s had some problems finding full-time employment, in part because he didn’t have enough experience, and in part because he wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to do. He tried the college thing and it just wasn’t for him, so the last few years, he’s worked for a major grocery chain in the fuel station.

Of course, he wasn’t happy about the situation, but he is good at the job. He’s smart, and apparently when he’s at work, he’s hardworking and focused. That’s good, because … well, you know, you just don’t KNOW if you’ve instilled a good work ethic in your kids. At least, not until you can see it in practice and hear from others. Several times when I’ve gone to take Travis food, or just stopped by his workplace to get gas or pick up a drink, someone has asked if he’s my son. Even though I’m a little hesitant in this day and age to say yes, I do claim him. LOL And every time, I’ve received nothing but compliments. “You did a fine job raising him.” “He’s a good worker.” “He’s a polite young man.”

Whew.

And he’s put in probably hundreds of applications himself, trying to find a full-time job. He was unsuccessful, until the same company where Chris works sent Travis an email earlier this month. He starts his new job next Saturday, and we couldn’t be happier.

For the first time in years, every time I look at Travis, he’s smiling. The phrase “grinning like a fool” comes to mind, actually. The day he turned in his resignation to his current job, he couldn’t stop smiling. I think his management might have shed some tears, but Travis didn’t stop smiling.

The New Normal

So, our “normal” is changing. Everyone is employed full-time. Everyone is working a different schedule. Since Chris won’t be home, and Travis doesn’t often eat dinner with us, I will not be cooking every night. There’s no point! I’m developing new menus for meals that can be frozen and reheated in one and two person servings. Summer is coming, so there are a lot of salads in my future. Simple, easy and tasty!

I’m hopeful that the evenings alone will result in some serious sewing. That’s my plan, anyway. If I don’t have to worry about cooking (and by extension, cleaning the kitchen) two or three nights a week, and I’m basically home alone … Travis isn’t downstairs, even when he IS at home, after all. Before Chris and I started dating, I got a lot of sewing done after work during the week. Here’s hoping I can pick up that habit again!