oh life....

So I haven't posted about my job yet and I think I should. For the last 9 months I have worked for a wonderful agency in a program called Healthy Families. I have loved my job and I have despised my job. It is a great program but what I see in some families is so discouraging and I was thinking about quitting about a month ago. I decided to stay at my job and that even though it was hard at times I was helping the families that I met with a little bit at a time. Also, there are some amazing families that I get to talk with and it is so encouraging to hear their stories and talk with them about their future. Well, last Friday (the 13th actually...haha) an email was sent out to all the Healthy Families staff to let us know of some budget cuts. We are mostly funded by DES (Department of Economic Security) and they were so grossly over budget and they did not plan well at all. Therefore they slashed our funding by 75%. Which means that this program which served thousands families state wide and employed hundreds of people will now have to operate on a quarter...25%...of the money that they were once able to operate on. Oh...and they gave us 2 weeks notice; the funds run out February 28th.

I was on a visit when my coworker called me 2x in a row so I excused myself to take the call. She told me of the emial that was sent out and my heart dropped, my stomach turned, and I had to fight back tears. I couldn't believe that they were doing this - we knew that with only 25% of the money coming in we were both going to be laid off. I went back into the visit, finished up quickly and went home to let my mind race freely as to what this means. I called Ben and told him and he responded so well...exactly how I needed him to respond: encouraging, sympathetic, and positive. When I got home I started searching for jobs (I forgot how overwhelming that feels!) I updated my resume and posted it on 3 online sites, careerbuilers.com and jobbing.com and monster.com! I think I felt so overwhelmed that I needed to know that I was doing everything I could do get a job. We hadn't even been told yet for sure that I would be laid off but I just knew that it was over.

I spent the weekend thinking about what I could do and where I should look for work...with all the thoughts in my head racing like...we have a mortgage and bills....will we make enough to get by?! There were so many layoffs in my program and other like it that were funded by DES that there will be tons of people applying for the exact type of job that I would be applying for! I started to panic a little bit...but I believe that God knows and sees everything - and that includes me and my job. I knew God foresaw this and He had another job waiting for me - I just needed to be led to it! I prayed a lot and thought about what God could have in store for me.

I got the news on Tuesday the 17th that for sure I was laid off and my last date of employment would be February 27th. I was prepared for this and was able to now tell all of my 13 families that I served that we needed to stop services. Those were some HARD phone calls. I'm not looking forward to this week of meeting with them for the last time :(

Ben and I had been planning on taking Eden to Disneyland for her birthday which was Feb 19th. We took his youngest sister Hailey in January and we had so much fun we knew we wanted to do the same for Eden. I was nervous to spend the money and would have rather added that to our savings account (although some reservations had already been made so we would have lost that money...) but we knew that the time with them on this trip would be priceless and we had been looking forward to this trip so so much! So...we left the next day and took them to Disneyland...such a good decision! I know that we will just need to sacrifice a few things this week and in the coming weeks so that we will get by - totally worth it! I'll post pictures in a new more positive blog.

Okay so Tuesday I decided to post my info and resume on a couple nanny sites online. I didn't know if anything would come it but I thought it could. I had just finished listing my info and kind of job I am looking for and less than 30 minutes later I got an email about a job description that matched what I was looking for. It was for a family that needed someone 2 days a week for a 2 month old baby - that was it - one baby! It was part time, yes, but that's ok! It was something and it was a 2 month old! So I emailed them my phone number and email address and let them know about me and why I would be great to hire! 3 days later I get a phone call from that family and we had a phone interview...40 minutes long! I didn't realize that it was the parents at first (I thought it was like the nanny agency calling) so I was really nervous and was shaking a little bit. The more we talked the more comfortable I felt and at the end of the conversation they invited me over to meet with them in person at their house. I set a time with them for Sunday at 1:30.

As I started to think about being a nanny long term I got a little sad about not having vacation time or sick days to be able to call in (for benefits I can switch to Ben's so that isn't a big deal). I also thought about the fact that I do want to go back to school in the next couple years and it would be great to work somewhere that helps to pay for further education. So I knew that I needed to tell this family that I'm not sure about long term anymore but that I still needed a job for right now. Surprisingly they were so understanding of my desire to get my masters and that working somewhere that helps with tuition makes a lot of sense. They also need someone as the mom goes back to work tomorrow. They offerred me the job as a kind of temporary thing (so far we have the month of March scheduled) and I will keep them updated with how my job search is going and they will let me know if they find a premenant nanny (although they didn't seem anxious to look for someone else). When I said that I was looking for a job in a hospital they were like, "We might know someone who works at Mayo...we'll have to see for you!" I was thinking "Are you kidding me!? These people are offerring to help me find a job that would take me away from them?!" I felt so amazing walking away from their house! I felt like God just handed this to me as if to say, "Here is a job! This is what I had waiting for you, this is perfect for your needs and perfect for you and perfect timing. Dang I'm trustworthy aren't I?" God is trustworthy - He had a plan for me and I feel so blessed and honored to be a part of His great Plan.

The other totally awesome thing and what I am very thankful to God for is that this family is Christian! They go to a community church, wanted a trustworthy nanny, and were thrilled that I am a Christian! They are laid back and yet knew how they wanted their little baby cared for. They love that I have child development knowlege and want me to do those activities with their baby.

I am overwhelmed tonight but not with the stress of finding a job...I am overwhelmed with the amazing love that God has for me and that he has a plan for my life! I still can't believe it but it is coming true before my eyes! I am so happy and can't wait to see what God has next for me!

If you actually read this whole blog until now THANKS! I don't know if anyone actually reads my blog and this one is so long and wordy! But thanks if you did - I don't blame you if you didn't! I'll post more about how my first days go with this family (I start March 3rd) and what God puts on my heart as to what I should pursue right now.