Granna Antics

My daughter made the remark that she lives with the Tasmanian Devils. After keeping my four adorable grandchildren 3 days while Keilah and Adam moved into their new home.....I think she may be right. I have to share the experience with you...I did not make up any of these events!

Friday evening, December 19th, Keilah loaded her suburban up with pack n plays, high chairs, clothes, food, and toys. I took the older two boys with me and my job was to go get milk, diapers, and Sunny D juice. I don't know where my head was....I just went straight to the apartment. Met Keilah there and she is like, "Mom, diapers?" Oh yeah. so I get in the car and go get diapers, juice, and milk. I bought the wrong size diapers. We had enough to make it for awhile so no big deal......haha....just a trip to HEB in my future.....with 4 kids....oh by the way....before we left Keilah's, Anna Kade was playing with my phone and the screen went dark....no actually, it went dark and then starting this beautiful myriad of pretty spotty lights across the screen....my phone cratered...... I have no phone....Ok....so that will mean getting my old, no good, slow loading, stupid phone turned on until I get a replacement....which means a trip to Verizon is in my future....which also means I will have 4 kids and no form of outside communication except to step out on the balcony and yell "hey or Help!"

Nevertheless.....All is good. Babies are in bed; Keilah leaves; it is Granna and the boys. All is good....til 11:15 pm. Anna Kade is awake....get bottle and put her to bed....1:30......Anna Kade is awake.....hold her, sing to her, put her back to bed.....3:15 Anna Kade is awake.....get another bottle....sit on couch with granddaughter, look around and see Blitz, the elf as in

Elf on the shelf elf",...oh crap...I almost forgot about Blitz. What crazy antic can I set him up with? Being the creative Granna that I am, I pose Blitz at the mixer with a wooden spoon (would have taken pictures but....no camera phone thing...) and put Bisquick in the mixer and around the base to make it look like Blitz was making pancakes. Anna Kade has had a moment to play and now I will put her back to bed. 5:00 a.m. she is awake again. Here, just sleep with me. We "sleep" for an hour and get up. Everybody is up...6 15 a.m. On your mark, get set, GO! Granna!

Boys: Granna! Look at Blitz! He is making pancakes! do you think he wants pancakes for breakfast? I bet he wants us to eat pancakes!

Put babies in high chairs with grapes and this applesauce thing you twist off the cap and they suck it out - well that is how it is supposed to work. I look around and Anna Kade is squeezing it all out on her tray and rolling the grapes in it.

Collier: Granna, I want pancakes.....with syrup no butter.

Storybook Granna: Ok, well I will make you some pancakes with..

Collier: No Granna. I want the frozen mini circle ones.

Storybook Granna: Let me make you...Jake - stop throwing the grapes - are you done? Here let's wipe you off. Collier, are you sure you don't want me to make pan- Anna Kade - let's get you down. (she is also throwing applesauce covered grapes).

I wipe hands and get the twins out of their highchairs. Jake runs off to play; Anna Kade wants me to hold her. So I am getting frozen pancakes out of the freezer, getting the toaster and trying to put these half-dollar sized pancakes in the toaster. They are too little and fall through. Now I have to dig them out. One-handed with Ms. CrankyPants in my other arm.

"Collier, how do you cook these things?" "microwave them." Ok. I toss them in the micorwave.

Wyatt: Granna, I want pancakes.

Modern day Granna: Ok I will put some in the microwave for you. How many?

Wyatt: No Granna. I want you to make them like Blitz. (How's that creativity working out for you Granna?????)

Modern day Granna: Really Wyatt? Can't you just eat microwave ones?

Wyatt: No Granna. I want you to make them.

Story book Granna: Ok. How about eggs? You want some eggs too?

Wyatt: Yes.

I look at Collier. He is drowning his mini pancakes in syrup.

Collier! You have plenty of syrup! (They are practically floating)

Granna! I want both sides with syrup.

Flip them over!

Now I am holding AK, flipping Wyatt's pancakes, and cracking eggs with one hand. I look over and Jake has discovered the zip lock baggies in the bottom drawer and is pulling them out and throwing them everywhere.

"No, No! Jakey! Let's play over here!" I show him toys in the living room...

Oh dang it! The pancakes are...burning...well not burnt...but ...dark brown. I will just put them on the plate, yellow side up, and drown them in syrup.

Now for the eggs.....

Wyatt: Granna, I don't want eggs! Where is my juice?

Slightly Crazy Granna: Wyatt - why don't you want eggs? You said you did. I made them for you...

Wyatt: I don't want them.

Granna: Ok. Ak - you want eggs?

I feed her a bite. Jake is now in the kitchen, tugging on my leg. I feed him some eggs too.

Finally breakfast is over. Kids and kitchen is wiped down. Time to get dressed.

Phase two of our day:

Collier and Wyatt:  Granna let's make a gingerbread house.  Let's go to Target and get a Gingerbread house to make.

I do NOT like making gingerbread houses.  They NEVER work....for me.  They slide all over the place and collapse. The last time I made gingerbread houses was in 1999 I think and Ty hot glued them together for me onto pint-sized milk cartons..... I really do not want to make gingerbread houses.......

I need a phone.  Ok kids, let's go to Target.  We can get the Gingerbread house (that I do not want to make) and they have a Verizon store inside Target and I can get my phone.  This may not be as hard as I think.  HAHAHAHAHAHA!

We get to Target, I unload the stroller, load the twins, get the boys and in we go.  The Verizon employee does not get the necessity of making this quick.  He slowly looks at my phone; slowly looks up my account and c-o-n-t-e-m-p-l-a-t-e-s how to help me.  I am tapping my foot and trying to remain patient, but I know the patience timebomb is ticking for the twins.....

"Sir, can you just turn on my phone?"  I ask.

No, he cannot do that.  I will have to go to a Verizon store.  Where is the nearest Verizon store? He tells me and I quickly whisk boys and twins over to the Christmas isle, find the gingerbread house (I caved), pay and out we go....to Verizon.

It is about a 10 minute drive - a drive that is long enough for everyone to fall asleep - except for Anna Kade.  Really AK?  so I park in front of Verizon -the parking angels where with me - and unload the stroller - did I mention how much energy it takes to unload strollers and babies from car seats and get kids out of the car????? -  I get one baby loaded and then the other.  Now to wake up the boys.  No, they are dead to the world.  I cannot get them to wake up.  I need a phone.  Please God do not let a CPS person park beside me.  I am going to let the boys sleep and run inside with the twins.  I lock the boys in the car and go inside Verizon.  I can see inside the suburban, but I am nervous as can be.

Verizon employee:  Can I help you?

Stressed Granna:  Yes, I have busted my phone and I need this old one turned on.

Verizon employee:  Do you have insurance on the broken phone?

Stressed Granna anxiously looking out the window:  yes.

Verizon employee:  We will have to make the claim before I can turn this phone on.

Very Stressed Granna:  Ok.  Can I stay here in front of the window?  My grandsons are sleeping in the surburban right there and I can't wake them up.

Verizon Employee:  Yes.  (He dials the insurance company and I finally get the claim made).

Collier wakes up, sees me, and opens the car door.  Alarm goes off on the car.  I turn it off.  He comes in.  I am still waiting for the sales guy to STOP TALKING TO THAT OTHER CUSTOMER and come HELP ME!!!!    I leave Collier with the twins, run out to the car and try to wake up Wyatt.  Nope. sound asleep.  I run back into Verizon.

Desperate Granna:  Please can someone just turn on my phone for me?

Verizon Employee takes pity on me and completes the transition.  I am outta there.  

I reload children in car seats and try to fold the stroller.  It won't go down.  I try everything and cannot get it to totally fold down.  I just stuff it in the back, hoping the trunk will close - it did - and go home.

Granna is tired.  We still have diapers.....we are going home......to make a gingerbread house.

And no....it did not work....it slid and collapsed as usual.....I let the boys suck the icing out of the bag and eat the sides and candy.

Results.

You and the weekly WW meetings have become my accountability partners in the Chubby Bride Workout Plan.
Results:  lost 4 tenths of a pound....
    good news:  I lost and didn't gain.
    bad news:  this could be a really long journey to a 20 lb. loss at 4 tenths of a pound each week.

So I went home and had a low count dinner - 2 chicken legs and green beans and whole wheat bread.  Then I took one bite of several different things Donna brought back from Texas.  She has absolutely the best smorgasborg of food in her pantry.  She always buys different and interesting things like Bluebonnet jelly, cocoa roasted almonds, things from the bakery,...she buys things I would never buy because of the calories.  I am kind of plain jane when it comes to buying food because I know I will just eat it.
 
Weight watchers tells you to write it if you bite it.  Well, I bit it and I am just going to write it off as a hungry girl moment and let it go.

My goal for this week starting today is to:
     Write it if I bite it.  Everything.
      Have a perfect 19 point a day week
      Add cardio to my already intensive workout.
      Try to have a 3 lb loss (well really I need a 4 lb one to stay on goal but I don't know if I can do it.)
Measure my body.

85 days to the wedding day.
The Chubby Bride.

Chubby Bride Work-out Plan

Scott and I - okay - Jaye decided she wanted to get married in October in an aspen grove during the beautiful, fall color.  hmmmm....December to October (2nd) - that gave me a good eight months to get ready.  Ready as in looking good in a wedding dress.  And it will take every bit of eight months.

How is it you can look at yourself in the mirror day after day and not see yourself?  Like, see yourself as, "I am FAT!"  My FAT revelation did not come with my clothes fitting tighter or clothes not fitting at all, or having to buy bigger jeans and tops; it came with looking at some pictures of myself back in the fall and at Christmas. There it was- this - this - this belly roll over the jeans - not a muffin top - a mushy cake roll hanging right over the top of those jeans!  How did THAT get there?  I have NEVER had a belly roll....and it didn't go away when I stood up either....holy moly...and then I measured myself.....Holy Shamoly!  where did THOSE numbers come from????   Say it isn't SO!  Something must be done....

Then I got engaged!  And I refuse to be a chubby bride! So I began my Chubby Bride Workout plan and signed on with Weight Watchers in January.  Only on-line. I was sure my determination would overshadow any need to go to weekly meetings...with weekly weigh-ins.

Scales scare me.  Really they do.  And now when I weigh and see numbers I have never seen before - I am terrified.  But weighing in is pretty much of a part of the weight watcher plan, so weigh I must - so I weighed on my scales and got one number.  Then I weighed at my daughter's and got another number; and then finally on a doctor's scales...that is when I fainted. 

Weight Watcher's on-line with the e-tools worked for about two weeks.  I loved getting up early in the morning and logging in and filling in the blanks for what I was going to eat that day.  I even lost about 6 pounds - just enough for me to think I could slack off and I quit tracking my food.  I worked out pretty regularly but had some haphazard weeks.  On top of that, the weigh-in was not working.  I didn't have a scale at home (I moved and threw the scales away - they were about 5 pounds heavy......yes, I could have bought a new one, but I don't think the accountability for weighing would be there) and going to church to weigh wasn't working either so two weeks ago I joined Weight Watchers "land side" where I go to weekly meetings and weekly weigh ins.

My workout plan has become very focused and rigid.  I exercise everyday unless I absolutely cannot - like Sunday - driving home from Denver all day.

And Scott and I decided (yes, both of us) to get married in Belize instead of the aspens.  What have I gone and done now?  Upped the anty - not only do I have to get in shape for a wedding dress - but now I have added the beach to the picture!

So - so far here are the results:

April 28th - lost 2 lbs.

I have purchased the Physique 57 workout (Kelly Ripa swears by it) and am working out to it 3 days a week and then doing other DVD workouts on the other days.  sometimes I walk during the day if I can.

I will measure and tell you how many inches I have lost since Christmas.  Even if the scales don't show it, I know I am losing inches because it is getting fun to try on clothes in my closet....Or pull pants out of the dryer, put them on, and they not only fit, but the pocket lining is no longer bulging out the sides.

Today is weigh-in.  At 5:00.  Why can't there be a 5 AM weigh in where you haven't eaten anything since the night before and you could remove all clothing behind a curtain and step on the scale.....  My blood pressure is already rising in anticipation of the results -good or bad. 

I have worked out really, really hard this week, and I have had the bare minimum to eat today in anticipation of my meeting with the scales this afternoon. I stuck to the plan except for Saturday night when we had early birthday cake for Scott at the Cheesecake Factory - I did have Low Carb if that helps - and I did walk all day in Denver Saturday.  ...5:00 is coming....

Ok, results to be posted tomorrow.

PS.....Wedding date is July 30th...and there is a story behind that too....
The Chubby Bride

Delighting Myself in the Lord!

I said I would follow this theme until the end of May, but I think I can close the theme out now.  Delighting myself in the Lord...what an adventure - although sometimes it has been kind of ho-hum, you know - the everyday stuff- but then! there were the really BIG days... like Christmas night!  So what HAVE I learned from this adventure?

The first thing would be - "don't sweat the small stuff."  Learning to just go with the flow and not spazzing out when things don't go the way you plan.  The scripture "Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to the Lord. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7 

Not having a 'steady' job is a great way to put this verse into practice.  As I write the word "steady", I have to smile to myself and ask myself to define steady.  I have had the most steady, full-time, part-time job ever by substitute teaching.   Seriously!  I have consistently averaged 3-4 subbing jobs per week - well not counting post-Christmas!  A little 'skinny' there but you know what?  It all worked out.  For the times when it was a little 'skinny', I reminded myself that God knew my needs, and had exactly the right amount of jobs, on the right days for me.  And He did. 

Learning to appreciate a flexible job schedule.  I have learned to love my schedule.  Sometimes I work all day, sometimes half-days, and then sometimes have days off in the middle of the week or the end of the week...long weekends...oh! and I have shorter work days!  Out of school at 3:30 or 1:30 on Fridays....plus the schedule has been a god-send for working on my masters degree.  which brings me to my next point...

Learning when to let go and having the courage to do it.  I am postponing the master's program for a while.  The bachelor's program with University of Phoenix was a great experience; however, the master's program has been nothing but stressful with the learning teams from the get-go.  During spring break, after a particularly frustating experience, I cried "uncle" and withdraw from the program - mainly because
I was not having the time to plan for my upcoming wedding, much less get excited about it.  What a relief to let school go for a time and concentrate on what needs to be priority.  With our school's budget cuts, I am not too hopeful that  a job will be available any time soon, so why continue the "killer" push to get done?  Aside from the fact that that is my personality!

Another thing I let go of was my condo.  I have tried selling and renting with no luck selling and worse luck with some of my renters! Ugh!  Anyway, after struggling to hang onto the barbie townhouse, I decided to cry "uncle" on that one too and handed it back to the bank.  Although I felt a bit of shame not fulfilling my mortgage agreement, I also felt a tremendous sense of relief.  A huge burden was lifted from my shoulders and the release of a stress I did not realize I was carrying. 

Everyday I continue to feel myself decompressing. I have been on overload for a long time and did not realize the daily pressure I have put myself under.  I think a layer lifts each day as my schedule is freer and responsibilities are lighter.

As I close this phase of Delighting Myself, I know I will continue to use the things I have learned and subconsciously, if not consciously, continue to delight myself in the Lord.

Once again, God has been so very good to me as I struggled to find my way.  I am grateful for the time I have had for this venture and all of the lessons the Lord has had for me. 

I challenge you to have your own "Delight Yourself In the Lord" project.  Who knows what God has in store for you! 

Coming next:  The Chubby Bride Work out Plan!

She said, "Yes!"

So guess who is getting married???!!!! Yep, Princess Jaye has found her Prince!

Last year, as I was in my long-term sub position, I just so happened to be stationed right next door to the very cute and handsome 8th grade history teacher who just so happened to be single.

One day, I went into his room to ask a question and as I started to leave the room, he said, "Could I ask you a question?" Sure, I replied expecting him to ask me something about school. Uh no, that would be a negative! He said, "Would I be overstepping professional bounds if I asked you out sometime?" Sucking up my surprise, I smiled and said, "No, that would be great!" So we went to dinner, and dinner again, and then we were going out a lot... and then Christmas came along....

It just so happens Scott, (my prince charming does have a name), has Texas ties. His parents own a ranch in Dripping Spring, Texas (south of Austin). We went there for Christmas. Actually, he was at the ranch while I was flittin' from Dripping Springs to Austin to Lubbock to Dripping Springs.

So anyway, I had traveled to Lubbock with Keilah and Adam and Collier to have Christmas with my family. I flew back to Austin on Christmas afternoon. Scott picked me up at the airport and had yellow roses for me. I thought, "Well, how sweet of him!" We went back to the ranch for dinner since everything was closed on Christmas.

We had the fireplace going and it was all so warm and cozy. I sat in the rocking chair by the fireplace and Scott was sitting across the room from me. I was telling Scott my ideas about what he should do if he wanted to sell his house. As I was talking, he got out of his chair and came and got down on one knee by my chair and took my hand. He interrupted my chatter and said something like "I love your ideas but what I want is for you to share your life with me for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?" And he dropped a ring into my hand. I wish someone had been there with a camera because my mouth fell open and my eyes were as big as saucers! I said, "Oh My Gosh!" and threw my arms around his neck. He said, "Is that a yes?" "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Everyone wants to know why I was so surprised. We had been talking serious, yes, but I didn't have a clue a ring was to be my Christmas gift! Wow! So now, on October 2, 2010, I will become Mrs. Scott Gregory White or Mrs. Jaye Price-White....we'll see what I decide about that....

Wow, 2009, as the high school principal put it was: Epic for me!

I passed the Praxis II exam. Earned my Bachelor of Science degree. Became a grandmother to my precious Collier. Started working toward my Master's degree....and got engaged!!! Pretty Awesome year wouldn't you say?

My Scott, my prince is just amazing. I simply can't wait to see what all God has planned for us. Scott is the most wonderful, incredible gift from God and I am deliriously happy that he is in my life.

God, you are so incredibly good and creative. You took me to Colorado so I could find my Texas guy. What a hoot!

I think his truck is sexy... it really turns me on! (Old farm truck at the ranch)

Project: Delight Myself in the Lord - Day whatever : )

Wondering if I am still delighting? Yes, I am. I have been busy with Master's program - two classes and orientation down and about 22 classes to go; my "manfriend" (I think saying boyfriend is so..so..highschoolish), children's ministry (I am now children's minister at my church), and substitute teaching. Life is good.

Monday, we pretty much had a "mini" blizzard blow through. I was subbing and as I watched the constant, heavy snowfall, I worried I wouldn't be able to get my car out of the snow. Sure enough, although the snow wasn't too deep around my car as the snowplows had kept the road plowed, there was just enough incline that I could not get my car on the road. I had to have three 8th grade boys and the janitor give me a push. (that sort of reminds me of when I rode bumpers cars at Six flags or the amusement part - you know how the car stops in the middle of the floor and the attendant has to come and give you a push to go....yeah....) As I waited for them to come out and give me a push, I watched some high school kids in a little car struggle to drive up the street....five kids in this little economy car....three of them got out and pushed the car until it gained traction and could go....it was funny...I knew just how the driver felt.

I am not so good in the snow. The first two winters here I was with my friends Dan and Donna most of the time and went everywhere with them. They have the big Tahoe and big truck with 4-wheel drive plus we did everything together so I didn't get much practice driving in the snow. I missed the mother lode winter the year I was in Texas and then the next year was a rather weak winter so now... Welcome to reality Jaye. Thank goodness they plow my condo drive and clear the steps.

OK, for some winter-living attitude adjustments I have had since coming to live here:

1. High heeled dress boots look great in the store and catalog but are just plain stupid for here. I was determined to remain a "cupcake" and not to become a granola bar, leaving fashion for the city. I am still a "cupcake" but probably a less decorated one. There is nothing wrong with wearing practical, flat-heeled boots to travel to your destination and changing into more fashionable ones once you are inside.
2. When I first came here, I saw some women wearing these knee-high, fur-lined (the furr encircled the top of the boot, showing about an inch or so all the way around), lace-up boots. And I thought,"That is just over-kill on boots. That is just gaudy Colorado style." Well, uh, as soon as I can afford a pair of those boots, they will be residing in my closet. The first year I lived here, I found a pair of Ugg look alike boots at Target. Pink suede lined with lambs wool. I wear those quite often.
3. When I lived in Austin, I never wore a coat in winter. My motto was "I can stand anything for a few minutes." I never was prepared. I am still working on this one. I own two heavy coats and several jackets, two pairs of gloves and am working on a scarf collection. Now if I can just remember where I put the gloves and where I left my coat, I will be doing great. I am also becoming a fan of peacoats, coatdresses, and anything fashionable relating to "coats."
4. Has anyone watched "New in Town"? It is a movie about a city girl moving to Minnesota...yeah....and in one scene she gets stuck in the snow in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the clothes she is taking on a trip back to....Florida...and a bottle of wine. She runs her red, sexy nightie up her antennae for a distress flag and gets totally wasted on a bottle of wine as she sits in her car waiting for help. Well, I try to keep a blanket in the car and sensible shoes should I happen to be wearing stupid shoes on a day I should have worn better shoes. I do not have a bottle of wine but water is a good thing. Except I drank all of it on my way home at Thanksgiving. Neither do I have a sexy, red nightie to tie onto my antennae to use as a distress signal. Reckon my City Market shopping bags would work?
5. The lower-necked shirts currently in vogue are better served with a liner shirt underneath or given away to friends in Austin, or saved for a trip back to Austin.
6. Keep the gas tank filled. I went to a friends house to housesit without realizing my tank was so low. They live out on a ranch in Chromo - Chromo has one store on the side of the road and that is it. It is a convenience store/post office. I knew there was a gas pump there; however, I didn't know the gas pump was out of service. (where is the convenience in that one?) I was sweating just a bit as to whether I would make it back to town. Once at the ranch, I looked around for gas cans as I knew Jim had four wheelers and a tractor. I found a gas can and put enough gas in to hopefully make it back to town. (I did.) Or how about the time I didn't fill up the tank in Dan's truck I took to Albuquerque? I did not realize his gas tank gauge did not work and ended up driving on fumes across the deserted Apache reservation...ummmm...no cell service, out on the reservation...wearing stupid heels that had rubbed a blister on my feet....couldn't have walked four steps in those shoes....not a good thing....I am learning to take this preparedness thing seriously.
5. I have learned to build a fire in my fireplace and actually get it to burn nicely. I have also learned where you get kindling. The city girl in me arose when I innocently asked Scott, "Where do you get kindling?" He smiled and said, "You hand your son an ax and have him split wood." Oh.
6. I have learned shopping at Cabella's, The Bass Pro Shop, and REI is not a bad thing. Even if my daughter and youngest sister would raise their eyebrows.
7. Snowpants and waterproof pants with zip-off legs to create shorts are nice items to have living in your closet. Owning a pair of wader-boot things are handy as well. Keeps the legs of your pants dry when you are out snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing, etc.

8. One thing I haven't changed is the....hair thing. I do not wear beanies or hats on my hair. Hair squished around my face is just ...not cute or pretty. And makeup - makeup is a beautiful thing and is as necessary as brushing your teeth.

9. My car has "On-Star" capabilities. I am re-thinking my decision about not activitating it....what do you think?

So cupcake girl in the granola world is adapting to her environment; however, I will always be the "prissy" in the "practical" world.

If you read all of this - thanks for sticking around as I reflected on my life adjustments in Colorado.

Project: Delight Yourself in the Lord: Living Joyously in the Land of Unemployment

In my last post I ended with "I find that I am living in a place most people rarely get to inhabit. No - they get to inhabit - but don't enjoy it. Not Pagosa - the life of unemployment. I am sure many would say, "We'll let you take this one for the team, Jaye." ..... Let's talk about that...

Unemployment has been the absolute best thing in the world for me. Really. I am serious. I may say that I trust God but when the things that are most important to me and the things I rely upon are taken away from me - that is when the real truth comes out. Do I (we) really believe God is sufficient for EVERYTHING? Do I (we) really believe that He is going to come through for me (us)? Is He really going to provide for my (our) every need without my help...my job skills...my bank account? Let me tell you - when hard times come, this is when the rubber meets the road in my (our) faith walk, don't you think?

Unemployment and Project Delight is making me a much more disciplined person in a variety of ways. For instance, this morning, I made myself a budget. I know. I don't hardly have any money and most of what I do have is "faith-based." I laugh as a write that because I substitute teach...you know ...the whole "separation of church and state" thing....yeah right. Anyway, projecting in faith of what I think I will have, I made a budget. I even thought I would challenge myself further and budgeted a tithe. And wrote out the check which I will put in the offering plate on Sunday. Should have been doing it all along but I got....skeered... about trusting my Dad.

But here's the deal. I don't know what God has in store for my income. So far, the substitute teaching is averaging out very well. Listen to this: Last week, on Sunday night, I had one job on the calendar for the week. (I just live by the week.) Okay, so I was going to have an easy week. No worries. Gave me more time to work on Harvest Fest.

8:10 Wednesday, just settled in with coffee and bible and my phone rings. Ms. Gorman, freshman algebra teacher. She has a migraine and needs a sub. Could I come in. Sure!

Friday morning, 6:50 a.m. phone rings. I knew it was a sub call but I really needed to write a paper. Ignored phone. Felt guilty. Called back and took the job. You know if you don't take the jobs offered they might not call you back! There was my 3 day a week average! The words from Psalms 37..."Wait patiently. Trust in the Lord." ring so true. And I don't worry about what is or is not on the calendar! Nor do I worry about what happens after May 31st. Someday, I will have a job and it will be perfect and in God's perfect time.

I believe with all my heart, my Father, Daddy, has me in His blessed hands. Every need and sometimes my wants are met. I am not suffering in the least. My faith trust base is being strengthened - one more time. I know my family wonders sometimes why things are hard for me and why doesn't God let me catch a break and live easy but I am glad that He hasn't. I would miss so much of Him if that happened. I hope during this time I am becoming wiser. I know that I am the happiest I have ever been. I laugh all the time and I rarely get bent out of shape over things and if I do - it is short-lived. Why waste precious energy on .... stupid?

I don't know where this trail leads and I am content to walk along each day just taking in today. So, you guys out there, I will gladly take one for the team in unemployment. It's the best thing that's happened to me and honestly....I am sorry you missed it!

Ms. Jaye