(Continued from Previous)
BY MID-September when Lee was getting ready to start @ NES (NorthEastern Services) I got a bit of inspiration. I hadn't gotten hired on for the year @ the school district but felt that I should call to see if there were any other positions available & was told there were.
Let me tell you how the next 7 days went:
FIRST, ON Thu. I picked up the application & turned it in on Friday. On Mon. Lee got his licence. On Tue. I was called in for an interview in the morning, told in the afternoon that I had the job as an ESL Aide @ an Elementary down the street, & started the job the next morning.
IN THE meantime, Lee had his interview Wed. morning & started training w/ me on Wed. night w/ his first shift on Fri. morning!
NOW I'M working the 2 jobs @ +50 hrs/wk & Lee just picked up another shift for a total of 32/wk & we still don't have any money! lol. Being able to take care of our needs ourselves makes it worthwhile, & once things settle down after Christmas we hope things will get better.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
More Catch-Up!
(Continued from Previous)
ONCE Lee got things under control with the bloodclot, he got the "go-ahead" to start looking for work part-time. However, most of the jobs that were coming available were full-time or too strenuous for him in his condition. He did try a few but just couldn't do them.
STILL, my hours increased & I got a 3-week second job in June @ one of the local Elementary Schools. Between these & other forms of assistance we were getting by; & just being in Utah again made things easier to bear.
ONE DAY in August Lee asked me if I thought he could do the job that I do working w/ People w/ Disabilities. Neither of us had thought of it for Lee, but he wasn't getting anything else so decided to give it a try. Lee has such a kind, funny, easy-going personality that he just might do well.
LEE HAD to get his Utah licence 1st before they could hire him & there were several roadblocks we had to get past first. By the time we were ready it was mid-September.
ONCE Lee got things under control with the bloodclot, he got the "go-ahead" to start looking for work part-time. However, most of the jobs that were coming available were full-time or too strenuous for him in his condition. He did try a few but just couldn't do them.
STILL, my hours increased & I got a 3-week second job in June @ one of the local Elementary Schools. Between these & other forms of assistance we were getting by; & just being in Utah again made things easier to bear.
ONE DAY in August Lee asked me if I thought he could do the job that I do working w/ People w/ Disabilities. Neither of us had thought of it for Lee, but he wasn't getting anything else so decided to give it a try. Lee has such a kind, funny, easy-going personality that he just might do well.
LEE HAD to get his Utah licence 1st before they could hire him & there were several roadblocks we had to get past first. By the time we were ready it was mid-September.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Catch-Up Time!
HEY THERE! I know it's been a long time, but I discovered that I can write the blog using the PS3! So bear w/ me for a bit while I play a little "Catch-Up"!
LEE & I moved in May as planned, but Lee ended up w/ a bloodclot, which wasn't planned. It took all the money we had to live w/ & took me a couple of weeks to start working so times were tough. I'm just so grateful that money is all that was taken. With the death of Uncle Darrell just 16 days later, I was reminded just how lucky we were & are.
AT THIS time I want to put out a thank you to all those who helped us through the last few months. First to my dad for insisting that he felt Lee had a bloodclot. You're my "Angel", Dad. Also to my In-laws for helping with the money for the test that told us Lee had the clot; and for checking up on us so much, which meant so much to us & made things easier. To my brother, Scott, for your advice. Also to my sister-in-law, Shirley Anne, who came & sat with us at the hospital. Finally to everyone who prayed for us.
LEE & I moved in May as planned, but Lee ended up w/ a bloodclot, which wasn't planned. It took all the money we had to live w/ & took me a couple of weeks to start working so times were tough. I'm just so grateful that money is all that was taken. With the death of Uncle Darrell just 16 days later, I was reminded just how lucky we were & are.
AT THIS time I want to put out a thank you to all those who helped us through the last few months. First to my dad for insisting that he felt Lee had a bloodclot. You're my "Angel", Dad. Also to my In-laws for helping with the money for the test that told us Lee had the clot; and for checking up on us so much, which meant so much to us & made things easier. To my brother, Scott, for your advice. Also to my sister-in-law, Shirley Anne, who came & sat with us at the hospital. Finally to everyone who prayed for us.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Long Time!
Hey, I know it's been a long time, and I certainly don't have a lot of time to post anything at the moment, but just wanted to get on and say that there will be more coming as soon as I have the time to get on.
I do want to pass on that we made it safely to Logan and love being here. Lee had a blood clot (still has, they say he'll have it for the rest of his life, just under control w/ medication) that kept him from working for a while, now he just can't find a job, lol. I'm working almost full time, now; but couldn't get on with the school district for the school year.
Although work is a little slow and we're struggling w/ finances, we're still happier to be here. Nevada may be great for some people. but we weren't happy there; besides, Logan will always be home to us both.
I do want to pass on that we made it safely to Logan and love being here. Lee had a blood clot (still has, they say he'll have it for the rest of his life, just under control w/ medication) that kept him from working for a while, now he just can't find a job, lol. I'm working almost full time, now; but couldn't get on with the school district for the school year.
Although work is a little slow and we're struggling w/ finances, we're still happier to be here. Nevada may be great for some people. but we weren't happy there; besides, Logan will always be home to us both.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Moving on May 15th
Well, it's official, Lee and I are moving to Logan, UT on Saturday, May 15th! We will be leaving first thing in the morning if all goes well, and that should put us into Logan between 1 & 2 pm. LOL, if all goes well. I don't have much more to say about it right now, but just wanted to get the word out that it's going to happen! YAY! We're going home!
Monday, March 29, 2010
MOVING?!!!
We could be in Logan, Utah, by May 15th!!!!!
Are you wondering how? This is how it all came about:
As most of our friends and family know, Lee and I have been trying to move back to Utah for quite some time. We've made a few efforts that haven't worked out very well. A few weeks ago, we decided to try again, especially after finding out that the odds of Lee getting hired on at the Gold Mines out here start around 1 in more than 10,000 (and less than that considering he has no mining experience at all).
In Elko, as well, the standard of living is based upon the mine income, and if you don't work at the mines, or have a Professional Career, the majority of the work to be found is only about 1/3 - 1/2 of the mines' income. When Lee was working full time at his last job, we were barely getting by, and the standard of living has only gone up since then.
In Logan we can move into our old apartment complex for $400/mo., whereas the same-sized apartment here is now $625/mo. or greater. Low income housing starts at around $500-550/mo. Also, the jobs that are available for him here are mostly retail or food service. He has no experience in anything else that is available for him here. At least in Logan he has experience with Production, and might have a chance at something decent.
So, we decided it's just not worth trying to stay any longer.
That next week we started checking on what it would take to move; ie. checking on jobs, housing, etc. I knew that there were at least 2 jobs that I could try for that I would have a greater than average chance of getting because I had them before, and I have a lot of experience and skills: working w/ people with disabilities, and working as a teacher's aide. I contacted both of these jobs and got applications. I found out from the School District that if I put in my application with them, they feel that I have a VERY good chance of getting hired on for the new school year in August. So Lee and I started thinking about making that our goal.
Later that week I spoke with the other job and found out that they are currently taking applications for the summer hours. Through contact with them, I turned in my application (which they will be going through apps this week) and found out that they could have hours available by mid-May/June. I also found out that I have a VERY good chance of getting hired on (probably as much as 99% chance).
We have also been checking on the Utah Department of Workforce Services website and updated our old accounts with them. Last week I found 4 Production jobs that Lee would qualify for and we applied for 3 of them (1 of them you must apply in person). He may or may not get these, but it shows us that the jobs are out there, he just needs to apply. Now would be the best time to get out there and look because students are leaving and he should try to get a job before the summer students come and take them all.
We also spoke with the manager of the apartments where we used to live and he guaranteed that he would hold an apartment for us if one is available (and they should have several available in May). This takes care of the problem of where to live that we had last year when we wanted to move then.
As for finances: The company that I work for has a profit-sharing plan that we are all invested in. I found out this week that I could cash that in when we move and have approximately $2000 that I would get the day I leave the job. That would provide for moving expenses, and I could use my paycheck to provide for daily living expenses for a few weeks. I will also start having $150 more per month, starting on 4/15, due to paying off a personal loan. That will allow us to invest that money into saving for the move as well. Finally, we are trying to sell our 1999 Oldsmobile Alero. It's an extra car that we wouldn't need if we were living in Logan because they have a free bus system. If (and I strongly emphasize the "if") we can sell the car by that time, we would have an additional $1500 from that sale.
There are just too many things working in our favor this time to not try to take advantage of the situation. We realize that there is still that small percentage that it may not work out as we wish, but we feel that it's not worth foregoing the chance, just because of a small chance that things don't work out. At this point, if the hours are not available at this summer job with people with disabilities by the time we are ready to move, we still might take the chance. There are other opportunities that could come up once we get there, opportunities that wouldn't be available living out-of-state. In the meantime, we are praying REALLY hard.
Are you wondering how? This is how it all came about:
As most of our friends and family know, Lee and I have been trying to move back to Utah for quite some time. We've made a few efforts that haven't worked out very well. A few weeks ago, we decided to try again, especially after finding out that the odds of Lee getting hired on at the Gold Mines out here start around 1 in more than 10,000 (and less than that considering he has no mining experience at all).
In Elko, as well, the standard of living is based upon the mine income, and if you don't work at the mines, or have a Professional Career, the majority of the work to be found is only about 1/3 - 1/2 of the mines' income. When Lee was working full time at his last job, we were barely getting by, and the standard of living has only gone up since then.
In Logan we can move into our old apartment complex for $400/mo., whereas the same-sized apartment here is now $625/mo. or greater. Low income housing starts at around $500-550/mo. Also, the jobs that are available for him here are mostly retail or food service. He has no experience in anything else that is available for him here. At least in Logan he has experience with Production, and might have a chance at something decent.
So, we decided it's just not worth trying to stay any longer.
That next week we started checking on what it would take to move; ie. checking on jobs, housing, etc. I knew that there were at least 2 jobs that I could try for that I would have a greater than average chance of getting because I had them before, and I have a lot of experience and skills: working w/ people with disabilities, and working as a teacher's aide. I contacted both of these jobs and got applications. I found out from the School District that if I put in my application with them, they feel that I have a VERY good chance of getting hired on for the new school year in August. So Lee and I started thinking about making that our goal.
Later that week I spoke with the other job and found out that they are currently taking applications for the summer hours. Through contact with them, I turned in my application (which they will be going through apps this week) and found out that they could have hours available by mid-May/June. I also found out that I have a VERY good chance of getting hired on (probably as much as 99% chance).
We have also been checking on the Utah Department of Workforce Services website and updated our old accounts with them. Last week I found 4 Production jobs that Lee would qualify for and we applied for 3 of them (1 of them you must apply in person). He may or may not get these, but it shows us that the jobs are out there, he just needs to apply. Now would be the best time to get out there and look because students are leaving and he should try to get a job before the summer students come and take them all.
We also spoke with the manager of the apartments where we used to live and he guaranteed that he would hold an apartment for us if one is available (and they should have several available in May). This takes care of the problem of where to live that we had last year when we wanted to move then.
As for finances: The company that I work for has a profit-sharing plan that we are all invested in. I found out this week that I could cash that in when we move and have approximately $2000 that I would get the day I leave the job. That would provide for moving expenses, and I could use my paycheck to provide for daily living expenses for a few weeks. I will also start having $150 more per month, starting on 4/15, due to paying off a personal loan. That will allow us to invest that money into saving for the move as well. Finally, we are trying to sell our 1999 Oldsmobile Alero. It's an extra car that we wouldn't need if we were living in Logan because they have a free bus system. If (and I strongly emphasize the "if") we can sell the car by that time, we would have an additional $1500 from that sale.
There are just too many things working in our favor this time to not try to take advantage of the situation. We realize that there is still that small percentage that it may not work out as we wish, but we feel that it's not worth foregoing the chance, just because of a small chance that things don't work out. At this point, if the hours are not available at this summer job with people with disabilities by the time we are ready to move, we still might take the chance. There are other opportunities that could come up once we get there, opportunities that wouldn't be available living out-of-state. In the meantime, we are praying REALLY hard.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Lee's 30!
This month Lee turned 30! To celebrate, we had a dinner party last night. We invited two families that we are close to from Spring Creek; we had a packed house: 9 children and 7 adults! It was a lot of fun. We had two dishes that Lee loves from his childhood: Bean Soup and Tomato Cake. Everyone loved the food and the company so it was a great evening. We even decorated the cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to Lee. I think he really enjoyed it.
Not much else is happening with our lives, but we are getting by. More to come whenever something happens other than daily life!
Not much else is happening with our lives, but we are getting by. More to come whenever something happens other than daily life!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
New Year's
For New Year's Eve this year, we didn't really celebrate a lot. Lee and I went out to lunch together and bought a movie (Disney/Pixar's UP). That night we just watched a few movies. At midnight we celebrated by toasting with some Caffeine-Free Pepsi. Kind of lame, huh? But it was an easy, pleasant evening.
New Year's Day was our celebration. Lee's parents came from Utah to visit! We saw the briefly at Lee's grandfather's funeral in August, but that's about all we've seen them since they came out in the fall of 2008. It was good to see them and get to spend a little time visiting.
They arrived at around 11:30 am our time and we spent the next hour visiting with them and my parents, then we all piled into the two vehicles and went into Elko for lunch. We wanted to go to this Basque Restaurant that Lee and I've heard a lot about, but they were closed so we opted instead for one of the cafe/diners connected to one of the hotels. It was still a good choice: we each were able to find a menu item we liked, sat at a nice big table that fit us all comfortably, and were able to eat and visit some more.
Over all it was a very pleasant visit and we were sad to see them have to leave (Lee especially of course). Hopefully we won't have to wait as long to visit with them again.
New Year's Day was our celebration. Lee's parents came from Utah to visit! We saw the briefly at Lee's grandfather's funeral in August, but that's about all we've seen them since they came out in the fall of 2008. It was good to see them and get to spend a little time visiting.
They arrived at around 11:30 am our time and we spent the next hour visiting with them and my parents, then we all piled into the two vehicles and went into Elko for lunch. We wanted to go to this Basque Restaurant that Lee and I've heard a lot about, but they were closed so we opted instead for one of the cafe/diners connected to one of the hotels. It was still a good choice: we each were able to find a menu item we liked, sat at a nice big table that fit us all comfortably, and were able to eat and visit some more.
Over all it was a very pleasant visit and we were sad to see them have to leave (Lee especially of course). Hopefully we won't have to wait as long to visit with them again.
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