Better late than never...another update (Weeks 2-3)

Another long overdue update!!

Things are going great! I haven't had a chance to blog as frequently as I would like because  I don’t have internet access at my apartment because it is only temporary and figured it would take a few weeks to have the setup, I might as well wait until I am into the house I will be renting.

I might have to figure something else out…going without internet is proving to be difficult. 

That is one excuse for being weeks behind on the blog, another is I’m still letting thoughts roll around in my head and let reality sink in.

I never did write about my first week at work.  And I haven’t yet written about the kids’ first week here and now that they are 2 weeks in, and one week of school done, I realized I need to write or all of these things will soon be forgotten.

Week 1: (April 14-17^th)

I started work on Monday, April 14^th.  I had orientation in the morning.  I met a woman who is working in a different building and has a completely different role there.  She is so sweet and we seemed to hit it off.  (About a week later she looked me up in the company white pages and found me…we now have a day set aside each week to meet for lunch.) 

She has a completely different job than me and couldn’t have a more different background.  (She grew up in a Middle Eastern country, moved to Ireland, got married and moved to Conn.)  But what we do have in common is we are both mothers (she has a 15 month old) and we are both new to the company, etc.  I’m so thankful God placed her in my orientation class and that we could already be friends.

After orientation, my manager met me downstairs and walked me up to my cube.  She handed me my laptop and a box of office goodies.  I worked on getting everything set up with the help of my cube neighbor.  Already, I call her my work mom.  She is quiet, but I know she would drop everything to help me. 

The rest of the day is now foggy in my memory. 

Tuesday-Thursday:

The first week I was here, I was staying with a friend.  We had so much fun, going shopping some of the nights, running to Target and getting stuff for my desk, etc.  We stayed up late every night talking and getting to know each other better. 

Work went well.  The woman I am replacing, and who is retiring, is quite a character.  (Character: a nice way of saying cranky and rude)  Within the first 2 minutes of my training class on Tuesday she had me feeling like I was a 2 year old.  It took me about 2 minutes later to realize it wasn’t my problem, but hers.  I would take her comments and let them slide off my back…or try and see the humor in them.  Some were so rude I couldn’t help but almost laugh.

I also realized it wasn’t me when the managers kept asking me if I was coming back to work after I went to Ohio for the weekend.  At first I thought that was really odd…of course I was coming back; until one confessed that most who trains with her threaten to quit.  I told them I was okay, but knowing it really wasn’t me and that they had my support was comforting.

Wednesday afternoon, someone asked me something about my previous job and co-workers.  I answered them and then the tears threatened to fall.  I started thinking about my nurse’s and the three I adopted as little sisters.  It takes a lot to make me cry, but here I was sitting at my desk crying over the co-workers/friends I left behind.  I realized then how much I missed them and how close I had become to them.  

I’ve met so many amazing people at this company and the management is incredible.  Everyone is polite, helpful, and friendly.  I’m so excited to be a part of the team there.

I drove back to Ohio Thursday after work.

Week 2: Monday-Sunday

Monday morning we pulled out around 3 am on a few hours’ sleep.  I was doing okay, but a few hours into the drive, I had to stop to sleep a little bit.  I ended up stopping a few times to take a quick nap.  The drive there was much harder than I anticipated.  The further we drove, the harder it was.  I wasn’t expecting these emotions and more than once I found myself crying.

I prayed and prayed and then remembered that so many people knew I would be on the road that day and also would be praying for us.  It came to me then that these emotions of fear and apprehension were coming from Satan.  I knew I wanted to move here when I was 13.  Twice when I was single and young, I almost did but chickened out.  He was there the whole time telling me it was too hard and too scary.  I couldn’t let his voice win and scare me into turning around and driving back to Ohio.  I drove on, recollecting the hundreds of times God proved to me I really was supposed to move.

We made it to Conn. about 12 hours later.  I can usually make it in 9, but stopping so much slowed us down.  We found the apartment and unpacked the car and soon after my brother in law pulled in with the truck and trailer.  A handful of men from the area were there to meet us and helped us unload.  We only unloaded the necessities and then drove the trailer over to another trailer and moved the rest of the stuff into there.  When the house opens up we will just drive that trailer and unload it there…much simpler than a storage unit. 

At this point I was mentally shot.  They would ask me questions (where to put what) and I couldn’t answer.  They were so kind (and teased me a little) and understanding that my brain was fried for the day.  Their welcoming kindness and love made the evening so much easier.

We came back to the apartment and then my brother in law said goodbye.  I didn’t expect it to be as hard as it was.  He was staying with a couple from church and then was pulling out early the next morning. 

Monday night I sat in my recliner looking around.  I can’t explain the feelings I was feeling, but overwhelmed was at the top of the list.  I stopped myself from thinking and realized that I was beyond overtired and when I get that tired nothing looks right and everything looks too hard.  I went to be, thankful my manager had given me Tuesday off work as well.

Tuesday morning we slept in a little and then went off to the kids’ school to turn in the paperwork, etc.  We found out who their teachers were and we met Reagan’s teacher but Rhianna’s teacher was out for the day.  We met the principal and he spent a few minutes talking to the children.  He was kind and welcoming.  He spoke to me a little, but focused on the two children.  That made me so comfortable to see he was wonderful at interacting with the kids and treated them well.  By the time we left, the kids were excited to start school.

We had been told that they needed a physical and a TB test.  We found a quick-clinic and everything started out great.  Until we got to the finger poke to check blood volume.  Once Reagan’s finger was poked, it was all over.  He started screaming and running around uncontrollably.  He had never, ever done this in public and I was doing my best to calm him down. 

Once we finally calmed him down enough for the doctor to come in, it went a little better.  Then it came time for the TB test (at this point they had taken Rhianna out of the room and did her physical and TB test in the other room) He screamed and screamed.  I did exactly what the book on parenting says not to do: I bribed him with a toy AND a doughnut.  I just wanted to be done and get us all out of there.  

After a few attempts, he finally let us do the test and be done.  Later that night he told me he planned to scream…that the needle really did scare him, but he was going to scream like that anyway.  Just to make me mad.  Honestly, I ‘m not sure if he really did have it planned, but I pretended to be mad at his little scheme for a minute before tickling him and snuggling him.  I knew that both kids were at their emotional limits and this wasn’t the week to punish. 

And as his treat he got a little Lego set and a doughnut.  That’s bad parenting!  But in the grand scheme of things…I still think it was the right thing to do. 

Wednesday-Friday:

The kids went to some people’s house from church, forming new friends and playing with old friends.  They have gotten to know one lady from church and when they find out they get to see her they always cheer.  I’m so thankful for her friendship and help in getting us settled in. 

The TB test couldn’t be read until Thursday, so that night after work we found our way back at the clinic.  I threatened Reagan vehemently that if he screamed again he would be in SO MUCH trouble.  He just grinned and said “I know”.  Thankfully, there were no screams.  Only smiles.

Friday I was able to get out of work a little early to make it back to the school in time to turn in their medical paperwork.  The kids were okay’d to start school on Monday!

Friday night we had pizza at some friends’ house and let the kids play.  We went home around 9 and crashed.  It was a good week, but a tiring one.

We slept in on Saturday and spent some time at the Laundromat, had ice cream, and went to a park.  It was a fairly uneventful day which is what we needed.

Sunday was our first ‘official’ Sunday at church.  We were welcomed lovingly and I didn’t see the kids most of the day.  They were off with friends and they chatted my ear off on the way home. 

We found out at church that there was one girl in 3^rd grade at the elementary school Rhianna was going to.  (There are other 3^rd grade girls at church, but they all go to the other elementary schools in town).  We also realized that they have the same teacher!  There were some girls with smiles on their faces!!!  I’m so thankful that God orchestrated this. 

We had been invited to someone’s house for dinner and had a wonderful time there.  I know them fairly well, but it was good to spend more time with them and get to know them even better. 

Week 3: Monday-Friday

Monday morning was the kids’ first day of school.  The secretary said we could come in a little early so I could walk them to their class and Rhianna could meet her teacher. We told the teacher that Rhianna knew the one little girl and the teacher said “No way!  I had no idea, but I put you next to her!!”  Again, a little gift from God to make it easier.  Since then Rhianna has come home and I hear all about the fun that she has with her new friend(s).

The kids did great.  And work has been amazing.  They told me that I could come in a little late and leave a little early to help the kids settle in school.  I have work I can take home and my manager said she didn’t care if I took it home, that helping my kids was very important to them.

This week flew by.  The kids act like they have been at this school all their lives and work doesn’t feel so new anymore.  I’m starting to recognize faces in the halls, I know where things are, and I know how a typical day should go.  I’m starting to pick up on the lingo and during meetings I am starting to be able to follow along.  Taking the bus doesn’t seem so scary anymore, it is rather relaxing and I enjoy the ride in to work.  I know we all have a lot to learn, but we are starting to settle in.  

We are all doing great.  The worst is being separated from Riley, but we talk multiple times a day.  We are half way done and in a few weeks I’ll be back in Ohio for a week to get him.

Everything is going so well, so when I started feeling blunky the other night I couldn’t figure out what was bothering me.  I thought about my past few weeks and realized that it was a bunch of meaningless little things that were adding up and creating a shadow of frustration. 

Little things like I don’t know the shortest way to Target.  I know how to get there, but I know I’m taking the long way.  I want to make cookies, but can’t because my stuff is still in storage, I can’t get my mail, (I tried to get a PO box, but it takes so long for approval, I’m just going to wait until I’m in the new house to get a mailing address…which is why I haven’t given it to anyoneJ) I stopped myself from thinking and realized, once again I was overtired.  I made myself go to bed and in the morning realized all of these new things will figure themselves out and it really isn’t a big deal. 

Yesterday the kids and I are went to the beach.   The sun was finally shining and we are going to go out and enjoy the day building castles in the sand and hike up the rocks.  (Pictures and post to come!!)