I got the job!

I went in Friday to get the tour and talk more about the position, and at the end Karen offered me the job.  Right now it is a temporary position, because the lady who holds the position now is going to the armed forces so they are holding it for her until she gets back in April.  But even if she does get back and want her job back, Karen said that if I am a good reliable employee, they will find something for me to do.  I am thinking that this way I am at least getting my foot in the door at this company, and if April comes and the girl wants her job back, there may be a different full-time position open elsewhere.  Orientation is a week from today!

While I would love for the job to be full-time, and I have always wanted to be working with more "independent" seniors, I am just grateful to have a job right now.  I have seen several people I graduated with on Facebook saying how they have given out so many resumes and not gotten a call back, or they have spent the whole month applying for jobs and have only heard back from three companies.  So I am very grateful to have this opportunity.

Friday after I got the job, Steven took me out to celebrate.  We did some shopping (though he was the only one who bought anything, lol), then out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, then to a movie.  It was a really fun night. 

I have the rest of this week to look for some more cheap "business casual" clothes!  :)

Before and After- First Home Edition!

I have been going around taking pictures of our house now that we have finished so much work on it. I just love looking at the before and after pictures! Looking at the before pictures makes me wonder WHAT on earth we were thinking, buying a house that smelt that bad for our first house. But God let us see the potential this house had and I am so glad He did! He's good!

We closed on the house June 10, and now it is August 11, so it has been two months of working on it. We still have finishing touches to add and make it more of our "home", but here is the Before and After so far!

Living Room- Before

Living Room- After
New Paint, Baseboards, and Laminate Flooring

Kitchen- Before

Kitchen- After
New Paint, Appliances, and Pantry

Hallway- Before

Hallway- After
New Paint, Baseboards, and Laminate Flooring

Office- Before

Office- After
New Paint and Carpet

Upstairs Stairway- Before

Upstairs Stairway- After
New Treads and Posts, both Painted and/or Stained

Downstairs Stairway- Before

Downstairs Stairway- After
New Treads and Posts, both Painted and/or Stained

Downstairs Living Area- Before

Downstairs Living Area- After
New Paint, Baseboards, and Laminate Flooring

What a great week!

Steven and I decided that I would wait until we were done with the major house work, and after Camp, until I would look for a job.  I have had my eye on a local Senior Living Center ever since we first visited DPBC.  It is huge- almost like a community college campus- and very nice, with fountains in the front!  Last month, they had a "now hiring" sign in front of their entrance, and it was still there this week!  Monday I came in and got an application, and found out they are hiring a part-time and temporary activities coordinator.  They were going to be having a Job Fair on Wednesday, so I came back then to turn in my application and resume.  I ended up having two interviews, one with someone from Administration, and one with the head of Activities (Karen)!  The interview went really well, it was actually easy to "look" excited about the job, because everything she was telling me about it made me more and more excited. She told me they were interviewing several people, but that she would give me a call back. 

Today, I was out running errands and saw that I had missed a call and had a voice mail.  I checked it, it was Karen asking if I could come back in to talk some more.  I called her back, and she said she wants to give me a tour of the facility, as well as go over some more specifics of the job.  I'm not sure how many people they are calling back, but this seems to be a step in the right direction!  I go in tomorrow at 10:30.

I remember being so nervous last time I was looking for a job.  I NEEDED an internship to graduate college, and nothing was working out!  But at the last minute, God provided an opportunity for me at the Tower Club.  After that, as well as everything that has happened this year with God providing Steven a job and us a house, I know that everything is in His hands.  If this is the right job for me, the doors will be open.  And if it's not the right thing, He'll close the door and open the right one at the right time.  Knowing that makes it so much easier and gives me so much peace!

In other news, Barkley had to go to the vet for an extensive check-up on Tuesday.  He was there 8 hours and when we picked him up, the first thing they told us was that he had been very vocal.  Apparently he hadn't liked being locked in a scary unknown cage all day!  Poor guy was SO ready to get out of there, but as soon as he got in my car which is familiar to him, he was back to normal and happy to be going home.  He weighs 55 pounds, and is in good/normal health... the only thing not "normal" was his teeth- because he chews so violently on things, they are a little inflamed I guess.

Today we took Barkley to the dog park with the pond again.  He loved it!  It was only 83 degrees, but felt like 70 to us because we are used to it being over 100!  He got in the water a little bit, and of course did some good rolling around in the mud so he was SO dirty but we gave him a bath at the water hose they provide and he is nice and clean now!

Tonight we are having the Albertson's over to play games!  Steven loves playing games, and I love having people over, so it's a win-win.  :)

I spent this past weekend back in KC!

It was my first time back since the beginning of May when we went to Jhon's graduation.... so it was the longest I have ever been gone.  It was good to be home.  It is a great feeling when you are almost finished driving and starting to recognize what you are passing, and realizing that you are HOME.

I got there about 4:30 Thursday (Steven didn't come with because he had duties to attend to here).  I spent Thursday with my family, playing games and seeing my parent's new rental house.  Friday afternoon, my mom, Austin, Kyla, and I ran some errands and then I met up with Sierra and her boyfriend Emerson at 54th Street Grill.  It was really great to see her before she leaves for China!!  That night, my parents church was playing Soul Surfer at the Lee's Summit Amphitheater so I met them to watch it.  The movie was really good and it was very cool to watch it outdoors.

Saturday, my friend Bethany threw my cousin Ali a bridal shower.  I got to Bethany's a little early to help her finish setting up.  The shower went great, Ali got some cute things and we had a good time with the games.  After everyone had left, the three of us went to pick up Bethany and I's bridesmaid dresses and to get dinner at Applebee's.  We brought it back to Bethany's, and we spent the rest of the night watching TV and laughing. 

I left Sunday after church.  The 3.5 hour drive seems like FOREVER when you are by yourself, but I made it back around 2:40.  Took a long nap, and woke up in time for youth.

Today, Barkley and I went to the park.  We walked through a hiking trail and then around a little pond.  He had a great time and was exhausted when we got home.  In about 45 minutes, our Jr. High kids are coming over for a Tye-Dye and Ice Cream party!  Jr. Highers are great because they are pretty easy to please.  :)

We have some new neighbors.  I think Steven and I will go over there some time this week and welcome them with some cookies or something, since we know that none of our other neighbors will!  Ha!

Camp Rock

Life hasn't gotten any slower or more boring since the last I wrote...

We had a great week at Camp with our youth group!  The theme for the week was Worship, as a lifestyle.  The preaching was great and I think the teens really got a lot out of it.  We had zero problems with the teens, they all did an amazing job and I think we are all excited to go back next year!

Steven and I had to leave early, because Steven's college best friend was getting married in Detroit that Saturday.  We left Thursday night, LATE, after the last service was over.  We left around 10:30, and got home at 2.  We were EXHAUSTED and I am so thankful we got home safely!  We then left Friday morning at 7 go get Steven to the airport for his flight!  I was lucky to be able to go home and take a nap.

This was my first time spending the night at our new house alone.  It actually wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, ha.  It was nice to have Barkley there to keep me company.  I also got a LOT done at the house- finished up the stairs and did some touch up painting that had been needing to be done.

I got to pick Steven up on Sunday at 6:30.  It was so good to have him home!

Monday was our second anniversary!  We spent the night in Downtown St. Louis and did some fun things there.  We Priceline'd a room, and got the Hyatt Regency for $50... plus, when they saw it was our anniversary they upgraded our room to a corner room, and gave us chocolate covered strawberries!  After checking into the hotel, we went to Union Station and walked around.  We got back and took a much needed nap in the hotel, until it was time for dinner.  We ate at Ruth's Chris, and it was sooooooo good!  After dinner, we went to the Arch because Steven had never been up there before.  When we got to the top, we saw some of Steven's family members there!  It was so crazy.  After the arch, we walked to the City Gardens and looked around at the different sculptures and fountains they have. 

in the car on the way to the hotel

view of the arch from our room!

Getting ready for dinner

Our hotel from the arch

Yesterday, we went to Gus' Pretzels for lunch and then to the Science Center.  We headed home early because we were still exhausted.  We had Discipleship last night at church, and it was great as always.

We are so excited to be coming home this weekend!  We haven't been there since the first week of May for Jhon's graduation.  I am a bridesmaid in my cousin, Ali's wedding, and her bridal shower is Saturday so we figured we would make a weekend of it back in good ole KC!