It feels like I am always catching up. Most of you may think, “How can she be busy with both Glenn and her at home?” Well, I wonder the same thing all the time. It seems like there is never enough time and at the end of the day I wish I had done more or spent more quality time with the kids or accomplished something great. I have been doing life. Kids, husband, homeschooling, home, job hunting, community and church. It doesn’t seem like much but it definitely fills my every moment. What a gift I have been given. 
CUB SCOUT CAMP OUT
Laser and Lego camped out at Lost Pines Camp Tom Wooton near Bastrop with their dad in mid-September. It was packed full of activities and Lego earned his Archery and BB-Gun beltloops. It still amazes me that Glenn is with us and able to do these things with his boys. He did purchase an air bed that he thinks everyone who camps should have one. It self inflates and then you roll it up to release the air for storage. With his back problems from the cancer it was a relief for him to find a way to sleep comfortably on a camp out.
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FALL SOCIAL
For the past four years I have been in charge of our homeowner events. I seem to be the only person willing to commit each year. We had a few new volunteers this year but lost the ones from last year. I do it for my kids. The HOA pays for the moon bounce, popcorn and cotton candy and no matter who shows up, my kids always have a great time.
Costume Parade
Great weather, a good turn out and private bounce time before and after when your mom is the lady organizing!
HALLOWEEN
So, this is the first year that I did not sew a single costume. I told the kids that this year we were going to dig into our dress up box and come up with our costumes this year. My kids were completely fine with it and enjoyed dressing up in costumes they had not worn before. Bookworm was the only one we had to create a new costume for because he literally had outgrown all our dress up things. After brainstorming several low cost ideas we finally came up with Waldo. All I had to do was get a white long sleeve shirt and paint red stripes all over it. I sewed a felt hat(not a whole costume) and painted a yard art candy cane brown for his cane. The result was great. Laser dressed up as an astronaut which he really liked because it had a NASA baseball hat and he practically lives in baseball hats. Lego was a Jedi and Princess was Belle, from Beauty and the Beast. They all looked great and the trick-or-treating was plentiful.
Trick or Treat!
Where's Waldo?
Blast Off!
To the bridge men!
She's a beauty!
JOB HUNTING
Well, I had gone for almost 3 months without one single call regarding a job interview. I have sent out resume after resume and nothing. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get a call but was secretly thankful I had not had to venture into the work world.
Last week, I received an email from Trinity University for a position as an Administrative Assistant to the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs-Budget & Research. She asked me to come in for an interview. I was horrified. I had not been on an interview in 7 years. I had been waiting and sending resumes but when it was really going to happen I was terrified. It’s funny how I do alot of things in leadership positions in my community but not being in the work world day in and day out you lose your confidence when it comes to actually putting on the pantyhose and getting out there. I felt completely unprepared and unqualified after being home for so long.
As I got ready in my gray slacks, white shirt and black jacket Princess asked me if I was going to wear a tie. And Laser looked at me dressed for my interview and said he had never seen me that way. Lego was fascinated by my pantyhose. I arrived on early and I managed to calm my nerves and appear cool and collect.
A day later a second interview was scheduled and things were going extremely smoothly. The AVP I would work for was really great. She and I clicked and the other Admin. Asst. were very helpful and seem to be ladies I would be happy to work with. I was offered the position. I was crushed and excited at the same time. Trinity was what I was hoping for, a new start in a new direction. I discussed my start date and my upcoming trip to SLC with Glenn for his cancer trip and she said no problem, but she wanted me to be aware that health insurance at Trinity was high. And high turned out to be right. After looking at the insurance cost and out-of-pocket expenses for Glenn’s out-of-network doctors in SLC we decided that it could possibly cost me more to work then to stay home. I declined the job offer and finally began to breathe again.
The miracle in this whole situation is that Glenn’s unemployment was ending at the end of this month. On the day she offered me the job, his unemployment was extended for another 20 weeks. And to top it all off, the COBRA subsidy extension was introduced into the Senate for discussion and a vote. They should be making a decision before Dec 1, 2009. If all goes well, Glenn’s unemployment, disability and COBRA insurance should keep us afloat until May which is when he can go back to work. I’m planning on finding part-time work but benefits should not be part of the plan.
It is hard to express how difficult it was for me to consider going back to work. I realized that I had to and that it was necessary, but leaving my children and not being with them was painful. Yes, I know, millions of mothers send their children off to school each day and work outside the home, but for me, my heart is with them for as long as I can. I’ll send them off into the big wide world someday, but while I can, I want to be with them, teach them and enjoy them for as long as I can. A day will come that all this shall pass.
My sister told me that my experience of interviewing and being offered the job was like Abraham being told to go and sacrifice his son, but then once Abraham had prepared his altar and was ready to sacrifice his son, God told him to stop. I felt like I was making a sacrifice that was great and then God said stop you don’t have to go to work. I am so thankful that God has continued to guide me. I may not always make the right decisions but I know God is there to help me make the best of what ever comes my way.
Never a dull moment when the McLaren clan is around. Lots to do and memories to make. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and I am so thankful they made the trip to be with us!
