So this whole trusting God completely with our finances, has been amazing.
The goal right now is to get out of debt...completely and forever. We are on a great plan and should be completely debt-free (except for our mortgage) in about 26 months....maybe less!
I've been grocery shopping somewhere new....its not the nicest store nor is it in the nicest neighborhood. But, I like it nonetheless. I'm also finding amazing deals on groceries.
Like...free bread. Yep, free. They have this lovely "reduced to quick sale" rack of breads and such and every week I get 2-3 loaves of bread--free. And its GOOD bread. And its cool, because in Colorado it takes weeks, if not a month or more, for bread to go stale! So I just throw the bread in the freezer and I'm good to go. Or the week that eggs were down to $1 a dozen. Not because they were bad, but because they overstocked them. Same for yogurt and milk. Someone is messing up on ordering, but we sure are benefiting!
Or the referral thank you gift card to Williams-Sonoma that our realtor gave us a couple of days ago. Or the Starbucks card my mother-in-law sent as a "just because" present. Or the hostess giftcards we received to Lowe's and Target. All of these are places I LOVE, but are not places that are currently in our budget.
I even got a Free Panty gift card (Up to $7.50 value) from Victoria's Secret in the mail today! Hello? When was the last time I got new panties...let alone free?
Or the extra $100 I got from Delta as a "shared reward" for hitting all of our targets in March. I only worked 32 hours and yet I'm benefiting from what has been done all over the country! (Sadly due to taxes and what not, I really only saw about $47.)
I honestly can only see God in this. It is not coincidence or luck or karma or anything like that. God cares about the details in our lives. He longs to provide for us and to show us compassion.
We are becoming stewards of God's resources. We are actively attacking the debt that has pulled us away from what God wants for us. We are working hard to remove the obstacles that keep us from doing that which we want to do....like living out the generosity that is in our hearts.
It is exciting! And I can't wait to see what God will do next or how He will transform our hearts and our perspectives over the course of this time.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Ode to Delta
Well, we are enjoying our Delta flight benefits once again.
Last Thursday, John and Brooklyn flew to Long Beach for a 24-hour stint. John's Grandpa was staying with his mom for the week and John thought he'd take advantage of a day off and spend it with his Grandpa.
Brooklyn got to have her "alone" trip with Daddy....Kenna got one back in February, and had the time of her life!
And coming up on Friday,(April 25-May2) our whole family is flying out to Long Beach for the week! So fun! John actually has to work some (bummer!) so he'll only be out for a few days. But, then, my mom is so kind that she will be flying home with me and the kids so I don't have to do it all alone! (Thanks, Delta, again!)
I'm planning on having playdates with all my girlfriends and their kids since all the grandparents work during the day! And then we can love all over the fam at night. Should be a blast.
And for those of you wondering, yes, I still have a job with Delta. The merger won't officially go through until January. Until then, all is well. I have no idea what will happen then, but am grateful that God knows! We are enjoying this blessing immensely and will be thankful for it as long as it lasts!!!
So to my friends in the LBC, see ya next week!
Last Thursday, John and Brooklyn flew to Long Beach for a 24-hour stint. John's Grandpa was staying with his mom for the week and John thought he'd take advantage of a day off and spend it with his Grandpa.
Brooklyn got to have her "alone" trip with Daddy....Kenna got one back in February, and had the time of her life!
And coming up on Friday,(April 25-May2) our whole family is flying out to Long Beach for the week! So fun! John actually has to work some (bummer!) so he'll only be out for a few days. But, then, my mom is so kind that she will be flying home with me and the kids so I don't have to do it all alone! (Thanks, Delta, again!)
I'm planning on having playdates with all my girlfriends and their kids since all the grandparents work during the day! And then we can love all over the fam at night. Should be a blast.
And for those of you wondering, yes, I still have a job with Delta. The merger won't officially go through until January. Until then, all is well. I have no idea what will happen then, but am grateful that God knows! We are enjoying this blessing immensely and will be thankful for it as long as it lasts!!!
So to my friends in the LBC, see ya next week!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Free Date Night
So, another fun story for you. At MOPS we do a raffle every week. A ticket gets put in if you are on time and you can purchase one for $1. I always put in $! just to support the group. Well a month or so ago, I was the 2nd name picked!!! And I won 2 tickets to go see the Colorado Mammoth play. In case you don't know (ha!), the Mammoth are our local lacrosse team.
So John and I are going tonight courtesy of God. John looked our seats up online and they are REALLY good. So even though I know nothing of lacrosse, John and I will have a little outing free of charge. Thanks, God!
Oh, and since I've been watching the kids of my friends lately, I have about 16 hours of stored up FREE childcare. I'm learning how to live on a budget and watch and wait for God to provide.
So John and I are going tonight courtesy of God. John looked our seats up online and they are REALLY good. So even though I know nothing of lacrosse, John and I will have a little outing free of charge. Thanks, God!
Oh, and since I've been watching the kids of my friends lately, I have about 16 hours of stored up FREE childcare. I'm learning how to live on a budget and watch and wait for God to provide.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Spatula City--for all your spatula needs!
Ok, so here is a fun story of a TMMO (Total Money Makeover) miracle!
About a month ago, I attended our monthly MOPS group. We were a couple weeks into our TMMO.
One of Dave Ramsey's main principles...are you ready for it, is "don't spend money you don't have". Genius, I know. But, John and I have never really "understood" how to live on a budget.
I've owned one spatula (the soft kind used for scraping a mixing bowl) since we've been married. Somehow it has disintegrated due to dish washing and apparently children's teeth. Anyway, I've been wanting to buy a new one for some time.
Each time I'm out at a store, I have very firmly told myself no. Dave Ramsey says "live now like no one else so you can live later like no one else." Now, mind you, a spatula probably costs between $3 and $10, but we are learning that EVERY dollar counts and must be accounted for in our budget. A spatula is currently NOT in our budget.
Anyway, at one point at MOPS, my table leader says, "Oh, Katy, I forgot to tell you. You won the 'Suzy Homemaker' award at last month's MOPS for your potato dish. Here's your award." And she handed me 3 very cute orange spatulas in 3 different sizes tied with a cute ribbon.
Yes, 3.
Not only have I only owned one spatula in my life, but it was white and perhaps a bit boring. Now, I have 3 and they are ORANGE...which happens to be John's favorite color! :)
How fun is that?
And as I looked at my "award", I could only see God's affirmation and blessing on what John and I are trying to do. Just God's tender kindness towards me.
About a month ago, I attended our monthly MOPS group. We were a couple weeks into our TMMO.
One of Dave Ramsey's main principles...are you ready for it, is "don't spend money you don't have". Genius, I know. But, John and I have never really "understood" how to live on a budget.
I've owned one spatula (the soft kind used for scraping a mixing bowl) since we've been married. Somehow it has disintegrated due to dish washing and apparently children's teeth. Anyway, I've been wanting to buy a new one for some time.
Each time I'm out at a store, I have very firmly told myself no. Dave Ramsey says "live now like no one else so you can live later like no one else." Now, mind you, a spatula probably costs between $3 and $10, but we are learning that EVERY dollar counts and must be accounted for in our budget. A spatula is currently NOT in our budget.
Anyway, at one point at MOPS, my table leader says, "Oh, Katy, I forgot to tell you. You won the 'Suzy Homemaker' award at last month's MOPS for your potato dish. Here's your award." And she handed me 3 very cute orange spatulas in 3 different sizes tied with a cute ribbon.
Yes, 3.
Not only have I only owned one spatula in my life, but it was white and perhaps a bit boring. Now, I have 3 and they are ORANGE...which happens to be John's favorite color! :)
How fun is that?
And as I looked at my "award", I could only see God's affirmation and blessing on what John and I are trying to do. Just God's tender kindness towards me.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
DAVE RAMSEY!
Have you heard of Dave Ramsey??
Basically, he is a Christian financial guru.
Our church did a series on finances a couple months ago based on a lot of his principles and John and I are all fired up!
Seriously.
I am going to be posting a lot about this topic since it is in the forefront of our minds and hearts right now.
His books Total Money Makeover and Financial Peace are incredible!!! Over the course of the last 2 months, John and I have FULLY submitted our finances to God and are making radical changes in the way we view our money and our responsibilities toward it.
It is awesome. I am planning on being pretty brutally honest about my heart on this issue so be ready! And, the fun part is getting to see how God is blessing our commitment to honoring Him fully with our finances. Get ready for some fun stories!!!
Basically, he is a Christian financial guru.
Our church did a series on finances a couple months ago based on a lot of his principles and John and I are all fired up!
Seriously.
I am going to be posting a lot about this topic since it is in the forefront of our minds and hearts right now.
His books Total Money Makeover and Financial Peace are incredible!!! Over the course of the last 2 months, John and I have FULLY submitted our finances to God and are making radical changes in the way we view our money and our responsibilities toward it.
It is awesome. I am planning on being pretty brutally honest about my heart on this issue so be ready! And, the fun part is getting to see how God is blessing our commitment to honoring Him fully with our finances. Get ready for some fun stories!!!
Tia & Mrs. Dybas
a.k.a. Kathy Carey and Linda Dybas.
This past weekend we had very special visitors from Long Beach. Some of you know our history with them and there is no way to tell the whole story here.
Linda was McKenna's preschool teacher last year in Long Beach. I have known her since high school as I used to carpool with her children. She blessed me to no end as she brought McKenna home from preschool everyday since Josiah was a newborn and Brooklyn barely 2. Kathy is the mother of one of my best friends, Melissa, although we have developed our own relationship since John and I got married. Kathy has invested in me and our family in NUMEROUS ways, one being my cooking mentor! They are both godly women who share such a unique friendship with one another and with God. I am always blessed by their wisdom and love.
Anyway, they were here for 4 days and we had a blast. We hit up the Butterfly Pavillion, Casa Bonita, Barr Lake State Park and Nature Center and had lots of fun here at home. I had to work Saturday night and awoke to all of the kids laundry washed and folded!!! Wow!
They got to enjoy a drop by visit from our pastors, Keith and Julie, where we laughed and shared popcorn. They were able to go to church with us and meet many of our friends and see what a healthy and God-honoring church we are attending.
We had a LOVELY visit and I can't wait for them to come again!!!!
(Pictures to come as soon as I figure out iLife '08!)
This past weekend we had very special visitors from Long Beach. Some of you know our history with them and there is no way to tell the whole story here.
Linda was McKenna's preschool teacher last year in Long Beach. I have known her since high school as I used to carpool with her children. She blessed me to no end as she brought McKenna home from preschool everyday since Josiah was a newborn and Brooklyn barely 2. Kathy is the mother of one of my best friends, Melissa, although we have developed our own relationship since John and I got married. Kathy has invested in me and our family in NUMEROUS ways, one being my cooking mentor! They are both godly women who share such a unique friendship with one another and with God. I am always blessed by their wisdom and love.
Anyway, they were here for 4 days and we had a blast. We hit up the Butterfly Pavillion, Casa Bonita, Barr Lake State Park and Nature Center and had lots of fun here at home. I had to work Saturday night and awoke to all of the kids laundry washed and folded!!! Wow!
They got to enjoy a drop by visit from our pastors, Keith and Julie, where we laughed and shared popcorn. They were able to go to church with us and meet many of our friends and see what a healthy and God-honoring church we are attending.
We had a LOVELY visit and I can't wait for them to come again!!!!
(Pictures to come as soon as I figure out iLife '08!)
Where to start?
SORRY!
I'm going to take some time today to update my poor, sad little neglected blog!
I'm going to take some time today to update my poor, sad little neglected blog!
Friday, February 1, 2008
A Tale of a Neurologist
Last Friday I had an appointment with a new neurologist. I have to admit. I was freaked out.
I had seen 2 different neurologists in Long Beach and pretty much hated them both. They had extremely poor bedside manner and honestly didn't do a thing for me.
The first doctor, during my first visit, after reading my charts and results from my EEG said, "Well, it looks like you had a seizure." No lie!
They offered me no explanations, no hope, no plan of action...just a prescription and a return visit date. Whoop-dee-do.
So, after my last seizure in Nov I had been putting off this new visit. What's the point? They are only going to pat me on my head and give me more meds. I have been dealing with a lot more "symptoms" since being in CO. Dizziness, lack of concentration, lack of focus, memory issues, etc have all plagued me for the last 6 months. It had gotten increasingly worse in the last month or so and John finally told me to make the call.
Anyhoo, I went on Friday only to discover that Dr. Chen, was Dr. Judy Chen! A woman!!! Turns out she is 1 of 3 female neurologists in the state. That gave me courage.
She was WONDERFUL. She probably spent about 45-50 minutes with me and was in absolutely no hurry. She wanted to know EVERYTHING. She asked questions, she nodded her head, she smiled at me, she asked follow-up questions and she wrote everything down. She said she wanted to understand my case up until now.Wow.
Then, she TALKED with me. She told me that with adult onsets of seizures it is typically a result of immature brain cells that just don't develop properly. When there is additional stress placed on you sometimes these immature cells react through a seizure. So when I told her how emotionally unstable I was at the time of the first seizure, she said, absolutely ,YES, that could have been what brought it on! I have been telling everyone since day 1 that I think my first seizure was a physical manifestation of how emotionally distraught I was. Most people just laughed. The doctors in Long Beach assured me that couldn't be the case...its always more scientific than that....
So, just to have her agree to my feelings or pose the possibility of a reason for all of this was sooo encouraging!
She also said that the altitude really could be affecting me with the additional symptoms. She said it typically takes 6 months to a year to get used to it, but that I should be seeing a difference soon.
I also upped my medication dose back in November, and she said that could also be a reason for the additional symptoms. She had me go in for a blood draw to check my dilantin levels. She said if it was too high (toxic) that could also explain my reactions to it.
Then she went on to say, that women who struggle with epilepsy often find symptoms to be worse 2 days before and 2 days after a period. (What a concept!) She said hormones play a huge role in how we feel. So she suggested that I keep a journal of how I feel until my next appt in March. To see if things to worsen around my period. If I can pinpoint days when things are worse, Dr. Chen said that would be an ideal time to do another EEG to see if anything shows up.
We talked about the "funny feeling" I get from time to time and she confirmed that those were aura seizures. She said that if I ever get them close to each other to view it as a warning. Although, since upping my medication in November I have not had any of these.
Even though she doesn't know the EXACT cause of everything, just the fact that she is willing to discuss possibilities is comforting. For 3 1/2 years, no one has given me a single answer, suggestion, encouragement or plan. In less than an hour, Dr. Chen did all of that.
I had prayed extensively prior to this appointment, but with little faith, I'm ashamed to say. It was a reminder that God CAN do anything and that He does care about the little details in our lives. I don't feel so alone anymore. I feel encouraged. I feel like someone cares about me and the quality of my life and is invested in helping me.
Its amazing what a good doctor can do.
I had seen 2 different neurologists in Long Beach and pretty much hated them both. They had extremely poor bedside manner and honestly didn't do a thing for me.
The first doctor, during my first visit, after reading my charts and results from my EEG said, "Well, it looks like you had a seizure." No lie!
They offered me no explanations, no hope, no plan of action...just a prescription and a return visit date. Whoop-dee-do.
So, after my last seizure in Nov I had been putting off this new visit. What's the point? They are only going to pat me on my head and give me more meds. I have been dealing with a lot more "symptoms" since being in CO. Dizziness, lack of concentration, lack of focus, memory issues, etc have all plagued me for the last 6 months. It had gotten increasingly worse in the last month or so and John finally told me to make the call.
Anyhoo, I went on Friday only to discover that Dr. Chen, was Dr. Judy Chen! A woman!!! Turns out she is 1 of 3 female neurologists in the state. That gave me courage.
She was WONDERFUL. She probably spent about 45-50 minutes with me and was in absolutely no hurry. She wanted to know EVERYTHING. She asked questions, she nodded her head, she smiled at me, she asked follow-up questions and she wrote everything down. She said she wanted to understand my case up until now.Wow.
Then, she TALKED with me. She told me that with adult onsets of seizures it is typically a result of immature brain cells that just don't develop properly. When there is additional stress placed on you sometimes these immature cells react through a seizure. So when I told her how emotionally unstable I was at the time of the first seizure, she said, absolutely ,YES, that could have been what brought it on! I have been telling everyone since day 1 that I think my first seizure was a physical manifestation of how emotionally distraught I was. Most people just laughed. The doctors in Long Beach assured me that couldn't be the case...its always more scientific than that....
So, just to have her agree to my feelings or pose the possibility of a reason for all of this was sooo encouraging!
She also said that the altitude really could be affecting me with the additional symptoms. She said it typically takes 6 months to a year to get used to it, but that I should be seeing a difference soon.
I also upped my medication dose back in November, and she said that could also be a reason for the additional symptoms. She had me go in for a blood draw to check my dilantin levels. She said if it was too high (toxic) that could also explain my reactions to it.
Then she went on to say, that women who struggle with epilepsy often find symptoms to be worse 2 days before and 2 days after a period. (What a concept!) She said hormones play a huge role in how we feel. So she suggested that I keep a journal of how I feel until my next appt in March. To see if things to worsen around my period. If I can pinpoint days when things are worse, Dr. Chen said that would be an ideal time to do another EEG to see if anything shows up.
We talked about the "funny feeling" I get from time to time and she confirmed that those were aura seizures. She said that if I ever get them close to each other to view it as a warning. Although, since upping my medication in November I have not had any of these.
Even though she doesn't know the EXACT cause of everything, just the fact that she is willing to discuss possibilities is comforting. For 3 1/2 years, no one has given me a single answer, suggestion, encouragement or plan. In less than an hour, Dr. Chen did all of that.
I had prayed extensively prior to this appointment, but with little faith, I'm ashamed to say. It was a reminder that God CAN do anything and that He does care about the little details in our lives. I don't feel so alone anymore. I feel encouraged. I feel like someone cares about me and the quality of my life and is invested in helping me.
Its amazing what a good doctor can do.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Overwhelmed....
...with beauty.
This past weekend (December 29-30) I had the incredible opportunity to go to a wedding in Long Beach, CA. I was able to go for 2 whole days without my kiddos. (thank you honey!!!)
Over the course of those 2 days, I was able to hug, kiss, love on and catch up with probably, about 100 people.
It was non-stop, on-the-go busy and oftentimes unbelievably precious.
I'm not actually sure how to even write about this. And this post is more for me, than anyone else. So if it is exceptionally, long, too bad! :)
I was able to see and touch 6 very distinct phases/aspects of my life in the course of 2 days.
1. The family God gave me to grow up physically with
2. The family God gave me to mentor me spiritually and love me in my youth
3. The precious friends I have walked life with
4. The tender family that called me up to maturity and loved me for me
5. The amazing family God has blessed me with in my husband and children
6. The beautiful friends that are walking beside me now
My brother Mark, Beto, Laura, and friend Lindsay
Dino Maisano, my youth minister
Melodie and Auntie Katy
So Cal sunrise from my mom's backyard
Me and the folks at Bake-N-Broil my favorite restaurant in Long Beach
Miss,my dear friend from high school and Marci, my friend since elementary school!
Mary Bouma (of mair-wear who makes all of our super cute beanies!)
PJ and Karin....our pastors, mentors, friends
My brother, Danny and my mom at the best burger joint, In-N-Out
So, seeing as it is now a month later and I have not finished this post, I will just post it as is.
God is GOOD. It is amazing to see His hand in my life. I am grateful for His guidance, provision and plan for my life. God has graced my life with the most wonderful people. I don't know where I would be without them. So to my friends, old and new and to my family, I love you. I appreciate you. I am so thankful for you.
This past weekend (December 29-30) I had the incredible opportunity to go to a wedding in Long Beach, CA. I was able to go for 2 whole days without my kiddos. (thank you honey!!!)
Over the course of those 2 days, I was able to hug, kiss, love on and catch up with probably, about 100 people.
It was non-stop, on-the-go busy and oftentimes unbelievably precious.
I'm not actually sure how to even write about this. And this post is more for me, than anyone else. So if it is exceptionally, long, too bad! :)
I was able to see and touch 6 very distinct phases/aspects of my life in the course of 2 days.
1. The family God gave me to grow up physically with
2. The family God gave me to mentor me spiritually and love me in my youth
3. The precious friends I have walked life with
4. The tender family that called me up to maturity and loved me for me
5. The amazing family God has blessed me with in my husband and children
6. The beautiful friends that are walking beside me now
My brother Mark, Beto, Laura, and friend Lindsay
Dino Maisano, my youth minister
Melodie and Auntie Katy
So Cal sunrise from my mom's backyard
Me and the folks at Bake-N-Broil my favorite restaurant in Long Beach
Miss,my dear friend from high school and Marci, my friend since elementary school!
Mary Bouma (of mair-wear who makes all of our super cute beanies!)
PJ and Karin....our pastors, mentors, friends
My brother, Danny and my mom at the best burger joint, In-N-Out
So, seeing as it is now a month later and I have not finished this post, I will just post it as is.
God is GOOD. It is amazing to see His hand in my life. I am grateful for His guidance, provision and plan for my life. God has graced my life with the most wonderful people. I don't know where I would be without them. So to my friends, old and new and to my family, I love you. I appreciate you. I am so thankful for you.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
New Look for '08
Let's be honest. I LOVE pink! So why not have my blog truly reflect my love for this wonderful color.
When I was little I loved pink anything. Clothes, ribbons, panties, shoes, socks, dolls that had pink dresses, sheets, bedspreads, notepads, stickers,pencils...anything.
Somewhere along the way, I realized pink wasn't so cool anymore. So I made the switch to yellow..which I also really love. I didn't want to appear too girly.
But, thankfully, pink has really made a comeback! Its everywhere now. You can buy just about anything in pink...KitchenAid mixers, trash cans, ipods, cell phones...anything. I love it.
I try to keep my pink possessions to a minimum so as not to frighten off my dear husband. But, honestly, if I lived alone, my house would probably be decorated in a plentiful amount of pink accessories.
So, here's to PINK!
When I was little I loved pink anything. Clothes, ribbons, panties, shoes, socks, dolls that had pink dresses, sheets, bedspreads, notepads, stickers,pencils...anything.
Somewhere along the way, I realized pink wasn't so cool anymore. So I made the switch to yellow..which I also really love. I didn't want to appear too girly.
But, thankfully, pink has really made a comeback! Its everywhere now. You can buy just about anything in pink...KitchenAid mixers, trash cans, ipods, cell phones...anything. I love it.
I try to keep my pink possessions to a minimum so as not to frighten off my dear husband. But, honestly, if I lived alone, my house would probably be decorated in a plentiful amount of pink accessories.
So, here's to PINK!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A warm body with above average intelligence
Yep, that's me in a nutshell according to my supervisor, Deven, at my new job.
Yes, you read that correctly. I have a new job.
Some of you have heard about it, most of you are probably in the dark. (Sorry!)
I am now an employee of Delta Air Lines! I am a CSA (Customer Service Agent) working at the ticket counter at DIA (Denver International Airport.) The airline industry REALLY likes acronyms.
Ok, so here's the long, drawn out story because you will be asking questions if I don't say it all.
Lots of people in Reunion work for the airlines. We live about 13 minutes from DIA so its an easy commute. Several moms I know work for airlines. So I decided on Oct 17 to look for any openings at any airline. It was late at night and I just started going to websites and applying for any available part-time work. Now, I wasn't really ready to go to work part-time, I just figured your app sat in their database for months on end and maybe my name would come up in 6 months or a year or something. And maybe at that time our lives would be at a place that I could leave for a bit each week.
ANYWAYS, on Fri, Nov 2, I got a message on my voicemail from Delta saying they wanted to interview me for a position. I called her back, with little hope that this would work for us. Mary and I chatted a bit on the phone and hit it off. She said they were looking at me for their "Ready Reserve" position. What? I had NO idea what that was. I was completely embarrassed when I asked what that position was. She explained that is was an on-call position that worked "below part-time status" to fill in holes in the schedule. They sent out the schedule a month in advance and we would choose which shifts we wanted to work. Hmmm. The minimum requirement was 8 hours a week and the max was 3 days a week. Hmmm. Oh, and she was sad to inform me that they don't offer full benefits for this position, but full flight benefits were included. Excuse me? Yes, 30 flight days for me, John, McKenna, Brooklyn, Josiah, my mom AND my dad. Hello?! Crazy! I could go in for an interview Sat (the next day) or Tuesday. I opted for Tuesday.
So, I went in on the 7th and had a great time. It was fun to dress up and have someone care about the skills I have other than changing diapers and making dinner. I felt really good about the interview and even better about the job.
I heard nothing for a couple weeks, then out of the blue Mary called and said I was in the next level of interviewing. I went in for a PAT (physical agility test) on the 20th. Whew, I passed. :) Then, I went in for fingerprinting on the 23rd.
Feeling good.
Then nothing. For a long time.
Finally, on Fri, Dec 14 I get a call saying they want to extend a job offer. Whoo-hoo! Orientation is Sat Dec 15 or Tues the 18th. I opted for the 18th. Went in for 5 hours of orientation. At that time, they politely informed us that they needed "warm bodies" during the holiday rush and that we had 13 hours of computer training to do before we could work the following week. Gee, thanks.
Well, since I am "above average intelligence" I was able to get through the training in about 9 hours. I worked my first shift on Dec 24. Yep, I signed up for the early morning shift: 4:00 am-12:30 pm.
It was great. I got up at 2:45 (IN THE MORNING!) and my coffee was brewing as I came down the stairs. I had a lovely cup of coffee while sitting in front of the fire. I was able to drink the whole thing without distraction or having to microwave it 2 times. Then I got ready, without distraction, and headed out the door at 3:20. It was GORGEOUS out. Crystal clear skies. Sparkling stars. The air was crisp and clean. The airport was all lit up and beautiful.
I had a great time. I didn't know how to do a thing! My main responsibilites will be
1. Working the lobby. i.e. directing traffic and encouraging people to use the kiosk
2. Working the kiosk. Helping people read the monitor and push a button.
3. Checking id's and tagging bags.
That's it! Its fun and great to meet new people.
So, I'll be doing this 8 hours a week, typically on Monday mornings. Our flight benefits kick in at the end of the month and then we can attempt to travel standby. (Are you so bored already?)
Ok, so that's my scoop on my new job at Delta.
Yes, you read that correctly. I have a new job.
Some of you have heard about it, most of you are probably in the dark. (Sorry!)
I am now an employee of Delta Air Lines! I am a CSA (Customer Service Agent) working at the ticket counter at DIA (Denver International Airport.) The airline industry REALLY likes acronyms.
Ok, so here's the long, drawn out story because you will be asking questions if I don't say it all.
Lots of people in Reunion work for the airlines. We live about 13 minutes from DIA so its an easy commute. Several moms I know work for airlines. So I decided on Oct 17 to look for any openings at any airline. It was late at night and I just started going to websites and applying for any available part-time work. Now, I wasn't really ready to go to work part-time, I just figured your app sat in their database for months on end and maybe my name would come up in 6 months or a year or something. And maybe at that time our lives would be at a place that I could leave for a bit each week.
ANYWAYS, on Fri, Nov 2, I got a message on my voicemail from Delta saying they wanted to interview me for a position. I called her back, with little hope that this would work for us. Mary and I chatted a bit on the phone and hit it off. She said they were looking at me for their "Ready Reserve" position. What? I had NO idea what that was. I was completely embarrassed when I asked what that position was. She explained that is was an on-call position that worked "below part-time status" to fill in holes in the schedule. They sent out the schedule a month in advance and we would choose which shifts we wanted to work. Hmmm. The minimum requirement was 8 hours a week and the max was 3 days a week. Hmmm. Oh, and she was sad to inform me that they don't offer full benefits for this position, but full flight benefits were included. Excuse me? Yes, 30 flight days for me, John, McKenna, Brooklyn, Josiah, my mom AND my dad. Hello?! Crazy! I could go in for an interview Sat (the next day) or Tuesday. I opted for Tuesday.
So, I went in on the 7th and had a great time. It was fun to dress up and have someone care about the skills I have other than changing diapers and making dinner. I felt really good about the interview and even better about the job.
I heard nothing for a couple weeks, then out of the blue Mary called and said I was in the next level of interviewing. I went in for a PAT (physical agility test) on the 20th. Whew, I passed. :) Then, I went in for fingerprinting on the 23rd.
Feeling good.
Then nothing. For a long time.
Finally, on Fri, Dec 14 I get a call saying they want to extend a job offer. Whoo-hoo! Orientation is Sat Dec 15 or Tues the 18th. I opted for the 18th. Went in for 5 hours of orientation. At that time, they politely informed us that they needed "warm bodies" during the holiday rush and that we had 13 hours of computer training to do before we could work the following week. Gee, thanks.
Well, since I am "above average intelligence" I was able to get through the training in about 9 hours. I worked my first shift on Dec 24. Yep, I signed up for the early morning shift: 4:00 am-12:30 pm.
It was great. I got up at 2:45 (IN THE MORNING!) and my coffee was brewing as I came down the stairs. I had a lovely cup of coffee while sitting in front of the fire. I was able to drink the whole thing without distraction or having to microwave it 2 times. Then I got ready, without distraction, and headed out the door at 3:20. It was GORGEOUS out. Crystal clear skies. Sparkling stars. The air was crisp and clean. The airport was all lit up and beautiful.
I had a great time. I didn't know how to do a thing! My main responsibilites will be
1. Working the lobby. i.e. directing traffic and encouraging people to use the kiosk
2. Working the kiosk. Helping people read the monitor and push a button.
3. Checking id's and tagging bags.
That's it! Its fun and great to meet new people.
So, I'll be doing this 8 hours a week, typically on Monday mornings. Our flight benefits kick in at the end of the month and then we can attempt to travel standby. (Are you so bored already?)
Ok, so that's my scoop on my new job at Delta.
God's Gift
I figured you were tired of reading about Delta, so I thought I'd write this separate.
What has been so incredible about this job is how God has orchestrated ALL of it.
Everyone has asked me how I found this job. My only response has been, "God gave it to me."
Most airlines only have part-time and full-time. Many people get hired on as full-time and then give their shifts away to accommodate their lives at home. But, they run the risk of getting stuck with unwanted shifts. This 8-hour a week deal is pretty much unheard of in the industry.
Most airlines have an extended (2 weeks) training out of state...usually in their hub.
Because this is a "below part-time status" position, they only required a 4 hour orientation locally...on site.
Apparently, 135 people applied for this position. 5 were hired.
Many of my girlfriends immediately wanted to know how to apply for this job. It really is perfect for stay at home moms. The job did not exist on the Delta website. I looked and couldn't find it. In fact, it didn't even show that Delta existed in Denver. When I asked a supervisor about it, they said it is only listed while the job is available. When I applied, the listing was only online for 3 days.
Typically, the airlines will only look at applications that have a resume included. When I was randomly filling out online applications, I did not have a resume put together. So I just left it blank. Remember, I wasn't looking to get a job now, but much farther in the future. When I was doing my orientation, Mary, the supervisor that hired me, said, "Yeah, I remember reading your application. I cracked up because in the notes section for your resume you put: Stay at home mom. Will submit resume later."
So, all I can say, is I did NOTHING to get this job. It was all God, and I am so grateful. We are hoping this will enable us to keep in close relationship with family and friends in SoCal. Not to mention, ever give us the opportunity to travel a little and vacation from time to time. :)
What has been so incredible about this job is how God has orchestrated ALL of it.
Everyone has asked me how I found this job. My only response has been, "God gave it to me."
Most airlines only have part-time and full-time. Many people get hired on as full-time and then give their shifts away to accommodate their lives at home. But, they run the risk of getting stuck with unwanted shifts. This 8-hour a week deal is pretty much unheard of in the industry.
Most airlines have an extended (2 weeks) training out of state...usually in their hub.
Because this is a "below part-time status" position, they only required a 4 hour orientation locally...on site.
Apparently, 135 people applied for this position. 5 were hired.
Many of my girlfriends immediately wanted to know how to apply for this job. It really is perfect for stay at home moms. The job did not exist on the Delta website. I looked and couldn't find it. In fact, it didn't even show that Delta existed in Denver. When I asked a supervisor about it, they said it is only listed while the job is available. When I applied, the listing was only online for 3 days.
Typically, the airlines will only look at applications that have a resume included. When I was randomly filling out online applications, I did not have a resume put together. So I just left it blank. Remember, I wasn't looking to get a job now, but much farther in the future. When I was doing my orientation, Mary, the supervisor that hired me, said, "Yeah, I remember reading your application. I cracked up because in the notes section for your resume you put: Stay at home mom. Will submit resume later."
So, all I can say, is I did NOTHING to get this job. It was all God, and I am so grateful. We are hoping this will enable us to keep in close relationship with family and friends in SoCal. Not to mention, ever give us the opportunity to travel a little and vacation from time to time. :)
7:24
That is what time my son slept until this morning.
John and I were talking and we decided that in his 21 months of existence, he has not once slept that late in the morning.
Thank you, God! What a treat!
I don't know Mommy, I just felt like sleeping.
John and I were talking and we decided that in his 21 months of existence, he has not once slept that late in the morning.
Thank you, God! What a treat!
I don't know Mommy, I just felt like sleeping.
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