Okay. You know how hard we’ve had it the last little bit, right? Well, the last year, really, but especially hard the last little bit. First let me get through some stupid stuff then I’ll get to the really good stuff. Today, Jay and I clean cleaned from top to bottom. I’m exhausted, and he’s exhausted. The kids are both now today done with their stomach bug, however, Joseph now has a cold. My in-laws are coming for Christmas with a surprise – Jay’s nephew, Owen, who’s a few months older than Logan. AND my in-laws want to take my kids (and Owen) with them to the hotel for two nights. Fine with us, but are they CRAZY???? Okay…. the good stuff. Stephanie, former writer of Sylvie’s Place, sent good stuff for the kids. Just a box out of nowhere, for Christmas for the kids! How nice and thoughtful and sweet is that?? We needed it too! Then, Jay comes home with a $100 gift card from his boss. Then, when I got the mail, there was a card from my boss. I had already gotten a card from his family last week so I was confused. So, I open it, and there’s a very sweet note, with – Get this – a check for $1,000. Yes, that’s a thousand. I was floored, and called Jay crying. Then, today, we were cleaning, and Jay heard something at our front door. He gets there in time to see a woman leaving our driveway who turned, smiled, waved, and left. There was a card in our screen to, \”The Good Samaritans.\” Confuzzled, we open it, and out falls two $50 bills. $100. We read the card, and it said, \”To the Good Samaritans, Every time I pass your hospital [we live across the street from a hospital] I think of you and your kindness and helpfullness when my car broke down. I couldn’t move away without first thanking you. Sharon.\” She didn’t even know our names, and did this. You see, about 6 months ago, an older lady was parked across the street at the hospital. Her car died, and she didn’t know what to do. Jay went over there and let her use our phone several times to get a tow truck, and stayed with her til it got there, because it was getting dark. That’s it. That’s all we did. Can you believe this? Is that not the nicest thing ever???? So, tonight, after the cleaning was done, Jay and I were able to go shopping for each other. We weren’t going to get gifts this year. It’s turning out to be a good Christmas. The kindness of others has just overwhelmed me. God defintely heard our prayers. The perfect jobs for Jay and myself, and now this. I am just in awe.

Well. I thought the kids were okay, since they weren’t sick yesterday or all night. Take the kids to Alma’s (their babysitter) and Joseph throws up all over her kitchen floor as we walk in. He absolutely refused to leave. Today’s their Christmas party you see. So, she said it was okay, and if he gets sick again, she’ll call me. Sheesh. I did our money and such since Jay got paid a day early due to the holiday. It’s official. I will have nothing under the tree this year at all. Ah, well. At least there’s money to round off Joseph’s list, and stocking stuffers. I’m hoping that Joseph will hold off on being sick, so I can get everything done that I need to do today. Christmas is in two days. I have shopping, wrapping, cleaning, and grocery shopping to do. Don’t forget – the in-laws will be here. That means I have have to have this place sparkling. My MIL literally runs her finger along surfaces and looks. Uggg. I simply cannot wait for this year to be over.

eeewwwwww Okay. So if you didn’t catch it yesterday, there’s a bright spot. I got the job I wanted! Okay back to the bad and ugly… Anyone with kids knows the hell I’m currently going through right now. So, it’s four days til Christmas. Three for prep, right? I still have all the Christmas shopping to do, due to the monetary situation. I have to go grocery shoppinjg for Christmas cookies, and Christmas breakfast breakfast and dinner. I have to bake the cookies. We still have to get Logan to see Santa. I still have to wrap all said gifts, and my parent’s gifts, because of course, they’re out of town and asked me to. I also have to clean this house from top to bottom. The kids are in childcare, so all this shouldn’t be a problem right? So we were up all night last night. I do mean all night. With a 4 1/2 year old and a 2 1/2 year old with the stomach flu and all that entails. At the same time. Every single towel, sheet, blanket, and pillow in the house (and I mean that literally) have to be washed as well as some clothes and car seat covers. Jay had to work, so I’m here at home doing none of what needs to be done taking care of them. Did I mention my parents are on vacation? We haven’t had any \”eruptions\” since 7:20am, so we’re on a good kick. However, now, they both have low-grade fevers. So. And of course, my in-laws are coming. And the kids seem to be sick every time they visit to the point that my mother-in-law gave me a book about healthy holistic foods and using food as a preventative measure. You ever try getting a 4 year old to try artichokes? Yeah. I’m laughing too. Sigh. The fun just doesn’t stop around here. Have you ever seen the seen in \”The Ya-Ya Sisterhood\” where Ashley Judd’s kids all get sick at once, and she runs away? Not a bad idea.

I got it I got the job. I got the job I wanted. At more money than I have ever made at any job. The one in which I will be surrounded by music. The one where I hit it off immensely with the VP that would be my boss. Orientation is on Jan. 3rd, and I start work on Jan. 4th. Full benefits will begin Feb. 1st. I will be the Executive Secretary to the VP of Music Administration at a major motion picture studio. The department is the one that puts the music into the movies… Contracts a composer, or works with existing artists and licenses etc. When I interviewed, no less than 3 people had music playing. This is wonderful news. The one job I wanted. Really good money. Maybe we will be okay after all…

I haven’t been able to do an entry for a couple of days since I’ve been so busy. I had a transcription contract, so I’ve been feverishly working on that since that means extra money! So that job I wanted? Good Lord. Got a call a couple of days ago, as they couldn’t get references from my last job since the office closed, and my job from ten years ago said that I didn’t exist. Well, my last job was easy enough. I was able to get the company who did our payroll to verify me. As for the company from ten years ago… The idiots didn’t use my maiden name – which was on my paperwork – or my Social – which was on my paperwork. So, yeah, under my current name, I didn’t exist. Got that all figured out yesterday, but it was too late to get an answer. I now have to wait until Monday to find out if an offer is ready for me. Ugh. The whole weekend. And next week is Christmas week, so I wouldn’t be all that surprised if it was pushed to the next week. Oh wait! That’s New Years – how about the week after that?. Ugh. Got my best friend, Amy’s, Christmas party to attend this evening sans children! We’re going a little bit early in order to help. Jay will get drunk, as usual at their house. Dana, Amy’s husband, and Jay have some sort of off competition thing that happens, that Jay doesn’t participate in with anyone else. I don’t get it. Maybe ’cause I’m not a guy? Anyway, there’s a weird/strange/bizarre white elephant gift exchange. We got a dancing hamster. He’s wearing martial arts pajamas and holding numchucks. Press his paw, and the song, \”Kung Foo Fighting\” (think chipmunk voices) comes on and the hamster dances and spins his numchucks. It was that or the life-sized Paris Hilton cut-out, but that was over the max for the gift. But it would have been perfect. Christmas is coming, and I’ve got nothing. I’m doing the bills today, so I’m hoping that there will be extra for Christmas shopping. There very well might not be though. We’ll see. **** Update: Just did the bills for the week. This was the week I’d figure out if we had any money left for Christmas, since Jay won’t be paid again in time. Nope. Nothing. Jay will have something under the tree, ’cause I had already gotten him two gifts, and the grandparents are coming through for the kids. But that’s it. After three years in a row of this shit, I’m officially done with Christmas. To put it bluntly, we don’t even have enough money for gas in order to go out to our church for Christmas eve… We have just enough for the basic necessities. Food. Gas for Jay to get to work. Diapers. Merry Christmas. right.