Another very long, but productive week. Work has picked up and I have added another training session, and I have one more that I am still negotiating a proposal that keeps going back and forth.
It is very technical and so I have been trying to learn what I will need to know so I won't be a dummy standing in front of all the trainees.
Also, to come up with activities or a training that will cover the technicalities and specifications, but not bore the participants is going to be hard. I have been tossing around some ideas, but have not decided yet exactly what to do.
I am working everyday, but only Tuesday and Thursday are all day. That way, I still have time to check on Mom, make sure she eats, clean her area, do laundry, clean the house, and so forth.
If Fito weren't here it would be even worse. I had hired a lady to come once every two weeks to clean, but now that Fito is home, I told her not to come. He also has been doing some great projects outside.
He and the boys dud a ditch from the house down to the vegetable garden and then on to the chicken house and animal complex. Right now they have been putting in the pipes so that we will have water for the garden and animals.
Before, we had to drag hoses down to water the garden and as for the animals, they would put 4 -five gallon buckets on the wagon, fill them up, and then haul the load down to the animals. It will be incredible for them to NOT have to haul water anymore.
They should finish that project in the next few days and then he will start on something else. My man was made to work! There are very few people that are as efficient as he is. I did well in marrying him.
I know that being unemployed is really bothering him. I think men in particular really associate who they are to their work.
As for me, I could be perfectly happy never working outside the home (as long as I could write and work through the Internet)...I do admit I need some outside pursuit to challenge me and keep me learning and progressing, but I am content to do so from my home and leave the world with its politics, gossip, contentions, and regulations to the outside.
However, I have to pay my student loans, so I must keep plugging along. And I'll admit, my work is extremely fulfilling.
Tuesday, April 19th was my Mom's 80th birthday and my Aunt Jody (her sister) planned a surprise birthday party for her. My mom had three children present (two of my sisters came), a granddaughter with her three children, her sister, sister-in-law, a niece, and three cousins. We had a room full of ladies that are all accomplished women and just nice people to be around.
Whenever I go to a family gathering or such, I am always thankful for the family I was born in to. They are a good solid bunch of patriotic hard working Americans.
Yes, we have our skeletons, just as any family does, there have been broken marriages, money problems, indiscretions, scandals, contentions, and so forth. But still, we have for the most part, worked through the issues, loved each other, and tried to better ourselves and one another.
There still are a few who will not communicate with others as they are "offended" at something. Oh how my heart aches for them as they have cut themselves off from such good people with whom they could fellowship and be strengthened by.
I had made enchiladas on Saturday and put them in the freezer. I also cooked a batch of pinto beans. Then Sunday I ended up adding hamburger, kidney beans, corn, and spices to the beans, so I had a sort of chili.
Monday after work, I made a Wacky cake (which is my mom's favorite) and 18 loaves of Poppy Seed Bread. A Wacky cake is a made-from-scratch chocolate cake with Maraschino Cherries and Pecans in it and then you make real home-made fudge, pour it onto the top of the cake for icing.
It is so good as the fudge locks in the moisture from the cake. I did not put the pecans in it as mom doesn't have teeth and can't have nuts anymore.
We had such a nice visit. We should make the effort to meet more often. People came from Nebraska and Texas, so I know it is hard to come so far, but what a great blessing for my mom. She was immensely surprised and extremely pleased with the day. She still is talking about it and glowing with pleasure.
Just to add from last week, that Rebeca had a friend over on Friday night and the friend is not as fortunate as us. Rebeca realized that as her friend would say things such as, "We can't have animals in the apartment. or "We don't have a backyard." or "I wish I had lots of brothers and sisters to play with."
Rebeca came to me and told me she was so glad she had all those things and that she wished her friend had them, too. It was really neat to see the change in Rebeca as she realized how fortunate we really are. It was humbling and gratifying.
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