My awesome job!

Ok, I've been intending to write an update all week, but as it turns out- adjusting to a new job and routine is exhausting! So here it is, Saturday. First week of my new job is officially over. I got lots of rest last night, and I'm not really prepared to start on the mountain of laundry just yet. What better time to update, right?

I LOVE my job. It is amazing to go to work and feel really, really good about what you do. Every single day this week, I left feeling like "WOW, I just helped so many people- AND I got paid for it!". Loaves and Fishes is such a great organization, and I am so happy to get to know first hand just how much good they do in our community.

Every day, hundreds of meals are served to the seniors in our community through the meals on wheels program and the in center dining. I think what amazes me most is that I am one of only 3 employees at that center- the rest of the needed help comes from so many volunteers that it just blows my mind. It is just astounding to realize how many people there are in our community who give up their time on a daily basis in order to help others. Talk about boosting my faith in humanity!

The biggest challenge this week is in getting the boys on a routine (Skyler, you REALLY have to get dressed for school...Alex, we PROMISE to pick you up from daycare...) and getting my body used to shifting from mommy mode to work out of the home mode. The job itself is so well suited to me that I felt used to it the minute I walked in. Hopefully by the end of next week, the dust will settle here at home!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend!

P.S. Please, please, please vote YES on measures 66 & 67- without these measures, Sky's school district alone faces cuts of 17 school days OR 72 (out of less than 450) teaching positions. And our school district has fared better than many others in the state. We aren't voting on "extras" in education anymore- those are gone. Skyler has a 1/2 time principal, PE only 1/2 the year, music only 1/2 the year, a part time school counselor...in middle school he gets to look forward to the only extra curricular activity being track, large class sizes and probably no outdoor school. Schools are already in shambles. But the basics of education- time in the classroom and teachers to teach, are now at risk. We can't possibly lose more and expect our children to learn.

Defend the institution of marriage!

Be a good spouse, no matter what your sexual preference is.

A pledge to fight poverty.

I'm going all spiritual on y'all. Today's sermon at church was called "The church as a service industry". Our pastor reminded us to help others of all faiths, abilities, incomes, orientations, races...we are ALL people. As a church we said this pledge today, which really struck me:

We are standing now with millions around the world on this symbolic day to show our commitments to the fight against extreme poverty and inequality. We are standing because we refuse to accept more excuses in a world where 50,000 people die every day as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between the rich and poor is getting wider.

We are standing because we want our leaders to honor their promises to meet the Millennium Development Goals and we ask them to exceed these goals.

As a Jubilee people, we are standing because we believe that debt cancellation is essential to bringing economic justice and an end to global poverty. We stand today in the light of God's Jubilee vision of abundant life for all and right relationships between people and nations.

We join in solidarity with people from over 100 countries to say, to the leaders of the wealthy countries, we urge you to keep your promises on poverty- debt relief, more and better aid, trade justice and gender equality.

To the leaders of all countries, make it your first responsibility to save the lives of your most impoverished citizens. We ask you to tackle inequality, to be accountable to your people, to govern fairly and justly, to fight corruption and to uphold human rights.

Today, and every day, we will stand up and take action against poverty. We will continue to fight against poverty and inequality and to hold leaders in every part of the world, faithful to their promises. We are asking not for charity but for justice.

We are millions of voices standing in solidarity to say, no more excuses. End poverty now.

Thursday night rant.

I have to get this off my chest...

It is really hard to believe that everything happens for a reason when there just doesn't seem like any reason to be had. I don't understand. And I've always believed that God has a plan, but how could this be a fair plan? This is not a good plan.

On a day when a family in our community suffered a truly devastating loss- the loss of their child...another family faked the potential loss of their child for publicity. Are you kidding? This isn't fair. You have one family so worried about getting on TV that they had the whole country worried about their little one, while a family is getting the kind of attention that no family wants and they just wish it were all a stunt that they could snap out of.

The entertainment industry has gotten out of control if these are the things we worry about when true, every day tragedies are affecting the lives of people we pass on the street every day.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of a 3rd grade student at Skyler's school, who passed away today. Please hug and kiss your children.