Work I

There are days when I see so much humor in life. This week I began a nanny job for a friend of my mom's. There are two children, a small girl, three years old, and a four month old boy. These children, as children go, are very sweet children. Funny, adorable, intelligent, darling. And it is humorous to me to be here watching them, and learning things. There is much I learn from my jobs. Just a few days ago, before I began this job, I was thinking that I think it will be very easy, and that the baby will be no problem for me. Well, I did not decide otherwise, but I did see how a young mother must feel with a toddler and an infant. I didn't realize how much a baby needs held! With a large family, with Ryrie when she was a baby, and the Gentleman Prince too, and even Princes... There were many delegations, and other arms to hold the baby with. But here - only person to hold baby, all day, is me. The baby doesn't lie down and gurgle happily for hours on end. No. He likes to be held. He likes to be bounced. He likes to be smiled at. Funny. I knew that, and certainly my siblings as babies were very demanding and fussy. But... I didn't realize that I'd be the only one to hold him! Basically, there are two times when I have some freedom. The morning nap, and the afternoon nap. So far, I can't tell yet, but it seems like each nap is about an hour or two. Yesterday he did sit happily in his carseat for a while with a toy. Today, right now, both children are still sleeping. I am glad for that, but I did come prepared today. I have a sling to hold the baby. My arms will be free. And I brought some ingredients for cookies that the Little Lady and I can make together. Generally she plays alone (unless she drags me into her games) but I want to start planning different special things to do each time I'm here. In case you were wondering, I am not complaining, I am not disappointed, I am not unhappy. I am on the other hand pleased. Pleased that I am getting to see things for how they are. And I have high hopes for the future. It will be frustrating at times, I'm sure, but I'm going to enjoy this. And Baby will grow. Sleep less, want to be held more, cry as he teethes, start playing on the floor more, start eating... Yep. And Little Lady will grow too. And me? Yeah, I'll definitely grow. Oh, and there were some extremely funny things that happened. Yesterday morning when I got here and the mom left to work, I changed Baby's diaper. I took off the diaper and turned for one moment to get a diaper wipe; when I turned back, I saw the end of a small stream shooting up in the air. Well, not quite up in the air. Maybe it would've been better if it had been up in the air. But all around his neck was wet, and his mouth had drops all around it. He had just about peed into his mouth. Not straight it, but it looked like to me he had gotten a taste. I was horrified and quickly cleaned him all over with a wipe. I was quite horrified. Little Lady says the most funny things. Just yesterday she was telling me all about how she and Robin Hood saved God from the flood. Or in her words, "The great water that flooded!" She was also telling me a story that half of the time didn't make sense, but she repeated over and over that God was being appropriate. It seemed she had heard that word somewhere and liked it. She also looked at me with big eyes and asked - not to me, but I believe she was talking to her invisible friend Larry the cucumber - "What would God do if Moses and I ran away?!" Then she told me with great assurance, "Naughty queens are perfect for ideas!" She also warned me about a dragon hiding in the closet, that bit her so badly once that she had to go to the doctor, who gave her money and told her to take it to the wisemen, which she did, then "went home again". What an imagination!

Ryrie's Purple Bike

Dearest Uncle Paul bought a little pink bike for the Princess Rye. Hana and I painted it the royal color. Purple.

Applesauce 2014

Days gone by, this was. I apologize duly for not writing and posting that for so long. I had plans to, then I totally forgot... then I was busy. Work. You know? Life. Ah.... But this is life, too, and I wish to show you that. AND - I do really apologize for not getting that promised post of my car out yet. I WILL. I promise.

 

 

Anecdotes

As I sit and consume my homemade Italian sub (with coleslaw inside), I inspect my surroundings. I am having my eleven o'clock lunch at work, and I'm sitting in the cafe. I do believe most all the employees eat their dinners in the cafe. At the table to my left, the quiet-and-dignified-tomboy-sort-of-lady, who works in the meatroom, is eating her salad she brought. The deli manager is sitting ahead of me a few tables, to my left also, eating a deli salad. Ahead of me is the girl I replaced in the deli, who went back to working at the cash regesters, eating her lunch... And a few others are scattered through the room. Today I waited on the sweetest old lady. I told my coworker I wanted to write about her, and so I am. Last time she was at the deli, I was wearing my hair in two braids, and she really loved it, and went on commenting about how that's the way girls wore their hair in the old days. This time I had it in a single braid, and she asked me in her sweet, wavering voice, "But where are the piggatails?" Then she saw my single braid and reassured me, "Oh that's fine, too." Every time she's in to the deli, she orders three pieces of minced balogna, for her little dogs. "They use psychology," she assured me. "I took psychology in college, and I told myself, that's what they're doing! They don't beg, like some dogs, but they use psychology!" She nodded her head sagely. "They just look at me like - mmmmh! -" She showed me a pitiful look, and shook her head. "They look at me real sad-like, and when I come through the front door, they run at me and look real expecting-like, and they just use that psychology on me!" There's some of those regulars at the deli that just make my day. The young mothers are fun to wait on, especially the ones who aren't all flustered and frustrated at their kids. There are some that are all frustrated at their energetic kids, and they're a pain. And then there are some friendly older men and women who make things fun. The couples are neat too. The young ones, of course, love each other, but its especially nice when an older couple comes in and give each other cute looks and hold hands... I like them especially. Today I am working from eight in the morning to nine at night. I'm covering the night shift for a coworker, and so I'll be here all day. It'll be a long day... I was slightly disappointed to not be placed in the bakery, but now I'm so glad to be in the deli. I love the people I work with and I haven't gotten bored of my job yet. Course, sometimes I get tired, but not bored yet. Just the other day D.A. asked me, "You're not going to leave, are you? You're gonna stay with us forever and ever, right? You have to! I like you, you're a nice lady!" And I must say, I don't really want to leave. I like my job and I like my friends.

Kittens, of sorts

On Jobs and Current Events in my life

I have learned more about people now with my job than I ever have before. Of course, with my previous job I learned a lot, especially about employer/employee relationships and problems, but I am discovering a whole world of good relationship techniques, and reasons relationship difficulties and problems. It's very interesting working with people. I really love it, and I enjoy being around people a lot. I thought it would be emotionally draining and make me depressed a lot. But I have been soberly learning a wonderful truth; God gives me strenght as I need it. I am learning that my strength doesn't ever match up to the level of strength that is needed, but I rejoice to say that when my heart is heavy and I am overwhelmed with life difficulties and problems, He always sends cheer my way. And I somehow am also given the strength to send cheer other people's way, in return. "Always remember, Joelle, you're a daughter of the King. You're a princess, and your Father loves you so, so much. I cannot stress that enough, how much God loves you." And people pray for me. I have been so extraordinarily blessed... I can't explain it all. Doesn't mean I feel the best all the time, or that I don't get depressed. No... Far from that. I do, still. I get very sad. I wonder how to get on. I see no light at the end of my tunnel. Then I remember, Ah, Joelle, you're focus is wrong. Joy doesn't come from a changed circumstance, but from a changed heart. Love doesn't come from a lack of disagreement, but from a commitment and the choice to love. Peace doesn't come from a calm surrounding, but from a sense of God's presence in the storm. Oh, I really am still learning. I don't think I will ever have learned all of what I should. Well, this was supposed to be a post about my job. And I guess I'm changing it into an all around current-thoughts post. About work, though, I have a great number of wonderful coworkers. I love the ladies I work with, and the one guy I work with is a great guy. It is very interesting to try to understand and observe the different temperaments and personalities my coworkers have. Each of them are different. It's sad to see how some of them disagree and don't like each other as much because of their differences, or just misunderstandings. I found it interesting to note how this one girl I work with really doesn't like to have people telling her what to do all the time, but that she often will do the same things as the older lady she complains about. For example, she got very frustrated at Sh____ for taking over in a situation she was in, but she will often take over or intrude into my work if she thinks I'm not doing it right. I started to get annoyed today, I admit, but then I realized that it wasn't big deal, and that just as I realized that its pride that makes A____ not like Sh___ to tell her what to do, its pride for me to get offended if A____ is a little bossy. It's interesting, too, to see how the two younger girls I work with, A___ and S___, don't like Sh___. I can see how they get offended at her. She is a somewhat difficult personality to get along with. But as I realized before, its only pride that keeps us (cause even I once in a while feel annoyed at Sh___ for certain things) from appreciating Sh___ for who she is. I admit I have annoying sides to me. I only hope that I am willing to change as I learn of my faults. I really don't know if that all makes any sense. I'm tired today! I only got five hours of sleep last night. Well, there are other things for me to do. A post is coming up, one for my car I got (because I did get a car) and one for Thanksgiving. :)

An Update, of Sorts, for Donny

The future seems to drag, yet the past already seems to be afar off, and have gone so fast... It's amazing how many feelings and emotions I can experience in such a short time. It's amazing how fast I can laugh after crying, and how short it takes for my joy to leave and depression take its place. Work keeps me busy. I keep a schedule... Write a list. /Make cards... Scrapbook... Make fudge... Go shopping... Call Grandmama... Practice cello... Buy rosin... Update account book... Look for a car... Take pictures of the children... Blog post... Blog post... Blog post.... I have had it on my list to write a post for some time. I actually wrote quite a few pages in my journal, but then I deemed those pages not fit for most people to see. And I think about it every so often, but then forget, or feel just plain out of the writing mood. Or I can hardly find how to express the words inside of me, and fear actually saying even a part of my thoughts aloud. And so I set my alarm. I get up, bleary eyed. Or, if I have no work schedule that day, I turn off the alarm and close my eyes again. Dread to take the covers off and have to be brave another day. But I do get up, and I do brave another day. I smile, I laugh, and I try... I try so hard to make each day a better one, for someone, even if not for myself. Today the sky has too many clouds. What should be pure and clear blue is a mass of dull grey-white. I sit in the cafe during my lunch/supper break, and stare out the window. Different strangers go by... Looking sober and serious. Little kids, happy-go-lucky according to their cheerful perspective, laugh, smile, and chatter. I smile, and watch. There is a elderly man, indicating his perfectionist nature by reparking and reparking his GMC truck. Work. Life is full of it, isn't that so? As adults, there is so much ordinary and schedule. The perpetual smile is the first to go. I see it, where I work. It's the distracted-ness, too. I see it in both my co-workers, and in the customers who come in to order deli meats and cheese. When the job gets tiresome and ordinary, and when the cares of life outweigh the love of life, distracted faces replace the personal smiles. She comes up to the counter, hurriedly. "Half a pound of chipped ham, a quarter pound of the presliced American cheese, and a pound of shredded coleslaw. Yes, that's all. Thanks." The lack of eye contact. No smile. Standing there, lost in thought. Stress creased between the eyes. She pulls out her phone, and slips it away into her back jeans pocket only when I have her order ready. "Busy adult worker" is spelled all over her. But Mr. Mustache man... He and those like him make my day. "Hello, miss! How are you? Oh, I'm doing tolerably! It's my day off today, and I am doing "honey-do" things today! She wants some of that chipped beef! Oh, I don't know what. Probably the one that's on sale. She reads that sale paper every week! Oh, that's fine if its a little over. It'll all get eaten! Oh, and she wants two pounds of your baked limas! Hm, is that two pounds? It's not two of those things then? Oh, well, if its wrong, can I tell her that you told me this container is two pounds? Thanks! Yeah, that's all! Thanks, you have a great day, too!" So day goes after day. Soon it will be Thanksgiving. Already. And then Christmas, and the new year. 2015. Already. My, where did the time go? I can hardly remember how it was a year ago... I have been so many places and experienced so much in the short year that's past! How can it be. I'll in my nineteenth year... Well, I am in my nineteenth year. And, well, time will keep flying. One thing after another... I'll keep busy, I hope! Next post up: my car. Well, I hope it will be that... I hope to have a car by the time I post next. Lord willing. :) Blessings.