Changes around our place

The new year has brought some changes our way.  Last Friday, X Factor was moved to another home.  His problems proved to be too great for our family to handle.  He was still throwing things at Ellie's face and hurting her.  We were also having great deal of other behavioral problems with him.  It got to the point where we couldn't do anything as a family.  Wayne wasn't coming home after work.  Jake was hiding in his room.  Ellie starting acting out and against him at times.  And I was going crazy.  Once I realized he was having such a negative effect on us as a family, I asked that he be moved.  It was time to put my family first.  It was sad to see him go, but it needed to happen.  I feel good about my decision and it has already proved to be what our family needed.  At this point, we don't plan on taking another placement even though our license doesn't expire until the end of March.  I have mixed emotions about this.  Some days I'm okay with it and others I'm not.

Just after the new year, I accepted a position as an office assistant for a company that does developmental therapies.  It's going okay.  It's very part time, just one full day a week, but right now I am working 2-3 full days a week while the main gal is recovering from having a baby.  The one day a week would have been a nice supplement to foster care, but now that we don't intend to continue that, I need to find more work.  I applied with FedEx this week.  So we'll see what happens there.  I think my current job has great potential and the staff is amazing, but I'm doubtful that the potential will come soon enough.

And as you can see from my previous post, evenings have been busy with hunter's ed.  I'm sooooo happy this was only a two week course.  It was fun to take it with Jake.  It was nice to have that one on one with him.  He is such a great boy.  I can't believe he is 14 now!  That's right.  His birthday was last weekend.

For his birthday, we took him out to eat to the restaurant of his choice.  He chose Primos, the all you can eat pizza buffet.  Afterwards, we went to the RV show and did some dreaming.  We had a good time.

I'm not sure what changes will come next.....hopefully our house selling!

For Sale

Okay, the not-so-secret secret is out.  We officially listed our house today.  Not too big of a deal to us.  Just entering a different time in our life.  It's a little depressing to admit, but we are headed for the teenage years, where our kids are wanting bigger, more expensive things like cell phones and cars!  That's right, Jake can take drivers ed next summer.  Man we're getting old. :(  I don't feel old but in order to accommodate these changes in our lives, we figure some changes financially are coming too.  And we want to be prepared for them.  So here's the first step...selling our house.

Some other upcoming changes in our lives will probably include me stopping foster care and getting a traditional job.  I have realized that my love for children and helping people cannot be forced onto my family.  They have been very supportive with the children we have taken in, but I can tell they don't love it like I do.  So I have been looking for a part time job where I can still be around/help people and children.  I have a couple of options out there and I'm waiting to hear back.  We still need to follow through with our foster care obligations and will help the X Factor as long as we need to, but he will probably be our last placement if I can secure a job in the meantime.

I have always welcomed change in our lives, but this time I'm struggling.  Working outside the home, in an actual workplace, with all new people, scares me.  It's not that I won't enjoy it, it's just not what I'm used to.  I have always found comfort in being at home with my children (and Julie's!).  I keep praying that the right job will come along that will give balance to what I want, what Wayne wants, and what we both need.