7 Quick Takes Friday (Take 7)

1. Three colds and pink eye.  Yes, pink eye.  All in the past month and a half that I’ve worked in a daycare.  To put this into perspective, before I started this job, I was sick twice in the previous four years.  And only one of those sicknesses was from a contagious disease.  Needless to say, I feel awful.  Technically, I think my immune system is getting stronger, but I just feel weaker and weaker.  At least I haven’t had lice (yet).

2. I am addicted to etsy.  There are so many beautiful, homemade items there.  And so many wonderful Catholic items.  I especially love these My Little Saints Dolls.  (Now, if I only had a little boy or girl to buy them for…) I’m not very creative and only mildly crafty, but I would love to start my own etsy shop someday.

3. I sold a few items I had laying around the house this month on ebay and amazon.  Although I didn’t really make much money (do people really make a living selling on ebay?), it’s nice to have a few things out of the house that I won’t need to pack.  I thought I got rid of most of my “unnecessary things” when I moved here, but if I haven’t used it in the six months I’ve lived here, I probably won’t use it all (with the exception of some of my nice glassware, china, etc. which hasn’t had any use since we don’t know many people to invite over for dinner).  So, it’s got to go.  I have to say it’s nice to simplify! 

4. I asked my boss if I could cut my hours and only work six hours a day.  My boss seemed open to it.  We don’t need the extra money (although some extra savings is nice), because I will make the same working thirty hours a week at this job that I did working full time at Starbucks.  The hours and pay are better at this job, but I dislike it so much that I’m crabby the majority of the time that I’m spending with David.  If I could cut my hours, I would have more time to spend doing things I like and it would be better for us than the extra money I would be making.

5. I also got a response email to a teaching assistant job I applied for, which may make the previous item a moot point.  I need to call on Monday to follow up.  Maybe I will actually get to working with high schoolers!  Although the pay is lower and it is only part time, we would just have to make it work financially and (gasp!) dig into our hard earned saving to pay the monthly bills.  But I’ll be getting experience in teaching for when I apply for teaching jobs this fall!  And doing what I love!  It would be wonderful!!!  Please pray that I get this position.  With the economy still not doing well, teaching positions are very hard to find and experience is necessary to be considered for jobs.  That this part time teaching assistant positions was even open is a God sent.

6. My husband had been the most supportive man regarding my job.  He knows I’m unhappy and does everything possible to help me around the house and with the job search, to the point that he has told me that I should just quit and he will help cut all expenses (including cable and internet!) so that I can get away from the position I’m in.  I’m not sure if I’ve talked about why I’m unhappy there, but it’s not working with the kids (although being sick a lot sure isn’t fun), it’s the lack of professionalism of my boss and workplace.  I don’t feel comfortable working in a place the children’s well-being takes an obvious backseat to the money the center is bringing in and where the director is constantly yelling at teachers because she is unable to take the blame for her own shortcomings.  It’s miserable for everyone there.  No one should be treated the way the employees are treated.  I know that I will be leaving when we move if I don’t have an opportunity to sooner, but many of my coworkers have families they support and rely on this job to feed their children.  They don’t have the opportunities I have with my education to go elsewhere, and I constantly pray that they will have something better come along.  Wow, I really rambled on that one.

7. The feast day of my brother’s patron Saint, St. Sebastian, was January 20th.  I found a card to send him (at Hallmark of all places!) and my husband and I wrote him a check as well.  He thought is was really cool and was so grateful.  He doesn’t attend Mass very often, but I like to find ways to remind him about his faith and how cool it is to be Catholic (we get to celebrate Feast days!).  I used to nag him a lot when we both were younger about being faithful, but I found that had the opposite affect, to turn him off to the faith.  Now, I find that prayer and fun little reminders work a lot better.  He is only 18 after all and I think he’ll wisen up a bit as he gets older.  After all, my grandfather converted and is a faithful Catholic at the age of 79.  I always try to remember St. Monica and her faithful prayers for her children when I get discouraged.  Maybe my brother will become as pious as St. Augustine due to my prayers.  I’m not holding my breath, but I know anything is possible with God!