One of The Hardest Things We've Ever Done

Beth's job coach, Christine, called me yesterday and told me that Little Caesars has laid her off. Beginning immediately, Beth is out of a job. 

We just told Beth about an hour ago and she sat still and quiet while we explained it all to her. Then she threw her arms around me and sobbed. After a few minutes she stood up, said, "Now it your turn!" and she cried on Chuck's shoulder for a while.

The store got a new owner and she no longer wants boxes made ahead of time. Now when you go into Little Caesars to order a pizza, they will fold the box while the pizza is in the oven.

Today Christine and L, the store manager, spent an hour with the new owner telling her what an asset Beth was to the company and how great of a job she does at folding boxes, but she wouldn't change her mind. Beth was done. 

Beth started working at a Little Caesars in a city about 45 minutes from where we live and she'd be on the bus for 2-3 hours each way. It was long and tiring but she loved the work!
 

 

Then they found a store much closer to home and she worked two days a week. Ironically enough, they just bumped her to 3 days a week. Although that was L the manager who did that. He was just as surprised at the new owner's decision as anyone. 

Beth loved feeling like she was a part of something, loved texting everyone at the end of her shift to tell them how many stacks she did, but most of all she loved that paycheck!

 

After almost 5 years with the company, she's now unemployed. We talked about how her and Christine get to sit down and figure out where she gets to work next. We told her that now maybe her and Nick could go out on dates on Friday nights. And that now every Saturday she gets to bowl both games at Special Olympics! She doesn't have to stop after one game because it's time to go to work.

As I type this I can hear her down stairs squealing and laughing at whatever show she's watching. It'll be quite an adjustment but we know she'll get through it. It would mean a lot if you would please keep her in your prayers.

Can Root Beer Teach A Lesson?

Beth was at work tonight and sent me a text saying, "I am not doing good today at work mothera." I wasn't exactly sure what she meant so I asked her if she felt sick. "Is just my tummy hurts and I feel warm."

Oh my. I told her to tell a co-worker, find someplace to sit down and I'd be there soon. It took me about 20 minutes to get there and she was fine by the time I arrived. Apparently she was drinking root beer and it gave her a stomach ache. The manager gave her some bottled water and she almost immediately felt better. So she finished her work and was ready to go when I arrived.

I used this situation to encourage her (again) to stop drinking soda. I told her her body was telling her to stop drinking it. We'll see if it works.

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Sharaya, Allie and Diana are in Southern California this week. they spent a few days at Disneyland, then went down to visit my dad and all the family. I've loved seeing all the pictures on Facebook and Instagram! Makes me feel like I've gone along with them. What did we do before social media? 

Work is still crazy busy but should calm down soon... My sister will be visiting in a few weeks... Two birthdays are right around the corner! I hope you've had a great week!

Then And Now

We've been so busy this week but I don't have many pictures. This Sunday is our Business Meeting at church and I'm the event planner. There are so many steps to the process and I have a very long check list to make sure I don't forget anything.

Plus on Sunday, Beth is going to Nicks for the afternoon. She'll take DART back and forth since Chuck and I will be at the meeting. Nick and his parents have recently moved and she's so excited about seeing his new room. He sent me this picture. It's him, Beth and M at Karaoke this week. 

Beth and M have been friends since they were 5 years old. This is them in 2nd grade, did you find them? They adore each other! 😍

 

 Sharaya and Allie are on a road trip! Sharaya has so many fun things planned. One thing Allie doesn't know is that Diana is flying in on Sunday to join them for a few days! Ahhh! I am so excited for them!

 

Allie today

 

 And Sharaya and Beth back in 1990

 Carrying on the road trip tradition!

King Pin

We usually get to the bowling alley early, to make sure we're able to get a seat near lane 13, where Beth bowls. She has her own ball and shoes and as soon as we get there she gets ready. Shoes on and ball on the rack.

Then she waits.

The bowling alley has to set up the teams and put everyone's names on the score board. So everyone waits.

 
Once they see the 'Practice' windows up on the monitors, everyone jumps up and begins to bowl. They know they have 10 minutes to warm up.

 
Then the real bowling begins. They keep score and everyone is at their top game! This week Beth started out slow and has the lowest score until frame 5. Then she got a strike and a couple spares and ended up somewhere in the middle of the team.

 
 Usually the kids have their bowling tournament the end of October and that's it. They all go home and it's over. But this year they said there are so many teams that the gold medalists this year, will get to go on to Nationals! Beth won a gold medal last year so here's hoping she does well again this year!

Busted!

Beth and I did a little shopping the other day. She was so excited about all the back-to-school stuff and wanted to go buy some things.

This was the same day we bought her kitchen cabinets. After we had taken them downstairs and set everything up, I was exhausted and ready to just crash for a while. But she was insistent about getting her school supplies.

So we headed to Fred Meyer since they have just about everything and as we're walking to the back-to-school section I asked her what she wanted to buy. "Jus' my markers." Seriously? You don't want a backpack and pens and... "No." We find the aisle with the markers and of course they don't have the colors she likes. She's found some markers that are a different shade from the regulars. Instead if red, blue, green, they are maroon, teal and forest. But many stores don't carry them.

We walked around for a while and she found this bathrobe. She's always liked Spongebob! And it was SO soft! But she decided not to buy it because she already has a purple robe at home.

After buying some groceries we stopped by Bartell's so she could get her markers but I told her I'd wait in the car. She sure loves that store!

You can tell by the look on her face that she caught me taking her picture! That's usually when I hear, "Mothera!"

Do you like to shop? What's your favorite store? 

We Were Surprised It Fit in the Back of the Car!

Beth got paid from her job as well as the state on the same day this month! Not sure that's ever happened before. Of course, the money's been burning a hole in her pocket.

After her bills were paid, I told her that she had enough left to buy a new comforter for her bed, maybe some pillows, new pictures to hang on the wall in her room... We talked about it off and on for a couple days.

Sharaya and Allie had made plans for today so Chuck, Beth and I tried a new restaurant in our little town. It was SO good! Rory's is about 2 blocks from the water and right at the ferry entrance. We sat outside and enjoyed the view!

After we dropped Chuck off at home (he had to work) I told Beth that we could go get the comforter or... she had enough to get her kitchen cabinets.

"I want that."

So instead of Bed, Bath and Beyond, we headed to Home Depot. At the back of the store we found two cabinets that would be perfect for her. She definitely needed drawers, but also some cupboard space for napkins, crackers, etc. A couple employees came over to help and when I asked about counter tops, he showed me a few pieces that had been cut for other customers and they were being sold as is. If we wanted a custom piece, we'd pay now, then they would have to cut it for us and we'd get it later. The already cut, smaller pieces were all about 4 feet long and looked fine to Beth and I! She chose one of the colors and off we went to buy it all! 

That's when I remembered the back of my car had a huge suitcase in it, a car seat, a small box of stuff, how were we going to get all this in the back of my car?

Thankfully an employee came out to help us stuff it all in and we did it! And the back closed completely!

We got it home, out of the car, down the stairs and into her room. She helped me take it all apart and we figured out where she wanted it.

Because the counter top was already cut (very inexpensive that way!) we decided to just put a space between the cabinets for a trash can or whatever she decided to put there. Nothing is officially attached because she's not positive that's where it's going to stay but it works for now. She absolutely loves it!

Mirrors; Seats, Autism, But Not in That Order

I recently bought some new things for my Sunday school classroom. I'm sure the younger kids will love this stuff, the problem I have is finding things that Middle and High School boys like to do.

I've purchased a tablet and put a few games on it, I have a CD player with headphones and some music... but nope. They just want to hang out. They all have autism so if you have any ideas of what 12-20 year old boys with autism like to do, please let me know! I've asked them but all they want to do is veg out. I've asked their parents but English isn't their first language. Help!

Our church has just about finished remodeling our Sanctuary. It's been going on for a month and we're so grateful to the men and women who have been working so hard to lay carpet, rebuild the platform and put the seats back in. 

This is the view from the balcony with the old, orange carpet. Now everything is blue/gray. Cool colors. 😎

Sharaya and Allie recently went to the Seattle Art Museum to see the Yayoi Kusama exhibit. It's done with mirrors and it looks amazing! They had a great time.

I've been away from the computer for a week and I really missed you. I thought about all of you a few times and wondered what you'd been up to! I hope you've all had a great week!