Transitions... And Fun at the Laundromat

I haven't blogged for a while.  I'll be honest, it's because I've really been lonely and depressed.  Who wants to read about loneliness and depression!? 

So, rather than whine and complain about what's wrong, I'll just give you an update on life in general.

* My air conditioner broke in July.  Thankfully it hasn't been too hot this summer! It finally got fixed about a week ago.  I am planning to have the ducts cleaned this week, as well.  Hopefully, it will work even more efficiently after that! 

* My washing machine also broke in July.  I did laundry at my parent's house or at my brother's house. Someone came right away, and did what he thought would fix it.  No such luck.  After a month of no washer, someone else came and did what he thought would fix it.  Still no luck.  The second repairman came back right away, when I realized it still wasn't working, and broke the news...  It's the motherboard. It would cost me a grand total of $500+ to get it working properly. Yikes!! I found a washer on Craigslist. It's non-HE and so far I love it!

But it came with a dryer that I don't need.  So, if any of you readers knows someone in need of a dryer, please let me know! 

* In August, two of my kids somehow acquired lice... 

O. M. G!  Are you kidding me!?  Lice?  Really?!

In the middle of having no air conditioning and no washing machine, I have to wash and dry, treat, or bag up in giant black garbage bags, everything I own!?  What. A. Nightmare!  I have dealt with lice before, but only as a kid or as a hairstylist.  Never as a parent, in my own home.   

I ended up giving the kids garbage bags and telling them to gather up all of their clothes and blankets so we could go to the laundromat to wash them.  Poor Allyn had never been to the laundromat before.  He started crying, and said, "But, I don't want to throw my clothes away!" 

Depending on your perspective, not having a washer could have been considered a blessing.  I was forced to do all the laundry at once, away from my house.  My good friend's family acquired lice earlier this summer.  She tells me it took her family about 5 days to wash and dry everything at home, even setting alarms to continue doing laundry through the night!  Ugh!  It took me about 3 1/2 hours.

I couldn't not have done it without my mother's help though!  She came into my house and just started cleaning and gathering laundry, with no thought to her own safety from lice!  And miraculously, Aida and Brody were the only ones that ever had it. 

The kids thought the laundromat was great fun!  I bought giant bags of Sour Patch Kids and some other kind of candy, the name of which now escapes me... 

Front-loader washers are apparently great entertainment.  (No he did not pose for this picture.)

And they even made a new friend! 

Who knew a laundromat could be so entertaining!

Then two weeks ago school started.  Christian is at Washington Gifted Middle School this year!  We are so excited!  And he seems to be adjusting really well in his second new school in as many years.  He rides the bus while I drive Aida and Allyn.  Everyone likes school for now.  But we'll see if that's still the case in a few months! 

I and some close friends have been praying for a refreshing for me.  A renewed spirit to make it through the last few months of this deployment.  I'm tired of being lonely and depressed.  But somehow, thinking about how exhausting it is to be lonely and depressed, only makes it worse.  So, we keep praying...

Well, The Lord answered my prayers!  My last bit of news is very exciting for me!  

Four years ago, I put my name on the waiting list to go through the teacher training program at Oehrlein School of Cosmetology.  It is my Alma Mater.  I love the school!  I love helping people look and feel beautiful as my career!  I love the idea of helping new students learn to do the same!  So, I applied, with the intention of working for Oehrlein when I was done with training... As soon as a position was available.  Which could take years since there aren't very many teachers. 

Last week I got a phone call from the owner/manager of the school offering me teacher training and a job immediately following!  I am so excited!  This is exactly what I have been waiting for, for four long years!  I'm scheduled to start September 10 with the next incoming cosmetology class.  

So, my first order of business is to see if I can still enroll Brody in kindergarten.  We have always said that we would just wait and send him when he was 6.  But, amazingly enough, The Lord had this all planned before I ever knew about it.  He knows what is best for me and for my family and, yes, for Brody, too.

The next order of business will be to get rides home from school for them.  Riding the school bus is a possibility.  I think I have to pay for it since we live so close to the school.  

My goodness, how quickly life can change!  

I suppose I should start calling my clients, too, and telling them that my life is changing.  My hours for doing hair are changing.  

If you think of it, could you please pray for me, and all of these transitions in my life.  A new school for Christian, Brody and me.  Well... Just for school starting in general.  Pray that I could get all the details worked out for my new job.  

And sometime in the near future, there will be a homecoming celebration. Please pray for a smooth transition for Derick!