9-11

It's 9-11 today. Where were you 8 years ago?? Do you remember what you were doing when you saw the news or heard about the plane hitting the World Trade Center? I had just woken up for seminary my junior year, and was watching the news. My mom was in the sewing room working. I turned on the news and they were just showing recaps of the plane hitting. My mind was in a daze trying to figure out if I was dreaming. This is huge to have a plane crash into both WTC's and the Pentagon!!!!!! This was the beginning of another war, when we already had troops out in Iraq... this was the beginning to several men and women dedicating their lives to helping to serve our country, some of them not making it back alive... some coming back injured for the rest of their lives...

I remember going to seminary and being one of the few students who knew about it. My sister Sara was going to school with me that day (she graduated when I was a freshman), as she wanted to see her choir teacher (who was my choir teacher). By the time I got to school, kids were just learning about the crash. In 1st hour I had history. 2nd hour I had Geometry, and by 3rd hour it was prep. I knew when I walked into 3rd hour that we would be dismissing early. A good portion of the students at our school lived on base (Luke Air Force) and they would be locking it up. Therefore, come 10 min into 3rd period prep, the intercom came on and the principal said that the buses would be here to pick us up, get rides home from parents, and go home. The rest is history. I remember going to choir after school let out and meeting Sara, and my choir teacher had just learned that she had lost a family member as a result of the crash. To see her break down and not know how to console her was hard...

9-11..... A day I'll always remember..... A day that will make the history books when our kids enter school.

Internship

I just got news that I have an interview for an internship with an attorney's office. This is a big deal to me. True, I have a sister that has worked for an attorney before. I will probably call her over the weekend to get tips from her. I have my instructor (Jared) and Ian's instructor (Jan) that both gave me an excellent recommendation to the hiring manager. The hiring supervisor was a prior student of Jan's, and both Jan and Jared have a good feeling about me getting the internship. I will be interviewing on Tuesday, Sept. 15th at 9:30 A.M. I will send out an update that day at school if I know any update. I will be working with Jared today and Monday in class to personalize my resume and cover letter for this specific internship. This will allow me to specifically point out the skills that I have that are valuable to the company. This is a non-paying internship at first, but could lead on to be a career where I would get paid.

So much happening. We went and got the girls car seats last night at Target, and McKenna is now in a cute pink and brown flowered car seat. We found Hunter a booster seat that has a back to it so it looks like a car seat. However, when she gains another 10 lbs (around 4-5 years old), then we can take the backing off and it's just a booster chair. She loves her new car seat, and I feel safer knowing they're in brand new car seats.

The car front is coming along. We found a 2000 Mazda van that has 117,000 miles on it. It's selling for $5495 which sounds like a lot of money for a 9 yr old vehicle. However, since we wouldn't be taking it anywhere long distance (we would fly and rent a car on any vacations), then it works for us. I'm hoping to get it paid off in no time before it completely breaks down. We should have the van in our possession by tomorrow, and it has been cleared for inspection for prior accidents and other damages, and there are none. That makes me reassured that we're driving a reliable car.

K, I need to work with Jared now on my resume and cover letter. Look for pictures this weekend on my blog that will have pictures of the accident, and I promise to include happy pictures of the apt. Happy 9-11 everyone. It's been 8 years.

Eventful weekend

If any of you are friends with me on facebook, you'll have learned that I was in a car accident over the weekend. I was in the Honda with Hunter and McKenna in the backseat, with Ian in front of me and his dad following me. Ian had already merged on and I was checking my lanes. I saw that a black car was moving from the #2 lane into the #3 lane (far right). To avoid side swiping him, I pulled onto the shoulder. For some reason, I ended up fishtailing and couldn't get a hold of the car, and smashed head on into the concrete divider that divides East and Westbound lanes of the freeway. Luckily the car stopped and didn't break through the concrete. For some reason the black car didn't stop or even slow down. Ian and his dad both saw me swerve out of control and crash so they pulled onto the shoulder and ran across traffic to help me out. I put the car into park, turned it off, and then climbed out. I had 2 drivers that were headed Westbound that stopped, jumped the median and helped me out of the car. Then the guy put me on the other side of the concrete with his wife while he got Hunter out. Ian, in the meantime, was able to carefully get McKenna out. Police were already there and so were the firefighters. They began to check me out, they put a neck brace on me, and then waited for the ambulance for a backboard. Ian's grandma came up since she had stayed home, and she proceeded to call Ian's grandpa since he had left 15 min before us to go get Ian's uncle to help us move. They came back up the hill and helped with the clean up. When the ambulance arrived, they put me on a backboard, then put me on a stretcher. They loaded me into the ambulance and loaded Hunter in as well since she had seat belt abrasions.

Ian and his dad stayed behind to give a police report since they saw everything and I had blacked out and couldn't remember. They waited for his grandpa and uncle to get there and clean out the car since Ian and his dad were busy talking to authorities. The tow truck came out and towed the car, then Ian and his dad loaded up McKenna and headed over to the hospital. I was checked out for a sprained shoulder, wrist, bruises, back and neck pain, and was released 5 hours later with a prescription for Vikadon.

We called the insurance when we got home and filed the report. Luckily we're covered for rental car coverage with nothing out of pocket, car seat reimbursement (which will save us $200 since we have to replace them), and they'll pay off the damage total of the car. Since this number happens to be more than what the payoff value was (the remainder of the loan), then we'll get a check for the difference. They're also going to send us to a car dealership that deals with Progressive clients like us that have no car and no job. They will help us to find a car and get a loan. This way we'll be able to get a small enough percentage APR to pay the car off faster, so we're out of debt faster.

Will post pictures tonight. We're all okay. The car has been totaled due to the damage, but we walked away with just scrapes, bruises, and a bit of pain. I thank you for all your prayers. I love you all and I'm grateful that the Lord was watching out for me and the girls, and kept us from any physical SERIOUS harm. The car is replaceable; that's just a possession. However, Ian can't replace Hunter, McKenna or me.... I had a long prayer that night to the Lord giving him my thanks for keeping us safe from harm. It made me realize how fast life can change....

Until next time....

Updated pics

McKenna laying on our bed, smiling.

McKenna in her pretty church outfit.

This was a month ago when I decided to have all 3 of us match. Ian didn't like it, but we got a lot of comments at church.

Hunter standing out on the front deck, looking cute.

McKenna laying on Ian's grandparents bed. His grandpa took these pictures.

Hunter smiling for the camera eating her Strawberry Shortcake. The only way she'd eat it was to pose for the camera.

*Blowing a kiss*

"I did it"!!!!!!!!!!

Announcements, Announcements, Announcements

So we finally got approved for the apt at 455 Joiner Parkway#65 in Lincoln, CA 95648. Supposing that the previous tenants leave it in good condition on Monday when they move out, then we will be moving in on Friday, Sept 4 after school. We are SOOOOO excited to finally have our own place. We move a week from TODAY!!!!! Wow, so many things to get ready.

Ian and I have started college classes. I'm taking Financial Services and he is taking Computer Technology now (instead of Digital Communications). We are both being placed into internships in 3-5 weeks. This helps us to be at school at the same time, but have less baby sitting money being paid out. So now instead of being gone 8:30-4, we're gone 11:30-4. When we get moved next Friday, we'll be right around the corner from the school, so it's only a 5 min drive there and a 5 min drive home. We'll go to church on Sunday to find a babysitter for the girls, and I hope Hunter takes to them well. I don't want to leave her with someone when Hunter's screaming her head off all day and they can't calm her down. Let's pray for someone who knows how to distract kids.

With the internships from school, Ian will probably be interning for Staples. I found out last night at Back to School night that I will be placed as an Accounting Assistant for the CHAMBER OF COMMERCE!!!!! Seriously, people???? I'm so scared out of my mind, but know that my instructor has faith in me and I'll excel well. I'll get paid $10.75/hr for 4 months while someone is on maternity leave.

Ian and I are also on cash aid (which gives us money to pay rent, bills, buy household items otherwise not covered on food stamps). We have applied for unemployment, so we'll see what happens.

I need to get going for school soon, just thought I would update. Look forward to more pictures posted tonight after school.

Happy Birthday to me

Happy Birthday to me. I woke up, got the kids ready and we went to church. Came home and Ian's parents said they were going to pay to turn our cell phones back on for my birthday. What a wonderful present!!

So many good things to look forward to this week. Stay tuned....