There has to be some sort of universal law that when you ask for something, EVERYTHING happens at once. I don't know if it has anything to do with Murphy but it definitely is ironic how it happens.
To back up - Mike was laid off from the state in May. The way PA works in a lay off - you have to sign a paper stating that if a similar job becomes available you will take it or lose your unemployment benefits. Unless you decide to go for outside commonwealth work, then you forfeit your rights to state employment. His unemployment benefits were pretty nice. He had a quarter where he worked a lot of overtime so he qualified for more than half his typical pay. We knew it wouldn't be enough to survive though, so he still ended up getting a part-time job at an auto-parts store. He did look for full-time work but it just didn't make sense.
Reasons why he got a part-time and not look for steady full-time work:
1. He's being deployed.
2. He could be recalled to his job at any moment.
3. He didn't know if he wants to stay in the juvenile justice field, actually wants to go back to school for Occupational Therapy.
4. Part-time work has given us much needed time together before deployment.
5. The idea of tinkering with cars appeals to him. He's very handy with all things 'fix-it'. He enjoys it so I say if he can have a job that doesn't really mean a TON to him in something he likes, go for it. He needs to be able to relax before deploying.
6. With a part-time job and supplemental unemployment - we had enough to pay our bills and a little extra.
With that said, just the other day we were asking God how we were going to get the money for our kitchen. A small renovation, not taking a lot (because we're doing the work) but needs insulated, drywall put up, cabinets refinished, and new counter-tops.
We were answered - in abundance...
Two mornings ago I woke up to knocking at my door. It was a postal woman with a certified letter for Mike. I signed and opened it.
It was a recall letter for Mike's old job at the juvenile prison. Temporary, full-time work, with benefits, being wait listed for permanent position. This is a mixed blessing. Temporary - meaning they can lay off again at any time. (Part of my fear is that they are bringing employees back, just to lay off again after the holidays. Another HUGE fear is the fact that people have been getting hurt left and right at the facility. The offenders KNOW the staff is weak right now and they're taking advantage of it. If there is instability between the staff, those kids are very smart and can pick up on it.) But it is a blessing to have health insurance again and at least get through until we go active in a few months. He starts on the 26th of this month.
Mike's keeping the auto store job. Who knows what could happen at any time with the state so it's better to have the other job and be on the safe side. Needless to say, an 8-day stretch with another job is going to be exhausting for him.
But there's another part of this equation that has to deal with 'flooding,' literally.
September 7th and 8th central and western PA experienced ravaging floods. This is surreal because PA never gets hit. The wreckage is terrible over multiple counties. Major highways buckled from the force of water, a Pizza Hut half under water, covered bridges and houses swept away - numerous videos are available to watch on Youtube under the name PA 2011 flood. The guard is calling it Operation Tropical Storm Lee.
My next point is actually dead because 3 hours ago it was called off. Mike received orders yesterday to help with flood relief. SO after turning a crap-ton of schedules upside-down to make it work - they called it off. They were supposed to be relieving units that haves been working over there since the it flooded. I was in the middle of writing this and they had traveled to a pick up site but WOW Doesn't matter now.
Only point I have to make now is within the past 2 days - things have gotten a little crazy around here.
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