My "New" Life

 I haven't posted in a long time and a lot of things have changed in our family.
Chad is still a CNA supervisor at work at the Heritage in American Fork.  However, he hasn't been feeling appreciated.  They didn't give him his raise like they were supposed to and he has taken on a lot more without that raise.  It's been very frustrating.  He wasn't making very much and trying to go to school too I know how hard it must have been for him.  We have been struggling for a few years now but I know the lord has a plan for us and I feel it coming soon.  He isn't going to school because of the summer break and we have decided that he needed to find another job so he could better support the family.  I know it must have been hard for him  but he knows it is something he needed to do.  So last week he applied to like 17 different places in 1 day and that very same day he got a call from a company wanting to get an interview with him ASAP.  It was scheduled the very same day they called.  He went and within the next hour he was offered the position.  They offered him a certain pay amount but we felt he should be paid more so he went back and said he needed at least this much.  Within the hour the owner, this time,  of the company called him and accepted his request.  That same day he got 2 more calls for different companies too.  One was a bust, they didn't want to pay him hardly anything and we weren't going to go for that.  The next company ended up playing phone tag with and then they didn't call back but it is ok he really liked the first company.  Full benefits, paid holidays, vacation time ect.  He hasn't had that in a long time so it will be a nice change.  He did wait a couple days to accept the job because he wanted to hear about the other 2 but since they both were a bust he went for it.  It will double his pay which will relieve some of the burden we have felt.  I can't wait to get his first check however, it will be a while since he doesn't start until the 19th.  I am very proud of him.  He will be hired as a "regular" worker but within the month after he is hired they are going to start a evening shift and want him to be the team lead when it starts.  He has never had a job where he wasn't in some type of lead position.  He is such a hard worker and liked by all his employers. (Even though heritage couldn't pay him what he deserved they are sad he is leaving.  He actually had one of his workers put in their 2 weeks notice too and told him that she wouldn't work there if he wasn't there.)  I couldn't be more than proud of him.

Shelby is almost 16!!!! I can't believe it.  It just feels like a few months ago that she was my little tiny "sweat pea" (nickname).  She has been suffering from depression like me but I immediately got her an awesome therapist that she really likes.  She is a typical teenager defiant and mouthy.  We have put a lot of responsibility on her since Chad works and I am going to school!  I really appreciate what she does for us. She will be starting High school this year and I can't imagine that I have a high schooler.  And she will be driving!!!!  What??? I know it is so weird.

Dakota will be 13 in November.  He is such a sweetheart, every once in a while he will just come up to me and give me hugs or rub my back.  He is starting Jr High.  Where has the time gone?  I'm just waiting to hear his voice change.  It will be fun to know how he will "really" sound.

Savanah will be in the 6th grade and just turned 11.  She has had a rough year at school being bullied by some mean girl that I just want to punch (not really)  We ended up moving into a very NICE town home and moved out of the school boundaries so she was able to attend a new school and hasn't really had any problems.  Savanah just likes to be in charge all the time so there has been fights with her friends but I am trying to get her out of that habit too.  She went to therapy for a while, while she was being bullied.  It helped TONS and she no longer goes.  She makes sure to tell me good night and give me kisses.  But what she kinda doesn't know is that every night I tuck in my kids in bed and give them kisses.  Some times they are still awake and I love doing it so they know that I love them.  I don't think Samantha will not let me give her kissed night ever.  She will come down to remind me to come tuck her in.
A few months ago Savanah was complaining that she was having a hard time hearing out of her left ear but I thought it was we had been swimming a lot and she just had water in her ears.  When she told me about it we had just come home from swimming.  She kept complaining about it so I finally called the Dr.  He checked her out but wanted her to go to the Audiologist.  We made that appointment and we got news no mom or dad wants to get of their 11 year old child.  She had "significant hearing loss" in that ear.  Her other ear had a little bit too but not enough to worry about just yet.  So we had to order her a hearing aid.  $1300 later she can hear and she is really proud of it.  Her hearing will get worse as she grows which sucks big time but she gets it from her dad who they think started losing his hearing at age 9.  He has hearing aids now too, for about 1 1/2 years now.  I can tell when he doesn't have them in.

Dallas will be in 4th grade this year, almost 10 and he really likes school.  He especially loves math and he is really good at it.  He also is good at figuring things out.  This past Christmas Chads mom bought a cube like thing that is a game and they could not for the life of them figure out how to work it.  We came over, Dallas saw it, grabbed it, and was playing it like he had been playing it before.  He LOVES to help do stuff outside like help grandpa cut down trees, lay sod and he has helped with many other yard projects.  He would rather work with Dad than go to his friends and play.  He is such a good boy.

Samantha will be 7 and go into the 1st grade.  I will have all my children in all day school from now on.  It will help a lot because I am gone to school and I wouldn't have to find a babysitter.  She is my little princess.  I keep saying she isn't but she really is.  Like I said she makes sure to remind me to tuck her in and give her kisses.  There has been times that it has gotten really late and I forget and she will come into my room crying her little heart out because I forgot.  So I get up and do what I always do.  She is becoming miss little independent.  She knows how to make her own Ramen Noodles in the microwave so if the kids won't maker her some she can do it herself.  She is growing SO FAST, she isn't my little tiny girl anymore.  It is sad to think she is my last little one to love on but luckily I have lots of brothers and sisters that are still popping out kids so I can love on theirs and then give them back when they cry.  Most of them really like me though.  My sisters daughter Peyton is always excited when I walk in the door.  I have the cutest nephews and nieces ever and I'm not just saying that.  I'll have to post pictures to show them off.

I (Stacey) am doing very well.  I had a few years of really bad depression but they have my meds figured out and they work very well.  I also started to go to school at Stevens~Henager College studying Medical Specialties.  I am really loving it and I have straight A's right now.  I am in my 5th month and the class is an 18-20 month class.  It is going by so fast which is good so it will seem like I get a good paying job sooner than later.  This class consists of a lot of different medical programs that I can choose to do which one I like the best at the end when we do our externships.  Stevens~Henager has the highest graduating rate than even UVU or BYU.  I really like the small classes and school.  You get to know your teachers well and they know us well.  It's really nice.  Some of the certificates I can choose from, to name a few are CNA, MA, ECG (which is the person that does your EKG), Medical billing and coding, medical office receptionist, Limited pharmacy technician, phelebotomist and more I can't remember.  I didn't know I would do so well in school and now that I am getting AWESOME grades I set my standards HIGH.  I don't want to get anything but an A.

That is about all for tonight I will have to add some pictures later.
Hope it doesn't take me another year to Blog again.