An exciting new experience

After 33 years of public school speech therapy, I'm looking outside the box for employment. I visited with the Speech Pathology Supervisor at Northwest Texas Hospital today after sending in my application in mid-June. I hope she saw something I could bring to her setting as I saw much that this setting would bring to my set of experiences. Monday I return to take a tour with her through the hospital and meet some of the people that I will need to know and then August 13 and 14th I will attend the hospital's orientation. I will be PRN but I think I'll be doing primarily the pediatric population. I expect a light load until one of the full time pathologists takes off for maternity leave. I'll be off and running then I suspect. She is due around the end of September so hopefully by then I'll be more comfortable with the new surroundings.

Prayers are answered. I know I still need to make some money to keep us afloat. I know I need some time away from home, yet have caregiving responsibilities that restrict my ability to work full time as I'd like. This opportunity allows for both. God is a good and merciful God.

Great Weekend, Almost!

We had almost visitors a few days ago. Ray and Laura, Rich and Charla were heading out on their vacation and thought they'd come through Amarillo and have lunch with Trent and I. Well, the day they came through coincided with the only day this summer that I've worked. I was doing a workshop at Region 16 for a group of graduate SLP students with the TWU satellite program in Amarillo. It was an all day workshop. I hated to miss them but I know with Charla and Rich in Childress, Ray and Laura will be making the trek again.

Brett, Kristy, and Landry managed to get one more visit in before school starting. They came in Friday. Brett was complaining with his stomach hurting and by 7:00 we headed to Urgent Care. When he was seen there, the doctor sent him on to the ER suspecting a gall bladder attack. (ER in at 8:15ish, out at 2:00 a.m.ish) Guess what?
He was given some pain medication and a prescription for an ultra-sound to determine if there were gall stones. Ultra-sounds are only given during the daytime Brett had mixed emotions I think by then. The pain could be gone if we'd go ahead and have surgery but he needed to be back home. Football starts in 10 days for him. Well, he bit the bullet and downed pain pills but also decided to head back today instead of tomorrow. That way he can have the ultra-sound in Frisco and surgery to follow if the gall stones are firmly identified. I don't think anyone doubts that he'll have surgery. Here's hoping that the trip back home wasn't too hard on Brett.

We did manage to get in the "Texas" play at Palo Duro Canyon. I think it may have been the best one yet! They are back to the original script and songs after 3-4 years of what they called "Texas Legends". The pyrotechnics were absolutely amazing. They have had grants to improve the lighting and pyrotechnics in the recent past and we think it really upped the "wow factor". As always, it gives you a great sense of Texas Pride!!!! If you haven't seen the play or haven't seen it recently, take time to go. The Big Texan has also begun doing the catering. Great meal. We were stuffed! Landry loved it all.

Happy July 4th, Everyone!

In Amarillo today, we have the perfect 4th weather. It is very warm with partly cloudy skies. There's a cool front moving in this afternoon that will take the temp down a little and may bring in some showers. But--if you are planning to be out until then, you have a great day to celebrate freedom!

I arrived home from Kerrville and my week of painting on Sunday. I had thoroughly enjoyed the week until Thursday when I got a call telling me that AISD had found enough speech pathologists and therefore, I would not be hired back part-time as a retiree. I had hoped for a change to a different assignment but had hoped that I'd still be with the school district. It really did take the wind out of my sails and began mind worrying about what I'd do for the extra money that we need.

I'll be heading up to empty my office in the next week or two and I know it will hit hard that I'm leaving the children and so many great friends. Wish me luck and pray that I find an option quickly. I inherited my mother's ability to worry so I'd prefer to worry only briefly.