A nail biter of a day

What we thought was going to be a stress-free day, turned out to be a nail biter of one.

At 9:20 this morning Megan, (the gal handling our loan) called to let us know that our loan had not been funded yet. She said that the underwriter would not fund the loan because they called one last time this morning to verify Jeff's employment and of course, as we all know, Jeff just switched jobs this past Monday. Megan asked Jeff to obtain an offer letter from his current employer, so they could verify that he really did start a new job and to make sure his income has not changed. No problem we thought, Jeff went right down, got the letter, and faxed it off to Megan.

Before Jeff even got back from his office, Megan called him to let him know that the underwriter was not satisfied with funding the loan on just the offer letter. They now wanted to wait to fund the loan until Jeff has received one pay check from his new employer. What? Are you kidding me? What is one paycheck going to prove that the offer letter has not already proved? Once Jeff got home, he called Megan back and left a message on her voice mail, letting her know that this was crap, why was this last employment verification done at the LAST minute? He also told her that he expected this all to be worked out today, and that we also expected to be able to close today.

About an hour later (10:30) our realtor called to see if we needed his help with anything, since we would not be able to close today. Well yeah you can help us get this all cleared up and get our loan closed today! Our realtor explained to me all different aspects of how this all could turn out, and what our options would be.

We then talked to Megan again, she let us know that she was going to do everything in her power to persuade the underwriter to make an exception- to look closer at all the other factors, like: our credit score, debt to income ratio, how long Jeff had been with his previous employer, etc.

After another three hours of sitting around, waiting for the phone to ring, biting my nails, pulling hair our, pacing, cleaning random things, pacing some more, biting my nails more..... Megan called to let us know that the underwriter finally was going to fund the loan! Yeah!!! Megan just had one more form she needed us to sign, so she said she would email it to us, we could print it off, sign it, scan it into our computer, and email it back to her. Simple right? Wrong! Today just had to be the day our printer would run out of ink. Figures. (by this time it was 2:00)

I called Megan back, let her know our situation and asked if we drove out to her office, if we would make it in time to get all the loan documents filed. She said to hurry, made sure we knew where to go and hung up. We got to her office just in time, signed the papers, and went to walk out the door when our realtor walked in to check on the progress, found us there, and so we filled him in. Megan came back to the reception area where we were and let us know that we made it just in the nick of time.

Jeff and I came home, relieved and thankful that everything worked out. Jeff's Dad came over to help Jeff pick up our new furniture from Mor's Warehouse, on the way to Mor Jeff stopped by the title company to see if he could get the keys. He was told that the documents they (at the title company) were waiting on so they could release the keys to him, were not there yet, but should be soon. So Jeff went and waited in the car, he waited there for 30 minutes. Finally at 4:30 a FedEx truck pulled up, made his delivery, and when he came back out, he pointed at Jeff, with a big grin on his face, and pointed back towards the building. Jeff got out of the car and told the FedEx guy that he just made Jeff's day!

All packed

We are all packed, except for the basic necessities. It didn't take me as long as I thought it would to get it all done, considering I did most of the packing by myself while the boys were sleeping. As a result I am dead tired, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I will be glad when we are moved in, unpacked, and back to living a (somewhat) normal life.

I am not looking forward to cleaning the apartment. I don't have a ton of deep cleaning to do, as I have tried to keep up on it while living here. But I need to have it all cleaned before our final walk through on Wed., Sept. 17. If anyone would be willing to help me clean, please let me know. I will be cleaning the apartment on the evening of either Monday the 15th or Tuesday the 16th.

Asthma attack

We have come to realize over the last year or so that Mason is allergic to cats and dogs. Now we are beginning to think that he also has allergy induced asthma. Mason has been having a hard time breathing all day. When he would breath, he would act the way most people do when their nose is stuffed. So today I was assuming he was getting a cold. It wasn't until his breathing got worse that I realized he was having an asthma attack. I gave him a nebulizer treatment. When the treatment didn't help his breathing, I called Jeff to let him know what was going on. Jeff was able to get off work a little early to come evaluate how bad of an attack Mason was having. When Jeff got home he listened to Mason's breathing and he became a nervous wreck. I asked Jeff how bad was Mason, he replied, Bad. Jeff gave Mason another treatment, when this didn't make much of a difference, Jeff gave Mason a nebulizer medication that contains a steroid. (Steroid's help open the airways better.)

By the time Mason went to bed, he was breathing better, not completely better, but enough that Jeff was not as worried about Mason as he had been when he first got home from work. I am really thankful Jeff is a Respiratory Therapist! I know he has saved Mason from having to go to the Doctor or the ER many times because Jeff knows the early warning signs of asthma attacks, upper respiratory infections, and other respiratory related illnesses.

Signing

We signed all the paperwork for our house today. Once Viking Construction signs the paperwork, they will send the packet of paperwork back to the tile company along with our keys. Once the tile company receives our keys, they will contact our realtor so that he can make arrangements with us to get us our keys. At this time all we know is that we will be getting our keys on Friday, but we do not know what time yet.

Helper

Mason has really enjoyed helping us pack. I guess he though he would save us the trouble of having to pack him, so he went ahead and packed himself in a box for us!

Boys

I had Julia's three boys today, in case you missed my post entitled "testosterone X 5", the five boys range in age from 6 months to five years old. These boys keep me busy, that is for sure. They also keep me laughing. I wish I had a tape recorder with me at all times.

I thought I would post a few of the funny things they did today.

On the way back to our apartment, (after picking Connor up from Kindergarten) Connor said, Hey Sir-Steen.... Mason immediately interrupted Connor and very matter-of-factly told Connor, "Her... name... is... Crystyne.........Borders..."

After getting the four younger boys down for their naps, I cooked up some spaghetti for my lunch and I used some left over meatballs I had from last nights dinner (meatball sandwiches). I sat down and ate about half of my lunch, then I remembered I needed to look something up on the Internet. I came over to the computer desk and sat my lunch down. Connor came over and said, "yum that looks good". I told him he could eat a bit if he wanted. I figured he would turn me down since he had just eaten a whole PB&J sandwich and some apple slices for lunch. Very much to my surprise he grabbed my fork and picked up a meatball. The next thing I knew all that was left in my bowl was these two meatballs and a few noodles. I know that boys have a HUGE appetite and will eat you out of house and home, I didn't think it would start this soon. Thanks for saving some for me Connor. :)
Benjamin's favorite toy is this set of rings.

Zachary didn't want his picture taken.

Connor really enjoys the two babies! He loves helping Cooper walk around the apartment. He is also a BIG help rocking and singing to Benjamin when I am busy tending to the other little ones' needs.

I can tell that I am going to have my hands full with Cooper. I left him on the couch for a second, came back in the room and this is what I found. He was actually all the way on the sofa table, but by the time I got the camera, he had climbed down.

Firsts and Lasts

Yesterday was our last Sunday in the Beacon Hill Ward. Jeff and I have been in that ward for 5 1/2 years. It was really sad saying good bye to our friends and fellow ward members who we have known for the last 5 1/2 years. I know we will probably see them on occasion, but it will be sad not attending church with them on a weekly basis. I remember when we moved into the Beacon Hill Ward I HATED the ward. I didn't have any friends and I felt like no one made any effort to get to know me. Then I realized that not knowing anyone and not being able to get to know anyone was my fault. Once I realized that, I reached out to others and made some really great friends. Two of my really good friends both moved out of state in July, I have had a really hard time with dealing with the emptiness their moving has left me with. Hopefully I will make some new friends and be able to fill that empty part of my life.

Today was Jeff's first day at Stat Medical. Yesterday, Jeff was nervous about starting his new job and he didn't know if he was going to be able to calm his nerves enough to sleep. In a way it was like the first day of school all over for him. His first day went well, he filled out all of the 'new employee' paper work. Jeff thinks he will be very happy with the change in employers, Stat is a very laid back, non-stressful, easy going environment. That type of environment is just what Jeff was looking for.

Manito Park

Saturday we decided to take a break from all the packing, shopping, and other stuff we are doing in preparation to move. We went up to Manito Park for a picnic with Jared, Michelle, and Ethan. While we were there we also took some family pictures. I don't have any of our family pictures, they are all on Jared and Michelle's camera. As soon as she sends them to me, I will post them for every one to see.

Just had to stop to smell the flowers

Looking for the fish in the Japanese gardens

Jared, Michelle, and Ethan

Too cute!

Where is Mason?

New Job

This may come as a shock to some, as we have not talked much about Jeff's recent desire to find a new job with very many people. Now that Jeff has a new job, and gave Preferred Medical his letter of resignation, we feel we can let everyone know what happened and why he chose to leave.

First, it all goes back to the middle of June. Jeff's branch manager Andy, one customer service person, and one driver, were all let go. The reason they were all let go? Preferred was not bringing in the numbers they were expected to by corporate. So basically the Branch Manager was blamed for Preferred not performing the way they should. Then Jeff's clinical supervisor, Dave, left Preferred the same day Andy was let go (Dave had already put in his letter of resignation and was planning on leaving at the end of June). With Andy being let go, the Branch Manager from Cour d' Alene, Scottie, was made the Branch Manager over both the Spokane and Cour d' Alene locations. Soon after Dave leaving Jeff was promised by Scottie that he would be promoted to Lead Therapist, along with this promotion in job title, it would also mean a pay increase.

The last part of June and July passed without any word as to when Jeff would be promoted. August comes, still no word. Then Scottie, Joy (Cour d' Alene's Lead Therapist), and Linda (the Regional Clinical Manager) began having meetings together at Preferred (Spokane location). Jeff was not involved in any of these meetings, was not filled in as to why they were meeting, he was basically left in the dark. With out any explanations Joy began making changes to how Jeff (and the rest of Preferred) handle patient care. She changed how Jeff was to preform CPAP follow ups with patients who were recently set up with a CPAP, she also informed them that the Respiratory Therapist would no longer be setting patients up with oxygen or nebulizers, this responsibility now would fall on the drivers who were already short-handed.

Now, with Jeff under the impression that he was going to be promoted to Lead Therapist (over Spokane) he was, well, really ticked off that he was not involved in any of the decision/implementing process. The day Joy came in and made all these changes, Jeff got really mad at her, he told her he was not going to follow these new changes, said it was a bunch of crap and left to go take care of a few patients at their homes.

The next day, Jeff was called into the Branch Managers office. In the meeting was, Scottie, Joy, and Kathy, the marketing manager. Why Kathy was in the meeting is still beyond me, she had NOTHING to do with Jeff's issues with Joy. In the meeting Kathy did all the talking, she (as Jeff described it) ripped him a new one. Jeff was told that the CPAP follow up process was changing because the Doctors were not receiving the follow up information fast enough and so the Doctors were not giving Preferred any more referrals. So in a nut shell, Jeff was the one now being blamed for Preferred not preforming and bringing in new business the way corporate expects them to.

Jeff was also written up for swearing at Joy and walking out of work. He explained to Scottie that he did not swear at Joy, he said "This is a bunch of crap" and that he did not walk out, he had patients to take care of. Jeff was informed by Kathy, (not HIS Branch Manager), that Joy was Jeff's new boss- meaning that Jeff would not be promoted to Lead Therapist as he was promised.

Jeff came out of the meeting feeling betrayed, lied to, thrown under the bus, pissed, mad, and I'm sure may other feelings. I think it was at that point, in that meeting, Jeff decided he was going to look for a new job, he didn't care how long it would take to find one, he was not going to stop looking until he found one.

Two weeks ago, Jeff called his former clinical supervisor, Dave to basically vent to him. Dave completely understood where Jeff was coming from, validated his feeling, and told Jeff to hang in there, because there were going to be some major changes in the home care world. A few hours after Jeff's conversation with Dave, Dave called back and clued Jeff in on the changes he was talking about. Dave's wife, Deloah (who is also a Respiratory Therapist and was working for another home care company, Stat Medical) was approached by someone who wanted to start up a home care company who would only set up people with CPAP's. This person wanted Deloah to start working with him September 2nd.

This meant that if Deloah did decide to start up this new company, there would be a position for a Respiratory Therapist at Stat Medical. Deloah called Jeff the last week in August to let him know that she was going to take the job starting up another company, and that she was indeed going to start September 2nd. Deloah said she would put in a good recommendation for Jeff at Stat.

This week Jeff was on vacation, so Tuesday (Sept. 2nd) he took his resume into Stat Medical. While Jeff was there he was interviewed by Steve, Stat's Branch Manager, by the end of their meeting Jeff said Steve was making comments as if Jeff already had the job. Wednesday Steve called Jeff to ask if he could come in to fill out an application, background check permission form, and all the other legal junk. Steve told Jeff that the Manager in Seattle had already called him to ask what Jeff would want on his business cards. Funny, since Jeff really wasn't offered the job yet. But hey, I guess they just wanted to be on top of it.

At 8:30 this morning Steve called. He offered Jeff the job, asked if he could start Monday, and let him know what he would be making. Around 11:30 this morning, on our way to do a few errands, Jeff stopped by Preferred and gave Scottie his letter of resignation. Jeff didn't give Scottie two weeks notice, Jeff felt like the Preferred managment didn't deserve that respect, since Jeff was not shown respect from them.

At Stat Jeff will be preforming essentially the same duties, except he will now have the opportunity to do sales as well, with the possibility of making bonuses. He feels that this will be a stress relief and feels it is the best decision for us right now.

Monkey Man

Here is yet another example of why I believe Mason is 1/2 boy, 1/2 monkey. He climbed on Jeff's shoulders without any help, and held himself up there by squeezing his legs around Jeff's neck.

Standing Man

While I was out shopping with Michelle on Monday, Jeff said that Cooper stood by himself a lot. So here is a video of him standing. He only stood for a second before trying to grab the camera.

Shopping again

I decided to return the khaki colored curtains that I had purchased for our sliding glass door and went with more of a bold color. While I was shopping with Michelle on Monday, we decided that we should put some burnt orange accents in the kitchen. I knew I wanted khaki colored roman shades in our family room (which is right off the kitchen & dining area where the slider is). I didn't want to have all khaki colored curtains in that room, so I went with these "cinnamon" colored curtains. I am not sure why they are called "cinnamon" because when I think of cinnamon, I think of red, but these curtains are burnt orange. They are just like the blue curtains I got for Jeff and my bedroom. I am sure some of you will not like this choice in color, if you are one of these people, please don't tell me you don't like them, because I don't care.

And here are the roman shades for the family room.

Moving date

We have had several people ask us when we plan to move into our house. So to answer every one's question- we will be moving in on Saturday September 13th. If you would/could help us move- please meet at our apartment at 10:00am!

We will be having Jeff's 26th Birthday Party/Open House the following weekend. (September 20th) The time and other details will follow soon. So if you will not be able to help us move, do not fret, you can just come to Jeff's B-day part/Open House.

Shopping

Yesterday Michelle and I went shopping for curtains for our new house. We went to Bed Bath & Beyond and Target. We were not able to find curtains for the informal living room or the kitchen, so we will have to make another shopping trip in the next week or so, or buy the others online.

We got these roman shades for the formal living room.

And these are for Jeff and my bedroom. We also got this same curtain for the back sliding glass door just in khaki. This picture really doesn't do the curtains justice. The rings where the rod goes through is rustic and has a cool design on them. The curtains have a neat design on them. The main part of them is blue. Then they have brown thread going vertically, about every 1/8th of an inch and thicker blue thread going horizontally also about every 1/8th of an inch apart. The curtains for the slider are the same, as I said. They are just khaki were the others are blue.

We got the curtain rods at Target. The rods are thick with big balls on the ends. The rod for the slider is black and the rods for our bedroom are chrome.

Thanks Michelle for lending me your decorationg expertice!

A new language

Are you having a bad day? Do you need to have a good laugh?

Mason has a new language!