Externship

I have to find somewhere to do my externship for school before I graduate. I have come to realize that a lot of people aren’t aware of what an extern is. An extern is similar to an intern, the only difference is I’ll be doing the work for FREE!

I have another interview for next week at the sheriff’s office.

The Story of the year…The US Economy

The year of 2008, was a year of many major news stories. Stories about record breaking sporting events, history making political events, controversy and tragedy in the entertainment industry, etc… Sports had the story of Michael Phelps, and his unprecedented 8 gold medals in a single Olympics, which were held in a Communist Governed China. In the entertainment industry, you had the controversial stories of figures like Britney Spears, the tragic untimely death of Heath Ledger, and deaths of many major actors. The United States had to deal with the Salmonella scare and finally in the political realm, the United States voted in our first black president in the history of the United States. Even though Barack Obama was elected President, his story did not match the attention that was given to America’s faltering economy. The United States’ economic meltdown, which caused a global economic crisis, was the biggest story of 2008, which also seems to be carrying over into the New Year.

By the end of 2008, the DOW was down 34%, the S & P 500, the MSCI Europe Index, and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index faired much worse. In just under a year’s time, the DOW went from a high of 14,164 in October of 2007, to a dramatic 46 % decline to 7,552 on November 20.

This year was also the year of the corporate bail outs. Beginning in March with the bail out of Bear Sterns, a faltering investment bank, the government would go on to bail out entities such as major mortgage companies, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac, the insurance giant AIG, and in October the Senate passed the $700 billion bailout named the TARP program.

In September, Lehman brothers were denied government protection by the Treasure Secretary. This would lead to the Global recession. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, two of the most successful investment banks became regular commercial banks. The United States also had the dilemma of banks hoarding their cash for bad mortgages and withdrawals in bank runs. This action lead to a credit freeze that caused cash shortages for many business’ such as Circuit City, Ford, General Motors, etc…

As it has been for the past several years, gas prices averaged over $3.00 a gallon. This would in turn cause the citizens of this country to conserve their income and not purchase as much consumable products from retailers. Fuel prices have been a big cause of the down turn in this nation’s economy for about the past decade.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition!

I want to thank everyone who nominated us for EMHE by writing emails on our behalf. I have been amazed at the outpouring of love and support we have received from all our friends and family! We still have not heard anything since my husband was contact from someone from the show in July. We are still praying we will be picked, but we don’t want to get our hopes up either. I know if we aren’t picked then there was another family out there that needed a home more than what we do.

I’ve been searching online every week to see if anyone from East TN has been picked for this season and so far I haven’t found anything! I’ll keep everyone updated!

Fire Safety Guide

Make Your Home Fire Safe Install smoke alarms outside of each sleeping area and on each level of your home, as well as in your bedroom if you sleep with the door closed. Smoke alarms save lives. Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month. Replace dead batteries immediately. Replace all batteries at least once a year. Vacuum away cobwebs and dust from your smoke alarms monthly. Replace your smoke alarms every ten years. Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time. Have a fire extinguisher(s) in your home and know how to use it. Local fire departments will show you how. Recharge your extinguisher(s) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your home. Read our Indoor Heating, Fireplace and Generator Safety Guide

Plan Your Escape Routes Determine at least two ways to escape from every room of your home. Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floor. Learn how to use them and store them near windows. Select a location outside your home where everyone can meet after escaping. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

Escape Safely Once you are out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor’s home. Use your second way out if smoke or fire blocks your escape route. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit. The cleanest air is near the floor. If you plan to escape through a closed door, feel the door with the back of your hand before opening it. If it is warm, do not open the door. Use your second way out. Stay in the room with the door closed if smoke, heat or flames block your exit routes. Signal for help using a bright-colored cloth at a window. If there is a phone in the room, call the fire department and tell them where you are. Drop to the floor and roll if your clothes catch fire in order to suffocate the fire. Running from the fire only “fans” the flames and makes the situation worse. © 2008 American Red Cross in Greater New York, All Rights Reserved.

My life as I knew it changed over night…

Since our house burnt to the ground on June 18, our life as we knew it changed completely. Even though we lost our house and everything that was in it, I know it could have been a lot worse. I know God was watching over us and I know he still is. The lady from the Red Cross told me the day of the house fire, “That I would soon realize who my true friends are” and that is so true! I am grateful for the people who have helped us. Either by donating clothing, money, helping with the kids, or just calling to make sure we are doing OK. We also appreciate everyone’s prayers. Most of the people who donated clothing and money we don’t even know. I have been so overwhelmed with how helpful complete strangers have been. I have never gone through anything like this before. The night of the fire my husband and I were thankful just to get a toothbrush. The day of the fire and the days after the fire I felt like I was walking around in a daze. I know this has been even more dramatizing for my kids. They don’t understand how they could go from having from what I use to say was too many toys to not have much of anything. I have tried to keep my kids busy since the fire by taking them to the park, the movies, or going out for lunch. Nick’s birthday was at the end of June, so he has the most toys. Someone gave Celie a Tinker Bell purse, and she takes it with her every where she goes. She even sleeps with it. I try to stay up beat for my kids and even for David. I know everything is just as hard if not harder on him now. After living with my parents for over a month, we are now living in a one bedroom apartment that my parents own. It use to be a building they used for their office. We have two sets of bunk beds that were donated to us on one side of the living room. That is where the 4 kids sleep. I’m not complaining. I’m thankful! Everything that we now own was given to us. When you lose everything you own you are thankful to get anything, even if it’s something that is 30 years old.

I know we go through things in life for a reason. Going through this I have learned a lot about people. I know I am thankful for everything I have and I want to do more to help others.

House Fire

Here are the pictures from our house fire on June 18, 2008. Everyone is OK thank God, but as you can see there is nothing left. This house went from no fire to completely destroyed in less than 5 minutes. Be watchful of your kids with so called child proof lighters they can still figure them out. Also, have a fire extinguisher in your house.

National College

I only have a few more weeks left for this term. So far the only class that I’m having trouble in is Spanish. My teacher is great! I’m just not ready to go live in Mexico anytime soon. Overall I think I should pass all my classes with A’s and B’s. The next term starts December 3. So I’ll get a couple of weeks off for Thanksgiving. I’ll be taking four classes a week when that term starts.

Mother’s of Children With Disabilities

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.
This year, nearly one hundred thousand women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how these mothers of handicapped children are chosen?
Somehow visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger.
“Armstrong, Beth … Son”
“Patron Saint … Matthew”
“Forest, Marjorie … Daughter”
“Patron Saint … Cecelia”
“Rudledge, Carrie … Twins”
“Patron Saint … Give her Gerard.”
“He’s used to profanity.”
Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles.
“Give her a blind child.”
The angel is curious.
“Why this one, God? She’s so happy.”
“Exactly,” says God. “Could I give a child with a handicap to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel.”
“But has she patience?” asks the angel.
“I don’t want her to have too much patience, or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she’ll handle it.”
“But, Lord, I don’t think she even believes in you.”
God smiles. No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness.”
The angel gasps. “Selfishness? Is that a virtue?”
God nods. “If she can’t separate herself from the child occasionally, she’ll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn’t realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says ‘Momma’ for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.”
“I will permit her to see clearly the things I see … ignorance, cruelty, prejudice … and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side.”
“And what about her patron saint?” asks the angel, pen poised in midair.
God smiles. “A mirror will suffice.”

~ Erma Bombeck ~

I’m going back to school!!!

I enrolled this past week at National College of Business and Technology here in Knoxville. I’ll get my Associates Degree in Computer Applications Technology. I’m really excited about going back to school. I start September 4. I had thought about going back to ITT Tech…. but that’s not going to happen. It would cost me over $40,000 by the time I graduated.

:-]

Before I Go

When my life has reached its very end,
And I take that final breath;
I want to know I’ve left behind,Some “good” before my death.
I hope that in my final hour,

In all honesty I can say:
That somewhere in my lifetime,I have brightened someone’s day.
That maybe I have brought a smile To someone else’s face,And made one moment a little sweeter While they dwelled here in this place.

Lord, please be my reminder And whisper softly in my ear …To be a “giver,” not a “taker,”In the years I have left here.
Give to me the strength I need,Open up my mind and my soul …That I might show sincere compassion,And love to others before I go.
For if not a heart be touched by me,And not a smile was left behind …Then the life that I am blessed with,Will have been a waste of time.

With all my heart, I truly hope To leave something here on earth …That touched another, made them smile And gave to my life … worth.

~ Author Unknown ~