Job update

I accepted a three-month consulting position. It's with a company I interviewed with three times, the last time traveling to New York City to interview with five people from the marketing department in that location. I did NOT get the job for which I was interviewed. The folks in the local office chose me, but the New York crowd (who apparently had more clout in the decision-making process) selected another candidate.

The manager in the local office asked me to accept a temp job beginning next week and running through mid-September. She offered to provide me with medical and dental benefits and a decent salary. (Not the sort of money you hear about "CONSULTANTS" receiving, but pretty good for a regular employee.) The benefits and the fact that I only have about six weeks of savings left before going completely broke were the deciding factors in accepting the position. The job is filling in for someone on leave who will be returning. It can ONLY become permanent if one of the four people employed in that role at the company leave before September -- including the recently hired candidate chosen by the executives in NYC. Chances are very slim, so I'll have to keep looking for a full-time, permanent job. However, it gives me an income and something to do in the meantime. They had no issues with the couple of trips I had planned for the summer, which will require days off. I will not get paid for that time, but they will allow me to take the days. I'd booked a short cruise with my 13-year-old son in July. It was to use-or-lose some credit card points and I booked the trip at the end of 2006. I will only need to take three days off for that. Paul already booked us a long weekend in New Hampshire for our 2-year-anniversary in August. I told him I was uncomfortable with him making the plans, given my job situation, but he booked it anyway. Fortunately, it looks like I will be able to make it. It's a tradition. The White Mountains in New Hampshire were the site of our very first trip together and we visited again for our one-year anniversary.

Paul has a doctor appointment on Wednesday afternoon. I suspect he won't know the results of his CT scan until then. I'm very worried about the possibility of lung cancer. I fret and cry about it daily. He has to have noticed how clingy and sappy I've been for the past two weeks since the ominous x-ray. I'm so afraid of losing him. I lost two parents to cancer. In my mind, it's a death sentence.

My 21-year-old son/soldier is now telling me that he will have his official orders by this Thursday, so I hope to know something about where he's headed in early July. I'm hoping that the base in Germany is his final destination, and not a stopping place on the way to the middle east. He has three years remaining in this tour of duty. His original enlistment was for four years, but he re-enlisted for another two years. He'll be home on leave from June 27-July 9. I don't know when I'll get to see him again. This will be the first time since his enlistment that he has not been home for his birthday in late August. It will be a sad day for his mom!

I finally have a job, albeit temporary, right when all sorts of things are happening that I'd really LIKE to be off work for. This month will include:

-- My son's leave from service before shipping overseas.

-- The results of Paul's medical tests.

-- My youngest son's graduation from 8th grade.

Still...it's good to know that I have an income...AND BENEFITS...for at least the next three months! I'll hold off on the sigh of relief until after Paul get's his report from the doctor. His condition is by far the bigger concern!