It's Been a While

So, I have so many thoughts and emotions and craziness floating around in my head, I thought the best thing to do would be write it all down. Or at least some of it. I mean, where better to write down the crazy ramblings of my overloaded mind than in a shamelessly public blog?

So, the last post on here is from June, when my baby was very tiny and things in my life were relatively calm. Baby has grown quite a bit (at least for me--she seems HUGE compared to how she was 3 months ago). Here's a short summary of what's happened in those 3 months.

Diego's work permit FINALLY came!! Hooray, right!? Just in the nick of time, when our savings had been almost completely depleted. It was June, Lucia was about 3 weeks old. It came on a Monday. He started applying for jobs right away. The Friday after we went to the Social Security Office to apply for his social security card (that he is now eligible for with his work permit). We got all of that taken care of and since we were in the neighborhood, we thought we'd visit my grandparents.

Well, somewhere between the Social Security Office and my grandparents' home, Diego's wallet (with his work permit, money, ID from Peru, pictures, basically everything) went missing. We looked everywhere. Nothing. We prayed. We pleaded. But it was just ...gone.

That's when I started looking for work. I was still bleeding heavily from my pregnancy, my stitches were slowly healing. I sent out several applications online.

I started working part time when Lucia was 5 weeks old. The first time I left her, I cried. I sobbed.

Then I got another job offer, a better one, also part time. Also in this time Diego started working for a construction company that would accept his Social Security card and his work permit NUMBER (he had the number, just not the physical card).

Things were going great. We could finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. We figured with our new sources of income we would be able to buy a new (used) car (for those that don't know, we are leasing a Smart Car and can't take Lucia anywhere in it), and then be able to move out of my parents' basement within about 4 or 5 months.

But then life happened. And completely decimated our budget. $100 here, $400 there--things we just hadn't anticipated. Nevertheless, we were determined to meet our goal. We rearranged our budget a bit and things seemed to be back on track. Then Diego started getting less and less hours. He still has work, but it's not as stable and we never know when they are going to call him or how many hours he'll get.

So, here I am, praying for a way for us to get a bit more income and maybe some medical benefits. Now here's a little side story.

At the same time I applied for the job I'm currently at (doing technical support part time for the Church), I applied for another job. My first week on the job I got a call for a job interview with the other job, which is with the Liahona magazine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's a full-time position with really good medical benefits. I went to the interview at the beginning of July. I thought it went well, but at the same time I was hoping they wouldn't offer me the job because I love staying home with Lucia.

They said if I passed I would have to go through another round of interviews and that they probably wouldn't let me know until the end of July. Well, July came and went and I didn't hear anything from them so I just assumed I hadn't gotten the job (which I was kind of relieved about!)

Today I received a call from the Managing Editor of the Liahona and Ensign magazines inviting me to another round of interviews with HIS supervisor (the Director of Church Magazines). My heart broke a little when I got the call.

Is this an answer to my prayers? (More income, medical benefits...?) I just think about how much I will miss my little baby. I don't want to miss the most important parts of her life. I don't want to miss her turning from an infant into a toddler. At the same time, I know my family needs this. And I would LOVE to accept this job (if I'm even offered it...) If I didn't have Lucia I wouldn't even think twice!

Either way will be a sacrifice. If I take the job, I will be sacrificing my time with my beloved Lucia. If I don't take it, I will be sacrificing income and medical insurance for my family. I just need to figure out which sacrifice to make. Definitely have a lot of praying ahead of me!

(Oh, another side note. Someone found Diego's work permit on the I-215!! Not the rest of the wallet, but HEY, beggars can't be choosers! It came in the mail a couple of weeks ago and now he is looking for other jobs.)