Thursday, August 30, 2007

Reporting for Duty

Well, I've just about finished my first week of my job. To refresh you, I'm a state employee with OKDHS in Child Welfare. Basically, I'm a social worker. I work with abused and neglected children to get them reunited with their families if possible and if I can't do that, I help place them in foster families and sometimes adoption.

I think if I could somehow know what a superhero felt like, this would be similar. You can't help but feel like you're making a difference when you're ensuring the immediate safety of children and sometimes their parents.

Days involve visits to court, visits to parents/children/foster families, documentation like you wouldn't believe, and setting up preventative services.

Unfortunately, I cannot disclose details of cases I've been a part of, but let me tell you that I have some great and heartbreaking stories just after 2 days in the field. (I've done computer training the other 2)

I'm thinking about requesting a switch to the intake side of child welfare. I'll keep you up to date about what's up but for now, i'm going to enjoy "jean day" at work tomorrow, read some books for training, and enjoy having a day off Monday! WOOP!

Friday, August 24, 2007

I got a jobby mcjob!

I am now officially an employee of the Department of Human Services for Oklahoma County in the state of Oklahoma!!! I will be working in the Child Welfare department in the permanency group. I start on Monday at 8am! I am very eager to start training and begin the journey of the secular work force. To pump myself up I've been watching episodes of Judging Amy on TNT.

Anyway, congratulations to me! And I'll try to write on Monday after my first day! WOO HOO!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

updaty date

Well, all is well in the world tonight. Sorta. I must rewind to Sunday.

Sunday: Carl and I had a solo lunch at my fav. Macaroni Grill. Love their bread. Anyway, by the time we got home his grumpy mood had rubbed off on me and we ended up sleeping the afternoon away and hoping our attitudes would change. They did thanks to a 3 hour nap. Love you cloudy days. THEN, there was Kaleo where my hero Judy spoke and killed it. She seriously makes me want to be Christian. She is so Mother Teresa it's encouraging. However, I was struggling pre-service because I realized that having married friends and friends that live far away is a bummer. No one has time to hang out or run to Sonic or watch Greys on abc.com or be so incredibly hyper and laugh till you pee your pants or talk crap on your housemates America's Next Top Model style. So, I decided I needed friend time soon or i was going to be sad. Then, my loves Greg and Susan stopped by and after some chit chat, name calling, and hugs the once grumpy mood was gone. My other love Kaleb (bridesman, love him) came over and chilled at our bomb house and we saved the world.

Monday: Cool married friends Josh and Katie came over and we had a home-cooked meal of spaghetti, salad, bread, and dr pepper. awesome! Then we just hung out and tried to solve Katie's pinched nerve medical mystery. (We didn't quite solve it.) After this, I went to Bennett's house (my LOVE and one of my bridesmaids) and we watched "The Hills" and I don't care how many comments I get. I love the Hills and get over it. I needed a loud Benny hello and a hug and some friend time. After the show, we chatted and I left only to call Gatlin (my LOVE too and other bridesmaid) in Michi to tell her that she should move back to the 405 so I can see her face. We ended up talking for an hour (which is years in "i'm not a phone-talker" time) and it was also what I needed. It was so great to fill up on friend love.

Tuesday: I got my social security card in the mail today. This is good because if i DO get a job soon (siiiiiiiigh) then I'll have the proper paperwork instead of launching into the "my purse got stolen and it was in my wallet" story, which I appreciate. I watched some ANTM to remind myself that my life kicks and has very little drama. Then, Carl and I went to Greg and Susan's for SALMON! (Please sing the word Salmon) and to catch up. It turned into a 3 hour dinner which was a breath of fresh air. I love the way I laugh with Greg and Susan. It is that belly laugh that you really mean. Then, it was Thomas's Homecoming at the Airport! We picked up T-town and have been living it up back in the bomb house where Thomas is wrestling with Bauer on the hardwood floor.


Well.....That is all for now. Still no word from DHS about a job. I'm going to call and ask tomorrow though so that I can get on with my life. Tomorrow is full of helping Thomas move, having lunch w/Kendra @ Camille's, and picking up the beloved Taylor and Drew from school. Then more church.

Much Love.

ps, i think the "hungry like a wolf" old spice commercial is hilarious.

Friday, August 10, 2007

My stuff got jacked.

Helpful hint: Don't leave your purse in an unlocked car in the church parking lot.

Story: After a job interview (that went great!) at DHS with the Child Welfare office, taking my transcript back to DHS to get approval for direct hire, eating an amazing lunch at Papa Angelos pizza, and getting a drug/alcohol test (for said job) I took my signed paper to the church for Maria to fax to DHS for me. Only Maria and Ginger were there, so I parked the car (Oh, not even my car mind you) and left my phone, purse, job info in the front seat and thought to myself "I'll only be gone a minute." Less than 10 minutes later I return to an empty front seat...only my phone and papers are left.

So, while Maria is faxing my paper, a large bald Hispanic man comes to the intercom asking for school supplies for his kids. Ginger replies to him and he leaves. I could see the man on the TV monitor in Maria's office. I could also see the car. She hands me back the paper, we chat a minute and I go back outside. Through the windshield I can see that the seat is empty and paper on the ground outside the door make my heart beat fast and I run back inside saying "That guy stole my purse!"

The next 20 minutes were filled with phone calls to Carl, Arvest, and 911. I froze my accounts, filed a police report, and added a fraud alert with the 3 credit bureaus. Next, I cried, cursed my stupidity for leaving the car unlocked (which i never do) and for carrying my social security cards with me. (which you're not supposed to do.)

Contents Stolen:
-Large Red Bag

-Wallet (Arvest debit card, BOA debit card, new SS card with my married name, 2 check books (2 different accounts) some change, those saver cards and coupon cards, a $100 pier 1 gift card, 2 un-deposited checks totaling $270, Jon and Kelly's pool pass, my jump drive (complete with all my homework from college), and then misc. cards for subway and marble slab. I don't use them anyway.

-My EpiPen and Benedryl for allergy attacks along with some other medicines, chap stick, gum, pens, an umbrella, my planner, my keys (home, car, carl's car, my mom's house, including my ID holder with my old SS card, driver's license, school ID,) All of it is stupid replaceable crap (except my SS card. That sucks hard.)

-My glasses! Gr...

The guy left my cell phone and sunglasses as well as all my job info. Thank you sir.

My bomb of a husband met me at the tag agency and I got a new license for $10 then we went to Target and he was kind enough to get me a new bag and wallet (and the staple items of chap stick and gum. Duh.)

Moral of this story. Don't leave anything in your unlocked car. It'll get jacked and then you'll spend the next week waiting for replacement debit cards or sitting in the Social Security office. Maybe the guy will use one of the cards or checks and the police can catch him.

His kids can keep the school supplies though.