WANTED:

POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Mum, Ma Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :
For the rest of your life you must:
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair,mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love,and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.


** THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!!

Friends!!!

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime

Potty-Training... need I say more : (

Ok... so I know that the title is a little dramatic, but those of you who have children know EXACTLY what I mean. I decided while Ed was gone that I was going to have Elijah completely potty trained before he gets back. So on January 12th our journey began. Much to my surprise, it was a PLEASANT start. We spent two full days at home completely devoted to training(with NO accidents). Then I got cabin fever and decided to brave a quick trip to the store. BIG MISTAKE!!!!! I will leave out all the colorful ajectives that went through my mind and just say that he pooped his pants... twice... in a 20 minute timeframe. I cleaned him up and calmly reminded him that we use the Big Boy potty and we do NOT go potty in our pants. So I got a "yes ma'am" and an "ok...sure mommy" and we went home.



So I will spare the details of the next 2 accident free days and jump ahead to Saturday. All week I had been telling Elijah " If you use the big boy potty all week, we will ride the ferris wheel on Saturday", and he has been really excited. Then came the dreaded automatic flush incident. He had just sat down and was getting ready to pee(so he could ride the ferris wheel), when the flusher went off prematurely. He jumped and he cried and he threw a competely hysterical fit...that time as well as everytime I put him on the toilet for the next two days. FUN!!! We are now kind of getting back to normal.



So in reading this I hope you take away two things:

1. When you potty train...STAY HOME!!!!!

2. Bring a post-it to cover the automatic flush or all hell will break loose.



Please Pray that the rest of our training is uneventful and trauma free. : )

Deep in Thought... and Lonely

So much for blogging everyday, huh? Some people are really good at it. I am NOT one of those people. I hope that everyone is having an enjoyable beginning to 2009. I still cannot believe it is 2009 already. It feels like I just had Elijah yesterday, but he is almost 2 1/2. It is both really exciting and semi-depressing. I know,I know... he is NOT getting any SMALLER. I will have to learn to deal with it. I also can't believe Ed and I are going on 8 years of wedded bliss. Time is certainly flying and I wish I could slow it down a little bit. I know alot of people have New Year resolutions,I usually don't but I think I might make one this year. I usually get so caught up in life that I don't take the time to REALLY appreciate my family and friends. So my resolution this year is slow down and really enjoy my time with my husband and son(tantrums and all), and spend more time with them and my friends. For anyone not close by, I am going to really make an effort to keep in touch. You all matter to me and I want you to know it. I hope you have a great year and I hope to hear from you as well. Love to All!!!!!

My Men and SOME friends:

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Hello To All!!!!!!!! Yes it is us, the Jay family, and our new blog. We decided to set this up to keep family and friends as involved in our lives as possible. As well as expose you to the beauty of Okinawa and the growth of our family while living here. We hope that you all have a great 2009 and we can't wait to hear from you!!!!!!!!