Adjusting to a Life in Mansfield, TX

It has been one month since my family and I moved to Mansfield, TX. I finally have a new full-time job teaching 7th/8th Grade Math at Red Oak Jr. High School. So far I am enjoying it. My wife, Jamie and I are trying to car-pool to work on Mondays and Wednesdays to spend more time with each other. (She works in Waxahachie, TX at the Ellis County Children's Advocacy Center.)

We found us a great rent home in Mansfield and as of today (Oct. 22) our home in Longview, TX is under contract to close on Nov. 2nd. This will eliminate our mortgage payment, allowing us to use my salary to make larger payments toward our remaining debts. Dave Ramsey would be happy.

The kids are still enjoying home school, although they do miss getting out to mingle with other kids. We are looking into getting Caleb a car, so they can get out during the day while Jamie and I are at work. We are also looking for a new church home. We have visited a couple of great local churches and plan on visiting a couple of more before we narrow down our choices and try to settle in somewhere. We are hoping the kids get involved with the youth group and Jamie and I can get plugged into some good classes or small groups to make some new friends.

The only bad thing that has happened since we have moved here is my blood pressure has gone back up and I am back on blood pressure medication. I guess the stress of the move, the stress of teaching/disciplining kids at school and me not eating healthy, have triggered the rise in BP.

We are slowly unpacking and turning this rent house into our new home. We have an option to buy and the neighborhood is great. Maybe once we get most of our remaining debt paid off, we will see about buying this home.

Good luck to the Texas Rangers on going to the World Series for the 2nd year straight!

That Darn Cat and Other Stuff

Our wonderful pet cat, Scout, (aka: Fuzzball) was a bad kitty last night. For some reason last night he was into everything. He kept waking the wife and I up about every two hours starting around midnight. He would play with his "jingle mouse", jump on our end table and knock stuff around, or just jump on the bed and want some petting. I am so tired. I don't go to work today until 10:00 so I can maybe try to rest a little bit before heading off.

In other news: The World needs to move on from the death of Michael Jackson. He was just a man people get over it. Are we going to have to endure crazy fans who will celebrate his birth and mourn his death, just like the crazy Elvis fans? He is/was not God you know.

In my attempt to read the Bible in a Year (for the 2nd time), I have just finished Ezekiel and am starting Daniel. I am behind and hope to get back on course soon. I just finished the last book in my pile of books to read, so I will read the Bible in place of my other reading.

I am hoping to hear from the principal at Pine Tree High School today regarding my possible job as a 9th Grade Algebra teacher. I guess reaching my references was tough over the Independence Day weekend. Keep Praying For Me!

What's new with Mr. E! (for August 2, 2008)

Thursday was my last day as a teacher of Adult Education at Kilgore College. My fellow staff members took me out to eat at a local Chinese restaurant and they also gave me a $50.00 gift certificate to Wal-Mart. Whoo-Hoo!

Friday was my first day as the Healthy Marriage Coordinator for Twogether in Texas. I spent most of it filling out paperwork for insurance, HIPPA, and payroll. The rest of the time I was filling out a calendar showing my trips to Austin (apparently these are a monthly thing), and possible training days for me to teach our sub-contractors. Monday I will make my first visit to Austin for a training and I should be home on Wednesday. I will miss my family during the trips to Austin, but I have been told that if I am traveling alone, or it's a time when the kids are out of school, that they can come with me, I just pay any additional cost, if charged.

Saturday (today), we had a garage sale to try and raise a little money towards our last summer family vacation. We managed to pull off $100 exactly and we got rid of a bunch of stuff. We still have a old couch, an ironing board, a trundle bed frame and a box spring for a twin bed, sitting out by the curb, with a "FREE" sign hanging on them. We look like we have a "red-neck" yard. I hope someone comes along tonight and "Frees" us from the rest of our stuff.

Life is Good!

Update (4:20 pm): A few moments ago, someone picked up some of our "FREE" stuff that was left on the curb, after the garage sale. They picked up the ironing board, the trundle bed frame, and the twin bed metal frame. They left the twin bed box spring and the couch. Come on people...relieve us of our stuff!

Update #2 (8:30 pm): Some fellow just took the box springs, now if someone would just take the couch.