Staying busy

It's been a month since I lost my job and I feel like I am finally into a routine. It probably helps that I have found some part-time work to keep me sane and keep my creativity flowing. I have had five photo shoots (paying photo shoots, I must add), covered a high school basketball game for a local website and even got to take photos at it and wrote some feature stories for the same site. I do all the "me" stuff on weekends and while Amy is sleeping and Diana is at school.
The photo shoots have been really fun. My sister even came with me on one shoot and I can't express enough how grateful I was that she was there. She's a great assistant!
Being a sports writer again has been a blast too. It makes it even better that I got to take photos at the game. I really enjoyed that part of my working career, though I don't want to go back full time. I like being able to work from home on features and cover a high school or college game at night time for a couple hours. The schedule works for me right now.
In the meantime, I am still searching for full-time work. I applied for a ton of jobs, but I don't think anyone is hiring or even in the process of hiring right now. Hopefully I will hear something after the holidays are over.

We enrolled Amy in gymnastics one day a week. I knew she would love it and she does. In class today, the instructors wanted the kids to stretch and get some basic exercise in before they let them play, but Amy and this other little boy weren't having it. They fled like those teachers were holding needles. Amy never rests during the 45-minute class. She is constantly moving and if I let her go all over that building to where the big kid equipment was, she would go. It's good exercise for me too, I guess. This is also a good lesson for Diana. She has to tag along because the City of Vacaville only offered classes in the morning. I feel bad for her, because all my attention is on Amy and D can't really play because she might crush a baby. Through two classes, it's been hard for her, but she's adjusting and understanding that I can't really take my eyes off Amy for one second or she might fall into the trampoline pit.

As for Diana, she sang the other night at Chevy's. The Spanish Immersion kids from her school got together and sang Christmas songs for the folks dining. It was a fundraiser for the program - you know...eat there and 25 percent of what you spend goes to the school. It was fun to see her sing the Spanish version of popular Christmas songs.
Tonight, she sang Jingle Bells to me in Spanish. Quite a kid that one.

I truly feel blessed as everything in my life is coming together. I knew I would settle into a routine and have some sense of normalcy again. It took a while. I am very grateful for this time and for my awesome family who continues to help and support me every day.