Victoria and the dentist, a job, Grandma and Grandpa, money – no worries

Victoria went to a dentist in Bowie last week to have a tooth looked at. She, like Joshua, waited way too long to have the work done and a root canal is now required. She was not impressed with the dentist there so she drove to Amarillo on Wednesday afternoon to have our dentist here do the work. She has been on antibiotics for several days but was also prescribed pain pills in order to combat the toothache.


She took a pain pill yesterday afternoon prior to seeing the dentist. That was at 3:30 p.m. The dentist examined her tooth and set up an appointment for this morning. Victoria thought she was unaffected by the hydrocodone until about 5:30 p.m. Then it kicked in. She was a groggy mess for the remainder of the evening but instead of lying down to sleep it off a little she stayed up and fought it all evening. I am surprised she did not bite her tongue at dinner. I kept slurring my speech as I repeated her words back to her. She was more frustrated with me than the tooth by the time I went to bed.

She and Mama will go back today to have the work done. I think she plans on doping up again. This evening should be fun especially since she plans on going out with the singles attending tonight’s Marriage Enrichment seminar. I wish Chase was going too but he has the weekend planned and this was not a part of it. Honestly, it came up on us suddenly because we have been away, but I try to take every opportunity to strengthen my marriage.

Most of my children know that I have applied for a job with ConocoPhillips licensing division. The focus of the projects at this point in time, and for the nest two years, is Australia. Also included in the areas of focus are Trinidad and Tobago, Equatorial Guinea and Louisiana. I was not sure how Mama would react to my desire to apply so on Wednesday I called her to feel her out.

“Is Australia close enough to Bowie that I can apply for a job there?” is how I framed the question. Within less than three milliseconds I got my answer. “Australia!” she shouted as I pulled the phone away from my ear. It was Mama’s positive, excited shout. So I applied yesterday. I emailed the sponsor of the job early on Wednesday but I did not get an answer until this morning. I will fill all of you in on the details on Monday but I want Mama to be the first to hear. It is mostly positive.

The posting will not come down until the 23rd so I do not think I will hear anything before the end of the month. Keep me in your prayers on that, please.

Grandma and Grandpa are gearing up for the trip to West Virginia. I think Victoria should donate her left over pain meds to the cause. It will be difficult for Grandma. Norman has stockpiled items to be brought back to the farm. When the baler is purchased, it should fill the trailer and truck to the max. They might look like the Beverly Hillbillies on their return to Texas. We are not sure of how soon they will be able to come home. It is totally dependent on money. Norman is trying to schedule some jobs for him and Grandpa to do while Grandpa is there to help, so please add that to your prayer list.

This month has been a real struggle financially. Last month I did not have the money to do all the things required of me and Mama but we plowed through anyway. This month and next will be the catch up time. That, in and of itself, is incredibly stressful to me. It has been quite some time since I have seen my accounts so poorly stocked, but we are making it. We are quickly gaining ground but it requires a very strict adherence to our budget. It has been an unpleasant learning experience for Mama, but it has answered a prayer I have been praying that we all regain a more practical sense of the worth of money.

All in all, it has been a wonderful trial.