Being flexible, work issues, grandchildren

It is amazing how quickly plans can change. I got a text from our realtor in Lawton yesterday morning. He was signing papers on the second house we have bought there. In the text he mentioned that he was going to get a quote on replacing the roof and the windows on that house as his first step in the remodel. With that information in hand I called Mama and we discussed my upcoming trip to Fort Smith, AR to attend the auction there. Together we decided to hold off on going to that auction to ensure we did not overextend ourselves. We can comfortably handle the repairs on the two houses we have in different stages of remodel, but to take on more right now may not be prudent. Besides, investing in houses that are a minimum of five hours away might not be our best option while I am still working fulltime. So, I cancelled my vacation for that day. We will use that time off somewhere else.

I will still attend the auction in Montague, TX this morning. That auction should not take long. There are only a few properties listed on the notice. Driving there and back will take the bulk of the three hours away from the office. I have been accumulating time by arriving at the office an hour early each morning. Tomorrow and Thursday I will maintain that schedule so I can take off at noon to go get Mama. Friday, I will work a normal day. At least I will keep my normal schedule whether or not I get any work done remains to be seen.

Work has been a little different these past two weeks. I cannot explain the difference but there is something brewing in the background – probably good for the company but only time will tell. We are struggling a bit as we have taken on about fifteen new individuals in the past six months. I am only a little bothered because I have been trying to get some others coworkers qualified to teach the classes I normally teach, but once I set those individuals up for the class (so they can be audited and then certified) they suddenly have a change in schedule and are unable to make the class. When that happens, it pushes out their certification to instruct that class for another month. Next week I am teaching classes on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Possibly Friday. Those would have been great opportunities for my fellow employees to get their certification, but that is not going to happen. Sad. April is a another bust in that area. We move to May, which I expect will follow the same pattern of delay I have dealt with since February. If I am able to do our business fulltime in June, my company will be scrambling to find instructors through the remainder of the year. To their credit, they do not know that is coming and I have not yet felt the liberty to announce it because Mama and I have not sold a house yet. Still, I will have given every opportunity to certify instructors to backfill me when I am able to leave. Until then, I will keep trying and hope I am not giving the impression of wanting to get out of work.

As Mama’s time with Maggie, Aaron and the kids winds down it appears that everyone in that household is feeling better. Walter had become Mama’s little buddy and Cathryn has warmed up to Mama as much as she will allow herself to do. For Mama, it has been a good visit. Maggie and Aaron have been extremely generous toward Mama, making it a relaxed, comfortable time with the grandchildren. People ask me if I regret not being there. That is a difficult question to answer because right now, at Cathryn and Walter’s age, the important attachments are to Mama, not me. I am, at this age an extension of Mama (Grammy) to the younger grandchildren. My involvement will come to play later in their lives. Right now, the most important connections to me and Mama are, of necessity, made through Mama. The caveat to that are Brittany’s two, who seem to be more responsive to me than to Mama. I think that is largely due to the grandparenting moniker I have chosen, Papi. Sophia and Zoe love saying my name. But even the conversations with Brittany take place largely through Mama. I get everything secondhand – when I do get the updates. And that is okay. I like to watch from the corner. Listen to the conversations. To learn how to pray for my children and grandchildren. On average I process things more slowly than most people, so I have to spend a lot of time putting the pieces together as I get the information and insights.

So far, that has worked out pretty well; especially for Mama.