Joe got a call from Idaho National Laboratory yesterday asking him for another phone interview. It's a different position this time. He's applied for several positions with INL, the one he was flown out for in July he has now applied for at least five times. I think he just reapplied for the sixth time. It gets frustrating to have him apply and then not hear anything for months on end.
INL went through an internal restructuring about the time Joe was interviewed then Homeland Security came in and required more. I'm sure they were frustrated, but probably not as much as I have been. I was so looking forward to moving to Idaho Falls and raising my boys there. Bug is close to moving out since she'll head to college in a couple of years, so even if we ever get west again, she probably won't be there long. She wants to go to South Carolina or Virginia for college.
I'm not getting my hopes up this time. I've pretty much prepared myself to stay in Memphis until Joe finishes his Master's degree, which will take about two years. By that time Bear will be high school age and it would be good for him to move. As it stands now, he wants to do the same on-line program that Bug is involved in. When he gets to ninth grade, we'll probably do just that since I really don't like the high school here.
I was so impressed with the Utah schools after being here in Memphis. The kids get more recesses, fewer class hours, better grading scales and just as good (if not better) an education. I've really noticed that Buddy is starting to be onery again and I think a good part of it is the schedule that he has here. My boys really miss their Utah schools. Bug is glad to be back where it's warmer, but frustrated that there's been snow lately. We've had four snow/ice days in the past two weeks. Memphians are wimps and really can't handle (or drive in) the snow and cold. Kids don't get outside recess unless it's 40 degrees or warmer. If that were the case in Huntsville, UT, the kids would NEVER go out in the winter. Bug hated waiting for the bus to come when there had just been a foot of snow in one day and the temperature dropped to -10.
As much as Bug would complain, I still hope that Joe will eventually move our family back west. I don't care what state it's in, as long as it's closer to family. Joe's parents turned 80 this past year and will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this July. We were unable to go to either of their birthday celebrations and it will be unlikely that we could go to any celebration his family may be planning for his parents' anniversary. That is unless we drive out in July and bless the baby there.
For those of you that DIDN'T know, we're expecting our sixth child in May. A girl this time, so Bug is thrilled. She'll finally have a sister. She's already talking about doing hair and dressing her up in frilly dresses. So far the pregnancy is going well. My ribs are sore, but that's only going to get worse. At least my back is still holding up. I worried about that since I ruptured a disk in my back last March. Now, if I can make it through tax season without going into preterm labor, I'll be set. Seuss was 3 1/2 weeks early, Dude was 3 weeks early, and this one is due four weeks after tax season ends. But that's my life, I never seem to do things the easy way... :-)
