Wanted: 1 Mechanical Engineering Job

if you have a mechanical engineering job in wichita that you need filled, please let us know.  if you heard that bombadier, hawker, boeing, or beech is hiring, we dont want to hear it.  wekve already applied for every job they have, however, since we dont have ten years of experience, none of them will hire us.  right now im kind of hating wichita.

More Job Updates

so sorry i havent updated in a while.  heres whats been going on...  i heard back from the jewelry store last week, they went ahead and hired me.  i began on monday, making seven dollars and eighty cents an hour plus commission.  i havent made any commission yet because for the first two weeks that im working that im working there i wont have any goals or be expected to sell anything, im just getting used to the job aand the expectations.  its an easy job and fun because i get to walk around and look at beautiful jewelry all day.  also, i get a great discount.  the discount varies by item, but i will usually get between fifty and eighty percent off the customer price, which is amazing discounts.  i can buy gifts for other people, but not buy something then have someone else pay me back.  so if things are reasonable and we have two incomes by christmas time, you might all get jewelry.  we will just have to see what happens.  in other news, i had an interview yesterday in augusta, which is about seventeen miles east of where we live.  they had two para openings, and were interviewing six people for the two jobs.  a para is another adult who comes into the classroom and works with a small group or even just one student in order to help them succeed.  they could need assistance monitoring their behavior or academic assistance.  the interview went well and they told me that they would know by the end of the day and call me.  well, they called me yesterday evening to offer me one of the positions.  so i officially have two jobs now.  now some of you may be wondering, how will that work since i already have one job.  well, i disclosed to both jobs at my interviews that i was looking to do something like that.  at the jewelry store i will probably work nights and weekends during the school year, i am only part time anyway, so it shouldnkt change the number of hours im working each week very much.  the para job is just during the school day, and i will have to do little to nothing on professional development days, as those are designed for the teachers, not the other staff.  so basically, if there are kids in the building, i will be there from eight to three every day.  i dont know what my pay will be yet as a para, they told me that the pay starts at seven dollars and fifty cents per hour, but it goes up with experience and having a degree.  i think with working both of these jobs at around sixty hours each week, we should be able to make ends meet and pay our bills and still have a little money for gas and groceries, even if michael doesnt find anything.  so im less worried about money right now, but not super stoked about sixty plus hours per week.  but we will make do.  i thought it was tough getting by on a teachers salary, minimum wage is even worse.  i guess thats why youre supposed to get a degree and not have to work at a job designed for a high school student.  ugh.  oh well.  this too will pass.  your prayers are always greatly appreciated, especially for michael as he continues to search for a job.  thanks everyone.  much love.

Interview Updates

yesterday i had an interview for an administrative assistant job.  i heard about it because when michael went to his audition for playing violin at church, one of the secretaries at church suggested the job for me.  it was the shortest interview i have ever had, so i have a hard way of telling if it went well or not.  they took my interview and read through it, i explained how i had been a teacher and why i was looking for a different sort of job now, they asked me if i was looking for a career change, i explained that if this job gave me more opportunities to grow and increase in pay, i would be willing to, and that was about all they said or asked.  they told me that they would be in touch.  it was weird that it was so short, but an easy interview.  seemed like a very low key company.  we will see what happens.  in other news, i have an interview today with the regional manager at beldens.  i will let you know how that goes later today.  this will be my second interview with beldens.  finally, the last thing i have to report is that i got another call this morning from a school in augusta who saw my application for a para position, so i set up an interview with her for that job on next thursday.  after everything thats been going on lately and all the different interviews ive had, i think that having a minimum wage job with no benefits like a para job might not work for me.  i might have a better chance pushing my luck with subbing and hoping that i stay busy that way.  we will see what happens.  thats all i have to report today.  thank you again for your love and support and prayers.  i will keep you informed as i know more.  love you all very much.

Job Fair Update

Well, no need to beat around the bush...  The job fair was basically a failure.  There were a lot of military recruiters and colleges advising people to go to college.  That really frustrated me, because I have a college degree and it's not doing much for me right now.  There were a few companies that dealt with children and youth, so I got some information on them and applied with them when I got home.  Michael talked to the same companies he's been talking to since we decided to come to Wichita.  One of the men at the Leerjet booth recognized Michael from the other career fairs he's been to.  That man did mention that someone in the company had recently grabbed Michael's resume and was looking at it, we'll see if we hear anything back about that.  Michael also applied online at Best Buy, he thinks that if he can't get an engineering job, that Best Buy might not be a bad option.

In other news, Michael had an audition today at the church we've been attending (Countryside Christian Church) to join the band playing his violin.  The lady loved him and the tone of his violin.  She's excited to get him into the band in the fall.  She said she would maybe even try to get him in a little this summer.  Michael's very excited to be back in a band.  While he was there the lady asked him about me and what I did.  He explained that I am a teacher, but hadn't found a job yet.  She knew of 2 jobs, a 4th grade job at Bethel School and an administrative assistant.  I called both people.  I then submitted a resume to Bethel and set up an interview for the administrative assistant job for tomorrow.

So, what's coming up...
Tomorrow - Interview for an administrative assistant job
Friday - Meeting with the regional manager from Belden's
Wednesday - Going to see the new Harry Potter movie!  :)  (What?!  I'm still going to enjoy my summer a little bit!)  We also get paid today!  (That will leave the August paycheck from USD 475, then we're completely broke...)

As always, keep us in your prayers.  We're looking in much different places than we planned on, but we need to pay our bills and keep our puppies fed.  So we'll take most anything at this point.  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!  We'll keep you up to date as we learn more.

Job Updates

trust me, i will keep you informed as i know things...  no need to ask over and over how the job search is going, it just makes us sad and feel bad when we dont have them yet.  so, as promised, i am keeping you updated.  tomorrow michael and i are going to a job fair to continue our search.  today i got a call from beldens, they want me to come in and talk to their district or regional manager who is coming into town on friday for a diamond event that they are having.  i dont know why that person wants to meet me, but thats whats set up right now.  i will let you know more when i know more.  your prayers are always appreciated as we continue to search for jobs.  thanks.

June and July

Oh my goodness!  So much has happened in the past month!  I'm sorry that I haven't kept up here on the blog!

Sis and Adam went to Vegas for Sis' birthday!  We went over and played with their puppies while they were gone.  We also worked on their flower bed with Mama's help!  Things looked great when we left!  However, the hot Kansas sun may have taken it's toll since then...  Stupid sun!

Michael and I added a new family member!  We adopted Gabby Lynn (our name, not theirs...) from the Wichita Animal Shelter on June 16th.  She's a pointer/blue heeler mix.  She was at the shelter as a stay, so we're not sure on the breed or her birthday.  They think her birthday is around April 5th, which makes her about 3 months old.  Her and Harlee are getting along great!  We love her sooooo much!!

Michael and I got a membership to the Zoo here in Wichita.  We picked a random day and it turned out to be the perfect day!  It was overcast all day and wonderful!  Can't wait to head back!  Just have to wait for the summer heat to settle down a little.  :)

Marianne Steen and Melisa Hancock came to town to present the newly adopted Kansas State Standards, the Common Core Standards.  The idea behind Common Core is that in Reading and Math there will be continuity between different states and what they're teaching in each grade level.  Marianne and Melisa stayed with us for 5 days while they were in town.  They took us out to eat and went around town with us.  They also got me into the academy which will hopefully make me more marketable in the job market.  We'll see what happens!

Michael had a job (or so we thought) and lost it (technically he wasn't offered one) in 2 days.  It was definitely a roller coaster of emotions those 2 days.  I was excited to hear that Michael had an interview!  Then it seemed to have gone well, because they showed him his desk and discussed pay and insurance!  So we were ecstatic that he had finally found something!!  They told him they would call him the next day to discuss the details and when he would begin.  He called them when he hadn't heard from them and they told him they didn't have the money to hire someone at this point.  We were crushed.  We've gotten better since then and are back to looking for jobs.  Keep us in your prayers.

We went to Topeka for the 4th of July.  We saw Nick, Maggie, Nathan, Chelsey, and Payden!  (And of course Glenn and Linda)  We did all sorts of things while we were in town: fireworks, farmers market, stockcar races, art museum, and 4th of July party at TJ's.  We fit so much into our short visit, it reminded me a lot of when we would come to Wichita and would run around to visit all of the family members we were expected to see while we were in town.  It was good to see everyone!  Can't wait to see them all again!

Today I had a job interview at Belden's Jewelers in the mall.  I applied at non-school places when nothing was panning out for me for other jobs.  They called me back and set up an interview.  I went there today and the interview seemed to go well.  I will keep you posted!

That's about all that's going on around here.  Love you all!

First 2 Weeks in Wichita

Hi friends!!  It's been a busy couple weeks, here are the updates of our life:

As I mentioned in my last post, Michael and I went to Kansas City shortly after moving in for Nick and Maggie's wedding.  After the wedding we stayed in KC an extra couple of days to celebrate our 2 year anniversary.  We went to the Boulevard Brewing Company for a tour, we went to the Melting Pot (where we went for our first anniversary too), we spent some time on the plaza walking around and window shopping, we had lunch with Amy Colby (who lives in KC), we went to the Nebraska Furniture Mart (because it's a fun place to browse) and we went and saw the new X-Men movie.  The rest of our time there we just sat around and relaxed in our room, ordered a little room service, and enjoyed some quiet time together.  :)  It was a very nice little vacation.  :)

When Michael and I got back from Kansas City, before we went to pick up Harlee, who was staying with Sis, Adam, Ducky and Mila, we stopped by Sears.  We already knew what washer and dryer we wanted (we've been looking at them for several months now) so it was pretty easy when we got to the store.  I told the salesman that I wanted the washer and dryer, a 3 year warranty on the washer, delivery, and installation all for $2000.  He wrote down what I wanted and went back to check on prices for me.  When he came back he said he could give me everything I wanted for $2154.  I told him okay, we'll come back when we have $154 more.  He looked shocked that I wouldn't take it for the price he had.  He tried to talk me into paying $2000 in cash and put the rest on my credit card, but I wasn't going for it.  So he left again to talk to his manager.  He seemed to be gone forever!  But when he came back he told me that he could give me what I wanted for $2019.  He looked very concerned that it was $19 over what I wanted, but Michael and I caved and took it.  The guy told me I was a great negotiator!  I told him I learned it in Cameroon.  Then he told me that he's from Cameroon!!!  We talked about different cities and places we'd been, he went to high school in Buea where I swam in the ocean for the first time in my life.  It's a small world.  :)  So we are now proud owners of a washer and dryer!  WOOT!!!  :D

While we were waiting for our washer and dryer to arrive we had company!  Our first overnight visitors in our new place!  Nathan (Michael's little brother) and Chelsey (Nathan's fiance) came to visit and get some advice on wedding planning.  They braved a crazy storm to get here!  It was nice having people here visiting.  We went out to the farm and did some fishing.  Nathan caught a sunfish, a bass, and a turtle; Michael caught 3 decent-sized bass; and I won!!  I caught 7 sunfish and 1 small bass!  WOOOHOOO!!  :D  Since I was the manliest person out there fishing I took most of the fish off the hook.  :)  It was a blast!!  That night we went to the drive-in!  Nathan and Chelsey have never been the the drive-in before!  Can you believe it?!  We went and saw Kung Fu Panda 2 and X-Men 5, and the last movie was Pirates of the Caribbean 4 (but we didn't stay for it because it was too late, it started at 1:30am).  Nathan had to work early the next morning so they left before I woke up the next morning.  It was a short time, but I enjoyed playing hostess.  Can't wait till later this summer when Nick, Maggie, Nathan, and Chelsey all come down to visit.  :)

Otherwise all that's been going on in our lives if unpacking and decorating.  We had fondue with Sis and Adam.  Getting our stuff put away, getting laundry done, getting use to life here in Wichita.  Still loving the dishwasher.  Harlee is falling into a routine here.  She's behaving very well most of the time.  She also did well at Sis and Adam's!  Hooray!  Hope all is well in your lives.  I'll try to update again soon with new pictures of the apartment.  Love you all!
~Jen

Nick and Maggie's Wedding

As most of you know, Michael and I went to KC this weekend to see Michael's brother Nick marry his beautiful fiance Maggie.  :)  It was a wonderful couple of days celebrating their new life together!  We are so excited for Nick and Maggie!  I'll let these pictures tell the rest of the story.  :)  I might have gone a little overboard on the pictures...  Just know that this is only 27 of the over 200 pictures I took!!

Rehearsal

Bridesmaids and Junior Groomsman (who kept the ring bearer and flower girl in order)

Maggie and her dad rehearsing

Giving away the bride

All done!

My studly hubby looking fantastic in his tux!!!

We celebrated our 2 year anniversary the weekend we were in KC for Nick and Maggie's wedding.

Groomsmen ready for pictures to begin

The bride and her bridesmaids (Can't wait to see the pictures of Nick and Maggie first seeing each other!!  We all had to leave for that part.)  ;)

Getting on the bus to go get pictures taken.

Beautiful bridesmaids

The man and woman of the day.  :)

Getting pictures taken.

The whole wedding party getting into place to have their pictures taken.

Very good looking group!!

My hubby!  I love him sooooo much!!!!

The bride and groom

The groom, his groomsmen, and the ushers

Everyone together

Some artsy wedding party shots

Looking good, guys!!

They were just glowing all day!  It was so fun to be a part of their special day!

Getting back on the bus for more pictures back at the church.

The bride and groom.  :)

Cropped a little to focus on Nick and Maggie

Doesn't he just look smitten with her?

The bride with the groomsmen

Maggie and her parents

Nick and his family

All of the wedding party!!

Gorgeous!

The ceremony, Nathan walking in.

The ceremony, Michael walking in.

Beautiful bridesmaids

Maggie and her dad walking down the aisle.

The ceremony

Michael had a great view of Maggie through the whole ceremony and said she was looking up at Nick all starry-eyed the whole time.  It's obvious they are very much in love!

The kiss!!!

Mr. and Mrs. Nick and Maggie Voss!!!

Cutting the cake

They did not smoosh it in each other's faces, but in this picture is looks like Maggie isn't so sure Nick isn't going to do it.  :)  He was nice, though.  Good job, Nick!

Maggie's 2 sisters were both her maid's of honor, so they gave a joint toast.  :)

Then, Garrett, Nick's best man, gave his toast.

And the final picture I took for the evening was Nick and Maggie's first dance as a married couple.  :)  Perfect.