Ice Storm, double shift, and Empty Houses

The shelter is beyond full, but it is a nice new mix to a day at work.  This week has been something else. I worked over 51 hours this week and slept maybe 5 hours a night. I am doing okay and enjoying despite the long days and lack of sleeping. The ice storm caused me to go in at 7 and stay til 11 at night. I worked a 16 hour day the week before so... it wasn't the end of the world. I would have been did a 24 hour shift and be done with work on Friday, but I got lucky and went home for a few hours. Santa came today too and the children loved it. I also loved it, because it was less work for me. The staff and children are still getting sick and I know it is coming, but I'm ignoring it. I am just writing this to show that I am not dead, but this weekend I will be sleeping until someone forces me to get up. so good night until Monday.

Let it snow!

It snowed on Saturday night into Sunday morning and all through Monday. I learned a few things about Kentucky as it was snowing and people were freaking out about the little snow flakes. First off Kentucky people hate the snow, but don't spend money on salting their streets, cleaning the roads, or anything to prepare for a foot of snow. Second thing people the poor areas of Kentucky never clean off their roads and the only places cleared when it snows are the highways. Third thing people don't really know how to drive in the snow here. And the fourth and last thing I learned is Kentucky will shut down all the schools with just the thought of having it snow the night before.

Parties!

       Well it must be December, because parties seem to be the biggest event for every weekend from now until Christmas. We had a birthday party/ Christmas party for one of our house mates that is 30 today. Today is the Cap Volunteer houses' Christmas party in East East Kentucky. Then next week we have a Cumberland valley house meeting/ Christmas party dinner on Monday, Friday is the Cumberland Valley CAP Christmas party. Then it is also our own Christmas party for our residents, and our work Christmas party for just the workers. Then to add to this whole Christmas celebrations, there is the secret Santa's, dirty Santa, and other things involving cooking, baking, and gift wrapping. I feel that I will be completely Christmas out, before the holidays actually get here and that would be slightly sad.   Just two more weeks of parties and working and I'll be on my way home to my own family enjoying a more relaxing less stressful Christmas.

Walking Dead

This past week has been kind of a blur... I feel like I have been living at work. Day shift on Monday, Night shift on Tuesday, Day and Midnight shift on Wednesdays, short night shift today and tomorrow I have another short day shift. I have been running on little sleep and even my residents have been asking if I live there. Lucky tomorrow is my last day for this week and I get to sleep in a little bit. Of course instead of trying to catch up on my sleep I am on-line watching past tv shows. Then again next week I have almost all night shifts, meaning I will get  to sleep in and make up for that 16 hour day I worked on Wednesday. Good night and enjoy the weekend, because I know I will most likely be sleeping through it.

Lice in the House

We had a lovely Lice epidemic this past week and now we are full too the brim with people. Which is okay, because it brings a new atmosphere to the place. More people means it is crazier, but new people means change and new people.
       This Wednesday I went to this work shop about not going crazy while working at a high stress job in social work. I don't know how much I liked it, but it put some things in perspective. First off I realized that I so don't take myself seriously and it is better to let go and move on then hold onto anger. I know I struggle sometimes with  getting mad at people and not liking them when they mess up another time. I'll let go of the incident, but once they do the same thing again I get upset and think, "that blank, is just a mess and is driving me crazy". But now I know that it is better to let go and let live. Who cares if things get messed up, because honestly things will workout in the end. Which I knew that before this workshop, but it was a good reminder. Actually Gd wasn't mentioned at all in her talk, but I incorporate God into everything I learn. Which I haven't decided if that is a good or a bad thing. I feel it might actually be a good thing, but who knows.
      Anyways on the topic about God, I have still been mad at God. I know I am only 20 years old, but I start thinking about my future and it makes me upset, because honestly why am I in Kentucky working an domestic abuse shelter? I know it is what God wants from me, but I couldn't believe he asked me to do this. I just couldn't get over the fact that god wouldn't let me live the "normal" life. I know I really don't want the "normal life". This "normal life" is where I am actually in love with the guy who has been courting me for the past few years and after he gets his things in place: get a job, buys  a house, and finally meets my family we would go off and get married. But no God wouldn't let me fall in love with the "perfect" man for me. And I won't lie I have been mad at God for awhile about this. So last night I prayed and asked him to explain why he did this to me. Well here is a hint about praying to God and asking for things... he gives you more than what you ask for. On the way driving home from a fast run to the Dollar General there was this whole conversation about how God has this plan for us and if we don't do what he wants for us we will never be happy. I didn't have this huge crying fit, but I finally got it. God gave me this life, because he has ten times better plans for me than anyone (even me) could even have for me. It has been the first time that I have been here that I understand that not only is this just a step towards the awesome plan God has for me, but this is where I need to be and it doesn't matter how or why I am here. All that matter at this point is that this is where I need to be and I need to accept it and not worry about if I am or not qualified for this job, because people are stuck with me here and they are gonna just have to deal.