Today I am celebrating the anniversary of the birth of my youngest daughter. It was chilly for July, things went swiftly after we arrived at the hospital. I still remember it, but doubtless am remembering fewer of the actual details and focusing in on what I want to keep close to my heart. Bringing a second baby home differed greatly from bringing home a first baby. I was more relaxed, but also busier since I was caring for a toddler when Jane was born. I was more experienced, having made many parenting mistakes previously helped me recognize some of the pitfalls and dangers that lay ahead of me, but as any parent knows, there are always new situations one can screw up and mishandle.

I can't remember if I wrote about this previously, but I finally got a job. I'm going to be working in the wellness department of a small organic grocery store that's about half an hour away from my house. My first interview went really well, after leaving the building on the day I was offered the job I drove home in tears thinking that I had flubbed my second interview. I hadn't been sleeping well, I was tired from waking up at four in the morning, and it seemed as if every time I opened my mouth something other than what I wanted to say came out. When I asked they said they would be getting back to people early next week since the HR woman was going to be going on vacation.

She called that evening, I was apprehensive since her voice sounded funny. I wondered if she was just a nice person who wanted to let me know I hadn't gotten the job when she said she would like to offer me the position. Two of their top employees in that department are leaving, one for non-work related reasons, the other because the store can't offer her what she would like, whether that's more money (I suspect it is) or greater responsibility, or more flexibility, I couldn't say, but it was a tremendous ego boost to hear that they thought that the interviews had gone extremely well and that I would be an exceptional fit in the wellness department which also oversees gifts, health and beauty, and bulk goods. 

Out of all the jobs I've had this is probably the best fit in terms of what I like and am good at. I won't be making a ton of money, it's not a full time position, but I'm thrilled to have this chance. I told my interviewers that I didn't want others to be going through what I did. I didn't feel well, I knew vitamins and supplements might help, but I also knew that some of them weren't FDA approved, and I still think it's a real shame that there is so much misinformation out there. There's a supplement protocol to follow, just like when I worked in footwear my job is to talk people out of certain things, all the Vitamin C in the world isn't going to help if you need more calcium and too much of anything is rarely a good idea. 

Sometimes people need someone to listen to them, other times they just want to buy things. It can be easy to go overboard when you're desparately searching for anything that will make you feel better than you do now. I would do things very differently than I did, but that's the voice of experience and there's only one way to acquire that. There will be things I don't like about the job, but what makes me excited is the culture, the people I'll be working with, their philosophy, and their mission. I love the way that the store is decorated, there's a small cafe where people can sit and talk and hang out. I like the cheerful color scheme, and the fact that all of their fruits and vegetables are organic and local when possible.

I had a really nice conversation with the guy that I like. He's in Japan for a final day before returning home, he said that always makes him a little sad, but he was able to visit his favorite forest in Tokyo before boarding one of three trains he'll have to take today. I sent him a long string of messages the other day, I'm such a high maintanance person, things had been going extraordinarily well and then I did something really stupid to jeopardize it. It made me very mad at myself, I don't want to go down that road again. In other news I spoke with Jill and Jane's dad about the car and housing situation. We were able to get the car portion resolved, I think we both learned something from that ridiculousness which was just as much my fault as it was his.

I've been going to physical therapy, originally it was for my ankle, but I've found many other benefits since I started going. I love my therapist, he isn't at all what I expected. The facility is new, it's a joy to go there and have someone guiding me through the stretches and exercises. Today the sole of my left foot is sore, I can't tell if it's because I did something right such as stretching, or I overdid it when I went walking. Changing subjects again - last night Jill went to play Magic: The Gathering at the local comic book store downtown. She had met a guy named Kyle the night before, she said it wasn't a date, maybe it wasn't an official one, but it sounds as if he likes her and she thinks he's cute. I'm excited for her. She's finding her niche in a town that doesn't have many girls like her, it gives me hope for the future. 

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