Calm Before or is it After the Storm?

I feel at peace today.  Oddly comfortable considering all the change going on around me.

I was finally able to secure a new job, which I believe can become a career.  I wrote a resignation letter (sent to to HR, my boss, and the five owners) and quit my terribly demeaning job.  My new job (hopefully career path) is customer service/inside sales.  I started out teaching elementary education, so working my way into another career has taken some time.  I have some customer service background, and am working my way into sales.  This position is a "gateway" into sales, which will be nice.  I see hope in it.  It is very a very reputable, solid, national Fortune 100 company.  I am very pleased with myself for gaining it and now I am in the position to prove myself.

We received a new offer on the house (we are still in the back-n-forth counter process), but the situation looks promising.

My Grandma's deteriorating health seems to have momentarily become stable.  She's 90 years old, the wife of my "favorite Grandpa", and wants to live in her own home until her time comes.  Therefore, my parents are doing the best they can as far as caring for her, making her comfortable, and granting her wishes... while her other children are trying to force her into a nursing home or hospice (neither of which she wants) because it will be "cheaper" than paying for someone (or my Mom) to help take care of her at her house.  My Mom, her daughter-in-law, has primarily been taking care of her while she continues to look for a job.  *Takes her to doctor appointments, advocates for her health and well being, visits her and helps clean, makes sure my Grandma doesn't get confused about her medicine doses, helps her when she falls/has accidents, and gives her company.  My Dad, who never gets upset about anything, was visibly upset yesterday when my husband and I visited my hometown.  He is upset that his other siblings are trying to go against my Grandmother's wishes, and my Grandma won't speak up for herself.  The situation made me angry on my Grandma's behalf, my Grandpa's behalf, and my Dad's behalf.  I am amazed that my aunts and uncles care more about the land/property/assets than they do their own mom.  I can tell it places a LOT of unneeded stress on my parents, which also makes me angry.  They are getting older too, and don't need it.  I told my parents yesterday, "I would never do that to you guys.  I would do what you wanted and respect your wishes to the best of my ability.  Your parents take care of you when you are a child, and it is your responsibility to take care of them when they need you as adults.  It doesn't matter if it is inconvenient or stressful... you do it because you love someone and because they would do it for you."

My husband and I helped my parents bucket water onto their garden for four hours yesterday.  We are having a severe drought, and my parents depend quite a bit on the food they harvest and can from their garden.  All four of us, my mom, dad, husband, and I, bucketed water onto rows and rows of corn, potatoes, green beans, lima beans, peppers, tomatoes, squash, cantelope, watermelon, zucchini, onions, radishes, kale, and the other things he has planted.  We bucketed for four hours...I can only imagine how long it would have taken my Dad by himself.  My husband helped, cheerfully taking buckets back and forth, not complaining once.  He never grew up doing such work, having a garden, or having to rely on it for food.  He grew up in a much better socioeconomic background, but he helps with a smile on his face.  I love him for loving my parents.  I love him for helping them as I would.  I love him for caring.  I don't think he knows how deeply my parents appreciate it, especially since they know how differently he grew up.

Crate and Barrel 'Charlaine 23" Pillow'

'Celia Candelabra'

Today I celebrated getting a new job by making a few splurges on myself for our future home.  I had pinned a few pillows from Crate and Barrel on one of my Pinterest Boards because I loved the colors (they match a color scheme I am going for).  However, they were way too expensive at $89.95 (YIKES!)  I saw that they were 50% off - STILL YIKES- but I splurged and bought two for our future home.  I also purchased a decorative candle holder for my Mom, as I know she doesn't buy things for the house.  I bought it for the room they are working to redo, but don't have the money for...so my husband and I have been buying things for it as gifts on special occasions.