Finally, a good week!!!

[Arlen]

Well, I just wanted to share with you guys that we finally got some good news.

I think most of you know that for the last 3 years Diane has been a Psychosocial Rehabilitation worker. (PSR.) Basically a Social worker crossed with a life coach. She helps people who are mentally ill to reintegrate to society and learn to live with and deal with their mental illness. Everything from Refugees with PTSD to Sex offenders with severe Schizophrenia.

She got into the field because she dearly wants to help people who have so few options and support, but the company she worked for were terribly unprofessional and her direct manager never done anything she was supposed to because she's friends with the owner and can get away with is. To Top it off, her manager was expecting her to do twice the amount of work in half the hours and to do everyone else's paperwork for them.
Diane was making about $18 an hour but was usually getting paid for only 15 - 25 hours a week.
Add on to that the fact that a lot of the clients really didn't appreciate a lot of what she was doing for them and she was really burned out.
Not did she have time to even apply for her Masters degree so she could go on to a higher position.

Well, on Monday she was offered a full time job at Boise State University. It's an admin position so she wouldn't be using her degree, but she's getting a solid 40 hours a week, she knows her hours, she's never on call and even though she makes less per hour she's making considerably more per week because of her hours.
To top it off, she gets healthcare and INCREDIBLY cheap college classes for both of us. So she can finally start on her Masters degree in the 2011-2012 session and I can finally start college.

Needless to say we're both thrilled. Because it also means that when my work permit FINALLY clears and we are financially stable enough, we can start a family.

This has been a long time coming and it's been so long since we were financially stable let alone poor Diane having an employer who appreciated her that it's cause for great celebration. We're going to have a big family dinner tonight and see where it goes from there.

She starts in 2 weeks and her current job finally realized, when she handed in her notice, that they were losing one of their best employees. The told her that when she does get into her Masters degree she is welcome to come back a few hours a week to get the experience she'll need in the higher echelons of the field.


To top it off, two dances Diane wrote were published in Dance On! magazine today. So it's been a good week!


I just had to share it with you guys since you are pretty much extended family and everyone on Xmarks has been so incredibly supportive while we dealt with all the difficulties of the last few years.
So, a big, big thank you to you guys.

Hopefully the banking ombudsman will be able to sort out my bank in Scotland so I can finally pay for the last of the visa stuff, but even if it takes a while, now, we'll has a little spare money so we can save and pay it and then have that money be a nice surprise in a year or so.

Again, thank you to you guys. The wonderful people on Xmarks have been such a great support and base of friends over these difficult years and so many of you have helped me in wonderful and individual ways.

[sydnie7]

That is wonderful news indeed and must feel as if a great burden has fallen from your shoulders!

[mull]

Congrats. It's good to see things start to work out.

[MrShoe]

Great new!!

Congratulations to your lovely bride.

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

Congrats! It's nice to know good things still happen to good people who work hard.
Best of luck to both of you in this new chapter of your lives,
Sara

[ghostlight]

I'm glad to hear things are looking up for the two of you, Arlen!

[McClef]

Great news for you both!

[Macman]

That is great news, Arlen. If there is a couple that deserves to have some good fortune and a good week, it's you and Diane. Congratulations to her on her new position!

[KFCarter]

Although I've never met you (outside your great contributions to XMTS) it just comes through loud and clear in your post that you and Diane are working diligently to make a good life. It's good to hear that the work is being rewarded and here's hoping for the best for you both. And a special shout out to Diane for the work she was doing. Sounds like she was unappreciated by her boss and clients alike, but I have a sister who spent years in that field and my late, best friend dedicated his life to it. It takes a special person to step into the cauldron of other people's difficulties. She deserves a break now, and all the success in the world in the future!

Slainte!

[Galician]

I understand her dilemma and am glad to hear that a move came along to make your lives a bit easier. Congratulations and best of luck to you both.