Has anyone else heard this?  My husband sells cars and had a lady from the main post office in area spill the beans about the possibility of the postal service laying off employees with under 6 years in the service.  She apparently works as an analyst.  Then yesterday on the drudge report there was a story about the same thing.  Check it out for yourself http://www.ksla.com/global/story.asp?s=9247633

I know the mail volume has dropped but with recent news about DHL ceasing all their domestic deliveries and the falling gas prices, wouldn't that help relieve some of the pressure?  Seems that they wouldn't let news like this "leak out" unless they were going to actually go through with it.  In our office, the RCA's are very often covering a full route and then part of other routes as well.  How can they promise no change in service when they are already seemingly understaffed in areas like ours? 

If anyone has heard ANYTHING about this, please spill it here.  I only have a little over a year with the postal service and NEED this job!

I haven't blogged in awhile and for that matter haven't worked much in awhile.  Today was one of the rare occassions that I actually did work and it was the very first time that all those safety things they mentioned in training became a reality. 

I'm sure all you guys probably have stories to tell as well about scary situations that have poppped up on your route.  I'm taking the time to share my story today, because I'm hoping it will serve as a reminder to every single one of us.

I was about 3/4 of the way finished with my route.  I pulled into the second to the last neighborhood, a small, modest community filled with condos and small homes.  Some of them are very, very close together and the streets are filled with cars parked along the street.  The yards are small and there are kids throughout the neighborhood. 

I made a right hand turn into a very small court and as I approached about the third mailbox I stopped at the box to shuffle through a handful of mail before placing the bunch into the box.  It was VERY hot today and I had all the windows down and that noisy fan blowing on me full blast.  Somehow at that moment I heard the faint sound of a child's voice but I saw no children in the immediate area.  Any other time and I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought, especially in that neighborhood because I could have easily heard a child playing in their backyard.  For some reason, perhaps a memory of the stories told in training class, I refused to move until I looked with a little more determination.  It was hot and I really wanted to get back to the cool air conditioning in the office as quickly as possible.  Still, I sat there sweating and looking.  Still nothing.  Then in a second I saw it.  About 2 inches above the front of the truck (from my view) there was sandy blonde hair!  Oh my God.  My jaw dropped to the floor.  I could hardly see him, only a little bit of the top of his head.  I couldn't believe how close he was to the front of the truck.  I felt the inside of me go ice cold.  It was extremely scary to think how easily things could have played out differently. 

The kid will never know just how lucky he was that somebody told me a story in training that scared the life out of me.  The thought of running over an innocent child just sends shivers down my spine and I absolutely NEVER thought it could happen to me or as easily as it almost did.

I'm certainly not writing this blog as evidence of any heroic actions on my part, quite the contrary.  I believe that the only way that child was safe today was that a higher power intervened.  I had absolutely nothing to do with it.  I just hope that you guys will remember this story when you're out on your route and take EXTRA precautions at every single box, especially while the kids are out of school for the summer.

Stay Safe.

Wow, time really flies even when you're having NO fun at all! lol 

Let's see, where do I even begin.  The pregnancy is still truckin' along.  I had some tests to determine my risk of having a baby with Down's Syndrome and Tay Sach's Disease.  I was relieved to learn that I'm pretty low risk for my age group.  I realize that God's in the driver's seat now....and I trust Him. 

I go in two weeks to get another ultrasound and I believe that I will be able to find out the sex of the baby at that time.  Like I've said before, as long as it's healthy....I would be happy with either a boy or a girl. 

Everyone pretty much has been informed of the news.  Most were thrilled and supportive.  My husband didn't tell the in-laws until yesterday....(which I cannot understand for the life of me)  I guess he was afraid of their reaction and by the way they reacted I guess I can't blame him now.  I wasn't here yesterday when he lowered the boom (thank God).  They have a tendency to fly off the handle and I requested to not be around to witness all the drama.  Looks like I made a good call there. 

This morning I was sitting in the front room with my oldest son waiting on his bus to come and I guess they didn't realize that I was in there because the in-laws started in on my husband.  "Just WHAT are you going to do now?"  "This is such a shock!"  "Well, SHE'S going to have to call her family and get some money" 

That one got me.  I immediately got up and took my son right by them and out the garage door to wait on the bus outside.  See the funny thing is that "SHE" moved her family to Missouri at the request of HER husband because his parents were about to lose their home and their business.  SHE at the time didn't realize the extent of all the problems they had created and the unlikelihood of them EVER getting out from under them.  SHE let HER home go into foreclosure because we couldn't afford to save both MY home and theirs.  SHE trusted her husband right from the get go and didn't ever look back but now SHE has been waiting to be treated with any ounce of respect, gratitude or decency from the in-laws SHE now lives with.   SHE deserves every bit of that and a lot more.  And yes SHE could very easily pick up the phone and call any one of my relatives to get ME the hell out of here at any time.  But SHE feels that it is her husband's responsibility to take care of his family. 

I really do love my husband, don't get me wrong.  He, most of the time, is a really great guy.   Whenever his parents and their problems get into the mix, there are major problems though.  After hearing their little comments this morning, needless to say I was hurt.  I think the pregnancy hormones have me a little more emotional than usual, because those tears at any other time would have been replaced by utter and complete FURY. 

I told my husband after the incident that IF I ever pick up the phone and call any of my family members for money, that money would not be used to get US out.....it would be used to get me and my kids out.  I told him that I trusted him in coming here and that it is solely and completely HIS responsibility to get us out.  If he chooses to shirk that responsibility and my family has to pick up the pieces then we're done. 

I'm still praying for a miracle here.  We so desperately need one.

Hope everyone is doing well.  I miss talking to everyone!

Thank you SO much everyone for your thoughts and prayers!  Whenever I need my spirits lifted or a pep talk or a swift kick in the you-know-what, I can always count on y'all.  You guys can't know how much I appreciate each and every one of you. 

Take care and know that New & Baby New love you guys a lot!

Most of you know about my big pregnancy surprise.  Because I have been told for so many years that I could never have children, it's hard for me to believe that everything will be ok.  There are VERY deep rooted fears that I just cannot shake, no matter what.  Then you take into account that I'm 37 and add in the chances of Down's Syndrome, Autism and the like, and it's enough to scare the pants right off of ya....(which may have been what got me into this situation in the first place) My husband is so shocked, I'm sure his pants will stay on for a VERY, VERY long time to come ;)

Anyway, I don't usually ask people for favors, but in this case I'm going to make an exception.  I would appreciate ANYONE out there to say a prayer for me and my unborn baby that everything will be ok.  I definately will appreciate it.  I believe whole-heartedly in the power of prayer and forces that are much more powerful than we will ever be able to understand.

Thank you so much.