Chapter 24 – New jobs, new house, new life
I started at Universal in February, and Jake started a few weeks earlier at Disney. One of the perks to being employees of the respective parks is that we get free passes for our family, as long as they live in the same address, plus 2 for “non-family”; this meant that we all could go to the parks any time we wanted.
I spent much of February working during the week, Monday to Friday, either in a training or working on getting the new equipment working at the sign shop. I had brought some of my own gear down with me so at night I could finish any work that I still had to do for my old clients. Jackie and Sammy would come down on the weekends, sometimes flying, sometimes by train. I so missed my little boy and my wife when they were not there. I saw them both during spring break, which was fun. While I worked they went to the parks, and I would join them after work, or if they were at Universal I would do lunch with them.
With the sign shop I bought, I was buying on land contract, the old owner wanted to retire, him and his wife had been doing it for over 20 years and wanted to relax. They had no employees, so it was a perfect fit for Jake and I to just come in and take over.
Much of April was spent looking for houses, as Jackie and Sammy would be moving down to Florida with us. We had decided to keep the house in Ohio, as it was technically still mom and dads, and it was paid off.
Finally when I thought that we could not look anymore, we found a house that was in a housing development that was gated, and the place was wonderful.
It had 5 bedrooms, a guest house, huge backyard, detached workshop/shed, and best of all an in-ground pool and hot tub. I also had room for my home gym in the garage. Our lot was wooded on one side, and an open lot on the other.
The open lot had been up for sale for sometime and the realtor said that it was really too small for what most people wanted.
We took possession the weekend before memorial day weekend. I signed the papers Friday morning, and was on a plane back to ohio that afternoon to meet with the movers and start packing up. The move was to happen on Memorial Day weekend.
Jackie had already given notice of her quitting at the end of the school year, when it was determined that we would infact be moving to Orlando, after my first 60 days there.
Sammy was sad to leave his friends and school, but I promised him that he could continue to talk to his friends online and if they came down to the parks, he could see them. He had one more weekend sleepover with Justin, and Jackie said that she babied both of them.
That Friday of memorial day weekend rolled around, the movers had shown up Wednesday morning to get what we were taking to florida. We left things like some beds there, for when we would come up to stay.
Sammy took his bed with him to florida, though with the big crib he has here, I doubt it will get used. We also moved Jake’s stuff too, more importantly his crib.
Jake moved into the guest house, which was perfect for him. He had a private place to be little when he wanted to be, and nobody would be wiser to the comings and goings that Jake had.
Sammy wanted 2 rooms, as he had to have his “big boy” room and a baby room. We did a little remodel and made the house 6 bedrooms. We took 1 bedroom and split it. This room was inbetween the master bedroom and Sammy’s big boy room. We basically walled it off from the hallway, and the room was entered from inside Sammy’s room, and the other side through ours. We put a pocket door in between both halves as well.
Basically this let Sammy have his big boy room for when friends came over, and have a baby room for his crib and stuff when he wanted to be little or had aware friends over. I had pretty much the same arrangement as well.
Jake’s place, well in the bedroom it was all baby. He got his crib setup and had the room decorated within 48 hours. He had a living room with a large TV and entertainment center, typical apartment sized appliances (for if he ever learns to cook).
Jackie had gotten her resume out to several hospitals, home health care agencies, and doctor’s offices as well as the school districts.
She really did not want to start work till she had gotten everything settled in, found childcare (even though mom said she would watch Sammy) and got used to the area.
Typical life around our homestead was that Jake would get up in the morning, get ready at his place, and then come into the house for breakfast.
Jackie or myself usually cooked breakfast for all of us, and then Jake and I left for work. This is how Jake and I had done it when it was just the two of us at the trailer.
This left Jackie home all day with Sammy, able to run errands, do job interviews, etc. Jackie also came to the sign shop for a few hours a day to check the mail, get the financial stuff done, and sometimes she would complete some orders too.
After Jake had completed his training in the spring, he went to Monday & Tuesday on days, and Friday & Saturday on second shift at Disney; so Wednesday and Thursday, and Friday morning Jake would work the sign shop.
I would do much of the design work at night on Monday and Tuesday, when I worked days at Universal. Wednesday was a half day and Thursday was a day off for me. Fridays were always up in the air, I could be at my shop or get called into Universal, or be working at my shop on something for Universal.
We agreed to make this maddening schedule work till Sammy went back to school, when Jackie would get a job. One day she called me at work
“I got a job offer, I think I am going to take it” She said excited “It will work for our schedule, and not make us need a babysitter or daycare”
She had my interest “OK, where?”
“Well when I went to Sammy’s school and was going over the requirements for his accommodations like where his diapers would be kept, who would assist him, and talking with the teachers and office staff. I mentioned that I was a nurse as well.
They said that the school just lost their nurse to a sudden illness, and they were planning on using a temp agency. I talked to the district office and was offered the job. I would have to be there maybe 15 minutes before the students arrive, and 15 to 30 minutes after they leave. I would get all the holidays off, and be off all summer too” Jackie said excitedly
“Well that is great, I know that you did not want to have to go back to working the ever-changing hospital hours again, so this will be the best solution for ya. But what does it pay?” I asked
“Well, it pays more than what the hospitals in the area would have paid per hour, but with the summers off it would about even out. I could always get a summer job, or something.” Jackie said, sensing my apprehension to her taking the job and the loss of income, she continued “but when you take into account that we would not have to have childcare, it would be better.
I have to go the week before school to get my office setup and go to new staff orientation, go over 504 plans for the students besides Sammy that I will need to provide care for. If your mom could watch Sammy that week, that would be great”
I checked the calendar, and told her that we should be able to find a solution. I had a light week scheduled for that week and mom & dad are always willing to have Sammy over.