Oops! Delayed post!

What a crazy two weeks it has been.  I sincerely apologize for not updating this sooner, a lot has been going on in my personal life.  I know you all were excited to hear about my cleaning experience at Danielle's but alas, that did not take place. Instead I have an amazing story about love, sickness, big dogs and why I hate painting!
This past week my family has gone through a rough patch, not to get into details but we are all a little heartbroken right now regarding some "issues." As we talked on the phone for hours over the past week it is warming to feel their love even though we are states apart. I know earlier I said this blog isn't about finding love, but this past week has shown me maybe it is. Not romantic kiss on the beach happy ever after love, but love that is selfless and unconditional for people in general. Who reminded me of this? Well besides my AMAZING family (and my cat Bubba), the lovely cute couple that is R and C. Here is their story.
Two single parents sacrificing everything for their lovely cherubs,doubting if they will ever find time to meet someone who has the same passion for God, family and large dogs. Step in C's stepmother, family friend of R for years, notices their laughs are the same, and they each have a twinkle in their eye. Blind date was a success and love blossoms uncontrollably (insert melting heart here).
Fast forward to a week ago, R and child move into C's condo, insanity ensues! It has been rented out for years and while the upstairs has been cleaned up and shows no signs of old renters the downstairs is a different story.  Half painted walls, old dog food dried onto the kitchen floor, my OCD goes into overload the second R shows me the place. My mind races as I wonder how R will turn the bedrooms into the children's rooms...I suggest they just sell it and find another house, for some reason R says no. R goes into detail of what she envisions and I see it.  I see a new family sitting in the living room watching cartoons on Saturday morning, children's heights being marked on the wall in the hall to track their crazy growth. I see a family growing together, learning how to bring two loving family's together.  Then R points out since C works out of town 5 days a week, and R has a full time job and being a full time mom there really isn't any room in the days to make this happen. 
I drag R to my car and we go to home depot to pick out colors.  Navajo white for the living room and hall, and harvest brown for the kids rooms! I explain that come tomorrow I will show up while R is working and I will paint away! My housewarming gift to them.
As scheduled I show up at the casa only to find R on her deathbed, literally. I decided to cook her food, feed the baby, feed the dogs, clean the kitchen, and then I'll get to painting. As i take my supplies downstairs I instantly regret offering my services, I don't think I like this couple enough to handle the project. Just kidding but seriously here are the before pictures.

The top picture is how the lovely last owners left the bedroom, half painted in many areas, oh and ya ITS NOT DRYWALL! Oh my, painting doesn't sound fun now. Then the living room has three different type of stucco's on each wall, and 50+ nail/screw holes and cracks. I start off trimming the top and bottom, first coat down and I realized this is going to need more than two coats, woohoo. I then fill in the holes while i wait for first coat of edging to dry, then I go back and do a second coat. I had two wait a while for the nail hole filler to dry so I can sand it down. Eventually I'm on to rolling the first wall, two hours later. I take a break and make some calls on jobs while i wait for it to dry. As i do the second coat I realize ugh....3 coats will need to happen to cover the berry colored paint. So I head upstairs to check on R.
Literally R looks like death. I get the baby and make a bottle, force R to drink water since nothing has stayed down in 24hrs. We call the doctors office an they inform R to come to the ER right away. I load up both in my car drop the baby off at C's dads house (we don't want to get the baby sick hanging out in the er all night). At this point I still think its food poisoning and that if we give it some more time all will turn out ok.
Not the case, R is admitted to the ER loaded up on painkillers, IV's for hydrating her water deprived body and number of tests to figure out what's wrong. (Nothing has been confirmed with the tests but R is doing much better...yaya!)
I went to paint and ended up taking care of a whole house. =) I'm so glad I was able to be there for R since C was out of town. If I was in R's shoes, I wouldn't want to be alone. While the painting didn't get finished, I'll be back soon to finish my job.

Dealing with the facts

Six months ago if someone would have told me my life would be like this, I would have laughed really hard.  But alas life doesn't ever seem to end up how we want. It's hard to get up in the morning, I constantly hit the snooze button wondering what's the point? Really?

It's easy to look at the facts and get depressed.  The news is constantly talking about how bad the job market is getting, even worse than before. Bills keep coming in and I haven't had a deposit in my account in a month. Looking at my savings as it shrinks, I think about applying for food stamps, anything to help right? And as I apply for jobs and get nothing back, call and leave voicemails and never receive a word it's easy to get mad at the world.  I've started to get jealous of my friends and family who have a job and don't worry about losing their home, or wonder how they will feed their cat (his name is Bubba and basically the joy in my life).

Dealing with these facts sucks because it's so hard to remain positive.  How do we go on with life when everything seems so bleak? I should probably tell you my life is a little bit harder than being unemployed, I also was engaged this past year and it was broken off in April, despite my best efforts to salvage the love that once way.  I don't have the man I love, and I don't have the job I loved.

Anti depressants seem like putting spit on a wound and expecting it to heal....it doesn't work but the effort makes you feel better. Actually that was really gross I've never spit on a wound but you get the picture I'm trying to paint right? hahahaha

I have hope though.  I have faith.  God's provided me with the wisdom to save enough money to get me by for a few months, he's provided me friends that constantly uplift me and bring me joy. I am beyond blessed, despite everything. I want to share how blessed I am with others.  My life could be so much worse.

I've lost everything besides my house and we all know it's only a matter of months before the banks gonna have to take that back, but it's ok because of my hope. 

I want everyone to have the hope I have. I want everyone to know that people are out there wanting to help them even if it seems like there is nothing to live for. I want life to begin each day, like new. Now when I get up in the morning I wonder how I can spread hope, and maybe by spreading hope I'll replenish mine. =)

I challenge everyone who reads this to look for ways to give. I have nothing but time, therefore time is what I will give. I look to God to figure out my next move and he provides me inspiration and peace...

I babysat my friends 6month old. She is a single mom who loves life and her son more than anything in the world.  She doesn't have money for daycare, lives off of wic, and works a job that barely puts a roof over their head. But she is the best friend a person can ask for, she's always uplifting me with Gods word and helping me remember his love.  So when her family couldn't watch the baby, and she couldn't afford to take time off work or pay for daycare I watched him.

He was a joy, even though he had poop problems that day (ok do babies always go thru 10 diapers in 8 hours?) I was so grateful to provide for her something. She was my inspiration for this, if I can help her who else can I help?

Tomorrow I'm going to clean a single mom of threes house. I don't know how you single parents do it. Three kids under 5...holy crap that's just insane! Stay tuned tomorrow while I recap the story of Danielle and me cleaning toilets. =)

Welcome to my world!

Hi my name is Chanel.  About a month ago like a lot of the country, I entered the scary world of unemployment. While the idea of not being able to make my mortgage payment, watching my savings shrink and sinking into the black hole of depression because no one will call me about about my job applications, I decided to do something positive with my new found freedom.  What is this something positive you ask? Well I have a ton of background experience in finance, admin support, childcare, and my own personal OCD problem with cleaning and organizing. As I sat at home, paying my bills, thinking about what I will do once my unemployment ends, it dawned on me! DUH! I should volunteer my services for people who really need them.  So I have emailed local churches, schools and nonprofits in the area asking them if they know any single moms who needs a free babysitter or house cleaner, or if they know any elderly couples who could use some free meals brought to their house, or if they just need some help around the office! I'm hoping that with this project I'll maintain my sense of hope, dignity, and belief in humanity and that good begets good. If you are like me and having problems finding a job, I know what its like. I understand feel free to send me your personal stories. If you are a business owner who can hire, remember there are so many well qualified people who would do anything to be the best employee ever. And if you have a job and are secure, remember you are blessed. Don't take it for granted.
This blog is for romantics at heart, that good comes in the world. Evil doesn't win, and hero's show up in our lives everyday.  It's not about a search for love, or about finding my place in the world, it's about taking advantage of my time and seeing what life will bring me!  I cannot wait to see and meet the people who come into my life and share it with all of you! Wish me luck!!!!!!!! =)