Last fall I decided that it was time for me to make a little extra money to help us get ahead. I have a friend who works for Uhaul road side assistance from home, at night when her kids are in bed. She answers calls while watching movies or reading and makes some extra cash for her family. It is an excellent set up, if you ask me, so I wanted a little piece of the Uhaul pie. She referred me and got me an interview right away. I was excited and already mentally calculating how soon we'd be able to meet some financial goals with my new income. Then, I got the pre-interview call informing me that I had to take a geography and typing test and that I should be sure and study all of the states and major cities and be able to label a map.
Yes, I am a teacher. Yes, I have a graduate degree. Yes, I homeschool my kids. So, I should be able to label a world map, let alone a map of my own country, right? BUT, geography is my stinkiest subject. I am not a traveler and I am a tiny bit embarrassed to admit that I have little interest in becoming one. I felt my heart begin to race every time I thought about that crazy test. I almost cancelled the interview just so I wouldn't have to suffer the humiliation of failing the test and not being able to get a job that didn't even require a high school diploma. I would have been so angry with myself if I'd have done that. Plus, what would that teach my kids? So, I went online and took some map tests. On the first map of the United States, I scored like 67% and honestly, that was better than I thought I would do...sad. After 3 or 4 times through the test, I was scoring in the 90s. The last time I took it I got a 97%. I was so proud of my little old self and my hubby and kids were proud of me too.
{sidenote: James scored in the 90s the first time...can't there be one thing that man isn't great at? Oh yeah, there is still golf. : ) }
So I got dressed up all professional like and drove downtown to the Uhaul headquarters to take the tests and interview for the job. I got a 96% on the test and I would have scored higher but there was a whole section about Canada, like provinces and abbreviations and other crazy stuff I had no clue about. What? No one told me I had to know Canada and I guessed on every one. I was sweating bullets, but pleasantly surprised to get such a high score. I interviewed and was offered the job, but the only shift was 6am to noon Weds - Fri, totally not an option for us considering that my entire check would go to childcare. I asked them to call me if a night shift came available.
So, I didn't take the job, but I proved to myself that my rusty old brain can still learn. For that alone, I'd say it was an experience worth having.
You know what else is interesting? From the very beginning I never had a peace about getting a part time job, but I was still determined to do it. James even discouraged me, saying that we could find other ways to meet our goals and that he didn't want to give up his evenings with me or see me spread myself too thin with homeschooling and all that raising 4 kids entails. Still, I am a control freak and I wanted to find a way to make my plan work. I even applied at Bath and Body Works and Marshalls...never got called. Now I know why I wasn't supposed to work and I feel like God made sure those doors didn't open for me for a reason. It is just not the season for that in our family. Not that it never will be. Lately, I have been thinking about what I would like to do when I do go back to work. I have been feeling more and more like I will do something part-time someday in the not-so-distant future. I will wait for the peace that accompanies a decision like that first, though, and I will listen to my husband, who loves me and wants what is best for me.
