Birthday Gift

Well 'happy week' sure lived up to it's name :o)

For those of you that don't know already via Facebook - I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!

The Dean's PA called me yesterday to find out if I was still interested in the position (ummm...yeah!). They had managed to get in contact with the other members of the selection panel (who were on leave) and got the ok to go ahead.

So, it's official!

I sobbed with relief for a good 15 minutes yesterday and have randomly burst into tears a few times since then but it's ALL GOOD. If I had to write a scenario for the perfect job situation for me...this would be it. It's actually a full-time position but they are letting me do it at 80% so I only have to work 6 hours a day, which is ideal for me and the kids. And it's PERMANENT. Yippeeee!!!!!

Seriously...the kids and I have been living pay cheque to pay cheque for the last 7 years and it's taken it's toll. The stress every year (and recently every 6 months) of not knowing if my contract was going to be renewed has been very difficult. Also, because I've only been working 15 hours a week (initially as the kids were still young, and more recently because I was studying) I've not got a cent in savings.

With an unreliable 13 year old car and the constant insecurity of having to rent a house, every day has felt like living on a knife edge. I still owe a friend money that he lent me last year when we moved, and I owe my mother money after she forked out on her credit card to get my car fixed when it broke down AGAIN in April. How fucking embarrassing, having to tell the mechanic that my pensioner mum was going to pay for my repairs on her credit card. I never want to be in that situation again.

First priority is to put a good chunk of money aside for car repairs and moving house..should the need arise. Then, should things go arse up, I only need to worry about the inconvenience of it all, it's no longer a catastrophic event for us.

This is like the start of a whole new life for me and the kids. I will be totally supporting myself now as my working hours have doubled to 30 hours a week which means I will no longer be eligible for any of the single parent's benefit from the government. It's totally up to me now, and I love that it is.

Relief....that's the only way to describe it just pure RELIEF.

And a big THANK YOU to whoever or whatever is out there, looking after me and the kids.

I promise...I'll pay you back tenfold.