As you'll remember, Michael has been getting some regular temp work and he worked his last shift today.  As we were talking after dinner tonight I used the phrase "recycling plant" and was quickly corrected - "Waste Transfer Station".  *lol*

Anyway, time for praise points:

Michael has been offered a job on the weigh-bridge!  Same company, but much cleaner work (*lol*) and extremely conducive to the needed study / work balance for next year.  So he starts tomorrow.

His hours will be 08.00 to 16.00, Monday to Friday with the occassional Saturday thrown in.  He was asked if he could work some weekends to which he quickly replied "Not Sunday's".  (Sunday's are not only church day, but also our specific day set aside for family.)  They are fine with that.  Basically this job will allow Michael probably 6 hours of study time a day...while he is on the job!  It's really easy and pretty boring work really, and he's not breaking any kind of company policy if he studies during work hours.  In fact, the 2IC's comment was, "You'll be able to watch plenty of *insert some soapy type show*" but was changed to "You'll have plenty of study time" when he learned of Michael's plans. 

Only God could have arranged these circumstances.  We were wondering how we would survive with Michael studying and only being able to work part time and even finding part time work to fit uni hours.  It appears this could be the answer!

Let me explain a little further.  Michael originally thought he would study off-campus (the course is fully available off- and on-campus) so he could also work to support us.  However, Michael has an 'issue' with locking himself in a study and leaving me alone to look after the kids.  If he is at home he feels guilty if he is not involved.  So, I suggested it would be better for him to study on-campus as he wouldn't have to struggle with any feelings of guilt and would therefore be more productive.  He agreed.

The applications opened on August 4 and Michael planned on applying on that date.  But he hasn't gotten around to it yet.  Coincidence?  Maybe, maybe not.  With the ability to study during work hours, he needs to apply for off-campus as he originally thought.  God is so good!

Jeremiah update:

Although Jeremiah woke much better yesterday, he still wasn't 100% so I decided to keep him with me instead of sending him to FDC.  He was going quite well for most of the day.  We spent the morning at the shopping centre (grocery shopping and bill paying etc) and then visited with a friend after lunch.  Mid afternoon he started to look a bit peaky.  I thought that he was perhaps just tired as he'd missed his afternoon nap, so I headed home.  By the time we got home he was pale, lethargic, complaining of pain, clingy and running a temperature.  I gave him some children's panadol and cuddled up with him.  Soon after he just wanted to go to bed, so I tucked him up and he went straight to sleep.

By this time, it was very close to the time I had to pick up the other kids from FDC, so I called Mum and she picked them up and bought them home for me.  Mum watched the other kids while I took Jeremiah to the doctor.  The panadol must've started to kick in by then because he was beginning to perk up again.  Turns out he has a throat infection and the tube of his left ear is partially blocked but not yet infected.  He is on antibiotics now.

He was much better today.  I guess the antibiotics are doing their job!

Changing track now - In the 'reorganising' section of our day today, I had the kids transfer the clothes to be taken to charity from the pile on the floor to a large rubbish bag.  All three of them helped and played "dress-up's" with the clothes while working.  It was so funny and cute!  I will post a couple of photo's when I get them uploaded to the computer.  Who says 'work' has to be tedious??? *lol*