Salaam alaikum!
Subhanna Allah its been a crazy whirl wind since my husband arrived last July and quite honestly the blog was put on the back burner.
Alhumdualillah my husband was able to take English as a Second Language classes for free at the local adult school. In December 2015, my husband also found work with United Postal Service (UPS) as a part time loader. My husband really enjoys working for UPS as they do a lot of positive reinforcement with their workers. My husband has also past his 90 day probationary period and now is eligible for health insurance through UPS.
We as a couple have been going through a rough time adjusting to parenting together, living together and America in general. So alhumdualillah I was able to convince my husband that couples counseling would be able to help us work through this tough time. We tried one therapist and she did not work out for multiple reasons from her lack of professionalism to not providing helpful tools to us. So we decided to try another counseling practice and we found a great counselor that has really helped us work through a lot of issues and improved our relationship a LOT.
I have been seeking work since December 2015 and so far although I have had one job offer which I ended up turning down nothing else has gone beyond the second interview.
That said I keep applying to jobs and writing cover letters which I loathe with a passion. This month I have had one fifteen minute phone interview with an organization I would love to work with. I have two other interviews coming up in the next two weeks one for a local school district as a typist and another for a local government organization as a Independent Living Skills Coordinator.
I have two back up plans in the works for creating a second income stream for my family. The first is that I am recertifying in First Aid, CPR and AED so that I can offer my services as a nanny. I have already paid to become Trustline certified which involves an FBI and DOJ background check. InshaAllah I will find work with a family that is comfortable and happy to have me bring my daughter along as I care for their child.
My second back up plan is to go back to school and take the courses needed to become an IBLCE lactation Consultant. I can take some of the classes online or at the local community college. If I take the classes I need at the local community college then I could if there is room for my daughter use the childcare center on campus – so that H is cared for while I am in classes which would be AWESOME for just having to volunteer a few hours a week at the center! It should only take me one semester to do all the classes I need at the community college and the rest can be done online! I may also qualify for the Board of Governor’s fee waiver which will reduce the cost of admission and out of pocket cost for myself and my husband.
My husband has also expressed interest in going to a different community college and going through their HVAC program and going to more formal ESL classes to polish his English language skills. He will also be able to pay California resident tuition starting July 2016 and apply for the same fee waiver as I will.
I am looking forward to us both being more financially stable.
So let me know.. did you miss me? What do you think of our plans? Any suggestions on a name for my lactation consultant business?
American Muslimahs Musings 
Your husband should contact the local union in your area for HVAC, it’s usually the steamfitters. Unions offer apprenticeship programs where they learn while they work. No tuition is charged and they work full time, earning about 50% of journeyman salary to start, receiving an increase regularly through their apprenticeship until they finish the program and go to 100%. No need to waste money at a community college! Oh and they get benefits pretty quickly too (health insurance, pensions, etc)
My moroccan husband is a tile setter, Thanks to our local Bricklayers and Allied crafts union.
Thank you for the tip! We will look into it!