Updates from my middle brother

I have started to make a habit of calling my middle brother at least once a week. He and I had never been real close. He is the one that thinks since he is the middle child, everything should be handed to him. My mother bought the land that his trailer is sitting on. He told my mother that he would pay her back. My mother saw about $200 from him and nothing more. I laugh because my mother complains, "We do not have any money." I usually tell her, "Yeah you do, John's trailer is sitting on top of it." His wife is my age and were in the same graduating class. I knew of her, but did know her personally. She always has this "sour puss" look on her face at family get togethers and sits there with her arms crossed like she is upset about something. She hardly ever speaks to me. She has a short leash on my brother. Every time I see his kids, I try to visit with them. Recently, his wife has started getting a little better in the "being social" department.

My brother got his bachelors degree about a year and a half ago. He was working for a Radiological Office but got fired from that job. He worked at a hotel for like the third or forth time just to bring some money in. My son's mom got a job at Home Depot supply in New Braunfels. I had made mention that he should apply. He did and got hired on. He works in the credit department in a big call center. During the summer, he was trying to get a teaching job and was offered a few jobs outside of the San Antonio area. Of course, his wife would not let him relocate his family outside the San Antonio area. She is too close to her own family. My brother has the dreams of being a coach, which I think is a great dream to strive for. In his mind, he wants a coaching job his first year teaching. My suggestion to him is to get his foot in the door of a school district and then worry about getting a coaching job. He has taken the Exit test a few times. It is never mentioned how many times he has taken it. The last time I had asked him about it, he told me it was going to a review session in San Marcos for that test. He is like my mother that never does well on tests. The other big problem is that he does not have teacher's certification. He has had schools tell him they will not even look at his resume without that.

He tells me in an email that he wants to quit his Home Depot job and go substitute at East Central. I asked him if he would make what he was making at Home Depot subbing and he tells me he would have to get a part time job at a hotel to make up the difference. I try to explain to him that would cut into his family time and he needs to be working during the day so he can be home with his kids. I told him to just hang loose with his Home Depot gig until another teaching job opens up. I also tell him he needs to start looking at other school districts. I will say he has been trying to get his foot in the door. I think he needs to step up his search in trying to get a teaching job and stop thinking he is going to be a coach his first year out as a teacher.

I think God wants me to be the older, wiser brother to help direct my brothers, to help point them in the direction they need to be. I am happy to help my brother out in any way I can. I just would hate to see him make choices to where his family would never see him because he is always working to makes ends meet.