Today seems like a normal day. I am here, watching kids in my daycare room. Kaylee is sleeping, I rocked her to sleep as I always do. Everyone is getting along, the messes are not too outrageous and nobody is too loud. The kids have already eaten breakfast, in about an hour I will feed them lunch. I paid the bills and thanked GOD that we had the money. Ty was up all night puking, but he has been able to keep breakfast down. It looks like the bug has passed and he is happily watching Rango with Daddy. It all seems ok. I am happy and I have the next thirty minutes to sit and enjoy resting before I have to cook lunch.
I have to admit that there is a little part of me that hates these days. When everything is going right. When I am not worried or late or busy. I hate them because they go by too fast. I have always been acutely aware of the fact that I will never have today again. I can only live this minute once and I better be doing my best to enjoy it. Someday when I am old I will look at these days and smile. I don't like it when they go by easy. It is too fast. Like throwing glitter in the air. By the time you see the first shining pieces they have all fallen to the floor. It is fast and beautiful and fun. That is my life. Now if only I could slow it down and remember every little glittery moment of every shining day, then I think I would be content.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
And baby makes 5
I went in for a visit with my gyno today to discuss PCOS and fertility treatments! This time around was so much less stressful. I remember the first time I went to her I was sitting in the same office (she has three) looking out the same window, wondering if I was ever going to have another child. I had felt so hopeless at the time that I even cried when I started discussing it with the doctor. So many people take fertility for granted. They assume that they can get pregnant or have a baby whenever they are ready. Nobody ever mentions the possibility that it takes more than a strong will to have a baby.For PCOS'ers there must be a will, a way and a treatment. It was that day two and a half years ago that I started the journey to manage my PCOS.
Last time I went in to start treatment I had to wait. In order to start Metformin you have to have been birth control free for at least a year and actively trying with your spouse. (If you don't try you can never get preggo!) Then you get to do 6-8 months of Metformin. If that doesn't work then you move on to Clomid. Clomid is like the mother of all PCOS drugs for infertility. For patients strictly suffering from PCOS it is one of the most affective treatments available. It has become somewhat like the goal for many women going through the PCOS process. On many message boards women will rattle off how long they have taken Metformin and how they wish they could get permission from their doctor to move on to Clomid. Not all doctors set the 8 month limit. I have one friend who has been on Metformin for nine years with no baby yet.
So today I went to the doctor with realistic hopes of starting Metformin and the 8 month sentence before Clomid time. I started talking to the doctor and going over how everything has been with cycles, mood swings, etc. (They have to evaluate your cycle to approve you for Clomid) To my shock my doctor suggested that I start in on Clomid right away! I am so excited! She didn't see any reason to do Metformin and said that Clomid should do the trick. I really hope it works! In the mean time I find myself pouring over other parts of my life. I am happy that TTC hasn't taken over my world like it did last time. I am able to enjoy my family and regular days without worrying or thinking about it. Maybe because last time I did finally get pregnant and everything worked out so well. As for today I have high hopes and dreams of baby #3 :)
Last time I went in to start treatment I had to wait. In order to start Metformin you have to have been birth control free for at least a year and actively trying with your spouse. (If you don't try you can never get preggo!) Then you get to do 6-8 months of Metformin. If that doesn't work then you move on to Clomid. Clomid is like the mother of all PCOS drugs for infertility. For patients strictly suffering from PCOS it is one of the most affective treatments available. It has become somewhat like the goal for many women going through the PCOS process. On many message boards women will rattle off how long they have taken Metformin and how they wish they could get permission from their doctor to move on to Clomid. Not all doctors set the 8 month limit. I have one friend who has been on Metformin for nine years with no baby yet.
So today I went to the doctor with realistic hopes of starting Metformin and the 8 month sentence before Clomid time. I started talking to the doctor and going over how everything has been with cycles, mood swings, etc. (They have to evaluate your cycle to approve you for Clomid) To my shock my doctor suggested that I start in on Clomid right away! I am so excited! She didn't see any reason to do Metformin and said that Clomid should do the trick. I really hope it works! In the mean time I find myself pouring over other parts of my life. I am happy that TTC hasn't taken over my world like it did last time. I am able to enjoy my family and regular days without worrying or thinking about it. Maybe because last time I did finally get pregnant and everything worked out so well. As for today I have high hopes and dreams of baby #3 :)
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Parent Teacher Conferences
Today was Tyson's parent-teacher conference. YES, I know he is only in Preschool. YES, I know he is only there for 3 hours 4 days a week. I still feel like I needed the conference anyways. Tyson's teacher is a little bit of a hermit at times with info for the parents. Every day I try to get info out of her about how Tyson is doing and what I can do to help. Her response is always, "What does Tyson say he did today?" in her overly cheery slightly condescending voice. Then when I ask Tyson I get, "We had snack" or "Nothing" or "I don't know". Maybe he is too young to convey the whole story to me, but at least a little snippet from the teacher would help. If she would tell me what they did then I would at least be able to have a guided conversation with him. Bummer.
So I went to the conference last semester and I did not feel happy afterward. After 45 minutes (I know it is overboard) I had more questions than answers. She always has a way of being limited in her responses. I felt like I wasn't getting any guidance from her as to how to help Tyson and even what the curriculum was about at the time. Frustrating!
Now today I went in with a different attitude. I said to myself that I was not going to let this lady get under my skin. I asked straightforward questions and continued until I got satisfactory answers. In the end I was only talking with the teacher for about 15 minutes, much better than the 45 minutes in Fall.
In conclusion, Tyson is doing "well" in class. He is younger than almost every kid in the class and it shows in his work. His birthday misses the cut-off so he should not be going into kindergarten until 2013 anyways. We talked about testing him in for Fall 2012 but it doesn't look like the best plan at this point. He doesn't color exactly in the lines like some of the other kids. He doesn't use patterns as well as some of the other kids. He doesn't write all of the letters perfectly like some of the other kids. Now, normally this would concern me. I have been known to pour over mommy books looking for guidelines to tell me "what a ____ year old should be doing" Fill in the blank with whatever age Ty was at when I was reading. However, I do not feel even the slightest urge to make sure that Tyson is up to par with these kids. He is doing very well at a lot of things, very few of them pertain to the classroom. I would also like to add that I am thankful that he is not trying to be something he is not. It is far too early for that.
It turns out that Tyson is more interested in learning what he wants rather than what the teacher wants. For example, She wants him to learn to write all of the letters in the alphabet and know their phonic sounds. He wants to learn more about Dinosaurs. End result: Tyson knows ever dinosaur name by memory and even what most of them eat, where they lived and what they did to hunt. He can scribble only a few of his favorite letters, namely the letters T, Y,S,O and N.
I know he is enjoying his new friends he made in preschool. I know that this experience outside the home has been important for him. And I know that he will one day want to learn all of these things that his teacher wants. In the mean time my plan is to encourage him to continue learning. I don't care if it is about dinosaurs, robots, horses or letters. I think if I can foster a love of learning then the rest will come. Today I am proud of Tyson for being an individual and I am loving him with every ounce of mommy love I can give to him.
So I went to the conference last semester and I did not feel happy afterward. After 45 minutes (I know it is overboard) I had more questions than answers. She always has a way of being limited in her responses. I felt like I wasn't getting any guidance from her as to how to help Tyson and even what the curriculum was about at the time. Frustrating!
Now today I went in with a different attitude. I said to myself that I was not going to let this lady get under my skin. I asked straightforward questions and continued until I got satisfactory answers. In the end I was only talking with the teacher for about 15 minutes, much better than the 45 minutes in Fall.
In conclusion, Tyson is doing "well" in class. He is younger than almost every kid in the class and it shows in his work. His birthday misses the cut-off so he should not be going into kindergarten until 2013 anyways. We talked about testing him in for Fall 2012 but it doesn't look like the best plan at this point. He doesn't color exactly in the lines like some of the other kids. He doesn't use patterns as well as some of the other kids. He doesn't write all of the letters perfectly like some of the other kids. Now, normally this would concern me. I have been known to pour over mommy books looking for guidelines to tell me "what a ____ year old should be doing" Fill in the blank with whatever age Ty was at when I was reading. However, I do not feel even the slightest urge to make sure that Tyson is up to par with these kids. He is doing very well at a lot of things, very few of them pertain to the classroom. I would also like to add that I am thankful that he is not trying to be something he is not. It is far too early for that.
It turns out that Tyson is more interested in learning what he wants rather than what the teacher wants. For example, She wants him to learn to write all of the letters in the alphabet and know their phonic sounds. He wants to learn more about Dinosaurs. End result: Tyson knows ever dinosaur name by memory and even what most of them eat, where they lived and what they did to hunt. He can scribble only a few of his favorite letters, namely the letters T, Y,S,O and N.
I know he is enjoying his new friends he made in preschool. I know that this experience outside the home has been important for him. And I know that he will one day want to learn all of these things that his teacher wants. In the mean time my plan is to encourage him to continue learning. I don't care if it is about dinosaurs, robots, horses or letters. I think if I can foster a love of learning then the rest will come. Today I am proud of Tyson for being an individual and I am loving him with every ounce of mommy love I can give to him.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Garage Sale Books Make My Day
I love finding old books at garage sales. Especially sappy romance novels! I have found some of the very best ones for 25 cents at garage sales. My recent find was at a neighbors house about eight houses down from us. She was selling a bunch of books and I noticed one of my absolute favorites in the pile. "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. I have always kept my copy and could not imagine selling it at a garage sale EVER! It is one of those amazing books that I go back to every couple of years and re-read it. I have read it three times now and each time I have walked away in total awe.
So I see one of the favorites there and I ask my neighbor if she has ever read it. (I guess I expected her to say no because if she had then she surely would never be selling it at a garage sale!) But she said it was part of the stuff her friend had sent over to sell. She did however confirm that she had a copy, had read it several times and loved it about as much as I did :) So I asked her about the other books and she suggested one called "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue Monk Kidd. I had never heard of it (probably because it was written the year I was born!) So I decided that based off of her good taste in books I would try it.
I forgot how much I love to read a good book. I started in on it just because she had suggested it and I am once again sucked in to sneaking any chance I can to read. I read at nap time, during free play time and every night before bed since I started the book! I have always been that way with reading though. If I find a good book I know within the first 15 or so pages and I will not want to stop. A good book can most definitely be addicting!
I have not finished it yet, not enough hours in the day. But I will let you know when I do. In the mean time I thought I would mention that Tyson's Valentine present that he made for us(me and daddy) was a book mark. Perfect for my re-discovered love for reading. It has a sweet little message followed by Tyson's precious little handwritten name. On either side are little hearts made out of his fingerprints. It makes me smile every time I read!
So I see one of the favorites there and I ask my neighbor if she has ever read it. (I guess I expected her to say no because if she had then she surely would never be selling it at a garage sale!) But she said it was part of the stuff her friend had sent over to sell. She did however confirm that she had a copy, had read it several times and loved it about as much as I did :) So I asked her about the other books and she suggested one called "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue Monk Kidd. I had never heard of it (probably because it was written the year I was born!) So I decided that based off of her good taste in books I would try it.
I forgot how much I love to read a good book. I started in on it just because she had suggested it and I am once again sucked in to sneaking any chance I can to read. I read at nap time, during free play time and every night before bed since I started the book! I have always been that way with reading though. If I find a good book I know within the first 15 or so pages and I will not want to stop. A good book can most definitely be addicting!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Note To Young Mothers
Dear Young Mother,
I want you to know you are worthy of the gift you have been given. Many people will try to tell you that you cannot do this on your own. They will tell you that you are not "mature" enough to make this choice. They will tell you that you don't have what it takes to raise a child that is strong, beautiful and wise.
I promise you they are wrong.
I want you to know that the road of motherhood is not a flat and even path, but the nights spent caring for your child and the days spent watching them grow will be the best ones of your life. You will be so in love with this person that you will not be able to fault them for the frustration you have. You will want to forgive them for making you angry, even before they are done misbehaving.
I want you to know that you have never known the love a mother feels towards her child. You are blessed to have the chance to understand the world from the view of the people that raised you. The first time you hold your child you have only just begun to see a glimpse into what "Love" really is. The longer that you allow yourself to enjoy your child's presence, the more you will be able to truly love them, your family, your friends and your life.
I want you to know that the baby will improve your quality of life, not destroy it. Many will lead you to believe that giving birth to your child will "ruin your life" and you will not be able to reach for your goals. This is only true to those who have not seen the fire in a mother's eyes when she is determined to do what ever it takes to be the best mother possible. Being a mother will give you the motivation to be a better person and to reach for the best you that you can be. It will show you the strength that you have naturally hidden within you.
I want you to know that you are walking your own path and you get to decide each direction it follows. You are not your mother. You are not your sister. You are not your friend. You are the only you that can ever live in your shoes. The mistakes that others have made, have no bearing on you. You are free to enjoy what they have struggled with. You are free to change the course of your history. You are the only one who gets to help guide how your baby is raised.
Lastly, I want you to know that a man is not a ticket to a easy time raising your child. Just because you do or do not have a spouse, does not mean you are any less capable of being everything your child needs. If you look for a man just so you do not have to do this alone, then you are taking away his chances of finding true love. Single moms will always say that married women have it easier and married moms will always think differently. The truth is that mothers who embrace motherhood will have it easier than those that fight it. You can do this alone just as well as you can do it married.
Be creative with your plans, embrace the blessing that is being given to you and please know that you are not alone. There are more of us out there than you think.
Love,
Melissa
I want you to know you are worthy of the gift you have been given. Many people will try to tell you that you cannot do this on your own. They will tell you that you are not "mature" enough to make this choice. They will tell you that you don't have what it takes to raise a child that is strong, beautiful and wise.
I promise you they are wrong.
I want you to know that the road of motherhood is not a flat and even path, but the nights spent caring for your child and the days spent watching them grow will be the best ones of your life. You will be so in love with this person that you will not be able to fault them for the frustration you have. You will want to forgive them for making you angry, even before they are done misbehaving.
I want you to know that you have never known the love a mother feels towards her child. You are blessed to have the chance to understand the world from the view of the people that raised you. The first time you hold your child you have only just begun to see a glimpse into what "Love" really is. The longer that you allow yourself to enjoy your child's presence, the more you will be able to truly love them, your family, your friends and your life.
I want you to know that the baby will improve your quality of life, not destroy it. Many will lead you to believe that giving birth to your child will "ruin your life" and you will not be able to reach for your goals. This is only true to those who have not seen the fire in a mother's eyes when she is determined to do what ever it takes to be the best mother possible. Being a mother will give you the motivation to be a better person and to reach for the best you that you can be. It will show you the strength that you have naturally hidden within you.
I want you to know that you are walking your own path and you get to decide each direction it follows. You are not your mother. You are not your sister. You are not your friend. You are the only you that can ever live in your shoes. The mistakes that others have made, have no bearing on you. You are free to enjoy what they have struggled with. You are free to change the course of your history. You are the only one who gets to help guide how your baby is raised.
Lastly, I want you to know that a man is not a ticket to a easy time raising your child. Just because you do or do not have a spouse, does not mean you are any less capable of being everything your child needs. If you look for a man just so you do not have to do this alone, then you are taking away his chances of finding true love. Single moms will always say that married women have it easier and married moms will always think differently. The truth is that mothers who embrace motherhood will have it easier than those that fight it. You can do this alone just as well as you can do it married.
Be creative with your plans, embrace the blessing that is being given to you and please know that you are not alone. There are more of us out there than you think.
Love,
Melissa
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Oh the Excitement!!
I just officially signed up for my classes. As in I have 19 days until I have to sign in and produce something for a teacher I will never actually meet. As in I have 19 days until this little house is going to get a whole lot more stressful. 19 days until I start a BIO class that I have heard is going to be one of the hardest classes ever to grace my educational path. 19 days of stressing over whether or not this is going to be too hard for me. I am so ready!
I cannot wait to get started on this journey. Most importantly because this is my biggest step towards becoming a Nurse Midwife! From this day I will be officially done with school in December 2015! I have four of I am sure the hardest years ahead of me and I am ready to commit to getting through them.
This also means only 1 1/2 years left of work in the daycare field! I will be officially done at the end of my classes May 2013. That in and of itself is cause for celebration. Not that I do not like daycare. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my daycare families. However, it will be nice to have our house to ourselves and be able to create a "retreat" from the world in our own space :)
Crazy, I think so. But I know how fast 4 years can go and I am ready to make the most of them. I don't want to spend a day missing what I want to doing. I am ready to reach for my dream life with all that I have.
Chase is also going to be finishing his degree and will likely be done in May of 2015 so we will be going to school at the same time. In addition we are hoping to continue building our family and enjoying the early years of our children! Can I do it? I think so. Will I try it? Abso-freakin-lutely!!!
SO, HERE IS TO FINISHING SCHOOL, LEARNING ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT NURSING AND LIVING MY DREAM!!!
I cannot wait to get started on this journey. Most importantly because this is my biggest step towards becoming a Nurse Midwife! From this day I will be officially done with school in December 2015! I have four of I am sure the hardest years ahead of me and I am ready to commit to getting through them.
This also means only 1 1/2 years left of work in the daycare field! I will be officially done at the end of my classes May 2013. That in and of itself is cause for celebration. Not that I do not like daycare. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my daycare families. However, it will be nice to have our house to ourselves and be able to create a "retreat" from the world in our own space :)
Crazy, I think so. But I know how fast 4 years can go and I am ready to make the most of them. I don't want to spend a day missing what I want to doing. I am ready to reach for my dream life with all that I have.
Chase is also going to be finishing his degree and will likely be done in May of 2015 so we will be going to school at the same time. In addition we are hoping to continue building our family and enjoying the early years of our children! Can I do it? I think so. Will I try it? Abso-freakin-lutely!!!
SO, HERE IS TO FINISHING SCHOOL, LEARNING ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT NURSING AND LIVING MY DREAM!!!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Life Is Good
So I have been busy figuring out school for me, supporting Chase in school, spending time with the kiddos, working a ton and trying to do taxes. It seems like I should be able to get more done each day, yet I find that I have to limit my to-do list to just 2-3 things a day. For example, today is 1. Blog 2. Do P90x with Chaser(I skipped last night-bad me) 3. call Barry about the Granite counters. Yesterday was 1. Pay the mortgage 2. Go grocery shopping 3. finish end of year tax receipts for daycare parents.
Nothing too big or crazy, but it takes ALL DAY to get it done. It seems ridiculous because I am literally awake 16 hours a day. I do have to watch other people's kids for 10 of those hours and then my own after that. I still feel like I have not been able to accomplish much with my days. Not to mention that I have been inexplicably incapable of getting out of bed the last three mornings! The alarm goes off and I just sleep right through it. I wake up to my daycare parents ringing the bell 18 times. It is not a good week for this because I just had three new daycare kids start this week. To say the least, I am not making a good impression!
Outside of the busy schedule I have had a pretty good week so far. Last week was pretty crappy but this week is looking up. I started it all off with finding my wedding ring which went missing last Wednesday. I had left it on the bathroom counter and my son has a habit of playing with it when he can reach it. So I asked him first when I noticed it was missing. He kept telling me that he never played with it (fearing time out I think) but after several days he told me he played with it and last left it on the toilet lid. That was a low point for me, I was convinced I may never see it again. Then magically it appeared in the crack next to my fridge in the kitchen! I couldn't believe my eyes and I was so happy I really did get a little teary. You never realize how much that ring means until you don't have it. I have not taken it off since I found it. Not that I am afraid of losing it again, but mostly because I missed wearing it so much. I am so happy to have it back. It was also cool to get so many cool suggestions on how not to lose it again. I think my favorite is to have a boring/second ring that is for everyday wearing and only wear my "real" wedding ring on special occasions. Otherwise I leave it in the jewelery box for safe keeping. I suggested this to Chase and he suggested a 25 cent ring from the "bubble gum machines" would be perfect for someone so prone to losing/breaking jewelery :) He has such a sense of humor.
On another note, I have caught my laundry up again this past Sunday. This is a spectacular feat for a person like me. In case you didn't know, I have not been able to keep up with laundry or filing paperwork EVER. As in it has not been completely done since I moved out of my moms house. So a couple of months ago when I first accomplished my goal of laundry and filing completeness, I was ecstatic to say the least. Then trouble hit at the beginning of the year, our dryer stopped drying. A sweet little thing it does once a year when the vent gets clogged. Therefore we cannot use it until the company comes and vacuums it out again lest we risk burning our house down. So I had a bit of a pile up in my house to the tune of 14 loads of laundry. Luckily I have a sister with a laundry mat nearby her place, so I hauled it all over there and finished it by the end of Sunday. I don't know why but I can fold a load of laundry way better at the laundry mat than I ever do at home. It is easier there I swear.
Enough about me, the kids are having a OK week. Kaylee has started using all sorts of new words. Baby, Nala, Yaya, Papa, TyTy and more. She has got the sweetest little voice I have ever heard. She even started using inflection with her new words. Like last night I was at Chase's parents house and she was yelling at Papa to come back inside but instead of just saying "papa" she said "papaaaa?" It was so cute :)
Tyson is doing OK too. He has always come up with funny stories and he has the best imagination. He is always telling me elaborate stories of how he is a cowboy, or he races motorcycles, or how he paints real monster trucks. You name it and he (or his imaginary friend "Ryan" ) have done it. Yesterday was a particularly random moment though. We were out on a walk with the daycare kids and Tyson ran up next to me and said "Mom, I am an extractor"
So I replied, "A what?"
Tyson: "A bee extractor."
Me: "Oh, cool son. That is pretty interesting."
Tyson: "Yes like a bumblebee extractor. Not bumblebees like the cars or the transformers though. Just like the bug that stings us."
He is so random, but I love the stories he makes up. I hope he never loses touch with his awesome imagination :)
I wonder if his pretend play is part of the reason Tyson is having a bit of a rough time in Preschool right now. I'm not sure why but he absolutely loathes going to school. I have checked with the teachers and the other parents but I can't seem to figure out what the problem is. He throws a huge fit anytime I try to get him ready to go. He drags his feet when we are leaving and he even tells me that he is angry at me for taking him there. I miss him when he is gone so it doesn't make sending him any easier. I don't want to be that parent that ignored their child's "cries for help" but he hasn't really given any reasons that he doesn't want to go. I don't want to baby him, but I have no real reason to keep him home. So today I let him stay home for the first time since school started. We got home late and he was still asleep at 7:45am. The days when he is still asleep are by far the worst. When I wake him up it is like the end of the world. So I let him sleep the extra hour and stay home. He had one of the best mornings and has been in a great mood. He hasn't been picking on anyone, or hitting or yelling. I have not even heard him saying once that he is angry or "not going to be my friend anymore". So now I am wondering if something is going on at school. Is he just nervous because he hasn't been away from home, or maybe he is being picked on. I am not sure, but my mommy gut tells me there is something more to the story that I am not seeing. In the mean time I am going to call his teacher and see if anything has been going on. (teasing, bullying, etc.)
On another note, Chase's school has been going well. He isn't quite sure if he wants to stay in engineering because he heard that it is hard to keep a job in the field. I have heard it too but I am confident that Chase can be the best at anything he sets his mind to. I just need him to set his mind already :) He is also considering Physical Therapist positions or occupational Therapist too. He isn't sure he is going to want all of the math classes. I am thinking, if your first semester of engineering school you are already disliking the math, you are probably going to hate the rest of your degree. I am letting him make his choice though, he says he wants to feel it out for the semester. I just want him to be happy and fulfilled in whatever path he picks. I don't care if he is a garbage man as long as he is happy. So we will have to see how it all pans out, I will keep you posted :)
Have a happy "hump" day everyone! Only two more days till the weekend!
Nothing too big or crazy, but it takes ALL DAY to get it done. It seems ridiculous because I am literally awake 16 hours a day. I do have to watch other people's kids for 10 of those hours and then my own after that. I still feel like I have not been able to accomplish much with my days. Not to mention that I have been inexplicably incapable of getting out of bed the last three mornings! The alarm goes off and I just sleep right through it. I wake up to my daycare parents ringing the bell 18 times. It is not a good week for this because I just had three new daycare kids start this week. To say the least, I am not making a good impression!
Outside of the busy schedule I have had a pretty good week so far. Last week was pretty crappy but this week is looking up. I started it all off with finding my wedding ring which went missing last Wednesday. I had left it on the bathroom counter and my son has a habit of playing with it when he can reach it. So I asked him first when I noticed it was missing. He kept telling me that he never played with it (fearing time out I think) but after several days he told me he played with it and last left it on the toilet lid. That was a low point for me, I was convinced I may never see it again. Then magically it appeared in the crack next to my fridge in the kitchen! I couldn't believe my eyes and I was so happy I really did get a little teary. You never realize how much that ring means until you don't have it. I have not taken it off since I found it. Not that I am afraid of losing it again, but mostly because I missed wearing it so much. I am so happy to have it back. It was also cool to get so many cool suggestions on how not to lose it again. I think my favorite is to have a boring/second ring that is for everyday wearing and only wear my "real" wedding ring on special occasions. Otherwise I leave it in the jewelery box for safe keeping. I suggested this to Chase and he suggested a 25 cent ring from the "bubble gum machines" would be perfect for someone so prone to losing/breaking jewelery :) He has such a sense of humor.
On another note, I have caught my laundry up again this past Sunday. This is a spectacular feat for a person like me. In case you didn't know, I have not been able to keep up with laundry or filing paperwork EVER. As in it has not been completely done since I moved out of my moms house. So a couple of months ago when I first accomplished my goal of laundry and filing completeness, I was ecstatic to say the least. Then trouble hit at the beginning of the year, our dryer stopped drying. A sweet little thing it does once a year when the vent gets clogged. Therefore we cannot use it until the company comes and vacuums it out again lest we risk burning our house down. So I had a bit of a pile up in my house to the tune of 14 loads of laundry. Luckily I have a sister with a laundry mat nearby her place, so I hauled it all over there and finished it by the end of Sunday. I don't know why but I can fold a load of laundry way better at the laundry mat than I ever do at home. It is easier there I swear.
Enough about me, the kids are having a OK week. Kaylee has started using all sorts of new words. Baby, Nala, Yaya, Papa, TyTy and more. She has got the sweetest little voice I have ever heard. She even started using inflection with her new words. Like last night I was at Chase's parents house and she was yelling at Papa to come back inside but instead of just saying "papa" she said "papaaaa?" It was so cute :)
Tyson is doing OK too. He has always come up with funny stories and he has the best imagination. He is always telling me elaborate stories of how he is a cowboy, or he races motorcycles, or how he paints real monster trucks. You name it and he (or his imaginary friend "Ryan" ) have done it. Yesterday was a particularly random moment though. We were out on a walk with the daycare kids and Tyson ran up next to me and said "Mom, I am an extractor"
So I replied, "A what?"
Tyson: "A bee extractor."
Me: "Oh, cool son. That is pretty interesting."
Tyson: "Yes like a bumblebee extractor. Not bumblebees like the cars or the transformers though. Just like the bug that stings us."
He is so random, but I love the stories he makes up. I hope he never loses touch with his awesome imagination :)
I wonder if his pretend play is part of the reason Tyson is having a bit of a rough time in Preschool right now. I'm not sure why but he absolutely loathes going to school. I have checked with the teachers and the other parents but I can't seem to figure out what the problem is. He throws a huge fit anytime I try to get him ready to go. He drags his feet when we are leaving and he even tells me that he is angry at me for taking him there. I miss him when he is gone so it doesn't make sending him any easier. I don't want to be that parent that ignored their child's "cries for help" but he hasn't really given any reasons that he doesn't want to go. I don't want to baby him, but I have no real reason to keep him home. So today I let him stay home for the first time since school started. We got home late and he was still asleep at 7:45am. The days when he is still asleep are by far the worst. When I wake him up it is like the end of the world. So I let him sleep the extra hour and stay home. He had one of the best mornings and has been in a great mood. He hasn't been picking on anyone, or hitting or yelling. I have not even heard him saying once that he is angry or "not going to be my friend anymore". So now I am wondering if something is going on at school. Is he just nervous because he hasn't been away from home, or maybe he is being picked on. I am not sure, but my mommy gut tells me there is something more to the story that I am not seeing. In the mean time I am going to call his teacher and see if anything has been going on. (teasing, bullying, etc.)
On another note, Chase's school has been going well. He isn't quite sure if he wants to stay in engineering because he heard that it is hard to keep a job in the field. I have heard it too but I am confident that Chase can be the best at anything he sets his mind to. I just need him to set his mind already :) He is also considering Physical Therapist positions or occupational Therapist too. He isn't sure he is going to want all of the math classes. I am thinking, if your first semester of engineering school you are already disliking the math, you are probably going to hate the rest of your degree. I am letting him make his choice though, he says he wants to feel it out for the semester. I just want him to be happy and fulfilled in whatever path he picks. I don't care if he is a garbage man as long as he is happy. So we will have to see how it all pans out, I will keep you posted :)
Have a happy "hump" day everyone! Only two more days till the weekend!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Defining My Future
I am so excited to get back into school. I have heard it will be a challenge, which only makes me want to go more! lol I am keeping everyone updated on my progress in nursing school via Mrs. Nurse Mommy So far I have done a ton of research on all of the possible paths to a career and I think I have found the one for me. I am a little nervous given the other online forums and their comments, but I think I will do great.
In the course of planning my degree I have been having some mixed feelings. For some reason I feel like going back to school for two years is somehow going to discount my children's lives. I know they only have a short time before they go to school and I want to be "there" for every minute of it. I don't want to miss anything that I don't have to. I always thought I would go on to something new once my youngest (likely not even born at this point) goes off to school. However, that could be as long as nine years from now! That just doesn't seem like a good idea. I don't like the idea of starting a school career at 33 and finally entering the field at 40. I know people do it everyday, and I am not knocking them, I just really don't want to go that path.
I feel like if I wait to start school then I will be so far behind the other nurses in my field that I will never be looked at for promotion or leadership. I don't want to be the brand new nurse at 40. So I am going to go back now, fear or not, because I know that I need this for me. I still will be there for my kids, I am not going to be putting them in daycare. Chase and I will be going to school at the same time so we will be alternating school schedules in order to cover childcare. Where we can't keep the little ones, I am confident that our family will fill in.
With this plan I will be done with school right as I turn thirty. That leaves me ten years of experience on the other plan. I will be done by the time my oldest is 11 and my youngest will very likely be 2 or 3 years old. I will be able to spend time with the kids while I am in school, I will still be able to drive them to and from school and I may even be able to fit a job in there. I hope that my plan is not too unrealistic. I have heard it will be hard, but if anyone can do it then I can. I have my eyes set on getting through my masters and becoming a midwife while maintaining a stellar relationship with my kids and husband.
*****************Here is to finishing college as a mom and wife! ******************
In the course of planning my degree I have been having some mixed feelings. For some reason I feel like going back to school for two years is somehow going to discount my children's lives. I know they only have a short time before they go to school and I want to be "there" for every minute of it. I don't want to miss anything that I don't have to. I always thought I would go on to something new once my youngest (likely not even born at this point) goes off to school. However, that could be as long as nine years from now! That just doesn't seem like a good idea. I don't like the idea of starting a school career at 33 and finally entering the field at 40. I know people do it everyday, and I am not knocking them, I just really don't want to go that path.
I feel like if I wait to start school then I will be so far behind the other nurses in my field that I will never be looked at for promotion or leadership. I don't want to be the brand new nurse at 40. So I am going to go back now, fear or not, because I know that I need this for me. I still will be there for my kids, I am not going to be putting them in daycare. Chase and I will be going to school at the same time so we will be alternating school schedules in order to cover childcare. Where we can't keep the little ones, I am confident that our family will fill in.
With this plan I will be done with school right as I turn thirty. That leaves me ten years of experience on the other plan. I will be done by the time my oldest is 11 and my youngest will very likely be 2 or 3 years old. I will be able to spend time with the kids while I am in school, I will still be able to drive them to and from school and I may even be able to fit a job in there. I hope that my plan is not too unrealistic. I have heard it will be hard, but if anyone can do it then I can. I have my eyes set on getting through my masters and becoming a midwife while maintaining a stellar relationship with my kids and husband.
*****************Here is to finishing college as a mom and wife! ******************
Friday, January 20, 2012
TGIF
A pretty typical day here in the Long house. I have the kids all day (no preschool) on Fridays so it can get a little crazy. Chase's first week of school went off without a hitch. He only has one homework assignment so the weekend should be pretty relaxing. I had a doctors appt when he got back from school today. I know I mentioned in earlier posts about my PCOS. So I had a little medical issue last week and had to go into the doc today to make sure everything was ok. I am happy to report that I am actually much more "normal" than I was when I started TTC with Kaylee. That is half the battle! Now as long as school goes well and my work stays consistent, we will be looking forward to baby #3 : )
In the mean time I did continue on my journey towards starting school. The cc in my area requires a mandatory intro to nursing info session so I stopped by over there. I was an hour late and the class had already ended but luckily the teacher was still there! She is actually the coordinator of the entire GCC nursing program, the person who certifies for the board and most importantly the one who picks the CEP program candidates. I actually got to pick her brain about all of my nursing program questions for 30 minutes or so. How lucky that I had her all to myself!
I have been kinda torn over the different nursing programs to go to. I know I want to go back to school but I have a commitment to Chase to let him get through his degree first. As it looks now I would probably start my degree and be going to school at the same time as him for two years. It is a little stressful to think about that because I am the sole bread winner of the house right now. Hopefully I can figure out a path that benefits us most. I just don't see myself being able go full time to nursing school in the CEP program and working full time. I am confident that I will find the answer though. If someone else can do it then I am sure I can.
On a different note, Tyson started using phonics! His time in preschool has helped him tremendously in this area. He has started copying words I say and telling me what they start with. Like this morning when I said, "Dog" he said "duh duh Dog. That starts with D!" It is so exciting. We are right around the corner from reading! Yay!
Kaylee has adopted a new universal word. For a while everything was mama, then everything became horse. Now everything she sees that she doesn't know the name of she calls Nala (my sister's dog) It is so cute because she actually thinks she is talking like me so she will say "Nala nala nala nala. Nala Nala." It is really quite funny to see :)
In the mean time I did continue on my journey towards starting school. The cc in my area requires a mandatory intro to nursing info session so I stopped by over there. I was an hour late and the class had already ended but luckily the teacher was still there! She is actually the coordinator of the entire GCC nursing program, the person who certifies for the board and most importantly the one who picks the CEP program candidates. I actually got to pick her brain about all of my nursing program questions for 30 minutes or so. How lucky that I had her all to myself!
I have been kinda torn over the different nursing programs to go to. I know I want to go back to school but I have a commitment to Chase to let him get through his degree first. As it looks now I would probably start my degree and be going to school at the same time as him for two years. It is a little stressful to think about that because I am the sole bread winner of the house right now. Hopefully I can figure out a path that benefits us most. I just don't see myself being able go full time to nursing school in the CEP program and working full time. I am confident that I will find the answer though. If someone else can do it then I am sure I can.
On a different note, Tyson started using phonics! His time in preschool has helped him tremendously in this area. He has started copying words I say and telling me what they start with. Like this morning when I said, "Dog" he said "duh duh Dog. That starts with D!" It is so exciting. We are right around the corner from reading! Yay!
Kaylee has adopted a new universal word. For a while everything was mama, then everything became horse. Now everything she sees that she doesn't know the name of she calls Nala (my sister's dog) It is so cute because she actually thinks she is talking like me so she will say "Nala nala nala nala. Nala Nala." It is really quite funny to see :)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Success!!
I am happy to say that I just took the math placement exam and I am ready to enroll in my first math class in SIX years. It doesn't seem like that long since I graduated but it kinda crept up on me. It is funny because when I turned 18 I was so insistent on finding reasons why I appeared older than I am. I am not sure at what point I started trying to justify the time passing and convince people I am not as old as I seem. It really doesn't seem that long when your living it, but try to convince a teenager that 23(1 month and two days from 24) is not old. I don't know where the time has gone. I am wondering what I have done with that approx. 2190 days. I definitely don't feel like I have been doing anything for very long. Of course, I am a mom and that makes each day seem like 1/2 a day. I did go to school for a while, but mostly I am just taking care of my family and being "alive". It kinda seems like I should have accomplished more.
I remember looking out from graduation and being asked what I was hoping to be doing in 5 years. This is not what I thought. I am happy with some of the changes, marriage, kids, a house. These things make me happy and are far better than the plans I had in mind six years ago. I have definitely changed quite a bit in six years, I think for the better as well.
I hope that these plans for nursing school and midwifery lead me down a path of fulfillment from my career as well as preserving the presence I have in my family as a mom and wife. I am looking forward to my math class with both fear and resolve. I may be older than 90% of my class, but I have better reasons for being there and more determination than anyone :) Today I will sign up for the first semester in a long journey to career fulfillment! Yay for reaching for my dreams and becoming my personal best!
I remember looking out from graduation and being asked what I was hoping to be doing in 5 years. This is not what I thought. I am happy with some of the changes, marriage, kids, a house. These things make me happy and are far better than the plans I had in mind six years ago. I have definitely changed quite a bit in six years, I think for the better as well.
I hope that these plans for nursing school and midwifery lead me down a path of fulfillment from my career as well as preserving the presence I have in my family as a mom and wife. I am looking forward to my math class with both fear and resolve. I may be older than 90% of my class, but I have better reasons for being there and more determination than anyone :) Today I will sign up for the first semester in a long journey to career fulfillment! Yay for reaching for my dreams and becoming my personal best!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Really America? Really?
http://news.yahoo.com/karzai-condemns-video-urination-corpses-120758800.html
I saw this on the news this morning. Really? I think this is one of the most stupid things I have ever seen. These guys must really be numb from combat if they can even stand to be near the corpses, let alone pee on them. What kind of creeps are we sending over there? I can't imagine this happening anywhere, especially with an American Marine.
There is seriously something wrong over there. There is a major lack of support coming from over here. Some sort of mental preparation or counselling needs to be done for these guys. You have to really be crazy to pee on someone then post it online. Did they not think they would be representing the US in this video? I just can't believe that these guys were like this before they went over there.
Not to mention how many of these soldiers are coming back to America only to be alcoholic rage filled citizens. I cannot think of a single one of my friends who had their husband go to war that didn't get beat or abused by him when he got back. I am not saying there is anything wrong with soldiers I am just saying our soldiers are coming back with more mental baggage then they can handle and they are medicating with drugs and alcohol. We need a better solution.
Lets be honest, I would not pee on anyone, but I would definitely have A LOT of anger towards a person that I knew had helped kill my fellow soldiers. I would have anger at someone that joined a group who's purpose is to "bring down the USA" . I would have anger at someone who was trying to start a "gang" to kill Americans and make this world dangerous for Americans. But I would not take out my anger by peeing. I mean, seriously guys, you already clearly killed the man, why does it have to go further? This didn't punish the men any more for what they did, it just made the USA look like a bunch of arrogant idiots. The best you can think of is to pee on the guy? Really? Just Ridiculous.
Now I have to worry about how the world is going to react to these guys being idiots. At least here in the country, I don't have any consequences for idiots in society. This makes the world dangerous for me and my family. I don't appreciate the fact that world travel with my children is becoming so far out of reach because of the hate and discrimination that Americans receive in other countries. Come on America, pull it together. An eye for and eye never worked. Try to use those sophisticated brains and that advanced technology to make a difference in the world. Not to pee on dead people. I didn't pay my taxes for that.
I saw this on the news this morning. Really? I think this is one of the most stupid things I have ever seen. These guys must really be numb from combat if they can even stand to be near the corpses, let alone pee on them. What kind of creeps are we sending over there? I can't imagine this happening anywhere, especially with an American Marine.
There is seriously something wrong over there. There is a major lack of support coming from over here. Some sort of mental preparation or counselling needs to be done for these guys. You have to really be crazy to pee on someone then post it online. Did they not think they would be representing the US in this video? I just can't believe that these guys were like this before they went over there.
Not to mention how many of these soldiers are coming back to America only to be alcoholic rage filled citizens. I cannot think of a single one of my friends who had their husband go to war that didn't get beat or abused by him when he got back. I am not saying there is anything wrong with soldiers I am just saying our soldiers are coming back with more mental baggage then they can handle and they are medicating with drugs and alcohol. We need a better solution.
Lets be honest, I would not pee on anyone, but I would definitely have A LOT of anger towards a person that I knew had helped kill my fellow soldiers. I would have anger at someone that joined a group who's purpose is to "bring down the USA" . I would have anger at someone who was trying to start a "gang" to kill Americans and make this world dangerous for Americans. But I would not take out my anger by peeing. I mean, seriously guys, you already clearly killed the man, why does it have to go further? This didn't punish the men any more for what they did, it just made the USA look like a bunch of arrogant idiots. The best you can think of is to pee on the guy? Really? Just Ridiculous.
Now I have to worry about how the world is going to react to these guys being idiots. At least here in the country, I don't have any consequences for idiots in society. This makes the world dangerous for me and my family. I don't appreciate the fact that world travel with my children is becoming so far out of reach because of the hate and discrimination that Americans receive in other countries. Come on America, pull it together. An eye for and eye never worked. Try to use those sophisticated brains and that advanced technology to make a difference in the world. Not to pee on dead people. I didn't pay my taxes for that.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Teacup Candles
I am excited to announce that I have officially done something crafty! I made a homemade teacup candle :) I melted the wax, dyed it and even made it a nice apple pie scent. It was actually fairly easy and I had fun doing it. I am going to be selling these at craft fairs and online. I have a collection of unique teacups that I am going to transform into candles. This is one craft that would be good for any beginner. The supplies for the candle are all at Michael's and you can get started in really any holder you would like. I will keep you posted on my sales to see if this is a good avenue of income too :)
If anyone is interested in buying one, let me know and I will show you the other designs too!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Saturday, in the park, I think it was the fourth of July :)
I love Saturday. I know, everyone loves Saturday except people who work on Saturday. But I love Saturday because every Saturday I go to my Grandma's house. I cook breakfast with her and we eat. Just my Grandma, my husband, the kids and I. I am almost always late to Grandmas. I shoot for 8 am and get there at 10. I thought about shooting for 10 but I might end up there for lunch if I do. I am always late. I like to say it is because I have kids but I think I have been late most of my life. I especially remember being late for school a lot in high school. I am rarely late to work though. The consequences are too high to not be on time.
Anyways, I always eat the best foods at my Grandma's house. She is an amazing cook and she even makes me quiche. Quiche is by far my favorite dish in the whole world. It is fairly easy to make but for some reason I never make it. I tend to stick to frozen waffles, bagels, cheerios, etc. Anything that can quickly be made for 10 people :) It is a well known fact that Grandma's can cook better than anyone else. I swear I can make the same omelet with the same ingredients and they will like my Grandma's omelet better! I don't mind though, it is nice to have family that enjoys being around my kids. My world revolves around them and anyone who loves them tends to be on the top of my list of people I like.
I also like Saturdays because I get to be creative and plan outings and activities for my family. For three years Chase worked every single Saturday as a mechanic. I never had a chance to plan anything interesting at all. Now that he is home going to school I have a tendency to over plan the weekend. Lately I have been trying to spend one of the weekend days getting chores/errands done and the other just spending time with the family. I also try to fit in all of those birthdays. Chase's family is huge. Between them, my family and daycare kids seems like there is always at least one birthday going on each week.
I love to spend time with my husband and kids. They never get boring to me. Kaylee is such a ham when we are out. I can't go anywhere without people coming up to us to talk about our kids. With blond hair and blue eyes they always catch peoples attention. Add to that the fact that they make little faces and smile at everyone, and they can have an entire restaurant wrapped around their fingers. Last night we took the kids on a just us outing. We went to Denny's for hot chocolate : ) Not my best idea seeing as it was right before bed time, but we enjoyed it anyways. While we were there Kaylee had an entire table of Hispanic women smiling at her and speaking Spanish to her. Much to her delight of course. Every time they would say something she would respond with her own little gibberish! lol She was quite a ham. Then Tyson was telling the server all about being "a little bit cowboy" a recent development in his persona. He was a cowboy for several months but now has decided he is only a little bit of a cowboy, not completely a cowboy anymore. He was so cute. All the while he is speaking his version of Spanish to the women that are cooing at Kaylee. This consists of him saying "Busco Siete Busco Siete" which thankfully the women thought was adorable too. I don't know where he gets that from, but it cracks me up anyways.
After saying goodbye to the ladies in some broken communication, we headed over to the counter to pay. At the counter there was a guy who looked to be about 70. He too was smitten with the kids and their little smiles. Right before he left he looked at Kaylee and said, "You are what the world is all about" It was such a great feeling to have everyone so friendly to our family.
Today, we went to Grandma's as usual but it will be a chores and errands day. I have a lot to get done today. Santa bought our family bikes and one of those little carriages for the kids, so tomorrow morning we will be going on our first ever family bike ride. Then a nice lunch then church. Kinda bummed that our ward starts at 1pm this year. That is nap time for the kids so I am going to have to convince them to nap at 1130. I doubt it is going to work, but we will figure it out. My sister's ward is at 9am and if I have to I will visit with her for a while :) Happy Saturday everyone!
What kind of things do you do with your Saturdays?
Do you have any ideas for fun outings?
What kinds of weekend traditions do you have with your family?
Anyways, I always eat the best foods at my Grandma's house. She is an amazing cook and she even makes me quiche. Quiche is by far my favorite dish in the whole world. It is fairly easy to make but for some reason I never make it. I tend to stick to frozen waffles, bagels, cheerios, etc. Anything that can quickly be made for 10 people :) It is a well known fact that Grandma's can cook better than anyone else. I swear I can make the same omelet with the same ingredients and they will like my Grandma's omelet better! I don't mind though, it is nice to have family that enjoys being around my kids. My world revolves around them and anyone who loves them tends to be on the top of my list of people I like.
I also like Saturdays because I get to be creative and plan outings and activities for my family. For three years Chase worked every single Saturday as a mechanic. I never had a chance to plan anything interesting at all. Now that he is home going to school I have a tendency to over plan the weekend. Lately I have been trying to spend one of the weekend days getting chores/errands done and the other just spending time with the family. I also try to fit in all of those birthdays. Chase's family is huge. Between them, my family and daycare kids seems like there is always at least one birthday going on each week.
I love to spend time with my husband and kids. They never get boring to me. Kaylee is such a ham when we are out. I can't go anywhere without people coming up to us to talk about our kids. With blond hair and blue eyes they always catch peoples attention. Add to that the fact that they make little faces and smile at everyone, and they can have an entire restaurant wrapped around their fingers. Last night we took the kids on a just us outing. We went to Denny's for hot chocolate : ) Not my best idea seeing as it was right before bed time, but we enjoyed it anyways. While we were there Kaylee had an entire table of Hispanic women smiling at her and speaking Spanish to her. Much to her delight of course. Every time they would say something she would respond with her own little gibberish! lol She was quite a ham. Then Tyson was telling the server all about being "a little bit cowboy" a recent development in his persona. He was a cowboy for several months but now has decided he is only a little bit of a cowboy, not completely a cowboy anymore. He was so cute. All the while he is speaking his version of Spanish to the women that are cooing at Kaylee. This consists of him saying "Busco Siete Busco Siete" which thankfully the women thought was adorable too. I don't know where he gets that from, but it cracks me up anyways.
After saying goodbye to the ladies in some broken communication, we headed over to the counter to pay. At the counter there was a guy who looked to be about 70. He too was smitten with the kids and their little smiles. Right before he left he looked at Kaylee and said, "You are what the world is all about" It was such a great feeling to have everyone so friendly to our family.
Today, we went to Grandma's as usual but it will be a chores and errands day. I have a lot to get done today. Santa bought our family bikes and one of those little carriages for the kids, so tomorrow morning we will be going on our first ever family bike ride. Then a nice lunch then church. Kinda bummed that our ward starts at 1pm this year. That is nap time for the kids so I am going to have to convince them to nap at 1130. I doubt it is going to work, but we will figure it out. My sister's ward is at 9am and if I have to I will visit with her for a while :) Happy Saturday everyone!
What kind of things do you do with your Saturdays?
Do you have any ideas for fun outings?
What kinds of weekend traditions do you have with your family?
Friday, January 6, 2012
When I grow up 2
I seem to always be on some sort of quest to become the best most productive me. I am not sure what my potential holds and I have yet to define the roles I want to pursue in my future. So far all I know is that I want to be a wife and a mother. On top of that the possibilities are endless!
I have jumped from career path to career path in my mind ever since I graduated high school. First I wanted to be an aerospace engineer(I love physics.) Second I pursued a degree as a CPA good money and math comes easy for me. Third I looked into Early Childhood Education (preschool teacher) because I loved doing crafts with my son and the coursework was a piece of cake. Then came the daycare facility because I wanted to be an "entrepreneur" and run my own business and I loved my daycare job. Now I am back home and creating my next big dream! As you can see, I do not make up my mind for very long. I mean, how am I supposed to know what to go to college for? I am 23 and I have to pick a four year course of study that will result in a lifelong career and I can't even make up my mind on what color eyeshadow I want to wear. All that rides on completing the right course has often resulted in me making the wrong choices.
Now I sat down and created a list of my goals for a career. Here is my wish list for a future job :
I am going to go back to school to be a midwife. I have always been interested in natural birthing techniques and doula work. I gave birth to both of my kids naturally without pain medication. I also am very interested in the natural process of child birth and supporting mothers through their pregnancy and birthing journey. I also loved nursing my kids, so I will be getting certified as a lactation consultant too :) I am hoping to be done with my schooling in 6 years. At that point I will have a bachelors in nursing and I will be a certified nurse midwife and lactation consultant. In the mean time I am going to enter the field as a doula (slowly) I have to meet new doulas and start networking.
I really hope that I am able to keep focused and complete my degree. It is a great path because if I can at least finish the associates in nursing then I have a job to fall back on :)
If you are interested in following my progress and the journey to midwifery you can follow me at my other blog Mrs. Nurse Mommy It will chronicle my progress and the experience from the point of view of a wife and mother.
Wish me luck and send your prayers, I am going to sign up for my first classes next week!
I have jumped from career path to career path in my mind ever since I graduated high school. First I wanted to be an aerospace engineer(I love physics.) Second I pursued a degree as a CPA good money and math comes easy for me. Third I looked into Early Childhood Education (preschool teacher) because I loved doing crafts with my son and the coursework was a piece of cake. Then came the daycare facility because I wanted to be an "entrepreneur" and run my own business and I loved my daycare job. Now I am back home and creating my next big dream! As you can see, I do not make up my mind for very long. I mean, how am I supposed to know what to go to college for? I am 23 and I have to pick a four year course of study that will result in a lifelong career and I can't even make up my mind on what color eyeshadow I want to wear. All that rides on completing the right course has often resulted in me making the wrong choices.
Now I sat down and created a list of my goals for a career. Here is my wish list for a future job :
- Evenings off to cook dinner with my family
- Freedom to take my kids to and from school at the normal school hours (8:00-3:00)
- I need a variety of experiences, I get bored with the same people day in day out
- I want a flexible schedule so I can see every game/recital/concert my kids are in
- I want to make enough money to support my family on my own
- It must be a job that I contribute to society in some way
- I need to feel passionate about whatever I am doing
- I have to feel safe in my work environment (no door to door sales or going to stranger's homes)
- I don't want to have to pile up student loans to get a degree that is competitive in the field
- I cannot work any more than 40 hours in a regular week (combined at home and in office work)
- I need a job that allows me nights off for date night, family night, birthdays, etc.
- The job must allow me to have vacation and holiday time off.
I am going to go back to school to be a midwife. I have always been interested in natural birthing techniques and doula work. I gave birth to both of my kids naturally without pain medication. I also am very interested in the natural process of child birth and supporting mothers through their pregnancy and birthing journey. I also loved nursing my kids, so I will be getting certified as a lactation consultant too :) I am hoping to be done with my schooling in 6 years. At that point I will have a bachelors in nursing and I will be a certified nurse midwife and lactation consultant. In the mean time I am going to enter the field as a doula (slowly) I have to meet new doulas and start networking.
I really hope that I am able to keep focused and complete my degree. It is a great path because if I can at least finish the associates in nursing then I have a job to fall back on :)
If you are interested in following my progress and the journey to midwifery you can follow me at my other blog Mrs. Nurse Mommy It will chronicle my progress and the experience from the point of view of a wife and mother.
Wish me luck and send your prayers, I am going to sign up for my first classes next week!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
How to Get a Marriage License
So I know I talk a lot about the joys and struggles of marriage. So I thought I would write a little on one of the key steps to getting married. . . getting a marriage license.
Whenever you hear people(men) saying, "I don't know what the big deal is, it's just a piece of paper." This is the piece of paper they are talking about :)
I will walk you through the steps for people here in Phoenix and give a few links to other helpful resources.
First I want to mention how important it is to go to marriage counselling BEFORE you get married. This is normally called pre-marital counselling and it will make all the difference in your marriage. You will be able to sit down and work out any problems you are already experiencing and learns some tips and tools to help you down the road. Much of the stuff I learned in my premarital counselling has helped me understand my husband better and be a better wife. If you are interested in pre-marital counselling it would be worth your time to go to your priest and see if they offer any classes. If not or if you do not attend a church regularly, there are several resources online through google.
Here are the steps to getting a marriage license:
1. Pick a Location.
There are several locations to get a marriage license around the valley. You will be getting the license through the Clerk of Superior Court's office. Here are several locations listed by the office.
2. Pick a Payment Method.
The fee for a marriage license is $72.00 and it is payable by cash, check, money order, and in some offices credit cards. Have this ready when you go to fill out the forms.
3. Go to the office and obtain a license!
This step is important! lol You AND your spouse to be must go in to the office together. There are signs posted and a help desk to guide you to the right teller. There will be some minimal paperwork to be signed and you will be on your way! If I remember correctly, this step only took about 10 minutes. There was no wait and not a whole lot to it.
IMPORTANT POINTS:
Whenever you hear people(men) saying, "I don't know what the big deal is, it's just a piece of paper." This is the piece of paper they are talking about :)
I will walk you through the steps for people here in Phoenix and give a few links to other helpful resources.
First I want to mention how important it is to go to marriage counselling BEFORE you get married. This is normally called pre-marital counselling and it will make all the difference in your marriage. You will be able to sit down and work out any problems you are already experiencing and learns some tips and tools to help you down the road. Much of the stuff I learned in my premarital counselling has helped me understand my husband better and be a better wife. If you are interested in pre-marital counselling it would be worth your time to go to your priest and see if they offer any classes. If not or if you do not attend a church regularly, there are several resources online through google.
Here are the steps to getting a marriage license:
1. Pick a Location.
There are several locations to get a marriage license around the valley. You will be getting the license through the Clerk of Superior Court's office. Here are several locations listed by the office.
2. Pick a Payment Method.
The fee for a marriage license is $72.00 and it is payable by cash, check, money order, and in some offices credit cards. Have this ready when you go to fill out the forms.
3. Go to the office and obtain a license!
This step is important! lol You AND your spouse to be must go in to the office together. There are signs posted and a help desk to guide you to the right teller. There will be some minimal paperwork to be signed and you will be on your way! If I remember correctly, this step only took about 10 minutes. There was no wait and not a whole lot to it.
IMPORTANT POINTS:
- Strangely, a divorce decree or a blood test are not required. However if you are from another state you will want to check with their policies.
- You will also need to bring a government issued ID so that you can prove you are old enough and a citizen.
- Both parties must be there to get the marriage license.
- You can get married the same day you get the license if you have someone of authority willing to do the job. Also, the marriage license only lasts one year, so if you are planning on a long engagement you might want to wait till you are closer to your chosen date.
- You must be 18 years old. If you are 16 or 17 years old you must have one of these filled out and notarized by your parents. If you are 15 or younger then you will need to get a court order.
- There are multiple types of marriage license. In Arizona you can get a "covenant marriage license". This type of license requires premarital counselling and more paper work. The end result is more restrictions on getting a divorce. There is more information here and here. Also here.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
When I Grow Up
I am often amused when I run into another "daycare lady". For me, I am always trying to work my profession into my conversations. I can bring just about any topic back to kids and child care. It is the same for many "daycare ladies" so it usually comes out within just a couple minutes of meeting a fellow child care provider.
After the other provider and I figure out that we are each a "daycare lady" there ensues a type of conversation that I believe every "daycare lady" wants to have. A conversation about the details and struggles of daily life in child care.
"How long have you been in childcare?" "How many kids do you have?" "What hours do you work?"
"Are you going to do it forever?" "Are your kids good?"
It is almost like you are talking with a fellow inmate at a prison you have just been transferred too. They might as well be asking "How many years have you been in prison?" "How many guards are on your block?" "What is the schedule like?" "How long is your sentence?" "Are the guards nice here?"
You will often hear people in my profession talk about when they will "get out" of childcare like the job was some sort of trap that they stumbled upon. Then the exchanging of tips is even more interesting. Tips for getting kids to nap, eat, play nicely, stop biting, etc. etc. etc. Everyone has a "trick of the trade" to get you through your day.
At first it felt like I had been inducted into some secret society where the "daycare lady" wasn't afraid to tell me the difficulties of her job. She didn't hesitate to say a child was a whiner or a bully. In society the "daycare lady" cannot mention her struggles. We are supposed to be enjoying every minute of this. Right, like anyone ever "enjoyed" changing a diaper, wiping up puke or cleaning up drool.
I have to admit that I am always a sore thumb in these conversations. I run a tight ship in my house and my daycare kids are generally well behaved. Most days they do not make ungodly messes or fight constantly. Although we have had our share of both. My day usually goes smoothly and even when it doesn't I don't really mind as much as most people. I just go with the flow of the kids and get through to when the clock hits 5:30. I probably look like a snooty brat when I don't come up with daycare gossip to share about my kids.
Most days if I honestly ask myself if I could do this forever, I know I could. It wouldn't always be easier than a "normal" job but I would take this over most other options. I get to eat breakfast at home, wear whatever I want, cook whatever I want, do dishes/laundry/clean the house while I'm working and I even get the occasional nap right down the middle of my day. Who wouldn't want that right?
I don't WANT to always be a "daycare lady" though. I want a flexible job in which I can make my own schedule, never be bored, get a break during the day, drive my kids to and from school, be home to cook dinner, have time to play with my kids, have time to go on dates with my husband and make enough money to support my family. It is a tall order but I think I found my answer. I will be writing more on my plans for the future in tomorrow's blog. In the mean time I will try to enjoy my time with the kids and the occasional "prison talk" with my fellow providers :)
After the other provider and I figure out that we are each a "daycare lady" there ensues a type of conversation that I believe every "daycare lady" wants to have. A conversation about the details and struggles of daily life in child care.
"How long have you been in childcare?" "How many kids do you have?" "What hours do you work?"
"Are you going to do it forever?" "Are your kids good?"
It is almost like you are talking with a fellow inmate at a prison you have just been transferred too. They might as well be asking "How many years have you been in prison?" "How many guards are on your block?" "What is the schedule like?" "How long is your sentence?" "Are the guards nice here?"
You will often hear people in my profession talk about when they will "get out" of childcare like the job was some sort of trap that they stumbled upon. Then the exchanging of tips is even more interesting. Tips for getting kids to nap, eat, play nicely, stop biting, etc. etc. etc. Everyone has a "trick of the trade" to get you through your day.
At first it felt like I had been inducted into some secret society where the "daycare lady" wasn't afraid to tell me the difficulties of her job. She didn't hesitate to say a child was a whiner or a bully. In society the "daycare lady" cannot mention her struggles. We are supposed to be enjoying every minute of this. Right, like anyone ever "enjoyed" changing a diaper, wiping up puke or cleaning up drool.
I have to admit that I am always a sore thumb in these conversations. I run a tight ship in my house and my daycare kids are generally well behaved. Most days they do not make ungodly messes or fight constantly. Although we have had our share of both. My day usually goes smoothly and even when it doesn't I don't really mind as much as most people. I just go with the flow of the kids and get through to when the clock hits 5:30. I probably look like a snooty brat when I don't come up with daycare gossip to share about my kids.
Most days if I honestly ask myself if I could do this forever, I know I could. It wouldn't always be easier than a "normal" job but I would take this over most other options. I get to eat breakfast at home, wear whatever I want, cook whatever I want, do dishes/laundry/clean the house while I'm working and I even get the occasional nap right down the middle of my day. Who wouldn't want that right?
I don't WANT to always be a "daycare lady" though. I want a flexible job in which I can make my own schedule, never be bored, get a break during the day, drive my kids to and from school, be home to cook dinner, have time to play with my kids, have time to go on dates with my husband and make enough money to support my family. It is a tall order but I think I found my answer. I will be writing more on my plans for the future in tomorrow's blog. In the mean time I will try to enjoy my time with the kids and the occasional "prison talk" with my fellow providers :)
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
5 ways To Be A Better Spouse
I have not been married for 50 years really I haven't even been married for 15 years but I do have a happy marriage :) I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have a commitment to not only make our marriage "work" but also to enjoy every step along the way.
I know that there are so many roles to being a woman in the family. Our role as a mother alone can be stress overload. Add to that the stress of work, family, church, possibly going back to school and you are bound to neglect one of them.
Often the marriage is the first one on the list of responsibilities to be neglected. The benefits of a healthy marriage often go unseen and unappreciated. People know they can do anything in life without being married so they allow their commitment to slide as they add more irons to the fire. You don't NEED to be married to own a home, be a mother/father/complete a college degree. This thought process is true, however I can testify that marriage makes each step much more enjoyable.
Many of my friends have gone through terrible divorces. They have torn apart their families and even the couples I thought had the best chance chose to part ways. I am always surprised at the reasons that these couples give for going through the big D. I am often privy to both sides of the story and I found that by following a few simple rules most of the marriages would have stayed intact.
These are the guidelines I try to follow in order to be a better wife. They go for husbands too though:)
1. Say Thank You.
This one can be especially hard sometimes. Often times you may feel like the things you have done to contribute to the family far outweigh the ones your spouse has done. This is because you cannot feel your spouses feelings and in a marriage most people neglect to tell their spouse just how much they are appreciated. It is important to remember to say thank you for even the smallest thing. Your spouse will feel good because they are making you happier and they may even strive to do more good deeds. Imagine if instead of reaming your spouse about how they didn't take out the garbage, you said thank you for how they helped watch the kids while you cooked breakfast. I'm sure the latter option would result in a happier more productive spouse.
2. Remind yourself daily of the times you enjoyed with your spouse. Sometimes in a hectic life it is very easy to forget what you fell in love for. Sometimes a lack of communication leaves both people feeling unsatisfied and angry. I make a point of remembering at least one cute/happy/romantic memory between me and my spouse. I think of the times we have been together that I wouldn't want to live without. This helps me to remember how much I love my spouse. It also helps me to refocus on my commitment because I don't want to miss out on more of those precious memories.
3. Take care of yourself. It is strange how single people continue to get up each morning and spend enormous amounts of time getting ready so they can "look good" to complete strangers. Often, a married person will forgo getting ready for the day at all if they can. Why do people feel like it is so important to make a good impression on their spouse when they first meet but they do not feel the need to keep up with their personal hygiene? I make a point of evaluating myself each morning. I check to make sure I am presenting myself as an attractive spouse to be with. This doesn't have to mean a bunch of makeup or the most trendy clothes. I try to look clean, smell good and maintain my weight in a reasonable range. If my spouse wanted an overweight stinky woman wearing yesterdays sweat pants then he wouldn't have married me to begin with.
4. Tell your spouse what you want. This is one of the most important things to remember every single day of your marriage. You cannot assume that your spouse knows what you want. Each person has their own agenda and their own desires from their marriage. If you come to the table expecting a magician husband that is going to magically read your mind then you are delirious. The first step to communicating your needs/wants is to ask yourself what is your desire and how do you expect your spouse to contribute to making that dream a reality. Now, before you go spouting off to your spouse about how they need to work two jobs because your dream is to be a stay at home parent, remind yourself that not all of your expectations are reasonable or fair. How would you feel if your spouse came to you and asked for the same contributions from you? How do your desires affect your spouse's ability to reach their goals? If you are being respectful of each other's desires then you can achieve a fulfilling marriage and life. Two working together is better than two working apart!
5. Be faithful with your mind, heart and body. It is easy to look a little longer at someone who is physically attractive. It is easy to imagine all of the things you wouldn't have to deal with if you were not married. It is easy to imagine being in the throws of a budding romance again. However, the minute you let these thoughts settle in your mind you are writing a death sentence for your marriage. I know that it is natural to be attracted to romance, excitement and passion. If you want your marriage to be successful then you need to work hard to maintain those elements in your relationship. Imagining a relationship with someone other than your spouse is unrealistic and leads to dissatisfaction in your marriage. Every relationship has difficulties and that stranger will present theirs if you were to with them too. So if you find yourself thinking of someone else or with the opportunity to engage physically with someone else, remind yourself of the moments you pondered while getting ready that morning. The moments that you wouldn't want to live without. Just thinking of your spouse and the cherished times with them will give you strength and resolve to stay faithful.
I know not all marriages will work. In fact half of them will not work at all. Sometimes people make a mistake in who they marry and they have no choice but divorce. I know that a marriage cannot work if both partners aren't committed. These steps cannot help you if your spouse is not committed too. However, if both people are striving for success then these steps will help guide you to a more satisfying relationship everyday of your marriage.
I am interested in knowing what tips you have for success?
What do you do when faced with temptation?
How do you nurture your marriage/relationship?
You can leave me a message in the comments or email me at raisingbabycakes@gmail.com
I know that there are so many roles to being a woman in the family. Our role as a mother alone can be stress overload. Add to that the stress of work, family, church, possibly going back to school and you are bound to neglect one of them.
Often the marriage is the first one on the list of responsibilities to be neglected. The benefits of a healthy marriage often go unseen and unappreciated. People know they can do anything in life without being married so they allow their commitment to slide as they add more irons to the fire. You don't NEED to be married to own a home, be a mother/father/complete a college degree. This thought process is true, however I can testify that marriage makes each step much more enjoyable.
Many of my friends have gone through terrible divorces. They have torn apart their families and even the couples I thought had the best chance chose to part ways. I am always surprised at the reasons that these couples give for going through the big D. I am often privy to both sides of the story and I found that by following a few simple rules most of the marriages would have stayed intact.
These are the guidelines I try to follow in order to be a better wife. They go for husbands too though:)
1. Say Thank You.
This one can be especially hard sometimes. Often times you may feel like the things you have done to contribute to the family far outweigh the ones your spouse has done. This is because you cannot feel your spouses feelings and in a marriage most people neglect to tell their spouse just how much they are appreciated. It is important to remember to say thank you for even the smallest thing. Your spouse will feel good because they are making you happier and they may even strive to do more good deeds. Imagine if instead of reaming your spouse about how they didn't take out the garbage, you said thank you for how they helped watch the kids while you cooked breakfast. I'm sure the latter option would result in a happier more productive spouse.
2. Remind yourself daily of the times you enjoyed with your spouse. Sometimes in a hectic life it is very easy to forget what you fell in love for. Sometimes a lack of communication leaves both people feeling unsatisfied and angry. I make a point of remembering at least one cute/happy/romantic memory between me and my spouse. I think of the times we have been together that I wouldn't want to live without. This helps me to remember how much I love my spouse. It also helps me to refocus on my commitment because I don't want to miss out on more of those precious memories.
3. Take care of yourself. It is strange how single people continue to get up each morning and spend enormous amounts of time getting ready so they can "look good" to complete strangers. Often, a married person will forgo getting ready for the day at all if they can. Why do people feel like it is so important to make a good impression on their spouse when they first meet but they do not feel the need to keep up with their personal hygiene? I make a point of evaluating myself each morning. I check to make sure I am presenting myself as an attractive spouse to be with. This doesn't have to mean a bunch of makeup or the most trendy clothes. I try to look clean, smell good and maintain my weight in a reasonable range. If my spouse wanted an overweight stinky woman wearing yesterdays sweat pants then he wouldn't have married me to begin with.
4. Tell your spouse what you want. This is one of the most important things to remember every single day of your marriage. You cannot assume that your spouse knows what you want. Each person has their own agenda and their own desires from their marriage. If you come to the table expecting a magician husband that is going to magically read your mind then you are delirious. The first step to communicating your needs/wants is to ask yourself what is your desire and how do you expect your spouse to contribute to making that dream a reality. Now, before you go spouting off to your spouse about how they need to work two jobs because your dream is to be a stay at home parent, remind yourself that not all of your expectations are reasonable or fair. How would you feel if your spouse came to you and asked for the same contributions from you? How do your desires affect your spouse's ability to reach their goals? If you are being respectful of each other's desires then you can achieve a fulfilling marriage and life. Two working together is better than two working apart!
5. Be faithful with your mind, heart and body. It is easy to look a little longer at someone who is physically attractive. It is easy to imagine all of the things you wouldn't have to deal with if you were not married. It is easy to imagine being in the throws of a budding romance again. However, the minute you let these thoughts settle in your mind you are writing a death sentence for your marriage. I know that it is natural to be attracted to romance, excitement and passion. If you want your marriage to be successful then you need to work hard to maintain those elements in your relationship. Imagining a relationship with someone other than your spouse is unrealistic and leads to dissatisfaction in your marriage. Every relationship has difficulties and that stranger will present theirs if you were to with them too. So if you find yourself thinking of someone else or with the opportunity to engage physically with someone else, remind yourself of the moments you pondered while getting ready that morning. The moments that you wouldn't want to live without. Just thinking of your spouse and the cherished times with them will give you strength and resolve to stay faithful.
I know not all marriages will work. In fact half of them will not work at all. Sometimes people make a mistake in who they marry and they have no choice but divorce. I know that a marriage cannot work if both partners aren't committed. These steps cannot help you if your spouse is not committed too. However, if both people are striving for success then these steps will help guide you to a more satisfying relationship everyday of your marriage.
I am interested in knowing what tips you have for success?
What do you do when faced with temptation?
How do you nurture your marriage/relationship?
You can leave me a message in the comments or email me at raisingbabycakes@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)