Second Job

I know you have all been holding your breath in anticipation of the big news of my new job #2.   SO, before you turn cyanotic from lack of oxygen I will share my news… I am now employed with the YMCA.

Before I spill it though I must share a bit of back story.  As a kid, I took gymnastics for several years (I think from the age of 5 through at least 7th grade–until the instructors lovingly told me that I was a bit too big to continue in the sport…sigh…) Nothing ever came of my big dreams to become an Olympic gymnast, but now there might be some good which came from all those dollars spent for my lessons: I now am getting paid to be a substitute gymnastics instructor! (:

This is actually quite funny really how it all played out.  I have been taking Abby on Tuesday mornings to her 3-5 year olds class and as the session was winding up the teacher asked if she was going to be signing up for the next class.  I humbly explained that we weren’t going to be continuing our membership with the Y as we have been trying to tighten our monthly budget.  The teacher then said, “Hey!  you would be a great substitute for me in gymnastics!  I think they are looking for a new sub and then you could get a big discount on your membership AND get paid for the hours you work.”

These past two weeks I have been helping out with Abby’s class each Tuesday morning which is quite fun and then again in the afternoon class (which Hannah is in and is LOVING) when they need me.  I think I actually have a check waiting for me to pick up this next week which will become our “fun money” to eat out with and do special things with.

The Lord works in mysterious ways, that is all I can say!

Q & A a Day

If I could, I would buy each of you this wonderful journal.

I heard about from one of my favorite blogs, and immediately fell in love.  I will let Amazon’s Book Description explain it best for you:

 The Q&A a Day Journal shows you what was going through your head each day—for five years of your life. Simply turn to today’s date, answer the question at the top of the page, and when you finish the journal, start over. As you return to the daily questions again over the years, you’ll notice how your answers change (or don’t)! With questions that are sometimes provocative (“On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you?”), occasionally quirky (“What can you smell right now?”), and inevitably interesting (“If you could travel anywhere tomorrow, where would you go?”), this classically designed journal—embellished with beautiful details—is the perfect gift for anyone embarking on a new phase of life.

This book has been a wonderful starting point of conversation for Kent and me when we have “date night at home” (more on that to come as well!)

So, if you enjoy journaling this is a must-buy!

Back at it

I am back.

Sorry that December and January have been lacking in the way of blog posts.

Life just isn’t affording as much time as I would like for blogging, crafting, or reading as of late…

I wouldn’t  say that our lives are crazy busy, because I watch how some others run on hyper-drive ALL the time.  I think our lives are pretty tame in comparison.  BUT, it does feel that after a lovely respite over Christmas and January (while Kent has been home more during J-Term) that the turbines are once again in motion and the forecast is for a busy spring:

2 Bible studies, 2 jobs (more on that in another post), 2 girls in gymnastics which also correlates with the second job (I just want to keep you guessing for a bit!), and that on top of everyday life just seems to keep me on my toes these days.

The lack of writing might also be due to my recent obsession to “Words with Friends” and “Bejeweled Blitz” which can quickly suck up the few free minutes that I can find…  I so appreciate my father-in-law’s very generous Christmas gift of his old I-Pod touch (which he gave me when he got a new I-Phone), but my competitive nature might require some soft of a time limit with the thing.   Last night for example I got home from work at 11:30 after a difficult night and I might have sat on the couch to “decompress” and played games until 1:30… I say I might have… (:

So, hopefully you will hear more from me these next days.  I am off now to conquer the world, and maybe one more winning play against my dad on “WWF”!

Perspective

Seriously.

Whew!

These past few weeks (ok, more like months) have been a huge blur.  I am sad that I have been so rubbish at writing about fun experiences, funny quotables from the kids, and what else has been happening….

What has kept me so busy you might ask?  The day after my last post, Kent left for California for 6 nights (ETS and AAR conference) the night he got home his parents were in town for a lovely pre-Thanksgiving celebration and for Grandparent’s day at Hannah’s school.  Thursday we drove up to see Kent’s Grandmother and then were on to spend a few days with my parents.  Saturday night we were back home and ready to hit the road running as Kent had a busy week at school and I was cramming for TNCC (a trauma class that I had to take in Fort Wayne this past Thursday and Friday).  I passed though! Sunday was teaching for Children’s Church and then a Christmas concert with a few friends in Fort Wayne.   Now this week it is another class to prepare for (ENPC- an emergency pediatric class), and Christmas shopping.   Whew right?!?

As I sit here with Hannah on her way to school and Abby still in bed I am glancing over at the Christmas tree that still isn’t completely decorated, the laundry that is still to be folded on the table, and the pile of papers to once again get sorted.  I am reminded that the holiday season isn’t meant to pull us apart and in a million different directions.  We do that to ourselves with the expectancy of the “holiday rush” and the inability to say no.  My prayer is that I will really be able to slow down (after this week’s class that is), take a deep breath, and be able to really savor the JOY of this holiday season.  May that prayer be true for you as well!

Birthday Girl

Happy 7th Birthday sweet Hannah.  We love you and thank God for you every day!

We love your daily cuddles on our laps, your sweet “I love yous” and your sensitive heart. We cherish your strong-willed drive and your dramatic flair.  Your amazing memory often baffles us, and your inquisitive nature and your eagerness to learn will be such a help to you as you grow.

You make us laugh.

Thank you for being you, and thank you God for the blessing Hannah has been to this world 7 years now!

 

Melaleuca

I love Melaleuca.  I am not saying that because I am trying to sell it but because I love the products they sell.  AND I love what their company stands for: environmentally friendly products which are SAFE and they work.  I love that I don’t have to clean my shower and feel as if it is burning my lungs up, and that if something were to spill it wouldn’t be toxic.

You ask, “What do they sell?” Cleaning products, laundry products, make-up, vitamins, dietary supplements, yummy candles, first-aid kits and even pet supplies!

This month they are offering $1.00 (yes, you read right) sign-up fees.  Usually it is around $30 i think, so it is a great time to get your house safe and green (:

If you want information (and remember I am NOT selling this) just let me know and I will give you some helpful tips.

Lessons Learned on a Misadventure

So, it was a glorious fall day with crisp blue skies and cool breezes.  Just the perfect setting to go to a pumpkin patch, take a few family pictures and sip warm apple cider.  We loaded the kids in the car (dressed in coordinating clothes… which resulted in a few tears and a bit of frustration on my part I will admit– honestly… can’t a woman get her girls to look a bit more put together for once without complaints OR drama?!?)

Anyway, Kent set the GPS with the address of a recommended farm to visit and we were off.  45 minutes of driving beautiful country roads to the north of Huntington and all the while we were commenting that we were seeing new sights and adventuring in new lands (to us at least).

I should have trusted my gut when Kent turned north, and mentally I thought we should have been heading south… because when we “arrived at our destination” we looked about us at an old field with rusted out farm equipment about it.  Not.an.orange.thing.in.sight.

(I should have taken a picture of that sight…)

A phone call later confirmed our suspicions.  We were lost.  AND it was due to the fact that Warsaw and Wabash are definitely 2 different towns which happen to be in opposite directions of Huntington.

Our little outing would have to be rescheduled for another day. *sigh*

At that point tensions were high:  The kids were starting to grumble about being in the car so long, stomachs were beginning to remind us that it was coming upon the time to get some dinner, and I was maybe a bit grumpy and muttering in my head that all that struggles to get some nice family pictures were in vain. …  (not a lovely combination!)

When Kent happened upon a nature preserve he passed by on our way home I will admit that I might have been a little bit hesitant to get out of the car.  Mostly because of the before mentioned, and it just wasn’t the “creative backdrop” of what I had in mind when I was thinking family pictures…

But after walking through the leaf-laddened trails, relishing the quiet that only a remote woods can bring, and taking in the sights and smells of  fall all around us, I quickly found that my funk was starting to lift, and a new and much-improved attitude was emerging.

We had a lovely time.

In the end we did pick up a few pumpkins on our way home from a little farm stand on the side of the road.  AND we did take a few fun pictures of our family that are quite decent if I must admit it.  But most importantly, I was reminded of the importance of being content and present in the midst of each and every moment, and to make the most of every opportunity with a good attitude.

Who knows, maybe next weekend we will head south and try again for that perfect photo opportunity.  OR, maybe this year’s family picture will be with the backdrop of some woods, and I will look back on it each year as a good reminder of the life lessons learned on this little misadventure.

perfect shot, don't you think? (:

Sick Day

This is nap #2 since waking at 7:15 this morning… and it is only 11:30!  Poor kid.  She hasn’t eaten a thing and has a fever of 102.  She complains of her tummy hurting and has threatened to throw up a few times (with no success at this point).

So while she is getting some much needed rest, I am taking pictures of her sweet little self and am getting some of my “to-do-on-a-rainy-day” things done.

Letters sent: check!

Phone calls made:  check!

Blog post up:  check!

My ever-expanding piles (and this is just the one on our countertop!)

Next on my list… pay bills and organize paperwork.  Hmmm… or maybe I should just read a book…

Hopefully my kids will have inherited my mother’s gift of organization (which I still am hoping they can develop because at this point it hasn’t been very apparent).  Maybe one of these days I can hire myself a “life coach” and get my life 100% in order. (:

OK.  I am off.  Wish me luck!

MORE Dental Drama…

…yup.  This morning was my 5th dental appointment to try and get this crown in place (the second one that they have made now) and it didn’t fit AGAIN!  Arghhh.  Lots of pulling, tugging, grinding again.

Now I have another temporary cap in (which isn’t feeling to great today for some reason, I don’t think it is doing good things when I bite down) and have to go back in in a few weeks to try this all again.

I will not cry… I will not cry.