So my excitment for moving home is being somewhat damped by all the unknowns I currently have...
We need to sell our Katy home
We need to buy a Shawnee home
We are coming home this weekend, but don't know where we are staying
We are leaving all of our stuff here
We don't have childcare for our kids totally confirmed
We don't have any where to have our children kept when that childcare does work out
We don't know what to do with our dog
We don't know the best approach for moving
We are starting new jobs/going back to old ones that have changed
But other than that I CAN'T wait!
We did get to have a dinner with our small group last night at one of our favorite places "Clays". We like it b/c C gets to pet farm animals and play in the giant sandbox. We will really miss our friends. We were so blessed to have them take us in this past year and I don't know what I would have done without them.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
I Love You to the Moon!
This saying came from the book Guess How Much I Love You. For those who aren't familiar, Little Nutbrown Hare, (who Josh's loving refers to as Little Brown Nut Hair) tells his Big Nutbrown Hare how much he loves him/her, and it ends with saying "I love you to the moon". So Carson and I now say this to each other. And it's the sweetest thing ever to hear "Love you to moon mama" whispered in my ear. It absolutly melts my heart. I love it. He rules. But I have a question. How does that sweet boy go from melting my heart with his love to the moon one minute, to making me want to throw him to the moon the next????
Needless to say Carson is gettign GOOOODDDD at throwing fits. And he has a snotty nose right now, so he's getting the snot down the face action in also. So, now, at least once a day, my sweet loving boy transforms into a screaming, snot eatting, red-faced, mumbling alien that has me looking for the spaceship that dropped him off.
It reminds me of another book, "I Love You Stinky Face." In this book the little boy asks his mom if she'd still love him if here were a variety of things, a meat eatting dinosaur, a monster with one eye, a smelly skunk, and with each she replys I would love you. Well, I tell you, if there was one more page in that book that read "But mama! But mama! What if I were a screaming, snot eatting, red-faced, mumbling alien, would you love me then?" Mama would have replied, "No. Now go to your room for THINKING about becoming that!"
Loving your child is something that you do no matter what. But somedays, loving them TO the moon might be the way to go. Maybe they'll come back normal...
Needless to say Carson is gettign GOOOODDDD at throwing fits. And he has a snotty nose right now, so he's getting the snot down the face action in also. So, now, at least once a day, my sweet loving boy transforms into a screaming, snot eatting, red-faced, mumbling alien that has me looking for the spaceship that dropped him off.
It reminds me of another book, "I Love You Stinky Face." In this book the little boy asks his mom if she'd still love him if here were a variety of things, a meat eatting dinosaur, a monster with one eye, a smelly skunk, and with each she replys I would love you. Well, I tell you, if there was one more page in that book that read "But mama! But mama! What if I were a screaming, snot eatting, red-faced, mumbling alien, would you love me then?" Mama would have replied, "No. Now go to your room for THINKING about becoming that!"
Loving your child is something that you do no matter what. But somedays, loving them TO the moon might be the way to go. Maybe they'll come back normal...
Friday, July 16, 2010
They really do grow up fast huh?
So Lyla is now three months old. THREE! That doesn't seem like much in the grand sceme of things, but I'm afraid with all the chaos coming up in our lives that the next three are going to go by way too fast and too unappreciated.
I can't say enough how blessed I have been with my babies. They are just the sweetest things ever. Lyla is holding her head up great and LOVES to sit in her bumbo chair thing (I don't really know what its called). I can't believe this, but there are a lot of clothes I need to box up because she doesn't fit in them any more. She was so small then she woke up normal...She is talking away and seriously even says "hi" on occasion. I even managed to get it on video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa-LnPRPv_k
(can someone share with me what I'm doing wrong when trying to add a link? It doesn't show up...)
I am going to bed every night now expecting a full nights rest, which is great! Which has even allowed me to stay up a LITTLE later than normal. 6:30am is still a bit early for me to get up... I like my sleep...Lil bit just lays down for her naps now. Well, I lay her down, but she signals me by sucking her sweet hand. Sure she might fuss a bit, but she's alseep within 5 minutes.
Speaking of 5 minutes. I was upstairs this morning trying to put together Carson's train track when Lyla woke up. I was close to being done, so I shouted down "Hang on Lil Bit" Carson then chimed in, "Five minutes, Lyla, O-Day, five minutes!". A little bit later I was trying to throw some cooler close in order to go outside to set up C's "slippy" slide, when he told me to "Wrap it up Mama. Come on. Wrap it up."
For real?
I can't say enough how blessed I have been with my babies. They are just the sweetest things ever. Lyla is holding her head up great and LOVES to sit in her bumbo chair thing (I don't really know what its called). I can't believe this, but there are a lot of clothes I need to box up because she doesn't fit in them any more. She was so small then she woke up normal...She is talking away and seriously even says "hi" on occasion. I even managed to get it on video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa-LnPRPv_k
(can someone share with me what I'm doing wrong when trying to add a link? It doesn't show up...)
I am going to bed every night now expecting a full nights rest, which is great! Which has even allowed me to stay up a LITTLE later than normal. 6:30am is still a bit early for me to get up... I like my sleep...Lil bit just lays down for her naps now. Well, I lay her down, but she signals me by sucking her sweet hand. Sure she might fuss a bit, but she's alseep within 5 minutes.
Speaking of 5 minutes. I was upstairs this morning trying to put together Carson's train track when Lyla woke up. I was close to being done, so I shouted down "Hang on Lil Bit" Carson then chimed in, "Five minutes, Lyla, O-Day, five minutes!". A little bit later I was trying to throw some cooler close in order to go outside to set up C's "slippy" slide, when he told me to "Wrap it up Mama. Come on. Wrap it up."
For real?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
But WAIT! There's more!
In all the excitement and nervousness of my lunch hour I forgot to elaborate on the part that has ME most excited. Like so excited that sometimes I wanna cry excited. I get to teach full-time at SSC again!!!!! There really aren't enough exclamation points to describe how happy I am about this. I have been fortunate enough to have only two full-time jobs, both of which I LOVED, both of which I resigned from and both of which I've returned to. And they say you can never go home!
The day I left SSC was the day that I realized just how much I LOVED the job. I always knew it was a good job, with great hours, great flexibility as a mom and great co-workers that treated each other like family, but I realized my last day as I drove home and found myself crying, that I LOVED that job.
While in Katy, I've had to TRY to ignore the "happenings" at SSC so that I do not get sad all over again. I've tried to stay in the loop the best I can, but lets face it, if you're not there, your not in. I've continued teaching online and like it, but it's so different. I really like students. Even the ones that I really don't like, I like, in a strange way. And I really really miss being in the classroom. And I get to go back!!!
I am so thankful to those who allowed this to happen. The new role will be a little different. When I left I was the only psyc instructor that was full-time now there will be 2.5. (our division splits one lady's time with another dept.) Needless to say, I viewed it as "my" program and that will change. But I couldn't be more excited not to be on my own with one of the largest class loads on campus. AND, I get to help out my good pal Tracy J with Sociology classes! That will be a ton of fun and I'm excited for that challenge.
So, I'm excited. About so many things. And thankful for so many more!
PS. Things went GREAT with Josh and his boss today. We are both feeling SO much relief AND he gets to keep working for a few weeks, so I'm not needing lodging. Yet....
The day I left SSC was the day that I realized just how much I LOVED the job. I always knew it was a good job, with great hours, great flexibility as a mom and great co-workers that treated each other like family, but I realized my last day as I drove home and found myself crying, that I LOVED that job.
While in Katy, I've had to TRY to ignore the "happenings" at SSC so that I do not get sad all over again. I've tried to stay in the loop the best I can, but lets face it, if you're not there, your not in. I've continued teaching online and like it, but it's so different. I really like students. Even the ones that I really don't like, I like, in a strange way. And I really really miss being in the classroom. And I get to go back!!!
I am so thankful to those who allowed this to happen. The new role will be a little different. When I left I was the only psyc instructor that was full-time now there will be 2.5. (our division splits one lady's time with another dept.) Needless to say, I viewed it as "my" program and that will change. But I couldn't be more excited not to be on my own with one of the largest class loads on campus. AND, I get to help out my good pal Tracy J with Sociology classes! That will be a ton of fun and I'm excited for that challenge.
So, I'm excited. About so many things. And thankful for so many more!
PS. Things went GREAT with Josh and his boss today. We are both feeling SO much relief AND he gets to keep working for a few weeks, so I'm not needing lodging. Yet....
Warning: The following may read like my mind thinks...
I think I mentioned a few blogs back how we are addicted to change, well I'm writing this with my heart beating fast and feeling a little like I could puke...You see, my husband is finally doing what we've spent the last month and a half painfully deciding. He is quitting his job to go into business with my dad.
I know that sounds great. What's the deal? Well. He's initially loosing a good chunck of his salary to do this. It won't be for forever, just a few years, and I'm going back to work to make up the difference, but seriously, walking away from a high salary, knowing that in a year it could be DOUBLE??? It's scary. Makes me wanna puke. BUT, he will be getting to buy in and be part OWNER in the company he works for. Not only will this be a total motivator, it will mean more money. But change this big is still just scary.
I have been SO proud of Josh for all he has done at TS Dudley. In only five years he's gone from a rookie landman who knew nothing, to crew chief, to an associate prospect manager. And has been guarenteed another promotion within 6 months from now. He has done in 5 years what many landmen work 15-20 for. He has done well. I am proud of him.
BUT. We have debated and prayed, prayed and debated and we feel that this change will allow us to have a more well balanced life.
It's all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family.
Philip Green
This is just one of the quotes I've found while soul searching lately. And I feel that this quote is what has been the driving force behind our decision. Josh and I value our marriage above most things in our life second only to our children. And staying with Dudley doesn't allow for the marriage we hope to have. I am simply not a wife that is happy with my husbands credit card instead of seeing my husband. We value our time together and want to live life TOGETHER. We BOTH want to raise our kids, we want to see their school play at 10am and want to put them to bed together every night. We feel this job will allow us to enjoy our life. We want to work our butts off in our 30's, work in our 40's and hardly work in our 50's. Josh wants to be his OWN boss instead of working 14 hour days for someone else.
Now, he is going to be in for some HARD work for the next few years. Have I mentioned he doesn't know a THING about insurance? Again. Scary. Not to mention the fact that he has to earn his keep...scary.
But Josh WILL suceed. He has never failed at anything he has put his mind to. He will love it and he will do a good job. And he will be happy. Which is what I want more than anything. Happiness.
While I am scared, if I haven't mentioned that before, I am also so EXCITED I am about to BUST! Because this obviously means we get to move home.
I simply can't wait to live in Oklahoma again. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Katy, there's NO town like it in OK. Wish I could pack the town and my friends and bring it all with me, but I can't.
I don't really fit here. I am an OKLAHOMA girl, but I never knew that till I left. Having all the options around here is FANTASTIC, but it overwhelms me so I choose nothing. There is so much I feel I have to keep up with here- and I don't want to play. I don't want my steak to cost $50 with no sides, I just want to have my dad slaughter a cow and throw it on the grill. I wanna hang out in my trailer at the lake and karaoke at a place called the Coconut Shack, where mullets have not gone out of style. And the best part is, I wanna teach IN THE CLASSROOM at SSC and I can! YEA!
Are there things I'm gonna miss? YES! For example, HEB. Oklahoma has no idea what a grocery store should be like. You should be able to shop while sampling wine. You should be able to shop in a HEALTH SECTION. You should be able to buy fresh fish, sushi, granola. You should be able to shop in a CLEAN store where the checkout lines are OPEN. HEB, I will miss you.
Oklahomans wonder why they are fat... Well, it's because there is no where to exercise. NOT IN CINCO RANCH! There are MILES AND MILES like HUNDREDS of MILES of sidewalk. This is where the sidewalk does NOT end. It's fantastic. And everyone walks, runs, bikes ON these sidewalks and burns CALORIES....Cinco Ranch I will miss your sidewalks.
Wonder why only 30% of Oklahomans have a college degree? It's because we don't value our school systems. The schools down here are nicer than Universities. They have fine arts centers, great athletic facilities, WELL PAID teachers. And students who graduate ready for college. Texas has schools figured out. Texas schools...well we don't go yet...
Katy is hard to leave. There are great opportunities, we've made great friends, Carson's made great friends, we've been embraced with love by our small group. We will miss the town and all those in it.
I am also restarting two of my biggest LOVE/HATE relationships, school and running.
I have decided to start working on my PhD this fall in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine... I know MORE SCHOOL? My best friend Tracy says "You sure do love school". But I don't really. And I do. Maybe it's my defense against growing up. If I'm still in college I can't be a REAL grown up right? (I guess not, since my daddy's not paying any more, but hush). I REALLY hate having homework ALL the time and I hate writing papers, but at the same time I really do value education and I love learning. And for the FIRST TIME I am getting a degree in something I LOVE learning about.
I am also training for a half marathon in November. HALF! I decided since I gained half the baby weight with Lyla then as a reward, I only have to train for HALF a marathon. Of course, right now, even 13.2 sounds way too far!
So lots to do! And of course, I have two kids under three, a house to sell, a house to buy, a house to move out of, one to move into, a job to start, a new course to develop for fall, a husband to clean up after and I'd like to have a little fun. Listing it all out kinda makes me think "If I can do all this, won't I be like super woman?" I think so!
I like accomplishing things that feel impossible. And right now a LOT of things feel that way. Selling a house alone can feel that way. But we will do it.
I found a few other quotes that have helped me out:
My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose - somehow we win out. Ronald Reagan
Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.
But my FAVORITE is:
When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way. Wayne Dyer
I'll go do something more productive now. While hoping my husbands boss lets him work for a while longer. Otherwise, we will be heading home this weekend.... Anyone want company... :)
I know that sounds great. What's the deal? Well. He's initially loosing a good chunck of his salary to do this. It won't be for forever, just a few years, and I'm going back to work to make up the difference, but seriously, walking away from a high salary, knowing that in a year it could be DOUBLE??? It's scary. Makes me wanna puke. BUT, he will be getting to buy in and be part OWNER in the company he works for. Not only will this be a total motivator, it will mean more money. But change this big is still just scary.
I have been SO proud of Josh for all he has done at TS Dudley. In only five years he's gone from a rookie landman who knew nothing, to crew chief, to an associate prospect manager. And has been guarenteed another promotion within 6 months from now. He has done in 5 years what many landmen work 15-20 for. He has done well. I am proud of him.
BUT. We have debated and prayed, prayed and debated and we feel that this change will allow us to have a more well balanced life.
It's all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family.
Philip Green
This is just one of the quotes I've found while soul searching lately. And I feel that this quote is what has been the driving force behind our decision. Josh and I value our marriage above most things in our life second only to our children. And staying with Dudley doesn't allow for the marriage we hope to have. I am simply not a wife that is happy with my husbands credit card instead of seeing my husband. We value our time together and want to live life TOGETHER. We BOTH want to raise our kids, we want to see their school play at 10am and want to put them to bed together every night. We feel this job will allow us to enjoy our life. We want to work our butts off in our 30's, work in our 40's and hardly work in our 50's. Josh wants to be his OWN boss instead of working 14 hour days for someone else.
Now, he is going to be in for some HARD work for the next few years. Have I mentioned he doesn't know a THING about insurance? Again. Scary. Not to mention the fact that he has to earn his keep...scary.
But Josh WILL suceed. He has never failed at anything he has put his mind to. He will love it and he will do a good job. And he will be happy. Which is what I want more than anything. Happiness.
While I am scared, if I haven't mentioned that before, I am also so EXCITED I am about to BUST! Because this obviously means we get to move home.
I simply can't wait to live in Oklahoma again. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Katy, there's NO town like it in OK. Wish I could pack the town and my friends and bring it all with me, but I can't.
I don't really fit here. I am an OKLAHOMA girl, but I never knew that till I left. Having all the options around here is FANTASTIC, but it overwhelms me so I choose nothing. There is so much I feel I have to keep up with here- and I don't want to play. I don't want my steak to cost $50 with no sides, I just want to have my dad slaughter a cow and throw it on the grill. I wanna hang out in my trailer at the lake and karaoke at a place called the Coconut Shack, where mullets have not gone out of style. And the best part is, I wanna teach IN THE CLASSROOM at SSC and I can! YEA!
Are there things I'm gonna miss? YES! For example, HEB. Oklahoma has no idea what a grocery store should be like. You should be able to shop while sampling wine. You should be able to shop in a HEALTH SECTION. You should be able to buy fresh fish, sushi, granola. You should be able to shop in a CLEAN store where the checkout lines are OPEN. HEB, I will miss you.
Oklahomans wonder why they are fat... Well, it's because there is no where to exercise. NOT IN CINCO RANCH! There are MILES AND MILES like HUNDREDS of MILES of sidewalk. This is where the sidewalk does NOT end. It's fantastic. And everyone walks, runs, bikes ON these sidewalks and burns CALORIES....Cinco Ranch I will miss your sidewalks.
Wonder why only 30% of Oklahomans have a college degree? It's because we don't value our school systems. The schools down here are nicer than Universities. They have fine arts centers, great athletic facilities, WELL PAID teachers. And students who graduate ready for college. Texas has schools figured out. Texas schools...well we don't go yet...
Katy is hard to leave. There are great opportunities, we've made great friends, Carson's made great friends, we've been embraced with love by our small group. We will miss the town and all those in it.
I am also restarting two of my biggest LOVE/HATE relationships, school and running.
I have decided to start working on my PhD this fall in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine... I know MORE SCHOOL? My best friend Tracy says "You sure do love school". But I don't really. And I do. Maybe it's my defense against growing up. If I'm still in college I can't be a REAL grown up right? (I guess not, since my daddy's not paying any more, but hush). I REALLY hate having homework ALL the time and I hate writing papers, but at the same time I really do value education and I love learning. And for the FIRST TIME I am getting a degree in something I LOVE learning about.
I am also training for a half marathon in November. HALF! I decided since I gained half the baby weight with Lyla then as a reward, I only have to train for HALF a marathon. Of course, right now, even 13.2 sounds way too far!
So lots to do! And of course, I have two kids under three, a house to sell, a house to buy, a house to move out of, one to move into, a job to start, a new course to develop for fall, a husband to clean up after and I'd like to have a little fun. Listing it all out kinda makes me think "If I can do all this, won't I be like super woman?" I think so!
I like accomplishing things that feel impossible. And right now a LOT of things feel that way. Selling a house alone can feel that way. But we will do it.
I found a few other quotes that have helped me out:
My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose - somehow we win out. Ronald Reagan
Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.
But my FAVORITE is:
When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way. Wayne Dyer
I'll go do something more productive now. While hoping my husbands boss lets him work for a while longer. Otherwise, we will be heading home this weekend.... Anyone want company... :)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
One month and four days
That is a long time in between posts... My bad...
Well, we've had lots going on around here. Most I can't blog about just yet, so I'll stick with what I can talk about.
Lyla is GROWING! We went home in June for almost two weeks and since we got home, she seems to not be fitting into anything any longer. Or if she does, she looks HUGE! Lyla is smiling and getting into her crawl stance quiet well. She eats like clockwork and sleeps 11-12 hours each night and for at least an hour every three hours during the day. She rules. Just like her brother.
Speaking of, Carson is getting FUUUNNNYYY. I think I've said that before. But he is. Most things shouldn't be funny, like when he says, "No way Mama, No way." But when he says, "Yes mam Mama, Yes mam", that makes up for it. He is learning how to tell us what he does and does NOT want/like/whatever, and most things that he does on his own are either "perfect" or "good enough". He likes to demonstrate how things are done, for example, you ask if he went swimming, he says, "Yes! Like this" and then he will lay down and show you HOW he swims. Yesterday, Carson slept till NOON! It was cool, except he was still so fussy he went back to bed at 6:30pm and slept till we woke him at 7:30 today, but don't worry, he asked to go "night night" by noon.
Anyway, just a quick update to check in. More to come soon...
Well, we've had lots going on around here. Most I can't blog about just yet, so I'll stick with what I can talk about.
Lyla is GROWING! We went home in June for almost two weeks and since we got home, she seems to not be fitting into anything any longer. Or if she does, she looks HUGE! Lyla is smiling and getting into her crawl stance quiet well. She eats like clockwork and sleeps 11-12 hours each night and for at least an hour every three hours during the day. She rules. Just like her brother.
Speaking of, Carson is getting FUUUNNNYYY. I think I've said that before. But he is. Most things shouldn't be funny, like when he says, "No way Mama, No way." But when he says, "Yes mam Mama, Yes mam", that makes up for it. He is learning how to tell us what he does and does NOT want/like/whatever, and most things that he does on his own are either "perfect" or "good enough". He likes to demonstrate how things are done, for example, you ask if he went swimming, he says, "Yes! Like this" and then he will lay down and show you HOW he swims. Yesterday, Carson slept till NOON! It was cool, except he was still so fussy he went back to bed at 6:30pm and slept till we woke him at 7:30 today, but don't worry, he asked to go "night night" by noon.
Anyway, just a quick update to check in. More to come soon...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)