Wow, once again I've done a pretty horrible job of keeping my blog updated. My last post was about our beach vacation (which I miss so much!..hoping to return in September!). Pres had her tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy and more tubes put in this past Thursday. Whew, this experience has been something else...She had tubes at 9 months and it was a piece of cake so I totally underestimated this procedure and recovery. Sean and I were so proud of her before the surgery. They gave her some medicine that SHOULD HAVE sedated her, but in true Preslie fashion she fought the effects, never giving in and going to sleep. They finally took her away for surgery while, like any parents, we waited nervously. Before we knew it, it was over. Our ENT briefed us afterwards, telling us that her tonsils and adenoids were HUGE and that she already had another ear infection brewing (after just 2 weeks since the last one!). She was crying in recovery, but not hysterical like I thought she would be. We came home, she slept, then got up and began playing. She was eating, drinking, talking, laughing and I thought "WOW, that's it, that wasn't so bad...she is doing great!!". Well, apparently Demerol and the prescribed loratab make you feel pretty awesome! By that night, it was apparent that the meds and anesthesia from that day had worn off and she was in a ton of pain. We were literally up and down all night long (and our nights since then have been much the same). That night we discovered that she despised the liquid loratab, and despite the supposed tropical punch flavoring, it smells like it could light something on fire it is so strong. She takes her bubblegum flavored amoxcyllin and her motrin just fine so we thought that maybe she just didn't like the flavoring...the next day, we went to target to have a new bottled reflavored with bubblegum flavoring...the truth is, if something tastes like crap, there is just nothing you can do to make it taste better...and so the struggle continued. One of us would hold Pres and the other would administer the medicine..she usually succedded in spitting most of it out. The problem with this is that if she didn't take the meds, she didn't even feel good enough to drink ANYTHING. There is no fooling this kid...she starts talking about no wanting to take her medicine before there is any mention of the word, and as soon as she sees it she freaks out (seriously people, you should smell it...I really don't blame her!) With practice, we got a little better at ensuring she got a little more of the pain medicine in her mouth...that is, until she figured out that she could gurgle (while laying back) and it would all come out of her mouth. Yesterday, Sean filled a small cup with coke and put the medicine in it. The child has never had coke (and the only reason we caved is because we were so desperate for her to take the medicine!) so it worked like a charm the first time...She drank it all up...that was the only time she did that...the struggle then started again so now we are using a syringe to administer the coke/pain med mixture from the cup because she refuses to drink it out of the cup...One of these medicine administering sessions could easily last 15-20 minutes, including time to coax, praise, bribe...you get the drift. Whew, have I mentioned that we are EXHAUSTED?!?!?! I told Sean this morning, after only 4 hours of sleep, that I felt like we were back in the newborn stage when we would be up and down with Pres all night. Anyways, the point is that this recovery has been far worse for her than I thought it would be. I googled tonsillectomy and found several pictures of tonsils in the week after surgery and I almost fainted. I thought about posting a pic, but it is just downright gross....makes me sick to my stomack to think about! I am too scared to even look in her mouth for fear of her seeing my reaction. So we are now on day 5 after surgery so I'm hopeful that things will be better from here on out!
In other news, I'm loving this full time stay at home mommy business! It is very nice to wake up in the morning with no deadlines, appointments, assignments and to just be able to spend time with Preslie and Sean (when he is home). It is definitely not an easy job chasing, caring for and cleaning up after a very active 2 year old all day, but it is a job well worth it. My house is a complete disaster despite my efforts of CONSTANTLY picking up all day, but that is ok! In the weeks between returning from our vacation and Pres's surgery, we stayed busy constantly! We painted outside, played in her pool, had lunch dates, dinner dates, play dates, visited the library, bookstore, treated ourselves frequently to frozen yogurt, and on and on! I wanted her to have fun before going through all of this. We now have less than 4 weeks until we transition to New Orleans...CRAZY and exciting!! I hope everyone has a great week!!!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
A great week at the beach!
Well we just got back from Seacrest Beach and it was AMAZING! This was our first time vacationing in this area, and I think we are pretty much sold on never going anywhere else! We have mainly vacationed in the Orange Beach and Perdido Key area for years, sometimes several times a year. We have also done Destin and Panama City a couple of times in between there (when I say we love the beach, I mean we LOVE the beach!) Although we have always enjoyed our beach vacations, there is just something special about the beaches of South Walton. Seacrest is right beside Alys and Rosemary Beach and about 5 miles from Seaside and Watercolor. All of these little cities (think little picturesque seaside villages) have their own adorable shops and restaurants whick you can bike/run/walk to along the 19 mile paved bike and running path. What about the beaches? I'm sure you are wondering...well, they are BEAUTIFUL. The water was crystal clear.
We stayed in an adorable beach cottage in a neighborhood called Magnolia Cottages by the Sea which was a change from staying in a condo like we usually do. I liked the privacy, and it just felt very "homey". Loved the screened in porch on the front! The house had a little shed which included 4 bikes, beach chairs, rafts, and beach toys for kids. All we had to bring was Preslie's bike trailer and we were all set to bike to one of the neighboring cities! One room included two sets of bunk beds which was perfect for kids! It was 3 bdrm, 3 bath and beautifull furnished! Here is the info for the house in case anyone wants to rent it. I would highly recommend it...the man who managed it (Jim Buckle) was SO nice and helpful. http://www.surfsidepropertygroup.com/ Go to Properties >Rental Properties >then select Coral Cottage...there are a few others in the same neighborhood that I'm sure are also awesome!
We were so excited that Amber, Derrick and Maddox could join us for 5 days of the trip! Pres and Maddox loved each other (well, most of the time! haha!). They kinda argued like brother and sister, but two minutes later you would find them hugging each other. We decided to each have a date night which was SOOO nice. Amber and Derrick went first and we watched Maddox, and then they returned the favor a couple of days later and watched Pres so Sean and I could enjoy a nice dinner (see pic of V Seagrove below). When they left, Pres asked for Maddox constantly and said that she missed him. Thank You Amber and Derrick for coming and joining us- we had a blast and can't wait to do it again!
So here are a few things that we did on our vacation:
1. Took the kids to Pier Park in PCB. We ate, then let the kids ride a few rides. It was Maddox's very first carousel rides and he LOVED it! Then, we got ice cream :)
2. Ate, ate and ate some more at so many wonderful restaurants..I will provide all of the links below
3. Enjoyed beach and pool time!
4. I read 3 James Patterson books in a week. This is something that I'm happy about and thought it was worth mentioning since I have not really had time to read a book other than a text or children's book in several years! Seriously, if you haven't read his books, you should!
5. Run! I've been doing really good sticking to my workout routine so I couldn't slack while on vacation (especially eating like we did!). It was so nice to have the paved running/biking trails and all the beautiful scenery didn't make it seem like such a chore.
6. Biked with Preslie...this was one of my favorite things. Sean has a bike, but I think I may need one here at home. It definitely took some time getting used to riding a bike again...Sean thought it was hilarious!
Good Restaurants worth mentioning so you can try them too!
1. The Great Southern Cafe- Seaside, Fl...2 words- HOLY MOLY! It was wonderful! Think collard greens, fried green tomatoes, shrimp and gouda cheese grits...enough said, right? Must eat here if you go! Family friendly with outdoor seating available!
2. V Seagrove- WONDERFUL!!! Probably the best calamari we have ever had...not a place for young kids...this is where we went on our date night!
3. The Summer Kitchen Cafe- Rosemary Beach- ate there for lunch, very casual, great place to bike to because they have bike racks to "park" your bike at. So, so good! Great sandwiches and wraps and they have breakfast too!
4. Wild Olives Market in Rosemary Beach @ Barrett Square- YUM! Their website doesn't work, but I had to mention it! We ate lunch there, but they are also like a little market and deli with delicious looking desserts, pasteries, wine, deli meat, etc.
5. Amavida Coffee Company- Rosemary Beach/Seaside- I went to the one in Rosemary Beach several times for coffee (yep, I admit I'm a coffee addict!). Very good, with tons of sugar free options!
And here are a few pics from the trip:
Our adorable beach house!
Pres ready to swim!
Great pic of Maddox and Amber at Pier Park:
We stayed in an adorable beach cottage in a neighborhood called Magnolia Cottages by the Sea which was a change from staying in a condo like we usually do. I liked the privacy, and it just felt very "homey". Loved the screened in porch on the front! The house had a little shed which included 4 bikes, beach chairs, rafts, and beach toys for kids. All we had to bring was Preslie's bike trailer and we were all set to bike to one of the neighboring cities! One room included two sets of bunk beds which was perfect for kids! It was 3 bdrm, 3 bath and beautifull furnished! Here is the info for the house in case anyone wants to rent it. I would highly recommend it...the man who managed it (Jim Buckle) was SO nice and helpful. http://www.surfsidepropertygroup.com/ Go to Properties >Rental Properties >then select Coral Cottage...there are a few others in the same neighborhood that I'm sure are also awesome!
We were so excited that Amber, Derrick and Maddox could join us for 5 days of the trip! Pres and Maddox loved each other (well, most of the time! haha!). They kinda argued like brother and sister, but two minutes later you would find them hugging each other. We decided to each have a date night which was SOOO nice. Amber and Derrick went first and we watched Maddox, and then they returned the favor a couple of days later and watched Pres so Sean and I could enjoy a nice dinner (see pic of V Seagrove below). When they left, Pres asked for Maddox constantly and said that she missed him. Thank You Amber and Derrick for coming and joining us- we had a blast and can't wait to do it again!
So here are a few things that we did on our vacation:
1. Took the kids to Pier Park in PCB. We ate, then let the kids ride a few rides. It was Maddox's very first carousel rides and he LOVED it! Then, we got ice cream :)
2. Ate, ate and ate some more at so many wonderful restaurants..I will provide all of the links below
3. Enjoyed beach and pool time!
4. I read 3 James Patterson books in a week. This is something that I'm happy about and thought it was worth mentioning since I have not really had time to read a book other than a text or children's book in several years! Seriously, if you haven't read his books, you should!
5. Run! I've been doing really good sticking to my workout routine so I couldn't slack while on vacation (especially eating like we did!). It was so nice to have the paved running/biking trails and all the beautiful scenery didn't make it seem like such a chore.
6. Biked with Preslie...this was one of my favorite things. Sean has a bike, but I think I may need one here at home. It definitely took some time getting used to riding a bike again...Sean thought it was hilarious!
Good Restaurants worth mentioning so you can try them too!
1. The Great Southern Cafe- Seaside, Fl...2 words- HOLY MOLY! It was wonderful! Think collard greens, fried green tomatoes, shrimp and gouda cheese grits...enough said, right? Must eat here if you go! Family friendly with outdoor seating available!
2. V Seagrove- WONDERFUL!!! Probably the best calamari we have ever had...not a place for young kids...this is where we went on our date night!
3. The Summer Kitchen Cafe- Rosemary Beach- ate there for lunch, very casual, great place to bike to because they have bike racks to "park" your bike at. So, so good! Great sandwiches and wraps and they have breakfast too!
4. Wild Olives Market in Rosemary Beach @ Barrett Square- YUM! Their website doesn't work, but I had to mention it! We ate lunch there, but they are also like a little market and deli with delicious looking desserts, pasteries, wine, deli meat, etc.
5. Amavida Coffee Company- Rosemary Beach/Seaside- I went to the one in Rosemary Beach several times for coffee (yep, I admit I'm a coffee addict!). Very good, with tons of sugar free options!
And here are a few pics from the trip:
Our adorable beach house!
Pres ready to swim!
Great pic of Maddox and Amber at Pier Park:
Pres and Me at Pineapple Willy's:
Ready for a bike ride!
Sweet Daddy/Preslie love!
My beach baby:
Yummy ice cream!
Love this pic of Maddox:
And last, but not least, the beautiful beach!
Monday, April 30, 2012
The ending of a chapter marks the start of another!
Wow...a whole month has passed since I blogged! I will now hopefully have more time because today was my last day student teaching. It was definitely a bittersweet day! I will admit that I cried most of the way home, and my heart felt as if it had sunk deep into my stomach. I am going to miss it so much! The last 20 months since I started the program to obtain my teaching certification has been challenging to say the least. The program itself was not difficult, but it was a challenge to balance motherhood and family responsibilities along with school work.
I want to share my student teaching experience with you. I was placed at a great school, and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that God hand-picked the three teachers that I was fortunate enough to get paired with. These three women are amazing people and great teachers. I learned so much from them! They pour their hearts and souls into teaching, making every single minute of instruction count. I wish everyone could see how hard teachers work and everything that is involved. I personally had no idea until this experience. You rarely have a chance to sit down, you scarf your lunch down in 5 minutes, you sing, act and perform all day, then leave exhausted. By Friday afternoon, I was usually too tired to do much of anything. I am by no means complaining, just trying to provide a realistic picture of what it is truly like and the hard work that it entails.
I fell in love with all of my kiddos, but for some reason I seem to have a very special place in my heart for the ones that really struggle and come from less fortunate homes and circumstances. In first grade, I really had the opportunity to see tremendous growth from a couple of students. It is amazing how much students can grow, going from not being able to read to reading, in just five weeks. There are few things more rewarding than witnessing that kind of growth, especially when they are trying so hard. What is even better is when they realize their growth and you see that little smile on their face. Ahhhh, I get teary eyed just writing about it... I can do nothing but be thankful that God led me down this path, to this school, and then to these children. I KNOW that this is what I am meant to do! I am not going to lie, teaching is hard work and there are times when it is frustrating. I think it is much like parenthood...it is HARD, exhausting, frustrating sometimes, but the rewards (like when your own child tells you they love you or wraps their little arms around your neck) outweigh all of that. In the classroom, the rewards are the growth, the hugs, the experiencecs, the student's work, and knowing that not only did you make an impact on their lives, but they made an impact on yours as well that make it all worthwhile.
I can't believe that I am now COMPLETELY DONE... no more deadlines, lesson plans, papers...it definitely feels odd. Now, it is time to enjoy time with my family, at least until Sean is done working in NOLA. We leave for the beach Wednesday morning for a week...I hope I'm not bored after that. I graduated college in 2004, worked full time at AT&T for 6 years immediately following graduation, and then started the alt cert program at UL just days after leaving AT&T. It will be an adjustment to not have a job or be in school (or both! HA!), but I know this time and opportunity is precious! We will be in Lafayette until the last weekend in June/first weekend in July, and then Sean starts in New Orleans on July 2nd!!! We were in NOLA this weekend and I hopped out at the French Market to buy my teacher's candles (but then she wasn't there selling them this time so I had to run to the little store on N Peters to get them)...I have been buying these candles for years!!! Check them out on Facebook- French Quarter Candles...nothing like them. They are all made fresh each morning with local "ingredients" and named with "New Orleans" names like French Quarter Quartyard (my fave!!) and Garden District, etc.. Anyways, it was Jazz Fest so the French Market area was bustling...people were sitting everywhere at outdoor sidewalk cafes and there were live jazz bands set up at restaurants. That is exactly what I love about New Orleans. It's still hard for me to believe that we not only get to live in that great city and experience all of the sites and sounds that it has to offer, but we can just walk out of our front door to it!!! I am beyond excited for this new chapter!!! More to come on the beach and NOLA later! :) Thanks to everyone that has supported and encouraged me throughout my journey the last 20 months!!!
I want to share my student teaching experience with you. I was placed at a great school, and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that God hand-picked the three teachers that I was fortunate enough to get paired with. These three women are amazing people and great teachers. I learned so much from them! They pour their hearts and souls into teaching, making every single minute of instruction count. I wish everyone could see how hard teachers work and everything that is involved. I personally had no idea until this experience. You rarely have a chance to sit down, you scarf your lunch down in 5 minutes, you sing, act and perform all day, then leave exhausted. By Friday afternoon, I was usually too tired to do much of anything. I am by no means complaining, just trying to provide a realistic picture of what it is truly like and the hard work that it entails.
I fell in love with all of my kiddos, but for some reason I seem to have a very special place in my heart for the ones that really struggle and come from less fortunate homes and circumstances. In first grade, I really had the opportunity to see tremendous growth from a couple of students. It is amazing how much students can grow, going from not being able to read to reading, in just five weeks. There are few things more rewarding than witnessing that kind of growth, especially when they are trying so hard. What is even better is when they realize their growth and you see that little smile on their face. Ahhhh, I get teary eyed just writing about it... I can do nothing but be thankful that God led me down this path, to this school, and then to these children. I KNOW that this is what I am meant to do! I am not going to lie, teaching is hard work and there are times when it is frustrating. I think it is much like parenthood...it is HARD, exhausting, frustrating sometimes, but the rewards (like when your own child tells you they love you or wraps their little arms around your neck) outweigh all of that. In the classroom, the rewards are the growth, the hugs, the experiencecs, the student's work, and knowing that not only did you make an impact on their lives, but they made an impact on yours as well that make it all worthwhile.
I can't believe that I am now COMPLETELY DONE... no more deadlines, lesson plans, papers...it definitely feels odd. Now, it is time to enjoy time with my family, at least until Sean is done working in NOLA. We leave for the beach Wednesday morning for a week...I hope I'm not bored after that. I graduated college in 2004, worked full time at AT&T for 6 years immediately following graduation, and then started the alt cert program at UL just days after leaving AT&T. It will be an adjustment to not have a job or be in school (or both! HA!), but I know this time and opportunity is precious! We will be in Lafayette until the last weekend in June/first weekend in July, and then Sean starts in New Orleans on July 2nd!!! We were in NOLA this weekend and I hopped out at the French Market to buy my teacher's candles (but then she wasn't there selling them this time so I had to run to the little store on N Peters to get them)...I have been buying these candles for years!!! Check them out on Facebook- French Quarter Candles...nothing like them. They are all made fresh each morning with local "ingredients" and named with "New Orleans" names like French Quarter Quartyard (my fave!!) and Garden District, etc.. Anyways, it was Jazz Fest so the French Market area was bustling...people were sitting everywhere at outdoor sidewalk cafes and there were live jazz bands set up at restaurants. That is exactly what I love about New Orleans. It's still hard for me to believe that we not only get to live in that great city and experience all of the sites and sounds that it has to offer, but we can just walk out of our front door to it!!! I am beyond excited for this new chapter!!! More to come on the beach and NOLA later! :) Thanks to everyone that has supported and encouraged me throughout my journey the last 20 months!!!
Friday, March 30, 2012
The Next Chapter...
Well its been awhile since I blogged...7 weeks I believe. I definitely have not stuck to my commitment of blogging once a week! I now only have 3 weeks of student teaching left. I CANNOT believe it! It is such a bittersweet feeling! The last 18 months have been challenging, but I can honestly say that it has been a life changing experience. I have a special place in my heart for so many of the children that I have had the opportunity and priviledge to teach the last few months. I decided that I wanted to teach because I love kids, and even after a rough day, the many hugs that I receive confirm that I made the right decision. I will write more about my student teaching later...I could go ON and ON and ON because I have learned so much...to be continued...
Now, what I actually wanted to write about. We are "moving" to New Orleans. I don't think there is any other city quite like it...most people either love it or they hate it. I personally love it! And when I say love, I mean LOVE IT! I have loved it since the first time I visited. The city just has soul...I'm not exactly sure how to explain that, but I get this warm and fuzzy feeling everytime I drive into that city. I could wander around all day and be perfectly content. When visting in the past, I have always looked at the apartments and homes (especially those in and around the french quarter) and think of how amazing it would be to live in one of them. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen.
We have known for while that we would be going to NOLA, and Sean was actually originally supposed to report there in January. Since I was student teaching, we asked if it was possible to send another guy who had been hired for the project in January instead of Sean and then send Sean later when I was done student teaching (when the other guy was originally supposed to go). Even though Sean is gone half the month now, when he is home for 2 weeks he is the biggest help in the world!!! I don't know how I would have made it the last few months if he were living in New Orleans during the week...Props to all the single mommies out there...I have no idea how you ladies do it!!! So, we finally found out that Sean will start at "the square" in June. We will live in downtown New Orleans in a high rise apartment building....what a change from our life in Lafayette! We will keep our house here though...Sean will no longer go offshore while in New Orleans, but will instead work M-TH in the office so we plan to come back to Lafayette often. I think it will be nice to walk out the "front door" and walk or ride the street car to the French Quarter, children's museum, aquarium, and countless other places in New Orleans. Oh yes, and we only need one car there which is a relief since gas is projected to rise to $5/gallon by the summer. The apartment building will also be on Poydras so Sean can walk right down the street to work! There is a rooftop pool at the apartment that Pres and I can hang out at while daddy is working :). I'm also excited about the on site fitness center...no more leaving the house and driving to the gym!!! Most of all, I'm excited about getting to see my husband every single day for the first time EVER in our relationship...9 years to be exact. It makes my heart so happy that Preslie will get to see her daddy everyday for the first time in her little life (and sadly, maybe the only time for a long time). We have no idea how long we will be in New Orleans (could be a couple of months, could be a year...no clue!) so I plan to make the most of this time. For the first time in 12 years, I won't have a job or school...that means no conference calls, meetings, deadlines, assignments, classes. I admit that I'm a little afraid that I may get restless without a job (even though taking care of Pres is a full time job!!!) or schoolwork, but I am going to enjoy this time with my family! It took me awhile to become comfortable with the fact that after all of the hard work and studying (and hoping there would be teaching jobs available) the past year and a half that I might not be back in Lafayette to teach in August. In fact, I would say it took me months to be ok with this possibility because for the last year I have worried so much about finding a teaching job when I was done. Somehow I just let go and put it all in God's hands to work out. If I have realized anything, its that life is so incredibly short, that God places these opportunities in our paths for a reason, and then its up to us to live life to the fullest and to seize these opportunities...that my friends, is exactly what I plan to do! Because no post is complete without a picture, here are a few pics from our new home in NOLA :)
Oh, I plan to spend a lot of time sitting by this pool in the late afternoon with a glass of wine in hand!!
Another view of pool...
Lobby with city views! Did I mention that I LOVE this city?
Apt...Its going to be an adjustment living in something so modern in design and much smaller than our house, but I think we will manage!
Now, what I actually wanted to write about. We are "moving" to New Orleans. I don't think there is any other city quite like it...most people either love it or they hate it. I personally love it! And when I say love, I mean LOVE IT! I have loved it since the first time I visited. The city just has soul...I'm not exactly sure how to explain that, but I get this warm and fuzzy feeling everytime I drive into that city. I could wander around all day and be perfectly content. When visting in the past, I have always looked at the apartments and homes (especially those in and around the french quarter) and think of how amazing it would be to live in one of them. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen.
We have known for while that we would be going to NOLA, and Sean was actually originally supposed to report there in January. Since I was student teaching, we asked if it was possible to send another guy who had been hired for the project in January instead of Sean and then send Sean later when I was done student teaching (when the other guy was originally supposed to go). Even though Sean is gone half the month now, when he is home for 2 weeks he is the biggest help in the world!!! I don't know how I would have made it the last few months if he were living in New Orleans during the week...Props to all the single mommies out there...I have no idea how you ladies do it!!! So, we finally found out that Sean will start at "the square" in June. We will live in downtown New Orleans in a high rise apartment building....what a change from our life in Lafayette! We will keep our house here though...Sean will no longer go offshore while in New Orleans, but will instead work M-TH in the office so we plan to come back to Lafayette often. I think it will be nice to walk out the "front door" and walk or ride the street car to the French Quarter, children's museum, aquarium, and countless other places in New Orleans. Oh yes, and we only need one car there which is a relief since gas is projected to rise to $5/gallon by the summer. The apartment building will also be on Poydras so Sean can walk right down the street to work! There is a rooftop pool at the apartment that Pres and I can hang out at while daddy is working :). I'm also excited about the on site fitness center...no more leaving the house and driving to the gym!!! Most of all, I'm excited about getting to see my husband every single day for the first time EVER in our relationship...9 years to be exact. It makes my heart so happy that Preslie will get to see her daddy everyday for the first time in her little life (and sadly, maybe the only time for a long time). We have no idea how long we will be in New Orleans (could be a couple of months, could be a year...no clue!) so I plan to make the most of this time. For the first time in 12 years, I won't have a job or school...that means no conference calls, meetings, deadlines, assignments, classes. I admit that I'm a little afraid that I may get restless without a job (even though taking care of Pres is a full time job!!!) or schoolwork, but I am going to enjoy this time with my family! It took me awhile to become comfortable with the fact that after all of the hard work and studying (and hoping there would be teaching jobs available) the past year and a half that I might not be back in Lafayette to teach in August. In fact, I would say it took me months to be ok with this possibility because for the last year I have worried so much about finding a teaching job when I was done. Somehow I just let go and put it all in God's hands to work out. If I have realized anything, its that life is so incredibly short, that God places these opportunities in our paths for a reason, and then its up to us to live life to the fullest and to seize these opportunities...that my friends, is exactly what I plan to do! Because no post is complete without a picture, here are a few pics from our new home in NOLA :)
Oh, I plan to spend a lot of time sitting by this pool in the late afternoon with a glass of wine in hand!!
Another view of pool...
Lobby with city views! Did I mention that I LOVE this city?
Apt...Its going to be an adjustment living in something so modern in design and much smaller than our house, but I think we will manage!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Cheers to 6 Years!!!
Well, I havent't exactly stuck to my commitment of blogging once a week, but I only have 10 weeks of student teaching left so I will have more time soon! I cannot believe that after this week, I am 1/3 of the way done student teaching already! That is just unbelievable. It is flying by....Did I mention that I LOVE teaching? This experience is definitely confirmation that I made the right decision by making a career change! Ok, now on to what I decided to blog about today....
Saturday, Feb 4th, marked Sean and I's (is that correct grammer...seriously doubt it, but anywho) 6 year wedding anniversary. I CANNOT believe that its been 6 years. I think that once you have a kid, everything just kinda speeds up. It seems like SO much has happened in 6 years between selling a house, buying another house, Sean changing companies, getting pregnant, having Preslie, raising Preslie!!!, me quitting my job, me going back to school, Sean going back to school...and the list goes on and on...basically just normal LIFE occurrences!!! It has definitely been a whirlwind full of ups and downs, but with many more ups!!!!
I know I have mentioned it time and time again, but God has truly blessed us again and again. He blessed me by bringing me Sean 9 years ago. Let me tell you about this guy...He is wonderful. He does so much for our family. He is the type of guy that wakes me up with coffee fresh from Starbucks just because he knows I love it so much. He is the most laid back person you will ever meet...well, let me take that back...He WAS the most laid back person you would ever meet until we had Preslie. Now, he worries about a handful of little things, like Pres having too much sugar. Honestly, I think its kinda cute that he worries about that because there are very few things that he obsesses about. Because he stresses about so little, he is THE CALM in our family. Let's face it, nothing about me is calm. I stress about, well, just about everything! When uncertainty arises, he is the one that tells me to just relax and have faith that everything WILL work out. Guess who is right everytime? Yep, him...of course! This is teaching me to believe those words...Thank You Sean for proving and teaching me that having faith and trust in God works, for teaching me that some things are out of our control and that we just have to let go (a very hard thing for a control freak like myself to do). I have learned so much from this husband of mine!
He is a wonderful daddy. I think I admire him most for this. He is one of those hands on types of daddies. I think we see these hands on daddy types lot more these days than when I was growing up. Not that fathers weren't involved in my generation, but I mean he changes diapers, brushes teeth, gives baths, takes her grocery shopping, basically entertains and cares for her ALL day for the 2 weeks that he is home. Besides performing the basic care duties NECESSARY to raising a child, he is her provider, her playmate, her shoulders to ride on, her storyteller, her hero and her heart. Thank You for being not only a father, but also a Daddy for my baby!
I could go on and on about him, but I'm realizing that this blog post is already getting long and I haven't even started telling you about our weekend yet...Sheesh! Basically, the dude is pretty awesome! We met 9 years ago and he swept me off of my feet..we fell crazy in love. Has it all been daisies and butterflies? NO...anyone that tells you that their marriage is perfect and that it is bliss all the time is LYING!!!! Ok so here are some things that I love about him (besides the things I have not mentioned) :
HE IS: my best friend, a hopeless romantic, one of the kindest people I have ever met with a huge heart, super polite (says yes ma'am, no ma'am, thank you and please to EVERYONE!!!...i love this!!), one of the wittiest people I have ever met, a hottie (have you seen those eyes?), and most of all...he just LOVES me.
Now, on to our weekend. A week before our anniversary, Sean (who was offshore at the time), emailed me and said to pack a bag with clothes for dinner because he had everything booked and planned for our anniversary. I had no clue we were going ANYWHERE because we had decided we would not go anywhere because we just went to Mexico 2 months ago. Fine by me though...this girl is always down for a trip. He ended up spilling the beans after I asked over and over. He booked a cottage at Oak Alley Plantation...a beautiful spread in Vacherie, LA. It was the plantation where they filmed some of the scenes in Interview with the Vampire and some Beyonce video. Since our anniversary was on a Saturday, he sent roses and chocolate covered strawberries to school for me. He even went through the trouble of emailing the teacher I'm student teaching with to see where he should send them. I told you, he is good (and one of a kind)!!! So Saturday rolled around and we headed towards Vacherie, stopping in Baton Rouge to eat and pick up some goodies to cook for dinner at Whole Foods (have I mentioned how much I freaking love that place?!?! Berry Chantilly cake is the bomb!!!). Anyways, after shopping for Pres at the outlets, we made it to our little cottage around 6:30. Of course, it was dark so we couldn't see much of the grounds until the next morning. In the morning, we had breakfast on the little sun porch of the restaurant and then walked the grounds. If you have never been there, it is worth a trip just to see the amazing oak trees!!! We had a wonderful little weekend getaway!!! Thank You Sean for planning our trip! I love you so much and am thankful for everything that you do for me! Cheers to a wonderful 6 years! Here's to many, many more! Here are a few pics from the weekend!
Saturday, Feb 4th, marked Sean and I's (is that correct grammer...seriously doubt it, but anywho) 6 year wedding anniversary. I CANNOT believe that its been 6 years. I think that once you have a kid, everything just kinda speeds up. It seems like SO much has happened in 6 years between selling a house, buying another house, Sean changing companies, getting pregnant, having Preslie, raising Preslie!!!, me quitting my job, me going back to school, Sean going back to school...and the list goes on and on...basically just normal LIFE occurrences!!! It has definitely been a whirlwind full of ups and downs, but with many more ups!!!!
I know I have mentioned it time and time again, but God has truly blessed us again and again. He blessed me by bringing me Sean 9 years ago. Let me tell you about this guy...He is wonderful. He does so much for our family. He is the type of guy that wakes me up with coffee fresh from Starbucks just because he knows I love it so much. He is the most laid back person you will ever meet...well, let me take that back...He WAS the most laid back person you would ever meet until we had Preslie. Now, he worries about a handful of little things, like Pres having too much sugar. Honestly, I think its kinda cute that he worries about that because there are very few things that he obsesses about. Because he stresses about so little, he is THE CALM in our family. Let's face it, nothing about me is calm. I stress about, well, just about everything! When uncertainty arises, he is the one that tells me to just relax and have faith that everything WILL work out. Guess who is right everytime? Yep, him...of course! This is teaching me to believe those words...Thank You Sean for proving and teaching me that having faith and trust in God works, for teaching me that some things are out of our control and that we just have to let go (a very hard thing for a control freak like myself to do). I have learned so much from this husband of mine!
He is a wonderful daddy. I think I admire him most for this. He is one of those hands on types of daddies. I think we see these hands on daddy types lot more these days than when I was growing up. Not that fathers weren't involved in my generation, but I mean he changes diapers, brushes teeth, gives baths, takes her grocery shopping, basically entertains and cares for her ALL day for the 2 weeks that he is home. Besides performing the basic care duties NECESSARY to raising a child, he is her provider, her playmate, her shoulders to ride on, her storyteller, her hero and her heart. Thank You for being not only a father, but also a Daddy for my baby!
I could go on and on about him, but I'm realizing that this blog post is already getting long and I haven't even started telling you about our weekend yet...Sheesh! Basically, the dude is pretty awesome! We met 9 years ago and he swept me off of my feet..we fell crazy in love. Has it all been daisies and butterflies? NO...anyone that tells you that their marriage is perfect and that it is bliss all the time is LYING!!!! Ok so here are some things that I love about him (besides the things I have not mentioned) :
HE IS: my best friend, a hopeless romantic, one of the kindest people I have ever met with a huge heart, super polite (says yes ma'am, no ma'am, thank you and please to EVERYONE!!!...i love this!!), one of the wittiest people I have ever met, a hottie (have you seen those eyes?), and most of all...he just LOVES me.
Now, on to our weekend. A week before our anniversary, Sean (who was offshore at the time), emailed me and said to pack a bag with clothes for dinner because he had everything booked and planned for our anniversary. I had no clue we were going ANYWHERE because we had decided we would not go anywhere because we just went to Mexico 2 months ago. Fine by me though...this girl is always down for a trip. He ended up spilling the beans after I asked over and over. He booked a cottage at Oak Alley Plantation...a beautiful spread in Vacherie, LA. It was the plantation where they filmed some of the scenes in Interview with the Vampire and some Beyonce video. Since our anniversary was on a Saturday, he sent roses and chocolate covered strawberries to school for me. He even went through the trouble of emailing the teacher I'm student teaching with to see where he should send them. I told you, he is good (and one of a kind)!!! So Saturday rolled around and we headed towards Vacherie, stopping in Baton Rouge to eat and pick up some goodies to cook for dinner at Whole Foods (have I mentioned how much I freaking love that place?!?! Berry Chantilly cake is the bomb!!!). Anyways, after shopping for Pres at the outlets, we made it to our little cottage around 6:30. Of course, it was dark so we couldn't see much of the grounds until the next morning. In the morning, we had breakfast on the little sun porch of the restaurant and then walked the grounds. If you have never been there, it is worth a trip just to see the amazing oak trees!!! We had a wonderful little weekend getaway!!! Thank You Sean for planning our trip! I love you so much and am thankful for everything that you do for me! Cheers to a wonderful 6 years! Here's to many, many more! Here are a few pics from the weekend!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
We WILL survive the terrible 2's!!!
Well we have been battling the terrible two's for sometime now (3 months seems like a freaking eternity!), but this weekend it has been really bad. I think Pres was one of those kids that hit the terrible 2's when she was still 1 though.....she was an early bloomer I guess you could say! HA!
So I'm trying to figure out why this weekend has been so bad, and I've come to the conclusion that it could potentially be several things. 1. Sean left Thursday, and she woke up both Thursday and Friday mornings asking where he was and then cried when I told her he was at work. 2. I am student teaching full time, and she has been going to her new daycare. Although she loves it, I recognize that it is still a transition for her. She went from staying home with me for the last year and a half to now being separated from me for about 9 hours a day! Also, I'm sure she doesn't sleep as well there as she does at home for her naps. Anyways, I'm hoping this is just an adjustment period for her because if she starts acting like this from here on out, she will DEFINITELY NEVER have the opportunity to be a big sister.
Here is a little look into the past weekend (and its not over yet!). I picked her up at about 3:45 on Friday and we went to Barnes and Noble. I had promised her that morning that we would go when I picked her up. I try to stay OUT of the house as much as possible! She loves the Thomas the Train table there and the lego table, not to to mention all of the books. She was actually VERY good there. I talk about how wild she is at times, but when she plays with other kids I often see a completely different child. I see a sweet girl who shares, is gentle with her playmates and always says please and thank you (gotta give it to the girl for remembering to use those good manners!). Score! Barnes and Noble was a success. From there, we went to eat dinner with my mom (aka Meme in Preslie's world). She was pretty good until the end of dinner. See, Pres (like many other children I hear) has a VERY short attention span. You have about 20 seconds before she is bored and ready to move on to something else. After 30 minutes, there is just nothing else to occupy her with. This is usually about the point when she starts trying to crawl under the table. I'm not sure what I said to scold her at one point, but her response was "No, mama I not love you!" Talk about hearbreaking, right? Geez!!! I blame Nemo for that one...the part where he tells his dad that he hates him (I mean come on Pixar, why in the world would you put THAT in a kid's movie? I'm sure parents everywhere are cussing you for that one!). Anyways, after a few more meltdowns at the restaurant, she ended up throwing a glass hot sauce bottle across the table. That was the last straw. We exited the building after that one, my head down...telling myself not to look up for "the stares". Sean always says that he's sure there is a standing ovation whenever we leave a restaurant, and I'm sure Friday night was no different. Saturday morning we had a play date. Pres had already been in the corner several times prior to making the 10 am playdate. She was pretty good while we were there, but started acting out and not listening at the end. Once again, we left in typical fashion- me struggling to hold Preslie, her fighting, kicking and screaming the entire way out. She then proceeded to scream for 45 minutes. See, she is not the child who will just forget about something (nor is she one of those children that you can make eat something because she will eventually get hungry- she just won't do it...she WILL starve first). The phrase she chose to repeat for 45 minutes on Saturday was "I want to go back and clean up" (insert blood curdling scream here) REPEAT...you get the drift. After 45 minutes of this, she screamed herself to sleep. Later that day, we went to dinner at Zoe's. Once again, she pitched a fit because she didn't want to leave the fountain (too bad kid...we have to go home sometime!). The 50 steps to the car felt like I was running a marathon holding a fighting baby tiger. There were a couple more stints in time out that night for separate occurences when we got home also. Then, the drama ensued this morning at Target. I swear, I prepare myself for a meltdown everytime I go into that place with her. She was SO good up until the very end. We once again left with her kicking and screaming and fighting me. Every eye was on us...go ahead people and stare...too bad, so sorry...you wanna give her a try? Yep, didn't think so! So that has been our weekend in a nutshell (and just think, that was a condensed version of the tantrums and drama).
I think its so funny that when you are pregnant everyone warns you to get a lot of sleep and to enjoy your "me" time now because of how hard the newborn stage is. That was such a piece of cake compared to toddlerhood! What they don't warn you about is your child acting like a wild animal, screaming and kicking on the floor of Target. God forbid you dare to pick them up or try to move them because they cry, scream and kick even harder. Imagine the stares you get from that one!!! Oh, and my favorite is when they hurl something (ex: frisbee, hot sauce bottle...just to name a few from my own personal experience) with great force across the table at a restaurant. Believe me, onlookers and innocent bystanders tend to excuse a crying infant much more easily than an out of control toddler. I feel like such a horrible mother when Pres acts like this and I wonder where in the world we went wrong in the last two years. What did we do that causes her to act like this? What is really discouraging is when you see a child who looks about the same age as your own sitting perfectly in their highchair or cart, their shirts void of food stains and their hair isn't standing all over their heads. This is usually quite a contrast to Pres whose bow is ripped out of her hair and shirt stained within minutes of leaving the house. I can't help but wonder what those parents did differently. On the other hand, I must admit that I smile to myself when I see a kid misbehaving in public ...kind of like, "YES, there are other ones out there!!" It reassures me that maybe I'm not alone. Maybe those kids who are being so good right now in their high chairs are holy terrors at the mall tomorrow! I don't know if that is really how it works, but a girl can hope!
I sometimes feel guilty about complaining about Pres acting out...like right now I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't post this because of all the complaining. The point of me writing this is to have an outlet, to get it all out of my head. Once its all down, I feel a little better. I recently read a mommy blog about how hard parenting is and it talked about Chronos and Kairos time. It explained that Chronos time is real time, like the slow ten minutes in the target line when your kid is pitching a fit, whereas Kairos time is God's time. Kairos time are those special little moments when time stands still, your heart feels all warm and fuzzy, and you feel that familiar lump in your throat and tears in your eyes. When Preslie hugs me tight, tight around my neck and says "I Love You Mommy" in that little voice of hers, that is a Kairos moment. When I watch her play outside in the late afternoon, seeing her giggling and running, with the beautiful setting sun falling on that angelic little face and her bouncing curls, that is a Kairos moment. When she grabs my hand and tells me that she wants to hold it, Kairos moment. Since reading that blog post about Kairos and Chronos time, I have tried to make myself more aware and appreciative of these moments. My last blog post was about how how much God has blessed us with. Yes, I am often stopped dead in my tracks and am overcome with gratitude and sheer disbelief in how much God loves us and all the things he has blessed us with. My eyes fill with tears, I stand where I am, look up and whisper "Thank You God." That doesn't mean that every moment is perfect, filled with rainbows and butterflies though. There are hard times also, moments of uncertainty, doubt, stress, and terrible two's. The point of all my rambling is that if I can take notice of and appreciate the Kairos moments, it will make those grueling Chronos moments a little easier to survive. So my new goal is to recognize that its ok to vent and complain about the hard times...I think thats only natural, but to continue to take notice of the good times, the Kairos moments. In fact, I may start writing them down at the end of each day. Thank God for those Kairos moments to get us through the terrible 2's!!!! I hope everyone has a fabulous week! Take care! Katie
So I'm trying to figure out why this weekend has been so bad, and I've come to the conclusion that it could potentially be several things. 1. Sean left Thursday, and she woke up both Thursday and Friday mornings asking where he was and then cried when I told her he was at work. 2. I am student teaching full time, and she has been going to her new daycare. Although she loves it, I recognize that it is still a transition for her. She went from staying home with me for the last year and a half to now being separated from me for about 9 hours a day! Also, I'm sure she doesn't sleep as well there as she does at home for her naps. Anyways, I'm hoping this is just an adjustment period for her because if she starts acting like this from here on out, she will DEFINITELY NEVER have the opportunity to be a big sister.
Here is a little look into the past weekend (and its not over yet!). I picked her up at about 3:45 on Friday and we went to Barnes and Noble. I had promised her that morning that we would go when I picked her up. I try to stay OUT of the house as much as possible! She loves the Thomas the Train table there and the lego table, not to to mention all of the books. She was actually VERY good there. I talk about how wild she is at times, but when she plays with other kids I often see a completely different child. I see a sweet girl who shares, is gentle with her playmates and always says please and thank you (gotta give it to the girl for remembering to use those good manners!). Score! Barnes and Noble was a success. From there, we went to eat dinner with my mom (aka Meme in Preslie's world). She was pretty good until the end of dinner. See, Pres (like many other children I hear) has a VERY short attention span. You have about 20 seconds before she is bored and ready to move on to something else. After 30 minutes, there is just nothing else to occupy her with. This is usually about the point when she starts trying to crawl under the table. I'm not sure what I said to scold her at one point, but her response was "No, mama I not love you!" Talk about hearbreaking, right? Geez!!! I blame Nemo for that one...the part where he tells his dad that he hates him (I mean come on Pixar, why in the world would you put THAT in a kid's movie? I'm sure parents everywhere are cussing you for that one!). Anyways, after a few more meltdowns at the restaurant, she ended up throwing a glass hot sauce bottle across the table. That was the last straw. We exited the building after that one, my head down...telling myself not to look up for "the stares". Sean always says that he's sure there is a standing ovation whenever we leave a restaurant, and I'm sure Friday night was no different. Saturday morning we had a play date. Pres had already been in the corner several times prior to making the 10 am playdate. She was pretty good while we were there, but started acting out and not listening at the end. Once again, we left in typical fashion- me struggling to hold Preslie, her fighting, kicking and screaming the entire way out. She then proceeded to scream for 45 minutes. See, she is not the child who will just forget about something (nor is she one of those children that you can make eat something because she will eventually get hungry- she just won't do it...she WILL starve first). The phrase she chose to repeat for 45 minutes on Saturday was "I want to go back and clean up" (insert blood curdling scream here) REPEAT...you get the drift. After 45 minutes of this, she screamed herself to sleep. Later that day, we went to dinner at Zoe's. Once again, she pitched a fit because she didn't want to leave the fountain (too bad kid...we have to go home sometime!). The 50 steps to the car felt like I was running a marathon holding a fighting baby tiger. There were a couple more stints in time out that night for separate occurences when we got home also. Then, the drama ensued this morning at Target. I swear, I prepare myself for a meltdown everytime I go into that place with her. She was SO good up until the very end. We once again left with her kicking and screaming and fighting me. Every eye was on us...go ahead people and stare...too bad, so sorry...you wanna give her a try? Yep, didn't think so! So that has been our weekend in a nutshell (and just think, that was a condensed version of the tantrums and drama).
I think its so funny that when you are pregnant everyone warns you to get a lot of sleep and to enjoy your "me" time now because of how hard the newborn stage is. That was such a piece of cake compared to toddlerhood! What they don't warn you about is your child acting like a wild animal, screaming and kicking on the floor of Target. God forbid you dare to pick them up or try to move them because they cry, scream and kick even harder. Imagine the stares you get from that one!!! Oh, and my favorite is when they hurl something (ex: frisbee, hot sauce bottle...just to name a few from my own personal experience) with great force across the table at a restaurant. Believe me, onlookers and innocent bystanders tend to excuse a crying infant much more easily than an out of control toddler. I feel like such a horrible mother when Pres acts like this and I wonder where in the world we went wrong in the last two years. What did we do that causes her to act like this? What is really discouraging is when you see a child who looks about the same age as your own sitting perfectly in their highchair or cart, their shirts void of food stains and their hair isn't standing all over their heads. This is usually quite a contrast to Pres whose bow is ripped out of her hair and shirt stained within minutes of leaving the house. I can't help but wonder what those parents did differently. On the other hand, I must admit that I smile to myself when I see a kid misbehaving in public ...kind of like, "YES, there are other ones out there!!" It reassures me that maybe I'm not alone. Maybe those kids who are being so good right now in their high chairs are holy terrors at the mall tomorrow! I don't know if that is really how it works, but a girl can hope!
I sometimes feel guilty about complaining about Pres acting out...like right now I'm thinking maybe I shouldn't post this because of all the complaining. The point of me writing this is to have an outlet, to get it all out of my head. Once its all down, I feel a little better. I recently read a mommy blog about how hard parenting is and it talked about Chronos and Kairos time. It explained that Chronos time is real time, like the slow ten minutes in the target line when your kid is pitching a fit, whereas Kairos time is God's time. Kairos time are those special little moments when time stands still, your heart feels all warm and fuzzy, and you feel that familiar lump in your throat and tears in your eyes. When Preslie hugs me tight, tight around my neck and says "I Love You Mommy" in that little voice of hers, that is a Kairos moment. When I watch her play outside in the late afternoon, seeing her giggling and running, with the beautiful setting sun falling on that angelic little face and her bouncing curls, that is a Kairos moment. When she grabs my hand and tells me that she wants to hold it, Kairos moment. Since reading that blog post about Kairos and Chronos time, I have tried to make myself more aware and appreciative of these moments. My last blog post was about how how much God has blessed us with. Yes, I am often stopped dead in my tracks and am overcome with gratitude and sheer disbelief in how much God loves us and all the things he has blessed us with. My eyes fill with tears, I stand where I am, look up and whisper "Thank You God." That doesn't mean that every moment is perfect, filled with rainbows and butterflies though. There are hard times also, moments of uncertainty, doubt, stress, and terrible two's. The point of all my rambling is that if I can take notice of and appreciate the Kairos moments, it will make those grueling Chronos moments a little easier to survive. So my new goal is to recognize that its ok to vent and complain about the hard times...I think thats only natural, but to continue to take notice of the good times, the Kairos moments. In fact, I may start writing them down at the end of each day. Thank God for those Kairos moments to get us through the terrible 2's!!!! I hope everyone has a fabulous week! Take care! Katie
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Leap of Faith
I have wanted to write about this so many times over the past year and a half. I was in Barnes and Noble last night looking at journals and devotionals and saw a quote that went a little something like this (in typical Katie fashion, I did not write it down...and those of you that REALLY know me know that I certainly didn't spend $12.99 to buy the journal!) :
"God promised to provide for our needs today. Should our needs become more tomorrow, God will provide for those also."
This was the final fuel that I needed to write this post. I really toiled with the decision of quitting my job in 2010. I had been with the company for 6 years, and although I by no means loved it, it was at least a job with decent pay and benefits. Let me rewind a little here...prior to having Preslie, I was the girl that swore that I could never be one of those stay at homes that just like sit in the house all day and do nothing (yikes!yep, I actually said that!). As a child, I envisioned myself living in a big city, wearing a suit with high heals and carrying a breifcase into a tall office building each day. I didn't really know what I would be doing, but I just knew that I would have an office job that called for the suit and high heels! Was I being selfish by having a change of heart, by wanting a career change and by wanting to stay home with my daughter? Should I just suck it up and stay at a job that I was not passionate about? The answer to those questions: "NO". No, I was not being selfish and No, I should not have settled for a job that I did not love. I believe that because God loves us, He wants us to be happy and that includes doing things that make us happy and experience joy. For me, that means spending more time with my family, staying home with my daughter and one day teaching young children.
I often think about how short life really is and how precious of a gift each and every day is. See, my father passed away suddenly and unexpectedly when I was 17. From that tragic and life changing experience, I learned (along with many other life lessons) that there is no guarantee of tomorrow. In fact, last year Sean and I took an anniversary trip to Natchez, MS. Our cottage was right across the street from a cemetary (kinda weird, right?). Anyways, one night we were driving back to the cottage, past the huge cemetary, and IT hit me. As if I were realizing it for the first time, it REALLY hit me hard that we were just going to well, die one day (I hope that doesn't sound morbid to anyone!). This was another huge wakeup call for me to quit worrying so much and just enjoy life. In the grand scheme of things, none of the crap I worry about really matters anyways.
Before making a final decision, I crunched numbers over and over, taking Sean's income which we would now have to solely rely on, and factoring in every possible bill and expense. Thinking of the possible expenses that could arise was daunting and discouraging. My biggest fear was putting my family in a bad financial situation. Could we really survive on one income, pay my college tuition, and adequately provide for our daughter? It looked as if we might have to cut so many material things out of our life- my babygap addiction, vacations, eating out all the time, Starbucks :(, but I realized that these were just that- material things that, although nice, did not determine my happiness. How blessed we are to only have to worry about giving up these luxuries when there are people that are unsure of where their next meal will come from or where they will lay their heads at night.
It has been amazing what God has done over the past year and a half. I have witnessed my baby growing into a beautiful, witty, entertaining 2 year old. I often reflect on the past year and a half and think about eveything Pres and I have done together. The thought of not having experienced any of those things nearly sends me into a panic attack. I am so thankful and blessed to have had the opportunity to spend that time with her. Those years, weeks, days and moments are gone now, never to be relived again. Thank You God for sending me down the right path and letting me experience all of this! He has provided for our family time and time again. When unexpected costs and needs have come up, there was always a way to pay for them. It has taught me to let go, worry less (I still worry, but I promise I'm working on it!) and truly trust that God will take care of our family and guide us down the right path because that is all that He has ever done!
Oh yes and P.S.- that part about stay at home moms sitting in the house all day and doing nothing....I quickly learned that was NOT true. Although this is the most rewarding job on the planet, it is also the hardest!!!!!!
Katie
"God promised to provide for our needs today. Should our needs become more tomorrow, God will provide for those also."
This was the final fuel that I needed to write this post. I really toiled with the decision of quitting my job in 2010. I had been with the company for 6 years, and although I by no means loved it, it was at least a job with decent pay and benefits. Let me rewind a little here...prior to having Preslie, I was the girl that swore that I could never be one of those stay at homes that just like sit in the house all day and do nothing (yikes!yep, I actually said that!). As a child, I envisioned myself living in a big city, wearing a suit with high heals and carrying a breifcase into a tall office building each day. I didn't really know what I would be doing, but I just knew that I would have an office job that called for the suit and high heels! Was I being selfish by having a change of heart, by wanting a career change and by wanting to stay home with my daughter? Should I just suck it up and stay at a job that I was not passionate about? The answer to those questions: "NO". No, I was not being selfish and No, I should not have settled for a job that I did not love. I believe that because God loves us, He wants us to be happy and that includes doing things that make us happy and experience joy. For me, that means spending more time with my family, staying home with my daughter and one day teaching young children.
I often think about how short life really is and how precious of a gift each and every day is. See, my father passed away suddenly and unexpectedly when I was 17. From that tragic and life changing experience, I learned (along with many other life lessons) that there is no guarantee of tomorrow. In fact, last year Sean and I took an anniversary trip to Natchez, MS. Our cottage was right across the street from a cemetary (kinda weird, right?). Anyways, one night we were driving back to the cottage, past the huge cemetary, and IT hit me. As if I were realizing it for the first time, it REALLY hit me hard that we were just going to well, die one day (I hope that doesn't sound morbid to anyone!). This was another huge wakeup call for me to quit worrying so much and just enjoy life. In the grand scheme of things, none of the crap I worry about really matters anyways.
Before making a final decision, I crunched numbers over and over, taking Sean's income which we would now have to solely rely on, and factoring in every possible bill and expense. Thinking of the possible expenses that could arise was daunting and discouraging. My biggest fear was putting my family in a bad financial situation. Could we really survive on one income, pay my college tuition, and adequately provide for our daughter? It looked as if we might have to cut so many material things out of our life- my babygap addiction, vacations, eating out all the time, Starbucks :(, but I realized that these were just that- material things that, although nice, did not determine my happiness. How blessed we are to only have to worry about giving up these luxuries when there are people that are unsure of where their next meal will come from or where they will lay their heads at night.
It has been amazing what God has done over the past year and a half. I have witnessed my baby growing into a beautiful, witty, entertaining 2 year old. I often reflect on the past year and a half and think about eveything Pres and I have done together. The thought of not having experienced any of those things nearly sends me into a panic attack. I am so thankful and blessed to have had the opportunity to spend that time with her. Those years, weeks, days and moments are gone now, never to be relived again. Thank You God for sending me down the right path and letting me experience all of this! He has provided for our family time and time again. When unexpected costs and needs have come up, there was always a way to pay for them. It has taught me to let go, worry less (I still worry, but I promise I'm working on it!) and truly trust that God will take care of our family and guide us down the right path because that is all that He has ever done!
Oh yes and P.S.- that part about stay at home moms sitting in the house all day and doing nothing....I quickly learned that was NOT true. Although this is the most rewarding job on the planet, it is also the hardest!!!!!!
Katie
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