Very quick update as I need to pass the computer on to whichever child wins the argument about who asked first.
First, still waiting about the job. The pendulum is swinging back a bit towards MI but overall is still in the CO zone I think. It is absolutely absurd that we may or may not be moving 1,000 miles away in a week-and-a-half (yes, if we are going we want to leave on the 8th) and we don't even know yet! Even if we have movers to help there are still lots of details to take care of. Ya just gotta laugh so as to keep from crying.
My brother got us a webcam which is our new toy and a lot of fun but it seems to make our computer very tired and need to "nap" every so often. If I forgot to send you an email, send me one so we can share instant messenger IDs so I can send you an invitation to view the webcam! If I wasn't in a hurry I'd think of something clever to say about whether or not you really want to see us, but I am so you will have to use your imagination.
We apparently have a family of garter snakes in our back yard. There are at least two. I guess they are keeping the bunnies company but for some reason I don't get the same warm fuzzy feelings when I see the snakes.
Lillian is never going to learn to crawl. She just gets frustrated way to easily. When she is on the floor and wants to be somewhere else she just whines and then finally yells until someone comes and gets her. Being the princess/diva that she is, she doesn't need to crawl...she has "people" to do those kinds of things for her.
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Monday, July 25, 2005
Update on the job
We had been looking at this from every possible angle so much that I thought it would be wise to seek counsel from some trusted online Christian friends...we have been seeking God's will in this potential move, but I believe that He can often use others to speak to us. Plus, I just felt we could benefit from a fresh perspective...someone that hadn't been spinning it around and around and around in their head might bring new insights that we just weren't seeing. So, I posted a long email and waited for responses. I got them.
After looking at these thoughts from others, the shift in thinking began. I was...intrigued?...by the idea of more money at the CO job but I guess I felt guilty about that. God has given us so many chances to get our finances in order and we keep messing them up...I guess I didn't give Him enough credit, that He would give us yet another! When I looked at it from the perspective that He was giving us yet another chance, I felt better about it. And when I thought about my husband's long-term career path, it just made sense. People also made me feel more comfortable about moving the kids, that we wouldn't be horrible parents for doing this to them again.
Somehow, over the course of a few days, I realized that I was actually excited about the prospect of a move! Arnel said that this was a relief to him as he seemed to be the only one seriously considering the potential move a good thing. So, both of us were now seriously leaning towards considering the move. The kids are even showing more support than we would have expected. I guess this is the feeling of peace about a decision that we have been waiting for.
The company has been asking my dh what it would take to get him there. So, last night he emailed them a prooposal. Which of course implies that if they agree to it we will be going. I am assuming that there will be some back and forth before a final agreement is reached, but at
this point we are assuming that they willl come to terms and that we will be moving.
Interesting twist. We agreed that we should keep our plan that Julia be able to attend public school but learned that their school starts Aug. 15! So, things are happening very, very fast.
Prayer update would be that they can come to terms on dh's contract and that the move proceed smoothly.
After looking at these thoughts from others, the shift in thinking began. I was...intrigued?...by the idea of more money at the CO job but I guess I felt guilty about that. God has given us so many chances to get our finances in order and we keep messing them up...I guess I didn't give Him enough credit, that He would give us yet another! When I looked at it from the perspective that He was giving us yet another chance, I felt better about it. And when I thought about my husband's long-term career path, it just made sense. People also made me feel more comfortable about moving the kids, that we wouldn't be horrible parents for doing this to them again.
Somehow, over the course of a few days, I realized that I was actually excited about the prospect of a move! Arnel said that this was a relief to him as he seemed to be the only one seriously considering the potential move a good thing. So, both of us were now seriously leaning towards considering the move. The kids are even showing more support than we would have expected. I guess this is the feeling of peace about a decision that we have been waiting for.
The company has been asking my dh what it would take to get him there. So, last night he emailed them a prooposal. Which of course implies that if they agree to it we will be going. I am assuming that there will be some back and forth before a final agreement is reached, but at
this point we are assuming that they willl come to terms and that we will be moving.
Interesting twist. We agreed that we should keep our plan that Julia be able to attend public school but learned that their school starts Aug. 15! So, things are happening very, very fast.
Prayer update would be that they can come to terms on dh's contract and that the move proceed smoothly.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Ready for Testers!
The first version of my Memory Works website is up! Please take a look, sign the guest book, and feel free to buy something if you want, lol!
http://www.mycraftsource.com/EnjoytheJourney/index.html
http://www.mycraftsource.com/EnjoytheJourney/index.html
Friday, July 22, 2005
No news yet
Still no decision, but we do find ourselves spending a lot of time discussing what he would accept as an offer, where we would live, etc. It seems our mind has subtly shifted.
I took the first step to getting a website with an online shopping cart for my new scrapbooking "business!"
Again, will keep you all updated on both fronts.
I took the first step to getting a website with an online shopping cart for my new scrapbooking "business!"
Again, will keep you all updated on both fronts.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
The pendulum...
No decision has been made...Arnel hasn't even received the official offer from Colorado yet...but as much as we don't want to leave Michigan, it does appear that the pendulum may be shifting a little bit in that direction. The long-term plans for him there are the biggest selling point right now. Will keep you posted.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Twice in one day?!
Our Dinner
Yup! I'm actually posting twice in one day! And with sub-headers even! Just thought I'd share quickly (yeah, right, anyone whose ever talked to me knows I don't share things "quickly!") about our anniversary dinner. We went to Lone Star, a steak place. Lillian did fine. She got sleepy and was much too distracted too nurse well, but finally fell asleep on Arnel's shoulder, which meant we had a peaceful dinner even though I did have to cut his steak for him. But I'm a mom...wiper of other people's bottoms and cutter of other people's food. It's in my job description.
Anyway, the food was delicious. We both had steak and shrimp combos and the grilled shrimp was fantastic! We splurged and got an appetizer, one of those onion "rose" things. Yummy but just too much fried food to finish. We debated on what to get to drink...the waiter explained the alcoholic lemonade and teas they had. Arnel asked if they had any that were non-alcoholic. We continued to mull it over a few seconds, then had to choose from all the flavors...well they were just swamped and I don't know where the system fell apart but somehow or other we wound up with alcoholic lemonades anyway. You couldn't taste the alcohol but Arnel rarely drinks and I don't drink at all (I have nothing against it in moderation, I just don't care for the taste and I have seen too many people who share my DNA not handle alcohol well to ever have wanted to acquire a taste for it.) So, anyway, by the time we were half done we could both feel it even though we couldn't taste it. They were decicious, though! After dinner, even though I was too stuffed to finish my meal (Arnel's lunch tomorrow!) I decided that since we were celebrating I would have dessert so added a slice of key lime pie. Again, delicious.
By the way, we finally had a chance for Arnel to explain to me in a lot more detail what they have to offer him in Colorado and to tell the truth I can see why he is so torn. Right now we are just waiting for an official offer to come in but he still doesn't know what he will say when it does. The job itself is truthfully, potentially, much better in the long run...but it is in a place we don't really want to be. Also, I never used to understand when people said things like 'We will move after the kids are out of school.' But now, I totally get it...and even though our kids haven't been in public school, the idea of moving them (again!) weighs heavily into the decision.
So anyway, back to the dinner. Apparently they were really slooooooow tonight. I could sort of tell, but honestly...Lillian is asleep by this time and Arnel and I are actually eating without anyone telling potty jokes or interrupting us. The waiter kept apologizing but he obviously didn't realize what an unexpected bonus the delays were for us! But since we were so nice about the delays they took off the price of our appetizer. Happy anniversary to us!
A Lesson I've Learned
Flash back to January...the four kids and I...eight months pregnant but looking at least eleven...are in Home Depot. Now, I've been in Home Depot a time or two before and I don't think I've ever been waited on there without having to practically hide around a corner and tackle the first person I could find in an orange apron. But the pregnant lady with all the kids? She had people coming out of the woodowork to help her, sometimes two at a time!
Back to today...as I was going through the drive-through of a certain fast food restaurant with my gorgeous teenage daughter sitting in the passenger seat next to me and listening to the sweet teenage boy try to make lame conversation while passing me my drinks...I suddenly realize that having my teenage daughter with me when I am needing assistance from teenage boys can be a very good thing! I may be a slow learner but I'm definitely going to find a way to work the system to my advantage!
Lillian
Okay, I remembered a couple more Lillian things I wanted to share. I already mentioned how she wants to be upright all the time, right? So now when we go to change her diaper...some things you just gotta do laying down, you know?...there she is with her head and neck two inches off the ground, straining with all she has...like she just knows that this will be the time that she will actually be able to pull herself straight up to a sitting position! Just hilarious.
The other isn't really something she does...but she has these hairs, you see. Her hair overall is thickening up nicely. But right around the crown she has about a dozen or so that are much longer than the rest. In the right light you can actually see them blowing in the wind. And then out of that dozen, there are about five that are another inch or so longer than even those. Three in the front of the swirl of her crown, and the other two in the back. It provides us with endless amusement around the house here during the day. I dunno...maybe we need to get out more.
Yup! I'm actually posting twice in one day! And with sub-headers even! Just thought I'd share quickly (yeah, right, anyone whose ever talked to me knows I don't share things "quickly!") about our anniversary dinner. We went to Lone Star, a steak place. Lillian did fine. She got sleepy and was much too distracted too nurse well, but finally fell asleep on Arnel's shoulder, which meant we had a peaceful dinner even though I did have to cut his steak for him. But I'm a mom...wiper of other people's bottoms and cutter of other people's food. It's in my job description.
Anyway, the food was delicious. We both had steak and shrimp combos and the grilled shrimp was fantastic! We splurged and got an appetizer, one of those onion "rose" things. Yummy but just too much fried food to finish. We debated on what to get to drink...the waiter explained the alcoholic lemonade and teas they had. Arnel asked if they had any that were non-alcoholic. We continued to mull it over a few seconds, then had to choose from all the flavors...well they were just swamped and I don't know where the system fell apart but somehow or other we wound up with alcoholic lemonades anyway. You couldn't taste the alcohol but Arnel rarely drinks and I don't drink at all (I have nothing against it in moderation, I just don't care for the taste and I have seen too many people who share my DNA not handle alcohol well to ever have wanted to acquire a taste for it.) So, anyway, by the time we were half done we could both feel it even though we couldn't taste it. They were decicious, though! After dinner, even though I was too stuffed to finish my meal (Arnel's lunch tomorrow!) I decided that since we were celebrating I would have dessert so added a slice of key lime pie. Again, delicious.
By the way, we finally had a chance for Arnel to explain to me in a lot more detail what they have to offer him in Colorado and to tell the truth I can see why he is so torn. Right now we are just waiting for an official offer to come in but he still doesn't know what he will say when it does. The job itself is truthfully, potentially, much better in the long run...but it is in a place we don't really want to be. Also, I never used to understand when people said things like 'We will move after the kids are out of school.' But now, I totally get it...and even though our kids haven't been in public school, the idea of moving them (again!) weighs heavily into the decision.
So anyway, back to the dinner. Apparently they were really slooooooow tonight. I could sort of tell, but honestly...Lillian is asleep by this time and Arnel and I are actually eating without anyone telling potty jokes or interrupting us. The waiter kept apologizing but he obviously didn't realize what an unexpected bonus the delays were for us! But since we were so nice about the delays they took off the price of our appetizer. Happy anniversary to us!
A Lesson I've Learned
Flash back to January...the four kids and I...eight months pregnant but looking at least eleven...are in Home Depot. Now, I've been in Home Depot a time or two before and I don't think I've ever been waited on there without having to practically hide around a corner and tackle the first person I could find in an orange apron. But the pregnant lady with all the kids? She had people coming out of the woodowork to help her, sometimes two at a time!
Back to today...as I was going through the drive-through of a certain fast food restaurant with my gorgeous teenage daughter sitting in the passenger seat next to me and listening to the sweet teenage boy try to make lame conversation while passing me my drinks...I suddenly realize that having my teenage daughter with me when I am needing assistance from teenage boys can be a very good thing! I may be a slow learner but I'm definitely going to find a way to work the system to my advantage!
Lillian
Okay, I remembered a couple more Lillian things I wanted to share. I already mentioned how she wants to be upright all the time, right? So now when we go to change her diaper...some things you just gotta do laying down, you know?...there she is with her head and neck two inches off the ground, straining with all she has...like she just knows that this will be the time that she will actually be able to pull herself straight up to a sitting position! Just hilarious.
The other isn't really something she does...but she has these hairs, you see. Her hair overall is thickening up nicely. But right around the crown she has about a dozen or so that are much longer than the rest. In the right light you can actually see them blowing in the wind. And then out of that dozen, there are about five that are another inch or so longer than even those. Three in the front of the swirl of her crown, and the other two in the back. It provides us with endless amusement around the house here during the day. I dunno...maybe we need to get out more.
Finally!
Finally! Got a chance to sit down and update the blog again! As I've mentioned before, the busier things are, the less time there is to write about them!
So, lemme see...what has been going on. Arnel has been playing softball for the church team. Last week they lost to "those dastardly Presbyterians." No offense to Presbyterians, but that is the way it was reported at church on Sunday...just wanted to show how much fun everyone has with this. Julia is supposed to be playing, too, but for one reason or another hasn't made a game yet. She has been busy with her band practice. I think she knows five songs on her bass now and is trying to get the hang of playing and singing at the same time.
On July 7th Arnel's sister Karen, her husband and their two daughters and one son all came to visit while on a family-visiting tour of the Midwest. They left on the 10th and it wasn't nearly long enough. I've long said that the one real regret I have about our children's childhoods is that they are so far from their extended family. But you wouldn't be able to tell..our middle kids are 10yog, 8yob and 5yob. Our nieces are 9 and 7 and our nephew is 4. They all got along soooooo well! It renews my commitment to making sure all the cousins get to spend time together on a semi-regular basis. What wonderful memories they will have of these times.
On the 12th Arnel and Julia took their trip to Colorado, returning on the 16th. From what I hear the trip was a great success as far as reconnecting with old friends. Unfortunately, Arnel returned just as confused as ever as to what God is leading us to do. I am just holding on to the fact that at some point the path will become clear. I know the company in Colorado wants to have things wrapped up fairly soon, so one way or another, it will all be resolved in the next several weeks. A move to Colorado would mean a lifestyle change of sorts as we would most likely wind up living in a very small (do you understand that I mean teeny-tiny?) town out in the middle of nowhere, in between the town where Arnel would work and the "big" town we used to live in. Big meaning it actually appears on maps. And it would also make it unlikely that Julia would be attending public school after all. We'd be leaving friends and a church that we feel we have really connected with here. On the other hand, this is potentially a great opportunity to dig our way out of an uncomfortable amount of debt. But...should such a momentous change in oru lives be based solely on money?? So far God hasn't sent any emails or angels telling us what He wants us to do, though, so we continue to wait, and pray. Like I said, it will all be figured out one way or another soon.
Okay, so on the 14th we began babysitting an 8yog and 6yob for some friends. Again, fit right in with our kids age-wise. Having the extra ones here while Arnel and Julia were gone really forced me to get my act together and get organized and I was able to prove to myself that I am still capable of keeping my family afloat. I've been relying on lots of help and while I certainly don't want to give it all up, it is good to know that I can still keep my head above water. Are you enjoying all the sea-faring analogies?
Well, that pretty much brings us up to today. What I am excited about right now is that I have signed on to be a consultant with a scrapbooking company called Memory Works. You can check out their products at http://www.memory-works.com/. They are a very low-key company...there are NO uplines/downlines...so no emphasis on recruiting other consultants. (Which has been the drawback for me to any other type of home sales company I've come across.) It is instead all about the products! And they have great name-brand products that you would buy at a "brick and mortar" store, but since they are sold via consultants you can have the opportunity to check them out first and/or buy them in a home environment. If you are a parent you understand the appeal of that! I will be doing regular catalog sales as well as "parties" with the traditional type of hostess benefits, for anyone who might be interested. There is also a very real possibility that I will have an online store for these products as well. I will keep you updated as things progress! Oh! And I'm also doing another fun thing...I've taken over the job of collating the orders for the natural food co-op we belong to, for one of the distributors we buy from. So far I've only done it once and that was more of a watch-and-learn...this month will be my first time doing it by myself. It is definitely a learning curve thing, but as one of the other co-op workers said, it is kinda nice to use a different part of my brain for a change.
Okay, even with all that, the main reason I have not been able to squeeze in an update here is that Lillian has developed a serious case of the Mommies. Since she has always been very good at...and very ahem persistent about...letting her opinions be known, it has meant that we've really had no choice but to have her spend lots of time in my arms and on my lap. I am NOT complaining...I am still completely and totally in awe of this miracle that I have been blessed with...but it certainly does cut down on my leisure-time activities, like typing (still get my email read but don't get to do much requiring use of the keyboard!) or scrapbooking.
Lillian will be 6 months old at the end of the month. Is that really possible?!? As active as she has been from day one (well, actually before day one!) I thought she'd be doing much more by now, but she just doesn't spend enough time on the floor to do much rolling or crawling practice. She can roll, but always gets really bored and frustrated at being on the floor before she gets around to doing it. She still seems clueless on the crawling thing for the same reason. She seems closer to walking than crawling! She is a fantastic sitter, though, and lately has been doing this thing where she bounces on her tushy so maybe that is how her crawling is going to take off. I'm also almost certain that she is teething, too. Wouldn't seem unusual except for how late all the others teethed. Between the sitting and the teething and the grabbing and the fascinated look on her face when she sees us eat, I think it may be almost time for her to try some solid foods. There go the "easy" diapers! Speaking of foods, did I mention that she literally grabbed a spoonful of spaghetti with meat sauce off of my plate last night?
This must somehow be related to her case of the Mommies, but she is also very opinionated about strangers. If one of her siblings is holding her and she wants me she will mostly just "complain"...sort of a grunting-whining thing. But if strangers so much as look at her (not exaggerating and it doesn't have to be complete strangers, it can be people she sees on a semi-regular basis,) she will stare and then pull out her picture-perfect pout. The girl has THE best bottom lip you have ever seen. If that doesn't work the crying is not far behind.
Just re-reading what I've written. This blog...and this entry in particular...has to be about the most boring thing ever written. If you are still reading, I salute you, and you also must really like us or something.
So, today is our 18th anniversary! Arnel and I (and Lillian!) will be going out to dinner. Hopefully nobody tries to talk to her and I will have to be sure to keep her at arm's length from my meal.
So, lemme see...what has been going on. Arnel has been playing softball for the church team. Last week they lost to "those dastardly Presbyterians." No offense to Presbyterians, but that is the way it was reported at church on Sunday...just wanted to show how much fun everyone has with this. Julia is supposed to be playing, too, but for one reason or another hasn't made a game yet. She has been busy with her band practice. I think she knows five songs on her bass now and is trying to get the hang of playing and singing at the same time.
On July 7th Arnel's sister Karen, her husband and their two daughters and one son all came to visit while on a family-visiting tour of the Midwest. They left on the 10th and it wasn't nearly long enough. I've long said that the one real regret I have about our children's childhoods is that they are so far from their extended family. But you wouldn't be able to tell..our middle kids are 10yog, 8yob and 5yob. Our nieces are 9 and 7 and our nephew is 4. They all got along soooooo well! It renews my commitment to making sure all the cousins get to spend time together on a semi-regular basis. What wonderful memories they will have of these times.
On the 12th Arnel and Julia took their trip to Colorado, returning on the 16th. From what I hear the trip was a great success as far as reconnecting with old friends. Unfortunately, Arnel returned just as confused as ever as to what God is leading us to do. I am just holding on to the fact that at some point the path will become clear. I know the company in Colorado wants to have things wrapped up fairly soon, so one way or another, it will all be resolved in the next several weeks. A move to Colorado would mean a lifestyle change of sorts as we would most likely wind up living in a very small (do you understand that I mean teeny-tiny?) town out in the middle of nowhere, in between the town where Arnel would work and the "big" town we used to live in. Big meaning it actually appears on maps. And it would also make it unlikely that Julia would be attending public school after all. We'd be leaving friends and a church that we feel we have really connected with here. On the other hand, this is potentially a great opportunity to dig our way out of an uncomfortable amount of debt. But...should such a momentous change in oru lives be based solely on money?? So far God hasn't sent any emails or angels telling us what He wants us to do, though, so we continue to wait, and pray. Like I said, it will all be figured out one way or another soon.
Okay, so on the 14th we began babysitting an 8yog and 6yob for some friends. Again, fit right in with our kids age-wise. Having the extra ones here while Arnel and Julia were gone really forced me to get my act together and get organized and I was able to prove to myself that I am still capable of keeping my family afloat. I've been relying on lots of help and while I certainly don't want to give it all up, it is good to know that I can still keep my head above water. Are you enjoying all the sea-faring analogies?
Well, that pretty much brings us up to today. What I am excited about right now is that I have signed on to be a consultant with a scrapbooking company called Memory Works. You can check out their products at http://www.memory-works.com/. They are a very low-key company...there are NO uplines/downlines...so no emphasis on recruiting other consultants. (Which has been the drawback for me to any other type of home sales company I've come across.) It is instead all about the products! And they have great name-brand products that you would buy at a "brick and mortar" store, but since they are sold via consultants you can have the opportunity to check them out first and/or buy them in a home environment. If you are a parent you understand the appeal of that! I will be doing regular catalog sales as well as "parties" with the traditional type of hostess benefits, for anyone who might be interested. There is also a very real possibility that I will have an online store for these products as well. I will keep you updated as things progress! Oh! And I'm also doing another fun thing...I've taken over the job of collating the orders for the natural food co-op we belong to, for one of the distributors we buy from. So far I've only done it once and that was more of a watch-and-learn...this month will be my first time doing it by myself. It is definitely a learning curve thing, but as one of the other co-op workers said, it is kinda nice to use a different part of my brain for a change.
Okay, even with all that, the main reason I have not been able to squeeze in an update here is that Lillian has developed a serious case of the Mommies. Since she has always been very good at...and very ahem persistent about...letting her opinions be known, it has meant that we've really had no choice but to have her spend lots of time in my arms and on my lap. I am NOT complaining...I am still completely and totally in awe of this miracle that I have been blessed with...but it certainly does cut down on my leisure-time activities, like typing (still get my email read but don't get to do much requiring use of the keyboard!) or scrapbooking.
Lillian will be 6 months old at the end of the month. Is that really possible?!? As active as she has been from day one (well, actually before day one!) I thought she'd be doing much more by now, but she just doesn't spend enough time on the floor to do much rolling or crawling practice. She can roll, but always gets really bored and frustrated at being on the floor before she gets around to doing it. She still seems clueless on the crawling thing for the same reason. She seems closer to walking than crawling! She is a fantastic sitter, though, and lately has been doing this thing where she bounces on her tushy so maybe that is how her crawling is going to take off. I'm also almost certain that she is teething, too. Wouldn't seem unusual except for how late all the others teethed. Between the sitting and the teething and the grabbing and the fascinated look on her face when she sees us eat, I think it may be almost time for her to try some solid foods. There go the "easy" diapers! Speaking of foods, did I mention that she literally grabbed a spoonful of spaghetti with meat sauce off of my plate last night?
This must somehow be related to her case of the Mommies, but she is also very opinionated about strangers. If one of her siblings is holding her and she wants me she will mostly just "complain"...sort of a grunting-whining thing. But if strangers so much as look at her (not exaggerating and it doesn't have to be complete strangers, it can be people she sees on a semi-regular basis,) she will stare and then pull out her picture-perfect pout. The girl has THE best bottom lip you have ever seen. If that doesn't work the crying is not far behind.
Just re-reading what I've written. This blog...and this entry in particular...has to be about the most boring thing ever written. If you are still reading, I salute you, and you also must really like us or something.
So, today is our 18th anniversary! Arnel and I (and Lillian!) will be going out to dinner. Hopefully nobody tries to talk to her and I will have to be sure to keep her at arm's length from my meal.
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