I'm not normally a crazy Christmas Season person. I like to order 99% of my gifts online, and normally all the weekend of Thanksgiving. I like to wrap them throughout the month and have my Christmas cards out the 1st week of December.
Not this year.
Even with the cancellation of two Christmas parties this weekend due to a child with a cold (who is doing quite well actually and sleeping pretty well considering) I feel like I've been hit by a truck. This weird pregnancy is not helping. I think this is God's way of giving me empathy towards other pregnant moms. I now understnad headaches, nasuea, and exhaustion. I can't seem to drink enough water, get to the gym, or stop eating candy. Sigh. It could always be worse, right? Yes, yes it most definitely could be worse!
What has drained all three of us this week has been such a BLESSING from God!! Brad, who has been diligently searching, applying, and interviewing received and accepted an amazing job offer this week! We got word on Monday that they would be offering him the job, but paperwork needed "approved". I was dubious. Was this like the interview to Boston needed "approved"? Because as we all know that didn't work out too well. So after no word Tuesday, then Wednesday I felt that little stab of disspointment creep in.
However, God is good and not only did he recieve that wonderful offer on Thursday, they offered more than he asked for and already has over 3 weeks of vacation next year! As Brad would say: "What the what??". Ready for more awesome news? He already had a week of vacation approved for Christmas, and he starts the new job on the 3rd, so you can do the math.
We are oh so thankful and we know who orchestrated all of this. We also made the decision that starting in April, I will return to be a stay-at-home mom (even though I am nervous) and Brad will continue to commute for now. The job is still in Columbus but father north than his old job so we will see how that effects the drive.
We continue to go back and forth on moving back to Columbus. The pros and cons list seem to be 50/50. The biggest thing we would miss would be the sense of community here in Mansfield. We will continue to pray and see where God takes us. If someone shows up on our doorstop and offers twice what we paid for the house, that might be a good indication. That could happen, right?
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
To work or not to work.
There are still lots of variables to take into accout yet, and we are still 4 (okay, 4.5) months away from baby #2, but I am in a dilema whether to go back to work or not.
Yes, I know, don't get upset. I know so many women who would give there right fingerpainting finger to stay at home. There are some days that I would too.
I DID stay home. The first nine months of our little man's existence I spent at home. I didn't do so well, as you can read about in this post. I also explained how I have changed my circumstances and I'm not so set up for failure with this one. And while I found a job to try to get out of the house a bit, it turns out that at the moment the income sure is nice for my family.
The problem here is that I LIKE my job, borderline love but I'm not saying that. If you've ever worked the 1st or 3rd at a bank you too would understand this. I like my coworkers, my boss, the actual entire company. I don't make a lot of money but I make enough to help my family.
I work three days a week. My MIL watches Asher and I even get to see him on my lunch hour since she is so close. How awesome is that?
The problem is that three days a week often feels like a lot. I know, I know, my mom worked full time, my MIL worked full time- I'm not saying anything is wrong with that. However in our case I have never become fully comfortable with that much time away. Everytime I am dropping things (not the child) trying to get out the door I think "why am I doing this?". When we have to miss our monthly playdate I enjoyed attending, or when I have to go to work on Moday after a busy weekend, or when I am so exhausted after working the drive-through Thursday AND Friday on the 1st AND the 3rd that I can't fix dinner or even play with my child, I feel like something is wrong.
Then my two days off during the week are spent trying to catch-up on housework with play breaks and driving everywhere to keep appointments. I wanted to go visit a friend in Columbus next week, but I have appoinments scheduled on both days, how's that going to work?
I don't want to make this seem like I am complaining, I know I have it pretty darn good. I am just in a dilema and somedays the answer to this is clearer than others. I pray that God would let me see the solution clearly and I would prefer that answer to come before maternity leave. In the meantime I will enjoy being at work and home and thank God for that time at both.
Yes, I know, don't get upset. I know so many women who would give there right fingerpainting finger to stay at home. There are some days that I would too.
I DID stay home. The first nine months of our little man's existence I spent at home. I didn't do so well, as you can read about in this post. I also explained how I have changed my circumstances and I'm not so set up for failure with this one. And while I found a job to try to get out of the house a bit, it turns out that at the moment the income sure is nice for my family.
The problem here is that I LIKE my job, borderline love but I'm not saying that. If you've ever worked the 1st or 3rd at a bank you too would understand this. I like my coworkers, my boss, the actual entire company. I don't make a lot of money but I make enough to help my family.
I work three days a week. My MIL watches Asher and I even get to see him on my lunch hour since she is so close. How awesome is that?
The problem is that three days a week often feels like a lot. I know, I know, my mom worked full time, my MIL worked full time- I'm not saying anything is wrong with that. However in our case I have never become fully comfortable with that much time away. Everytime I am dropping things (not the child) trying to get out the door I think "why am I doing this?". When we have to miss our monthly playdate I enjoyed attending, or when I have to go to work on Moday after a busy weekend, or when I am so exhausted after working the drive-through Thursday AND Friday on the 1st AND the 3rd that I can't fix dinner or even play with my child, I feel like something is wrong.
Then my two days off during the week are spent trying to catch-up on housework with play breaks and driving everywhere to keep appointments. I wanted to go visit a friend in Columbus next week, but I have appoinments scheduled on both days, how's that going to work?
I don't want to make this seem like I am complaining, I know I have it pretty darn good. I am just in a dilema and somedays the answer to this is clearer than others. I pray that God would let me see the solution clearly and I would prefer that answer to come before maternity leave. In the meantime I will enjoy being at work and home and thank God for that time at both.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Now serving...
Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to have dinner out with my husband (Thanks, Mom!). Over dinner I was telling him a story of how Asher tried to help me with "Kitty" (a stray cat we have taken in temporarily trying to find her owner/a new owner) by taking her water dish from the floor and moving it to the counter. Luckily my mom saw that one while my back was turned and we avoided a soaked toddler.
My husband laughed and mentioned how much our child likes to help, and man, does he ever. One of the most fun things about this age is that I get to see bits of his personality come through and helping is a big part of his. I have wondered many times if this heart for service is something that is a part of his personality that will continue to be there throughout the years. I hope so. I also hope I can help nuture that.
Which brings me to the topic of service. I am a huge believer that when raising children I have to be the example. If I want them to be reading the Bible on a daily basis, I have to be in the Word on a daily basis. If I want them to treat others in a kind, loving manner they have to see it in me first. If I don't want their lives to revolve around television, they can't see that mine does. You get the point.
Then we get to serving others. I can see God in Asher's desire to serve because I don't serve. I think that by wanting to nuture this in Asher, I am going to have to go out of my comfort zone and grow as well. Sure I do a few volunteer days throughout the year when one is offered through work or church, we take part in the Operation Christmas Child (the shoeboxes), we give at church. But I am persoanlly convivted that I do not do enough. And more importantly, I think I do these things out of obligation only, not out of a heart's desire to show God's love to others.
This is painful to admit because if you've read any of those "red" words in the Bible, (you know, those places where Jesus speaks?) you will not read long before you are being instructed to help the poor, the hungry, the needy. Man, that hurts. Jesus is telling me what he wants me to do and I am ignoring it. Double ouch.
So, the decision has been made to serve. Now I am praying for God to use me and man is it scary. I'm afraid I won't have time to commit(you know, more time away from Asher), that it will make me uncomfortable, that I have made this desire public and that I won't follow through with it. I am also afraid that if we don't follow through that this wonderful heart for service in Asher will be lost.
Now to just find out where to begin...
My husband laughed and mentioned how much our child likes to help, and man, does he ever. One of the most fun things about this age is that I get to see bits of his personality come through and helping is a big part of his. I have wondered many times if this heart for service is something that is a part of his personality that will continue to be there throughout the years. I hope so. I also hope I can help nuture that.
Which brings me to the topic of service. I am a huge believer that when raising children I have to be the example. If I want them to be reading the Bible on a daily basis, I have to be in the Word on a daily basis. If I want them to treat others in a kind, loving manner they have to see it in me first. If I don't want their lives to revolve around television, they can't see that mine does. You get the point.
Then we get to serving others. I can see God in Asher's desire to serve because I don't serve. I think that by wanting to nuture this in Asher, I am going to have to go out of my comfort zone and grow as well. Sure I do a few volunteer days throughout the year when one is offered through work or church, we take part in the Operation Christmas Child (the shoeboxes), we give at church. But I am persoanlly convivted that I do not do enough. And more importantly, I think I do these things out of obligation only, not out of a heart's desire to show God's love to others.
This is painful to admit because if you've read any of those "red" words in the Bible, (you know, those places where Jesus speaks?) you will not read long before you are being instructed to help the poor, the hungry, the needy. Man, that hurts. Jesus is telling me what he wants me to do and I am ignoring it. Double ouch.
So, the decision has been made to serve. Now I am praying for God to use me and man is it scary. I'm afraid I won't have time to commit(you know, more time away from Asher), that it will make me uncomfortable, that I have made this desire public and that I won't follow through with it. I am also afraid that if we don't follow through that this wonderful heart for service in Asher will be lost.
Now to just find out where to begin...
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