A resolution for 2014: Support my fellow parent

While browsing Facebook the other night I came across the post below from a friend from high school:

My knee-jerk reaction was "yeah, some people just aren't cut out for this parenting thing"... and then I caught myself...

You see, I've been THAT MOM in Target where everything was going along fine and then out of nowhere my infant son starts screaming at the top of his lungs. I quickly did a sniff test of the diaper which came back clean, nothing was pinching or hurting him, taking him out of the car seat and holding him didn't help, he ate just 45 minutes ago but even so, offering the spare bottle I brought wasn't cutting it. Nothing from my bag of tricks was working. So there I was, trying to walk and bounce my one-month old son in the middle of Target while softly singing his favorite songs, desperately trying to grab the items I needed so I could make my quick exit. Onlookers scowled at me, others watched with pity as I struggled to balance my screaming baby, push the cart, and grab the items I needed. But nobody offered help. I'm sure judgement was passed on me but what those people didn't know is that nobody wanted my son to stop crying more than I did. What they didn't know was that I was out of diapers and wipes and some essential food items and I figured that Target could be my one-stop-shop to get everything I needed and go back home as quickly as possible. What they didn't know was that it took me three days to muster up the courage to leave the house with my baby who needed constant attention from me for fear of this situation happening. What they didn't know was that it took me all day to try to schedule his feeding and nap times around showering, gathering items for the diaper bag, and loading the car. What they didn't know is that I was crying on the inside wishing that this trip would just end.

Even though the parent mentioned int he Facebook comment should have been giving more attention to the fact that their child was in a potentially dangerous situation, I quickly had a change of heart about my friend's post. All of a sudden I was fired up and angry at how quickly they passed judgement on this parent, and I was ashamed I had initially done the same.

When you see a parent struggling you don't know if they have had a rough day/week/month/year and their kid's behavior has left them challenged, frazzled, overwhelmed, frustrated or exhausted. Kids can be energetic and loud and are great at testing their boundaries - especially in public. And we have to take them out in public to apply the behavioral lessons learned at home. Not doing so is like assuming your degree alone will get you a job and real-life experience doesn't count. And Lord knows that you can't really control children, only teach them as they grow. My goodness, if we could so easily control our children this parenting thing would be a breeze! And let's not forget that if the child has a learning or developmental disability (autism, anyone?) then there is sometimes little the parent can do to predict, advert, or manage their child's actions.

I've seen it time and time again on social media, blogs and in real life. Observing a person's one action leads to judgement of their entire life. "That mom is letting their child throw a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store. They're a bad parent!" How unfair and how selfish of us to assume we know everything about a person in just a moment of observation. How awful of us to stand there and watch parents struggle and not offer assistance. I was ready to take action!

In my frustration I wrote this response to the Facebook post:

While there is no excuse for letting a toddler loose in a parking lot, the parent was probably overwhelmed and exhausted trying to wrangle a high energy toddler all day and probably could have used your helping hand to guide their child back near the car. Instead, you stood idly by and now mock them on Facebook. Good for you.

But I didn't hit post. It's not really my thing to get into discussions or arguments on Facebook and I wasn't looking to start an argument. Plus, I didn't want to come off all high and mighty because I am certainly not winning any parent-of-the-year awards over here. But I have re-channeled my frustration and resolve to make a change in 2014: I want to be an example of Jesus' love for us, and follow his calling for us to love one another. And I think I'll start with parents.

I believe that we all do our best and that we operate with the best of intentions. Some people only see a blip of our lives and that blip certainly doesn't tell the whole story... where some see a moment of weakness or oversight, God sees the whole picture of who we are. While others may look at a dandelion and see a weed, God looks at the same dandelion and sees a flower blooming. I want to see the flowers, too.

It's time we supported each other in this parenting journey, even if you don't have kids. We're all in this together. Everyone's children will inherit the world we leave them, so why not make it a better place to be?

So next time I see a parent struggling with a tantrum-throwing toddler in the store, a back-talking pre-teen at Starbucks, or a child running loose in a parking lot I will do what I can to be a help and support, not be just an observer. Whether it be a smile and nod letting them know "I feel your pain, hang in there" or physically helping a child make their way back to their parent, I want to be genuinely helpful (and hopefully not creepy).

Maybe you'll join me, maybe you won't. But in all sincerity, if you have some ways that I (or anyone) can be a help and support to other parents in a non-creepy way leave your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to hear them.

Here's to a great 2014 and to making our community a better place for parents & kids, and all who encounter them along the way. Cheers!

Hello 2012!

Holy Cow, it’s 2012! Can you believe it?!

We rang in the new year last night with some of our CA friends! We hosted a little party for our bible study and other church/work friends and we had a great time! There was a chocolate fountain, hot chocolate bar (with various additives and flavored marshmallows), and a few other yummy snacks and drinks as well.

2011 was a year of change for Dave and I with Dave finishing his PhD and us moving across the country for Dave to start his new job. It was the start of a new beginning for us and 2012 will be the continuation of our new adventure! We have lots to look forward to in the coming year:

• I start my new job on Thursday! Since moving I have been setting up our new home and supporting Dave in his transition into this new job. But now that we’re settled in, I started applying for jobs and was offered an awesome position. God is so good.
• We hope to start growing our little family some time this year.
• We can’t wait to see where Dave’s new career takes him and what opportunities it will provide for him.
• We look forward to getting more involved with our church and all of the great friends we have met.
• We will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary!
• We will surely be headed back to Colorado a few times this year to visit family  and friends and celebrate some milestones of loved ones.
• We hope to explore California a little bit more and enjoy all that our new home state has to offer.

Thanks for reading my blog and keeping up with all that goes on with us - it looks like we are going to have an exciting year!

I hope you have an amazing 2012!

First day of work

Dave had his first day of work yesterday! I was compelled to take a picture before he left for the day and I felt like a mom sending her son off to school for the first time. Oh well, its all about the memories, right?

The best part of his new job was that he came home at 5:00 p.m.! That hasn’t happened in, uh, ever I think. I’m used to grad school hours of working from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 or later in the evenings (with no consistent ending time) - six days a week. This new schedule is going to take some getting used to but I’m so excited to be able to spend some more time with Dave in the evenings. If you have a spouse in grad school, hang in there! The end result of your spouse having a great job is worth the horrible schedules now, I promise!

Sarah - newborn photographer?

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go and visit one of my BFFs and her super cute, super sweet newborn baby girl. I’ve been really into photography lately so I was excited when she agreed to let me attempt to take some newborn photos of her little girl. The lighting inside the house wasn’t optimal, so we headed outside to see what we could get before the rain started (since afternoon storms are so common in Colorado). So, without further adieu, here are my best pictures of Miss Makenzie Quinn and her beautiful mama!

 

Clearly this was my first attempt at newborn photos, but I hope to get more practice in the future. The good news is I have some fun ideas for future sessions and ideas on how to get some better pictures, sans rain. Ha! I hope I get the opportunity to try again soon. Thank you to Trisha and Makenzie for being such great sports, and thanks again to Susan for the continued use of her camera!

Monday afternoon praise!

Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name ... 1 Chron 29:13.

Praise God! Grandma came out of surgery and the doctors said she did great and only needed two bypasses, instead of the three they thought she would need! Everything went well, there were no complications, and she came through it like a champ! Now we're just praying for a full and speedy recovery for her.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers! It means so much to me and my family that so many people are praying for Grandma. She is a wonderful woman, the rock in our family, and one of the strongest women I know! I am so grateful that I get more time with her in my life. Thank you, God!

Monday morning prayer for Grandma

A week and a half ago my grandmother went in to have minor back surgery. Long story short, after numerous irregular pre-op tests she is not able to have back surgery. Instead, at 78 years old, she will be having triple bypass surgery this morning.
 

So today, Lord, I pray…

I pray for the surgeons’ hands - for You to guide them and keep them steady during surgery.

I pray for the surgeons’ heads - for clarity and no distracting thoughts during the procedure and for the appropriate knowledge to handle any complications that may arise.

I pray for the operating team’s hearts - that they would love and care for Grandma as her family loves and cares for her.

I pray for Grandma - for You to give her peace about the surgery and for comfort knowing that You are with her.

I pray for my extended family - to give us peace about the surgery, trust in Your plan for Grandma and our family, and the right words to share with Grandma before and after the procedure.

If you’re feeling up to it, feel free to join me in prayer; I know that my family and I would appreciate it. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Pinching pennies

So far I have had no luck finding a second job. Even Starbucks hasn’t called me back. And to further complicate things, while my office will now be closed on Fridays I will still be required to follow through and be at events previously scheduled on Fridays - which means that I’m now not available every Friday to work a second job which makes it harder to find a second job with a super flexible schedule. Plus, it will take a couple of weeks to be interviewed and hired anywhere and my pay cut starts Monday, so I need to come up with another plan to start saving money now.

My first way to save money is to start using coupons more. After watching Extreme Couponing on TLC I am motivated to save some money while I shop for groceries. No, I don’t plan to stockpile tons and tons of groceries but I would like to take some of their tips and apply then to smaller orders. For example, use a coupon to buy things that are already on sale so you increase your savings. I tried that last week and ended up paying $0.97 for a bottle of body wash. I also know that King Soopers (Kroger) will double manufacturer coupons up to $1.00. I’m still trying to figure this all out, but I guess I will get the hang of it now since I have an extra day in my week to work on it.

The second thing I am going to do is challenge myself to spend no more than $5 on dinners for Dave and me. Instead of planning my meals for the week then buying ingredients, I am going to plan my meals around what is on sale, what I have coupons for, what I can buy in bulk and what is just plain cheap.  I think we’ll end up having bulk items multiple times in a week and dressing them up in different ways so it looks new. For example, having hot dogs one night, hot dogs with mac & cheese another night then maybe hot dogs in chili another night.

So that’s what I’ve come up with for now. What do you do to save money? Do you coupon? If so, how do you do it, where do you get coupons and what are your favorite tips & tricks? Please share any insight you have in the comments. I’m sure that many of us would love to save some extra money, even if we’re not going through pay cuts so share away! I’m open to any new ideas and I will try the ones that sound doable then share the results on the blog. Let’s all save some money!

$h!t just got real

Most people dread Mondays. This week, I think I win the "my Monday sucked more than yours" contest - if there is such a thing.

The small nonprofit I work for has lost four of its largest funding grants in the past few months due to budget cuts and changes in priority funding from foundations and granting organizations. That equates to a huge budget shortfall for my organization. I hear and see all the time how the bad economy has impacted businesses and individuals. Heck, I meet people every day who have been impacted by the economy and I have always been silently (maybe too much so) grateful that I wasn't in a position where I was impacted in any way other than meeting these people who needed help from my organization.

But today all of that changed. Pardon my French, but $h!t just got real.

All of the staff at my organization have to take a 20% pay cut and reduction in hours starting next Monday to help make up for the budget shortfall. We will be closed every Friday from now through June. That means that I lose one pay day a week, which is 20% of my income, for at least the next two months. That's 20% of my income that I can't afford to lose right now.

My initial thought is that I need a second job. I NEVER thought I'd have to do that, EVER. It is scary and frustrating and part of me wants to just stomp my feet and complain about how unfair this is. But I can't. I have got to find a way to make up for the income that will be missing from my paycheck starting next week. I've been completely unfocused at work and browsed through Craigslist throughout the day to see what is out there. Only a few things posted offer hours on only Friday/Saturday/Sunday and the ones with that availability pay somewhere between $7.50 and $9 an hour. Yikes! I can see that it is going to be hard to balance my "career job" with one to supplement my income.

So, why am I sharing all of this with you? Well, the first reason is kind of selfish; I want to be able to look back on this and remember how I felt, what I did and how I got through it. Because I WILL get through it, eventually. I want to be even more grateful for what I have after this time has passed. Second, I want anyone out there in a similar situation to know that I not only understand what you're going through, but I also feel your pain... and frustration, and fear, and stress, and anxiety and sadness. You no longer have just my sympathy, you have my empathy. Third, this is real life. Not everything in this life is all beer and skittles and I would be a big liar to pretend that everything going on with me is happy and fun all of the time by only posting the fun things.

After nearly twelve hours of having panic attacks adjusting to the news I think I'm beginning to have a better perspective, but the idea of needing a second job and supplementing my income isn't any easier. I know I'll get through this but it doesn't make it suck any less now. I know things happen for a reason, and perhaps God felt that something needed sifting in my life. Message received, sift away. I know I'll come out a stronger, better person on the other side of this. Here's to the sifting and to the future, more grateful me!

Back on the bandwagon

I haven’t been very successful with New Year’s resolutions in the past and so I didn’t really bother to make any this year. I figure that if I want to change something or improve how I do things I can do it anytime of the year. Right? Historically I have had a love/hate relationship with weight loss and this year I didn’t want to make it another resolution that fizzled out in a few weeks. I found that right now I don’t have the time or money (gym membership, home equipment, more fresh fruits & veggies, etc.) to truly give it all I’ve got and drop this extra weight. But something changed.

My future sister-in-law asked me and my sisters to be bridesmaids in her wedding in April! While she was in town this past weekend we all went bridesmaid dress shopping. My sisters are much smaller than I am, which I’m used to. My future sister-in-law is also tiny, and there was much discussion of the other two bridesmaids and their dress sizes (which were also tiny). I am the only bridesmaid who is nearly 5’ 10'” tall and has a dress size in the double digits. So needless to say I will stand out in a tall and wide kind of way. Yikes! Time to take action, and fast.

This past Monday I started Weight Watchers Online. In these first five days I’ve been doing well sticking to the plan, tracking the food I eat and staying within my points range - even though I am slightly horrified that I haven’t already dropped two dress sizes. Ha! Seriously though, I don’t have high expectations, I just hope to trim down a little and feel better about myself by the wedding, and hopefully, beyond.

I am so lucky to have such a supportive husband and supportive co-workers! Dave is so open to trying new Weight Watchers recipes and has also been helpful at eating all of the unhealthy food in the house so I’m not tempted to eat it. And my co-workers have offered to walk with me at lunch and bring healthier snack foods. I feel like I’m in a good place.

So, I’m committed for the next three months to stick to the Weight Watchers plan. Here’s to a healthier, happier (and better-looking bridesmaid) me!

My first digital scrapbook

I have taken up a new hobby - digital scrapbooking. I still have a lot to learn and figure out, but I decided to just go for it my first time by making a photo book as a house warming gift for my brother who just bought his first house. The subject of the photo book? Our trip to California for Laura & Kyle's wedding! Here is just a small sample of some of the pages I created:

I know, I have a long way to go before I get the pages looking really cool but this is ok for my first attempt, right? I'm currently working on another photo book from Dave's grandma's 80th birthday party this past weekend so I hope that one will turn out a little better. I'll post pages from that when I get a little further into the project.

I've also started to create some cool Twitter backgrounds for Dave and myself.

 

Still pretty basic but I'm learning and growing with each new thing I do. I hope to keep practicing and get pretty good so that I can make yearly photo books for my family as the years go by. Wish me luck!

Why so much hate?

A certain hate group (they call themselves Christians) has announced that they are planning a visit to my community to protest a few religious establishments as well as an educational institution. I will not tell you which group this is because I don't feel the need to give their group any kind of publicity or satisfaction that they are bugging me. None.

What I want to talk about here is how a group of self proclaimed Christians, or for that matter, human beings, can be so full of hate. I get so worked up over this, and I shouldn't, but I do. So, if you don't want to get fired up, stop reading here. Why am I talking about this on my blog? Well, my soapbox, my rules.

First, God is all about love.

• For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
• This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:9-11
• And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. - 1 John 4:16
• We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. – 1 John 4:19-20
• Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. – Proverbs 10:12

These are messages of LOVE from God! I take these and apply them to all people - people of different religions, people with different sexual orientations, people with different heritages, people with different colored skin, people with different colored hair, people with different political views, people who make different choices than I do, and the list goes on and on and on. I believe that everyone was created by God and is loved by God and therefore should not be hated by me.

I can not understand how any one person or group of people could have so much hate towards another group of people with a different belief or way of living. And I can not understand how such a hate filled group of people have the balls (excuse me) to picket and protest these other groups of people who have done nothing wrong to them. We have all seen what hate can do... remember World War II? And I completely understand and respect all aspects of the 1st Amendment regarding freedom of speech, freedom of the press, religious freedom, freedom of assembly, and right to petition. This is why I get to have a blog and say whatever I want. And this is why this hate group can assemble and protest and say what they want. I just don't buy their reasons for hating people.

I also believe that it is in no way my duty to judge people for their decisions here on Earth. That responsibility lies with God as these people pass beyond their human bodies on to their judgment day. My job, as defined by God, is to love others. I don't have to agree with you, think the way that you do, or even like you, but I do respect that you are a child of the Lord and deserve better than hate. Which is why I feel so terribly for these groups being targeted not only in my community, but also across the country and around the globe.

I'm so wound up over this that I've considered protesting the protest group and even doing other things that I won't mention here. Then I remember that by reacting to this group I'm giving them and their cause power that it doesn't really have. What I want to do is support these groups being targeted and show then that they are supported in the community and that this group of "Christians" is absolutely not representative of all Christians and that hate is not what God is about. So, I have decided that my course of action is to pray for the hate group.

I pray that this hate group finds peace in their lives and that one day they will truly come to know God's love for them and the people they currently hate. I pray that this group, should they show up here, respect the boundaries of the groups they are protesting.

I pray that the groups being targeted aren't scared or ashamed of what they believe in. I hope that these folks don't think all Christians have the same feelings of hate within them. I pray that these people come to know God's love for them, if they don't already know it.

Let's all try harder to love our neighbors and those with different views, opinions and looks. We were all put here on this earth together for a reason and I'm pretty sure that reason was not to hate each other, but to learn from one another and to love one another despite our many differences.

I'm trying...

²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:23-24

So true, yet so very, very difficult. I have been struggling with this a lot lately. I am a perfectionist. I am controlling. I want to be the best at everything I attempt and I want to attempt everything. I have a need to know about everything going on so that I can contribute what I can to make whatever it is as successful as possible. I am passionate, competitive and take hits personally. I am human, I am a sinner and I am flawed.

But I'm trying to be better.

There's a lot more I could say about this and many an example I could tell you about, but I don't think I will. Maybe this is just something to ponder for a while. Maybe this is something to remember when I get frustrated. All I know is that I need to be better at leaving things to God, not taking things personally and remembering that I serve God, not men.

If anyone out there has found a way to do this without going crazy, let's talk. I'm up for guidance, wisdom, humbleness and learning. Please, God, work through me now - I need it.

Forget the tank, I just need to not own a vehicle

My bad luck with cars continues. Let's recap. There was the April 2008 accident, the July and August 2009 accidents and now the January 2010 vandalism. At least I wasn't in the car when it happened this time - I guess that's an improvement.

I went out to brush the snow off of my car before going to work and discovered that there was a HUGE dent in the frame between the passenger door and the front windshield. The windshield was shattered and the passenger window was scratched badly. After looking around the car I found a half empty beer can and a trailer hitch laying on the ground. I picked up the trailer hitch (with gloves on) and discovered yellow paint on the ball. It looked like someone had taken the trailer hitch and bashed it into the frame of my car causing the frame to bend in and put pressure on the windshield causing the shattering. This was not the way I wanted to start my work day.

 

I spent the rest of my morning on the phone with the insurance company and the police department. Eventually an officer came over to take the trailer hitch and see if they could get fingerprints off of it but I haven't heard back if they actually found anything.

I just got my car back and it is looking good. Too bad I had to pay the $500 deductible to get it repaired. Keep praying that this is the last issue that I/we have with our cars - I can't take much more of this!

Welcome 2010!

Whew! What a whirlwind holiday season! It comes and goes so fast that you hardly have time to realize it is happening - and then it's gone! And now we begin the year 2010 (that's twenty-ten according to AP Style).

There are so many things I am looking forward to this year:

• Friends' weddings
  
• The birth of friends' and family members' babies
• Seeing where my brother will land in his career path
• Getting to know another supervisor in my work role
• Watching Dave graduate with his PhD (finally)
• Seeing where we end up after Dave's graduation!

With a new year also comes the opportunity to try to do some things better in life. I know, you can make a change at any time, but it seems like a new year gives people that extra push in a better direction. At least that is how it seems to work for me! Here are a couple of things I am hoping to do better with this year:

• Saving money - Sure, we have a savings account and contribute to it each month, but then usually have to turn around and pull money out again to do things like replace broken electronics, fix cars, pay car insurance deductibles... you know, cover those unexpected expenses. So I'm going to make a better effort at clipping coupons, making our dinner menu based on what is on sale at the grocery stores that week and spending less at the grocery store on snacks and desserts. 
• Losing weight - Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do this every year. I think my downfall is making a lot of huge changes all at once. So this year I am going to take tiny steps, one at a time, to gradually change my routine and lifestyle. I have also joined The Biggest Loser Pound for Pound Challenge along with some of my co-workers and now I have some support at work to help me make better food choices throughout the day. Let me tell you, it is a whole lot easier to not snack in the break room if everyone else isn't doing it either. In the last week I've already lost two pounds. Go me!
• Finding more joy at work - It may seem like a very rewarding job to help feed the hungry, but in reality it is not all beer and skittles. It is very draining to constantly see people in need; I mean, the waiting room is always full, people come in when we are closed for distribution telling us their sob story about how they don't have anything to eat and used their last bag of change to buy enough gas to get here etc., etc. and after doing this for over three years I have sort of become numb to it all. I need to refocus, reenergize and find that passion I once had for helping those in need. I know I can do it, I just need to try harder!
• Refocusing on MY family - And by my family, I mean the one Dave and I created when we got married. We don't spend enough time starting and maintaining our own traditions, especially during the holidays. While we love spending time with both of our families we need to really work harder at putting a priority on what we want/need to do for ourselves and then decide what the best way to spend time with our families is. It sounds kind of selfish but what I mean to say is that we need a better balance and I'm hoping we can figure out what that is this year.

Well, I guess that does it for now. I hope everyone out there has a very rewarding and fulfilling 2010. And stay tuned, who knows what will happen in our lives; whatever it is, it is usually entertaining. Happy 2010!

Books?

It has been brought to my attention, by my English teacher BFF, that I may need to read some more books. To be honest, I haven't picked up a book since I graduated from college. I'm really not much of a reader... anymore. I used to read all of the time in elementary school and middle school. But when I would stay up until very late at night just to finish the mystery I was reading I would be tired and cranky the next day so I was "banned" from reading more than 20 minutes before bedtime. Maybe that killed my interest, maybe it was being forced to read books I didn't want to read and then writing reports on them in school, but either way, reading for leisure has not been a pastime of mine for a very long time.

I've decided that I need to read a book for fun. Who knows, maybe it can be a new hobby of mine! The problem is, where do I start? I know there are tons of great books out there but, how do I choose one?

Maybe I'll dive into the Harry Potter series since I like the movies, or maybe I'll jump into the Twilight series since I haven't seen either of the movies. Does anyone else have any suggestions on what I should read? Any opinions on Harry vs. Twilight? Any advice is much appreciated! I want to pick a book before December, so bring on the comments!

A new lappy?

I'm in the market for a new laptop. My current one is seven years old, has a 32GB Hard Drive, 512MB of memory, no internal wireless card and weighs a ton. I would love something smaller, lighter, faster, with more memory and more hard drive space, colorful and fun. All I would use it for is web browsing, blogging, social networking, photo editing, Office programs and playing Sims2 (don't laugh, it's fun to play).

My research has led me to the Dell Inspiron Mini 10. It has a 10.1" screen, is super light, more memory and hard drive space (which can be upgraded further by my husband and his friends) and is way cute. What do you think?

Should we get a dog?

We've been seriously thinking about getting a dog. Dave is gone (not gone, but at work for 12+ hours a day and usually late into the evening and on weekends) a lot of the time and I would definitely love to have a happy, loving presence around when I would normally come home to an empty apartment and just to keep me company when I am home alone. I would also love to have a little dog to go walking/jogging with as the weather gets warmer and I continue to lose weight. But as much as we both want a dog around the house, we face some interesting obstacles...

• We live in an apartment so we want to make sure we get a breed that doesn't need a lot of room to run around or need too much exercise since we both work during the day
• Would a dog be ok hanging around the apartment while we are at work all day? Is it fair to the dog that we can't always be around?
  
• We do like to go camping and hiking during the summer so we want a breed that would enjoy and be able to physically handle those activities with us
• We don't know where we'll end up after Dave graduates with his PhD. Would it be a huge hassle to move out of the state or even to another country with a dog? Will it be harder to find another place to live in an unfamiliar location that accepts pets? If we do move, where would the dog stay when we come to visit our family in Colorado?
• How expensive would a dog really be? Food, toys, little outfits and vet visits I'm sure add up very quickly
  
• We know there is a need to adopt dogs in a shelter but because of the circumstances listed above we need to be more picky with the breed we choose to make sure we can provide a good home. Since we're so picky, should we even get a dog?
  

Obviously we are still working out the details and trying to decide whether or not this is a good time in our lives to get a dog. In the mean time, I enjoy looking at different breeds to see what might be good for us and I have fallen in love with Wee-chons; a mix of a West Highland White Terrier and a Bichon Frise. Check them out!

I guess it's time

Some might say that I'm a little chubby... I've always been a little bit jiggly. I went to the doctor a few weeks ago for an annual check-up and to my surprise I weighed ###! Ouch! I've never been that heavy before. I've tried Weight Watchers in the past but "healthy" food is getting more and more expensive for our tight budget and I also find I simply don't have the time (or patience) to prepare meals from scratch every day, which they say is better for you.

One thing that I know I am missing from my life is regular physical activity. I used to be involved in marching band and therefore was moving around a football field four days a week for at least two hours each day. I never got into a habit of going to work out at a gym or anywhere else.

Yesterday I joined a gym and I am determined to go 2-3 days a week after work. It is my goal to lose 40 pounds so I can be healthier and so I can better fit into my clothes. I hope I can stay motivated and focused! I'll let you know how it goes...

Be in my sorority!

So my sister, Kelly, is going through sorority recruitment this week. As of last night my beloved sorority is her second choice. UGH! Not only is she rushing the exact chapter I was in, I’m still involved there as an alumnae! I’m not too thrilled about her first and third choices either so that makes me want her to be in my sorority more than ever.

Part of me has reservations about her joining because it has kinda been my thing for the past five years and I really love feeling important as an alumna at that chapter – but it would also mean so much to me to be able to share that wonderful part of my life with my biological sister! I know that my sorority has the best program on campus right now and that all of the girls there are absolutely wonderful and that she would feel so welcome and have a fantastic experience.

I know she really likes those other two houses too but I really think she would thoroughly enjoy being in my chapter and not regret her decision to do so (like she might if she joins one of the other two houses). So, Kelly, if you’re reading this – BE IN MY SORORITY!

Hello 2008!

I hope you all had a wonderful end to 2007 and beginning to 2008... mine wasn't very glamorous as I had flu-like symptoms and spent a lot of my evening blowing my nose, napping and praying to the porcelain gods... but I did manage to make it over to some friends' house (with my wonderful husband's help) and ring in the new year with Dick Clark (that poor guy), a silver party hat and lei, a yummy cup of Strawberry Jell-O and a kiss on the forehead.

So far this year is off to a rocky start; I was sick, my supervisor/boss was offered a job at another company and he’s also having family issues so he’s taking leave from his current job (so I’m stuck to deal with some choice co-workers all by myself for an indefinite amount of time), one of my friends had her fiancé call of their engagement (and relationship) just months before the wedding which I was a bridesmaid in, and I am on a diet. Ironically, I started the diet because I was told by the bride’s step-mother that I needed to lose three inches off my waist to fit into the bridesmaid dress…

There are also some wonderful things that I have to look forward to this year: being the Matron of Honor in one of my best friend’s wedding, looking totally hot if I stick with Weight Watchers, more great work experience, my first wedding anniversary with my prince charming, earning vacation hours at a rate of 3.72 hours every two weeks, becoming a certified volunteer manager, watching a younger sister graduate from high school and getting to be there for her through her first semester of college (I hope she pledges ZTA!), initiating and re-installing my collegiate ZTA chapter, Dave being done with his LAST college class, my mother turning the big 5-0 (but she won’t admit this yet), spring/summer trips with friends and family, and watching my family and friends’ lives change throughout the year!

I hope that you, too, have a wonderful 2008! Let’s keep in touch!