Thursday, December 31, 2009
drum roll please.....
The dates for the next Sapphires Reunion 2010 is......... August 20-22, 2010. I chose the 3rd weekend of the month to just give a little extra time for babies to be born and mommies to heal and recoup. Jen mentioned a wedding the weekend of the 14th and that you probably won't make it regardless... But, I did it later in August just on a hope that you might be up for it. =) And for Jamie and Kim as well, that gives you a little more time to get your new routines figured out. So, unless anyone has a specific objection, we'll choose the 3rd weekend of August. Hope this works. And if not, we still have a little time to change it if someone has date conflict or major preference. Also, please remember that the dates are loose in that you can come in whenever you want and stay as long as you want and use my parents' house as an overflow home base hangout. I will come in as early as people want to hang and will stay as late as people want to hang out. Also if you're flying, the Dayton Airport is closest for pickup anytime before Friday afternoon and Cincinnati would be closest during the actual weekend. Columbus would be ok too if before Friday. And if anyone is flying in especially early and can leave a little later, feel free to fly into Detroit and ride down with me or Liz. =) Love you girls!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Survey
Hey girls! Sorry to bombard you all with tons of reunion stuff. But, I have had a little extra time today to start working on things and thought I'd get started. Please just take a minute to fill out the attached survey when you get a second so I can kind of start making some plans for the summer. Also, if you have already talked to me about not being able to attend this year, then don't worry about it. Maybe just fill it out if there's a chance you'll make it just in case or just answer the first Q that tells me you won't be able to make it for sure. I emailed it to you all too just to make sure nobody misses it.
Sapphires Reunion 2010, Survey #1
Sapphires Reunion 2010, Survey #1
Reunion
Hey girls! Hope you all had a great Christmas! It's time to start making some plans for the reunion this summer. We do have a few babies being born in the Spring and early summer. So, I was thinking we should focus our date options on the August month to make it more feasible for some of the new mommies to make it with their babies if they want. I know we have some teachers in the group and Steph is in school and I'm not sure about school start dates. My school aged kids will be starting in September this year. So, basically... I need some feedback. Any strong opinions one way or the other about some specific weekends in August or maybe the last weekend of July? Let me know girls and I'll get on it! Love ya'll!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Hey girls!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I thought I would start the sharing about what I am thankful for this year. First of all the thing I am most thankful for is the heartbeat of our baby! We are 13 weeks pregnant. :) After 3 long years of trying and a few mis-haps we have heard the heartbeat of our baby 3 times now.
I began to suspect something was up in mid-September. When I missed my cycle it took me another 5 days before I could even get enough courage to take a prego test. I told Nick by waking him up and giving him a Father's Day card that I had forgotten to give him. It took him a minute or two to put it all together.
I have had such a deep peace about this pregnancy that I didn't feel like I need to tell anyone for a long time. Nick had to convince me to tell my mom. We didn't start telling other family until we heard the first heart beat at 6 weeks.
As we went in for our first ultra-sound we were very guarded. That is where we found out there was no baby last time. I laid there with my eyes closed for most of the ultra-sound. When the tech said she could see a heart beat I could barely look. She turned the sound on and the sound was incredible!
We got to see the baby again about 10 days later at our second appointment. Our doctor is great about reassuring me at ever step. We heard the heart beat again last week at our 12 week appointment. :)
I'm beginning to get more and more excited that it is really going to happen this time. My stomach is beginning to show, only to me, but its growing. :)
So... we are extremely thankful this Thanksgiving! I pray that you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving. We are praying for you all and look forward to an update from you all soon.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I thought I would start the sharing about what I am thankful for this year. First of all the thing I am most thankful for is the heartbeat of our baby! We are 13 weeks pregnant. :) After 3 long years of trying and a few mis-haps we have heard the heartbeat of our baby 3 times now.
I began to suspect something was up in mid-September. When I missed my cycle it took me another 5 days before I could even get enough courage to take a prego test. I told Nick by waking him up and giving him a Father's Day card that I had forgotten to give him. It took him a minute or two to put it all together.
I have had such a deep peace about this pregnancy that I didn't feel like I need to tell anyone for a long time. Nick had to convince me to tell my mom. We didn't start telling other family until we heard the first heart beat at 6 weeks.
As we went in for our first ultra-sound we were very guarded. That is where we found out there was no baby last time. I laid there with my eyes closed for most of the ultra-sound. When the tech said she could see a heart beat I could barely look. She turned the sound on and the sound was incredible!
We got to see the baby again about 10 days later at our second appointment. Our doctor is great about reassuring me at ever step. We heard the heart beat again last week at our 12 week appointment. :)
I'm beginning to get more and more excited that it is really going to happen this time. My stomach is beginning to show, only to me, but its growing. :)
So... we are extremely thankful this Thanksgiving! I pray that you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving. We are praying for you all and look forward to an update from you all soon.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Monday, November 02, 2009
news
Hay ladies, I'm pregnant! 7 weeks along. we had a scare last week and thought i had miscarried again. But we were able to get blood work, which was normal, and an ultasound where we got to see the heartbeat. So I'm due in June, which unfortunately means i won't be able to attend the Sapphire reunion next summer.
We had Megumi's first birthday party yesterday and had so much fun! She loved opening presents, and loved all her new clothes and toys. So you know, we definately have a girly girl on our hands. She loves clothes and shoes, purses, and baby dolls. Gramma Ekle got her a little purse and put some fake money in it. Her favorite thing now is to take all the money out and put it back in again.
And with the first birthday party came cake! We had cupcakes and she devoured the whole cupcake. First she poked the cupcake, and held up her finger to Chris for him to try it first (hilarious!). Then when he survived, she dug in and ate the rest without thinking twice. Precious memories!
love and miss you all!
Jen
We had Megumi's first birthday party yesterday and had so much fun! She loved opening presents, and loved all her new clothes and toys. So you know, we definately have a girly girl on our hands. She loves clothes and shoes, purses, and baby dolls. Gramma Ekle got her a little purse and put some fake money in it. Her favorite thing now is to take all the money out and put it back in again.
And with the first birthday party came cake! We had cupcakes and she devoured the whole cupcake. First she poked the cupcake, and held up her finger to Chris for him to try it first (hilarious!). Then when he survived, she dug in and ate the rest without thinking twice. Precious memories!
love and miss you all!
Jen
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Next reunion
Hey girls! Since Jen mentioned it... I might as well get started on gathering some info about the next reunion. The plan right now is that it's my turn and I'm thinking we'll probably do Cincinnati, OH because there is quite a lot to do there and all in a very tight vicinty so we wouldn't need to travel much once we're there. It's also fairly economical and kid-friendly if need be. Also, my family lives 1.5 hours north. So we can kind of use my parents' house as a home base for anyone who wants to come in a little early or stay a little later. We can do some cookouts and hottubbing there and just relax. It would be VERY kid friendly is people have kids and just want some extra chill time with each other. I am planning to dump my kiddos with my mom, but like Kim said, we might have some childcare options for those who need to bring children. If there are children coming I was thinking we could look at getting a couple adjoining hotel rooms and putting babies/mommies in one or two rooms and then the non-baby ladies in another adjoining room so that kids can go to sleep and mom's can join the group with baby monitors easily. Also most of the daytime activities that I was thinking about would be fairly kid friendly. I was thinking King's Island, the Newport Aquarium/shopping area, maybe a Red's game, a riverboat cruise, etc.... So those are some of the things we'll need to vote on. Also, we need to get some dates kind of figured out. So maybe if everyone wants to email me the time frames that would work best for them and then I will gather some more specific dates that we can all vote one. I was thinking anytime from June through August... Miss you guys!
Friday, October 09, 2009
scoop
what's the scoop with the next reunion? i don't remember anything we talked about at the last reunion regarding the next reunion... i remember that we talked about it, but that's it! I'm missing you all!
Jen
Jen
Monday, September 21, 2009
It's about time...
I thought I would post an update to my last post... so here it goes...
First of all, we decided not to get the dog, but not for the reasons that Julie posted. I really do want to get a dog, but I don't think that it's the right time. AND I don't think that a golden retriever is the right breed for Aaron and I. We are looking for a more relaxed/chill dog like an english bulldog. GR are really nice, but are also very social and with us both working full time we would not be home enough to make it happy. Also, financially it is best that we don't add expenses right now. Hopefully sometime in the near future we will be in a better position to have a dog and treat it right.
On the job front, I decided not to go for the manager's position. It felt a bit overwhelming to me and I'm really not trying to add stress to my life right now. The money would have been great, but when it came down to it, that would have been the only reason I would have taken the job. As it turns out, it looks like I will be doing more baking for Stoltzfus Meats and will hopefully be able to stay full time there, which I'm really excited about. I'm also going to start working on putting a business plan together for my own bakery, just in case an opportunity would arise for me to jump on that. I do still feel a bit unsettled in where things will all land, so please pray that the pieces would fall into line with what God has in store for me.
Now for the somewhat disappointing news... The ultrasound I got at the end of August showed an ovarian cyst, which sounds really bad, but is ultimately (hopefully) not that big of a deal. It should clear up in one or two cycles, so I'm believing that is the case. The good new is that I did end up getting my period that following week, which made a huge difference in how I felt. What a relief... let me tell you! So yea, I go back for another ultrasound in a month or two and I'm looking forward to a good report. Please pray if you think about it.
So yea... I guess that about sums it up. Keep the posts coming. I miss you girls, especially those I did not get to see in Michigan.
Love to all.
Ang.
First of all, we decided not to get the dog, but not for the reasons that Julie posted. I really do want to get a dog, but I don't think that it's the right time. AND I don't think that a golden retriever is the right breed for Aaron and I. We are looking for a more relaxed/chill dog like an english bulldog. GR are really nice, but are also very social and with us both working full time we would not be home enough to make it happy. Also, financially it is best that we don't add expenses right now. Hopefully sometime in the near future we will be in a better position to have a dog and treat it right.
On the job front, I decided not to go for the manager's position. It felt a bit overwhelming to me and I'm really not trying to add stress to my life right now. The money would have been great, but when it came down to it, that would have been the only reason I would have taken the job. As it turns out, it looks like I will be doing more baking for Stoltzfus Meats and will hopefully be able to stay full time there, which I'm really excited about. I'm also going to start working on putting a business plan together for my own bakery, just in case an opportunity would arise for me to jump on that. I do still feel a bit unsettled in where things will all land, so please pray that the pieces would fall into line with what God has in store for me.
Now for the somewhat disappointing news... The ultrasound I got at the end of August showed an ovarian cyst, which sounds really bad, but is ultimately (hopefully) not that big of a deal. It should clear up in one or two cycles, so I'm believing that is the case. The good new is that I did end up getting my period that following week, which made a huge difference in how I felt. What a relief... let me tell you! So yea, I go back for another ultrasound in a month or two and I'm looking forward to a good report. Please pray if you think about it.
So yea... I guess that about sums it up. Keep the posts coming. I miss you girls, especially those I did not get to see in Michigan.
Love to all.
Ang.
Friday, September 18, 2009
enjoyment
hey ladies,
first to update you on Carrie... she is doing good. She is in a regular room, started physical therapy, sits up and talks to everyone, and gets out of bed to go to the bathroom. All a miracle!! Praise the LORD!
I am fully, entirely, and wholly enjoying the phase Megumi is in right now. It's the crawling phase... which means exploring! I've baby proofed the house so that the things she can get into are totally safe, and i just sit back and watch her learn new things... like how to remove all of the diapers from their bins, playing with ALL the tupperware and climbing into the cupboard, taking all the books off her shelves, same with DVD's, and playing in the dog's water bowl. She likes to "help" me fold laundry too... which just means she takes the freshly folded clothes out of the bin i just put them in :) And all the while she does any of this, she talks... as if she's sorting the items into piles and telling them where they belong. I love this little peanut!
miss you all!
first to update you on Carrie... she is doing good. She is in a regular room, started physical therapy, sits up and talks to everyone, and gets out of bed to go to the bathroom. All a miracle!! Praise the LORD!
I am fully, entirely, and wholly enjoying the phase Megumi is in right now. It's the crawling phase... which means exploring! I've baby proofed the house so that the things she can get into are totally safe, and i just sit back and watch her learn new things... like how to remove all of the diapers from their bins, playing with ALL the tupperware and climbing into the cupboard, taking all the books off her shelves, same with DVD's, and playing in the dog's water bowl. She likes to "help" me fold laundry too... which just means she takes the freshly folded clothes out of the bin i just put them in :) And all the while she does any of this, she talks... as if she's sorting the items into piles and telling them where they belong. I love this little peanut!
miss you all!
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Carrie
ok, ok, so Jamie, Steph, and I are jealous that the 4 of you got to get together... but we are glad you were able to have a mini reunion. Hope you had fun ladies!
So i just got a call from my parents, who arrived in Michigan last night. As of 3 AM, Carrie is breathing on her own. She can move all 4 limbs when they lower sedation and talk to her. The CAT scan this morning of her head is completely normal!!!! Please keep praying ladies, God is answering our prayers. Thank you, thank you, thank you! We also learned more about the accident. Carrie was merging onto the interstate and hit the guard rail. The car jumped the rail and tumbled down a 25 foot enbankment. They had to cut her out of the vehicle. Their car just about tore in two, separating the front and back seats.
Megumi is doing great, crawling and getting into everything. This morning she tore apart a newspaper and was covered in black ink. But she loved every minute of it, so it was worth the clean up. We are driving home from Minneapolis tonight after being here for the weekend, and for Chris' board meetings yesterday and today. I'm hoping to stay home for a few months now and not do any more traveling for a while. Miss you all! Jen
So i just got a call from my parents, who arrived in Michigan last night. As of 3 AM, Carrie is breathing on her own. She can move all 4 limbs when they lower sedation and talk to her. The CAT scan this morning of her head is completely normal!!!! Please keep praying ladies, God is answering our prayers. Thank you, thank you, thank you! We also learned more about the accident. Carrie was merging onto the interstate and hit the guard rail. The car jumped the rail and tumbled down a 25 foot enbankment. They had to cut her out of the vehicle. Their car just about tore in two, separating the front and back seats.
Megumi is doing great, crawling and getting into everything. This morning she tore apart a newspaper and was covered in black ink. But she loved every minute of it, so it was worth the clean up. We are driving home from Minneapolis tonight after being here for the weekend, and for Chris' board meetings yesterday and today. I'm hoping to stay home for a few months now and not do any more traveling for a while. Miss you all! Jen
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
The latest from Cali
Hi girls! So I thought I'd go ahead and add our little update to the mix as well. And by little, I mean around the size of a large grape. Yep, we're going to have another baby. I'm about nine weeks along and having morning sickness like you wouldn't believe. But thankfully, there are drugs for that. :)
We had the first ultrasound last week and everything looked great. They're putting my due date at March 25, which you may remember, is exactly three months after Violet's due date (for those of you who like that six-months-to-the-day stuff).
Can't believe we're going to do this all over again! But here we go...
Love you girls!
We had the first ultrasound last week and everything looked great. They're putting my due date at March 25, which you may remember, is exactly three months after Violet's due date (for those of you who like that six-months-to-the-day stuff).
Can't believe we're going to do this all over again! But here we go...
Love you girls!
Sunday, August 09, 2009
the bandwagon
So, I thought I'd jump on the updating bandwagon and post a long-overdue update on us. First, I will make sure to establish my bragging rights that I now live very close to a fellow Sapphire, Julie. Having not lived close to any of you since college, I will not feel bad about this either:) We've had some good times hanging out, and I've definitely enjoyed getting to know her kiddos. Isaac is just adorable, and Seth and Lilah are an absolute riot. They're both so articulate, have amusing imaginations, and are just so fun. Katie is really warming up to them, and learning how to play with the big kids. And Julie is a good time as well;) Ok, I feel better after bragging a bit.
Everything else is also going well. Katie is such a big girl now, and I can't quite figure out when that happened and she stopped being a baby. She's got a ton of Nathan in her and is fairly reserved, a bit shy, slow to warm up, and examines things meticulously. But she's a girl through and through, and just LOVES purses and jewelry and shoes. Nathan's job is going well, plugging away on Volkswagon's site, and he's been doing a bit of writing in his spare time. I'm still working from home to bring in some extra money, which we need. I've also taken to making Katie's baby bows, and in the process have found I kinda enjoy it and have made quite a few. I'm going to do a craft fair next month and see if any of them sell. So that's been a fun new thing for me. I'll try to post some pics of them sometime, esp for those of you with little girls. Lilah is already testing out a few of them for me to see how they hold up:) Other big new includes a cruise we booked for this winter. This is really our first big vacation since our honeymoon, so we're super excited about it. My parents are going as well, and maybe my brother and sister-in-law. Nathan's parents are going to come in to stay with Katie. So we're super excited to have one last adult vacation.
I also have one tiny prayer request real quick. I have a rather unpleasant test to be done tomorrow. When pregnant with Katie, one ultrasound suggested I might have a heart-shaped uterus, which could restrict growth and result in premature birth. We don't think I really have one, and are pretty sure Katie's early birth was a result of her TEF, but I still need to have this ruled out. The test is extremely unpleasant, so I'd appreciate prayers that it goes smoothly, that I recover from it without much discomfort, and of course that my uterus is perfectly normal. I of course don't want anymore premature babies. And no, there won't be any more babies just yet. I'm not interested in sharing my ticket on the cruise with any miniature travelers in my belly:)Keep the updates coming. Steph, we're all looking forward to pics of the house after you're settled. Jamie, I didn't know you were going back to the classroom and I'm so happy you love it (I miss it a lot sometimes). Ang, can't wait to see you soon and keep us all posted and we pray about your big decisions. Jen, make sure you send us all your new blog password, and Kim, I'll see you soon too:)
Everything else is also going well. Katie is such a big girl now, and I can't quite figure out when that happened and she stopped being a baby. She's got a ton of Nathan in her and is fairly reserved, a bit shy, slow to warm up, and examines things meticulously. But she's a girl through and through, and just LOVES purses and jewelry and shoes. Nathan's job is going well, plugging away on Volkswagon's site, and he's been doing a bit of writing in his spare time. I'm still working from home to bring in some extra money, which we need. I've also taken to making Katie's baby bows, and in the process have found I kinda enjoy it and have made quite a few. I'm going to do a craft fair next month and see if any of them sell. So that's been a fun new thing for me. I'll try to post some pics of them sometime, esp for those of you with little girls. Lilah is already testing out a few of them for me to see how they hold up:) Other big new includes a cruise we booked for this winter. This is really our first big vacation since our honeymoon, so we're super excited about it. My parents are going as well, and maybe my brother and sister-in-law. Nathan's parents are going to come in to stay with Katie. So we're super excited to have one last adult vacation.
I also have one tiny prayer request real quick. I have a rather unpleasant test to be done tomorrow. When pregnant with Katie, one ultrasound suggested I might have a heart-shaped uterus, which could restrict growth and result in premature birth. We don't think I really have one, and are pretty sure Katie's early birth was a result of her TEF, but I still need to have this ruled out. The test is extremely unpleasant, so I'd appreciate prayers that it goes smoothly, that I recover from it without much discomfort, and of course that my uterus is perfectly normal. I of course don't want anymore premature babies. And no, there won't be any more babies just yet. I'm not interested in sharing my ticket on the cruise with any miniature travelers in my belly:)Keep the updates coming. Steph, we're all looking forward to pics of the house after you're settled. Jamie, I didn't know you were going back to the classroom and I'm so happy you love it (I miss it a lot sometimes). Ang, can't wait to see you soon and keep us all posted and we pray about your big decisions. Jen, make sure you send us all your new blog password, and Kim, I'll see you soon too:)
Friday, August 07, 2009
Loving my job again....
Thought I would chime in a let you know what's going on with us too... School started for me this week. I'm teaching 4th grade this year, and love it so far. :) I am definitely a teacher - I love being in front of kids all day and helping them discover new things!! Yeah for liking for my job again. :)
Nick began working from home this week, full time. He seems to be enjoying it, and I have to say I love that he is here because he loves a clean environment. Our kitchen looks great! ;)
Angie - I've been thinking about what you are facing and know what is it is like to face unknown changes. As we have gone through the past 3 years of trying for kiddos, I have learned one thing... don't put my life on hold waiting for kids. If you want to get the experience of management go for the new job... if you love your job and life... then stick with it and tighten that finiancial belt. We have longed for kids, but have also embraced what our life is offering to us now. Sounds like a puppy would be a great addition for your family too! It will be a good trial run for having a baby, or so I'm told. :)
We are praying for you lots! I can't wait to hear about the miracle of life happening in your life too!
Nick began working from home this week, full time. He seems to be enjoying it, and I have to say I love that he is here because he loves a clean environment. Our kitchen looks great! ;)
Angie - I've been thinking about what you are facing and know what is it is like to face unknown changes. As we have gone through the past 3 years of trying for kiddos, I have learned one thing... don't put my life on hold waiting for kids. If you want to get the experience of management go for the new job... if you love your job and life... then stick with it and tighten that finiancial belt. We have longed for kids, but have also embraced what our life is offering to us now. Sounds like a puppy would be a great addition for your family too! It will be a good trial run for having a baby, or so I'm told. :)
We are praying for you lots! I can't wait to hear about the miracle of life happening in your life too!
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Akers update
Hey all,
figured it was time to update you all on what's going on with us...
First of all... Angie - get a dog! yes! great idea!! Just also get a Furminator brush because it will eliminate HALF of the shedding!
Megumi is finally starting to understand how to move! She can now pull herself up on some things, and can get almost to her hands and knees from sitting position. So, I need to stop procrastinating and put locks on my kitchen cabinets! Meg still loves to babble and has started to say 'hi' and 'bye', as well as 'mama' when she bonks her head or is really tired. I've been trying to get her pictures taken but she keeps scratching her face on one thing or another... trying to wait for the scrapes to disappear before we get pictures.
Chris is working hard at work and just recenty hired a new developer who is working out really well. The first two he hired weren't so great... he had to let one go, and the other quit before she even started.
Chris and I went to Jr High camp with our youth group students last week. We had a blast, except that i got a head cold and Chris pulled a hamtring trying to race a 12 year old boy. Now that everyone is home, almost half of the students are sick with flu-like symptoms. They got confirmation today on one case of H1N1 with one of the students. Praying this doesn't spread!!!
The most exciting thing we did this summer was purchase a new car. We traded in our Jeep for a Mercury Mariner and we love it! Plenty of room for everyone, and the two dogs. It's dark gray, and has Microsoft Sync which just rocks.
Looking to go on vacation soon to Wisconsin. Same place we went last year, and Meg will get to play at the lake. Should be fun!!
Missing you all,
Jen
figured it was time to update you all on what's going on with us...
First of all... Angie - get a dog! yes! great idea!! Just also get a Furminator brush because it will eliminate HALF of the shedding!
Megumi is finally starting to understand how to move! She can now pull herself up on some things, and can get almost to her hands and knees from sitting position. So, I need to stop procrastinating and put locks on my kitchen cabinets! Meg still loves to babble and has started to say 'hi' and 'bye', as well as 'mama' when she bonks her head or is really tired. I've been trying to get her pictures taken but she keeps scratching her face on one thing or another... trying to wait for the scrapes to disappear before we get pictures.
Chris is working hard at work and just recenty hired a new developer who is working out really well. The first two he hired weren't so great... he had to let one go, and the other quit before she even started.
Chris and I went to Jr High camp with our youth group students last week. We had a blast, except that i got a head cold and Chris pulled a hamtring trying to race a 12 year old boy. Now that everyone is home, almost half of the students are sick with flu-like symptoms. They got confirmation today on one case of H1N1 with one of the students. Praying this doesn't spread!!!
The most exciting thing we did this summer was purchase a new car. We traded in our Jeep for a Mercury Mariner and we love it! Plenty of room for everyone, and the two dogs. It's dark gray, and has Microsoft Sync which just rocks.
Looking to go on vacation soon to Wisconsin. Same place we went last year, and Meg will get to play at the lake. Should be fun!!
Missing you all,
Jen
IMHO
Don't listen to Julie--she's crazy. Just kidding.
Ang, I think the important thing is to remember that the decision you make will be the right one for you. And that either way, it's better to have decisions to make than to be stuck doing the same thing day after day, right?
I can say that from my experience in the working world, having a job that I enjoyed was way better for my mental and physical health than having a job that made more money. And Julie does make a good point that having kids will restrict your budget in big ways, so it is a good idea to get used to it ahead of time (we didn't do that so much and it was a big transition.)
But...one or two years is still some time if that's how long you're wanting to wait for the kids thing. You can get a lot accomplished in that time that you most likely won't be able to after you have the kids. So this might be the opportunity to take chances and go for it while you can. I mean, I absolutely love being a stay at home mom (most days) but sometimes I do wish I had done more before I had Violet, because now it's a good five to six years until she's in school before I can really pursue anything academically or career-wise again. But again, that's just me.
You could always try that game from Friends too, where someone asks you a bunch of questions really quickly and you say the first thing that comes to mind to help make your decision. Hot or cold? Up or down? Red or blue? Manager or bakery?
See, I'm helpful on so many levels.
Let us know what you decide either way! We'll be praying for you!
Ang, I think the important thing is to remember that the decision you make will be the right one for you. And that either way, it's better to have decisions to make than to be stuck doing the same thing day after day, right?
I can say that from my experience in the working world, having a job that I enjoyed was way better for my mental and physical health than having a job that made more money. And Julie does make a good point that having kids will restrict your budget in big ways, so it is a good idea to get used to it ahead of time (we didn't do that so much and it was a big transition.)
But...one or two years is still some time if that's how long you're wanting to wait for the kids thing. You can get a lot accomplished in that time that you most likely won't be able to after you have the kids. So this might be the opportunity to take chances and go for it while you can. I mean, I absolutely love being a stay at home mom (most days) but sometimes I do wish I had done more before I had Violet, because now it's a good five to six years until she's in school before I can really pursue anything academically or career-wise again. But again, that's just me.
You could always try that game from Friends too, where someone asks you a bunch of questions really quickly and you say the first thing that comes to mind to help make your decision. Hot or cold? Up or down? Red or blue? Manager or bakery?
See, I'm helpful on so many levels.
Let us know what you decide either way! We'll be praying for you!
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
My Two Cents
Hey girls, I am posting my advise to Angie on here so that everyone can see it and add opnions or tell Angie that Julie is stupid and don't follow Julie's advice. =) Angie, those are big decisions. I'm not sure there is a right one necessarily. So I will simply tell you my thoughts. You mentioned that you are considering starting a family sometime in the not-too-far away future and that you really LOVE what you are doing now and think it will be valuable for experience to prepare you for a future doing what you love. The money with the managerial job would be awesome and might give you a chance to boost some savings. But here is my thinking... Are you planning to stay at home after you have children? If yes, you will have to have mastered living on a lower, one-income budget by that time anyways. Does your current job that you LOVE have the potential for allowing you to still work, maybe part-time, or more flexible hours for after you have children? If yes, then that might be extremely valuable to be able to still bring in a little bit of income because I'm assuming the managerial job will be full-time and will not really work for staying home with kids as much as possible. If you plan to wait quite a while before having children and just want to build up some savings and managerial experience, then the new job opportunity might be a good move. But my thoughts are that if it is your plan to have your own bakery or your own business and to stay home, etc. you will have to go through slimmer financial times anyways during the start-up phases, etc. and it might not be a bad idea to to just get really good at living a low-budget lifestyle in the meantime if you really enjoy your work and feel like it could lead to your ultimate business aspirations in the long-run. There's my two cents. Although I don't think you really have a BAD choice here because they both sound like good options. I'll be praying God guides and directs you as you make this decision. =)
Also, I'm sorry to hear you've been having some health problems with your thyroid. We'll be praying for health for you too and that the doctors can figure out exactly what is happening with your cycle, etc. Love ya!
PS. About the dog... if you DO plan to have children before your dog might die, I personally would recommend choosing a breed that does not shed as extensively as golden retrievers. Speaking from experience because Wyatt sheds, you will get very tired of vacuuming twice a day and picking hair balls out of your kids mouths during the crawling and toddling stages... Also, their clothes get disgusting because they're always crawling in dog hair. Again, that's just my "non-animal lover" opinion. =)
Also, I'm sorry to hear you've been having some health problems with your thyroid. We'll be praying for health for you too and that the doctors can figure out exactly what is happening with your cycle, etc. Love ya!
PS. About the dog... if you DO plan to have children before your dog might die, I personally would recommend choosing a breed that does not shed as extensively as golden retrievers. Speaking from experience because Wyatt sheds, you will get very tired of vacuuming twice a day and picking hair balls out of your kids mouths during the crawling and toddling stages... Also, their clothes get disgusting because they're always crawling in dog hair. Again, that's just my "non-animal lover" opinion. =)
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