Last football season, the entire state of Wisconsin was uber critical of Mason Crosby (the kicker for the Packers). He missed SO MANY field goals - he only made 21 of 33 attempted. I think I even made comments like, "Its his only job!" It is his job to kick a small oblong shaped ball through a goal post eighteen and a half feet apart, sometimes from as far as 40 yards away. To be clear, that is 120 feet. His goal each time is to make it through those uprights by kicking the ball straight enough to add points to the team and keep his well-paying job.
This new year, I thought it would be nice to make goals for our family and myself to work towards. Of course we always make plans and then God has his own. I divided the goals into categories for myself, our kids, and our family.
I was thinking IF ONLY, if only I could reach 64% of my goals like Mr. Crosby. Each year I think about these things that I want to accomplish, but I would say by February I actually forget about most of them. So why do I spend the time to think about them, write them down, and then tell you about them? Its to keep myself accountable. I might actually remember this momentous start to the year if I made it my job. Perhaps not my only job - I'm fairly certain kicking fieldgoals wasn't Mr. Crosby's only job either. However, if I REALLY wanted to reach these goals, I might have a fighting chance if I put myself out there for all to see.
I won't go into all the details of our kids goals and family goals (I feel like that's for our little pack to know), but I want to share my own so that I can practice these.
1. Lose weight. Of course this is one, but baby weight isn't melting off this time like it did with Jonah, and its hard to shake it (literally) that I want it gone.
2. Finish 4 books. For some of you, you might be thinking, "Psh, that's ALL???" Well to you I say: two kids, husband, part-time job, sanity. Think it over....
3. Spend less. I'm considering what other options I have out there for work beyond teaching (stay at home momma, tutoring, school, who knows!), and I want to start working on spending less and saving more.
That's it. I should be able to accomplish parts of all of these. 64% of all of these, perhaps.
So here's to kicking straight! Happy New Year.
Wednesday, January 08, 2014
Friday, September 20, 2013
Two is Company
We were blessed this summer with our beautiful little lady Zoey. I can't imagine any little girl sweeter than her (yes, that means all you other ladies and your daughters got nothing on my little Z-bot)! She is gentle, kind, patient, happy, joyful, and smart as an eight week old can be.
Our little pink miracle joined our family in July and has disrupted our normal. Wait, what's that you say? You just went on to brag about how awesome she is, and now she's a disruption? And to that I say, YUP. We had this whole parenting thing figured out (please sense the sarcasm). He listens to what we say, we feed him good things, he plays and watches minimal tv, he LOVES being outside, he's funny and kind, and we could go on about our little Jonah. We were livin' the dream of parenthood. Enter a crying infant who needs Mommy's attention 24/7. On stage left, enter a tantrum throwing, whining two year old who lost all attention he ever received to a crying infant. Normal is out the window.
At first it was a shock to the system - how do we do this?? How do other people do this and make it look so simple and possible? Then your little crying infant smiles at you and you melt. Your heart bursts into a million pieces surrounding this beautiful, amazing little creature that is yours. It makes every hurdle, every tantrum, every poopy diaper a joy because you now are a mom to TWO. You get to love, play and learn with your first in a new way. He is a big borther and you get to nurture him to be the best one. We play cars when we have moments, and we laugh and love it. Its not as much time, but its a natural time to spend with each other now - I see the design. Now, you get to experience all the first with another little baby - first tummy time turn overs, first teeth, first steps, first words! And boy does she adore her big brother. He can make her smile in an instant - which you wouldn't be able to see without TWO.
So our disruption is a beautiful mess. But its just that - BEAUTIFUL. Normal is such a flexible thing now that I'm not even sure what to call our new 'normal.' Perhaps I'll call it chaos. Perhaps I'll call it bliss. For now, two is company, and I love it.
Our little pink miracle joined our family in July and has disrupted our normal. Wait, what's that you say? You just went on to brag about how awesome she is, and now she's a disruption? And to that I say, YUP. We had this whole parenting thing figured out (please sense the sarcasm). He listens to what we say, we feed him good things, he plays and watches minimal tv, he LOVES being outside, he's funny and kind, and we could go on about our little Jonah. We were livin' the dream of parenthood. Enter a crying infant who needs Mommy's attention 24/7. On stage left, enter a tantrum throwing, whining two year old who lost all attention he ever received to a crying infant. Normal is out the window.
At first it was a shock to the system - how do we do this?? How do other people do this and make it look so simple and possible? Then your little crying infant smiles at you and you melt. Your heart bursts into a million pieces surrounding this beautiful, amazing little creature that is yours. It makes every hurdle, every tantrum, every poopy diaper a joy because you now are a mom to TWO. You get to love, play and learn with your first in a new way. He is a big borther and you get to nurture him to be the best one. We play cars when we have moments, and we laugh and love it. Its not as much time, but its a natural time to spend with each other now - I see the design. Now, you get to experience all the first with another little baby - first tummy time turn overs, first teeth, first steps, first words! And boy does she adore her big brother. He can make her smile in an instant - which you wouldn't be able to see without TWO.
So our disruption is a beautiful mess. But its just that - BEAUTIFUL. Normal is such a flexible thing now that I'm not even sure what to call our new 'normal.' Perhaps I'll call it chaos. Perhaps I'll call it bliss. For now, two is company, and I love it.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Where Go?
I ADORE Jonah's little voice. He is just learning how to form sentences and put words together to ask questions. One of his favorites (and mine too) is, "Where go?" Recently, I've been asking this question as well. Not in the sense Jonah is - he implies, "Where did he go?" My version is more along the lines of, "Where do we go?"
Where do we go from here? I've never really been one to say that I was going to be a teacher my whole life. I also did not really have an idea of an alternative for this. I mean, I always assumed I would stay home with my kids when the time came and then magically go back into teaching when they were school-aged. What I'm finding lately is that things don't always go according to plan (even if it is a faint plan that was just the way you thought it would naturally be).
So now that things are different, "Where go?" The path isn't showing up any too quickly. So decisions are going to have to start being made. So what will happen? Discernment of your future is no easy thing. We have good friends that knew from the moment they met one another that they were going to be missionaries. This was their dream. I admire them (and am even somewhat jealous of them). Don't get me wrong, I don't believe this is my calling to be a missionary, but they KNEW. They just knew. It is a challenging road for them, but it is one that was marked out more clearly than mine, or so it would seem.
I've sought out the advice of many who I hold dear. Should I stay home and do the necessary daycare to help our family, or do I continue to teach and take on one more class? The advice has been, "Do what's best for your family," "Pray about it and you will know," etc. The difference is that the vibe or the undertones of many of the conversations are mixed. The women I care deeply about have strongly indicated that staying home, no matter what, is the only option. "God will provide, He always does." In which I agree whole heartedly. But did God provide me with a job? Or will God provide other children to watch if I stay home? With this group, I almost feel an immediate judgment. Why wouldn't you stay home? Its what's best for your kids. And then I feel guilty and like a horrible mommy.
So... Where go? Right now, I will continue to do my best to listen and wait for the path that is being laid in front of me.
Where do we go from here? I've never really been one to say that I was going to be a teacher my whole life. I also did not really have an idea of an alternative for this. I mean, I always assumed I would stay home with my kids when the time came and then magically go back into teaching when they were school-aged. What I'm finding lately is that things don't always go according to plan (even if it is a faint plan that was just the way you thought it would naturally be).
So now that things are different, "Where go?" The path isn't showing up any too quickly. So decisions are going to have to start being made. So what will happen? Discernment of your future is no easy thing. We have good friends that knew from the moment they met one another that they were going to be missionaries. This was their dream. I admire them (and am even somewhat jealous of them). Don't get me wrong, I don't believe this is my calling to be a missionary, but they KNEW. They just knew. It is a challenging road for them, but it is one that was marked out more clearly than mine, or so it would seem.
I've sought out the advice of many who I hold dear. Should I stay home and do the necessary daycare to help our family, or do I continue to teach and take on one more class? The advice has been, "Do what's best for your family," "Pray about it and you will know," etc. The difference is that the vibe or the undertones of many of the conversations are mixed. The women I care deeply about have strongly indicated that staying home, no matter what, is the only option. "God will provide, He always does." In which I agree whole heartedly. But did God provide me with a job? Or will God provide other children to watch if I stay home? With this group, I almost feel an immediate judgment. Why wouldn't you stay home? Its what's best for your kids. And then I feel guilty and like a horrible mommy.
So... Where go? Right now, I will continue to do my best to listen and wait for the path that is being laid in front of me.
Sunday, February 03, 2013
Get out of gear?
We have an awesome new superintendent this year and he created a theme for the year - Gears. There were four things that made the gears work. Essentially if you are being an effective educator your gear is grinding a steady pace and your students are excelling along with that. I feel like my school gear is going well, but the gears in my mind is spinning out of control!
We are expecting baby #2 in July. This has brought up many thoughts, excitements, fears, etc. in my mind but mostly since finding out about this joyous news - my mind has not stopped!
Maybe my four big things for life gears is my relationship with God, my family, my friends and my job.
My relationship with God has been MUCH stronger this past year into now than years past. I've enjoyed reading much more and I think its because its reading with a purpose. I am reading books about parenting and about kids that brings some sort of direction for my questions and prayers for God. I think before I thought it was too difficult to just pick something because we didn't have kids and a lot of the books people recommended were good for when you have kids. Well... they weren't lying and I'm loving it. So I feel like that gear is moving well.
My family is awesome!! We are going to soon be a family of four and up until we found out, I was terrified to have more than just Jonah. I love him SO VERY MUCH that I wasn't sure how it would work to have another one. Well, my love has already grown and so has Jonah, so there is reason to have more because your kids change and so do you (all for the better). Jonah is an amazing little boy, but he certainly keeps me on my toes too! This is one gear that is about to take off because I am always thinking about my decisions and my actions before, during and after I do ANYTHING with him. Was that the right thing to do? How is this going to work? I don't think that was the right consequence for his actions. I guess that's one of the many THOUSANDS of reasons parents are tired all the time. Thankfully I have an amazing husband who is experiencing this right along with me so that when neither of us are sure... we have someone to talk to about it and figure it out. My cup runs over with my family.
Friends. Who has em? Not this girl. I have tried so hard to make friends around Reedsburg. I did make a close friend, but things got weird and now she's moving away. I know people grow and change, but have I changed so much that I no longer know how to make friends? I also met another woman not to long ago, and I fear I came on too strong. I'm younger and I feel like I want her and I to be so good of friends that I pushed too hard. Everyone always told me that when you have kids you meet people. Where??? Now my mom tries to reassure me that when Jonah is in school I will meet people. Yeah... okay... Lately I just want to move away thinking that there are more people out there that are wanting friends too, maybe if I just move to that city it will happen. But I know in my heart the same things will happen. Guess I better wait until Jonah's in school. Goodness, this gear is out of control.
Finally my job, as of late is the most ambiguous, anxiety-wielding thing of them all. What should I do next year?? I am currently 50%, but this amount won't sustain us financially when we have two kids. The problem is I absolutely LOVE the balance of school and family. So do I ask for one more class? Do I take the leap and stay home? It is my decision (according to Simeon), but I can tell it stresses him out too. Can I be away from Jonah and VZ #2 for another year?? Can I actually leave a job I love? Worst gear of them all right now.
So with all these crazy thoughts and questions spinning around - what would you do? I am just waiting on God to show me. He's better at decisions. If he doesn't physically show me, then I'll do my best to make that decision. In the mean time.... I am just tired, and so are my gears.
We are expecting baby #2 in July. This has brought up many thoughts, excitements, fears, etc. in my mind but mostly since finding out about this joyous news - my mind has not stopped!
Maybe my four big things for life gears is my relationship with God, my family, my friends and my job.
My relationship with God has been MUCH stronger this past year into now than years past. I've enjoyed reading much more and I think its because its reading with a purpose. I am reading books about parenting and about kids that brings some sort of direction for my questions and prayers for God. I think before I thought it was too difficult to just pick something because we didn't have kids and a lot of the books people recommended were good for when you have kids. Well... they weren't lying and I'm loving it. So I feel like that gear is moving well.
My family is awesome!! We are going to soon be a family of four and up until we found out, I was terrified to have more than just Jonah. I love him SO VERY MUCH that I wasn't sure how it would work to have another one. Well, my love has already grown and so has Jonah, so there is reason to have more because your kids change and so do you (all for the better). Jonah is an amazing little boy, but he certainly keeps me on my toes too! This is one gear that is about to take off because I am always thinking about my decisions and my actions before, during and after I do ANYTHING with him. Was that the right thing to do? How is this going to work? I don't think that was the right consequence for his actions. I guess that's one of the many THOUSANDS of reasons parents are tired all the time. Thankfully I have an amazing husband who is experiencing this right along with me so that when neither of us are sure... we have someone to talk to about it and figure it out. My cup runs over with my family.
Friends. Who has em? Not this girl. I have tried so hard to make friends around Reedsburg. I did make a close friend, but things got weird and now she's moving away. I know people grow and change, but have I changed so much that I no longer know how to make friends? I also met another woman not to long ago, and I fear I came on too strong. I'm younger and I feel like I want her and I to be so good of friends that I pushed too hard. Everyone always told me that when you have kids you meet people. Where??? Now my mom tries to reassure me that when Jonah is in school I will meet people. Yeah... okay... Lately I just want to move away thinking that there are more people out there that are wanting friends too, maybe if I just move to that city it will happen. But I know in my heart the same things will happen. Guess I better wait until Jonah's in school. Goodness, this gear is out of control.
Finally my job, as of late is the most ambiguous, anxiety-wielding thing of them all. What should I do next year?? I am currently 50%, but this amount won't sustain us financially when we have two kids. The problem is I absolutely LOVE the balance of school and family. So do I ask for one more class? Do I take the leap and stay home? It is my decision (according to Simeon), but I can tell it stresses him out too. Can I be away from Jonah and VZ #2 for another year?? Can I actually leave a job I love? Worst gear of them all right now.
So with all these crazy thoughts and questions spinning around - what would you do? I am just waiting on God to show me. He's better at decisions. If he doesn't physically show me, then I'll do my best to make that decision. In the mean time.... I am just tired, and so are my gears.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Curious Curiosity
I've been watching Jonah and his curiosity the last week or so. He is so interested in everything. Sometimes it is a toy. Sometimes it is a cat walking across the dining room floor. Sometimes it is the construction area in the back of our house. His curiosity takes him ALL OVER. The places where the safety is question I've been trying to teach him "no" or "icky" when he reaches for things that are not good. His curiosity spikes and he tests my authority. What will mommy do if I reach ONE more time. What will she do if I get close to it, but not touch it.
So I've been thinking... where has my curiosity taken me over the years? Have I had safe curiosity or have I been careless and risked things in order to just know? Curiosity is not a bad, thing, but there are times when it is not a good thing (especially for cats).
As I go on teaching Jonah things, I am going to try to keep in mind his curious curiosity. He is only exploring and it is my job to teach him that some things are dangerous and it is also my job to help him stay curious and explore things that are good for him. Isn't curiosity curious? :)
So I've been thinking... where has my curiosity taken me over the years? Have I had safe curiosity or have I been careless and risked things in order to just know? Curiosity is not a bad, thing, but there are times when it is not a good thing (especially for cats).
As I go on teaching Jonah things, I am going to try to keep in mind his curious curiosity. He is only exploring and it is my job to teach him that some things are dangerous and it is also my job to help him stay curious and explore things that are good for him. Isn't curiosity curious? :)
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Sturggle
Today I spelled the word "struggle" as "sturggle" and it made me think of what this word means - clearly I even struggle with spelling! But really, what does it mean?
I like to have pity parties for myself every once and a while. If you ask Simeon, he would correct me and say, "all the time." I really feel like I struggle with many areas of my life - my faith and consistency in it, my wife-dom and its DAILY duties, my ability to do some tough love so that Jonah knows what the word no means, my weight and how I feel about my body, my friendships and how strong I think they are... Do I need to keep going, because I can!
EVERYONE struggles with something. The song "Someone worth Dying For" comes to mind. "You might be the wife, waiting up at night. You might be the man, struggling to provide. Feeling like its hopeless." Which somedays I do feel like its hopeless. Why do we feel hopeless?
So I looked it up. Struggle: Make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction. Wow. Yes. We are fighting against the evil of the world and the impressions it puts upon us. "You need to have it all together." "You need to have enough money for nice things." "You need to be the center of a friendship circle." We are making a FORCEFUL effort to break free from the constraints of the world. Of course we feel hopeless - its a HUGE task.
So, even though we feel hopeless, we certainly are NOT hopeless. We should be hopeful. We are "someone worth dying for" and that speaks VOLUMES. WE are important. WE are special. WE are doing a good job. WE are loved.
So next time you feel like your struggling, maybe you should "sturggle" and break free from the "struggles" of you fight. Win one for Him - become hopeful.
I like to have pity parties for myself every once and a while. If you ask Simeon, he would correct me and say, "all the time." I really feel like I struggle with many areas of my life - my faith and consistency in it, my wife-dom and its DAILY duties, my ability to do some tough love so that Jonah knows what the word no means, my weight and how I feel about my body, my friendships and how strong I think they are... Do I need to keep going, because I can!
EVERYONE struggles with something. The song "Someone worth Dying For" comes to mind. "You might be the wife, waiting up at night. You might be the man, struggling to provide. Feeling like its hopeless." Which somedays I do feel like its hopeless. Why do we feel hopeless?
So I looked it up. Struggle: Make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction. Wow. Yes. We are fighting against the evil of the world and the impressions it puts upon us. "You need to have it all together." "You need to have enough money for nice things." "You need to be the center of a friendship circle." We are making a FORCEFUL effort to break free from the constraints of the world. Of course we feel hopeless - its a HUGE task.
So, even though we feel hopeless, we certainly are NOT hopeless. We should be hopeful. We are "someone worth dying for" and that speaks VOLUMES. WE are important. WE are special. WE are doing a good job. WE are loved.
So next time you feel like your struggling, maybe you should "sturggle" and break free from the "struggles" of you fight. Win one for Him - become hopeful.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
For the love of...
School started. Hence the reason I do not blog as much any more. It is hard for me to explain how busy and crazy life is with a kid, a husband, and a job away from home. Imagine, you are making supper and every beeper is going off - the microwave is done, the pot on the stove is overflowing, the dish in the oven is done and the timer keeps beeping, and beeping, and BEEPING! Where do you even begin?
On one hand, I feel the most productive I have ever been. I eat lunch, pump breast milk, grade papers and reply to emails all at the same time. Super woman, you say? Yes. The productivity stops as soon as I get home from school. That's when time slows down and I get a moment or several hours with my baby and my husband. Is my house clean? No. (not in any sense of the word "clean") Do we always eat dinner before Jonah has gone to bed? No. Do I care? No. My life and time with my family is my priority.
So why do I do all this? Why do I pump, make my lunch, take a shower, do laundry and do some dishes before I go to bed EACH NIGHT?
For the love of...
Jonah
Simeon
God
In no particular order. I do it for them. I might be going crazy, but I wouldn't want it any other way. The investment now will make payments in FULL later. That's why you have kids when you're young, people!
On one hand, I feel the most productive I have ever been. I eat lunch, pump breast milk, grade papers and reply to emails all at the same time. Super woman, you say? Yes. The productivity stops as soon as I get home from school. That's when time slows down and I get a moment or several hours with my baby and my husband. Is my house clean? No. (not in any sense of the word "clean") Do we always eat dinner before Jonah has gone to bed? No. Do I care? No. My life and time with my family is my priority.
So why do I do all this? Why do I pump, make my lunch, take a shower, do laundry and do some dishes before I go to bed EACH NIGHT?
For the love of...
Jonah
Simeon
God
In no particular order. I do it for them. I might be going crazy, but I wouldn't want it any other way. The investment now will make payments in FULL later. That's why you have kids when you're young, people!
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