Now that things are slowed down enough for me to BREATHE, let me rewind a bit and get my blog (and my brain) caught up on the month of November.
Going into November I knew it was going to be bad. I had a little sit-down talk with myself right before Halloween, preparing myself for a hectic month in which my laundry would pile up, the house wouldn't be as clean as normal, blogs and email would fall by the wayside and I would have a general feeling of rush and panic for 30 days straight. But - I made it. Its November 30, and the month of December looks MUCH more pleasing. The entire month of November wasn't a loss - but the fact that we had so many things going on, combined with how work went, was what made it so stressful. SO the stress was due to the presence of great things, for which I am thankful...and can now take the time to reflect upon.
The beginning of the month started off hectic at work thanks to the snow storm the week before, and because of the fact that I'd be leaving for Florida for the second week of the month. That Saturday, though, I had a day to look forward to - we were going to Boulder to see the Aggies play against CU! It was SO much fun to be back in an aggie-atmosphere for football. Granted it was weird to be SITTING with the alumni and watching the yell leaders lead the students, but I doubt I could have stood the entire game anyway :) The Aggies played well the first half, then crumbled and lost the game which was in their hands the entire time...how many games have I seen like that? I can't count. But - they're always so fun, aggie fans are always friendly and fun to be around...so it makes the loss a little easier to bear. I really liked the stadium at CU - nestled right in the foothills, mountains all around...if it weren't for the atmosphere more liberal than Austin, I may have been able to see myself having gone to school there. However - you would never find ME digging through trash cans outside the stadium tryin to keep Boulder "green" as people threw recyclable trash in the wrong bins...don't think I would have fit in :)
We couldn't stay and hang out with friends because I had not had time that week to do my laundry or pack for Florida. I was too busy at work as it was, and having a limited number of pants/skirts that I can wear makes weekly laundry a necessity before I can start the next week. Then Sunday it was off to Florida!!!
I'll skip ahead at this point as I am still not ready to tell you about Disney :) It's killing me, as I have the blog written out in my head...but it requires some things I have at home so I better, once again, put that topic aside and move forward. I got home from Florida that Thursday night and had to shift gears from one vacation to the next as we were leaving Friday to go to Estes Park for our anniversary.
To say the weekend was a hit is too much of a pun to pass up :) As we were winding up into the mountains Friday morning/early afternoon a deer jumped out of the trees and was unavoidable - so Austin had to hit him head on with his truck. After I calmed down, there were lots of things in the story to be thankful for...lots of ways we could tell that God had his hand in the situation. (though the cynic in me says "if he had his hand in it, why not just move the deer all together???") We had decided at the last minute to take Austin's truck instead of mine simply because mine was out of gas and we were too lazy to go to a gas station. A deer that size would have done MUCH more damage to my truck, and possibly even ended up on the hood of the truck. That was blessing #1. Then I started to get nauseous as Austin winded around the roads at 55mph (fun for him, not for me) so I asked him to slow down a little bit and turn the AC on to help my nausea/carsickness to subside. So he slowed down to about 35 mph about 3 minutes before we hit bambi. blessing #2. And finally, the roads were empty. We didn't have to worry about anyone behind us or on the opposite side as the deer limped off the side and down the mountain. blessing #3.
We've been asked (over and over) if we stopped to get bambi and his antlers, but the answer is no. He wasn't dead on impact like when I hit my deer in college (i know how to kill 'em) and he limped off the opposite side of the road. There are no shoulders on the roads, so we couldn't just stop in the middle of our lane - we had to continue on until there was a place we could veer off and look at the truck. Lovely sight...smashed in headlights, deer hair sticking out of the bumper, and plenty of dents that looked like dollar signs to me. But, once we got to our lodge in Estes we called Geico, reported our claim, and put it out of our heads...no use crying over spilled milk.
Especially when you can turn that milk into ice cream. Blue Bell at that! That's right...an ice cream shop in Estes Park has seen the light and has begun selling blue bell by the scoop rather than that nasty dryer's crap they used to sell :) Doesn't matter that it was 25 degrees outside and snowing...even for AUSTIN...we each sat there and blissfully ate our ice cream cones. They were so good on Friday we decided to have another on Saturday. Why not?!?! :) Other than blue bell and the BEST massage I've ever had (Austin's wasn't as memorable unfortunately) we didn't do too much. We wandered the town, did some shopping, played in the old-style video arcades, played some shuffleboard, and relaxed in our lodge. We also had mimosas, but mine were a bit dull with sparkling grape juice rather than champagne :) Thats ok though! It was a lot of fun...nice to have a vacation where we had absolutely no obligations to do anything, just kind of walked around and let that be our guide. Quite a concept :)
Then began the week of hell, which prompted my sole posting before Thanksgiving. After having some time to relax and think more on my job situation - I want you all to know that things aren't as bad as they seemed THAT day. I'll never like the way Kathy operates, or the lack of organization in our department, and I still think tax accounting brings more hours and stress than I'd like for my career to bring on...but all in all, I'm happy here. I've really learned a lot and been able to challenge myself - which is a great thing. I also like the people (or the majority of the people) that I work with, and when times aren't TOO stressful its really a wonderful job. No job is perfect, I know that, and I know that it is all a learning experience. I'll just have to find my own balance between work and home, and if that doesn't work for Western Union (which Dana insists it will) I will have to find a job that works with what we need. For now though, I'm fine here and I think it will all work out well.
How's that optimism for a week off from work? Vacations work wonders.
I would LOVE to just do an entire catch-up blog here and talk about our trip to Texas, but then what would I write about tomorrow?
So Stay Tuned!
Nov 30, 2009
Nov 18, 2009
System Overload
I don't even know where to begin. Disney? Florida? Anniversary? Work? There's so much. Because I don't have my Disney pictures at work, and because there really isn't much to say about Florida other than Disney I'll leave that one for another day. Plus there's too much going on in my brain right now for me to fully focus on the magnificent beauty of Disneyworld, so I'll release all the things on my mind via my handy keyboard and focus on Disney another day.
A friend of mine has had a hellish week. Hellish doesn't even encompass how her week has gone. I can't fathom the strength she's had to maintain her composure and her general happy persona throughout the week - pretty amazing. Hearing about it sure brings my petty issues down to earth and gives me a more reasonable perspective on how things are - but I'm still just at my wits end.
I sent Kaila an email yesterday and all it said was "why, please tell me, why did we hate Janus?" For those of you who may not know, Kaila is my closest friend here in Denver and I met her soon after I moved here because we both started working for Janus Capital Group at roughly the same time. Kaila was fortunate enough to get out after 3 short months, but I found myself working at Janus for a little over a year and a half. The job had its perks, and I knew that at the time; I met lots of very cool people, had plenty of time to surf the internet and plan my wedding, and like anything else - it was a learning experience. But - I hated it. There was no disguising that I was miserable working there. I felt like I had a job that a monkey could have been trained to do, I was wasting my degree and knowledge, and was not bettering my resume for the career path I wanted. I constantly searched for new jobs to no avail, and I complained relentlessly about the mindless time-wasting work that I did for 3 hours of the day. My other 5 hours were spent doing more useful things like cultivating friendships and searching for honeymoon locations. :)
As I near the 2 year anniversary of leaving Janus, I am finding myself wondering why it was such a bad thing. Don't get me wrong, I do remember...somewhere deep, down in my brain...why I was miserable. But my boss at Janus would never have told me that if our department didn't finish ___ by Friday I couldn't go to Texas for Thanksgiving. My boss would never have said I couldn't take more than 4 days to go to Alexis's wedding, and I NEVER found myself eating all 3 of my meals at my desk. That's right...that's where I am presently. I found a job which utilizes my knowledge and skills, one which challenges my intellectually and provides some sort of mental stimulation...but everything has its price.
As you may recall, back in August I was asked to shorten my September vacation to just 4 days because we were so slammed with work and because of the deadlines coming up. It caused me to miss a couple of pre-wedding festivities that I hated to miss and it made it impossible for me to see many people other than family while we were in Houston. In lieu of that cancelled trip, Austin and I planned our Thanksgiving vacation - one that we hadn't intended to take. I ran that by my boss at the time, of course, and she let me know that the timing would work perfectly and she "really appreciated" my sacrifice.
This is the same person who looked at me yesterday and said "I'm not sure if Kathy got her point across in our meeting yesterday or not, but basically if we aren't done with the true up by Friday no one can take their Thanksgiving vacations.
The most frustrating part of this ordeal is that the time crunch, the stress, and the extra hours could have all been avoided with a little organization and upper management skills. Kathy is a brilliant tax professional technically speaking, but she does not hold any managerial skills whatsoever. In our meeting yesterday not only did she not communicate her intention to cancel Thanksgiving vacations, but she could not look one person in the eye as her voice quivered while she let us know how busy our week would be. Further - the items we have left to do to meet our deadline of 11/30 are all in her brain...there is no documentation of what the required steps are and because none of us were here one year ago, none of us have been through the process at Western Union. We've found this week that most of the work we've done could have been done over the last 2 weeks, when we weren't as busy, which would have left this week open for completing the project...possibly even BEFORE the deadline. That, however, is a foreign concept and one that Kathy is not at all interested in.
When Dana told me that Kathy's implication was that we would not be able to go on Thanksgiving vacations, I just looked at her and shrugged my shoulders - I was in shock that I was actually being told this and wasn't sure how to respond professionally. I finally mustered up a few words, "I'm not really sure what to say, I'm leaving Friday at 4." She said "well, my intent is that we all just push hard this week and it won't affect anyone's vacations in the end anyway" I did let her know that I'm willing to do whatever I can this week, but that Friday at 4:00 I have to leave. I may have fudged a little and told her that Austin and I had changed our travel plans to fly rather than drive, so that she couldn't suggest we leave later or Saturday morning even. Had I not already cancelled one vacation for this exact purpose, or if I had plenty of notice, maybe I wouldn't be so frustrated by the situation. But don't send me out of town for a week for a conference and then tell me that we're too busy for me to take a vacation that was approved 4 months ago.
I realize that this is all petty in comparison to some life situations that people may find themselves in, like my friend I mentioned above. But it also brings things into a clearer perspective. I don't live to work for Western Union. I work at Western Union so that I can live the life that Austin and I want to live - and so that we can provide for our family in the way we want to. What is a job for if not for money, and what is money for if you can't enjoy your life with it?
After leaving at 7:30 Monday night and 8:15 last night, I have let Dana know that after this process is over and once we have some time to slow down and reflect - there need to be some process changes made. I let her know that once William is here, I have to pick him up by 6:00 every night and he will be my #1 priority, not my job. She said she knows and she can see the frustrations of all of the staff. She said she doesn't want her hours to continue the way they have and she said that in the month of December the directors and VP's will all be assessing our situation and whether we need to alter our processes or increase our staff - one way or the other, she tried to assure me that 2010 will not be what 2009 has been.
I'm not sure with how much confidence I believe her, but at least the intention is there.
I oftentimes find myself wishing I were brave enough to seek out a new career. I am good at what I do, or I'd like to think I am, and it is a strong, stable field which is beneficial in economic times like the present. However, there are other things that I know I would enjoy - and maybe they wouldn't require so much extra time and effort? I posted on facebook yesterday that I need a new career and asked for any suggestions; the responses ranged from a wrestler, to a stripper, to a stay at home mom - and finally someone offered a suggestion that peaked some interest...a writer. I don't pretend to think I am the best writer, or that I even have anything to say that is worth taking the time to read, but I thoroughly enjoy writing. As much as I joke that I'm writing this blog for your entertainment, it is completely driven and motivated by my own enjoyment. I have always enjoyed writing, and I'm much better at expressing my thoughts, opinions, and feelings through those mode of communication. How one becomes a professional writer, and how one actually makes any money...I have no idea.
While I do appreciate all the suggestions I received, they just aren't for me. I'm not coordinated enough or tough enough to wrestle, I won't comment on the stripper suggestion, and being a stay at home mom wouldn't be my thing. That is a very touchy subject that I'd rather not get into via the world wide web - but if you'd like my opinion on it off-the-record just ask. Its not that I wouldn't enjoy sharing every moment with my children, and its not that I don't see the benefit of them being raised 100% by Austin and myself rather than strangers. I also am weary of making any comments on the issue because I do not intend to come across as being judgemental or as if I do not value the benefits of having a stay-at-home parent; I truly do. However, it just isn't what is best for me or for our family right now.
A writer though...now there's a thought...
While I'm busy frantically trying to get this true up wrapped up so that I can leave guilt-free on Friday (because, no doubt, I'm leaving) maybe you could be researching how one can enter the world of writing?
Hope you are all having a less stressful week than I am...and please, please keep my friend in your prayers. While I am sitting here having my own little pity party she is putting on her brave-face for her children and her family, while I could hear in her voice how broken down she is. I know you're reading this...so just know I love you and we're praying for everyone and thinking of you often.........
Adios for now - and I promise I won't let it be 10 days before I write again...
A friend of mine has had a hellish week. Hellish doesn't even encompass how her week has gone. I can't fathom the strength she's had to maintain her composure and her general happy persona throughout the week - pretty amazing. Hearing about it sure brings my petty issues down to earth and gives me a more reasonable perspective on how things are - but I'm still just at my wits end.
I sent Kaila an email yesterday and all it said was "why, please tell me, why did we hate Janus?" For those of you who may not know, Kaila is my closest friend here in Denver and I met her soon after I moved here because we both started working for Janus Capital Group at roughly the same time. Kaila was fortunate enough to get out after 3 short months, but I found myself working at Janus for a little over a year and a half. The job had its perks, and I knew that at the time; I met lots of very cool people, had plenty of time to surf the internet and plan my wedding, and like anything else - it was a learning experience. But - I hated it. There was no disguising that I was miserable working there. I felt like I had a job that a monkey could have been trained to do, I was wasting my degree and knowledge, and was not bettering my resume for the career path I wanted. I constantly searched for new jobs to no avail, and I complained relentlessly about the mindless time-wasting work that I did for 3 hours of the day. My other 5 hours were spent doing more useful things like cultivating friendships and searching for honeymoon locations. :)
As I near the 2 year anniversary of leaving Janus, I am finding myself wondering why it was such a bad thing. Don't get me wrong, I do remember...somewhere deep, down in my brain...why I was miserable. But my boss at Janus would never have told me that if our department didn't finish ___ by Friday I couldn't go to Texas for Thanksgiving. My boss would never have said I couldn't take more than 4 days to go to Alexis's wedding, and I NEVER found myself eating all 3 of my meals at my desk. That's right...that's where I am presently. I found a job which utilizes my knowledge and skills, one which challenges my intellectually and provides some sort of mental stimulation...but everything has its price.
As you may recall, back in August I was asked to shorten my September vacation to just 4 days because we were so slammed with work and because of the deadlines coming up. It caused me to miss a couple of pre-wedding festivities that I hated to miss and it made it impossible for me to see many people other than family while we were in Houston. In lieu of that cancelled trip, Austin and I planned our Thanksgiving vacation - one that we hadn't intended to take. I ran that by my boss at the time, of course, and she let me know that the timing would work perfectly and she "really appreciated" my sacrifice.
This is the same person who looked at me yesterday and said "I'm not sure if Kathy got her point across in our meeting yesterday or not, but basically if we aren't done with the true up by Friday no one can take their Thanksgiving vacations.
The most frustrating part of this ordeal is that the time crunch, the stress, and the extra hours could have all been avoided with a little organization and upper management skills. Kathy is a brilliant tax professional technically speaking, but she does not hold any managerial skills whatsoever. In our meeting yesterday not only did she not communicate her intention to cancel Thanksgiving vacations, but she could not look one person in the eye as her voice quivered while she let us know how busy our week would be. Further - the items we have left to do to meet our deadline of 11/30 are all in her brain...there is no documentation of what the required steps are and because none of us were here one year ago, none of us have been through the process at Western Union. We've found this week that most of the work we've done could have been done over the last 2 weeks, when we weren't as busy, which would have left this week open for completing the project...possibly even BEFORE the deadline. That, however, is a foreign concept and one that Kathy is not at all interested in.
When Dana told me that Kathy's implication was that we would not be able to go on Thanksgiving vacations, I just looked at her and shrugged my shoulders - I was in shock that I was actually being told this and wasn't sure how to respond professionally. I finally mustered up a few words, "I'm not really sure what to say, I'm leaving Friday at 4." She said "well, my intent is that we all just push hard this week and it won't affect anyone's vacations in the end anyway" I did let her know that I'm willing to do whatever I can this week, but that Friday at 4:00 I have to leave. I may have fudged a little and told her that Austin and I had changed our travel plans to fly rather than drive, so that she couldn't suggest we leave later or Saturday morning even. Had I not already cancelled one vacation for this exact purpose, or if I had plenty of notice, maybe I wouldn't be so frustrated by the situation. But don't send me out of town for a week for a conference and then tell me that we're too busy for me to take a vacation that was approved 4 months ago.
I realize that this is all petty in comparison to some life situations that people may find themselves in, like my friend I mentioned above. But it also brings things into a clearer perspective. I don't live to work for Western Union. I work at Western Union so that I can live the life that Austin and I want to live - and so that we can provide for our family in the way we want to. What is a job for if not for money, and what is money for if you can't enjoy your life with it?
After leaving at 7:30 Monday night and 8:15 last night, I have let Dana know that after this process is over and once we have some time to slow down and reflect - there need to be some process changes made. I let her know that once William is here, I have to pick him up by 6:00 every night and he will be my #1 priority, not my job. She said she knows and she can see the frustrations of all of the staff. She said she doesn't want her hours to continue the way they have and she said that in the month of December the directors and VP's will all be assessing our situation and whether we need to alter our processes or increase our staff - one way or the other, she tried to assure me that 2010 will not be what 2009 has been.
I'm not sure with how much confidence I believe her, but at least the intention is there.
I oftentimes find myself wishing I were brave enough to seek out a new career. I am good at what I do, or I'd like to think I am, and it is a strong, stable field which is beneficial in economic times like the present. However, there are other things that I know I would enjoy - and maybe they wouldn't require so much extra time and effort? I posted on facebook yesterday that I need a new career and asked for any suggestions; the responses ranged from a wrestler, to a stripper, to a stay at home mom - and finally someone offered a suggestion that peaked some interest...a writer. I don't pretend to think I am the best writer, or that I even have anything to say that is worth taking the time to read, but I thoroughly enjoy writing. As much as I joke that I'm writing this blog for your entertainment, it is completely driven and motivated by my own enjoyment. I have always enjoyed writing, and I'm much better at expressing my thoughts, opinions, and feelings through those mode of communication. How one becomes a professional writer, and how one actually makes any money...I have no idea.
While I do appreciate all the suggestions I received, they just aren't for me. I'm not coordinated enough or tough enough to wrestle, I won't comment on the stripper suggestion, and being a stay at home mom wouldn't be my thing. That is a very touchy subject that I'd rather not get into via the world wide web - but if you'd like my opinion on it off-the-record just ask. Its not that I wouldn't enjoy sharing every moment with my children, and its not that I don't see the benefit of them being raised 100% by Austin and myself rather than strangers. I also am weary of making any comments on the issue because I do not intend to come across as being judgemental or as if I do not value the benefits of having a stay-at-home parent; I truly do. However, it just isn't what is best for me or for our family right now.
A writer though...now there's a thought...
While I'm busy frantically trying to get this true up wrapped up so that I can leave guilt-free on Friday (because, no doubt, I'm leaving) maybe you could be researching how one can enter the world of writing?
Hope you are all having a less stressful week than I am...and please, please keep my friend in your prayers. While I am sitting here having my own little pity party she is putting on her brave-face for her children and her family, while I could hear in her voice how broken down she is. I know you're reading this...so just know I love you and we're praying for everyone and thinking of you often.........
Adios for now - and I promise I won't let it be 10 days before I write again...
Nov 9, 2009
Who has is Worse?
I know I already said my goodbyes, but I just couldn't stay away. Plus I was late to my last session of the day because I came upstairs to change into blue jean capris for Disney, and then I saw I had an email from my mom so I quickly wrote her back...next thing I know I am walking to the conference room and my seat had been given up to someone on the wait list. How rude! Not really - I was 4 minutes late after all, and it was my least intriguing session of the week...and I'm so stoked about Disney this evening that I really couldn't care less. The problem is I SHOULD care, seeing as every day here costs $500, plus the cost of the hotel at $230/night and the cost of food...so my company is spending about $750 a day...and for me to miss the last session without caring would just be wrong. So - I'm trying to care. Really.
This is by far the fanciest hotel I've ever stayed in. Or stepped foot in, for that matter. It's somehow even fancier than the hotel I stayed at in Vegas (though possibly less fun) There are water fountains, a koi pond, an alligator pond, a DISNEYWORLD STORE, lots of other little shops, and about 5 restaurants. Problem is, it is all priced as you would expect. The spa has pedicures - for $85. There is an Italian buffet..for $25...and my plain turkey sandwich for dinner last night was $10!!! Pretty ridiculous. It seems like a waste to be at a place this fancy all by myself though.
Which brings me to my topic du jour: Who has it Worse?
In high school I had this theory. I shouldn't say it's my theory, seeing as I'm sure many people before me have thought of it to. But the theory is that in the event of a separation, be it permanent or temporary, it is always harder for the person being left behind. The person doing the leaving is off to bigger and better things - off to college, off to a new city or new job, starting a new family...whatever the case may be, generally the person doing the leaving has something looming on the horizon to look forward to while the one left behind has the same life as before, just with a gaping hole in it. This theory held true as my high school boyfriend went off to college, as my brother joined the army...and I saw it happen to people other than myself.
When Austin got deployed I told him about this theory - somehow rationalizing in my head that it would be harder for me than for him. I do realize that he was going to a war zone, to live in a pile of sand where it is 100+ degrees most of the year and the sounds of rifles, car bombs, IEDs and RPG's are like the sounds of car horns and dogs barking back here. I do realize that while I was moving to Texas and would be near family and friends, he was leaving everyone and would miss out on everything. But somehow, to me, it seemed that he had it easier because he was the one who had something to look forward to. All I had was the life I had before, minus the best part of it.
Being the good husband that he is, Austin never argued. He never even voiced his opinion on whether it was true or not. He just listened to me, comforted me, and generally changed the subject once I had calmed down so we could talk about something a little more light hearted. When he left in March for Arizona, and when he left again in July for California, I told him the same thing - that he had it easier than me. Me? I had to stay home, continue on with my same routine except instead of having morning pet feeding duties, I had full time feeding duties; instead of splitting the house cleaning, I had to do it all myself; instead of coming home to a freshly shoveled driveway, I found myself shoveling the driveway more times in the month of APRIL than I had ever done before. Poor, poor, pitiful me.
I learned on Sunday that it is no easier being the one to do the leaving though. At least I don't think so. Sure - I do have that bright horizon and those MICKEY EARS staring me in the face. I did land in the Orlando airport and grin from ear to ear as I saw Squirt (the baby turtle from Finding Nemo), Buzz Lightyear, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Pluto all boarding the next plane out - all in the hands of kids who were happier than the day they'd arrived. But I did have to leave my hubby, and my 3 precious "kids". Austin says Layla walked around the house multiple times this morning, walking in and out of every room, and just moping. It made me sad to have left her :( And after a few months of actually having Austin home without a pending separation I almost forgot what it was like to sleep by myself. No fun.
I did get to bring William with me, so I do have one up on Austin there. And I'm cutting this blog off soon because the shuttle to see Mickey will be leaving shortly and I gotta have as much time there as possible. SO - maybe it easier being the one to leave after all. Because even though it wasn't fun to leave, I'm still excited to be where I'm at. Austin's just ready for the week to be over.
It is kind of nice for HIM to have pet feeding duties twice a day for a few days though...
Nov 6, 2009
So Long, Farewell
If I could spell in German (or was it Austrian?) I'd finish the Sound of Music lyrics there...alveirdersein goodbye???? I should just stop trying.
In any case, this is goodbye for a week or so. I know you will be hard pressed to find entertainment as good as my blog, but please - somehow manage so that I still have readers when I get back :) Tomorrow Austin and I are meeting Jonathan and some other Aggies in Boulder for the aTm vs CU football game - WHOOP! I've been lookin forward to some aggie football all season long. Then Sunday I hope on a plane or two to fly to Orlando for DISNEY!!! I mean, for CorpTax. yeah, tax...that stuff. Someone has to pay my way to Disney right? :) I get back to Denver Thursday night, but there's no rest for me cause Friday we're heading up to Estes Park for our anniversary celebration. We found a place that does prenatal massages and has a couple's room so Austin can have a man-sage too...should be a nice weekend.
So - I'll be back the following week and will be sure to post pictures from all of the above events to make up for my absence. Because I know there's nothing that would make your life more complete than to follow my life in photo form.
And as far as William - he's just growing, growing, growing. This week my email says he is roughly 1lb8ounces and 9 inches long. That's the size of my forearm! Its pretty hard to imagine that my forearm can curl up small enough to fit in my stomach...even harder to imagine that he'll double in length and probably more than quadruple in size before he's born. Is my stomach really going to be big enough? poor babies - they must be so uncomfortable in there!
Anyhow, that's where we are. Hope you all have a great weekend, a funfilled week next week, and I'll catch ya on the flip side!!!
In any case, this is goodbye for a week or so. I know you will be hard pressed to find entertainment as good as my blog, but please - somehow manage so that I still have readers when I get back :) Tomorrow Austin and I are meeting Jonathan and some other Aggies in Boulder for the aTm vs CU football game - WHOOP! I've been lookin forward to some aggie football all season long. Then Sunday I hope on a plane or two to fly to Orlando for DISNEY!!! I mean, for CorpTax. yeah, tax...that stuff. Someone has to pay my way to Disney right? :) I get back to Denver Thursday night, but there's no rest for me cause Friday we're heading up to Estes Park for our anniversary celebration. We found a place that does prenatal massages and has a couple's room so Austin can have a man-sage too...should be a nice weekend.
So - I'll be back the following week and will be sure to post pictures from all of the above events to make up for my absence. Because I know there's nothing that would make your life more complete than to follow my life in photo form.
And as far as William - he's just growing, growing, growing. This week my email says he is roughly 1lb8ounces and 9 inches long. That's the size of my forearm! Its pretty hard to imagine that my forearm can curl up small enough to fit in my stomach...even harder to imagine that he'll double in length and probably more than quadruple in size before he's born. Is my stomach really going to be big enough? poor babies - they must be so uncomfortable in there!
Anyhow, that's where we are. Hope you all have a great weekend, a funfilled week next week, and I'll catch ya on the flip side!!!
Nov 4, 2009
The Good Samaritan
I'm so proud: my husband is a hero.
Last Wednesday, the first day of our blizzard, Austin had to take one of his soldiers to the courthouse. She was in some sort of dispute with her ex-husband over child support and Austin was going to testify to how the housing-allowance structure works in the military. On their way out of the courthouse, they saw 2 men fighting in the parking lot. Austin said he didn't think anything of it at first, and didn't see a need to involve himself, but then one of the men pulled out a knife and stabbed the other man 3 times before running off. Austin told the soldier to call 911 while he went over and administered first aid.
The man was stabbed just below one of his shoulder blades and twice in his forearm. I'm not sure what all was required as far as First Aid is concerned, but I know the man was disoriented and told Austin he didn't need his help, that he wanted to leave and drive to Fort Carson (over an hour away) to get medical care there. Austin told him he couldn't let him do that because he wouldn't make it down there while continuing to lose that much blood. The irony in the situation was that the stab victim was a Sergeant Major in the Army stationed at Fort Carson. That's the highest enlisted rank, 3 ranks above where Austin is. SGT Allen talked with the police when they arrived and they asked her to ride with them a few blocks to ID a suspect. She had given a license plate over the phone, so they had already found the suspect but they needed a positive ID. When she returned with the police officers the ambulance had already arrived to take the stab-victim to the hospital and Austin and Allen were done for the day. They've had to talk with the police a few times to give their statements, answer questions, and they've been told they may be subpoenaed to court if it goes that far.
While there was no great sacrifice on either of their part (Austin lost a tan undershirt in the ordeal...but seeing as he has about 30, I think we're ok) most would agree it was still a heroic act. Personally I'd like to think that I'd stop to help someone, but I also know that if I saw someone in a knife-fight the first thing on my mind would be to get myself to safety. If the stab victim were lying on the ground and the suspect had fled, maybe I'd stop and help. I know I'd call 911, but I'm not sure if I'd have to courage to help or not. Like I said, I'd like to have the courage - I just can't guarantee if I would or not.
Austin's first sergeant has put in paper work for Austin and SGT Allen to receive the Soldier's Medal. This is the highest honor you can receive during "peace time". Our country isn't in "peace time" but because they were not in an act of combat, it is still considered peace time. If you were to go to wikipedia and look up the military medals, this is the description you would see for the Soldier's Medal:
This medal is awarded for risking one's life to save another's. The medal is awarded in peacetime for actions of heroism held to be equal to or greater than the level which would have justified an award of the Distinguished Flying Cross if the act had taken place in combat, and involved actual conflict with an enemy. Any American servicemember who is eligible for retirement pay will receive an increase of 10 percent in retirement pay, if the level of valor was equal to that which would earn the Distinguished Service Cross.
I don't know if they'll get the medal or not. It has to go through a few levels of approval first. I know it has escalated to the Battalion Commander, though, because last night at the quarterly Hail and Farewell dinner the Battalion Commander stopped by our table and said, "How's it going Austin? Save any lives lately?" So I think its safe to say Austin is on his way to earning the honor of which I think he's deserving.
Austin won't let me call him a hero. He says that he was doing what he think any person should do in that situation, and what he hoped someone would do for him. I asked him what he thought it meant to be a hero, and he said he doesn't know. He said he doesn't have any heroes, and he doesn't know who he would classify as one, but he knows that he is not one. So I reminded him of the story of the Good Samaritan. He didn't remember the story, so last night we got his bible out and read it. I said "See, a priest and a Levite didn't even stop to help the man, but someone who should have been considered his enemy did." So I told him if I can't call him a hero, I'll call him a Good Samaritan.
And would you like to know his smart-ass reply? "Are you saying I'm the enemy of black people?"
In any case, whichever way you look at it, I think he's a hero - no matter what he says.
Last Wednesday, the first day of our blizzard, Austin had to take one of his soldiers to the courthouse. She was in some sort of dispute with her ex-husband over child support and Austin was going to testify to how the housing-allowance structure works in the military. On their way out of the courthouse, they saw 2 men fighting in the parking lot. Austin said he didn't think anything of it at first, and didn't see a need to involve himself, but then one of the men pulled out a knife and stabbed the other man 3 times before running off. Austin told the soldier to call 911 while he went over and administered first aid.
The man was stabbed just below one of his shoulder blades and twice in his forearm. I'm not sure what all was required as far as First Aid is concerned, but I know the man was disoriented and told Austin he didn't need his help, that he wanted to leave and drive to Fort Carson (over an hour away) to get medical care there. Austin told him he couldn't let him do that because he wouldn't make it down there while continuing to lose that much blood. The irony in the situation was that the stab victim was a Sergeant Major in the Army stationed at Fort Carson. That's the highest enlisted rank, 3 ranks above where Austin is. SGT Allen talked with the police when they arrived and they asked her to ride with them a few blocks to ID a suspect. She had given a license plate over the phone, so they had already found the suspect but they needed a positive ID. When she returned with the police officers the ambulance had already arrived to take the stab-victim to the hospital and Austin and Allen were done for the day. They've had to talk with the police a few times to give their statements, answer questions, and they've been told they may be subpoenaed to court if it goes that far.
While there was no great sacrifice on either of their part (Austin lost a tan undershirt in the ordeal...but seeing as he has about 30, I think we're ok) most would agree it was still a heroic act. Personally I'd like to think that I'd stop to help someone, but I also know that if I saw someone in a knife-fight the first thing on my mind would be to get myself to safety. If the stab victim were lying on the ground and the suspect had fled, maybe I'd stop and help. I know I'd call 911, but I'm not sure if I'd have to courage to help or not. Like I said, I'd like to have the courage - I just can't guarantee if I would or not.
Austin's first sergeant has put in paper work for Austin and SGT Allen to receive the Soldier's Medal. This is the highest honor you can receive during "peace time". Our country isn't in "peace time" but because they were not in an act of combat, it is still considered peace time. If you were to go to wikipedia and look up the military medals, this is the description you would see for the Soldier's Medal:
This medal is awarded for risking one's life to save another's. The medal is awarded in peacetime for actions of heroism held to be equal to or greater than the level which would have justified an award of the Distinguished Flying Cross if the act had taken place in combat, and involved actual conflict with an enemy. Any American servicemember who is eligible for retirement pay will receive an increase of 10 percent in retirement pay, if the level of valor was equal to that which would earn the Distinguished Service Cross.
I don't know if they'll get the medal or not. It has to go through a few levels of approval first. I know it has escalated to the Battalion Commander, though, because last night at the quarterly Hail and Farewell dinner the Battalion Commander stopped by our table and said, "How's it going Austin? Save any lives lately?" So I think its safe to say Austin is on his way to earning the honor of which I think he's deserving.
Austin won't let me call him a hero. He says that he was doing what he think any person should do in that situation, and what he hoped someone would do for him. I asked him what he thought it meant to be a hero, and he said he doesn't know. He said he doesn't have any heroes, and he doesn't know who he would classify as one, but he knows that he is not one. So I reminded him of the story of the Good Samaritan. He didn't remember the story, so last night we got his bible out and read it. I said "See, a priest and a Levite didn't even stop to help the man, but someone who should have been considered his enemy did." So I told him if I can't call him a hero, I'll call him a Good Samaritan.
And would you like to know his smart-ass reply? "Are you saying I'm the enemy of black people?"
In any case, whichever way you look at it, I think he's a hero - no matter what he says.
Nov 3, 2009
You're gonna Miss This
Ever heard that country song, "You're gonna miss this...you're gonna want this back..."? I feel like people are singing that in my ear all day long. People tell me ALL the time how much they loved being pregnant and how much they miss it.
Really? Then why aren't you pregnant now?
Its not that I dislike being pregnant by any means. I would honestly have nothing to say I dislike, except maybe the ever-present needles in my life the past 4 months. But when I think about the extra effort, extra thought, extra worry...and then I think about the result of no longer being pregnant come February...why will I miss this? Don't get me wrong, I love that I can feel William move inside of me - I do. But I just keep thinking that feeling his feet in my actual hands, seeing his eyes right in front of me rather than on a computer screen, feeding him through his mouth rather than his umbillical cord, and all the other aspects that will come with tangibly having him will far surpass the experience of having him grow inside of me. Am I missing something?
Then there's the food issue. I don't like always worrying about whether or not I'm eating healthy enough for him, consuming enough calories, getting enough calcium, etc. Some nights I might just want to eat a bowl of ice cream drizzled in amaretto...no, that's not my healthiest option but maybe I just want to! Or maybe I don't WANT to drink a glass of milk for breakfast tomorrow; maybe I'd rather have grape juice.
People also told me to slow down and enjoy the wedding planning process more, cause it'd be gone in a heartbeat and I would miss it. So far I haven't looked back yet - so I'm just thinking it'll be that way this time too. I loved planning our wedding, and I loved our wedding...but I love being married to Austin more than either of those. So I'll continue counting down earnestly, doing my best to fight father time, and just ignore those silly voices in my head telling me that I'm going to miss this when it's over.
Besides, there's always baby #2 if I miss it THAT much right?
Really? Then why aren't you pregnant now?
Its not that I dislike being pregnant by any means. I would honestly have nothing to say I dislike, except maybe the ever-present needles in my life the past 4 months. But when I think about the extra effort, extra thought, extra worry...and then I think about the result of no longer being pregnant come February...why will I miss this? Don't get me wrong, I love that I can feel William move inside of me - I do. But I just keep thinking that feeling his feet in my actual hands, seeing his eyes right in front of me rather than on a computer screen, feeding him through his mouth rather than his umbillical cord, and all the other aspects that will come with tangibly having him will far surpass the experience of having him grow inside of me. Am I missing something?
Then there's the food issue. I don't like always worrying about whether or not I'm eating healthy enough for him, consuming enough calories, getting enough calcium, etc. Some nights I might just want to eat a bowl of ice cream drizzled in amaretto...no, that's not my healthiest option but maybe I just want to! Or maybe I don't WANT to drink a glass of milk for breakfast tomorrow; maybe I'd rather have grape juice.
People also told me to slow down and enjoy the wedding planning process more, cause it'd be gone in a heartbeat and I would miss it. So far I haven't looked back yet - so I'm just thinking it'll be that way this time too. I loved planning our wedding, and I loved our wedding...but I love being married to Austin more than either of those. So I'll continue counting down earnestly, doing my best to fight father time, and just ignore those silly voices in my head telling me that I'm going to miss this when it's over.
Besides, there's always baby #2 if I miss it THAT much right?
Nov 2, 2009
Is Halloween Dead?
Growing up we never really celebrated Halloween. It never bothered me much - my parents always gave us candy depending on what we did that year, and we did trick-or-treat a couple times...but really, it was all about getting candy. The few times I remember trick-or-treating I don't remember particularly loving it, so bypassing that process was fine by me. Because of this, I do not have much of a taste for Halloween as a holiday - take it or leave it - and on more than one occasion I've been called the Scrooge of Halloween.
However, now that I'm older I thoroughly enjoy seeing kids all dressed up in their costumes. I don't like the "scary" element to Halloween - not a fan of scary movies, don't like skeletons and witches and the nasties that are affiliated with the holiday...but raggedy ann? pumpkins? superman? yeah - those are cute. So I was waiting in anticipation Saturday for the doorbell to ring so I could see the costumes and hear their cute cries for tricks or treats (but who are we kidding, no one wants tricks)
I don't know if it's my neighborhood, Denver, the weather, or what it is but our doorbell wasn't abused nearly as much as I'd hoped for the night and I still have plenty of Reese's and Kit-Kat bars left over :( The kids I did see were very cute, the younger the cuter, but I was sad to blow out the candle in the jack-o-lantern and turn off the porch light at the end of the night. I've also decided that if Austin wants our kids to trick-or-treat he's taking them; I'm staying home to see all the costumes.
Other than that slight disappointment, the weekend was great! Our date Friday was fun - despite the woman next to me at the restaurant ordering shrimp (insert shrimp face for the last 20 minutes of our meal...the smell was just awful, worst ever perhaps) Saturday we had some errands to run in the morning, and Petco happens to be next to Old Navy so I suggested we go look there...again...for baby clothes that we don't necessarily need right now...again. :) We got a swimsuit for next summer for $0.47 though...how can you pass that up? And some adorable little pants for $2. The sales are just too good, although I think its hard NOT to insert the word "adorable" when you're talking about pants the size of a baby! We spent the rest of Saturday the same way I spent most of Sunday...watching football. It was wonderful! Not to mention the Aggies won AND the Texans won, bringing both their records to 5-3. YIPPEE!!! :) Both of my fantasy teams won too..but those are small victories as I'll be most excited when this fantasy drama is over.
I'm getting a wee-bit overwhelmed at the 30 days ahead of me. or 28 actually, seeing as today is Nov 2. I don't have a free Saturday or Sunday until December 5, which means all cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, etc must be done in the middle of the week. I HATE doing those things mid-week...just stresses me out. Is it bad to hire people to do that stuff? I bet it is. And I bet I am not in the income-bracket to justify it either. Darn huh? On top of that I am only working 2 out of 4 weeks in November, so I have to accomplish more per day to make up for it. Guess I better get on top of that rather than updating you on how stressed I am huh?
Only 2 more months in 2009...where did the other 10 go? No idea...but I'm fine with that, cause that means less than 4 months until William blesses us with his presence!!!!
However, now that I'm older I thoroughly enjoy seeing kids all dressed up in their costumes. I don't like the "scary" element to Halloween - not a fan of scary movies, don't like skeletons and witches and the nasties that are affiliated with the holiday...but raggedy ann? pumpkins? superman? yeah - those are cute. So I was waiting in anticipation Saturday for the doorbell to ring so I could see the costumes and hear their cute cries for tricks or treats (but who are we kidding, no one wants tricks)
I don't know if it's my neighborhood, Denver, the weather, or what it is but our doorbell wasn't abused nearly as much as I'd hoped for the night and I still have plenty of Reese's and Kit-Kat bars left over :( The kids I did see were very cute, the younger the cuter, but I was sad to blow out the candle in the jack-o-lantern and turn off the porch light at the end of the night. I've also decided that if Austin wants our kids to trick-or-treat he's taking them; I'm staying home to see all the costumes.
Other than that slight disappointment, the weekend was great! Our date Friday was fun - despite the woman next to me at the restaurant ordering shrimp (insert shrimp face for the last 20 minutes of our meal...the smell was just awful, worst ever perhaps) Saturday we had some errands to run in the morning, and Petco happens to be next to Old Navy so I suggested we go look there...again...for baby clothes that we don't necessarily need right now...again. :) We got a swimsuit for next summer for $0.47 though...how can you pass that up? And some adorable little pants for $2. The sales are just too good, although I think its hard NOT to insert the word "adorable" when you're talking about pants the size of a baby! We spent the rest of Saturday the same way I spent most of Sunday...watching football. It was wonderful! Not to mention the Aggies won AND the Texans won, bringing both their records to 5-3. YIPPEE!!! :) Both of my fantasy teams won too..but those are small victories as I'll be most excited when this fantasy drama is over.
I'm getting a wee-bit overwhelmed at the 30 days ahead of me. or 28 actually, seeing as today is Nov 2. I don't have a free Saturday or Sunday until December 5, which means all cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, etc must be done in the middle of the week. I HATE doing those things mid-week...just stresses me out. Is it bad to hire people to do that stuff? I bet it is. And I bet I am not in the income-bracket to justify it either. Darn huh? On top of that I am only working 2 out of 4 weeks in November, so I have to accomplish more per day to make up for it. Guess I better get on top of that rather than updating you on how stressed I am huh?
Only 2 more months in 2009...where did the other 10 go? No idea...but I'm fine with that, cause that means less than 4 months until William blesses us with his presence!!!!
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