Countdown

She's been counting down since my birthday back in March. 

We're finally down to a reasonable number...

 How old are you going to be?

*SMACK*

He's Home!

Only 10 days past the original plan...:)

Pulling Strings with Politeness

When Jeremy's parents have been in town Sam's lists of favorites gets "shifted" and everyone moves down a slot to make room for Grandma at the top.  This time was beginning to think she was never going to need me again.  However when she's sleep deprived and hungry, I guess I'm still her "go-to gal".  She came home just beside herself yesterday and I very quickly put her in the Ktan (per her request).  She immediately put her head down and was all "I love you mommy" and kisses every few seconds.  But she really melted my heart when she complimented me on my housekeeping skills,

"Mommy, did you wash clothes yesterday?"

"Yes."

"MOMMY, did you wash clothes yesterday?"

"Yes, I washed two loads."

"Mommy, did you wash clothes yesterday?" 

"Yes Samantha, Mommy washed clothes yesterday."

"Oh.  Thank you, mommy!"

Later she conned me into letting her watch TV.  I was at the computer and I heard the TV turn on.  I turned around and she was very non-nonchalantly sitting on the couch with her legs crossed and head propped up on the side of the couch.  She glanced at me and acted all surprised, like she didn't know I was sitting there.  Before I can say anything she started playing me like a fiddle.  She put her arm down, cocked her head to the side and said, 

"Oh, can I watch Signing Time?  Is that alright with you?"  

Every word was strategically pronounced perfectly. 

Honestly, I'm just too tired right now to say no to anything like that!

One HECK of a week

-Jeremy's 5 day hospital stay is now on day 8 and it's looking like he has at least another 3 to go
-Lucy's discovered to be having seizures.  The reason we didn't know is because she's fully conscious during them...yeah, talk about a head trip (no pun intended)
-I was offered the full-time position (SQUEEE!!)
-The crack house next to my parents FINALLY went down.
-Amanda got a concussion at Prom

 Thank God Jeremy's parents have been in town this week!

Update

Wow, talk about a crazy 24 hrs.
Jer's surgery did not go quite as planned but he's doing well and is cured of his ulcerative colitis.
Turing the 12 hrs of waiting I was offered the full-time position at Pius (woohoo!).  Because it took Jer so long to "wake-up" I got to tell him the good news twice, as he'd forgotten the first time :).
Keep the prayers coming!  He's in a lot of pain and we still have a long road ahead of us.

While in the Shower I was pondering...

If A=B and B=C, then A=C.

So then if my brother and my sister Lucy look alike and Lucy and Samantha look alike, does that mean I'm producing children that look like my brother?



PS
Jeremy is having "the surgery" for his ulcerative colitis today.  Prayers please!

Reason #92 to get out of bed at night:

"My butt keep waking up.  I can't get it to go night night."

That one is definitely not in the parenting books, so I went the same route I do when she wakes up screaming, telling me daddy ate her vitamins- I just played along.

"Butt, you need to go night night.  Stay in bed and go to sleep."

Kids Say

Walking out to the car on a rainy day, "Oh, mommy! I need to jump in the puddle."

"No, Samantha, you don't have rain boots on.  Maybe you'll get some for your birthday."

"Yeah, I want some reindeer-boots for my birthday party."

Sometimes...

Sometimes floors jump out and bump your head.

And sometimes, the counter steps out and bumps your head.

And sometimes the floor and counter gang up on you and attack you within the same five minutes.

And so, sometimes you just have to go back to bed and start the day over.

Cluck Cluck

The grade school just finished their embryology unit and we went to see the results.  Sam was a little hesitant to touch them at first, but warmed up to them real quick. 

"They're sleeping!"

Gross Picture

You know you're a foreign language teacher when you slice your toe open and the second thought that goes through your head is, "This is perfect, we just learned how to talk about physical ailments in class!"

Praying to be where I prayed to never return

So tomorrow is the big day.  I'll be interviewing for the full-time Spanish position at Pius.  Let me just say that when you pray for something- be prepared to get exactly what you ask for (or even better!)

In 2002 I graduated from High School, left my home-town and really did not want to return.  Maybe to raise kids, but only because my parents were there.  I was ready to move ON.

When I left Texas in 2006 I was so tired of the offensive drivers, the insanely hot summers and traveling 12+ hrs to see family (and my new baby sister).  I moved to Arkansas- MUCH closer-only an 8 hr drive- to live near my then boyfriend to see where things would take us.  After being a grocery checker, a nanny, then an ESL teacher I realized that I wanted to be the one thing I swore I didn't want to be- a Teacher.

We got married, blah-blah blah...

Two years of NTL and I was finally fully certified.  I could be a teacher and not be in school myself.  Twelve days after the birth of our daughter we took the 8 hr drive back to my home town.  I had just completed the most draining year of teaching and was. burnt. out.  I told Jeremy that if I were EVER to return to teaching that it would ONLY be for a private school- more specifically my own High School.  And, to be even MORE specific- I'd like to just teach Spanish.

Fast forward 1 year, we realized we could not, in fact, live on a Youth Minister's income with the massive amount of debt we had, so I had to return to work.  I applied for a Spanish position at my high school (not very common as they have a very low teacher turn around rate!)  Surely this was a sign.

But no, I didn't get it.

Fast forward another year and I applied yet again for a Spanish position (weird that this happened 2 years in a row-SURELY it was my time now).

But, no.  Only part-time.  Which was painfully hard on my ego, but it was what I needed to get out of the restaurant and my "foot in the door" to where I wanted to be.

Fast forward yet ANOTHER year and a long time teacher is retiring.  Three years in a row that they've hired a new Spanish teacher.  The odds are stacked in my favor, but I am NOT celebrating until I sign a contract this time.

Odd that I'm so eager to be full-time where I once was so ready to leave.  Odd that I am so eager to be teaching again, considering how burnt-out I was before.  Odd that I'm really excited to be working full-time, despite having to leave my baby with someone else during the day.

But what's even odder is the sequence of events that could not have been more delicately placed for us as a family.
1) Sam's insane health the first year of life (no WAY I'd have been able to do that while working)
2) The restaurant giving me the desire to "do something else"
3) Working part-time my first year back (Sam does not sleep anywhere but her bed- I've been able to bring her home every day to get her down for a nap)
4)  Sam will be old enough to go to full-time preschool in the fall- something she is VERY ready for

And so many other little things.  Like moving 4 times in 3 years.  And Jeremy's health.  And being there for friends.  All very much NOT possible had things gone MY way and I'd been able to teach the fall after Samantha was born.
Hindsight is 20/20.  All the ducks have been lining up exactly where they needed to be- and have stayed there despite my attempts to rearrange them.

My third interview with an old-time family friend, my own high-school counselor, math teacher and Spanish teacher is tomorrow at 8am.  Because if I can't be home with my babies, this is the next best thing.  Prayers, please!
____________________________________________________________

update:  It was a little "ho hum" as it was my third round with the same questions- although they did try and change it up a bit.  At the end I was told that they'd had some very impressive interviews with other candidates thus far and that they'll be making a decision over break and will offer the position to someone next week.