Trying to Make a Comeback

So I haven't posted in three months. And honestly, I've just been dealing with stuff that I haven't wanted to write about and has taken a lot of time and energy from me. But I miss the blog. And hopefully, the blog missed me. So to jump start my comeback, I am posting a couple posts that I actually wrote in the fall and never got around to posting. They are dated, but, hey, you gotta start somewhere. So you can read them below. I have every intention of posting again soon...

Three's Company or Three's a Crowd?

I get asked more often than you would think if I am having any more babies. About half the time, the question is phrased around if I am going to "try for a girl." In regards to a girl, the answer is simple – I don't really care if I have a girl or not. After having two boys, I'm not sure I would know what to do with a girl. But in regards to having any more babies, that is the tougher question to answer.


When I was pregnant with Brett, I was positive he was my last one. I am not one of those women who love being pregnant. In fact, most of pregnancy I hate. Ultrasounds are fun, the funny little movements you feel in there are fun, but everything else, as far as I'm concerned, kinda sucks. Granted, I get horrible morning sickness, migraine headaches, sciatic nerve issues, and a host of other odd ailments when pregnant. And after my long and difficult birth of Brett, I was really positive I was done having babies.

Then when Brett was about 8 weeks old, I moved him into the pack n' play in our room and out of the bassinet. Both my boys slept in the bassinet my dad and my aunts had slept in as babies, and me and most of my cousins slept in as babies, and my cousin's kids slept in as babies. It has a lot of tradition and sentimental value. I went to pack it up and put it in the attic and started sobbing. The thought of never putting a baby in that bassinet again broke my heart. Then the same thing happened when packing up the newborn size clothes, the baby toys, the bottles; you get the picture.

So then I was sure I wanted one more. Not to have a girl, but to have one more baby, boy or girl. I started to forget the bad stuff, like the horrendous labor and delivery, and remember the good stuff, like that moment when the doctor hands you the baby and at the sound of your voice, he stops crying and just stares at you. The whole rose-colored-glasses thing. All of a sudden, I couldn't imagine life without one more baby. I was convinced I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't have one more.

Lately, I have started to wonder again if I really want one more. As Brett gets older and I see his personality more, I wonder if he would do well as a middle child or not. I think about how nice some things are now that he is older. Brett and Jack can play together in the living room while I fix dinner and I don't have to keep checking every two minutes to make sure "the baby" didn't put something in his mouth. Brett can actually walk when we go somewhere and my hands are full of stuff. I have a little bit of independence as he gets older and more independent himself.

While I was pregnant with Brett, I remember watching Jack sleeping one night before I went to bed. The thought ran through my head that maybe I had made a mistake. Life was so good most days with our little family of three. We hung out together and had fun. We had figured out how to manage, and were doing it quite well, I must admit. I panicked that this new little baby would rock our perfect little boat we had going on.

Then Brett was born. I'll admit, we had our rocky times. The first day I spent alone with two kids I did yell, through my tears, that everyone in the house needed to stop crying. Not my finest hour, but we made it through. And I look at our life now, and realize it wasn't complete without Brett. He fills a hole I never even knew was there. I can't imagine our family without him.

So how do I know what to do? Some days I wish I would just either accidentally get pregnant or would find out I medically can't have any more kids. (I am fully aware I should REALLY watch what I wish for here!) Then the decision would not be mine to make. But unless that happens, I have to continue to wonder what to do. All I can say is, stay tuned, there may or may not be further programming…

Can't Get Good Help These Days

I am passionate about customer service. I strongly believe the most successful companies and organizations are the ones that recognize the value of a satisfied customer. Part of my belief comes from the work I do. I have done quite a bit of customer service training, and, therefore, have done quite a bit of research on customer service. One recent statistic I came across was part of the "new" focus on the impact social media has on customer service. It used to be a dissatisfied customer might tell 8-10 people about poor service. The more recent statistic I read was that 13% of dissatisfied customers used social media to broadcast their dissatisfaction, thus reaching far more than 8-10 people.


So, I have decided to be part of the 13%, mostly because in the last few weeks I have experienced such tremendously bad service that I can't keep quiet anymore (my head just might explode). My streak of bad service started at McDonald's Drugstore in downtown South Haven. The quick version of the story is that a simple no-receipt exchange of an item they clearly sold took well over an hour. The sales person had to "go talk to my manager." The situation got more and more ridiculous as she started asking Troy if he knew the exact date he had bought the item and how he paid for it. Now, I understand having policies and procedures so a business runs effectively and efficiently. But when those policies get in the way of providing customer service, they are no longer effective policies. She ended up doing exactly what I came in their asking for – returning the wrong item that had been purchased, getting me the right item, and charging me the difference. However, because she took over an hour to do so, I will never return to the store again. Unfortunately for them, I am not some tourist coming in to get a cute souvenir. I am a local who would have shopped there for years to come.

Next, I started dealing with South Haven Public Schools. Specifically, the administration branch of the schools. I will say, so far my experience with the teachers and the on-site personnel has been nothing short of fabulous. However, my experience with the transportation department was awful. The week before school started I had no information whatsoever regarding Jack riding the bus. So I called. I was told by the person answering the phone that she would look up the route. Then I proceeded to listen to her talk to other person in the office about the computers not working, servers being down, etc. for about three minutes straight. I was never asked to wait a moment, or please hold, or really acknowledged at all. Then she simply said she would check when the servers were back up. She never told me when to call back, or offered to take my name or number and call me back. When I finally did talk to someone again I was told my not-quite-five-year-old would be on the bus over an hour and would have to wait in front of a vacant house with a pond that would not have a plowed driveway in the winter. Her response to my concerns was simply, "I can understand you feeling that way." Fabulous. My slightly less frustrating encounters have had to do with lunch menus not being posted online and charging a "handling" fee for me to electronically deposit money into my child's lunch account; however, if I actually hand the money to them (hence, actual handling of money occurs) there is no handling fee. Weird.

Finally, my last straw before writing this post, I called my bank with questions regarding my account. I have been with Honor Credit Union (formerly Berrien Teachers Credit Union) for probably close to a decade now. I have my car loan there as well as Troy's, in addition to our checking and savings accounts. I used to rave about their customer service, but I have been increasingly frustrated with their customer service for the past year. Since they have grown and changed their name, they seem to have gotten progressively worse when it comes to customer service. I recently talked to a friend that works at Chemical Bank about maybe switching and she said in the last 6 months she has heard the same complaint about Honor quite a bit. I told the person on the phone this. Her response? "Well, a lot of people from Chemical Bank come to us." Thank you, for responding like a 12 year old. The appropriate response should be concern that the people in the communities you are located in are talking about your organization negatively. You should also be concerned that your competition knows it.

So, I wish I could say sorry to these organizations for outing their poor customer service, but I'm not really sorry. You reap what you sow. And you happened to provide horrible service to part of the 13% going to social media, someone who also happens to research customer service and teaches it to others. Thanks for all the examples I will now share with probably hundreds of people when I teach. As Julia Roberts so famously said to the snotty salesgirls in Pretty Woman, "Big Mistake. Huge."

School Days

My little Jack-a-roo started school this week. He is in the Young 5's class at Lincoln Elementary; officially a South Haven Ram now. I, like the emotional mother I am, cried like a baby his first day of school. I did save my tears for after I left his classroom, but trust me, they flowed. I couldn't believe I was leaving my little boy in that big classroom for the whole day.

I saw my friend Senice in the parking lot when walking back to my car. She asked me if Jack had, all of a sudden, seemed like a little boy this last week; more grown up. I realized he absolutely had. My baby was disappearing and being replaced by a boy. It made me sad, and happy, and proud all at once. And I realized that's what the tears were for.

So as I think about my little boy, and not my baby, here is what I am most proud of:

• Jack entered that Kindergarten room confident. He had no problem with my leaving him there. He came in, checked things out, and found a spot to play. He had no tears and no fears.

• He is eager to make friends. He told me about being excited to show the other kids his new backpack. He told me about playing with kids on the playground.

• He is honest. While he knew I wouldn't really like the answer, he was honest that he ate all his cheese pizza, but did not eat any of the salad or grapes that came with it. I praised his honesty, but, being me, I also talked about the importance of eating fruits and veggies.

• He had a big smile on his face when I saw him at the end of the day. I'm sure his day had its share of uncertainty and stress, but he was smiling at the end of it. He made his way through it and was happy.

Jack's first day was great, which makes me unbelievably happy. Here are some pics from the big day:

 Breakfast - maybe not quite ready for the day!

 NOW we're ready for the day!

 Brett had to be just like his big brother and wear his backpack!

 My boys and their packs

 My happy little boy

 Waiting for the doors to open (it was a little chilly!)

In front of Jack's new classroom

Reflections a Decade Later

On the radio the other morning was a montage of music and sound bites from a decade ago. Specifically, from September 11, 2001 and the days immediately after. As the tenth anniversary approached, I saw and heard more and more about that day. The programs about the attacks and in remembrance of those who died. The recollections of where people were and what they were doing. It was definitely being brought to the front of people's minds again.

I was teaching third grade in Battle Creek on 9/11. My friend and colleague, Sarah, came over to my classroom and said her husband had called or emailed that a plane had crashed into one of the towers in New York. I got the kids going on an assignment and went to cnn.com. I caught the first reports coming in. At that point, no one knew what was really happening. Shortly after, I was no longer able to get to the website. I later learned all the major news sites crashed because of the traffic to them.

I was isolated inside a school with no TV or radio. It didn't really hit me because I hadn't seen anything or heard much. The principal came into the staff lunch room and said a decision was made to not mention anything to students. It was the parents' decision and choice as to what to tell their children. Parents started arriving early to pick their kids up. I still didn't quite get it.

Then I got home. And I, like so many others, sat in front of the TV for hours. And then for days. I cried at the stories. I prayed for the families. And I held on to hope for so long that they would find more people. That they would save more people. Then I cried again when the inevitable message came that the rescue effort had become a recovery effort.

I, like so many others, rediscovered my pride in my country and my patriotism. I wore my American flag pin. I said the Pledge of Allegiance with a little more meaning. And I sang God Bless America in the middle of baseball games. But I also had questions. How could this happen? How did we not know it was coming, with our vast network of intelligence systems and agents? How could anyone be evil enough to come up with this plan?

So where am I a decade later? I have to admit, my patriotism has faded. I once again question certain characteristics of my country and its leaders. But I also have to admit, I do so because of a commitment to the people of my country. I may be embarrassed by the actions of a vast number of people in my country, but I am proud of my commitment to do something to help others in need whenever and however I can. Perhaps patriotism has not been the lasting impact of 9/11 for me, but service to my community has.

A decade later I still have the same questions. I still don't know how that tragic day happened. I have watched countless hours of commentary and analysis and theories, but I think it all points to the simple truth that none of us know how this happened. Maybe we all just didn't know that level of evil existed. We didn't know what we didn't know. But unfortunately, I think that day, and in the days after, we all lost a little bit of innocence, and faith, and hope. Perhaps that is another lasting impact of 9/11 for me, and for all of us watching that day.

So on this anniversary, my thoughts turn to the victims and their families. I doubt many people in this country escaped this tragedy without knowing someone that was lost, or someone that lost a loved one. I pray that they have all found some kind of peace and a way to keep going. And I promise them that I will continue to remember the impact of their loss, and use it to fuel my commitment to help others whenever I can. I also promise to someday, when they are older, teach my children the lessons to be learned from that day. I can't answer the questions I am sure they will have, because I don't know how someone could do this. But I hope their generation can find the innocence, the faith, and the hope that the rest of us lost that day.

One Year Later...

One year ago today, my life was forever changed. Usually what follows a sentence like that is something about marrying the love of your life, or giving birth to a beautiful baby. I don't have a happy ending for my sentence. One year ago today my mom fell and hit her head on the concrete driveway, causing a bleed in her brain. What followed after was a long and incomplete recovery, the destruction of my relationship with my parents, the rise of alcoholism in my dad, a long and pointless legal battle, and basically a trip through hell, one in which I am still waiting for the "and back again" part. One year later and not much is better, it is simply far, far worse than I ever could have imagined it would be.

When I sat down to write this, I realized this can't be how my story ends. This glass-half-empty girl, can't have a completely empty glass at the end of all this. I have to find some good. I have to fill my glass. So here's the good that has come out of the past year of my life.

I have realized I am far stronger than I ever would have known. At least a dozen times over the past year I have said to Troy, "I can't take any more. This is my limit." And then there would be more. So I've come to know that no matter what hell comes my way, I may hate it, and I may wish with everything I have for it to get better, but if it doesn't, I will continue to exist and plow through each and every day.

I found faith this past year. For most of my life, I have had a kind of on-again-off-again relationship with God. Through high school and college I went from being involved in church to not involved and back and forth. After college, I became somewhat anti-organized religion. I viewed it as historically a way to control the masses, get people to behave the way the powers that be wanted them to through the threat of exclusion. This past year, the relationship got even more dicey. For awhile, I was angry at God for allowing everything to happen. I mean really angry. But the more I went to church (for Jack's involvement, initially), and the more people who told me they were praying for me, the more I would feel moments of peace. I've come to realize, and am trying to accept, that while God let those things happen, He gave me the strength and the people to get me through them.

I have forged a bond with my sister that is, I am certain, unbreakable. My sister and I were close to begin with. Ever since I moved back to St. Joe, across the street from her, we had been getting closer and becoming even better friends. We knew about each other's pregnancies before the rest of the world knew, we had numerous conversations that started, "I couldn't tell anyone else this, but…" and we talked probably more days than not. But we went through this past year together in a way no one else could. It was truly a shared experience. They are our parents, and no one else had that common thread, or so much emotional investment, as the two of us. We may have lost the rest of our immediate family, but I will never feel alone for the rest of my life. I have my sister.

Finally, I gained the courage to change my life this past year. I had hated my job for so long. But change was scary for me. I came to a point where I realized I no longer had anything to lose. I had to get out of St. Joe. I couldn't continue to be the first responder to my parents' numerous emergencies simply because I was the closest one there. I couldn't continue to wonder who all knew the gossip going around town about my dad and his drinking, or my brother and his various jail sentences. I found and went after another job. And I love it. It took having nothing to lose, for me to be open to having something to gain.

So a year later, I resolve to be more aware of how full my glass is. Maybe the glass-half-empty girl you have come to know is evolving. I may not always see my glass the right way, but after everything I have gone through, there are certainly days when I realize that my cup runneth over.

Future Careers

I recently read an article about predictions you could, and could not, make about your child's future personality based on early behaviors. It got me thinking about what my kids will be like in the future. Based on their current behaviors and interests, here are some of my predictions for possible careers my children will choose:


Jack
• Writer – Jack is quite the storyteller. He is constantly telling me about things his stuffed animals (his kids) have done. He will tell me very elaborate tales of what Gorilla and Girly-Girl did that day with him. He has an amazing imagination and I honestly could see him doing something very creative in life. Since he loves books and hates crafts, I think writing may be more his creative expression than art.

• Hostage negotiator – Jack likes to negotiate everything lately. His bedtime, how long he can play computer games or watch TV, what he has to eat off his plate to get dessert. You name it, he will negotiate it.

• Lawyer – If Jack's negotiations fail, he turns to arguing his case. Why he did something naughty, or why he should get to do something good. And he's sneaky about getting you to argue back. I will often find myself in the middle of arguing something with him and wonder how I got sucked into arguing.

• Alien Fighter or Dinosaur Trainer – Jack is very into Dinosaurs and Aliens, two things I know do not exist in our little corner of the universe, but Jack is convinced they do. When his cousin asked him what he wanted to be, Jack replied, "A Dinosaur Trainer." When Kyle told him the dinosaurs weren't around anymore, Jack's answer was, "I know that. But they're coming back." If the dinosaurs come back or aliens attack, there is no doubt in my mind Jack will be ready to protect and save us all. (You're breathing a sigh of relief right now, aren't you?)

Brett
• Dentist – Brett is obsessed with brushing his teeth. If allowed, he would brush his teeth twenty times a day. Last week I was at my company picnic at the beach and in the middle of it, Brett looked at me and said, "Brush teeth?" I asked him if he wanted to brush his teeth right then and he told me yes. I am sure he will be the child with a toothbrush and toothpaste in his backpack.

• Sumo Wrestler – Brett loves to sleep and eat and tackle anyone in his way. Need I say more about this profession?

• Petrologist – I had to look up the accurate name for this. It is a scientist who studies rocks. Brett loves to pick up rocks. Almost every day he has to select a rock from the driveway to carry with him to daycare. He is not quite two, so for obvious reasons, we have had to establish the rule that the rock stays in the car and does not go into daycare. He also keeps a little stash of rocks on the back porch. If we are out somewhere and see rocks, he has to stop and always wants to take one with. (Sorry to everyone in South Haven missing rocks from their landscaping…)

• Comedic Actor – Brett loves to make people laugh. And once he figures out he can, he tries even harder. He is also incredibly charming. He would be the perfect leading man in a romantic comedy. Although, he would probably need to hit the gym with a trainer (see the previous sumo wrestler description!).

Just My Humble Opinion...

Rarely am I political on the blog. But I have a few things on my mind lately…

Having recently started a new job, I have been learning about the company. I work for a Community and Migrant Health Center. What does that mean? It means I work for an organization that, through federal funding from the Community and Migrant Health Center Act enacted in the 1970's, provides basic health care for the underserved population. The act was intended to recognize that, despite Medicaid and Medicare, there was still a population that needed access to health care, like the homeless or the migrant farm workers.

So you're probably still asking what that means, right? It means we operate clinics that provide basic medical and dental care. Some of our patients have insurance and pay for services through insurance and copays, just like many of us. And some of our patients have Medicaid or Medicare. And some of our patients qualify for a sliding fee program, where the amount they pay is adjusted based on their family income. The money we write off through the adjustment is covered by federal funding.

So here's where I start to get a little political. There are 47 million Americans without health insurance and 35 million without access to a doctor. I realize my view of history is somewhat arrived at by the compelling stories and beautiful cinematography of films like Seabiscuit and Cinderella Man. I'm sure this is not the true reality. But I also believe, there is some basic truth about the values of a nation in those stories. During the Depression and the rebuilding years after, Americans helped one another. Americans took care of each other. They cared about people they didn't even know, because they were people. Where has that gone?

Right before I left my old job I was telling someone about InterCare and what they do. She made a flippant comment about why are they helping those migrant workers when there are people from our own country that need help. I've also heard comments made about people needing to work hard and not simply taking handouts. I agree people should do what they are capable of doing. But some people ARE doing what they are capable of and can't find a job, or work full time but are not paid enough to afford health insurance or to pay medical bills. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place. And Migrant workers come to our country to work hard. I hear people complain about them coming into America, but I never hear a complaint from someone that their fruit is too damn cheap. Farmers depend on migrant workers to do the jobs that too many Americans think they are too good for or are too much work.

I have heard heartbreaking stories since I started working here. One that I can't seem to forget is about a migrant worker in Michigan this summer. He came here to earn money to take back to Mexico to support his family. His family stayed behind, while he came here to work for months. While he has been here, his wife got ill and died. He could not afford to go back home. This poor man has lost his wife, has not had the opportunity to go home and say goodbye or to comfort his children. He is stuck in a foreign land, doing incredibly demanding physical work every day, worried about his children. He is just one of the stories of an entire subculture of depressed men working in the fields. They are away from their families doing what they have to do to survive. So their children can survive.

I took my new job because I want to make a difference. I believe in taking care of people, not because they have earned the right to health care, but because they are human beings and deserve respect and deserve basic health care. Being healthy and alive should not be a privilege of the rich. You hear America referred to as a "rich" nation. We are not a rich nation, we are a nation with rich people living in it. We are a nation where when the debt crisis was being debated soldiers that are willing to sacrifice their lives for the lives of others were told they were not guaranteed a paycheck, but the rich were assured they would not have to pay more in taxes.

Shame on all the multimillionaires out there who fight to not have their taxes raised. Is having 4 million dollars really that different for them than having 2 million? Does it make their lives better enough to sacrifice the life of a single mother working at a grocery store and dying of breast cancer because she can't afford treatment, but because she works, doesn't qualify for government assistance? I'm not rich. There are many times when we are watching the bank account closely the day before pay day and hoping everything balances out. And some people might say I spend foolishly, but even though I know finances are tight sometimes, I am always willing to donate to a cause that helps people. That is who I am and what I believe in. I am proud to be making a difference for people that need help.

Have Ya Missed Me?

So I haven't been blogging much lately. And I really have no excuse, other than I haven't even gotten the computer out much lately. So what have I been doing other than not blogging?

• I have been starting my new job, which I LOVE! I have been through orientation, gotten settled in, and started working on a few projects. I am going to be launching the new eLearning system, redesigning the new employee orientation, taking over coordinating the student placements, and possibly coordinating and conducting some training on a very cool accountability program. Exciting stuff. I have already moved from one desk to another – I started in a cubicle and they moved me into a shared office. Everyone is really friendly and I feel like I fit right in.

• I quit my side job, freelance editing. It was just getting to be too much. But before I quit I had a huge load of reports for July. So I was a little crabby for a couple weeks when all I did was work all day, do dinner and bedtime with the kids, then work on editing until I went to bed.

• Now that I don't have to get the computer out for editing, I am not on facebook nearly as much as I used to be. Surprisingly, I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. It is a HUGE time sucker and I find I am filling the time with reading books and magazines, which I get much more enjoyment and relaxation out of.

• Since the computer is not out, as you can see, the blog has been a little neglected as well. I have actually still been doing some writing, just not blog posts. I've been writing out my experiences from the past year. Not sure if getting it all out on paper will be cathartic, or what I will do with it once I have it all down, but I'm just trying to go with the flow.

• I have been living with a couple of miniature Jeckyl and Hydes. Both the boys are in quite the love 'em or hate 'em phase. Jack is strongly asserting his five-year-oldness about a month early. He is learning some hard lessons about who is in charge at our house and what is acceptable and what is not. Brett has entered the "I do it!!!" phase. He wants to do everything himself and is adamantly opposed to any form of help. They have their cute moments, though. When Brett is trying to do something himself and can't quite get it, he will say, in a very frustrated tone, "Dang it!" And Jack's imagination is a constant source of entertainment, but he has also found a little bit of his cuddly nature again. I often get an "I love you mommy" with a hug out of the blue.

• Finally, I have been birthday party planner extraordinaire. The craziness of having two boys with birthdays a week apart is once again hitting me. I have been planning two birthday parties for my little men. Brett is very into boats right now, so his party will have a sailboat theme and will be held at the marina. Jack is obsessed with the cartoon Ben 10 right now, so he is having a Ben 10 party at the park, complete with a Ben 10 pinata he is super excited about! I spent almost a week finding all the party supplies online and ordering them up. Now I have a huge box of "stuff" in our laundry room waiting for the big days.

So not blogging has kept me pretty busy. I have to say, time well spent though. I have read and loved The Help and have a stack of books I can't wait to get to. And I have made a small dent in my stack of magazines. The boys will have fabulously fun parties that I plan to take a ton of pictures of. But I have been itching to get back to the blog, so keep watching!

Nineteen Minutes

I recently read the book “Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult. It is the first of her books that I have read and I think she is an amazing writer. I found the book hard to put down and I was drawn into both the characters and the plot. The book focused on a school shooting. The title came from the length of time the shooting occurred for – nineteen minutes from when the shooter walked in, until he stopped. A big part of the plot centers around the shooter’s experiences in school, from preschool to high school. He was bullied.

The book really hit a nerve with me. Jack is my child I worry about, because he is sensitive and his feelings are hurt easily. Kids can be mean, and probably nothing is ever going to change that. Hopefully, most kids learn that when they are mean, they hurt other’s feelings, and they learn to be kinder. But comments that most parents dismiss, drive me crazy. Because they hurt my baby’s feelings. Sometimes a lot. Often more so than they might hurt other kid’s feelings.

The book made me wonder what makes some kids get bullied and others are left alone. There are lots of sensitive kids out there, not all of them get bullied. And why do some kids get repeatedly bullied, from their first day of school to their last. The biggest question I ponder is what do I do to make sure my kid is ok?

As parents, we all say, and to some extent think, we want our kids to be unique and individual. We want them to be true to themselves, no matter what. To stand out in a crowd. But the truth for me, and maybe more parents than I realize, is that I want my kid to be the same. I want him to fit in. I want him to blend. Because the kids that are like all the other kids, don’t get picked on. They have friends. They are the popular and cool kids.

I don’t know the answers. I don’t know how to make sure my kids have friends and don’t get bullied. I certainly hope my kids are not the ones bullying other kids. But I feel that I have more control over that side of the problem. I can teach my kids not to bully others; I can’t teach every other kid not to bully mine. So I watch like a hawk for signs that Jack is getting bullied or is not ok. And I pray that I can keep him safe and happy. And I hope that maybe his generation can figure it out, and stop the problem that seems to be getting out of control. Because in this situation, the glass-half-empty girl has to try to be optimistic.

Staycation Days 4, 5, and 6

Staycation day 4 was a "Date Day." We sent the boys to Sara's for the day so Troy and I could spend some time just the two of us. We went up to Holland and did a little shopping and errands. Then came home and went to Joe's Bar & Grill for lunch and a few drinks. It was some much needed couple time and Sara was excited to see the boys!

Staycation Day 5 was spent in Montague for Big G's birthday. They had the kiddie pool, sand and water table, and slip and slide out for the kiddos. They all had a blast! It was also fun for the boys to get to see their baby cousin Jake, who got to hang out in the pool with the "big boys." I was excited to make a trip down to the Montague Antique Mall - I found my rocking chair I have been wanting for the front porch! Here are some pics from the day:

My goofy boys

Squirter Guns!!!!!

Brett had to get in on the action

All the cousins

Awwwwww...

The boys dried off and tuckered out!

Our final staycation day included a family cook out at my sister Laura's house. The boys love playing with their cousins and I love hanging out with my sister, so it was a perfect evening! Here's the final pics from our summer staycation:

Staycation Days 2 and 3

Day 2 of our Staycation - a true staycation day spent relaxing at home. (Otherwise known as mom-and-dad-were-feeling-lazy!)

Jack "reading" to Brett - love it!

Brett trying to escape from the backyard!

Jack's excellent golf swing in action - the next Phil Mickelson (I can't compare him to Tiger!)

The boys snacking...with golf clubs

Day 3 of our Staycation was a blast! Our frinds Jill and Thomas had a pass for the Children's Museum at Navy Pier in Chicago. Jill and I loaded up all three boys and drove into the big city. Almost six hours later we had three very tired and very happy kiddos! I know I have a ton of pictures here - but it was so much fun I couldn't seem to narrow them down!

Brett in true firefighter style

Jack in his firefighter coat and boots

Thomas, Brett, and Jack (known today as the three stooges!)

We spent some time building with boards, nuts, and bolts

There was a great board where Brett could take the bolts in and out of the holes to make a picture - perfect for tiny, not-quite-coordinated-yet hands!

My boys working together - love it!

The kids loved the Treehouse room - was one of their favorites!

Jack loved catching fish, frogs, and reptiles (as he accurately told me each one!)

In the treehouse

Me and Brett in the car that was part of the Town room

Digging and discovering dinosaur bones!

Silly boys!

Both the boys also loved the water room - we saved it for last since they needed a full clothing change after we got done playing!!

Jack loved building a water system with these pipes - he spent almost his entire time in the water room at this station. He had a ton of fun with it!

Brett kept filling a funnel with water and then was amazed that by the time he looked into it, the water was gone. He was amazed all 50 times he did that! The confused look was priceless!

About 30 minutes into the car ride home - three sleepers! And two moms in the front with Starbucks!!! What a great trip! We all loved it!!

Staycation 2011

We decided not to go up north this summer. We didn't know if I would be switching jobs or not, and if I was, we didn't know what the timing would be. If I wasn't, then I was out of days off. We figured there was too much up in the air to make plans for that time frame. So now we are having a "staycation" since I ended up with the same week off as Troy. Here's pictures from our first adventure - a trip down to St. Joe to see the "Barnyard at the Beach" public art display and then on to the splash pad for some fun in the sun (and splashing!).

Troy and the Boys with Vincent VanGoat

My cuties :)

Me and the Boys with Bessie and Jessie

Jack loved splashing around!!

Brett, on the other hand, spent most of the time in the stroller with a juice box and snacks!

The boys having fun together

Brett gave it a try - but never got close enough to actually get wet

My tired baby toward the end of the afternoon - with his Binket and Nuk

Jack on the carousel

What a sweetheart :)

Stops and Starts

I have a new job. It seems crazy to write those words. I have been looking for another job, off and on, for about 5 years. When people talked about what a tough job market it was, I knew what they meant. I got my hopes up, got disappointed, felt discouraged, almost gave up, and everything in between. But I now believe more than ever in the idea that everything happens for a reason.

I discovered the posting for my new job by chance. The midwife that helped deliver Brett sent out a letter that the midwife practice was moving to the InterCare clinic. Then I got an email at work that one of our Vice Presidents was leaving to take a position at InterCare. Having heard the name twice in just a couple weeks, I decided to Google it. As I poked around on their website, I saw the job posting for a Training Coordinator. As I read the description and requirements, I couldn’t help but think, “This is me.” So I applied.

I didn’t hear anything for probably about six weeks. I had kind of figured I wasn’t going to get a call (or even a thanks, but no thanks letter). Then I got a call. The HR manager I talked to said they had been working on filling a number of positions and were finally turning their attention to this one. She told me about the job and asked if I would be interested in coming in to talk to her about. I ended the call and was shaking I was so excited!

Then came the interviews. Interviewing is a lot like dating, except there are no fun movies and going out for drinks. And you have to much more aggressively sell yourself because you only get a couple chances before it gets to the getting serious stage. So I got out of my box and tried to talk myself and my skills up. And as they asked the questions, I realized I didn’t have to work hard to give them examples and to talk about how I would handle situations. And I left the interviews with the same feeling you get after a great date – those excited butterflies in your stomach and the hope that it was the start of something.

Then there was the waiting. While hiring for the position was not their only task to do, it was the only thing I could think of. I stared at the phone; I watched my email for a note from my references that they had been called. (Strangely, a lot like dating again.) Finally, the call came. I had got the job. And the offer was sweet. Better than I had anticipated. I immediately called Troy, then my sister, and cried happy tears.

While it feels crazy to think that I have a new job, it feels just as crazy to say that I resigned my job at Lakeland. I have been there 8 ½ years. I started there single and living in my parent’s basement; I am leaving there married, with two kids and a house. Stops and starts, or changes, usually stress me out and make me nervous. I am a type A person – change is hard for me. But the fact that I am not nervous about this change at all, tells me it is right.

So now I am at the starting and stopping point. I don’t like to think of it as beginning and ending. Really, the job is not beginning; the idea and vision of it has been there for a while, on both my side and theirs. I am just starting with it; picking it up and running with it. And my time at Lakeland is not so much ending; I will just stop going there and being involved in projects. I hope to maintain many of the relationships I have built there; some on a professional level, and some on a friendship level.

There is something about a big change in life that brings a sense of hope and that great feeling of getting to start over; getting to create something new. Hope is something I have needed for a while now. So I believe even more that everything happens for a reason. Whether it is fate or faith, or a little of both, thanks for working out just right this time!

Me with my offer letter from InterCare!!!