Studying

After some unfortunate events last year and some semi-dissatisfaction with my current "job" as a stay-at-home mom, I am going back to work! I have some classes to take and some internship and supervision to complete but I am giving myself two years to get back on the wagon of wage earning. You see, the truth is I am very unbalanced right now in my life. Most of my time is spent mothering, the rest cleaning, then some shuttling, and a bunch of other "selfish and insignificant" stuff. I have wanted to get back to the helping profession for a couple of years, but the logistics and the cost of childcare curbed that. I really have given of my life to this family for the past 10 years. While it is rewarding in and of itself and I am so thankful and grateful that I got to do it "my way", I have felt a void and have wanted to do more, for me and for others who could benefit from my genuine compassion. I am excited (and a little nervous as I have never had to juggle being a "working mother".). So, I am studying now to become refreshed with some counseling theory, techniques, human growth and development, research...lots of counseling stuff. It is really a lot of fun to hit the books again. I'd love to go back to school even, that process of learning and the excitement and energy of being around the eager learners charged with idealism and raw passion....it is a feeling that I would like experience again. I was never strong academically, just barely got by in middle and high schools. Undergrad was also a bit of a struggle, I played a little too much in the beginning, was a varsity rower so that took some time and energy away from the books, and I didn't always like the courses I "had" to take, but as I entered grad school, it really got fun. Again, I never excelled like some of the other brains in my program, but I loved the process and embraced every step. I would be a phenomenal student now! Funny how life can be sometimes, it seems to get more meaningful for me as I get older and more experienced. I think I will make a great helping professional, when I get back in the game!

Nicolas with afro

I love this picture....we hit the post-Halloween sale at Walmart and picked up some less than wanted wigs, the afro apparently was not a big hit this year, we bought several. So as we were driving home, Nicolas put on his wig, I nearly peed my pants when I saw him in my rearview mirror. He is so funny! I love him so much

A new year, hopefully a better one!!

So here we all are, staring into the new year. It is no secret that 2008 has been a difficult year for me. I am really going to focus this year on me. I have some personal and professional goals and I am going to do my best to achieve them. The end of this past year, 11/05 to be exact, left me with some emotional trauma and life-as-I-know-it altering information. So, the only thing I can do is be the best me possible and be prepared for anything!! I have been pretty comfy in my role as mommy and wifey the past 10 years, not really realizing how dependent I am on others, Ted really. I am going to change all of that and make sure I can stand on my own two feet, with 10 other little feet next to me!! Wow, sounds daunting, but I need to make it happen. Wish me luck! Happy New Me!

Blog Wars

So my husband started a blog last week. I think it is his way of venting about parenthood, it seemed to be sparked as a result of him being home day in and day out since 9/22/08, when he lost his job. The blog is quite negative, yet it is a truthful, heartfelt, and humorous (only if you have at least 5 kids in 6 years like us) spew of his feelings about life, kids, family, and marriage. I am hoping for a cheerful entry soon. I started my blog when I was on bed rest nearly 3 years ago, but it never really got off the ground, then I started Facebooking, I don't think that is actually a verb, but I am using it as such, so that kept me current with friends and family. Now, since Ted is blogging and has removed himself from FB for some inappropriate chatting, yeah that is an entirely different topic, one I am working the guts to get to write about soon, I am now blogging myself. Maybe just for me, as my own therapy, but also for the one or maybe two people that may read this and find some life parallel that helps them out. Life can be messy, we certainly don't sugarcoat things around here. I am fairly guilty about hanging my dirty laundry out in unwanted areas, but hey, that is just me. I have a tough time with filtering info and I enjoy learning about others' lives, and I think there are a few other gems out there like me. Maybe it is you, if so, leave me a comment and say "hi". We have only a short time on this earth and it has always been my goal and passion to be a positive and giving contributor to as many people as possible. This is just another way to make that happen! Happy Blogging to you all and keep reading. It will get juicier, messier, goofier....well, just fuller-I can guarantee no surface b.s. and total honesty. While it is not really a competition or a "war" as my blog title indicates, I will simply offer my perspective on my family life, which may contradict or support Ted's blog. You can see for yourself.

Chrismas 2008

Another beautiful Christmas. The kids had a fantastic morning, their energy and excitement was felt throughtout the house at an undesirable start time. Nicolas woke first at 6:03am, Madison was soon to follow and Evan straggled out of bed around 6:25am, the babies got up soon after. Grandma and Grandpa were snug in their bed at the Gainesville Hilton at that time, where they stay every time they are up to visit together. They came over just at 8am for the opening of presents and some yummy breakfast casserole, the presents were opened first. That hour and a half was brutal for the kids, and towards the end I thought Nicolas would actually explode from the temptation of the surprises in his pile-o-gifts. This year we tried to slow the onslaught of paper tearing and present inspecting down a bit, and while it worked, the morning still went too fast for me. The babies surprised me this year and actually "got it" and could open their own presents, the bigs helped out a bit too. It reminded me of Halloween, the babies would go to one house and get a piece of candy, and eat it without any interest in any other houses until that piece was completely eaten. Same with the presents, they would open one and play with it until they were "bored" and then move on to another. So cute! The bigs are still believers, not even a mention of any doubt this year, which we did have last year, very interesting. I love that magic! We all had a fairly relaxed and thoroughly wonderful morning, and the afternoon was pretty quiet, just played with the new stuff and hung around for some quality family time. It was nice. I am already looking forward to next year, I think it will be even better!

New Adventure

Well, d-day came on Friday. Ted's last day of work. Yup, we are now officially unemployed. It is scary, but exciting. The truth is, I have wanted to leave this town for a while. Ted never plugged in here, we are not football fans, we don't participate in the Gator festivities that take over the town. Not that this is a bad place, heck it was rated the top city in the country to live a couple of years ago, but it has just never felt like home to either of us. So, while I cried for a few minutes, had a short panic attack, and thought my heart would truly stop beating as my chest started to feel tight, I regrouped with some breathing and took the high road with positive thoughts of a new city in mind. I will always have my friends, no matter where we or they live, so that was another saving grace for me. So it is off to the races for us. Ted will start the job hunt this week. He is crazy smart, dedicated to a fault, and a true gem of an employee. I really hope he finds what HE wants versus what he needs. We'll kee you posted.

Re-entry

In the beginning....well I started this blog when I was on bedrest with the twins, two years ago. It just never came to fruition, then I had the twins and life just got a little harried. So now that I have all of this free time (yeah, right) I though I would get it started, again.