Finding Joy

Having a toddler teaches me many things.  More than anything, Elisabeth has taught me to find joy in everyday life.  How much less stressed would be as adults if we. . . 

Wore whatever we felt like wearing, regardless of the occasion.  And sang uplifting songs like "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" whenever we put those clothes on.

Took our dog on a walk every day.

Stopped to smell the flowers.

And held hands with someone special to us.

Yup, I think she has figured it out.

Because I just can't seem to relax. . .

Someone nominated me to be the VP of Programs for the MSIDT Alumni Association.  No worries, I think.  There has to be multiple candidates.  No one will vote for me.

Wrong, as usual. I am the only one up for the position.  Granted, the Alumni Association only has a few events during the year but . . .still.

My guess is it is one of these two - my grad school partners in crime, Randy and Tai:

Good thing I am so forgiving.

We also sent in our notice to vacate our lease this week.  We have been talking about moving to a smaller, cheaper place for a few years.  Last year didn't work out as we had guests the time of the move.  I know it is the rational and logical decision as we want to buy a house and that won't happen as long as we are paying as much as we do for rent.

Anyone want to explain to me why I haven't been able to stop crying since I sealed up the letter of our fate?  I seriously want to go back to that big, blue mailbox and somehow figure out how to rescue this notice to vacate from the letters inside. Or beg Lance to call our landlord back and tell him we changed our mind.  Major regret.  I do want to buy a house.  I do want to save money.  But I can't stand to say goodbye to this house.  We have lived here longer than we have lived anywhere before and I love it. Plus, I hate to say goodbye to the jacuzzi bathtub.  And, let's face it.  I loathe moving more than snakes.  Which is probably more than I loathe anything in this world.

Maybe we should just not pack up or leave and keep sending in rent.  Maybe they won't notice.

Picture Proof

MSIDT Graduation from Cal State University, Fullerton

May 22, 2010

Exhaustion

Graduation is tomorrow.  I can't figure out why everyone else seems much more excited about my graduation than me.  Then it occurred to me - I am just plain exhausted and don't have much energy to celebrate.  Between running after a determined toddler who has been out of her sleep schedule (meaning we get less sleep), to being 21 weeks pregnant, to trying to catch up on housework we have let go over the past year, to figuring out when in the world I am going to finish my internship and start my two contract jobs, I am just too tired right now to give my well-earned graduation the hoo-rah it needs.  Not to mention that I just finished my last semester of grad school.

I wonder if any other graduates feel this way.  Really, I can't wait for tomorrow to be over.  This is one chapter in my life I can't wait to put behind me.  Grateful I did it?  Yes.  Would I do it again?  Maybe.  Ask me again in a few months.

As for now, just put me in a hotel room, away from life for three days and I can guarantee you I will be sleeping.  A LOT.

Balance in the Universe

Our family of three (four, if you count the dog) will be welcoming another boy into the family this Fall.  Lance breathed a sigh of relief.  There is balance in the universe.  Or at least a little more balance in our household.  Baby Boy is healthy and growing steadily.  I can't believe we are half-way done!

The Prodigal Dog

I had to have a talk with Sofi today, who ran away.  Luckily, the receptionist at the nearby animal hospital saw our chubby beagle non-chalantly meandering past their office and he pulled her inside and gave us a call.  Our guess is she was looking for Papa Johns, as we often take her with us when we go to pick up a pizza ordered. Her hysterical Mama was never more over-joyed to see her first baby safe and not in the dog pound or worse yet - dead on the side of the road. (The animal hospital is at an intersection of two of the busiest roads in our city.) After I loved her up and gave her lots of kisses and hugs, she was lectured on how good she at it at our house and how she should never, never, never, ever, run away again.  Seriously, Sofi.  You have your own room.  You have a big backyard.  You have a toddler that feeds you tasty morsels every day.  You are lucky to be alive. 

I think she was sorry.

Lance had to have a talk with Elisabeth today, who opened the front door to help Sofi escape. He warned her if she let Sofi out the front door that we may never see Sofi again.  She cried.  And then she went with Lance to help find our dog in her new Cindi-rella dress she got from her WV family.  She kept hollering "Sofi" in her scratchy, two-year old voice, in hopes Sofi would come back. 

I know she was sorry.  She told her Papa so.

Oh, the adventures we have.  I wonder how our next baby will fit into the mix.

Relief.

I am officially done with the MSIDT program at Cal State Fullerton and in a week from Saturday, I will have a Masters of Science degree in Instructional Design and Technology.

Relief.  That is the only word I can find to describe how we ALL feel in this house.  RELIEF.

Now, let the celebrating begin.

(Elisabeth reading my Dreamweaver book.  Besides having an absentee mom, she got to learn about website design these past few months.)