Baby #2... it's True!

I've waited quite a while to post about this pregnancy. But, I am in fact pregnant with my second child, and it is due on March 5th, 2015. Hubby and I are incredibly excited, as well as big brother!

For those of you who may not know, I had a miscarriage late last year. After that experience I was not overly excited to let everyone know about this pregnancy right away. So I've waited.

As with my first pregnancy, I have a cervical cerclage. This cerclage is SO different from my first one though. This one was a preventative procedure, based on my strange history, whereas the first one was emergent at just over 21 weeks. Having it done as a preventative measure means I can do basically everything a normal pregnant woman can do. My doctor's only  restriction was, "Don't do anything stupid. You know your limits." I am so thrilled, this is not what I expected! Apparently when you have it done in an emergency means you get all your rights and privileges as a human stripped: minimal walking, no exercise, no sex, constant checks and micromanagement from the doctors. Freedom is such a relief. This cerclage I got to use general anesthesia, last time I was awake and had a spinal. My recovery was also much quicker this time, only two days.

I'm spending every day of this pregnancy grateful that I am pregnant (even though it makes me miserable sometimes). I say, "Thank you God for this opportunity!"

~Munchkin

Meal Planning

So I'm knocked up now, and the employee share of healthcare costs is about to skyrocket for about 2 years (Q, your husband's company rocks--Mr. Borealis' company is going HSA only starting January 1).  I have commenced a stranglehold on my household budget because I'm unsure if I will want to return to work after I pop in April.

Realizing that I've kept this decision very private up to this point, and have been very career-oriented, let me explain this logic.  Contrary to popular belief, I do not hate children, and nor have I ever said that I do not want kids.  I have said that I would be okay *not* having kids, and this is still true; I don't view the ultimate purpose of my life to be producing or raising offspring, and I am blessed with a large family and many personal goals worth pursuing.  All of that is not to say that kids are unwelcome--I just view a child as one more along for the adventure (...kind of like my husband).  

I have not caught the "baby fever," and we were waiting to be prepared and ready.  Anyone paying attention is aware that last year we moved from a condo into a 4 bedroom house with a sweet backyard in a good school district.  I am not shopping for tiny booties or tiny bibs or tiny whatever else the normal female response in this situation is.  I have no desire to hold other babies and "practice".  I don't feel magical--I feel exhausted and sick, and if I have to listen to one more female relative tell me how wonderful it is being pregnant and how great I must feel, somebody is going to get smacked.  And for goodness sake, I am now entering my second trimester, and it isn't getting better, and I wish people would stop saying that I will feel better soon--my back pain is increasing, my nausea and exhaustion are now coupled with migraines in the evening, I'm told I have started sleepwalking.  

Also, my grandmother passed away on the 11th, and being pregnant at that funeral wins the awkward moment of the year award.  I'm still not over her death.  Hearing "Congratulations, you must be so happy" repeatedly during a loved one's funeral is exactly what I didn't need.  I hung out with my grandmother a week and a half earlier and she was so happy and said she wanted to babysit, and she didn't get to.  She was someone I really would have wanted my kids to have a connection with, and she was someone I was close to, and I am still messed up about her death.

...And back to the work thing.  We had privately discussed that putting our kids in daycare full time is not our preferred option, and especially not at an early age.  So, I may be taking a short career break to take care of things at home.  I'm planning to get a part-time job during that time, or I may go completely insane being trapped inside the house day after day.

To cover the lapse in income, I am investigating how to cut our food costs.  And I discovered this site:  http://www.grocerybudget101.com.  It's pretty neat; I'm going to try it.

That's all for now,

Alula

Journey to the Center of the Uterus!

Hey Ladies,

( I am alive)

I have been off birth control for over a year now, and alas, my eggo has yet to become prego. We had a sit down with a specialist on Monday. We reviewed my blood work from a month ago, and its not showing anything totally obvious. My vitamin D is crazy low, not super shocking; its a 7 and the number they look for is 30. I will be receiving a remedial course of vitamin D over the next two months. Two doctors over the last year seemed to think I have PCOS, but this new guy, does think that is not the case, so he is retesting. I have received a vaginal ultra sound and every thing was normal! I have very pretty eggs nestled in my belly. YEAH! Tomorrow they are putting dye up my cervix to see if my tubes are working. It can be very painful and I am really looking forward to it. Mr Q, will also be receiving in-depth testing, he, will will be getting friendly with a cup.

Its worth it!

Q

Grandparents...

My dad got a call today from my aunt. Apparently my grandma (the crazy one in LA) is very out of it and confused. She either took her whole week's worth of meds or none for several days and set a fire in her kitchen on accident. And then she couldn't find the alarm pad that she sets every day. My aunt and my cousin took her to the ER. My dad and my other aunt are headed out there tomorrow. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Things not to do at your bachelor(ette) party

Ladies,

Maybe it's just me--I am willing to accept that possibility.  People are different.  They should tailor their various functions to their needs and desires.  Tonight, I attended one of the most bizarre bachelorette parties I think I ever had, and it got me thinking about all of the weird wedding-related things I've seen in the last 5 years.

Tonight, I attended a bachelorette party where (I don't know how or why) all of the mothers were invited.  The mother of the bride was there.  The mother of the groom was there.  The mother of the maid of honor was there.  Bridesmaids' mothers, and even grandmothers, were there.  It felt more like a wedding shower than a bachelorette party, but all of the women there seemed to think it was cool to get drunk.  So I am sitting there watching middle-aged women being all, "we're such cool moms, we're at a bachelorette party!"  They're downing alcohol like no tomorrow, the bride and her friends think it's funny at first, but it took very little time before they started getting disgusted.  This is unfortunately happening at a Hard Rock Cafe, and the second a Go-Go's song comes on, moms are singing and dancing at the top of their lungs in the middle of the restaurant.  (OMG.)  One bridesmaid finally had to tell her mom to stop because she had several drinks already, was still drinking, and was planning to drive herself home right after dinner.  (The mom, of course, seemed to think she was too cool to leave at this point and wanted to stay the rest of the night--which moms had not been invited to--going bar hopping with the wedding girls.)

Lesson: If you think you're a cool mom, great.  Go drinking with your friends.  Your kids don't want to see that.  Be an even cooler mom and let your daughter hang out with the real cool people--her friends.  

I should note that for this same wedding, all male relatives were invited to the bachelor party too.  My husband went for the early evening activities, but left before things got too weird, apparently.  I later found out that both the father of the groom and the father of the bride stayed the entire party.  The FOB ended up having to escort around the groom because he was too smashed to walk.  They lost two of the groomsmen in Denver.  The next morning one of the groomsmen woke up in the groom's mother's house wearing a woman's tank top with no clue where his shirt was or how he ended up at the house or wearing what he was wearing.  

Lesson:  Seriously--this is how you want your bride's father to see you?  Really?

I attended one bachelor party (that should be a red flag already) where the bride had required the groom to invite her friends (ironically, I wasn't one of them).  See, the bride had a lot of friends, and apparently all of them needed to be in the wedding; the groom, for whatever reason, didn't wish to involve himself in the wedding plans.  She had 15 female friends she wanted in the wedding, plus her brother.  The groom wanted me, my husband, and a friend from high school who couldn't make it.  Result: Eight of her friends, plus me (so that I could walk with my husband) stood on her side of the wedding party.  Her brother, my husband, and her seven other friends stood on the groom's side.  (Yeah, the wedding party pictures were unique, to say the least.)  Her reasoning was that because her friends were on his side of the wedding, they should be invited to the the bachelor party; and even though I was a friend of the groom, my invite was to the bachelorette party (which I ditched to hang with the...er, guys).  We ate dinner, and then were supposed to hang out at Dave & Buster's for a while, but all of the bride's friends were underaged, so we had to wait for an old enough (25 years) cousin escort to get them in.  That was supposed to be the evening, but the best man (bride's brother) was a cool guy, and wanted to do a "real" bachelor party.  Somehow I find myself in a car calling my older brother for advice on strip clubs, we drive to one, the bride's friends are standing there grossed out, and everything is awkward.

Lesson:  If your bride is making attendance of her friends at your bachelor party mandatory, RUN. Don't plan adult activities for under-aged groups.  And for goodness sake, if you are the best man, ask someone beforehand where the good strip clubs are; avoid asking your cool female friend to hunt down the information for you on the spot, which generally can result in a lot of her family members calling the next day with awkward questions.  

Alula

Gross

So Sunday night I came home from a whirlwind weekend feeling pretty low.  I had some bad allergies and muscle aches, which I had attributed to walking five miles for various graduation functions, volunteer shelving at the library, cleaning out and doing home improvement on 3 of our upstairs closets, being outside too much during allergy season, and generally not sleeping well for a collection of reasons.  I hurt, but I thought it was nothing.

Monday morning I woke with a major sore throat, which I thought was just a run-of-the-mill head cold.  I got them all the time as a kid.  I wrote in to work that I was taking a day to sleep it off.  Within an hour, the pain had moved from my throat to my ears, and I texted my sister (the audiologist) for advice and my mom for a heating pad.  I took some OTC painkillers and laid down to ride it out after a Google search turned up that most doctors recommend the same unless the ear infection is "serious" or lasts too long.  

Within three hours, I was in so much pain I was unable to get up from the couch.  I still hadn't heard back from my mom or sister.  Then fluid started to come out of the afflicted ear, the pain dropped substantially, and I thought I was going to be okay--I texted my sister with this information, and she quickly called back to tell me that the relief had come because my ear drum had burst (relieving the pressure) but that I was in for a good deal of new trouble soon.

I went to sleep with a tissue pressed against my leaking ear, and I woke up at 4 in the afternoon once again in too much pain to do much of anything about being in pain.  My mom dropped off a heating pad and I put on a brave face while she fixed me some noodles; she had the kids with her, so we both wanted her out of my house before anyone got infected, but she promised to send my sister over.  My sister stopped by after work with her ear scope thingy and gave me a look before saying that yes, my right ear drum had perforated and was leaking blood and pus, and the left ear drum looked like it could follow.  She asked for my insurance card and started making calls while I continued to lay on the couch moaning pathetically.  My husband got home somewhere in there, they shuffled me into less revealing sleepwear and then Mr. B whisked me off to the after hours ER. 

My heart rate was 150, my white count was 20 (the doctor told me she considered 7-9 to be "high range"), and I was severely dehydrated.  When I told them that my ear drum had popped after only about 4 hours of ear pain preceding, they went into emergency containment mode thinking I might have Bacterial Meningitis because it had come on so fast and so serious; however, this was quickly discounted due to a lack of other symptoms.  They IV'd me and put me on drugs to calm my body down.  Four hours later they were still looking for the missing infection somewhere in my body to make my white count so high, but they never found it.  They sent me home with prescription painkillers, antibiotics, and advice to stay on the couch for a while.  On the bright side, everything that happened during the visit--the EKG for my heart, the medications, the blood tests, everything--only costs us $100 because we're on Kaiser right now, and have a flat rate for ER admissions.  

I now have temporary hearing loss in my right ear until the ear drum closes and heals, and my ear is discharging some gross stuff.  The biggest issue has been the pressure--the tear in my ear drum is small, which is good because it will likely heal on its own, but is bad because it doesn't drain efficiently.  Fluid keeps building up until it reaches critical mass and pushes out, and the pressure is hella uncomfortable.  

Exciting, right?  My word of the week is gross.

Alula

I refuse to take the train again!!

OK so in an attempt to save money on gas, I took the train back home from a visit to the city. Plus I really needed to get away from my mother we can only stand so much quality time together with out problems. So me and little man took the train home. The trip was long, tedious and boring! So I refuse to take the train again, making it a little difficult to get back to the city for a plane ride to my uncles wedding. So my insane solution to this since Mr. Man said to take the bus if the train was so bad, once again I refuse got my fill of buses in high school. Basically that was Mr. mans way of saying he won't drive us down and my step dad has his head buried in books. He offered to come get us the day before the date to leave on the plane, which is another bad idea that seems like it would be more stress than its worth. Well any way my insane solution was to ask my mother to come get us. This will put my mother and Mr man under the same roof, and they really don't get along so well. And since they are both trying to not stress me out due to last months miscarriage will therefore make it more stressful by completely and utterly ignoring each others existence. And added to that since my mother I think is feeling a little left out since we are all leaving for the wedding she doesn't want to go to anyway, feels that getting us 2 1/2 weeks before the trip to the wedding is a good idea. I was thinking a week would be a better solution, that got shot down real quick. The only good thing is that my mother will go wine tasting with me which is kinda fun to get a sample of the drink all the flavors and textures is actually fascinating. So I will be leaving home 2 1/2 weeks before we leave on the 31st to spend 11 days on this trip and I haven't even figured out how I am getting home yet. Lets all count down to my descent into insanity and my doctor said I need to not be very stressed for the next month, yeah she has never met or dealt with my family. Oh add school work to my stress load and a way to active 3 year old at least my sister will be around to help with him. And I might be having another one eventually Mr. man and I talked about it, OK I talked he didn't say anything back, I decided we would just leave it up to mother nature. One thing I refuse to stress about. I seem to be refusing a lot of things lately must be me attempting to control my life in some way. I am starting to get my energy back and my blood chem levels are also back to where they are supposed to be. I still have a bruise from that blood draw. Well that's the rant for now, keep a look out for another one in the not so distant future.

The New Season of Our Lives

I am coming to realize that this year is holding more change than the typical year in our group.

Munchkin, your timer in the margin is getting set to run out, and there will be another new baby in our next generation and a new dynamic in our group and interactions.

Q, your husband will be out of school and starting into the "real world" with a career.  I also suspect that you will be facing some decisions soon about school, work, and family.

Lady A has a new boyfriend (you don't know him), and is considering going on a spirit quest to figure out what she wants from life.  Our Ambassador sent me an email that he has been accepted to graduate school to study history and will be moving back home from China this summer so that he can start in the fall.  (Ironically, there is a better than normal chance that one or both of these individuals will live in my spare room at some point in the coming year.)

I am finishing and leaving school, at least for the time being, and (HOPEFULLY) getting a job in the mean time.  I plan on spending more time with family and my books.  Mr. Borealis is looking to make a change in jobs if he can, and now he will be the one in school instead of me.

We have officially launched our business, and we have a website, and it will be interesting to see where that goes in the coming year.

So in preparation of these events, we have business to attend to:

-We need a new counter for our blog.  What's our next "big thing", y'all?

-Since the Ambassador will be back in town, would we like to do another pool on his life?  (Lady A has informed me that she finds this idea distasteful, but I feel we have only done this in good fun.  He's a cool guy with a fast-paced life who would probably be thrilled to know a group of women was gossiping about him.)

-If we were a television series, all of these changes would definitely demarcate a cliffhanger ending and start of a new season.  It's time for a new blog theme--thoughts on what it should look like or incorporate?

Alula

2 Deaths and 1 Birth?

Ladies -

I am currently awaiting the news that two of my relatives have passed away, and to see when I go into labor.

My Great Uncle on my mother's side is on his second trip to hospice, and is now on only morphine, and to my knowledge doesn't even have a feeding tube anymore. He really is a remarkable man. Though he is mentally retarded (and yes I will not be PC because that's what he refers to himself as) he has a wonderful big heart, tons of friends and loves Elmo. He deserves to be remembered as the gentle, kind and childlike giant that he was once he passes.

Also, my Great Grandfather J (on my dad's side) is now on his second trip to the hospital and has had a relative with him non-stop each day to make sure he's got someone there is he goes. This has incredible strength and perseverance. At 67 years old he obtained his private pilot's license (he's the only other pilot in my family) strictly because he wanted to. He's had girl friends that just love him silly, and drove himself from place to place without issue until just the past couple years. He will be dearly missed by everyone who's met him when he passes on to the next life.

In the face of all this sadness, I am planning on bringing joy to my families by adding my newborn boy. This could happen as soon as Monday. I sincerely hope that I my Great Grandpa J can hold on long enough to let me get up there to introduce him to his first Great Great Grandchild. I've been planning on making that trip up there before he died since I found out I was pregnant. Though I would still make the trip for the rest of the family's sake, I specifically wanted to go to see him and let him meet the baby.

At this time, I pray for an easy passing for both my relatives if it is their time to go, and I pray for a delivery without complication.

~Munchkin

Sad news

This morning my grandmother passed away.  She had a stroke several weeks ago.  The doctors had her in rehabilitation therapy, but I guess she developed some chest congestion over the weekend, and she died early this morning.  It was kind of unexpected, because she was in therapy to get better.  It wasn't until yesterday they started to say that she likely wouldn't be with us much longer.

To clarify, this was my grandmother in North Carolina.  She was my dad's step mom, but she married my grandfather when my dad was still a child, so she was responsible for a good deal of his upbringing.  My dad was with her when she passed this morning.

I have an email out to my graduate advisor now to see if I can reschedule my comprehensive exam (supposed to happen this Friday) in the event that it conflicts with the funeral.  No word on when the funeral is going to be yet. I'm not sure what I'm going to do if that exam can't be rescheduled; the bloodsucking leach of a graduate school requires students to register in the semester they take the exam, and it is only offered once per year.  The cost of the required one credit hour?  ~$2,500.  If they do not let me reschedule for an unexpected death and postpone my graduation by a year, I will be pissed.  I have been studying like crazy for this stupid test.  ANd it really is a stupid test--the MA is made up of two parts: 36 credit hours worth of classes, and a 4-hour written exam.  Anyone who thinks these two aspects balance 50/50 needs a brain scan, because if 5 semesters of graduate study can be cancelled out by one 4 hours exam, there is something wrong.  That alone really has me hating the school right now.

I'm feeling a little surreal right now.  I put off calling because initially things were so confused, and my dad went out to help his dad, and he promised to keep us all informed via email (he did).  Then she was busy doing her physical therapy and seemed to be improving and all her kids were coming out to see her, but she was having trouble during the downtime and had to be sedated because she was pulling at her tubes (she had a feeding tube and sometimes a breathing apparatus because she lost control of the right side of her body).  Then she had to be sedated more and more, and she wasn't aware of who or what was around her--I never got a phone call.  I should have called, even if she wasn't aware when it happened.

Alula

Crazy Family

OK so yesterday was a family get together on Mr Mans side. His aunts, uncles, grandmother and various cousins and the such. And of course little man and I went but Mr Man didn't. So I got the third degree from the family on when we are getting married (never) and when we are having another baby (who knows). That family is crazy, nice but crazy. I did get to play with little mans cousin who is this cute little 10 month old. Well that was my Sunday.

Sigh...

Alright Ladies, this is really getting ridiculous. Mr. Munchkin is on the phone arguing with his mother again. They have had a really rough time in his family getting along since the end of October. This situation is totally stressing me out and making me crazy.

He's been on the phone 25 minutes so far this time (a marathon talk for him and his mom) and I heard him raising his voice. I have no clue what the conversation is about because he locks me out of the conversations. What should I do?

~Munchkin

Going on

First Munchin go to projectworkingmom.com this is the site that I got my scholarship for medical transcription and it really was easy to get the scholarship and once I get it done I will be able to work from home, just an idea.
Next I will not be able to come down to the city for the next couple months Mr Man has decided that the pass has to much snow on it and the temps aren't getting high enough for me to drive over so no visiting for the next few months till the average temperature gets over 40 degrees. This means that Little man and I will be alone for 5 days starting Wednesday. What fun oh what fun. I will figure out the business tax stuff hopefully. I have to call our business account bank and find out where our money went. Its there I think just in the savings account.
Well that's the short so unless I can get someone to come get me I can't come over no diving for me thinking of asking my step dad but drought that will happen since I can't pay for gas.

Update Time

I am finally 27 weeks pregnant! In 10 more weeks I will have the cerclage removed and will begin my maternity leave. It's been a wonderful feeling knowing that I must only endure another 10 weeks of insanity. As long as everything goes well and I don't end up in pre-term labor I'll be on cloud nine.

I did spend a few days with Mr. Munchkin to make up the missed holidays which was much needed. Unfortunately, we spent my first night off in the hospital because I got food poisoning. I'd lost 3 pounds and they were worried that I may have upset the cerclage with all the vomiting. Luckily the stitches were great, and I turned out to only be severally dehydrated (an easy fix for an IV).

My family and I have had some rough times recently. My mother is having horrible side effects from her lupus. She's lost over 50lbs and her blood pressure and pulse are extremely low. She's also going through menopause, so between the two of us hormones are constantly flying and this tension has brought us to loud arguments a couple of times. My mother-in-law has finally talked to us again, and we spent January 1st with her. Though it was awkward, I think things are getting better on that front again too, though she still claims she is just going to take off for the holidays to go wherever she pleases.

Preparing for the baby has been really fun, and the invitations for the Baby Shower will be sent out soon.

This year I only have two resolutions:

1) Play my instruments at least 2 times a week for 30 minutes at a time.

2) Find a job that I can do at home, that will give me enough money to pay for my school loans.

I am finally going to make a Facebook page to keep in better touch with my family and friends. I'll let you all know via email what the name I use is.

Happy New Year to EVERYONE!

~Munchkin

Accomplishing too much

Since getting out of school, I have done the following:

-bought a few new games for my PSP, which I am new playing.  One of them is called Class of Heroes; it's kind of Harry Potter meets classic D&D.  A group of students attends a school for adventurers and goes on dungeon raids where turn-taking fights ensue.  I bought it used and on sale through GameStop along with two other games for 1/4 the cost of a new pair of shoes!  

-I am now rewriting Redemption in the 3rd person and with a more generous narrative.  Anyone who wants in on this editing project, contact me.

-I am attempting to beat all of the campaigns in Zoo Tycoon 2.  I am halfway there.

-My MIL the Librarian got me a wok for Xmas, which I now cook with daily, and all the chicken breast and veggie stir fry is part of my campaign to lose weight.  (Anyone who would like to adjust their resolutions for this year, please email me--I did well this year except for my weight, which is now higher than ever since the fast food binge I went on while Mr. Borealis was sick the first half of the year.)

-I finally talked myself into treating myself to some new skins from Decal Girl.  I have never had a skin from this company before, but the reviews are very good.  I'm getting one for my Barnes & Noble Nook and another for my new phone.

-Speaking of new phone--I wanted to get an LG Ally, but it turns out this phone has been discontinued (LG, I feel this is a bad move, as the slide out keyboard is a very functional feature that does not usurp screen space to use).  Instead, I am getting the LG Vortex.  I should have it in hand by the end of this week--review to follow.

-My husband got me Hermione Granger's Time Turner for Christmas.  I was very impressed by this present, because I never directly told him I wanted it, but I really love it.  

-I've made it through a few more rounds towards the library position I am applying for, which I still dearly hope I get.

-We went to Oklahoma between Xmas and New Years.  We drove with my family.  At the last minute, my brother decided to come, bringing two of his kids along (7 & almost 5).  My husband and I got to drive in the car with my dad and the 7-year-old; she traveled very well.  However, my mom and my sister shop WAY too much, and we had too much luggage (for TWO cars, mind you) on the way home, resulting in airline-like seating conditions.  Once again, Mr. B and I have vowed that we will never again drive with family out to Oklahoma--we will take our own car.  The gas money is worth it to have the leg room, stop when we want, listen to what we want, and not have to mind our language.

-I have fully organized my basement using the shelves Mr. B got for me for our anniversary.  The room is now functional.

-I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins on the way back from Oklahoma.  Actually, I started reading it in a Barnes & Noble in Tulsa using the "read for free" feature on the Nook while using my Nook coupon for a free raspberry smoothie.  The smoothie was awesome, and the first chapter of The Hunger Games was so good that I felt $5 was worth it to get the whole book.  The storyline follows Katniss, a teenage girl who finds herself entered into the morbid Hunger Games that are orchestrated by the Capitol--twenty-four children are picked ever year to fight to the death in these games for the Capitol's amusement, and the winner takes home food and glory to their District.  (I can lend this book from my Nook, so let me know if you're interested.  Also, check out the free e-reader screensavers Barnes & Noble are offering here.)

Alula

Serendipity

So, we are not moving to Montana!  (Both sad and happy for reasons previously discussed.)

Mr. B could not get the potential employer to agree to a salary he wanted--literally a matter of about 5K a year. Plus, my mom had a minor freakout when I told her.  She told me that my brother had been let go from work, and that at the moment he and his wife were both unemployed with 4 kids between them.  My sister was mid-finals and of questionable emotional stability, so she couldn't even think about telling her until finals were over.  My grandmother would miss living across the street from me.

And that was about the point that I realized, I am one of the few points of stability that holds the craziness of my family together right now.  My brother has a habit of springing life changing situations on us without warning.  My sister's emotions are constantly on a roller coaster.  I'm the responsible child who got a spouse and a house and a college education and a successful job; I'm the person my family calls when something important needs to happen, because I can be trusted to check in on Grandma.  I can talk to my sister when she's having "one of those days".  I can watch the nieces and nephews when their parents are having a medical emergency.

Between those two issues--the pay wasn't good enough and our families--we decided not to take the offer.

However, this decision comes with repercussions.  Mr. B was so upset by not being able to settle on the salary and turning down the offer that he said some pretty nasty things about my job, and a minor fight ensued.  He later apologized and admitted that he's just frustrated with life because his job has reneged on career ladder promises.  We had a heart-to-heart about how worried he is about losing his job and neither of us having medical benefits.  About two weeks ago he very sincerely told me he was worried for me and our marriage if I stayed in school because I am a glutton for punishment and tend to overload on courses.

Ultimately, he asked me not to enroll in a PhD program.  Not straight out of two Master's programs, anyways--he said I could go back, but that he really thought I needed some time on the outside.  My parents and Q had each spoken to me separately about this as well (Q, I want to clarify that I am a member of the "real world"--I do real research at a real job that pays real and really good money--but I get what you're trying to say).  So I decided, based on the people who know me best telling me to, that I am putting off the PhD.

Unfortunately, losing my student status means I also lose my job.  So Tuesday night after making this decision, I started applying for jobs online, and was pleased to see there were about 6 in my area right now for academic or research librarians.  I made a mental note to swing through the library at my work to ask if the librarians I know there could introduce me to anyone working at places I was applying to.

I go in to the library Wednesday to talk to a friend there.

Me: (after long-winded explanation...) "...So I am not starting the PhD program in the spring."

Friend: "So you're losing student status."

Me: "Yeah."

Friend:  "Are you looking for a job?"

Me: "Yes."

Friend (raises eyebrows):  "Have you applied here?"

Me (shrugs indifferently):  "Do you have an opening?"

Friend:  "Uh, yeah!"

And less than 24 hours after starting the job search, I have a good shot at a job.  And not just any job, but one that would allow me to keep working where I'm currently working, keep working with my researchers, and keep doing my research while also getting job experience in the library.  It's a win-win-win situation; I'm happy, husband is happy, and work is happy.

I can't help but think that the Universe is just on my side this time.

And someday, I can still complete a PhD.

Alula

Always look on the Christmas side of life

I'm not sure if we're moving or not.  Mr. B has been mum on the issue despite the fact that I keep trying to ask him about it.  I'm wondering if certain repercussions are starting to sink in for him.  FYI, this whole "we might be moving" thing is still on the down-low until next week, please!  I haven't told my sister yet because she's mid-finals, and I don't want to stress her out, so please no one announce anything on Facebook.

Right now (or last I heard, anyways) the plan is that he is going to accept the offer when he gets a call back, presuming the pay is agreeable (they offered something at the last call and he countered).  Even then, we could pull out later if something better came along.  I am reminding him that his chances in the job market have improved since he started his Master's program in the fall, so he might stand a better chance of getting a local job now if he gives it some time.

But right now, I am trying not to think about all of that.  I graduated from my MLS program yesterday.  In the words of my grandmother (she was SOOO proud!) "We finally have a REAL librarian in the family!"

I have decked the halls, and am preparing for the major holiday cookie bash.  I have ordered some of my holiday gifts for the family.

Falalala, Lalalala,

Alula

Stunning news

So...

My sister is getting married!  She's been with her fiance for about 5 months, and I'm very happy for her.  I am a little concerned, because she seemingly hasn't been with this guy for a long time (She's had relationships in the past stretching for 1-2 years), but some people are just like that--they hit an age or a time when they just become ready for the whole marriage thing, and perhaps that's the way it is with her, and she's finally found the one.  I've never met her fiance; my mom really likes him, so I'm looking forward to meeting him.

(Just fyi about the above...I'm not sure how "out" this is supposed to be, so please hold off on spreading this news or congratulating her on any public social networking sites.)

Apparently I'm not allowed to tell my brother, because my sister and my mom are engaging in some sort of weird familial hazing revenge.  My sister is just going to "wear the ring around for a bit and let him figure it out for himself".  (For anyone who missed this section of my life, my brother waited until his girlfriend was in her third trimester to tell us she was pregnant.  He also neglected to tell us that he got married to her a while back.  My mom was very understandably hurt by the whole situation of not being told.)  My sister made a point of telling my mom first, and now, I am apparently asked not to tell my brother.  It's my sister's engagement, so I am honoring that request (to honor her engagement, and not because I believe in perpetuating an atmosphere of secrecy).

I am sick as all get out since Tuesday night; I think I caught a bad cold or the flu when I attended out-of-state class last weekend.

Alula

New Frontiers

Hello Ladies!

Sorry I've been absent for such a long time (though I have been secretly keeping tabs on your lives via this brilliant blog). I have much news to bring, and thought that I should probably give it all at once just to make sure you get the maximum effect.

The first new frontier in my life is that my husband has made drastic career move, a literal 180 degree switch from what he has ever done. He is now a natural gas driller! Who would have ever thought the man who graduated 3rd in his class, and got a Micro-biology degree with a graphic design minor, would end up as a real working man.

This career move means that I am without my husband for half the year, and with him for the other half. He works 7 twelve hour days and then has 7 days off. He's done one week so far, and though I missed him terribly, the monetary rewards far outweigh any grief that I have for the week he's gone.

The next life changing frontier Mr. Munchkin and I have ventured to is one the one of parenthood. Yes, that's right ladies, I am pregnant and apparently due April 10, 2011. More news along these lines is the possibility that my doctors either have my due date incorrect, or I may be having more than one child dwelling in my body. This discovery was made by my doctor while getting my normal check-up (with no ultra sound scheduled for a month). My doc was feeling around down low when she suddenly states, "You feel a little farther along than 8 weeks, let's get you in for an ultra sound sooner."

So... Mr. Munchkin and I are off to the doc's office this Friday to find out my fate. I'll keep you all posted. Alula if you wanted to put a countdown up, just be warned you may have to adjust the date if you do it before I get the word on Friday.

Wish me luck all!

~Munchkin

Hows it going

Well how is everyone doing? I like the new look of the blog very fall and we already have some color changes up here. I'm trying to get photos ready for the festival thing we are enrolled in this next month. I had a job interview at a Karate school as an office manager I don't think I got it but I will call him Monday and find out. Well that's the down and dirty about me. SMILE.

Fuzzy