3-5 month Schedule

So apparently I am a fan of schedules ...who knew?

As a pre-baby adult I never followed a schedule...and I liked it ..

Being my mother's daughter, I am not good at being on time (love you, mom) and therefore just embraced the free feeling of the antischedule...

But now having a baby, I am kind of obsessed with a good schedule ..and I want to document it so that the future mommas can have an idea of what a schedule can look like..and also for me to look back on whenever I have more little campers :)

8:00-8:30 Wake Up and cuddle with momma (or daddy on the weekends)

8:30 Play in the jumparoo or roll on the ground over and over and over.. (play time)

9:00 Eat (right now he's at 7oz/bottle...no solids yet)

10:00 Nap ...let me stop here and explain how we got Asher to nap without help

So from birth to about 3.5 months, I held Asher for every single nap. I am talking every single time that child fell asleep during the day, he was in my arms (or my mother in law's when she was watching him).. and he liked it that way!..

The weird thing was ...he did not mind sleeping in his crib at night for 6-9 hrs at a time..but it was necessary to be in someone's arms during naps.

So we began to nap-train. Nap training consisted of me singing and rocking Asher or bouncing on an exercise ball for a few minutes to get him a bit drowsy and then laying him in his crib. At first he did NOT appreciate the change, so he would fuss and sometimes full out have himself a fit...I would watch the clock for about 15 min, and then I would go in his room, replace his pacifier and then leave...at first I did this up to an hour.. (yes ..an hour!..it was horrible) but usually it just took about 30 min...It took several naps for him to fully comply with sleeping in his crib, but now he sometimes fussed if I hold him too long..he wants to be in his crib MORE than in my arms.. and so the leave and cleave process already begins! :(

11:30 Play time

12:00 Eat

12:30 Errands with mommy/playdate time

2:00 Eat

2:30 Nap (for this nap he usually falls asleep when he is eating..so he is pretty drowsy when I put him in his crib)

4:30 Play time

5:00 Eat

6:30 Bathtime

6:45 Eat (last bottle)

7:00 Bed

He usually sleep until about 5 am and then wants to eat...we feed him and then he sleeps for about 2-3 more hours

This schedule really works for our family and Asher is VERY happy with it! I did read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" to help me with sleep training..and I highly recommend it.

Anyways...if any new mommies have any questions let me know! The perfect schedule is one that works for you AND your baby..

LOVE LOVE

Asher Update

A few new things about baby Asher...

He was dedicated to the church! :) ..this is a picture of the day.. and the preshy outfit that mommy got him for the occasion

This day was very emotional for me...and I totally did not see that coming!

I started weeping the second Roger asked for the families to come up on stage....because this is the ONLY spiritual decision we get to make for our baby.

We dedicate his life to our church family...we vow to raise him in the way of the Word ...we vow to lead a home where scripture is evidently lived out and upheld...but that's all we really can do.

..ultimately, it is his decision to believe and follow the Lord. There is just not a thing I can do about it if he doesn't (other than pray my little heart out)...I guess what I mean is that I cannot control it..and that is so hard!

All these thoughts raced through my head as Pastor Roger introduced "Erich Asher Gaulke" and told our church family how Hunter and I chose his name (which just reminded me of my love story with him..and made me even more weepy) and that the name Asher means "happy"...

I just LOVE my boys!

Other things Asher has been doing:

Obsessing over my red nalgene..loves to look at it and try and chew on it

Loves to play in his jumperoo and watch Regis and Kelly with mommy

Loves daily Target runs ..and how every check out clerk wants to talk and play with him

Loves bathtime with daddy

Sucking on his thumb, index and middle fingers on his right hand

Grabbing mommys hair and earings

Being in his bumbo so he can see us on "adult" level...he LOVES to be talked to and smiled at. He is an extremely social baby and unless he is super tired or hungry...will hardly ever fuss if he is with tons of people.

Loves the sound of his voice...he is constantly squeeking and squaking at the top of his lungs..just for fun

He is stubborn.. dangit! It is not surprise..his parents are two of the most stubborn people on the planet...it comes out most concerning sleeping. He LOVES to be playing, cooing, and looking at new things..and so sleep really just gets in the way...

I have been gradually sleep training him and he is now down to two naps a day: a really short one in the morning (hopefully that one will lengthen)..and a really long one in the midafternoon..

I really thought that I would never get him to nap in his crib (up until two weeks ago he was sleeping in my arms for most of his naps)...but he is now sleeping in his crib for both! and he is sleeping from about 7pm-8am every day with one feeding at about 5 am. YAY!

My little boy is growing up so fast!..

Asher- mommy LOVES the smile that you give JUST to her...she loves that you are a cuddle bug...she loves that you are so easy to please with random things around the house..my waterbottle, a coaster, a mini dorito bag...etc., she LOVES how curious you are!..she loves that "you are showing signs of intelligence" according to your doctor :) She just LOVES you!

We had a BOY!

So this is old news...

Pregnancy and motherhood has made me a sorry excuse for a blogger...BUT! nevertheless..

WE HAD A BOY! and he is the BEST!

Asher Gaulke weighed in at 7lb 9oz and 22 inches long!! On my favorite day of the year : March 3rd (3/3/11)...

The number 3 truly is my favorite number so this was very special to me!..I mean he had no choice..we induced him..BUT! his due date was March 1st..so he did wait patiently for Mommy's favorite day!

Now for the delivery story:

I had been having some contractions in the days prior to the 3rd...but nothing regular and painful enough to be considered lets-book-it-to-the-hospital worthy. But actually the night before I was scheduled to be induced, I was contracting pretty regular and semi painful but we waited..because we were scheduled to be induced in the morning anways..

So we did wait until our scheduled time of 5:30 am to report to the hospital and we were in our hospital room by 5:35am...they were ready for us.

I got checked in, hooked up, and poked multiple times in the arm.. :( (that was not fun and I am not a baby when it comes to blood anymore after my time drawing blood for MD Anderson.)

What stunk actually the worst was that I had to have my blood pressure taken every 5 min (standard when in labor) and it was pressing on the same arm the nurse busted my vein putting in the IV the first time. Honestly, it was more painful than the contractions sometimes!

They told me I was 4 cm and 100% effaced and pretty much in labor already!

They still decided to start pitocin on me because my contractions were not strong, just consistent. After an hour or so, I could feel the contractions getting stronger and coming about 3 min apart consistently..and I definitely had to breathe through them..but I was making it...

At about 9:30, my OB came in and broke my water ..and at about 9:35 I could feel the contractions WAY more and they started to be way more painful. I lasted about half an hour of that and then asked the nurse for the epidural...I felt like such a wuss!

...of course...the anestheiologist was in another room with another patient..

..I literally was crying and telling Hunter I couldn't make it...the contractions were coming about a min apart at this point and they HURTTTTTTTTTTTTT. People say you won't remember the pain...um..I remember the pain like it was yesterday. It felt like someone was ramming a truck into my abdomen and back over and over and the same glorious truck was running over me and staying there for a minute at a time, reversing and coming back for more.

After 45 min, the anesthesiologist came in and I have never been so glad to see a man with a needle in my life.

They kicked Hunter out (apparently husbands have died watching epidurals being administered) and got down to business. I bear hugged my nurse Wai Wai (...pronounced Why Why) and thought I was going to be paralyzed for the rest of my life because I couldn't stay still during the contractions...I mean HELLO! how do they expect you to do that? ..but before I knew it, the pain was getting more dull..but still hurt. I told my Dr. that I could still feel the contractions pretty strongly ( I may have stretched the truth...but I didn't want to feel a thing!) and he gave me some more meds in my epidural line. After that, my legs were dead weight and I was in hog heaven!

I remember people coming in and out of our room and me just being so jovial! I was just happy to not be in pain anymore. I probably seemed a little drunk..but honestly I was just so relieved!

Then, at about 12:15pm, I felt the feeling that I needed to poo. Now I couldn't "feel" anything..but I could feel pressure...and there was definitely pressure in that area..

My nurse was on lunch, so I paged the other nurse and she came in and checked me...not really seeming to be in a hurry..and SURE ENOUGH.. I was a 10! That baby could have popped out of me and no one would have known!

My nurse came in...we practiced pushed..and she told her superior to get Dr. Z over here ASAP..this baby was coming!

I pushed 3 times when the Dr. got there and BAM! Asher arrived at 12:45! :) I remember his little pitiful cry...it was so adorable..I still think his cries are cute sometimes..and his little frowns..OMG that little boy has got me wrapped around his finger.

I will admit, I remember seeing him on the table as they were checking him out and it did not click to me that he was mine. There was just a baby on the other side of the room now. But yet, I teared up at the same time..and was very emotional..it was extremely strange. I also remember my love for Hunter exponentially increasing. I was so smitten with Hunter for the next month..I felt like all the love I was supposed to be having for the baby..was being directed towards Hunter..it was strange!

So all in all, my labor was 6 hours..and it flew by. I just remember being really hungry and the blood pressure cuff hurting..and the 45 min of pure torture of pitocin-induced-no-aniotic-fluid-to-soften-the contractions-labor...and then a baby boy!

It was worth it...but next time, if I am induced, I will have an anesthesiologist waiting in my room when my Dr. wants to break my water :)

First Trimester...check

So I promised that I would update on my pregnancy...even the weird stuff....and there were some weird things that happened to me..

...apparently because of the hormonal tsunami that was occuring in my body.

So here we go:

• I started to shed worse than a golden retriever...it was insane. I would literally pull handfuls of hair from my head at any point in time throughout the day. Eventually it became like a really disturbing party trick...


• My sense of smell increased 1000%. I began smelling things that no human should be allowed to smell. This is actually one of the HUGE red flags that made me even take a pregnancy test to begin with. I am not a good smeller normally at all...and to be honest I don't know if that was really all that bad ;)


• My gums became SOO sensitive. My toothbrush became like barbed wire to my poor gums. My whole mouth would just throb for hours after I brushed my teeth.


• Brushing my teeth made me throw up...honestly, because of this and the aformentioned incident, I contemplated not brushing my teeth for a while. My doctor said I had to ...but it was horrible. Even to this day I throw up every single morning when I brush my teeth. EVERY MORNING. It has become part of my morning routine. I think that it will just be how it is for the next 6.5 months...but really I hope not.


• I had INTENSE food aversions to anything considered meat: poultry, beef, pork...anything. If you even said the words: steak, hamburger, chicken breast...I would gag...and possibly throw up on the spot...I am not kidding..it happened. THE WORST! was stupid food commercials...grossssss. Like especially Burger King..or Dairy Queen..I would have to mute and look away if any of those commercials came on and displayed their gross meaty meat sandwiches..Luckily, this symptom is getting a little better.


• If I did not get 8 hours of sleep or more...I would be sick all day. It did not fail. Thank goodness I had several weeks this summer to sleep as much as I wanted. On the rare occasion that I would have to wake up early or not get as much sleep at night.. I would feel awful and throw up a lot.


• I threw up a lot...sorry if that is gross. But I did....my sweet Hunter would hear me and just rub my back. I told him that was gross to be in the bathroom with me...but he insisted..saying "if you have to be in here, so do I".. LOVE that. On one occasion, after we went and spent a weekend at a bed and breakfast (I did not sleep well at all), we were driving away and I told him that I was NOT going to make it to a gas station and the he needed to pull over. He did...and that poor poor side of the road didn't know what hit it. As I was completely emptying my tummy, I heard Hunter chuckle beside me. ..When I was finished I managed to ask "what the heck could be so funny right now"...and he then proceeded to tell me that my "throw up sound was cute"...Now that ya'll is love.


• I became an idiot. Sometime people would talk to me...and I had no idea what they were saying. It's like my mind was not allowing their words to stick. I would forget what I was saying in the middle of my sentence. I would get severe ADD...oh yes, and Hunter's favorite...I would make up words. I would take a word and just add or subtract some letters...and make a new word. For instance..instead of "pigeon hole"...I would say "pin hole"...Instead of "surging"..I would say "sorging"...and Hunter never let me slip one past him ;)

But with all of those things that made me miserable...or made my husband laugh hysterically...we are truly blessed so far with a healthy little bean :)

I call it a bean because of our last ultra sound experience...the baby moved the entire time! Just back and forth and moved its head up and down in a nodding motion. We got to see all of the little body parts: brain, spine, heart, arms and little hands, legs...and little face!

We are hoping that they will be just as mobile at my next appt so that we can see the gender :) I cannot wait for that!

I will try to keep you update on more of the happier things from now on...but if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms...you're probably pregnant ;)

love love.

"THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!!"

Sometimes, making people happy is pretty simple:



Thank you Cinnamon Toast Crunch for making this all possible... also thank you to the person who invented mini-desert cups and/or cream dispensers. Thank you Ashleigh for hours of laughter!

Love, Hunter

Camp Gaulke

Camp Gaulke is now in preparation for March 2011! Pre-registration has already begun and we got so excited about our first little camper that we took a picture!

On the right side you will see the head :)

We are SO excited about what God has done ..in HIS timing ;)

I will update more on my pregnancy stories soon...they are full of hormones and throwing up and made up words...enough of a cliff hanger for ya?

Love Love.

Grandpa Bob

After a really hard battle with lung cancer, one of the most treasured men in my life passed away today.

The story behind this picture reminds me of things I loved about him. My grandpa couldn't wait to see me get married. He loves Hunter and has told me over and over that he admires our relationship.

But first thing he said when I asked him to escort my mom down the aisle.. was a sweet and genuine question..." Do I have to wear a tie?"

"No grandpa, you wear whatever you want. :) " No tie it is. (What a handsome man!)

I loved this man like a father. When we were at the hospital around 2 am this morning, my amazing Uncle Kevin was intentional about discussing the things we adore about Grandpa Bob:

His laugh. As my cousin Bailey reminded us, his whole upper body shook when he laughed. It came from deep inside him. And he didn't laugh at just anything. He was very authentic when he laughed at something and it made you feel special when it was with you.

His hugs. Oh my gosh how that man could hug me. Honestly, sometimes I would have to hold my breath because my lungs were too squished. He showed his love through those hugs. And let me tell you, my grandpa loved the heck out of me.

His protectiveness. I went to Africa in the summer of '06 for 30 days. My grandpa worried constantly about me every single day. At the time there was a civil war going on around the area that I stayed and I know he watched every news clip there was and called my mom over and over to make sure I was alright. He would fight a bear...lion... or hormonal teenage boy for me or any of his grandchildren any day of the week.

His snarkyness. My grandpa was snarky until the very end. His entire left lung had collapsed and would make a little bit of a wheezing noise as he breathed. The doctors offered to give him medicine that would reduce the sound and classic Grandpa Bob responded: "Why? Does the sound bother you?"

He died about 24 hours later.

Grandpa Bob was extremely loved and respected. When we found out that he had cancer, the whole family put their game faces on. God knew the exact time to take him, and He did.

We love you, Grandpa, and we will miss you every day.

Summer in Corpus Christi

Well hello there blog. I never forgot you, but there were some things that were way more important than you that I had to get done first.

Now I have NOTHING to do...but this. :)

Hunter and I are in Corpus Christi for the summer to complete an internship for Hunter's school. The good news is we are staying with his most WONDERFUL Aunt Patty who gives us amazing company and a roof over our head...and most nights when we are lucky...she feeds us!

Also, Hunter is loving his internship! His patients and staff are loving him too!I can't tell you how good he is at being a PT...and he will graduate May 2011! 10 months!

The bad news is ...I am kinda homesick for Houston and our apartment. I am contemplating making a trip back that way soon just to have a change in scenery. Let me tell you... all the movie watching and book reading I have been doing in the same spot has been exhausting :)

Other than being done with my first year of teaching and being in Corpus...nothing too new to report.

Oh yeah, like the new blog-do?

Post? OK!

I am 100% not sure if anyone really cares...but I haven't blogged in FOREVER.

I haven't even told you where I work...what I am doing!

Well... I work at Katy High School and I teach IPC and Chemistry...which is basically 9-12 grade.

And it is amazing. I love my kids...there are some that are nuts and need....well I really can't publicly state what they need...but anyways...

Yay for blogs! I miss it! But I do not have time...I don't even have time to catch my breath 4 out of the 5 days of the week.

But know that I love it...and I love them...and I am SUPPOSED to be here with them...loving them and forgiving them...and being tough on them...and being empathetic to them...and most of all teaching them.

Miss Miss...Love Love!

One Year

I’ll start with the most important event …

SEA WORLD…I mean um… our one YEAR anniversary…

It was a shocking realization that a year had passed that quickly…

I think the past year was amazing!! Honestly, it was way easier than I expected. I have posted previously how everytime I talked to older married folks, they would always ask me for an update, and wait with their faces distorted, ready for me to tell them how awful marriage is. It was so bizarre. I kept expecting it to get harder and harder. But it did not!

Don't get me wrong, sharing of vows does not instantly make you perfectly perfect for your spouse...you are still two broken sinful people who live in a confined space (atleast we did...in 777sq ft...sick) ...but its how you handle the miscommunications, the bumps, the moods, the circumstances of life...that makes marriage AWESOME.

We learned a TON about each other…it was a wonderful foundational year …We learned that we are very different…(lets be real, we already knew it, but we actually lived it out… )

Hunter is naturally very hospitable, I try, but I am not.
Hunter likes to try new things, I would prefer to not.
Hunter is pretty spontaneous, I am not.
He is an introvert, I am an extrovert.
I am fascinated by social interactions, he could care less.
I think/analyze until my brain short circuits, he can't even comprehend that, let alone do it.
I multitask, he cannot.
I am always looking forward, he is perfectly content with the present.

This is just the beginning.

Luckily, we learned that we are way similar too…

We have the exact same sense of humor. We have laughed until we almost peed... a lot in the past year.
We are both very clean.
We both are super frugal.
We both like to be listened to.
We have the exact same views on Christianity and apologetics…kind of bizarre if you think about how many ideas there are floating around.
We are both very low key.
We are both very compassionate people towards our respective causes.

It is such a blessing to have someone 100% on your team…who would fight for anything you wanted, simply because you want it. He has lived out what a best friend truly is. He has actively pursued me like Christ does his church. (Ephesians 5:23) He constantly seeks for peace in our home (Psalm 34:14)

The point is…my husband pursues Christ daily and lives it out in our marriage. That is why the past year has been strong.

We really try to constantly examine how to improve and grow in areas that are weak.

Let me tell you…it is WAY easy to be careless about weak areas in a marriage. Just living day in and day out…getting by. Or just being passive, not even realizing you’re upset until you blow up with 6 things on your mind that piled up over the last month. Passive people! How do you do it! Being passive is not found in my gene pool. Us Witthuhn’s, we’ll let you know when we are upset, immediately.

If that happens, you will be halted by a much bigger problem before too long. I gag at the thought of that.

So basically, I am pumped about the next 60+ years...my husband is the sweetest most servant hearted man in the world. I can't wait to be like the old people on UP!...so preshy.

Finally settling down...

This is so me.

The last couple months have been nuts.

Total crazy town

Hunter and I celebrated one year of oneness, we went to SEA WORLD in Florida and had the time of our lives, we both turned 23, I chopped off 8 inches of my hair, I became certified as a teacher by going to 12 hours of class a week, I took my huge teacher test, I got a JOB as a teacher, AND we moved!

UGH.

What were we thinking!!

Now the good news is, well all of the above.

So I am going to back track and post my thoughts on all of the above...because I have time now. and I literally did not until just now.

YAY!

Birday..(Ya, I meant to spell it like that)

Have ya'll given up on me yet?

Like life has taken over and I am just a passenger...and I am NOT ok with it.

I reallllllllly have a TON of exciting things to rant and rave about...but where the flip does time GO. It's like you add 12 hours of class onto your already full time job and marriage..and boom..before I know it...it's MID JUNE.

So...its my birthday. Or Birday, as Hunter and Erin say it :) And I am one year closer to babies. Seriously, that's how I gauge my life progression...I can't help it.

And for some reason, I really want a princess cake. Actually, I want a princess party.

Tomorrow, my fam and Hunter's fam are getting together to celebrate...and I kind of want them to dress up in prince and princess costumes...and I am really not kidding.

Maybe it's my unconscious really sick way of holding on to my youth...

Being realistic, I know that will not fly...with the men...surely they'd turn that idea down...so maybe I can just settle on a princess cake...

SEA WORLD ORLANDO

We are waking up at 6 AM tomorrow...

to go to SEA WORLD! ..in FLORIDA

Do you know why?

Look at that picture...minus the weird looking (but lucky) little girl...

We are going there because they have POLAR BEARS...and SHAMU! and dolphins! and a hotel with a floating river that goes around it! and 11 restaurants in the hotel! and a spa...and polar bears!

My favorite animal in the whole wide world is a polar bear. and Hunter got me tickets to go back stage to meet one.

Ok..no not during feeding time like crazy lady in the news...but like a real life back stage hook up!

It is our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY this Sunday....and we are going on another vacay. = no work for 10 days!

When we get back...I will definitely have plenty to add on:

the past year..YEAR!? what!

where I am in my "career"...check last post for recap

um...another huge change...I freaking chopped off all my hair..like all of it..

and SEA WORLD!


love love..

I'm a grown up now..dangit.

I made a big girl decision this past week.

As much as I wish I still this little, I'm so not.

Let me recap.

I have a major life decision going on right now: Where am I headed in my career and/or do I want to change careers?

Option one: staying at MD Anderson and being promoted within the institution doing research related jobs

Option two: change paths completely and start teaching high school science (preferably biology or chemistry)

For a few months now, I have been pursuing both endeavors wholeheartedly so that any burnt bridges were not my doing... but the Lords doing...

I am enrolling in an alternative certification program this summer, to be ready to teach by THIS FALL. what? that shouldn't be legal. But it is...and I am already preparing for this crazy opportunity...

I also applied for a promotion position at MD Anderson.. I would still be under a research grant (safe in this economy) and I would be working directly under a prestigious doctor in neuro-oncology (brain cancer) research. Needless to say...huge deal. I would be getting up to a 15% raise if I was chosen for this position...not to mention the endless professional connections in a medical area of interest for Hunter and I (brain and spine issues are an area of expertise that Hunter possibly wants to pursue).

This was a HUGE interview. I did not take it lightly at all. I took tedious and detailed notes because I knew that with the upfront perks, it would be hard to say no to this opportunity if it was given. (Perks are mischievous and they can trick you into choosing a job that you hate day to day)

Without going into too much unnecessary detail, I thought the interview was awful. I walked out of there feeling more unwelcome and socially cold than I have ever felt around living human beings in my life.

I have thought about this from all sides...I mean they could have been doing a scare or intimidation tactic...to see how much stress I was capable of. I get that. But if your going to do that...in the last 3-5 minutes of the interview...lighten up a tad, you know? Or just be warm and welcoming for 60 seconds. JUST 60 SECONDS. That would be enough for me! Just so I know that if I get the job, I am not going to work for unhelpful overcritical colleagues.

Twist.

I get a call from HR...and I got the job...if I want it...

Great. Not only did the doctor like me, he wants to give me almost a full 15% raise...

My thoughts: ...wait ...did I read this guy wrong? He liked me? Is that how he shows people that he likes them? AM I MISSING SOMETHING?!

I tell H.R...I need time.

They say...you have a day. 24 hours. go.

CRAP.

I then proceed and try to figure this out with my own wisdom. I weigh options...I do pros and cons....I talk Hunter's head off...even though he knew the answer all along...

See, the answer would be simpler if this was just a matter of..do I take the promotion or not...
I would surely meet with that doctor again and do a round two interview...this time with me in control...and see how personable he can be.

But there was more...I am choosing between career paths! Do I take a job where I am in a lab...not around a whole lot of people...and the people I am around...are ..well..lab people. (just a different realm of social ability, but there's nothing wrong with that! it just may not be plausible for an extreme extrovert like me to work everyday with just as extreme introverts)..

Or do I take a job..that I don't have yet...and am not even qualified for YET!..but that will be working with people everyday..(more than I probably want to) ..that will kill me daily..but also bring me to life just when I think of giving up..and that I will love...and that I continually am encouraged that I will be good at...and have so much passion to do!

With an hour until I had to call HR, I pried my fingers off this decision and let it go to the One who is way more qualified to decide. I prayed for half an hour straight..in the middle of a work day...and for some reason, I felt like I was supposed to check my email...

I had just emailed my former biology teacher an hour earlier, so I thought it pertained to that. But no.

Just sent into my inbox was an email from a scholarship website I had joined in highschool...and the title was : "How to evaluate a job offer".

Oh yeah. Chills? I had them...

I read it with my mouth wide open. Heart pulsing. In complete gratitude to the Lord. Do you know that feeling? When you are smacked into humility. That was me....I was so thankful for that COMPLETELY UNDESERVED guidance. The email broke down every aspect of a job: salary, job duties, boss, colleagues, etc. Every elaboration on each section pointed to NO. I would be settling with this job. It was not for me. Someone would love to have this job...but I was talking myself into it...

So, I turned the job down.

I am not done pursuing teaching. If I don't get a teaching job this fall..or if teaching ends up not being that path for me...then I will apply for another promotion later...I am at least very encouraged by the HR department. They completely respected my decision and actually think I made the right one. PERFECT.

Now I just have to convince everyone else who looks at me crazy when I say I turned down a promotion...in this economy ...

Like I said...I made a big girl decision ...but because of the graciousness of my sweet Lord, I am positive it was the right one.

Love Hung on a Cross

"He looked around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three crosses. Arms spread. Heads fallen forward. They moaned with the wind.

Men clad in soldier's garb sat on the ground near the trio...

Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill...faces tear-streaked.

All heaven stood to fight. All nature rose to rescue. All eternity poised to protect. But the Creator gave no command.

'It must be done...' he said, and withdrew.

The angel spoke again. 'It would be less painful...'

The Creator interrupted softly. 'But it wouldn't be love.'"


-In the Eye of the Storm, Max Lucado.

Change...

I don't mean to sound like a defeated dolly...


but change is hard...

there are so many up-in-the-air questions right now in my life...


like a lame limbo era...


and I hate limbo...

I remember limbo like it was yesterday...with marriage around the corner..but no hubby ...graduation around the corner..but no diploma yet...limbo is lame....

Question one: Where is my career going? Should I look into progressing my current career? or Do I find something else I am passionate about? I am young and educated..and motivated...I could do anything! Now what do I do? and in this economy...

I have yet to blog about it...but in March, I started a part time job tutoring highschool kids in biology, chemistry and math. And I LOVE it. Yep, you read right...I am currently working 1.5 jobs. And yes, one full time job is plenty...holy crud, working is worlds apart from college...it'll wear you out...

...but, before you judge..and think I am crazy... my mindset before I started looking for a part time job was: I have little to no responsibility in the context of kids/house/etc., and I am already the bread winner right now..why not be the SUPER bread winner...

plus...if I am going to be the SUPER mom/wife I want to be ..I want to build my stamina..haha and who doesn't love emparting wisdom (spiritual or intellectual) to youth AND... a little extra cash doesn't hurt.

Tutoring has unexpectedly reintroduced my passion for teaching...In my first year of college, I signed up for a program that allowed you to take a few extra classes along with my biology degree and come out with a teaching certification by my senior year. I stopped this program, however, after a year because I was sure I was going into medical/PA school. I didn't need any extra classes...especially pointless ones...

Well...then I met my husband.



Not that all dreams have to stop when you meet your husband...I mean thats not optimal...



But my career path changed when I got married.



Our lives became one...



Suddenly, it became obvious that it was extremely unwise to go to a VERY expensive school..to invest in a career that would GREATLY compete with my current desire to be an amazing wife and mother...



I wholeheartedly DID NOT want to incur any debt on my family that was not DEFINITELY going to be made back in due time...



I DID NOT want to add any unnecessary financial stress on our family because I was "entitled" to my dream career.

How is that being a "wife of noble character"? How is that "bringing my family good not harm"?



Truth is...Hunter will be our bread winner for the family..not me. That doesn't mean I should NEVER make money for our family..in fact I should try and use all my creativity to bless Hunter with a supporting income...but after he gets his degree...the torch will be passed..and it will be passed with a HUGE smile.

Even if I was to practice medicine after I graduated from a 3 year PA school...I would be ITCHING to have kids eventually...



I know there are plenty of moms who can have kids and a full time job...but I can't.



I seriously would rather be doing NOTHING else than being home...even as much as I love medicine...hospitals...doctors...pagers...whitecoats...blackberrys..and cubicles...

I remember when my mom told me she missed some of my "firsts" because I was in day care when I did them....and she was a full-time worker (she was of course single and did not even have a choice to stay home)



The legit sadness in her eyes because she could not be there with me was overbearing...I still to this day have to remind her that it is OK that she missed a lot of my childhood...


With every opportunity in my life..if I am a student..I want to be a wonderful wholehearted student..If I am going to be a bread winner..I want to go above and beyond...if I am going to be a mom...I want to be a FULL time mom!!I would never want to spread myself out with a full time career and a full time family...SICK!



I know I know..there is always the choice of doing part time...but why would I pay all that money to go to school, just to work part time...when my position as full time mom is FREE! No debt!



OK..tangent..

The point was..I am loving teaching....



One of my students got a hundred on her quiz in class the next day after one of our sessions!! She was so excited!...Honestly, I was more excited. I wanted to hug her and jump around the room screaming! She had no idea what she was doing before she came to see me...and then BAM..she understood and killed the quiz.



So do I teach?..this is a career that I can stop and start whenever I want...it doesn't cost 100K...and I'll be able to utilize my experiences teaching when/if I decide to homeschool...which I am truly considering (not because I am scared of public school...bring on the wierdos...but its because I want to be 150% involved in my childrens education. Helping with their homework and teacher-parent conferences are not enough)...



It's an option...



Another option ...is moving up in the cancer research career path...



MDACC is a WONDERFUL place to work as far as the institution goes...



I get to work across the street from Hunter...I love being in the medical field...and cancer research is SO meaningful...and thank God...it is paying the bills still...



Question two: Do we take advantage of a plummeting housing market or not? Do we continue to throw rent money away every month to live in 800 sq feet...or do we invest in a cheap house that will give us a crazy return?

Do you know how much money it takes to live 3 seconds away from the medical center...it is expensive.



Luckily we have found great deals on apartments..but still..the cost of living is nuts...



Question three: Do I look dumb in glasses?

Well, too bad...because I have to wear them...for like ever

Not even joking...I have been diagnosed with chronic conjunctivitis...

In other words...as a poor college student..I did not take care of my contacts..and my eyes tried to fight off an infection that was my contact...and under a microscope they look gross...

So, no contacts for me for a long time...and now I am glasses-bound...

SEE all these changeeeess!

Too much for me...I like consistency..I like routine and predictability..with some spunk.. don't get me wrong..I don't like boring...just normalness...

Well..this is only the beginning...Way more to come...

Remember that time...

Remember that time....

that time that I have not blogged about anything pertaining to my life...

the life that is flippin full of crazy awesome moments that I need to log into my blog...

well get ready there partner..

here we go.

2 words.

Lance

Berkman.

Do you know him?

He plays for the Houston Astros. (baseball). He is very very open about his love for Jesus.

He's fantastic. Even when he makes fun of Aggies 5,000 times in 15 minutes.

He's very funny. One time, an opposing team threw twinkies on the field at him because they think is fat....and he picked one up and ate it.

He makes me laugh.

Well, we had dinner together....me and Lance.

OK, we may have been about 50 feet apart, but we had dinner together.

Don't judge me. It was in the same room....so therefore...it was together.


This is him...eyeing me across the room. I waved...he waved back. Or maybe he was itching his forehead. Either way...we had dinner together.



This is me in front of his name tag.
Best night ever.

The real story for all you lack of imaginationers....Hunter's grandma and her boyfriend (yes, boyfriend) kindly asked us to join them for the annual Baseball Sports Writers Dinner.

We dropped everything to go. Lance got the team MVP award for the 5th time and he made a speech.

Worth every minute.

I interacted with him while he was speaking. Laughed at jokes about the Aggies that maybe offended me...who cares...he can joke...we sucked it up at football. if it was anyone else I may have tried to defend my alma mater..but not with Lance. I sighed when he recapped this past year...and reflected upon outstanding plays and future goals when he asked it of me.

We had a great dinner.


P.S. Hunter is aware of my slight obsession and is prepared for the worst when I actually do get to meet Lance.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now...more updating.

I have done some decorating and some bargain furniture shopping

I told you that we got a couch off craigslist....

75 BUCKS!

I basically feel as though we stole this from the people selling it. Don't tell them...but they could have gotten way more money for it if they just asked.

It's comfortable...it's beautiful...it fits perfectly...and makes me feel good about myself.

No judging...again.

I love saving money. I love finding a good deal. It really invigorates me. It makes me feel like a good business woman....and it makes my husband happy too.

I mean 75 bucks...come on! It was all a matter of circumstance...the couple was 9 months preggers with new furniture coming early the next week.

Thanks Jesus.

Oh yeah, and I also painted those panels above the couch.

Do like 'em? I'm picky so I am not ready to commit for life...but they will do for now...

I love painting..I want a painting room. I could do it alllll day. If I am not careful, I will.

Some other projects are:

Recovering our dining room chairs...this crazy fabric pattern!! I love it!

Like, words cannot express how much I love this pattern...and how spunktastic our chairs look right now...but I am super happy with the result.

Especially when I found dishes to match.

The etching on the outside of the dish and cup handle match the sophisticated victorian swirly pattern of the fabric. Makes my heart flutter.

I actually stopped decorating our apartment.

I ran out of room.

Hunter is happy about our checkbook...and I am sad about my halted hobby.

So, that leads me to my next update.

We are looking at some apartments to move to after our lease is up. haha.

I call it being "good stewards" of our money...because I think we could get more space for the same price we pay...but in all reality I do kinda just want more space to spread my wings...and to decorate the crud out of.

There is an apartment complex that is just for UT students/faculty and MD Anderson employees....and so we are looking into it. It would give us a ton more space for the same price.

I've also looked at some Duplex,Triplex, and Quadplexes in the Third Ward..

Do you know where that is?

Like it is the definition of crime.

We'll see what happens.

I have more to update but no one's attention span is this long. :)

Love love love.

Oh, Men....

So, we are definitely watching the Academy Awards at the moment...and I'm sorry...but I have been bawling from the moment Penelope won the first award..and thanked everyone in Spanglish...ugh I am such a sucker for speeches.

Does anyone else cry?...like I have tears all down the front of my shirt...its embarrassing really...

I really wish I could blame it on hormones..or pregnancy....but alas...its just girly mushy emotions..awesome.

My purpose for this blog: I have proof that men know nothing about movie awards...nothing.

Hunter and I were discussing how 'Slumdog Millionairre' is sweeping every category...and we were mentioning how we need to see it and also 'The Reader'...

and then he says something that made me laugh hysterically...over emotion or not...it was blog worthy.

He says, " We need to compile a list of all these Grammy movies and watch them"...

Grammy movies!!! that would be like if I said we need to compile a list of all those Golden Globe songs and make a CD of them...

Oh, men...

Hunter's Post: They just don't make 'em like they used to...

They just don't make 'em like they used to.... Either I'm getting old, old-fashioned or both. Probably both.

What am I talking about? Blue Jeans.

Yeah, I know. Whats the fuss, anyway? Over the past few years, I've noticed a trend developing in men's blue jeans: they are starting to look and fit like girl jeans.

I remember a few years ago trying to find some. I took a nice looking pair to the dressing room, attempted to slip them on and WAM! dead stop. Whats the matter with these jeans?, I wondered. I thought the crotch (aka inseam) had shrunk. They wouldn't go up any further! I knew... these definitely don't fit right. I felt claustrophobic... ya know... down there. And believe me (to all you eye-rollers) I'm not making any boasts about my inseam.

Well, a few years later, same situation. I attempted to find some new jeans last night with Ashleigh and I kid you not... every pair I tried on left me feeling claustrophobic and uncomfy. Whats the matter with people these days? Doesn't anyone like putting stuff in their pockets anymore? Am I alone in my desire to not hurt while sitting?

Needless to say, we left the store without a new pair of jeans. I'm not casting judgement on other guys who wish to be inseam-claustrophobic, but as for me and my inseam - I demand pants that fit. I will find the last surviving pair from the 'golden years' of jeans and pay whatever price is necessary to feel comfortable in my pants.

-Hunter

Adopted by God

The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God.

Romans 8:16 NASB

When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, he also adopts us. Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear. Here is how it happens. You come before the judgement seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice he cannot dismiss your sin, but because if his love he cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God's justice and love are equally honored. And you, God's creation, are forgiven. But the story doesn't end with God's forgiveness...

It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you HIS name.

Max Lucado