Spring is in session

Some people know it's spring by the warm weather, others by the official "Day of Spring" on the calendar. My girls know spring is upon us by a much more nature-inspired method. They have named all flowering trees "popcorn trees", because the white blossoms look like balls of popcorn. As we drive by the newly-budding trees, they will shout from the backseat, "Pink popcorn tree!" or "Look Mom! More popcorn trees!"

Since the last post, we've found out that we have a healthy boy arriving in July! Paradigm shifts seem to be a common occurrence in our family. As soon as we get really good at pink, Princesses, and sparkles, God sends us a boy. (I think my husband needed an excuse to play with small cars and trucks again.)

Figuring out the ins and outs of my new job has been a challenge, but I really enjoy the people I work with, the environment, and the opportunities and possibilities it presents. Not many people get the opportunity to hand pick their mentors, but working alongside my mentor (who came into my life by the grace of God) is equal parts intimating and empowering. He is a master of clear expectations and goals, and expects our very best in all aspects of our work. He also balances approachability with the ability to listen, guide, teach, and inspire.

More than ever now, my thoughts have turned towards academia and the great opportunities there to help the greatest number of people better society. Dedication to greater causes is what makes academia flourish where business, governments, and ideologies fail. Dedication to time-tested principles make way for individuals and societies that are revered and emulated. Ideology changes with each generation, but the principles remain the same. We need a world that focuses less on the hows of ideas and more of the whys of the principles that work. It will take years, but eventually I hope that I will be able to empower my own students as my mentor has empowered and inspired me.

I love this rebirth and renewal time of year. Possibilities are endless and whatever life chooses to throw at me and my family, I feel confident that we'll be able to overcome anything... not just survive, but thrive.

Romance Requirements with Offspring

Since having kids, my husband and I rarely celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th. While he's still thoughtful enough to get me flowers or chocolate/caramel on the official day, we usually go out the weekend before or after to accommodate our schedule and the babysitter's availability. The kids also get a treat and heart-shaped pancakes, but I try to take one day to celebrate the couple who was here before the kids showed up.

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

Charles M. Schulz

"I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon. " ~Author Unknown

New Year, New Possibilities

Hello Everyone!

It's been a while, and I hope you all had fantastic holidays, and that you are getting used to writing 2012!

Several new shifts and changes have occurred in our family within the last months:

First off, we are pregnant with our third child and I'm officially in my second trimester! It has a been a bit of a roller coaster these last few months as we struggled to wrap our heads around the reality of being parents of three kids.

Second, my kids are starting pre-preschool and Pre-K programs this week, in an effort to prepare them for school before they start Preschool and Kindergarten programs next fall.

Third, I will be switching my evening part-time job with another part-time day job (hence the reason why the kids are in school). While this is a wonderful opportunity to finally use both my experience and my education, it still requires schedule juggling and logistical tweaking. So trying to get all the ducks in a row to make this work will be a bit of a hassle for the first week or so, but then it should work out nicely.

Lastly, my husband is trying to expand his sphere of influence by broadening his design capabilities and market. He hopes to eventually produce and sell his own designs and products that will elevate his name into larger designer circles.

These changes will better our family, but they also require a significant amount of coordination with a dash of insanity. However, we are blessed with these opportunities and look forward to this next stage in our lives!

Grateful for a paradigm shift

Happy Thanksgiving!
I'm attempting to rearrange my life so that I'll be able to do the things I need to do, while at the same time, be able to do the things I would like to do.   So my husband and I have sat down and prioritized our  obligations and our grand ideas and I think we've come up with a few ideas to make everything work.

For instance, I'm going to get everything done that I need to in the mornings, thus leaving my afternoons to relax and play with the kids. Evenings will be family time (unless I'm working), and weekends will be spent looking for houses and going on family outings.  Work-out times will be scheduled in the mornings (I'm thinking I'd like to do water aerobics again) at 8:30 am after we drop Chris off at work.  That will give me enough time to fit that in, and still go about the rest of the day.

Anyways, we're also looking into getting the girls bunk-beds for Christmas so I can take down their toddler beds. So looking into the types of bunk beds that the girls would need (and also making sure that the beds convert into two twin size beds) has become next on the to-do-list.

Our family has many changes to look forward to, but they are all good changes. Furthermore, these shifts in the status quo can only be good for the kids as they experience changes in school and other areas starting next year.  It will also force me to focus on prioritizing, so I don't push the family too hard, but also effectively manage our time during the week.

I hope that everyone will have a great Thanksgiving and wish us luck as we attempt to navigate through this new paradigm shift!

Domicile Discussion

Hello!
Since Halloween, I have decided that I would like to buy a house for my little family by Spring 2013.  I don't yet know which neighborhoods as of yet, but I do know that I would like at least three bedrooms, and 1100 square feet.  I'm flexible with floor plans, however, my husband and I are torn between buying a cheaper fixer-upper or to buy a more expensive newer home that needs little in terms of repairs.  We of course want to save money, but we would also like to make the best decision for our future, even if that means no longer renting.
Any thoughts?  We're obviously new to this process and want to avoid the pitfalls that happen to first-time homebuyers, but because we're not in any rush to buy a house, I think we'll be able to find the location and style of house that gives us the biggest bang for our buck sometime in the next six to nine months.  In the meantime, I would welcome any advice and suggestions.  Thanks!

How do you Halloween?

With Halloween a week away, I'm starting to consider what to do about pumpkin carving, what the girls should wear under their costumes to stay warm, and what activities I should pencil into the calendar to make this year fun for the five and three year old.

Pumpkins are, of course, the biggest challenge, but I think that so long as everyone gets to pick their own (with the condition that they can carry it themselves), and we have paints for the girls and pumpkin carving kits for the adults, I think we'll be just fine. Still no ideas yet.

Although the kids have been asking for weeks about Halloween, my husband and I are also getting excited about dressing up and taking the kids around the neighborhood. I hope it doesn't rain (or snow), but even if it does, we can work around that (see below). :-)

I'll of course take millions of pictures, and I'm assuming that everything will go well. I wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween this year! Take care and have fun!

"There is nothing funny about Halloween. This sarcastic festival reflects, rather,

an infernal demand for revenge by children on the adult world." --Jean Baudrillard

Energizing Epiphany, Encouraging Enlightenment

Well I did get my wake-up call.
It took a few weeks, but I now feel like I have a better direction for my life, rather than the mixed jumble of half-plans that I seemed to be struggling with for the past three months or so.  Instead than coming gradually, like I half expected the newly discovered ideas to do, I was hit one evening with several new ideas that materialized over the course of just a few hours.  Perhaps it was because I was distracted long enough to not agonize over the details, that the picture became clear. Or perhaps it was because I was mentally quiet enough to allow the thoughts to wash over me, unrestrained by my constant to-do-list. Either way, I'm grateful for the insights that peeked their way into my brain that allowed for a paradigm shift in perspective and priorities.

So I've decided to accept the following changes in my life:
-My family life will continue as usual, but with greater emphasis on the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of everyone these next few months.
-Work will also continue for the next two weeks, until I am able to advance to the supervisory and/or managerial positions, at which time our family schedules will be adjusted accordingly and continue throughout 2012.
-I will begin to take non-matriculated classes starting in January, and will begin the process of studying for the October GRE and LSAT exams in April.  Further classes will be taken as needed in September and applications for graduate schools will be completed by Thanksgiving of next year.
-After the start of 2013, greater efforts will be made on the research aspect of my book, and subsequent related chapters will be written.
-Preparations for accommodating grad school will begin in the spring of 2013.
-For now, I will focus on preparing for the changes, and helping the girls to get ready for the next school year, and maximizing our family's edification.

When I need to be reminded of something, the easiest way to do so is through music.  I think most clearly when I have music playing in the background, and more often than not the lyrics to various songs are applied to my life on almost a daily basis. So it comes as no surprise, that on the night when everything I've been worrying about fell into place, I also heard the following song for the first time as well, and I've included the lyrics below:

Keeping Sheep

Lynne Perry Christofferson

I have a little flock of sheep

And they are mine to tend and keep.

And I must guard them everyday,

For little lambs, when left alone, will lose their way.

So many voices say to me,

A sheep-fold is no place to be

Your time spent there is dull and slow

And lambs leave very little room for you to grow.

Well if I ever start to stray

Deceived by thoughts of greener pastures

Remind me Lord that keeping sheep

Will lead to happier ever-afters.

Oh surely there will come a day

when all the lambs have left my side

and I am free to roam about

and go exploring other meadows, green and wide.

Yet something whispers in heart

That when my sheep have left this pen

I’ll long to stroke their little heads

To draw them close to me

And have them young again.

So if I ever start to stray

Deceived by thoughts of greener pastures

Remind me Lord that keeping sheep

Will lead to happier ever-afters.

So while they still are in my care

I pray that I will clearly see

These little lambs within my fold

Are tender gifts the Master Shepherd has given me.

On the off chance that I find the right picture to illustrate this beautiful metaphor, I'll send a framed copy of this song to each of you as well. :-)

I'm encouraged by the direction I'm taking in life, and I love that I have a family who is not only willing to share the ride with me, but also to make the journey so much more enjoyable.  Whatever happens these next two years or so, I'm glad I have them in my corner, and I hope I'll always cherish them in the manner that they deserve.