This is what Joylynn looks like at 6 months pregnant. It's a miracle how skin can stretch!Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Family photo op
This is what Joylynn looks like at 6 months pregnant. It's a miracle how skin can stretch!
Friday, November 06, 2009
More moving matters & Halloween parrots
Thor's been in Michigan this past week (back tomorrow) securing us housing and getting things ready for his new job. We will be living in a 2 bed/2bath condo on the western outskirt of Saginaw Township, it appears to be right on the border of Saginaw and Shields Townships. We're planning to rent for 6 months and use that time to look to purchase a home, and thanks to the U.S. Congress passing the extension, we will be able to qualify for the 1st time homeowners tax credit through June!
Thor'll have about a 15 minute (city roads) drive to St. Mary's Hospital which is definitely manageable as long as they keep the main road clear of snow/ice. The hospital I'll be delivering at, Covenant Hospital is also about 15 minutes away. I'll be 0.4 miles away from a Curves facility so I can continue my hard core workouts (just kidding, Mom, I'm taking it easier there). The condo is located behind a Meijer so any late night needs will be easily met with the beauty that is the "24 hour" store.
We've made our moving arrangements and will be using a Re-Lo Cube which I view as a step above the stress of driving a U-Haul ourselves through the mountains of North Carolina/Virginia but a step below a full service packing team that would cost us quite a bit more. We'll be packing things up by Nov. 19th and plan to drive to Michigan on Friday the 20th in time for my brother's big U of M Men's Glee Club concert. I believe that's my brother in the picture on the webpage (the one with the fuzzy microphone in front of half his face).
In past news, for Halloween, we went to Fairfax, VA and spent time with my sis, brother in law, his parents who we haven't seen in ages, and the boys. My sister made the COOLEST parrot costumes for Bruno and Eli. I'm so impressed by her creativity, all without a pattern. We also got to visit with an old friend from high school, Talitha Trotman who is now a married mom of two (how time flies). It was really nice to spend time with someone who knows our whole family so well. She knows me so well that she remembered that she called me Joy-Joy when I was younger.
As the time draws near to leave Greensboro, I'm getting more excited for what is to come. We'll be fitting in a lot of meals with friends in the coming 2 weeks to say our goodbyes, and I haven't ruled out shedding more goodbye tears (as I did during the baby shower that our small group hosted for us a couple of weekends ago), but I'm feeling more and more ready to transition.
Thor'll have about a 15 minute (city roads) drive to St. Mary's Hospital which is definitely manageable as long as they keep the main road clear of snow/ice. The hospital I'll be delivering at, Covenant Hospital is also about 15 minutes away. I'll be 0.4 miles away from a Curves facility so I can continue my hard core workouts (just kidding, Mom, I'm taking it easier there). The condo is located behind a Meijer so any late night needs will be easily met with the beauty that is the "24 hour" store.
We've made our moving arrangements and will be using a Re-Lo Cube which I view as a step above the stress of driving a U-Haul ourselves through the mountains of North Carolina/Virginia but a step below a full service packing team that would cost us quite a bit more. We'll be packing things up by Nov. 19th and plan to drive to Michigan on Friday the 20th in time for my brother's big U of M Men's Glee Club concert. I believe that's my brother in the picture on the webpage (the one with the fuzzy microphone in front of half his face).
In past news, for Halloween, we went to Fairfax, VA and spent time with my sis, brother in law, his parents who we haven't seen in ages, and the boys. My sister made the COOLEST parrot costumes for Bruno and Eli. I'm so impressed by her creativity, all without a pattern. We also got to visit with an old friend from high school, Talitha Trotman who is now a married mom of two (how time flies). It was really nice to spend time with someone who knows our whole family so well. She knows me so well that she remembered that she called me Joy-Joy when I was younger.
As the time draws near to leave Greensboro, I'm getting more excited for what is to come. We'll be fitting in a lot of meals with friends in the coming 2 weeks to say our goodbyes, and I haven't ruled out shedding more goodbye tears (as I did during the baby shower that our small group hosted for us a couple of weekends ago), but I'm feeling more and more ready to transition.
Friday, October 23, 2009
A perfect Fall day
The view outside my window is 100% Fall! The sun shining, the leaves are falling off the trees and yet it's 76 degrees. Yes, Greensboro, North Carolina on October 23rd is seeing mid-70 degree temperatures in late October. CRAZY but not unusual. This Sunday, our small group is hosting a book baby shower for us. It's going to be an indoors-outdoors affair and the forecast reports 66 degrees with, and I quote "abundant" sunshine.
Somehow the word "abundant" made me smile reading it in a weather forecast.
P.S. There is an animal outside my window making the strangest sound, almost like a pitiful kitten meowing. I can't tell if it's a bird or a squirrel (both of which are abundant on Guilford's campus).
Somehow the word "abundant" made me smile reading it in a weather forecast.
P.S. There is an animal outside my window making the strangest sound, almost like a pitiful kitten meowing. I can't tell if it's a bird or a squirrel (both of which are abundant on Guilford's campus).
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Making the move
It's official. Thor, baby boy, and I are moving back to Michigan. Saginaw, MI to be exact. We've been pondering moving closer to family for a while now and with the coming of the boy into our lives in early February, it makes a lot of sense to do so while he's still inside me.
Thor just accepted a position at St. Mary's of Michigan that will allow him to work in exactly the kind of setting (hospital) and doing the exact kind of thing (acute care) that he really wants to do. An answer to prayer!! The hospital has a great reputation, and I'm so thrilled that he'll get to add to his skill set as an SLP. He also gets to wear scrubs every day which in my mind is about the best thing EVER. I'll probably get more dressed up on a daily basis as a mom than he will when he goes to work:)
He will be starting work at the end of November so we are moving mid-November (all details TBD). I will have a couple of months as a non-student, non-professional before baby boy is born so I'm going to have to set some goals for what I want to accomplish during this rare time-off time. I'm also happy to be able to stay at home after he's born with no pressure to find work myself.
Over time, God has put an understanding in me that I know I can't do two things 100% (work as a professional and take care of a baby/child to the best of my ability) at this time in my life, and with that he's also provided us with an income that can support me doing that. I will in fact be a SAHM ("stay at home mom"), and although I know this transition will be difficult in some ways, ultimately it will be the right decision for our family. I still have aspirations to work part-time down the road in something I really care about (counseling, teaching), but I've not set a timeline for myself as to when that has to happen. I do trust that when the time is right, God'll provide the opportunity.
Until we make the move and even after, I am sure I will continue to keep feeling many feelings. I've already felt excited for a new everything, sad to be leaving the people we love here, anxious about finding housing and the moving process, and hopeful, but I'm reminded to give any worries to God because he cares for his kids and has always helped me sort out the details of major transitions in my life, so why doubt that now?
We will gladly accept all your prayers for anything you can think of in regards to our family, the move, starting in a new place, etc...
Thor just accepted a position at St. Mary's of Michigan that will allow him to work in exactly the kind of setting (hospital) and doing the exact kind of thing (acute care) that he really wants to do. An answer to prayer!! The hospital has a great reputation, and I'm so thrilled that he'll get to add to his skill set as an SLP. He also gets to wear scrubs every day which in my mind is about the best thing EVER. I'll probably get more dressed up on a daily basis as a mom than he will when he goes to work:)
He will be starting work at the end of November so we are moving mid-November (all details TBD). I will have a couple of months as a non-student, non-professional before baby boy is born so I'm going to have to set some goals for what I want to accomplish during this rare time-off time. I'm also happy to be able to stay at home after he's born with no pressure to find work myself.
Over time, God has put an understanding in me that I know I can't do two things 100% (work as a professional and take care of a baby/child to the best of my ability) at this time in my life, and with that he's also provided us with an income that can support me doing that. I will in fact be a SAHM ("stay at home mom"), and although I know this transition will be difficult in some ways, ultimately it will be the right decision for our family. I still have aspirations to work part-time down the road in something I really care about (counseling, teaching), but I've not set a timeline for myself as to when that has to happen. I do trust that when the time is right, God'll provide the opportunity.
Until we make the move and even after, I am sure I will continue to keep feeling many feelings. I've already felt excited for a new everything, sad to be leaving the people we love here, anxious about finding housing and the moving process, and hopeful, but I'm reminded to give any worries to God because he cares for his kids and has always helped me sort out the details of major transitions in my life, so why doubt that now?
We will gladly accept all your prayers for anything you can think of in regards to our family, the move, starting in a new place, etc...
Friday, October 16, 2009
What to write...
I don't have a particular topic that has come to mind at the moment, but reading my sister and brother-in-law's blog makes me want to say something significant. Christene's most recent post written yesterday (Oct. 15) choked me up with it's sweetness and weightiness. She's a really good writer because she is thoughtful and witty and interesting. And many other positive adjectives.
This past weekend/early part of the week, Thor and I took a trip to Michigan to visit our families. The sun shone for 2 whole days which may be a bit of a record in my memory for the great state! It was a quick but satisfying trip with opportunities to see all of Thor's family as well as mine (with the exception of busy David who's college social life keeps his weekends filled). My mom has been happily buying baby things for us which I'm so thankful for because we'll/he'll be well outfitted for colder weather. I'm feeling particularly thankful to have our families who we can look to for practical and emotional support - I realize that not everybody has that in their lives.
This weekend will be a lovely unplanned one. No events scheduled save lunch with friends on Sunday and our weekly small group Bible study on Sunday evening. I plan to make apple sauce (we brought home a big bag of apples from my parents' apple trees that had a bumper crop this year), quilt (for a great cause), and generally anything else that suits my/our fancy. I think the ducks at the Bog Garden have been missing us so we may need to go and offer our finest dried out bread crusts to them.
Last night wrapped up another 8 weeks of GST 120: Learning Strategies. We celebrated with final presentations where students shared what they learned throughout the course of the class and feasted on Krispy Kreme donuts (I refrained) and other sweet snacks that students brought in. I brought in a platter of veggies, and wouldn't you know, people headed for the sweet stuff first. Having the eye of the class on pregnant me helped direct me to eat only veggies/fruit and a brownie.
Our garden is still alive. In fact there are still tomatoes on the vine, even though it's been chilly for the past few days. We may still be eating fresh tomatoes in November if there isn't a freeze!
Signing off for now. It's been a post of random thoughts, but I feel better for giving the public something to amuse themselves with.
This past weekend/early part of the week, Thor and I took a trip to Michigan to visit our families. The sun shone for 2 whole days which may be a bit of a record in my memory for the great state! It was a quick but satisfying trip with opportunities to see all of Thor's family as well as mine (with the exception of busy David who's college social life keeps his weekends filled). My mom has been happily buying baby things for us which I'm so thankful for because we'll/he'll be well outfitted for colder weather. I'm feeling particularly thankful to have our families who we can look to for practical and emotional support - I realize that not everybody has that in their lives.
This weekend will be a lovely unplanned one. No events scheduled save lunch with friends on Sunday and our weekly small group Bible study on Sunday evening. I plan to make apple sauce (we brought home a big bag of apples from my parents' apple trees that had a bumper crop this year), quilt (for a great cause), and generally anything else that suits my/our fancy. I think the ducks at the Bog Garden have been missing us so we may need to go and offer our finest dried out bread crusts to them.
Last night wrapped up another 8 weeks of GST 120: Learning Strategies. We celebrated with final presentations where students shared what they learned throughout the course of the class and feasted on Krispy Kreme donuts (I refrained) and other sweet snacks that students brought in. I brought in a platter of veggies, and wouldn't you know, people headed for the sweet stuff first. Having the eye of the class on pregnant me helped direct me to eat only veggies/fruit and a brownie.
Our garden is still alive. In fact there are still tomatoes on the vine, even though it's been chilly for the past few days. We may still be eating fresh tomatoes in November if there isn't a freeze!
Signing off for now. It's been a post of random thoughts, but I feel better for giving the public something to amuse themselves with.
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