Guess they had to do the condensed version

 Since they gave the condensed version of everything this high school senior does I’ll add that she has been an officer of NHS for 2 years, currently President.  She has been a class officer all 4 years of high school, currently as Vice President.  She has been a leader of Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the past 2 years. She also works at a local restaurant, babysits, house sits, cleans houses and tutors. Not to mention far more volunteer hours than she is required to do by any clubs.  

She is definitely someone young kids should look up to. I do. 

The little things

 It really is the little things. 

I was sitting with my youngest daughter, the other night , as I have so many nights lately while she brainstorms her many scholarship essays. I looked over and saw this beautiful, dainty, opal ring on her tiny hands and it just made me smile. My mom had given me my first ring when I was 13. And then I got a pearl ring later in high school.  When each of my girls turned 13 I passed one onto each of them.  Chelsi has hers sized down to a 4 to fit her and it’s just beautiful to see her wearing it daily now that she’s 18.  My girls make my heart full and I couldn’t love them more. Every moment with them is a treasure.  

Even these moments of staying up super late because late is the only time she has available to work on these essays and she needs someone to bounce ideas off of. I will always be there for you two. 

Trusting in God

 

Sometimes I don’t have enough faith in myself to believe that I can be very strong and be more like this ant on my pool deck. Most times to be honest. But I’m trying hard to just trust God. 

When I don’t know what to do I have a little talk with Him and tell Him that if He makes it known I’ll follow the prompts. After 21 years in the same department, various jobs and promotions, I applied to leave for a different department. After over 18 years of specializing in what I do and over 6 years of asking to be paid like someone who specializes and knows what no one else does, for the department I decided it was time to look elsewhere. For several years I’ve been told that I could only be considered for an increase if I had an offer. That seems real appreciative doesn’t it?  While a coworker with less experience, that does know some things I don’t but I know things they don’t, gets a big bump over me. We do have different managers so that’s part of it. But I think I just needed the push. 

I went out of my comfort zone and applied for the job. They told me it could be a few weeks to get through the process but they called me just 3 days later to offer it with a little more than the posting.  It’s the perfect location, seems like a good unit and office culture and the money was definitely a factor. But it was also a position that sounded interesting and made me feel excited again. Something I hadn’t felt in awhile and somewhat due to feeling looked over and ignored.  

I haven’t officially accepted yet but plan to soon. I was told to think about it for a few days and give my office time to try to counter to keep me. Apparently my manager told them he was going to try, but I’m honestly not sure I’d stay. 

So mostly, this weekend, I’m focusing on researching the new department, figuring out who I’d work with etc and planning to wrap things up, pack things up and making plans for my family to move onto a different job. I’m trying to listen to God. I’m trying to continue to have faith that He’ll lead me down the right paths if I have faith and try. 

So here’s to praying I’m strong enough to do something new, to change our lives and go where I’m supposed to go next. And praying this is a beautiful move for my family and myself. 

Another week of stress down

 I know I should enjoy so many moments. Especially our seniors last. But sometimes everything coincides with other things and I get a little stressed though I do try to enjoy them each as they occur. Our youngest daughter's final homecoming and our youngest sons first.  Along with him on the sidelines for his first homecoming football game and her having fun at her last. She was on court and they both were heavily involved in their class floats as class officers so they each had very early mornings and very late nights.  And we had powderpuff with our senior as QB1 and hoco events for court parents all day.  By dance night we were all exhausted and then our oldest daughter hit a deer and her car is now not driveable as they think it may have damaged the cooling system. With college a 2 1/2 hour drive that is stressful figuring out what to do. That whole week of homecoming was spent with us juggling vehicles already because the 23 year olds truck had a wiper motor go out and the dealership didn’t notice they never had the right part the whole time it was there while one of our primary vehicle was in for the ac compressor going out and what we thought was an oil leak from them not tightening the filter at oil change. It ended up being a leak deep in the turbo engine. We were frustrated with the repairs this car was needing in the short 9 months we had it and had already traded it for my, new to me, Pilot.  Last night was football and tonight was conference cross country and another last for our senior.  And the girls were conference champs!  Woohoo! Things should cool down now, literally. If we can get all of the vehicles back in order it will feel better. The college kid actually found a ride to school and she’ll just have to find another to come back after the car is hopefully fixed. 

Spirit week dress up for the freshman

Freshman float

QB1

My youngest babies

All conference xc one more time

Traditional kissing of the conference plaque

My view (from her room)

 

I’m not much of a night owl anymore. The older I get the more value I put on sleep. And I try very hard to be in bed as close to 10 pm as I can. Hoping for a good 7 hours. But every 3 years I have a senior and every fall of their senior year it means scholarship and essay crunch time. I do not write essays or do work for my kids. I’ve heard other parents say they do, not seeing the harm. I want my kids’ achievements to truly be theirs.  But this means sitting in a room with them, far past my bed time, listening to them brainstorm through essay prompts asking me questions or for my opinion every now and again. If I wasn’t here, they would probably just go to bed and by morning forget the roll they were on. So I stay up with them some, in case I’m needed for a small nugget of information or validation of a well written paragraph. 

After doing this with 3 of my, now, 4 adult kids I’ve seen them evolve from decent writers who needed me for a quick edit or read for validation to impressive writers who only proofed themselves as time went on getting scholarships with zero involvement from me.  This makes me proud. This is THEIR growth. And now I’m seeing it with child #4 and her writing ability already blows me away. 

This is why we can’t do things for our children. Do them with them but never for them. Teach them to fish!!

Just say no

 

You don’t have to buy things.  You can just walk away. Walk away from your online cart or that nonessential item at Walmart or TJ Maxx. Give yourself time to think about. Do you have a real need for it? Do you want it or need it?  Will it wreck your budget?  Is it over the budget you set?  Ask yourself a million questions before spending. Actually, just try to talk yourself out of the purchase.  If you can because it is necessary or just really makes sense AND you have plenty of “extra” money for the purchase then fine. 

I still do this for a thing $10 and over.  Yes just $10. That $10 stacked up on items adds up quickly.  Suddenly you’ve spent $300 in one item, especially if you have a family.  

This process will keep you in check.  And most of all don’t buy things because everyone else is. Buy things because they would make your life better or add worth to yours.  I saw a reel where Rachel Cruze said she has to ask herself “if no one sees what I bought or ever knows I have it would I still buy it”. That is a great question to ask. If you’re not buying it for your own likings then why have it. It will never fulfill you if it’s to impress others. 

And have a place for it. Don’t buy more stuff you have to store away and eventually sell for almost nothing.  Clutter is clutter of the mind and soul and a weight on both.  Depleting clutter frees up everything and gives you space to breath. So don’t buy what you don’t need and you’ll reduce the clutter easy peasy. 

Happy Chuseok 2023

 

Happy Chuseok 2023!  When we decided to adopt from South Korea we knew their heritage would come with them. Or rather it was our job to embrace it as well as them so they could be Korean Americans and be confident in who they are and where they came from. Thankfully we love Korean food, traditions and people.  And yep, we’re blessed to have adopted them and opened doors to the world  and thoughts and understandings we never thought about before.  I have to say I’m a little sad that Korean adoptions are slowly shutting down  not because they kids have homes but because of politics. 

Happy Korean Thanksgiving. For us it was a little untraditional version of bibimbap and tteokbokki!