Filling up fast...

My head is spinning with everything that we have coming up.  I mean, not only do we need to find an apartment (in a safe neighborhood somewhat close to JJ's school), find me a job (that will make it worth it - some help with MVJ's daycare costs, benefits like health insurance), organize the move (reserve a moving van/car dolly, coordinate efforts with our good friends, figure out when to leave/when to drive/when to arrive) and pack everything here, BUT, we also want to fill in all of our spare time with friends and family.

Phew!  Here's a rundown of events:

*our normally scheduled events: Church, Bible study, sand volleyball, etc.
*randomly scheduled events: croquet, bocce ball, BBQs, walks, play dates, etc.
*a J family get together to visit JJ's sister at their beautiful new home -- ooh, and their new pontoon!
*possibly hitting up a Twin's game and visit to the F's
*JJ's trip to CO with his buds (leaving early with his bro)
*a visit to the K family, which includes my... {cough... choke... chuckle...} ahem... 10 year high school reunion
*a visit to T and LL's lake cabin

We are looking forward to ALL of these events and can't wait for each of them.  It's just a bit stressful when I look at the calendar and see like 6 days left to actually organize things and pack.  YIPES!  : )

And MVJ got two timeouts today, so you know what kind of a morning WE had... ; )

AWESOME FRIENDS

First of all:  Yeah, yeah, yeaaaaah!

Second of all:  We are officially moving to KC.  Let the frantic planning BEGIN!

Now on to the post.  We seriously have the best friends ever.  I won't be able to count all the ways they are fabulous, but let me give you just a few examples:

*Friends praying for us every step of the way: praying that JJ could get an interview.  Praying that JJ could get in somewhere.  Praying that JJ COULD GET INTO UND!  Praying for our move.

*Friends offering sympathetic ears -- lots of big changes and some friends have "been there, done that".  Sometimes I just need those positive pushes to get me out of an "oh woe is me" attitude.

*Friends bringing over boxes.  Yahoo!  Let the packing continue!

*Friends offering to help pack said boxes -- which I declined (I'm sick of packing!  Let's go for a walk instead!)

*Friends offering to watch the Chooch Monster -- Daddy's new nickname for her... kinda has stuck -- while I pack said boxes.

*Friends offering to load aforementioned packed boxes into our van, car, uhaul (penske?  budget truck?), and truck.

*Friends OFFERING TO MOVE US TO KC, which includes the use of their truck.  Oh, we love you so much TL and LL.  Can I tell you more about TL?  He's accepted to attend UND Med School and found out he is also in at U of M.  He basically straight out asked JJ if he moves to U of M, would that mean that JJ could get in - if it would - he would sacrifice for JJ.  Makes me emotional just thinking about it.   Oh, and that also tells you how awesome of a candidate he is!  Go TL!

Seriously.  We have the best friends.

Hip to that new-fangled music

I am SO out of the loop when it comes to new pop music.  I have been listening to Christian radio for a while now and we don't generally watch MTV (ok, I was addicted to 16 and Pregnant for a time, but that was IT!) -- not that they play much music anyways.  But without being avid music lovers it is tough to keep up.

But thankfully that problem was solved when we headed out west to visit JJ's family a few weekends ago.  (when I *thought* it was Father's Day... oops...)  BILs BJ and CPJ made sure we were diggity down with all the new stuff.  Let me tell you, getting all that teenybopper music straight out of the mouths of 30-somethings is entertaining to say the least.  : )

And then my coworker and friend, KB, showed me this music video that totally cracked me up.  Who is the original sung by?  Lady Gaga?  Katy Perry?  Who knows, but the Minnesota version is the best! 

YAY for Daddies!

Daddies are awesome!  Some of my favorite pictures ever are the ones of babies and daddies.  There is just SOMETHING about that.  And of course the ones of MVJ and JJ grab my heart on a totally different level.  JJ is an amazing father - completely hands-on and 100% everything he does is for us (well... maybe that CO trip?  That's just for him.  But everything else?  Everything else is for us!).



OH!  And a Daddy giveaway?  Of course!  I really really want this.  Really badly!

This toolkit is kinda for daddies... oh, wait, but it's in pink!  My bad...

These shirts are cute!  They have a parents category!  Close enough!

The wiimote organizer would be PERFECT for daddies and the mommies that love to organize!

School

I forgot a funny little anecdote!

MVJ does not (I repeat DOES NOT) like to lay still for diaper changes.  It's like insulting that we would stop her play to make her lay still for the 2.5 seconds it WOULD take if she would just LAY there!  I was telling JJ how frustrated I was (after stripping her changing table cover to clean it because she got poopy all over it!).  I told him, "She will NEED to be better about this especially if she's at a daycare center in a few months.  She can NOT be flopping around!"

JJ looked at MVJ and said, "Do you need to go to a school for kids who flop around and don't lay so good?"  (In reference to Zoolander's "A school for kids who don't read so good.")

JJ is telling me I wrote it wrong and it was funnier when he said it, but he's not helping me remember the exact words he used.  So, you'll just have to use your imaginations and trust me that it was funny.  : )

My baby/big girl/toddler

MVJ is such a big girl.  I can't believe it.  She buzzes around and has such a personality.  She will let you know what she's thinking thankyouverymuch.

A few of her words -- she adds more every day it seems and will go on copying sprees where she tries to say everything Mommy or Daddy or both are saying!

*Oh boy!
*Woooow!
*No!  (while shaking her head furiously)
*Amen! (and holds her hands - especially when we pray at meals - LOVE it!)
*Baby (and when she holds her baby, she always says, "Oooh" at first.  It's SO cute!)
*Ducky
*Cracker
*Shoes (sounds a bit more like "shoeshs")
*Buh-bye and Nugh-nigh (for night-night)
*Mama, Daddy - "DadEE!"
BUT the sound we hear most often these days?  "Uh! Uh! Uh!"  We keep telling her to use her words and not be a little monkey, but for some unknown reason that is what comes out first!  : )

She LOVES loves to go on stroller rides.  In fact, if we leave the stroller out, she will often be found sitting in it.  If we even mention w-a-l-k, we better be on our way headed out the door or she gets a little impatient.  The other thing she loves is marshmallows!  Am I a bad parent?  This is her all time favorite reward.  Before, JJ and I were sad that we couldn't reward her for being such a good baby, but now we've found it!  She is so cute, when she's been supergood, we put down her pillow by the couch, and she'll sit and eat a handful of marshies that we put in a little cup.

In all the packing, she's become quite the helper.  If I'm not quick enough, LOTS of extra stuff goes in whatever box I'm packing.  She also loves to take things OUT of the box I'm packing.  We have a little storage bin thingy with handles that holds our tape and permanent markers (to label boxes).  She LOVES to carry that thing around.  It's so cute - it looks like she has her little work pail all ready to go.  But again, MOST of the packing occurs after she's gone to bed.

Speaking of sleepytime, MVJ is still our good little sleeper.  She enjoys two naps a day (usually) and still goes to bed around 7:30, waking up between 7 and 8.  When we were out of town a few weekends ago, she woke up at like some ungodly time (6:00?  6:30?).  She was in the pack and play in our room and I just looked at the clock and said, "We don't get up until 7." and rolled over to go back to bed.  Can you believe it?  She just sat and played until that time!  It was fabulous!

One thing that wasn't so fabulous is MVJ started wetting the bed... THROUGH her diaper.  That girl is like a camel!  She totally holds her pee like all day and pees it all at night.  I'm exaggerating of course, but she does *most* of her business while sleeping for some reason.  Anyways, we had to get her these overnight diapeys and she's still been known to wet through them.  We've been really trying to encourage her to drink more throughout the day and not just at night/during naps.

What else?  Speaking of potty, we think (of course we do, because our child is a genius), that we may have an early potty trainer on our hands.  Whenever I have to go to the bathroom, I will say, "Mommy has to go potty.  I'll be right back."  Before MVJ paid little to no attention, but now she beats me to the door.  She knows just where to go.  We're thinking we may get her her own chair just to get her familiar with it and see if she's interested at all (no pressure to be trained anytime soon though).

I think that's about all for our little miss.  She's loving summer.  (I'm loving her new wardrobe -- if the weather would stay sunny for any stretch of time though!).

June? JUNE!

I've sucked at blogging lately.  I swear I'm not just using my blog to enter blog giveaways!!  : ) 

Hmmm.... let's see.  Where to begin?  We got our letter from UND Med. School.  To quote the Associate Dean in the letter, "...the alternate list has moved very slowly this year... I am not sure I can offer any meaningful explanation.  It just is an atypical year."

Of course it is.  That would only make sense. 

We think God is trying to spell it out in bold letters that He wants us in KC, but of course we are waiting a little longer to make absolute positive WE ARE MOVING statements. 

On the other hand, we think we've found a place to live - or narrowed it down anyways.  Also I think we've found childcare for the MVJ girl - a cute Montessori school that... da.. da.. daaaaa... I think I found a job at!  How cool would that be?  To work where MVJ goes to school?  When I called to inquire about openings for MVJ and possible employment opportunities, the lady said I called at the exact right time: they're looking for both a teacher and an assistant director.  She wants me to fax the application back ASAP.  (I haven't gotten it yet, however.)  I feel like that's totally another God thing.  So I'm going to move you, but guess what?  I've got things planned for you.

The packing continues.  JJ has been superbusy painting this week for a family from Church.  We're hoping that we get to spend *some* time together this summer!!

MVJ continues to be the love of our lives.  I'm going to do another post - tomorrow I promise - to update you on all of the new things she does and says. 

MORE giveaways...

I'm supposed to be packing... that said... here are some fun giveaways!

CUTE ironing board covers... may compel me to learn how to iron... ; )

UV Skins... lots of cute sun safe(r) suits!

Look at these cute shirts!

Fun coin purses... may compel me to save some coins... ; )

Posy flipper floppers!

Cool cookware! 

Fun Vinyl... maybe we'll have a cool place to live that could use some fun wall art??

Sunglasses... I'm ALWAYS sitting on mine or misplacing them... I could use a new pair!

DVD - MVJ likes singing and dancing... could be good!

Fun swimming suits!

Crocs!  I got a pair for my birthday, but I'd enjoy another pair... or to share the love with JJ or possibly MVJ, although that girl has way too many shoes already!

Sweet iPod touch covers (that's what we'd use it for anyways)... I'd love to win this for my hubby!


=============================

So, I guess that took like all night... I haven't entered contests for a while and had to make up for lost time!

Worry is like a rocking chair...

...it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.

As I listen to my daughter chatter away (instead of NAP), I'm reminded how AWESOME it is to be a teacher and have the summer free (well... sort of... my "mentor job" will be starting up soon and there are a few summer projects here and there).  What a huge blessing!  There are still tons of things up in the air right now, but I'm just trying to enjoy now and not worry about later.  God has a plan for us, we just have to be patient.  JJ and I feel so blessed that he has been accepted to Medical School... BUT... we'd just like to know exactly what's happening with what where!  Basically, we just want to be in at UND and *most* of my worries will be solved.  Of course that does mean that MVJ will be in daycare, but that's basically the only downside (besides of course the adventure of moving to another state and experiencing life in new and different ways). 

JJ has been busy doing all the necessary requirements for Med. School: background check, credit check, updated shots, physical, ETC!  We've even checked into a few apartments down south.  Let me tell you, moving from our drab, outdated apartment will be a welcome relief.  The apartment complexes there are super nice - with exercise facilities, walking paths (one has a "wilderness trail"... hmmm...), storage, garage, guest rooms, ETC. for about the same we'd be paying here.  Woot! 

But.  We'd really rather me stay home if we moved.  It would take me a long time to feel comfortable bring MVJ somewhere I didn't know well.  Also, what kind of schools would I be working in?  I'm used to the "big deal" problems here.  There could be major big deal problems there.  Ones that would make me feel scared and that's just not the place I'd choose to be working. 

It is just so tough.  We're wondering how we'll make ends meet and in a little over four years JJ will be starting to make money again (not much, but money again is money again!).  But what do we do in between?  I also don't want MVJ to be five years older than her next sibling!  That just won't work for me or our "kiddo" plan.

It brings me back to that first paragraph.  God has a plan for us.  God has a plan for us.  God has a plan for us.  Help me trust in that plan!!   

Matthew 6:
 ²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[b]?
 ²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Last Day??

There are many questions still in the air.  One of the bigger ones is if I'll be working next year again or not.  It's about a 90% chance that I won't be here again next year.  If we move to KC, I'll be a stay-at-home Mom.  It seems weird to not be technically employed, however we ALL know that being a stay-at-home parent does not equal not having a job. 

Anyways, today may very well be my last academic day with kids.  SO WEIRD.  I'm getting kind of emotional.  It's like the last day of high school - when everyone was whooping it up and getting excited about the last day and I was bawling my head off.  I just have a little bit trouble with change.  I look forward to new experienes but get sad about leaving what I'm used to. 

I wish I knew for sure.  That would help a lot as the school year comes to an end.  I feel in my heart that we'll be gone so I'd like to help someone transition into my job so that it's easier for them and for the kids. 

This waiting deal.  Not fun. 

But exciting!  YAY!  JJ is going to be a doctor!  I may get to be a stay at home mom!  : ) 

Hi-ho, Hi-ho

It's off to packing I go!  

We've decided to start packing whether we go to KCUMB or not.  We're moving to a new place regardless and have a storage unit to ease the whole process.  In preparation I've been starting to pack here and there.  When I get something in my head I want to go for it full guns.  I don't like a little bit here and a little bit there.  But we will still be here for at least the whole month of June, so I can't pack ALL of our stuff just yet.  Saturday we took one FULL vanload to our storage unit.  I was all excited to haul stuff OUTTA here... and guess what?  Guess what I noticed?  That a vanfull does NOT even put a dent in our STUFF.  We have SO much stinkin' stuff all over. 

I'm trying to be very choosy.  It just so happens that our youth group at Church is gearing up for a rummage sale.  I'm trying to put LOTS of stuff in that pile.  Two more trips and I'm starting to at least notice a difference - we're taking steps in the right direction!  JJ has been very helpful and has even taken time to sort through his stuff, too, for rummage sale items.  But, he knows this is my deal.  I don't mind packing... it's the unpacking that is not generally my favorite overall part.  Although, of course, the excitement of a new place and new organization systems and decorating ideas take over there too. 

This is a new experience - it'll be our first move with a kiddo.  MVJ tries to be ever so helpful, but for some reason almost all of the packing has occurred after her bedtime!  : )

Do you have any tips with packing?    

Some news...

I have been reluctant to write about JJ's med. school process because we just have so many unanswered questions, BUT, we do know for sure he'll be in med. school next year!  Woohoo!  He was accepted to KCUMB for the fall.  We are still holding out, for the time being, for our local university to pull through.  We got some disappointing news last week. 

Some background knowledge:  everyone who was accepted to multiple med. schools had to decide by May 15th.  JJ is on the waiting list and we figured there'd be some big moves on the list with the May 15th deadline.  As of our letter this week, there were only two spots that had shifted.  In other words, we're feeling like we'll be moving.  Of course, we keep hearing to not lose faith because people were told much later in the summer that they were accepted.  That just seems weird to me: if someone is accepted to a med. school, why would they choose not to go?  A fantastic job comes along?  They get accepted to another school - but why the shift so late?  It has just been JJ's huge dream that it doesn't make sense to not seize the opportunity.   There are some people needing to finish up classes, and if for some reason, they do not pass those classes they would also not be allowed in.  So, I guess there could be some other extenuating circumstances.

I don't want to sound like this is in any way a bummer note.  JJ IS ACCEPTED TO MED SCHOOL.  HE IS GOING TO BE A DOCTOR!  We are superexcited to begin this chapter of our lives.  It will be an adventure to say the least.  There are so many plusses and minuses to both moving to KC and staying here.  We are just wondering what God has planned for us.  Waiting has never been an easy thing for me... maybe that's why God keeps trying to help me out in this area!  : )

G is for

Giveaway and that's good enough for me!

Check out these cute frames!  Or don't... better chance for me!  hehe

What about this bamboo stuff?  Neat-o!

Can kids clothes be cuter?  (and spendier?!)

MVJ's 15 month check up!

MVJ is 15 months... sigh... SO NOT a baby anymore.  We went to the doctor on Friday armed with a list of questions for our doc.  I was never in the habit of doing this until I realized I would forget to ask half of the questions I had when I got in there.  I'm sure most pediatricians (oh, and JJ!) would cringe at my list, but I always think it doesn't hurt to ask.  I ask people's opinions all the time - why not?  It's good to get another perspective or in any case become more solid in my own beliefs, right?  And why would I NOT consult an expert for my very questions?  

MVJ was a squirmy wormy.  JJ announced, "She's tired and she's hungry."  Grrrreat.  I mean, no matter what time you plan the appointments, it's going to fall at a bad spot.  We purposefully planned the appointment for later in the day- after her afternoon nap and before supper so that she would be, in fact, neither tired nor hungry.  However, being the stinker she is, she decided to NOT take an afternoon nap and refused to eat snack before they left.

Anyways, the first nurse we had, the one that weighed and measured the Little Miss was quite abrupt.  I'm sure she means well, AND c'mon... 3:30 on a Friday is probably NOT the ideal time to catch a kiddo nurse at her best.  Of course her measurements are out in our van... but she was 25th percentile for both weight and height.... and 75th for head circumference.  What can we say?  She has a J head.  : )  Update: found the slip!  29 7/8 inches for height, 21 lbs. 8.3 oz. for weight, and 18 1/2 inches for head!

We were brought into a temporary room (apparently things are movin' and shakin' late Friday), where MVJ tried every trick in the book to escape said room.  She also stuffed her face with animal crackers at this point (good thing they weighed her first... jeez...).  Then a little while later we headed into one of our doc's regular rooms.  MVJ was (thankfully) attracted to the sealife portrayed on the walls and we could keep her distracted for the time it took Dr. Z to bop into our room.

Basically, she's good to go.  Our biggest concern was her frenulum -- her upper lip frenulum (you know - that cord you feel when you put your tongue way up on the outside of your front teeth) -- well, hers is attached right below her gums between her front two teeth.  We never noticed; we figured her gap was a classic Grandpa J trait (that JJ had removed through braces!).  Other people (well, two in our family) have mentioned that we should probably have it snipped.  If that were the case, I wanted it done much sooner than later!  Anyways, Dr. Z wasn't concerned in the least.  She even suggested it had been moving upward.  In any case, she said a dentist would decide later -- and dentists in our area won't take kids under 2.  So, I guess we'll have to wait that one out.

But all in all, MVJ is a good eater, a good sleeper, a good walker, starting to be a little talker.  Basically, we're waiting for the other shoe to drop (is that the saying? the other foot to fall?  Something like that??) when she hits... duh duh duuuuuuh TODDLER years.  Yipes!

Our Doppelgangers...

Dop·pel·gäng·er

 /ˈdɒpəlˌgæŋər; Ger. ˈdɔpəlˌgɛŋər/ Show Spelled[dop-uhl-gang-er; Ger. daw-puhl-geng-er] 

–noun
a ghostly double or counterpart of a living person

I caught Oprah the other day (which never happens because I usually don't make it out of work right at 4:00), and she was talking about this guy who decided to research a person with his very same name.  Person A was this decorated military man who was successful in his career, had a wonderful family and was grounded in his faith.  Reading the newspaper one day, he was started to see his own name in headlines about a man (with his same name) who murdered a cop.  Person A became really interested in his story and began following it.  He found out the kid had grown up in his same neighborhood but their lives were totally different.

There were other, smaller stories about people researching other people with their same names and it made me stop and think about JJ and my own doppelgangers.  Strangely we each have people that we know have the exact same names as us.  JJ's is his cousin and mine is some distant relative also (who has the same name as me, with my maiden name).  Anyways.  JJ's is a kid messed up with drugs, stealing cars and just general naughtiness.  I found out about mine because some friends called me inquiring about a DUI.  DUI?!  No way, I don't drink and would never drink and drive.  My same-name twin apparently had gotten a DUI in the western part of the state.  The weird thing is that later we moved there and I found out I worked for the same school district!

Crazy, crazy... it's amazing how different upbringings and psychological dispositions (JJ's fancy words for personality!) can make a huge difference in a person's future.  Oprah mentioned education as a huge factor as well, and I have to agree.


And.... another giveaway!  : )

Seriously, stinkin' cute headbands and hats! 
And vinyl lettering signs!

And did you see?  Did you see?  I won my first giveaway!