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How Things Change

22 Jul

It used to be I would wish and pray and promise I’d give things up or do something different if I could only just have that really pretty Barbie – front row seats to a New Kids on the Block Concert – my crush of the month to like me back – a bigger CD collection – to make the volleyball team…

Now, I’m about to go there for a job.  All I’m hoping for right now is a call about a job. Or an email about a job.  Any job.  Well, any job that doesn’t involve sneaky telemarketing companies disguising themselves as a real marketing firm or unwanted attention from insurance companies.

So far, I’ve applied for 9 jobs that I think I would really like. I’ve only heard back from one and it obviously wasn’t a positive response.  Here’s what I’ve got out there –

  • WXIA Mom Website Manager
  • University of Georgia Publicity Manager (I just got finished applying for this one at 3 am.)
  • Emory University Communications Specialist
  • Northeast Regional Health System Public Relations Specialist – (The first to let me know it was no.)
  • Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Website Content Manager (I just checked the website and it says my application is “under consideration.” We’ll see…)
  • Georgia Public Broadcasting Creative Services Producer
  • Gwinnett County Schools Communications Specialist/Broadcast & Distance Learning
  • Gwinnett County Public Library – Library Associate
  • Publix Grocery Stores (Andrew says they just aren’t calling because there are no openings.  I just can’t help but feel a little unhirable since they won’t even call!)

There they are.  All the ones that I can remember off the top of my head.  I’m actually really rooting for the Library Associate one.  It has great pay and benefits and I’ve always had a love for the library. Hopefully, they’ll show me a little love!
 

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The Chronicles of the Unemployed

17 Jul

Week One:

  • Worry about money but then buy bread, milk and $5 in lottery tickets during an emergency grocery store run. (I just needed beer and diapers to round out the unemployed stereotype.  Oh yeah, and I just won another losing ticket.)
  • Take the kids swimming at the YMCA since we’ve already paid up for the month.
  • Canceled all unnecessary monthly expenses.
  • Play tennis and talk about taking lessons because what else do we have to do while we wait for people to call us back about jobs and maybe we should really be treating this like a nice paid vacation since we know we’ll be fine and get some sort of job anyway.

Week Two:

  • Get frustrated because the only people calling us for jobs are insurance companies and fishy marketing companies.
  • Play more tennis.
  • Check email by the half hour for possible job opportunities.
  • Tell ourselves people probably won’t contact us this week because it’s the week of July 4th and most of them are on vacation.
  • Begin a great time with our friends Julie and Chris.  They provide plenty of laughs and confidence boosting!
  • Prepared for our garage sale that was planned prior to the job loss.  Now though, it’s for more than just spending money.

Week Three:

  • You guessed it.  Play tennis. (We’re actually getting pretty good!)
  • Get excited after two legitimate companies express interest in Andrew.  One sets up a phone interview and a recruiter for the other (CSX!) called him after finding his resume online.
  • Went shopping for job interview attire with Julie and Nia “just in case.”  So far, there’s no need to remove the tags.
  • Hoped garage sale would make a lot of money for us but we only made 10% of what we could have.  Planning to have another in a few months.
  • Took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese and had a blast!  We’re pretty sure the $30 spent there won’t hurt us in the long run.  Besides, it was worth it!
  • Take Andrew’s business suit and shirts to the dry cleaners.  Stress because I told the lady heavy starch but somehow she convinced me I wanted light starch.  Will the lack of starch cost Andrew a job?!

Week Four:

  • Feel a sense of comfort when Andrew’s parents arrive for a week long visit.
  • Become bummed because no one is calling me for a job. I’ve applied for 10 positions but none in TV news. I’m just not going there until I really have to go there.  It seems that may happen pretty soon.
  • Andrew has a great phone interview with a company and they tell him they want him to meet all the big bosses for another interview. The only problem – it’s an hour and a half away from our house.  We’re not writing it off yet but yikes!
  • Another round of tennis for the budding stars.
  • Andrew prepares for an upcoming hiring conference which is how he got his first job out of the military at Best Buy.  Basically, head hunters arrange for a bunch of Fortune 500 companies to interview former military members and you’re pretty much guaranteed a job offer.  Fingers crossed for that!
  • Andrew and I go bowling and had the best time. It doesn’t get any better than two pitchers of beer, 3 games of bowling, my 5 strikes, some skee ball and a dangerous bout of air hockey. A memory I will hold close to my heart forever.
  • Waiting and hoping as we make the most of our time together.

 

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Age-Awakening Experience

13 Jul

One of our nieces is turning 13 in a week and like many youngens these days, she has to have clothes from a store called Hollister.

I had an idea that it was similar to Abercrombie and Fitch but never had the need/desire to check it out for myself.  Now I know why. Man, do I feel old.

I’ve never felt my age before.  I know there are things I’m not supposed to do now that I’m 30 and a mom.

  • I’m not supposed to shop in the junior section at department stores.
  • I’m not supposed to say things like “Miley Cyrus is cool” or “I totally love ‘High School Musical!'”
  • I’m not supposed to want and purchase the hot pink cell phone.
  • I cannot eat 10 piece Chicken McNuggets and the biggest Fry, never workout and still fit into my awesome size 6 GAP jeans.
  • I’m not supposed to push a stroller in any Hollister store.

How the heck was I supposed to know the store barely had enough room for a normal sized girl to walk through let alone try to steer Nia around racks, throw rugs, teens and sofas.  When I finally made it up to the counter, a hip little thing tried to cut in front of me!  I’m so unwanted, I’m invisible!  I totally was all like, “Oh, no you didn’t!” and cut her off at the cash. But then it gets far more stressful for me.  I have to pick out a gift card.

Typically, gift cards are decorated pretty simply.  A solid color, the words, “A Gift for You!” written on it and some cutesy design.

Not at this store.  They were all covered with half-naked hot guys and gals.  Totally fine for anyone who is not the child I’m getting the gift card for.  I even asked the teen behind the counter, “Do you have one that’s ok for a little girl?”  She freakin’ hands me one of a shirtless man and a girl looking all seductive into the camera.  Again, fine for anyone who is not my niece!

My friend Julie was with me and she suggested drawing a shirt on the guy!  Could you even imagine how embarrassed my poor niece would be when she goes to pay with a gift card that her aunt censored?  How uncool is that?!

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Minding your own beeswax doesn’t work

29 Jun

Poor little man.  There he was (minding his own beeswax), taking a dip in the pool, when a bee decided to interrupt his fun day in the sun.

We never saw it coming.  He and I were watching Nia walk to our chair to get her floatie-arms and the next thing I know, Nate was screaming out in pain.  The bee got him right between his shoulder and his neck which is pretty amazing being that all of his floatie gear leaves very little skin exposed.

I never thought I would purposefully touch any bee but my motherly emotions took over and I actually grabbed that pesky mofo with my fingers and tossed it in anger.  I really didn’t know what to do next, but I saw that the stinger was still in Nate’s skin so I squeezed around the area to work it out.

Nate cried all the way around the pool as we rushed to get medicine from the lifeguard.  He kept saying so pitifully, “Bee did it.  Bee did it.”

It was heartbreaking.  After the initial pain of it all, Nate was just fine and actually faked a sad face when he later told his daddy what happened.  “Bee did it Daddy,” as he pointed to his boo-boo, “Bee did it.”
 

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It’s just a job

28 Jun

So here it is.  The blog I’ve been wanting to write but wasn’t sure how to put it all into words.  To sum it up – due to restructuring at Andrew’s company, they eliminated his position.

Andrew. The West Point Graduate.  Andrew. The Veteran.  Andrew. The Overall Great Guy.

We know it wasn’t personal. It all came down to numbers but still, it’s all just so crazy.

We are now fortunately (if you could call it that!) living on a few weeks of severance while we both aggressively apply for job after job.  Andrew has several head hunters helping him and some of my good friends in television news are doing what they can to help build up my confidence and get me back in a newsroom.

Despite it all, Andrew and I really aren’t that worried.  We know that somehow we will be fine. We have our family.  We have our health.  We have some Spam in the pantry.  (I originally bought that as a joke a few weeks ago, now it seems it might come in handy!)

As cliche’ as it may sound, it could always be worse and we do believe that this could lead to bigger and better things for us.  Fingers crossed.
 

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“Mommy, I love the dentist.”

18 Jun

How unbelievable is that?  I’m still in shock that those words came out of Nia’s professionally cleaned mouth. I’m just so amazed about how awesome she was on her first trip to the dentist.  She just hopped right up in the chair, laid back and watched some “Sesame Street” while the hygienist poked her tiny little teeth with those pointy silver tools.  I mean, those tools are pretty scary looking to me, but Nia was like, “Whatever, I’m watching Elmo.”

It made me wonder if she will forever associate “Sesame Street” with the dentist like I will forever associate Pierogies with “The Neverending Story.”  I was watching the Rockbiter eat rocks during the first time I ever tried Pierogies and I thought, “I wonder if rocks taste like this?”  I still think about that memory every time we pig out on Pierogies.  Maybe Nia will always think about Ernie chillin’ in his tub singing “Rubber Ducky” when she thinks about going to the dentist.  That’s a heck of a lot better than remembering the way the toothpaste tastes or how awkward it is to have the x-rays taken. Man, I wish they had televisions in there when we were kids.

 

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Like I meant to do it!

12 Jun

Me: Dressed up for Nia’s graduation, high heels and all.

Nia: Walking behind me as we head to the car.

Stairs:  My arch enemy within our house.

Me:  Bent over in pain after falling forward down the steps, being defeated by them once again.

Nia:  “Why did you fall down the stairs Momma?”

Me:  Smiling through the pain I reply as nicely as I can, “Well, I didn’t mean to Sweets.”

What “Me” wanted to say:  “Oh, I don’t know, I just wanted to see how badly I could hurt myself this time and what ridiculous position I would end up in when I reached the bottom.”

Seriously though, I fall down/up the stairs so often, Andrew says he wants to install one of those chairs that run along the side of the wall. Aren’t I so lucky?  He wants to make sure I don’t hurt myself again.  Or maybe he just doesn’t want to pay the hospital bill..
 

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The Measure of a Mom

6 Jun

Some moms:

  • Never yell at their children.
  • Never let the stress show.
  • Think their children are perfect.
  • Let their children get away with murder.
  • Have patience with their children.
  • Jump at the chance to build blocks for the millionth time in one day.
  • Feed their kids the recommended daily allowance of fruits, veggies, grains, etc.
  • Never let their children eat junk food or drink too much juice.
  • Work outside the home and still have enough time and energy to successfully balance home work.
  • Never say something they’ll regret to their children.
  • Always look put together.
  • Love their children and would do anything for them.

This mom:

  • Feels like I yell too much at my children.
  • Has stress written all over my face.
  • Would never want my children to be perfect.
  • Worries when they play rough with each other.
  • Steadily loses my patience over the course of a day.
  • Throws my head back in emotional exhaustion when asked to play anything for the millionth time in one day.
  • Is happy if my children just eat their food.
  • Lets them have a few of my chips when they catch me secretly snacking in the kitchen.
  • Doesn’t work outside the home and still finds it hard to be successful at home work.
  • Usually ends the day with regrets about something I said/did as a parent.
  • Wears shirts and jeans with holes in them and desperately needs a haircut.
  • Loves my children and would do anything for them.

Super Mom versus Good Enough Mom.  Despite all the differences, in the end, we are the same – moms who care.
 

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Needing a Kick in the Butt

2 Jun

For the past year, I’ve been working pretty hard to lose weight and for a while there I was holding steady at a range I was content with, 130-132.  Recently though, my numbers have been going higher and higher and I’m looking for a way to kick my butt back in gear so I thought telling on myself might help.

I’ve been thinking about why I’m not losing weight/holding steady anymore and here’s what I’ve come up with:

  • I buy and eat chips.  Lots of chips.
  • I buy and eat cookies.
  • I buy and eat ice cream.
  • I devour big portion sizes at dinner.
  • I eat way past 9:00 pm.
  • I drink way too much sweet tea.
  • I haven’t been going to the Y.  (Maybe 3 times in the last few weeks.)
  • I love me some beer/fancy drinks.
  • Did I mention I eat way too much?

Before I started writing this post, I found my old post where I talked about wanting to lose weight.  At that time (last August), I was happy with weighing 135ish.  Now though, that number makes me sad.  Now when I see that number on the scale, I immediately start self-loathing.  It’s always been my worry that I’ll never be satisfied.  That even when I do reach my goal of 125, it won’t be good enough.  I’ve gotten close a few times over this past year (128 was my lowest), but each time I creep back up to the 130 range (and now 136).  It’s ridiculous because now I feel that if I could just get back to 130ish I’d be happy.

I hope this confessional post will help give me the push I need to get back on track.  It all starts tonight with dinner.
 

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It’s the little things…

21 May

I love it when:

  • I wake up on time.
  • Nia and Nate wake up in great moods and spoil me with big hugs.
  • I can take a shower in peace without having to hurry.
  • Andrew is off or home from work.
  • Both Nate and I enjoy our trip to the Y.
  • I cook something that everyone likes! (I’ll have to write about our tiny critic later!)
  • Nia colors and draws pictures.
  • I only have to break up one or two sibling spats a day.
  • Andrew cracks my back.
  • I get to spend time/talk with our faraway family.
  • I get to hang out or chat with my buddies.
  • I hear Nia/Nate singing.
  • Andrew wants chicken wings for dinner.
  • The scale says what I want it to say.
  • I get to watch my favorite shows on tv.
  • A song I like comes on the radio/tv and I can actually listen to it.
  • I see a Starbucks and resist the tasty temptation.
  • I see a Starbucks and give in to the tasty temptation.
  • I spend less than $100 during my weekly grocery store visit.
  • I can get in and out of the grocery store without feeling like I’ve lost my mind.
  • Nate cuddles with me during story/tv time.
  • Nia helps her little brother.
  • Nate says new words.  (He’s getting there!)
  • I hear the kids laughing.
  • I get to write about something sweet the kids did or the happiness they made me feel.


 

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