Nothing just happens

Three years ago I was working at a job I despised. I worked for an apartment management company where I was in charge of doing evictions. It was a very cruel but necessary job. The stress level was very high, and I was constantly arguing with tenants and being cussed out on a daily basis. It was during this time that we became pregnant with Alyssa, and we were building a new house. When I went out on maternity leave, I was really enjoying my time with the kids and the anxiety of returning to work was almost to much to bear. I pleaded with God to help me find a way to either stay home or find another job. 12 short weeks later, my prayer left unanswered, I returned to work. Three weeks later, I left the company.

While I should have been relieved that I no longer had to work for that company, the circumstances revolving my departure were terrible. I wanted to wait until I had another job before I left, but it didn't happen that way. I had a new baby, a new house, and no job. It was a very low point in my life.

I laid in bed last night thinking about this time, and the series of events that happened shortly after. Although I couldn't see it at the time, God was opening so many more important doors in my life after he had closed the one that I didn't want closed in the first place.

I was able to land an interview with the help of a very special friend, which in turn got me the job with my present company. The company that also happens to be 20 minutes away from my home when I used to commute over an hour to my previous place of employment. I just happened to find a Daycare (that the kids and I love) that's approximately 4 minutes away from my work, and I just happened to meet some of the kindest people who did nothing but look out for my best interest since I began working here 2 years ago.

Most importantly however, is through my friendship with two very special people, I just happened to have renewed my relationship with God. And I just happened to be invited to a Church where we actually anticipate going to on Sunday mornings.

Hindsight can be an amazing tool sometimes because it allows you to actually go back in time and see the series of God driven events that bring you to where you are today. At that time, I couldn't see the good in leaving that job. I was afraid to be without income, and I wasn't sure how we were going to get through. I met and worked with people who were selfish and judgemental.

The women I started working with at my new company were filled with kindness and understanding. Yesterday at church we learned about being a "salty christian." Very simply put, salt makes you thirsty and Jesus is the living water. We should be thirsty for Jesus. If you imagine standing with your friends and someone is pouring the salt on your head, more than likely the salt with land on those around you. If you express kindness and joy, they will rub off on other people. People will see your love for Jesus, just by the way you act. With my new friends, I could see that love by their actions towards me.

I wish I could have trusted him a few years ago, but I couldn't see past the fear. I'm still learning and growing in my journey with God, but I know without a doubt, that I am right where he wanted me to be all along.

And I couldn't be more grateful.

Friday's reason I had kids part 9

Because one of us had to test out the high chair to make sure it was safe for Alyssa to use.

I've got love in my tummy

I had no Friday's reason I had kids part 8 posted on, well Friday.

So today I present Monday's Friday's reason I had kids part 8.

Because you can make the older child dress up like the Easter Bunny to pacify the younger child and save both time and money.

Since I'm usually posting pics of kids, I thought I would take a break and talk about my next favorite subject, food. You know, the natural order of things exactly the way God had designed, God-Family-Coke Zero-Food.

Ahem

1. Nutella

Oh, if loving you is wrong Nutella, I don't ever want to be right. This stuff was made in heaven and sent straight aisle 6 at Food Lion. Nutella's website claims that it's part of a healthy balanced breakfast since it's mostly made from hazelnuts, skim milk and cocoa, but I am interested in approximately none of that. The mere fact that I can spread something on my warm toast that melts and tastes like chocolate makes me want to stock my pantry with it. And you know, the kids will eat anything that appears to be nutritionally void.

Hence the fact that my daughter ate chicken nuggets 3 times in two days last week.

2. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.


Oh my goodness, put this on a cracker and it's delicious. I know that they come in other flavors but I've really only tried the roasted red pepper, and it's seriously like a party in your mouth. Except, only you are invited because inviting other people to your hummus party would be gross.

3. The Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese Wedge.



Pretty self explanatory what you do with this, but it's delicious and is low fat/low calories. Sometimes (like today at lunch) I put some cheese and a little bit of Hummus together and it's delicious!

I'm not a big fan of fruit (it's a texture thing) so I normally don't venture past apples, bananas and grapes. However, while we were out Saturday we passed stopped by a local produce stand and decided to get some fresh veggies for dinner. While T and I were browsing, we caught Alyssa eating a few cherry's. The woman running the stand told us not to worry about it, but we felt bad so we picked up a carton of cherries. Besides the maraschino cherries we put on our ice-cream, no one has eaten a real cherry in out home. Let me just tell you, they were delicious! We also had to buy the carton of plums that Alyssa knocked over. I'm not going there with the plums, but Alyssa loved them.

Oh and speaking of natural laxatives, let me throw in a favorite snack of mine.

4. Fiber One Bars


They are delicious and I highly recommend them. Except I do not highly recommend eating them after eating say, Tacos. I also do not recommend you eat Tacos and Fiber One bars on the day that you have to visit the GYN for your annual.

I'm just saying.

Happy Snacking!

June happenings

Already half-way through June, and I've had about as much fun as one person can take. Not to mention the fact that Kyle starts "summer camp" this week so I have to start packing his lunches everyday. For someone who procrastinates, this has been my dread ever since I found out that not only do I have to start packing his lunch every day, our weekly Daycare cost goes up seventeen bucks.

And, if I miss a USDA food component to his lunch, they are going to charge me a dollar per missing component.

I sure hope pickles count as a vegetable because that's about the only vegetable I could convince Kyle to eat for lunch.

That and potato chips. Afterall, a potato's a vegetable right?

I don't ever remember vegetables being packed in my lunches. Nutty Buddy's? Yes. Cucumbers? Not a chance.

I guess this only prepares me for Kindergarten. Although, at least in Kindergarten I can choose not to pack a lunch and he can buy from the school. Now my only other option if I forget, is the threat from the daycare to fix him a peanut butter and jelly and then charge me a hundred and seven dollars for missing all of the USDA food components and risk being known as the slacker Mom.

Speaking of someone that is not a slacker Mom, my sister-in-law Katie has the healthiest baby boy I know.

And he does not

love

the pool.
He also does not love squash.

Alas, we found something that he does love.

She is really doing a wonderful job with Landon. She is very patient even when I can see she's tired. The last person to get her plate of food this weekend, she has fully embraced her Mommy role. Landon's lucky to have such a great Mommy.

And I'm lucky I got to hang out with this beautiful babe.

Lori and Amber

Today is a very special day for two very special people.

My niece turns 14 today. 14 really? That's what I kept hearing her Mom say over and over again Saturday. When T and I first started dating, she was 2, and she had a few pronunciation issues with her L's and Y's. I can still see her in her little princess nightgown and her short blond hair, asking me if I wanted to play with her yittle tea cups. And don't even get me started on the way she pronounced yellow-LELLOW.

But my most favorite memory of Amber? The way she called me Ginny.

And now she's all grown up. She's incredible smart, has lots of friends, and excels in school. It has been my pleasure to watch her grow into the beautiful young lady she is, and I love her so much.

And, I will always be her Ginny.


My Mother-In-Law Lori has a birthday today too!

She has been so supportive to me and she is a woman who has devoted her life to her children . She is always there when you need her.

I love watching the way she is with her grandchildren and I admire the relationship she has with Katie. I know that her and Katie have always had a close relationship, but as they have gotten older, I now see that the bond she has with Katie is the same that shared with her Mom Peggy. They truly are best friends, and my hope is that Alyssa and I will share this same bond as she gets older.

Plus, she sews all our buttons back on and mends all the tears in our seams.

And for that, I couldn't be more grateful.

Happy Birthday Lori and Amber!

Friday's reason I had kids part 7

Because nothing says family fun like forcing your screaming 2 yr old to sit next to her spider man not-so-enthused painted faced brother, while you tell them how much fun they are having and snap pictures.

Preschool Graduation 2009

Kyle's Preschool Graduation 2009 followed by a celebration at Great Wolfe Lodge!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My Pop

This is my Grandfather.

I call him my "Pop". He is the grouchiest most sensitive man I've ever met.

But Jen, how can you say that your Pop is both grouchy and sensitive at the same time?

Because he is.

Lets start by explaining this picture.



That is a marshmallow in his beer. It was put there by my Uncle. Pop had been grouchy all day even though it was his birthday. I really can't blame him though. I would be grouchy if I wasn't able to see any of the people who were there celebrating with me.

You see, my Pop has Macular Degeneration. It a disease that affects his eyesight and its basically like having a blind spot in the center of your eye and side vision is limited. So he can see, but it's very poor. He can tell that it's Kyle and Alyssa by their size but if it was me or my sister he would probably have to ask.
Although my sister is 100 lbs lighter than me, so I don't think you would need Macular Degeneration to tell us apart.

Back to the marshmallow. My Uncle placed it there trying to be a slickster. They have a very playful relationship and they are always playing little tricks on each other. Even with the poor vision, my Pop knew it was there. He is no fool.

In fact he's probably one of the smartest people I know. In his younger days I would watch as he drew me pictures, or built things out of wood. He could build anything, and he was always doing projects around the house. He loved being in the woods searching for a perfect walking stick or working down by our creak clearing the area or building a bridge so we could cross it. His imagination and creativity is endless. I swear I can see the wheels turning in his head and he can precisely plan and vision a project without ever writing it down. We would work on crafts together and he always helped with my school projects. To this day if you mention the words Rube Goldberg, I am flooded with nostalgia as I invision one of the greatest times in my life. Pop and I working in the garage on my Rube Goldberg challenge. Not only was it a brilliant working chain reaction science project, I also won first place in our science fair. My Pop was so proud and he took great pride in everything I did. Everyday, from middle school up until I graduated High School there was a note placed in my lunch from him. From motivational quotes to smiley faces, he always signed it, "love, Pop". And love me he did.

He always asked me about school, inquired about my friends, and he took pride in my band achievements. I was not good at sports and he knew how intimidated I was during gym class in middle school so everytime we learned a new sport, I had a new piece of sports equipment at home so that he could practice with me. He didn't even care that I wasn't good at anything athletic, he just didn't want me to be upset. The finest example of unconditional parenting love I have ever known.

He even taught me how to drive.

Except for this one day, my grandmother (Nan) had to ride with me as I drove to practice my parallel parking at the local school. All was going well and we were just about to pull into the school when I heard her yell from the passengers seat.

Nan: Why the hell are you using both feet to drive an automatic car!?

Me: What do you mean?

Nan: You have your left foot on the gas and the right foot on the break!

Me: That's how Pop taught me. That's how he drives.

And that's how he continued to drive until he stopped driving a few years ago.

He is very sentimental and he gets choked up easily.

He is very safety conscious. Doors and windows are always locked, things that shouldn't be touched are out of sight. He worries about us driving on the roads (still) and he always made sure he knew the exact route we were traveling, just in case he needed to come find us. I know it drives T nuts that I display this same behavior, but I can't help it. I'm a chip off the old Pop.

He also has a unique sense of humor that I understand and appreciate. Dry with a touch of smart-arse.

He is the only father I have ever known and it's probably through his love and willingness to be so involved with me that I have no voids in my life. He is a shining example of the way a Father should be and I am forever thankful for our relationship.

Friday's reason I had kids part 6

By allowing my children to wear Bud Light and Kubota Koozies on their feet, it allows them to express their creativity and independence.

And it's stinkin funny.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Oh my, it's been a while hasn't it? I never even posted my Friday's reason I had kids. Wanna see the one I was going to post?

I knew you would.

Friday's Tuesday's reason I had kids Part 5

Because these grass stains aren't exactly going to scrub themselves.

Want to see how Kyle acquired these grass stains?

I knew you would.




Hyper kid meets fresh cut grass. Oh to be little again and not worry about ruining your clothes or being eaten alive by blood thirsty mosquito's.

Saturday was quite an adventure. After being stuck on our bridge for an hour, driving 40 minutes to catch the Metro, and riding the Metro for another 40 minutes, we finally arrived at the Zoo!

Poor Katie, Nick and Landon had been waiting for an hour and a half before we arrived but we had a great time and we smelled saw lots of animals.

We saw Tigers.

A baby Panda



Gorgeous Lionesses with neatly styled maines



A stealthy Komodo Dragon

A wannabe Komodo Dragon



Flying squirrels

And they even let us take the baby panda home as a souvenir as long as we promised to love him and feed him.

Somehow, I don't think that's going to be a problem.