Posts tagged ‘work’

October 3rd, 2011

Big News!

So I mentioned that I have some big exciting news. While it sadly does not involve moving Central New York, it does involve moving. Now I realize I have already mentioned that we are moving because we are going to buy a house(!!!!) but the reason we are going to buy a house is because B-man is getting a new job!

This should be great news and make me really happy, especially considering the amount of money involved, but I have been experiencing sporatic panic attacks followed by crying and large amounts of stress.

In case you didn’t realize this, B-man currently works from home. every.day. It is incredibly convenient and amazing. When we accepted this job the large $ number distracted me, and I completely forgot that it would mean no morelong lazy mornings with my hubby, and giving up the incredible flexbility that has allowed him to attend every single one of my pregnancy appointments and all of Ginny’s doctor appointments too.

I realize that I am a “stay at home Mom” but really we are currently stay at home parents because B-man is always willing to take a short break to change a diaper and take Ginny when I’m at my whits end. He even makes me lunch when he is making his own. I’m really not sure how I am going to get anything done with out him here.

I know it can be done. I just don’t want to do it.

So this new job is rather bitter-sweet. A huge change in our lives. B-man will be driving about 45 minutes away for work both ways, but thankfully the raise he is getting will allow us to buy a house closer to his new office.

I always forget how bad I am at handling change. I kind of feel like my way of like is about to be ripped out from under me. I am excited about the prospect of buying a house, but a large part of me wishes we were’t doing this. In my mind I would rather live off of the smaller salary for the rest of my life if it meant I could have B-man at home with me everyday.

I’ve been a wee bit spoiled for the last 2 years.

So just be warned. I am very happy about the changes coming in the next few months, but I am also ridiculously scared and stressed about it too. Prepare for the sea of craziness that my life is about to become (and pray for me too!).

***

Aaaaaaaand I’m in the mood to share some pictures.

I tried to do one of those “Day in the Life” posts… but after taking pictures of half of my day I realized how boring my life is and decided that I would not subject you to the lame-ness. Here is one picture I got though!

Ginny is wearing a diaper cover and hat knitted by my friend Anitra. She is so creative and crafty – and some how has the motivation to actually get things done! She made both of these in less than a week! Throw in that she is like 7.5 months preggo and has two little kids at home and she makes me look like a turtle walking backwards!

And then this picture is from today:

Don’t worry, I have never left her in the bumbo on a raised surface.

Bumbo seats have been recalled, yet again, so we are borrowing this one until they come back out again.

It’s crazy how much Ginny has changed in just a matter of weeks! Over the last two weeks she has gotten very good at standing (with just my fingers for support), she lifts her shoulder up off of the group during tummy time, and she enjoys sitting in the bumbo seat for a while. She has a big head, so after a few minutes she is over the bumbo, but it’ll get better as her muscle get stronger.
Not only is she physically growing, but she is so smart! I am now able to talk her out of crying. She loves little songs, but especially “Mary had a little lamb”… not sure why she likes that one. My favorite one is “Wheels on the Bus.” I sing it to her every day, despite her lack of enthusiasm for it.
It just occurred to me yesterday that at this point in her life, she has still spent the majority of it in my womb! Some times it is hard for me to believe that this is the little thing that was constantly kicking me and keeping me up at night with her hiccoughs!
June 9th, 2011

this is not about the baby in my uterus!

Today is my last day as a substitute teacher. Yes, I could potentially take other sub jobs in the future, but I have been subbing every day since the end of May… and I am so thankful that it is finally over!

Almost.

I really thought I wanted to be a teacher.

But guys… that stuff is hard! I have done plenty of student teaching. Plenty of volunteer teaching, summer camp working, and even got a degree in education! But after having to come up with lesson plans by the seat of my pants, and having to deal with some of the rudest children I have ever met… I will definitely think really, really, really hard before I go into teaching high school.

On the other hand… this experience has not completely turned me away from teaching. But I think I would be better at the college level.

When I was in high school I was a very responsible, generally respectful kid. Mostly because I was afraid I would get in trouble at home if any word of misbehavior got back to my parents. But in college… it’s all on the student. Teacher’s don’t have to call parents to inform them of their child’s laziness or failing grades. That was probably the worst part.

In the mean time… I am putting my dreams of becoming a teacher on a shelf. Not a high, hidden shelf, it’s going on an eye level shelf in the living room. I can’t wait to get back to interpreting… and hopefully interpreting college classes. I don’t want to step into another high school for… a long time.

I have some stories I want to share, but I have to wait until I am done with this job completely.

Also… we got our pool passes done yesterday.

I bought sun screen today.

I really really want to go to the pool…

But my swimsuit is a little tight. lol.

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May 19th, 2011

up from the abyss

I’m stopping by my own blog for a breather.

I miss my blog. I have been scanning my blog reader on my lunch breaks, but I don’t have much time for commenting. Forgive me, for I only have 3 weeks of this job left.

I am becoming increasingly more frustrated. I really don’t understand what has changed, but my own experience in high school was very different from this. I was a good kid, I did everything I was supposed to, and I never in my recollection was told to “stop talking” or to “pay attention” because I wasn’t that kind of kid. I did those things on my own.

Where did the kids like me go?

I have several posts planned for your complete enjoyment, I just need to be able to get up enough stamina to sit in front of a computer long enough to think that hard.

I’m going to write about the pregnancy books I have read, and which I found most useful.

I’m going to write about my most recent birthing class, my doctor appointment that I  had today. I’ll also be writing about the new, weekly appointments I have to have because of the GD.

And how annoyed I am with this stupid diagnosis.

By the way. I’m pretty pissed about it.

But I can’t go into that right now, because I had a bad day at work, and I’m trying to relax and writing about what has me so pissed off will not make me feel better.

Later. lol.

What was the best classroom management technique you’ve ever experienced – as a student. Think back to high school. Those types of things your teachers did that you really hated. lol.

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May 12th, 2011

bitter sweet

So my first update, about how stressful teaching was, is definitely still true. I find this job very very taxing, even emotionally over-whelming. But it is also incredibly satisfying. When the kids’ doodles on the board while they wait for the bell reflect that they really understood the lesson, or when the kid who the previous teacher listed as a challenging student is paying attention and actively participating! It is such a good feeling to see the lights come on.

I am going out to dinner with a friend from high school tonight. It’s pretty cool to be able to hook-up with old HS friends, even though we all went to school in Germany!

So while my life is crazy and hectic, how has your life been going???

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May 9th, 2011

life of a teacher

I have been exceptionally busy the last week, and will remain so until the beginning of June. I am currently teaching full time at a local high school. I had always imagined I would enjoy teaching, and I do – but it is definitely an intense job. I wake up at 5:30 am, and I just keep going and going and going. Some times all night making lesson plans and thinking of ways to to engage 25 teenagers at a time. I thought I understood what it was like to be a teacher, but in reality, I had only just gotten my feet wet.

So forgive me, as I struggle through this challenge.

I will make a desperate plea for suggestions:

Do you have any ideas for educational games? Things that can be done to practice vocabulary? I have a couple, but am always looking for more!

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April 5th, 2011

Williamsburg.

Over the weekend we travelled south with B-man’s family for a little vacation.

Expect pictures.

When I say “pictures”… I think there might be three.

But I am in one of them. So that should make it worth it.

In the mean time I have to go to work, and be a productive member of society.

Despite the fact that I would much rather sleep.

Did any one else do something fun over the weekend?

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March 31st, 2011

ya know…

“You have a growth in your uterus, but don’t worry. But don’t worry, most people learn to accept it, even love it. Some people even name them!”

This isn’t a direct quote, but it’s the gist of Dr. House’s way of telling some one they are pregnant.

I laugh. I love that show.

But seriously! I feel like the only part of my (future) daughter I have experienced in her feet – as they kick me.

This morning B-man got up early and left for work around 5 am. He called me when he had parked the car, and we talked for a moment. When I hung up the phone the little wee-one was kicking, and then she stopped. So I decided to do some thinking out loud…. just for fun. Every time I spoke she would kick. It was really the first time I’ve felt connected to her at all.

Then I went back to sleep for 45 minutes. When the alarm went off I rolled over and hit the snooze button… but I couldn’t go back to sleep… because some one else had been awoken by my alarm… and she was having a dance party in my uterus.

For a while I was really cautious. My mother has a long history of many miscarriages, and so I didn’t want to become “attached” too early, knowing how much I am like my mother. But at 25 weeks, there is a good chance that if the baby were born today, she would live. I’m still cautious, but I’m more willing to think about a real likelihood that there will be a baby in my life in 3.5 months!

*

In other news – my husband takes really good care of me. On Tuesday I forgot my wallet at home, so I wasn’t able to buy lunch. This happens when you try to carry different purses at different times. lol. But this morning, right before B-man left for work, he woke me up to say goodbye, and then added “I moved your wallet to your work purse.”

It’s the little things like this, that make fall in love with him over and over again every day.

 

March 26th, 2011

what a week

  1. I’ve been sick all week. It might be allergies. It might be the universe getting a good laugh at me trying to avoid medications. No matter, I ruined the fun by taking some benadryl. 5 times. Over a whole week. So mostly… I still felt crappy… but I could kind of breath. I was a mess at work.
  2. My Aunt and Uncle are in town so B-man and I are going to go to my parents house and visit every one! It’s their first time coming up here because they weren’t able to make it to my wedding.
  3. B-man usually works from home, but goes into the office once, every other week. Except this week he went in twice. In one week. So was gone Monday, I was gone Tuesday, he was gone Wednesday, I was gone Thursday… and Friday. I missed him all week! lol.
  4. I was gone on Friday because I drove up to Annandale to take the VQAS (Virginia Quality Assurance Screening) - which is a screening process for interpreters. I was just taking the written portions. You must pass the written portion with a 90% to be able to take the signed/performance portion of the test. I passed with a 92%! Which means… I need to add “sign up for VQAS signed test” to my to-do list.I test was a little tricky in my opinion. Some of the questions had multiple right answers, but you had to pick the answer that was correct based on the standards in to Professional Code of Conduct. Umm… I read it once. On Wednesday. I felt almost… over prepared. I tried looking through the material on the VQAS website – but it just seemed like a review of my entire college education. The test only cost $20, so I figured… if I pass… great! If I don’t pass… it’s just $20.
  5. I thought I was getting better yesterday… but then last night I was coughing all night. But I’m coughing up stuff that’s a good thing right? It means I’m almost done being sick… right?

Before I was sick… I slept for 2 – 3 hours periods.

Now I average about 45 minutes of sleep/hour. And it’s not just waking up and roling over. It’s waking up, sitting up, going to the bathroom because I’m awake, coughing a lung up, and then spending the next 10 minutes rolling around coughing and trying to get comfortable.

What I wouldn’t give to take some nyquil. I don’t think that is on the approved list of medications though. lol.

March 10th, 2011

TIL what is feels like to be pregnant.

TIL… means Today I Learned. It’s a reddit thing. I poke around on reddit when I have nothing better to do.

This morning… around 6 am I woke up to my husband’s alarm. I told him to go back to bed until 8. We had a late night. I had kept him up talking about how much I miss Tennessee and miss having friends and that I want to move some where new because I don’t like living here. It’s a bit more complicated than that, but in general – I’m a runner. When things aren’t working out the way I think they should be, I usually try to avoid the place. I’ve moved more than 20 times in my life, so you could say that moving is the only thing that is familiar to me.

Needless to say it was a late night. So when the alarm went off I didn’t kick him out of bed like I usually do. Working from home definitely has its benefits.

Unfortunately – at that point I was awake. I had bad heartburn. So I went to the bathroom, took my usual medicine, and tried to sleep some more. This plan didn’t work out. I decided to read some more of the book I have been reading (I’m going to share more about that some other day). About 30 minutes later, when the medicine should’ve been working, I was still feeling crappy. So I got up, walked down the hall, into the other bathroom, and pulled out my mint flavored, wal*mart brand tums. I like the mint flavor. When I’m feeling yucky the last thing I want in my mouth in something fruit flavored.

I went into the bathroom, took the tums, and less than 10 seconds later I was puking! Yippee! Strange, since I threw up yesterday too. And ya know… since I’m well into my second trimester. Apparently the Greek salad that I stole from my husband last night was not tolerated well by my tummy. Crossing that one off the list.

After getting re-acquainted with the toilet (and making a mental not to clean it when I’m not feeling puky), I still couldn’t sleep, so I sat up in bed and finished off the book I was reading. The baby girl has been kicking a lot, and so I keep calling B-man and telling him to put his hand on my tummy… but then of course she stops.

Any one interested in a pictures of my arm?

 

I knew you would love it. The strange shadow is from my shadow. I don’t have two-toned arms. But I do have a circle and a band-aid on my arm. I have been meaning to get a TB test for this new job I am applying for. And I have been kind of putting it off. Considering the orientation is next Tuesday… and I need to turn the results in before then, I really did wait too long. I won’t get the results until Saturday. In my defense – I’ve been feeling crappy.

I am currently applying to be a substitute teacher with the local county schools. My sister is taking an ASL class, but her teacher is pregnant, and due before me. She was having a difficult time finding a suitable substitute, because it will be a “long term” position (two months max), so the person they find needs to know sign language. My sister gave her teacher my name, and through another series of random and very lucky events I am all ready to take on my second job! I guess I am amazed that I have yet to apply for a job… definitely not complaining. I guess I never really understood what it meant to be in a “high demand” field.

*

After the TB test (part 1) I drove to the post office where I complained a little bit. We are STILL recieving mail for people who no longer live in our apartment. And not just in our mailbox. The mail carier is actually driving through the complex, and walking up the stairs to deliver other peoples’ mail to us. I have filled out the “only deliver mail for these names” form…. twice. I have put our names on the mailbox and the front door. And I know for a fact that the last resident filled out a change of address form because his comfirmation came to my house and it said “If this is not your name, then don’t worry about it because it means the last person filled out a change of address card.” I’m a little bit annoyed because my mail box is no where near my apartment, so by the time I realize I have some one else’s mail, I have to go BACK to the post box. With the package I actually had to take it to the post office. It is just getting a little bit ridiculous.

On the way home my little girl was kicking my cervix.

Wanna know what that feels like? Let me tell you. Ya know when you go to the doctor for that annual PAP smear thingy and they poke your cervix with an extra long q-tip… and it is a bit uncomfortable? For some it probably falls past “uncomfortable” and into “slightly painful”.

It’s like that… but harder… and every 30 seconds.

But I couldn’t help laughing. I was driving home, and I was listening to some nice, relaxing piano music. And the bean kept kicking my cervix. (I guess it would be the equivalent of a guy getting kicked in the balls? lol). And this wasn’t just once every few seconds… it was constant. Over and over again. It was rather painful. Why now?! I’m trying to drive?! To help myself concentrate I turned the music down… and the kicking stopped almost immediately. I turned it back on… and she went at it again.

She was dancing.

ON MY CERVIX!

No more of that. Music = off. (At least while I’m the one driving).

*

Finally:

TIL something rather interesting about the genome project and the “evolution” of the penis. lol.

 

What have you learned today?

February 17th, 2011

My week.

this is what the past week (and the next few days) has been like for me:

Sunday – interpreting @ 9 am – 12 am

Monday – interpreting @ 8 am – 3 pm

Tuesday – interpreting @ 9 am – 3 pm

Wednesday – drive B-man to work @ 5:30 am. spend the rest of the day with mother-in-law.

Thursday – interpreting @ 9 am – 3 pm

Friday – dr appt @ 9:30 am

Saturday through Monday – family reunion

Tuesdays… (it starts all over again).

Friends,
I am tired.
I haven’t slept through the night in quite a while.
Cry.
Yours’ sincerely,
Jessica