Is this really what we signed up for?

PARENT - Job Description

This is hysterical. If it had been presented this way,
I don't believe any of us would have done it!!!!

POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Long term, team players needed, for challenging
permanent work in an,
often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a
pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat
in case, this time, the screams from
the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute,
an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and
janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! YOU pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth
and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.


Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis,
letting them know they are appreciated
for the fabulous job they do...
or forward with love
to anyone thinking of applying for the job.

Birthdays and the Stomach Flu

My baby is 1 year old today...and we're celebrating with the stomach flu.

Like mother...like daughter...always happens during our big milestone days. :)

I had the flu on her birthday LAST year!!! Kind of sweet if it wasn't so nasty!!

Sigh....

Due date change

My new due date is June 24th!! But since I'm a c-section - they will take the baby around June 15th... :)

Even though most of you already know....

Kennedy's going to be a big sister!!!! :) We are very excited and due July 1st!
Pray for a healthy baby - and an easy pregnancy! :)

Good thing we buy in Bulk!!

Well - when Jon gets a new roll of toilet paper - he rarely (if ever)- takes the old tube off to dispose of it. He simply piles them up on top. This made for a perfect "toy" for Kennedy...I was putting my make-up on - and this is what I found 2 minutes later. :)

2 kids!!

I started watching Ted 2 days a week - it's going great so far!! :)
They had a ton of fun together! It was so much fun to watch them play!

A little taste of what 2 kids will be like...

Cheerios

Moral of the story - PUT THE CHEERIOS HIGHER

It's FALL!

So - yesterday I turned off the AC (no more 96 degree days I hope!) and I opened up the windows! It was WONDERFUL! The house smells fresh - and our whole day seemed brighter! We also went on a walk last night as a family and had a great time. Well last night I kept the windows downstairs open all night. I'm not sure how low it got - but I'm pretty sure our house is 50 degrees. It's freezing!! Poor Kennedy doesn't remember ever wearing pants, socks and shoes or long sleeves! I always let her run around in a onesie at home and she loves to be clothes free! So - this morning I pulled out some fleece pants and a sweatshirt and put it on her while she played...she didn't know what to think...but thought it was hilaroius! Here's a picture of her face... haha!!

WIDE OPEN

So, today is my first official day as a stay at home mom...most people are calling it retirement....I think the word tire is definaetly in the deal somehow...but anyway...

So - I had a great "life-lesson" this morning. Kennedy was extremely over-tired and very very fussy. She was to the point where if I held her...she cried - if I put her down - she cried. She didn't know what she wanted....so figured...ok - I'll let her cry it out a little while on the floor.

Well as soon as I put her down - she reached her arms up to me for me to pick her back up - but when I tried - she pushed my arms away. So I then went and sat about 6 feet away from her on the floor. Well that just about killed her...she started bawling like crazy because she wanted me to come pick her up! So I decided I would hold my arms WIDE OPEN for her to come to me. I wasn't going to move any closer - b/c I was RIGHT there. All she had to do was take the first few steps (crawl steps) over to my arms which were....WIDE OPEN. I even gently said to her..."Kennedy, Mommy loves you, come here"... she would start to take a step - and then flail her arms again - bawling....and I would say it again....she would start to move - and then stop and throw a fit again. This went on for about 10 minutes...until she FINALLY gave in and came to my arms which were...yes you guessed it...WIDE OPEN!

This reminded me of my own life. The times when we are wanting to do our own thing...we are searching for happiness and satisfaction in everything. We don't know what we want....b/c nothing satisfies us like the love of Jesus. So - He patiently waits there...with His arms...WIDE OPEN ... waiting for us to come to Him. He gave us free will - so He does not rush in a take us out of situations or force us to rest in His arms - but patiently waits for us to take the steps of restoration with Him.

I have a feeling this is just one of the many lessons I will be learning in the next few months of being at home! :)

End of a new Era...beginning of a new one...

Well - I sit here in my office chair knowing that I only have 2 days of work left. What a crazy feeling I have! I can't imagine how people feel when they retire at the age of 65!

I have been working since I was 15 years old. It started off in a little place called (sniffle) Snack Haven!! There I made 2 of my very best friendships in the world! What great memories!

Then I moved on to Target - this was my first "real job" - and not near as much fun as Snack! I did have fun in the end - b/c my co-workers were a bit crazy. Tricycle races down the aisles after closing time and small pranks on Stan were just a few of the highlights!

Then I moved to college - and it all went down hill! ha-ha! Let's see...where DIDN't I work!? MCI - telemarketing (made some serious cash though)...Auto Magic (detailing people's cars)...PS: vacuuming vomit...did me in on the 4th day of that job! :) Also worked at Golden Corral for 2 days...ick! Applebees...that was a good job...and then I referreed basketball at the Boys and Girls Club. Let me tell you how rude parents can be..."My kid didn't touch HIM!!!!"....um yeah then why is the kid over there with a nose bleed...seriously. :)

After college came a time of wondering what the heck I was going to do! I worked for Chili's, Target again, and then went to work at what was formerly known as Bethlehem Baptist Church/Christian Academy. That was a HUGE learning experience...both with friends and the job. I'd never go back...but I learned a lot of good things and hard lessons about what a healthy friendship is supposed to be like and how to earn respect!!

Then I landed an incredible job with Kaiser Permanente! This job was a gift from God...seriously! I started out as an administrative assistant - and within months promoted to higher and higher positions. I worked for wonderful bosses named Debbie Royalty and Dr. Waylan Ables. They gave me confidence in who I am - and my abilities. They both hold a special place in my heart. I think I would have stayed with Kaiser for many many more years...but I found Jon! :) (This is not a bad thing!)

2 days after I got engaged - I found out that we were being transferred to West Virginia. It was a hard thing to swallow - because I had pictured our life in DC forever! Everything Jon and I knew was in DC - we had a great church, wonderful jobs, awesome friends...now to start over!? No way!

But God had other plans for us! I started working at Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center as an administrative assistant. I took a $50,000 PAY CUT! Being that it's a homeless shelter and in West Virginia - I wasn't making a very decent salary! About a month after I started - I was moved into the Development Specialist position and then promoted to Director of PR/Marketing and Development. It's been a wild ride. Looking back - I don't think I would ever work in non-profit again - but it has been a great experience and one that diversifies my resume' coming from the corporate world!

And now...I have an incredible new role! I get to stay at home and teach my beautiful daughter everything! I have the responsibility of making sure she learns to brush her teeth, comb her hair, eat right, and learns to walk and communicate! I have to teach her right from wrong - and that Jesus loves her. I have the responsibility of shaping the kind of woman she will become when she is grown! This job - is going to be the most challenging one yet. Add this to my resume' - because if I can get this parenting thing down - I can take on the world in any role!

So while I said, just 2 years ago,..."I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO STAY AT HOME WITH MY KIDS...I love working and the extra money"....I am now embarking on that very thing!! It's amazing what having children will do to you! It forces you to become selfless - to put your agenda aside and focus on the needs of your family. This is a good thing because we are all born so selfish! :)

I'll bring this to a close...but I am so ready to begin this new adventure!!

Look at our Big Girl~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvstcfFI7y0

She-Devil on Wheels

I'm warning all you "new parents" out there...and scolding all you "experienced parents" about walkers! My goodness...what a GREAT concept! Let's buy our 6 month old child a tool that he/she can use to navigate throughout the house...get from place to place - explore the world around him/her. Yeah..not so much. Kennedy is a crazy little machine on that thing! She goes about 60 mph zooming from room to room. Jon and I are like jumping around trying to dodge her and keep her from running over our toes! And...if anyone has ever been "rammed" by a shopping cart in the back of the heels - you can understand the PAIN associated with getting rammed in the back of your heels by the walker! It brings tears to your eyes b/c it hurts so bad...and all she does is smile. :) I think my mom talked me into getting one as paybacks for all the roughhousing I caused her when I was little...who knows

Move over "The Edge"...

Ok so...let me first start by saying...my favorite video game in the WHOLE world is Super Mario Brothers 1 and 3...2 is ok. This game was made for plain old Nintendo...which I love! I got soo good on those games...I could beat all the worlds, I knew all the secret passage ways and where all the extra life mushrooms were...and I gotta tell you....when Nintendo 64 came out...I felt a little betrayed! I mean here I had spent countless hours mastering this little guy Mario and his cute little brother Luigi and BAM...they're not cool anymore. Let me also say - that I have become the "cool aunt" - with Jon's nieces and nephews because I can pass Super Mario Brothers. His parents still have a Nintendo that someone got on E-bay - and their grandchildren love it!! So...whenever they get to a tough world...they call in none other than....ME! :) I'm so cool. Anyway - when Jon and I got married, he had a playstation 2...and I was kind of like .... yeah ... forget about it. I am only loyal to Mario. :) Until now.......
So...first it was Dance Dance Revolution....many hours of fun, and even a good workout....next it was Karaoke Revolution (Idol version)...where you actually get to perform for Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson. I seriously sometimes hope that if I pass and win idol on "expert" mode...that maybe Simon will call me and say that Clive Davis wants me to sign a record deal.....the bad part is ... I'm not kidding, I really think that :) haha! I live for Simon to tell me that "I am exactly what this competition is looking for" and Randy to shout that I'm in the "Dawg House!" It's sooo fun!! Poor Jon gets .... "You just attracted a whole neighborhood of stray cats!" but he LOVES it too!!!! :)
And now ladies and gentlemen....let me introduce you to our latest obsession...Guitar Hero...OH YEAH! I am a freakin' rock star!!! Move over "The Edge"...cause I can play some GUIEE-TAR! :) I swear now that Bono will be ringing my Telly at any moment asking for me to pack my bags and hit the road with them!!!
Bottom line....you must try these new games!! Because now that we are parents...we don't go out anymore...so as soon as Kennedy hits the sack we leave for our night life - playing gig after gig at major clubs across the nation!!
ROCK ON!!!!!!!

Need I say more?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSVbrs0anw4

Click on this link to see Kennedy laughing her head off!
She's so much fun! :)

Kennedy and the Water

Yesterday, Jon and I let Kennedy play in her pool for the first time. She LOVED it! It was so much fun to watch her splash around. She thought she was big stuff! She kept trying to reach out of the pool and grab the grass. It was so funny! Also - she kind of decieded to lounge around and just chill...it was hilarious!!!

Hello??

So - recently - ok yesterday - one of my friends and "readers" (you know the people who are your closest friends who actually SUBSCRIBE to your blog?) - asked me if I had any funny stories lately...to which I replied...I got NOTHIN'!
Then today happened.
I was having this great conversation with my mom - about all the painting I've been doing to our house - and about Kennedy's 4 new teeth...all on bottom. (Total WV - LOVE IT!) Meanwhile - I'm trying to get out of the house - making Kennedy a bottle, packing her diapers etc...grabbing everything I need for work....and her of course. Now - if my mom even SUSPECTS I'm somewhat busy - she will say - "I'll let you go" - and hang up...and she stops listening at that point - b/c she's so focused on what else I'm doing! I, on the other hand, am a GREAT multi-tasker!! It's my key phrase during interviews!! ha! So...I promised this was short...
I am walking out the door - with her car seat, diaper bag, purse, and work bag - and am still talking on the phone. I go to the car, strap K in, put all my stuff in the car - start the car...still talking...back out...head down our mountain...and all of a sudden the phone goes dead. Thinking I lost service - I quickly try to re-dail...and realize that I am, indeed, on my home phone...not my cell phone. :)
Sigh...and I was doing SOOO good!