Rejoice with Joy Unspeakable: Bet you’ve never seen a blog post with Chapters before

It usually takes a conversation with Judy to get me inspired to get back into blogging. Lately, I just haven’t wanted to do it. However, on this lovely, quiet Friday morning as I sip hot coffee and enjoy the warm sunrays coming through our kitchen’s patio door and reminisce on the past few months, writing it down feels like a good thing to do.

Chapter 1 Big Decisions

This winter, more than ever I believe, I have been feeling the “winter blahs”, as Karin would call them. Maybe it’s the frigid cold and no beautiful snow, maybe it’s the monotonous routine our lives have fallen into (some may call it relaxing, but I personally am ready for some excitement. I may eat those words later), or for whatever reason, it’s been difficult to get too happy about much now a days. Not that I’m depressed, just not jubilantly rejoicing….which isn’t weird for most people, but as that is my default setting, it is for me. Anyway, to put a little stress on our lives, both Brian and I have found ourselves in a position of needing to make some huge decisions.

1. TCSEA, the company I’m working for has recently added two new school districts to service: El Paso and Gridley. This is great news for me as they are a much shorter drive than I am doing now which means more time at home and more money for mileage. As the PT staff is spread extremely thin trying to cover the 3 (technically 5) counties, we need to add hours somewhere. Which leaves me with a big choice: either I can go to full time and use that extra day to cover El Paso/Gridley, or stay at part time and they will hire another PTA. You can imagine there are many pros and cons to both decisions and I am having the hardest time with it all. The deadline is Spring Break to decide.

2. As Brian has now graduated, we are starting work on finding a P.E. teaching job, and substitute teaching. He is currently working for my Dad. Well, lately Brian hasn’t been so sure about teaching at all. I don’t blame him for feeling anxious about it either. He hasn’t been in a classroom for a long time (I think he would be fine), and the amount of openings is depressing. There just isn’t much out there and there is definitely some fear of rejection. Now, I don’t agree that he should just give up on teaching all together, but maybe we won’t expect much to happen in the near future. I think the plan for now is for him to cont. to work for Dad and on the side keep an eye out for P.E. teaching opportunities. It may be that he will have to go back to school to get his health and drivers ed endorsements. So, I guess this is less of a decision that needs to be made and more of a scary future situation.

3. Hungarian Handyman or Lawnscapes? Lawnscapes is the landscaping company that Brian has worked for for four years now. He is extremely loyal to them and enjoys the work, however, in those four years he has only gotten one 50 cent raise. Now as he is working for Dad, he isn’t sure what to do in the summer when Lawnscapes opens up. He likes working with Hungarian Handyman and the pay is a little better, but there is more driving and he doesn’t want to let down Lawnscapes. Oh what to do.

Chapter 2 Being a Housewife

I don’t know if I fall in the category of being a housewife because I work, but I think it should count because I do take care of this house. I don’t know.

Anyway, here is my routine and how I’ve played this role. Fridays are my big cleaning/organizing day. In the morning after seeing Brian off to work, I usually sit down with a recipe book, pad of paper, and a pen and plan our meals for the week and create a grocery list. Four dinner type meals and one breakfast, plus whatever extra fun snack recipes I want to try usually gets us through the week with some nights for leftovers or eating out. I really like doing this because I know that everything I buy at the grocery store will be used that week. I don’t mean to brag, but I basically never find wasted food in our fridge or pantry. It is also fun because, rather than picking recipes based on what I have on hand, I can feel free to chose any recipe in the book and pick up whatever ingredients I don’t have at the store. Some recipes that I’ve tried out lately that I probably would never have dreamed of doing before would be: California Cheese Soup, Chickenetti (chicken spaghetti), Tropical Tuna Melts, Mexican French bread, and Blintz Pancakes etc. I haven’t had any hug flops when it comes to cooking yet (knock-on-wood) other than making too much. I haven’t made too little; that would be risky business when it comes to Brian’s appetite :-)

Cleaning: After cleaning houses for so many years, I’ve realized that everyone has their preferences on what they prioritize. Some like there bath tubs to be spotless, some are picky about mirrors, and some can’t stand a dirty floor. Dusting is my priority. First off, I love to dust, second, I hate seeing dust on dressers, pictures frames, etc. So, while I may only mop my kitchen floor every other week, or do windows once a month, I will dust every week without fail. Otherwise it drives me crazy. That sort of goes for vacuuming or the kitchen counters/table. If you would have seen my bedroom before I was married you would have thought the same way my Mom did. “What are you going to do when you move out and have a whole house to clean? Your husband is not going to be happy with such a messy place if you keep it like your bedroom.” It is my pleasure to prove her wrong. Actually, my weaknesses are clothes on the bedroom floor and dishes. Those I have a lot of trouble keeping up with.

Over all, I love being a housewife. It’s like what Charlotte said in Pride and Prejudice, “Oh Lizzie, it is such a pleasure to run my own home!” And, as I’ve considered this career choice of going to full time or not, I’ve come to a bit of a realization that a career woman I am not. I have had awesome work weeks in which I’m busy the whole time, accomplishing great things for the kids, and being productive and advancing in relations, but if I leave my house dirty and my husband hungry, I feel like an utter failure. It does not matter how great work goes, I feel success or failure based on my accomplishments as a housewife. I know where my heart and priorities lie, however, it’s difficult to deny the extra money that would come with going full time at work. But, by going full time, I know I would compromise in house work. Any advice?

Chapter 3 Pictures!!!!!!

Going way back into the past….Below is our first Christmas tree. We waited too long and didn’t get to chop one down as is my family’s tradition. Instead, we went to a gardening center where they only had one choice in the right height. It was the wrong kind, shabby, bare in some spots, and a sad looking thing, but it was our first tree, and there’s something special about that. Anyway it smelled good and now, we can only go up from here.

We went to Gulf Shores after Christmas. Brian and I drove down with Jess and Anni and stayed in a condo with them and Karin and Rhoda and Sarah later on. I had a blast. Brian was feeling a huge need for some guy time afterwards. At least he got to do some fishing while my Dad was there.

Below is the tragic circumstance of “the one that got away”. It was a quiet day on the pier. Small whiting and sharks were the only things biting and everyone was a little bored. Suddenly, Brian hooked a big one and the fight was a long one. The monster fish took him all the way to the end of the pier, and my husband was determined. As he walked along the pier with a bent rod and a taught line, a crowd of people began to follow, excited to see what was on the other end. There is something about the mentality on the pier. No one minds their own business, because being a witness to the entire event of pulling up a fish from the depths of the gulf is being a part of the adventure. “I was there when it happened!” they will exclaim when the story is told, “I saw when he first hooked it and followed him all the way to the very end!” and, thus, the onlooker feels as if in some way, he had a hand in the victory. Brian’s story, however, did not have such a happy ending. At the very last instant when the net was being lowered to receive the fish onto the pier, the line broke and the fish got a way.

We also enjoyed playing Wally Ball, basketball and swimming at the rec center. Went to Bahama Bob’s and TCBY and lots of long walks. It was too cold to do too much on the beach, but we did get to sun bathe one day at the pool.

And below are some pictures from last weekend’s Girl’s Night at Janelle’s house. We did a lot of crazy stuff like a ping pong tournament, charades, and mattress surfing. It was a blast! I just love these girls so much.