Whirlwind Entry
My head feels like a whirlwind right now... I have caught the dreaded "so know you're on summer vacation and you have plenty of time to sit around and be SICK" disease. Just kidding... kind of. But this is always bound to happen to teachers and folks alike. We run around like crazy, especially at the end of the school year, all that stress building up and working our bodies over time, so the minute we have time to ourselves, everything catches up and we're sitting here sick with a head cold. It's to be expected. I'm just thankful it came AFTER all my fun recent trips!
So let me update you on these fun recent trips because pictures can only speak 1,000 words... I have more words to say than that!
First of all, I went ahead and updated Jeff's Birthday post so click on the link to read the words about those pictures. Also, a quick sidenote, I'm starting to tag my journal entries. This is helpful for me because it takes so long to go back to my archives to find past posts about the same stuff so check out some of my tags to read all the topics on that subject (and more to come as I go back to the depths of my archives!).
Secondly, I'm going to post a separate entry for our anniversary get away to San Diego. You can read it here (or just skip ahead to the next entry).
Lastly, I will write another post about our trip to Mendocino. You can read that here (or skip ahead twice!).
Now, here are some updates in the general life of Meg (and Jeff and Audrey)...
- I am almost three quarters done with my administrative credential and plan to continue on to get my Master's next school year. I think it is just four more classes so I am hoping I will be done by this time next year. And be getting paid much MUCH more than I have been. That will be nice since a mortgage and the cost of living is just too high for me to remain sitting in the same pay column I've been in for the past eight years. I'm proud of myself for taking the initiative to do something about the amount of income I contribute to my family.
- Jeff got a raise! I'm not sure if I have posted about that but he is now the Director of Programs at Pomona Hope. He took over Emily's old job and now Emily is the Executive Director. One of her main focuses to is to apply for grants to get more funding for Pomona Hope. This, in turn, will provide more income for the organization which could mean a pay raise and no more fundraising for Jeff in the future. I am really proud of my husband and the choices he has made in his career. It wasn't always the popular choice (since he is not really using either of his degrees from CMC or UCI) but it has made his heart change.
When we first moved to Pomona 10 years ago, he could not imagine us doing any kind of urban ministry. We lived in Pomona simply because it was convenient and he just wanted to make sure I was safe and taken care of. I remember that conversation making me sad because I was excited about our church's tie to Servant Partners, which I had heard about during my mission trip in Los Angeles in 2002. But to see Jeff's view of Pomona completely change in those 10 years was amazing and a total work of God. Now we live in Pomona because we are committed to doing our part to make this city a better place, especially for little Audrey.
- Audrey has turned a corner (finally!). Her BM's are more regular and she is not dirtying up as much underwear. Yey. Her bedtime has also gotten so much better! Middle of May was really lousy. It started on a night we had a baby-sitter. She didn't go to sleep while the baby-sitter was here and when we got home at 9pm, she cried and kicked and fought us. It was like she was a different child - really fighting and not wanting to sleep in her bed. She did the same thing the next night, saying she was having bad dreams. I tried explaining that you have to fall asleep in order to have dreams but she kept staying awake saying she was having bad dreams. Ugh... it was exhausting.
But then, somewhat recently, she got to the point where she wouldn't even whimper for me. Rather, I could get up and leave the room when I knew she was still awake. She would stay in her bed! A few times she would get out of bed and ask for something (she's too hot, too itchy, needs to go potty) but after we take care of that, I put her back to bed, tell her I love her, and just leave! And not a peep from her! It's heavenly and exactly where I wanted to get to with her this summer. Jeff and I were so sick of staying in the room with her until she was asleep because that would take WAY too long (almost an hour at times!). I figured over the summer, I could afford to "fight" the bedtime battle with her since I could just sleep in. But wouldn't you know it - it all happened organically. I wasn't ready to leave early but she was. She inititated this whole change! It wasn't me forcing anything on her. I thought I'd have to have a big talk with her about how I would only sing three songs and then leave but that conversation never had to happen because that reality just happened naturally. Phew! How lucky.
- The thing that still concerns me very much so about Audrey is her skin condition. I don't know what is going on. Eczema, I guess. But her impetigo flared up again two days ago! Thankfully her pediatrician represcribed the ointment for her skin so I have been applying that regularly. How did this happen AGAIN? Does someone at her preschool have it AGAIN? I kept her home these past two days since I don't want it spreading to other kids. She'll go back on Tuesday with the medication. I also ordered her some new lotion from Arbonne. It definitely clears up her eczema flare ups but her skin is still so dry and peely... If this continues much longer, I'm going to request a referral to a dermatologist. I'm at the end of my rope... I just want her to not be so itchy. :(
There were a bunch of other things I wanted to write about but I have a 3 1/2 year old pounding on the bongos and xylophone with her drumsticks.... my head is already achy and now it is so much more so. Ugh... It's going to be a long day. Staying home with a hyper child while I just feel like sleeping....
So let me update you on these fun recent trips because pictures can only speak 1,000 words... I have more words to say than that!
First of all, I went ahead and updated Jeff's Birthday post so click on the link to read the words about those pictures. Also, a quick sidenote, I'm starting to tag my journal entries. This is helpful for me because it takes so long to go back to my archives to find past posts about the same stuff so check out some of my tags to read all the topics on that subject (and more to come as I go back to the depths of my archives!).
Secondly, I'm going to post a separate entry for our anniversary get away to San Diego. You can read it here (or just skip ahead to the next entry).
Lastly, I will write another post about our trip to Mendocino. You can read that here (or skip ahead twice!).
Now, here are some updates in the general life of Meg (and Jeff and Audrey)...
- I am almost three quarters done with my administrative credential and plan to continue on to get my Master's next school year. I think it is just four more classes so I am hoping I will be done by this time next year. And be getting paid much MUCH more than I have been. That will be nice since a mortgage and the cost of living is just too high for me to remain sitting in the same pay column I've been in for the past eight years. I'm proud of myself for taking the initiative to do something about the amount of income I contribute to my family.
- Jeff got a raise! I'm not sure if I have posted about that but he is now the Director of Programs at Pomona Hope. He took over Emily's old job and now Emily is the Executive Director. One of her main focuses to is to apply for grants to get more funding for Pomona Hope. This, in turn, will provide more income for the organization which could mean a pay raise and no more fundraising for Jeff in the future. I am really proud of my husband and the choices he has made in his career. It wasn't always the popular choice (since he is not really using either of his degrees from CMC or UCI) but it has made his heart change.
When we first moved to Pomona 10 years ago, he could not imagine us doing any kind of urban ministry. We lived in Pomona simply because it was convenient and he just wanted to make sure I was safe and taken care of. I remember that conversation making me sad because I was excited about our church's tie to Servant Partners, which I had heard about during my mission trip in Los Angeles in 2002. But to see Jeff's view of Pomona completely change in those 10 years was amazing and a total work of God. Now we live in Pomona because we are committed to doing our part to make this city a better place, especially for little Audrey.
- Audrey has turned a corner (finally!). Her BM's are more regular and she is not dirtying up as much underwear. Yey. Her bedtime has also gotten so much better! Middle of May was really lousy. It started on a night we had a baby-sitter. She didn't go to sleep while the baby-sitter was here and when we got home at 9pm, she cried and kicked and fought us. It was like she was a different child - really fighting and not wanting to sleep in her bed. She did the same thing the next night, saying she was having bad dreams. I tried explaining that you have to fall asleep in order to have dreams but she kept staying awake saying she was having bad dreams. Ugh... it was exhausting.
But then, somewhat recently, she got to the point where she wouldn't even whimper for me. Rather, I could get up and leave the room when I knew she was still awake. She would stay in her bed! A few times she would get out of bed and ask for something (she's too hot, too itchy, needs to go potty) but after we take care of that, I put her back to bed, tell her I love her, and just leave! And not a peep from her! It's heavenly and exactly where I wanted to get to with her this summer. Jeff and I were so sick of staying in the room with her until she was asleep because that would take WAY too long (almost an hour at times!). I figured over the summer, I could afford to "fight" the bedtime battle with her since I could just sleep in. But wouldn't you know it - it all happened organically. I wasn't ready to leave early but she was. She inititated this whole change! It wasn't me forcing anything on her. I thought I'd have to have a big talk with her about how I would only sing three songs and then leave but that conversation never had to happen because that reality just happened naturally. Phew! How lucky.
- The thing that still concerns me very much so about Audrey is her skin condition. I don't know what is going on. Eczema, I guess. But her impetigo flared up again two days ago! Thankfully her pediatrician represcribed the ointment for her skin so I have been applying that regularly. How did this happen AGAIN? Does someone at her preschool have it AGAIN? I kept her home these past two days since I don't want it spreading to other kids. She'll go back on Tuesday with the medication. I also ordered her some new lotion from Arbonne. It definitely clears up her eczema flare ups but her skin is still so dry and peely... If this continues much longer, I'm going to request a referral to a dermatologist. I'm at the end of my rope... I just want her to not be so itchy. :(
There were a bunch of other things I wanted to write about but I have a 3 1/2 year old pounding on the bongos and xylophone with her drumsticks.... my head is already achy and now it is so much more so. Ugh... It's going to be a long day. Staying home with a hyper child while I just feel like sleeping....