Finish what you start.

After 15 long fought months, Chris has graduated and passed the national registry. He looked at me with *near tears* in his eyes when he found out he had finished everything and said, "I finally finished something."

Wow.
It never occurred to me that he felt like he hadn't...
But it makes sense, I suppose.

Looking back, he took a job as a restaurant manager 'for a short time' to help him pay for the rest of college. It was never the plan for restaurant management to become his career.
He wanted to do something physical, science or biology-related, and/or in the medical world. NOT Restaurant...

7 years and a wife and two kids later...
There my husband sat in the midst of a seemingly never-ending tunnel career which he would never have chosen for himself.
Sadly, he was never able to finish college.
To compound issues, we weren't even really 'making it' financially with a job that took so much of him from us. He was miserable.

My creature-of-habit, never-take-a-chance husband did take a chance in 2008 and applied for the Fire Department posting.

He missed the deadline, and it took the wind out of his sails... almost.
He reapplied 6 months later and began training for the physical agility drills.

For the next 9 months, he went on an up-and-down rollercoaster of disappointment, excitement, nerves, polygraphs, piles of paperwork, personal investigation, and jumping through hoops - all while maintaining his 60 hour work weeks.

At long last, he made the cut and on October 1, 2009 he began the academy.

What he didn't know after 18 months of having an endgoal of 'getting in' to the Department was that the real trials still lay ahead of him.

For the following 15 months, Chris went to school full time and trained and studied nightly. He transformed himself into a man committed to achieving his goal with unshakable dedication. He maintained a concentration and focus on his goal unlike anything I have ever seen.

At last, here we sit, almost 3 years wiser and blessed to be finished.

A new career has begun, but it really feels like that dream that began in my husband's heart, has made him a better man.

He's a man who is proud of his own accomplishment.
He's finished what he started. As an added bonus, the school hours that were a part of the Fire and Paramedic Academy will combine with his previous college hours to give him a completed degree! This is something we were not aware of until a couple of weeks ago. God is so good to go before us and prepare the way.

I have learned a lot from him, my husband. He's a good man. His tenacity to finish inspires me.

We are finishers. We stay the course God has put us on. Come what may, with God's help, we will finish.

Resolution 2011

Imagine who I want my kids to become.

Be that person.

Updation and a prayer request

By December 15, this will be the blog of a woman who has undergone (and lived through) two admin walk-throughs and the wife of a graduating fireman.
Between now and then, prayers are appreciated.

Chris has some muy importante finals this week and next - the kind of finals that permit or deny future paychecks depending on performance. I have a great big ball of nerves for a husband.

I know we serve a great big God. Please pray.

The kids are six and seven now. Six and seven and a half.

I wish I had the kind of time and commitment that many of my long lost mommy friends have with regard to kid photos and details. I don't and haven't had for quite some time now.

If you have known me for any length of time, you would concur that the condition of my house is like nothing you've ever seen. I think there's an empty milk carton on the kitchen counter that has been there for DAYS. Just sitting there...

Instead of picking it up and throwing it away, it sits as I type and that is pretty much how I roll these days...

It's a condition I call necessity. :)

So if you happen to be reading this blog, please consider yourself hugged. I miss you dearly. And if it helps (to forgive the level of neglect that has been dealt you as my friend) pretend I live in Siberia... It almost sounds right... :)

need to put it all down

A started Kindergarten this week.
I have pictures. (Load them later)
She absolutely loves it!

She has lost a tooth and will lose the 2nd within minutes of me writing this post.
Her joy about life is so contagious!

She gets into the car each day after school and says, "What am I gonna wear tomorrow?"
I know. It's wrong for me to think that's funny. It probably is too materialistic, but seriously, if you could hear her say it, it's like she believes she is the authority on all things fashion. Too cute!

I feel so blessed to be near my children each day again!
It's good stuff. God has blessed us good!

Last day.

"I am a glass case of emotion!"

Today was it.
True to form, I had to work late, last day and all.
For the first time in 18 months, I took a lunch break each day this week.
This would be a history making moment for me!

I spent the evening with my kids in my new classroom.
I need some serious support!
I know there are certain things every classroom has to have - graphic organizers, etc... but I am hopelessly lost and without a clue.
HELP ME!

So if there's anyone who need to rack up some community service hours, man have I got a deal for you. :)

really?

my daughter has been crying hysterically for so long that even she has forgotten what she's crying about.

of course, i remember - but i'm not about to remind her. that would just make it worse.

and if you're wondering what terrible thing must have happened to make her so sour...

i got home late from work and told her she would have to wait one more day to see ramona and beezus because the next showing is at 9:30pm.

really. hysterical crying. nonstop.

i should make her wait longer.

brat.

Beans, beans.

Had some V8-like substance in a clear glass for dinner tonight. Part of a large scale effort to get healthy.
Avery walked past me, did a double take and asked me, "Mommy, why are you drinking beans from a cup?"

She tickles me! :)

Thanks Jenny for the wordle advice!

Wonka

"We are the Music Makers...
We are the Dreamers of Dreams."
-O'Shaughnessy

I am about to make the best bulletin board of all time for a Music Classroom.
I get my keys Tuesday.
The magic shall commence sometime thereafter.

So excited!
teehee!!!
:)

Today

Today my niece was born. 8 pounds, 10 ounces of pure sweetness!

I held her and she smiled. Sorta...

I already know I love her.

Her name is Katherine Grace, but I have already decided that J's nickname for her will stick - Kater Tot.

She's perfect in every way.

Yay for nieces!