Binky Free since 5-19!!

Hi All,

Just a quick note to say that since I took Evie to the dentist on 5-19 and they told me it was time to nix the binky Evie has been binky free! And though she asks for it sometimes she is handling the cold turkey cut off very well. I am so glad!! My life is way easier now that I don't have to have 2 or 3 on me at all times and have access to a sink every 5 minutes because she throws or drops them on the ground. And I am happy that I can take pics of her without having to take the binky out first!

Also her speaking is taking off! She is adding words every day it seems like! She says thanks, shoes, sit down, and so many other words that I can't even think of. I am certain that the combo of no binky and being around other speaking kids is to blame for this jump in vocabulary.

So YAY for Evie, she really is becoming a big girl!!! =)

So, So, So Much to Say!

Hi Dear Readers!

As Cara graciously and astutely pointed out I have not posted new info in quite a while. Sorry about that! With the separation and imminent divorce and the end of the semester and the start of summer classes I have been swamped. But I am here and this post will be super long because I have a lot to report =)

I'll start with pics of Evie because they are always a crowd favorite. Here are pics of Evie at Grammy's friend's horse farm. There were chickens at the farm too which Evie loved!








The news here at the farm is that Gramper made an unexpected and brief visit home this last week. Grammy went to get him because this happened:

Yup, that is a tree in the swimming pool!



Now onto the nitty gritty. Ben and I were trying to get a separation agreement signed over the last 2 months but without being able to hire a lawyer I was not really ready to sign anything. The news on that front is that I will be getting my school loan money this week and I will use part of it to hire a lawyer to get divorce paperwork going. Ben and I have fluctuated between civil and not so civil but for the most part we are keeping good communication and Evie is being well loved and taken care of, of course!



In me news I am very pleased with my new gym. I joined the YMCA recently and they have great childcare and an indoor and outdoor pool and awesome machines! I am so happy to be going there. I was going to the gym on base for free but they are closing and their childcare cost extra and had awful hours. As a result of somewhat diligently going to the gym 3 days a week I have a small amount of muscle definition on my arms and legs and I have lost a dress size. I am very pleased. My next mission is to get good abs, I know it is probably impossible (see pics of me 9 months preggers) but I am gonna try.


In school news my classes are going great! I have my math midterm tomorrow night and surprisingly I think I actually will do well. I "get" what the class is about. I am not a total math idiot! Hooray! My other class is online and it is about classroom management. It is easy so far but I have 2 major papers that I have to write in the next 2 weeks before the class ends so I have to get my butt in gear or I will be sorry!



In job news there isn't much to report. I am still waiting to hear from the county. Apparently they are having major issues and that is why I haven't heard anything. I am trying to be patient. In the meantime I have applied in some other counties and I hope to hear from them soon. No matter what I will be working full time in the Fall whether it is as a teacher or as a retail clerk. I have to make money and get benefits to support myself and Evie. In the fall I will be taking 3 classes at night so whatever happens I will have to be able to go to school and work. If I am teaching then going to school at the same time won't be a problem at all. So please keep your fingers crossed for me!



In blog news I made this blog public again. People were having a lot of issues with getting to the blog so I just made it public again.



In more Evie news she is going with Ben to visit her Grandpop and Mimi and Oma and her Great Grandma Evelyn who she is named after. They are leaving Friday and will be gone for 5 days. I will miss her terribly! But I know her grandparents and great grand parents miss her terribly too! Luckily I have the fortune of being able to go to the beach the same weekend with Mike. I am so excited! I haven't been swimming in the ocean in over 4 years!!! I love the beach and I love swimming!



So I think that is all the news from here. If you have questions or want to know something I forgot to mention here you know the drill, leave a comment or email me. =)

Summer School

I started my first 2 summer classes this week. I am taking Classroom Management online and Math (Numbers and Operations) in an actual classroom Monday thru Thursday from 630PM-850PM. The online class is easy so far. The math class is intense! We have to journal about our experiences with math throughout our life and how we feel about teaching math. We have to take simple math concepts and break them down and explain how they work and alternate ways that our students might understand them. It is AWESOME! Anyone that knows me knows that I hate math, HATE! But this class is about understanding math from a child's point of view. And let's be honest here, I am very much a child when it comes to math. I don't understand even the most simple math concepts. So this class is really really good and necessary for me. I am going to have to really grow as a person in order to get a good grade in this class and that makes me happy. I like challenges like this. So that is the news here so far. =)

Happy Mother's Day to Me!!

I had the best Mother's Day ever this year! Evie and I went to North Carolina to see Evie's Nana and we went to Virginia to see Gramper on the Appalachian Trail. It was so awesome! Evie travelled in the car very well (thank god for portable DVD players!). So here are some pics and video of our travels =)

And Happy Belated Mother's Day to Grammy, Gigi, Mimi, Oma, and Grandma Miller too!!

AAA

Those three A's up there are my final grades for this semester! I got a 4.0 this semsester!! I aced all my classes!!!!!!! I am in shock, seriously, in shock!!!!!!!! And super happy!!!! =)

YAY!!!!!!! =)

Test Scores

I had to take 2 Georgia state teacher certification exams in March and I just found out that I passed both tests!!! YAY!!! Now I am officially a GREAT candidate to teach in the Fall! I am sooo excited!!!!!!

Been A While

Sorry it has been a while. As you can imagine I have a lot going on these days. First off I interviewed with my top pick school and I think it went well. I won't know til late next week at the soonest. I hate waiting! =)

Evie is doing well, she has been cranky and very hungry lately. I think we are going through a growth spurt or molars. Hard to say at this point.

I have 2 more interviews scheduled for next week with schools that would be okay but not as good as my top pick. We'll see.

Evie and I are checking out 4 in home daycares today. Evie is going to start going to daycare in the next few weeks because Grammy has more animals coming to the farm and ministering opportunities on Ft. Gordon. I think Evie will love daycare because she loves other kids so much! It is really cute, she plays so well with other kids, she shares and just rocks! Thanks to a very awesome lady Evie will be able to go to the private school we want for her! Nicole has a child going to the same school and she graciously agreed to take Evie along when she drops off her son for a fair fee. I am so thankful! I really want Evelyn there at least a few days a week.

My semester is winding down, thank God! I have 2 more days of class and then it is final projects due in 2 weeks. I really like my classes this semester but I am eager to be done with them and move onto my next classes. Math and Classroom Management are my next classes. I need both very much! I am not good at Math and I've never really had to do classroom management by myself.

So that is the news over here. How are you all? =)

Another OMG CUTE VIDEO!

OMG CUTE VIDEO!

Good Job News

While all this craziness is going on I am having some success on the job front, thank goodness! I interviewed with the county board of education and they have approved me to teach in their county. I am so glad! Now I start interviewing with the principals at the elementary schools. I am interviewing with my number one choice school on Monday! I called and left a message and within half an hour I got a call back to schedule the interview! I really love the principal of this school and the teachers seem so happy to be working there. It seems like a very supportive and positive place, and that is just what I need in my life right now.

I had spoken earlier about working at the private school that Evie is going to next year. But in light of the circumstances now I am not going to try for that job. I need the extra money and health benefits and retirement benefits.

One of the great things about working for the county is that once I finish my Masters I will get a $9,000 a year jump in pay!! That is a lot of money!

The only drawback to working at the school I want to work at is that I can't take Evie to her school everyday. That is really a bummer for me on many levels. First of all I really want to be able to talk with her teachers and meet her friends and just be involved with that part of her life. Second, I don't want to have to burden Grammy and Gramper to take her and pick her up everyday. As a result of my concerns I am actively seeking ways to get Evelyn to school that are efficient and smart and safe. If I can't find a way to get her there under those conditions then I am going to look into putting her in a different school or setting while I am at work so that I (or Ben) can take her and pick her up everyday. I will keep you all posted on that as the situation progresses.

And just to keep you all happy I have some pictures of Evie with one her new favorite toys, my purse!

Puppies and Basket Fun

I have a couple of pictures of Evie's basket fun and a ton of pictures of Evelyn with the puppies that Grammy was fostering. Here are a few.

You never think it will be you...

I never thought I would be a single parent. I never ever thought I would not be with Ben. He was my everything and I truly believed in us and out ability to get through anything together. But then he lied to me. He lied to me about trying to sleep with my best friend. Not once. Twice. He hit on my best friend twice and lied about it both times. I didn't find out til 3 years after the first time/1 month after the second time. And I didn't find out from him. And I have been devastated, lost, scared, and hurt ever since. Throw in a pregnancy and miscarriage and you are looking at my life over the last 3 months.

How do I recover from that? How do I forgive? How do I trust again? How can I come out of this and still be with Ben?

The answer is I can't. I can not forgive him. I can not trust him again.

We are legally separating which is the first step toward a divorce.

I never ever wanted this. I never ever thought this would be me and my life. It hurts so much. Everything I had planned for my life has disappeared. Everything I wanted for Evelyn, everything I thought would be there for her is gone. She will be okay and I will be okay. Ben is a great father and we are both putting Evelyn's well being first. But I never wanted her to have to deal with having divorced parents. I never thought I would be a divorced single mother.

Indy Trip 08

My trip was freaking amazing!!!!!!! It was exactly what I needed! Big time! I hooked up with my best buds and we rekindled our friendships in a really deep meaningful way, and we had big fun too! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves! Some of theses ladies might look familiar to you.


First I hung with Angie and Despi at the IMA.


Then I had dinner with Joanna and Angie.


Then I went to a fashion show with Angie and Despi at the IMA.


Then we hit the very swank VIP party after the show.




And then it was onto some wholesome family fun with Mike and Cara.

More Job Offers and Happy Birthday Jen!

It is my best friend Jen's birthday today! Holla!! She is 26 today and I am so happy for her!

And on the job front I have more news. The christian school that I have been shadowing Aidan at is awesome. Even though they are super christian the principal and the kindergarten teacher (Aidan's teacher) are super nice and good people. Because I like the school so much we decided to send Evie there next year for pre-k for 2 yr olds. Here's the job news. The 5th grade teacher just quit and they are looking for someone to teach 5th grade in the Fall. So I talked to principle today and she seemed very excited. I am excited. The pay is low, there aren't health or retirement benefits. BUT(!)the hours are great (815A to 215P)and I would be at Evie's school with her all day everyday. Plus I would get teaching experience but in a more laid back environment with a max of 10 students instead of 30. I am feeling really drawn to this opportunity. I love the idea of dropping off and picking up Evelyn everyday and being in the school with her in case something happens or whatever. I am thinking this would be a really good job for me while I am still in school. So maybe only stay for 2 yrs until Evie goes to Pre-k and I graduate. Then I could get a job at the public school that Evie would be going to and again I could be at her school with her through 5th grade. I am all about being close to her as long as I can.

The other factor in this decision is the possibility that Ben could get deployed in the next year. If he gets deployed I know I will be very stressed and sad. Being at a school with a very supportive principal and coworkers would be so helpful for me. Plus I think it would be good for Evie if I were right at the school with her, to help her deal with Ben being gone.

And to tell the truth, I love the idea of having an easy job that allows me to take my daughter to work with me everyday. I mean that is like a dream job to me. And as long as Ben is in the Army I don't need health/retirement benefits so badly.

So what do you all think? As it stands I don't have a job offer from anyone. I interview with the public school system April 15th and Sandy (the private school principal) told me she won't have a decision til May. I am not going to turn down anyone til I have heard from everyone. I am not that crazy! ;)

Job Prospects

I wrote earlier about having an interview with the local school board last week. They called me and rescheduled the interview for April 15th in the afternoon. So the suspense will have to keep building on that. This past weekend I took the last teacher certification exam I need to take. I won't know how I did til April 28th. I hope I did well enough to pass but I really don't know. I am not very confident because I am not a great test taker usually. So we'll see how that turns out.

Today is exciting because I just got a job lead from Aidan's mom. I thought Aidan's mom hated me, but I guess she likes me enough to send me a good job lead. There is a community programs coordinator position open at the local arts council. So I emailed them and attached my resume. Hopefully I will hear back from them. I would rather be in a classroom but if that doesn't happen then this job would be really great for me too. And I think I would really enjoy it because I love doing art outreach. So we'll see about that.

I am pretty excited to have both these job prospects right now. I hope one of them works out!

And if you are in Indy then you might be counting down already. For those that aren't in Indy, I am leaving in 3 short days to go to Indianapolis and visit TwinBro and my bestest friends Shrimp Run, Off Gas, Cara and Co, Kara and Co, and Joanna and Co. I am sooo excited!!!!!

Evie spins and falls on a ball

Sliding Time

Dancing!

Bye Gramper

This weekend we went to Blairsville, GA to send Gramper off to hike the entire Appalachian Trail in the next 6 months. We went swimming at the hotel and we went out to eat yesterday. This morning we drove to the trail and said our goodbyes. I am so excited for my Dad but I am also sad that he'll be gone for so long. He will take a break when he is halfway done and come home for a week, that will be so great! So here are pics from this weekend.










Evelyn really loved running around the hotel room with a blanket wrapped around her like a toga. It was really cute!

Good Morning!