11 interviews, 8 rejections, 2 unacceptable offers, and...

Finally I have a job. I will be working in the Granite school district as a beginning band director for 8 separate elementary schools. I am relieved to finally be done with the job search, and excited to start my professional career. The great thing about this job is that there are no extra-curricular activites, thus I will be able to compose and perform more frequently.

We have truly enjoyed our time in Duchesne and above all we will miss the people, who have been more than friendly. At the end of the summer we will be moving to the Salt Lake valley.

1 Month

Already?

Now (last Tuesday) Winston is 8 lbs 1 oz, 21 1/2 inches. He's growing, but still just our small little bundle.

My Pregnancy Essentials List

As I’ve reflected on my pregnancy, there are 5 things that really made a difference and helped make the pregnancy, labor and delivery smooth.

1) “Yoga for Your Pregnancy” DVD. A friend of mine loaned this to me when I was about 6 months along. I used it a few times and then purchased one through amazon for myself. Love, love, love it. It even has a postnatal workout, which I’ve been doing for about 3 weeks now.

2) THIS ARTICLE ("the purpose of pain in labor" on page 8 of the PDF file) and “Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth” book. Both of these were recommended to me, by different friends. Going into the pregnancy, I just figured I’d have an epidural birth. The first item changed my mind and the second gave me the motivation and some techniques I needed to go through with the natural labor.

3) Hot water bottle. I had a few days, not really more than a week combined probably, of some pretty intense lower back aches. Mostly on Sundays—probably because I am not physically active on Sundays—no exercise routine, and I don’t walk back and forth between home and the office—and I do a whole lot more sitting (through church, at home, at other church meetings, etc.). Anyway, this hot water bottle saved me from taking any pain medications—it really eased or relieved the pain completely.

4) Itch-relief cream. Starting about 19 weeks along I broke out in a patch of hives on my calves. I periodically became covered in these hives on my arms and legs. Itch-relief (Benadryl) cream, helped keep them from growing and spreading, and took away the itch. So did exercise, I noticed. If I ever woke up with hives (which happened quite frequently), they were gone after exercising.

5) Supportive husband. Sam was great through the whole thing. He accompanied me to programs I had for work—carrying all my boxes of stuff for the presentations, etc. He was also really good to write up our birth plan and packing list for the hospital. He even helped me practice breathing and relaxation techniques for labor and delivery. One day I noticed how HUGE my calves seemed (only that day…they went back to normal after that time I noticed), and I said over and over how big they looked and how I hoped I didn’t continue to swell, etc. During one of our relaxing practices after that, Sam said something along these lines: “…relax your lower back and your legs…you’re calves are small.” I laughed out loud for quite a while. And during labor, he was really great to let me lean on him, or to put pressure against my back, and being an overall great support. All women in labor need a husband like mine.

Success!

Success has many definitions. I believe success is accomplishing a goal--any goal. What defines whether or not you are successful is only up to you and what you want to accomplish in life.

Success isn't always related to money, but it is always related to happiness, in my opinion.

Today, Sam and I are successful. Shortly before we were married, we sat down together and talked about goals we wanted to accomplish. Some of them have been adjusted at times, or pushed down on the priority list, as time has passed, but never forgotten.

One of our goals was to pay off Sam's student loans before they came due (which is today). The first part of this included incurring no more student loans, which we didn't until he went to grad school and had to pay out-of-state tuition (ouch!). Since we've been married, we paid for our undergraduate degrees and my graduate degree by the sweat of our brows--lots of saving and earning scholarships.

Upon starting my job in January 2008, we built a sufficient emergency fund and saved for the last semester of Sam's tuition. When that was completed, we saved and saved (and saved some more) to pay off a total of close to $21,000 in student loans.

16 months later, we accomplished our goal--saving a total of more than $25,000 over the course of just 15 months for those three purposes (and that doesn't include the amount we have been putting into a Roth IRA for the last 3 years; we also did this while living apart--paying two month's of rent each month, etc.)

Today, we are totally. Debt. Free.

And on to our next goals we go, which include building a larger emergency reserve (click here for more information), purchasing a computer and finale program for Sam to further embrace his music composition skills/hobby, and saving for a downpayment on a home.

This goal completion makes us feel like we can walk on water. It is definitely something to celebrate--and something that gives us more incentive to do better and more.

Blessing Day

Sunday Winston was blessed by Sam in our ward in Duchesne. Here are some photos of the day.

Later in the evening, my neice Morgan was blessed in their home in AF. She is about 5 weeks older than Winston.

Where's Winston?

Along with the quilts, he's received a bunch of stuffed friends, too.

Quilts Galore

Check out all the baby blankets and quilts that Winston has received. And this is just the home-made ones, not the packaged kind from stores.

Check them out close-up.

AND, my mom is in the process of making yet one more.

What's a little boy to do with so many quilts?

Go IKEA!

While Sam had a screening interview with Canyons School District yesterday, I bundled Winston up in my sweet mock mobywrap (thanks Amanda for the directions on how to make one) and browsed through IKEA.

I expected to need to feed Winston while I was there. I didn't know where else to go, so I anticipated just sitting in their little restaurant/cafe to nurse him. But low and behold, IKEA is super baby friendly (who woulda thought?).

Their family restroom had a nursing station--complete with a super comfy chair, play table for older children--and even spare diapers, in case I forgot one. Boo. Yeah.

Three cheers for IKEA!

PS All you other moms--any other places that are nursing/baby friendly? (Besides Disneyland, Nan...)