progress

When I was a mere 18 months old my parents, concerned about my swollen, stiff knees took me to my pediatrician.  Several x-rays, specialists and hospital stays later I was among the youngest diagnosed cases of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.  Up until I was 13 I still had the braces that I wore that resembled those that Forrest Gump had and just this past week, I shredded 28 year old x-rays of my little body that my parents had been hoarding somewhere since I was one and a half.  I was treated with injections and pills, treated to monthly blood work trips (that I became an absolute pro at - my left arm and an excellent vein for pricking), and a panel of doctors that were, I guess, pretty fascinated by me.  Add in an unexpected and never before seen reaction to the treatment I was on...I was pretty much a regular in the med center.  I went through school being particularly careful and avoidant of most high impact physical activity.  Swimming was my thing, sorta.  Around 7th grade with my flare ups in remission for several years they closed my case and considered my arthritis dormant.   Into my 20's I danced my nights away and later dared to take part in high-impact step aerobics. Loved it.  Then I had my baby.  Postpartum I was hit with the most painful mornings, swelling, and misery that I've known oh so well.  I went back to my specialist and what do you know? A flare up.  I must admit the drugs not are far more intelligent and effective and in a total of less than 3 months I was back on my feet and able to maneuver comfortably again.
Now, its a year later and pain isn't my enemy, its time.  Keeping up with a fitness routine is among my top 5 priorities but time is working against me. I have to be realistic.  As much as I'd like to hit the gym every day, I know that I won't so I have to make very good use of my time, the 3 days a week that I make the time to do it.  The couch to 5K program is blowing up at this time and while I've NEVER dreamed of being a runner, I decided to give it a shot.  It was amazing. Running, in small increments to make it manageable...brilliant!  Its such a great, almost cleansing feeling after I've sweated it out for 30 minutes. (Only 30 minutes makes it even more appealing.)  To know that I have the tolerance to run, even for just a little while, and more importantly, to do what I've never been able to do before, is a great feeling.  And I like it!  I may be getting a little ahead of myself in week 5 of 9 but I'm even browsing around for a fun run to do with my new found skill.  That's when I stumbled upon the Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run.  Unfortunately, its only in San Antonio...but running for a cause?  Bingo.  I can't wait.  I wish I the doctors that knew me as a sad, scrawny knock-kneed toddler could see me now. 

falling into place

It was just this afternoon when I was riding back from Port Arthur with my coworker and it has just turned 1:00 pm and it was quite clear that my work day was over.   How do you make a Friday even better??  That's how.  I went home to my hubby who had just brought home the newest addition to his precious (albeit earned) collection of bicycles.  He was still glowing a little from the test ride he had taken at the bike shop.  I had an hour and a half to kill before my doctor's appointment and I got to spend it with him.  Normally, he would have already been on his way to or already at work (and so would I) but it hit me: it was falling into place. Our jobs have finally allowed us to be close to home...and those same jobs are making it possible to continue to make this house a home and this family to grow.  I can't remember another day that I was afforded such personal freedom by a job.  A JOB gave me freedom...I've always known jobs to do the opposite.  Its pretty awesome.  So its now a mere 4:53 in the evening and I'm waiting for Kylie to sleep off a late nap before we have our first of many Friday Mommy/Daughter girls night.  I'm happy.

Here I YAM!

GASP!!!! I’m coming up for air from the crazy life I’m leading these days.  I don’t even know where I’ve left off.  At least once per day I think of something I need to mention or talk about and I leaving a mental note for myself just isn’t cutting it.  I’m thinking right now of like a gazillion points to make but at the same time my mind if collapsing on itself. So let’s start with my new job.  Love it.  There was fear.  Never the kind that made me wonder if I had made the right choice, just fear of the unknown.  It is a small office of a rather large company, but small offices can be more cliquey than anywhere else but its not too bad. My coworkers are pretty awesome and the guy who is training me is phenomenal. I have, and will learn a lot from him.  The paycheck is really nice and so are the hours.  Being close to home is a blessing, and with our schedule changing again because of Nick’s new job, being nearby is a must.  Kylie is a little weirded out by her schedule in the morning. It used to be get up and rush out of the house, but now we have a nice long leisurely morning before school.
I've been casually following the Couch to 5k program.  Never have I been a runner. In elementary school we used to do walk/jogs around the green belt.  Putting aside the fact that only like 4 students totally could actually sprint the whole loop, actually expecting a 5th grader to exert themselves in such a way is completely unreasonable.  So here I am 20 years later trying to prove to my left and my gym teachers of yesteryear that I CAN run 3 miles.  Surprisingly the knees are holding up.
I have not been to productive with the crafts lately...except for surfing my favorite blogs for projects to add to the to do list.  I think is going to come down to a week's worth of evenings to be devoted to craft projects.  I'll commit myself to that right now for the week if the 14th.
Kylie is still a little spitfire.  In the last two days she has been making more organized vocalizations.  I think the language explosion is about to happen for her.  I really can't wait to hear what she has to say.  Right now, she says dog, bath, duck and door with so much gusto you would think its Christmas morning. Conversely, she is grunting (or whining) and pointing a lot too. 
I guess I needed to surface real fast before 2 months passed with no post.  With the holidays coming up I feel like the next 6 weeks are going to be such a blur.  Life already goes too fast as it is.

iLove!

Interests today-

What I need most: a vacation and another bedroom in this house
Who I miss: Corinna! (Suck it, Gil!  or Suck a Dill!)
What hurts me: watching my mom become a different person
What tv show I'm into: Boardwalk Empire (i heart anything gangster)
What I want to know more about: aside from my new job...?
What I want to see play out: my attempt at Couch to 5K, how will it end?
What seasonal dish do I want: My mom's sweet potato casserole!
How I'm gonna spend my extra hour before work: watching GMA and cooking breakfast or maybe hitting the gym
Who makes me laugh: My sister almost always, and Paul Rudd, and Laura

Any given day: stroller view

We started going for walked after dinner in an attempt to keep this chick up a little later than 7pm. (Poor me, right?)  So as always, and much to my delight, Kylie makes herself uber comfy and enjoys the ride.

thenext chapter: the new job

I left my previous "situation" last Tuesday after a very nice send off lunch and just a few tears.  It was harder than I thought leaving the Firm.  I was 26 when I started there and while I was there I moved in with Nick, got engaged, got married, bought a house, and had a kid.  It was a busy time, and I had pretty awesome people seeing me through it from 9-5 and sometimes after.  Plus working downtown was pretty awesome.  I was in the heart of a pretty awesome city, dressing the part of a "professional", and all around me there were people bustling and the buzz of commerce in the air.  The choices of food was just about endless and aside for the commute I think it worked out pretty damn good.  So nope, no regrets there.   I was able to leave on a good note and that is how I like it.
I took the next few days following to do a little back to work wardrobe refreshing, run some pesky errands, and spend some time with my two favorite people.  I took Kylie to the park and we fed the ducks, we took her to the zoo, and we had some relaxing time at the house under the shade of the big tree in the back yard.  I really couldn't have had a more enjoyable few days. Everything, including the weather, fell into place wonderfully.
Now its Sunday evening.  Close to crunch time.  I need to figure out what I'm going to make my first impression in.   So many phrases come to mind when trying to sum up the importance of a first impression.  No pressure, right?  If I hadn't gorged on queso and TWO meals in one day I may stand half a chance to fit into a couple other outfits...but yea, cheese was way more gratifying yesterday. Boo, bad decisions.  I'm not nervous yet, I'm actually pretty pumped.  I love to learn and feel productive and tomorrow will be information overload.  Its a new start, and one I am very grateful for, at that.   So while the rest of my thoughts solidify into another post, I'll follow this up with some disorganized thoughts, which are, IMO, thoughts of the most entertaining kind.

New Job and what's to come!

I can finally say I am the proud owner of a new job.  Excited does not cover it.  I'm happy in the fact that I wanted a job closer to home, and I needed a good raise, but I am sad about leaving my dysfunctional work family.  I've grown so close to these people and they have been with me through a wedding and a baby and if that doesn't create a bond, nothing will.  I really could see myself staying at this job if we were about 3 years in the past but I came about 3 years too late to this party and now its time to go.  I'm moving forward to (what I hope is) a really good place with more good people to be around.  I'm excited to have a commute 15 minutes long and to add a gym time back into my weekly schedule.  I'll be able to feed Kylie breakfast in the morning before we go to our respective daycares and we'll leave the house at 8am rather than 6:45. I could not feel more lucky to have my checklist of job must-haves complete.  The new chapter starts October 4th....Which brings me to my next big event that will punctuate the end of my first week at my new job: my 30th birthday.  Thirties, here I come. I'm at peace with it.  I'm not necessarily excited or disappointed.  I have a lot to show for 30 years on this earth so what is one more year?  I hope to celebrate the occasion with several of my favorite people.


The next few months are shaping up to be a blur running all the way up until Christmas.  Birthdays, craft getaway,  babies due (not mine),  holiday preparations, Thanksgiving,  hopefully a short vacation, Christmas, New Year.  I'm happy to say I have my Christmas list already started and even a few things checked off of it.  I need to remember next year to start a Christmas club account (like I say every year).  I wonder if its too late?  I have so many good ideas swimming around in my head lately and Its not overwhelming my like it normally does.  Oh and of all the overwhelming things, I'm preparing for the PHR certification test.  I hope this time next year I'll be able to add PHR to my title. Oh how fulfilling that would be.  So much excitement to come, before I know it its all going to be here.