Developments

Since June, things have really been changing at and around the Newberry house - we have a new baby, we are working harder than ever on our marriage and in our jobs, Ethan has changed schools a billion times, and we've moved out, moved in and been everywhere in between. For a while I felt like we were spinning our wheels like crazy and not going anywhere. But now, things are slowing down, and all this time we have been moving, progressing, developing something. I just hadn't noticed it. Payoffs are big!

The most exciting development of late - or literally three minutes ago - is STELLA'S FIRST TOOTH! I am totally not kidding. Stella cut her first tooth, I guess, today or maybe yesterday. Wasn't she just born? I'm sure she has been trying to draw our attention to it for hours, but I discovered it right after she finished nursing. She was singing and cooing and giggling and snorting and gurgling and babbling on and on - probably saying, stop fooling around, woman, and look in my mouth - and there it was! It is the tiniest, white, glossly line on her rudy gum, and it is so cute just like everything about her. I immediately raced in to show Michael, who was equally excited. Before you know it, she'll be losing that tooth, he said.

(Note: One of the awesome things about sharing "Stella - The Experience" with Michael is that both of us had similar circumstances regarding our first-born: we were both very young, in school and more or less single with no one to get giddly over these milestones with. I am so thankful I have such an awesome co-parent to share these developments with).

I am sure Michael will be snapping a thousand pictures of that adorable chunk of enamel shortly, so you will all be able to see what proud parents of a tooth-bearing child we are.

Also, and especially in the last three minutes since I noticed Stella's first tooth, for the last week, I have really been coming to terms with my new job with the University of Phoenix. I think it is fair to say that 95% or more of the people who know me well, know I have absolutely no idea what I want to do in my professional life. That seems to be a given all the way around. However, I know what I don't want to do, and being a recruiter for UOP is up there. The company is actually amazing, but the job is not. Since returning to Newberry more than a month ago, I have been unable to accomplish anything outside of the JOB - including regularly bathing my daughter - because the demands are so much more than I can handle in my new state of double motherhood and wifehood and housekeeper-hood and other such "hoods." So, at least until I find a job that will either be my "calling" or work with my first life - being a parent - I will be postponing my second life - the JOB life. And I am happy about the decision - looking for the right job while enjoying my family instead of just working in the wrong one and hating myself for not getting anything done. I have always wanted a little more time with my kids - something a little girl dreams about when growing up...Or at least I dreamt about it growing up.

ALSO, Michael has decided to go back to school, which has been the blessing of the University of Phoenix, my job from hell. He will be starting, we hope, online classes in December to complete a software engineering degree. I'm sure he will make an announcement of his own with more information for you all. (Honey, I hope you are not mad at me for posting this, but I am SOOOO excited for you. Congratulations).

More "developments" coming soon.