Maybe this isn't the most momentous occasion ever, but it has a great impact on me:

I am DONE, and I mean DONE, with Hallmark.

Some of you may be utterly relieved that you will no longer hear stories of customers and whatever happened ornament-related lately, and I don't blame you at all, but being done with Hallmark leaves me with mixed feelings

I don't think it's the store itself. I could care less that I never take inventory on cards ever again, but I think I feel lost because I have been thrown out of my comfort zone.

I worked there for what would be 5 years as of August. I stayed there the entire time I was in college, doing practicums, and student teaching. I was so incredibly comfortbale with this job. I knew what I was doing from the inside-out and I knew all my co-workers really well.

Now I'm home and I think the time between now and when the baby arrives will be the hardest.

I am use to being INCREDIBLY busy. I am use to working about 30-35 hrs a week AND being a full-time student. This past Spring I was student teaching 40 hrs a week and still working about 20 at Hallmark and let's not even talk about the time I spent at the Child Study Center last Summer. I guess I lived in stress and I was use to it.

Now, I am doing nothing but waiting...and taking care of the crippled husband,

so we're actually home together for the time being.

Dave just had knee surgery last Friday.

They fixed his torn miniscus (sp) and he will be on crutches for a few weeks, but is hoping to return to work ASAP. He will be taking a week off for the baby tho :) when she FINALLY comes!!

It's ALSO Dave's bday.

He is TWENTY-FOUR! :)

38wks and job hunting :)

I am 38 weeks tomorrow! That means Rebecca could come just about anytime now.

We are really excited!

At first being a parent fills your head with 100 things at once and makes you nervous, but she is going to come here and turn our lives upside down no matter what, so we might as well be happy and positive about it! There will be lots of stressful things, but there will be lots of fun and good things too!

I am glad to say I am still working about 15-20 hrs a week and I feel well enough to do even more if it wasn't for my feet! So, I am doing really well and feel great other than that random swelling after standing or walking for a while.

The job hunt is looking up as Elementary Teacher positions open up, not only in Hampton Roads, but right here in VA Beach. I have been able to apply for about 10 positions right here in the beach and am hoping and praying these are just the start of more to come!

I also keep telling myself that this can be a last minute thing. Some of my friends didn't get offered their first teaching jobs until August and that was a few years ago when there were a lot more opportunities around here.

...And just to share...

Since I didn't go to my Master's Degree graduation last month and I JUST discovered these pictures hiding on my parents' computer, this is my ODU Bachelor's Degree graduation 2008:

What graduations are really all about is right on David's face!: People sitting for hours waiting for the person they are there for to FINALLY get done with the darn ceremony that has sucked a day out of all our lives.

These are the things we do for people we care about :)