First comes love, then comes marriage...now we want a baby carriage. From the time we were little kids, both Jersey and I have known that we want to be mothers. Before we met, we had individually come to the conclusion that we would even be single mothers if it came down to that. Fortunately, we fell in love and got married, so we don't have to go down that road. Instead, we can share in the joys of mommyhood and we're eager to do so.
About a year ago, I started doing research into how to get knocked up (given the obvious obstacle of being married to a woman). I am one of those types that loves to gather LOTS of information, so that I can make very informed decisions and have time to digest every step along the way. I started charting my cycle and my basal body temperature (there's an app for that!) and registered with a cryobank. Jersey and I read through the profiles of many donors and made a list of ones we liked. I visited my doctor for my annual exam and told her of our intention to use donor sperm to get pregnant in the privacy of our own home. We got hitched and looked forward to our new journey...
...which is so much harder than we thought it would be.
It's not that we expected that we could just buy a vial of the stuff, say abracadabra, and be done with it. We knew it could take few attempts. Still, I'm a healthy 31-year-old from a very fertile family and I have a predictable cycle. More than that, I DID MY HOMEWORK AND I AM DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT! Ah, yes, the perfectionist in me can't stand that I'm really up against something over which I have no control. Okay, I have some control, but it's becoming clear that my eggs and some little frozen swimmers did not pay attention to my many months of research. I don't like that (though I know it's a great peek toward the future baby who will also fail to read the instruction manual). I stopped drinking alcohol after our honeymoon, I've cut back on caffeine, I'm taking a multi-vitamin with extra iron and folic acid, and I've returned to my weekly yoga class. My body is ready...where's the baby?
Recently, a friend/co-worker announced her pregnancy. I knew that she and her hubby had been trying for baby #2 for a while, so it wasn't a total shock. What was a surprise was the instantly awful feeling of jealousy. I am not a jealous person at all and my reaction truly bothered me. I mean, I get it. It's something that I want to announce. She beat me to it and that bummed me out. Still, I am not proud of feeling so upset by it. Then, to top it all off, she miscarried and is now back to the same point I'm at. Yeah, that made me feel pretty rotten, too.
So, we've spent thousands of $$$ so far (vials, shipping, insemination kits, ovulation tests, etc.) and there's no bun in the oven yet. We get discouraged every time this doesn't work, but are keeping a positive attitude about it as much as possible. I'm in the process of making an appointment with my doctor, just to put my mind at ease about anything being physically wrong. We know that plenty of couples take a long time to get pregnant, but it sucks when we have to pay so much to try each month, so we'd rather make sure that there aren't any hidden problems. Honestly, despite the semi-negative tone of this little rant, we know that this will happen for us. There isn't a doubt in our minds that we will be mommies. It's just frustrating buying little vials of frozen goodies instead of using that money for a snazzy stroller or adorable baby bedding. We're ready for our little one, but patience is a virtue.
Right?
Monday, October 4, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Ten Things Tuesday - Wedding Music Edition
Yes, I've completely slacked on my duty to update you all on the wedding festivities. Yes, I have a lot to share. Yes, I'm still delaying a real post about the hoopla. Instead, here is a list of ten songs featured on our wedding day...and a few random pics.
1. "Canon in D" (Pachelbel) - This was the song played as our immediate family was seated prior to the ceremony. It also showed that, really, this was a pretty "traditional" wedding.
2. "Power of Two" (Indigo Girls) - We chose this as the song to be played as our bridal party (our sisters were our maids of honor and our best friends were our bridesmaids) walked down the aisle. It also showed that, really, this was a marriage of two chicks.
3. "Songbird" (Eva Cassidy) - I had known for years that I would walk down the aisle to this song (specifically the Eva Cassidy cover, despite the fact that there's nothing really wrong with the Fleetwood Mac original). Jersey was still trying to find a good song, so I just went about my business and played "Songbird" while she was deciding. When I looked up, she had happy tears running down her face and the most loving look in her eyes. I asked if she wanted to share my walking-down-the-aisle song, and she said yes.
4. "I Gotta Feeling" (Black Eyed Peas) - We really liked the idea of having all sorts of lovey-dovey songs playing as our guests arrived. Plus, we had the above-mentioned songs for the ceremony. So, when it was time to pick a recessional, we knew we wanted to change the tone and start the party. Alas, this was the perfect transition.
5. "I Kissed a Girl" (Katy Perry) - Immediately after the ceremony, our guests went inside for hors d'oeuvres and we stayed outside for pictures; this was our introduction song when we entered the reception. Originally, we were going to give out cherry Chapstick favors, but didn't think many people would get the reference.
6. "Feels Like Home" (Chantal Kreviazuk) - This was our first dance as wife and wife. :) We did a very simple "hug and sway" type of dance...then our bridal party and parents joined in and it was a very cute moment.
7. "Tangled Up Puppet" (Harry Chapin) - This is a song that Jersey's dad played for her all the time when she was little, so it was the perfect sentimental choice for the father-daughter dance. I stood off to the side to let them have their moment, but when he realized that I wasn't dancing with anyone, he let her go and pulled me in for the second half of the song.
8. "Single Ladies" (Beyonce) - Okay, this is totally the obvious choice for bouquet toss songs, but I like it. It's just catchy (pun intended) and fun.
9. "She's a Beauty" (The Tubes) - This is a guilty pleasure song of mine; it would be my theme song if I had one. You can't take all the lyrics literally, but parts of it are quite the ego boost. Anyway, I wanted to work this into the reception, so it was the garter retrieval/toss song.
10. "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" (Pat Benetar) - Cake.smashed.into.face.
1. "Canon in D" (Pachelbel) - This was the song played as our immediate family was seated prior to the ceremony. It also showed that, really, this was a pretty "traditional" wedding.
2. "Power of Two" (Indigo Girls) - We chose this as the song to be played as our bridal party (our sisters were our maids of honor and our best friends were our bridesmaids) walked down the aisle. It also showed that, really, this was a marriage of two chicks.
3. "Songbird" (Eva Cassidy) - I had known for years that I would walk down the aisle to this song (specifically the Eva Cassidy cover, despite the fact that there's nothing really wrong with the Fleetwood Mac original). Jersey was still trying to find a good song, so I just went about my business and played "Songbird" while she was deciding. When I looked up, she had happy tears running down her face and the most loving look in her eyes. I asked if she wanted to share my walking-down-the-aisle song, and she said yes.
4. "I Gotta Feeling" (Black Eyed Peas) - We really liked the idea of having all sorts of lovey-dovey songs playing as our guests arrived. Plus, we had the above-mentioned songs for the ceremony. So, when it was time to pick a recessional, we knew we wanted to change the tone and start the party. Alas, this was the perfect transition.
5. "I Kissed a Girl" (Katy Perry) - Immediately after the ceremony, our guests went inside for hors d'oeuvres and we stayed outside for pictures; this was our introduction song when we entered the reception. Originally, we were going to give out cherry Chapstick favors, but didn't think many people would get the reference.
6. "Feels Like Home" (Chantal Kreviazuk) - This was our first dance as wife and wife. :) We did a very simple "hug and sway" type of dance...then our bridal party and parents joined in and it was a very cute moment.
7. "Tangled Up Puppet" (Harry Chapin) - This is a song that Jersey's dad played for her all the time when she was little, so it was the perfect sentimental choice for the father-daughter dance. I stood off to the side to let them have their moment, but when he realized that I wasn't dancing with anyone, he let her go and pulled me in for the second half of the song.
8. "Single Ladies" (Beyonce) - Okay, this is totally the obvious choice for bouquet toss songs, but I like it. It's just catchy (pun intended) and fun.
9. "She's a Beauty" (The Tubes) - This is a guilty pleasure song of mine; it would be my theme song if I had one. You can't take all the lyrics literally, but parts of it are quite the ego boost. Anyway, I wanted to work this into the reception, so it was the garter retrieval/toss song.
10. "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" (Pat Benetar) - Cake.smashed.into.face.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Time Flies
Well, I had every intention (road to hell, blah blah) of writing much more before my wedding. That's totally not happening. My life has been a whirlwind lately...a good whirlwind, but a whirlwind nonetheless. Work has been incredibly busy and we've been wrapping up wedding details, plus family is arriving. I made it through last week without an anxiety attack, which was pretty impressive. Now, I am living it up this week and enjoying every minute up to, and including, Saturday's wedding.
I'll be posting pictures and filling you all in on more details after things calm back down.
I'll be posting pictures and filling you all in on more details after things calm back down.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Monday Meme
I stole this, as is true of most of my memes, from Mrs. Chili.
1. How old will you be in five years? I will be 36 and that's so strange to me.
2. Who did you spend at least two hours with today? Jersey is too obvious, so I'll go with my new "boss" at work. I'm sure a post regarding my latest occupational adventure will be coming soon.
3. How tall are you? I say 5'5", though I am technically 5'4 3/4".
4. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks? Um, my wedding and honeymoon.
5. What’s the last movie you saw? 2012...I love me some John Cusack, but the movie was a general disappointment.
6. Who was the last person you called? My mom
7. Who was the last person to call you? Jersey
8. What was the last text message you received? Jersey asked me what time I would be home from work.
9. Who was the last person to leave you a voicemail? I don't remember, but it was probably one of my idiot co-workers/clients. And I say idiot because all the smart ones know to reach me via email.
10. Do you prefer to call or text? Text, text, text. I've never liked to talk on the phone, even when I was a teenager. I actually panic when I have to make phone calls, and I usually ignore the phone if it rings (unless it's someone I know very well).
11. What were you doing at 12am last night? I was sound asleep. Long gone are my night owl years. I doubt I'll see another 12am until I am up with a newborn.
12. Are your parents married/separated/divorced? They divorced after 20+ years of marriage. My dad has since passed away and my mom is single.
13. When is the last time you saw your mom? This afternoon. She and I work together, which is awesome.
14. What color are your eyes? Blue-green. I'd say they are slightly more blue, but they become very green if I wear green.
15. What time did you wake up today? A little before 7:00am, and that's with no alarm. For those who don't know me well, that's an amazing feat. I am not a morning person, but I've worked hard to train my body.
16. What are you wearing right now? Jeans, my Angels jersey, and my Angels hat. It's baseball season's opening day!
17. What is your favorite christmas song? O Holy Night
18. Where is your favorite place to be? I love being at home. Oh, but I also love hotel rooms.
19. Where is your least favorite place to be? Hard to say...stuck at a red light? Or in a long line? I'm impatient.
20. Where would you go if you could go anywhere? So many places. Seattle, San Francisco, Southern California, anywhere tropical, New York City, New England. I'm not terribly picky.
21. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years? NOT in Las Vegas. Probably living in either Seattle or New England, raising 2 kids with my beautiful wife.
22. Do you tan or burn? Mostly burn. I've learned to stay out of the sun, or at least cover myself in sunscreen.
23. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child? I don't remember being afraid of much.
24. What was the last thing that really made you laugh? Jersey makes me laugh all the time. Sometimes we wonder if we're too silly because our laugh to cry ratio is about 100:1.
25. How many TVs do you have in your house? 3...the pretty plasma HD in the living room and older ones in the bedroom and office.
26. How big is your bed? It's a queen, but we plan to upgrade to a king when we move in a few years.
27. Do you have a laptop or desktop computer? Both. The desktop is in our home office and the laptop travels with me to work and back.
29. What color are your sheets? Where is #28? Anyway, currently, we are using our navy blue jersey sheets. As the weather warms up we will be switching to our lavender and white plaid sheets.
30. How many pillows do you sleep with? 2...one under my head and one to hug.
31. What is your favorite season? Probably autumn.
32. What do you like about Autumn? It's just a cozy time of year. I also love pumpkin spice lattes, football season, and the baseball playoffs. I'd love the leaves, if I lived somewhere that had any pretty ones.
33. What do you like about winter? More coziness. Lots of family time. Scarves. The quiet of snow (if we ever get any). I guess everything just seems slow and peaceful.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
23 Days and Counting
Wow, I have been gone a very long time. I don't know that anyone will even read this, but I've wanted to write for quite a while...so here I am! There's a ton of stuff about which to fill you in, but I'll try to keep it simple for now. The biggest thing going on? I'm getting married in 23 days!
Yes, yes, yes, Jersey and I did get married in September. That was our legal ceremony in Massachusetts and it was very important and special to us. Having said that, we call that our "legal & unofficial" wedding. On April 24, she and I are having the big hoopla, full of family and friends, pretty gown, fresh flower, open bar "non-legal & official" wedding. We have lots of family and friends coming in from hundreds or thousands of miles away. The past several weeks have been full of hectic planning, but I am trying to enjoy every second of it. Here are some highlights:
- I go to pick up my wedding gown tomorrow. Just a few short months ago, I did not fit into the dress at all. Not even close. About a month after that, the zipper was still a few inches short of it's destination. Another month later and I actually fit into it perfectly. Yes, it took a lot of eating right and working out, but I got into the dress! It's currently having a bustle added to it, and I'm excited to get it back (if for no other reason than the fact that it's become a nice weight loss measuring tool).
- Jersey and I decided to pay to have our hair and makeup done by a professional. It took a while to come to that conclusion, because neither one of us is the type to spend that much effort on our physical appearance and we don't want to look like clowns on our wedding day. Still, we figured that it would be nice to be pampered that afternoon. I did lots of research and read reviews and finally booked a stylist. Fortunately, I also scheduled a trial run, so that we could make sure the stylist understood what we want. Two (yes, two) no-call/no-show appointments later, I fired the stylist and had a minor panic attack about what we would do on semi-short notice. Lucky us...a coworker of mine used to be a professional stylist and she jumped at the chance to help us out.
- We planned to celebrate our honeymoon in Lake Tahoe, CA. Basically, we were just going to rent a small condo within walking distance of the shoreline, so that we could relax and have a very peaceful week to ourselves. There weren't any big plans involved...just hanging out on a blanket by the water. Sounds nice, right? Well, it was perfect until Jersey and I saw a commercial for an Eagles concert here in Las Vegas. Jersey is a HUGE Eagles fan and she has always wanted to see them perform live. The teeny tiny problem was that the concert is the same night as our wedding. So, I quickly put together honeymoon plan B. The Eagles are in concert in Seattle on May 13, the Angels are playing the Seattle Mariners on May 9, and we were already planning to visit Seattle later this year. It's nice when the universe helps out.
- My sister did a kick-ass engagement photo shoot for us and we are putting a couple of those pictures in a signable frame to use in lieu of a wedding guest book. As her gift to us, she also going to frame some of our favorites so that we can put them around the house. Jersey and I are pretty awful at printing and displaying pictures, so we are excited to have some great ones to hang up.
- It will be great to have so much of my family together at such a happy time. My aunt (my mom's sister) passed away in November and many of us gathered in Texas for her funeral. Obviously, that was a tough time for everyone involved and it was especially hard for me to see my grandparents mourn the loss of their daughter. After that, I wasn't sure if many of them would be able to make it to my wedding. My family is in Texas, Illinois, California, and Canada, and after all of the time and money they had spent during my aunt's illness, I just didn't think that a Vegas weekend would be feasible. Apparently, they decided otherwise...my grandparents, two uncles (including the one who just lost his wife), and at least three cousins will be attending the wedding.
Okay, I've babbled enough for now. I know that I'll have plenty to say as we wrap up the details and I continue to stress. Plus, there's all sorts of other fun to talk about. My work is crazy busy, Jersey and I are hoping to start a family soon...life rocks!
Yes, yes, yes, Jersey and I did get married in September. That was our legal ceremony in Massachusetts and it was very important and special to us. Having said that, we call that our "legal & unofficial" wedding. On April 24, she and I are having the big hoopla, full of family and friends, pretty gown, fresh flower, open bar "non-legal & official" wedding. We have lots of family and friends coming in from hundreds or thousands of miles away. The past several weeks have been full of hectic planning, but I am trying to enjoy every second of it. Here are some highlights:
- I go to pick up my wedding gown tomorrow. Just a few short months ago, I did not fit into the dress at all. Not even close. About a month after that, the zipper was still a few inches short of it's destination. Another month later and I actually fit into it perfectly. Yes, it took a lot of eating right and working out, but I got into the dress! It's currently having a bustle added to it, and I'm excited to get it back (if for no other reason than the fact that it's become a nice weight loss measuring tool).
- Jersey and I decided to pay to have our hair and makeup done by a professional. It took a while to come to that conclusion, because neither one of us is the type to spend that much effort on our physical appearance and we don't want to look like clowns on our wedding day. Still, we figured that it would be nice to be pampered that afternoon. I did lots of research and read reviews and finally booked a stylist. Fortunately, I also scheduled a trial run, so that we could make sure the stylist understood what we want. Two (yes, two) no-call/no-show appointments later, I fired the stylist and had a minor panic attack about what we would do on semi-short notice. Lucky us...a coworker of mine used to be a professional stylist and she jumped at the chance to help us out.
- We planned to celebrate our honeymoon in Lake Tahoe, CA. Basically, we were just going to rent a small condo within walking distance of the shoreline, so that we could relax and have a very peaceful week to ourselves. There weren't any big plans involved...just hanging out on a blanket by the water. Sounds nice, right? Well, it was perfect until Jersey and I saw a commercial for an Eagles concert here in Las Vegas. Jersey is a HUGE Eagles fan and she has always wanted to see them perform live. The teeny tiny problem was that the concert is the same night as our wedding. So, I quickly put together honeymoon plan B. The Eagles are in concert in Seattle on May 13, the Angels are playing the Seattle Mariners on May 9, and we were already planning to visit Seattle later this year. It's nice when the universe helps out.
- My sister did a kick-ass engagement photo shoot for us and we are putting a couple of those pictures in a signable frame to use in lieu of a wedding guest book. As her gift to us, she also going to frame some of our favorites so that we can put them around the house. Jersey and I are pretty awful at printing and displaying pictures, so we are excited to have some great ones to hang up.
- It will be great to have so much of my family together at such a happy time. My aunt (my mom's sister) passed away in November and many of us gathered in Texas for her funeral. Obviously, that was a tough time for everyone involved and it was especially hard for me to see my grandparents mourn the loss of their daughter. After that, I wasn't sure if many of them would be able to make it to my wedding. My family is in Texas, Illinois, California, and Canada, and after all of the time and money they had spent during my aunt's illness, I just didn't think that a Vegas weekend would be feasible. Apparently, they decided otherwise...my grandparents, two uncles (including the one who just lost his wife), and at least three cousins will be attending the wedding.
Okay, I've babbled enough for now. I know that I'll have plenty to say as we wrap up the details and I continue to stress. Plus, there's all sorts of other fun to talk about. My work is crazy busy, Jersey and I are hoping to start a family soon...life rocks!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
What to Wear?
Next April, Jersey and I are having a large wedding/reception in Las Vegas in which we will declare our commitment while surrounded by family and friends. Many (many) people have asked which one of us will wear a dress and which will wear pants, as though there is a one-person limit on that sort of thing. The answer is that, in April, both of us will wear beautiful white wedding gowns. While both of us have a distinct tomboy side, we look forward to being princesses on that day.
Then, we started planning the details of our legal ceremony, to be held in MA in September. Since it's going to be such a small (albeit important) ceremony, we figured we'd go get a couple of white sundresses and some sandals; outfits that would be simple, yet cute. So, last weekend we went shopping...
Side note: The stores at the mall, plus the other random chain stores we hit, were insanely crowded! Even more so than during the holiday season. I get that it was back-to-school shopping, but WOW! It seems like the number of people who celebrate holidays is larger than the number of people going back to school, plus the economy is supposed to suck right now, so I did not expect those crowds.
Jersey and I battled the crowds and searched everywhere for great dresses. There were a few that we sort of liked, but we didn't really want to get married in anything that we sort of liked. I was getting frustrated and said, jokingly, that I wished we could just get some comfy matching white sweats and be done. Then I thought. And thought some more. Finally, I said, "I'm not kidding. We should just get something cute and comfy and screw the whole dress thing."
The result:
I can not put into words how completely excited Jersey and I are about finding these outfits. It may seem silly to other people, but they are so perfectly "us" and we're already doing the fancy thing in April, so we don't feel like we're totally disregarding formality. I'm giggling even as I write this post! Ahhh, we are so happy to be getting married and this is like the goofy icing on the cake! Yay!
Then, we started planning the details of our legal ceremony, to be held in MA in September. Since it's going to be such a small (albeit important) ceremony, we figured we'd go get a couple of white sundresses and some sandals; outfits that would be simple, yet cute. So, last weekend we went shopping...
Side note: The stores at the mall, plus the other random chain stores we hit, were insanely crowded! Even more so than during the holiday season. I get that it was back-to-school shopping, but WOW! It seems like the number of people who celebrate holidays is larger than the number of people going back to school, plus the economy is supposed to suck right now, so I did not expect those crowds.
Jersey and I battled the crowds and searched everywhere for great dresses. There were a few that we sort of liked, but we didn't really want to get married in anything that we sort of liked. I was getting frustrated and said, jokingly, that I wished we could just get some comfy matching white sweats and be done. Then I thought. And thought some more. Finally, I said, "I'm not kidding. We should just get something cute and comfy and screw the whole dress thing."
The result:
I can not put into words how completely excited Jersey and I are about finding these outfits. It may seem silly to other people, but they are so perfectly "us" and we're already doing the fancy thing in April, so we don't feel like we're totally disregarding formality. I'm giggling even as I write this post! Ahhh, we are so happy to be getting married and this is like the goofy icing on the cake! Yay!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Life
I've been gone from here for a very long time. I'd apologize, but I'm not entirely sure I'm really sorry about it. I mean, I'm sorry that I haven't been able to connect with the few of you who read me, but I'm not sorry that I've been really busy with life. Let's see if I can catch you up on the highlights...
Work - So, there I was, struggling to keep my job. A job a really don't even like that much. I was thinking about starting a Masters program at night and looking for other employment. Then, the owner of the company for which I work decided to let go of her executive assistant, and she needed someone she trusted to jump in and help while she interviewed for a new EA. I offered, she accepted, and I found myself with a "part-time" and "temporary" second job. What I thought would be a chance to just make a few extra dollars turned into about 35 hours a week for over two months. You see, the owner goes through a very slooooow interview process, so it took her quite a while to find someone.
Once the new EA had arrived, I was busy training her and working on a couple of projects that were already in progress. I figured I'd be around another week or two to wrap things up, but nope. Out of nowhere, the owner's administrative manager/coordinator decided to just bail on the job. Suddenly, the owner desperately needed help filling that position, so I moved over to that desk. It's now been about three weeks and she is really no closer to hiring a new employee. As for me, I'm up to almost 40 hours a week, plus a pay raise when I moved into the second position. So, what's the craziest part about all of this? I'm still doing my regular job...though I now do it in the morning, at lunch, at night, and on weekends. I'm pretty exhausted and a little stressed, but all my extra effort may pay for the wedding. To pay the wedding off without dipping into my normal income would be incredible! Speaking of which...
The Wedding - Jersey and I spent a long weekend in June in New Jersey (with a quick trip to NYC for dinner & drinks) to celebrate our East Coast engagement party/bridal shower. It was a ton of fun to meet even more of her family and friends, plus the extra time I spent with those closest to her. I love that everyone has welcomed me with open arms and I'm glad to be a part of their lives, even in small ways.
We came back to Vegas in time for my sister and T. (my mom's significant other) to arrive in town; my sister stayed for almost three weeks, T. moved here. We all had a great time and spent one night on the West Coast engagement party, which was mostly my co-workers and a handful of friends. Oh, and my sister and I went to try on pretty bridesmaid dresses for her!
Jersey and I really need to finalize our official wedding guest list and send out Save the Date magnets...
The big hoopla wedding/reception for all the family and friends is taking place on April 24, 2010, so we have a bit of time to get our shit together for that, but time flies. Really, I have no idea where the year has gone. And while we may have time for the big hoopla planning, we are getting married in Massachusetts in four weeks.
Repeat.
We are getting married in Massachusetts in FOUR WEEKS! Ahhhh! Ok, I'm really thrilled, but WOW, that's right around the corner. We have a Justice of the Peace and will be getting married in her gazebo, which will be perfect. Plus, given the waiting period and the holiday weekend, we will have some time to relax in New England. I'm very much looking forward to that and have already warned my "part-time" "temporary" boss that I will not reschedule my wedding for her.
TLC - With everything going on right now, I have made a very conscious effort to do nice things for myself (and Jersey) on occasion. In the past several weeks, we've made a trip to a nearby winery, strolled through our favorite outdoor shopping center, treated ourselves to massages, and jumped in the car for a very random trip to San Diego. It's been amazing to reconnect with special moments in the midst of such a crazy time.
Ok, I'm yawning a LOT right now, so I'm gonna stop here...but I'm sure I'll be going into more details about all of this stuff at various times. Thanks to those of you who came back to read after all this time and I really have been reading you, too, even when I haven't had the chance to comment. I'll be back!
Work - So, there I was, struggling to keep my job. A job a really don't even like that much. I was thinking about starting a Masters program at night and looking for other employment. Then, the owner of the company for which I work decided to let go of her executive assistant, and she needed someone she trusted to jump in and help while she interviewed for a new EA. I offered, she accepted, and I found myself with a "part-time" and "temporary" second job. What I thought would be a chance to just make a few extra dollars turned into about 35 hours a week for over two months. You see, the owner goes through a very slooooow interview process, so it took her quite a while to find someone.
Once the new EA had arrived, I was busy training her and working on a couple of projects that were already in progress. I figured I'd be around another week or two to wrap things up, but nope. Out of nowhere, the owner's administrative manager/coordinator decided to just bail on the job. Suddenly, the owner desperately needed help filling that position, so I moved over to that desk. It's now been about three weeks and she is really no closer to hiring a new employee. As for me, I'm up to almost 40 hours a week, plus a pay raise when I moved into the second position. So, what's the craziest part about all of this? I'm still doing my regular job...though I now do it in the morning, at lunch, at night, and on weekends. I'm pretty exhausted and a little stressed, but all my extra effort may pay for the wedding. To pay the wedding off without dipping into my normal income would be incredible! Speaking of which...
The Wedding - Jersey and I spent a long weekend in June in New Jersey (with a quick trip to NYC for dinner & drinks) to celebrate our East Coast engagement party/bridal shower. It was a ton of fun to meet even more of her family and friends, plus the extra time I spent with those closest to her. I love that everyone has welcomed me with open arms and I'm glad to be a part of their lives, even in small ways.
We came back to Vegas in time for my sister and T. (my mom's significant other) to arrive in town; my sister stayed for almost three weeks, T. moved here. We all had a great time and spent one night on the West Coast engagement party, which was mostly my co-workers and a handful of friends. Oh, and my sister and I went to try on pretty bridesmaid dresses for her!
Jersey and I really need to finalize our official wedding guest list and send out Save the Date magnets...
The big hoopla wedding/reception for all the family and friends is taking place on April 24, 2010, so we have a bit of time to get our shit together for that, but time flies. Really, I have no idea where the year has gone. And while we may have time for the big hoopla planning, we are getting married in Massachusetts in four weeks.
Repeat.
We are getting married in Massachusetts in FOUR WEEKS! Ahhhh! Ok, I'm really thrilled, but WOW, that's right around the corner. We have a Justice of the Peace and will be getting married in her gazebo, which will be perfect. Plus, given the waiting period and the holiday weekend, we will have some time to relax in New England. I'm very much looking forward to that and have already warned my "part-time" "temporary" boss that I will not reschedule my wedding for her.
TLC - With everything going on right now, I have made a very conscious effort to do nice things for myself (and Jersey) on occasion. In the past several weeks, we've made a trip to a nearby winery, strolled through our favorite outdoor shopping center, treated ourselves to massages, and jumped in the car for a very random trip to San Diego. It's been amazing to reconnect with special moments in the midst of such a crazy time.
Ok, I'm yawning a LOT right now, so I'm gonna stop here...but I'm sure I'll be going into more details about all of this stuff at various times. Thanks to those of you who came back to read after all this time and I really have been reading you, too, even when I haven't had the chance to comment. I'll be back!
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