been a long time

Recently, I got annoyed that a friend hadn't updated their blog, and then I realized I hadn't either!!

It's been probably three weeks and work has been very busy, so I didn't have time to update! Plus, once you've gone a few days, then weeks, without updating, its a daunting task!

Anyways, we went to New Hampshire camping with our extended family like we do every year. i was very excited for it because my sister and her family were going to be camping with us this year (usually they stay in a hotel, but they decided to rough it with us!)
We camped right next to my parents and on the other side was Becky's family. Maddie was so great the whole weekend and we had such a fun time.

We went to the beach two days and she LOVED the ocean (as we knew she would!)

Then, the best news of all happened on Friday. Let me tell you how it happened:

Thursday night Ryan received an email on his phone from the MTEL people. All he could see in the subject line was "Your MTEL results" so he looked at his phone and then immediately was nauseous and put his phone back in his pocket! That was at about 10pm.
We went to bed at 11 and as we were about to fall asleep, he said, "I have a dilemma"... knowing nothing of the email, I asked, "what??" So he explained that he received this email and was so nervous he couldn't read it! I made him give me his phone and I read it... All it said was, "Your MTEL results will be available tomorrow after 5pm"
UGHHH!

All that panic over that?!?!

So then the next day, we were going to go into Portsmouth to go to lunch with my parents and knowing from previous times, Ryan knew he'd get his results via email around 1pm (even though he freaked last night, he knew that they usually send them out around 1pm every time on the date they say they'll be available.)
So, before we went to lunch, he said, "I can't find my phone" it was somewhere lost in the tent. So I told him to just leave it there and we'd look for it when we got back. That way he wouldn't be checking it the whole time at lunch!

He did and we had a great lunch.

after lunch, we came home and I put Maddie down for a nap and laid down myself. Ryan found his phone right next to the air mattress and laid down next to me. We looked at each other, both of us feeling sick to our stomach's! I kept saying, checking it now isn't going to change the results, lets just check it. And Ryan laid there holding the phone... and holding the phone.... and putting the phone down... and holding the phone again.... So finally I grabbed the phone and said, "i'm going to look" and he grabbed it back and said, "no wait... I'll look."

And I laid there... and he checked....

"THANK YOU GOD I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!"

I can not tell you how excited we all were... My parents came running over, Maddie woke up so I was hugging her crying, laughing, shouting!! My dad cried, my mom cried, Ryan was screaming!!!

Oh what a great feeling!!!

That night, we got a little tipsy with my parents while celebrating... Ok, we were down right drunk with my parents and it was hysterical!!!


Then I came home and went right into my busiest time of the year! RA Training. About 12 hours a day of nonstop working with Resident Assistants. Luckily I have 7 great RAs that are pretty good at things, so I'm happy!!

Included are a few pics from camping...

Maddie's first smore! Yum yum!!

Gratitude Fri... Tuesday?

Here are the pictures from this weekend, as promised:

That's right, I forgot to post a "Gratitude Friday" the past two weeks... so here it is:

I am thankful for:

my job. I think I've said it before, but I really love my job. I love my bosses, my coworkers, the set up, my students. I love being here for the students. I even love the busy times, like this week. I just got home from work at it is 10:30pm... but I love it!

my mother in law. She is one of the most giving women I know. Really. She quit her job for us a year ago. We didn't know what we were going to do as far as daycare. At one point it was ok becaues I was working 8-4pm and Ryan was working a security job for the college and working 4pm-12am, but that didn't last long. Ryan really hated the job but then was offered a teaching position he couldn't pass up. It was then, that Joan quit her job to come and watch Maddie for us all day. She wont take money for it either. The most she would let us do is get her a credit card and we basically force her to put gas on the card. So really, all we pay is her gas money and she is with Maddie from 9-3 every day. Besides that, she's so supportive, always wanting to help us out financially as well as encouraging us to go out as a couple while she watches Maddie. I just love her.

my upbringing. Specifically that I was raised an Episcopalian. I have so many friends that are catholic and do not practice, feel guilty about it, and have so many questions and doubts as well as contradicting thoughts about the Lord. I am so thankful that I was raised to know God, to love Him and that a relationship between me and the Lord was encouraged and supported.

good days with Maddie. This seems a little silly and obvious, but she has a wicked temper, and we can have some really tough days. Today, however, was a great day. I took her to the mall after work (well, between working during the day and going back after she went to bed) and she was great! Normally she freaks out and tries to grab things off of the racks and is just really hard to handle. This time, I took her without a stroller and she willingly held my hand the whole time, even let me pick her up when needed, and cooperated as I would have hoped.

Maddie's eating. Many parents worry so much about their kids and what they're eating and if they're eating enough. Maddie eats pretty much everything and will eat whatever we are eating for dinner or lunch. Case in point, she had tacos for dinner last night.

I have no idea where those pictures are going to land on here (or if both of them even uploaded), but you get the point!

running. I hate to run, I really do. However, I started running last year to lose some baby weight, and it helped me get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. So this summer when the weather got nice, I started back up with running. I would normally run 1 mile each morning and I was satisfied with that. About three or four weeks ago, I went for a run after Maddie went to bed around 7:45pm and told myself that I would run until it got too dark to continue, thinking I might get a mile and a quarter in. Two miles later, I could barely see the track anymore so I stopped. But I really felt like I could have kept going if it were lighter out! What an excellent feeling that was.

So the next morning, instead of my typical 1 mile run, I ran 2 miles. And here it is four weeks later and I have run 2 miles each morning without fail or pause. And I feel great. I don't feel guilty if I eat junk food (in moderation) and I am energized for the whole day.

I'll end here, but I do have a lot to be thankful for. God has blessed me greatly.

Updates

Its been two weeks since I last updated. I do not like that!

A lot has happened in two weeks. Firstly, we spent last weekend at my parents' and went to Sandy Neck beach with them. They have a sticker, so they can drive right on the beach. It was so much fun and Maddie loved the beach. Then we had my cousin Alan's wedding. VERY Interesting! I had a ball!! I drank too much wine which is always fun!! Becky (my sister) and I danced non stop and just had so much fun together the whole night. (Funny story, we had the same dress on!! different colors, but we had bought the same dress at different times and just thought it was hysterical so we had to wear them to this wedding!! it fit the awkwardness of the evening anyways!)

Last week was simply a full week of working and getting things ready for the students to come back (they come back a week from tomorrow!) I can't believe that this summer is already coming to an end for me!

This past weekend was a blast. We went back to my parents house for the weekend. Friday we went out on the beach again... this time though, we were "spoken to" and given a written warning for drinking on the beach! Oh geeze, I'm an RD and I was written up!!! But then I did what any good RD would do and poured the Sam Light into a Diet Pepsi can and drank it that way!! It was very comical actually, telling my parents how to get by the "no alcohol barrier" with sneakiness that my students use! Other than that, the beach was a great time! Maddie slept on the blanket - even when we moved the blanket to avoid high tide, she stayed asleep as we dragged her up the beach. She was great. Barely any tantrums all weekend!
Saturday, my sister and brother-in-law renewed their vows on the beach in Chatham. They've been married for 10 years and this was their anniversary gift to each other. They had a party with all of their friends over afterwards. That was a blast too. Becky looked beautiful. She bought a white satin gown (which was probably a size 8 because she's done so great losing weight) and just is so happy!
I will post pictures as soon as I upload them.

Sunday, we went to church with my parents (which is a must in my household... I don't EVER remember a Sunday morning growing up where we didn't go to church). I actually love that though. And going this Sunday made me miss church a lot. We NEED to find a good fit around here. My best friends were made in church and through the Lord, I want that for Maddie.

Then we hung out at their house on the back deck.

Look for "Graditude Friday on Tuesday tomorrow..."