New Job

Life never goes the way you plan. After Michael passed his first actuarial exam last November, we made big plans for ourselves:

He was going to get a job by February or March. We were going to re-locate to wherever it was he got that job. I was going to get a travel position which would give us a lot of extra money and free housing as long as I was working for that company. This would give us the opportunity to save, save, save, and after 6 months or so, we would have enough money for a sizable down-payment on our future home which we would move in to and live happily ever after.

Reality:

After 8 months of applying for actuarial positions all over the country, and being told that entry level jobs require "more experience," Michael got a new job as a data analyst at 1-800-Contacts (which is where he has been working for the past 2 years). It is not an actuarial position, but it is in the statistics field, which will give him the "experience" he needs. I will not be taking a travel job since we will not be moving , which takes away from my potential to save, save, save. We are looking to get into a new house pretty soon, where we hope to live happily ever after... for a little while... until we can get something better. Oh yeah, and now we are going to have a baby...

So the moral of the story is don't count on your plan. It rarely works out. The good thing about it is that a lot of times it works out better. We are very happy that Michael found a job in his field and now we will get to be close to family when the baby comes. Maybe this way is better... We'll see.

My Five

Maria "tagged" me to do this a while ago. I usually don't participate in such activities (it's just not my style), but I am going to indulge just this once. Plus, I feel like I haven't had anything to write about for a while.

10 years ago:
1. I was just starting my first year of high school at dear old AF high
2. I rode to school every day with my sister, Tara, who drove a car that looked exactly like the DeLorean from Back to the Future
3. I had just gotten my braces off (after 3 long years of metal mouth and head gear at night)
4. I was playing on the soccer team for my high school. I felt pretty special because they bumped me from JV to Varsity (I didn't play much Varsity... I think they just needed an extra body)
5. I had a big crush on Avery Johnson (who later became my first kiss)


5 things on today's to do list:
1. Work
2. Make tin foil dinners and other preparations for tonight's big camping trip
3. Try to talk Michael out of going camping because it's too cold*
4. Be a good sport and go camping anyway
5. Freeze to death and wait until morning

*Normally, I am a huge fan of camping. I especially love it on warm summer nights. Unfortunately, because of my extreme nausea (which is getting better), we have been unable to camp this past summer. Michael wants to make up for it now. I struggle when it's cold. I'll be sure to take many many blankets.

5 favorite snacks:
1. Rice crispy treats. I love them so much I think I could eat a whole pan in one day.
2. Chex Muddy Buddies (I sense a cereal based theme)
3. Peaches. Late summer/early fall is my favorite fruit season.
4. Green shakes (when I 'm not pregnant)
5. Chips and Queso from Cafe Rio. If you haven't indulged in this delight, I highly recommend it. Don't do it too often or you will clog your arteries.

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Start more orphanages. A few years ago, I spent 3 months volunteering in several different orphanages in Quito, Ecuador, and I fell in love with those children. There are so many children in the world who live on the streets and I would like to alleviate some of that.
2. Pay for free health clinics for the un- and under-insured in this country. I have volunteered as an RN in a free clinic here in SLC and you would not believe the need.
3. Travel. I love to travel. My first stop would be Machu Pichu. Then I'd go to Thailand. I want to see the pyramids in Egypt and the Great wall of China. Oh yeah...Stonehenge, Easter Island, Galapagos Island, Alaska, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Europe, EVERYWHERE!
4. Pay off all of my debts and the debts of my family members.
5. Hire a full time cook for my home

5 places I have lived:
1. American Fork, UT
2. Salt Lake City, UT
3. Quito, Ecuador
4. Midvale, UT
5. Back to American Fork

Baby Boy Bird!

Our baby is a boy! Yea!

Millions of Peaches

I am so happy that peach season has finally arrived. I have been waiting for it since last October. For several nights my dreams have been filled with beautiful, fresh, ripe peaches. I was eating them and they were delicious. When I woke up, there were no peaches to be had. So I bought some at a local fruit stand. I ate the few ripe ones, but most of them are still sitting on my table in a brown paper bag ripening.
This morning, two of my dear, dear patients brought in baskets full of ripe peaches right off their trees. I've been gorging myself all morning, and there are more coming...