Decisions

How to start off this post? Hmmm... Being an adult sucks. Like seriously sucks. Making mature decisions is really challenging. Work, schedules and life goals are hard. Who thought it was a good idea to decide what to do for a career at such an age?

Today another job opportunity came up. Or rather, a continued job opportunity. The job? Nannying for not just my adorable, cute and relatively well behaved niece, but also for a child a couple months older than her. It would be a commitment for several more months, at least to the end of May. Sounds great in many ways, I know I'm good with kids, especially working with more than one and it would be good money. The problem with that is somewhat easy to place. I would be living 3,000 miles away from home in a place where I have made no friends (there is little opportunity to), away from my friends and family. I would miss what could be Anna's last half a year at home before she goes away to college.

In combination with trying to figure that out, I also have to plan for my further education. I know I want to go to college, but for what? Would it be better to get a more generic degree in say, business? Or should I follow my probably unrealistic dreams of becoming a caterer, culinary instructor/leader?

I know what you're thinking. Have I prayed about it? The answer is yes. I have. I've also cried. There is a verse I wrote out sitting next to my bed and I keep reading it. It may not seem fitting, but for me and my relationship with God, it is right.

So for now, I'm waiting and praying. And talking to my family. Here's to challenges and facing them with those who love you most!

Oh, by the way, I was looking up some child care stuff online and was trying to figure out how many years of experience I have... Wow. 

December 2015

Today was December 1st. I could not be happier. December is going to be a wonderful month, routine for a couple weeks and then vacation. Best of all, family.

I celebrated today by making paper snowflakes for my room. Two of these snowflakes ended up in an envelope with my family's address. To add to the collection at home that sits in a snowy fury above the couch. A few more are waiting to be mailed out. But snowflakes were not enough, I combined it with The Andrews Sisters Holidays on Pandora, a cup of tea and Spiced Amber candle. Elsa was taking a nap and I had already worked out, so it truly felt like a break.

Some of the paper I used had this cool swirly design on it and seemed shimmery, so the snowflakes that had this paper looked quite cool. 

What I love about snowflakes is that each one is different, no matter how hard you try. Triangular designs are my favorite. These ones turned out quite nicely although I have had my fair share of hideous paper flakes. 

 Today, Elsa and I sat on Skype watching Anna, Ev and Mom make peanut brittle and caramels. It made me a little upset to not be there, doing it myself. I miss the smell, the stress and the satisfaction. I missed the experience with siblings, singing to Christmas songs and booing when Michael Buble came on or pranking the siblings by playing Country Christmas on Pandora (which sucks). Anyway, part of being away....

Isn't it amazing that I could watch this entire process from 3,000 miles away? Watching how home works from outside is really weird, but interesting. 16 days and 21 hours until I get home. I am beyond excited! 

Balkemania

The Balkema family is special to me. I have spent almost a week with them in New York for Samuel and Lisa's graduation from college, then 10 days in Michigan at their wonderful old brick home preparing for Samuel and Lisa's wedding. The next summer we spent with them as part of our summer road trip. I've seen them twice more since, for another wedding and then this last weekend for Thanksgiving. I didn't think I could love a family as much as I do them in the short time we've actually spent together.

We played so many games of Carcassonne together. I lost miserably so many times, but it was always fun. Susan, Ellie and I went shopping. We got chocolate, Hobby Lobby sales and some clothes. We know how to shop I think. :-)

Decorating a Christmas tree was more fun then I thought, It was a first for me, since my family has never done a tree. It was cool to experience that with such a great family. It was interesting to see their family dynamics and what similarities our families shared. I also figured out where Ev got some weird phrases or dance moves from... Ahem, Bonnie. Seems they spent a whole month together.

The drive back was gorgeous, even though the GPS took us the most absurd route back. Elsa slept for a good deal of it and Lisa read aloud a fun murder mystery called The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. I slept through parts of it, so I'm rereading it now.

Although it wasn't the same as Thanksgiving at home, it was a wonderful weekend. Besides my family, I really missed turkey sandwiches, perogies and dough gogs. I guess next year isn't too far off.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Michigan was good, but different from home. If I had to spend it with any family besides my own, then it would be with the Balkema family. Each one of them is special, they are an awesome combination of crazy, loving, fun and awesome. We ate, played games, ate again, walked, took pictures, hung out, ate some more. It was a wonderful day.

When the table can't fit everyone... Before the food because I loved how the table looked once set. 

By the way, I have the cutest niece ever

Skype and Traveling

Skype has been my best friend since I left home and traveled 3000 miles away. I've Skyped home pretty near every day. Some days we can't think of things to say, so we talk to Elsa. Or just make animal noises. Today, we got to talk to my grandma, Elsa's Great Grandma Z. It was fun to show her off and got Grandma some movement from the picture we post.

We left at 1:30 to Michigan to visit Lisa's family for Thanksgiving. It was a smooth trip up, we made fantastic time and Elsa was a doll, making animal noises, singing her version of the alphabet, eating... 

The moonrise was wonderful and that also helped pass time. That and Samuel let me use his phone as hotspot, so for a few minutes I was able to catch up and forget how long I had been seated in the same position. 

We got to the Balkema's and were welcomed so warmly. They are so special and great fun to hang out with, it feels natural, like second family. They live in a beautiful old brick house and I got the room they call 'the summet room' 

Besides that, checking Facebook this evening reminded me how wonderful the life God has given me is. I live with wonderful people and get to spend time watching and training my niece. 

 Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I will catch you up with my Michigan adventures soon!

Routine before a Break

Lisa wakes me up when she leaves. I go upstairs right after to sleep on the couch and make sure Elsa doesn't roll off the bed. Today, she woke and hour early, but instead of just getting up and throwing my entire schedule off by an hour, she snuggled with me on the couch and fell asleep. I couldn't ask for a more precious snuggle, although I fell asleep too. I think I'm still trying to catch up after the busy weekend.

I'm good at procrastinating. Like really good. The pile of dishes leftover from chocolate fondue over the weekend, the brownie pan, the crockpot and the baking pan from the chicken pot pie sat on the counter and my idea was to soak the nasty ones. It worked, but took me a good amount of time to get back to them. Even now, there are still dishes waiting to be washed.

During Elsa's nap, I worked out, showered and cleaned up some things in my room. I know I have to pack tonight, so I just wanted a little head start. After Samuel and Lisa get off work tomorrow, we make the eight hour drive to Kalamazoo to spend Thanksgiving with Lisa's family. I'm excited. They are awesome. Just imagine a family that has as many kids as my family does as well as the same number of girls vs. boys. It's a party and we all get along. 

I had to wake Elsa up from her nap, so now, I just have to tidy the house and pick up Elsa's toys with her. She get's distracted easily, so I end up doing the majority of the work. We'll put on music, either children's lullabies or Christmas music on Pandora. 

Today, I also hung out on Skype with Mom and the kids while she prepared a brine for the turkey. It was fun and Elsa loves visiting. Missing my friends and family even more this week, but it is only twenty-four days until I get back to Washington for the holidays! 

Adventures in Nashville

Saturday, with limited sun and a lot of rain, we went trap shooting at Montgomery Shooting Complex. It was fun. I've gotten better from the last and won both competitions we did. Just as we finished, it began raining, so it was perfect timing. We got white chocolate raspberry mochas on the way home. It was a good day.

Sunday, Rose, Anna and I left for Nashville early and explored Andrew Jackson's Hermitage. We spent a long time there touring the house and ground in the cold. We all agreed the cotton patch was the coolest part. We had never seen cotton growing before, so it was cool to see how it looks and be able to pick some.

You can't see much, but this is cotton.

After that, we went to the Nashville Farmer's Market, which was quiet since it was Sunday, but we got some amazing Greek food for lunch. We went next to Marathon Village, an old car factory. It had great potential although there weren't a whole bunch of boutique type shops. It is, however, where Olan Roger's Soda Parlor is. I've wanted to go there since it opened a year ago, so I was so excited to go. I knew just what shirt I wanted.

The shirt I got. 

I got a Freaking Foster. It was delicious!

If you haven't watched any of Olan Roger's videos, this is my favorite, although it's a little crass.

To finish up, we went to Fort Negley park and walked around what was left, hit Trader Joes for mints (Elsa loves the regular peppermints and we all love the green tea mints) and then Walmart before home. It was a blast of a day and felt like a true break from the routine I was in.

The rest of the weekend was spent playing cards, eating probably way too much and playing with the most adorable niece in the world. She circled around for kisses, hugs and stories or just to hang out. What a doll.

So, the weekend's over and Monday will be long, but I have an awesome new shirt to help the day out!