.the future.

I just applied to two different positions. (and I literally mean just) I am graduating in a few months and I really want to get a job right away. I know how difficult it is to find work currently and I figured that if I found something that I wanted, I might as well apply for it. It is funny, graduating with a business admin. degree is like a wild card in uno- really it can be whatever you want it to be. A while back my Dad asked me what I was planning on using my degree for. I had no idea. I think that I spouted off something about HR or something like that. However, I really didn't know until last Saturday morning.

I was sitting half asleep in a class and a "career counselor" came in to talk to us. I was getting annoyed with this women trying to explain how easy it really was to figure out what you were supposed to do with your life. She mentioned a whole slew of self examining career tests that we should all take. Yeah, I have taken them all and according to my personality and "likes" I should be a marine biologist or in retail. Um... no thank you. I don't care for science too much and well, retail isn't my life long dream. (although I DID have a lot of fun when I worked at the Home Depot but I digress) I have taken some tests that have told me that I need to be an entrepreneur and others that told me that I need the consistency of government jobs. Honestly, I think that I would do best in a structured job like within the government or in other large organizations.

Anyway, that is when it hit me. When I was sitting listening to this woman talk I got an envious feeling. She was viewed as an "expert" by everyone in the class (well except for sour ole me). She was super organized. She had color coded flags on her sheets that matched the colors that she used in each section of her powerpoint presentation. She was super structured and everything was arranged perfectly and I was getting excited. To some that don't know me so well, you might not understand but I am a complete control freak that needs and dare I say thrives on organization. I make endless lists. (sometimes even lists to remind myself to make lists) I function best when I have everything all lined up perfectly and all is clear. Dan makes fun of me for this but I actually now think that it is great.

I decided at that moment, while getting envious of this woman's incredible organizational system, that I needed to put this umm, nuance of mine to work... literally. I want to be an adviser. I want to help others become organized or if not that, do all of the work and tell them what they have to do. I want to work for a University's admissions office or Financial Aid office. I just applied for one of each of them. I would love to be an academic adviser but you need a masters for that. I sort of wish that the two jobs would be smooched into one as each of them has superior points. One is for my current school University of Baltimore in the admissions office. The job would be fun and I would be so proud to work for my school but the pay is well, not the best at all. Then the other job is for the financial aid office at Johns Hopkins University. The pay is better but it isn't my school. I most likely will not get either job since the market is so tough and I have been out of work for so long (Quinn is 3.5). However, I am starting to feel like myself again and it feels good.

Rock

The other day Quinn and I had the funniest conversation.
It went something like this:

I was in the shower and Quinn walked in the bathroom wearing a brown fedora hat, 2 pink scarves, her pink sparkle shoes AND her puppy purse with her Strawberry Shortcake doll in it. She was dancin and prancin around the room.

Quinn: Momma- check out my fancy dance!
Me: um... what? (peaks head out) oh yes honey, you are a great dancer. and since you have been going in the potty so well and are in big girl undies, it is almost time for you to get to go to dance school.
Quinn- (stops dancing) no Mom, member? I said I want to go to Rock and Roll school.
Me: Oh yeah, that's right... (resumes shampooing hair) and what do you want to learn at Rock and Roll school?
Quinn: Well, I wanna learn tar {guitar} and sing in miccaphone, or lots of other in-sa-mints, and wear fancy clothes and do fancy dancing. (all with major pitch fluctuation) I just know I will be a Rock Star.
Me: You just know? How do you know babe.
Quinn: I jus feel it inside. Like when I need to go poop.
Me: AHAHAHA (shampoo burning eyes and laughing at daughter after she shared her dreams with me... nice Mom)
Me: Oh Q~ you will be the best rock star ever.
Quinn: thanks Momma, now I needa go practice.
Me: um, ok bye!

Seriously she makes me so happy.

Spoiled

This Valentine's Day Dan spoiled me rotten. (and I am loving it!!)
Since we are a wee bit tight with money, I often go without my "wants" (and honestly sometimes needs). I don't mind, honestly. But, this Valentine's Day Dan told me that he wanted to spoil me and give me what I always deserve.

He got me a new pair of brown boots, a new pair of sneakers, a new pair of light brown heels, and two new pairs of heels. He also got me two new Vera card wallets AND an awesome set of Vera stationary. Then he got me a perfect dress from DownEast that I have wanted - it looks so good on too! He also got me some lovely flowers. They are lilies, sunflowers, roses, and some other little pink and white wild flowers that smell so nice.

Then, to top it all off- today he came home from work with a new laptop!! I am on it right now. I am so happy. We moved all of our exercise equipment into the guest room and therefore don't have room for a computer desk in there anymore. So the big old computer was on the dining table and we were eating on our small kitchen table. Now I can just use this laptop to do all of my school work. We can have our table back and we can finally drop those extra 15 that we gained while quitting smoking. yeah!

Boy, I am so lucky to have such a great husband.

60 years.

A weeks ago Dan's MomMom and PopPop celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary!
It is so impressive and inspiring. When Dan and I celebrate our 60th, he will be one month away from 90 and I will be 84. Dan's family had a wonderful celebration in honor of their day. We had great company and food!

We tried to get some pictures too! This is MomMom and PopPop and most of their GreatGrandkids.

This is most of the whole group


At the celebration, Quinn's cousin Michaela sang a lovely version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. She has a GREAT voice. I got a small clip of it.



Then Quinn had to follow and sing her own dedication. Quinn walked up to the mic. (I was SO nervous as to what she was going to say) and she said "I don't think that my voice will work" (cause she was nervous) and then she decided to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"- well, her own version of it because she was a wee bit nervous.
In the clip you get to hear her sing "In all the world, In all the stars twinkling". (and then my battery died)

my big girl

Quinn just came up to me, clasped her hands together, and said, "The thing aboh Gilbert is that sometimes he jus wans ta play all of tha time with me and I am tryin to do my work books. He is jus a silly willy tha likes to bodder me when I don't wan ta play. sometimes tha happens an I don' wan ta play, ya know?".

Seriously, she is so grown up.

Quinn's Pictures

Quinn got a digital camera from Santa this year.

She has taken 100s of pictures. Unfortunately, most of them are so dark and blurry that we can't tell what it is. She pushes down on the button so hard that she grunts a little and her fingers shake! With that being said- here is her first gallery!

Kitchen Wall

Daddy - being silly

Zelda

Grandpa

and PopPop

Interchangeable dressing teddy magnets

and a close up of Grumpy Bear

Momma cooking with Gilbert watching

Momma- when she had pink eye!

Gilbert

Clifford

Cheese!

Momma doing the dishes

Daddy's 'tar

Surprise Attack on Momma

Daddy's foot

Surprise attack on Daddy

Amazed

Yesterday we all went to Uncle Richie's house to celebrate my Dad's 53rd birthday. We had a great time- for some reason I didn't take any pictures though :(

On the way home Quinn and I were talking about how when she is fully potty trained she will be able to go to "dance school". This has worked as an incentive many times before. We talk about all of the cute dresses and shoes that she might wear. We discuss how she will wear her hair and meet new little friends.

This time was different though. When I told Quinn yesterday about dance school she was quiet.

Then she asked me in a super shy voice if she could go to "rock and roll school".
I asked her to repeat what she said and she replied that she "wanted to learn to play a 'tar ".

I almost started to cry. I know it might not seem like a lot but I LOVE seeing what Quinn wants to do, what her interests are. I love that she was nervous to ask to do something other than what I though she wanted- but still did. She has her own interests and wants to express herself.

Dan and I are already looking into getting her a little 'tar of her own. For a while Dan can teach her. He is so talented and it will be a fun activity for them. Plus, this way we can see exactly how interested she is in learning- after all, she is only 3