..and the big news is...

You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Well, it's big news in my world, at least :-)

I have accepted a new job!

Through all of my ramblings on this blog about not living up to my potential, not being paid what I am worth, not challenging myself, etc... I finally put my money where my mouth is, so to speak.

After two grueling interviews, lots of prayers and lots of, ahem, drinks ... I decided that this was an incredible opportunity I could not pass up.

I will be working as a web content specialist for a world-famous medical institution. And if you know where I live then you can fill in the blanks. ha.

This kind of goes against my wish of spending more time at home with the boy. But such is life. The timing might not be perfect but when is it ever perfect?

I am leaving a job that I have come to love, and for that reason I am having some major panic attack moments. Did I make the right decision? OMG, what the hell am I doing leaving a job that I love???

But the bottom line is this: I am excited for my new adventure. It will be challenging. There will be moments of doubt and frustration. But in the end I need to do this for myself and for OUR future.

And guess what? I could love my NEW job, too.

So ...

What does this mean for this blog?

I am going to put it on hold for the moment. As I transition from my current job to my new one I will have even less time to blog. I know what you are thinking: "How can she blog any less than she already does (or doesn't)???" I know, I suck at blogging right now. But my focus is elsewhere.

I will be posting things from time to time here, but not often.

However, if you would like to keep up with me on Facebook, Twitter, or my other blog please feel free!

Thanks, all! xoxo

Your Assignment and ... My Response

If you read my post from Friday you will already know that tomorrow is the big 77kids Do Good Day! Our Minnesota Mom Bloggers Do Good Day Team will be at the Minnesota Science Museum from 10am-1pm. Stop by and say hi!

And speaking of that, Erika came up with a great way that YOU ALL can get involved in this Do Good Day, too. So, here is your assignment:

~Write post about how you do good for others or for your community. Then go to The Girl Next Door Grows Up and LINK UP tomorrow!
* What kind of random acts of kindness do you do?
* Have you ever paid it forward? How?
* What will you do today that will make someone smile?

~If you can’t write a post, come back here on Wednesday and leave me a comment about something--one thing--that you did that made someone smile.


Now...I need to respond to Erika's post about how she is so nervous/excited to meet us bloggers in person that she is, frankly, a little nauseated.


Dear Erika and Do Good Day Team:

I am excited to meet you ALL in person tomorrow. Super, duper excited! I always love to meet bloggers in person because if I have been reading you blog that means I know you already, right? :-)

It definitely feels *safe* sitting and blogging from the relative anonymity of your computer. But that is a false sense of comfort! The truth is that we are all real people!!! So meeting in person, while in theory fun and exciting, could also be stress-inducing. But here is what I have to say about that: It's ALL GOOD. I know I will adore each and every one of you, therefore, I am not stressing in the least.

In response to Erika's post I will list some things that I think would be helpful for you all to know about me in advance of our meeting tomorrow:

1. My hair is all kinds of not fabulous right now because I refuse to pay more than $20 for a cut and color. Total. It's super awesome.

2. I do not go potty 100 times an hour like Erika, in fact I am the opposite. I have a bladder of steel and I am made fun of for it. That's just how I roll.

3. I tend to giggle when I am nervous.

4. I am nosy and will ask you a million questions about your life and your family. You have been warned.

5. The back left tail light is out in our van. So if I am late it means I have been pulled over. Or I am getting a coffee. One or the other.

6. I will only do a vlog with Erika if we can also videotape her running. Those are the rules, my dear, take it or leave it. :-)

I will have my camera with me and will be doing a "Meet the Team" post after Do Good Day. So, watch out! I might post the outtakes, too :-)

Love,

Feel Good Friday: Do Good Day Preview!

There are few things in life that I enjoy more than cute kids clothes and doing something good for others.

So when I got an email several weeks ago from my "sister" Erika (if that is her real name..hahaha) over at The Girl Next Door Grows Up, I couldn't believe my eyes!

77kids by American Eagle has teamed up with The Motherhood to put together an amazing group of 77 mom bloggers from around the country to help them DO GOOD in their communities. (They are calling it "Do Good Day") AND as an added bonus we also get to help them launch their brand new stores. What could be more perfect?? AWESOME!

I am priviledged to be working with a group of 6 other Minnesota Mom Bloggers. We have been emailing and planning like the crazy women that we are, and are happy to announce that we will be DOING GOOD at the Science Museum of Minnesota from 10 am - 1 pm on July 14th! If you are in the area please stop on by to say hi!!!

We will also be helping 77kids open their brand-new store at the Mall of America on July 31st!

You will be hearing so much more about this project, and the other mom bloggers in the next few weeks so stay tuned...

Check out Erika's post for a few more details and links!

Know what else makes me FEEL GOOD today?

100 Followers! THANK YOU, everyone!!!

That's What She Said

Grant and I do not have a perfect relationship or a perfect marriage.

This is not a news flash. No one does.

But in so many ways we are perfectly matched.

For instance, we are both the biggest nerds you will ever meet. Ever. Hands down. Huge geeks.

[pause for laughter and head nodding from those who know us in real life]

One example of what gigantic nerds we are happened last night.

Let me set the stage: We had just put Miles to bed. I was laying on the couch and Grant was sitting in the chair right next to the couch I was laying on. We each had our CrapBerry in our hands. What follows is the conversation that we had (the EXACT, word for word, letter for letter conversation) via CHAT on our BLACKBERRYs as we were sitting right next to each other. Nerdy.

Grant: What are you doing?

Anne: None of your business.

Anne: Want to watch True Blood?

Grant: Sure.

Anne: Ok, let's go.

Grant: Ok.

Anne: Nerd.

Grant: Vampire Geek.

Grant: We use punctuation more than other texters!

Grant: And CAPITAL LETTERS

Anne: I like correct punctuation, grammar and spelling. No matter what.

Grant: Your a good spellir;

Anne: We shld go down their now and wartch dat telervision show'

Grant: I want to do bad things to you. (It's a line in the theme song, don't get any ideas.)

Anne: That's what she said.

Are We There Yet?

My sister and I are 6.5 years apart. And she hated me growing up. I was always the little, pesky sister who wanted to hang out with my older sister and all of her friends. But I wasn't wanted. I was the little sister who tended to be the center of attention. And she didn't like it.

So, we didn't get along.

Until I was 12.

She went to college.

Then she decided that if she didn't have to live with me, I was ok.

I think it took both of us growing up to realize that we were all we had! Each other. Siblings. And we actually liked each other!

And now she and I are very close, thankfully.

It just makes me think about timing. Life is all about timing. (Deep Thoughts by Anne. That one's for you S & S!) When is the right time to adopt a sibling for Miles? How far apart should our kids be?

I think the short answer is that there IS NO ANSWER.

It doesn't matter how close or far apart siblings are. It just matters if it is the right time for your particular family situation.

I keep thinking that I will know when the time is right. I feel like I will know when we are there. I haven't felt that yet. And maybe it will never come? In some ways I feel like our family is not yet complete and that little girl I have always dreamed of has yet to join our family. But again...there is no right or wrong answer here.

When I get the pang for another baby I am often quickly snapped out of it my the shrill screeching of my toddler throwing a tantrum. And then I am back to reality!

So, are we there yet? No. Not yet.

But maybe someday?

Life is all about timing.

A Twittvite

I just Googled "Twittvite" and apparently there is a "Tweetvite" but not a "Twittvite". Should I coin the term??? Will it make me rich and famous??? Probably not. Dammit.

In any case I would like to offer you all a Twittvite, or an invitation to follow me on Twitter:

Anne's Twittvite!

I have recently discovered the power and magic of Twitter, even though I have been on there for quite some time. At first I could.not.figure.out why on earth people liked Twitter. I just didn't get it. I love Facebook but I really just couldn't get into Tweeting.

And then ...

... the clouds parted and the angels sang me a sweet Twitter song.

And now ...

... I GET IT.

Don't ask me to explain it because you have to have the epiphany yourself.

Pray to the Twitter Gods and maybe you, too, can be so blessed.

I tend to be Tweeting quite a bit lately, so come and join the fun!

* Disclaimer: My Tweets are only funny after I've had a few too many drinks.