11 years in the making

Nathan officially graduated from college today.  He was done with classes after summer semester, but there was some unfinished paperwork to be done before it was official.  He graduated high school eleven years ago...but before you think he's one of those eternal students let me clarify...he spent two of those years on a mission for our church, he spent another four of those years on active duty service in the US Navy.  So in reality it only took him five years, which is pretty good.  

Here's Nathan in a classic Nathan pose.  

Here he is with his mom and dad.

Here we are - whoo hoo!!

Here he is with my fam.  

I am very proud of him for finishing.  As we were talking about a week ago about his impending graduation, he told me he never thought he would ever go back and finish his degree.  He doesn't think the degree matters because it is 'only' (his words, not mine) a Music Performance degree...but a degree is a degree. 

So how about giving a little blog love to my awesome hubby.

Now that changes everything...

This seems to always happen... we are faced with a decision, we make it and then something comes back and says "Are you SURE you don't want THIS instead??"

We decided about a month ago that we would stay here and Nathan would find a job and I would finish school - as opposed to going back into the Navy. Nathan just got a call from his brother who is still in the Navy and he told us some rather exciting (or aggravating, depending on how you look at it). The GI Bill has been extended to family members of servicemen AND it has been increased AND you now get a housing stipend ontop of the monthly allowance... The catch is this: To have the GI Bill transferred to your spouse you have to have served 6 years active duty and to transfer it to your children you have to have served 10 years active duty. So we fall short of the spouse transfer by 2 years...which is frustrating. Right now we can't afford for me to go back to school - UNLESS we had the GI Bill.

I have to admit that I am tempted to go back into the Navy now just so we can have the money to send me back to school and to send our kids to school (should we ever be blessed with children). The Navy wasn't our favorite thing and I did sometimes HATE it...but would the suffering be worth the payout??

All good (?) things come to an end

I attended Nathan's last concert (well, unless you count his Senior Recital which will be in May) last night. It was Concerto Night with the Orchestra and it was really nice. As I was sitting in the concert hall the finality of it all struck me and at once I was sad and then a wave of worry washed over me. We still do not know what we are doing with our lives post-graduation...which is a little scary because it is getting awfully close. (like 40 days close) And while I have not loved our time here (understatement of the year, right??!?), it is still our home right now, and against all my will I have inadvertently let some roots start growing under my wanting-to-wander feet.

We're trying to flesh out some details on our various options to see which direction we should go. We've sort of narrowed it to two, but those are VASTLY different...different area codes, different jobs, different elevations, different hairdressers (and every girl knows a good one is KILLER to find!) etc, etc. It has all been a test of my OCD to let everything try and work itself out. But if it hasn't worked itself out by the 22nd of May our future may get one big specific push in a Navy direction. That is our 2-year post active duty date...after that date you start losing advancement points, etc...so if all the wrinkles haven't been ironed out by then Nathan may be ironing creases in his shirts again.

I would like to stay here just long enough to finish my degree. I already have two minors completed - the result of two 'false starts' in degree programs I thought I wanted to pursue - plus it is significantly less expensive here...but Nathan needs to find a job that pays well and still looks good on paper (for adoption profiles) - which is tough here. College towns are notorious for their low paying jobs because hey, if you don't want it there are 15 other people in line behind you who will do it or less.

So here's to Nathan catching the job - I'll keep you posted.

!!! GRADES !!!

So I just checked my online account at the University and all my grades are posted....I got:

Social Problems: A
International Relations: B+
Economics: A

So I got a 3.77 for the semester!!

WhoHooo

Woooohooo!

I just got back from finishing my LAST final! It feels so good...and now I think I will go to sleep as studying for these finals has left me rather sleep deprived!

I should know my grades within a week or so, when I find out I'll post them.

I am a freakin smarty pants!

So after my Economics class, the professor called me and two others up and told us we were excused from taking the final - because there was no way we could drop below an A even if we bombed the final, so there was no point in taking it! Woohoo!

Home-Stretch

We are entering the home-stretch as far as school is concerned...this week of classes and then finals is next week! I am nervous because all of my finals are comprehensive

On a sucky note - both our vehicles are on the fritz...Nathan's truck is completely kaput...it won't even start - and just on Saturday the heat went out in my car...and where we live the highs are in the 30's if we're lucky!!

Well, I had better go get some studying in, wish me luck!

The Honesty Police

So I am feeling a bit like a stool pigeon...in the last week I have 'tattled' on 4 people for dishonest acts...now I see FAR more than that but these had effects directly upon me...

First: My boss is stealing from the company...she is ordering merchandise under her maiden name and tearing up the order forms...now if this were a candybar or something that small I would say "ok...so you are a liar and are going straight to hell...just don't make a mess before you go" BUT the business is not doing so good as of late and she is taking HUNDREDS of dollars of stuff...so far over a thousand that we know about. So I mentioned it to the Office Manager...and it got to the owner. The wierdest part is that she will not be fired for it...she is the owner's sister-in-law. Call me callus and rude but if you were stealing from me you'd be fired - even if you were my mother...

Second: there is a girl and two guys who cheat on tests in my Economics class. It is a class of 150 or so, and for tests you are usually sandwiched in tight and they just sit in a row and whisper and help each other out...well the first time I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but myself and the two girls I sit by (and study with) noticed it for the next two tests....normally I would say "ok...so you are a cheat and are going straight to hell...just don't make a mess before you go" BUT the teacher grades on the curve and they are likely getting A's that should be going to other students...grrr...so me (and the other two girls) went up to the teacher after the exam and mentioned it...


So am I a snitch? Or was I right to do what I did?? Shouldn't we stand up for honesty!??

waste of time...

remember how about a month ago I was complaining about an essay I had to write for my Sociology class?? Well this new essay for her class is just as asinine...it could be answered in ONE paragraph yet she wants us to blather on for 1-2 pages...idiot

that week went fast...

Sorry for not writing sooner - last week was a monster. I had 2 exams, 1 study session, a craft night at my mom's, store meetings, a bridal faire, 2 concerts plus all the normal school time and homework...double plus I was covering shifts at work for a co-worker who's boyfriend had open-heart surgery....yikes

I just finished writing a paper on Algeria's position on UN Security Council Reform...before that I read about how socioeconomic status affects crime and violence...I now need to go to bed as it is 1:41am...

BUT good news...I got 24 out of 25 on my Economics test!!!! I am such a smarty-pants! he hee

Week of thunder clouds

So I have known for some time that this week would be a tough one - our baby was due Oct 9th. I have been thinking about it all day and I just can't seem to get the whole thing out of my head. I have been super emotional the last day or so...feeling blue about not having a baby, feeling like I don't belong here - that I don't fit in, feeling just not myself...My therapist had told me (back in RI) that we needed to do something on the due date - something fun that could offer a distraction. The only problem is that I have to work on Monday - from 12-6 and Nathan has school all day...I feel like I am going to need a large dose of Prozac to get through the week...

On a brighter note I found out I got 22 out of 25 on my Economics test - so I have a solid A now...phew...still debating the whole degree thing - I KNOW Liberal Arts would go so much quicker - but Accounting would allow for more jobs once I'm done - BUT I am not really sure I want to be an Accountant anymore - I have kinda thought Marketing, maybe...but who knows, that too could change...

Well I should go to bed - I have to be up early tomorrow.

School

So school is going good - crazy - but good. I have already had several exams in my classes - one class I have already had 2!! I think I might switch majors (I know, again...indecisive me) because if I do Liberal Arts I think I can graduate in 2 more (possibly 3) semesters...which is sooner than I would with Accounting - PLUS I won't have to take Calculus! WooHoo.

So my question to you is: Is a Liberal Arts degree ok...or kind of seen as the 'slacker' degree??

I'm a little calmer now...well maybe not

Ok, so after ceremoniously smashing the mouse and keyboard into the desk...you know, first essay of the semester - I finally finished the essay - it is a bit sub-par, but I was in NO mood to write an essay on Monday so the fact that I actually finished it was pretty good.

So I also had a geography quiz on Africa on Tuesday and I am pretty sure I got them ALL right - depending on how picky the teacher is on spelling...I might have switched some e's and a's around. I had an awesome geography teacher in 9th grade and I knew them all (and not just Africa - the ENTIRE world...he was one tough cookie), it is amazing how many of the countries I knew then don't even exist anymore....hello, Zaire?!
Today Nathan chose to skip his classes, stay home and sleep in our nice warm (winter blankets are on now) bed...funny thing is that I was too tired to tell him to go...I finally drug myself out of the warm cocoon about 12:15, quickly showered and headed off to work. I was exhausted - I felt like I could have slept til next Thursday!

So this morning I checked on our reimbursement $$ from the Navy (for the move) and we are getting like $6,000 LESS than I had anticipated - obviously someone somewhere made a mistake but everyone we talk to just gives us another phone number to talk to someone else...and that just plain SUCKS because that is A LOT of money - the V.A. is also being SUPER slow getting the GI Bill going so we have yet to see any of that money either...yikes.

Well I should go study for my Sociology test I have at 7:30am tomorrow...

Cut the Crap

ok...so maybe living on the East Coast has ruined me, but if you have something to say to me - say it quick and succinct. Don't blather on and on when one sentence will do....this goes for EVERYTHING....so you can imagine how tough it is for me to write a 2 page essay on a question that can be answered in ONE SENTENCE....I have half a mind to write the following:

Using the Sociological Imagination is simply put as being able to see how you as an individual are connected to and affected by the problems facing society as a whole. I don't need 2 pages to say this. It would be a waste of your time to read and a waste of my time to write.

Do you think my teacher would fail me??

Turmoil

I wonder what it is in human nature that makes us always want what we don't have - we seem to think that the 'grass is always greener'...better job, better school, better house, better car, better family, better climate...aaargh.

I LOVE our house - but I miss Rhode Island, now I KNOW that I wasn't 100% happy when we were there - but it seems as though the things that bothered me then have resolved themselves and a whole new set of problems have cropped up...for example: In RI we rarely thought about finances - and I would dare say almost never worried about them. But here money is ALWAYS on my (our) mind(s)...worrying about having enough $ to pay the mortgage and the car insurance and still buy groceries...we still do not have health insurance because it is just too expensive...The Navy still owes us $$$ from our move out (we paid upfront and they reimburse us - and a 2800 mile move is NOT cheap) and the GI Bill hasn't kicked in yet - which has strapped us SO tight...I get wicked heartburn from the whole thing.

Plus - our congregation at church in Newport was awesome...we had so many close friends there who really cared about us...and I miss them terribly. I e-mail back and forth and call, but it just isn't the same. Now here at church we have got a large group of very unfriendly people in this congregation...we even pulled aside one of the clergymen on Sunday and expressed our concern and do you know what he said?: "This actually isn't the first time someone has come to us with this concern."....HELLO!?! Doesn't that send up BIG RED FLAGS?! So right now we hate going to church - and Sunday is the only day I have off (between work and school) so it kinda sucks to dread it...

But on the bright side - I do love being back in school - and I love having a cute fluffer cat to snuggle and a dog to walk and I have the world's best loving-handsome-spider killing-litterbox scooping-put up with all my crap-husband. So I guess I'm doing alright.

Updates!! Updates!!

I love school!! I have loved being back on campus the last few days... :) Although I am generally the oldest one in all my classes and I am older than one of my teachers...he he...

I decided to drop my calculus class - mostly because my teacher can hardly speak English and all the other sections of the course are full...so I will wait until Spring semester...I am not racist or anything I just find it hard to concentrate on learning CALCULUS (yuck!) when I am trying so hard just to understand what my teacher is 'actually saying'...

Even without calc I think I will have a busy schedule - my Economics teacher actually told us on the first day that he didn't expect anyone in the class to get above a 90%...talk about discouraging...and my International Politics/Relations teacher warned us about the work load and suggested strongly that we consider that and drop the class if necessary...so I think I will still be plenty busy.

Having a laptop in class has been SO great...I can take much more efficient notes now because I can type faster than I can write! I just have to make sure to get to class early enough to sit by a power outlet so my battery doesn't go dead!




Work is ok...I just wish I didn't have to work at all...maybe someday...or maybe I could work somewhere where what YOU do is valuable and important to the organization - you don't just clock in, sell/make stuff and clock out..



I am slightly worried...I am almost 2 weeks late and I haven't taken a test yet because it would be not so good to be pregnant right now because we have NO health insurance...and I worry that it is positive and I will lose the baby again - I don't have any symptoms except EXTREME fatigue, which could very well be from starting school this week...to give you an example of how tired I am - I came home from school Tuesday and thought I would take a quick nap before doing homework - I fell asleep at about 5:45pm and woke up Wednesday at 8:30am...that is some sleep! And I slept SOLID the whole night, which is rare, I usually toss and turn. I wondered if anyone else out there had NO symptoms but was actually pregnant??



I miss Rhode Island...simply put. I miss the friends we made and restaurants we used to eat at and our congregation at church there and the smell of the air and sound of the harbor at night...all of it... I was having a really tough time Sunday and at one point a woman came and sat next to me and asked how my new job was (I was shocked anyone actually even remembered) and how we were liking it - I could barely hold back the tears when I said we were having a hard time adjusting...we both have family here but we have no friends - well we have met one couple at church, but they are not close friends (not yet, hopefully eventually)...no one we can call to go to a movie or come over for dinner...and it is not for lack of trying - we just don't fit in the normal 'mold' for couples our age here...we have no kids where most have at least 1...and they all congregate together and we feel excluded...also several things that should be happening at church aren't...the leader of the Men's group has yet to introduce himself to Nathan - and we should be having monthly visitors - both for me individually and for us as a family - and none yet... I was trying to schedule choir practice and I made an announcement that we would rehearse right after church and a couple of women 'ganged' up on me and said they had always practiced at 4:30 and that's how it would be...I reminded them that I sent a survey to all interested choir members to find out the best time to rehearse...and I went with that - well one woman actually had the audacity to say "We have children to get home and get settled after church, you don't understand" - If I wouldn't have been choking back tears at that point I would have quipped back something like: "I'm sorry, I don't understand, maybe if my baby wouldn't have died....." I don't know what else to do here to try and feel included...a lot of our neighbors are Mexican - and they keep to themselves - so they act like we don't exist...we'll pass them on the sidewalk when we walk Besta and we'll say "evenin'" or "mornin'" and they will just turn around and act as if we said nothing...and then all the non-Mexican families in our neighborhood seemed to have their little 'clicks' and we are not invited...any advice?

Square One

Ok, now that I'm back at square one, I hit the pavement again today...I dropped off an application at the Olive Garden, and one at a 'Babies-r-Us' type place, only more upscale and pricier. I don't know if the baby store is such a good idea...but I guess it is just wishful thinking that when we ever have a child join our family, I might be able to get a discount on a nice crib... ? I have an interview with them on Tuesday, and I hope to hear from Olive Garden soon too. The OG would be nice because I get benefits from DAY 1! I worked as a server once before and I made pretty good money, so I guess I could do it again for a while...

I got all registered for classes yesterday...I met with my "advisor" and got my residency status switched...Funny thing was that I seemed more prepared than she did for our appointment...I had my major requirements broken down into an Excel spreadsheet with what classes I had taken, in what semester and what classes were left...that's just my OCD shining through. I am excited to start classes again...it gives me something of my own and something to distract me from life...and this semester will be tricky...Economics, Calculus, International Politics, Business Statistics and Interior Design (for a fun 'break' class).


So today is the baby shower for my little brother's fiance. It is at my mom's place and he being my brother, I am kinda obligated to go...I don't want to create feelings or anything. But I am going to need some serious love afterwards because I can feel it already, it is going to be tough...I am trying my hardest but I can't help but be EXTREMELY jealous of them. They have what we lost...and I guess the hardest part is that they weren't even planning on it...they were just dating when it happened....and she is SO young...last weekend while we were hanging out at our place she actually said she had never changed a diaper...like, EVER....I could build a Mt. Everest with all the diapers I've changed and I DON'T EVEN HAVE CHILDREN!! ok, ok, calm down... Sorry for the ranting...I just needed to let some of it out so it doesn't all implode this afternoon.

Well, I gotta go...I need to go find my Prozac. I'll let you know tomorrow how it all went...assuming I am still coherent enough to log into the computer...

Changes, Changes Changes

Hi again, long time no see...sorry I have been rather busy! So within the last month or so a LOT in our lives has changed...some for the better some not. First, we decided to get out of the Navy...we got word that all commands had to start sending guys/gals to Iraq and I was SO NOT cool with that so when Nathan's enistment was up we got out. He got a full-ride scholarship to finish his degree so we moved, bought a house and are now settling in. It has been fun having a house to decorate and paint...once I'm done I'll post some pictures of my handywork :)

Ok, so that's the good news, the bad news is that our kitty, Othello, died May 9th, he hwas only 3. We think he had a heart problem ( his brother from the same littler died at 7 months in almost the same way). Needless to say it was a tough thing, especially with everything else that we have gone through the last 4 months or so. We buried him alongside his brother so they could be together. So now we just have Winston, and that is ok, he is such a good kitty. He made the move really well...poor thing had to be drugged every morning and shoved in a crate for 8 hours in the car :( but he was a trooper and did really well.

I have been interviewing for jobs and hopefully will have something lined up by the end of the week...because we have a mortgage to pay! Nathan is working 2 jobs...from 6am to 2:30 and then from 4 to 10pm. But he'll only have to do that until school starts, then he'll only have to work one.

Well I need to run, gotta take him lunch :) More later

Holly