Touching Base...

First of all, THANK YOU to all of my wonderful blogger friends. I really did appreciate your advice and I did take it to heart. I am fairly positive I am going to be going with job #2. It is the job where I will have to go to the office everyday but I really feel it is the right fit right now. The stability, pay, and insurance are too good for me to pass up. In all honesty, I have no idea what will happen when we get Mei Mei home (hopefully for Christmas 2007)...I might decide not to go back to work. So I think this will be the perfect job for the time being. And who knows, if I love it then I will have worked there long enough to get my 3 months off with her...only time will tell. I actually haven't gotten my official offer letter yet (from either job) but I did get a call from this company tonight telling me it is on its way. I do have to go to training for a week in California right when I start. That should be interesting considering the longest I have ever been away from Parker is 3 days. I choose not to think about that right now. I am honestly just enjoying everyday with him. I can tell though that he is ready to go to preschool. We took him to his yearly developmental doctor appointment today (a follow up from his prematurity) and she seems to think that he will do so well with the structure and routine of preschool. I have to admit, I have kept him very sheltered these past three years. I know the preschool thing will be harder on me than it will be for him.

Moving on...so my husband and I started Nutrisystem yesterday and so far so good. We are both wanting to shed the weight we gained after college. We also joined Lifetime Fitness and I have to say, I love it. Parker and I have been swimming in their fabulous pool the past two days and he is having a blast. Their workout facilities and equipment are great and the child care is great as well. Plus, it is hard for me to come up with an excuse not to go since it four minutes from my house. It was difficult for Matt and I both being college athletes to admit that we really needed to get on the ball. So I will keep you posted!

On the adoption front, I am still awaiting my fingerprint letter. I just got back my birth certificates with their official certification from the Secretary of State. We are making progress. I have to tell you that I love reading about all your secret pals...I can't wait to be one and I can't wait to get one! Yippee!

Hope everybody is having a great week!

P.S. Does anybody but me have problems loading pictures onto blogger from time to time????

Lots to Share!!!

Hello everbody! So let me catch you up on the adoption stuff...we finally sent in our I600A form last Saturday via FedEx and it was delivered to its destination on Monday! Today I got a confirmation letter from the Department of Homeland Security that they had received it and we should be receiving our fingerprint notice in the near future. Yippee we are on our way to the end! Hopefully! I also sent both my birth certificates and Matt's to their individual secretary's of state to be certified as we were both born out of state. I finally feel like I am making progress again! Keeping my fingers crossed for a late September early October log in date. I know that is cutting it close but a girl can dream!

And on the job front...I am finally done interviewing. I have really been working the job thing for a few months and my hard work has paid off. Now I have two great offers from two great companies. This is where I need my friends advice...so chip in friends (Robyn, I know you will give me the honest opinion).

Just the nitty gritty of the offers...Job #1...Good base salary, would be selling litigation services, lots of money to be made, basically have the flexibility to come and go as I please and would work for an awesome boss in small group. It is the kind of position where I can come and go and be a lot more flexible with Parker (if he is sick or has a doctor's appt. I could work from home kind of thing). A lot of the work would be downtown but again I can set my own hours and such but to make good money I will have to be hitting it hard for awhile. Not a problem...it just has to factor into the consideration.

Job #2...10k more base salary but the overall package potential with bonus and such would be less than job #1. It is an in house kind of job, i.e. 8-5 kind of thing. It is doing Large Biz account management which is my background. It is not far from home (Addison) and they are all very nice there and everybody I have met with has been there for at least 5 years. Let me give you the kicker on this job...phenomenal insurance. Did I say pheonomenal insurance? I meant unheard of. Top of the line PPO...accepted just about everywhere and for my family of three soon to be four it will cost me about 32$ a month. Yes, you read that right $32. Oh and the deductible per year per family is 300$. It is a great company with lots of stability and potential.

So there lies my dilemna. I have been off for a couple of years so the idea of going back into the office is scary. However, it pays well and has great people and the rediculously good benefits. On the other hand, Job #1 has flexibility and freedom, a good guranteed salary with the potential to make a lot of money. So ladies...help me out here!

Lunch with My Lady Friends!

Today was a wonderful day...I got to have lunch with my Mommies Who Lunch Group! It was so nice to see everybody, meet a few new people, and honestly, enjoy lunch with friends without having to chase Parker around. Now you all know how much I love my kiddo but sometimes just being able to sit and visit really hits the spot. Of course, I got to enjoy watching Kelley chase Miss M around all lunch! Ha!

We are definitely a Motley Crue and I really look forward to bonding with these ladies over the course of the next several years! Hopefully, we can all remain in touch that long if not longer! I was also very excited to find that my two top name choices for Mei Mei were met with such enthusiasm. Now of course nothing is set in stone as I have a list of about 8 names that I like now.

Tomorrow I am finally sending off our I600A. Of course we ran out of ink for our printer today and since I have to make all new copies of my homestudy (we all know why) I wasn't able to send it today. It will be FedEx'd tomorrow! I am truly hoping that we will be LID by the end of September but I think that is really pushing it. Keep your fingers crossed. I just really want to officially name my little girl and start buying things for her...yes, I have been so good. I have not bought one thing. I don't want to jinx anything.

So Parker is on the cusp of potty training. We are really starting to work on it but we are taking the approach of letting him tell us when he is ready. Well, today he told me that he had pooped and I told him we would go and change his pull up. Appearently, he heard, "Take your pull up off"...so you can imagine the fun mess I had to clean up. Did I mention how much I LOVE TODDLERS???

On a great note, interviews are going really well. I am honestly going to be able to pick and choose what I would like to do. I have several interviews next week and the jobs I am close to getting offers from I keep putting off because interesting positions keep coming my way. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I promise to keep up with my blog...I know I have been slack but honestly I have been focusing so hard on the job hunt, finding a great preschool for Parker, and the adoption stuff that the blog goes by the wayside.

Hope everybody has a great weekend. I heard it suppose to cool down to a balmy 94! Yippee!!

*Robyn, I hope you have fun at the concert and that all of Paul's dreams come true! :)
*Shelli, I DO so LOVE your car!!
*Erin, thanks for hosting today!
*Valerie, the cake was delish!
*Vicky, Kelley, Christie...it was so great to see you guys!

I'm BACCCCCKKKKK!!

Okay, once again I know I have been a bad blogger but I really do have some excuses. I have been busy interviewing for different jobs ever since we returned from vacation last week. Also, Parker and I have a lingering cold that I think we developed from the allergies in Colorado. It is one of those wonderful colds that gets worse before it gets better. My normally 90 mile an hour child is laying in my bed watching "Wonder Pets". Blah!

We had a wonderful vacation. We went to Keystone, Colorado with some of our best friends, JJ, Rebecca and Celia. I have been going to Keystone since I was a child and now it is so wonderful seeing how things change but stay the same over time. The weather was beautiful, it rained everyday and never really got above 65 degrees. Rebecca and I would find ourselves complaining that we were hot when it couldn't have been over 60 degrees. The kids really enjoyed themselves and were so happy to just be outside everyday! We seem to be going every few years to Keystone so we can't wait to go back with our friends in a few years and see how the kids have grown! Here are some great pictures of our trip...

Parker and Celia in front of the river that runs through Keystone!

Matt, Parker and I among the amazing beauty of Colorado! We can't wait to come here in two years with Mei Mei!

JJ, Rebecca and Celia on the plane ride to Colorado!

So yes, things are going well on the job front too. I have been interviewing like crazy and I have been in front of some really great companies. I am hoping the offers start coming in soon. I have a feeling I will have to make a decision between a few. And yes, we have been looking at some private home preschools for Parker and also one called Carpe Diem which we really liked. We are on the waiting list there and it is very $$$ but we really liked everything about it. I really think Parker is going to love preschool, he loves his summer camp now. I also think that he is going to really flourish with his speaking and eating skills. I am sure it will be me who has the harder time cutting the cord. I am just enjoying my time with him now!

Other than than, Matt is finishing up his dissertation. He is getting so many of his surveys back in that we are so happy. A little background...as part of your dissertation you have send out surveys becaue you research to compile. So right before we left to go out of town, Matt and I stamped, labeled, and stuffed 2400 envelopes/surveys. He is really getting a great return and I am so proud of him!

Lastly, I will do the 7 things that got passed onto me! Here you go!

7 Things I would like to do before I die:

*Watch my children grow up, be happy and live their dreams!

*Watch my grandchildren grow up and meet my great grandchildren!

*Grow old with Matt and continue to laugh everyday!

*Travel around the world with Matt when we retire!

*Live in New York for a few months after we retire!

*Run a marathon!

*Live in my perfect house with all the memories it will contain over the decades and NEVER sell it!

7 Things I cannot do:

*Eat mayo on anything.

*Stop worrying about things.

*Imagine life without my family and friends.

*Drive slow.

*Ride on carnival rides or rides at the State Fair...I will ride any roller coaster at Six Flags or DisneyWorld but anything that is controlled by carnies and gets packed up at the end of a few weeks is NOT for me.

*Travel Cheaply or on a budget...we always splurge on our vacations!

*Stop be amazed at the strength my husband and I have and the wonderful zest for life my son has!

7 Things I CAN Do:

*I can throw a hammer, shot put, and discus!

*I can burp very loudly...good ones!

*Make just about anybody laugh!

*Spend mucho dinero on clothes for Parker, accessories for me, clothes for Matt and soon to be a new wardrobe for Mei Mei!

*Interview really well!

*Adjust to very stressful situations!

*Get in shape very quickly and have amazing willpower if the mood strikes me!

7 Things that attracted me to my Husband:

*His size...6'7"!

*His amazing sense of humor!

*His patience with me...he is the Yin to my Yang!

*His wonderful family!

*His stability when Parker was in the hospital after he was born and he had to return to work.

*His calmness when we made our three ER visits with Parker last year because he was passing his kidney stones as a result of his prematurity!

*His strong work ethic, determination, and ablilty to relax at the drop of a hat!

7 Things I say most often:

*Matt!

*Parker!

*$%&%%#*...working on this!

*Pick it up...always said to Parker!

*Are you serious??!!

*Whatever!

*That's Recockulous!

7 Movies I LOVE:

*A Christmas Story (I can watch this over and over again)!

*Overboard (Love this...a favorite of my college roommate and I)

*Jurassic Park (So fun!)

*Twister (Love it)

*Ocean's 11 (Ocean's 12 was awful and they are making Ocean's 13...help us)

*Sixteen Candles (who doesn't love Jake Ryan)?

*Revenge of the Nerds (great 80's humor)!

7 Books I love:

*Alas Babylon (read it in high school and it really impacted me)

*Harry Potter (1-6...soon to be 7)

*Anything by Mary Higgins Clark...they are fluff and easy reads but I love them!

*Can You Keep A Secret? (very cute!)

*Pledged (Interesting look at sororites)

*A Million Little Pieces (loved his friend Leonard)

*People Magazine, US Weekly...any type of gossip I can get my hands on!

Okay that is is for this long post! I was going to post more pictures but it is not letting me. I promise to post more often! I will update on the adoption soon!