EMPLOYED!!

So Paul got the job in Charleston, SC that he's been interviewing for the past 2 weeks. I am so proud of him. He hasn't been able to find a full-time job since moving to Virginia 2 1/2 years ago. He moved here because I was in school and we were engaged. It has been a loooong journey and while I am very grateful that I had a good job, we really wanted to move towards our goal of me being at home with Ellie...So for all of you who were praying for him and I...THANK YOU!!! We are very very sad to be leaving so many good friends AND family members in Virginia! I LOVE Virginia, but I think a new adventure is overdue for me...having a beach won't hurt the transition at all!! Charleston has always been one of Paul's favorite cities and since they have a huge port and he is in the transportation industry, it will be a great fit!

Infertility

I want a baby...not that it is anything new, but it does seem that I am not alone in my struggle. Why are so many of my friends having such a hard time?

My personal story is that I have always worried about not being able to have children...since I was 16 or so (because of some wording in a blessing that I got). When I first married, we decided not to wait and I am SOOOOOO glad because I got pregnant after only a few months trying. I was 21 and REALLY healthy at that time. After Ellie was born we waited about 6 months to try again so that there would be at least 15 months between them. We tried for 18 months and then we got divorced...not related and looking back I am SO glad I didn't get pregnant at that time since we did get divorced. Well, now Paul and I have been trying for 2 years and I am worried that my window is closing! I wanted a big family and it's hard to accept that I am simply not as young as I used to be!! I was talking to a friend last night who said that a raw vegetable diet worked for someone in our ward...that wigs me out for two reasons.

1. I could never be that disciplined.

2. Then it might be my own fault that I haven't gotten pregnant.

THAT THINKING IS SO MESSED UP!! That is the big problem for me and probably a lot of women...we feel guilt over things that we can't possibly control. Especially LDS women.

Another issue for me is-- how far I should take the fertility treatments? My husband's ex tried everything including invitro but never got pregnant. My sister Rachel went through 8 or so years of treatments and is now pregnant with twin boys. Of course now it was worth the struggle.

A wonderful couple in my ward is going to adopt. Something Paul and I definitely would consider. it's all good and it's all right, but I don't know what I want to do yet. (and it's all expensive, too!)

We have been surviving off my paycheck for a while and I think I have been putting off any kind of action until we can survive only on his...I doubt I could keep working through a pregnancy given my health history.

Anyway, just wanted to pontificate.

Charleston, South Carolina USS Yorktown

Group shot before the tour.

Ellie, Paul, and I had a mid-week whirlwind trip down to South Carolina for two days.

Paul had a job interview...YAY!! and so we packed our bags and headed down. A 7-hour drive.

We were very excited to have time to get some history in...we did pull Ellie out of school after all!

Ellie is getting better at her camera skills...I am only pretending to know anything about this aircraft carrier...Paul is an expert!

It was totally cool to see how these navy boys lived back in WWII...even the details of their sinks,

clothes (these were for the women),

Here is the chapel!

The top had all the airplanes on it...it's so HUGE!! The view of Charleston was amazing!

We also looked at a small submarine...yikes! it was tight quarters in there!

Here is Ellie outside the submarine. She loved it and said "I don't do claustrophobia"!

Paul looked at the camera!!! He must've been in hog heaven (he is a military history major, after all!!)

Ellie's photo shoot part 2

So my sister-in-law, Coleen just got a new camera and volunteered to do a photo shoot for Ellie's birthday and I wanted to post some of my favorite shots!! I think they are amazing!
Here is the pose that we see most often at home...her favorite series right now is Fablehaven.

Ellie's photo shoot part 1

This is Ellie with her cousin, Charlie...he is 18 months old. He is just as sweet as he looks!


The pictures were taken in our hometown, Lexington, VA. It is so beautiful this time of year!



This one is definitely professional looking, but Coleen is just talented!!







I think she looks hilarious here!! She definitely inherited some of my goofiness!!

My absolute favorite shot...What a clever pose!!


Look at those spring colors...I love that her outfit matches the tree and sky perfectly!



Surely there is a poem to write for this picture...


She sure is getting to be grown-up!!