French Doors and Hot Tubs

Travis and I have talked about a house

                             We've talked about going to the bank for a pre-approval

We've talked about what we like and what we don't like

                                                               We have talked about expenses

                                                                                         We've talked about income

We have talked about where

                                                                                                              We've talked about when

                                                         We have talked about why

                      We have talked about what ifs

                                                                                               and why nots

              We've discussed our family plans

                                                       Our career plans

  

                                                                                                                                 Our dream plans

When it comes down to it, we kept waiting, and waiting.  I felt daring just signing up for a free 8 hr seminar was maybe hoping for too much and maybe jumping the gun.

But I was just scared.           Big decisions take BIG guts is what I determined.   And, I called a bank.  

And easy as pie we got pre-approved for a home loan.  :)  Happy happy happy.

Wanna know what pushed me over?  I know it may not be the house we end up in, but its the house that makes me want to join the homeowner club.  

French Doors-are my FAVORITE.  This place had them all over. 

Hardwood floors, attached 2 car garage, bonus game/rec/whatever I want it to be room with skylights? oh baby!  Icing on the cake:  HOT TUB!  The cherry on top, this home was recently marked down into our price range.  I want to at least have the oppourtunity to see if this dream can come true.  There have been several other houses which I liked, and looked at and drove by, and then they got SOLD.  This place though we may not end up in it, will not be gone before I can hope, now I know that at least, it IS in our ballpark.  And though I know we may not end up there, knowing that that isn't an unrealistic option-makes me giddy.

NASA and dancing???

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120710.html


Watch the above link, smile, and say, "I will take dance Lessons this year!"

Really though, the video explains why I do so much love dancing.
Their explanation says it all.



(Don't forget to follow me at magicrhythmsdance.blogspot.com as well!)

Gender and Roles

President Ezra Taft Benson:
“You [women] were not created to be the same as men. Your natural attributes, affections, and personalities are entirely different from a man’s. They consist of faithfulness, benevolence, kindness, and charity. They give you the personality of a woman. They also balance the more aggressive and competitive nature of a man. “The business world is competitive and sometimes ruthless. We do not doubt that women have both the brainpower and skills—and in some instances superior abilities—to compete with men. But by competing they must, of necessity, become aggressive and competitive. Thus their godly attributes are diminished and they acquire a quality of samenesswith man”

President James E. Faust
“Before we were born, male and female, we made certain commitments and . . . agreed to come to this earth with great, rich, but different gifts. We were called, male and female, to do great works with separate approaches and separate assignments. “. . . Becoming like men is not the answer. Rather, the answer lies in being who you are and living up to your divine potential by fulfilling eternal commitments. . . .

My friend Raquel posted these along with a few other quotes on her blog recently in a discussion on feminism and the LDS perspective.  She expressed that she often hears women talk of how their family limits them and if it weren't for their children they'd be off in a career and living it up-well, those weren't her exact words, but it was along those lines.  I added a bit more of my own summarization there because I've heard it too.  And the subject hits close to my heart. 

I had a career, which I recently resigned from.  The "competition" of the work place was doing exactly to me what Ezra Taft Benson had described.  If I wanted to keep playing the political corporation game, I would have needed become more aggressive, and competitive.  I didn't wanna.  So I stepped out.  And I am SO glad I did.   I have time and energy now to focus on my eternal commitments.  To improve myself, and learn, and grow, and to be able to support my family from within.  I have an education, and I'm still seeking education, should the necessity arise for me to ever step up and be the breadwinner, am prepared to do whatever is necessary.  But for now, I'm developing my talents and skills where I'm needed most.  I am learning to support my family from the inside-and am ever grateful for the willingness and understanding of my dear husband to support us from the outside.  

I praise our father in heaven who in his wisdom created us so differently, that we might have joy in our complementing roles, and be one in our goals.  In our little family, there is no competitiveness, there is no aggression.  There is peace, and teamwork, and love.  And I know that that comes from our faith, and our understanding of the eternal plan of happiness. 

Let them cry let them giggle, let them be little.

       The greatest poem ever known

        Is one all poets have outgrown:

The poetry, innate, untold,

    Of being only four years old.

                                                    ~Christopher Morley, To a Child

My baby Sister turns 6 years old today.  

She is in First Grade, goes to dance, gymnastics, loves to read.
Many people are shocked when they find out that I have a 6 yr old sister and 3 yr old brother, but I find great joy in telling them how I was the youngest child for 17 yrs, and then in less than 2 became the middle child.  Elyse doesn't know it, but she changed my life.  If it weren't for her I wouldn't have had the courage to  make changes in my life that needed to be made then, at that time.  Because I made those changesI have had a fuller, more complete, more blessed life in the last 6 years.  I wouldn't have found the peace that comes from loving and forgiving.   If it weren't for this little girl, I wouldn't have had the guts to become the person I am today.  

She is such a light to all of us.

Happy 6th B-day Lysie!  We have to count your age with two hands!

Magic Rhythms

magicrhythmsdance.blogspot.com
check it out!

Time makes you bolder

“Never too old, never too bad, never too late, never too sick to start from scratch once again.” -Bikram Choudhury. 

I must admit, I've had some trouble coming to write about this, so I went to the trusty internet to find quotes that are much more eloquent than me. This first one describes much of how I feel right now. Starting from scratch. I am Melanie. I am a wife, a Activity Days leader, and daughter, a sister, an aunt. A medical Assistant. 

A medical assistant without a job. 

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” -Andre Gide 

Its really scary, but also very liberating and such a relief. I was so excited when I had my chosen grad plan, and I felt so confident. I loved it. I was even more excited when I got my job, a 401 K, health benefits. It was everything I'd hoped for. Security. Good people, nice hours, some flexibility. I guess if I feel shameful its because it really was a great oppourtunity. There are so many people who look for work and can't find it. So many people struggling to make ends meet, and I resigned, willfully from such security. 

“Lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at you.” -David Brinkley 

MY first two months, if you read my blog then, you may recall were a little rough. In the ortho department, I was picking the rhythm of things up slowly. I was frustrated, the people I worked with were frustrated. They moved me to OBGYN. 

LOVED IT THERE.

And I was succesfull. 

New managing staff, new co-workers who didn't mind my bazillion questions. 

As I had left ortho one of my co-workers had said,

"Maybe this isn't the field for you." 

I showed her. 

I was able to recover there and learn some valuable skills. 

It was a bit of a sanctuary.

In February when my provider was transfered to a different department, I went out to venture on new paths. I was ready. They used me in several departments as a fill in until one provider in Dermatology specifically requested me to stay with her. I really enjoyed working with her, and accepted the position. I was doing great. Not the field for me? Ha!

Then that co-worker became manager over my department. 

:-(

Suddenly my work wasn't enough. 

I was either doing something wrong or not doing something right.

“By changing nothing, nothing changes.” -Tony Robbins

So I resigned.

They told me I had problems prioritizing.

I realized they were right.

My goal to become a medical assistant was important. My acheiving that was important. Getting some expirience was important.

But Travis and I have other goals which are more important.

My "career" wasn't getting us closer to those goals.

“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.” –Walt Disney

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” -Mark Twain

I've felt like I have to justify myself. I was in an environment where everyone there has their career and their family. I want my family to be my career. That's hard for them to understand, most of them get it when there are children in the picture, but Travis and I have not experienced that blessing yet. So, hence the feeling like I have to justify my choice. To them I say, Travis is my family. We may not have children, but we have eachother. If what I really want to be is a homemaker, children or no children what different does it make? Heaven knows I need some time to practice before children are added to the equation! 

“As soon as anyone starts telling you to be “realistic,” cross that person off your invitation list.” –John Eliot

So I'm just letting you know that this is my choice. Its interesting that this all came about in the midst of my preparation for a talk at church on the topic of agency, or choice. I've found as I reflect, that in our choices, we have joy. I will more greatly appreciate this opportunity because I know that of my own free will and choice, this is how I want things to be. Its not because our family grew and childcare was too expensive, or whatever reasons people use to justify staying home. It is because I want to put my families needs first. 

I always wanted my education and career for the purpose of security. My dad passed away when I was 8 yrs old. My mom went back to school full time and became an accountant. That was rough. For her, for me, for my sisters. A career that allowed me security and peace of mind in case unpredictable circumstances arose was therefore very important to me. I've met my goals, and I've acheived that. Its scary to think I'm not going to be in the workforce for some time, but CS Lewis here sums it up for me nicely:

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” 

I'm so thankful for Travis and his support.

Photodump!

Over the weekend of July 18-22 we went on a rd/camping trip to Seward with our friends Stephen and Kendra Tibbs.  We had a blast!  Spent our time hiking and camping and Kenai Fjiord Touring with a delicious dinner at fox Island where I had Alaska King Crab for the first time.  I had been to Seward before, but only once when I was little and all I remember that we did was visit the sea life center.  So this trip tickled me pink!  I have a few more pictures, but they got saved to my camera memory itself and not the memory card, so....it'll be a small while before I can post those.