The Week In Which I Grew Up

(I guess I like to be ironic. Because on my grown-up birthday, I wore a crown. Because that is what Rachel did on her 30th birthday. #friendsreference)

It’s been a tough year. In my desperation to find myself before my 30^th birthday, I feel like I lost myself more in my late 20’s than anything else. With that being said, turning 30 last week was rather difficult for me. What a different person I am than I ever thought I would be at 30. Every day I wake up and wonder, what is it that will make this day different, special. What will make me feel at peace. Feel like I am doing exactly as God intended.

Don’t misinterpret, I’m very happy. I get to spend each and every day with the man that I love, surrounded by friends and family, in my beautiful home, that is surrounded by Utah’s incredible mountains.

Anyway, turning 30 was only the half of this week in which I grew up. Two days after my 30^th birthday, I went back to work full time in over two years. I now find myself in an office building with 800 colleagues back in the role as an accountant. When I quit my job two years ago, I never planned to go back. My husband makes enough to provide for us and working full time isn’t my favorite thing, as noted in many blog posts in the past. However, when an accountant position opened up at the same company that my husband works for as an attorney, he sent me the job description with the comment, “If you ever were planning on going back to work, this is the company that you should work for”.

So I applied. And just that quickly, I got an interview. And the next day, a second interview. And two days later, a job offer. Offering more money than I had asked for. So how could I not take it. I had to at least try to be an adult.

And if being an adult becomes too hard, well that’s just too bad. Because I’m 30 now. And with that comes responsibility.

I don’t mind my job. It’s nice to feel that importance again. And it’s nice to be paying off my husband’s student loans, paycheck by paycheck. However, talk to me about it again in 6 months. My motto?

It could be worse. It could be winter.

So when I’m waking up at 5:45AM to get in my workout in the pitch black and coming home from work when the sun comes down, I’m afraid my tune will change. But for now, the sun is shining, and I’m making money.

The Best Way to Travel

In March, Mike had to go on a business trip and he invited me to tag along.
What a nice guy, am I right?
We spent 2 days in Napa Valley and then made our way down to San Francisco and spent a few days. It was my first time to both Napa and San Fran,
so we made sure to be the ultimate tourists and see the sites.
What we learned quickly is that Napa, in March, doesn't have any sites.
The vineyards are in their early spring phase, which means ugly, and we don't drink wine, which is really the only reason people travel to Napa Valley.
Lucky for me, the resort was spectacular with an adults only pool (puuuurrrreee heaven) and the nicest hotel gym I've ever seen.
I spent my days exercising, laying by the pool and shopping while Mike spent his time in a conference.
And that was the moment that I learned that traveling alone, or via my spouse's work trip is the very best way to travel.
Especially when it's a sunny 70 degrees with not a single breeze.

 

 

San Francisco was a really quick two days, but we were able to cram everything in that we wanted to do.

One of the days, we rented bikes and biked across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.

Mike hates all things bikes and bikers, so he pretty much spent the day as Debbie Downer, while listening to me say, "Isn't this so fun?" every few minutes.

Oh the things you do for love.

Of course we made sure to hit up Ghirardelli Square, the Painted Ladies, Pier 39, and Lombard Street.

Our second day we spent wandering around Alcatraz, which besides laying by the pool in Napa, was the highlight of our trip.

 

Super good job at focusing the camera, Mike. But I guess Lombard Street is the point.....



Even though it was a quick trip, we were glad to come home.
The more we visit big cities, the more realize we don't much like big cities.
Particularly San Francisco.
Glad we went.
Glad to have done all the tourist-y things so that we don't ever have to go back.

And glad that his firm paid for most of it.

Finale

After turning in my notice 10 weeks ago, I walked out of the office for the last time. And I was sad. I've never been one for work. You can see past posts here and here and here about how I really feel about a career life. But as I walked out of the best job that I have ever had, I wondered to myself, is this really what I wanted?

I quit my job to be a stay-at-home foster mom. Well if you've been keep up on your reading, then you'll know that this foster mom thing isn't necessarily a dream come true. So quitting my nearly perfect job to become full time at a not so perfect job is, well, much less than perfect. But I didn't really have a choice when working full time just wasn't working for me. (Props to all you moms who work at all, I have no idea how you do it and still take care of a home and kids.)

But I can't help feeling the pressure suddenly lifted. I've been spending so much of my home time working that when I'm at home and not working, I feel guilty. The curse of working from home. But it's impossible to be a full time employee when you can't really go into the office because you have three kids in school (one of which is in half-day Kindergarten) and simply, when your heart just isn't into it.

My biggest fear is what is it that my heart is into these days? Besides my super hot husband of course. I don't want to be at work, yet I seem to not want to be a mother. So I'm not quite sure where my heart is. Or my head for that matter. By the way, it's super fun to be 28 years old and still have no clue what you are doing with your life. *sarcasm*

It’s This Little Secret I Have

Not a person at work (except my boss) knows about the secret that I keep. No one at work is on my Instagram. No one at work reads my blog. Not that they don’t have access to it if they knew about it. They could find the links through Facebook. But they don’t. To be honest, I think most of my coworkers wouldn’t know the first thing about Instagram. And a blog? What’s a blog? This chapstick sits on my desk, staring at me, reminding me of my secret. Anyone that would come to my desk would see it if they were looking. But they wouldn’t ask. They probably wouldn’t even speculate. And when I finally get licensed, and announce it at the monthly accounting department meeting, fingers crossed that I shock every last one of them. Because who would have thought?

Why have I kept it a secret at work when I’ve been so vocal about it in other areas of my life? Other than avoiding the dramatics of them thinking all of my work will fall into their laps when I walk out the door on that life changing day, and therefore secretly hating me just a little bit, I really just didn’t want them to know. They are nothing but sweet to my face and great when it comes to coworkers but sometimes isn’t it nice to just keep something to yourself every once in a while? It is weird to have such a big part of my life have nothing to do with the other big part of my life. Guaranteed the second that I tell them I have something to tell them they will all think I’m pregnant. Oh man, are you in for a surprise.

 

My lips smell of Pina Colada. Reminding me that I hold one of the sweetest of secrets. I’m going to be a foster mom.

 

(Yeah I know, I should really dust my desk.)

Good Things Happen

Happy Friday! This week has been long. I do recall at least one morning this week that I nearly screamed when Mike made me get out of bed to go to work. So thank goodness this weekend will provide me with two days to do things my way.

Our weekend plans consist of a celebratory meal at Texas Roadhouse tonight because Mike has gone and gotten himself a fantastic new job! This has been such an answer to our prayers and we are so excited that he will be able to have a bit more freedom and really be able to flex his smart muscles. The lucky duck will be working from home so now we embark upon construction in our basement to finish him an office. {Gotta keep those upstairs rooms available for some kids!} I admit, I thoroughly enjoyed every single pounding of the hammer that I got to listen to last night while Mike and his dad worked. Because every single pound meant that things are finally coming together for us. That if you wait, and you pray, and you put in effort, God will bless you. And sometimes it seems like it takes forever, but most the time it's worth the wait. And with that being said, I'm off to finish my Quest bar and enjoy myself a lovely weekend doing whatever I feel like with everything that I hold dear.

I Leave You This Week With One Of My Favorite Views Of The City.

High rise window washers.

So they use these suction cup things to stay steady as they dangle hundreds of feet in the air.
These suction cups make a loud slapping noise when they hit your window.
Scares me every.single.time.
Those window washers come out of nowhere, and then they are gone as quickly as they came.
And have you ever actually seen them wash a window from the inside?
Professional squeegee handlers, I tell you.
It's pretty much an art.

Have a great weekend.

Speaking Of

There is just something about people who tease. And I don’t mean tease in a brotherly sisterly love sort of way. And I also don’t mean the bullies at school way. I just mean those beyond irritating folk that find it just so fantastically fun to say things just to see if they can get a rise out of you. Well guess what? You won. You got a freaking rise out of me. And then I proceeded to absolutely blow up at them. Because when you try to get a rise one to many times out of this extremely stubborn person, you are absolutely gonna get a rise. Unfortunately, we work together. So that’s awkward. But someone had to teach them a lesson. You can’t act like a 13 year old forever.

And for the record, I am stubborn. Always have been, always will be. It’s in the genes. But at least I act like the adult that I claim to be.

Word to this beyond irritating folk spoken of above: probably should try just knocking it off. Teasing is for preteens and middle school. And one day someone is going to blow up in your face. And they are going to enjoy it. And you, you’re going to feel like a fool.

Cube

Things that I do not approve of in a cubicle environment:

Finger Nail Clipping
Nose Blowing
Gum Popping
Loud Phone Conversations

All of which have happened in the last hour.

Pretty much I just don't even want to know that you are there. Stay home if you can't remember your manners.

An Attorney.

All he had to do was sign the rolls....

{oh and go to law school and study and pass the bar}

And he became an Attorney.

Amazing, he is.



Six Things. To Be Exact.

Being sick is a gosh, darn shame. They stuff you so full of immunizations that you think it would take something equal to the plague to infect you. But then they throw you in a miniature cubicle with a sickly and no wonder. Yep. No wonder. By the way, I'm immune to NyQuil. Which is another gosh, darn shame.

I found Downton Abbey season three online! Waiting for the Sir to get home from his run so we can watch episode one. Season Three! And no, I didn't go for a run. Currently, breathing while sitting is enough of a task.

Speaking of, Mike is grocery shopping during his run. That man took a backpack and is picking up a few things. If I didn't marry the greatest man in the world, then that man doesn't exist.

Fighting through the depression of once again being employed is quite the task. All household chores have fallen to the wayside. Wait...I did clean the toilet yesterday. Point for me. My laziness seems to have gotten the best of me. Pathetic. However, I have yet to run out of clean underwear. Thanks to my always energetic husband. Let's just say he's making up for the chores he missed while he was in school. And then my groove will come back and all will be well again.

Hummus is awesome. Long live The Beatles. Peace.

Cinnamon Rolls and Such

Today, an old lady asked me where I got my shirt and I lied and told her I couldn't remember because I got it at Forever 21.

This household is now fully employed. Mike got himself a job as a real life attorney. And the fun begins.

Yesterday we celebrated the birth of Mike. 27 years old, he is. And just as cute as ever.

And that right there is a white chocolate, funfetti cinnamon roll made by yours truly for the birthday bash. In the beginning, it was touch and go, but they turned out pretty tasty.

This past weekend we added to our little family. 2012 Honda Civic.

Sean is the next bachelor. I told Mike I needed to get my audition tape ready. Umm....

Jokes, people. Jokes.

In the middle of season 2 of Lost. How did we miss this bandwagon when it was on TV? But I tell ya, not having to wait for the commercials or the next season to come around is pretty awesome. It's a borderline addiction.

Still trying to talk myself into the half marathon I've been training for. Blah. Blah. Blah. I'd rather eat cinnamon rolls and watch Lost.

Hate this blogger layout.

A Picture and Some Slightly Related Words

I've decided that partaking of the finer things in life means I need to remain unemployed. That seems an oxymoron however, isn't that what husbands are for is to bring home the bacon, amongst other things. And please make it turkey bacon, if you please. For example, take going to Swiss Days with my mother and sisters. On a Friday morning. I can tell you that employment would have made that little girls date rather hard to attend. Plus that scone. Oh the scones. I thought I died and went to a gooey, deep-fried heaven.

However all good bouts of unemployment come to an end, and I guess its rather fitting that my summer in the sun concludes right along with summer. Monday morning I head back to the corporate world. Yes, I scored myself not one, but two job offers all within an hour of each another. Tough decisions and all. But in five short days I will find myself amongst Utah's largest concrete jungle, in a high rise none the less. I feel I've hit the big time. However, I think my pajamas are going to get lonely come Monday.

What Consumes Me: {My Thoughts On Job Interviews}

If there was a job for going to job interviews, I would have that job. And since when did the world change into phone interviews, then first interviews, followed by second interviews. Gosh people, just make a decision already.

I talk as if I'm dying to get back to the job field, unfortunately I've gotten quite used to my unemployment and am rather enjoying this freedom. I did have an interviewer remark that being unemployed during the summer is definitely the way to go. And I couldn't agree more. In the winter I would be stuck home in my pj's because I'd be to scared to drive anywhere. But suddenly being stuck home doesn't sound too horrible in comparison to being forced to brave the weather because of a gosh, darn job. Plus you have to wear real clothes when you work. And that's just yucky.

So back to interviews. The accounting profession has suddenly hopped on this trend of testing their candidates. Like debits and credits, do this journal entry, and build this income statement from scratch. Who does that anymore? Everyone who is anyone knows that income statements are built from fancy formulas that the manager created. I thought I might have died during my first interview test last week. My palms were all sweaty, my heart was pounding just like the old college days. Except back in the college days I had a book that I had studied out of to prepare for the test. Degree or no degree, if you don't do something on a regular basis, chances are several years later you are not going to remember the answers for the test in a job interview. I found myself coming home and googling the questions just to be sure I had put the correct answer.

So getting a job is stressful.

And I've definitely decided that working is probably better than interviewing. And dear Heavenly Father, if you give me a job, I will never ever ask for another job again.

Because, freak, I hate interviews.

What We're Getting: {Visitors!}

My sister, her husband, and their sweet boy are on a plane rightthissecond to Washington D.C.
Yep, we are getting our first and last visitors we'll get while we are here!
And we are so excited!

By way of information, Mike finishes up his clerkship this week and then we're headed back to Utah....for good! Well we hope so anyway. We haven't quite figured out what the plan is once we get there. But I guess that's just another part of our adventure.

What I Appreciate: {Working}

I'm not a job person. I have never liked working. I don't want a career. I went to school and got an education because I knew that was the smart thing to do. I did not go to school and get an education so that I could help support a family. That's Mike's job. And he's completely okay with that. He wants to. And he wants me to stay home.

I have been asked many times, by many different people if I plan on sitting for the CPA exam. And I honestly considered it. I thought about returning to school to get my Masters in Accounting. I prayed and prayed about what to do.

Mike knows more than anyone, I'm not the most fun person when I am in school. I had to work really hard to get good grades in college. Therefore resulting in a stressed, wanna-rip-my-hair-out attitude. But suddenly, you graduate, and you forget all the bad stuff. I imagine it's quite like child labor. But after much prayer, and remembering what it was that I really wanted for myself and what we had always wanted together as a couple, I decided to not go back.

I have never once regretted that decision.

I consider myself successful. I don't need a CPA license to tell me that.

A few weeks ago at work, we had our annual reviews. I am known around the office as being "the favorite". I hate that term. I don't think I am the favorite. But I do know that I am quite the brown-noser. I like being liked. Of course I am going to do everything I need to do for my boss to like me.

{Picture Taken July 2009}

That being said, my review was first out of all the employees in the Accounting department. Annual reviews are scary. Like the feel-like-I'm-getting-up-to-bear-my-testimony feeling.

Immediately after walking in the room, I was put at ease.

"Well Abby, I have a really hard time coming up with things to criticize you about."

I was shocked. Coming out of this guys mouth, that is quite the compliment.

He continued to give me positive feedback throughout the entire review. I left feeling elated.

To accompany our annual review, we also receive our annual raise. Because the raise doesn't go into effect until the end of the month, I didn't think they would be giving me one. My last day is two weeks from today. I figured they would think there was no point because I would only have about a week and a half at the new rate.

Boy was I wrong.

I got a great raise. So much so that when I looked down at the paper, I didn't even see the correct number. My mind changed the numbers to what I thought it would be.

Yes, there was a double and triple check.

I love the company that I work for. And no, not just because they gave me a good raise to enjoy for a week and a half. But because it's just a good company. And a great job. I have learned so much from being in this position.

My boss was always the type to give as little information as possible. The entire year and a half that I worked there, I always complained about the poor communication. Why doesn't he just tell me what I need to know to do this project?? Because he was teaching me. I couldn't get past the frustration at the time to see that. I feel like I learned and retained more at this job than I did during my entire Bachelors degree.

I'm grateful for opportunities to work. Even though I hate work. Even though providing for us during a time when Mike needs me to is sometimes downright frustrating. Work gave me the opportunity to prove myself. To prove that I actually did learn something in college. To prove that I actually can contribute to the income of this family if I need to.

And even though I wish I could say this is my last job ever, it's not. We're on to a new city where I will be on to finding a new job. Where I will be learning something new, and proving even more that I am capable of these things. And when the day finally comes that I can quit my job and not have to find another, I can look back and be glad. Glad that I had the opportunity to be a working girl so that I can truly appreciate being home with our children.

What I Thought About: {Utah}

Six years ago if you would have asked me if I would ever live outside of Utah, I would have laughed in your face. Never. No way. I didn't have any desire to leave my safe bubble. I enjoy being surrounded by family. Mike's family and my own family are my best friends. I love the mountains. I love being surrounded by people of my own faith. I love being surrounded by what I know. The streets, the cities. I feel safe there. I feel safe because those are the things and places that I know. I just wanted to be 'normal'.

Mike was not the same way. He wanted adventure. He wanted to try new things, and see new places. When we were dating, he would talk of going to school far, far away. I never really took it seriously. That was the single Mike talking. I thought when we got married, he would sink into the 'settled down' life.

Even after we got married we argued about it. {Don't worry, this was healthy arguing.} I would cry. I didn't want to leave Utah. Why can't we just be 'normal'? We began to understand the being married thing a little bit more. It's about compromise. It's about sacrifices. We were both in school at that time, so moving was not an option. But then our Bachelors degrees drew to a close. We had to start making decisions.

Mike picked Law School. Which there are two of in Utah. He applied to 10 schools. Including those in Utah. And that darn kid got into all of them. Then we had to decide. Some were easy to cross of the list. Some, a little more difficult. We ended up with a top three. One of the Utah schools made the cut. However, after much thought and prayer, Mike and I came to the conclusion, that even though the Utah school made the most sense, it's not where we were supposed to be.

Hence, why we currently reside in Oklahoma.

There have been times of wonder. Why here? Why did the Lord want us here? I'm still not really sure I know the answer to that question. Sometimes we think things would have been easier in Utah.

Do you know how hard it is to find a job in a state when you currently don't reside in that state? Hard. Nearly impossible. Especially when the legal job market is crap as it is.

We want to live in Utah. We love Utah. We love our families. We love the mountains. We love the feeling of home. But for some reason, we continue to take the scenic route getting back there. A three year law degree has turned into a Summer in DC which has turned into additional education, once again outside of Utah {more news on that to come}.

I've heard it said before that if you leave, it's hard to go back. I never truly understood that until now. It doesn't mean it will be hard to go back because you won't want to {well for some it may}. It means that its difficult to find the opportunity to go back.

We continue to look for that opportunity. We continue to pray for that opportunity.

But those student loans come due, whether your working or not, so you have to go where the job is. Or for us, just go to more school. No professional students here. Just two people who think that in order to get somewhere in the world, you have to rise above the average.

You wanna know what prompted this post?

It may seem funny to some. Actually when Mike and I saw this ad, we laughed. But honestly, it's not so funny to me anymore. Because that's where we're trying to get back to.

So we'll continue to look. And continue to pray. The opportunity will come. Trust in the Lord's timing, right?

What We're Up To: {Guess What....}

Thanks to my dear neighbor, we've been collecting newspapers.

This isn't a normal collectible in our house.

Til now.

Guess why...

We're moving! Yep, we are!
Mike is finally {finally!} graduating from Law School in a month {a month!}.
Which means we are headed out.
Where, you ask?
Washington D.C.
I know {I know!}
It's only temporary. Mike got a fabulous {fabulous!} clerkship there for a couple of months.
I think we are still in shock. We have yet to make any plans beyond that of actually going.
It's a little stressful to even think about moving there.
But we are so {so!} excited!
After the clerkship is over, we will be moving again {again!} to a land unknown.
We've got it down to three different locations.
But we've still got a bit a prayer to go before we figure out that one.
We are so grateful for this opportunity and cannot believe how blessed we are to receive it.
It literally fell right into our hands.
And of course, I have my wonderful husband to thank for being awesome enough to be considered and offered such an opportunity.
I cannot wait to discover this wonderful city. {And spend the 4th of July in the Nation's Capital! You just can't beat it!}

What We Ate: {Chocolate Chip Cookie Oreo Brownie Bar}

OMG, you guys.

OMG.

I'm the designated baker at work. If there is something to celebrate, I bring a treat. That's just how we roll in the Accounting department. And most the time, if the celebration is for you, I let you pick the recipe! I'm so nice.

So it was my coworker, Tori's birthday...

This is the birthday girls picture. {I know, I look suuuper awkward...}

Anyway, this is what she wanted.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Oreo Brownie Bars.

Whoa.

I would say I did pretty good because the original recipe topped it with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup.

And as much as I'm trying to justify the fact that I've been munching on the leftovers all week, these really will put you in a sugar coma.

Be sure to have a large glass of milk handy.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Oreo Brownie Bars

The Stuff:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips

1 pkg Oreos

1 Brownie mix

The Doing:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars together in a large bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Slowly incorporate flour, baking soda and salt to wet ingredients. Spread the cookie dough into the bottom of a greased 13x9 dish. Top with a layer of Oreos. Prepare Brownie batter according to the directions on the box. Pour Brownie batter over the top of the Oreos. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 25 minutes. Mine were still pretty gooey so I lowered my temperature to 300 and baked for an additional 20 minutes.

{My 2 cents...I liked these better at room temperature than while still warm out of the oven.}