33 Weeks, awesomeness, and an answer to prayer!

So... now that I'm almost at 34 weeks, I'll give a quick update!

I didn't sleep that great on Wed and Thurs night, so I stayed home from work on Friday. Had a doctor's appointment Friday afternoon. It was another quick appointment. BP was normal, gained more weight, measured right on at 33 cm (at 33 weeks 2 days). Doctor said Baby doesn't seem too big and that I seem like I'm in good shape and will handle labor just fine. He also said Baby is still head down, and his heart rate was 150 bpm. I go back next week for my next appointment.

Friday night, Adam and I went to the B&B in Mayville, which was awesome! The building was really old (I think built in the late 1800s) and you could tell there was a lot of history. We had dinner and dessert at the restaurant on the first floor, the Beaumont. My steak and the garlic mashed potatoes they came with were delicious! Adam wasn't crazy about the batter on his fish (he got the fish fry) but everything else was just great! Saturday morning, we had breakfast and then explored a little. Mayville is a pretty small town, so we cruised up and down a little bit, and then went to nearby Theresa. We stopped at a candy store that had all sorts of crazy things made out of chocolate - calculators, cell phones, iPods, tools, chocolate Santa's sleigh filled with chocolate covered nuts, a veterenarian kit, a fire department kit/gift set, a mailman's kit/gift set... and much, much more!!! I just got some honey sticks and Adam got his favorite cheese that they happened to sell. After that, we went to a cheese factory, where I got some 1 year cheddar and Adam got some 11 year cheddar (it was 10 year cheddar that just had a birthday, according to the cashier). Then we headed to the largest antique store in Wisconsin. We got through most of the first floor and didn't even see the second or third floors! We found an amazing picnic basket for $18, some nautical bookends for $20, and a few books (my favorite being a Golden Book titled "We Help Mommy." I will be reading that one to our child(ren) regularly!! :-) Then we headed home, and I made chocolate chip cookies for Adam to eat while he was deer hunting the next day.

Last night, Michelle and I went to see Jersey Boys in Madison. It was awesome! I loved the music, and so did Baby!! There were a couple of songs (Sherry, for sure) that he was really rocking out to! I couldn't believe how active he was. I think I just might buy either the Jersey Boys cast recording or a Four Seasons CD for him!

I also realized something - I think that the reason I think I look "bigger" in my pictures is because except for certain moments (primarily turning over in bed or trying to get out of bed, or getting out of low chair or sometimes my car), I don't feel that big. I still feel relatively normal, (which is why it still surprises me when my stomach bumps into things) and I think that's why I'm still surprised to see how "big" I am in my pictures! It makes sense to me, at least. Not sure if that's the real reason or not! :)

And, I got some great news today that is really an answer to prayer. I have been trying to figure out my work situation for after I have the baby. I did not want to return to work full-time, but there were no part-time positions open in the area. My interim plan was to take my full maternity leave, come back for a few weeks at part time to transition back to work, and then either go back full time, or see if any part-time positions had opened up that I could pursue. I talked it over with my manager, so he knew what I was looking for and what I wanted to do. He told me initially that my position is a full-time position, so I couldn't come back part-time. Well, he called me into his office today to say that they were now able to offer me a job-sharing position with someone (same position that I have now), that I would work Mon-Wed, 20-24 hours a week! It is basically perfect, and truly an answer to prayer. While I would like to stay home full-time, it would make money a little tight (we could get by but it will be nice to have a little extra income) and we would have the added expense of health insurance for me and Baby (with no extra income to cover it). So... it's not official, but I think I'm going to take it. In addition to insurance and a little extra income, it will also give me "grown-up" time a few days a week, which I will probably appreciate (although I know I will hate to leave my baby!!!). I am still going to pray about it, and discuss it with Adam, but I'm hoping to let my manager know pretty quickly if I'm going to take it.

So that's my news for now! I will be sure to keep you updated :-)

Kinda bugs me

I'll say up front that I'm not saying that my opinions here are "right" and if you disagree you are "wrong" (at least, for this post!! ;-)  ). I am merely going to state my opinion and personal preference.

At a church I used to attend, the worship team (of which I was a part) would frequently, pretty much consistently, come up on stage after the message during the closing prayer. I don't like that. Yes, it makes a more "seamless" transition, but prayer is a time when you are talking to God. Prayer isn't to allow for a transition time. Of course you can listen and still be praying while you are walking or getting your instrument ready or whatever, I'm not saying you can't. It just seems to belittle prayer, making it a filler time when the congregations' eyes are closed and then when they open them after the "amen," voila! The worship team has magically appeared onstage! Just take the extra minute and go up after prayer! Thankfully, the "wait until after prayer" approach is the practice my current church uses. I just like to keep prayer a time to be focused on God. Also, I don't like it when someone plays music during the closing prayer. I'm not trying to say anything against the music or the talent of the musician, but again, I feel it is more of a distraction, or like it is trying to make you feel a certain way during the prayer. Don't try to elicit an emotional response from me, prayer does that on its own. I can see how some people might like it, but for me, I just don't like it. Just let the person pray!

Anyway. I'd be interested to hear how other people view the "prayer as transition" or "emotional music during prayer" topics. And for now, I'll get off my soapbox :)

Thanks(giving)

First of all, I just wanted to say thanks to anyone who read this and was praying for me (or for anyone who didn't read it and prayed for me anyway!),  because I appreciate it.

Second of all, I wanted to say that I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!

I got the phone call and verbal job offer this morning, which I accepted, and a written job offer will follow. I won't start until basically the beginning of next year (Jan 2 or thereabouts) to help cover vacations at our branch. But YAY yay yay I got the job! I'm so excited!!! (I know that comes as a real shock!) I think, to celebrate, I am going to buy some new work shoes soon (I needed some anyway, but now I'll do it celebratorily), and maybe go out to dinner with my wonderful husband. Not tonight or anything, since we're going to get more than enough food tomorrow, but possibly soon.

So, thanks once again, and yay!!

Post-Interview... Post :)

So! The interview went well, I think. There were two people interviewing me, and I felt like interviewer B would hire me, but interviewer A (the one asking most of the questions) was a little harder to read. I think I gave intelligent, pertinent answers to their questions, and after I asked my questions, interviewer A said "Good questions!" So I think that's a good sign, too. Also, I found out this afternoon that apparently I have a second/follow-up interview probably Monday. I think that's a really good sign!! So just keep praying, and I should know more within the next couple of weeks.

Well, I'll leave it there for now. Maybe more later.

Interview

So I have an interview! I was searching internal job postings, and I saw a position that I think I would really enjoy. I applied, and although I have similar experience, it is in an area that I have not really worked in before, so I wasn't really thinking anything would come of it. But I got an email last Friday saying they wanted to schedule an interview! So this Friday I have an interview in the morning for this new position! It encompasses a lot of aspects I already like about my current job, without other certain things I would rather not do anyway. And it'd be at a branch closer to home, cutting my commute time nearly in half! (from twenty minutes currently to more like twelve minutes, haha). Anyway, I'd appreciate prayers regarding this: that I'd be confident during my interview, not too nervous beforehand, and that I'll get the job unless God has something better planned for me! Thanks in advance, and I'll definitely keep you posted.