Babies

First off, no I'm not pregnant and no I'm not planning on having any babies for a long time. The tentative plan is about 4 years, but that is for now. I know that both Scott and I want time to ourselves, our careers and school. Also, I cannot fathom being responsible enough right now for a human being to be totally dependant on me. (Scott is only mostly dependant on me haha j/k) . I'm sure that most people think this way and then when the time comes where they choose (or not choose) to have a baby they just have to adapt to it. I imagine the 9 month incubation period is God's way of preparing us mentally and intellectually about how its going to be. I've heard the children totally change a marriage, both in good and bad ways, depending on who was telling me this. Sarah (Scott's sister) was Due December 17, yet there is still no little baby for us to see on Friday! We're hoping that changes pretty quickly since that is a pretty big part of the reason why we are coming out to Ohio! Of course we will still go out there if there is no baby, but we may be spending our holidays in the hospital! And that would be okay too. I've never been to the hospital while a baby was being born and I think that it would be exciting.

Anyway, I am excited to have children someday......I think. I'm sure lots of people have preconceptions about babies holding you back with your career, vacations or trips, but maybe its more like you just get to share these experiences with a new part of your family.

I'm hoping the rest of this week goes fast. Tonite after work I have to stop by Macy's for a few last minute gifts and some luggage for scott and I. Then Thursday its off to the wonderful DMV, to get my name changed. (I keep saying i'm going to do this but I just hate the DMV so much I have put it off).

Yay for Christmas!

Home for the Holidays

This year my Christmas will be different. Instead of being in Coal City with my family on Christmas eve and morning I will be starting a new tradition. This Friday we are traveling to Ohio to see (hopefully!) the new arrival of Baby Johnson! (our future niece or nephew on Scott's side). We will return on Christmas eve and spend a quiet Christmas Eve just me and Scott. We have some ideas about what we are going to do. One of them include unwrapping one gift, watching a Christmas movie, and maybe making Scandinavian desserts. The next morning we will open our gifts at our apartment, visit Bailey since she will be by herself and then go down to Coal City for our immediate family Christmas. THEN we are going to be going to Debbie's house for the extended family Christmas. So it will be busy, but fun. Scott has a big surprise event for my present this year taking place on December 28. And then we will be having a Christmas party on December 29 and THEN possibly a new years party (in coal city) on the 31st. Time to get back to work though. .........Yay.

Thoughts on Married Life

~A List~

• It's not what you expect
• It takes work
• It takes sacrifice
• There are no secrets
• It's easily disrupted
• It's the best of times
• It's the worst of times
• It's exciting
• It's Love
• It's Life
• It's Sharing
• It's the Past
• It's the Present
• It's the Future
• It's part of who you are
• It's Forever
  

The Education System in America

As I work in the public school systems more and more, I'm realizing how truly disordered and disorganized it is. While earning my degree in elementary education, I was never taught much about the IEP process, special education law, or how to deal with incomptant adminstration. However, I'm quickly learning, despite the fact that its really putting a toll on me. I've had to deal with so many different parents, staff members and students that just discourage me beyond belief. I'm trying to service students who truly need assistance, but I'm hung up on the students who have been approved for special ed trying to get them off my caseload. I've been working at this school for at least two months and I've yet to see all the kids on my caseload as they should be seen. The reason being I have meetings and testing and more meetings to attend to try to persuade the necessary audience that these students should not be receiving services.

Today I have 6 meetings from 7:55 to 2:30. This gives me roughly an hour or so to try to see some students. I realize that I intended this blog to be more about pending issues and social commentary. However, I had to put a personal input on this blog since I'm so greatly affected by it. I'm pretty sure I'll never work in the schools again, unless it is a special circumstance.

Extreme Early Retirement

Despite the fact that I have an awesome job, retirement is already on my mind. And with only 3 months of a "real job" under my belt, I can help but dream about a day when I don't have to go into work unless I want to.

Yahoo posted this story today and it intrigued me. They called it "Extreme Early" Retirement and it made it sound exciting and edgey. Its something I could see myself doing with the right preperation. Yahoo finance suggests that you :
Set spending and investment priorities now for the future

Stay 100 percent out of debt, except for a mortgage

Invest in stocks through index and mutual funds

Use the compounding effect of time by investing early

Seek a partner with the same financial values

I think most of those are very do-able. Grown up in the home of an accountant has made me extremely money conscience.

I WANT TO TRAVEL