Off to work Monday

So it's Monday morning, and I have a few minutes before the carpool picks me up. I've been struggling lately with being positive at work, and I just thought I'd set a few goals for myself for the upcoming week.

1. Remember to be thankful for having a job
2. If I don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all
3. Remember that not everyone is like me and differences can be a good thing
4. Don't like the negativity of others bring me down

I think that's enough for this week. It's tough times out there for an architecture/engineering firm and there are lots of stressed people in the office. I just don't like that no one ever says anything positive and you only hear about the negatives. What I did wrong and what word was misspelled or mis-used in a proposal. I just really want to look at them and say, "if that's all you have to point out in this 200-page proposal is that one word, then we're good." And good lord if someone complains about the color of a presentation one more time, I might look at them and tell them that I don't tell them how to design buildings, why don't you leave the marketing to us....focus on the message not the background.
Okay, so it looks like it's going to be a long week. I just need to remember the four items above and not let the pressure or other people get to me. Say it with me...Stay Positive!

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new phone

I got a new phone today and ever since I haven't been able to put it down. It's just so much fun with it's touch screen and fun capabilities. It is my new toy. So tonight I am back to blogging. It has been awhile but I don't have any fun updates. Just trucking along.
I did start weight watchers recently and already lost 5 pounds. I'm doing this not just for me but hopefully to set me on the path of baby.

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Friday night

So it's almost 9 on a Friday night, and I'm sitting in front of my tv catching up on my shows and contemplating what to do this weekend. What I want to do is nothing, but I'm trying to get motivated.
It's been a long week. Work was rough with lots of things going on and lots of people needing things right then, while I waited on people for things I needed the day before. It's all a big cycle really. Now I don't want to seem like I only complain about work. I do like my job. I like the rush of winning (even though that hasn't been happening lately). I love when I pitch an idea and one of the higher ups loves it. I actually don't even mind the deadlines. I work well on deadlines. Give me a timeframe, and I'll get it done. Even give me a short timeframe, and I'll rock it out. I sometimes think I'm a freak that strives on that stuff.
Now it's the weekend. I'll probably do a little work tomorrow, but that's just so I can get ahead for the next week. What I'm trying to get motivated to do is to go join the local recreation center. See I didn't want to call it a New Year's resolution because those just seem jinxed. So let's just call it a new goal to go along with my other goals. And this new goal is to get healthier. That includes both losing weight and gaining strength. I figure while I'm working towards my goal of getting prego, I'll spend time getting healthy. I'm trying to change my eating habits and tomorrow off to the gym. Now I know it'll be a slow process. I'm not expecting massive changes quickly, but even small changes like an inch off my waist, more energy, not running out of breath when I go up multiple flights of stairs would be nice. Those are the kinds of changes I want. I also figure it can't hurt my efforts for my other goal. A healthier body has to to help in that process, right? And then once that goal is reached, I'll need a healthy body to keep up with a little one :)

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Belly blues

As I've mentioned before we've been trying to get pregnant for some time now. It's been a bit tricky since I never know how long my cycle will be and when that tricky little egg will pop out to be fertilized. In the past year my cycle has ranged from 38 days to about 90 days. Yeah, there was a lot of pregnancy tests taken during that waiting period. In the past few months, it seems to have leveled out...almost three cycles around 38 days!!! So this time, I'm hoping we timed it just right.
Isn't it sad that it's called "timing it right?" It makes the whole love part seem so technical and clinical, but it's love that brings a baby in the world. The love of the parents and the love that is to be shared with a little one. It's all about the love. So the clinical part can't be too avoided. Actually, the hubby doesn't want to know about the technical stuff. He doesn't want to worry, and he doesn't want to feel like a sperm machine, so I don't tell him. He knows that we're trying. He just doesn't know when the timing is close or when I'm waiting to find out. Some people might think that he's just not interested, but really I just don't want him to stress out about it or feel too much pressure. So alone I go.
So right now, I'm waiting. It's either a waiting game for my lovely Aunt Flo or for those two little lines to completely change my life. Ugh! I don't really like this part. I think it's the worst! Should I take the test today? Has it been long enough? Have my boobs gotten bigger? Are those cramps from implantation or an upcoming visit? Am I reading too much into these symptoms?
Still waiting...maybe I'll take the test tomorrow.

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The failures of others

Work happens to be a big part of my life. It is definitely not my only thing, but I do care about doing a good job and being challenged and satisfied in what I do. I work for a professional services organization in the marketing department preparing proposals, winning work and doing other marketing things. There is more to it, but that's it in a nutshell. It's a pretty competitive field and can tend to get stressful with lots of deadlines and late nights, but I always strive to put out the best product I can to win projects and keep everyone working.

So one of the things that gets me the most is when the failures of others affects me doing my job. Since my job happens to depend on others getting me information, I tend to do a lot of hurrying up and waiting, which is what I've been doing the past two days. Hurry up, get my work done, and then wait for others. Today was the final straw. The deadline was approaching and still nothing. After much discussion it was discovered that the one responsible for getting me information had decided to not pursue this particular project and failed to inform everyone else working on it. I couldn't believe it....livid!

Since one of my resolutions this year is to work on my relationship with God, I've been taking my bible to work with me and reading for a bit before everyone else shows up to work. I tend to get in early since I carpool, so I have a few minutes of quiet time before the lights get turned on. This morning I read about accepting God's spirit, but what really hit me was when I looked up stress in the index of my bible and turned to James 1:2-4, which reads:

My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be
full of joy. Because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will
give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do.

I thought about that for a few minutes and realized that I was not very patient. Yes, I was annoyed but my venting was not a good reaction. Me dumping my frustrations on my co-workers did them nor I any good. I should stay calm and just remember that I can only work on the things I can control, but I can't control everything. I need to remember that even in the small things like a work disturbance, my faith needs to shine through and I need to practice a little patience. And really couldn't there be worse things going on?

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The holidays are officially over

The Baldwin house is now clear of all holiday decorations. It seems kind of bare and plain now, but I guess it's good to get back to normal. Another sign that it is back to normal is that I have to go back to work tomorrow. I've been off for about two weeks now, and it's been pretty nice. I feel refreshed and rejuvenated. There are changes a coming, and I hope I'm prepared for them. I just need to remember to stay positive...positive, positive, positive.

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New Year...New Adventures

2008 has been over for three days, and of course, I'm just now posting about it. I always seem to be a little late.

For the Baldwins 2008 was a good year. My hubby would say differently, but he seems to occasionally have a more worried view on things. He worries about his job, taxes, the recession, and other things that we can't really change on our own. I tend to look on a more personal level. So to me, 2008 was a good year.

We bought a house, paid off some bills, had some fun with good friends and family, made it through the election without yelling at each other (we have differeing views on these sort of things), and are both healthy. Our fur children are also doing well. Taiders, the yorkiepoo, seems to have matured a little even though he still barks at everything outside the window. Comet, the orange furball that is our large cat, has found new places to sleep and bugs to chase. So all in all a good year.

Now on to 2009....I'm hoping for some great things out of this new year. As far as resolutions go, we've set some mutual resolutions. They are to eat at home more, which would in turn be healthier and cheaper, and walk every night. So far, so good. Personally, I'm resolving to work on a closer relationship with God and hopefully get my husband to do the same. Oh, and to take more pictures. I tend to take pictures in spurts, but I'm hoping to share at least a couple pictures a week with my blog visitors.

Another thing that I'm hoping blesses us this year is a new addition to our family. That's not really a resolution, but just something that I hope happens this year. For about a year now we haven't been trying not to have a child. Then about eight months ago we stepped up efforts to actively try...still nothing. For awhile, my silly thyroid was an issue. Who knew that that tiny little thing could cause so much trouble. It can really mess up all kinds of body functions including that oh so lovely cycle. Now I've got that under control, and my cycles seem to be normalling out. When I say normalling out, I mean they have gone from an average of 50-60 day cycles to about 38. So if you know anything about cycles and baby-making, you know that having that range in a cycle can really cause some trouble when it comes to timing things. I'm now praying that I've leveled off and 38 days is my lucky number. For those that pray, please keep us in your prayers for 2009 being our baby making year. I'm sure I'll keep the blog posted on almost all aspects of that since it's on my mind pretty much all day everday.

Okay, so this is only my second post on this blog, and I'm already starting to see how this can be addictive. I just want to keep on typing, but then I'll have nothing to write about tomorrow. I'm going to have to learn to control myself.

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