I haven’t written on here because all I want to write about is

WHERE WE ARE MOVING

but we don’t “officially” have the orders yet. Hai slow military life. And I’m nervous I’ll jinx it or have to come back and say, “Never mind, we got El Paso again.”

O_o

It’s so monumental in life to move that it’s kind of all consuming. Oh, and I’m alone with a preschooler all day so there’s also that. I tend to think about things that are coming to pull me through the looooong days without Sam.

12 more days by the way. He’s been gone 5 weeks.

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I really did. When Sam left, all I could think of was passing 7 weeks of Bella and I staring each other down.

77 hours of face time a week. Excluding naps and night. That’s a heck of a lot of time to fill when you don’t get an evening or weekend break for a little while.

But, it’s been the opposite. I’ve been so busy in fact that it’s hard to find the time to fit in a lot of things. Between doctor appointments, therapy appointments, work, playdates, taking the cat and dog to the vet multiple times, and then just life in general – most night I collapse into bed around 9 and pass out.

Thankful that the time has flown, we finally found a sitter, and today leaves us 3 weeks to go without Daddy.

Here’s what else I’ve been working on in the meantime:

• My 9 Favorite Products for Dry Skin During Pregnancy - because we live in the desert. Enough said. 
• What a 12 Week 3D Ultrasound Looks Like – our little one in 3D!
• 14 Questions and Tips for Hiring a Nanny Before the Baby – been there, been hired. It’s a easier process if you know what to ask before hiring someone.
• 12 Weeks Pregnant: Stats, Symptoms, and a Pic – this past week!
• Making the Best of a Duty Station You Didn’t Want – what happens when life gives you El Paso.
• The Grass is Always Greener. And Browner. – how working from home sparks the “You’re so lucky” comments.
• Goodbye First Tri: A Look Back in Pictures – a look into my Instagrammed life over the past 3 months of pregnancy.

Tonight we interview a new sitter. Ours is leaving to head home next week.

::sobs::

Honestly, it’s hard to do this. She’s been with us 7 months, and actually her first interview was the day my water broke with the twins. She’s stayed with us since, been such a rock in these months of appointments and changes. Bella adores her. I trust her completely, and her calm demeanor is always such a welcome spot in our crazy lives.

But we need someone else. She comes 3 mornings a week right now, sometimes more. Both for working and appointments I have to have someone. And with Sam leaving (right after her) it’s even more important to find someone so I can get a break and get things done.

Using Sittercity.com, we found someone we really liked initially. There were the usual odd applications like a name and number only, a letter on how one candidate has been a full time nanny since she was 13 to her church, someone else who stated they charted $12 as “mandated by the state.”

What state?

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I adore Stitch Fix. Here’s why: I’m not a shopper. I’ve admitted it on here before. I just hate going into stores and wandering through aisles, going into dressing rooms, trying to match pieces with other pieces and ending up in with a huge headache from it all.

Yet there is a part of me that does want to look dressed up – not always the mom in jeans and a Target shirt (not that there is anything wrong with that. Target for life.) 

So then I found out about Stitch Fix and my style life changed. Basically you go to their site, fill out some questions about your current style, what you want your style to be, what your body shape is, colors you like/don’t like (nix on the leopard or neon), choose a few outfits from some Pinterest type pics, add your budget, and schedule a “fix.”

Stitch Fix tops. Thank you muffin top concealers.

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That’s work at home mom. Not WHAM.

Anyone who’s read me long enough knows that up until this summer, I did about a post every few months on here wondering if I should blog anymore, what the point was, if I could keep doing this without being paid, etc.

Thankfully I think most of you stayed with me through all of that.

Then I got hired by Babble. Then Military Family. Then Oreck. In the meantime, I’ve written for other places that don’t pay but do encourage me to expand my creativity and stretch my writing skills.

I’m often overwhelmed and flustered trying to navigate a sudden full time freelance job with a daughter, home, and all the other things that come with that. I also absolutely adore and am so thankful for every.single.day of it. Really and truly. Being paid more than I made working out of the house and getting to be at home doing what I love is such an incredible blessing.

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