Michael successfully defended!

Michael spent 90 minutes defending his dissertation proposal. 30 minutes of presentation 60 minutes of Q/A.

His committee met with out him and then with him. They said "make these few changes... but Congratulations". Woooooo hoooooo.

Jacob smiled and looked great for his pictures.

I got a negative test from the doctor's office. We'll see what our next steps are. I meet with the doctor on Tuesday.

Thursday is a big day in our house!

Jacob has his class pictures.

Michael defends his proposal.

I take a pregnancy test.

We're going out to dinner afterwards.

It breaks my heart.

It is too bad when something at work comes between friends. I have lost two friends. The details to me are blurry. I just know there are always two sides to any story. I was never asked my part. I won't be asked. It was assumed I was at fault. The outrage expressed publicly in writing left no room for middle ground. One followed the other into this stance. After six weeks of non responsiveness, it breaks my heart to say this, but I'm done trying to mend a fence. I'm done trying to move past it. I can't spend the energy on it. I can't cry over it anymore.

I suppose in some relationships, it is too much to have a difference of opinion or to agree to disagree.

I have lost 2 friends that have been there for every step of our 3 years here in Lubbock. It makes me sad. I will miss them. I will miss their daily laughter. I will miss their wit. I already miss their kindness.

Baby making update

Another round of baby making is underway.

I took my clomid (days 3-7)
I took my shot of FSH (day 9)
An ultrasound showed a folicle at 13.4 mm (day 11)
I took two more shots of FSH (days 11 and 12)
An ultrasound showed a folicle at 17 mm (day 13)
An ultrasound showed a folicle at 18.9 mm (day 14)
I'll take the shot of HcG to make the folicle release an egg (day 14)
We'll go to the doctor's office for a round of insemination (day 16)
I'll start the supplemental progesterone (day 18)
I'll take a progesterone blood test to verify ovulation (day 20)
I'll take a pregnancy test (day 26) September 28 - the day Michael defends his proposal.

It will be a big day one way or another!!

It is official!

Michael turned in his proposal to the Dean's office today.

He got a letter making his candidacy official for doctorate of philosophy in marketing.

He's excited, anxious, nervous, overwhelmed, happy, scared, worried, thrilled, relieved - all at the same time.

I'm proud. Could you tell?

2 Good Weeks

Jacob has been meltdown free for two weeks!! Not challenge free, mind you. He's done pretty well at school, he seems happy and playful. That is what it is all about.

I know it is busy for everyone..... I just don't know how to get 26 hours out of a day!! If you have any tips - bring it on. We seem to squeeze in all we can.

House – dishes, laundry, trash, meals, grocery store
Yard – mow the yard, weed eat, edge, prune the flowers
Dogs – vet, groomer, feeding, poop scooping, ball-time
Work – 36 total projects, 5 brand new, 7 stalled, 24 mid stream
Certification – Project Management Institute prep class
Gym – Yoga, Step, Pump 5 days a week – time for me
Making Baby – medicine, doctor, vitamins
Jacob – homework, behavior, soccer, tennis, books
and my foundation.....
Michael – be with him, talk to him, support him, parent with him

We spent half an hour last night on the patio, after Jacob was in bed, talking, laughing and playing with the dogs. That felt good.

Job Hunt

I thought I'd give you a brief update of what's going on with Michael's proposal defense. It is the next big milestone to the completion of his PhD.

At this point he is considered ABD (all but dissertation). Schools don't want to interview or recruit someone that doesn't at least have his idea defended. If you don't have the proposal defended, then how serious are you? Will you have it done in time to come to work here for the 2007-2008 school year?

Setting the date and successfully defending his idea, definitions, research proposal, method, model.... etc is critical to the job hunt - not just finishing his PhD.Michael got the go ahead to set the date. Tuesday when he meets with one of the co-chairs (Dr. Wilcox) they'll set a date. Dr. Arnette sent him a note on Friday to go ahead and make that happen.

After the date is picked. Michael can send a happy update to the schools he's interested in - announcing his date, reminding them how wonderful he is and his newly submitted papers for review. In the running right now we have, in preferential order:

University of Michigan
Loyola College of Maryland (in Baltimore)
(Tied for third place....)
Bucknell (Near Williamsport in PA)
Univ. of Colorado - Colorado Springs
Radford University - Radford, VA

If all goes well, I'll be pregnant and won't work after the baby comes. Wouldn't that be nice!

Dogs....

Thursday we discovered that the side gate to the yard was broken. The latch lost a spring. Michael put the dogs out and was working in the house. I got a call.

“Hi, I have your dogs….. my address is….. I’d put them in my back yard, but I have a bunny…. come soon…. I’m almost out of bologna.”

I called Michael on his cell phone. He was already driving around looking for them. He brought them home. We wedged the gate.

We figured we'd call after Labor Day and have it fixed.

This morning on our way out, Jacob and I were letting the dogs in and noticed they were in the front yard. We gathered them up and left them inside.

I called Merry Maids.
Me “What time are you planning on coming?”
MM “After 1:00, but we could come earlier if you’d like”.
Me “No, I need to know when you’re coming so I can take care of the dogs”.

I went home at lunch with a bungee cord to secure the gate.

The maids had been there.
They let the dogs out.
The dogs got out. The dogs are MUDDY.
The maids let the dogs back in.
The house isn’t quite as clean as it was when they left.
I should send them the grooming bill too.

I called the Merry Maid office and vented my frustration.

Rain, Rain... Go away.

The yard is done - mowed, edged and weed eater
The patio is clean and washed.
The tables are set up. I borrowed (2) 6 foot tables from the office and 4 folding chairs.
The toys are cleaned and ready for play.
The swing and hammock positioned for parents to watch children.
The potato salad is done
The fruit is chilled.
The drinks are chilled.
The ice is in the freezer - 3 bags.
The cookies and frosting are ready for small children.
The buns, condiments and chips get put on the table.
The paper plates, cups, napkins, utensils....etc. all ready to go.
Michael is almost done with the laundry
I'm almost done with the dishes
Micahel took out the trash
I need to sweep the floors.
Jacob cleaned his room.
We need to pick up the little things around the house.
We'll make burgers and put the food out.
I'd say we're well on our way to having a cook out.
We'll take lots of pictures tomorrow - rain or shine.
We have a 50-60% chance of rain in the morning - clearning off about 1:00.
The families are supposed to come around noon.
We're expecting about 12 adults and 10 children.

Not this month

"Not this month", that's what the doctor's office said when they called with my blood work results.

We'll try again next month.