Goals.

As some of you may know, both my brother (Justin) and my sister (Grace) are taking the 101/1001 challenge - completing 101 goals in 1001 days. Justin began the movement, with Grace following suit. Quite a few of the goals set by Justin and Grace are impressive and are going to take extreme dedication and effort. To see Justin's goals and progress, click here. To see Grace's goal website click here. I know they both are going to do great! Marshall and I agreed tonight, we now feel as though we should join the parade.

*insert sarcastic laugh here*

Yeah, right. With a new baby, 101 goals seems overwhelming and frankly, unnecessary. I have one major goal right now - to be a good mom! Obviously. But I still like the idea. So, here is my version!

10/365 (ten goals to complete in the next year):
1) Make my husband's lunch for 10 consecutive Market Basket shifts.
2) Read 10 books recommended by family and friends (suggestions please!).
3) Sleep for 10 hours - straight, twice.
4) Send 10 birthday cards to family or friends on time. (I stole the idea from Grace...but this is something I've wanted to do for a while.)
5) Provide Norah with breastmilk for at least 6 months.
6) Open a savings account for Norah.
7) Run a half-marathon (NO WALKING!). (Justin - want to enter the same race?)
8) Go on a mini-vacation with Marshall up to the White Mountains. See here.
9) Get at least 3 tattoos. (Diamond on wedding ring finger, black X on wrist, and another tattoo on my left arm...design TBD.)
10) Pay off our car.

Whew, I'll let you know how I do here and there through blogging.

On another note, Norah is officially one month old. How the heck did that happen?! Despite some rough moments here and there, time has passed quickly...as I knew it would. I love being a mom, more than I could have predicted. I'm starting to understand how there are parents who can only hold conversations about their kids. Norah is why we are here, now. She needs both Marshall and I to care for her, to love her, to show her life. I feel MY life has more purpose now than it ever has before - it feels right. I'm still struggling with trying to grow closer to God...but with Norah here in my life, well, she is evidence of how gracious my God is.



Love and miss you all.
SLK

Pretty Lady

I finally captured a classic Norah face...yes, the "O Face".


Norah in the first girly outfit given to her by my good friend Katey. Adorable.


Video of Norah holding her head up. At times, it looks as though she is resting on her own arms...but really she is still holding her head up! Super Baby.


Ah, Marshall and I are in love..yes with each other, but also with our little one.

SLK

What it's Like to Work...

So, I've been asked recently by a good number of people about how my summer job at the grocery store has been going and how I'm enjoying the job. Here are some answers to those questions.

I really underestimated the physicality of the work I'd be doing at the store. I commented to Sarah earlier today that I'd like to take a pedometer to the store with me someday in order to calculate the number of steps I take during each shift and the total number of miles I walk in a day while working. I might also someday count the number of times I bend down into a crouch and then stand up again. I am constantly sore in my knees and lower back after I'm done working and want only to come home and put my feet up when my shift ends. Standing on concrete for eight hours does little to comfort one's joints.

For as much as it sounds like I'm complaining in the description above, I really enjoy working at the grocery store. As a Hall Director, I have very few working hours which are definitely set each week. Thus, I have a schedule that shifts with the needs of my students and which keeps me constantly primed for having to work. My schedule at the grocery store, though, is set each week with a definite start and end to each shift I work. I know that I'll start work each morning at 7am, that I'll get an hour break from Noon to 1pm, and that I'll leave the store for home each afternoon at 4pm. There are no questions about when I need to be thinking about work and when I don't. While I rarely feel like I've accomplished much or have something to show for the work that I do as a Hall Director, I leave the grocery store each day feeling like I've really had an impact on something and knowing that I have proof for the labor I've provided. In other words, I feel accomplished in my summer job in ways that I don't think I'll ever feel accomplished in my career. Also, I dress better when I'm working at the grocery store (slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie) than I do when I'm working as a Hall Director (jeans and a hoodie).

I don't think I'd choose to ever leave my career in the Ivory Tower to work in a long-term physical blue collar job, but I'm certainly enjoying the experience for right now. I've talked with some people who have commented that working as a stocker at a grocery store is "beneath" someone with my level of education, but those people clearly don't know what they're talking about. I make a fair wage (and time and a half on Sundays!), my work does not consume me, my coworkers are both fun and personable, and I get to interact with a wide variety of people. There is nothing about this work that is below me.

The only thing left to decide is whether or not I'll continue to work some weekend hours at the store once school starts again in the fall. I could continue to work on either Saturdays or Sundays and make an extra 60-100 dollars a week, or I could not work and have my weekends off entirely. While the extra money is appealing, the thought of not having to shave and being able to regrow my beard if I didn't continue to work at the store is attractive in ways that I can't even describe. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the rest of the summer goes.

And so that's what it's like to work as a grocery stocker. Hope this helps answer those questions of yours!

Stay Gold, everyone. I'll be enjoying a couple of days off...

MMK

New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

We're proud to be living in a state that publicly and legally recognizes human equality. Six states down, forty-four to go...

New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Stay Gold!

MMK

Boo Cyclones.

Norah hanging out under the play system Kevin & Sarah bought for her. Notice the Iowa State hat - also given to Norah by K&S. This reminds me, I need to buy Norah some purple and gold...GO PANTHERS!

Norah holding her head up to look at Daddy! She is strong!!!

The typical Norah shoulder pose. She loves it.


SLK