Transitions

I just wanted to share that I have a date for leaving Colorado. My parents are coming out in early September to hang out with us in Colorado one more time. Then we are packing me up and moving me back to Arkansas on September 9th. It's so weird to have a date planned.

By then, I will have a MA in Psychology and will be job hunting in Arkansas. It's so strange to sit here now, full of anxiousness about data collection and finishing my thesis and the final oral defense... and know that in about 80 days, all of that will be over and I will never live in Colorado ever again.

Life is a crazy thing.

Gender Roles

Since we are in this great transition, Joe & I have been talking about our future a lot lately. Usually in a fun hypothetical way.
House hunting online.
Dreaming about great jobs that make me want to get up in the morning (I am crazy about psychology, I am so excited to have a job I love).
Having kids.
What Joe wants to major in in college.
Getting another dog.
Shopping for huge grills.
Planning on buying a Jeep for Joe.

LOL, all the fun stuff. And I blurted out that I wanted to be the parent that goes to work and comes home and plays with the kids, dinner on the table, house has been vacuumed, bed is made, I can relax with my family. I want to be the "dad." LOL! And I just know this makes me sound like a bad female, a bad wife, and potentially a bad mom. Well, Joe just smiles. He has worked his butt off for the last 7 years. He would love to stay home with the kids. And that's currently the plan, kinda. Once I get a job and he's in school and we're settled in Arkansas, we want to start a family. Joe can be a student and a house husband while I would 40 hours a week. Once Joe graduates, we can reevaluate the roles. But I can always see us having non-traditional roles in our household.

I'm trying to find when or where I decided I wanted to have a more non-traditional role. I was raised by a very strong woman, with very strong female role models, but they are great moms too. So maybe I think, on some level, that Joe will be a better parent than I will be? In my last psychology class, we learned just how important a father is on a family. And how a male can very successfully be the lead parent when it comes to a parent/child relationship. And I really do believe that Joe will be an awesome father. So maybe I want to step back and let him be the dad I know he can be?

But also, at one point in my life, I seriously thought I had to chose between being a mom and being a career woman. Of course now, at 28, I know that a female can do both. But I want to work. I find passion in psychology and research. I want a job where I can be excited and passionate about my career path. I want to dedicate myself to this career. And I don't want that to diminish my role as a mother.

I know it will all work out. But we still like to talk about it.


And on a very personal level, I cannot wait to get out of this Army wife life so that I can find other women who have goals!! Yes, some Army wives, like me, have a life outside of their husband's job, but by far, most don't. And they get offended when I tell them I don't want to be a SAHM and have something important to me outside the home. Really, I get angry offensive messages about it. I don't know why my goals offend others. They can be SAHMs if they wish. Why cant I follow my dreams without the trolls coming out of the woodwork?

Graduation Gear!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to check in and share some amazing new things! First I wanted to show you this beautiful print I ordered from a shop on Etsy - Cedar House Keepsakes. Angela made this beautiful custom creation just for me! She has some wonderful ideas in her shop. I highly suggest you check her out. I will be ordering from her again for weddings and housewarming gifts. So beautiful, professional, personable, and very reasonable priced. My very large 11"x14" print was only $25!! All of the examples in her shop have hearts for the location instead of the star, but I really wanted a star instead. One quick convo later and she said she could do it for me. This is really why I love Etsy. They shop owners are so personable and willing to do what they can to make a customer happy. And trust me, I am THRILLED with my print. I want to order more right now! I might go get one for Arkansas.... quick someone stop me!!

The next thing I wanted to show you was my new class ring! So anyone who ordered a class ring in high school knows exactly how expensive they are. I have a high school ring, but not an undergrad ring, since I was too busy getting married and moving to Kansas with Joe. But as you all know, going back to school was always a goal of mine, so having a class ring was important to me too. Well, the ring the school offers is just plain UGLY. I hate to say it, but it is. I have no idea who picked it out, but it's gross. I would NEVER pay $450 on that ugly ring. So I went shopping. And the prices out in the world aren't great either. I was looking at about $300 for a traditional class ring. Then I found this one. I'm older and more modern and I think this sleek class ring was exactly what I was looking for. And you'll never guess where I found it.... Things Remembered! The place you buy monogrammed money clips and baby rattles! I ordered it about 5 weeks ago and it came in this weekend. It's well worth the wait. And cost HALF as much as the other rings I was looking at.

Graduation is just around the corner. I get very anxious if I think about it too much. Graduation. Moving home. Finding a job. Joe ETSing. Joe starting school. So many GREAT changes are heading our way. I just have to take it one day at a time or it all seems so overwhelming.

Speaking of overwhelming... have I told you about my survey yet? LOL! For my masters thesis, I am doing a survey about the public's trust of authority figures, like police officers. I need 1500 responses in 20 days. It only takes about 3 minutes to complete. I have 425 responses right now... with 15 days left. Overwhelming. So if you havent yet, please take just a few minutes out of your day to HELP ME OUT and take my survey. Here's the link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/F58TVY7

I would be forever grateful if you shared the link too. Thanks in advance.

Have a great Tuesday!