Student Teaching

I have officially started my final semester in my pursuit of a college degree. I have been close to this point in the past, but never made it quite this far. If all goes as planned, I will graduate on May 6.

I am tickled that I was able to surpass my own expectations of my capabilities during the past two years. I have maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking an insanely heavy course load. I have also managed to work part time and keep up (but not as well as I would have liked) with the laundry and the house. Without the help of Odin and the kids, this all would have been impossible.

On top of it all, I created my own website (www.mrsjurkowski.com) for my student teaching semester that I hope to continue once I start teaching. For years, Odin has managed the technology in our home because it was just his thing. I was very proud to be able to say that not only did I do this site on my own, but taught Odin a thing or two about it. To be fair, I was only able to show him because he was not familiar with the google sites editor.

This semester will certainly be one of growth and learning. While I am looking forward to it, I honestly am counting the days for my seventeen year quest for my degree to come to an end!

Just talk, I'm right here!

There is a new phenomenon in my home. My loving husband has a new appendage. It goes with him everywhere and takes several forms. I've seen him with it during the day, but now it is ALWAYS there. What could it possibly be? One of the children? Facial hair? Return of the Jedi shoes? Not even close - it is his laptop/blackberry/phone.

He found this application called Meebo. He is now always logged in to all his IM sites and they go to one place. He has it linked up to his UCM webpage and I think he's always on it. Between this and Facebook, I'm a distant third when it comes to evening conversation once the kids go to bed! I know this will slow down and his students need him too, but I think I'm figuring out an alternative.

This week, I am having trouble with speaking and have been using IM and email more than usual. I've taken advantage of him having an electronic appendage since I couldn't have a good phone conversation while he was at work. However, later one evening, he happened to be sitting on the couch working with his laptop and I had mine and was chatting with friends on Facebook and IM. Just for fun, I wrote to him. I wrote again. He's grinning and also a little annoyed. So, of course, I do it again and again and again. I was having a good time.

Keep in mind we are RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER! My excuse is that I can't speak well and am just picking at him. He can talk just fine. I about fell over when he writes back that he is going to go to bed soon. HE'S RIGHT THERE! Why couldn't he just say it? I truly believe he didn't even realize the humor until I fell off the couch laughing!

Getting older, but still having fun!

Check out Odin playing around on a Sunday morning. No special effects, this is how the light saber shows up on camera.

Odin as a Jedi Video on MySpace

Wolfman spotted!

It's probably time I open up and publicly declare that I am married to a wolfman.

Odin is showing signs of transformation daily and it won't be too much longer until his ruggedly handsome facial features are indistinguishable from those of his cousin, the wolfman. So, if you see a hairy man wandering around in a suit, don't follow your instinct and run, it's just Odin showing off his ability to grow facial hair! He's promised that just like many furry creatures, the hair will disappear in the warmer months of spring.

So much to do!!!

I haven't been posting lately because I have been running around barely taking time to refuel. So here's the latest.
- I now have a 6th grader, 5th grader, 2nd grader, a preschooler, and a toddler. Byron was promoted to the 5th grade this past Monday. So far, so good. We pray this will be a better fit for him.
-We are talking with a Realtor here in town to try and figure out what we would need to do to sell the house should Odin get a new job soon.
- I am speaking at the Missouri La Leche League conference this weekend.
-And the big news.... Odin, Valen and I are flying out to Utah on Monday.

I can't just drop that on you without an explanation. Odin has an interview at Southern Utah University and I am tagging along to check out the area, housing, and schools. I have two friends coming with their kids to keep my older four in line and Odin and I will only have the baby with us.

The stressful part of this situation is the not knowing. We don't know if he will get this job or not, but we do know the job starts in January. Lets see, housing market is not thriving and if he gets this job, we would have to relocate about 6 weeks later. We are definitely in a situation where I need to keep telling myself that God will put us where we need to be. As long as I do everything within my power, I have to trust that God will take care of the rest (the sleepy kind of rest, too!!).

Time to get back to Halloween preparations! The kids are going trick-or-treating downtown, and I get to help get balloons ready to pass out at the church. Check out Odin's blog in a few days for pictures.

Colorado!?

Now that he's clued me in a little more on the job hunt, Odin has let me know that he applied for a job in Colorado. Not just any job at any university, but UCCS. This is incredibly funny to me. I asked Odin if he knew that the UCCS library was where I did the bulk of my research for the debate team in high school. The building has changed quite a bit in the past several years, and it looks like the somewhat close parking I enjoyed is no more!

So, it makes me ponder the thought of moving back to where I grew up. What would it be like to live within walking distance of my parents. Tonight, as the kids are begging to stay up "just a few more minutes," made me dream of having help nearby when Odin is out of town. Better yet, as we start to enter the teen years, wouldn't it be nice to say the following to a cranky child, "Take a walk and tell Grandma and Grandpa all about how mean your mom is."

The downside would be that Grandma and Grandpa may actually sympathize with their grandkids over things I would never have gotten away with!

Utah and North Dakota

To amuse myself, I have started checking out Utah and North Dakota. These are the two places that Odin has clued me in on regarding his job search. So far, Utah is noteworthy because midwifery is expressly legal! I am very excited, not because I want another baby (Mom and Grandma - take a breath!), but because I won't have to spend so much time working on that piece of legislation and can pester the lawmakers about other things. North Dakota is a little tricky in the sense that I just can't make heads or tails of the information I've found thus far. I'll have to keep digging.

The positive side of North Dakota is the fact that it is much closer to family. We are talking 2-6 hours to lots of relatives. Maybe someone would even offer to watch the kids every now and then (hint, hint). The house listings on realtor.com looked promising as well and Odin would be able to chose a new (well, newer) house or a really old one. Truthfully, housing in either state would be doable.

The big thing I am wondering about is the weather. While I think it gets cold here in MO, I am sure I would get a rude awakening in either place. Let's just hope the jobs would start after this winter. Otherwise, I'll just stay indoors as much as possible if we move during the winter!

On my own

Odin has gone to Virginia and left me alone, outnumbered, and with a messy house. The odds are against me, but what the kids don't seem to understand is that though they think they are coming up with new tricks, I have seen and done it all. In fact, I did it better! No sneaking around watching late night TV on my watch!

Healthcare system

We are off! #6 is going in to have his tonsils reduced and his adenoids removed this morning. He is getting away with more than I could ever imagine as he can't eat or drink and I am trying to keep him distracted.

I have put forth so much effort into getting to know the healthcare providers we use here in town as well as in the city. It just recently dawned on me that I will have to start all over once Odin finds a new job.

I have to wonder if whatever town get us will be ready for me? Odin will fit in anywhere - hardworking, team player that he is. You know the type - works too hard too often! But then there is me. I can't seem to keep my mouth shut when something isn't right. It's not the little things, it's the stuff that could potentially harm my family, or for that matter, the next family in line. I figure if it affects us, it's got to be an issue for another family as well. I know I can stand up for what's right, the next person might not be able to speak up for a variety of reasons. Maybe that's why I like politics so much!

So, back to the point. Odin is job hunting seriously again. So, I have to check out all the areas to which he applies. What are the schools like? Healthcare? Breastfeeding and midwifery legislation? The list goes on and on.

Well, I guess know I'll have to find time to do the research as it's way too important!

Small town vs. Big (well, bigger) City

I know, I haven't posted in what seems like eons, but it's not like I am sitting around eating bon bons all day. Partly because I don't know if there are any bon bons out there that are gluten and dairy free, but mostly because life in around here is busier than usual.

Aside from the fact that I am trying to keep up with the legalities of midwifery here in MO, I have started a new bakery business, Deanna's Kitchen. Now, to top it all off, Odin is starting to clue me in more on his job search.

While I do like where I live, and I love our home, I realize that Odin has dreams and I am more than happy to support him in any new venture. We will find a home and find our niche in whatever new community we choose. What I'm more stressed about is the fact that he is not limiting his search to small college towns! I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A BIG CITY!!!!!!!!! Give me a small town, a house with a view of something not flat and empty space not too far away and I'll be happy. As much as I want him to succeed, I hope the universities in the small towns are the ones interested in him and the bigger schools find someone else!