Pinning/Graduation, Baby Shower, Found a Job!!!!

August 25, 2013

            I am embarrassed that it has taken me this long to update my journal. You would think after graduating that I would have all this time on my hands to catch up on projects I want to do like scrapbooking, burning home videos to DVD, major deep cleaning, etc. but in all honesty I have just been trying to get ready for the baby to come. According to my menstrual cycle, she is due September 20^th. According to the first ultrasound measurement she is due October 2^nd. However, Marquette came 2 weeks 1 day early, so I really feel like it could be anytime from the middle of September and on. So in reality, I feel like I only have a little over two weeks left until the baby arrives. Luckily, I finished painting the room last week, have all the furniture ready, and am just fine tuning my decorations. My baby shower was yesterday and was a total blast (more on that later).  

            Let’s rewind the clock back to July. I worked extremely hard the entire semester and was able to actually finish all of my course work about 2 weeks early. So I did take that time to relax a lot, be with Marquette, and play with friends. I am so grateful for the time I have had to be with friends because I realize now that when I start working, it will take so much time from my children that I probably won’t want to socialize as much as before. I graduated/had my pinning on August 4, 2013. My parents and Joel, Derek’s parents, Derek and Marquette came to support me. Saturday night we all got together and went out to dinner together. We spent the night socializing until it was time to go to bed. Sunday we pretty much relaxed (I took a nap), and then my pinning was at 2pm. When it was my turn to walk across the stage and my name was called, Joel stood up and started shouting and screaming so loud. Then my dad yelled “WE LOVE YOU!” I immediately got extremely embarrassed, but it was really nice to feel so much love. There was a reception afterwards, but it was so crowded we pretty much stayed just to take pictures and then left. I had a good time and enjoyed visiting as a family, but I honestly was glad to just have it over. I think I slept for like 10 hours the next day (I napped with Marquette).

            I should be studying diligently for my test, but that has honestly been extremely difficult. I have so many things that I need to do to prepare for baby etc., that I haven’t spent as much time as I should. But since I am pretty much ready for baby, I will now devote 2 hours every morning to study for the exam. I did take a class the two days before pinning that REALLY helped and I listen to his CDs that were included in the class too. I think I will pass…I pray I will…hehe.

            So here is a story that I should fill you in on. After graduating, I had not had a single interview for a job in Chattanooga and I was growing worried if I would find one. Attending Vanderbilt has put us in an extensive amount of debt and we would not even be able to afford the minimum payment if I did not find employment. Well, two Sundays ago, on the 11^th of August, I gave a lesson on “Obedience Brings Blessings.” In my lesson, I shared how Derek had been pursued by a company in Dallas, TX and even accepted a position, but that we did not feel right about moving even though I had received multiple phone interviews for positions there. But I stated that we had received an answer that we were supposed to remain in Chattanooga, TN and I bore my testimony that I knew the Lord would provide a way for me to pay those bills. I stated that I had faith that God would find me a job, maybe not in my time, but in his time. I promised the sisters that I would return and report to them when that occurred (that is the short story, I will not share the rest of it because it is too personal and sacred). Well, little did I know that a Spanish sister in my ward was there that day, and she is a manager for a clinic in Dalton, GA that has a satellite office in Chattanooga, TN. She said she needed to speak to me after church.

      When I approached her after church she had the biggest smile on her face. She said that her clinic had been looking for an NP since March and had been unsuccessful. She asked me if I was willing to learn Spanish. I smiled very big and switched to speaking Spanish. I told her that I had learned Spanish in high school and that I had had a friend from Venezuela who I spoke to exclusively in Spanish when I was 18 years old. She was extremely impressed and became very excited. The next thing I knew, she told me that I had a job and that I just needed to interview with the doctor. I went in Monday at 11am and interviewed with Dr. Perez. He is the sweetest man ever. Everyone in the office is bilingual and almost all of them their native tongue is Spanish. I am SO excited for this opportunity because I am going to become truly bilingual and that is so precious to me. Derek and I have also decided that when I become confident in Spanish (where I don’t have to think about every word I say) we are going to switch our home into a Spanish speaking home so that our children can grow up learning Spanish and English. I know that my children will learn English just fine outside of our home when they are at their daycare (my friend’s house), so I need to make sure they are immersed in Spanish at home. I think this will be a huge blessing to them. Anyway, my official start date is December 3^rd and I am VERY excited. I will be working Monday-Friday 8-5 at the Dalton clinic until I am confident enough to move to the Chattanooga clinic. Once there, I will be able to change the hours somewhat to better fit my schedule as well as the Hispanic people (they prefer later appointments, so I think I will pull a few longer days and then have a day off or a shorter day or something). I am nervous about being away from my children so much. Will they remember me? Will my daughter even know that I am her mom? It just makes me nervous and sad that I have to be away so much. But it is not for forever. Once we are out of debt and have a good nest egg I will switch to part time (hopefully about 3 years from now). I am doing this to better their lives and help us become more financially stable. And in all honesty, I am doing this because I felt that heavenly father wanted me to.

            I painted the baby’s room. It took me over a week. The room is a lime green with a pink border and red, green, pink turquoise, and light blue circles of all shapes and sizes inside the border. It looks adorable I promise. It took FOREVER, but I am very pleased with it. I am working on the decorations and am SO excited! Marquette’s room now looks a little bland…I think I will try to paint his room sometime soon. I just want to do some big red star border around the room to give it some personality. I am just so grateful to soon be having two children and for all the Lord has blessed me with.

            My baby shower was this past Saturday. My best friends Sherree and Sarah threw it for me. The theme was “Gina’s about to pop!” and all the food was centered around that. There was popcorn shrimp, popcorn chicken, 6 different flavors of popcorn, lollipops, and these “mounds” brownie things that were to DIE for. All the food looked crazy phenomenal. The decorations were balloons that we popped to find out which games we had to play. There was a balloon race game, charades game, “feed the baby” game, and guessing the mystery ointments/creams game. They were all SO hilarious and fun! We all just died laughing. Then I opened my presents. I got a swing, double stroller, diapers, wipes, receiving blankets, head bands, lavender bath stuff, burp clothes, hand crocheted hats, and a ton of clothes! This girl is going to be SPOILED and stylin’! After it was over I seriously felt so loved and blessed that I got teary-eyed as I hugged everyone. I have an amazing ward and group of friends. I cannot even tell you the immense love and support I felt from them. Our family has truly been given many priceless treasures on this earth that money could never buy.

            As far as the pregnancy goes, I am almost 35 weeks… maybe a little farther. I feel huge, but am only a 24 pounds gained. Which I honestly feel really good about. I think with Marquette, by this time I was at 30 pounds gained. I am ready for her to be here, but I am not ready for the labor part yet…oh well. I don’t think anyone is ever truly ready for that.

            Marquette is getting really big. I cannot even tell you all the words he says now. It’s a lot. Let’s see...some that come to mind are “All done, all gone, eat, cracker (cacker), juice, water (wah-der), shoe, socks (sauce), pants, shirt (shuuht), choo-choo, please (peace), thank you (tank-tu), love you (wuv-tu), bye-bye, night-night, amen, no, mine, I want, dog, doggie, blankey (preesy…don’t know where that came from), show, ball, my dice, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten (still working on counting though)” and a WHOLE bunch more I just cannot recall. If you tell him to say something now, he actually gets pretty close. It’s just a matter of him knowing what he is actually saying. We are working on counting and colors. His favorite colors are yellow, orange, and blue. I only know this because he gravitates toward these colors all the time. He loves to mimic. He is very smart. He observes everything anyone does and will then imitate it. He has gotten himself into trouble this way. He likes to stick the key into the ignition of the car before he gets into his car seat. He loves his blankey. He loves his mommy and looks to be around me whenever possible. Although he is very confident and not afraid to explore and get into trouble haha. He loves watching his “shows” on my iPad when I will let him. He mostly watches baby Einstein and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He really doesn’t care for any other shows and will never watch the actual TV. He will give kisses any second of the day if you ask for one. Sometimes, when he’s in trouble, he will try to give you a kiss to butter you up. It works like a charm. I also transitioned him to his big-boy bed and have had NO problems. He goes to sleep when I put him in it and sleeps through the night. He has only fallen out once. He is just the best and sweetest little boy. I love him with all my heart!!

            Derek’s job is going well. They are getting some huge major projects which is great (hopefully we will see some of the profits J). He is so excited for his new calling as Young Men’s President. He says it’s the best ever because he gets to do all the “cool stuff” for free. AKA camping, rock climbing, paintballing, white-water rafting etc. The young men just love him too. It’s really sweet to watch. Derek has truly flourished in this ward and it is so fun to watch him.

            I think I have pretty much covered me. I just wish I had more time. I’d love to scrapbook for hours and be able to catch up on the projects and stuff I like to do…oh well…maybe one day (like when my kids are grown haha).

            The Shumway family has been very blessed and we attribute all of that to the love of our Savior. We can testify that obedience to his commandments brings blessings and his gospel brings all the happiness we can possess in this life and in the life to come.