Back to Business!

Ok, So the truth is we have had a little something, something brewing that we have been keeping under wraps lately….

We did it.

Hilton Harbor Therapy is REAL and I officially own my own private practice!

I say we did it because honestly I’m not sure if i ever would have pursued it if it weren’t for Alex and even if I had pursued it I had no idea how to make it happen….

Not only did he encourage, push me and repeatedly ask me to start my own practice but when I came home one day in late April and purposed an idea… “What if I turn in my notice, take the summer off of work to be with Lola and study for the LCSW exam and then I can focus on building my own private  practice”.

His response “Sounds good”.

He has bought and read books on it, he researched the insurance/medicaid requirement and licenses, he  bought the domain less than 24 hours after I decided on a name and reached out to several other LCSWs and SW websites for tips and help along the way! A side form this he built and designed my website and we are SO very proud of it!

I had no idea how hard and time consuming it all would be but it has been one of the longest and hardest things ever!

Needless to say 100% of it all was done during an hour or two a day during Lola’s nap and  we were lucky if we got an hour done at night before bed…. and yes EVERYTHING else got put on the back burner in our lives pretty much!

Lou spent a countless number of hours starring at screens like this after coming home from work where he starred (I assume) at other screens like this all day!

Bless him..

For me it was forms after forms, codes and numbers galore… lets not forget dealing with government agencies for good ol’ Medicaid!

Which includes being on hold a countless number of times for a record of 1 hour and 27 minutes!

WHEW!

Thankfully I was able to stay in touch with the schools I was practicing at through Cobb County and they are willing to have me back as a private practice so that has been an extra blessing!

Hilton Harbor is now on Cobb’s Coalition for Prevention Board so that I can continue to return to serve children in Cobb County schools!

We even have a Pinterest and Twitter account (with amazing fans like Dayday!)!     So if your wondering if I am still pinching myself the answer is YES! It has been under wraps for 6 months now and then all of a sudden it was “ready”! Still doesn’t seem real but I guess it won’t until we have our first client!

The good news is that less than 24 hours after we launched I got an email requesting to make some referrals to me for group counseling!

WOOHOOO!

It’s weird knowing I was so close to just brushing it off and thinking it’s something I would do later in life…when I had time but then you realize how much you push off and when you think about it… Life is just passing by faster and faster.

It seems very clear that this is what I was supposed to do and I have told the story a hundred times about when I was little (Like brand new to elementary school little) when I decided I wanted to be a counselor… I wanted a big office where I had my own secretary and I could have a button where I could buzz people in… they would sit on the couch and tell me all about their problems and I would fix them

Sounds simple huh…. Well the life of a Social Worker and counselor has not quite been that glamorous… it’s anything but actually.

You get paid skittles and work hard… like really hard with often times no breaks.

My first three years after grad school I worked in residential where their were no breaks, sometimes no running water and a constant roach infestation. My char for my desk hat I sat in everyday for those three years was a chair I found at the apartment complex (that we worked out of) dumpster.

On top of that, the clients were difficult, really difficult..they were withdrawing, they were manipulative, they had trust issues and they had bad tempers…

I left each day thinking that would be the saddest most traumatic story I could ever hear and the next day I would go back and hear a worse story.

Whenever I am asked why this job…. I am usually left fumbling  on my words. It’s not something I consciously strive for or hope to be or have… Most of the time I don’t even feel like I chose it.

It chose me. 

It’s something you just do because your born with it and you never ever question it, you just do.

It seems like just yesterday I started fresh out of grad school not having a clue as to what to expect and now with my own practice I feel parts of that again…

For now we are just going to take a big WHEW for how far we have made it and be glad for where we are now!

It’s real and it’s out there!

Here’s the website link below for our website:

Click here

In other news…. something else has sort  of fallen in my lap (literally) the last month and I could not be more excited about it!

The same day we launched the website was also my first day of orientation at CHOA!

Oh yes! This is really happening too!

(My cheerleader)

I honestly couldn’t have planned it better if i tried…. I was chatting with my old colleague from Grady days who I had not spoken to since I was pregnant with Lola and somehow we started talking about me doing PRN (picking up shifts randomly –when you want) Social work at a hospital… she mentioned her old supervisor was looking for someone to do weekend positions and told me to contact her… I did and it went well so I went in to meet her just for a chat.

She pushed me through to the head supervisor who asked me to come in the SAME week for an official interview… It was for a weekend position which I did not even want but as Lou says we always keep our options open so I went just to see how it would go…

While there everything went well until she asked me “so what makes you want to do weekends”…  I couldn’t lie… I told her I didn’t actually want weekends… I wanted PRN but it wasn’t available from what I heard.

She kindly informed me “Oh we are actually looking to hire a PRN social worker we just haven’t posted it yet.. would  you like us to slate you for that instead?”

I’m telling you I cant make this stuff  up!

The day we got home from Ireland I was officially offered the job for PRN and can do as many or as little amount of shifts that I want!

Seems like the perfect fit for our little family and the private practice portion of it all! Not to mention I am panning on doing evening from about 5pm-midnight so Lola won’t need a nanny or need to go to childcare!

(She even came with  me to my HR appointment- below)

I knew new things were in store with us and this new venture of opening up our own private practice but I am constantly amazed at how just when I think  I have something planned perfectly I get surprised with icing on top!

I officially started last Monday and the first week has just been orientation but it is such a PLESANT place to work and they truly value their employees! I will be at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Scottish Rite location in all units and am SO very excited for what’s to come!

Celebrating Baby Jadyn!

Sunday it was ALL about the pink as we celebrated Jadyn Marie who will HOPEFULLY make her appearance into the world in about 2 months!

To say we can’t wait is an understatement!

Isn’t that just the cutest little mama to be!?!?

I got there a little early to help set up and NOT to my surprise her mom and sister had it going on! Everything was as cute as could be and complete opposite from my chaotic “oh my god we only have 5 more minutes” hosting abilities- they were as cool as a cucumber! 

I really want them to adopt me but i struggle with committing to being 5090lbs…. honestly they cook the best food and all i wanted to do was eat everything! 

Baby girl’s diaper cake! Time for presents! Notice Lola and her new BFF Baybay!

Lola gave Jadyn a matching outfit!

Krista made Lance the cutest “Daddy Survival kit” complete with tong and a mask for the poopy diapers!

Girlfriend in the middle of it all- shocker!

We are SO, so very happy and excited for you!!

Kayla you are in the best hands with these two mama bears and between the three of us, you will have plenty of volunteering baby sitters for sure!!

Mrs. Woody asked me during the shower “If you had any advice for new parents, what would it be”. She is always good at things like that and I’m just not good at summing things up- long winded is maybe a better term ;) I’m sure the answer to that very question is in this blog somewhere….

So anyway the last few days I was thinking about that question (and thinking i should do a blog on that along with MUST HAVE items for baby and hospital bag). 

Oh God, just when i thought i was catching up in blog world,  now I’m overwhelmed again!

After days of thinking I have still come to the same answer, there is no short answer.

Currently, I would say after the chaos of the first few weeks subsides a bit to find your “thing” especially as a mama. It also helps to have a “thing” where you don’t have to leave the house from your girl- that gave me more anxiety. It could be enjoying  a long relaxing bath, gardening, cooking, reading, watching a trashy tv show-  whatever it is, make it something you enjoy and find time to do it when daddy Lance gets home!

It helps if they have a “routine thing” to do at this time too because it will be their independent special bonding time” Like daddy is in charge of bath because that’s when mommy gets her own bath! ALONE!

Don’t get me wrong, I was terrible at this whole do something for yourself thing, I still am! I’m getting better though, it was the hardest when i worked all day and felt like i was gone from her enough so “alone time” during her waking hours was out of the question!

The other struggle we still have with this is that we love doing everything together with her so it’s hard to walk out and do your own thing when he walks in but just make time and not just after she goes to bed because by then you will crash!

No need to worry sweet friends! You won’t remember any advice, artice you read or tips from the doctors when you are loving on that sweet baby girl anyway! Honestly, you will be the best parents just by loving on that baby girl! 

Aside from the “make time for yourself illusion” I thin the most important thing to have  before becoming new parents is something that happens way before you become new parents. It’s communication and appreciating your partner. It’s being forced into the car to get a pedicure when you initially refuse a much needed break your partners offers. It’s knowing each others expectations and it’s respecting each others abilities and decisions to do the right thing. It’s being able to “let go” and trust each other with THE MOST VALUABLE thing in each of your lives. It’s not being able to describe “who you love more’' now, the new baby or your new love for  your partner the new baby brought to your lives.

Alex has always been a care taker, always. Naturally I am too but when Lola came it was both of us being pushed to our max! I remember living in the hospital (because we were snowed in) and being in complete chaos with being head over heels in love, care taking for a brand new baby, watching every breath (especially after her initial choke) trying to remember the feedings, diaper changes, decisions on paper work and thinking pictures of her every move.

Even in the chaos we laughed, literally laughed at our inabilities to do ANYTHING! We would be up at 5 or 6 am and try to go get breakfast… we usually ate cheeseburgers from the cafeteria around 4 pm because we never made it in time for real breakfast food! I remember thinking “Oh god any other time we were this inefficient I would be so aggravated”, I guess it was the endorphins and hormones- in both of us- we thought EVERYTHING was hilarious and frankly, your just too in love to care)!

I remember the nurses walking in and asking “has baby  pooped today, peed,  how much did she eat, what time did you nurse, how long did you nurse for….ON EACH SIDE, did you decide to do this vaccination, did you get the results from her examination, have you seen this doctor yet or that doctor yet… I would look at them with a blank stare. I didn’t know the answers to ANYTHING.

I didn’t know what day it was and hell, I didn’t even know who the president was.

I had a brand new baby girl to love on and apparently Alex knew that. He had documented everything, literally. Timed every feeding, changed every diaper (the first 5 ay or so), wrote down the poops and pee’s, researched and read about every single piece of paper that came in that room. The list honestly goes on and on a while refusing to sleep due to her choking incident.

Parenting is a lot like marriage. Their are no tricks, you both just use your strengths and when you feel like you don’t have any strengths because it’s just one of those “I’m a terrible mommy days”, listen to your better half and go get the damn pedicure!

You will never believe me and you can’t prepare for it but you already have everything you need to be the best parents possible to that sweet baby girl!

Yes, there is chaos, yes, there are sleeepless nights, yes, you may never sit down again, watch a movie again or hell even a 30 minute tv show again but when you see what you gain in return you will laugh (probably deliriously) at the thought of doing anything else but “her” anyway!

She will be so loved, spoiled (yes Lance, we’re spoiling her) and happy and she will give you more of love than you ever knew was possible.

That little angel will sweep you off your feet in an instant and as soon as i get the phone call i will be there to remind you who the president is ;)

That’s what fiends are for right! Well that and the poopy diaper changes (and restocking your granola bar stash in your nightstand)!

Perfect Weekend for a Birthday!

Who doesn’t love their Birthday Morning!?!?!?!

Lou does that’s for sure, and how can you not be a happy birthday boy when you wake up to this right!?!?!?

I remember how exciting it was to wake up in our house and open presents up at 7 am before school, best of all you even got excited on your siblings birthdays because you got presents too! That’s what was fair right mom… or maybe we were really all just spoiled?

Not sure but either way I love that tradition!

And yes, I had yet another bi-polar decorated birthday celebration because I already have my valentine stuff out (in the background above) please ignore!

We took the pups out after the excitement of opening presents AKA books and tools, (as requested) and then hurried outside during  a break in the huge storm that was going on to talk the pups into going potty before the rain started back up again!  Most people would be quite bummed that it stormed all day on their birthday but Lou was thrilled!! One of the books he requested for his birthday was actually a weather/storm book!

Go figure!

That apple certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree, Tucker is quite the storm watcher too!

Milly on the other hand is nothing like her daddy and brother when it comes to loving storms, she hates them!!

   So I blared the music up to Michael Jackson, Journey and other 80’s favorites to distract Milly and we danced the morning away!

Don’t be embarrassed Milly I won’t tell everyone how you chased me around the house, played peak a boo and humped my leg all morning!!

Oops! Sorry baby girl! Anyway, we worked up quite an appetite and as I had promised Lou we enjoyed our new favorite barbeque joint, for his Birthday Lunch, Jim and Nicks!

Yes mine was the bigger of the plates… and yes i ate chicken at a BBQ place, don’t judge me.

MMM MMM MMM!

That night we went out to our favorite hole in the wall Mexican place AKA El Som wanna be… The guys there LOVE Alex, I assume because he talks in spanish to them and always asks about life in their home town which always puts a smile on their face…. but ehhhhh who knows, maybe it’s just because everyone love Alex!

Regardless they participated in our fun and brought him balloons, candy and 2 party hats!

Also at El Amigo, they don’t just sing happy Birthday to you, they cut off the restaurant music and blare the happy birthday song throughout the restaurant, followed by tequila shots of course!

They even took a shot with him!

Then it was back to our place for cake, more presents, more drinks and the impossible task of calling a taxi to be on our way to the next…

Making wishes for another healthy and happy year!

Then it was time to head to Tongue and Groove that I’m pretty positive is less than a mile from our house… however, you would never have guessed that judging by how complicated it was to get there!

After calling 4 taxi companies, reserving a taxi to pick us up, cancelling it due to a last minute decision to have Bob drive 8 of us in my car, then realizing I left my keys in Alexs car which was left at the restaurant, calling Sean (who was already at the bar) to come back and get the rest of us and then calling him back to cancel his return trip (as he is pulling in our driveway) bc we managed to pile 7 or 8 deep in Andys car…

Never the less; we made it to TONGUE and GROOVE!!

We were so excited that Lia was able to join us late night after she got off work too!

I’m pretty sure this is my most favorite picture! Alex is throwing up birds, Amara gang signs, Bob is still figuring out which sign to throw up and Andy is trying to cover up Rachel’s innocent peace sign… go figure!

Happy Birthday my Lou,  your far too easy to please on your birthday but with this crew how can you not be pleased!!   I love you and am so glad you had a good time but I think this was the last decent picture of the night…  meaning time to go home!

Yup, I was right, time to go home!

What a night, a good night and a good way to remember turning 27!!

Lou got up the next day to re-check out his birthday scene…  No one ate anything (except the chocolate covered Oreos), we’re awful I know, we didn’t even cut the cake!   

Four days later I finally finished cleaning up all the festiveness and trust me, my clients were more than pleased (especially the pregnant ones) that Lou didn’t eat his birthday cake! My co-workers on the other hand officially hate me, a few of them just started a “no sugar diet”….

Sorry, what else am I supposed to do with leftovers in a house of 2 people!

Happy Birthday Lou, I hope you had just as much fun as I had watching you celebrate your special days! Cheers to many more birthday celebrations that are filled with family, friends and a whole lot of love just like this one!