LOTS OF PROGRESS!

I have some good news to report regarding Adilynn's sleeping. We have definitely made progress! Last night she slept from 6:45 pm to 6 am this morning. Then Orrin brought her in bed with us where she fell asleep for another hour. Then I just now laid her down for her morning nap and she only cried for two minutes and she was out! This is even far better than Saturdays nap where she cried / fussed for 40 minutes before falling asleep.

The earlier bedtime is working out great. We used to have her in bed between 8 and 8:30, but I didn't realize how tired she was getting before that. 6:45 pm is earlier than what we actually want to put her in bed, but she was so sleepy last night. But I am shooting for a bedtime of 7, no later than 7:30. It seems so early and we miss having that extra time with her at night, but it is doing her a world of good!

IN SOME OTHER NEWS: I am going back to work!!! I have had mixed feelings about it, but the closer it gets the more excited I become! When I had Adilynn, the plan was for me to stay at home with her for at least a year. God has truly provided for us over the past 13 months and there have definitely been some tough times! I think anytime you go from two salaries to one sacrifices have to be made. It was definitely worth it! Neither Orrin or I would trade any of the past year for any amount of money.

God has truly blessed me with a great job opportunity. I actually interviewed and was offered this same job back in January of this year, but I turned it down and hoped and prayed that the job would still be available when I was ready to return to work.

I will be a Service Coordinator for adults who have disabilites. I was a Case Manager for the same population of individuals before I had Adilynn, so this is definitely where my heart is. Put me in a room full of autistic or down syndrome adults and I am right at home!

The great thing about the job is that it is WORKING FROM HOME! I will STILL get to be here with Adilynn! The only thing I have to be away from the home is for reviews (which happen anywhere every 1 to 3 months), a monthly home check for the client, or any other occasional meeting that might pop up. Another great thing is that I am the one to set my schedule. I can do my home checks in the evenings or on the weekends so that Orrin can be here with Adilynn when I need to be gone. If I have a meeting during the day, I have a great mother in law who will gladly watch Adilynn for a couple of hours, and my sister will be available all summer. So- things will be pretty much the same for Adilynn, which is what matters the most to us. I can do my work in the evenings or during the day when she's napping. They have a huge office on Battlefield where I will have my own cubby and phone line and I can go there and work anytime I need to. But there are no rules on reporting to the office at any certain time.

Another perk is that I only have to log 30 hours a week! And again, I get to make my own schedule, so I can get it all done and overwith the first few days of the week, or I can space it out over the course of seven days.

I also get a membership to Cox fitness for $25 a year, a cell phone and a laptop. And my health benefits are covered almost 100%.

I know God provided this job for me again even though I turned them down the first time. He knew my hearts desire to keep things normal for Adilynn, but still bring in money for the family. Orrin and I would like to put our house on the market within the next year to year and a half, so this gives us plently of time to set money aside for that.

Life is good! :)