Finally

Well, I have been waiting to schedule my state nursing test. Finally, yes, FINALLY....my Authorization To Test came this past Saturday. So, I'll be taking the NCLEX in the very near future!

As far as the rest of life goes.....things have been going good. We are enjoying our patio furniture and the nice weather. I enjoy eating outside. It is really nice when Rebekah can lay on a blanket on the grass while I enjoy my breakfast. Plus, Benjamin likes to grill, so we've been doing a lot of that!

Benjamin and I are looking forward to this upcoming weekend.......we are getting away! Not quite sure what is all in store for the couple days while we are away, but it will be refreshing to have some sound sleep and some time to ourselves. My mom will be taking care of Rebekah while we are away.....they'll be alright, I'm sure. It will be some quality time for the both of them.

We also plan to head out to Montana the end of July. We would really like to make it out there for the MWSB reunion. (The school where we met) It will be Rebekah's first trip! We miss those folks out there....and I know they are waiting to meet our little one.

Too Long

Wow, its has been too long since I last updated. I guess that means life has been crazy around here, which it has! So much has happened in the last month....

-Rebekah has two teeth on the bottom
-She laughs
-Rebekah can roll over from back to front and then to her back, again
-She is 5 months old
-We are trying to get her out of the nighttime rut of getting up twice/night for a snack.....she gets up at around the same time each night...we are training her to sleep THRU the night.

-Mother's Day was delightful!
-Flowers were on the table to surprise me along with a card from Rebekah....Benjamin made me pancakes before church on Sunday.......My family came over for lunch, got a good nap in and then I went to work.
-Benjamin got to go to a cubs game for free last night....and they won.

-Benjamin is quite the gardener/landscaper.
-We are looking forward to going away for a weekend for our anniversary....Chicago, here we come
-We hope to make it out to MT in August.


Life seems like it has been going crazy fast over the last month. I hope it slows down by summer, so we can enjoy the times outside!

she did good

Rebekah did very well at the Dr's office. I don't understand why it takes so long, though. Our "Doctor" outing was about 2 hours long. We waited quite awhile in the waiting room....ugh. In my opinion, Rebekah doesn't really need to see the Doctor....just for her vaccinations. If she gets sick, then ok. The visits seem pointless. Anyway, Rebekah bled for some time after her 3 shots...that wasn't so fun. But she did sleep really well for her 1st nap of the day!

Off we go.....

Today Rebekah goes to the Doctor for her routine check-up. I think she is due for some shots today.......poor baby. We'll she how she does!

Have I told you that my sleeping habits are out of whack?

Take 2

Just as we thought we had the scheduling/routine - thing down for our family.....things change!
Here's an update....

For Rebekah:
1. she mastered rolling over from her tummy to her back.
2. she hates being on her back.
3. we put her in the crib on her tummy to go to sleep....she is peaceful until she gets on her back! (so do we hold her down until she falls asleep? do we make her learn to like her back? do we consistently go in her room and flop her back on her belly?
4. she purposefully grabs toys, moves the dinner plate and plays with the blanket.
5. she eats a ton more in the last 24 hours.
6. she likes people.
7. she likes to talk to people and gets frustrated when they don't understand what she has to say.
8. she is almost 4 mos. old.
9.she gets up on all 4's.
10. she doesn't like to sleep during the day, only nighttime.

For Sara:
1. started a new role at her job.
2. trying to coordinate work and home life.
3. trying to keep up with the demands of rebekah's belly.
4. has 6 classes total to attend at work....on top of working 36hrs/wk.
5. is tired a lot.
6. wants to take daily walks with rebekah in the stroller. (sometimes it happens!)
7. got new glasses.
8. getting things together for taking the state nursing test to become a RN.
9. wants to spend more time with hubby.....without the little one.
10. takes great satisfaction when rebekah looks up and smiles after done eating.

For Benjamin:
1. enjoying his new job greatly.
2. gets to put in quite a few overtime hours.
3. likes school and is good at it.
4. always wants to be doing something.
5. right now? painting and hoeing the back garden.
6. has a new urge to grill, grill, grill!
7. wants summer to come so he has a good reason to drink more lemonade.
8. wants to go to MT.
9. takes care of rebekah on a daily basis....all by himself.
10. wishes he could spend more time with his wife.

Here we are

It is 5 days past March 1 and Benjamin and I are both employed. PTL!! The night of March 1, I started orientating with a nurse at my job. My pay has now doubled. As for Benjamin......Alpharma hired him at the end of February. He is now working full time with benefits! Alpharma produces products for animals containing antibiotics. Benjamin works in the warehouse, primarily, driving a fork lift around. He unloads the trucks that come in with the raw materials and transfers products between the warehouse and the factory. He is enjoying it! Benjamin only has a 20 minute commute each day, too!

Grandma has been helping out so much lately. I am working straight nights which means I don't get home until Benjamin is already left for work, so Grandma watches Rebekah in the morning until I get home. It is early enough so Grandma can still make it to her job on time.

So, things are going well for right now...PTL. This past month or so has given us an opportunity to practice flexibility.

I hope to take the state test for my nursing license soon. I am just waiting on my school to send in all the necessary paperwork. Once I become a RN, my pay will go up, once more.

Here are a couple pics for you to enjoy:

Benjamin's new look for his new job.

Rebekah trying Daddy's new look.

We think it looks pretty good on her!

At Last

Becoming a "real" nurse is just around the corner for me! My original thought of going back to work was that I would start orientating with a Registered Nurse. Because of going back to work early plus my school being slow.....I went back to my usual duties of a Nurse Technician.
Well, things are looking hopeful. My school is sending the necessary paperwork down to Springfield so that I can sit for nursing boards. AND....my boss called me today with good news. Starting March 1, I start orientating with a nurse.....yay! Not only does my pay double, but I am on the road to being a "real" nurse. I will be working straight nights....3 nights per week. That is a huge blessing! I wasn't sure if they would let be on straight nights......but my bossed agreed.
As for Benjamin.....he had a couple of interviews last week......one being very promising. This week he is going in for drug testing (think he'll pass??) and to get some other odds-n-ends straightened out. Hopefully, this will be it!
Thank you for praying for us. We hope and pray that things will only go up from here!

Oh...and "Hello" from Rebekah:

It's been too long....

It's been way too long since my last post....sorry 'bout that. Life over here has been crazy. Since my last post, Benjamin got laid off, and I've started a review course for taking my nursing state board test. It is different with Benjamin home everyday, but I do like the company. If he isn't searching for a job, or filling out applications, then he is doing homework for class. So he's keeping busy. Maybe you could pray for us? ......pray that a job for him will come soon, and for us to lean on God and trust His perfect timing.
Because of the lay off, I am going back to work early. I start back next week. I'll be working nights. It will definitely be a change for the Rasmussen household. But I think we can do it. It will take some time for the new adjustments.
Rebekah is so different now. She sleeps 7 hrs straight at night. Play time becomes more independent for her. Her vocabulary has increased from "ah" to "oooo, ahhhh". She smiles, laughs, and of course cries. Cries quite a bit, actually. That too soon shall pass.
Maybe I'll get some pictures up here soon.

Doin' Laundry

Before I got smart....I did everything with Rebekah in my arms. I learned how to do things one-handed...even make a sandwich! My arms hurt after awhile, so then I put her in the basket and brought everything upstairs. So now I am a little smarter.....Rebekah is on her own more (which is a good thing for the both of us).
Benjamin and I always joke around that we need to start Rebekah young to learn chores. :-)
Life has been better with a new baby....thanks for a helpful book. It's amazing when you have order in your life and routine, how smoothly everything goes. Yes, we have our days....and thats when flexibility comes into play. But for the most part, we are pretty secure in our routine. I think even Rebekah is set in it. I am a little nervous about going back to work. How will everything play out? Will the plan work? I am not so sure about going back. I want to, but at the same time, I think I am going to miss my family.
I love them.

Grandma Time

We enjoyed having Grandma Rasmussen stay with us for 10 days at the beginning of December. She was a great help!!