An Overdue Update...

Here I sit watching my Detroit Red Wings take on Nashville and it crossed my mind that I have not posted an entry on our family blog in a long time. I am a slacker, a busy slacker, but slacker nonetheless.

These last couple months have been non-stop for Steve and I. We are steadily preparing for our move to Pittsburgh in one-way or another. Steve recently received news that his call center will become the new business hub for Verizon.  He will begin working with IT divisions of business clients instead of standard customers calling in from around the West. He is very excited about the change.

Steve and I have decided when we leave next year I will make the jump to full-time photographer. I will “retire” from law enforcement. I am terrified and excited at the same time. It feels like a huge risk. I am forced to evaluate my skill as a photographer and determine if I can make a living in the new field. My current clients lately have been reinforcing the move is right, but I am still very nervous.

To prepare, I have enrolled in a photography certification program through Arts Institute of Pittsburgh Online. I have also been working on a business plan to put in place once we move.  I have so many ideas and fairly good idea how to put them together to be successful.

In addition to school and work, Magic Mirror Images is picking up and I am teaching photography/yearbook to eighth graders at the Arts Academy. The Arts Academy is in the middle of their Gala preparation. So, I have spent some extra time at the school working with students to take pictures for the newsletter and playbill for Gala. I have to say I am pretty moved every time I see the work my student’s produce using the skills I have taught them. I believe I will continue to teach when we move to Pittsburgh; workshops and such for parents and kids.

On the baby front, Steve and I are waiting for an appointment this month to have my tubes untied. My doctor has cleared me to have the procedure, but we are waiting on a specialist at the University of Utah to set up my appointment to do the procedure. The process to have this done has been a little frustrating. There is only one office in the State of Utah that does the micro-procedure called Reanistimosis. The office lost my records the first time they were sent and my doctor had to resend them. When I called to set up the appointment for the procedure, the office manager said the specialist had my records and it could be two weeks before we received an appointment. So, now we wait.  A month after the  procedure is finished we can start trying.

Last month, we thought I might be pregnant due to some obvious symptoms. Even though my home test was negative, my doctor was convinced I needed a blood test to confirm. After a week late, nature let me know I was just stressed out and needed a break.

Deklend and Aliya are looking forward to spring break. They are due to spend a week in Tennessee with their father before he deploys to Germany.  The break will be good for them. They have both worked very hard this year to do well in school.

Deklend has recently been accepted to the Salt Lake City Performing Arts High School for his music. The school only accepts 300 students a year. He is pretty excited about going to the school.

I have decided I am also going to take a vacation that week by staying home and doing nothing, but stuff around the house. I am noticing lately that I am overly critical about little things. Steve and I agree it is most likely related to my job and a break would do me some good.