Back to School

Lately, I've been considering a return to school, a la Rodney Dangerfield, but I don't plan on joining the dive team. It's always been a personal goal of mine to return for an MBA, but for both personal and financial reasons, I haven't felt ready for a return. That is, until recently.

It has been six years since I've graduated from Shepherd. In that span, I have assumed the personal roles of husband, homeowner and father, which are and will always be more important than any job title. Professionally, I have had the good fortune to fall into a career that I enjoy as a procurement officer. This position has given me the opportunity to interact with the gamut of internal staff, from bookkeepers to Superintendents. Also, I've been able to collaborate with every major department within the organization during the procurement process. As a function area of the finance department, procurement consists of two staff members, me, the supervisor and a purchasing specialist. This staffing situation, while sometimes challenging during peak seasons, has further afforded me the opportunity to oversee the procurement of most major purchasing categories. To name a few, office supplies, group health insurance, and financial advisory services. I've also been able to work on the development of a public/private partnership (PPP) that resulted in the construction of an elementary school and am currently working on another PPP for a county-wide transportation facility.

With this experience, I now feel equipped to attend B-school. The program I attend will need to be a part-time program, because of my aforementioned personal roles and the fact that quitting a good job in this economy would be very un-businesslike, in my opinion. I've looked into a few local schools, Shepherd and Shenandoah, along with a few nearby major universities. Of course the smaller, local schools are more affordable, but the larger institutions carry a little more clout and a larger network of both alumni and recruiters.

Which gets me to the question that probably every prospective MBA student has asked, "What is the return on my investment?" Which, I guess, is a great question to ask, and sounds very "MBAish". It is true that the job market in the U.S. is currently in the doldrums and the once very real prospect of stepping out of b-school and into a $100k position is unlikely. But is that the real reason to return to school? Certainly, I'd like to be able to earn a decent wage to support my family and retire comfortably, but I argue that the non-monetary rewards of advancing your education outweigh the monetary. One university that I've researched says their program is geared to prepare principled leaders for the world of practical affairs. And isn't that the point? Don't we need more of those?

Why am I writing this, you might ask? Simply practicing for the analytical writing assessment, which is a part of the GMAT exam. So, if I haven't bored you to death with this post, stay tuned...

It's Scary...

I have recently been paying close attention to my oldest princess. When I look at her and look at Lauren, I can't believe how incredibly fast it goes by! It seems like I was just cradling her in my arms and laying her down in the crib. Now, she dresses herself, buckles herself, and so much more. I know that once you become a parent you are always a parent...until the day you die. In fact, I still rely on my mom for advice and help often. I know they will always need me in one way or another, but in a way I want them to stay little forever. I try and remind myself (even when I want to scream)that these moments are fleeting and I need to cherish every one. I see sooo much of myself in Layla that it's scary. She thinks like me, talks like me, reacts like me, loves like me. It's really put me in check on how I influence her. It's our similarities and more that I hope will bond us forever. I love my babies more than I could ever express. May I never take these blessings for granted...ever.

Ready For Spring

Today we went to the park to fly kites and hunt eggs! Layla was beside herself with joy after filling up her bag. But she was most excited about Grandma Kate flying the kite with her! That's what she raved about all the way home "It was so nice of Grandma Kate to fly kites with me mama." So this is for you the bestest dang Grandma in the whole wide world.

Are Your Kidney's OK??

This was our 3rd annual World Kidney Day and it was great! I posted last year about the community health screen we held at the hospital. Yet another success! Kidney disease is often silent until the latest stages, which is why early detection is soo key. So if you have risk factors get yourselves check out! The National Kidney Foundation is a wealth of information and the site is very user friendly. Maybe I'll see you all next year.

ps the baby's not a faker, she had yet another temp today at daycare 102.1. took her to the pediatrician.... just a virus so I must rescind that last blog entry. although she's had no more fever's again in my presence...hmmmm very interesting

Faker!!

I was at work yesterday when I got the call..."Hi Lane this is Trena, (daycare director)" "Hi Trena is everything OK?" (they never call unless something is wrong) "Well Lauren has a temp that's just about 101 and we wanted to let you know" "Does that mean I need to come get her?" "Well yes it's a licensing regulation for anything above 101." "OK, let me see what I can do." So I was calling the available people I thought might be able to pick her up, but there was no luck. Josh was stuck at work. So I called everybody in my work directory that might come in and relieve me. No luck! I finally found someone to cover and I rushed over to get her. She was sound asleep, and felt only a little warm when I picked her up. They said she had been fussy and I can relate she woke me three times the previous night. They handed me her activity sheet temp was 100.9 so we said goodbye and headed home. On the way home (I grabbed Layla too) Layla was making her crack up! I mean gut-busting laughs. I'm thinkin' this kid isn't acting very sick. We get home, I check the temp. NO FEVER! and she's as content as can be. OK, maybe the fever broke. I check her temp about a hundred times the rest of the day.... NO FEVER! I was feeling frustrated to say the least. I had now just depleted what little paid leave I had earned back from maternity leave and left my BUSY unit for nothing. Oh well, better safe than sorry and if it gave me more time with my precious angel so be it. I ask you though, does this baby look sick?? I didn't think so either.

1st Haircut

My little baby is almost 3 1/2 years 0ld and I have never cut her hair. Beautiful brown curls flow down her back, but get tangled every time I turn around. So, today we went together to the salon cut her hair for the first time. She was a little shy, but looked so adorable sitting there in the chair. She even got a little certificate with a lock of hair to keep. I am beside myself. It seems as though every time I turn around she's getting older. How do we stop time from slipping away? Before you know it she'll be starting kindergarten, then driving and off to college. If you have children cherish every moment, they grow up so fast.

Feelin' Productive!

Lately I have been battling this annoying cold that zapped a good portion of my energy. But, I'm now on the tail end of it and picking up momentum. My husband and I have finally agreed to paint the interior of the house ourselves and it has motivated me to get some other projects done. Today I was feeling particularly ambitious and even added an ab workout to my list of chores. I hope I'm able to keep it up, but if not I'm sure I can always do some crack to pick myself back up.....hahaha, just kidding.

Little White Lies

So the other night, while I was preoccupied with the baby, I noticed it was awfully quite downstairs. I called down to Layla and asked her what she was doing. "I'm looking at the computer." was her reply. However, when I came downstairs I found a barstool strategically placed near the kitchen counter, and a bowel out next to the now 2 remaining powdered donuts. When I called Layla into the room, the evidence was all around her mouth. A white powdered ring of guilt. She smiled at me and said, "what mom?" After questioning the accused, she confessed to the crime. My mom tells me that toddlers/pre-schoolers are good practice for teens. At this rate, I'm going to need a lot of it.

If There Were Only More Hours In The Day

Lately, I've been feeling like I need more time in the day to accomplish what I need to accomplish. Things like, cleaning, cooking, changing diapers, laundry, grocery shopping, etc seem to take up a lot of my time!! Don't get me wrong I'm so grateful for a home to clean, food to cook, diapers to change, laundry to wash, and groceries to put away. But, I also want to lose myself in photography, the novel I'm reading, a long hot bath, an uninterrupted nap. By the time I finish what has to be done, I have no energy to do what I want to get done. I guess these are the blessings and burdens that come with being a wife and mother. And now I hear an angel calling so I must go. Oh well, tomorrow will be a little longer.....sigh.