Thompson Life Update.

We're officially residing in Cincinnati, OH. This last month has been a whirlwind, for lack of a better descriptor. We moved across country, unloaded, went to Young Life camp, unpacked, went to Phoenix, AZ, unpacked, Jeff started his new job, had visitors from Hilton Head... and now here we are.

All the while I've been maintaining my Etsy Shop, Our Baby Thompson Love, AND officially become a stay at home mom. It's been so crazy and we're ready to start fresh as a family of three and "relearn" how to live in Cincinnati.

We are temporarily living in Jeff's grandpa's house for FREE, so we can't complain at all. But we are beginning to explore different areas within the city and decide where we want to buy our first home. We are both excited about this, and are hoping to find a house that needs some substantial renovations/updates. I'm sure that seems crazy, but there will never be another time that we are living for free with no strings attached, allowing us an unlimited timeline and extra resources to renovate and make a house our first home! I cannot even begin to describe how eager I am to start this process, but I am also practicing patience and know it will be in God's timing. Our plan is that our house hunt will officially begin in early November, and realistically will continue well into the spring.

In other news, I'm training for a marathon. Perfect timing, right? It's been going well so far, although it's hard to carve out the time, we {Jeff and I} are making it a priority and he's supporting me as much as he can. He is also LOVING the time he's getting with Sullivan one-on-one while I go running, especially since he's adjusting to only seeing her for 2 hours a day, before bedtime {and weekends of course}.

I have lots of projects in the working: painting a lot of furniture, reupholstering our new Craigslist dining room chairs, some general decorating, and my favorite- planning for Sullivan's FIRST birthday party. I don't want to start a habit of doing over the top parties EVERY year, but how could we not for her very first?

Here's a couple pictures from the past month or so:

Stay Home or Work.

As we are preparing to move back to Ohio {which I guess this is my official announcement, ha}, we are also faced with the BIG decision of whether or not I will work. I have so many mixed feelings about this. I have been VERY lucky that the past two years I've been able to work privately for a family {but still within a school setting}. I am a "private" intervention specialist at a preparatory school {and I coach cheerleading which took about 15-20 hours a week}.  I LOVE what I'm doing, but it's not technically a "real" job. I'm not paid by the school, I don't have benefits, no classroom or personal space. The school has really embraced my position and have treated me as if I'm a "real" teacher. They've even sent multiple families my way, to see if I'd be willing to take on another student.

Since having Sullivan I work 3 days a week {4 hours a day}. We don't pay for child care, because we have a wonderful friend who watches baby once a week. We have some other great women who are willing to occasionally watch her, and then Jeff keeps her one or two days. It has been such a blessing to have help when family isn't near by.

So the reasons we are even considering the idea of me working are strictly financial and planning for the future. I should mention that we want to have at least three kids, but REALLY want four. Plus we would love to adopt {at least one child}. If I could work for the next 3 years or so, it would really help us to "get ahead" and really prepare for our future goals and children. We definitely DON'T want me to work when we have multiple children, and in 3 years or so Jeff will be more established in his new career. So working for a few years when we only have one or two kids might be really helpful.

I wasn't even considering job searching or the idea of working until I had SEVERAL {possible} opportunities come my way. One of the jobs offers more flexibility {while still being full time} than a teaching career would. I can't bare the thought of Sullivan spending 40 hours a week with anyone else. Best case scenario, I would get off work by 4, by the time we got home and settled it'd probably be 5, and her bedtime routine starts at 7:15. That's MAYBE 20 hours with her Monday-Friday.

I know myself and I know that I will struggle with feelings of jealousy and bitterness towards whoever got the gift of spending so much time with her everyday. I would pick her up and THEY would be the one telling ME what her schedule is, what she liked, etc. I don't think I could handle it.

I may be wrong, I have NO prior experience in this area! ha. So if ANY has some insight PLEASE share. Right now I am leaning towards wanting to work {again temporarily, like three years}.

Hello... who WOULDN'T want to spend all day with this girl. {These are two moments I would have missed had I been at work}.