Trying to Wife, Life & Study

 

One of my friends in my program sent me a text this week saying that it's a lot to balance "wife, life & studying" and I thought that phrase so accurately sums up this week. I've been trying to stay on top of work and my studies, spend time with Jaden and also make time to hang out with friends. I feel like this experience of going back to school has taught me so much about time management and work-life balance. I've said it before but every time someone asks me how I "do it all" I just tell them I have had to relinquish some of my expectations and be flexible. I've had to let go my expectations of having perfect grades and I have to constantly readjust my priorities in order to give full focus to different tasks. That being said I've also learned how to incorporate tasks within each other. For example I downloaded my Leadership textbook as an audiobook and I listen to it as I make dinner and do chores. I also brought my laptop with me to the golf course and got some fresh air and sunshine and did some reading while Jaden spent a couple of hours at the driving range. 

There have also been times when I have decided that I'll either do homework ahead of time or longer one day in order to do things like go hang out with friends. It's really all about being flexible and maximizing opportunities to get things done. I'm not always a great multi-tasker but I'm learning how to balance many projects and tasks which I feel like will continue to benefit me in my career as well as when I become a mom.

This week we spent some extra time with Taylor and Keile soaking up as many Emie snuggles as we could before we leave. She is so sweet and it's so fun to have a newborn to snuggle. There really is something special about having a little baby fall asleep in your arms. I think it just makes you feel important knowing that they feel safe enough to fall asleep in your care. We had a Stranger Things watch party with Taylor and Keile (Zach & Jenna were in Wilmington, NC for an anniversary trip and Tanner & Amanda are in Seattle for Tanner's internship at Amazon). I'll be honest I watched a lot of it with my hands over my eyes and there were a few times when I was standing up bouncing Emie I wondered if I should go sit down because I was scared if something jumped out I'd drop her. Luckily I didn't. I've never been a big fan of horror movies and this season is a lot more horror film-like than the other seasons so that wasn't my favorite but I do love the original cast and a lot of loose ends were tied up. It was fun texting in our group message with the other couples who were also watching it from various parts of the country and getting everyone's take. Always feel so grateful for an awesome crew to hangout with. It's going to be weird to leave and not have our weekly hangouts and Sunday dinners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which reminds me I'm not sure if I've written about where everyone is going for their summer internships. Taylor and Keile originally accepted an offer with EY in Washington, DC so we thought he and Jaden would be EY buddies. However, a couple of months after they accepted Taylor got an interview and offer to intern at Telsa remotely. He decided to take it especially since it was remote and they wouldn't have to face packing up and moving to a new city with a newborn. 

Similarly Tanner got an offer at one internship and then a delayed interview and better offer at Amazon so he and Amanda cancelled their Airbnb in Cincinatti and packed up their cat and their car and drove 37 hours to Seattle. They are our heroes that drive sounded horrific but they made it and have been enjoying it so far. 

Zach got an internship through Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute (SEI) so he and Jenna are also staying in Pittsburgh and will be able to continue the Sunday dinner tradition with Taylor and Keile. I don't know a lot about SEI but from what I understand it is government funded and sponsored by the DoD which is pretty awesome. We all tease Zach that none of us will ever really get to know what he does at work.

 And then of course Jaden got an internship at EY's Chicago office and we'll head there in less than a week. So crazy, it's kind of snuck on me I feel like this last semester really flew by for the guys it's crazy it is nearly summer. Even crazier to think about where we will all be one year from now. I'm sure we'll all have different destinations we are headed to. We'll always have lots of good memories in Pittsburgh though no matter what!

Peaches

• Emie snuggles
• Pizza movie night with Taylor, Keile & Emie
• Driving outside the city to Jaden's fav driving range, it was beautiful. I love that Pittsburgh is so green
• Meeting friends in my MBA program has made such a difference. One actually lives in Chicago so we are going to try to meet up which is kind of crazy. Another friend lives in Ogden so I'll try to see her while we're in Utah as well 
• Having a hotspot on my phone makes it possible for me to do homework pretty much anywhere
• Got to sub Zach and Jenna's primary class which ended up being the entire primary because only 8 kids showed up. The ward really clears out in the summer due to people moving and traveling
  

Pits

• Having homework when Jaden doesn't 
• Jaden scorched his neck this week when he was at the golf course and now it's peeling like crazy
•  Seeing pictures and FaceTiming family and missing them
  
•  Realizing Jaden is tanner than me because he spends more time outside

Lessons Learned

• Being flexible is so important when trying to juggle multiple tasks
• I need to make sure Jaden applies sunscreen before he leaves the house