Cafe Victoria

With the full moon in the distance, I started the week accepting the position of Coordinator of Student Activities at Cañada College in Redwood City. It’s funny what a full moon can do. It has been nearly 9 years that I have been working at Napa Valley College. I waited until I told my students before I mentioned it to the rest of the campus. When you work in student affairs, you learn over the years how important your relationship is with the students you advise. In away, it is a sign of respect to tell your student government president and office staff before you make an announcement in their meeting or to the rest of the campus. Over the next few weeks I’ll share about the new opportunity and what it will mean for my family and me. But for now, I want to enjoy my last 2 weeks at Napa and the students I advise right now.

Reading: Finished-“Best Friends Forever” by Jennifer Weiner. Great summer read. Next buy will probably be her new book. Going to see if I can get it used.
Watching: Master Chef…not much else on t.v. right now.
Thankful for: Last weekend’s spontaneous night away in Half Moon Bay thanks to Missy and Rob stepping up to baby sit!
Looking forward to: Melissa Ethridge Concert tonight with my sister. Yay! Live music!!

Some days it feels as if I joined the motherhood train a bit later than others. Some days I seem to forget that working in education leaves me seeing the world from “semester” time frames and the outcome being a passing grade or receiving a diploma. Recently, I’ve wanted to get some sort of credit, a grade or even extra credit for being a new mom. I’m coming up on Sam turning 6 months and I have never done so much work in such a short period of time. And I thought a graduate course every 9 weeks was tough. Try teaching Sam to sleep through the night, or balancing nursing while returning to work. I’m really proud of myself but for those of us in education, we are used to getting a grade or some sort of certificate recognizing us for the effort and great work we have done. For motherhood, the “A or B+” will come in ways I have yet to realize. For now, I am going to say the laughs Sam gives me while I am changing him is a sure sign I’m doing a pretty good job as his mom.

Reading: “Best Friends Forever” by Jennifer Weiner (Almost done, really enjoying it)
Watching: Sam playing with his toes.
Thankful for: The chance to live in Larkspur and the great weather we are having.
Looking forward to: Our friends Grant and Virgina’s weekend wedding in Seattle!

As I finished my second week back at work, I found myself wanting to have clear reasons on why I was going to work and not staying home with Sam. I think any working mother could agree, if you have to work or are choosing to work, the best way to handle the separation from your baby is have a really good reason. So, what is mine?  I have some simple reasons: travel money so we can take Sam to Germany next summer and money towards the down payment for our future home so Sam has a back yard to run around in. Those are great reasons, but as summer approaches and life slows down, I need to take this time to develop a clear vision of why I want to be a working mom. I do know something, this week, I loved being able to say “It’s 5:30, got to go”. I think I was even more efficient at work because I knew there was no time at home to do any extra work. And the time I did have with Sam was even more special to me.

Reading: “Best Friends Forever” by Jennifer Weiner
Watching: Giants Games and the new season of “So you think you can dance” (for the all-star dancers)
Thankful for: Being able to stay in touch with Friends and Family so regularly through Facebook
Looking forward to: three day weekends this summer

For many of us, the next few weeks are filled with graduations, transfer celebrations and student government elections. As one group of students leave us, another group will be arriving into our offices and classrooms before we know it. However, it is important to reflect on what we learned this past year. For me, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is “Not one student is special, but what they do can be special”. It is important that when students bring us challenges, new ideas, and positive changes, that we focus on how our response would help or hurt future students. At first, we might want to say “this is one student”, but the truth is, that student is not special and that is okay. Just keep in mind that how we respond is not special but putting future students in perspective.

Reading: The Daily Word
Watching: “Glee”
Thankful for: All the amazing help my sister, mom and dad have given us
Looking forward to: Any time Sam is “talking to  himself”

Today, Sam turns 3 months and I turn three months of being a new mom. There is an old saying that says, “It takes 3 months to get used to a big change”. Having Sam has been a huge change but also one of those “top 10″ significant changes in my life. Becoming a mom and being able to stay home for the last 3 months, has been like “putting life on hold”. Even though I check in at work once in awhile and give some advice, I always seem to return to my new favorite spot: the glider in our living room. There I’m either feeding, rocking Sam to sleep or reading to him. As my maternity leave comes to a close, I can’t help but want Sam to fall asleep in my arms as I rock in the glider.