decisions..changing

I am not sure whats wrong with me....why am i so discontent here in
Illinois. I havent really attempted going out and making friends
cause Nat and I go back and forth every 2-3 months whether we are
moving or staying. I guess I dont see myself raising kids in
Illinois. It is just too far from my sisters and family. I want my
kids to be raise with their aunts and cousins and friends' kids. Now
all my friends are starting to have kids in Ohio. Of course I am a
couple years off (ideally) but still, i like the idea of all my
friends getting together to take our kids to kings island or the
zoo. I like the idea of raising my children in the tight-knit
community I grew up in. Thats my only real issue. I dont want to
be here. What is so horrible about Ilinois? nothing really--just
lonesome. All Nats friends are already married and their kids are
like 12, just feels like a different place in life. The other
friends are ok, but still in the awkward stage and I just dont see
what we have in common...maybe i am just not trying hard enough.
You know when you meet someone and you know they will be your friend
for a long time? There is that instantious friendship and weird
cosmis bond that makes a deep friendship. I guess I just keep
comparing everyone to my friends back home...I want an instant friend
with comfort and history. So what do you do? Do you stay and force
yourself to go find a community of people that will doubtfully
compare to the ones you have, or do you move to be with those people,
or at least ALOT closer?
Its like my heart is torn, knowing that I finally found a job (for
now) and seems to be perfectly tailored for me-- and also starting
over again somewhere else. I am scared to go back to Cincinnati
because I dont want to fall right back into how I was when I was
there. Cause when i lived there before I left for Cincinnati, I was
miserable because even though I had friends, I never saw them. For
some reason I just think it will be different. There just seems to
be more open doors in Cincinnati; photography company with Cheryl,
hanging out with Amber more (cause since college I think i have seen
her 4-5 times but talk to her on the phone AT least once a week),
being closer to family and friends, being able to rely on someone
other than my husband and his friends and family for a social life, a
church i love, experiencing another era of life with those closest to
me...and sharing my new life with them...growing older with each
other, having kids together, maybe go back to school to get MRI
degree or something else. Then there is the other option...stay in
Illinois, love my husband, hope for big raises and start having
kids...hang out with g-ma yoder and g-pa pflederer and all Nats
family. Try to make friends with people around here, find a church
that we both enjoy...basically we would stay in tremont, go to a
church similiar to new bethel and lots of people that grew up
together and trying to somehow fit into that crowd...hell we've been
here for nearly 2 years and still havent made any progress-=its like
trying to fit into our nbbc crowd, you could, but you would still
always be an outsider. Maybe I am a pessemist. Maybe I am just not
trying hard enough...i know I am not. But where do I begin? Like I
was telling Nat, if we could just finally decide to stay or
go....maybe I could settle down...but in the same sentence, I hope
its not stay here. Maybe its just hormones, but I just want to cry
all day. Its not like my life sucks that bad. I am pretty damn
blessed actually. I am surrounded by people that love me--i have a
good job---what else really do I want?
So how do you decide what to do? You have one aspect that staying
here will be good for Nats career (ideally), that own kids will be
surrounded by people that love them and lavish on them (namely
grandparents) and there are good churches and communities to get
involved in if we, or rather i, would actually do it. and Nat likes
it here. Then there is the aspect that he would do anything for me
if I asked, and I guess I fear to take advantage of that and making
him give anything up. cause basically am i not taking him from all
he knows and planting into MY city. So is it better to find a happy
medium somewhere? Not moving to Cincinnati, but close enough that I
can go whenever I want..but then whats the point...i would still be
in a place where i didnt know anyone and pretty much in the same
situation, just not peoria. Now, would I be happier in Peoria rather
than Tremont. To be closer to the city rather than 30-40 minutes
away. Maybe if we were closer that would make it better? i dont
think so....but who knows. What do we do? We are going back and
forth about it all the time...not arguing, but discussing all the
pros and cons...he has pros for being here and I have pros for
leaving! I just think his career is important and its important that
he loves what he does, but that he also makes enough to support a
family. I definately dont want to be struggling financially for much
longer, and ESPECIALLY when we start having kids. We would be pretty
comfortable right now if it wasnt for all the debt...so thats
promising...but moving away would be me quitting my job and us
selling the house, then I would have to find another job and
hopefully enjoy it like this one (it is fine now, but i wonder how
long i will be able to stand it--guess it depends on how much changes
with the new company). Granted selling the house would get us outta
more debt...its still taking a pay cut and ultimately spending more
to live (cause the house payment now is pretty low and i am not sure
we could get that anywhere else.) see how it can go back and forth
endlessly!
stay, go, stay, go, stay, go, stay. go......i wish we could just
decide!! Do we just think too much? I guess I just want some
unbiased input. Maybe list our priorities and figure out how what we
have fits or doesnt, or if we have to be here to accomplish all those
goals----we just need to decide what we want and what is most
important, i guess....
anyway, I am sure that was overly scatterbrained and made no
sense....all well.
c.ALIce

Partnership

So its been almost a year that I have been married.� I think it feels about right.� I dont feel like ive been married for 20 years or so comfortable or in a groove that we have it all figured out.� Above all and everything I LOVE MY HUSBAND.� �I couldnt imagine life with anyone else.� He seriously is the other half of me.� He builds me up in the areas of my life where the building up helps me grow in things i lack confidence in.� He encourages me the best he knows how--- and even I am not sure how to let him encourage me (especially in the areas of my life where I want to remain control or feel the most hopeless in) which brings me to my "thought".� Marriage requires partnership...and as of yet, that is the HARDEST thing to learn.� SO lets investigate...what is a partnership?
According to dictionary.com the definition is "A relationship between individuals or groups that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, as for the achievement of a specified goal"� or otherwise the "the state or condition of being a partner; participation; association; joint interest."� Partner is defined as "One that is united or associated with another or others in an activity or a sphere of common interest, especially:"� I personally think the first defination is the best to make my point.� A 'mutual cooroperation' and 'responsibility' to achieve a specified goal.� Now I mentioned that my husband is fantastic..he loves me SO much and I never have a doubt of his sincerity and depth of love and admiration for me (ok, other than a couple days a month due to ragin hormones...but still DEEP down I KNOW).� There are certain things in my life that I am very defensive with...and things I have struggled with for a long time.� They are goals that I have made for myself yet have never accomplished.� I shared my heart with him and try to open up and let him know that I am trying to psuh through, accomplish these things, and yet I still fail.� Now understand that our mentalities are different in this respect.� He says "well baby, if you want to lose weight, then just do it"� sounds so simple and non-complicated and really takes it to its core..Just DO It...sounds like a Nike commercial.� I on the other hand can have determination and will to accomplish these goals for a short while and then its like my fire just burns out.� The problem arises when he attempts to keep me accountable.� I resist it and determine myself not to let his encouragement influence me...its like something inside flips and I get defensive and hard-headed. Where did my fight against 'authority' come from?� So this is where the dying to me comes and where marriage begins.� So the hardest thing to step down from is my pride..."dont tell me how to do something, dont tell me I cant do something - mentality"� This is the most trying of all places in marriage...this is where you decide whether you want a partner in life and if so, you move closer together to accomplish a goal, or you decide to resist the help (my disposition) and move a little farther away from your marriage and the trust and encouragement and friendship--because after a while he is going to give up and not push that button anymore and I fear that I will lose a bit from our foundation because of that.
So partnership...taking responsibility that its OUR life, not MY life...cooperate mutually with him to accomplish a goal...even though its ultimately up to me to actually do it, but to open my heart and mind and soul (letting down my pride) to allow him to encourage, motivate, and even discipline me.� To not take offensive to his sweet pleading..dont clam up and feel like a failure when he wants to stand beside me and help me not BE a failure...dont do it out of spite just to prove to someone that I am ultimately in control of what do, when and how I do it.��
If you know me at all, you know I have been a rebel, or rather have dealt with my pride, for most of my life.� If someone says I cant do something, I am damn well going to do it--within reason of course.� My heart has always been torn because of this.� For instance, I want to a woman of God that people respect and admire and that feeling still comes up when people say "you can be so much more"---for some reason I feel like keeping people from "being right" about my life, gives me some boasting rights about proving them wrong.
There was an instance last weekend where Nat scoft at something I did because he didnt want me to do it---knew i wanted to change and was trying to keep me accountable.� At the time I was defensive...i had no answers when he asked me what he had to do to keep me accountable.� It took me a couple days and it finally dawned on me--it was about my pride and this feeling I had towards him was not anger but resistance, and I didnt know why...now it has a name, and it makes sense to me what I need to do is not necessarily MY plan for life...but the plan that makes OUR life better.