The economy is making me really nervous...

I live in the Silicon Valley and have not always been impacted like the rest of the country during a down economy. There are a large numbers of jobs here and maybe I've just been lucky in the past. This time is different.

I am hearing from friends that they are being impacted and we could very well be impacted in the next few months as well. The company my husband works for was acquired last week. We don't know if he is going to have a job or not in a couple months. We have put a sudden halt to discretionary spending until we know more. We are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

I went to Target earlier this week and it was different. There were not many people shopping and usually it's fairly crowded at 8pm. Some shelves were empty and some had very low stock. There were a lot more items marked clearance than I had ever seen before. Two prominent chocolate factories in the Bay Area are closing, Babystlye closed it stores and website without warning, Mervyn's has already closed it's doors, and company after company announce layoffs in the thousands. Who and what is next?

News reports on the state of our economy is bleak: Unemployment rates continue to rise, 4.78 million are out of work, new home sales are down even further. I also keep hearing stories about suicides and shootings resulting from the stress and anxiety of job loss and financial turmoil.

How much more can we take as a country? Will the stimulus package help or make matters worse? Who has the magic crystal ball that will give all of us a little peace of mind?

I am trying to be less negative...

It is sometimes hard for me to be positive. Being negative is a character trait I learned early and I am trying really hard these days to reverse it. It’s not easy, but I know the payoff will be enormous, not only for myself but for everyone around me. I practiced last night and the rewards were plenty.

Abby went to sleep at her usual 7:00 pm. A schedule and routine work great for her. We start with walking the dog, a few more minutes of playtime, a bath, some milk, teeth brushing and then down at 7:00pm. She had a cough before she went to sleep and I was hoping she wouldn’t wake up. I know as soon as I have those thoughts, I am tempting fate.

During the week, I don’t get to spend as much time with her as I’d like. I work full time and my job is pretty demanding. I enjoy what I do almost as much as I enjoy being a mom. Most days I feel the balance is there, but some days I’m really torn with spending more time with her. There are also days where it is really hard to leave her in the morning because we are having so much fun. She’s a pistol; she’s social, energetic, demanding, compassionate, emotional, sensitive and funny.

I went to bed at 10:00 pm and as soon I as got under the covers, Abby started stirring. She usually makes some noise around this time and easily goes back to sleep. Not last night. She started coughing yesterday, a very rough, scratchy cough and that’s what woke her up. She is also getting her first molars in, poor thing.

I let her cry for about 5 minutes hoping she would fall back asleep, no luck. I went in, armed with water and Tylenol. I picked her up, took her over to the chair and gave her some water and Tylenol and rocked her. Her head was heavy on my shoulder, her arms wrapped around me (as much as her little arms could), she was very relaxed and trusting. We rocked for just 10 minutes, that’s all it took. It was peaceful, she fell asleep on my shoulder, her breathing was heavy, and she was twitching. Instead of my typical response of being annoyed I wasn’t going to get as much sleep as I had hoped for, I was thankful for those 10 minutes, the best 10 minutes I had all day!

Letter to Abigail (1/20/09)

Dear Abigail,

You watched history in the making on TV today, though I’m pretty sure you didn’t know what was happening. I turned the TV on so you would be exposed to the first day the very first African American President in the history of the United States of America took office.

Your Dad and I have historically sat on the right side of the political spectrum. We have been moderate conservatives and have typically voted Republican. This year we supported Barrack Obama and we are glad we did.

I was driving into to work today, listening to the ceremony. I was overcome with emotion and my eyes welled with tears. I was listening to the description of Obama walking the path to take his oath. To think of the pride and love his family must have had for him in that moment and the hope he brings to so many people was overwhelming.

I am very hopeful that Barrack Obama can change the direction of America. That he can bring together people from every background and make this a better place to live, especially for those that have recently lost their houses and their jobs

Barrack Obama is a symbol of the progression of our country. America had dark days during slavery and Barrack Obama is a symbol that we are headed in the right direction. I hope that your future heads in the same positive direction and that by the time you enter college and the work force, opportunities for women are the same as those for men. That you receive equal pay for equal work and that you find true joy in what you do. That you judge people on their character and their actions and not based on race, gender or religion. That you have compassion for people who need it and you help those less fortunate in any way you can.

This is a very important day in our history and you are 16 ½ months old. Your Mom is hopeful for change and loves you with all her heart.

Love,
Mommy

Welcome to Soddie's Place

Welcome to Soddie's Place. I am toward the end of my vacation from work, Abby is napping, Murphy is behaving and Steve is at work. I have been perusing new and old friend's pages on facebook and decided I wanted to occasionally post a few thoughts and pictures for others to enjoy, disparage, or simply view.

I was tagged 'Soddie' in college. It is a shortened version of my maiden name. College was a very transitional time in my life. Soddie reminds me of where I came from and where I am headed, anything is possible.

I have a 16 month old daughter (Abigail), a 4 1/2 year old golden retriever (Murphy) and I am married to a wonderful man (Steve). We sometimes barely make it through the day and others seem to go by too fast and are so much fun it makes me sad when they are over.

I look back on 2008 and wonder how we made it. 2 working parents with demanding jobs, a very mischievous dog and a baby at the beginning of the year that has grown into a very fast moving toddler (she is also mischievous). We no longer set our alarm clock and haven't for about 16 months. Our little blond haired blue eyed alarm clock wakes us every morning, sometimes at 5:30am and sometimes at 7:30am, we prefer the latter.

I'll write more in the coming days, but wanted to get this blog kicked off. Happy New Year to everyone, I hope 2009 brings you all the happiness and memories you desire!