Like many couples, Pete and I have a dream - a dream to own our very own house. It doesn't need to be a mansion. We just want a modest house with at least 3 bedrooms that has a decent size backyard for the kids to play in. Every year of our marriage we've see friends and associates (the same age as us) achieving this same dream. Some build from scratch, others renovate, some buy brand new homes. We are so excited for them and after receiving a tour through their new homes Pete and I excitedly discuss what we loved and what we'd do differently if it was our house. We'd always discuss our Dream, thinking it could be achieved in another year or so (2012-2013).
During the first few years of our marriage I worked full time while Pete completed his Engineering degree. I was happy to work and absolutely adored my job, but always looked forward to my future role as a stay at home mum. Pete graduated and got a great job in Melbourne so we moved, still thinking that we could achieve our dream in this more expensive State of Australia.
As with any life changing event there are unexpected factors. We didn't expect we'd have to live 45 mins from Melbourne, or that we'd struggle on Pete's wage to save much at all. We didn't expect that as an Engineer, Pete's pay and subsequent pay rises would be so modest. We didn't expect that after Pete visited a local bank and made a few calls about loans that our Dream was in fact very much out of reach..... Pete arrived home and shared with me the reality of our situation and we were both left feeling very down. Whilst we have a nice house we're renting, we're over paying "dead" money and having no backyard! We're simply just wanting to be at that next stage and achieve our dream. I immediately felt pressure (that I put on myself) to go back to work. I even started thinking that we should probably delay having our second child (by a few years) so we could afford a home loan (Many banks deduct huge amounts from loans for each dependent you have).
Anyway, after lamenting about our situation for a full day I took stock of what we do have, not what we dont! We are so blessed to live where we do. I know it's cliched but I honestly believe that Australia is the 'Lucky country' (in the sense of our wealth, natural resources and weather etc). Pete and I have great health, a beautiful son, strong education backgrounds and the ability to support ourselves financially. Whilst it is not financially possible to own our own home for awhile, we are already living what many people around the world only dream of. We have clean water, sanitation, employment, and most importantly we have the gospel of Jesus Christ. The family being the central part of the gospel. Thoughts of delaying the growth of our family to own our own home is not going to help us achieve our dream any quicker. That's not how Heavenly Father works. Whilst I may in fact need to go back to work next year, it will be for the right reasons and will be carefully and prayerfully considered.
In the meantime, I'll keep doing what I can to save our pennies. It may sound like a waste of time to many, but online surveys have been very helpful. I'm getting regular gift vouchers and small cash payments which helps incredibly with things like gifts and occasional treats for ourselves...I will also look into doing tutoring from home....
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
New Blog Header 2
Finally got some recent Watt family pics and was very excited to change my blog header after my whinge last time!
In the Watt home we have been enjoying:
In the Watt home we have been enjoying:
- Mum and dad's return from their 3 month overseas adventure
- Will's first word and other developments
- Birthdays - especially mum's big 5 0
- Sunshine and outings.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
New Blog header
Our darling Will has been with us for just over 6 months now and I thought it was high time I changed our blog header pic. Though, trying to find a photo of all 3 of us was hard. This was one of only 4 or 5 photos of our whole family and the only decent one I was happy to display. Plus, it was taken on Will's blessing day when he was 5 weeks old. Sad hey!! Actually, I feel a bit depressed by it. It's hard not having family close by for many reasons but one I never thought of before is just the simple benefit of family catch ups when you can get people to take photos. I know I could take the camera to church and ask people there, but Sundays are such a hectic day at church and they are full on for us with Will as it is....I saw a deal online for a really cheap professional family photoshoot but I couldn't even afford the heavily discounted special :-(
Mum and dad will be here in 2 weeks so I'll definitely have to make sure I get them to take lots of photos of our family.
I wish I had my talented photographer friends Lisa King and Kelly Fleming close by! I'm advance booking a paid photography session next time we're in Adelaide or Tassie, ok girls!!!
Mum and dad will be here in 2 weeks so I'll definitely have to make sure I get them to take lots of photos of our family.
I wish I had my talented photographer friends Lisa King and Kelly Fleming close by! I'm advance booking a paid photography session next time we're in Adelaide or Tassie, ok girls!!!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Yay for August
As my dear Nettie accurately stated, I have been neglecting this blog. The thing is, when I have time I just feel so uninspired to do much of anything. It has been quite a trying time for me of late. I had such a busy time in July I almost decided to hibernate until the end of the year, so put off I was with any form of socialising. Whilst I had the wonderful opportunity to witness my dear friend's sealing in the Adelaide temple and catch up with loved ones in Adelaide, I just wanted to be home. Will just started teething and seems to have reached the point where he doesn't want to sleep anywhere except his cot. The trip was really rough on him and I felt terrible for upsetting the awesome routine we had worked so hard to achieve. He was so good when we did have to go out but after 1 day of him screaming and no nap at all I was just yearning for the comfort of my own home and the support of my husband.
Travelling on your own with a baby is a real eye opener. Will is an angel on the plane and loves the airport so I know I don't even have it tough compared to some parents, but the simple effort of juggling luggage, a baby and outings was enough for me. Arriving at my friend's Wedding reception to discover a huge flight of stairs up to the reception venue and no elevator nearly made me cry. I was cursing my decision to wear high heels. I said a silent prayer of thanks when I discovered I was sitting next to an awesome couple from my old ward who readily offered to hold Will for me while I had to run back and get stuff out the car I'd forgotten. I was fortunate to find a park right outside the venue but it was only a 1 hour spot. I said a silent prayer that I wouldn't get a ticket, another prayer later that Will would have at least a little snooze in his baby carrier, and that I could stay for the important parts of the reception. I was so thankful Heavenly Father answered each of these pleas. I've noticed my prayers are a lot more simple these days...Heavenly Father, please just let him sleep. Heavenly Father, please help me sleep, Heavenly Father bless us with health and strength. Most often, the answers come in his perfect timing and I'm learning to be patient when Heavenly Father decides to answer me later, or in a different way.
A few days after returning from Adelaide I had to head off again, this time to Tassie. My mum had asked me to take over her foot-care business just for a week while she's overseas with dad. Mum generally sees her clients every 6 weeks and with her being away for 3 months some of them just couldn't hold off on needing nail trims etc. Juggling this with a baby was never going to be a good idea but mum pleaded with me to help and I figured I owed her a lot anyway. I was stressing out trying to figure out what I was going to do with Will. I couldn't drag him around disabled group homes, nursing homes etc and I couldn't rely on only 1 or 2 people to babysit him (especially with him being so clingy and temperamental at present). What happened is that my lovely Grandma in Adelaide volunteered to come to Tassie to be my live in babysitter for Will. I am so grateful to her for doing this. The first few days were horrendous with Will screaming non-stop and then upon my arrival, stopping immediately as I hugged him, turning to look at my Grandma and smiling his cutest smiles for her as if to say "I just wanted my mum, and you're ok now that she's here!"
Anyway, after a week of a lot of ups and downs we did eventually get home. The flight home was a complete farce but I just don't have the energy to go into details or the desire to be negative about it. One thing I will say, is that Will was AMAZING. For being at the airport for 3 hours and a bumpy flight he was exceptional and won lots of adoring fans :-)
w mmm /.uuu rrrrrrrrrrrf
vvvvvvvvvvvv
That's what Will has to say about that :)
Because of the hectic nature of the last month and the work I did for mum I've been able to make a decision that I'd been considering for a little while. I've decided not to go back to work this year. I had been considering doing some relief teaching in 4th Term, but after just a week of short bursts of work I've decided it's not the right time. I think if things were different and I had family support over here I'd be able to go back and perhaps do 1 day a week, but it's just not going to happen. I'm not ready to put Will in day care either. We'll weigh up our options again towards the end of the year. If I was in Adelaide I'd probably be working now (at least doing relief work at my old school). I've had a year of leave and have asked for another year of leave. I still don't know whether I'm just being stupidly hopeful that we'll end up back in Adelaide or whether it's more of a case of not wanting to let go of a job I just loved...I'll have to make a more definite decision at some point so will keep you posted.
This post seems so scattered and I'm starting to get a bit light headed so I'm thinking I better sign off for now. I'm so thankful that it's August. Mum and dad get back at the end of the month and I'm busting to see them. I know they're busting to see Will most of all ;-) It's my 29th Birthday as well this month and I'm looking forward to going on another date with Peter as mum and dad will be here then and will be kicking us out the door to spend time solely with Will.
I hope August has great things in store for each of you.
Much love xxx
taken at almost 6 months. As you can see, he has lost his curls. DEVASTATING!!!!
but he's still devastatingly handsome!!!
Travelling on your own with a baby is a real eye opener. Will is an angel on the plane and loves the airport so I know I don't even have it tough compared to some parents, but the simple effort of juggling luggage, a baby and outings was enough for me. Arriving at my friend's Wedding reception to discover a huge flight of stairs up to the reception venue and no elevator nearly made me cry. I was cursing my decision to wear high heels. I said a silent prayer of thanks when I discovered I was sitting next to an awesome couple from my old ward who readily offered to hold Will for me while I had to run back and get stuff out the car I'd forgotten. I was fortunate to find a park right outside the venue but it was only a 1 hour spot. I said a silent prayer that I wouldn't get a ticket, another prayer later that Will would have at least a little snooze in his baby carrier, and that I could stay for the important parts of the reception. I was so thankful Heavenly Father answered each of these pleas. I've noticed my prayers are a lot more simple these days...Heavenly Father, please just let him sleep. Heavenly Father, please help me sleep, Heavenly Father bless us with health and strength. Most often, the answers come in his perfect timing and I'm learning to be patient when Heavenly Father decides to answer me later, or in a different way.
A few days after returning from Adelaide I had to head off again, this time to Tassie. My mum had asked me to take over her foot-care business just for a week while she's overseas with dad. Mum generally sees her clients every 6 weeks and with her being away for 3 months some of them just couldn't hold off on needing nail trims etc. Juggling this with a baby was never going to be a good idea but mum pleaded with me to help and I figured I owed her a lot anyway. I was stressing out trying to figure out what I was going to do with Will. I couldn't drag him around disabled group homes, nursing homes etc and I couldn't rely on only 1 or 2 people to babysit him (especially with him being so clingy and temperamental at present). What happened is that my lovely Grandma in Adelaide volunteered to come to Tassie to be my live in babysitter for Will. I am so grateful to her for doing this. The first few days were horrendous with Will screaming non-stop and then upon my arrival, stopping immediately as I hugged him, turning to look at my Grandma and smiling his cutest smiles for her as if to say "I just wanted my mum, and you're ok now that she's here!"
Anyway, after a week of a lot of ups and downs we did eventually get home. The flight home was a complete farce but I just don't have the energy to go into details or the desire to be negative about it. One thing I will say, is that Will was AMAZING. For being at the airport for 3 hours and a bumpy flight he was exceptional and won lots of adoring fans :-)
w mmm /.uuu rrrrrrrrrrrf
vvvvvvvvvvvv
That's what Will has to say about that :)
Because of the hectic nature of the last month and the work I did for mum I've been able to make a decision that I'd been considering for a little while. I've decided not to go back to work this year. I had been considering doing some relief teaching in 4th Term, but after just a week of short bursts of work I've decided it's not the right time. I think if things were different and I had family support over here I'd be able to go back and perhaps do 1 day a week, but it's just not going to happen. I'm not ready to put Will in day care either. We'll weigh up our options again towards the end of the year. If I was in Adelaide I'd probably be working now (at least doing relief work at my old school). I've had a year of leave and have asked for another year of leave. I still don't know whether I'm just being stupidly hopeful that we'll end up back in Adelaide or whether it's more of a case of not wanting to let go of a job I just loved...I'll have to make a more definite decision at some point so will keep you posted.
This post seems so scattered and I'm starting to get a bit light headed so I'm thinking I better sign off for now. I'm so thankful that it's August. Mum and dad get back at the end of the month and I'm busting to see them. I know they're busting to see Will most of all ;-) It's my 29th Birthday as well this month and I'm looking forward to going on another date with Peter as mum and dad will be here then and will be kicking us out the door to spend time solely with Will.
I hope August has great things in store for each of you.
Much love xxx
taken at almost 6 months. As you can see, he has lost his curls. DEVASTATING!!!!but he's still devastatingly handsome!!!
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