Out Sick

So apparently everyone I blog with is having this same post. I have a cold. What's funny about the cold is this:
When I got up this morning, I realized I was no good for working, so I went back to sleep, setting the alarm for 7:45. At 7:45 I got up again and went to email my boss to say I wouldn't be in. I had an email from my boss saying he wouldn't be in because he had developed a cold. So I had to call him and tell him I was sick as well and we both sounded the same. Which turned into a conversation about who gave whom the cold, etc.
The truth of the matter is, we both got the cold because we've been trying to split three jobs between the two of us. My co-worker is probably reading this saying - hey don't blame me or just feeling bad she's not around to help, but seriously, things have been crazy busy at good ol' FFG. It was probably just time for both my boss and I to take a break and rest.
So I'm home today, resting. And by the way - check out the February recipe - it's so tasty and so easy!

A Real Post

So for months now most of my posts have been about the house. Which I guess at least some of you are bored with. Where are the real posts? Where are the gut-wrenchingly honest posts about my life and what's going on?
The answer is I don't know. When I first set out to blog, I had no idea why I did it. I hate the idea of sharing everything with everyone, not that I have any big secrets. Who in their right mind would want to broadcast every feeling, every thought, every happenstance of their life to the world? But then again, who are we fooling?
So you want to know where I am right now? I'm struggling, but making it. I'm struggling once again with my weight. I managed to lose 30 lbs last year, then had an issue with my husband that rocked my world and made me wonder why I was working so hard to be in shape. So now when I go to the gym I wonder what I'm doing it for and I have all sorts of added fears that it will never be enough. I try to remind myself that I'm doing this for me, not for him, and that I'm doing it to increase my chances of being able to have some healthy children.
And there's another struggle - having children. It's so hard to watch others who don't even try to get pregnant get pregnant when they sneeze. It's hard for those of us who desparately want children and are told by doctors to take this pill and that pill and the other pill and keep our legs elevated and on and on. It would/will be harder after all of the methods of increasing my fertility are exhausted, and luckily we are not at that point yet. But still, I am frustrated and struggling.
And then there is work - but this struggle is only for a time. I admit, my career is very new to me, and I am not even close to knowing it all. That is actually what makes it fun and challenging at times, but it also tests my patience and humility. Because I'm used to being good at everything. And sometimes looking at all of the tasks I've taken on during a coworker's maternity leave, I feel completely overwhelmed, like I don't know where to start. It's not that I'm not capable, it's that I just don't have the experience and knowledge that she does, so things that she'd have done in 10 minutes take me 10 days. I'll get there, I know. When I've been in the business for five years and have some more training and licensing under my belt, I'll look back at these little things and laugh. But today, it humbles me to struggle to do the work set out for me.
So what's the point of sharing all of this? I guess I'm just trying to give more of myself than a photoshow of my house. I love the house and all of the work we put into it. It's a wonderful place which I feel Geoff and I are really turning into a great place for another young couple to get their start down the road (when our family grows too large to stay here any longer). And so much is going well for me and for my marriage and my life. After living in Auburn for four and a half years, I'm finally starting to develop some female friendships, I've gotten actively involved in church and music, I have a job that I LOVE, a home that I LOVE, and a husband that I LOVE. And yet I struggle. Such is the condition of all men in this life, on this earth. And thus ends an honest snapshot of where I am this morning.

Portrait of a Stockbroker

This is the post you have all been waiting for and I have been desparately wanting to write for the past eight to ten weeks. It is official - I have passed the Series Seven!!!

I know you're all wondering how I did it, especially since I only studied an average of 6 to 8 hours a day for the past ten weeks, and only took around 300 pages of notes, and only did around 50 practice exams - HA! Seriously, though, if I had not studied that much, I don't think I would have passed. I made an 82% (needed a 70% to pass). It's certainly not the highest score I've ever made on a test before, but it's probably my new favorite number.

I can't wait to finish up on all of this and get back to having a life again. I've forgotten what that is like. On a nice note, though, I just think it's awesome how everything is falling into place right now. My husband's sister and husband have found jobs in the area and are moving here mid-December. I passed the first leg of my licensing requirements in a field and for a job that I absolutely could not be happier about having! My sister is expecting again!

There's always a little something to wish for though. Fo me it's that my parents' situation would be resolved and that Geoff and I would get to the other side of fertility issues with little expense, pain, or much effort. You know you're enjoying life when all you can think of that is missing is another little someone to share it with!

Thanks to Zac Henderson, my boss's son, for the great professional photo (taken on 11.12.07). (I should have taken off the jacket - now that I wear my hair so long and dark, it's hard to see that it comes way down in the front because it blends in with the jacket - still, Zac did a fantastic job)!

How do you spell S-T-R-E-S-S???

S
E
R
I
E
S

S
E
V
E
N

I CANNOT SEEM TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND OPTIONS TRADING, MARGIN CALLS, BOND MATURITIES, ETC., ETC., ETC. ! ! !
Why oh why did I not take more math classes in college? It has been far too long since I used basic mathematical logic!

Series 7 - YIKES!

Here we go. The test is scheduled and now I have to see what I've learned over the last eight weeks of studying. November 15th I'll go to Montgomery bright and early with my calculator and drivers license and whatever my little brain can hold. Pray hard! I'm going to pass, but a seven hour test sounds frightful!

Back to School - SERIOUSLY

This is not a meme. I am in a sense, back in school. I am studying my little heart out to obtain my Series 7 License (or Serious 7 as Geoff calls it). At the end of October I will take a test; if I pass (and take another test for the state level), I will be able to trade securities. In case I haven't said it in awhile, I LOVE MY JOB!
I'm a little rusty on the studying and I really want to do well on this stuff since I use it daily, so I'm having to apply myself more than I have in a long time. But this is great for me. I'm excited about the possibility to further myself in my new field. I told my boss before I was hired that I needed my job to have meaning and a purpose, and this field does that for me. Not only can I help others manage their finances, I can do it for myself and my family.
So wish me luck as I prepare for this test!

Friday is the New Saturday

I am absolutely LOVING my new job. One of the many perks is the fact that for me, Friday is the new Saturday. Consider this morning. It's about 7:30 AM. I've been up for 30 minutes, saw my husband off to work, and now I'm sitting in my pajamas with a piece of lemon cake for breakfast trying to figure out if I should clean first and play second or the other way around.
Because of the wonderful amount of time I have left over each day, I can take the time to cook as much as I would like to, keep the house clean, walk the dogs daily, and even have a social calendar. For the first time in our marriage, Geoff and I are actually making plans regularly to fill our weekends and a few evenings a week. We're going to church AND Sunday School, and we're not feeling like there's not enough time to keep everything managed. I can keep the house in good order so that Geoff can have enough energy and free time to go and ride bikes with his friends or take on a few extra computer jobs for a little extra income.
Sure, we're not making NEARLY what we did before, but our lives are easier for it. It's not just the hours I love, though. My coworkers are awesome, and I'm really enjoying all I'm learning about the world of financial planning. I'm looking forward to pursuing some certification training and really getting my hands on all that I can to help my team and to implement a lot of this for myself.
Anyway, for those of you checking in, I thought I would update a little on this more personal level, since Mom and I have pretty much been using my blog for the book study now. I'll try to occasionally post something other than the book.
So have a good Friday!