Friday, May 10, 2024

5 on a Friday: Big! Life! NEWS! (19/52)

 1. Ok, so, you guys remember when our work/life balance shifted last year to be much more WORK FORWARD?

2. Well, I have pretty much stopped complaining, and Minnie has absolutely THRIVED at preschool 5 mornings a week, and I figured out how to make time for everything, etc etc etc. Cooper barely missed a night of diving. Dorothy's dance attendance record is commendable.Things have been mostly just fine. Very life-centric again. Date nights. Movie nights. Lots of goofing off. Family days. We found our sea legs. Except.

3. Ben REALLY MISSED academia. It turns out, the stories Ben really wants to tell are about universities and why they're awesome. He missed talking to college students and their parents and being part of a bustling campus and mascots and alumni celebrations and parades and sports teams-- the whole ball of wax.

4. Soooooooooo... starting THIS VERY MONTH MY GOODNESS, he is AVP of marketing and communications at our alma mater BRADLEY UNIVERSITY!!! The place where we met each other at camp when we were in high school! The place where we spent the funnest 4.5 years of our LIVES (we took a victory lap our senior years to the tune of PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION. because that's how fun college was!)

5. YES, BRADLEY IS IN NOT-MADISON, and, yes, that is a logistical conundrum since. my job is in Madison, and so is our house and all the kids' friends and the D1 diving facility where Cooper trains, etc etc etc. (ALSO MY PENSION). So, I mean, there are a few wrinkles to work out. Bradley is in my hometown, and we have friends there, and we both deeply love the college and its cityp, so we are not saying never in terms of relocating. But! FOR NOW, Ben is remote part of the week and on campus the rest, and you know what? It's going to be great because he is so freaking excited, and I have already volunteered my Lydia cosplay services whenever they are needed (IYKYK).

The day of his on-campus interview, our Wordle starting word-- the one we both use EVERY SINGLE DAY-- was the answer, and Coop found a 4-leaf clover when he got out of my car at drop off, and and and! The lottery-admission magnet middle school where Dorothy got a spot for the 2024-2025 school year but Cooper did not (the same place where Jack and Harry went and where we planned to send Dorothy even though that would mean 5 kids at 5 separate schools) called to tell us COOPER GOT IN, TOO, making our entire year manageable for one parent to get everyone where they need to go most days. (I mean only one parent will be here most days-- the kids will go where they need to be every day LOL) THEY CAN RIDE THE BUS IN THE MORNING, and I can pick them up, drive literally 8 minutes to dive (instead of the 26 minutes we drive now) and take Dorothy to dance on my way home.

BUCKLE UP, FRIENDS, we are doing this!! Because seriously WHY NOT have your oldest kid go to college and also your husband live out of town part of every week and work a full time job and have 4 other kids INCLUDING A PRESCHOOLER at home? SOUNDS SIMPLE TO ME. LET'S GET A PUPPY.

LOOK, the old bronze lady is SMILING-- even she is happy for him!

We are so proud and excited, you guys!!



22 comments:

  1. I know you've been sitting on this big news for a while and it must feel SO GOOD TO WRITE IT ALL OUT.
    Love all the great vibes you got, especially the fact that Cooper and Dorothy will be in the same school. That is HUGE.
    Solo-parenting has many ups and downs, but I know you are more than capable for what is to come in this next chapter and how wonderful that Ben has such a great job at a place that is so near and dear to both of your hearts.

    Congrats all around <3

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    1. thank you and thanks for lending an ear when I was BURSTING WITH NEWS

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  2. Congrats to Ben! I am glad he's returning to the environment that he loves. I had to google Bradley University (I do not know colleges at all since I only applied in state and my kids are so young so we're not getting college mailers, etc) and then I had to google how far that is from Madison because I do not really know where Peoria is! I am glad it's not a terrible drive away and since you've made his heavier travel job work, hopefully this change will be manageable, too. It's tricky when you have a pension and are locked into a community like you are! But yay Ben!!!!

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    1. Don’t feel bad Lisa- I LIVE in Madison (well, just outside) and was also scratching my head as I had never heard of Bradley University either! I was like, ok, I’m sure I don’t know every school around but I feel like I at least know all the major universities in my neck of the woods since I have lived in SE/S Wisconsin my entire life?! I was relived to see it is actually in Illinois, so that makes me feel much better about not knowing where it is. Anything across the border is out of my zone, lol!

      Congratulations to your husband Sarah! Very exciting news! Sounds like you’ve got it all worked out.

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    2. I am glad to hear Bradley is unknown for you both-- lots of untapped markets! It is a gem of a school tho-- D1 sports and wonderful programs-- remember it when your kids are college-aged!!

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  3. Sooooooo excited for you!!!!! aND maybe hold off on that puppy for a bit. Lolol. But seriously amazing news all around!!!!

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    1. lol-- I am sure you are right re: puppy but am less sure we will follow this advice

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  4. Oh my goodness this all sounds wonderful! A few challenges, sure, but wow, the way the universe has clicked so many pieces into place!!! Congratulations to Ben and hooray for a less complicated school situation!

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  5. Wow, this is exciting news! Congratulations to Ben! Yes, now is the perfect time to get a puppy (hahahahaha.) Glad Cooper and Dorothy can go to the same school- it sounds like everything is going to work out just fine. Also.... I know you're going to miss him terribly, but having one kid not living at home during the school year might make things a little easier. You MIGHT be able to cut down on laundry (a little?) and groceries. It's going to be an exciting time for everyone.

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    1. Yes on the less laundry and food-- and my house will feel so big LOL

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  6. WOW! Huge congratulations to Ben and your whole family. What a very big deal! I have the feeling if anyone can make it work, it'll be you!

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  7. Congratulations to Ben! You will make it work!!

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  8. The two-body problem in academia is hard. I hope this is a good solution for your family.

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  9. Ugh. I wrote a whole comment from my phone, but now I see that it didn't show up here. Dang.

    Wow. This is big news. So exciting. Congrats to Ben. Knowing you all, you will find a way to manage this. So awesome that the kids' schools situations fell into place. I didn't know that both of you graduated from Bradley. A couple that we know well both graduated from Bradley, but they are older than you.

    So we live near Chicago, and I know about Bradley, but for some reason it didn't register with me as a school Reg should apply to. We were very focused on having him apply to Chick Evans schools. Plus, his college search time was a very rocky time with the lawsuit, etc. I googled it and the size is just right. It didn't dawn on me that it had D1 athletics. Reg is not necessarily D1 player, but maybe? Maybe as a preferred walk-on? Anyway, something to think about as we are in do-over mode this year. (feels a bit exhausting sometimes to ponder the college search reboot).

    Look at that, you are assisting Ben with his marketing duties right off the bat. Fingers crossed that this all works out for everyone.

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  10. HA HA OMG I love your Mardi-Gras-Every-Day life. Congrats all around. I have no doubt you will pull it all off with aplomb.

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  11. What exciting news! I'm so glad Ben can go back to academia and doing what he loves. That's exciting! And at your alma mater, no less!

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  12. Woohoo. Great news... but also: HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL?

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  13. Gah. So. Late. To. The. Story. But you're absolutely right - working for a place that you have a passion for (particularly in academia, and especially when working with students [or, ahem, donors]) makes a huge difference. I hope that things settle down a bit as Ben gets used to his new position. And I hope that you don't leave Madison before we can finally meet in person. I need to see if you - and your super-mom abilities - are actually real. ;)

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