Life Today isn't What it Will be Tomorrow

Gotta love a great party

2008-08-25T22:28:00.002-05:00

So this weekend there was a party for my sister and Ryan. It was a co-ed wedding shower at night. It was so much fun. I got to see people I haven't seen in so long. It makes you realize how much fun family is. No one wanted the ngiht to end seeing as we were all outside until about 3 am. Sean didn't make it that long. He kind of got sick and "slept" on the bathroom floor.

I can't wait for the wedding. It should be great.

Nothing really new here. I am super excited for next weekend. Sarah is coming in from Germany and we will have a full day of girly time. I am not sure what we are going to do but I am sure it will be fun.

Things for Colleen's other shower are coming along. I wanted to do it all myslef as a thank you for everything she did for my wedding, but I am so glad that Regina is helping she has such great ideas.

Sean and I are starting to talk about what we will do next summer. We will both be finished with school.
I am not sure if I mentioned that I am going back to finish my degree. FINALLY!! If all goes well I will only have 5 classes and will finish in May. I can't wait. Sean will finish in April. We are thinking of a huge party...everyone is invited. Or we may go away somewhere. I don't know yet.

I had a bit of great news on Saturday one of my very best friends is having a baby and due the end of April. I am so happy for them. :)

Well that is it for me. I just pray that life stays this good and gets better with each sun rise.

Wow I am really bad at this...

2008-08-05T23:09:00.001-05:00

So I started this to keep people up to date on what is going on with Sean and I. I guess that only works when I add things. :) So I left off at my trip to CA. IT was great and I hope to go back again and be able to spend more time. Yes Cari I promise I will call you. I had no time at all. :( Next time I promise.
So life in IL. Sean is back here. We finally live together back in IL. I am so happy. The move had a few bumps in the road, but thanks to some very good friends and relatives we were able to get moved in. The best part, I got to miss the actual move in. OK so I feel guilty about it, but it was kind of funny. I had to work and I figured that because I work only 5 BLOCKS, yes that is right 5 blocks away I didn't see any problems. Well I was wrong, but it all worked out.

Speaking of my job...I LOVE IT!!!! I wake up and get out of bed without fighting myself. I know part of that is there is no more 85 mile commute. But I really like it. I am busy and that is so nice after 18 months of doing almost nothing. I am learning a lot. We do a lot of studies dealing with insomnia and that is all new to me. I love learning. The people are great. It is a very small office, but that is what drew me to it. I had an opportunity to go a whole new direction with my research career, but I wasn't ready for that just yet. Maybe once I finish school!

Oh yes that is right. I am FINALLY finishing my degree. It's a funny story. I got a letter in the mail at my mom's addressed to Melissa Kroll. Usually I just throw that stuff away. But I didn't I opened it and read it. I almost fell over. They contacted me to tell me I only had 5 classes left to finish my degree. The best part is and I can never say this out loud with out laughing (LOL) it is a business degree. I don't know how that works but it does. So I will start in December after Colleen's wedding and I will finish in June. Sean and I will both graduate at the same time! It is great. I can't wait. By the way w will be having some type of HUGE party next summer...keep it open everyone. :)

So Colleen, my sister, is getting married in October. I am so happy for her. Ryan is a great guy and they seem so perfect for each other. The wedding will be in Lake Geneva so we are all happy about that. As always she is on top of everything. I don't know how that gene totally missed me and all went to her. :) I am so happy for her and pray that she stays as happy as she is now.

What else...Well Sean and I actually live in the city of Chicago now. That was a change for both of us. We are on the edge , but for 2 totally suburban kids it is a new thing for us. We are adjusting OK I guess. Sean didn't seem to like it at first, but I think is getting used to it. I loved it and am now wondering if we will stay in the city. I know we won't go too far b\c of my work. I can't do a commute like I did before. It will put me over the edge.

That is about all I can think of now. I need to go to bed. May God Bless all of you.

Time to catch up

2008-05-22T18:50:00.000-05:00

OK so wow I haven't posted in a while...here we go
I will start with my trip to California. I went to a friends wedding in San Diego. It was great. I love CA. I have been there twice now and have only been able to stay for a few days each time, but wow. I can't wait to go back and really get to see a lot more.
The wedding was beautiful. It was my friend Dave Miles. He is my best friends brother. They have been like family to me for a long time. I was so happy to be able to see the whole family again. God has blessed Dave, and Emily (my best friend) with the best example of how a marriage should be. They have the best parents. Please keep this family in your prayers as they are going through some tough times. Anyway the wedding was great and San Diego is beautiful.
After the wedding I finally got to go to Disneyland is was so cool. I loved it. I will attach pictures, but I am still getting the hang of this. :)
I am so lucky I was able to go. Sean was not able to join me though. I missed having him out there. But I did get to spend some well needed quality time with Emily.
Oh I can't believe I didn't mention this. I drove on the LA freeway system all by my self. It was a true test of...well of something. :)
OK so that is California in a nut shell. :) I will keep updating you all on the past month.
Next up is the new job...

Back in Illinois

2008-04-20T09:54:00.000-05:00

So I am home. Well I am not at my home. I am technically homeless for a while. I will be staying at my mom's, my dad's and maybe I can get my sister to let me stay for a while. :) She is the closest. I can't believe it is finally here. Sean will be in Lansing until our lease is up on May 31st. Then we will hopefully have found a place in the city. He will commute to Lansing for his last couple of classes. I do worry that it may take a toll on him, but he is strong and if he thinks he can do I believe in him.
The last few months have taught me so much about the two of us. I never doubted him, but now I have more faith than ever in Sean. I know God put him in my life to help me grow, and I have.
We spent the day looking at apartments and found 2 we love!!! One is a 10 minute walk to work for me, and is nice, but fairly plain. The other I would have to drive or take a bus. It would only be like a 10 minute drive, but this place is awesome it is huge and so cute. It feels very homey. So we don't know what to do. Any suggestions are welcome.
Tomorrow is out second anniversary. We have no plans yet. How terrible is that. I was trying to get Cubs tickets, but they are hard to come by. I am not giving up yet. :)
That is all I know for now. I still need to write about my trip to California. I had a blast.
OK Bye

Almost there

2008-04-13T19:44:00.000-05:00

So we are almost ready to move. I will be leaving Lansing on Friday never to return as a resident. I can't wait. We still aren't sure what Sean will be doing, but we will figure it out soon enough. We spent the weekend painting, cleaning and starting to take the house apart. We have also spent a lot of time on line looking at apartments. We are looking at the Portage Park, or Old Irving Park neighborhoods of Chicago. I can't wait. It will be a huge change, but we need it.

Work is winding down for me. I will be sad to leave, but my new jobs seems like it will be great. I have some funny pictures of Sean & I painting, but I don't know how to put them in the message yet. I am still learning.

OK well that is all I can think of for now.

Wish me luck on packing this week.

Oh I think I got it with the picture thing. Let's hope this works.

Life Happens

2008-04-02T10:27:00.000-05:00

So today I am home in IL. It is a good thing and a bad thing. Sean and I are together, but we didn't plan for things to go this way, but life happens. We will be fine and get through this. I have prayed a lot about this and know that with the strong silent support from the people around us we will be fine.
I am excited to go and look at apartments tonight. We aren't sure yet if Sean will be in Lansing or back home for his next tern, but we want to see what is out there. We have found a lot on line. I never thought living in Chicago would be cheaper than the burbs. Oh well I am happy to be wrong in this case. We found one we both really like. There are a total of 6 we want to see. Sean and I are going tonight and then he and my dad will go tomorrow to look at some. I can't wait. There is one right across the street from my new job. That is amazing. I will NEVER have to drive to work. God is really looking out for me. :)

I also want to say that if anyone feels left out about my blogging I am sorry, but this is about my life and Sean's life. The main purpose is to keep people informed about what is going on with us because we aren't the best at keeping in touch with family and friends. This is also my way of reminding myself that even if our life is crazy right now God is still with us and is helping us along the way. I have become much closer to God in the last few months and I want to share all the good He is doing in my life. I am also using this blog as kind of a gratitude journal. I want to focus on the good things that are happening. If I wasn't using that format there are sever bad things I can share, but wants to hear about that. Even this week alone Sean and I have had a share of faith tests, but I am not looking at that I am looking at that greatness of God and what he does for me and my husband. So again I am sorry if anyone feels left out. That was never my intention. I want our families and friends to share in our joy!!!

Thank you all for being part of our joy.
Keep your fingers crossed we find some good places to live. :)

Snow...Really...are you serious!

2008-03-21T20:48:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was such a great day. When I finally went to bed my head hit the pillow and went right to sleep. For the first night in last 12 weeks I slept all night long. I had dreams and I remember them when I woke up. I woke up without my alarm (that is HUGE for me), and I got out of bed right away. It felt so good! YAY for sleep!!!
.
So I have all my stuff packed to go home for Easter. I heard there may be snow but figured it wouldn't really be that bad...right. Yeah I was wrong. Long story short, didn't go home (Illinois), came back to Lansing. It took me 3 1/2 hours to go 80 miles. Are you kidding me. Of all my commuting to and from Kalamazoo that was the longest. I guess God wanted me to remember why I am so happy to get back to IL and live much closer to work. :) I also joked with people at work that yesterday was so good and I was waiting for something bad to happen...maybe I would die on my way back to Lansing. No I am not that morbid. I swear.
OK well it is about 10 pm on a Friday night and I am going to bed. I know I am wild and crazy

What a GREAT day!!!

2008-03-20T22:23:00.001-05:00

Ok so this week has been non-stop. I was at home in IL over the weekend. I had an interview for a research coordinator position (that is what I do now). I was offered the job. I knew I had another interview coming up so I asked if I could wait to give them an answer. SO Monday morning I got up at 3:15 (central time) and drove from Lake Zurich, IL to Kalamazoo, MI. I worked all day and came back to Lansing. Tuesday was a long, but normal day. It was my birthday. I was worried I would spend it alone, but my neighbor is a great sport and went shopping with me. He learned first hand about the "Kroll Lady Freak Out" If you haven't experienced it yet count your blessings. :) Any way we went shopping so I could find a new suit for my interview on Wednesday. I was being flown to Houston to interview for a very nice job. I would be based out of my house and be traveling about 3 nights a week. Anyway we went to 3 stores looked at all the suits and I didn't see much at all. Finally I found a nice jacket, so I got that, new shoes, and thanks to my fashion plate sister I got a necklace and earrings to accent the outfit. I was ready to knock them dead. So I got to be at 12:30 only to wake up at 4:15, leave the house by 5:45. I flew from Lansing to Detroit, 25 minutes in the air, then Detroit to Houston. I figured I would sleep on the plane. Not so much...I hate middle seats. Then had the interview. It went great. Sat at the Houston airport for 2 1/2 hours until my plane left to start the long road home. Flew from Houston to Minneapolis, MN, then to Lansing. My head hit the pillow at 12:30 am. Got up today at 6:15 to go back to work. Received the final offer from the first job place. then spent the rest of the day stressing about what I was going to do. I hadn't heard from the Houston people and after much soul searching, and many discussions I decided to accept the first offer. It makes the most sense.
With all that being said, I will be back in IL in April. I will work my last day at BRI on April 18th, and start my new job on April 21st. I can't wait.
So I get home tonight and see 2 things in the mail. My Kohl's charge card bill...anyone want it? And a letter from Sean's school. I opened it and cried instantly. Sean will be starting school again in May. So many of our prayers were answered in such a short time. Thank you God. We could not have done this with out you. We are so blessed to have God be watching us and leading us down the right paths.
So then after calling everyone we know I check my email and saw a note from my aunt. My cousin has had some big challenges over the past three years and they are all behind him now. Again God graced me and my family. God is GREAT!!!
Ok well I am going to bed I am too tired to keep my eyes open.

Sunday Morning

2008-03-09T09:36:00.000-05:00

Good Morning,

So yet again another super fun filled Saturday night of being on the couch and then going to be early with stomach pains. I have been to the doctors twice and soon I will have tests done to see why I have so many stomach issues. I think I have passed the point of this being, as my mother in law calls it, "just an Irish stomach". We will see. The best part about it all was going to bed early let me wake up early and roll over to see Sean in our bed. It was such a great feeling of having a normal marriage for a minute. I just sat there and watched him sleep and was thankful that we were able to spend this weekend together in our house and not have all the worries of the world faces us.

If you are a bit confused by this Sean is back in IL for a little while working with my dad's company. I am still in Michigan. So we are only seeing each other on the weekends. The sad part is; this isn't that odd for us. We spent our entire engagement this was, as well as the first five months of our marriage. It isn't the best situation, but it is manageable. While I am here in Michigan still I have been avidly looking for a new job back in the Chicago land area. I don't want to have it take so long to find a job again. I am looking for work in the same field I am in now, Clinical Research. I have a few leads and the biggest one I will find more out about tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for that one. :) Keep your fingers crossed and say some prayers that this one works out. It would be a step up in my career and could lead to many new things down the road. It is God's hands as to what will happen and I am comfortable with that.

Well I am off now. Sean is still asleep and I want to be a "Good Wife" and make him breakfast in bed. Or I will run across the street and buy doughnuts. :)

A new hobby

2008-03-08T15:27:00.000-06:00

OK so here I go on my blogging adventure. The purpose of this is for me to hope to keep my friends and family in the loop about what is going on in the lives of the Sullivan's. To be honest this is my lazy why of keeping in touch because I never answer emails. Really it isn't anything personal. I am just bad at keeping in touch.

So my theme is going to be to remember that today may be a bad day, but there is something to learn from it. Or that today may be a great day I will be thankful for it and not take it for granted.

So here we go...