What in the world is this blog?

Whoa, that last blog was deep.  Let’s lighten things up a bit, shall we?
So, why blog?

Well, for starters, I graduated with an English degree and thoroughly enjoy writing. (Wait, that might be misleading. I do not enjoy writing because I graduated with an English degree. Rather, I think the reverse is true. Because of my love for writing (and reading), I pursued a degree in English).  

Here’s what having a degree in English has not done:

·         Been incredibly relevant and/or helpful at my current job

·         Excused me from making occasional grammatical/spelling errors (so don’t hold me accountable)

·         Made me an intellectual

·         Made a great conversation piece: “Oh, so you have an English degree…hmm…neat…so, what’s for dinner?”

·         Inspired me to write a book (and follow through) and/or become editor of a magazine

·         Increased my vocabulary

·         Made me fashionable enough to rock skinny jeans and black-rimmed glasses (Picture the English intellectual at Starbucks pondering and journaling about what Shakespeare meant when he wrote “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day” in Sonnet 18.)

On the contrary, here’s is what having a degree in English has done for me:

·         Made me a your/you’re and their/there/they’re snob (come on, people!)

·         Provided me with some foundational skills that allow me to ‘whip out’ a paper or letter fairly quickly

·         Made me a better communicator/articulator (on paper)

·         Developed my love for creativity, specifically in writing

Ok, so I really like writing. But, why blog? Because it’s fun! Duh. I love the idea of quickly collecting and typing up your thoughts/activities/memories and posting a few pictures to visually capture your words. My hubby and I currently have a blog, Thirty BeforeThirty (Four), that is a great way for us remember things we have crossed off of our bucket list. I love occasionally going back through our blog, reading posts and looking at photographs. Goodbye to the ole ‘finding-your-scrapbook-in-the-attic days’. All of our posts are so available and easily accessible.

The bottom line is that blogs rock.

I also love to read blogs and have recently been inspired by a few blogs of women who are currently in the same season of life as me. You can check out Rachael’s blog here, Ashley’s here, and Jaye’s here. These mama’s (or soon to be mama’s) have done a great job documenting some sweet moments with their kiddos (in and out of the womb), and I would love to do the same.

I’d also love to take advantage of (and write about) all of the “mommy” things here in the trendy little village of Broad Ripple. Scott and I recently bought a home just north of downtown Indy that is close to our church, Christ Community Midtown, close to many of our friends, and close to a ton of fun places—shops, parks, restaurants, to name a few-- to take your child.

One of my biggest fears of being a stay-at-home mama is that I would be a lazy mama. I know, I know. All you current mama’s are thinking about how much attention new babies need and that there is no time to be lazy. But, I want to make sure that I am doing little things when Baby P is a newborn (like putting on clothes for the day instead of staying in my pajamas all day and at least brushing my hair) that get me in the habit of not being slothful so that when I am able to get into a routine, I can and WILL take advantage of the many fun places my little town has to offer.

With that said, this blog will serve several purposes:

1.      Document my transition from being a (semi) career woman into a full-time mama

2.      Satisfy my need to write

3.      Record some sweet (and probably not so sweet) moments with my little man

4.      Be a resource to share fun and budget friendly activities around Broad Ripple (See my hubby and I’s thoughts on money and saving here  and here.)

5.      Be a resource for family and friends to see pictures of Baby P.

6.      Hold me accountable (You have my permission to call me out if you see me getting lazy.)

Now, if only this child would decide to join his anxious mother and father. Scott and I have done just about EVERYTHING to get this baby out. I currently am dilated at four cm and am seventy percent effaced. I also have inconsistent consistent back pain (does that make sense?) and contractions. According to my doctor, I am in the beginning stages of labor, but without my water breaking or frequent, painful contractions, I can’t be admitted into the hospital. So, we have the privilege of staring at each other, twiddling our thumbs, and asking ourselves—over and over and over—when will this guy get here?!

I hope my next post will have the answer to that question!

Photo credit

Who in the world am I?!

My name is Betsy Prentice, and when I grew up, I was going to be a doctor. I was never going to get married, and you could not have paid me to even entertain the idea of having children. Being a strong, independent woman was in my blood. My family, matriarchal in nature, bred fearless, aggressive female leaders who valued tradition, education, and career. Nothing could stand in our way of success. Counting on men for… well, anything…was less than desirable, unthinkable at times.

Married, soon to be jobless, and oh...HUGE!

And here I am now: twenty-six years old, married, soon-to-be jobless, and pregnant. Disgustingly pregnant. Yesterday alone, at least three strangers looked upon me with sympathetic eyes and asked—in one form or another—“you HAVE to be due any minute, don’t you?” Although I would eagerly respond “yes!” to each of them, the honest reality is that I’m not due until a week from tomorrow, Monday, July 23^rd. Yikes.

The Broad Ripple Baby Daddy

So what happened to Dr. Betsy Barnett, M.D., spouseless, motherless, career woman? Well, as it turns out, four years of medical school did not seem to interest me in the slightest. And, more importantly, I met Scott, my husband. In what seems like a two-year whirlwind, we got engaged, joined a church, got married, and are currently expecting our first child. Let’s just say my perspective on life has changed a bit. The importance of tradition and education will be forever engraved in my heart, but I am trying to—and have been—reshaping my beliefs on relationships (specifically with my husband) and my role as a woman. What that does not mean is that I am giving up my voice, my opinions, my ambitions, but what that does mean is that I am learning to allow Scott to lead our family. I’m learning to trust him with important decisions. I am learning not only to respect him but also to help him in growing and raising our family.

(Note: To avoid offending anyone, let me just point out that there are plenty of amazing women in my family: many who work hard and have amazing careers, many who are amazing mothers (especially my own!), and many who are in strong, loving marriages. My intent in writing this is simply to point out that my outlook on life is much different today than it was ten years ago. Then again, whose isn’t?)

So, how is any of this important and/or relevant? Well, to begin with, I recently told my job of three years that I would not be returning after Baby Prentice was born. This was a mutual decision that Scott and I made. After some thoughtful consideration, we decided that raising our little cub and finishing my Master’s degree took priority over having a full-time job. The idea of being a stay-at-home mom is completely new to me. While I feel blessed and privileged to have this opportunity, I would be lying to say that I’m completely confident in my capacity to stay at home rearing a child. What if my natural ‘maternal instinct’ doesn’t kick in? What if I get bored? What if I constantly feel guilty about not providing an additional income for our family? The list goes on and on…

I could sit and meditate on these “what ifs” for hours, even days. Instead, what I think I’ll do is pray. Pray that I would trust God with our decision. Pray that I would be a great (not perfect) mother to my sweet boy. Pray that I would use my time at home in the most productive manner possible. Pray that my husband knows he is appreciated and respected. Pray that this experience would not be without obstacles but would be filled with challenges that will shape me into a stronger and healthier woman, wife, and mother.

Thanks for reading,

Dr. Betsy M. Barnett, Prentice, M.D.