Asking for Help

Dan and I both have a hard time asking for help.  We love to help people so it doesn't make sense that we don't ask for help.  We both come from big families:  He's the middle child of 5 and I'm the oldest of 4.  Maybe we've spent most of our lives doing things on our own because everyone around us was so busy?  Regardless of WHY, we will NEED to learn to ask for help.  So, I'm going the passive-aggressive route and posting a blog instead of asking you face-to-face.  (You're welcome!)

Photos of us on our first day of training:

Dan travels about 7-10 days a month.  Most often, these are consecutive days.  He will tour through the mid-West, stopping in Billings...Minneapolis...Chicago... to Nashville, leave the van and fly home.  Or they head south to Portland....Eugene...Redding...Sacramento...Reno...LA...Phoenix...etc.  Those are the usual places.  Sometimes it's middle-of-nowhere South Dakota, Wyoming, West Virginia.  Starting in 2012, they'll start touring the East Coast and the Southern United States.

I need to learn to ask for things - and, more importantly - to not be upset when someone can't help.  For me, that's probably another reason why I don't ask for help very often.  I don't want to be upset with a friend!  So, I'll just NOT ask for help so they don't have to say no.  Avoid awkwardness at all times, right?

Well, guess what.  [Queue inspiring pep-talk]  Life isn't meant to be lived alone.  I truly believe that we were created to live in community.  Dan and I want YOU to be a part of our journey of becoming parents.

Until the child arrives, here's what we need.

• BABYSITTERS!  You can watch a child in our home for less than 24 hours without a background check.  You can watch a child in your home if you complete a background check: available here. 
• We need a part-time nanny for times when Dan is out of town and my work-load gets to be too much for me to handle.  Email me if you're interested!
• We will need social interaction!  To be honest, the idea of putting a kid to bed at 7:30pm and being "stuck" at home all night is terrifying for both of us.  We would love for some evening visitors every now and then.  Bring a movie!  Bring dessert!  
• A Car Seat.  Once they find a child for us, it's very short notice before they get dropped off at our front door.  We will need a car seat almost immediately after our registration is complete (next month).
• Speaking of registries!  We are registered on MyRegistry.com - search our names.  Even though the gifts listed are for sale in stores we would love if your gifts were second hand.  Nothing brand new.  
• Eventually we will need clothes.  This poor little kid will likely arrive with nothing but the clothes on their back.  My friend, Ruthy, will be throwing me a baby shower after the child arrives!

That's all that I know that I need right now.  I'm sure I'll need a whole lot more once we start parenting.  We are so thankful for our community of friends here in Tacoma.  You are loved!