Life Happens

Affirmation

2009-03-11T14:37:00.002-05:00

I am convinced that God has a sense of humor. It's not that I wasn't aware of this fact before, but yesterday affirmed that for me.

If you aren't a member of facebook, you won't know that I had a rough weekend at work a couple of weekends ago. It wasn't pretty, to say the least. Since then, I have been searching for other jobs, although what I am really wanting is to start a career. A little late in life, I know, but it's what I want. I think. ;)

So anyway, I had an interview yesterday for a billing specialist position. The job sounds like something I could do, so I had applied for it. Keep in mind that I had applied for several positions at this particular facility prior to this; so when I got the call for the interview, I was shocked, for lack of a better description. Sorry, I digress...I went to the interview, and it went rather well I thought (I should hear something by the end of this week). HOWEVER...during the interview, the interviewer was curious about my background, ie ministry. I told him what I had done in the past, and he asked if I'd be interested in something like that (he digressed a bit there, don't ya think? :) ). Yes, I would...so we got back to the interview, and later that afternoon I talked to him regarding the ministry position of which he spoke.

This was affirmation for me.
One, it affirmed God's sense of humor. I can run, but I can't hide. Not that I was even aware that I was running...
Two, it affirmed me in a "working" sort of way. You know when you have been working for a while and just don't feel like anyone is noticing? Well, at the interview, it felt good to be noticed. Thanks, Susan, for that reminder :).
And three, it affirmed that yes, I really do want to be in ministry. After the interview, all I could think about was how much I missed those days...crazy, you might say, but true.

What now? I wait. And you know what? I'm okay with that :).

Restless Stirring and Waiting...

2009-01-15T15:42:00.002-06:00

I have had a restless stirring for a while now. I think it started - well, stirred up again I'll say - when Micah and I were out looking for houses. This time the stirring has to do with being home on weekends. I had applied for a full-time position at the hospital, and I was excited about it. It is a job that I knew (and still know) that I would enjoy and one at which I would excel. Unfortunately, I was not chosen for an interview. Talk about a blow to my self esteem. It has taken me a bit to "shake" this one. I also applied for a different job at a different hospital...I was once again not chosen for an interview. Thus, the restless stirring continues. Micah encourages me with "it wasn't meant to be," and, as much as I do believe those words, the hurt (I guess is what I'm feeling) is there. And so the waiting goes hand in hand with the restless stirring.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T10:56:00.002-06:00

Once again, it is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. It was a great year, I'm happy to say :). Micah started a new job at the beginning of 2008, and this year is once again starting a new job (still at the same place in case you were wondering). I had a great 9th birthday - Micah surprised me by having my family come see me to celebrate. They all pulled it off. McKenna continues to entertain, and she seems to get funnier each day. Of course that doesn't mean she's an angel all of the time! ;) I got certified in my position at work and got a promotion. So all in all, it's been a great year - flooding apartments and all. We had some losses this year...Micah's grandma amongst them...but we got through those times as a family. As a result of that particular loss we were able to reconnect with family. It is sad that it takes a funeral to bring everyone together, but that is usually how it goes.
And the BIGGEST news? We have found a house. We are in the process of buying it. And I said I'd NEVER live in Texas! Haha. Here I am, and I don't think we'll be going anywhere anytime soon...but you never know what life has in store!
So Happy New Year!! :)

It's raining...in our apartment!

2008-09-18T15:43:00.002-05:00

you read that right. remember back in july when our apartment flooded while we were on vacation? well, this time it was a doozy. we had water coming out of the ceiling in our bedroom, the walls in the living room, the light in the utility room, the ceiling fan in the dining room, and the a/c vent in the kitchen. i'm glad we were home when this one happened, or i probably wouldn't have a computer to type on right now! as soon as i realized what was happening, i paged maintenance - you know these things NEVER happen during "regular business hours" - then i proceeded to my new neighbor's apartment, who i just happen to know is on the maintenance staff. this was about 11 pm, so i woke him up...he came over, surveyed what was going on, and ran upstairs to get the woman upstairs to find out what was going on. the problem? the woman upstairs didn't hear his incessant banging on her door. he went to get the key to her apt from the office, only to discover that key wasn't there. he ended up drilling her lock off to get in - she was asleep. how anyone slept through the knocking...no pounding...i'll never know. anyway, she had thrown a load of laundry in before heading to lala land, and lo and behold her washing machine hose had detached...so she didn't have the water up there - it was all down here. keep in mind mckenna was in bed for all of this...
so the "on call" maintenance guy gets here to help. the two of them get the wet/dry vac to at least get some of the water up. they did what they could, and we were told that the carpet company would be there in the morning to do more. i had to be at class, so micah was here when the company got here. the worker asked micah - who doesn't get paid to do this job - if he thought the padding needed to be pulled. micah said "whatever you think," so the guy DIDN'T pull the padding! as you might imagine it STUNK in here by the time i got home. YUCK. on monday morning i wrote up a nice letter for the management about the situation, and that day someone else from the company came and tore up lots - LOTS - of padding. once that was out, it was much better. during all of this, our living room furniture had all been put in the middle of the room, and mckenna's room was the same way - her room is adjacent to the utility room, so her floor was SOAKED. the guy said they would be back on wednesday to lay new pad...
so yesterday the original guy from friday came to lay pad. i'm SO glad i was home when he was doing this job. first of all, he was convinced that we were going to have to move additional items to replace the pad...i of course was not about to have to move anything else back, so i objected and found a way for him to be able to do his job. i moved a few boxes, moved the table and what do you know? i was right :). secondly, i walked in as he was laying the carpet back down in the living room. we have direct tv, and the cord is above the carpet...he had it under the carpet, which would have been great if this were our HOUSE...so he had to lift up his work to get the cord back out. and the best thing...he and his helper moved mckenna's crib out of her room into the hallway to do her floor. problem? they couldn't get the crib back into her room because the door was in the way. getting it out wasn't a problem. his solution? i guess you'll have to take the crib apart (smirk). my solution? i'll take the door off the hinges and get it back in there. he left, and i proceeded to get out my handy-dandy cordless drill, took the door off, got the bed back in, put the door back, and fixed the bed (a bolt had come out, causing the mattress to slope in one corner). TADA! what a woman. i then vacuumed areas that hadn't been cleaned since we moved in...all throughout the house!! who needed the gym yesterday? :)
so now our apartment is back to "normal"...that is until they come and tear out the ceiling in the utility room. never a dull moment!

A Good Feeling

2008-07-17T11:23:00.002-05:00

this is crazy. i feel at a loss this morning because i was not able to go to the gym. i had to take my car in to get an alignment done, so i'm without a vehicle. and it's a good feeling - because i WANTED to go the gym. it's hard NOT going. that is a new feeling for me. how many days does it take to form a habit? :)

Bruised feet?

2008-07-14T13:02:00.004-05:00

so the other day i was changing mckenna, and i noticed she had what appeared to be a bruise on the top of her foot. it wouldn't surprise me - she has scrapes and bruises from all of her tumbles! as i looked closer, i noticed she had several of these "bruises" on BOTH feet. this is what i saw:

bruises? i think not. no, they are TAN LINES!! she wears croc shoes in the pool!

and an update on the gym sitch...i took her back last week, against her will, for only 15 minute segments. i didn't get the greatest workouts, but by friday she was playing with the kids instead of sitting on one of the workers laps. this morning i took her - and she told me bye! maybe this is a breakthrough...i can only hope, because i had a great workout!! :)

Water Water Everywhere

2008-07-08T13:05:00.004-05:00

We are back from vacation! It was great. We went up to IL, spent a night at the casino, a night at the country, and a night at home. The casino - on the river; the country - on the lake; and home - near the flooding from the Mississippi - but not too close! We saw lots of water while we were gone. And what do we come home to? Standing water in our bedroom.

Let me explain. We have a vanity that is part of the "bedroom" area; the toilet and shower are separate. So apparently a pipe busted under the sink...and we have no idea when this happened. What I do know is that we were all exhausted. On that Monday morning we had gotten up, gotten packed, and headed to St. Louis. We went to the brewery for a tour, then drove downtown to Hooters for a late lunch. We left from there for the airport. McKenna did not have much opportunity for a nap, so she was not the happiest camper by the time we got to the airport. We did, however, get to upgrade to first class - definitely the way to go! Our flight was good - other than the tired child - and we got in on time. It was almost 9:30 by the time we got home...we didn't bother unpacking. We headed straight to Stan and Sue's, where we resided for the week while our carpet padding was replaced - in the bedroom, the hallway, and the closet! We had to put it all back together on Thursday - our bed was in the living room when we came home that day! We stayed here on Thursday night and headed back to the rents' house for the 4th of July. We had a great time that day, too :).

Now I am anxiously awaiting McKenna to get back into somewhat of a normal schedule...her sleep schedule was all of out whack for almost 2 weeks!

And speaking of McKenna...Micah and I joined the gym a few weeks ago, and they offer childcare there. Well, the first couple of days were great - I got to workout for over an hour each day! But the next two days I was paged to come get her - she was screaming when I walked in! Vacation came along, so we've been out since then. I attempted to go back this morning - after talking to her about where we were going - to no avail. We didn't even make it inside the building before she started crying. I'm not sure what to do about this!!

And...work. I currently work from 6a-6p. That will be changing very soon to 7a-7:30p. YUCK. I am not looking forward to that time change...so I am seeking other types of part-time employment so I don't have to do that for very long. Keep us in your prayers!

Just a note

2008-06-16T10:25:00.002-05:00

i thought i would just post a note to let you all know that i haven't forgotten how to blog! last week i was kept pretty busy...i had mckenna's cousin, addy, added to the mix on monday and tuesday, and on wednesday mckenna started running a fever. this time her fever made sense, though...and she ended up sick all day thursday and most of friday. it was a long week!

other than that, not too much happening. i had once again considered going back to work full time for yet another opportunity, but decided to hang tight with what i'm currently doing. it's all good, and things will work out!

Definition

2008-04-29T12:05:00.003-05:00

"If my life is defined by the amount of worrying I do, then I am one of the most defined people I know."

That was the thought I had at 1 am this morning. I was laying in bed, and I had kept hearing McKenna making all sorts of sleep noises, wondering if she was simply dreaming or it was something else. I finally pulled myself out of bed, only to discover that she has yet another fever. That's twice this month. No other symptoms. I proceeded to get her out of bed - waking her up, naturally - and giving her Motrin. We (she and I - I hope her daddy was sleeping through all of this!) were up until about 2:30. I heard her again around 5ish, and around 5:30 proceeded to get her out of bed again to give her a dose of Tylenol this time for her fever had gone back up again. This time I kept her in bed, and she was back asleep within the hour.
Did I mention that after I gave her the 1:30 dose of meds that I went to wash out the medicine cup only to discover that we didn't have hot water - again - for the 3rd time this month? So then I proceeded to worry about that. Would Micah have hot water for his shower? Would it be off all day again like in times past?
So this morning, after the 3rd dose of meds, she and I are up and about, and at this moment the fever is down for now. She is playing in her basket of toys, not a worry in the world. So I ask myself, is my worry truly helping anything? Not really. Can I be concerned about her fever? Definitely. But I cannot allow myself to be consumed with the "what ifs" of it. The hot water? Micah did not have hot water this morning...at least I was able to "warn" him prior that it was out again. When I called the office, I was told that yet another management team was in place, and this was their first day in the office - I think this is team #3. Is my worrying getting the hot water turned back on? I think not. So I just have to deal with it - it is out of my control.
So many things are out of my control that I spend so much of my time worrying about. I recognize that - I suppose that is the first step? I'm tired of worrying. And I'm tired of being angry. It's time for a change. :)

One of those days

2008-04-15T12:11:00.002-05:00

Have you ever gotten out of bed only to discover that you just should have stayed in bed? It's been one of those kinds of days. Not a bad day, necessarily...just one of those days.
It started this morning when I heard McKenna, so I thought I'd get an early jump on my day by getting in the shower before getting her out of bed. I was ready to get in the shower, only to discover we had no hot water. GRR. That is one of my biggest pet peeves about living in an apartment. I knew I couldn't call the office because they don't open until 9...and I knew even then it takes them a while to answer. So, I got dressed to wait.
In the meantime, McKenna had dozed back off - not unusual for her - so I thought I'd go have my morning coffee while I did some online surfing...only to find no coffee. It didn't make me angry or anything, it just added to the frustration of the morning. I finally reached someone in the office around 9:30, and the hot water was back on by 10.
Now it's a little after noon, nothing that I had planned on getting accomplished today is done, and the hot water is off again. Do I really need hot water for anything right now? Not really. To me, it's the principle of the matter.
But now I ask myself, why do I let little setbacks set me back? I think I've always done this. I let my circumstances dictate my attitude...and I don't want to do that anymore. I want to choose JOY, and lately I haven't been doing that. I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful and healthy daughter, great in-laws, a great family, a job, a roof over my head, food to eat...so why complain? I CHOOSE JOY. :)
Sometimes I just need to get stuff out of me to realize that things really aren't so bad. So dishes will be in the sink a little longer. Is that going to change the world? I don't think so. Instead, I'm going to enjoy watching my daughter run around in her shirt and diaper - she just learned how to take her pants off by herself. Staying home with her? Priceless.

A Repeat

2008-04-03T12:33:00.002-05:00

It has been a long week. McKenna has been running one of her fevers - with no other symptoms - since Monday. Yesterday (Wednesday) I actually called her doctor's office, and Micah had arranged to come home early so we could take her to see the doctor. About 30 minutes after that call, McKenna had another febrile seizure. Her last one was in October, and Micah was with her when it happened. This time I was the one who witnessed it. Because I didn't know how long it lasted, I called 911, and we rode by ambulance to the hospital. Thankfully, nothing serious is wrong. She was diagnosed with a viral infection, and I was instructed to keep doing what I'd been doing - alternating Tylenol and Motrin every 3 hours. So far today her fever has been low. She's only had one dose of Motrin, and that was at 9 this morning. She's as cool as a cucumber right now, so I'm hoping she stays that way.

I'm Tired

2008-03-21T15:35:00.001-05:00

Really tired. I need a change, but at the same time, I have no motivation to change or for change. And the change must be instigated for me, because ironically, I am not a big fan of change. Go figure. So here I sit, listening to the music that I can hear through the walls of this apartment, hearing the voices of the people walk by outside, and wondering when change will come. It's not that I'm unhappy. I think I'm just bored. And that makes me tired.

Leap Day & Stinky the Pooh

2008-03-05T20:45:00.003-06:00

In case you missed it, my birthday was on Leap Day! I turned 9, and it was wonderful. Somehow Micah, his parents, my family, and who knows who else, surprised me for my birthday. It wasn't a surprise party...it was even better. So there I am on Wednesday night - one week ago today - and McKenna and I were waiting for Micah to get home from work. He told me that he had to be in Plano for the afternoon, so I wasn't expecting him home until at least 7. He called me around 6:45 to let me know he was en route, and after shortly after that call, there is a knock on my door. I look out the peephole to see a little girl standing there. I open the door, and it's my niece Hayley from Georgia! She and my sister, Donna, had flown in...and Micah was never in Plano, he was waiting to pick them up from the airport! I was SO excited! I had a hard time sleeping that night because I was so giddy!
So on Thursday morning we all just took our time getting up and getting ready for the day. We made plans to go to Fort Worth - the Stockyards - because it was going to be beautiful. I was the last to get ready...they were stalling, although I hadn't noticed. Soon after I was done getting ready, there's another knock at the door...and my niece Rachel and my sister Kathy (daughter and mother) walk in! Surprise #2! You think I was excited before? :) We ended up all going to the Stockyards that afternoon, and Rachel, Hayley and I all did the human maze. It took me 16 minutes, thank you very much! It took the 2 of them 38 :). As we were walking, we were met by two men who were from German television, and they interviewed Micah about Barack Obama's being in town - yes, he was in Fort Worth that day. Too funny! We went bowling that evening...Micah has gotten much better, which didn't make me look so good! ;) I still love him :).

We celebrated Friday by all of us girls (minus McKenna) going to get our nails done. How girly are we? We had a blast. I'll put up some pics once I get them from Rachel. Friday evening we headed to Micah's parents' house, where Micah and Stan grilled burgers and hot dogs for us. Susan had fixed a great spread to go with the grilled food, and, as always, it was all delicious! Then they sang to me, and we enjoyed cake and ice cream.

Donna and Hayley left on Saturday, Rachel and Kathy on Sunday. I worked on Sunday afternoon, but on Saturday night, McKenna got sick. In her bed. YUCK. So, we gave her a bath, and waited it out...

And that's where the latter part of the title comes in. She had yucky diapers Sunday through today! It has not been fun. She ran a fever until Tuesday, and she finally started eating again. It is quite gross. I've done a lot of laundry in the past few days because of leakage. Blah! I hope she's on the mend now!!

Well I guess that's about it for now. It had been a while, so I hope you enjoyed!

Decision made

2008-02-11T14:33:00.000-06:00

i just wanted to update and let you know that i have decided NOT to go back to work full time at this time :). it was a difficult decision, but we know it was the right one...
now if we would only be accepted on the biggest loser!!!!

Well...

2008-02-01T16:03:00.000-06:00

Julie Shreve and I have done something crazy. We've applied for "The Biggest Loser Season 6"...our application is en route to California! Yes, we are crazy. But seriously, we both have excellent reasons for wanting to win. One of mine? Her picture is everywhere on my blog :). I want to be healthy for her, for Micah, for myself. And the money would be nice ;). A wonderful friend reminded me recently that we've forgotten how to dream big. Well, I'm dreaming big :). Thanks, friend.
Another crazy thing? I'm thinking about going back to work. I've sacrificed weekends for the past year and a half, and now I think it's time for McKenna to have some social interaction - and for me to have the same. It will be quite an adjustment IF I do go back...I'll keep you posted.
While those two things are weighing (one quite literally) on my mind, I am praying very hard for my "other" mom. Please keep her in your prayers, too. God knows what's going on, but I sure don't understand Him right now. Keep my "sisters" in your prayers, too.
Well, I'm off to have some goldfish with that cute little girl. Isn't that picture great? :)

All Better

2008-01-22T10:12:00.000-06:00

We are finally all better after our little bouts with whatever it was we had! McKenna's lasted the longest, and she STILL has a runny nose, but other than that, things are good. :) That picture was taken when we were home for Christmas - she was a bit tired, I think! Her favorite words these days are "Hi!" and "What's that?" If you're around her for any length of time, you'd hear that all of the time. I work on sign language with her...and her favorite sign? The sign for eat! And let me tell you - she can eat! She eats almost every 2 hours lately...I guess I should prepare for a growth spurt soon! She can also sign thank you, please, and hungry. When you ask her how old she is, she'll show you by holding up her index finger, and if you say touchdown, she holds up both arms (thanks to Micah for teaching her that one!). Brilliant, I tell you! :)
Not too much else is going on at this point. Micah now has a new job at Children's...he's now a supervisor! Go Micah! Just don't be Michael Scott! ;) I'm still working weekends, always looking for something else that I could do from home so we could go to church!!
Well I think it's time to get my baby up...have a good one!

It's been a while...

2008-01-09T00:10:00.000-06:00

yes, i know. it has taken me a long time to get back to my blog, so here i am. it's 12:11 am on Wednesday morning, and i'm hoping mckenna is going back to sleep. she has had a cold on and off again for about 4 weeks now, and this past weekend, micah and i joined her fun. i took her back to the doc today, and they did a blood draw, so maybe we'll have some answers tomorrow. we shall see.
not too much to report other than that. we had a wonderful trip back home for the christmas holidays. it is always great to see family. i was sad that i didn't get to see everyone i would have liked. we always think we have plenty of time, but then time runs out. strange how that happens. we hope to make it back up there sometime sooner than later.
other than that, we keep pressing on!

McKenna, She Fine

2007-11-27T12:00:00.000-06:00

well, it's been a while...so i thought i'd give a quick update. the results from mckenna's eeg turned out normal! yay! she has been back to herself for a while now. that picture was taken on thanksgiving day - it was SNOWING! micah is trying to catch a snowflake, and apparently mckenna thought that was pretty funny :). have a good day!

EEG

2007-11-06T12:31:00.001-06:00

Well McKenna had to get an EEG yesterday to follow-up from the adventure from a couple of weeks ago. That is not her in the pic, but it's pretty close to what she looked like. We had to keep her awake all morning so that she would sleep for the test...that was a challenge! She did very well, though, and she was able to fall asleep for the test with a little help from her daddy's lullaby. :) I don't know when we'll get the results, but I will keep you posted!

A first...and hopefully last

2007-10-26T12:06:00.000-05:00

A first happened last weekend. Micah was home with McKenna while I was at work, and she had a seizure...he called 911, and they were brought to Children's. They diagnosed the seizure as febrile - that is, related to a sudden increase in body temperature - and diagnosed the fever as being caused by a bilateral ear infection. :(

She's been recovering this week, and I have to say she's pretty much back to her normal self. It was quite frightening. More for Micah, I might add. He handled things quite well...not sure if I would have been able to remain so calm.
She had been taking a nap, and he heard her making a strange noise and heard her hitting the sides of her crib...not the usual playing with the crib, though. He went in to find her convulsing, so he picked her up and tried to get her attention. He said her eyes were open, but she wasn't focusing on anything. He called 911, and right before they got here, the seizure ended with her eyes rolling to the back and her basically passing out. Very scary. I was glad that they brought her to Children's because I'm not sure I would have been able to drive after a call like that (McKenna's having a seizure, I called 911). Grandma and Grandpa met us at the hospital, thank goodness...I don't know how I would have kept my sanity without them!

But like I said, she is on the mend now. She has one more test the doc would like to run just to confirm this as a febrile seizure. That's what we are believing!! So, keep her (and us!) in your prayers!

Thank you!

Bed Head

2007-09-26T08:49:00.000-05:00

I was looking through my pics this morning, and I thought this one was appropriate. Who says that a nice, neat hairstyle makes someone cute? I mean, look at her! She's adorable, messy hair and all!

You know what I've found amazing lately? That God has been showing me His love through McKenna. There are times that she drives me (and Micah!) crazy, but I still love her like crazy. God's like that. I'm absolutely certain that there are times when He's just shaking His head at me...but He loves me just the same. She's only 1; she has an excuse. What's mine??? :)

Going for a train ride with you...

2007-09-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

is especially fun! that is the phrase that micah and i have heard over and over again since mckenna's 1st birthday. the train in question is what you see in the picture (thanks jo & cole!). we have finally learned what all of the buttons on said train do and say and sing. anything with music, and you've got her attention. let's just hope she gets her grandma's singing genes and not her mama's!! :)

Naptime Nightmares

2007-09-13T17:16:00.000-05:00

For all of my AVID readers, I do apologize for the sabbatical (that is, break) from the blogging world. I have been enjoying reading the blogs of others, however!
McKenna has now decided that she no longer "enjoys" her afternoon naps. It used to be so easy - she would finish her afternoon bottle, fall asleep, and all was quiet for at least at hour. Not so anymore, my friend. For the past 2 days, she has protested - rather loudly, I might add - at such naptimes. She turned one over Labor Day weekend (hard to believe, isn't it?), and the doctor has suggested weaning her off her afternoon bottle. I have to admit that the past few days I've given into the screams of terror with a bottle of milk...and for the past few days she has fallen asleep after she finished them. What's a girl to do? :)
Other than the "disagreement" she and I have in the afternoons, all is going very well. She is walking all over the place now. Gone are the days of scooting along on the floor. Now are the days of running into things because she is focused on watching the ground. It's amazing how a piece of mail can make all things better...we went to get the mail earlier today (which would normally take MAYBE 5 minutes...our trip takes about 20), and she bumped her head on the mailboxes. I handed her one of the pieces of junk mail from our box, and lo and behold, her head was all better! Amazing. I wish it worked like that in life!

Soon

2007-08-30T15:10:00.001-05:00

i promise...i will update soon!

I win!

2007-01-17T22:28:00.000-06:00

i must say...if there is a beautiful baby contest...i win! :)

Happy Easter!

2006-04-16T12:49:00.000-05:00

just wanted to wish everyone a happy easter! hope it was great!

a brief note...

2006-04-07T18:42:00.000-05:00

just wanted to say hello to everyone! sorry for the sporadic blogs...you all know how it is. i read your blogs! and i, too, was sad to see the end of whizzle dizzle?! things here are good. only a few more weeks and we may know if we're having a little micah or a little nancy! :)

Happy Birthday Micah!

2006-03-12T10:21:00.000-06:00

hello all! yes, it's been a very long time, and this is going to be a brief post...but i'm here! just wanted to let you all know that TODAY, the 12th, is Micah's bday! :)

that pic was taken in january, and he's lost a few more pounds, but he's all done now! :) doesn't he look great!?

Deep in the heart of Texas

2006-02-11T20:57:00.000-06:00

well here i am again! i am really trying to update more often, especially since i expect to have something to new to read on my fellow bloggers' pages!
not too much to report this week. the superbowl was great - i was very happy to see bill cower and the steelers win last weekend! but now the depressing thought - no sunday football! what's a girl supposed to do now? :)
other than that, work is work...i was supposed to start school LAST week, but i've had a really hard time getting motivated. i mean, when i get home from work, eat dinner, and am in bed by 8:30, what can you expect? yes, 8:30...anything past that is late for me! i'll tell you what...i didn't realize a person could be so tired! a day at work drains me! so pray that i can get motivated to get to school and have some energy!
i was watching the olympics earlier this evening...wow. the commitment! to watch the young man from china who tore his achilles heel SIX MONTHS AGO skating...talk about determination!
did i mention it is actually cold here this weekend? i am blessed!

Because I Promised!

2006-02-02T18:38:00.000-06:00

well it's been a long time coming, but i'm finally back! this won't be so long, but i wanted to make sure i did blog so that some of you faithful readers are happy with me again!
yesterday micah and i went to see the doc for the first sonogram. i got one word for ya - wow. i was in amazement! it's like we were speechless when we saw the little guy (or gal) on the monitor. it was yet another convincing moment for me - this is real! we are soooo excited! i've felt pretty good minus the usual nausea...and VERY tired. i think i could sleep for 14 hours a night if i could get away with it!
like i said, this is short...but school has started again for me, and now i have all the more motivation to get finished. so until next time, "keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars"...recognize that one? :)

Only because I was tagged...

2006-01-11T17:18:00.000-06:00

this one's for you, shreve!

Four jobs you’ve had in your life: Bank Teller, Cashier (IL, AZ), Collector, Youth Director (the best job ever!)

Four movies you could watch over and over: Love, Actually; Pretty Woman; Notting Hill; The Hunt for Red October

Four places you’ve lived: Illinois, Arizona, Mississippi, Ohio, Kentucky, Texas (ok, that's 6!)

Four TV shows you love to watch: Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Family Guy, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Four places you’ve been on vacation: San Diego, CA; Honolulu, HI; Hilton Head, SC; Las Vegas!!!

Four websites you visit daily: Yahoo, Bank, Childrens, Google

Four of your favorite foods: Fajitas, Bread, Pasta, Pizza

Four places you’d rather be: San Diego, Las Vegas, Switzerland, Austria

Four albums you can’t live without: Jennifer Knapp - Kansas and i got nothin else

Four magazines you read: None

Four cars you’ve owned: Ford Escort (x2), Chevy Beretta, Pontiac Sunfire, Toyota Rav4

Four people I'm tagging: Micah, Cheryl (if you haven't been tagged), Brandon...and whoever else reads this! :)

oh christmas tree oh christmas tree

2005-12-04T19:42:00.000-06:00

it's that time of year! it is hard to believe that it is here already. we spent our afternoon putting up our christmas tree and some decorations around the apartment. not too shabby if i do say so myself! it seemed much easier than last year! i think it is one of my favorite things to do, really. put on some good christmas music, decorate, then sit and relax while looking at the lights. peace at last! (minus the bass pumping upstairs, that is!)
not too much for me to blog about...i've been working my tail off lately, both at work and school. i'll be done on december 20 and won't start again until january! woo hoo! :) a whole 15 days off! i'm not sure i'll know what to do with my time!
well i should get back to school...have a great week!

Just so you know...

2005-11-16T18:46:00.000-06:00

Micah is not the only one doing Weight Watchers...we are in this together...he posted some "before" pics on his blog, and "after" pics of himself...so here is one more to add to the collection:

Before & After

That's 57 pounds shed for Micah, 42 pounds shed for me...men lose faster! :)

Believe it or not...

2005-11-13T18:07:00.000-06:00

i'm posting! i know, it's been a while. a LONG while! sorry for the delay! things are pretty good around here, MINUS the temps in the UPPER 80's! IN NOVEMBER! at least is supposed to cool off soon...i can only hope!
in case you missed it, the vikings won today! so that, my friends, puts me in a good mood! :)
other than that...work is VERY busy for me these days. i am working in a new position, but i am having to train TWO new people for my old position. how things change! so, that keeps me very busy working the o/t - since July. but hey...i'm not complaining! that is extra cash!
it's crazy to think that thanksgiving is next week. time has flown! and right now, as i'm typing this, home alone is on, followed by how the grinch stole christmas! is it just me, or has christmas begun a bit early this year?
well i'm off to study - again! have a great week!

How's it with you?

2005-10-23T19:30:00.000-05:00

i know it's been a while...my apologies! i really have no excuse but to say that i'm lazy! there's my confession for the day!
how bout them vikes? :) in case you missed it, the vikings played the packers today. i didn't even watch the first half of the game b/c i couldn't stand to watch the vikes lose another game. but i ended up calling greg in fairfield, a packers fan, and watched the second half while i was chatting with him. i'm telling you, that guy was good luck for the vikes! they were down 17-0 at halftime, and ended up winning the game - which was tied with 2 seconds left on the clock! paul (the kicker) came through with a 56-yard field goal! i couldn't believe it! so needless to say, i was a happy camper!
other news...i'm still taking my classes to EVENTUALLY become a medical coder. i am taking a tough class right now - pathophysiology & pharmacology - it is not easy! you would think i was in nursing school with this class! i hope to pass this class if that tells you anything!
well micah and i found a new church that we've attended the past 2 Sundays. it is a smaller church, but not too small if that makes sense. anyway, he likes to use the phrase "how's it with you" (hence my title) in his sermons. he isn't really asking "how are things," but instead, how does what i'm preaching sit with you? how does it apply to YOU? and today the sermon focused on the Bible as being a sacred book. confession #2: my Bible has been collecting dust lately. so this afternoon i dug in my storage shed for a Beth Moore Bible study that i had never started and finally found it - in the last box. how was it with me? i needed that challenge today!
well, i suppose i should get back to the studies...have a great week!

Purple Pride?

2005-09-25T15:57:00.000-05:00

okay, purple pride - for today! and what does that mean, you MIGHT ask? well, if you didn't already know it, i am a minnesota vikings fan, and they FINALLY won a game today! :) that made me a very happy fan today. they hadn't been playing so hot...so i was a bit concerned today. but, they pulled it off with a 33-16 victory over the saints. let's see what happens next week when they are up against the falcons...not something i'm ready to think about just yet. and my sis and bro-in-law will be AT that game...i hope for the best!
what else is going on...yes, it's been a while since i've blogged. i suppose it hasn't been one of my priorities lately. but the hubby was on my case about not posting, so here it is. not too much happening - it was rather interesting late last week to hear and see everyone being quite panicked about the hurricane. you would have thought we lived on the coast the way people were reacting. i am thankful, though, that it took a turn and we didn't even see a drop of rain!
if you haven't read julie's blog lately, it is SO worth a look. her latest blog likens life to a set of train tracks, and it really hit home for me. she's the "shreve" link - check it out!
other than that, things here are ho hum. i'm still in school for coding, and that's what i'm headed to do right now - homework. so, i hope you all have a wonderful week!

There's no place like home...

2005-09-05T19:58:00.000-05:00

so i suppose here's the question - where is home? i've been thinking about this a lot lately after watching the countless images of the evacuees (if that's how you spell it) trying to find their new place. it was sad to see a place where i used to live and work - gulfport and biloxi - basically destroyed. i found myself wondering what i would have done had i still been there. and if you read my hubby's blog, you'd know that we vacationed there earlier this year for mardi gras, and it was micah's first time to see the gulf. so it was hard to see the pics and videos of all the destruction. and i'm addicted...i keep finding more to look at! just when i think i've gotten better about it, my brother-in-law will call me with more links! but anyway...
other than those thoughts, things here are going pretty good. this long weekend was GREAT, and i finished the first cluster (you could call it a semester) of my schooling! yay! so i got to actually relax over the weekend. had a great time with the in-laws on saturday night - love those big reds! :)
oh, and football season starts this week! let's go vikes!!!
well i have to include one pic for ya...it's the lobby of one of my favorite casinos:

yeah, i'm not thinking they are going to be open for business anytime soon. probably not for a year at least, considering this is across the street from the gulf.
sigh...

O/T is still on..

2005-08-20T13:29:00.000-05:00

in response to you, julie! :) yes, i am still working o/t, coming home, eating dinner, studying, and going to bed. i even studied on friday night!! and that's what i'm getting ready to do today - on a saturday! of course it's too hot outside to even think about being out there to do anything. i've already been to the pool, so that's out...and micah's at the store. :) so...there ya go!
i will add, though, that i am so psyched that football season is here! go vikes!!!

throw chatty from the train...

2005-08-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

okay, as many of you know, we (micah, susan and i) generally ride the train to work each morning. so this morning we were happy (hint of sarcasm) to have the chatty cathys sitting near us. we get to hear them talk about tv (did you know everybody loves raymond is going off the air?), flabby arms (i hate wearing sleeveless shirts b/c of the flab), football (okay, on this note the ONE chatty is okay), and a variety of other topics. all of this would be completely acceptable to me IF it weren't the first things i heard in the morning! :) some mornings i'm a bit sensitive to the speech of others; i guess this morning was one such moment!
i'm still working my tail off...micah has been great. he comes home from work a couple of hours before i, and he gets dinner ready for me! he even has the place cleaned up by the time he picks me up from the train station! i could get used to this! okay, not really...i'm ready to go back to a normal schedule. but the overtime is NICE!
so tonight we turned onto our street to be greeted by the police blocking the entrance to our complex. apparently there was a structural fire further down the way, so for the time being they were having us park along the street. after we ate, we went back out to check things out (and for micah to move the car back), and here's the scoop: someone left a pan w/grease in it on the stove - which was ON - and left to run to the store. needless to say, that person came home to a kitchen engulfed in flames! the good news - no one got hurt. a lesson learned?

well here it is...

2005-07-28T21:13:00.000-05:00

a post for all of you who are on my case! :) but seriously...have you checked out my hubby's post? and if so, did you leave a comment to let him know? he needs to know you're out there, people! haha!
here's the dealio...i've been working A LOT lately...the o/t (that's OVERTIME) has kicked in, and that's a very good thing. so, i work until 6:30 every night, get home at 7:30, eat dinner (which micah has prepared), study, and go to bed. pretty routine! and i have a feeling it's going to be like that at least through most of august! so, there's my excuse! i hope i pass. :)
and on that note, this tired chic is going to bed...
miss all of your NORTHERNERS!

Could it get any better?

2005-07-15T21:26:00.000-05:00

what a day! now you know when you read a title like that it had to have been one of those days...and yes, yes it has. let's see...for starters, when we left for work this morning, it was drizzling a bit, but nothing to worry about, right? right. so we drove to the train station, and by that point it was pouring. let me rephrase that: it was POURING. now, we both had our umbrellas...but did that stop us from getting soaked just from walking from the car to the train platform? uh, no. soaked. both of us. so, we proceed to board the train, only to be joined by the loudness of the morning crowd. for those of you who weren't aware, i'm NOT a morning person! i try, really i do! right micah? :) anyway...we were a couple of minutes late to the station by work, so that meant i was either going to take my sweet time and be late, or have to break a sweat to make it on time. i chose the latter of the two...so, with my wet clothes, my hair ALREADY in a ponytail, and my squeaky tennis shoes, i make a run for it...and i made it! by the skin of my teeth, but i made it! Whew! so really, it wasn't truly one of those days...just one of those mornings! and know what? it's over now - as is the LONGEST day of work one could have - AND it's the weekend! so now i'm going to go veg out in front of the tv, and get some well-deserved relaxation!

i'm gonna soak up the sun...

2005-07-10T21:16:00.000-05:00

vacation is over, i'm sad to say. it's back to the "real" world of work tomorrow...fun! but seriously, i kinda got used to the idea of sleeping all day and just hanging out with the hubby, even if he was sick most of the time...
let's back up. some of you may know that micah and i went to georgia to visit the fam over the 4th of july weekend. it was so great to see them! i'm missing my sis - TONS! anyhow, we had a blast with her and her hubby and the cutest 6-year-old girl ever. :) and then there was my niece and her fam who drove in from IL...which is normally about a 10 1/2 hour drive but took them 14 b/c of traffic! but it was great to see everyone.
so some of you may know by now that while we were in georgia we visited tybee island. if you haven't read micah's blog, do that! he had never been to the ocean, and i'm sure following this experience i'll be lucky to get him back, even if i find the ocean to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. anyway, while i was soaking up the sun, he was being attacked by it, and, in the end, was covered with 2nd degree burns on his back, shoulders, and his shaved head...and now he's shedding all of that skin! as am i, i might add...
but all in all, it was a fun trip. of course when we got home, we went to the doc, only to go back again the next day to discover micah had strep...a fun week after vacation, let me tell you! i did have an extra day and a half off work - to take care of my man! he's all better now, i'm glad to say!
so today i go outside to look for a book in our outside storage shed, and i believe i offended the wasps that have built their home right next to that storage door. so, one stung me! how i only got stung by one amazes me, but now my arm is SORE! i'll get them!
see ya on the flip side!

summer?

2005-06-28T21:40:00.000-05:00

summer officially started, what, on june 21? someone needs to let mother nature in on that. the new "season" started here back in may, and this week the high every day is 100. it's craziness. i wonder many mornings why i even attempted to get ready, b/c the minute i walk outside the make up is gone, the hair pulled back. scary thing, though, is that i'm actually getting used to it! well "used to it" is strong...let's just say i'm learning to cope.
this past weekend was one of those times that i really would have liked to have been back "home." the friend in preever's blog is also a friend of mine - as is the mother. it was hard being down here and not being able to physically be there. i often wonder if i'll ever make the "north," as some down here call IL, my home. i guess only time will tell.
i'm reading a book now, called Blue Like Jazz. not only did a friend i work with recommend it, but also hersch had a link to it. the title caught my attention..not the main title you read, but the subtitle: nonreligious thoughts on christian spirituality. so many people equate being a christian with religion, and it's not the same...how do we show that?

On the border...

2005-06-24T21:45:00.000-05:00

we went out to dinner tonight at on the border, an excellent mexican restaurant down here in the "great" state. funny thing is, there are on the borders up in ya'all's part of the country, too. i don't get that! anyway, i was thinking about the name of the restaurant when it hit me - literally hit me - i needed to be on the border. of what? think about it. ;)

Tread on Tires

2005-06-22T19:18:00.000-05:00

so if you've never watched family guy, you should check it out sometime...it is so stinkin funny. i realize that some people may not be entertained by the, uh, jokes, but the hubby and i quite enjoy it. the title of the blog comes from a recent episode, but for fear of offending, i won't go into detail!
yeah, i had to go to the dentist today...now i remember why it's been over 10 YEARS since my last visit. i find it very difficult to carry on a conversation with the dentist when he is drilling away in my mouth...and yet he asked me questions...hmmm. how does that work? needless to say, i am finally able to feel my lips and left side of my face. that's a very odd feeling, being numb. huh, funny thing is, i think we're all a little numb. there's a deep thought for ya.
and on that note, it's back to the books...

2005-06-18T21:38:00.000-05:00

well here it is, the eve of father's day...we just got home a bit ago from a mother's day (a little late, i know) and father's day (hey we're early on that one) dinner for the rents-in-law, which was quite enjoyable. i would have to say that they are the best in-laws!
i have yet to see batman whatever it's called, but i have seen episode III, which i thought was excellent (hersch, why didn't you like it?)...and i saw the sisterhood of the traveling pants last night. definitely a chic flic, but i think it was worth the money and tissues! i'm a sap, as most of you know! i can't even get through a hallmark commercial without tearing up - and NO, i'm not pregnant! :)
so i'm taking online classes...yeah, it's been rather difficult getting back into the school groove after not being in school for a LONG time! but it's cool - it should help me get a better job and eventually allow me to work from home. i'm keeping my fingers crossed!

A First

2005-05-31T20:46:00.000-05:00

Well here it is...my first real blog. and i got nothin...maybe later!