With the surgery, moving (no internet hooked up at the house yet), and Christmas, I have officially fallen off the blog wagon and it stresses me out to try to catch up on all the memorable occurences of the last two weeks. However, for nostalgic purposes, I intend to do so. Because Verizon is coming tomorrow (by the mighty force of God...I had to open up a can of whoop a** on them yesterday on the phone after they tried cancelling on me TWICE)I will begin my memoirs at a later time. But because some people may be wondering, here is an account of how my surgery went on Friday December 19, written by my mom. I was too strung out to remember all the details :-).
"Well, she did good today and the procedure went smoothly and not near as long as we were told it could be. Nor did they open her up. The good news first: the connection that the Dr. ablated (burned) last spring is still dead as he said so not causing any trouble. There isn't a 3rd connection that they suspected there was. She didn't need a pacemaker. It was the least invasive way to look. Her heart/valves/walls/chambers all look good.
The bad news is there was nothing to "fix" like we want to happen. We want this behind us-never to happen again. But the Dr. said it could. He does not know what caused her atrial tachycardia in Nov. but it is not from the 2nd connection that she still has. This one is weird-it goes into the heart wall and lies along the good and needed connection we all have. It is too dangerous to go after -he could burn the wall- and it is not causing any trouble now. So that was left. We asked about more spells like she had in Nov. He said that could happen and she would need to get to the ER ASAP. Medicine at this point will just band-aid the arrthymia she has. He said her EKG will always look funny and freak out people but she will need to explain she has this Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. I guess today they gave her a bunch of medicine to simulate her tachy spell in Nov. but her heart stayed in normal rhythm the whole time. So that she had may never happen again or it could. Bummer-some good news, some not so good. Bryan feels good about all this and says we know what to expect and the thing to do is keep CALM. I will always be looking over my shoulder now (or checking Michelle out!)
I did go in to see her after she woke up a little and she asked a few questions but mostly she was so doped up and couldn't hold her eyes open. The Dr. said she can go home tonight if she is OK after laying flat 6 hrs. eating and pottying. Well, they are coming here since tomorrow has a crew lined up to move them. They are renting a house close to his folks. Michelle can't do anything for 5 days so she will hang out here. I get to watch her!! Their cat is here now and really misses them. He walks all over meowing and looking for them. He has attached himself to Gary.
Tonight we came home in snow. Hope the kids get here soon but I think it will be 10 or 11. We are supposed to get 4-6in. of snow tomorrow and freezing rain on Sunday. Crazy weather but hey, looks like we will have a white Christmas. We are tired and still trying to "digest" some of this stuff. I suppose I forgot words, etc. cause my brain is working but my fingers aren't fast enough or something like that!
Thank you all for the calls and mostly for all the prayers for Michelle. We know God is in control here and has His divine plan for her and Bryan, but as a mother, I want it to be perfect. It is pretty hard to see this and wonder why and where it came from. But then I think about the mothers who see their child with cancer and then I think this is nothing. Mitch is up and running around, teaching, happy and having fun. So I get put back in my proper place. A lesson I need to be reminded of every so often."
Thank you again.
Judy and Gary, Michelle and Bryan
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Dustin' off the Bobsled...
So yesterday everyone that I talked to was asking me if I am still having surgery tomorrow and the answer is yes. Luckily, in any weather (as mom would know,) the hospitals keep tickin. Yesterday I fought the urge to call and confirm, and then in the afternoon the hospital registration called me to confirm my information. I felt like I was checking in for a flight, but alas this is not quite as exciting. The past three days home have felt like a waste, but I think it was what I needed afterall. Of course, by the time Bryan gets home I am so bored and wound up that he keeps trying to offer me a beer to calm my nerves. I think I am so anxious that it is hard to be productive, but I think I got more done than I am giving myself credit for...
We are pretty much all packed up. The kitchen honestly scares me and I am tempted to hire professional movers to come in and pack up all my pretty dishes. That is the last main area left to pack up. Since I hate even packing for a vacation, my little world has turned upside down but luckily Bryan scheduled the big move to happen while I am resting at my parent's house on Saturday. I couldn't handle watching the boxes being hauled from here to there. The few days between surgery and Christmas will be interesting, as I am sure all I will want to do is unpack and achieve a state of "normalcy" asap, while at the same time resting and abstaining from heavy lifting. After Christmas will be a trip to Idaho to play in more snow (which by now is relentless in its pursuit of covering Oregon) and then hopefully a housewarming/New Years/ 21st birthday party for Bryan's brother Brandon when we get back.
So, these days off have been quiet, semi productive and somewhat boring, but compared to the next two and a half weeks I will take them!
We are pretty much all packed up. The kitchen honestly scares me and I am tempted to hire professional movers to come in and pack up all my pretty dishes. That is the last main area left to pack up. Since I hate even packing for a vacation, my little world has turned upside down but luckily Bryan scheduled the big move to happen while I am resting at my parent's house on Saturday. I couldn't handle watching the boxes being hauled from here to there. The few days between surgery and Christmas will be interesting, as I am sure all I will want to do is unpack and achieve a state of "normalcy" asap, while at the same time resting and abstaining from heavy lifting. After Christmas will be a trip to Idaho to play in more snow (which by now is relentless in its pursuit of covering Oregon) and then hopefully a housewarming/New Years/ 21st birthday party for Bryan's brother Brandon when we get back.
So, these days off have been quiet, semi productive and somewhat boring, but compared to the next two and a half weeks I will take them!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Dear God...
Dear God,
Its me Michelle. While I do admire and appreciate the snow you have sent on this fine day, please have it cleared away by Friday so that the doctors and anesthiologists that I need can drive their little Porsches down off the West Hills.
Thank you.
Its me Michelle. While I do admire and appreciate the snow you have sent on this fine day, please have it cleared away by Friday so that the doctors and anesthiologists that I need can drive their little Porsches down off the West Hills.
Thank you.
Its Snowing! Its Snowing!
This past week has been one of many blessings. On Monday, I went to a Christmas party for the House of Ruth which I volunteered for a couple years ago and would like to begin volunteering for again, on Tuesday we had dinner with my good friend Brittany and bought and watched "The Dark Knight" (the latest Batman movie), Wednesday I had dinner with my parents, Thursday I vegged on the couch all night long, Friday we got boxes and delivered Christmas cards and then yesterday I drove with my friend Gillian down to Corvallis (with a very lovely and lucky stop at the Woodburn outlet stores where we scored tons of swag at very discounted prices)and I got to visit with my good friend Katie, who just had a baby six weeks ago and who I hadn't seen in a couple years (I hadn't been back to Corvallis in four years...difficult to believe it had been that long!!!). We had tons of fun stopping at all our favorite hotspots, driving past the old dives we used to live in, and reminiscing on the good ol' days. Her baby is pretty cute too! (See below). While I was away, Bryan began packing up (he is in charge of all but the kitchen) and went to pick up a washer, dryer and refridgerator from a client of my friend Melissa (its a great story how it all worked out...another blessing because we got all three for FREE!!! He was just looking for a way to get rid of them and asked her if she knew anyone interested. Lucky for us he wouldn't take any money even though they all supposedly work) We also found out this week that Bryan's mom's friend knew the people who lived in the house before us, so it is a small world! We feel a little more confident about our decision now...it will be a great house!
Today Bryan and I were up at the crack of dawn and all prepared to go to church (a feat we haven't accomplished in several weeks) though it began to snow. For some reason, we thought this storm was a force to be reckoned with and began to make the drive and then promptly turned around when the tires were spinning up the first hill we came across. So we came home and played outside for a bit. Now Bryan and our neighbor from upstairs are on the couch playing Wii while his wife studies and I prepare to make us all dinner. It is kinda nice that it snowed one last time for us while we are still living here...it brings back good memories! Bryan is happy because he got out of going to my staff Christmas party at school tonight! Which reminds me...does anyone need a surplus of crackers? Good thing I wasnt in charge of the meat tray...I am sort of hoping tomorrow will be cancelled as well. I could use another day at home. I am beginning to get very stressed with moving and all that it entails, finishing up school before break and planning for the sub, and finishing CHristmas shopping and preparations (all before Friday). Oh, and somewhere in there we need groceries and I would like to get my hair done. We also have to get Fuz packed up and shipped off to Grandpa and Nana's so he won't be too sad when I am in the hospital and we are moving (Mom- watch your doorstep Thursday!).
Well, that should be all for now. Enjoy the following pictures. I can no longer write captions under my pictures, but in case you are wondering, Bryan is the designer, architect, builder and plumber of the gingerbread house below. He copyrighted its design so no one in the Heinrichs' gingerbread house building competition may steal or reproduce any part of this without permission from him.
And in the three pictures directly preceeding the g house, there is a Fuz in each picture...you may have to look carefully! The blurry one of him was snapped the milisecond after he retreated from his "rockstar" pose, where he lays on his back with one arm above his head and the other cupped near his mouth, much like Hannah Montana who I think he aspires to be....It's Miley!!! He also is a fan of boxes...he goes crazy and tests out each one. He is NOT a fan of the vacuum, which is why he was hiding within our comforter on our bed. :-)
Today Bryan and I were up at the crack of dawn and all prepared to go to church (a feat we haven't accomplished in several weeks) though it began to snow. For some reason, we thought this storm was a force to be reckoned with and began to make the drive and then promptly turned around when the tires were spinning up the first hill we came across. So we came home and played outside for a bit. Now Bryan and our neighbor from upstairs are on the couch playing Wii while his wife studies and I prepare to make us all dinner. It is kinda nice that it snowed one last time for us while we are still living here...it brings back good memories! Bryan is happy because he got out of going to my staff Christmas party at school tonight! Which reminds me...does anyone need a surplus of crackers? Good thing I wasnt in charge of the meat tray...I am sort of hoping tomorrow will be cancelled as well. I could use another day at home. I am beginning to get very stressed with moving and all that it entails, finishing up school before break and planning for the sub, and finishing CHristmas shopping and preparations (all before Friday). Oh, and somewhere in there we need groceries and I would like to get my hair done. We also have to get Fuz packed up and shipped off to Grandpa and Nana's so he won't be too sad when I am in the hospital and we are moving (Mom- watch your doorstep Thursday!).
Well, that should be all for now. Enjoy the following pictures. I can no longer write captions under my pictures, but in case you are wondering, Bryan is the designer, architect, builder and plumber of the gingerbread house below. He copyrighted its design so no one in the Heinrichs' gingerbread house building competition may steal or reproduce any part of this without permission from him.
And in the three pictures directly preceeding the g house, there is a Fuz in each picture...you may have to look carefully! The blurry one of him was snapped the milisecond after he retreated from his "rockstar" pose, where he lays on his back with one arm above his head and the other cupped near his mouth, much like Hannah Montana who I think he aspires to be....It's Miley!!! He also is a fan of boxes...he goes crazy and tests out each one. He is NOT a fan of the vacuum, which is why he was hiding within our comforter on our bed. :-)
Monday, December 8, 2008
The date is set!
Today was an anxiety provoking day but all ended well. I called at lunchtime to schedule my procedure, which last time was done in two seconds. This time, the secretary informed me my diagnosis may have changed following the events of November 20 (uh....huh...???) and she will need to talk to the doctor to decide which type of procedure she should schedule. I asked her if she could at least tell me if we could get something in before December 31, as Dr. thought it wouldnt be a problem. She said "Well he must know something I don't because we are pretty much booked up." My stomach did a flop and my heart skipped a beat as I saw another 3 years in loan repayments floating out the window (if I am all fixed by December 31 it will be free since we have met our annual out of pocket max). She said she would have to call me back. I waited, prayed, waited, prayed, waited, prayed... all... afternoon....
Finally at 4:30 I couldnt take it anymore so I called and wouldnt ya know, she was talking to the doctor the exact moment I called. When she called back 10 minutes later, she let me know that since I am "tricky" they had to schedule two doctors and it was a challenge. In the back of my mind , I was hoping and praying Dec 19 would work but I was ready to take anything...so imagine my awe when she asked, "Do you have a calendar available? How does December 19 work for you?" I told her to sign me up. I am admitted at 10 and "on the table" at noon, which means I will most likely stay overnight with 6 hours in surgery (estimated) and six hours bedrest after.
Now that it is all set in stone and we know the plan, I am relieved.I will be nervous the day before, since i know what to expect, but it could also be helpful. Looking back, God had the timing perfect. Since I was not 100% convinced I was completely healed after the first surgery, I was praying that if anything were to happen that it would be fixed by the end of the year. Also, if I have another problem on top of my W.P.W., I am glad for what happened at school two weeks ago...the sooner we find out about it the better. Still, when I think about all that has happened this year I can't believe it...all I can say is please pray that after this surgery I will wake up completely healed AND without a pacemaker!
Finally at 4:30 I couldnt take it anymore so I called and wouldnt ya know, she was talking to the doctor the exact moment I called. When she called back 10 minutes later, she let me know that since I am "tricky" they had to schedule two doctors and it was a challenge. In the back of my mind , I was hoping and praying Dec 19 would work but I was ready to take anything...so imagine my awe when she asked, "Do you have a calendar available? How does December 19 work for you?" I told her to sign me up. I am admitted at 10 and "on the table" at noon, which means I will most likely stay overnight with 6 hours in surgery (estimated) and six hours bedrest after.
Now that it is all set in stone and we know the plan, I am relieved.I will be nervous the day before, since i know what to expect, but it could also be helpful. Looking back, God had the timing perfect. Since I was not 100% convinced I was completely healed after the first surgery, I was praying that if anything were to happen that it would be fixed by the end of the year. Also, if I have another problem on top of my W.P.W., I am glad for what happened at school two weeks ago...the sooner we find out about it the better. Still, when I think about all that has happened this year I can't believe it...all I can say is please pray that after this surgery I will wake up completely healed AND without a pacemaker!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Has anyone seen my sweatshirt?!?!
I am putting out an APB on my missing purple *most comfortable* University of Portland sweatshirt with "Pilots" written on the hood.
Since graduating from school and moving out on my own, this has been my grown-up "comfort blanket". Please let me know if I left it somewhere!
Once again, it is not like me to lose things but my brain has obviously been on vacation in recent weeks. Its really starting to piss me off.
Since graduating from school and moving out on my own, this has been my grown-up "comfort blanket". Please let me know if I left it somewhere!
Once again, it is not like me to lose things but my brain has obviously been on vacation in recent weeks. Its really starting to piss me off.
The Plan.
I couldnt get up the cajones to call the doctor on Thursday so my sweet husband offered to do it for me. He has really stepped up to the plate on a lot of things for me lately, as I have been trying to "decompress," such as calling the doctor, scheduling appts for the house, showing me how how to do simple things I can't figure out (like how to pull the cap off a new stick of deoderant...I would have never thought to just turn the dial at the bottom)and he even offered to do the finances. The doctor didnt get around to calling Bryan back on his cell phone until last night and the news was good and bad.
It was good because we prayed for a clear answer on what to do next, and after my dr. talked to the other cardiologists in his office the answer was made very clear. The bad news is they are not sure what caused my heart to go into a tailspin a couple of weeks ago. We originally thought it was the WPW syndrome I have, which is the open connections between the chambers of my heart. While those are still present and causing issues, I now apparently have more issues. So medication would only "buy time" until the next attack. The doctors all feel confident that we can go in there and attack the open connections without any *major* risks. They also want to make sure the procedure in April still worked on my original open connection. And finally, they want to do more testing to figure out what else is going on. So this is why surgery is the clear answer.
I am calling on Monday to schedule the surgery. I am hoping there is an open spot next Friday, December 19 before Christmas break. However, the dr. said this could take many hours and other drs. need to be present as well, so we will see. From a financial standpoint, it would benefit us greatly to get it down before the end of the year since we have already met out $6000 out of pocket max on the first surgery. Mentally, I feel more at peace about it than initially. A mom (who I don't know but is apparently well aware of me)stopped me in the hall yesterday who works at another hospital but knows of my cardiologist through the work she does and she reaffirmed that he was an excellent doctor. God has really been speaking through his people, I believe, so this has helped in calming some nerves.
In other good/bad news, we got the house we wanted! Our lease on our apt ends December 31, so sometime in all this mess we will be moving! It will be a very busy month and I will be very happy when it is all over! Somewhere in there we will also celebrate Jesus' birthday! :-)This past week was busy enough with the Christmas musical and visits with friends and family and it was only the first week of the month!
I am hoping the minute it turns to 2009 that our life will turn around and our problems will all be gone! This has been a rough year on us physically, emotionally and financially. I am beginning to once again consider other jobs for next year, to help with finances and insurance, but finding an insurance company that will take us could be a trick. Oh well- God has a plan in all of this. He helped us work through it all somehow this year and He can do it again!
It was good because we prayed for a clear answer on what to do next, and after my dr. talked to the other cardiologists in his office the answer was made very clear. The bad news is they are not sure what caused my heart to go into a tailspin a couple of weeks ago. We originally thought it was the WPW syndrome I have, which is the open connections between the chambers of my heart. While those are still present and causing issues, I now apparently have more issues. So medication would only "buy time" until the next attack. The doctors all feel confident that we can go in there and attack the open connections without any *major* risks. They also want to make sure the procedure in April still worked on my original open connection. And finally, they want to do more testing to figure out what else is going on. So this is why surgery is the clear answer.
I am calling on Monday to schedule the surgery. I am hoping there is an open spot next Friday, December 19 before Christmas break. However, the dr. said this could take many hours and other drs. need to be present as well, so we will see. From a financial standpoint, it would benefit us greatly to get it down before the end of the year since we have already met out $6000 out of pocket max on the first surgery. Mentally, I feel more at peace about it than initially. A mom (who I don't know but is apparently well aware of me)stopped me in the hall yesterday who works at another hospital but knows of my cardiologist through the work she does and she reaffirmed that he was an excellent doctor. God has really been speaking through his people, I believe, so this has helped in calming some nerves.
In other good/bad news, we got the house we wanted! Our lease on our apt ends December 31, so sometime in all this mess we will be moving! It will be a very busy month and I will be very happy when it is all over! Somewhere in there we will also celebrate Jesus' birthday! :-)This past week was busy enough with the Christmas musical and visits with friends and family and it was only the first week of the month!
I am hoping the minute it turns to 2009 that our life will turn around and our problems will all be gone! This has been a rough year on us physically, emotionally and financially. I am beginning to once again consider other jobs for next year, to help with finances and insurance, but finding an insurance company that will take us could be a trick. Oh well- God has a plan in all of this. He helped us work through it all somehow this year and He can do it again!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Where is my brain?!?!
Tonight I visited a long time friend (from high school) who had a baby the end of October. We were discussing all her baby gifts and she asked me if I ever got an invitation to her shower. I told her no, but after doing some more thinking I told her I did recieve a birth announcement from her mom. At the time, I thought it was strange that her mom was making and sending out their birth announcement for them. She looked at me confused and said that her mom sent out invites for a shower, but never announcements. I came home tonight and looked again on my bulletin board, where I have been proudly displaying their "announcement" complete with a cute first family picture, and sure enough (I dont know how you can miss it) the whole right side of the card gives out information for the shower that took place over two weeks ago, including registration information. Knowing that I recieved this information in the mail, looked it over and analyzed their picture and then hung it on my wall and never absorbed the information that it was an invitation to a shower boggles my mind and also worries me a bit. On top of everything else, do I have early onset dementia or something??? WHERE DID MY BRAIN GO!!!!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Today.
Today we found out that what happened last week was not a continuation of my known problem (open connection #2...found in surgery #1 to close open connection #1) but is in fact yet another problem within my heart (open connection #3). We left with few answers and more questions...no game plan as of yet. Bryan did feel better about the appt than I did so it is good that one of us is optimistic. I have begun to feel really, really down about it all. I feel like I am constantly on the verge of tears and am bitter that this is happening to me and my body.
My cardiac defect is definately rare and there are no easy fixes that guarantee I will never have to go back to the ER...especially if I just go with medication. Please pray for wisdom and clarity as my cardiologist speaks with three other cardiologists in the team this week to decide the next direction to go in treatment. I will call him on Thursday. As of right now, Bryan and I are leaning towards another surgery that will take place by the end of this month. If we do go ahead and plan for that, I will need prayers that they find and fix all the problems, without burning too much and giving me a pacemaker as a token gift. Yikes.
My cardiac defect is definately rare and there are no easy fixes that guarantee I will never have to go back to the ER...especially if I just go with medication. Please pray for wisdom and clarity as my cardiologist speaks with three other cardiologists in the team this week to decide the next direction to go in treatment. I will call him on Thursday. As of right now, Bryan and I are leaning towards another surgery that will take place by the end of this month. If we do go ahead and plan for that, I will need prayers that they find and fix all the problems, without burning too much and giving me a pacemaker as a token gift. Yikes.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Post Thanksgiving
I am still thankful today, like I try to be on every day including Thanksgiving, and even though it is late I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
Here are my random jumbled thoughts...
- I am so glad all my sisters could make it into town for the holiday weekend. Bryan and I have had much fun hanging out with them, their husbands, my parents, and all 5 kids. All of them are so cute...ahhhh....sigh. And I am thankful that for the past week I have had real homecooked meals...and a great Turkey dinner!
-I am thankful for the distraction of Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. It keeps my mind off other pressures. Last night Bryan and I went out to dinner, just the two of us, and "real life" began to sink back in. A week later, the magnitude of the situation I am in with my heart is really starting to hit me. I have no clue how I will face Monday...
-That said, I am thankful for just one more day in our four day weekend, and three more weeks until Bryan and I get two weeks paid vacation!!! I am thankful for how we will hopefully be spending it: packing up our apartment and moving into a new house (!!!) and playing in the snow in Idaho.
-I am thankful that Bryan and I are both almost over our colds, we got some great deals yesterday shopping (nothing too extensive, as most of my shopping is already done...another thing to be thankful for!!)and we have had lots of fun recently playing games and football, decorating for the holidays, wrapping gifts, making gingerbread houses, watching movies, playing with/babysitting kids, getting holiday coffee at Starbucks (decaf for me from now on...and no chocolate/alcohol/soda...Ive officially kicked the habit) and taking lots of pictures.
It still feels like we have a long ways to go with getting stuff done before the holidays, and it will be another busy month with moving, going on a trip and having a potential surgery.
Oh, and because we have re-focused our priorities, we have mutually decided not to go on a cruise next June/July. Anyone know of any othergood cheap vacation destinations?
Here are my random jumbled thoughts...
- I am so glad all my sisters could make it into town for the holiday weekend. Bryan and I have had much fun hanging out with them, their husbands, my parents, and all 5 kids. All of them are so cute...ahhhh....sigh. And I am thankful that for the past week I have had real homecooked meals...and a great Turkey dinner!
-I am thankful for the distraction of Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. It keeps my mind off other pressures. Last night Bryan and I went out to dinner, just the two of us, and "real life" began to sink back in. A week later, the magnitude of the situation I am in with my heart is really starting to hit me. I have no clue how I will face Monday...
-That said, I am thankful for just one more day in our four day weekend, and three more weeks until Bryan and I get two weeks paid vacation!!! I am thankful for how we will hopefully be spending it: packing up our apartment and moving into a new house (!!!) and playing in the snow in Idaho.
-I am thankful that Bryan and I are both almost over our colds, we got some great deals yesterday shopping (nothing too extensive, as most of my shopping is already done...another thing to be thankful for!!)and we have had lots of fun recently playing games and football, decorating for the holidays, wrapping gifts, making gingerbread houses, watching movies, playing with/babysitting kids, getting holiday coffee at Starbucks (decaf for me from now on...and no chocolate/alcohol/soda...Ive officially kicked the habit) and taking lots of pictures.
It still feels like we have a long ways to go with getting stuff done before the holidays, and it will be another busy month with moving, going on a trip and having a potential surgery.
Oh, and because we have re-focused our priorities, we have mutually decided not to go on a cruise next June/July. Anyone know of any othergood cheap vacation destinations?
Monday, November 24, 2008
A Good Day and a Day in Hell...
So today was a good day. I was not beseiged by as many questions as I thought, and I have my mother to thank for that as she most likely answered them all last week in my absence. So today we just picked up business as usual after a few welcome back hugs from the kids. It was also nice because I did not have as much work left waiting for me as I thought and I needed zero time for prep this morning, and then I left by 5:15, which for me is good! I got to go visit with family that is beginning to trickle in town for Thanksgiving and eat a good dinner!
Speaking of food, today in Bible we were talking about something totally unrelated to hell, and it always makes me nervous when this topic comes up because all parents address hell on different levels. However, one girl's analysis was quite charming so I thought I would mention it here...and I quote (I wrote it down a second later): "Hell is a place where you don't get to eat. Well, you do get to eat but it is all yucky food to eat for supper. And you get pain all over you and you can't see." Hmmmm, well considering how much food and me get along, I think hell is a place I will try to stay away from...
Speaking of food, today in Bible we were talking about something totally unrelated to hell, and it always makes me nervous when this topic comes up because all parents address hell on different levels. However, one girl's analysis was quite charming so I thought I would mention it here...and I quote (I wrote it down a second later): "Hell is a place where you don't get to eat. Well, you do get to eat but it is all yucky food to eat for supper. And you get pain all over you and you can't see." Hmmmm, well considering how much food and me get along, I think hell is a place I will try to stay away from...
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Fear
I think more than my appointment with the cardiologist next week I am scared to go back to school. Like when an old familiar smell like a bag of corn nuts brings a sense of nausea to my stomach, I am afraid I will make myself sick being there. At the very least I will leave with a headache after all the catchup work I need to do and from answering 5 billion questions. The questions and the look of pity from co-workers and parents are what I think I dread the most....the kids wont be so bad though. Once they realize I am okay, I am sure we will quickly move on with our day.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Is Life Fair? Not always- Just watch Mrs. H, for example...
Yesterday morning my kids had a rehearsal for the upcoming musical, which is nice for me because I get an extra 40 minutes off for prep time. When I picked them up, one boy very quickly and pointedly asked me "Mrs. H., is life fair?" It took me a minute to understand what he meant, since I had been out of the room and out of context. So I answered, "Well, no...not always." And the little boy turned around to another boy and said "See- I told you so!" Im guessing it was a dispute over who got a lollipop for good behavior from the music teacher but I never got a chance to ask...
After lunch while I was reading to my first graders I started to get hot, sweaty and my chest started tightening up. It went down to my arms and my fingertips got tingly. I barely had breath to continue reading. After sending them back to their seats to color in their journals, I walked out of the classroom and went to vomit in the bathroom. On the way back I started to pass out and thank God made it back to my phone to call for help down at the office. (My kids were great during all this by the way!)I was so confused and terrified- I really thought I was having a heart attack and was dying. The secretaries in the office were great and helped me out to the hall and one went to the office to call 911 (given my cardiac history). The principal came down to keep the kids in my room while the medics worked on me out in the hall. I am so thankful I work in a Christian school because the whole time teachers were coming out in the hall to pray over me. I would have definately freaked out more, and I was already having a hard time breathing! (I didn't officially start crying until I heard Bryan's voice at the hospital) So after a very fast ride in the ambulance to the ER, and calls were made to my poor husband and parents, and my excellent cardiologist (since I am a "rare" case most of the nurses and doctors had no idea what to do), the decision was made to stop my heart (my rate was up in the 160s and 170s...my upper chamber was working overtime and my lower chamber couldnt keep up) after putting me to sleep and then re-starting it with the paddles. The last thing I remember is my parents and Bryan leaving (they didnt need to watch) and a room full of doctors, nurses and interns and a volunteer boy who was probably no more than 18 who got a very clear shot of my naked chest, and I remember thinking the scene was like a mix of ER and Scrubs (I lost two shirts to a pair of scissors in this whole debacle as well). I woke up 10 minutes later and felt fabulous...as if nothing in the world had happened. After I proved to everyone that I could walk (I had to pass the volunteer boy several times in the hall)and my heart could beat normally, I was released. I had a hard time sleeping last night because I was still in shock- everything still felt so surreal and I could not get over how quickly it all happened, or that it happened at all since I thought I was "in the clear" for right now. Most of all I regretted the impact it had on my husband, my parents, my co-workers and my first graders.
Today I have felt nauseated from the drugs and my chest cavity and back feel as though I have been beat up from where they shocked me. I was in the clear to return to work, but both the school and Bryan's boss told us to take the day off and rest at home (we took care of one errand we needed to do and we went to lunch at Red Robin but other than that we stayed on the couch). The next step is an appt a week from Monday and I would really appreciate prayers on that because both my options are bleak. One is medication for the rest of my life with side effects, and the other is a high risk surgery that could lead to a pacemaker. We kindof have to make a decision fast, as I have reached my maximum out of pocket expenses for the year because of my prior surgery, and do not really want any more medical bills piling up (I told Bryan that next time, I think it would be cheaper and classier to get a ride to the hospital in a limo). I am also not really looking forward to going back to work simply for the battery of questions I am sure to recieve for the next three months...anytime that I don't look happy, or look tired, or have a cold, people will wonder if it is because of my heart. And I don't like being doted on. But I do appreciate your prayers and the phone calls! I will as usual keep an update on the little situation as it unfolds...
After lunch while I was reading to my first graders I started to get hot, sweaty and my chest started tightening up. It went down to my arms and my fingertips got tingly. I barely had breath to continue reading. After sending them back to their seats to color in their journals, I walked out of the classroom and went to vomit in the bathroom. On the way back I started to pass out and thank God made it back to my phone to call for help down at the office. (My kids were great during all this by the way!)I was so confused and terrified- I really thought I was having a heart attack and was dying. The secretaries in the office were great and helped me out to the hall and one went to the office to call 911 (given my cardiac history). The principal came down to keep the kids in my room while the medics worked on me out in the hall. I am so thankful I work in a Christian school because the whole time teachers were coming out in the hall to pray over me. I would have definately freaked out more, and I was already having a hard time breathing! (I didn't officially start crying until I heard Bryan's voice at the hospital) So after a very fast ride in the ambulance to the ER, and calls were made to my poor husband and parents, and my excellent cardiologist (since I am a "rare" case most of the nurses and doctors had no idea what to do), the decision was made to stop my heart (my rate was up in the 160s and 170s...my upper chamber was working overtime and my lower chamber couldnt keep up) after putting me to sleep and then re-starting it with the paddles. The last thing I remember is my parents and Bryan leaving (they didnt need to watch) and a room full of doctors, nurses and interns and a volunteer boy who was probably no more than 18 who got a very clear shot of my naked chest, and I remember thinking the scene was like a mix of ER and Scrubs (I lost two shirts to a pair of scissors in this whole debacle as well). I woke up 10 minutes later and felt fabulous...as if nothing in the world had happened. After I proved to everyone that I could walk (I had to pass the volunteer boy several times in the hall)and my heart could beat normally, I was released. I had a hard time sleeping last night because I was still in shock- everything still felt so surreal and I could not get over how quickly it all happened, or that it happened at all since I thought I was "in the clear" for right now. Most of all I regretted the impact it had on my husband, my parents, my co-workers and my first graders.
Today I have felt nauseated from the drugs and my chest cavity and back feel as though I have been beat up from where they shocked me. I was in the clear to return to work, but both the school and Bryan's boss told us to take the day off and rest at home (we took care of one errand we needed to do and we went to lunch at Red Robin but other than that we stayed on the couch). The next step is an appt a week from Monday and I would really appreciate prayers on that because both my options are bleak. One is medication for the rest of my life with side effects, and the other is a high risk surgery that could lead to a pacemaker. We kindof have to make a decision fast, as I have reached my maximum out of pocket expenses for the year because of my prior surgery, and do not really want any more medical bills piling up (I told Bryan that next time, I think it would be cheaper and classier to get a ride to the hospital in a limo). I am also not really looking forward to going back to work simply for the battery of questions I am sure to recieve for the next three months...anytime that I don't look happy, or look tired, or have a cold, people will wonder if it is because of my heart. And I don't like being doted on. But I do appreciate your prayers and the phone calls! I will as usual keep an update on the little situation as it unfolds...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Turns out they ARE cute....
When my sister was visiting a few weeks ago, she asked me "So, what did your kids do today that was cute?". "Nothing...they weren't 'cute' today" I muttered, thinking back to another crazy day likened to that of a day spent at the zoo...meaning chaos. Last night I was talking to another parent from last year, and I finally realized that yes, they are cute. They are no longer active little bodies who I had to constantly get after to settle down in those first weeks of school. While this is a drawback to feeling more comfortable in their classroom, the kids are also starting to expose their own little individual personalities which can be hilarious. Not to say that the year so far has not been filled with funny and equally enjoyable moments...it has turned out to be another great year so far. So here are some gems I have gleaned from interactios with them recently:
As I stepped up to the line at the end of recess with my whistle in my mouth, they started scurrying around in circles, warning each other at the top of their lungs "WATCH OUT- SHE'S GONNA BLOW!!!"
Later that day at lunch, my designated table washer was finishing up his lunch and wiping down tables. He said to me "Mrs. H., do you know I work better when I drink?" (Meaning juice, but it still struck me as funny.)
And today we were talking about the 7th commandment in Bible: You shall not committ adultery. Which can be a whole 'nother subject for a blog as I had to carefully skirt around some obvious issues with teaching this to first graders. As a craft, we ended up making rings out of aluminum foil and discussing what wedding rings symbolize. One of the brighter students noticed I have a real ring on to which all their eyes got bigger. "Are you MARRIED?" another girl who reminds me of Ramona Quimby asked. "Yes," I replied, thinking, where have you been? "Well, where IS he?" (asking as if I have been hiding him all this time). "He is at work." "Oh. Well, where are your kids?" "We don't have any." (With a look of puzzlement and concern:) "Oh.Huh."
As I stepped up to the line at the end of recess with my whistle in my mouth, they started scurrying around in circles, warning each other at the top of their lungs "WATCH OUT- SHE'S GONNA BLOW!!!"
Later that day at lunch, my designated table washer was finishing up his lunch and wiping down tables. He said to me "Mrs. H., do you know I work better when I drink?" (Meaning juice, but it still struck me as funny.)
And today we were talking about the 7th commandment in Bible: You shall not committ adultery. Which can be a whole 'nother subject for a blog as I had to carefully skirt around some obvious issues with teaching this to first graders. As a craft, we ended up making rings out of aluminum foil and discussing what wedding rings symbolize. One of the brighter students noticed I have a real ring on to which all their eyes got bigger. "Are you MARRIED?" another girl who reminds me of Ramona Quimby asked. "Yes," I replied, thinking, where have you been? "Well, where IS he?" (asking as if I have been hiding him all this time). "He is at work." "Oh. Well, where are your kids?" "We don't have any." (With a look of puzzlement and concern:) "Oh.Huh."
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A Heroine of My Own Adventures
I have officially hit a writer's block. Life is status quo to date...we are currently keeping busy on weekends with various family members in town and then crashing after work during the week. However, last night a topic came to me in a sleepy daze, after somewhat awakening to my alarm clock that begins going off an hour before I am to get up. I have been having vivid dreams lately, and the first two were a mix of funny and upsetting, but last night was the icing on the cake, prompting my sub-conscious to encourage my conscious to blog about it.
The first dream was Friday night. After watching Doctor 90210 I had a dream in which my own husband became transgendered. I will spare ya'll the details...
The second dream happened Saturday night in which I flooded the apartment (or wherever we were living...we had a basement) twice while doing laundry and nobody would help me, forcing the laundry to just sit in a pool of dirty water along with all our other belongings. This almost killed me more than my transgendered husband.
Last night I was saving a friend from a psycho killer boyfriend. We started in a college town and I came up with all these crazy and brilliant ways for her to finally escape him. I finally had a chance to use my stalking skills in reverse and outsmart our stalker! Example: There was only one way out of town (the bus) and I knew he would know to check the depot so we were running down streets and borrowing various cars, changing our appearances and our identities along the way. Somewhere along the line there was a shift, and the person being chased became me and it was my psycho boyfriend who followed me into the neighborhood I grew up in. We ended up at a childhood friend's house, whose name and the details of the inner house I did not remember up until last night, though it was my parents who were living there. I ended up driving my car into the neighbor's garage across the street, kicking the neighbor out and holing up in the house while watching him search for me on foot. While this blog does no justice, this was a very intense dream and I woke up with a racing heart. Better than any scary movie I have seen in awhile...
And while all these dreams were so real and disturbing (translation?) the best part was waking up and realizing that they were all just that: a dream. I had to smile with relief and laugh a little bit at Bryan when he woke me up on Saturday morning to say goodbye before heading to work...the dream was too gross to describe!
P.S. I think the last dream maybe followed after watching one of my favorite movies of all time "Kindergarten Cop" and dealing with a similar (though much smaller) scenario like this at school this week.
The first dream was Friday night. After watching Doctor 90210 I had a dream in which my own husband became transgendered. I will spare ya'll the details...
The second dream happened Saturday night in which I flooded the apartment (or wherever we were living...we had a basement) twice while doing laundry and nobody would help me, forcing the laundry to just sit in a pool of dirty water along with all our other belongings. This almost killed me more than my transgendered husband.
Last night I was saving a friend from a psycho killer boyfriend. We started in a college town and I came up with all these crazy and brilliant ways for her to finally escape him. I finally had a chance to use my stalking skills in reverse and outsmart our stalker! Example: There was only one way out of town (the bus) and I knew he would know to check the depot so we were running down streets and borrowing various cars, changing our appearances and our identities along the way. Somewhere along the line there was a shift, and the person being chased became me and it was my psycho boyfriend who followed me into the neighborhood I grew up in. We ended up at a childhood friend's house, whose name and the details of the inner house I did not remember up until last night, though it was my parents who were living there. I ended up driving my car into the neighbor's garage across the street, kicking the neighbor out and holing up in the house while watching him search for me on foot. While this blog does no justice, this was a very intense dream and I woke up with a racing heart. Better than any scary movie I have seen in awhile...
And while all these dreams were so real and disturbing (translation?) the best part was waking up and realizing that they were all just that: a dream. I had to smile with relief and laugh a little bit at Bryan when he woke me up on Saturday morning to say goodbye before heading to work...the dream was too gross to describe!
P.S. I think the last dream maybe followed after watching one of my favorite movies of all time "Kindergarten Cop" and dealing with a similar (though much smaller) scenario like this at school this week.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Yay Gas!
I get a lot of things from my Dad, or have learned a lot of things from my Dad, such as how to be analytical, thoughtful, deliberate, and slow to get to the dinner table (or anywhere...just in general slow moving). Thats enough dogging on Dad, though:-)
I did pick up a trait from him that while useful to me, raises the eyebrows of others (including fellow siblings). Dad always, always records how much he spends on gas,on what day, how much gas is put in, and what the MPG was since the last fill-up. And they are always fill-ups...he never only puts a certain amount of money into it and the tank "gets low" once it is past half. He keeps all this information, plus whatever else maintenance was done on the car, logged in a little book in the drivers side door. He has done this since I can remember...before gas prices were an issue. Apparently it is an old person thing to do because I was told this by my 13 year old charge who I nannied over the summer, whose grandparents do the same thing.
Tonight I brought the book that I myself now keep in my own car to browse through it and see how much gas prices have improved. I found that exactly four months ago to the day, I put in exactly the same amount of gas and spent exactly half tonight as I did on July 11, which was $62...my all time high. It feels so nice to fill up now for only $31. And it feels good to keep that evidence in my driver side door as a reminder next summer when gas prices soar again! Thanks, Dad!
Yay for gas!
I did pick up a trait from him that while useful to me, raises the eyebrows of others (including fellow siblings). Dad always, always records how much he spends on gas,on what day, how much gas is put in, and what the MPG was since the last fill-up. And they are always fill-ups...he never only puts a certain amount of money into it and the tank "gets low" once it is past half. He keeps all this information, plus whatever else maintenance was done on the car, logged in a little book in the drivers side door. He has done this since I can remember...before gas prices were an issue. Apparently it is an old person thing to do because I was told this by my 13 year old charge who I nannied over the summer, whose grandparents do the same thing.
Tonight I brought the book that I myself now keep in my own car to browse through it and see how much gas prices have improved. I found that exactly four months ago to the day, I put in exactly the same amount of gas and spent exactly half tonight as I did on July 11, which was $62...my all time high. It feels so nice to fill up now for only $31. And it feels good to keep that evidence in my driver side door as a reminder next summer when gas prices soar again! Thanks, Dad!
Yay for gas!
Catch it again...
I had to delete the post about Fuzzy in his halloween costume because it was messing with my template. If you want to watch the video again, you can find it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EWLiRgnQ1E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EWLiRgnQ1E
Monday, November 10, 2008
Thankful
Not because this is the month of Thanksgiving. It is my New Years 08 resolution to always be thankful no matter what, whenever. My heart is full of things to be thankful for and I consciously try to thank God for all of these things whenever I open my planner and see "Be Thankful" written across the top week after week. (And I open my planner a thousand times a day...)
Something that weighed on me in our first year of marriage was Bryan's health. I wanted him to start taking care of himself better- more specifically, his teeth. Well last week he finally finished all his treatments after much initial battle with him (to which he eventually succumbed via happy pills) and with the insurance company and the provider they gave us. After transferring dentists, we found a couple he really likes and now he only needs to go for cleanings! Also, last week he finally got a new pair of eyeglasses from a guy who used to work at the shop, and who made him a pair for $10 using Bryan's prescription and some free (and sturdy yet flexible)frames he kept from a vendor sample box. Now Bryan doesn't have to see past his scratched lenses and he has a brighter smile (and we did it on the relatively cheap)!
I am also thankful that Bryan recently looked around and found some houses for rent that go for the same price nearly that we pay for our apartment and our garage. And I am thankful that parent teacher conferences are over and they went well. And I am thankful for a day off tomorrow. And I am of course still thankful for the Wii...
But I must be careful. Sometimes when I get too thankful and things are going too well, my green eyed monster of greed comes out and I want more, more, more. When this happens I re-evaluate my job (which I love, though at times I admit I lose patience and another dark side comes out...) and try to figure out if I should find another job that will pay better. Usually these thoughts lurk around me after having conversations with acquaintances (not necessarily friends) who deem it necessary to point out that they get paid well at whatever jobs they have (I think there is a fine line you should walk when deciding with whom to share that information...).
So while I am thankful, I must pray that I use these blessings not to my own advantage, but to share it with others. And I must pray that God continues to lead me down the road he knows is best for my career, our home and our earthly possessions. And I need to learn to stop wanting so much!
Something that weighed on me in our first year of marriage was Bryan's health. I wanted him to start taking care of himself better- more specifically, his teeth. Well last week he finally finished all his treatments after much initial battle with him (to which he eventually succumbed via happy pills) and with the insurance company and the provider they gave us. After transferring dentists, we found a couple he really likes and now he only needs to go for cleanings! Also, last week he finally got a new pair of eyeglasses from a guy who used to work at the shop, and who made him a pair for $10 using Bryan's prescription and some free (and sturdy yet flexible)frames he kept from a vendor sample box. Now Bryan doesn't have to see past his scratched lenses and he has a brighter smile (and we did it on the relatively cheap)!
I am also thankful that Bryan recently looked around and found some houses for rent that go for the same price nearly that we pay for our apartment and our garage. And I am thankful that parent teacher conferences are over and they went well. And I am thankful for a day off tomorrow. And I am of course still thankful for the Wii...
But I must be careful. Sometimes when I get too thankful and things are going too well, my green eyed monster of greed comes out and I want more, more, more. When this happens I re-evaluate my job (which I love, though at times I admit I lose patience and another dark side comes out...) and try to figure out if I should find another job that will pay better. Usually these thoughts lurk around me after having conversations with acquaintances (not necessarily friends) who deem it necessary to point out that they get paid well at whatever jobs they have (I think there is a fine line you should walk when deciding with whom to share that information...).
So while I am thankful, I must pray that I use these blessings not to my own advantage, but to share it with others. And I must pray that God continues to lead me down the road he knows is best for my career, our home and our earthly possessions. And I need to learn to stop wanting so much!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Quest for the Wii Fit
This weekend was not all that eventful, though in some ways it was. Friday night we did see a movie which was pretty funny called Role Models. The rest of the weekend is wrapped up in the following scenarios and dialogue:
[Background]
Two weeks ago I posted about how Bryan and I bought electric toothbrushes that had been on our list to buy for a long time, but their spendy price tag (as compared to .99 cent disposable ones) kept holding us back. Big whoop when we finally got them, right? Well, at the tippy top of our wish list for about a year has been the Wii (for you, mom and dad, this is the newest gaming console in the land of video game systems where everything is wireless and interactive- we can even actively pretend we are bowling...I knew that would get your goose!) So this is how a conversation went last night, while making dinner relatively early (5:30) after a day spent visiting with family at the hospital and doing grocery shopping, which needed to be done since last weekend but we both were sick.
[Mood: Bored and restless]
Michelle: "What else do you want to do tonight?" (keep in mind, it is a Saturday night and we try to pride ourselves on being young and spontaneous- while we still can)
Bryan: "I don't know- what do you want to do?"
(fast forward through this bit)
Bryan: "Lets go to Wunderland." (the Nickel arcade)
Michelle: "We could. Or we could just buy the Wii like we always talk about doing but never do."
Bryan: "Lets do it!"
Michelle: "But who do you think will have one?"
Bryan: "We could make some calls."
Michelle: "No- that will take the fun out of shopping. Lets just go"
(we eat dinner- it is 8:00 by the time we get ready to leave).
We decided on Toys R Us- they had a coupon in the paper where we could get a $10 off gift card with a big purchase (think: Christmas). However, since they are a toy store, we fretted they might close earlier than most lest we miss out on our once in a lifetime impulse buying trip. So we scooted on over there is a somewhat fast fashion only to find that they had a few Wiis in stock and they were open til 10.
[Leaving the store 15 minutes later, purchase in hand:]
Michelle: That was too easy.
Bryan: Yeah, I was looking more for a challenge.
Michelle: We could try now to find the Wii fit!?
Bryan: (Pausing) Are you feeling alright?
Michelle: Yeah, why?
Bryan: This is not usually like you. You freak out when I spend $30 on something for my car!
And so began our quest for the Wii fit, which fascinating enough, is (was) a tough commodity to come by. We stopped at all the usual suspects (Best Buy, Circuit City, Target) before closing time and made friends with a lot of their media specialists and security guards with our all important question: Do YOU have the Wii fit? It became like a scavenger hunt and we feigned desperation though it was really just boredom. In a final act of desperation (read: boredom) we even stopped at KMart (K-ame apart) and my old Blockbuster store. In our search, we learned that Target was the last to have them on November 2nd, though they only lasted on the shelves a day. We also learned some alleged Wii event is happening the end of the month, and this is why shipments to all stores have ceased. We tossed up the possibility of going to Game Crazy at Hollywood Video, but decided that is the first place all the Gamers (nerds) would go to buy it. So we came home with a Wii but no Wii fit despite trying to no avail.
Fast forward through a lazy Sunday spent gaming with our neighbor and later little brother and his buddy and Bryan hears that a Mario Kart rally is going on over the web. We had just got our Wi-Fi internet hooked up, and Bryan just needed to go buy Mario Kart (we had borrowed it from our neighbor earlier today). So since Game Crazy is the closest store, as Bryan heads out the door I say with a smirk on my face:
"Hey- ask them if they have the Wii fit"
ha ha ha ha.
Bryan calls 5 minutes later:
"They have, like, 12 of the Wii fits."
" Are you [crapping] me?"
"No- do you want one?"
"Uh- yeah."
"Okay- see you in a little bit."
And so ends our story of our quest for the Wii fit- the sole purpose (of mine) for getting the Wii. My ticket to a more slender form and a step further away from public speculation and humiliation that is the gym. Of course, Bryan is now playing Mario Kart so I am left to chronicle the event and wait until it is my turn. I have Tuesday off so one of my Bff's is already lined up to come over and do it with me as we pay homage to our Veterans.
Oh, so if you want a Wii fit, you do not need to go online. Just go to Game Crazy, where apparently they have never heard of a such "Wii Fit shortage" and all the nerdy gamers who do go there have no interest in such an apparatus.
[Background]
Two weeks ago I posted about how Bryan and I bought electric toothbrushes that had been on our list to buy for a long time, but their spendy price tag (as compared to .99 cent disposable ones) kept holding us back. Big whoop when we finally got them, right? Well, at the tippy top of our wish list for about a year has been the Wii (for you, mom and dad, this is the newest gaming console in the land of video game systems where everything is wireless and interactive- we can even actively pretend we are bowling...I knew that would get your goose!) So this is how a conversation went last night, while making dinner relatively early (5:30) after a day spent visiting with family at the hospital and doing grocery shopping, which needed to be done since last weekend but we both were sick.
[Mood: Bored and restless]
Michelle: "What else do you want to do tonight?" (keep in mind, it is a Saturday night and we try to pride ourselves on being young and spontaneous- while we still can)
Bryan: "I don't know- what do you want to do?"
(fast forward through this bit)
Bryan: "Lets go to Wunderland." (the Nickel arcade)
Michelle: "We could. Or we could just buy the Wii like we always talk about doing but never do."
Bryan: "Lets do it!"
Michelle: "But who do you think will have one?"
Bryan: "We could make some calls."
Michelle: "No- that will take the fun out of shopping. Lets just go"
(we eat dinner- it is 8:00 by the time we get ready to leave).
We decided on Toys R Us- they had a coupon in the paper where we could get a $10 off gift card with a big purchase (think: Christmas). However, since they are a toy store, we fretted they might close earlier than most lest we miss out on our once in a lifetime impulse buying trip. So we scooted on over there is a somewhat fast fashion only to find that they had a few Wiis in stock and they were open til 10.
[Leaving the store 15 minutes later, purchase in hand:]
Michelle: That was too easy.
Bryan: Yeah, I was looking more for a challenge.
Michelle: We could try now to find the Wii fit!?
Bryan: (Pausing) Are you feeling alright?
Michelle: Yeah, why?
Bryan: This is not usually like you. You freak out when I spend $30 on something for my car!
And so began our quest for the Wii fit, which fascinating enough, is (was) a tough commodity to come by. We stopped at all the usual suspects (Best Buy, Circuit City, Target) before closing time and made friends with a lot of their media specialists and security guards with our all important question: Do YOU have the Wii fit? It became like a scavenger hunt and we feigned desperation though it was really just boredom. In a final act of desperation (read: boredom) we even stopped at KMart (K-ame apart) and my old Blockbuster store. In our search, we learned that Target was the last to have them on November 2nd, though they only lasted on the shelves a day. We also learned some alleged Wii event is happening the end of the month, and this is why shipments to all stores have ceased. We tossed up the possibility of going to Game Crazy at Hollywood Video, but decided that is the first place all the Gamers (nerds) would go to buy it. So we came home with a Wii but no Wii fit despite trying to no avail.
Fast forward through a lazy Sunday spent gaming with our neighbor and later little brother and his buddy and Bryan hears that a Mario Kart rally is going on over the web. We had just got our Wi-Fi internet hooked up, and Bryan just needed to go buy Mario Kart (we had borrowed it from our neighbor earlier today). So since Game Crazy is the closest store, as Bryan heads out the door I say with a smirk on my face:
"Hey- ask them if they have the Wii fit"
ha ha ha ha.
Bryan calls 5 minutes later:
"They have, like, 12 of the Wii fits."
" Are you [crapping] me?"
"No- do you want one?"
"Uh- yeah."
"Okay- see you in a little bit."
And so ends our story of our quest for the Wii fit- the sole purpose (of mine) for getting the Wii. My ticket to a more slender form and a step further away from public speculation and humiliation that is the gym. Of course, Bryan is now playing Mario Kart so I am left to chronicle the event and wait until it is my turn. I have Tuesday off so one of my Bff's is already lined up to come over and do it with me as we pay homage to our Veterans.
Oh, so if you want a Wii fit, you do not need to go online. Just go to Game Crazy, where apparently they have never heard of a such "Wii Fit shortage" and all the nerdy gamers who do go there have no interest in such an apparatus.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Out of Commission...
On Monday night I felt it coming on. But since Bryan had a dental extraction on Monday and was feeling nauseous from the drugs, I thought it was sympathy pain in my own stomach. I also failed to realize that kids were dropping off left and right at school with the flu. When it took me a half hour to force down breakfast on Tuesday morning, I knew it was the flu. So I did what I prided myself on not doing so far as a teacher: I requested a sub and left school exactly one hour after I had arrived. Then last night, I emailed sub plans again for today. It has been nice in a way: I finally had a chance to watch a movie and read a book I had rented two weeks ago from the library. But at the same time, it is hard to imagine ever feeling "normal" again. I cannot stay home again tomorrow, as my sick days are limited. However, I still feel achy and tired, but I imagine the only way to get rid of this is to move around more.
Fuz has been an excellent moral supporter. He has even abandoned his food dish to follow my every move and slept by my side consistently the last two days. He even tried to jump on my lap while I was puking and made loud whining cries as his tail got all big and bushy, like it does when he senses danger. Bryan got me popsicles and soup and soda last night, but tonight when he came home I can tell he is ready for me to be better too. I can understand: nobody likes a sickie. SO I cleaned up, took a shower and now I am exhausted again. But I had to check my email (so much to respond to) and I was glad to find that I have been greatly missed at school, as my work inbox from school was flooded with emails from parents past and present, and cute little anecdotes from kids wishing me to get better. So I have high hopes that tomorrow they will all be happy to see me again, and my little hooligans will behave better than they have been lately...ha ha. Wishful thinking.
As for the flu, as they all seem to go with me, I should be good now for another 2 years...again, wishful thinking...
Fuz has been an excellent moral supporter. He has even abandoned his food dish to follow my every move and slept by my side consistently the last two days. He even tried to jump on my lap while I was puking and made loud whining cries as his tail got all big and bushy, like it does when he senses danger. Bryan got me popsicles and soup and soda last night, but tonight when he came home I can tell he is ready for me to be better too. I can understand: nobody likes a sickie. SO I cleaned up, took a shower and now I am exhausted again. But I had to check my email (so much to respond to) and I was glad to find that I have been greatly missed at school, as my work inbox from school was flooded with emails from parents past and present, and cute little anecdotes from kids wishing me to get better. So I have high hopes that tomorrow they will all be happy to see me again, and my little hooligans will behave better than they have been lately...ha ha. Wishful thinking.
As for the flu, as they all seem to go with me, I should be good now for another 2 years...again, wishful thinking...
Sunday, November 2, 2008
I Love, I Don't Love
A lot has been going on lately...October was by far a very very busy month and November is looking to be that way too. Lots of family on both sides coming in and out of town for various functions, with holidays around the corner, a wedding and a surgery. Somehow in the midst of it, I acquired a reaction to what the doctor calls allergies but I think it is just a really bad cough with flu-like symptoms. And I got first quarter grades done also. I cannot believe first quarter is over already and it is November! So here is an abbreviated version of what has popped into my mind lately in a format that can go together in the interest of time (I need to take a shower and get this achy body to bed).
Last Saturday my friend Melissa got pneumonia and we acquired three kids for an afternoon, which was fun but sad for Melissa. Bryan's first car with a backseat came in handy for the first time! He picked them up and played with them while I finished shopping, then we had dinner, went to the park and I dropped them off in the evening at their Grandma's. Somewhere in the middle of that, Melissa's 5 year old daughter wrote in chalk outside our apt "I love Brin (Bryan) and Mom" Which was cute, though she seemed to forget about me in the mix:-(. I hope she doesn't think Bryan will be joining their family anytime soon...but all three of the kids really do adore Bryan. :-)
And yesterday (Saturday) one of my bff's Gillian got married and it really was a perfect day. I felt fortunate to spend her last moments of "singledom" with her, when we left the rehearsal dinner to get coffee and a movie and I spent the night with her at her apt Friday night. The whole day yesterday, from hair and makeup in the morning to saying goodbye in the evening, made me feel like I just relived our whole wedding day, and I am so happy that it went so well for her and that she is so happy now too! It was so great to revisit past happy memories of Bryan and my wedding day and to experience Gillian's happy memories with her!
So in the spirit of love all around, this is list of
What I love:
1.) Weekends. No tying shoes other than my own, people refer to me as Michelle and not Mrs. H., my time is not dictated by a schedule or lesson plans, and I get to sleep in.
2.) Our new toothbrushes. Silly, I know. But these new electric, dentist quality toothbrushes have been sitting on the shelf at Costco and on my list of things I want to eventually buy for over a year. I feel so fortunate that even though my list seems like it is always expanding, every now and then we can cross things off that we wanted and were able to buy.
3.)An unused drinking glass that sits in our cupboard. We know it is unused because it still has the glass manufacturer's sticker on it. Neither Bryan or I touch that glass because it serves as a symbol of the "newness" of our marriage, as it was a wedding gift to us, everytime we get close to running out of glasses to drink with and spot it waiting at the back of our cupboard. Again, silly, I know. :-)
4.) Gas prices. I do not fill up too often, but the other day I paid $1 less and got two more gallons than I had three weeks prior. That felt great! I can now fill up for under $40. Woo hoo!
5.) Spending time with family.
I do not love:
1.) People who sneak in beside you when you are trying to make a left turn onto a two lane road. They think that they can make a right turn while you are waiting for the oncoming traffic in the far lane to pass by. However, what they fail to understand is you cannot actually see the other oncoming traffic because their stupid car is blocking your line of vision. So now I have learned to hug the corner on the right side even if I am making a left turn... I used to be considerate to others, but consideration should go both ways!
2.) Kids who block the street. When did parents start telling kids not to be afraid of big, heavy cars? I was driving along a busy street (not in a neighborhood) when I was infuriated that I had to slow down for some teenage boys on bikes half their size peddling aimlessly down the road in front of me. Then when you honk at them to let them know you are there, you get yelled at or the finger. This has happened more times than once. Kids think they own the roads before they can even drive...Grrrr...
3.) Doctors and nurses who have no bedside manner and act unprofessional and give you stupid, generic answers for all the concerns that you took time out of your day and paid good money to ask.
4.) Heart palpitations. How do I know which ones to worry about and which ones are normal?
5.) Wrinkles, sun spots and skin tags. Makes me feel like I really am getting older. And like I should really get over myself and start using sunscreen as much as I hate it. Oh well- at least I live in Oregon and for the next 8 months I do not have to worry about seeing the sun...
Well that is about all. For some reason, my blog is not appearing as it should and I am not sure why. If you want to see my blogroll, I found it at the bottom of my recent blog postings!
Have a great week!
Last Saturday my friend Melissa got pneumonia and we acquired three kids for an afternoon, which was fun but sad for Melissa. Bryan's first car with a backseat came in handy for the first time! He picked them up and played with them while I finished shopping, then we had dinner, went to the park and I dropped them off in the evening at their Grandma's. Somewhere in the middle of that, Melissa's 5 year old daughter wrote in chalk outside our apt "I love Brin (Bryan) and Mom" Which was cute, though she seemed to forget about me in the mix:-(. I hope she doesn't think Bryan will be joining their family anytime soon...but all three of the kids really do adore Bryan. :-)
And yesterday (Saturday) one of my bff's Gillian got married and it really was a perfect day. I felt fortunate to spend her last moments of "singledom" with her, when we left the rehearsal dinner to get coffee and a movie and I spent the night with her at her apt Friday night. The whole day yesterday, from hair and makeup in the morning to saying goodbye in the evening, made me feel like I just relived our whole wedding day, and I am so happy that it went so well for her and that she is so happy now too! It was so great to revisit past happy memories of Bryan and my wedding day and to experience Gillian's happy memories with her!
So in the spirit of love all around, this is list of
What I love:
1.) Weekends. No tying shoes other than my own, people refer to me as Michelle and not Mrs. H., my time is not dictated by a schedule or lesson plans, and I get to sleep in.
2.) Our new toothbrushes. Silly, I know. But these new electric, dentist quality toothbrushes have been sitting on the shelf at Costco and on my list of things I want to eventually buy for over a year. I feel so fortunate that even though my list seems like it is always expanding, every now and then we can cross things off that we wanted and were able to buy.
3.)An unused drinking glass that sits in our cupboard. We know it is unused because it still has the glass manufacturer's sticker on it. Neither Bryan or I touch that glass because it serves as a symbol of the "newness" of our marriage, as it was a wedding gift to us, everytime we get close to running out of glasses to drink with and spot it waiting at the back of our cupboard. Again, silly, I know. :-)
4.) Gas prices. I do not fill up too often, but the other day I paid $1 less and got two more gallons than I had three weeks prior. That felt great! I can now fill up for under $40. Woo hoo!
5.) Spending time with family.
I do not love:
1.) People who sneak in beside you when you are trying to make a left turn onto a two lane road. They think that they can make a right turn while you are waiting for the oncoming traffic in the far lane to pass by. However, what they fail to understand is you cannot actually see the other oncoming traffic because their stupid car is blocking your line of vision. So now I have learned to hug the corner on the right side even if I am making a left turn... I used to be considerate to others, but consideration should go both ways!
2.) Kids who block the street. When did parents start telling kids not to be afraid of big, heavy cars? I was driving along a busy street (not in a neighborhood) when I was infuriated that I had to slow down for some teenage boys on bikes half their size peddling aimlessly down the road in front of me. Then when you honk at them to let them know you are there, you get yelled at or the finger. This has happened more times than once. Kids think they own the roads before they can even drive...Grrrr...
3.) Doctors and nurses who have no bedside manner and act unprofessional and give you stupid, generic answers for all the concerns that you took time out of your day and paid good money to ask.
4.) Heart palpitations. How do I know which ones to worry about and which ones are normal?
5.) Wrinkles, sun spots and skin tags. Makes me feel like I really am getting older. And like I should really get over myself and start using sunscreen as much as I hate it. Oh well- at least I live in Oregon and for the next 8 months I do not have to worry about seeing the sun...
Well that is about all. For some reason, my blog is not appearing as it should and I am not sure why. If you want to see my blogroll, I found it at the bottom of my recent blog postings!
Have a great week!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
"Cuddles" April 1984- October 1998
Double click on the scanned images for a larger view:
This is a memorial blog to Cuddles, who was with us for 14 years (since he was six weeks old) and we have been without him now for 10 years. It seems like just yesterday when mom and I buried him, and every October I still think of him.
This is a memorial blog to Cuddles, who was with us for 14 years (since he was six weeks old) and we have been without him now for 10 years. It seems like just yesterday when mom and I buried him, and every October I still think of him. Since I was a baby when he was brought home in a Pampers box, I did not remember life without him and he was my first love for a cat. Since him, I have not loved cats until we met Fuz. Like Fuz, Cuddles was very fat. Though, unlike Cuddles, Fuz does not like to cuddle unless he is forced to. Cuddles warmed his way into the house, even when Dad wanted to keep him banished to the garage. When he was in the garage, we would often find him wedged between the gas heater and the inner wall. We were lucky to even keep him at all, after discovering I was allergic to cats and dogs and that is why I couldn't ever breathe (I seem to have outgrown this now).
Cuddles was very sweet, though he went through a lot of health problems at the end of his life and it was not easy for him. When he left us, he literally left us and died in the neighbor's backyard, so that we would not find him like that. Unfortunately, we did and we brought him home in a wheelbarrow with his stiff tail sticking out the side of the tarp and we buried him in the garden by the back fence, where a cross and one of his collars still hang in memorial to him.
We love you Cuddles!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Driving Myself Nuts!
I am a very organized person who knows EXACTLY where anything is anywhere in our apartment and it takes me no more than one minute to find 99% of all our belongings. Everything is neatly filed or organized on shelves. HOWEVER, lately I have been losing my mind and it seems like it all started when we moved into this apartment...could it be the spirit of the dead lady who lived here before us? I mean, when you live in a two-bedroom apartment, there are not too many places for things to hide...Nonetheless....
My following list of "missing" items follows:
1.) A set of Dove deoderant that I bought in bulk, thinking I would never need to buy deoderant again. Now everytime I go to buy deodorant I do so bitterly.
2.) A set of papers I had collected from grad school that contained notes and pointers on interviewing and professional skills to emphasize in interviewing.
3.) Another set of disposable razor blades for Bryan...maybe I should no longer buy in bulk?!
I am not sure if these exist, but since I have a feeling they do, they are making the list:
4.) More books on tape that would have been packed with my school stuff. Last year I am pretty sure I had two drawers, now this year I only have one drawer in my file cabinet filled with books on tape...
5.) A Pyrex dish of which the dimensions I am unsure and which, if it existed, I barely used. I just know I remember getting a lot of nesting dishes from the wedding...
6.) Most recently bugging me: After cleaning up games tonight after we had little friends over (read: babysitting) my game cabinet looks a little more bare than I visualized it looking last time I "crammed" a game in. Did I lend a game to someone?? Or did some little hands reorganize the cabinet to give it more room (and who could be more organized than me?!?)?
My following list of "missing" items follows:
1.) A set of Dove deoderant that I bought in bulk, thinking I would never need to buy deoderant again. Now everytime I go to buy deodorant I do so bitterly.
2.) A set of papers I had collected from grad school that contained notes and pointers on interviewing and professional skills to emphasize in interviewing.
3.) Another set of disposable razor blades for Bryan...maybe I should no longer buy in bulk?!
I am not sure if these exist, but since I have a feeling they do, they are making the list:
4.) More books on tape that would have been packed with my school stuff. Last year I am pretty sure I had two drawers, now this year I only have one drawer in my file cabinet filled with books on tape...
5.) A Pyrex dish of which the dimensions I am unsure and which, if it existed, I barely used. I just know I remember getting a lot of nesting dishes from the wedding...
6.) Most recently bugging me: After cleaning up games tonight after we had little friends over (read: babysitting) my game cabinet looks a little more bare than I visualized it looking last time I "crammed" a game in. Did I lend a game to someone?? Or did some little hands reorganize the cabinet to give it more room (and who could be more organized than me?!?)?
Monday, October 20, 2008
A Fun Weekend...And my first hangover...:-(
Awwww....I like this picture because it is one of the few I have where Bryan is really smiling.
Bryan took this picture. I think he has serious photographic abilities.Gillian's Bach Party!!
This was Drink #1...a shot of vodka to get the party started (or begin the downward spiral)
She was SOOOOOO excited/surprised about the Party Bus...aka V.i.p. PDX Motor Coach (it was huge).
Inside our ride...we barely filled a third of it. It had leather couches (including one in the bathroom), mini bars and flat screen t.v's. The best part was our personal attendant named Graham who was from England though I detected a bit of fakeness to his accent (it was a little too cliche'...too "Notting Hill". I think he aspires to be the next Hugh Grant....either way, he shopped at 7-11 to fulfill our late night munchie desires while we waited/danced in the bus)
Inside our private cabana at the nightclub...I think this was after four drinks...not sure...
Dancing on the main stage overlooking the club...Gillian was so happy!
Waiting for our ride home in the VIP area...I wonder why I can't stand up straight? Oh well...very classy non the less. Ha ha...JK.
Friday night we went with a group of over 20 people to the Haunted Corn Maize on Sauvie Island and it was a ton of fun, though very muddy. Gillian and Brent came along, along with many of Bryan's friends and co-workers. We did the regular maze and then Bryan, Dale and I stayed for the haunted one. It was great fun.
On Saturday night was Gillian's bachelorette party. I picked her up and we drove down to Portland, where we began the evening by eating munchies and having a couple drinks. Gillian opened presents and then at 10:30 was surprised by a knock at the door...it was the Party Bus which was freakin' huge. The last time I saw a bus that big was Lance Armstrong's passing through California on a tour. It was very chic and very fun. We had champagne and stepped off the bus in front of a nightclub downtown where I regrettably pursued drinking, not realizing my limit. This was the first time I bypassed getting buzzed on a few drinks and moved into getting wasted. I found out that I am still pretty logical though I lost feeling in my legs and arms (but no lost memory). When the bus dropped us off, I knew it wouldn't be good to drive home though I had quit drinking awhile before so another sober pal drove me and the bride to be home to her house. I felt bad for shirking my responsibility and then worse when I had to call Bryan at 3:30 in the morning and leave my car in the parking lot at Gill's.
Needless to say, Sunday was pretty much wasted by sleep and extreme fatigue and slight nausea. Bryan took me to breakfast at IHOP though I feared my delicious pancakes would make a reappearance. Luckily, I did not get a migraine and never ended up puking, though I think I learned my lesson. Anyways, it was nice to rest yesterday. Last night we also got our grocery shopping done, so that I could spend time with my other good friend Liz tonight, who came over for Tacos and Dirty Dancing (the movie...it was our fave in high school and we watched it a gazillion times...we are looking to start a revival!).
The rest of the week is looking to be low-key...I am hoping to finally cross off some things on my to-do list and be ready to visit with my sister and her family when they come into town this weekend for a wedding on my brother-in-law's side next weekend as well. It is a very busy time of year but very fun!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Digital TV is Coming
I got an e-mail from my sister-in-law's husband with this title and a link to a "Public Service Announcement". I watched it at school and take a wild guess who I immediately thought of!!
Ha ha ha...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiGJ8hUWLc&feature=related
Ha ha ha...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiGJ8hUWLc&feature=related
Monday, October 13, 2008
Waiting...
So I am just going to throw it out there that things have been going really, really well for Bryan and I lately. When I think through our tough year (since 2008 began) we are in the best place right now and everything that I can think of that was a problem is resolved or will be resolved shortly. Any issues that have come up lately, such as Bryan's car, we have been able to resolve quickly and effectively. And we continue to get cool little blessings each day...
So I am very, very thankful.
But then....there is that pessimistic side of me....the logical side....knowing that things won't go smoothly forever...and I feel like I am just waiting...waiting for drama to pounce and I cannot help but wonder when? And will we be ready? For example, I think I am so nervous to move that I make stuff up or overanalyze in my mind...like this morning, when I went to turn my car on...boy, did she grumble. Idling something terrible I'd never heard before, but it only lasted a minute. And then, I thought, I cannot remember the last time there was a day she wasn't driven (maybe when I was in Texas in March?) and no wonder she is tired. I gave her somewhat of a rest this weekend, while I recuperated from my cold, but Bryan still started it yesterday when he washed and waxed it...hmmm...guess we will have to play the wait and see game with that one...
After all, I did marry someone with inevitable bad luck. But I think finally the odds are stacked in my favor...hopefully for awhile...
So I am very, very thankful.
But then....there is that pessimistic side of me....the logical side....knowing that things won't go smoothly forever...and I feel like I am just waiting...waiting for drama to pounce and I cannot help but wonder when? And will we be ready? For example, I think I am so nervous to move that I make stuff up or overanalyze in my mind...like this morning, when I went to turn my car on...boy, did she grumble. Idling something terrible I'd never heard before, but it only lasted a minute. And then, I thought, I cannot remember the last time there was a day she wasn't driven (maybe when I was in Texas in March?) and no wonder she is tired. I gave her somewhat of a rest this weekend, while I recuperated from my cold, but Bryan still started it yesterday when he washed and waxed it...hmmm...guess we will have to play the wait and see game with that one...
After all, I did marry someone with inevitable bad luck. But I think finally the odds are stacked in my favor...hopefully for awhile...
Sunday, October 12, 2008
I just threw up in my mouth a little
When I opened up the washer to peek in on how Bryan's garage rags were doing (I poured in a lot of extra detergent) I was amazed and grossed out all at the same time with what I saw. It took three full cycles (well, the first one pictured here was the pre soak) to get the rags somewhat decent, then another soak (with no rags- just water) and some manual labor with Comet to get the wash tub sparkling white again.
Also, here are some internet-safe pictures (i.e. no mug shots) of our field trip. If you are in the Portland area, I recommend the Oregon Heritage Farms. We got a tour through the packing plant, a hay ride through the apple orchard, a visit with some animals, a zip through the hay maze, a jump in the giant apple shaped jump house, free apple shaped bottles with samples of cider and apple slices AND a free pumpkin. The farm also has a country store and soveneir shop where you can also purchase freshly made caramel apples. They also do other stuff on the weekends. The cost per student on a field trip was $5 each- not sure if we got a discount or not! But it was so fun and well worth it! The trip actually only took 10 minutes to and from the school and the weather was beautiful!
Funny, Funny
The following are two emails I have recieved through co-workers and are both too funny. However, I try not to send on forwards, but it is your choice to read what I post on my blog!! Hee hee...
A 1st grade school teacher had twenty-six students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the 1st half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are first-graders, 6-year-olds, because the last one is a classic!
1.
Don't change horses
until they stop running.
2.
Strike while the
bug is close.
3.
It's always darkest before
Daylight Saving Time.
4.
Never underestimate the power of
termites.
5.
You can lead a horse to water but
How?
6.
Don't bite the hand that
looks dirty.
7.
No news is
impossible
8.
A miss is as good as a
Mr.
9.
You can't teach an old dog new
Math
10.
If you lie down with dogs, you'll
stink in the morning.
11.
Love all, trust
Me.
12.
The pen is mightier than the
pigs.
13.
An idle mind is
the best way to relax.
14.
Where there's smoke there's
pollution.
15.
Happy the bride who
gets all the presents.
16.
A penny saved is
not much.
17.
Two's company, three's
the Musketeers.
18.
Don't put off till tomorrow what
you put on to go to bed.
19.
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and
You have to blow your nose.
20.
There are none so blind as
Stevie Wonder.
21.
Children should be seen and not
spanked or grounded.
22.
If at first you don't succeed
get new batteries.
23.
You get out of something only what you
See in the picture on the box
24.
When the blind lead the blind
get out of the way.
25.
A bird in the hand
is going to poop on you.
And the WINNER and last one!
26.
Better late than
Pregnant
And Email #2:
I LOVE MY JOB!
If you don't laugh out loud after you read this you are in a coma!
This is even funnier when you realize it's real! Next time you have a bad day at work think of this guy. Rob is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers in Louisiana. He performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs. Below is an E-mail he sent to his sister last January. She then sent it to radio station 103.2 on FM dial in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, who was sponsoring a worst job experience contest. Needless to say, she won. Hi Sue, Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother. Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dile mma with you to make
you realize it's not so bad after all. Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job.
As you know, my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It's a wet suit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is
taped to the air hose. Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints. What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and stuff it down the back of my wet suit. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's like working in a Jacuzzi. Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my butt started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened. The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into my suit. Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to it.
However, the crack of my butt was not as fortunate.
When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the
jellyfish into the crack of my butt. I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator. His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other divers,
were all laughing hysterically.
Needless to say I aborted the dive. I was instructed to make three agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression. When I arrived at the surface,
I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet.
As I climbed out of the water, the medic, with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as soon as I got in the chamber. The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't poop for two days because my butt was swollen shut. So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your butt. Now repeat to yourself, 'I love my job, I love my job, and I love my job.' Whenever you have a bad day, ask yourself, is this a jellyfish bad day? May you NEVER have a jellyfish bad day! Live well, love much, and laugh often!Have a great day! ;O)
A 1st grade school teacher had twenty-six students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the 1st half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are first-graders, 6-year-olds, because the last one is a classic!
1.
Don't change horses
until they stop running.
2.
Strike while the
bug is close.
3.
It's always darkest before
Daylight Saving Time.
4.
Never underestimate the power of
termites.
5.
You can lead a horse to water but
How?
6.
Don't bite the hand that
looks dirty.
7.
No news is
impossible
8.
A miss is as good as a
Mr.
9.
You can't teach an old dog new
Math
10.
If you lie down with dogs, you'll
stink in the morning.
11.
Love all, trust
Me.
12.
The pen is mightier than the
pigs.
13.
An idle mind is
the best way to relax.
14.
Where there's smoke there's
pollution.
15.
Happy the bride who
gets all the presents.
16.
A penny saved is
not much.
17.
Two's company, three's
the Musketeers.
18.
Don't put off till tomorrow what
you put on to go to bed.
19.
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and
You have to blow your nose.
20.
There are none so blind as
Stevie Wonder.
21.
Children should be seen and not
spanked or grounded.
22.
If at first you don't succeed
get new batteries.
23.
You get out of something only what you
See in the picture on the box
24.
When the blind lead the blind
get out of the way.
25.
A bird in the hand
is going to poop on you.
And the WINNER and last one!
26.
Better late than
Pregnant
And Email #2:
I LOVE MY JOB!
If you don't laugh out loud after you read this you are in a coma!
This is even funnier when you realize it's real! Next time you have a bad day at work think of this guy. Rob is a commercial saturation diver for Global Divers in Louisiana. He performs underwater repairs on offshore drilling rigs. Below is an E-mail he sent to his sister last January. She then sent it to radio station 103.2 on FM dial in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, who was sponsoring a worst job experience contest. Needless to say, she won. Hi Sue, Just another note from your bottom-dwelling brother. Last week I had a bad day at the office. I know you've been feeling down lately at work, so I thought I would share my dile mma with you to make
you realize it's not so bad after all. Before I can tell you what happened to me, I first must bore you with a few technicalities of my job.
As you know, my office lies at the bottom of the sea. I wear a suit to the office. It's a wet suit. This time of year the water is quite cool. So what we do to keep warm is this: We have a diesel powered industrial water heater. This $20,000 piece of equipment sucks the water out of the sea. It heats it to a delightful temperature. It then pumps it down to the diver through a garden hose, which is
taped to the air hose. Now this sounds like a darn good plan, and I've used it several times with no complaints. What I do, when I get to the bottom and start working, is take the hose and stuff it down the back of my wet suit. This floods my whole suit with warm water. It's like working in a Jacuzzi. Everything was going well until all of a sudden, my butt started to itch. So, of course, I scratched it. This only made things worse. Within a few seconds my butt started to burn. I pulled the hose out from my back, but the damage was done. In agony I realized what had happened. The hot water machine had sucked up a jellyfish and pumped it into my suit. Now, since I don't have any hair on my back, the jellyfish couldn't stick to it.
However, the crack of my butt was not as fortunate.
When I scratched what I thought was an itch, I was actually grinding the
jellyfish into the crack of my butt. I informed the dive supervisor of my dilemma over the communicator. His instructions were unclear due to the fact that he, along with five other divers,
were all laughing hysterically.
Needless to say I aborted the dive. I was instructed to make three agonizing in-water decompression stops totaling thirty-five minutes before I could reach the surface to begin my chamber dry decompression. When I arrived at the surface,
I was wearing nothing but my brass helmet.
As I climbed out of the water, the medic, with tears of laughter running down his face, handed me a tube of cream and told me to rub it on my butt as soon as I got in the chamber. The cream put the fire out, but I couldn't poop for two days because my butt was swollen shut. So, next time you're having a bad day at work, think about how much worse it would be if you had a jellyfish shoved up your butt. Now repeat to yourself, 'I love my job, I love my job, and I love my job.' Whenever you have a bad day, ask yourself, is this a jellyfish bad day? May you NEVER have a jellyfish bad day! Live well, love much, and laugh often!Have a great day! ;O)
Guilty Teacher Conscience
1.) In response to my blog about my most favorite, loveable family having another baby, I wanted to clarify that all of my families to date are my favorites (except for maybe one, of whom my opinion of is justified and correlates with those of others). I am very blessed to have such wonderful families who spawn such wonderful children. :-)
2.) We had another birthday in our room on Friday, and another such favorite mom brought in goody bags for each student. After warning the children to be careful and not lose their bags, one was found on the floor after school. I placed it on my desk, thinking that on Monday we will find out who went home empty handed. An hour later, in my boredom, tiredness and frustration I typically feel every Friday, I noticed mini tootside rolls peeking out at me from the said goody bag. All temptations succombed to, I devoured the tootsie rolls that belonged to some sad dejected student who only wants his/her goody bag back.
2.) We had another birthday in our room on Friday, and another such favorite mom brought in goody bags for each student. After warning the children to be careful and not lose their bags, one was found on the floor after school. I placed it on my desk, thinking that on Monday we will find out who went home empty handed. An hour later, in my boredom, tiredness and frustration I typically feel every Friday, I noticed mini tootside rolls peeking out at me from the said goody bag. All temptations succombed to, I devoured the tootsie rolls that belonged to some sad dejected student who only wants his/her goody bag back.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Seriously?
1.) I have a cold. Yes. For the second time since school began six weeks ago. 2 COLDS IN SIX WEEKS! And this one came on the fastest...by 1:00 pm yesterday I had a tickle in my throat. By 3:00 p.m. I was sneezing. By 5:00 p.m. I was seriously thinking about investing stock in the tissue company. Did I say investing???
2.) Hells no! My one and only stock in the mutual funds is down $133 below what I invested four five years ago. Screw that!! Im going back to my piggy bank...
3.) Speaking of slow, Bryan says 5 cars came in the shop today. Total. He spent his day watching soap operas and Montel Williams. I think it sounds divine but he was rather upset. Hopefully those paychecks keep coming- luckily, Bryan is a preferred employee unlike a couple others who were let go this week...
4.) After reporting on accidents in my blog last night, I came the closest to an accident as I ever have (within recent memory) tonight as some girl pulled a left turn in front of me. I think she was too busy trying to jump in front of me that she did not notice some car already in the path heading the direction she wanted to go. They danced and skidded together, luckily in the opposite direction of me until they eventually stopped within a foot of each other. I was glad I slowed down...probably cause I am terrified to drive now!
5.) Tomorrow nights blog is going to be a happy one. Today was a fantastic day- the best field trip ever, dinner with my bff, watching my other BFF try on her beautiful wedding dress once again (3 more weeks!), and a trip to the hospital to meet a cute little addition to my most favorite and loveable family at school! Then I came home to watch a movie with Bryan and watch the season premeire of CSI. Unfortunately, Warrick had to die. But its okay- at least we met his twin in person (see Blog dated September 28 :-)).
2.) Hells no! My one and only stock in the mutual funds is down $133 below what I invested four five years ago. Screw that!! Im going back to my piggy bank...
3.) Speaking of slow, Bryan says 5 cars came in the shop today. Total. He spent his day watching soap operas and Montel Williams. I think it sounds divine but he was rather upset. Hopefully those paychecks keep coming- luckily, Bryan is a preferred employee unlike a couple others who were let go this week...
4.) After reporting on accidents in my blog last night, I came the closest to an accident as I ever have (within recent memory) tonight as some girl pulled a left turn in front of me. I think she was too busy trying to jump in front of me that she did not notice some car already in the path heading the direction she wanted to go. They danced and skidded together, luckily in the opposite direction of me until they eventually stopped within a foot of each other. I was glad I slowed down...probably cause I am terrified to drive now!
5.) Tomorrow nights blog is going to be a happy one. Today was a fantastic day- the best field trip ever, dinner with my bff, watching my other BFF try on her beautiful wedding dress once again (3 more weeks!), and a trip to the hospital to meet a cute little addition to my most favorite and loveable family at school! Then I came home to watch a movie with Bryan and watch the season premeire of CSI. Unfortunately, Warrick had to die. But its okay- at least we met his twin in person (see Blog dated September 28 :-)).
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Traffic sucks.
Today in our early morning staff meeting we were discussing a book called "Letters from a Skeptic" by an author whose name escapes me at the moment. It is a collection of letters between a father (non-believer) and son (apologetics speaker, or speaker who defends his faith). One of the father's arguments was why does God allow bad stuff to happen? It was essentially decided that since Adam and Eve in the garden and the fall of man, God has given us the freedom to make our own choices, making us morally responsible to do good or do harm. If God would consistently intervene, this would trump our freedom, like a father giving his child an allowance and then telling him or her what to buy and not buy. Additionally, oftentimes when bad things happen a spiritual revival occurs, which God uses to bring us back to Him, such as the increase in church attendance following 9-11.
All this to say, I have recently engaged in a conversation over e-mail with the father of one of my students who nearly died last year in a terrible traffic accident too gruesome and detailed to describe here (five months later he is still recovering after suffering injuries that should have been deadly). I convinced him to speak to the high school students in Chapel when he comes to visit in three weeks (he is rehabilitating in California at the moment). Remember my blog about the student who almost ran me over in my car a few weeks ago? I think his story, which he so powerfully wrote to me (including pictures) will scare the pants off of these kids. Lately, there has also been many accidents in the community in which people have died (two fatalities this week). What gets me is his optimism (even to the point of joking about it) and complete shift from doubtful "believer" to totally convinced believer and lover of God. His story of sitting by the curb watching the accident happen and feeling someone touching his shoulders and speaking to him from behind convinces me even more that angels exist. Needless to say, I am very excited about meeting this man and helping him set up a presentation where he will present the truth about reckless driving and the powerful truth about God's great love and mercy.
So Naomi, your timing also sucks and mom totally scared me tonight when she told me about your accident. Sorry to hear about that- I am so glad you and A.J. are both okay, though. But as we have learned here, all things happen for a reason and a purpose...so thankful it was not worse, though.
All this to say, I have recently engaged in a conversation over e-mail with the father of one of my students who nearly died last year in a terrible traffic accident too gruesome and detailed to describe here (five months later he is still recovering after suffering injuries that should have been deadly). I convinced him to speak to the high school students in Chapel when he comes to visit in three weeks (he is rehabilitating in California at the moment). Remember my blog about the student who almost ran me over in my car a few weeks ago? I think his story, which he so powerfully wrote to me (including pictures) will scare the pants off of these kids. Lately, there has also been many accidents in the community in which people have died (two fatalities this week). What gets me is his optimism (even to the point of joking about it) and complete shift from doubtful "believer" to totally convinced believer and lover of God. His story of sitting by the curb watching the accident happen and feeling someone touching his shoulders and speaking to him from behind convinces me even more that angels exist. Needless to say, I am very excited about meeting this man and helping him set up a presentation where he will present the truth about reckless driving and the powerful truth about God's great love and mercy.
So Naomi, your timing also sucks and mom totally scared me tonight when she told me about your accident. Sorry to hear about that- I am so glad you and A.J. are both okay, though. But as we have learned here, all things happen for a reason and a purpose...so thankful it was not worse, though.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Here it is...
I think I look a bit less like a "school marm" (like last year) and more like a hip and stylish young teacher. Thanks Life Touch...you really did a fabulous job.Monday, October 6, 2008
I Like this Bible Verse
"Live in such a way that God's love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you." Jude 1: 21
Other than loving God and blessing others, is there really anything more?
Other than loving God and blessing others, is there really anything more?
It should be mentioned....
To any concerned parties out there: Bryan and I are doing okay. After a couple hours following the events in the previous blog, we said our sorries. Additionally, on Saturday night Bryan also suggested going on a "date" including dinner and a movie, paid for by his own hard earned cash. So he can be sweet and surprising... :-)
Also, I looked on the weather forecast: Next weekend is looking to be sunny. There is a light at the end of the tunnel afterall! Just hopefully not too much rain on Thursday, which is our field trip to the apple and pumpkin farm....
Also, I looked on the weather forecast: Next weekend is looking to be sunny. There is a light at the end of the tunnel afterall! Just hopefully not too much rain on Thursday, which is our field trip to the apple and pumpkin farm....
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Cranky/Bliss
It turns out that Fuz is a bag fiend like me. I was searching in my bin o' bags that I have collected over the years for just the right bag to take with me to the conference. I also switched from my spring/summer purse to my fall/winter purse. As I had these laid out on the floor in the office, Fuz so happened to end up on top of each one, nuzzling and pawing at them enthusiastically.
On another good note: The shower was a success! I spent a lot of time yesterday shopping and prepping the games and decorations and then the shower occupied much of today, but it was fun and I hope Gillian liked it as well! She got a lot of neat things...and the bachelorette party is still to come! It feels like not too long ago it was me sitting in that special chair, talking excitedly about wedding planning and details...And then, 2 1/2 years later, I came home and the waters broke loose! I quickly realized either I was extremely cranky today or Bryan really just was not doing anything right or anything at all that I wanted him to. At least he vaccuumed and took out the trash while I was gone, but he didnt clean the fountain like I had asked because he did not see the point and that irritated me. Then it became worse when I had to do this, get laundry into the wash and help with dinner all at the same time while he was watching tv on the couch and that is what did us in. We spent the next couple of hours fuming at each other (though the steak he BBQ'd was appreciated) which was a complete 180 from the rest of the day and talking about how marvelous marriage is.
I was also a little bit miffed that I had to clean his only good pair of sneakers (again) because he wore them to the shop yesterday (again) even though he has several other pairs of shop shoes. And then there is the whole fiasco with this stupid company called HyPerformance, which we are wondering if it even exists anymore since Bryan ordered parts from them off the internet in August (before his CRX broke) and we have not seen the parts or the refund, though they claim that they put the credit back on his card on three different occasions since telling him the parts he ordered were discontinued.....GRRRRR. Since Bryan was not taking care of this fast enough (it has to be done within 60 days) I am the one filing the dispute with VISA. This reminds me of the time when his identity was stolen and we (I mean me) had to go through hoops with the three credit bureaus...Sometimes I feel like I put in a lot of work that he does not notice and this irritates me to no end.
But like I say, I think I am just cranky tonight. So forgive me for ranting. Marriage really is great and I am happy for Gillian that she will soon get to experience similar joys! :-)
And tomorrow I get to go to work and experience a meeting with two very concerned and discontented parents...ah, joy. Maybe this is the source of my cranky-ness? (Mental note- do not check work email at home any longer)
It is looking to be a long week....
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