It's been a month. While I want to keep all of you wonderful readers updated on us, I do feel it's more important to live life than write about it. But since I've kept you all in suspense for so long, here's a post. :)
June was a rough month. Grandma passed away. A week later, my wonderful aunt lost her mom. The next day, Uncle Don passed away. A week after that, the same aunt lost her dad. Other friends have lost parents and grandparents. This is not a fun part of life, but the longer we live and the more people we love, the more inevitable it becomes. Thankfully, the streak seems to be over for now. Too much death for my liking.
Nora is getting more steady and is almost running. The way she toddles after her sisters is adorable. Less adorable is the way she stands on the couch and giggles when we sternly tell her to sit down. She's talking a bit now and jabbers a LOT. She says bye and waves at people until they actually close the door. A few times people have tried to wait for her to stop doing it to leave and ended up standing in the doorway for a while. She also says "tickle tickle tickle" while tickling her stuffed animals. And she LOVES to give hugs and kisses. To people, toys, food, inanimate objects. She's becoming a ham too, which is fun.
Ella and Mia are doing a sports camp at the park this month. It's twice a week for three weeks. Ella loved Tuesday. Mia stayed close to me and Nora, but says she'll play soccer tomorrow. I hope so, because I think she'd have fun. They're both getting so tall. They are less and less my babies and more and more little girls. I still can't believe Ella is going to start school this fall.
I can't remember if I mentioned it here, but I was having what appeared to be gallbladder issues a while back. After an ultrasound, my doctor determined it was my stomach. He wrote a prescription with instructions for me to call back if I continued to have issues. The prescription worked...until it ran out the same day as my grandma's funeral. Not good if it was at all stress related. So I'm back on the prescription and saw a gastroenterologist last week and had an endoscopy this morning. Big scary words to say he put a camera down my throat to see what the problem is with my stomach. No cancer, no ulcers, but I have a hiatal hernia and an inflamed stomach. I'm off caffeine, my prescription is now twice a day instead of once, and the head of our bed is now six inches higher than the foot. This should solve my issues within a few weeks. Decaf coffee it is.
Annie and Thomas came to visit for a few weeks. They are having a girl (yeah, I know, all girls, can't we produce a boy, blah blah blah. We <3 girls and are happy with our healthy, beautiful girls) and had a shower while they were here. Jonathan also came home for a weekend. It was good to see all three of them. Sarah will be back in a few weeks and Leslie will be coming to visit for a week and a half soon after that. I miss them both and can't wait to see them too. I do wish Paul could come too, but I'll take whatever family members can come.
There's not much else to report. Life is busy. We bought a kiddie pool, which the girls LOVE. Ella is a junior techie already and changed the tablet's language to Japanese. Mia usually has a tiara or ring or necklace on, if not a full-blown princess outfit. My class is still usually just me and Kristy but I have faith that it will grow. I got the word out on a few community calendars and I keep wearing my shirt and telling people about it. Steve seems to be learning his new position and (mostly) enjoys the challenge. Other than my stomach issues, we've been healthy. Life is good, just busy. Hopefully next time I'll have something witty or profound to say. Today I'll leave you with this: focus on what is important. Family, faith, revitalizing relationships, your passions. Drama, the lawn, the latest technology, your pride, the car you drive - these are not of real importance. Focus on the lasting things.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
RIP Grandma
Grandma went downhill last weekend. We visited her on Sunday. She was in and out of sleep and difficult to understand when she was awake. She had requested that we bring the girls to see her, so we did. It was a chance to say goodbye; she passed away at 8:45am Monday. Mom and Marie were with her.
Honestly, this is about the best way things could have happened. When we visited her the weekend before, I don't think anyone was ready to really say goodbye. This way we had a week to prepare and say goodbye. But since she was only sick for a week, she wasn't in prolonged pain. And since we knew it was only a matter of time, Mom and Marie were able to be with her.
It was still a rough week. The visitation was Wednesday. A lot of people came to pay their respects and show love and support. I'm thankful for that. The funeral was on Thursday. Dad officiated the service (is that the correct verbage?) so I sat next to Mom, with Marie on her other side. We spent a good chunk of the service crying. Grandma is having a wonderful reunion with so many loved ones, but we miss her here. One song in particular got us all. "I've Got a Mansion" was the last song Grandpa played on the organ, for a relative singing a special at church, before he had a heart attack and died. They sang it at his funeral 33 years ago. I think we may have sang it at Durwood's funeral (my uncle and my grandparents' only son), but Mom and I couldn't remember for sure. So of course, we sang it at Grandma's funeral. Or rather everyone else did while we cried.
When we went to the cemetery, I took pictures of the gravestones of different family members. Grandpa and Aunt Carla are buried there, along with both Grandma and Grandpa's parents. Since the mosquitoes were horrible and the girls react to them like I do, we put them with Chloe and Haylie in the Expedition, where they were watching a movie. The result? Ella laid on the horn (on purpose) in the middle of Dad's prayer. :s Oops.
I learned a lot of things I hadn't known before. Three of my four great grandparents on that side lived into their 80s. It appears I probably have a long life ahead of me. Carla was born alive, as the doctor was walking in the door of my grandparents' house. Mom says she probably would have lived if she had been born in a hospital, but instead she died that same day. I knew before she was a twin. But she was born and died on June 19, 1956. Brian and Amy, my twin cousins, were also born on June 19 (in 1979). Odd, yes? There were other interesting facts too, none of which I can currently remember.
I didn't see Grandma that often but I miss her already. It's just knowing I won't see her again here, the finality of that goodbye. But I'm glad she's not in pain and she's in heaven, reunited with so many of the loved ones she's mourned over the years. Now those of us left behind will mourn her and celebrate her memory and legacy. Rest in peace, Grandma. We love you.
Honestly, this is about the best way things could have happened. When we visited her the weekend before, I don't think anyone was ready to really say goodbye. This way we had a week to prepare and say goodbye. But since she was only sick for a week, she wasn't in prolonged pain. And since we knew it was only a matter of time, Mom and Marie were able to be with her.
It was still a rough week. The visitation was Wednesday. A lot of people came to pay their respects and show love and support. I'm thankful for that. The funeral was on Thursday. Dad officiated the service (is that the correct verbage?) so I sat next to Mom, with Marie on her other side. We spent a good chunk of the service crying. Grandma is having a wonderful reunion with so many loved ones, but we miss her here. One song in particular got us all. "I've Got a Mansion" was the last song Grandpa played on the organ, for a relative singing a special at church, before he had a heart attack and died. They sang it at his funeral 33 years ago. I think we may have sang it at Durwood's funeral (my uncle and my grandparents' only son), but Mom and I couldn't remember for sure. So of course, we sang it at Grandma's funeral. Or rather everyone else did while we cried.
When we went to the cemetery, I took pictures of the gravestones of different family members. Grandpa and Aunt Carla are buried there, along with both Grandma and Grandpa's parents. Since the mosquitoes were horrible and the girls react to them like I do, we put them with Chloe and Haylie in the Expedition, where they were watching a movie. The result? Ella laid on the horn (on purpose) in the middle of Dad's prayer. :s Oops.
I learned a lot of things I hadn't known before. Three of my four great grandparents on that side lived into their 80s. It appears I probably have a long life ahead of me. Carla was born alive, as the doctor was walking in the door of my grandparents' house. Mom says she probably would have lived if she had been born in a hospital, but instead she died that same day. I knew before she was a twin. But she was born and died on June 19, 1956. Brian and Amy, my twin cousins, were also born on June 19 (in 1979). Odd, yes? There were other interesting facts too, none of which I can currently remember.
I didn't see Grandma that often but I miss her already. It's just knowing I won't see her again here, the finality of that goodbye. But I'm glad she's not in pain and she's in heaven, reunited with so many of the loved ones she's mourned over the years. Now those of us left behind will mourn her and celebrate her memory and legacy. Rest in peace, Grandma. We love you.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Ella-isms
Yesterday she came into the living room while I was taking a breathe during my workout. She very seriously told me she needed to talk to me. So she sat on the couch and told me calmly, lower lip quivering, that when I yell, her face gets red and she gets angry at me. Is she aware or what? It sounds like something a mature adult would say, not a four year old. I explained that I yell when I get angry and when I get angry, it's usually because she's not doing what she's supposed to be doing. So if she does what I ask when I ask the first time, I won't yell, she won't get angry, and her face won't get red. And I thanked her for telling me. She later came to me and apologized for telling me she gets mad at me. Some days I swear she's four going on twenty-five.
Lately she's been saying she lost her goodbye voice or her sleeping voice. It's always suspiciously when she's supposed to be telling someone goodbye or going to sleep. Today she told me she lost her pick up power, so she just can't pick up her toys. Life is never dull.
And to preview her teen years, I was watching the Today Show this morning. She said, "Mommy, this movie is too lame for me to watch." Oh dear. Shortly after that, the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys came on and I agreed with her and changed the channel after they alternated short parts of their hit songs. (Side note: One of the NKOTB walked down the catwalk, grabbed a woman by the hair, yanked her head back, and kissed her. Um, is that supposed to be cool? 'Cause it made him look like a pompous jerk who is WAY past his prime. And skinny jeans are no one's friend, let alone guys approaching 40. Seriously.)
And a quick run-down of other happenings:
- Nora is walking! It took her 13 months to do it but she's walking. She still prefers crawling but is walking more and more. She's also getting 4 molars and says "cheese" for the camera. Dancing is a favorite thing and she likes people now.
- Steve turned 28! And bought himself a Wii for the occasion. I also got a new laptop (mine was on its last leg and steadily getting worse).
- Mia is still deathly afraid of thunderstorms. Which has been fun, considering the number of them in the last two weeks.
- I'm getting a Body Media Fit! Same thing as a BodyBugg but has more features and the subscription is less per month.
- Leslie and Paul left for California. :( I'm excited for them and their new adventure but I'm not a fan of them being so far away. They're just getting to California today. I'm proud of them and thankful for cell phones, Facebook, Google chat, and a webcam on my new laptop, which means video chat. Hopefully all that technology will help fill the gap.
- My class is actually a class now! I switched to Tuesdays so the people interested can actually come. I've had two classes that had more than Kristy and/or my sisters. (Sisters, thank you so much for the support! <3) Tomorrow is Turbo for a Cause in Toledo. I'm going to meet Jenelle! Very excited for that.
That's pretty much it here. Life as usual. :)
Lately she's been saying she lost her goodbye voice or her sleeping voice. It's always suspiciously when she's supposed to be telling someone goodbye or going to sleep. Today she told me she lost her pick up power, so she just can't pick up her toys. Life is never dull.
And to preview her teen years, I was watching the Today Show this morning. She said, "Mommy, this movie is too lame for me to watch." Oh dear. Shortly after that, the New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys came on and I agreed with her and changed the channel after they alternated short parts of their hit songs. (Side note: One of the NKOTB walked down the catwalk, grabbed a woman by the hair, yanked her head back, and kissed her. Um, is that supposed to be cool? 'Cause it made him look like a pompous jerk who is WAY past his prime. And skinny jeans are no one's friend, let alone guys approaching 40. Seriously.)
And a quick run-down of other happenings:
- Nora is walking! It took her 13 months to do it but she's walking. She still prefers crawling but is walking more and more. She's also getting 4 molars and says "cheese" for the camera. Dancing is a favorite thing and she likes people now.
- Steve turned 28! And bought himself a Wii for the occasion. I also got a new laptop (mine was on its last leg and steadily getting worse).
- Mia is still deathly afraid of thunderstorms. Which has been fun, considering the number of them in the last two weeks.
- I'm getting a Body Media Fit! Same thing as a BodyBugg but has more features and the subscription is less per month.
- Leslie and Paul left for California. :( I'm excited for them and their new adventure but I'm not a fan of them being so far away. They're just getting to California today. I'm proud of them and thankful for cell phones, Facebook, Google chat, and a webcam on my new laptop, which means video chat. Hopefully all that technology will help fill the gap.
- My class is actually a class now! I switched to Tuesdays so the people interested can actually come. I've had two classes that had more than Kristy and/or my sisters. (Sisters, thank you so much for the support! <3) Tomorrow is Turbo for a Cause in Toledo. I'm going to meet Jenelle! Very excited for that.
That's pretty much it here. Life as usual. :)
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Illa May Wise Steward
Yesterday was an up and down sort of day. It started out with a Facebook message saying that my grandma was in the hospital and it was serious. I called Mom and we both cried. Grandma is 91 and the diagnosis yesterday was gallstones and pancreatitis. I thought for sure I'd have to say good bye to her yesterday. I talked to Dad once they were at the hospital with Grandma and the outlook sounded much better. But since any issue can be serious when you're 91, Steve and I made the trip over (with Reid) to see Grandma. She seemed to be doing well and they expect she'll be in the hospital for a week and then return to the care home. My day ended much better than it began. But it made me think a lot about my grandma, my one surviving grandparent, and I thought I'd tell you about her.
Grandma was born in September of 1919, the first of many September birthdays in our family (there are four others). She had a brother and a sister, although I'm not sure if they were older or younger. (Jesse died a few years ago and Ruth passed away before I was born.) I believe Grandma was born in Sunfield and lived in the area her entire life (so far, although I doubt she'll move away). In her 20s, her father was sick, so she took care of him and her mother. He passed away by the time she married Grandpa. When I asked her how she met Grandpa, she told me she knew him from the time she was born. Their families went to the same church and they were friends for years before they got married around age 30. Grandpa got a job at Kellogg when Grandma was pregnant with Durwood. They had Marie a few years later. At one point Grandma was pregnant and miscarried. She told me she argued with the doctor, insisting she was still pregnant, while he insisted she wasn't. Several months later, she gave birth (she had been carrying twins) to Carla, who didn't survive more than a few days. I remember visiting her grave with Grandma when I was little. A few years later, they bought a house in Nashville and then had Carol, my mom. By that time, Grandma was 39. Imagine - in the 1940s, she waited until she was about 30 to get married - spinster status at that time. She had already lost a parent and two children. And she had a baby at nearly 40, back in the 50s (late 50s, but still). That's Grandma. She's very opinionated and spunky. She's incredibly independent, which has been difficult for her in the last few years.
Grandpa had heart problems for several years. I'm not sure of the time table, but he had a few heart attacks. Durwood married Sue and they had Jenny and Shelly. Marie married Dave but divorced him (I'm not a fan of divorce, but from what I've heard of him, she was better off and fortunate they don't share children). At some point in there, Grandma's sister passed away, from complications of early on-set Alzheimers. In 1978, Mom married Dad. A week later, Grandpa had a heart attack at church and passed away later at the hospital. Mom and Dad stayed with Grandma for a few months before moving to Kentucky for seminary. Marie married Ken shortly after that and they had twins, Brian and Amy, the following year.
More grandkids came: Reid, then me, Tracy, and Leslie. And then Jenny married Donny and Shelly married Bill and great-grandkids came; Sarah, Jacob, Molly, and Scott. Then the family got smaller again before it got bigger: Jenny and Donny divorced, Durwood passed away unexpectedly (heart attack), and Ken passed away just months later (also heart attack). A few short months later, we added to the family again: I married Steve and Tracy married Donovan. Babies came shortly after that and Leslie married Paul and Brian married Rebecca. Grandma now has eight grandchildren (plus five spouses) and nine great-grandchildren, with another on the way.
Grandma has had some health issues over the years. Due to iritis, she's blind in one eye and has been as long as I can remember. She has some heart problems and at one point she had a lump removed from her breast. She had some balance issues, which eventually led to her moving to a home. Like I said, Grandma is very independent. By then she'd been living alone for 30 years. She knew it was best not to live alone anymore, but I think it was really hard for her. She was used to taking care of herself and taking care of others, not letting people take care of her. A good example is the first time Steve met her. We met her at a restaurant for dinner, for her birthday I think. She had fallen recently and injured her ankle and was in a wheelchair. Brian and Marie were with her and Brian tried to push her wheelchair for her. She slapped his hand away and insisted, "I'll do it myself." She was 86 then. :) She accepts help a bit more willingly now but is still pretty feisty. I'm inclined to think that's what changed the doctor's opinion on Saturday, from thinking she wouldn't leave the hospital to believing she'll be around a bit longer.
I'm glad she'll be around longer. I would never wish to prolong any pain she's in and at 91 I know she may not be around much longer. She's outlived a lot of the people in her life already. But I wasn't ready to say goodbye yesterday and I'm relieved she's okay, at least for the moment. Mom and Marie are really close to Grandma and I don't think they're quite ready yet either. In the meantime, I'm going to visit her more often. She still has lots of stories I haven't heard and I bet they're good ones.
Grandma was born in September of 1919, the first of many September birthdays in our family (there are four others). She had a brother and a sister, although I'm not sure if they were older or younger. (Jesse died a few years ago and Ruth passed away before I was born.) I believe Grandma was born in Sunfield and lived in the area her entire life (so far, although I doubt she'll move away). In her 20s, her father was sick, so she took care of him and her mother. He passed away by the time she married Grandpa. When I asked her how she met Grandpa, she told me she knew him from the time she was born. Their families went to the same church and they were friends for years before they got married around age 30. Grandpa got a job at Kellogg when Grandma was pregnant with Durwood. They had Marie a few years later. At one point Grandma was pregnant and miscarried. She told me she argued with the doctor, insisting she was still pregnant, while he insisted she wasn't. Several months later, she gave birth (she had been carrying twins) to Carla, who didn't survive more than a few days. I remember visiting her grave with Grandma when I was little. A few years later, they bought a house in Nashville and then had Carol, my mom. By that time, Grandma was 39. Imagine - in the 1940s, she waited until she was about 30 to get married - spinster status at that time. She had already lost a parent and two children. And she had a baby at nearly 40, back in the 50s (late 50s, but still). That's Grandma. She's very opinionated and spunky. She's incredibly independent, which has been difficult for her in the last few years.
Grandpa had heart problems for several years. I'm not sure of the time table, but he had a few heart attacks. Durwood married Sue and they had Jenny and Shelly. Marie married Dave but divorced him (I'm not a fan of divorce, but from what I've heard of him, she was better off and fortunate they don't share children). At some point in there, Grandma's sister passed away, from complications of early on-set Alzheimers. In 1978, Mom married Dad. A week later, Grandpa had a heart attack at church and passed away later at the hospital. Mom and Dad stayed with Grandma for a few months before moving to Kentucky for seminary. Marie married Ken shortly after that and they had twins, Brian and Amy, the following year.
More grandkids came: Reid, then me, Tracy, and Leslie. And then Jenny married Donny and Shelly married Bill and great-grandkids came; Sarah, Jacob, Molly, and Scott. Then the family got smaller again before it got bigger: Jenny and Donny divorced, Durwood passed away unexpectedly (heart attack), and Ken passed away just months later (also heart attack). A few short months later, we added to the family again: I married Steve and Tracy married Donovan. Babies came shortly after that and Leslie married Paul and Brian married Rebecca. Grandma now has eight grandchildren (plus five spouses) and nine great-grandchildren, with another on the way.
Grandma has had some health issues over the years. Due to iritis, she's blind in one eye and has been as long as I can remember. She has some heart problems and at one point she had a lump removed from her breast. She had some balance issues, which eventually led to her moving to a home. Like I said, Grandma is very independent. By then she'd been living alone for 30 years. She knew it was best not to live alone anymore, but I think it was really hard for her. She was used to taking care of herself and taking care of others, not letting people take care of her. A good example is the first time Steve met her. We met her at a restaurant for dinner, for her birthday I think. She had fallen recently and injured her ankle and was in a wheelchair. Brian and Marie were with her and Brian tried to push her wheelchair for her. She slapped his hand away and insisted, "I'll do it myself." She was 86 then. :) She accepts help a bit more willingly now but is still pretty feisty. I'm inclined to think that's what changed the doctor's opinion on Saturday, from thinking she wouldn't leave the hospital to believing she'll be around a bit longer.
I'm glad she'll be around longer. I would never wish to prolong any pain she's in and at 91 I know she may not be around much longer. She's outlived a lot of the people in her life already. But I wasn't ready to say goodbye yesterday and I'm relieved she's okay, at least for the moment. Mom and Marie are really close to Grandma and I don't think they're quite ready yet either. In the meantime, I'm going to visit her more often. She still has lots of stories I haven't heard and I bet they're good ones.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
May the 4th
If you know my husband, you probably know I'm married to a geek. He works in IT and loves all things sci fi. I guess I'm a geek by proxy, although truth be known, I was interested in some of it before Steve, since my brother is also a geek. Anyhow, that is how I know today is a holiday. If you have any geek friends on FB or Twitter, you know this or you've at least seen "May the fourth be with you." Since the catchphrase from Star Wars is "May the Force be with you," today (May the fourth) is Star Wars Day. So in honor of that, here's a nice little story about how Steve knew I was the One.
Our first date was May 14, 2005. I graduated with my bachelors degree that day, moved in to my friends' basement, and got ready for a date with Steve. He had to work, so I had dinner at my future in-laws' with Becky and Zech and then went to register with them (they were engaged - for the record, I HATE registering. Shopping is not my thing and registering is worse because you don't go home with anything and you have to pick out what you want that you think someone else would be willing to buy for you. It's even worse when it's for someone else's registry. But I digress.). Steve met us at Target and then I rode with him to the bowling alley. I was nervous and when I'm nervous I either don't talk or chatter endlessly, depending on how well I know you. So I didn't say much. As the night went on, I felt more comfortable and started talking a bit more. By the time we left the bowling alley, I thought this relationship could have real potential (haha! I'm psychic!). The two of us drove around for a while, just talking. Contrary to all dating advice out there, Steve and I basically laid our cards on the table. We were both recently (within the last 9 months) out of serious relationships and were ready to settle down. Neither of us wanted to play games. We talked about our past relationships. We talked about most things. We ended up at Denny's, where we kept talking. When we went back to his parents' house, I asked if I could borrow his Star Wars DVDs.
According to Becky and Linda (my mother-in-law), this is a big deal. NO ONE is allowed to borrow Steve's Star Wars. Talking about it later, Steve said it wasn't that big a deal, no one ever asked to borrow them. But it was a big clue that he was seriously interested. Why did I want to borrow the DVDs? Because in January I visited Tikal in Guatemala. We were told a scene for Star Wars was filmed there in the '70s and I wanted to find it in the movie. I have a picture very similar to the one below, minus the spaceship, and the trees are taller (it HAD been 30 years). It's Yavin 4, featured in Episode 4.
Anyhow, I found it and pulled out my very similar picture, temples visible in the distance and all, when I returned the DVDs to Steve later in the week. I excitedly showed him my picture, exclaiming, "Look! I've been there!" (Even if you're not a SW fan, you have to admit this is pretty cool.) Aside from our similar views and temperaments, this and the fact that I got a Monty Python reference made Steve sure I was the right girl for him. So sure, in fact, that he proposed five weeks later. Here we are, six years, three daughters, one house, a masters degree, three jobs, three cars, and a minivan later. I'm happy with my geek and more than willing to celebrate May the fourth.
Oh, did I mention we had our first kiss after seeing Episode 3 in the theater? It was Steve's birthday and...
Happy Star Wars Day!
Our first date was May 14, 2005. I graduated with my bachelors degree that day, moved in to my friends' basement, and got ready for a date with Steve. He had to work, so I had dinner at my future in-laws' with Becky and Zech and then went to register with them (they were engaged - for the record, I HATE registering. Shopping is not my thing and registering is worse because you don't go home with anything and you have to pick out what you want that you think someone else would be willing to buy for you. It's even worse when it's for someone else's registry. But I digress.). Steve met us at Target and then I rode with him to the bowling alley. I was nervous and when I'm nervous I either don't talk or chatter endlessly, depending on how well I know you. So I didn't say much. As the night went on, I felt more comfortable and started talking a bit more. By the time we left the bowling alley, I thought this relationship could have real potential (haha! I'm psychic!). The two of us drove around for a while, just talking. Contrary to all dating advice out there, Steve and I basically laid our cards on the table. We were both recently (within the last 9 months) out of serious relationships and were ready to settle down. Neither of us wanted to play games. We talked about our past relationships. We talked about most things. We ended up at Denny's, where we kept talking. When we went back to his parents' house, I asked if I could borrow his Star Wars DVDs.
According to Becky and Linda (my mother-in-law), this is a big deal. NO ONE is allowed to borrow Steve's Star Wars. Talking about it later, Steve said it wasn't that big a deal, no one ever asked to borrow them. But it was a big clue that he was seriously interested. Why did I want to borrow the DVDs? Because in January I visited Tikal in Guatemala. We were told a scene for Star Wars was filmed there in the '70s and I wanted to find it in the movie. I have a picture very similar to the one below, minus the spaceship, and the trees are taller (it HAD been 30 years). It's Yavin 4, featured in Episode 4.
Anyhow, I found it and pulled out my very similar picture, temples visible in the distance and all, when I returned the DVDs to Steve later in the week. I excitedly showed him my picture, exclaiming, "Look! I've been there!" (Even if you're not a SW fan, you have to admit this is pretty cool.) Aside from our similar views and temperaments, this and the fact that I got a Monty Python reference made Steve sure I was the right girl for him. So sure, in fact, that he proposed five weeks later. Here we are, six years, three daughters, one house, a masters degree, three jobs, three cars, and a minivan later. I'm happy with my geek and more than willing to celebrate May the fourth.
Oh, did I mention we had our first kiss after seeing Episode 3 in the theater? It was Steve's birthday and...
Happy Star Wars Day!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
There goes April...
I've been neglecting the blog. Sorry, loyal readers. So I'm back with some updates...
- Nora turned 1! She's a hefty 25 lbs. She is stubbornly resisting all attempts to get her to walk. I half expect that one day she'll just take off at a run and that will be the end of crawling. She says a few words - Mama, Dada, baba (bottle), Ewwa (Ella), hi, and a few other things that sounded like words but may or may not have actually meant something. I had to trim her hair because it was in her face. That happened the day before her birthday. She looks older with her hair cut. The little bit I trimmed off is in a baggie in her baby book, along with a note with the date.
- Mia turned 3! Her check up is in May. She's getting tall. She's our cuddler, sensitive kid, and antagonist rolled into one. She adores Nora and takes care of her, but will turn around and smack Ella with a toy. I honestly don't believe she's trying to be naughty, she's just curious what will happen maybe? It keeps life interesting for sure. She has the BIGGEST appetite, but of our girls, she's probably the smallest for her age (which is still pretty high on the charts, I think). We still get lots of comments and questions about her red hair. I've even been asked if she was adopted...since red hair seems to pop up a lot when both parents have this recessive red hair trait (which honestly isn't so recessive in our family, considering Steve and I had 3 red-headed grandparents between us), I don't believe red hair is dying out. Just saying.
- Ella had her kindergarten round up appointment. How is she old enough for kindergarten?! Well, she seems old enough, but I don't feel like I'M old enough to have a kindergartener. Some days I feel like I'm actually still 17 and somehow woke up with a husband, house, three kids, and a minivan (in a good way, but there's still that feeling of "how did I get here?"). The appointment went well, she talked a ton, drew pictures, and came home with a few books and the alphabet.
- Steve got a promotion! He was help desk support and was promoted to network engineer. Normally there's a step in between - network administrator. The fact that he skipped that step shows how highly his bosses think of him and the faith they have in his abilities. He has a lot more responsibilities and a lot to learn (which means a lot of added stress), but he's up to the challenge. I'm very proud of him. :) This promotion also means a pretty big raise. Since Steve left Comcast and joined the bank about 13 months ago, his yearly income has gone up nearly $20,000. HUGE blessing! Obviously, this relieves a lot of the stress we had surrounding finances, even with the addition of a third child.
- We <3 Amoxicillin. Well, not really. I hate the 3 times a day dosing and some of the unfortunate side effects. Getting Nora to take it isn't easy either. But it does get rid of ear infections and the pain and screaming that come with them. Mia went to the doctor on Wednesday - double ear infection, bad enough that the doctor also prescribed ear numbing drops. Nora went in on Friday and she has an ear infection and the beginning of bronchitis. So both are on Amoxicillin and Mia has ear drops. Ella had a fever and a cough and threw up for about 24 hours, starting Friday night. She's finally keeping down liquids (Pedialyte for the win) but hasn't tried food yet. She did say she was hungry though, which is a good sign. The big girls have had cough syrup and all three have had some combination of Tylenol and ibuprofen for pain and fevers. We have two calendars on the fridge to track the Amoxicillin dosing and a list of who took what when. I highly recommend keeping a list if you have a kid on multiple meds or multiple kids on meds. My brain gets pretty muddled when I'm low on sleep so this method works for us. As of this morning, everyone seems to be doing somewhat better. Mia and Nora have been on meds long enough for them to take effect and Ella has stopped vomiting and has asked for juice and some food. She asked to play outside too. So Ella and Mia are out in the yard now - I figured the fresh air could only help.
- I have gallbladder issues? This may fall a bit into the TMI category - sorry, but you've been warned. I'm no stranger to issues involving gas, what with IBS and eating lots of fruits and veggies (I've heard this is an issue for other people switching to a healthier diet too). During pregnancy, it was one of many discomforts I dealt with. Normally Gas-X helps. But occasionally, I feel more bloated and uncomfortable and I start to get an ache in my shoulder. I found out a month or two ago that this could possibly be related to my gallbladder. It's an occasional thing, there doesn't seem to be a pattern to when it occurs, and I didn't think the doctor could do much unless I was in the middle of a flare-up so I figured I'd mention it when I go in for my yearly check ups. But Friday it was BAD. It happened when I took Nora in for her appointment and it was painful to sit down (pressure on my middle) or stand up straight. So I sat in a semi-reclined position and tried to hold Nora on my hip, which didn't help much. I asked a nurse about it in passing, knowing she couldn't do much without it being my appointment but she could at least tell me if I should get it checked out (yeah, I know, if I'm doubled over in pain, I should). She said I should get it checked out and asked if I still had my gallbladder. Since it didn't get better, I went to MedPlus later and the first question the nurse and doctor asked after hearing my symptoms was if I still had my gallbladder. The doctor thought I might have scar tissue on or near my gallbladder and ordered an ultrasound. Without going to the ER, I have to wait until Monday to even call to schedule it. Unfortunately I was in pain the rest of Friday night and off and on most of Saturday. I'm a bit afraid to eat because I'm not sure what's "safe" to eat and won't cause it to flare up worse. So I've had lots of bland foods and bowls of Cheerios. Steve bought more fruit last night because that's safe. Hopefully they can get me in soon to figure out the exact cause of this and do *something* to help it or shorten it.
- Fit Club ends and LIVE Turbo Kick class begins! Although both with a whimper, apparently. Second to last Fit Club was me, my wonderful sister, and my new co-teacher. Last Fit Club was just me and no one even showed up to let me in the church. Awesome. But that made it very clear to me that it had run its course. Unfortunately, Saturday morning when I dragged my hurting body (mid-gallbladder attack) out of bed and went to teach my first ever class, determined it would be awesome and I CAN work out through this, once again no one came. My lovely co-teacher came so we practiced and will advertise a bit more for this coming Saturday. I have a few people who I think can come this week that weren't able to last week (one of them being my wonderfully supportive sister) and I'm going to be more intentional about personally inviting people. I will make this class a success, even if my body seems to be determined to kill it (Seriously, the last time I was sick as the first week of Fit Club. Not sure what's up with that).
I think that's about it here. I DVR'ed the royal wedding and watched it. It was beautiful and I wish them the best. But William was much more handsome when I was in high school and I would not want to marry into all those requirements and media attention. I mean, they made her change her name. There will be pressure to "produce an heir." I much prefer my "prince" and quiet existence on this side of the pond. Well, at least once we're all healthy again. :)
- Nora turned 1! She's a hefty 25 lbs. She is stubbornly resisting all attempts to get her to walk. I half expect that one day she'll just take off at a run and that will be the end of crawling. She says a few words - Mama, Dada, baba (bottle), Ewwa (Ella), hi, and a few other things that sounded like words but may or may not have actually meant something. I had to trim her hair because it was in her face. That happened the day before her birthday. She looks older with her hair cut. The little bit I trimmed off is in a baggie in her baby book, along with a note with the date.
- Mia turned 3! Her check up is in May. She's getting tall. She's our cuddler, sensitive kid, and antagonist rolled into one. She adores Nora and takes care of her, but will turn around and smack Ella with a toy. I honestly don't believe she's trying to be naughty, she's just curious what will happen maybe? It keeps life interesting for sure. She has the BIGGEST appetite, but of our girls, she's probably the smallest for her age (which is still pretty high on the charts, I think). We still get lots of comments and questions about her red hair. I've even been asked if she was adopted...since red hair seems to pop up a lot when both parents have this recessive red hair trait (which honestly isn't so recessive in our family, considering Steve and I had 3 red-headed grandparents between us), I don't believe red hair is dying out. Just saying.
- Ella had her kindergarten round up appointment. How is she old enough for kindergarten?! Well, she seems old enough, but I don't feel like I'M old enough to have a kindergartener. Some days I feel like I'm actually still 17 and somehow woke up with a husband, house, three kids, and a minivan (in a good way, but there's still that feeling of "how did I get here?"). The appointment went well, she talked a ton, drew pictures, and came home with a few books and the alphabet.
- Steve got a promotion! He was help desk support and was promoted to network engineer. Normally there's a step in between - network administrator. The fact that he skipped that step shows how highly his bosses think of him and the faith they have in his abilities. He has a lot more responsibilities and a lot to learn (which means a lot of added stress), but he's up to the challenge. I'm very proud of him. :) This promotion also means a pretty big raise. Since Steve left Comcast and joined the bank about 13 months ago, his yearly income has gone up nearly $20,000. HUGE blessing! Obviously, this relieves a lot of the stress we had surrounding finances, even with the addition of a third child.
- We <3 Amoxicillin. Well, not really. I hate the 3 times a day dosing and some of the unfortunate side effects. Getting Nora to take it isn't easy either. But it does get rid of ear infections and the pain and screaming that come with them. Mia went to the doctor on Wednesday - double ear infection, bad enough that the doctor also prescribed ear numbing drops. Nora went in on Friday and she has an ear infection and the beginning of bronchitis. So both are on Amoxicillin and Mia has ear drops. Ella had a fever and a cough and threw up for about 24 hours, starting Friday night. She's finally keeping down liquids (Pedialyte for the win) but hasn't tried food yet. She did say she was hungry though, which is a good sign. The big girls have had cough syrup and all three have had some combination of Tylenol and ibuprofen for pain and fevers. We have two calendars on the fridge to track the Amoxicillin dosing and a list of who took what when. I highly recommend keeping a list if you have a kid on multiple meds or multiple kids on meds. My brain gets pretty muddled when I'm low on sleep so this method works for us. As of this morning, everyone seems to be doing somewhat better. Mia and Nora have been on meds long enough for them to take effect and Ella has stopped vomiting and has asked for juice and some food. She asked to play outside too. So Ella and Mia are out in the yard now - I figured the fresh air could only help.
- I have gallbladder issues? This may fall a bit into the TMI category - sorry, but you've been warned. I'm no stranger to issues involving gas, what with IBS and eating lots of fruits and veggies (I've heard this is an issue for other people switching to a healthier diet too). During pregnancy, it was one of many discomforts I dealt with. Normally Gas-X helps. But occasionally, I feel more bloated and uncomfortable and I start to get an ache in my shoulder. I found out a month or two ago that this could possibly be related to my gallbladder. It's an occasional thing, there doesn't seem to be a pattern to when it occurs, and I didn't think the doctor could do much unless I was in the middle of a flare-up so I figured I'd mention it when I go in for my yearly check ups. But Friday it was BAD. It happened when I took Nora in for her appointment and it was painful to sit down (pressure on my middle) or stand up straight. So I sat in a semi-reclined position and tried to hold Nora on my hip, which didn't help much. I asked a nurse about it in passing, knowing she couldn't do much without it being my appointment but she could at least tell me if I should get it checked out (yeah, I know, if I'm doubled over in pain, I should). She said I should get it checked out and asked if I still had my gallbladder. Since it didn't get better, I went to MedPlus later and the first question the nurse and doctor asked after hearing my symptoms was if I still had my gallbladder. The doctor thought I might have scar tissue on or near my gallbladder and ordered an ultrasound. Without going to the ER, I have to wait until Monday to even call to schedule it. Unfortunately I was in pain the rest of Friday night and off and on most of Saturday. I'm a bit afraid to eat because I'm not sure what's "safe" to eat and won't cause it to flare up worse. So I've had lots of bland foods and bowls of Cheerios. Steve bought more fruit last night because that's safe. Hopefully they can get me in soon to figure out the exact cause of this and do *something* to help it or shorten it.
- Fit Club ends and LIVE Turbo Kick class begins! Although both with a whimper, apparently. Second to last Fit Club was me, my wonderful sister, and my new co-teacher. Last Fit Club was just me and no one even showed up to let me in the church. Awesome. But that made it very clear to me that it had run its course. Unfortunately, Saturday morning when I dragged my hurting body (mid-gallbladder attack) out of bed and went to teach my first ever class, determined it would be awesome and I CAN work out through this, once again no one came. My lovely co-teacher came so we practiced and will advertise a bit more for this coming Saturday. I have a few people who I think can come this week that weren't able to last week (one of them being my wonderfully supportive sister) and I'm going to be more intentional about personally inviting people. I will make this class a success, even if my body seems to be determined to kill it (Seriously, the last time I was sick as the first week of Fit Club. Not sure what's up with that).
I think that's about it here. I DVR'ed the royal wedding and watched it. It was beautiful and I wish them the best. But William was much more handsome when I was in high school and I would not want to marry into all those requirements and media attention. I mean, they made her change her name. There will be pressure to "produce an heir." I much prefer my "prince" and quiet existence on this side of the pond. Well, at least once we're all healthy again. :)
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Balance
I read this on FB this morning: " if you didn't feel emotionally drained you wouldn't be doing your job as a wife and mother." I respectfully disagree. If you feel emotionally drained all the time, it doesn't mean you're a good parent. It means your life is out of balance. If one area is off-kilter, it affects everything and not in a good way. As a parent, there will be times you are emotionally drained. But if it's all the time, something needs to change. Part of being a parent is showing your kids what life is about. If you're always stressed out, they'll think life is stressful. I don't know about you, but that's not what I want for me or my kids.
So what's the solution? Mommy time. Parents need time to recharge, whether it's devotions, small group, exercising, coffee dates with friends, prayer time, alone time, MOPS, reading novels, bubble baths, date nights. Kids require a lot of time and energy. As a parent, part of your responsibility is figuring how to take care of you and renew your energy so you can keep being a good parent. You have to know your limits, know when you need to tell your husband you need a break, know when you need to get out and see an old friend. It's all about balance.
For me personally, I've had times when I felt off-balance and I don't think I was as good of a wife and mom then. I'm an achiever, overachiever really, and as such, I always need to have a goal I'm working toward. When I finished my masters degree and wasn't working, I felt stagnant. Then I got pregnant again and started working and it helped. I had goals again. After having Nora, my goal was weight loss (again). I met goal and then my goal was to get certified in Turbo Kick. I did that and now I'm practicing and looking for a place to teach. I have a feeling that will keep me occupied for a while, even once I find a location. :) Steep learning curve and I'm a perfectionist. Yup, busy. But it meets a need of mine and it refreshes and re-energizes me. Another thing that has helped me so much is regular exercise. People think I'm nuts. I have three small children, how do I find the time to work out? Well, nap time. I'm also an introvert and need some quiet alone time to recharge. I think I need nap time more than they do sometimes. But I get some down time and then I also exercise. Heart-pumping cardio done to awesome music? Heck yes! It relieves any stress in my day, clears my head, and gives me this awesome release of endorphins that gives me more energy and puts me in a better mood to deal with the rest of my day. It's me time with so many benefits. Steve is also an introvert, so he understands my need for alone time and he's seen how much my mood improves after a good workout. He's also great about encouraging me to go out with friends on occasion. He knows I come home feeling connected and understood. I try to do the same for him, encouraging the occasional guys' night and giving him time and space in the evening if he needs it. That's part of being a good spouse, in my opinion - seeing your partner's needs and helping them meet them.
We try to do date nights regularly, although those don't happen as often as we'd like. Nora is getting older and is on a more regular sleeping schedule, so we at least have an hour or so that's just us in the evenings. As the girls get older, date nights should be easier too. We also go to a marriage small group every two weeks. That time to connect with other couples and examine our marriage and safe-guard against potential problems has been wonderful. We have more couple friends now. :) And Steve has read some great books that he probably wouldn't have otherwise. (Just being honest. I read more self-improvement books, he reads novels before bed to quiet his thoughts. Our marriage is a priority to him but his reading time is pretty limited.) Along the same lines is MOPS. It's hard getting all four of us ready and out of the house and someplace else by 9:15. But for as stressful as it is getting there, MOPS has been great. It's reassuring to hear the struggles other moms deal with and it's expanded my circle of mom friends. I highly recommend finding a mom group. MOPS does have scholarships available, so don't count it out if cost is an issue. Having support and time with other moms is too important.
If life is draining the life out of it, find something that renews you. Taking a little time for you will make you better in all areas of your life, not subtract from them. It's not selfish to do something that re-energizes you and makes you a better wife and parent. It will enrich all of you. You have important roles. Do something for you to make sure you're at your best for them.
So what's the solution? Mommy time. Parents need time to recharge, whether it's devotions, small group, exercising, coffee dates with friends, prayer time, alone time, MOPS, reading novels, bubble baths, date nights. Kids require a lot of time and energy. As a parent, part of your responsibility is figuring how to take care of you and renew your energy so you can keep being a good parent. You have to know your limits, know when you need to tell your husband you need a break, know when you need to get out and see an old friend. It's all about balance.
For me personally, I've had times when I felt off-balance and I don't think I was as good of a wife and mom then. I'm an achiever, overachiever really, and as such, I always need to have a goal I'm working toward. When I finished my masters degree and wasn't working, I felt stagnant. Then I got pregnant again and started working and it helped. I had goals again. After having Nora, my goal was weight loss (again). I met goal and then my goal was to get certified in Turbo Kick. I did that and now I'm practicing and looking for a place to teach. I have a feeling that will keep me occupied for a while, even once I find a location. :) Steep learning curve and I'm a perfectionist. Yup, busy. But it meets a need of mine and it refreshes and re-energizes me. Another thing that has helped me so much is regular exercise. People think I'm nuts. I have three small children, how do I find the time to work out? Well, nap time. I'm also an introvert and need some quiet alone time to recharge. I think I need nap time more than they do sometimes. But I get some down time and then I also exercise. Heart-pumping cardio done to awesome music? Heck yes! It relieves any stress in my day, clears my head, and gives me this awesome release of endorphins that gives me more energy and puts me in a better mood to deal with the rest of my day. It's me time with so many benefits. Steve is also an introvert, so he understands my need for alone time and he's seen how much my mood improves after a good workout. He's also great about encouraging me to go out with friends on occasion. He knows I come home feeling connected and understood. I try to do the same for him, encouraging the occasional guys' night and giving him time and space in the evening if he needs it. That's part of being a good spouse, in my opinion - seeing your partner's needs and helping them meet them.
We try to do date nights regularly, although those don't happen as often as we'd like. Nora is getting older and is on a more regular sleeping schedule, so we at least have an hour or so that's just us in the evenings. As the girls get older, date nights should be easier too. We also go to a marriage small group every two weeks. That time to connect with other couples and examine our marriage and safe-guard against potential problems has been wonderful. We have more couple friends now. :) And Steve has read some great books that he probably wouldn't have otherwise. (Just being honest. I read more self-improvement books, he reads novels before bed to quiet his thoughts. Our marriage is a priority to him but his reading time is pretty limited.) Along the same lines is MOPS. It's hard getting all four of us ready and out of the house and someplace else by 9:15. But for as stressful as it is getting there, MOPS has been great. It's reassuring to hear the struggles other moms deal with and it's expanded my circle of mom friends. I highly recommend finding a mom group. MOPS does have scholarships available, so don't count it out if cost is an issue. Having support and time with other moms is too important.
If life is draining the life out of it, find something that renews you. Taking a little time for you will make you better in all areas of your life, not subtract from them. It's not selfish to do something that re-energizes you and makes you a better wife and parent. It will enrich all of you. You have important roles. Do something for you to make sure you're at your best for them.
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