Long week

What a long week! And of course its not over yet.

I am TICKED though at Lowes, I am not sure who to be mad at, so I suppose just the general overall everyone in management or above.

The store hours at our store have been extended so that we are open till ten, Monday to Saturday, effective tomorrow. If we are scheduled to close 9:30 on the original schedule we now have to work until 10:30. Which would mean I will be getting home around 11, and then turning around and being at the school at 7:45 the next morning.

I filled out an availability form to change my availability to show that I have to be off at 10 on Mondays, off Tuesdays-Thursday, off at 10 on Fridays, and then open to 5 on the weekends. I am sure they will give me grief, but I am killing myself with the schedule I have been trying to do lately. I figure I will tell B and A that I will close on Saturday if they need me to, I just need to know ahead of time (of course the schedule I have requested, is what they have had me doing for the most part anyway, except next weekend).

Next week, looks to be just as busy as this one was. (Insert sigh here) Especially since Mrs. J is out Wednesday-Friday for a state level training, and Wednesday I am on my own. Plus it is Dr. Suess week, which is always fun, but tiring (but it is my favorite week of the school year at this age!) I get to make Green eggs and ham on Friday, which should be LOTS of fun...... ;)

Nathan's tips for not catching the flu... and...;

This post over on Nathan's Blog Has me CRACKING UP tonight.

He has written a post on how to avoid catching the flu in an elevator, and I must say that it is FUNNY! Go visit...



Oh and this just in...
Gwyneth Rose has done it again! She is an just amazing little bundle of joy. From the latest post
In Nathan's own words:

So, in the past 24 hours, Gwyneth has been moved completely off of any IV/Pic lines (delayed for a few days) and has been moved from CPAP to the Nasal Cannula and is on 1.5 liters of O2 (which is stinkin' amazing).

And, I've seen her lift her own head completely off her bed a few times, which I find incredible considering she should still be swimming around almost weightless inside her mother's womb.

He has some wonderful pictures of her over there.

Wordless Wednesday

USS Alabama...

finally heard something. :(

I finally heard back from the principal at the school that I interviewed at last week. What she said is that she has decided to just leave the long term sub in the classroom (which I can't figure out why the long term sub wasn't offered the position, because the long term sub to have been in there since October has to be a certified teacher.) She took all of the blame today on herself, and said that she got cold feet over putting someone new in the classroom right before the big writing test, since she was worried about how the kids and parents will adjust.
sigh
She did say that she hoped that this would not turn me off of applying/interviewing for other positions that might come open for the coming year, and that if anything changed she would let me know. shrug I am still disappointed, and upset but what can I do?

At least she didn't hire the fresh out of college girl that interviewed right after I did the other week.

I have my sub job that I am in right now until at least the end of March, and even though its not the same as teaching every day, and its not teacher subbing (so its less money), its a steady subbing job. But man sakes alive, parapros have it rough.

Sunday

It has been a long long day.

My allergies are kicking my behind.

I had the idiot guy when I was working at returns today, the one who wanted to return all sorts of stuff that we don't even sell. Then he got upset with me because I said I couldn't take them back, and my department manager would not come deal with him, even though she could hear him getting pissy.

Then I had the worst session of teaching online that I have had in a LONG time. Made for a very LONG session.

I may not be around a lot this week, I hope to post at least once a day but I am not promising anything.
This is what my week looks like:
Monday
8-4 sub in kinder
4:30-9:30 Lowes

Tuesday
8-4 sub
5-10 teach online

Wednesday
8-4 sub in kinder
4:30-9:30 Lowes

Thursday
8-4 sub
5-10 teach online

Friday
8-4 sub in kinder
4:30-9:30 Lowes

Saturday
6-3 Lowes (yes am to pm, after closing the night before.)

Sunday
8-5 Lowes (I think thats the right times)
8-9 teach online

Ok I am tired, so I am going to leave you with the advice if you have not checked out this blog: Tales for Labor and Delivery go check it out.

Spring is coming

Wanna know, how I know?

Cause today I rang up more seeds, saplings, and grass seed than I can imagine. And I only spent an hour in the garden center...

Kelsey's birth story

Part three of three for my birth stories for Michelle's contest

You can read the rules and DJ's story here

You can read Natalie's story here

Make sure that you comment on Michelle's blog if you decide to play along!


Ok Kelsey's birth story. My darling eldest child, the teenage drama queen. Wow its been almost 15 years.

I feel old.

Oh wait I was a "teenage" mother! I don't need to feel old!! ;)

Alright, Alright I was not your stereotypical teenage mother. I was 19 and a sophomore in college, so I definitely didn't fit the mold of everyone around me. There is part of the story here at the post about my faith, so I am not going to go into that part.

I got pregnant with Kelsey over the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in college. I was rebounding from "the one" my freshman year, and yet still from my high school sweetheart.

I got involved with the "bad" boy from work. Eric was everything that "the one" and "the sweetheart" weren't. He was tattooed, drank, did recreational drugs, the whole nine yards. I thought I could "save" him.

(insert lots of eye rolling here)

My dad could not stand him, and was fairly vocal about this fact.

My mom dealt with it, in her own way, because being the wise mom that she was, she knew the bigger of a deal they made about it, the more I would want to be with him.

Eric and I meet before work, after work, on days off. The good catholic girl, and the bad boy, what a image. LOL

We used protection, but obviously someone higher had a different idea.

Call me naive, call me dumb, call me whatever, but it took a while before I realized that I was pregnant (Natalie was the only one that I "knew" right away with)

Scared-shitless, is an understatement.

I knew that Eric would not step up and help.

I knew my parents would be disappointed.

Only two other people knew right away, Eric and my friend Karen. Because I didn't know what to do, or even what direction was up.

When school broke for winter break, the next morning my mom came in my room, and just asked point blank. I told her yes, and then we cried. Then we started figuring out a plan.

My dad didn't talk to me for weeks, he was so upset with the whole idea. I ended up writing him a letter and leaving it for him to find when he woke up one morning for work (he got up at 3 in the morning in those days to drive to the Gun Range at Gila Bend).


My mom helped me transfer schools, from NAU to the local community college, and then helped me go meet with the counselor at the Catholic family services.

I think it was around late February, early March that I decided that I was going to keep Kelsey, (not knowing that she was a girl) and raise her, rather than give her up for adoption. I know that it clicked when Amber and I were out shopping for a potty chair for Niki and when we came home, she looked at my parents jokingly and said "Patty is keeping the baby, see she bought way ahead." It was a couple of days later when I really decided to keep her, but that moment stands out in my mind.

All of the sudden everyone was on the lookout for baby deals.

Amber's sister Misty found me a crib.

Mom and I found a portable playpen, on sale (not one of these pop-up deals that they sell now days, no this one had about 30 pieces that had to be put together.)

We turned the family room, into a bedroom for Kelsey and I.

Somewhere in here (I was around 28 weeks), I had put Amber's girls down for a nap, and laid down on the couch to relax. There had been a moth floating around the room, and I felt something crawling on my hand. I reached up with my other hand to smack it, and was STUNG. I jumped and saw a scorpion go flying. Crap...

My mom was teaching, my dad was in Gila Bend, Amber was in school, Matt was in school. What to do, what to do? My whole arm was going numb. I talked to my dad on the phone and he said to call the insurance help/information line.

I called them, and they said to go straight to the Emergency Department, at the hospital where I would deliver (in DOWNTOWN PHOENIX).

I could not get a hold of Amber's SIL to take the girls from me. I drove them up to my mom's school to find out what I should do. My mom was going to keep the girls in her classroom with her, and have me check Matt out of school, so he could go with me. But then the principal of my mom's school heard what had happened and found someone to take over my mom's class so that she could go with me.

I remember getting to the emergency room and the receptionist/triage lady not believing that I was 28 weeks. So she only had them take me to the back, where they listened to Kesley's heart beat like 3 times over the next 2 hours. I had an appointment with my OB that afternoon scheduled anyway, so my mom called his office and they said when/if I was released to go ahead and come there so they could see me.

We got to the ob office about 5:30, and the nurse practitioner and my OB were so ticked that I didn't get sent up to L&D because, if we would have gone into distress, they could have saved us both. Luckily that intervention wasn't needed. But considering my ob was a 6ft 7 inch man from South Africa, watching him go into a rant about it, was rather interesting to watch.

I was hoping that she would come early, by a week so that I could have her over spring break and not miss school. Didn't happen.

Then I started thinking that she would come on April 4th (4-4), because Eric's birthday is 2/2, and my birthday is 9/9. Didn't happen.

My Ob/gyn was going on a mission back to South Africa for a month, and he wanted to be there to deliver her. Didn't happen.

I went in on the 16th of April for a non-stress test at the hospital and then to the clinic on the 19th where the nurse practitioner decided that since my OB's best friend was the OB on call for the next couple of days at the hospital where I was to deliver it was time to induce me.

April 20th at 430 in the morning, my mom and I got up and went to the hospital to start the whole process. We walked the floor, we knitted a couple of afghan's for my cousins that were graduating from high school that spring, we read, we talked. Nothing, nada, zip. About 9 pm the doctor decided to give me a break and wait for morning.

April 21st more of the same. Finally about 4:30 or 5, the doctor decided that I had dilated enough (barely) to break my water and see if that would help speed things up, and then they gave me something to help me sleep for a couple of hours.

I woke up feeling the contractions about 830, still nothing too strong.

About 915 things were really picking up and the nurse checked me, I was at an 8.

I remember my mom and I were watching a local newscast/program and my high school nurse was on the program as a member of the guest audience.

About 9:40 I was ready to push, so the one nurse ran out to get the doctor (who had delivered 14 babies over 2 days, and was napping). He came strolling in, because this was my first baby, and "her hips are small, this will be a long time pushing".

By the time he came in and was taking his time getting ready I had already done 2 good pushes. The nurse looked at him and said if you want me to catch this baby, that is fine, but tell me now, or else get over here.

2 pushes later I had my little girl, all 8 pounds 15 ounces of her.

She wasn't little back then, and she's not little now either. ;)

Pictures of all three of my bundles of joy:
DJ Monday:


Natalie Monday:


Kelsey Monday:


the three of them in October:


The girls in 1998


2000


All three of them in Bury St. Edmunds UK, 2004


Kelsey at Matt's wedding in May 2007


DJ at Matt's wedding


Natalie with Angela


The entire family, including Matt, Angela, Grandma and Grandpa Furhmeister, and My mom and dad.

Thursday Thirteen~ Thirteen jobs that I have had

Thirteen Jobs that I have had... (Yes I spent the day filling out job applications again.)

1. Babysitter

2. camp counselor

3. Copy shop attendent

4. Little Ceasers Pizza cook

5. Little Ceasers manager

6. Preschool teacher

7. Substitute teacher (times 2)

8. GED Teacher

9. High School ESOL, Science, and Reading teacher

10. Middle school reading and Language arts teacher

11. China patterns saleswoman

12. Customer service at Lowes.

13. Online tutor

Natalie's story

Part two of three for my birth stories for Michelle's contest

You can read the rules and DJ's story here Make sure that you comment on Michelle's blog if you decide to play along!

Jerry and I became engaged on Christmas 1994, and started planning our wedding for January 28th, 1996. Super Bowl XXX Sunday, the first Super Bowl to be held in the Valley of the Sun.

Um yeah what was I thinking?

Oh wait, it didn't happen after all! ;)

The week that college resumed in January 95, I ran into my adviser at Arizona State, and we got to talking about life, and how I had gotten engaged at Christmas. She then suggested that since we would be moving to Florida right after the wedding, couldn't we get married before my student teaching, so that I would have a better chance of getting hired in Florida?

So thats what we did, we moved our wedding date up by 7 months to July 8th 1995. Jerry moved to Florida in late April, and then traveled back to Arizona with his mom and sister a week before the wedding.

Jerry, Kelsey and I left Arizona for Florida on July 15th traveling down I-10 to I-20, stopping every 100 miles it felt like for either Kelsey to go to the bathroom, or for me to go. By the time we got to Jerry's mom's house in Mississippi I was tired all of the time, and miserable, sick to my stomach, miserable.

We spent a week in Mississippi meeting all of Jerry's family and friends, and then went on to our new lives in Florida.

A week later I took a pregnancy test, and sure enough it was positive.

A week after that Hurricane Erin hit Florida. Now I was born in Iowa and moved to the Phoenix desert when I was 9, I had never seen a hurricane, let alone been through one. Jerry slept through the whole thing. I was a nervous wreck.
A week after that I started my student teaching at the school on Eglin. Certain smells in the classroom would make me sick. My blood sugar would drop and I would get horrible headaches. I got dehydrated super easily. Fun, Fun.

This whole time sick at least once a day, if not more than once.

I guess I should invent another term for my sickness that I had with Natalie. It was all day long sickness, motion sickness, and depending on the smells sickness. Franks Franks at the BX was the WORST smell ever! I could not walk in the BX without getting sick.

Labor day weekend we were set to travel up to visit Jerry's family for the long weekend. About 45 miles from our house, I made Jerry stop the truck at the truck stop while I ran in and got sick. There was NO WAY we would make the entire 300 mile trip to his mom's.

A couple of weeks later the La-z-boy factory where Jerry's mom works hosted a family bbq, and we were able to complete the trip (even though I was MISERABLE).

The very next week, Hurricane Opal came barreling ashore. Jerry was called at 3 in the morning to go batten down the hatches at work. At about 5 in the morning he called and said that he had been released, get everything ready to head out to his moms house, the hurricane was at a category 5 and headed straight for the bay that we lived closest to. I threw a bunch of stuff into the walk in closet, more stuff into garbage bags and bundled up Kelsey and we were waiting at the door when Jerry pulled up to the house. (Still hating hurricanes).

Hurricane Opal shut down the main through fare from Ft. Walton Beach to Destin. Highway 98 on Okaloosa Island was wiped out. The only way to get to Destin suddenly was the Mid-bay Bridge, the turn off for which was 1/2 mile west of the turn off to our house off hwy 20. Our 20 minute trip from the base to our house quickly turned into 2 hours right after the hurricane. Remember the motion sickness problem I mentioned? Yeah I attempted to walk along side the truck several times in the stop and go traffic to keep from loosing whatever I had managed to eat.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, my pap smear had come back abnormal, and so did my second one. So they had me come in so they could do a different type of test, where they looked at everything a camera. It was pretty cool, but it aggravated my cervix.
So that was trip one to Labor and Delivery, full of iv's and shots.

Then about 2 weeks later, I was at work at the preschool and I started having really bad cramps. To the point where I had to sit down on the ground of the playground. Kelly, my supervisor called Jerry and back we went to the Labor and Delivery, again full of iv's and shots.

Repeat verse same as the first. A couple of times over the next 10 weeks.

At 33 weeks my doctor put me on house arrest. He was worried that I would not make it to 38 weeks and that they would have to send me to Pensacola to deliver before then. He told me that I did not have to be in bed all of the time, but I was not allowed to be on my feet for more than 5 minutes at a stretch. Which was interesting considering that we were trying to move onto the base during this time, and I had an almost 3 year old at home. (Oh and I still had "morning" sickness the entire time.)



April 8th, my due date came and went. By which time I had been allowed to return to work, and resume life as normal (at 37 weeks I was released). At my appointment where I was 41 weeks, my doctor told me that he was going to Texas for the week, and would induce me the following Friday if I had not had her by then.

Monday night, we went out to dinner at Applebees in town.

Tuesday morning Jerry woke up with the worst case of food poisoning. He was sick, sick, sick. Which made me sick, sick, sick.

About 1:30 in the morning on April 17th, I woke up with the worst cramps in my life. I woke Jerry up at about 2:30 and told him what was going on, and he told me it was a false alarm go back to sleep.

About 3:30 I called Labor and Delivery. They told me to drink 2 huge glasses of water, and take a warm bath (as long as I didn't think my water had broken).

By now Jerry was up playing a game on his computer, thinking it was still a false alarm, but he couldn't fall back asleep.

About 5:30 I thought my water broke, and I was hurting bad enough that I decided I was done. So I called L&D who told me to come on up and get checked.

We then got Kelsey up, and drove her across the base (7 miles from our house to theirs, 6 1/2 miles back towards our house to the hospital) to Kelly and Kevin's house. I walked in with Jerry and Kelsey and said hi to Kelly. Back in the car though I was MISERABLE! It hurt soooooo bad.

We got up to L&D at 6:40, and I was checked. Sure enough my water broke, but I was only at 4 cm. It looked to be a long wait.

The doctor on call for my doctor came in about 7:10 and checked me, by which time I told Jerry I was done give me drugs. The doctor said do you want the good news first or the bad news? Crap...

Good News, you are at 7-8 cm and it wont be long...

Bad News, you are at 7-8 cm and its too late to give you an epidural...

Oh and I am on my way to a meeting so I wont be up here probably to deliver you.

7:30 I was ready to push. The nurse and different doctor come in to check me and sure enough Natalie was crowning.

Now back in the day, Eglin did not have LDR rooms. You labored in one room, were pushed down a LONG hall to the delivery room to deliver, and then were pushed back to the first room to recover for a while before going to the maternity ward.

Jerry and the techs started pushing my bed down the hallway. The narrow hallway, where they had to move boom boxes, towel racks, and other assorted stuff out of the way to get me there. The nurse the whole time was telling me to go ahead and push. I looked at her and said you want to deliver this baby here in the hall? (Kelsey was born in 4 pushes). I remember the nurse laughing at me.

We get into the delivery room, where they are not set up yet, and the doctor looked at the nurse and said, "Patty was right, you didn't want her pushing in the hall, this baby is here, now." I remember her standing there ready to catch Natalie while the nurses and techs were still trying to drop the bottom of the bed and get everything set up.

Four real pushes later, Natalie was born at 7:55 am, April 17th, 1995.

Birth Story of my little man

Michelle over at My Semblance of Sanity is sponsoring a baby story tale. Go over there, check out the comments, and post your own birth story!

Anyone can enter, IF you have a birth/adoption story to tell. (I would imagine it would need to be your OWN story, not your cousin's sister's daughter's story). Michelle doesn't exactly have a prize picked out yet, but I have seen some of the prizes she's given away for other contests, and they are pretty COOL!

Here's the rules:
Post your birth/adoption stories on YOUR blog, and post a link to Michelle's blog. If you do not have your own blog, but would still like to participate, you may post your birth story in the comments section of Michelle's blog here. Don't forget to post a link in the comments on Michelle's blog, or else she won't know you posted a story...

Michelle will pick ONE story each day to be "showcased" the next day on her blog. At the end of the contest (which runs until 2/26). On 2/27, we will get to vote on the showcased stories, and on 2/28, Michelle will announce the winner on her Gabbin' Mama blog.

Invite all of your blogger friends to participate - the more, the merrier! Plus, you know how us Mamas L~O~V~E to tell our birth/adoption stories. Daddies are invited to tell their stories, too. Although, Nate, over at CFHusband should not be allowed to participate, since anyone who reads HIS story would just HAVE to vote for him!! He'd win by a landslide! LOL (Just kidding, Nate)

I have decided to play along with this one because I don't know that I have ever written out DJ's birth story. So lets go back in time, way back to 2001.

"Now wait a minute!" you say "DJ is only 3! How does this story go back to 2001?"

Simple, 2001 is when....

Well I guess if I really want to do this right I should go back even further, back to 1998...

One Friday in August of 1998, Jerry was supposed to be traveling from the base we were stationed at to Norwich, England for a going away party with the guys from work. However I had been in pain and sick all day long. About an hour before they were to leave I told Jerry he had to take me to the Emergency Room at the base hospital, because there was something really wrong with me. I could not keep anything down, and could hardly move from the pain.

The ER doctor, was a British man, who after poking me in the lower abdomen several times, decided that I was ovulating and dehydrated. He ordered an iv, gave me some meds, and sent me on my way.

Oh boy was Jerry mad! He missed the going away party, because I was "ovulating"?

That weekend, I was still in pain, but it was tolerable, and I was not getting sick, so I blew it off. I had an appointment set up with the clinic for Wednesday to have my hip checked out (which I have a bad habit of dislocating,) so I figured I would ask the doctor to run some tests about this pain at that time.

Tuesday early morning, Jerry came home from work, and drove to Gatwick Airport in London to pick up one of the supervisors and his family from their vacation to the states.

I woke up around 6, in excruciating pain, could not sit up properly pain. I decided to go to the neighbors house and ask if she could keep the girls for me, while I went to the ER to be seen. My neighbor took one look at me, and went to wake up the neighbor between the two of us, to have her watch all 5 of our kids while she drove me to the ER herself, for she did not think that I would make it on my own.

It took 8 hours in the ER, and the radiologist (who I had just had dinner with two nights before) before they figured out what was wrong with me. My left ovary had a huge cyst on it, and it had torqued taking the fallopian tube with it. This caused the out going blood flow to be cut off, which was where my pain was coming from. The next morning they did surgery and removed the ovary and fallopian tube.

Fast forward in time with me to the Fall of 2001. I once again was having pains in my lower abdomen. I went to the clinic, and was referred to the ob/gyn clinic. Once at the ob/gyn clinic the doctor did several tests and then basically told me that he hoped I was done having children, because there was a lot of scarring both on my remaining ovary and tube, that pregnancy without medical intervention would be hard to achieve.

To Jerry and I this was fine. I figured that now I knew why I had gotten pregnant with the girls at 19, and 22.


Needless to say we did not work to prevent a pregnancy after this time, because if I was meant to get pregnant, then it would happen. I faithfully had my cycle every month for the next 2 years. I still had the pains at times, but never enough to send me back to the OB/GYN clinic concerned that I had another huge cyst.

December 2003, Oh boy was I in for it. I had several bouts of the "flu" that month, and shortly before Christmas Jerry looked at me and said I think you are pregnant.

"Huh?"

"What?"

"You are crazy!"


To shut him up, I bought a home pregnancy test.

Wouldn't you know it? It turned up positive within 2 minutes, forget that 5 minute crap.

To say that I was so shocked, and scared, would be the biggest understatement of the century.

I went to the clinic and had the test confirmed there, before telling anyone other than Jerry. Which of course told us what we already knew.

We told the girls and our parents pretty much that day, and we waited a couple of days before telling most people. Mostly because I did not want my principal hearing about it from anyone except me (even though I had a summer due date).



When I went in for my dating ultrasound (at 12 weeks), the doctor that did my ultrasound was the same doctor that told me in 2001 that I was done. When I reminded him of this fact, he said well this is a happy surprise? I remember telling him, sure it is, but if this is not a boy, you are in trouble mister. LOL

I think I was the most spoiled pregnant lady on the base. My students/sons brought me chocolate, and breakfast almost daily. They got mad at me if I was on my feet more than a few minutes. They would come in and talk to my belly on a daily basis, reading stories to my belly, telling my belly football stories. The entire nine yards.

Compared to my pregnancy with Natalie, this one was a cake walk. I had some morning sickness, but up until my 35th week, I did not have any preterm labor scares, no GD, no high blood pressure, none of the usual suspects.

Right up until my 40 week check up, the day before DJ was due. I had walked up the stairs and my blood pressure was a little high. The doctor that came in for my appointment looked at me and said "Lets induce this little guy today!"

To say I was surprised, is an understatement. I had fully expected to go back to work late (school started for teachers 4 weeks to the day later), because I expected them to refuse to induce me for at least a week past the due date.

I had to go down to the lab to have labs run, I had to call and make arrangements for the girls to go stay at the neighbors until Niki could get back from helping pack out Will, I had to call Jerry to come meet me, all before I could go up to the labor and delivery ward.

When I checked in I was dilated to 2 cm.

I told the midwife that was the attending when they checked me in that with both of the girls, nothing ever got going until either the doctor broke my water (with Kelsey), or it broke on its own (with Natalie). I also knew that DJ had not dropped enough to break my water on his own. The midwife told me that, yep thats in your chart, but lets try this my way first.

After 10 hours on the pic drip, I had only progressed to a 4. (insert rolling eyes). So I sent Jerry home to get the girls and get some sleep.

The next morning the next doc came on duty. Dr. T looked at my chart, looked at me and said did you request for so in so to break your water? Because its in here that with your oldest when they induced you nothing happened until your water was broken.

"Yes, sir. But so in so, didn't listen."

Dr. T broke my water, at 630 am on the 27th of July.

I called Jerry and let him know that he should drop the girls off with Niki and come on over.

By 830 I was requesting an epidural, and the nurse on duty said that I was not far enough along.

At 920, I felt like I needed to push, so Jerry went out and got the nurse, who could not believe it, since she had just checked me. She came in and sure enough DJ was crowning.

Dr. T and his crew came in to catch DJ.

The next thing I knew, Dr. T was telling me to stop pushing. DJ's cord was wrapped around his neck three times. Every time I pushed, it was cutting the circulation off to him.

Dr. T was able to unwrap one of the wraps, so that he could finish delivering DJ.

When DJ first was born, Dr. T had to cut his cord right away and hand him off to the pediatrician that he had the nurses get as soon as he realized that we were in a stress situation.

Declan John arrived July 27th at 958 am UK time. Weighed in at 8 pounds 4.8 oz and 21 inches long.

Luckily for us, the pediatrician and the technician that were there were able to get DJ to start breathing almost right away. But that was the scariest 2 minutes of my life. Listening to those two saying, come on little boy, don't you dare let us down. And not hearing him cry like both of the girls did as soon as they were born.

I knew as soon as he was born that he was truly my last.

edited to add the rules of the game

Wordless Wednesday

Edited to add that this was taken at the St. Regis Monarch resort in California. I took the picture on the balcony of my SIL's bridal suite, the morning of their wedding.

Nascar trying to reach their core fans?

While I honestly don't spend that much time on Nascar.com, I found this article today to be mildly funny.

Nascar seemingly is worried about reaching their "core" fans

NASCAR begins campaign that targets core fan base
By Sporting News Wire Service
February 19, 2008
01:31 PM EST
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NASCAR is unveiling a brand message for the season dubbed "Our NASCAR"

that targets its core fans, the same ones who have complained that the sport left them behind during its growth.

The brand message is part of an overall strategy to prevent erosion of the sport's core fan base and reflects the attention NASCAR is paying to declines in TV ratings and attendance, especially among its most loyal fans.
Daytona.500.logo.193.jpg
Race caps ratings increase for FOX

Sunday's 50th running of the Daytona 500 on FOX scored increased average audience, total audience and household ratings compared to a year ago, according to fast national figures released Monday by Nielsen Media Research.

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SPEED's Duel tops cable time slot

In its second year of live and exclusive coverage of the Gatorade Duel at Daytona, SPEED delivered a 12 percent ratings increase over 2007, with race coverage scoring a final Nielsen Household Rating of 2.10 compared to last season's 1.87, making it the second-most watched program in the network's history.

* More

NASCAR's research indicates the core fans are watching less. Dick Glover, NASCAR's former vice president of broadcasting and new media, attributed the TV ratings drop in 2007 to "heavy viewers watching fewer events [two less]" annually and "lower initial tune-in," meaning fewer viewers were in front of the TV for the green flag.

That information was in Glover's year-end report to sponsors and other stakeholders after a season in which network ratings dropped 11 percent, from a 5.4 in 2006 to a 4.8 last year, the second consecutive year of decline.

NASCAR described that research as proprietary and would not comment.

Glover left NASCAR in January to become CEO of Funny or Die Networks.

TV viewership also dropped among males 55 and over, another statistic that could speak to the loyalty of the longtime fan. These figures offer some support to the more anecdotal complaints longtime fans have voiced about inconsistent start times, the commercialization of the sport and the desertion of tracks in the Southeast such as North Wilkesboro and Rockingham, both in North Carolina, in favor of new markets such as Los Angeles, which is served by two races per year at California Speedway.

NASCAR has responded with a strategy that includes "Our NASCAR" and a more proactive approach with the sport's key stakeholders. Privately, CEO Brian France and his top executives met with top racetrack officials, team executives and broadcast partners in New York during the offseason to share research and talk about NASCAR's marketing plans moving forward. The full "Our NASCAR" plans were unveiled Friday at a sponsor summit in Daytona Beach, Fla.

"It's about looking reflectively at the great things that connect people to the sport," said Jim Obermeyer, NASCAR's managing director of brand and consumer marketing. "We can't address everything in one campaign, but [fan complaints] was an input that led to this strategy. It'd be foolish to assume that one campaign is going to solve that, but it's also about creating a mind-set that focuses on the core fan with everything we do."

It was during Champion's Week in November in New York that France, president Mike Helton, chief marketing officer Steve Phelps and others began these strategic meetings at the Waldorf-Astoria. They met separately with track officials from Speedway Motorsports Inc. and International Speedway Corp., which play host to 31 of the 36 Sprint Cup races, to share the vision for "Our NASCAR" in hopes that tracks might fall in step with the theme of talking to the core fan. NASCAR has no authority over tracks' marketing.

Those meetings complemented France's own individual meetings with track presidents, which began last summer. Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway and an admitted NASCAR critic, said France flew to meet with him in August to talk about how NASCAR could better reach its fans.

"That was a big step," Gossage said. "The old NASCAR never came to talk to me. You know, we're all in this together, but it hasn't always felt that way. It was refreshing that Brian would seek out other opinions."

France's team in those meetings included Helton; Phelps; Obermeyer; Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition; Jim O'Connell, vice president of corporate marketing; Jill Gregory, director of industry marketing; and Paul Brooks, president of NASCAR Media Group. That group also met with teams and broadcast partners to set a course for 2008.

France has said he hopes broadcast partners and drivers will talk more about the action on the track than off it after a 2007 season in which competition was largely overshadowed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. changing teams and AT&T wrangling with NASCAR and Sprint in court.
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"NASCAR has been much more out front with its ideas than in the past, and I think that's good for everybody involved. The communication has been good," said Chris Powell, general manager at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "It might be little things, like the music we're playing at the track, but we're going to be paying closer attention to that."

Whatever NASCAR is able to accomplish with its image campaign, however, will need to be substantiated on the track, where fans and marketers have said they want to see drivers express themselves more freely and act less like corporate puppets.

"This 'back-to-the-roots' messaging is only credible -- and will only succeed -- if it's backed up by what happens on the track; how the drivers conduct [and are allowed to conduct] themselves, how exciting the racing is," said Mike Bartelli, president of motorsports for Millsport, whose NASCAR clients include Sunoco and Tylenol.

"Too much changed too fast in the sport for a segment of fans, especially the longtime loyalists, and we lost some of them. The group that has maybe had its fill of change, but has not abandoned the sport, that's the group that needs to be impacted" by this campaign.

"Our NASCAR" -- a campaign of TV, print, online and radio ads -- will target NASCAR's avid fans with an emphasis on great racing moments, fan passion and the sport's heritage. The first spots debuted during FOX's broadcast of the Daytona 500 and more will roll out over the course of the season. They'll also appear on ESPN and SPEED, NASCAR's other TV partners.

NASCAR, whose total spending on the campaign was not available, receives a certain number of units in each race as part of its broadcast agreements. The campaign will touch all three of its major series, Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck. The Martin Agency and Jump Company, agencies that have worked with NASCAR in the past, co-developed the spots.

"This approach really gets back to connecting with fans on the ways they came to know and love the sport," Obermeyer said. "Hey, dance with the partner who brung you."

In other words, NASCAR wants to make sure its marketing talks to the fans who have been with the sport the longest and not just the casual fan, who has been the target of NASCAR's message through its growth period this decade.

For example, last year's brand messaging encouraged the casual fan to buy a ticket and try a race.

NASCAR knows the new advertising will take it only so far, so other mechanisms are being put in place to gauge reaction from fans.

Obermeyer's consumer marketing team is creating an online panel of fans who will serve as a focus group of sorts. NASCAR will use this online community for feedback on issues confronting the sport. Fans who will make up the panel are being recruited, Obermeyer said.

"The core fans of today might be different than the core fans from the 1960s and '70s," said Max Muhleman, a veteran marketing and research consultant. "They might be more technology-driven, they might be driven by the personalities. The idea of creating a panel to better understand that is very progressive. There are too many sports that don't pay enough attention to the fans."

So far, Jump Company and the Martin Agency have produced eight spots, ranging from 30 to 60 seconds in length. They feature tag lines such as "My. Your. Our NASCAR," "What's more real than that" and "You're somebody here." More could be added later in the season.

"My only question would be why the core fan needs to be reminded why he fell in love with the sport," Muhleman said. "If they're a core fan, do they need to be reminded? Their reasons for following NASCAR today might be different than why fans followed the sport years ago."

One 30-second "image spot" features the band Matchbox Twenty and its song "How far we've come" playing behind historical footage.

Another 60-second spot with the same "How far we've come" theme celebrates NASCAR's 60th anniversary. NASCAR has purposely kept the 60th anniversary low-key because it didn't want to steal any thunder from the 50th running of the Daytona 500, Obermeyer said, but the 60th has been worked into the creative and will be featured on the infield and on licensed merchandise.

The ads are scheduled to run through most of the season and more spots could be developed this year, Obermeyer said.

NASCAR.COM also is planning editorial features and video vignettes focused on the sport's greatest moments.

Other tactical moves have been evident in the preseason, including the selection of longtime country star Garth Brooks as spokesman for NASCAR Day. Pop star Kelly Clarkson and actor Will Ferrell have played that role in previous years. While Brooks' selection was not technically part of the "Our NASCAR" campaign, it reflects the tone NASCAR wants to emphasize when talking to the fans.

"Embrace the past," France has said -- a fact that was evident at the Daytona 500, where all 24 living past champions were invited to participate in prerace ceremonies and other promotional activities.

"It's a lot easier to retain the fans you have than get new ones,"

Gossage said. "Give NASCAR credit, they're not turning a blind eye to flat attendance and the ratings being down a bit. It'd be easy to say that ratings are down for everybody, but that doesn't make it OK."

Ok I know noone ever asked me but I have a few ideas on how to bring the sport back to the core fans. But first let me tell you who I think the core fans are.

They are the military men and women of the United States.

They are the working class of America, the factory workers, the retail workers, the teachers.

They are middle class America.

They work 40 hours a week to make ends meet.

They work for minimum wage, or pretty darn close to it.


They are the people who can not afford $200 for one person to attend a weekend at the race track without scrapping and saving all year for it.

If Nascar is truly interested in getting back to the core fan base then they need to remember this when they price their tickets. It costs too much for a family of 5 to go to a race, even a truck race or Nationwide race.

For our family of 5 to attend the spring race in Atlanta in a couple of weeks it would cost us $500, to attend one Sprint cup race.

These are not even the "good" tickets, nor are they including getting up close and personal and doing any of the "fun" extras.


Nor are they including any food or drinks that we might need, gas to get to Atlanta from our home, hotel prices, or souvenirs.

Now I know that we could get tickets from ITT with our military discount and save quite a bit. But that isn't the point.

My point is that the big time track owners, and the big time officials of Nascar have forgotten the roots of the sport. They have changed it into a sport for the top 1% of the American people. It has turned into a sport that only the rich and famous with deep pockets can get into.

There is no way that a person growing up today poor could become the next Dale Sr, or Jeff Gordon. Because they can not afford to get into the lower tier racing in the first place.

Nascar started out small and back woods, and it seems to me that the France family has forgotten the roots of the sport.

Is it any wonder that they are loosing the common man, the core fan?

The core fan can no longer afford to go to the track on the weekends, with their family.

The core fan is working on Sunday afternoons to make ends meet.

The core fan is one who's daddy took them to their first race when they were little, and it didn't hurt daddy's wallet to get them in.

The core fan is one who was able to meet the greats of the sport and not worry about being taken out by either crazy security or crazy fans, who think that they are taking over.

And they are not getting this any more.

If Nascar wants to get back to the core fan, they need to address these issues. I know they are in it to make money, but they are losing money by forgetting where their roots are at. They are loosing fans by forgetting where their roots are at.

Stress and depression...

A good mix does not make...

I can feel myself slipping back into depression. I haven't felt like this in a couple of years, and I feel myself spiraling and getting worse each day since last Friday.

I no longer want to get up in the mornings.

I no longer want to go to work at Lowes.

I no longer want to teach online. Just the thought of pulling out my headphones in a little bit makes my head hurt.

I no longer want to cook dinner. I don't even want to eat.

I no longer want to deal with the kids. I just want to sleep. I find that I am snapping at them for little things.

I no longer even want to search for a job, I just forced myself to apply to a couple of jobs on the base, but it hurt.

I know I need to snap out of it, but I am still so upset about my observation from last week, and my phone call from Friday that I don't know how to do it.

Monkey Joes, and a drive by get together.

Today was a nice relaxing day, even if I still don't feel good. A gal Jerry works with invited DJ and I to go to Monkey Joes to play and the girls tagged along (which saved me from being the one chasing DJ).

Then a friend of mine that I met on a message board while I was pregnant with DJ, was driving home to Kentucky from Florida on I-75 and they stopped off and met us in the parking lot of Monkey Joes! :) I wish we would have had more time to spend with them, but they needed to keep going so that they can be home in Kentucky for work tomorrow morning. Thank you Christine and Brian for stopping by to say hi!!!

Tornado watches, warnings oh my... Plus a giveaway to go enter

As I left work tonight it was sprinkling. But by the time I got to my car the rain was coming down in buckets, it was raining hard enough that I could not see stop light on the corner by the store. Nor could I see Publix, or Walgreens.

I came home and checked Weather.com and this was there:

Tornado Watch Update

/O.CON.KFFC.TO.A.0065.000000T0000Z- 080218T0600Z/

TORNADO WATCH 65 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 1 AM EST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN GEORGIA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 26 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL GEORGIA

BLECKLEY CRISP DODGE DOOLY HOUSTON LAURENS MONTGOMERY PEACH PULASKI TELFAIR TWIGGS WHEELER WILCOX WILKINSON

IN EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA

EMANUEL GLASCOCK HANCOCK JEFFERSON JOHNSON TALIAFERRO TOOMBS TREUTLEN WARREN WASHINGTON WILKES

IN WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA

MACON

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF... ABBEVILLE...ALAMO...COCHRAN... CORDELE...CRAWFORDVILLE...DUBLIN... EASTMAN...FORT VALLEY... GIBSON... HAWKINSVILLE...JEFFERSONVILLE... LOUISVILLE...MCRAE... MONTEZUMA... MOUNT VERNON...SANDERSVILLE... SOPERTON...SPARTA... SWAINSBORO... TOOMSBORO...VIDALIA...VIENNA...WARNER ROBINS... WARRENTON...WASHINGTON AND WRIGHTSVILLE.

I showed up at work today, and they were taking bets on if I would be there. You see someone in their infinite wisdom only scheduled me to work 2 1/2 hours tonight. I am not sure what the point in that was, but I went.

DJ and I are going to Monkey Joes tomorrow to meet up with a gal from Jerry's work and her little girl. That should give us something fun to do for a few hours. Plus a friend of mine from Kentucky is going to be driving by on I-75 so they are trying to time it so they are here around lunch time, so that they can stop and we can meet them for lunch. :)

Now onto the give away that was mentioned in the title of todays post. Over on Iowa Geek she is doing a February Scrap Bribing. Go check it out, and enter. When you enter by commenting on there, just make sure that you mention that you saw it here first. :)

Please Keep Nathan, Tricia and Gwyenth in your thoughts and prayers. Tricia is posting some, so if you haven't been over to check on them in a while do so.

Its Sunday of Presidents Day weekend! Do you know what that means?

Which means I am hoping to see:

But with a different trophy... ;)

I have to say that the prerace show today was neat to watch. There were parts that made me tear up (I know, sap). And the command to start being given by all of the former winners that were present was pretty special too.

Ok off to get ready for work (I am still not sure that its worth me going in for 2 hours).

Aren't there laws against claiming to be the FBI?

I got this email just now

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI.WASHINGTON DC.
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM,7367
J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20535,

RE: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SEEKING TO WIRETAP THE INTERNET

We believe this notification meets you in a very good present state of mind and health. We the Federal bureau of investigation (FBI) Washington, DC in conjunction with some other relevant Investigation Agencies here in the United states of America have recently been informed through our Global intelligence monitoring network that you presently have a transaction going on with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as regards to your over-due contract payment which was fully endorsed in your favour accordingly.

It might interest you to know that we have taken out time in screening through this project as stipulated on our protocol of operation and have finally confirmed that your contract payment is 100% genuine and hitch free from all facet and of which you have the lawful right to claim your fund without any further delay. Having said all this, we will further advise that you go ahead in dealing with the Central Bank office accordingly as we will be monitoring all their activities with you as well as your correspondence at all level.

In addendum, also be informed that we recently had a meeting with the Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, in the person of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo along with some of the top officials of the Ministry regarding your case and they made us to understand that your file has been held in abase depending on when you personally come for the claim. They also told us that the only problem they are facing right now is that some unscrupulous element are using this project as an avenue to scam innocent people off their hard earned money by impersonating the Executive Governor and the Central Bank office.

We were also made to understand that a lady with name Mrs. Joan C. Bailey from OHIO has already contacted them and also presented to them all the necessary documentations evidencing your claim purported to have been signed personally by you prior to the release of your contract fund valued at about US$10,700,000.00 (Ten million Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), but the Central Bank office did the wise thing by insisting on hearing from you personally before they go ahead on wiring your fund to the Bank information’s which was forwarded to them by the above named Lady, so that was the main reason why they contacted us so as to assist them in making the investigations.

They further informed us that we should warn our dear citizens who must have been informed of the contract payment which was awarded to them from the Central Bank of Nigeria, to be very careful prior to these irregularities so that they don't fall victim to this ugly circumstance anymore. And should incase you are already dealing with anybody or office claiming to be from the Central Bank of Nigeria, you are advised to STOP further contact with them in your best interest and then contact immediately the real office of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) only with the below information’s accordingly:

NAME: PROF. CHARLES CHUKWUMA SOLUDO

OFFICE ADDRESS: Central Bank of Nigeria,
Tinubu Square Tinubu
Lagos - Nigeria.
TEL: +234-702-331-8352
Email: info@cenbnkonlincng.org

NOTE:

In your best interest, any message that doesn't come from the above official email address and phone numbers should not be replied to and should be disregarded accordingly for security reasons. Meanwhile, we will advise that you contact the Central Bank office immediately with the above email address and request that they attend to your payment file as directed so as to enable you receive your contract fund accordingly.

Ensure you follow all their procedure as may be required by them as that will further help hasten up the whole procedures as regards to the transfer of your fund to you as designated. Also have in mind that the Central Bank of Nigeria equally have their own protocol of operation as stipulated on their banking terms. Once again, we will advise that you contact them with the above email address and make sure you forward to them all the necessary information which they may require from you prior to the release of your fund to you accordingly.

All modalities has already been worked out even before you were contacted and note that we will be monitoring all your dealings with them as you proceed so you don't have anything to worry about. All we require from you henceforth is an update so as to enable us be on track with you and the Central Bank of Nigeria. Without wasting much time, will want you to contact them immediately with the above email address so as to enable them attend to your case accordingly without any further delay as time is already running out.

Should in case you need any more information in regards to this notification, feel free to get back to us so that we can brief you more as we are here to guide you during and after this project has been completely perfected and you have received your contract fund as stated.

Thank you very much for your anticipated co-operation in advance as we earnestly await your urgent response to this matter.

Best Regards,

ROBERT SWAN MUELLER III
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM,7367
J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20535.

I really hope that people aren't dumb enough to respond to this one...

Crying

I have spent the last hour or so crying.

Mrs. T called about an hour ago, to let me know that she has not made a decision yet, because the observation did not help her make up her mind. I guess she did not realize that I was subbing for the para-pro until after the observation when she said something to Mr. L about the fact that the kids were not listening as well as she would have liked.

I thanked her for letting me know, and explained again that we had completed most of what I had really felt comfortable with, and then moved into parts of the day that I had only seen once before. Plus that it was right before break/recess so they were extra ancy. I am not sure if explaining that all helped my cause or hurt it.

I am so upset because she missed it when they were sitting there on their best behavior being so good that they made my heart sing, she missed it when we were rolling like semi's on the making words, she missed our warm up activity that they followed to the letter even though we were doing it 3 hours later than normal, and she missed that they were bouncy and ancy even for Mrs. J all day because a. it was Valentines day, and b. it was the last day before 6 school days off.

I am so upset because I tried so hard and it wasn't enough.

I am so upset because I want this job so bad I can taste it. I have so many ideas of what to do and how to do it, and I don't think I am going to get the chance. I really feel like I could/can make a difference at this school and with these kids.

I am so upset because we need me to get a job, a full time teaching job.

I know I said I wasn't getting my hopes up, but I did...

I know that she said yet... which means there may still be a chance, but right now it doesn't feel like it, because how can she see something that she wants to see this week while they are out? Or how can she see something that she wants to see the week we get back from break if I am still in the same situation? Where I am not the teacher in charge of the classroom? I am sure the kids would do better all around if we were able to go from point a to point z in the day in order, but I still wouldn't be the one in charge really, and if Mrs. J is there then they know that.

I know all I can do now is pray that god shows me what he wants from me, and what he wants me to do, hopefully without loosing my mind between here and there.

Thirteen things you learn

In Kindergarten...

1. To Sit Down Criss Cross Apple Sauce!

2. That it is fun to learn!

3. The more we can move, when we are supposed to (PE, break etc) the happier we are in class!

4. Juney B Jones is a funny gal

5. You can have "class celebrations" as long as you can learn while doing them!

6. How to s.t.r.e.t.c.h out a word to learn what it says.

7. How to s.t.r.e.t.c.h out a word to write the word

8. Hands in our laps at circle time!

9. Raise your hand to speak.

10. Recess/break time is a privilege.

11. We Do NOT Push our friends! They don't like that!

12. Reading is COOL!

13. Math is easy!

Nervewracking day

I am so tired. Those 5 and 6 year olds are a lot of work. Plus I got evaluated/observed today, on no notice, by the principal that I have had my two interviews with.

The office called Mrs. J first thing this morning and said that she had a phone call in the office. So she ran up and answered the phone. It was either the principal at the school I have been at or the one with the interview, I never figured out which.

Mrs. J came back in and asked me if I knew that Mrs. T wanted to come and observe me teaching. :? Um no, she told me after my follow up interview yesterday that Mr. L (Principal where I have been at all week), had given me a great recommendation, and that she would let me know early next week, but not that she wanted to come see me in action. And that she planned on being there in about 30 minutes.

So Mrs. J and I came up with a master plan of something that I have watched her do, and helped her do that they do every day, so that I could just do that part of the day and go with it.

Which would have been great, except that Ms. T was running late. And she showed up right before lunch....

So then we said well how about after lunch, which she said was fine, because she had an hour after our lunch was done and when she had to be back to her school. She told me that she wanted to see me teach for 45 minutes to an hour, and just do what I would normally do, she would be invisible. (ha, with kindergartens).

Mrs. J looked at me, and when Mrs. T and Mr. L walked out Mrs. J said she wants to do a GaTech on you... (which is Georgia speak for official observation)...... AHHHHHHHHHHHH

So Mrs. J took the kids to lunch so that I could relax and get my head on straight. (which meant I didn't eat, but I was too nervous, I probably would have been sick if I had tried).

Then Mrs. J took the 3 bouncy hyper kids out, because she said that when she does her GaTech she sends them out for the most part. Two of them have lots of pull out programs, and the third was just having a hard day (couldn't be because its VALENTINES DAY, and THE DAY BEFORE A BREAK?????)

Our 5 minute transition after lunch time came and went, so the class and I went over listening skills, and circle time behaviors, etc etc.

Then another 5 minutes had gone by and she had not come in, so I decided we just needed to get started.

We were 90% of the way done with what Mrs. J and I had figured up for me to do with the class. :roll: by the time Mrs. T came in. So I winged it... I went ahead and moved into calendar time, which I did differently than normal. It was the 15 minutes leading up till when we were supposed to go to break (recess) and have our celebration, and then 15 minutes into that time, but I was able to use the excuse that Mrs. J was not back in the room yet, and we needed to wait for her to come back. (Only saving grace is that Mrs. J does not always do recess at that time if they are in the middle of something).

At about 1:25 I had a bunch that needed to go to the bathroom, so we lined up and went out to the bathroom, and by that time Mrs. T needed to leave to get back to her school. :whew: I apologized for the chaos that was calendar time and explained that I had only seen Mrs. J do it once this week, and with break time upon us I wasn't sure how much time we really had. :crazy:

Anyway... Mrs. T told me that she would let me know either tomorrow or some time early next week.

Mrs. T gave nothing away, poker face... So I don't know how I did.

Mrs. J seems to think its a done deal, because Mr. L told her that he knew that this means he has to find her a new parapro... She said that the reason why I can't know now, is that Mrs. T has to get someone at the district to sign off on it before she can offer it.

I am not getting my hopes up at all, because I don't want to end up crushed...


I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentines Day! I didn't realize that DJ's class was passing out cards until I got there. But luckily I had the bookmarks that I was going to give the kids in my class as Valentines, in my back pocket, so I gave him those to pass out. Which did help avoid the tears as I left, because he was putting them in cubbies.

Natalie is at a Valentines dance at the middle school. Jerry took her and her friend Chris up to the school, and Chris' mom will bring them home.

Kelsey is babysitting for the one gal in Jerry's shop tonight. S said they wouldn't be long and I told her that they could take their time eating and what ever because Kelsey does not have school tomorrow, so its not like she has to be in bed early.

Jerry gave me a great Valentines present. :) Two boxes of thin mints. :)

My friend V finally delivered K Jr last night around 730 cst. I have heard that he looked a lot like his daddy, he was 7 inches long and 6 ounces (?). Mommy is doing a lot better now that she got to see and hold him for a while. I believe that they were able to spend over an hour holding him.

I am thankful that we all have the day off tomorrow (well until 5 when I have to be at Lowes). I need to just sleep, sleep, sleep, before I get sick, sick sick. I just hope that I am able to sleep past 7.

Have you hugged your para-pro today?

To all of the teachers, parents and students who have a para-pro/aide that works in your classrooms...

Have you hugged your para-pro lately?

Have you told them thank you for the hard work that they do for you?

Man this week has been an eye opener. I always knew that the aides worked hard, but a week spent "in their shoes", and I am beat.

This week I am subbing for a para-pro and I realized how much work they give these people.

So go out and give the aide/para-pro a big hug, and tell her thank you!

Prius problems, follow up interview

I talked to Beau at the dealership today at lunch time. It turns out that there is a problem with the inverter/converter part of the hybrid. It is a $3,600 part. Luckily for us it is still covered. Of course if it wasn't I would be filing a big time complaint with Toyota.

They have ordered the part, and it should be here tomorrow. Hopefully...

I have been having so much fun with the kindergarten class. They make me smile. Especially when they "get it". It is fun to see the light bulb just come on. I know that this group has been through a lot, because they have had their regular parapro, then the first sub for her, and now me. Now that I have been in there two days though (well a day and a half) I am learning the "terms" that the kids know as their clue words as to behavior, how to act in the halls. And I also know now what is expected of them by their teacher.

I really feel for the class that I was in the second half of the day yesterday. I don't know how they will be ready for 1st grade next year. They have had 3 different subs, plus their regular teacher who is out on disability.

DJ had his first field trip today. :) They went to the dental clinic on base. Ms. D said they had a great trip, and they were all so well behaved.

If you can spare some more prayers my friend V still needs some. They finally started inducing her yesterday, after hoping over the past weekend she would go naturally and miscarry. This did not happen. They started her induction yesterday, and she progressed to a point, then stopped and as soon as they took her off the pit, she regressed. Today she was making progress but not enough, then she started running a fever. They are talking about doing a D&C tomorrow if she does not have the baby on her own tonight, which she does not want, because she wants to be able to hold him, and get his fingerprints/footprints.

Also a positive thought/prayer request for myself (I feel selfish even requesting it). I received a phone call today from the principal that I interviewed with yesterday. She wants me to come back in tomorrow afternoon to meet with the grade level team that I would be working with if she offers me the job. I really really want this job, and not just because of the fact that we need the money, but because I feel it is a place that I can make such a difference in the lives of children, that it would be at a school where I could grow as an educator, and a place where I feel that I could be a big benefit. If you add in the fact that I could W.A.L.K. to and from the school, that Kelsey would be less than a mile away, that Natalie would be just over a mile away, and that DJ would attend this school (hopefully for PreK, but definitely for Kindergarten), and it is the perfect job for me to get.

If you haven't been by to check in on Nathan, Tricia, and Gwyneth lately please do so. Gwyneth has been found to have MRSA on her nose, so far not in her blood system, but we need to pray that this continues to be the case.
There is another beautiful picture of Nathan holding Gwyneth as well, and it is enough to make your heart melt. Plus happy 5 weeks Gwyneth!!

Exhausted

But its a good exhausted.

Jerry and DJ took me to the school at 730 this morning. The front doors weren't even unlocked yet. LOL But Mr. L pulled up after a couple of minutes and he and I talked, I explained that I got 2 phone calls last night and two this morning, so I wanted to make sure that he still needed me before Jerry left.

It was a fun time in the kindergarten classrooms, yes, I said rooms. The para-pro in the classroom that has a long term sub was out sick and they needed me to go into that room and help out. So I started out the day in the class where I will be for at least this week and the week after winter break, and then after specials went over to the other classroom.

At the end of the day Jerry and DJ picked me up and we went to see about my car. After 4 days they still do not know what is wrong. (insert temper tantrum here).

Then I had my interview at the local school. I am not sure how it went. I feel pretty good about it, but I have felt good about a couple of the others that I have gone on before. All I can do is sit back, and pray.

As soon as my interview was done I came home, changed shoes, grabbed some dinner and ran out the door to Lowes. That was a long shift, normally we are out of there by 9:20 or so, even those of us scheduled till 10. But tomorrow the big wigs are coming through, so we had to stay late and make it all perfect. I agree with one of the guys who said that if people did their jobs properly all day long, every day, we wouldn't have to jump through hoops the night before a "show and tell".

Tonight I realized that I still do not have my w-2's from the college in Florida. Which is all we are waiting on to file our taxes and try to dig out from this hole we are in. I just sent them an email about it, hopefully they will tell me how to get them electronically (but I doubt it). It will take a TON more than just our tax return, to get us out of the huge hole we are in, but that will be a start, hopefully enough of a start to keep our a$$e$ out of the fire.

Big day tomorrow...

Tomorrow morning I go in and have my first day in the kinder classroom...

Jerry tests for Master...

Kelsey has a poetry reading/cafe at school...

And I have my interview at the neighborhood school for a third grade class...


The fun is in that we have to manage to get both Jerry and I both to and from work, DJ to and from school, and me to my interview, then to Lowes and home all in one car.

Lets see this time line.

I have to be at the school by 7:45...
Jerry has to be at work at 7:30...
Jerry has to be across the base to test at 9:00, but no one else will be at work until 9:30...
I get off at 3:30...
Jerry gets off work at 4:30...
My interview is at 5...
I told Lowes that I would come straight from my interview to work, and I work until 10....

Plus remember that DJ has to be dropped off and picked up in there somewhere.

I am hoping that Lowe Toyota calls Jerry early tomorrow morning saying that the fix was easy and that it is fixed. But I am not counting on it. I need to put on my mad, angry evil mood, and sit down and write an evil email to Toyota about these issues with the car. I realize it has $60,000 miles on it, but it should not have these problems!


If you can spare some positive thoughts for Jerry's test, my interview, and the car being fixed I would appreciate it.

If you are in the LA area....

Hey go check out my brother's band if you are in the LA area!!

Hosted By: NOTSANE henderson
When: Friday Feb 15, 2008
at 8:00 PM
Where: Hogue Barmichaels
3950 Campus Drive
Newport Beach, California|5 92660
United States
Description:
NOTSANE henderson

Long day

But for the most part it was a good day.

I subbed for a science teacher at a middle school over by Lowes. So that was fun.

Then I worked almost 5 hours at Lowes.

Needless to say my feet are killing me.

However my car died on Jerry today. I had taken the Trailblazer to work because it was behind the Prius and I didn't feel like moving the car seat. Turns out it was a good decision. Jerry took the car to work, and made it as far as dropping DJ off at the CDC and part way to work before it died. We think that when they replaced the computer they only hand tightened the ground, and it has worked itself loose, there by shorting out the computer again. We don't have the word back from the dealership for sure, but thats our theory.

Short post tonight because I have to work in the morning at 6. YAWN.

Update, to the update

I got home from going to lunch with Jerry, picking up DJ at nap time, and running to the mall to look for a trench coat type of jacket that wasn't $50 or more (had no luck, except at Target which was my first stop, and at that point I didn't want to spend $40).

Sorry got off track....

Anyway, I got home and the last email that came in while I was gone was from the lady at the school district, saying my fingerprints are processed and I can call at 4:30 to register on the system. She said that the problem was with the sheriff office's machine, and they had to get it fixed, before they could process my background check. She also said that she let the school where I am going to start next week, as well as one other school know that everything is cleared and that I am good to go. The other school she mentioned, I didn't even know had asked.


Since I am teaching online tonight for 6 hours, I am not sure I will get a chance to post again. Scratch that, I am teaching for 5 hours. I came in the bedroom to get set up, grabbed my headphones and the wire popped out of the headset. Jerry is on his way to the EE to get a new set, but with rush hour I don't think he will be back before I have to teach, so I asked them to pull my first session. Now to hope beyond hope that the new set will work with the classroom, some sets just wont work for some reason.

So here are my updates about my blogs that I exhibit OCD about checking in daily. AKA my Thursday Thirteen! These are in no particular order..

1. Wendy over at Are you going to be this way the rest of my life has been posting deals of the day. Go check them out!

2. Fussy from Ms. Fussypants Guide to life has started a group called: The League of Extraordinary Wives. You can go to Fussy's other site to read more about it. I haven't had a ton of time to explore it yet, but if you want an invitation shoot me an email.

3. Over at Remodeling this life she has done a bunch of great posts lately, everything from sharing the new granite countertops, to how being unprepared can be costly, to finding the beauty in the little things in life.

4. Kate at One More Thing makes me smile on an almost daily basis. Her posts are wonderful and if you have not been there yet, what are you waiting on?

5. Tricia over at Confessions of a CF Husband has been running a fever for the past couple of weeks off and on. Which is not a good thing, and they need to get it figured out. This also means that she can't go done to the NICU to visit with Gwyneth. However she did get to go outside yesterday for a while for some fresh air. Nathan posted a cute picture of the two of them, plus some pictures of Gwyneth without the CPAP on so you can see her better. :)

6. Alice over at Living life breathlessly is out of the hospital and from all accounts doing great! Her lung function was at a 65% yesterday, compared to 20% just a couple of weeks ago.

7. A at This Wasn't in the Plan always has some great recipes with less than 10 ingredients in them, as well as grocery shopping tips, and other frugal ideas.

8. L at Ramblings of a pseudo intellectual shares her newest addiction (www.jellyfish.com), as well as funny stories.

9. Iowa Geek I only found this one yesterday, and they crack me up. I don't agree with everything that is said, but when does everyone always agree? ;)

10. Because I said so This would be Dawn of the EBAY mom stories. Again she cracks me up.

11. Cornish Adoption Journey About a family from Florida who is in the process of trying to adopt two little ones from the Ukrainian, both of the children have Downs Syndrome.

12. Life with my special K's A fellow military wife, who is handling it all (deployment, a child with Downs and cancer, plus 3 others) like a champ! I wanna be Renee when I grow up! ;)

13. I've Paid for this twice already From financial imprisonment to financial independence, a penny at a time. This is one family’s story.

Photo Meme, and a subbing update.

I was out blog hopping last night and I found this meme, and thought it looked like fun.
1) Answer the questions below.

2) Take each answer and type it into PHOTOBUCKET (www.photobucket.com).

3) Take any picture from the first page of results and post. (click on the picture and copy the HTML code)

1.The age you will be on your next birthday:

2. A place you’d like to travel:

3. Your favorite place:

4. Your favorite object:

5. Your favorite food:

6. Your favorite animal:

7. Your favorite color(s):

8. The town in which you were born:

9. The town in which you live:

10. The name of a pet:

11. The first name of your first crush:

12. Your nickname/screen name:

13. Your middle name:

14. Your last name:

15. A bad habit of yours:

16. Your first job:

17. Your grandmothers name (I did one for each of my grandmothers):


18. Your current job:

19. Your favorite drink:

20. Your dads name:

21: What does your house look like?

22. What kind of car do you have?

23. Favorite clothing store:

24. Favorite past time:

25. A lifelong dream:


This was fun... you should do one too!


Ok onto the subbing update!

I went to the school this morning. I checked in and went to Ms. S's classroom. Ms. S asked me if Mr. L had talked to me about a change in plans. Um not since Saturday.
Then she told me that when she got back to school yesterday (she took Tuesday off to go to the doctor), she had an email from a sub introducing herself as her long term sub. (What? HUH?)

So Ms. S emailed Mr. L asking if their was a change in plans that we didn't know about, explaining that I had been in on Monday, and we had a great day etc. He wrote back and said that he needed me in a kinder class starting Monday, and he just needed to talk to me about it again.

Ms. S said she almost called me last night from home and asked me if I knew about it, but she had left my number at school, and she knew I was coming by this morning. I had told her about my conversation with Mr. L from Saturday, when I was in there on Monday, but we both thought it was for the teacher that is out on disability. So we still didn't really know what was going on this morning.

So I walked back up to the office to talk to Mr. L. They have two certified teachers in each kinder class. The "parapro" teacher in the one room has to leave starting Monday (I didn't ask why).

Then he took me to meet the parapro, and then to meet the main teacher. I am going in next week even if my paperwork is not back to get my feet wet, and get started even if it is on a voluntary basis. (Even though I am hoping beyond hope that the paperwork is back by then).

I figure that if I go in and voluntarily work in there that will hopefully help me get a job for the fall. I came home today because I still have a headache from yesterday, and well there isn't really room for 3 teacher types in one kinder class.

Mr. L was so sweet, singing my praises to the kinder teacher and to everyone else that he introduced me to. I guess I made a decent impression the 2 times before today that I have talked to him.