What's in a name?

I found this over on My Semblance of Sanity

What Patricia Means

You are influential and persuasive. You tend to have a lot of power over people. Generally, you use your powers for good. You excel at solving other people's problems. Occasionally, you do get a little selfish and persuade people to do things that are only in your interest. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What Jerry Means

You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you. You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries. You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What Kelsey Means

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What Natalie Means

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What Declan Means

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

My faith

Today/yesterday/some time this week, I had an interesting email from someone who reads my blog, but obviously does not want me to know that they read my blog, since they a. sent me an email about this, and b. sent the email under a false email, with a false name.

This person questioned my faith, and my belief system, in the fact that I have been quite "vocal" in asking for prayers for Nathan, Trisha, and Gwyneth.

Basically this anonymous person said how could I a "non-believer" ask people to pray?
Since I don't have a way to reply in private to mr/ms anonymous (I tried), I decided to explain it here. Not necessarily because I think they deserve an explanation,but because it bugged me enough.

I am the first one to admit that I have done some decidedly non-believer things, and things that I know were "sins". Nothing that I feel could/should send me to damnation for, but things that most devote Christians are supposed to say is wrong. I know that there are many devote religious people out there that have done worse, I have met a few of those hypocrites in my life, and have to remind myself that they will get what is coming to them, for preaching on one hand the "word" and turning against it on the other hand, all within a few moments of each other.

When I was growing up, my brother and I were made to go to religious education classes, I was an active member of our church youth group, and we attended church services every weekend, only the worst of the flu could get us out of going, my brother was an alter boy, I did church leadership camps. Dare I say it? I enjoyed being a part of that community.

When I went away (the whole two hours to Flagstaff) to college, I spread my wings religiously speaking. I attending services with all of my friends. I have been to synagogue, I have been to Mormon services, I have been to many many Baptist services (I even went to those while still living at home and still had to attend the Catholic service the same weekend ;) ). I was curious as to what was out there, and what other people believed. I had friends that believed in/practiced Wicca, and listened to them, and what they believed in as well. All in all it was a growing experience for me, but I still attended Catholic services on the weekends I was at home in the Valley, and when I felt down I would attend a service at the Catholic center on campus, to feel at home.

My sophomore year in college found me unmarried and pregnant, by a man that I knew I didn't want to spend my life with. I moved home and attended college at the local community college. My mom helped me find counseling with Catholic services, so that I could figure out what to do. My counselor was a wonderful caring woman. After the second session she offered to start coming out to our church rectory to do the sessions instead of me driving into the city to see her. This to me was great, because I could talk to her on a more regular schedule in between classes if it fell right, where as driving into town I only had one day a week that it was even possible.

However, this change necessitated that the priests at the church being told about my pregnancy. Not that I was hiding it, but I also wasn't going around telling everyone I met either. I was trying to decide if I was keeping K or giving her up for adoption (we all know what I chose, and I would never ever go back.) But I didn't want everyone's opinions on the matter either.

Fr. P was very supportive of me. Fr. P being the younger of the two priests at the time, was the one that I was the most comfortable with anyway. But he offered to sit with me and just talk if I needed it. He offered to be a friend first and foremost,
and a priest second, if I needed his "priest" side to come out (his words).

Fr. J was the pastor of the church at the time, and the "older" of the two. Not that he was old by any means, but he had been ordained longer or something I guess. I never felt comfortable per say with him, but never felt he was wrong either.

The one session I arrived before the counselor, and as I sat waiting for her Fr. J came up to me. Fr. J proceeded to read me the riot act for my irresponsible behavior at getting pregnant and not being married. There was no temperament to the conversation at all. I was basically called a whore, by this man of god, and he told me that I was setting a poor example for the younger girls in the church.
I was not the first unwed mother in our church, nor was I the last. I know that I stood there dumbfounded, and I did not say a word to him the entire time.

It was on that day that I "gave up" my faith.

In my mind, he was a man of the "cloth" and very hypocritical, and how dare he talk to me like that. I don't know exactly how to explain what happened to me, or what made me stop, I just know that it did.

The deacon's daughter has a son a year older than K, and she wasn't married, and her dad was a man of the "cloth". I remember gathering my courage one Sunday after church and asking her if Fr. J had told her that she was a poor example for the younger girls. She said no.

I asked a couple of the other girls that had been in my shoes the same question, the answer was always no.
These were girls that I was friends with through youth group, they would have told me.

I still attended church every Sunday with my mom, K was baptized on my Grandmother's birthday, and the day my Grandparents renewed their vows for their 50th wedding anniversary. But I had given up on my faith.

J and I were married in the Catholic church, and we did the marriage classes required to be married in the church, for my mom. And yes Fr. J was the one who married us, but I tried my darnedest to get either Fr. T or Fr. P to return from Notre Dame and perform the ceremony, because I did not want Fr. J to marry me. And I had given up on my faith.

J, K and I moved to Florida, and K and I attended a total of 2 Sunday Masses in the 2 years we were there, both times my mom was visiting.

J, K, N and I moved to England, and I can count on 2 hands the total number of times I was in the chapel for church services, including baccalaureates and memorial services. On visits home, we attended with my mom, for my mom.

I would not necessarily say that I have ever been a non-believer, I have just given up on my faith. I still prayed for people suffering, or if someone specifically asked for a prayer for strength, I still said a little prayer when I needed to be strong (my emergency surgery in England, and D's birth when he wasn't breathing right away are two times that come to mind.)

But I do not attend services, and I for the most part do not read bible quotes or really really stop to pray.

Until this past week or so when I found Nathan's blog.

There is something about his blog, his dad's blog, his uncle Andy's blog, and his BIL Terry's blog that has made me stop and think. Stop to take time to pray for Trisha, and Gwyneth. Consciously pray about them.
I don't do it as an "Our Father who art in heaven" type of prayer, it is more of a I hope the continue to do well, or please let them have a better day, type of prayer.
It is more that I stop and think about someone who is suffering and needs all of the positive vibes that they can get.

I don't see myself ever becoming as faithful as I was before that "chat" with Fr. J. even though the grown up me, knows that he was not a typical pastor.

But part of my faith has been restored, because I can "see" what the power or prayer, or positive thought has done for this family.

So people can think what they want to think about my prayers for others, they can call me a hypocrite, they can think what ever they think. I am not asking for the reader to come out of lurkdom and acknowledge the email, as a matter of fact it would complete shock me if they did.

I know why I am asking for my readers to say a prayer, or think positive thoughts, its because while I don't attend a set church, I still believe in something.

DJ wants to try out for Uncle Matt's Band...

Today at the Evil Empire, they had kids electric guitar on sale. It was a pretty good deal, and DJ wanted it so being the cheeseheads that we are, we bought it for him.
He did this video as his audition for Uncle Matt. :)

I hope it works going to the link, its only about 15 seconds long because thats all the longer my camera will do video for.

The word is spreading, and Trisha is AWAKE!

Trisha is AWAKE!!! I am so happy for Nathan and Trisha and their entire family I can't quite put it into words. I got up this morning and checked the blogs right away, and there had not been an update yet, then I checked them again while I was getting ready for my interview and was so happy.

Also, I am amazed, I am amazed at the blogging world and how many people have embraced this family and their journey.
Last week when I first found Confessions of a CF Husband, there were only one or two blogs out there that I could find with information (outside of the direct family). I was soon hooked and check in on Nathan's blog at least twice a day.
Now I have found that there are a lot of blogs that I frequent that are posting updates to the story, and asking for prayers for this wonderful family. Which I think is wonderful, so I want to give a shout out to them.

Catching some wavesThis is Nathan's dad's blog, which I have found inspiring and wonderful to read even between the Trisha, Gwyneth updates. :)
Angelica Grace DesignsFun and funky fashions, gifts and accessories for you, your little ones, and your home. Plus she is a pretty funny writer.
For the love of the family A "typical" Mommy blog (if there is such a thing.
A Glimpse of My World

Prochnow Blessings
This is it, making lemonade out of life's lemons
Searching for Balance
Teacher in the middleHee hee a teacher/mommy blog, which hits home for me on a couple of points.
The Little Sykes Ladies
Musings from the Minivan This is actually one of Trisha's sisters blogs. The footprints we leaveThis is Trisha's other sister's blog. :)
The ADD Youth PastorNathan's uncle's blog
65 Roses for Patty Sue Trisha's blog and story
Now I know that these are not the only blogs out there that are praying for the family, and I know that they are not the only ones that have posted about them, but these are ones that I already visited (minus the family blogs) before.

Confessions Of A CF Husband: (Bump) Your Offer to Help

Confessions Of A CF Husband: (Bump) Your Offer to Help
Nathan on Confessions of a CF Husband has reposted ways to help them. I have sent the Duke E-card, and if we can get ahead monetarily I am going to send something to the trust fund.

Cute DJ quote of the night

I can't sleep, so instead of laying in bed fighting it I got up. As a special treat for the night, you get to see my DJ quote of the night.
As always before bed we have to go to the bathroom (we meaning DJ). Tonight DJ told me that he was going to use my bathroom. The conversation went something like this:
P: "OK DJ time to go to the bathroom before bedtime."
D: "OK, I use you and daddy's bathroom."
P: "Why are you going to use our bathroom?" (Mind you both bathrooms are about the same distance from his room.)
D: "Because I don't have a potty in my room Mom, duh!"

Guess he told me.

Check marks on the to do list

Today I was able to get a couple of things marked off of the "Patty's to do list".
Turn in DJ's CDC paperwork---------------- Check
Turn in substitute paperwork--------------check
Make substitute business cards-------------check
Rewrite resume-----------------------------check
Set up interview for kindergarten position-----check

Ok so that last one wasn't on my, to do list last night, when I was going through what had to be done today. This morning about 830 I got a phone call from one of the local schools wanting to know if I wanted to interview tomorrow for a Kindergarten position that has just opened up. So I said yes, and then got on with my day. Now I am sufficiently scared to death nervous. I have looked at the schools website, and I have pulled up the state standards for Kindergarten, so I think I have done everything almost everything that I can do. There is a link on the school's website that I am not sure what it means, and I have a note to myself to remember to ask about it. It is called Georgia's 21^st Century Learning Environment, which I have never heard of, and can't quite figure out the ins and outs of the website.

If you can spare a couple of positive thoughts tomorrow at 1 eastern time, and then off and on until they make a decision I would appreciate it. I have been turned down so many times this school year already it is hard to stay positive with it all.

DJ and I got a late start to go to his registration meeting at the CDC. I guess it was not a big deal, since I was the only one there, and it was just with the secretary of the CDC. We finished filling out all of his paperwork, and then went on the "official" tour of his classroom. He wanted me to hold him, and not to leave him today, which was good, since he wasn't staying. Hopefully on Monday we will have an easy drop off.

After we left the CDC we went and had lunch at BK, and then drove over to Jerry's work and got the paperwork I needed for my substitute package out of the truck plus went in and talked to Jerry.

We took the scenic route (all back roads) down to Perry to the district office and dropped off my substitute package. I didn't do the reference forms since they said yesterday that if we had done an application on line we didn't need to. The secretary that took my package looked and I have 6 out of 6 reference forms returned. I hope that is a good thing!

I am frustrated with Lowes up here, that's for sure. I have played phone tag with the HR since applying for my transfer back in October, and we have only talked twice on the phone. Since getting here on the 3^rd I have not managed to catch her yet! I went in one day last week and she was out of town, so I left a message. Then she called back on Monday, but I missed the call on the house phone due to the fried phone fiasco, and she called my cell phone it was in the car and I was taking groceries in the house. When I called her back, she had left for the day. Then yesterday and today both I have called and she was in meetings, but she didn't call back either day. DJ and I stopped by the store on the way home from Perry, and asked about her, and was told that she was still in a meeting, I swear she is in more meetings than the President of the United States! I am tempted to throw in the towel with it all, and just put in to work all hours at Sylvan that don't interfere with subbing (or teaching if there is a miracle and I get offered the kinder job). But with all that Ty did for me to get me this transfer I really don't want to do that.

Kelsey got called back for the play that she tried out for yesterday, they are doing the casting call for it tomorrow. Which means, we are now entering the world of High School Drama. I mean that literally, as in theater department drama, not just the typical high school drama that goes on in high school. Kelsey also switched classes today, she switched out of chorus and into a computer class. The chorus class wanted $100 for a uniform, and then another $600 for their field trip to Washington DC, and both from the sounds of it were mandatory. So last night she asked me if it was ok with me if she switched out and maybe took it next year. I figured on the counselor calling me or Kelsey telling me that I needed to go in and sign something, but that wasn't the case, she just came home and said that the switch had happened.

On the news of Trisha, Gwyneth, and Nathan over at Confessions of a CF Husband, Trisha and Gwyneth both had rough days yesterday, and Nathan stayed at the hospital to be with them last night. His last update was at 1 today, and they were weaning Trisha off the rest of the sedatives, so I am praying that she did well with that. There are no other updates on any of the blogs, so pray that this is a good thing!

Any one want to fill out a job application for me?

I fill like all I have done lately is fill out job applications and turn them in. Maybe thats because thats all I have been doing, and it is getting old and frustrating. I know that I have to stay positive and keep the course, but not hearing anything from most of the jobs that I have applied for is stressful. I know I have my job at Lowes to fall back on, but since that is not my dream, it makes it hard to be excited about that one.
Today I went to the orientation for substitute teaching here, and got yet another application to fill out. At least with this one, I will know something in about 2 weeks (thats how long it takes the background check).
The bonus is that since I have already filled out an application to teach for the county I only have to fill out about half of the packet. So I should have it all filled out by tomorrow morning (really I should already have it done, but I have a headache again).
The bad part is that I had to have my fingerprints done, again, for the 4th time in 3 years. Why, you ask? Well it is simple, I started off teaching in one county in Florida, then after that year moved to the alternative school and had to get my fingerprints done for the county that we lived in, then this fall because I was transitioning from teaching to subbing, and since I was not "on" the county's payroll at the alternative school I had to have them done again. Now with the move to Georgia I had to have them taken once again. Let's do the math $65x3 in Florida, plus another $40 here in Georgia, is $235. Ouch.
I really wish someone would come up with a Nation wide standard, or database that all teachers were kept in. I guess they would still have to check to make sure that we are who we say we are. Darn...
But I bet that who ever sits and watches the data popping out of the fingerprint system is wondering what the heck is up with me getting my fingerprints done so often. I wonder if that flags against me?
DJ had a good couple of hours at the CDC today. He was "resting" when I went in to pick him up, and said that he had a good time. He was a little sad when I left him, but he got over it before I even got out to the lobby of the CDC where the video monitors are. Right now he is a little sad, because after we left the CDC we went to the commissary and got groceries. He got Popsicles, and has been eating them almost non-stop since we got home, and Jerry just told him no more until after dinner.
Kelsey tried out for a part in the school play today after school. She said that she tried out for part of the ensemble, and if she gets that she will have a 7th period class for rehearsals. She said that on the tryout forms she put that she would be interested in doing crew if she did not get a part in the play. The school here seems to have a big theater department, since they just performed Sussecial last weekend and are already doing tryouts for a new play this week, which to me seems to mean that even if she doesn't get a part in this play there will be plenty of opportunities before she graduates, as long as she doesn't give up.
Over on Confessions of a CF Husband Nathan has posted a few videos of his and Trisha's life together up to this point. It is a pretty neat way to get to know these people that I have been thinking of a lot lately, that I don't even know in person. He also did one post titled Like a Virus that he has asked that everyone posts a comment with their blog addresses if they have posted for prayers for the family, so that when Trisha is able she can go easily and read them all. The last time I looked there were 155 comments on there. It is amazing to me the people that they have touched with their story. Gwyneth is being put on a CPAP machine today, which is GREAT NEWS! Lots of prayers that she will "remember to breath" so they do not have to intubate her again. Trisha seems to be as well as can be expected at this point, and does better when Nathan is with her, as I can imagine, he is her rock, and her link to the world of Gwyneth, major prayers that she continues to stay strong.

Dehydrated

I am not sure if it is the fact that it is winter, and every where we go has their heaters turned on, or the change in climate, or what the deal is, but I can not seem to stay hydrated since we have moved to Georgia. What is worse is that it is not until I get a headache from it, that I realize what is going on and remember that I need to drink some water or gatorade and get back to an even keel. The last time I remember being this bad about drinking enough water was 12 years ago when I was pregnant with Natalie.
Today DJ and I went to the CDC on base and got the paperwork for him to start preschool there next week. He was very excited and asked about going to meet his new friends. The woman behind the desk was very impressed with his manners, he asked if he could play with the puzzles that were in the lobby, when she said sure go ahead, DJ replied Thanks! in his cutest little voice. I also inquired about an hourly care for him to go to tomorrow while I attend a substitute orientation in Perry for the school district. At first she told me that the other CDC did hourly care, and I would have to either go across the parking lot and inquire to if they had room for him. Then she dialed the phone for me to save us the walk. The phone was busy, so I said we would just run over there. Well she got an idea that maybe DJ could go to his new classroom on an hourly care basis tomorrow at that center. :) So she asked the director if that would be ok, and he said yes. So tomorrow morning about 9 I will take DJ to his new classroom for a couple of hours of fun. He is very excited about the whole idea.
You will be happy to hear that Jerry and I replaced the phone that I fried yesterday, today at lunch. So we have a working house phone again. We only missed one or two calls, and neither was super important.
Natalie came home today and said that she had seen an old friend from Lakenheath today at school. She was very upset that I did not remember this friend at first, but they were closest when I was pregnant with DJ, and there were a lot of big things going on at our house, and in our lives at the time. Once she reminded me of a few details, I knew who she was talking about. Hopefully Natalie and Kelly will get a chance to exchange phone numbers later this week and spend some time together soon.

On a note about Trisha and Gwyneth from Confessions of A CF Husband Nathan has uploaded some adorable pictures of Gwyneth tonight. She is so precious, and such a fighter. He said in an earlier post today that

Her PDA closed sometime in the night (just after I asked for your prayers), which is a great thing. This also means they'll be able to take her off a few drugs.

They are hoping that she will have a bowel movement soon so that they can start her on a feeding tube which will help her gain more strength and weight. The transplant team was to visit with Trisha today, but Nathan had not updated about that yet. I am hoping that this means that they have positive news and he is waiting to get confirmation on this, and not bad news. If you can not tell I have become obsessed with this family's journey, something about them has touched my heart, and I check the blog a couple of times a day for updates. I am not sure why, but I know I am not the only stranger that is checking on them and praying for them.

What book are you?

You're Adventures of Huckleberry Finn!

by Mark Twain

With an affinity for floating down the river, you see things in black
and white. The world is strange and new to you and the more you learn about it, the less
it makes sense. You probably speak with an accent and others have a hard time
understanding you and an even harder time taking you seriously. Nevertheless, your
adventurous spirit is admirable. You really like straw hats.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Straw hats? and the accent thing, hum I am living in the south, and been married to a southerner for 13 years, who has an accent? ;)

Weekend update

It is Sunday night again, and for once I am not wondering where the weekend went to. Of course this could be because I know where it went, or it could be because I don't have to work tomorrow, so I don't care where it went. ;)
Friday night we went out to a co-worker of Jerry's house for dinner and a bonfire with the people from his new shop. This couple live out in the toolies, but have a beautiful house, with a lot of land for their 3 dogs and two horses. Kelsey got a line on a couple of babysitting jobs, and DJ got to play and run around with some other little people, while Jerry and I just got to enjoy the company of the people he will be working with for a few hours, and get to know them better. Natalie was at a new friend's house staying the night.
Saturday morning bright and early I got up and drove down to Americus to go take a test for a state job. Lets just say it was an interesting test, the first 36 questions were spelling, take 4 words and say which one is spelled wrong. Then the rest of the questions were reading comprehension type of questions. Very interesting, lets just say that the state of Georgia needs someone to rewrite their tests, even if these are just the tests to see if you qualify to even be considered for a job, um yeah.
While I was in the room taking the test I started to get a headache, I am not sure if it was from lack of sleep on Friday night or from the perfume of the woman sitting in front of me. I of course couldn't run out to the car and take anything while doing the test, but the test only took me about an hour to complete, so I was hoping that I caught it in time.
On the way home I decided that I needed to stop and let my headache meds kick in, so I stopped at Andersonville, which was a Civil War prison camp, and now has the National POW museum on the property. The POW museum brought tears to my eyes, it is very well done and something that the creators can be proud of. Then I got back in the car and drove to the cemetery, and around the property before driving on home.


I am looking forward to going back down with the family in the future, where I can spend more time, and have my camera with me (the pictures were taken on my phone).
By the time I got into Warner Robins I thought that the drive home was the longest 55 miles of my life. My headache had turned into a full blown migraine. I ended up spending the rest of the day in bed asleep, so much for getting the house organized.
Last night Natalie went back to her new friend's house and stayed the night again. This friend is involved in the Girl Scouts, so I am thinking that this friendship will be a good thing, and it is nice that she has found someone that she clicked with so quickly. Kelsey has made a few friends in her first two days at school as well, which is nice, as the phone has rang for both of the girls. It makes me feel better about this move in the middle of the year.
Today, Jerry had to go into work, so the kids and I worked our hind ends off on organizing the house. I got my room rearranged, and only managed to break one thing. The house phone, I plugged the wrong power cord into it, and fried the base. So if you need to call and get a hold of us in the next couple of days, call one of the cell phones. I also managed to get most of the boxes unpacked that were cluttering up the dining room. I discovered that we do not have enough shelf space here and we will need to do something about that in the near future, my curio cabinet is cluttered now, as I discovered more of my grandma's things that I want to have out to enjoy. I put some glass bottles and candle holders on the top of the entertainment center, but Jerry is worried that they will break there, so they need a new home. But they are pretty there, see:

Tomorrow DJ and I go and enroll him in the CDC on base. I had found him a preschool off base that I was going to enroll him in, but the CDC is just as close, and it should be less expensive for the same if not better quality care. I just need to inquire into hourly care for Tuesday as that is when I have my substitute orientation, as he does not have a spot with the CDC until the following week.
Nathan over at Confessions of a CF Husband has put up more pictures of Gwyneth, including one of her great grandmother getting to touch her, so precious. As well as a couple of prayer requests for other families that have little ones in the NICU with Gywneth. If you have not been over to see his site go check it out now, and say a little prayer for Trisha, Gwyneth, and Nathan.

Prayer is powerful

Yesterday I was out blog hopping and in my journeys I came across Confessions of a CF Husband. The blog is the story of a young couple and the journey that they are going through right now.
Trisha has Cystic Fibrosis, and has fought this battle most of her life (her entire memory, as all sufferers of the disease do). She tells her story n her words at 65Roses4Patttysue.
The very short and condensed in my words version is:
A few months ago Trisha was put on the double lung transplant list, and shortly after they found out that they were expecting. Trisha and Nathan were advised by doctors to give the baby up (terminate), but could in their belief system not do so.
Fast forward to this week, the struggles of being pregnant were too much on Trisha's body and the doctors at Duke University decided it was time to take baby Gwyneth at 25 weeks.
Here is where prayer is powerful, Gwyneth is a micro preemie, at just over 1 pound, but is doing well. Trisha with all of her health concerns is still in a medically induced coma (my words), but reading Nathan's blog is doing well. I think the reason for this is all of the people that they have praying for them.
I want to ask everyone that reads this, to take a minute and pray for them. I will continue to follow their incredible journey, and will probably take the time to update on here as everything progresses, but I invite you to go to Nathan's site and say a prayer for them. A prayer for baby Gwyneth that she continues to improve and do well, a prayer for Trisha that the continues to improve, continues to get stronger, and can receive her lung transplant so that she may live a long and happy life with their miracle baby.
If you believe in prayer circles and the such please add this family to yours. If you don't believe in prayer necessarily please think a few positive thoughts for them. Their story has touched my heart, and reminded me once again how blessed I am to have a healthy family.

Who are you going to vote for?

Today as I sit here relaxing before we go over to a co-worker of Jerry's for a bonfire/get together/meet the new guy/akkkk what have we gotten ourselves into, I was out blog hopping, as I have a tendency to do. Over on New England Mama's there were actually two articles that I was really interested in. The one on the American Dream, by Ruth I will either take up tomorrow, or later tonight when we get home.
The one titled I know where I stand, but who do I stand behind by Jane hits on a post that I did a couple of weeks ago (December 28th).
What is interesting to me is that I went back to vajoe today and got a different result. I don't think that my answers to the questions changed all that much. And then I went to a couple of the sites that people had left in the comments section of New England Mama's blog, and got different results each time there too.
For example I went to the Minnesota Public Radio's questionnaire and got yet a different answer.
There are all sorts of these things out there, and they all give you different answers to basically the same questions.
I mean how are these things supposed to help you decide anything if they are going to give you a different answer. I know that I for one answered them each with the exact same type of answer. But then again I also know that the people it picked for me today at least I had heard of before, where as two weeks ago the person it said I had never even heard of.
I wonder how many people out there are doing these questionnaires and then basing their vote on what the questionnaire tells them? What if that person is only doing one questionnaire? How can they know for sure that the questionnaire was not biased in some way, or paid for by one campaign or lobby group? Is the future of our country going to based on what these questionnaires tell people what they should think? I would hope that people are looking at the morals of the people that they are considering voting for, but if you have no "stake" in this election who are you listening to? I realize that every voting American has a "stake" in this election, but how many people realize what stake the have?
I guess I have realized with this election cycle how much more I have at stake, this time around. My husband's career, my career are both dependent on who we put into the Presidents office.
Our lives hang in the balance on that one person's decisions that they make over the next 5 years (5 if you count things that they have in their head now). If the American public chooses poorly and puts some one that is not going to protect and think about the military men and women and how the war affects them and their families, my family is at risk, my husband is at risk. Add in the fact that in 3 years Kelsey could decide that the best way for her to get an education paid for without having to go into major debt is to join the military, and that adds in more hard decisions for me.
Or if the American public chooses someone that does not believe that the American education system needs to be properly funded, or that high stakes testing and punishing teachers for things out of their control (poverty, single parents, grandparents raising the student)is the way to go, then my job and career get that much harder.
I don't know who I am going to vote for in November. I have my ideas now, but November is 10 months away and a lot of things can be done, and be said between now and then, by every candidate.

Help a kid out

Dawn over at Because I said so posted today that her son is doing a social studies project. They are asking that anyone that can send him a post card or a letter to him, so he can take it into his class.
I think its a pretty cool project, so if you can help him out, let me know. :)

My haircut

I asked Kelsey's counselor yesterday where she gets her hair cut, and she gave me the name and number of the lady in town that does her hair. Luckily for me Tracy had time today to cut my hair.

I wanna be this mommy when I grow up...

I was out blog surfing when I came to Are you going to be this way the rest of the time I know you? And on there she talks about the self proclaimed Meanest mom on the planet, let me tell you right now, I want to be that woman when I grow up, or at least when my kids grow up and start driving. If you don't know the story, the mom from Fort Dodge, Iowa, took her son's car away from him and sold it. Because she found alcohol in the car, and part of the deal when he got the car (a month or so ago), was no alcohol, he reneged, so she took the car and sold it. I think she rocks.

two in school, one to go

The fiasco that was Kelsey's credit drama is resolved. The school in Florida gave her the credits. If she would have had poor grades, or a lot of absences they would not have done it. I had to call the school in Florida this morning and make sure that they got the fax and Mrs. A called back and said it was sorted. So we went out to lunch with Jerry and the gal from his work, then went into the school and got her all signed up. They do not offer art courses, so she is a little disappointed in that, but she will still have chorus. She starts tomorrow morning bright and early. Of course we were warned 3 or 4 times that if the paperwork doesn't get to them soon she wont get credit. I guess I am going to have to be super mom/annoying mom and be on the phone checking to see if they get it or not.
Now I just have to see about finding DJ a preschool here in town. I have emailed two preschools today to see if they have room in their 3 yo classes, and I plan on going by both of them tomorrow.

Home schooling? part two

I think we may have the situation solved. I sent off a long email to Kelsey's counselor and the assistant principal in Crestview explaining what was going on. About 45 minutes later I got a phone call from the counselor she ended up asking me to fax her everything that they had sent with us and she said that they were going to fix it. She also said it was only because we were military and because I had asked and was told we were ok with moving before the semester ended, and that normally they would not do it, plus with Kelsey's grades that I read her she felt it would be ok to do it. So I went back to the high school here and had them fax everything for me. Now I just have to wait to hear from Crestview again, and for them to fax everything back here hopefully sorting it out.
I am still stressed beyond belief and still worried that something will still go wrong, but I think we are on the right track.

Home schooling?

I never in a million years would have ever thought that I would ever consider homeschooling the kids. However, this is where I am at, and with Kelsey of all of the kids :insertshockedfacehere:
I am so frustrated and here is why.
I took Kelsey up to register her for the high school yesterday and was handed a huge packet of stuff that I needed before we could register her. So we came home, got Jerry and the other kids and ran out to go do everything that needed to be done on base. Got back in time to enroll Natalie at the middle school, but not to get back to the high school for Kelsey.
So this morning Kelsey and I drive back over to the high school (its close enough to walk to, but my hip is playing up still.) We sit down, fill out all of the forms and then are informed by the guidance secretary that Kelsey will not get credit for the work that she did first semester in Florida, because the semester there had not ended yet.
I stood there dumb founded, because I asked at the school that she left about the credit situation and how the semester here ended already, and was told that it wasn't a problem. So she called the school in Florida and was told that she was correct and they didn't know what I was talking about.
The secretary here suggested that we send her back down to Florida for a couple of weeks so that she can finish the semester there, which would mean imposing on one of her friends families for a few weeks, or else the couple that is renting our house. Not a good suggestion when you are talking about a 14 year old girl. I trust Kelsey, and I trust the couple that I would send her to stay with if that is what it takes, but she is not "theirs" so I don't see them caring as much about her studying for said finals, or her caring about listening to them. Plus what a strain that would be on the friendships that would be involved in such a situation.
The other suggestion was for her to just repeat the first semester of her freshman year, which of course made her bawl, because she had such good grades first semester.

I don't know what to do at this point.

I have a message for the counselor in Florida to see what they suggest we do, as well as sending off an email to them. I also have emailed one of the big online homeschool high schools to see if we went that route would she loose the credits anyway. I guess if we went that route the whole feeling of my blog would change huh?

I am so upset I could cry.

My questions for the Presidental candidates

Today when I was out blogsurfing/catching up/avoiding organizing the new house/goofing off, I went to New England Mamas Tania was talking about getting an email from Bill Clinton, who was stumping for his spouse. Now Tania has it seems a mild fantasy with dear old Bill, but that is a different story. But the story got me thinking once again about what really matters to me as far as this election goes, and also about the fact that most of the candidates would not speak with Blogherand sent out/tried to send their spouses to answer woman bloggers questions.
So here in no particular order are the questions that I care about/can think of right now...
1. What changes will you implement in No Child Left Behind, and why those changes?
2. What changes do you think that educators and parents can make to make America's education stronger?
3. If your spouse or child was a member of the military where would you like to see them financially, mentally, physically in 2009 and beyond?
4. What support do you plan to give to the military in the "trenches" so to speak?
5. What support do you plan to give to the families of the military members that are injured or lost during this time of war?
6. What support do you plan to give to the families of the military members who are stationed in remote locations for over 30 days?
7. What will you do about the mortgage crisis?
8. What do you think that we as the American people can do about the mortgage crisis?
9. What will you do about the energy crisis?
10. What do you think that we as the American people can do about the energy crisis?

As I sit here and think about it, I can see in my mind what I would like to have happen on a lot of these questions, just based on how they affect me and my family, but I am realistic enough to know that I am not the be all to end all, and the changes that would be perfect for me, might hurt someone else, and the world is not a perfect place. But I would love to get some of these questions answered, maybe I should go to the candidates websites and see if I can get direct answers....

Monday afternoon/evening eastern time zone

Well if you noticed that there was not a new blog this weekend, it is because it was a bad internet weekend around these parts. The internet is back up, but the house phone is jacked up (but my cell phone number works). It has been a weekend for all things computer wise to go crazy, we didn't have internet Saturday and most of Sunday, and then Sunday the phone decided to go out, and of course it is all connected. Now the internet works, but not the phone, they are supposed to come out tomorrow to fix it all. I am ok with not having a house phone that works, we did without one for almost 2 years, but not having internet just about killed me. I know I should not be so dependent on the silly thing, but I am.

I tried to enroll the girls in school today, succeeded with Natalie (except I have to do a trip to the Social Security office to get a new card for her), and have to go back to the high school tomorrow for Kelsey to do it all. You know the whole shot records on the correct states form. (insert rolling eyes here)

This whole eastern time zone thing is throwing me off, and I finally figured out why. Other than the week we spent in Baltimore, and the couple of weeks when I was at Penn State for training (neither of which I watched any tv during) I have never been on an eastern time zone schedule for anything. So the news not coming on until 7 and 11, and all of the shows not being on until 8 is just crazy to me. I have a feeling that I will be trading in our cable box for one with a DVR here soon, because staying up that late is nuts.

I have pictures and stories from this weekend to blog about, as soon as I pull the pictures off the camera. We had a good time on Saturday, and yesterday was just spent lazing around the house.

Home is where the Air Force sends us

And I have arrived with Tigger, the two birds and the rest of our stuff to join the family in Georgia.
We got off to a very late start yesterday because of the cold weather. You see my Prius that I have had very few problems with in the 2 1/2 years that I have owned it does not like the cold weather.
Both times that we were in Iowa the first winter we had the car, when it got below 25 outside the car did not start the next morning. The dealership in Iowa said it was the computer, and to have it replaced when we got home. The dealership in Florida told us both times that they thought that it was a fluke, and not a problem. Which it wasn't until this Arctic blast that recently hit the southeast came through. In Crestview at our house it was 18 F yesterday morning. Which my car does not like.

So I ended up calling Toyota roadside assistance, to whom I had to explain that I have the extended warranty on the car so that they will come out. Of course the woman I talked to was not listening when I told her that this problem had happened before and that the car would need to be towed to the dealership to have the computer reset. No, she sent out a local towing company to jump start the car.
Add insult to injury, the guys she sent out had no clue how to jump a hybrid.
The head guy popped the hood looking for the battery to jump. Um dude my battery that you need is in the trunk, in the spare wheel well, but thats not the problem. So I had to call the roadside assistance back and get them to authorize for the car to be towed Which they did, but I don't think they were very amused by my telling them that they didn't listen very well in the first place.
When we got to Ft. Walton Beach the gal told me that it was my battery that was the problem, and something to do with the throttle cable being dirty. I guess I don't know what I am talking about. So I spent $300 that I really didn't have to have the battery replaced on my car, the throttle cable cleaned, and the engine filter changed (the only part that I knew before yesterday that was going to need to be changed soon.) They wanted me to get new tires, which admittedly the car needs but after sinking the money for the battery, I don't have. When I left Quality Imports they assured me that the problem should not happen again. I laughed because I knew, I knew what was going to happen.
I then left Ft. Walton Beach for the last time, drove back to Crestview, stopped by Cox to drop off the cable box and modem (waited in line there for 40 minutes) reloaded the car, grabbed Tigger and the birds and was on the road at 5:15 or so. Tigger and I only stopped twice on the way up, and we got here about 11:15 local time, so not a bad trip at all.
I told my mom and Jerry both that I was sure the car was going to not start this morning, because it was already down to 27 when I pulled in the drive at the new house. Call me but I was sure I was right.
Guess what! I wasn't I was right. I was on the phone with Quality by 930, and on the phone with the local Toyota dealer shortly after that. The local place had me call the towing company that they use, but before they could get out to the house to get the car it started enough to where we could drive it the 2 miles to the dealership (much better than 20 that it was to get to Quality from the house).
We left the car with the dealership and went to deal with the rent on the house, pet deposit, stopping at Jerry's new work (where it looks like all they do is play on the computer, but then again its the week of New Years). By the time we got to eat lunch the dealership called and said that it is the computerand they have ordered a new one that should be in by Tuesday. He said we could pick up the car if we had a way to jump it, if we needed too, and I told him just to keep it, and call me when it was fixed.
The only really bad thing about all of this is that I didn't get the girls enrolled in the local schools today like I had planned. Its not a big thing, I can register them on Monday because Jerry doesn't have to go to work for a couple of more days. If they need him they have the phone number and I can drop him off or he could walk (it'd be a long walk, but he could do it).
Tomorrow I think we are going to try and go to the Aviation Museum. Jerry has not been yet, and Starbase Robins is having the Lego Robotics thing tomorrow and Sunday (according to the one sign we saw). So we thought that would be something local, and pretty neat to go see.
Now to work on getting the house in order. As of right now nothing is where it should be and it is going to drive me crazy.

So much for getting an early start

We got down to 18 here last night, yes in Florida, 18 degrees F. Does anyone remember what happened to my car when I was in Iowa both times and it got that cold? car wont start. I have had to call roadside assistance to have someone come out and fix it. When I was on the phone with them, they tried telling me that my warantee had expired, um no it hasnt we got the 100,000 mile one.
So I had to unpack my car so they can get to the part they need to get too, and they will probably end up having to tow it to the shop anyway, because last time it did this it was the computer that doesnt like the cold. My husband is a smartass and told me that I should have kept it warm last night, um how? Put a scarf and ear muffs on it?
I could have put it in the garage I suppose, but that would have meant getting Pat to move their car out of the center of the driveway and his Harley over to the side more of the garage. Plus its a car its not supposed to have these issues!
Toyota is going to be putting a new computer in my car me thinks.

All my bags are packed

Im ready to go
Im standin here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin
Its early morn
The taxis waitin
Hes blowin his horn
Already Im so lonesome
I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that youll wait for me
Hold me like youll never let me go
cause Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go.

Theres so many times Ive let you down
So many times Ive played around
I tell you now, they dont mean a thing
Evry place I go, Ill think of you
Evry song I sing, Ill sing for you
When I come back, Ill bring your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that youll wait for me
Hold me like youll never let me go
cause Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

Now the time has come to leave you
One more time
Let me kiss you
Then close your eyes
Ill be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I wont have to leave alone
About the times, I wont have to say

Oh, kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that youll wait for me
Hold me like youll never let me go
cause Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

But, Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

Words and music by john denver

Ok so not quite leaving on a jet plane, but I am all packed and ready to leave, just have to wait for Cox to be open in the morning to drop off the cable box and modem. Plus I love that song.
I think I will repack the car in the morning to make more sense than it does now, as when I found things laying around today I went out and threw them in the car, so there is stuff everywhere, and a lot of it would work better in other places or arranged just a bit differently.

Right now I am laying on a blanket in my bedroom for the last time, and I really want to cry. This is "OUR" first house, the first house that the payments we have made have gone towards our future, and not someone else's and now we are leaving it. That is hard. Yes, we will still own the house, but it will not be the same, and more than likely once the market settles down some we will try and sell the house.

I have made some really good friends here, most of them in the last 6 months, and they are going to be hard to replace. I know we will stay in touch through the power of the internet, and the phone, plus visits, but it will not be the same.

Like Nate and Natalie said yesterday, home is where the Air Force sends us, and we will see you in two bases, I can only hope its true.

To my Lowes buddies, stay in touch, I will miss you all, thank you for the last couple of months, you made the job worth the hassles.

Good bye Crestucky, good bye...

Happy New Year

Happy New Year one and all. I had a lovely evening last night. I went out to dinner with my friend R from work. We went to McGuire's and sat and talked for quite a while.
Then I went over to L and J's for a bonfire/party to ring in the new year. It was a group from the store here, that all thought I was already gone, so it was a nice surprise for them. Of course I felt like I was inviting myself when I called L to see if they were still having the party. L and R were talking about it before Christmas, and I was invited then, but was planning on being gone already. So yesterday afternoon I called L at home and just asked if they were still getting together and if she minded that I dropped by. I made the cookies that I had bought on Christmas eve for the kids to make, that didn't get made and took those, as well as some Watermellon Ice.
I was not planning on staying until Midnight, and I was not planning on drinking more than one or two, but T offered to drive me home if I wanted, so I took him up on it (and even then I only had 3). I didn't drink enough to really need a ride, but I am not stupid enough to think that the unthinkable wont happen. Good thing too, since we counted 7 police cars on our journey, and its only about 5 miles from here to there.
I hope everyone had as wonderful an evening as I did, if it was out with friends, snuggled on the couch with your honeybunny, or asleep in bed.