Babies, babies, everywhere part II

So everyone I know is pregnant. Or they JUST had a baby. And they are all girls.

Well Alison and Jen are having boys... but that's two boys out of *counting really hard* seven that I can count off the top of my head. So there are lotsa girlies out there.

And they all are wiggelers. I am hearing stories of babies kicking and squirming and punching more than normal, and in one instance breaking mom's ribs from moving so much.

And Crystal's grossly accurate and graphic description of an epidural... shudder... well right now I am glad that I don't have to worry about miscarrying, high risk-ness, twins, eight kiddos in the house, not being able to lay down, peeing all the time, hunger and no room in your abdomen for your stomach to hold food, EPIDURALS!!!, getting fat, breast feeding for the first time, not sleeping for 9 months, and rearranging our home to fit all the baby stuff. Plus what ever else I am forgetting that is yucky about being with child.

Now I understand that not everyone has complicated and or hard pregnancies and that the result is way worth the bleh, but I don't have to deal with that right now. And I am glad.

However, I miss my boys!!! My little ready-made family.

When we were in Colorado for the funeral I met Scott's other sister for the first time. She has adopted 3.5 of their 4.5 kids (The .5 is a foster daughter that they are trying to adopt). Bingo! Ready made family... to order.

I've talked with some people about fostering and adopting and it sounds like fun.

well, no... not really.

But an adventure!

To foster, here, I need 8 sq feet to dedicate to the child and a 6 week parenting class. That's it.
It sounds super easy. And foster parents are always in demand. I could even foster pregnant teens... who were disowned(?)... Cool, huh? I wouldn't do that right now... I'd have no 'mother authority' since I'm just recently an adult myself. maybe when I'm 30-ish.

However, that gets to wait until I am not a corporate working fiend.

I wonder if fostering and then adopting is cheaper than just adopting... either way I feel called to adopt. I have since we got married and started planning for our lives. But I think one is sufficient, I'll leave the 5-1000 kids to Bethany. :)

people

I've only been working on a computer for a little bit, but already my typing is so much better. If I slow down a bit and think, I can type sorta accurately without looking at the keys!!

Scott invited some people from our ward over for dinner tonight. They had already eaten, bu they came to hang out for a bit. It was fun to sit and chat.

I have never seen either one of them before... ever.

Our ward is transient, and I don't at all profess to know everyone, but Scott chats with these people all the time and they gave us concert tickets and we are cool with them. I was very surprised to realize that we are friends with a couple that I had never seen before... not just have not met, but I have never seen them.

crazy!

On a completely different note, I really love to eat corn. It is just so yummy.

I got a promotion last week and I was SO stressed over it.

The Saturday after coming home from Hawaii I was so distraught that I threw up a lovely dinner of Vietnamese soup. And as I have told my wonderfully concerned friends, I am not pregnant! I totally just get the symptoms when I am stressed... for reals!

Here is what is going on:
So much time with family
James leaving
the boys gone
the house is a mess
companies fighting over me... literally they were jus this side of 'pulling out the big guns' (I know it's a compliment, but I was in the middle and I was stressed over it)
the new responsibilities are overwhelming me (on Tuesday I get to be the personal assistant to a VERY important guy, who is used to having him every whim catered to...even the whims he does not know he has, it's intense!)
so much LAUNDRY!!!
still mourning Megan's death
scanning family photo albums for the Quigley family.... and it's a LOT of pictures.
scrap booking some of those pictures
going through everything and sorting out James' stuff and shipping some of it to him
deciding what to do with the rest of it
keeping myself busy and active, physically, so i don't have another stress meltdown
remembering to make time in all of this for Scott

phew!

But my visiting teachers and visiting teachee are great and they have been helping me through a lot of this. THANK YOU LADIES!
and James gave me great advise, I can work for 4-5 years and climb that corporate ladder and get as far as I can go, and have fun and enjoy it; and then jump into becoming a mom and enjoy that. OR I could wish that I was a mom while I have to be working and therefore not enjoy the time spent and then when I do become a mom, wish I was working and resent my kids for keeping me at home. It's my choice.

It was so novel. So I have decided to really enjoy my career life.

so there!

ha!

Pictures from Hawai'i

Aloha! We were in Oahu, Hawai'i for Christmas and New Years.

Here is the view from the airplane. Beautiful!
And then in no order what-so-ever...

I took a nap o n our private patio and woke up to this! The state flower, Plumeria, which does smell so good.
The return of the Spearfishers... and Cece.
This was great. Scott and Cece spent several occasions doing projects like this.
We got me a big Black Pearl ring. This is a funky photo for insurance... but I think it complements my wedding ring nicely. you?

Our bathroom that everyone else used. Ah, the joys of a first floor room.
Uncle Scott and the bones of the Uhu that he caught.
Grandpa was enthralled by these white hibiscus.
Tarah and Klye buried Nicky at Lagoon 2

This is me SURFING! On the first day ever... I got up on the board and here is the proof!
Probably the most fun thing we did.

I don't know why but every time I saw this black swan, at the entrance to the resort the Co Olina resort we stayed, at she seemed to symbolize our residence.
I have other, direct pictures pictures of the Temple but we like this one. The beach is hard to see, but it's right in front of the car, just beyond the palm trees.
Here I model Aunt Mariana's wet suit. Mom and the girls and I got matching suits... and we all got the same size which is interesting if you have ever seen us together. I'll have to dig up that picture.
"What happens in Hawaii... stays with you forever"
I have never seen a fast food trash receptacle with anything other than "Thank You" or "Trash"... until you go to Subway in Kunia.
Lagoon 1 at Co Olina. Taken the first day we arrived. It's beautiful!!
shake, shake, shake, shake your body! Traditional Tahiti dancers at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Our friends told us not to skip eating at Giovanni's and the advise was SO great. Probably the best food I ate the whole trip was at the side of the H1.
This is me... SURFING! On the first day. I promptly fell after the picture was taken, but a few hours later I was able to balance kneeling on the top of my board, surf a wave that way ALLL the way to the shore and sit down (not fall of and scramble back on) and paddle back out for another wave.

So AWESOME! It's my favorite memory.
Grandma, doing her thing.
Hanaunma Bay. We tried snorkeling here, but it was so crowded, and stormy that we could hardly see 3 feet out.
Lagoon 1, again on the first day. ME!
At the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Kyle, Scott and I ran the maze and TOTALLY beat everyone else!
Lagoon 1, Scott posing on the rocks. Those rocks were surprisingly rough, I still have holes in the soles of my feet from them.
Scott killed two flies in the kitchen... as they were flying around. I'm impressed.
You can't tell so much, but these are all cubes of fat. We ordered a beef stew and this is what we got. :(
THEN, as we got ice cream one store over there was a shooting right outside. The casing ended up in front of the car next to ours. Officer Ramerez was kind enough to let us leave, even though we were part of the crime scene. I like him. It was LATE and we were flying out the next day.
Scott and Scott showing their catch. They went night- spear fishing and we got some yummy fish. I forget which kinds.
Eating at Giovanni's
*taken from a moving vehicle* The mountains were majestic and green, and usually covered in clouds, as seen here.
My cousins on my Mom's side. Cece (Laura) Latimer, Kyle Latimer, Nicky Latimer.

Hey look'it I found some photos

My Doggies, Sonic and Daisy. Daisy is getting hosed off and you can't see her head so well. Scott and Aunt Jocye and I at Tarah's dive meet in Dallas.
Emma and I playing salon just moments before eating Thanksgiving Dinner.
Emma and I playing computers at Co Olina House in Hawaii.
Scott and Emma and I napping at Uncle Scott's Christmas Morning, also in Hawaii.

Super cute picture of Emma. She looks like Marlania to me....

Christmas Vacation

Next year I vote for a white Christmas!!

perhaps in Washington? who knows, eh?

We woke up and came into the family area, where stockings had ben stuffed and laid around the table and a pile of presents was surrounding the indoor palm tree.

...and there was much rejoicing...yeah...

But not everyone was awake, so we waited for Grandparents to wake up...

Then there was talk of our being expected at Scott and Mariana's, so we piled into the van and drove to the Latimer's. We trundled upstairs to the family room and watched as my cousin's opened their presents. And put them together. And played with them. I think at one point everyone who had not yet opened a present was asleep for the sheer boredom of it all. It was cute to watch Nicky and CeCe, but I had presents waiting for me back at Co Olina house... and I was ready to open my presents. SO we made waffles and had breakfast. I missed out because I was wrapping the presents I had brought and bought. I got one belgum waffle. FINALLY after hours of waiting... We go there around 8 and left around 12:30... we came home and *grabae* waited around while people went upstairs to change and get lunch and all sorts of stuff that was not opening presents. I finally broke down and opened my stocking. I don't think I have ever started opening presents with the rest of the family awake and around without everyone sitting around to watch. I got some meh gifts... I got a macadamian nut lei that I had my eye on... actually I handed it to Mom and she bought it for me and I acted supprised to see it the next morning. :P and some chocolates... and um... other stuff.
I got a recording of Grandpa O reading stories from Dad, and that was great. I got Scott Pirates of the Carabbian 3... I don't really remember, oh wait, Tarah gave me a shirt, and um that's all I remember without looking into the bag of gifts.

Eventually everyone opened their presents and we popped in a movie. Tarah got Mom "Hairspray" and we have watched it at least once a day since. It's awesome.

I'm looking forward to having our own family. Been daydreaming of was it could concievably happen... most are more proposterous than the last... But one of these days...

Oh and a huge thank you goes out to Jamies for my Birthday journal. I am several days behind...if I were doing a page a day, but I carry it around with me everywhere. Honsetly. We went to the Dole Pineapple plantation. It was raining the entire time. I didn't wear my poncho because I used it to wrap up and keep my journal dry. It's my grown-up security blanket. I love it.

I need to go and get some sleep, we are hiking to the Lighthouse overlooking the north of the island at sunrise tomorrow. I'm excited, it sounds like fun.

Funerals... feelings from so very far, like we've know each other oh so long...

Am I a heartless sick-o for having fun over the weekend?

I met and played and mothered and laughed and cried and froze and cooked and edited and slept and I was so busy with all that, I didn't have to be sad. I know where Megan is, I know my opinion of why she was taken now. I am at peace with her sudden death.

I cried when I saw her, her skin so waxy and the makeup so fake. Everything was wrong looking, the hair was stringy and wet, there was no part in her lips and I don't think her eye lashes were ever that think.

Bless the hands that prepared her, I was supposed to be there.

On having only one kid

but Megan, the arguments you gave rely so heavily on you being there for it all.

Now you're not. And Quinn only has one baby to remember you by.

We miss you.

Prince Marcus and the Ice Dragon

Genie in a Bottle

By James Quigley 12/33/07

After such a long day of adventuring and eating lambs, Prince Marcus and the Ice Dragon were very tired so they flew back to the Ice Dragon's cave to go to sleep.

Prince Marcus was awaken by a faint voice that said "Let me out and I will play with you." Prince Marcus sat up and said to the Ice Dragon, "Did you hear that?" The Ice dragon had been asleep and said that he had not heard anything. "Go back to sleep, Prince Marcus." Prince Marcus laid down to go to sleep and he heard the voice again. "Please, let me out."

Prince marcus jumped up again, this time the Ice Dragon heard the voice. "I think I know what that is." he said. Prince marcus followed the voice to a crack in the back of the cave.

The Ice Dragon couldn't go down the crack because he was to big, but Prince Marcus could. So they let down a rope and Prince Marcus went down and down, past the treasures that had fallen down the crack in the Ice Dragon's cave.

Then Prince Marcus saw a glowing lamp, it was still burning bright, so he picked it up and gave the rope a tug. The Ice Dragon pulled the rope up, with Prince Marcus on it. It was a genie lamp and Prince Marcus rubbed on it to get the ganie to come out.

"I'd be careful, if I were you," said the Ice Dragon"it took me three years to get that genie back into the bottle."

When the genie popped out, Prince Marcus was supprised because the genie was a beautiful woman. Girl genies are tricker than boy genies, and this one was no exception.

"You have three wished and when those three wishes are used up I get to go away." said the Genie.

"What is your first wish? Are you hungry?" asked the genie. She wanted to trick Prince Marcus into using his first wish, but Prince Marcus was to smart for that. So he told her that he already had food.

He started to cook the Daddy lamb that was encased in frozen ice. While he was eating his mutton the genie conjured up a wonderful, lavish feast. She invited Prince Marcus to join her. Prince Marcus didn't want to be rude so he accepted the invitation. When they had finished the feast, Prince Marcus said thank you and went back to where the Ice Dragon was eatting the mutton. Prince Marcus started to eat more mutton because he knew that the genie's food was magic and didn't really fill you up.

"Are you going to make your first wish?" asked the genie.

"I don't think I'm going to use my wishes right away. I like you and I want to keep you around" said Price Marcus. Then he went to sleep.

The next morning Prince Marcus had come up with a plan. He told the genie that he was ready to make his first wish. The Ice Dragon wanted Prince Marcus to ask for his advice, but when he looked into Prince Marcus' eyes he could see that Prince Marcus had a plan so he didn't say anything.

"My first wish," said Prince Marcus to the genie, "is that the second and third wishes be turned into one wish."

"Are you sure?" asked the Ice Dragon. Prince Marcus said that he was sure. The Ice Dragon knew that Prince Marcus was very clever and so he trusted him.

"Are you sure?" asked the genie. "if you use your first wish to turn the second and third with into one wish, you'll only have one wish left."

"Yes, that is what I want to do" said Prince Marcus.

Poof.

"Your wish has been granted" said the genie.

"My second and last wish" said Prince Marcus "is that you become a real human, and stop being a genie."

"You can't do that" said the genie. "It breaks the rules of the genie magic."

"Well," said Prince Marcus "you already broke the rules when you changed my second and third with into one wish. The rules are that I get three wishes and because of my first wish, I only have two wishes. You must honor my wish"

The Ice Dragon smiled because he saw the clever tick that Prince Marcus had made.

The genie saw that Princ marcus was right and honored his wish.

Poof.

She was a human now. Prince Marcus gave her his cloak to wear because she was cold in the Ice Dragon's icy lair. When she was a genie she didn't feel hot or cold, so this was a new experience for her.

Then Prince Marcus taught her how to eat real food, and they ate up the rest of their mutton, and the woman learned to love mutton. Then Prince Marcus taught the woman how to be all about being a human and they were married and lived happily ever after.

The End.

One word

Here is a little fun something from my Aunt Mariana.
This should be interesting. Let the Game Begin!!!!!
GAME IS ON
The Game is on!!! And you're IT! [this means you the reader...not me the poster :P]
Describe ME in one word.... just one single word. Send it to me and
to me only. Then send this message to all your friends and see how
many strange & interesting things they say about you. This is really
fun. Here's how to Play:
1. Hit the reply key and send me my one word.
2. Then return to this message, and forward it to your friends
(including me) and see what people say about you when limited to one
word!!!
The Game is On!!!!!

having one only one child is a disservice to your kid.

My sister in law Megan does not understand why.

This is what I came up with in 10 minutes. Anyone else have something to add?

Megan-
Also, maybe you could help me understand something that continues toescape me: Why do you see it as a disservice to the child to not haveany siblings? I was thinking that as long as I provide Teaq withsocial experiences time after time as he's growing up, that he willlearn about people and how to interact with society in an acceptableway. I guess I was also thinking that I was doing him a favor by notbeing a crabby mom all the time (cuz that's what I turn into when Idon't get enough time alone and have too much to do :)

Arren - Well, I am not even sure where to start. How about the future. Your grandkids will have no extended family on your side. This means less presents for birthdays and Christmas. Less letters from family while on a mission, less opportunity to get to know their parent (father). Aunts and uncles remember stories of each other better than the grand parents do... grandparents memories fail them :P and half the time they were not around for the stuff that was fun/ funny. Less inside jokes, less safety net to fall back on. Think of it, if you were an only child and your parents died... or left the church. Who would you turn to? Now what if your parents were only children too? No family anywhere you turn! No cousins with shoulders to cry on. No relatives to move in and continue on with. And no one who knows your parents like you know your parents (if not better) and can mourn them the way your mourn them. There would be no one for Teaq to fight with and learn to forgive, because they are stuck under one roof. I think a lesson this important should be taught while growing up. Not when you are married and suddenly 'stuck' with your spouce. No one for Teaq to feel proud of, (siblings are the BEST show and tell) no little siblings to protect on the playground. To one to tease. No one to giggle late at night with, he'll always sleep alone :( No one to share the quirks you and Quin have, that only a child would love. If he tried to tell some they would think you extremly strange, not endearing. No one to pray for when they fall astray. No one to wish him the best at his wedding. No one to give hard learned lessons to. No secret languages that are not for mom's ears. No one to share disclipline with. No one who understands things like you've forgotten how to do, like a child does. No friendly face when you go to a new school. He'll always be alone at the end of the day, no matter how many times you take him out to play. How would he learn to nuture? To treat a baby? How sad to be afraid to hold one when he is a dad.

Happy Birthday to me!

I had a great birthday. The office took me out to eat, Scott to me to a swanky restraunt for dinner and James got me an awesome present.

It's a journal, a nice wooden one, and on EVERY page he wrote something for me to do that will help me to be happier. How cool is that?!

He is leaving on the 21st. That's the day we are leaving for Hawaii. We will be Christmas-ing in Hawaii this year. I'm stoked.

Becca asked me to sing a duet with her for the ward Christmas party.

We have added Google calender, and it's been fun to play around with.

I have been scrap booking the pictures that were abandoned at James' house. Many of them have stuff written on the back, so I am making those corner sticker things so the picture is not permanently affixed to the page. I don't have the time or money to go out and buy them so I'm making mine out of tape. It's pretty cool.

Also check out "Dear Body," on youtube.

Life... or something like it.

Who came up with that phrase? I think I really really like them.

I got am e-mail from Miles the other day and I almost cracked in half. It was SO refreshing to read his sense of humor. It's so like mine. I knew just when he was being sarcastic and when he wanted me to laugh.. and I did.

I have been so stressed I can't sleep well and when I am awake I can't keep my eyes open. James said "Why don't you just choose to be happy?"

I PROMISE I AM TRYING MY VERY BEST!

I am overwhelmed with my weaknesses right now. Just when my plate is full with things I need to do better or fix, I get bombarded with more.

I have been helping James get ready to move to Washington.

last month I read a book and among other cultural lessons I thought it this was interesting. The heroin... the gal not the drug... I'm way not going to check into that right now... was stressed about her new marriage and money and other things that newly married Jewish girls worry over. She came home to find her mother very depressed and she had the presence of mind to take over the responsibilities her mother shouldered for Pesach. She found that when she was so busy cleaning and delegating and cooking, that she had no time to worry over anything else. * aside I just found a WONDERFUL site : jewish-life-organized.com *

I feel like I'm running off that theory right now... I'm not looking forward to things slowing down.

I was wondering what our conversations would be like if I were to speak what I was thinking. It would definitely be interesting. I hardly think in complete or linear patterns. And always there is a song going through my mind... so conversations would jump around and be broken up with random-usually unrelated- songs.

If I get a chance to breath with out having a meltdown, I'll try it and let the world know how it goes.

:)

I love automatic spell checks!

Meh.

I sure do hope you had a better day a t church than I did.

Man, I'm not sure what's up, I have been really tired (well I know about that one, I have not gotten much sleep...) and shaky and GRUMPY!

The shakes could either be a lack of good food... I have been feasting on doughnuts and candy instead of real food. Or it could be an effect of the medications I am taking... James is taking the same stuff and he gets the shakes too.

I went to a baby shower yesterday and, meh, it was okay. I went to church today, by myself, and ,meh, it was okay. The kids were rowdy and annoying. The lesson uninspiring. i really really wanted to go to adult classes.

I miss my nephews so much it's uncomfortable to be around other kids, they do cute things and I am reminded of the boys and then I miss them more and more. It' s really tough.

How could yo...uh...why...NOOOOOOO!

SO before I was finished writing the previous post, James comes in and calls a family meeting. Well Scott was gone so it was just bro and sister at this family meeting.

He is moving to Washington.

This is me trying REALLLLLY hard to stay happy. I'm am so proud of him and his growth and what he has learned and that he is doing the most right thing.

But I'm also a selfish little sister.

I have had a big brother for a year now. That's it. From one fall season to another fall season. September to November... after 21 years of waiting! How is that fair?! Just a year and already my child/playthings are taken away and held hostage in Washington. Now my bestest big brother is leaving me too. I will officially have NO family in the town where I live... which by the way is about as large as London. And there will be only two people in the house.

But it's really the very best thing that he could be doing right now.

I fantasize that I could volunteer to move up there with him.

However that would backfire is so many ways. The worst is that it would create the exact opposite reaction from Jenny then he is wanting.

So no dramatic moves across the country to a cold climate where it will actually snow... bummer :P

On the up side... He looks so much better now that he knows what he is doing, and has a spiritual confirmation (and my testimony that it's correct) that his choice is good.

Physically he looks softer. It's weird.

I could tell he was struggling with something. It was not even a case of 'sister intuition'... He looked horrible. Like he was sick, yellowish and almost pickelish. Yes, he looked like a pickle.

I asked him several times what was wrong. I got answers... and it was all stuff I could have guessed. Work was stressful today, worried about the divorce blah blah blah.

I asked if there was anything I could do... Nope, not really. He ate dinner before he came home... he is not thirsty. He just wants to play a gammie... (and dude, I'm never very helpful when it comes to playing computer games) all to no avail.

Then Monday he came home and he was clean looking and clean smelling. After a full day of work, when I asked for a hug, he smelled like he just got out of the shower and put on clothes fresh from the wash. And he didn't look like a pickle anymore. and he was relaxed. and happy.

It made me calm down a bit too. I was not worrying about him.

I truly have the most amazing brothers ever.

No doubt that I will miss him like crazy, but promised him I would not get pissy and moody because he is leaving or when he leaves. So I won't.

I've decided and that final!

I want to be like all the girls I looked up to as a youth.

Bertie, Christy, Amy, Elise, Jessica, Gina, Rhonda, Amy Lou, Kourt, Megan, but probably mostly Jessica and Elise.
Lately I have seen the most of Bertie via her blog. and I really want to be like her. SO happy and full of life and confident and fit. And beautiful.

So I am deciding to choose to see the good things in my life. To accept the bitter and rejoice in the sweet. I am goin gto really work on being positive.

It will be a long hard and probably lonely road, so wish me luck.

Question from Miles (my little Brother)

In any case so here is the big question of late.

Does the US as a big free country have the responciblility or the right to invade other contries and then try to police them?



Hmmm, good question.

I don't think any entity has the right to attempt to manipulate the free will of another. Not a person forcing another person to do something illegal (think crime lords and the mafia) nor a parson forcing a nation to follow only one way of thinking (Hitler and Stalin and Lennon and Saddam and communists in general...) nor do a group of peope have the right to do the same (any "wing" of politics which is a whole discussion in and of itself or the Talaban or whatever). So. In order for this to happen, good people must be vigilant in going around and keeping order.

I am reading the Lord of th Rings again. The fellowship of the ring was made of good people doing their best to keep free people free and tyrrany abated. However they "invaded" other lands and fought and killed to maintain that freedom.

Much like the US going to war with people/policies/ or nations that are corrupt and are actiely corrupting those around them. Or manipulating or even removing the free will of the afore mentioned people.

So I think the real question is when are we protecting freedom and when are we fighting just to fight?

If the free people of Middle earth had the strength, and they marched aganist Mordor and were able win battles and hold their position near the Mount of Mordor, and if they were content to sit there and fight until the evil of Sauroman was defeated; I think we'd have a great analogy to the US's position in the War aganist Terrorism. However they did not. They went in and destroyed the ring of power. Once that ring was destroyed, the evil forces were defeated, without a so-long and gory battle.

HOWEVER. That is a story. In real life there is no ring. And just like is explaned in the book, if they were to destroy just Sauroman, another would rise to fill his shoes. So it is that if we killed off Hitler then Hussein came later to fill his shoes and then ben Lauden.

SO. MY THOUGHTS:

America as a big strong country has the opportunity to stomp out evil. And then withdraw. Build up their forces and prepare for the next baddie to come. Satan is likened to Sauroman, the ring would then be his power over this world. We don't have a Hobbit (Prophet) and a Wizard (Christ) at this time to destroy that ring of power. We are in the stages of Rangers roaming the wilds and beating back the evils that threaten to come up among us unawares. If a Ranger was to camp at a baddies door and vow to rid the world of evil by killing the whatevers he'd probably not get far... and that is where I think we are.


What do you think?

So today I had my first nose bleed.

I'm not sure if it's really something to celebrate... but it just goes to show that I'm not done with "firsts".

I've been fighting a cough and sinus drainage for a month now. Perhaps I'll break down one of these days and see if it's allergies. I really don't want to because I've never had allergies before and I don't want to have allergies now.

I have lost my voice because of the coughing and now, instead of coughing until the phlegm comes out I just give a "token" cough so it doesn't tickle.

Stop reading if you are squeamish.

Today I had to cough for real and a nice chunk came flying right out. I had to scrape it off the cabinet where it landed. EW!


Okay all you squeamish types... you can read again.

Scott went to a service project this morning and came home with a shopping bag full of fresh mint from the Coppell community garden. James helped me de-stem the leaves and I made up a big batch (1 gal) of mint tea. YUMMY!

I have started to come around to online bill pay. Starting this month my bills will be automated and electronic. Wish me luck.

I had a tough week. November is the end of our fiscal year at work and everyone is straining to get things done and ready for years end. Thus I have more projects. It's not a big deal. I like doing projects for everyone. HOWEVER, I have daily duties that are part of my job description. I am having less and less time to do them because of all the projects I'm picking up. So I had James assist me in streamlining some of my daily chores.

Monday we stayed up till midnight as he showed me how to do macros in excel. I asked to stop because I was really tired and i get up between 5 and 5:30 to work out. I need the little sleep I get. Especially with the stress I am under right now. So I got to work on Tuesday and was ready o start implementing the stuffs I had half learned. At 8:30 my boss comes over and gives me 3 projects that I have to have finished at the end of the day or at the end of the week. Cool. One of those projects was a powerpoint presentation. Every time I opened it to work on it, I would look up and 3 hours had passed. Oooops. The other two involved calling people, which I am not fond of doing, and gathering informations. I also had to worry about projects that were started months ago. So I had no time to work on my pet project in excel. The rest of the week was rinse and repeat. Evenings I would come home, and go to bed... I had dinner twice all week. Tuesday Scott and I started gathering things to decorate for Halloween, we both passed out before any real decorating began. Mornings I had to ask Crystal to stop early so I would not pass out from lack of food. Finally on Thursday night I had Scott get some groceries. I had a sweet chat with James, ate dinner and went to bed. Again after midnight. I went to bed after 11 every night this week!!! I'm SO tired. Friday James and Scott brought me dinner at work and we got my excel projects started. I came home and went to bed, they went to play volleyball.

I really wanted to play volleyball. I shaved my legs and was so ready. But I was way too tired. Today my goal was to sleep all day!

So I got up at 8, which is sleeping in for me. I picked up the house and went back to bed. I got up again at 11:30 when Jessey came in and started licking my hair. Normally I think it's cute when our cats "groom" us. This morning Jessey swallowed a clump of hair and spit it out on my face. It was all wet and cat-breath-y. So I got up. I did laundry. All of the laundry in our apartment. It took all day and Texas Tech beating A&M 34 - 7 to get it done.

Now I am writing in my blog. and when I am done I will get my Sunday school lesson done and go to sleep.

Okay I'm done. Goodnight!

So. The boys get to stay in WA. Until the divorce is final... James gets one weekend a month for a supervised visit that he pays for.

Suck.

Just got back from court.

I hope I was more helpful than I feel. James said I was great and I'll take his word.