Hoping For All to Recover

I really don't like when there is nothing I can do to help people. I got a call last night that my cousin Gary is in the hospital. I don't really know any details about it but I am really hoping he is okay. This afternoon my Grandma Nancy is having knee replacement surgery. She has needed this surgery for a while but had a spiral fracture in her leg from a fall and had to wait for it to heal.

There is also a very nice man, Sgt. Sartin, who works with Chris (technically his boss) that is in the ICU up at UW Medical Center. Last week he got a torn artery in his heart and had a stroke. He is fully sedated and when awake can't move his legs and has limited movement in one arm. He also has an infection in his lungs and because of this, has a breathing tube.

I feel badly for Chris too; he has already been through a similar situation with another Sgt. a while back, whom he was close to (as he is with this Sgt.) and that man passed away. He went to Seattle to see Sgt. Sartin yesterday and is having a difficult time with the whole situation. Sgt. Sartin is a good friend to Chris and needs all the well wishes and good thoughts he can get.

I hope my cousin is alright. I don't really know what is wrong, but he is not doing well from what I am told. As for my Grandmother, I hope she recovers from her surgery quickly; it will take a few months minimum. Please keep them all in your thoughts.

Beautiful Blogger Awards

I received a Beautiful Blogger award today from http://thegoodthebadtheworse.blogspot.com. This blog is clever an humorous and reminds me of so much of myself at times.

In order to OWN my award, I am supposed to follow these directions:
1.Thank, then link to the person who gave you the award
2.Pass the award on to 7 bloggers you've recently discovered and whom you think are fantastic
3.Contact said blogs to let them know you've won
4.State 7 things about yourself

So, here are my 7 bloggers that I think deserve this award:
1.The Good, The Bad, The Worse
2.Contemplations of an Army Wife
3.Catching Butterflies 3
4.I hear feta cheese!!
5.caring for the garden
6.I like Green
7.Critter Tails

And here are 7 facts about me:
1.I don't like cantalope, honeydew or mango
2.I love doing paperwork
3.I have a strange obsession with eyes and do art with photos of them
4.My other obsession is trees (they are so beautiful)
5.I love volleyball but I suck at it
6.I rearrange my furniture almost monthly
7.I want to be a social worker

Well, that's about all for now. Thank you Linda for my award!

The Quest Continues...

X-rays, and rhuematologists, and infertility specialists...oh my!

I have to run in and get pretty much a full body x-ray today. The rhuematologist is checking all my joints. Then tomorrow, I go see said rhuematologist to give me results of x-rays and blood work. They don't seem to think there is a huge problem other than I have a very low vitamin D level which is causing the joint pain all over. On Monday, I have to go see the infertility specialist. I am not infertile, but this doctor can run more tests than the average OB, so that is where they sent me to discover the cause of all these miscarriages. On Monday they are doing a weird test (I'm not sure what it is called) where they fill my uterus with saline and then look at it on ultrasound. They are checking on a 5mm mass that was seen on the initial ultrasound 2 months ago. If the mass is still there then they will be doing an OR Hysteroscopy to see what it specifically is and have the option to remove it if need be. At this point in time, I'm not so much concerned with the miscarriage thing, but more that there is something there that shouldn't be. I'm a bit nervous, but trying to keep busy so I don't have time to worry about it. We will see what they say...

Enjoying the simple things

Things have been going pretty well around here. I have had a great week. Friday, we did some cleaning, went to the school and had lunch with the kids, and got errands taken care of. Saturday we did some more of the housework (because it seems to magically multiply daily) and had Chris's dad and stepmom over for dinner to celebrate Chris's birthday. Sunday was Valentines Day. I had to babysit that night so we relaxed most of the day watching movies cuddled up on the couch, played a board game with the kids and had a pizza for dinner on paper plates so there wouldn't be any dishes. It was a great present to be able to just relax for the whole day. Today, being President's Day, we were all home together. Once again, we are cleaning and did most of the laundry.

Chris has been outside rearranging his garage most of the day today. My favorite part of today was listening to him sing along with the radio he had playing to the song Girls Just Want To Have Fun. He still doesn't know I was listening, but I got a smile out of it. Tomorrow, the kids are off school again, so I am going to try and get them in to get their eyes checked.

Chris's boss is having him sent to the board for promotion next month so he is studying and I am doing my best to help him. Sad to say, but the Army doesn't promote by competence of the job, but by memorization of regulations and a very weird point system. He should have been promoted a long time ago, but because of the point system he was maxed on points, but there still weren't enough to get promoted. Anyway, I'm just happy that he is finally being pushed to go to the board. I know he can do it, but he wouldn't have gone if it was up to him.

I have to say that I have had a great month so far, especially when it comes to the food I have eaten. I got to go out with Chris last week and had a special dinner to celebrate Valentines Day. I made a special meal for Chris this week for his birthday and I have tried several new meals. The best part is that so far, all the recipes I've tried have turned out successful. I'm greatful that I have wonderful people in my life and that life, although not overly exciting, is good. I'd much rather have the calm than the storm that has passed in the last year. I'm happy with my simplistic current life. I'm finding the good in every day and that is a great feeling.

Mother/Son Dance

Here is the picture of Zennek and I from the Mother/Son Dance last week. I wish I had the others from the woman who snapped a few, but so far I haven't received them in my email inbox. As soon as I get them I will be sure to post them. We had such a great time. There is going to be a Father/Daughter Dance in two weeks that Hannah and Chris will be going to. I know they will have a great time too. Life isn't exciting, but it is not bad and I am just fine with that.

A Great Weekend If There Ever Was One

I had a great weekend. It all started on Friday night. Zennek and I went to a Mother and Sone dance. I learned that I seriously need to excercise more often. I was very sore the next morning. We danced, had some refreshments, played musical chairs, and even did the limbo. We had a great time and I'll definately have some great memories from the night.

Saturday my hubby and I had Valentines Day. Yes, it was a week early, but when you have little ones you work with what you've got and take a date when you get it. We went out to Marzano's Italian Restaurant. (http://www.dinemarzano.com/) I highly recommend this place. If you are ever in Tacoma you should try it. The Chicken Gorganzola is absolutely sinful. (The menu is on their website.) After a wonderful dinner we went to a movie. We saw the movie DEAR JOHN. I thought it was a good movie. Chris enjoyed it too; his only complaint was that during a portion of the movie the soldier's rank was up side down. We had a very nice evening.

Sunday, we went up to my uncle's house for a Super Bowl Party. There was lots of great food and a lot of good company as well. Not lng before we arrived, I heard the news that my uncle had received a YES when he asked his girlfriend to marry him. I'm very pleased to have Amy joining my family, she is a sweet woman and my uncle seems to be very happy with her.

I was thouroughly exhausted by the end of the weekend, but it was most definately worth it. As soon as I get the pictures from the dance I will post them. Today I am relaxing. Tomorrow, back to all the housework and chaos of mommyhood.

Dusting myself off

I have been going through a "down" period for a while. Everyone has these. Mine began with having to accept things about my life that I'm not exactly happy with but have learn to live with. Honestly, I'd rather not talk about the specifics of it, but it is upsetting to me none the less. Aside from that I am not exactly happy with my weight. I feel a little stuck with the fact that we need more money, but I can't work because it costs more for daycare than I would make at a job. There are a few other things that are on the list of things that have been working on my mood. Regardless, I have finally gotten off the "floor" and started to brighten my mood.

I am slowly reminding myself of the many good things that are in my life I am allowing myself to feel things when they arise instead of burying them down until there are so packed in there that they spill over and make me "loose it." I don't want to give up on my life, I want to fight for it and make it mine, so I'm pushing forward. Life will always have conflicts and road blocks, the difficult thing to do is finding a way through or around them. I have overcome so many things this far and I am not going to give up now. Thank you to all of you who have given me encouraging words, love and help in so many ways. I love you all! I'm on my way back up my ladder and it's so nice to have friendly faces climbing with me.