.

An Old Soul

2010-12-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

As parents, we hear our children talk all the time. Today's reminds me that I need to take the time to truly listen so I don't miss moments like this.

Jack was watching the snow fall heavy outside our window. He had been quietly watching for a long time. He says without turning away from the view, "Sometimes the snow makes me cry" I asked him why and he replied, "It's beautiful"

The beauty of that thought process makes me cry. Happy tears for a boy that I wasn't sure would ever talk.

Sweet 16

2010-12-11T14:33:00.000-08:00

*My oldest son turned 16 a few weeks ago. He is so precious to me and seeing him age has been amazing!

November 15, 1994

November, 2010

Watching this boy turn into a young man has fascinated and terrified me. Recently, I realized how short his time as my child has become. He graduates in less than two years and leaves my nest. I can't think of it without tearing up.

*In other news, Jack has found his future profession, so he says.

He says his name is Asimo, the robot.

2010-12-03T15:59:00.000-08:00

Don't be jealous of my mad robot making skills.

Sneaky Thanksgiving secret

2010-11-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

If you thought I meant a really cool recipe, I am sorry.

We have been in collusion, the ex husband and I. Keeping a secret from my children is NOT easy. I am just bad at keeping secrets, I let things slip, I forget that it even is a secret. But for five long weeks, I managed it. The ex was giving out little hints here and there. Telling one boy that the DS he left behind in the summer would arrive on the 25th. When another asked over the phone what he was going to eat on Thanksgiving, the ex said, "the same thing as you!" He told one boy that when he missed Papi on Thanksgiving, he would be right beside him. Nobody caught on...hehehehe.

The boys dad was coming for Thanksgiving and they had no idea. Today, while we were all busy cooking and eating and parade watching, my dad left saying he had to go home and check on the dogs. Mom threw out, "take a shower while you are there" Overkill much mom? She makes me giggle.

A trip to the airport and back later, he walks in on our unsuspecting boys. I LOVE it when a plan comes together!!

These turkeys......

...are glad this turkey made it.

Sounds in the darkness

2010-11-16T16:23:00.000-08:00

Every night as Jack falls to sleep, he sings and talks. Most of the time it is nonsense or phrases from his favorite shows. Lately, it is the Beatles. I present to you the audio of my newest favorite.

To nose job or not to nose job

2010-11-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

As a teen I broke my nose during band practice. I was in the guard and we were throwing rifles and boom, I missed. Well, not missed exactly, I just caught it with my face. I popped in back in place on the spot in panic. It felt like it was lying down on my cheek. I swelled and suffered, but refused to go to the doc for it.

It healed a bit crooked, but it has never bothered me. I really only notice it in pictures.

Pre-break

Post-break

Nobody noticed unless I pointed it out.

Over the years it got more pronounced.

Aesthetically, it still doesn't bother me.

You can really see the difference if you look up my nose..lol

I am starting to get reduced air flow in my right nostril. I get sinus headaches a lot. I was starting to think it was time to get it fixed. Then I saw my MRI.

My nose is in the top center. This view is from looking down into my head from the top. I knew it was off, but I didn't realize it was almost closed.

So. It is time to begin searching out my options. If you have had experience with nose surgery or an experience similar, I would love to hear from you.

Feeling grateful

2010-11-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Five years ago we moved because the heater in our apartment burned out. It did not actually start a fire, but the fire department said we were lucky. I am so grateful we moved. The unit in front of the one we lived in burned Sunday. Two people lost their lives and many more were injured. Twelve families lost everything they own. My heart goes out to them.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kalamazoo_and_battle_creek/One-found-dead-after-apartment-fire

There are days when I struggle and worry. Today, I am incredibly thankful, grateful and blessed. We were able to move into this house because of my ex husband. He stepped up and helped us get out of that death trap. He had been trying to get me to let him help us move into a better place and I was stubborn. I didn't want to be indebted to him.

Thank god I came to my senses before this was our tragedy.

In happier news, our Halloween party was a success. The kids had a great time and the food was super cool. My mom outdid herself this year.

Here we have Ogre Toes. These are bread sticks with almonds for the nails. We dipped them in Unicorn blood (pizza sauce.

Super gross!!

She found these cool labels at the dollar tree!

She also made a stuffed pumpkin

We had a great time playing Halloween themed pictionary.

We made WAY too much food, of course, but it was worth it.

From the kid who couldn't talk

2010-10-09T05:03:00.001-07:00

comes an early morning LOUD serenade. I love his song choice, but he has got to turn down the volume until the coffee is brewed.

Hoarding mistake or vintage genius?

2010-09-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

I found two Bop magazines from the 80s in my keepsake box today. I was cleaning it out and hadn't been to the bottom of it in years. I also found a poster of Duran Duran. I am trying to throw them away, but can't. I checked Ebay and somebody is selling a Bop from 1984 for almost $50.

So, you tell me, hoarding or genius?

Out of Surgery

2010-09-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

Nico is still in recovery, but done with his surgery. The surgeon said the abscess was a bit larger than a golf ball, but cleaned out well. He did have a fistula running into his colon, but he closed that up. I am in the room waiting for them to bring my boy back to me!

He is going to have a painful recovery, but not as painful as it was before surgery. He is a trooper that is for sure.

Nico update

2010-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Nico is scheduled for surgery to remove/drain the abscess at 2pm. They say we will be allowed to go home afterwards. I hope we are home for dinner, but I suspect it may be more like 8 or 9pm. He is doped up and resting well. I am not sure what the aftercare will be like yet, but I am dreading the discomfort and pain I know he will continue to feel until it completely heals.

Thanks for the well wishes!!

A Pain in the Butt Night in the Hospital

2010-09-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

This post contains much bum, butt, rear info. You have been warned.

My oldest son, Nico, has been having pain since Saturday. It has gotten worse over time and evolved into a perirectal abscess. Poor guy hasn't been able to sit or walk right for several days. An ER visit last night found no cause for his pain and we were sent home. A doc appt today found a small lump. She said she would refer us to a colorectal surgeon for diagnosis. By 5pm, he was miserable and a large swelling had formed. He also developed a fever. Back to the ER we went. The thing had more than quadrupled in a 5 hour span.

He has been admitted for the night and is on morphine and IV antibiotics. He is sleeping ok now. Tomorrow, the specialist will see him and decide how to drain it. He might be facing a trip to the operating room.

I am exhausted. I had my second migraine on Tuesday. I got maybe 3 hours of sleep last night after our first ER trip. I know I won't sleep tonight.

It stinks when our kids are hurting.

Giving in is hard!

2010-09-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

I will admit it, the air is cooler, a few trees are beginning to change.

It's Fall!

I am getting more and more like my momma as I age. I want it decorated!!

And I promised these two I would NOT put this picture on Facebook. So I am putting it here.

99 isn't just for red balloons

2010-09-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

There isn't much going on here except school school school! School is going well. I got a 99 on my last paper! Because I am so dang proud of myself, I feel a need to post my professor's comments.

10/10 Mechanics

20/20 Composition

9/10 References

60/60 Content & Organization

VERY well done, Monica! The ONLY area of concern is the reference page. For

the most part, they are compliant. However, I would encourage you to check the

citation generator the college has in the virtual library to see if you can

determine where your mistakes are. Here's a hint..."the devil is in the

details"
Let me know what questions you have or if you can't determine where the errors

are. Thanks!

That makes a girl feel good, I tell ya!

Shout!

2010-08-31T14:57:00.000-07:00

After Jack's birthday party we left to visit Kindleberger Park. It was the last night of their summer concert series. We were so excited because one of the coolest Beatles tribute bands was playing. They are called Shout and were amazing!

I am 3!

2010-08-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Three years ago, my fourth son was born. You may remember that we were told he was a girl. He has brought so much joy to all of our lives. Happy Birthday, Jack!!

Crash Test Dummies

2010-08-27T21:03:00.000-07:00

Today, go cart adventure was more like bumper cars!!

Crash #1

Crash #2

Crash #3

I don't know if I will ever let them go back again..GEEESH!

Vicodin hiccups

2010-08-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

Nico, my oldest son had his wisdom teeth removed yesterday. He did very well and so far doesn't have too much swelling or bruising. He does however have the hiccups. All. Day. Long.

He had them before he woke up because he dreamed that his brother had a snake that had the hiccups. I noticed he had them right away. We have tried every home remedy with poor results. He has now had them for at least 12 hours. He also has terrible heartburn.

I figure the heart burn might be from the ibuprophen or antibiotic. I thought maybe the vicodin was causing the hiccups. When you google hiccups and vicodin you get many many results and most of them mention wisdom tooth removal surgery.

It is crazy to think that having your wisdom teeth out could trigger persistant hiccups. Some sites theorize it is due to the general anesthesia. Some guess it is because the throat and neck are manipulated in the surgery. Some wonder if it is the vicodin. If they are not gone by morning we are off to the doctor. I read more than a few cases where they hiccups lasted for weeks. He is NOT going through that. Poor kid has enough to handle just healing from the surgery.

Have you ever heard of such a thing??

A new type of school

2010-08-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

This past week I went back to school. After a semester and a half of land based school kicking my butt I have changed directions. I am now attending an online university. I have to be truthful and say I have always looked at online universities as "not so good" or maybe along the lines of correspondence school. Some in depth research proved me wrong. I took a workshop class prior to my first actual class and discovered an amazing wealth of resources. My degree will also be viewed as just as good as a degree earned in a bricks and mortar school. Man, how times have changed.

Along with researching this for myself I had to make a huge decision for the kids education. My two older boys were failing. My incredibly intelligent gifted children were making terrible grades. I was ready to pull them out for homeschooling again.

I then found out about a online public charter school. WHAT?? Free online accredited school? Color me impressed. My sons will be beginning their first semester in September at Connections Academy. We went through an extensive application process and were accepted. My oldest will have to repeat a few classes, but can do summer school to catch up and graduate with his class in 2014.

I am hoping that with all four of us schooling at home we will be able to reach the potential I know is in there somewhere.

Ren Faire Funny

2010-08-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

While enjoying The Rogues, we hear the band leader call out, " I see you in the bushes!!"

Guess who was dancing like a woodland sprite?

They call me twitchy

2010-07-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

Last October, I noticed Jack doing this hard blinking thing. I monitored it for a bit then managed to catch it on video. I uploaded it to youtube to see if other parents thought I should be concerned. I got a few comments and most were asking me what did they doctor say.

Well, I didn't take him to the doctor. I read that an eye blink twitch wasn't uncommon and usually just goes away with time.

The eye blink thing comes and goes and I haven't been able to discern a pattern. It was only when he began doing a shoulder shrug type of twitch that I got truly concerned. A visit to the pediatrician today was in order. Sadly, are regular lady wasn't available so we had to see a brand new doctor. She was great and was able to view his youtube video. She consulted with the pediatrician on call and both said that medication was available, but not warrented unless the tics were interfering with his activities. They are not, he is blissfully unaware of them. They say that most kids outgrow these types.

So I will keep my eye on his royal twitchyness and try not to be worried. Sounds good to me.

Testing their wings

2010-07-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

Today I put my three oldest sons on an airplane alone. This was a first for me and terrifying. We have flown many times without fear, but it is VERY different when you send them off without you. They are going to Florida for ten days to visit their dad and his family. In the past, I always went with them and stayed with my best friend while the boys went to Miami. But, they are older now. Big enough to take a plane??? That is what they tell me.

As they walked away from me toward the plane, it felt like much more. This feels like the beginning of the end. They are going to need me less and less very soon. Nico is 15, only a two years till college. It breaks my heart, but I am proud of them as well. Proud that they can be trusted with this enormous responsibility.

I can't wait for that call saying they are safe on the ground.

Storm Damage

2010-07-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

Several tornados blew through our area this afternoon. We got lucky here. Only one tree down and the fence might not even be damaged. There is another storm heading here, but I am not sure if it is as strong. Its a crazy day in Michigan!

Today, we time traveled

2010-07-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire. It was a first time experience for the boys and I. What a great time!

The entertainment was constant and really good! We especially enjoyed The Rogues. They were so entertaining that I bought a CD.

Elijah finally decided to rock his new shorter hair do out in public. I love it. But, I digress.

I think Jack's favorite part, besides dancing to all the live music, was cookies with the Queen. They got to sit at her Majesty's table and enjoy conversation and a sweet treat. She was so attentive and kept their attention the whole time.

So much so that Jack had to switch sides to be nearer Her Majesty.

And of course, we saw lots of armor, swords, horses and chivalry. Nico plans to move there when he grows up.

Huzzah!!

Don't talk about the Koolaid...

2010-07-12T17:43:00.000-07:00

The boys found out about a free skatepark in Kalamazoo and after some research I found it. Upjohn Park has a section fenced in and very nicely done. The kids aren't that great at skating, but they love to do it. It was a bit crowded, but not overly so. My pictures only show half the park. The kids had a good time and I see us going back soon.

It was a good day!

2010-07-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

Today, I spent the afternoon with this guy. My amazing 15 year old son, Nico.

We did some shopping for their upcoming trip to Miami. He sat patiently while I had a relaxing manicure and pedicure. I let him pick the color and WOW, I got purple.

I finished our outing with a treat for him. Go carts!! He wanted me to go with him, but I politely declined.

It had been a very long time since I spent one on one time of any length with my firstborn. He is turning into a a clever, considerate, loving, smart guy. I need to do this with each of the boys more often.

Outdoor theater rocks

2010-07-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

This evening we drove over to the small community of Parchment for a local theater production. Can you guess what it is?

Not yet? Here is a hint.

Did that help? Yes, it was Suessical!!

The great thing about sitting outside on a wonderfully cool evening to enjoy some great community theater? You can dance along if the groove hits ya.

Great news to make my heart happy!

2010-07-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

My heart has a non dangerous quirky anomaly! I don't need to worry or fret anymore. The cardiologist said to come see him once a year and "move on with your life like this never happened".

I am over the moon with relief!!

One year

2010-07-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, my biological dad passed away after complications from a lung infection. He and I were developing a really good relationship and I miss him.

His wife, Mary, still visits his grave daily. She struggles so hard with his loss.

Never forget to tell those you love daily how much you care.

It's balloon fest time!

2010-07-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

The only downside to watching the evening launch is the bright sun in our eyes.

Sometimes we chase after them and get lucky enough to see a landing!!

They launch for the next three days at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. We will probably go to see one each day. We love Air fest time!!!

Migraine?? NOway.

2010-06-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Immediately after my heart cath, last Wednesday I experienced a few moments of shimmery vision and we attributed it to the dye or lack of sleep. I didn't think about it again until Monday evening when it happened again.

I had a thirty minute issue with vision. I was seeing a c shaped rope like thing. I couldn't look at it directly as it was in my left peripheral vision. It appeared to be like a checkerboard pattern that rotated. It is very hard to explain. I called my mom and googled it and came up with a visual migraine. I did have a slight headache when my vision cleared, but it only lasted ten minutes or so.

Tuesday afternoon the vision thing started again. This time I felt not well about five minutes into it and I got a bit scared. I had to lay down and called my mom again. This time it turned into a horrific headache that lasted from just after 7pm until 2am. A real migraine. Oh. My. Goodness. I have never felt so incapacitated. Nausea and sensitivity to light, wow!

I hope that was my one and only migraine. I feel so terrible for people who suffer these on a regular basis. I am hoping mine was because I had been without my CPAP machine for a few days. This adorable dog ate my mask. Then he ate the $40 used replacement mask I lucked into. Insurance won't pay for another $300 mask for many months and a new replacement part is $70.

My mom bought me another used mask today. She is a lifesaver. I napped a bit earlier and can't wait till tonight to sleep a full night again with the CPAP. We will be having a dog funeral if he finds this one I have hidden in my dresser drawer.

Monday Lake Fun

2010-06-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

An evening at the ball park

2010-06-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

The night began well when the mascot showed up at the pizza place we were at before the game. Jack loves Moe Skeeter.

The big boys shunned us.

The Battle Creek Bombers played well, but still lost 5-1.

A good time was had by all and Jack stayed pleasant during the entire game AND wore big boy underwear with no accidents.

He did not, however, wear a shirt.

Go Bombers!

The old cooler me

2010-06-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Ozzfest is selling tickets to the Hartford CT show for $10 dollars today only and Nico can't understand why I won't buy them and drive 14 hours away to take him. He says, "The Monica from the 80s would have done it!"

Look at that piercing! You know she totally would have. Damn, I miss that girl sometimes.

Home

2010-06-24T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I survived! The procedure was not as bad as I anticipated. They did find a coronary artery anomoly. But, it was in such a difficult place that they were unable to access it to discover the origination point. The doc that did the cath wants to confer with the other doc and review all the scans before they tell me what they think. Soo, I know more than I did.

I figure I will know the full information in a week or two.

I feel mildly sore at the entry site, but that is all. I have to avoid bending or lifting for a few days.

Thanks so much for the encouragement and kind thoughts!!

Have a heart

2010-06-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

In six hours I will leave to have my heart cath done. I should be asleep right now, but can't. I am worried. All day long people have been assuring me. "Everything will be alright", they have said. And in all likelihood, they are right. I am just worried about that small margin of what if. Worry is normal and I am trying to just acknowledge it for what it is and move on.

Tonight was not an easy night. My sons are worried too and were not being kind to each other. One of my children has been having a rough time of it lately and was really being defiant tonight. I tried to have a calm discussion with him to get to the root of the problem Hormones, puberty, what?? He calmly stated that his main issue is that he just doesn't like me.

Ouch.

He and I have butted heads for years, our personalities are very different and we struggle with that. I told him that I didn't like my mom either for many of my teen years. He says he has never liked me and mostly likely never will.

I wish they could fix that kind of broken heart tomorrow.

I hope to be back here posting that all is well tomorrow night, but if I am not, don't panic. They might keep me overnight or more.

Thanks for all the well wishes.

Wedding

2010-06-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Emily and Toby's wedding was beautiful. The building was nice, but extremely hot! The pictures came out ok, I think I was shaky or something because many of them were not in focus. Many people were taking pictures so with sharing there will be plenty of great pictures.

Their ceremony was so touching. You could just see how much they love each other. I had a hard time taking pictures with tears in my eyes.

My mom did all the flowers including the cake topper and they were gorgeous!

Hearts and weddings

2010-06-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

My friend, Emily will be getting married this Saturday. She is finally getting the nerves. Her and her man are doing all the work themselves and on a strict budget, but I am so excited at all that have managed to accomplish. My mom is doing their flowers as her gift to them and we all know how great my mom's arrangements are. She is also doing Emily's hair and the trial run was great. I am doing the photography. I have done some decent stuff in the past but never a wedding. I am researching and planning. I want to give them the best I can. I don't have a great camera so I am using Emily's. I so wish a fantastic high dollar camera would fall in my lap before the wedding, but I think I can do well with what we have. Wish me luck.

On the heart front, my heart catheterization has finally been scheduled. I will be going in next Wednesday at 6am and was told to prepare for a looong day. My mom will be posting updates on facebook, so if you would like to follow along please send me a friend request (Monica Fountain Berrios) and we will link up!

If they find a problem such as a blockage (which we are not looking for or expecting) they can fix it right there and I will have to stay overnight. If they do find that I have a misrouted artery, I am not sure if they will haul my butt into surgery or schedule it for later. It depends on how big of a threat it is, if they should find it. The idea of open heart surgery is terrifying. I am not sure how to prepare for that.

I am off to finish my pedicure so I have pretty feet for the wedding!

Did he say maracas?

2010-06-15T23:35:00.000-07:00

Jack tastes pop rocks for the first time and decides they taste familiar

I am afraid to say it out loud

2010-06-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

But.....I am confidant that Jack is daytime potty trained. He has been in underwear for 5 days and completely accident free for 3. After resisting any attempts at potty training for months, he just got it. I had no idea that my speech about only buying night time diapers would be so powerful. I am a super lucky mom that he turned out so easy.

Great Job Jack!!

Potty confusion

2010-06-11T09:20:00.001-07:00

Potty trails

2010-06-11T05:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I told Jack at the store.

"Jack, I am not buying anymore day time diapers. Only sleep diapers."
Jack said to me, "ok Mommy, I use the potty"

This morning the score is
Floor=1
Potty=.5

It is going to be a long day.

Middle School Graduation

2010-06-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

Elijah Miles, my second son, graduated from middle school tonight. He has attended the same school since 3rd grade so leaving was bittersweet. He is going to miss the school, friends and staff, but is looking forward to moving on.

My four sons, how could a mother be any prouder.

Fondant for fools

2010-06-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

My friend Emily is getting married in less than two weeks. Her wedding is very DIY and she hasn't decided what to do about a cake. I was watching a youtube tutorial on making fondant roses and thought " I can do that!" And I can.

It is the actually putting on of the fondant and making it smooth I am lacking major skills in. I gave a quick try at stenciling and I think with more practice I could manage that. But, the actual fondant on the cake. Not happening.

It was fun for a first time though. I might try this more for birthday cakes if I get brave again. If you need fondant roses made though, call me.

Insert Clever Title Here

2010-06-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I saw the cardiologist again. He says the next step will be either a cardiac MRI or a heart catheterization. I mentioned that I had had an MRI about four years ago and had many issues with the size of the tube. Can you say panic attack? I am not normally claustrophobic, but man that tube is small!

He is looking into the open MRI, but said that he thinks we are most likely going to have to go with the heart cath. I know it is very invasive, but I am ok with it. I just want to know what is going on in there so I can deal with it and get back to living.

On the good side of life, it is almost SUMMER BREAK!!!

We are sooo ready.

No news is just no news sometimes.

2010-06-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

Dang it. I went today for the CTA scan. I got prepped and IV'ed and dosed with Lopressor. They took me back when my heart rate was 79. Heart rate must be 60 or below to make the 3D images viewable. After three more IV doses of Lopressor, my heart rate sat stubbornly at 75.

My betas refused to be blocked.

I could not have the test. I have to call the cardiologist in the morning to find out what the next step will be. I am seriously disappointed. I figured I would know the mysteries of my chest pain with in days because of this awesome test.

No such luck.

I will keep you posted.

I am going to be in 3D

2010-05-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

I am eligible for the CTA scan so that has been scheduled for next Tuesday. I am excited to finally find out if there is something wrong or not, but of course, afraid that there might be something wrong. That might have been a run on sentence.

I have been feeling bad, just generally bad. The chest pain is no longer constant, but comes and goes. My feet and legs have been swelling like crazy though. I finally found out that that can be a side effect of the Lopressor. That stinks. They swell up so much that the skin on my toes hurts, it is that tight.

In other news, Skyler had his end of the year band concert and did amazingly well. I heard this second hand as I was too sick to attend. That broke my heart. He only has two concerts a year and I had to miss this one. He looked so handsome in his dress up uniform.

Elijah is graduating from middle school this year and I will have two kids in high school! He is growing up very fast lately, he is so dependable sometimes that it scares me. He has become VERY vain about his hair and is constantly tossing his head about. Kind of like this....

Nico has been asked to join a band that he has been wanting in for some time. The bass player moved and although Nico prefers to play guitar, he wasn't going to turn it down. Rumor has it that they are playing a band member's brother's senior open house this Sunday. Of course, I don't know the kid and I am not invited. Is it lame to crash a teenage party? Yeah, I thought so, dang.

In closing, I would just like to say...

Jack likes corn

It's the little things that make life worth living.

2010-05-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

Heart update

2010-05-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

Today I visited the cardiologist. My mom knew of him from when she worked in the hospital and he has an amazing reputation. He was so kind and understanding and seemed to really listen.

The long and short of it is, two different radiologists give two different accounts of what is going on in my heart. That, plus the constant chest pain and rapid heart rate, were clues that we need a more in depth test. Sadly, my weight can make a CT scan blurry or less accurate.

The first test he is going to attempt for me is a CTA scan. It is like a CT scan, but better and more focused. My weight may also make this test less accurate, but he wasn't sure what the cut off for weight was and is asking the technicians at Borgess their opinion.

If I can not have the CTA test, the next choice is heart catheterization. This is more invasive and messy.

I don't know the time frame for either of these tests, but I hope it is soon.

My heart rate is still too fast on the Lopressor, so he has doubled my dose. I was on such a small dose to begin with that doubling it only brings me up to the most commonly used starting dose.

I really liked the cardiologist, but was disappointed that he didn't have a definitive answer for me on the routing of my coronary arteries. I am trying to be patient, really I am...lol

Heart break

2010-05-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

Last night, I developed incredible nausea and chest pain, like a rock in the middle of my chest. Sooo, I took some aspirin and called my parents. They came over and escorted me to the E. R. Five hours, multiple medications, blood work and a CT scan later it was determined that I was not and had not had a heart attack.

BUT, they found a weird anomaly on my CT scan. For those of you whose speak medical terminology here is the report.
Impression- No pulmonary emboli detected
Probable left coronary artery anomaly (see below)
Findings-CT sections from thoracic inlet to upper abdomen with IV contrast.

No pulmonary emboli detected.

No areas of lobar or segmental airspace consolidation. No pneumothorax.

Left coronary artery appears to arise from right coronary sinus, apparent retro-aortic course of proximal left coronary artery noted. No mediastinal mass or hematoma. No evidence of thoracic aortic dissection.
No rib fractures detected.

In plain English, I might be routed wrong. Which could be a problem. I see a cardiologist a week from today, which is actually fast, I have been told. They want me to start on Lopressor as my heart rate is remaining high.

There is a chance that what the reading radiologist saw was a shadow or something. I am assuming they will repeat the CT scan or do some other kind of test.

I have a bad habit of finding out something like this and seeing symptoms in my past that totally correlate with the diagnosis. I have had multiple out of breath episodes in the past attributed to exercise induced asthma that could be this instead. I have been three separate times to ER in the last ten years with chest pain, but a CT scan wasn't done on those occasions. They were called panic attacks.

From what I can decipher online, this is a pretty rare occurrence and might be genetic. The most common treatment for this is surgery to reposition the artery (aggressive approach). Regular use of Beta blockers (passive approach) is used less often.

BUT AGAIN, it could be a shadow or something on the scan.

In other news, I colored my hair brown instead of the usual red in an effort to see less roots before time to color, I like it ok

Mother's Day nesting

2010-05-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

I noticed two eggs a few days ago in a flower box on my back porch. I had relocated the box indoors to protect it during a storm before I noticed. I was thrilled to see momma bird still looking after eggs today.

What a wonderful surprise to see FOUR eggs now instead of two.

The are so small and perfectly blue.

Good job Momma!

A day in the park

2010-05-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

Makes me proud to be from Mississippi

2010-05-06T06:54:00.001-07:00

Jack and Jami

2010-05-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

I think he really really likes her

Playing with macro

2010-04-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

First off, I noticed I have really pretty eyes

My second thought, I need to take more care with my mascara, what a hot mess..lol,

My goal is to do pictures like this with all four of my sons and collage them together for a wall print. Getting the two year old to participate is going to be painful.

Catching up

2010-04-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a proper blog in awhile and I was starting to feel a bit guilty.

First a recap

We survived and enjoyed a visit from the boys dad and my ex-husband.

My aunt, my mom's sister, moved up here to live with us. We are all so very grateful to have her here.

I have begun working on getting the yard nice for the season.

It will never be as nice as my mom's yard. She added a new nook this year called Jack's garden.

The kids and I went to an indoor water park.

And I have been trying to decide what to do about continuing my education. I am at an apathetic standstill at the moment. There is no picture for that.

Things here are ok, not bad, better than ordinary. I need to blog more. I like it and it helps me think.

Peach out,
Mo

What sound does a....

2010-04-19T17:59:00.001-07:00

cat make when it doesn't manage to land on its feet??

Hahahahahahahahah, sorry I know it's juvenile, but hahahahahahahaha

Pirates Island, by Monica Berrios

2010-04-17T18:14:00.001-07:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

Three times the fear!

2010-03-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

There is a house on my street that has always looked suspicious. Haphazard yard work, different cars coming and going. We jokingly have called it the "meth house" A year or two ago, some new people moved in and made great changes. They began a slow, but steady process of remodeling and I wondered if maybe they were going to flip it.

While doing a routine search in my zip code for sex offenders, I discovered that my new "better" neighbor was indeed a sex offender with a felony towards a child under 13. Sigh. I know they are everywhere and having done their time have a right to live back in society, but come on!

I warned the kids, showed them the man's picture and told my neighbors with children of his presence. I felt like it was us against him. Recently, we discovered two more men with sex crimes listed to that address.

I thought, no way, they are pulling a fast one on the parole board, that can't be allowed. My nosy-get-things-done mom puts in a call to the parole board or somewhere. She is told that, yes, they are all registered and living at that address. They, in fact, share a parole officer and are current and compliant.

Its just another beautiful day in the neighborhood.

It feels like spring

2010-03-17T14:06:00.001-07:00

We have had some awesome 50-60 degree weather this week. All the snow is melted and the ground can be seen! I know better than to believe it is the end of old man winter though. I wouldn't be surprised if we were snowed in next week. BUT, I am incredibly grateful and happy that THIS week has been so nice. I drove with the windows down today. Jack went on the playground. The sun is shining. I am happy.

I Love Subtitles

2010-03-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

I love foreign comedies and the occasional drama. Netflix, my new boyfriend, has been providing me with old favorites and some new good ones this weekend. I thought I would share.

Elling
This is a sweet story of two awkward men newly released from a mental institution in Norway. They are given an apartment in Oslo and encouraged to be normal. This is a favorite and I love seeing bits of myself in people considered crazy.

Monsoon Wedding
I think this became more mainstream than the others I love. I was first sent a song from this soundtrack by an internet friend and loved it. I then searched out the movie and also loved it. The story follows an Indian family as they prepare for an arranged marriage. There are a few dramatic twists and an adorable inner story of a second wedding. Only the dialog in Hindi is subtitled, so be prepared to pay attention as the heavily accented English can be tough.

My life as a dog
This was a new one for me, but very sweet. A young Swedish boy is sent to live with family while his mother is ill. The small town is filled with interesting characters who all welcome him with open arms. There is some nudity, but it isn't overtly sexual. This movie kept me interested and happy. I will probably watch it again.

Ha-Ushpizin
An orthodox Jewish couple prepares to celebrate the Succoth holiday with no money in modern day Jerusalem. Much prayers bring a miracle and a test in the form of two unexpected travelers. The acting by the two main characters was incredibly believable and touching. I really enjoyed this movie although it seemed slow in some parts.

Rice Box oh fun.

2010-03-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

Jack's favorite activity.

The rice box is soothing, interesting, full of treasures. It makes me quiet.

It feels good on my hands and arms. It sounds different when I pour the rice on more rice or on the bottom of the box

The rice box makes me an explorer, an architect and an excavation specialist. I am a pirate hiding buried treasure. I am a pirate finding buried treasure and stealing it!

I assumed the rice box would be a super messy crazy playtime event. I have never been more wrong. It puts Jack in a very Zen place and any rice that escapes the box is easily vacuumed up. Every kid needs one.

Things like this make me happy

2010-03-09T17:43:00.000-08:00

Wacky Cake Time!!!

2010-03-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

Last year, I made Skyler a wacky cake that went over bigtime.

How in the world would we top that?? Well, the solution for that is to call in Lala and Aunt Toodie and let them have their way with the cake!!

Amazing job!!!

I love you conquered

2010-02-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

Rough week

2010-02-22T14:35:00.000-08:00

I wish I had a happy post. I wish things were going better. I have been posting less and less because I haven't had anything good to say really. I am in a rough patch. It happens every few years. I will rise from the ashes again soon, I am sure. I always manage to do so.

Other than my attitude, things here are good. My health is really concerning me. I am angry for treating my body so badly. I am sad that getting better, healthier takes so much effort and time. I would love some instant results please.

BUT, I am ok. We are ok. You're ok. Wait, I think I have that book around here somewhere. A garage sale find.

Into the void

2010-02-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

My sleep study results were cruddy. I stopped breathing 187 times in 5 and a half hours. My O2 saturation went into the low 70s multiple times an hour. I am heading back to the sleep center tonight for another night hooked up. This time they add the CPAP machine and adjust it while I am sleeping until it is enough pressure to keep my airway open.

Many people claim that CPAP is a miracle. It is life changing. Vast improvements in mood and health.

I hope so. My depression has recently required a med change, I feel terrible all the time, I have a hard time staying awake in the daytime.

Wish me luck on round 2 of my quest for sleep.

Surviving a sleep study

2010-02-13T11:31:00.000-08:00

Arriving to find the room this nice was a great surprise.

They request clean hair with no product in it. Hence my carrot top hair-do.

The nurse connected 15 leads on my head, including three on my chin, which I HATED. Two more leads on my chest, one on my neck, and one on each leg. Then she added a pulse oxymeter to one finger and a nasal canula to monitor airflow.

Not everyone can rock this look, people.

It took me more than 3 hours to fall asleep, but when I did, they were able to get good information. Wake up was at 5 am this morning. The shower did not have shampoo and the goo in my hair wasn't as water soluble as the nurse said.

All in all, a sleep study wasn't as bad as I thought. I was sure that I wouldn't sleep at all, but I did for about 4 solid hours. The nurse was very nice and the bed was comfortable. I will find out if I have sleep apnea later this coming week.

The moral is if you snore and wake up tired, don't fear the sleep study. If I can do it, you can do it.

Dear Florida

2010-02-09T17:05:00.001-08:00

I miss you

Who Dat!

2010-02-07T19:52:00.000-08:00

I wish I was down home tonight to celebrate with friends and family for our Saints!

Good job, boys!!

Almost a man

2010-01-31T17:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I guided Nico, my 15 year old, in the fine art of shaving. We have been putting it off for more than a month because neither of us wanted to face that milestone. He was beginning to look dirty and had been accused of having a "mexistache" at school. His peach fuzz was making itself known.

First off, he forbid to me take pictures. Secondly, he did great. He listened well and followed directions. He didn't cut himself at all and managed to get 99% of the hair off on the first try. He went back and searched out fuzzy spots and got it all.

I am not sure how I feel about this milestone. I feel like I should want to cry over the loss of my baby. I feel proud, but not sad right now. He actually looks younger, more like my baby face now that the fuzz is gone.

In other news, I took the big kids to see Avatar in 3D today, a gift from the grandparents. It was a much better movie that I think many are giving it credit for. The effects were amazing. Several times I forgot I was watching CGI, the facial expressions and body movements were that good. It WAS predictable, only because it is a story we all know too well. Big and powerful invades simple and stable for their resources. Simple fights back and wins.

I wish that happened more in real life. Most of the time simple and stable doesn't stand a chance.

The Big Boy Room

2010-01-28T16:14:00.000-08:00

For five nights in a row, Jack has gone to sleep on his own in his new big boy room. I am having trouble sleeping without hearing him breathing or talking in his sleep, but I am sure I will adjust. He certainly has!!

Eight Pounds!!!

2010-01-27T07:33:00.001-08:00

I lost eight pounds this week!!!

Hubbawah?

2010-01-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

1. Burger King now offers a Morning Star Veggie Burger on the menu. If you exclude the mayonnaise, you are doing pretty good for about 330 calories and 23 grams of protein. Too bad they don't offer the Spicy Black Bean burger because that one is super good.

2. Fiber Plus bars are totally yummy.

3. Blue Diamond has a 100 calorie pack of almonds and walnuts that I am loving although they only show the almonds on the website.

I am doing pretty o.k. with my eating. I am not necessarily happy about it all, but I am not feeling deprived. Honestly, if I make good choices, I am eating a great deal of food. Its amazing how much you can eat if you aren't eating crap. I can already tell a difference in my body in small ways.

Regardless, I am sticking with it. I think I can , I think I can, I think I can!

Poker and Spaghetti

2010-01-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who left the sweet encouraging comments about my new eating. I appreciate that so much. I did excellent for 48 hours and then had pizza last night. Not only pizza, but deep dish and 3 slices. That was the old me popping in for a quick hello. I don't blame her, it was good pizza.

But believe it or not, I was so so good yesterday that the pizza didn't even put me over my calorie limit. I couldn't believe it. BUT, here is the surprising part. I felt AWFUL after eating it. My stomach was upset like crazy. My body did not like all that fat and starchy carbs.

So today began with Frosted Mini Wheats. Much better.

Tonight I am throwing a poker night complete with a spaghetti dinner. I bought the food last week, so I have to return to the store for whole wheat pasta. I hope some of the guests will try it, but I am making the semolina pasta also.

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Eating healthy, blech

2010-01-20T18:44:00.000-08:00

Well, it appears that my NOT new years resolution is the one I am going to be working on after all. I have been having headaches and nausea for about two weeks. ALOT of blood tests were ordered and a CT scan. While I don't know all the results, they made a point of calling me to tell me my fasting blood sugar and cholesterol were high and my vitamin D was low.

Bummer.

Soooo, I have seen the nutritionist and gotten my guidelines. I have informed the kids that big kitchen changes are here. I have downloaded a Spark People app to my itouch. I have eaten healthy for 24 hours. I didn't know I liked tilapia?

My weight has finally become a health issue. I have been teetering on the brink of morbidly obese and ignoring it. It is a shame that I have given up on myself and my health. I have got to dig deep for some will power and stick with the changes in my diet.

I see the nutritionist in two weeks for a weigh in. Here is to hoping I drop a few pounds!

In Memory of Anna

2010-01-19T17:42:00.000-08:00

Anna,( http://goofy1977.blogspot.com/ )

I am going to miss your thoughtful comments and posts.Your children's lives will be rich for knowing you, no matter how short the time.

Rest in peace.

I am grossly unprepared

2010-01-11T22:41:00.000-08:00

I thought I had it together, books, laptop, pens, pencils.

I was wrong.

I am lacking some essential items.

I need to be carrying one of these at all times, even while walking and most definitely while the professors are lecturing. Perhaps they have some note taking function I am unaware of. My huge laptop is out of place!

I am also in dire need of a Bump-It. This required college female accessory mocks my incredibly unruly gray streaked hair. No wonder the learning isn't sticking in my head??

My inabailty to walk swiftly to class can only be attributed to my lame shoes. The following are worn by every girl and appear to make one swift of feet and able to properly balance the aforementioned Bump-It.

I will keep observing the natives and try to discover more essential college gear in hopes of securing straight As.

Wish me luck....oh and please send sweatpants with words on the rear. I need all the help I can get.

Simon's Cat

2010-01-10T22:15:00.001-08:00

Artimus strikes!

2010-01-10T00:35:00.000-08:00

Sleep is futile, puny human. Wake up! Play with me!

It's 3:30 am and this adorable ball of fluff just tried to make a game out of my hair.

It's Mono!

2010-01-06T10:52:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to report that NIco has mono, not cancer or any of the other ugly things that a lump in the neck and low grade fever could indicate. I have to admit I was more than a little scared of the blood test results.

My family has been largely untouched by tragedy. Every family has something they suffer through. Cancer, birth defect, tragic accident killing a family member, natural disaster destroying homes. We have been so fortunate, but it seems I am always waiting for the other shoe to fall. I know our time will come when we have to rise to the occasion.

Once again, we have dodged a bullet and been left with our family intact and safe. I can't thank God enough.

Waiting for results

2010-01-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

Nico's appointment this morning was ok. She felt the lump, decided it was a lymph node and then checked all the other lymph nodes on his body. Including the ones in his groin, much to his embarrassment. She told us that the fact that it was movable and small were good things. She offered three choices. 1. wait and see what it does. 2. Do blood work. 3. Blood work and an ultrasound. She suggested the middle road so that is what we have done.

He had blood drawn this morning. They are running a CBC and an EBP, which I am going to google in a moment as I have no idea what that checks for. We should know the results in a few days. She would not, however, speculate on what might be the cause. I can respect that.

Thanks for all the sweet thoughts in the comments.

Worried

2010-01-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

My oldest son, Nico, found a small lump in the side of his neck last week. We go to the doctor tomorrow to have it looked at. I am not too too worried because it feels like the small pea sized lump I have in my arm. I am hoping it is just something like that.

But, as we all know, it is our jobs as moms to freak out internally as we consider all the horrible things it "could" be. A high school friend found a lump in her neck at 16 or 17 that was Hodgkins Disease.

BUT, I keep going back to the fact that if my eyes were closed I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between his lump and my completely not scary benign arm lump. His appointment is at 8:45 in the morning, so at least I won't have to wait all day to find something out.

Have a great return to real life tomorrow!

Happy New Year! 2010!

2010-01-01T07:48:00.000-08:00

37 and counting

2009-12-30T20:32:00.000-08:00

In 35 minutes, it will be my 37th birthday. I have always enjoyed having a New Year's Eve birthday, but this year will be pretty subdued. A few friends and family over for dinner and Wii. Maybe a board game or two, some New Year's Rocking Eve.

Having a December 31st birthday has always make me feel like every new year is truly brand new. A new age to begin the year. I finished the last semester with 2 As, an A/B and a D. My goal for 2010 is straight As. Now I know that I can get As, I just need to work a bit harder on the papers.

Every year, I also vow to lose weight. Sigh. For ten years now I have vowed to change my eating and exercise habits. Every year I get heavier.

I think grades are enough for this year. Everything else will be buttah.

For our gathering tomorrow I am crock potting a roast and trying a new recipe for potato soup. With half and half. And buttah.

MMMMM, buttttterrr.

Another appliance meltdown.

2009-12-28T20:04:00.001-08:00

While attempting to do laundry the other day, the dryer wouldn't turn on. My dad has taken out all the obvious trouble makers and still can't figure out why it isn't working. So, today was a laundry mat day. I got so very lucky! My friend, Emily, went with me and we escaped without kids!! Instead of being a chore, it was a relaxing chill time with a friend.

Now, I am researching dryers. I have never purchased one on my own. My ex husband bought the set we had in Florida. This house had a standard model that was available when we were building.

Any help or clues or tips would be muchly appreciated!!

Christmas Day 2009

2009-12-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

First, Let me start off with what is really important. I got new pots and pans!! I have used the same ones for ten years and now I never have to again!!!

Ok whew, I just had to share that joy. Check out my dad's shirt. It says "does this suit make me look fat"

Thank you, Aunt Jenn for the itunes gift cards and the beautiful shirt!

And can we talk about this adorable Yule Log cake my mom made. Check out the meringue mushrooms and the tiny chocolate mice!

Jack has been asking for a "baby bike" and lookie here!!

The big boys were over joyed with their big present.

Now comes the time for laziness and joy. I hope your Christmas day is filled with love, family and the reason for it all, Jesus.

Peace.

Weather alert means early presents!

2009-12-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

We are due for an ice storm over night and my parents may not be able to join us Christmas morning soooo, the ham is in the oven, side dishes are prepped, Jack is down for a nap and I am off to shower.

Christmas is coming early to my house!!! The kids are so sad (dripping sarcasm)

Just in case it wasn't noisy enough...

2009-12-22T21:05:00.001-08:00

....I think we should add a full drum set.

Hand me down hearing aid

2009-12-21T13:47:00.000-08:00

A wonderful blessing arrived at my house in the form of two ITE (in the ear) hearing aids. They are hand me down made for my father, who chose not to wear them. I took them today to a local hearing aid dispenser to see about getting them reprogrammed for my specific hearing loss.

First off, the lady tell me that they are too big for me. I disagreed saying I had put them in my ears and they felt fine. After a few hours of wearing one and the soreness in my ear I must admit she is right. This place, as well as others in town that I have called, do not service or reprogram this brand of hearing aid.

She did put a good battery in the left and said to give it a try as is. I didn't realize I was missing so many tiny sounds. Paper rattling, items in my purse brushing up against each other as I search for something, the click as I turn on the turn signal in the car. And it was indeed much easier to carry a conversation in a car full of energetic noisy kids.

There is a company here in town that has a branch in Lansing that can reprogram this brand, Micro Tech. This is Michigan and Lansing is NOT a short drive in the winter weather. I have to decide if I can tolerate the fit before I make the drive and pay them money. I dunno if my ear canal will stretch eventually to accommodate the aid or if I am going to have to try another much more expensive route. As it stands, my ear is getting sore so I have been trying one hour in, ten minutes out.

We shall see!!

Fur babies!

2009-12-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

Today was big surprise day. After a crazy drive in some snowy conditions the kids were loosing their mind with curiosity Every guess under the sun was made, but none were right. Then we arrived at a strangers house to see this!! The sweetie we had driven all that way for!!

And because we never leave a man behind it turned into bonus kitten day.

They are very skittish at the moment and loving being together in the pet carrier. I have them in the family room so they can adjust to all the noise and movement. We know AddyMae is a girl, but Artimus I am not sure of. I just can't get her to hold still to confirm. The vet will find out when they go for the snip snip!

Merry Christmas!!!

Shhhh

2009-12-18T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have a secret

It's more of a surprise really.

It could be considered a major Christmas bonanza of a gift.

But, don't ask me for any hints because I am not giving any.

First Band Concert

2009-12-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

My 3rd son, Skyler, had his first band concert since beginning band this fall. I must say he is one handsome boy!! He did really well and I am so proud to finally have a band geek in the family again!!

I am one hot mama

2009-12-08T19:41:00.001-08:00

After seeing the "mom" in this facebook ad, I realize I am one gooood looking lady!!

Lights, Camera, Sillies

2009-12-07T18:22:00.000-08:00

Facebook strikes again!

2009-12-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

College Band days

Cool Aid

2009-11-24T18:08:00.000-08:00

Some of you may know that I have had a slight hearing loss in my right ear for about 15 years. I have always passed the hearing tests and it was just an annoyance. In the past few years, it has gotten harder to understand people when I am not looking at their face and VERY hard to understand others when there is a lot of background noise.

My Intro to Communication Disorders and Sciences class required us to get a hearing screening. Mostly to give the audiology students live bodies to work on. Well, I failed the screening. Surprisingly, my right (bad) ear passed and my left ear failed. That was weird. They referred me to the campus clinic and today I had that appointment.

This was the most thorough testing I had ever had done. First, I failed the tympanogram in my right ear. It wasn't even on the chart. That shows a negative pressure issue, eusctachian tube related. Then we did the traditional hearing testing, including speech recognition and bone conduction testing.

Hearing loss is catagorized in three ways.The headphones portion of the test checks your conductive hearing and can show a loss in the function of parts of the outer or middle ear. The bone conduction tests the function of the inner ear because it bypasses the outer and middle sending vibrations via the skull. Loss here is called senorineural. If you show loss in both mechanisms it is called mixed hearing loss.

At the end of the testing, the results show that I have mild mixed hearing loss. This means it is time to get a hearing aid, at least in my left ear. I had told her that I was going into speech language pathology and while she did not discourage me, she did say that I will need an aid in order to work effectively in the field. She also said that my loss would get greater over time, but probably slowly.

From hearingaidhelp.com
A mild hearing loss may cause you to miss 25-40% of the speech signal. Usually this results in problems with clarity since the brain is receiving some sounds but not all of the information. Symptoms of mild hearing loss include problems understanding someone farther away than a normal distance for conversation, or even up close if the background environment is noisy. Weak voices are also difficult to understand for people with mild hearing losses.

I am thinking I need a flower print one, no?

Living

2009-11-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

waking, shopping, homeworking, laundering, garbage removing, researching, vacuuming, disciplining, nail clipping, hair flattening, rocking, singing, baking, boiling, sauteeing, shredding, pouring, driving, planning, computing, yelling, bribing, matching, freezing, thawing, scrubbing, stirring, hugging, snuggling, soothing, praising, praying, walking, dancing, dressing, undressing, throwing, rolling, editing, writing, copying, changing, wiping, washing, dusting, opening, closing, sleeping, monitoring, reporting, phoning, texting, photographing, emailing, clipping, curling, shaving, rising, shining, accessorizing, mopping, drying, tickling, cooling, fixing, lighting, raking, dragging, packing, drinking, eating, chewing, chatting, sharing, loving, laughing, cuddling, resting and done

See you tomorrow.

Look what we made!

2009-11-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

Good thing I bought that new hot water heater!!

Happiness

2009-11-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

I got the coolest email from a classmate when I emailed her asking her how she felt about the test.

Hey Monica, my computer is a little retard for getting messages; who

knows, maybe it's just me.

In regards to the test, oh my gosh! I think I have a learning

disability with receptive and expressive language. I read some of

those questions over and over in order to get the meaning ,and then it

tokes me for ever to answer them.

When I saw you leave early I thought, "Wow, this was a breeze for

her!" Whatever you think on how you did on the test, I believe that

this is certainly the right profession for you. Your face beams with a

sense of accomplishment and you just seem to love it.

Good! We need the best SLPs out there, and you will top them all!
Hugs,
A-

I was so surprised and actually blushed reading an email. She is a sweetheart for sure!

Have a great weekend everyone.