Wordless Wednesday--Silly Isaac

My silly 7 year old! I can't believe he's going to be in Second Grade!

Shingles? Nope! Not sure what!

This morning when I realized that this creeping rash from Hades was spreading to my legs, I decided that I'd had it and was going back to the doctor. She says this is not shingles, both from her visual evaluation and from the test results from last week. So I got a shot of steroids and a script for a cream to put on it. Hopefully, with all that I have in me I hope, that this will give me some relief!! If not, look for my next post to say I've scratched myself bloody and am headed to the ER!

And this little piggy ran weee-wee-wee......

all the way home! Yay! We got home late yesterday afternoon, much to my delight. Very very happy to be among my things in my home! We had a good visit, especially considering my shingles, but I feel better being HERE when I am not feeling the best. Surely you can relate, right?

So, the big Bloggy Giveaways Carnival is going on this week, so I'm entering contests like a madwoman. I've decided not to offer a giveaway this time, but I'm definitely in for the next one! Go check it out and have fun entering, if you haven't already!

I got an email saying that my third letter of recommendation had not been received for graduate school (after first receiving an email saying that everything WAS there first, I might add!). I've been trying to track down what the holdup is today, which has gotten me nowhere. Lovely. Very frustrating, and makes me very anxious! And then about 30 minutes ago I realized I had not taken my meds today, so that definitely would have added to the anxiety! *insert hitting head with the heel of my hand here!*

I'm still itchy and rashy. I'm sure that is what you came here to read, right?! If you have any magical remedies to remove oneself from the throes of shingles, I'll gladly take 'em and pass them on to the world wide web if they work! I have officially had enough of this, and have visions of myself on the first day of school running around with an icepack on my rear.....oh, not a pretty picture, not at all!

Please continue to remember Daddy in your prayers. As I stated earlier, we are praying big here, for a miracle healing of this aneurysm! After a few days to process things, Dad has said that he may not wait the complete 6 months before having another scan and discussing surgery. So prayers are appreciated concerning this!

That's about it, I suppose. I think I'll walk down to the drugstore (without the ice pack on the butt, thank you!) and buy MORE ice packs so I can rotate them out like I was doing at my in-laws. Somehow between here and there I lost one of my two, and had been using two of theirs while we were visiting.

TTFN!

It's Gonna Be a Par-tay!

Please go check out this awesome site and its launch! Here is a little bit about what is going on!!

“Hey BlogoSphere! MomDot is so excited about our launch! We had been working hard to get going for August 1st, but with all the amazing support of mom boutiques and mom bloggers, we are ready to get the Party Started! We want you to come every day starting on July 28th with the party ending on August 31st, including prizes daily and feature bloggers, just in time to bang out the end of summer and into the school year. Don’t forget to list your blog for free and connect with other mommies on our forum!”

My Daddy

I need you to pray for my dad, dear internets. Here is the situation: about 7 years ago, my dad had to have an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm repaired. It was successful, and he has had regular CT scans since then to keep an eye on it. We have known for several years that he has two small aneurysms in the thoracic region, but they were small enough that no surgery was needed, and the doctors kept a careful watch on them.

He went back for his consultation after his latest CT yesterday. One of the aneurysms has grown to 6 cm, which is the size where doctors begin thinking about surgery. This would probably be open heart surgery, and who would be in a great rush to have that done? Not Daddy, though part of me wishes he was! So he has suggested waiting 6 more months and watching it to see if it continues to grow.

It has stayed the same size for so long that I honestly didn't expect it to come back anything more than 'watch and see'. Since I am away from home, I'm having a harder time with it. And add to it the whole shingles itching/IBS acting up/am not able to do what my usual routine is, and I'm not dealing so well.

We're praying specifically for healing. I would so appreciate it if you would join in that prayer with us.

I'm not able to get on the 'net much here since the dialup drives me bonkers, but I'm taking the time now for my own self-preservation! Please pray, and ask others to pray if you would. Until later----

And since everything else seems to be going strangely....

including my body going haywire on me, how about we have a car tear up while we're at it, too?

We were driving up here yesterday and the car would make this strange vibrating sound at certain times. Chris could explain when, but I know you really don't care about that, so I won't go into detail. Suffice it to say that for the third time this summer, something is wrong on Chris' car, which is the newest one we own (an '03Dodge Neon).

So today we agreed that we'd start looking for cars. Look we did. We (no make that he) test drove 3 cars. I honestly didn't feel up to driving. I'm not HURTING with this shingles stuff, I just don't feel well, ya know? So he drove a Mercury Sable, a Mercury Grand Marquis, and a Chevrolet Impala. We came back home, and apparently while I was napping, Chris realized that Kermit the Used Car Salesman had kept his driver's license! So off to the dealership he went. He called back about a half hour ago wanting some information from me. It looks like we will soon own another vehicle!

He liked the Grand Marquis best. I really liked the Sable better, because it was a tad bit shorter and I would be able to see out of it better.But since I'm not the tall one in the family and he'll be driving it all of the time, I am cool with him getting it. No big deal.

So there is the current excitement going on here! R, sorry I didn't call you back yesterday. The cell service here is not the greatest, so I'll try to call on their phone later.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week!

Remember that rash I mentioned the other day?

It kept getting bigger and more abnormally shaped, even though I was trying to treat it with stuff. As of last night, it also started looking kind of bruised. So after taking the test this morning and taking a nap (of course! Naps come before weird rashes in the hierarchy!) I decided to go by urgent care and see what they thought it might be. I probably wouldn't have done that at all if we weren't headed out of town.

Guess what they think it is? SHINGLES! It isn't a typical case, so she did some lab work to be sure, but since it is following a nerve as shingles would, she's treating it as such.

Am I just a freak of nature, or what?! I sure feel like one!

Only *I* would break out in shingles in the middle of summer--my relaxing time of year!

It's over! I took the GRE!

I didn't ace it by any stretch of the imagination! I'm glad that there wasn't a score I had to make, cause I'm not sure I'd have made it. But it is DONE and I'm so glad that it is behind me! Thanks for your kind words of encouragement and prayers. Now, I must go nap since I didn't sleep well at all last night in anticipation!

It is OVER, thank goodness!!

Tomorrow is it!

I take the GRE. I don't feel ready, but I don't think I ever would. Being that I have spent more time reviewing and studying for this than for any standardized test I've ever taken, I guess that should make me feel better prepared, but it doesn't really. I'm going to be glad to have it over, honestly. I know that I have attempted to study pretty thoroughly, and that is really all I can do. I am trying to continue to remind myself that all I have to do is TAKE it. Even if I just show up, then I have done something, right? And they must not be too concerned about how well I do if they don't set a certain pass score....

Hmmm, sounds like I'm justifying, doesn't it?! LOL

Anyway, on other subjects, we worked out the scheduling fiasco from last night! We won't have to change our travel plans. Thankfully the people running Upward Soccer know us and understand, and also know we're reliable (in other words, they want Chris to coach!). So that is a huge relief!

Now. Just make it through tomorrow and I'll feel much better!

Please remember me in your prayers from 8 to 1!

I'm way irritated

I've been 'out' for the past day or two because of either an IBS attack or a stomach bug, still not sure which. And guess what the one thing we were supposed to do today? Take the boys to Upward Soccer tryouts! And we totally forgot! So now we're gonna have to rush home from Chris' parents next weekend to get to the second Sat. of tryouts. I'm so frustrated!

I'm also frustrated by the fact that I'm sick at all, cause everyone else is at Chris' brother's for a cookout, but I don't feel well enough to even sit up for that long, much less hang out. Big, fat sigh!!!


So I'm grumpy and grouchy and feel bad and yucky!

Reach Out BlogHer Tour--Nashville?

I can't register til I find out what my class schedule is, but durn it, if it is at all possible, Nashville--here I come! Who's with me? Robin?? C'mon, it'll be fun! We could leave after school on Wed. and come home on Friday!

Now cross your fingers that I could get out of class.....

Not going to BlogHer, like me?!

If, then answer is YES, then join in on the Blog Her Pity party! See here for more details, and don't forget to pick up the cool button for your site here!

See ya at the Pity Party!

Having a rough time today

Josh's funeral was last night. I didn't stay for the actual service because I had plans to meet a friend from out of town, but I did go by the visitation. Adam and I (yes, had to take him along, and he behaved very nicely) stood in line for over an hour, and there were TONS of people lined up behind us. I held it together pretty well. I am very glad that I was to meet our friends for a nice visit afterwards so I couldn't dwell on the sadness.

I didn't sleep as well last night, though. I kept dreaming about him and waking up. See, one of my defense mechanisms has always been sleep. If I'm really upset, I feel better after I sleep. If I'm depressed, I sleep. If I have an anxiety attack, I get sleepy. So being really sleepy today is part of me dealing with this. I am with the boys on my own today, as Chris drove the church van to take kids to day camp and then went to work at his school since it is on the same side of the county.

I'm supposed to go to a pool party/get together with people from work this afternoon, but I really don't feel up to it. Part of me knows that I'd probably feel better if I did, but honestly...I want to stay home and allow myself to grieve and do some things around here.

We did some 'school work' this morning, and I am still (for days now) working on seeing if I can find the grade level equivalent for books we have here in the house. Sometimes I'm wondering why I started this project, but hey, it is distracting. I also really need to study, but the areas that I really need to work on are math, and Chris is a big help on those, so......probably gonna put that off til this evening. I need to go outside and hose off the pool cover for the little above ground pool we finally filled up, and I think I'll let them get in it if we don't go to E's house. Now, will someone please give me permission to stay home??!

One more thing, I have this round rash of some sort on my backside. I'm not sure what it is. I put cortizone cream on it this morning, and it hasn't itched as much. It seems to have a clearer spot in the middle. I'm in no great hurry to go show my bum to a doctor, so if anyone has any great suggestions then I'll take 'em!

I know I said one more, but it was really two more...
for lunch, we're crafting some pop art pizza that I bought a kit for back in the spring. I'll try to take pics and let you know how it turns out!

Wordless Wednesday--Happy Anniversary

This was taken by my sister at dinner one night on our cruise. Friday is our tenth anniversary!

For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit here or here!

Whatcha reading?!

Melanie over at Mel, A Dramatic Mommy needs our help! She just can't get into the book that her book club is currently reading. So here is what she's asked us to do!

On this post or on your own site using Mr. Linky, give us the title and author, a review and three sentences from page 38.

I'm currently reading Running With Scissors by Augusen Burroughs. Here is what Google Books has to say about it:

Running with Scissors is the true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her psychiatrist, a dead-ringer for Santa and a lunatic in the bargain. Suddenly, at age twelve, Augusten Burroughs found himself living in a dilapidated Victorian in perfect squalor. The doctor's bizarre family, a few patients, and a pedophile living in the backyard shed completed the tableau. Here, there were no rules, there was no school. The Christmas tree stayed up until summer, and Valium was eaten like Pez. And when things got dull, there was always the vintage electroshock therapy machine under the stairs....Running with Scissors is at turns foul and harrowing, compelling and maniacally funny. But above all, it chronicles an ordinary boy's survival under the most extraordinary circumstances.

And for 3 sentences from page 38:

"There's always someone around, always someting fun to do," she'd said. I couldn't believe it had taken so long for me to finally see where he lived. Visiting the personal residence of John Ritter would not be more exciting than this.

So now YOU tell us what you're reading! Please visit Mel's site and join in on the fun!

My heart is heavy

Last night, a 17 year old boy was killed in a senseless motorcycle wreck. He was hit by someone who had run from police in a checkpoint and then led them through town. He hit Josh's motorcycle from behind and killed him.

I didn't teach this young man, but he was in the first class of first graders when I was teaching, so I remember him well. He was a very sweet guy--very polite and always had a smile on his face.

Lots of gruesome rumors are circulating concerning details of the accident. I don't want to know, honestly. All I know is that a child who used to walk down the hall and speak to me.

Please remember the Darnell family and his friends as they deal with this great loss. Christi

Cafe Chat

Today's Question: What is one woman from the Bible that you can relate to, and explain why you relate to her?

This is a hard one for me to narrow down! The first person who comes to mind is Rahab. I can relate to her because there are some times in my life that I really felt like God could not possibly use me because of some of the choices I had made. No, I wasn't ever a prostitute or even anything remotely related to it, but still...I have felt shunned at times. I guess it is because she shows that God accepts us and loves us unconditionally. We don't have to be perfect to be used for His glory!

If you'd like to join in on the conversation, visit Internet Cafe Devotions!

One more Friday night.....

I can't believe that another week has f-l-o-w-n by! The boys attended another Bible school and really enjoyed it! I got to go out to eat with friends not once, but TWICE! Once with my boys and my first grade cohorts and their children, and then once with my buddy Robin! We even checked out a movie with the kids--Wall-E--which was really good!

We also have a sickly cat. I'm quite attached to my pets, even if I don't talk about them all the time. Gunnar came to live with us about a year ago when some friends had a change of housing plans. He quickly became a beloved member of the family. He was a rambunctious kitten! My arms had scratches on them for months. But before we knew it, he was a regular 'ol sleep most of the day Tom cat. Up until today! He wouldn't open his eyes, even to come up the steps or move to his favorite place to nap, Adam's bed. Chris wasn't that concerned, but I sure was, so off we went to the vet. He wasn't running a fever, but he definitely wasn't feeling well. His third eyelid was fully engaged and he was lethargic. She gave him some steroids and antibiotics and sent us home to watch him, and I'm taking him back in the morning. We've forced some liquids with a syringe, and Chris even got him to use the potty outside and look around a little bit. He's still not anywhere near 100%, though. I am encouraged that he moved his bladder, so we're getting enough liquid in him. I'm still worried though, and am not sure what we're facing tomorrow. I'm praying that he will perk up some by tomorrow morning!

Tomorrow, barring a rain storm or any other unknown factors, we SHOULD get our DirecTV installed. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

I just wanted you to know.....

Ladies, I'm overwhelmed. I'm so full of amazement and so humbled, and it is all because of how another blog has touched me. My friend Robin had mentioned this blog to me in the past, but I hadn't gotten around to reading it. I had heard mention of this couple's story, but didn't realize that they 'were' the blog that she had mentioned.

I have made it through part of Bring the Rain, the story of Selah's Todd Smith, his wife Angie, and their family as they deal with the life, death, and legacy of Audrey Caroline, who was only in this world a few hours. This story is one of the most powerful and heart wrenching I have read. Ever.

The part that I just read was Angie's letter to Audrey after her birth and sadly, her death. I did something after reading this letter that I have only done one other time in my life. I hit the floor, and lay prostrate before the Lord as I cried out to Him. I asked for forgiveness and confessed things that He has long known. I told Him things that I have never been able to form into words. And I wept and thanked Him over and over for His unfailing grace, His redeeming love, and His unconditional forgiveness. Tears are still falling as I write this. I serve such a wonderful God, and I am so blessed, so proud, so overwhelmed at what He does.

After I got up off the floor, I kept hearing Him urging me to share it. Share what I felt, and how thankful I am that He is in my life. I don't feel like I do Him justice, but the truth is that words cannot describe Him. He is so much more than language or letters or symbols or anything we have in this word to express Him.

And I just wanted you to know that.

Even if no one reads this, sees this, cares about this, whatever! I just wanted to give Him my praise for my blessed, blessed life. Thank you seems so inadequate, Lord, but that is what I can say. Thank you, Lord, with all that is in within me!!

Do you love to read books??

I don't get to read as much as I'd like, but I still read at least a novel or two a month. I LOVE PaperBackSwap! Here's how it works: you make a list of books that you would be willing to part with. If people want your books, PBS contacts you. You get a credit for each book that you mail to other members. You pay Media Mail rate postage, which isn't very much--I think $3 something is the most I've had to pay, and that was a larger hardback book.

Then when you find something you want, you can use those credits to order books you'd like! You can also make a wish list, and PBS will contact you if that book comes into the system.

They even give you a few credits to start out! Isn't that cool?

If you so choose, you can also use me as your referral, and I get a credit for that. Not saying you have to do that, of course! ;) (But if you do, my username is ChristiS!)

Just click on the banner above to get started! Its a great way to get new books while not letting them pile up (as I am bad to do!)

Wordless Wednesday--Cowboy Memory

Wasn't he a cutie?!
Winter 2003

For more Wordless Wednesdays, click here or here!
Christi

Tuesday's Toot (of the horn! Get your mind outta the gutter!)

I tooted my own horn quite a bit yesterday, but I actually did some good cleaning today! We were anticipating the DirectTV installers coming today. They said to be sure to have 3 feet behind the TV where they could do the installations. So Chris and I cleaned out the entertainment center, behind it, cleaned the wall, and even moved the aquarium that had been sitting on it!

Unfortunately, still no DirectTV. After we had waited patiently for hours, they arrived around 4:30. As luck would have it, so did a thunderstorm. Though the thunderstorm passed, the installer gave us this song and dance about how it was going to rain for hours here and that he'd get us rescheduled. That did not make for a very happy Mr. or Mrs. But what can we do?? At least we're trying to get this done during the summer and not the school year, where it would be a much bigger pain in the ass! Hopefully this will not interfere with the ONLY plans I have made for during the day (except for doctor's appointments) since school got out! I have lunch plans for the next two days!


Anyway, I'll look back at that silver lining of getting some cleaning done that I might have let slide otherwise, right?!

If you're interested in joining in on the Tuesday Toot meme, please visit MommyCommunity by clicking here!
Christi

Who wants to win a giveaway??

Laurie over at Tip Junkie is celebrating her 1 year blogiversary by having 20 days of giveaways! I'm a tad late getting in on this, but there is still plenty of time left to win some goodies! Click on the button to give her a visit! And good luck, by the way!

Verily I say unto thee, I do ROCK!

I am so stinking proud of myself!
With directions from this post at MomDot.com, I created my own button! This is a major accomplishment for one who has never created or even really tinkered with any kind of graphics programs and such!

Now, since you are so proud of me too, surely you want to give me some linky love?? Just look down through there, ladies, at those of you who I give props to daily. Surely you want to return the favor, right?? Purty please with sugar on top??? *insert much eyelash fluttering here*

No seriously, gals. I was giving some thought to paying to have someone spiffy up my blog, but the most reasonable place I knew of isn't taking orders right now. So therefore, I must wait a bit. I was down and out about it, but decided I'd try my own hand at this. Now I KNOW it is a pretty juvenile looking button, but it IS a first attempt!

Now that I have thoroughly bragged on myself, I must go back to the laundry. Or studying. Or doing something relatively productive.

Thank you for your time and attention.

~~~Ladies, Christi has now left the blog!~~~~~

(Apparently I'm cracking myself up today! For real. Carry on now. Thanks!)

Those times when you know you're doing the right thing....

the Christian thing to do, but yet you feel HORRIBLE?

Yep, had one of those this evening. It has a long story attached, but suffice it to say that I was snubbed by someone I consider part of my extended family. It shouldn't really surprise me, being that his parents have only seen his infant son once since his birth in April. But it still hurts.

What bothers me is--how do people call themselves Christians and treat their family members this way? If there was some history of mistreatment or abuse, maybe I'd see it. But there isn't! Yes, there has been some miscommunication and hurt, but aren't we supposed to forgive each other and move on? What about the LOVE? Is that not supposed to come in there somewhere?

I know that this is extremely vague. I just wanted to know if anyone else has had experiences like this. I could have easily left without speaking to him. He probably would have never even known I was there. Maybe I make him uncomfortable because I remind him of the family he is leaving out of his life. But would I be any better than him if I just pretended he didn't exist? Aren't I, as a Christian, supposed to continue to reach out in love and reconciliation? I didn't speak to him to make him uncomfortable. I spoke to him because no matter how many years pass, I'm still gonna love him as my friend and family member.

Did I do the right thing? And do I continue to speak, or just treat him with indifference like he treats me?

Robin, this is BH, in case you're wondering.

Happy 4th!

It is almost over, but Happy Independence Day, readers! I have had a busy 2 days. A., Chris, and I took our kids to swim yesterday and then after Adam napped, we went to eat dinner at Chris' Mamaw's house. We had a whole passel of family there with us: Chris' brother and family, 2 aunts and uncles and his newly-married first cousin and her husband. We were pretty worn out by the time we got home!

Adam was up at 3 something with growing pains in his feet. I remember so many times waking up and going to the bathroom to rub Absorbine Jr. on my feet cause they hurt. I honestly didn't sleep soundly after that! I'm sure you can relate, right?!

We hung around the house til this afternoon, when we went to a family picnic. We did get to eat before the rain started! We didn't get to see any fireworks or parade, but it was still a very nice holiday!

My sweetie fixed us some pina coladas and we're watching Charlie Wilson's War to close out the day!

Enjoy the rest of the long weekend!

Update on A, and other stuff

Things went well! She is going to be getting child support and they are sharing custody, with their daughter staying with A. during the week and then with her ex three weekends a month. Thanks so much for your prayers! They ended up settling in the judge's chambers so I didn't have to say a thing! It stressed me out to the maximum capacity (to use a 'Copeland sister' phrase!) though, and I ended up having to take a muscle relaxer this afternoon cause my tense neck and shoulders were giving me a bad headache!

And on to other stuff....this GRE thing. Stinks. I'm not really thrilled about spending the next 20 days studying for this thing when the actual score isn't gonna count for anything. I know I could just blow it off and not study (since I've been known to do that in the past....right, Robin?!) but I hate to go into this program with remedial scores and the professors thinking I'm crazy for trying! So I've found a good free website that has lots of good practice, etc. on there and I'm gonna hit it at least a few hours a day.

Besides, I've been feeling pretty......um, dumb.....lately cause my brainy friends on Facebook have been kicking my butt on some word related games, so I'm studying up on my vocab! Watch out, ladies and gentlemen, I'll soon know words you only WISH you could guess! (Yeah, right....who am I kidding?!)

Adam was stung by a bee today. It was the first time he'd been stung so we didn't know if he'd be allergic or what, but turns out it swelled up a little and that was it. We were glad about that!

Oh, and get this....one of my mother's artificial HIPS was recalled! What the heck?! Apparently, there were some of them manufactured in Ireland and they weren't put together exactly right, and hers happens to be one of them. Thankfully, they said it wouldn't have adhered right and hers was not one affected, so her doctor was just informing her. But how awful would that be to have to have your artificial replaced?! All that pain and rehab all over again?! Thank the Lord that this was not the case!

OK. I really should stop playing and either do a Bible study or work some more on this GRE stuff. I take it on July 21st. Which is way too soon, in my book. But at the same time, maybe I can use this as my excuse to not go see my inlaws til after it is over since I'm studying online and their internet is from the Stone Ages. Hmmmmm, maybe I CAN work this to my advantage! Bwah ha ha ha ha ha!