Finding Nemosyne

Stop yer bitchin'!

2009-07-23T23:11:00.002-04:00

I know I’m gonna catch hell for speaking my mind once again, but that’s never stopped me before. I’m just gonna say what I’ve gotta say before my head explodes.

For months now I've been hearing a lot of folks whining & complaining about how Obama has been handling things. People seem to have forgotten that it took the Bush Administration 8 years (6 of them with a Republican-led Congress) to get us into this mess. They got us into the Iraq War based on greed and a bunch of lies and will have cost the taxpayers $687 Billion by the end of September*. This is money that would have been better spent here in the States. They gave the public the McCain/Palin ticket so that they wouldn't have to clean up the mess they knew was coming. (Who the hell is going to vote for an old guy with a bad ticker and a crazy woman?) Therefore the Republican Party couldn’t be blamed when things couldn’t be fixed in a hurry with a new administration.

The Obama administration doesn't have some sort of magic wand that is going to make everything better in a couple of months. It's not humanly possible. Obama has said from the get-go that it would take long hard work on everybody’s part to fix what’s been broken. He's only been in office for 7 months. Give the guy a break. His plate is pretty dang full right now.

The American people as a whole needs to take a step back, get over their narcissistic instant gratification fixation, and start trying to figure out on an individual level what they can do to make life better for themselves and those around them, not just expect it to be done for them.

Looking for a job? You may actually need to leave your house and apply in person, not online. Or go outside of your field of expertise. Or you may have to flip burgers for a while – a job is a job is a job! When you’re in need, no job should be beneath you. If you absolutely can’t find a job in your area, volunteer somewhere. There is always going to be someone out there that is in worse shape than you are. Help them out. Meanwhile, you’ll be meeting new people and you never know where a job opportunity will come from.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Karma can either be a wonderful thing or a total bitch. It all depends on how you play your own cards. And we, as a nation, will pull through this. We just have to stay strong, stay together, and help one another.

Nik

*Please note that I didn’t include the war in Afghanistan. I believe that to be a necessary war to find the bastards that hurt our people. Also note that I support and have the utmost respect for our men & women in uniform. Ultimately, they don’t have a choice where they are stationed or deployed. They go where their Commander in Chief tells them to go.

It's been a year?!?

2009-07-06T09:45:00.000-04:00

Wow! It's been a year since I posted last? Really? I am such a slacker!

Just to update since my last post (sorry, it's a bit non-linear):

~The yardwork continues. My front bed looks like a jungle. I hate bishop's weed with a passion. It's trying to choke out my good plants there. I lost two of the hydrangeas but all the others look great! We also added two additional veggie garden beds to the one I already had. I'll go into detail about what's planted this year in a separate post.

~Family-wise, Usher reunion is coming up in a couple of weeks. Not at all ready. Riggins reunion is cancelled after a medical issue. My aunt says it's time to pass the torch and I totally understand. Reunion planning is a pain in the heiney, although it's rewarding when it finally gets here. I wish I could take over but my hands are already full with the Usher one. Dad's doing well, thinking about buying a house. I probably haven't talked to Mom more than 5 times since she got back. I guess she's decided not to participate. I can't force her and I can't say that I really expected anything more. My oldest brother is now married, to a different gal, baby on the way, enough said. My youngest brother is getting married next month. I like his wife-to-be. Aaron, Connor, & Shawni are all standing in the wedding. My role is kid wrangler and emergency management. What can I say, I'm good at it! :^D

~Medical-wise, My original surgery date in Sept. was postponed because of kidney stones. There turned out to be a half-inch stone in my left kidney. It took 5 lithotripsies to kill the little sucker. I finally had my surgery in February and it was a bit more than I expected - rectocele/cystocele plus a hysterectomy. I wasn't expecting to bear any more kids. This just made it final. Recuperating took a long time, but I'm finally back to my normal active self. I would have posted during that time, but you guys don't need to read me whining, right?

~ We took our trip to Disney World in November with Dad & Kelsey. Kelsey had a couple of times where she missed her mom and that was expected. She was only 12 after all. But we got through it and had the best time! Connor got to hang with the Power Rangers. Kelsey got to watch street performances of High School Musical 3. And Shawni got to hug Mickey so many times that we lost count. We also got to see my cousin David and his wife DeeDee for a day while we were there. Never enough time for visiting. It was nice to see them.

~I'm going for my "Mommy Time Out" trip to Chicago in September. There's a big knitter's convention taking place. I'm going to take some classes, enjoy some Chicago cuisine, and shop till I drop. Well, as much as my budget will allow. :^P If you want to keep up with my crafty self, check out my other blog, Nemosyne Knits. I'll be getting that one updated soon as well.

I’ve been a busy, busy girl!

2008-07-13T02:06:00.000-04:00

Hello faithful readers! :^P"

It's been a busy few weeks. I did a bit of travelling, got over my insomnia, tore up some of my yard, did some crafty stuff, making plans, and getting news.

We went up to Oscoda, MI over the 4th of July weekend to visit family and some friends who came to town for the holiday. Aaron & I had a chance to do some canoeing. It was a lot of fun! We also took the kids to a couple of cookouts where they got to have s'mores. Talk about wired! We also got to watch fireworks out on the beach. It was so pretty to see all the fireworks going off all up and down the shoreline. Connor kept running down to the edge of the lake to get his feet wet, then running back to warm them up. Hehe... Shawni was perfectly content to stay bundled in my arms and watch the "pretties". Needless to say, with all that fresh air and activity, I was wiped out and slept like a baby the whole time there. YAY!

While we were up there I also had some time to work on my crafty stuff. For those that don't know, I knit hats for chemotherapy patients for KnitMichigan, an organization that supports Michigan cancer charities. I found out about this organization late last year, so was only able to knit a couple of hats by the time everyone got together to turn them in. This year my goal is 5 hats. Not too stressful and if I happen to make more, all the better! Anyway, I finished one up and started another while I was up north. I also had some time to do some spinning of my buffalo wool "treasure" as well. It looks so purty! I can't wait to start on Aaron's hat with it. I know... I'm a fiber geek too.

Before we left for our trip, I got a great deal on some bushes at Home Depot. I bought 10 hydrangeas and 2 dwarf lilacs. We finally got a chance to put them in the ground over the last couple of days and they are going to look great (if I don't say so myself)! I wanted to start building a hedgerow/flower bed across our front yard, both for setting a boundry for the kid's safety and for a little more curb appeal. The plan is to continue creating the flowerbeds around the bushes as time and money permit. One step at a time... Our veggie garden is doing great. I'm expecting many of my veggies to be ready soon. I can't wait!!!

I've been working with a couple of my cousins, getting this year's family reunion off the ground. (Hi Mar & Bill!!!) Things are finally coming together for that. I'm also organizing the picnic for my class reunion this year. 20 years! Can you believe it?!?! I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone and hope we can really keep in touch this time around, 'cause we ain't getting any younger!

My mom's moved back to MI from Reno. We have things to talk about, but I really hope she chooses to be part of my kids lives. They need their Gramma. My oldest brother is getting married. I wish him luck & happiness.

I finally have a date set for my surgery. September 22nd. I know that it's supposed to be a routine thing. I'm still scared to death. It's a major thing! They'll be knocking me out and tinkering with my insides. Enough to give anyone the heebie jeebies, I guess. I'm trusting to fate that things work out well. Things happen in their own way, in their own time, and for their own reasons. I'm just hoping that my children won't decide to use Momma for a trampoline while I'm recuperating for 6 weeks!

Bright side: With this date set, I'll have enough time to get better before we go to Disney at Thanksgiving!!! I'm really, really looking forward to this trip! My dad is flying my niece out and we're taking our kids for their first time. I'm also looking forward to seeing relatives while we're there. (Hi David & Aunt Myrna!(& Clay & Jake if they ever get their butts on here :^P"))

And I think that's enough for now. Don't you? I'll try to have pix up soon, so watch your bulletins and until then...

Peace & love, Baby!

Can't Sleep...

2008-07-01T07:38:00.000-04:00

Another night of insomnia... Yay.

It's 4:30 in the morning and I haven't been to sleep yet. I tried but after an hour of tossing and turning, I gave up. So I have a choice for in the morning: 1) ask Aaron to watch the kids while I get a little makeup sleep and not get much done all day or 2) I can get up with everyone else to try to get back on track but that comes with nausea and fuzzy-headedness that lasts all day and still not get much done. :^(

What really stinks about the whole deal is that I'm really very tired. It probably shows. I know that stress is my trigger and we're getting ready for some travel in the next couple of days. Not much I can do about it, unfortunately.

I guess I'll try to give Mr. Sandman another shot. He better whip out the good stuff this time around and knock my ass out.

Tattoo Love...

2008-05-08T21:48:00.000-04:00

And my week just keeps gettiing better and brighter!

I've made mention here before that I was hoping to get one of two tattoos I've been planning for the last 10 years on my upcoming trip to LA. However, I had been unable to contact the artist that I wanted to do the work and I had given up hope of getting any work done this trip.

The other day, I saw that Terry, a high school friend of mine, recently had some work done. I wrote to him and mentioned my predicament. He kindly recommended a couple of shops for me to check out.

One phone call later and I've found another artist who is quite skilled in Art Nouveau-style! YAAAAYYYYY!!! Now, I'll just need to give a call to the new shop once I get there to see when he'll have the time to take me during my stay. I am SOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!

Hurt, Bitchiness, Love & Excitement

2008-05-05T19:30:00.000-04:00

Pardon if I have to stop once in a while. Shawni is all over me today. :D *Shawni break*

It's been a while since I've wrote. Well, since my hospital adventure anyway. Just to update, the stone is gone, the stent is out, I'm off the meds, and I'm feeling a million times better already. *Shawni break* I'm getting ready for my "Mommy Time Off" trip next week to L.A. so I'm trying to cram everything that I was supposed to do over the last month into this week. A bit frustrating at times, but fun too. *Shawni break x 2* I'm going to miss my family terribly while I'm gone, but Momma needs a break!

I recently had a couple of instances of being called a racist, a bitch, and priviliged. Those that know me in person know that I am not racist. The farthest thing from it, in fact. I have friends of all shape, size, color, & religion and I can talk freely to them about any of that subject matter. But for some reason, some folks have a real issue when a "white" person addresses a racial issue from the flip side of the coin or points out that a racial issue exists as it does in my neck of the woods. It seems to be fine if anyone else brings it up, but if you happen to be even part "European American" you are expected to keep your mouth shut and take what crap is shoveled at you. Oh, and for the record, yes, I'm a good portion EA but I'm also a good portion NA. Don't classify people purely on what is evident on the outside. You never know what their true heritage is.

Those that know me also know that I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut. That probably is where the charge of bitchiness comes in and it's probably well deserved. Actually, it's something I'm quite proud of because so much more damage comes in the long run when people DON'T speak up. I stand my ground when it's something that I feel strongly about. Sorry, it's a flaw (strength) in my system. I do know that I have to work on my delivery sometimes, but I do the best that I can with what I've got. It's all I can do. In the meanwhile, if what I say makes people think about things and make changes for the better, I can take a few emotional kicks to the groin.

And finally, about the whole being priviliged thing.... I'm not. It's called careful planning, scrimping, & saving. Having the foresight to do so allows us to take a vacation once in a while, purchase something nice once in a while, or to help friends and family when they truly need it. We're not rich, except for the love that we have in our home and for others. What more can a gal ask for?

Owie Ow Ow!!!!!!

2008-04-07T20:11:00.000-04:00

I blame my friend, Neil. He jinxed me. :P"

I'm currently sitting in the emergency room, waiting to be seen for a kidney stone. I haven't had one of these in about 15 years. If you've never had one of these, know that my feeling is that birthing my 2 kids with no pain meds is practically a breeze in comparison painwise.

Aaron is amusing the kids as I write this. Connor hs been a total champ in helping me out when the pain hit me. He is so getting a trip to Toys R Us after this.

Gotta go. They're taking me back.

Always down to the last minute...

2008-04-02T20:10:00.000-04:00

I have to ask... Why do schools have you sign kids up for kindergarten the spring before they actually go? Why not a month or so before they are actually crossing the threshold of the school? Really. This inquisitive parent would like to know.

I’m scrambling right now, trying to figure out what to do. Most of you already know that Connor is Gifted. At two years old, he brought me "Green Eggs and Ham" and read it to me cover to cover. About that time he decided to start using the computer on his own (guided by Aaron & I, of course). He currently excels at reading and math.

I feel so blessed by this but at the same time it can be very frustrating. I’ve had him in preschool since he was two to balance him socially. To say that I’m unhappy with his current preschool (where he would also be attending Kindergarten) would be putting it VERY mildly. His teacher tried telling me a couple of weeks ago that he may not be ready for Kindergarten because he wasn’t getting his crafts done in this "free range" classroom. First off, it’s preschool and he’s not getting graded. Second, if you give a four-year-old a choice between doing a craft, eating a snack, or playing building blocks with his friends with no time constraints, which two do you think he will pick? It won’t be the craft! I told her that if he wasn’t doing the things he was supposed to, maybe I should be homeschooling him. You should have seen her sputter and try to backpedal out of the situation.

I thought I had found a great program at a college prep charter school for him to go to. It has a full-day class, Spanish from K through 12th grade, placement testing. The program sounds fantastic! Then we visited the school today. To say we got a bad vibe would be an understatement. The first thing Aaron asked before we even got out of the car was, "Is that bullet holes in the windows?" I say,"Noooo. It’s got to be kids throwing stones at the building or something like that." (Still not good, but better in my mind than the bullet theory.) We get to the main office and there was no one to give us a tour and the lady we talked to hardly knew any history of the school she worked for. She gave us a bunch of pamphlets about the school and a promise of setting up a tour at a later date. There were a couple of other things that set off my mommy alarms, but nothing that I want to talk about here. Needless to say, I don’t think we’ll be enrolling him there. That makes me sad because the program showed so much promise.

So, that pretty much leaves me with his current school system, since we can’t afford a private school. I think I’m just going to have to really put some pressure on them for some answers and to provide adequate services for my child. Be the squeaky wheel, as it were. And if that doesn’t work, there’s always homeschooling. I may leave that open as an option anyway. My in-laws aren’t particularly happy that we’re even considering homeschooling, especially considering that the FIL is a retired teacher. But we have to do what’s best for Connor, not what others would be happy with. If the public school won’t cut it, then we move to plan B.

Keep your fingers crossed for us!

So much to say....

2008-03-19T20:10:00.000-04:00

...And not near enough time to say it. Isn’t that the way? (Sorry. This turned into a bit of a rant.)

I’m getting ready to pack to go downstate again. My Uncle Alex passed away last night. I’ve missed my family very much, but I hate the circumstances that usually bring us together. Usually it’s a death. Not nearly enough babies or weddings for my liking. This is the fifth thing this month to happen to my extended family. One cousin has had a gall bladder infection bad enough to end up in the hospital and she is expecting surgery. Another cousin has had to have part of his leg replaced with a steel rod. My nuclear family has had that really bad flu for the last three weeks. (My dad had it twice!) My dad got really severe food poisoning and ended up at the hospital. Now, Uncle Alex has passed.

Seriously. Are we done yet? I think we’ve filled our quota for the next 10 years, ok?

Oh wait, I forgot the fact that I have to have surgery soon too. And I’m not at all happy that it’s not the one I was looking forward to. I really wanted to finally *finally* get my reduction done. I’ve been wanting and trying to get this done for about 22 years now. I am thankful that fate intevened just for the fact that I could provide for my children, but I am so ready to have people look me in the eyes when they meet me instead of my chest. It’s something I’ve been embarassed about since I was 10 when my stepdad and his friends started making "Dolly Parton" jokes aimed at me.

Instead, because of my wonderfully healthy but very large children, I have to get the plumbing fixed. Not going into detail, but I am trying to make myself feel better by repeating that this is "practicality over vanity." Maybe next year I’ll get the reduction I want so badly, but for now I have to get myself functioning correctly. I’ll be down for 6 weeks once it’s done but my MIL is coming to help us out. I am so thankful for that.

As always, I try to end on a high note. At least before the surgery, I’m finally going on my "girl’s trip" to L.A. with my bestest friend, Anne. We’re leaving May 13th and coming back on the 20th. I have to thank Aaron for pushing me to do this. Other than spending time with him and the kids, this is such a bright spot in my life right now and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m sure there will be many photos to come.

Gotta go for now. There is so much to get done tonight before we leave tomorrow. *Hugs* to all!

ETA: Yeah, so I don’t know what day it is either. We’re leaving to Dad’s on Friday. Not tomorrow. At least it gives me another day to get my act together, right?

Never thought it would happen...

2008-02-20T01:10:00.000-05:00

So. There I sat at the kitchen table earlier this afternoon, with a pile of white powder on a plate... plastic card in my hand... pushing the powder into little geletin capsules.

Now, it's not what you may be thinking. I haven't turned to the dark side or anything like that. It turns out the meds that were prescribed for my dog, Jasmine, are actually human meds. They are supposed to be split in half for her dosage but they only come in capsule form. Cut them in half and you've got powder all over the countertop. I found that out the hard way.

But I have to tell ya, after growing up a cop's daughter, going through the process of filling the new capsules felt really, really wrong and icky. But I did manage to get 14 days worth done.

The End of an Era

2008-02-11T21:38:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of no more nursing. That's it. I'm done. No more having babies. No more mastitis. No more being at the mercy of my little one's hunger. No more gentle gazing into her eyes as we have our moments before she sleeps.

This is harder than I thought. I'm torn between happiness and sorrow right now. The next couple of nights are going to be rough as Shawni gets used to the new routine. I know I'll be tempted to give her what she wants, but at the same time I know that she's ready for this. I'm not sure that I am though.

The next step is to move her into her own room. I think I'm going to wait a bit until I get a handle on what's going on now before I rush into that... Give the two of us time to adjust.

Aaron in the News

2008-01-23T23:13:00.000-05:00

For those of you who haven't heard about this yet, Aaron is competing in the Automotive X Prize. You may have heard of the Ansari X Prize held a couple of years ago to promote commercial space travel. This contest is similar, with a prize of $10 million dollars. The difference is that his team has to create a vehicle that can be mass produced and get no less than 100 miles per gallon. He was asked to represent his team during the Press days at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. He did a number of interviews while he was there.

This has been so exciting for us! Who would have thought that something that was just a hobby a few months back would have gotten so big, so fast! I want him to win so much. It's not about the money (though it would be nice!). It's about seeing the things that he invests so much of himself in come to life and work out the way he wants them to. I love to see him happy.

On ABC12 News:
"Local entrepreneur works on 100 mpg vehicle"
http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=resources/auto&id=5898337
(There's a video piece at the top of the page.)

Flint Journal:
"Local Man Pursues 100 mpg, Millions"
http://www.mlive.com/flint/stories/index.ssf?/base/business-1/1200806707303500.xml&coll=5

Popular Mechanics mentions his team, Tilting Vehicle Australia, in this article. Aaron did an interview with them, so I'm thinking there may be another article soon.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4244759.html

Also, keep an eye on this page. Aaron did an interview with them on Monday:
http://www.xprizecars.com/

What a fun day!

2008-01-19T21:04:00.000-05:00

Aaron actually has this weekend off. We took today to have a really nice lunch at a local Italian place. The kids behaved pretty darn well.

Then we went to the Sloan Museum for the afternoon. Their current big exhibit is about treasure and how we've been searching for it throughout time. Shawni fell asleep just before we got there, so I held her while the boys ran around checking all the stuff out.

They also had a "treasure hunt" going on in their 19th century exhibit, with a card full of pictures for the little ones and a page full of clues for the big kids. Connor decided to do them both. I was thrilled that he wanted to do that. It gave me a chance to work on writing his letters with him. Besides that, he didn't need much of our help at all. He read all the plaques to solve the questions and had fun trying to figure out what part of each exhibit section the pictures were of.

We came home and each did our own thing for a bit, had dinner, and watched a wind-down with the kids before their bedtime. Now I'm taking a breather while I write. The day doesn't end just because the kids are sleeping. Oh no! I've got some knitting of chemo caps to do for Knit Michigan, plus I have to get some things together for tomorrow. So, I better get to it.

I just wanted to make sure I wrote this day down because it was so nice. I didn't want to forget a thing.

Jasmine Update 2

2008-01-16T17:47:00.000-05:00

It's been confirmed. Jasmine has cancer. The vet said that she probably has 5-6 months left as is. We're looking into some medication that may help double that prognosis. It's not chemo but something else that helps shrink the tumor and isn't as cost prohibative.

The vet also told Aaron that this sort of cancer won't be painful for her, that she will just begin to lose functionality of the bladder over time. I'm finding that hard to believe right now.

My heart is breaking. My little furbaby has been through so much bad in her life before we got her. She doesn't deserve this. She deserves so many more years of a good life to balance out the bad. I wish I could give that to her.

Jasmine Update...

2008-01-11T13:43:00.000-05:00

Ok... just got a call from Aaron. Evidently, Jasmine *really* emptied her bladder this morning when she went, because the vet couldn't find it with the ultrasound. That might be good news because he also couldn't find the mass. So, he wants us to finish giving her the antibiotics and to bring her back in on Monday or Tuesday. (No going potty this time!)

The last couple of days she's been a really happy girl, wanting to play and giving lots of hugs. So I think the antibiotics are helping with something, regardless if there is cancer or not. I'm still holding on to my hope.

Keep up the good thoughts for her!

Jasmine...

2008-01-04T14:51:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I notice my sheltie, Jasmine, was having a hard time going pee. I went outside to have a better look and everywhere she had stopped to go there was a good amount of blood. Aaron took her to the vet. We thought it was just a bladder infection. The vet gave her 10 days of antibiotics and said to bring her back when they were done.

So that's what I did today. She seemed to have gotten better. There was just a orangey tinge to her pee instead of the pure red it was. The vet said it meant there was still blood going on and that he wanted to do an ultrasound. They took her back and I waited with my other dog, Jessica.
A few minutes later one of the techs asked if she could hold Jess while I went to the ultrasound room to talk to the doctor. Jas was still on the table and the doc explained to me what he was seeing. He pointed out a large mass across the top of her bladder. He said it could be a blood clot or it could be cancer. He's not sure yet but it's probably cancer. He wants to try one more run of a heavy duty antibiotics to make sure it isn't a clot though.

I'm not sure what to do right now. I'm keeping hope that it is a clot, but if it isn't.... We can't afford chemo. As much as I want to keep her as long as possible, I have to think of the kids too.

Oh Gods, this sucks!

Please, could you keep her in your thoughts? Positive energy would mean so much right now. Thanks...

The holidays are upon us!

2007-12-05T00:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts here lately. That last exchange that I talked about previously kinda left a bad taste in my mouth for a bit. I needed a break.

But the holidays are here and with it, so many things to do! I did go shopping on Black Friday and got just about everything I needed. I went prepared. I had a plan. I got into Toys R Us at 5:06am and the shopping carts were already gone. I grabbed one of the reusable bags before they disappeared too and started shopping. Since I was by myself and sans cart, it was pretty easy to slip through the aisles and get what I needed. It only took me about 15 minutes to make my selections. Then it was on to the line! There I had to wait for 2 hours. It wrapped all the way around the store. Shortly after I gained my place, it began to double back in! Totally crazy! I was lucky enough to get to stand next to this petite gal from the Phillippines. She was really friendly and we talked the whole time we were in line. It was fun! We said our goodbyes and happy holidays as I finished checking out and I was on my way again.

I stopped by Best Buy, Sears, Steve & Berry's, and Kohl's. No line problems at any of these stores. I was in & out like the breeze and done with my shopping by 11:00am. Quick but totally exhausting. I am so thankful I was able to leave the kids with Hubby this year. Last year I had to brave the crowds with a newborn Shawni in tow. THAT was a trip I don't care to repeat. I am very proud to say that absolutely nothing is on credit this year. Like I said, I planned very carefully!

Now, I have to find time to wrap the Yule / Xmas booty. Maybe I'll have to talk Hubby into practicing his l33t wrapping skilz with me.

On the bummer side (isn't there always one?), we're now being told that there is talk of a layoff at Hubby's plant before Xmas. The talk is to be prepared for 4-6 months of down time. It's gonna be tight for a bit, but we'll be ok. On the bright side, after having worked so much, we'll finally get some premium time with Hubby. I've missed him and so have the kids.

Unless some sort of really fabulous travel deal that we can't pass on comes up, I'm probably going to have to forego the trip to L.A. that I was planning on for April. Dang it! And I was really looking forward to getting one of my tattoos done! I'm still keeping my eyes open and my hopes up though.

Time to go for now. Wrapping paper and tape are calling....

Also...

2007-11-20T02:06:00.000-05:00

I've been told that there has been some discussion about some of the pictures I recently posted on my (MySpace) profile. To answer the questions very frankly:

Yes, I'm Pagan. I have been for more than 15 years. It won't be changing, I promise you, so please don't think of trying to convert me. I'll only get annoyed and I won't be nice about it. If you have honest questions about my faith though, I am happy to answer them. Converting is not our thing... but educating the public and breaking the myths are.

Just please, all I ask is that you talk to me about it, not go behind my back. It's rude. And I don't bite after all. At least not much....

Something beautiful...

2007-11-20T01:25:00.000-05:00

...to end a weekend that was painful.

As I posted in my update, someone I loved very much has truly disappointed and hurt me, as well as the rest of our family. It hurts my heart to see what he has become. He is full of hate and loathing, not only for himself (though he tries to hide it), but also for anyone who questions what he's doing. Self-interest seems to be the only thing driving him these days. I tolerated his behavior for far too long and I called him on it. He wrote things to me, in his anger, that are unforgivable. We've had our words and now I'm done with him.

If he is reading this, don't bother writing to me. I won't be reading it. Your last messages were only opened in the hopes that they started with an apology. They didn't so they were chucked unread. Just more of your venom.

I'm done getting hurt. I will not let him affect my feelings anymore. I've had my tears but I will not shed another one for him. My love is given gladly to those who deserve it and there are plenty in my life who do.

Tomorrow is a new day, right? So to end on the beautiful note I mentioned, I came across this video today of women in art. It shows 500 years worth in about 3 minutes. I thought it was lovely. I hope you do too.

Blech....

2007-11-16T01:58:00.000-05:00

Why is it when I get to feeling not well, it's like chumming the sharks?

Connor came down with the flu a couple of days ago. He's fine now but I think I'm getting it. I've been fuzzy-headed since yesterday and I'm getting the joint acheys (sp?) today. Just in general blah but I'm trying not to show it.. How do these kids pick up on it? I swear, they dipped their toes in Trouble Lake in just about every place on the shore tonight.

Shawni was trying her darnedest to touch the woodstove or climb the stairs. There was also the full can of pop that got dumped, the contact paper that was unrolled and crumpled up, the dinner that got thrown to the waiting dogs, and the sippy cup that got hurled across the room. Let's not even talk about the tantrums.

Connor played the part of Mr. Tattletale in this play, which in and of itself isn't usually a bad thing. But when I hear "MOMMY!!!!" from the next room while I'm cooking dinner because Shawni took two steps to the left, I gotta draw the line somewhere. Then there was the stepping on the dog, tripping up his sister, the talking back (Who taught this boy to talk??? Seriously. I want to kick their ass!), taking forever to eat his dinner, the instigating... ARGH!!! I felt like I was hollering all night at them and I don't like that.

Somebody.. Anybody... Tell me it gets better. Please?
Bueller.... Bueller?

I'm gonna go watch Holmes on Homes and go to bed... Bleh...

The hair saga continues...

2007-10-16T04:30:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note...
I finally had a chance to lighten my hair again tonight. It's still a bit orange, but I think I can manage it with some violet shampoo. I'll be picking up some of that tomorrow.
Next time I need to touch up, I have the perfect product in mind. I'll just have to watch that it doesn't stay on too long or I'll end up with blue hair. Although that might be interesting too! Hehehehe...
Good night to all!

Professional Products

2007-10-11T12:26:00.000-04:00

You know...

There is a reason I went to beauty school, stayed an extra 600 hours to get my Master's degree in Cometology, apprenticed under a really fantastic hairdresser for a year and a half, took all those classes at the beauty expos to expand my knowledge base.

All of this education culminates to one simple rule. Always use professional products, especially when doing chemical procedures. DO NOT get your product from the drugstore and expect it to work the same. I knew better. I really did. Yet I got in a hurry and ignored the rule.

My hair is now carrot orange with blonde roots on top. Not exactly the duo-toned look I was going for. Geez Louise! I feel like I'm back in high school, although back then I did it on purpose. If I hear any "Rainbow Bright" cracks, I'm seriously gonna kick someone's butt.

It's fixable but I'm going to have to wait a couple of days to recondition my hair and try again. Meanwhile, I guess my "Where the Wild Things Are" baseball cap is gonna get a workout.

I must be in a music mood tonight

2007-10-10T01:19:00.000-04:00

I must be in a music mood tonight

Seriously, this is the last post before I go color my hair. (I'm going two-toned. It's gonna be cool! Pix to come...)

I've heard this song since I was very little. I'm not sure, but I seem to remember my mom saying it was originally written by Martin Mull. Mom edited it to be more gender-relative (of course) and used to sing it to us often. As a kid, I thought it was hilarious. I just never realized how true it until I had my own little ones.

KIDS

They piddle in a puddle in the middle of the driveway
They pick their nose and they throw their food
They fall out of bed in the middle of the night
'Cause something in their dreams said "BOO!"

They'll jump in your bed and take all your covers
And you'll shiver 'till your buns turn blue
Then you'll wake up in the morning, little fingers in your eyes
'Cause that's what little kids do

They'll eat green beans if they find 'em in the carpet
They'll eat anything stuck to their shoe
Leaves, bugs, second-hand bubble gum
'Cause that's what little kids do

You're gonna need a lot of Band-Aids and iodine
Adhesive tape, methiolate, Vap-o-Rub, and Calamine
Chapstick, Q-tips, Vaseline, & Tylenol
And every now and then a little Pepto Bismol

You can buy 'em chocolate ice cream and they'll drop it on the sidewalk
You buy another ice cream... They'll drop that too
Then they'll get real sick and they'll throw up in the hallway
That's what little kids do

They'll get real sick... but never in the bathroom
Usually on your favorite shoe!
You're so mad that you could cuss.
They're goin' "Blah Blah Blah"
That's what little kids do

But one day they're gonna be older and stronger
And do the things that they could not do
One day they're gonna say "Look at my old Mom...
Now she can't even tie her shoe. She.........

Piddles in a puddle in the middle of the driveway
She picks her nose. She gums her food.
She falls out of bed in the middle of the nightime
Just like little kids do"

And around and around we go...We're just like little kids too!

Baby News 9 - Glucose test and other things

2003-01-23T23:13:00.000-05:00

Reposted from the Lethal Doses Forum:

Me: "As for news, there's been a lot going on. That's why I haven't been on in a while. Some of it doesn't have to do with this thread, but I'm gonna post it here anyway, at least for thought continuity's sake.

Weekend before last I got a phone call that my stepdad had passed away. I had only met him a couple of times, but he was a nice enough guy and he was taking good care of my mom (which, you'll remember, had a brain aneurysm just before they had wed). I was worried about getting her some support. I couldn't fly out myself because I'm now in my 3rd trimester, so I sent my brother that lives in Reno. He could get the time off, but he didn't have the resources to get to Michigan. And if I have anything, I have resources. It worked out well and he got out there in plenty of time.

My next worry was what was Mom going to do now. Well, my brother and I talked before he left. He offered for her to come stay either with him and his wife, or with me & my hubby. She has declined both offers. My big worry at this point is that she's so stubborn, she'll turn to being a "cat food lady" or marry some other guy just for the sole purpose of getting by. Either possibility creeps me out. But it's out of my hands for now. I think I'm gonna talk to my aunt to see about having her check up on Mom once in a while. That might give me a lil' peace of mind.

As for how I'm doing... Ok at the moment, maybe a little scared. I had to take a blood glucose test a couple days ago and I got the call today that it came back high. So, I have to go back to the doctor's office on Monday to take a 3-hour glucose test that I have to fast 12 hours prior to. If that comes back high as well, it means that I have gestational diabetes. It means I will have to go to a whole bunch more doctors and a dietician and possibly have to do insulin shots. It means that I run a higher risk of having a C-section because babies tend to grow too big with gestational diabetes. It also means that the baby runs a slight risk of having hypoglycemia.

I'm trying very hard right now not to get too worried about it. No sense in stressing out unless there is a firm reason to, right? "

Puck: "Right. Everything will be fine. *hugs back* ;^D"

Mr. Bean: "Beats the alternative of completely freaking out. Junior's probably twisting your stomach into enough knots by himself; he most likely doesn't need any help. "

Uncle Benny: "um... I don't know if you've already found a solution for the stretch marks, but I heard that if you keep rubbing coconut lotion on it it helps... I think... then again, they also told me to balance a piece of steak on my forhead to ease my back problem...actually, that was a bold faced lie."

Me: "Nah... there is nothing on the market that can get rid of stretch marks. There's just a lot of companies out there that capitalize on new mothers' sense of vanity, that and old wives tales. Good genetics are the only thing to prevent them. I actually am proud of mine, kind of a "badge of courage" thing.

Thanks for the good thoughts, guys. I'm actually feeling a little better about things today."

Uncle Benny: "stay strong, lady person ma'am, because if you don't, um... damn, my mind just went into blank mode... damn it...."

Phil: "It's Nemo; in all the time she's spent as surrogate mom here at the LD boards (at least for as long as I've been here) she's always been strong. I can't see that changing now. I mean, it's worked so well for her so far, why change what works?

'Course, even so, having some supportive thoughts sent your way never hurts. So, Nemo, best wishes, glad you're feeling better, and I'd like to echo the sentiments that it'll all turn out fine. "

Me: "Thanks again for the thoughts. Good mojo always helps!

The test is tomorrow morning and I've been especially careful about what I've eaten the last few days. If there's still an issue, it's not going to show up because I've made a mistake. (Though I have to admit, I miss my sweets!)

Basically, what's going to happen is that I start fasting at 8:30 tonight. I show up at 8:30am (Eww!) and they take the first blood sample. They then have me drink this big bottle of stuff that tastes kinda like orange Slice or Crush, but I have to down it completely within 5 minutes. For the next 3 hours after that they take another sample on each hour. After that, I'm going to IHOP, baby, 'cause I'm gonna be starving!

I'll let you guys know the results once I get them. "

Puck: "Okay, Nemo we are all waiting to see what has happened... /Worried Puck "

Me: "I just got the call...YAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!No gestational diabetes!!!!!!" (1/30/03)

Baby News 8 - Yeowch!

2003-01-04T16:09:00.000-05:00

Reposted from the Lethal Doses Forum:

Me: "The last couple of days I've been in some rather bad pain. I really thought that my groin pull was back. Any time I sat up or stood up I wanted to cry. Crawling out of bed was agony. But I really wanted to avoid taking any pain medication. So, I called my nurse.

It turns out that what I'm feeling is my pelvic bone spreading open somewhat. Also the "round ligaments" on the underside of my belly are stretching some more. They definately didn't say anything about this kind of pain in the books I've read so far!

I now have to take Tylenol on a regular basis (which I really didn't want to do), wear my belly belt all the time and take a lot of baths. Thank goodness for Jacuzzi tubs! At least I'm feeling a little better now. "

Phil: "Nemo, that pelvic bone thing sounds like it really hurts, and I'm very glad that's not me."

Me: "Thanks... I'm actually feeling a lot better now. I've cut down on the Tylenol again unless I start feeling sore (and before it gets too bad).

I just started my Bradley birthing class this last Tuesday and I have to do a series of exercises that works on strengthening my hips & belly. Hopefully that will help even more.

I'm also going, on the advice of my Doula (Professional Labor Assistant), to see a chiropractor. I have what's called Sciatica. It's basically a nerve that gets pinched in the hip area every once in a while and the pain makes it very difficult to walk. It's actually a very common problem for both men and women, though most of you won't have to worry about it for another 10 years or so. I didn't start having issues with it until I was 30. Anyway, being pregnant has thrown off my center of gravity and altered my weight so that the sciatica is rearing its ugly head more than it normally would. Hopefully this chiropractor will be able to help me out with this.

I just want to mention too, that while I might talk about the aches and pains that I'm having, I'm not looking for pity. Women on the whole go through more pain than men do. We're used to it. It's all in the hormones. No, the reason that I talk about it is that I want you all to learn. I care about you guys and one of these days you are going to have wives or girlfriends in the same situation that I am in (or be in it yourself, if you're one of the gals!). You can't even imagine right now how much they will love you all the more just for having a clue about what's going on with them. They may not even understand what's going on themselves, but if you have a grasp of the situation they will feel comforted and loved. That in itself will make you feel as if you've won the world's biggest Lotto! :^D"

Puck: "Nemo, The only thing that I have had to worry about since I have turned 30 is a 30 lb weight-gain in a year. And I am actually glad for it! (I weighed 135 for over 10 years) Pictures are cool. Babies are cool. I want to be cool and have babies too. *Sigh* Someday, Puck, Someday."

Me: "It's ok, Puck... One of these days you'll have babies too. *hugs* You can care for mine vicariously, if ya want. ;^D"

Baby News 7 - Little Drummer Boy

2002-12-25T17:43:00.000-05:00

Reposted fron the Lethal Doses Forum:

Ok... my kid's gonna be a drummer when he grows up. That's all there is to it.

Even Hubby couldn't miss it this time. And they're supposed to be stronger the closer I get to the big day. If so, I'm in *big* trouble! A good thing so far is that he's only been tapping on the outside of my tummy. I'm not looking forward to when he starts using my kidneys & bladder for cymbals.

Baby News 6 - Easy on the exercise!

2002-12-13T07:10:00.000-05:00

Reposted from the Lethal Doses Forum:

Me: "Alright... Just got back from the Doc's a bit ago for my OB check. This is where I get to sit down and talk to my doctor about any issues I've been having since my last visit. They also check the baby's heart rate by sonogram (looks kinda like a kareoke(sp) mike that they roll around on my belly), take my weight, pee test, and do any "internal checks" if necessary.

Everything is going well. I think I worried the doc a bit because it seems I've been having some mild contractions. I didn't know that was what they were. My belly has been getting tight in the evenings and I thought it was just the baby doing stuff. Now that I know, I'm going to be keeping a closer eye on things. It scarred hubby & I a little because we're planning on leaving Sunday for MI again. For a second, I thought I saw all our plans go *POOF*. Doc checked and said everything is fine though, so off we go!

Hopefully, we'll be picking out a name soon. It would be nice to call him by his name while he's still in there. I like Connor Liam, but hubby doesn't know about that yet. I think I'll print out the name spreadsheet to take along with us on the trip so we can discuss it more.

That's all I got for now. You guys take care and have a happy Yule (Xmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukah, whichever). I'll talk to ya when I get back."

Phil: "Glad it turned out to be nothing as far as the mini-contractions go. Have a safe trip, a wonderful holiday experience, and say hi to Michigan for me (used to live in Troy, and frankly, I miss that big mitten--not that I remember it much, I was about 8 when I moved away)."

Me: "Trust me, honey... You aren't missing much. It was freaking COLD!!! And we got caught by a blizzard on the way back. EEW!!!

But it was good to see family. I was kinda bummed that no one thought to throw a baby shower or at least a family get-together for me. Not that I really wanted any presents, but it would have been nice to see my extended family since I won't be able to get back there for a long while. But that's par for the course with my clan, I guess. I shouldn't have been too surprised.

Anyway, this subject is supposed to be about my baby... not my feelings. My belly seems to be growing at an incredible rate. My belly button is just about gone. I just noticed how shallow it's getting tonight, little more than a dimple. It almost seems like it happened overnight. Really wierd.

The groin pull I experienced earlier is practically gone and I think I'm ready to resume working out, though moving around is getting to be a real chore. I think some simple yoga asanas should be enough to get me started, especially with Hubby to assist me. He's still got a couple weeks of vacation left to help out. I think I can do Morning Salutations and Lotus but I think up-dog, down-dog, and happy cow are out for me for a while. It's hard to do a complete sitting torso twist with your belly in the way. Hehe....

I forgot to mention the last time I posted that I asked my nurse about how I was doing with my weight. I'm not a light woman to begin with and I was really worried about putting on too much weight. To my surprise she said that I hadn't gained anything at all! The baby is growing fine, but evidently my change in diet has helped take off unnecessary pounds from me! YAY!! I'm hoping that means that I'll be slimmer after the baby is born. I knew he was a blessing!!!!!!

We're also getting ready to start our birthing class. We've decided to use the Bradley method instead of Lamaze. I like the fact that Bradley expects a woman to get educated about the facts of her upcoming birth (the pain as well as the joys) rather than disguise it with breathing patterns and out-of-situation visualization like Lamaze does. The class lasts for 12 weeks so we should be done with it just before the big day.

And lastly, I think I started feeling the baby really moving tonight. Not the little flutters I've been feeling the last couple of weeks, but honest to goodness taps. At first I thought maybe it was just a muscle twitch or maybe even gas (I've been feeling these all day), but tonight I was rubbing my belly with lotion while I was watching TV and I felt the lightest little bump against my hand. It was so neat! I had Hubby come over and put his hand there but the munchkin wouldn't do it again for him. He's not bummed about it though. He understands that the kicks will get stronger before it's all over.

Gotta go for now. It's getting late and I'm wore out. Thanks again for listening. **HUGS** "

Baby News 5 - The results are in!

2002-12-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

Reposted from the Lethal Doses Forum:

Well... the results are in and...

It's a BOY!!!

Everything seems to be working well. His kidneys are functioning correctly and he's mimicing breathing like he's supposed to. And boy, is he a ham! He was moving all over the place and only stopped long enough when the nurse took a picture of his face. Then he waved!!!

I'll try to get pictures up soon.

I thought seeing his little heartbeat was breathtaking, but this... there is just no words to describe. I'm in love....

Baby News 4

2002-11-30T09:44:00.000-05:00

Reposted from the Lethal Doses Forum:

Puck: "Well now that we have the whole "Spit" thing out of the way, any more news, Nemo?"

Me: "Not yet... My next appointment is on Monday where we'll be doing the ultrasound. Hopefully we'll get to know what the sex of the baby is and it won't just show us butt and give us the finger (as has been know to happen in rare instances). But, then again, this is my kid we're talking about here. :^P"

Puck: "Just make sure that it is not something like the umbilical cord instead"

Baby News 2

2002-11-06T21:54:00.000-05:00

Reposted from Lethal Doses Forum:

Me: "I got the results back on the blood test and everything is hunky dory!

BTW... rereading my original post, I realized that I hadn't mentioned the "spit thing" before. For those of you who don't know, pregnant women usually come to a point in the first trimester where the salivary (spit) glands go into overdrive. We don't drool or anything sick like that, but it's definately annoying and it tastes funny, kind of metallic. So be nice to any pregnant women you know and give them a mint or hard candy. It *really* helps alot."

Phil: "So that's what that spit thing is. Glad to hear the blood test went well. And I second the "keep us informed" thing."

Puck: "I am pretty sure that I could have gone through life not knowing anything at all about "the Spit Thing". Make me think that baseball players must be pregnant then."

Me: "Hehe... But you know, the first time your wife feels ill because of the "spit thing", you'll know what to do and be happy you read about it! Knowledge is power... "

Phil: "Knowledge is power, but power corrupts, and corruption is a crime, and crime doesn't pay! By teaching me about the spit thing, you've doomed me to financial uncertainty!"(*snip*)"As always, more happy thoughts heading your way, Nemo."

Me: "Well, babies are *always* a financial uncertainty. As a matter of fact, that's the #1 concern that new fathers have. Well, after "is my baby healthy?" that is... I don't think mothers worry about the money thing as much. Thanks for the happy thoughts!"

Nemosye's Baby News

2002-11-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

Reposted from Lethal Doses Forum:

Ok... here's the thread I've been promising for those of you who wonder how I'm doing thus far.

Last Tuesday I went to have some blood drawn. They're doing what's called a "quad screen". It's 4 different tests they do on the blood to make sure that there's no abnormalities in the baby. I won't get the results for about another week yet. I won't say I'm on pins and needles, but I am looking forward to making sure everything is ok.

All in all, I'm doing pretty good. The nausea and the "spit thing" is finally gone (YAY!) and my weight is on track, or so my nurse says. I'm still wishing I could lose a few pounds!

Other than that, I'm starting to get little sharp tugging pains on the ligaments on the underside of my belly, especially if I try to stand up quick or I laugh too hard. It only lasts a second or two but, man, it smarts!!! I've also noticed the beginning of the demon stretch marks. Not looking forward to those either, but I know they're inevitable unless you have really fantastic genetics or a great plastic surgeon. Maybe I'll just think of them as a badge of courage....

Anyway, that's it for now. I'm feeling good and looking forward to my next ultrasound December 2nd. Maybe we'll get to know what sex the little tadpole is! I'll let you know.

Baby News 3 - The Spit thing and other news

2002-11-01T15:54:00.000-05:00

Reposted from the Lethal Doses Forum:

As for recent news, I had the bright idea a couple days ago that I needed some exercise. After warming up some, I decided to do a couple calesthenic squats. As gently as I could, I managed 3 of them. Big mistake!!! I strained some groin muscles and do they ever hurt! AND I can't take pain meds other than Tylenol! I got chastised thoroughly by my nurse and have been put on rest for the next few days. Then hubby came home from work and chastised me some more. *sigh* But we talked about it afterwards and he agrees with me that I need more exercise than I've been getting, so he's going to start helping me out once this strain is gone. I think that will be nice.

I felt well enough yesterday to go to the store for a little bit. With most of you being guys, I'm sure you won't care much about this. But as a gal, having clothes that fit right is a big deal to me. I've crumbled into tears more times than I can count during the last couple months because my regular clothes don't fit anymore and clothing manufacturers don't seem to think that women with my proportions have children. It's really, really sad. I missed wearing my jeans. And don't even get me started on bras. I have to order those from England! Anyhow, on the suggestion of a friend I went to JC Penney. Low and behold they had clothes that fit me!!!! I have jeans again! I have nice t-shirts that are meant for a woman and not a man! YAY!!!!

Also, I think I felt the baby move this morning. It's hard to tell for sure, since I've never had a baby before. I woke up at about 4:00 this morning. At first I thought it was nauseousness, but then I realized that it wasn't quite like that. I think the "butterflies in the tummy" analogy is pretty much right on to what I felt. I thought about waking hubby up but decided that he couldn't feel it, so I just let him sleep. You can bet I'll wake him when the baby *really* starts kicking though. Anyway, I fell back to sleep for awhile and told him when we woke up. He got the biggest grin on his face. I love to see him happy.

We're going out for our anniversary tonight. It's been 3 years already!!! So we're going to see Harry Potter and then to Terelli's for some good Italian food. I think it'll be fun!

Cya!

PS. Thanks, you guys, for giving me someplace to put my thoughts on the whole pregnancy thing. It's a huge event in anyone's life and I'm so happy that you want me to share it with you. I feel loved....