tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17009878817407435772024-03-14T02:53:36.889-04:00Full of LightCindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.comBlogger283125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-12684089786983411172014-02-09T15:53:00.001-05:002014-02-09T15:53:54.449-05:00Feeling weird.So, it's been a month (today) since Dad died. Life's kind of starting to go back to "normal." Not everything we do somehow relates directly to his death. And it's weird.<br />
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I know I've heard and read people say this. That it feels like you're leaving your loved one behind. That's kinda it. I mean, my dad lived to be 80. He had a GREAT life. It's not that his death was shocking. Old people die. But he was MY dad. And I don't really know HOW to leave him behind. I know people say…"you're not leaving him behind…he'll always be with you." Yes, I get that. But he lived in my house with us…and now there's just a hole. It's not like he lived across the country and I was used to not seeing him, you know? <br />
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He had many serious health problems. We knew his death was coming. But even still…death is shocking. It's hard to process, even when you're absolutely certain that your loved one is in a better place. <br />
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I guess there is a certain "comfort" in grieving, too. I know that sounds weird. But immediately following someone's death, you grieve…and that's exactly what everyone expects from you. But then as time moves on a little bit…you start to participate in life again…and it's SO uncomfortable. Does that make sense? It's SO exhausting to try to be "normal." Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-35202697555666670242014-02-03T23:51:00.002-05:002014-02-03T23:51:45.158-05:00Living and LosingMy life has turned upside down. It feels like everything that I'd gotten used to has changed. That is an over-generalization…but I'm still reeling. <br />
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A few times in the past weeks/months, it's occurred to me that I could journal/blog some of what's going on…but then I just feel like…why? Do people still blog? Would it help me? Would it help anyone else? I don't know. Is it worth the effort? Probably.<br />
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Sigh.<br />
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I think I'll do a little "unload" now, just so if I decide to come and blog again, I don't have to do an even "huger" catch-up post. But I think I will do the Reader's Digest Condensed version. As much as I'd love to share it all…I guess that may just have to come with time. I don't have it in me to type it all tonight. (But as I'm typing now…it does feel good to begin to let some out.)<br />
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The biggies are that my dad died and I've (temporarily) withdrawn from school and am (most likely) changing my program of study. OK there. The band-aid has been torn off, and now I can just begin to share again. (Anytime I have lapsed in blogging…so much happens that it becomes this enormous speed bump to getting started again. "Ugh, I'd blog, but there's too much to say. Where to even start?")<br />
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Anyway. Yes, my dad passed away on January 9, 2014 here at home. He entered hospice just before Christmas and weakened dramatically every day. It was very hard and scary to watch, but also beautiful and "satisfying???" (gosh that's the wrong word…but maybe you know what I'm saying) to know that (the bulk) of his care was in our hands. His death was peaceful and beautiful. I will never regret the time we got to spend with him at the end of his life.<br />
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And then, yes…I decided that I needed time to grieve. Time to help my mom with her grief. Time to be with my family. I withdrew from school, initially just for this semester. But then, very quickly realized…and this will be a story for another day…that if I was withdrawing, that it was a perfect opportunity for me to switch to a program that more closely matched my personality. It's a very difficult thing to realize that just because you love something, and are good at it, that it's not necessarily a "match." Holy upheaval, Batman!<br />
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So, I feel like I blinked and everything I'd come to accept as "how it was" has changed. It's hard to come to terms with. It's hard to look at your future (at age 42) and see a blank canvas. I don't want to whine or complain. I've been given a beautiful life, and I am so grateful. I've gotten to enjoy my parents for a lot longer than many, many people. Still…it's just hard. <br />
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I'm reeling. I'm slowly (is it slowly? It's "only" been about 3-1/2 weeks. But it feels slow.) seeing the "fog" lifting. I just don't know exactly where to turn now.Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-2448398217146904712013-08-18T14:56:00.001-04:002013-08-18T14:56:40.375-04:00It's HereI start school tomorrow. Moreover, I start my Surgical Technologist program tomorrow.<br />
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If you ask me how I feel about it...I'm excited!!! But I'm also scared. This has been something I've wanted to do for SO long. It was never time for me to leave my job and chase this dream. Finally...I MADE it be time. It's true that if you wait for the right time to do something, you'll never do it.<br />
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It was exciting and scary to leave my job and go to school to get my pre-reqs done. But it still wasn't TIME.<br />
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Then I got accepted into the program...but it still wasn't TIME.<br />
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NOW it is TIME. My dream is staring me right in the face, and tomorrow I will begin. When I think about what the next year holds for me, I get overwhelmed. So, I guess the answer there is to just manage each day as it comes.<br />
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<br />Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-84926459871654868462013-07-14T21:44:00.001-04:002013-07-14T21:44:21.326-04:00Happy Anniversary to us!Today is our 23rd wedding anniversary. July 14, 1990 is one of my most cherished memories. We married young, and so many people questioned it. But we knew. We always knew. Patrick actually asked me to marry him the very first day he asked me to date him. LOL! Yes, really! We ended up dating 3-1/2 years before we got married. I wasn't too keen on getting married at age 15!<br />
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Getting married young, one thing Patrick and I knew was that we would have to grow...together. It seems like so many young married couples grow apart as their relationship continues. We have always strived to communicate, respect, and encourage each other. <br />
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I am very proud of us. I would marry him all over again. In a heartbeat.<br />
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Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-53977243360728037422013-07-12T12:21:00.002-04:002013-07-12T12:21:58.350-04:00Lots of UpdatesI got in!!! I am now an official student in the Surgical Technologist program!<br />
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My interview was on Wednesday morning, and yesterday afternoon I got the call that I was selected! I'm terribly excited...and also nervous. It's going to be HARD. But I can do hard things. The hard is what makes it great...right? LOL! I've always heard, and I believe that if your dreams don't scare you, that they're not big enough. I have a mandatory meeting on the 18th where we'll find out about our classes, choose our scrub color, etc. SO excited.<br />
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The big decision we were wrestling with has been decided. Patrick will not be returning to school this fall. I'm super proud that he's been able to attend school this long, with his chronic pain. He'd been going part-time up until last semester. That seemed to allow him enough "recovery" time to keep going. Last semester he had to go full-time to complete his pre-reqs for the Rad. Tech. program, and it was SO hard on him. His pain level was higher, and his energy level was almost non-existant. His grades suffered a bit. He was selected for an interview, and I am CERTAIN would have been accepted into the Rad. Tech. program...but it's just too much for him right now. It would be a 21-month straight, full-time commitment. He just can't. Besides his health, having both of us in our programs at the same time, plus Shannon in her junior year, plus my dad's health...would be a HUGE strain on our family. His health was the deciding factor, but we have realized that it will be better for all of us to get me through my program (which is only a year) and working full-time. At that point, we'll see how he's doing, etc. His pre-reqs are good for five years...so we are hoping that he will get to finish at some point.<br />
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<br />Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-45202960809225999032013-06-29T18:43:00.002-04:002013-06-29T18:43:13.167-04:00Tying a knot, and hanging onWhoa, this week has been unreal. We've had one after another thing go wrong, need to be fixed, etc. We are just hemorrhaging money that we don't have. Scary stuff. I hope and pray this trend ends...like, RIGHT NOW. We're at the end of our resources, and I'm not sure what we'll do if it continues.<br />
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The good news is I did get called for an interview for the Surg. Tech. department. My interview is on July 10th at 10. <br />
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In addition to our financial situation, we're mentally wrestling with another huge life decision. I'm sorry that's vague...but I don't want to talk about online publicly until we've decided for sure. Would you say a prayer for us to have clarity of mind and to make the best choice for our family? I promise that when we've decided I will come tell about it.Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-9364409771752921462013-06-24T13:43:00.001-04:002013-06-24T13:43:54.032-04:00A month?!?I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged. Life's been cooking along pretty crazily. <br />
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We're all out for summer vacation. Patrick and I have done two overnight back packing trips. Shan's been busy with her friends. Dad's health is stable for right now.<br />
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Tomorrow I'll be taking my HOBET test, and Patrick has his interview for the Rad Tech program.<br />
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Money's tight, but what else is new, ya know?Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-88894377820338603112013-05-17T18:33:00.000-04:002013-05-18T00:59:35.065-04:00First VoxBox - Palmolive Soft Touch!I don't normally do stuff like this, but I get jealous seeing other bloggers get to try stuff for free. I liked the sound of the <a href="http://www.influenster.com/">Influenster</a> program, so I requested an invite. A few days later, I was invited to join...and about a week after that I was selected to receive my first VoxBox! I already have a second VoxBox on the way. Too fun!<br />
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My first VoxBox is for Palmolive Soft Touch dishwashing liquid. I received two full-size bottles (unfortunately one was damaged in the mail...but Influenster is sending me a replacement) of soap, plus five $1 off coupons to share.<br />
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I received the Vitamin E (pink) and Coconut Butter (white) scents. They both smell SO good. The coconut scent reminds me of lying on the beach, being able to smell tanning lotion in the breeze.<br />
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Because I love a freebie, I began using them right away, and not only are my dishes nice and clean...but my hands are soft too! Normally after I hand-wash the pots and pans, my hands and nails feel very dried out. But after using this soap, they don't! Awesome!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I received this product complimentary from Influenster, but my opinions are my own!<br /></span></td></tr>
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If you are interested in giving Influenster a try, let me know...I have a few invites to share!!!
Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-9066658982478651422013-05-13T21:47:00.001-04:002013-05-13T21:47:30.931-04:00No paragraph breaks...ugh!Oh Lord.<br />
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Once I publish a post, I hardly ever come back and look at my blog. I was horrified today, when I noticed that despite proper formatting when I compose my posts, my blog has not been including paragraph breaks. Ugh. Holy "walloftext" posts. Sorry about that. Sheesh. Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-64303348362561845572013-05-11T18:51:00.001-04:002013-05-13T21:42:07.585-04:00Finals, Traveling, and Mother's Day...oh my!So phew...it's been a few days, I mean WEEKS, since I posted. Good heavens.<br />
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The good news is, I'm on summer break now! Woot! (That sounded misleading...there isn't actually any bad news!)<br />
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Studying and finals was intense, but I'm happy to report I got A's on all my finals, and A's in all of my classes. For the month of May I'll be studying for the HOBET test, which I'm assuming I will be taking in June. Also in (I assume) June, I will interview for admission to the Surgical Technology program. Here we go! I'm nervous!<br />
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I just got home from six days in Ohio, visiting my best friend as she graduated from college! Oh I love spending time with her and her family. We did fun girly things like manicures and staying up late chatting. We went out for delicious meals, and had a graduation party with her extended family. I rode a motorcycle for the first time! So many good times and amazing memories. Why oh why do we have to live 8 hours apart???<br />
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Shannon's had a few busy weeks, with Spring Theatre Showcase, Spring Chorus Concert, Theatre Banquet, her EOCT tests, the opening of The Great Gatsby movie (that she attended in costume, lol), and her upcoming AP test. Girl is BUSY, but of course we wouldn't have it any other way.<br />
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And now, here it is the eve of Mother's Day. I feel very blessed to live not only with my sweet daughter, but my sweet mom too. So much love under one roof.Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-33735240108658655052013-04-27T17:35:00.000-04:002013-05-13T21:42:51.687-04:00AnxiousMy anxiety is pushing back today. I'm not sure why, although I can think of a few reasons.<br />
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I haven't been feeling great, we're coming into finals week, my dad's health isn't great, the month is ending and the money's tight, I'm going on a solo road trip next week. Any one of those can cause me anxiety, so all of them together? I shouldn't be surprised.
But still I don't like feeling this way.<br />
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I don't like over analyzing every feeling I have to try to identify if it's legitimate or not. That's exhausting.<br />
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Patrick's head is really hurting today (I mean...it hurts everyday, but today it's really a bad one), so his demeanor is "playing" right into my anxious feelings. My psyche sees his demeanor, and I feel myself thinking "see? he's nervous about XXX too." Ugh.
So. What to do?<br />
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I've been studying some for finals, and doing some house-cleaning. But I find myself pretty distracted. I should probably work out. I should write in my journal. I guess those are two good places to start.Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-84023328908474897502013-04-26T14:27:00.001-04:002013-05-13T21:44:06.721-04:00Study-for-Finals FridayI can't believe this semester is nearly over. It has flown by, and with it, my first "year" of college and all of my pre-requisite classes, end too.<br />
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As you might remember, I finished my computer class early, so I have three finals still to take. One of them will be online...as in, take at home. I can take it any time between 4/28 and 5/2. The other two (which are also the hard two) are on Tuesday. Guess what I'll be doing this weekend???<br />
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I haven't felt very well this week. My allergies fired up in full force, and I've been exhausted with sore throat and ears all week. My head has also been very "swimmy," which I hope is allergy related, too. Because of how rotten I've been feeling, I haven't worked out. Boo. And when I don't work out, I don't eat quite as well. Nothing horrible to report, just not as careful as I was being. And probably related to allllll of that, my anxiety has been acting up a bit too. Again, nothing major...just there.<br />
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Some things that have brightened this week relate to my wonderful friends. I have one new friendship blossoming, and two "old?" friendships that are just such a blessing to me. I am a lucky girl.<br />
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Shan is ushering for a school play tonight, and then is having a friend sleep over. My house is as clean as it gets and dinner is in the crockpot. I guess it's time to hit the textbooks again!
Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-85633543435513027432013-04-17T13:49:00.000-04:002013-05-13T21:44:43.305-04:00Sad heartI don't want to rehash everything that happened, but yesterday was so hard.<br />
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My dad, in addition to having small-cell lung cancer and COPD, suffers from Alzheimer's Disease. I think in his mind he still feels 40 years old, and thinks he can still do the things he used to. This just isn't the case. It's not safe for him. Yesterday was a day when it all boiled to a head again, and there was lots of yelling, crying, etc. It was awful.
And now, I just feel...empty and numb. I'm still sitting on the couch in my pajamas, and it's 1:45 in the afternoon. I have no classes today, so I slept in after a pretty sleepless night. I got up, ate a HB egg, started dinner and ran the dishwasher.<br />
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And now, here I sit. I'm just...sad.
Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-82060363950328107102013-04-15T11:21:00.000-04:002013-04-15T11:21:52.052-04:00What Should Cindy Do?I've been making better choices the past several days. It feels good. It feels responsible. It feels like I'm doing right by myself.
I've been procrastinating less. The house is cleaner. We're eating home-cooked meals (made by me). I'm exercising every day.
How am I doing it?
I'm listening to myself. Radical!
When I walk through the bathroom, and see hair on the floor...I think "I should sweep that up." So I do.
When I sit on the couch, I think "I should exercise." So I do.
When I see messy kitchen counters because no one has emptied the dishwasher, I think "someone should empty that." So I do.
I'm not sure how well this will represent as you read it. But, it's a shift in thinking from procrastination, which is ruled by the "someone should do that," or "I'll do it later." (Which never comes.) Now when I hear my brain say "should," I'm now turning it into an action item. And that feels better! Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-32899722791148492062013-04-12T14:25:00.001-04:002013-04-12T14:26:07.000-04:00Mission AccomplishedIt felt good to process all that out of my system yesterday. Sometimes you just need to word-vomit it all out so you can start fresh.<br />
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Last night when Patrick got home from school, I showed him the recipes I'd found, showed him my insanely OCD shopping list, and told him what I was going to do today. He was really happy for me. He knows my struggles, but gives me the time to come to decisions on my own. He has several food issues (gluten intolerance, peanut sensitivity, etc.) and eats quite clean on his own. I'm more of the junk food hound of the family.<br />
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So anyway, today I prepped my four freezer meals...and guess what? It was easy, and (shhhh) a little fun. Also? I'm not good at chopping onions. I chose two recipes (Savory Chicken, and Sausage and Peppers) that I had pinned on Pinterest. They were originally posted by <a href="http://www.ringaroundtherosies.net/2012/02/freezer-cooking.html">Ring Around the Rosies</a>.<br />
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Being so new to this, I followed her instructions pretty much to the letter. I feel all accomplished and domestic now.<br />
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<br /></center>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-91936482087902036952013-04-11T17:26:00.001-04:002013-04-11T17:26:39.459-04:00Straight TalkThis may be long.<br />
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So. I've kinda fallen off my healthy eating bandwagon. Not even kinda fallen off. I've fallen off. I ate Cheetos for breakfast today.<br />
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For the past couple (3?) weeks I just haven't been able to care. I wanted to eat crap. I wasn't being defiant. I wasn't really upset about anything...I just wanted to eat junk.<br />
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My school schedule is such right now that all of my classes are on ONE day per week. This means with a bit of homework and studying...essentially I have six days a week "to myself." Now, I have a family, and pets, and elderly parents living here...but you know what I mean.<br />
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I have been thinking a lot about my habits lately. Not necessarily doing anything about them...but thinking. Today, a few things became clear to me.<br />
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<li>I eat out of boredom.</li>
<li>I eat for "fun."</li>
<li>I'm lazy and like others to prepare my food.</li>
<li>Diet Coke is a "gateway drug" for me.</li>
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Ouch. Reading that list makes me feel like crap. Can I just grow up already?!?<br />
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Anyway. I've always known I eat when I'm bored. It kind of goes hand-in-hand with the eating for fun, and Diet Coke ones, actually. I think a big problem for me is that eating and food are entertainment for me. This isn't rocket science...but wow. Food is supposed to be NUTRITION, not a pass-time. My negative self-talk has been going crazy while I've been thinking about all this.<br />
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"Who wants to eat fruits and vegetables all the time?" "But what will I eat for fun?" (STOP RIGHT THERE, SELF!!! Food's not SUPPOSED to be fun. It's supposed to be food.) "But I don't want to drink water with breakfast." "I'm gonna miss all my favorite foods." "Well, you can still eat them on your free days."<br />
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Ugh. I see so much wrong in there. <br />
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How do I go from seeing the wrongness to implementing and LIKING the process of healthy choices?<br />
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Patrick asked me to go to the grocery store today. We got paid yesterday, and I don't have school today. But I was not looking forward to it. I kinda hate grocery shopping. I never know what to buy. I always worry about the cost of healthy foods, so tend to stick to the "cheaper" choices. As P was leaving for school, he gave me a brochure that someone in his speech class had given him. (They had to do a persuasive speech, and this guy did his on the benefits of Paleo eating. His handout was a week of menus and a shopping list. Patrick and I have both expressed an interest in Paleo. It makes sense to us.) So anyway. Patrick gave me the list and said "Maybe this will give you some inspiration."<br />
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I sat and read over it. And I liked it. It made me think of some of the stuff I've pinned on Pinterest, but done nothing with. Before I knew it, I was at my computer, pulling up recipes. Then I putting together a detailed shopping list. I got everything on my list, and nothing more. And it came to $104, which I think is pretty darn good. The least healthy thing I bought was pepperoni, which is for a recipe. I also gone one box of crackers for Shannon, since she likes to occasionally eat cheese and crackers for a snack.<br />
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It feels good. Tomorrow I'm going to prep the food, and create freezer-to-crockpot meals. I think this will relieve some of my "I HATE TO PREP FOOD" issue that I run into daily. If I spend 60-90 minutes prepping food tomorrow, I'll be basically done for the WEEK. That's a good thing.<br />
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So now, where am I? I know in my heart that the way I've been eating is not good for me. I know that the excuses I give myself are BS. I *WANT* to be fit and healthy. And the kicker is...I know how to get there! The speed bump is MY BRAIN. <br />
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I guess what I'm realizing is that I'm addicted to food, and addicted to Diet Coke. That I can't just ASSume that I'll "wake up" and do the right thing. That this is going to be have to be a purposeful, daily decision. And that I'm worth it.<br />
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<br />Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-63604088975014627372013-04-10T12:28:00.002-04:002013-04-10T12:28:24.517-04:00Pushing throughI'm having a bit of a rough time the past few weeks. Things have just been...stressful, and unfortunately, a lot of times when I get stressed I withdraw. From friends, from life, from healthy choices...from everything.<br />
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I'm ok. We're ok. School is ok...it's just life stuff. <br />
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My dad's health has hit another rocky patch, and it's just so worrisome. With all of the health concerns he has, I just can't help but wonder which rocky patch will be his last. Y'know? When he's hospitalized, I can't help but allow my mind to wonder, "Will he come home?" The good news is...this time he will. In fact, he's scheduled to come home tomorrow if things keep going well. So, that's great news.<br />
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The sale of my parents house fell through...again. It's a super long story, and I don't really want to sound like I'm complaining...but it's just hard. Their house is in an extremely remote area, so there isn't much of a market even when the economy isn't awful. In June, their house will have been on the market for three YEARS. We never in a million years thought it would take this long, so we did things like started college (living on financial aid), etc. Now with my dad's health, and us living on an extremely limited budget...having the sale fall through is just scary. We NEED it to sell. Just, ugh.<br />
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We will get through it. We always have. It just gets hard, and I get tired. I suppose that's normal.<br />
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I finished my computer class last week, so I'm taking today to tackle a bunch of jobs around the house that I'd ordinarily love to procrastinate on. It does feel good to accomplish them.Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-63886023102561572302013-04-01T13:15:00.002-04:002013-04-01T13:15:34.041-04:00Be vewwy vewwy quiet...I'm hunting wabbits! <br />
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Happy Easter!!!<br />
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Sorry for the radio silence. Everything is going fine over here...just been busy, and life, etc.<br />
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I'm excited that my sister is here to visit for Easter and our dad's 80th birthday on 4/3. He's post-chemo this week, so feeling pretty cruddy...but it's nice to just sit around and talk and laugh. We had a nice quiet Easter. The bunny was good to us: he brought us chocolate and iTunes money. We had a nice ham dinner and watched some movies together. Good family time.<br />
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Shannon has spring break this week. Today, Patrick is at a doctor appointment, and then we're going to take my sister on a little hike. Should be fun!Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-47298937495129219682013-03-16T21:36:00.000-04:002013-03-16T21:36:35.747-04:00Catch UpWhew. Another big week. <br />
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Yesterday, our sweet 16-year-old dog, Daisy Mae, passed away. The house is definitely quieter without her. We got Daisy when Shannon was 5 months old. So hard to believe she's gone, but we're comforted knowing that she simply went to sleep, and woke up able-bodied, able to see and hear...and is happily chasing squirrels again. Until we meet again, sweet girl.<br />
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Today, another foster family welcomed Ziggy to their home. They seem thrilled by him, and he is happy there, too. I sat and talked with them for about an hour, and by the time I left, he was lying on the floor, chewing a dog toy. He is SUCH a sweet dog...it was very hard to do the responsible thing, but I know he will make someone a wonderful forever pet.<br />
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In happier news, Patrick and I took our first overnight backpacking trip! We did the Coosa Backcountry Loop. It was "only" about 11.5 miles...but it was steep. Some parts of the trail have a 60% incline. Oh Em Gee. There is such a neat feeling to have everything you need strapped right on your back. Walking and climbing through God's creation is an amazing experience. Our biggest highlight was seeing a flying squirrel! We were shocked by it, and haven't stopped talking about it. The "worst" part was that it was FREEEEEZING the night we were out. Literally, the temperature was 25 degrees, with windchills to the low teens. We loved it, but I think we're gonna wait til a little later in the Spring (when things are warmer at night) before we do it again, lol!!!<br />
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This has been our Spring Break week. It's been full of highs and lows...but mostly it's been full. I just need to keep counting my blessings.Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-54435032062351742772013-03-08T17:57:00.002-05:002013-03-08T17:57:14.835-05:00Happies and CrappiesHoo-boy, it's finally Friday. That means it's time for Happies and Crappies...hosted by the lovely <a href="http://www.scissorsandawhisk.com/">Sarah</a> and <a href="http://www.thevintagemodernwife.com/">Stephanie</a>. Let me know if you participate, so I can come read about your week!<br />
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This week was unreal. So many things happened that COULD be on the crappy list, but then managed to have a happy ending. My heart has been both broken and overjoyed this week. I'm exhausted.<br />
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<b><u>Happies</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>I had two big tests at school this week, and both went really well. I passed my vital signs practical exam, and got a 92% on my Cultural Diversity midterm.</li>
<li>My sweet chihuahua Rosie had a terrible health scare on Tuesday night. It was either a terrible 2-hour seizure, or a stroke. I honestly believed that she was dying. Blessedly, she came out of it, and is here with us...her happy Rosie-self.</li>
<li>I found a stray dog in the highway on Saturday afternoon. I brought him home (to keep him safe), and we fell in love with him. He is *the best* dog. We decided that if his people didn't come forward that we would keep him. Then, after Rosie's health scare, we decided we just couldn't commit to a new-guy. We have agreed to foster him until Tuesday, and then he'll go to another foster family. Oh my heart.</li>
<li>Today was the last day of school before Spring Break.</li>
</ul>
<b><u>Crappies</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>I'm choosing to look at the good side of Rosie's health scare, but oh my God I was so scared and sad at the prospect of losing my girl. It was awful.</li>
<li>Deciding to give up Ziggy (the stray) was so hard. He fits in so beautifully here...but it's not fair to our other dogs, nor is it responsible for us to over-commit ourselves to another pet at this time. I am happy though with how it's turned out.</li>
<li>We were expecting a several thousand dollar tax refund. Our refund was deposited this week, and we discovered that we'd made a mistake on our return. We got $800 back. This was a punch to the gut. We've been planning on that money, and as full-time students on financial aid could REALLY use it. But we will survive.</li>
</ul>
I'm worn out. This week was really tough.Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-80195007414780731322013-03-06T11:26:00.003-05:002013-03-06T11:26:40.202-05:00Fur-Baby update<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Rosie is home and very much more Rosie-like. She stayed overnight at the emergency vet for fluids and observation. Patrick and I are taking her to our regular vet at 3pm to follow up.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Rosie's emergency made us realize that by keeping Ziggy we would be over-committing ourselves. I went to the Humane Society this morning, and we will be fostering him until Tuesday. I met the lady who will then be his foster mom until his forever family can be found. Our local humane society is a NO KILL shelter, so Ziggy will be loved.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">And now...my heart needs a hug. This is hard.</span>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-59750177457094487382013-03-06T00:19:00.002-05:002013-03-06T00:19:45.724-05:00Roller coaster of a dayOh Em Gee. This day took me for a ride.<br />
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This morning I got a call from a lady who says she recognized Ziggy's picture as her neighbor's dog. She took the people our phone number, but they didn't speak English very well. Apparently they said they'd get someone to call us. We're really happy that maybe we've found his family and can reunite them...but then...we LOVE him and want to keep him forever. Of course if they come forward, we will give him back. But of course, now (skipping to the end of the story, lol)...it's been 15 hours since that lady called, and we haven't heard anything. I don't know what that means. If my dog was lost, and someone (even speaking another language) told me where to find her? I'd be there in a heartbeat. So...IDK.<br />
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Then I had midterms at school. First, I took my vital signs practical exam, which means I had to demonstrate all the steps of taking and recording vital signs and anthropometric measurements. I was nervous about it, but did fine. Then, literally with 2 minutes in between, I went right into my Cultural Diversity in Healthcare midterm. It was HARD. Like, really HARD. I was super relieved to get a 92% on it.<br />
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So we get home tonight and play with the dogs, and eat dinner. Some time about 8pm, we look at Rosie (our black and white chihuahua) and realize she doesn't look right. She's kind of twitching and her face looks weird. One of our other dogs has occasional seizures, so we thought maybe she was having one. But, it just didn't stop. When I tried to have her bear weight, her legs were all floppy, and her eyes were twitchy, yet didn't seem to be seeing. It was so scary. She was so out of it that I literally thought she was going to die right there on my bedroom floor. We took her to the emergency vet to see what was wrong. I could think of NOTHING that might have a happy ending.<br />
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The doctor agreed that her symptoms were neurological. We decided to run blood-work to see if maybe she had an infection. She did also have a fever. I was praying and praying it was an infection, because the other things he mentioned...brain tumor, stroke, organ failure...are just too sad to even consider.<br />
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About the time the blood-work processed, Rosie began to perk up on her own. She was able to walk, and recognized me. She even stood up on her hind legs (I was sitting in a chair) for me to lift her up. Talk about tears of relief. The doctor is still unsure what has happened. She could have had some weird seizure, or even a TIA. It *could* be a one-time thing that she recovers from and we won't have to worry about again...or, it could be the beginning of something awful. She is staying overnight at the hospital for observation and fluids. Would you please say a prayer for my girl?<br />
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<br />Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-58775997076962297962013-03-04T11:01:00.000-05:002013-03-04T11:03:42.058-05:00No chip<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: floralwhite; font-size: 15px;">New-Guy does not have a microchip. We've decided that we will keep him. If his people turn up, great...we're happy to reunite them. If they don't, great...he is a GREAT dog, and fits in well with our crew. </span><br style="background-color: floralwhite; font-size: 15px;" /><br style="background-color: floralwhite; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="background-color: floralwhite; font-size: 15px;">We're calling him Ziggy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">I was driving home from picking up my Jeep...it's FINALLY fixed. I haven't been driving it since before Christmas. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Anyway, I was driving home, happy...when I almost hit a dog! It was right in the road...and little! I pulled over to see if he'd come to me, and he ran further up the road. I felt vested, and he was SO small, I decided to see if I could get him. (If my littles ever got out, I *hope* someone would try to help them.) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">So, I was running up the shoulder of the road. Other cars were slowing and stopping, trying to help. Another girl got out and was helping. Finally (after about a half-mile), we got him to where we could pick him up. Now what??? The girl assumed he was mine, since I was running after him. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">I brought him home, and set him up in the garage with blankets</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">, a kennel, food, water, etc. We've put up "FOUND DOG" posters, I posted on all of our local FB pages, and contacted the local humane society and some local vets. If he's still here on Monday we'll take him to our vet to see if he's microchipped. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">We never in a million years thought we'd consider ANOTHER dog, but with Daisy sooo old, honestly, if we kept him, it won't be <u>too</u> long before we're back to the number we're used to. So. We have a dog in our garage. We're trying to find his people...but we might end up keeping him. (And oh...I'm totally counting that run down the road (probably a mile round-trip, in Toms shoes, and short sleeves, in 34 degree weather) as my workout for the day.)</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Here are a couple pics of him. Yes, his tongue always does that...he's missing teeth on that side. The picture of him in our garage is from yesterday, right after I brought him home. He was very skittish, and pretty much hiding behind Patrick's toolbox. The second picture is from today. Sound asleep in our kitchen while I did homework. I think he has relaxed. (Modesty flower added for your comfort.)</span><br />
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Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1700987881740743577.post-42670609235037755752013-03-01T15:25:00.000-05:002013-03-01T15:25:32.973-05:00Happies & CrappiesIt's Friday again, friends! Time for Happies & Crappies...hosted by the lovely <a href="http://www.scissorsandawhisk.com/">Sarah</a> and <a href="http://www.thevintagemodernwife.com/">Stephanie</a>. I have a good time each week, so I thought I'd participate again!
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<a href="http://www.scisorsandawhisk.com/search/label/happiesandcrappies" target="_blank" title="Happies and Crappies"><img alt="Scissors and a Whisk: Happies and Crappies Link Up" src="http://i48.tinypic.com/wrlz7o.png" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Happies</u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>I had a first this week. I dyed my hair red!!! I've NEVER dyed it before, ever!!! It's a little spotty in places, and some areas are a bit redder than others, but overall I love it!</li>
<li>Shannon had her piano recital on Saturday, and did a fantastic job. She is now her teacher's oldest student, which means her </li>
<li>Feeling a bit more "together" this week. </li>
<li>Racing (NASCAR) season is underway. My hubby is a big fan, and I like seeing him so happy.</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Crappies</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>Can't think of anything! Awesome!</li>
</ul>
Still continuing the trend of more Happy than Crappy. Yay!Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02817277697971424163noreply@blogger.com3