The day after

 

Surgery went fine yesterday.  My dad drove me that was after me being the obsessive person I am ... I took Liz to school and of course I had look around for my beloved Bus #30 loaded with my little ones to see who was driving it.  I finally found her and it was one of the new girls.  I am such a nut!  One of the girls at work and I always say we have Adult ADD because we get so obsessed with weird stuff and can't focus. 

Then I cleaned my whole kitchen because I needed to do something with my nervous energy.  I am telling you they need to give you the drugs before surgery just to calm down.  But I made it to the hospital on time at 10:30.  They put me in the day surgery room, told me to change into one of those lovely fashionable gowns, and those cute footies, mine were beige.  Then I sat in a chair of course I first had to leave a urine sample...later I found out it was to make sure I wasn't pregnant...Thank God I am not...duh!  The nurses kept giving me warm blankets I must of looked cold.  They kept me waiting forever before I had to go up to the x-ray to get my probe (a thin peice of wire with a hook on the end) put in so they could find my lump of calcification during surgery.   The wire probe they put in wasn't too painful it just burned a bit and after they put it in they had to do a few mammograms to make sure they got the right spot.  Me being the babbling brook I am helped pass the time, by hatting it up with the staff.  I had had the tech before and she is a sweetheart so that was nice.

When I got back to my room Mark got there so that was great timing on his part.  I am so glad he didn't come early he would have drove me nuts.

He hates hospitals and he was secretly freaking out all week because he later told me was because his mother died in the hospital at the same age as me.  My goofy father told me ... gee Rose your mother died at 60 , mine at 95 are you going to freak out every time you get to their ages...God bless my smarty father.

Also my surgery was scheduled for 1:30 and I didn't go til 2:30 which even made my inpatient hubby even more antsy.  He kept looking at my IV bag and saying when that thing gets any lower I am going to go find a nurse.  If it got any lower I was going to have to find the bathroom!!  And speaking of IV's my nurse rolled my vein the first time and ouch...the second one was on target.

I was only in for less than an hour...and was put to sleep right after my nurse made sure I wasn't pregnant.  Woke up feeling fine.  Of course I was still drugged and after a pain pill we were released.  After a trip to Walgreens we went to Walgreens to get my prescription and it was back home.

Today I am sore...but doing ok.  My results will be in on Wednesday and I am trusting that all will be fine.  I am so grateful today. 

Things have been going so much better in that I am managing to just worry about this day..today...this week's forcast had rain all week and it never rained enough to call off Mark's work, even today.  I am grateful that I have such a wonderful husband who takes such good care of our relationship, and takds such good care of me!My daughter is feeling better and she even helped me last night!

They are both gone so I have the house to myself.  Mark's at work and Liz is at play practice.  I am most likely going to call in to work on Monday for an extra day off, my biopsy was on the right side and I forgot that my service door is on that side and it's pretty hard to open, so the extra day will be great.

So gang I am doing fine...thanks for the continued thoughts and prayers.

Have a wonderful weekend! 

It's Wednesday already!!!!!!!!!!!  I've been soooo busy!  I had bus evacs Monday, a blood test Monday night, yesterday, I had a splitting headache, so I just relaxed last night.  Today we had another meeting. 

I am going to try and read some journals...and hopefully do a better update tomorrow...night all...

sunny sunday

I've spent the day being quite lazy.  It's still unseasonably cold with the temp only reaching 50, and the wind makes it very chilly. Nothing like the 80's we had last week.  Oh well this is Illinois the weather is always changing!

Friday I made my appointmen for my biopsy.  I am having it done Friday at 1:30 pm.  They like to do these things quickly which is fine with me.  My May is filled with so much.  We are seeing my favorite Preacher, Joel Osteen, on the 6th, then my sons graduation in Indiana, on the 14, then his party on the 21...which is also Prom, then it will be the end of the month which will mean only one thing....SCHOOLS OUT FOR THE SUMMER!!!~always reminds me of the Alice Cooper song.  But I will hopefully be working this summer, and only part time.  I am so spoiled.

Yesterday we went Prom dress shopping.  We went to the store that we found Liz's Homecoming dress at and they had nothing.  Her homecoming dress was on the sale rack though marked down to $9.00 from $100.00!!!!  Wow! 

But we did find another dress at the Mall, I hate the Mall, but we found a beautiful dress and shoes in the first store.  YIPPEEE!  very painless....makes mom happy!

Ok I am off to put some gas in the truck for work tomorrow...speaking of pain.  UGH gas prices...glad I don't deliver newspapers anymore...I'd go broke!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

I HATE AOL~!!!

I had a wonderful entry all written out....actually it was quite cleansing for all the stress I have been experiencing.  BUT the Journals wouldn't let me save it or copy it so I will put it all in shorthand...plus AOL wasn't letting me even sign in for awhile!

Took Mark to work ~ I was crabby but got out of my mood

Went to my appointment but didn't like the vibe in the waiting room left because I forgot my check book for the copay.  Got lost in the hospital...nice receptionist took me back (am I a helpless baby or what????)

WAH I want my old arrogant doctor with the hurt hand back!!!I don't want a new doctor!!!!

Meet new doctor ~ she is awesome...explains everything to me all my options...she would have sat and talked all day with me...<she reminds me of that blond doctor on Mad TV (stephanie wehr) but normal>

I have two options...do the biopsy with that flat table that requires the needle and a local or have the calcifications removed surgically.  I am a small chested girl so the needle removal wouldn't work or may not work and I'd have to have surgery anyway...so it surgery for me.  I would feel better doing that anyway...be sure that everything was removed.  I have had 2 before so I know what to expect.  But my poor hubby he hates hospitals.  His mother had gallbladder surgery when he was 18 and had a blood clot that caused to her to have a heart attack and she past away.  He's better about it then he used to be, but I hate to have him worry.

I am so very thankful that God sent me to this wonderful doctor...I'll take her over my pompous old doctor anyday!!!

So again all thank you for all your thoughts prayers and comments....it'll all be fine, and I'll keep you abreast (hee) of my surgery. They'll be letting me now when it is to be scheduled.  Sometime on a Thursday so I won't miss much work... 

Take care and love to you...........

Prom

This happy couple is my 20 year old son Eric and his girl friend Tina.  This is from last year's Prom.  The reason for my prom talk is that my darling hubby is actually going to allow Liz to go to Prom this year.  SHOCK!  He was dead against it early because she is only a sophmore.  Her boyfriend Mike is a senior.  The subject came up last night...you know like the stars aliening in the universe...it was brought up at the right time with all the right words.  Actually Liz pleaded her case and won!  I am happy for her.  Because Mike is a senior and if for some reason they aren't dating next year she will never get to go with her first "love". Which I think is sweet.  I actually never went to Prom.  I was a big dork in school.  Shy, awkward.  Hubby on the other hand was popular and sure of himself.  He was actually on both homecoming and Prom court.  ******what no KING???****

So I am very happy for my daughter, BUT now I have to find a dress!  I am excited for my daughter...I don't mind living through her.  Afterall I did marry the guy on the court!

I am a bit edgy and cranky tonight, I went to get Liz after play practice and realized I had a flat after I was two blocks away.  Because I heard the thump thump. Thank God for portable compressors.  But the tire is shot.  So ... I drive hubby to work so I can keep the truck for my doctors appointment tomorrow...which brings me to my crankiness.  The lovely hospital I went to get my mammogram has the Cancer counselor call me...and freaked me out.  I am like, "WHY are you calling me??"  She was sweet and baby voiced.  Saying, oh it's just for if you have any questions.  YEAH why are you calling me!!???.  So my appointment is tomorrow and I will be happy when it's over...I am sure I will get the needle biopsy then my ob/gyn will want any lumps removed.  So I will have to do it in the summer which will mean.. no work, and that will be cool.  I can be off for a while in the glorious summer.  I've done this twice before.   Anywoo I am not too worried it's just a hassle. 

So I'll letyou all know how it goes.  geez I can't believe it's already Wednesday night where did the week go?????????

 

babies do the trick

Yep the grandbabies did the trick!  I played for 3 glorious hours with my little grandson Jacob.  The kid is so funny!  He is a little stinker though.  He loves to throw stuff at you and when his daddy raises his voice to tell him to stop he gives you that sly little grin.  They have a deck and my stepson is adding on to it for the pool.  He and my husband worked on that using noisy power saws and power drills.  It was so cute Jacob kept taking peices of wood and making power saw noises.  That kid is a riot!

And Dakota is still a fat happy baby who only fusses when he wants a bottle or a nap.  He laughs at his brother who tries so hard to not smash him with his hugs.

I recommend grandkids for an blue mood day!

whoo hoo

Whoo hooo I fixed my journal I hate it when it's too big for the page and it was driving me nuts!  One of my entrys that I cut and paste was too long.

I am feeling sort a down again...so I am going to do a quick grateful list ... that should snap me out of it...

1. My sobriety

2. my hubby

3. my children

4. my job

5. my home/safe town neighborhood

6 my grand kids

7. my health

8. my open mind

9. the wonderful warm and sunny day

and last but never ever not least my GOD!

 

Peace all

 

sunny saturday

 

It's an another lovely spring day here in the midwest.  I have so much cleaning to do but I always like to take a moment to connect with you all. 

I am feeling more upbeat today and more myself.  I suppose we all go in cycles.  I told Mark last night that I did not appreciate him starting a fight with me about Liz yesterday.  He could have picked a different day, but not yesterday as I told him in the morning I wasn' t in the mood for his comments.  He likes to comment on things, for instance: if I have an appointment I am not getting ready for it as fast as he would he says things like: "ah wait for the last minute like usual , huh?"  These comments usually roll off my back....But yesterday for some reason I woke up with an uneasy feeling and it just continued on all day...going downhill until he got angry about Liz.  In the end we agreed to disagree.  He has some really narrowminded ideas about raising daughters.  Like I said before she is a GOOD KID!  Beside we all have to have our experiences with boys in high school.  I listen to some kids on my bus and trust me  my kid is an angel compared to some of these kids. They talk about partying, smoking pot, it's just a given that a lot of the girls will be taking a pregnancy test at some point in their high school years.  Wow!  Why be in such a hurry!   Liz says she just wants to enjoy growing up and not be in a hurry.  GREAT IDEA KID!

I ended up walking to the Walgreens.  Probably a 2 mile walk~ cleared out my head and made me feel better.  Going to go out walking with my dogs today after I clean my kitchen ... I 've had mice wandering around my house and I need to do a good disinfecting job. 

And then after Mark gets home from work we will go see the boys.  I'll take my camera, they both grow so fast and change so quickly.  Nothing like a baby to give you a reality check!

Hope the rest of the weekend is awesome...make it a day! 

ARG!!!

Does it ever end???  I am on a streak that I know will end but ISH!!!  I know from experience that insane periods in my life always end but when??? 

First off I had an appointment for my yearly Mammogram which was about 2 years late.  On the way I am merrily trucking along with traffic and I get stopped by Oswego's finest.  I wasn't speeding , but lazy me had my seat belt off.  I know I know no lectures please.  I always wear a belt in the bus.  But I am from the days when we drove around with our foot hanging out the window with a cold drink between our legs and if we hit something and flew out the window, oops.  I am so dumb!  I watched our towns wonderful law enforcers ticket everybody and their brother all week long while I sat smugly in my lofty school bus.  BUT NO I have to get stopped.  He did give me a ticket and was rather blunt about how I should have my seat belt on.  I know I know!  At least it's only an equipment ticket not a moving violation so it won't go against my driving record or I don't have to go to that school to get supervision.  I'll pay the $50 and put my seat belt on forever more.

 

So I get to my wonderful appointment.  The tech does her thing and then I get called back in to do another one on the left side.  This has happened to me before as I have had 2 biopsys on my left side both with no cancer cells.  So I talk to the doctor and he wants to have my doctor do a biopsy.  He thinks it's probably nothing, but they have to be careful.  This does not surprise me as I am often being cut on for lumps every few years.  My doctor told me if I'd gain weight then I wouldn't be so lumpy.  Thanks!

The office was nice though.  Nice soft robes, the View on the TV, hot tea, bottled water chilled.  I even got a nice pretty bag of goodies, info about biopsy's and cancer all dressed up with a pink bow! She did give me some stuff from bed bath and beyond so that was very cool.

I am now over the whole thing with Liz's dad...thank you very much for the comments.  It's like the seasons,  I need to purge every few months!

Speaking of purging my darling hubby is on a rampage.  He thinks Liz sees her boyfriend too much.  GOOD GOD!  She's 16 1/2 years old, a good kid, a good student her boyfriend is a good kid too, doesn't drink, smoke or leave hicky's (just kidding Liz and I talk all the time about sex).  But when it comes to this I make the finally ok.  And he can be mad and pout.  He's due too.  He's like the seasons he has to find a reason to pout.  And it's his time.

And me??? it's already 2 in the afternoon and sun is out and so am I!

Till next time!  LOVE YOU GUYS!

Can I get a moment of clarity here!??

I came home before my grade school run to see what Liz was up to and she was a bit upset.  Seems her dear old dad had sent her another letter.  History here: in a nut shell.  I met here day in my former drinking days.  Had my beautiful daughter, which he has chose to see very sporatically for her first 6 years of life and only under supervision.  After my marriage he got married again and moved to Oklahoma.  Never to be heard from until about a year ago.  He feels he should be able to have a relationship with my daughter because he is sorry for what he has done.  9 years of NO contact.  Child support only received because he's daughter slipped and told me where he worked.   He is now on wife number 5 and child number 5.  He divorced and married last year in the space of 6 months.  This is he's view...It's not his fault he didn't write his now deceased 3rd wife ( alcoholism) stole all his important paperwork and he couldn't figure out how to contact Liz.  Even though I have lived in this house for 10 years and had this phone number for 13.  It's also not his fault that he's a drunk and an addict (drugs and sex) he's just made that way.  And according to him God thinks it's a-ok to be that way.  God loves him and tells him what he should and should do.  (I wonder if drugs are involved during that conversation.)  Also, she should have called him (she was 6 afterall), and it's my fault that they lost contact. I asked my daughter to please please slow her contact down with him until she was out of school.  And to understand that just because someone wants to be in a relationship with her doesn't mean it's good for her.  And that biology doesn't make a father.  My husband has been there for her through thick and thin and never ever left.  Sooooooooo....she got mad a year ago and wrote him a pretty blunt letter about how he should stop blaming us for his stuff and why can't he stop cheating and why he continues to have children the last one being just 3????  She hears from him now every few months, birthday, valentines, christmas.  She and I did have lunch with her two half sisters (21 and 22) last spring and the oldest wouldn't come out of the car because she said she was sick. The younger one is honest and loving but she is the one that loves all the wives and ex girlfriends and all the kids. She is the peacemaker the one who always forgives him for all his sins. 

Ok that's the past now today this newest letter states that he, his older daughters, his ex wife (#2), his 3 year old daughter, (I don't think her mother wife #4) and his new wife will all be coming into Illinois for somebody's wedding and he wants to know if Liz wants to attend!  Ish maybe I should go too.  We could be one big happy family!  Except the only problem is that my lovely husband says that he owes Liz's  father is in for a "a$$" whipping from him for all the stuff he's done.  The guy is $10,000.00 behind in child support and I only get $45.00 a week!  I know I should let my daughter make these decisions but I told her that she should never ever put her pearls before swine.  She deserves to have a wonderul HEALTHY relationship will all the males in her life.  And this guy ain't one of  them.  I also told her if it was her half sister getting married I'd go with her, but not a cousin she hasn't even heard of.

Today Liz wasn't upset about the letter or the wedding invite it was the fact that he neglected to tell her in past letters that her older sister had a tumor on her pitutary gland...and in this letter he said, "J is doing better with her tumor now that the meds are working" GOD!  When you want a relationship with someone try writing about important things not how many wifes you can marry and divorce in one year!!  So at least J is doing ok.  She never writes Liz or emails anymore either does her other sister. Just him, and it's always the same...S is getting big, she's in daycare and loves it, oops I divorced my wife, oops I got married again....blah blah blah!  How about I fly (free coupons he works for Southwest) to Vegas, or Florida? 

Must be nice to live in fairy tale land where everything is all rosy and nice.  My point here people is this??? I am crazy????  Is this normal????

I know it's not...it's my reality and my child.  She is growing up and in 2 short years she will be graduated and I am sure she will want to see him out of morbid curiousity..I would if I was a kid.  But I am not I am her mother and my job is to protect herfrom preditors like this man, men who use people in the name of God and continue to create more fatherless children.  Until that day God will grant me the sanity to know what is insane and what is a big old load of B.S.

Thank you guys for listening I feel much better!  Love you!!!!

Is it Thursday already???

It's another gorgeous sunny day here in the midwest.  We had some rain on Tuesday and sun today and yesterday.  It was really windy yesterday so much so that I acutally got windburn from walking back and forth to my bus!

I opened all the windows and my 4 cats are going nuts!  They can hear and see all the birds outside and they just love it.  Or they search out the sun and just doze.  WE as humans would do well to copy our friends the cats...eat small meals, take naps, playful wrestling with our sibs, keep clean, and love our humans!

Today is the last day of work and a short day as it's parent teacher conferences.  So I'll be done at 2:00 so that's cool I have so many journals to catch up with!  Mark was rained out at work Tuesday and Wednesday and while I enjoy his company I like my alone time too.  And that means my computer time with you all!  My buds!

Better get ready to go back we have to start early to get everybody where they need to be..."see" you all this afternoon!!

Beginning of the work week

~~~~Here's a joke that perfectly describes Chicago's weather vs the rest of the country~~

My Kind Of The Town

>How True!
>Seasonal Differences in the regions of the USA
>
>60 above - Floridians wear coats, gloves, and wooly hats.
>Chicago people sunbathe.
>
>50 above - New Yorkers try to turn on the heat.
>Chicago people plant gardens.
>
>40 above - Italian cars won't start.
>Chicago people drive with the windows down.
>
>32 above - Distilled water freezes.
>Lake Michigan's water gets thicker.
>
>20 above - Californians shiver uncontrollably.
>Chicago people have the last cookout before it gets cold.
>
>15 above - New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
>Chicago people throw on a sweatshirt.
>
>0 degrees - Californians fly away to Mexico.
>Chicago people lick the flagpole and throw on a light jacket
>over the sweatshirt
>
>20 below - People in Miami cease to exist.
>Chicago people get out their winter coats.
>
>40 below - Hollywood disintegrates.
>Chicago's Girl Scouts begin selling cookies door to door.
>
>50 below - Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
>Chicago people get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg.
>
>60 below - Microbial life survives on dairy products.
>Illinois cows complain of farmers with cold hands.
>
>460 below - ALL atomic motion stops.
>Chicago people start saying. ."Cold 'nuff for ya??"
>
>500 below - Hell freezes over.
>The Chicago Cubs win the World Series
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So it's the beginning of the week and so far so good.  Yesterday we did go to Jeremy's house, but my daughter-in-law had taken the boys to visit her father.  He's in a nursing home so that's good she went to visit him.  Matt was there so Mark got to spend some quality time with his boys.  It so weird how fast your kids grow up. It seems we all can't wait for our children to reach their milestones.  Like sleeping through the night, sitting up, walking, talking, and going to school.  It seems we wish their lives away. Before you know it they're going to school , crossing the street by themselves, riding a bike, going on dates, drivng.  And soon graduating.  Then they go and move out.  When my boys went to college I thought they would be back for awhile, but Eric got an apartment 30 minutes away and soon Tim will be graduated from college and he hopes to get an apartment too.  I have mixed emotions.  While I am happy for them and myself because there is less for me to do for them and I do have more freedom.  I am sad because they grow up so quickly.  Being that Mark and I are married 10 years and on our seconds we had little alone time in the beginning, when most folks are courting, getting to know each other and such.  We had the joy and pain (sometimes) of trying to raise 5 sometimes 7 kids all at once.  I think we did a great job.  All the kids are pretty much self sufficent, law abiding, contributing members of society.  And coming from a family of divorce I think they did pretty darn well.  Considering Mark and I both have parents that never divorced. I contribute a lot to Mark and I actually paying attention to them, disciplining them, prayers (LOTS) and just plan old loving them unconditionally.  My sadness is tempered by my joy of seeing them as adults going out in this world and making something of themselves.  Coming home to visit their dear old mom and dad.  And then some day bringing us their little ones...for me to spoil and love!!!  Plus I finally get my hubby ALL TO MYSELF!!!

So all you out there with little ones enjoy every single day, every milestone, every moment...your babies will always be your babies, but they do grow up in a heartbeat....so love them while you can.

A beautifu day

We are having exceptionally warm weather here in Illinois.  AND I LOVE it!  It's supposed to be close to 80 today. 

Mark is feeling much better, so that's good.  He shouldn't have to be sick on his only day off. 

We are going to do some yard work today.  We have a tree that is growing into our roof shingles and it must go.  Also I still have leaves covering my front yard garden.  When it gets it going I'll be sure and post  pictures.  I have alot of ground cover because it grows in any conditions.  But I am going to have to cut some of it back because it's going crazy.  What I love about perinnals is they get better and bigger and more lovely each year.  I love it!

Liz went to church with Mike and his family.  The are very family orientated and I like that.  She also went to the movies last night with his mom.  They wanted me to go but they gave me like 5 minutes notice and I was already comfortable for my Saturday night relaxing time.  Beside Mark was still sick and  I had to go down to the local ice cream shop which is only 2 blocks away and get him ice cream.  What we women do for our men.  But he returned the favor by making breakfast and doing the dishes.  I saw one of my very obnoxious junior high boys done there and he was giving me a hard time.   Which is perfectly normal for this kid, but it is all innocent fun.  Since Mark's feeling a lot better today ....  we can get our yard work done.  He wants to go to Jeremy's and help him plant grass and then we can also see the babies! 

Have a beautiful Sunday!!!

sunny saturday

It's a sunny Saturday, and it's supposed to be warm and gorgeous all weekend.  Mark's not feeling well, which is fine, he's at work so I don't have to listen to him whine.  He's not a good sick person.  I think because his ex was so into herself she really did't pay attention to him or his boys.  Because they are all aways whining about headaches and such.  I guess she must of paid attention to them when they were sick.  I am beginning to think  that they all were raised to be a bunch of 2 year olds.  My stepson Matt who is 24 and is getting married this summer, is mad about going back to work at the company my husband works.  The oldest brother Jeremy (who has all my grandbabies) is the one all my stepsons look up to so now all 4 of the boys (and Mark) work for the same excavating company he started at.  Well Matt had a chance to work somewhere else doing what he loved on a machine he loved, but it meant driving farther everyday and working more hours.  So he went back to work with the family and now he's not getting to work on a machine that his brother promised him he could work on.  So he's throwing a big fit.  Ish...at least he didn't quit and go pout.  He's smarter than that and does have the common sense to think his actions through.  I raised him and he did make an effort and high school and after flunking a few classes his Freshmand year he ended up on the honor roll his senior year.  The other kids don't have that.  Jim has pretty much lost his job there because he can't get to work on time and hangs out a bar he works at.  He basically works there to pay off his bar tab.  The 4th son does go to work, but in the beginning he would slack off too.  Oh well...it'll all work out...it always does.  I am glad Mark is working with his boys...most days he is able to give them advise and listen to them vent.  Helps.

Yesterday we got Dale's report from the special ed department at the school he went back to.  Seems Dale is really acting up.  He's had many discipline problems.  AND he had the nerve to tell them he hated that school and never got in trouble here at the school he attended when he lived here.  OH MY!!  When he went back to his mom's he said he hated it here.  Hopefully, he'll just quit and go study for his GED, he's really just wasting everybody's time and his own.  But we haven't heard from him since Christmas.  I am sure he is afraid of what we will say.  But he'll come around...kids always do...

This morning poor Liz got up and my little white cat who loves her, brought her a mouse.  Can't figure out how a mouse would still be hanging around inside while it's  so nice outside.  This cat has been trying to catch this mouse for days.  He starts at my stove and waits.  So today he finally trapped him and after he killed him he brought his 'present' to Liz.  Now that's true love!  At least this cat earns his keep.  With 2 dogs and 4 cats I always look at them and tell them they need to get jobs.  Isn't it funny how pets become part of the family! 

So enough of my venting....I have a lot I want to get done today...inside and outside...so I think I will just go do it!!!  Have a wonderful weekend! 

taxes and other stuff

Mark and I went to our friend who has done our taxes for years last night.  She has know Mark since they were kids.  She and her husband have been married for 30 years.  And guess what??

We finally are getting a refund!

All the IRS will do will apply it to the thousands we owe still from last year, BUT FINALLY!!!  We are getting somewhere.  For a few years I made money from the newspaper it was all 1099 's so no taxes were taken out...and one year I made over $50,000.!! and with the truck business we never had enough to deduct...so anyway it was always a big mess to try and keep the truck running, fueled and licensed to make it worth it....so now we are working for regular old companys that take out taxes and it's a relief!

So today our tax friend called me with the great news.  But she is having problems with her husband so that's sad for her.  I told her to take everything a day at a time and PRAY!!  I feel bad for people that have marriage problems.  I am praying for her...and thankful I have a good marriage.

God is awesome all the time no matter what.

graphic: fotki.com

It's a beautiful day!

The graphics are being goofy today so I will have a nice plain journal entry.  But the day today is NOT plain.  WE have a storm coming in, but it's not severe only some rain.  Which of course is normal, it is APRIL right!?!  Being a wife of a family whose men mostly all work construction though can be a drag.  Rain means no work, but I am trying to stay in the 'today' frame of mind.  Letting God do the driving and I'll help pedal.  AND enjoy the scenery.  Life is so much more pleasant when I stop trying to run things.

It was complete madness yesterday in my part of the world.  People went crazy with glee at the warm and sunny weather.  I had to take a child home for a detention so it as about a 45 minute drive and there were people and kids everywhere!!  Tops down on their cars, motorcycles, (hint hint!!, ours needs plates, and will be getting tires soon!), joggers, power walkers, bikes, skateboards, kids kids and more kids.!!  Ah springtime in the Midwest.  Puts a smile on your face!

I found out last night that Jeremy wants us to come out on Sunday. He would like Mark to help him with his lawn.  And visit the babies.  Wow just last summer I was whining because I never got to see Jacob..  NOW he wand Dakota will know me and Mark.  What a wonderfus gift God has given us, he took care of all these so perfectly.  We can visit and Mark's ex never shows up. WE get to be grandparents too!  I am so happy!  And most of all so is Mark.  This gift really helps him with his resentment toward his ex wife.  He blamed her for a lot of the past, he does take responsibility but blaming her sometimes is easier.  But he usually is very good about letting the past go.  You have to, it will drive you crazy and it's such a waste of time.  And a waste of what you already have...and we have much.  <3!

gotta ... bus needs fuel ...have a wonderful day!!

I need to go now though need to fuel up the bus and get back to work.

Have a wonderful day! 

Change those clocks

Mr Sun is out today and it's supposed to be in the 60's with no threat of rain until at least Wednesday. It will make going back to work much easier tomorrow.  It's much easier to get into a semi warm bus than trying to start the giant 10 year old girl in the sub freezing temps.  Less whining on the students part too.

Liz is mad at me.  She thinks she should be able to go out today when I clearly told her she needs to stay in today.  She has been gone most of last week running with her friends. 

I did got her drive some last week.  She needs to complete her 25 hours with an adult to get her license.  I am not in a bit hurry as my insurance will go up.  Her permit is good until May 2006, but I'd like her to get her license sometime this summer which is do-able.  I guess he didn't like her driving instructor.  I don't want her to be too fearful of driving or she will never pass a test.  So we will just keep practicing until she is comfortable.

Otherwise I have a few things to do around the house.  I am actually looking forward to getting out of the house and going back to work tomorrow.  Although the week after next is conferences and we have 2 short days and a day off on the 15th already.  Ick that reminds me I still haven't done my taxes.  They are a big pain.  I have a friend that does them for us, but I have to get all the info together.  At least this will be the last year of the complicated deductions from the old truck businesses.  Thank God for that!

Have a wonderful day.  Enjoy!

Saturday NCAA~ILLINOIS!!

Kinda lazy Saturday.  We did a little yard work, I have a lot of leaves covering my front garden and the tulips are pushing themselves through.  We dug around and alot of my plants are begining their yearly peek out into the sunshine.  We are going to leave the leaves  for awhile for protection it's still barely April and it's there's no guarantee with the weather around these parts.  We still could get snow!

I love lilacs.  I have three bushes but have never had any flowers.  I think I have them in the wrong type of soil or too much shade.  I may move them this year.  Otherwise there are so many bushes around my town that I always find some to pick.  They one of my favorites, along with lavendar.  hmmm I can smell them now!

Matt came to visit.  His fiance' went to a baby shower.  He will be getting married in July and has lived with his fiance's family since he got of high school.  Their home is nearly done being built.  They are very young and really only dated each other.  But I know very well what it's like to be kid.  They have to live their lifes.  I raised Matt since he was 13 and I think he turned out very well.

My son Tim called me from school to tell me happy anniversary.  It was very nice to talk to him.   He tells me that he may be moving in with a friend after he graduates.  Most likely very close to my house    I won't be too upset.  At least he's not 3 hours away like he is now!

University of Illinois won their game today. Mark wouldn't watch the whole game because he thinks that if he does he'll jinx them, because he hasn't watched a whole game yet.  And they have only had one loss all year. His dad graduated from that school.  He has a lot of family down in southern Illinois where the school is located.  The will be going to the Championship game.  It's very exciting for us.

Liz went into Chicago with her girlfriend Emily.  It's her last 'hurrah' before break ends. Tomorrow we are going to finish painting her room.  Although if Tim doesn't come back home I don't have to be in a hurry.  But I am on such a roll with tossing old stuff and giving away old clothes that I should just keep going. 

I guess I should go see what hubby's up to ...

Hope you all are having a lovely weekend!

It's no joke it's our anniversary

Today is Mark and my 10th anniversary!  We are planning a getaway for this summer on a weekend which will include the motorcycle :)

Today is also the anniversary of a sad day 7 years ago Mark's father passed away.  It was very sad in that he had lingered in the hospital on life support for a week.  He lived in Montana and at the time Mark worked for the railroad.  He traveled so he was in Arkanas at the time.  It was very hard for him to be so far away.  We did go there for the memorial service, which was very sad but we got to meet so many people that thought the world of Mark's father.  Mark's father and stepmother retired in Missoula (a place his family often spent summers ).  His stepmom is still alive, and she and Mark are very close now.  They share the memories of his dad.  Mark and his father had issues when we first got married.  Mark's dad thought Mark was just drinking his live away.  After we got married I planned a trip to his home over the 4th of July weekend and we visited.  This was such a healing time for Mark and his dad.  It was so wonderful for his father to see him sober and happy.  This would be the last time Mark saw his father.  We all need to remember that.  We are only on this earth for a sort time.  There are no guarentees in this life...we must let our  loved ones know that they mean so much to us....life is a beautiful thing to be cherished and appreciated.  Take care gang!