Guess What I Saw Today?

This:
Now, try to ignore the fact that lattice obviously needs to be repaired. (We know...we know...) Look at the SIZE of that snake. I stepped out to look at the sky and remove a newpaper from the porch, looked down, and commenced with a blood-curdling scream that even got attention from the neighbors. So, I did what you would do. I got my camera and took a photo. I COULD have killed it, but let's face it, I am a big weenie. I will only lodge an offensive against the green wigglies when I have a running lawn mower in front of me.

So my message to the snake is this: next time we meet, I will have a lawn mower, so beware.

Flooding

We have had a bit of flooding around here in the last week. It's probably due to the 7 INCHES OF RAIN we got. (with more rain still in the forecast). Well, I thought I would show you are few pics I took...

This one shouldn't have made me laugh...but it did. Anyone interested in buying this property today? Anyone?

Memorial Day Weekend

Drew and I went to Denver/Colorado Springs for the weekend. It was a blast! We toured the Coors factory in Golden, Colorado. I learned alot about beer there...I even tasted a beer that I could tolerate. (This is a giant feet for me considering I usually think beer smells and tastes like dirty socks.) We went to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs where it is ALWAYS breathtaking and a beautiful backdrop for photos. We also visited the Cave of the Winds and the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. The cliff dwellings were so cool and we got to crawl on them and explore this ancient native settlement. I placed some photos on PhotoBucket for you to see.

Music

This song has been really touching me lately...It's called "Sweetly Broken" by Jeremy Riddle



and this one...."Amazing Grace" by Chris Tomlin

It's done. Over. Finished

This school year has finally ended. It was over at 1:30 today.

The desks are cleaned.
Bags packed.
Chairs stacked.
Scores reported.
and hot dogs consumed.

I wished them all well and gave some advice from my arsenol of wisdom about choosing friends, learning life-lessons, and navigating the confusing maze known as middle school. I hope the best for each one of them and I did, indeed, shed my tears as they left elementary school as elementary students for the last time today.

Closing another school year is always so bittersweet for me.

Random Thoughts

I feel completely overwhelmed and completely random at the same time. Why? Because school gets out in 2 1/2 days (That's school days ya'll, not real days). Next wednesday our school releases at 1:30 for summer break. Like I said last year, it's somewhat bittersweet. I want so much for my students and pray that life treats them well. They will move on to middle school and I will move on to another expecting group of 10 and 11 year olds. I have a list 2, 354 miles long of things to get done, but most of it has to wait until 11 year old bodies have vacated the premises.

What am I doing with my summer? Well...we are growing a garden again this year at ma and pa's and then I plan to putter. Yes, I said putter around my home. I plan to watch my favorite TV shows, I plan to water and mow the lawn when needed. I hope to babysit my beautiful niece as much as her mom and dad want me to. Other than that...I plan to rest. Recover really.

We are MORE than ready to plant the garden this year, but mother nature does not want to cooperate with us. We had a frost just this last week. I am still scared to place young plants into the earth because I don't want them to freeze. I have enough trouble keeping plants alive without frost taking them before I have a chance to mess 'em up.

What are your summer plans?

Adoption Update - 2

I just wanted to update you all to where we are in our process to, hopefully, becoming parents. We have now officially finished the paperwork and have entered the waiting pool. What that means is that our profile is being shown to prospective birth parents with the hopes that someone will select us. We have no idea when, or if, we will be blessed with a child but it is a relief to know that we have been approved by the agency and are now waiting to be selected. Keep praying for us and we are so honored to be sharing our excitement at making it this far!

FWD: Just for Fun!

Eileen posted thoughts about different humor and shared an email exchange on her blog and it got me to thinkin' about this funny email I got yesterday from a co-worker. So, I decided to share it here with you. I do not know from whence this originated...so...I am sorry to say that I cannot site my references in APA format. (For all you graduate school geeks out there that can relate to that comment!) Anyway, here's the email...Enjoy!

____________________________________

Dear Tech Support,
Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5 and then installed undesirable programs such as NBA 5.0, NFL 3.0 and Golf Clubs 4.1. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. I've tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail. What can I do?
Signed,
Desperate


DEAR DESPERATE,
First keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an Operating System. Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme.html and try to download Tears 6.2 and don't forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update. If that application works as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5. But remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0 or Beer 6.1. Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta. Whatever you do, DO NOT install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.) Also do not attempt to reinstall Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0. In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend Cooking 3.0 and Hot Lingerie7.7.
Good Luck,
Tech Support

Meme

Beth and Amy both posted a Meme today...so...I decided to join in because it looked fun. Let me know if you join!

Where is your cell phone? On the end table next to me.

Your significant other? Drew is even-tempered, loving, and a very good listener. He is an avid reader of anything news-related and is committed to God. He will play board games with me because I love them, but deep down loves to play cards!

Your hair? Just cut it 2 weeks ago. Love. Love. Love the new cut.

Your mother? I think she's looking forward to retiring soon. :) I will also say that she has always been very creative in her discipline of me as a child. She went by "Let the punishment fit the crime!"

Your father? He was one of the funniest guys I have ever known. He could think of a prank and pull it off without a hitch 99% of the time. He loved to make his wife and daughters feel special and beautiful. I miss him so much.

Your favorite thing? My favorite things include singing to God with all I've got, Drew's arms around me after a long day, ice cream (Cold Stone preferrably), a good belly laugh, a productive saturday, and children.

Your dream last night? It seems it was something to do with me driving a Johne Deere Combine. I think I was racing other combines. I'm not even gonna try and determine what that means.

Your favorite drink? Peach Iced Tea from Olive Garden, Water, Diet Coke

Your dream/goal? I'd like to be a mom. I want to grow old with Drew, watch the kids we will someday have grow into adulthood, and know that God gets the glory for it all.

The room you are in? Living Room

Your ex? Uhhhh..who cares?

Your fear? Cows. The Dark. Drowning.

Where do you want to be in 6 years? Wherever God wants me to be.

Where were you last night? Stayed home...watched Jon and Kate Plus 8. It was DIVINE!

What you are not? A Sports fan. (sorry to those of you that are!)

Muffins? They're okay. I like the muffin tops the best. The only muffin I like is a blueberry. warm. with lots of butter. Especially from Perkins. YUMMMMMMMMMMM

One of your wish list items? Hmmmmm...a new car. I would love a silver Chevy Equinox.

Where you grew up? Howe, Indiana (Northeast Indiana)

The last thing you did? Ate Subway.

What are you wearing? Socks, wind pants, and a t-shirt

Your TV? Is on. I should turn it off and read or something....but....

Your pets? We don't have any right now.

Your computer? I love my new school laptop. It's a MacBook Pro.

Your life? Is ALWAYS on the move. We have been so busy with adoption stuff and school is ending (both school we are attending and school I am teaching) and...and....and.....

Your mood? Changes in meds have caused my mood to be a bit, hmmm, shall we say sporadic? Drew lovingly pointed that out to me and I am working to moderate it!

Missing someone? My dad.

Your car? 1998 Pontiac Grand Am. I have had it since about 2 weeks after graduating college. I am READY for a new vehicle, but we just have to wait a bit longer. We also have a 1997 Dodge Ram

Something you are not wearing? shoes

Favorite store? Pier One, Kohl's, Target

Your summer? Only 17 more school days until it officially starts for me! Yay!

Like someone? I like a lot of people, but I think I am like my dad in many ways.

Your favorite color? Yellow

When is the last time you laughed? Last night. It's a long story, but Drew grabbed a hot pot and then yelled "Lord have mercy! That's Hot!" All this while jumping about 5 feet back. It was funny. I guess you just had to be there.

Last time you cried? A week ago last saturday. I just don't cry that much.

If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged.

Diet Update

It's been four weeks and I stepped on the scale yesterday. I was afraid I had either maintained or gained. (Let's not discuss the discretionary eating of the rice krispie treats. I love 'em so much that I think I can smell them about 2 miles away!) Well, you know I just got over it and stepped onto the scale and waited to see the damage done. I just about had to scrape my jaw off the ground when I saw the results. I have now officially lost 12 pounds total to date! (Down 3 more from last week!) WHOO HOOOO.... (picture me doing the happy dance here). I am so happy and beginning to see results in my clothing! Yippee!

*update: I step on the scale at least once a week, but I had not stepped on the scale for 1 full week before looking on Saturday.

Lyndsay Anna

Yesterday we got to go and see our new niece, Lyndsay at the hospital. Here are some pictures we took with permission to share, of course.

31

Today is my birthday and I am 31. Someday I will probably stop telling you my age because it will be too embarrassing....maybe. Anyway, that day is not here yet so I will say that I am still enjoyin' my youth! As a side note, It's rainy and yucky here today so that's kind of depressing, but I am sure it will still turn out to be a great day, regardless of the rain.

As a fun way to celebrate, I have linked a site (courtesy of Eileen) right here where you can find the number one song on your birthday. So, leave a comment telling me the song that was #1 the day you were born. Mine? OH...well, mine is Don't Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston. I have never heard of it! Thanks for the idea Eileen!

IT'S A GIRL!

We are thrilled to share with all of you that Drew's sister and brother-in-law welcomed their first child into the world mid-morning today. AND....It's a girl! We haven't had a chance to see her yet, but we are just too thrilled to keep quiet!

Sometimes a negative is really a positive.

So...it's been a few weeks, but I gotta tell ya it has been CRAAAAZY 'round here! On Thursday, March, 27 I had a doctor's appointment. For those of you that don't know me very well, I have a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). A LOOOONG story short, it means that my hormones are whacked and it messes with my ability to use sugars appropriately with the side effect of infertility.

Sooooo...anyway....a few years back I had to go on diet that was, basically, sugar free and low carb (Like REALLY low...25 grams a day) and I lost 70 pounds.

Yeah...so I have gained alot of it back. I am so sad to admit that, but it is the truth. The doc said that this is unacceptable and that I need to make changes to avoid becoming a diabetic (which I absolutely DO NOT want!) So, she placed me on a new-to-me drug to sort out the hormones and told me I had to keep my calories under 1600 day and my carbs under 150 a day.

Do you know what that means? It means no (or few) potatoes, noodles, or breads. WHAAAAA?????

She was very optimistic with me though and told me that I did it once and I can do it again. She encouraged me by saying "Nothing is OFF LIMITS. You just need to plan. If you want that piece of cake, what are you willing to give up later?" That, my friends, is manageable.

Finally, she lowered the real ax. She said that I have to work out for 45-60 minutes a day. Every. Day. I wish I could say that I just love working out, but I don't. I really don't. BUT, I have been going every day since March 27. It has been a week and a half and I am pleased to report that I am.....drumroll please....

negative 6 1/2 pounds.

YES, I KNOW! Can you believe it? I am shocked. I feel better...I have more energy. Why did I ever stop? It was so good before and I just...quit! Admittedly, I sometimes feel guilty that I am here again. But, I am really sharing with you so you can be part of my journey. Wouldn't that be fun?

It will be a long one, I'll warn ya. However, I thank you in advance for all your support and sharing in my struggles AND triumphs.

Truly, in this case a negative really is a positive in so many ways!

So.....The Egg Without a Shell

Can you forgive me?

I forgot to tell you what happened to our egg.

It stayed COMPLETELY intact. We even tried to eat it when it was cooked but it tasted (and smelled) like vinegar. YUCK! It make me gag really. No really.

That was one of the coolest food thing I have ever done.

If you don't count splitting a grape with a microwave. (Seriously, it sparked and slit it symmetrically down the middle.) OR, the time that I blew up an egg in the microwave.
Oh yes I did.

The messiest thing that I have dealt with exploding in the microwave is a sausage link. WHAT. A. MESS. You can't really count a a marshmallow because it doesn't "explode" but it IS the stickiest mess I have ever made in the microwave.

Okay...it's official, I have a problem with microwaves.

Random Pics

I was putting our profile together for the agency when I noticed that I have not posted any photos lately. Here are two I seleted for our profile. Nice...eh?

Drew with our niece and nephew.

Me at Red Rocks just outside Denver, Colorado

Adoption Update

Many of you have lovingly inquired as to how the adoption process is going for us so I thought I would just drop you a line to update you. Currently we are 2 weeks before the end of the visits with our caseworker. All of our reference letters have been sent in (THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO COMPLETED THOSE FOR US!) and now we now proceed to the final in-home visit. As soon as that is over, it'll be 2 weeks or so before we enter the waiting pool while our caseworker completes the home study file. We will probably enter the waiting pool around the first week of May. Then...we wait. We wait and pray for someone to find a connection with us in our profile. For those that do not know much about open adoption, there are no guarantees that we will ever be selected to be parents. However, we believe that God will bless us, a baby, and the baby's birth family some day. Please continue to pray for us as we begin the hardest part of the journey...the waiting.

Misc.

Well, I needed a catch-all post because I haven't updated in a few days. So...

Before I forget to say it, Happy Easter to you all!

I am, OFFICIALLY, on Spring Break. What am I going to do with my week off? Hmmmm....write a research paper. Yes I am. I HAVE to. It is due next weekend and I haven't started so I really have no choice. After that...I am going to clean my house. Why? Because, in 2 weeks our caseworker is going to visit for the last time before, hopefully, recommending us for approval to enter the "Waiting Couple's Pool." So, I really need to clean the place. No, Really.

I am going to incubate and hatch chicks at school so I soaked one in vinegar for 2 days and guess what happened? The shell COMPLETELY dissolved and left the egg completely in tact. So, after showing the egg to the kids Drew and I decided to throw it in boiling water to see what would happen. We hypothesized that it would break open and make a mess due the drastic temperature change. I am going to let you vote over there on the left to guess at what happened to the egg. (I will tell you the answer later...)

I guess that is all for now...Have a great day!

Easter Eggs

Every year the White House displays an Easter Egg from each of the 50 States. If you want to see this year's submissions, click here. I particularly like Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts (for it's humorous take at Cheers), Michigan, Nebraska (although I had to look really close because I thought it was some guy...but really, it's a sunflower and a cow and a pig...), and Wyoming. I was glad to see Wyoming's decent submission because last year everyone from Wyoming was upset because of this submission. (To see All of last year's submissions, click here.)

Garage Door

A little over 3 1/2 years ago Drew and I got married and moved into our home. We noticed that the garage was in serious need of repair, but decided we would tackle it bit by bit. It needed reroofing, new garage doors with an automatic opener one the side lacking one, windows replaced, and siding either replaced or painted. A few months later our neighbor across the alley backed into the corner of our garage (my side no less) and completely demolished the garage door on my side of the garage. The neighbor's auto insurance paid for the replacement of the garage door with a MUCH nicer door. Steel. Insulated. Nice. The problem was it didn't match anything else on our garage. So, shortly thereafter we replaced the glass in the window frames and rehung them...and 2 summers ago we COMPLETELY reroofed, painted the siding with 3 coats of paint, and fitted the entire garage with new facia and soffits. My sister and her (now) husband came out to help with that. Let's see...that only left the other garage door.

We kept ignoring it.

and ignoring....

and ignoring...

until 2 weeks ago we noticed that the old door had a HOLE in it. I guess that's where I draw the line. (I think Drew wanted to replace the thing a LONG time before I was willing to drop the cash for it.) So, we priced checked 'em and got an amazing deal at Menard's. We got a steel insulated door AND an automatic garage door opener for just under $400. (Trust me...it's a steal!)

To save ourselves some money, we decided to install the door and the opener ourselves. So, we went out Saturday morning around 10am to begin. We thought it would take a while...but we were not prepared for the time it actually took. It took the two of us (minus me for 3 hours while I was a baby shower for Drew's sister) 12 hours to install the entire thing. It was A LOT of work...more for Drew than me because he did all the heavy lifting.

Now that it is done, though, I have to say it looks so nice. Finally we have a garage that looks like it belongs to the house we live in. It really cleaned the place up and it is so nice to see that automatic door opening and closing so smoothly and know that we did that.

I wish I had taken before and after pictures to show you the transition as a result of our handy work. However, as much of a photography addict that I am, I did not take before OR after pictures of our project to show you. Maybe after the snow melts I will put some up for you.