Well...for those of you who haven't abandoned me & my blog (due to inactivity), a lot has happened & changed in my life since my last post. I was able to get in to see an endocrinologist & was found to have very low levels of the thyroid hormone. The specialist increased my medicine, and it seems to have done the trick. I'm very thankful for that!!!
On the job front, I was notified the end of April that my teaching position was being eliminated at the end of the school year due to budget cuts. It was a bit surreal...was pretty sure it was coming, but I've never been let go from a position. For the first time in my life (since beginning my teaching career 12 years ago), I was without a job. It's definitely been an adjustment, but I know that God has a plan for me so I'm trying to rest in that fact & not fret (although that's easier said than done sometimes).
Due to my job situation, I moved down to Charlotte, North Carolina to live with my parents. I never planned to be living back here, but I am so thankful that they were here to help me! I'm not sure what I would have done had I not had them!!!
Now to the title of this post...I'm getting married!!! For those of you who didn't know or haven't heard the story...here it is:
6 years ago...in a land up north...my youngest sister, Marsha, went to her first SoloCon with me (it was my 3rd SoloCon, but my 1st on in Michigan). After the first small group session, she came back & told me that she'd just met my future husband. I just laughed at her. =) Throughout the weekend & the coming years she continued to comment on my future husband & even began referring to him as her BIL (brother-in-law). Marsha was sure to introduce me to Ron that first weekend and a friendship was formed that continued to grow over the course of the next several years. For the past two years, we have openly talked about our feelings for each other but there were some obstacles that Ron just couldn't get past. Marsha would continually say that it was going to work out for us, but I had come to believe that there was no chance Ron & I would ever be more than friends. Well...Marsha was right! =) God worked in & through a series of events that brought us together. And...on May 1, 2010...I will become Mrs. Ron Mohney!!!
So...I will no longer be sleeping single in a double bed. Woooohoooo!!! It's been a long time coming...but Ron is definitely worth every single minute I've waited for the person God chose for me!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Exhausted!!!
Since having the surgery to remove part of my thyroid, I have been so tired. The slightest activity wears me out. Now that I'm back at work, I'm no longer tired...I'm exhausted!!! I'm going to see an endocrinologist in a few weeks hoping that he'll be able to help me get my levels to an area where I begin to feel more like "myself" (whatever that is).
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
I'm Still Alive...
Yes...if any of you out there are still checking my blog...I'm alive! :-) I honestly didn't realize it had been so long since I'd posted. Believe me that I had plenty blog about!!! :-) So...here's a quick update:
November was uneventful & pretty normal. We had three concerts that month - two were local so that was nice. It's always enjoyable to be able to sleep in your own bed. :-) The highlight of November was that Marsha & her family came up for a week over the Thanksgiving holiday. It was great to see them all and especially great to be able to spend some time with my niece & nephew.
At the end of November, I moved! My landlady passed away in September, and after getting things settled, her family decided to sell the house. At that point, my life was up in the air...depending on who bought it, I might have been able to keep my apartment, or they might have had other ideas. At that point, I received an e-mail from a friend offering to rent me a house he had flipped & hadn't been able to sell. I jumped at the opportunity - felt like it was an answer to prayer in fact! I've been in my house a little over two months, and I LOVE it!!!
December brought with it the typical Christmas hustle & bustle. I had my program for school which adds quite a bit of work & stress. Then there is the shopping & preparing for Christmast along with all of the Christmas celebrations. I also had to pack and get ready for my flight to North Carolina to spend the holidays with my family. By Christmas eve, I was exhausted, but my vacation in sunny Charlotte really helped! It was 74 degrees on Christmas day and just absolutely beautiful! I had such an enjoyable week there. I also was able to spend some time with my friends in Sidney, Ohio the weekend after New Years because I flew out of Dayton. Sidney time is always a fun time! :-)
I just realized I forgot something significant that happened in November, but it actually goes back to September. While I was off recovering from my knee surgery, I found a lump in my neck. After speaking to my sister & the surgeon, it was determined that the lump was just swollen because my body was fighting off infection from the surgery. However, I noticed it again in October so I went to see my family doctor who immediately was concerned. He sent me to have blood work and scheduled me for an ultrasound of my thyroid the next day. After the results came back, I was sent to an ENT in November. The specialst told me that I had a mass in the left lobe of my thyroid, and it needed to be removed. He said it was slow growing, but would slowly grow and cause more problems (I was already beginning to feel it).
Unfortunately it grew quite a bit the last couple of weeks of December. When I got back into town the beginning of January, I called the surgeon's office, and my surgery was moved up to the following week. From there, things happened very quickly. Thankfully my parents were able to come up and spend a few days with me - the day before my surgery and remained here two days after I was released. I was very glad they were able to be here! After they left, I spent the rest of the week in Oak Harbor with Jodi & her family (I was supposed to be supervised for the first week).
Since then, I've been hanging out at home and taking a lot of naps. :-) I've decided that I really need to find a rich husband that would allow me to stay home...I've grown to really like this! :-)
Well...that's all for now. I'll try to do better now that life is heading back towards normal (whatever that is).
November was uneventful & pretty normal. We had three concerts that month - two were local so that was nice. It's always enjoyable to be able to sleep in your own bed. :-) The highlight of November was that Marsha & her family came up for a week over the Thanksgiving holiday. It was great to see them all and especially great to be able to spend some time with my niece & nephew.
At the end of November, I moved! My landlady passed away in September, and after getting things settled, her family decided to sell the house. At that point, my life was up in the air...depending on who bought it, I might have been able to keep my apartment, or they might have had other ideas. At that point, I received an e-mail from a friend offering to rent me a house he had flipped & hadn't been able to sell. I jumped at the opportunity - felt like it was an answer to prayer in fact! I've been in my house a little over two months, and I LOVE it!!!
December brought with it the typical Christmas hustle & bustle. I had my program for school which adds quite a bit of work & stress. Then there is the shopping & preparing for Christmast along with all of the Christmas celebrations. I also had to pack and get ready for my flight to North Carolina to spend the holidays with my family. By Christmas eve, I was exhausted, but my vacation in sunny Charlotte really helped! It was 74 degrees on Christmas day and just absolutely beautiful! I had such an enjoyable week there. I also was able to spend some time with my friends in Sidney, Ohio the weekend after New Years because I flew out of Dayton. Sidney time is always a fun time! :-)
I just realized I forgot something significant that happened in November, but it actually goes back to September. While I was off recovering from my knee surgery, I found a lump in my neck. After speaking to my sister & the surgeon, it was determined that the lump was just swollen because my body was fighting off infection from the surgery. However, I noticed it again in October so I went to see my family doctor who immediately was concerned. He sent me to have blood work and scheduled me for an ultrasound of my thyroid the next day. After the results came back, I was sent to an ENT in November. The specialst told me that I had a mass in the left lobe of my thyroid, and it needed to be removed. He said it was slow growing, but would slowly grow and cause more problems (I was already beginning to feel it).
Unfortunately it grew quite a bit the last couple of weeks of December. When I got back into town the beginning of January, I called the surgeon's office, and my surgery was moved up to the following week. From there, things happened very quickly. Thankfully my parents were able to come up and spend a few days with me - the day before my surgery and remained here two days after I was released. I was very glad they were able to be here! After they left, I spent the rest of the week in Oak Harbor with Jodi & her family (I was supposed to be supervised for the first week).
Since then, I've been hanging out at home and taking a lot of naps. :-) I've decided that I really need to find a rich husband that would allow me to stay home...I've grown to really like this! :-)
Well...that's all for now. I'll try to do better now that life is heading back towards normal (whatever that is).
Friday, October 10, 2008
Three Years & Two Songs Later
About 3 years ago, I was sitting in church listening to the pastor read his scripture reference. It came from Matthew, and was the familiar reference to casting your burdens on Christ. I had heard that scripture many times before, but something inside me was really touched.
I can't tell you what he preached about that day because I just kept reading the veres over & over. While I wasd doing that, a melody started running through my head. The only paper I had was my bulletin so...I used it. I jotted the solfege for the melody down and brought it home. Over the next week, I began playing with the melody & eventually came up with a chorus I really liked.
Fastforward nearly two years...I still have the chorus & haven't been able to come up with anything to go with it. In the meantime, I began writing a second song. This time I got a little further - wrote three verses & a bridge. And...just like the last song...I seemed to hit a wall & couldn't come up with anything else. So I just put them away & let my mind rest (at least as far as the songs are concerned).
The past couple of months my songs have been haunting me - the melodies & words kept running through my head. The second song came together ane afternoon as - was sitting at home. All of a sudden it just came to me so I ran to the paino & figured it out so I wouldn't forget it. Not too lang after that, I was driving one afternoon & started to have a verse for my original chorus run through my head. Thank goodness I have a voice recorder on my phone! :)
Since that time, I have finished & "perfected" BOTH of my songs. It's been a very exciting experience, and I've even enjoyed watcing how God is using my songs already. It's definitely obvious that God gave me the words for a reason. And...once again it's obvious that it was His timing (eveb though it about drove me crazy at times)!
I can't tell you what he preached about that day because I just kept reading the veres over & over. While I wasd doing that, a melody started running through my head. The only paper I had was my bulletin so...I used it. I jotted the solfege for the melody down and brought it home. Over the next week, I began playing with the melody & eventually came up with a chorus I really liked.
Fastforward nearly two years...I still have the chorus & haven't been able to come up with anything to go with it. In the meantime, I began writing a second song. This time I got a little further - wrote three verses & a bridge. And...just like the last song...I seemed to hit a wall & couldn't come up with anything else. So I just put them away & let my mind rest (at least as far as the songs are concerned).
The past couple of months my songs have been haunting me - the melodies & words kept running through my head. The second song came together ane afternoon as - was sitting at home. All of a sudden it just came to me so I ran to the paino & figured it out so I wouldn't forget it. Not too lang after that, I was driving one afternoon & started to have a verse for my original chorus run through my head. Thank goodness I have a voice recorder on my phone! :)
Since that time, I have finished & "perfected" BOTH of my songs. It's been a very exciting experience, and I've even enjoyed watcing how God is using my songs already. It's definitely obvious that God gave me the words for a reason. And...once again it's obvious that it was His timing (eveb though it about drove me crazy at times)!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Here you go, Traci :-)
Someone (won't mention any names...hahaha) told me a couple days ago that I really needed to update my blog. I guess she was right!!! Didn't realize it had been so long.
Since my last post, I've went fishing on Lake Erie with Val, Shawn & the kids, started school, had knee surgery (which had me off school for 4 weeks), started school again (my nephew, Harrison, called to see how my "2nd first day of school" went - he's so sweet), had several concerts, and have been doing physical therapy regularly.
There have been ups & downs, but one thing has remained constant...God has been there! He's laughed with me when I've laughed...cried with me when I cried...and He's carried me when I didn't think I could go any further. I'm so thankful I have Him on my side!!!
Since my last post, I've went fishing on Lake Erie with Val, Shawn & the kids, started school, had knee surgery (which had me off school for 4 weeks), started school again (my nephew, Harrison, called to see how my "2nd first day of school" went - he's so sweet), had several concerts, and have been doing physical therapy regularly.
There have been ups & downs, but one thing has remained constant...God has been there! He's laughed with me when I've laughed...cried with me when I cried...and He's carried me when I didn't think I could go any further. I'm so thankful I have Him on my side!!!
Monday, August 11, 2008
The Rooster Story
We had a concert this past weekend in Angola, Indiana so we traveled there Saturday afternoon to set up our sound system and practice with their praise team. All went really well, and we made some new friends (one of the best parts). After practice, we followed the pastor to his house where we would be spending the night.
Once there, we had supper together and spent the remainder of the evening chatting with the pastor & his wife (Pastor Randy & Robin - two of the most spiritual & gifted people I've met). We went to bed that night with happy hearts and were excited that we'd be able to sleep in (didn't have to be there until 9 am...sometimes our concerts start before 9!).
So...imagine that you are in a peaceful sleep enjoying the cool breeze floating through the window. Sounds great, huh?!? Well it was...until the rooster began to call. Yes...their rooster (who we'd all heard about the night before & had enjoyed the "rooster stories") began to sing his cocka-doodle-doos at 6:30 a.m.!!! He continued this for over an hour. Each time you'd think he was done & would just about fall back asleep...that stupid thing would start at it again!
Needless to say I didn't get to sleep in. And...hence the reason for my status yesterday. I was ready to go outside & wring that rooster's neck!
Once there, we had supper together and spent the remainder of the evening chatting with the pastor & his wife (Pastor Randy & Robin - two of the most spiritual & gifted people I've met). We went to bed that night with happy hearts and were excited that we'd be able to sleep in (didn't have to be there until 9 am...sometimes our concerts start before 9!).
So...imagine that you are in a peaceful sleep enjoying the cool breeze floating through the window. Sounds great, huh?!? Well it was...until the rooster began to call. Yes...their rooster (who we'd all heard about the night before & had enjoyed the "rooster stories") began to sing his cocka-doodle-doos at 6:30 a.m.!!! He continued this for over an hour. Each time you'd think he was done & would just about fall back asleep...that stupid thing would start at it again!
Needless to say I didn't get to sleep in. And...hence the reason for my status yesterday. I was ready to go outside & wring that rooster's neck!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Monthly Update
It was not my plan when I created this blog to only update once a month, but it appears that that's about all I've been doing. Can you say...busy??? (and maybe a little lazy in there as well). :-)
A few posts ago I commented on how my plans for the summer changed due to my upcoming knee surgery. While I have greatly missed working out, playing golf & playing softball, I've been able to keep myself busy. Between touring with Soul Venture, visiting my family, & visiting friends, I've only spent two complete weeks at my apartment (the first one was the week we got out of school & the second is this week).
And once again...plans changed! I was supposed to have my surgery on July 21st but had to postpone it due to an unforseen medical emergency my dad had (most who read this know what that was). So...I am now scheduled to have my surgery on August 25th. We'll see if that date stays the same. :-) I'm hoping it does because I'm really tired of not being active, and it will take 1-2 months for me to get back to "normal" activity according to the surgeon.
Believe it or not...we only have 1 1/2 weeks until school starts for the staff members (students come 2 weeks from today). I'm a bit torn - part of me is looking forward to the new year & part of me would love to have some more summer.
Well...that's all I have for now. I'll try to do this a little more regularly. :-)
A few posts ago I commented on how my plans for the summer changed due to my upcoming knee surgery. While I have greatly missed working out, playing golf & playing softball, I've been able to keep myself busy. Between touring with Soul Venture, visiting my family, & visiting friends, I've only spent two complete weeks at my apartment (the first one was the week we got out of school & the second is this week).
And once again...plans changed! I was supposed to have my surgery on July 21st but had to postpone it due to an unforseen medical emergency my dad had (most who read this know what that was). So...I am now scheduled to have my surgery on August 25th. We'll see if that date stays the same. :-) I'm hoping it does because I'm really tired of not being active, and it will take 1-2 months for me to get back to "normal" activity according to the surgeon.
Believe it or not...we only have 1 1/2 weeks until school starts for the staff members (students come 2 weeks from today). I'm a bit torn - part of me is looking forward to the new year & part of me would love to have some more summer.
Well...that's all I have for now. I'll try to do this a little more regularly. :-)
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
OUCH!
In order to save gas and because I love driving with the sunroof open & windows down, I decided to not use my air conditioner on the drive down yesterday. I loved the feel of the wind through my hair & had the radio cranked, but that resulted in a terrible (did I mention that it's pretty bad???) sunburn!
My left arm is a bit red, but not too bad. My left leg has an oval sunburn that came through the window. It's a bit sore, but that's not the worst. The worst of it came in through my sunroof! My chest & right shoulder are fried!!!
My original plan was to go to the pool today & lay out a bit, but I've decided that I'd better stay out of the sun for a day or two.
My left arm is a bit red, but not too bad. My left leg has an oval sunburn that came through the window. It's a bit sore, but that's not the worst. The worst of it came in through my sunroof! My chest & right shoulder are fried!!!
My original plan was to go to the pool today & lay out a bit, but I've decided that I'd better stay out of the sun for a day or two.
Finally here!!!
Yesterday I made the drive to Charlotte, North Carolina to spend some time with my family. I was very excited to get down here so I got up & was on the road by 7:45 a.m. (for those who know me well...you know I was excited to have gotten up on purpose at 6:45 a.m.). :-)
After 6 stops (what can I say...I have a baby bladder), I finally pulled in last night at 6:15 p.m.
It's great to be here, but I don't want to spend much time in a car for a few days. :-)
After 6 stops (what can I say...I have a baby bladder), I finally pulled in last night at 6:15 p.m.
It's great to be here, but I don't want to spend much time in a car for a few days. :-)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
MudHens times 2!
On Sunday evening, our church reserved approximately 120 tickets at the MudHens stadium to see them take on the Columbus Clippers. I have always enjoyed going to the games - cheap entertainment & something I enjoy. But...Sunday night was a bit weird for me - my favorite player has been called up to the major leagues (so it's just not the same...so many new players to choose from), and on top of the...we lost! :-(
But...last night I was getting ready to start supper when I heard the news mention the game. So...I quickly changed clothes & headed down to the stadium to watch them take on the Indianapolis Indians and had a blast. I ended up seeing a couple of teachers from Starr there so I sat with them. We had a great evening - conversation was great, and...we finally won! :-)
But...last night I was getting ready to start supper when I heard the news mention the game. So...I quickly changed clothes & headed down to the stadium to watch them take on the Indianapolis Indians and had a blast. I ended up seeing a couple of teachers from Starr there so I sat with them. We had a great evening - conversation was great, and...we finally won! :-)
Saturday, June 7, 2008
A Change of Plans
As of two days ago, when asked what I'd be doing this summer, I quickly responded with touring, visiting my family, playing lots of golf & playing softball. Yesterday my plans changed.
While I'll still be touring & going down south to visit my family, my golfing & softball has been put on hold after a trip to see Dr. Morse (an orthopedic specialist). My left knee has been bothering me off & on for the past year, but for some reason it's gotten much worse the past two weeks (it began aching, cracking & grinding alot more than "normal" & even began locking up while I was in the middle of walking). After some x-rays were taken, it was obvious that I need to have surgery to repair my left knee.
They crazy thing is that Dr. Morse will be performing the exact same surgery on my left knee on July 21st that Dr. Davis performed on my right knee back in 2002. The good thing is that it was very successful on my right knee, and it sounds like my recovery time for this surgery will be much less than for the one back in '02. I was told that if I have my surgery on Monday (which I am...just ask Ralph...hahaha!) I'll be fine to do a concert that weekend.
While I'll still be touring & going down south to visit my family, my golfing & softball has been put on hold after a trip to see Dr. Morse (an orthopedic specialist). My left knee has been bothering me off & on for the past year, but for some reason it's gotten much worse the past two weeks (it began aching, cracking & grinding alot more than "normal" & even began locking up while I was in the middle of walking). After some x-rays were taken, it was obvious that I need to have surgery to repair my left knee.
They crazy thing is that Dr. Morse will be performing the exact same surgery on my left knee on July 21st that Dr. Davis performed on my right knee back in 2002. The good thing is that it was very successful on my right knee, and it sounds like my recovery time for this surgery will be much less than for the one back in '02. I was told that if I have my surgery on Monday (which I am...just ask Ralph...hahaha!) I'll be fine to do a concert that weekend.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
My Favorite Time of the Year!
Ahhh...it's finally summer! :-) This past quarter drug on, but we're finally officially done!!! Yesterday was the last day for students, and today was our last day. I'll be going in for some planning meetings during the next couple of weeks, but nothing is on a time crunch. I love this! :-)
Let me tell you about my upcoming meetings. Due to the cutbacks in our district, our assitant principal will be taking the position that was open due to a retirement, and the district is not going to be filling her current position. So...I have been asked to take on some of her responsibilities and have agreed to do so. For next school year, I will be chairing our IAT Team (Intervention Assistance Team - we try to help students who are struggling...either academically or behaviorally). I have been a member of this team for several years (the past 4 or 5) so I'll have some understanding of what I'm doing, but it will definitely be an added load. However the principal is working on some flexible scheduling ideas to help give me time during the normal work day to do some of this.
In addition to chairing the IAT Team, I also applied & was given the Teacher in Charge position. This basically means that I will be taking care of any discipline issues that arise when the principal is out of the building. On the days she is out, there will be a sub in my room so I can be available in the office when needed. I thought this (as well as my experience with IAT) would be great opportunities for me - especially since I have my master's degree in Administration and plan on getting my administrative license at some point. It'll also look good on a resume.
Let me tell you about my upcoming meetings. Due to the cutbacks in our district, our assitant principal will be taking the position that was open due to a retirement, and the district is not going to be filling her current position. So...I have been asked to take on some of her responsibilities and have agreed to do so. For next school year, I will be chairing our IAT Team (Intervention Assistance Team - we try to help students who are struggling...either academically or behaviorally). I have been a member of this team for several years (the past 4 or 5) so I'll have some understanding of what I'm doing, but it will definitely be an added load. However the principal is working on some flexible scheduling ideas to help give me time during the normal work day to do some of this.
In addition to chairing the IAT Team, I also applied & was given the Teacher in Charge position. This basically means that I will be taking care of any discipline issues that arise when the principal is out of the building. On the days she is out, there will be a sub in my room so I can be available in the office when needed. I thought this (as well as my experience with IAT) would be great opportunities for me - especially since I have my master's degree in Administration and plan on getting my administrative license at some point. It'll also look good on a resume.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Highlights...
So much has happened since my last post, but I just haven't taken the time to update you all. Sorry! :-) So...here you go - updates (to the best of my ability to remember). :-)
The first piece of info is that Jodi had her baby! Olivia Elizabeth arrived on May 21st weighing in at 9 lbs. 5 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. She was a big baby (Jodi is very petite) but she's absolutely beautiful! I was blessed to be there & was able to experience it, but it was also great for me to be there for Lauren. This has really changed her life - a bit too much for a little 4 year old to comprehend all at once. All are home & doing well, and Lauren has quickly accepted her role of "big sister" as well as "mommy's helper".
Last weekend was an amazing weekend - one of the best I can remember having in quite awhile. It began with us (Soul Venture - the name of our group) traveling to Ft. Wayne, Indiana for some weekend concerts (3 mini concerts & one full concert). It was a busy schedule, but the church was very nice to us & seemed to really enjoy our music. My highlight was having Feras (a very good friend from college who I haven't seen in 3 years) show up at our full concert on Sunday. It was so good to see him! We were able to talk for a while after the concert, and then he helped us load up our equipment. He ended up going to lunch with us so we were able to talk quite a bit. It was a great afternoon!
After Feras & I said good-bye, I drove 25 minutes west to Columbia City, Indiana where I met up with the Garcia family (friends I met at SoloCon Great Lakes). They were all meeting at their brother's place for the holiday weekend - Caron, Carlo & Samuel were there from Colorado...Joel, Olivia & Daniel were also there from Colorado...Deanna was there from college in Kentucky...and the rest of the Garcia clan was there from Mason, Michigan. We had such a great time & laughed so hard! It made me miss Caron & Deanna even more than I already did. :-) Some of the highlight from my short visit with them (not including our talks & laughs) were having to bait the fishing hook for Carlo, getting to know Samuel (he just recently turned one & I haven't seen him since he was a few days old), giggin' (frog hunting to those who don't know the terminology) & going 4 wheeling. It was a great ending to fabulous holiday weekend.
I returned home with a full cup...all I could think of was the line from one of my favorite movies...My cup runneth over.
The week went by without any major incidences but was shortened thanks to my allergy appointment on Thursday afternoon. After my appointment, I hit the road & headed for Charleston, WV where I was meeting mom & dad. We drove into the hotel parking lot behind each other...they were coming from Charlotte, NC & I was coming from here in Oregon. How's that for timing?!? We couldn't have planned it better if we'd tried! :-) We spent Thursday & Friday night in the hotel and then headed back to our homes after lunch on Saturday.
On my way back from Charleston, I made a slight detour to meet my friend, Ralph, in Delaware for supper. We had a nice time together as usual before I made my final trip home.
Today I've spent most of the day just relaxing & getting ready for my final week of school. Just in case you're wondering...I have 3 1/2 days left! :-)
The first piece of info is that Jodi had her baby! Olivia Elizabeth arrived on May 21st weighing in at 9 lbs. 5 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. She was a big baby (Jodi is very petite) but she's absolutely beautiful! I was blessed to be there & was able to experience it, but it was also great for me to be there for Lauren. This has really changed her life - a bit too much for a little 4 year old to comprehend all at once. All are home & doing well, and Lauren has quickly accepted her role of "big sister" as well as "mommy's helper".
Last weekend was an amazing weekend - one of the best I can remember having in quite awhile. It began with us (Soul Venture - the name of our group) traveling to Ft. Wayne, Indiana for some weekend concerts (3 mini concerts & one full concert). It was a busy schedule, but the church was very nice to us & seemed to really enjoy our music. My highlight was having Feras (a very good friend from college who I haven't seen in 3 years) show up at our full concert on Sunday. It was so good to see him! We were able to talk for a while after the concert, and then he helped us load up our equipment. He ended up going to lunch with us so we were able to talk quite a bit. It was a great afternoon!
After Feras & I said good-bye, I drove 25 minutes west to Columbia City, Indiana where I met up with the Garcia family (friends I met at SoloCon Great Lakes). They were all meeting at their brother's place for the holiday weekend - Caron, Carlo & Samuel were there from Colorado...Joel, Olivia & Daniel were also there from Colorado...Deanna was there from college in Kentucky...and the rest of the Garcia clan was there from Mason, Michigan. We had such a great time & laughed so hard! It made me miss Caron & Deanna even more than I already did. :-) Some of the highlight from my short visit with them (not including our talks & laughs) were having to bait the fishing hook for Carlo, getting to know Samuel (he just recently turned one & I haven't seen him since he was a few days old), giggin' (frog hunting to those who don't know the terminology) & going 4 wheeling. It was a great ending to fabulous holiday weekend.
I returned home with a full cup...all I could think of was the line from one of my favorite movies...My cup runneth over.
The week went by without any major incidences but was shortened thanks to my allergy appointment on Thursday afternoon. After my appointment, I hit the road & headed for Charleston, WV where I was meeting mom & dad. We drove into the hotel parking lot behind each other...they were coming from Charlotte, NC & I was coming from here in Oregon. How's that for timing?!? We couldn't have planned it better if we'd tried! :-) We spent Thursday & Friday night in the hotel and then headed back to our homes after lunch on Saturday.
On my way back from Charleston, I made a slight detour to meet my friend, Ralph, in Delaware for supper. We had a nice time together as usual before I made my final trip home.
Today I've spent most of the day just relaxing & getting ready for my final week of school. Just in case you're wondering...I have 3 1/2 days left! :-)
Friday, May 16, 2008
My First 9 of the Season!
I'll begin by saying that I'm feeling oh so much better! :-) Thanks to those of you who prayed for me!!!
Today was a beautiful day & evening so Traci & I decided to put our golf lessons to the test (she told Jeromy it was our "homework"). :-) Every time we hit a good shot (or even a bad shot...as long as we "killed some grass") we'd comment on how pleased Dan would be. :-) Dan is our golf instructor & keeps telling us that our one job on the course is to kill grass (meaning that we have to hit down on the ball in order to get it up in the air). Well...we definitely left our mark on the course tonight, but I left with my head up high. At the end of 9 holes, I had a 56. And in case you have the same question my dad did...No! It was not a par 3 course! :-) Up 'til now, my lowest score for 9 holes has been a 52 (I shot that in August of last year). I'm hoping these lessons will help me beat that! :-) Is it possible for me to get in the 40's by the end of the summer? That's my goal.
Today was a beautiful day & evening so Traci & I decided to put our golf lessons to the test (she told Jeromy it was our "homework"). :-) Every time we hit a good shot (or even a bad shot...as long as we "killed some grass") we'd comment on how pleased Dan would be. :-) Dan is our golf instructor & keeps telling us that our one job on the course is to kill grass (meaning that we have to hit down on the ball in order to get it up in the air). Well...we definitely left our mark on the course tonight, but I left with my head up high. At the end of 9 holes, I had a 56. And in case you have the same question my dad did...No! It was not a par 3 course! :-) Up 'til now, my lowest score for 9 holes has been a 52 (I shot that in August of last year). I'm hoping these lessons will help me beat that! :-) Is it possible for me to get in the 40's by the end of the summer? That's my goal.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
I'm Sick :-(
About a half hour after lunch yesteday, I began to feel very warm & my stomach was churning. This continued to happen on & off for several hours...moments when I thought I'd be sick & then moments when I felt just fine. Things changed sometime after 6:00 p.m. last night. I no longer thought...nor felt...fine. It was a long & miserable night. But...I can honestly say that I just got up from yet another nap (been doing a lot of that), and I'm feeling the best I've felt in 24 hrs. I'm hoping this was just something I ate for lunch or a 24 hr. bug!
Friday, May 9, 2008
The Spring Program
Ahhh...it's finally over! :-) There's a lot of work that goes into getting a musical ready, but this one was especially rough. Imagine trying to get 105 first graders to sing together, know when they're supposed to say their lines (which most hadn't practiced at home) & pay attention for a 25 min. musical. Now you might understand my first line. :-)
On top of my normal teaching duties (48 classes each week), I was also putting the final touches on the musical. Yesterday we all walked to the middle school for a 2 hr. practice. My original plan was to run through the show 2 times so we were ready for last night's program. However...things didn't go quite as planned. By the time we finished going through it once & did the bows for the end, I had 5 mins. before we had to go back to Starr.
Needless to say, I was very concerned last night, but they did fantastic! I was so proud of them!
Normally we are done after the program, but we had to do two performances for the school today (we have to do two shows because there are too many students to fit them in for one show). It seemed like everything was going wrong as I set up the sound system & prepared for the 9:30 show, but Thom Sneed saved the day. Both shows went well (although the students were mentally exhausted after the last show - but I can't blame them because I was too).
So...now I'm at home thinking how thankful I am that I can lay around in my pj's tonight & just lounge!
On top of my normal teaching duties (48 classes each week), I was also putting the final touches on the musical. Yesterday we all walked to the middle school for a 2 hr. practice. My original plan was to run through the show 2 times so we were ready for last night's program. However...things didn't go quite as planned. By the time we finished going through it once & did the bows for the end, I had 5 mins. before we had to go back to Starr.
Needless to say, I was very concerned last night, but they did fantastic! I was so proud of them!
Normally we are done after the program, but we had to do two performances for the school today (we have to do two shows because there are too many students to fit them in for one show). It seemed like everything was going wrong as I set up the sound system & prepared for the 9:30 show, but Thom Sneed saved the day. Both shows went well (although the students were mentally exhausted after the last show - but I can't blame them because I was too).
So...now I'm at home thinking how thankful I am that I can lay around in my pj's tonight & just lounge!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Golf, Softball & Weight Watchers
Quite the combo...huh?!? :-) I'll talk about them in order.
Traci & I signed up to take a golf class through the adult ed. program at Clay High School, and I'm absolutely loving it! I have learned so much...and we're only in week two (we have three more to go for this session & then four more in June). Dan Sutton (the pro) is a great teacher & for the first time, things are feeling comfortable & making much more sense! Now...I'm just looking forward the the rest of the classes & watching my score decrease throughout the summer. :-)
Monday night was our first softball game of the season. It's definitely wasn't our best game...but it could have been worse. The final score was 14-10.
My weight has fluctuated quite a bit since spring break, but I'm finally back down to my lowest. Now I'm just hoping to keep going down. This up & down stuff is for the birds! The good news is that I can tell a huge difference in my clothes & how I feel! I have started jogging some & was able to finish a 3 1/2 mile walk in just under 50 mins. the other day (the first time I did that walk - 5 yrs. ago - it took me over 90 mins.). Tonight I had my measurements taken at the gym & am down over 7 inches (which would explain the change in my clothes). I'm now in a size I haven't worn since high school. That's a great feeling!
Traci & I signed up to take a golf class through the adult ed. program at Clay High School, and I'm absolutely loving it! I have learned so much...and we're only in week two (we have three more to go for this session & then four more in June). Dan Sutton (the pro) is a great teacher & for the first time, things are feeling comfortable & making much more sense! Now...I'm just looking forward the the rest of the classes & watching my score decrease throughout the summer. :-)
Monday night was our first softball game of the season. It's definitely wasn't our best game...but it could have been worse. The final score was 14-10.
My weight has fluctuated quite a bit since spring break, but I'm finally back down to my lowest. Now I'm just hoping to keep going down. This up & down stuff is for the birds! The good news is that I can tell a huge difference in my clothes & how I feel! I have started jogging some & was able to finish a 3 1/2 mile walk in just under 50 mins. the other day (the first time I did that walk - 5 yrs. ago - it took me over 90 mins.). Tonight I had my measurements taken at the gym & am down over 7 inches (which would explain the change in my clothes). I'm now in a size I haven't worn since high school. That's a great feeling!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
I'm Back!
The past year has been a rough one - to my family & close friends...this is nothing new to you, but to those who have seen me while I'm wearing my "mask"...you may be surprised. I've been thinking a lot about what I wanted to tell you & how I should say it, but nothing seemed "perfect" so...I decided to tell it like it was & is. Here you go:
The past few months have been a time of relization for me. 1) I realized that I'd not been letting God have everything - part of me was afraid I'd be hurt again & another part of me didn't trust Him enough to give Him all. I can't begin to explain how that's affected my life! Words cannot express the grief I've caused myself because once again I tried to live this life on my own only to feel more lonely than I can remember feeling in a very long time! 2) I realized that I'd become very depressed - while I knew it wasn't "me", I didn't know how to get "me" back. There were things I wanted to do (like blog) but I just didn't care enough or have the energy to do it. After a great talk with my mom during Christmas break, I decided to seek medical help & am so thankful I did! 3) I realized how lucky I am to have a family physician who's a Christian - not only did he help me medically, but he also took time out of his busy schedule to help me spiritually. 4) I realized I needed to rely on people - when I'm at my lowest, they can be there to help me & listen to me. This is not easy for me - I've come to learn more about myself this year & have found that I'm very independent...almost to a fault. Maybe it's because I've lived on my own for so long...maybe it's because I'm afraid to trust someone with my heart...maybe it's because I'm a bit controlling...there's many things it could be, but the fact is I need to rely on people God has put in my life. I need to express my needs & be willing to be vulnerable in order to get help. 5) Most importantly...I realized I needed to come face to face with God! I realized there were things I've been thinking, but I'd been trying to keep them from God. How ridiculous, huh?!? But...I did it. So...God & I had a long, much needed heart to heart conversation back in January. I told Him everything (even though He already knew it) because it made me give it up. I told Him how hurt I was & how upset I was. How could He let this happen to me? And why did it have to keep happening to me? Hadn't I learned enough the first time? The conversation went on & on - me telling Him everything, and ended with a broken person just crying out for help. That's when I felt Him the most & knew it was going to be okay!
I've grown so much over the past few months, but I'm still a work in progress (probably always will be). :-) I forgot to tell you one other realization I had...I'm going to be okay!!!
Thanks to all of you who have been there & supported me! My apologies to those I kept in the dark about everything! And all my love to God & those who have helped me on this path of healing! I'm back! It's me!
The past few months have been a time of relization for me. 1) I realized that I'd not been letting God have everything - part of me was afraid I'd be hurt again & another part of me didn't trust Him enough to give Him all. I can't begin to explain how that's affected my life! Words cannot express the grief I've caused myself because once again I tried to live this life on my own only to feel more lonely than I can remember feeling in a very long time! 2) I realized that I'd become very depressed - while I knew it wasn't "me", I didn't know how to get "me" back. There were things I wanted to do (like blog) but I just didn't care enough or have the energy to do it. After a great talk with my mom during Christmas break, I decided to seek medical help & am so thankful I did! 3) I realized how lucky I am to have a family physician who's a Christian - not only did he help me medically, but he also took time out of his busy schedule to help me spiritually. 4) I realized I needed to rely on people - when I'm at my lowest, they can be there to help me & listen to me. This is not easy for me - I've come to learn more about myself this year & have found that I'm very independent...almost to a fault. Maybe it's because I've lived on my own for so long...maybe it's because I'm afraid to trust someone with my heart...maybe it's because I'm a bit controlling...there's many things it could be, but the fact is I need to rely on people God has put in my life. I need to express my needs & be willing to be vulnerable in order to get help. 5) Most importantly...I realized I needed to come face to face with God! I realized there were things I've been thinking, but I'd been trying to keep them from God. How ridiculous, huh?!? But...I did it. So...God & I had a long, much needed heart to heart conversation back in January. I told Him everything (even though He already knew it) because it made me give it up. I told Him how hurt I was & how upset I was. How could He let this happen to me? And why did it have to keep happening to me? Hadn't I learned enough the first time? The conversation went on & on - me telling Him everything, and ended with a broken person just crying out for help. That's when I felt Him the most & knew it was going to be okay!
I've grown so much over the past few months, but I'm still a work in progress (probably always will be). :-) I forgot to tell you one other realization I had...I'm going to be okay!!!
Thanks to all of you who have been there & supported me! My apologies to those I kept in the dark about everything! And all my love to God & those who have helped me on this path of healing! I'm back! It's me!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Can you tell I've been busy?
Wow! I can't believe it's been a month since I've posted! I've been keeping pretty busy, but when I haven't been busy, I just been too tired (and lazy) to take the time to update. I keep thinking of things I want to tell all of you, but my good intentions have not gotten it done. And...once again, I'm tired & not in the mood to sit here & type so I'm going to head to bed. I will try to update you on the past month within the next couple of days. I have stories & photos to share. :-)
Hope you all are doing well!
Hope you all are doing well!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Weight Watcher Update
Last week I didn't put an update on, but I gained 1.6 pounds. It was beginning to get a bit annoying...the up & down roller coaster weigh ins, but that's life. So...I tried to be more active this week & made sure I drank all my water, and it paid off. At yesterday's meeting, I lost 5.6 pounds bringing my total to 23.2. I'm very excited about that, but was even more excited today when I had my measurements taken at the gym. In addition to the weight I've lost, I've also lost 10.5 inches. WooHoo! That'll keep me motivated this week. :-)
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