Seasons

This past weekend, I was invited to a women's retreat by one of my good friends. I was very excited, and a little nervous, to go. I was excited to see what God would teach me, but I was nervous about being around so many people I'd never met before. God did not disappoint! Our speaker, Pat Harley, gave four amazing messages. And, I got to know some amazing women over the 2 days.

These are the women of Numazawa . . . Room 4: (L-R) Nancy, Julie, Jennifer, Marcy, Melodie, Melissa, Kerri, & me. I had registered to ride the zip line a couple of times, but the weather didn't cooperate. Instead, we all gathered in our room & played games. :-)

The theme of the weekend was I will praise Him in every season. Sunday morning, the sun came out! It was beautiful!! It allowed everyone to participate in the "prayer mosaic". In case you don't know what that is (I didn't either until Sunday morning), it's where you go to several "stations" and have a time of prayer. For example, one of them was Laying your burdens at the foot of Jesus. So, at this station, we wrote a burden on a rock, prayed to give it over to Jesus, and threw the rock in the lake to symbolize its release. They had set up 7 different stations, and we each went through them. It was such an intimate time with my Savior! By far, that hour was the highlight of the retreat for me!! :)

Sunday morning, before breakfast, I walked around for a little while enjoying the sunshine. Of course, I had to get a picture of the lighthouse near the dining hall. Just because I'm living further from the ocean doesn't mean I've stopped looking for lighthouses! :) I sat out on the dock for a little while, too, until the wind got to be too strong.

It was a wonderful weekend, and I'm so glad that I got to go!

On a completely different note, it's April 21st today . . . which means it's Aggie Muster. For those of you who aren't Aggies, this is a day to remember those lost this past year and to celebrate the life that they had. I'm working tonight, so I won't be able to attend a local gathering, but hopefully I'll find a local group before next year. I'm sure there's an Aggie Family here in Fort Worth! :)

Where has the time gone?

I just looked at my last post date, and it's been a month. I'm sure you've been waiting with bated breath to find out what I've been up to. Or, you hadn't noticed it's been a while. =)

So, let's play catch up. . .

The past 6 months I've been working a contract at a children's hospital in the DFW area. With the end of that job rapidly coming to a close, I've spent a LOT of time praying for direction about what God wanted me to do. Amazingly enough, I've had so much peace (that can only come from Him) as the days ticked by and the paychecks were coming to a close. I looked around the area for NICU jobs, and I talked to a couple of NICU's in NC hospitals. Most every NICU is fully staffed at the moment. . . great for the nurses who aren't being overworked, but not so great for me. :) Even still, God had calmed my spirit about it all. So, I didn't let this consume me. I continued to enjoy my days off. (I know that's surprising . . . ha ha ha)

A few Saturdays ago, I spent a very busy yet very fun day in the Dallas area. One of my oldest friends (not by age, but because we've now been friends for 25 years . . . WOW!) had a surprise sprinkle for her 3rd little boy who will soon grace us with his presence. For those of you who have never heard of this, it's basically a baby shower & a surprise party mixed together. It was wonderful to get to visit with some people I haven't seen in 10+ years.

After the shower, I had planned to go to the Dallas Arboretum to see the tulips. It was smack dab in the middle of Dallas Blooms, so I was expecting greatness!! =) My sweet parents drove in from Tyler to meet me there. We were NOT disappointed!! We got to walk around there for a few hours before I needed to head off to my next activity for that day. It was an absolutely perfect afternoon for being in a garden!! =) Apparently, most of the people in Dallas felt the same way because it was pretty crowded. The past couple of springs, I've been further north & east from where I am this spring, so I've been blessed to get to enjoy all the beautiful cherry blossom trees. They are just gorgeous. Last Easter, I was in NC, and I spent most of the afternoon at the Duke Gardens. They had some amazing cherry blossom trees there. Well, I was missing getting to see them this year, so you can imagine how excited I was to see them at the Arboretum!! They were in full bloom - some still the pink & some were already turning more white. They are beautiful. What more could I ask for than tulips with cherry blossoms?!? Throw in some fun times with my parents & it's the trifecta. :) Not to discount the tulips, though. They were amazing. I can't even imagine how many THOUSAND bulbs had been planted there this year. All colors, sizes, & varieties. It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.

So, after enjoying creation for a while, I went over to some wonderful friends' house for a Red Envelope Party. Don't worry if you don't know what that is because I didn't know about it until my friend explained it to me. Basically, it was people from all across the country preparing & sending empty red envelopes to the White House with a message written on the back about abortion. Each envelope represented a child killed by an abortion. The envelope was purposely left empty because the child will never be able to participate in this life. It's kind of a grass roots effort to let our new President know that we don't agree with his recent decisions to fund & support abortions. I'm not usually a political activist, but this issue is very important to me. I spend HOURS & HOURS each week trying to save sick babies trying to make it for parents who so desperately want a child. It's so hard to hear of people killing their babies. Okay . . . I'm stepping down off of my soap box now. =)

That Sunday, I left on a long & exciting road trip. Well, at least the 2nd day of driving was exciting. :) For those of you who have never had the pleasure of driving across West Texas, let me just tell you - it's not all that exciting! Don't get me wrong, I'm a Texan through & through, and yes, I do believe it's a GREAT place to live. I just don't want to spend another 8 1/2 hours in a truck driving through that part again anytime soon. That evening, as the sun was setting, God really made it all worthwhile! The camera just can't capture the true colors of that sunset. It was gorgeous. Once I hit the state line that night, I only had about 20 minutes left until I reached my hotel. The next morning, after a much needed night of sleep, I got up refreshed & ready to finish my journey. I was heading to Twentynine Palms, CA, for a Marine Homecoming Celebration. Now those of you who have known me for years know that I don't have any brothers . . . officially. But, sometimes you have the family you were borne into & then the family you choose as you walk through life. Well, that is the type of brother I was going to welcome back to the States. Such dear friends don't come around everyday, and I was SO honored & excited to get to join in this celebration. Sean, my little brother, was getting back late that Monday night from Iraq (his 2nd tour). It was wonderful to see him home & safe again. God is doing amazing things in the lives of his parents. His mom is like a sister to me - someone who helped me get through the move from city to country back in highschool. This last picture is one of my favorites from that trip - Sean hugging his dad. It was such a wonderful . . . and VERY COLD . . . night. I'd always heard that the desert gets cold at night, but I was NOT prepared for that. Thankfully, Bea had planned for me & packed extra sweatshirts/sweaters for me. I'm lucky to have people looking out for me!! =) That Wednesday, I had to head back home so that I could go back to work. It was a short trip, but SO VERY WORTH IT!! I will always remember that night.

Now, that 18+ hour road trip left a lot of time for me to think. The saying is very true - An idle mind is the devil's workshop!! I have to admit that during part of that trip I started to get a little panicky about the job situation. I only had 3 weeks left, and then I didn't know what I was going to do. As a contract worker over the past couple of years, I've been able to set aside money, so I wasn't worried so much about the money issue. It's the control/planning issue that always creeps back into my thoughts and causes worry. Something I've been working on during the past few years is patience. If you know me at all, you know this is NOT my strongest character quality. (some might even say it doesn't exist on a regular basis in my life). =) But, as a contract nurse, it's something that MUST be learned! Clearly I haven't learned my lesson yet, because I was getting a little impatient with God about the job situation during those quiet hours in west Texas. I even considered calling a nurse manager of a hospital where I used to work to get a job. I knew they had an opening, and I felt pretty confident that I could just go back there & have a job. The problem was that I didn't have peace about doing that. I knew that it would be me taking control of the situation again instead of waiting on God. So, every time these thoughts would come to mind, I'd try to remember to pray. Each time, God brought one of the following 3 verses to my mind:

"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord.

'As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.'"

-Isaiah 55: 8-9

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord,

'plans to prosper you & not to harm you,

plans to give you hope & a future.'"

-Jeremiah 29:11

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,

by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts & your minds in Christ Jesus."

-Philippians 4:4-7

These promises would calm me down again. I ended up not calling that hospital on the trip. When I went back to work after my little trip, one of the night managers came rushing up to my patient's bedside while I was working with him, and she said "I haven't gotten a reply to my email!" I didn't have a clue what she was talking about, and was honestly a little worried that something bad had happened while I was away. I explained that I'd been out of town and that I hadn't yet had time to check my email since getting to work that night. She then explained that they were offering me a position to stay permanently, but they needed to know my answer ASAP since there's a list of people waiting to get hired there.

Talk about an answer to prayers! I'm sure (if you've been reading my blog over the past year) you're wondering why I'm not heading back to the east coast. It is what I've been planning and looking forward to for a while now. But, the more I thought & prayed about it, the more I realized that it's not where God wants me . . . at least right now. I'll just have to take little vacations out there so I can return to my favorite beaches! =) I'm excited because I've made some great friends at work here, and I think that God may use me to witness to some of my coworkers here. That would be awesome! Not to mention the fact that now I won't have to sit through another rah-rah-sis-boom-bah orientation week or two, and I won't have to learn another hospital's way of doing things. BOTH a bonus in my thinking! So, to say the obvious, I'm staying here in Fort Worth permanently. (or at least that's the plan right now) :) I'm actually more & more excited about this with each new day. No, it's not a perfect hospital & NICU. But, as I've learned over the past couple of years, that does NOT exist. I've been here long enough for the rose colored glasses to be removed, and I am still more than happy to stay.

Another bonus is that I'll be close to family & friends . . . something I've missed while traveling. Also, I get to stay at my church here. I'm so looking forward to getting involved in a ministry there! I'm not saying that the change back to "staff" from "contract" isn't scary & a bit intimidating at times. But, it's really what I feel I should be doing. So, with all that said, I'm off on an apartment hunt today. The whole lizard incident last December, along with a few other issues, has made me want a new apartment.

Well, that pretty much sums up my life for the past month. I'm going to try to be better at updating here this month. I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend celebrating our Risen Savior!!

Celebration & Renewal

So, this morning's service was so amazing that I wanted to share it with you. It was unlike any other that I've been to. Today was "Baptism Sunday". Now, growing up, our church didn't just set aside one service for people to be baptised. Then again, we always had a built in baptistery. =) So, this morning, the entire service was a celebration of people who have chosen Jesus to lead their lives and wanted to make it public.

I go to a Bible church near here. In case you've never visited one, these churches (at least the one's I've visited) are based on the church in Acts. Meaning that a huge emphasis is placed on small community groups that meet during the week and then with other groups on Sunday for corporate worship. (this will be important later) They often have several pastors with one 'senior pastor', and they have an elder board to minister to both the congregation as well as to the pastors. This particular church has 'area pastors'. These men are pastors to specific areas in the community and all the small groups in that area. All this to say, your community/small groups become like a family.

For the past several weeks, our senior pastor has been preaching about ministering to the 'down & out' people of our community. (i.e. the homeless & destitute population) As a community of believers, we've read the book "Same Kind of Different as Me".

Don't worry, I'm not going to give you a book report or even a synopsis. I'm just going to say it's worth the read! I feel like I've had a big change in how I view the world around me. . . my own little renewal. On this note, please pray with me to know God's will about someone who I'll call "B-man". It's exciting to see God at work in a new way like I have over the past few weeks!

Back to this morning ...

After a time of worship, we watched a video of the people being baptised telling about their salvation experience. It was so personal - like family - getting to hear the background story. As the different people went into the water, the members of their family/community groups went up to the stage to be a part of this exciting day. There were cheers & tears of joy everywhere in the auditorium. What a blessing to get to be a part of this celebration Sunday. I don't feel like I'm able to adequately describe this morning, but it's the type of celebration I imagine the angels have each time someone accepts Christ - or at least as close as we can get to that as humans.

God is doing amazing things in this area!!

Thankful Thursday

1. I'm thankful for COFFEE!!!!
2. I'm thankful for forgiveness: given & received.
3. I'm thankful for the moments when medical experts sit dumbfounded by a miracle only God could have given.
4. I'm thankful for tulips - short lived but beautiful! (Well worth the wait each year!)
5. I'm thankful for spring - reminder of fresh beginnings.
6. I'm thankful for my fun scrapbooking toys . . . hours of fun!
7. I'm thankful for music. I always have a song in my heart & head.
8. I'm thankful for my "smiley" Roony. =)
9. I'm thankful for getting to see "Sam" turn 4 - relatively healthy - after so many days thinking he wouldn't make it through my 12 hour shift.
10. I'm thankful for jammy days!!!!

I hope you have a wonderful and 'thanks-ful' Thursday!!

Boys of Summer

I love baseball! With each spring comes the joy of baseball games and the hopes that one of our Texas teams (preferable the Astros, but either would be awesome!!) will do something exciting! =) After I woke up this evening (that's right . . . I actually slept today! YAY!!), I was flipping through the channels and came across a spring training game between the Cubs & the White Sox. It's my 1st game to see in 2009, and I've already gotten to see a triple! (my favorite & in my opinion, the MOST exciting play of baseball!!) Good times.

People have asked me why I like baseball so much, and really, it's not to just see the players - although I definitely have my favorites! :~) I love to see the teamwork. For example, when an outfielder is eyeing a ball to catch, the other players around him come around him in support: either to high five him for a good catch & throw back or to catch the ball if he misses. When players are crossing home plate, their teammates are standing there to cheer for them. And, if the other team's pitcher hits one of your teammates with the baseball on purpose, you can pretty much rest assured that your team's pitcher is going to return the favor the next time he's on the mound. (NOT that I'm supporting bad sportsmanship, but I do support the camaraderie!)

It reminds me of working in the NICU. Maybe a stretch to everyone else, but it fits perfectly in my mind. For example, when your patient suddenly starts crashing, people seem to come out of the woodwork to help & give support. When all is said & done, those people are there to help get your patient settled again after the excitement; or, they are there for support & to help after "the ball wasn't caught". Another interesting thing (possibly weird to some) is that each thing you learn to do to the babies (i.e. assess for different problems in the babies, insert tubes or IV's, etc.) is exciting to the person learning. I honestly remember most of my firsts at work . . . first IV, first good catch that prevented something bad from happening to the baby, first mistake, first baby going to surgery, first baby under 1kg, first code, first death . . . I could go on. As someone who is certainly NOT an expert in the field but who has been privileged to have many different experiences, it's so exciting to see the new nursing school graduates entering into the world of NICU having their firsts. It's even more fun to help them with whatever the task is and get to celebrate/sympathize with them. I realize this sounds morbid to most people, but there's a certain bond between people that go through stressful situations together. It's unlike any other. Which leads me to the camaraderie comparison between baseball & nursing. For the most part, NICU nurses want to work with babies (the smaller the better!) and not much else. We are often very similar in our personalities. So, when we get sent to work in another unit, it's so nice to see someone from the NICU coming to say hi & check on you during that 12 hours in a foreign land. .

So, sitting here enjoying this game (which is turning out to be a pretty close game) and thinking way TOO much for 11:30PM :), some random thoughts have come to mind:

• I'm not a fan of the sidewinder or submarine delivery pitcher. I think it just looks jerky & sloppy.
• Sports commentators should stick to just that - sports. Now I'm the first to admit I'm not a fashionable person! If it's comfortable, I'll most likely buy it in multiple colors!! :) But, when these guys are announcing pitches and then throw in a comment about someone's new hairstyle, different shave, different way of wearing their pants, it's just amusing (and a bit disturbing!!).
• Speaking of fashion, I wish they'd have the players wear their pants the same way. I honestly don't have a preference: ending at the knees with the color coordinated knee socks or at the ankles with no socks showing. It really doesn't matter, but I wish they would all match!!!! I'm a fan of symmetry, and the different pant lengths are disturbing to this OCD fan! :)
• The "new" catchers' masks. Admittedly, I'm a traditionalist - not too surprising since I went to A&M! :) And, I've heard the arguments about how the new hockey mask like catchers' masks (does that even make sense?!?) are safer and easier to use, but I'm just not a fan. I like the old school version where they can remove the front mask part and leave the "baseball cap" part on while chasing a pop up.
• I appreciate the guys that run full speed out of the batters' box no matter what. I like that sold out approach. Biggio, when he played for the 'stros, was like that. Even when everyone in the ballpark knew that it would be caught, he went full speed ahead towards 1st base. I like that kind of commitment.
• As mentioned earlier, a triple is the most exciting thing for me to see in a baseball game. Sure, I enjoy seeing home runs and pretty swings, but the excitement of someone racing around 270 feet as fast as he can while someone else has gotten the ball and is throwing it to the third baseman is just too much fun!
• I'm sad that some of the players decided to ruin it by abusing steroids.
• I do not think the players should be paid millions of dollars for a God given talent when America's teachers (helping to form our future leaders) are typically on such a low pay scale. Our priorities have gotten off.
• My love for baseball comes honestly . . . I grew up watching it with my grandparents (baseball & Wheel of Fortune - another favorite) when I'd spend time at their houses.
• Aggie baseball games are by far the most fun baseball games in the world!!!! If you haven't been yet, you've missed out and should remedy this ASAP. =)
• I have a signed baseball from my FAVORITE player sitting on a shelf by his baseball card. He wasn't the best by baseball standards, but he was by far the best in my little world!

Week of Music

This past week was highlighted with musical events! Last Monday, I got to meet up with my cousin & his family for supper. It's always so much fun visiting with them! :~) While playing with my hair after we'd finished eating, Jenna (the 6 yr old) told me about her performance the next night at the PTA meeting for her school. Then, she told me I could come cheer for/watch her if I wanted to. (How could I say no to that?!?) Thankfully, I was off Tuesday night, so I headed east to see the show. I must admit, I was amazed (& brought to tears a couple times) at the talent these kiddos displayed! Her elementary school - a public school - teaches '6 pillars of character' to the children. How wonderful that they are learning how to live lives of character at such a young age!! Another impressive program at this school is the stringed instrument lessons for each student. Community members have either donated money or donated a stringed instrument to the school . . . enough so that each student in the school gets to learn how to play during the school day. Being a music lover, this touched my heart! The program was about America's "living history". So, the kids told of different influential people from our history throughout the program. It was really entertaining! I forgot to ask her mom if I could post a picture, so I won't. But, suffice it to say she was adorable up there singing her heart out! =) The show/PTA meeting ended with the coach getting several pies in the face - a reward to the kids who sold the most cookie dough last semester. Good times! As my cousin so aptly stated as we left the school - "Anything that ends with someone getting a pie to the face is a good time!" We decided that this should be the conclusion to many more activities in life!

Saturday night, I met up with a friend of mine from Galveston & a couple of her friends to go to the opera. We went to see La Boheme at Fair Park in Dallas, but we actually missed the first half of the opera because of traffic. We sat on MLK Blvd. in downtown Dallas (not the safest place in the area for a car full of girls) for close to an hour trying to get into the gate. As we looked around at the people in the cars sitting beside us, we started noticing that many of the people weren't the opera type. (I know - wrong to judge a book by the cover.) At one point, the girl driving us rolled her window down and asked where the carload next to us was going. Turns out, one of the big country stations for the Metroplex was having a Country Mardi Gras at the Cotton Bowl - also at Fair Park for those of you not familiar with Dallas. All the traffic was beginning to make sense. We did finally get inside. Don't get me wrong, I love the opera & the talented musicians! But, as we sat there, I was wondering a few things: 1) How did these people sing about chickens & eggs with a straight face? 2) Would it sound as pretty if they were singing these words in English? 3) Do the people who speak that language find it odd hearing people sing chicken & eggs, or do they think it sounds pretty & elegant like we do? Hmmm . . .

The other day, one of my friends from the hospital I used to work at in Dallas posted pictures of her beautiful tulips blooming. So, I decided that they must be in bloom here at the botanical gardens. After all, Fort Worth is only about 35 minutes west of Plano - not really a big climate difference! Well, much to my dismay, they weren't blooming in Fort Worth, but there were pretty daffodils EVERYWHERE you looked! Go figure. I enjoyed my walk in the garden anyway, though. For me, you pretty much can't go wrong walking among beautiful flowers on a sunny day!

So, you may be wondering what daffodils have to do with music. Well, they're forever connected in my little mind thanks to Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (the good version with Gene Wilder). After the 5 golden tickets have been redeemed, the kids have signed the contract, and everyone has piled into that little elevator, Wonka opens the door to the magical candy field with the chocolate river. "Everything you see is eatable . . . edible!" (Yes, I know it's scary that I know the movie so well!) =) Moving on - As Wonka is singing about this paradise, he sits down and plucks a daffodil off of its stem. He then proceeds to remove the cup part of the flower from the saucer part and drinks from it. I've always imagined it to be some super sweet juice. Anyways, when I see a daffodil, that song immediately comes to my mind & gets stuck. It's still playing in my head . . . hours later. :)

The 'tulip trees' were also in full bloom. I'm almost positive they aren't really called that, but the blooms remind me a little of tulips, so that's what I call them. :) I love that the blooms are different colors on the inside from what they are on the outside. The contrast is amazing!

Undaunted by the lack of tulips in the gardens, I decided to pick some up at the grocery store on my way home. I was determined to enjoy some tulips this week! If I were a flower, I'm pretty sure I'd be a tulip. I always forget how bulky they are at the base, so the two bundles I got took up two vases. NOT a problem, though. I'll just get to enjoy them in my bedroom and my living room! Good times!!

Have a great week!

Farewell Faithful Friend . . . For Now

Yes, that's a picture of my trash. :-) I'm mourning the end of my Starbuck's Christmas Blend coffee streak. This elixir of life has once again served me well as I struggle to stay out of a coma with my crazy hours. I always stock up on this particular flavor during the brief time that it's sold. I frequently ask them to sell it year round for those of us who are more addicted to it than the normal stuff - to no avail as of yet. But, as anyone who's ever met me can testify, I'm much too stubborn to give up that easily on something so important! =) I've also suggested a "Christmas in July" reprise of this flavor. After all, Christmas is not a date but a state of mind!! I put the last of it into the coffee grinder the other evening before work, so I only have one, maybe two, cups left until it comes back to the shelves in NINE LONG MONTHS! So, I'm off to savor one of my last cups...

'Special' Moments

(a.k.a. times you wish you could crawl under a rock for a few minutes & hide.)

I seem to be having more of these lately. Most recently was this morning. Yesterday, after a fun breakfast with my sister & sending her off to the airport to pick up her husband, I decided to take my car in for its "60 Thousand Mile Checkup" . . . just a few thousand miles late. (but, better late than never, right?!?) So, off I go. After sitting in the waiting area for a couple of hours, the man I was working with came to find me. At that point, it was going to be at least another 3-4 hours. Then, (my favorite question of the day) he asked if I wanted to wait or if I'd like a loaner car and to pick up mine tomorrow (this) morning. Hmmm . . . not a hard decision! When I checked my car in yesterday morning, he told me that all service comes with a free car wash. YEA!! Roony was filthy (to put it lightly).

This brings me to this morning ...

I went to pick up my baby, and was handed a coupon for a local car wash. No problem. I took my car, stopped for some BOLD coffee, and went to the car wash. Here's the embarrassing part. I was sitting in the waiting area, and the Rachel Ray show was on the TV. No biggy, right? Her shows are typically funny. Well, NOT today's! She'd sponsored a mass wedding for 40 couples in & around Houston whose weddings were postponed due to Hurricane Ike. It was SO sweet! Needless to say, I started tearing up . . . in public. (rolling eyes) I was sitting in the waiting area with some man, and tears started running down my cheeks thinking about how much these people had been through. Thankfully, they finished my car before the show ended, so I could leave before I'd lost all control of my emotions. :~)

Good times . . .

The good news in all of this is that my car is ready for another 30,000 miles, shiny & clean, and still has a little of my NC sand in the back. I'm thinking it's time for some more ROAD TRIPS!!

Just Playing

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE clocks! The 'tick-tock' sound is so soothing to me for some reason. Knowing this, my Papa Joe told me about a friend of his that is a clock collector & dealer. So, we went out to this friend's house one day the week before last. OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Never in my life have I seen such a diverse & wonderful collection!! They were all antiques and varied in size and shape. Some were American made, but most were from overseas - mostly Europe. He has a shop beside his house where he repairs and sells the clocks, but his personal collection is inside his house. He graciously allowed me & Papa Joe in to see these masterpieces. WOW! So pretty! I had planned on buying one from him . . . having no idea what the average price was. (again . . . WOW) I found one in his shop that he was going to give me an amazing deal on, but I just can't spend that type of money right now. Someday!

While I was visiting in Canton, we went to 1st Monday. I always try to make it out of there without spending money, but I haven't reached that goal yet. It never seems to fail - I see something I need, and the downward spiral starts. =) It's almost as bad as Target! And just for the record, I am a LOYAL TARGET SHOPPER, but the "One Spot" is deceptive!! Granted, most everything in it is $1, but let's be real - who can get out of there spending only $1?!? I get caught up there and finally make my way out 10-15 minutes and $10-20 later. But I digress . . . We had a great time visiting, and the Canton trip was a success in at least one respect - I did not buy a dog!! They have this section called "DOG ALLEY" (very dangerous!) where they allow breeders to come with all the adorable little creatures. Before we entered, I told my Papa Joe that I was under NO circumstances allowed to buy a dog that day!! Thankfully, he held me to that deal, and I left Canton later that evening without a dog. :~)

So, then I worked a few more days so I could have more play time!

This past Tuesday was a great day! I went over to some friends' house to hang out most of the afternoon. (Their little boys are two of my 'nephews'.) She was keeping a friends' 6 month old, so she invited me to come play with the baby, too! What fun! She was laughing and 'talking' and sitting up and smiling - none of which my babies at work can do. What a great way to spend the afternoon! Her husband asked about my choice of "day off of work activities" that night a supper. "You spend your days off playing with babies?!?" Well, yes I do. Only it's a different kind of play. I love what I do at work, but it's so much fun to have some play time with babies that respond. =) After the little girl's mom picked her up, we all (two kiddos, my friend, and I) settled down for calm time in front of "Snow White". Her youngest crawled up in my lap and we had snuggle time during the movie. Priceless times!

Then, I worked a few more days. . .

Yesterday, I met up with a friend of mine for lunch. I was thinking about it today, and we've been friends since we were 5 years old! Now, I'm not going to say how old we are, but suffice it to say we've stayed friends for a LONG TIME. It is such a blessing to have friends like that - where we just pick up where we left off the last time. Honestly, I'm blessed to have a few of these friends, and I can't imagine my life without each of them. God has blessed me greatly! After lunch, she had to get back home, so I went "comfort shopping" (lots of bad news this past week - but that's a story for another time). I found a new shopping center on the north side of Fort Worth . . . shopping and exploring! Good times. After getting some fun new shirts and my bonus (Clinique shoppers - it's bonus days at Belk's!), I headed home. It was such a gorgeous day, I hated to go lock myself in my apartment to finish cleaning it, so I stopped at the Botanical Gardens to walk around. I'd never gone to the Japanese Gardens there, but I went yesterday. It was kinda strange to see so much lush greenery in February. =) Here are a few pictures. . .

See what I mean about all the green?!? Beautiful - even in winter! (Well, the Texas Winter at least!) :~) So, after walking around for a little while, I found a bench and decided to play with my new camera a little bit. Now, I'm not a complete believer in the thought that "reading instructions is only for the weak", but I do adopt this belief partially. For example, when I got my new camera at Christmas, I did read some of the owner's manual to find out what the different letters and knobs/buttons/dials meant. But, beyond that, I like to adopt the "learn by doing" principle. Usually not the most efficient way to learn something, and I often can't remember what I did to get the cool feature, but it's definitely more fun!! Yesterday, I learned about the manual focus and the black & white features of the camera. Good times! I think I ended up taking about 15 pictures of the same pagoda (or whatever they're called) before I got things figured out, but I was having fun. I think black & white pictures are beautiful, so I was so excited to figure out how to use this feature!

Well, I guess that pretty much catches you up on my life over the past couple of weeks. I hope you have a terrific day!

Some things just don't mix

For example . . . winter weather & Texas driving! :) Tuesday morning, as the 'terrible winter weather' was approaching, I was trying to get home. Now, to be perfectly fair, there was sleet/ice on the roads about 30-45 miles north of here as I was leaving work. Fort Worth, however, was just getting some really cold rain. This didn't hinder people from driving 20 miles below the speed limit, though. How happy did that make me?!? :) So, yesterday evening, thinking it would be bad outside, I left for work early. It really wasn't bad until the middle of the night, which made my evening commute easy. The fear started to set in at about 2 or 3 this morning when most of the day shift workers were calling in 'sick' or 'bad weather'. :) One of the drawbacks of my job is that we can't just leave . . . someone has to be there when I leave or else bad things happen. (to put it lightly) So, needless to say, I was overjoyed when my replacement showed up close to on time!! The drive home wasn't too bad, and because of the late caffeine shot (thinking I was going to be at the hospital for a while), I had plenty of energy when I got home. :) I walked around outside to get some pictures of the pretty white ice . . . looks a lot like snow, but it's very slippery.

You can't see it very well, but there's steam coming up from the water fountain. It was really cold this morning!!!! :) I hope you're warm & safe wherever you are!

"Shoot me a Waco!"

Long overdue, but I finally went on an exploration/road trip today. Hard to believe, but I haven't really gone exploring outside of Fort Worth proper since moving here. Several years ago, my sister went with a friend to the Dr Pepper bottling plant in Dublin, TX. For those of you who aren't Dr Pepper fans or experts, this is the oldest bottling plant in the world and it's the only one that still uses pure cane sugar instead of the corn syrup that the corporate bottling companies use. Ever since she told me about it, I've wanted to go, and today I did! :) Turns out, it's only a couple hours from my apartment - no big deal for me!

Dublin . . . The Irish Capital of Texas . . . is also home to this Dr Pepper heaven. I wasn't sure exactly where I was going (other than the city name), but it wasn't really a problem. Dr Pepper

was located on the corner of main street. YEA!!

Unfortunately, they weren't actually bottling the sweet nectar today, but I did get to take the tour. By the way, if you're thinking about taking the tour:

• it's VERY inexpensive!
• free parking
• free Dr Pepper with your tour
• they only bottle drinks on a couple of Wednesdays each month . . . call ahead!!

This is Kenny, our tour guide, explaining part of the bottling process. :) I didn't realize it, but Dr Pepper was created in a pharmacy in Waco. The inventor combined 23 flavors of soda to make this little piece of heaven. At the time, you could only get it in his drug store, and to order it, you said "Shoot me a Waco!" He had it on tap, so you could only get it in a glass, and had to finish it in his store . . . no 'to go cups'. (a little paranoid? . . . maybe!) :) So, long story short, the next generation started bottling it in Dublin, it went corporate, went to the corn syrup recipe, and is now available all over the country.

After touring the bottling factory, we went into the Dr Pepper Museum. No pictures are allowed in that part, but it does have some fun Dr Pepper memorabilia! Especially the last room of the tour . . . HUNDREDS of Dr Pepper clocks!!!! Needless to say, this was my favorite part of the tour. :~)

Then, it was time for the after tour fun . . . lunch! And yes, I did have some real food, but the real reason for eating there is their floats. . . Dr Pepper (with sugar cane) and Blue Bell ice cream . . . does it get any better?!?!?!? Talk about a SUGAR RUSH!!!! happiness :) After lunch, I walked around Dublin for a little while. Another little fun fact, the 2nd week of June each year, Dublin officially becomes 'Dr Pepper, TX'. They actually switch out the city limit signs. On the bottling company's birthday (or close to it . . . the 2nd Saturday of June), they throw a big party. Apparently thousands of people come to celebrate . . . and possibly for the free Dr Pepper! Good times. Gotta make sure I'm free (& in Texas) for that weekend!!!!

On my way back home, I decided to stop at a few of the interesting places I'd seen along the way. The first stop was at a family farm where they make their own cheeses. (And no, I don't have a clue on how to pronounce that name.) :) The woman in the shop was a fellow Aggie, so we visited for a little while. It still amazes me how just seeing someones ring can create an instant bond. . . but I digress. She showed me around where the cheese is actually made and explained the process. I had no idea that you could "make different cheeses". The man who actually makes the cheese at this dairy has created some different flavors of cheese. Now I'm the first to admit that my palate isn't good at distinguishing different ingredients in foods, but I tried a couple of his cheeses. I really liked the 'Texas Star' cheese. So much so that I brought some home and had it with dinner! :)

After we finished talking, I hopped back in my car . . . on to Stephenville. This is the home of Tarleton State University - my dad's alma mater.

Stephenville is a nice size city, with a beautiful town square. The courthouse is amazing! And, to top it off, 'Moolah' (a statue of a cow made from what appears to be fiberglass ) is right in front of said courthouse. My dad said that it's been there as long as he can remember. hmmm Sadly, I didn't get it in any of my pictures.

The final stop on my journey today was at a winery in Dale Bluff. I really enjoy visiting small, family owned shops!! The lady at the counter told me about their vineyard and the different special activities at the restaurant.

The coolest part is that they have picnic tables all around the vineyards. She said that people often bring a picnic there. They obviously serve food there if you don't want to pack your own, but picnics are always fun! :) She said that the vines would be in full bloom by April, so I'm thinking there will definitely need to be a return trip for that . . .

So, I'm finally back home after a very long and very fun day. I hope you enjoyed the 'mini-tour' of Midwest Texas. :~)

Have you ever . . .?

I copied this from a friend's blog. The thing said to bold ones that applied.


1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars (in a tent)
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper (too many to count!)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold shower
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Survived a Hurricane
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant about your ancestors
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name (tried once, but it didn't last) :)
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep . . . HAPPY moments! :)
105. Dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people (at least I hope so!)
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child (none of mine, but lost several that I cared for)
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt (not by myself)
129. Lived in a historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage

131. Asked for a raise

132. Made a hole-in-one

133. Gone deep sea fishing

134. Gone roller skating

135. Ran a marathon

136. Learned to surf

137. Invented something

138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box (LOVED Holly Hobby!!!!)
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hotel
184. Been a cashier (my dream job as a kid . . . until they invented the scanners)
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog (um . . . yeah)
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
198. Built your own PC from parts
199. Written your own role playing game
200. Been arrested

Happier Thoughts

Last night . . . NOT the best night at work. BOO on mean people!! So, after a couple of hours of sleep today, I decided to go do something fun as a little 'self-reward'. :-) I went to walk around downtown Fort Worth, AND they still had some Christmas decorations up!! BONUS!! :)

Can you believe it's 2009?!?

I can't! In some ways, 2008 went so quickly it seems like just a blur. In other ways, I was ready to say 'Adios, 2008!!' . . . time to move on! :-) I hope you had a spectacular Christmas and were able to spend some quality time with the people you love. I had a wonderful and relaxing week off between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Since I worked the nights leading up to Christmas Day, I didn't get to enjoy Christmas Eve celebrations with my mom's half of the family. But, my sweet parents came to my apartment to stay Christmas Eve night so I wouldn't have to come home to an empty house Christmas morning. It was SO FUN to walk in and see my tree all lit up! (it's the little things in life that make it wonderful!) :-) So, after I cleaned up from work . . . no one wants to baste in hospital funk for too long! . . . we had a yummy breakfast, I packed for the upcoming week away from Cowtown, and we headed out to my Papa Joe's house for the big Christmas lunch. To be perfectly honest, most everyone was dreading this day in one way or another as it was our first Christmas without our First Lady of Christmas (Mema). It's just not the same without her, and missing her threatened to dampen our joy that day. But, God's grace came through, as always (2 Corinthians 12:9), and allowed everyone to have a good day visiting with each other and catching up on life happenings. Most excitingly . . . we'll have a new baby to cuddle next Christmas!!!! My cousin & his wife announced that they are expecting the arrival of the next member of their family some time in September! Just another way to remind us that life continues even in times of loss and sorrow. I'm SO excited for them!!

We left there to go to my parent's house around 3 or 4 that afternoon. I'd hit the 'awake for 24 hours' coma, so we left. :) I crashed pretty much as soon as we got home! The next morning, dad & I made a big breakfast for everyone. Then, it was Santa time!! Amy & Ronnie were able to be with us again that day, and she was feeling pretty well that morning - another little Christmas gift from God. After exchanging gifts, they headed to Houston to spend some time with his family, and my parents & I headed to Target. :) Yep, we were some of the insane that ventured to a store on the day after Christmas. Originally, we were just going to Lowe's to get some last minute supplies so we could start on the deck. Then, I decided that since we were out, we might as well go by Target! (shocking, I know!!) Other than the fact that I just like to shop there, I'd gotten money for Christmas so that I could buy a new camera . . . which just happened to be on sale at Target. (a third Christmas miracle?!?) :~) So, I picked up the camera that I'd been wanting, we went to Lowe's, and then the project began!

Dad with the post hole digger

Mom with some measuring/straight edge tool

The pictures are dark because I forgot to adjust the flash - fun times learning a new camera!! :) My dad dug the holes for the deck frame posts, and mom & I were the 'tool & wood getters' . . . which basically means that we handed dad the things he needed. I was photographing the action when he wasn't using the noisy tools. When he was, I was off plugging my ears! :)

Saturday was yucky outside, so we worked on some indoor projects my mom wanted finished. Well, we got it started and ran out of time. (Translation: made a bigger mess & left it!) Oh well, it was a good effort. :-) She wanted to pull out the family pictures from days gone by and get some of them hung on the walls. It was fun (& sometimes a bit scary) to see the old pictures. Mostly, we pulled each one out and laughed at the oh so cool hairstyles we each had! Good times!! That evening, we met some 'family' (family by choice as opposed to by blood) for dinner in Lufkin.

Sunday, after church, we went to my Granny's for a fish fry. YUM!! As I've said before, my Papa Art makes the BEST Crappie!! One of my cousins & her husband were unable to make it for the Christmas Eve celebration, too, so we all got together on that Sunday to visit. Monday was a day of shopping for mom and me. NOT that I needed (or planned) to buy anything, but I think I bought more than her that day!! Tuesday, she brought me back to Fort Worth so I could flip back to being a night owl.

New Year's Eve was a fun day. After running a few errands (like buying some black eyed peas for New Years!!), I met a good friend of mine & her two little boys at Build a Bear Workshop. I'm not sure who's idea it was to have small children faced with so many decisions just to get a stuffed animal, but it's entertaining for the adults! First, you have to pick the shell of the animal you want. Then, you pick a heart to go inside. Then, you decide if you want it firm or soft. Then, you decide whether or not to dress your new friend. This decision is often made more by the person holding the money than by the child, but still something for the little mind to consider. Finally, you have to pick out the animal's name to put on the birth certificate. WOW! That's a lot of decisions to make in a short time!! A good time was had by all! :~) After hanging out with them for a few hours, I met my sister at our favorite place - Studio Movie Grill. It's dinner & a movie in one spot! We went to see the new Will Smith movie . . . Seven Pounds. VERY GOOD!! I can't tell you more without giving it away. Suffice it to say, I was mostly lost during the movie up until the last 20 minutes. It hints at what's going on without giving it completely away. We gave it two thumbs . . . AND a BIG TOE up!! (the next to highest ranking on the Poe Sister Movie Scale!) The only drawback to the movie is that it seems to end abruptly. Other than that, it was really good!!

Are you a 'new year resolution person'? Growing up, I was, and then I quit sometime - not really sure when. Most likely it was because I didn't really keep most of them past January. But, I started again two years ago (2006). The difference, though, was that I only set 3 . . . one of which was to actually keep the other two. Is that cheating? :) Also, I REFUSED to put weight loss anywhere near that list!!!! Why set myself up for disappointment?!? Again this year, I sat down to set some goals to strive for in 2009. It's funny how actually writing these down makes them seem more 'real'.

The Sunday after Christmas, the pastor at my parent's church taught about 'making a difference' in 2009 - the inspiration for my 2009 goals. He shared the back story for the following poem that morning:

"It Matters To This One"

As I walked along the seashore

This young boy greeted me.

He was tossing a stranded starfish

Back into the deep blue sea.

I said, Tell me why you bother.

Why you waste your time this way?

There's a million stranded starfish.

Does it matter anyway?

And he said, "It matters to this one.

It deserves a chance to grow.

It matters to this one.

I can't save them all I know.

But it matters to this one,

I'll return it to the sea.

It matters to this one,

And it matters to me."

-Anonymous

So far, it's been a great 2009!! :-) Today, we even had icy weather today - not bad enough to mess up the roads but enough to make ice cycles on the trees & the buggy corral at Target. (one more opportunity to play with my camera!!)

I hope you're having a wonderful first week of 2009!

"Spring" Weather?

Today . . . TWO days before the official start of Winter . . . we had amazing 'spring' weather! All this after about a week of 30-40 degree weather. Welcome to Texas!! :-) Well, I couldn't stay indoors when it was so nice outside. Yep, you guessed it . . . I went back to the FW Botanic Gardens.

I saw this tree and immediately thought of 'Boo Radley' from To Kill a Mockingbird. I'm not sure why . . . Anyways, that's the bench I picked to sit & read today. What I didn't notice when I sat down was that a rather large bird's nest was on one of the limbs. At one point, I was on the phone, and the bird was SO LOUD that it was a little difficult to hear! I guess I was invading its personal space.

I just love variegated flowers! I think this is a rose, but I honestly don't remember which garden it was in. . . just a pretty flower. :)

If you look closely, you can see water drops on the petals. A lot of the blooms were messed up during the freezes last week, but there were still a few pretty ones.

Lastly, I thought this looked like a Holly Bush . . . Christmas themed plants!! :) I couldn't find the name tag on the trunk, so I'm just going to pretend it really is a holly bush.

On a completely different note -

This is most likely the last post I'll do for a while. I've decided that I spend entirely too much time on the internet. So, I'm going to have an "internet fast" (for lack of a better word) for a while. (Except for checking email occasionally) :) Please pray with me as I use this time to seek God's direction in a couple areas of my life. Thanks!

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas

and a wonderful New Year!!

Randomness . . .

• I think the twinkle lights on my Christmas tree are possessed. When I tested them before putting them on the tree, they all flashed like they were supposed to. Once on the tree, though, only half of the top strand flashed. This is okay, I guess, since it's in the center of the tree - kinda like a belt. :) Well, tonight for about an hour & a half, BOTH halves of that strand were flashing. It's back to 'normal' now. Kinda weird. I'm thinking it might be time for new lights next year.


• Possibly the BEST $20 I've spent ALL year:

In case the picture isn't clear, this is my 'bag lady' - two level cart. My parking space isn't close to my apartment, so this little cart carries all my stuff back to my apartment after grocery shopping - a LIFE SAVER after a day of Christmas shopping!!!! :) It folds flat and rides in the back of Roony to all the stores. If you want one, it can be found at the Mother Ship (a.k.a. Target) for about $20.

• Why do people walk up to an empty cashier line where the light is off & wait? Are they hoping that someone will just appear and check them out? Why not just get in a line with the light on? I saw this a few times today. . . always good for a little laugh! :~)
• Did you also watch the Christmas in Washington special on TV tonight? Who was the man that sang "O Holy Night"? He was fantastic!! I have always loved a good baritone. It brought tears to my eyes listening to him perform one of my favorite Christmas carols!
• I couldn't find a Nativity at Wal Mart today. Do they not sell them there anymore? I walked every isle in the Christmas Shop twice looking for one.
• Best buy of the day . . . I got FOUR Christmas CD's today for $25!!!! They were all on sale (one even for $1). WooHoo!! :-)
• I miss the college Christmas breaks - a whole month of freedom to play! Aside from the "studying" and tests, it's a pretty good deal.
• I love all the Christmas specials on TV!! Last night, I got to be home and watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. . . happiness!!
• Even with psycho twinkle lights, Christmas trees look so much better with gifts under them!
• The other half of that strand of lights is now flashing again . . . (-:

Intruder Alert!

Monday was quite a day around here. Knowing I had a lot to get done, I was up early (well, early for someone who just finished a stretch of night shifts). :) As I was getting ready to leave, the maintenance man for the apartments knocked on my door.


A little background:

My heater stopped working sometime last week. Since I'm not at home several nights during the week, this wasn't a huge problem. It doesn't get that cold during the day here very often, and when it does, it just makes me sleep better. All this to say, I didn't report it as soon as I realized why my apartment was so cold each morning when I got home from work. (and yes, it took a couple of days to figure this out since I'm often one small step above comatose when getting home from work) Not wanting to be bothered while trying to sleep, I just decided to tough it out until I had a couple of days off where I could be awake during daylight hours to let the maintenance man in. So, I reported the problem Sunday, and the wonderful maintenance man showed up first thing Monday morning.

Although very grateful that he was able to fix the problem in about 45 minutes, it did set me back a little getting on the road. I did eventually leave, and went to my first destination . . . Sam. (this is the little boy - now 4 years old!!!! - who I took care of for about 10 months in the hospital) Well, his birthday was about a week ago, and I hadn't had a chance to give him his present. Since I'm still having some residual symptoms from being sick a week or so ago, I didn't want to stay around him for fear that I might make him sick. So, this was a very short visit - just enough to see him open his present & visit with his foster mom for a little while. :) It was wonderful to see them again . . . he looked so good!!!!

From there, I went to another friend's house to help set up for a cookie party. We had a great time visiting. One of our friends that came to the cookie party was a former roommate from A&M whom I hadn't seen since leaving there years ago. We had so much fun catching up! :) I didn't get any pictures at the party, but Melissa did, so I'm sure she'll post them sometime... (hint, hint) ;)

After everyone left, we cleaned up a little and then I headed home. I was visiting on the phone with one of my friends in Virginia on my way home (another roommate from A&M who is having her 3rd baby tomorrow!!) and started craving some Freebirds - a favorite restaurant from Aggieland. So, I turned in to grab some dinner before getting home. I guess God knew I'd need some extra strength for what I was going to face when arriving home . . .

I had an intruder in my bathroom!

This picture was taken this morning after the 13 hour battle had ended. In case you can't tell, it's a lizard lying upside down in a pool of Raid.

So, back to last night . . .

I walked into my bathroom and noticed something strange looking on the side of my tub. After a double take, I realized it was a lizard!!!! GROSS!!!!!!!! (I'm guessing it got in while the maintenance man had the ceiling opened to fix the heater.) Now, I am terrified (I'm not sure if that's a strong enough word for how I feel about them!) of lizards, so this was NOT a happy realization. After standing there paralyzed in fear for a minute or two, I started griping at God for letting me living alone or for me not having a little boy who would think this is cool & want to catch it for me to throw it outside. (irrational thoughts, yes, but I wasn't thinking clearly!) So, I shut the door, ran to the kitchen, and grabbed the only thing I could think of:

My original Weapon of Mass Destruction

Granted, this can does not claim to have the power to kill lizards of any kind, but it was my only hope at this point. And, having used lavender linen spray to kill (or at least stun until I worked up the nerve to smash) smaller bugs in the past, I figured it was my best bet when faced with the massive reptile! :) So, Raid in hand, I called my dad for support/suggestions. With him unavailable, I called my sister to see if her husband had any great wisdom. The picture that kept coming to mind as I looked at this intruder on the side of my tub was from that old movie Jurassic Park. It's the scene where "Newman" (from Seinfeld) is face to face with the innocent looking small lizard when it suddenly blows up into this huge, venom spitting creature. (again, irrational thoughts, I know) :) For this reason, I was too scared to get close to this creature! So, on the phone with my sister for emotional support, I stood in one corner of my bathroom and sprayed with all my might at the lizard. Unfortunately, not only did this not instantly kill the intruder, it still had enough strength to run & hide from me!

Now, not only was there a live lizard in my bathroom, but I didn't know where it was. Talk about fear growing exponentially with the unknown factor thrown into the mix! At this point, I needed to just get out of there, so I created Lake Raid in the floor of my bathroom, stuffed a towel under the door and closed it. I then logged onto the internet to look up the effects of Raid on lizards. Come to find out, others have used Raid to kill these intruders in the past, which not only made me feel better about my weapon of choice, but it gave me hope that mine was in there dying - albeit slowly.

I asked a couple more friends what I should do, to which one said, "trap it with a bowl or cup and throw it outside." Well, I'm NOT GOING TO GET THAT CLOSE. Next . . . Another friend suggested that I hit it with a broom. Why hadn't I thought of that?!? (again, not thinking clearly last night!) So, out comes my next WMD:

The stabber/smasher (a.k.a. a Swiffer Sweeper)

After building my courage back up (which took more at this point after reading online that lizards could climb walls, walk on the ceiling, and fall on my head!!!! - sometimes the internet is NOT helpful!), I entered the bathroom - checking the walls and ceiling before each step - with Raid in my left hand and the Swiffer in my right. No luck. The intruder was no where to be found. . . not that I was down on the floor really searching. I was "bravely" standing just inside the bathroom straining to see around (& yes, through) objects in the hopes that it would appear. :) Out of luck and courage at this point, I grabbed what I needed for the night and "locked up" my bathroom - after adding a little more volume to Lake Raid.

After a fitful night of sleep, I awoke with a new found determination to NOT let this intruder best me. After all, I'm a human and it's a reptile. I should be able to outsmart it!! :) Armed with my faithful WMD's, I entered the now "country fresh" scented room (thanks to Lake Raid). Again, no luck seeing the intruder. So, my next plan was to just start spraying the floor randomly in the hopes that I'd hit it. Well, I did! Only it seemed to make it come withing mere inches of my left foot. Well, that was enough for me! I quickly backed out of the room, spraying as I moved, and shut the door. After getting my heart rate back to it's baseline (about 5 minutes of deep breathing) :), I decided to be brave one more time. . .

I entered the room, having added one more WMD:

Object mover/lifter (a.k.a. kitchen tongs)

This time, quoting Philippians 4:13 in my head, I entered the room ready to end this ordeal. Thankfully, I saw it running in a circle behind the toilet. I'm thinking it was high on Raid at this point - or maybe I was! :) I just started spraying at it. It ran to the corner between the toilet and tub. To this, I responded with a solid spray around it - thereby "trapping it" by a "moat of Raid". Again, I left the room for a couple of minutes. When I came back in, I saw it lying upside down in the same corner where I had just left it. Not wanting to celebrate too soon and have it spontaneously come back to life to attack me, I stood there and sprayed some more Raid on it. NO CHANGE!! :) Needless to say, I was elated at this point!

Now, to get rid of it. My original plan, before I picked up WMD #1 last night, was to kill it, let rigor set in, and scoop it up with the "intruder remover":

My WMD #4 (a.k.a. fly swatter)

Well, after this epic battle that had lasted 13 hours, I wasn't about to sit and wait for rigor to set in - or to give it the chance to come back to life while still in my bathroom. I was ready to have full access to my entire apartment again. Armed with WMD's #1, #2, & #4, I entered the bathroom. First, I used the Swiffer to smash it a few times just to make sure it was at least stunned enough to not come alive. Then, I started the trick of "scooping it up" onto the swatter. Honestly, this was NOT an easy task with the limp, Raid saturated lizard!! But, it was doable. I quickly deposited my late intruder into its final resting place:

(a.k.a. toilet) :)

After flushing a few times to make sure it was gone, the clean up began. It took a little work to clean up Lake Raid and the "moat of Raid", but it's done now. I'm hoping the -what is now probably permanent - smell of Raid will ward off any future intruders of any kind! :)

So, as a reward for the Victor (me), I got a yummy breakfast AND was able to eat in peace knowing that I had won over the intruder that had held me hostage for 13 hours! YAY!!!! :)

So, to answer the age old question of "Will Raid kill a lizard?" . . . YES, it will!!!!

I hope you also had a good/adventurous Monday. Now, on to the rest of the week! :)