The Debut

Finally, B's movie debut has been posted. His group wrote, storyboarded, filmed and edited this in just 3 and a half days. Awesome job!

Letter to Him

What I would say, if communication between us extended beyond the unexpected birthday text.

Is it any wonder church makes my head hurt?

It's my month to teach Sharing Time. The theme is My Body is a Temple. Yep, me, the formerly pierced, presently unrepentant caffeine drinker, has been teaching the lessons on how we treat our bodies. The lesson on dressing modestly and not having tattoos or piercings went OK, because I showed the kids all of the places I had let piercings close over because I decided they weren't that cool after all. For today's lesson on the Word of Wisdom, I cleverly diverted their attention to the scripture that mentions health in the navel by cracking jokes about God wanting us to have a healthy belly button and not giving B time to point out that I drink coffee.Next week's lesson is on listening to good music and reading good books. The most stressful thing about that will be that we will have visitors there to observe and report.

Also got new visiting teaching assignments today. I only have four people on my list. One of them is the very same person who recently unfriended me on Facebook. I will have to explain to my partner at some point why I found this sort of amusing. 

I do have a bit of a headache though. I think it's partly because I have a sinus thing going on, and partly because I really don't drink as much caffeine on Sundays. Yeah, I know, add this to the list of things that I am a total hypocrite about.

WHEW!

Just spent the entire morning watching the coverage of the release of the West Memphis 3 (http://wm3.org/). Now everything feels kind of anticlimactic. Going to lunch, then maybe come back and try to get some work done before heading home for a busy weekend.

Is it any wonder I can't concentrate?

What we thought was a wasp sting ended up looking more like a spider bite, so L took B to the doctor. She thinks its staph infection. Since I wasn't there, I don't know what all she said, and I am anxious to look into it a little further because I am not convinced. Either way, antibiotics were prescribed and should hopefully take care of it.

On a different note, we busted him looking up questionable content on youtube. L just said their chat went OK, but he didn't elaborate. Pretty sure this is only the beginning!

Troy-I didn't explain, but he tried to commit suicide. Don't really know what to say about this, or who I would talk to about it, but has been definitely been on my mind.

Since the birthday message from Him, I have been thinking about him often again. Not a bad thing, but also not terribly productive or helpful. More pleasant to think about than crazy and contagious and being the parent of an almost adolescent, I guess.

Dining Room/Office, Phase One

New windows and laminate floors, then...

Inner walls white, outer walls blue

Crown molding, baseboards and trim

Tanya taking a break

South end of room

With shelf added

I didn't get a good shot of the ceiling, which is done with bead board, or the headers over the doors, which are more architectural.

Phase Two - touch up the trim, paint the shelf, and add the curtains, which will be done by this weekend.

Next steps - paint the extra chairs and refinish the desk and cabinet for the office part of the room when the weather cools off.

Big step - get help moving the china cabinet onto the long wall (it took four high school football players the last time we moved it!)

Best of Costner

1: Am I special? 2: Well, if you can remove the sexual overtones and add a golf theme, then Romeo, I am your Juliet.

You tell me which are my better moments and I will try to duplicate them.

I believe in the soul. The cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curveball, high-fiber, good Scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there oughta be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve, and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days. Good night.

On My Nerves

Michelle Bachman - needs to shut her pie hole
Laurie B - needs to understand the difference between incompetence and a death in the family
The parents who got a Sherlock Holmes book banned because it portrayed Mormons negatively - really?
The neighbor kid, as usual
And the person who has caused me to have Willie Nelson playing in my head all day!

Football Season is Here!

B is at football again. What a paradox that he is so strong and such a wuss at the same time. How do I know this? One of his knees is cut open from wrestling/football/bike wreck. I was bandaging it so his football pants wouldn't bust it open again. On the back of the same knee, he also got stung by a wasp. The stinger is still in it, and starting to become infected. I was going to treat it and see if I could get the stinger out. He started screaming bloody murder and having a fit. Part of me was trying not to laugh at him for crying about a wasp sting. (In his defense, it is in a sensitive spot and is seriously infected). The other part of me, the part that was leaning over him while he was flopping around, was thinking "my God, this kid is a moose". Other than a developing gut, the kid is all muscle, and he moves fast. I hope this is the side of him that showed up at practice, because he has been trying out at halfback and strong safety. Last year he played offensive and defensive line. This year the coach has decided he is quick enough to play in the backfield. I think this will be a good move - last year his specialty was causing fumbles. I bet he'll be even better when he's not coming off the line to do it.

On My Mind

It just is. 'Nuff said.

Thoughts Before Sleeping

OK, that last post was way too lame. If I am going to go to the trouble of blogging, then I should be original in what I write. If I can't be original, I should at least be honest, so instead of deleting that last bit of nonsense, I will replace it with a couple of things that are on my mind.

Saw Troy today. I was surprised when he showed up, but he looked great. I didn't have a chance to talk to him, but I am really hoping everything is OK. I invited him to come by anytime, and I hope he takes me up on it.

B had football practice tonight, even though it was still raining. I really like his coach and he does too. I hope he has a great year again because I think he could be a pretty good player and I want him to enjoy it.

My mom and aunt are leaving tomorrow (today). The room is not finished, but it looks much better, and most of what is left I can do without help. Will try to at least download pics soon.

Brochures for work did not arrive yet, so I am taking tomorrow off too. Will work on house some, but may also take some time just to do "me" stuff. You know, since I had a birthday and a vacation and all!

Totally forgot the Broncos played tonight. I will have to avoid Facebook (not a problem) and Yahoo headlines (harder to do) until I get to watch the replay.

And note to self: do NOT drink coffee at night any more. I know I am tired, but will have a hard time falling asleep. I am a bit wired (if you couldn't tell), plus my legs hurt from working on a ladder all day, and I got an unexpected birthday wish I have been thinking over.

That's it. I know I had more when I started, but I can't think of it. Must mean I am winding down, which is a good thing. And my hair hurts. I need sleep.

Vacation Notes

I haven't killed my mom yet. Truthfully, she has not irritated me like she usually does. Maybe I am just appreciative of her help on my room project. I was going to post pics of our progress so far, but I am too tired and lazy at this point. I really just meant to check work email, then glanced at Facebook. I can honestly say that I have not missed the internet this week. Or TV. Or work. Just miss having a bit of alone time before midnight, but I can live with it, cause the room is gonna look great. Should get some sleep though. Another busy day tomorrow, and I don't wanna be cranky with my mom when she is working on the import stuff!

Vacation!

Happy vacation to me.
Happy vacation to me.
Please let me not kill my mother.
Happy vacation to me.


Pictures to follow.

Stating the Obvious

1.   If you are headed west, and you exit onto a 360 degree loop, you will still be headed west. I am guessing that the little sign that reads "WEST" with an arrow is for out-of-towners and the directionally-challenged. Funny that yesterday was the first time I noticed it though. Probably because when I take that exit, I am turning left (east) while hoping that oncoming traffic observes its own sign to stop.

2.   If you make a movie entitled "Pirates!", and it features a couple of shirtless guys and blonde women with big breasts sailing around alternately having sex with each other and sword fights with other pirates, the disclaimer at the end reminding people that this is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to real people or places is incidental, IS NOT NECESSARY!

3.   It's my birthday today. We usually go all out for it - our first house purchase closed the week of my birthday, as have two new car purchases. Last year, I got a Sage Oil Vac. This year I am getting a room that has been unfinished since the twins were born, finished. Or at least closer than it is now. L is picking up first round of supplies today! 

What to Do?

Yesterday, one of the nursery workers at church came to me to ask what she should do if she suspected one of the nursery kids was being abused. I asked her a few questions to stall for time, because I wasn't sure what to do. As an employee of a social service agency, I am familiar with what it means to be a mandated reporter and the answer is very cut and dried. As a member of the church and the person responsible for the children's program, I wasn't sure what the policy was. I should know this, and am pretty sure I know where to look for the info, but I also didn't want to delay action if someone is being maltreated.

When she disclosed the name of the child, I was sort of dismissive and just asked another question. I told her I was just asking so I would have an idea of how to proceed, which was true. So we talked a bit, and made a decision about what we should do. I feel OK about that decision, even if I did just basically hand the responsibility off to someone else. And I feel disappointed that someone I know might be guilty of inappropriate behavior, especially harming a child. And my heart aches for the little girl, who is so sweet and adorable and always takes my hand and follows me wherever I take her.

The feeling that surprises me though is how much I really didn't want to know who she was talking about. Did I think it couldn't happen among people I know, especially at church? No, I know enough about child abuse to know that it really does happen in every kind of family, in every kind of situation. Was I afraid it was a close friend, maybe something I should have seen myself? Maybe a little. The truth is, I don't know why I was so reluctant to know the specifics. But the other disturbing thing is that I am maybe not as surprised as I could be by the name she gave. And now that I know the buck has been passed, I am a little curious to see what transpires.

And of course I will be praying that a little girl is OK.