Day 112, Holiday Baking...and it's not even December yet!

Tonight I made a double batch of chocolate chip cookies and two batches of fudge. ... Why is it that I feel like I gained ten extra pounds just by baking tonight? It's not like I sampled the cookie dough until I got sick... or ate enough fudge to make me swear off chocolate for a year..... so why do I have this over-filled, uncomfortable feeling in my gut? It's like weight gain by association. Is that really fair?
Tomorrow is my ____@!!@!!th birthday. Hmmm. At this point, it's all about the gifts. Ya gotta have some perks for getting yet another year older.
So, what am I doing for my birthday? Going to meetings. .... a rumpapumpum! That's okay, I got my king crab legs last night, and chocolate cake. I can't imagine why I'm not losing any weight!
Can I just mention that my husband always buys me the most amazing birthday cards? Truly! He actually takes the time to read them, and he always chooses one that has a message that seems perfect for us. Not many guys put that kind of thought into a birthday card. I'm a lucky girl... and if I ever forget it, Ron will remind me :)
Gotta call it a day now. I'm already tired, and it's only Monday!

Five more days until  my next rendezvous with the rejection queen. I am looking forward to that.

Day 111, Homecoming

Tonight..... a message from Jen and Ryan:

Hellooooooooooo everybody!

Jane has finally been discharged from the hospital and we are so incredibly excited to have her home again.  Now we will just have weekly doctor visits and a long list of medications to administer to her until the springtime when she will undergo the next surgery.

We are settling in to a slightly regular routine now - Ryan is back at the office for eset, Jane is home - so we are looking forward to reconnecting with our friends we haven't seen in a long time.

Ryan posted a new video on the blog - we filmed Jane in the NICU on Thanksgiving.  Listen to the nurses in the background ;)

http://janeellenmorgan.blogspot.com/

Jennifer

RAK? Not really. We celebrated my birthday today....so everyone else RAK'd me. I took a wonderful nap in my chair. Hmmm, almost sounds like normal :) Pathetic.

Back to school tomorrow... vacation is over for 3 more weeks. Ah. Sigh!

Day 110, Remembering Thanksgiving

Missed the the midnight deadline by a few minutes... but I'm still counting this as my Saturday post.

Thought I'd share this cute picture of my dad and me on Thanksgiving. Isn't he just so cute?

I just love my Dad :)

And my Momma too. Here is (left to right,) daughter Raechel, Mom, Niece Lane, and Sister-in-law Safa. Too bad Ellen wasn't there too... that would make it perfect.And here is Mom and daughter.... It was great having her home.

 RAK? Yes.... I bought a candle for Ron's room. Okay.... I guess that is still debatable.... but I will take it. Hey, I need all the help I can get.

Day 109, Black Friday

Black Friday for me was about pedicures, frozen yogurt, leftovers, and a re-match in dominoes. The outcome? Gained five extra pounds, have sparkly red toes, saw New Moon for the 3rd time, and got beat again by the 14-year-old. Grrrrr. Now it's time for my Lazyboy and another episode or two of Dark Shadows :)
Had a nice time with Raechel home for the past couple days.... her visit ends with a 5:30am wake-up call and a drive to the Ontario airport. Sigh. Three more weeks, and she'll be home again.... home, and done with her Bachelor's degree at BYU. Yeah Raechel :)

Jane finally got the tubes out of her nose today. What a relief for all of us. We are keeping our fingers crossed that she will come home on Monday. That will be awesome!

RAK? I'm trying,,, really I am. Does treating my girls to girl's day out count? Probably not, because I enjoyed it as much as they did.

Day 108, Don't bother me, I'm eating

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I'd love to sit and chat,,, but I am in the middle of getting my butt kicked in Dominoes by a 14 year-old..... and I am on a mission to redeem my reputation as the Domino Queen.
By the way, I made the absolute BEST cherry pie in the history of cherry pie.... I'm just sayin' :)

Two minutes to Black Friday!!!! Let the Christmas season officially begin!

Day 107, Raechel's Here :)

A bright star for our family...little Jane is finally shedding her tubes and wires. She continues to progress, bringing her one step closer to coming home. She will be in our hearts and minds tomorrow as we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Today Raechel and I made pumpkin pies, cherry pie, and potato soup....amazing I might add....all of it :) I forgot the chocolate cake, so I'll be getting up a bit earlier than planned tomorrow. Gotta put the ham on anyway, so that's cool.

Raechel showed me how to download music to my IPOD today....That may sound ridiculous to most of you, but I am pretty excited about it---especially since I've had the IPOD since last Christmas and never knew how to download songs. Pathetic, eh? As of now, I have 345 Christmas songs downloaded...oooohhhh baby!@! You know my husband is excited about that!

Did I mention I had a dream about adding a scene to my book? I think it will be a pretty cool addition,,,I've just gotta find the time to sit down and write again. So many scenes are swirling around in my head for the sequel,,,I hope I can settle into writing again soon. Maybe if I wasn't doing this blog everyday,,,,,,,,,,,???

Day 106, Did I mention I'm on vacation?

Men! Ya gotta love them! What are we gonna do with them? What in the world would we do without them? The answers to those two questions vary depending on the cycles of the moon, the time of day, the seasons, the amount of food in their (and our) stomachs, and whether or not the sun is shining. Sometimes I look at men and all I see are little boys in big boy bodies. On those days, I just think they are all so adorable...some mother's little boy forever. And then there are other days... days when they are little aliens sent to seek out and destroy all life forms on the planet, particularly those that are different than them. But mostly, I just think they are the world's most fascinating creatures. Even when they have dirty diapers (and let's face it, men do sometimes,) they are still fascinating creations, albeit spoiled ones. You can almost always guess what kind of mother a man had by how he reacts when he doesn't get his way. In a creepy way, women have no one to blame for the behaviors of men, but themselves---because we are the mothers. And everyone knows that it is always the mother's fault :)
Okay, in all fairness to our esteemed and adored opposite sex, (and I truly do adore them,) women are just as psycho, we are just far less interesting to watch.....in my opinion (which  nobody asked for.) I suppose you can tell what kind of father a woman had by the way she reacts when she doesn't get her way. Hmm. Deja-vu.
It boils down to this: Fathers and mothers are to be blamed for all the neurotic weirdness that we possess. I knew it!
Ah, but I still gotta love those men! And I do not mean that in a gutter-girl sort of way, I mean it in all sincerity. My  husband is one of the most intriguing men I've ever met. He makes me angrier than a "cat on a hot tin roof" one minute, and then, with the twitch of his lips or the touch of his hand, I turn to putty. He is irresistable and annoying all at the same time. One minute he is absolutely clueless when it comes to women, and the next minute he is the only one who understands.
A very wise woman once told me that men are quite simple to understand---it all boils down to three things: food, sex, and money (and the order of importance varies depending on their mood at the moment.) While there is a great deal of wisdom and truth in that claim, I think there is one very critical factor missing,,,, I call it the control continuum. Understanding where they fit on that continuum can be critical to maintaining peace and balance. And guess what? They slide around on that continuum on a daily basis. The needs of a man may indeed be quite simple, but figuring out where they are on the control continuum at any given moment can be quite challenging and complex. A lot of it has to do with what hat they are wearing at the moment---lover, provider, fix-it man, father, son, brother, etc. So much for simplicity.

So what's my point? I will stick with my opening statement:  Men! Ya gotta love them!

I don't want to live in a world without them ;)

Day 105, Girl Time

There's a new moon out tonight.... Okay, not literally,,, but for millions of teenage girls (and millions of moms of teenage girls,) it's not the position of the moon that's important. The latest in the Twilight Saga hit the theaters with quite a splash. I admit, my good friend Judi and I donned our Twilight t-shirts and spent the afternoon watching New Moon. Did we feel silly? Yep. Did we care? Nope. It was fun, and the movie was surprisingly much better than the first one. I loved the special effects with the wolves, they were super cool. Bella still spends the majority of the movie with that brooding expression on her face, but it is eclipsed (no pun intended, hee hee,) by the rest of the cast and the movement of the story. The kid playing Jacob did a fantastic job in the role, I was worried he wouldn't be able to pull it off, but he was quite believable in the part. I'm still waiting for a chisled, marble set of abs on Edward, but, oh well, maybe next time. Okay, here's a confession,,, I actually saw it twice today. Once with Judi, and then again with daughter Ellen. Can I call that 2nd trip to the theatre my RAK for the day? After all, I did it for my daughter (wink wink.)
I love girl time :)

What else? Taylor started putting up the Christmas lights. Somehow that just seems unnatural when it's 80 degrees outside.

Nothing to report on the book front.... it's far too quiet for comfort. I am reading it again, and I'm frustrated because I still think it's a good story. I still love Jonathan as a leading man (sorry Edward,) and I still enjoy Beth's interactions with the other characters, particularly her cousin Carl. Sigh. It's not perfect, but for pete's sake, it is as good as so many books that are on the market. Whimper whimper. Hey, literary agents..... READ MY BOOK for love of carbonomics@!
Okay, that's my whine for the night. There is always self-publishing, right? Why am I so scared to go down that road? I suppose it feels like admitting defeat, and I can't stand that.

Dang...it's 11:59 again. I better post before the clock strikes midnight. Where does the time go? It's the curse of vacation :)

Oops... missed it by this much ;) It still counts...I so declare!

Day 104, And still counting

The clock is about to strike midnight, and I almost forget to post. Thanks Ron, for reminding me :)
I've been busily doing my Christmas shopping online. I'm not sure it pays to do it from home....the shipping fees are pretty steep, but I suppose it beats the hustle and bustle of fighting crowds. How much is my comfort and leisure worth? Apparently, enough to fill my gas tank a couple of times.
I took a risk with my parent's gift; I'm getting them something that I know they want, but I'm not sure they will like. I suppose that's why they invented the "Returns Here" line, right?
I'm trying to do Christmas without using a credit card this year...it doesn't seem possible, but I'm going to try my best to pay cash for everything. It would help if the bar of expectations weren't so high in our family. I have no one to blame for that but myself. I am a total Christmas junkie---Christmas barfs in my house every December, and leaves a wake of destruction in my pocketbook. Still, I'll do it again....year after year. Ho Ho Ho!!! :) Do they have something called Christmasholics Anonymous?
Only 4 minutes to post....
Tomorrow is Monday, and I don't have to go to work... hee hee hee. BUT, I DO have to get up early to take Ellen to water polo practice... Early as in she needs to be there by 6:30am. Who in the heck made THAT schedule?
3 more minutes....
Looking forward to hearing from the Rejection Queen sometime this week... and I am hoping she is enjoying my book as much as I enjoyed hers. It will be fun to see her again and share insights.
2 more minutes.....
RAKs? Ha! That's funny. Do you even have to ask?
1 more minute....
Goodnight everybody. Please pray for Jane... and say a special prayer for Raechel. She's been sick for 6 months...I am hoping a good dose of Grandma's stew will help.
BUZZZZZZ! Time's up.

Day 103, Ho Ho Ho

34 days till Christmas.... and today I watched my first Christmas movie.... And don't tell anyone, but I listened to "Sounds of the Season" this morning. Pathetic, eh? I even bought a Christmas present for some lucky soul on my Christmas list. Why is it that every year my list seems to get taller, but the money seems to get smaller? And how is it that the bar for presents seems to get higher each year? STOP THE MADNESS I say!!! :)

RAK? Yesterday I went into Donna's room and rubbed her shoulders while she was teaching. It was supposed to count as an RAK, but then I realized that I was secretly having fun--I was disrupting her class and making the kids laugh. So..... I can't count it. My husband just informed me that I don't do anything for someone else unless there is something in it for me.... Hmmmm. The situation is more serious than I thought....because I think he is right. No matter what I do for someone else, there always seems to be something in it,,,somewhere,,,for me. Let's face it, I'm an RAK Loser. But I refuse to give up; I have 262 days left to get it right. I think I'll go downstairs and get my hubby some water... I would call that an RAK, but let's face it... I'm doing it so I can prove to myself I'm not completely selfish. .. ..
So it doesn't count.

Day 102, Our daily dose of Jane

Whenever someone calls her "Baby Jane," I can't help but think about Bette Davis and her creepy movie, "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" I wonder how long it will take to clear that from my brain? Little Jane looks so "normal" in this picture.... like we could just remove all those tubes and bring her home, and she'd be fine. It's so hard to believe there is anything wrong with her when you see her like this. It is doubtful she will make it home in time for Thanksgiving,,, but we are crossing our fingers and praying for a miracle.

Ah, it's Friday....And the beginning of vacation. The only way a Friday could be better is if it was payday too :) Looking forward to the official ushering in of the holiday season. ... and pumpkin pie!@!

Can't wait for Raechel to get here... I'm going to make her some of Grandma's stew!

Day 101, And going, and going, and going

I really have nothing to say tonight. Parent conferences were long... 3 hours of explaining "why" students received the grades they did. Nevermind that all scores are posted in the online gradebook. Frustrating sometimes. But tomorrow is Friday, that makes everything better--and tomorrow is my favorite kind of Friday--the kind that precedes a week-long vacation. I'm looking forward to focusing on Thanksgiving and ushering in the holidays. Can't believe it's that time of year again.

I finished the Rejection Queen's manuscript, and I must say I enjoyed reading her book---definitely a story for women :)

RAK? Nah...I can't think of any. Let's face it, I'm just not a kind person.
Planet "M"?...What can I say? The kids are ready for break, and so am I :)
Quote of the day? Heck, I haven't posted a quote in a long time. Guess I better get on the ball, eh?
Book? Nope...Haven't done anything more towards getting it published. I did upload it on http://www.authonomy.com/ a few days ago, but then I already told you that.
20 pounds? Hah! That's a gas@@!

Baby Jane? Yes! She is finally improving again. Thank goodness for that. I can't wait until she can come home.

Day 100!!! Whoop Whoop

I like nice round numbers. 100. That's a great number. If nothing else, I feel a silly sense of accomplishment having posted a blog a day for a straight 100 days in a row. Only 265 more to go. Well... I won't focus on that... this is a marathon baby... not a 10 K run. I'm in for the duration.

Two more days until break.... and counting.

Day 99, Blast to the past!

Take a look at this blast to the past! Recognize anyone in this picture? That cool cat on the left is none other than my leading man :) I won't tell you what year this was made, but a look at the hairstyles and fashions oughta be a dead giveaway. I also won't bother to mention how old I was when this was made . I think this picture is totally groovy man! Wait, was "groovy" a word back then? Ha ha... just kidding honey . Thank goodness for cameras...and capturing memories---it sort of makes us immortal in a cool metaphorical, figurative kinda-sorta way.

This is just one of my husband's many talents and life experiences. He's full of them.... It keeps life interesting.

Planet "M"??? Everybody's working for the weekend! Hey, someone should write a song about that. Not much focus happening this week....kids and teachers are ready for the Thanksgiving break.

RAKs?  Uh, um, well, gosh, hmmm, ... .... ....... ......... I got nothing. I truly suck at those! Truly!

Day 98, Monday Monday

Just returned from a "quick" jaunt to LAX...which if you know SoCal, you know that there is no such thing as a quick anything to anywhere...let alone to LAX. Ah, but it was worth it to have the extra time with my brother. I will miss him...I always do when he leaves. It's possible we will make a trip to Vegas together for his 50th birthday ... sounds like fun :) But then, I am always game for a reason to HAVE to go to Vegas again. I only wish my pocket book felt the same way. Vegas for me is always a trip that ends up somewhere between "ouch" and "boing" (as Bing Crosby would say.)

This time next week I will be on Thanksgiving break.... With that in view, I can make it through anything that Planet "M" throws my way.

Day 97, Oh Mickey, You're so fine you blow my mind :)

Good news about Mickey... The results of his tests came back negative. He doesn't have cancer...only an infection. That was great news indeed. We will enjoy many more days with our neurotic, broken-eared canine.

Wish the news was as good for Jane. They had to put her IV in through her forehead because her arms are so bruised and swollen. The poor baby has been poked, prodded, and tapped so much.... it's no wonder the poor thing can't rest. She had some trouble with her breathing today, which caused some alarm among the staff at the hospital. Poor Jen and Ryan are frustrated and exhausted. Please continue to keep them in your thoughts. 

One more week until Thanksgiving break. I am sooooo looking forward to that.

Ahhh, the weekend is only hours away from ending. They DO go by quickly, don't they?

Day 96, Gotta love those family traditions

Mogie Pogie Puddin Pie... Kissed the girls and made them cry....

This is my big brother before he got beat at Dominos...again. Maybe he's sandbagging....huh? You can't trust those Oregonians :) I made both my brothers listen to Patti Page's 1955 Christmas album.... just for nostalgia sake. If you haven't heard, "I Wanna Go Skating With Willie," and "Where Did My Snowman Go," then you have not truly experienced Christmas. Then of course there's the "Mama Papa Doll" song.... which is just over the top. Ah, childhood. Lots of memories of sitting with my little brother (Wes of the band, "ToeHead",) trying to figure out just exactly where the snowman DID go.... And Morgan trying to figure out why Willie drives me Willie Nillie. But the best two songs on the entire album are "Pretty Snowflakes" and "That's Christmas to Me." Those are the songs that make my 89-year-old Dad....... God love him.... sentimental to the point of leaving the room. There's a lot to be said for family traditions. They are the things memories are made of.

I love my family.

Here's hoping my own children will carry on the traditions of yester-year.

What are your favorite holiday traditions? Share them on my blog.... I would love to read about them.

Day 95, Our daily dose of Jane

It brightens my heart to finally see those eyes again. Welcome back Jane! I can't wait to hold our little granddaughter again. Thank you to everyone who prays on Jane, Ryan, and Jen's behalf. Your prayers and thoughts are felt, and received with much gratitude.

This morning I received a notification from http://www.authonomy.com/ that somebody had commented on my novel. Since I just posted it last night, I figured it was just a "thank you for posting comment," but turns out, it was from a reader who had already read the first 3 chapters. He (yes... "he") said he likes my main character, that the story flows well, and that the writing is good. That is a great way to start the day. Too bad he isn't a literary agent. ... or better... a publisher! Ah well.... what's life without a nice challenge, eh? Calm, peaceful, serene, relaxing, stressfree..... hmmmm.... wait a minute.... challenges are good for you,,,, aren't they? Sigh. Deep sigh!

Hey, it's Friday! And look...I am posting early. Sorry folks, but I don't want to think about you when I get home tonight. I have a dominos match waiting for me.... Oh, and No, Raechel. It doesn't truly count unless you are present...but Morgan needs another dose of humility by the domino queen ;) Wish you were here. Truly.

Whatever happened to Tamela Mailing? I would love to find that girl. Does anyone know where she is?

Planet "M"----analyzing test results today. Hey, I have to do it all the time, but now it's the students' turn. The point is to help them see how much they've grown, and identify areas of need. Sounds like a noble objective if you ask me. You didn't ask.... but.... there it is.

Did I mention it's Friday?

Did I mention that Friday is my favorite day of the week?

Just checking.

Day 94, Old dog, new tricks

I am still trying to figure out this new technology. I don't think I will ever be a techno-wiz like my counterpart on Planet "M",,, but at least I'm one step closer to the 21st Century.
  
Jane continues to improve daily, we are grateful for that,,, and mom and dad have finally been able to hold their baby. Perhaps soon, grandma and grandpa can hold her too.

Tomorrow is Friday :) You all know what that means for me. And this week is a special treat because Mogie Pogie is in town. I will try to get a picture on to share while he is here. He claims he came all the way to California just for a re-match at Dominos. Ah, but he can't beat the domino master. Still, I am always game for a fun challenge.

Day 93, Early Christmas

Merry Christmas :) I know it's early, but today was all about Christmas. I took an early present to my mom and dad... a CD of "Christmas with Patti Page" from 1955. That was fun. It made my dad emotional, which surprised me. He said it made him sad. Chalk one up for me.... Making my dad cry....Sigh. Then, Ron and I decided to buy each other a new computer for Christmas.... so we now are the proud owners of a computer with technology way beyond our collective capacity to comprehend. But, hey, we are in the 21st Century finally. ... At least our computer is :) I'm sure Ron will figure out all the gadgets and gitchy goomas.... and then he can let me know how to use them. It's what he does.

Jane is more alert today, and drank her milk. Slowly but surely she is improving. Can't wait till she comes home.

Planet "M"---No school today :) That was a nice break. I have sub plans to write for tomorrow... and still a mound of papers to grade. You'd think I would have done some of that today, but nope. Guess you could say I got side-tracked. One thing is for sure, it will all still be there tomorrow.        

Brother Mogie Pogie comes tomorrow night. Can't wait to see him.

Day 92, Amazed

Here is Jane Ellen with Mom. She is starting to eat again (she's doing well).  Mom and Dad couldn't stay because another baby was coming in from surgery, but they'll be able to feed her tomorrow :) I know they can't wait. I am humbled and amazed by modern medicine--it's a beautiful marriage of pure God-given inspiration and the advancements of science (which are likely the results of God-given inspiration. :)

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day. God bless our men in uniform. Those of us who get the holiday off will be able to sleep in. Our troops won't. Let us be ever aware of the sacrifices they are making on a daily basis.

Day 91, Micky Doodle

Yup, today marks 3 months since my quest to do a daily blog.... post-a-day for a year. I haven't blown it yet... Unusual. I am easily bored and distracted, so I fully anticipated a blow-off by now. Yet here I am... still searching daily for something to say. Tonight's will be short and sweet. Jane is coming around, opening her eyes, and only one tube remains. She is amazing. Truly, I feel the Lord's blessing on her behalf, and I am grateful for that.
On a painful note, Ron took Mick to the vet today. Practically over night he developed a golf-ball-sized tumor in his throat. They think it might be cancer....so they are running tests. There is a possibility it is an infection... but the vet seemed quite skeptical. If it's cancer, according to everything Ron read online, he will only have 4-6 weeks left. I cannot even begin to wrap my head around that. He is such an amazing dog...amazing from the first day we brought him home. I've never known an animal quite like him. We tease him all the time because he is so neurotic and hates to have his routine tampered with... and he has this amazing floppy ear that cracks us up.... and now, I fear we will lose him. It's just too soon.
Well... there is a chance it's only an infection, right? So for tonight, I will hope.

Day 90, Cherry Petrified Puke Pie

Say goodbye to yet another weekend. Sigh.
So much for grading all those papers I brought home.... Traveling papers. They travel between home and school every day... but they never get graded. Gonna have to do something about that at some point; grades are due next week! But it won't be this week, I can almost guarantee. I have bigger fish to fry---and it's all top secret! Stealth :) Way to go Rejection Queen.

Jane is finally stirring. She remains on the breathing machine, and doctors are working to keep her blood pressure and heart beat normal, but all in all, she is doing well. What a blessing she is from God. I know that she will impact the lives of everyone in our family in a powerful way. No doubt she has a mission to fulfill here.
Speaking of missions, Jesse Eichelberger is home from his. He looks fantastic, and very happy. What a great guy! He will make some lucky girl a great husband some day. I can't wait to hear his welcome home talk in a couple weeks.

RAK? I tried today. Truly. I decided to bake my mom a homemade cherry pie (her favorite.) I did everything according to the recipe, and for once I got my pie crust right! Trouble is, the insides of the pie are horrid! "Like two cats fighting!" As my dad would say :) Don't know how I could possibly mess up the filling..... it's a really simple recipe, but I managed. It's like chewing gum... .mixed with pie crust. Ew! Gross! Like lumpy gravy... like cold potatoes... like warm milk that's been sitting out waay too long.... like chewy clams..... Do you get my point? It's just NOT RIGHT! Even my husband had a difficult time eating it (and he'll eat anything :) It's like giving your dog a mouth full of peanut butter---ever done that? It's hysterical. Anyhow, that's what makes my mom's phone call this evening so incredibly funny----"Oh honey, there's not a THING wrong with your pie. It's perfect. And your crust came out just great!" Ah Mom! Ya gotta love her :)

Planet "M"? Back to the grind tomorrow. Let's see, this week it's Pangaea and sea floor spreading. So let me ask you... If the sea-floor is spreading, then does that mean our world is getting larger?

Day 89, The Big Hand-Off

Met the Rejection Queen this morning at Starbucks, and we swapped manuscripts. I have already started reading her book... ah ha... lucky me. I'm honored, truly. However, I pulled a stupendous act of dorkness, one I will laugh about ... later. It was a combination of losing both my mind and my memory at the same time....A sure sign that 50 is on the horizon for me. Growl.
So I was sitting there, laughing, thoroughly enjoying our visit, and then I noticed my watch. 11:15. I panicked; I promised Ron I'd be home by 11, (I am notorious for keeping him waiting.) So, the Rejection Queen and I said a quick goodbye, and I hopped in my car to head for home. That's when I experienced a time warp--for reals. 10:18. That's what the clock said. For a thousand fleeting micro-seconds, I saw the past week flash before my eyes. Okay...think...time change....change the clocks....you didn't change your car clock....but wait....then I would have been late for work everyday....Didn't Ellen change the clock?...Wait.... time changed backward not forward.....that doesn't make sense....Um.... . Uh..... Mmmmm..... OH FREAK! You have GOT to be kidding me! What a freaking DORK! I never changed my watch.... so YAH,,, DUH.... It's not 11:18. I'm not late. And I just made an enormous fool out of myself. No wonder the Rejection Queen looked at me like I had lost my marbles.
It gets worse. I actually.... actually....totally forgot my good friend, Judi's birthday a couple weeks ago. Sign me up for Idiots Anonymous. I love you Judi. I promise we will have a make up birthday luncheon very soon.
Hmmm what other trouble can I possibly get myself into? I'll work on it. Meanwhile....... There is Jane. She is holding on, and the doctors remain optimistic about her recovery. Ryan and Jen can't wait to bring their baby girl home. Those of you who are parents, can you imagine not being able to hold your own baby? Wow! Hang in there guys.... Soon she will be home and in your arms where she belongs.

Day 88, Recovery

It's Friday again, and you know what that means...... pajamas and my Lazyboy :) It has been a week of endings...the end of a relationship, the end of cross country season, the end of the World Series, and the end of waiting for baby Jane. This morning Jane had her first open heart surgery. The doctors are optimistic about the procedure, and they are hopeful that she may be home in about 2 weeks. We have a photo on our desktop of her after the surgery, but it is too heart-breaking to share. She is covered in wires, hooked up to all sorts of machines, and sporting a thick blanket to cover her body and the train of stitches that now adorn her chest. When we think of the alternative, we are grateful for every bit of it. She is a determined little girl with a huge battle in front of her. The next surgery will take place in Spring...they will do this all over again on the other side. Sigh!

Another jaunt to Starbucks in the morning to meet the Rejection Queen and exchange manuscripts. I am looking forward to it :)
Glad the weekend is finally here! Looking forward to Thanksgiving break in two more weeks!!! Yippeeee.

RAK??? Yep... but this one isn't one I can share online.  Love you honey ;)

Day 87, Waiting is the hard part

Today we visited Ryan and Jen---it is obvious that the wait is hard on them. They are so connected to little Jane, and they are active advocates for her, which I think is very cool--and uncommon for many new parents who tend to allow themselves to be bullied by others. Keep it up Jen and Ryan; if Jane has inherited half the fight that you both have, then she is going to pull through all these surgeries just fine!

Meanwhile, waiting is the hardest part of all. Sigh.

Day 86, High Five!

Here's Jane about a week and a half ago. It looks like she's giving us a high-five---letting us know she has every intention of staying strong as she faces her pending surgeries. Today they did a procedure to look inside her veins; the surgery to improve her blood flow has been moved to Friday morning, so we will continue to ask for your thoughts and prayers.

I went for a long walk today with Patricia. It felt good to put my muscles to work again. I've got a long way to go if I'm ever going to make the goals I set when I began this blog nearly 3 months ago.

Speaking of goals, no news on the book. There are still agents with queries and publishers with partials...but none of them are breaking down my door to be the first in line for publication. And why not??? Don't they know that MY book is the next diamond in their haystack? Oh wait...they would have to actually read it in order to know that, wouldn't they? Okay.... maybe it's not a diamond...maybe it's just a good story with great characters that are easy to love and identify with,,,but that said, it's a fun read and worth publication. Just ask me, I'll tell you :)

Planet "M"? All I can say is that I hope there is a pedicure, facial, and a long Swedish massage in my near future!

Day 85, Jane Ellen

Tomorrow Jane will have her first surgery. This is the surgery that will hopefully help her breath easier. They will fuse two of her arteries into one to improve her blood flow. Hopefully, they will be able to do this without opening her chest. Here is Jane with Momma Jen, and the with Papa Ryan.

I will ask you all again to please pray for her...that the surgery is a success and that the recovery is speedy and complete. The surgery will  take about 5 hours. Five hours! Hard to phathom a 1 month old baby going through something so major. She is a fighter, but will gain added strength from your faith and prayers.

May Jane and her little family have the courage of stripling warriors.

Day 84, Sidelines

"Life is not a spectator sport,,," I think I quoted that recently. But tonight's football game just about blew that quote out the window. The Saints/Falcons game was definitely a Monday night spectator's dream. Those football players made plays that defied all laws of physics; it was awesome to watch. And the Phillies have kept the World Series alive for another day. I don't particularly care about this year's Series, but my 85-year-old mother almost had a stroke watching the game tonight. It was a night for raising blood pressure for sure.

RAK? I tried to work on that today. At school I helped set up a lab for another science teacher--with nothing in it for me this time. I have searched my soul, and I believe this one actually qualifies as an RAK. Then, I bought some yummy cheese for my hubby, and a salad for his lunch tomorrow,,, and some orange latte because I know how much he loves that flavor. I thought I was being nice, but when I looked deeply at my motives, I realized that even in those acts, there was something in it for me. Pathetic! I did, however, try to take charge of dinner tonight so he could have a break from having to think about it, but he ended up jumping in and helping... dang it. :) That's the kind of guy he is.
While I was visiting my parents this afternoon, I cleaned my mom's sliding glass windows. Now that truly should have qualified as an RAK, but then I thought about it, and had to admit that even that act of service had a hidden motive behind it....I feel guilty for not visiting them and helping out more often. They moved closer to me so I could be there for them, and I have kept myself too busy to be there for them as often as i should. So, in reality, cleaning their windows was an attempt to atone for my neglect. Double pathetic! Will I ever develop the gift of performing sincere RAKs? That quest alone should keep me humble for a very long time.

Planet "M"---The kids did a brain dump today. They enjoyed it, and I loved observing the process. It's fun to have an arsenol of strategies at my fingertips....It only took me 12 years to develop a cool bag of tricks for engaging students. I love being a teacher. Truly. It's the hardest work I have ever loved!

Looks like the surgery is a go for Jane Ellen. Please continue to pray for her and her awesome parents. That little girl is a fighter!

Day 83, Rollercoaster!

Freak my life! Emotions....bah humbug! I made the mistake of talking to Sister O'Keefe this morning.... You know how some people just look at you and say something nice,,, and then you break down in a crying tizzy? No? Well, I guess it's just me then. Seems the older I get, the more emotional I am about everything. Today was my day to "drop my sword and cry for just a while." I wouldn't mind the mental purging if it didn't leave me with burning eyes and a massive headache!
So, I shall remove my hat, rub my chin, kick the dirt beneath me, and say, "Well. Okay." Then get up tomorrow and do it all over again. Think I'll ever catch up in the race, or will I always lag behind? I guess it doesn't matter as long as I cross the finish line.... eventually.
Please keep Jane in your prayers. One month old, and open heart surgery this week. What a special baby she is. Pray for her mom and dad, too, please. They need strength and faith.

I think I have had enough candy now.... please slap me next time I pick up a candy corn or a piece of chocolate. OMG@!! I'm about to go into sugar shock! Not to mention my clothes are all fitting a bit snugger.

Today I was the recipient of an RAK---My good friend, Judi, brought us homemade rolls. They were warm and fresh and amazing! She is so kind...and always knows how to make me smile. I love my friends :)