Good Not Great

Well, that pretty much sums up my day. It started off just fine. Slept in a little bit, got a nice surprise call from Ben's parents and his entire extended family. Went out to breakfast with my wonderful husband. Went grocery shopping and came home to clean a little for our upcoming guests. This is where it began to go downhill. I got some good cleaning done and then decided to patch some holes in our comforter which happens to be amazing. In fact, we have had it since we got married three and a half years ago and have tried to replace it twice but both times ended up going back to the original. I tried to just replace it with a new one of the same thing, but it seems it has been discontinued. So, I sat down to sew it together by hand...this may seem like the slow way to go, but I was doing it this way for two reasons. First, the material is very thin and I had done this with another part of the comforter before and it worked like a charm. Second, I can't remember how to use my sewing machine. The difference is that these rips I sat down to fix today are a lot bigger. After a little bit of frustration, I decided to pull out my sewing machine. Right off the bat I broke a needle, which really sucks. The start of the day's downfall. In the process of trying to kneel down to find the broken piece, my knee popped out of joint. Side note, this is not the first time this has happened. It has happened on and off since I was in junior high. It hadn't happened in a while because I have finally gotten into a good workout routine which to start off meant about 45 minutes of biking three times a week. I believe this stregthened my knee so that it stopped happening for a while. But in the past few months, I started varying my routine a little more and today's knee popping totals three times in the last few months. Back to when my knee popped out today, I did my usual jump back while simultaneously straightening my leg which usually puts my knee back together. Today, it didn't quite work as well. As Ben was running over to help, I was having to push my leg down and it popped back but so loudly, that Ben heard it from about 12 feet away. Well after that, my dad and I were on the phone and he told me that it's possible I have the degenerative knee problem that he has, causing him to have a double knee replacement about three years ago at the age of 55. Awesome. After going back to work on my sewing machine and breaking yet another needle, I gave up on patching the quilt. Ben and I decided to make a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond and to buy a new comforter. It's beautiful and was on clearance so dirt cheap...my day is looking up! Nope, my knee is not only getting more and more sore, but I continued my accident prone day by standing up and nailing my head on the stairs. I think what's making me most cranky is the prospect of what lies ahead for my knees. Both pop out like that and dad said the doctor told him that his knee condition is a problem that could be genetic. So, I am going to be sending a description of what happens when my knee pops out to my dad who plans to ask his orthopedic surgeon to take a look at my description and see if I might possibly have the same knee condition. I once went a few years ago to a specialist to look at my knee and he just gave me some knee exercises to do to strengthen my knee. My dad is thinking that I really need to go see an orthopedic surgeon. I know I need to go to a doctor no matter what and I just worry about what the outcome could be. I hope it can just be fixed with some physical therapy or something, but worry about the fact that it doesn't seem to be making a difference that I'm getting a pretty good workout on it right now and if anything, it just seems to be getting worse. In fact, the last few times its popped out, it took a little more effort than usual to get it back in...maybe my exercises are making it worse?? I've also noticed lately that every once and a while when I'm walking, my left knee, the one that popped out today just kind of gives out. I know that whatever happens will be fine, but I worry about surgery. I just don't want to have it! Anyway, time will tell I guess.

Upcoming Events

Well this next month is shaping up into a great one! We didn't have too many plans until about a week ago. First, Ben and I have decided to make our yearly pilgrimage this month instead of January. We usually go in Jan because it's cheaper, but this year, plane tickets are so expensive combined with boarding the dogs and it's just less expensive to go now and drive home! So, we will be driving back to Minnesota first and then on to Wisconsin. For more details, give me a call! We're really excited because it will be the first holiday that we are home for since we moved out here to CO. Second, which is actually happening first, we have some visitors coming. I'm really excited to host people in our new apartment! The first visitor is a good friend of my parents named Bala. He is a missionary with the EFCA and will be staying with us from Sunday to Wednesday. On Tuesday, our second visitor comes and I must say that I cannot wait for her!! It's one of my very close friends Kristi from college. I must say that I have some really great memories with her! One time, for a Residence Life overnight, we tried to make chili. But not just any chili, cheesy chili like any good Wisconsinite! Well...let's just say that it was really really runny so we just thought, "adding cheese will help!" Yeah...it didn't. But in the end, I didn't have to take any home so I guess it was a success! She is here for about five days and then she leaves and four days later we start our trek. We're gone for ten days and then my dad comes for a few days and then leaves for two weeks and then comes back again for Christmas!! Phew! It's going to be 2009 before I know it!

I continue my weight loss venture. I haven't really lost much weight, but I have lost inches which I sometimes forget to be grateful for! I went down a pants size the other day that I haven't been to since the beginning of college. I guess we'll continue to see how it goes. I'm excited about the fact that now I'm addicted to working out. I love it and crave it and want to take advantage of that while it's here!

Well, that's all for now folks! Stay tuned!!

Another day...

Okay so, it's been like...six months since I last wrote a post...I figure it's time! Funny thing is, I have not gotten a hair cut since that picture, I redyed my hair not long ago, and I straightened it again today. The front is now down to my collar bone and the back looks kind of like a mullet! I have an appointment with Ben's aunt to cut my hair when we are in Minnesota next month. She is just trimming most of it but I'm thinking the mullet has to go!

In other news, today is Halloween. I'm not much of one for dressing up, but our work goes nuts on Halloween. We always have tons of decorations, many dress up, and kids are invited to join. It is undoubtedly the most unproductive day of the year, but it's fun to see all the little kids. I have two favorites. The first was my co-worker's two month old little girl, Isabella, dressed in the smallest costume of a bumblebee I have ever seen! Definitely wins the cute award for the day! The second is a funny/sad story! When we do the actual trick or treating part of the day, there were 45 kids this year, they turn off all the lights and let the kids loose. My boss and I tend to stand at our desks commenting on the kids. Well, at once point, I was sitting in front of some really little kids giving out candy when a little boy made his way to the front of the group. His costume was a really bright green so I exclaimed, "You're a very cute little frog!" Well, I meant this to be a compliment, but with very sullen eyes, the little boy looked at me with a frown of disappointment on his face and said, "I'm a dragon!" Sure enough, there were fangs on top of his head and a tail in back. I felt so bad! Come to find out my boss called him an alligator to which the boy had the same response. Kids are crazy on Halloween and I must admit that other than the cute costumes, it's the one day of the year I look forward to the least when I'm a parent. Which by the way, I am not!

I am an aunt though! My brother and his wife are about half way through the pregnancy of their first child. It's the first grandchild on my side of the family as well as hers so it's bound to be very spoiled. I went to the ultrasound the other day and video taped the whole thing! It was amazing!! God is so good and creative! We did find out the sex of the baby, but I won't post it just yet. I want Josh and Christy to have the first go at telling people. Suffice it to say that the baby is developing perfectly. The doctor was very positive about that. I am so blessed that they let me come along. I nearly started crying at one point, solidifying the issue in my mind that I will definitely cry when it's my own child! The weirdest part was when I took the camera, pointed it at my brother, and said, what does the daddy have to say? Calling my brother a daddy was a trip!

Alrighty, off for now...hopefully more to come in sooner than six months!

ER's, New Apartments and New Instruments

(Originally this bit of the post was put at the end...but I couldn't figure out how to put my pictures at the bottom of the post...they would only show up at the top. So, now this part is the first part of the post...and because I'm too lazy to re-write it you still get to read it like it's the last part...If you know how to put the picture in some other place than the top middle, left or right, please tell me!!) Last but not least as this is getting to be a long post, I cut, dyed and then straightened my hair! The cut was done by a pro, the dye and straightening was done by me, but below are some pics of that. Enjoy!!

Well, the last few weeks have been eventful I guess. It all started on April 12th. That was the day, a Saturday I might add, that Ben and I put in five hours at work to put us at 51 hours of work that work. Kind of gross, but I was getting time and a half for anything over 40 and it was the last week of doing this, so I didn't mind. To celebrate, Ben and I went out to eat at the Olive Garden which is my favorite restaurant. We finished eating there at about 4 pm and had a wonderful evening relaxing at home. Well, at 4 am the next morning, I awoke feeling very sick. My mind thought, well, I'm sure I'll just throw up and then I'll be all good...my stomach was not in agreement. By 11 am I had lost all fluids in my body, through both ends I might add and usually at the same time, and was so dehydrated and weak, I couldn't get myself to the bathroom. I was also beginning to feel light-headed and was losing feeling in my hands. This is when Ben decided to take me to the hospital. There, I was injected with three liters of fluids and given lots of pain medication. I was diagnosed with Acute Gastroenteristis (probably spelled wrong), a virus of the intestines. I was basically destined to be dehydrated as even water would not have stayed in me. Seven hours in the ER and they sent me home with Perkiset (or however that is spelled) and an anti-nausea medicine. As a side note, I really enjoyed the Perkiset...but don't worry, I haven't taken them for recreational purposes. On the bright side, I got to sleep for basically two days and didn't have to work on the tax deadline, always a crazy day.

The next set of news is that Ben and I are moving into a new apartment. It cuts are commute to walking distance (yes, we currently work about 2.5 miles away and are moving to a block away) and is about 200 square feet bigger for not much more a month. We are commited to another year here. Work is going well and I still really love my job. My co-workers are really fun. I'll post pictures of the new place when we move into it. We're on the third floor which means vaulted ceilings. Plus, as people are moving out of these apartments, they are being refurbished. This means that when we move in, we will have new carpets, new paint on the walls which is a very nice off white color with white trim, new appliances, the works. I'm very excited. Plus, we will have a deck with a storage unit on it. We can finally take Ben's golf clubs out of the car...where they've been stored for the last two years. We moved June 14th.

On the learning side of life, I have lots of news. About a week and a half ago, Ben started teaching me guitar and I'm hooked. It's nice to learn after the bass guitar as I already have a feel for how it works. The tips of my fingers on my left hand have no feeling in them, which is weird, but the mark of a guitarist. I've been playing for about an hour every night which means that I am progressing quickly. Of all the instruments I've learned, Piano, Flute, some Cello, and the Bass Guitar, Regular Guitar is by far my favorite and is already what I have asked my parents to get me for Christmas. Plus, Ben and I bought a Spanish Tutor for our Nintendo DS and are brushing up on that for our missions trip to Mexico sometime in August with my brother assuming the dates don't conflict with a great wedding we are going to in early August! As a last update in this area, my wonderful husband surprised me and bought a French Tutor game for the DS so that I can relearn that!! I LOVE LEARNING!!!

Anybody want a peanut?

Well, I guess the one of the only things to say about life right now is thank God for laughter. I would be really stressed out if my co-workers and husband didn't make me laugh so much. I am really so blessed to have such a great job! My dogs are great too. I can't help but smile when I look at them!

Lately, I've been missing lots of things. Minnesota friends, parents, Northwestern, learning, but it's been good to have to look around me and be grateful for the many things God has blessed me with. For instance, the good job I have alluded to. My wonderful husband of almost three years! My dogs. My parents, even though they're far, we have a good phone relationship. My church, we have a women's retreat coming up. The praise team at church that Ben and I are a part of. Living so close to my brother and his beautiful wife. And many more. I just have to remember that God has a plan for everything and that ultimately he is in control. And that if we follow his calling, even when it's not what we thought it would be, he will reward us for it. In short, my head knows what is being asked of me, but my heart isn't quite there yet.

"That's not mint green. That's the pastel that mint green threw up into a bucket of white paint!"

Ahh yes, the above quote was so brilliantly stated by my wonderful husband this last week. Paints quite the picture doesn't it? He was talking about a truck we were passing at lunch time. It was a good laugh on a day when emotions ran high at work...and it's still three weeks from taxes due! I love my husband. He makes me laugh so much. For example, for about the last week, the CD player has been broken. Not loving the Christian radio station out here, we actually have been just enjoying our car rides together since there are very few places we go that we aren't together. So, we talk or just enjoy looking around us at what's passing by. Well, today, we started singing at the top of our lungs Falling by Alicia Keys, and not well. Passing by us, you would probably have thought that we really had the radio blaring, but we didn't. It's times like that that I know I married the right person for me. He doesn't look at me like I'm nuts, he just does it with me. I think he still thinks I'm crazy, but I choose to believe he loves it. Well, that's my ode to my husband for today.

I've been thinking about kids a lot lately, surprise surprise. I'm not pregnant, but many around me are. My friend in Minnesota is having twins! That's a little much for me right now, but she'll handle it like a pro. She's a great mom and a good example for me. Sometimes I wish we were closer to having children, but I have really enjoyed these last almost three years with my husband. When we got married, everyone said, wait a while to have children, and I was like, Ben and I have been together for 3 1/2 years, we don't need more time just the two of us. But I have actually really loved these years. I know that I will love kids when they come too, but for now I'm content to just sing loudly in the car with my husband, stretching him to be a little crazier and him reigning me in some. Probably preparing both of us to be more ready for children when they do come.

Wonderful Tax Season

So because I work at a company that does business consulting and taxes, this is a very busy time for us. Usually, we hire a temporary person to help me through the tax season because my admin work triples. This year, my boss allowed me and another co-worker to be involved in the hiring process. We got to pull resumes, call people, explain the job, set up interviews and even conduct the initial interview. If we felt the person was good, we would call in my boss and he would contiue the interview. Overall, it was a great experience. Unfortunately, the person we ended up hiring, didn't quite work out. After she had worked three of her first eight days, my manager and I began to think of other options. In short, I now am working 50 hour work weeks and am templess. At first I was wondering if this was going to work or not, but God is good and now, I'm totally fine. It sounds weird, but I'm ahead of the game. I am clearing out my e-mail every day which doesn't usually even happen during the non-busy season, I'm doing all the special projects that my manager and I had talked about doing while I had the temp to help me. In fact, I would have no way of keeping a temp busy had we kept her on! As I started thinking about this over the weekend while I was at work helping others get caught up, I realized there is only one way to explain what's going on and it has absolutely nothing to do with me. It's all God. You see, I had been praying that God would make me efficient, and He has. It's like when you get to the end of the month, and mathimatically, you should not have enough money to cover your bills, but you do. God is the ultimate provider, He is the hardest worker, and for me, He is making the hours in my day long enough for me to be over-efficient. I guess all I can say is Praise God! Without him, my life would be stressed and hectic, but it's not! How amazing is that?!