June 2009

June 01

What Dreams May Come...

I've been doing some reflecting lately.  The topic of careers past and present has come up on a site I belong to.  It's no secret on this page that I have no clue what the hell I'm going to do once the kiddos start school.  However, this site has sorta forced me into the past.  I don't like to dwell there.  The past is just that...the past.  I do like to visit every once and a while.  Anyway, the subject of theatre came up.  I miss it.  I miss it a lot.  When the kids and I are playing we listen to Pandora radio on line.  I have my Quick Mix on Pandora set with a lot of Musical Theatre music.  When songs I love come on, it's very difficult to not drop everything and just start singing... in fact, many times that happens and we have a little dance break.  There are days I wish, no, long, to be back on stage.  I am totally jealous of those that are there.  Sure, there is the possibility that I will go back, but it won't be in the same capacity.  My life focus has changed drastically over the last four years.  I love that it has changed.  I expected it to change.  It doesn't mean that I don't miss it.  Has it changed who I am?  Maybe.  But I love the person that I have become.  It was part of what used to define me, and in that aspect, I guess it makes sense that it feels like a part of me is missing.  But I move on.

Jerry and I were talking about his goals.  He had planned on pursuing a PhD in Physics after UNCW.  And now... will it happen?  Probably not.  Maybe if we win the lottery.  But does it make him less of a person?  Not in my eyes.  Not in our kids' eyes.  Are there moments of jealousy of former classmates that are doing what he thought he would be doing?  Possibly.  But he is here. Now. For us.  What we have is what makes it all worth it.  There is always the want for more... more money, more education, more space.  But we live.  We are healthy.  Our children are healthy.  We are able to pay our bills.  We have a roof over our heads.  We have a world of possibilities in front of us.

Having to settle seems to be a fact of life.  But I'm happy with settling.  I was recently going through my baby book.  There was a page in it that I filled out.  It pretty much asked some silly questions.  But the last one was what did I want to be when I grew up: a mom.  So I guess that I am fulfilling my own prophecy.  And in all honesty, I wasn't putting as much effort into the acting as I could have.  But it doesn't mean I don't miss it.  It doesn't mean that I wish I could ignore my kids at night and go to rehearsals and sing and dance and play and let someone else take care of them during the day.  BUT, I couldn't do that.

So I will settle living vicariously through friends, Pandora, dreams, and movies.  I am content to dream.  Because in the grand scheme of things, what I have now is priceless.  My dreams are in the making and I am living them right now.

"Got no silver, got no gold, what I got can't be bought or sold.  I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night!" --Annie Get Your Gun

then

                                               now

June 04

An anatomy lesson by Elijah

Last night at the dinner table Elijah started pointing to my and naming body parts, so I started pointing to them and he kept on naming them:

eyes, ears, teeth, tongue, lips, nose, chin, forehead, shoulder, elbow, knee, toes... we were giggling and I thought that we were all done.  I said, "Good naming Elijah!"  He said, "Thanks mom!"  We started eating again.  Elijah suddenly looks at me and points to my chest and yells, "MOMMY'S MILK!!"  Jerry and I started laughing!  It was priceless!  I'm really glad we were at home, though being out may have made it even funnier!

can't imagine where he learned it!

June 26

Ahhh, the mountains

It's been a while.  I'm at my folks house in the mountains and I'm super glad to be away from the heat of the coast.  While it is still warm here, 90 degrees here is ALLOT different that 90 degrees on the coast.  So far, we've been fairly relaxed.  We've played in the creek and discovered a GREAT pool, spent time with my friend Laura and ridden bikes, hung with Oma and Opa and walked through the forest.  Overall, very nice time.  The sleeping has been rough, but new place and whatnot.  We are all missing Jerry, but we'll see him next week.

We started out in Charlotte at Jerry's sister's vow renewal.  It was a very nice, simple, ceremony.  The kids had fun staying in a hotel and we had a nice time visiting with family.  My folks came down for the ceremony and the kids and I went back with them.

I have to say that facebook has allowed me to connect with people from high school that I haven't seen in 15 years.  It's been nice (for the most part) but still at arm's length.  Laura and I have been friends since 5th grade.  Our friendship has withstood the test of time and distance.  From all the people I went to high school with, she is the only one that I have kept in real contact with.  She is not on facebook (though she should be....hehehehehe!)  However, I relay stuff to her that I find.  Tonight we met for dinner and I invited a mutual friend of ours.  IT WAS AWESOME!  Time changes people...well, one can hope.  I mean you have to grow right?  Some people tend to grow in a direction I don't understand, but ya know.  Anyway, we hung out and it was good.  We all seemed comfy in our lives and with each other.  Facebook as a whole is a really cool idea.  I do get annoyed at everyone publishing the results of EVERY test they take, but I filter them out.  I do however, (sorta) wish, that if you get ignored they the ignore-er would have to state a reason.  I'm SO curious about why this one person ignored me.  Whatever, but ya know...

There is more to say, but I'm tired and this weekend will be busy.  I will wait and post pics when I get home.

December 2007

December 08

TAG!!!!

my friend Angela tagged me so here it goes...

1. I started smoking when I was 16 and quit when I was 22 as a Valentine's Day present to Jerry. When I was 20 my height was 5'2 1/2"  at 24 I was 5"4 3/4"   hmmmmm... I quit cold turkey and still dream about smoking occasionally... a former minister of mine told me, "when you start dreaming about sex and stop dreaming about smoking you know that you are truly a non-smoker."  I have also heard that it takes your body a full 10 years to completely heal... I'm almost there!!!  I now get very annoyed when sitting in a non-smoking section and smoke still comes through... sigh...

2. When I was in 3rd or 4th grade I went to a piano competition thing-y and forgot one of my memorized pieces half way through... so I made the rest up.  The judge guy did not pass me on that piece, but commented that he was impressed that I didn't just stop.  I played the piano until my sophomore year in college and then gave it up...though I miss playing and if we had the space I would want a piano.

3. I have three tattoos.  I got the first one after I graduated from high school (Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes on my hip) the second one with money I saved from a competition for quitting smoking (that was the first time I quit...only took twice!)  The tattoo guy told me it was a Native American symbol about how the moon and the sun are connected... ummmm.... it wasn't until almost 6 years later when I was really looking at a picture of it that I realized that it's a naked lady...very artsy (obviously!) but still... I love it though... it's on a shoulder blade.  And finally after I left WWC I went with a friend to get a tattoo and ended up getting one myself.  It's an ankh and it's the biggest tattoo I have.  It's on my lower back.   I love all three and I often think about getting another, but I doubt that I will.

4. I think of myself as spiritual instead of religious, but I really like to sing hymns.  I love my church from the mountains.  There is a church here that I like well enough to attend, when I feel like going.  I don't care for religion being pushed in my face and I find many super religious people to be rather hypocritical... or lacking of knowledge.  But I tend to keep thoughts to myself in the aspect of religion.

5. I have recently found myself being a more conservative democrat.  I find that I am not as extreme as I thought I was.  It's very interesting.  I don't think that I would ever be a republican, but I do find that some of the far left-ist people rather annoying and arrogant... to the point they are almost as bad as the far right-ist... I try to not get into debate about this either...

6. I am a total mountain girl at heart... if we had even a hope of moving back to the mountains, I would do just about anything to move back there... including finding a job... (not that I wouldn't do that here...)

7. I can say the 50 states in alphabetical order in one breath...even while intoxicated...  it's quite humorous when I'm intoxicated....

December 10

This weekend....

So this weekend was freaking amazing weather wise!  And the weather is continuing to be nice.  We are having a cookie exchange tomorrow and I was going to get hot chocolate, but now I'm thinking that I may get lemonade instead.  It's supposed to be 80 degrees!!!  Insane!  While I guess it's nice, it's hard to think Christmas-y thoughts with this heat... though I guess I bring this on myself living at the beach and all.

So I made cookies yesterday and Elijah helped me.  We are taking gingerbread people, so he helped roll out the dough and cut the cookies.  It's funny.  He didn't lick his fingers once and wasn't interested in tasting the dough... I guess that's good.

We played at a couple of different parks this weekend as well.  The weather was just too nice not to be outside.  Though yesterday we went to a park and a guy brought his kid and Rotweiler...to a park seriously?  Then the kid ran off and the guy sat down with the dog and started smoking...SUPER SIGH....seriously?  Elijah was the only kid playing on the equipment...go walk and smoke elsewhere....sigh...  So we ended up leaving shortly after that, we at least got a good hour of play in.

I've finished my shopping and just waiting for a couple more things to arrive in the mail.  I feel good about being done.  We went to walk the mall last week and it was packed!

I guess that's really it.  We find out what the baby is on Friday!!!!  I'm sooooo excited!  I've been dreaming about it... I must say that this dreaming is the worst thing about my pregnancy.  I have the weirdest dreams when I'm pregnant.  So I wake up so freaking tired... sigh...  anyway, I dreamt last night (amongst really weird things...) that we were having a girl... The only name we are solid on is a girls' name... so who knows... we'll find out FRIDAY!!!!!!  Have I mentioned that yet?

That's all.  I'm going to add the pics of Elijah helping with the cookies and by then I'm betting that Elijah will be up and ready to play...as usual!

December 12

two more days

of waiting!  sigh...

we had our cookies exchange yesterday.  it was really nice and fun and yummy cookies!  but the weather was so freaking hot!  we walked before the party and i was beat the reat of the day.  i felt bad for elijah.  he wanted so much to run around outside, but i didn't have enough energy to run after him.

this morning i went to BBB and got a shower head that can be handheld so jerry can start giving elijah showers.  jerry doesn't feel comfortable in the shower with elijah b/c one the shower is so freaking small and two he can't see well without his glasses.  i don't mind showering elijah, but it's getting harder and it's not going to get easier anytime soon... sooo why, you ask, don't we just give him a bath?  because, i say (hehehehehe), in the bath his shampoo and conditioner (yes conditioner...he has the thickest hair!!) can't stay on his skin very long or it exasperates him eczema... so in the shower we wash his hair and then his body with his special soap... in the tub he just sits there in it.  so i'm glad we have this shower thing, now i don't have to be squatting in the shower to wash the kiddo.

i think tomorrow we will go to the park to play, and i think that some of our playgroup will be there.  this weather is crazy warm, but only for a few more days, so might as well get out and enjoy this.

my newest addiction is facebook.  i cannot get enough of it.  jerry and i are playing a scrabble game through it (not that we couldn't play scrabble on our own...) and i'm catching up with people from high school and college.  it's awesome!

okay so taking bets... girl or boy!  elijah's up from nap, so off i go to chase that one!

December 14

It's a......

GIRL!!!!!

At least we are 90% sure.  She was not cooperating very well, but you know...  I assume everything is okay... but we won't know for sure until Mary looks at the pics.  Anyway, we are really excited!  And yes there is only one in there....

December 16

Fa la la la la la la la la

Finally some colder weather to put me more into the Christmas spirit.  Don't get me wrong, it's been nice to not have to bundle up in millions of layers to go play at the park, but come on, it's December already!

So Jerry got his bonus check on Friday...and while not as much as we would have liked (though is it ever?) it was enough to go get a DRYER!!!  WAHOOOO!!!!  I know I should continue to be all environmental and whatnot...but dang it's nice nice to not have to wait until the morning to hang out clothes, just so I'll have clean undies in a day... ahhhh...I guess I really am growing up being all excited about this....  We also purchased new Tupperware stuff (as most of our old stuff was missing lids) and a new knife block (our old ones had wooden handles...who makes knives with wooden handles and says they are dishwasher safe...sigh... anyway they were growing stuff and some were broken...so new knife block....wahoo!)  We are also tossing around the idea of getting a rechargeable lawn mower.  We have an electric one right now and really like it, but the cord is starting to annoy us...so if craigslist would get with it and let me post I would go on and try to sell the old one.  We also still have the riding lawn mower, but it hasn't worked in a while and we have no idea what's wrong with it (yeah, big surprise with all our extensive knowledge of small engines and whatnot...)I think we should just sell it and be done with it, but we'll see.

It is my goal that before the new year we will call 1800GOTJUNK and get the insane amount of crap in our garage out!  I like that they recycle what can be recycled and then dump the other stuff.  I just don't want to deal with it.  If the garage can get organized ahhhh... we would have a place to store all the crap that needs to be stored in order to get ready for the new baby.

My folks are coming down for Elijah's b-day in January and we need to finish painting the living room and get the new nursery painted and the office organized... sigh... I need to make a list so we aren't spending a lot of time doing nothing.

Have I mentioned that I love our new dryer.... it's so quiet... no ear splitting squeaking...contented sigh...

December 25

A Peaceful Christmas

Our Christmas was a peaceful one.  Jerry and Elijah slept until almost 8 and since I was up at 6 and couldn't go back to sleep, I made French Toast and bacon for breakfast.  After we ate we opened presents.  I guess I should back up a little though.

On Sunday we went to see Jerry's folks.  We did a little Christmas-ing there.  Elijah was given a present larger than himself and it took him 20 minutes to open it.  Mainly it took this long because he wanted to shred the paper into little bits...silly kiddo.  Anyway, he got this Toy Story 2 train set.  It's really quite spectacular.

Okay, so back to today... After breakfast we started with stockings.  Elijah was excited to pull stuff out of his and he started to unwrap his gifts...soooooo sssssllllloooowwwwlllllyyyyy... His first gift was a set of small (think matchbox size) Tonka trucks.  We might as well have not gotten him anything else.  He was so excited about those.  But he eventually moved on.  So after stockings we moved onto presents.  Again, it took a few tries (and wanting to stack EVERYONE'S presents, still wrapped, into a big pile...) he enjoyed opening his gifts...though he still wanted to rip the paper into smaller pieces instead of ripping into the package.  We gave him some musical instruments and a little magnetic zoo train.  My aunt gave him a little phone thingy and a lift the flap book about bugs.  My folks gave him a trike.  Oh, and we gave him a play dough activity kit.

Jerry got several DVDs, a lap desk for his laptop, some shirts (the ones I got were too small...go figure right?), a programming book, and something else I'm forgetting...

I got some yummy chocolate pancake mix, a couple of LED lights, some maternity sweaters, 4 books, cupcake feet, a couple CDs, and a gift certificate to a maternity store.  My parents also got me a subscription to Everyday with Rachael Ray!

Tomorrow Elijah and I are traveling to Asheboro to meet my parents, Laura, and Laura's mom at the zoo on Thursday.  I'm excited to go, but I'm a little nervous about the traveling.  This will be the first time I've traveled out of town with Elijah by myself.  We are staying in a hotel with an indoor pool, so that will be fun and I'm not worried about having him by myself at the hotel.  It's the car that I'm quasi-stressed about.  But we aren't leaving until after lunch, so hopefully he'll sleep for a good portion of the trip.  Then on the way home I'm hoping he'll be so exhausted from playing at the zoo all morning that he'll sleep all the way home.  the only problem then, will be my bladder, and the baby that seems to think it's a soccer ball.

I guess I'll upload some pics so I'll have some room on the card for the zoo.  He's so into animals lately, I'm curious to see what his expression will be seeing them live.  I am a little bummed because the polar bears aren't there.  The sea lions are getting a new habitat and so they get to live in the polar bear's area...since the two don't get along too well...you can figure it out.  sigh...  oh well.  The weather looks to be perfect.  The last time I went it was right after Christmas and there was barely anyone there, so I'm hoping that it'll be fun.

okay... uploading...

Hope everyone's Christmas was merry!

 

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas!

May you have peace and joy today and all days!

December 31

Happy....

Happy

New

Year!!!

August 2007

August 02

Super Short

I posted some new pics and check out Jerry's blog.  He's added two new entries and both are very much worth reading.
That's all for now.  I'll write more later.

August 06

Monday Monday...lalalala

So while this weekend wasn't as productive as I would have liked, it was still a good one.  On Saturday we went to Jerry's folks house to see them.  They had the girls there so it was good to see them too.  Elijah is smitten with the youngest.  He kept trying to shove his sippy cup in her mouth and touching her face.  It was very cute.  As they get older they are going to be thick as thieves.  We went out and played in the pool.  It was REALLY hot!  The ground there is even drier than it is here.  It felt like walking on hot coals, even in the grass.  I know we need rain, but I am scared to wish for it in the middle of hurricane season.
Yesterday Elijah and I went to a baby shower for our friend Dana (due in a couple of weeks...our group likes to cut these things close...) while Jerry worked.  (FYI, someone asked why he was working so many hours,I think it was Claire...anyway, Jerry is the only programmer at his job and has been working his behind off writing a new program for a rather large client.  While he is supposed to be putting all this time in at work, he has other duties working on machines and processing data...so he's been programming like mad at home and working at work.)  It's been trying for him, but he still trucking away with us as well.)  ANYWAY, we came back from the shower and Elijah went down for his nap.  Then we went to Toys R Us and bought....wait for it... a Toddler Bed!!!  We are very excited about it and Elijah really likes that he can climb in and out of his own bed.  So i put him to sleep in his room (I had my head on his bed...that counts right?) and apparently he woke up once at about 10 and went back to sleep within a couple of minutes and then Jerry brought him to bed with him at 4:30!!!  That's great for our little guy!  I am not getting my hopes up that this will continue, but it's a step.  The bed is a good height.  We can cuddle him in it and rub his back without cutting the circulation off in our arms.  Also, we are making strides in the potty training.  He has gone pee in the pot once and loves to sit on his potty (would probably do it for hours on end...)  He  can take his pants off and put them on... so we are getting there slowly but surely.
Today I made a play house out of the boxes from the bed.  We are hosting playgroup this week, so I think I'll put it outside with some paints and let the kids go crazy.  i'm also going to set up the pool and sprinkler.
Tonight I am going out with some friends for dinner, drinks, and a movie.  tomorrow Jerry is going to Pass Your Plate to do this months dinners for us.  I am also starting to take small business classes at the local community college.  They are free and I think they will help with having an online business or any other business venture I might start in the future.  My first class (really a seminar) starts on Thursday evening.  So this week is fairly busy.  I need to mow the back yard before Thursday sometime... maybe Wednesday evening when it isn't too boiling hot...
Okay, the munchkin has only taken a half hour nap and is now grouchy...sigh... no reasoning with a one year old for sure... Maybe we'll start the playhouse painting today...
August 13

The weekend or why my husband ROCKS!!!!

SOOOO, last week sorta sucked.  I (and don't ask why it took so long for me to figure this one out) realized that I really need to register as a small business and get insurance and all that.  It occurred to me if someone misused the slings (despite my warnings and instructions) that we could get sued and I have no protection.  So I started taking small business classes at the local community college and withdrew my slings and doll slings from Carmen's shop (her website by the way will be up later this week!!!!) So I was feeling like crap and pretty down.  Not that I was making a whole lot of money, but I was making some and I wanted to continue.  But I did realize that all this doesn't have to happen immediately and we should be safe rather than sorry.  I also hosted playgroup last week.  That was quite fun, but the house was very crowded.  I closed off all the rooms except for the main living space and outside.  I also made ice pops out of juice and those were a big hit.  Our house is just so small and with 19 moms and kids in it, I (not to mention Elijah) was feeling a little overwhelmed.  But it was fine.  Hopefully the weather will cool down (SOMETIME SOON!!!) and we can go back to meeting at the park.
ANYWAY, with all that, I wanted to get out of town.  It was so freaking hot last week and I just felt down in the dumps.  So Friday I called Jerry to see when he was coming home for lunch and he said he needed to work through, but would be home by about 1:30 for the day and to pack the car because we were going to visit my folks!!!  So I packed the car and was ready to leave by the time he got home.  Elijah had taken a really early nap (11-12...odd, usually he sleeps from 1-3...but whatever...) and we hit the road by 2:30.  While it wasn't a whole lot cooler up there, there was a lot less humidity.  So we got there around 8.  Elijah went to sleep almost immediately and we hung out with my aunt and uncle and parents.  Saturday I went with my mom and aunt to the Sourwood Festival, but it was really hot, so we came home and took a nap.  In the afternoon we went to the playground and had a party for my little cousin (she turned 8) and played in the creek and whatnot.  Then we left yesterday morning and came home.  It was awesome.  We haven't done something like that in ages.  I was really worried about Elijah, but he was totally fine.  The only thing we forgot was the baby monitor, but we just put that baby gate by the door (he slept on a pallet on the floor) and opened windows and doors...but he didn't wake up, so it was fine regardless.  We had a stash of toys in the car and he really did great!!!
So last night and this morning I am catching up on the laundry and grocery shopping.  I feel refreshed.  But this trip really made me want to move back to the mountains even more.  We've been talking about it, but I think I really want to step up the job search and get a move on (no pun intended...)
Okay, I have a grouchy, hungry, babe...so I'm off.  I'll post pics later...
August 18

Some background and whatnot

With Megan's comment, I realized I haven't really put down any stats or background.  So here it goes:
I was born in the piedmont of NC and lived there until I finished 4th grade.  That summer my family moved to Warren Wilson College, where my dad accepted a teaching position.  We lived on the campus until I finished 7th grade and then moved to Black Mountain.  My parents still live there.  I finished high school and ended up attending WWC, where the fab-o Tracey convinced me to be her roommate, and we lived happily for two years, after which I became and RA.  I completed four years there, but didn't graduate.  I met Jerry at WWC and we were very good friends there, but never dated.  After I left WWC I worked for the YMCA as an after school counselor and site director.  Jerry did his community service there (at WWC students have to complete 100 hours of community service in order to graduate) and eventually was hired on as a counselor.  We started dating, but had to be hush hush about it since I was his immediate boss.  I quit smoking for a Valentine's Day present to Jerry (he's asthmatic) and on April 7th we got engaged (totally ruined his plan, but that's another story).  We rented an apartment at the end of school that year and  moved in together (yes, we were living in sin) which we both agree was the best thing we could have done for our relationship.  Jerry was still in school and working.  I had left the Y and was working as a lead teacher for a preschool.  We liked out VERY small apartment, but were asked to move into a REALLY nice house to help with an elderly couple in my church.  They had an apartment in the basement of their house.  It was on top of a mountain and absolutely beautiful... sigh... SO while we were there both of the people got sick (heart wise) and suddenly their children came out of the woodwork (where they were before, who can say?) and they asked us to leave (they gave us two weeks...moral of the story...ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a lease or written agreement...) SOOOO, we ended up moving in with my folks.  Jerry said that it was good because he got to really know my folks.  He had quit his job since I was making enough to pay for the super cheap rent in the house.  But he was going a bit crazy going to school only part time and hanging around my folks house.  So he worked with a couple of landscaping companies, but it was a harsh winter and not a whole lot of work.  Meanwhile we were planning away the wedding and I was also now leading the church youth group. (Obviously they didn't care so much that Jerry and I were living together unmarried.)  Jerry auditioned for and got a role in Hamlet and took an acting class (which made me really jealous, as that was what I wanted to do, but didn't have time/energy as I was working full time.)  Three days before he graduated we moved into an apartment, the day after he graduated we got married.  Jerry had gotten a job as a front desk worker at Best Western, but after graduating got a job in a local group home for boys.  I quit my job to stay at home...that didn't work so well, so I went through about three other jobs before finding a job as Mentor, which meant I went to school with a little first grader and made sure he stayed on task all day.  It was a very rewarding job and I felt like I made a difference in his life (hopefully.)  I wanted to go back to school and that's what brought us to the coast.  Jerry decided to go back to school as well.  So I finished my degree and started working at the library going around to preschools training teachers how to do effective story times.  It was an awesome job...I mean I got to read to kids for a living!  ANYWAY, after many years of having the stress of no money.  Jerry landed his current job, I quit my job and two weeks later found out I was pregnant!  The rest is in the previous blogs.
SO I really want to be back in the mountains.  The coast is nice, but for vacation.  I am a mountain girl at heart and I am aching to get back there...
Now for the whatnot:
Elijah's potty training is going GREAT!!!!  We aren't really stressing about it, I mean he's only 19 months, but he has pooped twice this week and peed numerous times.  I'm so proud of him.  I hope that I'm not jinxing anything by writing this, but I really thought it would be harder.  He loves sitting on his potty...to the point that I'm bored silly with it.  If he goes in the potty we dump it into the toilet and he LOVES that.  IF he doesn't go, he tries so hard to get to the toilet to flush it.  He's just growing so fast.  Jerry took Elijah to the aquarium for a Daddy and Me program there and I put him in a shirt his grandma got him.  It was a little big, but fit... it's a 3T!!!!  Holy Monkey Batman!!!!  He's really tall and I guess that's not going to stop anytime soon.
Okay, this is like a small book and half of it doesn't even really go... So I'm off.
August 20

The Engagement Story

On April 7th 1999 WWC was holding work day ( a day when classes are canceled and the entire student body works at one of several school betterment projects, ending in a big cookout and party.)  I was taking a day off from work and hanging out with Jerry (who was skipping workday.)  I feel asleep in his dorm room and he snuck out leaving me a note saying he was going for something to eat.  I woke up to the door closing and went running after him.  I caught up and he let me come with him.  In the car, I was all giddy (not having to have dealt with kids all afternoon and having play rehearsal that evening.)  I asked where we were going and Jerry said the mall.  This was an odd choice as there wasn't a food court there yet, but I went along... I LOVE THE ASHEVILLE MALL!!!  So we are walking around and I wander through the GAP.  Finally we get to center court and Jerry looks at me and tells me to sit down and that he'll be back in a minute.  I was confused, but whatever.  I sat down and started balancing my checkbook (of all things!)  A few minutes later, he comes up and in the middle of the mall gets down on one knee and asks, "Will you make me the happiest man ever and marry me?"  I was floored!!!  Obviously I said yes.  It was great.  We did go get something to eat.  And then met my dad going into choir practice and Jerry told him then.  My parents LOVE Jerry, they always have, so they were very happy.
Jerry's plan was:
To sneak out of the room and get the ring.  Go and ask my dad for my hand in marriage.  And then take me up on the parkway.  I totally ruined it, but I love that we got engaged in the mall.  There is now a trampoline jumpy thing in the spot where we got engaged, but I still love walking by there and remembering my special moment.
So there it is.  My engagement story.  I love it!   I wouldn't change it ever!!!
August 24

What is it with me and appliances?

SO our dryer started making weird (really annoying) noises earlier this summer.  No biggie as we have a clothes line and just hang them out and with the freaking drought and all, no worries about the rain.  However, we did have a HUGE storm on Tuesday night.  Jerry and I both got up at the same time to turn the computer off and unplug the TV, and to comfort the scared baby child.  While I was talking to Jerry I heard this odd noise, but didn't think anything about it.  The storm didn't last long and we went back to sleep, end of story...NOT!  We wake up and I keep hearing this clicking noise.  I walk around (obsessed) trying to find this noise.  Turns out it's our less than 2 year old fridge.  It keeps trying to come on and not being able too.  So I call, no we are not under warranty any longer... what do you meant he earliest you can come out is MONDAY???.... I finally find someone to come out on Thursday.  In the mean time Jerry goes and gets some ice.  I pull out all the stuff in our freezer (remember that we get the Pass You Plate stuff, so we have 1/2 a months worth of dinners in there) to finish thawing so I can spend the afternoon doing what?  cooking it all...sigh...  So I cook everything, thankfully most of it's cooked on 350, so I can put in several dinners at once.  And in reality it takes me about 2 hours.  However, I am so over handling food that I just want to go out for dinner and I don't want anything hot, because it's hot outside and now it's hot in our house.  So we go to Atlanta Bread Company and get sandwiches  (LOVE LOVE LOVE their veggie sandwich ..no onions please...)  I still haven't heard from the scheduler person about when someone will come to fix the fridge on Thursday, but I decide I will just call in the morning.  I go to sleep thinking everything will be fine...
hmmm... so Thursday morning.  I call...there is no record that anyone is supposed to show up...WHAT?...yes you may call me back...  I get my game face on, ready to pitch a fit... they call back...someone can be there between 2 and 5.  GREAT!!!  Jerry works through lunch and comes home for the day minutes before the repair guy shows up.  He comes in... the storm sent a power surge that burnt out the override switch (or something) apparently a common problem... why they makers can't solve it is beyond me... but at least we don't need a whole compressor.  Repair guy makes a call...probably Monday before the part comes in...but while on the phone finds out not Monday but THREE WEEKS...WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  He makes another call (apparently to his mentor...) finds out he has a part that will fit but made by Maytag (we have a Frigidaire) but will fix the problem... great bring it on!!!  After all that and almost a minor heart attack, the whole thing is fixed for under 150 (the labor costs more than the part...sigh...) but overall, am SOOOO happy to have my fridge back.  We did ask him about the dryer, though he didn't look at it because that would have been another 20 bucks.  Right now it's not a big deal and we sorta want a new one...though it would be cheaper to fix this one... oh well, we'll see.
So because of all this I missed playgroup, but that's okay, Elijah had a cough and sniffles earlier and I was planning on not going anyway.  It turns out that the AC was blowing right on his little face, so we have rearranged his room again.  Also, Rachel, Erin, and MR came over for dinner tonight so that was nice.  I caught up on all the goings on.  My friend Dana had her baby this morning!!!  She had a little boy via VBAC without drugs (two tears too man...DANG!)  They waited to find out the sex until he was born, so I'm happy to have another boy in out group.  It's going to be insane in the next couple of years.  There are 10 of us and I think about 7 of us are trying or already pregnant with number 2.  I really hope we can start meeting outside again soon...it's so crowded...though then you don't get to talk to the moms as much...sigh...we'll see.
My folks are coming on Monday!  I'm excited about that.  Jerry and I got a coupon for this really nice restaurant and I think we will splurge and go out there one night and then maybe go see the Bourne Ultimatum one night...  we also have some more yard work we want to finish.  The weather is supposed to be cooler (like 88 instead of 96) so that should be nicer...
Elijah's new favorite thing to eat is apples...whole.  I take a bite and then he chows down.  It's pretty funny.  I'll add the pics in a minute...
I guess that's it...