Good News VS Bad News....

If someone gave you a choice....which would you choose?

I chose bad...I always choose bad first. Why?! I love to get the bad news over with. So...the bad news? I have a major cold. I despise colds!!!

The good news?

Oh my there's so many to choose from.....So...here goes:

-I had today off....so I relaxed a bit

-I was able to help a friend in need

-I packed a box

-Today was the last day of seminary....I no longer need to wake up at 5am to make sure Corinna is awake.

AND....the #1 Good news of the day?!

The current tenants of our home are vacating as of the 15th of June...2 full weeks ahead of schedule and my landlord offered extra boxes if we need them to pack AND we have 2 weeks to move in without paying any rent!!!! We are able to start moving in a little over 2 weeks!!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?!?!

Oh yeah...I am. So, we are planning on starting to move as soon as possible so we can be out by my birthday. Last year I celebrated my brithday in a nearly empty apartment...but my family was together. This year, I will be celebrating my 39th birthday by unpacking.

I can barely believe in one month I will be starting to move and unpack my home. A beautiful 2 story brick home with a fireplace and a red door. I know it's crazy, but I LOVE red doors. In honor of the move I am planning on renaming my blog. I don't know what yet, but I've got a few ideas swimming around my head. If you've got any suggestions throw 'em at me!!! I want to use this as a fresh start...leave behind the baggage from the recession and the loss of our lives into something fresh and fun. Any ideas you have I'd lvoe to hear!!!

I survived....or did I?

it was the beginning of a marathon week for me. Running back and forth to the office and enjoy some really nice treatment. With Associate Appreciation Week coming we were expected to come in at least twice. I came in on monday...happily. It was nice to ahve co-workers around me to be able to speak to and have an adult conversation...no the guests I talk to each day don't count. It's nice to talk to adults you're not trying to sell anything. Anyhoo...I came in and received my fabulouso t-shirt to celebrate our office being named the comapny's best reservation office of the year. I was there for the last half a=of the year...enough to feel I helped earn that award. I enjoyed an incredible dinner of chicken alfredo with some french bread on the side....very tasty.

In the middle of our week we watched intently the Valero Texas Open not because we like golf, but because our resort was the host to the PGA golfers who invaded....and we sold out the rest of the nearly thousand rooms. It was the best advertising ever!!! Our lines have been lit up causing us to sell out nearly three weeknds in a row with visitors even from Mexico longing to play the course Greg Norman designed. And for those "non-golfers" in the crowd...to play 18 holes you need to be a guest at our resort AND pay $175 to play. To give you an idea...For one night with 2 people golfing and breakfast it is running at $678 per night. No...not kidding. I tried playing golf...and I don't understand the draw. However, in the words of Field of Dreams....'if you build it...they will come." and if you get that great of advertising...they come in droves.

I made my way slowly through the rest of the week. Molly made it through her induction into the National Junior Honor Society so that was interesting and fun to watch her go through it. I amde it through the rest of the week and celebrated our survival on Saturday hanging out with our friends. Hubbies hung out playing pool while us girls gabbed in the kitchen...they will soon be my neighbors. I also received my first look at my future home...let's just say there is a beautiful red brick structure which has inspired a new name to my blog that I will reveal after we move in...I can hardly wait to unpack my belongings...all of them. And say hello to my mother's hutch she had given me, my antique piano and the beast of an armoire I keep swearing I will never move again.

I began again working the weekends after enjoying being off on Sundays for a couple months. I missed being at church, but at the same time I am indeed grateful for the job which has kept our family afloat when we never thought we'd make it. Yes...the sun is coming out to great us more often. There is sunshine finally peeking into my soul as I've battled depression throughout this trial. It has been difficult.


The last little bit of my busy week finished yesterday when I made my way back to the doctor's office. He quickly set me up with the second painful shot. Unhappy with the results from the first injection this time he unloaded a larger dose into my foot nearly sending me through the roof. I ended up in tears by the time I made it home. Our next meeting in 4 weeks he said we will decide whether or not to even bother with the last shot....translation: we will be talking about the surgery. Fabulous....right as we are moving. As promised to my hubby...I'll wait until after the move for the surgery if needed. We shall see...then I'll have plenty of time to blog...in between eating bon bons and wathcing soap operas that is.

Let the Whirlwind Begin!!!!

It's Sunday...The Day of Rest, some may call it. Me? I call it the beginning of a very long week. It won't be dull, that I can guarantee. However, it will allow me time to break out of the depression that seems to be my constant companion lately. that in itself is a good thing.

Today, church...dinner at my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's house...then home.

Monday, get kids up and ready, take bus into office, change into new shirt provided by office and enjoy being spoiled on breaks, compete in balsa wood glider competition and paper airplane making competition.

Tuesday, get kids off to seminary and school, work at home, get off work early and RUN over to middle school in time to see my youngest be inducted into the National Junior Honor Society...come home and collapse

Wednesday, get kids up for school and seminary, make sure they get to where they need to. Steal car from hubby and strand him at home while I work in office. Schmooze with the properties that pay my salary... it's Salad bar day along with some fun activities and contests...I think the Wii will be going during breaks and lunches. Drive home and collapse.

Thursday, get kids up and out of the house for school and seminary. Make hubby give me ride over to work, enjoy a day with Shamu and animal friends visiting us and snack on sandwiches and games. Wait after work until nearly 11pm for hubby to pick me up...go home and you know it...collapse into deep coma.

Friday, wake up and get the kids off to school and seminary. Do grocery shopping, come home and put everything away and then go back to sleep while hubby heads off to work...all before 8:30am. wake up late afternoon refreshed. Take shower and get ready for an evening with friends...now that's the way to celebrate the "almost closing" to a long week.

Saturday- wake up early and take bus into work while hubby gets kids up and ready to drop off somewhere while he works....we haven't figured out the logistics yet, but we will...i hope. After work wait for hubby and rest of family to show up and enjoy spending time together at the company picnic to bring to close Associate Appreciation Week.

Sunday- wake up early and work from home....yup...schedule changed and I am back at the grindstone on Sundays. Pray often to make it to Monday where I am just responsible to get the kids to school and then make it to the doctor again to enjoy another shot of that FABULOUSO cortisone!!!! Oh yeah...I'm so ready!!!

I'm having a feeling there is no way I will be blogging this week. Of course, I'm also having a feeling these is no way I will survive!!! We'll see though!!! have camera...will travel!!!

Taking Care of Mom...

It's inbred, natural really...
When we, as mothers, make dinner....we serve others first.
As women I find we watch over others moreso than ourselves.

Yesterday, after...well....let's just say several years...we needn't be too exact anyway...what's the point?!

I FINALLY took that step, albeit painful.

Why after so many years of dealing with the constant pain have I given in? I can't tell you an exact reason, but reality hit Sunday after church.

We walked home. Living less than a half mile from church is definitely a blessing when dealing with one car. Hubby unfortunately had to depart for work right before church ended to get make it to his shift on time. The kids and I...walked home. They never complained, but I found myself blessed to see their sweet spirits as every few minutes my girls would look back at me to make sure I was still with them. My son, walked next to me, hand in hand, watching over me the way only he can do.

As I approached the stairs, 3 flights of the most insane way to finish a half mile walk, I inwardly groaned, knowing the throbbing burning aching pain which would soon settle in and I would hide from my kids as we celebrated Bryan's 14th birthday a day early.

Going back, my feet began hurting several years ago whenever I climbed out of bed or sat for a length of time. It was never too bad and the ache went away after awhile. I've also never received much help when going to doctors. Upon going in for my knees when they first began hurting I received the admonition that I was too fat and needed to lose weight. Twice doctors have told me these words causing me to never want help from them again. it was an unconscious decision. Sunday, however sent me over the edge. i slept for 2 hours before being awakened at 1:35 am and desperately trying to get back to sleep while ignoring the pain.

Enough was enough. I'd done enough research on the Internet to diagnose myself with Plantar Fasciitis with possible bone spurs causing the pain. I searched my provider's directory silently feeling thankful I didn't need a referral which may have caused me to decide not to bother. I called my first choice after researching the doctors to find the earliest they could get me in was July...are you kidding me?! However, I had another idea to call another doctor...I can't explain why I picked him but let's just say his name stood out to me.

I called to check and see how early I could get to see him. I was aiming for friday...it is my day off so a perfect way to waste my day away. Was I in luck or what?! They had a cancellation if I could get there in the next 45 minutes. Seriously?!?! NICE!!!

Now, about this Doc....you know, the random one i picked out because his name just stood out to me. Pshaw...what a stupid way to pick out a doctor!!!! Not really!!! It seems he is VERY well educated and was appointed by the governor to be on the state board of podiatry examiners. NICE!!! My first thought...get a lottery ticket...just pick the numbers that stand out...yeah right!!!

The sweet ladies in the office took the xrays and it was discovered that I am such an overachiever that they considered calling the Guinness Book of World Records...no not really, but close. He showed me on the xray where I had not one but 2 fabulous beautiful bone spurs. The one on my heel...Not so bad, just good info to know. The one on my heel...big enough to be counted as an extra toe in my opinion.

The course of action...

cortisone shots, 3 of them spread out in a 6 week plan. By the way, if you've been blessed to never have a cortisone shot, feel blessed, but I'll liken it to being the Devil's own medicine, second only to Pitocin...ugh!!!

Wrapping my foot. Done!!!

Insoles, highly uncomfortable, but Done!!!

Not walking long distances if not needed. I'll give it a shot!!

Putting my feet up. NICE!!!

Not lifting heavy objects...including boxes while we move....I am loving my doctor!!!

All this in avoiding the desperate act of surgery.

After the doctor's office I ate a bagel and rushed to get dressed because I was supposed to make it into the office. One of our resorts was slated to visit so i was supposed to be there. I had a wonderful talk with my manager who gave me so much support and told me to keep her informed on the progress with my foot. And then we found out the property wasn't showing. I was there for no reason. I worked my shift and then sat down to wait. I was off at 8:30pm and unfortunately buses don't run at that time so I had to wait for my sweetheart to pick me up after his shift...he was off at 11pm. Oh yeah...

Before you get to feeling too sorry for me, I kicked back in the massage recliner in front of the big screen watching whatever I felt like watching. I know...I'm spoiled, but it's all right I'm good with it!!!

By the time I made it home, my foot was aching, my eyes were drooping as I was nearing the 23 hours awake mark. Hubby tucked me in bed and before he could say goodnight I was sawing logs, better than a lumber mill.

So...how was your day?!

The Finish Line...or the Beginning.

Today was another big day for our family. Corinna earned her Young Women's medallion and today the bishop took a few moments to award it to her. What was sweet is I had many parents approach me and tell me what a beautiful young woman she was and how the medallion enhanced her beauty.

I agree completely, though I may be partial.

What touched me the most was as we headed out the doors of church to start our walk home the young men came up high fiving her and congratulating her for earning her medallion. They applauded her standards and her hard work.

This is what I've noticed about the youth in our ward. It's been noticed that at dances when most of the kids spread out and hang out with other people from other wards our ward is different. They all are in the center of the room dancing and enjoying being together. I'm kind of sad for moving the kids away from such a group, but I know they'll be all right. They'll bond with the new ward and become a great addition. Until then, we'll celebrate the good times!!!

Next week...Mother's Day and being there when my son is ordained a teacher. Pictures to follow!!!