All shiny, shiny!!

Okay, so I don't have much more than a minute, but I noticed that my blog was outdated (go figure!) and that the very possible sad ending to the last blog post needed attention.

For those who would fully relate to the situation, we had my ring majorly cleaned and brushed and then had the annual rhodium dip. I made sure that my finger was all nice and healed and blister free. I held my breath almost all the way the ride up in the elevator to IA Diamond. They pulled out my ring and it was so very shiny!! I was all pins and needles when I put it back on. I prayed that this would be the last for at least 6 months that I would need to return to this jewelry suite. It was beautiful and even Zach commented that he had forgotten how sparkly it could be!! I couldn't stop looking at it!

The real test came as I wore it over night, since after about 6 hours I had been breaking out. I woke up out of my normal morning grogginess remembering the little weight on my left hand. It felt foreign on my finger after more than a month of problems. I checked for redness and chafing...nope, all good. Did it itch or burn...nope!! Yes!! After a full day, I did wear it to work despite the protests of my dear concerned hubby!! I was careful to not scratch and to wear gloves. It was after lunch when I reevaluated and I was doing great!! I decided that I was cured and that I needed to keep up with the regular suggested maintenance of my precious ring!

So the story with all its ups and downs, bated breath (not bad breath) and beating heart moments, came out to be a happy ending after all. Any one need another peak at it, just come up and ask to see it (when I am not at work since it has been mandated and I must obey my husband's good-willed command to not wear it at work anymore).

THE END!!

Oh, my ring! My precious!!

I have been without being able to wear my ring for about 1 1/2 months!!! My wedding ring! My poor ring finger would break out into these small red hideous blisters and itch like nobody's buisness. It was awful!! I put anti-itch cream after cream on and the red and itch would go away for a few days and then I would put my beautiful ring on for a day and voila!! Itchin agony!!!

I finally dragged Zach down to IA diamond to get an answer from experts...or so I thought!! The lady told us after just a few questions for us and for the craftsman in back that if I am allergic to the alloys in the white gold, then it would mean an upgrade to palodium (spelling). Inside I panicked and then my heart fell to my french-painted toenails. After asking if I was attached the original design (okay, lady, how many times have you been divorced?), then proceeded to tell us that it would be about $500 -$700 at least more to replace, I wanted to grab the Kleenex box run out to the elevator hit the basement button and bawl. Well, I did the more mature thing and just paled a little and asked what my other options were though slim they may be. There really wasn't much of an answer, so we left. Zach told me that he wanted me to see a doctor before we ended up paying half a grand.

I was so very crushed, but my dislike of going to doctors was still greater, so I called the school nurse. She gave me some good advice about checking for saudering marks and cleaning and such. I had to give it a try. I started working even harder on healing my finger whilst we took it back to IA Diamond and requested that the saudering areas be filed down more and the ring super brushed and polished and the annual rhodium dipping. All for free too! I was praying so hard for positive results. That lady at least didn't ask the terrible question about changing my ring and she seemed to know more and seem that it wasn't that big of a deal to fix.

I now sit typing these words with my most beautiful shiny ring on my left finger and I have worn it all last evening and through the night and this morning and so far it feels perfect and my finger is the normal color and texture. Yay for maintenance!!! I am so not waiting 14 months for the next cleaning!! I love my ring, honey!!! Sorry for the scare!!!

Homes, homes for sale!!!

For those who understand that entry title is to be sung to the "boy, boy for sale" song from Disney's Oliver Twist.

Well, the Lord continues to show us what to do and it is such a relief to make the next step and the both of us feel full confidence in it. After another weekend at the farm and talking more to Bill and Jeanie and other peoples, we came home and were praying even more about the decision that we have been on the fence about since February. By bed time we had made our decision and believe this is what God wants us to do or at least head. We are going to stay here for a couple more years to pay off bills and to invest in a house. Many things have been thought and thought through again and revisited. We are totally willing to move down to Creston if the Lord shows differently, but that doesn't seem to be the way to go for now.

We meet with a realtor tomorrow to get a better idea of what is out there and what to expect, though we both think that it would be best for us and for the market to wait till January to actually purchase. The realtor is a lady with good experience that is a member of our church, so we are very thankful for that. Please pray that we make wise decisions and are able to find the best little starter home for us. Pray that Zach's job continues to progress well. He still has a couple months before going to nights (we both hope that maybe it would work out to keep him on days, but we will see). Pray that I have patience with my job during the winter as it is so very slow.

We are so thankful for everything that the Lord has done for us and we are so excited to see what He has for us to do for Him!!!

Lesson of Prayer and Patience

This posting is mostly for those who really keep up with my poorly kept current blogging, but that stay faithful.

Life has been interesting once again, but for everyone when does it not. :) This last week or so though has brought Zach and I together for prayer even more so. About a little over a week ago, Bill Saylor wasn't feeling too well. He went in and was treated for a sinus infection. While in there, they scheduled an overdue cardioexam. He let us know that his vision was double and after a couple more days of that and other symptoms of concern continued. He went in again to the Creston hospital and they did a MRI. Finding nothing, they came home. To make a long story somewhat short, they have done several tests, a lot of possible ailments have been discussed and checked. We thought it might be his diabetes, but now after blood work, they have found that his white cells have these black rings around them and they won't know for sure what this could be till Monday the 15th. Please pray for Bill and Jeanie as some of the possible conclusions could be very drastic.

On another note Zach and I are really trying to figure out where God wants us as a partial result of the most recent events, but also it has been a big topic of prayer since the beginning of this year. We really can't make any decisions till we find out more about Zach's Dad and his parents are able to figure out some things. We want to be there for them and help out with their plans for the farm, but so much could take things in several directions. So we are trying to be content in each day at a time and with a willing heart ready to go where and when He leads. That is where the patience lesson has really been hitting. We are also both so very thankful for having each other in this and that we wouldn't be moving or making such big changes without each other.

I found this quote in a devotional book that I just finished up and it is very appropriate to these thoughts:

"God is not in such a hurry as we are, and is not His way to give more light on the future then we need for action in the present, or to guide us more than one step at a time. When in doubt, do nothing, but continue to wait on God. When action is needed, the light will come."

Thank you for your prayers and love!!

Fall is A'Comin'!!!

For those fellow fall lovers, yesterday was the breakthrough of the perfect, crisp, fresh fall weather. Drinking hot spiced drinks, picking pumpkins and squash, crunching colorful leaves, and then later comes the Thanksgiving dinner...ummm...ummm! The summer went by so very fast and was so very busy. I love saying goodbye to the hot sticky, busy summer and saying hello to autumn. I really wanna try to get Zach down to Winterset for some picture takin' fun! I should find another couple to go and we could have a picnic of sorts too and we would get better pics.

Also this fall holds something else special. I was a married a year ago in the fall...Novemeber 24th. It is coming up and I hope it comes quickly! Funny thing is that my brother is getting married a week after that at Thanksgiving. Deja Vu!! It will be hard to not to be reminiscing about my wedding the entire time since it is the same time same church and similar theme. They have good taste, I must say.

To celebrate the season, Maria, my faithful and friendly co-worker, and I went to Panera Bread to partake of some yummy soup and delicioso turkey artichoke spinach sammie!! So I am totally ready to put summer behind me and welcome autumn with sweatshirt-covered outspread arms!! Bring on the sweet potato souffle'!!

Many Years Ago In A Land Far Away

Okay, so my summer hasn't really been a fairytale and because of it I haven't had any time to blog. Also another good reason is that our home computer has been in the workshop for over two months (that is a tale of its own and so far it has ended happily) and work has been so insane that I don't have time to do any there. Here are some highlights briefly to catch up to the now. I can address detail requests as they come.

Sad -- Faith got flooded and we ripped out the carpet of about 16 apartments and had to find housing for all that resided
Happy -- Zach and I had a wonderful learning experience as we went with our youth group to work with the Brockas in Salt Lake City, UT for nine days. We drove out and there are many trying and fun times involved in that trip.
Sad -- Came back to work and in a few days about 20 apartments and some offices were again flooded. It has taken till just this weekend to clean it all up and recarpet and place people. They are still several apartments that are currently "condemned".
Happy -- I finally cut my hair to a kind of bob that I've been to scared to try out.
Sad -- It didn't really work and I had to wait a weekend to fix it!
Happy -- David and Aly got engaged!
Sad -- Our computer was found to have more issues and we had to wait at least 2 more weeks.
Happy -- Zach and I and the two bros and their women went out to Indiana for my Dad's 50th birthday as a surprise.
Sad -- I can't take my two birdies back with me cause Faith doesn't allow it.
Happy --I got my hairs cut to what I now absolutely love!!! (Zach says he really likes it too!)
Sad -- School is starting very soon and work is insane for several crazy reasons and I want to time skip to Labor Day weekend.
Happy -- Zach and I went to IA state fair for free the opening night after work and then again to see the Gates family play fiddle another night.
Sad -- I worked 13 hours straight yesterday under a crazy schedule and I am beat.
Happy -- I got 9 hours of overtime for this last week and will get more this next week.

So with few and much in between it has been a busy but great summer and it is going by so very fast. Two more weeks and I will be in school and fall mode. I love fall!!!!! Happy days!! I will be trying to be much better at my bits of info for whomever may actually be interested. Grab an icecream and go spend a night out under the stars!!

Take Me Away!!

So this is just a moment where I can just get some frustrations out and have a slight moment of reprive now that I just had lunch at 3 pm. Officially, as of yesterday, the GARBC conference is now meeting on Faith Campus. There are many good things about this such as exposure to the school for perspective students, a chance make a great impression on the association, a more convenient distance for some, and the school getting really, and I mean really, fancied up for once.

It is this last one that makes me want to run home and bury my face in my pillow and take a nap to wake up and find all preparations already accomplished and the school shining! The entire campus will be used. It is now more like a hotel accomodation than ever as we are now supplying room spray, Kleenex boxes, hand soap, and even little mints on the linens.

I just came back from stripping Wal-Mart of their Equate hand soap stock and four scents of their Glade room sprays. It was actually kind of fun and I felt like I was on that Shopping Game Show. No prizes taped on any boxes though. I won't tell you how long it took to check out! So after about 129 items checked out and in the car trunk, I drove back. I rolled down the windows and imagined for a few seconds that I was laying on the grass at home in the sun. Maybe later.

Now I have the stuff still in the trunk and I am about to go take all the supplies to the residence halls to be distributed. I hope they feel quite homey next week when they visit. I will be on my way to Salt Lake City, UT on Friday so I will be great!! Seriously though, if you can, you should really attend part of the conference.

Narry a Sound but for the Floods

Okay so it has been just under a month that I have blogged. There has been much to say but so very little time. We don't live in Cedar Falls or Rapids, but Faith Baptist Bible College had their own state of emergency and we are still working on the results.

I came in on Friday morning about 10 days ago to find matting all laying around drying outside and fans ablowing on all the carpet in the maintenance shop. Apparently, with the floods, the drains backed up and that included sewage for our humble office. Gross!! There was even obvious evidence to dispose of. As of now, we still haven't shampooed the maintenance carpet. I just don't think about it and I wear shoes all the time.

People had been called at about 12:30 am on Friday and were up for all hours. Larry had accidentally left his phone in the truck and since he lives about 45 min away anyway, didn't know about this. My phone had been close to temporary death and had been left in the shop to charge. So Larry and I both were unaware and both got a full night's sleep, of which I am so very thankful. Everyone spent the entire day vacuuming out water and discovering new places and mopping and vacuuming up water and ripping up carpet and padding. We were totally drenched after ripping out 6 apartments that day. Total apartments and offices that had to be decarpeted was 16! We still await the decision to whether recarpet or whether to put in tile. Comeon', who wants to snuggle on their couch in the middle of a tiled living room or wake up out of deep slumber to be shocked to awakeness by a cold tile floor. We are going to have some grumpy people if they do tile and if the people will even come back.

We have about 13 displaced peoples. Two people just found somewhere else since all we have to offer are one bedrooms. Crazy!!! We are still working on them even to this week and people are living out of totes, but honestly, how many people are everywhere in IA. We didn't have it nearly as bad as others. It just takes on another aspect of worry and responsibility when you are on the landlord side of it. I have both perspectives as I live in a leaky apartment at Faith currently. We will most likely be here for at least another year too and since Faith apartments are so much cheaper for the space and location, we most likely will also not be moving unless some major leakage urges us out. Thank the Lord that we live upstairs though!

To those who are in the majorly damaged areas and who are pretty much homeless, we are praying for you and know that the Lord will provide for His children.

Branded Cows and Amish Doughnuts

This last weekend, Zach and I went down to the farm to work cows. Jake, Amber, and kidlets came along as well. We packed up clothes, mud boots, and our laundry and headed on down. I love how Jeanie encourages me to bring down laundry each time as I need. It was rug washing time and I will not spend $1.75 on washing three rugs and then another $1 to dry them unless I can catch a sunny day. While the wash was going we watched "The Long, Long Trailor." A classic with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. Zach and I got about 30 minutes into it and then we just had to go to bed since we were falling asleep. On the way to bed we asked when we were supposed to be ready to get out to the cows and calves. The answer was "out at 6 am". 6 AM!! I thought we were going to get to sleep in. Apparently this was a little miscommunication between my husband and I. I was so bummed and all of a sudden way more tired than 10:30 pm had felt only a minute ago. So we set the alarm for 5:15 AM and crashed.

Early in the morning, we grabbed some bacon and eggs and headed on out. It really was a beautiful sunny morning, once I opened my eyes more. The calves running across the field were so cute awkwardly running along after their mothers. There is a bucket calf in the shed and he is so adorable!!! I was told to park the truck at the top of the hill on the road to tell peoples coming that they just couldn't get through due to whatever we farmer peoples were doing -- calves today. Once they chased them out of one field, across the road and to the other new pasture, I was free to move...once I could get the cold truck restarted that is.

Good morning cows!!! Come on...ya gotta get a movin'!

Jeanie, Jake, and Zach setting up the corral for the calves...the one we

didn't use cause they ran off.

Amber getting the girls' hair all put up for the day. Teddy bear ears or pigtails?

Isaiah wasn't too happy to be in the van alone, so I just had to do my auntly duty and visit.

Cutie pie!

We set up the corral for the punching, Pour-On, and branding and then set out to gather the cows and calves in the other pasture. We all headed out there and tried a couple of times to head them up, but rebels "44" and "47" had other ideas. They ended up running into the one weak corner we were trying to avoid and plowed through the fence too easily for comfort. The next hour we were tracking and then gathering Angus through a couple of neighboring pastures. These were unfamiliar territory to everyone and the terrain included hills, gates, streams, low trees, high trees, and other things to give it variety. Thankfully, it was a very nice day for being outside. I even rolled my sleeves up and worked on my summer tan. Unfortunately, it will take quite a few times like this to get a good tan started.

We were able to get all of them moved to one corner and into the neighbors corral. He was actually there turkey hunting and was so kind to even let us use the corral for all we needed to do that day so we didn't have to move cattle in the trailor twice as much. We were so very tired and hot from all the chasing and climbing. The cows were even breathing heavily and slobbering with their tongues hanging out of their mouths. I didn't feel sorry for them one bit. Well, I did have pity for the smallest two calves who were just following their moms. One even got run over in one of the earlier stampedes in the first pasture. He is okay though.

Here Jake and Zach are putting fly tags in a cow.

Bar S Double Bar

After lunch, we split the girls and baby Isaiah and then the guys up. The guys headed out to punch, pour, and brand the cows. The branding is new this year and they were anxious for and against it. The brand is pretty cool though. We got to see the last one branded when we got back. It is the registered Saylor Farm brand! Bar S Double Bar in wordage. I did feel a little sorry for the cows who looked pathetic in the gate with their head on the ground and their butt roast in the air. A couple of cows got away and we had to chase them back, but it eventually got done.

That easy going smile from my hard-working man.

We girls went to visit an Amish store that has fresh grains, spices, and dairies for way cheap and then a Dent and Bent store. We struck it rich cause we got there on the day that they make homemade doughnuts!! Yummm!!! We grabbed a couple dozen for everyone and headed back . We took the road through the Amish farms and homes. Interesting peoples, really! Also at one of the stores, we saw the most beautiful geraniums! It was all pinky and red in different spots at once!! Lovely! Jeanie ended up getting one for the house to hang.

After we got home, I showered and was given kid setting duty. I didn't mind. Then someone remembered the two calves that didn't follow their moms into the new pasture earlier that morning. So they headed out to chase those two. We finally were all ready to go at about 7 pm. Zach was anxious for the race that had started at 6 and I was anxious for the surprise that had been promised to me earlier. Turns out that the surprise was cheesecake to go from the Cheesecake Factory. Thanks my darlin'!!! I got a Dulce De Leche and I got him the Tres Leche. Umm, so good!! We also ordered a Taco Pizza since we were getting home so late with nothing defrosted and so much to do still when we got home.

We were so very tired, but we got a lot done and I beat Zach to bed. That doesn't happen to very much often since he got sick earlier this year. He is still recovering and I wonder when he will have his energy back 100%. Well, that was another taste of where our lives could be heading. It is kinda intimidating especially the getting up at 5 AM and needing to be flexible since you can't make cows and the weather submit to your perfect plans. (Though I could definitely get used to trips to that Amish store.)

We are still waiting to see when and how we are moving. Anywhere from Septemeber to January. We will see. In the mean time we are so thankful for what the Lord has allowed and given us currently and are loving our church!!! Who had ever thought...farming? Oy vey!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!!

So yesterday was one of the best days ever. I had to work on my birthday, but work that day was great. Maria and I got to plant all morning. You see they had this board dinner and at the dinner they decorated the tables with potted flowers. Very pretty hues of pink, red, white, purple, and lavender. Mrs. G, who is in charge, asked us if we could plant them somewhere. Maria and I happily took the Wal-Mart charge card and took off to get some big pots and potting soil. We pick up 3 bags of soil. We grabbed the cheapest since neither one of us really know how to garden much at all. We really like flowers and digging in dirt though. That counts doesn't it? Those bags were way heavy at 40 pounds a bag. Then we found a couple bigger round pots and then a couple of smaller ones.

We checked out and drove home with the windows down since it was absolutely beautiful!! We got back and unloaded the stuff out on the nearby lawn by the convo and started working. I love digging in soft dirt like that. Our hands were really quite disgusting after a short while. Well, we planted all the large ones in the two large pots and then we barely got started on the little guys when we ran out of room and soil. "Stink! We have about 64 little plants left!" So, since Wal-Mart had a very short and dislikable stock, we ran and got the Menards card from Larry. Another trip! Yes!! We like the out of routine little trips. It makes the day a little more various. So we loaded another 3 bags of soil and found four trough planters.

Thankfully, we got all but 4 little plants planted. We placed them by the bookstore and the front of the Ad. building. They look rather colorful and cheerful! I think we did rather nicely actually for being such novices. We were rather dirty walking by all those in classroom dress, but I am sure they were wishing that they were in our place in the sunshine and dirt.

Maria and I went out for lunch and Starbucks before we came back and finished the last apartment for the week. Yay and amen! I helped out with graduation line up for the rest of the day and then finished up the Ad. building with Maria and work day was over!! I couldn't wait to get home!!

Jeanie and all my bros, but for David came over for dinner before the concert that night. Mom cooked and it was oh so good. She even made melon and strawberry salad!! Incredible!! Then off to the concert we raced. Apparently, Susan, my graduating sister-in-law had saved us seats...in the very front row! This was okay for the first 20 min and then I started to die. I had to use the ladies' room so very badly that I couldn't actually sit still. Bad, I know! I had finished up a Monster right before to help me through the rest of the evening. I finially couldn't wait and I snuck out between songs. Such relief!!! My brother did a fantastic job in the orchestra and brass on his trumpet. He is the second best there but for the professional director himself.

We had icecream cake after and Susan's sister came over and David and Aly and they had to sing happy birthday. Haven't had that sung to me for a couple of years since my birthday is usually the same week as graduation or the same day even for the last 4 years. About 9:30pm, Zach announced that we had to leave. We grabbed a backpack and my purse and ran out the door. His birthday gift was next. I had been anxious all day for this one!

We ended up at this nice hotel in town...the same company as the one we stayed in when we got married. Hot tub and all!! I walked in and he had rust peach colored roses on the bed with the most wonderful card he has ever given me. Then he also had a "practical" gift as he called it -- an iPod attachment for my car to be able to play MP3 through the car speakers since our radio is attached to the consol control computer and can't be easily or cheaply replaced. It was a great evening. The only bad thing was that between the Monster earlier and then the one we split at 10pm at the hotel, I ended up deprived of any sleep till about 3:45 am this morning. That was kinda crazy! I finally turned the TV on at 1:30 and watched Without a Trace and Planet of the Apes. Why did Charleton Heston even try out for that movie much less take the job and then make the trilogy? I didn't finish that one. Oh, well we got home and he had to work at 8 and I did too! I put my lovely bouquet in agua and then ran off to work... with a Monster in hand!! I know they aren't good for you, but seriously, what would you do with only 3 hours of sleep and graduation and family the whole day ahead?

I really had the most wonderful birthday ever!! Thanks to all my friends who wished me many a wish yesterday and to my family who got to be here with me and most of all to my most wonderful and spectacular husband who endlessly surprises me in the most undeserving ways. I love you!!

And So We Went On A Picnic

As some of you very well know, we had incredibly beautiful weather yesterday. I tried to get outside as much as I could all day while at work. We did weed for about an hour and a half in the sun. That was great and I imagined everyelse that passed by in their skirts and school dress was jealous of the two girls in jean playing in the dirt in the sun. More likely, they were probably thinking "Poor girls! Slaving in the sun getting their nails all grimy.". Oh well.

Maria and I were estatic to get off of work and go on a walk. There was some pushing of the tushes in our walk, but we were also outside in the wonderful warm sunshiney weather. We walked for about 30 minutes before Maria had to leave and I had to start on my surprise for Zach.

In about 3 more weeks, we get to celebrate our 6 month anniversary. I had ordered him this really old Fred McMurrey and Irene Dunne video that they don't make anymore and that is his favorite movie ever and he had said that he couldn't find. Well, I got this call from him about 30 minutes before I get off work.

"Hey, honey, were you expecting something in the mail?"
"Well, yeah, the Sabrina soundtrack. Was there something else too?" My birthday is a'comin' and I thought I might have gotten something.
"You got the Sabrina CD, but there was something else too."
"What?" I was getting worried, but I shoved the thought that the VHS would have come that quickly out of my head.
"A VHS."
"Nooooo!!!! It was supposed to be a surprise for our 6 mo. I ordered it thinking it would take at least another week or two! Man, oh, man!! I am so bummed!!"
"It's okay. Thank you!" Zach said trying to reassure me. It wasn't working. I continued.
"You keep telling me about this big surprise that you have for my birthday and 6 mo. and I was holding this for a little suspense on my end of it! Now I have nothing!! No fair!!"

Well, he laughed and just told me that it couldn't be helped, he really like the tape, and it was okay. I sulkily said goodbye and that I would see him in a little bit, but then remembered my other newborn idea for a surprise that I had told him about when he asked "Was that the surprise you told me about this morning?" I brightened...I still had one on him. "Nope!! You have to wait till later for that one."

After I came back from walking with Maria, I walked in the apartment hoping that he would be taking his shower so I could sneak out the picnic basket out to the closet in the hall and secretly load it as I prepared stuff. He was!!!

So I whipped up some Mex hot sandwhiches in honor of Cinco De Mayo and some other goodies. I yelled to him in the bathroom that he needed to finish up quick and get some going-outside clothes on. He came out while I was just wrapping the sandwhiches in foil. He got a funny grin on his face and asked "Are we going on a picnic?" "Maybe" I said. I wasn't going to give up. While he was putting his shoes on in the back room, I ran out and stuffed the food in the basket. Then when he was ready I handed him the basket at the door.

We walked about a quarter of a mile to a little park called Village Park which is usually very quiet and empty. Besides a family there on one end, it was uncrowded. Zach asked "How about those benches over there?" "Nope, you have to sit on a blanket under a tree for it to be a real picnic." So we did and we had a delightful picnic. My honey even told me a couple times that it was a really good idea. He asked "So how long have you been planning this one?" "Honestly, ever since we started dating, but you never initiated it, so I waited till warm weather this year and determined that I was going to make it happen."

Yesterday was the day and so we went on a picnic. With even a bike ride at sunset to finish off the night. I love spring/summer time!

New Compy!!!

We got our bonus refunds yesterday from Uncle Sam! So we are paying off Zach's truck and since Zach's computer is ancient these days for what we need to do and mine is even older, we went out and found a more reliable basic computer. Sad that you can buy a computer that cost half the price of your three year old computer and it runs three times faster and better.

We got a Toshiba Satellite. I didn't know Toshiba was a computer brand, but I guess they are supposed to be fairly decent and will do well for what little, but neccessary we need to do. It was a fun trip getting it though as we had to wait for about 2 hours for it to be done so we went elsewhere. It was sorta like a unplanned date. I like those and we haven't had a real date for quite a while. We ran over to Jordan Creek and after finally finding parking, we walked to Scheels and grabbed some greatly needed replacement shoelaces for Zach's boots. Then we wandered around for a little bit as we had time to kill. Zach had to show me the hand gun he wants to purchase before the law that forbids the purchase of such a thing goes into action the first of November this year. "It is for your personal protection at home when we move to the country." he says. I see. Then he adds "I also have been meaning to get the handgun for hunting this fall anyways." Ah, ha!! Oh well, as long as I can get a couple chances at Bambi too.

After waiting in line for about 10 minutes, we left Scheels hungry for the cheesecake that was earlier promised. We got seated in less than 5 minutes. Very nice since my stomach was beginning to eat me inside out. We looked at the cheesecakes and drooled (well not literally for those who feel like pointing that out is a major concern to them). We ordered a yummy appetizer...buffalo wings, thanks to my honey who knows these are favorites of mine... and then ordered the lovely desserts. It was oh, so very good and I will finish mine right after I finish writing this little piece of Jamie's life.

I call it a date and it was great! Now after Zach has put in the important stuff, including his music, and I have got other things set up and after a couple games of Mah Jong, I am very tired, but very happy and thankful for this new technical little thing.

Happy birthday to Zach, me, and happy government bonus refunds!!!!

Finally It Is DONE!!!!

Okay, so apartments are in season for being moved in and out of. We have this particular one that we have been working on for about a week now. Well...after this morning rinsing the tub out and mopping the floor we are done!! Let me tell you a little about this place when we started so as to give you more understanding as to why we are rejoicing so.

The kitchen:
Where do I start? Really! Well these people are very nice people but had a dark side apparently in the form of lack of cleansliness. They cooked with oil all the time and because of this the ENTIRE apartment had this layer of sticky yellowness. I am talking outlets, baseboards, walls, cupboards, door handles, and window ledges. We used a whole can of oven cleaner and degreaser in the kitchen. We had to trade out the stove after three attempts at cleansing. Maria worked on the fridge for a day and a half - about 7 hours. The tile had to be replaced.

The rest of the place:
I had to scrub all the walls and baseboards of the place before we put 2 coats of paint on, that was after the mudding and drywall repair. Then there was scotch tape everywhere and we had to peel and pry and ungoo and sand. I didn't even try to clean the blinds, I just ran to Menards.

(Separate note: The Menards trip was interesting as when we got to the checkout, Larry had given me the gas card and not the Menards charge card. I actually tried the Wright card first, but that just affirmed my suspicion. Then when we parked the cart in a safe place, we ran back to Faith and got the right card. When we got back to Menards, the card was almost broken in half and the magnetic strip so worn out that it would'nt can. Oy vey!!)

So we are very nearly estatic on the ending of the saga of the former dreadful place. I only hope that the new residents are respectful more than they were last summer when they were here for a few months. I do NOT want to have a rerun on this episode. To those who rent and even to those who own, be responsible and remember all the cleaning tips that your parents taught you, and be kind, as your landlords will think very much more highly of you as a result.

"Decorate Your Life"

Hummm...how could I do that? New curtains in the livingroom? Rearrange the bedroom? Zach would be wondering how many Monsters I had that day. Put up more pictures...oh wait, we still don't really have any photos of the two of us besides wedding. I could get a new wardrobe maybe. Anyone have an extra few hundred bucks they would like to donate to decorating my life?

Okay, so the suggestion came from a caramel Dove chocolate candy. I love the little messages, but some are just too cheesy to take seriously. "Follow your instinct", "You look good in red", "Listen to your heartbeat and dance", and other such oddities. Some are rather fun and you can give away to specific deserving someones.

The thing is that I am having this huge revelation! I am really starting to really like chocolate. More so dark, but then milk chocolate and then anything with caramel! I have never had a real love of the stuff. Mix it with coffee or put a few chips of it in a cookie, but that was it up until about a year ago. It slowly came upon me starting with dark chocolate and then it just grew. It is now having to rationed. I have never rationed chocolate!!! I don't know what it is. Can you grow up into being a chocolate lover? I know that women are known to have this acient innert desire for the cocoa bean products, but I always prided myself that I was and would never be one and that chocolate would never be a sought after object of affection for me.

I am not to the double chocolate and triple layer fudge brownie cake dessert yet, but if I had just a bite or two, I am sure it would be a couple moments of scrumdiliumptiousness. Between that and random moments of unwanted and only very very slightly warrented tearing up over a book ending or remembering that I still have dishes left to wash before bed when I am so tired, could this be called getting older and growing into what was always meant to be -- one of the 89% of women in the world? A few more years please!!!

"I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet"

Well, I didn't get up and sing this song this morning. I actually didn't even wake up before 6:30, except for the quick bathroom trip at 2 am. Apparently, though many women were calling in to the Van and Bonnie morning show telling their stories of the 5.4 earthquake that epicentered in IL. Cool!! But hey, it happened at 4 something a.m. I am so very not an a.m. person as my husband can quickly and clearly verify.

So while making French Toast, I listened the calls phoned in about different people's experiences. Zach started going off on how since all the callers were women, including Bonnie's comments, that they were all being emotional or some had hangovers. "No men are calling in!" he remarks. Well, my dearie, only a few minutes ago Van and Bonnie played the call of a man reporting on the earthquake, so there you are.

I was kinda sad though through all of this since I like to feel minor earthquakes. Usually back at home in WA, Mom only felt them since she has that "mom light sleeper" thing since us kids came along and also cause she usually was awake before all of us. She would announce the earthquake and ask if we had felt it last night or that morning and almost always we hadn't. There is no way you could plan for them or I would have been the first to try to stay up late or even try to set my alarm, feel the quake, and then drop immediately back to sleep.

There was one though that I remember though very clearly. It was I believe in '98 or '99. It was a 7.6 one epicentered in Olympia, our capital for those who have been out of highschool for more than a season. Ironically, I was sitting in a rocking chair watching "Little House on the Prairie". Now our old washer was almost always off balance considering the dozens of loads going through each week and we just assumed at first that it was shaking the house again. Then the shaking got really hard and things were moving a little. Just about the time we realised that this was different and that the washer wasn't even going, the waves started. It is really weird cause you tried to stand still and every thing looks and feels like those heat waves you see coming off the roads in the summer. It was actually very entertaining for us kids. Mom, though was thinking much differently and was shouting at us to get under the tables or in a doorway. Cool!! We get to put the emergency actions that we practiced once in a while to use!! Well, it lasted for about 5 minutes I think and then had some aftershocks. There was no hard damage in any area close to us. Seattle and Olympia and nearby areas did have some bricks falling on cars and things falling off shelves. No one was hurt and they cleaned up pretty quick. Sadly, downtown Starbucks had to redo the front of their store.

I would rather have earthquakes over floods and tornadoes, but everyone has their opinion. Maybe I should become a 4:59er...or maybe not!

Don't Panic!!!!

One of the features of our new car that I most delight in is the remote. I love the magic of technology as you push the buttons and door locks pop open or lock with the assurance from the flash of lights or the trunk releases from afar. These three buttons I have used with abandon these last couple of weeks. In actuality though, there are four buttons, the fourth being the "panic" button. It is appropriately the color of red.

Now the man who sold us the car, told us that the "panic" button didn't work and this fact didn't really concern us at all. It still doesn't. Today coming back from lunch though I was enlightened. I was piling a lot of stuff in my arms and my keys got squished in my fingers and up against some other things. I become aware of honking of a horn. I look around outside looking for the offenders until I realize that it is coming from my car. There was only one explanation for it and I quickly fumbled for my key chain and pressed the "panic" button. It stopped!! Well, whaddya know!! It works!! So now if I have reason to panic I have a working button, though not one to play with too often.

Early Mornings and Allergy Medicines

So life may change by the end of the year sometime to include some very early mornings and a visit to the doctor to get some major allergy meds prescribed. Zach and I are still in constant prayer and waiting for the Lord to continue to show the next step, but we will most likely be moving down to the farm sometime by the end of the year. New factors develop each week and seem to be leading us further toward Orient, IA.

As of the time being, a job seems to be coming into works for me mostly with some hours for Zach and would cover both of us for insurance. He is waiting to hear from another job to work for the rest of the hours that would be a well paying job though not officially full time, but it would all work out very well for us to have insurance and be able to be flexible to work the farm as well.

It is still mindboggling to me as farming was one of the three professions that I was scared of marrying into, the other two being military and politics. Well, I married a farmer (at least for the next 5 years) who loves politics. Oh, well. I really don't mind a lot of the work aspects of farming, but more so the whole lifestyle and mindset change. You have to live by the livestock and land schedule. Mornings become very early, an 8-4 schedule becomes a mostly regular hours with quite a few tweaks here and there, life has to be very flexible. I don't mind working hard, but it is all so very new to me. Zach on the other hand will feel quite at home and isn't too worried about that stuff at all.

The positives that I see and that I can daydream about are
- that we would be renting a house and eventually working to build our own on the farm somewhere. A house... not an apartment.
- we will be in the country finally
- I am trying to get some chickens for farm fresh eggs and maybe a dog too
- I will get to work with Zach in a job that we will be both so very involved in and that he has a passion for
- real sunsets and sunrises and clear starry nights
- not having to drive 6 hours a month down to the farm to work on it cause we would be living down there and more would get done

We both are not anxious at all to leave Cambridge Church though. We have been at this church for 6 1/2 years and love it and the people very dearly. We have had so many opportunities to gain trust and ministries and relationships. We feel so very comfortable and at home there and yet have so much to be able to do there. We would be going to Creston Church and Zach knows just about everyone there and I know or at are familiar with a third of the families. It is a good church and the people are good people. It just will be a big adjustment.

I was hoping that I wouldn't be at Faith in maintenance for years. It isn't a bad job, but I have been here for almost 7 years working off and on and fulltime for the last 2 years. I am very ready to get away and start something new. At the same time, we really don't wanna leave our friends and our young married's class or seeing Zach's brother and wife and our little nieces and nephews every week. It is part of life to move on and it is an adventure, but oh, so hard when you have come to love somewhere and people so very much. Plus, there is a lot to have to strongly lean on the Lord for and our puny human selves want to do all ourselves and in our own power. The more we go along I am reminded "What human power?".

Please pray for us as we work toward this transition for wisdom and provision and God's leading and timing as we still don't have a moving date quite yet.

Goodbye to the old, Hellooo to the New!

For quite a while now, in fact, before we were married, we knew that we wanted to sell my little Saturn when paid off for a bigger more family friendly car. (You must be very cautious when using this term when newly married, as I will explain later.) So we paid it off, cleaned it up to spiffy condition, and stuck up posters all over campus. We wanted to start in and around people we know.
When a car in such good condition and mileage as my little Saturn and it is being sold, if I were someone else, I would want to know why it was being sold. So on the flier I added that we are just wanted to upgrade to family sized car. When I called Zach in for editing, and besides correcting and informing me of the difference between a 4 cylinder and a V4, he pointed that one phrase out immediately and warned me that I might get a lot of questions asked if that was there, but it was left.
The next day I went in to ask permission to hang up said signage. One of the questions asked by the deans in the Student Life Office, was the family factor. After a quick explanation and reassurance that I was not expecting, the sign was hung on the board and I took off to hang up the rest over campus.
Well, the next day I got a call of interest and on Saturday, we sold the car. The next two days after that there were a miniscule flood of calls of inquiry. We had no idea it would sell that fast, in fact, I didn't have the title from the bank back yet. Now we were in a great need for a new car. Thankfully, we had been looking the last two weeks as we knew we were going to put it up, though we had in mind a timeline of more like a month for the sale.
We looked at quite a few cars and came to really look for a Chevy Impala. I love the room in them and the trunk and Zach is all about the bowtie and the American equipment that he can work on . Now I must say that I did bring up a minivan for consideration a couple times since we are going to run the vehicle to the last miles since it will be going down to the farm with us and since we want start a family in the next year or two it could be very practical in 4 years or so. My dearest is so very strongly against a minivan as is against most men's ego. He even admitted it. We came to a compromise. We would look for a good sized family car and run it to the ground. When it comes to when three kids or so are overcrowding the car, then he will just have to suck it up and be a man and give in to the practicality of a minivan.
With all this established, we kept looking. We finally found one we really liked on the Monday after the sale of the old. The whole time while looking around, we just didn't feel good about any of the cars and we were going to stay in our range and still get a good car. I kept praying and praying. The car we chose was a private sale and it is a very sharp looking silver 03 Chevy Impala V6 with only 52,000 miles on it.
I am very excited about it and since most men and women differ on the features of the car to be excited about, I will share my favorites.
- I love the power locks and windows and the little keychain control that I use with ferver each time,
- I love the huge backseat room, which also has the markings of the past backseat passengers' carseats,
- I love the absolutely gianormous trunk, which also pops open with the push of a remote button,
- I love the fact that is has a lot of oomph as I merge onto the interstate (which I was finally able to do 2 weeks after we bought since I got sick the day after we bought it),
- I love that the doors automatically lock when you shift into gear,
- and finally, I love that it has a front bench seat so I can still sit next to my honey on longer trips in a not too uncomfortable position.
Those are some of my favorite features and most of them are not the same as Zach's, though he does like the V6 power from my little 4 cylinder and the bench seat. Of course!
We are so very thankful for the car and have used it so much already and have even taken it down to the farm to introduce it to the gravel roads and back country roads.

The Unexpected Element of Marriage

I just had to get this out, but if you don't feel like reading a venting session, I will not be hurt if you skip this entry.
So in the last 4 1/2 months of marriage, Zach and I have been in cycles of one sickness or another. We are not talking a little sniffle here and there, but monoculosis and Flu virus that lasts 2 weeks and other ailments. After thinking about it a little bit, I can see the sense in it as you have two people living with each other and that increases the chances of spread of disease. Thankfully, I did get gifted the mono, but I gifted my honey with the flu thing. Missed 2 weeks of church and everything. So we have both used up all of the sick time that we have been allowed so far in the year. Zach had to use more and he has to work more to make it all up and then work extra to save up for mission's trip in June. Poor guy! He stills fights getting tired so very easily. They said that getting your energy totally back up from mono can last around 6 months to a year! Yay!
I know that the vows included "in sickness and in health", but com'on. This much in the very first 4 months is ridiculous! So we continue to pray and sleep good health to come back!!
Okay, I am done venting!

Snow more kittens!!

So we waited...and waited...and no police still. We had to leave at 5pm, so we left a note on the door and instructed security not to open the women's restroom door in spite of the desperate tiny sounds. On to home and to tell our families the adventure.

The next day, there was neither hide nor hair of the little fursome duo. We went on through our slow work day, till some Faith student comes in and asks if the kittens are still in the dorm. When I told her no, her face fell and she told me "I was going to ask maintenance permission to go play with them. Faith should really have pets for us."

Can you even begin to imagine that one? "Go feed the cats, Jamie." "Walk the dogs, girls" "Groom the guinea pigs for the 4 pm petting zoo." I really do like animals, but seriously, I think not!! Go get the student discount ticket for the Blank Park Zoo or go home and pet your family's dog or cat.

So much for Faith Baptist Furry Farm.

Snowing Kittens?

I must make this brief as the cops are soon to arrive. So much for time to work out. This is really rather exciting actually. We got a call from the 414 girls that there was a kitten siting in 418. For those of you who don't know about 418, it has been abandoned for about 3 years now and sits musty and full of school furniture. Well, Maria and I had about 15 min left, so full of curiosity we ran over to see if we could find them. We got there and in the breezeway, there they were - two little tabbies about 2 months old.

We stuck them into our coats and drove over to the shop. I will tell you that it is very interesting indeed to try driving with a squalling ball of fur and claws in your coat. I threatened the kitten not to unpleasantly dampen my sweatshirt. We got back safely and put them in the women's bathroom. I should have put them in the men's cause I had to go really bad about 10 min. later. When I was trying to exit the restroom, the handle stuck for about 20 secs and I had the terrible vision of the cops coming to find two kittens in one restroom and the previous heroine locked red-faced in the other.

So we have waited.....and are still waiting.....where is the Ankeny Police. Probably a newbie who hates the call, so he is taking his sweet time. He most likely even stopped for a nasty coffe from HandiMart first.

Story to be continued.....

Site Counter!!!

I am so very excited! First reason, I am so very tired for some reason and my coffee just taste so very good this morning, there is a meeting at work for blood screening and that means about an hour on the clock break, and then finally, I figured out how to put the site hit counter on my blog. That is a huge achievement for me as I know so very very little about computers and all the inner workings and language and stuff. Well, it took me about 15 min. or so, but finally I figured out where to copy and paste in the correct place. It took some experimenting, but success!! So now each time ya'll check the site out I can start racking up the numbers. Now I just need to figure out count down to certain date timers. Here comes Spring!!! 16 days till Spring!!!!! I can't wait!!

My Be-lated Valentine's Gift

I found out this morning that I do have a V-day gift, but it just didn't work out for Zach to have it in time. He was going to have the matching love seat for me. So we are going to get it ordered sometime soon. I really hope we can go in this Sunday and get the last of the President's Day Sale. I just hope that they have the matching piece since I got the couch last May. I can't wait. Practically a full set!! I love you, honey!!

Afton Alps Part Duex

This last weekend started at 3:45 am after 3 hours of sleep as the previous evening was consumed with going with the Youth Group to a Starz hockey game and returning home at 11 pm. I packed our lunches as Zach ironed wax onto his skis. That stuff smells and makes smoke like incense...cross your legs and start "mmmmming". We got to bed around midnight. I was so very close to just staying up for the next 3 hours, but was vetoed by a sleepy husband. Good thing that we weren't going to be driving. I prepped the espresso machine to compel me to wake up sooner and started sawing "Z"s, well Zach does the sawing.

The morning came way too soon and I had to be dragged out of bed. I successfully whipped up a caramel macchiato (very comparative to Starbucks and since places such as aforementioned aren't open before 4:30 in the morn.) with my eyes mostly shut as Zach loaded the truck. I grabbed the predished and warmed oatmeal and we headed out the door. It is so hard to look forward to something that is supposed to be fun like skiing when you have to suffer such an early morning knowing that going back to bed is so very far at the end of the day.

We got to the church, seemingly very quickly since I think I slept on the way up, and met with our fellow skiiers from our young married's class. There were a couple way too chipper for the time of night (I do mean night). Zach and I climbed into the very back of our new yellow church van and ate our oatmeal. I didn't last long after that and I was out. The trip on the way up was a bit sketchy for me, but for the fact that we learned that the back seat in the yellow beeping van is the worse place to try to sleep..or eat...or really do anything at all. This is due to the fact that you are continually and radically bounced off your seat at various time according to any little crack that might be in the road. It was miserable trying to sleep. Thankfully, on the way back we were able to trade with the Hartwig brothers who were single on this trip. They tried an illegal trade back 1 minute after we started back home. No way, Jose, boyzos!

We got the Alps and latched on our ski boots and stepped into our skis. While those who were renting equipment were aquiring their gear, Zach took me down the bunny hill a couple times to get the feeling back from two weeks ago and since this is my second time ever skiing. The snow felt so very different this time since it was icier. It was so very much slicker and I fell in the middle of a blue run. Embarrassing!!! I was so very much more hesitant this time. I actually didn't even go down any diamonds, though I should have tried one. (Are you more relieved Mom?)

The three of us couples skiied together for the morning, while the two "single" Hartwig brothers took off on their own to conquer the hills on ski and snowboard. It was fun as we took all blue runs and then rode up lifts with each of our honeys. I was trying the entire time to get the swishing turning part of skiing down which is the whole control factor of skiing. You gotta do some leaning and some major hip swinging.

After lunch, us girls stayed in the chalet for a little longer and watched the guys ski on the diamonds right in front of the big window as we requested. I think it did the guys a lot of ego good when we requested to see them show us their skills on the slopes. After a while, we decided to go back out. The three of us took our time and hit only the blue runs and had a ton of fun. The only injury that I did get, Mom, is a bruise the size of Dallas (for you, Jenna) on my hip. Okay, so that is pretty big, but the way it was acquired was pathetic. You see there was this lift that carries three persons. We were excited since we had been so far taking turns on who would ride alone on that turn. We got to the top and Tara, on my right, skiied off around to the left and fell, then Christine and I kinda scooted off and then fell right over on the left too. I was on Christine and my hip landed hard on her ski and boot. Well, we were laughing so hard while we were trying to get up that it took a little bit. It was a shorter time that it couldv'e taken though, but we still got an annoyed icy stare from the kid in the lift control box.

After a couple of hours, we were pooped and we got out of Afton Alps at about 5 pm. Home was another 4 hours away and then we stopped for dinner. This guy at Chilis was the most chatty waiter ever. Tip tactics I assume, but still I expected him to ask to swap best friend bracelets or something. He did provide good service though.

Because of the switch and after a couple of Yahtzee games with Zach on his compy, I blissfully conked out most of the rest of the ride home. Home was so very sweet to come home to and my bed so much more sweet. That was my second ever and and last for this year of skiing. I did my best, sweetheart, and I got my hips to turn and I got some good swishes. I did really have fun too! Till next year!!

Bio-Hazard Recall at FBBC

My co-worker, Maria, and I have had many a fun time with random free stuff given to the school and have come up with creatice uses. I refrain from further details for reason of job security. Most recently my boss ordered some trash bags that were very cheap from a school/education discount website that we are members of. Well, they arrived we opened and with delight discovered that they were red! I love colored trash bags! Pretty pathetic, I admit, that I would get so excited over the color of plastic trash bags, but hey, when you're in my line of work after a while strange things cause happiness...maybe it has to do with the chemicals we use.

Anyhow, when I went to use one a couple of days later, I discovered that when fully opened they were actually bio-hazard bags. Very cool! Maria and I immediately designated them for the men's bathrooms. You have NO idea how bad those bathrooms can get! We even took boxes of them to the guys' dorm.

Well, my boss got a phonecall this morning from Ankeny Sanitation informing us that we need to discontinue the use of those bags. Ahh, man!! Apparently, at first they were alarming to the trash peoples, and then they came to realize that it was all "safe" and normal trash inside. I guess it is a no-no unless you have good reason. So we have to retrieve all the bags that we dispersed and the ones in storage. The fun was great while it lasted!

My Problem With Speed

Okay, for those of you with twisted minds, I am not speaking of the drug. I am referring to my first time skiing. Zach and I went up with the youth group to Afton Resort in MN this last weekend. We had about 21 people - 8 sponsors and 13 kids. All but 2 kids skiied. No one died either or is currently wearing a cast or renting a bed in the local hospice.

Now Zach is a huge lover of the snow and skiing. He went all out and bringing out his skis and making sure the outfit didn't clash. I usually never have to redo an outfit for him (though I did ask that he never go back to the sweater vests stored in the closet from college). He has pretty good average taste. Well, I didn't expect such detail on his skiing outfit though. He did look professional and pretty dudish coming down the hills. I have my own personal hot ski instructer. Bonus!

We found waterproof swishy pants for me, ski gloves, and some cheap sunglasses. No goggles for us. Thankfully, my green, white, black coat is easy to match...ya just look for black stuff. We borrowed some very nice skis from Zach's boss and his wife and after a few set up and step out lessons in the apartment, I was as ready as I could be before hitting the bunny hill.

Actually the lessons started as soon as I stepped out of the van in the ski boots. You cannot walk like a normal biped in those things. I felt like a clone storm trooper with slightly bent knees. The worse thing was walking down stairs. I prayed before each step that I wouldn't land on my face. I made it through every step that day thankfully.

Next was the bunny hill. I wasn't sure what to expect since just getting across the flatter terrain was so much work even with ski poles. My armpits and sides are still sore. Since Zach and I had brought skis, we were able to have about 15 minutes to get me to get a feel for this great sport. After all I was a sponsor and needed to help out with the teens. Ha!

The ride up the hill in the ski lifts were all quite pleasant and scenic. It also allowed for some moments of recomposure after times of a hard landing or time for convincing myself that the only way down the next run was by skis. I never did chicken out at the top, but was oh, so close on the last black run. You will see all reason for this proved to be true when I later relate.

I made it down the bunny hill a couple of times with really no problem at all. My greatest fear all day was running into somebody. I did run into two people all day...Zach took all my weight on the bunny hill and then later James (another sponsor) as I tried to slow down in the lift line. So I knew both of them. After the bunny hill, my honey apparently had enough confidence in me to take me to another hill. A blue one! The blue ones were intermediate!!! Well, I decided that if I died, heaven would be warmer and I could watch everyone else learn from an awesome view...and seriously, if little kids no more than 3 feet tall could do it then I could.

So down we went. I beat him since apparently my biggest problem is slowing myself down. No speed control. I almost always beat everyone down. That made stopping though questionable and at most very memorable. I was told that the couple of big ones looked pretty cool!! I made myself get back up and go again though everytime.

After that first great landing, I drug myself into near exhaustion with my ski poles back over to where the teens were slowly arriving from being fitted. Time to be sponsor. So I went down the bunny hill a few more times, this time trying out my turning. My teacher couldn't teach any longer, so I was on my own. I was beginning to gain more confidence thanks to no falls and a growing excitement for the thrills of speeding down a snowy hill and icy corners, so Stef (one of the older teens who had been skiing for a few years) and I took off to ski wherever we could handle.

We hit half of the blue trails (one was a black and we didn't realize it), got a little lost, and then came back for lunch. After lunch and seeing that half of the sponsors were happy being on the bunny hills with some of the other teens, we took off with the three most experienced ski sponsors. We started at one side of the resort and just started hitting every trail, then lift, then the next run, slowly moving to the other end where the hardest black runs were. Stef and I ran most of them with the guys, but for one. I only had one hard landing too.

We got to the hardest black runs. It didn't look too bad from the bottom, but my heart was unwillingly beginning to pound much too fast for real excitement. By this time, a newbie skiier of the age of 12 with no fear and full of ignorance had joined us and I would not let him outdo me. We loaded onto the lift, as we rode up the hill began to look a lot steeper and there were two hidden hills. You should really be able to see those from the bottom before you sign your death warrent and scale up to the top.

I got to the top and was being egged on nicely that it would be fine and it would be a short trip the speed I went. I think I began a cold sweat when I could see nothing, but a drop-off less than 25 yards away. Everyone else was more than ready and somebody shouted "last to the bottom is a rotten egg!". I knew in my pulsing heart that I would be the freshest egg out there. Sure enough, speed took over, I did all I could to keep my balance till the bottom. Everything was going fine as I plowed wind and swished by everyone else. Then all of a sudden the second hidden hill was there. It jetted me up as well as out and the back of my skiis caught part of the hill. I couldn't keep the landing (no one told me about speed+hidden hill=unwanted and unexpected air). I plummeted down the hill on my back as snow packed up under my coat, then asmy elbow barely missed contact with a snowboard, I was flipped and spun to my stomach with my skiis still attached. I plowed snow for a little and then finally came to a stop.

I got up as soon as I could since I wasn't hurt. I don't like people clammoring over me like that. I sat up shaking a little and tried to figure where I had stopped and how I was going to get up. The medic guy came over and was checking on me finally commenting that I shouldn't be crashing like that on hills such as this. In other words, I heard if you can't handle it, don't do it since we don't like to pick the limp and contorted bodies off these slopes. My hubby and one of the teens came over. KD was going on about how I just disappeared over the hill and then was a blustering ball of powder snow, arms, legs, and skiis. "It looked terrible!!!" Great! Everyone had a show at least. I wasn't hurt at all though. My honey knows that I hate to make a scene when other people are hurt everyday worse than I could be and kept on asking me if I was ok such. I finally was able to reassure him that I was fine, but that I need to just sit for a while. My stomach was still doing the previous somersaults and my head was a aching. I also needed to unload the snow in my coat and pants in a more appropriate place. I declined KD's request to go back up with her and try again and wished them on their way to more fun in their experienced skills.

On my way back, I did run down the bunny hill a couple of times, so that the last thing my body felt and remembered was better than the previous. Then I joined my couple of non-skiing friends for the last couple of hours drinking a hot cuppa joe and watched my ski dude take the Afton hills like he hadn't really missed the few years since he had taken the slopes in MT.

We get to go once again with our young married's class in a week and a half. I am very excited and I plan on getting the turning down and the speed under control and yes...I will go down that black diamond again and make it!! I'll save it till last though, so I can enjoy most of the day in fully stable physical state...I hope!

BYOD Night a.k.a. Superbowl Night

Our young married's class had a superbowl party last night only 5 minutes away at the Trahms. I love the get-togethers in Ankeny!! We all brought differents dips with which to make a meal out of. It was quite a lovely sight when they were all on the counter. Here are some of the wonderful tasties that were presented with "oohhs", "yummms", and "I need that recipe".
-- Spinach and Artichoke dip
-- Buffalo Chix Dip
-- BLT dip
-- Mexican corn and cheese
-- Bean dip (with guacamole :) )
-- Jalepeno and Cheddar cold dip
-- Spinach Ranch cold dip
-- Chix Cord En Bleu Hot dip
Then there were the fun sweet snacky mixes and some Nestle homemade chocolate chip cookies.
Earlier in the day it took a little bit of discussion to figure out who was bringing what favorites so that we didn't double up on anything. Once settled, I decided to step out of the box and experiment. I took the Buffalo Hot Dip and turned it into a Chix Cord En Bleu dip. It was a hit, so I may bring it out again some time. A tip for ya'll though, when they say bake at 350 for 20 min. uncovered, remember to uncover it or you will spend 45 or more minutes waiting whilst all people get happily full on what dips were done on time. Then you will end up with a lot of it to take home, which isn't good when you are trying to keep the sneaky little inches off.
Once the girls were done laying out stuff and snacking and chatting, we dished our plates ready to go down to sit with the guys and start the Teevo recorded game. As we started filing out, we had to move back and inside as the guys came back up for seconds...full seconds.
Downstairs, the girls got the couch, the guys the folding chairs (how considerate), and then the game started. This is where my interest in the evening left...poof! Now had I decided that I was going to cheer for the Patriots for three reasons. Here are my reasons: I really, really dislike almost everything from NY, how cool would it be to have the first 19-0 season every, and I like a little competition in the home. It makes life interesting! Well, right after the toss, I no longer cared and I instead looked forward to all the commercials. Almost all of them, by the way, were clean and hilarious. I loved the squirrel in the road one and then the Dorito mouse one (which I do remember from last year). The talking baby who spits up was weird, but then when he comes back and decides that the clown he hired was way creepy was really good. I hate clowns!
So I got to talk to my friend, Tiff, for the longest that I have for weeks till she left at 10 pm. Lucky duck! Then from then on I was watching the clock, the commercials, and the TV screen go in and out of focus as my eyes were fighting sleep. I will admit that for what I could understand, it was a good and close game. It got really loud at the end too! I was so beat by 12:30 am when we got home, but I am very glad that I got to talk to Tiff, see some pretty sweet commercials, and that my hubby could watch the game with people who really do know what is going on and have loyalties to the NFL. Go Giants!! I really need caffeine!!!!

Putting A Husband on a Diet

Zach is slowly getting better from his bout of mono. This is week four and we are both so ever ready for this to be over. His main symptoms are gone, but the extreme fatigue and a little swelling of the spleen remain. He is back at work, but having to take it very light. Our average new bedtime is about 8pm and we wake up a 6:30am.

Well, I hate having to stand by and not be able to do anything to make him better and this bothered me for sometime, but then I got the idea. I made up a get-better plan. This entails a very healthy lifestyle for the next 2 weeks so to boost his immune system and give him every advantage of a quicker recovery. Prayer does the best wonder and he could still use a ton!

So I wrote it up at lunch yesterday divided into diet, physical activities (pretty much rest and to bed early with a lot of no-nos), and social activities (again besides a couple of youth group and a Sunday School get-together, none will be added). Then he looked it over last night for ammendments and/or approval. He made several faces while reading it and then he was pretty quiet for a little while. Finally, a little later after a dinner of spinach beef hamburgers topped with mozzarella (getting the dk leafy veggie in), he told me that he would follow my plan the best he could. So maybe I might even lost a couple pounds in the couple weeks. Also I am going to get him immunity boosting vitamins. Too bad they don't make adults doses in fun shapes and all. I love the gummy Cars ones! I remember the Flinstones as well. We loved those things! I think there were even times when we sneaked in to get more or when we passed them out to our younger siblings, that we pulled the one-for-you-two-for-me trick.

By the way, he said that the hamburger was actually pretty good. Yay! Little step, by little step.

Bammm!!!! What was that?!

I was sitting with my jr. high girls on the couch on Sunday afternoon watching "Emma" while waiting for the pizza to get done. Zach had left to go hang out with a guy friend not to be outdone and outnumbered by four girls. While Emma was introducing Mr. Elton to the shy Harriet, we all jumped as an explosion sounded from the kitchen. I sat there for a few seconds trying to guess what on earth that could've been. I cautiously entered the kitchen, after a couple seconds of quick deductive thinking, I zeroed in on the oven. I carefully open it hoping in case there were going to be any more explosions resulting in pizza sauce all over my face at the least.

At once I saw the problem and I let out a disappointed moan. My new pampered chef round stone had exploded and split into six pieces!! The pizza seemed uneffected, so we quickly salvaged it with helped of a airbake metal pan. I grabbed some handy tongs and removed the pieces while trying not to burn myself or destroy the other pizza.

Well, the pizza was good, the pieces are still sitting on my stove, we hit the Bath and Body Work sale with fun stuff to bring home, and Zach eventually bravely came back. I will call my Pampered Chef lady and I hope to get a new one since it was a wedding gift. It really was rather exciting though! Oh, and Zach will now be happy, that I enjoyed the Freschetta pizza a lot more than the DiGiorno.

Ankeny or Antartica!

This morning greeted me with a whopping -15 degrees. So I donned on heavy socks within my rubber boots and sucked in my breath and went to work. The snow from last night wasn't all cleared from the building entrances and since there was only two other people available and they were on the tractors, I volunteered. I ran out to my car and grabbed my bibs and then a sturdy looking shovel and headed out.

Thankfully, they weren't too bad and I was done in about 45 min. My face feels like a plastic mask when I go outside. I'd better be careful what expression I have on my face when it freezes. My rubber boots sound like high heels on the cement and at least I don't feel my toes most of the time.

I remember fantasizing as a Faith student about how the Faith bubble should really exist for weather purposes. Humidity in the summer...gone! Artic winds in the winter...into balmy breezes. Then you wouldn't have to shovel snow or worry about skirts poofing up in the wind. The other option was tunnels over the walkways. You have the option of going out into the extreme temps and conditions or you could just look at the outside. Sort of like the era/period exhibitions in the museums. Look close and you might just see the primative males out on a hunt in the snow...wait, that is the guys playing full contact football in the snow. There might be an element of fun in that though.

So I will settle into reality and just keep to the inside as much as I can, hold the warm, just-dried laundry close, and listen the heated discussion on Rush about the Abomination cult that is trying to wipe out all the whites in the country. Sort of the parallel to the KKK, in fact, they have contacted the KKK with a proposition to split the states into Black and White states. Humm...I wonder if I will have to move.

Too Cold Outside, So How About Some Chinese?

It is -7 with wind chill factored in today. Tomorrow's forcast is for -32 with wind chill. Can you spell "way ttooo cccooold to gggooo ttto work"? Unfortunately, that bears nothing on my job since I live a 1 minute drive or 5 minute walk to work. Plus, part of my job includes moving snow at entrances and such. So tomorrow I will be wearing my duck bibs that my sweetie made me buy. Brrr...

Since it is cold, I was thinking of hot things and along that mind thought another thoughr came along side. What am I going to make for the youth group international dinner next Saturday? I suddenly was craving sweet'n'sour soup, cashew chicken, crab ragoons, and eggrolls. Ah ha! I wanna make eggrolls. What stirs this craving, you may ask. Well, my dear husband really doesn't care for Chinese or Mediterranean. I have been deprived of it for several months! I can't just go out and eat Chinese on my own. Besides it isn't as fun without a second favoring opinon and just plain company along.

So here is my chance! I am awaiting the recipe. I am so very excited!! Go Ming Dynasty and Greek Isles!!!

Craving Sleep, a Kiss, and the Outside World

So my poor honey has been sick for the last 9 days. I was sick before Christmas and then passed it along and Zach was sick over Christmas! Where is that cure for the common cold anyways? Then the Monday after New Years, he started some unpleasantries in the middle of the night. At first, we thought it was food poisoning and then he got "better" and went to work, then I came down with a fever and aches for a couple of days. Yay!! Me -2 vs Zach -2. Well, then on Friday, he came home with a severely sore throat and ear, went Mercy North Urgent Care and was diagnosed with Strep. That was some interesting news, as I have never had strep and knew little of what to do.

So through the weekend, we worked to get his fever down and I got a stash of easy to swallow foods. I liquid after liquid at him too. Well, his fever broke on Sunday night and stayed down the next morning. I was so very happy and I couldn't wait to come home to a semi-sick hubby instead of a full-blown sicky.

Well, when I got home, we ended up making another urgent care trip and this time the news was more interestin...mono...a full blown case of it! Glory be!! Now what?! We were stumped and pooped out from lack of sleep. We picked up drugs and both skipped dinner to crash into bed at 7 pm. We both slept till about 6am in the morning!! That was very much needed and it was the first night that we have both soundly slept in the last week! In fact, it was so nice and my Monster still ineffective this afternoon, that dinner will be very simple and I am going to drag Zach with me crash at no later than 8 pm tonight!

Now to get him to not go crazy in the apt. since he can't go to work for a week. Maybe since his steroids have helped him feel so much more normal, we can get a game in or something. I'd better be nice and let him win. A big bummer though is that to keep such a contagious virus from spreading, he has been ordered to abstain from exchange of saliva too! We are newly married and we have been ordered against kissing. Now that is a major bummer!!! Maybe if he told that doctor that we have been only married for a month and a half, the doctor would somehow have a better idea. Oh, well.

Zach's steroids, yes, he is on steriods :), helped his swelling to go down a ton and he can breathe better, and talk, and eat normal food. That is a huuuge deal! Now if only it would help snoring... :).

Splash! Crack! Oh, no!!

Last night my sweetie had a case of food poisoning accompanied by all the normal effects thereof. Both of us really didn't sleep last night because of it. This morning, while deciding whether to call in some of my many sick hours to catch up on sleep and be around to help since Zach was taking the day off, I washed my face in the bathroom and then was calling in with my decision.

There was one of our drinking glasses on the sink counter on the side toward the toilet. While on the phone and in some state of a sleep deprived caused fog, I knocked the glass into the toilet. I didn't see it when it happened and my contacts were out. I heard a splash and crack and then I just let out a moan and "oh, no". I started to have a pity party. After a couple of minutes and while I was reaching in for the pieces with a Target bag encased hand and arm, I started to see it as a pretty funny circumstance and since we don't have large numbers of company over all the time or any kids, one less glass wouldn't hurt us.

What a night and morning! Thankfully, my sweetie is feeling a lot better and he still wants to put Christmas away and shop for gifts for our nieces and nephews tonight! So off I go now to hug and bug him. :) I love the wife job, even when I am kept awake most of the night to help him feel better.

Snug as a bug in...a big new bed!!!

All day yesterday and last night I was so very anxious and excited cause our new bed was to come between 4-6. I was really hoping that they would come earlier so that I could make the beds and reset up the rooms to their final order.

I got off work at 4 and then went to work at making sure the pathway was totally clear and the new bedskirt was starched and ironed. About 5 minutes after I finished ironing the bed skirt and a couple of other things that I remembered to do whilst the iron was out, the door resounded with a knock! The bed dude was there!! We told him where to put it, sat back and away and the bed was in and set up in less than 10 min! As soon as they left, I ran into the room and was taken back at how high it was! It is almost half my height, no not almost, but definitely half my height. You have to crawl in or jump!

Zach helped me make the bed and then move the other room around so that we still have the full bed in there for guests, but it is in the corner and the desk is closer to the door and both it and the piano are very much more accessible. There is space in the room. Zach went back to football and let me take over the decor' adjustments.

I put up everything in the office (Zach's John Wayne and Chevy stuff is up too) and now all we have left is to put the master bedroom stuff up tonight, then pics will ensue. I am so excited to be just about fully settled and arranged. Now all we have left is the matching love seat with tax refunds!

I love our bed!!!

Rockefellar Center

There are no lights, or highrise buildings, or golden statue guy with flowing robes, but we do have a rink! Our very own, but we will share!

We went out on New Year's Eve and put our backs into the snow removal. There were about 4-5 inches of snow t0 push away. So we slipped on our skates, grabbed a couple of snow shovels and started working. My back is so very sore now, but it will be worth it all. Tonight, Zach will bring home the water pump and pump a couple of inches of water from the pond onto the rink and let it freeze overnight. It then should form a beautifully smooth and glossy surface. Then my skating talent husband will teach me how to skate better and even how to stop a little shorter than 4 or 5 feet.

Unfortunately, we can't skate till Sunday at the earliest since we are leaving Friday afternoon for South Dakota. We have to pick up a tractor loader for Zach's Dad. So about 9 or 10 hours on Friday, pick it up and then drive back! Yay? At least we will be together.

So if anyone wants to skate come on out and if we have enough people wanting to skate maybe you can help make it even bigger too!