Finally

Beatrice Elliot Ming Ge, nee Shang Guan Ming Ge (means Bright Song)
Shanggao County, Jiangxi Province
Born November 13, 2010

Finally, finally...

Totally 80s Birthday Pics!

Here they are in all the glory, a few pics from my 80s Karaoke party. Notice the pegged pants, which just looks dumb. I really don't get Katie Holmes trying to bring that trend back! B went Vanilla Ice with a 10 dollar track suit and some t-shirt iron ons. We had a most excellent time.

My brother, Brian and me singing Hold Me Now by the Thompson Twins

My friend Kevin & I sing Karma Chameleon while the peeps dance

B & me singing our encore duet of Always Something There (to Remind Me) by Naked Eyes

Billie, Arlene, and Caroline do some Belinda Carlyle

AWESOME CAKE - the flowers were a little weird, but so apropos

Has It Really Been That Long?

Wow, it's hard to believe that it's been a month and a half since I last blogged about anything. I've had things going on, but I guess blogging about them hasn't really been in the forefront of my mind. I guess I'll continue my current MO of bullet updates and hopefully get back into blogging sometime in the future. Somehow I doubt this, but it sure sounds good.

~This is my last week at my current job, and truthfully, Friday can't come fast enough. I saw my last client today, and there were no bittersweet feelings associated with any of my "last" activities. I wonder what that says about me?

~The new job starts Monday and I am woefully unprepared. Not really, I am ready, but I think I'll feel this way until I get into the groove

~About every 2-3 months I have been getting these lingering sinus infections. I am currently on day 10 of my current one, and it has totally whipped my ass. Since this time last year, I have been on: 10 antibiotics, 2 decongestants, 2 cough medications, an antihistamine, a nasal spray, had 2 steroid shots, a CT scan, a chest x-ray, and use a Neti Pot regularly. I have pretty severe allergies to grasses, plants, trees, and molds. My theory is that I have this, which makes total sense, since molds and fungus cause my most severe reactions. I am currently waiting on an ENT appointment, and am at the point where I will welcome the surgical scrape to get rid of this shit.

~I finished my final course and have now entered the dissertation phase of my doctorate. I am planning to defend my portfolio in early September and will officially be a candidate.

~We have a leak in our bathtub which has caused our 80 year old horsehair plaster dining room ceiling to collapse. We have to have the plumber 'diagnose' our problem and then our homeowners insurance will pay to repair the ceiling. All of that plaster dust and leaky residue is surely contributing to my sinus issues. Dammit.

~I had an 80s Karaoke birthday party last week for my 37th birthday. We totally rocked the face off the 80s music. B and I duetted to Bon Jovi's Dead or Alive. It was awesome. I will post pictures as soon as I can. The cake alone is worth seeing.

~ The latest addition to our family was born 2 days later. Mr. Jonah Brian (JB) is now comfortably at home nursing the night away. He's the first kid in 2 generations to be born with hair, which is a pretty amazing feat considering most of us were bald until at least 2. I've only seen pictures because I have been too sick to be around him.

~ Michael Phelps is KICKING ASS!

~ Our agency told us to hold off completing the I-800. We let our 171-H expire (long story), and have to re-file. The worker told us to just wait for a while, which is pretty freaking discouraging. 25 months and counting.

Land of the Living

Hello?...

Anyone out there?...

I know, I know, it's been a while, and for that I am sorry. Things have been a little hectic around here, and blogging just hasn't been at the forefront of my priority list. The past month has been a doozy, so pull up a chair and enjoy the reasons why I haven't been blogging.

Reason #1: School is whipping my ass. I am taking one class this semester, but the workload is overwhelming. I am currently reading my SEVENTH text book, planning for interviews and focus groups with 3 area schools, and really, really disliking the class as a whole, especially my professor due to rank negativity and supreme narcissism. Yes, it's a joy. The good news is that I am pulling together my artifacts and writing my reflection as part of the admission to candidacy process in order to move on to dissertation. Required artifacts is 5+, and I have 13. Woot! I should defend in May or June.

Reason #2: B bought me a 4gig Gen3 N@no for Valentine's Day. Whenever I have had a free moment, I will download a CD or browse some music and/or audiobooks. I am an apple addict and I am okay with it. B totally despises M@c and I can't believe he even bought it, but I guess my whining go to him and has paid off. I am in love with my new gadget, and combined with my noise-canceling headphones, it was a lifesaver on the plane ride to and from Las Vegas (nice segue, Deb).

Reason #3: I went to Las Vegas a few weeks ago and didn't have as good a time as I wanted because of the company I kept. I have decided that I am a terrible traveling/living companion and should not travel/live with anyone who is not bound to me by blood or law. I can co-exist with others who are not bound to me by blood or law for around 2-3 days as long as I have my own room. Otherwise, it's a bust. I spent a 24/7 week with a school colleague and, by day 3, I was taking my 10 minutes of stolen alone time to call B in a snit. I should be ashamed because my colleague is an incredibly nice, devoutly religious, non-judgmental person. It was just too much contact time with someone who doesn't know the real me. You know, the non-religious, crass, foul-mouthed, foodie who lives for a great meal and is willing to pay for it both literally and figuratively? The laziest person alive, who will also gladly tell you that you have a booger, pick your zit, and offer scathing, judgemental opinions about fashion faux pas on every street corner? Well, the true colors of my personality couldn't shine through for fear of offending or scandalizing the poor woman. It was too much time with a person who is fundamentally different on every level. Personally, I didn't plan to go to the city that never sleeps to find ways to save money, hit the sheets by 10:30, and spend hours walking in order to avoid paying for a cab - but I did. Oh the shows were good and the lights were amazing, but with a crappy hotel, only one really good meal, no privacy to poop, and no opportunity to see any showgirls, real gamblers, or drunk celebrities, I was ready to snap and thanked B profusely for my only escape (See Reason #3).

Reason #5: There is a really good chance that I am going back to Las Vegas with B in June. He's headed out for a conference and my goal is to wipe the slate clean. I plan to eat at good restaurants, gamble a good bit, see some showgirls, and stay at a hotel where the latest update took place in this century. I cannot wait to experience Vegas with B, my soul mate in filth.

Reason #6: Month 21 of LID is approaching on the 27th, and the discouragement and depression about our adoption is a consistently hovering black cloud. What's to say? At least the PTB have finally moved into 2006 - by 4 days. So, I am wondering if this means we should go ahead and renew our paperwork? We have put it off because, really, what's the point? Motivation to pursue anything adoption-wise is at an all-time low. This past weekend we gave C's old twin bed to my niece, Chubs, and ended up cleaning out a significant space in Ruby's to-be nursery. Sadly, doing this neither encouraged nor inspired B and me to begin planning how to decorate her nursery. In truth, we just shifted the Rubbermaid containers, extracted the bed, and shut the door on an almost empty room. A room that will stay that way for at least another year.

Don't know when I'll blog again, but next up will be an in-depth discussion of why I like Wednesdays best of all - just for Walternatives!

Blogger's Strike

I guess I decided to take a little hiatus there for a while. Just like the WGA's neverending strike, I decided to walk the picket line of blogging. No writing for me, and I am okay for it. I have been reading other blogs regularly (addiction is hard), but I haven't had a whole lot to say that's been positive. Truthfully, I still don't have a whole lot to say that's positive, except, maybe, I'm back?

Regardless, I haven't abandoned the whole blogging "thing," I've just been a little down, a little lazy, and a little busy. The bottom line is that I've been up to a whole lot of Woe and not enough Awesome.

Since I am subjecting you anyway, I'll alternate the Woe with the Awesome.

WOE ~ I have gained weight, which is something I could not afford to do. I just saw a picture of myself holding Caroline's new baby (AH!), and it wasn't so pretty (EW). Gravity and chins don't mix. I believe it's my thyroid acting up. I have lost a considerable amount of hair, which is distressing in itself, and I have the energy of a garden slug. Too bad, a nice dip in beer wont shrivel me some.

AWESOME ~ I am going to Vegas in a few weeks. I am pretty excited since I've never been. I have tickets to see Mama Mia and I am hoping to get my classmate to go to Mesa Grill. I know my boyfriend Bobby won't be there, but it's close enough.

WOE ~ C is doing somewhat better. The outbursts have been farther apart, which means the medication cocktail is working. She has also gained some weight, well her's has been considerable, which is sadly a side-effect of her meds. Grades have improved, but her friendships have tanked. She has made 2 "best friends" this year so far, and both have bailed on her because she's so pushy/intrusive. She and I talk about giving space and growing friendships A LOT, but she just doesn't get that best friendships need time and space to develop. Being friends with C is a little like that cartoon where the little dog keeps jumping over the big dog. I think you know which one she is. She's just trying way too hard.

AWESOME ~ We have decided to join our local Y because of this Winter Bear packing we've all gone through, and we're making it our Valentine's to each other. We've been talking about it for a while now, and it is definitely time for all of us to go. My final inspiration was this gal - if she can get up at 4:00 to swim, I can get up at 6:30 to do the elliptical.

WOE ~ We have to take our taxes to an accountant for the first time ever. I am not excited about it even though she seems perfectly pleasant and we have nothing to worry about.

AWESOME ~ I am working on an amazing international project for my qualitative research class. I don't want to say too much about it here, but trust me it's awesome. I am so flattered to be a part of such a big deal.

WOE ~ We just had our 19 month LID anniversary. Could this one be the halfway mark? What got me in the gut was when I had to change my email/Yahoo signature from "LID 6/27" to "LID 6/27/06." That was hard.

AWESOME ~ Finally, I am hopefully making some changes in my life within the next few months, and I'll be blogging all about it. I don't make New Year's resolutions, but I am hoping a change is gonna come.

Behold the Beauty that is an After-Christmas Sale

Christmas at the Bug house was its usual flurry of presents and family. We had a wonderful time opening and exchanging gifts, learning of my brother and sister-in-law's 4th pregnancy, and eating way too much good food.

As the years go by, B seems to know me better and better. He still needs an Amazon wishlist and still needs some direction, but otherwise he does really well. This year he and C went together to buy my gifts, something that normally doesn't happen. While roaming the mall, C kept insisting that I wanted diamond earrings (I didn't), and that I really needed a pair (I don't, I already have a pair, and very rarely wear earrings anyway). B ignored his gut feeling about the earrings and went ahead and bought a pair. When he came home and emptied his pockets on our dresser, he looked down and saw the earrings I already had lying in the jewelry box. What to do? Well, he gave them to me, along with the receipt and said, "I want to take these back and get something else, but I want you to go with me." Okay. So, along with the return of the ill-fated earrings and my Christmas money from my FIL and my parents, I got this...
for 50% off. Oh, how I love the after-Christmas sales.

P.S. Guess who who ended up with CZ earrings and thinks she's the bomb?

ARGH...but There's Good News too

ARGH:

~Brian and I have been trying to renew our I-171H renewal since August. Yeah. August. We are waiting on one person - Brian's HR bitch. Since our original home study, Brian was promoted and received a considerable raise which impacted our financial status. Because of this, our SW asked for a new letter to verify employment/salary. Every week he has asked his HR bitch for a letter, and every week the promises keep coming. NO letter. He can't go over her head because she's THE Head. Goddammit. I finally emailed our SW and told her the story, because I am sure she thinks we're giving up. She was totally cool about it. But still, how long does it take to write a freaking letter?

~ I have been crap sick for the last week. My doctor and I finally caved and tried a short Rx for 3-5 days of decongestants. I haven't taken a decongestant in probably 20 years because they make my heart beat erratically and make me incredibly hyper. Also, decongestants can cause a raise in blood pressure, so we've avoided them. Can we say Miracle Drug? Granted, I haven't slept more than 3-5 hours at a time in the last 3 days and my entire body is vibrating, but I Can Breathe.

~ I am having a baby shower for my friend Caroline in January. Since this little girl will probably be her one and only, I decided to do it up and ask my cousin to cater. Don't think I didn't pull the family card, because I so did. If not, looks like I'll be up to my elbows in meatballs and pasta salad next month.

Good News:

~ We do not have to pay any fees for our homestudy update!

~ I had a wonderful time at Biltmore with my bloggy posse. I don't think I want' to post more than that. Just good times with good, good friends. Oh how I love them.

~ C is doing really well (Knock Wood Now). The second medication has been in her system for a month, and we see a marked difference. Plus she has her incentives - Alex & Christmas.

~ My last class for the semester is tomorrow. Woot! In the spring, I am only taking one class so I can focus on my Residency Portfolio, which is my admission to candidacy and one giant step closer to dissertation and graduation.

~ Shannon leaves tomorrow to go to China to meet Miss Emily. I can't wait!

Blessings

Happy Thanksgiving, blogosphere. We've had some blessings over the past few weeks for which I am grateful.

~We introduced a second medication to C's treatment, and after 2 weeks of monitoring, we are starting to see some improvement. She also has an incentive to try harder; an incentive goes by the name of Alex. Alex is her "crush," and if she doesn't get to go to the next dance she, "Might.Just.DIE!" After I patiently explained to her that good behavior (no temper outbursts, better grades) warrants good things (movies with Alex, B & me, slow dancing at the Christmas dance with Alex), we've since seen a complete 180. Seriously. I remind her daily of her goal - Christmas dance, new outfit, Alex, Alex, Alex - and she manages to get it together. Unfortunately, she feels she cannot talk with her mom about Alex, so that makes it a little difficult. Her mother thinks she just wants to go to the dance. C is pretty open with me about her feelings about boys and friendships. Recently, she and I had a very frank discussion about boys and all the hormones, during which C politely informed me that, "Kissing is gross at my age." B was relieved.

~The conference proposal I wrote with two of my peers in my Doc program was submitted a few weeks ago, and we found out yesterday it was accepted. Looks like we will be traveling in March to present in VEGAS - Woot! With this acceptance, I get my second paper published in an international conference proceeding, get to go to Vegas for a week, and only have to present for 15 minutes. How awesome is that? Sadly, B will not be going with me this time. I think he's a little happy because I was definitely going to make him go to several cheesy shows. I am trying to talk my mom into going with me, but I don't think she's up for it. Too bad, we would have great fun.

~ I am currently cooking up a storm and packing like a fiend for my weekend adventure with the Tiara Girls - Susan, Shanny, and Shannon. Yes, Shannon is coming with us. She's on a giddy high because she finally, finally got her referral for Emily and she got a new nephew to boot. The referral was a little shaky for a second, but it's all good now. Go on over an take a gander at the cuteness. Tomorrow morning my very pregnant friend Caroline and I are heading out for the drive down to a little cabin in Asheville, NC. We're leaving early because (from what I hear) pregnant people need lots of pee stops, I tend to get lost in unfamiliar places after dark, and we have to stop for postcards at the WV and VA Welcome Centers per Susan's request. Plus, I am just so damn excited for a weekend of Christmas at Biltmore, junk food, mojitos, board games, and quite possibly some interpretive dancing to hits of the 80's, I would leave today if I could could get by with it.

Bullets

We are still alive, and to take a page from this gal's book, you're getting the bulleted list of what we've been up to.

* We are still struggling. I eliminated the previous bullet because it's just too painful to read. I believe I jinxed myself. Yesterday was rough. C had an appointment with the pediatrician who not only got to witness the violence, but finally (finally) stood up to C's mom. C needed a flu shot, and even after a mild sedative and numbing cream, she still managed to kick B in the chin, smack his face, bite him 3 times, and kick him in the hand. Yeah, it's bad. The 5 nursing staff who were there to help could not control her, and were freaked. On the Walk of Shame out of the office, the receptionist actually had the balls to tell B, "She really needs some discipline." I'm glad I wasn't there, because I believe I would have lost it. C's pediatrician finally said, "You're medication choice isn't working, you really need to consider ADHD and ODD." B and I have always believed that C has ADHD, and whenever we would go there, C's mom would lose it. Thank god someone else finally said it. Her pediatrician is very proactive and will collaborate with the psychiatrist and therapist. Now, if only her mom will cooperate with them. Keep your fingers crossed that this helps.

* I just finished a major proposal for a conference in Vegas this spring. I worked collaboratively with two other students, and hopefully we'll get in. I have never been to Vegas before. Keep your fingers crossed that we are accepted. Any tips on where to go, eat, and sight see are welcome.

* I've been going to the movies a lot with my friend Caroline. We have started to have a set Sunday movie date. Last week, along with my mom, we saw The Heartbreak Kid. It totally sucked. You know a movie's bad when you have to explain to your mother what a "queef" is. Yeah, it was awesome.

* Speaking of Caroline, she and I are headed down to Biltmore in a few weeks to meet up with the Tiara Girls - Susan and Shanny. Shannon may or may not join us. We are hoping she doesn't, because that means she's gotten her referral for Emily! She will be greatly missed, but we totally understand - her girl comes first. We can't wait for that referral, so we will take pictures. I can't wait to see my bloggy posse. I need the break.

* My niece Evie is talking more and more, and it's pretty hilarious. Last week my brother called the cat, "Fat Ass." Immediately Evie started saying, "Fat Ass, Fat Ass" My brother redirected her and asked her to call the cat by his name, T. J. She said okay, and he didn't think anything about it again. Later that day, she walked over to my SIL, Kim, Evie touched her on the knee and said, "Hey Fat Ass, lookit my boo-boo." Sweet.

* I have a fierce crush on Anthony Bourdain. Fierce. No Reservations is my new favorite show. I am also loving Chuck. Next week Nip/Tuck begins, and soon Project Runway. TV has been my salvation.

* Today marks month 16 of waiting for Ruby.

Being a Mom

There are many reasons for a lag in my blogging lately. There's a new season of TV to watch, it's conference proposal semester and I am diligently working for a trip to Vegas in the spring, I am depressed about the wait for Ruby... you get the point. Regardless of my regularly scheduled life, the main reason I have not been blogging is because I have been too busy being a mom.

Yeah, you read that correctly.

I am not C's mom, and have never had the delusion that I could ever take the place of her mother. My relationship with C has been one of stepmother - close, but not a decision maker. Nevertheless, I have been playing the role of mom due to the Summer of Hell she has had with her biological mother. Since May, C has been an absolute tyrant with her mother, and truthfully, it's a little embarrassing to talk about.

C has become an asshole. There I said it out loud.

My stepdaughter has become that image of the terrible teenager that all parents dread to think about - moody, tearful, raging, violent, hurtful, deceitful, lying and mean. The weird thing about it is that even though this mood swing has hit across environments (school, home, life), the really violent stuff only happens with her mother. Don't get me wrong, we have our moments where I get the "Stare of Death," but never to the level of destruction that happens at her mother's home. C has hit, kicked, punched, and thrown things at her mother. She has broken the woman's leg, torn ligaments in her thumb, and punched her repeatedly. We are seeing a therapist and a psychiatrist, and have consulted with her pediatrician, and have met with both school personnel and the police. And finally, we have done the one thing we said we wouldn't do - medicated our child.

I am not writing these things to elicit sympathy or advice, I am just passing along the facts of my life as it has unfolded over the past few months. Also, keep in mind, C is compassionate toward most, fun, silly, loving, and has a great sense of humor. Right now she's possessed by hormones and possible mental illness that has been passed down generationally; it says something when 4 generations of women (maternal) in your family have bipolar disorder.

We have also flipped the script with living situation, which is why I haven't been blogging. In the past, C has spent the majority of time with her mother and would come to us 2-3 times a week, depending upon her schedule. For the last 2 months, C has spent most of her time at our house. She goes to her mother's house 2x during the school week, and weekends (aka downtime) is spent here. So far, we have only had one meltdown and one potential meltdown. The one true meltdown was about not wanting to nebulize (whatever) and she almost hit me. Fortunately for us both, she reconsidered. But I am waiting.

99% of the time, it's been good. Very good. We have a routine and it works. We have an unspoken contract that is becoming a written contract where she can earn reward daily. Grounding long-term has never worked with her, and she's too big to spank. We are taking it one day at a time, and are working incredibly hard to stabilize her.

So that's why I have fallen off the face of the earth. That's why I haven't been blogging about my crush on Anthony Bourdain, my loathe of Lynette from Desperate Housewives, and my irritation that Hung won Top Chef. My life is C., because in the face of this emotional chaos, she has turned to me for some reason. Our relationship has grown stronger and stronger, and we are together constantly - day in and day out. C has turned to me for help, and looks to me as that port in her storm. Right now, I have a responsibility to pick up and carry her for a while, and right now that's what I am doing.

I am being a mom, whether I am ready or not.

Why I Suck

Here's why I suck...

~I've been a little blue lately. This past week was our 15 month LID aniversary. I keep trying to tell myself that 15 is the halfway point, but it just seems like an endless stretch. The only really good news is that the Review Room is on a roll and has approved up through August DTC. With June, July, and August going through review in around 2 months, I am hoping that referrals start to encompass many more days.

~ Well, obviously the blog has not been updated with any relevant information in months.

~ It took me 2 months to mail out Secret Pal gifts. For one Secret Pal, the exchange had ended Aug 1. Yeah, I mailed it last Thursday.

~I also haven't thanked my SP for my latest gift - a book about mom being great, a drum, a rattle toy, and some pretend rattle keys. If you're reading SP, I think you're the bomb, and thanks for all of the goodies.

~ I can't find my camera cord to download any pictures of my SP gifts. I also received an awesome gift from Shelba today, and would love to display the super cool Icky bib and the Rock Star Pediped shoes. Goddammit. I love them both by the way.

~ I have been crappy sick for 2 weeks. I am finishing my second antibiotic and finally feel a little better. At least I don't sound like Froggy from the Little Rascals anymore.

~ I believe I bought a lemon. I have had my new car since May 7th, and so far I have had a flat tire, two scratches, a leak in the air conditioning, and replaced an inside door panel. Monday we are dropping it off to have another door panel replaced. It's getting old, people.

~ My nephew told me that I am the "coolest aunt ever," and then proceeded to point out my forehead wrinkles. He said they were "really big."

~ I went to see this movie with my friend Caroline today, and I made it through the first hour before hot footing it to the bathroom to puke up my popcorn and coke. The cinematography and editing was sped up, choppy, and basically looked like B's grandpa, who had Parkinson's, made a home movie. My motion sickness hit like a wave and I was gone. I had puke on my shirt, face, and in my hair. No, that's not embarrassing. Smelling like vomit I not only had to slink into the theater to tell Caroline I was leaving, I had to slink through the lobby. It was great. I cried for 20 minutes in the car before driving home to shower and brush my teeth.

Okay that's enough whining.

Here's a funny story...

The other night we (B, C, and me) were having a nice dinner at Rio when this family comes in and sits down in the front of the dining room. The only reason I noticed them was because it was a family with 4 boys.

As we were leaving B said, "Hey look whose here!"

C walked up behind the oldest boy, smiled, and said "Hi."

The boy looked at her from head to toe, turned blood red, and said "Wow, you've...you've changed."

C turned blood red and said, "Um, yeah."

Then they just stood there looking at each other and blushing. It took me a minute to realize that this was P, C's 'boyfriend' from her old school, which she left after second grade. The two of them hadn't seen each other for several years. B made small talk and I walked over to pay. I really didn't want C to see me cracking up at the middle school hormone surge.

A few minutes later, on our way to the car, C went on and on about seeing P; she was giddy with the gush/crush.

Finally she walked ahead of us and B turned to me and said. "What the hell was that? It was just so awkward!"

I started laughing and said, "The look on his face?"

B said, "Yeah, did he not recognize her?"

I said, "No honey, that was the 'Oh! You got your Boobies!' look."

Back

So, we made it back Saturday from our week-long exile in West Virginia's #1 vacation spot - Myrtle Beach, SC. We were able to be on the ocean or at the pool every day, which is pretty awesome considering it's the beginning of hurricane season.

I won't bore you with the day-to-day itinerary, but will share some highlights:

• Fondue rocks, and we wish heartily we had a Melting Pot near home.
• Beach chairs are great when sitting in the surf watching the waves roll in.
• Sand in your crotch from said beach chair in the surf is not so great.
• Assholes who monopolize the pool, play horseshoes in over your stuff so that it's trampled into the sand, and are drunk (excluding the pregnant-but-I-still-wear-a-string-bikini-to-show-my-stretch marks-and-tramp stamp) by 11:00 am, do not make the best neighbors; we were grateful for the "quiet time" policy.
• Screened-in porches are the best place to watch nighttime thunderstorms over the ocean.
• My mama makes a mean shrimp boil with fresh shrimp, smoked sausage, onion, lemon, corn, new potatoes, and enough spice to slap your grandma. We licked our plates.
• I love having vacation with my parents now that we take separate cars to and from our destinations.
• C is a total chicken and we wasted 50 bucks on a Haunted Adventure attraction.
• Having no access to the Internet is both empowering and crippling at the same time.
• C is a terrible liar. She was caught red-handed (or should I say, 'red-gummed'?) in a super doozie about flossing the gunk out of her nasty-ass red, white and blue braces. This one took a bit of forethought and effort; thus resulting in the wrath of me, and the subsequent "Life is Hell" attitude she unleashed on everyone.
• Sand does bizarre things to your feet, and my pedicurist Jenny cussed me in English and in Vietnamese the entire time she repaired the damage to my soles and polish.

Sayonara Sweethearts...

~ 10 minutes until we pack the car

~ 9 months planning

~ 8 hours driving

~ 7 Sun & Fun-filled days

~ 6 Novels

~ 5 Beach Towels

~ 4 Pairs of shoes

~ 3 thick fashion magazines

~ 2 swimsuits

~ 1 Industrial strength spray sunscreen...

~See you on the flip side! We're off to the beach!~

Milestone

C started her period today.

Now we have an answer to the Linda Blair mood swings, greasy nose outbreak, and all around lousy disposition. Well, maybe not an answer, perhaps an excuse.

I was out of town for work and right in the middle of an assessment with a family when my phone started vibrating. I ignored it. I knew C was with B at the house; she loves it when I am out of town overnight, she and her dad will lie around like slugs watching movies and eating Ramen noodles. Whenever I am out of town, B will call me throughout the day to update me on his daily itinerary - whether I want it or not. When it began vibrating again less than 5 minutes later, I began to worry. I excused myself, and answered with, "What's wrong?"

C very excitedly told me the lowdown and when I said, "You know you need to..." she cut me off and proceeded to tell me how she took care of business by getting herself taken care of, finding the pads, telling her dad, calling her mom, my mom and my sister-in-law to let them ALL know that she finally started. We have had many discussions about where the pads are in the bathroom and the process she needs to take, so she was totally prepared. I am so proud of her. It's been slow, but I think she's finally growing up a little. I like it.

Now if only we can convince C's mom that it is So. Not. Cool. to have Sasquatch legs when 6th grade starts next month, and allowing C to shave her legs is in everyone's best interest.

Wish us luck.

Still Kicking

I'm not going to lie and say that things around here have gotten any less stressful, because they haven't. I am limping through trying to get back on track.

~The fever issue turned out to be a pretty serious case of strep, which I've never had in my life. Not the Strep Throat kind, but a systemic kind. Weird, I know. The massive dose of antibiotics seems to be helping, and I am starting to fell less like a zombie in the evenings. I am glad, bacause I was really starting to worry.

~C is still being a total shit, and this weekend was no exception. She and her mom were doing better for a while, but this weekend was a bust. On Friday, C's mom and her got a wild hair up their asses to dye her hair hot, electric pink. Yeah. It was supposed to be highlights, but turned into a Run Lola Run look that was pretty freaking nasty. It ended up frying her hair and, because I'm always the bad guy, on Saturday I ended up taking her to the salon for repair. Well, I am not shelling out 100+ bucks for her mom's stupid ass mistake, so she left the salon with a very short, Kiera Knightly type do, which was a shock to her system because her hair was past her shoulders. Many tears have occurred since then, but I believe a lesson was learned by C, which is this (I hope) "My mom has no sense of socially appropriate fashion/beauty, so listening to her wild schemes to 'do something cool' should be weighed heavily before I agree to them." Personally, I think the cut, which got out a lot of the pink along with copious shampoos with Dawn dish liquid, looks uber-cute and is she finally looks like the adolescent she's supposed to be.

~School is still whipping my ass. I completed my phenomenology presentation with my group. We lost some points (14) because we didn't do the juvenile "Let's play Jeopardy!" type presentation and felt that since the class has critiqued and reflected on the topic, they wouldn't need a regurgitation of theorists. He offered us an opportunity to make a chart for the class (like the other two groups have already done) and we turned it down. We are standing together on this one. Besides, we all have bonus points in the bank, so our grades weren't affected. I moved onto postructuralism, which was even more confusing than the other, but must have gotten something from it, because I did well on my critique. One more to go.

~ I am insanely jealous because the Georgia Bloggy Bash is coming up, and I am saving the bulk of my leave time for our beach trip in August and for a fall weekend get together of the Tiara Girls. I just couldn't take an extra 3-4 days off. Boo. Hiss. It would have also been a 2-for-1 because I could have gone to see/visit my friend Kathy and her family (including the newest addition of Mr. S.). Dang. So, I am taking a day trip with my mom to see Wicked in Columbus. We leave today and come back tomorrow. We always have a good time, and I am stoked to see the musical. I think I need a little break.

~B and I marked one year LID on the calendar on the 27th. To us, it was just another day in hundreds that are slowly moving along. I think I would feel better if we could just hear something positive. Send good vibes for a clean Review Room evaluation. Perhaps if we get through the RR, I can begin to see a pinpoint of light at the end of this long tunnel.

Good Times

In the midst of all my stress, I was able to take a break and ventured out last night to see B's band, Whistlepunk playing at the Vandalia Lounge. The guys have added a lady to the mix, Miss Karen, and she does a stupendous job. Before, the guitarist Spencer was singing, and although nice, his voice doesn't carry the richness of Karen's. Check them out and have a listen here. I don't get to see B play as often as I'd like because they usually start way past my bedtime (midnight or later) at some pretty skeevy places, so it was good to hear them live.

I Should be Packing

I've been a little enmeshed in school and work lately. I should be packing for an overnight business trip for which I have to leave at the crrrack tomorrow, but instead I am typing and surfing.

The stress levels are pretty high. As a matter of fact I can feel the cortisol pumping up my abdomen as I type. When I get like this, I usually whip out a MeMe or a list. This time, you get a list of what's been happening...

1. Remember this post when I talked about how I ended up with a fever after buying my car? Well the fever's still lingering. I have been tracking it for over a month now and almost every evening around 5-6 I carry a low grade fever (99-100) for a few hours. Oh, and guess what? My doctor (the one I like) has moved out of the county! WTF? So when I went in about my fever a few weeks ago, I saw one of the other partners in the practice. He appears to be a very competent doctor, but he is so incredibly short. Short people don't bother me, but this guy is wee. So wee, that even though I was sitting on the reclining table and he was standing next to me, I had to bend over so he could look in my ears. I am only 5'6". I go back next week with my fever diary and we go from there. It's not my thyroid or my hormone levels, so we don't know what it may be. My gut says that it's arthritis. I hope it's arthritis and not something else. We'll see.

2. School is wearing me down, man. I have a pretty hardcore class this summer - Curriculum Theories. The dude who teaches this course has a rigid timeline - critique due one week; reflection due the next. Each critique of the individual theory is approximately 20-25 pages long with at least 15 resources, and the reflections are between 6-8 pages. It sucks hard. This week I am on a bit of hiatus because my group presents (for 3 hours) about our selected theory - Phenomenological Curriculum Theory. ZZzzzzzzzzzzzz....

3. C has been an absolute terror to her mother over the last few months. It's ugly and we are struggling to keep an even keel. Lots of crisis intervention and spending more time with her than usual. C's a very big 11 1/2 year old (5'4" and 14olbs - size 10 women's shoe!), and she's pretty much taken the bully route with her mom. Now, her mom's no petite wilted flower, but the woman is still recuperating from a pretty nasty bout of thyroid cancer. C's mom is also a weak disciplinarian; a yeller who never follows through with groundings or punishments. We don't have these issues at our house because C has always known the layout of our family dynamics from the beginning: We are a team, but I am the captain. Period. I refuse to mediate between the two, so B gets stuck in that role (too much lately). We just have to wait and see how things pan out.

4. I have only had my new car for a month and it already has a scratch. I don't know how it happened, but I am pissed. B's car was vandalized Friday night and now he's missing a back window on the driver's side. I am pissed about that as well, but not for the same reason. The scratch I know I did not do; however, B should know better to leave an empty laptop case in the backseat. GRR.

5. My niece Evie (aka Chubs, who is no longer chubby) has really warmed up to me lately. Every time I see her we have a blast with her latest - shaking hands. She'll come up and say, "Hi Debbie. Watch you doin'?" or "Hi Debbie, I Evie, Friend." I also get really sweet snooches when we say goodbye.

6. I am quite happy about the new seasons of Hell's Kitchen and Top Chef. Let's just say that Gordon Ramsey and Tom Collichio can be added to my Sexy Ugly Boys list.

I just noticed the "Aren't I a badass?" chin grasp they both have going on.

Overheard

Conversation between My mom, Noah, and C on Memorial Day

N: Hey, my birthday's coming up. It's June 25th

C: Yeah I know.

My Mom: C's birthday is the same day as Jesus' - Christmas Day.

N: (turning to C) Are you married to Jesus?

C: No, that was Mary Mandolin and her birthday's in the summer.

Walking, Riding, and Wiggling

I've been pretty busy lately, and this weekend was no exception. Early Saturday morning, along with several of my coworkers and friends, I walked a mile for breast cancer research. Our state hosted the Susan G Koman Race for the Cure and raised over 75,000.00. Everyone should contribute to this cause; there are 2.3 breast cancer survivors in the United States because Early Detection is the Best Protection! One of those survivors is my friend Caroline's mom, Rose. Last year she found a lump early and was able to be treated with minimal invasion.

Here we are near the finish line, walking for Rose!
L to R: Caroline, Billie, Thea, Mary, & me.

We walked our mile, now walk yours! Support Breast Cancer Research!


Later that day, B and I drove over to the Hyundai dealership and traded in my beloved Sorento for this hot little number.

A 2007 Tucson in Mesa Red.

I loved my Sorento, but 18 MPG highway at 3.09 a gallon was killing me. I spent 120.00 on gas in 2 weeks! It was any easy trade and my MPG went up to 24-25 highway. Bonus! The saleswoman was hilarious, and we rocked out to great 80s tunes while they did our paperwork. Spending big amounts of money stresses me out, and usually I get really grouchy and panicky. This time I ended up with a fever. Weird.

On Sunday we BBQed with my parents and my brother's family, which is always fun. Noah had a good time showing us his wiggly front tooth, and later that evening pulled it out. Check him out!