I have been in the hospital a total of 5 times:
1- when I was born
2- when Lexi was born
3- when Jordan tried to come early
4- when Jordan was born
5- last night
I am one of those silly people that only go to the doctor if I am on my death bed, so you can only imagine what it would take to get me to go to the emergency room at midnight. Apparently, a tiny (4mm) kidney stone will do the trick. The pain had gradually been building all weekend. I seemed to be able to manage with a couple of Tylenol though. That was until 10:30 last night. I kept waiting for the Tylenol to kick in, but no such luck. I also tried toughing it out until morning. There is a reason that most people compare this pain to giving birth. However, I would rather give birth because something wonderful results from the pain. It is also easier to have a positive attitude about babies.
So, our fun night started with me waking Steve up to tell him I couldn't handle the pain anymore. I struggled to put Jordan in his carseat and gather a few things, while Steve grabbed Lexi out of bed. Steve rushed there and dropped me off at the door. I walked in thinking that I was glad they had all my information and hoping the paperwork would be quick. Unfortunately, the computers were down. Steve parked and brought the kids in. After suffering in the waiting room for a half hour, the triage nurse talked to me and took blood then arranged a room for me. I was also given a CT scan. We sat around for a long time. I nursed Jordan and waited for strong pain medication.
In the end (3am), they just gave me a prescription and sent me on my way knowing full well that I was in lots of pain. Couldn't they have slipped me one pill? We had to find 24 hour pharmacy & wait for the pharmacist to do her magic all while dragging two little ones around. I decided it would be easier to lay down in the parking lot & have Steve run me over with his truck, but he refused.
All the fun bubbled over into today. I have had very little sleep, have taken pills that make me drowsy, have a cranky toddler, have a very unhappy baby that does not want to drink formula while I am drugged, and on top of that I have to spend the next few days trying to get this stone out of me. Yippee! The truck idea is sounding really good.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter!
I would like to wish everyone a Happy Easter! We are having a wonderful weekend with our adopted Texas family. Yesterday, Lexi and the other kids had an Easter Egg Hunt and then we all ate pizza. This evening, we are gathering together for a big Easter Dinner. What a perfect weekend.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Randomly Spewing
There are various things/topics I have been considering for posts, but it isn’t always easy to remember any of them when I sit down at the computer. I also don’t usually have two hands free to type with. Fortunately, I am somewhat proficient at typing with one hand thanks to working at home during the first few months after Lexi was born. This morning, my mind is in a daze so I’ll just spit out some of the random ideas.
1. Recently, I was in a group of women that highly recommended the book Twilight as well as the rest of the series. They seem to worship the writer. I just smiled and listened because I hardly ever find time for reading. Several days later, one of them handed me a copy of the book to read. I picked it up and was completely engrossed. It is one of those books that draws you in. I know that means it is a great book, but that just makes me want to get the experience over more quickly. Thankfully, I finished reading it and can try to catch up on things like blogging and cleaning. Perhaps, I will wait to read the next book in the series when Jordan is sleeping through the night.
2. Last night, I caught a news clip on 20/20 about a family I used to babysit for when I was 14 years old. The wife had and affair and decided to confess to her husband. He went insane and started spreading lies about the affair with everyone they knew. Then he asked his brother-in-law to find a hitman. Of course, he went to the police & they set him up. They taped the meeting and showed it on tv. I was surprised to catch the clip because it aired several years ago.
3. (On that same topic) When I heard what the husband was saying and saw the intense way he easily lied, it reminded me of my parents’ divorce. Not that my mom cheated on my dad, but he became obsessed with telling everyone they knew ridiculous lies and making himself believe them. Now that I have moved back here, I see their friends quite often. I have been privileged to hear more about his insanity. Apparently, he actually told people that she was an internet porn star. In the Mormon community, that is a HUGE insult. I have to admit that it made me laugh. At the time, she was a 45 year old mother of 5. It is sort of a compliment.
4. I think girls make worse toddlers. They seem to hit the terrible twos earlier and harder. On the plus side, they are easier to potty train.
5. It must be difficult to come home to a cranky wife that has been dealing with a toddler that is just sick enough to be whining about everything. An evening meeting and bad traffic probably help the situation by prolonging the torture. Of course, nothing happened to make the think of this... but he did say he would be home on time tonight.
1. Recently, I was in a group of women that highly recommended the book Twilight as well as the rest of the series. They seem to worship the writer. I just smiled and listened because I hardly ever find time for reading. Several days later, one of them handed me a copy of the book to read. I picked it up and was completely engrossed. It is one of those books that draws you in. I know that means it is a great book, but that just makes me want to get the experience over more quickly. Thankfully, I finished reading it and can try to catch up on things like blogging and cleaning. Perhaps, I will wait to read the next book in the series when Jordan is sleeping through the night.
2. Last night, I caught a news clip on 20/20 about a family I used to babysit for when I was 14 years old. The wife had and affair and decided to confess to her husband. He went insane and started spreading lies about the affair with everyone they knew. Then he asked his brother-in-law to find a hitman. Of course, he went to the police & they set him up. They taped the meeting and showed it on tv. I was surprised to catch the clip because it aired several years ago.
3. (On that same topic) When I heard what the husband was saying and saw the intense way he easily lied, it reminded me of my parents’ divorce. Not that my mom cheated on my dad, but he became obsessed with telling everyone they knew ridiculous lies and making himself believe them. Now that I have moved back here, I see their friends quite often. I have been privileged to hear more about his insanity. Apparently, he actually told people that she was an internet porn star. In the Mormon community, that is a HUGE insult. I have to admit that it made me laugh. At the time, she was a 45 year old mother of 5. It is sort of a compliment.
4. I think girls make worse toddlers. They seem to hit the terrible twos earlier and harder. On the plus side, they are easier to potty train.
5. It must be difficult to come home to a cranky wife that has been dealing with a toddler that is just sick enough to be whining about everything. An evening meeting and bad traffic probably help the situation by prolonging the torture. Of course, nothing happened to make the think of this... but he did say he would be home on time tonight.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
How Green Is Too Green?
Lately, a lot of the international news has focused on the ramifications of using corn for fuel. We have also heard that the broken incandescent light bulbs practically require a Hazmat team for clean up. I guess I would consider myself fairly environmentally conscious. Who isn't, right? We recycle, always seem to produce less trash than our neighbors, and do other general things. I truly believe that every one of us needs to find better ways for almost everything we do. The drive to be better should never end.
However, I must admit that since the jury is out on some items I don’t feel at all bad about not jumping on every environmental band wagon, especially this one: cloth diapers and cloth pads. I know some people swear by them, but I refuse to believe that they are not more of a pain than their disposable counterparts. I will happily salute anyone who goes to that length for our environment, but sadly I am just not convinced that this particular sacrifice is worth it. In fact, I feel sorry for women in countries like Cuba and Haiti where they don't have an option. Of course, their cloth products are nothing compared to the posh ones available here.
If anyone is looking to start a charity, there is your idea. Raise money to send advanced cloth products to countries where they desperately need them. Some good should come out if it all. Unfortunately, I am just way too private/shy about all things female to do it myself the project would tank. This post is about as close as I come to discussing these topics that are taboo for me. I chalk it up to being raised with 3 brothers.
However, I must admit that since the jury is out on some items I don’t feel at all bad about not jumping on every environmental band wagon, especially this one: cloth diapers and cloth pads. I know some people swear by them, but I refuse to believe that they are not more of a pain than their disposable counterparts. I will happily salute anyone who goes to that length for our environment, but sadly I am just not convinced that this particular sacrifice is worth it. In fact, I feel sorry for women in countries like Cuba and Haiti where they don't have an option. Of course, their cloth products are nothing compared to the posh ones available here.
If anyone is looking to start a charity, there is your idea. Raise money to send advanced cloth products to countries where they desperately need them. Some good should come out if it all. Unfortunately, I am just way too private/shy about all things female to do it myself the project would tank. This post is about as close as I come to discussing these topics that are taboo for me. I chalk it up to being raised with 3 brothers.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Coupon Challenged
The biggest challenge about being a SAHM is living with less money. I have been noticing how my friends deal with it and I am pretty impressed by their shopping expertise. When it comes to clothes, I am good at finding bargains and shopping around. Groceries, however, are another story.
Considering the fact that there has always been a big black hole that eats up my shopping list between the time I write it and the time I walk in the door of the store, it is no surprise that coupons are also difficult for me to handle. I can clip them out of the newspaper. Sometimes I can even remember to take them to the store with me. If there is more than one though, I cannot seem to give them to the cashier.
Last weekend, I got the closest ever. The list and the coupons made it through the whole shopping experience. As I was walking to the front, Jordan started crying. He was hungry, so I rushed to wrap it up. I felt bad for him, so I picked him up. In the process of trying to unload the food onto the conveyor belt, pay and reload the bags into the cart while holding him and entertaining Lexi, I forgot that the coupons had been shoved into my pocket. I didn’t remember them until the food was in the trunk and we were ready to take off.
I guess I will continue to clip coupons and make an effort, but I have realized that I am truly coupon challenged.
Considering the fact that there has always been a big black hole that eats up my shopping list between the time I write it and the time I walk in the door of the store, it is no surprise that coupons are also difficult for me to handle. I can clip them out of the newspaper. Sometimes I can even remember to take them to the store with me. If there is more than one though, I cannot seem to give them to the cashier.
Last weekend, I got the closest ever. The list and the coupons made it through the whole shopping experience. As I was walking to the front, Jordan started crying. He was hungry, so I rushed to wrap it up. I felt bad for him, so I picked him up. In the process of trying to unload the food onto the conveyor belt, pay and reload the bags into the cart while holding him and entertaining Lexi, I forgot that the coupons had been shoved into my pocket. I didn’t remember them until the food was in the trunk and we were ready to take off.
I guess I will continue to clip coupons and make an effort, but I have realized that I am truly coupon challenged.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Listening To Wisdom
When I was 12 years old, my dad’s baby sister, who was 18 or 19 at the time, got engaged and married. She was exceptionally beautiful, book smart, and naive. She had gone off to BYU, a.k.a. land of the meet & marry quickly. The engagement was very short and the wedding was set for the end of Christmas break. It was a typical inexpensive Mormon wedding with everyone pitching in.
During the hustle and bustle leading up to the event, I remember there being a lot of conversations between my mom and aunts about the groom. They all agreed that he was a very nice guy, but that she was making a big mistake. They thought that she should date other guys because she could do better. In the Mormon culture, she wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary and certainly nothing different then they had done. Perhaps that is why they could see she would not be happy with this particular guy. He didn’t have the drive and ambition that she did. Even back then, I couldn’t help but wonder why she didn’t listen to them and at least postpone the wedding. I wish I could say that she knew what she was doing, but sadly they were right. He ended up being a career student. He finally got his PhD, but is working as a grounds keeper on Temple Square. She worked to put both of them through school and has been the main bread winner throughout their lives. He is “a nice guy,” but their marriage has not been a happy one. She should have listened.
I suppose this post sounds like it is about choosing the right guy or one of the negative points of the Mormon culture. However, it is about listening to those who have your best interests at heart especially when you are young and stubborn.
Because of my baby sister, I have been thinking about the transition from living at home to becoming an adult and how many decisions can end up affecting us for the rest of our lives like the major we choose, the jobs we hold, the first job after graduation, the guy we may or may not marry, etc. Now, I believe in change and that NOTHING is permanent, but decisions do take us in a direction at least for a while.
Isn’t it strange that someone would be so close minded during a time when big changes are taking place? Perhaps some of you are surprised that I seem to be calling my sister out on the carpet. It isn’t that odd in my family to say what is on our minds without offending each other because we usually just blow off everything we don’t agree with.
This time of life has been on my mind though thanks to her struggles. If I knew then what I know now...I would have made different decisions. Not that I have regrets, but life brings wisdom and a bit of foresight. I may have applied for scholarships and loans in order to go to Texas A&M rather than BYU. I most likely would have picked a different major like construction management (more money in a male dominated industry) or marketing (which my career has turned out to be in). Those changes would have allowed me to jump up the career ladder faster. Then perhaps I would have made more money for things like better vacations. Yes, we all have a bunch of "What Ifs" but hopefully life has taught us to at least listen open-mindedly to people who care about us and have lived a little longer.
During the hustle and bustle leading up to the event, I remember there being a lot of conversations between my mom and aunts about the groom. They all agreed that he was a very nice guy, but that she was making a big mistake. They thought that she should date other guys because she could do better. In the Mormon culture, she wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary and certainly nothing different then they had done. Perhaps that is why they could see she would not be happy with this particular guy. He didn’t have the drive and ambition that she did. Even back then, I couldn’t help but wonder why she didn’t listen to them and at least postpone the wedding. I wish I could say that she knew what she was doing, but sadly they were right. He ended up being a career student. He finally got his PhD, but is working as a grounds keeper on Temple Square. She worked to put both of them through school and has been the main bread winner throughout their lives. He is “a nice guy,” but their marriage has not been a happy one. She should have listened.
I suppose this post sounds like it is about choosing the right guy or one of the negative points of the Mormon culture. However, it is about listening to those who have your best interests at heart especially when you are young and stubborn.
Because of my baby sister, I have been thinking about the transition from living at home to becoming an adult and how many decisions can end up affecting us for the rest of our lives like the major we choose, the jobs we hold, the first job after graduation, the guy we may or may not marry, etc. Now, I believe in change and that NOTHING is permanent, but decisions do take us in a direction at least for a while.
Isn’t it strange that someone would be so close minded during a time when big changes are taking place? Perhaps some of you are surprised that I seem to be calling my sister out on the carpet. It isn’t that odd in my family to say what is on our minds without offending each other because we usually just blow off everything we don’t agree with.
This time of life has been on my mind though thanks to her struggles. If I knew then what I know now...I would have made different decisions. Not that I have regrets, but life brings wisdom and a bit of foresight. I may have applied for scholarships and loans in order to go to Texas A&M rather than BYU. I most likely would have picked a different major like construction management (more money in a male dominated industry) or marketing (which my career has turned out to be in). Those changes would have allowed me to jump up the career ladder faster. Then perhaps I would have made more money for things like better vacations. Yes, we all have a bunch of "What Ifs" but hopefully life has taught us to at least listen open-mindedly to people who care about us and have lived a little longer.
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