New Carpet!

The carpet is in! The carpet is in! The original carpet to our house, built in the 70s, is officially GONE. It looks so much better & we are thrilled. I took many photos, but here are a few.

A piece the carpet guys ripped out & used at the entry. I hope the neighbors didn't see that! eewwwww!

Before & After - front bedroom:

Before & After - Todd's office:

Before & After - views of our master bedroom:

Those are only a few views of the amazing change in three of our bedrooms. This was much more work than we thought. Imagine moving and spring cleaning in 48 hours. Whew! We are still putting our home back together, but it is already worth it! Next week . . . security system installation and wood floors in the formal living & dining. I'm already tired! :)

House Happenings

Our "break" has suddenly become busy now that Christmas is over. This week we are getting three of our bedrooms recarpeted and picking out wood for our formal living & dining area. Before Friday morning, we have to move everything out of the bedrooms and figure out where in the house it can go. Luckily, the installers will move the furniture, but we have to move books, electronics, & everything on or near the closet floors. Wonder what we'll be doing this weekend? You guessed it! Putting those rooms back together! After that is finished, we'll be getting new wood floors in our formal living and dining areas. Repeat the process.

We are also getting a security system installed next week. They'll have to figure out how to monitor our home w/out letting our four animals set off any alarms. They have a big job ahead of them!

I'm really looking forward to these home improvements. I'm hoping this will not only beautify our home, but help us unclutter and clean out. We still need to finish some touch up painting, replace some furniture, replace kitchen countertops & eventually cabinets, and replace the front door, shutters & landscaping. Then we'll have all new projects to do!

Blessings this Christmas

I hope everyone who reads this blog (and even those who don't) enjoys a very, merry Christmas. Thank the Lord for bringing us His Son, so that He may die for our sins and give us everlasting life. That is the TRUE gift of Christmas!

Adios Mi Pelo

Adios Mi Pelo in Ingles = Goodbye My Hair.

I got my hair whacked off on Tuesday night. And I hate it. I even cried in the chair at the salon while my hair lady's assistant was drying it. The poor girl didn't know what to do with me. Luckily, Mina (my hair lady) knows about our two losses and has been watching me lose my hair since May. Mina was really sweet and just hugged me and told me she understood since she's been through it, too. I wish I could've picked those five inches of hair scraps off the floor and glued them back on. I knew it was time for the hair to go, but I hate it. HATE it. Did I tell you how bad I hate it? Don't even ask to see a photo because I'll be hiding from the camera for a long while to come.

At least today I styled it myself so it doesn' t look so much like a helmet. But I still don't like it. Uh, I mean hate it. Maybe I'll get used to it in tine, but for now I miss my hair.

What a Sonic Blast?

So tonight at 9pm I think I need a Holiday Mint Blast from Sonic. I asked Todd if he'd like to go with me and get anything. While laying on the couch watching TV , he surprisingly responded, "I don't want anything (surprise #1), but I'll go with you (surprise #2). I guess he thought I meant later because after practically running to get my keys, he noticed I meant NOW. :) I then had the most amazing and ingenius thought. "Honey, why don't we take the d-o-gs?" I let slip from my lips. Surprise #3 came when Todd thought that would be okay. Here comes the funny part of the story.

I get the dogs in the car which can be a feat within itself. That's about 225 pounds of dog flying up into the seats of my Pilot! Mackey, in all his beloved weirdness, couldn't figure out that we were going into the garage and just froze in the living room. I had to close the two big dogs up in the car while Todd carried Mackey from the house. Since the big dogs are so rambunctious, I recommended that Todd got in the front seat w/ Mack, and they held one another like long-lost lovers as I raced to Sonic to get my fix. Steve & Pippin had their heads hanging out of opposing windows, their beautiful ears and gums flapping in the wind while they inhaled all of the beautiful smells of Dallas & Richardson. On the way to Sonic, I just lost it - crying, wheezing, and likely peeing myself in laughter. Todd looked so VERY, INCREDIBLE, TOTALLY miserable. The look upon his face was like a p.o.w. down a hole with three hungry & excited dogs. Surprise #4: Todd did not find my uncontrollable laughter amusing. At all. Not a bit. Upon arriving at Sonic, I partially rolled down the back windows, got out of the car, & reached in to lay down the seats. The misery ended as Todd carefully hurtled Mack-Daddy into the back of the car & we gave the beasts some treats. Oh, and we got our shakes, too.

Well, maybe it's not so funny to you, but you aren't all sugared-up on a Holiday Mint Blast!

Here are the canines & humans of our family from our 2005 Xmas card. From L to R is Steve, Pippin & Mackey. (Kristin & Todd are the humans!)

I've Been Tagged

Thanks, Tracy. What else do people need to know about me that they haven't learned in my blog? I'm sure I'm quite a freakish creature, so coming up with only eight things shouldn't be too hard.

1. I'm deathly afraid of heights. I don't like being higher than the seat of a chair. Escalators, glass elevators, stairs, catwalks, ladders, & the like mortify me. Seriously. I will panic, my vision will go dark, and I'll often sit wherever I am if I get scared. In the past, I've been found sitting in the bottom of the car of an air gondola, on a catwalk in the middle of the mall & other strange places. From what I've been told by my mom, I fell down two flights of stairs when I was little. I wasn't physically injured, but my subconscious definitely remembers it. My mom said when I was little, I would completely freak out just sitting on the table in the doctors office. I've considered hypnosis but haven't done it yet. I don't know if I will either.

2. I have a slight case of OCD. Some people might beg to differ, stating that it's more than a slight case. I like things to be in balance. Parallel and perpendicular alignment floats my boat. Ask my class. If groups of their desks are caddywampus, we have to fix it. My team often teases me by threatening to move things around in my work area or classroom. Luckily, my OCD isn't anything near my fear of heights. If it were, I'd form a true circus show.

3. The veins on the top of my right foot form the letter K. I'm glad they don't form Kristin or I'd (again) have to join the circus.

4. I have been watching "All My Children" for over 25 years. Yes, since I was 13. I still DVR it every day, as if things in Pine Valley are really going to change.

5. I am severely challenged in the laundry management department. Getting the clothes in the washer isn't too tough. The dryer is a little more difficult. Getting clothes out of the dryer - a real problem. Moving them into my closet - wow. Getting them put away is the worst. I've thought about asking Roberta (the maid) to take care of my laundry, but (see #2) I'm scared she wouldn't do it 'right'. What 'right' is, I don't know because I don't have it right in the first place!

6. I once left three barfing girls in my classroom. Hey, at least I sent a kid for the nurse & custodian first. I panicked, began to gag, cleared the room of the rest of my class, & sent everyone home (the bell had just rang). The poor things were in my room barfing to beat the band. When I told my principal, she went in there to help. Thankfully the custodian took care of clean up. I almost died just going back in for my purse an hour later. Obviously, I don't do barf - even for myself.

7. I have a hole inside my nose. Gross? Yeah. But, I have a hole in my nose. A majority of my septum is gone thanks to multiple surgeries on my nose. It was repaired several years ago, but broke through again. I once (in a moment of irrationality) showed some 4th graders how I can shove a Kleenex up one side of my nose & pull it out of the other side. My own, personal, stupid human trick. You happy playing tag now, TayLynn??? ;)

8. I suppose I am a freak. I have many fears, many maladies, many idiosyncrasies, and many bad habits. I don't care really because being me isn't always that bad. I'm smart and funny and, by golly, people like me.

Lordy, Lordy I'm Almost 25

What the hell??? I'm almost 40? Wasn't I just 25? Wow!

There is absolutely no way I'll be 40 in less than three months. That's just rude. I could swear that I'm still in my late 20s. I can't believe March 5th will take me to somewhere near - even close to - the halfway point in my of life. I'm just not there yet. Seriously, I'm not.

It can't be so bad getting older. I mean, look at Mary the Great. She's much hotter than me and she's a great-grandmother. She was my grandmother before she was my age. And she's Mary the Great for heaven's sake! My mom is hot, too, and she's a grandmother! Thank goodness for super-genes and the ladies who gave them to me. You wanna see good genes????? Here:














Man, I love my mom and grandmother. They are not only hot and gorgeous, but strong, caring, loving, good cooks, beautiful, kind, and just amazing.

And, now, about those crows feet & the dent in my forehead . . . . . . . .

"Mary the Great"

My niece, Aeva Claire, combined the concept of great-grandmother with Mary & came up with "Mary the Great". Of course, Mary the Great loved it from the get-go and often signs her name that way now. :)

Mary's surgery didn't end until after 11:30 last night. She had about 4.5 feet of her colon removed. (I've heard the colon is about 17 ft.) The doctor said if Mary had waited another hour to come in, she probably wouldn't have made it. Family was finally able to see her around 1:00am and after I spoke with my mom, I went to bed around 2:00 with hopes that she'd be recovering today. Doctors anticipated that Mary would be fully sedated, intubated & in ICU for about three days, in a regular room about ten days, then to a rehab hospital for a few days before going home. That plan changed today.

Considering what she's been through, as of this evening Mary the Great is doing . . . great ! Doctors removed the breathing tube, Mary (when awake) is very alert and talkative. She makes perfect sense and was telling me everything that was on her schedule that needs to change. She remembers last night's nurse telling her how she went into nursing. She was telling my mom and I about company they have coming in after Xmas & how she was upset that there are Xmas decor boxes all over the house. She was her usual self by kidding with us and making smart remarks. Wonder if that's a family trait? :) Tomorrow Mary will get up and move around with help. She'll also start on liquids - yep, the delight of hospital broth, jello & popsicles.

So . . . Mary the Great is on the mend. Last night was very scary, but the light of day shows us a much better picture than anyone anticipated. The things Mary will do to get out of another round of chemo! I love the woman so much I gave her my favorite lip balm before I kissed her goodbye for the night. Seriously, Mary the Great is an amazingly strong & stubborn woman who is truly the matriarch of our crazy family. I know that's how she's made it this far. And I'm glad she has.

Prayers for My Mary

My beautiful, strong, resilient, amazing, caring, loving, and fighting grandmother needs your prayers. Long story made short, Mary has been fighting cancer since I was 12 - since 1980. She has gone in & out of remission and has been in a big battle for the past few years. Her husband of over fifteen years, Fritz, has been one of her biggest supporters in this battle. I know tonight he is extremely worried and scared - whether he's showing it or not.

As of right now, Mary had surgery & is in very guarded condition. I don't completely understand what is going on, but she's had colon surgery in which a large portion of her colon has been removed. Of course, with the ever/continual lack of communication in my family, I learned about this just a short time ago - after she was in surgery. ggrrrr. Mary was having abdominal pain and the doctors determined the need for immediate surgery. (One good thing is that her surgeon is a friend and neighbor, a very well-respected surgeon, who also did a minor surgery on my husband a couple of years ago.)

From what I can tell, Mary will be under heavy sedation & in the ICU for a minimum of three days due to her fragile condition. Only immediate family will be allowed to visit and doctors prefer there to be no communication so she can rest. If things go well, she will be moved to a regular room after that for about ten days and then to a rehabilitation facility to recuperate.

I'm at home right now (since it's almost 1am) and desperately want to be with Mary. I am praying that she will be okay and, although I think it may be, that this is not the 'beginning of the end' for her. Please pray with me for Mary's recovery, and please pray for Fritz because I know he, along with the rest of us, is scared out of his mind.

Mary & I at one of our wedding showers, Feb. 2007.

Just Any Other Day?

When someone has a birthday, friends and loved ones usually remember to wish them a happy birthday. When a couple has an anniversary, sometimes family and friends wish them a happy anniversary. On the anniversary of when someone dies, even fewer people remember. Perhaps they remember that sad day but avoid it because it's either too painful to deal with, or they don't want to create pain for those that love the one who is gone.

Some people (like myself) are good at remembering dates. We have calendars that help remind us. I can tell you many of the dates for friends' birthdays & anniversaries- even people I may not see anymore. While through the years I've gotten worse at calling, sending cards, or emailing people on their special days, I always remember them. I oftentimes remember the anniversary dates of the dates of family and friends, and sometimes I even contact their loved ones if I think it's appropriate.

(Note: I guess this is where my pity party begins. I'm not writing this for sympathy or to make people feel bad. I write this blog for me, so I can journal whatever is on my mind when I write.)

Today is my due date. Yes, the due date for the baby that Todd and I will never see. The date for the first baby we lost. It is the due date for what should have been a beautiful time in our lives. It is the due date for what should have been the beginning of our family. I mean, it would be inappropriate for me to run around like it was my birthday & say, "Oh - today was my due date!" Not that I really care any more, but that would make people uncomfortable. Instead, it's just another day. At least it is to everyone but me.

So today, I mourn our loss. I mourn what should have been and is not. I mourn that I can't really even tell anyone around me. I mourn that nobody even knows. And I mourn that I have to have this same damn kind of day in another 3 1/2 months. Today just sucks and I'm so sad.

Thanksgiving Recap

Our Thanksgiving day was wonderful with lots of family, friends, and food. Todd and I made the turkey & it received rave reviews. Below are two pictures. The first is a picture of Todd preparing the bird, with Steve ready for any possible morsel to fly from the counter and into his mouth. The dogs LOVE when I'm cooking Thanksgiving! The second photo is of "Uncle Todd the Super Carver" as I got my niece, Aeva, to call him. :)

Todd and I both enjoyed having some time away from school. The rejuvenation is always needed for us old, ragged teachers. We stayed busy at home, me painting and Todd doing other home projects. I'll have to post some before & after paint shots soon. I still need to finish our bathroom (both wet area and vanity), as well as some trim work. Boxes bearing Christmas decor are now scattered around the house waiting to find their seasonal home. The tree is ready and our outdoor decorations are a work in progress. I guess we have lots of pictures to post!

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving and are looking forward to the holidays ahead. Even though the Christmas season is a busy one, I hope we all take time to enjoy and appreciate our blessings - family, friends, freedom, employment, love, and God's grace.

Giving Thanks

While the past several months have been "not so good", I do have many things for which I can be thankful. I have a wonderful husband, amazing family, terrific friends, our beautiful pets, a merciful God, and a stable job. Are things perfect? No. Will they ever be? No.

So tomorrow, I will give thanks for what I DO have in my life and pray for the things I still want. Either way, I'll still get my turkey, dressing, pecan pie, and the Dallas Cowboys.

I mean, really . . . what else could a woman need?

It's Finally Time to Talk About It

I'm not going to go into an inordinate amount of detail about it (believe me - there's a LOT & this isn't much of it at all), but some of our friends and family know that we've had two miscarriages since our marriage began in March (one loss in April, the other in August). It has truly been the most difficult thing I have ever personally endured - physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I always thought that we would have difficulty getting pregnant. We've learned that's the easy part for us. Staying pregnant is what is so hard for us.

I haven't been able to talk about it or write about it all in detail to anyone so far. So many people want to talk about it with me, but I just don't want to. It's so incredibly hard to verbalize how completely devastated I have been. I have really needed time just to focus on what has happened, focus on my physical & emotional healing, and focus on my husband and our marriage. I know I've alienated several people in my life, but I hope that they can just understand that I need time. Much of my rambling here may appear to be somewhat surface - especially if those who read it have experienced pregnancy loss - but I'm not in the mood to get real emotional tonight. What I'm writing here may not mean anything to anyone but me, but hey, it's my blog & I'll write what I want. If nobody reads it, then fine. I'm writing it anyway!

Having two pregnancies and two miscarriages in the span of five short months has been complete hell on my body. My hormones have been completely out of whack and are still recovering. I've lost a ton of my hair. I never thought I would miss my long, curly (and sometimes unruly) hair, but I really, really do. My skin has become teenage-like and I've gained weight. My self-esteem is pretty much shit now because I don't think I look like me anymore. That may not be completely true, but it's very hard to look in the mirror. As tough as the physical trauma has been for me, the emotionally healing has been the hardest.

I wouldn't exactly call myself "healed", but I am finally to the point that I don't cry every day. I've never cried so often and so hard in my life (and those who know me know that I cry easily). I'm talking complete meltdowns that resulted in my eyes swollen shut, my upper lip swollen, nosebleeds & the like. After the first miscarriage in April, I hoped to make it one hour without crying. I eventually made it through several hours at once. After the second miscarriage in August, I just became numb for a while. In the times that I wasn't sad, I was angry as hell. Angry at every damn thing. Yep, just really effing pissed off because I had something taken from me TWICE and I couldn't understand what I had done to deserve this. I was also angry with God because He let it happen. All I could figure is that God was punishing me for something I had done in my past. I prayed and prayed for forgiveness, but when I lost our second baby, I figured that forgiveness was not due to me.

I've always tried to be a good person. I've never tried to intentionally hurt anyone. I've bent over backwards to help others often to the detriment of myself. I've made my share of stupid mistakes and poor choices, but I've never done anything that would deserve this. Why couldn't I just have a normal pregnancy like the rest of the world seems to have? When I experience difficulty, I try to figure out what I'm supposed to learn from it. God has a purpose for me, so what does the difficulty have to do with my overall purpose according to Him? I couldn't (and still can't) quite figure out what exactly I'm supposed to be "getting" from losing my babies. It has all seemed so surreal because I never thought it would happen to me.

Through all of this, one thing I have learned is that miscarriage is something not always discussed - until you're a part of the "club". Boy, once you have tragically earned this crappy membership, they start coming out of the woodwork. I know of friends and have met people who have been through multiple miscarriages, late-term loss, and stillbirths. I finally found a group of ladies that completely understand what I'm thinking and feeling (emotionally & physically) and know that it's normal. A majority of these women I have never met in person, but we know one another very well. We're all a part of this sick club that nobody wants to be a part of - ever.

Between our two miscarriages, I changed to a new OB/Gyn (after the 2nd pregnancy was underway). My first doctor was a complete ass, and I didn't feel comfortable with him at all like I had in years past (as a gyn patient). After meeting with "Dr. T" for the first time, I realized that God wasn't punishing me, but He needed me to change direction.

My new doctor, Dr. T, was personable, intelligent, eager, funny when appropriate, understanding, serious when needed, and professional. Dr. T took time to talk to Todd and me and get to know us as people. When we saw the heartbeat of our little fetus, Dr. T was excited. When I learned I was miscarrying for the second time, he hugged me as despair overtook me and I cried. He also assured me that we were going to move forward and find out why this was happening. And we did.

Most doctors wait until a woman has miscarried three times to perform testing. For a few different reasons, Dr. T wanted testing performed after my second loss. The testing is called "RPL" testing and is a panel to check four possible physiological issues that can cause miscarriage. My tests found that I have genetic mutation with the MTHFR gene.

MTHFR stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, though I think MTHFR is a highly appropriate abbreviation for a couple of reasons. ha! I have two copies of the gene which is called homozygous MTHFR. My body does not have the ability to metabolize folic acid, which is crucial to the fetal development in a successful pregnancy. It can also cause clotting issues. The homozygous MTHFR also deals with other physical issues, so I'm glad I know about it now. The treatment is very simple. I take 4 mg of folate per day (RDA is 1mg or less) and a baby aspirin as well to aid clotting.

Is treatment to my MTHFR mutation the cure-all that will insure I successfully carry a baby to term? No. There is no such treatment for anyone, any pregnancy. But at least we know have a helluva better chance than before. When we become pregnant again, I will be under close care through my doctor and through a perinatologist. I will be absolutely paranoid while pregnant but try to enjoy it. The worst part of being a miscarriage survivor is that you are immediately stripped of the joy and naivete' that comes with pregnancy.

I pray every day for Todd and me, for our families, friends, students, and colleagues, and for those people that I have not yet had the chance to meet. I also pray that God provides His healing, mercy, and grace for those in need. My specific prayer is that Todd and I can expand God's kingdom through Him allowing us to raise one of His angels as our child on Earth. We pray to have our dream come true - a beautiful, healthy baby. We don't care if we have boys or girls; we just want a family. We don't expect to magically become the best parents in the world because of what we've endured, but we do know that the appreciation of our future children will hold a little stronger in our hearts and our minds. So as I pray for all of you, I ask that you pray our specific prayer for us.

Our Weekend in Austin

We went to Austin this weekend to visit Pat & Linda (Todd's Dad and his wife). This was our first trip together to visit them in their new home. It's so nice to have them in Texas now! Pat & Linda are always such wonderful hosts, so as always, we had a wonderful and relaxing time. A couple of favorites from this trip were lunch at the newly renovated Oasis and meeting the new kitten, Kimora.

Lunch at The Oasis was awesome because the weather was perfect, food delicious, and margaritas tasty! Here's a shot of us standing off one of the 44 terraces that were built with the new restaurant.

Kimora is the latest addition to the Haney family. She is a ten-week old tabby/tortie kitten with lots of spunk. Kimora was spayed and declawed earlier this week, so she was sporting a lovely blue collar to keep her from biting her stitches. What a tiny, cute little kitty!

Now we are home after having eaten and drunk too much, so it's time to unpack and prepare ourselves for the upcoming week of teacher torture!

OH - and did you know four years ago today that Todd and I both met the person of our dreams? Yes, we met four years ago today! I love you, Todd!

Why I'm Still Teaching

I am very burned out with teaching right now. The demands from the state, the district, administration, parents and students often seem insurmountable. This is my tenth year of teaching (6th year this "round"), and the expectations and stress increase each year.

The main reason - and sometimes it feels like the only reason - I teach is because of the people with whom I teach. They are all amazing people. My new team of 5th grade teachers are wonderful to work with each day.

Tonight we had a celebration for the faculty and staff. A couple dozen of us enjoyed time at Main Event. We played arcade games, ate pizza, bowled, and played laser tag. It was such a fun time and a real relief just to be together outside the stresses of school.

Of course, MY laser tag team won both games we played! We were short one team member, but that did not take away from our skill level. I lost my voice from yelling and loudly squawking like a chicken to the other team. Let's just say I did better in laser tag than bowling. That's one course from college that didn't help me at all in real life! ;)

Here's a picture of the WINNERS. (The young girl on the R is a former student - not a teacher!)

Tonight renewed my commitment to the men and women at our school. Now, I just need to renew my commitment to my job. It's tough, but I know I can do it - with the help of those in the trenches with me.

OH YUM!

I've had a recipe for Garlic Cheddar Chicken for a while - and have seen & heard the raves for it online - but never made it for some unknown reason. Well, that changed last weekend. It was easy to make and SO DELICIOUS!!! Is it the healthiest entree on the planet? Uh, no, but man it's good! I served it with steamed asparagus to balance the nutritional values. You know, kind of like the Snickers and a Diet Coke effect. :) I asked Todd if he had any comments he'd like me to add to our blog and he said, "It's a really good recipe." A good man of few words.


GARLIC CHEDDAR CHICKEN
(picture kindly borrowed from Monika's Sushi & Chocolate website)

PREP TIME: 15 min. COOK TIME: 40 min. READY IN: 55 min.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Servings Per Recipe: 8 (1 per chicken breast)
Amount Per ServingCalories: 407
Total Fat: 25.3g
Cholesterol: 130mg
Sodium: 577mg
Total Carbs: 8.5g
Dietary Fiber: 0.3g
Protein: 35.1g


INGREDIENTS
· 1/2 cup butter
· 4 cloves garlic, minced
· 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
· 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
· 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
· 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
· 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
· 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
· 1/8 teaspoon salt
· 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin (I only used 3 large breasts & it was fine!)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.
4. Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.
5. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Dog-gone Day

Most of today went to the dogs - our dogs. We packed up a cooler of ice water, loaded the "kids" into the car, and went to the dog park in Plano. We met our friend, Traci, and her puppy, Nika, there.

Pippin had a wonderful time! She was more interested in greeting all of the humans and getting extra love. Mackey, as always, spent a majority of his time waiting by the gate to leave. Steve, unlike his siblings, was in time-out THREE times because he was barking and acting like a jerk. He behaved like an angel while on the leash with either mom or dad, but unleash him and BAM - behold jerk dog! It made me sad because he's really a sweet boy (just not today).


After park time, the beasts crashed in the car and came home for bath time! This is not their favorite activity, but they were so filthy. For the past couple of hours, they have been sleeping - snoring and all! So, yes, today went to the dogs. And most of it was good!

Is it Friday yet?

I will be SO relieved when tomorrow comes - especially after the kids leave and I can race out of the parking lot, trying not to hit them with my car. Ah, the temptations of life! :)

It's been a long week for both of us! Todd had another week of football and spent much of his time dealing with his computer repairs/rebuilds. I had a doctor's appointment, meeting with the group that owns Jeffrey's home, and dealing with rotten students. We are both already burned out with work, so we're looking forward to a fun and relaxing weekend. We have two Halloween parties to attend, so we'll spend some time getting our costumes together and dressing up. *Pictures to come.*

Protective Big Sister

I have a severely-handicapped little brother named Jeffrey. He lives in a group home in Dallas. We found out last week that one of his caretakers hit him on the head. Luckily, said caretaker was fired, found guilty of abuse by the state, and now is dealing with law enforcement. If you see my "Blogalicious" post below, you'll also know this person has his own corner in hell waiting, too.

What kind of a sick sonofabitch would hurt someone that couldn't defend himself? Can Jeffrey be extremely frustrating? Yes. Can he work you into such a frenzy that you feel you'll lose your mind? Yes. Does he do it on purpose? Hell no. I'm sure he thinks that we are all the ones with a problem. I know Jeff definitely HAS to get more frustrated with us than us with him.

Jeff is MH/MR and deaf/blind in addition to his many other handicaps. He had two strokes before he was ten years old. His right side is partially paralyzed. His left side is so incredibly strong that he could easily hurt someone, but Jeff couldn't hurt someone intentionally. Jeffrey is legally deaf & blind, but he can see and hear. In the past he has battled anorexia, kidney problems, strokes, collapsed lungs, had multiple surgeries, has been self-abusive, and more. The fact that lived past the age of six surprised many of his doctors. Jeffrey turned 36 on October 1st.

I spoke the case manager of the group home today, and she told me she was only able to share certain information since it was a state case now. When she told me that she couldn't give names (especially of "S.O.B.") I told her I didn't want to know his name. If I had his name I would find him. If he thinks his life is miserable now, he hasn't met me yet. Being the highly emotional person that I am, I'm just proud of myself that I handled the conversation with the case manager in a logical, professional, mature manner.

When my mother told me what happened, I was devastated. I was so angry and heartbroken that I could barely speak. All I could do was cry. I cry now when I think about it and probably will for a while. I have always been the protector of my brother, even though we are only a few years apart in age. Jeffrey is my heart. He is truly my hero. What he has endured in his short life is more than any of us ever will. The fact that someone tried to hurt him and that I wasn't there to protect him kills me. I feel like I have failed him, and it will take me a long time to get over it.









I love you, brother.

Happy Birthday to My Mom

Today is my mom's birthday. I'm still not sure how she looks so good and is younger than me. My mom is a phenomenal woman - strong, loving, caring, beautiful, ethical, sensitive, hard-working, patient, and kind - just to name a few.


Happy Birthday, Mom!

Blogalicious

My first blog post. I feel so blogalicious. How that feels, I do not know. I honestly have no idea what exactly we will do with this blog, but I felt the need to develop one. Our life together is not really that exciting, but it's our life, and we like it that way. How about an exciting round of getting to know Todd and Kristin? (That was not YOU rolling your eyes!)

5 Things About Kristin
1. I am very sensitive and emotional. I can cry at the drop of a hat & do it quite often. It's not always about sad stuff, just anything that tugs at my heart strings. My students never see me cry - until the last day of school. Maybe.
2. Meat makes me nervous. Mainly raw meat (I won't touch it), but really meat in general. I eat meat; I just can't think about it while I'm masticating the flesh of another animal. The only thing I will eat off the bone is chicken wings because I smother them in sauce and Ranch. If the tragedy of my teeth hitting the bone occurs, meal over.
3. I would hate to be a cow. I should behave and be good in this life or God may punish me and turn me into a cow for my next life. That would suck - even if I lived in India.
4. My family and friends are what matters most to me. If you know me, then you already know this. I am fiercely loyal and will do anything for those I love. My pets are included as family.
5. I absolutely despise meanness and cruelty. Especially towards those who are weak - elderly, handicapped, children, animals, etc. There is nothing worse in this world to me, and I think those who intentionally hurt others have a special corner in hell saved just for them.

5 Things About Todd (as written by Kristin)
1. Todd has the most tender heart. He doesn't show it most of the time, but all you have to do is see him with one of our dog babies. He's a sucker for four-legged creatures. (That's just one reason I love him.)
2. Todd's favorite superhero is Batman. Superman comes in a close second.
3. Todd is a Writer-Racanteur-Liar. He can explain.
4. When I asked Todd what else I should write about him, he told me to add Firewatcher-Sleeper. I have no idea what that means, but he thinks it's funny.
5. Todd named our puppy Steve. He thought it would be cool to go to the beach & yell, "Steve," and several men would turn around. This applies (and also works!) at public dog parks.

Well, one down, many to come. Hope you're still awake.