Some things . . .

Somethings just absolutely scream "BLOG ME, NOW!" and so I must comply, even at 11:00pm. 15 minutes ago I got a phone call from my upstairs neighbor. Our landlord's handy man, Doug, came today to repair the leaky drain that has been dripping down my bathroom ceiling from my upstairs-neighbor's bathroom. He'd failed to close up the hole properly and their cat, Cat, had gotten into the walls. I'd heard some dust hitting the ceiling in my bathroom as I got ready for bed, but thought it was remnants shaken loose from Doug's efforts. I missed the phone call, but called her right back. Her laugh was shaky as she told the story. Throwing some clothes back on, I grabbed a stool and headed upward. I thought that I had heard some noise above my living room. I popped up one of the tiles and began calling. Sure enough, here comes good ol' Catsy peeking over the top of the wall. I was able to grab him by the scruff of the neck, but wasn't able to get him out from between the wall and pipes. With one hand holding the bugger, I grabbed the cell phone from my pocket and tried to call upstairs. Apparently next to the ceiling isn't a good place for reception, though, as my phone wouldn't even dial out! Who knew? I finally settled on yelling, I was- after all- a foot from their apartment floor! She came down, followed by hubby, and soon there were two of us standing on stools reaching through the ceiling at 11 o'clock at night! Hubby was able to finally get him down, but not without grabbing and pulling him from nearly every direction! Poor cat. I bet he will wish he had some ibuprofen and a good chiropractor tomorrow!

Have I mentioned how much I dislike cats in general? Let it never be said that I'm not a good neighbor and friend! :)

And now- off to bed, as I have half a day with kids tomorrow and half a day at some thrilling training. If I don't go to sleep soon, all the Diet Dr. Pepper in the fridge won't be able to keep me awake!

BTW- I got my stimulating tax check direct deposited today! I said I'd believe it only once I'd seen it, and now that I've seen the numbers, I believe it! Yippee!

Highlight of my day . . . helping my fifth grade niece with fractions over the phone while on my way home in a torrential downpour. Trying not to cross my eyes, or close them, trying to visualize the fractions and their equivalents and the directions. Sweetie, I don't think they are asking you to solve them, just to figure out what number you are multiplying or dividing by to get the equivalent fraction! I was never very good at math, but since I "got it" (maybe in college? or working in a high school?) I don't mind trying to explain it to others, who aren't quite so enlightened (hah!).

My other highlight was finishing up 2 IEPs that have been hanging over my head, due last week! A third one is close behind! Very exciting! It was a strange day, field trips, class plays, absent kids, grade-wide presentations. Just crazy! I'm struggling to find time in that to finish testing a student who has been referred to our program . . . I stopped at the library and stocked up on books on tape for my low readers so that I can have them "reading" tomorrow morning while I test my other student. Creative, huh? I will bring in a couple of CD players and some head phones and turn them loose!

Have a fantastic weekend . . .

Caution: Rough Road Ahead.

That's a sign that they've finally posted on the freeway along my trip home each day. I, along with thousands of others have known full well that this particular stretch of free way is not only a "little rough" but will rattle you right out of your car if not belted in. Somehow the Department of Transportation seemed to be the last people in on this information. As I was driving home, I was thinking. About road surfaces, road construction in particular! Interstate 94 is the main path of transport for most of our area. In fact, it's one of the main pathways for much of the traffic and transport in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I know this because at the beginning of the road construction season (2 weeks ago) in my frustration I went to the DOT's website to look around. If I was going to deal with this on a daily basis for the next 2 months (yippee for summer vacation!), I wanted to know what I was dealing with. I found that they expect this particular stretch of I94 to be maxed, beyond capacity, by 2010, and that most, if not all, of the pavement along this stretch is more than 50 years old. (might I say that I hope I hold up this well at 50!) They are widening the bridges and road section by section with the ultimate goal of having only to divert traffic and slap some new lines on the whole thing in the end. I relate to that. I'm a let's-think-things-through-and-do-most-of-the-footwork-up-front kind of person! When its time, we'll slap some paint on it and we're done! I had some more time, so I kept thinking. I began to think again how much easier it is to deal with this construction knowing the end plan and what they're doing along the way, instead of just trying to guess if the good ol' DOT has a freakin' clue this time! I remember working with my Dad during the summer of 1997, I think, while I was in college. Massive construction in Newport, a little suburb we had to drive through every day to get to St. Paul. Somehow it was more acceptable knowing that it would all be finished by 2007. Dad could handle that.

Now, I had even more time, and I kept on a-thinkin'. I have really been struggling through some stuff with God lately. Why is it that obedience to what He's calling me to do is so much easier when I know the end result, or can at least see the logic in what He's asking? Like my freeway trials, I really struggle with obeying and having a good heart when I have no idea why, who or what? I lose sight of the blessings, the joy, the peace because I'm passing over some rough road and my teeth are rattling and I don't know when the DOT is going to realize the road is rough and get on with the fixing! I can't see the big picture, I guess.

I've found that when I'm in this spot, I find myself dragging my feet in my obedience(which is disobedience, right?). Like Abraham, God has said "do this!" and I, like Abraham have heard, I guess, but unlike good ol' Abe, I'm not moving too quickly to sacrifice my Isaac! I'm holding on to it and moving just enough that I have fooled myself into thinking I'm still okay. In the meantime, I- like Peter- have found myself following Jesus from further and further away. I- like Peter- have compromised in my obedience. Surely I won't betray you Lord? And then I follow a little slower . . . a little slower . . . compromising, just a little . . . warming myself by the fires of the enemy, instead of my Lord, until all that's left is me swearing and declaring that I do not even know Him. I'm not comparing myself to Judah, as I am His child and am not directly walking away and turning to the enemy, but to Peter who is a child, a disciple, gradually losing sight . . . the awesome thing, well one of them, is that God loves me, and is waiting, loving on me, like the prodigal son watching for me, so that He can rush out to meet me when I come back! He celebrates with us when we realize our sin, our wanderings, and come back! His mercies are new every morning!

I don't usually go so heavy on the spiritual analogies, but it all related so well, and having so much extra time to think today caused my brain to ramble. Besides, God has been nailing me at every study and Bible passage I've read lately! Abraham was in a movie we watched last Wednesday night at church, Peter petering out was Sunday morning, the prodigal son was in my own personal Bible reading, along with Israel and Joshua losing a battle when there was sin in the camp, followed by the battles where God empowered and blessed them when they were obedient! I don't want to follow from a distance.

Have you been following the health saga with my earthly Dad? I'm not sure what I've blogged and what I haven't. Before his knee surgery he was in a lot of pain, and after? Still so much pain. How frustrating for him. Then came the blood clot in his leg and 4 or so days in the hospital. He came home and had to give himself shots nightly. After his time on his back and quitting smoking, he developed bronchitis. They started him on antibiotics and all, but that night he was having a new tightness in his chest that hadn't been there before, and so, in a major snow storm, my sister took him to the emergency room. Fortunately it was just more of the bronchitis. While his chest began feeling better, he still experiences pain in his knee. He finally had to go back to work. The hospital hadn't sent one of the papers back in time and he wouldn't get his disability payment anymore. He made it one week at work (heavy factory, on his feet a lot!) before going back to the doctor. After confirming that the plant can't give him "light duty" his doctor told him he'd have to stay home if he wanted his knee to heal. Heck, he's only 59, what other option does he have? All this time, he's been on blood thinner, having his blood checked frequently for thin-ness and aware that even a poke in the finger could cause him to bleed to death. No pressure. Today he had some bleeding that probably would have been quite minor if not for the blood thinner. On the thinner, it looked like a blood bath. He drove himself and my mom to the hospital in Red Wing Minnesota where they admitted him and told him that he'd have to have surgery to put a "filter" in his stomach to catch the blood clots. He has no idea what they were thinking and was a little confused. He's worried, though, and even more so when they decided to send him up to the University of Minnesota's hospital. They did my mom's aneurysm surgery in 200, though, so we knew he'd be in good hands! They took him in a van, not an ambulance. I left work and met up with my mom and younger sister and they followed me to the hospital. The end result, after waiting, and waiting some more, is that they are just going to watch him tonight. They'll see what they can see and if they see anything of concern will perform some more invasive procedures to check it out. They really feel that it's a normal issue amplified by his INR (thickness of his blood). After the doctors came in and talked to him about his wishes "just in case" something happened, he was more nervous than ever. He's stressed about money, stressed about the doctors' differing opinions, and stressed that my older sister called everyone on the planet before he even knew for sure what the second set of doctors thought. He doesn't have a "good feeling" about this . . . (who would, really?)

I took off work tomorrow already thinking he would have surgery tonight or in the morning, and I'm glad I did. Even though surgery may not happen, I'll hopefully be there to bring Dad home tomorrow, as Mom has never driven in the Cities. If there is a chance of him staying longer, or having the more invasive procedure, I'll swing by and pick up my Mom before heading to the hospital. My younger sister has to work all day tomorrow, manning the deli that she works in solo manner due to her coworker's child having pink eye! Her manager could fill in if she had to, but its not really at that point as far as we can tell.

Now? Now I'm home and will sleep in my own bed before getting up later than a normal work morning and making my way back to Minnesota. And no, I'm not taking the time to proof read this, so if it is nonsensical rambling, please just reread it for me and translate it in your minds! Sweet dreams, friends!

A

New . . .

After 2 hours in my car (on a drive meant to be 1.25 hours) last night during our latest freak snow storm, I had a raging tension headache. Can you imagine? As I was finally coming into town, I called my chiropractor, hoping that he'd be able to squeeze me in on this, his late night. He could fit me in at 7:50 (a strange time of night for an appointment, to be sure!). A friend had offered to share her supper with me, and so I went right to her house, headache and all! I left after eating her scrumptious dinner that she so generously shared and headed to my pyro-quackter. I lay on his table drooling as he worked on the knots in my shoulders and tried to rid my shoulders and neck of tension and pain. (Dr.)Tim always comments about how well people report sleeping after being adjusted. With my appointment so late, I should sleep well. We talked about the wonderful dinner and how yummy it was! "Well, you're well fed and well adjusted, you should really sleep well!"

"Well adjusted, Tim?? Of all the things I've been called, I can't ever remember being called that before!"

Home safe now, after another afternoon drive in the snow and slush. Thank God for weekends!

A

I have needs too!

Right now, I need a standby. At the beginning of the school year we signed up to bring treats for each person in our department's birthday. I deliberately signed up for the END of the year, April 22nd to be specific! The pressure has increased throughout the year as each person has struggled to top the person before them. No pressure, huh? Laurel brought a cream cheese and onion dip with crackers, a sweetened caramel-ly chex mix and, AND! AND! AND! an amazing cream cheese/powdered sugar/brown sugar/toffee bits dip to put on quartered strawberries and grapes. Yeah, so- no pressure, right? Her defense is that "those are my regulars!" or what she makes for everything. Beautiful, elaborate and ooohh-so-tasty! (The birthday girl herself brought a cream cheese chocolate chip spread with graham and chocolate graham sticks and nilla wafers.)

I. DO. NOT. HAVE. A. REGULAR! HELP!

Does anyone have any ideas? My coworker's favorite ingredients are cream cheese, cool whip and chocolate, but I can't duplicate anything that has been done. And it has to be within my time limit and ability, for Pete's sake! Not asking for much, am I? Help!

I wish . . .

I had some brilliant topics up my sleeve for a deeply insightful post, but heck- you all know me better than that! In fact, I don't think it's any big secret that I'm not really all that brilliant! In fact, my life seems to be at a high-level monotony as of late! The same old same old, just a lot more of it and all coming at me faster! I'm in the last lap of my first year of teaching Special Education, and have signed my contract for next year. I'm looking for a new home to rent about half way in between here and there. I'm nervous that I'm at risk of isolating myself and excited about isolating myself at the same time! A move will mean no more friends dropping over, but realistically, my little cramped disorganized apartment already limits that for me! A bigger space is needed, and some distance will hopefully help me to get more sleep (= more social) and more appreciative of the social interactions I do have, less taking for granted, I guess(= more social!). It's a big change, but I'm holding on desperately to the thought that I only have 8 more weeks of the drive. After that it is summer and no driving! And after that? I'll be living closer. Driving will not be a thing of the past, though, as I'll be driving 40 minutes several days a week for church and 35-40 minutes daily for work. Hopefully it'll balance out some and the nights that I'm home I'll be home sooner and getting up 30 minutes later each morning, which should help! In conversation tonight, I was reminded again that my church is the place that I'm supposed to be and that I'm pretty sure that this school is the school that God has provided for me. The drive was up to Him. I wonder what He has planned?

That's a little bit about my life right now. It's been quite busy! (did I mention the dad in hospital, dad out of hospital, dad with chest pain, dad with bronchitis, nephew sick, family stressed, massive snow storm in April, stay over night at a friends, 3 IEP/evaluations in a week, sell the old car, another snow storm, It's Road Construction Season, find a new house 'cuz you're moving soon!, finances at a steady boil with a new car payment, oh crap, am I getting SICK?, water running down your bathroom wall, get on that college classes to keep your certification kind of stress?!?!?) All in a weeks work for this woman!

Well, it's not really all that exciting, this life- but it's mine! I'm off to bed . . . my brain is tired. I'll try to check in to visit soon!

Amanda

Why . . .

Why is it that most car windshield wiper reservoirs hold just under a gallon of fluid, while windshield wiper fluid is sold by the gallon? What do they expect you to do with the extra inch of fluid that's left in the jug?


I saw on Friday that road construction season is upon us. They've put out the orange cones on the freeway, off to the side, waiting . . . haunting. I only wish they could wait until after the snow melts away. We had a snow storm Monday that cancelled and delayed schools in the area and cancelled our evening Bible study. I spent the night at a coworker's house, not wanting to risk the drive!


Happy Thursday to you all!

Amanda