and the beat goes on...

Drums keep pounding a rhythm through my brain. (and yes, I had to Google how to spell rhythm)

OK-no results from the tests that Olaf had done on Friday except he does know that the EMG done on his left arm was normal. However, the results from the myelogram and CT scan have not been read yet. I need to update here when we get those results in. Olaf went and got his blood drawn yesterday for some tests that Dr. Stark ordered. I had them add a Lyme's Disease test in there because advanced Lyme can cause a lot of neurological symptoms as well. I watched a documentary about Lyme Disease called "Under Our Skin" on Netflix and it was very interesting.

OK, Olaf is home with pizza from Rockback. We haven't tried it yet, so I am going to break my low carb diet to see if it is worth it! (Not that I am losing weight on it anyway...)

Olaf's health status (cussing follows)

On May 2nd, Olaf went to the ER via ambulance with severe shoulder pain. He was driving in his car when all of a sudden he got this twinge in his shoulder kind of like when you sleep wrong and you pinch a nerve. The twinge continued to get worse and worse, until he had to pull over and call an ambulance. When I met the ambulance they were working on Olaf. Thinking it was a heart attack, they hooked him up to the EKG all the while Olaf was screaming and crying in pain. His feet were shaking and he was literally screaming. I had never seen him like that before and I felt helpless. I was there to answer the EMT's questions and give Olaf's vital statistics. They decided to take him to the Fayetteville hospital, so I drove the van there. When I arrived at the hospital, Olaf was lying all by himself in a room screaming, sweating, frothing at the mouth. It took about 20 minutes before the doctor saw him and told the nurse to give him some Dilaudid to relieve the pain. While the first dose took the edge off, it only took the pain level from a 10 down to an 8. At the ER they did a CT Scan and a chest X-Ray to make sure he did not have an aortic dissection, and after those came back clear they basically said go home and good luck. The next day, May 3rd, I took Olaf to our regular primary care doctor who ordered a bunch of blood work (all clear) and an MRI of his neck. I took Olaf to his MRI and lo and behold we were told that he has a herniated disc in his neck that is causing his pain. Hallelujah! We thought we had an answer. However, luck was not on our side (or God...however you want to look at that.) I took Olaf to a spine doctor, Dr. Haid, yesterday at Piedmont and he told Olaf he does NOT have a herniated disc and has no idea what is causing the pain. So, Olaf is scheduled for a CT/myelogram, X-Rays and and EMG this Friday up at Piedmont in Atlanta and we are back at square one. Square fucking one. Do you know how frustrating this is for him? He has had joint pain, muscle pain, muscle twitching, severe fatigue, and several other symptoms for months. He has been to a neurologist who asked him if it was "in his head." What the fuck? Are you kidding me?? He has been out of work since May 2nd because he cannot drive. The minute he tries to drive his pain is immediate and crippling. This is giving Camille a lot of driving practice though. She runs him to appointments that are local and errands that need to be done. He is depressed, despondent, and cries. He is frustrated as you can imagine. He is in the process of filling out paperwork for the VA because all of these symptoms are linked to Gulf War Illness. And that about sums it up for now.

On another, happier note. My Gracie turned ten years old yesterday. She loves her face painting kit more than the candy vending machine that she just had to have! Grace is full of vim and vigor and will go far in life with her determination if she puts it to good use. :) Grace-if you read this one day-I love you more than you will ever know.

Ohhhmmmm

Well, I just got home a week ago from Nashville. I was there for the Pure Romance Convention and had a great time. Now I leave Wednesday for two nights with a girlfriend for Panama City Beach! I kind of have mommy guilt for leaving again after just getting home. (actually it's wife guilt) I'm sure it won't last too long though. I am more excited about my friend going, than I am for myself. She is a single mom of four children and never, ever gets to go anywhere without them. I think it will be really good for her to just have two days of relaxing on the beach without hearing "mom" all the time. We laugh a lot when we are together and laughter is always a good thing. She doesn't drink alcohol, so she will be the designated driver at all times. Gosh I love friends like that!

You know what I miss? Old Mad TV. That is where Ohmmmmm (my title) came from. In my mind this is what I hear.

Olaf's health

Olaf has been going through some neurological testing recently. He is having a lot of different issues. Cramps in feet and hands, pain in joints, lethargy. The list literally goes on and on and, until we get a diagnosis, I'd rather not write about it (or think about it). All that to say that he has had to gather all his medical records from the past and this blog has been very helpful for that. I was able to go back to 2006 and tell him what his brain MRI results were. So, here I am documenting again. It might be important one day to have this all in writing. Olaf is definitely suffering from Gulf War Syndrome (thanks to an anthrax vaccine we believe) and has a year to file a claim. He goes in tomorrow for another MRI on his brain and then next Thursday for an EMG. To say that I'm scared is a huge understatement. I want him to live to see our children grow up.

My children are almost done with school. Six more days. Camille will not have a break though. Her trip to Japan has been cancelled due to the earthquake and she has been rerouted to New Zealand and Australia. She will be gone 17 days and I am going to miss her terribly. She leaves in mid June. We will host a 14 year old girl from Berlin the first two weeks of July, then Camille will travel to her home the first two weeks of August. I sure hope they like each other, or this is going to suck for them.

Simon is almost potty trained. He is doing really good. He tells us now when he has to go instead of just letting loose in his Pull Up. Yes, I realize he is almost four. I took him to the doctor yesterday for allergies. He is sneezing and his little eyes are all puffy and red. She prescribed some eye drops that cost me $116! It is called Pataday and HOLY COW was it spendy. I hope it does its job. He is also on Claritin. It's weird because I never thought I had allergies, but Dr. Heindel put me on Nasonex and it is helping with my cough and itchy throat. So, I guess I do have them. I also snort Alkalol every morning and night. I need to order a Neti Pot and use that instead of snorting.

I will update more often. I promise. I need medical documentation and this is a great way to do it.

She passed!!

Camille took her driver's permit test on her birthday and passed. I have a driver! WOW!! On a sad note, People to People has cancelled the trip to Japan this summer because of the current danger there. Camille is devastated. They are planning another trip, but we do not know the destination yet. I hope it is China because the trip there looks fabulous through People to People. She is already going to Berlin in August on an exchange program, so hopefully it is not Germany. Before the Japan trip was cancelled, Camille was going to do a project about Bento Boxes. So, we bought a bunch of stuff to make them. Needless to say, I am now hooked. Olaf gets a Bento Box everyday for lunch. The children get Bento Boxes at lunch as well. It is fun for me to pack them. I am not great at decorating as I am not much of an artist, but it is fun to do anyway. A great place to start is by watching Bento TV. Go to the archives and watch the very first episode to see what Bento is all about. You can even shop her Ebay Store from that website.

I bought a BodyBugg a couple of weeks ago. I like it! It's what they use on The Biggest Loser. Have I lost weight? Ummm....no. Still fat as ever. I wish I didn't like fattening foods. That would be awesome!!

Olaf's health is in a downward spiral right now. We are awaiting blood test results and a chest X-Ray result as well. So many things going on with him. Pain, fatigue, bloating, cramping, swelling... Just trying to figure it all out. I don't even like to think about it. He needs to go see a neurologist too. His pemphigus is still active and hurts like hell. I try not to worry, but that's like trying not to breathe for me. I'm having my own health issues, but most likely it's my hypochondria. :0)

I cannot believe Simon is going to be four in a couple of months!! FOUR! My baby. He still talks like a baby, takes a pacifier, sleeps with me, and poops in his diaper. For some reason, none of that bothers me in the least. Maybe because I know he is my last baby. I can honestly say I am too old to have another baby and Olaf is too sick. I would love grand babies though. I loved the line in the movie "Easy A" where the parents tell the teenage daughter to hurry up and get knocked up so they can parent another baby! That made me laugh. (They were joking, by the way, to those of you who are appalled right now.)

Camille is Fifteen!!

It only took seven years to conceive her. It's hard to believe that could have a 22 year old if it would have worked out like I planned. Instead, she turns 15 tomorrow and will take her permit test. The first child is always the 'test' child. She definitely had it harder than the other children. There is so much I would do over if I could. I am trusting that she will forgive me, and perhaps learn from my mistakes, as she someday parents her first born. She's turning out to be quite the young woman in spite of my parenting though. She marches to the beat of her own drummer and I like that about her. She roots for the underdog, opens the door for strangers, is wonderful with little children. She radiates beauty from her soul. She will be my world traveler, my adventure seeker.

Her current likes:
Reading on her Kindle
Anime
Manga
Japanese Culture
Drawing Manga
Writing Novels
Glee
Ellen
Howl's Moving Castle

I wonder, sometimes, if it's healthy to love my children this much. Sometimes it overwhelms me. I am so, so blessed. Happy Birthday, Camille! Continue to love. Because love always wins!

We are back from Disney World

We spent a glorious week in Orlando and got back on Saturday. I am already counting down the days until November when we go back. We will do Disney Animal Kingdom Savanna View for five days, then go to Disney's Vero Beach Resort for the weekend, then back to the Animal Kingdom for four more days. Woo Hoo! My children are spoiled. And speaking of spoiled...

Camille has been matched with a girl in Berlin to do an exchange program with. Andrea is 14 years old and will be coming over here the beginning of July for two weeks. Camille will then go to Berlin to stay with Andrea and her family the first two weeks in August. We are super excited about it and Camille is loving the fact that she will be in two countries in less than two months. Japan in June, Germany in August. Lucky girl!!

So, my life is on Facebook now. I keep this blog going for the faithful that don't have Facebook and want to check in on me. My friend, Tammy, in Oregon mainly. I cannot believe in this day and age that everyone doesn't have a Facebook page. :0) I wish everyone would so I could find old friends and teachers.

I am also thinking of going to the Rob Bell book signing on the 31st of this month. His new book Love Wins is coming out and I'd love to listen to him. It has sparked much controversy in the "church" and I will blog about that over at My Alabaster Jar! This is no longer the place for my spiritual insights.

I'll check in again sooneth.

Chicken Pox

Grace, Josiah, and Simon have the chicken pox. Poor Gracie has them the worst so far. Nothing worse than chicken pox in your hoo ha. Josiah started first on Friday, then Grace on Saturday, and Simon today. The incubation time is 14 days. I am just hoping Olaf is immune enough to varicella to not get reinfected. Chicken Pox would literally kill him.

I am watching the Super Bowl right now. Mostly for the commercials. There have been a few good ones so far. Simon is sleeping in my arms, so I am typing one handed. He is three years old and I still hold him... I wonder how long he will let me?

Camille had a great People to People meeting yesterday. She made a few friends. I am already buying stuff for her trip and calling it Birthday presents. Today I bought her a portable clothes line, Dr. Bronner's soap to wash her clothes, some Loksak's to use to wash her clothes, some travel toilet paper (since Japan public toilets do not have toilet paper in them) and a few bandanas to use to dry her hands because the bathrooms don't have paper towels either. I also bought her some shoes that she can slip on and off easily, not only for airport security, but also for the Japanese custom of removing your shoes before entering a home. I already bought her a Kindle, and lighted Kindle Cover, and a Flip Video Camera. Olaf got a new Fugi Digital Camera as a gift for his 20 year anniversary with Delta, so she will be taking that as well. She is so prepared!!

Love this video!

Pretty by Katie Makkai

Pretty by Katie Makkai

When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother, “What will I be? Will I be pretty? Will I be pretty? Will I be pretty? What comes next? Oh right, will I be rich?” Which is almost pretty depending on where you shop. And the pretty question infects from conception, passing blood and breath into cells. The word hangs from our mothers' hearts in a shrill fluorescent floodlight of worry.

“Will I be wanted? Worthy? Pretty?” But puberty left me this funhouse mirror dryad: teeth set at science fiction angles, crooked nose, face donkey-long and pox-marked where the hormones went finger-painting. My poor mother.

“How could this happen? You'll have porcelain skin as soon as we can see a dermatologist. You sucked your thumb. That's why your teeth look like that! You were hit in the face with a Frisbee when you were 6. Otherwise your nose would have been just fine!

“Don't worry. We'll get it fixed!” She would say, grasping my face, twisting it this way and that, as if it were a cabbage she might buy.

But this is not about her. Not her fault. She, too, was raised to believe the greatest asset she could bestow upon her awkward little girl was a marketable facade. By 16, I was pickled with ointments, medications, peroxides. Teeth corralled into steel prongs. Laying in a hospital bed, face packed with gauze, cushioning the brand new nose the surgeon had carved.

Belly gorged on 2 pints of my blood I had swallowed under anesthesia, and every convulsive twist of my gut like my body screaming at me from the inside out, “What did you let them do to you!”

All the while this never-ending chorus droning on and on, like the IV needle dripping liquid beauty into my blood. “Will I be pretty? Will I be pretty? Like my mother, unwrapping the gift wrap to reveal the bouquet of daughter her $10,000 bought her? Pretty? Pretty.”

And now, I have not seen my own face for 10 years. I have not seen my own face in 10 years, but this is not about me.

This is about the self-mutilating circus we have painted ourselves clowns in. About women who will prowl 30 stores in 6 malls to find the right cocktail dress, but haven't a clue where to find fulfillment or how wear joy, wandering through life shackled to a shopping bag, beneath those 2 pretty syllables.

About men wallowing on bar stools, drearily practicing attraction and everyone who will drift home tonight, crest-fallen because not enough strangers found you suitably fuckable.

This, this is about my own some-day daughter. When you approach me, already stung-stayed with insecurity, begging, “Mom, will I be pretty? Will I be pretty?” I will wipe that question from your mouth like cheap lipstick and answer, “No! The word pretty is unworthy of everything you will be, and no child of mine will be contained in five letters.

“You will be pretty intelligent, pretty creative, pretty amazing. But you, will never be merely 'pretty'.”

Disappointed

Today we were supposed to have company. My friend and her children were supposed to come over for lunch. About 10 minutes before she gets here, I notice Josiah is not acting like his normal perky self and I take his temperature. 101.5. ARRRGHH! I am not sure if this is the same thing (possible chicken pox) that Caleb had two weeks ago. I guess only time will tell. He seems fine right now, except those droopy eyes that give him away every time he is sick. He always looks tired when he is sick and his energy level drops considerably. He is usually bouncing off walls and jumping off couches.

Tomorrow is Camille's first real People to People meeting. They cancelled the January meeting because of the snow. She is super excited. It is all the way over in Locust Grove so we need to leave bring and early in the morning.

I made Buffalo Chicken Dip today for our company that didn't come. I love that stuff. I actually prefer it without the Ranch Dressing in it. Here is the recipe in case some of you have been living under a log:

A bag of frozen chicken breasts-boiled and shredded

1 cup (but I use the whole bottle 12 ounce bottle) of Frank's Buffalo Sauce

1 cup Ranch Dressing (I leave this out)

2 bricks of cream cheese softened

Mix it all together, top with shredded cheddar and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Eat it with Tostitos or Crackers. I prefer Tostitos. I think I'll go eat some and grab a beer. Yum!! Gosh, I wonder why I am the fattest I have ever been in my whole life?

An Open Letter to My Friend

Dear Friend,

I am glad I got to speak with you on the phone today. Even though I felt a bit blindsided by the conversation, I am glad it occurred. There are things I still want to say, so I will say them here. This gives me time to process (like you had your time) and to rewrite if the words are not making sense, or are sounding too harsh.

Friend, this is my blog. It is where I share my feelings, frustrations, joys, and life. It is about me. It has never, ever been about you. If you have issues with something I write, then it is your duty as a Christian to come to me and have a conversation. I remember a time when a Bible Study Group I was a part of was offended when I madly stomped out in the middle of the study. Instead of coming to me with my behavior, the leader of that group directed another member of that group to call every person in the Bible Study (except me) to ask if they were "OK" with my behavior. Was my behavior childish? Probably. Was it right for her to call everyone except me? No frickin' way! This is an example of what not to do when you are offended by a sister in Christ. Especially from someone with such... what were the words you used today on the phone? "Godly Character?" With that said, you never did call me. I called you. I had no idea you were upset. You had taken 6 weeks or more to "pray about it" and "get your spirit right." And of course, you have been busy, I understand that too. But during that phone conversation, you already had time to process your feelings. Me? I was working on pure adrenaline.

Like I said on the phone, I respect the decisions you have made even though I do not agree with them. I have honored you in my words and deeds. I have never blamed you for anything. I have never mentioned your name when telling my story. I have never made you out to look like the 'bad guy.' We both know who the bad guy is in this story. And the bad guy affects me so much more than he affects you. My life. My relationship. Even though this affects me to the very core, you are upset because you feel like I lied in my blog. About you. Really? You care so much about yourself in this situation that you cannot feel the deep despair that I am going through? You are more concerned that I might have posted an untruth than feeling the pain that those words were trying to express? Can I tell you something? It's not about you. Those words I wrote are as true for me today as they were the night I wrote them. Should I have prefaced them by "I feel like..." Perhaps. I am sorry that one sentence in my blog offended you.

So, in closing... In my opinion, there is a strain on our friendship that makes it hard to bear. I am not the same person I was when we were close friends anyway, and I think that bothers you. I cannot pretend to be the old Misty when she no longer exists. I am still a Christian and you would think Jesus would be enough to hold a friendship together. I've learned the hard way, that is not true. Will we always be sisters in Christ? Sure. Sisters don't have to be friends. I harbor absolutely no animosity toward you. I have nothing but love for you as a sister in Christ. I wish you love, peace, and happiness in your life. In a time of need, you can always count on me. But I want you to know that I will no longer pursue an earthly friendship with you. If you want to remain friendly, please do not hesitate to call me or email me. I will always reply. But I feel that I have been the one who has sought you out and this friendship feels a bit one sided to me.

Much love,

Misty

Waiting...

We are just waiting in the Jorek home to see if anyone comes down with the chicken pox. Anytime from this weekend on... Caleb went back to school today. He was more than ready to go.

I went to the Ear, Nose, Throat doctor yesterday. Olaf calls him my boyfriend. Dr. Heindel is the best doctor in Newnan in my opinion. Just sayin'. Anyway, I think I have an infected salivary gland and tonsil. I am on antibiotics. Hopefully it will get better.

School is going great for the children. I hate Camille's Biology, but we are getting an A. (notice I sad "we" because if it were just her, we'd be getting a D) The final is next and I am sure that will bring her grade down to a B, but I'm happy with that. It was a tough course. She is using Glencoe Science Biology-The Dynamics of Life. She is actually doing two algebra courses. She is doing Teaching Textbooks on her own (it is slow moving and easy to understand) and for Ashworth (her accredited diploma) we are doing Glencoe Algebra Concepts and Applications. She is also taking Spanish 1 and Literature and the Language Arts. Once one of those courses is complete, she will start Prentice Hall World History-Connections to Today. Then she will be done with her Freshman year. WOO HOO! And yes, all of her books are hard cover text books. Listen to this. I paid $897 for all four years of her high school through Ashworth, now known as James Madison High School. It is a SACS accredited College Prep High School Diploma. They sent me textbooks, study guides, and exam books. She takes most of her exams online except the mid terms and finals. We fax those in because they are not multiple choice. Her Spanish we have to fax in as well. These textbooks are about $100 a piece and I have FOUR YEARS worth of them for under $900.

The Social Network

I am watching The Social Network right now and don't understand a damn thing. Too much computer language for me so far and I am only 15 minutes into the freaking movie. Just sayin'. And as I am trying to watch this, Simon is talking and talking and talking. It's very cute and a little bit annoying at the same time.

Caleb seems to be on the mend. He hasn't had a fever today, and his pox are all scabbed over. I am wondering if Chicken Pox will hit the other children since I had Caleb holed up in his room. I know it is highly contagious and I am hoping if the other children do get it, it happens all at once. Like this week would be nice. If they get it soon we can still go to Oregon. If not, then it may be Disney World. Only time will tell. I'm OK with either trip.

Speaking of Social Networking, find me on Facebook. That is where I am most of the time. :)

Our Anniversary

Today is the day. The day I married a young boy in Hesperia, California. He was barely 19 and I was barely 20 when we said I do. We didn't get married for the "right reasons" either. We simply wanted to move in together and, being in the military, we would make more money if we were married. Neither of us thought that our marriage would last more than a couple of years. And yet, here we are. We have grown up together. We have spent more of our lives together, than apart. We have been together through hard times and joyous times. Through his parent's deaths, my dad's death, as well as the glorious births of our five children. The diagnosis of Fragile X Syndrome in our first born. Then his seizure that almost killed him. Olaf's pemphigus and and his promotions at Delta. Yes, it has been a wild roller coaster ride with very high highs, and very deep lows. I'm so happy he's riding this one with me. I love you, Olaf.

Anniversary Weekend

Tomorrow is my actual anniversary, but we celebrate big here in the Jorek home. We do things in weekends. That said, Caleb woke up with a fever this morning. He has complained of a headache as well, so we have given him Motrin. He went to bed about 8:30 this evening. I worry about my children when they are sick. I am trying not to worry so much, but some habits die hard. I guess I actually worry LESS than I used to when I was certain that God was always trying to "grow" my Christianity. I used to think God was going to somehow smite me just to see if I could handle it. You know, like Job. "Have you considered my servant, Misty? Go kill her children and take everything away she owns and then let's see if she will still love me." I guess that's an issue for my other blog.

Anyway, as I said before, Olaf and I celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary tomorrow. Olaf isn't feeling well either since his steroids have been increased to 30 mg a day. He is jittery, and his heart is pounding out of his chest. He needs to take Zanax just to get through the day. He feels like he is in a constant state of panic. I cannot imagine the effects that these steroids are having on his body. He tries not to lose his temper even though it is so easy when you are on steroids. This pemphigus is one tough cookie. Hopefully we can go on a date next Saturday as we have tickets to see Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engval, and Larry the Cable Guy.

Simon is sitting here eating suckers. He is so cute. I cannot believe he will be four this year. I am convinced he will be the last Jorek child, but still don't want Olaf to get a vasectomy. That seems too final for a couple that has been infertile for our entire marriage. Part of me wants another baby, believe it or not. The other part of me (the rational part) thinks 43 might be too old and my husband may be too sick. Then I look at Kelly Preston and John Travolta. She is like 48 and he is 54 and they just had another baby. If I was guaranteed to live until 80, I would do it. However, there are no guarantees are there? Olaf's parents were only married 23 years before his mom passed away.

Well, that was my day. I am going to try to blog more often. It is fun to go back in the archives and read from time to time.

School year is 2/3 over!

First of all, Josiah is doing better. I have monitored his eating and he is back to 66 pounds! I think I just need to be more diligent about making sure he eats. He did have to have an X-Ray because when the doctor mashed on his tummy, it hurt. She suspected constipation and boy howdy was he backed up!! I could see the stool on the X-Ray and couldn't believe so much poop could be in one kid!

The children just finished lesson 120. They should be done in April and then have a May and June off to play before the weather gets too hot! Camille will probably be doing a subject through the summer though. Just one. Probably History. It's all gooood. She leaves for Japan in June and she is super excited. (I think I am just as excited as she is) We bought her chopsticks for Christmas and she is doing really well with them. It's hard to believe she will be 15, and driving, soon. WAAAHHHH! Where did my baby girl go??

I cannot wait for her birthday to buy her a Kindle! It will be great for the flight to Japan. I am also going to get her a Flip Video Camera so she can take a few short movies here and there. The Flip that takes regular batteries only holds two hours worth of video, but hopefully she will get a few snippets of her trip to share when she comes home. She is working so hard to earn money for the trip. She has a regular babysitting job three days a week, babysits for us, and cleans the house once a week to boot. She has sold fundraising cards and written letters to businesses for sponsors. I am proud of her.

We have plans to visit Oregon next month. I haven't been to Oregon in almost 11 years! Grace and Josiah are excited about going. I am excited to see Oregon again, but the family drama... not so much. We are renting my friend's house for the week so at least we will have our own place to escape to. That's about as motivated as I can get about that trip right now. (Let it be known that I do not like to fly! It's the control freak in me.)

Simon has started to pee in the potty. Sometimes. When he wants to. Hey, it's a start.

Caleb is enjoying his last year at middle school and will move to high school next year. I have no idea where he will be placed, but he will be happy anywhere. As long as he gets to ride the bus and go to PE, all is well.

My Josiah

Yesterday was my Josiah's 8th birthday. I spent the day worrying about him. He has lost about 6 pounds since the summer (August) and my mama heart is in a frenzy. He is a tall, skinny kid. In the summer he weighed about 68 pounds, and as of Christmas Day he was 62.8. That is a huge weight loss in a short period of time for a child. He is 54 inches tall which makes his BMI around 15. I have made an appointment with the pediatrician on Thursday. I don't know if she will blow me off since he weight is still "great" for an 8 year old. It's not his weight, but the weight loss that scares me. We'll see. Until then I am taking Zanax and trying not to show my concern. (It's not working.)

We went to Chuck E Cheese's yesterday for his birthday. Then he went to Target for popcorn with just Olaf and I. We were supposed to go out for dinner, but he wasn't hungry. He spent most of the day playing his new video games.

Oh, he's my only child so far that needs orthodontics. I need to make an appointment for a spacer because his mouth is too small for his big teeth.

A new blog

I started a new blog today. It's called My Alabaster Jar. It's for my thinkerly thoughts. I'll keep this blog too. To update family activities and such. Just wanted you to know.

Will I lose my dignity?

WIll I lose my dignity?

Will someone care?

Will I wake tomorrow

from this nightmare?

It's so easy to talk about love. To quote 1 Corinthians 13. So easy to say we need to love like Jesus. Easy when we do not have to be around people who desperately need love. The homeless, the drug addict, the prostitute, the people who honestly are unlovable. The people who manipulate the system. The people that we feel don't deserve love because of the choices they have made with their lives.

I watched Rent again tonight. I love this play/movie with everything in me. I cry every single time I watch it. When Angel dies and Collins sings at his funeral; I lose it. Love is love is love.

I want to love like Jesus. I want to love (just a little bit) like this man who doesn't even know Jesus.

Less intense

Much less intense than my last post. And for what it's worth, I did let Olaf read the last post before I published it. (Not that he could have stopped me from pressing that "publish" button) My blog is a cathartic experience for me. I used to sensor myself while writing, but not anymore. This is me, Misty. You can choose to read or not to read.

Pressing on...

Camille has a really bad cold/cough. She feels horribly. I think Simon is in the beginning stages of it as well. He is coughing at night a little. I still took Camille to her first People to People meeting on Sunday. It was just a social gathering for the Student Ambassadors. Our first real meeting, loaded with information, is January 15th. I am so excited about this trip. I am buying things for her left and right. I called our cellular service today (AT&T) to make sure she would be able to use her cell phone while she was there. I am glad I called because the only phone that works in Japan is the iPhone or a Blackberry. So, she'll take Olaf's iPhone with her as he also has a Blackberry for work that he can use as a cell phone while she is gone. I also looked around to see if she needs a converter for the electricity. (She doesn't. Not for the iPhone charger anyway.) Japan uses 2 prong outlets a lot like ours, and runs on 100v electricity.

Just for fun watch this! You'll enjoy it if you liked Rock n Roll in the 80's.

Christmas is almost here! YAY!!