Pretty New Quilt

When the kids and I went shopping on Friday, in addition to the grocery items I got at Target, I also bought the other quilt I've been wanting. It was partly paid for with the money my mom gave me for my birthday. I put it on my bed last night and took pictures.

Yes I know the pillowcases are wrinkled. I'm not some crazy Stepford wife who irons her sheets.

My favorite part are the blue flowers that stand out.

And in this angled shot, you can see my lovely crowded nightstand. It's covered with books (TBR - to be read), a basket of seashells, a large starfish, a small lamp for reading and my alarm clock/CD player/radio.

The quilt is subtle in pattern and color. Not at all a bold choice, I know. But it's serene and springy, just as the pink floral quilt I bought with my Christmas money is (though it's a little brighter), and I love it. I am hoping to find something in red sometime down the road though. :-)

Eureka!

The kids and I had to do some shopping yesterday evening after I got them from school. Besides groceries, I had to get Sean some clothes for school. A couple of his shirts have shrunk, one pair of pants apparently walked off (I've looked everywhere, including behind the washer and dryer), and another pair has a hole in it. They have to wear uniforms (SMOD - standard mode of dress) at Sean's school and finding clothes he's allowed to wear, especially the long-sleeved polos, isn't as easy as you'd think.

We went to Sear's first, but they didn't have any long-sleeved polos and they didn't have his pant size. (The pants have to be casual slacks, no cargos, in khaki, black, navy or I think brown.) We didn't leave empty-handed though. He was also in need of a new belt (they have to wear belts at his school), so we got one of those. His old belt was falling apart at the hole he uses for the metal thing.

We then went to Belk where I got Sean two pairs of pants. Just as with Sear's, Belk didn't have long-sleeved polos. So then we went on to Dillard's. They had long-sleeved polos on sale, but the only available colors were white and navy. They can't wear navy shirts at Sean's school, so I got him two of the white ones. Of which there were only two left in his size.

After leaving Dillard's, we went to Food Lion for groceries and then brought everything home. By this time it was around 7:30 PM and we were starving. I hadn't eaten since breakfast. Sean really wanted Olive Garden, but I told him that we probably wouldn't be able to get in there until 9:00 at the earliest. We went on to Olive Garden, though I knew it'd be insane there, and I was right. There would be no eating there before 9:00. Or parking either, for that matter.

So then I thought of Chipotle. I've heard their food is good and even though Sean kept going on about how he didn't want to eat at a Mexican restaurant, we went by there anyway. (Sean eats chicken nuggets or tenders no matter where we go, including Mexican restaurants. Except for pizza places where he will eat pizza.) We went inside and found out that they don't have nuggets or tenders there, so we left.

As I was driving out of the Chipotle parking lot, I tried to think of where else we could go. We had just had pizza last week and I didn't want that again. I could see that there is another Mexican restaurant behind Chipotle called La Hacienda. It looked packed, but I didn't care by this point. I just wanted to go somewhere and eat. I didn't care that Sean wasn't happy about going there. (He was being a grumpy, complain-y pre-teen.)

It didn't look as packed when we got inside (it's right next door to Elizabeth's Pizza, so the crowded parking lot was because of both restaurants) and thankfully it was only a ten minute wait. I wasn't sure if I'd like their food or not, so I nearly filled up on chips. But when I took a bite of my beef soft taco (no lettuce), I was happily surprised. It was so good! I really wished I hadn't eaten so many chips.

As for why I wasn't sure if I'd like their food or not, I've been very disappointed by every Mexican restaurant I've been to in Greensboro, other than Monterrey's. But since I can't go to Monterrey's anymore (click on Monterrey's in my Label Cloud to find out why), I've been trying to find a different Mexican restaurant. I've been to so many and was disappointed every time. Even Mexican restaurants that others have raved about. I was so happy to finally eat at a Mexican restaurant and love their food. I told the kids that I've finally found a new place for Mexican food and we will definitely be going back. (How many times can I say "Mexican" in one paragraph?)

Oh, and Sean loved his food (chicken tenders :-/ ) too. Kelly loved the chicken burrito and beef soft taco she ordered. She ate that burrito pretty quickly.

After leaving La Hacienda, we went to Blockbuster. Sean was pestering me about wanting to rent the G.I. Joe game. I gave in (I'm so weak) and let him get it. Kelly chose Mulan II and I got The Time Traveler's Wife and Couples Retreat. Sean of course had to talk to the people behind the counter. He's very friendly and loves people. lol Sounds like he's a puppy. But he really does enjoy meeting and talking to people. :-)

When we got home last night, Sean played some of his game. Then I watched What Not to Wear. I fell asleep on the couch soon after it went off and when I woke up about an hour or so later, Kelly was in bed and Sean was playing more of his game.

I have no plans for today. I've done some cleaning and I'll probably watch one of the movies I rented in a bit.

Two Songs

I don't write as much anymore about the situation I'm going through. I'm still going through it (if God brought you to it, He'll bring you through it), but as I said before in an earlier entry, I don't want to lose readers with blog entries that are whiney or depressing or too focused on sad things.

I wanted to share these two songs that really ministered to me last night. The first one, "Show Yourself Strong", the title had been running through my mind a lot, but I couldn't remember the words to the song.



The part that most ministered to me was: "Restore the years that we've sown in tears."

This next song, the kids and I listened to over and over last night. Them because they think it's cool. Me because it was really ministering to me.



Many parts ministered to me in this song. Actually, the whole song did. But especially these parts:

"I feel like I'm in surgery, Still You cut deeper."

"Lord, how much longer, Till You through with me?
Please take what You need."

"Some things I don't wanna change, So You keep breaking me."

"It's like I'm fighting for my life.
You hit me with another right.
I feel like Jacob in the night.
Won't stop till You bless me."

"If I could I'd fly away from here.
But even when I'm far You still are near.
I gotta get out.
There's no way out.
But what if I run?
There's nowhere to run.
Let go, don't go, gotta go, can't go."

"You win.
I've been trying to do it on my own.
But right now I gotta surrender.
You know what's best."

"It's not easy waiting on You.
It's not easy believing that You got this together.
But without faith it is impossible to please You.
So Ima stand right here.
You got me."

Yesterday and Today

Ever had one of those days where you have too much energy and so you end up wearing yourself out? That was me yesterday. I woke up ready to do some serious cleaning. Well, semi-serious cleaning. I wasn't moving furniture or anything.

I cleaned both bathrooms, washed, dried, folded and put away laundry, dusted furniture, cleaned out both litter boxes (that's an all the time thing), mopped the kitchen floor. (I vacuumed the day before.) Then of course I cooked supper (spaghetti) and cleaned the kitchen.

After supper, I helped Kelly finish getting caught up on her make-up work (she's still a little fevered - 100.5° at times - but I hope to send her to school tomorrow) and helped Sean do a report/project on Colin Powell that was due today, but naturally he waited until the last minute to do it. He had to stay up past bedtime to finish it, but he got it done and turned it in today.

Once the kids were in bed, I did some picking up in the living room and dining room and swept up the dried mud Sean had tracked in.

At 1:00 AM I watched a show on the History Channel that Charlie texted me about. He knows I like WWII stuff and Band of Brothers, so he told me that a WWII show kind of like BoB (only it was a documentary) was on. It was a little after 9:00 PM and I was watching Lost (loooove that show), so I told him I'd watch it when they re-aired it in a few hours. It was on from 1:00 to 3:00 AM. I was pretty tired and I had a headache, but I watched it. Another episode comes on tonight.

I then took a shower. Yes, at 3:00 AM. I had hurt my back and my neck somehow the day before and was in a lot of pain. (So much so that I didn't even attempt to clean the tubs during my cleaning spree.) It's all on my right side. Sneezing (and trying not to sneeze) has been torture. Yawning, burping, taking a deep breath and laughing haven't exactly been a picnic either. Ibuprofen and a heating pad didn't help, but I figured I'd try hot water. The water felt wonderful and it did seem to help some.

I mentioned laughing not being a picnic. I found that out last night while helping Sean with his report/project. I was reading out to him what he had to write down and in one of many moments of distraction for him, I said the next word he was supposed to write a little louder to get his attention. The word was "Security" (as in "National Security Advisor") and the way I said it sounded kind of like I was calling for security.

We got a little tickled, but of course a little tickled turned into a lot tickled when I was saying "ow" and kind of grunting while laughing. The more I said "ow" and the harder I tried not to laugh, the harder I laughed and the harder Sean laughed. We were both crying with laughter (and I was beating on my desk a bit from the pain) and I thought Sean was going to fall out of his chair laughing. It was hysterical and very painful at the same time.

As I said earlier, Sean got to bed late, and of course he wasn't exactly bouncing out of bed this morning. But when I reminded him that he had drum auditions for band class after school today, he perked up and got ready quickly. He'd really like to play drums in band. (He currently plays the flute and is good at it.) Auditions were over at 4:45 and when I picked him up from school, he told me that there are five openings/slots available and that seven or eight kids auditioned. They're doing it again tomorrow and then try outs are next week.

------------------------

Today has been a rainy, sleety, snowy day, with more snow expected tonight. Though very little is expected to stick. Between AF (which always makes me tired) and such a gray day, I've been very sleepy today, even after getting what would normally be a really good nap. *yawn* I'm not sure I'll have the energy to make supper tonight. I reckon I'll make something simple like macaroni and tomatoes and do a big meal tomorrow night - cube steak, great northern beans, au gratin potatoes and corn.

Kelly, Our Evening, and Something Unbelievable

When Kelly got up yesterday, her temperature was around 100.7°. Naturally I would've preferred her temperature be normal, and she did feel uncomfortable, but she was feeling better than she was when her temperature was hitting 103° and higher.

The kids and I eventually got out of the house around 4:00 PM. By then Kelly's temperature had dropped some. We went to Petsmart first for dog food and visited the cats as we always do. They're so sweet.

Then it was on to Target and Food Lion. Kelly was walking slower than usual of course because she's still a little sick, but she did fine and there was hardly any moaning. By that night she was doing quite a bit better. Her appetite is slowly coming back. We had picked up a pizza from Mario's and Kelly only ate one bite, but a few hours later she ate some Frosted Mini Wheats.

While we were eating our pizza, we put in the second X-Men movie. I was feeling very tired and try as I might, I could not stay awake. I fell asleep about an hour or so into the movie. When I woke up, Sean was playing a video game. Something about fighter jets.

I let the kids stay up a little longer so they could see some of the Olympics we had missed (speed skating) and then sent them on to bed. Kelly's temperature was down to about 99.3°. I reckon it'll be normal eventually. But thank God it appears the worst is behind us.

------------------------

Now, for something I just had to share. We have three cats - Sadie, Evie and Sam. Sadie is a nearly 8-years-old black female. Sam is a nearly 4-years-old tan and black tabby male and our youngest cat. (Evie is a 7-year-old black and white female.) Sadie hates Sam. Always has. She charges at him and swipes at him at least once a day. She has shown absolutely no interest in being friends with Sam, or Evie or Pippin, our toy poodle, for that matter. She'd probably be overjoyed if she suddenly became the only pet in our house.

So imagine my surprise, nay shock, when Sadie jumped up into the chair where Sam was sleeping and instead of jumping right back down as she normally would, this happened:

A couple moments of uncertainty.

Lasers on!!

Sadie settles down. Sam can't believe she's there.

Sadie decides to get settled and sleep. Sam still can't believe she's there.

Evie looks on in disbelief.

But loses interest quickly and goes back to sleep.

Sam still feels unsure about things.

He finally lays his head down, but keeps his eyes open just in case.

Eventually Sam gives in and they're both sleeping. Their butts are even touching and Sadie isn't having a fit over it.

It's been over an hour and they're both still sleeping together. Unbelievable. I don't expect this to ever happen again though. I'm sure Sadie still hates Sam. She probably just really wanted to sleep in that chair, Sam or no Sam.

Things might be getting better now finally.

After I finally got myself off the computer yesterday evening, the kids and I left the house to get some food from Arby's and Bojangles. I got gas first (it was very low), then it was on to Arby's for Kelly and then Bojangles for Sean and me.

Kelly only ate a few bites of her sandwich, but it was something. She was drinking more than she has been though, thank God.

Around 9:00 PM or so, I checked her temperature again and it was 100.5°. It hasn't been below 101° in days. I never thought I'd be glad to see one of my kids have a temperature of 100.5°. I then got Kelly in the bath and washed her long, beautiful hair for her. I know it had to feel good.

The kids and I watched the first X-Men movie on Blu-Ray (after watching What Not to Wear and some of the Olympics) and I made some fried potatoes using the five small remaining potatoes I had. (Yeah, I know, we ate such healthy food last night. I did eat an apple before eating the potatoes. lol) Sean's been wanting me to make them again for a couple days now.

For some reason I wasn't really in a hurry to get my kids in the bed. I don't know why. I just wanted them with me, even though it was getting very late. They enjoyed staying up late with me. Especially since I hardly ever let them.

Speaking of staying up late, I normally do anyway. I've been a night owl pretty much all my life. But with Kelly being so sick and taking naps during the day because the sickness made her so tired, her schedule has been pretty much non-existent. It's felt like having a new baby in the house again. Only without the bottles and the diapers and the spit-up.

When I'd normally be going to bed because I finally really felt tired, I've been staying up to watch Kelly. Either she'd be awake because she was too miserable to sleep or because she had napped during the day and gotten herself a little mixed up. Not that she could help it. And then when she'd finally get in the bed for the last time, after getting up a few times, I'd stay up a little longer to be sure she was really asleep. Then I'd check on her to make sure she was alright before going to bed myself.

I wished that I could stay up 24/7 with her being so sick. I worried (as I did when Sean had pneumonia) that something would happen or that she would need me for something while I was sleeping, and that I wouldn't hear her right away, if at all.

What can I say? I'm a mom. Worrying comes with the job.

We'll be getting the groceries today. I'm praying Kelly's temperature stays low enough that she's not too uncomfortable while we're out. Hopefully she won't have a fever at all.

Another Kelly Update - Saw the Dr again.

I had to bring Kelly back to the doctor yesterday. They agreed that she shouldn't still be running a fever ten days into her illness. Especially one that's hitting 103° and higher.

They took a urine sample and some blood. Preliminary urine test results show dehydration (her urine was "very concentrated"), but not bad enough for hospitalization. I got the preliminary blood work results last night, but I can't remember what the doctor said. Kelly's on a new prescription now (which she has to take with food or it will make her sick...er) and she also has to continue the first medication that's protecting her from getting pneumonia.

I think I will be getting more blood work (and maybe urine test) results today or tomorrow.

I've been trying to push her more to drink and she's doing a little better. I don't want her to have to go to the hospital. If she thinks the needle they used to take blood hurt, she really won't like an IV. I don't even like IVs. But then I'm kind of sensitive.

I was going to get groceries today, and I'd have to take Kelly with me since Charlie is in Texas and Mom and Del are working and can't watch her for me, but I didn't want to take her out with her fever hitting almost 103°. I have to get groceries tomorrow. We don't have enough food or toilet paper to last til Sunday. (We're already out of milk.) I hope Kelly's at least a little better by then. My mom is working tomorrow and Sunday too and of course Charlie will still be in Texas.

Because we're about out of food (other than snacks, but that's not a meal) we'll be eating fast food tonight. Not my favorite by far, but it's something I guess. Kelly says she wants Arby's. I hope she can eat it. I'll get her just about anything she wants if there's a chance she'll eat. She hasn't really eaten since Tuesday night. Sean wants Bojangles. I haven't decided what I'm going to eat.

Kelly Update

I took Kelly to the doctor at 11:00 AM yesterday. They listened to her lungs - no pnuemonia. Then they swabbed the inside of her nose (most unpleasant) and did a flu test - it was negative. She has a viral infection with the possibility of a sinus infection on top of that.

After leaving the doctor's office, we dropped off her prescriptions (amoxicillin & nasal spray) at CVS and came home. About 30 minutes later, we went back to CVS to pick up Kelly's medicine, which took longer than I thought it would (about 20-25 minutes) and then came back home. I gave her the amoxicillin right away and then I laid down to take a nap. I had only slept three hours the night before (had a hard time falling asleep) and needed more sleep badly. It was after 1:00 when I finally got to lay back down.

We left the house around 3:30 to get Sean from school. When we got back home I tried to sleep some more (I was still very tired), but couldn't fall back to sleep.

Kelly wanted scrambled eggs and fried potatoes for supper, so I made that as well as blueberry muffins. The potatoes were delicious. Even picky Sean loved them. Kelly barely touched her food though. :-(

The kids and I then watched American Idol, Lost (I love that show) and a little of the Olympics. After Sean finally went to bed, I fell asleep on the couch for about an hour and a half or so. When I woke up it was 1:30 AM and Kelly was in her bed with her light on, but not asleep. I called her into the kitchen and gave her another dose of her amoxicillin. I checked her temperature (especially since she was moaning) and it was 103.2°. That was almost two hours ago. Her fever just does not want to go away. Hopefully when the medicine really gets to working her temperature will get closer to normal and stay that way.

The doctor told me that if Kelly isn't any better in a few days to call them. I guess they'll want to see her again or maybe give her a different medicine if she's not improving.

Surrounded by sickness and schoolwork.

Kelly has been sick for over a week now. I'll be taking her to the doctor today. I thought she was starting to get better yesterday when she started off the day with a temperature of 99.3°. The lowest it's been in a few days. For a couple days her temperature wouldn't go below 101° and at times almost reached 103°, even with medicine in her system.

Anyway, yesterday afternoon, her temperature was back above 101° and hit almost 103° again at one point. I called the doctor's office about 25 minutes before closing yesterday to try to make an appointment for Kelly for this morning, but they told me to call back in the morning. So I'll be doing that around 9:00 AM today.

One thing's for sure, it's a good thing I don't have a second job. (In addition to being a Mom and Housewife.) It's been 3-4 weeks of nothing but sickness. First Sean for over 2 weeks and now Kelly. Who knows how much longer she'll be sick? Hopefully she doesn't have pneumonia too. Her coughing sounds so bad sometimes. She often coughs so much for so long it seems like she's not going to be able to stop. And it sounds kind of squeaky/whistly. (Is whistly a word?) I have the humidifier going in her room when she's napping (she's been voluntarily taking a couple naps a day since she got sick) and sleeping at night.

I'm praying I don't get sick next. Between my kids and my mom (who was sick with a fever over the weekend), I've been surrounded by sickness. Y'all other moms know there are no "sick days" for moms. I'll still have to get the kids up, ready for school and off to school, and then pick them up from school later. I'll still have to fix meals and wash and clean things and take care of our pets. And I'll still have to buy groceries and possibly run errands. "No rest for the weary."

---------------------

My brother Del came by on Saturday to change the oil in my car and put a new oil filter on it. He couldn't get the old oil filter off though and said that I needed another quart of oil in addition to the four he had put in for me. So I brought my car by his shop yesterday evening and he finished the job.

The kids and I then had to go by Food Lion to get Kelly some more medicine, some glue for the two school projects Sean had to do, and I also picked up some canola oil and a couple boxes of cereal -Trix and store brand bran flakes.

I hated to take Kelly out on such a cold, wet evening, but I couldn't very well leave her home alone. I got things done as quickly as I could though.

Anyway, Sean's projects. We started them on Sunday, thinking they wouldn't take long to do. Boy were we wrong. He was up very late Sunday night trying to finish and I finally told him to just go to bed and I would let him stay home since he wouldn't be getting much sleep and since he wouldn't be able to turn in his projects. They were due yesterday. We finished them last night (kind of late, but he'll get enough sleep to make it) and also finished some more of his make-up work from when he was sick with pneumonia.

Notice I said "we". With having two projects to do, plus make-up work, I figured I should help him. It really was a lot to do. He still has a little more make-up work to do. Hopefully it's not too late for him to turn it in.

Kelly's teacher called yesterday asking if Kelly would be at school today. She wants to send home make-up work for Kelly since she's still sick. I don't know if she'll be sending it in the mail or if she'll want me to go pick it up, as Sean's school wanted me to do for him.

Kelly wants me to bring her to church to get prayed for. I told her that if she was still sick on Wednesday, I'd take her before church just long enough to get prayed for, as I did with Sean. Hopefully she'll be better by then. Or at least well on her way to getting better.

Love

"The Kiss" by Francesco Hayez

In honor of Valentine's Day, a blog entry with love quotes and romantic art. I hope y'all get to spend time with the one you love. Love is what makes life worth living.

"A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave." -- Mahatma Gandhi

"Love is stronger than any addiction."

"Someone once told me that the power in all relationships lies with whoever cares less, and he was right. But power isn't happiness, and I think that maybe happiness comes from caring more about people rather than less." -- Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead in "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past".

"You've got to risk love... It doesn't mean that you're never going to get hurt but the pain you feel will never compare to the regret that comes from walking away from love." -- Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead in "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past".

"Never close your lips to those to whom you have opened your heart." -- Charles Dickens

"To love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely in the hope that your love will produce love in the loved person." -- Eric Fromm

"A soul that knows it is loved but does not itself love betrays its sediment: what is at the bottom comes up." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

"Life without love is meaningless and goodness without love is impossible." -- Greg Jurkiewicz


"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity." -- Henry Van Dyke

"People think love is an emotion. Love is good sense." -- Ken Kesey

"And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation." -- Khalil Gibran, The Prophet

"Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young." -- Sir Arthur Wing Pinero

“Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own.” -- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

"Love someone who doesn't deserve it."

"Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." -- Robert Heinlein

“To love is to find pleasure in the happiness of the person loved."

"Le Printemps (Springtime)" by Pierre Auguste Cot

"Can there be a love which does not make demands on its object?" -- Confucius

"The first duty of love is to listen." -- Paul Tillich

"Love is not a matter of counting the years... But making the years count." -- Michelle St. Amand

"You don't love a woman because she's beautiful. She is beautiful because you love her."

"Trouble is part of your life - if you don't share it, you don't give the person who loves you a chance to love you enough." -- Dinah Shore

"Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile." -- Franklin P. Jones

"The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman's heart." -- Josiah G. Holland

"A simple I love you means more than money." -- Frank Sinatra

"Romeo and Juliet" by Sir Frank Dicksee

"You will never know true happiness until you have truly loved, and you will never understand what pain really is until you have lost it."

"No man is truly married until he understands every word his wife is NOT saying."

"Soul meets soul on lover's lips." -- Percy Bysshe Shelley

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return." -- Natalie Cole

"Love is a four-letter word spelled T-I-M-E."

"I love you - those three words have my life in them."

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward in the same direction." -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread." -- Mother Teresa


"Love is not blind, it sees more not less;
But because it sees more it chooses to see less."

"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much." -- Bessie Stanley

"No matter what, no matter where, it's always home, if love is there."

"Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it's what you are expected to give - which is everything."

"Talk not of wasted affection; affection never was wasted." -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"A fool in love makes no sense to me. I only think you are a fool if you do not love."

"Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." -- Barbara Johnson

"To love is to place our happiness in the happiness of another." -- G.W. Von Leibnitz

"Love fails only when we fail to love." -- J. Franklin

"Life without love is like a tree
Without blossom and fruit." -- Kahlil Gibran




Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

By: William Shakespeare

Shopping and Men at the Grocery Store

Kelly is still sick with a fever and cough, so I dropped her off at Mom's house yesterday so that I could get groceries. Mom left a few minutes after I dropped off Kelly to get Sean from school.

I went to Target first to get some of the groceries. I also got some more Tinker Bell plates for Kelly's party (I forgot to get the Tinker Bell cups; I'll get them Friday) and some things Sean needs for school.

I then went to Food Lion for the rest of the groceries. After getting out of my car, an older man (50s or 60s) walked by on the way to his car and then started talking to me. "It feels like it's going to snow. Do you think it will?" I kind of laughed and told him that it was forecasted to, but that I didn't know how much of a chance there was of getting any. He said something about being ready for it and then I said, "I'm ready for spring is what I'm ready for." We both laughed. I think he would've talked longer if I hadn't walked away. My little legs were freezing and I wanted to get inside.

While looking at sprinkles for the cupcakes I'll be making for Kelly's party, an older black man (40s or 50s; I didn't get a good look) asked me for help with the sugar. His wife had written down "Domino sugar" on the list, but the only sugar available (I guess all that Food Lion sells) was the Food Lion brand. The only Domino sugar we saw was powdered. I chuckled and told him he could get both to be on the safe side. He said, "Thank you Baby", and then I went on my way. I had to kind of laugh about that. I'm sure he probably calls all women "baby".

Also while at Food Lion, I saw a man (probably in his 40s) wearing a muscle shirt. It was in the 30s outside! At first I thought he was crazy for wearing a muscle shirt on such a cold day, but then I figured he probably wanted to show off his muscles. I had to roll my eyes a little.

After getting home and putting groceries away, I went shopping with the money Mom had given me for my birthday and what was left of the money Charlie had given me. I wanted to find something nice to wear, but nothing I tried on looked good on me. So I ended up not getting anything.

As I was leaving Belk at Friendly Center, I saw that it was snowing like crazy. It was sticking to the roads quickly. On the way to get Kelly, I went through the Arby's drive-thru (we hardly ever eat fast food) to get something for us since it was nearly 9:00 PM. I hadn't eaten at all yet and it was too late to be cooking anything. After getting our food and picking up Kelly, we came home and ate while watching the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. Our favorite part was the whales. Very cool.

No plans for today. I may do some cleaning. Not much needs to be done, so it shouldn't be one of those exhausting cleaning days. I also need to get laundry done. It's starting to pile up.

Sean update. Sick Kelly. Party postponed.

Sean was well enough to go to school today. Finally. He seemed excited to be going back.

Kelly is sick now though. She has a low fever, is coughing a little and is a little sniffly. At least it waited until after her birthday. We're going to have to wait until next Saturday, the 20th, to have her party. I expect she'll miss school most of this week, if not the entire week, as well as church tomorrow night, so she won't have the chance to invite her friends. And there's also the chance that she'll still be sick this Saturday. We don't want her friends getting sick from her. And if she's too sick, she probably won't feel up to it anyway.

I woke up this morning feeling so nauseated I thought for sure that ... you know. Thankfully I didn't. I went back to bed and slept a few more hours, hoping that when I woke up I'd be feeling better. And I did. I got some much needed cleaning done and also did a little laundry. I'll be making supper soon. Kelly wants macaroni and cheese, so I reckon that's what we'll be having.

Birthday Gifts

After getting Kelly from school, she and I went to Target so that I could spend some of the birthday money Charlie gave me. I was finally able to get the quilt I've been wanting to go with the sheets I bought back in early January. I also saw a blue and white quilt that I'd love to have. I have a blue and white quilt already that I use with my fabulously comfortable white sheets, but it's very thin and is falling apart. It's a cheapy I bought at Garden Ridge for $19.99 a couple years ago. So getting a replacement is a good idea. It'll probably be a couple weeks before I'm able to get that other quilt.

The quilt I bought yesterday.

The other quilt I want to buy.

I also bought Fred Hammond's latest CD "Love Unstoppable". The other things I bought were a Tinker Bell book for Kelly that was on sale, a G.I. Joe (Stormshadow) for Sean, vegetable oil, a 4-placemat set that was on sale for under $5, a box of cereal, two boxes of Valentine's Day snack cakes, Tinker Bell party invitations, and Tinker Bell party favors. I almost always spend part of any gift money I receive on my kids.


When Kelly and I got home, I made supper and ate it as quickly as I could. Which wasn't difficult since I hadn't eat at all yet (it was after 6:00 PM), so I was pretty much wolfing it down. The reason I was eating quickly was because I still had to wrap Kelly's birthday presents. Yes, I'm a last minute wrapper.

I then decorated her cake, which I'd baked before we went shopping. (I'd also blown up the balloons - purple and green to go with her purple and green Tinker Bell party supplies - before we went shopping.). When Mom and Sean arrived, Mom helped me finish wrapping. After Mom, Sean and I brought the presents into the dining room and placed them on the table, I lit the candles on Kelly's cake and we did the "Happy Birthday"-singing, blowing-out-of-the-candles thing.


Kelly then opened her presents, I opened my card from Mom (which she had put money in) and we then enjoyed the yummy chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

Gifts from us and Mom.

Gifts from Charlie and me.

Gifts from us and Mom.

After Mom and Sean left, Kelly and I spent a little while getting dolls out of their packaging. When that was done, I helped Kelly with her homework (she didn't need much help) and then she went to bed. I don't know if there'll be school or not tomorrow though. They're expecting a few inches of snow, starting at 7:00 AM, followed by freezing rain, starting around 11:00 AM.

The birthday thing we did for Kelly last night was more of a quiet family thing. I'm planning on having an actual party for her on Saturday. (Hence why I bought Tinker Bell invitations and Tinker Bell party favors yesterday.) She's only wanting to invite a few girls - one from school and three from church. We'll also invite my brother and his wife and step-son.

My Daughter's Birthday

On this day 10 years ago, at 10:34 PM, I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Kelly. From the moment I found out I was pregnant with her, I was thrilled and couldn't wait to meet her and hold her. At one point in the pregnancy she decided to come early - by about 2 months. Thankfully the doctors were able to stop the labor.

She was due on February 1, 2000, but after being prevented from coming early she decided she actually liked being in the womb and made herself comfortable. Her due date came and went and on the night of my 27th birthday, February 7, 2000, I was admitted into the hospital so that they could induce labor the next morning.

After about 14 hours and an epidural (thank God for those), I was 7 cm dilated, but Kelly was refusing to descend. So a c-section was ordered (I'd had one with Sean also) and at 10:34 PM, my beautiful girl was born.

I wish I had baby pictures scanned to post here.

She has been such a joy to our lives. She can be emotional and a drama queen, but she is sweet and funny (so funny!) and smart. Even at the age of 10, she is still my shadow and hates to leave my side, whether it's to go to school or to go to Grandma's house. She always wants to be with me. But I try my best to gently (and sometimes a little less than gently) push her in the direction she needs to go.

Kelly tends to imitate me in that she also enjoys feminine things - dresses, purses, lip gloss, tiaras, Barbies. (I realize she may have ended up girly anyway, but I know that she watches me and I can see that she's trying to be like me, consciously or not, in how she acts and the things she says.) She also loves to draw and read, which is something I've always tried to encourage her and Sean to do.

"Reading" at age 19 months.

She enjoys watching cooking shows with me (she looks forward to learning how to cook) and also likes several Disney Channel shows - Hannah Montana, Suite Life on Deck, Wizards of Waverly Place, etc.

Age 4, watching TV.

Music is something we enjoy everyday at home and in the car and so Kelly loves to sing. (As do I.) She won't sing for anyone as she's very shy, but I've overheard her many times either singing softly to herself or singing a little louder if she thinks I can't hear her. I even recorded her on video tape singing in her crib a song about Jesus (I was hiding around the corner) when she was around two years old, perhaps younger. It was so sweet.

When she was around two-four years old, she had the sweetest, most beautiful curls. I loved how those curls would bounce when she ran. She herself was pretty bouncy at that age in the way she walked and ran, but she was never hyper. And she had the sweetest little voice.

Age 2.

She often enjoyed playing quietly alone and still does. When Sean isn't giving her a hard time (typical brother), she's a peaceful, quiet girl.

Age 3½+, holding some Autumn leaves.

She's also always been a good eater (she loves vegetables and will try anything) and does she ever love to sleep! She started sleeping through the night her first week home from the hospital. The doctor wanted me to wake her up after 4-5 hours so that she could eat, but she wouldn't or couldn't wake up enough to eat. She just wanted to sleep. Though she loves to stay up late (many times I find out she's still awake when she was supposed to have been asleep for 2 or 3 hours already), she still loves to sleep (once she gets there) and it can be hard to get her out of bed. My SILs tell me that Charlie was the same way as a kid, so I guess she gets it from him.

Age 5.

On her 6th birthday.

It's hard to believe that she's 10 already. Now both of my kids are in double digits. Sean will be 13 in April! Where does the time go? They're growing up too fast and before we know it they'll be old enough to leave and start their own families. It makes me sad to think of it, but I also look forward to the wonderful adults I believe they will be. It's my prayer that God will bless them and keep them and that His will will be done in their lives every step of the way.

On her 7th birthday.

Age 8.

On her 9th birthday.

I will add a picture of Kelly on her birthday today when I have one to share.

"A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart." -- Author Unknown

On This Day

Famous people who share my birthday:

Ashton Kutcher
Chris Rock
Garth Brooks
James Spader
Sinclair Lewis
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Frederick Douglass
Charles Dickens
Anna Ivanova Romanova
John Deere

Many other people who are or were considered famous or important were born on this day. I only included the ones I've heard of and figured would be the most well known.

This Day in History:

1795 - The 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified.
1836 "Sketches by Boz" (essays) published by Charles Dickens.
1862 Federal fleet attack on Roanoke Island, NC.
1905 Oklahoma admitted to statehood.
1933 Social-Democrat meeting in Berlin "As thousands cheer" Marxism is dead.
1935 Monopoly invented by Charles Darrow symbol Rich Uncle Pennybags.
1936 Felix the Cat, Cartoon Character, by Van Beuren from Otto Messmer.
1940 - "Pinocchio" world premiered at the Center Theatre in Manhattan.
1944 - During World War II, the Germans launched a counteroffensive at Anzio, Italy.
1945 General Douglas MacArthur returns to Manila.
1962 President Kennedy begins blockade of Cuba.
1971 Women win the right to vote in Switzerland.
1983 1st female secretary of transportation sworn-in (Elizabeth Dole).
1991 - The Rev. Jean-Bertrand Aristide was sworn in as Haiti's first democratically elected president.
1993 Pebbles Flintstone & Bamm Bamm Rubble wed.
1999 - King Hussein of Jordan died. His son was sworn in as king four hours after the announcement that his father had died.

Many other things happened on this day, but I chose not to include them as that would make this list very long.

Today's Unknown Holidays:

Ballet Day
Daytona Pole Day
Man Day
Orthodox Meatfare Sunday
Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day

The top song of 1973 was "Let's Get it On" by Marvin Gaye. (Other sources say it was "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", "You're So Vain", "Bad Bad Leroy Brown", "Crocodile Rock", "Life on Mars" and "Free Bird".) Click here for the top 50 songs of that year.

For name nerds like me, the top 10 names of 1973:

Boys: Michael, Christopher, Jason, James, David, John, Robert, Brian, William and Matthew.

Girls: Jennifer, Amy, Michelle, Kimberly, Lisa, Melissa, Angela, Heather, Stephanie and Rebecca.

My Birthday and a Delicious Meal

Well, I'm one year older now. It officially happened at 3:05 AM, which I jokingly say is why I'm a night owl. I was born that way. ;-)

It's kind of hard to believe that I'm 37 years old. Nearly 40. I don't feel nearly 40. I feel about 10 years younger than I am. I shouldn't be in my late 30s already. I wish time didn't go by so fast.

Though I feel about 10 years younger than I am, I believe I'm a better person than I was 10 years ago. (Not that I was a bad person or anything.) I'm certainly a better wife and mother. I wrote about this back in September.

Anyway, I wish Charlie was going to be here for my birthday. He's going to miss Kelly's birthday too, which is tomorrow. This'll be the second year in a row that he's missed our birthdays. :-(

---------------------------------

I made a delicious supper last night, even if I do say so myself. It was kind of a combination of two recipes - Olive Garden's chicken giardino and a dish I saw the Neelys (Down Home With the Neelys) make on The Food Network - penne pasta and chicken w/olive oil, garlic, lemon juice (freshly squeezed), and red pepper flakes.

I didn't use any measurements for what I made, so I can't share the "recipe".

I started off with things being closer to the Neelys recipe, but I didn't think it was saucy enough for my taste or that it would have enough flavor. I wanted actual seasonings and something a little thicker. So after the olive oil and garlic (in a frying pan), I added in chicken broth, milk, a little flour (to thicken things up just a little), butter (2 tablespoons), rosemary, thyme, basil (a few pinches of it and the rosemary and thyme), a tiny bit of red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

After putting my sauce together, I added some of the cooked penne to it, stirred it together of course, then cut up some cooked chicken breasts (the Neelys grilled theirs, I cooked mine in a frying pan) and added that to the pan as well.

I made some garlic bread to go with it. It was all so good that I didn't want to stop eating it. I wish I had taken a picture of it. I plan on making it again someday though, so I'll try to remember to take a picture next time.