Reunion thoughts...

So for the last few weeks, I have been working with a friend from high school to plan our 10 year high school reunion. As we begin to prepare and pull everyone together, I've really been thinking a lot about a couple of points...

In planning, we have come across one person who doesn't want to be involved. It's not that he just doesn't want to join us but that he doesn't want to be invited, doesn't want to know anything about it. Granted, I don't know anything about his current situation, but it just breaks my heart that he would not desire to get in touch with some of his friends from high school. A gal I went to school with said today how odd it is that you see someone everyday for 4+ years and then one day, you just don't see them anymore, and that's the end of it. The majority of us just step away and never look back. Isn't that so weird??

Also as I look back I have to remind myself that just as I am not the same person I was 10 years ago, each person that graduated with me is not the same. I have made most decisions that are within my upbringing. My parents laid the foundation to how I should live as an adult and I followed suit (at least I feel that I have). However, I am realizing that not everyone has followed the same road. Perhaps they decided that the path they were on was not what they wanted. Or perhaps they were not on the same path as I was to begin with. Especially going to a Christian high school, sometimes it is shocking to me to think that not everyone was a Christian, and therefore, there may be those who still don't know Christ or who have strayed from that upbringing. I am reminded everyone is not like I am and I must be sensitive to where each person is coming from, individually. Everyone is different. Not all went away from home, not all stayed away from home and not all have had to make life for themselves away from anything close to familiar. It is crutial when I return to do so with grace and gentleness while remembering everyone is not in my situation and everyone is different and blessed in their own ways.

I am also reminded of a statement that I was told while in college. My mentor said that she is so glad that she didn't have to go back to high school and that college was the best time of her life. At the time, I was only a year out of high school and I didn't really agree at the time. My first year of college was rough. But as I look back on it, I am very proud of the way my college career went. I am glad that high school was not the end. I am pleased with God's provision of CU for my higher ed. I can now actually agree with that statement - College was the best time of my life. As much as I enjoyed high school, I enjoyed and benefited from college EVEN more. Today, I was going though my photo box to find some photos from high school. I actually didn't find anything of what I was looking for, but found TONS of photos from college... My roommate and I my sophomore year. Photos from my summer with RISEN in 2000. The meet up between RISEN and ALIVE during that summer. Photos from the National Championship Team and Photos from Midnight Madness and our "band" uniforms. Photos from a "cheeky" event and other roommate doings from Jr Year. I have photos from Homecoming our Sr Year when Wendy was on Court. And photos from SGA retreats and outings. So much fun stuff. So MANY memories that I am proud of. Ones that have shaped me and made me who I am. I can't go back and change who I was in high school. But I am happy with who I have become through my journey of college and after college.


Above all, I am looking forward to our 10 year reunion. I'm looking forward to see who those old friends are today and to reminisce about those old days.

Figuring it out...

For the past several weeks, Finnegan has been sitting up more and more for longer periods of time. He can now sit up and bend over to reach toys that are out in front of him. He has gotten into some serious predicaments since learning how to sit up but not knowing exactly how to get around.

Yesterday, he was trying to reach a toy in front of him and he was reaching forward and all of the sudden did a face plant into the carpet and slid along in slow motion until he was out flat on the the floor. He didn't really know what to think of it at first. I got up and walked over slowly to him and he just laid there for a moment and then started to whine, because I think he'd figured out that it might have hurt and he might not be able to get up. I went over to him and helped him up and he continued to whine, and I reassured him that he was ok. :)

Last night, he again was trying to reach a toy that was out in front of him and he bent over and his left leg swung out behind him. But now he had one leg in front and one leg behind him. He couldn't figure out how to swing one back or the other forward. He just sat there for a moment but then wanted some help. He doesn't cry much when he gets into these situations, just whines for help.

My favorite new trick is something he's already learned and continues to model: The idea that if you swing something in the air without much control, it is bound to hit you in the face. So, when he takes his toys and swings them in his right hand he ALWAYS sqints his eyes shut and tilts his head, ever so slightly. Knowing that at any time, he could hit himself in the head. But granted, he's prepared and ready for it!

He continues to be our handsome little guy. His cheeks are as chubby as ever but his little body is thinning out. He loves it when daddy comes home from work, and when the doggies stop to let him pet them. Right now, he is playing on the floor, squealing with delight when the doggies pass, and as he swings his toys in the air.

Have a great weekend.

A for Tuesday!!

Tuesday was a big day for us!! Normally, Tuesday's tend to be a "bad" day for me. But this week it actually turned out a lot better. I took the plunge and visited a new dentist on Tuesday. I don't necessarily dread going to the dentist, but I really don't like it. I suppose it stems from all of my dental work as a kid, the pulling of teeth, the braces... oh, all the discomfort. But, it was definitely time to see the dentist. And perhaps it wasn't the idea of seeing a dentist that unnerved me more, but the fact that it was a NEW dentist. When we first moved here, I had to see a doctor and so I "picked one out of the book." And for all who have ever done that, it can be a scary situation. This one time, was terrible. I saw this old fashioned doctor who insisted that I had something wrong with me that just wasn't the case, because she had a preconceived idea, rather than listening to me and looking at the facts. Well, that put a bad taste in my mouth for "picking one out of the book." So, since then, I've only gone to doctors etc, that are recommended. This new dentist wasn't recommended, so I was apprehensive. But the visit went great. The Dental-hygienist was very nice and kind and gentle with my teeth. I go back on Monday for the "cleaning" and the PICKING!!! Oh, that's what I hate the most!!

After my appt, I met Ken and Finnegan for lunch. It was a nice quick lunch, as Ken had to get back to work (after saying home with Finn for the morning). After lunch, we spent an hour or so with our friend Melody. We stopped and had coffee with her and visited. It was so nice to see her. She is always so sweet and real with us. I love talking with her and hope we can get together soon again!

Once Finn and I got home, I noticed that Ken had forgotten his back pack for class that night. So we got back in the car (after Finnegan's nap) and went back up to Algona to give Ken his backpack and he was off to class. He got all the way up to class (about an hour from home) and found that class was canceled! So he was back on his way home for the night. It was super nice to have him home early!

And we were both able to witness the most exciting event of the day... Finnegan was pushing up on his knees last night. Oh, it was so cool to just sit and watch him try and figure it out... He'll be moving in no time!


All in all my Tuesday was a winner! Hope you all had a great day!

For the third time this week!!!

It's snowing again!!! And this time it's sticking!!! AHHH - I want Spring and Summer!!!

Wild Weather

It's been all over the country this year... wildfires, tornadoes, flooding, excessive snow etc. We are preparing for spring here in the northwest. We've been out cleaning our flower beds and mowing our lawn. And several times since January, we've woken up to snow. I am sure our family is getting tried of me saying "we normally don't get this much snow." Well, today was a first for us... This week has been a world-wind of weather... last Saturday the temp was in the 70's then the temps plummeted back into the 40's by Monday and stayed there all week long. We got rain, hail and snow all week long. This morning we woke up to a beautiful day through our windows. The sun was shinning and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, just clear bright blue. Later in the afternoon, Ken went out to mow the lawn and take advantage of the day. After making his first attempt out, he returned to put an undershirt on, as he said it was colder than he thought. After starting to mow... It started to SNOW!!! Oh, man!!! Finnegan and I waited at the back door for him to turn the mower off. He did and said he'd just finish the job. I couldn't believe it!! He mowed the front and the back yard, and edged, all while it snowed. What a great husband I have!!

Also, Finnegan had another round of photos taken today here in our home. It was free sitting from the company who took his photos in the hospital... These turned out much better than those did (that's why not many of you have seen those). These were cute, but I don't think we'll purchase any. If your interested, I can tell you about them and let you know when they come to show them to us... I don't know much about the ordering process... but can find out for you!

Biggest Loser

What an inspiration the Biggest Loser Finale was! To see (not only the finalist) but all the contestants, except one, lose a HUGE amount of weight. I think the least amount lost was 19% of body weight. WOW!

And the Top Three finalists lost at least 40% of their weight loss, with the winner losing 45% of her weight, being a total of 112lbs. WOW! And She looks fantastic.

"When your heart and mind are combined with your intention, there is nothing that you can't accomplish." - Jillian Michaels.

Results...

The results are in... we are lucky, so far. With Finnegan only actively teething for about a week or so, we have teeth!!! They are just now breaking through the skin, but you can feel those little pokers coming through the skin. We are pretty excited. Finnegan has been in pretty good spirits (so far) except for when he's not (as Ken would say).

He is sitting up more and more and I've recently removed the boppy pillow from around him. He falls over (onto his face) sometimes, but doesn't cry. He just looks at me and we say "uh, oh!" And he goes on his merry way. He holds his bottle all by himself but needs help sometimes to keep it high enough to drink. He took milk from a sippy cup today for the first time. He doesn't do it much - but he's honing his skills with the sippy cup. Each day he gets better and more able.

He has begun to move when on his belly. He can rotate 180 degrees when he's on his tummy. It takes him about 20 minutes or so, but he rotates none the less. He has started shuffling his knees (one at a time) to achieve the rotating action. We know it won't be long now - especially because he is so curious.

30 minute Sunday

A couple of weeks ago, after church, Ken and I had just put Finnegan down for a nap and I requested 30 minutes of his time. Although he was hesitant at first, he finally agreed and I was very pleased. Thirty minutes later, the dishes were done, all the toys were picked up and even the vacuum had been run. It was great! So ever since then, I have requested 30 minutes, called "30 minute Sunday". Although my husband works very hard each day at his office, my job as a house wife is never done (i know, the complaint of every mother). My husband works 5 days a week, and I work 7. Meals still have to be prepared on Saturday and Sunday, bottles still need to cleaned. Dishes begin to pile up and the toys don't ever find their way into the toybox until Monday. Ken has told me for years... "When I'm not going to school full time, then, I'll help with the house work"... "When I'm not writing my thesis, I will help with the house work"... "When we get our own house, I will help with the house work." Well, now there's no reason for him to help with the house work because we have a live in house keeper and "that's my job." But not for 30 minutes on Sunday!! :) Granted, I have to pull him out of his chair to help, but once we're done, the house is so nice. There are some installments that we work in the bedroom hanging up all of our clothes (that don't ever seem to make it to the closet) and changing the sheets on the bed and even had time to clean our bathroom, all in 30 minutes. I set a timer, so the time doesn't linger on, and we know when he has "put in his time". And I even heard this week that doing light cleaning work is good for the brain. It gives you mental stability. You should try it some time.

To top off my wonderful 30 minutes - I also enjoyed a couple of episodes of one of my favorite television programs - "Run's House" on MTV. This is a reality show about the Simmons Family. Not Russell and Kimra Lee Simmons but Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons - His brother. Rev Run is the "Run" in Run DMC. And he is all grown up. He has 6 kids and is in business with his brother Russell in NYC. It shows his family and how he "runs" his household (yes, that was a pun). He is an ordained minister and works in the fashion/music/pop culture industry. He may not have the exact same beliefs as I do, but I appreciate someone who is successful who brings up his children (three of whom are young adults) with love and discipline. He (nor his brother, Russell) hand these kids anything. Yeah, he allows them to work in the "family business" but they have to work hard just as he and his brother did to become the moguls that they are. Granted, rap isn't my favorite kind of music, but the laughter and straightforwardness that he brings to life is refreshing and enjoyable.

Now, tis time for me to return to my episodes before Finnegan is ready to be up and play some more. :) So I will sit and enjoy my "sweet tea" and "Run's house" in my clean house!

Teething still...

Finnegan continues to have bouts of teething. Today was the worst so far. This wailing that comes out of no where, from my happy little guy, is very disheartening. But we are making our way through and enjoying the laughs and smiles that we get in between.

Today was a beautiful day!! A beautiful sunshiny day, with a temperature nearing 80 degrees. It was great. We took a great walk around the neighborhood with Finnegan in the stroller and the dogs in-tow.

We continue to prepare for Oreo's surgery. She'll be having surgery in about two weeks on her hind-quarters. Hopefully it will remedy the problems she's been having.

Tuesday's Update

I have so many thoughts in my brain today. Many I want to share, and some I don't. So we'll do the bullet format this time around (These are not listed in order of importance)...

• Murder: Oh, it bothers me so. Recently a eighty-something year old women was killed by a health care worker at an assisted living facility where she was making one of her two daily visits to her husband who suffers form Alzheimer's. Police say that the women put up a good fight and had many defensive wounds but there is still no idea what the motive was for the murder. Really, why did this young kid have to kill this elderly woman and put her in the trunk of her car? Why did he feel that that was the best option at the time? Oh, it makes me sick and baffles me! It enrages me. Oh, how frustrating!!
• Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor (a Navy Seal) was honored today with the Medal of Honor. His parents accepted the award on his behalf as he was killed two years ago in Iraq. This man's courage and sacrifice is indescribable, other than to just explain the story. May God Bless his family as they carry on without him. We are forever indebted to him and the other servicemen from this and previous wars.
  
• Monsoor was in a sniper position on a rooftop along with two other SEALs when a grenade flew into his location from out of nowhere. It bounced off his chest and landed in an area where it probably would have killed or seriously wounded all three of them.

  Monsoor was in a position to escape before the explosion but instead leapt on the grenade.

  "He recognized immediately the threat, yelled 'grenade' and due to the fact that two other SEAL snipers, our brothers, could not possibly escape the blast, he chose to smother it with his body, absorbed the impact and lost his life in the process," said Lt. Cmdr. Seth Stone, Mansoor's platoon commander.

• Class Reunion: We are in the beginning stages of planning a 10 year class reunion. So much to do, from half a world away. If you're from OCS class of '98, email me your contact info (address, phone and email) and I'll put you on the list... We want as many people to join us as possible.
• Teeth anyone? Finnegan is starting to teeth again. The doctor told me that they are ready to come in, we have yet to see them yet. But he does have one in the upper left side... its poking through and everything. Finnegan has been drooling all day today, whinny, and not sleeping much. Poor kiddo.
  

I suppose thats it for now. Maybe I'll share more of what's on my heart later.
Hugs, all!

Drunk Girl!

So, Ken and I LOVE the SNL parody of "drunk girl". We think it is so funny. Probably because it is so stereotypical of a drunk college girl... and its just... well, funny! Any way, Ken and I realized that we have never had "one of those friends" who got drunk and then threw up on us. We are very pleased to have this accomplishment. However, now that we're parents, we tend to get "spit up" on from time to time. At the first thought of it, its not so bad. But, now that our precious boy is now eating solid food, that baby "spit up" has successful turned into grossness... And Ken and I have both encountered it close up during this past weekend. We both had our blessed child in the same position... We were laying on the floor, holding the bundle up above us, playing. Although Ken received more of the showering foul, I received it in my hair... so gross... And the smell is just what you remember of "throw up" when you were a kid. I am sure this is not the last experience we will have with kiddie meals revisited, but it makes for great stories and fun memories as first time parents! :)

Debt, Cupcakes and BL

So many topics to share today... So I'll just pick a few thoughts to share...

First, some exciting news! Ken and I are once again debt free. Other than our mortgage, which Suzy Orman says is "good debt", we are debt free. No credit card debt, we own all our cars, no school debt nothing! Yippee!!

Cupcakes abound!! I am in love with cupcakes, and have been for a while. It is apparent that America is also gaining an infatuation with them as well. I stopped at Indulge Cupcake today and purchase several cupcakes for this weekend... I have only eaten half of one cupcake. It was cinnamon in flavor and I have a few other classics to try later with my hubby. Martha Stewart enjoyed "Cupcake Week" this week on her show and featured cupcake parlor in Seattle called Trophy Cupcakes. Oh, I think I'll need to make a trip to that small place for a cupcake or two... or three... or four :)

I am the Biggest Loser. I love that show. I have loved it from the beginning. To watch these people fight and work hard and then be rewarded with new bodies. (Ok, I realize that I just talked about my love affair with cupcakes, but stay with me here) :) After much talking and planning, the Stepleton's are constructing our own Biggest Loser Competition. There will be a weekly weigh-in and a cash prize at the end. The first "weigh in" is on Monday and already the trash talk has begun and I'm sure that alliances will be formed. But no "voting off" with happen in this "house". Only losing weight for us! Think Thin, Think Thin!

April Fool's...

Of course, this is the day that people play practical jokes on one another... So from the moment I woke up this morning, I reminded myself to think twice before hearing something outrageous. It lasted for most of the day until I spoke with my folks later in the evening. I called my folks to let them hear Finnegan laugh... When dad answered the phone, he said that they were just getting home... from the hospital. I should have known, with it being my dad, but he continued, "your mother fell down the basement stairs and the EMS had to come take her to the hospital." All I could think is that she'd broken her leg or her hip or something... I said "Really??" Dad says, "No, April Fool's!"

And of course I fell for it!
Thanks, Dad! You never let me down!

6 month appointment

So Finnegan turned 6 months during the month of March. Unfortunately, I just took him to the doctor for his 6 month appointment yesterday and I now have the statistics that you all have been waiting for.

Born: 7lb, 6oz.
6months: 19lb, 12oz - over 50% in weight

Born: 20 inches
6 months: 27inches - 75% in height

I was sure he was over 20lbs but I guess not!! :) We have another month or two before we'll have to move him out of his carrier into a convertible car seat.

Our little boy continues to amaze us with his temperment... He sat perfectly still while they did a prick of his toe and gave him one shot. But He did not want to lay down while the doctor examined him. He became very upset and didn't want anything to do with the doctor... until he began to tickle him! :) Hopefully he'll get used to seeing the doctor.

____

As an extension of the Vaccine discussion that I've been having, I have decided that we will do an adjusted vaccine schedule. Finn has been fully vaccinated through his 4th month according to the CDC's requirements. But now he will follow an adjusted schedule that will require us to visit the doctor every couple of months to see the nurse and get a vaccine or two. This new schedule will require him to only get one or two vaccines at one time. He will have more than 20 vaccine visits under the new schedule rather than the 13 than the CDC has set up. I don't mind this as it won't cost us any more money, just a little extra time to visit the nurse for shots (no co-pay even). Again, all of our children will be vaccinated just not under the schedule of the CDC. I respect this organization for all their work and research and know that there are a multitude of reasons to vaccinate. And I don't agree that not vaccinating is the answer. So that is what we've decided... Vaccinating with caution. :)