SO if you'll remember back to my Thanksgiving post, you know that it was important that my holidays were good this year. So far, they have been almost perfect....with the exception of James having to play out tonight in downtown Houston. But he hung out this afternoon, and I stayed at the house tonight with his family. We ate lots of random tasties, including guacamole and a cheesecake dip stuff that I made today. I got some cool stuff...like a cool knitting kit complete w/ DVD (not just CD-Rom, which is what I have now) and a super super soft blanket for my bed. James won't let me have my presents from him until tomorrow...but I know one is something Vera Bradley because his sister thought he had already given it to me and told me how much she liked the print :). But the best part of tonight was the company and the atmosphere were just right....his nephews (ages 10ish and 2.5) were so fun to watch open presents!

Here in a few morning hours, we are getting up to see Conner (2.5 year old) get the train table from Santa and have breakfast with the family and then we are headed back to my house to have dinner and Christmas with my family.

More later, but I hope that all of you are having a wonderful Christmas! I love yall :).

James made this. Aren't we cute?

I've been meaning to post some pictures, and I'm just finally getting around to it. The first ones are of James' family and myself. Then there is me and my abfab koozie that his mom got me. Then there are a few of Allison's birthday night, but somehow Allison is not in them...just me, Kim, and William. Anywho, this is what I've been up too...busy busy. I get out of school on Friday and I can't wait. I am ready for a break!

As I sit here about to go to bed after a delightful day, I wanted to look back in my archives to see what I posted about last Thanksgiving. I didn't post last year. And Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love today because it doesn't involve major planning or shopping, presents, or decorations really. It's all about people, the ones we love, getting together and having a big meal because we are thankful. And I have so very much to be thankful for, so many blessings in my life. Not to mention that I *love* turkey and dressing...especially my moms, of course.

You see, last year, my dad was in WY working on Thanksgiving. And Vic was in the hospital until Thanksgiving eve. On Thanksgiving day, Mom, William, Vic, Mandy, and Shelley, and I went to Smith & Wollensky to eat lunch. That night, Mom, William, and I went to Black Eyed Pea. Vic wouldn't go. My dad was calling us because he was out in the middle of nowhere in a blizzard working on an oil rig and he was tired and ready to come home. I was really sad. And really scared about the future. I was tired of fighting for my marriage, trying to make a family with someone who hates the whole concept of family. I was at the breaking point where I had to either save myself or let myself go down with Vic.

So much has happened since then. There were lots more tears. But after the tears, there has been more joy than I could have even wished of a year ago...lots of wonderful changes....

I have started a new program at school, a masters in special education, which I am enjoying and doing well in.

I am teaching little kids, which is phenomenal to me because I would have bet you money that I would never teach and for sure, NO little kids! AND I'm teaching at a school that is great...I have the most awesome co-workers and kids. I get up each morning BEFORE my alarm goes off because I'm actually excited to go to work.

I have two wonderful roommates that brighten my days even if it's just because I know they are here. Two amazing women that without, I would not have made it through the turmoil of the past year!

I am also dating someone that is very very precious to me. James came into the picture last May, but things started getting more serious in the past few months. He treats me with more respect and kindness than I knew was possible. I can just think of him and smile because he is an amazing man. I love him dearly.

My parents are now living here. The last time we lived in the same town we didn't get along so well. We had very different lives. But now, not only do I love them...I *like* them and want to be with them. I am so happy they are close to me.

There are also other neat changes, like William dating what seems to be a really good girl. My Jamey is engaged to marry someone who makes her very happy. Landon is on the dean's list this semester in college. Baby Drew is talking...and crawling!

God is good. He has blessed me in so many ways, I am truly humbled by my life today. Today was a simple day...just Mom, Dad, William and I eating some turkey and playing a little trivial pursuit...but this is probably the best Thanksgiving I've ever had because I have so much to be thankful for AND am wise enough to see it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLISON!

THINGS THAT SOUND DIRTY ON HALLOWEEN BUT AREN'T:

10. She's a goblin!
9. I'd like to get a little something in the sack tonight.
8. Just get on your hands and knees and bob your head.
7. She's got a couple of nice pumpkins on her porch.
6. If you just lick it, it will last longer.
5. Let me see your big sack.
4. Can I eat your zagnuts?
3. Have your mom check it before you put it in your mouth.
2. You scared me stiff!

And the dirtiest sounding but not-dirty Halloween saying is...

He's got candy spread out on the living room floor!

In the final analysis, it is not what you do for your children but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.

- Ann Landers

I went to Houston last weekend to see James. And two weeks before that. He's such a sweet sweet boy. But he got me sick, and now I have too much snot in my head. He's not sweet for that.

For the few Hobbs people that read this, I ran into Pam Cox tonight. She lives in Aubrey with her husband and 3 kids and is a realtor. She hangs out with Koko (Kori) Melvin and her husband and 2 kids because they live in Corinth! So weird! I was walking into Bed, Bath, and Beyond and I heard my name...and there she was!

My parents are moved in. They are officially Denton residents. I'm happy they are here, but will be really happy once they are settled.

Ok, I'm off to bed.

Coming from someone who doesn't like Halloween, this is super cool. I especially like the x-ray button.

We started measurement in my class today. I held up a regular ol' 12 inch ruler and ask them if they knew what it was.

Sweet boy #1: "Yes, it's a peter stick."
Me: "A meter stick?"
Sweet boy #1: "NO, a peter stick; my Daddy calls it a peter stick cause it's the same size as his peter."
Sweet boy #2: "Do you have a brother named Peter? A baby?"
Sweet boy #1: "Nope, don't know who peter is..."

I damn near died.

So I missed the actual Banned Book Week last week, but I'm just now getting caught up on my email. I am rather amused at the list of challenged literature. Kinda makes me feel like a rebel because I have read several from the list. Mostly Judy Blume books. I can't believe she would be challenged. She rocks.

SO my school has a new principal as of today. Actually, we were told Friday after school. My stress level is dropping daily...I am just very relieved. And my bruises are healing nicely too. :)

I'm going to go call Misti. I don't remember what her sweet voice sounds like it's been so long...

So I was just opening some snail mail and got the invite to Andra's deal. It was last weekend. I was also finally reading my email. There were emails about it. I'm so very sad that I missed yall. But hot damn do I have some stories.

Some stories that I can not post on here because I am close enough to loosing my job as it is, that I do not need to post about it on the internet! Maybe I need some codes like Moe...anyway...I'm not really going to loose my job, but I've gotten my ass kicked (literally, with bruises to prove it) for the last 3 weeks and I've not been making friends while doing so. It's been horrible. Like horrible as in I have been instructed what to say to the media and have been consulting w/ an attorney horrible. But tomorrow a lot will be settled and it will be better because I will no longer get a beat down on a daily basis. But I probably won't sleep tonight and have been getting a tinge of the yackumup feelings when I think about it all....

Speaking of "won't"...We have been doing contractions w/ not and my kids are blown away by the fact that "will not" contracts to "won't." And come to think of it, so am I. Whoever decided that rearranging the word "not," throwing in an apostrophe, and attaching it to a "w" is the same thing as "will not" was on crack.

Other than that, someone told me today that it called a "cobweb" when one does not update their site regularly. Same person also told me that instead of calling someone a blonde, you say that they are a "404." Both of which made me giggle.

I had school pictures taken today. Teachers get a complimentary package. The first 8 emails I receive will be the winners of a super great wallet size school picture of Amanda the Great Teacher!

I came home from school tonight and part of my fence had blown down. But my parents happen to be in town for the 3rd time in 10 days, so my dad came over to fix it. Frank and Nancy had a great gallop through my 'hood before I realized the fence was horizontal in the yard.

In the past 2 weeks they have added: 2 student computers, TV, VCR, DVD player, phone w/ own phone line, overhead, and 700 bucks to spend on my classroom. It's startin' to be a super cool room now!

Oh yeah, and Carson is the cutest paperweight I've ever seen.

This message awaited me when I signed into my Yahoo messenger today. I just had to share. It gave me a good chuckle.

"(9/15/2005 6:01:42 PM): hi am Joe,i stay in state,i got ur profile from yahoo and was so interested in it.it was so impressive. i learnt from it that u r so down to earth. you got all the attributes i need in my dream woman. i want you for you.i dunt want u for just a chatfriend i want somethin more deeper.with you i feel the long search is over. please get on and lets tok. ive been searchin for someone with this attribute all these while and am so Glad that i finds you. May be God you in mind before creating me. hope to tok to you soonest.please email me back so i will be sure that u gets this messg."

Thanks Moe for this the rolling duffel project link! It's a very cool Dallasite Katrina helping site! I emailed them tonight because I wanta help!

Glad to be home from Vegas. I don't like it there much anymore. It's pretty gross...at least the people are...gambling, liquor, and sex...I'm just not that wild (anymore, at least...ha ha!). And I was sick the whole time...allergies, a cold, don't know...but very very happy to be home.

So I am reading on my various fat mailing lists that in places like Baton Rouge and Houston they are desperate for large/plus sized clothing. I have looked all around on the net to find where to take some in the DFW area. I just bagged up 11 big trash bags of fat chick clothes, many w/ the tags still on and 80% of it never worn. (Yes, I'm a clothes whore...there is a very wise fat woman in Lubbock that explains the psychology of why fat women horde clothing and that is because it's not so easy for us to just run out and buy stuff...there are limited shopping places, fat clothes are more expensive, etc. so most fat women have a great deal of anxiety about parting with their clothes even if they don't wear them and we buy stuff we don't need just in case we do need it in the future and can't find/afford it at that time...but I'm ready to part with this stuff because I saw a fat woman on TV wearing a trash bag because they don't have anything big enough to fit her at the shelter she's at!!!) SO, if any of yous' guys hear of any place in DFW for me to take my fabulous fat chick clothes where some trash-bag wearin' women can have it immediately...let me know!!!

We have "Windsuit Wednesdays" at school. I like that. I went and bought an outfit for it. Gray pants & hooded vest thing w/ lime green stitching and a lime green t-shirt w/ gray stitching. The shirt has 3/4 length sleeves so I will wear it year round. I wore it for the first time today and it's my new Wednesday's uniform.

Vic took my Carson cat to the vet yesterday because I don't have time during their business hours. Seems his eye is matted shut and his cough for the last 2-3 weeks has been due to allergies. He got an allergy shot. Like momma, like cat.

My new insurance starts tomorrow. I'm going to go back to my allergy dr. that I have no longer been able to see because they stopped taking my insurance about 9 months ago. I'm going to start taking shots again. I felt so so so much better taking allergy shots. I have more snot in my head than I would like and my throat hurts today. But I refuse to be ill because I leave in less than 48 hours to a long Vegas weekend.

Yeah for long Vegas weekends. I plan to do nothing but be brainless. Thinking only of outlandish drag queens, compulsive gamblers wearing the same clothes for 2 days, and women who've had more work than a car on "Pimp My Ride." I can't wait! And Big Willie is 21! Wowzers. That's so weird.

Ok, I'm going to bed. Notice the time. How things change.

You get a free ball of cool yarn. If you don't knit, you can get it and give it to a knitter :). Like me or Moe :).

http://www.bernat.com/getdown/

I did my first restraint today. We had a fire drill and the new autistic student didn't want to go back in. Wow. I'm exhausted.

Happy Birthday to William, Happy Birthday to William, Happy 21st Birthday dear Brother, Happy Birthday to YOU!

We are going to Vegas Labor Day weekend for a little celebratin' and I can't wait! Yeah!

I had my kids for the first time today. I would not be anymore tired if I had left the house at 7:30 this morning and just walked continuously until 6 p.m. when I got home. 11.5 hours of walking would not make me as tired as I am right now. And I didn't have enough prepared. It never occurred to me that I would have a group of second graders that don't like to color...so like the dot-to-dot that was supposed to be colored after being connected...took 5 minutes rather than 20. So for the last 30 minutes of class we did a Scooby Doo puzzle. And when I say the last 30 minutes, I mean of my 2.5 hour time period...hopefully tomorrow is better prepared.

And then I came home tonight and just taught myself, with Allison's help, to play "Monster Consonants" in the event I need it tomorrow. And now I'm going to bed to read "Ghost Beach" from the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine because I'm going to read it aloud for the next few days to them and want to know what's in it before I put it in their little not so innocent heads.

We talked about our "favorites" today...one's favorite movie is "The Seed of Chucky" and another's is "Black Hawk Down...because it's violent."

And my parents wouldn't let me see Dirty Dancing....

I'm still working on my room, but here are a few shots of what I have so far...including my grass skirt around my desk and Hawaiian flowers in my window :)! It was "Meet the Teacher" night tonight. I sat in my room for 1.5 hours and didn't have a single parent stop by. That makes me really sad for my little second graders. One would hope that special needs kids have parents that care enough to participate in such an event...especially since my school is only 2-4th grades...so all my kids are new to the building!!

I also had a final tonight. I'm so glad it's over. I will sleep easier tonight! Ok, I'm off to bed.

I have a new appreciation for elementary school teachers. Who knew how much frickin' work it was to decorate their rooms! And that THEY supply all the cool stuff in their rooms...like games, flash cards, etc. If I am this exhausted after a week of teacher training...I can only imagine what next week and the next and the next....will be like! My brain is fried and my whole body hurts and I have to get up in the morning (SATURDAY) and go work more on my room. But I really like it. I have some pretty great co-workers...and I'm getting less scared of the kids...but I think it's just because I'm so ready to have all the preparation done that the kids actually being here would be a welcomed change...

Did I mention that I only have paint on the walls and "Meet the Teacher Night" is Tuesday. Aye Crumba.

So it's Friday. This is my last non-working Friday for sometime. You see, Monday is my first day of work...of course it is about 10 days of training before the kids actually start...but it still means that I have to be up in single digit hours!

Yesterday I had to have some stuff signed by my principal and while there, I picked up my keys to the building and my classroom. Holy Cow. Walking into that room will seriously go down as one of my scariest moments ever. I was instantly overwhelmed with the responsibility of providing skills to these kids that will impact them for the rest of their lives. That is so incredibly cool, but it's also a rather large amount of pressure...not really much room for failure. Yeah, to me it is practice...but if one of my second graders does not master a technique or skill that I am responsible for teaching...it could put them behind for a long time.

Second grade also hits really close to home with me. I had a terrible second grade teacher that didn't really require me to learn to spell/phonics/etc and I can honestly say that I still feel the effects today, as I am a terrible speller! I know that has to do mostly with my learning disability, but it didn't help that she didn't require much out of me and still gave me A's!

I plan to spend the weekend psyching myself up...and one way I'm going to do that is to spend the weekend decorating my room and getting really familiar with it...because you gotta start somewhere! One extra neat thing is that they told me that they don't require, but do prefer me to PAINT the room a nice color or two. In all my spare time, of course. But my dear friend Sheri has volunteered to help me on Saturday to get the room coated in a nice shade of pale green or sky blue. The school also gave me $100 to "Teacher's Tools," a store in Lewisville, to go get some decorating stuff. I'm about to go there now. So anyone that reads this and has even a few spare hours tomorrow...PLEASE come help me make my room appropriate for 8, 9, and 10 year olds! I'm so serious...Wendy, Andra, Moe, Martha, Jamey...anyone. I will be greatly indepted to you if you would come help me!

Considering there are only like 5 minutes left in this day, I thought I would share the first thing that has made me smile all day:

"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." ~Kahlil Gibran (1883 - 1931)


(...school just may be the death of me.)

This is proof to all of you who have ever called me weird that I'm no such thing! I'm 70% normal and just like in school...that would be a C which means average! Ha ha!

You Are 30% Weird

Not enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself.

How Weird Are You?

I'm also smarter than I knew. See....

Your IQ Is 120

Your Logical Intelligence is Exceptional Your Verbal Intelligence is Exceptional Your Mathematical Intelligence is Exceptional Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

And this is amazing...I act exactly my age!

You Are 27 Years Old

27 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

"It's hot. Damn hot! Real hot! Hottest things is my shorts. I could cook things in it. A little crotch pot cooking."

Well, can you tell me what it feels like?

"Fool, it's hot! I told you again! Were you born on the sun? It's damn hot! I say... It's so damn hot, I saw little guys, their orange robes burst into flames. It's that hot! Do you know what I'm talking about?"

What do you think it's going to be like tonight?

"It's gonna be hot and wet! That's nice if you're with a lady, but it ain't no good if you're in the jungle."

So I just called Misti to see if I could pay her to do some of my homework and Denise answered. My heart dropped. SO I ask for Misti, and Denise told me that she's in the hospital waiting to have her gallbladder removed. She woke up in the middle of the night hurting, eventually went to the ER...but not the one that is close to her house because that's where Pa died...they first thought it was kidney stones, but after more tests figured out that it's her gallbladder and had to transport her by ambulance to Midland Memorial. She is asleep right now (on good pain drugs!), but I just talked to Danny and they don't know if she will have surgery tonight or in the morning. Just wanted yall to know so that you can be prayin' for her!

On a different note, I was makin myself some lunch earlier which included some instant mashed potatoes. So while I was boiling the water in the microwave, I poured the tater flakes into a bowl on the counter. I walked to the microwave to get the water and when I turned around Mr. Roo cat was DIGGING in my flakes like it was a litter box!!! I was so pissed...but it was also funny...but still...cats are crazy. So then I had to start all over...wash the bowl...get new flakes. Allison so needs to come home and regulate her cats!

Nancy and Frank now each have their own webpages. Because they are cool.

So everything is just kinda shitty. School is overwhelming...I have so much to do and am not even sure what's due when. I had a complete and total panic attack before class this morning and didn't make it in the building. I also got bite by something vicious and had to go to the Dr. today and get an antibiotic to deal w/ the 4 giant red knots protruding from my arm. James and Amanda are no more...we disagree on Halloween and Spawn. Don't ask. So that means I cleaned my whole house for nuthin. I mean, it's nice that it's clean...but I so could have used that time for school. But he's an awesome guy...and I really enjoyed it while it lasted and am glad to have a new friend out of the deal! And then I talked to Vic and he is rejoining the military and being sent to either Iraq or Kosovo....which is just sad to me. It occurred to me that I will probably never see him again after he leaves here...and that weirds me out for some reason.

I've also been really feeling like Carrie from SATC. I kept posing these wacky philosophical questions to myself and then getting frustrated with my inability to produce a profound and radical answer. I mean, really...

James is coming here on Tuesday. I have so much to do to prepare for his arrival. My room looks like my closet vomited. I've also been procrastinating with some other random stuff...like going through and throwing some stuff away...so I'm working on that too tonight. He, however, is playing tonight. I so wish I was at the show and not cleaning my room. In honor of that, I'm going to try this new blogger picture poster thing and post a pic from a few weeks ago of him and Omar playing during a Torn show at Woodies.

Bands // Song Titles
Created by BourdiezFreak and taken 27538 times on bzoink!
Choose a band/or artist and answer only in song TITLES by that band:	Bon Jovi
Are you female or male:	Miss Fourth of July
Describe yourself:	I'll There for You
How do some people feel about you:	Too Much of a Good Thing
How do you feel about yourself:	Livin' On A Prayer
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend:	Bad Medicine
Describe your current girlfriend/boyfriend:	Shut Up and Kiss Me
Describe where you want to be:	Bed Of Roses
Describe what you want to be:	Blaze Of Glory
Describe how you live:	Wild In The Streets
Describe how you love:	Never Say Goodbye
Share a few words of wisdom:	Rich Man Living in a Poor Man's House
Create a Survey | Search Surveys | Go to bzoink!

Allison and I at Fogo de Chao 

I have a MySpace account now. I needed one since James has one. He started a blog on blogger, but I keep forgetting to link it. Maybe this will serve as a reminder. Until then, yall can meet him by going to his band, Torn's, website. And if you are really feeling feisty, you can join the forum...click on "band announcements" and take the "poll." But you have to vote for James! Because he rocks.

/end cheese

Happy Birthday SLAP!

Jason and Andrea Goff are the proud parents of Miss Payton Lee (or Leigh or the likes...). She was born in Lubbock at 12:06 p.m. today and weighs 6 lbs 10 oz and is 20 someodd inches long. Everyone is doing wonderfully. Mandy says she is precious....which I'm sure she is! Yeah for Jason! Proud Papa Chewbacca!

I got a job!!!!!!!

I'm the new 2nd grade resource teacher for 1/2 a day and 2, 3, 4th grade emotionally disturbed teacher for the other 1/2. Only 7-10 kids in the resource room and 4-5 kids in the ED room and I'll have an aide all day. It's in the Lake Dallas ISD, which is where I live. Today was my first job interview and they hired me on the spot. Honestly, it is not MY "ideal" job...but I've been praying about it a lot and I feel like this is where God has lead me. SO I took it. I loved the principal and the assistant principal. Not to mention, I have really been looking at my "comfort zone" lately. This job will really push me out of it. And I think I need that. This past year pushed me out of it, but in a cruel way. This job will be difficult, but also very rewarding. I know that I will learn a lot from these little guys and gals and will be better because of it. But could yall please remember to remind me of that when I'm freakin' out??? So YEAH! Amanda has a teaching job!!

Mandy has a new man. His name is Ronnie, he lives in Shreveport, LA. A coworker of her dad's set them up. They talk on the phone nonstop. He came and stayed last weekend, and was back last night. She has his yukon for the weekend. Because she is a pimp. I'm so happy for her...well, and him! So I had to post pictures from last night. SO cute!

Introducing....Mandy and Ronnie!! 

again, Mandy and Ronnie 

and again, Mandy and Ronnie  

So I've gotten in this habit of saying "whatever" to just about everything. I saw this today:

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is honorable...think about these things. Philippians 4:8

Very cool. Right now I need to think about whatever else other than the fact that my feet stink. I'm going to pack. Off to Houston tomorrow.

So on Friday this box of flowers arrived from James w/ a sweet note saying Happy Birthday. I read the instructions and put them in my trusty pineapple vase that had never been used. The attached info said that they would fully open in 3-4 days. I didn't think much about it until this morning when I noticed that they were wide awake and brightening the room....it was like a surprise all over again! Yeah, he knew that they took 3-4 days to open...and that's why I got them Friday...so they would be their prettiest today, on my actual birthday. Is that not the sweetest thing ever? Yeah, I thought so too.

Me w/ the pretty flowers 

Pretty flowers 

Happy Birthday Self!

For all of you who have also wondered the facts about our good and tasty friends, the asparagus...here is the site for you.

I had always been curious exactly how they grew. Now I know.

Oh, and they are part of the lilly family.

So last night Allison, Sheri, and I went to dance in Dallas. Not just on the streets, mind you. But at a real live dance club called Spankees. It was neat. We got all dressed up (see below) and thought we looked pretty wild. Turns out we were pretty concervative. About 90% of the people on the dance floor needed to leave there and go to the hotel, motel, Holiday Inn! But we danced some, laughed some, and were generally entertained with the joint and ourselves (again, see below).

Webcam whores 

So I had the test review for the teacher certification test tonight. I got out earlier than I thought. Allison had class til 9. We had already decided to go eat after she got out of class. So I got home and worked on some job applications and whatnot for a couple of hours before she arrived. Once here, she hurried us out the door.

So before I continue, I should tell you that in my single life I have moved my shoe closet from my closet to under my desk. All my shoes now live here. Well, ok, not all. But most. I should also remind you that I pretty much only wear Birkenstock and they are only made with a few basic sole types...so a lot of my shoes have the exact same soles.

So anyway, as she was hurrying me to leave...I glanced under my desk and slid on two shoes that in the semidark room, appeared the same. We drove to the restaurant and were walking to the door when I noticed that my feet felt slightly different. Below is a picture of what I looked down to see. I informed Allison of my mistake, we laughed and went inside. Not sure if anyone else noticed or not. Don't really care. I think I've turned into one of those dorky eccentric chicks, but I'm fine with that.

Oh, and on a side note...On the way home the following sentence came out of my mouth in a very factual, profound way:

"I like any song that spells out the word 'pimp.'"

Fashion statement a la Amanda  

Please, for your own amusement, go and watch this Hasidic reggae beatboxing MatisYahu video. You will not be sorry.

I've been at school since very early this morning. I am on a break so I decided to explore the building. I came upon an "e-mail kiosk," so the sign above the screen says. I've often wondered how to spell kiosk. Now I know. So I thought I would tell yall that I'm sleepy and thirsty. I've already spent 2$ on 2 waters and am out of cash. I don't get to leave here until 8 p.m. But I did make a friend that is in the same 12 hours as I am this summer and we swapped information so that we can share some of the load. Yeah for friends!

This day is going to offically be cancelled as counting in Amanda Days because it's no fun.

Off to wander around some more!

Mandy gave me this awesome sign for my birthday. She's not good at waiting for the actual day...so it's just a tad early. But it's so so so cute. And so is Mr. Carson K. Witty.

Which Depressing Reality for Children of the 80s Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

I'm sick and that is so not cool for Amanda Days. I went to the Dr. yesterday and I have a sinus infection and a throat infection. My parents are here this weekend and I haven't even felt well enough to hang out w/ them. I did go to Fogo de Choa tonight. It was very tasty.

SO yeah, the boy. He's cool. I had a really great weekend last weekend. He gave me flowers (lilies, no less!), opened doors, pulled out chairs, I met his family...they were great too, and I'm going back in 2 weeks. He is like no one I've ever been involved with...and that, of course, is an excellent thing! He's a bass player in a rock cover band and a computer/gaming nerd...you know, like Moe & Adm...so nerd in a good way! And he does read this...who else would have posted that comment to my previously posted picture???? Very sweet!

Anyway, I'm moving my snotty ass to the couch, for it is beckoning me!

I got a webcam...to talk to the boy...but I took a picture of me just because I can. 

Excuse the use of the p word...but I laughed so hard at this picture!!!  

Happy Birthday to Meestee! Happy Birthday to Meestee! Happy Birthday dear Meestee! Happy Birthday to you!

My brother has a blog! Please visit him at Big Will's Style's All In It!

Kim has been out of town and the inlaws have been in town, so don't give up on her yet.

I got back late last night, well, actually early this morning. But I had a wonderful time. The boy is very very sweet. More details later...when I figure out if he reads this or not :)! (Hi James?)

My first day of school is tomorrow. My first class is from 8-11:50. My second class is from 12-3:50. My third class is from 4-7:50. All are in the same building, same room. Neat, right? If I don't die from complications of ADD, I will blog about it Wednesday...

So, today I'm going to Houston. It's a wild and crazy trip that I will tell yall about when I return. But it's for Amanda Days. But I'm going to meet a boy. Sheer insanity. Ok, bye.

I'm pleased to announce the completion of 3 of my 15 hours this summer. I will have a 91 in UNT's Special Education Programs and Practices (EDSP 5710). Which means I made and A in my first spec. ed. class! Yeah! It's over! Schooooool's out fo' summer! Schooooool's out til Monday! I start the other 12 hours on Monday, but still...

Anyway, today for Amanda Days I slept until I woke up. I love to do that. I turned my clock so that I couldn't see it and I slept until I was ready to get up. I also ate Whataburger chicken strips. I don't like to eat fast food or fried chicken. I mean, I do *like* it sometimes...but the mental knowledge of how crappy it is keeps me from eatin it. But Mandy and I went to Sonic and got a coke, Whataburger for some chicken, and then to Wendy's for a side salad. It was fun.

Oh, and some crazy person mentioned that there will be a break in the 20 day celebration...that is a mistake. I could have, indeed, been born on June the 7th...but I choose to wait. I wanted Misti to always be older!! Hee hee.

So, it's June the 1st. Today signifies the beginning of the 20 day holiday that I am going to call "Amanda Days." You see, my actual birthday is the 20th, but my original due date was in late May. So I have always just assumed that once June arrived, my mom probably thought each day was the day I would be born. She says she just remembers being tired and hot...but I pointed out that she is ALWAYS tired and hot in June, so that was not my doing. SO, anyway, I am taking it upon myself to celebrate each of the days in June leading up to my birth, which also usually coincides with the last day of spring (just as an added bonus).

It really isn't about simply being as self absorbed as I sound. See, Vic doesn't really like to celebrate anything. Not birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc. I've always enjoyed all of those things, but not obsessively. But on the 22end of this month it will be one full year since the night Vic sort of decided that he was leaving. And since I'm still making changes and adjusting to things being different, that is one that WILL be different this year. All of my holidays have really really sucked this past year. Even my birthday last year. SO with a fresh June, a fresh birthday, I am starting a fresh tradition of Amanda Days.

SO for the next 20 days I'm going to do something each day that makes it a cool day. Even if it's just actually shaving my legs or going to get a snowcone. So let me be the first to wish all of you a Happy Amanda Days. Hopefully I will remember to each day talk about what I've done for Amanda Days that day...but no promises!

It's Wednesday. I like Wednesdays. It's still not late enough for me to say, "I'll just do it next week..." but it's almost the weekend, so the light at the end of the tunnel has started to illuminate fun things in the approaching S days (you know, Saturday and Sunday...the only days in the week that start w/ S's which together create the weekend)! And this week that is especially true. Tomorrow is the end of my Maymester class. I can honestly say that it hasn't been as bad as I had anticipated. It has not been enjoyable by any means. But the anticipation was definitely the worst. I am pretty confident that I will have an A in there as well, so that's a nice little jewel as well.

Allison is leaving today to go to Odessa and the surrounding areas. I'm glad she's getting to go. She would probably explode if she had to stay around her until summer school starts on Monday. She is starting a master's program at UNT. We will be students together. She is also going to see her Walt, he is her boyfriend. I think. Actually I am not sure of the official title...but titles are kind of oppressive. Placing titles on relationships is sometimes necessary, but when it's not, I like to avoid them. With titles come a standard of rules...you know, a preconceived notion of what that title means. Anyway, I'm rambling about that so I will move on.

Mandy is once again a broke ass bitch. She fell down playing basketball at her family reunion in Hobbs last weekend. She made a trip to the Lovington ER where they told her it was sprained and put her in a brace and on crutches. Yesterday she went to the Dr. here and it's much worse than the Lovington ER doc thought (imagine that...a Dr. out there being wrong...shocking). She has to have an MRI tomorrow because they think she tore a ligament and if so, will have to have it pinned back together. She is in a boot up to her knee. Poor thing. I hate seeing people in pain.

Ok, I'm off. I must get back to Traumatic Brain injuries...nothing like a little TBI to ruin an unusually chipper mood! Actually first I think I'm going to go invite Allison for one last trip to the back porch...

Well, low and behold! I am shocked and amazed that my most computer-phobic friend has a blog! I mentioned to her that Andra had requested such and she was game...so I am proud to introduce Miss Kim as Princess Long Legs Speaks!

We are starting small with a blog...once she gets used to it, I will introduce her to hello...be patient!

Allison went to Sonic last night a little after 10. There were 3 or 4 tables filled with people, Allison commented that it looked like a youth group. There was one special table of 4 girls, who appeared to be about 15 years old. What made them special was the fact that they had hats made out of tin foil, shaped a little like a Hershey's kiss, on their heads AND they were not the least bit giggly about it. So Allison rolls the window down and says, "Excuse me, but what is the significance of your hats?" The one with her back to us turned and said very matter of factly, "To keep the aliens out." Allison rolled up the window. They didn't crack a single smile, they just carried on as they had.

Allison and I, of course, laughed hysterically about it. I came up with the fun idea of getting out of the car and creeping up behind them, wiggling my fingers as if I were casting a spell or stealing their thoughts, and ripping a hat off and saying "You just thought you could keep me away!!!"

Weird.

Ok, I'm gonna hurry and do this so that I can pass the baton to basically the same people!!

total music files residing on my computer:
0...I don't ever download music anymore after Napster became unfree...I just listen to XM online

last cd i bought:
I have no idea either...but I think it is a breathing CD that teaches you to slow your heart rate through breathing...

song playing right now:
Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani

five songs i listen to alot or mean a lot to me:
These Arms of Mine-Otis Redding
Badfish-Sublime
I'll Be There For You-Bon Jovi
No Ordinary Love-Sade
Across the Universe-Finoa Apple

four or five people i'm passing the baton to:
Allison, Andra, Misti, Wendy, Martha

My friend Hadley sent me this and here's what it says about me, myself, and I:

You entered: 6/20/1978
You were born on a Tuesday
under the astrological sign Gemini.
Your Life path number is 6.

The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2443679.5.
The golden number for 1978 is 3.
The epact number for 1978 is 21.
The year 1978 was not a leap year.

As of 5/19/2005 11:27:28 AM CDT
You are 26 years old.
You are 323 months old.
You are 1,404 weeks old.
You are 9,830 days old.
You are 235,931 hours old.
You are 14,155,887 minutes old.
You are 849,353,248 seconds old.

There are 32 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 27 candles on it.

Those 27 candles produce 27 BTU's,
or 6,804 calories of heat (that's only 6.8040 food calories!) .
You can boil 3.09 US ounces of water with that many candles.

Your birth tree is:
Fig Tree, the Sensibility-
Very strong, a bit self-willed, independent, does not allow contradiction or arguments, loves life, family, children and animals, a bit of a butterfly, good sense of humour, likes idleness and laziness, of practical talent and intelligence.

There are 220 days till Christmas 2005!

The moon's phase on the day you were
born was full.

Last week was my first week not working. It was nice.

But today I started my Maymester class, but it's just online. It's already made me so angry that I seriously considered recreating a particular scene from Office Space. The class is called Special Education Programs and Practices. The first assignment was to download all this Java 1.4.2 crap and enable this and unblock that. What especially made me mad was that they required me to uninstall my google toolbar from explorer because it can "interfere" with WebCT, which is what online classes at UNT use. It took me one million hours and it has not a damn thing to do with teaching special ed., other than it made me feel like I have a severe learning disability when comprehending technology. I thought so many times today...I'm callin' MOE!! But, alas, I was a trooper and did it myself. I should be proud, but rather, I'm annoyed at the waste of my day.

I have a feeling that these next 3 weeks of online class are going to be dirty. Today was the first day I've not taken a shower in some time. And if I hadn't been out of all fruit and veggies and desperately needed to go to the store...I wouldn't have gotten out of my jammies. Maybe I should go shopping tomorrow for some new, cute, matching jammies at least...

I found this sticker on the MamaMeow.com site, just in case yall are wondering where to get such a fine item.

I love this!! 

Happy International No Diet Day!

Your Taste in Music:

80's Pop: Highest Influence

90's Hip Hop: Highest Influence

80's Alternative: High Influence

90's Pop: High Influence

Classic Rock: High Influence

Gangsta Rap: High Influence

Hair Bands: High Influence

Old School Hip Hop: High Influence

80's R&B: Medium Influence

80's Rock: Medium Influence

90's Alternative: Medium Influence

90's Rock: Medium Influence

Hip Hop: Medium Influence

Progressive Rock: Medium Influence

R&B: Medium Influence

90's R&B: Low Influence

Adult Alternative: Low Influence

How's Your Taste in Music?

This was just in the inbox...I'm surprised she responded but a little disappointed that this is all she wrote...

From : Conomos, Alexa
Sent : Wednesday, May 4, 2005 10:09 AM
To : "'Amanda M. N.'"
Subject : RE: Accomplia story


Thank you Amanda!

I haven't really talked about this (The CDC is So Busted: Fat Stats Overblown 14x) because, well...I haven't really known what to say other than NO SHIT?!

I knew the "300,000 deaths due to being fat each year" stat was crap. I knew that the people in this country are terrified of being fat and many would rather be dead than fat. I knew that the weightloss industry is one of the most profitable industries in this country and someone has to keep scaring people to buy the diets. And that the diet industry almost always has a hand in the research that the media reports to encourage us to eat low-carb/low-fat/pills/surgeries/etc because that's big bucks. I also knew that something was going to have to break because one can only keep reporting a lie for so long...I mean, we all now know the world is round.

So today when Alexa Conomos reported the outdated statistic like 2 weeks after she reported the new statistic...I was miffed. So I wrote her this email:

Alexa,

Today you introduced the Accomplia story on the News at Midday and stated that it treats the "two" biggest killers in the US: obesity and smoking. That statement is wrong. Obesity is officially considered the #7 killer, behind car accidents and gun deaths. The CDC has recently recanted their exaggerated statistics due to them being completely false.

Here is a reference of this finding:
Excess Deaths Associated With Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity
Flegal et al. JAMA.2005; 293: 1861-1867.

There is also a lot of information gathered on the subject on the Big Fat Blog website:
http://www.bigfatblog.com/

Just thought that you would like to know so that you can report information more accurately!

____________

I know she probably won't write me back. But I just had to say something about her totally reporting something they know is wrong.

So while everyone is talking about if Jennifer Wilbanks should be charged or not...or why she did it....or if he will still marry her....I just wanta talk about the fact that I think she REALLY looks like Jennifer Beals, you know, from Flashdance and more recently The L Word. Striking.

the "actress" from Georgia 

Jennifer Beals, the actress on TV 

While on the Hobbs News-Sun :: Serving Lea County and West Texas since 1928 website, I humored myself by taking the "online tour" of Hobbs, NM. Below is one of the pictures they have posted.

Now, I'm aware that this is probably in the Hobbs vicinity and that it is a pretty picture. But this is SO false advertisement. This picture might entice someone to take a trip, a vacation even, to Hobbs. I actually like to go there, but it's for the people...not the sites or neat attractions.

I did save this picture as my desktop. It makes me happy.

"HOBBS, NM" 

I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.
--Diane Ackerman


I also found this quote and it made me smile in light of the situation so I am posting it. It fits Mustang.

Mustang 

So I just got home from taking Mandy to Jared and Toby's house. They are going to a funeral tomorrow in Lubbock for a friend of ours. He was not a good friend of mine, but he was a beer drinking buddy. I saw him last at Jason Goff's wedding about 1.5 years ago. He was doing really well, I was really proud of him. He had gotten himself together and had become a fireman in Amarillo. He died in the line of duty. I'm going to link the article, but post it and his picture here too. The article doesn't use the name that I know him as, Mustang, but the goofy smile in the picture is all him.

amarillo.com | Local News: City firefighter dies after fall from truck 04/26/05

Amarillo firefighters striped their badges with black mourning ribbons, and flags at city fire stations flew at half-staff in tribute to a fallen comrade who died Monday after suffering critical injuries in the line of duty Saturday. With wreaths of flowers hanging underneath the low-flying American flag at the Amarillo Fire Department's Central Fire Station, firefighters remained in a state of shock and grief after learning the news that firefighter Christopher Brian Hunton, 27, died Monday morning at Northwest Texas Hospital, said Amarillo Fire Chief Steve Ross.

"They are just devastated," Ross said. "He (Hunton) has his own family, but he was also a part of our family."

Hunton, who was an AFD firefighter since March 6, 2003, died at Northwest Texas Hospital at 9:53 a.m. after suffering serious injuries when he fell from a firetruck Saturday night, Ross said.

Hunton had surgery soon after the accident and was placed in the intensive care unit at the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries early Monday, Ross said.

According to an Amarillo Police Department report of the accident, a defective door handle may have been a contributing factor in Hunton's fall from the firetruck.

The department's fire marshal, Terry McKinney, said officials are waiting on the arrival of the Texas State Fire Marshal's Office, which will begin its own investigation into the accident.

"I am just convinced that once the investigation is completed, we will have a very clear picture," McKinney said. "Right now, all we have are assumptions."

McKinney said the department is also expecting an autopsy.

Hunton is the first Amarillo firefighter to die in the line of duty since Kenneth Albert Caldwell, 29, died Aug. 16, 1982, while searching for residents inside a burning Amarillo apartment building. Two other Amarillo firefighters have died in the line of duty since 1936.

The accident occurred about 10 p.m. when Ladder Truck No. 3 was responding to a fire in the 2600 block of South Polk Street. The firetruck, a 1998 Freightliner, left the Central Fire Station at Fourth Avenue and Van Buren Street and went north before turning right on Southwest Third Avenue.

While the truck was turning, Hunton, who was in the left-rear passenger side of the truck, fell out after the passenger side door came open, according to an Amarillo Police Department accident report.

The truck was traveling at a relatively slow speed at the time of the accident, according to police reports.

The fire department has set up a fund in Hunton's name at Amarillo National Bank, and fire officials are in contact with Hunton's family to plan his funeral service, Ross said.

Hunton, who was not married and had no children, will be buried in Lubbock, where his parents live, but a funeral date had not been set late Monday, said AFD Capt. Bob Johnson.

Ross said members of the department will continue to wear the mourning badges and keep their flags at half-staff for the next 30 days to honor Hunton.

"It is out of respect for a fallen brother," Ross said.

A have a small bitch that I just can't help and must voice.

I'm sure that everyone in my father's family has heard that I'm getting a divorce. They are rather gossipy. I mean, my aunt mentioned to someone that I had filled a "restraining order" against Vic. Um, TX doesn't even HAVE such a thing, and even if they did...I don't need or want one. Not being mean...just stating the facts about the fam.

SO today I'm looking through the mail that has arrived in the past few days. There is a nice envelope addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Napoleon." I open it to find a wedding invitation to my cousin's wedding. Why would it be addressed that way? Do they honestly think that, in the slight chance in hell that I came to the wedding, that I would bring my husband that I'm divorcing?

Did I mention that this particular cousin's parents, who would be my aunt and uncle, did not acknowledge that I even got married? Not a card. Not even the RSVP card back from them.

And while I'm at it, enclosed in the invite was directions to the locations of the event. At the bottom it gave their "website" address. It is really just a page w/ a single picture of them, a small amount of info on the wedding (including that they really want giftcards because they just bought a house and are remodeling it), and then links to their registries. So not something that should be included in the formal wedding invitation!

Did I mention that they registered for PINK luggage and a $180 kitchen trash can?

Ok, I'm taking my bitch ass to bed, but not before another dose of Midol.

My dear cousin Allison got a blog! Yeah for another blog to read!

Knowledge_of_Spring's Xanga Site

So today she did these quiz things and insisted that I visit (well, I took "I insist you visit..." as speaking to me personally). So I took the same ones and this is what Jung and Enneagram think about me today.

ESTP - "Promotor". Action! When present, things begin to happen. Fiercely competitive. Entrepreneur. Often uses shock effect to get attention. Negotiator par excellence. 4.3% of total population.

Take Free Jung Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Main type	Variant

Take Free Enneagram Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Enneagram Test Results Type 1 Perfectionism |||||| 26% Type 2 Helpfulness |||||||||||||||||| 80% Type 3 Image Awareness |||||||||||||| 53% Type 4 Sensitivity |||||||||| 40% Type 5 Detachment |||||| 30% Type 6 Anxiety |||||||||||||||| 70% Type 7 Adventurousness |||||||||| 40% Type 8 Aggressiveness |||||||||||| 43% Type 9 Calmness |||||||||||||| 53% Your main type is 2 Your variant is social

Take Free Enneagram Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

So I just had lunch with my friend, Dayana. She and I worked together at Friends of the Family the first time I worked there a few years ago. She left there to work for CPS so now we see each other a lot again since I'm always at the CPS office. Dayana is from Colombia, but is married to a U.S. Citizen. She was telling me that she applied in Jan 05 to take her citizenship test and they told her it would be about a year before she would actually be scheduled for a test date. She just got a letter telling her that she is taking the test on April 21st. She has not studied and was freaking out a little. So we were talking and I told her I knew you could get info for free online and that I would ask Allison if she would be willing to help her since Allison is a high school government teacher. So just out of curiosity, I was just looking around online and found this sample test, Naturalization Self Test.

Now, I'm pretty savvy on politics/history. I mean, it's not my specialty like it is Misti and Allison; but I'm generally interested in this stuff so I remember it. So given that, I thought that I would know pretty much all of the answers...and I do know a good 90% of them...but still! Shouldn't we as "natural born citizens" be required to know the same information? Here are a few questions that I did NOT know and their answers, just in case you guys are bad citizens like me.

*How many representatives are there in Congress? (435)

*How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution? (27)

*Who said, "Give me liberty or give me death"? (Patrick Henry)

So now, my question is this: Who in the heck is Patrick Henry? And if I don't know, then is it really fair to deny Dayana citizenship because she doesn't know trivial information like that? I know, I know. Immigrants are a sensitive subject, but she is just such a smart, wonderful person that it makes me look at my thoughts on immigration differently when I have a face to put on the term. Anyway, I'm off to look up ol' Patty H. and see exactly WHO and WHY he was.

I know this is tacky, but I can't help myself...

Medical Announcement

Pfizer Corp. announced today that VIAGRA will soon be available in liquid form and will be marketed by Pepsi Cola as a power beverage suitable for use as a mixer. It will now be possible for a man to literally "pour himself a stiff one."

Obviously we can no longer call this a soft drink, and it gives
new meaning to the names "cocktails," "highballs," and just a good old fashioned "stiff drink." Pepsi will market the new concoction by the name if...yep, you guessed it...

"MOUNT & DO."

I've been cleaning my room and bathroom and I'm hot so I'm takin a break. My parents will be here in a bit and they are staying in my room since we no longer have a guest bedroom and there are two of them and one of me and it makes sense that they get my king size bed. But I still hate trying to make my room acceptable to them. All my mother does is clean stuff and so my once a month or so cleaning is not so bueno to her. But beggers can't be choosers!

I called back on March 7th to change the utilities into my name. After lots of beggin and tears, everyone just did it over the phone except for shitass Centurytel, our local phone provider. Might I also add, the ONLY local phone provider us Corinthians can get! SO, they sent me a form and "Vic" and I both signed it...right...and I sent it back. So yesterday I got our new bill addressed to me. This bill has been $28.01 for three years since we got a phone line, so imagine my surprise when the total is 40something! There is a $13.50 "service charge" on March 13th. So I call and the lady proceeds to tell me that since I made changes to my account, they charged me a service fee. She said that it was because SOME changes require a technician to work on the line. Hell no. I explained that they deleted 4 letters and retyped 6 and that if the fee wasn't removed that I was canceling the phoneline because not only did my change not require a tech. dude but noone informed me of the charge because if they had I wouldn't have changed it! So after a manager looked over it, he got on the line and told me that "since the original callnotes do not say they informed you of the fee we will credit it off the account, but just for future notice be aware that all changes to the account are accompanied by a service charge." Grrrr. SO they deleted it, but that is so so so stupid. How is this it that I only have ONE local provider to choose from? That is unAmerican, I say!

I've been thinking about making my hair really blonde. Like the color it was back before it turned brown. But I don't know if I can handle the upkeep on it and I just couldn't live with nasty roots. Any thoughts?

I don't think I mentioned this and I so should have because it makes me happy! At Big As Texas a couple of weekends ago, I bought a WideBodies Chair! It's extra sturdy furniture for fat chicks like myself. Mine is red and it's beautiful. It has a lifetime warranty on the frame and springs and whatnot. It's so comfy and sassy AND I got it on sale because they just brought one example from their store in the San Marcos area and did not want to haul it back! Oh yeah, and if you go to the website...the picture of the two cute fat chicks on the loveseat are Elizabeth and Frannie and that was at Big as Texas last year!

Ok, enough procrastination. That toilet won't scrub itself.

My scarf! I finally got it to post! 

I think this is funny. I got a forward in my email that had the "rejection hotline number" in it. I called it. It lead me to look at that website. It all amuses me. But yall have to call the rejection hotline. I wish I were brave (cruel?) enough to give it to someone. Anyway, off to get my hair cut.

CALL: 972-504-6270

I went to Big As TEXAS this past weekend. It was really good to see everyone. I missed last year, so it had been 2 years! I love being around a big group of people who are either fat or believe in fat acceptance. I didn't get enough sleep, but that is always a sign of a fun weekend!

I'm exhausted. And overwhelmed. A lot of times when I really think about it, I don't feel old enough to be "married." And I sure don't feel old enough to be getting divorced. It is relatively easy to get married, but it is incredibly complicated to get a divorce. And most of it I don't understand. I also don't feel old enough to be using the phase "my attorney" everyday.

My parents put a deposit on a lot just outside of Denton at Robson Ranch. It's one of those places that at least one person in the house has to be 50 years or older and no one under 18 can live there. I hope nothing happens to change it because I really want them to move here.

I thought that maybe one of you girls would sneak off to a computer and post so I was trying to wait, but I can't anymore. Andra is no longer prego, because just a few hours ago sweet Sadee was born!

I don't know any details really, because Moe called Misit and Misti called me. SO I think that maybe she weighted 7lbs 8 oz. But no length, middle name, nothing. So someone needs to blog that info and PICTURES! We want PICTURES!

Yeah for Sadee!!

SO I just took a quick trip to the post office and decided to stop by good ol' Sonic for my new favorite thing, the orange cream slush.

Now, I know a lot of things are said to be the best thing since sliced bread...but I think that I have truly found it. Sonic now has credit card machines ON THE ORDERING BOX!!! Hot damn! I pulled up, hit the button, ordered, they told me my total, the total popped up on the box, I slid my card in & out, it said approved, a minute later Carmen brought me my drink and my receipt and I was on my way...no signature required.

Now if they could just stay open 24 hours a day....

I don't believe that I have mentioned that I adore the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. He makes me laugh just looking at him. I make a point to stay up til at least 11:30 when he comes on. I don't even like most "talk shows," but Craig is different. He is Scottish and sounds like Fat Bastard, which in and of itself makes me giggle. So yall should watch him and we could all blog about how funny last night's show was.

I'm about to go to an inhome visit. But then I'm going to the gym. I'm going to swim while Allison is in some sort of landlover's class and then we are going to meet in the hottub. I'm glad that I have a fun thing to look forward too after the home visit.

I can't believe that in like 48 hours there is a decent chance that Sadee will no longer inhabit Andra. I'm excited to meet her.

Moe, thanks for calling me. I do plan to come to the hospital. I am also wondering if there is any chance that you might have a spare minute to come to my house. My computer is doing bad things and I don't know what to do with it. I'll buy ya lunch or gas or something. I would really appreciate it. And it doesn't even have to be this weekend...as I'm sure you will be in the metroplex type area a lot since you are now Aunt Moe.

I'm going to have a party sometime, prolly in April. More details to come, but just thinking about it so I thought I'd announce it. I'm still waiting for Mr. J-Ko to let me know when he is whisking J-Ko away for her birthday before deciding on the weekend. I'm also going to Las Cruces in April. And maybe New Orleans, my friend Whitney White from Tulsa that I was friends w/ when I lived in CA and went to Santa Catalina just moved there and I've not seen her in forever.

Speaking of Santa Catalina, I just finally got on the Alumnae page. SO I called Whitney and Sarah Pfalzer (now Schmitt) yesterday. It was so good to talk to them. And Sarah is 10 weeks prego. So fun.

Vic's appt. w/ the church was yesterday. Seems he was having a really good work out at the gym and couldn't quite make it. So they called him to set up another time and he said ok. Then he called to tell me that he thought it was pointless so he was NOT going to set up another time.

So there you have it. Almost 9 months after this whole ordeal began, it's going to end with a really good workout and not having the balls to even call and cancel. Or the balls to tell them when they call you that you think their efforts are "pointless."

I can honestly tell you that I feel I have handled things the very best way I could and am so thankful for everyone who has been there and listened and prayed. Your prayers were very helpful, I do have a sense of peace about the whole thing and am ready to put this behind me and that can only be explained by God. But this was the final attempt to reach him. I have contacted an attorney to begin the divorce process immediately.

On a different, but related note...Does anyone know anyone that would take a slightly used very cute but very engetic 2 year old brown standard poodle midget named Frank? I really can't keep two big dogs on my own.

So on Friday night me, Allison, Mandy, Tera McDonald, and my friend Sheri went to the gym together. Mandy and Tera had a basketball game, Sheri had an appt w/ her personal trainer, Allison worked out, and I swam (over 1000 meters, or 50 laps...that's when I stopped counting!). Then we went to dinner at Chilis in our workout cloths, me with wet hair in pigtails. Then Mandy, Allison & I came home, watched some TV and went to bed. Today I went to Half Price Bookstore, to get cat litter, and to lunch with Allison. Then we shaved all 3 kitties. Bald. Now we are going to dinner. Then some SNL and bed.

I think this weekend is a testimony to my age. I am feeling old.

I knitted a cool scarf and I took a picture of myself in it to Hello for you guys, but when I try to sign in it says this "A network error occurred [0x00002af9]" so I can't. It's the first thing I've ever made knitting. It's made out of this fancy fur. I feel talented and crafty. And that makes me want to sing the Beasties song "she's crafty, she gets around, she's crafty..."

So Mandy is moving in with Allison and I this Friday. She and Shelley broke up because Mandy is a Republican and they were about to move in together so she had already given notice at her apt. in Dallas and will be homeless after this week. So she is moving back in my house. For the 3rd time at this house alone. Mandy and I lived together at: Hunter's Way Apt's in Lubbock in 98; my house in lubbock in 99; Edgewater apts in Lewisville in 2000-01; Springs of Indian Creek apts in Carrollton in 2001-02; my house in Corinth in 2002-2003; same house in summer of 04; and now again. We can't seem to grow up and stay grown up, not by any faults of our own.

I went and met w/ some people with the Reconciliation Ministry at Denton Bible Church yesterday. I haven't called DBC "my church" yet because I've been waiting for Vic to decide if he wanted to be members there. But I will start calling it my church now because I am tired of waiting on Vic for many things, including this. But they are going to contact Vic and ask him to come in and meet with them. The idea is for us both to reconcile with God and with that, attempt to reconcile the marriage. Vic knows they are calling him and he says he is going to go meet with them. But who knows if he will. And if he does, if he will respond to it or tell them to go away. But either way, they are going to help me...get me set up with the right bible study, sunday school class, etc. I already feel better because these people are here for this reason and I don't just feel like a fish out of water trying to figure out what to do next. They were really great and I feel really blessed to be working with them.

Ok, I'm off to clean something out of something so Mandy can move her somethings in to whatever I clean out.

Today someone said to me "Happy Fat Tuesday!" I said "Thanks, and have a happy Fat Wednesday too!" She laughed and reminded me of Mardi Gras. Whoopdedoo. There's a party somewhere else, I'm at work, and I'm fat every Tuesday and Wednesday and the other 5 too. I understand the meaning of the last hurrah before lent and whatnot...but I just don't like to tie days and nights of drunken titty flashin' to something involving Christ. But that's just me.

My cousin Allison is moving in this weekend. She is a teacher in Springtown, TX and already has a sorta long commute to work but is going to make it even longer by moving here...but she is planning on grad school at UNT and it will help her save some $ not living alone. I'm excited. We used to see each other more than we have the last few years and so much has changed in those years so it will be nice getting to hang out with her again. Teddy and Roosevelt, both of the feline-type, will be joining us also!

Ok, I'm off to a CCL board meetin'.

I'm excited about the shower this weekend. It seemed so far away, but now it's here! I'm ready for Misti and Davis to be here too. Anyway, I'm writting one million casenotes for work and still have to do some homework due tomorrow night but found this article and thought Momma Andra needed it.

Your Feet and Pregnancy

Night night.

This dude, Mr. Big Ass Bobcat was in my backyard yesterday. Me, Vic, and Teri were sitting out there "talking" and one poked his head around the corner. He didn't actually come through the fence...but he stared at us and he was so NOT scared of us. He just finally sashayed away into the park. I'll tell you one thing...he would have a nice lunch of Frank and a dinner o' Nancy if given the chance. I live in the wild kingdom.