3 times, not the charm

My dear friend Chris once told me that after 3 dates, you should be able to tell whether or not you really want to date someone. Boy, was he right on the money. I learned through this date that I have cardinal rules of dating that shouldn't be broken or it's all over. Yeah, my date on Friday broke so many of these rules that I didn't know that I had. Here are some of mine:

1. Thou shall ask me my opinions and not just do what you want...example: did I get to choose the movie? Nope. Did I even have a voice? Nope. The movie we saw was very violent and not my type of movie. When asked if I was hungry and I said a little, was I asked what I wanted to eat? Nope. It was chosen for me.
2. Thou shall listen to me and not just do what you want. Example: I said I wanted to go to a certain theater to avoid my students, guess what theater we ended up at? Yeah, the one my students go to. Not cool.
3. Thou shall not make me walk a long way in my heels...or at least ask me if I would be okay walking what it seemed like forever.
4. Thou shall not be cheap. There is cheap and there is thrifty...Big difference and he's cheap.
5. Thou shall not make fun of a gift my mother gave me...or mock it...my mother gave me a VERY nice Philip Stein watch, you know the Oprah watch and the whole evening he was mocking it as the magic watch with the ooooooohhhhh.
6. Thou shall not treat me as a stupid girl who has no opinion and that he knows EVERYTHING about the world...the economy is not just a figment of our imaginations...we are in trouble. His thought is that the economy is just righting itself. Be that as it may, people are still having trouble making ends meet!!!!

Anyways, I'm glad I found out now. I know I could have stopped and said something earlier but I would have come off as a shrew and there's the whole thing that his dad is one of my vendors, goes to my church, knows my parents. It's complicated. The thing is I think he really likes me and I have to find a nice way to say that it's just not going to work. I'm glad he's not a phone talker so it can be a short and sweet conversation. I'm sorry Sandra that we didn't work. I know you had high hopes but Rex was so right, "RUN!" At least I can cross off "Go out on a date" off my list of To Do for this year. LOL

Tomorrow my mom is having a colonoscopy and so I'm taking the day off to take her. I'm eagerly waiting to hear when the next referrals will come. My sister had a vivid dream about playing with a little girl. I hope it's a sign. When I was cutting my gala apples this morning, the label had a little ladybug on it. Hope it's a good sign.

Ren Fest

I had a fabby weekend with my best friend and her hubby, daughter and her hubby's friends. We drove 3 hours to go to Texas Renaissance Festival. I tell you, it is the best people watching experience ever. It cracks me up to watch people jump out of their modern day cars and SUVs and then don medieval wear. I think the chain mail bikini tops were a bit much but what really made us laugh were the men who were wearing Conan like outfits, complete with fur boots and fur loin cloths. Crazy. There was one cute Conan guy that I didn't mind watching so much. Sigh!

Next weekend or the weekend after, I am going to go skydiving with Shannon's hubby Keith while Shannon watches. It's on my list of things I've always wanted to do. Crazy, I know. But I figure I should do it before I get my daughter. I can tell my grandchildren, "Yeah, Grandma was a daredevil in her younger days. She even jumped out of a plane!" The funny thing is that I've always liked that sort of stuff for the most part but scary movies and glow in the dark things scare the heck out of me. Go figure.

hip hip hooray!

YEA! I am so glad that the USCIS is allowing us to extend our I-600A if we don't let it expire. Yipee! I was totally sweating it just because who knew if the no singles policy currently held by China would affect me (I know they said it wouldn't but you know, things have changed so often during this long wait that we never know from one day to the next). I am still hopeful that I won't have to renew again (mine expires in July 2009) but I definitely won't let it expire if it does. I am very blessed in that I have a great friend Chris, who I love and adore, who has been giving me referrals for a side job (and he himself said he was going to send me work from his own project) that is helping to build my savings/money market account. The wait has allowed me to grow these accounts so I will totally be on a cash basis and I shouldn't wipe out everything when I go to China, which is a sigh of relief. Heck though, if I could go today, I wouldn't care about wiping out the account because something always happens and God provides for my needs. I can't explain it but it always happens that way.

This Saturday, I am going to Renfest with my best friend Sandra and her hubby and their daughter and Rex's friends. It should be fun. I might even get my hair all crazy braided. It hurts but I always love the look. My parents are going to have to let Hope out a couple of times since I'll be gone all day and not coming home until late at night (we have to travel to Plantersville).

I can't believe tomorrow is Wednesday. Is it me or is time flying by super fast? You think this is God's way of making the wait bearable for us?

Neil Diamond

Tonight, my friend D and I went to see Neil Diamond in concert. I know, I know, not the typical Jamie fare but we were offered free tickets and we decided to go. We had fun even though we only knew about 7 of the songs. It was one of the greatest people watching times we had. We saw a woman in her 50s get kicked out for being too drunk. We watched people who were our parents age totally getting jiggy with it. And we got to belt out Sweet Caroline (and those of you who know my story with that song...nope, didn'thave any flashbacks, though I did see Kip's face a couple of times which made me a little nausiated). We left before it was over. The place was packed! People were having a good time which made it even more fun. I loved watching the guy who was my age in the front row with his mom. He and his mom both were clearly enjoying the show. They were up on their feet just dancing and singing along. That got me thinking...when I'm 50ish, will there be a performer that I will want to see, that will pack the house and sound like they did when they were in there heyday? I can't imagine myself then wanting to see Def Leppard, Duran Duran, AC/DC...maybe U2? Hmmmm who knows.

Shadiness

Okay...I am so going to air some dirty laundry right now. I'm kind of livid. Why is it that the guys I go out with end up being shady? Example, tonight. The person who I went out with last Saturday who hasn't called me all week was supposed to be going out of town to Houston...guess who I ran into at the football game? Yep, you guessed it! I'm with my girls from work going to get tickets and who do I see in front of me? So, I lean over to D and poke her and start saying under my breath, "That's him! That's the guy!" when he swoops next to me and says, "My dad says, "there's Jamie! Hide!" Okay, that was so not funny and not cool! I got caught first of all, acting like a teenager pointing him out to my friend, then I'm kind of cautious because he is supposed to be out of town. When I call him on it, he says the plans fell through. Hmmm, how is seeing your uncle a plan that could fall through? I call foul totally. I was very cool towards him and he has the nerve to say, "We're going out Friday right?" I nod, what was I supposed to say? No loser because you can't pick up a phone to say you're staying in town? He KNEW I was going to be there. I told him Saturday night. The game was fun though. I got to see my former students and even though we lost, it was a great game. We had a blast. I just don't get guys. Seriously. So, yeah, I'll go out Friday and I think I'm going to look pretty fabulous and just be cool about it. His loss. Oh yeah, and what was it about giving me a handshake? What was that all about? I gave him a hug. His dad gave me a hug when he came and talked to me and asked about my parents. Yeah, he was there with his folks. Okay, so I attact real winners. I knew there was a reason why I have stayed single.

Yikes! Dating!

I thought I was going to puke my guts out on the way to the restaurant. Yep, I said it. Pure, pure nervousness. What is it about first dates that just make you want to hurl? What's worse is that I knew him but he didn't really know me. His parents and my parents know each other, we went to the same church and same schools growing up (I graduated 3 years before he did) and it was a total fluke that we met (I had been on a Catholic dating site a long time ago...never ever checked it and got an e-mail that I had a response and long story short, we started talking). But, I have to say, I had a really good time. We ate Thai food and came back to my house and played wii. He kicked my butt in bowling, we tied in tennis and I knocked him out in boxing...must be the rhythmic boxing I do on wii fit. Then we played Idol Karoke Revolution & Rock Band. Yeah, I'm not usually a girl who will bust out a song in front of a strange guy, but I did. I am not a great singer either. But we had fun. But, just because I had fun doesn't mean this is going anywhere. He did ask me out again in a couple of weeks (he's going to Houston next weekend). But still, it doesn't mean anything at all! Besides, I still haven't let him know about Grace. Frankly, we're gettting to know each other in a buddy sort of way, which adopting my daughter really doesn't concern him at this point. I go back and forth on this issue all of the time. It's interesting throwing dating into the whole not quite a single parent mix. And you know what? He might already know because I know his dad knows I'm adopting. I work with him once or twice a year. And he still hasn't told me his secrets either...I know all of his baggage because of someone who works with his dad told me and his dad told my dad too...Oh well...too much thinking makes my head hurt.

I hope the wait will speed up.

Another small batch

Boo-hoo for those of us still waiting. The batch looks to be small again, only getting to February 15th (which is what? 4 or 5 days?). I shouldn't be surprised anymore, but I can't help it...it bums me out but at the same time I have to believe that China is going to surprise me soon in a positive way...I'm just thinking what goes down, must come up! So, I'm keeping my chin up and keeping up with my novenas...I'm seriously one candle and scarf away from being one of the little abuelitas who light the candles and pray to the santos.

On an interesting note, I actually have a date on Saturday. I know my best friend Sandra who reads my blog is jumping up and down with joy. I'm really not ready to be in any relationship but I figure a date could be fun...we're going to have bubble tea and play Wii at my house. Nothing major and in case you're wondering Sandra, I really haven't thought about what I'm wearing. You know, I like being the queen bee in my house and I'm not sure I want to give it up or share the power, especially the power of the remote control. I have yet to say anything to him about Grace...how bad would it be to show him the nursery and say guess what? Just kidding!

Happy #28th LID Anniversary?

I can't believe my dossier has been logged in for 28 months! Wow! Who would have thunk? So, in this waiting time I've been getting my fix of Project Runway and all of the other TV shows that I won't get to watch as much. Right now I am so addicted to Project Runway. I love Leighanne, Kato & Jerrell. I can't stand Kinley! She's way too full of herself. Her dresses are pretty but they all look the same. I also can't wait until Amazing Race on Sunday! Woo-hoo! I love it so much.

On a sadder note, Shannon is in the middle of a scare...she started having pain in the same breast that had the cancer. She knew something was wrong last time when she started having pain. She had a mammogram yesterday and they are supposed to call when they know something. I am keeping her in my prayers and I hope you will too. She is one of the coolest, nicest people that you will ever meet. Last year she lost her mother suddenly and battled cancer...I hope that this year it'll be better...let's hope that it's nothing.

It's almost the end of September

Can you believe how time has flown by? It's almost the end of September. It seems that my days at work fly by so fast. I have never been as busy as I have been this year. I'm not sure what it is, but I like that my day goes by fast. I have been working with more teachers this year which is great. It took 7 years to get them to come to me for help.

The other middle school librarians were teasing me the other day in our meeting about how cute my hair was and they liked the way my toes were painted and they told me to enjoy it now because my cute hair, outfits and toes are going to go bye-bye when my daughter gets home. I'll have food stains and food and slobber in my hair. You know what? I am actually looking forward to looking like that. I can't wait until I get to see my little one's face. It is still the question for people I haven't seen in a while. They wince when I tell them, well, at least they are in my year but it has been taking several months to do one month, but it could change or speed up. I think I have waited so long that I'm so used to the questions. They don't bother me anymore. I just told them to be prepared for the big ol scream they'll be hearing that will eminate throughout our city when I get the referral.

Weird Dreams

Okay, so this post is going to sound a bit weird, but I told myself I had to write this down somewhere because when the time comes, I want to see if I was right. So, here goes...bear with me as I tread in the bizarre waters. I don't know if you have ever had the experience when you're asleep but you're sort of not, like in a twilightish state and you feel like, I don't know, I would imagine it's like when they use those shocker paddles on people to get their heart started. My whole body was like this "slam" feeling and in my ear as I was recovering from that slamming sensation, I heard a baby crying, like the first cry from a newborn. I opened my eyes, wondering where it was coming from. My room was dark and the clock said I think 4 or 5 a.m. I even got out of bed looking to see if maybe someone was out front with a baby (and of course there wasn't...why would someone have a newborn baby in front of my house that early in the morning). I thought it was strange, but it got me thinking, maybe it was a sign from above that my daughter Grace is born somewhere in China. I know, I know, it's strange, but wouldn't it be interesting if my daughter has a September birthdate???

Guess what I saw today?

I was on my front porch, opening my front door when I looked up at the porch light and guess what I saw around it? Two, that's right, two, ladybugs. Hope it's a good sign.

I am hoping that Ike will not do too much damage. The swells over the Galveston sea wall were scary. I remember hanging out there when I was visiting my friend Matt at A&M in Galveston. I'm glad my aunt sold her beach house there. I will just have to say a little prayer for the people there and I hope we get just a bit of rain here. My yard is starting to get some brown patches.

Wimberly Days and Jack Levitt

Today I spent the day with my best friend, her hubby and her beautiful daughter at Wimberly Days. It was so fun just ambling about checking things out. I bought several crosses that said, hope, love, joy, and faith as well as some cute sandals. Then we went to eat at Inos for lunch which was very good. I made the mistake of laughing at Holly when Sandra said, "Show me your nose" to which Holly did by sticking her fingers in her nostrils. I was laughing so hard that she kept doing it over and over again. I really tried hard not to, but it was funny. I hope she doesn't keep doing that over and over. I'm super dooper sorry if she does. She likes it when I laugh. I think it's because I can be hyena like.

I also just got back from going out with some friends from work (decided I should do this more before Grace comes home). Our friend, Bob, has a band called Jack Levitt (check out their website and hear their music, http://www.jacklevitt.com/ )and we went to see him play at the Broadway 5050. I had a good time except for all of the smoke. I won't be surprised if I wake up later today coughing up a lung. It was bad. One of my friend's friend liked this guy who was sitting across from us. Bob told us that he was a jerk and he did look like one. My friend's friend was like sort of obsessing about him so I told her, look, why not go over there and talk to him and she responded that she couldn't. So, I go all middle school and ask her if she wants me to talk to him, which she says yes. I go over to the guy and I introduce myself to his friends and then to him and I say, "My friend at the table wants to know how old you are" to which he says, well how old is she? I replied, "She's around my age." and then he says, "Well, how old is that?" I tell him, "How old do you think I am?", which I know can be a touchy question, but it was kind of a test. He pretty much nails it on the head, with, "35" and I say, "Close enough." He tells me his age is first 24 then 27 and then I ask his name. He doesn't give it to me right away. His friend tells him, "Billy, give her your name." And he says, "Uhhhhh, I'm thinking of a sexy name, uhhhhhhh, uhhhh, Todd." I said, "Dude, a guy who can't give his own name is so not sexy." Then I leave and go back to my table to tell my friend's friend what he said. We all agreed he was a total jerk and that Bob was right. I think that made her get over him. Anyways, as we were getting readyt to leave, my friend's friend goes to the bathroom and who comes over and sits in her chair right next to me? Yeah, you guessed it, our friend Mr. Sexy Todd! I looked at him and he looked at me and I said, "What? My interested friend is in the bathroom" and he said what back. Then he asked if we were leaving? We only had our purses out! I told him that we were and when you get older you go home earlier! He stomps away and I look at him puzzled. What was the deal??? Yeah, didn't get it at all. I'm just glad I'm home now, showered and smoke free. I can feel the effects from the smoke in my chest. I hope I don't end up getting sick and having to go to the doctor. Yuck!

I just love Stork Landings...Seriously

I love stork landings. They make me so happy that parents are getting to see their child's face for the first time. I think it brings home the fact that it will one day be my turn. Shannon who has never ever made predictions thinks it's going to be in the Spring of 09. I would be happy with early summer...actually, I would be happy with any day as long as I get my child! The sooner the better! Okay, 9 more days down! Yippee!

I had my author visit by Jennifer Anne Kogler. She rocks! I'll have to add the picture that she, Shannon and I took today. I felt so bad for her because our school's AC broke and it was VERY hot, like today it's 99. I'm glad she came in the morning and it wasn't as hot. If you like young adult books or you have reader kids, her book Otherworldlies is a fantastic fantasy. It's a perfect middle school book (meaning no real violence, somebody gets frozen and no sex or cursing). It's like a combo of Percy Jackson, Lemony Snicket with a small splash of Harry Potter thrown in. It's a vampire book with a different kind of bite (not typical or anything similar to Twilight series). I didn't like the first chapter because too much info was given (and my reader's A.D.D. can kick in) but it picked up and I finished it in less than a day (I didn't want to put it down and it's not a hard read).

I'm Back in the Saddle Again

The first day of school went off without a hitch. I hit the floor running and didn't stop. It seems like I just left for the summer. It's hard to believe that I've been back for 3 weeks now. I love my faculty and staff. My goal this year is to be nice to everybody, no matter how much they irritate me and also to be equitable with my time. I know that there are teachers that I tend to favor and I'll jump through hoops for them but now I need to be fair. I have an author coming to visit next Tuesday (Jennifer Anne Kogler). I haven't yet read her two books but I'm starting on them.

I'm going through Olympics withdrawl. I miss plopping myself down on the couch and watching something new. I hope there will be a DVD of highlights that I can buy for Grace to see later on down the road. Speaking of DVDs, I watched Found in China and it was FABULOUS! I learned so much by watching this young girls go back to their homeland. There was something similar on the documentary channel right before the Olympics but the girls were from Norway, I think. I had to read the subtitles in English. It was great too. One of my favorite lines that one of the girls said was that she liked China because everybody looked so different!

I'm also reading Silent Tears which I have a hard time putting down. It really is a tear jerker but I think it can help us understand some of the things our children may/may not go through. I only have a little over 100 pages left. I hope to finish it by the end of the week so my mom can read it.

Goodbye Popo!

My beloved grandfather finally found peace on Friday evening, a little after 11 p.m. I think he was waiting for my Aunt Sonia to come into town from Houston before he left us. She didn't get to see him though. She really thought he was going to make it because the hospital said he was improving earlier that day. I knew better. I knew it was coming, but maybe the next week. I went to bed Friday around 10ish because I had been tired from my first crazy week back at work. My mom then called and woke me up at 11 when the lightning/thunder storm hit to tell me to rub fabric softner sheets on Hope to calm her down, if she needed it in the storm (who would have known that softner sheets can do that...takes the static out). I also unplugged my computer because it kept coming on around that time and I thought it was the storm (which now I believe was my grandfather telling me goodbye) Then a little after midnight (I had probably just got back into my deep sleep) my aunt Sonia called from my mom's house to tell me my grandfather had passed. I called my sister and we went over to my parents' house and stayed until 2 a.m. The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity with very little sleep. Never before has a distinct rift between siblings has been so evident. We (being me, mom, dad, and sister) are pretty much the only ones in the middle territory. We're the ones who have to go back and forth to get important burial/funeral information. Actually, let me rephrase that, I've been getting a lot of information and I've been the one at the front line getting the brunt of the frustration from other family members (those in conflict with other siblings or within my own immediate family, those who feel incredibly left out of the process). I have to take it like a big ol oak tree, strong and tall, listen, tell them I'm sorry and ask what I can do to make it better. Yeah, death is WAY easier for the dying than the living. I am physically and emotionally drained and so ready for the services to be done (not to be insensitive or anything). After that, I can let go and have a really good cry instead of these brief little bouts (like now as I write this). The rosary will be Monday night and the funeral on Tuesday. I hope to be a pall bearer but who knows what will come (some family members are VERY weird and traditonal about things like that). Interestly enough, I can't wait to get back to my crazy life as a middle school librarian. My grandmother is doing okay. She said she was glad that the old man is finally at peace. I am glad too. And that's the best thing (next to my friends who have been great sources of support...thank you all so much and I have great love for you all).

Getting ready to mourn...

Today, I was going to write about how I finally finished Grace's 100 wishes quilt (it's uh, well, completed and definitely not perfect.) I also wanted to write about my first day back at work (good and interesting) and I wanted to talk about how we've finally finished the January 2006 LIDs (Yeehaw). However, after hearing my mom's conversation with one of my aunts, I feel compelled to write about my grandather. My grandfather has always been a very strong man in my life. He was a silent aztec warrior. He would quietly tell you things or give you warnings, but he let you make the decisions and accept the consequences (like when I wanted to know how a car cigarette lighter worked and he told me but I didn't believe him and stuck my finger on the hot coil because I truly thought a flame would shoot out like a lighter...burnt my finger but he just looked at me and said, ya didn't believe me did ya?" He and my grandmother went into a nursing home last summer and it was probably the toughest thing for not only him, but for all of us who love him. He's been suffering with a brain tumor and in the past six months he has started changing into a totally different man. It was hard for my parents especially to see him suffering and on Saturday, he was put into the hospital for pneumonia. I think I knew it was coming because I had told my friend earlier that morning that I couldn't go to the river with him and his other friends because my grandfather was sick and that I might be needed. I know in my heart that my grandfather is ready to go. I just can feel it. It's going to be soon. We visited him last night and he wasn't really making any sense. He kept saying he saw a baby and a little boy and that people were waiting and that someone was saying hello in his ear. He doesn't want to eat or take his medicine. Today he told my aunt that he was seeing the light and didn't she see the beautiful woman? I heard that my two younger cousins were so upset and just crying. But you know what? I'm more sad for us than him. I have great faith and I know that he is going to a much better place where he is free to be himself again and be without pain. Death is so much harder for the living than the dead. I know he had been afraid before but now I think he is ready. He will always be with us in spirit and he will be an extra angel watching over my girl in China. You know, he's a pretty tenacious guy. Maybe he can get the CCAA to speed up already. So, if you get a chance, say a little prayer for my grandfather that he may get the peace that he wants and deserves. I love you Popo.

Breaking Dawn

I finished Stephenie's Meyer's last novel in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn today. I can't decide if I really liked it. I mean, it obviously kept me entertained as I finished the 700 plus page book in two days. I guess it wasn't how I wanted it all to end. And honestly, it went to a place that well, basically it jumped the shark (without giving anything away to anyone who is reading or wants to read it). The first three books, I easily bought into the storyline, but in this one, somehow I found myself not believing as much. I found myself a little irritated with Bella and Edward a lot of the time. I just think the bottom line is that most series never end the way we want and we're a little disappointed. I felt that way about the last Harry Potter book. I did like it though. It just wasn't how I envisioned it ending. It's the same way with Breaking Dawn.

Making Peace with the Wait

I wish I could say that as time keeps creeping by, the wait would get easier. It seems that it's a constant battle of staying optimistic or total panic and depression. Lately, I have been more on the panic side...I was seriously anxious...couldn't sleep...was considering options and peace came to me in all of the weirdest places...at my annual well woman exam appointment. I truly believe that God places people in our lives at the exact right moment to help us in our time of need. My human helper was my brand new doctor. We were having a conversation about what was going on in my life and honestly I can't exactly explain what it was about the conversation, but by the end, I felt okay with the wait again. I wasn't anxious and thinking it wasn't ever going to happen. I actually had hope. Maybe it was that she said she was going to pray for me (I know, people always say that, but there was something about her which made me realize that she was serious). I have heard that the wait will hopefully get better after the beginning of the year and I have to keep that hope alive. I have to pray that my referral for my daughter will come in 2009. I have to have faith. And because of this, I have almost finished Grace's 100 wishes quilt on my own! I have never quilted anything in my entire life. I have pieced it together and now I'm getting ready for the actual quilting. As soon as I finish it, I will post a picture. The next thing I need to work on for her is her life book. It seems that keeping my focus and positive thought of Grace coming home is keeping me sane.

On another note, I am loving the Travel Channel and all of the channels that are showcasing China. I was excited before, but now I really am excited. One of the coolest things I saw was the Pandas at Chengdu as well as Xian itself. That is a place I would love to see. There is going to be something on NBC this week about China as well that I'm going to watch. My friend D, is going to teach Chinese Cinderella (if you haven't read this biography, you have to...it's by Adeline Mah) again to her Advanced English 8th graders. We're going to work together to develop some awesome cultural learning centers. I'm going to use my librarian/information specialist skills to get some great resources.

I wasn't meant to be a painter

I have been LAZY this summer. Not totally, but I could get done a lot more than I have. I swim most every morning and I walk most every evening. I have also been working with my wii fit. I had been putting off painting my new patio cover because well, I live in South Texas and it's hot. I decided this past week to paint it. I had to prime it first and then paint it. When I decided I was going to do this job, I didn't think it would be so hard and not that bad. How wrong I was. I really bit off more than I could chew. I was doing okay until I got to the one side of my patio that has a really big slope. I adjusted the ladder so that my weight would counterbalance the slope. I didn't take into account shifting my own weight on the ladder as I painted. So as I began to paint, I felt the ladder start to sway and move. I am probably on the 4th rung of a 6 foot ladder and I knew that I needed to get down fast. Interestingly enough instead of total panic, I threw down the roller to the ground, grabbed the patio cover and then realized I needed to shift my weight as I went down the rungs. As soon as I got off the ladder, it flipped over and went down the slope. I knew then that I had some serious angels watching over me saying, "Stupid girl, you are so not a painter!" You would have thought that I had learned my lesson, but I am stubborn. I didn't want to be a total quitter on this project so I attempted again on another part that didn't have much of a slope. It got a little too wobbly for my comfort so I quit. I have called in for a professional to finish the job. At least I got over half of it primed. The good thing is I didn't break anything.

Wii fit can work your butt off!

Yesterday, my wii fit that I ordered from Circuit City online came in. Of course, I ripped that bad boy open and jumped on. I learned I am 50ish in my wii age (I'm really 36!) I also learned my balance stinks. I had a hard time knocking off those soccer balls. I was great at the hula hoop. So great that when I woke up this morning, intending to do my usual morning swim, my body was soooo sore. Holy cow! Who knew a wii fit could make you feel like you did one heck of a workout the day before. Anyways, I'm having fun. I'm working hard on getting my blood pressure back down. Before I started the adoption process, my blood pressure was awesome. As the time ticked by, my blood pressure went up, as did my weight. Interestingly enough though, I've been this heavy before but my blood pressure was always good. So, it really freaked me out towards the end of the year when it really began creeping up into a not so great zone. So, this summer I have vowed to be a better eater and to exercise more, hence the swimming most every morning, walking Hope most evenings and now the wii fit. My blood pressure has gone done a lot. I'm still not where I need to be (I'm off by like less than 3 on both sides). I don't want to have to get on medication because my health has been really good. I need to be healthy for my Grace.

I'm also going to be going to the coast in a couple of weeks. I can't wait. My friend D and I are renting a condo for two nights and kicking back and resting at the beach. YEA! I can already hear the waves calling my name. I love reading some great books and just sipping on ice cold water. Ahhhh, life is good.