Megan'z blog on Life

Sometimes I really hate medication

2012-02-05T18:21:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I have been struggling with severe depression for the past couple years. I found an anti-depressant that worked very well. The only problem: it was a contributing factor in my heart attack. SO, I had to switch to a different medication. I had actually already started tapering off just before the heart attack.

I made the switch to a new one, but there was a side effect that was unbearable. It caused severe dry eye and dehydration. As a result of the dry eye, I got corneal abrasions. If you want to know what they feel like, imagine the burning sensation that you get when you cut onions, add the feeling that you have a big something in your eye, and multiply the whole equation by 10. Yeah, it hurts.

I was given a steroid-antibiotic eye drop. (or several) Supposedly, the abrasions should heal about 6 weeks. However, I have to transition off of the anti-depressant and switch to ANOTHER one. Since I am still in the process of weaning off the 2nd med, the dry eye continues. I constantly put in (think every hour) this very nice eye drop called Celluvisc by Refresh. It is a thick gel that helps coat the eye. Also the steroid drops 4 times a day, and an eye ointment at night.

Needless to say, this has been terrible! But, I am on the last week of this med, so hopefully my eyes will heal in a few weeks. If you want to see what corneal abrasions look like, just google image it. Beware, it is a little disturbing.

2012-01-30T10:21:00.000-08:00

These are my new favorite products.

I used them the other day. ALL OVER MY HOUSE. mopped my floor, deep cleaned my bathroom (yes, I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed the baseboards and edges and corners) It was so amazing to sit back and enjoy such a clean house, and the smell was much more agreeable than Pine-Sol.

I cleaned out my cupboards and pantry, throwing away any expired foods, and donated all the food I wasn't going to eat. Wiped down all the shelves and rearranged the cupboards.

Cloroxed the stove, even the fan above the stove. Top of the fridge and cabinets. Microwave too.

Yes, I am officially obsessed with cleaning.

Just call me OCD

more cleaning...

2012-01-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

Today I did this:

took 2 of these

and 1 of these

and put it all into just this...

Which is now stored in my closet.

Sometimes it is time to say Goodbye

2012-01-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

I haven't felt or had the energy to actually clean my room for several months.

It basically looked like this (this is not my room, but an example)

I hadn't made my bed in about 3 months.

I would do laundry, and then leave it in the baskets and dig through it when I wanted to get dressed.

I finally couldn't stand it any longer. Going along with my season of changes, I decided to change my room

I got rid of the following:

8 bags of clothes

3 bags of shoes (yes, shoes. I know)

2 bags of sheets

DVD

VCR + tapes

1 bag of garbage

1 bag of recycling

It was amazing how all of my clothes fit in my closet and dresser.

I finally decided I could part with almost all the clothes in the closet, because I didn't even wear them!

I even color coded my closet.

And my dresser.

Changes Part 2

2012-01-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

As an addendum to my previous post about the changes I am making, I have also decided to change the way I dress. A friend told me "even a barn looks better with a coat of paint." I am trying to dress a little classier than jeans and sweatshirts. If I dress better, perhaps I will feel better physically and about myself. So here's to outside changes as well as inside!

PS, I found a really yummy nut mix at Costco the other day. It is called Soy Energy Blend. It has soy nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries. I also add walnuts, blueberries, pomegranate and mango. It makes a great "trail mix" that I take with me everywhere. It gives me a quick boost, and satisfies any sugar cravings I get.

Life Changes

2012-01-08T20:43:00.000-08:00

Since the wake-up call from my Dr., I have decided to make some major changes. I need to lose weight, eat better, and exercise more. SO...Here we go. A friend on Facebook termed this "The Megan Movement"

I have given away all of my Dr Pepper and any candy stashed throughout the house
I am cutting down on my soda pop consumption. To almost nothing.
I went through my cupboards and weeded out my processed foods and most of the prepackaged junk that I used to eat
I have begun eating healthier: more fruits and vegetables and salads
I will walk several days a week. Starting off slow, but working up to faster and longer
I changed from 2% to 1% milk.
From full fat Greek yogurt to non-fat Greek yogurt
I have resolved to eat fish. Probably not a lot, but fish none the less

So far, I am really happy with the changes I am making. I really do not having cravings for the candy and chocolate that I used to eat. If I do need some sweet things, I grab some dried fruit and nuts. Very yummy. When I have a salad, rather than using Ranch Dressing (my favorite) I drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar on it. I tried a pomegranate vinaigrette the other day and it was delicious! Now I just have to find some of my own. Rather than using sugar as a seasoning I have substituted cinnamon and other spices.

The Megan Movement is also to inspire others to change. Whatever you feel needs to improve in your life, I encourage you to make the change. It is not impossible to change what we feel are habits or behaviors too embedded in our lives. Anything can be done if you put your mind to it. In some cases, it is a physical dependency, as there are very addictive substances out there. However, most of it is a matter of psychological choices. You can train your mind to be in control, rather than your body. I invite you to join me on this journey of bettering myself. Happy changing!

Yes Dr.

2011-12-30T22:42:00.000-08:00

I have debated about posting this. However, I feel you are all my friends, so I had better keep you up to date.

I had an appointment with a cardiologist today. My chest pain is not a result of Pericarditis. It turns out that I had a minor cardiac event. (read: mild heart attack) yes, I am only 28. So far, he is certain it was stress induced (gee, working customer service at Toys R Us during Christmas? who would have thought?)

I have to wear a heart monitor for 2 weeks, and then have an echo-cardiogram and a stress test.

I don't have much else to say, I am still processing.

Pericarditis

2011-12-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

For those of you who already know what Pericarditis is, no worries. For those of you who don't, let me educate you. This condition occurs when the pericardium (the sac-like covering surrounding the heart) becomes inflamed. Caused by a virus, it can range in severity from acute (short term) to chronic (long term). Now, let me tell you a story. You love my stories, right?

Our story begins on Thursday, December 8, 2011. I began noticing pain in my chest, localized just barely left of midline. Not a lot, just enough to be a bother. As the next couple days passed, it steadily worsened. By Saturday it was enough to worry me a little more. At work on Monday the pain became almost unbearable. I began sweating copious amounts, and could not catch my breath. A customer approached me and asked if I was feeling alright. I told her I wasn't feeling 100%, but it was ok. She asked me what was feeling poorly, so I informed her of the chest pain. Immediately she told me she wanted to call an ambulance, because I was gray.

I worked through the end of my shift, and called my Dr's answering service. He called back and said if I felt that I couldn't wait until the following morning to be checked out, then I should head into the ER. I did NOT want to spend most of the night in the ER, so I chose to tough it out. However, Tues morning I had to work an 8 hour shift, so I downed some Ibuprofen and went to work! Still no improvement, so after my shift I headed into West Linn to see if Dr Farley's office could squeeze me in. I got an appt for the next morning, and headed home. My breathing seemed to be a little more under control, and my color was better, but the chest pain was still intensifying.

I went in for my appt, and following a very thorough exam (including an EKG) it was determined that the muscles around my heart were inflamed. (Pericarditis) Caused by a virus, and probably exacerbated by the amazing amounts of caffeine I was consuming. He restricted my caffeine intake, and has me on Ibuprofen. If the pain does not decrease withing the next week then I will be referred to a cardiologist. He also told me to avoid stressful situations. I told him that I work Guest Service at Toys R Us, and he just laughed. Good luck was all he had to say.

I went into work and filled in my boss (Bill). He knew I had been having chest pain and that I was going into see a Dr about it. He told me I was not allowed to have a heart attack or get sick until after Christmas. When I told him about the stressful situations comment, we both began to laugh uncontrollably. Bill asked if the Dr had just signed my death certificate then and there. I told him I was scheduling a heart attack for January 15, 2012, after all the returns had been done. haha.

Sorry, some Christmas retail humor. Anyhoo, this should resolve itself shortly. I am still having strong chest pains, but hope they will subside after Christmas when I have a little time to slow down.

Just wanted to keep you informed!

Harry Potter, the whole enchilada

2011-11-26T19:13:00.001-08:00

Last week, a customer came into work and returned a few of her HP movies. We asked her why she was returning them, and she told us that Target had the movies for $5 each!

That's right.

So, my next chance I had off work, I ran to Target to get the whole set! Each one was indeed $5, and Deathly Hallows part 2 was $13.

That means the whole set was $48!!

Love it!

A Christmas Carol

2011-11-11T21:43:00.001-08:00

A Christmas Carol, The Musical

From the musical pen of Alan Menken, composer of Little Mermaid, Enchanted, Beauty and the Beast and Newsies. l

Show times:

Thursday Nov 17, 7:30pm

Friday Nov 18, 7:30pm

Saturday Nov 19, 1:30pm and 7:30pm

Join our cast of 100+ people for our 12th bi-annual musical production. Showcasing voices from age 4-84, accompanied by a full pit orchestra.

Admittance is FREE

Food donations requested in behalf of the West Linn Food Pantry

October General Conference

2011-10-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

I love General Conference.

I just wish I could stay awake for the morning sessions. At least I woke up for Pres. Monson's talk.

Finally, post 100!

2011-09-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

I have seen other people do 100 things about them for their 100th post, but I am positive I can't find 100 things interesting about me. But, I will give it a try and see how far we get! Here you go.

100 Things About ME!

1. I love to sing. (If you know me, you already know that)

2. I love to color my hair. Especially when I can put 4 different colors in it!

3. I loathe folding laundry.

4. Reading is a passion. Especially murder mysteries.

5. Dr Pepper is my sweet nectar of life.

6. I got a new purse. Its purple!

7. I rock at Qwirkle.

8. I desperately want an I phone

9. I recently discovered Santa Fe dip, and would eat it every day if I could.

10. I make jewelry

11. I love the smell of wood smoke and rain, especially together.

12. I love food.

13. I love chocolate

14. I hate fish. Unless its white, beer battered, and fried (ie, fish and chips)

15. my clothing of choice is sweats and a t-shirt

16. I never learned my 7 and 8 times tables

17. I have a dog named Annie

18. and a sister named Anna

19. I like Criminal Minds

20. I have 4 sisters and 2 brothers

21. I am 28

22. I work at Toys R Us, where a kid can be a kid

23. I love sunflower seeds

24. and avocado

25. and toast

26. my favorite movie is Annie

27. my 2nd favorite movie is Princess Diaries

28. my 3rd favorite movie is Rent

29. my Best Friend is Mrs. Jenna Elizabeth Grant Matthews

30. My 2nd Best Friend is Tamara Clayton

31. I love movies

32. I make and sell super cute flower hair clips

33. I am a fiercely loyal friend

34. I can sleep 10-12 hours no problem

35. my favorite vegetable is green beans

36. then corn on the cob

37. my favorite (and only) cheese is anything Tillamook

38. Baked potatoes are the best

39. I get to have my first EKG next week.

40. I have no will power

41. I crochet

42. I have the cutest niece and nephew in the entire world

43. I love candles and sconces

44. Ice cream

45. I love music

46. I sing with the Oregon Chorale

47. I play the Organ

48. I have played almost every instrument in the band

49. I sort of knit

50. I did Search and Rescue for Benton County

51. NCIS is possibly the best show on USA

52. I do not enjoy making my bed

53. I live in the country

54. I collect Willow Tree figurines

55. I collect sheet music

56. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

57. I have been (and will be again) the assistant music director for the West Linn-Wilsonville Middle School Musical

58. I am hungry

59. I learned what Anise Seed does to your body. (google it)

60. I admire Sandra Bullock

61. I will only drink milk if it's chocolate

62. Mayo, not Miracle Whip

63. Black olives are the best. I will add them to almost anything

64. I love french fries

65. Five Guys Burger and Fries is my favorite burger joint

66. Cafe Rio is my favorite Utah restaurant

67. I don't wear lipstick

68. I haven't made out in 4.5 years

69. I love long hot showers

70. my new favorite Bath and Body Works scent is Twilight Woods

71. I have never left the Continental United States

72. I would love to go to Hawaii

73. I plan on someday going on a cruise (to anywhere)

74. Utah gives me the creepy crawlies

75. I used to be a dispatcher

76. I just lost my last Grandpa

77. I am in the Lake Oswego stake play A Christmas Carol

78. I recently got passed over for a promotion at work

79. I love being on the stage

80. I have had 7 surgeries

81. I have a 6 foot by 6 foot shelf full of books

82. I went to 3 high schools in 4 years

83. I try to give blood as often as I am able

84. I was an EMT

85. I was a CNA

86. I have lived in 19 places in the last 15 years

87. I have had 9 jobs

88. I was a nanny

89. I have only seriously dated 2 guys

90. I used to direct traffic after the OSU football games with the Benton County Sheriffs office

91. my favorite actress is Julia Roberts

92. I have never seen all the Star Wars movies

93. Just last year I finally watched the Lord of the Rings movies

94. I have read the Harry Potter series 10 times

95. I am a steak and potatoes kind of girl

96. I know how to etch glass

97. Mary Higgins Clark is my favorite author

98. I desperately want to be a wife and a mom

99. My dad is an amazing man

100. I made it!!

If you have read all this, congratulations! Here's to another 100 posts.

Goodbye

2011-07-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

We said goodbye to our dear Milo this past month. He was hit by a car and killed instantly. I feel for my poor roommate who was with him right after he was hit. He was her dog, and she loved him dearly. There is a special kind of love between a dog and his owner. Korie and Milo were no exception. Yes, I loved him and he me, but they were bonded together. Goodbye Sweet Milo, we will miss you.

The End of an Era

2011-06-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

Alas, it is time to say goodbye. My dear Frankie Elizabeth has been sold. This was done with much trepidation, but with conviction that it was very necessary. I am looking for a new (new to me) car, but in the meantime I am driving Alejandro, my parents Lincoln Town car. I am grateful to my parents for letting me borrow him.

So my dear Frankie, thank you for all the road trips, errand running, and simple pleasure of driving you. You were an awesome car and I am sorry to let you go. Here's hoping you go to a great new home.

At last, My Love has come along.

2011-02-22T21:38:00.000-08:00

Meet Milo. He is my roommates new puppy. Some pertinent facts:

He is a Pomchi (cross between a Pomeranian and a Chihuahua)

He is 9 months old.

He is 9 lbs, the biggest he will get.

He is so smart and cute (as you can see)

he is a lover. he loves to snuggle.

Harry Potter

2010-11-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

In case you missed the huge background, I am celebrating the new Harry Potter movie. This background will stay up until I see the new movie! Normally I would go to the midnight showing, dressed up, but I will be having surgery the same day as the midnight show. Not fun. So, to all you Gryffindors out there, enjoy the show for me! I will see it as soon as possible.

Megan the Hermit Crab

2010-11-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hi. I'm Megan. (This is where everyone in the room says "Hi Megan!") I have been terrible about updating my blog. I have become addicted to hermitness. (Yes, I just made up that word.) If I had a hermit crab, we would be two crabs in a pod. :)

Anyhoo, here is a quick update on the past several months. I moved out of my old apartment in the beginning of August, and put all of my stuff in storage in a barn on the property where I was moving too. The house was being renovated so I didn't really have a place to stay. Enter amazingly wonderful friends, who allowed me to stay with them for the ensuing 2+ months. I won't name names, but you know who are.

While my stuff was in storage, the house and barn were broken into. TWICE. yup, twice. At last count, they got about $4,500 worth of stuff. Now I know that they are just things, but they are MY THINGS. If I wanted to get rid of some of my stuff, I would have had a garage sale. I don't know how much stuff they got of my landlords, but lets just say that if they ever catch the person, they are looking at two counts of felony robbery. They got Roscoe, my Dyson vacuum. (Remember Roscoe? go here http:////meganzimmerman.blogspot.com/2009/03/newest-members-of-my-family.html ) My flute, old laptop, and personal files are all labeled MIA. They took my toilet paper! Really?!? oh yeah, and they drank a Dr. Pepper and left me the can. They opened up almost every single box. (to date, I have found 3 boxes unopened.)

I finally got moved in, and the house looks great. A new kitchen really spruces up the place. Let me just insert here that I LOATHE unpacking. I have managed to unpack at least a box a day. For me, that is doing pretty good. We have a nice wood stove, but no wood to burn in it. (We might have solved that problem, though) When it gets going, it keeps our house toasty warm.

Hmmm, lets see, what else? oh yeah, remember me on hormones? http://meganzimmerman.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-word.html Well, I have finally convinced the Dr to take the cysts out! yay! It is amazing to me the amount of pain that a 1cm little cyst can cause. I have scheduled that surgery for the 18th of this month. We should be able to say goodbye to crazy Megan for good. (at least, crazy from pain and hormones. other crazy may still remain.)

If you have made it this far, congratulations on having nothing else to do but read about my particularly boring life. I don't have much else to add, but thanks for listening!

Yes, I know...

2010-08-25T00:33:00.000-07:00

That it has been over 2 months since I posted last.

I do not need a reminder.

But you will have to wait another little while, because I don't feel much like talking!

Let's just say, life is changing...

I am moving...

and I still don't feel well...

More to come later.

Happy Birthday to me!

2010-06-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday.

I decided to celebrate by only doing things that I wanted to do.

But here is the best gift of all...

I am down yet another pant size

?!?!?!?!?

Yep, you read that right.

LOVING IT!!

So someone amazing bought me a new pair of jeans, which is the second size down in as many months.

Yay for me! I will post more about what I did the rest of the day later.

Flash Choir

2010-05-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of a flash mob? It's when a whole bunch of people gather in one place to do a specific random thing, and then disperse just as quickly as they arrive. Today I introduced our ward to the concept of a "Flash Choir."

I am the director of our ward (congregation) choir. I have not been as diligent in holding choir practice during the last month, due to my health issues. Normally, we would rehearse each week, and then perform in sacrament meeting (worship service) every other month or so. We are generally a small choir, with membership ranging anywhere from 6-18 people.

As choir director, I am constantly trying to come up with different ideas to make choir fun and interesting and to help people want to come sing with us. A few weeks ago my mom suggested doing an impromptu choir number, where anyone who wants to come up and sing a very simple hymn arrangement... no rehearsal before. Well, you know me! Sounded like a good idea!

I got approval from the Bishop (the leader of the congregation) and filled in the accompanist and those who needed to know. (I didn't tell the choir.) So today, we were in Sacrament meeting, and the Bishop announced that there was going to be a special musical number, and that I would be explaining more. I got up and informed the ward that they would be experiencing a "Flash Ward Choir." I invited all current members of the ward choir, as well as anyone who had ever sung with us, and anyone who had even thought about singing with the choir to grab their hymnbooks and join us on the stand. I also invited anyone else who wanted to to join us as well.

And then, I waited. It seemed to be a long heart stopping wait, but in reality it was about 3 seconds before anyone stood up. To my surprise, we had about 30 people up there!!! I had a piece of paper taped to my music stand outlining the arrangement, and I showed it to the Flash Choir. We all took a deep breath, I sent up a silent prayer, and we began.

The choir sounded so beautiful! We sang the hymn "I am a Child of God" in a very simple but profound arrangement. Our accompanist did a wonderful job of providing a beautiful backdrop. We had so many voices, and some that have never participated in our choir before.

I was very touched by the performance that they gave. I really felt that the choir provided a special spirit to the meeting. And I am so grateful to all those who were brave enough to get up with no warning or practice and sing! I have a feeling that this "Flash Choir" will be reappearing at odd moments in our ward.

In case you thought I was kidding...

2010-05-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you a story. One that should assuage any doubt you might have to the effect that those miserable hormones have on me...

The Scene:

Century High School parking lot

The Time:

8:55 AM

I pull into the parking lot with enough time to fill my water bottle from the glass of ice water I got from the drive thru. I gulp down a couple bites of breakfast, and open my door, reaching out of the car to pour the water into the water bottle. This is smart, because the mouth of the water bottle is not large, and I don't want to make a mess in my lap or my car.

Enter car that wants to park in the empty space next to me

I step out of my car and gently close the door to allow the other car to park. I move the back of my car, and transfer said water into said water bottle.

note: the parking lot is filling up with other choir members who are arriving for rehearsal

I walk back up to my car, grab the handle... and nothing happens. So I try again, thinking to myself "Self, this is not happening. Mental swear word, mentally beat my head against a wall. mental swear word." Again, nothing happens. I look in the window, and there I see on the passengers seat my folder of music and my purse, which contains my cell phone (aka lifeline) and yup, my car keys. Brilliant.

enter nice person who sits next to me in choir

"Do you need to use my phone?" She says. "Yes, I do," I say. "But wait, I don't have any phone numbers because they are all in my cell phone...in my car." Crap. (so much the nickname I had when I was little...'the Phonebook' since I knew everyone's phone number by heart.) Wait, I do have one number in my head...the home phone number of my roommate's parents. Except that won't do me any good, because they are up in Hillsboro visiting their other daughter!

I call the number, hoping that someone will be there to answer. Hallelujah! Their son is out there working, so he answers. He gives me his mom's cell number, which I promptly dial. She answers, and I tell her the story. I ask her to call my roommate and ask her to bring my spare car key (from our house in Lake Oswego) to the high school as soon as possible so that I can rehearse.

several phone calls later

My AMAZING roommate brings my spare key to the high school, and waits for me to unlock my car. She then takes my spare key back... yeah, smart idea, since I can't be trusted with the one I already have. I get my music and belongings from the car, and go back and enjoy my very long rehearsal.

Here's the hilarious part:

At lunch break, we are carpooling to a nearby restaurant. I volunteer to drive, but first I have to clear out my back seat. I unlock the front driver side door and reach back to unlock the back door...

Yup.

You guessed it.

IT'S ALREADY UNLOCKED!!

Has been the WHOLE TIME!

This is why I don't like hormones.

One Word....

2010-05-14T22:47:00.000-07:00

HORMONES!

The scariest week of my life...

2010-05-04T17:01:00.000-07:00

well, maybe less than a week. Remember in the last post I mentioned that I had been to the ER and then rudely refused to tell you why? I will now make up for that meanness. Let's see to set the scene...about a month ago, I began having severe pain in my lower abdomen. And, typically for me, I attempted to ignore it for as long as I could. After about 4 days I broke down and went in to see a doc at student health services. (several funny side stories there, but you will have to ask to hear those.) Long story short, the doc ordered an ultrasound which confirmed a couple of cysts on one of my ovaries. Actually, they told me there was one cyst... and referred me to a gynecologist. (yippee skippee) They gave me the results on the friday of the show, but it was too late to try to start scheduling any appointments that day. So, the health services doc informed me if the pain got worse to go to the ER. Which is why I ended up in the hospital twice the weekend of the show.

The second ER visit they did another ultrasound which they told me showed that the cyst had ruptured and I should be starting to feel better. Did I mention the intense amounts of pain that was occurring in my body? I managed to get an appointment with a wonderful Dr. a couple of days later. I met with her, and we discussed the joys of ovarian cysts. We also did a routine pap smear. (Ladies, you know how fun those are.) She informed me that there were indeed at least 2 cysts present, and neither one had ruptured. We discussed the options, and decided to try the conservative route to begin with. This meant hormones (which don't agree with me) for a few months in the hopes that my body would fix it all on his own.

A few days later, the pain had amplified to the point where I was struggling to handle the pain, even with medication help. (Keep in mind, I had been on painkillers since the first visit to the ER.) I called the Dr, and asked what other options we had. We set up a time for a laparoscopic cystectomy (removal of the cysts surgically.) I had my pre op appt where I learned the astronomical price of this surgery, and since I don't have the best insurance, I had to decide if I wanted to go ahead with the surgery. (I did)

The next day, (Thursday) as I got out of class, I had a message to call the dr office. I returned the call, and was informed that the pap smear results had come back, showing an abnormal result which had elevated levels of precancerous indicators. (Yes, the thoughts and feelings that just ran through your mind ran through mine as well.) The lab had already ordered additional testing, which is standard operating procedure for abnormal result. (I should probably inject here that I had an abnormal pap smear a few years ago, but lost my insurance shortly after, therefore I never went back in to recheck.) All of this was cause for concern. As a result, the dr decided to postpone the surgery until we sorted out all that was going on. In the scope of things concerning, cysts are fairly low on the totem pole compared to what we were testing for.

The following day (friday) I got the results from one test...the HPV test. Negative! whew! Until I learned that there have been false negatives before. And knowing that they were still running additional tests. This began one of the most emotional and hardest weekends of my life to date. I called my parents and those I consider my family. I freaked out, I cried, I threw up (nothing new, that has been happening since the cysts started bothering me.) I continued to go to class, take midterms, write papers, go to work and try to keep myself otherwise occupied.

(Another side note I got an A- on the midterm I took on Friday...yay!) I made it to church for sacrament meeting, where I tried to look better than I actually felt. Apparently it worked, and didn't hurt that I am currently fitting into clothes that I haven't been able to wear for 2 years. yay for looking amazing but feeling like crap!

And the weekend continued on those lines until today (well, yesterday...Tuesday) when I finally got the rest of the tests results. ALL NEGATIVE. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my mind. I am still experiencing pain, but given the alternative, I can handle this. Kind of ironic, as today was the day I was initially scheduled for surgery.

So here is the plan from here on out. I will be on hormones for the next couple of months to prevent ovulation which in turn should prevent more cysts from forming. As for the ones that are already there, we will be waiting a month, and continuing to pray that my body will reabsorb the cysts on its own. If the pain has not abated during this coming month, then surgery is back on the agenda. And we will do a repeat pap smear with all additional tests again in 6 months.

I want to briefly take a moment and thank all of you for your many wonderful, kind thoughts and words to me in the past month. I greatly appreciate all of the prayers that I know went out on my behalf. I know The Lord has a plan for me, even though I do not know what that plan is. Here's to hoping the pain will subside and I can return to being my usual crazy self!

Playing Catch-up

2010-04-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

Whew!! I feel like my life has been a whirlwind for the past few weeks. Let me give you just a glimpse...come back with me to the week the show opened (let's begin on April 12).

Monday...school and then 2 dress rehearsals. Tuesday, school then dress rehearsal. Wednesday, school, then final dress rehearsal. Thursday, school then opening nite for one cast (they did AMAZING!) Friday, school then opening nite for the other cast (who did SUPER!) Saturday (hold on to your hats this is where is gets fun...) two shows, followed by a visit to the ER *which I will address more a little later*. Technically that carries us through to sunday morning, but who is really paying attention to what day it is at this point? Sunday, I cancelled everything and spent the day in bed. Didn't help, since I ended up back in the ER sunday nite. Monday morning, Collaborative Inquiry at the high school (yes, it was optional, no I really didn't need to go, other than to prove to myself that I wasn't dying and still capable of being human.) Slept most of the day monday, then had closing show for one cast (still doing a wonderful job.) Tuesday, doctor appt, then rehearsal with Athey Creek MS choirs, then closing show for the other cast, followed by set strike (which I didn't do much of). Wednesday, accompany Athey Creek MS choirs for choir festival, then sleep, then book club. Thursday, slept for much of the day, cast party, then hung out at home. Friday, took it easy, worked on homework from the week of classes that I missed, worked on my presentation for Stake Women's conference, managed for the first time in about 1 1/2 weeks to eat something without throwing it back up! (yay! take pleasure in the small victories, I say). Then Saturday (yesterday) presented a class on Blogging for Stake Women's Conference. After which I promptly came home and spent the remainder of the day on the couch.

WHEW!! Does that make you tired? Cuz it sure does me! Add in there not really sleeping well and not being able to eat much of anything and you have one really tired, sore, and grouchy Megan. So today will be dedicated to doing the remainder of the homework that I didn't get done, attending my beautiful sister's choir concert (if I am not too drugged to drive) and trying to get ready for the rest of this week!

I know I promised you an explanation of the ER visits and being sick, but unfortunately, I am going to ask you to wait another week until I have completed all the medical stuff. I know it's not fair, but there you go.

and btw, I totally just realized I made a super catchy title for this post! Since all I have been doing is play stuff, and catching up on stuff I missed!! Get it? Teehee! Sometimes I am too clever for my own good.

I must put in one final word about Beauty and the Beast. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the kids on this show. I was continually amazed watching these talented young people! I made some wonderful connections, which I hope will continue. Mostly, this experience just helped solidify in my mind that I am doing the right thing in going back to school. (yes, you have my permission to refer me to this post when I question why I am back in school.)

Alright, it's time for meds, then a nap!

The Show!!

2010-04-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

It's here! Opening nite is Thursday April 15th. So finish your taxes and come join our wonderfully talented students as they perform this amazing musical. For tickets and info, go to

www.wlwvmsmusical.tix.com

You will not be disappointed.

Easter...and a blog about firsts (for a second time)

2010-04-04T22:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter to all! I am so grateful for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the sacrifice He made for each of us here on earth. The gospel of Jesus Christ has truly been restored on the earth, and the Atonement of the Lord is a very real, powerful thing. He lives! He loves, and He will return again.

This Easter sunday finds me finishing my first week of being a full time student again. It amazed me how easy I slipped back into "student" mode. But I don't remember liking school so much. I seem to remember dreading going to class. Maybe that was because I never really did homework. Or maybe I did, but have blocked it from my memory. Oh well...moving forward, right? First day of class found me really nervous. For no reason!

This term I am taking 3 classes (yes, 3, and it constitutes full time.) I am on campus Monday through Friday, but only in the mornings. I have a great class on Hans Christian Andersen. Yes, you read that right...I get to read fairy tales for my homework. I am also taking a criminology class, Intro to Juvenile Justice. Absolutely fascinating. My final class will be a challenge, not content wise, but on the teaching style. This class will be a great exercise in holding my tongue. American Studies (university required... 'nuf said.)

I am still working with the middle school musical, WHICH I LOVE!!! These kids are so amazing! They want to work, have talent, and are just a blast to work with. Not to mention the incredibly cool women that I get to work with to make this show happen. Can I just say that I have found my calling? I am meant to be a music teacher. I realized that I am happier when I am working with the kids, and learning from them as well. They face so much in the world these days, and they seem to hold up really well.

If you are interested in witnessing this production for yourself, simply go to www.wlwvmsmusical.tix.com for tickets. They are $7.50 each, and the show will be at West Linn High School's fantastic auditorium. The show opens April 15, showing the 15th, 16th, and 17th (matinee and evening) and 19th and 20th. Come! You will not be disappointed.

Well, TTFN! I really should do some homework before I head to bed!

Spring Break, such as it is

2010-03-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

Aaah, Spring Break! I remember as a kid I looked forward to this week so much! We would plan and plan what we would do, where we would go, trips we would take. It was just as much fun to stay at home, knowing that I didn't have to go to school for a WHOLE week. Now, as an adult, it is just another week to work. But that is all changing. Beauty and the Beast took the week off, which means that I have more time to work. Classes start at PSU on Monday, so this is my last week of semi freedom. As a result, I resigned myself to the fact that this week would be tedious and full of working lots.

But thanks to my awesome roommate Jessica, and friends Annika and Korie, I got a couple of mini spring break trips in! First up, we headed to Multnomah Falls. It was a beautiful sunny warm day, which was perfect for heading to the top. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and had to turn back around the 3/4 mark. We will just have to go back!

This is from a viewpoint about 1/2 way up the trail. Isn't the Columbia River Gorge beautiful?

The base of the falls

The four of us at the base

Next up was Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast. Another beautiful warm day! It poured on the way over, but about 20 minutes after we got there, the sun broke through and cleared away the clouds!

Do you see how blue the sky is? It was amazing. Sun shining, blue sky, hardly any wind, and not very many people!

We got to Haystack at low tide, so we poked around in the tides pools for a little while. The starfish were everywhere! And they were HUGE.

How many times do you see Haystack with blue sky and hardly anyone around it?

Of course, I can't be serious all the time, so when we found this hat shop, I had to play! And yes, the hat is now mine. I figure if I can't be in Jamaica for vacation, then I will bring Jamaica with me wherever I go! Plus I have always wanted dreads, but my hairdresser won't let me get them.

Now, back to the daily grind! 'Twas a short and sweet spring break. How was yours?

Fun in the simple things

2010-03-06T23:21:00.000-08:00

Today at work, there was a GIGANTIC empty cardboard box... and yup, you guessed it! I HAD to play in it! So, I crawled in! It was on a flat cart, and I had a coworker close the box and then push me around the store. She would stop when we were near someone, and I would shake the box and say "Let me out, Let me out!" (kinda like the kid from Mary Poppins who gets locked in the closet.) Mwahahaha!!! It was seriously the best!!

Just wanted to share.

Ahem...I have an ANNOUNCEMENT!

2010-03-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, you read the title right.

I truly do have an announcement to make.

Bet you are wondering what it is, right?

Well, I should just tell you then!

Do you get it?

That is where I am going to school!

Yep, that's right!

After a seven year hiatus, I have decided it is time to finish my education! Therefore, I applied for, and was accepted to PSU! I will finish my undergrad in Music Education, get a teaching certificate, and then go on for my masters in Music Ed.

So watch out children of the world! Ms. Z is coming to teach you!

Thank you, that is all.

My Motto:

2010-02-18T12:57:00.000-08:00

'nuf said.

Silver lining in a cave...

2010-02-17T12:25:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted to be able to run away and not have to speak to or deal with another living person? That is how I started off this month, wishing that I could just move into a cave and hide from the world. It seemed that there was so many things going on and happening around me.

I always tend to get a little cranky before my choir performs, and for some reason, this past performance really stressed me out! I think perhaps it might have been because this was the second stake conference in a row. This meant that I had a reputation to uphold. The last conference was difficult because I had to draw from the incredible talent that our Stake has, and be able to show them my talent and confidence. This conference was more of a challenge, it was just my ward choir which until December had only had 12 people consistently. (Let me insert here that the Westlake Ward is AMAZING!) I asked for a big choir, and that is what they gave me. We had 40 people singing! 40! They allowed me to be mean in rehearsals, be grumpy when they didn't understand what I was going for...they indulged me in my need to arrange a medley of hymns and watched as it came together in front of them. The finished product was exactly what I had been hearing for weeks, and it was fun to share the creative process with them.

I think what scared me most was the stake now had expectations. They had seen me direct a large choir, perform in an amazing play, and seemingly take over a whole bunch of different music things. So that is a lot to live up to. And live up to it we did! I am so thankful to all those who supported me throughout this crazy experience.

During all of this, I started working with an amazing group of people. Every year, West Linn-Wilsonville School district puts on a musical with their middle schools. This year they are putting on Beauty and the Beast. Through serendipitous circumstances, I have been asked to help out. This has truly been an eye opening experience. Working with 130+ 7th and 8th graders has been a challenge. What do I know about this age group? Nothing, other than I hated being that age. Fortunately for me, the musical director is an amazing woman with mounds of talent who is willing to show me what it takes. And the artistic director has shown incredible faith in me by including me in this process. The kids are fantastic. Yes, challenging at times, but mainly they just want to be good!

I have an truly wonderful family, and I am so grateful that I have them in my life. Yes, there are some family relations that are... shall we say challenging? But what family doesn't have drama?

So while I have been sorely tempted to hide away and have no further contact with the human race, I have realized that there is alot going right! I am so thankful to wonderful friends (you know who you are) who have helped me deal with my bipolarness this last month. So for now, the cave remains vacant.

Ch-ch-changes!

2010-01-26T15:23:00.000-08:00

I have needed a haircut for a LONG time (just ask my hairdresser!) So, I finally called and made an appointment. First off, let me say:

I LOVE MY HAIRDRESSER, BARBARA!

secondly, allow me to say that I have been vacillating between growing my hair out, and cutting it back to the super short sassy do that I had for a while. Literally, I was in agony trying to decide what to do. I texted many, and many responded...equally! So, I showed up to my appointment and said "AAARGH!!" She laughed and had me sit down.

Now, for those who may not have seen me recently, my hair had made it to my shoulders (an incredible feat) and was just blah. So I either had to keep it long, but give it shape, or chop it off. It was suggested to shave it, which had crossed my mind many times.

Finally I told Barbara to make me look good, whichever way she chose to cut it.

Good Choice!

She always knows what I want, even if I don't! Amazing! So, I have my sassiness back, and I don't feel like I have to always put my hair up!

Success!

We haven't seen these guys in awhile...

2010-01-20T22:46:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken at Thanksgiving by yours truly...

I know Lily isn't looking up, but Cooper's face is so precious!

We spent alot of time walking outside. Lily and Cooper would say "Outsi? Outsi?" So outside we would go!

This is Cooper saying "Where did they go?"

Such an adorable family!

Walking, walking, running

Running with cousin Hannah

This is what Cooper does when you tell him to squint

I love these kids! Aren't they adorable?

The Holiday Season

2010-01-17T23:22:00.000-08:00

Wow! Let's see, where have I been? A Christmas Carol played in November, just before thanksgiving. The show was so much fun, and I dearly loved playing Mrs. Fezziwig. She and I are kindred spirits.

(This is my play family, Mr. Fezziwig, Charlotte, and I. Btw, this young lady can play a fiddle like you wouldn't believe!)

I spent thanksgiving with my parents, and all of my siblings were home, with my niece and nephew there as well. It was really fun to be all together again.

Of course it wouldn't be a Zimmerman family get-together without game of Rummi and Sees Candy. We had so many who wanted to play we had to get 2 tables going. This is a tradition that reminds me of Grandma Z.

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas I worked like crazy! Anyone who works retail understands that this is the busiest time of the year! I had a nice quiet Christmas morning, and then had Christmas dinner with my good friends the Edvalsons.

My latest projects seem to take up most of my time. Our ward choir has once again been asked to provide the music for Stake Conference. Our choir normally has 12 or so people attending. After begging, pleading, and cajoling we have about 30! It is amazing! They are sounding so good. Fortunately, things will go back to normal after conference is over.

The other "project" seems a little scarier! I have been asked to help out with a local school districts middle school musical. They have done a major musical every year for the past 16 years or so. This year they are putting on the Broadway show Beauty and the Beast. There are about 150 seventh and eighth graders in this show, which means a lot of kids packed into rehearsals. I have been accompanying for rehearsals, which is a lot of fun. The music is great, and the kids are a riot to work with. Some of them are just perfect for their parts.

A Christmas Carol

2009-11-19T14:15:00.000-08:00

Thursday, Friday and Saturday Nov 19, 20, & 21

7:30 pm each nite, with a 1:30 Matinee on Saturday

Come see 125 cast members of all ages perform this timeless classic!

Busy, busy, busy!

2009-10-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been quite a while since I last posted. Lets see, whats been going on? Our Stake is currently doing a play...A Christmas Carol, the full musical version! I am Mrs. Fezziwig, she is the wife of Scrooges old boss, they are the ones who throw a huge ball every Christmas Eve. They describe her as "a plump, comical woman." Why do I feel like I have been type cast?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints

14903 SW Westlake Dr

Lake Oswego, OR 97035

The play is running at the address above the week before Thanksgiving. November 19, 20, & 21. Starts at 7pm every night, with a matinee at 1pm on Saturday. Admission is free, we ask that patrons bring a can of food to donate to local food banks.

I am still directing the ward choir...trying to get ready for our Christmas program. Still playing the organ for sacrament meetings and various ward temple nights.

Still singing with the Oregon Chorale (www.oregonchorale.org) We have multiple performances coming up... Sunday, Nov 1 6pm at St. Marks Cathedral in downtown Portland. More info to follow later!

Working part time for Toys R Us, super fun! I get to play with toys!! Today I even jumped in a HUGE puddle! It was pouring down rain, and the puddle was irresistible. Except in the middle of my jump, I realized that I would be landing in the deepest part of the puddle and it was too late to change my trajectory. So, there I landed, in water up to my shins! I had to jump back out too. So, I squished my way back into work, where I got to stand in soaked shoes for the rest of my shift. But it was totally worth it.

This past weekend, I took a couple of good friends down to my parents house for their ward primary program. While we were down there, we went to McCready Hot Springs. It is a great hot springs and we enjoyed them very much. It was fun to spend time with my family as well. We crammed 6 girls into one bedroom, so needless to say only 1 of us really got any sleep.

I think that is the highlights for now. TTFN!

Current Favorite Quotes

2009-10-02T23:57:00.000-07:00

"I have buns of steel, but they are not magnetic!"

"Just dial Hell, and I will answer!"

Stunning

2009-09-08T23:42:00.001-07:00

This moved me to tears. She is a truly talented woman.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

You probably won't see this again

2009-08-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

My sister Katie and I in the pool this weekend.

(yes, that is me diving backwards! Do you see the muscles in her arms?)

Thank you Bakerella!!

2009-08-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, these are super yummy. I got the idea from http://www.bakerella.blogspot.com/ I had a barbeque to go to today, and decided to make them! I wanted to see how they worked... and viola! They were a hit.

My Stolen Heart

2009-08-13T12:55:00.001-07:00

Good morning Auntie Meg! Please?

Check out those Baby Blues!

At the splash park...

At least he is having fun...

How can anyone not fall in love with these two? I know they have stolen my heart!

(by the way, can anyone tell me how to make the pic not be sideways?)

My new favorite recipe!!!

2009-07-21T22:23:00.000-07:00

Recipe for THE PERFECT WEEKEND!

Ingredients:

1 car

a great friend

1 MP3 player with nonfunctioning screen

90+ degree weather

the Oregon Coast

random swimming holes

a bridal shower

The Decemberists in concert

various errands

1 frog

no time devices

saturday market

Henna

Tillamook Cheese Factory

fun shops

midnight swings on the beach

Directions: combine all ingredients in any order, at any time, shake and enjoy!

God Bless America!

2009-07-05T00:27:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing video from America's Got Talent. If you haven't seen this yet, please watch it! A wonderfully touching story, and absolutely awesome vocals!

The Voices of Glory - America's Got Talent 2009 - 06/23/09

I must admit, I always get a little teary-eyed at patriotic songs, poems and things about our great nation. This just dissolved me to tears! I love the wonderful land in which we live. I love seeing children dressed up in red, white and blue in celebration of our country's independence. I am so grateful to all those who died to make this country a reality, to those who give their service to keep us free, and to those whose family members are in our armed forces. God Bless America!!

The Emblem
by Megan Zimmerman

Walking 'cross the blood ground
I carry the torn and soiled cloth
My comrades lay around me,
having dearly paid the cost.

The cost of our freedom
that we so highly claim.
So many have died,
millions we cannot name.

As I gaze out o'er the refuse
I wonder "What is all this for?
Will our children's children
remember this, and more?

Will they remember whose blood was shed
which watered all the fields?
Or those who never gave in,
but before their Maker kneel?"

Yes, they will remember
what occurred here today.
Yes, they WILL remember
every time they look this way.

They'll see this Emblem, tried and true
flying high above the trees.
They'll see it and begin to cry
as they fall upon their knees.

For their freedom has been purchased,
bought with human blood
given by these valiant men
whose rest is now the mud.

Next!

2009-06-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Well, the fireside is over! I am happy that it went so well. The soloists did wonderfully, and the choir was great! We even had an audience. I heard the audience estimate was about 75, not shabby for a singles ward that doesn't attend firesides! There were also several non-members there, which was very nice to see. The spirit was strong, so hopefully some were touched.

Now it is on to the next big thing. This weekend, my mother and her husband fly in for a visit. This coincides with our spring concert for the Oregon Chorale. (For those of you who don't know, she also sang with the Chorale many years ago.) The concerts are: Saturday June 6, at Bethel Congregational Church in Beaverton at 7pm, and Sunday June 7, at St. Matthews Church in Hillsboro at 7:30 PM. Come if you can! This concert is all music Northwest Composers. Every piece was written by someone who lives in the Northwest (IE Oregon, Washington) or someone who was born here in the Northwest. Many of the composers will be in the audience. I am excited, it is definitely going to be a fun concert.

Oh yeah, one other small piece of news... I got a job. At Toys R Us, part time, as a cashier. But money is money, right? And in other news... oh wait, that's all I've got!!

This is what happens when...

2009-05-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

Friends come to play!

First, we play...

Then We eat, and then...

we sleep!

I love it when people come play!

Smattering of Happiness!

2009-05-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the pics from this weekend at Lincoln City. A friend works for a Dr who had a beach who was willing to let us use it! So we did! The beach house was on the Spit at Siletz Bay...so basically it was a private beach! Woohoo!!!

We went Friday, and came home Monday. Well, that is what they did. I, on the other hand, came home Saturday evening to see my BFF Jenna, who flew home from Phoenix for the weekend to surprise me! I spent Saturday evening with her, and then Sunday she came with me to choir practice and Sacrament meeting (where I had to play the organ.) After that, I headed back out to the coast and stayed through Monday.

My time at the coast was filled with walks on the beach, watching a seal pup finish being born (AWESOME!), shopping (of course), eating, building fires, hanging out with friends, reading on the beach...basically living the good life. The house was wonderful!

Um, yeah.

2009-05-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

So I realized the other day that I haven't blogged in awhile, and then realized that it was because I felt like I didn't really have anything to say! I am still searching for a job, which is driving me bonkers. I have gotten really good at being rejected, so I am certain that by the time anyone actually offers me a job I will stunned and will have to practice accepting.

I have been trying to stay busy with different projects. I have started crocheting a new blanket with this really cool variegated purple yarn, and I have decided that I am going to keep this one when it is finished. (All of my other blankets were made to give away.) I have watched several movies...most recently Australia, Last Chance Harvey, Bride Wars, and some other. Let me just say, I loved Australia! I cried, multiple times.

I have also been singing with the Oregon Chorale for our upcoming concert. For more info on the concert, go to www.oregonchorale.org See if you can find me in the picture! I love singing with them. It has been my form of therapy.

Along with singing with the Chorale, I had the brilliant idea to put together Kenneth Cope's "Greater Than Us All" as a musical fireside for our ward. (I am the ward choir director) After several weeks of freaking out, I think it is finally starting to come together. We will be performing it Sunday, May 31 at 5:30pm in the Lake Oswego Stake Center. That seems to have taken up a lot of time and energy, at least more than I anticipated. But, I am more confident now, after working with several of the soloists.

That is about it! My life is fairly boring right now!

The lovely tulip fields of Oregon

2009-04-21T20:30:00.001-07:00

If I Didn't Have a Jiminy Cricket...

2009-04-20T22:31:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity the other day to discuss how different my life would be if a) I didn't have a conscience, and b) if I didn't have the church to guide my decisions. ****Warning, if you think I am perfect, stop reading!!! ****

It definitely gave me reason to pause and consider where I might be. My life could be drastically different. I would definitely have 2 (or more) tattoos...I have always wanted one, but chickened out each time I tried to get one. I would most likely have some sort of a substance abuse problem, possibly a child or two. I could be a bitter, depressed, angry unwed single mother.

Instead, because I have the good news of the gospel, I know that I am a child of God. I have a Father in Heaven who loves me, and knows me personally. He knows my struggles and my accomplishments. I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven for the gift of His Son, who died and rose again to atone for my sins. Jesus Christ is my saviour and redeemer. I am grateful for the Lord's prophets who give us inspired guidance today. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the same church that existed in the time of Christ. Christ is the head of this church, He guides and directs it.

I am not a perfect person, but I am doing my best. I know that the Lord will make up for my shortcomings. I know that everything will work out, because the Lord is at the helm. Even though life is crazy and unknown, I need not fear. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

A Streak of Craftiness!!

2009-04-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

Question: What does one do when one has no job (besides looking for a new one)?

Answer: Get creative!!

This necklace I made for my roommate, to match her new Easter skirt

This next set I made to go with a shirt that I bought a little while ago...cuz I had no jewelry that went with it! I am really happy with how it all turned out.

Not only do I have time to make jewelry, but I also can take a little more time in food prep! These were so pretty and fun that I couldn't eat them until I had a picture!

Easter morning breakfast (yes, those are strawberries and raspberries!)

And, an Easter cupcake! We had a little get together at a friends house on Saturday night and we had a cupcake decorating contest. This was mine, but I don't know who won, since we couldn't stay very long.

The Sound of Silence

2009-04-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

For those of you whom I normally talk to on the phone...I have not been neglecting you, I have just been enjoying the Golden Sound of Silence. Let me explain...

In the past few weeks, I have been struggling to keep my voice. I first had issues after the nasal realignment, but wrote it off to post nasal drip. I enjoyed about 4 days with most of a voice, but had to cancel a singing gig with a church in here in downtown Portland because
a) I was barely getting my voice back, with only 1 week to go before the mass,
b) I wanted to protect what voice I did have (those of you who sing understand this)
c) I wasn't entirely sure that I didn't have a virus of some kind

So, fortunately, the few days of voice happened to occur when my family was here. Now, my voice was not totally back, just a little deeper and raspier than normal. then, my throat started to HURT!!! and not just a little sore throat. This was the worst throat pain I have ever felt, worse than post surgery tonsillectomy pain. Needless, I had absolutely no voice. After almost a week of this, it developed into a dry hacking cough that once started seemed impossible to stop. I plowed through 2 boxes of Chloraseptic throat lozenges, and was drinking amazing amount of liquids, trying to cool my poor throat.

Fortunately, my throat only twinges occasionally, but my voice is still in and out. Especially at the end of day, if I have been doing any amount of talking, my voice is generally gone.

Needless to say, our house has been somewhat quieter. You know me, I like to talk! It has made ward choir practices interesting, since I normally demonstrate for the choir members the sound I would like to hear...now it just croaks. Hopefully, this will run it's course and my voice will return shortly!! Wish me luck!

Spring Break...at my house!

2009-03-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

So this year for spring break, my family decided to come visit me!! We made my place home base, and my little sisters stayed with me. My dad had a conferance in Vancouver, WA so he stayed at a hotel up there, and my mom joined him. We had fun, hanging out and doing some portland things. One day we went to OMSI and then the next we headed to the Zoo! Lot's of fun, but man, am I tired. One thing I can say for my family, it is that we are never dull! These pics help show you that.

the newest members of my family...

2009-03-24T15:45:00.001-07:00

Introducing... ROSCOE! yes, I named my vacuum. I have never had a vacuum more fun to drive!! I have become enamored with the little circles I now have on my floors. I have even taken Roscoe over to Jackie's, and she said she felt like the woman in the commercials. Really, if you even have an inkling of wanting one of these vacuums, find a way to get one!!

And enough gushing over Roscoe, I also have a wonderful new laptop. Yes, I realize that I don't have a job, but that is what tax returns are for, right? I am still contemplating naming this one.

My family informed me last week that I have become their spring break destination. So, starting tonite, my house will be full! I pick up Katie, my little sister at the airport (she was in Memphis or somewhere like that for a couple of days) and then everyone else gets here tomorrow. The general plans are to just go to the Zoo, OMSI and maybe the rose gardens. Basically, just to see the things my baby sis hasn't seen since she was super little. It should be fun!!

Happy SPRING BREAK!!!

the saga of the exploding nose...

2009-03-20T20:04:00.001-07:00

(Warning: Disgustingness ahead. If you are squeamish, do not read any further)

You know the saying "You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose" right? Mostly, that is true. A certain friend, who shall remain nameless (Dr Jason Young) had the brilliant idea to "realign" the bones and cartilage in my nasal cavity. He thought possibly it might be contributing to my headache. I told him if it worked, he would be elevated to HERO status in my world. And that I would blog about him. However, didn't necessarily work like we wanted, but I am blogging about it anyway.

In short, he threaded a finger condom (mini balloon thingy) up into my nasal passages. Then, he blew up the balloon. OUCH!!!! I could feel my stuff snap into place, and my ears popped. He did this in each little nasal passage, so a total of 6 times. This was followed by copious amounts of snot and lubricant exiting my nose...continuously. So today, post nasal drip has caused major sore throat, continued drainage, and made my voice go funny. Good thing I didn't really need to talk today huh? Let's just hope that this will go away shortly, and not turn into a full blown sinus infection. I have managed to go all winter without illness (well, except the headache, but really started in the fall, so I don't count it anymore.)

And the moral of the story is, if anyone offers to "realign your nasal cavity" JUST SAY NO!!!

2009-03-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

And I'm back!! My laptop has been having internet connection issues, mainly that it is refusing to accept that I actually have an internet card. Oh well, I will hopefully fix it soon. But, in the meantime, I have been borrowing my roommates computer, and currently I am at my parents house stealing theirs!!

I heard from the state appeals board. They have decided to "affirm the decision with no further opinion." Whoot, whoot!!! So in other words, "stick it!" to my former employer. Hopefully this will get the message to them that they really had no right to do what they did. (how is that for ambiguous?)

Plus, I did my taxes today, gotta love that! I love getting money back. I am already planning on buying a Dyson vacuum, since my previous vacuum turned to the dark side.

yep, that's about it!!

Finally, justice

2009-02-08T20:09:00.000-08:00

So, the saga finally has continued. You might remember back to November, when I was fired. Shortly after, I filed for unemployment benefits. Several weeks went by, with no decisions. Finally, I was contacted by the state unemployment office. They were conducting an investigation, because my former employer was challenging my eligability. Based on their answers, the state chose to deny me benefits. I appealed, and finally was informed of when the telephone hearing would be. I called in on the day of the hearing, and shortly after being connected with the judge, the states phone system hung up on all of us. After 40 minutes of trying to reconnect, we finally got the hearing rescheduled. The hearing finally occurred on February 4th.

The results of that hearing were finally delivered to my mailbox on Saturday, February 7th. I say finally because it seemed to take much longer than it actually did. The appeals judge ruled in my favor, declaring that despite what my former employer tried to claim, I am eligible for unemployment benefits. Needless to say, this takes something of a weight off my mind. I won't feel pressured to accept any minimum wage job that cmes along. I will be able to pay my rent and my bills, while still being able to relax a little and look for a good job.

Family Pic Christmas 2008

2009-02-06T14:01:00.000-08:00

The first family picture since 2000, the last one was taken at my sister's wedding.

From left to right: Janina (exchange student) Russell, Anna, Dad, Lily, Katie, Nate, Cooper (the blurry one), Kristel, Mom (Coral), Eric, Kiri, Megan

Beautiful Kids!

2009-01-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

Finally, here are a few pics of the babies from Christmas!

Miss Lily, in her favorite place, under the Christmas tree with all the presents!

Mister Cooper, like his sister, loved the Christmas tree!

These are the outfits that Grandma sent. Aren't they just the cutest? Cooper had a santa hat that went with his, but he hated having it on!

Here is the whole family. The babies loved to chew the tags off of all the presents, but when they went over to their other grandma's house they discovered ribbons and bows. Man, they had fun chewing on all of the pretty shiny stuff!

aaargh!

2009-01-15T15:01:00.001-08:00

Okay, as you can see, I changed my layout. But, in the process, lost all of my links. If I normally had you listed in my friends and family lists, but you don't see yourself there, please email me or leave me a comment, and I will come add you back on! Sorry!

I am sure there is a better way to do this, but I sure don't know it!

Our Hearts Knit as One

2009-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

Alright, here it is. This is the talk I gave in Sacrament meeting today. Enjoy!

When I was about 10 years old, I asked my mom to teach me how to knit. She helped me pick out some yarn, showed me how to hold the needles, and taught me the basic stitches. I was so excited that every chance I had, I was knitting. Unfortunately, at that point of my life, I did not have a very long attention span, or much patience for that matter. So, after the first couple weeks, the excitement wore off, and I began to see it as tedious. Pretty soon, I stopped all together. A few years ago, I picked it back up. I am still pretty slow, but it is now something that I enjoy. Let me try to describe why.

First, you need supplies: yarn, needles, and a pattern. The yarn is pretty, but by itself it isn’t anything but yarn. The needles come in all shapes and sizes. You choose the needles based on the pattern of what you want to create. So, once you have all of your supplies do you put the yarn in a bag, throw in the needles, shake it up some and hope to pull out a scarf, a hat, or a blanket? No, by themselves they cannot create anything. Someone is needed to put it all together. Someone who knows how to knit. With the knowledge and the correct tools, these ordinary things become part of a bigger whole, something beautiful and useful. What was once separate things are now one.

According to Webster’s dictionary, to knit is defined as this: to tie together, to grow together, or to become drawn together. I like the last definition, to become drawn together. To me this implies action on both sides, not just someone imposing their will on two separate units.

If we turn this around and apply it to us, we may see it something like this. We are the supplies. Some of us may be the yarn, and some of us may be needles. We have been thrown together in a bag, which is life here on earth. But without the master knitter, who is the Lord, we cannot expect to come together to make a beautiful blanket. With the Atonement of the Lord, we become drawn together as one people, united in purpose, with an eye single to the glory of God. Since the beginning of time, the Lord has commanded “that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith...having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.” (Mosiah 18:21)

Unity is defined as the quality or state of being made one, a condition of harmony. It is not just a condition, it is also a commandment. In Doctrine and Covenants 38:27 it says “I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” President Henry B. Eyring said in his October 2008 conference address that “The Lord Jehovah will return to those who have become his people and will find them united, of on heart, unified with Him and with our Heavenly Father.” The amazing thing about all of this is the fact that we cannot do it by ourselves. Unity cannot be achieved individually, it requires all of us to look outside ourselves, and to serve each other.

Pres. Eyring also gave us some excellent principles to guide our progress toward unity. The first principle is revelation. I know revelation sounds like a huge thing, but it is fairly simplistic. Revelation is simply the act of communicating divine truth. We are fortunate to have a tool to assist us in personal revelation. We have the Holy Ghost. I think at times, however, we may take this gift for granted. Now imagine for a moment living your life without this marvelous blessing. We have the unique opportunity to have the Spirit testify to our hearts what the Lord would have us do. When we are confirmed members of this church, we are given the gift of the Holy Ghost. We have a direct conduit from the Lord. However, this is based on obedience to his commandments. As we obey, our hearts become knit together in unity and love with the Lord. Here’s another way to think of it. Revelation is a pattern. The Lord sees the whole pattern, but we are only given the part we need to be working on. As we progress, we are given the next step. Everyone has a part, each a different piece of the whole.

The second principle he gives is to be humble. As we humble ourselves, we realize that we are merely tools in the Lord’s hands. We become willing to do His will. The Lord uses all of us. No matter our background, we all have something in common, and that is we are all his children. We are unified in the family of Christ. We are each different colors of yarn, but it takes all colors to create something truly beautiful. To be humble is to be pliable, willing to be put with whatever color the Lord needs to accomplish His design.

The third principle Pres. Eyring gives is to speak well of each other. We all know what Thumper (from the Disney movie Bambi) says. He strokes his ear, and ducks his head, and says somewhat sheepishly, “If ya can’t say somethin nice, then don’t say nuthin’ at all.” In Moroni 7:18 it says: “And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.” We are not perfect. So often we find ourselves holding others up to a standard of perfection when we ourselves are not able to stand up to the very same standard. The Savior does not point out our faults, so why do we continue to do that in others. As we try to see others the way the Savior sees them, we begin to feel the peace and joy that comes from the Light of Christ. That light then shines brighter in us, allowing us to become a beacon of hope and love for others. As those others follow our example of speaking “good will towards men” we all become unified in purpose.

You can’t just pick up a set of needles and some yarn and expect to immediately know how to knit. You have to ask someone who already knows how, like I did with my mom. Prayer is our opportunity for one-on-one tutoring sessions with the Lord. As we pray, Heavenly Father shows us the stitches and technique. We can pray for our families, our roommates, those we home and visit-teach, our ward members, our leaders… the list goes on. As we pray about someone specifically, mentioning them by name, the Lord shows us how we can begin, and continue to be, united with them. Like knitting, this also takes practice. The more we pray for others, the easier it is to obtain the true joy of unity.

It is part of mortality that we will make mistakes. Fortunately for us, the Lord has provided us with a way to fix those mistakes. No matter who we are or what we may have done, the Atonement brings about the same changes in all of us. The Atonement of the Savior is our way to fix the stitches we did wrong. Sometimes, parts of the blanket need to be torn out and redone. This can be painful and time-intensive, but through the Atonement our stitches become even and perfect. Sometimes we may feel like a heap of yarn on the floor, yarn that has been torn out and needs to be redone. At that time, we need to trust the Savior and allow ourselves to be put back together into something better. Sometimes the Lord even uses us as a knitter, helping each other perfect our patterns. As we become closer to our Savior, we will become closer to each other, having been knit together in love. As we become closer to each other, we become a beautiful blanket, ready to be put to use in warming the world with the love and light of Christ.

It is my goal this year to become more unified with my Savior, ready and willing to do my part in this great and marvelous work. May we each strive to become unified as a ward, as a church, and as the people of Christ.

Holiday Recap

2009-01-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

Yep, I'm back! I kinda went berserk with all the snow and crazy weather, and called my parents in desperation. They came and picked me up the Tuesday before Christmas. Yay!! (btw, it took 3.5 hours to get from Salem to Portland, normally a 40 min drive.) Gotta love the weather. Anyhoo, had a great Christmas with the fam, then the next day, we all (Dad, Mom, Me, Janina (the exchange student), Anna, Katie, and Kiri all got into the van and drove to Boise to have a late Christmas with the entire family. Yes, the twins came too. They are so adorable!!

By the time I got back into portland, the snow had melted, yay!! Then, after a major pity party which involved me lying in my bed, totally in tears, feeling ultimately sorry for myself, my awesome roommie came home randomly. She had been down in Corvallis at her folks, and had run up to Portland to get some things for her sis. Anyhoo, she walked in the door at the exact right time. I hauled myself outta bed, and went out to talk to her. About 15 min after that, I repacked a bag and we were headed back down to Corvallis. Spent New year's eve and day with the Glasmann's (my other family, I guess) and then back to Portland I went!!

Oh yeah, it is now official, so I can share. No, not getting married, or anything crazy like that. I officially have a calling in my ward. Not just one, but two!!! Wait for it... Yep, I am the Ward Chorister and the choir director! Shocking. Not really. So, here we go again! It seems my life is always steeped in music somehow. Not that I am complaining, because I totally love music.

This Sunday should be fun, since I not only get to direct the music, I also get to speak. And there ends my 13 year run of good luck. I have not spoken in Church since I was 12. Amazing, huh? That is what moving around alot does, as long as you don't tell anyone you are leaving until the last sunday you are there...then they don't have time to get you to speak!

I might post my talk, if I feel like it, after sunday, and if it is any good. We'll see.

And the storm continues...

2008-12-22T15:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, on the left is Monday Dec 15, and on the right is Monday Dec 22. What a differance a week makes!

And yes, at this moment, it is still snowing.

I even took the opportunity to make a Dr Pepper snowcone! I know, only kids eat snow...but I couldn't resist!

I took another walk to the temple. (I just love that I can do that!) They were trying to clear as much of the parking lot and sidewalks as they could, but the snow kept coming down. They hadn't gotten to the sidewalks when I was there, so in order to get some of the photos, I was tromping thru over a foot of snow. It was up to the middle of my shins.

Christmas Miracle

2008-12-19T21:23:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! This year I had resigned myself to the fact that I was not going to have a Christmas tree. First of all, I can't afford to go buy one. Then, I didn't want to have to lug the thing upstairs and set it all up by myself. My parents generously offered to buy me a tree, but I really didn't want to deal with it.

Okay, yep, that is a Christmas tree. Somehow, I entered myself in a contest on KOIN 6 news. (Yeah, not really sure how that happened) Anyhoo, somehow I won. (Editors' note, I normally never win contests, whether I purposely enter them or not.) This beautiful tree is a 10 foot Douglas Fir. Since it is so big, I had severe difficulty in making it stand up straight. So, I called in the cavalry. Abby and Alyssa, my best friends mom and sister came over to help me get all set up.

Finally! I pulled out all my tree decorations, of which I have many, and get the tree all decked out. Thank goodness for the 20 foot ceilings in our apartment. There just won't be any presents under this tree, cuz I have to leave them all unwrapped since I have am flying to Boise, ID for a late Christmas with my entire family.

Now that the tree is up, it makes the rest of the decorations we have up fit in better. Until tonight, these lights were all we had.

Yep, that is a real fireplace! No, we haven't built any fires yet. Jessie went and bought stocking hangers, so "the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas would give more than their share!"

And last, but certainly not least, our kitchen counter. Seeing is not believing, Believing is Seeing! Apartment 2018 BELIEVES!!!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!

Winter Wonderland Part 2 - the day in between the storms

2008-12-17T11:32:00.000-08:00

This is our swimming pool at our apt complex. With snow all around it, I wouldn't even imagine going swimming, especially since there is ice all across the top!

The wind came up after the snow fell, and what leaves were left on the trees ended up on top of the beautiful white snow!

This is the road leading to the Portland Temple. It was absolutely beautiful!

And once again, the really awesome red bushes.

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

Winter has finally come to Portland! I woke up this morning to snow, actual snow on the ground. And there was about 1 1/2 inches already. It was beautiful. So I decided to take a walk.

It was beautiful! There were quite a few people out enjoying the snow.

When I left my house, it wasn't snowing that much. But, as the walk went on, it started coming down faster.

The trees were absolutely amazing.

My walk took me by the temple. The road directly outside the temple is a little hill, and there were kids sledding down it. They looked like they were having fun.

The temple grounds were gorgeous, but the gates were locked, so I could only get shots from outside the fence.

And finally, this is how our deck looked tonite. It is so pretty with the christmas lights and the snow. Too bad Jessie isn't here to enjoy it with me!

6 weeks later...

2008-12-09T16:23:00.000-08:00

Frankie is fixed! And she is home! Yay! I was so excited when the auto body shop called and said she was finished. She looks just like she did before the eejit ran into me, with the exception of the license plate, which was bent at a 90 degree angle, and they had to straighten it out. So, it is all scraped up. She drives really well too. 6 weeks in a rental car sure made me appreciate Frankie even more.

Here we go again!

2008-11-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

So, a lot has happened since last month. First and foremost, I got fired! Yep, you read that right. Apparently, it took work 26 months to decide that I don't fit. Hmm, interesting. Anyhoo, so now I am looking for something else.

Frankie is still in the auto body shop. It took 2 weeks for the insurance adjuster to look at her, and then he left about half of the repairs off! He told me he had approved all the repairs, and that he had left a check at the repair shop, and all I had to do was sign it when I picked Frankie up. Well, then the awesome repair shop called me, and said that they noticed he didn't really approve ALL the repairs. So, they filed for a re-inspesction. Thankfully, that happened the very next day, and this time, they did include everything. Now we are just waiting for the parts to come in, and then I will get her back. That means I won't be driving my own little car until the middle of december. Aaaagh! a total of 6 weeks in this rental car.

On the headache front, still have a headache. Surprise, Surprise. I have been working with my dr's doing all sorts of not fun tests...CT Scan, MRI, a ton of blood work, several different meds, and finally a spinal tap (well, 2 of those). The current result is that I don't have any tumors, brain bleeds, serious infections, or any other major disease. As my neurologist put it...it's just a headache, albeit a bad one. But now we can treat it as such, without worrying that we are missing something big.

So that is me now. Not much fun, but it is my life.

Rear-ended!

2008-10-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

Yep, I got rearended tonite on the way home from work. Sitting on 217, at a complete stop, and some eejit runs into the back of me! Poor Frankie...now she has to go to the dr to get fixed. At least it all goes onto the other guys insurance. I am over the royally ticked off phase, and am now in the just mad phase.

On a happier note, my amazing niece and nephew are eating real food, and are still growing like weeds.

Aren't they cute?

Medical Misery

2008-09-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update, lots happening. First, haven't been on for a while due to massive headache. Yeah, just one that won't go away. More to follow when I know more.

Also, I am moving again. Yeah, I know. No comments, please. I will put up my new address once I am totally moved. Sorry I don't have more than that.

Introducing...

2008-08-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce you to Frankie. Frankie is my new car. She is super cute, and WAY fun to drive. She is an 08 Mazda 3. (yeah, i know, holy cow) I wasn't expecting to get a new car, just one that was more reliable than Antoinette. For those of you who don't know, Antoinette was my old car, an 1990 Toyota Camry with way too many miles on her. Anyhoo, now I have Frankie! Many many thanks to my dad, who is the coolest dad on the planet. He helped me get a great loan for her.

And without further ado, meet Frankie...

Simple gifts

2008-08-03T16:49:00.001-07:00

It is amazing to me how the Lord works. He knows how we feel, all the time. He knows exactly what we need to heal (at least a little) our hearts and souls. This amazing rainbow was one of those gifts. The pure beauty brought, at least for the moment, peace into my life.

This was the view directly behind me...

And just a few minutes later...

Ok Really, This time... On the Edge

2008-08-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to find a way to introduce a little bit of spice back into my life, and I finally hit upon a way. I can change my hair...again. A little while ago, I decided to chop my hair.. and go back to being a redhead. In all of my 25 years, I had never dyed my hair at all. But, it was turning into a not happy brown color... not that brown is bad, but when you are a true red head and then you are not, you miss it. SO, anyway, back to dying the hair. Those of you who have done this know the drill, you have to keep dying it, or major roots!!!!

I have an amazing hairdresser!! So amazing, that rather than find one in Portland, I will drive down to Corvallis every 6 weeks to get my hair cut. This weekend was the first "re-dying" after going back to red. I sat down in her chair, and told her I wanted to go a little more daring. I was thinking of thin strips of purple, pink or lime green. Fortunately for me, Barbara had a better idea. "NO!!" She said. "But, what about red?" I know, my hair is going to be dyed red with blonde highlights already... so what color red?

Fun, huh? I know, it doesn't look like my natural color, but that was the point. It isn't a ton, but enough to make me happy. And it is SO much better than a purple or other color. Anyhoo, a little way to add spunk!

On The Edge...

2008-08-03T16:18:00.001-07:00

Memory Game!

2008-07-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

This is a fun, tag-gy type game! So, play along...Here are the directions:1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

no, I haven't been slacking...

2008-07-19T09:02:00.001-07:00

Well, in a way I have. My internet has been fickle lately, and I just haven't gotten around to getting my own service...you know, you use whoevers service you can hack into. Well, that trusty well dried up! SO, now I just need to get off my butt and do it!

Back to reality...

2008-07-08T19:02:00.001-07:00

I had a fantastic vacation. So much so, that I did not want to return to the grind of everyday life. But alas, I knew I needed to attend to my duties.

I spent 8 wonderful days in Utah, visiting with friends and relatives, and being lazy. I decided to do some "Temple-hopping" while I was there, so while Tamara was at work, I made my way to the Bountiful Temple,

and to the Mount Timpanogas Temple.

I made plans to attend the Salt Lake temple with some dear friends of mine, but those plans were thwarted, first with double-booking, and then with the temple being closed for cleaning. So, we ended up at the Bountiful temple, again. I attempted to also attend the Provo Temple (did not have enough time) and the Jordan River Temple (it too was closed.) But, that is ok, I loved where I did get to go.

I spent time with my amazing niece and nephew...

and I played with friends...

All in all, it was wonderful. I got to "spend the day in the life of a senior missionary couple," tour downtown Salt Lake at midnight, attend the Arts Festival, see a true hippie dancer in Utah, go to Seven Peaks Water Park, have dinner with friends, drive a nicer car than I currently own, and luv, luv, luv those babies.

And now, back to real life...

VACATION!

2008-06-27T22:29:00.001-07:00

Alright!! Woohoo!!! I am officially on vacation. Salt Lake City, here I come. I am going to spend just over a week with my Tamara!!! During which time, I am going to be visiting my beautiful niece and nephew. Stay tuned for pics of the babies!

So, while I am playing, here is something for you to enjoy. This is just a clip, but here is the Oregon Chorale.

OKAY.......

2008-06-24T00:38:00.001-07:00

Oh sure, now it works...

ummmm

2008-06-24T00:36:00.000-07:00

I think my lava lamp is broken. I just sat watching it, and it never got the bubbles going up, it only did the wavy thing at the bottom...

Failure...

2008-06-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

Complete and utter failure. Yup, you read that right. My first attempt at charcoal grilling ended in failure. My folks got me a small grill for birthday, and I wanted to try it. Apparently, I know nothing about grilling. I thought I could, but nope. I got these beautiful steaks to grill, and once I cooked them up on the stove top they were great. Maybe I need to find someone to give me grilling lessons. Oh well, I will try again later!

Slacker Me!

2008-06-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am a slacker! I admit it. I have really done nothing this week. Work, come home, sleep and do it all again the next day. I did trim my hair this week, and asked her to go a little shorter in the back. So, we did! My hair is now just at the bottom of my ears. Of course, I drive down to Corvallis cause I absolutely love my hair dresser!!! She is the best. So, headed down friday night and back on saturday. Came back in time for my friend Keegan's 4th b-day party. What a party! Go Mom!! I finally found time to get into the pool...actually, hot tub first. Very nice...I think I should make this a daily habit.

Still no keys, I will be having my locks changed this week.

Happy Fathers Day to my dad! My dad is, without a doubt, the most amazing dad ever! (Sorry, your dad will never be cooler than mine!) He is such an example of perserverance, love and patience.

Still no keys!

2008-06-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

Yup, you read that right. Still no keys. They have disappeared off the face of the earth. The good news is that the complex will change the locks on my apartment for me. I am still hoping to find them somewhere.

lessons learned...

2008-06-04T00:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, have to share this, even though I will probably never live it down. SO, here we go. Long day at work, head to straight to babysit the k's. Get home around 11:15 pm, pull out my keys, and... no keys to my house!!!!!!! I have all my other keys, but not the ring with the house keys and mail key on it. So, you know the drill. Empty out your purse, search your car. Retrace your steps the last time you remember having them...meanwhile, trying really hard not to pee your pants. No keys. Check near the mailbox, no keys. Check near the front office, no keys. Call the emergency # on the office door, leave a message. Call home, rant and rave, still try not to pee. The whole time praying that you really aren't losing your mind but they are actually gone. Throw in the prayer that you either need to find the keys, or lose the need to void! Call a friend (by this time it is 1145) ask to use their bathroom. Drive back over, race up the stairs, ahhh, RELIEF!!!! back downstairs, dump your purse on the floor. Still no keys. Then... Brainstorm! Maybe the living room window is still open. Hopefully I didn't actually be responsible and close the windows. EUREKA!!! Two windows are open, just have to pop the screen, crawl in, and viola!

So, what did I learn, you ask? well, 2 things. First, there is a really prickly bush outside my window. and it really hurts when you butt is in it. And 2nd, breaking into my apartment is pretty noisy! That is a relief. At least if someone breaks in, I will hear it! (I figured if a cat can break into my apartment, then I can too.) A few weeks ago, I really had a cat burglar. A cat managed to paw out a corner of a screen, and crawled in. Freaked me out, early saturday morning, got out of the shower, and there is this cat! He is a pretty cat, but a little disconcerting to have him break in. Oh well, that is story for today!

It's Official!

2008-06-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, today it is official! I turned 25! I have a confession to make... I have been having a hard time with this b-day. My best friend termed it a "quarter life crisis." However, now that I am actually 25, I have been blessed with sudden wisdom. Okay, not really, but I have been thinking about this for the past several weeks. I think part of the reasons I have been struggling are that my "plan" for my life has really not happened. But, in my moments in between freaking out, here is what I have realized:

In my 25 years I have:
* been a nanny
* worked for Walt Disney World
* been a first responder, CNA, EMT-Basic and dispatcher
* lived in somewhere over 15 different houses
* become an auntie
* lived on my own, with roommates, and with family (and those I count as family)
* made friends
* kept most of those friends
* learned how amazingly cool my parents actually are
* and much more

Most importantly, however, it is not what I have done that makes me who I am. No matter what, I am a daughter of God. I have a loving Father in Heaven who knows me... really knows me. Better than I know myself. awesome.

Anyhoo, as far as my actual birthday went, I spent the day at work (I know, not so fun) then ran over the tech rehearsal for the chorale. Our concert is coming up next weekend, so we sang for 3 1/2 hours! And let me tell you, it is fun to have a choir sing Happy Birthday! I got a grill from my folks (yep, I get to learn how to grill) and all the accoutrement's needed.

So, chalk it up to another year!

Thistle & Shamrock

2008-05-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

Well, it is that time of year! End of season concerts! I have joined the Oregon Chorale. Our final concert of this season is coming next weekend. We will be performing 2 nites, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Saturday June 7

7:00 PM

United Methodist Church

9845 Sw Walnut Pl

Tigard, OR

Sunday June 8

St. Matthew Catholic Church

447 SE 3rd Ave

Hillsboro, OR

You are all welcome to attend! We will be performing music that the chorale will present on their tour of Scotland and Ireland this summer. And no, I will not be going with them. Any questions, feel free to call me, or email! Hope to see y'all there!

Pics of my House...Finally!

2008-05-27T20:45:00.001-07:00

OPEN HOUSE!

2008-05-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

Yep, I am having an open house, and everyone is invited! It is this Sunday, May 18th from 6:30pm to 9:00 (or whenever I get tired of people in my house!)

188th and Cornell, The Club at Tanabourne, 2323 NW 188th Ave, Hillsboro, OR. I am apt 713. Feel free to stop by! There will be food, and hopefully lots of people. Come help me break in my apartment! Call if you need directions.

I will post pics of my house after the open house. Oh yeah, I bought a digital camera. Yes, I have finally joined the digital era. Nikon Coolpix. I love it! That is where the pics of the babies came from. What do you think? Takes good pics, eh? And guess what color it is? PINK! (okay, it is really plum, but is looks pink.)

Looks good, huh? Nice sale on it too! Gotta love Circuit City!

Running Away...

2008-05-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

Last week I had a somewhat embarrassing breakdown at work. This resulted in my boss giving me a couple of days off. SO, I took the time and ran away to Utah. Lily and Cooper both came home last week, so they were there!! I got to hold and love those precious little babies. I also had to fight with my other sisters, mom and dad for baby time. Funny, there are two, and still not enough to hold!!

Cooper ways over 7 lbs now, and Lily is over 6! Yay! They are growing. It is fun to see their separate personalities, even though they are still so little.

This is Lily. She loves to have her arms up and out. Even swaddled, she will find a way to get her arms out!

And Cooper is just a cute little chunk! He likes to sleep. He is good at it too! How can you not fall in love wih these two?

A-Z Tag, from Jackie (Thanks!)

2008-05-12T22:38:00.000-07:00

A to Z Tag

A: Attached or Single: Single, probably for years to come!

B: Best Friend: Jenna Elizabeth Grant Matthews!

C: Cake or Pie: Hmm, Chocolate Cake, unless it is Peggy's chocolate chip pie

D: Day of Choice: Saturday

E: Essential Item: My Phone... I know, pathetic

F: Favorite Color: Pink! (It's Peggy's fault.)

G: Greatest Accomplishment: Not really sure on that one

H: Hometown: In reality, I have no home town, but I claim Corvallis, since I lived there the longest.

I: Indulgences: Reading, Decorating my new apartment, DQ Blizzards

J: January or July: July

K: Kids: nope.

L: Life is Incomplete Without: my family

M: Marriage Date: hopefully sometime in the future!

N: Number of Siblings: 6; 2 brothers, and 4 sisters!

O: Oranges or Apples: Apples, fuji's or braeburn

P: Phobias or Fears: I hate spiders.

Q: Quotes: "No Worries!"

R: Reason to Smile: My beautiful Niece and Nephew, Lily and Cooper

S: Season: Summer, cause I really dislike the gray drizzle that is the rest of the year.

T: Tag Five Friends: five??? Peggy (maybe you'll actually do it since you have been tagged twice...), Tamara, Julianna, Emily, and Brady

U: Unknown Fact About Me: I really am a homebody.

V: Very Favorite Store: IKEA, and Bed, Bath & Beyond

W: Worst Habit: Biting my nails, I do great, and then I lapse again!

X: X-ray or Ultrasound: x-ray, cause I have had too many to count

Y: Your Favorite Food: aything dark chocolate

Z: Zodiac: Gemini

The New Do

2008-05-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally bit the bullet, and chopped off my hair! Not only did I chop it, but I colored it as well. My hair was turning an unhappy brown, while my entire life I have been a red head. So, I went back to red! What do you think?

I know, it is a self portrait, so it's not that hot. Yep, its short! I love it. I drove all the way down to Corvallis to have my hair dresser do it. She was so excited. The whole time she just kept saying "This is going to be awesome, it is looking so good!" I think she was more excited about my do change than I was. The back is a little shorter, ok alot shorter. the shortest layer is just one finger width long.

Pictures of the Sweeties!

2008-04-20T17:07:00.001-07:00

This is Cooper!! Yeah, he looks pretty beat up. Apparently Lily Belle was kicking and punching him for the last 8 months. But, Cooper came out bigger, so Lily better watch out!
And this is Lily. She is beautiful. If you'll notice, she is pretty much unscathed. Isn't the little pink bow in her hair precious?
This is the deluxe accommodations in which my wonderful little niece and nephew currently reside. They are doing well, they just need to learn how to eat, and to gain a little bit of weight. Apparently, Cooper likes to snuggle, and Lily doesn't. He will put his little arm around her, but she squirms and moves to get away. I think this explains his bruises, don't you?
Lily is on the left, and Coop is on the right. I wish I could just lay under a huge bili light for hours at a time! It looks so warm and inviting, without all the gizmos hooked up, of course.

They're Here!!!!!

2008-04-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

My niece and nephew have arrived! They were born last night (actually early this morning). Lily is the oldest. YAY! She was born at 1245 AM. She is 4 lbs 6 oz, 17 inches long, and has a little bit of red hair!! Cooper was born at 1255 AM, weighing in at 5 lbs 2 oz. I don't know how long he is, my sister wasn't quite sure at 1 AM when she called my parents.

As soon as I see pics of my awesome little niece and nephew, you will too!!

Utah Fun

2008-04-09T21:45:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I did a whirlwind trip to Utah. I had several reasons for going... my roommate Tamara went through the temple, my sister had a baby shower, General Conferance, and just for fun!!

So, lets start at the top. I flew into SLC Friday morning. Tamara picked me up, and we went to a mall to do Build-a-Bears for my niece and nephew. We stopped off at Tamara's work (the Hale Center Theatre) for a quick meeting, then went serious shopping! I had to find the perfect "coolest Aunt in the world" gift. After shopping and lunch, we ran back to Tamara's to change and head into Salt Lake. Temple Square is so beautiful. I must admit the Salt Lake Temple is amazing. Especially when you consider who built it, and when. The attention to detail and imagery everywhere is amazing. After the session, Tamara's family, friends and I went out to dinner. Super fun.

Saturday morning, Tamara and I had tickets to the AM session of conferance. However, the baby shower was scheduled to start at 12, so we would have had to leave early. So, we gave the tickets to Tamara's friend Amy. So, we listened to Conferance, and went shopping. We headed to Ikea in Draper cuz the one in portland is out of stock of the lamps I want for my bedroom. So I bought them down there and carried them home.

the baby shower: my sister is such a beautiful prego woman. She is 34 weeks along, with twins, and she is amazing! She also has some pretty awesome friends and relatives down there. The shower was thrown by her mother and sisters' in law. It was very fun. And yes, I went overboard on my gift. I can't help it... Lily and Cooper totally deserve it. I found these awesome bibs and onesies that say "My Aunt Loves Me." tee hee!

Isn't she beautiful?

On Sunday, Tamara and I had tickets to the PM session of Conferance. It was so fun to see Pres. Monson and how he has truly been ordained the living Prophet today. I could really feel his power. It was awesome. We had alot of fun listening to the talks. I also had fun picking out my Uncle Wes in the Tab Choir. He sat in the back row of the tenor section, right next to the organ. He was also the tallest one!

I flew home Monday morning, in time to be only 5 min late to work. (just a few minor glitches, or I would have been on time.)

On a side note, I am considering chopping my hair. So, I am adding a poll... what do you think? I want to go short, but am a little nervous. I am thinking about a style like my sister's...hmmm.

Breathless!!

2008-04-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

Alright, I am finally updating! Here is a quick recap of the last 3 weeks. Painted the apartment (yes, the entire apartment) moved in, unpacked, unpacked, worked, unpacked, worked, unpacked, bought a new bookcase, unpacked... you get the idea.

So, yes, I AM A PACKRAT!!!!! I admit it. When I moved into my apartment, my parents took advantage of the opportunity to empty my stuff from their attic. For some reason I had in my brain that I only had a few boxes still in their attic. NOPE!!!! My mom brought them up, and they filled their minivan. I didn't even know what was in some of the boxes. I have finally whittled the pile of boxes down to a mere 5. They have all been opened and cataloged, just not quite sure what to do with some of it. I have 4 full boxes that are going to DI, or goodwill, wherever is closest to me.

This is the tree right outside my patio.

I love my apartment! It has a washer/dryer in it, which I haven't had for about 5 years. It is so nice not to stock pile quarters. I have my window treatments up, and bought a new bookcase. It is not just an ordinary bookcase... this bookcase is 6 feet high, and 6 feet long... beautiful!

I love Ikea. For those of you who don't know, Ikea is a home furnishing store. THey have everything you could ever need for your home. And they are cheaper than other stores. Some things are cheap, and you can tell they are cheap, but for the most part, they are just really good deals.

On another note...I have joined the Oregon Chorale! It used to be known as the Washington County Chorale, which my mother sang in when she lived here in Hillsboro. They are a community choir, but with amazing talents. This year they are touring Europe for two weeks. And no, I am not going...but next time!! The concert will be on June 7 & 8, so mark your calendars. I would love to see any and all of you at either concert! You will not be disappointed. More info to follow as I learn it!

I apologize for the tiny litte photos, but that is what you get when all you have is a cell phone camera. But, a digital camera is on the list for after my house is all done!

Got an apartment!

2008-02-25T00:15:00.000-08:00

Well, it is amazing what happens when the Lord is on your side. I needed to find a place to live, preferably close to where I work. So, I looked online, found some complexes that showed promise, and sent an email out to the one that was cheapest and met my other criteria. Within 14 hours, they had called back. Within another 24, I had been approved for the only apartment available that was the size I wanted. So, I take possession on March 7, and move in on the 10th.

Here is my new address:

2323 NW 188th Ave #713

Hillsboro, OR 97124

Phone # stays the same, cause it is my cell. Now I all have to do is pack (and I am only in Corvallis for a total of 5 days between now and then) paint my new apartment, and move! Wow, at least life is never dull.

For those of you who come up to the Portland area, give me a call or drop by! I love visitors. I will get pics taken when I am all moved in.

update!

2008-02-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay, okay. I know it has been a LONG time since I last posted. That is because I haven't really had anything to say. But, decisions have finally been made, and now I can fill everyone in.

Most important : I am moving to Hillsboro, OR. For those of you who don't know where that is, get a map! No, it is a suburb of Portland, OR. I have been working up in Hillsboro with Metro West Ambulance since January. I haven't moved yet because I was waiting to hear on a conditional job offer for the City of Eugene.

For a quick recap: I applied back in Sept or Oct of last year. I tested in the end of October for a 991 call taker position. Nov 1st I interviewed with the city. Nov 3 I turned in the background check information. Dec 27th I passed the background and went on to the psychological exam. (yeah, I tried to just tell them up front that I was crazy, but it didn't work.) The psych eval was 4 hours of answering inane questions with true/false and varying degrees of the same test. Jan 11, met with the psychologist to discuss the answers to said inane tests. And finally, last Monday, found out that the psychologist deemed me "profile not right to enter academy at this time."

Basically, he profiled me, and then compared my profile to those who have been successful in the field. Apparently, I am crazy! But hey, y'all already knew that. Really, apparently the Lord has a different idea of where I should be right now.

So... this means that I am now apartment hunting...again. I have amazing friends in hillsboro who (for some strange reason) let me crash at their house while I am working. They have 2 adorable kids, and I love being able to come home to them! They make this transition time bearable. Anyhoo, I am looking for an apartment. I have decided to take my time and make sure that I am getting into a good place. I want this to last for longer than 6 months, so I will be wary in what I choose.

Also, I received a promotion (of sorts) at work! It is a promotion, but really without a pay increase. My hourly wage goes up, but my paychecks stay about the same because the hours are different. Beginning March 3, I will be working M-F 1030 to 630. (now I work 3-12 hour shifts one week, and 4 the next ) It is really fun to be in an office where my talents are appreciated, and that appreciation is expressed. It is a new experience, as the office where I previously was did not do any of that. But that is a whole other story that would take hours to tell.

Here are some of the bonuses...
* Hillsboro is where I lived for the first 8 years of my life, so this is sort of like coming home.
* It is only 30 minutes away from the Portland Temple
* I have awesome friends currently in Hillsboro
* I work with a great bunch of people
* I have relatives (both immediate and extended) within a few hours of me
* I get to babysit Keegan and Kayden anytime I want (which makes their parents go out!)
* Shopping! (Ikea, malls, jewelry stores, yes, I have an addiction)
* My best friend's family is in the area, so I get to see them more

Okay, enough of that for now. As soon as I get my new address, I will let you know!

reason to pause

2008-01-24T21:36:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I was visiting with friends, and had an interesting experience. They asked me if I might be interested in getting to know one of their friends. He apparently would have asked for my phone number, except for the fact that I am a Mormon. This turned the discussion to whether or not I would be happy or interested in dating someone not of my faith.

My friends commented that they thought I was the type who "could be happy marrying a Mormon boy and living the Mormon life" but could "also be happy marrying a nice christian boy, and let go of the Mormon cult." This statement made me stop and think. These friends have known me for a few years, and they have seen me go through many changes. However, it made me stop and reflect how I present myself and my beliefs to others.

I am an endowed member of the church. I have chosen to be actively involved in the church. I will not marry anyone who cannot do so in the temple. While I admit I am on the more liberal side of the "perceived Mormon beliefs," I am still a practicing Mormon.

So, I put it to you, readers of this blog... how do I convince these friends that I truly am committed to my faith? I have tried to share my testimony, but they try to tell me that I will change my mind. I do not know how to handle this. I love these friends, but they seem intent on basing my beliefs on past actions, not on my current and professed beliefs.

I want to share with anyone who may read this : I am so grateful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. I love the Saviour, who is my elder brother and my friend. He gave His life for me, and for everyone. The Church is true. I KNOW this. My life has been incredibly blessed. While I have challenges and trials, I know that the Saviour is there to buoy me up and take my burdens. May I live my life in example of Him.

I'm going to be an Auntie!

2008-01-11T22:03:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's right. I am going to be an Aunt! My older sister is having TWINS! We have known since day 1 that she is prego, cause they had a really hard time getting there. They finally did artificial insemination. They implanted two, and two are still there!!! Yay! They went in yesterday to find out what they were having, and...

Meet Cooper ( a most precious little boy ). My bet is that he will be a sports nut, and his parents will have a really hard time getting him to keep his clothes on.

and here is Lily ( a beautiful little girl ). She is quite active. I think she will be the first one out, and probably won't stop moving her entire life. They couldn't get too many pics of her, cause she was moving around so much.

If you can't tell, I am so excited for these babies! My sister is doing great. The babies are healthy, and mom is too.

They aren't due until May, but my guess is that they will grace the world with their presence early.

My sister senior pics...

2008-01-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I had my surgery, and it came out well. I am back at work, in Portland now and so far liking it. I am working 12 hours days right now. Whew, it takes a lot out of me. I will be headed to bed shortly.

Anyhoo, I did my sister's senior pics this year. (I am definetly not a professional, but we all seemed to like them. Here are a few...

This is one of my favorites. We had a hard time getting a genuine smile out of her, so we had to make her laugh.

Isn't she beautiful? I can't believe she is already 17 & getting ready to graduate High School.

Those are just a few of my favorites. We got quite a few great shots. These were all shot at various locations in Oakridge.

An a different note, I have been staying with some friends this week in portland, while I am up here working. She had been burning some candles in here kitchen, and just a few minutes ago, we looked back to see big flames on the counter!! She had put the candles on a paper plate, and somehow the plate caught fire. NO worries though, we (they) got it put out before any damage occurred.

Alright, I had headed off to bed! G'night!

Here We Go Again...

2007-12-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

You know the saying "When it rains, it pours."? It so aptly describes my life right now. Let's see, where to begin? Let's go back to last wednesday...

Remember I have no job beyond Dec 18th. I had arranged to have my last day be Friday Dec. 14th. Keeping that mind, let me relate what happened during my last few days at Metro West Eugene. Wed. evening I received a phone call from my surgeons office. We had done a CT Arthrogram of my shoulder on monday of that week, and they had the results. They weren't good. First, let me review the surgery. I had torn the Labrum, which is the cartiledge in the shoulder. They went in arthroscopically ( a little scope) and repaired it by anchoring 2 metals thingys (very technical term) into the bone of the joint. They then stitched together the labrum, and stitched the repair to the anchors.

The scan showed that one of the anchors they had set in my shoulder was coming out. I don't know why the anchor is coming out, but in order to fix, they have to go in again and pull out the faulty anchor and set in a new one. (Basically, they have to do the exact same surgery over again.) Now for the fun part. I have no job. Which means that I have no insurance beyond Dec. 31. I explained the situation to my surgeons office, and they said they would try to get extra OR time to do the surgery before the end of the year.

The Next Day: Our company christmas party, and my second to last day. My bosses boss (the second in command of the company) came down, and requested an exit interview. The very first thing she said was "I was so surprised to hear you were leaving." Apparently, the idea was not to fire me, but to "encourage me to heal my shoulder and get off of light duty." I explained to her the news I had received the night before about a second surgery. She asked if I would be interested in transferring somewhere within the company. I had tried to transfer up to the Portland office a couple of months previous. Nothing had ever come of that effort, so I had given up (after two solid months of trying.)

Friday: my last day. My boss asked to speak to me, and informed me that her boss was trying to find me a position in our portland office. She also told me that she liked me, but that I "am simply inneffective." Hmmm, interesting, since HER boss told me I was very valuable to the company. So now I had a choice. I could take my final check, and take my chances, or I could not take the check, still be employed with the company - thus keeping my insurance.

I didn't take the check. Apparently, the portland office really wants me. SO, I still have a job, I just have to drive to Portland (actually Hillsboro) to do it.

Oh yeah, I am having my second surgery on Wednesday, Dec. 19th. I never thought I would be grateful to have a surgery. Yet strangely, I am. I am grateful that my Surgeon was able to get extra time to do my operation. I will be starting in Portland in 2 weeks. Yay!!

Wow. Sorry, that was long.