18 Years - Really?

Yesterday was mine and Scott's 18th wedding anniversary!  Time sure has flown by.  Scott and I met in college.  He was a semester ahead of me because I for deep personal reasons had changed my major mid stream.  Basically I did not like how they tore up my articles as a Journalism major.  So I took hold of my minor in History and it became my major.  Yes, it was deep all around!  Anyway, had this not happened along with many other things that Scott can quickly enumerate for you, we would have never met.  You see it was in his last semester and my next to last one that we both attended a Historian's Craft class (a requirement to get your deep degree in History).

We were in this class for 10 weeks, folks!  Keep in mind 10 weeks for 3 hours each week!  We spoke to each other one time in 10 weeks during a break were we talked about the school newspaper.  I being a previous high school newspaper editor always read the school newspaper and it appeared he found this interesting.  Also, for the entire 10 weeks I thought his first name was Perry because that is all anyone called him even the teacher!  He thought I was older than him because I came to class "dressed up," meaning not jeans and tshirt.  Let me explain why this was.  I worked full time (40 hours) during most of my college experience and attended classes full time.  Perry here, just got lucky that this was the one class during that whole time that I did not work on the day of the class nor did I have any other classes.  So I was pretty bummy all day and usually put on big girl clothes for this one class.  Who knew such things would pay off!

So how did we get past the one conversation to a lifetime of wedded bliss? Well, all in all that was a rough semester for me in the personal realm.  I had given up on men, boys whatever you wish to call them.  By the way, they do say that is when he comes along.  Anyway, on the very last night of our 10 week class, I had my hand on the door handle of my car when I hear, "So are you going to stop and talk to me?"  Yes, always as cocky as ever my sweetie!  Well, I thought I might because I at least knew him and he seemed intelligent and if he was a serial killer I did have mace on me!  Anyway, we stood in that parking lot and talked for a couple of hours.  We then talked on the phone the next three nights for several hours.  Went on a date, met the parents, dealt with parents divorcing, had a beach trip, dealt with some other really personal and important issues, lived together for 6+months and decided we would get married on November 27, 1993.

FYI - our first date was on May 27, 1992, we married exactly 1 year and 6 months later.  We moved into our first house on March 27, 1999.  The 27th is just a good date for us!

So that is how we met and amazingly throughout the last 18 years we have never really stopped talking or accepting both the good and bad in each other!  Perry, it sure has been fun and I know because I am independent that way, that we will see many more together!

Benefits of Yoga - Why Yoga Exercise is Good for You

Benefits of Yoga - Why Yoga Exercise is Good for You

As I have become a devotee of yoga and the benefits it has especially for those dealing with pain, I thought I would start providing information about the value of yoga and the things you should know about it. Enjoy this first article about the benefits of yoga.

I am thankful....

...for my wonderful husband

...for my beautiful daughter

...for my excellent and crazy family

...for my supportive yet honest friends

...for the ability to see, feel, taste, hear and touch everything around me

...for the pain that makes me more grateful for each moment

...for the beauty that is found in books, music and the laughter of a child

...for the love that I find in all of these things.

I am thankful this year more than I think in any other year for each feeling and thought that I have.  All of you please know that I love you and am very thankful that you are in my life.

Miss These Days

Today was a good day!  I had some pain but not as much as I have been and I had a great attitude for some reason.  I use to be this way all the time!  I miss that girl who smiled because she wanted to and not because she was using it to hide how she really felt.  Even now there is pain in my hands and neck but it will be ok.  Infertility was tough and you can read that in all of the previous posts but this stuff I have now has been much worse.  My only hope is that it will one day go away and my old self will be here more often.  It seems ever since we started on the quest to have a child that I have had to learn more medical terms than you should have to.  Neuropathy so far has been the most vile of terms.  But they do say what does not kill you does make you stronger.  I think weight lifting is in my future!   Yoga is now my best friend so you too will learn those words too if you keep reading here.  Did you know that I sit most of the day with my shoes off under my desk so my feet don't hurt as much?  Did you know that two fans in a room that is already 65 degrees is really cool?  Did you know that cobra pose is excellent for toning your arms?  Give it a try!  Trying to post more!  Tomorrow night I will be heading with my sister to the the midnight showing of Breaking Dawn I!  Yes, we are crazy and I am going to work on Friday too!  I figure I usually wake up at midnight anyway why not have some popcorn and see a movie!  Maybe I will post some pics of us in our PJs at the movie. (Easier just to drop into bed afterwards)! Talk to you later!

Sick Days - What Are Those?

No this will not continuously be a forum for me to regale you with all of my pains but some days are just annoying.  My alarm went off at its usual 4:30am this morning and I drug myself out of bed and down the hall to my yoga mat.  I kept telling myself that I would feel worse if I did not go in there and get on that mat and do crazy poses.  I made it through that and then finished getting ready and Erynn also.  By the time I got to the car I was worn out.  Luckily I carpool with my sweetie and he drives in the mornings.  This gives me extra sleep time and more opportunities to make cute faces at my little girl.  When I finally got to work, everywhere ached and my head was killing me. So began another day I wish could be a sick day.  I think I have taken two maybe three days this year due to not feeling well.  I try not to focus on the fact that if I stayed home every time I felt bad that I would be laying in bed 24/7.  I have a hard time remembering a day where there was not some kind of issue or pain.  Right now I sit here typing this with burning pains in my face and arms.  But this is becoming normal.  I get very frustrated with people who have no family to take care of who are constantly taking days off for illness.  I think we should have more days off.  We as a country spent less time off than most other countries and what has it done for us?  Heart attacks, stress, increased cancer risk, obesity, and it goes on and on.  Anyway, I wish I understood what a sick day really was.  Of the two or three I took off I think I might have rested for a couple of hours.  Always too much to do!  Not anymore!  I am striking against not resting!  I am striking against being stressed.  People, my house will need more cleaning and I will be ignoring your bad attitudes and constant questions.  Life is too short for me not to let go and have a restful sick day!

Surviving Pain

I try very hard not to bring my pain to work - it's there but hopefully you do not see it.
I try very hard not to bring my pain to my daughter - it is toughest when we spend all day together.
I try very hard not to bring my pain to my family and friends - they want to help but can't.
All of this hard work is difficult but is how I survive the pain.  The medicine helps but some days like the last three are really a strain.  When you constantly feel like there are hot pokers in your back, head and neck.  When your hands and feet feel like they belong to someone else but are on fire too.  The hardest part is that I can walk around with this and no one really knows how it feels.
HOWEVER,  people have died today in much more painful ways.  Others are dealing with much worse conditions than I am.  So I will survive the pain another day and be happy to have that day to spend with my daughter, my husband and all my family and friends.  Thanks for helping me survive the pain!