This is my little dorky husband. Still on the honeymoon. I love him. So. Very. Much.
So I picked out a couple of tiles today. I really like them. And my old tile starts getting ripped out tomorrow!! Changes. I hope they are good for me. I think they will be --- when they're done. I'm just setting my mind on the fact that my house will be a wreck. For a very long time. Those of you who know me know that this is huge for me. I do not like my house to be a mess. I do not like any room to be a mess. Or disorganized. So, this is a very big deal. Probably not for many people. But it is for me. So if I look like a nervous wreck for the next few months, you'll all know why. But I am looking forward to having it done. I'm looking forward to the house looking different. My kids are not. They would like things to remain the same. I do not. I need them to be different. And I now have a dictatorship -- so I get what I want. I also have the check book.
In other news --- I'm going to have to get another shot in my shoulder in a couple of days. My shoulder started hurting in Cabo and it has gotten worse over the last few days. Today I thought I was going to cry. Not because of the pain but because it surprised and depressed me. I thought this was behind me. But Dr. K says that sometimes it takes several injections. Of course it does ---- for me. Sigh. I wonder how many margaritas it will take to make me not care when he does it? Any guesses? I don't want to throw up on him -- I just want to not care. Can you get Demerol in a pill?! That helped me to not care during labor -- I figure it would work for a huge injection into my muscles.
Daughter #1 leaves for Boston on Tuesday. Another day that I'm trying to push out of my mind. Denial --- not just a river in Egypt.
Another change. But not as fun as the changes to the house. But I am excited for her and for what lies ahead of her. I hope she enjoys this time in her life.
Let's see --- what else is going on? Oh, Son #2 has taken to walking around the house without a shirt on. For those of you who remember the picture of his butt not being covered by his pants ...... imagine. Ugh. The boy loves to show off his body. Or as much as he can get away with. I told him to enjoy it while he can. I doubt that any of those parts will be uncovered on and after August 16th. Meanwhile, I hope that my teeth are not ground to stubs by then. Picking my battles. With a lot of effort.
Oh ---- here's a job for you --- all of you!
I'm supposed to take two pieces of writing with me to the writer's conference next week. I will take 2 of my blog entries but I have absolutely no idea which ones. Can you make recommendations for me? SS --- what do you think? I've never done this before and I still don't consider myself a writer, but I'm going to play along and want to be prepared. I need your help.
So, please give me your thoughts. Don't make me beg --- everyone asks what they can do .... now you know. You have an assignment.
Or you could bring me dinner.
Whatever. I'm not picky.
:)
15 comments:
Ha! I LOVE that silly picture of Jim! How cute:)
As always, I'm here reading and thinking of you. I'll have to look back over the posts and pick my favorites!
I love you,
Lis
The most recent blog post I would recommend would be the one about the fountain pens. Have a wonderful trip...I know you will with S & K with you....
Amy
Okay you asked . . . Monday, December 31, 2007 . . . Here I am . . . that was pretty powerful for me to read . . . and by the way you are a writer . . . take your gift and continuing sharing.
Just got back from two days at Schlitterbahn. 2 observations: 1. I get stuck in the doldrums a lot (yes, on the tube rides, but I think that may be a metaphor for my life), and 2. It's amazing how many people will stop you to tell you you have blood all over your face when you are walking with your husband and children, as if you didn't know you were bleeding, and your family wouldn't have the sense to tell you. (just a small cut when my sunglasses got rammed into my face and broke when a very large person crashed into me at the end of a ride--but it's amazing how much blood there seems to be when it's wet).
Also, we're getting ready to do some kitchen remodeling ourselves--a new floor, so not nearly as extensive as yours...but after I get a new floor I'm going to need new cabinets...and then the whole thing will need to be painted, because if you give a mouse a cookie...
As for the writing sample, I think it's 2 copies of one sample (but I'll have to check the instructions again.)...my vote, though I couldn't go back and find it, was the "I am Blessed" entry. There may have been a couple of those, I can't really remember, but I remember being very moved. Also, the "what not to say" entry. You may have other "favorites", but those are a couple that really stand out in my mind. And if you'd rather take something on the lighter side, perhaps "thank God it's not a tattoo." That's my opinion anyway. I'm looking forward to the trip, but I still have to finish writing my "book proposal"--yikes. Susan
Psh
women
not my fault I have a great body
;)
heheh
- You know who this is!
Janine, you must include the one with son #2 at the Dr. when you finally told him what the stirrups were for. I think it was in Nov or early Dec.
Also, regarding your shoulder...I had tennis elbow in both elbows a couple years ago, very painful (and I don't play tennis). I did 3 weeks of PT (didn't help) and then had cortisone injections that helped for about 2 weeks. I went to see my chiropractor for an unrelated pain in my body and half-joking asked if he could fix my elbows. He did an adjustment on each one and the next day there was almost no pain. 2 days later I did a followup adjustment and just for kicks he did acupunc-ture. I have been without pain since, that was 2 years ago. Don't think the acupuncture did anything helpful but the adjust-ments were amazing and almost painless. You might want to try it. If you want his name I can get it for you. Cheryl T.
Hi, Janine--
In thinking about your posts, there are so many that have made us all laugh, cry and think. I agree with the one about "What Not To Say"; and I have a few more suggestions. On January 8--"One Down"; a short but powerful message. I love the one on January 12 entitled "Friends". That may not be one to take; but still a good blog. I think my favorite is January 30 "I Am Loved". I read it several times and thought about it for days. (See--you ARE a writer!!! My favorite writers make me think about their messages for days.) I think I speak for a lot of people when I say do not doubt that you can do this--you can and you have!! Of course, you have so many examples of things you could take even in the "before". These are just a few that stand out in my mind.
I hope you will keep us posted on this trip and let us know how it is going for you.
Good luck on the remodel--you just have to bear down and live with the mess for a while.
M & I continue to pray for you all.
A
J-We give our patients Nitrous Oxide...gives you a feeling of "who gives a crap!" See if she can give you a wiff of that before the shot!!! LOL Maybe you should have a supply of it while your kitchen will be a mess!! ha ha ha
All the blogs are great...not sure which one to pick! (I do agree that the one about the stirrups in the dr. office was pretty funny.)Wish we could bring you dinner!!! It would be Fresh Halibut of course! (or simply my tortilla soup ;( )
P-PUT SOME CLOTHES ON BOY!!!
Love you all and miss you much.
XOXO
K in AK
Looks like SOMEONE is reading your blog J. I vote for the I AM LOED blog also, although the stirrup one comes in a close second.
Love ya!
Little Bro
Alright, Janine, you forced me to do it--I went back and re-read every one of your blog entries...(Okay, that's an exaggeration...I just skimmed over a lot of them)...I laughed, I cried, it moved me Bob (oh sorry, that's from the Veggie Tales if you don't recognize it) Anyway, back to business...I'll agree with A above--the "I am Loved" entry is amazing. Also "it's time" on Jan 20, "Blessed" on Feb 17, "Places I have cried" on Feb 7 is very good, "One Miracle at a Time" on March 29 and "Life is Messy" on april 28. Any of these would be great samples. You can always edit them if there's an unrelated comment at the end or the beginning, or if they are too long. So have I helped your decision, or just given you too many choices? Kinda like picking a new floor...I'm better at picking one out of three choices, than one out of a whole warehouse. Susan
They do make demerol in a pill. That is what they gave my daughter last week when she had her wisdom teeth out. It also has some phenegran in it for upset stomach! So there you go! Your son cracks me up. My 17 year old is not so uuhhh, can't think of a nice word, but he kills me just the same! Boys! uuugghh. Love you, Jenn
Janine, I love "Life is Messy" and "Conflicting Emotions". One of the things that has troubled me the most since Jim's death is the prospect of finishing this parenting job alone. I, like you, married my sweetheart at a young age and proceeded to have children expecting him to stick around and finish the job with me. I never really worried about that until Jim died. Now I do, and I think that "Conficting Emotions" moved me so much because I can really imagine just how hard and lonely that job would be. I admire you more than I can say, not just for doing it alone (albeit with the support of loving family and friends), but admitting that you *don't* like it and are struggling with it.
BTW I will bring you dinner anytime.
Rebecca
I would vote for one of the ones where you talked about Africa and how much it changed you (I like God's Wonders 11/10, the list, Things I learned in Kenya 11/29 - in fact would be interested what you think of this reading over it now...after all you've been through how it has changed if at all? have you ever gone back and read through everything you've written?). In the After, (and my overall vote) would be "Did I say Bumps?" This is one where everything was still so raw and new and your emotion is really coming through, and yet amazingly so is your sense of humor. I'm not so crazy about the "I am loved" one from a writing showcase perspective because while that and some of the other blessing ones show your gratitude from a writing perspective they don't show the range of emotions in a single piece of writing. (same goes for the "what not to say" - it may be a good entry but not so much as a showcase of your excellent writing). Scarred for Life is also very funny! But overall I still vote for the Did I say bumps because it's an overall more like a full range of raw emotions and personality. And having browsed back over your blog, I just have to say: Did you know, you are amazing? :) strong, courageous, beautiful, wise, loving, compassionate, vulnerable, kind, funny, and real. I truly hope one day you will feel in your heart not quite so lonely. you so deserve abundant joy. xoxo
I think Feb 29th is real, and emotional, and wonderfully written.
Love You,K
Just catching up on your latest entries, I had missed reading the ones since you've gotten back from Cabo. I too have loved all of your entries and agree with everyone that has already posted but don't have any professional expertise to say which ones would be best to take. I have loved your list ones the Things learned from Kenya and the What Not to Say. Woman, you do have amazing strength, I wish you didn't have to use it so regularly. I still pray for you everyday. I don't know what to say to the crab analogy though I would love for you to feel like God is closer and looks out for you more than He does a crab. I'm reminded of a story I heard once about fishermen that anchor their boats deep in the water and not to the shore so when the storms come although tossed and thrashed about the boat does not get destroyed because it is anchored deep. I have thought about that a lot and wondered for myself if I am anchored deeply enough to withstand the storms. Reading every entry it seems to me that you are anchored deeply even though you didn't get the forecast. Reading your entries show the depth of your faith and strength. I pray the body of Christ continues to lift you up, encourage you, cry with you, laugh with you and be there for you as you continue your journey. You are amazing and I feel blessed to call you friend.
Love,
Julie
Post a Comment