A Visit to the Archives

Last night I was looking through old photo's (on the hard drive) trying to find this:

Photographic evidence for Sammy that he (Sammy) does indeed like beans.  Contrary to his protestations last night when faced with having burritos for dinner.

(After being confronted with such glaring proof, he did in fact eat his burrito two hours later in order to earn a before-bed-time bowl of cereal.)

In the same folder of pictures taken in July of 2005 near the time of Sammy's first birthday...

(Remember the cute puppy party I threw for him and the awesome puppy cake I made him?

  No, you don't.  Because it was before I blogged.  Yes.  I am wearing a sweater in July.  It was San Francisco.  Summer=BRRRR!)

...I found this gem:

The extraordinary cuteness of this video overwhelms me.  I just want to go back and smother that innocent little stinker with kisses.

Here's another season-appropriate memory:

Friends Camden, Ani and Maggie sitting on the stairs of the church building with Sam and Max on Easter Sunday.  Man, I really miss San Francisco sometimes.  We loved it there!

and just one more little piece of eye candy:And Doug wonders why I want more kids!

---

Speaking of kids:  I'm doing a Frame-Name give-away on Gratuitous Reviews right now.  You can get your kids an awesome gift for their Easter Baskets!!!  FIVE WINNERS!  But HURRY!  You only have 48 hours to enter!!!!!

Trip to Toys R Us in Hachinohe, Japan

It takes about 30 minutes to get to Hachinohe.  Longer if you make any detours.

First stop:  The beach... (Doug ran down to the water and then back to the car.  He has needs too, ya know.) where we acquired four neat-o shells...

...then we had to swerve off the road to get a shot of this super cool house.  Wealthy plantation owner perhaps?

Next stop:  Lunch at the newly opened 100 Yen Sushi in Hach.  The boys really needed some chicken nuggets (and mandatory cucumber rolls).  I like the tempura shrimp rolls.  YUM!

Two and a half hours later, we finally made it to Toys R Us.

Where many wonderful surprises awaited us.

Example:  It's a Seat Cushion!  It's a Back Rest!  NO!  It's a HEAD COVERING!!!

I believe these constitute some sort of flare (You learned all about flare on Katie's Blog, right???) since they seem to be made to dangle. Only, these flare are only for the Hard Core who want to be cute:  (I should have gotten me one.)

Remember Sylvanian Families from when we were kids?  I don't either.  But Gabe evidently digs 'em.

Every little girl dreams of having her own rice cooker.  And now she can!!!  (I thought the sunny-side up egg was a nice touch.  It's a very common garnish around here.)
But wait!  There's more!  You too can have your OWN 

HELLO KITTY SUSHI RESTAURANT!!!

(Why?  WHY DON'T I HAVE A GIRL????????????)  

Seriously though...isn't this awesome?

I just thought this little kid in his olive green three-piece suit was super cute.  (That's 'kawaii' to you!)

And finally, if only I were a woman with disposable wealth, I could have made all of my wildest dreams come true...with Mango flavored KitKat!!!

Okay, so I'm not actually a huge mango fan.  But still...awesome, no?  Just not quite $8 awesome.  

Ah well.

Life is good in Japan!

Fashion in Japan

Back in November when I did NaBloPoMo and was trying to write a post a day (man that was tiring) I asked for topics and ideas.  Miss Kate Coveny Hood over at The Big Piece of Cake said, and I quote:  What about Japanese fashion? Everyone loves reading about what people are wearing. Or maybe that's just me... If that sounds boring - it could be humorous - about the more bizarre trends.

And then I looked down at what I was wearing and laughed and laughed.  Why?  Because I am probably the last person on the planet qualified to offer fashion commentary.

None-the-less, in the next few days whenever I was out on the town, I tried to pay attention and "notice" fashion.  Here's what I noticed:  Lots of face masks.   Surgical masks...On little old ladies, on bus drivers, on store clerks, on little kids.  

That's about all I noticed.  (I live in the Rexburg, Idaho of Japan.)

I was baffled.  And still not prepared to write a fashion post.

So I gave up and solicited my friend Katie for help.  See, Katie knows what she's about.  

Katie was my debate partner in 10th grade debate.  She actually knew what she was doing.  I had no clue.  (I just liked the idea of  arguing and getting school credit for it.)  

***That year we went to San Francisco to compete at Berkley:  

I sucked, Katie rocked.  But boy was that a fun trip!  ***

(Who knew I would end up living in San Francisco for four years?!? Not me.)

Recently, we reconnected via the wonderful world of Facebook.  AND turns out, Katie lives in JAPAN!  In Tokyo!!!  And listen to this, before moving to Japan with her b0y-fri, (now fiancé)  Kevin, (ALSO from my 10th grade debate class) she was a BUYER for BLOOMINGDALES in NYC!!!

Yep!  So like I said:  She know's what she's about.  And she FINALLY wrote some fashion related posts on her blog with PLENTY of pictures!  So please GO HERE!  and enjoy a lesson on FASHION IN JAPAN!!!

(Pic stolen from Katie's Blog:  Tune In Tokyo)

Mormons and Temples

If anyone were to ask me my opinion of the HBO series "Big Love", (which no one has) I would say "It's not a good place to get information about Mormons and/or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 'Cause, ya know...it's a cable show...made by people who are not themselves members of the church...and are definitely not religious scholars."

Then if that same person asked me about temples, (which they haven't) I might refer them to this video:



Then I would say this: "Since moving here in August, Doug and I have not been able to visit the temple. The nearest one is in Tokyo and we haven't made a temple trip down there yet. (It's about a 12 hour drive.) But we are planning to go soon and can't wait. Our ability to visit the temple is one of the greatest blessings we have as worthy members of this church and we both love visiting the temple." 

The End and Amen.

Any questions?

Watching "The Office" in Japan

I think it's time to cover an important topic concerning my time here. Something you are all dying to know but are too ashamed to ask: 

Namely, what's the T.V. situation in Japan?

I'll admit, this is something I was rather embarrassed to ask about before we came. I wanted to know if I'd be able to watch "The Office" over here, but I tried to play it cool like this wasn't a huge priority in my life. (Which it is. How else am I supposed to get the laundry folded?)

At the very least, I figured I'd be able to watch most things on-line.   Turns out this is a little complicated.  But let's start with the basics...

Here's how we click over here: 

On base, we have something called AFN. I thought it stood for Air Force Network, but it's Armed Forces Network. This tells me all branches of the military are getting the same thing.  (I haven't bothered to check this, though.)

AFN is comprised of a handful of different channels: AFN News, Sports, Kids, Family, etc. Each channel shows programs from multiple networks. For example, AFN News shows some CNN programs and some Fox News programs. AFN Kids shows some PBS cartoons and some Nickelodeon cartoons, etc. etc. It's just a random sampling of different programming from different networks on every channel.

The big differences are these;

 
#1 No commercial commercials. There ARE commercials, but they're all produced by AFN and they're not peddling a product. There are Patriotic commercials, commercials dealing with Military Life, "Hometown Spotlights" giving facts and info about different state capitals, warnings about drunk driving/gambling/domestic violence/excessive debt/etc., commercials encouraging you to get off the base/be a good ambassador/respect the local culture/support the local community/etc., and commercials that are specific to our base.

#2 The popular shows they do show (The Office is one of them) are played at random times (like 7 p.m.!?!  The kids are still up!  Or 9:30.  Who starts CSI at 9:30?!?!) and they don't start when the regular season starts. Usually it's a few weeks or months after the show has aired in the states.

#3 In addition to AFN, we get Navy Movie Channels. These three channels show movies non-stop all day, every day. The problem is, there is no way to know what the movie is once it's started, and more importantly, they're not edited. So if you stumble upon an old movie you've always wanted to see and you're excited because you assume it's been edited for television, prepare to have some graphic nekkidness burned into your unsuspecting retinas. (*bleh!*)  I pretty much avoid the Navy Movie Channels.

and #4 Aside from AFN and NMC, we get "local" channels as well. And I use local very loosely. We get channels from Japan (obviously) Korea, China and Australia, just to name a few. Some of the programs are in English, some are dubbed, and some are just amusing to watch even without having a clue what they're saying! (I got pretty engrossed in a Japanese Soap the other night while waiting for Doug to come watch a movie with me.)

SO!  What happens if you can't start your favorite show at 7:00p.m. or you don't want to wait an extra month for "The Office" to begin?  Well, you turn to the Internet.  And find out that many TV websites limit their viewing to Internet Users in the U.S.    WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?  Yes, that's right.  Many websites for America networks can't be viewed by overseas IP addresses.  (i.e. CBS and USA)

Luckily, there are some websites that do allow you to watch some of your favorite shows for free:  www.hulu.com is the best of them.  (Although for CBS shows it redirects you back to CBS and you're out-of-luck.  Again.)  (Good article about Hulu in a recent Newsweek.)   

Anyway, that's the TV scoop.  Most of the shows Doug and I watch, we watch on Hulu at our leisure.  Usually around 9:00p.m. while we eat popcorn and fold laundry.  (Our favorites are:  The Office, 30 Rock, Lie to Me, Psych, Burn Notice, and NCIS) 

Well, I hope that answered your burning questions!!!  

I leave you now with the Japanese version of The Office.  

The Office Japanese version

Enjoy!  

P.S.  FYI, If I were living off base, this post would be totally moot.  I don't think they get AFN off base, and I think they have even less Internet access to on-line viewing.

The Crafty Crow!

I was looking at one of my favorite blogs today and "starring" almost every post when I had the thought, "hey-I love telling my friends about this blog.  I should just tell EVERYONE about this blog." 

So I'm gonna!  

If you ever need an idea for a fun kid-appropriate art project/craft project/holiday decorating project/or rainy day project, The Crafty Crow is the place to go!  She culls the blogosphere for clever ideas and puts them all in one place!

No one is even paying/bribing me to say this, that's how much I love it.  (Does anyone want to pay me for saying that???  I'll take it!)  I love it even though I despise crows!

(They're all over around here.  Betcha didn't know that about Misawa, Japan, didja?!?)

The only thing that could make me love this site more would be for the "writer" to do a lengthy blog post about how awesome I am.  And then change the blog name from "The Crafty Crow" to The Crafty Sparrow.  Or Mockingbird.  Or Seagull.  

(On second thought, I don't much like Seagulls either, but you get my drift.)

Anyway, check it out.  You can thank me later. 

Enjoy!

Sleep in Bathroomly Peace

*Warning:  Disturbing Mental Images may commence.*

**If you go to church with me on Sunday, you're gonna feel like I've done a whole bunch of over-sharing next time you see me.**

I've been reading a lot of non-fiction lately.  It's not always fun, but sometimes it's necessary for overall life and familial improvement.

For example, right now I'm reading a number of different books.  (All scattered through-out various locations of the house and car and read at different times.)  One is about ADHD, one about Mental Health, one on Gardening and one about Organization.  (Oh, and I frequently reference "How to Choose the S-e-x of Your Baby".)

The one about organization is called "Sidetracked Home Executives" and this is my second (third?) time reading it.

Before Gabey was born, I read it and used it to get my life in order.  The system recommended, though it takes some time to set up, really works well for Mom's with ADD or a high level of distractibility.  (That would be me.)  

Unfortunately, after Gabey was born, I took an organization-vacation and let my good habits become a distant memory.   So now I'm starting all over again.

But it's hard.

Really, really hard.

For example, one of the recommendations/rules is to get up half an hour before your kids.  That way, you can shower and dress before they get up and you're ready to start your day.  This is excellent and sound advice.  

In theory.  

In reality, my kids get up WAY too early.  I'm a night owl and I'd much rather sleep until 9 and let the little hellions fend for themselves.  But THAT tends to backfire and always results in a big mess in the kitchen and Max putting three cups of sugar on his oatmeal.  Oh, and me spending the day in sweats; bra-less and make-up-less.  Which isn't the breakfast of champions.

So I've resolved to do better.  Actually, I've resolved to have Doug force me to do better.  This means, he (literally) drags me out of bed at 6:30, gives me a swift smack on the rear, and shoves me into the bathroom.  (Oh, and by-the-way, usually at least one kid is already up at this un-godly hour.  It's just that I'm not willing to get up any earlier.)

This has been working relatively well until today.  Today we (I) hit a snag.

The problem is, we have a hamper in our bathroom.  

Why is this a problem???  Because when it's pulled in front of the toilet and a sweatshirt is sitting on the lid, it makes a perfect headrest.  For me.  When I'm sitting on the...*eh-hem* throne.

At which point...I fall asleep.  

That's what happened this morning.  I fell asleep.  For a good 15 minutes by my estimate.

So when I woke up with dropped trou and wicker marks embedded deeply into my forehead, I just gave up trying and went back to bed.  

***IMPORTANT!  Doug had neglected to pull up the comforter, so really, this is all his fault.  The book, which I forced Doug to read, clearly states that an unmade bed acts as a high-powered magnet to pull a Sidetracked Home Executive, like myself, back in.***

I nestled back into my cocoon of Nova-Form Mattress Topper and Synthetic-Down Comforter bliss.  And of course, fell immediately back to sleep.  

Unfortunately, it wasn't the peaceful sleep of the innocent.  It was restless and haunted by the knowledge that Doug was still somewhere in the house and might at any moment discover my treachery.  Which he did.  Just before he left for work at at 6:50.  

This time, when he grabbed me by the ankles to yank me from bed, he was far less gentle.  And there was considerable "tsk-tsk"ing and reprimanding accompanying this second shove into the bathroom.

This evening when he recollected my fall from grace he said, "It's like living with a 12-year-old!"

REALLY!!!  HMPFH!!!

I don't know If I can handle this kind of abuse to body, mind, and spirit.  I don't know if a clean house and orderly life are worth it!  Do YOU?!?!?

I think I'm going to use my Pottery Teaching money to hire a Mama-san to clean for me!

And then I'm going back to reading fiction!!!

Goodnight!!!

It Is No Longer February!

But you probably already knew that.  

What this means to me, though, is that I can start blogging again.  Regular like.  Because the end of February means the (self declared) end of my S.A.D.  (Seasonal Affective Disorder.  See my boastful sister's blog for more info.) 

So even though it snowed today (*harsh sob*) I'm not going to let it sap my strength and will to live!  I'm going to prevail!  I'm going to BLOG!!!

 

Maybe I'll even finish a few of the many posts started in the dreary month of February.  (Which we all know should have MUCH better weather if it wants to host my birthday festivities.)

But before I start, I need to find my super-long down-filled winter coat and super-warm, super-tall winter boots.  

Sam wants me to play soccer with him.  

Outside.  (*more harsh sobbing*)

(And you wonder why I self-medicate with Hot Chocolate?!?!?!)

Wish me luck!  You'll be hearing from me again soon!

P.S.  It was too cold.  We came right back in.  (Fortunately.)  Do you think 45 seconds of sunlight is enough to fulfill my Vitamin D requirement?

 

Sleep in Oceanly Peace

This morning as I sat in a peaceful daze reading post after post in my Google reader, cereal bowl empty beside me, a jarring thought suddenly occurred to me:  

"Why am I not vacuuming?"

(And why is Backyardigans still on if Sam is at Preschool?)  

Then I remembered, "Oh!  I'm not vacuuming because Gabey is still asleep and I don't want to wake him up!" (guilt assuaged) Followed immediately by "Why is Gabey still asleep?  It's 9a.m.!?!?  What if the monitor isn't on and he's been crying for an hour!"  (panic) at which point I turned up the monitor sitting right next to me to hear...

Seagulls.  

And crashing waves.  

See, two nights ago we set-up this little gadget:

the HoMedics Sound Spa ($24.99 at Target.com) in the hopes that Gabey's sleep wouldn't be so often interrupted by noisy brothers.  (Evidently Doug set it to Ocean last night.)  It seems to be working!  It is now 9:05 and he's still asleep.

Praise Be and Hallelujah!

While I could use this time to, say, fold laundry, I think I'll keep reading.  You shouldn't turn up your nose at little blessings!  

Even if they come by way of Seagulls!

P.S.  It's now 9:25.  Gabey is just waking up (possibly a new record) and making a squawking sound.  I think he's talking to the Seagulls.

david after the dentist

I think this is a pretty good representation of me on Percoset...just before passing out!

Complimented a Kid Lately?

L-R Uncle Mack, Effie, (Fae's Paternal Grandma) Aunt Sylvia, My mom holding her baby brother Duane, My mom's mom Joann.

When my mom was a little girl who still went by La Fae, her paternal Grandma, Effie Barson, lived in a little cottage in their backyard. Grandma Barson was always sewing and one day dropped a needle. My mom found it and Grandma exclaimed "You've got Eagle Eyes! You found that for me! Thank you!" My mom said "when you're the middle child of seven, you don't get many compliments. So I always remembered that."

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Once when I was a little girl, I remember being at the dinner table at the Dimicks--my mom's best friend. I was probably being babysat. One of the kids next to me reached for something and knocked a jar which started to tip over. My hand shot out and caught it before it fell. Larry (the dad) said "Wow Emily! You have quick reflexes!" I don't know if I blushed, but I was very pleased with the unexpected compliment. (Obviously, I never forgot it and probably believed him for a long time until my clumsiness proved him wrong.)

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A few weeks ago, we had a big snow storm on a Friday night. Saturday morning found all the kids and a handful of parents outside playing in the snow. Max was up at the neighbors helping them build a giant snow man. That night I climbed up on the top bunk to give Max a good cuddle before bed. It was quite for a minute and then Max said "Aaron's dad said I'm the best boy."

"What Sweetie? When did he say that?"

"I was helping him build the snow man and he said I'm 'the best boy in the whole world!'"

Max's eyes were wide and his face--with little half smile--was practically glowing.

------------------

Max is a very busy boy. He's pretty hyper and smart and mischievous and tends to instigate mischief. This means he's getting reprimanded far more often than he's being praised for his good behavior. His comment made me a little heart-sick as I wondered how often he's been complimented by an adult other than his parents. It sorta made me want to go give Aaron's dad a big old squeeze. (But that would have been a bit awkward. We're not that close. Though I did tell him later how much I appreciated it.)

So do me a favor. Next time you're around the neighborhood trouble maker, (or any kid for that matter) try to catch him or her doing something good and pay a sincere compliment.

They just might remember it for a life time.

What a Difference an Hour Makes!

I honestly don't know why Doug thought I needed it.  

Maybe it's because since my convalescence, my skin tone is 4 shades lighter than my make-up.  (And I keep whining about it.)

Maybe it's because my voice completely disappeared on Monday (yes, my birthday) and is only half back leaving me sounding like Golem.  (I've been doing a lot of tongue clicking, snapping, clapping, and mock-signing to communicate this week...My Precious!)

Maybe it's because I have no energy (WHY?  BECAUSE IT'S BLOODY FEBRUARY AND IT'S COLD AND GRAY AND BLEAK HERE!!!) and have been skulking around the house complaining about having no energy.  (And it's possible I keep whining about this too.)

Maybe it's because I look like this:  

(Don't ever accuse me of putting only flattering pictures of myself on this blog!  Take a gander at THIS one.)

(And yes.  This is my mousy washed-out dishwater natural hair color.  HAPPY NOW, DOUG?!?!?!?!)

Anyway, like I said, I don't know why Doug called The Health and Wellness Center (called The Hawk) but he did.  And he made me an appointment to sit in a message chair under a "natural light" lamp for an hour.

So, being the dutiful wife I am, I went over this afternoon while he was home for lunch.  I was ushered into a small room and told I could take off my coat.  Then the lady (in Camo) set The Light for 30 minutes, adjusted the stereo, and closed the door.  I sat down in the big black leather chair and pushed the button for "Full Body Treatment".  And oh boy, did I get a full body treatment.  Those chairs are miracle machines!  

You know what I'm talking about right?  The chairs on display in the front of The Sharper Image?  The ones you're not allowed to sit in if you're prego cause they might cause Excessively Jiggled and Pummeled Baby Syndrome?  (Called EJPBS for short.)

Yeah.  That's the one.

It's heaven.  It's THE CHAIR of my dreams.

It actually feels like someone is giving you a really great massage! 

{Insert a mental image of a big-strapping-Swedish-Masseur-with-his-shirt-off here.  But don't try to find a picture of one on-line.  You wont like the results of your Google Search.}

 

I mean, -like- even better than the average really great massage.  (Possibly even better than the massages I give!)

Anyway, I played with a few different options...set it to "lower back", "legs and hips" and "seat"  (couldn't resist.) and finally to "bedtime".  After 30 minutes the Natural Light-light clicked off.  Sometime after that, THE CHAIR finished it's bedtime ritual and clicked off.  Unfortunately, I missed the ending.  I was already asleep.  

At 12:00 sharp the broadcast strains of Edelweiss trickled in through the window (from off-base) and I snapped back to reality barely making it home in time for Doug to get back to work.

All this for free.  

Chalk up another benefit to being in the military!  (Can I get one of those HOO-AH yell things here?  No?  That's okay.)

The best part?

When I came home I looked like this:

Yep.  It gave me big lips and dimples.  

That Doug is one smart cookie.

It's My Birthday and I'll Blog if I Want to!

I meant to blog the other day about the Snow Festival, but I really wanted to get caught up and blog about our trip to Aomori first.  But to do that, I had to show this video.  And to do that, I had to MAKE this video.  So, I'm a bit behind, but IT'S MY BIRTHDAY so I can do what I want!  Don't boss me!!!

Anyway, I'm getting faster and more proficient with this video stuff.  It's becoming quite fun, in fact.  

But before you watch, here's a little background on our adventure:  Misawa is in the Aomori Prefecture.  The city of Aomori is the capital of the Aomori prefecture.  (A prefecture could be compared to a State in the U.S.)  It's about 1.5-2 hours north of us (depending on the weather--it was quite snowy when we went.) and houses the Aomori Art Museum.  

We were invited by some church friends (we'll call them the Eff family) to caravan with them to visit the museum because the wife knows I like art.  She has a master's degree in Watercolor (how cool is THAT?  I'm going to take lessons!!!)  and he is the new E.R. Doc.  (They got here just a few weeks before we did.)  They have two really cute little kids, a boy and a girl.

Anyway, we drove on up and were impressed with the cool modern-y building the museum was housed in.  Unfortunately, we weren't as impressed with the contents.  Mostly because there just wasn't very much to see.

The first gallery was awesome and held three huge canvases painted by Marc Chagall that were used as backdrops by the New York ballet.  But other than that, there weren't many offerings from well known artists and the things they had by local artists were just sorta..."eh!"

i.e.:

But I still enjoyed it and maybe sometime they'll have an awesome exhibition and we'll go again!

Enjoy the movie!  If nothing else, I know you'll love the song!  (Unless you're my mom.  She's more into Josh Groban than Coldplay.) 

Anyway, here you go:

 

P.S.  It's my Birthday so LEAVE A COMMENT!!!

I'm BaaaaaaAhhhhhck!

For the most part.

My mom thought maybe excessive itching wasn't a normal side affect of Percoset and maybe I was allergic, (I may or may not have spoken to her via Skype, while stoned and using a jimmy-rigged fork on a stick to scratch myself excessively) which made me feel down-right indignant that Doug was standing idly by while I was itching to death which led to me guilt him (Doug) into calling the nurse who was like "yada yada" but also gave him a prescription for Tylenol with Codeine which he (Doug) immediately switched me too--to appease me {and my mother}, eliminate the itching, and--as a bonus--prevent his wife [me] from becoming a drug-addicted junkie.  (I was like, "pa-sha!").  

In Doug's defense, he's not medically daft.  He just didn't think I was allergic because I had no hives and my throat wasn't closing.  Luckily, my mom was there to say "What ev!  Get that girl off the Percoset!"  So he did.  

(But then I was like "ow!  this isn't as strong!  Give me back the good stuff!"  --But he didn't.)

Anyway, that was two days ago and I've slowly been coming back from the living dead since then.  More hours of actual consciousness, less scratching.  And yes, I am pooping again now.  Thanks for asking!  (What?  You didn't ask?  Tough.  My blog!) 

In fact, yesterday, I felt so good/foolishly optimistic/bored/stir crazy, that I said "YES!  Let's go to the Snow Festival!  I feel fine!  I'm up for it!"  (lies.)  

But more about that tomorrow.

But really, being drugged out of your gourd does have it's advantages.  For example, I love to sleep.  And I've gotten to do lots of it.  Granted, the dreams weren't the best and some were down-right scary, but on the upside, I've written numerous songs, poems and touching soliloquies in my sleep!  No matter I couldn't remember any of them when I woke up.  I know they were good and Abraham Lincoln, (who was with me when I wrote them,) also knows they were good.  And that's somethin'!

Also, I haven't had to do a dang thing around the house or solve a single little boy dilemma or do a single errand or church assignment or anything.  (Note to self:  re-start Percoset.)

The down side is, tonight when Doug left to take Maxwell to piano, Gabe cried "DA-DAHHHH!" for -like- 10 minutes.  Not having seen me much for a week evidently led him to forget that I'M the one who pushed the little sucker from MY BIRTH CANAL!!!  (Over sharing again?  Sorry, but again...tough.)

So anyway, I suppose my drug vacation is over.   

I've got to go brain-wash Gabe now.

See you tomorrow.

 

Tonsillectomy at 30. (Plus, I have an ingrown toe-nail.)

Oowwwwwwwwah! My throat hurts! Is it time for meds yet???
(All of this is being scribbled, by me, on a white board and thrust at Doug.)

D: "Yep! Here ya go!"

Every 4 hours, I have 20 lucid minutes

When the pain starts, It means the medicine is wearing off. It also means, I'm slightly sane.
And I can walk.
But I can't talk.

So I leave my bedroom. Go to the bathroom. Do a quick survey of the house... (Cleaner than usual, dang that Domestic Doug.)

Enough of that. I take the medicine.

2 tsp liquid Perc. and 2 tsp antibiodic. The first, really nasty. The second, sorta bubblegum-ish. I'm down 5 minutes and have about 15 left.

Soon, the pain in my throat lessens. It's not that bad, really. Not any worse than my usual multi-annual cases of Tonsilitis. Not nearly as bad as I was warned it would be!

The medicine works fast. I can whisper now, but I still avoid swallowing as much as possible. (I may or may not be spitting into the waste basket at this point.

Time to sit down. My legs are definitely wobbly. I grab the lap top and climb back into bed. Time is short. I can talk a little, but quietly. The boys ask if I'm all better now. For a second, I think I am.

I check my e-mail...
Check!
Check my blog for comments...
Check! (not enough)
Check Google Reader for new posts to read...
Read!
I read. I try to leave a comment or two. My vision is getting blurry and my skin is getting itchy. So so so itchy. My thoughts that seemed so clear moments ago are already getting cloudy. It's hard to type. I've made some spelling errors, but don't have the will to correct them. The room is slowly starting to spin.
I hope I sound normal in the comments.
I have a feeling I don't sound normal.
I'm drifting in and out.

The last sentence took 5 minutes to finish. The laptop feels like it's burning through the sheets and scorching my legs. I shove it off of my lap and try to roll to my left side. Must sleep on left side. Oh no! Light on. Getting to the light switch is out of the question. I barely manage to kneel on my bed and pull the chain then fall in a heap. The last thing I remember I'm scratching my legs but they're only itching worse. And then I'm on to dream land to view tortured scenes from a "Lost" and "Scrubs" hybrid (the last two shows I've watched) set to a real-life sound track of boys yelling downstairs which even numerous doors and pillows can't drown out.

This is the life!

See you in another 4 hours.

Why All the Kids Were in the Tub This Evening...

D: I’m done. You have until tonight to get better.

E: (whispers) It was poop wasn’t it? One poop incident will do that to a parent...

D: It wasn’t an ‘incident’. It was terrorism. Poop terrorism!

OK

FINE!

I got her chocolate ice cream. You Happy?!!!

Great Things About Being in the Military

(Yes, I am heavily medicated which may be why I'm feeling sooo positive right now!!!)

Free issues of "Military Spouse" and "Reader's Digest" (yay!) available at the library. (Gifts from Grateful Americans!)

Job security in frightening economic times.

Free Health Care (including Tonsillectomies) and Free Prescriptions.

Free rent and free utilities! (If you live on-base. All your utilities may not be covered off-base.)

The BEST Pediatric Dentist I've ever met. (Sorry, co-resi's.)

Doug doesn't have to run his own practice or pay for mal-practice insurance.

Opportunity to live and work over-seas (awesome!) without Doug needing additional schooling or certifications. (Although I may have been a little freaked out about moving to Japan, I'm very glad that we did!)

We're friends with real-life Spies and Fighter Pilots. (But don't let that make you feel bad about your job. I'm sure Tax Accounting is thrilling too!)

No Sales Tax on anything you buy on-base.

Great schooling provided by the Department of Defense. (Except don't get me started on the school lunch program with 40 different ala cart desserts available; which one particular 1st grader was taking full advantage of without his mother's knowledge or consent.)

The ability to let your kids play outside unsupervised in a safe environment. Just like I did when I was a kid; but would never allow in Rhode Island or San Francisco.

Lot's of neighbors with strong religious values including; Mormons, Catholics, Baptists, Born-Agains, Protestants, Jews, and Muslims. (Can't say I've met any Wiccans yet, but you never know!)

and did I mention free Reader's Digest?




P.S. It is now officially my birthday month! You may commence with the gift sending.

What the Doctor SHOULD Have Said...

Dr: "Now Emily, I've told you about the pain, right? The terrible, horrible, no good, excruciating pain?"

Em: "Yes Doctor. The subject has been amply covered."

Dr: "Good. Then I should tell you one last symptom you'll be dealing with."

Em: "Sir?"

Dr: "It's the itching."

Em: "Itching, sir?"

Dr: "Yes. For some reason, the Pecocet is going to make you very very itchy. I'd say about 20 minutes after each dose you'll start to itch and wont be able to stop. It'll feel like you're sporting long underwear made of a wool/cat hair blend which is also housing a colony of teeny tiny fire ants."

Dr: "You'll probably want to buy some sandpaper sheets."

That's what he shoulda said.



Meds kicking in again. Gotta find my back scratcher.
goodnite (#**@($)!!

Bring Out Your Dead

Well, after waiting in pre-op for 5 hours Em finally had her surgery. AS I pulled her out of the hospital bed the only real coherent sentence she made was 'You need to do a post with a picture of Monty Python's "I'm not dead yet."' So for your enjoyment here is the whole skit! (I think she just wanted the picture of the lady whacking the cat.)

I think someone did hit her on the head when my back was turned. When I went back to take her upstairs from the coach she couldn't even stand.

No worries though, the fridge and freezer are well stocked thanks to our sponsors from Yoplait and Dryers!

Sure, if you look closely you might say she wont be able to eat the Samoas ice cream if it has chunks of cookie in it. Well, I may have been opportunistic and got some for me. Its OK though, Trust me.

**I also presented her with a bike bell for summoning the Butler, ME, and a dry erase board for her to write out her commands and impart her cleaver wit to me and her family, lest it wither and die.

*Thank you to all those who have been praying for her and those local friends who have been helping her/me/the boys. Keep praying though, I think the pain has only just begun. Tami your Lasagna was great!!