2008 Olympics

I love the Olympics. I'm always excited when they come around and disappointed when they're over. But it really wouldn't be the same if we had that all the time. It just wouldn't mean as much or be as exciting to watch. I watch it all. All. of. it. If it's on, I watch it - even the synchronized swimming and ping pong.

I especially love to watch the medal ceremonies. To watch (mostly young) people stand with a gold medal and sing their national anthems is really very moving. I love to watch the tales of sportsmanship and finishing even though you are dead last. It's all about being there for most of the athletes.

I don't like professional sports - I really don't like NBA basketball. But, I must say, I heard interviews with the players and coaches of the Olympic basketball team and I am impressed. Maybe it was fake, I don't know. But it felt good for them to win.

And to see what happened in swimming. It made the second week of track and field almost anti-climatic. And to know that some of the swimmers were voluntarily undergoing drug tests - even Michael Phelps.

This time, the controversy was kept to a minimum and the competition was exciting. Some races were close, some games were down to the wire. Some had unexpected outcomes, some were never in doubt. It was an enjoyable two weeks. Now we wait - another 2 years for Winter, 4 for Summer games.

Four Years Old

My baby is four. Four. The last four year old I'll have. Wow. I can't believe it, he's growing up so fast. Happy Birthday Colby!

Note: His birthday was actually yesterday - I'm a little behind posting.

Most Embarrassing Moments

Everyone has one. Most people have a few. I have more than my share. And it's not just tripping over my own feet where a few people see it and we all move on. Mine leave scars. There's the scar on one of my eyebrows where I ran into a chainsaw (it was off) when I was 5. There's the one on the side of my leg where I was jumping on the crowbar trying to get the lug nuts loose to change a tire. Trust me, there are more, but that requires a book - not a post. Scars are visible reminders that I am a klutz. And, since they're there, I have to explain them. So that everyone else knows I am a klutz.

Well, I have a new moment. I shut my finger in the car door. The middle finger of my right hand (yep, I'm right-handed). I'm not sure I'll have a permanent scar, but I've been in a stupid finger splint for two weeks and that is plenty. I knew it was bad - I thought it was broken. I was putting my kids in the car, had just finished strapping Colby in and - *BAM*! Oh, man. I'm not going to go into detail. But I had to get on my knees in the garage for a minute to recover.

I took the kids to school and drove myself to my doctor's office. He looked at it and decided it was broken so he sent me for an x-ray. Now, if your finger is crooked and looks broken and they decide that it's not - it's bad. Turns out, I damaged everything else in my finger. Nerves, ligaments, blood vessels. He told me I'd probably wish I had broken it before it was all over. He was right.

I'm finally (after two weeks) out of the splint. I'm typing but every time I hit the "I", "K" or comma it sends tingles up that finger. I can't grip anything with that finger and if I shake that hand (like you would shake water off after washing your hands) it feels like the end of my finger is coming off.

So, there you have it. I won't say my most embarrassing moment, but my most recent embarrassing moment.

It's Over!

The fat lady has finally sung. We had the final appoitnment for Garrett's eyes. Guess what - it's finally over! His "slight near-sightedness" is gone and his "depth perception has improved". (Side note: I didn't even know there was anything wrong with his depth perception until the doctor said it had improved.) He goes to the pediatrician in August (both kids do, for annual visits) and they do basic vision checks. He doesn't even have to start regular optometrist visits until the pediatrician recommends it. YAY!!!

12 years and counting

Sunday is my 12th anniversary. That's a long time these days. Is my marriage perfect? Nope, because we're not. Is it always exciting? Nope. Is he always romantic? Nope. Is it always easy? No. But, you know what? We're happy. We're still married, still in love.

With two kids, two jobs & all the other stuff we have going on, it's more work than it used to be. It's harder to find time together. There are times when it seems like we're only parents and not husband & wife. Those of you with children should understand.

So what. It's worth it. I love him more than I did 12 years ago. I know more about love than I did 12 years ago. 12 years is not so very long considering the lengths of our parents' marriages. And my grandparents (both sets) were married for more than 50 years. But it's an accomplishment and we're proud of it.

Finally - a weekend to relax...

This was the first weekend in months we haven't had a soccer game. And it was WONDERFUL!

Friday night we stayed out chatting and hanging out with our neighbor friends until after 2:30. Of course, I'm too old to do that every weekend, but when I can sleep in on a Saturday it's great!

Glenn had a Cub Scouts training session Saturday & I ran down to my dad's yard sale so my sister & I could go through a bunch of stuff. I came home with 5 boxes of books - more clutter? Maybe, but it was BOOKS!

We went out on a church outing Saturday night which was a blast. Then church on Sunday and NOTHING Sunday afternoon. Even went on a coffee run with my neighbor ladies Sunday night.

It sounds like a lot, but it was all relaxing and fun and the weather was beautiful. Yes, it was a little chilly in middle Tennessee, but that's how I like it. I'm a homebody and I love just hanging out with my friends. This weekend, I was with a different group of friends each time. It was really great for me. I feel refreshed and ready to start the summer months. We needed a break from all the craziness we live with and schedules we have to meet.

Enough already!

So, we've had all these issues with Garrett's eyes. He has what we hope is the final appointment with all of this early next month.

Never, never, never think it's over...This week, it's poison ivy. Yep. Right at the corner of his eye where you can't put anything on it. Have you ever tried to keep a seven year old from scratching an itch? Or just keeping his hands away from his face?! Yeah, not happening.

So, I called the doctor - let me say this here: not in a panic. I knew I couldn't put the pink stuff on it because of where it was. I simply wanted to talk to the nurse and find out what I could do -Well, I guess the doctor needs to fill her gas tank and needs some of my money to do it. We had to go in. So they could look at it and tell me to give him an anithistamine. Yeah, so I'm just a tad irritated with his doc. But Garrett - well, I hesitate to say he's fine because that's just asking for trouble in this house - is dealing with it.

And me, we'll let's just say if this keeps up I'm going to have to find a padded room somewhere!