Never say never!

I once commented on a message board that I never had stitches or broken bones. Well, never say never because I became the lucky owner of 5 stitches to my foot right on top of my achilles tendon. Doctor said I was lucky I didn't cut my tendon. How did it happen? I did battle with our screen door and the screen door apparently won. I had just put a load of laundry in the washer and was bringing the hamper back into the house when my foot caught on the bottom of the screen door. Sharp as a knife! An hour later, after a shower and a short nap, it hadn't stopped bleeding. It took me 40 minutes to get to the clinic in 5 o'clock traffic (normal traffic time would have taken 10-15). A tetanus shot in one arm, a dose of teradol in the other arm, plus a shot of lidocaine in my foot...that's a lot of needles being stuck into my body. So, not only does my foot ache, so do my arms. No spinning, flat shoes, flip flops, or lots of weight-bearing activity for the next 12 days. Heels with my pajamas? When it hurts a little less and looks a little prettier, I'm going to take pictures! A little gross, I know, but it's a first for me!

got goat?

At lunch on Friday, the discussion came around to how one class of students didn't know what a goat was when they saw a picture of it in a book our librarian was reading. She looked at me and said, "That was your class!" They had all kinds of different answers for what it was, just not the right one. Field trip to my neighborhood! If only.......anyway, thought it was my duty to capture those goats on camera. Today was the perfect sunny day to do it. Wouldn't you know, when you want them around they're gone! Those darned goats belong to one of my uncles. They make themselves at home all around my yard and leave lots of itty bitty "presents" lying around. Because of them, I can't stand the taste and smell of feta cheese. Walked around the neighborhood with my camera slung around my neck (good thing the neighbors are my relatives). They were actually grazing on their own land today.

Weekend in Review

Two short days...
How much can you do?

Saturday---FUN, FUN, FUN morning (dripping with sarcasm) running errands...

• Post Office
• bank to pay those blasted bills
• kmart for toilet tissue (it was the only thing on my list for that store yet I walked out with $86+ worth of stuff)
• Cost-U-Less (Guam's version of Costco with no membership fees) for food

Best part of the morning was stopping for an iced caramel macchiato at Hava Java Cafe and making Estelita work extra hard to make it then laughing when another customer walks in and says he wants something different (must be something in the air).

Made a layout for my scrapbook (see yesterday's post) while waiting for Lucas's birthday cake to cool.

Went to Mass and then dinner at Pacific Lighthouse with Mom, Auntie Patty and Uncle Lloyd. Mr. Kim already knows that Mom and Uncle Lloyd always get #2 (fried shrimp) and I get #3 (fresh sashimi with vegetables over rice). Auntie Patty always changes what she wants!

Came home and did 2 layouts for another scrapbook, but won't say for whom (it's a surprise).

Finally fell asleep after 1:00 am!

Sunday---technically I fell asleep on Sunday at 1:00 am.
Up at 7:30 am to make the red rice for Lucas's birthday/Jacob's christening and hoping that 10 cups of rice for 20 people was enough because I didn't have a bigger pot.

Coffee stop for another iced caramel macchiato (finally found a place on this rock that can make it comparable to Starbucks).

Church to play photographer for Jacob's baptism.

Lunch at Auntie Marie and Uncle John's for Lucas and Jacob. We sang happy birthday and not a camera in sight to take pictures!

Home for a nap. The ice cream gave me a stomach ache...good sign or bad sign, I haven't yet decided.

Had cereal for dinner...standard Sunday night fare for me.

Made another layout after a nice, long shower. I got this paper in a scrapbooking kit and didn't know I had it (it was hiding under the girly papers). Thought it would work well with these pictures I took in Minnesota when Mom, Auntie Marie, and I were there for a week in July. Jasmine's grown so much since I last saw her in 2002. She can read, can talk a mile a minute, and I became her new best friend (or so it seemed). We met Alison for the first time in real life (pictures are so flat and lifeless). She just turned 2 in August. Had a blast with Jessica chauffeuring us from store to store to museum to store to...you get the idea. Remembering why it's important to have an empty bladder when you hang around Auntie Tina and Uncle Jimmy long enough. Driving Jessica crazy (I'm sure I did) looking for a pack of zig pens (PENS! for goodness sake) and finally finding them at the Archiver's in the mall of America (too predictable since they have everything under the sun at that mall).


Did I say this weekend was 2 short days? I did all this stuff and some of the more mundane tasks I won't write about here. I'm ready for bed! Gotta be bright and alert to don my robot gear...I mean to teach my wonderful, fun and lovable class of second graders!

Creating

I made a layout today of Vittoria and Allie. Allie finally got to play during Thursday's volleyball game against Harvest Christian Academy. Both girls were spectacular! Of course, everyone in our family is biased, but I'd like to think that they are vital members of the Obispos volleyball team. The ideas in my head haven't been translating to paper very well lately. I have the journaling part of scrapbooking down pat. It's the designing and embellishing that perplex me. I wrote the journaling on the picture. It says:

No matter how much you disagree off the court...
No matter how irritating you can be to each other...
Sisters become teammates and work together
for the love of the game.

Playing volleyball is one of the few interests these sisters share. No matter what they do, they do it well. I am so proud of these girls. They've been a part of my life since they were born. They are the daughters of my heart. Even when and if I have children of my own, Vittoria and Allie have a special place reserved in my heart.

Something to feel great about!

I got roped into a health assessment at my gym about 6 weeks ago. I was weighed and measured (felt a little like produce) and all those darn numbers were committed to paper in INK! Today, one of my fellow group cyclers got re-assessed and convinced me to go for it. I hate those numbers...too real when you have to LOOK at them! But it was all good, and this on the heels of my excellent (A+ as my doctor says) blood work results. The one number that stood out most for me was the triglycerides...a whopping 46, which my doctor said she sees very rarely. So, I step on the scale (thank goodness it was shoe-less because the shoes I was wearing today weigh 1.6 lbs...yes, I weighed them!). I've lost 8 pounds since August 2nd and a total of 10 inches all over my body!!!!! I should be turning cartwheels! So, my friend Pete says that I may not see the changes in my body, but everyone else sure does. I have to admit that I rarely look in the mirror past my neck and that's only because I need to look at myself when I put my make-up on. But, really, I should have figured it out when I tried on my new pants today. I did the risky thing and ordered a size smaller than I usually wear. They fit!!!! Talk about great motivation! I still eat the not-so-good stuff, just not too much. I'be been known to sweat a bucket at the gym, come home and eat dinner, and then have a ferrero rocher or two. I've found that if I tell myself I can't eat something, I want it even more and then break down and have too much. My secret stash of ben and jerry's can last for over a month in the back of the freezer! That reminds me, ben and jerry are not in the freezer right now! Thanks for letting me toot my own horn! Back to your regularly scheduled life!

Remembering 9/11

Today is September 11th. Six years ago, it was just another day for making another dollar. But five years ago, the events of the day changed the world forever. Where was I on that fateful day? I was 6,000+ miles away from home sitting in an apartment watching TV while I ate my breakfast. I remember being particularly annoyed that the show I was watching was interrupted by breaking news. I grabbed my cell phone and called my friend Patsi in Seattle. Her sister Colleen worked in one of those buildings. While Patsi and I had the closer connection, I considered Colleen to be a friend. Their entire family became my extended family while I was living in Seattle. I didn't hear till later that day that Colleen was safe and wasn't hurt. I still had to go to my internship. A few of the children saw or heard what had happened that morning. We let them talk about it and they wrote and drew pictures in their journals. As a school community we had to practice lock down drills for weeks and months afterwards. That always freaked me out because what if we really had to do it? I don't think I would have been able to move. I think it was one of the factors that contributed to my decision to move back home when I was done with grad school. I couldn't imagine not being with my family if anything ever happened.

I thought that we wouldn't do anything at school to commemorate the day today. Boy, was I wrong! At 8:46 am, the bell rang and we observed a moment of silence. The radio was put on the loudspeakers. I was so proud of my students! They were so quiet and serene. I had to do a little explaining as these children were 2 when it all happened that September day.

Saturday musings

I went to twice a month nutrition class at the gym this morning, but not before I stopped for my grande iced latte with a shot of irish cream! Saw a paper hanging on the wall by the espresso machine that gave the workers directions for caramel macchiatos AFTER they started making my old stand-by. Have to order that tomorrow! So, I'm sitting in the aerobics studio listening to Mona, the instructor, talk about sugar. Did you know that you have to walk the entire length of a football field to burn off the calories in ONE M&M? That about freaked me out! There's 10 teaspoons of sugar in one can of soda and drinking DIET soda doesn't make you gain less weight but more!!! Oh my goodness! My eyes just about bugged out. But, still I dreamed of my iced latte sitting in the car because I don't dare bring that contraband into the class. Afterwards, I headed to Kmart to buy Lucas something for his birthday on Tuesday. I did the practical and bought him a booster chair to strap to their dining room chair. Am I really that boring? NO!!! I also got him some Cars sippy cups and then headed to our next favorite place...Bestseller bookstore.

I had to hit the bookstore since I'm down to my last book. I ran into a Bishop student. He saw me and said hi then proceeded to ask a question that just about broke my heart. Just when I was getting used to my new job. Just when I started to convince myself that I'm in a better place physically and emotionally. Noel asks, "Why did you have to quit?" Aw, man! I had to tell him that I didn't quit, but that I got another job somewhere else. So I ask him, "Why, do you miss me?" He said, "Yes." Noel was never in my class. The only time I "taught" his class was during SAT-10 testing when he was in kinder and first grade. The only thing we really shared was the same birthday. Of course, he had to say good-bye ever so sadly on his way out the door. Right back to square one. I miss my old job site. I miss the kids I've watched grow since I started working at Bishop (okay, so some of them are already seniors in high school). I miss seeing my closest work friends everyday. I miss knowing what's going on in Toria's, Allie's, and Nathan's classes. I miss the kids calling out my name when I pass by. I miss being one of the few teachers who weren't called just "Miss" because the kids knew it bugged me. Face it, I even miss being harassed by the computer teachers! I guess it's all just a part of growing up.

TGIF!

Auntie Margaret came to visit last weekend from Saipan. She brought goodies for everyone, like she always does! Lucas and Ethan both got umbrellas. Ethan is a fanatic about Spiderman and we do nothing but encourage him! He has Spiderman EVERTHING--shirts, underwear, boxers, socks, shoes, backpack, plate, bowl, utensils, books, and now the umbrella. Ethan spent most of the morning outside in the sun so he could keep it open! Doesn't he look cute?


It's the weekend again! This week went by fast. I'm not complaining...it just seems that the days are passing by quickly. We have no down time during the day. It's no wonder why I'm always tired when I get home. Nothing like a short nap to give me energy for those grueling workouts at the gym. Today was payday which made the day even better. A quick stop to the bank turned out to take longer than expected. But then, as a reward for all the hard work I've been doing, I stopped by China Arts to look at their new scrapbooking stuff. Lots of new things...shocked the heck out of me! I was good and spent less than $20! How's that for control?!?!

Happy Thursday!

Today is Thursday...YAY! I love Thursdays because it means tomorrow is Friday. I'm getting into the swing of teaching direct instruction. I still feel like a robot programming my little robots, but I'm trying {TRYING IS AN OPERATIVE WORD} to have a positive attitude about it.

I went to Bishop today for their first middle school volleyball game. It's like I never left! Both Toria and Allie are on the team. Only Toria got to play today as she is a returning member and Allie is, well, a rookie. Got some shots with the new camera! I was 3 rows up on the bleachers...the zoom is incredible! I ran into former co-workers and got invited to join their 3 times a week workout sessions. Do they miss me or do they miss me?

I got some shots of Lucas and Jacob over the weekend. Missed the perfect shot of Lucas kissing Jacob's back...have to be lightning quick with kids! The sun was streaming through the window, but I didn't want to miss this shot! Need more play time with the camera to figure out all the bells and whistles. Hopefully I'll get to play with it more this weekend and maybe catch some awesome shots.

My first post!

I've been bit by the blogging bug! Seems like everyone is doing it so why not me, too? Anyway, the 3-day weekend is officially over...yippee for a 4-day work week. It's not fun to do direct instruction with a stuffy nose and a sore throat. Water and fruit breezers are my best friends these days.

I've been a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad friend (to borrow the words from the Alexander book). I missed a friend's birthday 2 weeks ago and just tonight called her. Luckily, she's understanding as heck and got over it quickly. I was excused and forgvien! Happy belated birthday, Lila, my friend!

Weather forecast on Guam--hot and humid with a slight chance of more heat and humidity! Fall already rain! Now back to your regularly scheduled program!