Quick Update on Andrew

For all of your thoughts and prayers, thanks. Today Andrew seems like he is returning to normal....or closer to it anyway. He is still a little needy, but he has also been smiling, laughing, crawling and cruising. I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch, but at least it seems that we are approaching healthy once again. And not a day too soon. Thank goodness!

Poor Little Andrew

Well, we have discovered that the Zofran works wonders for vomiting, if you give it like clockwork, every 12 hours. The first night, Andrew did very well until 4 a.m. when he started vomiting again. Yesterday he didn’t throw up at all, but when I picked him up from my mother-in-law’s house, he was gagging and burping something that smelled very much like the vomit I have been cleaning for the last week. I immediately administered more medication. Last night he made it through the night OK, but that is with medicine. We have decided to continuously give him the Zofran for a few days as a preventative. I think his stomach needs time to heal, and I hope that by Monday he can be drug free. He has lost almost 2 pounds since last week.

However, while the vomiting is controlled by the Zofran, the medication also has its own list of side effects. It is a medication they give to cancer patients, after all. I believe that it is making him dizzy and giving him a headache, because he keeps hanging his head and shaking it back and forth. So now, on top of the Zofran, he is getting ibuprofen and Tylenol alternately. This makes me feel bad too, because not only is it more medication on his sensitive little belly, but it’s also making him feel drugged. He hasn’t been himself for an entire week and it’s just so sad. He's usually such a happy little guy.

Last night he was standing by the edge of the tub before his bath. I snuck up behind him and sniffed his neck (usually he thinks this is really funny). He chuckled, but even his laugh was sad. It made me tear up. The poor little thing has no idea why he has been feeling like that for so long, and it just breaks my heart. Seeing your kids sick for a day or two is bad enough, but when it lingers like this, it’s truly difficult. It’s exhausting for us as adults to deal with the illness, and so frustrating to know that there is little we can do to make it better for the kids.

Hopefully this is the beginning of the end, and not the beginning of something more serious. That's another worry that I have been having lately too. He saw his pediatrician yesterday and they will keep an eye on him for the next few days. If it continues into the end of next week, we are to go back and look deeper. I just worry that another week is a long time for such a little body to endure. Keep little Andrew in your prayers, please, and pray that this ends soon.

Vomit Headquarters Of Central PA

The last 6 days here have been completely awful. While Jacob, my mother and I all recovered within 48 hours of our illnesses, Andrew's vomiting has continued - and he was the one that started it all. Last night, after a half hour of continuous vomiting, I started to become very concerned. I called the on-call doctor, and he said that Andrew would be fine throughout the night, not to risk the roads and just bring him into the office this morning. So this morning at 9, I tried to call. No answer. I called every 5 minutes until 10. No answer. Then I called the answering service and they informed me that the office was closed today. Nice. What kind of doctor office closes for bad roads? I didn't want another day to go by without him being seen, so I took him to the emergency room. They drew blood and got a urine sample from him. Everything was amazingly fine. They sent me home with a prescription for zofran, an anti-emetic they give to chemo patients! It seems to be working so far (knock on wood). He hasn't thrown up today, and I hope that we are at the end of this awful, awful bug. Yuck!

Throughout the illness, though Jacob has remained his typical germophobic self. When my mother started to get ill, he said to her, "Clorox, Mimi. Kills germs on contact." Then every time she emerged from the bathroom, he asked her if she remembered to wipe down the toilet seat. At one point he said to my dad, "Pap, I feel like we are on the S.S. Diarrhea." Leave it to Jacob to remain witty, albeit unknowingly, amidst the stomach flu.

Here's a pic of Andrew after they drew blood at the ER. I give those three nurses a lot of credit. It went so smoothly, he didn't even bruise! Amazing!

Bath Video

This video is of Andrew blissfully unaware of the huge mound of bubbles we piled onto his head. You know, I don't like most of the aspects of the baby stage. I much prefer preschoolers. But I have to admit that the ability to do ridiculous things like this to your kids occurs during a small window of opportunity with some very funny advantages, only in that dreaded baby stage!

25 Random Things About Me

For lack of imagination's sake, I chose to post an item that I actually wrote for a dumb facebook challenge. It took several prompts by friends for me to relent, but when I had a lot of extra time this weekend, due to illness in the home, I decided to do it. So, here are 25 random things about me. Some of which many people probably didn't know - except for the last. I hope everyone, especially Greg, already knew that one!


1. My first name is spelled differently because it was my paternal grandmother’s maiden name. My mother wanted to name me Megan, but my father would not agree. He wanted to name me Mary Helen. After several days they agreed on Koelle. My mother didn’t consult my father, and named my sister Megan 5 years later.

2. My first son was breech, so I had a C Section. I chose to have a C Section again with my second.

3. I used to be fluent in German, but I’m very, very out of practice now.

4. I studied abroad in Cologne, Germany my sophomore year of college. I have been to Europe 4 times in my life.

5. I love cats, but can’t have any right now because of allergies in the house.

6. I’ve worked in social services for 9 years.

7. I know how to use a drill, but I can’t change a tire.

8. I wear a size 4.75 ring on my left hand and a size 5 on my right.

9. I took private voice lessons from 8th grade through college.

10. I also played the flute from 3rd grade through 12th - in the band and orchestra (in jr.high).

11. I don’t like to eat much meat, but sweets are a real addiction.

12. I used to be obsessed with the X Files, and I forced my college friends to watch episode after episode after episode with me.

13. I’m not sure what color to call my hair. It’s somewhere between blonde and brown. I used to dye it very blonde, but I haven’t messed with my natural color since Jacob was born. (going on 6 years)

14. Both of my sons have the name Andrew, after my step-father: Jacob Andrew, and Andrew John.

15. I have one biological sister and one step-sister.

16. I come from a pretty sizeable extended family, and I am aware of how lucky I am to know and be so close to many, many relatives.

17. Growing up, my aunt Carmen was always my favorite great aunt, because she loved cats just as much as I do. She still ranks pretty high on my list!

18. My bachelor’s degree is from Allegheny College in Meadville. I have a BA in German. I also have a bunch of credits from IUP in psychology and special education.

19. I am 100% loyal to Honda. Won’t buy anything else. If you don’t drive one, you won’t understand that, but after owning one, most people are hooked.

20. I like soft, earthy colors and pastels.

21. In high school I followed all the rules and never partied. I made up for that during my college years, but after graduation, I resumed my old fuddy-duddy high school ways. The mornings are so much easier to face without a hangover.

22. In 5th grade, I stole typewriter ribbon from a discount store in Hollidaysburg and my mother caught me. She made me return the ribbon to the store manager, who told me that he “didn’t enjoy putting little kids in jail, so he would let it slide this time.” I was petrified. I never stole again.

23. My parents live 3 blocks away from me, and I love being able to walk “home” whenever I want.

24. I never had a cavity until I was 29.

25. I think my husband, even with his faults, is the most wonderful amd sexiest man in the world. He is kind, compassionate, generous, a good listener, a great father, a great handy man, and handsome, with 6 pack abs. I can overlook his bad grammar in exchange for all of that!

Pictures from January

Here are some photos from this month. The stomach flu is going through our home - at least to Andrew and me, so far. We are hoping it ends soon, and that none of you are sick either!

Trying out Jake's new high speed sled.

Heading up the hill for more.

Andrew splashing in the kitchen sink.

Static hair!

Andrew's sledding experience was less than thrilling!

Helping dad with some home repairs.

After a visit to the salon.

More Sentimental Junk

Today I am stuck inside. Andrew is sick. He either has the stomach bug or a bad cold, from which the drainage is making him throw up and have diarrhea - or both. Actually, he hasn’t thrown up since last night (which he did twice in the middle of his sleep), but his nose is clogged and his butt is sore. Poor guy. I feel bad for him, but I’m also praying that the rest of us don’t catch it from him, especially if it is that nasty stomach flu that is going around.

Andrew didn’t get up until 830 this morning and now he has been sound asleep for almost two hours, which is very out of character for him. Jacob is with my parents, where he will hopefully stay for most of the day. It’ll keep him from being bored out of his mind, and hopefully minimize his exposure to illness. He told my mother that he wasn’t coming home today because he didn’t want to catch his brother’s germs. A few days ago in the car, Andrew started blowing raspberries. Jacob freaked out and started frantically pleading with Andrew to stop. “Brudder, don’t you know that is how we spread germs! We don’t spit! You’ll make us all sick!” Apparently they have been discussing illness prevention at school, and Andrew hasn’t wised up yet!

I have cleaning to do, but nothing pressing right now, so I thought I’d update my play list. I have a real nostalgic side to me (in case you haven’t noticed!), so I thought some of these songs were appropriate. I think a lot about all of the people who have graced my life, for whatever reason - those who are still here, and those who are gone. I’ve been blessed to know some really wonderful people, and I’ve also been blessed in knowing some not so nice people too. I say that because I think it’s important to know just how lucky we are when we find someone who is not only good, but good for us. Not everyone is a beneficial fit. Fortunately, I’ve found more good fits than bad influences in my 32 years on this planet.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the stresses of everyday life. It’s easy to block out the good things and get stuck in a rut of repeating mistakes. It’s not always easy to make changes, or even to hear that changes need to be made. I look at my life right now, and I’m often amazed at where I am. I’ve grown so much over the last 10 years, and in some ways I’m still in disbelief of all that I have. Those of you who have known me any length of time can attest to the changes I have made. The most integral part of that stability, happiness and contentment I owe to Greg. He has brought balance to my life. He loves me enough to tell me when I’m out of whack, and more importantly, he loves me enough to put up with me when I’m off kilter (which is probably a little more often than I’d like to admit). Greg is definitely the best fit not only for me, but for my children as well. So thank you, Greg, for being you - and being mine.

And thank you to everyone else for being here and there, all over the country and even across the ocean, and for blessing me with you various gifts. Everyone we meet has something to give us, something to teach us. I have learned a lot, and I look forward to continuing to learn as the years pass.

Now, I must depart from the sentimental stuff - I hear a coughing kid…at least I hope it’s coughing, and not puking! Keep your fingers crossed!

Move On

I just added a video of the band - Greg, Fred and my niece Karissa. Karissa wrote this song herself in less than a half hour the other night. She has never had a professional lesson in her life. I think the tune is catchy, and I'm pretty impressed that a 13 year old could come up with something like this so fast. Yeah Karissa! You're on your way to stardom - keep working hard! We love you!

(Pause the playlist, so that you can hear them)

It's on the bottom of the page - scroll all the way to the end.

For Gram

My mother got pregnant with me at a young age accidentally. She married my father, but later showed the strength that is true to her spirit by divorcing him. The 6 years between their marriage’s beginning and end were wrought with turmoil, frequent temporary separations and much stress. It wasn’t until my mother married my step-father when I was 10 that my family unit began to resemble a traditional nuclear family. I’ve said it many times before, and will repeat it many times after this - my step-father, who I now refer to as my dad, is a wonderful man, a wonderful father to my sisters and me, and a wonderful grandfather to my boys and my niece. My biological father is an angry and bitter man who allowed self-pity and pride to stand in the way of a normal, happy life. He has lost most of what matters in life. I spent many years being angry at him, but over the last decade or so, my anger has softened. He no longer occupies much space in my mind at all, but when I do think of him, I feel only pity. What an empty waste his life has become.

The point of this entry, however, is not to talk about any of the aforementioned people. It is rather meant to be a tribute to my grandmother, the one true constant in my life during those formative early years, and through the chaos of my parents’ failing marriage. Regardless of the circumstances in the Anderson household, Gram was beacon of hope, waiting with open arms (and probably some words of advice, both wanted and unwanted for my mother). In the beginning of my life, I had no good father, but I had something even better: two good mothers.

I was the first born grandchild, and I spent most of my life before the age of 10 with my grandmother. I tagged along to all of her coffee dates with friends, I traded foot rubs for lunch at McDonald’s on a weekly basis. I knew her pass code for the ATM machine, and at 6 years old would get money for her while she waited in the car. She had a pool put in when I was 5, and she taught me how to swim. She took me on my first plane ride to North Carolina to visit my aunt Betsy the summer after fourth grade.

Whenever I could, I tried to sleep with Gram. But she, like me now, didn’t sleep well (and she snored like a trucker when she did sleep!) I remember staying up nights, sitting on the couch, staring out the window, watching the headlights of cars on the other side of the valley roll down the mountainside. I can still see her nightgown - floor-length, silk with an orange and white pattern, a safety pin on the collar. I still don’t know why she had a tiny gold safety pin on the neckline of each nightgown, but she always did. She had an artificial valve in her heart which resonated loudly in the silent room: a single tick…tick…tick with every beat of her heart. For years after she died, I kept a wind-up clock on my nightstand, to pretend, for just a short while, that she was still there.

Shortly after my mother married Terry, my grandmother was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. It was too late. Nothing could be done, aside from trying to make her comfortable as she passed. I have to laugh at those words, though. Is anyone who is dying, regardless of the etiology, ever truly made comfortable? It was a slow and painful death that no amount of morphine could have eased. In the beginning, she tried very hard to maintain a normal semblance of life. I can remember her coming to my first chorus concert in 5th grade. She only made it through a short bit of it before she felt too ill to stay. She waited in the car and slept for the rest of the program.

For 10 months, we watched her die. My poor mother worked full time, then came home to pick up my sister and me from school before driving to my grandparents’ house. She made dinner for them every night, even on the weekends, and provided most of the care my grandmother needed as well. As time went on, it was necessary to have a nurse from hospice to attend to the more critical needs, but still, my mother and my sister and I were there every day without fail. Looking back on that now, I wonder how strong I would be if I were in my mother’s shoes. I suppose you do what you have to do, even if that means nursing your own mother to her death. I didn’t realize then how difficult that time was for my own mother. It’s just another example of how I missed the strength my mother routinely exhibited, and continues to exhibit, until much past the actual event. Only now, in adulthood and as a mother myself, am I able to see her more for the person she really is and less for the person I mistakenly perceived her to be.

At the time, I think I tried to ignore the true mood of the situation. I was only 10, and my mom tried her best not to burden us with any of the stress. We took friends with us over the summer months and swam in the pool. I visited with Gram too, but mostly we played as if nothing had changed. I remember making yarn dolls and hanging them on the curtains in the middle bedroom where she stayed. I believe I even made her buy one from me! I know it was one of the hottest summers on history. I can recall the nurse saying something to the tune of, “you should go outside and watch your grandchildren swim for the last time, Jackie.” My mother was livid that she would make such a comment, and that she would insist that someone who was at the tail end of a terminal illness sit outside in tropical heat. The nurse didn’t return after that comment. My grandmother died on August 13, 1988 one day before my mother’s birthday. 20 years ago. I was 11.

20 years ago seems absurd to me. I can’t believe so much time has passed. Each milestone that I have had has been bittersweet. There’s always an empty spot for her, always the thought and wonder of what she would have said, thought or done. I wonder what she would think of the person I have become. I swear she visited after Jacob was born. I’m not a firm believer in ghosts, but I choose to forget science for a moment. I know in my heart that she saw him - she let me know very clearly that she did. I didn’t have such a clear moment with Andrew. Maybe she knows that I’m not at such a needy time in my life now as I was when Jacob was born. Whatever the case may be, I’m choosing to believe that she’s seen and blessed him too.

I can say with 100% truthfulness that not a single day has passed since her death that I don’t think about her at least once. Sometimes it’s something specific, but most days it’s just a nondescript, vague notion of her. Most days it makes me smile, but I have moments when I cry as if she just died yesterday. The power of a love that deep is amazing to me. It is astounding that we can grieve the loss of a person so much that 20 years later, the wound still feels so fresh. It’s a wound that I hate having, but conversely , I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to have loved and been loved like that.

I have other strong bonds too, it’s not that my grandmother was the only one in my life to whom I feel tied. Of course I love my parents and fear their passing. I love my husband, my sisters, aunt and uncles, friends, and probably more than anyone in the world, my sons. I look now at my boys, especially Jacob, and their bond with my parents. Jacob was in a very similar situation for the first 3 years of his life, as I was for the beginning of mine. My parents were the constant for him, his pillars in the storm. If it were not for them, who knows how he and I would have made out. Even since marrying Greg, and creating a stable home for Jacob, we have all made it a priority to maintain and encourage his bond with my parents. He spends the night there at least once a week, and we see them every day. I worry about the time when they pass, because I know just how heart wrenching that will be for Jacob. But I am so glad that he is able to experience that same intense love that I did, and I wouldn’t change that for the world. I’m thankful once again for the legacy passed down from my grandmother - a strong love and devotion to her family, a love that weathers all storms and transcends even our own mortality.

The Power of Music

Ok, so I finally figured out to post music to the blog. Sorry, Becky. You probably think I am such a copy-cat! The whole blog idea, I stole from you! I admit it, I’m a cheater, but as they say, imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? :)

Actually, I couldn’t figure out how to post just a single song from my own collection, so I went to playlist.com to make a play list. I had so much fun searching the songs! I wish Andrew had slept longer, so I could have listened and searched more. It’ll definitely be a site I visit again. It’s free, and play lists to listen to while cleaning or whatever are great to have.

I came by the song “In My Life” by Dave Matthews. It’s a remake of an older song (forgive me, but I don’t know who originally wrote it). I used to sing this to Jake when he was a baby, before I knew that Dave redid it. Jacob actually recognized it when it was playing! What a sweet song it is - listen to the lyrics before you mute it out. I think it will strike a chord with most people. I have been a long time fan of Dave Matthews, going back to college. Just hearing his voice conjures so many good memories, so I was thrilled to find that he had his own version of one of my all time favorite songs. The whole gang of us from Allegheny have soft spots in our hears for Dave, I’m sure. The rest of the list are just some mellow, hippy-type songs that I like. Some of them most people know. Some are a little less known.

Although I like to rock with Greg and Freddy, I must admit that I am a folky type at heart. I’m high strung enough naturally that I need mellow music to calm me down most days. I firmly believe that music can make or break your mood. When I worked at AE in Pittsburgh, I remember witnessing first hand how the flavor of a song could almost instantly change the mood of a room. It was amazing, and it was something that I think I was good at taking advantage of (back me up here, Marsha!).

The last few days I have felt some inside turmoil. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s partly due to adjusting to a new job, a new routine. Andrew hasn’t been feeling well and has been more fussy, so that can cause some agitation. The weather has been awful and we’ve been stuck inside with cabin fever. Plus, my father in law told me that he overheard Jacob telling my nieces that no one cares about Jake any more, that we all just want to fuss over the baby. So now I’m feeling guilty about that too. I’ve been making an effort to be more attentive to Jacob, do things specifically with him when the baby is sleeping, or quietly entertained. I guess the feelings he has are normal, and not necessarily caused by anything we have or haven’t done. Still, it made me feel bad for him. I don’t want him thinking he takes second fiddle. But try as I might, I’m just a little edgy lately. (Seems I say that a lot - maybe I’m just always edgy). Some nice, mellow music might just be what my soul needs right now. I used to relax at nights by just putting on quiet, easy music, and laying alone in the dark, listening. I would try to visualize the different layers of the music, separating out the treble, bass, vocals and each individual instrument. I could do that for hours until I fell asleep. I haven’t done that for years and years. Perhaps I should try it now. Here's some good music to use!

Bad Wal Mart

I'm on another anti-wal mart kick today. I just hate that corporation. Circuit City is now closing too. Granted, all of the business closings can't be fully attributed to Wal Mart. The trouble the economy is in goes way beyond the monopoly of one business, but Wal Mart certainly doesn't help. The sheer size of it creates all kinds of marketing problems for the smaller stores, even ones like Circuit City, who are in reality not that small. If other businesses can't compete, then we've lost the core foundation of capitalism. A monopoly limits our choices and in a sense inhibits our freedom. I could also go on and on about how Wal Mart treats its employees, discriminates against race and gender, taxes the government welfare system, and gives little back to America despite its unfathomable resources. Sure, we can argue that they've made some progress since a whirlwind of lawsuits have been thrown in their laps, but we could also argue that they are appeasing us, laying in wait until the dust settles only to return to their questionable policies. If Wal Mart truly cared, it would have treated everyone with the utmost respect from the beginning instead of waiting for the legal system to force human rights onto it.

Do your best to boycott WalMart, and buy from your local businesses as much as possible. If you have the opportunity, watch the Wal Mart Movie. It's a real eye opener. As one man in the YouTube posting I have says, "You can't buy small town quality of life at a Wal Mart." Amen.

Dirty Deeds

Here is the video of AC/DC - Dirty Deeds. The sound is distorted because it was such a BIG sound for a tiny, little speaker. Wish you could have seen (and heard) what I saw (and heard)! It sounds evil in this clip, but really it wasn't!

Updates

First of all, I added some links and such to the side of the blog. I love the video of "The Mom Song" from You Tube. It's sung to the tune of William Tell, and I just think it's hilarious. However, I can't hear it on my computer. Would you all kindly let me know if the link allows sound for other people? If not, go to You Tube and check it out. It will make you laugh, especially if you have your own children.

Then there's a link to a friend's blog (Becky, you write so well, and those little guys of yours are so cute, I had to share. Let me know if you would prefer that I remove the link).

There's also a link to funny pictures of cats - I can't help it. I've always been a cat lover, and some of those are just too funny. Apparently the link gets updated daily, though, because I didn't put that video of a hedgehog on here yesterday. So, keep in mind that I didn't chose all of the stuff that's there.

Lastly, there's freerice.com. It's a website that donates rice to the hungry. It's a game you play - Norma and I have talked about it before on here. It's an addicting and fun game, and you can do some good while you're at it. Check it out, if you have a chance.

Now, the personal updates -

We are all doing relatively well. Andrew has some kind of mystery illness right now. He vomited once between Sunday night and Monday morning, but no further vomiting. I found it dried in his crib (poor guy slept in it all night - bad mommy didn't hear him). He's had some diarrhea, but otherwise no significant symptoms, except that he won't eat. He takes a few sips of a bottle, a few bites of finger food and then he refuses all else for hours. His mood is good, and he doesn't appear sick otherwise. I'm worried about the lack of appetite, but I don't know what to do about it. I'm going to give him today to recover still, and if he's not better, I'll take him to the doctor tomorrow. I imagine that they aren't going to have much to say, especially since there's nothing concrete to treat, and his affect is good.

Now, as for me. I thought that the headache medicine was working well, but now I'm not so sure. I didn't have a headache for almost two whole weeks and was almost on cloud 9! But the medicine is very sedating, even 12-15 hours after I've taken it. I tried to cut back to half a dose, but the headache immediately returned. I only took half a dose for two days, and then resumed the recommended dosage, but for four days now, the headache has remained. This makes me wonder if the meds were ever really working in the first place. I'm giving it another week - then the prescription will be up, and I'll call the doctor. I'm not quite as desperate as I was this time last month, but I'm that sense of despair is slowly creeping back up on me.

I've been at my new job for a week now. So far, so good. I am definitely going to like working part-time. There is a lot of paperwork, rules and regulations to learn, but I am eager to get started and out of the training phase. I think once I can get my feet wet, I'll feel more comfortable with my role and responsibilities.

That's everything for now - in a nutshell. More later, as the inspiration hits me!

More AC/DC Stuff

Greg's aunt Sandie sent me the Pittsburgh Post Gazette link to their review. Much better than mine, and a very accurate analysis. Here's the link and some of their photos - also much better than mine!

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09008/940388-388.stm

AC/DC - The Review

Well, Wednesday was the big day - the AC/DC concert Greg has been waiting for since November. I have to admit that I was mostly going along just to witness his excitement. I worried that the sheer noise of it would make my already aching head that much worse, but now that it is said and done, I must also admit that I had a lot of fun. They played mostly old stuff, which was great, because that’s the stuff we all know and love, and I think it made the concert that much more memorable for Greg too.

The crowd was an amazing mix of people - young and old, preppy, bikers, tattooed and not. I had no idea that AC/DC could be such a unifier! You know you are old, though, when you deliberately take earplugs to a rock concert, and then actually enjoy the music more with them in! Another age marker is when you look at the 20-something, totally smashed idiot beside you, and instead of saying “right on, man!” you are annoyed and seriously worried that he will puke on you. But, as only Greg could, he was able to lighten the mood and made friends with the totally smashed boy sitting next to us, who yelled, “F*** yeah!” at the beginning, middle and end of every sentence. Before the music even began, Greg had become best buddies with the kid, and the kid spent most of the night with his arm around Greg. When Greg went to the bathroom, the kid told me, “Your boyfriend is really cool.” I said, “Yeah. I thought so. So much that I married him!”

I have always known that besides me and the boys, Greg loves my brother-in-law Fred better than anyone. I was not prepared, however, for the number of times I would hear Greg yell Fred’s name during that concert! He either yelled, “There’s Freddy!” “Yeah Freddy!” or just “Fred!” so many times that I lost count. I think their connection is much deeper than I realized, and I told Greg later that no woman should hear her husband yell another man’s name that many times in one night!

I tried to take some video with my phone, which I’ll upload later, but again the quality is pretty poor. Cell phone’s aren’t exactly made to handle that kind of volume.

Even given my lack of enthusiasm for AC/DC in general, I must admit that they put on a great concert. These guys are in their 60's and still rocking like teenagers, minus the sex appeal...Angus did a little strip-tease at one point, and I'm sorry, but although the man can jam, there just isn't anything sexy in a 6o year old's pasty and sagging pecs! Still, it was a very nice day for Greg and me, and I’m glad, despite the messed up drama that originally surrounded these tickets, that we decided to keep them and go. I know Greg is happy with the decision.

AC/DC Photos

Here are a few pictures from the AC/DC concert. We had a great time, and I promise to write about it sometime between Friday and Sunday. Just wanted to get these pictures on for now. Forgive the quality - it's a cell phone camera, so they aren't that great. Of course, they are not in order either. It's amazing that I can actually use a computer sometimes.

Yes, I actually wore the horns, and no, I wasn't drunk...not too much, anyway!

Jacob was bred to be an AC/DC fan too, so the least we could do was bring him back some blinking horns!

Greg's drunken buddy...and I do mean DRUNKEN!

Greg looked like this throughout the entire concert!

Before the concert began - horns and beer in hand!

Jacobisms, Work and AC/DC

Jacob - “Fly fishing is when you cast your line from an airplane.”

It’s “plow-wood” not “plywood.”
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I started back to work on Monday the 5th. Just two days this week because Greg and I are going to the AC/DC concert in Pittsburgh tonight and staying over. Next week will be a full week. So far it has gone pretty well. I’m a little overwhelmed with all of the paperwork, and figuring out who gets what when, but that will all come together as I get used to the job. I definitely think that working part time is going to suit me. The last two 4 hour days went very quickly, and I was still able to meet with friends, do my own errands and chores and not feel overwhelmed. So, for right now, I’m hopeful that this position was the right decision for me to make.

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This afternoon, Greg and I are heading to Pittsburgh to see AC/DC. They aren’t my favorite band, but they definitely are Greg’s. He’s very excited, and I’m excited for him. I’m also looking forward to eating dinner at the Church Brew Works (you should check out their website at - www.churchbrew.com such a cool place with great food!) It’ll be nice to get away for a while, just the two of us. Our parents are splitting the job of taking care of the kids, so they are in good hands. I’ll write more on Friday (maybe) when we are back and settled.

That’s all for now!

News and Stuff

First things first. I hope that I am not jinxing myself when I say that (knock on wood) I have been mostly headache free for the last 4 days. I had a shorter (4 hours) and milder one yesterday, but none today and none the two days prior. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the end of the headaches and that the meds are kicking in. I was seriously on the verge of a mental breakdown, and I'm praying they don't return.

Secondly, my 10 months of complaining about not have a real job have finally come to an end. As of Jan 5th I am taking a FSHA (Family Support Health Advocate) position with Child Advocates of Blair County. In a nutshell and overly simplified, it's a case management position for kids who are enrolled in Head Start. I will be working part time, 4 hours a day. I'm very excited about the job. I think that I will enjoy the position, plus I'm ecstatic about the hours. It will be perfect for Jacob, because he will not need to be in child care at all. I'll be able to take him to school and be there when he's done. Also, I will follow the school calendar, so I will have summers off as well as a Christmas break. Perfect for a working mom - outside contact and purpose without infringing on home life.

Those are the two main events in my life right now. We had a great Christmas. Jacob thoroughly enjoyed the holiday, which makes it nice for us. Every year at our family Christmas party, someone plays Santa. This year my uncle Larry had the honor (the men are such babies, always trying to get out of doing it). After Santa left, Jacob came to me and said, "mom, when santa was here, everyone was here except uncle Larry." Oh boy. I think he is beginning to question some things, and I think that he recognized Larry in the outfit, but he seemed to be easily appeased with telling him that Larry was in the bathroom. Then Jacob drew a picture for Larry, so he wouldn't feel bad about missing Santa. Whew. Another year of dodging the big question is over. We are in the "don't ask, don't tell" phase right now. Of course, when he asks, I'll be honest, but until then, my lips are sealed!

Greg is working for New Year's Eve this year. My parents came down around 7 and we toasted with sparkling grape juice. Andrew is in bed now (8pm) and Jacob is being treated to popcorn and sprite in the living room while watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. I'm having a beer by myself, just to say that I wasn't completely dry when bringing in the new year, but I plan to be asleep well before the ball drops. Perhaps calmly ringing in the new year will symbolize a peaceful and calm year. We could use it!

Hope everyone had a great holiday season and I wish everyone a prosperous and healthful 2009!

Andrew and the Fireplace

Andrew is completely obsessed with the pilot light in our fireplace. No matter where I place him, he swivels his little body around and heads straight for the hearth. Once he gets there, he proceeds to place his mouth all over the glass and frame in an attempt to eat the pilot light. This is an ALL DAY occurrence at our house. The boy is determined, to say the least!

More Christmas Photos

My sister Megan, and my niece, Ella.

Jacob practices his hockey stance.

Greg poses with the boys and the mug that Jacob had engraved especially for Greg.

The note to Santa, and the cookies on a plate that Jacob made at school for me.

Andrew watches us from the safety of his firetruck.