Dutch Baby

We had a really nice weekend. We headed down south to visit my parents and attend the wedding of one of Don's cousins. The weather was really nice and the drive down was pretty easy. We met up with my parents and shared lunch and then headed to the store to pick up a few things for breakfast the next day. We hung out for a little while and then headed out to the wedding. All in all it was nice to visit with everyone and be able to share in thier wedding. After the wedding we met up with my parents again and had supper out and plenty of conversation. Sunday morning we got up and had a wonderful breakie of dutch baby and strawberries. Oh man was it good!! Sunday afternoon we headed over to a friends house to watch the US soccer game and then met up with my parents for lunch before heading home. We had a quiet evening and then got back into the grind today. Work today was long-ish but not terrible...but I am glad to be home. Not really a whole lot going on and for now that is just fine.

Full Friday

Holy Mackerel! Today was a doozy. We were really busy at work and every case was complicated it seemed. I finally got done over an hour late. Argh. On the positive side we were able to get over to see our friends J and D. J seems to be doing pretty well despite her injuries. She actually broke her ankle in three places and sprained the other one. They actually thought she had broken both for a few hours after she fell. D is passable...not great. He is still really struggling to recover from being so sick. He has lost a lot of weight he didn't really have to spare, but they both are getting around ok. They have one of their sons staying with them currently and while I know they appreciate his help, I also know they will be really glad to have their house back to themselves. It was very good to see them again, it was a relief to be able to see and talk with them. We made sure they know we are around if they need anything...but also that we know enough to stay out of the way if we are not needed. I am looking forward to seeing them again next week and hope that they both are feeling better. Tomorrow we head south for one of Don's cousins wedding and to spend some time with my parents too. I am looking forward to seeing them. I hope I can start the next week with a little more in my reseves this week.

Mr. Practical

Earlier in the month Don and I were talking about our friends who are pregnant and I was talking about how excited I was for it to be our turn. He immediately starting talking about all the things that "needed to get taken care of" before having a baby. I pretty much shut down right away and felt like the prospect of having a baby had just become a frighteningly distant dream. This week, after having taken some time to really think about what he had said and how I was feeling and what I could and could not do about his concerns, we took a walk and started to talk about it again. I started out letting him know that I had truly heard what he had said, and that I agreed and understood his concerns...but that waiting until everything is "perfect" pretty much ensures that it will not happen. There is never a "perfect time" and always something that "needs taken care of". We had a good converstaion, very calm, and we both were able to say what we needed to say. We agreed on some mutually agreeable actions to assuage both of our concerns and talked more about time frame. It is sort of strange sometimes to talk about time frame for making a baby and getting us both on the same page. It seems like somehow it is just something that is supposed to happen and it seems that people often don't really think about it. But I really feel like having a baby is something that we both should be equally "ready" for. I guess I just feel like getting pregnant is such a wonderfully big deal that is shouldn't be "sprung" on anyone...not even your spouse. Not that it won't still be somewhat of a surprise when it happens...just that it will be a pleasant, expected one rather than one that brings trepidation or bad feelings. This has all been a testament to how much we have grown in our communication too. I was able to stop before going non-linear and then take time to process and respond calmly to his concerns (instead of staying shut down), while he was able to hear me and understand mine and dialog about it (instead of walling up). I am always amazed at how different our thought processes are. It is so good for me to have his perspective...even thought sometimes I initially get galled. He does have good ideas and really is much more practical than I am...it is a good thing. It was wonderful to be able to talk about it and come to an agreement that is comfortable and good for both of us. I feel so strange calling our plan to get pregnant an "agreement" but since we are a two person team and neither one of us can do it without the other, that is what it is. So we will spend some time saving and working on finances and with nature's help and a little luck (maybe) be pregnant this year! I love my husband Don very much and am so excited at the prospect of starting this next stage of our lives together!!

Gray Thursday

I am glad to have made it to my day off this week. I am pretty sure I say that every Thursday...but last week and this have been particularly trying. I have not been very productive today. I did manage to get to the store for a few items that we needed and stopped by my favorite store to look around (didn't end up buying anything). I also did some laundry. Other than that I have been drinking tea, reading, and generally lumping around. I have been feeling pretty crampy since late last night and today and generally not too great. I know that my body is just getting things sorted out on it's own now, but it is not terribly enjoyable and I am ready for things to be regulated. I think I will take a nap...

...And it's Only Tuesday

This week has started out suspiciously like last week. I am having a hard time reconciling the fact that it is just the second day of the week. It feels like it should be farther along. I am feeling pretty worn out. I did have some positive progress on a "home life" task, but that was quickly overwhelmed by the majority of my "work life". Argh. I do hope tomorrow is a better day.

Tragedy Strikes

Earlier I posted about our friend D's illness while he and his wife J were on vacation at the coast and his subsequent hospitalization. He is doing somewhat better but is still in the rehab/care facility in our town. J had been going back and forth and taking care of the house until this past Friday. She fell off the back porch and broke her leg in 3 places...the same leg she recently had a total knee replacement done on. We tried to call D tonight after work to see if we could come and visit, the line just rings busy. We are thinking that J may have been moved over to the rehab/care facility now too, and D is busy contacting family and getting things taken care of. We are very worried for them and are sending our best positive thoughts and good energies their way. We hope to be able to contact them and see them soon.

!!!!!!Paper Greyson!!!!

Several years ago our clinic cat Grayson passed away after a hard fight with cancer. One of our very kind and wonderful clients requested a picture and had an artist make a paper mache replica of our beloved kitty.
It.Is.Terrible.
We were all (appropriately) very appreciative and kind, and for all this time Paper Grayson has been sitting on top of our file cabinet in the reception area...freaking people out. While it is cat shaped, it doesn't really look at all like our wonderful old guy and the eyes are actually quite weird. But we still really appreciated the gesture.
Just recently we have decided that we all have had enough of Paper Grayson staring down at us with his weird eyes and have taken him off the filing cabinet. We were sort of at a loss for what to do next. None of us really wanted to toss him out, but none of us were bonded enough to want to take him home either. So for a week or two now, we have been randomly putting him places around the clinic and scaring each other hollering out "!!!Paper Grayson!!! and laughing uproariously. Now we have decided on a solid course of action. Paper Grayson is going to become a traveling "gnome" (only he will still be a cat). Each of us can take him home, take him places, take photos and we will send them to our boss in Iraq and most likely someday make a little Paper Grayson scrap book of all the fun places he has gone!
I took him home today and since it is really nice outside, posed him on my birdbath. The picture turned out quite good I think, it looks like he is walking along hoping for a bird to land so he can eat it. I am not sure what we are up to this weekend, but I am sure I can find some fun places for Paper Grayson to get his photo!