Shadow Chameleon's Dreamworld Journal

A very belated "thank you" to Aunt Florence for the birthday card. I know you read my journal, and I'm sorry I don't post very often. The card was lovely, and I always enjoy your letters and hearing about the family.

Work is going better since I reminded the teachers to only send students before 10:00 a.m. if they have serious illnesses or injuries. For one, most kids with "headaches" tend to forget the complaint, and they're more likely to be counted present when the attendance bell rings at 10:00. But the other main reason is that I am so behind on paperwork - or should I say computerwork? I have to input all my screening results and Nurse Daily Logs into the computer. Supposedly the nurse should be able to input as the students arrive in the clinic. Yeah right. Not when I have 5 kids in the clinic waiting for me to finish with the 6th, plus two resting on the cots and one in the bathroom puking. (Yes, I've had days like that.) So I document on paper, and later go back & input. I'm currently about 3 months behind. Joy.

My health is doing much better, though. I've been able to completely stop the Pulmicort nebs since I finished the antibiotics. I guess it really was bronchitis triggering my asthma. Also, since Nexium twice daily was ridiculously expensive, and the insurance denied a Tier Exception (to cover it as a brand name instead of a non-formulary med), my Dr. switched me to Kapidex, a new reflux med, and gave me samples! In the 3 days I've taken it so far, I've only had symptoms once. This is good!

Clayton has been getting his canines in over the past few weeks. The uppers broke through the gums last week, and this week the lowers are breaking through. Poor little man. I've been occasionally giving him Motrin (about every other day) when he really seems to be in pain. At least we know it's temporary.

Continue to pray for Pa, Dave's grandfather. He was recently in the hospital with fluid on his lungs. Apparently the cancer or the chemo aggravated his congestive heart failure (CHF). He's now home on Lasix, still pretty weak. He just rests in his chair or stays in bed most of the day. I hear that he has basically decided that he doesn't want to go to the hospital anymore. I think he's just tired of fighting, and ready to go home to be with Jesus. I have no idea how Grandma will deal with his death, so please pray for her, too. In addition to that, Grandma has a bad back and bad feet, and she really isn't physically strong enough to really help Pa like he needs. But they don't have any live-in or daily help. Please pray that somehow that need will be met.

I'm still teaching ESL classes at the church building on Tues. nights. The novice class is often frustrating, because from one week to the next we never know who will come. This past Tues. we had one student who is really ready for the next class, but unwilling to move up; his friend who has been coming to the novice class more than half of the time, and a brand new student who has been in the U.S. for 2 months. Well, with 3 teachers, we just did one-on-one with each of them. Still, it's far from ideal. It has been suggested that I call the students who haven't shown up, since I'm the Spanish-speaker, but I'm really not very good at making phone calls. Writing e-mails, signing cards, chatting on Facebook - sure. But to pick up the phone and call someone is just a chore for me. Guess I'm just wired that way, but I know others find it frustrating.

Anyway, Gemma (Dave's mom) came into town yesterday morning & kept Clayton home from daycare. She'll stay through tomorrow afternoon & then drive home. Clayton is napping right now, and we're getting ready to play Dominion (a specialized card game). So I hope y'all have a great day, and I'll try to post more often!

So sorry for the belated post. Let's see... our Anniversary celebration at the timeshare was wonderful, despite my asthma still acting up some. It did slowly improve while we were out there, but of course then we had to go back to where the cedar was. So instead of going back to work on Jan. 4th (a teacher workday), I went to the Dr. instead. I got back on my Pulmicort (a nebulized steroid) twice a day, and switched from Flonase nasal spray - which makes my nose bleed - to Astelin nasal spray. It tastes horrible if I accidentally get it in my throat, but at least my nose doesn't dry out, and it seems to be really helping now that it has kicked in.

Also, seven years after getting LASIK surgery, my vision has worsened enough that I got glasses. It's taking some getting used to, since I only need them for distance (driving and across large rooms). I actually have to take them off for reading, eating, and when on the computer, since it really bothers me to look up through the glasses, & then look down below them. It can give me a headache if I'm not careful.

I don't make New Year's resolutions, per se. But I do decide on some things I want to gain & lose in the next year, and then figure out what is up to God & what is up to me. I decided that in 2010 I want to gain a house (we're hoping to buy this summer to take advantage of the tax credit), and lose 24 lbs. (roughly 2 lbs per month). As for the house, the only thing under my control is how I manage our budget so we can save up like we've planned. I need to make sure to keep the belt tightened so I can put the money into savings for a down payment. What with a few emergency things, I owe the savings account some money, but I'm really working on paying it back. We should have a reasonable down payment by June. It's up to God to keep emergency situations away from us, and to keep the housing market stable where it is so we can afford to buy that early.

As for losing weight, I was counting on a starting weight of 186 lbs. I discovered a free website, www.sparkpages.com, that helps you set goals & change your lifestyle little by little to meet your goals. Unfortunately, after I entered my "starting" weight, I discovered that I had put on 6 lbs. over the 2-wk. break. Joy. So I'm doing daily stretches, small exercises during my hall monitor duty at work (while the buses are loading in the afternoon), and trying to eat more healthy foods. This past weekend it finally warmed up, and I got to go for walks Sat., Sun. & Mon. I loved having the holiday on Mon. so I could get stuff done & enjoy the weather. As of today, I'm back down to 189.5. I still have a lot of work to do, but little by little, right?

Two weeks ago my Mom came to visit. She wasn't able to spend time with us on her way north, so she spent the better part of a week with us on her way back south. She had her truck here, so during the day while we were at work she was able to explore the resale shops of our town, or just relax, go for a walk, or read her book. Clayton gradually warmed up to her, and by the time she left he was asking for her. I hope she's able to come back soon so he'll remember her better.

Last week we lost our internet for 5 days, so I was rather frustrated about not being able to get online to read messages. During that time my Dad came for a brief visit. He came in at suppertime, and we took him out to dinner as part of a Christmas gift. The rest of his gift was a thumb drive, which he greatly appreciated. We stayed up until a little after 10pm talking (Dad did most of the talking, which I didn't mind), and then went to bed. He left soon after I got up the next morning, and Clayton said, "Bye-bye Granddad." I'm glad Clayton started talking to him before Dad left.

Clayton turned 2 this past weekend. Sat. morning I took him to get a haircut, which he tolerated with minimal fussing. In the afternoon, after his nap, he had his birthday party. I'd invited 3 of his little friends, one of whom couldn't make it. But one of the others brought his two older sisters along, so it was a lot of fun. I kept it simple - I had a lot of his toys out where they could play, plenty of balloons (no helium), cupcakes after we helped Clayton blow out his big number 2 candle, and then I helped Clayton open his presents. During bedtime prayers, we thanked God for Clayton's two wonderful years of life, and asked Him for more.

On Mon., Clayton had his 2-yr. well check. (Again, grateful for the holiday.) He is 29 lbs 3 oz. and 34.75 inches long, both being between the 50th & 70th percentiles. His head circumference is 19.5 in., which is in the 75th percentile. The Dr. says he's going to be tall and is perfect (which she & Grandma W. have been saying since he was born), and he got his Hep A and H1N1 vaccines. He'll go back in a month for the 2nd H1N1 vaccine. He was mad about the shots, but was easily distracted with his magnetic doodle board. :)

Not much else going on, and it's late, so I need to get ready for bed. Please pray for Dave's grandfather (Pa). His cancer has come back, and now he has fluid on his lungs due to his congestive heart failure. He has come close to death many times, and always come back relatively healthy. But each time we wonder if this will be his last. He's a preacher of a very small church in a very small town, and he passes on a lot of wisdom to us. We'd really like to keep him with us a bit longer, but pray that if God is calling him home, that his passing will be peaceful, and that we'll be able to accept God's will. Thanks.

Wow, it's been a wonderful 3 days. We left our home Thurs. evening instead of Fri. morning, because it was snowing and supposed to get below freezing. We figured better to leave before the roads froze over! Too bad Clayton didn't get to play in the snow, though. It was too cold & windy for him to enjoy being outside.

Friday, Christmas day, we went to "Auntie Bug" & Uncle E.'s house with Gemma for a small get-together. (Uncle E.'s mom & family friend were also there.) Clayton got a hobby horse, some huge Lego blocks, and some really neat nesting/stacking cups, which also have numbers on them, and can even be used for math as high as division. Fascinating toy, since as Clayton grows the games he plays with them will get more complicated. Anyway, we spent most of the day over there, enjoying snacks, games & conversation.

Yesterday we went to Grandma's house for the big get-together. After a huge lunch, we had the Chinese gift exchange. Dave picked what he brought - a Kingdom Hearts game for PSII - and kept it since no one else has a PSII. I ended up with a bag: cherry cordial chocolates (which I'm giving to Dave since I don't like the cherries), a Crossword puzzle book, A Beautiful Mind, and a Tom Hanks double feature (The Burbs and The Money Pit).

Then we gave gifts to Grandma & Pa, and they gave gifts to us. I got book 12 of the Wheel of Time (supposedly there will only be 2 more), and several other nice things. We gave Grandma 3 rolls of film to feed her camera habit, and a huge amount of coffee & creamer for Pa. :D Clayton got some magnetic matching animal & vehicle toys, and has been enjoying matching the animal heads & tails.

This morning we went to Auntie Bug's Church, and were pleasantly surprised to see that she led all the music and the responsive reading today. She did great, and didn't stumble over any words. She seemed to be very comfortable leading the congregation, and I really enjoyed it.

For lunch we met Grandpoppy, Lottie & Taryn at Wings & More. I was glad we got an appetizer with chicken strips that Clayton could eat, because he was out cold by the time his food arrived. We got all the way to Auntie Bug & Uncle Erik's house without him waking up, but when I tried to get him inside the movement & cold air woke him. So he had a short nap today.

After a few hands of Bridge, we opened gifts. Clayton got a Radio Flyer rocket. The only bad thing is that it's rather low to the ground, and his knees hit the handlebars. But he loves the noises that the buttons make! (Thankfully they're rather quiet.)

Clayton has been enjoying Claymation Christmas over & over, and even wants to see it over Finding Nemo (shocking). It's only about 20 min. long, so he sees it several times a day. We tried showing him How The Grinch Stole Christmas, but he quickly said, "All done puppy" until we turned it off. He did watch Monster's Inc. once while here at Gemma's house.

Tomorrow Dave & I will get packed up to go to the timeshare. We're leaving Clayton with Gemma for 4 days, and I'm eager to get away from all the cedar. (My allergies triggered a bad asthma attack while we were in Waco, and Wed. night I went to the ER for a triple neb treatment. I'm on a high dose of steroids which I started on Tues., and it took several days & getting at least partly away from cedar to start improving.

Anyway, we'll be offline for the rest of the week, so don't be surprised if I don't respond for a while. I hope you have all had a very Merry Christmas, keeping Jesus Christ at the center of your celebration. Have a Happy New Year (no ER visits, please!), and we'll see you in 2010!

After work one day last week, I stopped at the post office. On my way out, a woman walked in & said, "I'm sorry to ask you this, but could you give me a ride to the bank? It's really close by, and I'd be happy to pay you $10, but the taxi said they'd take an hour to get here & the bank will be closed by then."

I happily gave her a ride, saying I didn't need any payment. She insisted on paying anyway, so I reluctantly accepted a ten. On the way there she told me about how she'd gone through a really rough time, but God had pulled her out of it. Now she's starting a new business, & God has really put things together for her.

Usually when God arranges these kinds of encounters, He has me give some word of encouragement. But there weren't really even any prayer needs; she was just grateful for the ride.

So after I dropped her off, I started asking God what that was about. I finally realized the simple truth: His daughter needed a ride, and He knew I'd give her one!

So then I asked, why did He insist that she pay me the $10? I certainly didn't need it right now. Well, when I got home I saw the neighbor girl, and remembered that this was the weekend for her to sweep & mop our floors. Guess how much we pay her?

That's right! Ten dollars!

I just love God's sense of humor, and the way He took care of three of His daughters at once! (Yes, our neighbor girl is also a Christian.)

Wow, what a wonderful RenFest this year! We left the boy with his Gemma for the day, so it was just me & Dave. We took food along, since we didn't want to spend much money this year. It was a lovely cool day, mostly overcast with occasional sun. It was just warm enough that I left my cloak in the car, though I did let Grandma take pictures with me wearing it before we left.

We got there around 11:00 and bought a program. The first show we really wanted to see wasn't until 1:30, so we decided to go ahead & eat lunch. I was going to ask one of the vendors in the Greek Agora to heat up my corn for me, but then I saw the wonderful veggies they were cooking for the Veggie Pita. I bought a veggie plate, which Dave & I shared. Yummy! (Let's not forget the pumpkin pie I had brought, which Dave's cousin made!!)

Dave finished eating before I did, so he moved closer to where Kristoph the Insulter was doing his show. (Dave said he started out clever, then spiraled down into crassness.) I pulled out a book (Book 2 of the Mallorean by David Eddings, for the curious), and enjoyed the story for a while. We still had plenty of time before the show we wanted to see, so we decided to price boots for Dave for next year.

At RenBoots, the shopkeeper asked Dave a few questions about size & style. Dave wears a 14 long, 3 or 4 E (very thick & wide). Very difficult to fit. Well, the shopkeeper pulled out a pair of boots & said, "Try these on." They fit! This just never happens to Dave. Needless to say, we bought them. We'll just pull the money out of the vacation fund.

We got me a small cup of honey mead, since I just love sweet wines, and followed a horse & carriage back toward the stage where Arsene is. It was almost too sweet, but exactly what I wanted. I really enjoyed watching the horse, too. He was a very tall, muscular roan. I love horses! I wish I had gotten to brush him... But I was pretty much in a state of bliss at that point because of the mead anyway, so it didn't matter that all I could do was follow.

The show we watched was Arsene. We see this French mime/juggler every year, because the audience interaction is always different. I still enjoy how he makes fun of magicians by revealing some of the tricks, but there are some of his tricks that he never reveals. Every year I watch carefully, and I just don't know how he does them. So it's a lot of fun.

After the show we got chocolate ice cream cones. The ice cream was so thick we had to chew it! Yum... (Did I mention a state of bliss?)

The next thing I wanted to do was ride an elephant. It had been several years since the first & only time I did, so Dave had no problem following me. Well, the line was about 50 feet long, and I knew it was not going to be worth standing in line that long just to ride for one minute. So I went up to the fence near the platform and watched them. I got a good picture of one of the elephants carrying some kids. Then a lady next to me asked one of the handlers, "Is that Chrissy?" It was. I turned to the lady. "You know the elephant?!?" Turns out, Chrissy and her handler were in a commercial that the lady produced! "You produce commercials? Wow!"

Well, Chrissy seemed to remember the fruit that the lady used to give her during the production, and reached out her trunk to the lady when she passed. I told the lady, "That's so special, to be remembered by an elephant!" Chrissy passed on to trade out passengers, and they went around several more times. Then one elephant stopped in front of us, and we patted it until the handler moved it up to the platform. Chrissy was next, and she came right up next to the fence, greeted the lady again, then moved up next to me. Her eye was right above my head! I naturally reached up and petted her neck, ear and trunk.

Next thing I knew, Chrissy had wound her trunk around my upper arm, trying to reach the digital camera I had in my hand! The handler and Dave managed to help, but once I got over the confusion over what Chrissy was doing, I was delighted. I had a close encounter with an elephant! I plan to go say hi again next year, and if I'm lucky, she'll remember me, too. (Did I mention bliss?)

The last thing Dave wanted to do was listen to the Bilge Pumps - a pirate show of comedy & song. We got to see the two children of one of the pirates. The little baby was about 9 mo. old, and he had on an outfit with ears on the hood. Cute! The little girl was about 2, and delightfully dressed for the occasion. She wandered onto the stage twice, and her daddy protested at having that much cuteness on his stage!

Other moments of bliss:
Bagpipes and drums. I'm Scottish/Irish, and that music just stirs my blood and pulls me toward it like the Pied Piper.
A Celtic jig that I recognized from an obscure CD I have, but this was a live performance!
Gorgeous costumes people were wearing. (I took pictures!)
A hot pretzel.
Listening to the Glockenspiel.
Seeing the Christmas Carriage with a beautiful little girl riding inside.
Seeing Father Christmas and his elves. One of them is a real live dwarf, so he was perfectly suited to dress as an elf! Yes, I got pics of that, too.

I'll have Dave get the pics from the camera to the computer, and then I'll post on Facebook. I will also try to remember to post some here. Maybe those who aren't on Facebook can remind me? :)

All in all, God gave me the perfect RenFest day.

Well, things are going well. First, a school update. The student who had the panic attack has withdrawn from our school; I think she went back to her hometown. Please pray for her (first initial is C.), that God will heal her from the abuse she has suffered.

I've been making friends with the kids who tend to act out in the classroom. Michael has a tendency to get injuries and headaches, so I see him frequently. (I suspect a few of the injuries and some of the headaches are just excuses to come see me, but I don't mind. Positive attention is a good thing.) Another boy, Colton, gives his teachers so much grief, but he says he's good with me because I don't yell at him. *sigh* Maybe he just needs love & respect. (Ya think?!?) Another girl, whose first initial is M., still doesn't like to be touched, but at least she's no longer mad at me for the first time I touched her. She even smiles at me. I told her the other day that if she ever wants a hug, I give them out for free. I doubt she will anytime soon, but I had to put the offer out there.

I'm still trying to finish up the Vision & Hearing screenings. I'm about ready to start the re-screenings for Hearing, which is going to take a while. And this week I do Scoliosis screenings on Mon. & Tues. But I like to get all my screenings out of the way during the first semester, so that I can spend the 2nd semester doing follow-up. (Calling parents & such.) I really do enjoy this, even though it can get a little tiring! Just pray that I will have the time to call kids out of class, and then the motivation & energy to do so.

On the home front, I haven't had an opportunity to invite my neighbor, Megan, over for hot chocolate yet. Please pray that I'll see her when I can go invite her this week, and that she'll accept. I know we'll be in this house for at least another year, so I'd like to really develop this relationship. I want to show her what being a Christian is all about, so she can make a more informed decision about Christ.

Dave did pretty good on the GRE, but has decided to not apply to the Master's program after all. In order to improve his chances of getting in, he would need to retake the GRE to increase his score, and take another math course. Doing so would set us back about 6 mo. on buying a house. Even if he did get in, that would delay his retirement by about 5 years, and he'd suffer a cut in income during those years. Also, if he were to apply and then decide not to get his Master's after being accepted, he would delay another person's getting accepted. Basically, he thinks this was a test from God to see which is more important: career or family. He does have a good job now that he really enjoys, and he doesn't really need any further education to do it well. So he says that if God wants him in the Master's program, He'll have to find another way. :)

Clayton & I got our seasonal flu shots Thurs. morning. Mine didn't hurt nearly as much as it usually does; just some minor aching when I pressed on the muscle. Clayton didn't fuss all that much, and he never ran fever with it; I think his recent fussiness is more due to teething. (He's been chewing on his fingers again.) He does still have a red mark on his leg, but that might just be from the bandaid. It doesn't seem to bother him, though.

Today he wanted to wear his footie pajamas all day. We never did go outside, though before I got my shower he was asking to. And we managed to convince him to watch Nemo only once today. :) We looked up some online videos of blue whales, and even saw an octopus or two. (He can say, "I found octopus!") I'm glad we can watch videos of animals online, because he is being exposed to a lot of nature he wouldn't otherwise know about. Not even a major zoo could house a blue whale. (Did you know that the span of the tail is the size of the wingspan of a small airplane?!)

Well, back to Facebook, and maybe a little computer game before I go to bed. Have a blessed weekend, and focus tomorrow on getting to know God better.

Since most of my online friends are now friended with me on Facebook, I haven't bothered to post here. We're doing really well, despite a few recent sad events.

This past week, my husband's great-grandmother (his last living great-grandparent) passed away. Mama Gran will be greatly missed in the family. She was about 96 years old, and had lived a very full life. We have several photos of her holding Clayton, who is her great-great-grandson. I'm so grateful for the time we had with her, and I fully believe that her spirit is resting with Jesus now. I look forward to the day when Jesus comes back and we get our glorified bodies; I'm excited to see her again, fully able to communicate with us!

A few days after her death, Dave's Grandpa (Mama Gran's son-in-law) fell & broke his hip. He had surgery yesterday, and I haven't yet heard how that went. His mind has begun to fail; he's very forgetful and takes a long time to figure things out. He can still play bridge with us, but he makes mistakes he didn't used to make. I fear he won't be with us much longer, and that after he passes, his wife, Little Mother, will also pass quickly. *sigh* Grandparents hold Dave's family together, and it's going to be very difficult when they're gone.

Otherwise, though, life is good. I'm still really enjoying my job as a school nurse. I'm getting to know my students better, and a lot of them give me hugs when they see me. Others, I give hugs - especially the ones who are in ISS (In-School Suspension), or otherwise in trouble. They need it the most.

We did have to call EMS on Thurs. There's a relatively new student who apparently had something bad happen to her over the summer. (I don't know details, but I suspect some kind of abuse.) Well, she'd had a Dr. exam, and the next day had a bad panic attack. Then, on Thurs., she had chest pain. Now, she was saying she couldn't breathe, so they thought it was her asthma. I was over at the Jr. High, and they called me over. By the time I got there, they'd already called the guardian and EMS. I listened to her lungs, which were completely clear. She wouldn't let me listen to her heart, complaining that it hurt when I put the stethoscope there. But her pulse was normal.

I strongly suspect a severe panic attack. She's now on pain medication (Vicodin), and on Fri. she had to have her guardian bring some to school. But at least she was smiling and happy on Fri. when I saw her. Please pray for her. Her name starts with a C., but I can't give out any more identifying info.

Money is still tight, and it's really hard to resist the weekly small impulse buy when I go grocery shopping. Please pray that I will be more responsible with our money, so that I don't have to dip into savings or use the credit card. (I need to pay it off this month!) Still, though, if we're careful, we'll have a down payment for a house by Aug., '10. Now, if house prices go up by then, we'll just use the money to pay off my school loan, which will enable us to add $200/mo. to our savings instead of paying off debt. So either way, we come out ahead. It's good to tighten the belt for a while to save up money, and then loosen it a bit after a year.

I invited our neighbor across the street to Church, and she told me yesterday that she has decided she's just not a Church-going person. So I've decided that next time I see her, I'll invite her to come over for hot chocolate in the evening, and maybe we can start talking about God, Jesus, the Bible, and what it means to be a Christian. Please pray for Meagan, and that God will use me to draw her into a relationship with Him.

Dave will be taking the GRE this week, and hopefully he will get a high enough score that he will be guaranteed admission into the Master's in Math program. Also, since he'll be a professional student (which means he teaches a lab & gets paid to go to school), the higher his GRE score, the higher his pay. :) He should be able to start the program in the Spring. Praise God for opening the door to this opportunity!

Today is a nice day of relaxation alternating with cleaning & laundry. I like to do it in spurts, so it's not so burdensome. Dave even helped me by cleaning the tub, which is a chore I really dislike. He also let me sleep in this morning, and got Clayton up & gave him breakfast. God sure gave me a wonderful husband. :) I hope each of you has a wonderful weekend, and that you take some time to get to know God better.

Wow, it's been since July 10 since I posted. I'm a bit overdue. So, I'll just give a general update of what I've been up to since then. Aug. 11 we went to a family fish fry. Great food, a lot of cousins, aunts & uncles visiting. Sun. the 12th I helped in the nursery again at Church. This time, we had enough children that we divided the babies from the 1- & 2-yr.-olds, and I was with the babies. It went well.

I worked Mon., Wed. & Thurs. the week of the 13th, and had a Dr. appt. that Wed. for a follow-up on my IBS. I told the Dr. that on the Celexa 10 mg I had no IBS symptoms and had completely returned to my regular diet. He was pleased, and said that after I've been on it for 6 mo. I can do 1 week at 5mg, and then stop it completely. If my symptoms return, I'll need to be on it longer, but that will be a good time to try stopping it. Good news all around!

Thurs. evening (the 17th), Gemma came into town, so she got to go with me & Clayton to his 18-mo. checkup on Fri. The only thing I was at all concerned about was his height, but it's back into the 40th percentile (up from the 25th) at 32 in. His weight was in the 60th percentile at 26 lbs 10 oz. (down from the 75th percentile). His head didn't grow, so at 19 1/4 in. it is now in the 80th percentile (down from the 90th). All in all, I'm satisfied with his growth. He got one shot, and the Dr. proclaimed him perfect. :)

**My son is too smart! So, a while back, we taped over the power button for my computer, except for a small corner where I could use a pencil or pen to push the button. Today, in the middle of typing this, Clayton took a pen and pushed the button, turning off my computer! lol We ended up putting my computer behind our desks, out of his reach. A bit less convenient to turn it on & put disks in & out, but better than having him turn the computer off!

To continue... The week of the 20th I worked on Tues. I had requested off for Wed. & Thurs. because of the Vision & Hearing Screening Certification classes, and since I was unable to switch shifts with anyone for Mon. & Fri., I ended up just not working. I had a blast at the classes; the teacher was awesome, and I found out just how incomplete my initial training was. I was very grateful to take these classes, because I learned a lot.

Dave had planned to go fishing with his Dad Sat. the 25th, but it turned out the fish weren't biting, so we just all met his Dad at Little Mother & Grandpa's house to play Bridge & have lunch. (Free lunch never hurts!) I took along my "fat" jeans, and Dave's aunt was kind enough to cinch them up in the back so I can wear them. My "skinny" jeans got a big hole in the knee, and I ended up cutting them off to make shorts. Now I just need to get them hemmed, and I can wear them.

Sun. the 26th was a potluck lunch with our Sun. school class. Dave had made the brisket the night before, and ended up staying up really late to finish carving it. When we got home after lunch, he crashed! Sure was good brisket, though. Mon. I went shoe shopping; I'm going to be a bridesmatron this month, and my nicest shoes are really ratty. I didn't find any shoes on Mon. that would suit, but I did donate blood for the first time in several years. :)

I worked my regular three 12-hr. shifts this week. I won't be working with this client next week, because the nurse who had left for another job came back. I'm glad; Tiffany is a great nurse, and really knows this client well. It'll be good for both of them. As for me, I told the company I would work whatever next week; even graveyard, if I have a day's notice. Turns out on Tues. I have training for the school district, so on Mon. I have to call the office & let them know I'm not available that day. But that's o.k.; I get a stipend for the training. :)

Yesterday I went shoe shopping again. I finally found the perfect shoes! They're black (like the dress), close-toed, with an elastic strap in the back, and a twisted bow on the toe. I can wear them with my bridesmaid dress, and with jeans! And they're comfy. That's the most important thing, since I'm going to be on my feet at the wedding. I'm so happy I found them! And since they're close-toed, I can wear them at work, also. Yay for the perfect shoes!

Last night was the Girls' Night Out with our Sun. school class. We brought our wedding albums & passed them around, then played the Wii version of Guitar Hero. (I forget what it's called, but it also has options to sing & play drums.) Lots of fun! Tonight is the Guys' Night Out, skeet shooting. I hope the rain stays over Waco, so guys can stay dry. But Dave did take a board game in case it does rain out there.

Clayton has been teething - 4 molars at once. One has started breaking through the gums, and another is about to. So we've been doing Motrin morning & evening (Tylenol at daycare as needed), and baby Orajel 2-4 times a day. Yesterday evening Dave noticed that Clayton felt really hot. Well, he had a 102.2 fever! I'd been planning to give Motrin anyway for his teeth, so that worked out well. I gave him another dose in the middle of the night, and again in the morning. This afternoon after his nap he was hot again, so I gave another dose. Tonight he felt warm, but the thermometer showed a normal temp. Still, I gave Motrin anyway, for his teeth. While he was crying I got a good look at his throat: it's a little red, and his tonsils are a little swollen. So I'm sure it's just a viral illness, and hopefully it'll be gone by Mon.

Well, that's the major highlights of the past few weeks. I hope all is well in your world!

I made it through another 3 days of 12-hr. shifts. Next week I'm working Mon., Wed. & Thurs., because I have an appointment on Tues. that I couldn't change. The week after that, I'm working Mon., Tues. & Fri., because on Wed. & Thurs. I'll be getting recertified for Vision & Hearing Screening. Then it's back to my Tues., Wed. & Thurs. for two weeks, and then I start at the school district! Only 4 more weeks!

Most who work in the school district are not excited about the beginning of a new school year, but since I'm getting back into a job I love, and leaving a job I like less, I have reason to be excited.

Dave started class yesterday, and this morning found it difficult to concentrate on his homework with Clayton being fussy. (The daycare was closed today.) So after this afternoon's class, he's going to stay on campus & finish his homework. I guess on Mon., Tues. & Wed. when he's teaching most of the day, he'll just have to do homework in the evenings after Clayton goes to bed. This won't be easy, but we'll make it work.

I got the fridge cleaned today, which was the major task I wanted to get done. Now it's just the usual house maintenance, so I feel a lot better. Tomorrow we're going to Grandma's house for a fish fry. Uncle Wayne sure knows how to fry fish! I hope most of the family is there. Sun. I'm assigned to help out in the nursery again, and we're bringing donuts & kolaches for our class. Next Fri. Gemma comes in to town, and we'll see if she comes early enough to go with me to Clayton's 18-mo. check-up. We don't have any other plans for that weekend, and I'm wanting to keep it that way. :)

One of the nice things about going to work at the time I do, is that I've been getting to listen to some short sermons on the Lord's Prayer over the past two weeks. The preacher has suggested that it can be used as an outline for our own prayers, rather than just repeating the words Jesus gave us. For example, the first thing you do is put God on the throne. "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." Make sure to give Him the praise, glory & honor that He deserves, before you do anything else. The prayer also ends in praise, and so praise should surround our lives. Begin and end each prayer, each day, each year, in praise to God.

If you want to know more, I'd be happy to share, but it would make for a kind of long post. I would like to clearly state that this is not a magic formula for prayer. Rather, it's a good idea that helps some people to focus their prayers, and to make sure they're not just asking for things, but also praising, etc. I, myself, had been neglecting to praise God for who He is lately, and this was a good reminder. Now, even in Clayton's bedtime prayers, I make sure to praise God. I really want to set a good example for my little boy. I hope that all of you who are parents do the same with your children. Improve your relationship with God, so that your children will also have good relationships with Him.

We were visiting Dave's mom's side of the family last weekend, partly for Father's Day (yes, I know, we didn't spend it with his Dad), and partly for Dave's birthday and his cousin's wife's birthday. It was a fun weekend; did a lot of visiting, and of course Dave & his cousins Rob & Darren played Forty-Two (a dominoes game) with Grandma.

Dave, his sister & I got to see Star Trek, which we loved. We had fun discussing the improbabilities of the Red Matter, but the movie was very well done.

I worked Tues. a 12-hr. shift, and Wed. & Thurs. 11 1/2 hr. shifts. It made for long days, getting up very early and going to bed early. So I wasn't online much. With this client, I have short periods of activity, followed by long periods of boredom. Well, on Wed. I was sick of just sitting around reading or watching TV, so I decided (since their house is air-conditioned) to do some of my strength-building exercises. I made the mistake of doing them on Thurs., too, and my thighs are still sore!

Fri. morning we took Clayton to daycare, took the car into the shop, and picked up my Mom from the Greyhound station. The car... Well, last week I'd hit a rock on the highway. Not with the tires; it just hit the underside of the car. We're pretty sure it took out the part that held a section of the fuel line to the frame. The next day, we scraped the underside of the car on one of our city's famous dips, and that bent the fuel line. It wasn't broken, but it had to be replaced. We should get it back on Mon.

My Mom had made a trip up north to visit family, stopping here on the way up to leave her truck, and then on Tues. morning she'll drive back home. I'm really enjoying her visit, and Clayton is starting to warm up to her. He doesn't see her all that often, so he doesn't know her. But as he gets older he'll remember her more & more between visits.

I called the unemployment office today, and discussed the fact that I really can't meet the requirement of doing 3 job search activities a week anymore. They said that since I'll start at the school in about 7 weeks, I just need a letter from the district stating what day I start, and the unemployment office will waive that requirement. Then I can still request a payment, and if I've earned little enough money, I can collect. If I work my typical 3 shifts, I will earn too much, but I'm supposed to put in the request anyway. I go in to the district to fill out paperwork on Mon., and I'm sure they can quickly type up a letter for me to fax.

Hooray, only 7 more weeks of home health, and then I'll be a school nurse again! I'm counting down!

Today we went to Dave's grandparents' house. His Dad was there, too, and for a short time his step-mother, cousin and uncle. Mom took her crocheting with her to give her something to do with her hands, and she really enjoyed visiting with them. They fed us lunch & supper, and we took home some banana cake, too. I actually got to play some Bridge today, which was a lot of fun. And Clayton really enjoyed going up and down the stairs. He can go up by himself, but prefers help going down. So I think I climbed those stairs at least 20 times! My poor legs...

Well, I'm looking forward to Church tomorrow. Please pray that I will learn what God has to teach me, and will apply it to my life. I pray that all of you who meet with the Church will do the same.

I got the job!!! I'm going to be a school nurse again! H.R. should be contacting me next week to have me come in & fill out paperwork. Hooray!

I interviewed at an intermediate school yesterday. It went really well. For starters, the principal said that she's never had to interview for a school nurse before, since she's only been at this school for 2 yrs., and the nurse who left was there for 5 or 6 yrs. So she didn't have any formal questions to ask me. Well, I do really well in informal interviews, so that was already a plus.

Second, she told me that the principal of the primary school where I had interviewed, had told her to interview me. Sounds like the principal of the primary school thought I would do better at the intermediate school. Recommendations never hurt!

At one point during the interview I briefly mentioned living in Mexico, but I guess they didn't pick up on that. Later I asked how many Spanish-speaking students they had, and they said very few; it was mostly the parents who didn't know English. But they had about 3 Spanish-speaking staff members, "in case you need help." "Oh, no, I'm fluent in Spanish!" I said. I like surprising people with that one. I immediately jump up several notches in their esteem. :D

Also, at one point we were discussing the background of the students, and how it's more than just the band-aid; it's having someone acknowledge the cut. I mentioned giving them a hug before sending them on their way. Later, when I asked what they were looking for in a school nurse, the principal said a compassionate nurse, and referred to my comment about giving hugs. Connection made.

As I was leaving, the principal walked me toward the door, and patted my shoulder like an old friend. She said she'd check my references, and let me know one way or the other by the end of the day on Fri. I know I was the first interview, but I believe I set the bar pretty high!

In other news, before the interview I'd started coughing pretty bad, and I was hoping I could avoid doing so during the interview. Praise God, I didn't cough until I left the building, and didn't lose my voice until I got home. I still don't have a voice; this cough is really irritating my vocal cords. I know it's allergy-related, so there's not much I can do. Warm tea, resting my voice as much as possible, cough drops... Pray I have a voice when I get the call from the principal!

There's a waterpark about 45 min. away, and on Sat. Dave's karate school got a group rate & reserved a pavilion. About 120 people showed up, and since it was potluck, we got stuffed! Ate food, went down the tube slide & around the lazy river. Ate, re-applied sunscreen, went down the body slide (my cotton shorts slowed me down), went down the tube slide. Repeat, except I only went down the tube slide after that. Go me: I didn't get any sunburn at all!

In other news, not to go into too many details, I've been having some stomach cramping while answering nature's call. Sun. I spoke to the on-call nurse, and after asking many, many questions, she suggested it could be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and recommended I see the Dr. within 2 wks. for an evaluation. Well, I managed to get in this morning, and while the Dr. agrees that it does sound like IBS, he's checking my thyroid just to be sure.

In the meantime, he started me on Celexa. That's right, an anti-depressant. It seems that the gut's nervous system (which is actually mostly separate from the rest of the nervous system) is low on serotonin in IBS, and SSRI's can fix (read: cure) the problem. If all goes well, I'll probably only have to take the med for a few months. Praise God!

On a slightly different topic, please pray for Clayton's eczema. We think it was sitting down in the grass that caused several new patches to appear on his legs, though he also has a new patch on one elbow. They're fading with hydrocortisone ointment and Aquaphor or petroleum jelly, and I'm very grateful that they don't itch. Still, please pray that they won't itch, and that it stays under control with minimal treatment. I've seen how bad it can get.

Thanks, friends, and make the choice to have a wonderful day!

I have an interview at an Intermediate School for next Wed., the 10th. I'm not as excited about this one, but I'm going to give it my best shot. I'm hoping Dave will be able to review some potential interview questions with me before then.

In the meantime, I'm working for the home health agency. Er, that is, trying to work. *sigh* O.k., so client R. is the little boy with a trach that I worked 3 weeks in a row W-F evenings. For last week, the weekend nurse took my shifts so she could have the weekend off. They should have asked me, but I let it slide since it was the first time. Now, however, it turns out his mom is moving him to another town. Still within range of the office, so they can send nurses out there. But too far for me.

My second client, H., is a girl with severe cerebral palsy. Yesterday I called the office to talk about shifts. Well, one staff member is scheduling for R., and another for H. So I was going back & forth between the two. They wanted me to work Fri. all day with H., and possibly Wed. & Thurs. w/ R. (before we found out he was moving). But H.'s weekday nurse had offered to switch shifts & work on Fri., letting me have Mon. or Tues. So I asked them to contact her & see if we could switch Fri. for today. They said they would, and then call me back.

Well, they never called me back, and I was busy enough that every time I thought about it, I was in the middle of something & couldn't call them. So this morning I call, and they say they already filled the Fri. shift with H., and R. is moving. *sigh* Well, there are other clients in town, and I'm going to at least orient with them. Tomorrow I orient with a child who is on a ventilator at home. I've worked with vents before, but it's been about 4 yrs. So orientation is going to be 4 hrs. instead of the usual 1. Also, the grandmother (who has custody) has previously trained a nurse on the ventilator, and would be willing to train me as well. This will do until I can take the vent training at the company's office, whenever they get it set up.

The idea for right now is to orient with several clients, so that when a nurse calls in sick, or wants to trade shifts, or maybe the nurse wants to leave a client, I can step in. I'm ready for a school nurse job...

http://caduswadoh.livejournal.com/15941.html

Some of you might be interested. :)

I got a card in the mail from the Primary School. It read, "This is to inform you that the nurse position has been filled. We do appreciate you coming to interview."

I must trust that God has a better position in store for me. The intermediate school will start interviewing this coming week, and I have already let them know I am interested. I'll call them on Tues. if they don't call me Mon. to set up an interview.

In the meantime, I'm doing home health. It is an emotionally challenging job, to care for children who, in many cases, will live short lives and never have much potential. Even sadder the family situations around the children. Some families are torn apart; some have neglected the handicapped children; all are in desperate need of Jesus...

As far as that goes, right now I am focusing on praying. On the few occasions where a family member brings up God in conversation, I will contribute. Otherwise, I'm keeping my mouth shut. Some nurses get so enmeshed with these families to an unhealthy level. I try to maintain a professional distance, while also praying and simply living Christ to them. May my actions speak loudly enough that I don't need words right now.

This morning I interviewed at a Primary School. They have Pre-K (age 4) and Kinder. They have around 500 students, and a waiting list! Just to give you perspective, at the elementary school I worked at a few years ago, they had Pre-K (age 3 & 4) through 5th grade, and around 500 students.

I think the interview went well. They said they would let all the applicants know by the end of next week. So all I can do now is rest in the knowledge that God loves me and has a wonderful plan for me, whatever that may be.

In other work news, my shift for this evening got canceled. There is drama going on with this client's family, and I'm trying very hard to stay out of it. My job is to take care of the client, and pray for the family. I'm not going to get sucked in.

Anyway, also, I already knew that I won't be working with this client next week. So today I again asked the office if they had any work for me for next week. Turns out there's a new client in town. So Tues. I'll call to set up orientation, and then I'll work 10 1/2 hrs. on Fri. They asked me to work Sat. also, but my mom is coming into town that day. At least I get some pay, and I can still most likely collect unemployment because my hours are so low.

I'm ready for a school nurse position...

(Taken from Streams In The Desert; the Feb. 1 entry, written by Laura A. Barter Snow.)

My child, I have a message for you today; let me whisper it in your ear, that it may gild with glory any storm clouds which may arise, and smooth the rough places upon which you may have to tread. It is short, only five words, but let them sink into your inmost soul; use them as a pillow upon which to rest your weary head. This thing is from me.

Have you ever thought of it, that all that concerns you concerns Me too? For, "he that touches you, toucheth the apple of mine eye" (Zech. 2:8). You are very precious in My sight. (Isa. 43:4) Therefore, it is My special delight to educate you.

I would have you learn when temptations assail you, and the "enemy comes in like a flood," that this thing is from ME, that your weakness needs My might, and your safety lies in letting Me fight for you.

Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, who never consult your taste, who put you in the background? This thing is from Me. I am the God of circumstances. Thou camest not to thy place by accident, it is the very place God meant for thee. Have you not asked to be made humble? See then, I have placed you in the very school where this lesson is taught; your surroundings and companions are only working out My will.

Are you in money difficulties? Is it hard to make both ends meet? This thing is from Me, for I am your purse-bearer and would have you draw from and depend upon Me. My supplies are limitless (Phil. 4:19). I would have you prove my promises. Let it not be said of you, "In this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God" (Deut. 1:32).

Are you passing through a night of sorrow? This thing is from Me. I am the Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. I have let earthly comforters fail you, that by turning to Me you may obtain everlasting consolation (2 Thess. 2:16, 17). Have you longed to do some great work for Me and instead have been laid aside on a bed of pain and weakness? This thing is from Me. I could no tget your attention in your busy days and I want to teach you some of my deepest lessons. "they also serve who only stand and wait." Some of My greatest workers are those shut out from active service, that they may learn to wield the weapon of all-prayer.

This day I place in your hand this pot of holy oil. Make use of it free, my child. Let every circumstance that arises, every word that pains you, every interruption that would make you impatient, every revelation of your weakness be anointed with it. The sting will go as you learn to see Me in all things.

I have an interview scheduled for the 22nd with a Primary School (PK-K)! This school is close to home, and the age group is ideal for me.

Now, here are the specifics of the job I'm praying that I will find.
1. Elementary or primary - I do better with the little kids.
2. The principal is pro-nurse: doesn't try to undermine the nurse. For example, nurses are required to do screenings. The principal can discourage the teachers from cooperating with this. Also, nurses are required to send students home if their immunizations are up to date. The principal can countermand this, directly disobeying the law, so that the school has its numbers for attendance.
3. There is a nursing supervisor for the district, who can give nurses updates on immunization requirements, keep nurses on task with screenings, and generally be a go-to person for the nurse. I had this back when I was a school nurse before we moved, and I consider it invaluable.
4. A large nurse's office with at least one cot, with a privacy curtain; a nice bathroom (just large enough for wheelchair access), two sinks (one clean & one dirty), enough space for 8-10 chairs for children, and a window to the outside!
5. I also want a principal who can calmly tell an employee what was handled badly and how to improve, and who will never call out an employee in front of the children. (Principal: "Ms. Shadow, I need to see you in my office!" Kids: "Oooh, the nurse is in trouble!")
6. Computer charting (at least for immunization tracking).

Please agree with me in prayer that there is a school nurse position in the districts I'm looking at that has all these things!

Since it has been a month since I've heard anything from the RN refresher course instructor, I called today to request my money back. The director apologized, said it'll take about 2 wks. for the money to show up, and that she will shortly figure out what is going on with this instructor!

I may eventually sign up for it again, but in the meantime, before my access was restricted, I went in to Blackboard and downloaded all the study topics. That way I can still do some studying & reviewing on my own.