Leap Day

Not a real eventful day, just a normal Wednesday.  Work. Home. Church youth actitvities.  The bright shining moment was the beautiful sunshine and unseasonably warm weather.

On another note we ventured to our local favorite coney shop who just reopned for the season.  Do you have a local favorite? A restaurant that is unique to your town?  We have Ashland Wooster Drive-in  (A&W, before they had to follow franchise rules).  This little drive-up car hop is fun to go to. 

 You pull up to the building and a girl comes out (car hop) to take your order.  They make the best homemade rootbeer  smooth and cream (served in frosted mugs) and coneys that are the best.  (To my west coast friends, coneys are what you call chili dogs)  They have fresh cut french fries; which I prefer drenched in malt vinegar and sprinkled with salt.

 They close every fall right before Thanksgiving and open up right after President's Day in February.

This is a fun dining experience, just a bit different from the normal.  I'm looking forward to the warmer weather where the rootbeer floats hit the spot!  I worked here for a couple of summers when I was going to college.  They owner is very friendly and funny.  It was one of my favorite jobs of all time.  The only draw back was smelling like coneys when you left.  Kayla is thinking of applying for her first job here.  (or at a veterinary clinic, but that is for another day.)

Happy leap day!

Homeless?

You know its not going to be a pleasant phone call, when the message you are picking up is from a collection agency.  (Don't judge, keep reading!)  I knew there was some kind of mix-up I just had to figure out whose error.  Why don't these calls go quickly? 

After talking to the nice man on the phone, I found out there was an unpaid bill from our local Emergency Physcians from October.  I check all my flex pays and Explanations of Benefits and told the man honestly, I never received that bill.  I'm sure he hears this all day long, but it was the truth.

After calling our local hospital and finding that they don't bill for the emergency room doctors, I finally get the right number to call.

After talking to the nice lady on the phone, she immediately says I see why you were turned into collections BEFORE we billed you.  Your account is marked homeless.  I'm trying to keep my temper, when I want to shout not so nice things, I simply asked, why wouldn't you double check that information before sending directly to collections?  BTW, how do you collect on a homeless person?

After being on hold for eternity 15 minutes she said she was waving the fee $69 for an after hours charge (at an emergency room open 24 hours mind you).  And they would recind the collections claim, asap, but the girl who fixes those claims is very busy and it will take several days.

My brain is asking a hunderd questions:
Does this happen so much that the girl is backed up several days?
Why am I charged $69 in addition to the $524 fee for a Doctor to be in the ER after hours, when he was in our room a sum total of 5 minutes?  and he took the night job?  and does every patient pay $69 fee between 5 pm and 9 am?  Hmmm, something is seriously wrong here!
Why would they mark me as homeless when the hospital and radiology deparment of the same hospital got my address correct?
Why is taking my son to the hospital for a concussion in October so expensive? It cost over $1000 before insurance kicked in....I paid $500 out of my pocket.  Plus, I paid an additional $65 fee for the radiologist to read the CAT scan the same evening for after hours visit.  We were at the hospital a total of 1.5 hours.  Most of it waiting on the radiologist to read the report!

Just sayin' this is ridiculous!

That's So Sappy

A colleague of mine is starting the hobby of maple sugaring.  He enlisted the help of my boys, and Kayla this past week.  Kayla usually substituted for Kota who was lifeguarding. 

 They tapped trees and bagged them.  Then collected and hauled sap.  I got to take some photos.

 Boiling the sap down to get the liquid amber.  Kyle loves maple syrup--the real stuff.  He likes to drink it.  You know a ounce or two at at time. 

We always buy some every year Pure Ohio Maple Syrup (or Michigan, if we're there).  This year Kyle got to work for some.  It was fun for him, it's fun for my colleague Jim too.  Kyle said this was the best syrup he's ever tasted.  (maybe because he had some time invested in it)  I hope this love story (Kyle's sugar love) wasn't too sappy for ya!

Spiritual Bucket

There are times in life when there are more downs than ups leaving my spiritual bucket feeling drained....depleted by life.  Then there are times in life where your bucket is full, even overflowing so you can share yourself with others, whose buckets are less full.

Today, I'm feeling like my bucket is being replenished, filled.  I feel like myself again.  Able to give more and be happy about it.  Instead of giving more than I had to give then feeling empty.

I've learned that when certain holiday's roll around to honor people such as Mother's Day or Valentine's Day, some are left out.  Either by choice of not having children or a soul mate to share them with...but more often than not something has gone amiss.  Medical reasons making bearing children impossible or improbable brings a lot of pain to women on mother's day.  As well as widowed or failed marriages brings pain on Valentine's Day.

When I served as Relief Society President I'll never forget a Sister explaining how she felt unwanted and unloved on Valentine's Day because she had a failed marriage and no one wanted her.  I remembered to buy extra Valentine's this year and send off to those I thought might be in that perdicament this year.  Valentine's isn't only about that guy I love deeply, but also my love for the sisterhood of our dear branch.

Learned the best lesson today.  I went with a woman I visit teach to get her temple recommend interview.  Her first one from the stake president.  We had to travel 45 minutes to meet him.  We had to leave right away after the block meetings.  I got my GPS ready this morning, googled the address to the building where we were meeting.  I packed us a lunch and headed out to church.  Happy.  To be serving and filling the love of the Lord. 

We made our journey to the building...or to the address that I googled.  Instead of being the building it was the bishop's house.  A 1/2 hour later and several frantic phone calls we made it to the building.  However, we missed the Stake President by 5 minutes.  I was devastated, I messed up this woman's chance to get her 1st recommend.  She on the other hand just looked at me and said.  I knew I would not get to have the interview today.  She wasn't mad or disappointed.  She said I'm glad that I just got to spend time with you.

I would not have handled that situations the same way if roles were reversed.  I felt the calming affects of the Spirit telling me all was well, but I couldn't help trying to hash out what I did wrong to make her miss her appointment.  Really it was nothing, it was a fluke.

This sister filled my bucket by being patient and understanding.  She will get her recommend.  Our friendship is still intacked, and I learned about kindness on a level I've never seen given to me before.

My bucket is full.  My spirits are bright.  I know that all is well.  What more could I ask for?

Oh my Achin' Self

Over the past month we have had huge amounts of absences.  Out of my class of 25 student 4-8 kids a day have been out.  I finally subcomed to all the germies.  Sunday, I woke up just feeling miserable.  I stayed home and slept.  I don't know what was wrong I just didn't feel good. 

Monday I dragged myself to work because we had a National History Day judging.  I couldn't miss I had people counting on me.  I felt miserable all day.  I ended up staying late and getting everything ready for a sub on Tuesday.

Tuesday I just rested at home.  I tidied up a few things and just relaxed and graded a pile of papers that was waiting on me from the weekend.  I feel better today.

Honestly, I think my body gave into stress; it was just washed-up (like my washing machine).  Worn out, tired, overwork and needed a day of R and R where my biggest decision of the day was what type of cereal to eat.

I think I need to add some more vitamin C to my diet.  Normally I breeze through sick season with the kids.

On another note we are really dealing with a teen who is really trying to find his adult identiy.  He pushes the envelope in all things.  He brought me home from school Monday night after his shift at the Y.  He was driving too fast up the city street.  I asked him to slow down and he said he was only going a little fast.  I said you were approaching 10 mph over when I glanced.  He spouted the "if your 9 your mine" statement.  I said that only works on the interstates and 9 over is where you get the ticket.  It was a not pleasant ride the rest of the way home.  Not to mention I got an email from his teacher for his behavior in class Monday and again today.  You know I've received more reports on his behavior this year in school than his whole school years.  Needless to say, he is cell phoneless for a week.  When I was talking to Kyle about it I said, I deal with this type of behavior ALL DAY at school and the last thing I want is to deal with it at home too.

We agreed that we made it through high school without a cell phone, driving and he'll be okay too.  Who knows maybe I won't even give it back.  I think I'm going to have to apologize to my own mother for being a teenager myself.

All Washed Up

It Died...my washing machine I've had since Dakota was just a few months old, shuttered it's last sound.  Monday it just decided it can't spin the water out anymore.  We knew it was dying when it kept shuttering and groaning during every spin cylce.  For the past few months I was having to spin out everything twice, plus add extra dry time to the dryer because it just wasn't doing the job anymore.

I suppose 17 years worth of washing laundry at home it has done its job.

So Wednesday night Kyle picked me up from work later and we went washer shopping.  Bummer is they did not have it on hand so we will get to pick it up this Tuesday.

I'm excited for my new washer.  It uses half the amount of water that my old one used and spins the clothes out almost dry.  So to make up for having to buy another one I will save on utilities. 

I have been hauling clothes to my mom's since Thursday 2 loads at a time and she has been gracious enough to not make me go to the laundry mat.  I've been using her machine which is similar to my new one and I know I'm going to love it.

I think I endured this one cheerfully.

Over the Hill, Birthday Boy

Who says 40 is over-the-hill?

Why does it seem ancient when you are 18?

Now it doesn't seem that old at all.

Kyle is celebrating his 40th today with no fanfare.  He wanted it that way.  His birthday request was Aunt Laurie's grape salad.  Kim made that for him yesterday when they came over to watch the super bowl.  Today we exchanged a few text messages and I got him a Blizzard from DQ.

He wants to go to his favorite restaurant in town the Lotus.  Tuesday night is 1/2 price sushi, so that is what we are doing.  Quiet, simple, just his style.

Kyle's major dream is to own a few acres and build a log cabin.  He wants a warm and cozy place for his family to settle in...a place where the kids will come home to--as he puts it.  Hopefully, when school loans are paid for that dream can be a reality for him.  Hopefully before he hits the 50s.

My husband is a dreamer.  He has a playful side that is always at the forefront.  He makes me laugh, usually daily.  He always has a way of keeping me grounded when I'm stressed.  He keeps my glass half full instead of half empty.  He is a great strength in our home.  I love him more than I knew was possible 17 years ago. 

Here's to growing old and gray together, not sure if I will let as many grays show as you, but we shall see.

AWWW Man

 It's time, Kayla hit the 15 1/2 mark on Thursday.  She gets to start putting in her 6 months of training in with her folks so she can become independent.  She's ready.....all smiles and giggles...I'm more like AWWW Man, another one about ready to leave.

 The benefits of having more than one child is learning from the mistakes of the first one.  When Kota got his learners permit, I walked out of the testing office and tossed him the keys.  I thought I was going to die before we crossed the street to Walmart.  With Kayla we took her up to the church parking lot and let her practice parking.  After about 30 minutes and 20 plus tries we let her hit the open road.

You know, I still thought I was going to die with her riding close to the ditches or center line or back to the ditch.....The difference between the two, she doesn't think she knows everything (how to do it), she listens to instruction and criticism with out arguing.  I hope that continues it will make it a lot more pleasant experience for everyone involved.  So today, after church and lunch we went for a cruise.  You know it wasn't that bad of an experience.  I enjoyed myself from my perspective in the back seat.  The whiplash from stopping was much less brutal today and the difference between car and Yukon made all the difference on how close to the ditch we cruised. 

We're cruising into the next chapter in our home.  AWWWW man!