Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Summer Break

I can't say it has been very summer-like this year, but I can't complain. We have had a few hot days, but overall, it's been pleasant. Sunny, which is always good. After the weeks and weeks of non-stop rain this spring, I was beginning to wonder if we would even have a summer.

In any event, Summer Quarter is over, and now I'm on my glorious 5 weeks break. Fall Quarter doesn't start until September 20th. Summer Q was insane. A full year of Spanish in 8 weeks and the toughest algebra class yet, in just 8 weeks. I just squeaked by in the algebra class, getting exactly what I needed to move on to the next class. However, I rocked my Spanish class. It was broken up into 3 separate grades. I got 3.8, 3.7, and 4.0.

It's probably a good thing I have this long break, because I have at least 20 credits fall quarter. Still deciding if I'm going to re-take a class I took in winter, to get a better grade. For now, I have Number Theory for Elementary Teachers, Interdisciplinary Science (part 1), Radio Lab (a journalism class), and Forensic Anthropology. Definitely the most intense classes I have taken and I'm taking them all at once. Crazy, maybe, but it's ok. I can't do it!

I have just 3 quarters left at GRCC (Fall, Winter, Spring) and I will graduate with my associates degree in June. Its so hard to believe that I'm already applying for graduation and getting things in order to transfer to CWU next fall. When I went back to school a year ago, I never thought I would actually finish. I am extremely excited and while I am very happy to have this long break, I have all my school supplies and my backpack is all packed and ready for the first day, which is still 4 weeks away. :-)

My grandpa is due for another Kidney scan next week. He will have these every 3 months for awhile, to make sure the cancer hasn't returned in the other Kidney. It's a little nerve-wracking, because the reoccurance rate is very high. My grandma also recently had surgery, to replace her other knee (she had the first one done almost 10 years ago). She is finding the recovery much harder this time. She underestimated the fact that she is 10 years older, her body is not in the same shape and she is completely dependent on supplemental oxygen, something she wasn't the last time. So, we'll see how it goes. She is a fighter, though, and I know she will make the best of the situation and do what needs to be done.

As far as Grandpa and the alzheimers, I can see some things slipping and in other ways, its hard to tell. He sleeps a lot. The doctors did find that he has excess fluid on his brain, which may be causing some of his problems, but the procedure to fix this is too risky at his age. He can be hard to live with sometimes, his moods are all over the place, and we are beginning to worry about him wandering off and forgetting where he is supposed to be, and wondering if he should still be driving. My grandpa is very independent, so the day we have to take his license or put him in a home, with be a very difficult day for all of us, but him especially. On top of it all, my grandma refuses to accept the diagnoses. I understand this, because its tough to swallow, but at the same time, I wish she would accept reality and allow him to get some therapy that could help him.

Anyway, I'm off to their house for awhile. I try to get down there and help out as much as I can. I don't want all the burden to fall on my mom. She has her own health to worry about. Not that she is sick or anything. She is diabetic, though, so she has to be a little careful, and sometimes she is not the best at remembering that.

I hope to blog again soon. I have so many things to say. So many things in my head. I do journal on paper almost everyday, it just doesn't always make it into my blog.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

homework vs blogging

Apparently, homework has been winning, because it's been awhile since I have last posted a blog. It almost seems that I only have time to write one blog per quarter, as my last blog was posted at the end of Winter Quarter and I am just 3 weeks away from the end of Spring Quarter.

Anyway, school is fabulous, I have loved being on campus this quarter. I will be very, very sad when my Children's Lit class is over, because I love the teacher and I love the class. We read kids books all day! Who wouldn't love that?! I am doing very well, grade-wise and look to pull 3.5-4.0 in all 4 classes!

Summer Quarter will be shorter, but probably the craziest of them all. I am taking an intensive spanish course. Cramming two full quarters of Spanish, plus an activity class into 8 weeks!!! And more Algebra, too. So, if you don't hear from me, you know where I am.

As for my family...My grandpa has continued to heal very well. He has more scans in June, to make sure they got all the cancer and nothing has returned. He finally saw a neurologist who confirmed our suspicions that Grandpa has early stage Alzheimers. This isn't great news, but it was news we were prepared to hear and there are treatments to try. He is 85 years old, so the treatments may just keep him sorta mentally stable until the rest of his body catches up, but it's something.

I will try to blog again soon!!!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I'm still alive!

Wow! I didn't realize that I had not blogged since November. Life has been INSANE, to say the least. School takes up about 75% of my time, with class and homework and papers, etc. The rest of my time is split between helping at home, the dogs and Laurie's house, the occasional babysitting gig, and spending as much time with friends as I can fit in.

I am wrapping up Winter Quarter at Green River this week. Tomorrow, actually. A little less than 2 weeks off and then I jump head first into Spring Quarter. The first two quarters at GRCC, I did most of my classwork via computer, at home. Spring will be a whole new world! I have to go to school and sit in class everyday! Monday through Friday, I have class at 9am, 10am, and 11am. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I also have PE at 2pm. So, I will spending a whole lot of time in Auburn at GRCC! I have Children's Literature, Child Development, Math (Algebra), and Aerobic Walking. Fun times.

Let's see....back in November, we were told that my Grandpa had Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer) and the doctor would be scheduling surgery as soon as possible. We waited to hear, and waited, and waited. Finally, we heard from a friend that my Grandpa's doctor had retired. Sure enough, he had, and without telling anyone! So, we got a new doctor, and had surgery scheduled for January 20th. The week before, the doctor decided the cancer was too complicated, as it had spread to the renal vein and renal artery and was encroaching on the aorta and vena cava. Soooo, Grandpa went to yet another doctor, this time in Seattle, and we scheduled a new surgery. FINALLY, on February 17th, Grandpa had his surgery at UWMC and it went better than anyone expected. He was home in less than a week and has been healed up very nicely. It's been a very complicated process and we're not done. He will have more scans in a few months and there are some other things that need to be investigated, but for now, he is cancer free.

Grandpa has been having problems with confusion for awhile now, but my Grandma was in total denial. He is finally going to be seeing a neurologist soon, to determine a course of action or if there is even anything that can be done. On top of all of this, my Grandma's health has been steadily declining. With all of this going on, and my mom trying to fit work hours in, I drive back and forth between Laurie's house and my Grandparent's house, to help out when they need it. My poor car is exhausted!

I will be riding the bus to school as much as possible this spring, since I will be going 5 days a week. That's a lot of gas and money I can save, by using public transporation. I have to drive a little ways to the bus station, pretty early in the morning, but it drops me off right in front of the school, so I can't really complain.

The end of March, all of April,and the first weekend of May are going to be very busy and very exciting. Besides school, I have my best friend bridal shower, Easter, My 30th birthday, a visit to Central Washington University in Ellensburg (2+ hours away), and finally, Jessica's wedding in Oregon! I couldn't be happier for Jess and Jeremy. They are perfect together.

Ok, I have a final paper due tomorrow and I'm basically procrastinating by writing this blog. Back to work....

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Smarty pants

So, I got the word today from Steph that my lil bug made the Kindergarten Honor Roll. I didn't know there was such a thing, but there is, and he's on it. He is so smart! Always has been. I can't believe the lil guy I raised for 4 and a half years is almost six now and a Kindergarten genius. Not to mention a star at his kung fu school and rockin the piano lessons. I miss him! In honor of this...honor, a picture of DJ on his first day of Preschool:

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Sometimes, when I listen to a song, I'm struck by how much the lyrics remind me of how I felt at some point in my life, or even how I am feeling at that present moment. Kris Allen's album came out today, and his song "The Truth" couldn't be more true to how I think both Todd and I felt when we decided to split up and get a divorce.

Lyin' next to you
Wishing I could disappear
Let you fall asleep
And vanish out into thin air

It's the elephant in the room
And we pretend that we don't see it.
It's the avalanche that looms above our heads.
And we don't believe it.

Tryin' to be perfect
Tryin' not to let you down
Honesty is honestly the hardest thing for me right now
while the floors underneath our feet are crumbling
The walls we built together tumblin'
I still stand here holdin' up the roof
Cause it's easier than telling the truth.

I still keep your photographs
I remember how we used to laugh
I can keep on losin' sleep
If you're okay with being torn in half.

It's the elephant in the room
And we pretend that we don't see it.
It's an avalanche that looms above our heads
But we don't believe it.

Tryin' to be perfect, tryin' not to let you down
Honesty is honestly the hardest thing for me right now
While the floors underneath our feet are crumblin'
The walls we built together tumblin'
I still stand here holdin' up the roof
Cause it's easier than telling the truth.

Stop ignoring that our hearts are mourning
And let the rain come in.
Stop pretending that it's not ending
And let the end begin.

Oh yeah...

Tryin' to be perfect, tryin' not to let you down
Honesty is honestly the hardest thing for me right now
While the floors underneath our feet are crumblin'
The walls we built together tumblin'
I still stand here holdin' up the roof
Cause it's easier than telling the truth.

It's easier than telling the truth...

The lines:
Stop ignoring that our hearts are mourning
And let the rain come in.
Stop pretending that it's not ending
And let the end begin.

so completely describe how those days felt, when we were trying to decide what to do.

The Truth - Kris Allen

Monday, November 16, 2009

Because I was told to do this...

50 Things You Possibly Didn't Know About Me [But Now You Do]

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now? Probably some CD's, a book, my reuseable grocery bags, maybe a jacket, a few other odds and ends

2. What's your favorite curse word? I don't have one

3. Name 3 people who made you smile today? I didn't see anyone today

4. What were you doing at 8 am this morning? sleeping

5. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? watching TV

6. Have you ever been to a strip club? No

7. What is the last thing you said aloud? Probably something to the dogs

8. What is the best ice cream flavor? I don't eat ice cream

9. What was the last thing you had to drink? Water

10. What are you wearing right now? gray pants, white shirt

11. What was the last thing you ate? Turkey sandwich

12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? Yes, I got Christmas pajamas a couple days ago

13. When was the last time you ran? I don't run. It hurts my back.

14. What's the last sporting event you watched? Seahawks game yesterday. So sad.

15. Who is the last person you sent a comment/message on facebook? Either Jessica or Chandra

16. Ever go camping? Yes

17. Do you have a tan? No

18. Do you drink your soda from a straw? Sometimes

19. What did your last text message say? Ummm.... "Definitely"

20. Are you someone's best friend? Yes

21. What are you doing tomorrow? Going home to my grandparents house for a little while, going by my storage unit to drop some things off and try to find a couple things, then back here to do some homework.

22. where is your mom right now? At home, probably watching TV

23. Look to your left, what do you see? Printer

24. What color is your watch? I don't have one, but I'm pretty sure I'm getting one for Christmas

25. What do you think of when you think of Australia? Bekka. She was obsessed with it and wanted to go so badly in her lifetime. She never made it because her life was cut very short, very suddenly.

26. Ever ridden on a roller coaster? Yes

27. What is your birthstone? Diamond

28. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? I am trying not to eat fast food anymore

29. What is your favorite number? 7, 11

30. Do you have a dog? Not officially, but I am a caretaker for 2 Anatolian Shepherds.

31. Last person you talked to on the phone? My mom

32. Have you met anyone famous? Yep

33. Any plans today? Today is almost over. I did a little grocery shopping, did the laundry, and some homework

34. How many states have you lived in? 3, Washington, Connecticut, and Maryland. In that order (then back to Washington and back to Maryland and back to Washington again!)

35. Ever go to college? Yes, right after high school, that lasted for 9 months, and now I'm going back, after 10 years.

36. Where are you right now? Bedroom

37. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? It's hard to say, there are a few things bothering me

38. Last song listened to? Take A Bow - Lea Michele (Glee Cast)

39. Are you allergic to anything? A bunch of stuff

40. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? I lost my favorite shoes in this last move. They are in storage somewhere.

41. Are you jealous of anyone? Not that I can think of.

42. Is anyone jealous of you? I doubt it

43. Do you love anyone? Yes

44. Do any of your friends have children? Yes

45. Do you eat healthy? Getting better about it

46. What do you usually do during the day? homework, take care of the animals, help my family, housework

47. Do you hate anyone right now? No. Hate Accomplishes nothing.

48. Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes

49. Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes

50. How did you get one of your scars? I have a bunch of tiny scars on my stomach from 2 separate surgeries for 2 totally unrelated things.

Rain

The occasional rainy day is kinda nice. It makes everything smell fresh, keeps things green, the air clean. However, when it rains for days, weeks, on end, I really begin to hate the rain. I realize that I live in Washington, 4th generation, I choose to be here. I have also lived in other places, other states, and for all the differences there are, there is one common factor: Rain. No matter where I have lived, where I have visited, it rains. I know there are places in this world where rain is rare, and some places where it rains every single day. When we lived in Connecticut, it was winter, so mostly, it only snowed, but that's just colder, stickier, more slippery rain. In Maryland, it rained A LOT. In Japan, it rained every day we were there, but it was their rainy season. Here in Washington, it barely rained all summer, but since we hit september, it rains at least 3-4 days a week, if not every day. Sometimes, its nice during the day and only rains at night, but it rains. Its cold outside, being almost winter, which makes the rain more miserable, for some reason. I can't go outside and take a walk. Well, I could, but I tend to get sick when I do that. Ok, ok, enough about rain. I can't escape it.

Life is...well, life. School keeps me extremely busy, and when I'm not buried in homework, I'm taking care of the animals (who also don't like the rain, by the way), or going home to help my mom with my grandparents. Sometimes I get a break and get to visit my best friend, Jessica, but that doesn't happen as often as I would like. Thanksgiving is just a week away and Christmas is just a few weeks after that.

Thanksgiving is going to be amazing. It's one of my favorite days of the year. I get to see all my family, there will be close to 60 people this year. I volunteered to make Pumpkin Muffins, so that will be fun. My grandma's family is Swedish, so there is so much food and everyone is talking and laughing. Sometimes we play games, and the night usually ends with all of us sitting around, watching slides of family photos. Some from way back when my great-grandparents were still alive, to the most current family photos. It's so great to see the history, the fun we've all had over the years. See the loved ones we have lost. Last year, on Thanksgiving, we lost my great-aunt Dorothy. She was my grandma's oldest sister and such a sweet lady. I was in Maryland last Thanksgiving, and it was nice, but not the same.

I am hoping to be able to see some of my dad's family over the holidays, this year. I have never met any of them, other than my dad. I have talked to my Aunt, on facebook, but I hope to meet her soon and my grandmother too. Maybe my uncles and some cousins, one of these days. Family is the most important thing!

Ok, I have a paper due for Geography on Agricultural Biotechnology, that I need to get back to. I would be out taking a walk, but it's RAINING!!!