Triple Respiratory Ick

In the last two weeks I learned a very valuable lesson.

I should listen to myself when I talk.

I had been battling what I thought was just a nasty cold. Everybody has it, and everybody has been telling me how it hangs around forever. Clearly, I must have been sick with the same crud the world has.

I kept saying, "I've never had a cold like this," and "it's just really hard to breath."

I finally went to the doctor only to discover that I didn't have just a normal crud; I had pneumonia, bronchitis, and a sinus infection.

I really am an over achiever.

I had a pretty hefty lecture about not running my body down. Apparently the doctor thought 14 credits, a 30 hour work week, an 18 month child, and house work was a bit too much for one person to undertake. He suggested I cut back a little.

Psh - what the hell do doctors know?

I don't plan on slowing down anytime soon, so go ahead and buy stock in Zithromax now.

No Crying Over Pinterest

Over the past few months I have developed an addiction to Pinterest. It's becoming rather problematic as I'm easily distracted by all the crafts I will never have time to do.

Anyway...

Tonight I was cruising Pinterest for a while to unwind before bed when it suddenly, without warning, stops working.

Pinterest went down, people!

The following actions then occurred:

1. I panicked.
   
2. I became stupidly upset about it.
   
3. I smashed the keys harder (that always fixes the Internet, right?).
   
4. I rebooted the Internet.
5. I cursed.
   
6. I almost started to cry.

Yes, I said cry.

At this point, I realized that I was about to cry over freaking Pinterest and that it's possibly time to sleep.

I suggest you do the same. Sweet dreams!

Hibernation Complete

Forgive me for not being present over the last month. I turned into a bear and went into hibernation mode. Unfortunately, school is once again in session and I was promptly forced back into the real world.

I spent most of the break in my kitchen attempting to prepare enough meals to last for spring semester. Someday, I'll get around to taking a picture of the huge chest freezer in the basement. For now you'll just have to believe me when I say that it is full.

After the first week of class, I've come to the conclusion that all of my hard work stocking the freezer was useless. Who the hell has time to eat when they're taking five classes and raising an eighteen month old? Not this girl!

In other news, I made a promise to myself that I would run on the treadmill three days a week during the semester. After I gained ten pounds last semester (I am calling this my "stother weight." More on this in a future post...) I've come to realize that my clothes don't fit. Week one of school is done and I haven't made it on the treadmill yet.

Fail.

You can tell me all the quotes on how "someone busier than you is running right now," and at this point I will just laugh in your face. I'm too tired to have any other reaction.

Perhaps someday I'll be able to fit in my pants again. Until that day, there's always jeggings, leggings, and sweat pants - right?

Alive Day!

Happy Alive Day to my husband, J.R.


May we all remember that our freedoms are not free, but come with great sacrifice. Hold these freedoms near and dear, and never forget how precious they are.

Iraq - Over for Some, but Not Over for All

For many families in this fine country, today is a happy day. Our troops are coming home from Iraq.

Operation Iraqi Freedom has been controversial. Whether you agree with the war or not and whether you believe we have won or lost does not matter. What matters is that for many of our families this war will never be over.

Our family is one of thousands that will forever be changed because of this war.

This upcoming Monday, December 19, marks my husband's fifth Alive Day. This day marks the day in which our lives were forever changed, and he lived to tell the tale.

J.R. was injured by a roadside bomb. His hand was blown off. Too graphic for you? Good. That's what war is - graphic.

This event sent us down a dark path. A path that thousands have traveled before us, and thousands will travel after us. We are not alone in our struggles, and while there is comfort in connecting with other Wounded Families, it does not always make the path any easier to walk. In fact, there were times when the darkness was all encompassing and walking the path blind was entirely impossible. When that happened, we crawled; groping our way uphill.

While our marriage has not always been as beautiful as the pictures in the many news articles have led you to believe, we dug deep and crawled home together.

Even after five years there are difficult moments. There are days when I just want to hold my husband's hand. Or nights when I wish he could find peace and sleep calmly.

I tell you of these struggles not because I want your sympathy, or your pity. I tell you of these struggles because I want you to remember - no, I NEED you to remember - that the war will never be over. Not for my family. Not for the families of many.

So the next time you see a Veteran, thank them for serving.

Lies!

This image is from an excerpt of The 7 Dumbest Things Students Do When Cramming For Exams. I believe it to be false.

Highlighters are a fantastic tool for studying. I know this because there are a handful of highlighters sitting on my table right now, and clearly, I'm a genius.


Looks like the study nest of a master-mind, eh?

So Dear Luke Mckinney - please retract your statement about my highlighted notes looking like My Little Pony in Drag.

Clearly, they look more like Lisa Frank threw up on my data set.

December - The Blurry Month

Dear December,

I have decided you are a lying, cheating, trick playing month, and we are no longer friends. Why, you ask? Because there is simply no way that your days have 24 hours.

Today is December 6th. Where did the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th go? They are nothing but a blur - proof that your days go by on fast forward.

Is this a test? Are you laughing at me as I flail around miserably in a pathetic attempt to complete everything? Finals are killing me, and don't even get me started on Christmas. I once again haven't done any Christmas shopping yet. I know you're secretly laughing as I begin to panic about not having time to enter stores until two days before Christmas. It's not funny.

With everything going on in my world, plus the news that yet another loved one in my life passed away in the morning hours of today, I have decided that you, December, are just not working out for me. I will be hibernating through the rest of this month.

January - I expect a better performance from you.

Love,

Josie