A Photo Survey (kinda fun...)

1. Answer the questions below.
2. Take each answer and type it into Photobucket.
3. Take a picture from the first page of results and post!


1. A place you'd like to travel:

guangzhou">


2. Your favorite place (somewhere you've been):

amsterdam">


3. Your favorite food:




4. The place in which you were born:

seattle">


5. The town in which you live:

denver">


6. The name of your pet:




7. Your middle name:

8. Your favorite book:

9. The last movie you saw

10. Your dream job

Who Knew?

This is the coolest website...

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Haircuts & Words of Wisdom...

So yesterday was "haircut day" for Luna and I. We each got a trim (not at the same salon, thankfully!) Mine was basically just a re-style of the same haircut I had, adding some new layers. Luna, on the other hand, received a serious shave! I made them leave her cute schnauzer beard, but the rest of her - including her legs and belly - are completely shaved down. Her little legs look so skinny now...but she kept getting dried twigs and leaves stuck in her fur. So for everyone's benefit (i.e. - hers and mine) we are going with the low maintenance look for the next few months.


In other news - Steve and I made it to church this morning (for the first time since December). But the message was great - and one I definitely NEEDED to hear! People always comment about how I stay "so positive" during this loooong wait for Lia...and believe me, I am NOT always positive about it - I have my bad days too (those just tend to be the weeks where I'm not blogging). But sometimes the message at church just hits a nerve and speaks to me...as if the topic is being discussed just for me. Of course, I know that's not true. But I guess there is some comfort in the fact that these ideas/topics/conversations are NOT just directed to me. That means other people are struggling with these same issues...so anyway, today there were three main points, about how to live more positively and achieving everything you want out of life:

1. Stake Your Claim...
2. Break the Frame...
3. Take Spiritual Aim!

The basic breakdown being: Decide what it is that you really want (i.e. - what will make your heart "sing"), then let go of all the excuses (the "but's" and "what if's" that keep you from achieving those goals), and finally realize that anything is possible thru Spirit - and stick with that - KNOWING that all good things will come to you in time if you just believe! I love this - and am trying to apply it to all areas of my life, but especially during this wait for my precious girl.

9 Months...Busy Week!

Yes, nine months have passed since my LID for Lia. One month closer on this crazy journey that had no end in sight. But we keep plugging forward. Each month passed is one month closer to her, regardless of what that timeline turns out to be...

This continues to be a busy week. The legislative session kicked off yesterday, so things are crazy for me at work. Jan-May is our "busy season" (when we aren't moving the entire hospital like we did last fall - so last year I actually had two busy seasons!) Onward and upward!

Good news - I sold my car on Monday. A very cute, very young couple bought my car and are totally thrilled with it, which makes me happy - knowing it is going to a good home where it will be appreciated. Better yet, this cute young couple was from Tacoma (and just moved to Denver recently)...which made me feel like it was "meant to be". YAY! Best of all, this means I was able to go a get a new (to me) car. Clearly, I'm not big on change - since I bought nearly the exact same car (just seven years newer!) Yes, a 2007 Subaru Outback. Silver this time instead of gold...there are a few new bells & whistles they have added since 2000, but for the most part it has the same feel.

So needless to say, I am having fun driving around in my new vehicle, and learning about all it's features. If I wasn't so busy at work and exhausted from everything going on, it would be even more fun, but oh well...

Luna's leg is still a bit red, but seems to be getting better. The hardest thing is to keep her from licking at it, but the medicine seems to be helping. I just don't have the heart to put an e-collar on her...

My dad took a trip back to the hospital today as he wasn't feeling well again. Turns out he just needed his new meds adjusted. The doctors did decide that he needs to come back for another stint procedure on Monday, so that will require one more overnight hospital stay. Please keep both him and my mom in your thoughts as they are enduring a lot this week and will be again on Monday. Thanks again to everyone for your well wishes and prayers - it is deeply appreciated!

Doing Well...

Thanks for everyone's concern. My family has been checking this blog and they are truly touched by the concern of all my bloggy friends!

Good news - my dad was released from the hospital today. He is at home with my mom and looking forward to sleeping in his own bed tonight! He is extremely tired, but feeling OK otherwise. My mom went thru the cupboards and threw out any/all "unhealthy" foods they had around the house. Time for a fresh start. He will go back to the Dr. next week for a followup, when they will decide what to do with the other blocked artery(s) (another stint?). In the meantime, he is on strict directions to REST and take all his new medications.

In other news, during all this drama, I am trying to sell my beloved 2000 Subaru Legacy Wagon. I decided it was time (and this has nothing to do with the door falling off last summer - LOL!) She's nearing 100k miles, and is still in great condition - but I decided I would rather pay her off, and pay off a few of my higher interest credit cards (which I charged up with adoption fees last winter!) Then I can start fresh with a newer Subaru and just have one low interest car payment. That's the goal anyway. We'll see. I've had two folks test drive it so far. They both want to make a decision an buy a car by tomorrow - so fingers crossed!

Finally - my mini schnauzer Luna went to the vet today. She is OK, but she got into something (perhaps the thorny rose bushes in our yard?) and has a spot that is bothering her under her front right leg. She has been licking and gnawing at it for several days now. So SHE is under direction to have the spot cleaned once a day and then have it sprayed with anti-bacterial, antibiotic spray (at which point I then I have to distract her so she doesn't lick all the spray off...) - so a lot going on around our place these days! 2008 is proving to be another busy year - and we're only a week in...

Dad Update #2

Thanks everyone (especially Kristen!) for your continued support and kind words...

I talked to my dad this afternoon. He was exhausted, but seemed in good spirits. He was still in the ICU, but was hoping to get moved to another room soon. Then I talked to my mom and she also sounded tired, but was hanging in there...they are both realizing there are some major life changes in store for them regarding diet, exercise, and not working so hard/much.

Steve and I went to Borders this afternoon and picked up some things to help my dad relax and keep busy once he is released, since he will be sequestered to the house for at least a couple of weeks. We got him some books and puzzles, and also threw in some easy healthy recipe books. At least that helped me feel like I was DOING something.

Thanks again for all the cyber support - you guys are amazing!

Prayers Please!

Apparently my dad had a heart attack today. My mom just called me from the hospital in Seattle. I will update everyone when I know more...until then, please keep him in your prayers...


UPDATE: Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers. The last update I received from my sister was that my dad had two blocked arteries and that they went in this afternoon and put a stint in one of them. The 2nd one appeared to be clearing itself, so the doctors are going to wait and see if they need go in and put a stint in that one over the next couple of days. He will be in the ICU for a couple of days, then hopefully moved to a regular room and released Tues or Wed if all goes well. He is apparently in good spirits and is trying (in his typical way) to play the whole thing down. I think this had been most stressful for my mom, so please hold her in prayer also. For now it looks like I will not go out to Seattle unless something changes...but these are the times when I wish I lived closer to my family. I really wish I could be there. Even though there really is nothing I could do, I would still like to be there. It seems there have been more and more of those times in recent years. Ugh.

Resolutions...

LOL. True story - this is a sign outside a laundromat at the intersection of Colfax & Quebec in Denver. It was too good NOT to take a photo...(did I mention Steve got me a Sony Cybershot for Xmas?) This is officially the first camera I've ever owned (other than cheap "box" cameras from the drugstore). Most of the pix I have posted here in the past have been taken by Steve on his awesome Nikon - or his iPhone. So now I am learning...which brings me to the subject at hand:

New Year's Resolutions 2008
1. Learn to use my new camera
2. Stop taking my work personally
3. Sell my car & pay off my credit cards
4. Go to aqua aerobics 3x/week
5. No more reading RQ