Not Me! Monday

The following are some things that certainly did NOT take place in our house in the past week.

Morgan definitely did NOT use her new-found skill of locking doors to lock the babysitter out of the house while the babysitter was attempting to help a neighbor who HAD locked herself out, leaving open the possibilities for her and James to run amuck. I did NOT receive a frantic call from the babysitter asking how to get back into the house. That didn't happen because we do NOT lock doors in our house, and Morgan was NOT doing it to be mischievous and both kids are always well behaved. Always.

I did NOT have to tell Morgan five times to not touch the latch to the public toilet stall door. And since I didn't have to do that, she did NOT slide the latch and let the door swing wide open while I was, I should say, otherwise occupied. She also did NOT re-close the door and attempt to crawl under the door while I was still...um...busy. Not only does she know that the bathroom floor is gross, but she is always well behaved. I believe I made that clear already.

While sitting on the couch watching TV, I did NOT think I was having a hot flash. This did NOT happen because I had not accidentally turned on the heating pad when I sat down on the couch. This is because I NEVER leave stuff like that sitting around. Everything in my house is always in it's assigned "place".

I did NOT seriously consider dumping all of my client files into a drawer and forget about them until the new person gets to take over in July. This wouldn't happen because I would NEVER let my client files grow to over 25 that need attention, and I definitely would not spend time blogging about them in an attempt to put off working on them. Nope, not me!

I also did NOT secretly send one co-worker "the stink eye" because she kindly reminded me that I have not input data into her database in THREE months. That is because, like my client files, I always keep up with recording government data. It's that important to me.

I did NOT contemplate how horrible it would be if Morgan could just go back to wearing diapers because running to the bathroom every 30 minutes is NOT totally annoying and it does NOT make it impossible to get anything else done. That is because I am seriously dedicated to her potty training. I swear!

I am really glad that these things didn't happen, because if they had I most certainly would be crazy. Whew, what a relief to know I am not! Stop over to MckMama's blog to read about more things that did not happen in the past few days/weeks.

How many of YOU?

My good friend and fellow blogger, Jim, learned about this site while listening to the radio Friday afternoon. I thought it would be fun to see how many of me there are in the world (but thankfully, there is only one ME...that I know of). I am not sure where this site gets it's information, but it's pretty neat nonetheless.


Jennifer

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 42 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Patrick

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 17 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Morgan

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 2 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Jen (with maiden name)

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 4 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Bailey (our dog)

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Morgan wins the prize as the most unique person in our family. Thankfully, it seems that no one shares the same name as our dog, and I was more unique (name wise) when I was single.

How about yours?

Green Thumbs

Ah spring. Time to open the windows for fresh air, drag out the outside toys, dig up sandals and shorts, and plant flowers. I love flowers. They are so beautiful and add so much color to the world. Every year I plant flowers around our house. But here's a confession....I HATE taking care of the flowers!

I hate planting them.

I hate watering them.

I hate pruning them.

I hate everything about outside work. I could whine and complain about my allergies or how much my back hurts from stooping over, etc. But it all really comes down to the fact that I think flowers are pretty, but want nothing to do with getting them from the greenhouse to my front walk. Honestly if it was up to me, I'd hire someone to come plant silk flowers in the beginning of spring and have someone come back to take them out in the fall.

This spring as I walked through the greenhouse looking for some pretty colors to compliment each other, Morgan was having a wonderful time looking at the "posies". She was able to pick one flower to plant this year. She chose a pretty yellow and purple flowered plant. I have NO idea what it is, but it is pretty. Today, between dodging rain drops, we planted her flower.

She had such a good time. She even acquiesed to wearing food handlers gloves that were WAY too big because I didn't want her getting the Miracle Grow potting soil on her hands.

She loved that I let her help me, she was excited to plant HER flower, and she was even more excited when I told her I would get her a pair of real gloves so when we go to her Great-Grandma's house next weekend she will be able to help plant Grandma's garden.

Once we were done, she proudly watered her flower and we placed it near the house so if it is going to frost I can bring it in. Maybe I am grooming my future gardener/flower planter!

Happy Mother's Day

Hope your day was as great as mine, and the smiles you got from your babies, no matter how old, were this good!

And happy 300th post to this blog!

It's the reason I do my job

It's been a very long week at work. I am trying to get caught up from being out an entire month (working in different counties around the state). Voicemails were sky high, paperwork is even worse. On top of that other "fires" have cropped up over the week. Clients are calling, upset that this or that isn't working. Bosses are calling demanding information yesterday. Staff are calling needing items. It's just been crazy. And as some of my colleagues and I have been saying all week, "It STILL isn't Friday at 5:00" (although I am a short 14 minutes away from it BEING Friday at 5:00). It's so easy to get burned out doing social service work. So many problems that need fixed and can't be fixed by one person.

HOWEVER...every once in a while God places a person on my path (or on the phone in this instance) that makes doing what I do worth all the hassles.

One of my jobs here is to help folks who receive Social Security disability benefits understand how earnings from a job will impact their health and monetary benefits. With the current state of the country's recession and the fact that many of my individuals are trying to support families on $674 a MONTH, a lot of the folks I talk to are desperate.

Most days I let my voicemail screen my calls at work. Sometimes because I really need to get something else done, but most times because I get so many "not my area" calls transferred to me that I just don't have time to deal with them.

Today has been the craziest day. I cannot see the top of my desk for mountains of papers. I started 5 projects and honestly can't say if one actually got completed. But sometimes, when my phone rings, I just get the feeling that maybe I should answer it. A lot of those times it is my supervisor calling, so I am glad that I picked up the phone.

Today I was too. I spoke with a woman with multiple disabilities. She is raising two small children, and the three of them are attempting to live on $674 a month. I went through my spiel about how work will affect her benefits yada, yada, yada. For a moment she was silent. Then she said to me "You mean I can work?" I said yes. She said to me "You have just saved my life. Financially you just saved my life. Thank you."

In that moment I was reminded that what I do IS important, to folks who really do need to hear that there is help out there, even if it is just the opportunity to look for a job. Thank you Lord for sending that woman to me. It sure makes it all worth it.

Remembering the Circus

We all had such a great time at the circus on April 25th. I am sure that Morgan will enjoy many more in the years to come.

Walking to the circus with Lydia and her Grandma

Daddies and Daughters

Long Leg Man signing Morgan's program

An elephant brough the flag in to start the show

Amazed

This is not a posed picture! Like Daddy, like daughter.

Saw this smile all afternoon!

The Ring Master (wow, what a voice!)

Morgan loved the tigers
Me and Lydia

You haven't been to the circus unless you've seen some elephant behinds!

Talk about supporting a heavy load...


Circus Memories

Crazy Eights

Since I need a break from drowning in a sea of paperwork that I have absolutely NO desire to do, I thought I'd participate in this quiz. If you feel you want to follow suit, I'll be sure to read them! If not, just enjoy reading mine.

8 things I am looking forward to:

1) My parents coming home for Morgan's birthday
2) A new job title and duties (no more direct service!!) on July 1
3) Meeting my new niece/nephew in December (Patrick's sister is expecting again)
4) Seeing Les Miserables in Pittsburgh (AGAIN) this summer
5) Having an organized basement (hahaha, as if....)
6) Making money while getting rid of our junk at a yard sale
7) Morgan being fully potty trained!!!
8) Burning mountains of unfiled paperwork and starting "over"

8 things I did yesterday (Monday)

1) Scooped poop out of bathtub water
2) Made egg noodles and butter for dinner since I forgot to take chicken out before going to work (that's a gourmet meal around here!)
3) Caught up on all the websites I normally read instead of doing work
4) Opened a plastic tub that was full of stuff that needed to be put away, and just closed the lid and walked away, pretending that there was nothing I needed to do with that tub.
5) Thought about completing a project I started for my first niece's birth which is STILL not done (she's 2 1/2), and wondered if giving it to the newest baby would be bad in some way.
6) Talked on the webcam with Mom and Dad
7) Drank a pretend milkshake that had been made in the microwave
8) Drove through flood waters on my way to work

8 things I wish I could do

1) Be a stay at home mom
2) Travel wherever/whenver I want
3) Get motivated about losing weight
4) Have enough money to randomly give out to people who are so much in need
5) See my mom and dad every day IN PERSON (I do see them almost every day by webcam)
6) Have one more day with my grandparents
7) Start a para-transit service to provide people with disabilities a reliable way to get to/from work.
8) Be a wedding planner/consultant

8 shows I watch (sometimes)

1) Criminal Minds
2) Harper's Island
3) Two and a Half Men
4) Rules of Engagement
5) Big Bang Theory
6) CSI:
7) NCIS
8) Phineaus and Ferb (not by choice, but it's the most watched show in our house and really isn't all that bad)

8 songs I never get tired of hearing

1) Your Song by Elton John
2) Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
3) Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton
4) Desperado by The Eagles
5) Ave Maria (I am particularly partial to Josh Groban's version)
6) Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx
7) Band of Gold by Freda Payne (again, I am partial to Kimberly Locke's version)
8) The River by Garth Brooks

8 plans for the rest of the week

1) Get Mother's Day cards purchased and gifts mailed
2) Attend birthday party for Morgan's friend Gianna
3) Take Morgan to visit Ellen
4) Get 1/2 of my clients' folders taken care of and off my desk
5) Hit the gym 2 more days
6) Attend fat camp (Weight Watchers)
7) Take a Mother's Day nap
8) Catch up on all the DVR'd shows

Sometimes it's good...

... to be the first one in bed!

Morgan's Easter Pictures

Morgan's first outdoor session, by Pictures by Bre

Check out Morgan's website if you would like to see more.

All because of burned popcorn...

I was enjoying a quiet night in the hotel watching my "stories", my babe soundly sleeping in the next room of the suite. Patrick was out with a co-worker talking shop. I was using the free time to rest and relax, after 2 days being on my feet.

All of a sudden, a man's voice sounds from the bedroom. It took me a second to realize that was not part of my show. I just thought Morgan had rolled over on the remote and turned the TV on. I glanced into the bedroom from my seat on the couch, and didn't see any lights from the TV. Now my heart starts to beat a little faster.

I quickly turned off the TV and walked into the bedroom. From the box next to the fire alarm, a voice kept repeating "An emergency has been detected within the building. Please leave your room and go to the nearest exit. Do not use the elevator. Please go to your designated emergency evacuation location immediately."

PANIC SETS IN.

I quickly scooped up Morgan and the essentials (her 3 woobies (lovies) and her pacifier), grabbed my cell phone off the coffee table, and ran as quickly as my fatigued legs would take me. Ya'll, I have NEVER gone down seven flights of stairs that fast in my life! As we left the room, Morgan started to get upset. Trying my best to quiet and reassure her, all I could think as I moved down the stairs with other guests at the hotel was "Don't trip" and "Get out quickly".

As capacity level guests streamed out of the doors, we all congreated together on the sidewalk. I am very thankful it was a warm night since Morgan had a nightgown on. Fire trucks come roaring down the street. I immediately called Patrick and told him to get over to the hotel ASAP to get Morgan and bring me a key to the room (which I had left sitting on top of the TV).

I saw one of my colleagues and we stood together, wondering if our other two colleagues had made it out of the hotel. Val called one of our other colleagues, who told us that she didn't even make it out of the hotel before she heard that it was all clear and everything was OK. Knowing this, we wondered aloud if it was really safe to go back in or not. After about 5 minutes we decide to try to go back in. I called Patrick and told him to hold off coming until I knew what we needed to do.

We wandered inside and toward the front desk, because, as stated before, I didn't have a key to get back in the room (apparently my brain didn't classify that as an essential item). Many other guests didn't have theirs either. I was first in line, and the poor desk clerk looked at me and said "Do you have any picture ID?" I was thinking, "Do I LOOK like I have picture ID?!?!?!" I said, I have a cell phone and a pacifier. Will you accept one of those? She smiled, and I smiled. She gave me my key and I headed toward the elevators, which had just been reset by the firemen because there was no physical way I could climb seven flights of stairs carrying a shoeless 30 pound sleepy toddler.

We all loaded into the elevator, joking that we had better just press all the buttons. As we started up, we went to floor 3 but the doors never opened! We all waited and all of a sudden returned to the ground floor! Dumbfounded, and slightly concerned, we all stayed on the elevator (I know, I know, not the smartest thing I have done) and tried again. This time we made it to floors 2 and 3 before returning back to floor 2! We then headed to floor 4, never stopped at 4 but went to 5, and then started to go back down. At this point Morgan innocently says "Mama, we are going back down!" Everyone on the elevator laughed and I said, "If a 2 year old can understand this, why can't we?". Finally we decided to just push the button for 9 and since the elevator had to come back down anyhow, to press floor buttons after we reached the top. That worked and Morgan and I finally stepped off the elevator on the seventh floor.

I gave away the "punch line" in the title of this post (which I learned while at the front desk was the reason for the alarm), and now that we are safely back in our room, babe is again sleeping soundly, and my heartrate has returned to a fairly normal level I can chuckle about it. I am claiming proficiency in multi-level building evacuation and excluding myself from any further practice runs for the remainder of the year.

Is it really possible?

We are SUPER busy, but this was too excting to post! We are all holding our breath, and I am probably jinxing us by writing about it here, but we are all really wondering.....

Is Morgan REALLY wearing big girl panties????

Morgan went to stay with Nannie on Monday. Nannie reported on Wednesday that Morgan had been wearing big girl panties since then. She has been wearing big girl panties now for a week, and today we went the entire day with NO accidents!!! Granted, I was taking her to the bathroom religiously every 30 minutes, but we actually went the whole day in the same clothes! She also made it through the circus yesterday with no accidents. which was so nice, especially for one week of potty training.

I know this is the beginning, and that there will be many accidents along the way, but I am so very proud that she is on the way to being a big girl!

MIA--and will be for a while

While I wish I could report that I have been Missing in Action due to a fabulous vacation or other fun reason, unfortunately it's simply because both Patrick and I have been working a LOT, and most of that time is spent out of town. During the last 3 weeks of April Patrick will have spent 4 nights home, and I will have spent 6. And I don't want to wish my life away, but I am certainly looking forward to May and slowing down, at least a bit.

So sorry for the lack of posts. I may get to put one or two up in the coming weeks, but if you don't see anything until May, don't worry. We are doing OK here.

An Easter Preview

We had a busy but fun Easter weekend. Morgan enjoyed children's Sunday school at Nannie and Big Pop's church, we all had wonderful Easter dinner together, and the girls hunted eggs and opened FOUR Easter baskets a piece! I hope to post a bunch of pictures later, but for now, here are a few of my gorgeous little girl in her beautiful Easter bonnet (and dress).

Mother Nature missed the memo...

It IS Spring, isn't it?

Morgan: Does a heart good

Some phrases heard around our house this week, as Morgan converses with Mama:

"You're my best pal"

"You wanna hold my hand?"

"I'm going to work, just like Mama!"

"I wish your belly wouldn't be sick anymore. I can make it better."

"This is a picture for you, you are gonna LOVE it!"

She sure does make any bad day better.

Wordless Wednesday

Beware---this is a soapbox post!

Is anyone else totally amazed that the lead story on CNN.com this morning was about how smokers are being "picked on" because of today's tobacco products tax hike? I cannot believe that a story like this would even make the main page of ANY newspaper, much less be the lead story.

I cannot believe that smokers are complaining about the recent tax hike. Would CNN run the story if it were chocoholics complaining about a raise in candy bar prices? Or if soda drinkers were appalled that a bottle of soda in a convenience store costs over $1.50? I certainly doubt it.

Now, I understand that, having never smoked in my life, I don't understand the addiction of smoking. However, I feel I am fairly well educated, and smart enough to know that smoking is addictive AND bad for your health. Frankly, I am GLAD that President Obama signed this piece of legislation. Americans need to do a LOT to be healthier. Smoke-free restaurants (like those here in WV), designated smoking areas AWAY from the doors of a building, and now this tobacco tax hike are all designed to protect those of us who choose NOT to become second-hand smokers. Well, maybe not the tax hike, but I believe I can make a case for that arguement. Not to mention that proceeds from this tax hike will go to Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIPs) so that children can be covered by some sort of health care coverage.

Here's the deal Americans....if you are disgusted that you have to pay $5.00 a pack for cigarettes, DON'T BUY THEM! In the article I read, most people were pissing and moaning about the hike, but both people who were specifically interviewed said they would continue to smoke. Folks, you have free will. You CAN make decisions for yourselves. And if that decision includes continuing to indulge in whatever your vice is (cigarettes, candy bars, soda, eating out, whatever) then you don't have the right to complain about it! I highly doubt that the President sat in his office drumming his fingers together in his best evil villain impersonation saying "I will purposely tax tobacco so that all smokers are being picked on. I will purposely single out people with addiction and make them suffer." Seriously, folks, get a grip.

And shame on CNN for running this story as a lead story. Shame on news industries for highlighting this as "important" for all Americans to know about. I have never been a fan of the news media as a whole, and today is yet another example of why. The next time I go to get a candy bar and I am mad about the price, I am calling CNN and demanding that they run my story. And we'll see how far that goes.