Happy birthday to me!

Today's cereal: Skipped breakfast! Now how did THAT happen??
Current Mood: Content
The Boy's New Word of the Day: Sorry

So, my sweet brother Bryan took me to McDonald's for lunch today so the kids could play. It was awesome-- a nice little break. McDonald's really does have good fries. If only they had fry sauce! Looking forward to the crepes we are having for my birthday dinner. Birthdays are awesome!

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I did another reunion yesterday between an adoptee and her birthmother. My smoothest case ever! Except that I felt so bad charging my client the $400 fee when it only took me 20 minutes to find her birthmother. I even asked my boss if we could waive half the fee, and I wouldn't even bill the agency for my time. She said no, the crusty old biddy. We had a big argument when we first started my search & reunion program about the fee... I said $400 was way too much, she thought it wasn't enough and that was as low as she would go. I don't usually speak up; I'm not one to argue; but this was something I felt strongly about, so I surprised myself when I told her, "To me, $400 is food on my table and a roof over my head-- to you, it's a Gucci watch!" She was shocked that I said that (so was I!), and probably offended. But it's true... she lives in a ritzy neighboorhood, has never struggled for money. She doesn't know what it's like to go without something you REALLY want because you can't afford it. My heart breaks everytime I tell a hopeful adoptee that there is a $400 fee and they sigh and tell me they can't afford it. But alas, what can I do? Anyways, I am happy for my client, happy for her birthmother. They've both been thinking about the other for a long, long time. I'm glad I could hook them up.

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Talked to my best friend today. It's been a while. I miss her. She is pregnant and sick and I can't help her becasue she's a jillion miles away. She always has good advice for me. I wish I could be a better friend to her.

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This weekend is the Gem Faire! Can't wait to get myself a crapload of beads. I look forward to this thing all year. I wish I had a spare $400 to throw around for this! I have big plans for a watch I want to make for my mother-in-law. I really have a great mother-in-law. I have a great mother, too! It's her half-birthday today. Happy Half-Birthday, mom! Maybe I will make you a half a cake.

My birthday wish list

Upon Holly's request and as previously promised, here is what I want for my birthday (this Thursday!), in no particular order:

1. These. Or something like them (i.e., slightly stretch, straight leg, mid-rise). Size 12. Petite or short if possible.
2. This. Coconut Lime or Vanilla Sugar.
3. Something like these. Black. Small or medium? I don't know-- how do you measure hands?
4. I want this from Kitt (size 5, blue topaz) because my wedding ring won't fit me till I lose some of the baby-weight. Stupid baby-weight. Go to hell.
5. One 'o these. In Victorian Blue, Raspberry Beret Red, or White. Medium.
6. I rather like this, in Cranberry Sauce Red. Medium.
7. This would be fun.

That's all the specifics I can think of. Movie tickets & dinner gift certificates are good, too. A date would be a great gift!

Ah, I love birthdays. Come to my party, -K-? We're having crepes for dinner, watching the Smallville season premiere (yes, I AM that big of a geek), and having lemon cake with cream cheese frosting. See you then!

Okay, this is it. The long-awaited "Spider in my Window" story.

Today's Cereal: Golden Grahams
Current Mood: Creeped out
The Boy's New Word of the Day: Play


I hate spiders.

I REALLY hate spiders.

I can’t remember when this started; it’s always just been. I remember when I was first traumatized by a spider. I was probably 10 or 11, maybe older, and I was reading in bed by the light of my flashlight. I felt something tickle my face and I thought it was a strand of my hair. It wasn’t. I don’t think I have to finish the story. Let’s just say, screaming was done, tears were shed, testimonies were strengthened. My testimony of hating spiders, that is.

Our first apartment when Kitt and I were married was a run-down pile of shit--I mean, bricks--that was too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter, and FULL of spiders. Big ones, that strangely all had only seven legs. Kitt would often come home to a bowl set upside-down on the floor, and he didn’t even have to ask. He knew it was his duty as the man of the house to 1) please me in bed, 2) call any repairman we might have to deal with, and 3) kill any spiders that I had trapped under a bowl but was too scared to get close enough to kill. The spiders were so bad that I frequently had nightmares of them. I would thrash around in bed, cry, scream, and in-general panic, until Kitt woke me up. I think it must have scared him at first to see me like this, but he soon learned to just turn on the light and I would wake up and calm down. It finally took my brother-in-law with a degree in psychology to help control the nightmares. He taught me to mentally turn anything that frightened me in my dreams into something I like. It was a valuable lesson-- to this day I still turn nightmares into kittens.

Hate ‘em, hate ‘em, HATE ‘EM! I friggin’ hate spiders!

Why, then, is there one living in my kitchen window?

It’s one of those creepy ones that spins its web into a tunnel which it hides in whenever you get too close. When I first discovered it, I tried to suck it up with my dustbuster. I thought it had worked, but all I had done was get rid of the web. By the afternoon, the web was back, and there sat the spider again. Smirking at me, I think. I tried this several times, but it always came back. I started to admire its tenacity, and so I let it stay. “One more day,” I thought, “and then I’ll have Kitt take care of it.”

One morning as I was washing off The Boy’s high chair tray, I flicked water at the spider in a hate-filled tantrum, angry that it was still there and still scaring me. That was when it happened. Droplets of water glistened on the web, and the spider slowly came out of its tunnel… and drank the water. I watched it drink some of the water.

Kitt has told me of how his wise mother shared with him the secret to getting someone to love you. The secret is to get them to do something for you. Service will eventually equal love. I saw this in action that morning.

I’m not saying that because I gave the spider something to drink that I love it now. Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no. But as I watched it drink that water, I was struck by how…how living it was. It was a living creature. And I thought to myself, “Its not bothering me. It hasn’t left the window sill yet. And it’s probably eating all the fruit flies that have been annoying me since I let that banana go too long.” This was quickly followed up with a, “But the minute it leaves the window, it is DEAD!”

A few days later I managed to catch one of the afore-mentioned fruit flies. I wondered if I could get it stuck in the spider’s web, and what would happen. I took the cup I had the fly in over to the window, and I lifted my hand off it. The fly immediately flew straight into the web, and before I could even BLINK the spider had shot out of its tunnel and caught that fly. It carried it back to the entrance of its little hidey-hole, and sat there with it. Looking at me, so I thought. Maybe thanking me? Probably wondering what the catch was. It ate that fly. I was disgusted. But fascinated.

I’ve since fed it again. Now I look for opportunities to catch little insects. I’m a little sickened with myself.

Kitt teases me about it. He’s asked me what I’ve named it. “No names!” I’ve insisted. “Once I name it, it will be a pet. I WON’T have a spider for a pet. I hate spiders.” I try hard not to think of it even having a gender. Because it’s gonna go. Eventually. If it gets any bigger, I won’t be able to stand looking at it. And, as Kitt reminded me, we might end up with an eggsack. That’s all I need, a zillion tiny spiders with tenacity and an inherited will to live. Nope, that Bad Boy is a GONER.

Soon.

I think.

Did you meet my uncle, Bruce Wayne?

Today's cereal: Rice Chex and Pops
Current Mood: Snacky
The Boy's New Word of the Day: Bach

So, I was singing this funny little song to The Boy the other day:

"I love Mommy, she loves me.
We love Daddy, yesiree!
He loves us and so you see,
we are a happy family."

Every time I sang it, Aiden would say in his cute little voice, "A-gin!"

I started putting in other names instead of Mommy & Daddy, like Aiden and Robin. Pretty soon The Boy started requesting people for me to sing about, and so I complied. We sung the song about Papa, and Gramma, and Quinton. I could barely make it through his last request though, I was laughing so hard. But sing it, I did:

"I love Aiden, he loves me
We love Batman, yesiree...."


I hope he makes it to the next family reunion!

Yeah, I'm still alive.

Today's cereal: Kix (What is the singular for Kix? A Kick?)
Current Mood: Lazy
The Boy's New Word of the Day: Again!


Seriously, how cool is this website?

I'm still planning on telling you about the spider in my window. Just so's you know. I am just posting this so you won't think I died or anything.

Check out my newest links: Carly and Dawn

New Necklace

Today's Cereal: Fruit & Yogurt Special K (finished the box!)
Current Mood: Annoyed with people.
The Boy's New Word of the Day: "Crisp". (He was trying to say Golden Crisp, which is what he ate for breakfast!)

Here's a new necklace I made this weekend. Tiny wooden beads paired with a large mother of pearl mosaic pendant. I'm rather fond of this one, and wish I could keep it for myself.


Making stuff makes me happy!

About time, eh?

Today's Cereal: Fruit & Yogurt Special K (It's new!)

Current Mood: Anxious for a nap, but knowing I won't get one.

The Boy's New Word of the Day: Aiden and I were looking at the pictures of him on the computer, and he was telling me what they were (i.e., "Papa!", "Ball!", "gramma!"). I asked him what this picture was of, and he said, "Mess!"

And so a New Word of the Day is born. Holy crap it was cute.

So, Holly tagged me about a decade ago to play a blog game wherein you list five things you dislike using your five senses for. (I never got tagged for the one where you list what you like using them for! *sniff*) Oh well. Here we go!

Smell: 1) The Boy's poopy diapers. 2) Burning something that spilled on the burner. 3) Week-old litterbox. 4) Mold. 5) Fish (see also Taste)

Sight: 1) The Boy's poopy diapers. Especially when he's been eating raisins. (Now you are all thinking of that! Hee hee!!) 2) Spiders (except one... I'll tell you about it later this week...). 3) Violent movies-- just can't do 'em. 4) Pregnant women smoking/drinking. 5) Really old people. Old people make me sad.

Taste: (this one will be hard to narrow down... Yes, I'm a picky eater.) 1) The Boy's poopy diapers. Just Kidding! Ha! Fooled you. #1 for reals) Hamburger, especially in any kind of casserole. 2) Fish. Any kind of seafood, really. 3) Many kinds of Pizza, but especially Little Ceasar's. Gag. 4) Under-done chicken. And by "under-done" I mean "not burned". 5) Mold. Once when I was pregnant with Aiden I got chocolate milk at a restaraunt. It had been made with moldy Nesquick, and I drank a huge gulp before I realized it. Ever since then I can taste if even ONE ATOM of something I'm eating has mold on it. Not cool.

Touch: 1) The Boy's Poopy diapers. Seriously. Feeling poo through a baby wipe, especially when it is still warm. 2) Raw meat. 3) Bugs. Any kind of bugs (but especially spiders). 4) Hair brushing gently across my face. Reminds me too much of bugs. 5) Bare feet outside, or on a dirty floor. I don't like my feet to get dirty.

Hearing: 1) The Boy's whine. Maddening! 2) The Wee One starting to cry at 3:00 a.m. 3) Rap. 4) The Bishop's clerk saying "The Bishop would like to meet with you this week..." 5) A cat hurking up a hairball.*


So there you go. Hmmm... who to tag.... I shall choose a new blog friend, Hottie. Hopefully she will check back at my blog and see that she has been tagged!


Coming soon: The Spider in my Window, A List of Irrational Fears, and My Birthday Wish List!



*Have you ever heard this sound? A little scary if you've never heard it before. We have a funny story about this... Well, not so much funny as it is long: We'd taken our fattest, dumbest, clumsiest, (But softest & snuggliest) cat to the after-hours emergency vet once. While we were in the waiting room, a cute young couple came in with their cat, just frantic. They told the receptionist that their cat had started to make this horrible gagging sound, and they were really worried about it. Kitt and I just looked at each other and said, "Hairball!" This cute, albiet dumb and new-to-the-world-of-cats couple had just earned themselves a $75 vet bill over a HAIRBALL! Ha!

Robin's Blessing

Today's Cereal: Didn't have any! I'll have to make up for that tomorrow...
Current Mood: Googley-in-love with my baby
The Boy's Word of the Day: Green


So Robin was blessed in church today. Er, yesterday (after midnight already?!). For the non-Mormon, a blessing is akin to christening. Here she is looking adorable-- all smiles, and so pretty in the beautiful dress my mom made.


I stressed about food and cleaning the house and the yard looking good and the weather and who to invite and whether we could pull it all off and still make it to the church on time; but everything went flawlessly. No, that's not true-- my mom got stung by a hornet. But everything else went well. I'll be eating leftover muffins the rest of the week! Mom took this picture, and I laughed out loud when I saw it. Kitt and I look BEAT. Worn-out. Exhausted. Bushed. Dog-tired. I didn't realize it until I saw it from someone else's point of view. I can't believe I've been walking around looking like this!


It was a big day for our little baby! I am very glad it's over with; but I'm just as glad we had to have it. I'm glad she's in our family. She's a little sweetheart, and I couldn't wait for her to come.

And stuff

Today's cereal: Special K
Current Mood: Odd
The Boy's Word(s) of the Day: Library--that's a big word for a little guy! He also said Meow for the first time which was ridiculously cute.

Okay, so I've obviously got a new feature to my blog. The Boy has started talking with a vengeance after doing nothing but pointing and whining for so long. He amazes me every day with a new word that he has learned, and a lot of times I am baffled by where he picks them up. The day his Word of the Day is "shit", though, won't confuse me. That one will be totally picked up from me. It will take a lot of effort not to laugh out loud and encourage him to say it again. Like I did the other day when his newest word was "penis". Do you know how hilarious that sounds when it's coming from the tiny, sweet voice of a not-yet-two-year-old? Penis. Ha! I am still laughing.

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Because I know you are aching deep in your guts to know, No I did NOT have any luck finding my gr-gr-gr-grandfather Charles at the Family History Library on Tuesday. What is he hiding, that he doesn't want us to find him? I am not afraid of any skeletons in my closet. Just so you know Grandpa Charlie.

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I started back to work last week. Do you know what that means? It means I had to dig out the ol' breast pump so I can MILK MYSELF LIKE A DAMN COW while I am there. It is the most pleasant thing I can think of doing while crouched in the corner of whoever's empty office I can dig up. And no, I'm not being sarcastic at all. I LOVE it. You should try it sometime.

But it was nice to be back at work amongst the adults. Even though they aren't as cute when they say penis. (In fact, I am pretty sure they could get fired for saying penis to me at work; especially deliberately to make me laugh.) Speaking of fired, one wacky thing happened-- I found out when I showed up to the office yesterday that my supervisor got fired for stealing money from the agency. Woah! I was not surprised to find out that she had been fired, but to find out that it was for criminal activity and not just the gross incompetence that I'd come to expect from her, was shocking to say the least. Well, good riddance, I say. She liked to take credit for the good things I did, and I won't tolerate that. I am arrogant enough that I will take my OWN credit, thank you very much. I didn't spend 4 perfectionist-to-the-point-of-OCD hours writing that kick-ass report complete with photos and pie charts just to have you tell me that I need to put YOUR name on it, too! Go to hell! Oh, nevermind, you are already going there for breaking that commandment that says YOU SHOULDN'T STEAL! Honestly.

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Here is the picture of the bracelet I made last week. What do you think? I am thinking of entering it in the State Fair. I could win THREE WHOLE DOLLARS if the old ladies who judge it like it enough! Do you know what you can do with three dollars? Neither do I, so let me know if you come up with any ideas.

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Holly tagged me for a new blog game. I promise I haven't forgotten! I will get to it soon. Scout's honor. Girl Scout's honor, anyways. Though I don't know how much that is worth...those damn girl scouts must not have much honor because they keep raising the prices on their damn cookies, and they're so damn good that no one can refuse! Well, the point is, I'll post my response sooner than later.