Chloe's Home!!!!

and so am i, and i am sooooo tired!  today was AWESOME, tho.  praise the Lord!!!  : ) 

i'd planned to get up at 9 to get some stuff done before mom picked me up.  of course, because of this, i slept til 9:30 & got nothing done except i think i finished an episode of something but i can't remember what right now.  mom got here at 10:40 & away we went.  oh, stopped at the mailbox to get my People, except there was no magazine!  d'oh!  i did have these, tho...

the bottom one is from finland. 

we stopped at sonic & i finally got a cherry limeade.  yay!!!  then we were on the road.  it was a nice trip, we listened to glee & yanni & chatted & i took some pictures.  i'll do a picture post tomorrow, tooooo tired to upload & whatnot tonight!  i'm heading to bed here in a few short minutes!  

we arrived in atlantic about 2:30 & mom wanted a sit-down meal.  i'd been begging for a cheeseburger since about 1, but she had these ideas... and hey, who am i to discourage her?  she is doing me a solid by bringing me to my car, so ... : )  we went into a tiny hy vee to use the facilities, and then were gonna eat at the chinese restaurant next door.  except they close from 2:30 - 4:30 every day.  huh??  LOL  mom was okay w/ maid rite, but they apparently had been closed for awhile - there was cardboard in the drive thru menu.  yet their sign is still up.  idk what's wrong w/ that picture at all... LOL  finally, we found a mexican restaurant & i'm glad we did.  DELICIOUS food!  rivalled sancho's, and that's saying something!  : )  

we found pat's house & i signed some papers & wrote out a check for the deductible & was on my way to omaha.  chloe looks GREAT!  they did an awesome job.  and i had the a/c on almost all day & there weren't any problems (that was something i'd been warned to check on, because apparently it's a common issue to have a/c problems after a front end collison!).  PTL!  i'm still going to take her to the dealership this week to have them do a once-over, but she drove great & everything seemed happy to me!  

i got to omaha about 5:30 & met joy, her mom, the kids, and bobby & his son at runza.  ahhhh, runza!  we had dinner & hung out for an hour & then i was on the road home.  praying the whole way, tense the whole way, waiting for something to spring out & get me!  :(  that was kinda rough.  and then as it got dark, i needed more rest stops to move around because i was kinda zoning.  as soon as i feel myself zoning, i find a rest stop & get out & move around a big, because that is SCARY i tell you what!!!  

i don't have any voice $$ left on my phone, so i texted marty to let her know she didn't need to pick me up in the morning.  hopefully she got it!!  i also texted dave & i'm going in at 9:30 tomorrow. 

i am sooooo happy to be home, and now, to zzzzzzzzz!  : )  

ttfn! 

QCCS/TCH

what's in a name?  i graduated from Temple Christian High School.  TCA/TCH was started the year i was born, i believe.  might have been a year before or a year after, i don't remember!  but it had been around for at least 17 years when i graduated in 1995.  less than 10 years later, the church that had supported the school for that long, after being taken over by a new pastorship, decided it couldn't afford to support the high school anymore.  they gave up, they cut them off, they ... well, i don't think they handled the situation very well. 

but that is neither here nor there, my opinion on that!  because what matters is God's opinion, and it seems that He still had a purpose for TCH, for Mr. O., for the teachers at the HS.  mr. o, the teachers, parents and alumni banded together to create a new HS.  i attended the first meeting discussing everything, heard the new pastor of the church speak his reasons for closing the HS.  i remember thinking he sounded so condescending, so ... rude.  like he was saying the things he thought he should as a christian and as a pastor, but he didn't really believe them.  he was on board for closing the HS because he didn't want to deal with the challenges it presented.  and if my perceptions are correct, that's okay.  it's okay that he didn't want to deal.  but he should've been honest about his reasons - IF my perceptions are correct.  oh dear, but there i go again!  i apologize. 

my point is just that i have a very clear picture and memory of that first meeting.  and during that first meeting, a parent spoke up, and offered a building in his charge to keep the school going for another year.  this father was new to TCH, his child (or children, that i don't remember!) had only attended for one year.  but the Lord touched his heart, and moved him to offer this alternative housing for the school, because he believed in the mission not only of a christian HS, but of THIS HS, headed up by THIS principal, and THIS staff.  and he wasn't the only one.  my friend juli's parents, along with other parents, felt just as strongly. 

the new school was created, and it has struggled, financially.  but it has flourished academically and spiritually, and God continues to bless the staff and the students.  they were able to move into a new building, a beautiful campus, but they haven't really been able to grow the way the Lord has called them to grow.  they need more support, our support as alumni and as a community.  i've felt the call on my heart for awhile, and any time i can i send a donation their way.  but i really believe i'm being called to do more, to donate more, and so i made a pledge. 

i went into this dinner tonight knowing it was a fundraising dinner, and knowing - now, w/ the car accident & needing to pay the deductible & needing to pay mom back for the rental car - that i don't really have any more money to give.  still, the more i thought about it as i listened to the speakers - juli's dad (the president of the school board now), mr o., the superintendant of aurora christian schools, and the public relations rep for the school - i felt called to pledge a steady monthly amount.  i need to be tithing, and i'm not involved with a specific church at this time, and i do believe in this school and in their mission.  so i am pledging to tithe on a consistent monthly basis to this school. 

and i'm not a fundraiser, but i thought i would share the link to QCCS, in case the Lord has put a calling on your heart to help.  http://www.qcchristianschool.com/  i'm also including the link to TCA, because even tho they are still being supported by the church, they can always use prayer support as well.  http://www.templechristian.us/page/page/1652922.htm 

tho these schools are now separate entities, their mission is the same - to teach children in the ways of the Lord as well as the ways of math, english, science and history! 

so, the night was a success, there was a really good turn out.  the speakers did great, and dinner itself was quite tastey!  we sat at a table in the front, w/ juli's mom & dad, and two friends - who also happened to be very good friends of my dad.  : )  i got to chat w/ some teachers i hadn't seen in years!  and... the part that i really liked about that... i mean, i was happy to see them, and i of course remember them!  but the part that made me feel warm & fuzzy?  was that they remembered ME!  not just the english teacher who had me in her class for 6 years (7-12), but the science teacher who only had me in class for 2 years, and the computer teacher who only had me in her class for 1 (maybe 2 - i think she was on maternity leave for part of one year, tho)!  it's just nice to be remembered well, you know? 

the trip home was rather interesting - part of kimberly was closed due to what appeared to be a downed power line.  it was DARK!  john thought maybe we could get to a detour road so he went thru the barricades, but to no avail.  we had to turn around & take a different route!!  it was pretty funny, tho, because he gunned it thru the barricades going out, and it reminded me of something my dad would do!  : )

ahhhh... now i must finish this episode of GH & get to bed.  mom's picking me up about 10:30 & we're going to pick up chloe.  YAYAYAYAYAY!!!!  : )  then, i am planning to go a little further into omaha & meet joy for dinner at runza!  mushroom & swiss runza & crinkle fries, here i come!!!!  : )  i think i'll be able to do it & make it home by 10, but it depends on what time mom gets here & we get everything taken care of w/ the car.  so...we'll see!  Lord willing i'll be able to do it, tho! 

happy saturday, everyone!  *HUGS*  take care & ttfn!!

Good News, Bloggies!

it looks like i might get chloe back this weekend after all!  : )  of course mom had to make this good news seem like an annoyance, and instead of being happy for me had to get all huffy because she "knew we should have gone ahead & went out there today."  really?   you did?  cuz you didn't mention that possibility to me.  cuz if you HAD, i would've been all for it. 

GRRRRR.

anywhoo!  so we are planning to go tomorrow.  woot!  idk what time yet.  i'm hoping we'll leave early enough that i can still make it to omaha to meet joy for lunch or dinner or somethin!  : ) 

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

: ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : )

heeehee! 

today i slept til idk when.  10?  11?  one of those.  then i read last week's People - justin beiber seems like a good kid.  i hope hollywood doesn't destroy him.  i'm sure they'll turn on him just like they did on lindsey, brittney, miley... *sigh*  altho i guess it doesn't really look as unkindly on men as women.  i mean, think about it - sure, right now they are saying jesse james is a dog & how dare he hurt sandra & all that, but last month they were doing all that to tiger woods.  and now?  now they are covering his "comeback" and are all happy & look at him!  bah.  media/public opinion is just so fickle, and inconsistent. 

while i read, i finished season 2 of JAG, then watched the latest FlashForward & Bones.  bones was GREAT!  robert englund (the original freddy krueger) guest starred as a janitor.  : )  i *heart* robert englund!!!  it's funny that i watched this ep today, tho, because it was about a class reunion, and that's what i'll be going to tonight.  not exactly a reunion - it's a fund raising/informational dinner for QCCS, which is what my high school turned into when it closed.  *laugh*  does that make sense?  the church that ran my HS closed it, but kept the elementary school open.  so the principal of the HS, along with parents & community volunteers, started a new HS.  which is pretty neat.  (there are aspects about it that are NOT pretty neat, as some of my friends involved in that whole scene well know, but i'm focusing on the positive here, so let's keep that going, shall we?  LOL) 

and now i must get dressed & ready to go.  juli (and john & the kids?  idk if we're all going to this thing or what!  i imagine the kids are coming anyway!) will be here in 1/2 an hour.  : )  i'll let ya know how it goes! 

ttfn!
****************

take 2

oh what a bittersweet day, today!  started off kinda rocky, but it was BUSY again which was an answer to prayer.  it was so busy, in fact, that i didn't even get to my vacations!  that is some crazy busy-ness, i tell you what!  but it was a good cruise director day.  food day for birthdays, and there was lots of yummy food!  do you think i remembered to take pictures?  um, no.  and i'm very disappointed by that, because there were some super cute cupcakes, among other things! 

for lunch, there were burgers, which i had been craving!  i was sitting w/ everyone, having a fun time talking about stuff & things, when suddenly my phone rang.  oh, yes, i brought my purse to lunch.  i normally do not do that.  i'll grab my checkbook or change purse, but usually not my whole purse.  but i did today, on a whim.  so, my phone rang, but i didn't recognize the number.  a few minutes later, it beeped again - voicemail.  i listened - it was my friend sherry, who i had scheduled lunch with for today!  whoops!  she was running late.  i was so surprised that i'd completely forgotten - when i had it on my calendar even! - that i jumped up & told trish i'd explain later & off i went.  just in time, too, as sherry was right outside!! 

we went to governor's & i had some yummy clam chowder.  i'd actually been hoping they would have a dessert option, but no such luck!  *laugh*  we had a nice visit, tho, and i'm glad she called.  : ) 

about 3:30, i called the auto shop to check on chloe.  and found out that she'll NOT be done tomorrow.  *cry*  i was so disappointed, because even tho i told myself not to i had gotten my hopes up.  i was really excited to get her back tomorrow & to see joy again, to boot!  but alas, it is not to be quite yet.  *sigh*  apparently the guy got the part, but didn't get back in time for them to work on it today, and they're only open a couple hours tomorrow.  so now idk if she'll be done monday, and if she is done monday, what i'm going to do or when i'm going to go get her!!  too many unknowns at the moment to make a coherent decision, i think. 

so when i got home i was going kinda stir crazy.  i didn't want to be stranded at home!!  i called jan to see if she wanted to go to dinner.  she said she'd call me back in fifteen minutes if the answer was yes.  no call.  so i texed mom to see if she wanted to do a movie when she got off work.  she said sure, but then when she did get off, since she would have to come get me before the movie, none were playing at the right time.  !!! 

therefore, STUCK AT HOME!!

i watched a couple episodes of flash forward, and the latest human target.  dude!  i really really like that show!  and now i really really need to sleep! 

oh!  but first - since i'll still be in town tomorrow, i get to go to the QCCS banquet.  juli's picking me up at 5.  : )  hopefully it'll be fun!  i'll certainly get to see some ppl i haven't in awhile! 

i hope your weekend is awesome!  ttfn! 

happy birthday party to leyton (and a little kate gosselin observation)

today was very long, as most thursdays are for me because unless i'm super busy, i just want it to be the end of the day so i can go play w/ leyton!  *laugh*  and, unfortunately, today was sloooooow!  all week, i've been burning the candles at both ends, busy busy days, and then today it was like a complete 180!  *laugh*  we did have our 13 weeks luncheon & that was fun!  of course, i forgot the apples & PB.  hopefully i won't forget tomorrow!!! 

marty took me to mom's after work, and mom, leyton & i went to the bank & then sancho's for dinner.  they have the BEST tacos in the QC, imo.  and linzie was working, so got to say hi to her.  : )  leyton enjoyed himself & made a new bff, our waitress.  he takes after his daddy for sure - the big flirt!!  *laugh*  we got back in time for most of survivor, but mom was taping & she didn't want to know what happened since we missed the first 20 minutes, so i guess i'll watch it tomorrow night!  : )  we played for awhile & then leyton opened his presents & we had ice cream cake from DQ. 

phil brought me home & i watched criminal minds & i might watch an ep of GH but i am TIRED so must go to bed soon! 

oh!  got a call from the auto shop on the way to mom's - they did what they thought was going to be the final diagnostic before a clean bill of health, and discovered some plugs that were broken.  d'oh!!!  they found used ones that will hopefully work, but aren't sure if they'll be able to install them & whatnot tomorrow.  so, now idk if i get to pick up chloe on saturday or not!  : (  God's timing & all that, so i'll be patient if i can't pick her up.  but i tell you what, i miss my car!!!  i miss being able to stop wherever whenever! 

the other day at hy vee, i picked up Us Weekly because i miss it & it had kate on the cover.  i have been defending jon forever, it seems.  i am soooo not on team kate, but i've defended her, too.  ppl were giving her crap for doing DWTS when she has kids at home.  okay, ppl, a LOT of the DWTS stars and pro dancers have kids.  some have even been single parents.  so, that is not something to bitch at her about.  however, this story i'm reading in Us just reiterates that there ARE things she needs to be bitched at about!!  the woman has absolutely NO sense of right & wrong, or putting her children first, or even putting anyone other than herself first!  (she reminds me of someone i know in that regard...)  if the stories are true - and really, there are just too many of them not to be - i think jon is gonna have a really good case for custody of the kids.  and i think that's gonna be best for them.  Oye! 

anywhoo... to end this blog on a VERY HAPPY NOTE... : )

i'm going to attempt to post some pictures from tonight, but FB wouldn't let me upload them, so idk if it was a FB problem or my computer doesn't want to do pictures tonight.  guess i'm gonna find out!  : )  i hope everyone had a great thursday & that friday goes fast, busy, happy for all of us!  Love ya!  TTFN! 

but seriously, doesn't he look like he could hop on a motorcycle??  and that bumblebee shirt is adorable, too!  : ) 

yes, i gave him another turtle.  he said it was a puppy, tho.  LOL

it's a fanspritzer!!!  like the ones they have at the amusement park! 

and these pictures highlight why tonight was awesome!  : ) 

instinct

my natural instinct is to help.  kids selling candy bars.  old school needing donations.  friend from college needing a place to stay.  cousin needing a place to stay...

i want to say yes, but i just can not afford it.  financially, emotionally, i can't do it.  i've experienced it.  i've witnessed it.  and i just can't put myself out there again.  i know this, and yet when i saw those lines, "anyone need a roommate?" and "need a place to stay," my fingers were almost typing "i have room" before i could stop them!  i deleted those words, i did not comment at all.  but again tonight i had to hold myself back from offering things i'm not equipped to give. 

*sigh* 

so, i'm keeping it to myself.  i'm keeping my guest room a guest room.  i'm sorry!  i really really am!  but it's what i need to do. 

in other news about my instinct to help - when someone asks me something but doesn't want to tell me why, it frustrates me.  for some things!  i mean, if you need a quarter, i don't need to know why you need it.  but when you leave a cryptic comment... well, i just don't know why you would say anything if you can't say everything, ya know?  or, preface it w/ something - "i don't want to talk about it, i just need your help w/ _____."  because when you give "teasers" it makes me feel like you're trying to pull something over on me, or be mean, or whatever, even tho i don't think you're being deliberate about it.  at least, i hope you're not, because that WOULD be mean...

(and, in case you are wondering, no.  that paragraph is not referencing a particular situation or person.  just several similar instances that have happened thru my life!)

no payroll tonight, so i got to watch Glee, V, and OLTL!  : )  was Lost on last night, too?  hmmm.  will have to check that out.  *laugh*  and of course my husband's show.  ; ) 

today was yet another day of insanity at work.  again, nothing bad, mostly really fun, actually.  A LOT of problem solving, which can be frustrating, but i love the detective work.  it's just that detective work is HARD WORK!  mentally exhausting, too.  *laugh*  by the end of the day, i just felt draaaaained and very grateful that i had the night off from payroll.  heh. 

i learned today that chloe should definitely be done by friday, so i can pick her up on saturday!  hooray!!!!  i really hope that they fixed her up right & that i don't have any ... follow up.  ya know?  i am going to call tony at the dealership monday, tho, & take her in for them to check out.  and give a clean bill of health, Lord willing!!  : ) 

tomorrow is thursday, yay yay yay!  our 13 weeks group is doing a pot luck for lunch.  i wanted to make a fruit salsa, but forgot to pick up the fruit at hy vee.  i did get some apples, so i'm just going to cut those up & have apples & PB.  it'll be yummy!  of course, since those were actually for the team's food day on friday, i now have to figure out what to make for that.  maybe the same thing, since it's a different group of ppl, tho.  *laugh*  after work, marty's taking me to mom's, and then i need mom to take me to the bank & i really, really, really want a cherry limeade or grape vanilla slush!!!!!  i didn't realize how much i missed them til this week!  *laugh* 

i want popcorn.

ttnf!  : )

falooza

ahhhhh, so nice to be home!  today was a bear!  but it went really fast, and it wasn't BAD, just terribly busy.  LOL  i felt like i didn't have time to breathe most of the day.  heh.  i did get a nice break, tho - trish & i went to el pavito for lunch & i had enchilladas w/ goat cheese.  YUMMY!  and the nice waiter/owner gave me some green salsa, too.  idk what it is about the green salsa, but it's my favorite, and i haven't found it anywhere else.  i thought i'd found it in the store, but when i poured what i bought on my chips... it was baaaaad.  *laugh* 

my original plan for the rest of this week was to have marty drop me at enterprise to rent a car for wednesday, thursday & friday.  however, when i tried to figure out the logistics of getting to the bank for a money order to pay for the car, it was not working out!  so now i'm just going to car pool w/ marty the rest of the week.  she'll drop me at jan's tomorrow & then jan can bring me home.  unless jan decides that she doesn't want to deal w/ bringing me home, in which case i just won't do payroll tomorrow.  i'm not sure which i'm hoping for... *laugh*  i enjoy doing payroll, but part of the point of my doing it is so she doesn't have to be home & whatnot - or, rather, to help her out, you see what i'm saying? 

anyway, thursday marty will drop me off at mom's & then i think we're having another lil bday party for leyton, since his bday is friday.  : )  and i still don't have a present for him!  altho i did give him presents for Easter.  but still - i just do not like not being able to go where and when i need to!  i am really going to appreciate chloe when she gets back!  i'm hoping for an outing for dinner, but w/ the "party" we'll probably just get pizza. 

friday i don't really have any plans, so i guess being stuck at home won't be too hard.  lol  and hopefully saturday i'll be on my way to pick chloe up!  : ) 

what else?  oh, as the weather gets warmer, the neighbors are out more.  tonight a little girl was skipping down the road when i got home, and she came over & said her brother was selling candy bars & would i like one?  heh.  i said sure, why not & gave her a couple bucks.  didn't know if she would actually be back w/ any candy, but she did come back w/ 2 candy bars. 

marty & i went to hy vee after work for the 2 freeeeee items - a litre of lipton flavored teas & lemonades (yummy) and a hostess cake (i got orange cupcakes, mmmm).  i also picked up more blackberries, w/ the intention of having them on ice cream.  however, it helps in those situations when you actually PICK UP the ice cream!  LOL 

watched some JAG, castle & OLTL tonight.  tomorrow i get to watch GLEEEEEEE!!!!  only a little excited!  watched the sue sylvester vogue video tonight, tho.  so funny!!! 

i hope you all will have a great night & i'll chat at ya laterz!  ; )

love ya!

and...

ttfn!