So sorry, but I just haven't felt inclined to blog much lately. Been crazy busy with training at the new job. The weather has also been so nice that I can't stand to be indoors on the computer.

The basement is progressing wonderfully...Chad wants me to take some pictures, so when I do, I will post some for you to see.

The bushes in the front yard are exploding with beautiful pinkish purple flowers. Another thing I should take some pictures of.

Speaking of pictures....I have a few more shots to edit from my only spring portrait shoot before the weekend is up. With everything else, I've kinda been forgetting to get them done.

Now, I have a question. Can anybody tell me how I can get to work at 8:15 AM one day when I leave at 7:20; and the next day, when I leave at the same time, I don't arrive until 9:25??? The commute seriously sucks. 35 miles each way. I must be insane.

Oh the fun part will come next Wednesday, when I have to be there at 6:00 AM, meaning I have to leave at 5:00, meaning that I have to get up at 4:00 freaking AM in the morning!

I didn't forget about part two to my drama...just kinda haven't gotten to it yet.

Ooh, they gave me Monday off. Guess what I'm spending it doing? Go on, guess. Ok, I am going car shopping! The old car kept overheating on me on my way to work my first day, unless I went slower than 45 with the heat blasting. Not fun on a 75 F day. Took it in to get looked at, and they say it is the head gasket going. They put something in to temporarily help seal it I guess...but now it is overheating every time I stop at a red light. Once I start going it cools off a little. Not sure what we're going to get...something good on gas. I'm going test driving, should be fun. I'm pretty excited.

I'm doing Kristine's SPF this week!
Today's topic is "knobs". While thinking about ideas, I realized how many knobs we take for granted. How would you open a door without a knob? Some knobs make a house-wife's job much easier. I decided to take a "thankfulness" twist on the theme here. So here are quite a few knobs from around my house.

This is my shiny new storm door...and its beautiful brushed nickel level. I love these levers. All our doors have brass knobs. I want to change them...but that costs a lot of $$$.

Of course, we had to change out the tarnished brass "knob" on our entry door to match the new storm door. So this is the new one. They look so nice now, I just want to paint that awful green door now.

Now here are three more knobs in my house that I am quite thankful for. I am thankful for modern conveniences like an electric stove, a dishwasher, and a clothes dryer, which make my life so much easier. Imagine what life would be like without knobs like these.
I don't know why my dryer is called a "Dry-Miser." For some reason, I just think that is kind of a funny name for an appliance. That is white paint that somehow got on the dishwasher knob when we painted the ceiling. Although, I would love a new stove. I am thankful that this one is in good working order.

Did YOU play?

...instead of blogging.

1. Picking up clutter around the house.
2. Putting away my photography equipment.
3. Clipping coupons.
4. Washing dishes.
5. Cleaning the kitchen.
6. Folding laundry.
7. Organizing the office.
8. Washing clothes.
9. Planning dinner.
10. Vacuuming.
11. Sorting through seasonal/old clothes.
12. Unpacking the remaining boxes from moving.
13. Taking my photos for SPF.
14. Editing the rest of my last portrait shoot.
15. Fixing the front window roman shade.
16. Cleaning the guest bedroom.
17. Organizing all the closets.
18. Grocery shopping.
19. Taking a shower.
20. Giving the cat a bath and/or brushing.
21. Going to get my pre-employment drug test and hepatitis B vaccine.

I start my new job on Friday. I am excited and nervous. Both ready to be back at work, and not so ready. I am very much looking forward to being back in a laboratory setting. It is a position that will give me valuable experience in a very different type of lab work than what I have previously done. It will also allow me to more easily find a part time or closer to home job in a hospital if need be in the distant future, perhaps once we have a family. Right now, I am very excited to be working for the organization that has hired me. I am not sure how many details I want to (or should) share online. If you are curious about what I will be doing and want to hear more details just email me. (My contact info is right below my profile in the sidebar.)

There are two men (one is the hubby) hacking away at the front of my house with power tools...
...should I be worried?

It's the noises I hear from inside that worry me. The jamming of tools between wood and brick...the cracking and snapping of wood...the hammering on the pry-bars...and the buzzing and grinding of the Saw-Zaw.

At least when they're done, I will have my nice new storm door installed. (*hopefully*...*fingers crossed*)

This is something I hesitated to post about, because I initially felt it too personal. But it is increasingly on my mind, and what I do here is unload my brain. I am also encouraged by the genuine care, interest, and prayers that I have seen offered by "strangers" to other bloggers who were having a rough time. Everyday that passes since I started this blog makes the people who stop by and the writers of the blogs I read seem less like anonymous strangers miles away, and more like real friends.

I am going to post it in two parts (because it is a long story and both exhausting for me to write and probably boring for you to read all at once...despite my colorful pyrotechnics with toast)...today, you get part one.

Early in March, I began to have some abdomen pain one Thursday evening. I had just eaten some very rich and buttery shrimp scampi, so my first thought was "indigestion". It was not cramping, there was no nausea, and it felt nothing like heartburn. It was high in my belly, right below my rib cage and above my belly-button. I did feel sort of bloated though. I went to bed, hoping that in the morning it would be gone and forgotten. Not the case. I awoke somewhere between 2:30 and 3:00 AM...the pain was bad. I could not get comfortable, and could not find deep sleep. Around 4:00 AM, I woke Chad. I now thought maybe it was gas or something. He, being the amazingly sweet man that he is, drove to Meijer's to get me some gas relief pills. I took two and managed to sleep a bit more...but they didn't really help. In the morning I took another one. I was still having the same pain; I was able to move around enough to take a shower. I decided to go to my doctor at 1:00. Chad got the day off work, so he could take me.

By now, the pain had traveled to general all over abdominal pain, with a sharp pain when touched localized on the lower right. Then it dawned on me that it could be a ovarian cyst that ruptured. I had been diagnosed with that years before, and they had said then that there were other smaller cysts present. The doctor didn't listen to me tell her that I had been to the ER in 2002 with a ruptured ovarian cyst, and instead focused on a previous stomach acid reflux problem which she had addressed in 2005. She sent me home with some Prevacid to take every morning and told me not to eat anything spicy and to avoid caffeine and not to take any aspirin or Motrin. She explained away my questions about the "traveling" pain now on the lower right next to my hip bone as a stomach bug going though my digestive tract. She was pretty sure it wasn't my appendix, but told me to keep an eye out for some symptoms. Even that's not too re-assuring now, in retrospect.

Friday night, I started throwing up, and couldn't even keep dry toast down. (FYI, toast tastes pretty much the same coming up as it did when you ate it less than 5 minutes ago.) By Saturday, I was feeling worse...but stopped vomiting. I'm sure it wasn't the flu or anything like that. Chad called a friend of mine to come stay with me so that he could go to work. I started running a fever and didn't get out of bed all day. Sunday was about the same, but my temperature started coming down. My friend started to worry about a tubal pregnancy, but I was pretty sure my doctor tested for that, because they did take a urine sample and draw my blood. I also did a home pregnancy test to be sure. After Sunday, I started to improve and gained my strength back. I kept taking the Prevacid.

Oh, but that was not the end of it. More to come. I bet you are all on the edges of your seats...

P.S. For now, it is Nyquil and bed. My loving, wonderful husband, sharing and caring guy that he is, gave me his cold.

I got my hair cut this week...and Allie has asked to see a photo. So here I am...it's not that drastic of a change. Just a little shorter layers, a few really short layers around my face..."bangs" of a sort. I love it! It is so perfect. I wanted a change from my relatively long layers, usually center parted...or slightly off center, and non-curly top (because of the weight of the length). It is so fun and sexay...I feel really happy with it.
That's me! Enjoy the photo, I don't post many that I'm in. (Probably one of the reasons my "365 days of me" project on Flikr kinda fell apart.) Wish it wasn't so dark, but I didn't take that many...and I have my hair in a ponytail today...so you wouldn't be able to tell how cute it is.

Did you spot what it was?

It is APRIL. Even in Michigan, there isn't supposed to be snow in April! The temperature isn't supposed to continuously drop from 53 F this morning to 26 F!!! The snow isn't supposed to go from a few lightly teasing flakes to a BLIZZARD as I drive toward my house.

Easter is in four days. Easter is supposed to be springy. Cute floral dresses...Sandals...Baby chicks...green grass...NOT SNOW!

Ok. That's the end of my rant.

Saturday was our niece's seventh birthday. She had a "girlie-girl" party. I was there to help out, and to take pictures of all the little girls after they painted their nails and put on play jewelry for frames which they got to take home. It was fun...and a bit of a challenge.

Sunday, Chad left for some work training 3-4 hours away. My friend Renee "moved in." We had fun staying up late, and making delicious waffles with strawberries, kiwi, and whipped cream on them Monday morning for breakfast.

Monday night, she taught me how to season and use my wok. We made a fantastic stir fry with shrimp and tofu and pea pods and carrots and bamboo shoots and bean sprouts and water chestnuts and green onion.

Today, we went to her sister's house for a "tea party." Both her sisters and her mom were there...and her nieces had so much fun. Then tonight, we went to a purse party, but I was good and didn't buy any more purses. She went home tonight, because she has to work in the morning.

Tomorrow, I am going to get my hair cut. Then, in the afternoon I have a photo shoot. I am shooting a 2 week old baby and family shots. I am excited...my first newborn session. I have gotten lots of good ideas for creative shots from Flikr...and I can't wait to try some for myself.

Thursday, I have a job interview! I am a little nervous. I hope it goes well. Chad really wants me to get back to work...and I am kind of feeling tired of being home all the time. The job is a bit unique, and I'm nervous about the changes that will come with it if I get the position. I don't want to jeopardize it...but I am nervous about what will come afterwards if they like me. I know it will be fine...it will just be different. Honestly, it will be good different. I just don't like change. I don't do well with routine changes. They're almost as bad as mornings.

Then Friday I pick up the hubby and we go celebrate his brother's birthday. Busy week. I'm tired. Goodnight.