New Year's Eve in CO - Update 7 on Dad

Dad's appointment with the Infectious Diseases office went well. Once we're home, he will meet weekly with a dr to test his blood to determine how much bacteria is still there and to have his dressing changed. The training was helpful but even more helpful was the step by step instructions detailing everything that we'd just done. He will need an antibiotic treatment every day for 6-10 weeks. Its about a 30 minute process... Speaking of 30 minutes, dad seems to check his temp every 30. Hopefully the concern over that will end soon. Guess we're all just a bit touchy.

Tonight we're spending our New Year's eve with my aunt and uncle, Rhona (1st cousin), Morgan & Rosalie (2nd cousins), and Lucy (my aunt's best friend). The plan is to play Redneck Life (a boardgame where the person who ends with the most teeth wins), finish off a couple of bottles of sparking grape juice, and eat puppy chow till the ball drops. Nothing too taxing for dad.

The plan is to leave CO on Sunday morning, driving long and hard for one day, and then getting home mid afternoon on Monday. Our hope is that the weather will cooperate with that plan.

Praises - continued steps toward getting everyone home, good friends and family to welcome in the new year, puppy chow and redneck games :)

Prayers - Dad's still having a tough time finding a comfortable sleeping position at night. He twisted wrong last night and was unable to get a good night's sleep after that. Part of the problem is stiffness in the shoulder due to lack of use in the hospital. He's currently working to catch back up to where he was with exercises every hour.

The Eagle Has Landed - Update 6 on Dad

Dad had his first dose of the bacteria specific antibiotic through his pic line this morning before leaving the hospital. Everything went well and his body is still responding well. No further gall bladder issues either. He shook Dr Redfern's hand and thanked him before checking out of Penrose.

After a a short delay in Grand Rapids, I made it out of the mad house known as O'Hare on time. The flights were rather uneventful; just the way I like them. Met an interesting fellow on the flight from Chi-town to CO. I think he was a few years younger than me but he seemed an old soul. He offered me chocolate, books of poetry, even a peek at the journal he was writing in. I declined all of the above, especially the poetry and journal. Decided I didn't want to know if in fact he was a youthful creeper. He was good enough to assure me that I hadn't snored while sleeping on the flight. Good to know! Seriously, he was a good guy. Very kind and considerate and hates take off and landing just as much as I do. I wish him well.

Big hugs from mom and aunt Susie upon arrival and then we were off. After a trip to Walgreens for drugs for dad, we headed to the Kellogg's. Dad met us at the door. It was great to put my eyes on him! I'd intended to take and post pics but my camera has pooped out so you'll just have to take my word regarding his health. He looks good and his temperature is normal each time we check it. Little dirt on dad; ask him what his temperature was when he checked it while mom and Susie were out to pick me up. If he fibs and tells you it checked out okay, ask why it was 95.4 :) Poor man is exceptionally reliant on other people right now.

Praises - Safe travel and uneventful flights. Dad is looking good. We'll all be getting a full night's sleep tonight.
Prayers - Uncle Chuck has a chemo appt at 10 tomorrow. Mom and I have drug administration training at 11 tomorrow.

My body has decided to start the process of acclimating to the time difference and altitude by giving me a killer headache and everyone here has 3 nights of little sleep to make up for so we're headed to bed shortly. That being said, I'm signing off ~ Ae

Cocked, Locked, and Ready to Rock - Update 5 on Dad

"I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again..."

That's right, we're moving in the right direction now. It was nice last night to realize that my greatest concern was getting everything I needed into one carry on and making sure that my one carry on would fit into my mom's convertible. Based on my concerns earlier in the week, what a relief! (It all fit too, in case you were wondering :)

Dad will be released from the hospital this morning and I will arrive in Colorado Springs sometime this evening. Dad has to remain in town for a couple of days to make sure the pic line and antibiotics work as planned without issue. My uncle has requested that we stay through Monday to spend a little more time with him, since time with him has been limited due to the craziness with dad. Realistically it looks as if we will be leaving on Saturday or more likely Sunday to head home, putting us back in MI either Sunday or Monday.

On a personal note - I'm struggling with feelings of wanting to be in two places at one time. I'm excited to see with my own eyes that dad is going to be fine; looking forward to seeing my mom and my CO family, and spending time with my ill uncle. However, I wish I could be in MI to say farewell to the Fishers. Josh says that KCBC has impacted their family but their family has had such a huge impact on so many individuals and families in our church. I've been honored to call them friends; to laugh with, cry with, and minister with them. Josh has talked about the grace that our church has extended to him in allowing he and Amy to simply be who they were but he has done the same for others, me included. My life has been changed through learning that I don't have to fit into society's Christian mold. My parents have expressed the same disappointment in the extension of their time away from home causing them to miss the send off for the Fishers. Knowing that we will be missing an opportunity to say thank you and goodbye is very difficult.

Praises - God is GOOD and dad is coming home!! The impact the Fishers have had on the KCBC family and individual's lives.
Prayers - Safe travel and continued healing.

Until we start the drive home, I'll be updating from CO ~ Ae

Update 4 - Travel Details

I'll be flying out of GR tomorrow afternoon and arriving in the Springs around 7:30 tomorrow evening. Please pray for uneventful flights and cooperative weather.

Ae

Update 3 on Dad

2:00 I just spoke with mom again. Information seems to change with each new doctor that enters the room :) Anyway, the issues last night were due to fluid around the gall bladder. The blood work came back fine, indicating no actual gall bladder attack. The doctor is hoping that this issue will work itself out.

Relative to the shoulder, they've been able to isolate what bacteria it is and the appropriate medication and pic line have been ordered for sometime today. Both the infectious disease doctor and dad's CO surgeon, Dr. Redfern, are hopeful that he can be released from the hospital tomorrow. Following his release, he will need to remain in Colorado Springs for monitoring of the pic line and antibiotic. We have tentatively set an appointment on Thursday for training on how to give him his antibiotics through the pic line.

Travel - I'm waiting on a fax from the infectious disease Dr with the necessary medical certificate so I can book my flight out there for Wednesday afternoon. Best case scenario, we will leave CO for MI on Saturday morning, getting us home some time Sunday evening. If we run into either medical or weather delays, it may be a couple of days later.

Praise God for an amazing team of doctors doing everything they can to get dad on his way home, continued support and encouragement from CO and MI family and friends, and what appears to be an end to this frustrating trial. Please continue to pray for continued improvement in dad's condition, cooperative weather, and safe travel home.

Ae

Update 2 on Dad

11:30 (MI) I just got off the phone with mom. Dad's ultrasound confirmed that the new issues that developed last night were in fact due to an inflamed gall bladder. The general surgeon should be in sometime within the next couple of hours to discuss dad's options. If the doctor advises him to keep the gall bladder, we need to make sure that potential for further inflammation, pain, and fever is eliminated prior to the trip home. If removal is necessary, we need to determine how long we should wait before making the trip home.

Additionally, the infectious disease doctor came in this morning to meet with dad. He looked at the shoulder and gave dad the "all clear." They will be setting dad up with a pic line so we can give him his antibiotics intravenously on the road. He indicated that if it were dependent on just the shoulder, he could head home tomorrow. While meeting with my parents, the Dr apologized that he was just now getting involved in dad's case. Apparently there was a lack of communication and he'd only just heard about dad this morning.

As to travel plans, we are again looking at me flying there tomorrow afternoon to help mom drive back. The big question marks right now are 1) when will dad be released, 2) when will he be approved for travel, and 3) will he be taking his gall bladder back to MI with him. Our hope is that following the meeting with the general surgeon, we will have answers to all of these questions and we can start taking steps towards getting him home.

Lets keep praying and get him home ~ Ae

Update 1 on Dad

I spoke with dad yesterday afternoon around 6 (MI time) and he was still doing well, hoping to leave on Wednesday. We'd decided on a flight plan for my trip out there on Wednesday afternoon and were awaiting another visit from the Dr to get the necessary medical certificate so we could apply for "compassion fare" and the related insurances. Things were looking good and progressing forward.

Around 11 last night mom called to ask me to pray again as dad's temp had started to rise again. He was also experiencing abdominal pain - about a 5 or 6 on his pain scale. Around 2 AM (MI) the Dr was able to finally meet with and examine dad. He believes that his gall bladder has decided to flare up, completely unrelated to his shoulder. My mom said the look of disbelief on everyone's faces due to the irony was priceless :) The broad spectrum antibiotics that they've put dad on for the staph infection are only effective on resistant types of infection. The gall bladder issues would be due to a non-resistant type of bacteria.

As of 8 AM (MI), dad was getting an ultrasound of his abdomen to confirm the Dr's suspicions regarding the gall bladder. Once confirmed, a decision will be made as to whether or not removal is necessary. This is not the first time that dad has had gall bladder attacks and because of the inopportune timing of this attack, he would prefer to have it removed. Following the ultrasound, the Dr will advise dad how to proceed. Regardless of the new concern with the gall bladder, the information won't be available from the bacteria culture until its aged about 72 hours so dad won't be able to be released tomorrow.

The good news - while examining dad's abdomen last night the Dr also inspected the shoulder. The drain that they inserted in the joint is not pulling any more nastiness and everything appears to be progressing in a positive direction. The hope is that the drain can be removed today and the dressing changed.

On another note, travel plans have been postponed until we have more information. There are a few things being thrown around by my family. There is currently potential that Leah, a friend, and I will drive straight through (about 28 hrs) and then caravan back with my parents over the course of two days. We're also considering the possibility of sending dad on a direct flight back from Denver, once he's stable, to avoid the taxing 2 day drive back. Our CO family is sprinkled between Denver and Colorado Springs so that gives us a few more options for flights in or out. As dad's condition becomes more clear we will be able to finalize our plans and take steps towards getting everyone there and home.

Praise the Lord for continued good reports on dad's shoulder, supportive family and friends both in CO and MI, understanding employers, provision for our travel needs, and for nationwide cell phone plans :) Please continue to pray for healing for dad, strength and rest for both of my parents, peace for my 3 siblings and myself, wisdom for the Dr's, and safe travel once our plans are able to be finalized.

I'll keep you posted ~ Ae

2nd Longest Day in Turner History

Most of this was copied from my email... I'm running low on the emotional strength required to put together a blog so I'm sure I'll change a few things later.

As many of you know, our family went through one of the longest days in our lives (second only to the day of his bike accident). Knowing our body of believers was praying brought to mind the words of Paul in Philippians 1:3-6. I do thank God for you!!

Expectedly so, our family was on the phone hit and miss all day yesterday trying to get information relayed. As of 9:30 this morning, I believe I have the full story to date. For those that didn't know, following dad's rotator cuff surgery on the 18th, Wednesday mom and dad left for Colorado Springs to visit my uncle (with terminal liver cancer) and my aunt (my dad's sister).

The trip was going fine until Saturday night when dad started to develop some pain and a fever. At about 1 AM dad was admitted into the Penrose hospital in Colorado Springs with a staph infection in the incision and he was placed on strong antibiotics. The hope was that the antibiotics would kick in and dad could be stabilized enough to travel back home to see his surgeon. Mom called the rest of the family at about 10:00 to let us know what was going on. Later in the morning, they found a second infection in the joint itself. The joint infection was much more critical and my mom was informed that if they were unable to clear the infection out, dad would lose his right arm. Due to dad's very limited usage of his left arm following the motorcycle accident a few years ago, we were alarmed for good reason.

Before the surgery, dad (who has a very high pain tolerance) was in a significant amount of pain and had a fever of 105.3° He was in surgery for about an hour and a half. They took a culture of the infection for further testing and then flushed the joint with 8 liters of sterile water to eliminate the infection. He is now on a broad spectrum antibiotic but in a couple of days they will get the results of the culture and know exactly what antibiotics he will need to fight this particular staph infection.

The surgery was successful and the infection and fever are under control. He's was still in a great amount of pain last night and was given a pain pump to get the pain under control. As of this morning, he still has the pain pump but hasn't needed to use it. I was able to have a conversation with dad last night through mom and then he called me himself this morning, so the high fever doesn't seem to have done any damage to his brain. (I can't describe the relief in hearing his voice following this.) For at least the next three days dad will remain at Penrose and will be closely monitored to determine whether a second flushing of the joint will be necessary. Our hope is that this will not be necessary and that near the end of the week mom and dad can begin the journey home.

Please continue to pray as he is not fully out of the woods. Its also very difficult for my siblings and I to be so very far away from our parents as we go through this as a family. I'm currently looking into the feasibility of flying to CO to help my mom drive home so prayers for cheap flights, safe travel, and cooperative weather, would be appreciated too.

Strength

"Everlasting God"  Chris Tomlin

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Today this worship song is on my heart.  Each time we sing it in either Rhiza or with the worship community, I get a (randomly strange) visual of one of those inflatable figures that people put out during the holidays. 

Too often as Christians, living life on the front lines, we feel deflated.  Not in a hopeless sense as in a life without the joy of Christ, but rather in a tired sort of way.  Why is that?  I believe that its because we are human and our timelines don't always match up with God's.  Because of this, we take the battle into our own hands and end up exhausted trying to survive on our own strength.  

Isaiah 40:31 is clear "Those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary." 

Maybe we should be waiting for God's lead in the battle, rather than charting our own course, ending up out of his will, and deflated.  Just a thought.  Feel free to share yours.

I'm still waiting Lord

A myriad of thoughts running through my mind, emotions playing with my heart, and questions begging for answers.  I'm beginning to feel like my time with the Lord in prayer is far too short for the burdens on my heart.  Many of which are too personal to share online but I will share the song on my heart today.

I Will Wait - Attaboy

I hear you say
Just have faith
But I have almost run out
I can’t take
One more day
I want what I want right now
With all my heart I pray
Give me strength to say

I will wait
Wait on You
All my days if you want me to
Time is cheap
It’s not mine to keep
So I will wait, wait on You

I know you could
I think you should
Fix this situation
I scream your name
It feels in vain
Because of my impatience
My plans have fallen short
Replace my dreams with yours

I will wait
Wait on You
All my days if you want me to
Time is cheap
It’s not mine to keep
So I will wait, wait on You

Forever and a day
As long as it takes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9XskskW7T8

Lord, thank you for the many blessings in my life.  Thank you for the relationships you've allowed to shape and mold me and others.  Thank you mostly for forgiving the sin you knew I would commit, offering grace, and loving me regardless.  Thank you for your Son.  Our time together this morning was so short and my heart is still heavy.  You see and know all of the things on my mind.  I know you have a plan for all the issues bombarding my heart right now and I know there is a purpose for all of the situations I'd like to see going differently.  You have proven time and again that I can trust you with my heart and the hearts of those I love so let me rest in that trust.  Let us not get burdened with the earthly issues that surround our existence.  Give us strength to overcome the pressures that face us each day.  Let us find rest in the perfect relationship that you offer us.  Carry my burden today Lord, I give it to you.  Please carry the burdens of those I love as well.  They may not think to ask but I'm asking for them.  As much as I love them, I know you love them even more.  Thank you for that.  I'll talk to you later tonight, Lord.

A Heavy Heart...

Let me preface this post by saying I know that I care too much.  Some have called it a flaw but I honestly believe that God has created me this way for a purpose.  Occasionally I question that purpose but most days I accept it and simply show people love from the abundance of what I've been given.  I'm loyal and committed and when I care for someone, be it friend or otherwise, my heart aches for things in a way that many other people's may not.  This post falls into the otherwise category...

Sunday I learned that John Mouthaan passed away.  Thankfully, Lauren spoke to me personally before I was caught off guard with a public announcement of some sort.  I can't say enough how much I appreciated that.  She shared with me the details of his death and caught me up on how each person in the family was doing emotionally.  Thankfully both Phil and Nick were able to fly home to be with family and take part in the funeral process.  All of the remaining family was local enough to be able to drive in.

As I've prayed for their family over the last two days, the depth of my own emotion has caught me off guard.  Compared to others, I didn't know John well; beyond seeing him at family events and sharing a bleacher with him at occasional sporting events.  It was easy to see that he was a family man; proud of his children and grandchildren.  In his own quiet way, he showed them how much he cared for them - a joke, a hug, an encouragement.  All these I remember.  He always struck me as someone from whom one could learn alot.  A man with faith, experience, and wisdom for the asking.  Probably not unlike most grandfathers.

As little as I knew John, I did know Phil and how much he cared for his grandfather.  I know the level of respect that Phil had for his grandfather; the curiosity he had for the time John spent in a war (WWII) that he didn't speak about; and how much he admired the man that his grandfather was.  I ache for Phil's loss of such a man.  My heart goes out to the entire family, mourning the loss of their patriarch, but mainly to Phil.

I have grown close to my own grandmother in my adult years; not nearly as old as John's 86 years but aging just the same.  I recognize that one day I will receive a phone call letting me know that the time has come to say goodbye to the woman who is the backbone of our family.  Just the thought of what Phil is going through right now brings tears to my eyes.  Partially due to consideration of the emotions I would be struggling with were our roles reversed, but mainly due to the fact that the the piece of my heart that I once gave to Phil remains with him, and he's hurting right now. (just to clarify, I'm not speaking romantically)

Tonight I'll offer my condolences to the family that was once as close as my own.  Tomorrow we'll remember the man that John was, what he meant to so many people, celebrate that he's started his eternity with Christ, and lay his body to rest.  For this moment though, I'm going to allow the memories to flood in and the tears to fall as I mourn for the Mouthaan's, Newton's, and Phil...

I'll leave you with the current song playing on my heartstrings. 

'Trying' Eleventyseven.

Life can feel like a red light screaming "Go!"
And everyday means an answer I don't know.
This world can make you wanna fake it
And nobody wants to face it alone.
Its hard to shake that feeling that your hearts not home.

I'm trying to live,
Trying to hope,
Trying to love,
Trying to cope,
Life's a war that few of us survive.
And I'm just trying to make it out alive.

Everyone has a story to be told,
And every tongue has a lie it could expose.
This world describes all the treatments,
To keep all the secrets you want,
We've learned how to think,
Without our minds turned on.

I'm trying to live,
Trying to hope,
Trying to love,
Trying to cope,
Life's a war that few of us survive.
And I'm just trying to make it out alive.

The pain we go through is what makes us who we are.
And if we hold each other through,
The deepest darkest parts...

Then we can live,
Then we can hope,
Then we can love,
Then we can cope,
Life is not a jump it is a head first dive!

I'm trying to live,
Trying to hope,
Trying to love,
Trying to cope,
Life's a war that few of us survive,
And I know we can make it out alive.

the "joys" of previous owners...

Let me start by saying "I love my house." Its old and thus filled with character, charm, and plenty of projects to take on to fill boring evenings. While far too large for just one person, the amount of space opens up endless ministry and entertaining possibilities. This excess of space also affords me the luxury of finding ways to decorate to minimize each individual space and create a comfortable and homey atmosphere.

I should also note that I really like some of the random things that have been left in my house; a vacuum, microwave, spare furniture, work benches, lumber, etc. I'm currently working to refinish an antique desk that was left to collect cobwebs and dust in the basement. What's not to love about that?? One other item that is not included in the above list but is too curious to not mention in this blog is a handmade piece of pottery that looked like several snake heads, and also contained a bunch of "questionables" inside. Good times!

Anyway, all that being said; what I don't love about my home are the "issues" that indicate not so conscientious previous owners. Let me clarify that, in venting my frustration, I'm in no way intending to criticize the character of any of the former lovers of my home. As much as a "thing" can have such attributes, the house is very endearing and seems to have been loved by many people (about which I know next to nothing). I'm sure most of these people, if not all, were decent upstanding citizens who personalized the home to their liking. My intent is to not critcize their style, just the lack of thought that accompanied some of the projects they endeavored. Both have become more apparent as I tackle each new "improvement" to what is now my beloved home. Probably more so due to my OCD nature.

Other than improving the structural integrity of the barn (for which I am truly grateful), the man I bought the home from, Ed Stedman, made no changes to the property. None that I recollect anyway, being that I toured 11 N. Clover prior to his purchase. Technically, since Ed didn't do much during his residency, he's off the hook here. "Thanks for the extra microwave and vacuum Ed." Moving on.

From what I've gathered, the people Ed purchased the home from were responsible for the update to the master bath (again, I am very grateful). However, the renovation includes improperly finished drywall; mismatched lighting, plumbing fixtures, hardware, and mirrors; upside down GFI outlets; and doors that do not match those in the rest of the house.  If you're not sure what you're doing - do a little research and educate yourself.  That's all I've got to say on that.

The remaining issues that have arisen were created by an unknown owner, or at least one that hasn't been clearly defined to me. The facts are as follows:

Windows. All of the original windows in the home on the lower level have been painted shut. They are the old school windows with sash cords and weights.  Beyond just painting the windows shut, many of the the sash cords have been either painted (I assume to cover dust) or cut off entirely.  Even if I could break through the layers of paint locking my windows show, the cut and painted cords add an additional element to my dilemma.  My bedroom window was most likely replaced with the improvements done to the bathroom. As such, it is thankfully in good working order. The two sliding glass doors are also in working order but this brings me to my second window related concern ~ who puts an inaccessible second slider in a home where a window should go instead? My insurance company wanted me to put steps up to this over sized window! Instead, my dad was good enough to help me build a rail that is now mounted to the wall so no one falls out of the slider that is never used.

Wall Finishes. Nearly every room on both floors sports wallpaper with several coats of paint overtop. If that isn't bad enough, I've had to replace every single outlet and switch (covers included) because all of them had been painted over. Some with enough coats of paint to render them unuseable. Additionally, last fall I discovered that one of the upstairs rooms was never primed prior to painting. How did I "discover" this? I decided to paint stripes on the wall and at the completion of my project, when I pulled the tape lines off the wall, several colors of paint came right up with it. I called my dad (what would I do without him) in tears about this... Thanks to growing up in a constant construction project, I knew enough about spackle and patchwork to repair the mess made.  Not quite good as new because tape lines are cleaner lines than the ones made by shaky hands but good enough to pass my inspection.

Plumbing.  If its leaking, clamps and silicone caulk do not count as a solid fix... Even 1" thick caulk.  This is not up for discussion, its just a fact.  Grab your saw, some new piping and connections, pipe cleaner and glue, and do the job right.

Decks.  4x4's are not used on decks for decorative purposes.  They are structural support.  As such, burying them 6" in the ground is ineffective.  K?  Glad we're on the same page now.

I'm not quite sure how to end this post other than to say that I recognize the blessing of being able to own my own home - I am very blessed.  I'm not a negative person so don't read too much into what I've said.  Just have a laugh with me about the "joys" of previous owners.  I would love to hear other people's stories so post a comment if you have your own horror stories to share.

I think I'm back

If you have been following my blog, you may have noticed that I haven't posted consistently for - lets see, carry the 2, now divide by 4 - yeah, about 3 years.  My typical excuse is that life is busy, which is true, but recently I was reminded how therapeutic blogging is so I'm going to give it another go.  Bear with me as I muddle through the craziness of my life and sometimes even my emotions on here.

it started as 25 random notes...

This was one of those things that goes around that you fill out and pass on. I posted it to my facebook like everyone else but then I got to thinking that, since I hadn't posted anything to my blog since last September, I could take the easy route and repost it here. Yay me for being a genious slacker :)

This started as a list of 25 random things about myself. Because there are far more random things about me than normal things, I've started with 25 but I'm going to continue adding to the list as it suits me. Enjoy and check back often.

1. I don’t like hearts. I think I used to but it changed when mine was broken… probably a weird bitterness toward the symbol.

2. I usually chew my nails when I read. I don’t know why because I can’t stand chewing my nails.

3. I love using big words but, while I know how to use them, I usually can’t give people a clear definition of what they mean.

4. I feel guilty for being selfish - all the time. I do things I don’t want to because I don’t want other people to feel bad because I’ve said no. On the flip side, I don’t do things that I enjoy because I don’t want people to feel obligated to do them with me. Because of this trait, I think I gravitate toward selfish people.

5. I love to stand in the coffee aisle in grocery stores and inhale… someday someone will catch on and they’ll kick me out.

6. I would love to dance like a professional dancer like one of Brittney’s crew or someone from River Dance but in reality I have two very grounded left feet and I probably look like an ox when I dance.

7. I’ve always loved bright colored clothes. When I was little, I idolized Rainbow Bright and Punky Brewster and tried to dress like them. I eventually moved on to tie dye, and now I’m on a colored scarf, colored heel, colored headband kick. I have random bursts of color all over in my closet.

8. I hold microphones with my fingertips because I get so nervous being in front of people that my palms sweat. I also alternate hands so I can wipe off the clamminess and keep my hands from cramping.

9. I do my best thinking in the shower.

10. I don’t like being the center of attention. I would much rather stand in the back of a group or do things anonymously. I’d rather hide in a crowd than have someone notice me. That’s me being shy I guess.

11. If I could bring people back from the dead (not in the creepy way), I’d bring back the people I loved and lost rather than those I never had a chance to know. For instance, I never knew either of my grandfathers but I’d rather have my grandmother and a few of my friends back. Not to say I wouldn’t want to know them though… kind of hard to explain.

12. I have bruised myself many times with the lights out. When I flip the switch, I randomly close my eyes too and then I trip over and bump into things. I have to mentally force myself to keep my eyes open.

13. When I was 10, I tripped while playing basketball with my brother in a parking lot and I slid on the asphalt on my face. I think I’m the only one who sees the scar.

14. I love to organize; events, people, rooms, things, budgets, etc.

15. I can’t stand a dirty house or clutter but I have specific things that I’ll let sit for a week before taking care of them. 1) I always have a pile of shoes at my door because each day and event requires a different pair and I don’t tend to put any of them away until Saturday. 2) dishes in the sink.

16. When I was a little girl, I’d organize my crayons so the blue and red were on either side of the pink and purple crayons to protect them from the other ugly colors.

17. I hated my adult teeth since they started to come in but I was 21 before I finally got braces.

18. I love having deep conversations with people but I’m always at a loss on how to start them.

19. I love watching kids grow from selfish, flighty, gangly, uncoordinated, smelly 6th graders to attractive seniors who graduate with honors and have a goal for their life and a heart for other people. More importantly, I love watching their relationships with Christ blossom as He slowly reveals himself to them.

20. My favorite way to get exercise is to work hard on something productive; like construction.

21. I have an irrational fear of peel and pop biscuit cans. When I had roommates, I’d wait until they got home so they could open the cans for me. Now I just peel ‘em with my eyes tightly closed, wrap them in a towel, and throw them on the floor till they pop open.

22. I often express myself better in song lyrics and movie quotes than my own words.

23. I talk to my best friend on the phone nearly every day. My favorite conversations are in the morning when neither of us is frustrated yet by things that have irritated us during the day. For some reason, we’re more open with each other during those conversations. The day just isn’t right until I’ve talked to Brenda; she’s like my other half.

24. I had gasoline splashed in my eye when I was 7.

25. My greatest fear is that those I love will never understand the difference between believing in God and having a relationship with Christ. My fear of having my heart broken again runs a close second.

26.  I hate yogurt but I eat it for my health...  Or try anyway.  Sometimes I'll stock up and it'll go bad before I eat it. 

27.  I have a routine with taco preparation and its totally Phil Mouthaan's fault.  Sour cream first because it gives the cheese, which comes next, something to stick to.  Warm meat and beans follow, to melt the cheese.  Salsa, then lettuce, otherwise the salsa slides right off the lettuce.  Jalepeno's last.  Nothing else.  Doggone logical math majors - makes my OCD seem tame :)  Ha ha - now you'll think of this post next time you make a taco.  Let me know if you've been converted.

28.  The only bone I've ever broken was my collar bone because Steph pushed me off a slide when I was 3.

29.  I started getting grey hair at 20.

30.  When I get the flu, I always wake up with one of two awful dreams, letting me know I'm about to wretch.  Pleasant, I know.

31.  I don't particularly care for animated movies; classics being the exception.

32.  I have little ears.  I think they're from my mom.

33.  I am very patriotic.  More so since 9/11 but I think I've always been.

34. My siblings still consider me an expert at fort building but my nieces and nephews are the only ones who get to see it first hand.

35.  I have my belly button pierced.  Brenda and I did it together for our birthday when we were just leaving our teens.  She let hers go when she was pregnant for Parker but I've still got mine.  Its not at all as attractive as it was when I did it though.  Not quite sure why I still have it either - guess I'm just overly sentimental.

36.  I'm actually very picky about food but I was raised well so I'll eat just about anything put in front of me.  Way to go mom, bet you wish I'd have developed that skill a little sooner.