Just Stroll-ing Along . . .

I got soaked on my way to work this afternoon . . . after Brian and I had lunch, we realised it was dark as night out, so I startin' bookin' right over to Noral, in hopes I would beat the storm . . . but I didn't. I could barely see anything in front of me, and almost drove right into the median! Scary, then, but once I got into the office, I was able to enjoy the thunder and lightening . . . until Al started messing with the breakers and everything and accidentally shut off all the power. That was a little unnerving . . . there are hardly any windows in this place, so it was DARK DARK DARK in here.
Bohnsack, Brian and I are hittin' the road on Saturday to drive up to De-troit to see the second game of Tigers v. Yankees! Bohnsack got us FREE tickets, since he used to work for the Tigers. Yay!

This weekend Brian and I re-watched a few classics - Wayne's World and Tommy Boy. Funnily, Rob Lowe and Chris Farley are in both of them. We seriously need a VCR - almost all the best movies are on VHS - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, old James Bond, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure & Bogus Journey, Quick Change (all on DVD, but not at our local Family Video), etc.

We figured what the heck, let's go for it . . . no money, no paid time off, but we're going on vacation anyway! We're going to drive down to Gramma's house and spend a week swimming and lying on the beach. Brian desperately needs a vacation, and this will be almost free - we'll only have to pay for gas and a little bit of food - so we're going. We can't wait . . . just reading and sunbathing and sleeping and watching old people play tennis! And let's not forget the huge women in their thong bikinis!

The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini

. . . we had a bit of a scare. Dad went to see his cardiologist and they ended up doing a heart catheterization right away, because they thought there was a blockage. Thankfully, everything ended up being okay . . . as it turns out, the stress test apparantly ended up with a false positive. You'd think with all our new technology they'd be able to keep that from happening, but I guess not. Anyways, we're just thankful Dad's okay!

I was sitting here, thinking for about 2 seconds after I wrote my last post about my old friend and I just miss all my old friends. I really do. It wasn't getting married that made me lose touch with them - that had happened before - but what was it that made us all drift apart? I hate that.

I'm the only one left in the office and it is quiet. The phone hasn't even rung since I've been here. Lynda's off today and Bonnie left a bit ago because she has showings all afternoon and I have no clue where Al is. So it's just me here, holdin' down the fort.
Dad had an appointment with the cardiologist this morning, but I haven't heard anything as of yet. I'm trying not to worry, but I know they wouldn't have sent him to see this doctor if everything was hunky-dory. So now we must wait and pray.
I am desperate for a vacation, but I don't think that's going to happen now, considering our present circumstances. We talked about it last night - our situation, that is - and things aren't looking too good for us. We tossed back & forth some ideas, but didn't settle on anything. More waiting and praying to be done.
An old friend of mine and his wife are having a baby girl in September :o) I haven't talked to him in a long time (I found out via their blog), but I am so happy for them. They were married just 2 months before Brian and I, and already they are having a baby! I don't know if I could handle that already . . . but I know they will both be wonderful parents.

Here's a little bit of an update . . .
Brandon and Mindy showed up late Saturday afternoon. I was over at my parent's doing laundry (Brian was up @ MIS), so we all had dinner together. Eric and Adam & Ang and the kids all came over, too.
Sunday I had another open house, but not for very long and after that we raced over to my grandparent's and had a cookout with them.
Monday I only worked a half-day, so Mindy and I went shopping in the afternoon, and then Brian and I had everyone over for pizza. Brian's sister called while everyone was over to let us know that his Grammy was in the hospital being treated for dehydration and pneumonia. Poor Grammy! (We found out yesterday that she is back home and doing well).
Then yesterday I only worked an hour in the morning, then headed to Mom and Dad's again to hook up with them and Min and Bran for lunch. Brian came over after having worked all day and taken Thunder to the vet and we all had dinner. Dad found out while we were there that the stress test he had done on Monday morning came back abnormal, so now he has to see a cardiologist . . . which is scary.
So anyway, I'm working full days today and tomorrow and then I only work a half-day again on Friday . . . yay!

Happy 11 month anniversary, sweetheart!

So a little bit of good news - Brian might be going back to work at Dillin. He actually has two different opportunities there - one job is in the mechanical dept (where he worked before) and the other is in the electrical dept. There are a few pros and cons with each position, but pretty much either one would be good for him. He may have to travel again in mechanics, but once I'm able to quit my job, I would be allowed to go with him. So we're definitely praying about all of this. It's really been amazing how things have worked out for us the the last few weeks . . . God is really holding us up and providing for us. He has put so many people in our path who are willing to help, comfort, support and pray for us. Brian has been so positive and faithful through it all - he's really taught me a lesson in perseverance. Alison Krauss sings these two songs that I absolutely love . . . they are a wonderful reminder of God's love for his people.

A Living Prayer
Alison Krauss

In this world I walk alone
with no place to call my home
But there's One who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands
The way is dark, the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
This Savior lives inside me there

In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

In these trials of life I find
Another Voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives

In your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee
take my life and let me be
A living prayer my God to thee

In The Palm Of Your Hand
Alison Krauss

If I could have the world and all it owns
A thousand kingdoms, a thousand thrones
If all the earth were mine to hold
With wealth my only goal
I'd spend my gold on selfish things
Without the love that Your life brings
Just a little bit more is all I'd need
'Til life was torn from me

I'd rather be in the palm of Your hand
Though rich or poor I may be
Faith can see right through the circumstance
Sees the forest in spite of the trees
Your grace provides for me

If I should walk the streets no place to sleep
No faith in promises You keep
I'd have no way to buy my bread
With a bottle for my bed
But if I trust the One who died for me
Who shed His blood to set me free
If I live my life to trust in You
Your grace will see me through

I'd rather be in the palm of Your hand
Though rich or poor I may be
Faith can see right through the circumstance
Sees the forest in spite of the trees
Your grace provides for me

I love him :o)

My car is on the fritz! Well, not really. Brian was putting new brakes on and apparantly my back pistons or whatever they are have seized up and now we have to get new calipers. He worked on the car for about 12 hrs, poor guy. So we had to order to new calipers and on the way to the parts store, his left shock about blew out. So we had to buy new shocks too. Which means we now have like $10 in our checking account. Oh well. I guess it's going to take a while for the calipers to come in, so in the meantime I'm driving Daddy's car :o)

So yesterday I did my first open house! It went pretty well. There really wasn't a whole lot to do . . . Saturday we cleaned the house and then yesterday we just sat around waiting for people to walk through. We had about 20 people, I think. Not bad. I'm there again this Sunday. I'd do it every day for $25 bucks an hour!
Saturday evening we were at my parent's house . . . Adam, Ang and the kids came over so we got to spend a little bit of time with them. We had dinner, did laundry, etc. I came home to find a beautiful card from my seester waiting for me! It is so pretty.
Brian heard from Sun Oil - they don't want him. They are crazy. But I guess they had like 2500 people apply for the 20 jobs. Oh well.
My seester comes home on Saturday! YAY! We are going to gorge on chinese food.

Founding Mothers is turning out to be really well-written, and, to my knowledge, accurate. If anybody has any recommendations for other books of women of the Revolution, let me know. It's my new obsession. I also have Dearest Friend: The Life of Abigail Adams by Lynne Withey.

The ballgame on Tuesday was fabulous - Mud Hens beat the Pawtucket Red Sox 8-3 and our seats were in the 2nd row, right behind home plate. We ate hot dogs and drank beer. It was pretty hot out, but thankfully our seats were in the shade.
Brian was sick in bed all day yesterday. Poor guy. He's still not feeling very well, but he went to work this morning anyway. He's congested and has a sore throat.
Speaking of Brian, the Rossford Police Dept is having their test on July 9, so he is going to apply for that. Hopefully this time he'll get in - he's only got two years left before he hits the age limit.
My mother's best friend is dying and it is very sad. Their family has been our family for about 25 years. The dr's say there isn't much left they can do for her. Her cancer has spread a tremendous amount in the last 3 weeks and the dr says her death will be slow and agonizing. She is already on as much pain medication as possible. We are all grateful for her life and mournful of her impending death.

Last night Brian and I took Bonnie out for her birthday dinner - mmm . . . Red Lobster! It was fabulous and we all stuffed ourselves.
We won 4 tickets to tonight's Mud Hens game, so we're taking Kelly with us. I don't know how it's going to be, since it's like 23408923402934 degrees out, but our seats are just behind home plate, so we're excited about that.
I have to leave the office at 330 to pick up the dogs from the groomer's. I love good smelling, short haired doggies!

Friday night we went to Genoa Homecoming and helped Jonah, Mia, Logan and Laken get all kinds of candy at the parade. After that, we went over to see Sophie - she's so incredibly tiny and sweet. Holding her takes absolutely no effort at all, she's just so small. She has gobs of dark hair and these little rosebud lips and makes all the wonderful newborn noises. When we walked in, Elizabeth shouted, "THERE'S A NEW BABY IN THE HOUSE!" - obviously she wasn't excited about her at all. She then proceded to stick two fingers in Sophie's nostrils saying, "Her nose holes are like TWO TRIANGLES." That girl is somethin' else.
Yesterday we went with Kelly and Craig to the Old West End festival. There were belly dancers, and lots of good food and lemonade, and some pretty interesting artsy stuff. We hung out for a while and then went back to their house for cards (Phase 10 - Craig & I tied). THEN . . . Brian and I saw Hitch, which, thanks to Kevin James, was funny. Then home to shower and take care of doggies, then back to the East Side to hook up with Bohnsack @ the Sacred Heart festival. Let me just go on record as saying that Sacred Heart is LAME. (Sorry, Bethany, I know you used to work for them, but give me a break.) They had one big tent with beer and what appeared to be sheets of plywood painted different colors that were supposed to represent some type of game. It was pretty much crappy. We still had a good time though.
Anyways, Brian's getting ready to leave for his job interview and I've gotta get busy on laundries.

Now that I am mostly recovered from my sickness, we are planning a fun weekend! Tonight we are going to the Genoa Homecoming parade (with Jonah, Elizabeth, Mia, Logan & Laken) and tomorrow we are going to the Old West End Festival. Mmmm . . . so much good foods.
Brian has a job interview for a systems monitor position @ Sun Oil on Sunday afternoon. It's shift work, but the pay is really good, so hopefully it'll work out. Al and his other job at the carwash are keeping him pretty busy, but something with benefits would be fantastic (especially since I am sickly-like & he has been having a lot of foot problems).
I almost got another job today - a landscaping job - at our apartment complex, but it wasn't enough hours, so I passed it up. Would have been really nice since it would be at home, and the hours were flexible, but oh well. Mar is thinking about taking it though!
I got a new book the other day - I used the last of my birthday gift card from Books-a-Million. I'm not a huge fan of the author (Cokie Roberts) but it's called Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation - including Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, Eliza Pinckney Lucas, Mercy Otis Warren and several others. I haven't started it yet, but I'm very excited. It looks like it was well researched and written.

Sophia Annabel Rice,
June 1
5 lbs, 11 oz
18 inches