Reflecting on my first week as a patient....

A little over a week ago I had some surgery. I have been home since then recovering...and will be home for another 1-2 weeks before I return to school. I've spent a lot of time resting ...and a lot of time thinking. Just a few of my observations from the past week (and no photos - sorry!)...

• I do not know what I did before we had DVR. It is one of the best inventions EVER!
• I'm sure that the chair in our family room will forever have an imprint of my body in it from all the time I have spent there (and will continue to spend there) since my surgery!
• I have watched enough HGTV that I can officially decorate, design, or rebuild anything...or at least tell someone how to do it.
• I have become very good friends with Matt, Al, Meridith, and Ann. I spend at least 2 hours with them every morning.
• You have no idea how much you miss your energy and independence until you don't have it!
• Cell phones are another amazing invention. How else would I let Chris (who was in our bedroom) know that I (who was in the family room) needed something like cough drops?
• I think I officially have "lost" 2+ days of my life. I have very little memory of last Thursday or Friday...and even part of Saturday. Pain killers and anesthesia are powerful stuff!
• Who knew that a quick outing to the post office and Walmart with your very own driver could make you so, so tired?
• After watching many, many episodes of Split Ends, I officially want a fun, trendy hairstyle.
• I have some amazing friends .....friends who bring me meals, pray for me, call to check up on me, drive my kids to/from school, and come to visit me. I am very blessed to have such great friends!
• I also have amazing family! My mom came last weekend and both parents came this weekend to help out. Thanks to them my kids were entertained, we were fed, laundry was done, and groceries were bought. Chris' parents have been a huge help too - checking on me during the day when I'm home alone, taking the kids to/from school, driving me places, bringing lots of yummy food, and sitting with Chris while I had my surgery.

And now....I'm off to take a nap. It's amazing how even the smallest things...like typing a blog entry...wipe me out!

Daddy, can I paint??

Yesterday paint finally went up on the walls of our basement! We still have a long way to go - ceiling, carpet, trim, etc. - but it is starting to look like a real room instead of a huge mess. Shortly after Chris started painting (actually priming - we decided to have the primer tinted the same color as the paint), Jenna went downstairs to ask if she could paint. Chris decided she couldn't really do much damage since we don't have carpet, trim, or furniture down there, so he painted a square on the wall and told her she could paint within that area. She was so careful and was really enjoying it. She even said "I can just paint until supper. I don't need to take a break." And she did keep painting....until our neighbor came over about 10 minutes later to see if Jenna wanted to play. Priorities!

The paint color looks really yellow in these photos. It's actually a really pretty tan - not yellowish at all!

Getting instructions from Dad....

Look at that concentration....she always sticks her tongue out when she's concentrating!Her "finished" area....she finally quit and went to play instead...

Craving an original chicken sandwich and sweet tea...

I saw this video on a friend's facebook post. I thought I'd share the ode to my favorite fast food restaurant!

Loving her toothless grin....

Jenna lost her other top front tooth on Saturday (she "pulled" it out herself...although technically it was barely hanging on). I am just loving her toothless grin right now!!

photos taken at Ft Wayne Zoo 9/6/09

Progress....

I'm sure this isn't as exciting to everyone else as it is to us....but I thought I'd post some photos of our basement remodeling progress. Unfortunately, I totally forgot to take "before" photos. The only basement photos I could even find were from when our basement flooded two years ago. So, you will have to ignore the water, but you can get the general idea of our basement. It had very pale wood paneling in it they we weren't too fond of. The layout also wasn't working for us, so Chris has torn down walls and put up some new ones to make it more functional for our family.


BEFORE
This area will become the TV area when we are done. The wall in the back of this photo (where you see the white cupboard) has been taken down and moved back to make my room!

This area will be behind the TV area and will have a table/chairs...

DURING

The old walls have been torn down and the new walls are being framed. The wall to the right will be the outside wall of my room! Originally there was a wall on the left side of this photo.

Looking from my room towards the TV area (on the right where the big green board is)

Standing in my room ....

More framing......the big opening to the right is my room....the area to the left will be unfinished storage....

Storage! Door #1 leads to an existing cedar closet and door #2 will lead to the unfinished storage.

TV area and the open stairway.....the stairway used to have a wall to the left of it, but we took it down so we can see the basement from upstairs (thinking ahead to teenage get togethers!)...

Looking down from the stairs....Both posts at the bottom of the stairs will be boxed in...

DRYWALL!

TV area...

Storage areas....

My room....

Chris is planning to have the dry wall mudding/sanding finished within the next couple days . He still needs to hang dry wall in my room and then we can begin painting! I'm excited to see the area with paint and carpet and furniture!

Ten on Tuesday....

1. We've been in school for a little over a week. Things are going well in my classroom....just trying to work through a few bugs in my schedule. I didn't add any new students over the summer, so I was able to jump right in and get started since my students all continue to work with me from grade to grade.

2. Jenna and Jacob are both doing really well with school so far too. They've done pretty well adjusting to the school schedule and getting up early (except for this morning....LOTS of grumbling). Jacob has adjusted really well to middle school. I'm glad the transition is going well for him. I have some strong memories of middle school and some of the bullying and put downs that went on. I don't want him to have to go through that. He has a good group of friends - and we are really happy about that!

3. Jenna is loving 2nd grade so far. Her best friend happens to be in the same classroom, so she was extra excited about that. When I ask her about school, she loves to talk about recess....I guess that is her social personality coming out.

4. Jenna and I both have a new friend at school this year. I have been working with a ESL student who speaks very, very little english - she didn't even know how to say her name in English on the first day. She is also in Jenna's class and sits next to Jenna so she can be a "buddy" to her. I was a little overwhelmed about where to even start with her, but I have been amazed out how quickly she has learned things over the past week. It would be helpful if I could speak even a few words of Chinese, but somehow we are communicating with lots of inventive sign language, pictures, pointing, and facial expressions!

5. I can't believe how cool it has been over the past week. Usually we are absolutely melting during the first week of school - especially since we have no air conditioning in our building. It has been so nice not having blazing hot days! I would be happy if it just stayed this temperature year round!

6. It's almost fair time. The fair starts tomorrow, but we haven't gotten our passes yet. We've been debating how many to get. Last year we really didn't go as often as we usually do. I guess the novelty of the fair is finally wearing off for me. I can't just sit home and NOT go though. I have to get my usualy fair food fixes and find a good bench to sit and people watch for a while!

7. Our basement remodeling project is coming along. As of last night Chris finished round one of mudding and taping the dry wall. Another coat of mud and then we can start painting.

8. Since our basement project is moving along, we went furniture shopping on Saturday night. We ordered the couch, chair, and ottoman and also a table/chairs. We still have a little bit more furniture shopping to do and also need to pick out carpet. I'm excited to see if all come together!

9. One of the things I'm most excited about in our basement is the space that will be my room. I will have a room closed off with french doors for my scrapbooking/photography. I've been doing lots of research trying to find ideas and finally have a plan for what I want. I can't wait for my own little space.

10. Lots of sickness going around school already. UGH! Since I don't seem to have the strongest immune system, I'm just hoping I can stay healthy as long as possible. I just can't get sick right now!

HAPPY TUESDAY!!!!