Now, as promised, a real update!

Things are going very well here, just very busy. I have this week and next week left in training. Then, they cut me loose. I hope I can keep myself together, learn not to take things so personally where attorney's and judges are concerned, and find a medium between wanting to bring all these kids home with me or just run the other direction. The thought of holding the future of a family in my hands is an awesome responsibility that I am not sure I could ever really be prepared for.

I had planned to start my Couch to 5k running program yesterday, but, alas, my best made plans were laid to waste when I was released from class early only to find my car deader than a doornail! Luckily, a couple of girls helped me push it to a different spot (hooray for a standard) and gave me a jump. I made it to my parent's house to get the girls, and there my dad took over. He cleaned the battery cables, tested it, replaced the cables - all to determine it was "failing under load" - whatver that car speak means?! I am just thankful dad knows! =) Daddy's are great! So, off we went to get a new battery! It was about 8 when I made it home last night, and after all that excitement I just did my regular exercise. But, I will do it! OH! This week also marks a year since I reached my goal weight and celebrated a 65 pound weight loss! WOHOO!

In girl news, they had their first real word argument the other night. We were coming home from dinner with some friends when it just barely started to rain. Rachel said, "It's rainin'! Get umbredella (umbrella)". A couple of seconds later we hear Bekah quietly say, "It's not rainin'." Rachel reacted and responded, "It's rainin', Bekah!" "It's not rainin', Chachel!" "IT'S RAININ' BEKAH!!!!!!!" It was too funny!

P.S. Earle-girl, I am trying your chicken recipe tomorrow night! Hope it works out! =)

My poor neglected blog

It's been so long since I posted an update, I promise to do it tomorrow, but it's too late tonight and I am too tired. :)

Caution! Kids at Play!

The girls are just too much fun lately. They are always saying the funniest things. This morning while they were still in their beds I was getting their bag ready to go, I was listening to Bekah on the monitor. It went something like this:

"Mommy? Mommy! Bekah's stinky!!" something inaudible, "What Darlin'?" said two or three times. "Ok, Mommy Chachel's up now, come oooonnnnn!"

Then tonight when they pulled down Daddy's bead curtain, Rachel says, "Oh! Dear me!" HAHAHA! I think that one came from a Pooh toy they have.

Tonight while I was making dinner Fred called me into the playroom. This is what I found.
Bekah had cleared all the books off that shelf and decided it would be a good place to hang out, I guess.
Rachel was busy playing with their farm animals. Here she is laying on top of the play table.

They are just so much fun right now. I wish I could just put things on pause for a while and enjoy this all for a little longer.

Bekah's Big Day

Today a major thing happened in toddler world! Bekah pooped on the potty! HOORAY!!!! At first she didn't seem to understand. She said "Uh Oh!" and seemed concerned she had done something wrong. We really cheered for her and I think in the end she felt ok with it, but I don't expect this will be a regular occurance yet. But I am excited none-the-less.

In other news I have agreed to run the race for the cure in October with a couple of girls from my new job. One is currently pregnant and due at the end of June. I figure if she can do it, then I should be able to. So, I am going to try this running "thing" again. I guess I better go find my Couch to 5K running plan and dust it off. I have to say tho, until it's really spring (we are expecting snow tomorrow) I am not even going to attempt it. I'm just a wuss. =)

Testing...Testing..1..2..3..

Does this thing still work?!

Well, I just finished a huge marathon reading tour this last week. A wide variety of subjects from domestic violence to poverty to the history of our agency. This morning I had to take a test on all of it. It's been quite a while since I have had to take a test so I was a little nervous. I wanted to do really well because the results for the class are emailed to every supervisors with students in this class. I missed 6 out of 58 and scored a 90. Not bad, but the perfectionist in me is not that happy. I had three of them right and second guessed myself and ended up missing them, BLEAN! Oh well, I guess a 90 will suffice.

I am behind on my Bible reading by about two weeks, but I am hoping I can catch up. I am also catching up on laundry and housework and everything else -- and I want to go back to school????? Makes me a little tired just thinking about it.

No other news really. We finally got nearly two inches of much needed rain this weekend. Hopefully it will abate the high fire risk we have been under for so long.

And for good measure, a Bekah funny:
Grandma: "Bekah, can grandma have a bye-bye kiss?"
Bekah: "No, it's all papaw's! ....Bekah's weally punny" (cute giggling)

I'm no Chicken....

Cook, that is. I have such a hard time cooking chicken?! I don't get it?! For some reason I always seem to either end up with "blackened" chicken or it's just not quite done. UGH! I really enjoy eating it, I just don't know why I can't seem to find a good way to make it. Steak I can do, veggies, bread made from scratch...I've got it down. Chicken, however, seems to be the bane of my cooking life.

I was making it last night and ended up with a smokey house. So, I invite everyone, if you have some good ones, please share your chicken cooking tips with me. Poor Fred can't take much more of it! =)

The new job

I started a whole new life (work wise) on Monday. I am totally and completely swimming in a sea of regulations, rules, and work. I start my training on the 20th, but before I can do that I have a long list of things to read and do. Just the regulations of law alone are enough to make me insane. Not to mention I have to take a test on it all the first day of training.

I have been shadowing workers all week as they do different things. I have been to court to watch workers like myself testify before the judges and DA's about whether the parent (most of the time, mother) is completeling her drug treatment plan and testing negative for drugs. I have supervised a visition between parents and child, and then today I visited a local hospital that had called for the third time today to report a baby born who tested positive for Meth.

I have to say it is going to be very difficult to find that place within myself where I can get over my anger and be empathetic enough to try to get the parents to a place where they want to help themselves enough to be responsible parents. Unfortunately, the caseworkers tell me that more often than not, parental rights are terminated. I cannot even imagine.

This morning when I dropped the girls off with my mom Rachel had the first ever "Mommy don't leave me" meltdown. I supposed I should count my blessings we made it this far, but by the time I actually did get out the door I was crying right along with her. As a drove to work after that, I thought about all the things I had seen in just my two short days on the job. I was so afraid I was being a dissapointent to Rachel, as a mother, and here I was working with mothers who felt no remorse for subjecting their poor unborn children to a life sentence of debilitating problems. It's going to really take a lot of learning on my part to understand the process of thought of some of these people. Well, understand may not be the right word. I don't know that I will ever understand, but you get the idea.

I fear the hardest lesson will be the one that comes with no instructions, regulations or books, and that will be the emotional lessons. Getting past my indignation and anger and finding compassion enough to try to help these mothers. I think the thing that is going to humble me the most is thinking that Christ not only gave his life for me, but He did the same for that drug addicted mother sitting across the table from me. If He can love her that much, I can learn to do it too with His help.

A Perfect Day

It is a most glorious first day of March! The sun is out, the wind is only slightly blowing and it's 86 degrees! What a shame to be inside. I went out for about 15 minutes just to enjoy it. They are renovating an old hotel across the street. Looks like they are restoring the original facade and it's going to look nice.

I am down to only four cases left here at work. Everything else is all squared away and delegated out. My office is really looking sparse. Little by little this week I have taken home most of my belongings. I still can't bring myself to take the pictures off the wall. =)

Not much in the way of other news. Well, we are finally getting our hot tub rewired after our move two years ago. It's just been sitting outside, loney and neglected all this time. Life has really changed from two years ago! I am sure we'll still have some chilly nights to get some good use out of it. After all, this is Oklahoma and if there's one thing you can count on with the weather, it's inconsistent. HA!

A joyful announcement!!!!!

This day belongs to my dear twin mom friend, Tracy! She announced an addition to her family today! A little girl, who will come to them from China! I still have chills reading the big news!!!!

The mourning has begun

One week from today I will be closing the door on what has been one of the biggest building blocks of my life. I am still not sure I will ever feel ready to leave. All of my work is starting to get passed on, but I feel this need to hang on to it for some reason. I am having a harder time letting go of it than I imagined. Wathcing someone else doing "my" job has been like fingernails scratching a chalkboard for me.

There's a box over in the corner of my office that I was finally able to pack away some of my things in, but I couldn't bear to see it sitting there so now it's behind the desk. I am still not ready to take my pictures off the wall. Despite all the angry callers, crazy cases and never ending work, I really will miss all of this. I am sure next week is going to be even worse...

*sigh*

I need a good baby girl hug and sloppy kiss and all will be right with the world again.
OK, I feel better now =)

In a world of "E's"

If it's not Exodus it's Elmo. Seriously, how many times can one enjoy "Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland" before they are reduced to a babbling shell of what they once were? Padded cell anyone? Sign me up! I am sure there is a waiting list of mothers of two year olds just waiting to escape the Elmo world their children wish to live in. I woke up singing "it's all about your point of view, in life it's all about your point of view." Sung by the "Queen of Trash" in the aforementioned flick.

The thing is, it's a seriously cute movie if you don't have to watch it 3 times a day. Yes, I know, the parenting Nazi's can gasp with horror at this fact, but sadly it's true. Call me crazy, but even at three times a day it's still easier to listen to Mandy Patinkin sing than screams of "ELMO BLANKET BACK NOW!" all day long. OY!

My exegesis of Exodus

I am finding it so difficult to get thru Exodus. I am struggling to keep up with my daily reading simply because I feel almost like I have read the same thing over and over again. It's really great if you need exact instructions on slaughtering a bull or lamb, building a temple or what to wear if you are a priest. I don't really mind reading it, but I feel like it gets repeated about 4 times at least by now -- three more chapters. I can make it!

We have quite a bit of snow on the ground here. It's very pretty if you don't have to drive on it. Today brought a full day of freezing rain, not so good. I guess the weather is trying to remind us that winter is not over. The good news is I don't have to work tomorrow. Yeehaw!

Long time coming

It's been a while since I updated this thing. Really nothing much to write about. I am busy busy at work trying to get everything ready to leave for someone else. That has kept me more than occupied.

Valentine's day was nice. Fred and I went on a date to celebrate on the 13th (so much less crowded). We had dinner at this nice little English restaurant. The Shepard's pie was great! Then we went and tried out new mattresses. We are seriously thinking of purchasing a Sleep Number bed. I must say after trying it out, I really want one!

I am also on a quest for the "perfect" black business/dress shoes. I have been searching for a couple of weeks without luck. Something with a heel between 2.5" and 3". A shoe that would transition well for Spring. I can't decide between a round or pointy toe. Here are a few I have seen that I would consider, but I can't say that if I left the store without them I would be heartbroken. These I think are nice, and of course, Fred loves them because they have "Carlos Snatana" attached to them. I love this one, but it's really more money than I wanted to spend. *sigh* Surely somewhere out there is the great vast world of black shoes is a pair that is cute, affordable and just waiting to become my favorite!

It's a done deal...

I gave my two weeks notice today (well, it's going to be three actually). It was a LOT harder to do than I had anticipated. I cried. It's just so hard to leave people that have really watched me "grow up."

When I came here 7 years ago, I was right out of college, they were with me when I bought my first house, then I got married, then we struggled with infertility, then twins...now this. They will still be my friends, of course, but it won't be the same. I won't come to work everyday and be able to tell them what funny thing the girls did last night or gripe about what is going on at work. I know this job ends for all of us and the end of the year, and I knew some of us would leave before then - but I didn't think it would be me. How do you say "good bye"?

To say I am nervous about all this would be a lie. To tell the truth, I am absolutely terrified! My boss said all good changes are painful. This is definitely painful, so I hope that transaltes into - good change.

You never know what a day might bring

Yesterday at 4pm, I recieved a phone call from a lady I worked for nearly 10 years ago when I was in college. I worked for her at a place called the CARE Center. It was a place where kids who had just been removed from their homes came for interviews. I was in charge of playing with them, getting them comfortable and stuff like that. It was a fun job. She wanted me to come work for her 7 years ago when I took this job, but God had other plans for me.

She heard that my boss is leaving Congress to run for Governor and called me up a couple of weeks ago to talk about me possibly coming to work for her again sometime later in the year. Long story short, she called yesterday to offer me what I think could possibly be the job of my dreams. I wasn't at all planning on leaving what I am doing so early, but this offer may be too good to turn down if the pay is right. I know I'll be taking a pay cut to do this, but if it's enough for us to make it on, I am pretty sure I am going to take it.

What is the job, you ask??? Well, I would be working with drug exposed babies and their families. There is a LOT more involved with that, but that's it in a very small nut shell. One of the most apealing things about this is that I would be eligible for a program that would pay for me to get my Master's degree. Something I have wanted to do for ages. I'll find out at 1:30 today whether or not this is workable. I sure hope so!

Weekends are never long enough. There's always something I didn't get done. Although, I didn't go to church yesterday so I was able to get almost every bit of laundry done and put away. Why did I play hookie from church, you ask? Well, I really didn't think anyone would care to look at my still very swollen cyclops eye.

I went back to the Dr. this morning and he had to lance it. It was not a pleasant experience. First, he tried to spray the infected spot with a numbing agent. Unfortunately, that just got into my eye where it stung so bad I wanted to say a whole string of words unbecoming of a lady. The good news is that he took care of it, and hopefully it will get better. We'll see.

In other news Winter is supposedly making a come back. Of course, so typical for February. Tomorrow is supposed to be our warmest day of the week at 55 degrees. Saturday the forecasted high is 30! Should be fun!

Fat Friday

I have the fattest swollen eye I think I have ever seen. It started swelling yesterday and this morning I got up and it was nearly swollen shut. So, I got into the Dr. today and he said it was a badly infected tear duct. Nearly so bad that he thought I might have to have it lanced! OUCH! Apparently my sinus infection from last week caused it. I had to get an antibiotic shot plus I have to take 4 1000mg pills of Augmentin per day. OY! I guess it's a good thing I did not attempt to blow it off!

No big plans for the weekend. I just hope my eye gets better!

February already!

It's hard to believe that January of '06 is one for the history books! Where does the time go?! So far, so good tho! At least January went out with a bang! Congratulations to my dear friend, Jenn, on her new little blessing, Lucy!

No other news to report here, really. I did buy the girls a "pee pee potty" as Bekah likes to call it. They will sit on it, but that's about it so far. :) This is OK with me as I don't plan on pushing potty training, and really didn't even want to start at all until the summer. But both of the girls are constantly talking about the potty, so I figured I should at least encourage them a little. Can't hurt, right?

One month down on my Bible reading. I was able to finish January caught up, even tho I had a few days to catch up on from being sick last week.

Happy February, everyone!

A First

Last night Fred and I got a date night! The first one we have had in a long time. We really are more football fans than anything, but then again, we have never had an NBA team here before. But, with the relocation of the New Orleans Hornets to OKC, even temporarily, we decided to go show our support!

We had a blast! The game was exciting and high energy and we won! YAY! We beat the Milwaukee Bucks by one point with .1 seconds left on the clock. Very exciting! Fred cheered so much he got hoarse, and (upon my horror) started dancing like one of the Hornet's HoneyBee cheerleaders! Of course, I had to make him stop immediately before I died of complete embarrassment! But, all told, we really had a blast!

Today the NBA will be announcing whether or not the Hornets will stay in OKC for another year. I can't see any sense in moving the team back to N.O. right now. The NO/OKC Hornets are averaging a crowd of about 18, 200 in attendence at every game. In New Orleans they were nearly last in the league for attendence. Practical business $en$e would say to leave them where they are most successful. Hopefully we'll get an opportunity to host them again next year, and perhaps even on a permanent basis!

"All those who think they've got it made, please step forward! Not so fast there, Sarah!"

Yes, apparently I am not as lucky as I thought I was when it came to escaping the germs being passed around the house. It seems that obsessive hand washing and clorox wiping everying was not enough. About 2 am yesterday morning I awoke with chills and with the most awful "headache" I have ever experienced. Turns out I have a severe sinus infection.

Against my better judgement I went to work today. By 11 am I could take it no more and left. Came home, tried to sleep, couldn't stop coughing, so I gave up. The girls were still at my mom's so I decided a movie was what I needed. My favorite movie was calling my name. No matter how many times I watch it, I'll never get tired of it. Father of the Bride. It just brings back good memories of when I used to dream of my own wedding. And if that wasn't enough when that one was done, I went on to watch Father of the Bride, Part II. There is just something so perfect about the comedic timing of the Diane Keaton/Steve Martin/Martin Short trio that I cannot resist.

I am off to try to sleep, hopefully the coughing will go away, and I'll be better for work tomorrow. If not, I guess it's more chick flicks for me. :)