Monday, August 4, 2008

Picture Overload!

May-June:
From our Atlanta Trip:



























And from the aquarium:



























Then the beautiful
Botanical Garden:














































(For Ashlee with Love)















































































































Back in GVille:

























My love!


























All dressed up before a wedding.








In South Florida:




















Pop on Mim's Bday.













The Bat Mitzvah:














Me and Pop.























Mim and Lee.
































Mommy and Daddy.

























Group Shot.












How low can you go?

Sleep, what's sleep?

I was reading a friend's blog today, and it made me think of my severely neglected one...sorry.

A quick summer synopsis, are you ready? You sure? Ok, here we go...

Let's start with Roman, so we have no liver shunt, which is fabulous. He was diagnosed with epilepsy and has had three seizures since his diagnosis. They suck, they are scary, but after he is out of it, he's fine. His most recent one was Thursday of the week before last, while I was driving home on the highway, luckily I was sitting in traffic and was able to calmly talk him through it. After he was out of it, and traffic started moving, we stopped at the first rest stop so he could get a doughnut. You know, he ends up perfectly fine out of these things 15-30 minutes after them, and thinks he is getting things like a doughnut just because. Hey, whatever makes him happy.

All my kitties are doing well. They are happy. Moses is fat, he was diagnosed with asthma, which I am neglectfully not doing anything about. You know, I was supposed to pill him 3 or 4 times a day. It was terrible. He would cry, I would cry, fur was everywhere, and then one day he bit me and I was done! Called my vet and now we have an inhaler to try. I have not bought the meds yet because they will cost me $150 (just don't tell me Dad that). His attacks are so infrequent and short that I am not worried. He can breathe fine most of the time and if he does have an attack, I shove the steroid pill down his throat. It is a wonderful job. Besides him, everyone else is fabulous. Happy, healthy, and just living the good life. I tell you what, when I die, I want to come back as one of my cats. They have the right idea, sleeping all day...and majority of the night, playing every now and then, eating, getting treats, who could honestly ask for anything more?

Super is wonderful. She stayed last week at Gail's house while I went home. Besides tearing up the bottom of her door she was wonderful. I mean over New Years she went through a glass window, so a door is a bit better....right? Well when I was home, Gail called me and asked "if I buy one of these super crates that Sadie is now staying in, would you like it? I mean you can have it until Sadie isn't with us and if I could just get it back that would be great." (Mind you this is a $500 crate.) Her reasoning behind it was, "it will keep her much safer during storms (which we frequently have in Florida), and since Sadie is half mine, you know?" Well I was more than happy to tell her that if she wanted to buy this crate for Super, she could be 3/4 hers. Well the crate is here and set up and wonderful. I will get some pictures up hopefully soon.

Phillip is hanging in there, his job sucks. He is trying to find things to do that make him happy in an attempt to cancel out the misery from his terrible job. Fingers crossed he will find that soon. In an attempt, he ordered the Wall Street Journal, cute and smart, what more could a girl ask for? We have come to an agreement about Christmas, and for those of you who I talk to often knew what a battle that was. Oh yeah, and we locked ourselves out of my house on Saturday evening. It was wonderful. After 30 minutes of panicking, and me trying to break into my house and looking for crawl spaces in the attic that would drop us into the house I remembered that Kelly had a copy of my key. That was fun. On a side note, we went to Atlanta and stayed at the Ritz (I know very fancy) and had a wonderful time. I will try to remember to post some pictures from that trip also.

Keri and Alex moved up to Georgia, Ms. Davis starts teaching 2nd grade in T-minus, 3 days. Very exciting for them. They got this great apartment, that as soon as we can plan a good weekend for both of us I plan on seeing. They are just south of Atlanta, which is fun since there is always something to do.

My family is wonderful, my parents had hurricane proof windows and doors put on the house this weekend which is very exciting. Nothing else really going on with them. Dad is gearing up for a new school year, and Mom is getting ready for her Stroke Committee thing. Caity starts classes in a few weeks and is taking on 4 this semester which is the most she has taken at a time. She has taken 3 every other semester and gotten either A's or B's so I think that has boosted he confidence with school.

On exciting me news, I got into nursing school. YAY!! Anyone stuck listening to me whine about it for the last I don't know 3 years or so is quite relieved to know that half the battle is done. Now I just have to do well, fingers crossed for me. I start 3 weeks from today and am so excited. I should get my new pink stethoscope tomorrow, and I am going to school to get a new ID card, print my syllabus and buy the 600 or so books that are required.

As exciting as nursing school is, I am terribly sad to be leaving my boys. Now granted, I know, I am not really leaving because I will sit for them for football games and on the weekends and what not, but my daily dose of silliness and love is not going to be there. Those boys are so special to me. I mean, I know kids are special, but these boys have a special place in my heart. It will be hard for me to stay away from there, which I am sure will make Robbie happy since he keeps asking me when we can have a play date. I will just miss the little things, like sitting around the dinner table with them. I think that is probably my favorite time of the day. We sit and we talk about everything. It is fun and relaxing.

I guess that is really it in my life. It was a quick synopsis of my summer. Many of my friends are dealing with different personal struggles/bumps/hurdles (depends on who it is) just keep them in your prayers. I guess we are just getting older. It is weird, but I guess it has happened to us too. *Sigh*

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Liver Shunt

Noodle is back with me now. He is pretty depressed. He is moping about, sleeping on his bed on the floor instead of with me. He got dumped at the vet and then stuck with a needle twice. I would be sad to if it were me.

The update is that this test today was testing for a Liver Shunt, if it is positive we will do an ultrasound to evaluate the shunt. From my reading I have found the small and toy breeds tend to have extrahepatic shunts, which means the vessel that is misdirecting blood is located outside the liver. The way this is fixed is by operating...yuck!

Another option, the bile-acid test comes back negative and we leave the testing there and Roman will be diagnosed with epilepsy.

That is all she wrote.

Wild Goose Chase

Roman Noodle is at the vet, they are running a Bile-Acid Test. He has been having these weird episodes where he loses control of his muscles, he gets disoriented, suffers from ataxia, it is terrible. He had one of these on Tuesday evening, it was long and lasted 25 minutes or so.

This originally started happening back in September. He has had, maybe 6 since then. This last one was probably the scariest. I ran blood work as well as a thyroid test, and everything...I repeat everything, came back normal. I was hoping we would get an answer from the blood work, we didn't. Now we are onto step two, which is the Bile-Acid Test, it checks his liver function. If this doesn't turn out, we still have a halter test, which checks hearth function, as well as a CT or something of the short to check out his brain to see if it is seizure activity.

This is all getting so expensive, the blood work and thyroid test cost a me $200, this Bile-Acid test is $150...and I am just praying that we find out what it is today. For the sake of my wallet, and getting him on some sort of medication for his "condition."

Anyways, I am sorry this was so long, and it was basically just a rant, but I needed to get it off my chest. Everyone please keep Noody in your prayers.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The news

I went to school yesterday and submitted my nursing school application. It is in...it is out of my hands. I have done everything in my power to get into nursing school and now we just cross out fingers and pray I get in.

Here is a tenative schedule of our next few weekends:
May 10- We head to Tallynasty for Beth and Andrew's party.
May 16- Keri and Alex come to visit.
May 24- We head to Atlanta for my bday trip.
May 31- Fort Lauderdale for Keri's graduation party.
June 7- We move Phillip into his apartment.
June 13- Brooke's wedding.
June 14- Back in Fort Lauderdale for Arielle's Bat Mitzvah.

Then...I might actually be able to spend a weekend in my bed. Oh...and, I start my new job on May 19. I will be working Monday and Tuesday for 4 weeks with a new family. It will be a little bit of extra money for things, such as Roman's bile acid test, my hair cut, things of that nature.

Ah!! There is just so much going on in the next few weeks. I need to figure out what I am planning on wearing to all of these glorious affairs. I will post pics.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Photo fun

Hey there all my loyal readers...all 2 of you.

I did a photo project today where I played with water. It was a lot of fun. These are the kind of things I do when I don't have school to worry about...which is fabulous. Here are my pictures from them.








Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Remove

I took down a few on my entries because Phillip doesn't like me writing about us, he says it is intrusive. I will just blog about other aspects of my life. I will write later.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Well...

Anyways, on a positive note. I went to a concert last night with Katie. We had an awesome time. It was an orchestra performance and it was wonderful! Here is a picture form the two of us there. We had a good time, it was nice catching up.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

And it goes on...

So today is Sunday, I wish they listed longer. I got up this morning, took they kids out and headed back to bed. I got up, ate breakfast and went on an interview. There is a woman looking for a nanny for Mondays and Tuesday for a month and it would be a nice source of extra income for me.

Anyways, I plan on heading to Borders for a little while to study, well I think I am going to. I am not sure, I don't really want to, but I do need to get some studying in. I want to do the study guide and the quiz again. I need to also get done all those hormone note cards tomorrow. I need to memorize them all. We'll see how well that goes.

Hopefully this week will be better than last week, I highly doubt it since I have 2 anatomy exams, a micro exam, a sociology exam due, as well as a chemistry exam...someone save me. I am also hoping that Phillip and I have a better week. I desperately need us to. I have a terrible feeling that if we do not pick it up this week it will be the end of us. We nearly broke up twice this weekend. I feel like it is all me that needs to change. He thinks I have a terrible opinion of him and whenever he does something stupid I turn it into a vicious attack on me when it is just a stupid mistake. I don't know how to change it, but if I don't he is going to leave - rightfully so. I am just at a loss as to what to do. Any suggestions would help.

So long for now...

Friday, April 18, 2008

Things

This is my love. Mr. Roman Noodle, makes me so happy. I have been having a pretty crappy week, Roman had one of his "episodes" yesterday and now has an appointment at Earth Vets tomorrow, but no matter what I am upset for, I curl up with Roman at night and he makes things better. I just hope everyone is lucky enough to have a safety, like this.

School is tough, but almost done. Work is monotonous, but hopefully there is only 3 more months of it, then hopefully I will be in school for nursing. God Willing.

I applied for a part time nanny job. Someone is hiring for a nanny needed for Monday and Tuesday from 9:30am-4:00pm and only from May 19-June 10. That is only 4 weeks which is only 8 days of work. I think it would be worth it for me to do it if she offers me the position. Any extra money is greatly appreciated.

Anyways, Phillip is coming up to GVille tonight until tomorrow night. I didn't expect him to be up at all because his parents are here and they needed his help, but they don't need him this weekend so he is coming up. However, our weekend is cut short because he has to work on Sunday. No big deal though, because it is better than nothing and I have studying to do anyways.

Yesterday I was at the dog park and ran into Megan Demerich. We knew each other from home, from Middle and High school. We were never really friends more like acquaintances, but it was great seeing her. We exchanged numbers and are going to try to hang out. She wants to try the rock gym so it would be great if I had a rock gym buddy. We'll see.

I guess that is really it for now, I have a new book with me, a couple of magazines, Chem homework and A&P to study today, so I should be busy. Not to mention, Cooper stayed home with me today and we are working on potty training. Fingers crossed, he is in big boy underwear and we have the timer set for every 30 minutes to sit on the potty. If anyone has any words of encouragement or advice about things that have worked for them, I would be greatly appreciative of it.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Hump Day

So today is a work day...Jackson had a rough start to the morning but then took a great nap. Which means, I took a great nap. I picked up Cooper early from school and then picked up Robbie. Coop is napping now, Jackson is hanging with me, and Robbie is in the playroom reading. Hopefully after I feed the littlest man at 3ish he will go back to sleep.

I have made all my hormone note cards, and once he goes back to sleep I will let the big ones out back to play and I will study them. I have a study group tonight and that should be good because both Sara and Margie have A's in the class. I brought Nood with me to work so that way when I get home I can just feed the kids, and then unfortunately for Super she will be locked up again, but Nood will then only be locked up for a little while. Tomorrow morning I get to sleep in, which will be nice for the kids. I don't have to be at lecture until 11 and then I should be home no later then 2 because I need to pick up more of Nood's food.

On another note, there was a job listing on Craig's list for some barn help and a free lease on a horse for it. I emailed them and hopefully that will pan out. I think it would be nice to be outside some over the summer. We will see if they are willing to work around my current hours...we'll see.

That's all for now. :)

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Tuesday

So...Tuesday is here, another day of classes have come and gone. I had a microbiology exam today, it went alright. I am ready for the semester to end and I can feel myself quickly fading. After my exam, I went to Jodi's office to go over some of the hormones that are on the up coming exam. We finished going over my hormone chart and then ran through the repro study guide. She kindly stayed late for me and we got the whole thing done. I feel great about the information. I have a study group with Margaret and Sara tomorrow night at 8pm because Margaret is taking it early because she needs to focus on her Calc exam next week.

Here is my line up for upcoming exams:

4/19- Chemistry: Exam #4
4/22- Anatomy: Repro and Endocrine
4/24- Anatomy: Lab practical
Micro: Exam #4
4/26- Chemistry: Exam #5 and Lab Final
4/28- Chemistry: Class Final
Sociology: Exam #4
5/1- Anatomy: Final
Micro: Final

Major yucko; however, that means there is 16 days left and then a summer of freedom. Woo-hoo!

Keep me in your thoughts.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Start up



Hello everyone. My goal is to be good updating this thing. I figure since everyone is graduating and moving to different ends of the states this would be the best way for everyone to stay in touch and know what is going on.

I think I am going to be the sole remaining person in Gainesville, everyone is moving on to bigger and better things...I am moving, just slower than everyone else. I like it here, most of the time. I bought a house here, and will (fingers crossed) hopefully get into Santa Fe's nursing school for the fall. I have no idea what I will do if I don't get in.

Work has been pretty good. I had a week off last week and it was amazing. I love the boys and the Collins but I am tired of this job, I have been doing the nanny thing for a year and a half and am just ready to move on. I will definitely keep working for them on the side once I am in nursing school. You know, football games, weekend dinners, etc. The extra money is going to be needed. Poor college student here I come...woo-hoo?

Phillip landed a job working for the Ritz Carton Club in Orlando, which is great for him. Being 2 hours away isn't bad most of the time, but I do think it is going to get harder...we'll see. Hopefully not. We are planning on going apartment hunting for a place in Orlando for him this coming weekend. It will be nice for him to finally move out of Jessica's house (especially since she moved in with her boyfriend). Phillip and I aren't going to be spending the next two weekends together, his parents are in town and are making him do stuff around the house to get it ready to sell this summer. I think they are going to have a terrible time selling it, I mean the market is terrible, and there have been homes for sale on the same street (in a cookie cutter neighborhood) at least since Christmas. I hope for Phillip's parents sake they are able to sell it because Jessica and Doug plan on buying and moving this summer regardless.

So Keri is in Mexico right now, teaching and finishing up her final semester as an undergraduate student. She will be there for 4 weeks, come back to Pennsylvania, graduate 3 days later, and then 4 days after that hit the road for sunny South Florida. She is planning on stopping and visiting me and the furkids the third weekend in May, which I am super stoaked about. She hasn't seen the house yet, and I haven't seen Alex in over a year and a half. Her graduation party is May 31 and that should be fun. I plan on heading down south for 5 days or so. )I think I am planning on sleeping at her house for most if not all of it, because I have no bed in my parent's house. :( They moved my whole bedroom set up here...hm...) Anyways, Keri is planning on moving to South Carolina to teach and start her life as an adult. I completely support that decision because we will only be 5 hours away as opposed to 15 or something stupid like that.

Who knows where I'll end up, but I have like 8 years or something unheard of left here...