My night in the ER...

I woke up at 1:10 a.m. last Sunday in Omaha while staying at my in-laws, used the restroom and found myself immediately bent over in PAIN on my right side.  I thought for sure it was my appendix.  I started to  remember my sister having pain like this when we were young.  She had her appendix out and blamed it on eating popcorn the night before.  I didn't have any popcorn so I just didn't know what this pain was from.  It hurt.  Not like labor pains hurt, but it hurt.  I tried to lay down and pretend I wasn't really having any pain, like, if I just denied it, it would go away.  Didn't go AWAY.  More pain.

I woke up Trent and we went to Methodist in Omaha, just up the street from where Trent's parents live.  They took a urine sample and told me I wasn't pregnant.  They drew blood and told me the pain wasn't from kidney stones.  PRAISE the Lord for that...I didn't even want to think about such a thing as kidney stones.  Trent was such a dear.  We waited a little longer.  They gave me a shot for the pain...yea!  That helped and made me sleepy.  They injected a dye into my system and sent me through the ct scanner thing...no appendicitis attack...okay, no surgery. (By the way, if you ever have this done, when they tell you it will feel like you wet your pants, it REALLY feels like you wet your pants).  So, I had an ultrasound done and they found a polyp in my gall bladder.  I looked this up on the internet last night and found out that polyps can be found in 5% of the population and are more common in men than women.  So glad I'm normal...

I'm 36 years old, eat healthy, feel pretty good most days and up until now, have felt like I'm 18.  We went home around 5:30 a.m.  Long night or short, any way you want to look at it, I left feeling strange.  For the first time, I really feel old, like, my body will not last forever.  I don't like this feeling and to tell you the truth, it's a little depressing.  I guess the next thing will be to have my gall bladder out...no big deal.  I'm thankful that it's not cancer or something crazy, but, this has me thinking.

Here are my numbers...

I'm putting my brush down...

After 3 walk-in closets, 

1 small closet,

2 bathrooms,

1 office,

1 family room,

3 bedrooms,

1 entry way,

2 hallways,

1 landing,

1 living room,

1 dining room,

1 kitchen,

1 breakfast nook, and 

1 laundry room, 

I'm putting my paint brush down.  I didn't keep track of how many gallons of paint but I did this all in less than 365 days, 344 to be exact!  I can't believe it.  I'm done.  I need to finish painting 2 wooden chairs for Bennett's room and Kitt's bed, and a few touch ups, but, I'm done for now!  

Here are some of the colors I used,

creamy white,

antique white,

ambitious amber,

tansy green,

seagrass,

olive grove,

lemongrass,

commander blue,

french roast,

ryegrass,

glass of milk white,

and a few others.

This fall I'm going to paint 4 small closets and finish painting the kitchen cupboards, but, for now I'm done!  And, now we will see what the future holds...

Look who turned 5 today.  We celebrated his Star Wars birthday on Saturday.  FIVE YOU ARE says "Yoda".  Sissy Lynn helped with the banners that the figures are holding.  

Happy Birthday, Bennett!  

You are loved with an everlasting love.

And, Trent and I have been married for 6 years this past Saturday.  I'm so thankful for him.  

What do you

wonder about?  I'm listening to the sound of thunder right this very moment.  Love it.  I wonder how God makes it.  Trent tells the kids that God is rearranging his furniture and He is just making noise.  

I wish I knew many things right now.  We can't see what is going on, but know something is.  We know the end is going to be beautiful but right now it seems ugly.  It feels ugly.  I don't like ugly.  I want beautiful.  Sigh.   I like things planned out accordingly.  I wonder why but I am still trusting in the bigger picture.

On a lighter note, I wonder why some people have been given the ability to make me laugh so hard I cry.  Trent and I went to Date Night last night.  Very funny and very naughty in parts.  Some of the lines...I don't want to recommend it because of the naughty parts but man oh man....funny.

I wonder how many English words my cat actually understands.

I wonder what it would be like to fly to the moon.

I wonder how long I have with those I love and if I'm missing my opportunity to be with them this very second.

I wonder how God can completely love me in spite of who I am, yet I know He does.

I wonder what I should be doing with my life.

I wonder if I could do a back handspring again....maybe shouldn't think too hard about this one or I may end up in the ER.

So, what do you wonder about?

Capitol Hill

Trent and I went to DC last Wednesday.  Trent received the award for State Assistant Principal of the Year, along with other recipients from the 50 states.  I'm so proud of him.  Here is with his medal in front  of the Capitol with friend and Congressman Adrian Smith...

With his kindness, we were fortunate to tour the Capitol in a not so average way...

Here we are on the balcony of the Capitol, overlooking the Mall.  We went to other sites but this was our favorite day.   

We also were able to visit with a friend of mine, Miss Erin.  I love this girl...she brilliant, kind and hasn't changed a bit.  I love friendships that you can just pick up where you left off.  Friendships like this are meant to be treasured.

Here's the Lincoln Memorial, I love this site.

Notice his hands?  One is forming the letter A and the other an L...Trent said the sculptor was hearing impaired and this was intentional.  What are your thoughts?

Here's the first stop we made in DC...funny.

What are these bushes called and would they grow in Nebraska?  They are just gorgeous...I found them at Mt. Vernon but saw them everywhere.

I want to live here; the gardener's house at Mt. Vernon.

This is Mt. Vernon:

 I wouldn't mind living there either, but the gardener's house would be just fine!

We ate lunch at the Mt. Vernon Inn and had a mug of peanut and chestnut soup...delicious!

We can't wait to go back. 

Silver Bella Sunday

My sister Lynn and I had a fun afternoon.  We took out the kits from last year's Silver Bella goodie bags and started creating.  Here's what I came up with...

"You are a Prize"

Apron Ornament

Victorian and Fairy Girl

We had a great time.  Please check here for Lynn's links to where the kits came from...I misplaced the names of the girls....so sorry!

We can't wait for another fun time in Omaha in November!  Registration is still open, click here.

Will summer come before I go to crazyville?

This lovely place is in Wyoming...we try to go there every summer.  I can't help but love the name, Crazy Woman Canyon.  I feel a little crazy today.  I need summer.  I need the warm breeze.  I have zero creative inspiration in me.  Crazy Woman Canyon is calling my name!

Saturday's find

.15 cents!  That's it...yes, fifteen cents for this Vera scarf.  Could it really be a Vera?  The tag says, scarves by VERA, it has a fancy font on the scarf with a cute ladybug next to it, so it has to be right?   If it isn't, please don't ruin my fun!