Day 97: Now You See It

Aha:
I took my credit card out of my wallet the other day to buy some cold medicine at work.  I apparently forgot to put it back in my wallet, and didn't realize this till I tried to pay for dinner tonight.  However, I did not remember any of this and started to panic some.  I honestly could not remember what I had done with it.  I called the grocery store to see if I'd dropped it somewhere, I thought it was probably in a pair of pants, maybe fell out in the car...I couldn't remember and everywhere I checked it couldn't be found.  Well, I said a panicked little prayer in my heart and as I was searching my coat pockets, I saw a pharmacy bag on my microwave.  Aha!  I dug inside, but it wasn't there.  And then, I remembered.  I told Clinton I was taking Petey for a walk to work and when I stepped inside, there it was; inside the pocket of my giant work sweater!  Now, I can sleep soundly...and not just because of my nite-time cold meds either! :)

Ha ha:
Clinton told me about a comic strip that he came across today.  It shows two women, one fat the other thin. The fat one turns to the skinny one and asks, "Does this dress make me look fat?"  The thin one looks her over and says, "Yes."  The next clip shows the fat one thinking to herself for a moment.  The next clip shows her beginning to take off the dress.  In the final clip, she's taken off the dress and is perfectly thin. Ha!

Day 96: Catch 22

Aha:
Clinton made me dinner tonight...

Ha ha:
He said it was either that or I'd make him do the dishes!
What a gentle sir! :)

Day 95: Close to You

Aha:
Clinton was on call today.  I've hardly seen him in the last week but today he had an extra 30 minutes between the school and the hospital, so he stopped by the house for a little bit before leaving for the rest of the night!  Seeing him was such a nice little pick-me-up!

Ha ha:
Clinton said that he got up to use the bathroom at about 1am.  When he came back to bed my knees were in his spot.  He climbed into bed and pushed his knees into mine to get me to move. Apparently, I wasn't having it...
Me talking in my sleep:  Hey, whatta you think you're doing?
He:  (just keeps pushing on my knees)
Me:  You can push all you want, I'm not moving!
When he told me this I asked what he did next and he said he just rolled over and tried to fall asleep...even with my knees in his back.  Poor boy!

Day 94: It's All in the Delivery

Aha:
I thought I had saved a very important email that I needed access to today at work.  I sorta frantically looked for it and then remembered I had sent it to a friend.  I called her to see if she still had it and she said did.  In fact, she said that while she was cleaning out her emails the other day she was going to delete it but felt like she should keep it for some reason.  Well, I'm the reason and I'm so glad she did!!

Ha ha:
I happened to be coming back from the library at the front of the college as two of my coworkers were leaving for the day.  One passed me and I said "goodnight".  A few moments later, I heard the other one cough and I could tell she was coming around the corner.  (Just to confirm, I saw her reflection in a set of windows.)  I don't know what possessed me, but I had the strongest urge to hide around the corner and scare her.  So, that's exactly what I did.  Right as she began to turn the corner, I jumped out in front of her, waved my arms in the air and shouted, "BAH!"

The look on her face was totally worth it.

Oh, my gosh.  I am laughing so hard just thinking about it again!  She said I needed to remember she's older than me and that I almost gave her a heart attack.  She also said I'm "going to get it".  We both laughed; me cause it was hilarious, and she, probably to distract from almost peeing herself.

Day 93: Peter-Peter-Bo-Beter

Aha:
This is small, but a blessing nonetheless.  We use a lot of plastic bags in our house to pick up Peter's...ahem...unmentionables.  However, since we go to a grocery store that doesn't offer bags, our supply shrinks really fast.  Anyway, I had to go to the store to get toothpaste and ice cream (ironic, eh?) and as I was walking out I actually remembered to grab a giant wad of extra bags from the plastic bag recycling thingy outside the store.  This is not something I would have remembered on my own, but I'm so glad for the extra little moment of inspiration that saved me from the embarrassment/distress of being poopbagless on our next outing!

Ha ha:
I gave Peter a bath this evening.  Any of you out there who have dogs, I'm curious if yours does the same thing, but Peter goes absolutely NUTS when he gets out of the tub.  Never do we see him run as fast (or in as tight of circles) as when he's freshly clean.  When I set him out tonight, it was like the gates opened on the race track and he "was off"!  He ran into our bedroom like a speeding bullet, flipped a U-ey like a stunt driver, raced back into the hallway, spun back into our room, rubbed his face on the floor for a half a second, paused with his bum in the air then shot back up and started the routine over again.  He did this cycle about 4 times before rushing downstairs, finding his squeaky toy, squeaked the life out of it for a good 10 seconds and then laid down on the floor, utterly exhausted.
It's quite entertaining to watch. :)

Day 92: Convictions

Aha:
The lesson in Sunday School was on Romans, chapters 3-8.  We read Romans 8:16-18 and the teacher asked if anyone had any thoughts on what it meant to them to know they were a child of God.  This got me thinking.

How has knowing I am a child of God affected my life?  I loved how that scripture mentioned we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.  We literally have the potential to inherit all that Christ will inherit if we endure through the trials and hardships of this life.  I LOVED verse 18
 18 For I reckon that the ^asufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the ^bglory which shall be revealed ^cin us.
Really?  It is wonderful to think that the things we endure now won't even be worth mentioning or comparing to the glory we'll see/experience hereafter.  They won't even be worthy!  (Wayne's World anyone?)  Kinda puts things in a bit better of perspective, don'tcha think?  We can do it!  We are children of GOD; the most powerful and eternal loving creator of the world is our Father in Heaven!  If we do our best to endure this life, we can and will inherit eternal life and glory with Him.
That's pretty cool.

Ha ha:
A sister stood up to bear her testimony in Relief Society.  As she was speaking, a thunder and lightening storm was rolling outside.
She relayed a dream she had about telling someone about the Atonement.  She said she was trying to convey to them how important it was but they weren't getting it.  She said she want to grab them by their shoulders, shake them and shout, "The Atonement is so important!  We all NEED the Atonement in our lives!!"
Right as she finished shouting her convictions, a loud crack of thunder clapped outside, just like it does in the movies when something dramatic happens.  Not sure why, but I got a kick outta that.  I guess the timing just couldn't have been any better. :)

Day 91: Great Talks

Aha:
I had the pleasure of attending the General Relief Society broadcast from Salt Lake this evening.  The talks from the presidency were good, but the talk given by President Uchtdorf was UNBELIEVABLE!!  I have heard some really great talks in my life, but this one is probably one of my top 5 favorites!  If you did not hear him speak, I would look up the video on lds.org.
His talk used the five petals of the Forget Me Not flower as a metaphor for the five things, we as women, should never forget.
1.  Forget not to be patient with yourself.
2.  Forget not that some sacrifices are better than others.
3.  Forget not that you do not need a "golden ticket" in order to be happy now.
4.  Forget not the "why"s of the gospel.
5.  Forget not that your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you; that he knows you and loves you.

"Never forget that you must be patient and compassionate with yourselves, that some sacrifices are better than others, that you need not wait for a golden ticket to be happy. Please never forget that the 'why' of the gospel of Jesus Christ will inspire and uplift you. And never forget that your Heavenly Father knows, loves and cherishes you."


I LOVED this talk!!!!!

Ha ha:
As I was falling asleep last night, Clinton began talking to me in his sleep.  Now, when he talks in his sleep, it is almost always scientifically-based and he does not sound like he's incoherent...at first.  Although, this one, it was pretty obvious he was asleep and I couldn't help but have a little fun with it...
He:  (rolling towards me)  Just don't get the actual pillow wet.  It won't hurt the case itself, but it will ruin the pillow.
Me:  What will?
He:  The program you're using.
Me:  What program?
He:  (getting irritated)  The program you're using, right this moment!
Me:  I'm using a program that will get the pillow wet?
He:  Nothing, just keep doing what you're doing.
Me:  What am I doing?
He:  (silence)

Day 90: Smart Move

Aha:
1.  Last night as I was crawling into bed, I noticed that my computer was on my bed.  I asked Clinton why my computer was upstairs and he said, "I thought you might need it to write on your blog."  (Aww!) I asked why he thought I hadn't written yet and he said, "Well, you were busy all evening, so I figured you'd not written, so I thought I'd bring it upstairs for you."  (Double Aww!)
2.  After I packed my lunch last night I realized that I had a lunch I was going to and didn't need to bring one.  Well, I decided to take it this morning in case I got extra hungry.  At about 10 this morning I found out my other lunch was canceled!  I'm so grateful I had packed a lunch the night before and that I brought it with me today!!!

Ha ha:
I met two of the women in the LDS Families Supporting Adoption group from Illinois today.  They brought their kids (and one of them brought her hilarious husband as well).  Well, one of the boys was five years old and one month into kindergarten.  His mom introduced him to me and he instantly started recalling the details from his day.  I pointed out how smart he was and his dad said, "Tell her about your bones."  I kid you not, he proceeded, from the top of his head (he's five) down to his feet, listing his bones (skull, parietal, occipital, frontal, mandibular, clavicle, sternum, humerus, radius, ulna, pelvis, coccyx, femur, patella, tibia, fibula, metatarsal.)  He's five!!  The best part was the visual when he listed his coccyx; he lifted his legs as high and as far apart as he could from his carseat.  And proudly pointed to his coccyx!  Ha!!  Why was he in a carseat?...because he's FIVE!!
We went to McDonald's for one of their delicious cold treats and he entertained me with the elements of the periodic table.  Not only could he name all 118 of them, but he could multiply them together and tell you which element that created and the special coding (?) involved with that new element.  He's FIVE!  He had a school assignment to practice his 5's and 0's and when he'd had enough of that he decided to write a small essay on the back about the digestive system ("The digestive system is very important.  Mouth, throat, small intestines, large intestines and rectum.")  Um...have I mentioned he's FIVE????  It was very entertaining and not short of AMAZING to say the least!

Day 89: Perspective and Popcorn

Aha:
I had a really great day today.  Not only did my day go well, in general, but any time I started to think about my trials, I started to sing "Count Your Blessings".  Not sure if it was the placebo effect or not, but I genuinely started feeling better!  I'd get a smile on my face and a new perspective with it!  Today was a GREAT day!

Ha ha:
I was sitting at my desk at work; perfectly focused and busy (ha!), anyway, I hear a scream out in the hallway and a girl sorta laughs as she sulkingly says, "Don't do that!"  Not knowing what happened, but dismissing it altogether, ya know, cause I'm really focused on my job and all, I turned back to my work.  That is, of course, until seconds later when The Intimidator comes into the room laughing.  (Now, if you don't read my posts often, you'd not know that The Intimidator is NOT a laughing type of person; he's more of the scaring, make-you-feel-like-a-piece-of-poo type.  Read more about The Intimidator here.)  Anyway, surprised by the glint in his eye and the weird, upward turn of his lips (most people would call that a smile, I'm not sure what he calls it though), I hesitantly inquired as to what was so funny.  "Oh, someone spilled their popcorn all over the hallway."  I get it now.  Sounds like the screaming "Don't do that!"-girl must have been spooked by a friend, causing her to throw her popcorn all over the hallway.  I guess that is kinda funny...even to The Intimidator!

Day 88: Bossy Broad

Aha:
Since my post yesterday, I've decided that each day I'm going to pick something that's within my control to think about and focus on when my trials seem too burdensome.  Just making that decision helps me feel like I am in control and gives me the extra oomph I need to look my trials square in the eye and say, "I'm still a little weary of you, but you're not the boss of me anymore!"
Take that trials!

Ha ha:
Clinton came home with a smirk on his face and began laughing to himself.  I looked to him for a clue as to what was so funny...
He:  I made one of my classmates laugh out loud today in the middle of lecture.
Me:  What did you say?
He:  Well, the teacher was talking about cardiology and how it was such a broad topic and all, so I turned to my classmate and whispered, "Gynecology, now that's a broad topic."
Me:  (laughing)

Day 87: Reading, Writing and a Heretic

Aha:
I took a bath tonight (beginning my fall regimen early) and read.  I came across an article in the April 2011 Ensign titled "To Always Remember Him" by Elder Todd D. Christofferson.  In it he quoted a scripture from Doctrine & Covenants 123:16-17, I believe this will now be my mantra for the next while:

16 You know, brethren, that a very large ship is ^abenefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.

 17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us ^acheerfully ^bdo all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the ^csalvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

I do not think it chance that I came across this scripture tonight.  I have felt like I'm in a rut and unable to climb out.  I'm trying my hardest to be cheerful and see the Lord's perspective, but I've just not been able to.  Then cause I can't, I feel discouraged, like I'm a failure.  HOWEVER, this scripture does not say "you must be perfect in trials" it says, "let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance,...for his arm to be revealed."

Um...wow!  I have been trying to do everything to be "successful" in my trials, instead of just doing what I can, which is one thing at a time.  Not being able to do everything doesn't mean I'm failing, it just means that I do what I can and watch for the Lord to do the rest.

Ha ha:
1.  I was talking to a friend of mine on Facebook while watching my FAVORITE SHOW, Raising Hope (if you haven't seen it, watch it!  It's wonderful!).  Anyway, she asked me a question during a commercial break and I started to answer.  My show came back on mid-sentence and I totally forgot that I had been writing someone until the next commercial break.  I must have looked so slow!  All she saw was "Danielle typing" for like five minutes!  Ha ha ha!  Oh, it was so funny, but so embarrassing at the same time!  Ha ha!
2.  I have a mannequin head with long hair to practice braids, updos, etc.  I offered it to be used at an event this weekend and needed to find the hardware for clipping it to a table (called, a stand).  Anyway, my mannequin head was laying on my piano and I was searching everywhere for my stand.  I turned to Clinton:
Me:  Have you seen my mannequin stand?
He:  (pointing to my mannequin) No, but I've seen it lying down.
Me:  (laughter)

Day 86: What I Learned Today

Aha:

Ha ha:
Last night I was talking to Clinton about something pretty important, well, at least I thought it was important, but now I don't even remember what it was.  Anywho, as I was talking I noticed he just kept moving his eyes side-to-side and all around.  When I finished I asked for his thoughts.  Still moving his eyes side-to-side he says, "I can hear my muscles working when I move my eyes like this."
Thanks for your help, Honey.

Day 85: I'm So Getting Fired

Aha:
The lesson in Sunday School today was "Overcoming Tribulation".  I could not think of a better subject for me to listen to and (hopefully) absorb.  The teacher said somethings that I know I've heard many, many times but seemed to sink a little deeper with me this time.  He was talking about how we seem to get tunnel vision in our trials; only able to see there here and now, but we miss the chance to trust in the Lord and gain eternal perspective.
We read from 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

17 For our light ^aaffliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and ^beternal ^cweight of glory;

 18 While we look not at the things which are ^aseen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not ^bseen are ^ceternal.

He asked for comments, but all I heard was mumbling.  All I could focus on was that the word "weight" appeared to be written as "wait".  I have been asking the Lord how long I must wait for the righteous desires of my heart to be granted and my response is always, in the Lord's time, wait, be patient, trust, His plan is better than you could plan for yourself, and you will be able to look back and see the Lord's hand in your life and understand.  I mean, what more could I possibly want?  Why do I fight this so much?  Is waiting for the Lord's plan to come to fruition really that bad?  If my trial is waiting for Him to bless me with something far better than I could immediately want for my family, then do I really have it off that bad?  With eternal (waiting) perspective I get it.  I wish I could keep it all the time, but I am so grateful for lessons like this that help me remember that my trials truly are temporary when I have an eternal perspective.  

I am grateful the Lord has not given up on me and is still willing to make me a better person by sending me into the Refiner's Fire.  It hurts, don't get me wrong.  I've never been a fan of being burned, but the feeling of accomplishing something I never thought I could do is, dare I say, worth it.

The teacher ended with this quote (I've mentioned it in my posts before and it is now one of my very favorites) by Paul V. Johnson of the Quorum of the Seventy:

At times it may seem that our trials are focused on areas of our lives and parts of our souls with which we seem least able to cope. Since personal growth is an intended outcome of these challenges, it should come as no surprise that the trials can be very personal—almost laser guided to our particular needs or weaknesses. And no one is exempt, especially not Saints striving to do what’s right. Some obedient Saints may ask, “Why me? I’m trying to be good! Why is the Lord allowing this to happen?” The furnace of affliction helps purify even the very best of Saints by burning away the dross in their lives and leaving behind pure gold.⁶ Even very rich ore needs refining to remove impurities. Being good is not enough.”

Ha ha:

As I was leaving choir and thanking the sub in choir nursery for helping last minute I noticed she had keys to the toy closet.  I said how lucky she was to have had those or she and the kids would have been S.O.L.  As soon as I said it, I realized that most people probably grew up knowing that to mean something completely different than I did (Sorry Outta Luck).  Hoping she didn't catch on, I quickly said goodbye and went out to the car.  Clinton turned to me with a smirk and said, "Do you realize what you just said?"
Me:  Right after I said it.
He:  (laughter)


Figured I'd follow one embarrassing moment with another.  Only, this one is caught on film!
My coworker absolutely LOVES my fart machine.  She wanted to get a video of my facial expressions.  I didn't want to, but I knew they wouldn't leave it be till I did it, so here goes...
My Mom Will Be So Proud

Day 84: Sweet Pics

Aha:
I LOVE peaches.  I could eat them all day, every day be very content (not to mention extremely regular)!  Anyway, there is one store nearby that has really good peaches but are usually sold out early in the day.  Well, Clinton was working and had the car till noon.  I worried that my peaches would be gone by the time I was actually able to get there. 
When I got to the store I walked as quickly as was socially acceptable to the produce aisle.  Not only were there peaches for me, but a store clerk was just putting out boxes of fresh ones!  Had I gotten there at any other time I wouldn't have had as great of a selection!  Mm-mmmm!!

Ha ha:

I came downstairs today to find Clinton and Peter snuggled on the couch.  Clinton didn't want me to take a picture but I told him it was important that people see how adorable we are.  Here, now isn't this adorable?

Here's one of me and Peter in the office.  He almost always has to be snuggling with one of us, even if there really is no room for him, he'll make room.

Day 83: All for Nothing

Sorry, my internet was down yesterday and part of today, so my post is LATE!!

Aha:
You ever get that crept out feeling for no reason?  Well, I was home alone yesterday evening and that feeling came.  I began to worry that something was wrong.  I worried that Clinton had gotten into an accident or someone was hurt in my family.  I said a little prayer for comfort and almost as soon as I finished, my phone rang.  It was Clinton telling me he was on his way home.  I told him to drive safe and he was home just a few minutes later.  Not too long after he got home I got a text from my mom and all was well at home too.

I have no idea why those feelings came, but I am so grateful for the comfort I received regardless!

Ha ha:
I was in line behind two East Indian women at the register at Target, my hair was down and I had noticed earlier in the day how long it's getting (this may not seem significant, but just a moment).  As I approached the cashier she looked up at me and said, "Ah, I wish I could get my hair that long!  It's so beautiful!" 
Me:  Aw, I'm actually trying to grow mine out!
She:  Me too, I can't get mine past my shoulders.
Me:  Well, it's still cute.
She:  Thanks.  She said she it's against her religion to cut it.
Me:  (??)
She:  (Glancing behind her at the two East Indian ladies walking out) It's just so beautiful.

Right then I realized she wasn't complimenting my hair at all.  She'd been talking about the East Indian ladies in front of me the whole time.  (sigh) Ha!

Day 82: Dictations and Menstruations

Aha:
I have been meaning to schedule an eye appointment for my prosthetic lens for months, but haven't been able to get around to it.  While going through some dictations at work I came across one for a patient with a prosthesis.  The person it needed to be forwarded to was one of the ocularists at the office I go to!  So, I killed two birds with one stone and got the information I needed for the dictation and scheduled an appointment for myself at the same time!  May not seem like much, but my eye's been driving me crazy and it could really use a nice polish.  Who knows how long it would have taken me to get this scheduled had I not needed to call there today?

Ha ha:
Let's just say the premenstrual witch ding-dong-died today...if ya know what I mean.  As a result, Queen Cramps took her place and I really started to feel like crapola at work.  I work with three other women, so it's not like I could hide it.  Anyway, like every other time Queen Cramps brings her Aunt Flo for a visit, I ended up visiting the bathroom.  I came back and sat at my desk and my coworker asked how I was.
Me:  I feel crap.
She:  Well, maybe that would help.
Me:  Done and done.  I still feel like crap.

Oh, the things we share with our coworkers!...and...the things I share on my blog!

Day 81: The Gift of Gab

Aha:
About 2 minutes into my walk with Peter this evening I saw an older man walking his dog.  Peter ran to meet the dog and I said hello to the owner.  Just to make polite small talk I asked how old the dog was and the owner didn't stop talking for 30 minutes.  He was extremely nice but it was quite obvious that he's lonely.  He talked about his wife, who I later learned passed away from cancer about 10 years ago; his girlfriend, who lives in the next state; and about his twice-daily trips to the dog park.  I hardly got a word in edgewise, but ya know, maybe that was for the best.  It seems he had a lot he wanted to share and needed someone with whom he could share it...me.
It is so easy to think about "me, me, me" all the time.  My schedules, my choices, my opinions, my way.  But, there are probably lots of people out there, like this older man, who could really use a "Hi there.  How are you?"
Even though my "chat" turned into 30-walkless-minutes in the cold, my heart felt very warm and I know his did too.

Ha ha:
I really did want to give Peter some exercise and after I had tried to finish the above conversation for the 10th time, I noticed another neighbor come by.  I quickly started a brief follow-up conversation with her; told the older man I really should get going, that it was nice to meet him and I'd talk to him again soon; and then I continued down the street in the same direction as my neighbor.  Without taking a breath she turned to me and said, "He is such a nice guy, but I can normally only say 'hello' in passing or I end up there all night."
Ha!

Day 80: Tell the World

Aha:
Welp, our profile is now up on Parent Profiles!  If you feel so inclined, please copy the link and send it to everyone you know and then ask them to send it to everyone they know, etc.  No need to get permission from us to forward it on!  We'd appreciate all the help we can get to find the sweet girl who will change our lives, for the better, for forever! 
Check out our profile here.
(Please copy and paste this link to your facebook page or in an email to your friends http://www.parentprofiles.com/profiles/db27603.html)

Ha ha:
I went to an Administrative Professionals meeting today and the topic was "Crucial Conversations".  There was a troop from Comedy Sportz there and they were helping with role play in scenarios we could encounter at work or home.  As you may expect, it was funny at times and they eventually asked for volunteers and suggestions of situations from the audience.  A lady volunteers and is partnered with a male member from the troop.  He turns to the audience and asks for suggestions.  Despite the feeling of happiness and lightheartedness in the room, this disgruntled lady in the back yells out, "She just found out you're cheating on her!"...

Um...AWKWARD!

Everyone in the audience took in a deep, surprised breath; the coordinator said, "Uh, something much lighter."; I quickly shouted, "She's taking credit for your work."; the tension lifted and a collective sigh of relief went over the crowd.

Eesh lady!  Lay off the soaps and stick to Hallmark movies for Pete's sake!

Day 79: Sew Good!

Aha:
I decided that one of the things I've never been "good" at, more like convinced myself I wasn't going to be good at, is crafts.  I think that talent skipped me and landed itself "seam"lessly on my sisters.  Not for long (hopefully)!  I went to the fabric store with a friend tonight and got myself some fabric to make new pillow covers for my bed.  There will be sewing and lots of patience required, so this could be a one-two sorta deal.  My hope is that, as I see myself accomplishing something I've wanted to become better at, I'll be encouraged to try harder or more difficult things.

Ha ha:
1.  As I sat here thinking about what to write I glanced at my tool bar at the bottom of my desktop and noticed the Mozilla/Firefox symbol.  Am I the only one who just realized that the icon is a fox with a fiery tail sorta swirling around a globe?  I seriously thought it was just a globe.  Wow.
2.  Clinton was on call tonight and I didn't feel like cooking for just me and cereal sounded so good!  So, I had three bowls of Honey Nut Cheerios and a bunch of Nacho Cheese Doritos!  I. Loved. Every. Bite.

Day 78: Having a Grape Attitude

Aha:
I watched a video on Hulu today called, "39 Pounds of Love".  It's about this 34-year-old man, named Ami, with a rare form of muscular dystrophy.  When he was one-year-old his doctor told his mother to not expect him to live to six.  She had cried and screamed at the doctor, telling him that no man can put a limit on what any person is capable of doing or becoming.  The movie was only 70 minutes, but it was the story of Ami fulfilling his dreams, despite his only being 39 pounds and well past his life-expectancy.

This got me to thinking about how often I limit myself, or doubt what I am capable of doing or becoming.  I work in a children's hospital and I see so many people that are in so much worse situations than I, and yet, I still complain.  If only I had...If only could...If only this had/hadn't happened...etc.  But when I see movies like this one, or I see those families in the hospital that deal with so much pain and sickness, I can not help but reflect a little and put the things that I deal with in my life in perspective.  Gosh, I am so blessed!  Sure, I can only see out of one eye and my blind one does not "match" my good eye perfectly, but my goodness; I can still see!  Sure there are things I want in life that I can't have right now, but at least I'm surrounded by wonderful family and friends who love me and care for me!  Sure I have trials, but every time I turn to the Lord for comfort and direction, He is there to love and guide me! 

Ami did not let a severe physical disability keep him from doing the things he dreamed of doing.  Why should I, in my very capable mind and body, limit myself, either physically or spiritually?  Watching this movie inspired me to dig a little deeper and find some things I have prevented myself from accomplishing before.  I don't know what they are yet, but rest assured, I am going to discover what they are and I will blog about them and my progress in accomplishing them.  I know there are some things I have no control over, but I always have control on my attitude and perspective.

What about you?  What have you thought you weren't good enough for, or not strong enough for, or incapable of starting-doing-finishing?  Remember, no man can put a limit on what any one person is able to accomplish, and with God, nothing is impossible.

Ha ha:
I was enjoying some freshly washed grapes when Clinton came and took a bunch for himself.  I heard him go out to the kitchen and proceed to wash them again.  I told him they were already clean and he said, "Yeah.  But I'm pretty sure I saw you touching them, so they needed to be washed." 
What a punk!

Day 77: Bonus Videos

I posted a "Ha ha" moment a few days ago about a mouse I saw on my way home.  I said I'd get the video uploaded, well, here's the link.  I really do think it was gerbil that got lose or something, this is way too big to be a mouse.  Enjoy!
Meander with a Mouse

Here is a video of Clinton and I playing with Peter.  Peter has this funny thing he does when he plays, we call it "stealth mode":  his breathing slows, he stands perfectly still until he begins to crouch down lower and lower in preparation to either pounce on, or attack his toy.  (Please disregard the nasty strings of hair on the ball.  I just got a new mannequin head and the hair was falling out like crazy! I'm still pulling it off of things.)
Peter Playing

Day 77: Oh! Deer!

Aha:
Clinton and I took Peter for a walk in the AMAZING weather we had today.  As we climbed to the top of a hill (about 5 minutes from our house) and turned towards some bushes, we saw two deer munching on some branches about 30 feet away!  They were so beautiful and the moment was very quiet.  They watched us; we watched them.  Here's a video...those of you from the country will laugh at me for being so moved, but growing up in the city: this isn't an everyday occurrence!

I view this little exchange as a blessing because it was like everything stopped around us and everything was so calm.  We were able to enjoy some of God's prettiest animals from so close.  I felt like I was being given a special gift and I enjoyed it very much!

Ha ha:
We discovered Peter would never be a good hunting dog.  We stopped to watch that deer for a good 5 minutes and Peter didn't notice them once!  I think he's only got a nose for human food. :)

Day 76: Pedestrians, Phones and Panties

Aha:
As I was walking to work this morning (all residential neighborhoods) I crossed an intersection going West; there were two cars waiting for me to cross, one going North (with a stop sign) and one turning North from the West (no stop sign).  As soon as I stepped onto the sidewalk I heard a loud CRUNCH behind me.  I turned around to see that the two cars had collided.  The stop-sign car zoomed through the intersection to pass behind me and the non-stop-sign car turned as soon as I crossed and they crashed into one another.
The formula for disaster was pretty strong: one pedestrian, one impatient driver and one driver not watching.  I'm just glad my role in this accident was "witness" and not "victim".

Ha ha:
1.  I got a new app on my phone that includes tons of different ring tones and I found the perfect one for Clinton when he calls me: The Simpsons Theme Song.  I played it for him and he loved it.
2.  My coworker read me something that she saw on FaceBook and I thought it was hilarious.  This quote is dedicated to my family:

Families are like panties... 

Some crawl up your butt. Some snap under pressure. Some don't have the strength to hold you up. Some get a little twisted. Some are your favorite. Some are holy. Some are cheap. Some are naughty. Some are full of crap, And some actually cover your butt when you need them to.

Thank you family, for being most like the good pairs of undies described...although, at times, you can all be full of crap too! :)

Day 75: Angels on the Road and in the Workplace

Aha:
My friend and I were driving on the roads of Wisconsin today (for anyone who's ever been here, you can attest to the crazy drivers) and were watched-over from above, for sure! 
My friend was in the left lane and needed to get into the right ASAP in order to turn onto the next street.  As she pulled into the right lane we heard nothing but loud honking as we almost collided with the car behind/beside.  Had the other driver not been watching and had the heavens not sent their angels to protect us, we could have had a nice little accident today.  This is why I always pray for safety each morning and each night!!  I'm grateful my prayers were answered! 

Ha ha:
I woke up feeling great this morning!  As I came downstairs to get my breakfast ready, my nose started running like a faucet and I couldn't breathe through my right nostril. 

Warning:  This is somewhat gross...ok, well, it's really gross.

So, I blew my nose, and blew my nose and blew my nose.  And then I blew it some more.  The amount of goo that came out was inconceivable.  Needless to say, I didn't stay "feeling great" for long. 

When I got to work, I discovered my brain stayed home.  I got on the elevator, pushed the door-close button and started to descend.  The elevator went down one floor and a nice lady got on.  She looked at me slumped against the wall and said, "Now, you know you didn't push any buttons for the floor you want, right?"  Oh my gosh!  It didn't even register that I forgot to push which floor I wanted!  We had a good laugh (mine was of the more-embarrassed nature) as she pushed my floor and got off on the next level.
Thank you Elevator Lady, for laughing with me instead of at me.  May all your stops be filled with people who know where they're going.

Day 74: Charged and Ready for Action

Aha:
I had a very busy day today.  When I came home, I immediately prepared myself for a hair appointment.  The appointment was only supposed to be about 45 minutes, but the client requested extra services and the appointment ended up lasting 2 hours.  I've been sitting here thinking what I should write for my "aha" while shushing my dog who is desperate for my attention.
And then I recognized it.
I've got to spend some time with my pup.  Have a great night, I'll be busy playing with Petey Pup!

Ha ha:
A couple days ago, before finding a better solution, I was going to use Clinton's charger for my phone.  I left his charger beside his bed and hooked mine up on my side.  The next day, at bedtime, he asked where his charger was...here's how it went.
He:  Where's my charger?
Me:  Beside your bed on the floor.
He:  No, you borrowed it yesterday, remember?
Me:  No, I didn't.  I used mine after I got an extension cord, remember?
He:  Well, I don't see it; you still have it.
Me:  No, I never took it.  It's still on the floor beside your bed.  Look down there.
He:  No, it's...oh.  I found it.
Me:  Did you find an apology down there too?

Day 73: Cut and Paste

Aha:
I woke up with a headache this morning, went to work with it and kept it all afternoon.  Alieve didn't relieve it but I was still (miraculously/thankfully) able to get my work done (editing manuscripts=tedious).  I kept saying a prayer all day that my headache would pass, and even though it didn't, I was blessed with the ability to work through it.
I did leave a little early, but when I got home my husband rubbed my shoulders for a little while (another miracle ;) and after a few hours the pain decreased a bit and now I am very much looking forward to going to bed and waking up refreshed in the morning!

Ha ha:
One of the docs I work for is a pastry junky (so much so he had a heart attack at 35!, but a big part of that is his genetically-high cholesterol, even still, you'd think he'd lay off the sweets).  Anywho, he knows I love a good pastry and each time he buys one for himself I ask where mine is (especially when he buys cherry pie!! YUM!).  Today, he came back from the deli and called for me to come out with a knife.

Leaving the story here would be funny enough as it is, but I'll divulge, just this once.

I got a knife and he says, "Well, I'll avoid the inevitable questions and just give you your piece now."  Ha!  He actually bought a pastry knowing that he'd just split it with me!  He didn't offer any to any of my coworkers, just me.  I got a good kick and a good pastry outta that!

Day 72: A Labor of Love

Aha:
I am so thankful I didn't have to go to work today!!  I got to sleep in, lounge around a bit, clean my house and enjoy time with my husband and friends.  I love that Labor Day celebrates workers by giving them a day off!
It was so nice to be able to have a relaxing day, I needed it!

Ha ha:
I decided that it was as good a day as any to clean my house so I wouldn't have to do it later this week.  I had the house to myself so I cranked up some Michael Buble and got to work.  I don't know what it is about that kind of music, but it just makes me want to dance!

So...I did.  I was all alone, right?

Well, I felt sorry for Peter, so as I fox-trotted and jazz-handed my laundry around my living room I was sure to circle around Peter a few times so he wouldn't feel left out.  He looked at me a little weirdly, so I swooped him up and pranced around the room a few times and spun in some lovely circles till we were both dizzy!
I wish cleaning could be this fun every time!

Day 71: A Day for Quotes

On a side note, this is my 100th post!!

Aha:
The lesson in Relief Society was on "Facing Your Future with Faith".  The teacher discussed how no matter what the situation is, we can do hard things because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  The Atonement may not always make our burdens easier to bear, but it will make them possible to bear.  I really liked that.  There have been times in my life when my burdens have been made easy to bear, but I think more often, the Atonement has made it possible to bear those things that are not easy.  It brought me comfort to think about that--the Lord knows what I need to go through and will make it possible to do so, even when/especially when it is not easy.  What's that quote?  I think it's pretty applicable here..."I never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it."

Ha ha:
Clinton got home early from his rotation today and was sitting next to me on the couch.  I happened to yawn and he said, "Shhh!  You're too noisy."  What a punk! ;)  I'm just glad I didn't sneeze!  Who knows what he would have said!

Clinton wanted to watch a little TV before going to bed but I soon found him on the computer, so I turned down the TV so I could think to blog.
He: Hey, I was watching that.
Me: I just need it to be quiet for a second and you're not even watching it.
He: I like to have background noise.
Me: (noticing Peter drinking his water in the background) Well, just listen to Petey drinking.
He: Yes, he's a regular little babbling brook.

Day 70: Sit Back and Relax

Aha:
1.  I got plane tickets today to go visit my family in October!  FYI Portland friends: I'll be there Oct. 19th-23rd.
2.  I got a nap this afternoon; something I haven't had for a while but thoroughly enjoyed!
3.  Clinton and I had nothing to do today but just hang out.  We ran a couple errands, but we were home for most of the day and just got to relax.  It was wonderful!  I think this was an extra special blessing in disguise because he's on call tomorrow and he'll be working on Monday, so the time we had together today will be our reserves for the next couple days. :)/:(

Ha ha:
Peter is...hilarious.  You wouldn't think that a dog could be so funny, but Petey really does have such a fun personality!  This morning he was laying in bed while I was getting ready.  After using a tiny bit of hairspray he started having this snorting/sneezing fit.  Clinton got in on it and started making the sound to Peter.  Peter would respond each time.  This snort-fest went on for about 2 minutes straight, but by the time I got my video camera out Peter had had enough.  So, I got this cute picture of him instead:

Well, a little later this afternoon he decided he wanted to look out the window, however there were a couple "obstacles" in his way.  But they didn't deter him from reaching his dreams!  Oh, no, not him!  He just climbed his way to the top and once there made himself the king of the world couch!

What a bub!

Day 69: When One Door Closes Another Opens

Aha:
We decided to place our adoption information on an additional profile website.  When we initially heard about it, it was going to cost $99/month.  We felt that was a bit costly, but figured it was for a good purpose, so we decided to give it a try.  However, when we printed the paperwork (after I took about 4 hours to complete our profile) I saw that it was going to cost $150 for a processing fee+$99 for the initial posting fee+$99 for the first month.  Eek!  I felt very overwhelmed with trying to come up with all this money, but we both felt that this was something we should be doing.  I asked the Lord to help me find the money.
As I was preparing to submit our application I asked our caseworker at LDS Family Services if he knew of any discounts we could use, but he knew of none.  I googled "parent profiles discounts" and the very first link that came up was for discounts for LDSFS!  I contacted the profile company to verify the discount and it was totally valid!  Instead of all the costs listed above, we no longer have to pay the fees and our monthly fee went from $99 down to $75!
Why would googling "parent profiles discounts" bring up the exact discount code I needed for our particular agency?...because the Lord's hand was in my life!

Ha ha:
In my typical bull-in-the-china-shop way, I walked into one of the offices across the hall...or should I say, I TRIED to walk into the office, but instead, I walked INTO the door...in front of two other employees.  In my defense, their door is a lot heavier than ours and it does not stay open like ours, so when I pushed it open I wasn't quite expecting it to fly back so quickly.  It made an unusually loud BAM when I collided and everyone turned to see what happened.  I told them I was ok and laughed it off, telling them my hip bone caught the brunt of it.  On my way back out, one of them said, "You know there's another door in the back that would be safer for you to use.  Are you sure you want to use this door, Danielle?"  Ha. Ha. :)

Day 68: Making a Big Stink

Aha:
I had another run in with The Intimidator today (if you don't know what I'm talking about, check out this link).  To keep a long story short, one of the other docs made arrangements for a resident to attend our clinic this month, told me about it 2 days ago (assuring me that all the proper notifications/arrangements had been made) and asked me to forward some helpful hints to the resident.  Taking the initiative to make sure all of the other docs knew, I sent a heads-up email.  Well, about 15 minutes later, The Intimidator came out and scolded me, in front of my coworkers, and said that the resident couldn't come to clinic and arrangements like this need to be cleared with him in the future.  I told him that this was not my doing, I was only trying to help, and that these "arrangements" had been made by Dr. Forgetful.  He was still a bit curt but said he speak with Dr. Forgetful, I told him I'd appreciate that.
After venting to my coworkers about my frustration of getting chided for Dr. Forgetful's forgetfulness and lack of communication, The Intimidator came back out, asked for clarification of how long I'd known this schedule (less than 3 days) and what more I knew about it.  He apologized and said it was his oversight that this had not been handled better.  Wha??!
Praise the Lord!  What a relief!  I'm still going to speak with Dr. Forgetful and let them know this lack of communication with me (his assistant) can not keep happening and that I don't appreciate getting in trouble for things that aren't my fault.  Overall though, I felt this was another successful encounter with The Intimidator because even though they came out strong, I stood my grounds and gained their respect in the process!

Ha ha:
One of my coworkers came over for a cut/highlights after work.  She was petting Peter who was busy sniffing her like crazy!  I told her he's a pretty sniffy dog and she replied, "He probably smells my poopies."  "What?!" I asked.  "He smells your poopies?"  "NO!  My Coopies." (Her dog's name is Cooper.)  Time to get my hearing checked I think!