Adventures in Being Disabled

Last night I got to go to my Graduate School Orientation. I was very excited. It was held in the Education building on the second floor. I left work early, scooted across campus in my awesome kelly green scooter, went up the ramp like any respectable disabled person, and used the elevator to get up to the second floor, where the orientation was. I found a chair and made myself comfortable.

And then the power went out.

"Phew!" I thought. Boy was I glad I had already taken the elevator and was where I needed to be.

The orientation began. Introductions were made, pizza was served. And then they announced where I needed to go for my break-out session: one floor up.

Panic! How would I get up the stairs without an elevator! Thankfully roughly 20 people(I'm exaggerating, but not that much) offered to help. I waited until most of the people had gone up the stairs, then I scooted (without my scooter) backwards up the stairs on my butt.

Did I mention I was wearing a knee length dress?

So I had someone at the bottom of the stairs shewing people away so they wouldn't get an eyeful if they saw the stairs, another person hide my scooter in a room so it wouldn't get stolen (cuz who wouldn't want an awesome kelly green knee scooter?), someone held my plate of pizza, another held my purse.

And I scooted. I kept wondering what on earth I was going to do once I made it to the top - hop down the hallway until I found the classroom I was supposed to be in? Finally, I made it to the top and yelled down for the person watching that she could let people through now: I was decent.

Then I saw it: a chair with wheels! At the top of the stairs! Waiting for me! Put there by Heavenly Father! He's so nice. So I sat down, and asked someone else to push me (I couldn've pushed myself with my one good leg, but really, how fun is that? If someone else pushed me, I could go faster!). And I made it. Safe, sound, dirty (from scooting around on the stairs), and late.

Thankfully, the power was on by the time it was over.

And so begins my adventures in grad school....

One of My Most Favorite Things

Having the sun in my face. Feeling the warmth on my skin.

Aaaahhhh.....

Empty Nest Practice

My daughter decided to move out today. Thankfully, she moved close by (under the trampoline), and came back for dinner.

It all began when she spit her lunch out in the bathroom garbage, so it looked like she had finished her plate. When we noticed black beans in the garbage, she fessed up. However, in order to have a brownie, she needed to finish her lunch. Poor girl. I'll spare you the details on the tantrum that followed, but let's just say she ended up in her bedroom. She then escaped through her window (I thought that wasn't supposed to happen until teenage years...). She came back to pack her bags and get her stuffed animals and such, and said she'd still eat her meals here.

I hope when she really moves out she comes home for dinner once in awhile.




My Five:

1. The daughter, even if she doesn't like black beans.

2. I'm FINALLY feeling better after surgery, infection, allergic reaction to antibiotics...Today I felt human again. AND went to church!

3. The sacrament. I've missed it.

4. Erda's Ballpark Brownies. And my husband and visiting teacher making them for me.

5. Our trampoline. My kids actually play with each other now. AND exercise at the same time. My son did his first back flip today! Any my other son ALMOST did one!

FYI - Darin has a new blog - check it out by following my link!

Hang Tight...

I'm reading a book that I got for my b-day (thanks Jeanetter!), and I have two choices: read or blog.

Reading won.

I Stand Corrected

So, about my ramblings the other day....

I guess my sister Jess doesn't have a smoker voice. I got mixed up with her version of a fat lady laugh, which is truly awesome if you've never heard it. For some reason sometimes when she does that laugh it reminds me of a smoker.

No offense intended, and sorry for all of you who thought you could hear a great smoker voice from my sis. Apparently she's not THAT talented. And that's not a bad thing. Her sewing skills make up for that.

Anyway, here's my five:

1. Pride and Prejudice. What a great movie!

2. Naps. And Saturdays! I'm glad to get a day off work.

3. My boys. They're standing at my side right now watching me post. How could I not mention them? They're such great kids.

4. The new cheer my boss taught me: Make a plus sign with your arms and shout "Be positive positive" and then make a negative sign by making your elbow move sideways and shout "Not negative negative!" I've taught the family and it's a very contagious thing to do.

5. My sisters. Thanks for the call today Jean! It made my day!

A Dream Come True, Sort Of

It's always been a secret dream of mine to become a reporter/writer. In Junior High, when we had to take all those aptitude tests and then decide what we were going to be when we grew up, I always wrote that I would be a poet or a magazine editor. They said once that I should be a taxidermist. Those tests aren't always right.

Anyhow, I'm now (as you know) the Women's Sports Director of my ward. Like many wards, we have a Relief Society blog, and I officially have my own space! It's kind of like my own column!

All of my wildest dreams are coming true!

So, if you are in my ward, or just want to read my articles, check out the Weaver Lane Relief Society blog (it's in my list of blogs to the right).

Eight Ramblings and Five Thankful Fors

Ramblings one:It's been one week exactly since my ankle surgery (where they inserted two plates and 8-9 screws) and I want my foot back!

Ramblings two: What do you do if a blind man is staring at you? It's a little uncomfortable.

Ramblings three: I have my first and so far only job performance evaluation this afternoon.

Ramblings four: Looks like I'm going to Washington, D.C. next month for work. I hope I can walk by then.

Ramblings five: Rain in the valleys, snow in the mountains. Perfecto.

Ramblings six: My bus driver this morning has the best (or worst?) smoker voice ever. She even beats my sister Jess, who is not a smoker, but has a great (or terrible?) smoker voice. The bus driver also had claw nails.

Ramblings seven: I had claw nails in high school: long, real, long, discolored, long, and always painted a bright color. Always.

Ramblings eight: My kids grew up somehow. How?

Thankful for one: mu husband, who has dutifully made me breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and driven me to and from train stops (or work) for an entire week without complaining once. In fact, he usually says things like, "you're worth it."

Thankful for two: the plug. Darin unplugged the TV yesterday. Peace and quiet and non-vegetable-like kids are a great thing. My boys wrote chapter books on Bolt: Part II.

Thankful for three: I've never been back east. I'm kind of excited to see it.

Thankful for four: The get well cards and posters my kids and husband drew for me.

Thankful for five: There are still nice people in the world, who help temporarily disabled women jump off train landings and blind men from falling off trains.

He's Baaaaack!

Hi, it's me again, my mom's first-born son!

I went to Disneyland on Space Mountain. I said, "Dad, I think I'm gonna be sick." Three days later I threw up!


We got a trampoline before we went to Disneyland. Disneyland was funner than the tramp. I was like SCREAMIN' when we got the tramp, and THEN, space mountain was so fun I just wanted to go on it again! But my sister, she just didn't want to go on it again.



Until next time, I'm signing off.....

The Benefits of Ankle Surgery

So my surgery is over. It ended up being worse than the doctor suspected: I actually had broke my ankle in two places. So I got two plates and 8 or 9 screws in my ankle. And it hurts!

BUT....I ended up with this baby....


(Mine's green, though)

I LOVE it! I can cruise anywhere and carry things if I want to. I feel so independent, and don't need armpit-hurting crutches!

Life is good...