BACKFLASH TUESDAY III

INJURY
October 16 was the day that my troubles began. I was on my way to work at 5:45 am. It is dark and getting cold. I step out of my front door across the porch and miss the first step. I literally FLEW down the 5 cement steps with only my right knee making impact on one of the stairs. The full force of my body weight HIT onto the cement with my hands, wrist, elbows, shoulders and then knees getting the full brunt of the fall. I rolled over on my back and lay for what it seemed like an eternity assessing my injury. I have had three broken arms in my life and knew when I finally got up that something was definitely wrong......So off to the Emergency room I go. The ER had cleared my right elbow and both wrists but I had a radial head fracture on my left elbow (broken elbows) and sent me home with a referral to see an Orthopedic Surgeon. I knew something was up with the right side but had to wait while swelling went down and the Surgeon could assess my injury better. X rays were repeated and the right elbow was more injured than the left elbow.....I didn't even mention the knees. The treatment was done as a let's try this first before a) Splinting b) Surgery. I was to forget that I have two arms and act like I was an armless person!!! Every 10 days or so I would have X rays and if there was movement of the radial heads healing area then I would have to have surgery, splints (casts) and rehab!!!! Even more time away from my life.... I was besides myself because this was the most inconvenient time for me...... As if anytime would have been better.

THE COULD NOTS
~I could not drive and felt at the mercy of others
~I could not dress my self easily and even went to a neighbor to hook up my bra.
~I could not easily go potty, take down, wipe, pull up. Enough said... Thank you Mom!!!
~I could not pet, hug or walk my 90 lbs of snuggle puppy Mesa. Thank you to my dog loving friend.
~I could not cook. I had to depend on every morsel of food to be fixed or provided for me. I have great family and friends who would either bring me food with leftovers to pop in the microwave or took me out. I even had to rely on someone to cut up my food.


This was the first time in my life that I was the one who had to rely on otherS.... that was humbling.

My saving grace was the I could carry up to 3 lbs and I could hold my arms in front of me use the computer and read blogs!!! This is when I discovered ya'll.

Fast forward 6 weeks and the MD has increased my weight lifting to 10 lbs and I talk him into getting back to work (I was so bored at home) releasing me two weeks early than he wanted with a promise from me that I would take it easy and stop working if I had anything happen. This is the time I decide to work like crazy.....I had not gotten my Dossier completely done and was looking at needing to come up with more money not only for the adoption fees but also for the accrued medical expense. SO I WORK 60 HRS EACH WEEK DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. During this time I started to feel a tightness over my chest around the heart area. Holy Crap!!!! On top of all this I am now having heart problems!!! This was one of the reasons I was scared to death to proceed with my adoption. I have a good friend who is a Cardiologist and he was able to fit me in immediately for a stress echo. Now because of my elbow and leg/knee limitation this had to be done as a drug induced speeding up of the heart. What was a scare at the first ended up reassuring me the I have strong heart muscle, no blockage and the chest pain/tightness was due to the muscle injury from the fall, lack of muscle usage for 6 weeks and then overdoing it by working TOO much!!!

FLASH TO TODAY...
ELBOWS are healed but weak.....
I still have majors furniture refinish project unfinished, a kitchen that has been waiting to be painted for 8 months now (that is another story) a yard that never got winterized and arm muscles that cannot hold a 15 lb baby more than five minutes. All these projects will get done eventually and I will plug along getting them done and building up my strength in my arms to carry Tate. This should make my wait for Tate fly by???!!!

Hmmmmmmmm

Things that make you say......Hmmmmm today...

All afternoon my Dad, the original ANYTHING FROM NORWAY is the BEST guy, was watching the last day of the Olympics. He was so sure that the NORWEGIAN XC ski team was going to take gold in the 5 bzillion (whatever) meter race... He was so into it that he had to wolf down Sunday dinner and leave the extended family gathering to settle in front of his Big Screen Plasma TV set to watch these amazing NORWEGIAN XC SKIERS take GOLD!!!! Before the anticipated race, there was local news break .... The airhead newscaster announced that the 5 bzillion meter race was won by the hosting country....ITALY!!!!! Man did that chap my sweet dad's hide!!! At least the closing ceremonies will be a SURPRISE to him!!! HAHA HEEEE

What's up with all this spring fever in the air??? In the past 4 months in my neck of the World, cars and SUV's have been sporting snow boards and skis. Today these same vehicles are sporting mountain Bikes!! I guess the skiing is passe and bikes are in.... Even the City parks had whole families on bikes with kids in bike trailers....

Hmmmmmmmmm........
Maybe it's time for me to take my skis off the car rack and dust the bike off and load it on my SUV......... So I can be sporting the perfect accessory too!!!

CHINESE READS

I love to read. I have had an appetite for books all my life. I sometimes wonder if adopting my daughter from China was a preconceived idea when I was a Teen in Middle School. I remember when I first discovered Pearl S. Buck. The Good Earth was required 7th grade reading. I was fascinated and relished in the beauty of the sweet deep concept of the rich brown earth being the destiny of man. Quickly I devoured Dragon Seed and Peony. I will say that this experience at such a young age formed my foundation for the love of reading Asian inspired literature. I have since revisited all three books many times, each time taking with me a richer and deeper love and awareness of the Chinese Culture.

Books can educate and transform a person into the history and the ways of people. I have discovered other reads from favorite Authors like Amy Tan and Gail Tsukiyama. Each in their own right addressing part of the history and life of women in China. I know that Amy Tan is well known from novels like The Joy Luck Club. But I will tell you of a favorite writter by the name of Gail Tsukiyama. If you have not heard or read her works, I highly recommend starting with Women of Silk and the follow up The Language of Threads. These books address the issues of young girls who are sold into the silk industry and the sisterhood of these women. Fascinating.

Inspiring and appauling I have started a novel by Lisa See….. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. This book brings you into the tradition of foot binding (AKA Golden Lillies) and the everyday life of women during the Emperor of Daonguang’s reign (1820’s)… I am only a few pages into it, but it is AMAZING!!

Will this help me with the raising of my daughter Tate??? Who knows…. But it gives me insight and compassion for the history of Chinese women concerning the beauty, sorrow and triumph which is the genetic make-up pulsing through her veins.

AN ODE TO MY NOSE

Everyone has a nose.... Some large, some small, some bony and some fleshy!!! I have a nose that while growing up would get lots of attention… It is called a ski jumper nose, and the envy of all girls in my neighborhood ….

Cute, yes, but it is also a challenged nose… ALLERGIES!!! For years of my young life I would take a spoon full of this blue liquid Antihistamine twice a day … During one period of my life I would go monthly to the Doctor’s office to have shots UP INSIDE OF MY NOSE…. And still my nose runs non-stop…. {{{Sniff, sniff}}}

YES, it is a CUTE NOSE but it is also a cursed nose….. SENSITIVE!!! I will smell a hint of garlic in the air and can smell out a backyard B-B-Q from miles around…. I will be the first to smell an offensive odor (no silent sneakers get by me). Highly sensitive Olfactory nerves…. So why is it that I am plagued by the people who sit by me... you know the ones who drown themselves in toxic perfume and aftershave or forget to wear deodorant??? {{{puke}}}

YES.....yes …. I know I have a cute nose.

This writing was prompted by the beginning of my allergy season.... HA...HA CHEW!!! ((((SNIFF SNIFF))))

Chinese Ancient Proverb:
If your nose runs and your feet smell, you are built upside down.

THANK YOU JAN SECRET PAL

One more teasing tidbit aimed at me by my seduction with FED EX… my temptress!!

My heart skipped a beat as I saw the FED EX truck STOP, PARK, and COME towards my front door!!! A quick knock on the door and a loud bark from the Dog. I open the door to reveal a package…. being handed over to me…. A quick signature from me and the box is mine…. In seconds I shred open the box to reveal this….



A soft pink puppy that is just the right size to fit in a diaper bag…. A book Puppy Love, baby touch and feel book, with a Mesa-like puppy on the front cover and the sweetest card stating that she hopes this book will help Tate make friends with Mesa more easily!!! Thank you my January Secret Pal for my great present and your aid in my seduction with FED EX…. Yeah to the Year of the DOG!!!!! You rock whoever you are!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!!!

Happy 76th BIRTHDAY Dad....
You have survived Hitler's occupation of Norway as a starving pre-teen to teenager in Oslo!!! Brave enough to immigrate to America as an 18 year old without the benefit of English lesson in school (another one of the ways Hitler affected your life). You have manage to raise a family of four kids and keep a 54 year old marriage together.... Sometime you drove us kids crazy with your silliness. Always a friendly guy I remember traveling in Europe on time. Three kids were stuffed in the back of a Volvo station wagon.... Somewhere at a gas station in German you are chatting and getting to know the owner asking him what it was like to live in this small town in Germany.... Or making up history of places to entertain us as we drove along on the many car trips in my life.... Frustrating experiences at times is now a thing to reflect and laugh. You have countless of people who call you a friend.... I love you!!!!!!

QUILT SQUARES COMING

OH MAN... I just finished up 50.... that right 50 quilt squares for the 100 wish quilt switch-swatches!!!!! I ran out of the original planned material and had to go to plan "B" material... ran out of Plan "B" material and had to go to the Plan "C" reserve stuff!!!! All swatches are too cute and all are totally me and my style.. Simple, classic and straight forward.... Besides the material. I had to go out in the COLD frigid MOUNTAIN air for another GLUE STICK!!!!!!! If anyone wants to be swapping the swatches with me then just email me, cause I have a reserve of MY CRAFTY WISHES to share... And I only live like 10 miles to a really COOL fabric shop so I can go get Plan "D" swatches!!!

PEEPS!!!!

PEEPS!!!!!!

There back!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!

YOU EITHER LOVE THEM

OR HATE THEM....

I LOVE THEM... STALE AND SEMI-HARD!!!!!

HOW DO YOU FEEL????

NECESSITY

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF ALL INVENTIONS!!!

Keep this in mind with you view my latest attempt to save money on my Natural Gas Bill!! This is a 103 year old house!!! I have replaced all other windows in the house but the living room and dining room which has four HUGE single glass paned (pain in the pocket book) windows... This year the front door is also "drafty" and all my other attempts of keeping in the heat just isn't working.... I really need a handy man who will come and weatherize it.... But until I do this... This is my attempt of using all the Pottery Barn catalogs I get in the mail and stop the DRAFT!!!

100 GOOD WISHES QUILT

There is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt, to welcome and celebrate life. It is custom to invite friends and family to contribute a square of cloth along with a good wish for the baby. The quilt is said to contain the luck, energy and good wishes from everyone who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt becomes a heirloom and is passed from generation to generation.

I have decided to collect quilt squares for making my Tate a 100 good wish quilt.... I cannot sew a straight line and am really not a quilter.... But I am up for a challenge and love that I can provide Tate a bit more history with her Chinese culture and the connection to the Chinese Adoption community and her American family and friends.

I really do not have too much specifics other than an 8x8 square would be nice and a wish or thought on a 4x6 card with a small square of the fabric you are sending attached to this card...

Email me for my address and if you are doing a 100 good wish quilt... Please let me know so I can be part of your daughter's good luck.....

SNOW BLAST

FINALLY..... I got the storm I've been waiting for all WINTER long!!!! Ten inches of soft powdery SNOW!!!!!!!! It actually felt like a Spring storm, the way it came in leaving bright sunny skies behind and MILD temperatures!!! The temptation was almost too much for me to remain home doing my stuff (1oo Wish Quilt stuff) and not abandoning it for XC skiing up one of the local canyons!!! It was also the fourth installment of PUPS and SCONES, with the pups playing in the white stuff and the Gals baking scones and chatting up a storm.

CHALLENGED

I am WORD VERIFICATION CHALLENGED!!!!! I have attempted to leave many comments on other BLOGS and it seems I often can't get that funky word spelled out correctly!!! Challenged by words that are numerous and complicated letters all squished together ... I have even scrambled around the house looking for a pair of reading glasses to see the finer details of the squiggly letters!!!! Take comfort my friends, I still care and have not forgotten you.. it is just that.... I CAN'T GET THE FRICKEN WORD SPELLED RIGHT!!!!

ADVENTURES IN CUPCAKES

Adventures in Cupcakes.... This little sweetie is my niece, Twinkle Toes. This weekend I was lucky enough to have her sleepover for two nights!!! Twinkle Toes is my most favorite person in this world.... At least at this moment. Cupcake making was one of the many (tiring) activities that we did. TT got to pick the cake mix, frosting and decorate. PINK was the color of the day and strawberry was the overwhelming flavor in the cupcakes. TT got to do it all, she measured, poured and mixed. The only thing that she did not get to do was fill the cupcake tins. After one messy attempted I decided that this is something that she will do later with age.

What fun when you can frost something and lick as much as you want, especially when you just LOVE STRAWBERRY FROSTING!!!


PRESENTING THE FINISHED PROJECT!!! Now she can give these to the ones she loves.... Her family.... And Nana and Gramps!!!!!

WHAT FUN AND MESS FOR A NIECE TWINKLE TOES AND HER AUNTIE WILDCHILD....HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!!

BLUE

There is a full moon in the Eastern sky which has just gotten over the snow-capped mountains that I am looking at through my window. Breath-takingly BEAUTIFUL... As the mountains have always been to me. There is something in the air but I cannot put my finger on it. I am BLUE.... BUT WHY???? It seems that today everyone I came in contact with was having an OFF day.... Is it the full moon??? I will take some Motrin and call it a night and tomorrow I will wake up to my usual overly-optimistic self.... Unless the full moon lasts throughout the day light hours .... And perhaps I will be BLUE again.

SURPRISE!!!!

Color me SURPRISED !!!!!! When I went to my mailbox today there was a cute little package just waiting for me to open!!! My first thought was "Hmmmmmm, I didn't order any thing from E-Bay" much to my joy, it was this magnet and the sweetest note from Donna, Lauren Elizabeth's momma, congratulation me on my DTC!!! The saying is so meaningful cause I truly do believe that I knew Tate from before..... A BIG CYBER THANK YOU AND HUG TO YOU DONNA!!!!

BURNED BY BLOG

May I present to you tonight's dinner ..... burnt offering carrots ..... Complements of my obsession with blogs. I was so intense in e-mailing about swapping a quilt square to of all blogs Turnips and CARROTS.....I totally forgot on the stove my attempt of eating something healthy for dinner!!! CARROTS!!!!! Thank heavens for smoke alarms!!!!!!! I wondering if maybe I can substitute the mini carrots for Cheetos Cheese Puffs... They kind of look the same.....

BEST OF TWO

I posted earlier that I was DTC Jan 27 and had joined the Jan DTC group. I was so disappointed that I would not be enduring the wait with the great blogger people I have met and become friends with. So I took the advise of others and stayed in the Jan DTC and joined the Feb DTC group. Much to my surprise there are other known friends (Holly, Lee-Anne, Shannon, Catherine) so far in my Feb group. Now I have the best of both worlds!!! I also just got my assignment for my Jan DTC secret pal... And BOY AM I EXCITED!!!!! Now I can hardly wait to see who my Feb DTC secret pal will be!!!!!! I am so lucky that I can meet and be part of so many adoptive families and their journey to their daughters (and some sons). Overkill??? NO WAY!!!!!

The more I learn of the Chinese culture, people, and customs, the stronger I feel that I have made the right decision to adopt my daughter from China.... In My Chinese Dream, Allison has answered the question WHY CHINA??? Her answer ... "BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE MY DAUGHTER IS". I now know that this is my reason why China!!!! It just feels right.

LOVED

I AM...........................SO I AM LOVED.
SHOUT OUT TO MY PUPPY BLOGGY FRIENDS...BEAU, COPPER, EBENEZER, ADDY AND LUCY, HOLLY'S GIRLS, BAILEY AND NORM, IKE AND KEA...

SUPER BOWL FOOD

What I will be bringing to the SUPER BOWL (TATE'S) party... Something that will help the couch potato athletes clog their Arteries!!!

HOT SAUSAGE DIP

1 thingy Jimmy Dean Hot sausage...8 oz cream cheese...1 small can diced green chilies...1 cup salsa...1 cup sour cream

Fry meat and drain well. Add rest of ingredients except sour cream... melt together and then add sour cream.... serve warm with Tortilla chips!!!!!!!!

TOUCH DOWN GOOD!!!

SCREAMS OF JUBILATION

I saw this picture and fell in love with this little girl . When I look at this picture it will be a constant reminder of those days of paper chasing, becoming DTC, meeting great Bloggy friends, and CELEBRATION!!!!!! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am all about celebrating ANYTHING… so as some of you are celebrating the SUPER BOWL, I am considering it the celebratory grand party to celebrate MY DTC…. everyone far and near will be celebrating my Tate’s DTC. When you scream and yell for your team’s touchdown … I will be thinking that all this noise will really be for my TATE!!!!!!!!!

DTC FEB 3

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

I was never going to collect lady bug stuff..... I think that its cute, but just not ME.... until today... FAMOUS LAST WORDS!!!