11 things you may not know about me.

I didn’t walk until I was 18 months old. I think my legs somehow knew what I would one day do them; they just wanted to rest more.

I have had two surgeries in my life. One was a c-section with my 2^nd daughter, Kayla. They wanted to do a c-section because she went breech 2 days prior to delivery day. However, she was so far in my birth canal when the surgeon finally came around and I was given a choice to delivery vaginally or c-section, I chose c-section. But do regret my decision; the next several days were very painful. And, I lost a lot of blood when I gave birth to her and felt myself floating up. The other surgery was to remove a Dermoid Cyst on my right ovary.

I don’t drink alcohol at all. And the real reason why I don’t is because many years ago, I prayed and asked God to make me absolutely ill when ever I drank it. The next day my prayer was answered.

I’ve been married before Brett. With my first husband, we were young and immature and getting a divorce felt more like a breakup. He lives close to me and if I run into him, I will hug and greet him kindly, but we don’t have any other contact.

My hair is naturally curly. My very first hair as an infant was a curl.

Biking was my first obsession. When I was 17, I would often ride by myself 30 miles to the Washington/Oregon border. It was always such a thrill. 

I am a trained Doula and have participated in several births; a few paid, but mostly volunteer. I love to watch them, but learned, I really am not nurturing, so haven’t been attending any births. I've attended still births, single mother births, witnessed a baby almost being dropped while the mother had it standing up, been mostly a babysitter two a 2 year old so that the father could be in the room with his wife, been told things by drugged up mothers that I wish I hadn't heard...

I cut my husbands hair and I’m good at it. This is funny because I once cut my boyfriends hair when I was 17 and really messed it up.

Not only am I scared of driving in the snow an ice, I'm terrified of spiders, flying bugs and being in rivers and oceans if I can't see the bottom.  What's funny is that we have a pet spider, it's been living in our bathroom since the summer and it's not my first pet spider.

I’ve only had one dentist my whole life. He’s watched me grow up and now he is my kid’s dentist. I send him a Christmas card every year. 

I don’t like Chocolate, but love Skittles and have a very unhealthy obsession to orange flavored Tic-Tac’s. I can eat a box of Tic-Tac’s in about 5 minutes or less. 

Sleep Apnea

2 more nights.

2 more nights until my youngest daughter, aged 7 gets her tonsils out.

I am really looking forward to it.

She has Sleep Apnea. She has it bad.

When we took her to OHSU, the doctor took a look at her tonsils, looked at the video that I showed him and knew instantly she has it. 

It is hard to watch her struggling to breath at night. She isn't getting a good nights rest. I'll watch her sleep for a few minutes and in those few minutes, she wakes up often. She looks like she is gasping for air, she looks like she is going to throw up, her little stomach sinks in so deeply. And she snores, loudly.


So, 2 more nights.....

Below is the video that we showed the doctor and further reading. 

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/sleep-apnea

A new chapter in my life

Photo of my family

My husband is getting a job with his Indian tribe, which is located in Crescent City, CA. It is a job that he has been wanting, a move that he has been wanting and I'm happy for him, I really am. I've always known that one day a move to Crescent City, CA from Hillsboro, Or (40 min from Portland) would come.

We are leaving Friday, January 21st, 2011. I've lived in the Portland area my whole life, 36 years. I am a big city girl with a big city spirit and mind. Hillsboro has a population of 90,000. Crescent City has a population of 10,000. I am not happy to leave.


My family lives in Portland, my friends live in Portland, Forest Park is in Portland. My kids, ages 9 and 7 have their friends, their life....


A few weeks ago, between a private moment between my husband and I, I cried and it was very heavy and emotional. He was willing to let go of the job to save his marriage, but of course, I wouldn't let him. I love him and want the best for him, he has to take it. I told him that night that I would be okay and adjust and I will.

It is so hard for me to watch my two young children cry about moving, it absolutely breaks my heart.

My girls are slowly adjusting and saying their own goodbyes to their loved ones. My daughter, Kayla who is 7, is having the hardest time. She cries and I cry with her, it's hard for me to stay strong. My daughter Naomi cried at church when she had to say goodbye to her teacher and that same night, my husband cried throughout the whole service, but I did stay strong.

I ran with my very good friend this past Sunday and this coming Sunday is when we have our last run together for awhile, until I return. But, I started trying to find her someone else that she can run with in the forest and I became emotional thinking it was a little hard because I have to leave. But I love my friend and want her to have someone to run with.

Last night, Monday night, my family got together for the Duck game and it was probably the last time we get together for awhile. They were yelling, cursing, laughing, crazy, kids running around, sliding on the floor cheering, dishes being broke, brother willing to give his opinion on everything and my mom said "you are going to miss all of this" and I agreed.

I don't want to go.

I just am wondering how long these powerful emotions are going to keep up. When will we find happiness? How long do I have to hold my little girls because they are so sad?

I wrote on my Facebook wall today, "before you complain about life, think of someone who went to heaven early."

For myself, I am trying to make the most of everything, make the fear of the unknown into a positive.

My friend told me today;

"It's a new chapter in your life. Embrace it! God always works in mysterious ways. Sometimes we don’t like or understand it or at the time, but down the road it will all come together. "

Discovering Lucy's

For this past Christmas, my sister in law had me to shop for. When I opened her gift, I discovered all sorts of treasures. I had running shorts, running pants, a running top, a bag and 4 pairs of running socks. They were all purchased at a store called "Lucy" Never until that day had I heard of Lucy’s.

That evening I tried on everything and found out that the pants were just a little bit too tight for my tastes and the top, oh the top. It was really tight, showed off all my belly flaws and it had not only a bra built in, but it was a push up. I looked in to the mirror and said "oh my."

Now let me stop and tell you the kind of runner that I am in case you don’t know. I prefer trails, muddy, muddy trails. I am not the type of runner that goes to the gym with all my makeup on and barely breaks a sweat. Having run 8 ultra marathons and 6 marathons, I believe if it doesn't hurt like hell, than you didn't train hard enough.

So, I decided I better take the two items back to this Lucy's when I get back to Portland.

I looked up Lucy's on the internet and discovered that there was one at the local mall.

I am not a mall shopper either. I prefer to avoid it as much as I possibly can. When my girls become teenagers, I will hire someone to take them. I learned where I should park so I can get to the store quickly upon arrival.

When I arrived at Lucy's at promptly 10 Am, when they opened. I walked right up to the counter and was greeted by the overly friendly and semi snooty employees. I told them that I needed to return the items and the one gal said that I would get a store credit. I said that was fine. She told me how much I had for a store credit and my mouth seriously dropped open.....$124.00 I said, "oh my!" She then wanted me to sign the return receipt and wanted me to give her my address and promised it wasn't for solicitation purposes. I had to refuse her twice. What part of no did she not understand? I wasn't giving her my address. She then got the hint, scribbled something on receipt and looked liked I hurt her feelings. Too bad!! I then asked her about the store and said that I could find something. She went on to ask me, what kind of exercise that I do and I said I was a runner. I then decided to add for shock value to the "perfect" employee that I preferred to run on trails, the muddier the better and she said "Oh, what fun!" Uh huh, right sure she thought that.

I went into the back to try them on. I decided to get a different size and just walked out and got them myself. After a few minutes, Ms. Snoot-ville came to check on me, asked me what size shirt that I wore and then said she was leaving 2 jackets on the bench for me just in case I would like to try them on. I then realized she was paid on commission. I ignored her and then later came out with my items and said that I wanted to just buy them. She then tried to sell me a box of sport wash which I declined cause uh, whats the point? Then she proceeded to tell me how much she herself liked my black shirt, how she has several herself and then gave me a tip on how I can get my clothes to come out really clean, wash inside out. Uh huh, whatever thanks.

I left the store, promising myself to never again return and wanting a shirt that read "I survived Lucy's.

Oh and I only had to pay $2.00 for my own money. Yipee!!

https://www.lucy.com/on/demandware.static/Sites-Lucy-Site/Sites-Lucy-Library/default/v1283456070703/Misc/lucy_mediakit.pdf

Attitude is a decision

Read this



LET IT REALLY SINK IN......

THEN CHOOSE .





John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!'




He was a natural motivator..




If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.




Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it!'




'You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?'




He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or...you can choose to be in a bad mood




I choose to be in a good mood.'



Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.




Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or...I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.




'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested.




'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.




You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life.'




I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business.. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.




Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.




After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.




I saw him about six months after the accident.




When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?'




I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.




'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,' he replied. 'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live.'




'Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?' I asked.



He continued, '...the paramedics were great.




They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.'




'What did you do?' I asked..



'Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity''




Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'




He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude...I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.




Attitude, after all, is everything.




Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:34.




After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

The Crying Baby

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in a movie theater with my 7 year old daughter. The theater was not crowded, but in walked a mother with a couple of kids and a baby. The baby as you can guess started crying in the theater and the mother never took it out of the theater.

It seems wherever I go, I hear crying babies and sometimes it is a screaming baby and I admit, they are annoying to me. I joke, "The crying little people...are everywhere!"

I am currently raising two children. They are now 7 and 9, way past the baby stage. I know all about crying babies and it isn't always easy to comfort them.

When they were babies, my husband used to tip the waitresses about 30%, because they were simply so messy. They often times keep you up at all hours of the night and the pooh, oh the pooh....but;

"They are babies for such a short while, their lives so innocent and precious."

I was visiting a local church this morning and I received one of their church pamphlets. On the back was this story below;

The Crying Baby

Do you hear him? Right now, you can probably hear a baby crying. We hear them all the time-they are everywhere.

When you go to the movies and see a mom come in with a baby on her hip, your blood pressure rises. When you are reading a magazine in the waiting room and see the wheels of a stroller push through the door, you know you won't be reading much longer. When the person sitting in 15b has a baby and you are in 14b, you know it is going to be a long flight.

When you see the family enter the auditorium at church, baby in tow, you know they missed the nursery. Babies interrupt our worship, break our silence, and disturb our peace.

What if babies are meant to interrupt our lives? What if babies remind us that the routines we have made for our lives are not always the best course for us? What if babies remind us the world is not all about us? What if babies reminded us that birth is to be celebrated and life is to be experienced?

What if babies are meant to remind us that once a baby entered the world with the expressed purposed of interrupting our worship, breaking our silence and disturbing our peace?

What if babies reminded us of Jesus? Like this morning.

-Derrick



It makes you think.

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for"

"A baby in the house is a well-spring of pleasure, a messenger of peace and love, a resting place for innocence on earth, a link between angels and men"