Long Long Time

Its been a while. Until now I had nothing to say I guess. John and I are doing well. Some big stuff this summer knocked us around but I am forever blessed that it wasn't any worse than it was. I have so much to be thankful for. God is always there. This is a truth I forget a lot. This summer He really tested the strength of my faith. I've learned so much and have made some new friends in the process first from our summer Bible study of Ezra and Haggai. If you thought you couldn't learn anything from Ezra and Haggai...you're wrong.
I'm currently half way through Beth Moore's "breaking free"...although I don't always do all the assignments (I am getting better at not procrastinating on my homework), I am learning a lot about myself, God, and what matters most in life. Also, I'm learning how to let go of things and let God heal me so that I can break free from the bondage that satan uses to keep me from my savior. Life isn't always what you expect, people bring you down, but God NEVER will. I love what God is teaching me, I love the wisdom the ladies in my study group have to offer, and I love the new friendships my Lord has given me in them.

*on another note...
Summer vacation in September gave me time to relax after a very stressful summer. This is most likely the last season of my 8 season running show ONE TREE HILL. And I am so grateful I was able to extra a 3rd and final time last month. Who wouldn't love getting a little extra money to hang out with the cast of their favorite show and see themselves on TV?

With love,

Can it get any worse

Tuesday July 6th, John got his four wisdom teeth out. Only had to take one day off work, but still money lost. Worked at Target Distribution Center all weekend ( he works 3 12's) until Monday at 12 pm when he had to leave work with violent abdominal pain and drive home because he couldn't get a hold of anyone because I was out gardening with the MIL and Brigette. At 3:00pm I receive word through John's brother that he was in pain and needed me to come get him. I pick him up and get him to urgent care around 3:45. They tell me they don't have the equipment to diagnose his problem. We then proceed to the ER at Greene Memorial. At 4:00 pm he goes back. Time passes, some blood tests are done, a CT scan is done. Around 6, he is diagnosed with appendicitis and admitted, but they have to call the on call surgeon. Lots of paperwork and anesthesia and high doses of morphine, my dear husband gets his appendix out at 9:00pm while it was in the process of rupturing....*just in time*. After a night in the hospital and a day of hospital care he comes home. And on top of this we're moving this weekend....and I have a husband who can't lift for 3 weeks....did I mention his job involves lifting....and he's on probation and has no paid sick leave.

Please pray he is not penalized and can keep is job, and pray financially for us as we get through the next couple weeks with smaller income. The Lord will provide, that I know. Trusting God is so hard sometimes. The most important thing is that the love of my life is ok.

Almost a year ago.

...I got married. So hard to believe. So our lease is up at our little Cedarville apartment at the end of July. ...John is still looking for a job, so we have no idea where we are going to move so that we are close to work...CUZ WE DON'T KNOW where work is yet. So pray something happens on the job front in a few weeks. John wants to be a police officer, which is really hard to do in Ohio right now in this economy. So he's applied other places for other things. I'm even applying for full time jobs since my CU severance has ended and so has my PT job with the US census bureau. I still have my weekly regular clients...which helps, and John still has is internship/temp job at OPOTA. I also just opened the door for myself in the Mary Kay business. I plan on doing it hobby level for a little extra money. If I like it, I'll start pushing it more. But I wanted to do it so I could get 50% off products!!! YAY.

Jobs, snow, and bronchial inflammation

So it snowed last night?

Trevor has a job. So now John just needs one. And me and Brigette need part-time ones or something. So 1 down.

Oh and I have bronchitis. Gotta love it. But I feel better today.

Vitamins

So they make these "Animal Pak" vitamins, designed for the body builder i guess. Well I decided to get better about my vitamin and mineral intake.
I present you, the "Amanda Pak"...I even made my very own container out of an oatmeal can that looks just like the "Animal Pak."
My Amanda Pak contains:
Multi Vitamin-2 a day
Calcium and Vitamin D-Good for bone health and calcium good for preventing cramps during yucky time
Flexamin-containing glucosamine and condroiten for healthy joints
Cranberry-no UTI's here
Dong Quai-Good for female hormone balance, also helps with cramps, and good for hair growth in women
Stinging Nettle-Good for Iron deficiency, also helps with hair growth
Biotin- Good for hair, skin, and nails
Magnesium-works with Calcium to prevent cramps, also good for muscle and nervous system function.

I have been taking them all regularly for a couple weeks. I feel better. And no yucky time cramps.:)
In Health,

Just not the same without her

Gem City Chorus, my second family for the last 2 years, is going through some changes. Our beloved Jean Barford, Master Director, announced her retirement last night after 40 years of directing Gem City. Jean is very special, and gave me the opportunity to sing again. I hadn't since I graduated college, and it is my passion. She gave me the opportunity to be apart of something great, something big. Gem City will now be going through a transition that will probably involve renaming the chapter, losing a lot of members, and rebuilding. I am so thankful to have been able to sing under Jean Barford for the last 2 years. Lots of people couldn't say that. Jean has a wonderful gift and has coached more chorus and quartet champions than any other director in the whole organization. I am also thankful I was able to compete with THE Gem City Chorus while under the direction of the one and only Jean Barford. I don't know what I will do from here because Gem City as I know it will soon cease to exist. For those of you who don't know what Sweet Adelines International is, you can't begin to understand this. Sweet Adelines has changed my life, Gem City has taught me so much, and Jean Barford ...will always be loved.

At least I'll have a friend in the unemployment world

Today, many positions were eliminated from Cedarville University. Mine was one of them. Several lay offs are happening because of bad economy...you know. Anyway, so I was officially layed off today. So I'll be unemployed buddies with Brigette and Trevor.

SO EXCITED

Ok, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I will confirm today, but I am 95% sure that I am leaving my current massage location working on 65% commission to rent my own space from another therapist. No more answering to that horrible woman. NO MORE. I will run my own business. Basically all I have to do is pay my rent every month. No more sitting for hours for nothing. No more letting her control my schedule. NO MORE FREE MASSAGES. I meet with her today. Then I work tonight and need to confirm with my weekly regular clients that they will follow me to a new location. Once that's confirmed, I am DONE DONE DONE with the jerkface from Bellbrook.

One last horrible story.
Yesterday my weekly regular was going on 30 minutes late for an appointment. This wasn't normal...so I was getting concerned. After 30 minutes past their scheduled appoint, their spouse called to tell me that her mother had a stroke and that she wouldn't be able to come in. She did reschedule for today. (Didn't expect her to still want an appointment this week, but I'll take it). I get off the phone, and tell the jerkface owner what happened. Obviously I said it with a concerned tone. Told her they rescheduled. Jerface says "at least she's making it up to you"....um EXCUSE ME?!? she doesn't need to make anything up. Yes, if she forgot or was late. But NO, she had a family emergency. I totally understood and I didn't expect or feel that she owed me ANYTHING. How little compassion can you possibly have. So would she have been mad if the woman didn't reschedule. probably. OH SO DONE WITH the JERK!

In other news. Still losing weight. My mom said yesterday "you're but looks smaller"...I was encouraged. It was starting to look like a truck.

Oy! what to do

Ok so, most of you know I work as an independent contractor at a massage therapy business. The thing is the business owner is a total jerkface. She requires us to be there certain hours, even when we have no appointments on the schedule. Mind you, independent contractors only get paid when work is done. So essentially, we get paid nothing on the days when we sit there and there is no business. This is not legal. But causing a stink about it will end in her terminating my contract because she's just like that. She treats us like employees because she can get what she wants that way. She calls us independent contractors so she doesn't have to pay certain taxes. She's trying to have her cake and eat it too...with extra frosting.
She's starting to take percentages of our tips if they are more than 20%
She has been over charging us for sheets, so she makes a profit.
She has made us do free massages for promotions she signs us up for without our consent.

Oy! How does one start at putting a stop to this. I need an attorney... but that will cost me. I make good money there, the owner is just illegal, immoral, and just plain horrible.

Somersize-up

Today starts my diet. However diets usually mean you have to watch your portions. But good ol' suzie somers lets you eat as much as you want. yup, as much as you want. You just can't combine certain foods. Brigette has posted about the Somersize diet as well. My mom has also done really well with it. Other diets work for other people, and that's great! You GO! but this one is def the one for me.
I am just wanting to finally get back down to where my pants aren't tight.
Also today starts the "FITchallenge" for CU fac/staff and their families. So I will work out 3 days a week for 30 minutes for 12 weeks and then I get a prize.

Tonight's dinner Roasted veggie and chicken mozzarella sandwiches. Later followed by 20 min of cardio and 20 minutes of strength training.

I'm hoping to lose 10 lbs. I didn't gain any over the holidays. I maintained my weight all through them. I was shocked too. Must have been the occasional 20 minute eliptical runs?

Crafty...

So, I've always liked sewing...
When I was little and taking swimming lessons I made a "pool bag" it was hand sewn and all the seems were busting open because my towel barely fit in it. That sewing project didn't make it to the next swim lessons.
In HS, I made a pair of pants for myself and a friend for a dance. Mine were red and sparkly, hers were hot pink with silver stars. I wore the pants again in college to elliv.
In College I made a shirt for someone to wear to elliv. It was funky and paisley.
Since then I've made numerous other things
I made a couple purses, one for me and one for sis and I made a little cosmetic bag for my mom.
I also made a T-shirt quilt, and then I made another one for my sis.
Now I'm into the microwave rice packs because they are good to use in my massage therapy sessions. I've made a couple simple ones, but today I made this one (only a little bigger) from the Sew, Mama, Sew website I have under "blogs I follow." Also, instead of velcro I made a little pouch closure on the back kinda like a pillow case.
I plan on making several projects from this site because its so much fun!

Here it is

Its all over

...the holidays are over, the tree is down, etc. Christmas is back in the box.

As a lot of you know, we did not go to Wisconsin and Minnesota. There was a huge blizzard the 2 days we were going to be traveling. Like we're talking wintery ice mix in Illinois and southern WI, WI -10 inches of snow, 68mph winds. Yeah GIANT blizzard ....probably would have gotten half way, stopped in our hotel and been stuck there for 4 days, possibly with no power (there were some without power in certain areas). So basically not a good way to spend the first Christmas with my dear John. So we stayed here.
Had Christmas Lunch with the Bonsteels
Dinner and presents at the Millimans
New Years Eve, Millimans, Hunters, 2 Smalls, had yummy appetizer and wii party.
Next day arm felt like it had fallen off and been welded back on, so SORE and STIFF. But wii rocks my face off, ...think of the calories I burned, and it was FUN.

Next to look forward to...the big 26 on Friday! Blah, I'm so old.