AngelGal's Realm

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 00:40:00 +0000

I'm still over at WordPress. Even tho at times I miss here, because I can do a lot of HTML working with the basic code. Or at least I could years ago, when this all first came up. I'm not totally sure why I thought "hey, writing a post would be good here." Other than I've had Blogger up for a while - I'm connected with several blogs on here, not all of them specifically mine, either. I saw that this blog had some traffic, and I wanted to check what. I'm curious, so sue me. And it said I had 16 views. 16 VIEWS? I'm seriously curious who would want to look at my little page here that much? Maybe it's connected to things I had no choice but to add this blog to?

Some things are the same. Still married, still have just 2 kids, don't want anymore.

What's different? We moved 1/4 of the way across the country. My husband's company closed down, so he no longer had a job, so out of NY we went, to Missouri. It's only been 2 months, but it's been interesting. I like it here.

Our daughter is 19 now. And married. And a lesbian (so that means her spouse is a woman). And on her (their) own.

Other than that, I don't know. Take a trip on over to Wordpress and take a look.

And, I'll be involved in NaNoWriMo next month. So go over to my author page, and donate for the cause at my donation page :-) And go to my WordPress Blog to keep up with my progress, like usual. :-)

Excuse my redirection...

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:35:00 +0000

Hello all. If you're coming here, you've done so because you have a Blogger account and when I visited your blog, I was only able to use my Blogger ID to sign into a comment. I know it's a hassle and probably bad business, but if you wouldn't mind, it would be great if you headed over to Wordpress, where I'm blogging now. Again, sorry to be a pain about this, but it's the easiest I can think of - no need to sign out of my Google account, and you'll find everything you need there :-)

PLEASE GO

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:53:00 +0000

to my Wordpress Blog. That's where I post for the MAJORITY of the time (like, all the time. This is the first time I've posted here in FOREVER).

Bowing to the Awesomeness of others

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:51:00 +0000

There's something rather important I need to do. This will be the first time since I started that I will be doing this.

I need to thank some pretty awesome people. You will see in the righthand sidebar that I've got my Entrecard widget here because I can't put it up on Wordpress. But I will keep the account, drop on others occasionally, and allow others to advertise here on my Blogger blog until then. The first thing I'd like to point out is that I have had constant advertising through Entrecard. It's up to me to "buy" advertising on others' widgets, and I've been lax in that, but since I because an Entrecard member, I have not yet had my widget sit empty for even a day! I think that is awesome. It might also owe to the fact that the "cost" to advertise on my site has NEVER gone above 200 (that I can recall), but that's neither here nor there. Just today, I cleared 2 people for advertising on my widget, sites whose badges will appear later this week. I must be doing something right---if everyone else does things like me, they've checked out this site (which I would hope led them here), then gone over to Wordpress and they like what they see. :-) That gives me a good feeling. Even one or two visits a day by other (hopefully unique) people is good.

Unfortunately, February was hell (as you'd know if you're a regular reader), so my number were low. But things can (and hopefully will) always improve. So, here are the people who dropped on my widget the most in the month of February! :-)

1. Your car's Maintenance
2. tutorial blog
3. computer and internet
4. C'est La Vie
5. IT is so big
6. IT used
7. Freeware Gadget
8. Gadget Info
9. Dollar Tamer
10. The Lounge of Pictures

There ya go. I'm just too tired to make comments (some people do, some ran through my head, I'm just too tired to do it now :-|). Take care, and see you later :-D

Cross posted with proper changes over on Wordpress.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Cross posted here and on my main, WordPress blog...

You know how I was talking about the haiku contest yesterday? It was one of my things I had to do. I wrote the haiku shortly after I posted the list? I said, it would really help a girl out if you went over and voted? I didn't know how she was going to do the contest....she musta had 70 or more submissions....no, holy cow, she got nearly 200 submissions!!!! And guess what?

I MADE THE TOP 5!!!!!!!!!!

(I know what I'll hear now....those who have read my stuff will tell me "I'm not surprised, blah blah blah".)

But, that means, you can go over and VOTE for me!!!!

So, PLEASE DO!!!!

NOW!!!!

DUDE, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?????

GO!

NOW!

If you are at all confused---all these blue words are portals to get you there. Otherwise, put this link in your browser:

http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2009/01/now-im-thinking-in-haikus.html

I hate to send you around the net, but.....

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:35:00 +0000

I'm still over on Wordpress for the most part of my blogging. In fact, just all of it. But, sadly, there are some things that Wordpress won't let me do. Like put up an Entrecard. Until they do, I'll put it up here and try to persuade everyone to head over to my Wordpress account to really hear about my life, etc.

Check out....

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:16:00 +0000

Check out my new home, over on Wordpress. If I'm going to post, it will be there! :-)

Forgiveness

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:47:00 +0000

I would much rather be doing this over on Wordpress, but it doesn't seem to want to open up right now, so I guess I'll be talking about this here.

So, this afternoon, I was going through my email like I do a million times a day, and I noticed something interesting. I've mentioned my ex-best friend on here a few times, each time calling her just that, my ex-best friend because that's what she is. Well, I noticed an email from her on the one group we both happen to be in---we weren't in this one when we were friends, but we obviously came to it for much the same reason afterwards. I don't know if it existed before or not, but that's neither here nor there. But, the interesting thing about the email I noticed was her name now.

She got married. Now, you might think that, given the way we parted ways and the fact that I refer to her the way I do, I'd be nasty about this fact in one way or another---but while there were a couple interesting comments from myself and T when I talked to him about it...more than anything, I'm really really happy for her. I don't know if she reads this or not---if she does---well then, yes dear, I do check up on you once in a while, and I do notice your comings and goings at least on the one list, and I do still care some about you. I've noticed you've had some...goings on?...with your new hubby on different networking websites. And yes. I'm very happy that you have managed to find yourself someone to love. I never wanted anything less for you, even though yes I have tried my hardest to completely distance myself from you. It's not that I never had the inclination to email her either. I have sometimes, especially lately in examining myself and my newly refound Christianity. But as far as things like that, I think some things are better off left well enough alone. We've both grown quite a bit since we parted ways...it's sometimes said there are some people who are there with you for a time and a season, and some special people are there for a lifetime. I think with her, it was just for a time. A long time---13 years. I've had closer friends for much longer :-| Mhmmm...much closer :-S :-P Much longer.

The reason I think all this is possible? Because of forgiveness. Now, I'm not saying (in case she's reading) that the exact reason why we parted ways (if you don't know what it is, honey, I feel really sorry for you. It's obvious and even your mother knows.) is all I'm forgiving her for either. That's it's own issue, but I've dealt with our side of that. No, there are things that happened before that...in the year or so before it, that cut me much deeper. I was feeling unsettled about it before we parted ways, but I was willing to at least put up with it for that time. I wrote a post where I talked about forgiving her. It took a while to find it, but I did. And I think this is the first place God really worked in my life. Because within just months, I felt NOTHING when I (think I) saw her. If it was her, then I'm sure she knows when I'm talking about. And I've now come around to the point where I'm happy to hear about such a wonderful event in her life---well, 2. Because she got married in April, and of course her birthday was yesterday, the 9th (You didn't think I really forgot, did you?). I'm happy to see her smile in one of the pictures I've seen of her, because I know how good it feels to feel that happy and be that in love, and I'm happy to see she's found that in someone. Because she was never as happy as she could be when she was with the guy who she was with when we parted ways. I'm glad someone's made an honest woman of her, she deserves it. We all deserve the love and happiness being truly in love can bring.

Bouncing...

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sun, 11 May 2008 00:01:00 +0000

I don't know if this is a good thing or anything, but I'm going to be bouncing back and forth between here and my new WordPress blog for a while. I see why everyone's over there, but I can't make it my permanent home until I know whether or not I've got the loan from the credit union for the Fast Start Pack. Hopefully I'll know that Monday or something. How nice it will be to get those boxes, and have all those candles. It will be like Christmas. We'll even have samples of the scents, which is a big thing, and kinda part of the disagreement I had with T was about the other day. Things are better now. Hopefully they will keep getting better. That's what I'm praying for at least, ha ha.

So, if you want to see what else I'm up to, come on over to my other blog, at Wordpress :-)

Contest results!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:49:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who played!!!

All 4 of you!!!

We ended up with only 4 entries. In an odd twist of events, everyone won. Really.

We decided on a point value for each of the places, and that resulted in 2 entrants getting one total, and the other 2 getting another. So....

Congrats to Jim from BusyDad (or not so busy :-\) and Sandy from Momisodes, who tied for first place. You will soon be getting your jar candles!

Congrats also to Witchypoo from Psychicgeek and Elizabeth from A Calm in the Chaos. You will soon be getting your set of 6 assorted votives!

Stay tuned for the Father's Day contest! Which will start right after Mother's Day, on Monday!

And will (a) be in poll form and (b) will be on my new blog, over on Wordpress! Now I see why everyone's over there! :-)

Disclaimer---if I have any references wrong, please correct me!

Just a note...

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Thu, 08 May 2008 04:11:00 +0000

The Mother's Day Memory Contest is now over! We received some good entries, and we will be taking care of the voting tonight and tomorrow (hopefully morning). I will post the winning entries as soon as we have the votes tabulated, and I will be emailing the winners for their addresses (if I don't already have them) then too!

Thank you to everyone who entered, this was certainly an interesting experience! I will be using a poll next time, as I will have more time and this is...difficult to say the least!

Have a good night!

The day is finally here!

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:36:00 +0000

And wow did it come quick!

Today is that day! To get your entries in so that Lou, Mary and I can look them over, and make our final decisions! I hope everyone who's been through here is deciding what they are going to write for their entry! I'm really looking forward to reading everyone's entries. It's not going to be easy, I know, but it's going to be fun! I will post the winners either last thing tonight (though I'm planning on going to bed really early tonight, since I've had a few later nights than I wanted), or first thing tomorrow morning.

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:37:00 +0000

Other than this headache I've got, today's looking pretty good. In just about half an hour I've got to head off for weigh in, I'm hoping for another couple pounds off, even though with my toe I didn't get in nearly as much walking as I did last week. That's okay, I look forward to more later this week :-)

I think the headache started with an Oreo cookie. I seem to get problems with coffee and chocolate, which is disappointing, because what woman doesn't love chocolate. Speaking of which, let me just say that a chocolate covered Justin Timberlake was NOT my idea! As soon as I read that, I asked what demographic was he trying to get? Oh well...you can always insert the hunk of your choice. I'd pick Vincent D'Onofrio, especially in this The Cell days, or T any time. Hee hee. :-D Or Craig Ferguson. Yeah, you know, I've never liked the same guys everyone else likes. I'm just individual that way. But Justin? Ugh!

Monday and weekend over view

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:52:00 +0000

Hello all. Please don't forget about my contest! I'm really looking forward to everyone's entries! The time is getting short! I'll also have a Father's Day one (my dad's pretty terrific too, LOL!), so don't think this will be your only chance to win one of the prize packs!!!

This weekend was okay. It's really such a relief to know I don't have to do a thing involving the Penny Saver route! I'm able to move through my weekend relaxed and with confidence. Now I just have to put that relaxation and confidence into my business, and it will be booming!!! :-)

I was fairly productive this weekend. I cleaned off the outside of the fridge and the front of one of my cabinets, all of my wash is (gasp!) caught up, and most of my rooms look good! Today I got upstairs to bring some stuff up, and I brought down a box of toys for P to play with here in the computer room. Included in that are some legos and a few puzzles---the legos were ALL OVER THE FLOOR this evening! The great thing is he contributed in cleaning up! I never really did that with her---and look where we are now :-|

I'm hoping for some good prospects on my candle biz from T's work. A friend of his that T had asked me to give a sample to drove him over for their lunch break (T went in early today, long story), and I gave him the sample candle. Well, he just LOVED it, and ended up saying he'd give other people my card. I gave him a whole handful!!! T won't even bring my biz cards to work. Now, it's not that he doesn't love the product almost as much as I do (despite that fact that he won't admit THAT---but he is eager to give his own sorta "testimonial" and talk about the product when I do), and it's not at all like he doesn't support me...but I don't know why it is he won't bring the cards to work! Maybe he's as shy as I am about giving people my card? Maybe it brings back memories of the cold calling he had to do being a telemarketer (he was when he was out in Colorado trying to make a home for us)? But it's always amazing watching someone smell our candles for the first time. This guy said not to have him smell any because he can't smell well or something, but he just LOVED the Key Lime (April's scent). It was the first one I pulled out cause it was on top. It would have been the Pomegranate if it had shown up today. I'm really hoping for stuff to start looking up for my biz. I want it to work so bad!

No matter what anyone tells you about their home biz---it taking off right away, etc---it's not always easy to start up a business. Perhaps your biggest obstacle can be yourself. You have to have the mindset to win. I've often pondered the whole occurrence of the winner of the Biggest Loser this last time around. She said she could see it from the very first interview. I remember her saying it the first time I saw the video of her and her mother up on those screens, when they went over how much they were taking in. She mentioned it so many times (or at least they didn't edit out her mentioning it) towards the end of the season, it stuck hard in my head, especially at the end. She saw the confetti coming down over her. I've got to struggle out and see....how does that look for me? I've still got a lot of soul searching I have to do.

But I do have to say one thing. My life was touched by the most amazing woman, and by having her as my sponsor, that's the only way I wanted to get into this biz. Because she's been the most amazing support and guide through this whole thing. That's why she's one of my judges for the contest. So you know you're in good hands.

Now contribute. Please?

Mommy's First Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sun, 04 May 2008 03:59:00 +0000

UPDATE, May 8, 2008 - 12:01am --> The Contest is now over! Thank you to all the contestants!

Yes, babies, Mommy's having her VERY FIRST contest. And it's going to be an easy one (for the participants at least). Unfortunately it's going to be a QUICK one too, so I can have the prize out for the winner before or as close to Mother's Day as possible!

This contest is in honor of Mother's day. If you are a regular enough reader, you might know that my mom is one of my absolute best friends, and she's been on a long hard road since August 2004. I want to honor her with this contest.

Here's the requirements:

1. On or before May 7th, 2008, email me (angelgal2876 at gmail dot com) your favorite memory of your mom. This is where it can get interesting---your story doesn't have to be about your birth mom. If you are adopted, make it about your adopted mom. If your mom is gone, but your dad filled in the space wonderfully, tell me about him. If someone stepped in at some point during your adult life and filled in the role of mother for you, let me know about them.

2. In order to keep your contact information secure and give you another chance at winning a jar candle, please go to my candle biz site and fill in the contest drawing form. It's not a must, but it's HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. Your information will be kept confidential. Feel free to browse my site some too

The only people ineligible for this contest are those directly related to the judges or myself.

Now, as for what you will win...

1st prize - one 16oz jar candle from my stash (I will email you with the choices)

2nd and 3rd prizes - 6 votives from my stash

The judges:

The great Lou, over on LouCeel.

My WONDERFUL sponsor for the candle biz, Mary Leedy at Success By Candlelight Coach.

Now, hurry up and get your submissions in! I can't wait to hear about YOUR mom!!!

P.S. There will be one for dad starting just after Mother's Day, too! That one will run much longer!!! Promise!

If you want to advertise my contest on your site, please feel free to take this:

Not a Sunny Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sun, 04 May 2008 03:28:00 +0000

At least, not outside. Inside it's been better

Hey all! Don't forget to enter my contest, okay? I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's favorite memories of their mother! You've only got 4 more days! If everyone else's memory is like the ones we've already got---we're going to need a whole pallet of tissues! Wow!

Today's been another productive day. I did a lot of cleaning, the dishes are actually----hold on to your hat---DONE! Except for the bowl and spoon next to me (which I'm going to go wash off) and anything that might be in the living room that I didn't know about. My futon is organized, the boxes at the bottom of the stairs are organized, my CDs have been organized. I made dinner (albeit a bit late), P was in bed and asleep by 11 (considering he didn't fall asleep until midnight last night, that's good!), I even wiped down my counter and my cooktop! I've got to pick up my living room (D said she was going to, but she's asleep), and fold some clothes, then I'm hitting the sack until it's time to get up for church! Socks and the papers here on the desk plus the top of the fridge and maybe the shelves and top of the freezer can happen tomorrow!

I'm looking forward to church tomorrow. D's got a Girl Scout thing, so I'm going to be going to the 11am service. I had to miss it last week because I did the March for Babies. I haven't walked nearly that much since Wednesday. My poor toe---it's doing better. Looking forward to being able to get out and walk again. I think that's where all of my energy is coming from.

But it's starting to run out. so I've got to go so I can do those clothes and the toys in the living room!

Phew!

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sat, 03 May 2008 03:36:00 +0000

Wow, but today has certainly been BUSY! The biggest thing, obviously, is setting up the contest---I can't stand that it's going to be so short, but I just thought of it and I really want to have the prizes out by Mother's Day.

And my evening isn't over yet, even though here it's after midnight! I've got a few more ideas for Blog Hoppin' and the contest (though I guess I could do the Blog Hoppin' tomorrow), and I've got more work I'd like to do in the kitchen.

Speaking of which, over the last week I've done some really good organizational work on my kitchen. Just this evening I arranged in and around my breadbox (which I don't actually use for bread, because it seems every time I put bread in a breadbox, it doesn't get used and turns all moldy. And I even went and got this one special, when I found it I just HAD to have it, it looks so nice. But explain that for me, will ya? I guess it's just my family [read: hubby] and the way bread is consumed in this house), cleared out my fridge (gotta clean it out too...take out the shelves and wash them down :-S Ewww...), and now I'm working on one of my non-food storage cabinets. It's got 3 shelves, I've already got one cleared out. The top one is for completely non-food things because the ceiling over it has leaked since we moved in. Any time anything is put up there, T has a small freak-out session. The next will have all our meds and vitamins (all over the counter stuff mind you, since NO ONE in this house takes medication daily. Something that with my family medical history always mystifies me. But I better shut up so I don't jinx myself!), and I'm not sure what. I'm not sure about the last either. Though I get the idea this time it will be cleared out much further than the last few times I have done so. I'm starting to think I do this whole clean and sort out the house every year or so. Does that mean I'll eventually get us to the point where we have nothing? That idea is both intriguing (at least for me) and perplexing (also, just for me).

And I even got out and did a little grocery shopping. For food items, I think I'll be shopping at Aldi's a whole lot more, except for a few select things that they don't carry (like brown rice and the ground beef with the fat content I like. I actually prefer the 97% fat free to anything else. Makes me feel better for one, it's definitely Core for another, but I only buy it when it's nearing the expiration date. I'm picky, I know... And milk. How is it that WalMart's milk is fresher than even the local dairy's was??? ). Everything else *sigh* will come from WalMart. That's so sad, that WalMart just comes in and takes over everything. And that we let them. :-S

I also got other things done, like T's wash and stuff like that.

I'd better go, though, before I run out of energy, and I'm up too late typing or playing around on here!

Friday's Feast #18

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:30:00 +0000

Appetizer

What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?

I had 2. At one point, I was really big on Garfield. But of all the ones that were on when we were kids, I'd have to say that The Smurfs were probably my most favorite! :-)

Soup

Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?

We'd get a cat. I don't know what we'd name it, we'd have to talk about it first. I'd probably let the kids name it though. They are always good for an interesting name for an animal, even if it's stuffed, and if it's just based on the animal itself (like hoppy for a bunny rabbit).

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?

2. There's nothing really wrong with getting dressed up, but it's not my most favorite thing to do. I make sure to wear a skirt and nice shirt for church, because that's how I was brought up, but I prefer just a t-shirt and sweat pants.

Main Course

What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?

The same as I do any other time I listen to music---country.

Dessert

When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?

The only clock I can think of that I bought was my alarm clock. And it's in the bedroom. But the last clock bought in the house would have to be the one T bought to put up on the wall so he can open his eyes and look at it to see the time, so he doesn't have to move to see the alarm clock.

To go see other people's Friday's Feast, click here.

Think about joining in on my contest too, it closes on Wednesday, May 7th!

Thursday, easy day

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:08:00 +0000

Here's something mildly personal for your Thursday evening. Thanks to Sunday and yesterday, my feet are killing me. Especially my left, because one of my toes has a humongous blister on it :-( I can't walk right, and it just seems to be getting bigger all the time :-( I want to pierce it, but I know that's not a good idea so I'm just going to leave it be and pray and hope for the best.

Today was productive though. I did some work in my washroom, straightening the closet in there. And I dragged T's socks and underwear box (yes, a big box) so I can sort through them. I haven't yet, but I will. I want to get out all the socks that aren't his, because there have been a few that have made their way into the box, and I want to get rid of the ones with the holes in them. At first he didn't like the idea, because he thinks I'm attacking all his stuff first, and he's losing stuff, but when I told him why I wanted to search through the box, he was okay with it. Also, I need to figure out a new box, because the one that they're in now is nearly demolished. And we don't have any more of those not in use right now.

I'm nearly done with my idea for Mother's Day. I talked to my sponsor (hi Mary), and she answered my questions :-D

It will be just hours! I promise!

Wednesday...

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Thu, 01 May 2008 02:45:00 +0000

Yesterday at weigh in I found I had lost 2 and a half pounds. So I guess the walking is paying off. Which is good because today I hurt! My ankle was acting up some, so I don't think that helps---I ended up walking a bit differently because of that, so I think that contributed to my lower half hurting so much.

I've got some ideas about something, but I will not let everyone know about it until I know about legalities. It's going to be something very special for Mother's Day :-D

One happy thing about today. I picked up my last paycheck from the Penny Saver. Between that and what's left in my business checking account, I have just enough to pay for one more month before I need it to pay for itself.

How I met My Honey - The story of Me and T

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:19:00 +0000

To put it simply....

I walked to the box.

I opened the box.

I shewed away the bees.

I looked down and said "Hello Honey"...

That will give you some idea of the humor with which T manages to touch my life every day...

Now, without delay, the story that started it all...

As soon as I saw this on Ramblings by Reba, I just had to do it. Like now. I wanted to do the (Breast)feeding and Birth Story poststravaganza hosted by Lotus over on Sarcastic Mom (they still aren't out of the question, I just have to sit down and compose the rest of them), but this one is a must. So much that I opened a new post and started it right away. Is it wrong that I *have to* with T, but that I am still putting off the ones about the kids? I'll link to those too...

So, anyhow...how many of you have wondered how T and I got together? I like the story a lot, myself.

When I was growing up, I heard my mom and dad's story countless times. They met and married in 2 months. I didn't come along until 2 years later, and I'm the oldest (there was another that mom lost, before me, but that was still more than a year after they met), so, no, it wasn't a shotgun wedding (though I don't know if my grandfather would have thought so). Mom always said she just KNEW when she first kissed him that first night that everything was different. She was 29, naive even then, and he was 25. He was a bit more worldly, a bit of a lush :-|, but his life got turned around just as much. The highlights for them---the talked every single day from the day they met. Two days after they met, my dad said "I'm falling in love with you" (I always imagine them cuddling---whether they actually were or not, I'll of course never know---but maybe she told me that once). Mom said "Fall slowly" (I'll always love that line.). 9 days after that---while mom was driving him to his parents' house, my dad said during the conversation "when we get married, blah blah blah." Mom said "we're getting married?" (or something of the sort---okay, this part is fuzzy to me, because it's not the funniest or most important part.) That was them getting engaged---she was surprised by the comment, he asked her---she tried to pull off the road to get a kiss, he thought she was so overcome that she was a bit dizzy and this pulling off the road thing wasn't intentional, and tried to steer the car back...but she let him know she just wanted a kiss. So then they got married---in June instead of August like they had originally planned. I think they figured why wait or something. Anyhow, that led to me and my sister.

As for me and T....my back story. I never had a boyfriend in high school---I don't know if you can really count the month I was "going" with the guy that I had a huge (stupid) crush on in high school, because that was more of a pity acceptance (I asked him out like a dozen times), and he broke up with me a month later. He and I tried to kiss once---in the front seat of his car up at the top of the hill mom and dad's house is at the bottom of, at night, in the moonlight---but it was a complete failure. The year and a half before I met T, I was working on getting in the military---first the Navy, then the Army, which I got into---and after I enlisted, had a small falling out with my mom, so I left for my grandparents' house on principle. While there I started going with my best guy friend, Josh, and was still dating him when I left for the Army. Marriage was discussed, we got really touchy feely (it was about time, really, there was a LOT of sexual tension those last couple years), but it wasn't meant to be.

I got through Basic after going to the Fitness Training Company for a few weeks, then I left for my AIT. Now, my original MOS was going to be Explosive Ordinance Disposal, but the guy who went to the interview with me chickened out, and since I figured if the guy could be a wimp and chicken out, then me declining (some of those pictures in the info-movie they showed us were pretty bad!) wouldn't look so bad. I remember another possibility when I enlisted, and asked about it when I had to choose my new MOS. That was Power Generator Equipment Repair.

Now, T's back story...He had a few girlfriends when he was in school, but once he got to high school, nothing serious. There was one girl, whose name we used for D's middle name, that was a friend of his. He liked her a lot. But he wasn't going to ask her out until he (a)knew how to kiss and (b)had a job that made good money. Needless to say, he never asked her out because he moved back in with his dad for his senior year, and the girl lived in the town his mom lives in. And he didn't really learn to kiss or get a good enough job before his step mom sorta helped encourage him to enlist (that's putting it lightly), so in October 1994 he went to his Basic training post. He's got double jointed shoulders (winged scapula), so he can't do push ups very well, but they pushed him right on through to AIT.

This is where the pushing stopped. He didn't make the cut with the push ups at AIT either, but they didn't let it slide this time. So, instead of getting a permanent duty assignment (well, he got one only he didn't get to go to it because he didn't pass the Physical Training Tests), he was kept there. AIT was in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. He ended up being a holdover, meaning he was heldover after the time that his class graduated. He was being discharged because of the poor performance with the PT tests, and he did eventually get an appointment to have his shoulders looked at---but I'm getting ahead of myself.

A week after his class left, my class arrived. I was one of only two girls in my class. But I think we both could hold our own very well. We roomed togetherfor the first part of my time there. I think the guys in my class were actually pretty awesome. At least most of them were. I arrived at APG on July 14th, 1995, a Friday night. My class had to fill out some paperwork for the assignment. I think we did some of that on Saturday and there was some we finished on Monday. Some was done on Saturday in the company's main office, as I remember seeing T (very vaguely, but I know it was him) while we were working on our first round of paperwork. I know I had to have slept a lot on Saturday though because we had traveled all day Friday. I got there really really late at night---at the earliest 2am. I remember carrying my bags---and INSISTING UPON CARRYING my bags all the way from the company office to the barracks. The guy that walked me there---the soldier on CQ duty that morning (not T, though that would have been ironic now that I think of it) offered, but I wanted to show that I was a big tough girl. By the time we got to the edge of the parking lot across from the barracks, I decided to drag my garmet bag. But I had that duffel bag (the government issued one) and the one I had bought at the PX for all of my other stuff on my back.

There was also a period of filling out paperwork in the post's/brigade's rec hall. I remember that specifically because I know it was the day that I told my roommate that I had a really bad feeling about the platoon's drill sergant---a black guy that really wasn't a nice guy, and actually got deeply involved in some shinanghans going on around APG---only to turn and see him in the doorway of the room we were doing the paperwork in! I think it's important in regards to my relationship with T because I think overhearing that gave him a reason to have it out for me.

That Sunday, just 2 days after I got there (July 16th to be exact), was the first day I met T face to face. At the end of formation that Sunday evening, he came up to me. His first words to me were "Hi, you know you can wear your civilian glasses now." At that point I was of course wearing the government issued glasses---sometimes referred to as BCGs (Birth Control Glasses) or RCGs (Rape Control Glasses). From then on, it was a bit of a whirlwind. At first we were just friendly---everyone knew he had a thing for me. You could just tell. That Tuesday he asked me to go to lunch with him. Soon after was our first kiss---right where we could have been caught, and near to a spot that we'd often go later. It's amazing we never got caught there. He denies it, but I swear to you the first thing he said was "that's the first time I've ever been kissed by a real woman." I think we even had a lookout---there were a few people I know were against our relationship---not just the fraternization part, more than that I'm sure---but there were some people (even a former drill sergant---not our drill though) who were totally for us! I look back on it now and wonder---how come my roommate never diswaided me from this relationship? But then, I have to note she did something of a mock marriage ceremony for us. I wonder where she is---I don't even remember her name right now!!!

If you were wondering about my relationship with Josh back then---I broke up with him just before T and I officially decided to start seeing each other. It wasn't easy---he took it hard, but then there were a lot of things he was going through as well. He was going to college, and he had a chemical imbalance. He ended up meeting a woman online and marrying her---they were together for a few years before he found out she was cheating on him. He's since moved on (though I don't know if he's divorced his first wife yet, or if his new lady has divorced her husband finally), and he's with a woman he's very happy with.

Within a week of meeting T, we had fallen for each other. We started talking about sneaking away to have sex. I was a virgin. Needless to say, 2 months after my 19th birthday I no longer was.

In August we got engaged. Mid-September we made D. November we got married. There's really very little to describe in the midst there---there was sex, talking---lots and LOTS of talking, since we couldn't do much more unless we stole away. Of course, there was a lot of that too. In December we were both discharged---between my pregnancy and everything else, I ended up not being able to pass my PT tests, so I became a holdover too.

Our wedding was a super SIMPLE one. I look at Bridezillas and think --- those chics are just CRAZY. The guest list, the dress, the food, the music---none of it matters. All I wanted, all I've ever wanted, for both my wedding and my vow renewal, which we did back in 2005, is the man I married, and a few close friends and family. I wasn't able to have my parents there when I got married, but my dad was able to walk me down the "aisle" when we renewed our vows. I HAD to have it, especially that time, because my sister got married just 3 short weeks later. And I didn't want HER to have that before I did! :-| I'm the oldest after all, and I did get married first! For my wedding, we had all of 9 people there---the wedding party (me, T, my maid of honor, our best man and the post chaplain, as we got married on post) and 4 guests (10 if you count the baby in my belly. I just thought of that...I guess it's 10 now, since I have to count her at the renewal!). When we renewed our vows, there were 10 people---me, T, D, P, my dad, my sister, her husband, the pastor (at that time) of my home church, and my best friends from college, Christy and Nancy.

Something ironic---if they had discharged him in the time they are supposed to (2 weeks), then we wouldn't have been able to grow our relationship. We were together there at AIT for 5 months---he would have been gone after a week.

Things we also find interesting---he wanted to go EOD. He just barely had the scores for it. There are other things. Which is why our song is "Keeper of the Stars"---someone had to have a hand in it to get us together.

And from all this has come 2 beautiful babies, and a very strong 12 1/2 year marriage. I would never give back any of the trouble I got into if it meant losing all that I have now. It's not perfect by a long shot, but the 3 people it gave me are priceless. I'm still crazy for T (most of the time), and I look forward to the many happy years we talked about having together back 13 years ago. I find it a bit ironic that 13 years ago TODAY I didn't even know the guy---but by the end of the year I had met him and fallen in love with him and married him. I'd love to have had my parents at the wedding, but it was impossible for them to get out there at that time. At least I had dad at the renewal.

My birth stories: Or - More things than you really wanted to know about my reproductive health/history Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:46:00 +0000

Last time, when I wrote about having D, I ended talking about trials to come when it comes to the birth control I took after having her. I'm not going to regale you with the full 8 years worth, but taking that shot started me on an oddessy I'd much sooner forget now. And I'd really rather have all it's effects erased from my life as well.

When I was considering our birth control choices, I didn't see many options. I didn't find myself very good at taking medication, as there were lots of times I had forgotten some---chief among them, having just come off of a pregnancy, my prenatal vitamins. I had tried to breastfeed D, but after a short time (which I will elaborate on when I discuss my breastfeeding story), that came to an end. So, my few options seemed to be (a) winging it, and if I got pregnant again I did (which T would have preferred---I think he would have tried awfully hard to get me pregnant again quick so our kids could be just as close together as he and his brothers are), but that was out because after the ordeal I had to go through with having D---the sudden onset of labor (not really, because I just don't think I knew the signs. Not that there was a lot of obvious pain, just a tremendous amount of discomfort the day before), the tearing, the hematoma and resulting effects---(b) use condoms and hope we didn't get pregnant (why use condoms? We are a monogamous married couple.), (c) do the cross your fingers and hope thing, with some removal, (d) get something implanted or (e) get the shot. Well, the shot's every 3 months, there's little to no period, the nurse assured me (after repeated asking) that I'd be fine with little to no side effects, so I started on that.

Frankly, the nurse off, way off. Perhaps the 2 biggest effects right off were fatigue and an immense appetite. I always could eat a lot---but that can't be all of the reason for the weight I gained. I was making an attempt each day to do some exercise---walking with T to work, I was even still a member at the health club I went to before I joined the Army, which our first apartment happened to be across from. I'd go to aerobics classes, yoga, tai chi. Like I said, I did a lot of walking, with T, on my own, to the playground not to far from our house so D could play when she got older, pulling a wagon full of clothes up to the laundromat up the street from us. I might not have been a fanatic about it, but geesh! And my mom swears that in the time after I started taking Depo Provera and the year I took it, I ballooned. And you really can't say I never got my butt out and did stuff, because I HAD to walk to get where I was going most of the time---we didn't have a car, and the only time I really used my parents' car was to get to the doctor, either the gynecologist or D's pediatrician 30 miles away (the same city I had her in).

It didn't do the greatest for my head either. It's not documented since I wasn't going to any doctor other than the gynecologist---we didn't have insurance, and I was paying out of pocket for the shots---but I'm sure I suffered from some sort of depression at the time. I know my self esteem was in the gutter some---I can specifically remember one time T was trying to get frisky, and I went to wave my hand to get him off, and I popped him right in the nose. He got a nose bleed---but to feel so bad to discourage attention from your hubby, and then be insistent enough to end up batting him hard enough in the nose to make him bleed? Please people, I had to be depressed!

And the tricks not having your period plays on your mind! Not just during the 12 months I was on the thing, but for the majority of the next 8 years! I had started to wonder if I was EVER going to be able to have another kid. I guess the withdrawal method just works that good for us :-S But, I never had a period. Starting about 2003, after I went to Weight Watchers the first time, I sorta had one. Here and there, so much so I really got to calling it a "when it wants to" not a "monthly." Because it was NOT coming every month. For a few years before my first Weight Watchers attempt, it wasn't even coming once a year! I wondered if I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I got tested for that once T got in the union and we had insurance. The numbers came back normal. I don't have a thyroid problem, those always come back normal. No blood sugar imbalance---even with a family history of diabetes (my YOUNGER sister already has it for heaven's sakes!), my blood sugar comes back normal every time. My cholesterol even! I'm just fat. Because of that damn shot!

I can't really tell you how bad I felt during that time. I've got journals, but frankly they're in our storage upstairs and I'd really rather not revisit that time that indepth. It was crazy. I know there were times I FELT CRAZY. And even with my questions and having to go through what I had to to have D, there were times even just after I quit the Depo that I would go through babylust---wanting another baby so bad I could taste it!

Like I said, I didn't know if I could have another kid because of how spotty if at all my system was working. T and I discussed it, and I decided that we could start trying for another when I was 6 months away from graduating college. I figured, it would probably take FOREVER if at all for anything to happen. I figured, I was probably infertile at this point---I mean, you have to ovulate and bleed pretty frequently to be fertile, right? Those are the SIGNS, right?

But the gods were smiling down on us. Things were in store for me that I'd doubted could ever be. Boy, did I get a surprise.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Walk with me....

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:07:00 +0000

This may end up being a bit redundant, as it IS on my sidebar, but I'm walking with March of Dimes, now March for Babies, this weekend. If you'd like to sponsor me, please click the sponsor me button either on this badge:

Or on the one on the badge to the right! I'm excited about this, as this will be the first time I will be participating in a fund-raising activity! Your donation will be GREATLY appreciated!!! I know it looks like a small goal, but every little bit helps!!! I think that this is part of why it is that we've been walking as much as we have! That way I'll be better able to handle the walk!

Have a nice day!

Such a nice weekend.

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:52:00 +0000

Even though it rained yesterday, this weekend has been pretty good. I've gotten in a walk both days, and didn't do too bad on my Points either day either. I still feel like a bit of an outcast with the MOPS group but that's just fine. I'm not going to mind too bad. I have my own life besides just that. Anyhow, that's the group I walked with, is my MOPS group. We raised $1000 altogether, with one of the mothers raising $400 by herself! I'm hoping for more donations next time---because we kinda decided this will be our cause, and I suggested we find a time before next year's walk to have the kids help us decorate t-shirts, because I think it would be great to have team shirts, with the reason we're there in the first place helping us decorate them.

Now I have to deal with one of D's really good friends being at the house until about 6pm because she's going to youth group with D. That's one thing I missed today---going to church, because of doing the walk instead.

With yesterday's rain storm, it was actually interesting. I knew from watching the news and keeping an eye on weather reports here and there, like on the comptuer here, that it was supposed to be rainy yesterday afternoon, so I knew I had to get going and take a walk before it did. Also, I wanted to walk earlier in the day than usual so I could sorta get used to an earlier time for htis morning. Didn't get out as early as I wanted yesterday, but in enough time that I was well enough ahead of the storm that I wasn't caught in it for long! I was crossing one of the streets that is on what used to be my Penny Saver route when I met up with the wall of weather...I swear it was like running into a wall or jumping into water...it went from fairly warm to cold so fast! Just a step! That was wild. Then I was about 5 or 6 doors down from our house when the rain started. Nice big cold rain drops. But it felt good!

Well, I'd like to do a few things around the house so I'd better get going while I still have a boat load of energy. Also, P wants to go outside and play with his bubbles! So have a good weekend!!! :-D

Friday's Feast #17

noreply@blogger.com (Allison) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:51:00 +0000

Appetizer

Name something you would categorize as weird.

Besides the question? Conservatives. But that's kinda hypocritical, because I'm conservative in many areas of my own life. But my views are very liberal. So I guess the one thing I would categorize most as weird is myself. And the desire humans possess to find weirdness or abnormalcy in others. :-|

Soup

What color was the last piece of food you ate?

White. I had microwaved 94% fat free Act II popcorn.

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

Somewhere between a 3 and a 5. Which is good, because there's always someone around. Usually they are small and cute, but sometimes they are big and good looking. Ask me when I've had a long day with one of the kids though. It WILL be a 1.

Main Course

Fill in the blank: I will cast a vote for a history making candidate in 2008.

Dessert

Describe your sleeping habits.

I think this is a bit personal.

I go in my bedroom, cover myself up, and go to sleep. I sleep on a mattress that's on the box spring, on the floor. It's easier to co-sleep that way. I don't have to worry about the little guy falling so far. He doesn't do it often. That's about it---I sleep at night (my husband usually sleeps during the day as he works at night), and I try to go to bed around 11pm. Which means I need to go soon.