Yes, She is here

Shay arrived late on Thursday. We got home around 11pm and stayed up till after midnight. Friday found us heading to Epcot after going to the chiropractor and trying to see the guidance counselor at the High School. Seems we have a glitch with getting the Foreign Exchange Student. The high school is not wanting to accept her. We thought if we spoke to them in person it might make a difference. Of course the person we needed to talk WAS NOT THERE. At least that is what the gate guard (secretary) said.

Anyway, we had a good time hanging at Epcot. It was surprisingly not that busy. Today we went to St. Petersburg, FL because they have my favorite store and I need a new outfit to wear to my god daughters wedding on the 7th. Then we all went and saw Indiana Jones 4. If you have not seen it, I do not recommend you spend the money. Wait until it comes out on dvd. It was supposed to rain today which is why we did not go to the beach. Well, it did not rain. We are going to the beach tomorrow.

Tonight is being spent lounging on the couch watching Independence Day on tv. We have taken some pictures and I will steal them off of Shays camera and post them next week. Monday is coming too soon!!!

Do you scrap book?

I have decided that scrap booking is a lot of work. Deciding on which pictures to use is so hard. Then trying to figure out how to do the layout and which stickers and such to get.

I decided to put a memory book together for Shays 21st Birthday. I thought I would start with when she was born, maybe preschool then kindergarten. Then group by friends through the school years. Of course a page or two of just pictures of her and her grandmother. Maybe one of the two of us and end up with pictures from her Air Force days (so far). And lastly, I will start the page that will hold the pictures from her 21st B-Day. I went and bought shape cutters, scissors and stickers this weekend. I have been sorting through all the pictures and grouping them. Hubby says he will help.

Looking through all the pictures I have noticed something and I want to know where did my little ham go? When she was little I had no problems getting her to pose. It was like all of a sudden she would not let me take pictures. Even now she hates for me to takeher picture. I know her and friends take pictures all the time. I see them on Facebook and Myspace. Why won't she let her mom take any?

3 days until Shay gets here.

I'm getting a Foreign Exchange Student!!

So I told ya how I read an article about the animal clinic that will take wild animals and save them. In the same local news paper I read about Foreign Exchange Students needing host homes. So I started thinking (that is a bad thing). Shay is going to be going all the way to Spokane, WA and Wes will be leaving in July for 10 months and I am going to be all by myself, in this big house, with 3 dogs. A recipe for going crazy for sure if you ask me. So why not get a student to share my house with? On Monday I made the call and on Wed night they were at my house to interview us. There were 3 of them and they brought 2 binders full of students to choose from. We decided on a young lady from Sweden. We actually gave them 2 choices, in case the first choice was already taken. Just our luck, both were already taken so we had to select another one. We chose a girl named Anna. I know they have already started by background check because they called my work on Friday. She will be here from middle August until early June. I am actually getting excited to help her experience American High School life. Here is a picture of her. Hopefully we will know for sure soon.

Only 4 days till Shay gets home!!

I saved a sparrow

When I got to work Thursday, there was this little bird sitting on the ground outside out office door. He looked like he was sleeping but when I made noise he did not move. So I picked up a piece of bark and gave him a little push. It did not wake him so I pushed a little harder and he shook his head like "you startled me" and he moved away and went back to sleep. I thought this poor little guy is sick. I kept looking out the glass to see how he was doing. He would move, but always had his head by his wing like he was sleeping. Then I looked out and he was on his side and I thought he was dead. Poor thing. A little while later I looked out and he was up and sleeping again. I decided that I? ahd to do something and remembered that I had read an article about this wild animal sanctuary but I could remember the name. I googled "wild bird" and found a number so I called them. They gave me the number for Care Animal Hospital that was not too far from my house. I called and described what he was doing and they said it sounded like he was just a baby. I asked if I was doing the right thing by wanting to save him and they thought if I left him he would not survive the elements and would be pray to other pests. I decided I was going to save him. I got a box and put a towel in the bottom and then I picked him up and placed him in there. I kept the box in the office until I could leave work. He would just sleep. So I get him to the hospital and they opened the box and they thought he did not make it. The gal went to move him and he popped out of the box onto the counter and when she picked him up he squawked and she siad he was pretty strong. I figure he had fallen out of his nest because they are doing construction right outside our office. I had to sign a waiver to any rights for him and surrendered him to the clinic. Since they operate on little or no funding I gave them a generous donation to take care of him. I felt pretty good about what I did. Well, that was the highlight for my week.

5 more days until Shay gets home for the weekend.

I had a busy weekend

On Friday I had to take Brutus to the vet to have a couple of teeth pulled. I was so scared because I know that anytime you have to put them under things can happen. We had to leave him there all day so hubby and I went to The Magic Kingdom at Disney World. It was not too crowded and was not too warm so we rode a few rides, walked around, had lunch and then watched a parade. Headed out to pick up Brutus. Poor little guy. When they brought him out he walked right past me to daddy and turned his back on him. That means pick me up! Hubby rode in the back seat with Brutus while we made the hour long trip home. Brutus pretty much stayed in his spot on the couch all night. The girls were excited to see him and tried to get him to play but he was having none of that. I didn't want him being in his crate on the other side of the house in case he needed me so he got to sleep with mommy and daddy. He is doing fine now and does not seem to be bothered that he is missing his bottom two teeth.

Saturday found us working in the yard. Hubby in front weeding and removing old bark and me edging and mowing. It was so hot on Saturday. It got over 90 down here. After showering and resting we went to Barnes and Noble and then out to eat. Pretty boring existance.

Sunday we finished up in the yard and then I went to Costco and Walmart. We did not do anything special for Mothers Day. Both of our mothers are gone and of course Shay is not here. She did send me flowers and TWO cards this week. She said she could not decide between the two so she got them both. They were both musical cards with the song Stand By Me in one and then the mom and daughter from the Gilmore Girls in the other one. We used to watch that show together every week and she would always say that we had the same kind of relationship that they had. I am not so sure about that but it made me feel good. I hope I had some influence on the lovely young lady she has become.

I have also spent the weekend digging through photo albums and boxes of photos that never made it into an album and searching my computer for pictures. I am making a Memory Book for Shay for her 21st birthday (May 31st). I am not that artistic so this could be a challenge. Wish me luck!

Gotta get back to work so TTFN.

Hey, long time no write

It has been a really long time since I posted last. Last week was a very busy week for my office. It was Grant Review week. We brought in over 50 people from all of the US to review and evaluate over 400 Grant Applications. I work as a Budget Analyst (I just got my REAL title) for the Veterans Administration, Homeless Grant and Per Diem Office. We give out grants to non-profit agencies that provide services and transitional housing to homeless veterans. Before coming to work here last July I had no idea that there was an epidemic for homeless veterans. I also had no idea how many agencies there are out there to support the homeless veterans.

Much of our day is spent answering the phone. Many people get out number from our program homepage but do not actually read what we are about. So we get calls from veterans themselves and sometimes family members or friends of veterans. Some think we will give money to the veteran to help with mortgage payments or assistance with rent. Others are actually homeless and need to find a shelter. Either way we listen to their "story" and try to help them with their needs. If it is because they are homeless, we try to put them in touch with their local VA Med Center. Every Medical Center has a Homeless Coordinator. Sometimes we have to tell them that there really is nothing that we or the VA can do to help them. It can really tug at your heart when you hear them talk about losing their homes, living on a friends couch, etc.

I am so excited! My airman is coming home for Memorial Day weekend. They are giving them Friday off so they get a 4 day weekend. She will fly in on Thursday and go back on Monday. 3 whole days of hanging out. Then we meet in Phoenix 2 weeks later for a wedding AND she is coming back to Tampa for the 4th of July weekend. How great is that?

And it is official, she got her trade of base assignments and is now heading to Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA instead of Travis. She is excited about it. I am excited that she is excited. She will be able to see her friends more but will still be on the other side of the states from me ;(

I gotta go to the grocery store now but I promise to TRY to blog more. ;)