Starting over elsewhere Topic: Blogging
I'm moving. I am finally fed up with the slow loading, the pop up ads and not being able to load pictures anmore.
I will leave this sight up as my archive. I don't know if I will end up moving it all over, but for now I'm not. And I won't be posting here anymore, so please bookmark the new page!
Just an update on us. I wrote this in an email so I just copied and pasted it since my brain needs a rest from thinking about it again.
I just had a little crying fit.....the first/only one since it happened. I think I'm fine, but just tearful today. I had to hold it all in this morning to get through Bible School, trying not to talk about it or think about it. VBS had me distracted all morning so that's good. I realized as I told Maggie she could go to a friend's house for the afternoon and Bethany that she could go to lunch with friends, that I might be going home by myself after VBS and it gave me a panicky feeling. But Emma didn't have plans and I let her bring 3 kids home, so it's all noisy and full in my house, which was a relief to me. I'm just hiding in my room though because my eyes swell huge when I've cried. And I don't need a bunch of teenagers feeling sorry for me. ;)
People from the church have been so good to us. The men have been calling and leaving messages for Charles about coming to help if anything needed fixing or doing. There was no damage though, not even a broken window. I don't think he was even in the house more than 3-5 minutes.
We're talking about security measures now too....and we disagree, so that was making me cry more! Charles wants to get a motion sensor for inside the house that calls police, etc, but I want bars on the windows so no one can get in at all! With the motion sensor they are already IN the house. We'll talk more later about it, he wasn't set on that idea, but he thinks it is the best.
So that is how I'm doing....hiding and crying and busy.... Charles seems to be doing fine, just stressed out from trying to make our banking and credit stuff secure. The girls seem to be okay. One good thing was this: when I told Maggie what the policewoman asked about her room, she cleaned it all up and got it tidy!! The policewoman asked me, (when looking the house over for dna or fingerprints) "Is this room normally like this or was it ransacked?"
She was serious. Maggie was horrified. So was I.
Thank you for your kind comments and friendship. I looked at my mailbox today and several of you PW ladies had left messages on the blog. It just made me weep again!
Bye bye laptop, it's been a nice ride. Topic: People/Family stories You literally won't believe my day. VBS flew by and everything went fine. We stopped at Taco Bell and had lunch with Chas before heading in seperate directions....him to the office and me home. I just wanted to go put on my jammies and relax in a cool house. I had to take my two younger girls...9 and 15 to babysit for my sister, so we made a quick stop by the house to grab their swimsuits and let the puppy out to go potty. Then I took them over to babysit and was back within 10-12 minutes. (I grabbed the pup and took her with us in the car so she wouldn't have to go back in the kennel) I pulled up to our house and clicked the garage door opener from my remote access clickermabob and saw the garage door going up. There was a blue Isuzu Rodeo across the street from our house, parked on a corner so I thought someone had brought my 17 yr old daughter back home after lunch, although I didn't recognize the car. And that's when everything changed. A man came running out of my front door, with MY laptop and a few other items under his arm. I knew he was robbing our house, but at the same instant couldn't believe it and thought 'this must be something else!' Not so... He ran across in front of my car (I was just a few feet from him), which I was desperately trying to get in gear to ram into him (kind of a dramatic knee jerk reaction, but there it is, I wanted to ram him)....then I thought I would just bump him, but finally thought better of that, afterall, I didn't want to go to jail! So I got the car in reverse and tried to block his driver's door with my car.....all while he was scrambling to get in it. (I can't believe I did that now that I look back on it, but he DID have my laptop and it was getting under my skin!) I was shouting at him the whole time even though my windows were rolled up. I can't remember what I said, but I do remember sounding like that woman on the 'Jack my price up" commercials, where she's yelling and can't make clear sentences. (or maybe that is just a local commercial?) Here I am going, "NO no no no....you can't ....don't....don't get in that car....come back....eeeeeerg...what are you....don't you....don't do it!" I realized it was very stupid to block him because he could ram my car or have a gun, so I pulled away. He finally got in and drove off and I followed him a ways down our street and got his license plate number. Then I stopped in the middle of the street, shaking and angry...oh I was angry! And I called 911. I gave them all the info and pulled my car into the driveway and at that instant I realized my 17 yr old was supposed to be home from lunch with friends by 1:30 and it was very close to that. So I panicked and thought maybe she had been in there while this criminal was in there. The 911 operator yelled at me not to enter the house, so I had to wait, wondering about her until the police got there. She finally pulled up with a friend just before the police were going to go through the house, guns aimed, to search to see if anyone else was in there. No one was.....the only things he'd had time to grab was my laptop, which was out on a side table in the front room and a wooden box from my husband's dresser. Charles thinks he had some old credit cards in that box and he knew a lot of our passwords and social security numbers were in my computer, so we had to look up our credit info and cancel cards. The police woman who was here told us to go to somewhere like credit report. com and they give you a full list of any credit accounts you have! That is valuable information. Then we went to the bank and changed accounts over and put passwords on them. Now we have to call Social Security Fraud Report and get a 7 year alert put on our numbers. They will call us if anyone uses those numbers to sign up for anything. I am wiped OUT. I have a very low opinion of humanity right now. There is nothing like feeling vulnerable, even in your own home. Anyway, gotta go....love you all...daughter wants her computer back. This will be hard....sharing computers. _________________
They're heeeeeere... Topic: People/Family stories MY FAMILY IS HOME NOW!
They drove all night and got home at 7:30am from youth camp! I was still asleep (having a vivid dream about rearranging our bedroom furniture...including moving the built in closet off the wall where it is...lol) and they all came and put their dirty selves on me. So I got up and made them pancakes. Then the girls and I watched Bridge to Terabithia and we all had tears streaming down our faces! Man, that's a good movie! And they were both coming off of a sleepless night riding in a van to add to the emotion of the movie.
I gave the lil pup a bath! She smells like Johnson's lavendar baby shampoo now! Some of her latest antics:
*Climbing the furniture. She can jump her little 5 pound self up on our high couches, then climbs up the back of them to explore. It is entertaining because the couch back cushions are so cushy that sometimes one leg falls through and she slips, or her whole fuzzy self almost disappears sometimes due to gaps between pillows.
*Chasing things. This dog is so jumpy. She runs away at first and then usually attacks it. At night our porch light casts our shadows long and big across the lawn and back block fence. I have to stand perfectly still or she will see the shadow move and go zipping into the house again! Then I put her back out there and she attacks the shadows....especially if I make them move. hehee She likes it when I make my hand a shadow spider and it 'gets' her. The light also makes little flying bugs more noticeable and she pounces around trying to catch them. Pouncing is an adorable trait in puppies!
*She thinks there is a fuzzy white dog in our back room. At night, she sees her own reflection in the sliding glass door and it startles her. She jumps back *backward pounce* and YAPS at it with a sharp, high pitched bark.
*She is sneaky. When she wants something, she will wait until you aren't looking and try to get it. Tonight I had to take away a ball of purple chalk...it is the shape of an egg...and I put it on the piano. Our love seat backs up to the piano, so Maisy did the back of the couch walking, sniffing everything on the piano until she found the chalk. And just before she grabbed it, I grabbed her. I put her on the floor, where she gazed at the wonderful purple chalk. She wanted it! She was frustrated because I was watching her instead of the tv. So she came back onto the couch and laid her head on the back of the couch near the chalk egg. She was staring at me and I was laughing so hard. She saw her opportunity and pounced up there licketty split to grab the egg, but alas, I swiped her up again and put her on the floor. Don't you love it when a dog just looks at you hopelessly and lets out a big sigh?
They're heeeeeere... Topic: People/Family stories MY FAMILY IS HOME NOW!
They drove all night and got home at 7:30am from youth camp! I was still asleep (having a vivid dream about rearranging our bedroom furniture...including moving the built in closet off the wall where it is...lol) and they all came and put their dirty selves on me. So I got up and made them pancakes. Then the girls and I watched Bridge to Terabithia and we all had tears streaming down our faces! Man, that's a good movie! And they were both coming off of a sleepless night riding in a van to add to the emotion of the movie.
I gave the lil pup a bath! She smells like Johnson's lavendar baby shampoo now! Some of her latest antics:
*Climbing the furniture. She can jump her little 5 pound self up on our high couches, then climbs up the back of them to explore. It is entertaining because the couch back cushions are so cushy that sometimes one leg falls through and she slips, or her whole fuzzy self almost disappears sometimes due to gaps between pillows.
*Chasing things. This dog is so jumpy. She runs away at first and then usually attacks it. At night our porch light casts our shadows long and big across the lawn and back block fence. I have to stand perfectly still or she will see the shadow move and go zipping into the house again! Then I put her back out there and she attacks the shadows....especially if I make them move. hehee She likes it when I make my hand a shadow spider and it 'gets' her. The light also makes little flying bugs more noticeable and she pounces around trying to catch them. Pouncing is an adorable trait in puppies!
*She thinks there is a fuzzy white dog in our back room. At night, she sees her own reflection in the sliding glass door and it startles her. She jumps back *backward pounce* and YAPS at it with a sharp, high pitched bark.
*She is sneaky. When she wants something, she will wait until you aren't looking and try to get it. Tonight I had to take away a ball of purple chalk...it is the shape of an egg...and I put it on the piano. Our love seat backs up to the piano, so Maisy did the back of the couch walking, sniffing everything on the piano until she found the chalk. And just before she grabbed it, I grabbed her. I put her on the floor, where she gazed at the wonderful purple chalk. She wanted it! She was frustrated because I was watching her instead of the tv. So she came back onto the couch and laid her head on the back of the couch near the chalk egg. She was staring at me and I was laughing so hard. She saw her opportunity and pounced up there licketty split to grab the egg, but alas, I swiped her up again and put her on the floor. Don't you love it when a dog just looks at you hopelessly and lets out a big sigh?
How's it going here for you? Topic: Blogging
Some of you have said that my blog is loading better for you now. Please let me know if you're having problems here.
Of course, you can't see this message if you are having problems, but someday, you may see this. ;) I appreciate the feedback. And my comments function should be working better now too.
I can't wait til my peeps are home! The husband and 2 teen daughters are on the long drive home from youth camp starting tonight...driving through the night. Please pray for their safety and to stay alert while driving! Thank you!
Movie review: Ratatouille Topic: Other
I took my daughter and neice, both 9, to see the new Disney movie today. You just need some nice cool place to go on days like this....when the heat hovers around 116F and even lazing around in the swimming pool makes your head pound. So we grabbed our Harkins 'loyal patron' cups and went to the matinee.
First of all, it was a really cute movie....good characters, setting, and writing. It was very charming and I loved that.
I just can't get past it being about rats.
Rats crawling around kitchens, through sewer pipes, slinking about in the dark and stampeeding in a full hoard of swinging tails and weird noses and the slinking......aaaarg! Not to mention preparing food in a restaurant! I hated it I hated it I hated it! Even now my stomach is feeling lurchy just thinking about it.
The girls loved it though.
Maybe it is because I grew up in the Willard generation.....*shudder*
If you've seen the movie, did this bother you? Or am I just over sensitive? I just know I don't think I"ll watch it....ever....again.
EVER!
ps....notice, no use of graphics or html links on this post....no word from angelfire 'help' yet. *grumbling*
Pictureless Wednesday Topic: Blogging
Well I am setting up shop over at Blogger just in case this one does not get fixed. I still have not heard back from the tech folks at angelfire.
Bleh
I just want to post some pictures!
Meanwhile, the husband and our 2 teens are in northern California at youth camp. It is a wilderness-ish camp: sleeping on the ground with no tents, white water rafting, rock climbing, mountain hiking, so I would appreciate prayers for the safety of the group and for their health, being out in the weather like that. Thanks!
The puppy goes to the sliding glass door when she needs to go potty now. (do I hear an amen!) She doesn't bark or scratch at it, but just sits there aimed at the door and looking over her shoulder, staring at us. She is a smart little thing!
puppypuppypuppypuppy Topic: Photo entries
I finally got around to uploading the pictures of our new puppy, but now I can't get my blog to post pictures! (at all!) They are changing everything around on my server and although there is a button to insert a picture and it looks like you've uploaded it....it does not appear on the page. *sigh*
So, I'm going to give you the links to see them. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience. Apparently html code is not working either, so here are just the urls of the pics! aaarrrrrggg!
Oh for the love of puppies! Topic: People/Family stories
We got a puppy.
She looks like this picture, except with off white (champagne) fur, buff ears and longer legs.
She is a ball of fuzz. A bichon/poo with gangly long legs and button eyes and nose! If she sees her brush, she will pick it up and bring it to you, singing 'Heaven....Heaven....I'm in Heaven when you brush my tummyyyyy'.
She is hilarious. She thinks there is another puppy in the backroom at night because of her reflection in the sliding glass door. It makes her do a quick double take when she passes the door and barks in surprise to see a fuzzy face peering back at her. She does a little puppy growl and leaps toward it, only to dart away down the hall in case she's made 'it' mad. She also tries to sneak up and steal her puppy training pad and carry it away from the puppy in the window. I don't know why, I guess it makes her nervous to be 'watched'. Right now she is sitting at my side staring at the door, her ears going up and down with each little noise she hears.
She is a control freak. She loves her toys we bought her. If they are spread out, she nabs them and brings them to her towel on the floor, where she puts them in a pile. Then she lies down on top of them and attacks any little parts sticking out.
She also has a need to pee on newsprint. At first we put down a 'puppy training pad' but she went over to our sunday paper and peed on the edge of it. So now we have to lay it ON the puppy training pad. It is a very good thing that Charles bought a Sunday newspaper because I think we will use every piece of it!
She has a crate. I think whoever invented crate training should get an award.....a great big shiny award. I love them. Whenever we have to leave the house or want to go swimming or go to bed, we put the long leggedy fuzz ball in her crate (cage). She whimpers and howls for a few minutes, then settles down to puppy dream land.
The only bad thing about having a new puppy is the 24/7 care it requires. All day I think about puppy things.
Is the puppy in the room with me? Is she on the carpet? Is she pooping? Is she peeing? Is it time to feed her the 2 tablespoons of canned puppy food? (warmed up in the microwave for 11 second) Time to go out Time to come in Time to play so she'll be tired Time to be tired because she loves to play Is she nibbling the guests children? Why is she looking at me that way? Pick her up Put her down Carry her to the bathroom with me.....every time. Throw the ball Toss the plastic egg (oh this she loves) Make her toy friends talk to her (it makes her very angry and growly) Play tug of war with her sock Make the children run so puppy will chase and use energy Where is the puppy?
Gee, it's a good thing she's so cute! (pics soon, I promise)
Accidents happen Topic: People/Family stories Is it a bad sign when police are cleaning up a car accident at the entrance turn to driver's education class?
Uh huh....
It didn't look like anyone was seriously hurt, thankfully....just people sitting on the corner looking dazed, while their vehicles were being loaded onto a tow truck. It kinda makes a driver's ed student nervous though.
Please refer to my husband's blog Topic: People/Family stories
My husband, Charles, has put up some posts about his mission trip to Ukraine on his blog, Veritas. He met some amazng people and learned some valuable lessons there.
Friday's Feast #149 Topic: Humor/memes
To join up and create your own feast, go to Friday's Feast, get the questions and browse the comments section for more to feast upon.
Appetizer Name a funny habit you have. I make stuffed animals come to life. I've tried desperately tostop, but I just can't help myself! I just start channeling them.
We used to wonder WHY in the world our 2 year old (who is now 15)had a New York accent. Yes, we lived in New Jersey at the time, but none of us had accents. It was the strangest thing. Then one night while I was putting her to bed, I realized her BEAR was talking to her with a New York accent! (Long Island to be specific) It was very funny....and kinda scary. I didn't even realize! Bears kind of take on a life and personality of their own around me....and I obey. (complete with swirling spirals in my eyes)
My oldest daughter, who is now 19, starts talking back to the animal I'm animating and then she gets all embarrassed and hits me! The last time it happened was on vacation 2 years ago. We bought a little stuffed zebra for Maggie. (and by the way, it looks exactly like the picture above!) He kept trying to convince Hannah that he was a donkey and she was arguing with him. Then when we laughed at her, she wouldn't even look at the zebra the rest of the trip....even though he tried desperately to get her attention! I still had trouble even tonight typing z e b r a instead of donkey. (see, I believed him too!) He's a persuasive little runt!
Soup If you could instantly know how to play a musical instrument, which one would you pick? I have always wanted to play the guitar. However the only instrument I can actually play is the kazoo.
Salad How long is your hair? About 2 inches past my shoulders.
Main Course When was the last time you forgave someone, and who was it? Last week....one of my kids.
Dessert What is your favorite kitchen appliance? Well that would have to be my cobalt blue Kitchenaid mixer! I had been wanting one for years. Every Christmas I would look at them longingly in the stores, drop hints, make the suggestion. Every year it seemed we couldn't afford it. Then one year when we lived in Williams, AZ, the men of the church were planning a night to go to the mall and do Christmas shopping for their wives....all together. So I made my list....there was only one item on it! And that Christmas....I got a diamond necklace.
WHAT!??
It seems a friend of Charles convinced him that kitchen appliances were NOT an appropriate gift for wives at Christmas. AAACK! Well, I loved the necklace, but I wanted to kick that man in the shins! (the friend, not the husband) So the next year I told my husband I was getting a Kitchenaid mixer and he let me pick one out on Amazon dot com. ;)
He's baaaaaaack... Topic: People/Family stories
Charles is home! We fetched him from the airport at almost midnight and were in bed by 1am. He got up at 9am and is trying to get back on American time. He is silent about his trip, but I"m sure it's because of the weariness! I peeked in his mission trip journal and he wrote on lots of pages, so I hope he will write about it on his blog. When he does I will link to it. Pray for him and Pete. They both need to get that off kilter feeling settled down.....jet lag I guess.
I can't even express how wonderful it is to have my husband home again. It was a long week and I did not enough sleep, so last night I slept the whole night through without waking. He has 2 weeks home, and then he is off to youth camp with our 2 teenagers.
Maggie is off to camp....this is her first time without one of us parents there. But her sister Bethany is a camp staff person, so she can get some good hugs from her. (and Beth needs hugs too) I took Maggie up there yesterday and hugged Beth (I had just seen her 3 days ago) and she pushed me away and said, "Stop hugging me now or I'll......I"m gonna cry!" And there it came.
She is a little homesick
I told all our friends who were staying to hug her each day....she requires it. She'll be okay and we'll see her again on Friday before her next week of kids' camp.
Emma began driver's education this morning. 8am to 12:30....Monday through Thursday.....for 2 weeks. She is not one to complain a lot but she did have a hard time sitting for that long!!! This part of it is all the classroom work. She will not schedule actual driving time until she gets her permit in September.....at which time my prayer life will just take off, as usual! This learning/teaching to drive thing never gets easier with experience.....NEVERRRRRRRRR.
......hope you have a great week where ere you may be....
Is it a bad sign when police are cleaning up a car accident at the entrance turn to driver's education class? 
Appetizer
