As we drive through life we, at times, come across roadblocks, pitfalls, detours and even an occasional accident. And when we allow it these things even impede our happiness. Lucky for me the light at the end of the tunnel inevitably comes, and I am happy to report that the darkness is rapidly being replaced by light...GLORIOUS...light!
1. House in Rexburg....SOLD
2. House in Buckeye....BOUGHT (but not paid for!)
3. Painters...scheduled to start TOMORROW
4. New ward....SUNDAY!
5. Movers....MONDAY!
6. Satellite...DVR....TUESDAY!!!
7. New furniture....4 to 6 WEEKS (a long wait but DEFINITELY worth it, actually remind me to tell you all about my furniture find).
8. New School for Madelyn...MONDAY (she is a TROOPER...this is the 3rd school for the adorable little red head).
9. Commute time dropped from 3 HOURS to less than ONE....(Dallan is one HAPPY guy).
10. Free gym membership....okay not exactly free since it is included in our HOA fees, but it is a really nice gym and it provides FREE childcare!
11. MY VERY OWN COMPUTER....DOWNLOADING AND POSTING NEW PICTURES.....FAST INTERNET...Do I need to say MORE???
I think I should stop now in fear of getting TOO HAPPY! I think I am actually GIDDY in spite of the PILE of laundry that is staring at me and the sink full of dishes that never seems to disappear. LIFE IS GOOOD!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
This is Me...On my Soapbox
I wasn't going to write about it, but after several days of non-stop interviews, and seeing countless pictures, I decided I just couldn't let it go! Yes, I am referring to the lovely single, unemployed woman in California, who after much thought decided it would be wise to give her SIX children EIGHT more siblings. Now, I can believe her claim that she didn't intend to have eight more BUT to even have ONE more when you already have SIX is just beyond me. Here is what I have a problem with....
1. She is an unemployed college student who used student loans to help pay for her fertility treatments that cost upwards of $100,000.
2. She receives $490 a month in food stamps and $2,379 a month in social security payments for 3 of her 6 children. One has autism, one has ADHD, and the other has a mild speech problem with small signs of autistic behavior.
3. She has no private health insurance and therefore uses free state insurance. The hospital bill is rumored to be over ONE million dollars. The taxpayers of California will be forced to pay her dream of having a large family.
4. 3 of her children have disabilities and yet she wants to add MORE children? When I think of this alone it INFURIATES me. I think of Lexie and how challenging her life can be at times. I think of how much of her time and energy is spent on helping Casey get better. I can't imagine the stress she sometimes feels when she has to split up her time between Casey and her other two boys. I can recall MANY conversations I've had with her about treatment options, new studies, speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, the cost of getting Casey the best treatment possible, the frustration of knowing their options are limited because of where they live or because of financial restraints. Here is a mother that is devoted to helping her son get better and it IS HARD on HER and yet she does it. She puts her own needs and wants aside and she does what has to be done. How much time do you think this mother of 14 can give to her autistic son? Is he getting the treatment he needs? Is he getting the attention he deserves? THIS MAKES ME SICK!
5. When this woman was asked why she wanted so many children she explained that she grew up an only child and wanted to compensate for that by having lots of children around her that would love her unconditionally. She talked about having a void in her life and wanting to fill it by having lots of children. IT WAS ALL ABOUT HER.
I am not one of those people who believe what she did was medically unethical. She had a choice, I understand that, and that is what is so frustrating. There are thousands of couples like me and Dallan who would give anything to have children. We are made to jump through countless hoops, have our personal lives dissected and analyzed, show proof that we have private health insurance, have minimal debt and an above average yearly salary, all of which is to ensure that we are suitable parent material. And when the government has decided that yes, we are acceptable people we are then forced to pay OBSCENE amounts of money to finally have the privilege of raising a child. Hearing stories like this literally hurts my heart and I am ashamed to say makes me questions why people like her are able to have FOURTEEN children when there are other couples in the world like Emily's sister who would give their right arm to have JUST ONE.
The frustration is that there is no way to solve this problem. There will always be selfish people in this world that put their own needs above those of their children. My heart aches for her children. I hope I am wrong about this woman. I hope she has the strength of character to give her children all that they need in order to be happy and successful in this life. And along with the majority of the population I too hope she has achieved her dream of having a large family and is finally done procreating.
1. She is an unemployed college student who used student loans to help pay for her fertility treatments that cost upwards of $100,000.
2. She receives $490 a month in food stamps and $2,379 a month in social security payments for 3 of her 6 children. One has autism, one has ADHD, and the other has a mild speech problem with small signs of autistic behavior.
3. She has no private health insurance and therefore uses free state insurance. The hospital bill is rumored to be over ONE million dollars. The taxpayers of California will be forced to pay her dream of having a large family.
4. 3 of her children have disabilities and yet she wants to add MORE children? When I think of this alone it INFURIATES me. I think of Lexie and how challenging her life can be at times. I think of how much of her time and energy is spent on helping Casey get better. I can't imagine the stress she sometimes feels when she has to split up her time between Casey and her other two boys. I can recall MANY conversations I've had with her about treatment options, new studies, speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, the cost of getting Casey the best treatment possible, the frustration of knowing their options are limited because of where they live or because of financial restraints. Here is a mother that is devoted to helping her son get better and it IS HARD on HER and yet she does it. She puts her own needs and wants aside and she does what has to be done. How much time do you think this mother of 14 can give to her autistic son? Is he getting the treatment he needs? Is he getting the attention he deserves? THIS MAKES ME SICK!
5. When this woman was asked why she wanted so many children she explained that she grew up an only child and wanted to compensate for that by having lots of children around her that would love her unconditionally. She talked about having a void in her life and wanting to fill it by having lots of children. IT WAS ALL ABOUT HER.
I am not one of those people who believe what she did was medically unethical. She had a choice, I understand that, and that is what is so frustrating. There are thousands of couples like me and Dallan who would give anything to have children. We are made to jump through countless hoops, have our personal lives dissected and analyzed, show proof that we have private health insurance, have minimal debt and an above average yearly salary, all of which is to ensure that we are suitable parent material. And when the government has decided that yes, we are acceptable people we are then forced to pay OBSCENE amounts of money to finally have the privilege of raising a child. Hearing stories like this literally hurts my heart and I am ashamed to say makes me questions why people like her are able to have FOURTEEN children when there are other couples in the world like Emily's sister who would give their right arm to have JUST ONE.
The frustration is that there is no way to solve this problem. There will always be selfish people in this world that put their own needs above those of their children. My heart aches for her children. I hope I am wrong about this woman. I hope she has the strength of character to give her children all that they need in order to be happy and successful in this life. And along with the majority of the population I too hope she has achieved her dream of having a large family and is finally done procreating.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
25 Random Things....
Over the last week or so I have been "tagged" on facebook and I even went as far as sitting down, typing the above mentioned 25 things and then....I lost it all due to my lack of facebook skills. I just couldn't figure out how to tag other people and in the process of figuring it out I erased my list. Therefore, I will forgo facebook and just stick to what I know....my blog. So here it goes.....
P.S. - Heather this is what it would look like....I think!
P.S. - Heather this is what it would look like....I think!
25 RANDOM THINGS
1. I like going to the movies by myself, especially when I think it is a movie that will make me cry. I like to be in the moment and not have to worry whether or not the person sitting next to me thinks I am silly for getting emotional.
2. I was voted Senior Class President. I think I represented my constituents well at the time, but I refuse to plan any class reunions, which in the end makes me a lousy class president. But let me clarify that I did not know planning post graduation parties was part of my presidential duties, if I had known I would have conceded.
3. Like Emily I too have conversations with people in my head and like Emily I would like to clarify that these conversations don't include actual "voices".
4. I had three imaginary friends while growing up. Their names were boyfriend, girlfriend, and George. And no I don't think boyfriend and girlfriend were actually you know boyfriend and girlfriend.
5. I HATE scary movies. They give me nightmares. I even made Dallan walk out of the 6th Sense...TWICE.
6. I love to read, especially historical fiction.
7. I was suspended from school in the 9th grade. We decided it would be fun to try No-Doze and when my friend JT was caught with it he squealed like a little girl of course blaming the whole thing on me. So they called my dad who worked over an hour away and explained that I had been caught with "drugs" and that I would be held at school until he came to get me. I was suspended for one week, had to attend 6 weeks of an after school drug counseling program and attend at least one session with a psychiatrist. My dad called me "speedy" for the remainder of the year.
8. I am afraid of heights and large bodies of water.
9. I love the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven.
10. I am not afraid to embarrass myself every now and again as long as it is PLANNED! However, it is literally PAINFUL for me when it happens accidentally. And I am not exaggerating! I can remember EVERY single experience when I have been publicly humiliated, even going back to the 2nd grade (I am sure there were plenty before that time but lucky for me I can't recall them).
11. I prefer cake over pie. (yellow with chocolate frosting)
12. I would love to take an interior design class.
13. I love to take naps, but only if I know I have at least 2 hours. None of this 20 minute power nap stuff.
14. I was late to my own wedding.
15. I would love to possess enough talent to write a book.
16. I don't really like my first name.
17. My maiden name is Warner.
18. I truly believe I am the mother to the two most ADORABLE red headed children in the entire world.
19. I hope to someday serve a mission with Dallan.
20. I would love to see the pyramids before I die.
21. I can't drink a fountain pop unless the whole cup is full of ice. I understand that means less pop, but I don't care...the cup has to be FULL.
22. I am not very patient.
23. I love going out to eat.
24. I love listening to Heather James tell stories. Seriously, there are some that make me laugh EVERY time I think about them.
25. I love to vacuum but hate folding laundry.
1. I like going to the movies by myself, especially when I think it is a movie that will make me cry. I like to be in the moment and not have to worry whether or not the person sitting next to me thinks I am silly for getting emotional.
2. I was voted Senior Class President. I think I represented my constituents well at the time, but I refuse to plan any class reunions, which in the end makes me a lousy class president. But let me clarify that I did not know planning post graduation parties was part of my presidential duties, if I had known I would have conceded.
3. Like Emily I too have conversations with people in my head and like Emily I would like to clarify that these conversations don't include actual "voices".
4. I had three imaginary friends while growing up. Their names were boyfriend, girlfriend, and George. And no I don't think boyfriend and girlfriend were actually you know boyfriend and girlfriend.
5. I HATE scary movies. They give me nightmares. I even made Dallan walk out of the 6th Sense...TWICE.
6. I love to read, especially historical fiction.
7. I was suspended from school in the 9th grade. We decided it would be fun to try No-Doze and when my friend JT was caught with it he squealed like a little girl of course blaming the whole thing on me. So they called my dad who worked over an hour away and explained that I had been caught with "drugs" and that I would be held at school until he came to get me. I was suspended for one week, had to attend 6 weeks of an after school drug counseling program and attend at least one session with a psychiatrist. My dad called me "speedy" for the remainder of the year.
8. I am afraid of heights and large bodies of water.
9. I love the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven.
10. I am not afraid to embarrass myself every now and again as long as it is PLANNED! However, it is literally PAINFUL for me when it happens accidentally. And I am not exaggerating! I can remember EVERY single experience when I have been publicly humiliated, even going back to the 2nd grade (I am sure there were plenty before that time but lucky for me I can't recall them).
11. I prefer cake over pie. (yellow with chocolate frosting)
12. I would love to take an interior design class.
13. I love to take naps, but only if I know I have at least 2 hours. None of this 20 minute power nap stuff.
14. I was late to my own wedding.
15. I would love to possess enough talent to write a book.
16. I don't really like my first name.
17. My maiden name is Warner.
18. I truly believe I am the mother to the two most ADORABLE red headed children in the entire world.
19. I hope to someday serve a mission with Dallan.
20. I would love to see the pyramids before I die.
21. I can't drink a fountain pop unless the whole cup is full of ice. I understand that means less pop, but I don't care...the cup has to be FULL.
22. I am not very patient.
23. I love going out to eat.
24. I love listening to Heather James tell stories. Seriously, there are some that make me laugh EVERY time I think about them.
25. I love to vacuum but hate folding laundry.
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