05.31.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:26 pm by kellgaston
Recently, one of my favorite bloggers (Jamie at Sticky Feet) posted her goals for the next ten years (while reflecting on her goals for the last ten years).
I’ve never been one to actually write goals down. I have obscure ideas in my head about what I’d like to accomplish, but nothing nearly specific as what she had.
When I graduated from high school, I knew I wanted to go to college (anywhere but Southeastern or Oklahoma State) and that I would major in history. Early on, I thought I’d go ahead and do social studies education but really thought I’d go on to law school. It wasn’t until one of my last semesters at Southeastern (yeah, that school I didn’t want to go to) that I heard about historic preservation. Somehow that appealed to me, but I just kind of happened upon the field. I’m glad I did.
Okay, so I went to college, and then more college, and then more college. And I got married (then divorced . . . that definitely wasn’t part of the plan). Had to reevaluate the plan. I definitely knew I wanted to be married. Then, I met Scott. The rest is history . . . a house, a couple of jobs, and a couple of wonderful kids.
So, do I have goals for the next ten years or so? I know I probably should. It’s always good to have a goal in mind or else you tend to wander aimlessly. So, here goes:
1. Be healthy! Get back to my goal weight and exercise 3 to 5 times per week. Eat as healthily as possible.
2. Be a good wife. (more below)
3. Be a good mommy . . . to Ava and Nathaniel and whatever other little ones might find their way to our house. I’d like two more little ones to come along, but who knows. Whatever happens, I want there to eventually be closure about that. I want to feel done at the end of that road. I want to have patience with them, to speak softly even when I’m angry, and to be consistent and firm.
4. Never stop learning. Dh was teasing me this morning about wanting a Ph.D. He’s crazy. I’m done with “school” school, but I want to always be learning new things. After my lasted real estate transaction, I definitely think my spanish speaking skills could use some work.
5. Build our dream home.
6. Be a nice person. I still find myself saying things I regret. I need to continue to work on being a nicer, more thoughtful person and a better witness.
In summary, there is a scripture from Proverbs that beautifully describes what I hope to become “when I grow up”:
“A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate…..”
Should be a piece of cake, right?
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05.25.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:16 pm by kellgaston
As usual, I DVR’d J&K+8 tonight (it interferes with bedtime).
I tuned in with a skeptical attitude. I made dh watch too. I was in tears before it was over.
I could identify with a lot of what was k was saying. I’ve been there before; dh has been there before. When you are considering what before would have been the unthinkable. When you realize that this might be the last time that . . . there’s a “family” picture . . . that you see this person before the big “D”or that you see this person at all. That’s very hard. There’s a lot to consider and once you go down that road . . . you really can’t ever go back.
I was struck by the difference in their demeanors. J seems to have accepted that it is over, without blaming K. He seems to accept a lot of responsibility for what has happened. K seems angry, yet at the same time, broken and vulnerable. But is that genuine, or the ploy of the evil empress whose empire is crumbling around her?
K started talking about five years ago when the sextuplets were born and how at that time, they thought they could beat the odds (the odds that say that a majority of parents of multiples end of divorcing) and now she just didn’t know. I wanted to shake her and say, think back to before that time, to why you are together in the first place, how much you loved each other and how much you wanted these children! To how hard you worked together to get this far!
I wanted to smack them both at times and to tell them to get their acts together!
I missed the end . . . the dvr stopped recording for some reason. I’m still troubled by this. I don’t know why I care so much. I guess I just empathize and hate to see people feeling like this, although I know it happens far too often. And, those kids are just so cute. I hate to see them traumatized and no matter how well they try to handle it, divorce would be traumatic.
You can be sure I’ll be watching next week! (and reading in-between)
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05.23.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:07 pm by kellgaston
Okay, I meant to write this post a long, long time ago, but . . . I’d just had a baby.
I turned 18 on the last day to register to vote in the 1996 presidential election. I won’t own up to who I voted for. I minored in political science in college. I’ve voted in every major election since I turned eighteen, except for 2008.
Why, you might ask?
Because I was DISENFRANCHISED!
Ava was around two weeks old. DH went to vote on his way to work. It took him two hours. I went to the polling station three times. If you remember, election day here was cold and yucky. The line outside our polling station wrapped around the building and out into the parking lot. Exactly how is a new mom who is breastfeeding supposed to wait in line indefinitely? I really wanted to go, but I would have had to take her with me (she would not drink from a bottle at the time) and the weather was just too bad for me to stand outside for who knows how long.
Others voted absentee. I’ve never voted absentee. I’ve never had a problem showing up to vote on that day. I’ve never had to wait more than like 5 minutes.
All I have to say is that it was ridiculous. The Cleveland County Election Board should be ashamed. Some polling stations were not busy at all, while others, like ours, had awful wait times. Shame, shame, shame!!
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Posted in Uncategorized at 7:00 pm by kellgaston
For some time, Ava has been trying to get a tooth. Finally, it arrived (on Thursday). I have only caught a quick glimpse — definitely no pictures. She’s been very shy about showing it. She’s so pretty!
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Posted in Uncategorized at 6:58 pm by kellgaston
Recently, my niece Millie and I got into a heated discussion about the TLC reality show, Jon and Kate Plus 8. I have to admit, it has been one of my favorite shows, but in the last few months, I had been doing some digging and had found some not so flattering information about what happened behind the scenes. And that was before the latest scandals. (I’m referring to stories about the estrangement of Kate and her father, as well as her comments about about the state of PA needing to continue paying for her medicaid nurse). After reading several primary sources, some of the “glamor” was gone from the show for me. Before that, I had admired the way they handled so many children, how their house was so clean and well organized, and the fact that they eat homecooked, organic meals all the time and did so on a budget.
Back in the fall, there was lots of hype about their vow renewal ceremony in Hawaii. I remember thinking at the time that what they were saying was almost like asking for trouble. Kate said something to the effect that the renewal ceremony was to show the kids that they would always be together. Maybe they should have left well enough alone.
Anyway, despite the fact that I have been guilty of “bashing” the show (particularly Kate), I so hope that the allegations are not true. This is one couple that really needs to stay together. They’ve been through so much together. It just seems awful that fame could pull them apart. I’ll be tuning in on Monday for the start of the summer season. Hopefully they can work everything out. But maybe they should consider stepping out of the limelight, at least for a while.
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05.02.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:13 pm by kellgaston
Just wanted to report that Ava is much better, thankfully. Her fever broker around 3:00 this afternoon and she has been acting much more like herself since then. She was even rolling around and playing on the floor and doing some talking. She still doesn’t want to take a bottle, but she will nurse and has eaten some applesauce and rice cereal. Hopefully tonight is better for all of us.
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05.01.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:52 pm by kellgaston
Ava has been sick since Wednesday night/early Thursday morning. I thought it was teething (it may still be), but she has been running a fever of up to 101.8. She has no energy. She just wants to be held. I called the doctor yesterday because I could not get her fever down. Ibuprofen helped, but she was still really hot and really miserable.
Dh stayed home with us today, because Nathaniel has also been really cranky (also running a low grade fever). The doctor wanted us to bring Ava in. Since last week, she has gained weight! She is up to 14 lbs. 6 ozs. She was running a fever of 100 when we arrived. The doctor checked her out and nothing seems to be wrong. They also did a u/a to check for the possibility of a bladder infection. That was also negative. So, we really don’t know what is wrong.
She seems somewhat better tonight, even sitting up to play for a few minutes. She was talking more and crying less, thankfully.
I hope she feels better soon.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 6:42 pm by kellgaston
Something keeps happening to me recently. I park at a store or restaurant, etc. I unload the kids, go about my business, and then return to the parking lot only to discover that someone has parked too closely to me. Generally, I try to park strategically — choosing a spot where I only have to contend with one car beside me. But sometimes those kinds of spots just aren’t available.
Yesterday, I had to go to the chiropractor and I took both kids with me. Afterwards, we went to T*co B*eno for a quick lunch. Everything went well, until we returned to the parking lot. Some IDIOT had parked so close and so crookedly that there was no way I could get Ava (in her carseat) into the car. So, I had to put Nathaniel in the car and then lift Ava in on Nathaniel’s side and across the car and into place. So much for going to the chiropractor.
So please, be considerate, and park within the lines!
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