A Big Toy for a Big Boy

We will be celebrating a big day in three weeks; Jack's 5th birthday! It feels like just yesterday when I held him in my hand. He was right about the size of my hand, he had so much energy; I really thought I was going to drop him. Those were happy days for us. We went to see him every week for 9 months, until we could bring him home. He is such a joy in our life, I really don't know who we would be without him. A lot of people we know are afraid of birds, and let me tell you it took me a couple of weeks going to a bird store almost everyday playing with another macaw to get used to them. Most of the people in my family and Chad's have come to know and love Jack as there own, always coming over to say hey and visit with him. I think all of his family has made him the bird he is. Vicki, the breeder that we got him from says he is one of the best birds that she has ever had come back to her.

So to mark this momentous occasion we went out and bought Jack a new toy; a big toy! He has already torn half of it up. I feel sure we will have to order another one before his actual birthday. He has had a ball all weekend playing with his new toy. I am hoping if I order him an even bigger toy that maybe he might forgive us for being gone on his birthday. He is turning 5 on May 15th, unfortunately we are leaving May 15th to go see the Blue Angels, just one night though. Hopefully on the Sunday after the Blue Angels we can have a cookout for him, and make some birdy friendly kabobs. Maybe we'll bring him back a surprise from Beaufort, SC.

Insurance, more problem than it is a help!

A few of my close friends know that the past two days I have been "dying inside," not literally but it sure feels that way. For about 2 weeks now I have been battling some serious heartburn. I thought maybe it was something I had been eating or because of all of the stress, but the past couple of days I have been dealing with pain like no other. I have spoken to a nurse at my doctor's office and she suspects that it is my gallbladder. I have been under my parents insurance for about 6 months now and it hasn't done me any good.

I just want to say that I think there should be better insurance out there and more affordable for full-time students like me, and students just coming out of school. My dad recently got laid off from his job so our insurance has kind of been in limbo. I haven't used it at all except for my feet at the end of last year and now when I need it most the insurance company is giving us terrible problems. They have sucked money out of his paycheck for our insurance this month but they are saying that it has to be switched over to a "COBRA" plan before I can go to the doctor. So here I am in great need of a doctor's care and my insurance won't back me up. I finally need it, and they won't cover me. So for the past few days I have been in agony with pain in my upper abdomen and I cannot do anything about it. The nurse told me until they get it straightened out that I could take some mild pain relievers and antacids until I could come in. They are not condoning me not coming in, she did say that if the pain was at a level where I couldn't handle it that I should immediately seek care.

So here I am waiting it out, suffering. Chad has been a wonderful help, I cannot wait until we can get married. He takes such good care of me. Without him I think I would have had my way with the insurance company by now. It almost seems like a waste of money. You pay and pay and pay and never use it and then when you need it, they aren't there for you. I also wanted to say I appreciate all of your prayers, and your continued prayers are apreciated as well.

"Pomp and Circumstance"

About 5 years ago, or maybe more I set out on a very long road. When I graduated high school and walked across that infamous stage I really felt like I didn't know what I wanted to do. I had decided to go to nursing school but in my heart of hearts it wasn't what I wanted to do. But I went and after 3 semesters, I dropped out. My parents were very unhappy so I went back, but to a different nursing school, so I thought well maybe I am meant to do this. I also got a job at Union Regional Medical Center as a CNA and worked there for about a year. It took a serious toll on my back and my feet, and I then decided that it really wasn't what I wanted to do.

So now what. 4 years wasted, but not really, I had an enormous amount of credit hours under my belt and I was becoming a very well-rounded individual. I had learned a lot of nursing skills, I worked in a hospital and I minored in Psychology without even trying. So I set out trying to decide what I really wanted to do. I went and saw a counselor to help me get on the right track. We decided that business was great field, even if I was in to art, business could lead me places where I could do my art. So now I was back at school and if I rushed I could get it done in 2 semesters and 1 summer. I took my time, I am not one to hurry. And guess what, I am finally done. After 5 years of schooling and 100 credit hours later, I finally got my degree. On May 14th I will walk across that stage. My fellow classmates say, this isn't the real thing, it's a waste of time. Well, to me it is not. It has taken so much out of me and I have taken so many classes and had so many sleepless nights when I was in nursing school, I am walking! So with my parents, inlaws and friends at my side, I will walk across that stage and shake the Chancellor's hand and move to the next stage in my life (which hopefully will only take me 2 years).

Red Letter Day

Every day before the rush gets started, I get down on my knees. And I pray, Lord, I need You here to guide me, please speak to me. And something happens that I can't explain, His Word starts talking to me, and I'm out to face this world again, I do believe it's gonna be another red letter day!
It's gonna be another red letter day, I do believe it's gonna be another chance for me, to take His word and walk by faith. I got a smile with every step I take, knowing He is here with me. It's gonna be a red letter day!

Fishin' in the Dark

"Lazy yellow moon comin' up tonite, shinin' thru the trees, crickets are singin' and lightning bugs are floatin' on the breeze, baby get ready.....You and me going fishing in the dark, lying on our backs and counting the stars, where the cool grass grows. Down by the river in the full moon light, we'll be fallin' in love in the middle of the night, just movin' slow... Stayin' the whole night thru, feels so good to be with you..."

We went fishing yesterday at Badin lake. I wasn't really sure if I would like it or not. I have only been fishing for about a year now. I haven't really had much luck at any of the other places we have been, so why would this time be any different. I did have a stroke of luck at Chad's parent's pond and then I caught 2 4-5 lb bass, and a crappie. I was very excited, I had to work in the morning hours; I was constantly looking at the clock. Chad and his dad went to a local park to fish in the morning but had no luck, so I wan't sure how our luck would be in the afternoon. When we got there, I was very surprised, lots of banks to fish off of, lots and lots of room. It was very pretty too!

Then came the fishing part. I had so many lures that I had not fished with yet, Chad's dad is forever picking neat ones up and giving them to me. But, I haven't had a chance to use a lot of them yet because we haven't fished in a few months. So I suited up with a yellow Vibrax and found my place and went to fishing. Chad is a walker, he moves all around. His dad threw out a few deadlines, and caught a little bream right off the bat. So I kept the faith, Jesus said, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." (Luke 5:4) So I had faith, I was going to catch something. I had casted so many times and nothing; I closed my eyes, reeled real slow, and I felt a nudge. Then it jerked side to side, could it be? Sure enough I had one on my line. I pulled it in, I think Chad and his dad thought I was just pulling in some algae (there was a lot around), but, NO! It was a bass! I caught the first bass of the day!! Yay! I'm a girl, but I can catch some fish! God says "...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains..." (Matthew 17:20) Now I didn't move any mountains yesterday, but I caught a fish.

Now the fishing didn't stop there, I caught a little bream after that, and he fought harder than the bass did. I was catching more fish than the boys were, it was great. I think they were happier than I was. It was so exciting! After about 2 hours we moved to another location because Chad hadn't caught anything and his dad had only caught 2 or 3 bream, so we moved to a place on the road where we could stay until dark. We set up camp, there wasn't enough room for all of us so his dad set up around the other side of these trees and we went fishing some more. I hadn't been casting for 30 minutes and I had something else on my line. We were right on the road so there was a lot of traffic going by, and after a few minutes about 4-5 cops set up camp too, only not to fish, to do a license check. We were very amused hearing all of their trash talk, and watching them pull people to the side for breaking the law (for numerous things, like no insurance, no license, no inspection, etc). But, they all saw me pull in my fish, another bass! Yay me! Now I know you all are saying those fish aren't that big, well, they were more than anyone else was catching. I caught more fish than the boys. I pulled in another bream shortly after that bass. It was great, I had such a great day, and so did the boys. We went to dinner about 9:30 after fishing for 4 hours, it was so much fun remembering all those fish I caught. It's amazing what a little bit of faith can do. : )

B Cam-Er-Ra

I have numerous cameras lying around. When I was at Northwest School of the Arts I decided to try my hand at photography, I knew I was good at drawing, but photography was a whole new playing field for me. My dad bought me a Minolta Maxxum "SLR" about 7 or 8 years ago, and when I met Chad I was still carrying that old thing around. I had never been to Charleston before and my family had gone without me when I was in nursing school. So about three years ago my parents planned a trip for my 20th birthday to Charleston. Chad thought it was perfect timing for me to upgrade to a more modern "digital" camera. So he bought me one for our Charleston trip. Now I have been carrying them both around. My digital camera is a rather expensive pocket Olympus camera with all of the bells a whistles, and I always revert back to my Minolta SLR film camera. Who cares? I know it costs money for film and such but it takes phenomenal pictures.

Chad keeps up with Moto GP motorcycle racing and there is an italian racer named Valentino Rossi and he has loved him since the beginning of time. We have a documentary called "Faster" about motorcycle racing and they interviewed Valentino and he looked at the camera and said "B Cam-Er-Ra" with his italian accent. Ever since then Chad has called my digital camera the B-camera.

I am getting ready to transfer to UNCC, I start in August, yay! And I am going to be an Art major so we have decided to make an addition to my camera collection. We went to Wolf Camera; they have always been there for my photography needs. I cannot tell you how much money I have spent on photo paper for the dark room and film. I was kind of torn between a Nikon and a Canon but a friend of mine in my Photography class has a Nikon and there are wayyyyy to many settings; which really makes me take a look back at my Minolta and how simple it is. I don't think I want a Nikon, I could not figure it out. I wish I could just put a digital screen on my Minolta and call it digital. Technology is kind of irritating. I think I have narrowed it down to a Canon Rebel, for the money I think it is perfect and I feel like it is a little simpler compared to the Nikon D-40. My next obstacle is to get Wolf Camera to give me a tripod instead of a free printer. hmmmm?

More Fun on Easter

I was downloading some pictures from Easter and thought I would share. My mom and dad were dying Easter eggs, I joined in a little... I took a picture of the better looking ones. We had "slate" color, brown, "sunset," it was pretty silly. My mom tried to make our own colors. Anyways, we had a good laugh!

My dad built this arbor for my mom a few years ago, and two years ago they planted a baby wysteria plant, and this year was the year, it bloomed! Chad and I got some really good pictures of it for her. It probably looks even better today. They have the prettiest yard! Maybe they might share some of that grass with us when they dig it up for the deck, hmm?

Also, here are some pictures of the pool. Dad is going to be building a deck this week and next since he doesn't have a job right now. Mom says he can do some much needed "projects" around the house. The pool sure looks inviting, doesn't it? The water is still very cold, you won't catch me swimming in it! Maybe we'll have a pool party for mom's 50th? hmmm?