Monthly Archives: January 2009

Bucket List

I received an e-mail today about the Bucket List.  It made me think about the movie and what it is I want to do before leaving this earth.  So below is part of my bucket list–both my answers to the e-mail and the ones I added.

(  ) Been to Europe 

(  ) Been on a cruise

(X) Gone on a blind date

(  ) Skipped school,

(X) Watched someone die

(X) Been to Canada

(  ) Been to Mexico

(X) Been to Florida

(X) Been on a plane

(X) Been lost,

(X)  Been on the opposite side of the country,

(X) Gone to Washington, DC,

(  ) Been to Vegas

(  ) Climbed a lighthouse

(X) Swam in the ocean

(X) Cried yourself to sleep

(X)  Seen the Cherry Blossoms in Washington , D.C.

(X)  Played cops and robber

(  ) Flown a plane

(  ) Owned a boat,

(  ) Watched grandchildren grow

(X) Recently colored with crayons

(  ) Been to the Kentucky Derby

(  ) Been to Key West

(X)  Been to a rodeo

(X)  Sang Karaoke

(X) Paid for a meal with coins only

(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t

(X) Made prank phone calls.

(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose

(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue

(X) Danced in the rain

(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus

(X)  Been kissed under the mistletoe

(X) Watched the sunrise with someone

(X) Seen the green flash at sunset

(X) Blown bubbles

(X) Gone ice-skating

(X) Gone to the movies

(  )  Owned a convertible

(  ) Been to France

(  ) Been to London

(  ) Been to Hatfield England

(  ) Been to the Hatfield/McCoy Reunion  

(  ) Been to all 50 States

(  ) Gone to a SuperBowl

(  ) See Curtis’ Grandchildren

(  ) Celebrate my 50th Anniversary

Sick Day

Today was a sick day for Curtis. At 6:00am I am awakened to the beloved sound of him barking like a seal. This sound is so distinctive that it has allowed me to jump from my bed to his bed in a single movement. He has croup. I am not as scared this time as in previous times. Is this because of experience? Have we encountered this situation so much and survived that I can remain calm. Now I am able to act, following the protocol. Give him cold medicine to treat the symptoms, start the humidifier, take him into the bathroom after a steamy shower, call the doctor so he can start prednisone, pace all night to make sure his airway hasn’t completely closed. So far this time we have been lucky. Curtis hasn’t coughed a lot today and I think we caught the croup early enough that he will be back at school tomorrow. He hasn’t had croup since last February, so hopefully we will get lucky and this will be it for this year.

Happy New Year!

Wow! It is hard to believe another year has gone by so quickly. 2008 was all in all a good year personally. Socially–bankrupties were up, home forclosures were up, the banks required a bailout, the auto industry nearly collapse, the stock market drastically fell, gas was over $4.00 and now back down to a $1.50, factories are closing, unemployment is high, crime is up. So how do we see hope in such bleakness? Well first, God is with us. We aren’t going through this alone. This is also an opportunity for us to re-evaluate our priorities. I am as guilty (if not more so) of getting caught up in a booming economy. But when it comes down to it, family is a beautiful gift that we have received and we need to take time to enjoy each other. We need to remember the simple pleasures of life again and reconnect, build relationships. So as we start a new year, what a wonderful time to set new goals.