Ahhhh....

~Let me just say that having a housekeeper that knows & does what she is hired to do is so refreshing! She went above and beyond...better than any other housekeeper I have ever had and was so respectful, too. I feel like I've hit the lottery!

~Still tired from being up with the storms last night, but I'm pushing through to my second wind with the help of a cup of tea.

~The top picture is Aubree's first day of Kindergarten and the next on is her 1st day of 3rd grade. Wow, how time flies and look at the attitudes...sweet and unaware and then in 3rd...not really looking forward to summer ending! She's so cute I could eat her up!

~Craving Mexican food. Can you call it a craving when you have it 24/7?

~Got a ton of filing done in the office today - that makes me very happy!

~Found some school pictures of Aubree that I was going to send out...oh well, doesn't matter at this point.

~Still no regrets committing to the Breast Cancer 3-day in November. Each participant has to raise 2300.00, so that's what I'm most worried about. Walking 60 miles/20 miles per day will be fine since our team has already started training. Camping out? I'll deal - it's for a good cause.

~My website is set up - you can go donate if you feel your arm twisted hard enough! LOL! It's www.the3day.org/goto/terri.ivie

~Our team is the Faith Warriors - I think that is the coolest name ever!

~I wish it was dry outside so I could go play in the flowerbeds...

~Had our first softball church co-ed game last night, we lost but still had fun. Played in the pouring rain, had a girl get hit with the ball that caused mass chaos in the dugout with blood, lots of it. Softball isn't supposed to be that rough.

~Gonna talk to the school tomorrow and opt out of the Summer School option they suggested for my A/B honor roll daughter. It's ludicrous and we WON'T be taking time away from our summer vacation for such silliness.

~Signed Aubree up for Church Camp...a sure sign my baby is growing up. She can't wait to go which means I've raised her with the good sense to go have fun with her friends!

~The first thing she wants to do when school is out is have a girls day with her Momma...that's cool and I'll take 'em while I can get 'em...one day she will be too busy being a rebellious teenager and want to spend all her time with her friends.

~2 more getty-ups and we are out for Summer - can't wait to have time to do just whatever the heck we want.

~There's talk about the hubby going to Mexico, Spain & Pennsylvania. I don't want him to go to any of the above, but they didn't ask my opinion and it's his job. Sometimes his job takes him away too much - sometimes it doesn't keep him busy enough. There is very little middle ground in the oilfield...you are either busy-busy or bored and panicked.

~I made enough pasta salad yesterday that you could feed an army. It's good too...lots of veggies, cubed meats & cheeses.

~Tonight it should be even better since it's had time to "marry" in the dressing.

~There is not one single thing on the calendar for this evening - I think LuLu & I will take advantage of that situation and hit the hay early. She is tired too after that late game and the storms.

~Tomorrow we have a swimming party to go to celebrate the end of school for Aubree's class. Her class has been together for 2 years. I predict many, many tears from the kids, parents and Miss Renfro. Even though they get her for Language Arts next year in 4th grade it's gonna be hard for them to cut the cord and not have her all day everyday. The amazing thing about that class is they are such a little family. They stick up for each other, fight like siblings and love like siblings. They are all so cute the way they interact. I know my heart is heavy for these kids. They don't want school to end because they will miss their Ms. R. That speaks volumes on how a teacher can touch your life and hold a special place in your heart forever. I can't imagine Miss Renfro's heart right now. Those are all "her" kids and she loves them so much. I had a favorite teacher that came back into my life yesterday (oddly enough through facebook) and I loved her dearly. Ms. Ebersole was the best - she hugged on us kids and we all worked very hard to please her. I had this little white and dark blue dress with butterflies all over it. She loved it so I wore the dog hair off that little dress. Kids look for approval where they can get it. My daughter and her classmates will never forget the love, knowledge and experiences they gained from Ms. Renfro. They will forever remember her fondly just as I remember Ms. Ebersole over 30 years later.

~Speaking of teachers...here's a nugget. First, there are teachers and then there are certified educators. A teacher will teach, an educator relays what they have read and learned. Anyone can get an education, but to truly learn requires a desire and that's instilled by a teacher with heart. A child will only learn when they are nurtured. Looking back on all my teachers in life I respected and got more from the ones that showed respect and love. If they had passion for what they taught - I would have passion for learning it. It's a basic, simple formula for success in a child's learning.

~Standardized testing sucks! When I become leader of the universe we will have no more of that nonsense. I can see having benchmarks to see where a child falls, but to base their passing on a stupid test if they have passed all other subjects is insane. Texas has deemed the TAKS a failure, but when they do away with it they will replace it with something just as stupid. INSANE - doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

~My daughter is a 4th grader....just trying to get used to saying that. Seems like yesterday she was spitting up formula & pooping in her diaper.

~GM is depressing...I still haven't wrapped my head around it and probably don't want to. I'm glad my dad isn't here to witness this cluster. It would break his heart.

~Had my gall bladder out after dealing with the pain for over 6 months. I feel like a new person and kick myself for waiting so long.

~I was down for the count for a week and hated every minute of it. Mainly due to the 11 staples in my abdomen. I think if it weren't for my skin feeling like it was ripping I would have been up and around sooner. Once I got those out 8 days after the surgery then I felt GREAT!

~Now, I feel like a new person. I have also found that I can eat anything I want. Some had warned me that I would have to change my diet, but I haven't changed a thing. I can even eat lettuce which is supposed to be a big no-no.

~Dr. Long did an awesome job. The nurses were great and it was honestly the very first surgery where I didn't get sick from. I still can't get over that one...it's a shocker. I don't do well with anesthesia, but I had no problems at all. They gave me all this stuff beforehand to prevent sickness and it worked like a charm. Gotta love a doctor that knows his stuff!

~Gotta schedule a hysterectomy before the year is up...my gyno doctor wanted me to have it last year, but I couldn't find the right time. I don't think there is ever a "right" time - you just have to bite the bullet and do it. Now, that the deductible has been paid it will be a "freebie".

~For some reason I don't get too excited over a "freebie" surgery when it involves me getting cut on. Dr. Long is going to do it as well...he did such an awesome job and he told me that he does a little tummy tuck while he's in there, so that's cool. After my c-section there's that little bit of tummy that won't firm up. At least I'll get something out of it.

~Was going to have it in July while Aubree was at her dad's, but now I've got softball games scheduled and some intense training for the aforementioned 3-day walk in early November, so I'm going to have it closer to Thanksgiving.

~I hate being sick or couped up when I can get outside - hopefully late November will be cold, wet, windy and miserable so I don't feel bad being stuck inside after I get home. Early November we want warm, sunny and pleasant for walking & camping out.

~That's about it, I need to get busy and write out some thank you cards for all the nice folks that brought food to the house when I got home, visited me in the hospital and brought or sent flowers when I had my gall bladder out. I am surrounded by some awfully nice, sweet & thoughtful people. I look forward to returning the kindness they showed some day....