I bet you didn't know an open door could be the scariest sight in your life....but today it was for me.
It's funny that just yesterday I pointed out to my wonderful Husband, Adam, that if he didn't say goodbye to me in the morning, what if THAT were the day something happened to him and I didn't get that last chance to tell him I loved him?! (all this because I'm usually snoozzzzzzing when he leaves early in the morning) I'm always saying things like this, "what if THIS is the day something does happen?" That's why I (somewhat obsessively) remind my family I love them at every opportunity, never leave my car running if I'm not sitting in the driver seat, and always....always....ALWAYS make sure the doors in my house are locked. (or as today would prove...not always)
With a houseful of children, it is inevitable that someone is doing something they shouldn't while I'm not watching. This I am very aware of. I like that when I am in the kitchen the children all like to hang around the counter to watch what I'm doing and talk, however, it's a different story when...nature calls. Ahem. However, because that is an opportunity for a little peace and quiet I do enjoy the break even if it's just to use the facilities for a minute or two.
Today, during one of my rare potty breaks from motherhood, I heard the most dreaded phrase as Maggie walked out of the classroom. "Hey...the front door is open." Now, she didn't yell it, or scream it, or say it with fear, but thankfully I have excellent hearing and heard it down the hall through two closed doors (the master bedroom door and bathroom door) and I FELT the fear in that moment. I've never left a bathroom so fast in my life. I KNEW that my two little babies were the only ones wandering around at that time, I had seen them playing with toys in the hallway happily which is why I allowed myself a moment's peace in the bathroom, the older girls were doing school work in our classroom and Katie was upstairs watching a movie. The only ones who could have opened that door were 1 year old's Catcher and Darla. I came running down the hall toward the open front door pushing the older two girls aside without even looking to see if the babies were still in the house. In the milisecond it took me to run out to the front yard I wondered everything....EVERYTHING. What if they've gone different directions? What if they've been snatched by a stranger? What if they've been hit by a car? What if I can't find them?!!!!! All of this went through my mind as I ran out the door, but I never even stopped running, I saw them FOUR HOUSES DOWN THE STREET!! They were on the same side of the street at least. I ran so fast it was like an out of body experience wondering how on earth my body could possibly move through space so fast.
They stopped when they saw me running toward them, I feared they'd think it was a game and run away from me, thankfully they didn't. I scooped them up and carried them both together back to my still open front door. The weight of both of them together is over 40 pounds and the weight of them compounding the insanely fast sprint past four houses took it's toll a moment after safely arriving home. I shut, locked and latched the front door, and nearly collapsed on the floor. They both kept hugging me as the other kids stood in stunned silence. It was quite sometime before I got up.
Last night I had not checked that the door was latched when I went to bed. (and I always do)
This morning I did not check that the door was latched when I got the babies up, in case Adam might have gone out that way this morning, though he usually goes out through the garage (again I always check for that too)
Somehow, on the ONE day I was not careful to check for the door to be latched is the ONE day my babies decide to open it and venture out. I suppose I would never know if they'd tried this before, being that I always lock it.
I tell you this story not so that you can tell me what a horrible parent I am (although I'm certainly telling myself that right now) but so that you might learn that it truly is the one day you step away from the safeties in your life that terrible things can happen. I know that my babies wandering a few houses away might not seem terrible....but it so easily could have ended differently. So please, tell your loved ones how much they mean to you, because one day (tomorrow or 20 years from now) you won't have chances to and you don't want to regret that, and don't think that just because your child has never tried to do something, doesn't mean you should let your gaurd down assuming they never will.
I am writing this blog as the babies are napping, I may have to start wearing adult diapers just to keep my eye on them every second :) (for those of you who say let your child come in the bathroom with you, I would totally agree, if there weren't two of them...it's a whole different ball game...and ball games while going to the bathroom is exactly why I can't bring them in with me :)
Our little family
Wife Woman, Husband Man, Catcher and The Hoskinettes.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, November 14, 2011
Hack....
Ok for anyone who hasn't figured it out, the last few posts were becasue my email got hacked. My email account had a contact for direct posting to my blog. If you're wondering why it took me so long to take care of, it was some serious drama with Yahoo and AT&T. I had a very old email account with "sbcglobal.net" at the end. It was created way back when I had AT&T and joined it with my yahoo account. So when I needed to log on and change my password, it had locked me out because of the obvious spam mail my account was sending out. So I couldn't just log in and take care of it. I tried to reset my password but everytime I did it kept telling me I had to it through AT&T because it wasn't just a yahoo account. But AT&T kept telling me I didn't have an account with them and they couldn't help me. It was eternally frustrating and I had to make several phone calls to different deparments at AT&T, i'm quite sure I talked to at least three representatives in India, before finally ending up with someone in Kentucky, who besides speaking worse English than the people in India, was at least able to reset my password. Password was reset and then changed by me to the most secure kind of password possible (according to several websites) and all the emails were deleted. Here are a few things I have learned that may help anyone who's been hacked especially if they have a yahoo/att account
>If you have a junk mail account, (which is basically what this account was, it used to be my main account but I switched to a new one and left this one dormant) DELETE ALL OF YOUR CONTACTS. I didn't even think of this until my father suggested it to me but if I'm not going to be using that email there isn't any need for the contacts, that's where the hacking problem comes in. Hackers look for dormant email accounts that aren't used but still have contacts for them to forward spam and viruses.
>A secure password! I thought my previous password was secure, it was 8 letters, plus two numbers and a symbol, which used to be considered secure. According to my research a more secure password consists of both capital and NON capital letters, with numbers and or symbols intermixed with the letters.
>If you have an old sbcglobal account and have this problem here is the direct phone number to fix it: 1-800-579-7861
Sorry for anyone who got those spam emails my account was sending out, Like I said, I've got it taken care of, it won't be coming from my email again, and to all the hackers out there....WHY??! Seriously, why?
>If you have a junk mail account, (which is basically what this account was, it used to be my main account but I switched to a new one and left this one dormant) DELETE ALL OF YOUR CONTACTS. I didn't even think of this until my father suggested it to me but if I'm not going to be using that email there isn't any need for the contacts, that's where the hacking problem comes in. Hackers look for dormant email accounts that aren't used but still have contacts for them to forward spam and viruses.
>A secure password! I thought my previous password was secure, it was 8 letters, plus two numbers and a symbol, which used to be considered secure. According to my research a more secure password consists of both capital and NON capital letters, with numbers and or symbols intermixed with the letters.
>If you have an old sbcglobal account and have this problem here is the direct phone number to fix it: 1-800-579-7861
Sorry for anyone who got those spam emails my account was sending out, Like I said, I've got it taken care of, it won't be coming from my email again, and to all the hackers out there....WHY??! Seriously, why?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Maggie's letter to the Tooth Fairy.
Maggie lost a tooth today! It's been lose for sometime and today at dinner she was saying it was soooo loose, I keep telling her to just grab it and pull it out, and at dinner she did! Her look of surprise upon seeing it out of her mouth was just perfect! Huge wide eyes and a giant smile, so adorable! She put her tooth under her pillow with a note to the tooth fairy,
Dear Tooth Fairy,
I want to keep my tooth to show my daddy. But can I still get money?
Love, Maggie
LOL isn't that so sweet?! She folded the note up and put it in the baggie with the tooth, hoping that in the morning the tooth will still be there...AND the money too! We'll have to wait and see....
Dear Tooth Fairy,
I want to keep my tooth to show my daddy. But can I still get money?
Love, Maggie
LOL isn't that so sweet?! She folded the note up and put it in the baggie with the tooth, hoping that in the morning the tooth will still be there...AND the money too! We'll have to wait and see....
It's about time for an update!
I haven't blogged in a while...blame it on my phone. I love my phone, I much prefer to facebook through my phone, however I hate to type on my phone, or any phone for that matter. I can't use my awesome touch typing skills on a small key pad. I prefer a full key pad for larger texts, such as blogs. Since using my phone for facebook I have neglected blogging as I am simply not on the Desk Top computer as much. Because as Elaine pointed out to me this week, I don't just have a phone, I get email on it, so that makes it a computer also....point taken.
So why am I finally subjugating myself to the uncomfortable chair in front of the computer to update my blog??? Because the Husband Man is gone, for a whole month, I know he checks the blog and it's a nice way to update him on how everything is. We talk to him on the phone daily, but that is mostly occupied by the children all trying to talk at once and me rushing off the phone to stop a baby from doing something dangerous, or breaking up a fight amongst the older girls. This is simply an easier way to keep The Husband Man apprised of life at home while he is away.
I think i spent more time worrying about how his time away would feel, than was necessary. I think the cause of that is the fact that we had a weeks vacation right before he left, we had a week to adjust to his 24/7 presence, it was wonderful. He let me sleep in, he put kids to bed, he cuddled babies while I cleaned (one of my greatest joys...cleaning without kids underfoot :) And the idea of going from one extreme of him around 24/7 to another of him being GONE for over a month, was a little scary. I was so enjoying the help that I'd forgotten how really well things can go on a daily basis. If he weren't gone to Texas (for K-9 training) he'd be working nights, I'd still be doing mornings with the kids (while he sleeps) and all day and then bedtime (when he's off at work) so it would have been similar but I would have gotten to see him a few hours in the middle of the day, AND I would have gotten three days off a week. That's going to be the kicker I think. Right now it is day two of his absence, almost day 3 by this hour, and so far it really isn't bad. It helps I have amazing friends, like Rachel Haskin who is always willing to watch my 5 kids, along with her 6 at a moments notice. How wonderful is that??? But so far, it's mostly life as normal, except cleaner, because instead of spending time with The Husband Man after the kids go to bed, I clean instead, to fill the void of time between their sleep and mine. Cleaning is so relaxing to me, when Adam is gone I simply CAN NOT sleep if the house isn't clean, it gives me a sense of peace. This is why I didn't sit down to blog until 11:00 at night, I was cleaning.
I know that it will probably get harder as time goes on without my usual days off, but I've found in life that even if you think things will get hard and you won't be able to mangage, you always do, because you have to. When we found out about Darla, the idea of a fifth child, especially while my fourth was only 6 months old, scared the heck out of both of us. It seemed impossible! But once she was here, it worked, because it had to. I think this time will feel the same way, it will work because there isn't any other option, i won't have three days off a week, and so I will keep working (yes mothering is work :)
I bought myself comfort food before Adam left, thinking I might need it, and wanting to have it onhand such the need arise. Strangely enough since Adam has been gone I have craved health food! I had gotten back into a few old habits of eating out (still don't touch french fries and much smaller portions, but fast food is still fast food!) for a little while, but for some reason it's like I flipped a switch. Maybe the junk food was because I was feeling lazy and that food fit laziness, but now there is not a moment in the day where it is possible to be lazy, so eating that way simply does not appeal to me. It proves to me that my earlier idea of cleaning when I felt the urge for junk food may have had some merit. It is laziness that leads to binging, business leads to actual thought of healthy food, not mindless eating. LIGHT BULB! I have maintained my lost weight surprisingly well considering my eating hasn't been the best, but I feel much better about my ability to maintain with this knowledge in mind. In all honesty I have gained back about 5-6 pounds, which is frustrating however it is where I was pre-reduction surgery, and my newer clothes still fit fine, so again, not too bad, considering the bulk of my weight was lost over six months ago. I still have about 10 pounds to go to feel a little more content, but somehow that last ten just doesn't want to go anywhere, maybe this month of healthier eating will help me step it up and finish what I started.
At first the thought of a whole month seemed so long, actually it's 34 days, the older girls helped me count the days (Daddy should be returning around Halloween) and we made a paper chain to count the days of Daddy's absence. I had two main things planned for the whole month, one weekend I'll be watching the Haskin kids fora few days (11 kids= fun and messes, but mostly fun :), and trying to plan a few activities to keep the kidlets entertained during that time. Then there is a wedding on the 22nd in Utah that I was planning to attend. I bought plane tickets, the kiss of death to all travel plans: reservations. My prearranged sitter for this trip had to cancel and i still haven't figured out what I'm going to do about the kids. But alas, two major events for the entire month, left a lot of time in between. However I've since had several offers for roadtrips to visit people, SEVERAL! I'm now trying to figure out where to fit everything in and this month suddenly feels a lot shorter! Factor in the addition of rehearsals for Elaine for Central West Ballet's Nutcracker, and my schedule got even crazier! I think I may not have a moment to stop this whole month, and that's a good thing, because it's those quiet moments where I miss my Husband Man the most. As of day two I am happy to report "All's well on the home front." We Miss you :)
So why am I finally subjugating myself to the uncomfortable chair in front of the computer to update my blog??? Because the Husband Man is gone, for a whole month, I know he checks the blog and it's a nice way to update him on how everything is. We talk to him on the phone daily, but that is mostly occupied by the children all trying to talk at once and me rushing off the phone to stop a baby from doing something dangerous, or breaking up a fight amongst the older girls. This is simply an easier way to keep The Husband Man apprised of life at home while he is away.
I think i spent more time worrying about how his time away would feel, than was necessary. I think the cause of that is the fact that we had a weeks vacation right before he left, we had a week to adjust to his 24/7 presence, it was wonderful. He let me sleep in, he put kids to bed, he cuddled babies while I cleaned (one of my greatest joys...cleaning without kids underfoot :) And the idea of going from one extreme of him around 24/7 to another of him being GONE for over a month, was a little scary. I was so enjoying the help that I'd forgotten how really well things can go on a daily basis. If he weren't gone to Texas (for K-9 training) he'd be working nights, I'd still be doing mornings with the kids (while he sleeps) and all day and then bedtime (when he's off at work) so it would have been similar but I would have gotten to see him a few hours in the middle of the day, AND I would have gotten three days off a week. That's going to be the kicker I think. Right now it is day two of his absence, almost day 3 by this hour, and so far it really isn't bad. It helps I have amazing friends, like Rachel Haskin who is always willing to watch my 5 kids, along with her 6 at a moments notice. How wonderful is that??? But so far, it's mostly life as normal, except cleaner, because instead of spending time with The Husband Man after the kids go to bed, I clean instead, to fill the void of time between their sleep and mine. Cleaning is so relaxing to me, when Adam is gone I simply CAN NOT sleep if the house isn't clean, it gives me a sense of peace. This is why I didn't sit down to blog until 11:00 at night, I was cleaning.
I know that it will probably get harder as time goes on without my usual days off, but I've found in life that even if you think things will get hard and you won't be able to mangage, you always do, because you have to. When we found out about Darla, the idea of a fifth child, especially while my fourth was only 6 months old, scared the heck out of both of us. It seemed impossible! But once she was here, it worked, because it had to. I think this time will feel the same way, it will work because there isn't any other option, i won't have three days off a week, and so I will keep working (yes mothering is work :)
I bought myself comfort food before Adam left, thinking I might need it, and wanting to have it onhand such the need arise. Strangely enough since Adam has been gone I have craved health food! I had gotten back into a few old habits of eating out (still don't touch french fries and much smaller portions, but fast food is still fast food!) for a little while, but for some reason it's like I flipped a switch. Maybe the junk food was because I was feeling lazy and that food fit laziness, but now there is not a moment in the day where it is possible to be lazy, so eating that way simply does not appeal to me. It proves to me that my earlier idea of cleaning when I felt the urge for junk food may have had some merit. It is laziness that leads to binging, business leads to actual thought of healthy food, not mindless eating. LIGHT BULB! I have maintained my lost weight surprisingly well considering my eating hasn't been the best, but I feel much better about my ability to maintain with this knowledge in mind. In all honesty I have gained back about 5-6 pounds, which is frustrating however it is where I was pre-reduction surgery, and my newer clothes still fit fine, so again, not too bad, considering the bulk of my weight was lost over six months ago. I still have about 10 pounds to go to feel a little more content, but somehow that last ten just doesn't want to go anywhere, maybe this month of healthier eating will help me step it up and finish what I started.
At first the thought of a whole month seemed so long, actually it's 34 days, the older girls helped me count the days (Daddy should be returning around Halloween) and we made a paper chain to count the days of Daddy's absence. I had two main things planned for the whole month, one weekend I'll be watching the Haskin kids fora few days (11 kids= fun and messes, but mostly fun :), and trying to plan a few activities to keep the kidlets entertained during that time. Then there is a wedding on the 22nd in Utah that I was planning to attend. I bought plane tickets, the kiss of death to all travel plans: reservations. My prearranged sitter for this trip had to cancel and i still haven't figured out what I'm going to do about the kids. But alas, two major events for the entire month, left a lot of time in between. However I've since had several offers for roadtrips to visit people, SEVERAL! I'm now trying to figure out where to fit everything in and this month suddenly feels a lot shorter! Factor in the addition of rehearsals for Elaine for Central West Ballet's Nutcracker, and my schedule got even crazier! I think I may not have a moment to stop this whole month, and that's a good thing, because it's those quiet moments where I miss my Husband Man the most. As of day two I am happy to report "All's well on the home front." We Miss you :)
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Cell Phone Saga
I don't know why, but sometimes there is just that one thing which by itself wouldn't have been a big deal, yet added on top of other things just really pushes one over the edge....enter the story of the cell phone.
I got new cell phone service with Verizon around six months ago, got a brand new smart phone, LG Vortex. LOVED IT! Service had been great, phone too, until all the sudden about a month ago it started to go a bit haywire, turning off and on several hundred times a day (no exaggeration) it would freeze up and no buttons would work, the thing was just crazy! It would let me answer some calls, but not retrieve voicemails. So I took it back to the place where I bought it, they check it all out, did a factory reset, which they had to do twice because it froze up during the first attempt. Even then it continued to do the same thing, turn itself off and on again and freeze up, sometimes it would delete all my contacts and sometimes it would bring them back, but not all of them. The store was very confused by it's strange behavoir. "Never seen anything like this," they tell me.."In most cases people bring their phone in claiming it's doing something wrong but by the time they get here it's working fine....this kind of behavoir for a phone is just downright unheard of."
So they call customer service tell them the whole deal and since it's still under warranty they say they'll send me out a "new" one. "How do you want to pay for the shipping?" the $30 shipping???? Are they crazy? It's their phone that went haywire, not something I did to it, and now I have to pay shipping to get the replacement when it's under warranty??? "Oh well if you don't want to pay then we can send it standard mail and it will get there in around 5 days." Fine, to avoid the shipping fee, I'll wait.
And Wait.
And Wait some more.
TWO WEEKS LATER!!! The stinking phone arrives, big box with just the shell of a phone, no battery and no back cover, supposed to take those from the old phone and put them in the new one, it's a "refurbished" phone. Fine, ok, whatever, if it works I don't care! So I put in the old batter and the old back cover, recover my contacts and photos from the old phone and it's working fine. I send back the old phone (or they'll charge me $500 for keeping it, despite it's being dead and all) And I begin enjoying my new phone, of course redownloading apps, but much less than I had before, trying to keep it simple.
One week later:
I was using my phone to play a game, a game I play often as a stress releiver (air traffic controller...somehow it's totally a relief landing those planes safely LOL) But it's getting late so I take the phone, checking it's battery power to see if it needs a charge, half full battery, should be fine. I head upstairs. I set the phone next to my bed on the table, where I always do, I lay down to sleep and I feel restless. I decided to check to see if it was my turn in "Words With Friends" and when I pick up the phone it is off...that's strange, i know I didn't turn it off. So I push the power button, nothing. I remove the battery and replace it and try again, still nothing. That's very strange considering how much batter i KNEW it had. But I plug it in anyway, hoping it will feel more cooperative in the morning.
This morning, nope, still a dead phone. After church I took it into the wireless store again, they try all they can to power on the darn little thing and still...nothing. Not even sound, at least that would mean the screen was the broken part and that would be something, but nope, nothing. Dead phone. "I've never seen anything like this, for a phone to just be....dead." Seriously? SERIOUSLY???? Again?! So my last phone went crazy and this one went dead...AFTER A WEEK!!! I cannot believe this. So here we go with customer service again, but this time I talk to them instead of the clerk, i tell them the WHOLE story, and they say "I know how you feel ma'am" No you don't..your phone works! "We'll get you a new phone right away?" What in another two weeks...cause NO WAY I'm paying shipping! "Oh no it should be there within five days...." I've heard this line before. I ask, 'are you sending me a refurbished phone??'....silence on the other end. "Uh well, that is usually what we do...but..." 'BUT YOU BETTER SEND ME SOMETHING THAT ISN'T GOING TO DIE ON ME!!' (No I didn't shout, the caps are for you to feel the intense frustration I was feeling at the time.) "I'll put a note in here for them to send you a newer one." 'Newer' what is that supposed to mean? I think I was emitting steam from my hot head by this time.
The cell phone was the straw, and I am the camel, and my back has just broken. I am beyond words for frustration (although this is my greatest attempt to put words to the said frustration) and I'm trying to figure out why the stupid cell phone saga is making me so mad, I mean honestly it's not living without a cell phone, as frustrating as that is I really don't think I use it all that much (except for words with friends of course) I think it's just the feeling like I've been let down by the 'customer service' twice now. That to me is the biggest flaw in Verizon, i mean yes the people speak english and they get big props for that, but the fact that all they can do is take two weeks to send me a phone that then only lasts a week before I'm forced to go through all of this again...it's just insane! All I know is I feel like crying, over my stupid dead phone drama, I never thought I would have missed my phone that went insane, but at least it worked...once in a while, all I can do now is stare at the blank screen of a device that has let me down. It is very frustrating, I already have missed voicemails, but they didn't leave a number because it would have shown up on caller Id or at least been in my phone book, so to anyone who is or has tried to call me, I won't be calling you back anytime soon, maybe in five days....yeah right.
I got new cell phone service with Verizon around six months ago, got a brand new smart phone, LG Vortex. LOVED IT! Service had been great, phone too, until all the sudden about a month ago it started to go a bit haywire, turning off and on several hundred times a day (no exaggeration) it would freeze up and no buttons would work, the thing was just crazy! It would let me answer some calls, but not retrieve voicemails. So I took it back to the place where I bought it, they check it all out, did a factory reset, which they had to do twice because it froze up during the first attempt. Even then it continued to do the same thing, turn itself off and on again and freeze up, sometimes it would delete all my contacts and sometimes it would bring them back, but not all of them. The store was very confused by it's strange behavoir. "Never seen anything like this," they tell me.."In most cases people bring their phone in claiming it's doing something wrong but by the time they get here it's working fine....this kind of behavoir for a phone is just downright unheard of."
So they call customer service tell them the whole deal and since it's still under warranty they say they'll send me out a "new" one. "How do you want to pay for the shipping?" the $30 shipping???? Are they crazy? It's their phone that went haywire, not something I did to it, and now I have to pay shipping to get the replacement when it's under warranty??? "Oh well if you don't want to pay then we can send it standard mail and it will get there in around 5 days." Fine, to avoid the shipping fee, I'll wait.
And Wait.
And Wait some more.
TWO WEEKS LATER!!! The stinking phone arrives, big box with just the shell of a phone, no battery and no back cover, supposed to take those from the old phone and put them in the new one, it's a "refurbished" phone. Fine, ok, whatever, if it works I don't care! So I put in the old batter and the old back cover, recover my contacts and photos from the old phone and it's working fine. I send back the old phone (or they'll charge me $500 for keeping it, despite it's being dead and all) And I begin enjoying my new phone, of course redownloading apps, but much less than I had before, trying to keep it simple.
One week later:
I was using my phone to play a game, a game I play often as a stress releiver (air traffic controller...somehow it's totally a relief landing those planes safely LOL) But it's getting late so I take the phone, checking it's battery power to see if it needs a charge, half full battery, should be fine. I head upstairs. I set the phone next to my bed on the table, where I always do, I lay down to sleep and I feel restless. I decided to check to see if it was my turn in "Words With Friends" and when I pick up the phone it is off...that's strange, i know I didn't turn it off. So I push the power button, nothing. I remove the battery and replace it and try again, still nothing. That's very strange considering how much batter i KNEW it had. But I plug it in anyway, hoping it will feel more cooperative in the morning.
This morning, nope, still a dead phone. After church I took it into the wireless store again, they try all they can to power on the darn little thing and still...nothing. Not even sound, at least that would mean the screen was the broken part and that would be something, but nope, nothing. Dead phone. "I've never seen anything like this, for a phone to just be....dead." Seriously? SERIOUSLY???? Again?! So my last phone went crazy and this one went dead...AFTER A WEEK!!! I cannot believe this. So here we go with customer service again, but this time I talk to them instead of the clerk, i tell them the WHOLE story, and they say "I know how you feel ma'am" No you don't..your phone works! "We'll get you a new phone right away?" What in another two weeks...cause NO WAY I'm paying shipping! "Oh no it should be there within five days...." I've heard this line before. I ask, 'are you sending me a refurbished phone??'....silence on the other end. "Uh well, that is usually what we do...but..." 'BUT YOU BETTER SEND ME SOMETHING THAT ISN'T GOING TO DIE ON ME!!' (No I didn't shout, the caps are for you to feel the intense frustration I was feeling at the time.) "I'll put a note in here for them to send you a newer one." 'Newer' what is that supposed to mean? I think I was emitting steam from my hot head by this time.
The cell phone was the straw, and I am the camel, and my back has just broken. I am beyond words for frustration (although this is my greatest attempt to put words to the said frustration) and I'm trying to figure out why the stupid cell phone saga is making me so mad, I mean honestly it's not living without a cell phone, as frustrating as that is I really don't think I use it all that much (except for words with friends of course) I think it's just the feeling like I've been let down by the 'customer service' twice now. That to me is the biggest flaw in Verizon, i mean yes the people speak english and they get big props for that, but the fact that all they can do is take two weeks to send me a phone that then only lasts a week before I'm forced to go through all of this again...it's just insane! All I know is I feel like crying, over my stupid dead phone drama, I never thought I would have missed my phone that went insane, but at least it worked...once in a while, all I can do now is stare at the blank screen of a device that has let me down. It is very frustrating, I already have missed voicemails, but they didn't leave a number because it would have shown up on caller Id or at least been in my phone book, so to anyone who is or has tried to call me, I won't be calling you back anytime soon, maybe in five days....yeah right.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
My hearing is fine, it's my listening that needs work!
This post was just about to be an ad for a lost dog.
Kolohe, our older dog (not to be confused with Scooter, our boxer puppy) was missing when we got home late from the temple tonight. Kolohe does not like to be outside at dark, she sleeps indoors and starts to get anxious if she can't come in once she knows the kids have gone to bed. (don't ask me how she knows when that is, but inevitably she is whining at the door minutes after they've gone to bed) So apparently when we didn't get home until 11:30, she got so upset she tore her way through our fence. Left a lovely hole in the bottom of it, a whole big enough for our other dog to escape through, however that wonderful well behaved puppy apparently had no desire to, as he was still hanging out in the yard.
Now normally when Kolohe gets out (this is a recurring issue, ever since puppy-dom) she likes to wander down a few houses and sniff around and comes back, if we're not home when this happens she usually hangs out near Adam's police car, it's a familiar scent (train dust has a unique smell to her I think). Kid's in our old neighborhood used to ask if she was his police dog, cause she'd just hang out by it just waiting. The reason she is so familiar with his police car is that in her younger days of escaping, the only way we could get her to come home was if Adam went in a car and picked her up as she loves car rides. And his police car wasn't upholstry we cared about so picking her up in that was easier. Then it just became the car he used because he knew she knew it so well, it looked and smelled so much different from street cars in the neighborhood.
The moment Adam told me she was missing I felt strangely calm, normally that's the kind of thing that would freak me out, I would instantly imagine life without her and how sad that would be. But for some reason I didn't feel that at all. Adam got in his police car to go look for her. I stood out on the lawn listening in my quiet neighborhood for sounds of a dog sniffing around in the dark, but no such sound came. I turned around and looked at my house and had a thought, maybe she is trapped somewhere, like behind the shed in the backyard or something, so I should go check the yard again. I went through the front door and into the house, I looked for a moment at the garage door, a passing thought of going through the garage and out the side door to the yard, but instead went to the sliding door to the backyard. I looked all around, played with Scooter for a few minutes and figured I should go back in, as she was obviously not out here. I could go back in through the side door into the garage and into the house that way, but instead I went back through the sliding door again. Adam still wasn't back yet, feeling helpless I decided to walk back outside and wait for him, I could go through the garage and open the large garage door to get to the front yard, but instead I went through the front door. I called her name a few times, listening for rustling or other dog noises in response, but nothing. Adam wasn't back yet so I walked back into the house, glancing in the direction of the garage, thinking, I could have gone in that way if I'd come out that way.
I headed upstairs, I suppose it's time to make a missing dog ad, I thought to myself, still not really believeing that's what I was coming upstairs to do. I sat down and started blogging about our day at the temple, not really believing the day had all been so wonderful yet ended so badly. As I blogged I heard Adam come home, one car door shut, not two (Kolohe usually rides in the back seat). That meant he was alone, I heard him come through the front door, I stopped typing to listen for the clicking of dog paws on our tile floor....nothing. No Kolohe.
Adam had noticed the garage light was on (we have windows in the top panel of our garage door) when he came home, it has a motion sensor on it, but if it's still on more than 5 minutes after we've been out of the garage then someone likely flipped the switch on and he decided to go turn it off. When he opened the door to the garage, Kolohe came walking in, as if she had just been hanging out in there waiting for someone to open the door and let her into the house. Waiting....in the garage. I'd had that thought several times, first the thought that she was trapped somewhere, then the thought several times to go through the garage to get to the yard and even to go through the garage to go back into the house. I'd heard these thoughts everytime they were placed in my head, but I didn't listen to them a single time. But Adam, the first time he had the thought, go switch off the light in the garage (even though it's on a timer and would usually go off by itself) he did, and there was the dog. Strange how sometimes I hear the promptings loud and clear, the answers to my problems and questions spoken in my own voice in my ear, and I just don't listen. Everytime something like this happens I vow to never let it happen again, somehow it usually does eventually, but maybe blogging about it for the whole world to see (or at least the 10 or 12 followers I have) will help me to learn from my mistakes.
It's not enough to pray for answers, even quiet unspoken, only spiritually uttered prayers. It's just as important to listen and act on the answers recieved. I should have known from the instant calmness I felt at finding out she was gone that the answer was available to me, if only I would listen.
Kolohe, our older dog (not to be confused with Scooter, our boxer puppy) was missing when we got home late from the temple tonight. Kolohe does not like to be outside at dark, she sleeps indoors and starts to get anxious if she can't come in once she knows the kids have gone to bed. (don't ask me how she knows when that is, but inevitably she is whining at the door minutes after they've gone to bed) So apparently when we didn't get home until 11:30, she got so upset she tore her way through our fence. Left a lovely hole in the bottom of it, a whole big enough for our other dog to escape through, however that wonderful well behaved puppy apparently had no desire to, as he was still hanging out in the yard.
Now normally when Kolohe gets out (this is a recurring issue, ever since puppy-dom) she likes to wander down a few houses and sniff around and comes back, if we're not home when this happens she usually hangs out near Adam's police car, it's a familiar scent (train dust has a unique smell to her I think). Kid's in our old neighborhood used to ask if she was his police dog, cause she'd just hang out by it just waiting. The reason she is so familiar with his police car is that in her younger days of escaping, the only way we could get her to come home was if Adam went in a car and picked her up as she loves car rides. And his police car wasn't upholstry we cared about so picking her up in that was easier. Then it just became the car he used because he knew she knew it so well, it looked and smelled so much different from street cars in the neighborhood.
The moment Adam told me she was missing I felt strangely calm, normally that's the kind of thing that would freak me out, I would instantly imagine life without her and how sad that would be. But for some reason I didn't feel that at all. Adam got in his police car to go look for her. I stood out on the lawn listening in my quiet neighborhood for sounds of a dog sniffing around in the dark, but no such sound came. I turned around and looked at my house and had a thought, maybe she is trapped somewhere, like behind the shed in the backyard or something, so I should go check the yard again. I went through the front door and into the house, I looked for a moment at the garage door, a passing thought of going through the garage and out the side door to the yard, but instead went to the sliding door to the backyard. I looked all around, played with Scooter for a few minutes and figured I should go back in, as she was obviously not out here. I could go back in through the side door into the garage and into the house that way, but instead I went back through the sliding door again. Adam still wasn't back yet, feeling helpless I decided to walk back outside and wait for him, I could go through the garage and open the large garage door to get to the front yard, but instead I went through the front door. I called her name a few times, listening for rustling or other dog noises in response, but nothing. Adam wasn't back yet so I walked back into the house, glancing in the direction of the garage, thinking, I could have gone in that way if I'd come out that way.
I headed upstairs, I suppose it's time to make a missing dog ad, I thought to myself, still not really believeing that's what I was coming upstairs to do. I sat down and started blogging about our day at the temple, not really believing the day had all been so wonderful yet ended so badly. As I blogged I heard Adam come home, one car door shut, not two (Kolohe usually rides in the back seat). That meant he was alone, I heard him come through the front door, I stopped typing to listen for the clicking of dog paws on our tile floor....nothing. No Kolohe.
Adam had noticed the garage light was on (we have windows in the top panel of our garage door) when he came home, it has a motion sensor on it, but if it's still on more than 5 minutes after we've been out of the garage then someone likely flipped the switch on and he decided to go turn it off. When he opened the door to the garage, Kolohe came walking in, as if she had just been hanging out in there waiting for someone to open the door and let her into the house. Waiting....in the garage. I'd had that thought several times, first the thought that she was trapped somewhere, then the thought several times to go through the garage to get to the yard and even to go through the garage to go back into the house. I'd heard these thoughts everytime they were placed in my head, but I didn't listen to them a single time. But Adam, the first time he had the thought, go switch off the light in the garage (even though it's on a timer and would usually go off by itself) he did, and there was the dog. Strange how sometimes I hear the promptings loud and clear, the answers to my problems and questions spoken in my own voice in my ear, and I just don't listen. Everytime something like this happens I vow to never let it happen again, somehow it usually does eventually, but maybe blogging about it for the whole world to see (or at least the 10 or 12 followers I have) will help me to learn from my mistakes.
It's not enough to pray for answers, even quiet unspoken, only spiritually uttered prayers. It's just as important to listen and act on the answers recieved. I should have known from the instant calmness I felt at finding out she was gone that the answer was available to me, if only I would listen.
Families Can Be Together Forever.
Today was an AMAZING day. Darla Deanne Hoskins was sealed to our family for time and all eternity at the Sacramento, CA Temple. The picture above is the Sacramento Temple. We got to town early so that we could stop in at the church bookstore and pick up a few inspirational books and cd's. The kids LOVED that store and didn't want to leave, they thought all the books with pictures of Christ on them and lessons about church in them looked like the best books ever. I think we may have to venture there more often. Then we were at the temple an hour early to take family portraits. I knew of a photographer who lived in the Sacramento area and asked if she could do a photo session for us so that I didn't have to worry about family getting there early to take pictures and we could do it before going in and before all the crankies were likely to set in. She was excited and did a wonderful job for an amazing price! Pictures will be available in a few weeks, and I'm hoping for something frame worthy of a family picture, seems all our family pictures of late have been with all the kids moving in different directions. Here's hoping!
Then when we went inside there was such a sense of peace just walking in the door, I love that feeling about the Temple. The temple is a reverent place, and whispering is really preferred and so of course with little babies I wondered how quiet they would be. Darla is loudest when she's happy and Catcher I knew was tired and that was going to lead to some serious crankiness. Adam and I had to do paperwork and get ready so the children were left in the care of a few temple matrons and family who had arrived early. Apparently Catcher was just inconsoleable so they brought him into the bride's room because it's rather sealed off in the middle of the temple and a crying baby wouldn't be as likely to disturb others in there. So when I came in all dressed, he just wanted me, normally this kid is Daddy's little shadow, but since I was there, he wanted me. He was pretty happy with me around but when it came time to seperate again, he started to cry....loudly. But what had to be done had to be done so we sent him off with a Grandma while I met up with my Husband Man to have a quiet prayer together before hand. I prayed for peace, for myself and my children, that the spirit might calm them all, so that the time could be enjoyed by all in attendance.
When we went into the sealing room and our friends and family were there, it was just beautiful, and then the moment came, bringing in the children. Each of them had a sweet smile like I've never seen, glowing from the inside out like sunshine from their glimmering eyes. Catcher was carried by a temple matron a woman he was unfamiliar with and yet, despite being in a room full of family he knew, he remained perfectly content in her arms, not whining to go to someone more comforting and familiar. It was obvious my prayer was answered.
The sealing is a short prayer pronounced as Adam and I hold hands and Darla's hand is placed atop of our hands. Adam's sister, Amanda, held Darla's little hand in place and I looked at my Husband's face and then we both looked at little Darla. She stared into Adam's eyes, not with fear, or concern for the strangeness of being held this way, but with peace. The calmness in her spirit was manifest in her stillness as the prayer was said, the gentle way she looked into our faces, a gentle smile the whole time. And then in only a minute, she became our fifth child, not just for the time of our lives on this Earth, but for the Eternities of Heaven's everlasting glory.
Outside the temple the children of our friend's and family waited, cousin's hugged with joyous laughter and children danced about amongst the fountains and gorgeous plantings outside the temple. It was near 7pm at this time and we decided to head out for dinner with a few close friends and family. Including children and babies, this was a party of around 32 people, thanks to Cattleman's restaurant for accomodating us on such short notice! It still took a while to get served our food but I think everyone had a great time, I know I did. Catcher was tired and a little cranky but as far as cranky goes, his behavior was quite handleable. And how did the star of the day, little Darla do? That sweet girl must have hit a second wind around 7:30, she laughed and giggled and played her way through dinner until we left some time around 9:00ish, she really is a joy!
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