Levi James Cable

Here he is..

(If he looks a little sad, it is because he already misses his Aunt Tricia. My theory on why he was so late is that he was holding a sit-in and was not going to budge until his mom and dad moved to the Midwest. Being so young, he probably did not realize that doctors have their ways of getting babies out of mommies. Fortunately for him, no forceps involved.)

This is my little (6'5" w/big muscles) brother's first child. Congratulations to Barry and Caroline!!! Levi was born August 21, weighing 8lbs 5 oz and measuring 21 inches.

My mom is out there (California) right now and she better come back with lots of photos because so far this is the only one I have. What good is internet and technology if no one is going to send you pictures of your newest nephew???

Up and down and all around

Lots of emotions today.... The best part is that my nephew was finally born today!! He was due August 9th and I have been waiting very impatiently for his arrival. (Not as impatiently as my brother, mind you, but I am so excited about this!) The dismal part of it is that my brother and my sister-in-law (and baby Levi) live in CALIFORNIA, so I have no clue when I am going to get to see him. Blah. I did get to hear him cry over the phone, though! The minute I have pictures I will post them. YEE HAH!!

Going backwards from that, we had reps from Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Jesus Film Project and the Seed Company speak come to work and speak with us at lunch today. They shared this really cool video with a couple who had financed the work to translate the book of Luke into the native language of a people group in Ethiopia so that they (Wycliffe/Jesus Film) could show the Jesus film to the people in their native language. It was so moving to watch these folks watching the film and hearing about Jesus for the first time. And how cool to be that couple and been blessed to have played such a role in people hearing the gospel for the first time. Did you know there are close to 7000 languages identified, and Wycliffe has set a goal to have begun translating the Bible in every language that needs it by the year 2025? So cool to see how the Word is being spread to every tribe, tongue, and nation.

My day started with the kickoff breakfast for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. This is a fundraising walk the American Cancer Society has to raise funding and awareness for breast cancer research and programs. ACS has some wonderful support programs in place and they are always working to do more. One of their big goals is to see funding increased for a federal program that provides mammograms for free to uninsured Americans; but right now only one in every five women who is eligible to receive one can because the program is underfunded. One of the speakers this morning was a cancer survivor named Cindy Hart. She spoke about how cancer has changed her life, but also about some good that has come out of her cancer. How she was in the right place at the right time, for example, to save a man who was choking and she would not have been there at that time if it weren't for cancer. No one wishes for bad things to happen to them, but I love that she is blessed to see that all things do come together for good - whether they make sense overall or not. She even said that at one point she thought, "ok, God, I get it". I do not know where she comes from spiritually, but yeah, I think she gets it too. It was so cool to hear because this is one of my core beliefs - that God is always with us, and He will always take care of His people, and God has a plan for everything - sometimes we are blessed to see part of His vision and it makes sense, sometimes not - but that does not change His role or His love. (I am not very eloquent, but hopefully you see what I am saying)

Oh, and then just now, Jim took me out to see the baby bunnies! They actually look like little bunnies now. They are TOO CUTE! Not as good as a picture of Levi, but here are the bunnies.

The book I'm not reading

(If you read my last post, let me first say that all I have been able to think of all day is "Jingle, Jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle, jingle..." and so on and so on (and on and on). Is it time for the Christmas Musical yet?)

(second aside: the girls just told me that the grandfather of one of their friends died and the family is going to the funeral. "That's sad," I said. "But now he is in heaven with God and Jesus," says Kaylie. "That's good news," I said. "That's very good news," says Kaylie. I love moments like that.)

Anyway, on to books. Over the past few months I have started reading alot again. I have always loved to read, but as work and family and life have taken over, I found I was doing very little reading for pleasure. The girls, on the other hand, were always reading, and I was getting jealous. One day, when I was wishing that I could just sit around and read, I decided that I could if I just made time for it. And I did and, whaddyaknow - I do have time to read! Then came the challenge of finding something good to read. I would go to the library and stare at the books, wishing you really could judge a book by its cover.

Suddenly, thanks to the internet (oddly enough), I have now found myself with more books to read than I have time to read. My Visual Bookshelf on Facebook gives me recommendations and I can peek at my friends' shelves on Shelfari and see what they are reading that sounds good. And I get newsletters from the library with new and interesting books that are out.

What frustrates me is when I get a book from the library (especially when I have been on a long waiting list), and I get it and within the first few pages if not first few paragraphs, I know I cannot read the book. I don't want to live in a bubble, but I don't want to fill my mind with that much that is so contrary to my world view. There is only so much you can overlook without starting to feel you are making a compromise. It is just disappointing when a book sounded good and probably would be without some of the language and other references.

This has me thinking about Aaron's sermon last Sunday from Jude and an analogy he used about the ice. A very good analogy. I would like to read said book because it sounds entertaining and it is relevant to the culture, but I do not want to become so immersed in the culture that I fall through the ice. It is a delicate balance. And so very important to not go to one extreme or the other.

So maybe I am living in an isolated world, maybe I am just too weak a Christian, but I have another book for the stack of books I am not reading.

Christmas in August

The girls are participating in the children's Christmas Musical again this year. They had their first practice Sunday and received CDs with the music. This is now all we have listened to for the past 3 days. The songs are already stuck in my head and driving me slightly batty and we have months until the production. But Hannah is really hoping to get a part this year, so she is very intent on learning the whole musical to up her chances. I wonder if I did this to my mom when I was in school... Oi vey.

At least it is something with a good message to it....could be worse.

Weekend Update

Another fun weekend with bee-uuu-tee-full weather!!!

Fun:

• Indians game with work peeps and their families. Awesome weather, fireworks, hanging out with friends, and Hannah caught a baseball. She was psyched. Had Rowdie sign it and everything. I ask again - what is Rowdie? A bear? A dog? A monkey without a tail?

• biking on the Monon Trail with the family on Saturday - who would think we could have such lovely weather in the middle of August??
• Bought some groovy new storage containers to do some serious organizing around the house. Yee hah!
• Second weekend in a row of doing fun stuff - starting to feel like a normal person again!

Not so fun:

• my rear end hurts (I mean really, really hurts) from biking. One would think that being un-thin, this would not be an issue for me; but then one would think wrong.


• migraine. blah :( Still doing the no caffeine thing and drinking extra-extra water, which helps with the dehydration and thus the head, but still had some bad headaches this weekend.
• did not see any fun Gen Con dudes roaming around downtown last night. Quite disappointing. Usually good for a couple fun costume sightings - this year I saw nada.
• No Fred yet. Barry and Caroline's baby refuses to come out. More frustrating for them than me, but I still can't wait. I hate that they live in California and it will be forever before I get to see him. Seriously going to dampen my efforts to be favorite auntie.

Overheard:

• In the car, Hannah was being crabby at Kaylie and Kaylie says to her: "Sounds like someone's being a Miss Gumpy Pants" in this cute little sing song voice. Probably lucky she didn't get decked.


• When Kaylie put on what I told her to wear the other day, she hated it and complained to me, "I look like a supermodel whose shoes don't match her dress". Kaylie was not wearing shoes or a dress.
• On the Monon Trail, bike riding: Kaylie: "I don't mean to humiliate you, Mom, but my butt hurts!!!"

Baby Bunnies!!

As many of you know, we have 2 dogs: Archie and Marvin. They have a nemesis in the backyard - a bunny who will sit just out of their reach and not budge no matter how much they bark and holler. Well, this bunny is much bolder than she first appears, as this evening Jim discovered baby bunnies burrowed in a hole perilously close the house.

Apparently the dogs were going gangbusters at something in the yard, and when Jim went to look to see what they were digging at, he discovered teeny, tiny, itsy, bitsy baby bunnies all huddled together. They are small enough to fit in your hand. I wish I could show you a photo, but they are huddled down in the hole and it would just look like a dark blur.

Not sure what will happen, but for now we are doing what we can to keep the dogs out. Hopefully more good news to come...

Tired, but thankful!

Today was a really tiring, but very good day!

It started with the Back to School Blast down at Jireh Sports. This is a great event where Jim and I have served for a number of years. (Just me this year, though, as Jim was unable to attend) They give out back packs filled with school supplies, have free haircuts, food, crafts and activities, a health tent, blow up things like a joust and a velcro wall, and a climbing wall. This year I got to help with the climbing wall. And for the first time ever, got to try my hand at climbing. (have always wanted to try, but feared making a serious fool of myself when I failed to climb higher than 2 feet off the ground)

Check me out making attempt #1: (props to Kirsten for taking the photo)

Unfortunately, not the most successful of all attempts, but hours later, I tried again on another side and (with LOTS of help from the rock climbing dude) made it ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP!!! How cool am I??!!! For someone like me, who had to work really hard to get there, this was a HUGE deal and I was very pleased that I perservered - and had someone who held me up when I "fell off", so I did not have to start over.

Later in the day, we took my dad and Suzanna to the airport - they are flying out to vacation in Reno and see my brother, Barry and sister-in-law, Caroline (and nephew-to-be-any-minute-now, Fred (not going to be his real name, but have to call him something until he gets born and officially named)). Then it was off to the State Fair!! A Cable/Fortin family tradition. The girls LOVE the fair! They must get it from my dad, who it seems like every year at Fair time, no matter when I call, he is at the Fair. And eating a ribeye sandwich. Or corn. Or a tenderloin. Or something else. Or maybe, if he has just eaten, he is shopping.

Anyway, first stop always must be: Little Hands on the Farm. They love this where they go to all these little barns and do "chores" like you would on a farm. And then at the end they get a treat - maybe THIS is why they like it. That or the hat.

Then we roamed and wandered and ate and did all that good fair stuff! Kaylie loves horses, so she really enjoyed going to the horse barn, even though alot of horses weren't around.

So, after being on my feet all morning at Jireh, and then walking around the fair all evening, I am way beyond tired!! But what a great day - after spending so much of the summer in bed, I am so thankful for a beautiful day spent serving God and being with my family!! WOO HOO!

I'm 100!

This is no big thing to the blogging pros out there and the popular folks - but I am very excited because I have had over 100 visitors to my little blog since I started just a short time ago! I know, it is nothing compared to the thousands of visitors many bloggers rack up, but I am excited - even if half the people may have ended up here by accident!

So thanks for checking in!

Tomato, tomahtoe; meclomen, meclizine

Ok, I know oy with the poodles already and all that - but if I can go on for just one more day - can I just tell y'all about today??

Here is how it begins: I decide on the way to work that since I am running a little late, I am just going to be mostly late and stop at Starbucks, check out this whole ordering decaf situation and, actually most importantly, get a muffin, as I had a doctor appointment right during lunch and knew I was going to need something to tide me over. I made this decision while driving to work in the rain. I stuck stubbornly to this decision even when the heavens opened up and it started pouring just as I approached Starbucks. Milliseconds after opening the car door, I was wet, and worse, my sandal-clad feet were wet. Ick. Even more challenging was getting back into the car muffin and decaf iced Americano in hand. I was very soaked, and the muffin bag barely made it. But I made a decaf Starbucks run - and in the pouring rain no less! What a suburban warrior I am!

The big news of the day ended up coming at the office of our good friend, Dr. Simchak. I had a one week follow-up appointment from last Tuesday. (a miracle given that when I tried to schedule a 4 week follow-up as I left they told me his first available was Nov 4, if that gives you any idea of his calendar) I learned many moons ago to bring a book when coming to see Dr. Simchak - due to his popularity, one often has to wait to see him, and seeing as I had been squeezed in, I made sure I had one today. Good thing, as it took almost 2 hours to be seen. But I made great progress on my book! I think everyone should have forced relaxation placed upon them every so often like that. The only problem is that it is kind of stressful at the same time because you are thinking about where you should be. Anyway, big revelation - he asks how I did on the Meclomen, the anti-inflammatory, last week. "Meclomen? I thought it was Meclizine. It was an anti-histamine and I don't know how I did, I was too tired." ACK! I WAS TAKING THE WRONG MEDICINE!!! So for 4 days I was dutifully taking this medicine every 8 hours and going to work, driving, etc all while being so tired I could barely function all in the name of getting rid of a headache and it wasn't even the right med!! Can you believe it??

So I confessed to Dr. Simchak I was bad-mouthing him because I thought he was giving me what was basically sleeping pills and taking me off caffeine all in one fell swoop. (You know I did wonder why he did not warn me I would be tired, that was out of character; also strange that he would tell me to take Lunesta last week to make sure I slept - that was definitely not necessary. I need to do a better job of getting the names of these medicines and not just blindly trusting the pharmicists to read the chicken scratch on the prescription slip. "It's an M word" doesn't cut it.) And we have made some changes to my other meds and now I am happily and merrily back on my way.

PS - Jim just called Kaylie into the other room, and she goes in there and says (starting off very sweetly), "Well, I'm not trying to be rude, but what is it now??!!!" (the last part in frustration) - which I know is totally inappropriate (as Jim quickly pointed out) - but I still find very funny. You had to be there, I guess. I know, just blow the dust off my Worst Mom in the World Trophy and hand it to me...

De-caf Day 6

Thanks to LeDena and Jennifer for the comments on the decaf life. I learned many moons ago I am not alone in headache-land and I am always encouraged when I find others who frequent the land. Of course when they are super-women like LeDena and Jennifer, I feel like such a slacker! Anyway, the best part was hearing from 2 young, vibrant women who are caffeine-free. Were I to think rationally, I would of course have to know the c-f club was not solely composed of early-bird special patrons at Denny's, but to hear first-hand was very reassuring. I am working up to ordering something decaf at Starbucks so I can use up the balance on my gift card. If people can order no-fat, low foam, soy, no whip, etc etc lattes, then surely I can go in and order something and just make it a decaf. Right?

I do have to say that I fixed coffee this afternoon for a client and it was all I could do not to help myself to a cup. I mean a whole pot, just to give the client a cup! I hate to see the rest go to waste! Typically I would fix myself a big ole' mug and enjoy a late afternoon treat, but today, not so much. It was very tempting - like being on some diet or something. Fortunately my boss - great guy and coffee enjoy-er - saved the day and took a cup so I did not have to feel like the rest was going to waste and it took some of the temptation away. That and then I had to leave for the day. When in doubt separation will always help avoid temptation, eh?

Oh, and I am feeling guilty about calling Dr. Simchak evil. He is, of course, not evil at all. He is a lifesaver. Now that I am done taking the evil sleepy drugs and they have worn off I can think much more clearly. Still tired, but not beat-down dead tired - yee hah!! Tomorrow I go see the good Dr. and we shall see what the next step is. More to come!!!! Stay tuned, it is always an adventure!!

Caffeine-free blahs

My neurologist is a lovely man named Dr. Simchak. He is one of my heroes, as he has made it his life's calling to rid me of headaches. (not just me of course, but I like to think so sometimes) You can even Google him. On his group's website it says he "has a special interest in headache management, speaking frequently on this subject". Of course, it also says he enjoys house pets and wildlife. :) Anyway... he is great and seems to really care about his patients and their quality of life.

Until this week. My new name for Dr. Simchak is Evil Lord Darth Simchak (with-all-due-respect). He has forbidden me from caffeine intake. If you know me, that should be enough said, but of course, I am not going to leave it at that.

Here is the story: Ever since being released from the hospital I have been fighting pretty bad headaches. So I go to see Dr. You-Know-Who on Tuesday and after an update on my recent travails, he says "We are going to put you on Meclizine for 3 days to try to break up the headache. It is really important that you drink lots of water. And no caffeine". WAIT. Stop the presses. WHAT?!?! "No caffeine?" I innocently ask. "No caffeine for 3 days or no caffeine ever?" (We have covered this topic before and my understanding was to just try to be reasonable - so this was news.) He says: "Well I usually tell my chronic headache patients no caffeine". Chronic headache patient=Tricia. Unhappy headache patient=Tricia.

So I whined a bit and he did not feel sorry for me and sent me on my way. WHAT HE FAILED TO TELL ME was he was sending me off on my merry little way with an antihistimine that was going to turn me into a vertical version of myself asleep while at the same time taking away my beloved coffee and all of the fun coffee beverage variations. Yes, the Meclizine is Antivert, which is some antihistimine that one of my other doctors told me patients sometimes take as a sleeping pill. And now you know why Dr. Simchak is now Evil Lord Simchak. I must have been mean to him once or something.

It has been a long week of dealing with being amazingly tired, to the point I cannot even tell you how tired I have been; combined with adjusting to not being able to have caffeine. Many moons ago, I started teaching myself to drink caffeine-free Diet Coke, so I am hip to that, but it becomes very difficult when I leave the comfort of my home to find a beverage to drink. After good ole H2O, there are very few low-cal caffeine-free options out there in the out-to-eat marketplace. And, ironically, I went out 3 times this week. Grr. And I miss my coffee. I think decaf is totally pointless (although I am sure I will quickly come around), so I get to work and - no coffee. That has been the first thing I have done when I got to work for the past year and now..... zip. BLAH!!! My Starbucks card still has $$$ left on it! And the list goes on and on..

I am having big trouble adjusting to this whole no caffeine thing. Not from the physical side, but from the lifestyle and pyschological side. Today is Saturday and I got up and usually would have made a pot of coffee and curled up on the couch and drank my java and it was very annoying to not be able to do that today. (This is why I think I will end up caving and going decaf unless I just end up adjusting quickly) Has anyone else gone through this and has any tips/insight?