Found On a Friend's Site.

You'd Never Believe This

I am sitting on a conference call and the strangest thing is happening. There is somebody, can't tell who, snoring like crazy. I mean they are sawing logs. We are working through an issue with a server not doing what it needs to do, but somebody's not working on it anymore; they are off in dream land with drool running down their cheek.

Now, I have to say, it is almost midnight here in the middle of the our great nation, so it's perfectly acceptable to be asleep. By any account I would rather be asleep, but this is just hilarious. I have worked through a lot of these type issues with a good number of folks and never has anyone started snoring on a call, especially not for this long. I fear I have not mentioned that the snoring has been getting progressively louder for the last half hour.

Maybe it isn't anyone on the phone. I'm not sure if everyone is accounted for or not. It may be someone in the same room as a person on the call. None of that really matters to me though- all I can picture is some poor guy with a laptop lying sideways on the floor, his head pinning the phone to his desk, and a string of spit getting sucked back into his mouth everytime he inhales, all the while completely oblivious to us still working. Nights are the best!

The Bewitching Two

What is this, the monthly blog post? Yes, yes it is. Gee whiz we're a pitiful lot.

Now, to the point. I don't know if anyone who reads this ever stays up all night, either for work or by choice, but there are two strange hours that you must overcome to make the night. As a co-worker and I refer to them, "the bewitching two." Those hours are 3-5 AM, and for some reason nothing normal seems to happen in that time.

Tonight was no exception, but thankfully it was nothing exceptional. Truthfully, the strange thing tonight was the discovery of some of the weirdest country music ever. Some of it was terrible, some of it was funny, some was just sad, but all of it garnered great laughs. Why? Just because it was between 3 and 5 AM.

So if you ever find yourself up all night, take special note of what happens between 3 and 5. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Oh the Pain

So I talk about all kinds of stuff, and if you read my posts with any regularity you probably think I am an emotional wreck. Up and down, mostly down, seems to be where I hang out. That's not the pain I am dealing with today; but I am really as much of an emotional wreck as it seems.

Maybe it's that I'm not as young as I used to be, or maybe I'm just a big baby, but I can't handle things like I used to. I hurt my back. This is something that's pretty common, really; I've had a bit of a weak back since I was a kid. The difference this time- I am absolutely, positively, a miserable sad-sack of a human being.

I got to work and I had to get a high-back chair from another desk. I drove all the way into Nashville, braving the gas lines and everything, just to see a doctor to get some muscle relaxers. Right now I want to suck back a sixer just to get some relief. I swear I'm a wuss. Don't get too many ideas, though- I still came to work and never considered calling in sick.

So anyway, pity me, please. I'm such a wee little fellow. I need your hugs and love.

Quick Update

Sorry I have not Updated recently. Here is the quick run down.

Life for me is very mentally busy. School is coming to a Close. Only One more class, then Final presentation of my thesis, AND then I will be DONE!! It only took me Twelve years but I will have my BA Degree. :)

The Boys are wild!! Both trying hard to become individuals and pushing the limits at every turn.

Hubby is working hard at taking care of all the things I have had to let go of due to school, along with working and being a dad.

And I will say I am looking forward to done with school so I can clean the house. For any of you may have hurt yourselves falling out of your chair, so sorry. But yes I bothers me that I have not mopped the floor in well over a month or that I haven't been able to keep up the Ironing. (I didn't before, but I want to now)

So that is all for now.

Love you all!!
-Shell

A Little Bit Sad

Yesterday morning I got some bad news. My uncle, who has been battling cancer for a while, took his last breath. Like I said, a little bit sad; but maybe, just maybe, it isn't all bad.

All in all it's no terrible thing. We all have to die some day, and he had a very long life, a successful and happy family, and an extraordinary career. I guess we could all hope for so much.

If you really sit down and think about it, we should all wish for so much. I mean, for a guy that came into life without a whole lot, he made a life that could make anyone proud. Basically a self-taught guy, he worked his way up through the ranks and retired in great esteem from Gulf Power. After that he took a consulting gig in Michigan and did really well with that. A son with a doctorate in physics, who is a retired corporate VP and now teaches and is a successful general contractor, three grandchildren all grown up with families of their own, all leave him a pretty firm legacy.

When it comes right down to it, he taught me a lot. Right now, in the midst of my reflection, it seems he is teaching me a lot. I learned a lot about electronics and how stuff works, a great deal about carefully controlled ambition, and most importantly how to treat people well. It is sure there were times when Unc had a temper, but it always seemed history would prove him on the right side of his arguments, a righteous indignation of sorts. He was a big man, with a big heart, who cared for his family and protected them the best way he knew how. I could only ask that be said of me one day.

It stands to reason I will be reflecting a lot for the days, weeks, and years to come. It's often you look to an uncle as a close family member, a friend, a caregiver; but not everyday can you truly call him a mentor. R.V. Calhoun was my uncle, but will forever be my mentor in career, in life, and in loving well.

With love,
-Andy

Prayer of the Broken (from my ongoing work 'Prayer for the Common Man')

I feel pretty miserable.

I feel like a broken piece of a car that never worked right to begin with. Somehow, some way, so many people rely on me but I am unreliable. I fail again and again to be what You need of me.

I need to be fixed. I can't keep doing this. I can't keep being who I am. I can't go on being so self-centered as to forsake everyone that loves and relies on me.

Please God, please, in Your mercy, put me together. I have somehow made a mess of every blessing you ever gave me. I am not worthy of love of anyone, and am most certainly not worthy of You.

You, the God of Creation, the God of Abraham, David, and Peter, who makes all things new; You who give redemption through Your Son; You who restores the pieces and makes the broken things whole; You who made me, please make me whole again.

Amen.

-Andy

Tracy is wearing Underware!!!

Aren't you supposed to wear underwear on your head?

Just another trip to The ED

This has been a crazy few days in my house. Gray has been a stinker and thinks because he has a cast he can do anything and get away with it. Well as you know we have been dealing with pushing in our house. Tracy seems to have learned his lesson when he pushed Gray off the Couch.

Well tonight as I was walking to the back door to call the boys in for dinner Gray wanted to be the first one in the door but Tracy was there first. So Gray pushed Tracy off the steps and down the aggregate steps. Tracy got a nice deep facial lac over his right eye. Oh Joy !!

Andy had just left for work too. So I got the bleeding stopped, and my lovely ED Nurse neighbor confirmed what I didn't want to do, he needed to be Stitched up. Andy came back home and we all went off to Southern Hills Hospital, Oh Yeah Fun Times!!

He did not get stitches, The Doc used Dermabond. I Love that stuff. It is like sterile super glue!!
We checked in at 1917 and were back in the car at 2010. WOW less than and hour!!


And now the boys are sleeping.


-Shelly

School, tigers, and work, Oh My

I need to write something other than a silly case study or chapter for my Project thesis. So I am writing to all of you lovely people who may read this blog.

If you do please comment, just click on comments at the bottom of the post, and let me know. Thanks.

Okay back to my rambling.

I realized something on Friday. I am in a place in my life where I am comfortable to be myself around others. Now I know some of you think "Oh my She's going to be even more like herself! Watch out!!" That is not what I mean. I mean I am happy to be me, and not what others want me to be. God has and is so good to me. He has helped me be comfortable in my skin. I still want to be healthy and attractive but I also love my stretch marks :)!!!They remind me I am a mom and I have given birth to two wonderful boys.

I went to friends house to drop off toys my boys have outgrown and I should have been ashamed of how I looked. But I did not care. I was on a mission to give an eight month old some new toys.

Now that I have written something that has nothing to with school I am going to bed. Night all!

Hopefully I will write something a bit more coherent in the morning.

-Shelly

In the words of Dave Matthews

Too much.

It seems the more I get ahead the further I get behind. I also must say how much I love a good cliche.

Really, though. Sometimes it gets so crazy, even when you are enjoying what you are doing, it doesn't seem there's enough time to get it all done. That's a terrible attitude, I suppose, given God in His perfect wisdom created time and numbers each of our days; but it seems to be where I am.

Today I took some time to do something I really enjoy. In the middle of enjoying time with the family I built myself a new PC. In fact the hard disks are formatting as I write this. Now of course there is a ton of drive space on this beast (about 1.5 TB) so that's taking a while. So I multi-task by eating supper and writing you lovely folk.

I spend a lot of time multi-tasking these days. You understand, the other day when Gray was in the ED i spent a lot of time emailing back and forth to make sure everything I needed to take care of at work for the next two days was covered. I spend almost every off day with my work PC up so I can stay in communication with folks in a timely manner; all the while with one kid in my lap, one tugging on me to come over here, and a dog biting my toes. Does it end?

I guess it doesn't, and that's okay. You know, come to think of it, if I wasn't busy I'd be bored, and if I was bored I'd be even more unbearable. Does this mean life's perfect? I think it does, or at least I wouldn't trade mine for anyone else's.

-Andy

That doesn't look right...

Yesterday was certainly an adventure. Let me say, this is some story, and it will be told from my perspective. To paint you into my story, know that I worked all night Friday night and had slept a little over 2 hours Saturday morning when this all started. Now here we go.

My parents were over seeing the boys. They had some shopping to do up here in the big city and stopped by to drop off some new curtains for the boy's room. I woke to my dad installing new curtain rods in the boy's room for the new curtains. We were talking, the boys were running in and out, and I was just about ready to turn back in for the rest of the afternoon, as I had to work again that evening.

As I was chatting and ready to go back into my bedroom, I heard the boys playing in the bonus room. They were both laughing and having a good time, so I said to let them be, they're just being boys. Famous last words... next thing I hear one of them fall and Gray crying, so obviously we have a man down. Since it's not like Gray to cry unless he hurts pretty bad, I trotted in pretty quick to see him. That's when things got crazy.

When I walked in I saw Gray standing still and bawling, his right arm hanging to his side. I thought that was odd, since he usually holds his face when he cries, but he was standing facing in a way that made me think he bumped his head. Pretty typical stuff for either one of the boys. I asked him what hurts and he just kept crying, so I turned him where I could look him in the eye, give him a once over, calm him down and send him on his way. That is when I saw it.

Anybody remember Joe Theisman's leg? What I saw might not have been that bad, but I promise it was close. Gray's right arm, hanging by his side, the lower half bent into an 'S' shape. I scooped him up to immobilize him, threw a blanket over him to prevent shock, and asked Shelly to call the ambulance. Still completely groggy and trying to sort all of this out, I headed downstairs thinking of all sort of strange things; "will they straighten it out ok, will he need surgery, how do I handle the hospital situation (HCA does not have a children's unit in Nashville), will he ever play ball, will he be able to play a musical instrument?" The main thing I thought of was getting this little baby of mine well, now.

Shelly and Gray boarded the ambulance and I followed close behind. Once at the hospital things really get fuzzy, the adrenaline wore off and I got even more fogged. All I know is we had to wait forever. Reason for the wait, they were going to have to put my little chief to sleep so they could set his arm. Gray ate just before the accident, so there was no way they were putting him out with food in his stomach. The wait was on.

Gray was a champ. He waited calmly, watching lots of cartoons and smiling a lot. He was such a big boy, I couldn't have been more proud of him. We waited and waited, and finally a little after 8 last night they put him out and set his arm. He did beautifully. On a side note, as the ED docs were getting him to go to sleep he told them all about Duffer and gave them all a big 'Go Gators' as his last words before he was asleep. That's Daddy's Boy!

The docs did a great job and got him set and in a had splint. Both bones in Gray's lower arm were displaced, but they got them back together nicely. We'll have to go visit the doctors later this week to see how he's healing and maybe move from a splint to a cast. Needless to say, yesterday was interesting.

-Andy

see more dog pictures


This is Not Duff but I thought it was cute!

In Front of the Grand Ole Opry house.

New Pajamas

The boys Really like their new matching pajamas.

Some pics

Tracy loves his Buzz Lightyear Car.




















The boys decided it would be nice change of pace to eat Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the bucket rather than eating at the table. It was actually less mess than if they had sat at he table. They are so silly

Duff

What a pretty dog. He is so happy after he has had a bath and a good run with the boys.

Tracy is 2 years old Today!!

I can't believe it has been two years. These were taken when he was three weeks old. And yes he was asleep in my hands. The one with Gray holding Tracy was the day we came home from the hospital

All Froth

I heard the greatest saying today, maybe it's old and I just missed it, I don't know. This guy said to someone, "You're all froth and no Guinness."

I'm from the deep south, so my exposure to the northeastern Irish culture is extremely limited, but I thought that was great. It's no 'That dog won't hunt', but it is a dog that will hunt. I love euphemisms, so I'm always on the lookout for new ones to adopt. Trust me, it took months to work 'that's as out of place as a piano at a Church of Christ convention' into a conversation, so just wait; I'll be plenty patient and somebody will get the froth - one day.

Fortune Torture

Is it me, or have fortunes changed? No, not like, "life sucks, gas prices are killing me, my girlfriend gave me the..." Whoops, that's another blog all together.

Seriously, fortune cookies. Shelly and I have laughed about fortune cookies for at least a year now. Used to, at least as I remember it, fortune cookies had some goofy little notion for your future. Lately it seems like they are either marketing more Chinese food or giving some stupid life affirming statement.

Case in point: earlier tonight I received a fortune cookie wishing me this wonderful fortune, "May you have a good appetite." Wow, knock my socks off, I just ordered the General Tso's Chicken, I think my appetite is sufficient.

Another good one Shelly got a while back. I can't remember it exactly, but I remember it said something about 'you have great garace'. Yes, it was even misspelled. Listen, besides the fact this is no fortune at all and shows an overt lack of editing, we all know my lovely wife and if it weren't for the grace of God she'd have no grace at all. (Don't worry, I know I'll pay for that one later.)

So now I suppose you feel like the principal from Billy Madison and want to say that we are all dumber from having read this. You're right, but aren't those some cute kids in the other post?

Pics

Showing off the new hair cuts and playing in the yard. Tracy really loves his new hair cut.

Opinions

You certainly know the old saying, "Opinions are like..., everybody has one." Tonight I had a new take on that, in as much as I don't want to hear them either. If you hear them you have to, well I'll just leave it at that; we all know the foul smell of defeat.

Now this is obviously a place for opinions, as most blogs are. The beauty of a venue such as this is that you, our reading public don't have to read (or hear) any of this drivel. Now I have feebly justified my sharing of an opinion that opinions should be kept to one's self.

All is not to say opinions are never valuable and should never be shared. I find a lot of opinions valuable, not any one's in particular, more generally. Thing is, one should probably only share opinions only when solicited. Again, to justify this posting, you are here reading my opinion, therefore a de jure solicitation of my opinion.

I shall not discourage any of you from forming opinions, and of course love responses here. See, I have solicited your opinion to this forum. Main thing is, I don't want to hear you talk even if you love to hear yourself. See how much I love you all?

All right, I know someone out there is asking, "Is he talking about me? Is there something I have done?" No! Most emphatically, most assuredly no! I don't write solely to express for or against something I am experiencing, rather to explore areas I am thinking about. This means, if you are asking yourself at anytime, "Is it me?" Just answer no and explore your own mind and own behaviour. If I have provoked this thought, great, I just want you all to join me in thinking.

My online friends, my truest friends, let's explore these ideas together so we do not have to burden the uninterested with our endless, navel gazing, droning about nothing.

Much love,
Big O

The Bunkhouse

We have passed into new territory at our house. Tracy has been transitioning into a big-boy bed for a little while now, and yesterday he got his permanent home. For that matter, Gray got his too.

Some nice folks at church gave us a very nice bunk bed. The bed has full bottom and twin top and the boys just love it. Frankly I love it too, since I only had to buy one mattress to make it all happen. What's more, since the boys are now in the same room, I get Gray's old room as my office. It's funny, we have the biggest house we have ever lived in and it took nearly four years in it for me to get my own space.

Back to the important stuff. The boys love the new bed and room. We have converted the nursery into their shared room, logical since it was the room that both boys had lived in at one time or another. There will be more work to be done in there to make it theirs; paint, curtains, even a neat little mural that clings to the wall. We'll let them pick all of that stuff out over time, right now we'll work on getting them to stop talking to each other and go to sleep!

-Big O

Rationale

Maybe it's because it's 01:45, or maybe it's me overthinking things, but I can't seem to understand something. This is going to get vague, so don't worry if you can't follow a word I'm saying, I just need to vent for a minute.

I tend to rationalize things. Not in the sense that I try and make wrong things right through justification, rather I try and understand other viewpoints from a rational standpoint. That is where I am failing, and have been failing for a little while now. In trying to understand certain concerns I have gathered evidence and multiple viewpoints to rationalize certain behaviours. Granted I'm missing a viewpoint, but that's part of the problem too. The main problem I am coming across is that I find no rational explanation for the behaviour.

Now some would say, "You aren't dealing with a rational person." That is a point to which, in some sense, I agree. My problem is that I cannot accept lack of rationality for long-term problems. Lack of rationality in humans is a short term problem, if it is not a short term problem it may be time for Mr. Baker to step in. Really, you may be in the grip of a sociopath, but can you, in good conscience, continue to ignore the facts so to justify your own bad behaviour?

Is this the place for this dialogue? No. I know it is not. At this point I have no other choice. I like to enjoy things, and I truly enjoy reconcilliation. Will this help? Doubt it. I sure wish it would. I didn't have anything to do with this to begin with, but somehow I'm caught in the middle again.

David Arms

So for whatever reason, I have been turned on to this artist named David Arms. He's actually someone we go to church with, but he's been painting for years now. Our pastor commissioned a work from him several years ago which has been used as an illustration for the current year's walk through The Revelation, but all of David's works are truly amazing. He uses common elements from nature and like to create images of hope and redemption.

Check out his website and let me know what you think:

www.davidarms.com

Sola fide,
-andy

My Friend

My friend Kim is out of surgery and resting in her room. She had her back straitened. She has scoliosis and a reverse "S" can be painful. ( Amy you know what she is going through right now) Kim is doing great her husband has been posting on a special blog just for updates and he is keeping it very current. Kim is my boss at the church and her oldest, Maggie, is my babysitter.

Please pray for swift and correct healing of her back. And for her Husband (Jay) and Three kids Maggie, Jamie, and AJ.

-shelly

Here is the link to her Blog
http://kimspiegel.blogspot.com/

Jay put some pretty good music on there too. So turn your speakers on :)

Silk-Tie Easter Eggs

I loved this project. It didn't require a second and messy step. And the eggs could be kept refrigerated until the hunt, the eggs didn't sweat the coloring off. Gray liked the few eggs I colored this way much better than the others.

Yes this is a Martha Project. Martha did not come up with this idea for coloring Easter Eggs, It was the idea of the grandmother of a guest.

Silk-Tie Easter Eggs
Martha Stewart Show

Materials and Tools
Small- to medium-size raw eggs
Glass or enamel pot
Silk ties, blouses, or boxers, cut into pieces large enough to cover an egg
White sheets (or pillowcases or old tablecloths), cut into pieces to cover silk-wrapped eggs
Twist ties
3 tablespoons of white vinegar
Warm water
Vegetable oil
Paper towels
Tongs or spoon

Silk Tie Easter Eggs How-To
1. Cut silk into a square (or a piece) large enough to wrap around a raw egg.

2. Wrap a raw egg with a piece of silk, making sure the printed side of the material is facing the egg. Silk can still be used if it doesn't fit perfectly around egg.

3. Place the silk-wrapped egg in a piece of white sheet, pillowcase, or old tablecloth and secure tightly with a twist-tie.

4. Place the egg(s) in an enamel or glass pot. Fill pot with water to cover eggs completely. Then, add three tablespoons of white vinegar.

5. Bring water to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer for 20 minutes (longer if you plan on eating the eggs).

6. Remove eggs from water with tongs or spoon and let cool.

7. Remove silk from cooled egg.

8. For shiny eggs, wipe with vegetable oil after completing step 7.



Resources
Silk goods such as ties, blouses, and boxers can be purchased at rummage sales or thrift stores. Silk can be reused on eggs.


If you Try this Please let me know how it goes for you and plase send me pictures too. I will post them.

Please Use the charger


moar humorous pics

The before picture

The weird yellow is finally Gone!!
I will post the after picture when I get it off the camera

Okay so I have NOT posted in forever!! School has taken up alot of my time. It's not like I was doing anything before school started anyway!!