Got some catching up to do!

Hello Ladies!

It was good to see all at the quints dedication. I really enjoy being with family and catching up on good stories. Missy yours was a traumatic, but classic momma story. Anyhoo...ummm. Let's see...

Well August 16th, Carrie had to have a minor surgery to remove a kidney stone she had not been able to pass for over 6 months or more. The kidney specialist and her OB/GYN working together came up with the perfect window of opportunity to remove the stone without harming Carrie's little baby. There was literally a three day window for doing the surgery without causing any damage to the growing fetus. BUT Carrie was so sick with infection and vomiting the time frame was slipping away. Finally her fever dropped just low enough they could perform the operation and saved her kidney and no harm to little baby. She awoke from the anethesia without any complications and was completely pain free. She actually went home the evening after the surgery because whe was doing so well. The stone was caught right at the entry to the bladder causing massive blockage. Her kidney was being destroyed by a stone as big as a pea. NO JOKE. I was amazed at the size. It was never gonna make it into the bladder. But anyway she is fine now. Totally pain free and doing wonderful. She hasn't gained her appetite back, but I am sure that will come along soon. Her pregnancy with Thomas, she had no cravings and no morning sickness. I had the morning sickness. She has the all day sickness. Can't cook meat, can't stand the smell of certain foods, and finds laundry soap smells overwhelming!!!

Stephen had returned to the United States from his trip to India. I got an email from him this very day saying he was home, but very sick from the 40 hour trip home. I am anxioux to hear all about the things he saw and learned. He is not joining the Hindu or Buddist religions, but is learning much about the spiritual being of the religion. He is hopefully in his last year of school. He is getting his masters in Film and Media. We will see where that goes.

Matt is working for Gemtron in Vincennes. He is on an assembly line of glass stove tops. He really likes his job. He is getting his life together and turning things around for himself. He was desperately trying to get into the armed forces to get away from here, but he could not pass the physical for the marines. His record keeps him out of the air force and army. And for some reason he is too tall to get into the navy. So he is going to stick it out at Gemtron for awhile and then try to head back to school.

Thomas is becoming a big boy. He is learing the potty routine and doing quite well. He talks a blue streak and then some. I absolutely love having grandkids. He is in the discovery stage and wants to see and do and learn all he can. I just love him to pieces.

As for myself, I am still searching for that perfect job. I have reached a point with my job now that I know, no matter how much I try or how much I do, I will never be able to make my boss be pleased with my performance. So I am looking when I get the chance. Other than my job, I am doing great. Now I will leave ya all with a little story....

Today at work we (staff and consumers) spent the afternoon cleaning the woodshop and organizing, tossing, restacking, sorting, sweeping, and lots more to make the woodshop look nice for our yearly inspection we must endure to receive some of our federal funding. Any way... I was working with two high school boys from our vocational program. We were sorting, stacking, sweeping, moving this and that and working very hard to clean our assigned area. In the process of doing this in the 90+ heat, my jeans and tshirt were soaked with sweat along with my undies. Somehow my shirt from bending over and stooping and sqauting had rode up my back. I had no idea because I was really zoned into what I was doing...This young man spoke these very words. "Umm, you need to pull you shirt down in the back. Umm, your underwear is showing. " So I arose from being bent over on my knees reaching under a stack of lumber to reach my ink pen that fell from my pocket to a standing position in an inquiring state of mind as to how he could possibly know my underwear was showing. I stood as quick as I could and reached ever so quickly behind my back to pull down the sweat drinched shirt that was bothering this young man. WELL...Not only was my shirt up, but so was my undies. The whole section that had ripped from the back and was acting as a decorative belt nearly around my waste. I had to just walk away from him and go laugh myself silly. I went into the office to show my co-worker who nearly peed her pants laughing at me. I did ask another staff lady if she would help me fix my undies, but she refused to go there!! Well thank goodness I keep an entire change of clothes at work for just such emergencies. I have no idea when the backside of my drawers decided to split from itself and make its fashion debut. But what I find much more amusing is I have no idea how long it was like that before he told me!!!

Love to all,

Alisa

p.s. I wont stay away so long...