I have listened to and read much about the debate on abortion, birth control and other women's health issues over the past year but none of it has been quite as disturbing as this: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/12/03/aclu_v_catholic_bishops_tamesha_means_was_turned_away_from_michigan_s_mercy.html
It is a short article/opinion piece and you should read it but in a nutshell there are hospital in the US, namely Catholic ones, that are refusing to treat women who are having miscarriages basically because they are against abortion.
I can at least understand where the Catholic church and other religious institutions are coming from with not wanting to supply birth control under health insurance because it goes against their beliefs, but this makes absolutely no sense to me.
This story doesn't indicate how far along the woman seeking treatment was but I think it is fair to assume it was in the first trimester because that is when the vast majority of miscarriages take place. The story does, however, say the woman wanted to be pregnant and didn't want to terminate her pregnancy. How does it make sense to risk the life of a woman for the life a baby who wouldn't survive outside the womb anyway?
How can anyone in the medical field refuse life-saving treatment to someone who needs it? How can the "rights" of a fetus be put a head of a those of a living, breathing person whom that fetus can't live without anyway?
I am in no way advocating for abortion and think that abortion, especially late term abortion, should be illegal in most cases with rape and life-threatening situations being the exception. I think abortion has become too easy to get and an easy way to avoid the consequences of poor choices but that doesn't mean there aren't cases where it is warranted and it definitely doesn't mean every woman who has a miscarriage should be prosecuted or refused care. I believe babies should be given every chance to be born and grow-up to live happy, healthy lives but I can't get on board with putting the rights of fetuses that can't live outside the womb ahead of my own.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Driving isn't hard
I could probably pretty easily blog everyday about the idiots that I share the road with. This morning I turned on the radio and the first thing I heard is there were no less than 5 accidents in the Salt Lake Valley because it was raining. I only have one question: WTF Utah drivers?
This happens every year when it first snows, there are a million crashes and people freak out and drive 30 every where they go but there is no snow yet! Even if there were snow I don't understand why this happens, do people forget how to drive in the snow in the short 5 months we didn't have any? We live in Utah people, it snows every year and the warnings are the same: slow down, give yourself plenty of time to get to work and make sure you have good tires. So why are we still crashing into each other at alarming rates?!!!
I just don't get it.
While I am on the topic of drivers (and to spare you another rant later on) I might as well address a few other issues. People, moving over from the far left lane when someone wants to pass you isn't just the nice thing to do it is the law! The other day on the radio a girl called in and was complaining because she got a ticket for going 69 in the fast lane. Newsflash stupid girl, not moving over and impeding traffic is breaking the law just like speeding is. Not only are you likely causing a traffic jam because you refuse to move over you are also creating a safety hazard because other cars are weaving in and out of traffic to get around you.
I understand that people (me included) are way too impatient and should just slow down and enjoy the ride but let's be real that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Even if 99 out of 100 people were trying to speed past you for no good reason other than they wanted too, wouldn't you feel bad if that 1 person was trying to get to the hospital before their loved passed away and you prevented them from getting there because you refuse to move over?
I feel like every problem we have in driving, including most accidents, could be prevented by everyone taking two simple steps.
1. Pay Attention: put your cell phone down, stop trying to use your fancy navigation console and program your radio stations and just drive. If someone comes up behind you move over, if your exit is coming up don't wait until the last second to change lanes and then cut someone off and if the roads are slick or snowy slow down.
2. Don't drive like a dick on purpose: everyone accidentally cuts someone off (mostly due to not paying attention as mentioned above) but there is no reason to be an ass on purpose. If you refuse to get over when I want to pass you don't speed up when I do try to pass you, if there is a traffic jam don't change lanes a million times you are making the situation worse and if we are in a line of traffic riding my butt isn't going to help, I have no where to go so back off!
There I am done with my yearly rant about drivers! Drive safe everyone, especially on your way to Thanksgiving festivities!
This happens every year when it first snows, there are a million crashes and people freak out and drive 30 every where they go but there is no snow yet! Even if there were snow I don't understand why this happens, do people forget how to drive in the snow in the short 5 months we didn't have any? We live in Utah people, it snows every year and the warnings are the same: slow down, give yourself plenty of time to get to work and make sure you have good tires. So why are we still crashing into each other at alarming rates?!!!
I just don't get it.
While I am on the topic of drivers (and to spare you another rant later on) I might as well address a few other issues. People, moving over from the far left lane when someone wants to pass you isn't just the nice thing to do it is the law! The other day on the radio a girl called in and was complaining because she got a ticket for going 69 in the fast lane. Newsflash stupid girl, not moving over and impeding traffic is breaking the law just like speeding is. Not only are you likely causing a traffic jam because you refuse to move over you are also creating a safety hazard because other cars are weaving in and out of traffic to get around you.
I understand that people (me included) are way too impatient and should just slow down and enjoy the ride but let's be real that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Even if 99 out of 100 people were trying to speed past you for no good reason other than they wanted too, wouldn't you feel bad if that 1 person was trying to get to the hospital before their loved passed away and you prevented them from getting there because you refuse to move over?
I feel like every problem we have in driving, including most accidents, could be prevented by everyone taking two simple steps.
1. Pay Attention: put your cell phone down, stop trying to use your fancy navigation console and program your radio stations and just drive. If someone comes up behind you move over, if your exit is coming up don't wait until the last second to change lanes and then cut someone off and if the roads are slick or snowy slow down.
2. Don't drive like a dick on purpose: everyone accidentally cuts someone off (mostly due to not paying attention as mentioned above) but there is no reason to be an ass on purpose. If you refuse to get over when I want to pass you don't speed up when I do try to pass you, if there is a traffic jam don't change lanes a million times you are making the situation worse and if we are in a line of traffic riding my butt isn't going to help, I have no where to go so back off!
There I am done with my yearly rant about drivers! Drive safe everyone, especially on your way to Thanksgiving festivities!
Friday, November 15, 2013
Something is very wrong here
I am pretty sure there is one thing everyone in America can agree on: the health care system is broken. I don't know what the solution is and I don't know enough about the Affordable Care Act to know if it will help or hurt but I do know something has to be done.
This past few months has been an endless parade of doctors appointment, antibiotics and IVs as I have tried to get a very stubborn UTI infection to go away.
When I was first told I would have to do IV antibiotics I knew it would be expensive but I was in no way prepared for the bills that would come later.
In total I received 24 days of IV antibiotics (the first round of 10 days didn't work) and the total my insurance was billed for those 24 days, not including the numerous IV starts I had or visits to the doctor was $6,676.26. I could buy a car for that much!!! And less than half of it was my actual medicine, which cost about $75 per day. The other $200 a day came from "supplies". When I called to find out why on earth I was being charged so much for two saline syringes, an alcohol wipe and cap every day the answer I got was astonishing.
I was told that they was this particular company bills is on a daily patient average. That means patients like me who are using the bare minimum of supplies are paying for other patients who are using mass amounts of supplies (and probably more expensive ones too) because the daily price for service is based on an average.
I understand that this is how insurance works for the most part, everyone pays into the pool and then if you need it you can use and if not someone else gets to use your money but I couldn't believe that I was being charged $200 a day for supplies I wasn't using.
In addition to the cost of the IV medicine and ridiculously expensive supplies I had six IVs put in, four visits to my doctor (one long, 3 just for urine samples), a CT Scan and other Xrays done, total cost $13,560.72.
It seems so outrageous! That is almost six months of income for me. I am very grateful that I have insurance and luckily my cost is much, much lower than that but it seems so so crazy to me that the services I received can cost that much. I was watching the news last night and heard that on average in Utah the cost to have C-section delivery costs less than this, how is that even possible? I didn't stay in the hospital, I didn't have surgery, I didn't give birth to a child that needs cared for. I gave myself my own medicine at home everyday, I kept my IVs in as long a physically possible so I could have less of them and I didn't let them give me anymore "supplies" unless I actually needed them.
Every time I got to my doctors office to do a urine sample my insurance is charge $61.99. That is 60 bucks for me to pee in a cup and them to stick a piece of paper in it and read the results. The actual urine culture to decide which medicine will hopefully work to get rid of my infection is another $156. It just blows my mind.
Again I am really grateful that I have insurance, even if I do have a really high deductible, because I couldn't imagine facing more than $13,000 worth of medical bills.
Something has to be done about the way medicine is practiced and payed for in the country. I just wish I knew what the solution was and how I could help!!
This past few months has been an endless parade of doctors appointment, antibiotics and IVs as I have tried to get a very stubborn UTI infection to go away.
When I was first told I would have to do IV antibiotics I knew it would be expensive but I was in no way prepared for the bills that would come later.
In total I received 24 days of IV antibiotics (the first round of 10 days didn't work) and the total my insurance was billed for those 24 days, not including the numerous IV starts I had or visits to the doctor was $6,676.26. I could buy a car for that much!!! And less than half of it was my actual medicine, which cost about $75 per day. The other $200 a day came from "supplies". When I called to find out why on earth I was being charged so much for two saline syringes, an alcohol wipe and cap every day the answer I got was astonishing.
I was told that they was this particular company bills is on a daily patient average. That means patients like me who are using the bare minimum of supplies are paying for other patients who are using mass amounts of supplies (and probably more expensive ones too) because the daily price for service is based on an average.
I understand that this is how insurance works for the most part, everyone pays into the pool and then if you need it you can use and if not someone else gets to use your money but I couldn't believe that I was being charged $200 a day for supplies I wasn't using.
In addition to the cost of the IV medicine and ridiculously expensive supplies I had six IVs put in, four visits to my doctor (one long, 3 just for urine samples), a CT Scan and other Xrays done, total cost $13,560.72.
It seems so outrageous! That is almost six months of income for me. I am very grateful that I have insurance and luckily my cost is much, much lower than that but it seems so so crazy to me that the services I received can cost that much. I was watching the news last night and heard that on average in Utah the cost to have C-section delivery costs less than this, how is that even possible? I didn't stay in the hospital, I didn't have surgery, I didn't give birth to a child that needs cared for. I gave myself my own medicine at home everyday, I kept my IVs in as long a physically possible so I could have less of them and I didn't let them give me anymore "supplies" unless I actually needed them.
Every time I got to my doctors office to do a urine sample my insurance is charge $61.99. That is 60 bucks for me to pee in a cup and them to stick a piece of paper in it and read the results. The actual urine culture to decide which medicine will hopefully work to get rid of my infection is another $156. It just blows my mind.
Again I am really grateful that I have insurance, even if I do have a really high deductible, because I couldn't imagine facing more than $13,000 worth of medical bills.
Something has to be done about the way medicine is practiced and payed for in the country. I just wish I knew what the solution was and how I could help!!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Get it together Congress
Politics make me crazy. I can't understand how 536 (congress plus the president) people can sit back in Washington and fight over tiny things, while real people are being impacted by the decisions or rather lack of decisions, they are making.
Sure its fine if you shut down the government for 3 weeks because you're still getting paid.
I have literally lost count how many times we have had "last minute" budget debates and deadlines and deals to make before the whole country is sent into a spiraling recession.
Why can't they pass a budget that will last for a whole year? Why do they wait until the last minute to start negotiations?
I get it, the nation is divided, if the nearly 50/50 split in the popular vote for president last year was any indication, but it is Congress's job to make decisions and choices that benefit the American people.
Right now, no one in Congress or the president, is looking out for the actual people. They are fighting like children and embarrassing themselves in the process. How does this look to the rest of the world? Here is the U.S.A. getting involved in Syria and Afghanistan and Iraq, when we can't even solve our own problems at home. It is ridiculous.
I don't know a lot about the budget specifics and what they are really arguing over (except Obamacare) but the fact of the matter is that what they are doing is hurting the general public. Going into to default won't benefit anyone, in fact it could hurt a lot of people, including many people I know who rely on their social security checks to live every month. Refusing to sign any bill that doesn't defund Obamacare isn't going to get the Tea Party Republicans anywhere! It has already been funded, let it go through and see what happens. It could fail catastrophically and end up killing itself off or it could be wildly successful but at this point, years after its passing, there is no point in continuing to fight something that is already going into effect!
I think there should be a clause that if Congress allows the government to go into a shutdown or default or anything else that harms the majority of the population they should have to work unpaid until they figure it out. We wouldn't still be in a shutdown 3 weeks later if Congress wasn't getting paid, they would have never let it happen in the first place.
I think its really too bad its not a major election year this year, because I imagine this whole situation would be playing out very differently if their jobs were at stake. If I refused to negotiate with my coworkers and my boss and was costing my company money every single day I would be fired in a heartbeat.
Congress is failing at their jobs and in the meantime they are letting you and me down, I just hope the American people remember this next year when some of the people responsible are up for reelection. In the meantime here is my message for Congress: Put the bickering and finger-pointing and politics aside and for once make a decision that will benefit the people you were elected to represent!
Monday, October 14, 2013
A case of the Mondays
For a while I thought today was going to be a good Monday, you know as far as Mondays go.
My CT scan this morning was quick, painless (except for the IV stick) and much shorter than expected, my coffee from Starbucks was tasty and I made it to work on time despite going to the doctor first.
Then I found out I still have an infection after more than 3 weeks of IV antibiotics, BUT the good news is it is susceptible to oral antibiotics this time and my fancy new (also expensive but supposedly amazing) cranberry pills arrived today so I feel confident this will get rid of it, finally.
I was able to move a few other doctors appointments to earlier dates and the internet provided all sorts of great entertainment for me today (see my facebook page for a few examples).
Then I had to wait at the pharmacy for more 20 minutes to pick up my prescription, which come to find out is only partially filled because insurance is stupid and won't give me all 14 pills at once. Then I come home to find Willy has shit all over the apartment. Not nice little turds either, gross little piles of poop, not in 1 or 2 places but 5, then of course he won't poop when I take him outside because he already did all over the place. I know I shouldn't get mad because he only poops on the floor when he is sick, I can literally count on one hand the number of times he's pooped while we've been at work. But to top it all off when I went to go get the paper towels out of the trunk of my car to clean up the poop I find I have locked my keys in my car, so no paper towels, instead I have to keep washing out the same rag, gross.
And my only pair of black dress pants now has a hole in the thigh from where my thighs rub together when I walk, thank you fat thighs.
Is it Friday yet?
My CT scan this morning was quick, painless (except for the IV stick) and much shorter than expected, my coffee from Starbucks was tasty and I made it to work on time despite going to the doctor first.
Then I found out I still have an infection after more than 3 weeks of IV antibiotics, BUT the good news is it is susceptible to oral antibiotics this time and my fancy new (also expensive but supposedly amazing) cranberry pills arrived today so I feel confident this will get rid of it, finally.
I was able to move a few other doctors appointments to earlier dates and the internet provided all sorts of great entertainment for me today (see my facebook page for a few examples).
Then I had to wait at the pharmacy for more 20 minutes to pick up my prescription, which come to find out is only partially filled because insurance is stupid and won't give me all 14 pills at once. Then I come home to find Willy has shit all over the apartment. Not nice little turds either, gross little piles of poop, not in 1 or 2 places but 5, then of course he won't poop when I take him outside because he already did all over the place. I know I shouldn't get mad because he only poops on the floor when he is sick, I can literally count on one hand the number of times he's pooped while we've been at work. But to top it all off when I went to go get the paper towels out of the trunk of my car to clean up the poop I find I have locked my keys in my car, so no paper towels, instead I have to keep washing out the same rag, gross.
And my only pair of black dress pants now has a hole in the thigh from where my thighs rub together when I walk, thank you fat thighs.
Is it Friday yet?
Friday, October 4, 2013
Is it October? or December?
I woke up this morning needing to wear a coat outside to walk Willy, not a jacket, but a full on coat. My mom sent me a picture of her car showing the temperature as 29 degrees. It is October 4th! What happened to fall? I love fall so much! That chill (but not too chilly) in the air, the pumpkin treats everywhere, the pretty leaves but snow and freezing cold temperatures are too much.
I need fall!! I'm not ready for winter yet. After a super hot summer (which you will never hear me complain about by the way) I need a few weeks of nice 60 to 70 degree temperatures before it starts being wintery and cold. I need a few weeks where just a sweater or light jacket would be enough to keep me warm. I am so not ready for snow.
So Mother Nature what do you say you bring back those awesome fall temperatures and save winter for another day?
I need fall!! I'm not ready for winter yet. After a super hot summer (which you will never hear me complain about by the way) I need a few weeks of nice 60 to 70 degree temperatures before it starts being wintery and cold. I need a few weeks where just a sweater or light jacket would be enough to keep me warm. I am so not ready for snow.
So Mother Nature what do you say you bring back those awesome fall temperatures and save winter for another day?
Thursday, September 12, 2013
My favorite time of year
I am so excited that fall is almost here! I say almost because it still gets into the 80s most days but you can definitely tell its coming! The pumpkin spice latte is back at Starbucks, some of the leaves are starting to change and there is a little chill in the morning that hasn't been there before.
I love love fall. It is finally cold enough to eat yummy soups and chili and all sorts of other things that you don't really eat in the summer, there are pumpkin treats everywhere (and everyone knows I love pumpkin), it is chilly enough that I don't sweat like a beast everywhere I go and all the good TV shows come back.
I only wish winter didn't come after fall because winter an I are not good friends. Fall never lasts long enough. It seems like one day the leaves are starting turn such pretty colors and the next day they are gone and the snow is falling.
I am determined to enjoy every moment of fall I can! That means regular pumpkin spice lattes, walks outside before the weather gets too cold, pumpkin treats for everyone and enjoying just jacket weather!
Bring on the fall.
I love love fall. It is finally cold enough to eat yummy soups and chili and all sorts of other things that you don't really eat in the summer, there are pumpkin treats everywhere (and everyone knows I love pumpkin), it is chilly enough that I don't sweat like a beast everywhere I go and all the good TV shows come back.
I only wish winter didn't come after fall because winter an I are not good friends. Fall never lasts long enough. It seems like one day the leaves are starting turn such pretty colors and the next day they are gone and the snow is falling.
I am determined to enjoy every moment of fall I can! That means regular pumpkin spice lattes, walks outside before the weather gets too cold, pumpkin treats for everyone and enjoying just jacket weather!
Bring on the fall.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Peace and Quiet
Yesterday I mentioned my incredibly annoying, rude and inconsiderate upstairs neighbors. So today, you get to hear all about them.
These delightful people moved in sometime in February and I knew instantly there was someone new upstairs. If anyone had lived up there from the time we moved in November until February I didn't know they were there. But these people you knew. When they were moving in there was loud and constant crashing going on. I assumed it was just moving noises and it would go way. A few weeks later nothing had changed, there was still almost constant crashing and not just normal walking noise either, like seriously loud wake you up in the morning crashes. Sometime in March after I had been woken up three mornings in a row before 7 a.m. by this noise I went up there to see what was going on. A child, maybe 9 or 10-year-old boy, answered the door. He was there alone and was apparently jumping around like a monkey and then tried to say that they were hearing crashes too and that it was probably just the blow dryer.
Things seemed to settle down for a while and I didn't have any major problems (just minor annoyances) with them until the end of April, I again was woken up by loud crashes before 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, so I called the apartment managers and they said they would call them and remind them that quiet hours are between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.
That seemed to help, until they decided to start dumping water off their balcony, which incidentally runs onto my balcony, multiple times a week. Lucky for them they have yet to do it when I am actually on the balcony, because I guarantee if that happens I might go ballistic.
I have actually come to a conclusion about the water. These people now have a dog, I know this because it barked for hours on end a few days ago while they were gone somewhere.
One morning after I had gone running I was sitting on the balcony and heard the kid come outside and tell the dog to go potty, because naturally if you are going to leave your 9-year-old home alone all day you don't want him to walk the dog. So I think they let this dog do its business on the balcony and then wash it off down onto my balcony!! So instead of just water I am getting dog-crap water washed onto my balcony, grill and the chairs I sit in!
I swear these people have no idea they live on the third floor. They stomp around, literally stomp, I can follow their every move in their apartment based on the noise coming from upstairs, drop things or jump around on a regular basis making extremely loud crashing noises, let their dog bark incessantly and throw water off their balcony without any warning whatsoever. John decided people with children shouldn't be able to live on anything but the first floor because kids naturally make a lot of noise.
If I could afford it, I would break my lease and move right now that is how bad it is. I have even considered moving to a different apartment in the complex if the managers would let us transfer our lease. That is how much I hate these people upstairs, that I would consider making an unnecessary move.
Lucky for me there has been very little noise the past two days and I have finally been able to get a little peace and quiet. Unfortunately, I don't expect the peace to last.
These delightful people moved in sometime in February and I knew instantly there was someone new upstairs. If anyone had lived up there from the time we moved in November until February I didn't know they were there. But these people you knew. When they were moving in there was loud and constant crashing going on. I assumed it was just moving noises and it would go way. A few weeks later nothing had changed, there was still almost constant crashing and not just normal walking noise either, like seriously loud wake you up in the morning crashes. Sometime in March after I had been woken up three mornings in a row before 7 a.m. by this noise I went up there to see what was going on. A child, maybe 9 or 10-year-old boy, answered the door. He was there alone and was apparently jumping around like a monkey and then tried to say that they were hearing crashes too and that it was probably just the blow dryer.
Things seemed to settle down for a while and I didn't have any major problems (just minor annoyances) with them until the end of April, I again was woken up by loud crashes before 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, so I called the apartment managers and they said they would call them and remind them that quiet hours are between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.
That seemed to help, until they decided to start dumping water off their balcony, which incidentally runs onto my balcony, multiple times a week. Lucky for them they have yet to do it when I am actually on the balcony, because I guarantee if that happens I might go ballistic.
I have actually come to a conclusion about the water. These people now have a dog, I know this because it barked for hours on end a few days ago while they were gone somewhere.
One morning after I had gone running I was sitting on the balcony and heard the kid come outside and tell the dog to go potty, because naturally if you are going to leave your 9-year-old home alone all day you don't want him to walk the dog. So I think they let this dog do its business on the balcony and then wash it off down onto my balcony!! So instead of just water I am getting dog-crap water washed onto my balcony, grill and the chairs I sit in!
I swear these people have no idea they live on the third floor. They stomp around, literally stomp, I can follow their every move in their apartment based on the noise coming from upstairs, drop things or jump around on a regular basis making extremely loud crashing noises, let their dog bark incessantly and throw water off their balcony without any warning whatsoever. John decided people with children shouldn't be able to live on anything but the first floor because kids naturally make a lot of noise.
If I could afford it, I would break my lease and move right now that is how bad it is. I have even considered moving to a different apartment in the complex if the managers would let us transfer our lease. That is how much I hate these people upstairs, that I would consider making an unnecessary move.
Lucky for me there has been very little noise the past two days and I have finally been able to get a little peace and quiet. Unfortunately, I don't expect the peace to last.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Being obsessive has its benefits
I have an obsessive personality. When I get an idea, plan or anything exciting in my head that tends to be my main focus for a while.
Sometimes my obsessions drives me crazy, like when all I can think about during the day is how much noise my neighbors upstairs might make when I get home and if they are going to dump water off their balcony while I am cooking dinner on the grill (the problems with the neighbors is another post for another day).
But sometimes being obsessed about things pays off big time.
I recently decided I am taking a trip to NYC this fall to visit some friends and have been obsessively checking flights every few hours since I decided for sure when I was going and today my craziness paid off.
Yesterday a non-stop flight with Delta (the flight I wanted, at the time I wanted) was $399, today when I checked, the exact same flight was $258! I don't know how that is even possible but I'll take it, $140 less than I was planning on paying equals a win for me.
Next task, finding a way to stop obsessing about the neighbors and their shenanigans.
Sometimes my obsessions drives me crazy, like when all I can think about during the day is how much noise my neighbors upstairs might make when I get home and if they are going to dump water off their balcony while I am cooking dinner on the grill (the problems with the neighbors is another post for another day).
But sometimes being obsessed about things pays off big time.
I recently decided I am taking a trip to NYC this fall to visit some friends and have been obsessively checking flights every few hours since I decided for sure when I was going and today my craziness paid off.
Yesterday a non-stop flight with Delta (the flight I wanted, at the time I wanted) was $399, today when I checked, the exact same flight was $258! I don't know how that is even possible but I'll take it, $140 less than I was planning on paying equals a win for me.
Next task, finding a way to stop obsessing about the neighbors and their shenanigans.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Precious Memories
It has taken me a few days to work up the emotional stability to be able to write this post without breaking down completely, don't get me wrong I'll still be crying by the end but hopefully I can write something well composed and thoughtful, instead of the jumbled mess of emotions I would have written a few days ago.
It has been two weeks since my Grandma Connie passed away. I think about and miss her everyday and still struggle with the reality that I will never get another phone call just to check in on me from her again.
I have so so so many memories of Grandma Connie and I want to remember every single one of them.
I want remember how she used to sing, "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" to me. I want to remember the bright pink visor she used to wear when we moved the cows and how Grandpa Bob used to yell that she was scaring the cows off with it because it was so bright. I want to remember how we would pick hundreds of carrots from her garden and then wash them in the washing machine. I want to remember splashing through her irrigation flooded lawn in the summer time and getting in trouble when we fed Sooner too many Oreos.
I remember we used to go on family camping trips to Yellowstone and how the cousins would rotate turns getting hot chocolate in the camper because there was only room for 4 of us at a time. I remember having family cookouts at Grandma's house and playing baseball in the backyard and that if the ball went over the fence it wasn't a home-run but you were out because Grandma and Grandpa wanted to make it fair to the little kids. Of course I remember all the Christmas parties with the Oreos and Lucky Charms, cheese, chocolates and nuts.
I remember sitting at the bar while Grandma cooked dinner and eating bread and gravy with Grandpa. I remember how we used to sneak Grandma's tiny sample Avon lipsticks out and try them all on while she wasn't watching us but then of course she knew because we never got all the lipstick wiped off our faces. I remember watching Jazz games with Grandma and how mad she would get when they didn't play well. I remember going with her to get her hair done and to watch the WBBA baseball games in the summer.
I remember sleep overs at Grandmas and how whenever me and my sisters would fight she would start singing, "Let us Oft Speak Kinds Words," I can still hear her singing it to us.
I remember countless hours of making chocolates. Or rather Grandma making chocolates and us eating as many as possible while we were boxing them up. When I got older and got my own box of chocolates she would always call and see which flavors I wanted in my box. I remember bringing the tiny baby lambs into the kitchen so they could get warm. Grandma loved music and always hummed or sang as she did many of the things I remember.
I remember when I first died my hair in 8th grade and it came out a little darker than planned and Granmda wanted to put peroxide on it it make it lighter. I remember her cheering me on at volleyball and basketball games and being there when I graduated from high school.
I have more recent memories too. Riding from Altamont to Salt Lake with Grandma while Grandpa was flown on LifeFlight, just so she wouldn't have to ride alone and picking out the fabric for my wedding quilt.
The summer after I graduated from high school I lived at my Grandma Kay and Grandpa John's house in Farmington and took a class at the U. Grandma stayed will me for most of the summer because Grandpa Bob was at LDS hospital. We watched, "King of Queens" most nights just because it was always on and it was funny. Grandma always called Doug, doofus. One night I was busy doing something and hadn't turned the show on when I heard Grandma call from the living room, "Paige, we are missing doofus." It was so funny that she remembered at 9 p.m. we were supposed to watch TV together.
Grandma was there waiting for me when my roommate Emily had to take me to the ER because I had a kidney infection. She held my hand while they put in my IV and paid my co-payment because I didn't have enough money. She took me to her hotel room and let me sleep uninterrupted for almost 24 hours so I could get better.
She always loved John too, just like he was her own grandkid. She loved Willy too and would always ask me how he was doing when she called me.
Just a few months ago, Sammie and I, spent the morning helping Grandma cook lunch for cowboys. She taught me the right way to make Texas Sheet Cake because I had failed miserably in an attempt to make it for John for Valentine's day, I just hope I can get it even close when I try to make it again. Sammie and I ran to the store for a few minutes and left Easton sleeping, when we got back Grandma was holding him on the couch trying to get him to stop crying, it was such a sweet moment and it makes me so sad to know she'll never hold my babies.
More than anything I remember how Grandma was always there for us. She always called just to check in and stopped at my parents house just to say hi. We always knew if we needed her she was just a phone call away.
I could go on and on about all the things I remember about Grandma Connie but I'll always remember how much she loved me, John, Willy, my sisters and everyone around her. She radiated love and kindness and compassion wherever she went and that love is what I want to remember the most.
I love you Grandma Connie.
It has been two weeks since my Grandma Connie passed away. I think about and miss her everyday and still struggle with the reality that I will never get another phone call just to check in on me from her again.
I have so so so many memories of Grandma Connie and I want to remember every single one of them.
I want remember how she used to sing, "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" to me. I want to remember the bright pink visor she used to wear when we moved the cows and how Grandpa Bob used to yell that she was scaring the cows off with it because it was so bright. I want to remember how we would pick hundreds of carrots from her garden and then wash them in the washing machine. I want to remember splashing through her irrigation flooded lawn in the summer time and getting in trouble when we fed Sooner too many Oreos.
I remember we used to go on family camping trips to Yellowstone and how the cousins would rotate turns getting hot chocolate in the camper because there was only room for 4 of us at a time. I remember having family cookouts at Grandma's house and playing baseball in the backyard and that if the ball went over the fence it wasn't a home-run but you were out because Grandma and Grandpa wanted to make it fair to the little kids. Of course I remember all the Christmas parties with the Oreos and Lucky Charms, cheese, chocolates and nuts.
I remember sitting at the bar while Grandma cooked dinner and eating bread and gravy with Grandpa. I remember how we used to sneak Grandma's tiny sample Avon lipsticks out and try them all on while she wasn't watching us but then of course she knew because we never got all the lipstick wiped off our faces. I remember watching Jazz games with Grandma and how mad she would get when they didn't play well. I remember going with her to get her hair done and to watch the WBBA baseball games in the summer.
I remember sleep overs at Grandmas and how whenever me and my sisters would fight she would start singing, "Let us Oft Speak Kinds Words," I can still hear her singing it to us.
I remember countless hours of making chocolates. Or rather Grandma making chocolates and us eating as many as possible while we were boxing them up. When I got older and got my own box of chocolates she would always call and see which flavors I wanted in my box. I remember bringing the tiny baby lambs into the kitchen so they could get warm. Grandma loved music and always hummed or sang as she did many of the things I remember.
I remember when I first died my hair in 8th grade and it came out a little darker than planned and Granmda wanted to put peroxide on it it make it lighter. I remember her cheering me on at volleyball and basketball games and being there when I graduated from high school.
I have more recent memories too. Riding from Altamont to Salt Lake with Grandma while Grandpa was flown on LifeFlight, just so she wouldn't have to ride alone and picking out the fabric for my wedding quilt.
The summer after I graduated from high school I lived at my Grandma Kay and Grandpa John's house in Farmington and took a class at the U. Grandma stayed will me for most of the summer because Grandpa Bob was at LDS hospital. We watched, "King of Queens" most nights just because it was always on and it was funny. Grandma always called Doug, doofus. One night I was busy doing something and hadn't turned the show on when I heard Grandma call from the living room, "Paige, we are missing doofus." It was so funny that she remembered at 9 p.m. we were supposed to watch TV together.
Grandma was there waiting for me when my roommate Emily had to take me to the ER because I had a kidney infection. She held my hand while they put in my IV and paid my co-payment because I didn't have enough money. She took me to her hotel room and let me sleep uninterrupted for almost 24 hours so I could get better.
She always loved John too, just like he was her own grandkid. She loved Willy too and would always ask me how he was doing when she called me.
Just a few months ago, Sammie and I, spent the morning helping Grandma cook lunch for cowboys. She taught me the right way to make Texas Sheet Cake because I had failed miserably in an attempt to make it for John for Valentine's day, I just hope I can get it even close when I try to make it again. Sammie and I ran to the store for a few minutes and left Easton sleeping, when we got back Grandma was holding him on the couch trying to get him to stop crying, it was such a sweet moment and it makes me so sad to know she'll never hold my babies.
More than anything I remember how Grandma was always there for us. She always called just to check in and stopped at my parents house just to say hi. We always knew if we needed her she was just a phone call away.
I could go on and on about all the things I remember about Grandma Connie but I'll always remember how much she loved me, John, Willy, my sisters and everyone around her. She radiated love and kindness and compassion wherever she went and that love is what I want to remember the most.
I love you Grandma Connie.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
It's been a while...
I know it's been a while since I blogged but sometimes when something gets me really riled up I just have to let it out.
This is happened today. In my spare time at work I read a lot of articles from other newspapers on various topics. I happened to read a few about breast feeding a while back. One of them said breast feeding is the only way to go, one advocated for a mother's choice and why breast feeding may not always be the best option and I think one was simply we shouldn't judge other people (especially other moms) for their choices.
I can't agree with the last one more.
My sister asked me today if I thought it was a bad thing that she wanted to wean her new baby off breast feeding before she returned to work in a few weeks. She said she knew her first kid was fine on formula but she felt like she was being selfish because she didn't want to deal with the hassle of pumping.
Why should she feel selfish? Is her time and effort worth nothing? Doing what is right for you and your baby should be the most important thing, no matter what anyone else says. Moms who want to breast feed should be able to do so in public (provided that they cover themselves) without being shamed, moms who don't want to breast feed at all shouldn't be made out to be selfish and moms who can't breast feed shouldn't feel bad because they can't.
I know I am not a mom and therefore shouldn't really have an opinion on the topic but I do. Why can't people just mind their own business? If I want to feed my baby formula from the minute its born I should be able to do so without being made to feel like I am a bad mom. What and how I chose to feed my baby has no impact on your baby so why do you care?
There is mass amounts of research on the topic of breast feeding, so let moms-to-be do their own research, make a decision based on what is best for her and her baby and family and then respect that decision. There is no reason for making people feel bad just because they don't do it your way.
This is happened today. In my spare time at work I read a lot of articles from other newspapers on various topics. I happened to read a few about breast feeding a while back. One of them said breast feeding is the only way to go, one advocated for a mother's choice and why breast feeding may not always be the best option and I think one was simply we shouldn't judge other people (especially other moms) for their choices.
I can't agree with the last one more.
My sister asked me today if I thought it was a bad thing that she wanted to wean her new baby off breast feeding before she returned to work in a few weeks. She said she knew her first kid was fine on formula but she felt like she was being selfish because she didn't want to deal with the hassle of pumping.
Why should she feel selfish? Is her time and effort worth nothing? Doing what is right for you and your baby should be the most important thing, no matter what anyone else says. Moms who want to breast feed should be able to do so in public (provided that they cover themselves) without being shamed, moms who don't want to breast feed at all shouldn't be made out to be selfish and moms who can't breast feed shouldn't feel bad because they can't.
I know I am not a mom and therefore shouldn't really have an opinion on the topic but I do. Why can't people just mind their own business? If I want to feed my baby formula from the minute its born I should be able to do so without being made to feel like I am a bad mom. What and how I chose to feed my baby has no impact on your baby so why do you care?
There is mass amounts of research on the topic of breast feeding, so let moms-to-be do their own research, make a decision based on what is best for her and her baby and family and then respect that decision. There is no reason for making people feel bad just because they don't do it your way.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Hibernation
I have been in hibernation. It has been too cold and my brain has been frozen but today it actually got above 20 and it feels like summer, not really but it did feel warmer and my brain has unfrozen slightly.
I think bears got it right with the hibernation thing. You get to sleep all winter during the freezing cold, get up when it is warm, eat as much as you possibly can for 6 months and then go back to sleep. It seems like an amazing plan.
On on side note, where has January gone? Time is flying by so fast! It seems likes Christmas, New Years and the whole month of January have been a blur.
Christmas was great. It was a little sad to be away from my family for the first time but it was also really nice to spend the whole day just John and me, relaxing and spending time together! We did pretty much the same thing on New Year's Eve and it was awesome.
I am excited for the new year and the adventures it will bring! I have already been able to cover a murder trial for my job and I have to say it was really really interesting. It wasn't all drama and craziness like you see on TV but it was still pretty awesome. And because the trial ended really late and I was on a tight deadline I got that adrenaline rush, like I used to get when I wrote sports on a super tight deadline, that I have missed so much. My face gets all hot and my heart starts pounding and it is just exciting and nerve racking wondering if you are going to make deadline! I love it.
As you can see by this post the cold weather and my partially frozen brain have made me super scatterbrained, hopefully my upcoming trip to South Carolina will help me thaw out.
I think bears got it right with the hibernation thing. You get to sleep all winter during the freezing cold, get up when it is warm, eat as much as you possibly can for 6 months and then go back to sleep. It seems like an amazing plan.
On on side note, where has January gone? Time is flying by so fast! It seems likes Christmas, New Years and the whole month of January have been a blur.
Christmas was great. It was a little sad to be away from my family for the first time but it was also really nice to spend the whole day just John and me, relaxing and spending time together! We did pretty much the same thing on New Year's Eve and it was awesome.
I am excited for the new year and the adventures it will bring! I have already been able to cover a murder trial for my job and I have to say it was really really interesting. It wasn't all drama and craziness like you see on TV but it was still pretty awesome. And because the trial ended really late and I was on a tight deadline I got that adrenaline rush, like I used to get when I wrote sports on a super tight deadline, that I have missed so much. My face gets all hot and my heart starts pounding and it is just exciting and nerve racking wondering if you are going to make deadline! I love it.
As you can see by this post the cold weather and my partially frozen brain have made me super scatterbrained, hopefully my upcoming trip to South Carolina will help me thaw out.
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