Blah.

I tend to get holiday blahs no matter how great life is. This is the most exciting one by far--- first one married, baby on the way. Oh, I take that back, NEXT Christmas will be our first with our little guy so I am certain that will top this one. ;) But, nevertheless, I kinda get Xmas blues. I say it with an X because, let's be honest, it quickly turns into commercialism frenzy instead of still, peaceful reverent acknowledgement of the Savior. I hear the shopping/panic/stress gets worse with kids.

I watched a funny "The Middle" last night where the parents tried to have a 'Simple Christmas' and it was a big joke. But I seriously want to do that. Really, I do. I'm gonna have to get creative, but I don't want my kid(s) to get in gimme-gimme mode when December hits. I really hope I can get Tan on board someday to have the whole fam go serve at a soup kitchen Christmas Day or something. I ALWAYS wanted to do that with my nuclear fam but got vetoed every stinkin' year. And of course, I didn't want to go do it by myself, not to mention I'd get guilted for missing Christmas lunch. :)

I get it, I know it's fun to give gifts. Maybe I'm thinking about it differently this year because we are poor as church mice this time 'round and the giving is limited from us. But I've never been excited about a holiday where everyone is hurrying to get generic gift cards, Bath & Body, and such just so that they can check that name off the list. Birthdays are way more fun for gift-giving because you really do (hopefully) put more thought & time into honoring that person. And baby showers--it's fun to pick little people clothes for your friends. Wedding gifts are boring to shop for. Ok, let's not forget the "for no reason at all" gifts...I don't do those like I should. Those are the best gifts of all!

Ok, my dark cloud will quit hovering on your holiday. All mall-frenzy and commercial-jingles aside.........MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Sleeping is becoming a fantasy...

...another mom told me in her 3rd trimester she started naturally waking at 5 am & pals told her that it was "God preparing her."

Dear Lord God Jehovah,

I don't need any Christmas gifts. You give me food, clothing, and shelter and I am grateful. Can I ask one more teensy little thing? Can the life you gave me that is growing inside my belly please love sleep like I do? I'll be so attentive & patient with him. I'll be super vigilant if it is after 9 am. I know at first this is not quite possible, but after the every-2-hr-feeding stuff, will you help him be on a wonderful sleep schedule? I love you!

~Lisa

I may have thrown in the 'Jehovah' part because last night I got on a tangent reading up about Jehovah's Witnesses. I was already pretty 'schooled' on those crazy Mormons (I like to play guitar. I love to garden. My name is Lisa & I am NOT a Mormon!)

But JW's still eluded me. I grew up near one of their windowless chapels & knew ONE girl who actually went there. I knew they didn't do birthdays or Christmas, but that was really all I knew. Well, here's what I learned last night when I should've been asleep already:

1. JW's have predicted the coming of Christ like 5 times & keep getting it wrong. Their leader claimed it was for sure gonna happen in 1914--and when it didn't, he claimed it was an 'invisible coming' and that Jesus has actually already been here & back. Oh, they also fudged in 1973. Now, just for CYA strategy, their leaders claim "we don't know the exact date but it will happen soon."

2. They pretty much isolate themselves from all things government because it is "of the world." They don't vote. I suppose they DO pay taxes just to stay outta jail so that they can keep going to their windowless chapels.

3. Holidays are not acknowledged because they are also "of the world," thus no birthdays, Christmas, DEFINITELY no July 4. Oh, and Thanksgiving is actually pagan.

I know there's tons more, but that's enough of the iceberg for me to ask...why? Why do people subscribe to these types of groupthinks? I mean, I totally understand being raised in something & it just 'feeling' the most comfortable when it comes to your faith. I still feel such a natural sense of comfort when singing a capella music & hearing a man preach because my 'faith of origin' did not subscribe to instruments in church or women speaking (at all) at the pulpit. But those AT LEAST are based on super (duper) conservative interpretations of ACTUAL Bible verses. It's at least based off something (yes, if you are curious I'd gladly give ya the scriptures...I'll always give my childhood church tons of props for wanting their fold to be very schooled on the Bible).

Anyhoo, I am always super fascinated about learning why people devote their lives and their life choices to ideas & laws that men create. I think there is a sense of security. Wish they'd just give their insecurities straight to their God, their Creator. It's so less complicated. And you get to have a birthday. :)

Happy almost-Christmas!!

It is officially getting cold now. We get teased a lot here in Okie-land...sometimes seasons will extend & then BOOM we are hit with a flatbed truck of the next. I had the top on my convertible down just 3 days ago & now I sit here bundled up INSIDE because we can't find the tool we have to use to turn the floor furnace up higher....and it's about 35 degrees outside. But I'm cozy. :)

I'll be joining Laura and little Connor for church this morn, then promptly heading out to El Reno for my neighbor's wedding. Oh yea, better go run my song (First Time Ever I Saw Your Face) in a moment.

Yesterday was full of craziness...beginning with the the fact that my dad GAVE us a car! It's a 1999 Toyota Forerunner in excellent condition. He was ready to sell it & chose to bestow it on the Hubberts instead. We are very very excited about this because this is a blessing to us on so many levels. I like the sign he had next to the bow: Here's Your New (slighly used) Baby Buggie!! :)

That's really all I got. I could probably think of a tangent to go on, but I really need to boogie. Just thought I'd document a few things going on. Happy Sunday, stay warm!

Focus on the Positives

Here's my own personal exercise in positive focus. Because quite frankly I'm PO'd right now. I won't go into the efforts I put into getting us in the weatherization program thru OG&E. Three episodes of letting strange men into my home for assessments only to have it all not work in the end. ARgggghhh!

So, I'll take this moment (before I go work on Psychodiagnostics....for real!) to recount a little blessing yesterday. It'll seem so small to just write it, but in the moment it was huge!

Let me explain: I am a breakfast gal. Not a cornflake girl. (I love Tori!) No, but I have to have some hearty calories when I wake. It's the meal I count on for total day function. So, I've been working at the little Catholic school downtown, and the only part I detest is getting up & out on these now-chilly morns. I have savored not working full time for the first long period of time in my entire adult life...so staying cozy is my idea of a good morning.

Thus, my motivation to get out the door is leaving early enough to stop somewhere & grab a quick breakfast. It's usually a breakfast burrito somewhere.

There are only a few choices along my route...so while Mickey D's is not my ideal breakfast choice, their dollar burrito gets the job done. With a soda, of course. I was all the way through the line and at the window when I realized that my wallet was still in my schoolbag from yesterday & not in the purse I was toting! VERY very bad. Function was not possible.

I zoomed off to get to work after apologizing to the drive-thru lady. (maybe someone got to eat my order, so maybe good for them?)

I can do this, I can suck it up & not have any 'fuel' for the morn. Heck, I may eat kindergarten snack with the kiddos at 10:15. :) However, one of the teachers greeted me when I walked in with, "Mary works at Starbucks & brought us muffins today!" I wanted to hug her! Yes, I get breakfast after all! To celebrate I also poured a small cup of coffee (which I mostly avoid during preggo time).

The teachers at this school are truly some of the nicest women (ok, there's one man). They have treated me so kindly even though I'm just the random college student that comes in a few half days. Many of them don't even know exactly what it is I'm doing. (it's kinda "21 Jump Street" eh?) But they've included me in their fold right from the start. And the nuns are so sweet.

But on this particular day, they saved my sanity! Thanks! Hail Mary! (heehee)

"watching" TV

...because I really don't watch it in the traditional sense anymore. It's on, there's noise...but with computer on lap, I'm instead writing a blog, checking facebook, playing solitaire, paying bills, reserving library books, finding out the weather forecast, buying tickets to an upcoming event. You name it. I'm doing everything BUT keeping up with the (stupid) plotline of said sitcom. I suppose this is okay. But it really does make me stop & wonder....are we all (mostly all) changing the actual neurological course of our brains because of all the constant multi-stimulation we've got going on?

Yes, it is a struggle these days to go to a coffee shop to study & write a paper on my laptop withOUT stopping to access the internet. What was once thought as a study aid (get instant background facts! spellcheck!) has turned into one of the largest impediments to my studies. (Got to see if my friend wrote me back!).

And I know it's my own fault. The internet does not control me; I control it....right?

I am sure there are already some valid studies on this very psychological phenomenon...I've just no time to read them. I've got a status update or blog to write.

The Baby Section

I was caught offguard when it happened tonight. I was truly just trying to use some soon-to-expire coupons and load up on some recipe ingredients at the local supercenter. Yet a temptation I couldn't resist occurred after I grabbed my (couponed) Oxiclean. You see, the laundry detergent aisle is just across from...the baby section.

Oh, I've been to the baby section many, many times. It's often been in haste--hurrying with 4 pages of registry items in hand, trying to pick out just the right gift before I am late to the afternoon baby shower. I suppose for that purpose I've been visiting the baby section for the past 16 years (I became an aunt at 16, so I started young with the baby gifts!). And, yes, there were times when I wasn't in such a hurry and I'd linger & coo over those cute little bibs with just the right quip. And, tell me, does anyone have too cold a heart to not smile when you see those little shoes, even if you're merely passing by? Yeah, I've found joy in the baby section before, sometimes with a little bit of dreaming/fantasizing to boot.

Yet tonight was different. Really different.

I started out just wanting to get a better comprehension of what the giant boxes of Pampers were gonna be costing us. Then I started looking at all the expensive gear I'd need: strollers, playpens, carriers.

But that didn't overwhelm me just yet. Before I could get too caught up in number-crunching...a sea of blue caught my eye from the next row. Blue onsies, blue socks, blue bonnets, blue shorts. My eyes filled with tears almost instantly.

My little guy is gonna wear those.

I'm gonna be the mother of a precious little boy.

From there I was a blubbering baby myself. I waltzed on over to those little boy jeans & button-up oxford shirts and was at that point hoping no one was noticing me. If anyone would've strolled by it is quite possible I would've asked them for a hug. I had to call my friend, a mother of a 1-yr-old boy, and just lament about how exciting (and emotional) this was. "Is it normal that I'm getting like this, Laura?"

And of course she told me she was just as nutty once they found out their baby's gender.

I just needed a reality check. After all, I am aware that there are all kinds of crazy hormones racing through my system.

Hormones or not--I'm okay with getting a bit sentimental. I've waited a long time to be in the right 'place' to be a momma. Hand over the mom jeans & the cornball jokes...I want to join this club now.

I just can't wait to meet my little guy. I think I'm in love already. :)

cleaning

Yes, today I had the 'luxury' of having a free day to clean. I didn't get really far, but the kitchen was spotless, some (a little) laundry was folded, baby shower gifts ready & wrapped, and had dinner planned. Just call me Lisa Cleaver! Speaking of little wifeys, I did most of my 'cleaning' on the computer (lots of old documents wiped off) & came across some vows I had written. I totally forgot about these! I was probably in the midst of wedding planning & needed some comic relief. It is semi-mature content, and while I run the risk of a few young ones reading it, I am pretty sure Gena & Jenn are my only readers. And, even though I am a firm believer in trying to keep web content clean--thus my FB page & blog are always written with the kids in my life in mind--I will preface this excerpt with a newsflash: I've had sex. And if that shocks you, better ask mom or dad where babies come from. ;) Ok, the 'original' vows I wrote last spring:

I DO, AT LEAST 97% OF THE TIME:

VOWS OF A REALIST BRIDE

~I pledge to start the coffee in the morning, at least if I'm the first one out of bed in the morning. And I'm not running late for work. (It'll happen about twice a month, ok hon? Coffee's in the freezer, filter's on top left shelf).

~I pledge to shave my legs prior to sex at least once a month. But can we do a trade off here? I mean, come on, a scruffy face is so hard to work with during make-out sessions. You can seriously avoid my legs if you get creative....

~And while we're on sex, I vow to wear pretty lingerie every now and then. Guess I might as well get some use after the dirty shower my otherwise innocent friends threw me. But, babe, sometimes I'm gonna be in cut off sweat pants, my Young Life '97 sweatshirt, and mismatched socks. Just think of it the same way you do your beloved books: For the best ones, the cover is often way, way off base as to the content.

~So while we're visiting the status quo vow rhetoric, let's talk about “for richer or for poorer.” First, tell me what woman doesn't get a leeetle excited when she imagines loving her husband “for richer?” (Hey lady, you are lying if you just said you “honestly didn't care”). Yeah, I'm gonna love you either way, truly. But, honey, I have a feeling my love will be just a teensy bit sweeter if you are stashing away dough to help pay off my Masters Degree (that I probably won't ever get around to using) and to get Jimmy Jr. into an Ivy League. And for that vacation to Bermuda. Heck, for that cottage home in Bermuda. I love you.

~I pledge to support you as your life partner, your confidant, your friend. However, NOT as your cohort to that awful sci-fi/action flick that a studio just shelled out $80 million to produce. $80 million!! You know how many clean water projects could be generated in Africa? Ok, I know that is not your fault, you'd totally give $80 million to Africa if you had access. (**um, see previous vow before you do that...) I just would rather see that mindless chick flick at the auditorium next door. Call your brother, he misses you already.

~I vow to love your dog like she's my own. I guess she's mine now, too. I do not, however, vow to sweep up her hair after every indoor visit she gets to have. Vaccum's in the closet, to the right.

I love Monday this time 'round

Yeah, a lot of my obligations cancelled on me today....but I really enjoyed that because I got to have guilt-free 'me' time. I got to go to the park with Laura & Connor. I got lay in bed when my tummy hurt instead of "pressing on" through daily tasks. I can't lie, since preggo status I have way more guilt-free downtime. I remind myself that the baby WANTS me to rest. ;)

Discovered a great channel--34.2--for us non-cable people. I am determined to be a non-cable for as long as I can. Not just because it's silly expensive when I've found most people watch the major networks anyway. But it's true--TV rots your brain, and I try to contain the rotting to just a few prime choices. :) I digress. CoolTV is an HD channel on regular TV. Tons of 80s video. At this moment, I'm watching "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." Before that, saw the following: George Michael, Scorpion, Brandi Carlile (ok, not all 80s...but cool current stuff, too), and Warrant. Fun nostalgia! Crazy outfits! Untamed hair!

Tanner & I had a lovely 36 hours in Prague. We caught zero fish but it didn't matter. This week I look forward to-

-chipping a little more away at the Great Organization (aka prepare to start a nursery) project of Winter '10/'11.

-NOT going to class Wednesday. I love this so much more than I can explain.

-playing music for the kiddos of Children's Hospital on Thursday.

-baby shower Friday morn where I'll see some gals that I don't spend near enough time with.

-getting our rental car & leaving for St. Louis on Friday! I have not traveled far (not counting Rhome, Texas) since becoming preggo...so this is a big deal. This is coming from a gal who used to get restless if there was not a flight booked at least every 3 months to do something random. So, life's pace has changed a tad & I'll get excited just for a 7 hr drive to Missouri.

And that sums up the week. I'll watch my cousin get married and then come home to start a new week....and NEXT week is super super exciting for me. Can't WAIT!!!!

17 weeks!

Yes, today marks 17 weeks of being impregnated. Not a particularly significant portion of it I suppose....however, it is worthy to note that my energy level & overall 'feeling good' level increased dramatically about 1 week ago. Guess those silly little pregnant people books hold some worthwhile info.

I actually felt spot-on GOOD while playing a fun gig at Full Circle last night. Fun crowd, too! And since I feel a teeny bit like my old self, I'm more prone to adventure...

We are about to head to Prague....our little retreat when we just want to get away for a day/night. My aunt & uncle so generously gave me a key to the 'river house' they have on one of their fishing/cattle properties. It is in the middle of nowhere. The house is cute & clean & always stocked with fresh linens, toiletries, and coffee. And has a 50+ year old double oven that I can't even describe correctly, but it's the coolest thing I've ever cooked on. Oh, and the cows are always greeting us by the back porch in the morning. Forget the TV (because it don't work, yo)...coffee is best sipped while staring out at a large grassy field with lots of cows and birdies.

Sometimes we actually get around to fishing while we are there. ;)

Hallow WEAN

Wean, as in, today I entertained the thought that maybe this month I should wean myself off of giving in to EVERY single spontaneous craving I have just because I'm preggo. Don't misinterpret--no dieting or any ridiculous thing like that. But, for example, on the way home from Texas today we passed a Braum's billboard...and in that exact moment I HAD to have a chocolate ice cream cone. Had. To.

Of course, we passed a Braum's soon (and at least 7 more between Ardmore & OKC) and I got my fix. But the reality is that I wasn't even hungry. Just wanted it on a whim. I had already been to a DQ earlier that day. ;)

So...I seriously love the indulging lifestyle that your psyche automatically acclimates to when you learn you are "eating for two." But I don't anticipate a lot of joyous days of summer if I am trying to work off 70 extra pounds. :)

I did enjoy all the yummy snacks at the Halloween party. (hey, a gal's gotta find SOME kind of guilty pleasure to overindulge in at a house party, right?) There was guac, spinach-artichoke dip, pizza rolls, meatballs, cheesecake, various yummy homemade dips. Yup, other than my Whoopie Cushion debut, the highlight of my wild party night was trying dips. I will admit that it is quite fun to sit back & observe others who are overindulging in other ways. But truly not enough drama there, either. So this pregnant Whoopie Cushion retired to bed in the midst of the party (we were staying with the hosts) and went off to dreamland while the speakers loudly boomed a Pandora station--early 90s rap. I think I had dreams about the Humpty Dance and Rob Bass. Ah, well.

Thanks for a great weekend of Halloween-Texas style-Abe & Steph!

Blacklights & Boomers

I love, love, love Halloween. I think a lot of people do! I feel sorry for those kids who have super freaky parents who think they can't let their kids participate because it's the "devil's holiday." It truly is about fun, together-ness, and fall! For example, we had Scary Record Night at my mom's house the other night. Old 1970s records with spooky sounds & ghost stories. I hadn't heard some of them since I was a kiddo so it was crazy for me! I remembered it once they started up!

And although I didn't get any actual decorations this time around....(the fact that our garage sale crap is still littering the driveway/porch is scary enough)...I did purchase some blacklight bulbs & put them on the porch ceiling fan. Kinda creepy at night!

Of course, another sign fall is truly here is the fact that on Saturdays I have many loved ones that morph into different creatures. That is, Game Day completely inhabits their bodies. Ok, I cheer for both OU & OSU...I say "cheer" loosely because I often a)don't know what time either is playing b)don't know WHO they are playing and c)didn't attend either university. (there's a 10% chance I will study for my doctorate at OSU someday...)

Yet, it IS fun to hear one of your state teams is ranked #1. And I love that OSU has been on a huge winning streak. So, I say to my football-fanatic friends & fam: I truly am sorry about both losses yesterday. Ouch.

Just please don't get DEPRESSED over it. I actually know a few peeps that you don't even talk to for a few days after a loss. They have to reflect & have proper mourning time. Wow, imagine if people got that passionate about their God...or their principles...or civil rights. I guess a game where big burly men are scrambling for a leeetle bitty pigskin is just more...emotional. ;)

I jest. It's part of the fun of living in Oklahoma.

But here I am, typing in bed, eating some Raisin Bran, and delaying the fact that I've got MIDTERMS to study for today. Arrrgghh! I really love learning. Yet studying solely for the purpose of regurgitating it onto a scantron has never been interesting. Ah well, the hoops ya gotta jump...

Happy Sunday!

October is almost over, what?

And since Tanner & I will be going to Texas to stay with friends/relatives & attending their Halloween party....I actually bought a costume! I often just 'make' something really quickly, or just say "screw it" and put on one of my hippie skirts and call it a day. But, no, I went to an actual costume store & found a costume. This is tricky when you are beginning to show & you know in another week you'll only have a bigger baby bump. (man, if I were like 8 months along I have some hilarious ideas, darn it!).

So, the giant Woopie Cushion seemed like a good preggo pick. And I even asked a shop worker if there was a pregnant lady section. ;) I WILL tell you that I was offended. You may think it takes a lot to offend me but it really doesn't....when it comes to the derogatory profiling of women that our society is so good at mastering. (oh, and that many women allow with open arms).

See, the men's costume aisle had some clever, funny stuff. Ok, it also had some super dirty stuff. (don't ask about the fireman & where they put the hose). But the ladies aisle? EVERY costume was based on super short skirts, shirts made to have boobage spilling out, and fishnets. EVERY costume. They all screamed, "I don't have brains! But I have a nice rack & I'll gladly show you my goods!" With titles like 'Sexy Nurse' (ok, that's a classic) and 'Sexy Vampire' actually on the packages...it is obvious who creates the costume market. I'm not saying that adult costumes need to all be G-rated....but c'mon, give a gal a CHOICE here! Especially a pregnant one! IF WOMEN WOULD QUIT BUYING INTO THIS CRAP IT WOULD SUBSIDE.

So, yes, I am a Woopie Cushion (and that's how they spell it on the costume itself but I beg to defer that there's an 'H' in there) because it was one of the few choices I had that would not require me to show my boobs. Here it is. And believe me, I've got boobs, but think I'll keep them a little more secret. Maybe in a faraway land where women actually get equal pay as men for equal jobs...and less men in society leave their wives & children when they decide it's time to move on...I'll chill out a little more about objectification.

Phew, my ranting should probably be limited to one topic at a time...but if you are my Facebook friend you know I am on a rant about our upcoming Gubernatorial election. I've learned enough actual FACTS that lead me to believe it is my duty to get the word out that we have one narcissistic politician vying to be Oklahoma's first female governor.

I challenge anyone reading this to please do some reading (not just talking to your friends, including me) and learn for yourself why having Fallin win this coveted title is a very bad idea. Watch the debate at UCO...kfor has it posted. Here, I'll link it: click. It's really spotty at first. It takes a good 55 seconds to even show anything, but wait for it. Opening speeches immediately display the two very different kinds of women we have running this race. That ALONE sold me. :) Yet I'll save more specifics for another time because I may be up on my ranting quota today. Just call me Kelly Ogle & give me 2 cents. Ha!

~That Curl Girl

Things I've Meant to Write...

I've had some bits & pieces of thoughts over the past few weeks. Things I want to remember because they either a)make me smile or b)might make you smile. Things that remind me that, yes, we DO live in a sunny, funny world if we stop & look for it.

--ok, so about 3 weeks ago, I was having a stress-filled grocery store run. There are many reasons why it was more laborious than even the routine trip:

a)I'm preggers. Did I mention that yet? Oh, because I will like 46 more times in this blog alone. You see, I don't know if this happens to EVERYone, but my sense of smell is so heightened right now that the mere cracking of the refrigerator door sends whiffs to my nose that often make me lose my appetite. And I throw things out BEFORE they expire. So the grocery store is an extremely, shall we say, sensory experience. I find my gag reflex gets excercised well there, particularly walking past the bakery or the produce (don't ask why, I don't know!)

b) This was my third trip to a grocery store to find the ONE thing I wanted. I wanted, no I NEEDED snow crab legs. And everyone had king crab, but Noooooooo, not snow! So, finally found some (sub-par) legs & also grabbed a 12-pack...of root beer, silly! So juggling this in line & the guy in front of me is talking brilliantly fast in Spanish on his cell. He gets off & IMMEDIATELY grabs my 12-pck and sets it on the conveyor. Didn't even say a word. I felt so touched by this...I was honestly about to judge him (cell phone talkers in line? arrgghh) and he instead shed a bright spot on my mini craving/crisis and actually made me feel like humanity as a whole just scored a big, fat point. I thanked him. He smiled & in perfect, dialect-free English: "Man, I can't stand that when I'm holding something heavy in line!" He waved to me & left. Not a flirty wave, a kind happy wave. I told the cashier (as she punched the crab leg code into the register) that he just totally made my day.

---I was sick in bed on my official first day of my second trimester, which was last Friday. And that was supposed to be a "crossing of the threshold" of sorts. I've heard rumors--nasty, false rumors--that you SUDDENLY, magically feel 110% better when you hit trimester dos. Ok, so I have a nasty head cold & my husband is outta town instead. He was gone for 4 days floating the gorgeous Buffalo River with his BFF and his fiance. It was a trip that I was to go on with them (they wanted us 4 to do an engagement trip with them) but when I got preggo we decided that me in remote, cell phone-free locations canoeing and camping was not the best idea. Did I mention I also have high anxiety & am a hypochondriac? So...barely getting to talk to Tan & wishing I was there. On the flipside, once I got well, it was kinda fun to suddenly have all this time to myself...going to sit at coffee shops & being silent for hours. I know I can do that whether my husband is in town or not, but there's something totally different about truly being "on your own" for a few days. I had a very rich, independent, long singlehood...so this side of myself is super fun to revisit.....but I missed Tanner a ton & I was almost NERVOUS the night he was to come home. I didn't want to bombard him. I just cooked him a little dinner & planted a wet one on him. (He looked hot & rugged & tan after his Tom Sawyer-esque adventure). And I'll end there, I promise, but it reminds me that I love BOTH sides of myself....the cooking wifey and the adventurous solo chick. Never wanna lose either one!

*I have more vignettes about the life & times of a grad schoolin', baby-growin', newlyweddin', guitar-slingin' gal from Okie City...but it's bubble bath time for this kindergarten-teaching (my current clinical assignment for my autism program) gal & my feet ache for the warm (yes, only warm) water! I'll return again, my lovlies!

~That Curl Girl

Rainy Sunday Fun

I just polished off some chicken tacos from Chili's-To-Go. It may be our 5th take-out meal in 3 days. Yes, the stove & fridge (& really most of the kitchen wares) are located in the dining room right now. But I ain't complaining....Tanner is doing a killer tile job in there right now. Woo hoo! Been waiting for this one. :)

I played at the lovely Chapel Creek Winery for most of the afternoon yesterday. Amazingly mild temps of 75-ish the whole freakin' time! Nevermind the wind, I can't complain. A lovely afternoon, including a cruise home with the top down, and then found Tanner and Kevin working so hard on the huge task that is the kitchen. And Kevin...he just gives of his time like that. He has to work weekends, but he arranged to work Sunday (today) so that he could help tile Saturday. The boy will pitch in like that for us all the time. Generous friend!

The motivation to clean & arrange things in the house today is very very slim. Rainy Sunday= reading & facebooking in bed. Yeah, I said it. I need to be honest with my little blog & just say that my name is Lisa Curl and I am addicted to Facebook. The hope would be that I actually do plunge into this book more. I am on page 57 of "Water for Elephants" and it's just not workin' for me. Anyone read the whole thing? Give me some reviews.

Ok, off to eat grapes & lay around!!

Church Girls...

Click on the title above...great article!

Very interesting. I do believe that it makes a few solid points...and any female raised in the church at all, like me, probably relates.

I think us females have to really work to overcome this "passive aggression" that we are taught is virtuous from a young age.

Sun-day

Yes, it is a very sunny Sunday. And even though the barometer crept back up to the high-90s range...we got a little "teaser" fall for a few days and there's no going back. Everyone 'round here is in the autumn-football-raking spirit. Bring it on, I love it! I'm not even a huge sports fan, but the idea of football starting up excites me. Heck, I am a proud UCO Broncho these days so I just may go to a game this season.

Speaking of, my aunt gave Tanner and me Redhawks tickets for tomorrow night. That should be fun! Hope it's not hot hot hot heat. ;)

(English lesson #24: "Tanner and me" is correct. If you ever doubt that rule while writing, drop the first name and then say it: "My aunt gave me...". You are welcome).

Yesterday...good times. Lunch with Lindy & Nova. These girls are just, plainly put, wonderful. I feel like I learn how to be a better human just being in their presence. Get down to it, you could say that about all of my nearest/dearest. If there's one thing I'm smart about it's this: surround yourself with people who inspire you to be better yet also love you wherever you are at. I thank God (quite often, actually) that He put peeps like that around me. They are family to me.

After our long, laughter-filled lunch, I met Tanner at my mom's house. Lindy joined us. Believe it or not, I don't go there often. When I head to Edmond to see the fam, I often end up at Amy's because my mom is always there babysitting. ;) So, it's almost like a time warp when I go. Lindy felt the exact same way. Being that from kindergarten to 3rd grade she walked over to my house (yes, back then little ones could walk a block or two without a crime worry...) at least 2 times a week. My mom has always kept a very immaculate and very cozy home. I am so glad she didn't sell the place, as she almost did shortly after the divorce. Anyway, Tanner and my bro raked leaves and us 3 girls sat in the front room and chatted. It was fun. My mom has always lit up around Lindy, which I love. My mother needs that!

Then I made a short jaunt to Amy's and not too soon after...I was exhausted. A very social day for me. Yet very fun. I am truly a "people" person (except when I'm not) and people give me energy. Relationship is key.

32

It's August 26th. Day after my birthday & I can look back already and say this birthday was, hands-down, the best birthday ever. Nevermind that I had to go sit through a 3-hr night class before I could go to dinner, this birthday rocked. And I don't have time to go into details, gotta get ready here in a second to return to UCO for more learnin'.

And the party ain't over yet! I love that I have some seriously awesome gal pals that are big on showering friend's birthdays with dining out. I've got a birthday lunch Saturday, a Red Cup brunch Sunday, and 2 other birthday lunches next week. Yes! Thank you, thank you, friends! OH, and Gena, I'm not forgetting to mention the creme brulee. That is our little special treat for birthdays that we've been squeezing in the mix since college. :)

~from your older-not-so-wiser CurlGirl

Just keepin' record...

I want to remember this "season" in my life, so although there's not too much to write home about, gonna blog about what is going on the past couple o days.

Well, let's see...tonight I played in the Bricktown Unplugged Festival. All proceeds go to the Alzheimer's Association and I love that! Sunday is the last day; that's tomorrow, peeps. So ya got one more day to check it out and Travis Linville is tomorrow afternoon. He rocks! (my plug to my 3 loyal readers...)

So, I had fun, didn't think I did super hot because they were filming & that always makes me overanalyze my lyrics, my tone, etc. But Kevin claims it's the best he's ever heard me. (He's a also a very loyal friend, so who knows?)

Tan & I used one of the last restaurant.com coupons we'll probably ever have (thanks, Steve & Laura!) because there seems to be a hitch with most of them these days. "Oh, sorry, we don't take those anymore..."

But they took it at Brix & we dined like royalty on a Chili's-esque kinda tab. Not that Brix is fancy cuisine. It's a frickin' sports bar with about 30 TVs and about 15 Lazy Boys....seriously. But they do make a delicious steak so we both ordered the best they had.

After that we mosied over to the Mantel. My friend Camille Harp was playing. And I mean friend in the sense that tho we don't get to see each other outside of gigs often, we always have great conversation when we do & I think she is a genuine, fun gal with a beautiful voice to boot. We didn't stay long...Tanner felt stuffed. The stuffed where ya just wanna hang out at home in your pjs. :)

What else? I start my classes this week. I am so pumped to finally have my advisor/department chair for an actual class. This woman is about as golden as they come and I can't wait to learn from her. She has her heart & her head in the right place when it comes to child advocacy & I have a feeling she is going to teach me so very much. I also start a class called ABA that I anticipate will be very hard. It begins a 5-class group that I will do over the next two years that specifically explores autism. I'll be getting a specialization in it when all is said & done. I'll also be serving clinical hours for the class. I'm nervous about that. I feel very comfortable with the population I've been serving for a while (teens, home life strife, mild disabilities, social/life skills-centered) but elementary-aged autistic children will be a new experience for me.

And of course it is back-to-school season...which also means birthday season! I've already got a double date on my Bday night (after I get outta class at 7:15!) and my friend Sarah just asked if she could treat me to sushi the night before...well, of course!

I've read so many books this summer, and as soon as I finish this post up, I'll start a new one tonight. Just finished a suspense-filled book called "Secrets of Eden" and although it was well-written throughout, I felt the author let me down at the end. It was the whole "let's twist this just to twist it" kinda ending that I didn't feel was warranted due to the lack of any decent foreshadowing. Now I'll read a no-brain, summer romance just to say goodbye to summer. Of course it is called, "A Summer Affair." (yes, I know you must underline for book titles; I loved that portion of 6th grade English...but I just don't care in the blog. Capeesh?)

The last 4 books I've 'rented' have all been librarian recommendations. I figured there is no one better to ask! I tried to verbalize the types of books I was looking for. But that is like trying to describe your "perfect man" long before you've ever met him (yes, cuz we all find someone perfect in the end, right? heehee). You really have no idea what you are wanting until you dive in & invest some of your time/energy.

And unlike life partners, you need not settle for one book. Read several at a time for the rest of your life if you want! :)

~That CurlGirl

Tom Ka Gai

Who is this Tom guy, you ask? Only the one antidote I turn to when my tummy is giving me trouble. The "chicken soup for my digestive soul," if you will. Tom completes me.

No, Tanner need not worry...I, of course, am merely talking about a type of coconut milk soup that I have been having quite often this summer. Actually, during the school year as well! I have had the great fortune of working literally smack dab in the Asian district of OKC the past 3 years....thus I feel safe to say that I can tell you the best place for Thai, the best Pho in town (in orders 1, 2, & 3), and which buffets actually give you the best bang for your buck (and are MSG-free!). So, Tom Ka Gai became this thing that seemed to creep it's way into my diet. I swear to you it has healing powers. ;)

So, tonight I decided I'd make it from scratch at home. And I also added the twist of using all organic and/or free-range ingredients. While buying all the ingredients organically was costly on the front end, over the long haul....it's gonna be cheaper this way.

I am not going to pretend that I am some all-organic gal. If you hang around me at all, you know that that is NOT true! However, I've had to reshape some thinking this summer. Considering I almost had surgery but changing my eating habits, along with a medication, has literally helped me "dodge that bullet," I will go online now to say that I hope to research & learn more about the food I eat. I'll never swear off soda totally. I'll never claim to be process-free for life. But I can make small changes. And I truly believe food can BE our medicine for many, many things. My hope is that in the next 4 months I will not need my medication for my acid reflux and gall bladder at all, merely because I am not putting tons of toxins into my body. Have you seen "Food, Inc"? Crazy, crazy stuff... I digress...

So with thanks to the knowledgeable staff at Forward Foods, the lovely Asian District, and my husband (who wonders why it smells so funky in the kitchen now), I present to you the link to a soup recipe that proved to be a winner. I just ate a steamy bowl & LOVED every bite.

click for recipe

I also read some of the feedback/reviews before making it. The first review has great advice. He/she called this recipe a "mock" Tom Ka Gai, and I believe it. Or, rather, we should call this "Tom Ka Gai for Beginners/Whities Such As Me." I imagine the Real McCoy has at least 10 more secret spices in it.

I, along with others, wanted more lime.

(I tell ya, someday I hope to write a cookbook with "lime" in the title.)

So I doubled the lime part. It was maybe a tad too much. I also added more coconut milk than the recipe called for, only because I wanted more in volume---I predict I'll have this for lunch over the next 4 days or so.

I cut back a tad on the tumeric. Research the health benefits of this Eastern spice & you will want it in there even though it does take the color from a pure white to a golden yellow.

I also am not a huge cilantro fan, but found it was just not gonna be complete without adding it at the end. Oh, and the only other "tweek" I did was instead of vegetable oil, I used coconut oil. That was merely my preference because of my sensitive digestive system.

If you aren't ready to plunge into this recipe, go to your favorite Thai place & order a bowl. See if it is love at first sip for you the way it was for me. It may not be your thing...heck, Tanner grilled a juicy steak while I made this soup because he is not a fan of most of my Eastern obsessions. ;) But that is one of our many yin/yangs and the reason we work.

Just let me know what you think with a lil' old comment if you do try this recipe!

~That CurlGirl

Quote of the Morn

The first thought running through my head at 6 am today:

"To pee or not to pee, that is the question."

Dorky, I know, but this is a true account of the actual silly things that pop in the ol' noggin'. On a regular basis. If you are my friend, this should not shock you.

You see, I often wake up far earlier than I want to (why wake when I am childless, it's summer, and I don't have to?) merely because the ol' bladder is uncomfortable. (I didn't say gall bladder, don't let your eyes glaze over yet!)

If I can just lay there & turn my mind away from waterfalls and such, I can usually drift back in la-la land another hour or so. If I allow myself to get up & make it to the loo...I often find I am up for good. I don't want to start my day at 6 am. Not when I am usually turning off my reading lamp at 1 am or so.

Yet this morning the early rise was a good thing...I started coffee for my husband. I helped him pack a lunch for work. We also had a few leisurely minutes to just hang out in bed.

I wanted to just pamper him a bit because I was feeling good for the first time in days (the pain literally cycles) AND he was extra sweet yesterday.

Two nights ago, I hit a breaking point. I had had a so-so afternoon pain-wise, but when I got to my friend Laura's and realized they were scrambling to find a sitter just so they could grab a meal with her soon-to-be-in-labor sister, I felt good enough to jump in and say I could do it. In fact, I was quite joyous to do it! Connor is about as sweet as they come and I love hanging with that little guy! However, my pain started coming on while I was there and the guilt I felt for having to let Connor cry in his bed so he'd go night-night coupled with my pains was not pretty. Tanner came over and really helped me. My sister-in-law & her hubby called not long after I got home...I was exhausted, I was hurting. They wanted to know if I could watch the boys (my 3 nephews) during lunch the next day.

If it weren't for my immediate pain then and there, I would have had a hard time saying no. I LOVE those boys and normally would be glad to do it. But never knowing when I'm going to feel like crap, commitments have become very, very difficult for me.

So, gave my 'no' and called it a night. Except a huge wave of frustration/guilt/depression flooded me suddenly. I was so tired of this pain controlling my actions, my promises, my LIFE. I had to let the floodgates open....I sobbed like a baby a good 15 or so.

Now, Tan didn't even hear or see that; he was out in his "man cave" working.

But little did I know he was also online ordering me a dozen multi-colored roses to be delivered the next day.

I found them in a box on the porch yesterday when I got home. I mean it, the flowers instantly lifted my spirits and made me feel a million times better. A wave of deep-seated love for him rushed over me when I read the card. It's true, gestures like these are classic for a reason. A girl loves LOVES flowers. Especially the unexpected, just-because-I-love you kind.

I will keep my promise, dear reader...

...and find things to write about BESIDES my gall bladder. Ok, I'm not in terrible pain at this exact moment (tho that could easily change) so I will just jot down a few other things I like to think about these days. Hmmm:

1. I love making a to-do list on a small dry erase board. It's my new thing. I couldn't keep up with those stupid paper lists & besides, now I'm saving a tree, right? Ok, so not that much...

2. We got an above ground pool over the weekend...not talking huge, but not talking tiny either. Now, before you start thinking, "Wow, them there Hubberts-uh sure done good for themselves! Al-be-dern!"...you just know that you gotta work hard to achieve these goals. I am not in my 104th semester of higher learning for nothing, people!

3. The above ground pool is 3 1/2 feet deep. We don't have children. Yes, it was my next step after the dog chewed my kiddie pool. Yes, I did have a kiddie pool. And I loved it a lot. It will take time, but I will make room in my heart for the new one.

4. I finally got a few wedding photos framed. Just a few. And that was only because we had outta town guests & I had to make some quick "make our little bungalow seem a tad more homey" decisions. I still have SO much I want to order but the task is daunting to my wee brain.

5. The finale of the Bricktown fireworks show was super amazing last night! Kinda cerebral (does that mean kinda spooky/spacey/other-worldly? too lazy to look it up). See, there was zero wind & all the smoke stayed hovering, so when more lights flashed it had this eerie "peeking through the clouds" look. Neat.

6. I ran into a former student right as the finale ended. I had him as a 6th grader & now he's almost driving. He was just as sweet as ever. Moments like those are surreal when you are under the false pretense that you are still young & no where CLOSE to middle-aged. ;)

7. I just finished a thick book (due to being in bed a ton for pain that I promised not to talk about...) that was fascinating. Tanner & I enjoyed discussing the subject matter. I like when we take time to sit around & just have philosophical discussion. Moms, will he & I lose that when we have kids some day?

8. Speaking of kids, got a friend that should be having her baby this week. There are 2 ways she is going old school: 1. no predetermined birthday, no inducing, just good ol' fashioned water breaking at some unexpected moment. 2. they are not finding out the sex ahead of time. So, it's just all a big surprise....kinda fun. I will say that it has left a blank on what I want to buy her...I'm usually quite gender-specific in baby gifts.

That's a wrap. Yay, I do have other things to talk about! Was not really sure anymore. Toodles!

~Lisa

The Email I Wrote My 2 Wonderful Band Mates Tonight

So, my little band/musical project that gigs 3x a year/jam buddies and I TRY to meet on Thursdays. All 3 of us have had very eventful lives over the past 6 months, to say the very least. We all try to be understanding when someone has to bail. But my bailouts (funny word now, eh?) are far too frequent this summer....and we even have an actual gig in 10 days. So I felt the need to fill them in with some candor and a hint of humor. Glad I can do that with them! Here:

Hey guys!

I was working today (at a youth camp at my school) and an 'attack' came on...I tried, I tried, I tried to not cry. But I broke down....not just over the pain (tho that was a huge chunk of it).

I cried because I am tired of not knowing when/how it is going to start, tired of having to seem flakey to people because I can't make 100% plans anymore, tired of not having anything to say in a conversation that's not about my digestive system. Tired of WAITING for the stupid test #2.

So you know what I did? I called that freakin' hospital & said, "I am in PAIN. Bad. I can't wait until next TUESDAY for my hydroscan."

A few details worked out later & I am now testing this Friday...in 2 days...yay! It doesn't mean I'll know anything then. It does mean that I will get the ball rolling on finding out.

The downside to that with band practice is that for all of Thursday, no MEDS to prep me for the test. Especially pain pills. And Hydrocodone has been my best friend for the past 48 hours. So if I am having a flare-up, I will be moaning & groaning in bed. OH, I will also be starving & thirsty (no food or drink come evening). I know, you wonder why I don't channel the energy into some music, eh?

I will let you guys know if I am not feeling so hot tomorrow. Every day it's different. Think of my digestive system like the Oklahoma weather system.

Your "flakey" friend & bandmate, Lisa

PS: to the bloggers, not the band....next blog is not about the gall bladder. Deal? Deal!

The Wild Times of June '10

As if the hail storm did not already add craziness to this newlywed couple's first few months together.... the school year ended & the crazy escalated.

As all you Oklahomans know...our lovely hailstorm was followed by a flood. As in, people were starting to wonder if Noah was about to float by. Thankfully, we had no giant holes in the roof that caused leakage in the house. But my little car did get ankle-deep water in the floorboards (ah, the prices you pay for a fun convertible).

So, we had a nightmare of a time with our insurance check that we finally got for all of our hail damage to the house. Note to self (and you, dear reader): Insurance checks MUST have a third-party signature. As in, my bank (which is also my home loan provider) should have signed the check. The check bounces that followed that check return were ugly. I couldn't get all the fees fixed, but thanks to my former show choir buddy who is now VP of my bank...I got some expenses recouped. (and rightfully so, don't you agree?)

Ah, and that takes us to the Stomach Mystery of 2010.

Ok, so I've been having weird stomach issues since oh, mid-March. But nothing that i couldn't suck up & handle. Besides, I was too BUSY to put much thought into it. Yet come late May....when the wedding hub-bub was over, when my job was over....it's like my body finally said, "Finally, now I can show you the state I'm REALLY in!" (isn't that the way it goes?)

I was having enormous, horrible pains after I ate. Yes, almost every meal. It didn't get truly bad until our honeymoon. That's right, folks: I had some very UN-romantic problems on my HONEYMOON. Seriously?

The pain got worse when we returned so I finally went to a general practitioner. (I had been in Urgent Care a few weeks prior...they said I had a "bug that was going around," gave me antibiotics, and sent me on my way)...so I wasn't totally neglecting this. But see, I haven't had a family doctor since I was a kid. Did you just gasp? Cuz apparently I'm not alone: I was trying to get referrals from responsible, educated adults...and many told me that they did not have one either. I've had the same OB/GYN since I was 16. And I love him! (Yes, a 'him.') And my dentist has taken care of these pearly whites since I was about 12. I love him, too! So, the need never arose for a good ol' fashioned MD. I recall a few visits to a general doctor in high school...and that was only because it was my boyfriend's dad and I had found a little lump. (that was potentially awkward, huh?)

I love my allergy doctor, too. I make him laugh.

And I had a great surgeon during the Appendix Eruption of 2005.

But honestly establishing a doctor had never seemed a high priority. Not to mention in my early 20s I couldn't even pick a state to stay in. ;)

So, with this new gastrointestinal issue....I felt the need to form a doctor/patient relationship. And I am semi-satisfied with who I'm using during this issue. I, quite frankly, have some biases on doctors to begin with. These prejudices are mostly due to a) bad experiences of waiting in 3 different rooms to see a doc and then having him/her breeze by for like 5 minutes and b) oh yeah, the cocky doc I dated a few years back.

I must tell that story. It's a good one.

See, I was at a point in my life when I dated Dr. Ego that I was not interested in commitment. I had come out of a "relationship" with a jealous, quite mad person...and I just wanted to see what else was out there. So lots of casual dinner dates & the like. Some I kept around for 4 or 5 dates. He was one of them.

He also wanted to get all serious on me & Lisa was not having it. So...when I tried to be a grown-up and end it very amicably (it's never quite possible, eh?), I told him that I wanted to continue to see other people.

He leaned back & smiled, "Ok. I'm not worried."

"Huh?" I mean, I was glad he was taking it well...but the smug grin? What?

"You'll be back. I'm a doctor."

Wow. Simmer on that one a moment. What do you think little Lisa did? Of course! NEVER called him back.

Now, just to be fair, he claims he was joking....but we all know the true psychology of jokes.

Ok, so dating aside, I am seeing someone.....a family doctor. Actually, I tend to see his wife more....she is a Nurse Practitioner & she truly is the people-person between them. She rocks!

And so the doctor is "suspicious of my gall bladder." I've come clean on Test #1-- the gallstone test. Up next: The Function Test. Apparently, I'll be drinking this radiation liquid & they will watch my gall bladder while I lay still on a table for 3 hours. Oh goody. So, while my gall bladder may be thoroughly examined...I may very well get cancer from the radioactive fluid runnin' through my digestive tract. ;)

Ah, the joys of being a science experiment.

All joking aside....I am thankful that I'm seeing 2 professionals right now that are listening to me & actually trying to help me get answers. And I am thankful to God EVERY SINGLE DAY that I get through without pain. (a low-fat diet seems to help the pain subside).

If you pray, add me to the list while I figure out what my insides are trying to tell me. ;)

Hope you had as much fun reading this one as I did writing it. See you later, gator~ Lisa

update on an update

so the sushi/tummy ache combo was not a great idea. but to set the record straight, i had only gotten past my soup when i began to feel very, very ill. that humiliating feeling when you know you must depart from all human contact at ONCE. my understanding friend helped me get it to go, we quickly tabbed out, and raced me home.

a few hours & couple of panic attacks later....i thought i was dying folks....my neighbor took me to Urgent Care. tan was at a friend's so i called to let him know. the verdict:

a bacterial infections of the intestines. a parasite in my belly.

ok, i don't eat dirt or raw sewage on occasion.

where the crap did i get bacteria?

all i know is the nausea & infection meds are trying to work some magic. but i still feel very leery of most foods.

rumor has it that something of the stomach virus nature is going 'round. i guess since i work in schools, these things are bound to attack me from time to time.

Happy Wednesday. Hope yours is better than mine!

update:

Here's a short list of thoughts-

-my tummy hurts. but i'm still going to eat sushi.

-just learned via video message that one of my sister-in-laws is preggers. yay! sunny & mike make beautiful babies. this will be number 3. they live in little rock.

-it's hot outside.

-laundry vs. lisa. laundry is winning.

-i've got to learn some ani difranco songs for an upcoming wedding gig. who'duh thought?

-i popped a small capillary in my eye. perhaps too much facebooking/emailing? ;) laura took a weird pic...i put it up here but then took it down because tanner said it was "very disturbing." comment me if you really want to see it.

(ahhh, the things I'm doing to get comments...)

Gettin' Some Love

With a title like that, who could resist this blog...right?

Yes, I'm wanting some blog love. Not a ton or anything. Just a comment now & then. ;) See, I knew for sure 3 people read. But I found out running into an old college aquaintance (who is super cool & wish I'd known her better back then!) that she blog-stalks me. Are there others?

Come out, come out, where ever you are!

Show a Curl Girl some love. Not a lot, just a, "Hey, yeah, I know what you mean!" once in a while. You can't blogstalk & not have SOMEthing to say. ;)

I've said in the past that this blog is merely for my own way to record my life's history. And it is. But I have an ego, too, ya know. It needs to be fed. (heeehee)

I think my blogs are too long. Yeah, that's what it is. To please my 'audience' I'll wrap this one up here. I'll also have my techie husband teach me how to add pics to further the entertainment value.

Wait...I can do this....I'm not totally idiotic..... YAY!!! I did it!! The pic above is the postcard/wedding invite we sent out in April. It's taken while we lay on a railroad track.

I love summer already!

So much to say...

...hey, I wrote a song with that title once!

There are so many things to recap about the past week. This will be more of a stream-of-conciousness writing I suppose. But I'll try to start from the top:

-Sunday morning. Appropriately, I was watching my FAVORITE show on television--CBS Sunday morning. I don't always wake up in time, but thankfully I did this particular week. A great bio on a groundbreaking actress, Lena Horne. An interesting story about a woman who committed a crime in her teens & has now been locked up for decades. The story is bittersweet when you hear it all. And then, just when my attention was waning, an unassuming little piece about a mail delivery woman who decided to skydive for her 54th birthday. I've not learned the fancy-pants art of posting links yet..help me, Tan?...but here is the URL to copy & paste:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6489136n&tag=cbsnewsVideoArea.0

You must take the 3 minutes to watch. I had tears streaming down my face. Haven't been that moved, well, maybe ever. This story is human compassion to its fullest.

-later Sunday morn: Tan was sick, I was already in full swing & decided to have some quality family time. I went to church with my sis, her hubby, and her 3 kids. I love those girls so much that it hurts, and it was wonderful to hang with them. Two-year-old Aubrey was in a tutu. ;) And Ryann, my 11-yr-old niece, and I have a special bond. She loves music, she's a sucker for animals, and she is just about the coolest kid I know. After a quick lunch at "Mema's" she begged to come home with me. But of course! We'll have a lazy afternoon in the garden, playing guitar. Boy was I wrong...

-3 pm, Sunday. We knew the sky was acting funny. Kinda that exciting moment when you know something was going down. Mom called to warn about a hail storm. Baseball size. Yet, it swept through Edmond with rain, wind, and pea-sized ice. No biggie. We are in Oklahoma & we are used to that. Ryann & I closed the shed, the (converted, unusable garage) and literally within one minute of being inside....the crazy began. In all of my days I have never seen a storm like this. The three of us watched in the window as pea-sized, then golf-sized, and yes, BASEBALL-sized hail began plummeting to the ground. Quickly, it became evident that this was extremely dangerous. We gathered in the hallway to avoid all windows and soon after we began hearing glass break. Our roof sounded like about 50 elephants were stomping on it in anger. I actually got scared. Me, a gal who looks forward to the crazy Oklahoma springs. But this was no joke. I tried not to think about our two cars out there in the madness....but I KNEW they were toast. Ah, Mom was right! For once, I should've listened to her overdramatic warnings! It took about 15 minutes for it to be safe to go outside & survey the damage.

And boy, was it morbid.

Dead birds, broken glass, tons of green leaves, and hundreds of "baseballs" littered our yard. Ryann captured it all on film. There was nothing to do but be thankful we were all ok and listen as sirens began to sound around the neighborhood. We checked on our dear neighbor, also a Lisa, to make sure she had stayed safe. The aftermath is that there are now TONS of roofing contractors driving around, coming to our door, and putting up signs. Yes, lots of construction will be happening in the Crown Heights area this summer. Tanner & I are sick that we only had liability on both cars...but we'll make it work. It may very well mean that our honeymoon is going to be looking a little different this summer. But as neighbor Luke (and dear old Mom) said, "Twenty years from now we'll tell our children about the crazy hail storm right after we got married."

--That takes us to Monday. The first day of the last week of school. I knew it would be hectic. But I told myself that the kids come first...paperwork, office inventory.....that can all be done next weekend & such. I wanted to spend this week celebrating the wonderful teens that I've been blessed by the past few years. They have taught me, the teacher, so much. As described in previous posts, kids can do amazing things. OH, reminds me, I was emotional at high school graduation. Think I already wrote about that. ;)

-And now it's Friday. Went to 8th Grade Promotion to send off some kids I love dearly. See, I started at my school by doing damage control. A crazy teacher that needed to go left the 6th grade team in January. Misti called me --we hardly knew each other then, weird!---and asked if I'd be interested in finishing the year. I didn't know if I could. I'd never been anything but a Special Ed teacher, and at an alternative school, mind you. But I gave it a whirl. I was at a weird place in my life 3 years ago, and the toils of self-employment were wearing me down. I needed to get back into something "bigger than myself."

That first year was tough as a regular teacher. I suddenly had 130 kids to teach & empower in less than 4 months. My class was called "Explore" & focused on character, finances, the arts. I told Misti, "I am going to be pulling ideas out of the blue... just wait!" And we read books (how I heart "The Outsiders"), wrote songs, did mini-plays....anything to keep me above water that semester! Regular teaching is tough. Yes, special ed has tons of paperwork & legalities...but I forever commend the teachers who are in charge of 100+ students every day. Wow! But from that job, I moved on to being their high school special services provider. More my bag. But, boy, there were many challenges there! I'll save the details for another day. :) I just know that I found a passion inside myself I never knew I had. Yes, God did have purpose for me. My job was to help "bridge" the high school and post-high school experience for kids with disabilities. I am not done yet. I'm furthering my education so I can get even more into this important & interesting field. I can't wait to be a school psychologist....but it'll be a while. :)

So tonight I watched students I taught in 6th grade, and also taught about 20 in 7th grade in a leadership/music class, finish the 8th grade. I was proud of all of them! There's a few I got very close to that I will miss so much!! Of course, they've promised to keep me posted.

Afterwards, I stopped by the Regester's to hold my new nephew & play with Jonas & Jaxton, my other nephews. I have "inherited" the best new family. We played harmonicas and sang songs on the porch while my sis-in-law rocked the baby in the swing. It is exciting to think that these people are my family now. We have years of memories still ahead.

--And looking ahead to the NEAR future, I play music at the Oklahoma chapter of the Huntington's Disease Foundation annual dinner tomorrow. It is such a great event. Sunday, Tan & I drive to a vineyard in El Reno to play at a wine fest.

Life is busy. Life is sweet. Always like looking on the sunny side. No time wasted on anything else. Life is too short! ;)

Good weekend (so far)

...And I write that title not with a hint of pessimism, but merely because it is only Saturday night. Still a big day tomorrow!

Last night, I watched several kids that have won my heart this year graduate from high school. Sometimes I am still perplexed to think that I am now one of the "adults" that possibly influences a student's life. I still feel like a kid in so many ways!

But I sucked back a few tears like a proud momma as many kids that I've really bonded with walked across that stage. It only made it sweeter that it was the stage of the same church that I just said my wedding vows in a mere month ago.

I sang the National Anthem to a packed St. Luke's room and I got a tad nervous. But that worked out just fine. It was a small part of a ceremony that hopefully marked the beginning of many wonderful stories yet to unfold. There are many:

-the girl who came to this country without yet speaking the language, only to address the crowd with her Salutatorian speech,

-the often-shy, very kind-hearted boy who finally found a voice and asked me for help when working on his college enrollment

-the girl who, when first meeting me as her Special Ed teacher, told me she was going to drop out because she was "too stupid" to graduate

-the young man who is often "missed in a crowd" that I've seen do more kind things for others this year than most of us do in a lifetime.

Yes, teaching high school has the perk of getting to see them through at "the end." Yet it is truly just the beginning.

Tonight, Laura & I played a gig that was so fun. It was a small crowd at the bookstore, but I think we thrive in that scenario. We tried new songs, we told lame jokes, and we embraced the fact that our friendship is only enhanced by our love of music. We really get to share something special by sharing song.

Afterwards, my dearest friends came over to watch my wedding video and see pictures. Mimosas, chocolate, taquitos, and lots of laughter. I have the greatest friends in the world & I feel lucky that they all love hanging out together. We will do that again, hopefully many times this summer.

And now, my husband and I are stealing a few quieter hours together, enjoying the rain and, obviously, a little computer time.

Is this the best time of my life? Probably so.

Teenagers can do amazing things.

Get the cookies & the kleenex...this is a long one:

I don't know what it is about spring time...but something suddenly changes besides the flowers, leaves, and temperature. People seem to have a new zest for life. I know I do.

Yes, I am a newlywed so this spring is extra special....and yes, I am leaving my beloved little job soon so I am extra emotional...but really touching things are happening all around me.

First, let me tell you about Linh (I'm using names here because I have about 3 readers).

Linh is an amazing senior girl that I just got to know in the past 7 months. I don't have her for a student...she is far from the kind of students I work with. She is class president, she takes hard classes like Calculus, she plans nearly every event at school.

On a crazy whim, I saw an ad on TV for the KOCO Free Ride Scholarship. The moment I saw it I KNEW I had to nominate her. I've seen the girl at school at ALL hours either painting signs, hanging posters, typing essays, or doing homework. Oh yeah, all with a smile. I knew she was special.

So...I began "interviewing" her teachers to learn more. The deadline for all the paperwork was January. Over the holiday break, I read essays her English teacher gave me, essays she had written about her life for other scholarships, and many times chills ran down my spine.

Did I mention that she immigrated to our country with VERY little ability to speak the language and in extreme poverty?

Once all the info was gathered, I sat down to compose an essay that I felt captured her spirit and truly explained how amazing this young girl was. Being that I wasn't even her teacher, this took some disciplined research.

And in March....she learned she was picked in the Top Ten of 2000 applicants for this prize (oh yeah...a new car and $25,000). However, the celebration was soon followed by many tears. See, she is an Oklahoma resident but was still in process with full citizenship. They disqualified her! I might mention here that is was due to Linh's full disclosure...she's the one that made sure they knew she hadn't completed the process and I was just ignorant & didn't know since I don't work with her closely. I admired her for her honesty about that.

I thank God that I've learned to never take your first "No."

"Linh, come on, this isn't over yet," I said to the most disappointed face I've ever seen.

We scurried down to the TV station and quickly met with the deciding powers-that-be. Linh cried. She didn't mean to, she just did. And, after much analyzing of legal work, the TV PR manager learned that as long as she was in process (a very expensive & long process, mind you...many of us natural-borns don't know that) and we were trying to expedite it, she could remain in the competition.

You bet your momma's homemade chocolate chip cookies that I started calling every "mover and shaker" I knew. I don't know tons, but my little singing career has made me a few contacts here and there.

And God bless House Rep. Joe Dorman. One of the hardest-working politicians I know. I sing for some of his events, and I've grown to respect him so very much. He truly works for the "little people." Soon enough, he had me in touch with U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe's office. After several follow-up calls with them...we were in business! With their help we were ensured that Linh was getting the paperwork she needed done.

Fast forward to late April: a Channel 5 news crew surprised Linh to inform her that she was one of the 5 Finalists for this prestigious award! Top 5....out of 2000 kids! She has asked me to join her & her family at a banquet in late May where they will reveal the final scholarship winner.

She is still plugging away at many scholarship apps. See, she wants to go to OU and become a doctor because her goal in life is to open a charity clinic to help others overcome poverty. And she'll do it, by golly.

But it wasn't until a few days ago that I knew, I KNEW, that this girl has a divine hand over her. God had merely used me as a vessel to help her receive this amazing opportunity.

See, I usually work with the "forgottens." Children who are labeled "retarded" or told they will "never amount to anything." At my new school, the story is usually that their parents don't speak English and don't have the resources they need to even get their child the help he/she needs. Sometimes, more often at my old school, these kids are raised by parents who abuse drugs and often abuse their offspring. The stories are endless as to the injustice I've seen in my field. There's a reason I wish reproducing was not a right but a privilege.

Well, one of "mine" has struggled to make it to senior year. She lives in poverty, her family shows no support....they won't even take my calls when I try to have an IEP meeting or even just tell them what a good job she is doing. I won't tell the many reasons why I felt like God put her in my life these last two years. It'll make you disgusted at how unfair life can be.

I will tell you that I walked into work recently and Linh was looking at pictures of this said girl on her computer. They were beautiful!

"Linh, who did these senior pictures of _____ ?"

You gotta understand....she was coming to school with holey shoes and made fun of constantly for some of her bathing issues. Some of us adopted all the siblings & her for Christmas just so that they'd get new uniforms and toiletries. (They won't take "hand outs" so you have to be sneaky to give them anything).

But these pictures showed a young girl smiling in a gorgeous sun dress with make-up and joy on her face.

Linh smiled and quietly told me, "I did, Ms. Curl."

As I probed, she recounted to me the story of how one day after school, she asked this girl if she could fix her hair, give her a makeover, give her a dress, and take her Senior pictures.

I glanced back at the happy girl in the pictures and tried really hard to fight the tears. I don't let my students see me cry.

I went back into my office, closed the door, and said a short prayer.

Do not tell me there is not good in this world. Do not tell me God does not exist.

I don't have any reason to question those things...times like these are all I need.

...and this is why we are kindred spirits

It's getting late. It's been a long day. I don't know where my phone is. Ahh, to keep up with that blasted little piece of plastic is beyond my ADD mind...

...speaking of, Gena: I hope you got my voicemail today! PS: One of my BFF's got to play with the Transiberian Orchestra last night. Can that make me cool by association?

I met an old friend for dinner tonight. Yes, sushi. I promise, it was her suggestion. ;) Anyway, it's a former co-worker who I don't see very often. Probably twice a year. Yet, we have many similarities as far as our personalities and when we talk it reminds me of why we have that 'connection.' Our meal turned into a 2.5 hour conversation of a very deep spiritual nature. It got my wheels turning a bit.

I got home to my husband and, being that I was pondering some big thoughts, I had to share.

This turned into a long conversation on the porch, one of our best 'thinking spots' due to the freshly-planted flowers, herbs, and newly-cut grass.

We probably bantered on some deep spiritual matters for over an hour. Often, our sentences began with, "But, you see, that's not true because... ."

We both would take moments to soak in what the other would say, whether or not we would agree with the counterpoint or not. I know there were moments when Tanner would challenge me to see it outside of my own view, and vice versa.

The dialogue ended with us holding hands and silently agreeing to disagree on a few (usually mute) points. Overall, we see many things the same...I think that is key to a healthy marriage...but we often come to many (often diverse) conclusions from different points of view...also key to a healthy marriage.

All in all, it is beautiful that we challenge each other to think from new angles. I hope we never see the day that we both sit back, arms crossed, smug grins, and proclaim, "Wow, we got this all figured out. "

It would mean we are done growing, done learning.

And this is why Tanner is a kindred spirit to my own. I feel secure to share my innermost thoughts, and he will take them in. Sometimes he will agree, sometimes he will challenge it. But he hears it & knows that what I am saying is coming straight from my heart (maybe even my soul). And he respects it with all of his heart.

That is love.

Good times with good folk...

Tanner & I had our first "married" date last night. I know it's dorky, but I love seeing him with his ring on. We are in the "honeymoon phase" despite the fact that we are not yet on our honeymoon....hurry & come, June!

On this rainy Saturday, we visited Blue 7 for their 7th birthday celebration. This great little store is owned by Caleb & Julie Arter, whose brother is my very dear Kevin Arter. We ate, hung around, and I bought some excellent Tom's. Army green. Yeah!

An hour or so later after we'd been home, Kevin picked us up to return to the store because his parents, sister, and nephews/niece were coming for the celebration. During college I had spent many a weekend in Enid with this lovely family. The Arter fam have a special kind of love that you just don't see everywhere, though one should. The siblings are all quite different from each other, yet that family has such a unique love & bond that I could only hope to have in a family of my own someday. It dawned on me today that this family has been in my life for 13 years now, and I couldn't even recount all the memories. Over the last year Tanner has gone to visit the Arters in Enid, and he "gets" why they are so important to me. In fact, they very much resemble the dynamics of my new in-laws. I am honored to be a part of them!

I'm happy to see so many wonderful things happen for Caleb & Julie with the store--they deserve every ounce of success that arrives. (plug: buy your gifts at Blue 7...it is one-of-a-kind).

Being that we rode with Kevin, we ended up being there for several hours...but it was a reunion of sorts. I bumped into many folks I truly enjoy seeing but rarely get to. Another newlywed couple, the Limpics, enjoyed swapping wedding stories with us. We also got to see the vibrant Samantha & Jerrod. They are always so fun to talk to.

Now it's 7:30 pm and I'm pooped. But this rainy day was well-spent. Relationships are key to a wonderful life. God blessed me with relationships that give meaning to this existence. All else in life pales in comparison.

March 28

Today my two best friends----Lindy & Gena----hosted a shower for me with their moms. Both mothers have been an integral part of my life and I feel very blessed to have such amazing friends in my life.

I wasn't sure if I'd be nervous about being the "guest of honor" yet everything went beautifully. Not to metion that it was Lindy's birthday and she still wanted the day to be all about Tanner and I.

I can not say enough how much my friends have shaped me. Nova, Lindy, Gena, Laura, and so many more. For these amazing women to be a part of my life is such a gift. They all bring a piece to the puzzle that make me a very blessed individual. Tanner sees how much my friends mean to me and he loves them for it.

I am thankful that they all love him so much because their blessing means the world. Love you girls!!

Mini-cultural day in NW OKC...

How is that possible, you may ask? Well, it all started because I was heading north up May. My destination was the Quail Springs area, chock full of mini malls & commercial strips. I don't venture there often. But the gift idea for my bridesmaids made it inevitable.

However, en route I noticed a nail spa that was open. I'm on the hunt for a place where all of us gals can do mini/pedis the day before The Wedding Date.

So, I go in & spontaneously get a $13 manicure. Yup, cheap! The woman spoke very little English, but after limited conversation I learned she was Vietnamese. Thanks to my pal, Ms. Bui, I do have SOME knowledge of the culture, so we proceeded to talk about the Lunar Calendar, Vietnamese New Year, and the best places for Pho. The place was charming & it was nice to do something pampering!

I pressed on & thought about how a little pampering goes a long way. So, while at QS mall, I noticed a massage 'kiosk.' Given there's no where to get a walk-up massage on a Sunday evening, I went for it. It was heaven. Who'd have thought that right smack in the middle of a suburban mall that I could find inner peace. My 20 minute massage was conducted by a sweet Chinese woman who proceeded to visit with her husband in said native language and accompanied by some soothing humming she sporadically performed. Perfect!

I was feeling relaxed & ready to tackle my mission when I noticed a peculiar site at the kiosk next to the massage area: a woman had thread in her mouth & was meticulously performing some odd procedure on a young girl's eyebrows. What?

Curiosity got the best of me so I lingered. It was called 'threading.' Have you heard of this? I started talking to the next customer in line for this weird ritual, and I learned it is the way many women in the east shape their brows. It is said to be more precise than waxing or plucking, not to mention it lasts much longer. It was $10. Sold!

When my turn came, I was nervous at how painful it would be. Not too bad I soon learned. The girl performing this artistry was from India. She says threading originated in Nepal. She spent a long time getting my arches just right, especially when I told her I was getting married in 3 weeks & that I was excited to not have to touch my brows until then! I am a new woman....threading is awesome. My eyebrows are the most well-kept I've ever had them. Boys, it is these little things that make us happy. Remember that. ;)

Lessons From Unexpected Places

Back to work after almost a week off...I got really, REALLY used to it. Not to say I don't like my job...I do. I actually love it.

Today consisted of: math lessons with two boys who struggle but are coming a long way, a pep talk with a senior girl who is just now starting to believe in herself, practicing a Radiohead song with a 7th grader who is about to be in the school-wide talent show (I know! Already has good taste, huh?), re-scheduling the show due to weather, visiting with a teacher on how he can better teach one of his students with a disability, lunch duty (ok, that part is lame), helping a student apply for Rehab Services through the state, and a motivational conversation with our vice-principal about following your life passions. It really is a great job for me. I'm at a crossroads, though. There are many classes I must start taking for my program that are offered all during the day. It makes it virtually impossible to have a 'regular' job. I am still chewing on what I am going to do next fall. One thing is for sure: I LOVE the kids I get to work with so much that I'd personally want to train whoever my predecessor would be. I just feel an obligation to make sure that what we've built will keep on building. It saddens me to think that I would not see some of them through to graduation...but at the same time, what I EVENTUALLY will be doing is also a service to these kids.

I have one student that I feel like, on a daily basis, is my reason for getting up & coming to work. He came to our school last year...it was his first time to ever attend "regular" classes after years of separate, special classes. I knew his IQ scores were (very) low. I fought the administration on even admitting him at first: "Our school is not prepared to give a student like this what he needs. He will be dis-serviced!" But he came, and I doubted.

Fast forward to 16 months later: he is attending a rehab program for job training half a day, he comes to his "regular" classes and teachers report that he literally works harder than anyone else there, he tries to get involved in any and everything he can, and he is my assistant for the school talent show (and a good one at that!). He has thrived SO much by people treating him like an equal, by the kids (our kids rock) including him in every day, regular things. Yes, there's been times when he has shed tears in my office: "Ms. Curl, someone made fun of me!" "Ms. Curl, I don't understand what this class is!" He even confided to me about some very traumatic early childhood experiences that no doubt contributed to his current disability.

But he is, daily, trying to overcome his hardships. He just wants to be "like everyone else." The thing is: he's not. I see more drive in that kid than many of the adults we all know. He has greater work ethic than I can hope to ever achieve.

I don't care what his IQ report says. He has taught so many of us at our little school some big life lessons, and I will always cherish that. I will watch him graduate in 2 years and feel as proud as a mother hen.

Yes, life is good.

Icy Days= Time to Reflect

I truly feel like I embrace pieces of myself that I tend to forget about when the world stops due to weather...I am sure you, dear reader, feel the same. Isn't it nice to take up that hobby that's collected dust in the corner? Or to experiment with recipes in the kitchen?

I only wish I hadn't been sick the first 3 of this unexpected 5-day weekend. But I tried to make up for lost time today.

I did some great bargain grocery shopping, went sledding at the park with my cousin & his family, swapped some recipes with my dear Lindy, and got some face time with a few peeps I rarely get to see during the normal swing of life. My dad & I grabbed coffee at the bookstore this afternoon. For many reasons full of laborious details I'll spare you of, we haven't had a close father-daughter relation, the type that I've always longed for, through most of my formative years. I'd say in only the last 2 have we found common ground that we've grown from. And today, I felt a genuine fatherly sentiment from my dad that I appreciate more than words can describe. I left with a few of those happy tears in my eyes that I refused to let come out.

I also spent some time with my beloved Kevin, a friend who I felt for sure I'd "grow apart from" as life progressed and we followed our chosen paths. Not so! I still feel love for him as strong as ever. It's always refreshing to know you have that. That your close friendships are built on solid ground. Sure, we've both made many new friends over the years, and good ones at that. But there's a tie there that no life circumstance can sever. (I'm not even gonna spell check that tho it pains me to not know if that is correct!) My fiance actually pointed something out to me about Kevin...one night Kev & I had gotten angry at each other over something silly. And Tanner said, "Lisa, he LOVES you so much. He'd never try to hurt you. He likes me and all, but he LOVES you." And Tan said it with all sincerity. Now, I'll correct him to say that Kevin has grown to love Tanner in a way that I could only hope anyone who loves me would feel about my future husband. (All my friends/fam love him, which is wonderful). But when I sat on that thought, and could come out realizing that my friend was a TRUE friend, it felt nice. It's so important to only keep those close to us that we know would defend our honor, would forgive us in grievances, would love us unconditionally.

I remember once fearing that another dear friend, Gena, and I would eventually grow apart because our lives are so different at this point. She's married, has her kids, her friends with kids, a different church, different neighborhood...all circumstance, of course, but daily differences that can grow large over time. Not so! I still bear my heart to her in a way that reminds me of why she is one of the important people in my life. She doesn't see me as an "old college buddy" but has an unconditional love.

And while unconditional love is something beyond this earth, something we should only hope to receive from our God...it's nice to think that God puts a few humans in our spheres that can give us a little glimpse of what it should be during our lifetime.