It's been a crazy weekend...in a good way.

I put in a hard work week with my recovery and all. But now I'm doing just fine. I'm pretty much back to normal, if there is such a thing. Friday night Travis and I met up with his friend Joseph and his wife Mikka at Bob Evans in Gallipolis for dinner. I decided to try their chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce. It was really good! After we ate we went bowling. It was so much fun! I love bowling. And I even beat Travis one game with a score of 139! I think that's my all time highest score. I am proud of myself for that ha ha.

Saturday we went with Jason and Kassie to eat at Chili's by the mall in Huntington. I have never ate there before, but I'm glad I let Kassie talk me into going there. The food was awesome! For the appetizer Kassie ordered Queso dip and chips, and I ordered Fried Chesse, which is just cheese sticks. I had never tried Queso before but I love it! Travis of course wouldn't try it. But I recommend that anyone try it. It's something that would be good to serve at a party also. Kassie gave me a copy of her recipe, I'm going to try it. But we had a great time there with them. Emily cracked me up. Kassie was feeding her different things from her plate, some of which Emily didn't like. I loved the "eww gross mom" look on her face as she was spitting it out. And she was very entertaining showing us her new dance moves to the music playing. I love her, she is great!

Sunday was a big day for us. We met Amy, Travis' sister for the first time. It's a long story. But she is just great. Her and Travis definately resemble each other. Travis also got to see pictures of his dad for the first time. All he can say is "it's just weird." Which it is really. He looks so much like a man he has never met. It's amazing. It's also really weird for me because now I can sort of see what Travis will look like when he's older. I really treasure the pictures that Amy brought with her though. She let us copy some of their grandparents and great-grandparents. And that's something that we can pass on to our future children. Amy and her family is really great. Her girls are precious. They are 4 and 5 years old, and really funny. I'm hoping to be able to spend alot of time with them. I think we are planning on going down to visit them the weekend after this one. Here is a picture of all of us...

Here is Travis and Amy together...they are sitting the same exact way even! It's so cute!

I shouldn't expect anything

Today, being my first day back to work, I was thinking that maybe someone, anyone, would say, "Hey, how are you feeling?" or just simply, "Hi, Trish." for that matter. But I shouldn't have expected anyone to be so gracious. Sometimes I have to laugh at how rude people are, but it really is a sad thing that they were not taught any manners. I guess in a way I am just as much to blame though because I tend to keep to myself. I know this is going to sound so simple, but come to find out it causes me so many problems. I get nervous around people, that comes across to them that I am not very friendly, so therefore they don't like me. Hmmm. I guess that makes sense. But that's not me. I'm not the hateful type, or the unfriendly type. This may be someone's first impression of me, but it should never be a lasting one. And I guess it's my fault that I let people perceive me in that way. I think I missed the class on people skills when I was little or something. At least now I know what it is. Now that it's out in the open maybe I can't go back and fix people's opinion (some I don't care to) but I can start off better with new people.

My mom sent me an email last night of a web page that she wanted me to read an article on about keeping friends close. Well, she didn't say which article to click on so I clicked on the main one and I'm really glad that I did. It was about forgiving people, something that I have a really hard time doing. I don't know about everyone, but I have always had this preconceived notion that forgiving people meant that everything had to go back to the way it was before or that it was telling that person that what they did was ok. They talk about it so much in church, how you have to forgive to be forgiven by God. But the difference is that people tell God they are sorry and ask for forgiveness. I don't always have my phone ringing off the hook with people saying they are sorry. In fact, in most cases I have, the person won't even admit they have done anything wrong. I am probably guilty of that too. But when I am wrong I do my best to admit it and apologize. It's really hard to admit your own mistakes to others. Anyways, my back to the article. It helped me out alot to understand that isn't what forgiving someone has to be. Forgiveness is about letting go of the problem for yourself, not necessarily for them. And it's about not letting it rule your life anymore. I just thought I'd share that, maybe it will help someone else.

It Finally Happened

We actually got about 2 1/2 inches of snow here yesterday. Travis wanted to go out and make a snowman, but I just wasn't feeling like it. But I'm really excited that we finally got some this winter. I have been wondering if it was ever going to snow!

I have been feeling better and better everyday. Today I haven't really been in any pain, thank goodness. I still have menacing swelling on that side of my face but I'm hoping that goes away soon. This past weekend I mostly just lounged around to take it easy. Friday night Jason, Kassie, and Emily came to visit us. Then the rest of the weekend we both spent on the computer talking to Travis' sister Amy.

I was lucky enough to get today off work. I guess it's the perks of getting to work only 3 days a week. They are really good about letting me come in when I want, just so I'm there my 3 days. So this week I am going to work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thursday I have to go back to the dentist to have my stitches taken out. So I guess that today is my last "recovery" day before I go back to my usual life. Other than having to have surgery to get it so easy, I did enjoy being taken care of. Travis cooked for me all weekend, it was so great.

Happy Monday!

Update

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm doing ok. I am so glad to have my surgery over with! Even in the face of fear I crack myself up. As I was laying in the dentist's chair with an EKG hooked up to me and an oxygen mask over my face the doctor starts to do the IV to sedate me. Then out of nowhere I ask, with the doctor and four nurses in the room, "Do you think I'll be ok?" They all laughed and said, "Yeah, we've done this before." And I said, "Ok, I trust you." I am such a dork, but hey, I was scared. So there's a good laugh for you all today.

Things so far are going alot better than the last time I had this surgery. I am in some pain, but nothing unmanageable. Hopefully I'll be able to go back to work next week and be back to normal. Thank you to everyone who has kept me in their thoughts the past few days. It really means more than you know.

It's Freezing Outside!

I am so cold! I didn't want to get out of bed at all this morning because I had 2 heaters going and I was under 2 covers and I knew as soon as I got up I would freeze. And I was right. It was only 14 friggin degrees this morning!!! I think this has been the coldest day so far this winter. Burrr! I can't wait to get home from work and cuddle with Travis and Bella tonight.

Trav and I have been talking to his sister Amy. She is really nice. We both like her alot. Hopefully we can meet her and her family in person soon. It's weird how much she resembles Travis and his brothers. I told Travis that I was jealous, he got a new sister and already has 2 brothers and I don't have any! That just isn't right!

So tomorrow is my "big day" and I'm starting to get really nervous about it. I keep remembering when I had the other side done how when they started putting me under I started to panic because I felt like I couldn't breathe. Ewww I don't want to panic and be nervous! I just wish it was over with already! And thanks to Angie and Anna for wishing me the best tomorrow.

A lot Going On

There has been alot going on in our household lately. Some good and some we're not so sure about, but we're going with it. Yesterday we went down and visited Jason, Travis's brother, his wife Kassie, and my neice Emily. She is so awesome. I love spending time with her. She is talking now, and dancing lol. When a song comes on tv she dances to it. It's adorable. She seems to like being around me and Travis which is a plus. I've never really been good around kids, but I'm good with her. She makes it easy. Here is a picture of us from yesterday.

I also got a surprise phone call yesterday from an old friend who I didn't figure I'd be talking to again. Her name is Christy. We were neighbors when we lived in Apple Grove and became best friends immediately. We had a disagreement and had stopped talking for a few months. I was really surprised when she called me last night and wanted to work things out. We talked on the phone for over an hour and I think we came to an understanding, so I'm just going to see how things play out. Let's just say I'm giving it a chance. I am glad she called me though. I really miss her and her girls.

Friday night Travis took me to Applebee's in Athens. The food was amazing! I had the chicken fingers platter and bread pudding for dessert. I have never tried the bread pudding before, but it was sooo good! It tasted just like a funnel cake. Yummy! I had him take me out to a good resturant because this Thursday I'm having surgery to get my wisdom teeth out, so I won't be eating so good for a week or so.

It's a complicated story, but a few months ago Travis found out that he has a sister. We haven't met her yet but we have a picture of her and have started talking to her. It's kinda cool getting another sister in law. But I'm hoping that everything goes ok.

Tuesday when I got in my car to go to work, it wouldn't start. I'm thinking, "Great, just what I need." Then I look down and I had left my satellite radio on all night. That'll do it. So after hitching a ride with my mom to work, I tell Travis about what happened and he jumps it that evening. When Wednesday rolls around, still won't start. Crap! So I spent my evening last night mostly with my mom while dad and Travis hooked up my battery to a charger. So the good news is that my car started today. But, I have no place to go. That's kinda funny.

I'm working today. I've been really busy. This time of the year we have to close and reopen our financial books, a redundant, useless waste of time. So I've been sorting through bills that need paid and doing archive searches for attorney's requesting medical records. Great fun! Well, the only good part is that I just got my notary and I get to use my handy dandy crimper to validate our copies.

I have been doing really well with my depression the past few days. I'm trying a new mindset. Once I get a bad thought in my head, I try to think of all the good things I have going in my life. This year I want to be a great one. I want to make new friends, work on the friendships I already have to make them better, work on fixing my house up how I want it, and I want to work on my family history more so that I can joing the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and I will be joining Eastern Star (the women's version of being a Mason) this March, oh, and I want to do a bunch of scrapbooking too. See, I have alot going for myself. Travis has been a huge help to me during my bad times too. He is really understanding, more so than I probably would be in his situation.

My Aunt Dorothy keeps sending me e-mails about joining Netflix. So I finally took the plunge. For signing up I got a two week free trial, then I chose the plan that is $9.99/month where you get unlimited rentals that month, but you only get one movie at a time, which is good enough for me. There are some plans where you can get up to 4 movies at a time for those who watch a ton of movies. I don't have that much time. It's really cool because I can go on their website and add the movies I want to my queue and they send me movies in the order I pick. And they have new releases as well as the old titles and the new tv series', etc. I've only gotten one movie so far, Superman Returns. It was a really good movie. Alot like the old Superman movies, but updated in a way.

That's about all for now. Have a great day!

I have actually been feeling alittle better the past few days. Thanks to Angie and Anna for being encouraging. Believe it or not but not everybody has been. My FIL says "I'm more sensitive than most people." and treats me like I'm a mental case. And my MIL says "You shouldn't take any medicine for that, those doctors will prescribe anything." As you know we aren't getting along right now with them. But I have been doing so much better with that. And this is helping me deal with those bad feelings too. It's just that every time I get a thought about them in my head, everything bad comes back up. And now the latest thought is how they couldn't even call us at Christmas or New Years. Not even a Christmas card! Nothing! But I'm trying not to let them rule my life anymore. Trying. I feel like I would be ok with it if I just knew why they dislike me so much. But like Travis says, I'll never know. I'm really not a bad person, but they make me feel like I'm not good enough for their son. And I hate it because at my worst, I question if I'm good enough for him too. I don't know why they are complaining about me though. I am really good to him, I love him so much, he is warm, has clean clothes, he doesn't go hungry, and he has a nice place to live. I just don't get it. Travis and I have been talking about having a baby, and all I can think about is how his mom will wish the happiest time for us never happened.

Anyways...Travis played guitar all day yesterday with his brother, Jason, and his cousin, Josh. I think they recorded a few songs, but I haven't heard them yet. It was so sweet, he brought me food from Taco Bell when he got home. After that we stayed up and watched a few episodes of Grey's Anatomy season 1. We have 2 or 3 more episodes to watch for this season. I love that show. Ugly Betty is another one of my favorites. Well, I hope everyone has a great day!

I decided to clean my house today. I have been so busy with the holidays and work that my house took last place on my agenda. Travis got me Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook (I know it's alittle cheesy) that I had asked for for Christmas so I decided to try out some of her suggestions. Let me just say it's amazing! Where Travis works in manufacturing, he comes home filthy and it all comes out in the bathtub. So after consulting with Martha lol it is now white as can be. I just used inexpensive white vinegar mixed with water and the grunge came right off! Next I did the job I dread doing most, cleaned the toilet. I used plain bleach and it looks like new and smells not so public anymore lol. Believe it or not, I have not completely unpacked boxes from our move here, I know, I'm embarrassed. So now I have everything unpacked for the bathroom. And I also put all my books on shelves, straighted out the front room closet, got our coats hung up that had been collecting on our couch, and also got our bedroom straighted up.

Since I have been so busy so far today I decided to relax and watch a movie, but here I am. I was only going to get online to look on Ebay, but I ended up here instead. Anyways, have a great day!

Hopefully this year will mean a new start. As most of you don't know, I've struggled with depression for a long time, more so lately. Not that it matters so much telling people about it, I just keep it to myself for some reason. As I've said lately I've had a harder time than normal, that's why I haven't been posting much...I don't want people to have to read depressing crap. I am just figuring maybe getting my feelings out will help me deal. A couple of my friends have done a 2006 year in review and as I was thinking what my review would look like it wasn't very pretty.
January-Started a new job at St. Mary's ER doing patient registration...it freaked me out being in Huntington, a big town to me and also seeing people come in that had overdosed, got stabbed or shot, trauma patients that were missing body parts, and people who died really got to me.
February- Moved away from home for the first time to Apple Grove, WV, Travis' hometown, so that I could be closer to work, and be closer to his family.
March- Left my job at St. Mary's because I couldn't handle all of what I said before. And moving closer to Trav's family proved to be a big mistake.
April-May-June- were all pretty much the same. I did the housewife routine, cooked and cleaned. And I feel deeper into depression because of a problem between Travis' parents and us.
July-We bought our first house and moved back home to Syracuse. This was the high point of my year, but I still couldn't shake the bad feelings that I was having.
August-Tried to stay busy working on the house.
September- Lost a really good friendship because I found out she was abusing prescription medicine and after trying to help her quit she did it anyways. Also started a new part time job at EMS.
October-November- Once again had a difficult time. My mom was having a hard time at work and it was really hard to see the way she was being treated. Also started talking to my friend Anna again.
December- Tried to let things go as much as possible for the sake of the holidays without success. It just seems that everything is still here nagging at me.
Sorry for the nature of this post. I just never have anything good to post so usually I don't say anything at all.