Everett at 16 Months

Everett is growing and developing so quickly. Even though I don't post monthly updates anymore, it is time I try and capture what he is doing right now.

Here is a typical day:
He’ll wake up on his own sometime between 7 and 8. Lately he has been waking up at 8:30!

8:00 Breakfast
PLAY
9:30 or 10:00 Snack
PLAY
11:30 or 12:00 Lunch
NAP for two hours
2:00 Snack
PLAY
4:00 Snack
PLAY
6:30 Dinner
PLAY
7:30 Bedtime

PLAY
Reading books (he enjoys being read to but also enjoys looking through books on his own)
Dancing or laughing at someone dancing to music
Practice walking with support or cruising the furniture
Driving with the cart of blocks
Building “towers” with blocks
Playing with the stereo
Playing with his rocking horse
Playing with balls or balloons
Laughing at his reflection in the mirror
Going on walks
Taking baths--He never tires of them
CHASE--chasing and being chased by this parents and chasing the cat
Drawing on and with anything he can access
Playing on the COMPUTER
Playing with cell phones and remotes

He is great about washing is face and hands and brushing his teeth (anything to get to play in the faucet). He is proud to show you his EYES, NOSE, and MOUTH. He loves to "put on" his socks and shoes, and he really knows how to take both of them off.

How Everett Communicates:

• He is a pro at shaking his head “no” and has started vocalizing “no” with the shake.
• He can say “cat” or “kitty.”
• He points to his mouth for food, and he may say “eat.”
• He puts his hands in the air for “all done.” If I think he is all done, I ask, “All done?” If he is, he’ll put his hands in the air. If not, he may shake is head “no.”
• For “more” he points to his armpits and almost looks like he is starting the chicken dance. Recently, he has started saying, "mo."
• He likes to go “down” the stairs.
• “Uh-oh” is a favorite vocalization.
• He loves putting lotion on his hands.
• Just before his nap today he said DUCK. He wanted to take a duck with him to nap. (Preston, you didn't call and talk to him about bed friends did you?)

He is totally off the bottle and is beginning to use a regular cup more and more. He would probably be using the regular cup if I weren't too "busy" to change his clothes after every time he gets a drink.

We do have a physical therapist coming by to help us build Everett's strength so that he can be more comfortable with his balance in learning to walk.

And, remember that Everett was about the size of the bear when he was born!

RIP, Little Birdy

Many of our avid readers are familiar with our cat, Twiggy. As previously discussed here, she is an avid birder . . . catcher of birds.

Today, just as Evy and I were about to leave the house to check out a new grocery store . . . ever looking for a cheaper gallon of milk, I heard LOUD, frantic chirping. I wanted to make sure there wasn't a bird trapped in our porch or that Twiggy was waiting with a gift. I looked through the window and saw nothing. I opened the door slightly, and that was all Tricky Twiggy needed to zoom passed me, bringing a DYING bird in her mouth into my home.

Twiggy and I have a mutual understanding: She knows she annoys me. But, Erik and Everett really like her. No one wanted to adopt her. So, at this point, she is still our cat. The trade-off is that she is great with Everett and allows him to chase her everywhere.

But, bringing a dying birdy into the home crosses a line.

I shooed Twiggy away, tried to place Everett as far away as possible (Everett's faves BIRDS and CATS), and gently gathered the feathered friend into a bag so that it could pass in peace.

Then I had to place the birdy on the porch so that Twiggy couldn't get to her. I don't trust her at all and know that Erik can find a way to place this poor bird to rest appropriately when he gets home.

Frantic that some weird bird disease or germ had entered our home, I used Clorox wipes to clean the carpet and floor--shhhh, don't tell Erik, I think he'll have a heart attack--without caring if it bleached the carpet. It didn't. I have a toddler, people, he EATS off the floor.

BTW, anyone need a cat? She is good at catching, well, anything.

Chills and Thrills

Erik: My Chill is that most of the companies I was networking into are hitting a hiring freeze. Something about some people think there is a recession. I also have a mini-chill in trying to balance my family, my work, job hunt, and everything else that has to be done right now. Some days it can be hard. My Thrills are being able to spend time with my family and my VERY cool blog that you can access from the link on the sidebar or here. I'll be posting something new very soon.

Sheila: Similar to Erik, my Chill is just keeping a balance going as I transition to working from home and taking care of the home. My Thrill is seeing how many new things Everett is doing everyday. I've also been working really hard at using and developing our food storage system (and finding crock-pot recipes we all enjoy). I recently reorganized our pantry since we used our "kitchen redo" money to fix our cars, again. Moving stuff around and throwing stuff out helped me feel better about the situation.

Everett: I am learning SO many things from picking out airplanes and helicopters in the sky to adding new signs to my sign language. I am getting better at saying some words like eat and cheese. I especially enjoy chasing the cat all the time. My *favorite* book right now is about Spot the Dog. I love it because of all the flaps I get to pull back. Last week, I met with my physical therapist. She was really cool and gave Mommy and me some work to do to help me get better at moving.

Sugar-n-Money

Sugar

Today, we went out for dinner. And, as it commonly happens with toddlers, the food couldn't come out fast enough. We tried all the tricks in the book . . . and then Erik went for the sugar packets.

Erik: Evy, try this.

Erik licks his finger, puts it in the sugar packet, and licks his finger again.

Everett, with a crease in his forehead, isn't sure what he means.

Erik, again, licks his finger, puts it in the sugar packet, and licks his finger again.

Everett puts his finger in the sugar packet and after a few attempts finally gets that he is supposed to lick the white granules instead of wiping them off his finger.

Evy: MMMMmmmmm!

Evy then proceeds to eat the entire sugar packet all by himself.

Money

Erik involves Everett every step of the way when paying for items at the cash register. Everett knows how to put the card in the machine at Target; he knows how to show the attendants the membership card at Costco; he understands that the pencilwand does something cool at the keypad; and he now expects the receipt.

The only thing is that he is teething, and everything IMMEDIATELY goes in his mouth. I don't care how fast you think you are . . . he is faster.

Fertility Quest: More Info

An Add-On to this Post:
One reader found this series on Infertility by REDBOOK helpful.

BTW, if you find yourself reading something or listening to something and you think, "That's weird." That is okay. It just isn't something that has meaning for you, but I bet you $10 it has meaning for someone else.

Thanks for being open-minded!

Fertility Quest: Info

FYI
This one has bunches of info and links about infertility and adoption.

Orgs
National Adoption Council
RESOLVE: National Infertility Association
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Shady Grove Fertility--My Doctor
Fertility Community
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
It's About Love: LDS Family Services

People who Blog about Infertility and Adoption
http://www.therhouse.blogspot.com/
http://infertilityblog.blogspot.com/
http://big2journey.blogspot.com/index.html
http://closeddooropenwindow.blogspot.com/
http://www.adoptionblog.com/

If you prefer to watching instead of reading--all from youtube:
The Pain of Infertility-A Man’s Video Log
I Would Die for That-Kelly Coffey
No Less Than a Woman-Infertility-Lady Shaw
Dealing with Infertility
Infertility Is

Let me know if there are others that you have found helpful or if you would like to share your blog.

At Play with Balloons

Erik had to work today, Saturday, far-far-away. So, Everett and I pulled out all the stops and picked something entertaining for Mom to do, too.

BALLOONS

The following links are helpful. Be prepared to have a lot of them pop (make sure none of the popped balloons go into mouths). And, it is handy to have one of these to pump air into the balloon. I use it all the time.

BalloonHQ

Balloon Gallery from ProfessorWonder

Video Showing How to Make Balloon Animals

We got into it and really had a good time!

Fertility Quest: The Mock Embryo Transfer

I left the mock embryo transfer in tears.

My doctor's office is in downtown DC. Nothing is private when you go to an office in downtown DC, especially if you are crying. Let's say you make it out of the office without breaking down . . . you then have to traverse seven flights by elevator where the captive audience is quietly awkward wanting to help you feel "better," the busy sidewalk full of people you pass--remember you are facing 50% of the people on the sidewalk when you walk down the street, the 4 attendants at the parking garage, and the many concerned ooggling drivers who sit beside you waiting through DC traffic just like you.

Thankfully, these were not sad/hurt/angry tears.

The mock embryo transfer is just like a real transfer of embryos . . . without the embryos. The purpose is for the doctor and staff to go through the procedure in order to target any potential problems, physically, with the actual physical transfer. For the patient, this is not unlike a woman's yearly exam with a couple more probes inserted. And, by the way, when you get to this point in the fertility process, you roll your eyes when ladies cringe at the annual exam. I so got over that discomfort like so long ago, like in the '80s but it was really like in the '90s.

This procedure is actually a comfort to me. It shows that when the real transfer comes around everyone is prepared. When going through IVF in 2006, the doctor prescribed valium because it acts as a muscle relaxant, and he prescribed it for the day of the transfer because I had a group of muscles that were really tight during the mock embryo transfer.

And so, going into the procedure today, I was EXCITED! Not nervous, not hesitant, not overly anxious--or anxious at all which is a switch for me. Even though the past year has been heavy on the medical attention visits for Erik, Everett, and me, I was okay to be at the doctor and sitting in those stirrups (I know which socks to wear and keep an extra pair in my bag for these visits).

And so, the doctor completed the mock embryo transfer. He turned to me and says,"Your uterus is perfect!"

And that was why I was crying. And, you must know that I haven't started my hormone cocktail yet.

It was so wonderful to hear such great news after so much. It was wonderful to have my feelings of peace about this process confirmed with some medical "yes." Now, this does not at all mean that I feel like I have a sixth sense that this round of IVF will work. But, I know that I am doing the right things at the right time for the right reasons for myself and my family. HAPPY, HAPPY!

And, I cried like a baby all the way home to pick up Everett. He was playing at a friend's house. You don't bring kids to a fertility clinic.

So, I made sure to appreciate the moment, pray for my cryofrozen-Han-Solo-babies-to-be, and think about what life will be like with another baby or another two babies.

The experience this morning was good because now I have to deal with unexpected and inaccurate payment and insurance CRAP! I won't go into the torrid details, but I just wish people would do their jobs and follow through on what they say they will do. Concerns about money and insurance coverage that creep up at the 11th hour WORRY me. They make me anxious, angry, and frustrated. And, sometimes I am so *ARG* that I feel like crying. But not today. Today was a "good" cry.

At Play on Valentine's Day

Everett and I made heart shaped crayons today. He had a blast. He was really good at playing with the paper torn off the crayons and with moving the crayons from one pile to another.

Supplies

Crayons

Silicone or nonstick heart shaped mold pan

Fill the mold about 3/4 inch high with crayon fragments. Use a single shade or mix several together. Bake at 250 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until crayons are just melted. Remove and let harden. You can put it in the freezer or outside (if it is cold where you are) for about 10 minutes to speed up the process. The hearts will pop out easily.

The size of the mold was great as the crayons now fit perfectly in his hand and he can't eat the crayon as easily as biting into the crayon in the traditional form.

Sharing on Valentine's Day

Valentine Thoughts

Brian Andreas, Traveling Light

Banana Chocolate Delight

1 pint chocolate chip ice cream

2 ripe bananas, cut into small chunks

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup light corn syrup

ground cinnamon to serve

mint leaves to decorate

Place ice cream, bananas, milk, and corn syrup in blender container and process until well combined. Pour into chilled glasses, sprinkle with cinnamon and decorate with fresh mint leaves.

Serves 4

Poached Pears with Hot Fudge Sauce

6 firm pears

1 stick cinnamon

4 whole cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

vanilla ice cream

Hot Fudge Sauce Supreme (see below)

Peel pears, cut in half, and core. Place 2 cups water, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in saucepan. Bring to a simmer, add pears and water to cover it necessary. Cook just until pears are fork-tender. Drain and cool. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, arrange 2 pear halves, cut side up, on serving place. Place scoop of vanilla ice cream in center of each pear half. Spoon Hot Fudge Sauce Supreme over.

6 servings

Hot Fudge Sauce Supreme

3/4 cup half-and-half

1 & 3/4 cups sugar

1 Tbs light corn syrup

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

3 Tbs unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

Combine half-and-half, sugar, and syrup in saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and stir until melted. Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt. Serve warm over dessert.

About 2 cups

You're the strangest person I ever met, she said & I said you too & we decided we'd know each other a long time.

Brian Andreas

I'll help you, Mom! and Chocolate

Yesterday I was zipping Everett's coat up. He reached out to the coat I was wearing that was unbuttoned and proceeded to "button" it for me. What a crack up!

I am now "Mom" consistently. He actually uses this instead of some tawdry version of my first name or the ever irritant of "EHEHEH!"

Today he had his first chocolate truffle at Moonstruck. I should say truffles because the very smitten attendant couldn't stop offering them to him. And he couldn't decline . . . He loved them all--white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate. He then showed off his chocolaty face to everyone that we saw.

Got Milk

Everett took a mini-nap this morning. Can I get an 'Amen' for that? (I haven't caught up on my sleep loss from seizure watch.)



When I went to fetch him from his crib, he didn't want to go. Fine by me. I gave him his sippy cup and went to the office to get a file.


Almost immediately, the most delicious squealing sound came from the nursery. I smiled to myself and thought,"What a happy kid! He is having a good time in that crib." Given that, I took the time to grab one more file and went to look in on him.


In less than a minute, he had emptied out his sippy cup all over the crib and room all while keeping the lid on the cup. The inside of the sippy cup must have come dislodged. So, the squealing came from enjoying the "milk rain."

He thought he was pretty cool.

[The sheet was soaked, the floor right beside the crib was soaked, and his sleeping pants were all wet. I've added some green for dramatic effect (Everett helped). The entire inside of his crib, the wood part, was dotted with milk drops.]

At Play with Music

We play music all day in our home. Evy is quite the dancer, as you know (and he does sing). We have several musical instruments. Here are some we love the best:




The shaker eggs are AWESOME. We shake these along with our booties to the music on the radio.


The music during play time is always Everett's choice. He is able to pick the CD button that he wants. Yes, he does have a preference. Try as I might to get him to choose a swing dance CD, he always goes for salsa (putumayo style). Click here for track listings.



Mom and Dad can join in the fun and refine some listing selections by using Pandora Radio. I can listen to all the "funk" related music or songs similar to "Somebody" by Depeche Mode (great Valentine's choice) just by telling them what song or artist I really like, and they'll find more like it. I don't do the work on this one or have to listen to a song genre I don't like. Nice!

Physics in Action

At Play

Water




Evy loves water and straws and cups. This is a video of him having a good time with all three. He was so excited that he played for about 30 minutes doing this.

TOWERS

We've been starting to build around here during play time. Usually towers were just meant to destroy with a vengeance (which is really cool to do--I get some action in destroying stuff, too). Lately, Everett is more interesting in building up the towers before crashing them together.

Balancing Bug Stacker from Lamaze Toys.



There are magnets in each one that help the insects stack on one another. This toy really helped Everett go from the tower destructo kid to building towers. (He likes to build in threes.)



Tot Tower blocks that with illustrated nursery rhymes by eeBoo. I really like them because you can stack and nest the blocks. Also, the illustrations and text help me remember the rhymes and we turn the play session with blocks into a music slam session.





You can see BABY in the background. He really likes baby. I have enjoyed how many connections he has made about his own body by looking at Baby. We have learned "toes" and rediscovered "eyes" and "nose" with Baby. Besides, it is really cute to see him hug Baby. And, yes, we know that Baby is rather swarthy looking.

Back on Seizure Watch

We were planning on going dancing tonight. Instead, I am sitting in the room next to Everett's forcing myself not to hold him while he sleeps. He has a fever and has been convulsing off and on for a couple of hours. These seizures aren't like the one he had last fall, but it scares the bejeebers out of me, anyway.

I want to just hold him. But, my body heat would reverse any "cooling" strategies we are trying right now.

He'll be fine, I know, but it doesn't help squash how scared I get when he starts to full body twitch or jerk.

The night time is always the worst for him and fevers. For some reason, the fever comes full-on at night even if we don't decrease the medication from what he took during the day. That makes it scarier, too. Something about stuff being surrounded by sunshine takes the ominous feeling out of the situation.

I'm off to go check on him, again. I've never checked on him this frequently, even when he was a newborn.

Thinking About Eliot

I am sure many of you are familiar with "99 Balloons"--the journey of one little boy's life, Eliot's entire life of 99 days.

I learned about Eliot a long while ago and was thinking about him today. I was thinking about how his parents celebrated him EVERY day of his life. I've been thinking and studying about the strength of the spirit and how those around us buoy up each of us everyday, just as we have the opportunity to reciprocate that support. As I have been given the opportunity to make this life transition, I am trying to be more deliberate with celebrations, with gratitude, and with trying to focus on what inspires us in the monotony of each of our days.

Eliot's dad put together the story in a short film (around 6 minutes). Here is a link for it, but I am able to see it better on youtube.

There is also a blog: 99 Balloons Matt's post Trust in Hindsight may be strikingly familiar as he shares his realization of why he made a decision he didn't understand at the time. I am so thankful that we have the opportunity to understand in hindsight some of the promptings we receive to make certain choices.

Tagged by Guilt

In July, my sister was tagged and she "tagged" those lucky readers who read her blog. At the time, I thought I should do that. Then I forgot (big surprise). All week I've been thinking about it and feeling guilty. I got to read her "share" without sharing mine. It is time I anti-up.

8 random things about myself

1. I went skydiving for my 24th birthday. Loved it, I really did. (Except I keep saying I am too *poor* to go back and do it again. It is just an excuse because I am scared of heights . . . always have been.) Can that one count as two things I have shared about myself?

2. I hate leftovers and broccoli.

3. I don't like to talk on the phone or go to the post office.

4. When I was younger, I thought that when I grew up I would marry Elvis. He was so AWESOME! I didn't find out he was dead until I was about 10 years old. Talk about a bummer!

5. When I was a sophomore in college, I was interviewed on TV for wanting to become a teacher.

6. My favorite color is red, and I detest floral prints for me; they are fine for others.

7. When I was on bedrest, pregnant with Everett, I got hooked on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. My favorite character: James Marsters, the character Spike.

8. My current favorite eat-out food: BBQ chopped salad with tabasco fried onion topping from Champps.

Fertility Quest: Cocktail

My cocktail has arrived!

Here is a taste of part of it-

At Play

Today we received a huge box of balls that we bought on ebay. Noticing that they must have eaten chocolate the last time they played with them just before they mailed them, Everett and I decided to give them a bath.

Washing

I'm Thirsty

Time to Dry

If you are thinking, *what* is that on your tub's faucet. It is a Boon faucet cover. The BEST!

As I settle into a new schedule, new routines, I am on the lookout for great ideas for toddlers.

In order to share the things I have found, Everett and I will blog "At Play" -- we'll only post things he enjoys, what we will post will be Mom and Everett approved.

My Kid Rocks--great blog about fun things to do with your children.

Baby Games Online--some are better than others. A great place to find something so that your child can clack on the keyboard with you.

Peek-a-Boo--online style

And some play just for Moms, I really enjoy this blog, See It, Love It.
And doing some research on toys? I take a look at these guys--Oppenheim.

Elmo with Knife

This is what I found when Everett and I took a break from the toys. I am not sure what was going on, but I am glad to see he has the appropriate crime fighting and medical help near the scene, along with the cow.

PS___Later in the day, he was playing with Elmo again and using the knife to feed Elmo.

Date? In the middle of the week?

We had the great fortune to go to a Wizard's game last night. Cool friend Julia watched Everett on very short notice.

The Sjolseths had dinner, Italian, just before heading over to Julia's to leave Everett.

We had a great time! San Antonio won. We were pretty close to the court and were able to see detailed facial expressions and hear what the players said. Here are the pics.

This was our view. No, those weren't our beers.

Erik--out of breath from screaming for a T-shirt.


Sheila and Jessica

Jessica and Josh

US!

Cool Stuff . . . Diaper Bags and Accessories

So, when it comes to stuff, I am a tomboy who isn't super athletic. I don't do fru-fru and I try to carry as little as possible. For instance, here is my wallet. (It is the same size as my bank cards and business cards. In fact, it is really a business card holder that fits nicely into my back pocket.)

So, when it comes to diaper bags, the bag has to be great and the stuff in it has to be necessary.

The Bags

As Everett has gotten older, the bag I need to support us while we are out of the house has gotten smaller.

On the left is the "Original Diaper Bag." We still use it every Sunday since it takes all my tricks and wits to keep Everett occupied until he is old enough for nursery. BTW, when it comes to church and naps, if he needs a nap we come home from church and take a nap. I absolutely do not enjoy walking the halls with a cranky and sleep deprived toddler. He goes to nursery in a few more months.

The middle diaper bag is my "Seatbelt Diaper Bag" that is easy to clean, holds just enough for an afternoon or evening excursion that includes taking along food, and it DOESN'T look like a diaper bag. Nice!

The third bag is the current one I use when I leave the house with Everett. It holds a book, his diapers, and a small snack. The bag is by Lug. They are often on sale.

Stuff Inside

Unless it is a special occasion and I need to make sure he has the gear to go to bed. This is what I carry (remember he is now 15 months . . . I carried more when he was 3 months):

There is alcohol free sanitizer, my diapees and wipees which you've seen before, and Everett's beetle spork. This transforming miracle is a toy and help during meals.

Plastic or vinyl books. The books are great for anywhere and can be washed. So, he can play with it at the dinner table and get sauce all over it. I can easily clean it up and throw it in the bag when we are ready to go.

Besides a bib (which he rarely needs), I have these very cool snack containers. He can get the food out on his own and they are small enough so I don't feel like I'm taking the pantry with me in the bag.

One final item is Everett's Tylenol. We try to avoid having to go on Seizure Watch and having this along helps (at least in my mind which is what really matters, people).

Fertility Quest: Day 3 Results

It's a go!

Day 3 results came in and the bloodwork was clear. The sonogram showed no physical changes that would present complications.

My cocktail has been prescribed and it is on its way!

I am so excited!

Next steps, the mock embryo transfer. More on that at a later date.

Sheila's Last Conference

I recently came back from the last conference I will be presenting at for this phase of my work career. I talked about school improvement, funding for school improvement, and Response to Intervention. I am a total edugeek. So, if any want to talk more about what I did, let me know.

It was a busy, busy time. I presented at two sessions. The first held 550 people and the second held over 900 people. The first was a bit more exhausting as we had them work in groups on several key questions. I have never coordinated group work for that large of an audience. But, it can be done and we were able to do it well.

I had several moments that I wanted to share with you:

1. Speech by Cornell West. He is currently at Princeton. Some of you may remember some controversy around him and President Summers (president of Harvard) a couple of years ago. There are a couple of clips of some of interviews on youtube if you are interested in getting a sense of who he is. The reason I mention him here is because he talked about "intellectual vertigo" . . . the purpose in education to help others negotiate the dissonance between the natural man that commits sin (not his words) and the goodness in humanity. --- I don't pretend to be able to even recap for you the passion, charisma, excitement, and dedication he showed and the words he used in describing what it takes to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Nonetheless, he made a very profound impression on me and inspired several different thought paths to take for my next phase in life. When I think of individuals that are able to meaningfully connect several disciplines of life (philosophy, linguistics, economics) and conclude that we need to learn how to live better, be better in such a powerful way, he will be one of them. I am trying to learn how to have courage. I am trying to fit the context of who I am, where I am in my life journey, within my pursuit for progress. I am trying to build the courage to verbally and strongly share, discuss, and talk issues that I have held close.

2. The conference was in Nashville, Tennessee--home of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Dolly Parton was supposed to give the opening remarks (she got sick and wasn't there in the end, but that's another story). My hotel was RIGHT by the Grand Ole Opry. Also, my hotel was right next to an outlet mall. Right inside the mall was a recording kiosk. A place where you could record your own song . . . for the low, low price of $18.00. I saw it on Thursday. (One detail to note is that while you record, your song is being shared with all within listening distance in the mall.--I thought, "I can't be the worst one. So, why not?")

My one chance to record the song of my choice, "Hangin' In" by Tanya Tucker, would be Friday night. I practiced the song all day Friday, in my mind. I tried to recruit all of my colleagues to sing with me, at least sing as back-up. They were all scared, CHICKENS! And, as it happens often to musical talent, the demands of my "day job" spilled into the evening. Sadly, my recording career has taken another delay.

I must note that my first time walking by the Grand Ole Opry, it was rainy and chilly. I didn't have an umbrella, but that didn't deter me from seeing the place. As I passed by it, the heavens opened and lightning and thunder struck at once, shaking my ribcage with the sound. I know it was a sign and at the very least it was a set of circumstances ripe to inspire a country music lyric.

3. People complain about the status of education, people complain about government, and-- around here in DC--people complain about government workers. I want you to know that there are many thousands of professionals that work in government that take their stewardship very seriously. There are people sitting at the federal level and sitting in state departments of education that work long hours and seriously stress about how to make programs work. They struggle with how to systematically move a system to improve education while ensuring that the individual students we have aren't lost in the process of moving and improving systems.

I had the opportunity to have sincere discussions with many of them this weekend (I work at the US Department of Education for at least another week). I just wanted to share that with you.

4. I have never been so absented minded at a conference. I locked myself out of my room. I left my jewelry in the safe and didn't realize it until I arrived at the airport. I left some key notes for my presentation in a conference room. I kept setting the time wrong. Let me say that I have never, ever experienced such a level of personal assistance and kindness as the staff at the hotel showed. No question too redundant or obvious. No request inane. They double checked everything that they did. Aside from the fact that everything was overpriced and I felt like I was on a huge cruise ship, I couldn't improve upon the experience. Anyone who wants to learn how to build a working environment that people enjoy, where employees smile, where people are courteous to everyone--checkout the Gaylord Hotel management. [In the end, I left behind my favorite watch at the Nashville airport in security (another story), but Gaylord's arms and hospitality don't spread that wide. too bad.]

Chills and Thrills

Sheila: I didn't really have a Chill for the week. I am a bit nervous about coordinating everything for the Fertility Quest, but that is coming together just fine. My Thrill for the week was participating in the annual conference around Title I (my program) this past week and weekend. I had a fabulous time in Nashville and was even more excited late Saturday when I arrived at home. TRAVEL for work--DONE!


Erik: Pretty quiet but busy week for me. Nothing outstandingly interesting to share. EXCEPT, that I have started a blog. Check it out.

Everett: My Chill is I've been anxious when I am away from Mom and Dad, especially Dad. My Thrill is that I am having a great time and am getting over my cold. Mom said she would post more later on stuff I am doing; so keep a look out for it.

Fertility Quest: First Wait

If you are squeamish about personal "woman" stuff, the following may be too much information. I promised to be straight forward about this and am trying to keep to that.

The First Wait

Just in any endeavor to get pregnant, there are waiting times. Right now, I am waiting to get my Day 3 work to get done. That means that I am waiting for my period to start in order to get to Day 3 of my period so that they can draw some blood and maybe take a sonogram.

The Day 3 results will be the key indicator for all the meds to start. The Day 3 results will let the doctor know if something weird is up. The Day 3 results will help the doctor know what cocktail to prescribe. (The cocktail is my way of referring to the array of SHOTS I am prescribed.)

I am ready. I've filled all the prescriptions that I can. I've found all the heating pads in the house (heating pads are key for IM shots.) I found my old sharps container that didn't get filled up. I bought the baby aspirin. I am taking prenatal vitamins and those chocolate candy calcium chews.

Anybody who knows me well knows my disdain towards pills. If I have already bought them all and am eagerly taking some, I am ready.

In a true twist of expectations, I have never, ever been more eager for my period to start.