Olive Tree

Filler until regular blogging schedule resumes. 🙂

1) Do you use bookmarks?

I try. It’s a habit I’m trying to get into as I read more and more library books and don’t want to dog-ear the pages. I like to make them, so I’m hoping that I’ll eventually make one cute enough that it will inspire me to use it. 🙂

2) What is your favorite book?

Pretense by Lori Wick, if I had to pick just one.

If I don’t have to pick one, I would also include the Anne of Green Gables series (really, anything by L.M. Montgomery), Christy & Julie by Catherine Marshall, Little House on the Prairie books, and the Mitford series.

3) Who is your favorite author?

Any of the above (Lori Wick, L.M. Montgomery, Jan Karon). Also enjoy Janette Oke, Mary Higgins Clark (occasionally), Lawana Blackwell, Terry Blackstock.

4) What is the movie you feel is the most authentic version of a book?

I thought that the Little Women version (with Susan Sarandon, Winona Ryder) was very close although definitely shorter than the book. I’m having a hard time thinking of any . . . the Harry Potter movies were very close, although, again, some was cut for length.

5) Is there a book you wish they would make into a movie and why?

I’m drawing a blank . . . although I am looking forward to the Chronicles of Narnia movies that are in process.

We get back the computer this afternoon with a new hard drive. Then comes the process of reinstalling all the software and getting a handle on all the info that was lost. Thankfully, we have files up through the end of October, but anything since then is gone. What is most disconcerting for me is all my calendar/addresses/email/lists are gone. In a uncanny coincidence, my handheld Palm died about a week ago and I sent it off last week to be repaired. My back-up on all the information was on the computer and now it’s all gone. It’s just going to be a massive bit of work to recreate some of that stuff. Thankfully, again, I had printed a hard copy of my 2005 calendar right before the computer crashed so I have all our appointments and schedules up to date, but it is the loss of my contacts that is overwhelming. College friends, email addresses, Travis’ extended family – all that info will have to be tracked down and recreated. (Hint: if you are reading and I had your info, send me an email please and help me start filling in my blanks.) 🙂

I also lost all my recipes which I kept on the computer. I told Travis that I wouldn’t be able to cook anymore since I didn’t have those files and he would need to start taking me out to dinner. 🙂

So that’s the computer update. In other news, I tried to set our stove on fire on Monday night. I had put some water on to boil for macaroni and cheese (a gourmet meal since I had no recipes!) and went to the bathroom. Travis yelled from the other room that it smelled like something was smoking in the kitchen, to which I responded it was probably just something on the burner. To my surprise, orange flames were shooting up around the pan and blazing merrily in the kitchen. I yell out that our stove is on fire, Travis comes running, I grab the baking soda and start dumping it liberally on the flames and Travis is ready with water should we need to douse it more. Exciting stuff.

Had I not had computer issues sideswipe me for a few days, I would have spent time writing about our excellent service on Sunday. We had a speaker who is on staff with Campus Crusdade’s Military Ministry – good stuff. Also, to update, my girl-cycle is back to normal. I’m guessing that the trip to the in-laws in Ohio and other things going on just had my body out of whack. Thankful that it is resolved.

This has been a week where I’m needing to focus on thankfulness instead of how icky things are. All about perspective.

PS. Shanna, praying for your Mom. I did go to JBU and graduated class of ’93. Lived in Ft. Smith for 2 years prior to that for my jr. and sr. year of high school – we might have been neighbors!

Computer has completely crashed.

Lost all files and programs, including all email addresses. Ugh. Have my Dad’s laptop to check email for work.

Wonderful husband working on reseting the hard drive (surely there is a more technical way to say it).

More later…

Okay, I’m fessing up. The reason that I have been so quiet this week.

I’m late . . . . like almost a week late. But I’ve taken 3 pregnancy tests and they are have all come back negative.

I’m normally very predictable so it’s driving me crazy. Is there something wrong? What are the odds of getting three bad pregnancy tests? Should I call the Doctor?

I’m pretty sure I’m not pregnant, but I’m just ready for my body to act normal so that I can quit obsessing about this. The plan is if I haven’t started by Monday, then I’m calling the Dr. There’s no sense in me just buying and taking more pregnancy tests when I can go to the Dr. and take one and be reimburse for the vist through our insurance. Saves us throwing away money needlessly.

Anyway, that’s all that’s really going on underneath the surface.

Sorry I haven’t been around . . . I have just not been able to focus on writing the last few days. We had a great trip with Travis’ family, ate at four McDonalds (I think that was the final count):

. . . and Noelle was loaded on new toys and goodies to keep her entertained for a least a few hours. 🙂 Her Uncle Jeremy (T’s brother) and his girlfriend got her a little stuffed husky puppy – I think that was my favorite gift of hers. It is so soft and looks just like our Jenny-girl.

I’m still feeling pretty behind on things. I didn’t get to work on my women’s Bible study while we were out of town and so am trying to play catch up there, as well as on laundry and my church work. My responsibilities on our church worship team have shuffled again some and I’ve had to add a few new things to my schedule. It has really helped that I’ve been trying to get up early and have some time to myself before Noelle and Travis gets up. I’m still getting up between 6 – 6:30 a.m. and it is making a difference in my getting things done. Noelle is also been really whiney the last few days. I’m sure part of it is she is tired from our trip, and she had so much attention paid to her, that it’s been frustrating for her to be back home and not get her own way on everything. When she is like that it just drains me . . . something I’m sure all moms can relate to! 🙂

Today we are going to get out a bit – some girlfriends are taking me out for a belated-birthday lunch to Chili’s (yum!) and then Noelle and I are going to return a book on CD we rented from Cr@cker Barrel for our trip and go to W@lmart. Got to restock on important things like toilet paper and Dr. Pepper for Travis!

As a P.S., can I just say how much I like my husband? The last year has been very hard – just still sorting through some of the icky-ness of still learning how to be married – but he’s really cool. I’m just saying. 🙂