Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...it is really dark.  I am up late tonight.

I am thinking...that I need a vacation.  We are busily planning our trip to Ecuador and it includes a spa day in hot springs.  Hooray!

I am thankful for...the lovely friends I have met through the St. Anne's Book Club. 

From the learning rooms...I finished my class on Gene Therapy last Friday and now only have my class on Scientific Writing every Monday.

From the kitchen...I am going to try a new recipe for chicken broccoli alfredo pizza.  I got the recipe at Publix today.

I am wearing...a blood donor t-shirt in "my color" blue.  Ken donates the blood and gives me the t-shirts.  They won't take my blood because it has some weird type of protein in it.

I am creating...a plan ;-D  details later...

I am going...to work tomorrow.  Two days at home with the girls has been heavenly, even though Camille was sick.  I love my kids and miss them so much during the day!

I am reading...a grant proposal.

I am hoping...no one else gets sick.

I am hearing...nothing!  Everyone is asleep and I am loving the peacefulness.

Around the house...I was able to organize the baby clothes in Meghan's room a bit today. 

One of my favorite things...playing my new piano.

A few plans for the rest of the week: interviews and meetings at work, a fundraising breakfast for SAI at Applebee's on Saturday morning, then the Life Chain at Holy Faith on Sunday. 

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Meghan being held by her great grandmother this past weekend.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY


Outside my window...there is a potato vine growing taller than me on the porch screen.  Gardening and landscaping have been neglected since Meghan came along.

I am thinking...that I am really tired tonight.

I am thankful for...a husband that washes the dishes every night. I really hate washing dishes.

From the learning rooms...I am reading a paper on gene therapy for retinitis pigmentosa and Camille has been working on counting.  She received Hi-Ho Cherry-O as a birthday gift and it has really helped her counting skills.

From the kitchen...strawberries are sitting in a colander in the sink.

I am wearing...a ponytail.  Meghan likes grabbing my hair!

I am creating...a birthday card for a party on Sunday.

I am going...to a mini-retreat this weekend sponsored by A Woman's Answer, the Catholic crisis pregnancy center in town.  I am looking forward to some quiet meditation time.

I am reading...the newest issue of Southern Living.  I subscribed for free with some frequent flyer miles that were expiring.  It is kind of a "quaint and cozy" magazine.

I am hoping...Meghan wakes to eat silently tonight.  She loves to coo and blow raspberries in the middle of the night.
I am hearing...Meghan blow raspberries from her little rocking chair.  It's 9:30PM and she decided sleeping from 7:30-9 was just a nap. 

Around the house...there is still laundry to be folded.  Ken usually helps me get it done, but this week has been hectic for both of us.

One of my favorite things...beating Ken at cribbage :-)  I have won the last 3 nights in a row.  (Not that I'm gloating.)

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Young Married Couples event at church tomorrow, mini-retreat Saturday morning while Ken & Camille are at soccer, picking up the new piano Saturday afternoon, Mass on Sunday morning and a 2 yr old birthday party on Sunday afternoon.  We have a full weekend planned!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...Meghan was helping me beat Ken at cribbage.

Eight Babies!

I am currently taking a course in Gene Therapy.  For those that do not know, gene therapy consists of taking a message (a.k.a gene) and placing it inside a package (a.k.a. vector).  This beautifully packaged message is then injected into people that have disease.  The goal is that this new message will correct the broken messages in the body and heal the disease.  Gene therapy is being tested to treat a large variety of diseases. 

Yesterday in class we were talking specifically about treating brain and spinal cord diseases.  Mid-way through the lecture, the instructor began speaking about various non-gene therapy treatments of Parkinson's disease.  Here is what he said,

The use of fetal stem cells injected into the brains of patients with Parkinson's is a complete success.  In order to do this, a fetus is developmentally tracked. Then at exactly the right time in development, the fetus is aborted and the developing brain cells are extracted from the fetus.  It takes 8 aborted fetuses to give one patient this treatment.  Unfortunately, the number of abortions performed are declining.  This is why we need an alternative method of treatment such as gene therapy.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to cry or throw up.

:-(

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Counting My Blessings


Camille's Sisterly Love...This morning I woke up to the sound of this sweet little girl singing "Twinkle, twinkle, little star".  Ken left for work early and somehow Camille had silently made her way into our bed.  When I heard her singing, I opened my eyes to find Camille with her arm around Meghan (who was sleeping in my arms) singing a song to her little sister.

The Blessed Virgin...What would I do without Mary?  Since Meghan was about 2 months old, she has screamed every night from 7 to 8PM.  This has truly tested my patience and made going back to work particularly difficult for me.  Finally last week after a particularly trying night, I turned to the Blessed Virgin.  After just one decade of the rosary, not only did Meghan stop screaming, but she was peacefully asleep!  Every night since then, one decade of the rosary lulls Meghan to sleep, and we finally have peace in our house.

My SAI sisters...On Sunday I went to a pot-luck for the music fraternity I belong to.  During the "meeting" portion of the night, I mentioned that I was hoping to purchase a piano in the next year, preferred an upright grand, and was looking to pay no more than $500 for it.  These women are very active in the music community, and I frequently hear about grandmothers giving away pianos right after they've given them away, of course.  We just so happened to have a new member join our group that night who had moved here from New Jersey.  She squealed when she heard what I was looking for.  It turns out she moved her upright grand piano here, but the movers could not get it up to her 3rd floor apartment.  She was paying more than $100 a month to keep it in a storage facility and desparately needed to sell the piano.  Sometimes God just brings us together!  Pictures of my new piano will be coming soon!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Ken & Camille's First Soccer Practice

Camille is playing "Kangaroo Kickers" soccer at the YMCA across the street from our neighborhood this fall.  Ken signed up to be the coach.  Their first practice was this morning.  Thankfully, our team is composed of 6 other children we know.  It was chaotic, but Ken, Camille and all the other kids did a great job.  Here are some pictures:

After soccer, we went across the street to our neighbor's garage sale.  Camille, being the "girly-girl" that she is, felt that her soccer outfit needed some pink.  So, she found some headbands and beads to wear:


Meghan's corner
We have given up forcing a pacifier on Meghan.  She is officially a finger sucker.  I guess we'll deal with that bad habit in about a year.

Friday, September 10, 2010

7 Quick Takes Friday


-1-
I am wondering if anyone is going to read this blog.  Please post a comment if you read it and enjoy it (hint, hint, family far, far away).  I will be more motivated to blog if I know someone cares :-)

-2-
Meghan had her 4 month check-up this week.  She's in the 25th percentile for weight and the 60th percentile for height.  She is getting long and skinny.

-3-
Meghan has started roaming.  She mastered rolling over about a month ago.  Now she is able to inch worm crawl along the floor.  I've convinced myself it's the fish oil and fish I consume while pregnant.  It's supposed to be excellent for developing brains.

-4-
This whole Quran burning has me utterly disturbed.  We only live about a mile from this wacko "church".  It's amazing how one nutjob can upset the world.

-5-
Camille told us she was going to exercise today at daycare.  I have images of little Jane Fondas working out.

-6-
Janet, our daycare lady, returned from her trip to Spain today.  I truly love this woman.  It is not easy for me to send the girls off to daycare every day, but Janet is so wonderful it makes it all a little bit better.

-7-
Camille is having trouble getting along with one of the little girls at daycare.  We know this because Camille constantly says "___ is not my friend" and similar things. It seems to be similar to sibling rivalry.  We have stressed to Janet (and Camille) that we will not tolerate Camille being mean to anyone, regardless of the 2-way nature of the feelings.  Ken and I are not sure how to further handle this.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

I'm getting started!

I have decided to give blogging a try.  A couple of my friends have a few blogging "techniques" that I really like.  The Simple Woman's Daybook is one I find particularly refreshing so here goes:



FOR TODAY


Outside my window...I see that Camille cleaned up her toys on the porch tonight.

I am thinking...that I should have double checked that the 12lbs of Chai mix I bought on-line were caffeine free.  Teehee

I am thankful for...my job at the University.  I am able to choose from an array of great seminars every single day. Today I went to one on the history of polio and vaccinations.  Outstanding!

From the learning rooms...a 2-day break was in order after giving a presentation in my class on gene therapy yesterday.

From the kitchen...Ken and I are sitting at our computers.

I am wearing...my wedding and engagement rings and am enjoying their sparkle.

I am creating...hmmm...my blog?

I am going...to watch Camille at her first soccer practice on Saturday.

I am reading...Life Giving Love by Kimberly Hahn (...savoring every word) and Business Writing CPR  by Jane Douglas (actually pretty good).

I am hoping...this weekend is peaceful in Gainesville.

I am hearing...Ken talking on the phone to Verizon and the Vikings game on Ken's computer.

Around the house...Camille and I decorated for Halloween.

One of my favorite things...Camille saying, "Mommy, can you please turn on the cooler?"  when we're riding in the car.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Gene therapy class tomorrow, Camille's soccer on Saturday, and dinner with the SAI music ladies on Sunday evening.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...the girls took their first bath together tonight.  They usually take a shower, but Daddy was at a KC meeting tonight.