Because she asked me to....

and i like her.

so.....

1. what were you doing 10 years ago?

Jason & I were living in our first apartment together, with a roomie - and because of totally opposite work schedules, we only saw each other for maybe 3 hours a day. And those 3 hours were either in the middle of the night, or would include when I went to visit him at the restaurant he was managing. We really didn't get along all that well - probably b/c I was 19 and immature, and he was 21 and also immature. We were b-r-o-k-e, too. But I knew I loved him and we stuck it out. It was worth it. :o)

2. what 5 things are on your to do list today?

Call BRU about BPA bottles, Get Jason's MRI scheduled, find the bottom of the laundry, grocery shopping, VPN in and work. I wish so hard that was the entire list.

3. what are some snacks you enjoy?

chips & salsa - from just about anywhere.
guacamole - I've often said that "my heaven" would have a river of guac in it, just there for the dipping.
fruit - specifically pineapple. I can eat pineapple until I barf, and then want it again the next day.

Crap, now I'm craving those things.

4. what would you do with a billion dollars?
Give most of it away. I know everyone says that, but I know me, and I know that if I kept it - it would be the beginning of the Lifetime movie they'd end up making about my tragic demise.

I'd keep enough to travel, have a house big enough to entertain - but small enough to manage, have my retirement set up - and then I'd give it away. My church would get quite a bit and my missionary friends would get quite a bit. I also love the idea of finding small, deserving charities that are desperate for funds - and being able to help them change the world. I'm already enjoying the link Christina posted that helps you research charities.

Man, it almost makes me sad to allow my mind to go down that path because I DON'T have a billion dollars to help. I wish I'd invented the internet or the microwave or the Ipod or something.

5. list the places you have lived:

I have to list specific suburbs b/c my list is so un-interesting.

- Garland, TX
- Dallas, TX
- Mabank, TX
- Trinidad, TX
- Wylie, TX

6. list the jobs you have held:

- Gas dock girl at a marina on the lake (4 summers)
- Waitress at a bar & grill on the lake (3 summers)
- Checker at a grocery store (2 winters)
- Health Unit Coordinator for PACU at Presby Dallas

Then there's the jobs I've had as an adult, that are boring and... well... all grown up and stuff. I currently work as a special events planner for a technology company (from home).

7. list the people you'd like to know more about:

Her, her and her.

Hey Mommas!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Hey! Look what I can do!

Charlotte now sits up like a big girl!

Wordless Wednesday

Updates on All Things Duckworth

Did you know there's more to life than my adorable, sometimes trying, daughter? I sometimes forget, but apparently - it's true.

Here's a rundown of things that people ask me about, and I forget to blog about:

1. My dad is still in Iraq - will be until next Spring, at least.

2. Jason's back is a hot mess BUT we have a new doctor, and we dig him. We went to him asking for information on a neurostimulator implant, to help control Jason's pain... he said he doesn't want to do that, he wants to try and actually fix Jason. Praise God! For those that don't know exactly what the dealio is with his back, in Sept of '06 (on his 30th birthday) he had 3 levels of Dynesys installed... this image shows a two-level installation.


Then, the following April, he had a second surgery to remove some excess disc tissue that was still causing some nerve compression. Now he has some crazy scars, and still can't do much of anything. But hopefully this guy will be able to do something about that... we find out the "plan" in early July. As for what started all of this, who knows. We were in Mexico with the Smiths, and all of the sudden he could hardly walk. There was no traumatic accident to blame, or anything like that.

3. Charlotte (yeah, we're back to her) waited until I ordered 3 books on gentle sleep solutions, and then decided to go back to normal. In fact, Saturday night - she slept from 7:30pm until 8am, when I actually had to wake her up for church! Last night she had one wakeful episode, but whatever was causing the constant screaming seems to have (hopefully) resolved itself! When the books come in, I'll post a review. Thank you for all your support with that, though. Babies can be so incredibly... well.... something.

4. To help Jason's back situation, we went out and bought a new mattress. After spending what felt like hours trying out everything in existence, we ended up with a Tempurpedic Rhapsody. Because there is now frequently a 3rd body in our bed, we also graduated to a king. This meant new furniture, new linens, rearranging the entire bedroom, etc. It's so worth it, though. Man, that's some good sleep. For our new bed, we went with a platform bed so that it's easier for Jason to get in and out of. It still kind of feels like we're too low - like we're on the floor or something, but I love it a little more everytime I get in it. And it's so big that we can spread Charlotte and her toys out on it, to play, while Mommy does laundry. Don't mind the rumpled linens, the mess, or the shelf with nothing really on it. I haven't even thought about decorating or any of that stuff. I'm thinking I need a lamp, and some king sized pillows, but I'm not sure what else. Ideas? Rachel? :o)

My heart hurts.

*sigh*

After two nights of what I thought was teething, I wasn't so sure. Could it be an ear infection? Well, it's Friday - so better check to be safe, before the weekend.

Went to the doctor... nope, completely healthy. She doesn't even really think Charlotte is teething. The diagnosis is, apparently, a case of "bad-attitude-itis".

She's not sleeping, we aren't sleeping, WHAT HAPPENED???? I've brought her into our bed, in the wee hours - out of sheer desperation, but that's not a real solution. Then I only get a little sleep, and what I do get, is bad. No matter how freshly trimmed those little nails are, they're sharp. And she kicks her socks off, so at 4am - when she's fretting and flitting and tossing and crying, grabbing my face and bicycling her legs up against my tummy - it's like being in bed with a 14lb, 14oz gerbil. A cute gerbil, but a hostile gerbil just the same.

I don't know what to do. So many dear friends suggest crying it out, but my heart doesn't feel like that's the right answer either. She is positively HYSTERICAL. Gasping, sobbing, needing me. I'm supposed to say no?

Geez, it's the middle of the afternoon and I'm crying just thinking about it.

I want my sleeping baby back. :o(

What do you get when you cross...

... a Charlotte, with a full moon, with teething?


A scary monster that can't be calmed, and about 45 mins sleep.

Pass the coffee, please.

I'm ordering an amber teething necklace today. Nothing else seems to help.