“we got the results back…

and the good news is that all your bloodwork looks great!  everything is exactly what it’s supposed to be.” 

these are words that i should be happy to hear.  and really, i am.  a sigh of relief in many ways.  but, frustrating as well.  i have not felt well for the last three weeks or so.  this past weekend was the worst; i ended up in the dr’s office on monday during the school day!  they took blood (four vials, i think — i didn’t watch) and left me a huge bruise! 

well, my nurse called me today.  the dr. is puzzled.  he doesn’t know exactly what’s going on.  most likely a virus of some sort.  there are many of them going around right now.   great.  i could do without the stomach pain,  and, i’m just exhausted all the time.  i can’t get enough sleep.  i have enough energy to make it through a school day (barely) and then i’m done for the day/night.   yuck!  and no…for the record and since everyone is asking…i’m not pregnant :)  

well, time to go to sleep.  tomorrow is approaching quickly, and it’s going to be a long day!   

a birthday, a blizzard, & a picture

a birthday:  yesterday was a great day for many reasons!  1) i actually felt reasonably well, and it was my birthday :)  2) i had lots of fun at school.  my seventh grade students were excited about it being my birthday — any excuse to be a bit loud and crazy, they’ll jump on it!  they had a surprise pizza party for me at lunch — pizza, pop, chips, cupcakes, flowers, and a great card.  it was fun.  3) a former student stopped in to say hello!  he was one of those kids that you really worry about. but, he seems to be doing well — so grown up!  4)  two former students (from 10 years ago!) for years have been stopping by to see me on my birthday.   they arrive at my classroom door at some random time of the day, invite themselves in, hand me a bouquet of flowers, and make sure my students know it’s my birthday!  they are two of the sweetest boys.  funny thing is, however, one of them was quite the rascal in seventh grade.  i have never given anyone more detentions than kurt, but to this day he will tell you i am his favorite teacher!  i just love getting flowers from these two.  well, (i know…long story)  yesterday i thought they had forgotten ’cause school was almost finished.  but, sure enough…there they were at my door at 3:00!  i have a beautiful planter of tulips and daffodils sitting on my desk.  it truly does a teacher’s heart good to know that she has made a difference in a kid’s life.  5)  dinner with my hubby at ottawa beach inn — tasty!  and a “life is good” t-shirt with an ice cream cone on the front!  6)  lots of birthday wishes — in person, online, and facebook.  God has truly blessed me with loving friends and family.  i am so incredibly thankful for each one! 

a blizzard:  ok.  so it wasn’t exactly a blizzard, more blizzard-like conditions.  but, we had another “snow day” today.  the phone call came at 5:10 this morning!   i was already up and had just turned on the tv to see the weather conditions when the phone rang.  a pleasant surprise!  usually i am ready to walk out the door when i finally hear that school is closed.  it felt wonderful to go back to bed and sleep in! 

a picture:  i ventured out this afternoon around 4:30.  the roads were quite slippery still.  but, i had to renew my license plate tabs.  much to my surprise (i didn’t look in the envelope very well)  i also had to renew my driver’s license!  that meant a picture had to be taken!  uugg.  i was not prepared for that.  so, i’ll have a nice mug shot for the next few years — i didn’t bother to do my hair today :) 

it makes me smile

ok, i’ll admit.  i can be as bad as my students when it comes to getting my hopes up for a snow day! :)   i turned on the t.v. at 5:15 AM when i woke up, and a couple schools had already closed.  but nothing by west side christian, so i started getting ready.  if we have school on mornings like this, the drive can take a long time.  and then at 6:00 AM the phone call came…snow day!  of course, i was within 20 minutes of leaving the house.  but, it’s just fine with me!  i’m awake and ready to roll, so i already have my list made of things to do today; no lazin’ around for me.  i had enough of that this weekend.  

but first, we’re on our way out for breakfast!  lol!  my wonderful little grand am may not be able to get out of our driveway this morning, but the four-wheel drive on the truck works just fine :)  the tasty and famous windmill restaurant in downtown holland is our destination.  my stomach is beginning to growl in anticipation of a mini-hashbrown omelet — my favorite! 

ty is on his way outside to clear off the truck, so i’d better get my winter boots on

just plain grumpy

just last week i commented to a co-worker about how happy i was with my health this year.  “i haven’t taken a sick day yet!”  famous last words.  knock on wood.  never say never.  however you describe it, i shouldn’t have said it.  ’cause sure enough, monday i could feel the pressure building in my sinuses, and i had a whopper of a headache.  tuesday morning i woke up feeling absolutely horrible, but went to school anyways.  i was a wreck before school even started.  so, i taught my first hour class (sitting on my stool the whole hour since i was so lightheaded) and wrote lesson plans for the rest of the day during my second hour prep.  i was home and asleep by 10:30.  i slept most of the day.  by evening, my headache was gone, and i was no longer lightheaded.  wednesday morning i awoke feeling like a different person!  great!  i’m all better :) 

wrong.  by thursday, i came down with a full-blown headcold and was miserable, again.  it was a good thing i was proctoring exams all day!  i could handle sitting at my desk.  on friday we had no school — records day.  i woke up feeling worse.  so, i backed off on my list of things to accomplish, and took it easy.  this morning, i woke up feeling even worse than yesterday.  :(   i didn’t think that was possible.  

it makes me mad.  i hate being sick.  plus, i had to call and cancel our plans for today.   we cancelled dinner plans with friends we haven’t seen in a very long time; it’s difficult to come up with an open evening amongst all our schedules, so i hated calling and telling them no.  and, i could not attend the memorial service for a friend’s husband who passed away in december.  they lived in san jose, california when i did.  i became very close to them and have stayed in contact with them over the years.  he was originally from byron center, so the family had a memorial service today for him.  since i was not able to attend the funeral in california, i was looking forward to seeing my dear friend again and being able to give her a hug today.  instead, i’m at home, cooped up inside, wrapped in a quilt, sneezing and sniffling, feeling sorry for myself. 

why do i have to get sick on a weekend when i have things that i really want to do?  calling this morning and leaving a message that i couldn’t attend the memorial service made me sick to my stomach.  tonight as i think about it, it makes me crabby.  sorry, i shouldn’t be whining.  who wants to read that on a blog.  but, i’m just plain grumpy and felt like venting. 

now i have to do some schoolwork.  that’ll improve my mood…

my hagel dinner saga

so in an attempt to be healthier and eat regular meals, i purchased a crockpot cookbook.  i figured that if we are so busy,  it be nice to arrive home to dinner — ready to eat!  plus, the house would smell all yummy.

this morning i left the house quite proud of myself, i must admit.  i had a 7:15 staff meeting, which meant i had to be out of the house by 6:30 at the latest.  i made it — no problem.  what was so great, was that i had put together a crockpot meal before leaving.   beef and broccoli…mmm, the picture looked so enticing.   i got it all ready, and i put the crock into the refrigerator, with instructions for ty to add the broccoli and turn it on before he left for work.   don’t worry–he did his job correctly! 

this evening i arrived home from the gym (the first time back since i don’t know when) very hungry.   we were eager to delve into our tasty dinner.   at first glance, it did appear tasty.  we dished up our plates, adding a few of those tasty chow mein noodles as a side!  oh, the pain of disappointment.  i’ve never had such pasty rice, the broccoli seemed over done, and the short ribs (as called for in the recipe) were not tender.  the chow mein noodles ended up being the best part of the meal!! 

we both ate some, however ty heated up some leftover fajita chicken and made himself a couple fajitas.  i tried, but just couldn’t eat anymore mush…so i headed to the kitchen.  what to eat now?  it didn’t take me long, and i had two slices of white bread, buttered perfectly, and covered in hagel–one dark chocolate and the other the fruity colored kind.  yep.  this is my kind of meal :)  bread, butter, and hagel. 

if you aren’t familiar with hagel, it’s a dutch treat.  they are sprinkles, which come in a number of flavors — and no, the sprinkles you can buy to frost cookies are not even close in flavor.  i grew up eating this special treat at my grandpa and grandma dekker’s farm-house.  we were only allowed two slices of hagel bread at a meal (usually lunch).  my cousins and i did our best to put as much hagel on each slice as we could (we’d wait for the “enough” from mom or dad, or occasionally g’ma).  if we got it just right, we could weasel a third slice of bread, butter, and hagel by collecting the sprinkles which had fallen off the other slices onto our plate.  oh, it was a heavenly treat to me!  it sure takes me back.  it was a special treat, only to be eaten at g’ma and g’pas house.  now i live in western michigan and don’t need to wait for a relative to buy a supply from the midwest and bring it to the washington farmhouse.  i can buy it right at meijer! 

it occurs to me as i ramble on that i had bread, butter, and hagel for breakfast too!  yep, i ate it as i was putting dinner in the crockpot!  i think i should have stayed at the gym a little while longer…