I think I love drugs!

WARNING: I am on drugs as I type - I cannot be resposnible for revealing any deep, dark secrets.

I had to get my wisdom teeth out, I've been putting it off for way too long. Having switched to good insurance recently was also a helpful persuasion, that and also the on and off again pain I was having with the one impacted tooth.

So I called up the oral surgeon and scheduled the next available appointment. It was about a month before I was going to get in. I let Paul know right away because they require you to bring someone who can both stay during the entire procedure and drive you home. Paul has the craziest schedule I know: He doesn't really even have a choice, the judges tell him when to be in court and then he goes.

So, of course Paul had several court cases already scheduled for the day I had scheduled my surgery. And Paul is a lot like me, he doesn't like to ask anyone else to do his work. Then one day, Paul is in court and the judge is scheduling more cases: He sets it for June 8th. Yes, another court case that will have to be changed or given to someone else to cover on top of the rest of them. Paul pleads to the judge:

PAUL: "Can we please not pick that day? My wife is having her wisdom teeth removed and I already have several other cases that I might have to find someone to cover. I am trying to find a friend to take her though."
JUDGE: "Mr. Shipp. You will not have a friend take your wife to have her wisdom teeth removed, YOU will take your wife."

So, I like to say that he was court ordered to take me. :o)

I had not felt too nervous about the procedure until this morning. We had to be there by 8 a.m. so I didn't have much time to think about it, we just got up and went. The closer we got, the more nauseous I felt.

We arrived right on time and after checking in, they called me right back. I think I was mostly afraid of the anesthesia. Afraid it wouldn't work. If I had woken up in the middle of it, I would have freaked out!

They attached the blood pressure cuff and the oxygen saturation sensor. The doctor came in and started my IV. He had to use a type of brace around it to be sure it wouldn't be ripped out.

Then, he administered a drug through the IV. (Usually, I am pretty nosy and want to know EVERYTHING. I will ask things like: what is that? what is it for? what does it do? why are you using it? what happens next, etc - but I was way too nervous. I didn't want to talk at all). The doctor tells me that I will start to feel sleeping and I will feel like I can't focus anymore. The nurse starts to lay my chair back and I start to feel the effect of the drugs instantly. I felt dizziness and my vision was blurry. I decided to just shut my eyes and not fight it. I remember wishing that I could to go to sleep.

Next, I heard - wake up, Jennifer. I was done! That was so awesome. I don't remember ANYTHING and that's just how I wanted it to be.

I couldn't open my eyes. Paul said that I was just moving my eyebrows up and down. The room was so bright and I had to force my eyes open for one second. I could barely move. I was like a sloth getting into the wheelchair. They took me to my car and it was so cold that I quickly covered myself with a towel (I brought it just in case I started puking).

We came home and Paul gave me Sonic ice cream to eat while he picked up my drugs. They gave me oxycodone and propoxypene. I started with the oxycodone and that just knocked me out! I slept on the couch all day. After several doses of medication, I don't feel any pain at all. I hope that trend continues!!

I don't have any energy to get up and move around so I'm hanging out on the couch with my laptop, blackberry, remotes for the tv, home phone and wiener dog. Here's hoping that tomorrow is only better.

What a Day!!

The day started out pretty well. I picked up O so that I could take him and Maeve to camp. We were a few minutes late - no biggie. Then Brennen and I headed off to work. We were interviewing for an open position but knew I'd be back by 2:30 to pick up O and Maeve.
My office is 30 minutes from my home. I like to take HWY 40 home because it's the quickest and most direct route. I'm often told that I should be avoiding that road b/c it's way to curvy and dangerous - well, what these Kansans don't know is that I'm from VIRGINA and they don't really know the meaning of a curvy road until they've driven in Virgina! I remember when I would drive to work in Virginia that there was a mountain that I had to wind around and slow down to about 10 miles per hour just to stay on the road. And when I did home visits for the hospital, we had to take a 4 wheel drive out to some folks homes b/c the terrain was so bad. HWY 40 is a piece of cake.

Anyway, today my boss and I decided we should leave the office a little early and stop by another site to check it's progress. So we start out and pretty soon I hear something odd going on with my tire. I tried to move over - to see if it was just a spot in the road - but nope, it was my tire. Right next to me is the last gas station for miles, so I pull in. (Had I taken HWY 40 - there would have been NO gas stations....NO stores....NO anything. It's all rural).

By this time, I am SURE that I have a flat tire. I pull over, jump out and check. Yep, it's flat! I call my boss and she pulls over. Luckily she knows the area, so she calls the local garage. The guy is out in 10 minutes. We were all in the convenience store when he arrived. I ran out there to greet him. I felt kinda dumb, I mean - shouldn't I know how to change my own tire? Nope, I don't. Heck, I didn't even know where my spare tire was! (Hey, it's a new car - at least I know now).

So, I'm standing around, just watching this kid change my tire. I'm no help at all. I am pretty much useless watching him single-handedly change my tire for me...I'm serious...he SINGLE-handedly changed my tire. He only had one hand. So, I'm feeling pretty lame since I can't even find my spare tire and here is this guy with one hand - jacking up the car, removing the lug nuts, changing the tire by himself. This guy was awesome!!



I run back inside the convenience store to check what things my kid was trying to purchase. I say something to my boss about the guy changing my tire having only one arm. I thought she might know him (it was a small town). Well I guess you know who was listening because as we are walking back to the car, my son and I have this conversation:

Brennen: (rather loudly) He does have two arms!
Me: BE QUIET!!!
Brennen: but he does have two arms!
Me: Shhh. Don't say that.
Brennen: Why not? I'm only saying something positive. He has two arms, just not two hands.
Me: Can you please stop talking? NOW!

About 10 minuets and $10 later, we were on our way! Really, if I was meant to have a flat tire, I couldn't have asked for it to happen any other way. I'm so glad that I decided to go with my boss to check out that other site. I would have been stranded on HWY 40 with my kid otherwise, not knowing who to call or what to do. I didn't get back in time to get the kids for camp. Thank goodness for friends and cell phones!!

Needless to say, I'm getting new tires tomorrow. I hope they are done quickly b/c I really want to get back into the office tomorrow for the rest of the job interviews.

Maeve's swim team practice was canceled due to lighting/thunder so I took the kids to see UP in 3D instead. It was a nice end to the day.

weekend

Maeve & Jeni

Maeve had her face painted at Chelsea's party.

Girl Scouts

Our first Junior Girl Scout activity: Pottery class at the art museum.

Pools and Poems

Today I took the kids to swim at the YMCA. We were there for 3 hours! On the way home, we all made up poems. Here is a sample of what I heard:

Captain Wart Burger was a man.
Who hit himself with a pan.
He went to the ER.
And got hit by a bar.
And then they gave him a shiny new van.
by Michael


Pumpkin
There once was a cat
Who thought he was fat
He ate a rat
And hit me with a bat
And wore a hat
But he was still fat
And that is that!
by Ashley


I once played tennis with a puck
For some reason it kept crying cluck
I was very confused
But a little amused
To notice I was playing with a duck!
by Brennen


There once was a boy named Blake
Who wanted a big green snake
He bought a frog
Who was on a log
And he didn’t know what to take.
by Maeve


Jericho
Before you come over and ring my bell,
I have a secret that I should tell.
You'll hear barking, vicious and mean,
the loudest little dog, you've ever seen.
When you sit on the couch, she'll jump in your lap,
and before you know it, she'll be taking a nap.
You'll end of friends, but start out foe,
That's how it works with my Jericho
by Jen

Summer Reading Kickoff

Dentist

Maeve had a dentist appointment today. Here she is looking like a superstar with her sunglasses on!After having her teeth cleaned with cookie dough flavored paste, she was allowed to pick out a pencil. She also left with 1 new toothbrush, 2 dinosaur flossers, princess toothpastes, 1 bouncy ball, 1 sticky-slimy-throwing-picking things up type thingy, 2 stickers, and a small beaded change purse thingy. She also was given a certificate to show her orthodontist that she had her teeth cleaned. That is good for a few wooden nickles which she can later cash in for either a goofy pen, t-shirt or movie pass.

May

It's not over yet...but it has been a BUSY month!

Maeve bridged up from Brownies to Junior Girl Scouts. Guess who is gonna be the new leader??
Then there was my 13 year wedding anniversary, Maeve's birthday and Mother's Day, all within the same week. Actually, the last two were on the same day. Maeve and I were hoping to enjoy that day more but neither of us were feeling that great. She had a fever and my wisdom teeth were killing me (those are coming out btw - but that's another story).

The day after Maeve's birthday/Mother's Day I had a final exam at 7:30 in the morning. I assume that I did well on it but I'm STILL WAITING for the grades to be posted. Geez, how long does it take?? At least twice a day, I am on blackboard checking to see if my grades are posted, each time I am just SURE they will be there. Well, I'm still waiting.

Then there was the last week of school for the kids and all the festivities that go along with it, field day, pool parties, end of the year parties, etc.For Memorial Day weekend, we went to the lake in Manhattan. Maeve learned how to ride a bike and I'm not sure who was more excited, her or me. So for the rest of the weekend the kids rode their bikes around the neighborhood.

Even the dogs had a good time!

Mother's Day

My favorite thing about mother's day is receiving handmade cards from the kids. This year, Maeve wrote me a poem:

Awesome
Butiful
Cute
Dorible
Emzing
Fantastic
Great
Happy

I think this little poem is pretty "dorible" if you ask me.

Brennen's Brain

The kids are taking standardized tests this week at school, the Metropolitan Achievement Test or MAT 8. We have to make sure that the kids have plenty of rest and a good breakfast so that they can concentrate during testing.

Today I surprised the kids at school by bringing them a special lunch. Brennen loves Subway subs and Maeve had a quesadilla from Chipotle. As we were eating lunch together, Brennen announces to me that he has thought of a new math theory. Now, I'm not sure it this constitutes a "theory" and I'm sure it's not "new" either however, it is new to Brennen. Here it is:

If you take any two numbers that are next to each other on the number line (e.g. 4 & 5), then multiply those numbers by the same number -- the difference of the products will equal the number that you used to multiply with!

Here, let me show you an example:

We will use the number 4 & 5.
Multiply each by 7.
The answers are 28 & 35.
The difference between those is 7 (35 - 28 = 7).

Try it! I think it works with any number. Now, I can't tell you how this is actually useful but Brennen claimed to use it during his MAT 8 testing today. I'm just amazed at how that kid's brain works! He can keep coming up with as many math "theories" as he wants to.

Jen needs - a meme

This meme has been popping up on facebook now and then. It's actually been going around the internet for several years now. I finally decided to try it. The funny thing is that I found tons of other "Jen needs" lists...some written as far back as 2005.

So here you go..this is what I need (according to Google).

Here are the directions, in case you want to join in the fun:
Type “[your first name] needs” into Google’s search engine and list the first ten results. Nearly all will be amusing, but you’re supposed to underline the ones that are actually true about you.

1. Jen needs to have a session or two with a therapist.
2. Jen needs rates on 2 scenarios.
3. Jen needs to find a self righteous, conspicuous "I'm better than you" charitable position so she can keep charming the sheep into thinking she matters a rat's ass.
4. Jen needs human anatomy lessons.
5. Jen needs to wise up.
6. Jen needs a muzzle.
7. Jen needs a tech makeover.
8. Jen needs you.
9. Jen needs to use the bathroom.
10. Jen needs a new job.

Blogger Stress!!

I remember when I didn't know what a blog was. Once I figured it out, I knew I had to have one. The problem is that the blogger world is advancing much faster than I have time to figure it all out.

First of all, do you know how many different blog sites there are to choose from? I mean really, who has time to figure out which one does what? There is blogspot, typepad, word press, movable type and the list goes on and on I'm sure. I did find a web page that offers cheatsheets for these different platforms - but I don't have time to read it.

Then, once you have decided on a platform to use, I choose blogger, it's time to figure out how to add a cute template to your blog to make it graphically appealing. There is the banner, sidebar, header, footer, scrollbars, links, background images, labels and so on.

And if this wasn't enough to make your head spin, don't forget the Digg button and the RSS feed, followers, videos, ads, contests, give aways, and widgets!! Oh geez, this is enough to make my head spin!!

But that is the EASY stuff. The hard part, for me, is trying to figure out what to write about. I need a theme. Do I write about my family? my daily craziness? stuff I like?

I guess the only thing I know, is that this is one thing I am determined to figure out. It may take me all year - but I'm gonna have a blog!

Random-ness

1. I am worse than the person who doesn’t know how to say “no.” I don't have to say no because I just offer my time and myself way too much.
2. I felt so guilty when I first bought my Blackberry a year ago. Now I’m not sure I could live without it.
3. The sun makes me sneeze.
4. I gave birth without drugs…on purpose.
5. Key lime pie is my favorite dessert.
6. I wish I had more time for hobbies. There are so many things I’d love to try: digital scrapbooking, taking a photography class, trying out for a play, gardening, etc.
7. I used to teach childbirth classes – my favorite part was attending the births. I’ve been to all kinds of births (home births, free standing birth center births, hospital births –natural, no drugs, hospital births with drugs, and caesarean births, too.
8. I love taking my kids to museums, Broadway shows, national monuments, etc. I would like to spend a summer traveling across the country doing nothing but that.
9. I’m a jazzercise snob. I can’t attend any other type of exercise class b/c I think they are way too boring and stupid. I only like jazzercise.
10. If someone sends me a chain letter via email that contains some kind of urban legend (for example…”This really works! Send this letter to 25 people and you will get free laptop!”), the first thing I do is go to the SNOPES webpage to prove them wrong.
11. Raising an 8 year old daughter is the HARDEST thing I have ever done. God help me when she’s 13!
12. I absolutely LOVE my dvr. I wouldn’t have time to watch TV without it.
13. Ever since last year, when winter would not leave, I have come to despise it. I hate the cold weather. Come on summer, hurry up and get here!
14. If you love my kids – I will love you. If you want to see the mama bear come out, mess with my kids.
15. I miss the times when my kids were babies. I stayed at home with them, organized playgroups, nursed them, wore them in a sling, took them to Musik Garten, cloth diapered them, slept with them. It all seems like another lifetime.
16. I went to seven different elementary schools. This has affected me in at least 2 ways: I make friends easily and find that I have something in common with almost everyone AND I am tortured by the thought of my kids not being at a good school – which is why they’ve been in private school for the last 6 years.
17. I think it’s funny how my classmates at KU think I am so smart, like I can just get an A without effort. I work by a** off for those A’s – but I do have to admit, somehow it is a bit easier for me now. I think I just know how to study better than I did when I was in high school/undergraduate school.
18. I love video games. If I’m on the phone with someone at home, I’m usually playing Zuma at the same time.
19. I love to listen to books on CD while I am driving in the car. I can get through a lot of books that way (because I seem to be in the car all the time!).
20. I love my job. Seriously, I’m not sure why I am even going back to school when I already have the best job in the world.
21. When we bought our house, there was a tree growing out the foundation. The previous owners had chopped it down but once spring arrived, that tree popped right back out. After several failed attempts at chopping it back down – I decided to just dig it up (rather than pay someone to remove it). It took me several days to get it done. My son said it looked like a meteor had hit the side of our house. I wish I had taken a picture.
22. When a section of our sewer pipe had to be removed, I dug that up, too.
23. I have an irrational fear of food contamination. I won’t eat left over’s or food that might have been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. I won’t touch raw meat – the very thought of meat (dead animals) makes me feel sick. Thank goodness my husband does all the cooking!
24. I’ve watched Days of Our Lives for over 20 years. (Thank you dvr).
25. I can’t resist an open house. I love to see the insides of other homes.

AND HERE IS PAUL'S RESPONSE......
#1. True, my wife can say no to almost nobody.
#2. Also true. I just know that my wife will probably need a newer, better one (blackberry) here in a minute. Potentially a good birthday present or something else.
#3. Funny, but also true, the sun does make her sneeze.
#4. True (she did give birth without drugs on purpose), and it was the best birth I have ever attended, although I have only attended two births.
#5. Key lime pie is her favorite desert. I usually by her Edwards or Sarah Lee, it's in the frozen section at the grocery store.
#6. My basement and garage are full of UNFINISHED PROJECTS that my wife began. We sold a bunch at our last yard sale. My wife's hobby is starting hobbies, but this makes her knowledgeable about almost EVERY darn thing.
#7. She will go to anyone's birth, just invite her. I can admit that I am VERY flexible to make her presence at other people's births possible.
#8. Me too. . . but having the time and money to travel across the country to lots of museums is tuff.
#9. . . .
#10. I just delete chain letter emails and don't read them.
#11. I say, God help up us when our daughter is 15-17!!! I don't think thirteen will be that bad. Hormones + Attitude = VERY BAD DAY!
#12. Our DVR was a present of sorts to each other and the family, and it has been a good idea.
#13. Amen.
#14. . .
#15. Maybe we could have more kids.
#16. I went to the same for school for my ENTIRE life and would love to have it the same way for my kids, but I know that isn't happening.
#17. My wife is smart!
#18. I could go the rest of my life and never play another video game and it wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit, but I did buy my wife Guitar Hero for Christmas, along with an Animal Crossing Guide and a WII Speak, and then said it was okay with me to get a WII Fit. It keeps her happy and helps her to relax. If you play Animal Crossing come visit my wife's town.
#19. Books on tape in the car put me to sleep. Not a good idea. But talk radio; now that gets my blood pumping.
#20. Yeah. . . I remain confused about that one too. . .
#21. My wife deserves a plaque for her efforts in digging up that tree's roots, along with about three or four others in our backyard that she failed to mention.
#22. My wife also deserves an award for single handedly digging up the sewer pipe. Please understand that I was out of town on business for the entire week and so don't assume I told her to dig it up.
#23. I love to cook; I love to cook even more for my wife, but she is not allowed to watch, because if she sees me cooking her food she sometimes will not eat it, weird. Friends like to have us over for dinner because I volunteer to cook (partially because I have this belief that other people's food is kinda gross), because I know what is in the food when I prepare it. Also, If there are left overs at our house, they must be eaten within 24hrs are they get tossed.
#24. . .
#25. . .

John Shipp (1939-2009)

John Mark Shipp, Sr. (born October 8, 1939, died January 16, 2009). John was the son of A.H. Shipp and Emma Henry Newcomb. He is survived by his wife of thirty-eight years, Shirley Shipp, formerly Shirley Foster. On January 16, 2008 he died at home with his wife after enjoying an afternoon and dinner with her. He died in her arms.

He is survived by four children, Jerry Wayne Shipp, Joyce Ellen Barger, John Mark Shipp, Jr., and Paul Shipp. He is also survived by his step-daughter Kate Marie Martin, who he treated as if she were from his own loins. He was very caring and willing to sacrifice for his family. He often went without so that his family's needs would be met. He was also always concerned about the comfort of others. Complaining was not something he did. In periods of great adversity he was not one to complain, rather he would work through the difficultly and have an open and optimistic outlook. He could find the silver lining in almost any situation.

As a child I remember very vividly the way he would very calmly handle the most difficult of situations. I remember once when our small weenie dog was severely injured when she was attacked by a German Sheppard in our yard. The Shepherd almost tore off our little dog's leg. We had no money for emergency vet services. I was so worried that our poor little dog would not make it because in my eyes she was bleeding a lot. Dad, on the other hand, simply said she would be alright. He assured us that he would do all he could to make certain everything would be okay. I am certain he said a prayer in his heart. It was shortly after the incident that my father had me and others holding the little dog down in the yard as he sewed her leg with a needle and thread. He wasn't a vet, but he did his best. He was shaken by the incident, but at the same time he remained calm, and his calm attitude helped settle those around him. The dog lived many years after that.

My father had a quiet dignity about him. He never spoke ill of other people. He enjoyed serving others. Our front yard was always littered with neighbors' broken cars as he was quite handy under the hood. My father was a great example of how anyone could be an expert on just about everything. There wasn't anything my father couldn't do or learn to do. He was convinced that he could fix anything. Now, it wasn't really true that he could fix anything, but he would die trying because no task was too difficult. He would do everything he could to learn about anything he did not understand. When neighbors had car problems he never worked on before he would spend tireless hours, even days sometimes, trying to help them figure the problem out. Then he worked incessantly until he could achieve a working solution. Even if he couldn't fix your problem, you knew that his attitude was one that he would keep trying until you asked him to stop, and even then, he would sometimes own your problem and keep working on it.

My father always had time. He never made anyone feel as though he was rushing them. He never made you feel as if you were a burden on his schedule, even if you indeed were a burden; it just wasn't in his disposition for him to tell you how much of a burden you really were. He never let his problems get in the way of helping you. As a matter of fact you would never know he had problems, because he wasn't one to talk about them.

On special occasions like his birthdays, father's day, Christmas, and any other time when he was deserving of a gift, everyone was always at a loss as to what to give him, and the reason for this was he was satisfied. He didn't "want" because he appeared to always have everything he needed, even when he didn't. He obviously didn't need to 'keep up with the Jones,' because he was never in competition with anyone for anything. He would wear his socks, shirts, shoes, and everything else until they were literally worn out, and tattered with many holes. He was content with hand-me-downs from any source. He wouldn't get new underwear unless his wife bought them for him. I assume this was his way of counting his blessings. It was also a great sermon on how every man should live a life free of pride.

My father taught me the importance of loving your family. He made it a priority to visit his mother regularly. When he visited his mother he would do anything she asked of him. He loved his wife. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her. He was not happy unless he knew she was happy. It was not unusual for him to worry himself to death about his wife's happiness. He was the same way with his children. My father would even put his family's wants above his own "needs." Again, the comfort of others was the hallmark of his life.

Even now, while he is temporarily gone, and his family and friends are distraught to not have him here to provide us much needed comfort, the truth is he is probably the one more worried about us. He is certainly worried about our individual needs. It no doubt pains him to know that he cannot physically put his arms around us, and tell us softly, “. . . all is okay. . ." It probably hurts him to know that he cannot make our tears go away. He will be greatly missed.

I appreciate so much the many things he taught me by simple, subtle sermon, his example.

Paul

Where You'll Find Me

Yep, it's a new year...and I haven't an idea of what to blog about. All I know is that I'd like to actually blog more on a regular basis this year. You could kinda say it is a new years resolution.

So I was thinking, why not share with you all those other places I find myself when I'm online. (These are no particualr order).

1. Facebook - I know that many bloggers don't really like facebook, actually I have heard them outright say that they are never going to use it. Well, sooner or later, they all end up on facebook. I've been on facebook for several years now however, it has only been the last six months that I have actually had any "friends." It seems that out of nowhere, people all over the place started to join facebook. As of this day, I have found 140 people on facebook that I know. I love being able to keep up with old friends, see pictures of their baby's and hear about what they are up to. My favorite part of facebook would be the status bar - It always says "Jen Shipp is" and then I fill in the rest. (It's kind of like twitter, but none of my friends have found that yet so I'll just keep using this one on facebook instead).

2. Blogs - I am a blog reader. I could spend hours upon hours just reading blogs. I have an entire list of blogs that I frequent in my bookmark folder. I start with one, then somehow find the link to someone else's blog...and then I'm bookmarking yet another blog.

3. Cuteoverload.com - OMG you have to see this website! What can I say...it's so CUTE! Yeah, this is just another blog...but I think it deserves it's own space. My kids and I get such a kick out of that website. Too cute!

4. The University of Kansas - No, I'm not obsessed with sports...just my grades. Since I've gone back to school, things have really chaged. Everything is online now; lecture notes, quizes, grade books. The program they use is called blackboard and I can't stop looking at it.

5. Google - Did you know that google is an offical verb now? It is. Whenever my kids have a questions, we google it. Once, I was trying to expain to my son (who was 9 or 10 at the time) that the internet has not always been around to find answers to our questions. I asked him if he had any idea how I used to find information when I was a kid. You know, I was thinking of that one encylpedia that my grandparents had. Do you know what that turkey said? He says, "I know, I know...you had scrolls." WHAT?!!

My daugther has also found google. She used to use it to look up kittens or cute dogs. I say used to because the other day, after playing on the computer, she comes down stairs and tells me how she had this great idea to type in "body parts up close" on google. Paul and I exchange glances. "Oh. So...what did you find with that search...?" There will be no more unsupervised googling in our house.